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Hymn 25:
Wrath and Grace of Varuņa
Rişhi:
Shunaĥshepaĥ Ajīgartiĥ
MANTRA (1.25.1): WE SUFFER
O God Varuņa,
whatever
May be your
Divine Law,
We commoners
suffer hurt day by day.
yach
chidhdi te visho yathā
whatever, .,
your, common persons, as,
pra
deva varuņa vratam;
., God,
Varuņa, Divine Law,
minīmasi dyavi dyavi.
hurt (by
mistake), day, day.
Details:
We transgress your laws often unknowingly and are hurt
nevertheless.
pra + minīmasi:
hurt by mistake.
MANTRA (1.25.2): YOUR WRATH
Subject us
not to your blows,
The killer
showing no consideration;
O Irate One,
(subject us) not to your wrath.
mā no
vadhāya hatnave
not, us, for
striking (us), killer,
jihīļānasya rīradhaĥ;
one who has
no consideration, subject,
mā
hŗņānasya manyave.
not, you who
are irate, anger.
Details:
The mantrās 1, 2 and 3 should be treated as one unit. All
of them will be discussed at the end of next mantra. The
interpretation of this mantra without considering the context is
misleading.
MANTRA (1.25.3): GETTING RELIEF
For getting
relief from you,
Like the
charioteer does with a ready horse,
We bind your
mind with praises, O Varuņa.
vi
mŗļīkāya te mano
specially,
for getting relief, your, mind,
rathīr
ashvam na sanditam;
master of the
car, horse, like, ready,
gīrbhir
varuņa sīmahi.
with our
praised, Varuņa, (we) bind.
Details:
The first mantra (1.25.1) states that most of us spend
our lives transgressing the Divine Laws set up by Varuņa for the
entire cosmos including our earth. Consequently we reap the
consequences of our acts. Varuņa's wrath against
transgression is well known. Varuņa will not give any one
special dispensation from the effects of transgression of the
laws. The second mantra (1.25.2) is a prayer for Varuņa to
indicate the method by which one may escape the wrath of Varuņa.
The third mantra is the answer. By the power of the mantrās
or chants, we bind our minds to Varuņa just as a charioteer
binds the ready horse to the chariot. We bind ourselves to
Varuņa by the cords of devotion. Then the Lord himself points
out the way for us in the world and the transgression is avoided
since Varuņa himself is the leader.
Note that the mantra does not simply say
"obey the laws of Varuņa', because the code of Varuņa is too
deep for any superficial understanding by us. Only Varuņa's
grace can keep our mind in the right direction.
It is mentioned elsewhere that one of the
characteristics of Varuņa is wideness. There is no sin apart
from falsehood in the Veda. All our sins happen because
of our attachment to a narrow vision of life. Varuņa's
wideness removes this narrowness.
Sri
Aurobindo on Sin (Secret of Veda, pp. 452)
“The
crude conception of sin as a result of natural wickedness found
no place in the thought of these deep thinkers and subtle
psychologists. What they perceived was a great insistent force
of Ignorance, either a non-perception of right and truth in the
mind or a non- seizing of it in the will, or an inability of the
life-instincts and desires to follow after it or the sheer
inefficiency of the physical being to raise to the divine law.
"It is from poverty of the will We have gone contrary to thee;
Be gracious to us, have grace;
O Pure and puissant one, Thirst found thy adorer, though he
stood in the middle of the waters.
Be gracious, O Puissant Lord, be gracious.' (7.89.3-5)
Varuņa is not simply the punisher. He is also the purifier.
Dwelling in us as the thinker, he cleaves away the sin we have
committed; he abolishes by his royal power our debt to
ignorance.''
MANTRA (1.25.4): ATTAIN FELICITIES
My thoughts
soar high
To attain the
wealth,
Like birds to
their nests.
parā hi
me vimanyavaĥ
very far, ., my, mental movements,
patanti
vasya işhţaye;
soar, wealth,
attainment,
vayo na
vasatīr upa.
birds, like,
nests, near.
Details:
Kapāli Sāstry states the phrase “thoughts soaring like birds''
is not a mere metaphor. The movements of the mind taking place
in the higher regions are perceivable to the eye of the yogin
and have been testified by both ancient and modern yogins.
MANTRA (1.25.5): TURN TO VARUNA
Varuņa is the
refuge of the hero and the leader;
When can we
turn him towards us
For relief,
he the wide-seeing?
kadā
kşhetrashriyam naram ā
when, refuge
of the hero, leader, .,
varuņam
karāmahe;
Varuņa, turn
towards us,
mŗļīkāyor uru chakşhasam.
for relief,
wide, seeing.
MANTRA (1.25.6): MITRA AND VARUNA
They both
pervade the giver with the Truth-Light equally
And do not
fail him;
They desire
the advancement
Of the giver
who upholds the Divine Law.
taditsamānam āshāte
that
(truth-light), equally, pervade,
venantā
na pra yuchchataĥ;
desiring,
not, ., commit mistake (fail),
dhŗtavratāya dāshuşhe.
for one who
upholds the Divine Law, giver.
