Sukta 153
Sukta 1.153
Dīrghatamas Āucathya (traditional attribution)
Mitra–Varuṇa
Triṣṭubh
ଏହି ସଂକ୍ଷିପ୍ତ ତ୍ରିଷ୍ଟୁଭ୍ ସୂକ୍ତରେ ମିତ୍ର–ବରୁଣଙ୍କୁ ଏକତ୍ର ଯୁଗଳ ଭାବେ ଆହ୍ୱାନ କରାଯାଇଛି; ଧୀ (ଅନ୍ତର୍ଦୃଷ୍ଟି) ଓ ଭକ୍ତିପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ନମସ୍କାର ସହ ପୁରୋହିତମାନେ ଆଣିଥିବା ଘୃତ-ସମୃଦ୍ଧ ଆହୁତି ସେମାନେ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରନ୍ତୁ ବୋଲି ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା କରାଯାଏ। ସେମାନଙ୍କର ରାଜତ୍ୱକୁ ଋତ (ବ୍ରହ୍ମାଣ୍ଡୀୟ ନିୟମ) ସହ ଯୋଡ଼ାଯାଇଛି, ଏବଂ ଅଦିତିଙ୍କୁ ପୋଷକ ଗାଈ ଭାବେ ଚିତ୍ରିତ କରାଯାଇଛି, ଯିଏ ସତ୍ୟ ସହ ସମନ୍ୱିତ ଲୋକମାନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ସମୃଦ୍ଧି ବଢ଼ାନ୍ତି। ଶେଷରେ ପୁରାତନ ପ୍ରଭୁଙ୍କର ପୋଷକ ‘କ୍ଷୀର’ ଓ ଜଳ ପାଇଁ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା ରହିଛି—ଯାହା ଜୀବନ, ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟତା ଓ ଠିକ୍ ନିୟମର ପ୍ରତୀକ।
Mantras
Mantra 1
यजामहे वां महः सजोषा हव्येभिर्मित्रावरुणा नमोभिः । घृतैर्घृतस्नू अध यद्वामस्मे अध्वर्यवो न धीतिभिर्भरन्ति ॥
ଆମେ ତୁମ ମହତ୍ତ୍ୱରେ, ଏକମନା ହୋଇ, ହେ ମିତ୍ର-ବରୁଣ, ହବ୍ୟ ଓ ନମସ୍କାରଦ୍ୱାରା ଉପାସନା କରୁଛୁ। ହେ ଘୃତରେ ଦୀପ୍ତ ‘ଘୃତସ୍ନୂ’, ଯେତେବେଳେ ଆମ ଭିତରର ଅଧ୍ୱର୍ୟବ (ଯଜ୍ଞକର୍ତ୍ତା ପୁରୋହିତ) ଧୀତି (ଅନ୍ତର୍ଦୃଷ୍ଟି) ଦ୍ୱାରା ତୁମକୁ ଏଠାକୁ ବହି ଆଣନ୍ତି, ସେତେବେଳେ ଆସ; ଏହି ଅନ୍ତର୍ହବିଷ୍ୟରେ ଆନନ୍ଦ ନିଅ।
Mantra 2
प्रस्तुतिर्वां धाम न प्रयुक्तिरयामि मित्रावरुणा सुवृक्तिः । अनक्ति यद्वां विदथेषु होता सुम्नं वां सूरिर्वृषणावियक्षन् ॥
ବିଧିର ସୁସ୍ଥାପିତ କ୍ରମ ପରି, ମୋର ସ୍ତୁତି ତୁମ ପାଖକୁ ଅଗ୍ରସର ହୁଏ, ହେ ମିତ୍ର-ବରୁଣ—‘ସୁବୃକ୍ତି’, ଯଥାଯଥ ଭାବେ ଘୁରିଥିବା ଉଚ୍ଚାରଣ ଭାବେ। ଯେତେବେଳେ ‘ବିଦଥ’ ସଭାମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ହୋତା ତୁମକୁ ଅଭିଷେକ/ଅନୁଲେପ କରେ, ସେତେବେଳେ, ହେ ବୃଷଣା (ବଳବାନମାନେ), ସୂରି (ପ୍ରକାଶିତ ଦାତା) ତୁମ ‘ସୁମ୍ନ’ (ଅନୁଗ୍ରହ)ର ଆନନ୍ଦ ପାଇବାକୁ ଆକାଂକ୍ଷା କରେ।
Mantra 3
पीपाय धेनुरदितिॠताय जनाय मित्रावरुणा हविर्दे । हिनोति यद्वां विदथे सपर्यन्त्स रातहव्यो मानुषो न होता ॥
ଅଦିତି—ପୋଷଣକାରିଣୀ ଧେନୁ—ଋତକୁ ବରଣ କରୁଥିବା ଜନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ପୁଷ୍ଟିମତୀ ହୋଇ ବଢ଼େ; ହେ ମିତ୍ର-ବରୁଣ, ସେ ହବିଷର ଦାନ ଦେଇଥାଏ। ଯେତେବେଳେ ମାନବ ହୋତୃ ବିଦଥ (ସଭା)ରେ ତୁମମାନଙ୍କୁ ସପର୍ୟା କରେ, ସେ ଯଜ୍ଞକ୍ରିୟାକୁ ଆଗେଇ ନେଇଯାଏ—ଯଥାର୍ଥ ଭାବେ ଅର୍ପିତ ହବିଷ ଥିବା ହୋତୃ।
Mantra 4
उत वां विक्षु मद्यास्वन्धो गाव आपश्च पीपयन्त देवीः । उतो नो अस्य पूर्व्यः पतिर्दन्वीतं पातं पयस उस्रियायाः ॥
ଆଉ କୁଳମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ, ମଦ୍ୟ (ଉଲ୍ଲାସ)ରେ, ପାନ (ସୋମ) ଓ ଗାଈମାନେ ଓ ଦେବୀ ଜଳମାନେ—ତୁମମାନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ—ବଢ଼ନ୍ତି। ଆମ ପାଇଁ ଏହି (କ୍ରମ)ର ପୂର୍ବ୍ୟ ପତି କୃପା କରୁନ୍ତୁ: ଆସ, ପିଅ—ଉସ୍ରିୟା (ପ୍ରକାଶମୟ) ଧେନୁର ଦୁଧ, ପୋଷକ ସାର, ପିଅ।
Inside Sukta 153
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Unified worship of Mitra–Varuṇa with ghee-rich offerings and reverence, emphasizing their greatness and the priestly act of bringing them through insight (dhī).
