Rig Veda 1.151.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 151, Mantra 1
Sukta 1.151
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
मित्रं न यं शिम्या गोषु गव्यवः स्वाध्यो विदथे अप्सु जीजनन् । अरेजेतां रोदसी पाजसा गिरा प्रति प्रियं यजतं जनुषामवः ॥
mitráṃ na yaṃ śimyā́ góṣu gavyávaḥ svā́dhyo vidáthe apsú jī́janan | árejetāṃ ródasī pā́jasā girā́ práti priyáṃ yajatáṃ januṣā́m ávaḥ ||
मित्रं न यं शिम्या गोषु गव्यवः स्वाध्यः विदथे अप्सु जीजनन्; पाजसा गिरा रोदसी अरेजेताम्। प्रियम् यजतं युगलं प्रति गिरा प्रत्यवदन्—जनुषाम् अवः, जन्मतः रक्षणम्।
Word by Word
- मित्रम्
- Mitra (the god); a friendNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot मित्र (प्रातिपदिक) अव्युत्पन्न/नामधातु
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा/निषेध-निपात (यहाँ उपमार्थे ‘like/as’)Root न (निपात)
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शिम्या
- swift/active (RV epithet; ‘energetic, impelling’)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (उपमेय/उपमान-विशेषण)Role Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण) / SambandhaRoot शिम्या (प्रातिपदिक; RV-विशेषण)
- गोषु
- among the cows; in the cattleNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- गव्यवः
- the cattle-seekers/owners (men)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot गव्यवस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘cattle-seeking/possessing’)
- स्वाध्यः
- self-impelled; of inherent powerAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (विशेषण)Role Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण) / SambandhaRoot स्वाध्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘self-impelled/with own power’)
- विदथे
- in the vidatha (ritual assembly)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot विदथ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘assembly/ritual session’)
- अप्सु
- in the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘waters’)
- जीजनन्
- they generated; they producedVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचन; (जीजनन् = intensive/aoristic-imperfect ‘they generated/produced repeatedly’)Role KriyāRoot √जन् (जनने) (intensive/causative-like RV usage)
- अरेजेताम्
- the two shook; trembledVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट), आत्मनेपद, 3 पुरुष, द्विवचनRole KriyāRoot √रेज् (कम्पने)
- रोदसी
- Heaven and Earth (the two worlds)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole KartāRoot रोदसी (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक; ‘heaven-and-earth’)
- पाजसा
- with might; by strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot पाजस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘strength, might, brilliance’)
- गिरा
- with a hymn; by songNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot गिर् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘song, hymn, voice’)
- प्रति
- towards; in response toIndeclinableदिशा/सम्बन्ध-निपातRoot प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- प्रियम्
- dear; belovedAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
- यजतम्
- worthy of worshipAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (प्रियम् इति विशेषणम्) / अथवा पुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन (देव-विशेषण)Role KarmaRoot यजत (प्रातिपदिक; ‘worthy of worship’)
- जनुषाम्
- of the races; of the generationsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole SambandhaRoot जनुष् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘birth, race, generation’)
- अवः
- help; protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अवस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘help, favor, protection’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): मित्रं न यं शिम्या गोषु गव्यवः स्वाध्यः विदथे अप्सु जीजनन् । अरेजेताम् रोदसी पाजसा गिरा प्रति प्रियं यजतं जनुषाम् अवः ॥ मुख्य सन्धि/रूप-टिप्पणी: (1) ‘मित्रं’ = मित्रम् (अं < म् + विराम). (2) ‘गोषु’ सप्तमी बहुवचन ‘गो’ का वैदिक रूप. (3) ‘जीजनन्’ √जन् का वैदिक intensive-प्रयोग
- लङ् 3pl. (4) ‘अरेजेताम्’ लङ् आत्मनेपद 3du. (5) ‘रोदसी’ स्थिर-द्विवचन (द्यावापृथिव्यौ). (6) ‘जनुषामवः’ पाठ में ‘जनुषाम् अवः’ (म् + अ → मव्) संधि से संयुक्त दिखता है।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The hymn likens Mitra-Varuṇa to a friendly power whom seekers bring forth through effort in the assembly and in the Waters; the two worlds tremble at their force. By the inspired word, worshippers respond to the beloved adorable pair who guard beings from birth.
Inner meaning
Mitra (harmonising light of consciousness) and Varuṇa (vastness, law, purity) are “brought to birth” in the seeker when aspiration (śimyā) and inner discipline (svādhya) awaken their active presence in the subconscious and life-forces (apsu, “waters”). When this dual power awakens, mind and life (the two worlds/rodasī) are shaken out of inertia; the mantra-word (girā) becomes a true response to the Divine, and an enduring inner protection (avaḥ) establishes itself from the very beginning of the sadhana (“from birth onward”).
