Rig Veda 6.49.1: Mandala 6, Sukta 49, Mantra 1
Sukta 6.49
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
स्तुषे जनं सुव्रतं नव्यसीभिर्गीर्भिर्मित्रावरुणा सुम्नयन्ता । त आ गमन्तु त इह श्रुवन्तु सुक्षत्रासो वरुणो मित्रो अग्निः ॥
stuṣé jánaṃ suvratáṃ navyásībhiṛ gī́rbhir mitrā́varuṇā sumnayántā | tá ā́ gamantu tá ihá śruvantu sukṣatrā́so váruṇo mitró agníḥ ||
ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າສວດມົນຕີບັນດາຜູ້ມີຄວາມປະສົງດີດ້ວຍຄຳສັບໃໝ່ສະເໝີນ - ມິຕຣະ ແລະ ວຣຸນະຜູ້ນຳຄວາມສະຫວັດດີງາມມາ. ຈົ່ງໃຫ້ພວກທ່ານມາຫາພວກເຮົາ; ຈົ່ງໃຫ້ພວກທ່ານໄດ້ຍິນຢູ່ທີ່ນີ້: ຜູ້ທີ່ເຂັ້ມແຂງໃນອຳນາດອະທິປະໄຕ - ວຣຸນະ, ມິຕຣະ, ແລະ ອັຄີນີ.
Word by Word
- स्तुषे
- I praiseVerbPresent (Vedic), Ātmanepada; 1st person singularRole (क्रिया) —Root √स्तु (स्तवते)
- जनम्
- the people/folkNounMasculine; Accusative singularRole KarmaRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुव्रतम्
- of good observance/with good vowsAdjectiveMasculine; Accusative singular (agreeing with जनम्)Role Karma (विशेषण)Root सुव्रत (प्रातिपदिक; सु- + व्रत)
- नव्यसीभिः
- with ever-new (hymns)Adjective (used substantively with गीर्भिः)Feminine; Instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot नव्यसी (प्रातिपदिक; स्त्री., ‘newer/very new’)
- गीर्भिः
- with songs/hymnsNounFeminine; Instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot गीर् (प्रातिपदिक; स्त्री.)
- मित्रावरुणा
- O Mitra and VaruṇaNoun (dual deity-name)Masculine; Vocative dualRole (सम्बोधन)Root मित्र + वरुण (प्रातिपदिक; द्वन्द्व)
- सुम्नयन्ता
- bestowing favor/bringing graceParticiple (Adjectival)Masculine; Vocative dual (agreeing with मित्रावरुणा)Role (सम्बोधन-विशेषण)Root सुम्नयन्त् (प्रातिपदिक; √मन्/√म्ना ‘to think/favor’ with सु-; present participle)
- ते
- theyPronounMasculine; Nominative pluralRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinablePreverb (direction ‘hither’)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- गमन्तु
- let them comeVerbImperative; 3rd person plural; ParasmaipadaRole (क्रिया) —Root √गम्
- ते
- theyPronounMasculine; Nominative pluralRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableLocative adverbRole AdhikaraṇaRoot इह (अव्यय)
- श्रुवन्तु
- let them hearVerbImperative; 3rd person plural; Parasmaipada (Vedic form)Role (क्रिया) —Root √श्रु
- सुक्षत्रासः
- the well-ruling/mighty onesAdjective (used substantively)Masculine; Nominative pluralRole Kartā (apposition to ते)Root सुक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक; सु- + क्षत्र)
- वरुणः
- VaruṇaNoun (deity-name)Masculine; Nominative singularRole Kartā (in apposition)Root वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्रः
- MitraNoun (deity-name)Masculine; Nominative singularRole Kartā (in apposition)Root मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निः
- AgniNoun (deity-name)Masculine; Nominative singularRole Kartā (in apposition)Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: (1) नव्यसीभिर्गीर्भिः → नव्यसीभिः + गीर्भिः (final -ः before g- becomes r: visarga-sandhi)
- (2) मित्रावरुणा is a द्वन्द्व compound used as vocative dual ‘O Mitra and Varuṇa’
- (3) सुम्नयन्ता is vocative dual agreeing with मित्रावरुणा
- (4) त आ गमन्तु → ते + आ + गमन्तु (te ‘they’ + preverb ā)
- (5) त इह श्रुवन्तु → ते + इह + श्रुवन्तु
- (6) सुक्षत्रासो वरुणो मित्रो अग्निः → सुक्षत्रासः + वरुणः + मित्रः + अग्निः (pada-text often shows -o for -aḥ/-aḥ before voiced sounds; restored to nominative -ः forms)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The seer praises the noble host of right-ordained powers—Mitra and Varuṇa who bring grace—and calls them (with Agni) to come and hear the hymn here.
