Hymn to Varuṇa
Rigveda VI.67 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) from Maṇḍala 6 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 Mitra and Varuṇa, twin lords of cosmic order and divine justice! To you we raise our voices in humble supplication. Ye hold the very fabric of the universe in your hands; ye uphold the law that governs all things visible and invisible.
Mitra, thou art the friend of all, the bond that uniteth beings in fellowship and trust. Through thee are covenants made, oaths sworn, and alliances formed. Thou dost shine upon the righteous man and givest him strength in his dealings with his fellows. With thee reigneth harmony, reciprocity, and the noble exchange between equals.
Varuṇa, thou art the upholder of ṛta, the cosmic order itself! Thou sittest in judgment upon all deeds, all words, all thoughts. Nothing escapeth thine all-seeing eye. The wicked man trembles before thy name, knowing that his transgressions are recorded in thy infinite memory. Yet to the truthful and the virtuous, thou art merciful and protective.
Together, ye form the great pillar upon which all righteousness resteth. Ye are the guardians of oaths and promises. Ye are the eternal arbiters of right and wrong. The deva-kings themselves bow before your authority and do your will.
We pray that we may live in accordance with ṛta. Grant us wisdom to discern right action from wrong. Grant us courage to speak truth and to act justly, even when it is difficult. Guide us in our dealings with one another, that we may build communities of trust and integrity.
Mitra and Varuṇa, accept our worship and our devotion.
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 VI.67
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.
viśveṣāṁ vaḥ satāṁ jyeṣṭhatamā gīrbhir mitrāvaruṇā vāvṛdhadhyai |
saṁ yā raśmeva yamatur yamiṣṭhā dvā janām̐ asamā bāhubhiḥ svaiḥ || 1 ||
iyam mad vām pra stṛṇīte manīṣopa priyā namasā barhir accha |
yantaṁ no mitrāvaruṇāv adhṛṣṭaṁ chardir yad vāṁ varūthyaṁ sudānū || 2 ||
ā yātam mitrāvaruṇā suśasty upa priyā namasā hūyamānā |
saṁ yāv apnaḥstho apaseva janāñ chrudhīyataś cid yatatho mahitvā || 3 ||
aśvā na yā vājinā pūtabandhū ṛtā yad garbham aditir bharadhyai |
pra yā mahi mahāntā jāyamānā ghorā martāya ripave ni dīdhaḥ || 4 ||
viśve yad vām maṁhanā mandamānāḥ kṣatraṁ devāso adadhuḥ sajoṣāḥ |
pari yad bhūtho rodasī cid urvī santi spaśo adabdhāso amūrāḥ || 5 ||
tā hi kṣatraṁ dhārayethe anu dyūn dṛṁhethe sānum upamād iva dyoḥ |
dṛḻho nakṣatra uta viśvadevo bhūmim ātān dyāṁ dhāsināyoḥ || 6 ||
tā vigraṁ dhaithe jaṭharam pṛṇadhyā ā yat sadma sabhṛtayaḥ pṛṇanti |
na mṛṣyante yuvatayo 'vātā vi yat payo viśvajinvā bharante || 7 ||
tā jihvayā sadam edaṁ sumedhā ā yad vāṁ satyo aratir ṛte bhūt |
tad vām mahitvaṁ ghṛtānnāv astu yuvaṁ dāśuṣe vi cayiṣṭam aṁhaḥ || 8 ||
pra yad vām mitrāvaruṇā spūrdhan priyā dhāma yuvadhitā minanti |
na ye devāsa ohasā na martā ayajñasāco apyo na putrāḥ || 9 ||
vi yad vācaṁ kīstāso bharante śaṁsanti ke cin nivido manānāḥ |
ād vām bravāma satyāny ukthā nakir devebhir yatatho mahitvā || 10 ||
avor itthā vāṁ chardiṣo abhiṣṭau yuvor mitrāvaruṇāv askṛdhoyu |
anu yad gāvaḥ sphurān ṛjipyaṁ dhṛṣṇuṁ yad raṇe vṛṣaṇaṁ yunajan || 11 ||
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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