Universal truth
Spiritual friendship with the Divine Law is not merely believed in; it is generated by sustained aspiration and self-rule. When the inner Truth-force awakens in the depths, it reorganizes mind and life, and the right word, thought, and action naturally answer the Divine Presence.
Themes
Mitra-Varuna sovereignty, birth of the god within, speech-power, light-seeking (cows), cosmic response
The seer
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Aucathya (traditional attribution for RV 1.151 in many indices)
- Lineage
- Aucathya (probable; traditional)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.140, Rig Veda 1.141, Rig Veda 1.142, Rig Veda 1.143, Rig Veda 1.144, Rig Veda 1.145, Rig Veda 1.146, Rig Veda 1.147, Rig Veda 1.148, Rig Veda 1.149, Rig Veda 1.150, Rig Veda 1.152, Rig Veda 1.153, Rig Veda 1.154, Rig Veda 1.155, Rig Veda 1.156, Rig Veda 1.157, Rig Veda 1.158, Rig Veda 1.159, Rig Veda 1.160, Rig Veda 1.161, Rig Veda 1.162, Rig Veda 1.163, Rig Veda 1.164, Rig Veda 1.165, Rig Veda 1.166, Rig Veda 1.167, Rig Veda 1.168, Rig Veda 1.169, Rig Veda 1.170, Rig Veda 1.171, Rig Veda 1.172, Rig Veda 1.173, Rig Veda 1.174, Rig Veda 1.175, Rig Veda 1.176, Rig Veda 1.177, Rig Veda 1.178, Rig Veda 1.179, Rig Veda 1.180, Rig Veda 1.181, Rig Veda 1.182, Rig Veda 1.183, Rig Veda 1.184, Rig Veda 1.185, Rig Veda 1.186, Rig Veda 1.187, Rig Veda 1.188, Rig Veda 1.189, Rig Veda 1.190, Rig Veda 1.191
Family tradition
Associated with visionary hymns on cosmic order and the hidden workings of ṛta; a seer whose speech often moves between outer image and inner law.
Significance
The seer-voice emphasizes the birth of divine powers within the seeker through disciplined aspiration, a hallmark of the psychological Rigvedic reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): the gods are inner realities awakened in the waters of being.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa
- Epithets
- mitrá (Friend), ṛtāvānau (possessed of ṛta), asurā (sovereign powers), yajata (adorable, worthy of worship), priya (beloved)
- Related deities
- Aryaman, Bhaga, Aditi, Agni
Cosmic role
Guardians of ṛta (cosmic order), establish harmony (Mitra) and vast law/purity (Varuṇa) across heaven and earth; uphold the bonds that keep creation truthful and stable.
Inner power
The paired force of luminous harmony and vast purity that disciplines the nature, awakens truth in the subconscious waters, and makes mantric speech effective.
In ritual
Where it is used
Mitra-Varuṇa praise within Soma-related or general śrauta recitation contexts (stotra/śastra usage varies by śākhā)
मि॒त्रं न यं शिम्या॒ गोषु॑ ग॒व्यव॑: स्वा॒ध्यो॑ वि॒दथे॑ अ॒प्सु जीज॑नन् । अरे॑जेतां॒ रोद॑सी॒ पाज॑सा गि॒रा प्रति॑ प्रि॒यं य॑ज॒तं ज॒नुषा॒मव॑: ॥
मि॒त्रम् । न । यम् । शिम्या॑ । गोषु॑ । ग॒व्यवः॑ । सु॒ऽआ॒ध्यः॑ । वि॒दथे॑ । अ॒प्ऽसु । जीज॑नन् । अरे॑जेताम् । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । पाज॑सा । गि॒रा । प्रति॑ । प्रि॒यम् । य॒ज॒तम् । ज॒नुषा॑म् । अवः॑ ॥
mitram | na | yam | śimyā | goṣu | gavyavaḥ | su-ādhyaḥ | vidathe | ap-su | jījanan | arejetām | rodasī iti | pājasā | girā | prati | priyam | yajatam | januṣām | avaḥ
Triṣṭubh (probable for RV 1.151; each verse typically 4 pādas of ~11 syllables)
44
4 × 11 (approx.)
Firm, forward-driving, suited to proclamatory truth and sovereign power.
Creates a steady pressure of will and clarity; supports inner discipline and the sense of a vast protecting order.
