Hymn 41 to Aryaman, Varuna, and Mitra - Rig-Veda Book I
Summary: This page presents Hymn XLI from the Rig-Veda Book I, an ancient Hindu scriptural text composed in Sanskrit. The hymn invokes Aryaman alongside Varuna and Mitra, three Vedic deities associated with divine protection, cosmic order, and prosperity. Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith, the hymn emphasizes how these gods shield their devotees from harm, grant wealth and progeny, and guide those who follow righteous paths.
HYMN 41. 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.
Source: These hymns are reproduced from An English translation of the Vedas by Ralph T.H. Griffith, 1896. Griffith wrote in a poetic, archaic style. In order to make the hymns sound like English poetry, he often compromised the original meaning of the Sanskrit words. Further, his Sanskrit knowledge was limited by the scholarship of the 19th century. For many Indian readers, this feels distant, making his work less accessible than modern prose translations. This page has been formatted, and the hymns are selected and organized by Jayaram V for Hinduwebsite.com. Hymn numbers have been changed from Roman numerals to standard numbers.