Hymn to Varuṇa
Rigveda X.126 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) from Maṇḍala 10 of the Rigveda, one of the 1,028 hymns organized within the ten books of the oldest Veda. The Rigveda was composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE in Vedic Sanskrit and preserved through oral transmission across millennia.
This is a Good Works Translation produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension.
O gods, no strait so narrow nor way so hard may touch that soul whom Aryaman, Mitra, and Varuna, in one mind, do lead—beyond all hatreds.
For this we choose, O Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman— the path whereby ye draw the mortal forth from peril’s grasp and guide him—beyond all hatreds.
Now are they nigh to help—Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman— none better at leading, nor in deliverance more sure—beyond all hatreds.
Ye shield each soul on every side—Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman.
May we find welcome under thy kindly roof, O ye of true counsel—beyond all hatreds.
The Sons of Aditi bear us past all faltering—Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman.
We call on mighty Rudra with the wind-born Maruts, on Indra and Agni, for our well-being—beyond all hatreds.
Ye are our leaders o’er the deep—Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman— past all dread crossings, kings of the stilled lands—beyond all hatreds.
Let blessing flow from thee to uphold us—Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman— and give us broad shelter, ye Sons of Aditi, when we cry out—beyond all hatreds.
As once ye loosed the buffalo-cow whose foot was bound, ye worthy ones of the holy gift, so now unbind our bonds. Let our span of days be stretched, O Agni.
Colophon
This hymn is drawn from the Śākala recension of the Rigveda, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE. This is a Good Works Translation produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, translated independently from the Sanskrit. Reference translations consulted during original translation are to be documented during audit.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: ṛgveda X.126
Sanskrit source text from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
na tam aṁho na duritaṁ devāso aṣṭa martyam |
sajoṣaso yam aryamā mitro nayanti varuṇo ati dviṣaḥ || 1 ||
tad dhi vayaṁ vṛṇīmahe varuṇa mitrāryaman |
yenā nir aṁhaso yūyam pātha nethā ca martyam ati dviṣaḥ || 2 ||
te nūnaṁ no 'yam ūtaye varuṇo mitro aryamā |
nayiṣṭhā u no neṣaṇi parṣiṣṭhā u naḥ parṣaṇy ati dviṣaḥ || 3 ||
yūyaṁ viśvam pari pātha varuṇo mitro aryamā |
yuṣmākaṁ śarmaṇi priye syāma supraṇītayo 'ti dviṣaḥ || 4 ||
ādityāso ati sridho varuṇo mitro aryamā |
ugram marudbhī rudraṁ huvemendram agniṁ svastaye 'ti dviṣaḥ || 5 ||
netāra ū ṣu ṇas tiro varuṇo mitro aryamā |
ati viśvāni duritā rājānaś carṣaṇīnām ati dviṣaḥ || 6 ||
śunam asmabhyam ūtaye varuṇo mitro aryamā |
śarma yacchantu sapratha ādityāso yad īmahe ati dviṣaḥ || 7 ||
yathā ha tyad vasavo gauryaṁ cit padi ṣitām amuñcatā yajatrāḥ |
evo ṣv a1sman muñcatā vy aṁhaḥ pra tāry agne prataraṁ na āyuḥ || 8 ||
Source Colophon
Sanskrit text of the Rigveda, Śākala recension. The standard scholarly edition is the Bombay Oriental (Vishva Bandhu, 5 vols., 1963–66). IAST transliteration available from GRETIL (Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages) and Vedaweb (University of Cologne). Both sources are open access. IAST transliteration from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).
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