Rig Veda Sukta 51
Mandala 6Sukta 5116 Mantras

Sukta 51

Sukta 6.51

Rishi

Bharadvāja (traditional attribution for RV 6.51)

Devata

Mitra-Varuṇa (Ādityas), with solar ‘Eye’ motif

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (probable; verify by metrical count in critical edition)

本讃歌は、ミトラとヴァルナをṛta(宇宙の秩序・正法)の守護者として讃え、真実を顕し人の行いを導く、広く見通す「眼」(太陽の視座)を呼び起こす。さらにアーディティヤたちに、祭主を過失・敵意・無秩序から守り、共同体を安全で吉祥な道へ導いて、ついには安寧(svasti)と豊穣に至らせるよう祈願する。

Recitation with translationRig Veda 6.51

Mantras

Mantra 1

उदु त्यच्चक्षुर्महि मित्रयोराँ एति प्रियं वरुणयोरदब्धम् । ऋतस्य शुचि दर्शतमनीकं रुक्मो न दिव उदिता व्यद्यौत् ॥

あの偉大なる「眼」が昇る。ミトラ(Mitra)に愛され、ヴァルナ(Varuṇa)に欺かれぬもの。ṛta(真理・秩序)の清らかにして見ゆる面(おもて)。それは黄金の輝きのごとく天より持ち上げられ、あまねく照りわたり、われらのうちに法を見分ける視力を呼び覚ます。

Mantra 2

वेद यस्त्रीणि विदथान्येषां देवानां जन्म सनुतरा च विप्रः । ऋजु मर्तेषु वृजिना च पश्यन्नभि चष्टे सूरो अर्य एवान् ॥

かれは光明の聖見者(ヴィプラ)にして、彼らの三つの集会(ヴィダタ)を知り、また神々(デーヴァ)の誕生とその古き連なりを知る。人間のあいだにあって、まっすぐなるものをも、曲がれるものをも見きわめ、太陽のごとき高貴なる者(アーリヤ)は万有を見渡し、混じり合う人の世に真理を顕わす。

Mantra 3

स्तुष उ वो मह ऋतस्य गोपानदितिं मित्रं वरुणं सुजातान् । अर्यमणं भगमदब्धधीतीनच्छा वोचे सधन्यः पावकान् ॥

われは汝らに向かい、真理(ṛta)の偉大なる守護者たちを讃え告げよう。アディティ(Aditi)、ミトラ(Mitra)、ヴァルナ(Varuṇa)—よく生まれし者たち。さらにアリヤマン(Aryaman)とバガ(Bhaga)—その思惟は欺かれぬ。これら清めの力に、われはまっすぐに語る、存在の真の富を求める者として。

Mantra 4

रिशादसः सत्पतीँरदब्धान्महो राज्ञः सुवसनस्य दातॄन् । यूनः सुक्षत्रान्क्षयतो दिवो नॄनादित्यान्याम्यदितिं दुवोयु ॥

われはアーディティヤ(Āditya)たちに赴く—害を食らい尽くす者、まことの主、裏切られぬ者。広大なる王(Vast)の「広き衣」を与える施与者たち。若くして善き主権を備え、天に住み、人々の中の導き手として立つ。われは恩寵と奉仕の賜物を願い、アディティ(Aditi)に近づく。

Mantra 5

द्यौष्पितः पृथिवि मातरध्रुगग्ने भ्रातर्वसवो मृळता नः । विश्व आदित्या अदिते सजोषा अस्मभ्यं शर्म बहुलं वि यन्त ॥

天はわれらの父、地はわれらの母、揺るぎなく;アグニはわれらの兄――おおヴァス(Vasus)よ、われらを憐れみたまえ。おお一切のアーディティヤ(Ādityas)よ、アディティ(Aditi)よ、心を一つにして、われらのために広大なる安らぎと庇護を、幾重にも及ぶ守りをひろげたまえ。

Mantra 6

मा नो वृकाय वृक्ये समस्मा अघायते रीरधता यजत्राः । यूयं हि ष्ठा रथ्यो नस्तनूनां यूयं दक्षस्य वचसो बभूव ॥

われらを狼に、狼のごとき者に、害を願う者に引き渡すな――おお祭祀に愛でらるる神々よ、彼をわれらから遠ざけたまえ。そは汝らこそ、われらの身(たぬう)の御者、戦車の馭者のごとく;汝らこそ、ダクシャ(dakṣa)の力の主、成就を形づくる言(ことば)となりたまう。

