
Hymns to Mitra from the Rig-Veda - Book I

HYMN XLI. Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman.
1 NE'ER is he injured whom the Gods Varuna, Mitra,
Aryaman,
The excellently wise, protect.
2 He prospers
ever, free from scathe, whom they, as with full hands, enrich,
Whom they preserve from every foe.
3 The Kings drive far
away from him his troubles and his enemies,
And lead him
safely o'er distress.
4 Thornless, Adityas, is the path,
easy for him who seeks the Law:
With him is naught to anger
you.
5 What sacrifice, Adityas, ye Heroes guide by the path
direct,-
May that come nigh unto your thought.
6 That
mortal, ever unsubdued, gains wealth and every precious thing,
And children also of his own.
7 How, my friends, shall we
prepare Aryaman's and Mitra's laud,
Glorious food of Varuna?
8 I point not out to you a man who strikes the pious, or reviles:
Only with hymns I call you nigh.
9 Let him not love to speak
ill words: but fear the One who holds all four
Within his
hand, until they fall.
HYMN CXXXVI. Mitra-Varuna.
1. BRING adoration ample and most excellent,
hymn, offierings, to the watchful Twain, the bountiful, your
sweetest to the bounteous Ones.
Sovrans adored with streams
of oil and praised at every sacrifice.
Their high imperial
might may nowhere be assailed, ne'er may their Godhead be assailed.
2 For the broad Sun was seen a path more widely laid, the path
of holy law hath been maintained with rays, the eye with Bhaga's
rays of light.
Firm-set in heaven is Mitra's home, and Aryaman's
and Varuna's.
Thence they give forth great vital strength
which merits praise, high power of life that men shall praise.
3 With Aditi the luminous, the celestial, upholder of the people,
come ye day by day, ye who watch sleepless, day by day.
Resplendent
might have ye obtained, Adityas, Lords of liberal gifts.
Movers of men, mild both, are Mitra, Varuna, mover of men is
Aryaman.
4 This Soma be most sweet to Mitra, Varuna: he in
the drinking-feasts, shall have a share thereof, sharing, a
God, among the Gods.
May all the Gods of one accord accept
it joyfully to-day.
Therefore do ye, O Kings, accomplish
what we ask, ye Righteous Ones, whate'er we ask.
5 Whoso,
with worship serves Mitra and VaruiIa, him guard ye carefully,
uninjured, from distress, guard from distress the liberal man.
Aryaman guards him well who acts uprightly following his law,
Who beautifies their service with his lauds, who makes it beautiful
with songs of praise.
6 Worship will I proress to lofty Dyaus,
to Heaven and Earth, to Mitra and to bounteous Varuna, the Bounteous,
the Compassionate.
Praise Indra, praise thou Agni, praise
Bhaga and heavenly Aryaman.
Long may we live and have attendant
progeny, have progeny with Soma's help.
7 With the Gods'
help, with Indra still beside us, may we be held self-splendid
with the Maruts.
May Agni, Mitra, Varuna give us shelter
this may we gain, we and our wealthy princes.
HYMN CXXXVII. Mitra-Varuna.
1. WITH stones have we pressed out: O come; these
gladdening drops are blent with milk, these Soma-drops which
gladden you.
Come to us, Kings who reach to heaven, approach
us, coming hitherward.
These milky drops are yours, Mitra
and Varuna, bright Soma juices blent with milk.
2 Here are
the droppings; come ye nigh the Soma-droppings blent with curd,
juices expressed and blent with curd.
Now for the wakening
of your Dawn together with the Sun-God's rays,
juice waits
for Mitra and for Varuna to drink, fair juice for drink, for
sacrihce.
3 As 'twere a radiant-coloured cow, they milk with
stones the stalk for you, with stones they milk the Soma-plant.
May ye come nigh us, may ye turn hither to drink the Soma juice.
The men pressed out this juice, Mitra and Varuna, pressed out
this Soma for your drink.
HYMN CLI. Mitra and Varuna
1. HEAVEN and earth trembled at the might and
voice of him, whom, loved and Holy One, helper of all mankind,
The wise who longed for spoil in fight for kine brought forth
with power, a Friend, mid waters, at the sacrifice.
2 As
these, like friends, have done this work for you, these prompt
servants of Purumilha Soma-offerer,
Give mental power to
him who sings the sacred song, and hearken, Strong Ones, to
the master ofthe house.
3 The folk have glorified your birth
from Earth and Heaven, to be extolled, ye Strong Ones, for your
mighty power.
Ye, when ye bring to singer and the rite, enjoy
the sacrifice periormed with holy praise and strength.
4
The people prospers, Asuras! whom ye dearly love: ye, Righteous
Ones, proclaim aloud the Holy Law.
