Rig Veda Sukta 67
Mandala 6Sukta 6711 Mantras

Sukta 67

Sukta 6.67

Rishi

Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya (traditional for 6.67 Mitra-Varuṇa hymn)

Devata

Mitra-Varuṇa

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (standard for many 6th maṇḍala hymns; probable here)

Ang himalay na ito ay nagpupuri kay Mitra at Varuṇa bilang pangunahing tagapagtaguyod ng ṛta (katotohanan/kosmikong kaayusan), na nagtatali ng mga mamamayan na "parang pisi" at nagpapanatili ng soberanya, panahon, at katatagan ng langit at lupa. Ito ay humihingi ng kanilang di-nabibigong proteksyon, maayos na pamamahala, at mapagtagumpay na pagsulong ng mga maliwanag na kapangyarihan sa pakikibaka ng buhay. Sa kabuuan, ito ay isang panalangin para sa panlipunang pagkakaisa, tamang pamumuno, at panloob na pagkakahanay sa katotohanan.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 6.67

Mantras

Mantra 1

विश्वेषां वः सतां ज्येष्ठतमा गीर्भिर्मित्रावरुणा वावृधध्यै । सं या रश्मेव यमतुर्यमिष्ठा द्वा जनाँ असमा बाहुभिः स्वैः ॥

O Mitra at Varuna, pinakamatanda sa lahat ng mga nilalang ng katotohanan, sa pamamagitan ng aming mga inspiradong salita ay naghahangad kaming palakihin kayo. Kayong dalawa, na walang katulad, ay nagtitipon at nagkakandado sa mga tao na parang may pamatok, sa pamamagitan ng inyong sariling makapangyarihang mga bisig.

Mantra 2

इयं मद्वां प्र स्तृणीते मनीषोप प्रिया नमसा बर्हिरच्छ । यन्तं नो मित्रावरुणावधृष्टं छर्दिर्यद्वां वरूथ्यं सुदानू ॥

Ang aming inspiradong kaisipan ay lumalaganap sa minamahal na upuan ng alay na may paggalang, para sa inyong paglapit. O Mitra at Varuna, pumarito sa amin na hindi inaatake; ang inyong mapangprotektang kanlungan, O mga mapagkaloob, ay maging aming takip at kapayapaan.

Mantra 3

आ यातं मित्रावरुणा सुशस्त्युप प्रिया नमसा हूयमाना । सं यावप्नःस्थो अपसेव जनाञ्छ्रुधीयतश्चिद्यतथो महित्वा ॥

Pumarito, O Mitra at Varuna, sa mabuting papuri, tinatawag na may paggalang sa minamahal. Kayo na nananatili sa katuparan ng mga gawa, pag-isahin ang mga tao na parang sa epektibong kilos; kayo ay nakikinig pati sa mga nagsisumamo mula sa ibaba, sa inyong kadakilaan.

Mantra 4

अश्वा न या वाजिना पूतबन्धू ऋता यद्गर्भमदितिर्भरध्यै । प्र या महि महान्ता जायमाना घोरा मर्ताय रिपवे नि दीधः ॥

Tulad ng mabilis na mga kabayo, kayong dalawa, dalisay sa inyong bigkis, kapag si Aditi ay nagbubuhat ng sanggol ng ṛta upang ipanganak ito. Dakila at malawak kayo sa inyong kapanganakan, kayo ay nagiging kakila-kilabot sa mortal na kaaway; inyong siya ay pinipigil.

Mantra 5

विश्वे यद्वां मंहना मन्दमानाः क्षत्रं देवासो अदधुः सजोषाः । परि यद्भूथो रोदसी चिदुर्वी सन्ति स्पशो अदब्धासो अमूराः ॥

Nang ang lahat ng mga diyos, na nagagalak sa inyong kadakilaan, ay magkasamang nagtatag ng inyong soberanong kapangyarihan, noon, kahit inyong saklaw ang dalawang malawak na mundo, naroon ang inyong mga bantay, hindi nadaya at hindi nangangatwiran, na nagbabantay sa kaayusan.