Inner meaning
The “host” is the assembled powers of an integral yoga: Mitra (harmonising light of understanding and right relation), Varuṇa (vastness, purity, law of Truth, soul-discipline), and Agni (the divine Will in us that leads the inner sacrifice). The mantra is an invocation for these powers to descend into the field of practice (“here”), to listen (approve, respond) and to establish a sovereign inner order (su-kṣatra) in mind, life, and body.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress depends on a triple movement: aspiration (Agni), harmony and sincerity in relations (Mitra), and widening purity with truth-law (Varuṇa). When these powers are invited and consciously “heard,” they organise the being into a stable inner sovereignty.
Themes
invocation, cosmic law, harmony, sacrificial fire, right order
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja tradition (attribution of RV 6 to Bharadvāja); specific rishi for 6.49 uncertain in many recensions
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.49.2, RV 6.49.3, RV 6.49.4, RV 6.49.5, RV 6.47 (Bharadvāja cycle, Indra/Agni emphasis)
Family tradition
Mandala 6 is predominantly Bharadvāja; hymns often stress ordered ascent through Agni and the Adityas (Mitra–Varuṇa) toward ṛta.
Significance
The Bharadvāja stream frequently presents yoga as an inner sacrifice: aspiration kindled by Agni, disciplined by Varuṇa’s law, made harmonious by Mitra—yielding a settled inner kingship (kṣatra) of the soul over the instruments.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa (with Agni as included power)
- Epithets
- sumnayantā (bringers of grace), sukṣatrāsaḥ (strong in sovereign power)
- Related deities
- Aryaman, Bhaga, Aditi, Indra, Sūrya
Cosmic role
Guardians of ṛta: Mitra maintains concord and right relation; Varuṇa upholds vast law, purity, and the binding order; Agni mediates between human and divine as priest and messenger.
Inner power
Mitra: luminous clarity and harmony in the mental being; Varuṇa: wideness, ethical-spiritual purification, truth-compulsion; Agni: upward will, aspiration, transformative heat.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocation to Adityas and Agni in a soma/yajña setting; opening or summoning verse
स्तु॒षे जनं॑ सुव्र॒तं नव्य॑सीभिर्गी॒र्भिर्मि॒त्रावरु॑णा सुम्न॒यन्ता॑ । त आ ग॑मन्तु॒ त इ॒ह श्रु॑वन्तु सुक्ष॒त्रासो॒ वरु॑णो मि॒त्रो अ॒ग्निः ॥
स्तु॒षे । जन॑म् । सु॒ऽव्र॒तम् । नव्य॑सीभिः । गीः॒ऽभिः । मि॒त्रावरु॑णा । सु॒म्न॒ऽयन्ता॑ । ते । आ । ग॒म॒न्तु॒ । ते । इ॒ह । श्रु॒व॒न्तु॒ । सु॒ऽक्ष॒त्रासः॑ । वरु॑णः । मि॒त्रः । अ॒ग्निः ॥
stuṣe | janam | su-vratam | navyasībhiḥ | gīḥ-bhiḥ | mitrāvaruṇā | sumna-yantā | te | ā | gamantu | te | iha | śruvantu | su-kṣatrāsaḥ | varuṇaḥ | mitraḥ | agniḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Firm, forward-driving cadence suited to invocation and establishment of order.
Builds a sense of calling-down and stabilising: the rhythm supports resolve (vrata) and receptive attention (śravaṇa) to higher guidance.