That efficacious power
that comes from lofty heaven, ye bind unto the work, as to the
pole an ox.
5 On this great earth ye send your treasure down
with might: unstained by dust, the crowding kine are in the
stalls.
Here in the neighbourhood they cry unto the Sun at
morning and at evening, like swift birds of prey.
6 The flames
with curling tresses serve your sacrifice, whereto ye sing the
song, Mitra and Varuna.
Send down of your free will, prosper
our holy songs: ye are sole Masters of the singer's hymn of
praise.
7 Whoso with sacrifices toiling brings you gifts,
and worships, sage and priest, fulfilling your desire,-
To
him do ye draw nigh and taste his sacrifice. Come well-inclined
to us unto our songs and prayer.
8 With sacrifices and with
milk they deck you first, ye Righteous Ones, as if through stirrings
of the mind.
To you they bring their hymns with their collected
thought, while ye with earnest soul come to us gloriously.
9 Rich strength of life is yours: ye, Heroes, have obtained
through your surpassing powers rich far-extending might.
Not the past days conjoined with nights, not rivers, not the
Papis have attained your Godhead and your wealth.
HYMN CLII. Mitra-Varuna.
1. THE robes which ye put on abound with fatness:
uninterrupted courses are your counsels.
All falsehood, Mitra-Varuna!
ye conquer, and closely cleave unto the Law Eternal.
2 This
might of theirs hath no one comprehended. True is the crushing
word the sage hath uttered,
The fearful four-edged bolt smites
down the three-edged, and those who hate the Gods first fall
and perish.
3 The Footless Maid precedeth footed creatures.
Who marketh, Mitra-Varuna, this your doing?
The Babe Unborn
supporteth this world's burthen, fuIfilleth Law and overcometh
falsehood.
4 We look on him the darling of the Maidens, always
advancing, never falling downward,
Wearing inseparable, wide-spread
raiment, Mitra's and Varuna's delightful glory.
5 Unbridled
Courser, horn but not of horses, neighing he flieth on with
back uplifted.
The youthful love mystery thought-surpassing,
praising in Mitra-Varuna, its glory.
6 May the milch-kine
who favour Mamateya prosper in this world him who loves devotion.
May he, well skilled in rites, be food, and calling Aditi with
his lips give us assistance.
7 Gods, Mitra-Varuna, with love
and worship, let me make you delight in this oblation.
May
our prayer be victorious in battles, may we have rain from heaven
to make us prosper.
HYMN CLIII. Mitra-Varuna.
1. WE worship with our reverence and oblations
you, Mitra Varuna, accordant, mighty,
So that with us, ye
Twain whose backs are sprinkled with oil, the priests with oil
and hymns support you.
2 Your praise is like a mighty power,
an impulse: to you, Twain Gods, a well-formed hymn is offered,
As the priest decks yon, Strong Ones, in assemblies, and the
prince fain to worship you for blessings.
3 O Mitra-Varuna,
Aditi the Milch-cow streams for the rite, for folk who bring
oblation,
When in the assembly he who worships moves you,
like to a human priest, with gifts presented.
4 So may the
kine and heavenly Waters pour you sweet drink in families that
make you joyful.
Of this may he, the ancient House-Lord,
give us. Enjoy, drink of the milk the cow provideth.
Suggestions for Further Reading
- The Rig Veda translation by Griffith, Introduction
- Hymns of the Sama veda translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith
- Yajur Veda: The Veda Of The Black Yajus School
- Hymns Of The Atharva-Veda
- Anugita English Translation
- THE Sanatsugâtîya, A Spiritual Dialogue
- Dharmashastras, the Sacred Law Books of Hindus
- The Hindu Dharmashastras, Subject Index
- The Grihya Sutras, The Vedic Domestic Ritual Texts
- The Sankhya Sutras of Kapila, Index page
- Translation of Upanishads by Swami Paramananda, Index
- A History Of Indian Philosophy - Chapter Index
- The Upanishads translated by Max Muller
- Vedic Reader for Students
- The Bhagavad-gita in a nutshell
- Essays On Dharma
- Esoteric Mystic Hinduism
- Introduction to Hinduism
- Hindu Way of Life
- Essays On Karma
- Hindu Rites and Rituals
- The Origin of The Sanskrit Language
- Symbolism in Hinduism
- Essays on The Upanishads
- Concepts of Hinduism
- Essays on Atman
- Hindu Festivals
- Spiritual Practice
- Right Living
- Yoga of Sorrow
- Happiness
- Mental Health
- Concepts of Buddhism
- General Essays
Source: An English translation of the Vedas by Ralph T.H. Griffith, 1896.