- मित्रम् (mitram)
- Literal: Mitra, Friend. Symbolic: Harmonising luminous consciousness; the power that makes inner relations truthful and benevolent
- वरुण (implicit)
- Literal: Varuṇa. Symbolic: Vast purity and divine law; the power that binds to ṛta and releases from falsehood
- शिम्या (śimyā)
- Literal: striving, exertion. Symbolic: Aspiration/effort of the will that presses through resistance
- गोषु (goṣu) / गव्यवः (gavyavaḥ)
- Literal: among cows / seekers of cows. Symbolic: Seekers of rays of knowledge (go = light-rays), the illuminations to be recovered
- स्वाध्यः (svādhyaḥ)
- Literal: self-law, self-discipline. Symbolic: Inner governance; alignment of nature to the soul’s law
- विदथे (vidathe)
- Literal: in the gathering/assembly. Symbolic: Inner congregation of faculties in concentrated offering
- अप्सु (apsu)
- Literal: in the waters. Symbolic: In the life-ocean/subconscient; the flowing energies where truth must be born
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: the two worlds (heaven & earth). Symbolic: Mind and life (or mind and body) as the field to be transformed
- पाजसा (pājasā)
- Literal: by force, by might. Symbolic: Effective spiritual energy; truth-power that compels transformation
- गिरा (girā)
- Literal: by the word/hymn. Symbolic: Mantric speech: thought-vision made vibratory and effective
- अवः (avaḥ)
- Literal: help, protection, guardianship. Symbolic: Sustaining grace that preserves the soul’s movement from the beginning
Invocation of the dual sovereign powers (harmony and vast order) in the rite; supports social-cosmic cohesion and right working of ṛta within the sacrifice.
Invocations for establishing ṛta, harmony, and right functioning of the rite; also suitable as a morning/evening recitation for inner order.
Praise and invitation; strengthening truth-guardianship and purification of the ‘waters’ (energies).
Use as a mantra for ethical alignment, truthfulness, and calming/restoring harmony in relationships and inner conflicts.
मित्र (mitrá): from √mi ‘to bind, unite’ (also linked with ‘measure’); Mitra is the power of right relation and harmony. रोदसी (ródasī): dual of rodas ‘world’; Heaven–Earth as a paired totality. पाजस् (pā́jas): ‘strength/splendour’, from √pāj ‘to be strong, vigorous’ (Vedic); indicates effective luminous force. गिर् (gír): ‘hymn/utterance’, from √gṛ ‘to sing/utter’; speech as operative power. गो (gó): polyvalent ‘cow/light-ray’; in inner sense, illuminations recovered and fostered.
Mitra as concord and right relation, Ṛta as lawful order hinted by svādhya, vāc (gír) as creative response, protection (ávaḥ) across births (januṣām)
Mitra-Varuṇa are explicit upholders of ṛta; their awakening makes mind and life conform to right law.
Truth becomes effective as ‘word’ (girā) that answers the Divine, not merely conceptual speech.
Birth of the gods in the waters: emergence of higher consciousness from the subconscient life-ocean.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral yogic reading (Aurobindo): gods as powers of consciousness; sacrifice as inner transformation.
Waters = life/subconscient energies; cows = rays of illumination; two worlds = mind and embodied life that must tremble (shift) under truth-force.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘bringing to birth’ of the divine Friend-power in the waters through striving, causing Heaven and Earth to tremble: a creation/manifestation myth where the gods become effective through human aspiration and right speech. Psychologically, harmony and sovereign order are generated in the depths, and the whole being (upper and lower worlds) responds.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Mitra as ‘contract/friend’ parallels Indo-Iranian *mitra- (Avestan Miθra), reflecting an inherited sacral-social concept of binding agreement. divinized sovereignty of paired worlds (rodasī) fits Indo-European dual cosmic framing. √jan (birth) is PIE *ǵenh₁-, foundational to Indo-European cosmogonic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi portrays the gods as powers that become manifest through human śimyā (striving) and gír (word). The reciprocity is explicit: the hymn ‘answers’ the beloved pair, and in return they provide avaḥ—guardianship for beings across their becoming.
Awaken inner harmony (Mitra) and vast purity/law (Varuṇa) in the ‘waters’ of feeling and life-energy; let speech become aligned to truth.
anahata (harmony/mitra) and vishuddha (truthful word/varuṇa’s purity)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana for balance; then slow exhale while repeating key phrases (mitraṃ… ṛtam…).
Quiet wideness with vigilant sincerity; a felt ‘inner law’ guiding action.
Before speaking or acting, pause and sense the ‘two powers’: (1) Does this harmonize? (2) Is this true and pure? Offer the impulse into the inner waters until the right word arises.
Vedic svara as per śākhā tradition; generally udatta peaks on key vocatives (mitraṃ, rodasī) with svarita falls on enclitics; follow the provided saṃhitā accent marks.
Keep the udātta crisp on accented syllables (e.g., śimyā́, góṣu, vidáthe, ā́psu); avoid flattening svarita transitions.
mitraṃ: nasal ‘ṃ’ as anusvāra before consonant, śimyā: palatal ‘ś’ (not dental s), goṣu: long ‘o’ and retroflex ‘ṣ’, apsu: ‘ps’ cluster clean, no extra vowel, rodasī: clear retroflex ‘ḍ’ sound implied in transliteration? (here ‘d’ is dental in standard; keep Sanskrit ‘d’ dental)
steady, resonant, slightly solemn; emphasize breadth on ‘rodasī’.
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