VARUNA, GOD OF SKY.
“The eminent German scholar, Dr. Roth, is of opinion that before the Indo-Aryans and the Iranians separated, Varuna was the highest and holiest of the gods of their ancestors, and represented the spiritual side of their religion. After the separation had taken place, this deity of righteousness was translated in Iran into Ahura Mazd, the Supreme Deity. And although in India, Varuna yielded the foremost place among gods to the young and vigorous rain-giver, Indra, still he never became divested of that sanctity and holiness which entered into his first conception, and the holiest hymns of the Rig Veda are his, not Indra’s.”—Civilisation in Ancient India, vol. i. p. 76.
The first five verses of this hymn are addressed to the Fire and to the Sun, and are omitted in the translation.
1.
VARUNA, Lord of righteousness! Thy wondrous power invites our lays! The birds that sail across the sky, Not with thy matchless speed can fly! Nor the swift winds in their unceasing course, Nor rapid torrents in resistless force!
2.
Glorious King of righteousness! Thy seat is in ethereal space! Thy radiance dwells in skies above, And thence descends on us in love. Mighty monarch of the upper sky! Protect your humble worshippers from high!
3.
In heaven’s expanse thy hand hath laid The path for radiant sun to tread! At thy command from morn till late He treads the path so vast and great! Destroy, O mighty King, the foeman’s power, And save, oh save us in the evil hour!
4.
Thine, the power to heal and bless! Thine, deep wisdom, righteousness! Keep us, Lord, from impious deeds, From wicked thought that oft misleads. Teach us, O King! the ways of vice to shun, And save, oh save us from the sins we’ve done!
5.
Yon stars that spangle night’s dark sky,[^5] In daylight whither do they flee? These works, how glorious and how bright, How strange, Varuna! is thy might! The nightly stars thy mighty prowess own, And thy behest obeys the shining moon!
6.
With pious hymns we sing thy praise, We bring thee gifts, we chant thy lays! In mercy listen unto me, In mercy set the sinner free! Nations speak thy mercy and thy power, Then spare, oh spare me in this evil hour!
7.
My friends, they tell me, night and day, My whispering heart doth ever say,— Lift up to him thy holy lay In trouble, turn to him and pray! Your chains and fetters he will soon remove,[^6] For Varuna is mercy! He is love!
8.
Son of the Eternal Light![^7] Remove my fetters in thy might! Sunahsepa prays to thee, In mercy set the sinner free! In boundless wisdom and resistless power, Spare, oh spare me in this evil hour!
9.
Varuna of the righteous path! By worship we assuage thy wrath; Thy anger by our gifts remove, Relent in mercy and in love! Accept the sacrifice we have begun, Remove the fetters of the sins we’ve done!
10.
Remove the fetters from above, The middle chains, O Lord, remove, Remove the galling chains below, And let me to thy mercy bow! Son of Eternal Light! let me remain Obedient to thy laws and free from sin!
Rig Veda, I. 24.