Mantra 7

मा व एनो अन्यकृतं भुजेम मा तत्कर्म वसवो यच्चयध्वे । विश्वस्य हि क्षयथ विश्वदेवाः स्वयं रिपुस्तन्वं रीरिषीष्ट ॥

われらが他人のなした罪を負うことなかれ;また、汝らヴァスよ、汝らが積み重ねしその業(わざ)の報いを負うことなかれ。汝ら遍き神々は、万有の主にして支えなり;敵対の力はみずから身ある者を傷つけん――その自ら駆る傷害より、われらを救いたまえ。

Mantra 8

नम इदुग्रं नम आ विवासे नमो दाधार पृथिवीमुत द्याम् । नमो देवेभ्यो नम ईश एषां कृतं चिदेनो नमसा विवासे ॥

まことに、その猛き力に礼拝を。礼拝をもって近づき、傍らに住まう。礼拝は大地と天を支える。神々に礼拝を、また彼らの主に礼拝を。なされた過ちさえも、礼拝と崇敬の行によって、正さんと願い礼拝する。

Mantra 9

ऋतस्य वो रथ्यः पूतदक्षानृतस्य पस्त्यसदो अदब्धान् । ताँ आ नमोभिरुरुचक्षसो नॄन्विश्वान्व आ नमे महो यजत्राः ॥

汝らはṛta(リタ)の御者、清められた洞察を具え、ṛtaの住処に坐し、欺かれぬ者たち。広く見渡す英雄の力よ――汝らすべてに、礼拝の行をもって頭を垂れる。おお、偉大にして祭にふさわしき者たちよ。

Mantra 10

ते हि श्रेष्ठवर्चसस्त उ नस्तिरो विश्वानि दुरिता नयन्ति । सुक्षत्रासो वरुणो मित्रो अग्निॠतधीतयो वक्मराजसत्याः ॥

彼らは最上の光輝を具え、われらをあらゆる難路の彼方へ導く。正しき主権に強き者たち――ヴァルナ、ミトラ、アグニ――ṛtaを思惟する者、霊感の言葉の王、真実に堅く立つ者たち。

Mantra 11

ते न इन्द्रः पृथिवी क्षाम वर्धन्पूषा भगो अदितिः पञ्च जनाः । सुशर्माणः स्ववसः सुनीथा भवन्तु नः सुत्रात्रासः सुगोपाः ॥

インドラ、大地と広き領域、プーシャン(Pūṣan)、バガ(Bhaga)、アディティ(Aditi)、そして五つの氏族(pañca janāḥ)が、われらを増し栄えさせますように。彼らがわれらにとって、善き庇護、みずから力を発する助け手、善き導き手となり、堅き守護者、善き番人となりますように。

Mantra 12

नू सद्मानं दिव्यं नंशि देवा भारद्वाजः सुमतिं याति होता । आसानेभिर्यजमानो मियेधैर्देवानां जन्म वसूयुर्ववन्द ॥

いま、神々は天なる座(サドマン)に到り、バラドヴァージャ(Bharadvāja)なるホートリ(Hotṛ)は善き思いへと進む。祭主は、据えられた供物と正しき量(ミヤーダ)をもって、充溢を願い、神々の誕生/根源を敬い讃える。

Mantra 13

अप त्यं वृजिनं रिपुं स्तेनमग्ने दुराध्यम् । दविष्ठमस्य सत्पते कृधी सुगम् ॥

その曲がれる敵対の力、盗人のごとき、制しがたき災いを、アグニ(Agni)よ、払い退けよ。真実の主(satpati)にして最も恵み深き者よ、彼のために善き道を作り開け。

Mantra 14

ग्रावाणः सोम नो हि कं सखित्वनाय वावशुः । जही न्यत्रिणं पणिं वृको हि षः ॥

ソーマよ、搾り石(グラーヴァ)は、われらと友誼を結ばんとして呼び立てた。貪り食うパニ(Paṇi)、敵対するアトリナ(Atriṇa)を打ち倒せ――まことに彼は狼のごとき凶力である。

Mantra 15

यूयं हि ष्ठा सुदानव इन्द्रज्येष्ठा अभिद्यवः । कर्ता नो अध्वन्ना सुगं गोपा अमा ॥

汝らはまことに善き贈り物の施与者、インドラを最上とし、光明へと迫り進む諸力である。われらの旅路に善き道を作れ――ここにわれらと共にある守護者たちよ。

Mantra 16

अपि पन्थामगन्महि स्वस्तिगामनेहसम् । येन विश्वाः परि द्विषो वृणक्ति विन्दते वसु ॥

われらは安寧へと至る道、苦難なき道に到った。その道によって、人は四方の憎しみ手をことごとく退け、豊かな実在(ヴァス)を見いだす。

Inside Sukta 51

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    The hymn opens with the ascent of the great “Eye,” dear to Mitra and Varuṇa—truth’s radiant face emerging from heaven.