- Development
The hymn ties their presence to ṛta: Aditi as the nourishing Cow swells for the people who choose truth, and the human Hotṛ advances the rite in the assembly.
- Climax
Abundance and divine increase—draught, cows, and waters—are pictured as swelling for the gods, revealing prosperity as the visible sign of ṛta upheld.
- Where it settles
A final petition to the ‘ancient Lord’ of this order: come and drink, and grant the sustaining milk/essence—life, nourishment, and steady protection for the worshippers.
The deity: Mitra–Varuṇa
- In the VedaA paired sovereignty of the Ādityas: Mitra embodies concord, contract, and friendly order, while Varuṇa embodies vastness, moral law, and binding authority; together they uphold ṛta and oversee truthfulness in word and deed.
- Cosmic functionThey stabilize cosmic and social order—guarding oaths, regulating right conduct, and ensuring the proper flow of waters, fertility, and lawful prosperity for communities aligned with ṛta.
- Inner significanceThe harmonizing power of conscience and integrity: Mitra as the capacity for cooperation and trust, Varuṇa as the inner moral governor that restrains, corrects, and restores alignment with truth.
The seer
- Dīrghatamas ĀucathyaĀucathya (traditionally connected with the Aṅgirasa stream) · A celebrated visionary-poet known for profound, symbolic hymns on ṛta, speech, and cosmic order; famed in later tradition for esoteric insight and paradoxical imagery.
Famous verses
sajoṣā (in one accord)
पीपाय धेनुरदितिॠताय जनाय मित्रावरुणा हविर्दे । हिनोति यद्वां विदथे सपर्यन्त्स रातहव्यो मानुषो न होता ॥उत वां विक्षु मद्यास्वन्धो गाव आपश्च पीपयन्त देवीः । उतो नो अस्य पूर्व्यः पतिर्दन्वीतं पातं पयस उस्रियायाः ॥Attributes of the deity
- Upholders of ṛta (cosmic order)
- Guardians of vows, truth, and social contracts
- Sovereign, far-seeing, and protective
- Givers of prosperity through lawful order
- Associated with waters, purification, and expansive authority
- Invoked together for harmony and moral clarity
Also by this seer
- Rig Veda Mandala 1 hymns traditionally linked to Dīrghatamas, especially the enigmatic RV 1.140–1.164 (notably RV 1.164)
- Influential Vedic themes on ṛta, Aditi, and the Adityas that echo in later Brāhmaṇa and Upaniṣadic interpretation
The rite, step by step
- Prepare the fire and seat the deities through opening praises to Mitra–Varuṇa as a united pair (sajoṣā).
- Offer ghee (ghṛta) with namas (reverent formulae), inviting them to “come” to the inner and outer oblation.
- Recite with focused dhī (inspired insight), aligning the sacrificer with ṛta; invoke Aditi’s nourishing increase for the rite.
- Conclude with a request for sustaining abundance—waters, cattle, and the ‘milk/essence’ of the radiant Cow—sealed by renewed invitation to partake.
Offerings
- Ghṛta (clarified butter)
- Havis (general oblations)
- Soma/andhas (draught) where applicable
- Water libations (āpaḥ) and ancillary offerings in the rite
Frequently Asked Questions
They are a paired Āditya deity: Mitra represents harmony and trustworthy agreements, while Varuṇa represents moral law and sovereign restraint. Together they protect ṛta—right order in the cosmos and society.
Ghṛta is a primary Vedic offering and also a symbol of clarity and luminous nourishment. The hymn asks Mitra–Varuṇa to delight in ghee-rich oblations brought with reverence and focused insight.
Aditi appears as the nourishing Cow who ‘swells’ for people devoted to ṛta. She represents the supportive, expansive power through which lawful order becomes visible as fertility, cattle, waters, and well-being.
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