Hymn to Varuṇa
Rigveda X.65 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.
Agni, Indra, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, Vayu, Pushan, and Sarasvati—of one accord they stand, The Adityas, Vishnu, the storming Maruts, the Sun on high, Soma rich with sweetness, Rudra fierce, Aditi broad-bosomed, and Brahmanaspati, the wise.
Indra and Agni, twin lords of the dwelling-place, each urging the other in the breaking of bonds, sharing one hearth— they filled the great sky-realm with their strength, as did Soma, made glorious with ghee, stirring up the power within them.
By the greatness of these—great and unshaken—I, knowing what is true, lift up my song unto those who wax mighty by the path of truth.
Let those who bear bright gifts over the waters bestow them upon us.
I raise my voice to those heavenly clans well joined to our cause.
They upheld the shining reach of the sun, the spaces between, the realms of light, Heaven and Earth, the Broad One, by their power.
Praising them with fair offerings, like sweet food that strengthens, the gods are hailed as givers to the sons of Manu.
Strive ye well for Mitra and Varuna, the kings who serve in rite— those twain who think not far from men.
Their mighty reign gleameth by their law, and the two world-halves are as two warring hosts who seek their aid.
The cow that goeth round the hallowed path, giving her milk, led not by will but at the word of Varuna— she, being named, shall serve the rite for Varuna who serveth too, for the gods, and for Vivasvant at the fire’s mouth.
They who rule in heaven, with Agni for their tongue, are waxen strong through truth; they stroke the womb of truth.
They held the heavens fast, and by their might brought the waters down.
They begat the rite and folded it to their breast.
The twain of old, Earth and Heaven, encircling and housed as one, hold sway in the womb of truth.
At Varuna’s word they move as one, and pour out ghee-rich milk for Varuna, the buffalo lord.
Parjanya and Vata, the two full-horned bulls, Indra and Vayu, Varuna, Mitra, and Aryaman— we call on the gods, the Adityas and Aditi, whether they be of the earth, of the heavens, or of the waters.
O Ribhus, we call Tvashtar and Vayu who boasteth loud, the two divine kindlers, and Dawn who bringeth good.
We call Brihaspati of wise counsel, he who biteth at Vritra, and Soma marked for Indra—we who win the stake.
Those who give good gifts, who begot the holy speech, the cow, the horse, the herb, the tree, the soil, the hill, the stream— who loosed the sun upon the sky and set the Aryan law in motion through the world.
Ye Aśvins, ye drew Bhujyu forth from peril, and gave new life to Syava, son of Vadhrimati.
Ye bore Kamadyu unto Vimada; ye let loose Vishnapu for Vishvaka.
The daughter of Paviru, the Thunderer, and Aja Ekapad who upholdeth heaven, and the river, and the sea's broad streams— let all the gods hear this word of mine: Sarasvati too, with Insight and with Plenty.
Let all the gods, with Insight and with Plenty, meet for Manu's holy rite, undying, truth-knowers, those who guide and give, finders of the sun, rejoice in the sun, the song, the sacred word, and the chant.
Vasishtha hath sung the deathless gods, who stand above all that liveth.
May they grant us a wide place this day— yea, guard us ever with your grace.
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.65
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.
agnir indro varuṇo mitro aryamā vāyuḥ pūṣā sarasvatī sajoṣasaḥ |
ādityā viṣṇur marutaḥ svar bṛhat somo rudro aditir brahmaṇas patiḥ || 1 ||
indrāgnī vṛtrahatyeṣu satpatī mitho hinvānā tanvā3 samokasā |
antarikṣam mahy ā paprur ojasā somo ghṛtaśrīr mahimānam īrayan || 2 ||
teṣāṁ hi mahnā mahatām anarvaṇāṁ stomām̐ iyarmy ṛtajñā ṛtāvṛdhām |
ye apsavam arṇavaṁ citrarādhasas te no rāsantām mahaye sumitryāḥ || 3 ||
svarṇaram antarikṣāṇi rocanā dyāvābhūmī pṛthivīṁ skambhur ojasā |
pṛkṣā iva mahayantaḥ surātayo devāḥ stavante manuṣāya sūrayaḥ || 4 ||
mitrāya śikṣa varuṇāya dāśuṣe yā samrājā manasā na prayucchataḥ |
yayor dhāma dharmaṇā rocate bṛhad yayor ubhe rodasī nādhasī vṛtau || 5 ||
yā gaur vartanim paryeti niṣkṛtam payo duhānā vratanīr avārataḥ |
sā prabruvāṇā varuṇāya dāśuṣe devebhyo dāśad dhaviṣā vivasvate || 6 ||
divakṣaso agnijihvā ṛtāvṛdha ṛtasya yoniṁ vimṛśanta āsate |
dyāṁ skabhitvy a1pa ā cakrur ojasā yajñaṁ janitvī tanvī3 ni māmṛjuḥ || 7 ||
parikṣitā pitarā pūrvajāvarī ṛtasya yonā kṣayataḥ samokasā |
dyāvāpṛthivī varuṇāya savrate ghṛtavat payo mahiṣāya pinvataḥ || 8 ||
parjanyāvātā vṛṣabhā purīṣiṇendravāyū varuṇo mitro aryamā |
devām̐ ādityām̐ aditiṁ havāmahe ye pārthivāso divyāso apsu ye || 9 ||
tvaṣṭāraṁ vāyum ṛbhavo ya ohate daivyā hotārā uṣasaṁ svastaye |
bṛhaspatiṁ vṛtrakhādaṁ sumedhasam indriyaṁ somaṁ dhanasā u īmahe || 10 ||
brahma gām aśvaṁ janayanta oṣadhīr vanaspatīn pṛthivīm parvatām̐ apaḥ |
sūryaṁ divi rohayantaḥ sudānava āryā vratā visṛjanto adhi kṣami || 11 ||
bhujyum aṁhasaḥ pipṛtho nir aśvinā śyāvam putraṁ vadhrimatyā ajinvatam |
kamadyuvaṁ vimadāyohathur yuvaṁ viṣṇāpva1ṁ viśvakāyāva sṛjathaḥ || 12 ||
pāvīravī tanyatur ekapād ajo divo dhartā sindhur āpaḥ samudriyaḥ |
viśve devāsaḥ śṛṇavan vacāṁsi me sarasvatī saha dhībhiḥ puraṁdhyā || 13 ||
viśve devāḥ saha dhībhiḥ puraṁdhyā manor yajatrā amṛtā ṛtajñāḥ |
rātiṣāco abhiṣācaḥ svarvidaḥ sva1r giro brahma sūktaṁ juṣerata || 14 ||
devān vasiṣṭho amṛtān vavande ye viśvā bhuvanābhi pratasthuḥ |
te no rāsantām urugāyam adya yūyam pāta svastibhiḥ sadā naḥ || 15 ||
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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