  2. Development

    It expands into praise of the Ādityas as charioteers and householders of ṛta, emphasizing their purified discernment and unfailing protection for those who honor them.

  3. Climax

    A decisive turn toward practical grace: the worshipper seeks their wide-seeing guardianship to overcome hostility and remain aligned with ṛta.

  4. Where it settles

    It resolves in an auspicious closure: having reached the svasti-bearing path, one wards off haters and finds vāsu—secure well-being and plenitude.

The deity: Mitra–Varuṇa, with the solar “Eye” motif

  • In the VedaMitra and Varuṇa are portrayed as majestic, wide-seeing Ādityas who uphold ṛta, forgive and bind transgression, and oversee truth, contracts, and right conduct; their “Eye” rises like gold from heaven, making ṛta visible.
  • Cosmic functionThey stabilize cosmic and social order—regulating day/night, seasons, oaths, and moral causality—so that the world and society remain coherent and trustworthy.
  • Inner significanceThey represent the awakened conscience and luminous discernment by which one aligns speech and action with truth; the rising “Eye” symbolizes clarity that exposes error and restores harmony.

The seer

  • Bharadvāja (Bārhaspatya)Bharadvāja-gotra (Āṅgirasa/Bārhaspatya line) · A major Rigvedic seer associated with the Bharadvāja family collection (especially Mandala 6), renowned for hymns that unite precise ritual speech with the ethical vision of ṛta.

Famous verses

ud u tyac cakṣur mahi
Verse 6.51.1Programmatic vision-verse: the rising ‘Eye’ frames the entire hymn as illumination of ṛta—ethical and cosmic order made perceptible.Read verse 6.51.1 →
ṛtasya vo rathyaḥ pūtadakṣān
Verse 6.51.9Defines Mitra–Varuṇa as ‘charioteers of ṛta’ with purified discernment and wide sight, expressing the hymn’s core theology of order, vigilance, and trust.Read verse 6.51.9 →
svastigām anehasam
Verse 6.51.16A memorable benedictory conclusion about attaining the distress-free path to well-being that repels hostility and yields abundance; often cited as a ‘svasti’ type ending.Read verse 6.51.16 →

Attributes of the deity

  • ṛta-pāla (guardians of cosmic order)
  • urucakṣas (wide-seeing, all-observant)
  • adabdha (unbetrayable, unfailing)
  • pūtadakṣa (purified discernment)
  • protectors of truth, vows, and social harmony
  • bestowers of svasti (well-being) and safe passage

Also by this seer

  • Rigveda Mandala 6 (many hymns traditionally attributed to Bharadvāja seers)
  • Hymns to Indra, Agni, and the Ādityas within the Bharadvāja corpus (e.g., RV 6.1–6.75, traditional attributions vary by sukta)
  • Later tradition associates the Bharadvāja lineage with śrauta learning and transmission of mantra-knowledge (paramparā attribution)

The rite, step by step

  • Ācamana and saṅkalpa: establish intention for truthfulness, protection, and right order (ṛta).
  • Āhavana/Agni kindling: light the fire and recite opening praises to invite the deities.
  • Āvāhana: invoke Mitra–Varuṇa as wide-seeing guardians; contemplate the rising solar “Eye” as ṛta made visible.
  • Main offering: present oblations while reciting key verses, asking for release from hostility and from faults against ṛta.
  • Śānti/prārthanā: conclude with a ‘path of svasti’ prayer—seeking an unhindered way, protection on all sides, and attainment of vāsu (good fortune).

Offerings

  • Ghṛta (clarified butter) oblations into Agni
  • Soma (where applicable in soma rites)
  • Havis (simple food-offerings such as puroḍāśa in śrauta context, by tradition)
  • Water and arghya as respectful offering (gṛhya-style adaptation)

Frequently Asked Questions

They are Ādityas who oversee truth, vows, and cosmic order (ṛta). The hymn praises them as wide-seeing protectors who keep both society and nature aligned with law and harmony.

It primarily points to the sun as the visible ‘Eye’ that rises and reveals ṛta. Spiritually, it suggests awakened insight—clarity that helps a person discern truth and live rightly.

The hymn concludes by seeking an unhindered, auspicious path (svasti-gām anehasam) that wards off hostility from all sides and leads to vāsu—secure well-being and abundance.

Ask anything about Sukta 51 of the Rig Veda

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