Details:
The pronoun "they' refers to the twin deities, Mitra and Varuņa
who are hymned together. They never disregard the sacrificer who
upholds the Law. They help the seer attain the state of That,
the Truth-Light.
tat
has been translated here as That, the Supreme. Ritualists
translate it as referring to ghee, the melted butter.
MANTRA (1.25.7): THOUGHT MOVEMENTS AS BIRDS
He knows the
position of the birds
That fly
through the sky;
Dweller in
the sea, he knows the position of the boat.
vedā yo
vīnām padam
knows, who
(Varuņa), birds, station,
antarikşheņa patatām;
in the sky,
fly,
veda
nāvaĥ samudriyaĥ.
knows, boat,
dweller in the ocean.
Details:
Birds denote thought movements; Boat-journey is a standard
symbol of the movement of life-energy. Varuņa knows the
origination and destination of all thought movements and the
life-movements.
Varuņa is the lord of all infinities, spatial,
time etc.; thus, he knows everything. This idea is continued in
the next few riks.
MANTRA (1.25.8): THIRTEENTH MONTH
The upholder
of the law, Varuņa, knows
The twelve
months of the human beings;
He allows
knows the additional (thirteenth) month.
veda
māso dhŗtavrato
knows, month,
upholder of the law,
dvādasha prajāvataĥ;
twelve, of
the one who is born,
vedā ya
upajāyate.
knows, which
(month), is in excess.
Details:
Once in three lunar years, an additional or thirteenth month is
added to make the solar and lunar calendars consistent. This
thirteenth is known as the intercalary month. Facts such as this
help one to date the Rig Veda and study the outward
civilisation in that age.
A human astrologer also knows this thirteenth
month; so what is special? Varuņa is also the master of the
infinity of time, kāla. Time is not limited to the
physical time of the clock. All movements, both in the microcosm
as well as in the macrocosm happen according to the law of
Varuņa.
MANTRA (1.25.9): PATH OF LIFE-FORCES
He knows the
path of the life-forces:
The
extensive, the best and the great;
He knows the
Gods seated above.
veda
vātasya vartanim
knows, of the
wind or life-forces, path,
uror
ŗşhvasya bŗhataĥ;
wide or
spread out, of the best, of the great,
vedā ye
adhy āsate.
knows, which
(Gods), above, are seated.
Details:
Varuņa knows all the forces and associated personalities who are
great and the best, not only in power but in vastness. Recall
that Varuņa is the master of infinities and he knows the
infinity in each category of vastness, wideness, greatness in
power etc.
MANTRA (1.25.10): DIVINE ABODE
Varuņa, the
upholder of law, is seated
In the Divine
Dwellings,
Fully
conscious for the conduct of sovereignty.
ni
şhasāda dhŗtavrato
., is seated,
upholder of the law,
varuņaĥ
pastyā svā;
Varuņa, in
the divine dwellings,
sāmrājyāya sukratuĥ.
conduct of
sovereignty, fully conscious.
Details:
Varuņa is an emperor sāmrāt. He has been described
earlier in verses like (1.24.6) using words that have both an
outward and inner significance. “Behind the vast universality of
force and being, there watches and acts a vast universality of
knowledge. The epithet of kinghood is constantly coupled with
that of seerhood.'' [Sri Aurobindo, Secret of the Veda, p.453]
MANTRA (1.25.11): BEHOLDS ALL
From here the
knower Varuņa
Beholds from
all sides all the wonderful actions
That are done
and that yet to be done.
ato
vishvāņy adbhutā
from here,
all, wonders,
chikitvān abhi pashyati;
knower, all
sides, sees,
kŗtāni
yā cha kartvā.
actions that
have been done, those, and, to be done.
Details:
ataĥ:
from here, from the dwellings in the heaven mentioned earlier.
chikitvān:
knower; derived from kita, knowledge.
MANTRA (1.25.12): LEAD US AND PROLONG OUR LIFE
May the
Aditya, the perfect doer,
Lead us
always along auspicious paths;
May he
prolong our life.
sa no
vishvāhā sukratur
he, us,
always, perfect doer,
ādityaĥ
supathā karat;
son of
Aditi, auspicious paths, may he do,
pra ņa
āyūmşhī tārişhat.
., our,
life-span, increase.
Details:
The prayer is that Varuņa should guide us at every instant of
time.
pra + tārişhat:
increase.
MANTRA (1.25.13): RADIANT ARMOUR
Wearing the
golden armour
Varuņa covers
his own form;
The rays
touching the armour are all around.
bibhrad
drāpim hiraņyayam
wearing,
cuirass, golden,
varuņo
vasta nirņijam;
Varuņa,
covers, (his) pure form,
pari
spasho nişhedire.
on all sides,
rays touching (the golden mail), seated.