Mantra 6

ता हि क्षत्रं धारयेथे अनु द्यून्दृंहेथे सानुमुपमादिव द्योः । दृळ्हो नक्षत्र उत विश्वदेवो भूमिमातान्द्यां धासिनायोः ॥

Kayong dalawa ang nagpapanatili ng soberanong kapangyarihan at nagpapatibay ng mga araw; inyong pinapatibay ang tuktok na parang sukat ng langit. Ang matatag na bituin at ang lahat-diyos ay nagpapanatili ng lupa at langit sa inyong mapagtatag na lakas.

Mantra 7

ता विग्रं धैथे जठरं पृणध्या आ यत्सद्म सभृतयः पृणन्ति । न मृष्यन्ते युवतयोऽवाता वि यत्पयो विश्वजिन्वा भरन्ते ॥

Kayong dalawa ay pumupuno sa malawak na tiyan para sa kasaganaan, kapag ang mga nagkakatipon ay pumupuno sa tahanan. Ang mga batang dalaga, na hindi nasasaktan ng hangin, ay hindi nabibigo kapag sila ay nanganganak at nagpapamahagi ng gatas na nagpapakain sa lahat.

Mantra 8

ता जिह्वया सदमेदं सुमेधा आ यद्वां सत्यो अरतिॠते भूत् । तद्वां महित्वं घृतान्नावस्तु युवं दाशुषे वि चयिष्टमंहः ॥

Sa pamamagitan ng dila ng tamang pananalita, O mga matalinong-isipan, patuloy naming iniaalay sa inyo ito, kapag ang di-totoong kaguluhan ay tumayo na hiwalay sa ṛta. Ang inyong kadakilaan ay maging aming malinaw na pagkain; kayong dalawa, para sa nagkakaloob, ay humiwalay at nag-alis ng kapighatian.

Mantra 9

प्र यद्वां मित्रावरुणा स्पूर्धन्प्रिया धाम युवधिता मिनन्ति । न ये देवास ओहसा न मर्ता अयज्ञसाचो अप्यो न पुत्राः ॥

Kapag, O Mitra at Varuṇa, ang inyong minamahal na mga upuan ng kamalayan ay pinagagalaw ng marangal na pagsisikap, wala, ni ang mga diyos sa lakas ni ang mga mortal, ang makapagpapaliit sa mga ito; sapagkat ang mga naglalakad nang walang sakripisyo ay hindi makakarating sa inyo, tulad ng mga anak na walang daan patungo sa tagong tahanan.

Mantra 10

वि यद्वाचं कीस्तासो भरन्ते शंसन्ति के चिन्निविदो मनानाः । आद्वां ब्रवाम सत्यान्युक्था नकिर्देवेभिर्यतथो महित्वा ॥

Kapag ang mga mang-aawit ay kumakalat ng salita at ang ilan, na may pag-iisip, ay nagpapahayag ng mga panalangin, pagkatapos ay nagsasalita kami sa inyo ng mga tunay na pananalita: wala sa mga diyos ang nakakaabot sa inyong kadakilaan.

Mantra 11

अवोरित्था वां छर्दिषो अभिष्टौ युवोर्मित्रावरुणावस्कृधोयु । अनु यद्गावः स्फुरानृजिप्यं धृष्णुं यद्रणे वृषणं युनजन् ॥

Kaya't tinatawag namin ang inyong proteksyon at kanlungan, O Mitra at Varuṇa, na hindi nagkukulang sa tulong; kapag ang mga sinag ng Liwanag ay sumusunod at nagbibigkis sa tuwid na naglalakbay, matapang at tagumpay na lakas sa digmaan ng pagkatao.

Inside Sukta 67

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    The hymn opens by lauding Mitra and Varuṇa as the most eminent among the truthful and asks that praise increase their power, emphasizing their role in holding peoples together like a guiding rein.

  2. Development

    It expands their sovereignty: they uphold kṣatra, strengthen the days, and establish the firm measures of heaven, stabilizing earth and sky through their ordering power.

  3. Climax

    A vivid assertion of cosmic steadiness and divine support—star-like firmness and universal sustaining—presents them as the unshakable regulators of the world-order.

  4. Where it settles

    It concludes with a direct plea for shelter and unfailing protection, linking divine guidance with the forward yoking of luminous forces toward victory in life’s struggle.