- जनम् (janam)
- Literal: people/host. Symbolic: the gathering of inner powers and faculties to be governed by Truth
- सुव्रतम् (suvratam)
- Literal: of good vow/right observance. Symbolic: right will and right law in the nature; consent to ṛta
- नव्यसीभिः गीर्भिः (navyasībhiḥ gīrbhiḥ)
- Literal: with ever-new words/hymns. Symbolic: fresh formations of mantra-thought; renewed aspiration and insight
- मित्रावरुणा (mitrāvaruṇā)
- Literal: Mitra and Varuṇa. Symbolic: harmony/clarity (Mitra) + vast truth-law/purity (Varuṇa)
- सुम्नयन्ता (sumnayantā)
- Literal: bringing good grace/favour. Symbolic: bestowing inner gladness, right condition, and helpful forwardness
- श्रुवन्तु (śruvantu)
- Literal: let them hear. Symbolic: let the higher powers receive and answer the call; inner receptivity
- सुक्षत्रासः (sukṣatrāsaḥ)
- Literal: good in kṣatra/sovereign power. Symbolic: right mastery and luminous governance of the nature
- अग्निः (agniḥ)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine will, leader of the inner yajña
General āvāhana (invitation) at the opening of a rite: calling the powers to 'come' and 'hear'—especially apt for offerings establishing right order (Varuṇa), harmony (Mitra), and sacrificial flame (Agni).
At the commencement of offerings or when calling the deities to the seat (āsana) and to hearing (śravaṇa) the stotra/śastra.
Āvāhana (invitation), followed by praise (stuti) to secure sumná (grace).
Use as a daily invocation before meditation: call for harmony (Mitra), purity-law (Varuṇa), and aspirational fire (Agni) to govern the day.
suvrata-: su- 'good' + vrata 'vow, law' (from √vṛ 'choose, will, restrain') → right-will aligned to r̥ta. mitra- from √mi 'to bind/measure' (semantic: contract, friendship) → harmony. varuṇa- linked to √vṛ 'cover/encompass' → the all-encompassing law. agni- from PIE *h₁n̥gʷnis (Latin ignis) → fire; psychologically will/aspiration.
R̥ta (cosmic order), kṣatra as right sovereignty, grace/benediction (sumná)
Explicit: suvrata and sukṣatra imply alignment of the being to ṛta and its governing powers.
Varuṇa’s truth-law and Mitra’s truthful harmony make the speech (gīr) effective.
Descent of cosmic order into the human field through mantra and sacrifice.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral yogic reading (Aurobindo): gods as powers of consciousness rather than external beings only.
Fire = aspiration; Sun = illumined understanding; Sky-ocean = vast purity and law holding the movements together.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the descent/arrival of the cosmic powers into the sacrificial field: Mitra–Varuṇa (order and harmony) and Agni (aspiring flame) are invited to enter the human-ritual space so that right sovereignty (su-kṣatra) can be established in life and consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The invitation formula (ā gamantu… śruvantu) reflects inherited Indo-European hymn pragmatics: imperative/optative calls to divine hearing. agni- is a classic IE cognate (Latin ignis). dyadic gods (Mitra–Varuṇa) reflect an old pairing strategy in IE poetics (functional complementarity).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A reciprocal contract: the r̥ṣi offers ever-new speech (navyasī gīr) and praise; the devatās respond by coming, hearing, and granting sumná (grace) and su-kṣatra (right governing power) in the aspirant’s life.
Invite harmony, purity, and aspiration to ‘take their seat’ in the mind; cultivate inner sovereignty (sukṣatra).
Anāhata (Mitra: harmony) and Viśuddha (truthful speech/ṛc) with support of Maṇipūra (Agni: will).
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana 6–6 count, then silent repetition on exhale to deepen receptivity (śruvantu).
Receptive wideness with steady will—quiet authority rather than strain.
Begin practice by stating an inner ‘vrata’ (right intention), kindle a steady will (Agni), widen to impartial purity (Varuṇa), then harmonise relations and thoughts (Mitra).
Use standard Rigvedic udātta/anudātta/svarita as per śākhā; if unavailable in the app, chant with a gentle udātta lift on principal verbs (stuṣe, ā gamantu, śruvantu).
Keep clear stress on long vowels: stū-ṣe, sū-vra-tam, nā-vya-sī-bhiḥ; avoid flattening consonant clusters in mitrā-varuṇā.
: keep ‘trā’ long and retroflex ‘ṇ’ in varuṇa, : pronounce kṣa as a single cluster ‘ksha’, : ‘śru’ with ś (palatal) not s, : gīr-bhiḥ with voiced bh
Clear, steady, inviting; end each pāda with a slight settling to convey ‘sovereignty’.
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