Details:
The second line indicates that Varuņa covers his own form, i.e.,
the gleam of armour hides his Radiance. It reminds one of the
famous mantra of īsha U. (15) beginning with
hiraņmayena patreņa.
spasha:
which touch (the golden armour).
Ritualists translate spasha as secret
spies who watch everyone and report their wrong doings to Varuņa.
MANTRA (1.25.14): BEYOND THE REACH
This God the
hurters do not strike,
Not the
enemies of humans,
Nor the sins.
na yam
dipsanti dipsavo
not, which,
strike, the hurters or titans,
na
druhvāņo janānām;
not, harmers,
human beings,
na
devam abhimātayaĥ.
not, God,
sins.
Details:
Varuņa is beyond the reach of the demons and their influences
which cause sin. The enemies could be human or demons.
MANTRA (1.25.15): GREATNESS IN OUR BODIES
Among the
human beings everywhere
Varuņa
established all-encompassing glory,
And
(specially) established greatness in our bodies.
uta yo
mānuşheşhv ā
again, he
(Varuņa), among humans, everywhere,
yashash
chakre asāmy ā;
glory, made,
complete, .,
asmākam
udareşhv ā.
in us (rişhis),
in the bodies, did.
Details:
Varuņa has not only established the human race with its
many-sided achievements, but also established the greatness of
the rişhis. Body does not mean only the physical.
S. translates udara as
"belly'
and yasha as "food' and declares "food is obtained to
fill the belly by the grace of Varuņa.' Even for a
ritualist interpretation, such a crude translation is not
necessary.
MANTRA (1.25.16): DESIRE VARUNA
My thoughts
go far
Like the cows
to their stalls
Desiring the
One with wide-vision,Varuņa.
parā me
yanti dhītayo
far, mine,
go, thoughts,
gāvo na
gavyūtīr anu;
cows, like,
stalls, towards,
ichchhantīr uru chakşhasam .
desiring,
wide, one with eyes.
Details:
This idea appears earlier in (1.25.4). The analogy of cows going
to stalls is in many places, RV (1.3.8) etc.
MANTRA (1.25.17): CONFIDENCE IN VARUNA
Let us
converse again soon;
I have
brought you the Soma;
You have
accepted the desirable Soma easily
Like the
invoking priest in the yajňa.
sam nu
vochāvahai punar
mutually,
soon, converse, again,
yato me
madhv ābhŗtam;
since, by me,
madhu or Soma, brought,
hoteva
kşhadase priyam.
like the
invoker in the yajňa, desiring his share, desirable (Soma).
Details:
Rişhi Shunaĥshepaĥ
has complete confidence in Varuņa who easily accepts the Soma
prepared by the Rişhi. Rişhi feels that he will get the
required teaching on the inner plane.
MANTRA (1.25.18): VISION OF VARUNA
I beheld
Varuņa who sees the entire universe
In a car
above;
He accepted
my lauds with love.
darsham
nu vishva darshatam
behold, soon,
universe, sight,
darsham
ratham adhi kşhami;
have beheld,
car, above, the earth,
etā
juşhata me giraĥ.
these,
accepted with love, my, lauds.
Details:
This verse describes a vision had by the rişhi.
MANTRA (1.25.19): HAVE CRIED FOR YOU
O Varuņa,
listen to this call of mine;
Be gracious
to me now;
I have cried
to you seeking protection.
imam me
varuņa shrudhī
this, mine,
Varuņa, hear,
havam
adyā cha mŗļaya;
call, now,
and, be gracious,
tvām
avasyur ā chake
.
you, seeking
protection, facing you, cried.
Details:
This mantra is an example of bhakti or devotion to the
deity which later developed into the elaborate system of
bhakti yoga.
MANTRA (1.25.20): RESPOND TO MY CALL
O Wise One,
you are resplendent among all,
Especially
among (the beings of) Earth and Heaven;
In your
voyage around, respond to my call.
tvam
vishvasya medhira
you, of all
the universe, O Wise one,
divash
cha gmash cha rājasi;
of the
Heaven-world, and, the Earth-world, and, (you) shine,
sa
yāmani prati shrudhi.
you, in your
voyage, respond, (my) call.
Details:
Varuņa goes around the universe watching all. He can hear the
rişhis's call in this journey. The prayer is for Varuņa to
respond to the call.
MANTRA (1.25.21): DESTROY THE THREE BONDS
Pull out and
free our upper bond,
Loosen the
middle one, and
Pluck and
destroy the bond below so that we can follow the Divine Living.
uduttamam mumugdhi no
., upper,
pull out and free, our,
vi
pāsham madhyamam chŗta;
., bonds,
middle one, loosen and destroy,
av
ādhamāni jīvase.
pluck and
destroy, bottom bond, for our Divine Living.
Details:
The verse is similar to RV (1.24.15) discussed earlier.
vi + chŗta:
loosen and destroy.
ava + chŗta:
pluck and destroy.
ud mumugdhi:
pull out and free.
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