The deity: Mitra-Varuṇa

  • In the VedaPaired Ādityas who rule by ṛta: Mitra embodies concord, contract, and harmonizing friendship, while Varuṇa embodies vastness, moral vigilance, and binding law. Together they are praised as “eldest among the truthful,” strong-armed rulers who gather peoples and steady the worlds.
  • Cosmic functionThey maintain cosmic and social order: safeguarding oaths, right relationships, kingship (kṣatra), the regularity of days, and the stability of heaven and earth.
  • Inner significanceMitra-Varuṇa represent the inner discipline of truthfulness and ethical clarity: Mitra as the power of harmonious relation and trustworthy speech; Varuṇa as conscience, self-restraint, and the binding force that corrects deviation from ṛta.

The seer

  • Bharadvāja BārhaspatyaBharadvāja (Āṅgirasa) gotra; Bārhaspatya branch (connected with Bṛhaspati) · One of the principal family-seers of the Rig Veda’s 6th Maṇḍala, celebrated for hymns that join precise ritual praise with a strong vision of ṛta, protection, and sovereign order.

Famous verses

saṃ yā raśmeva yamatūḥ ("who hold together like a rein")
Verse 6.67.1Programmatic statement of the hymn: Mitra–Varuṇa as foremost among the truthful, unexcelled rulers who bind communities together “as with a rein,” expressing their social and cosmic governance.Read verse 6.67.1 →
ता हि क्षत्रं धारयेथे अनु द्यून्दृंहेथे सानुमुपमादिव द्योः । दृळ्हो नक्षत्र उत विश्वदेवो भूमिमातान्द्यां धासिनायोः ॥
Verse 6.67.6Central cosmological claim: they uphold kṣatra and the regularity of days, and establish the firm structure of heaven and earth—an explicit articulation of their sustaining power.Read verse 6.67.6 →
chardiṣo abhiṣṭau ("for protection and shelter")
Verse 6.67.11Concluding prayer for protection and unfailing help, with an inner-psychological image of the rays of light yoking victorious force in the ‘battle’ of existence—linking ritual petition to lived struggle.Read verse 6.67.11 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Upholders of ṛta (cosmic/moral order)
  • Guardians of oaths, truth, and social cohesion
  • Sovereign protectors (kṣatra) and stabilizers of time (days)
  • All-seeing, vigilant, and unfailing in help
  • Bind and guide beings “like a rein” toward right action

Also by this seer

  • A large portion of Mandala 6 is attributed to the Bharadvāja family (Bharadvāja-gṛha).
  • Hymns to major deities such as Agni, Indra, the Aśvins, Pūṣan, and the Ādityas occur under this family’s attribution in Mandala 6.
  • Later Vedic and epic tradition associates Bharadvāja with Brahmanical learning and transmission of sacred lore (smṛti/itihāsa tradition), though this goes beyond the Rigvedic layer.

The rite, step by step

  • Ācamana and saṅkalpa (statement of intent): seeking alignment with ṛta and protection.
  • Agni kindling (agnipratiṣṭhā): establish the fire as witness to truth and vow.
  • Recitation/chanting of the sukta with attention to paired invocations (Mitra–Varuṇa).
  • Offerings into the fire during key praise-lines (e.g., on themes of kṣatra, ṛta, protection).
  • Silent contemplation: reaffirm truthful speech, right conduct, and harmony in relationships.
  • Concluding śānti/prārthanā: request shelter (chardiṣ) and unfailing aid.

Offerings

  • Ghee (ājya) into Agni
  • Soma libation where applicable (in soma context)
  • Simple oblations such as milk/curds or barley preparations (regional śrauta/smārta adaptations)

Frequently Asked Questions

They are paired Āditya deities who protect truth (ṛta). Mitra supports harmony and agreements, while Varuṇa safeguards moral law and restraint; together they govern and protect.

It means they guide and hold society together the way a rein controls and directs a horse—keeping people aligned with order, cooperation, and right conduct.

Protection and stable order: the hymn asks Mitra-Varuṇa to uphold right rule, keep life’s rhythms steady, and give shelter and unfailing help amid struggles.

Ask anything about Sukta 67 of the Rig Veda

Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.

Not sure where to start?

A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.

Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app

Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Continue reading in the Vedapath app

Open in App
Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play