1.24.1
कस्य॑ नू॒नं क॑त॒मस्या॒मृता॑नां॒ मना॑महे॒ चारु॑ दे॒वस्य॒ नाम॑ |
को नो॑ म॒ह्या अदि॑तये॒ पुन॑र्दात् पि॒तरं॑ च दृ॒शेयं॑ मा॒तरं॑ च ||
WHO now is he, what God among Immortals, of whose auspicious name we may bethink us? Who shall to mighty Aditi restore us, that I may see my Father and my Mother?
Who now is he, what god among the Immortals, of whose auspicious name we may think? Who shall restore us to mighty Aditi, that I may see my Father and my Mother?
The opening 'Kaḥ' (Who?) is both metaphysical riddle and cry of the abandoned—seeking the Deva who can return the soul to Aditi (infinite mother-freedom) and parental vision. In the Śunaḥśepa legend (Aitareya Brāhmaṇa), the bound youth seeks liberation into belonging. Aditi here is boundless shelter; seeing Father and Mother is restored ṛṇa and identity.
Name the need for reconnection to wide belonging and origins. Liberation without restored relationship is incomplete. Name layered bondage—ideal, social, material—and seek release that restores belonging, not only the removal of pain.
1.24.2
अ॒ग्नेर्व॒यं प्र॑थ॒मस्या॒मृता॑नां॒ मना॑महे॒ चारु॑ दे॒वस्य॒ नाम॑ |
स नो॑ म॒ह्या अदि॑तये॒ पुन॑र्दात् पि॒तरं॑ च दृ॒शेयं॑ मा॒तरं॑ च ||
Agni the God the first among the Immortals,—of his auspicious name let us bethink us. He shall to mighty Aditi restore us, that I may see my Father and my Mother.
Agni the God, first among the Immortals—of his auspicious name let us think. He shall restore us to mighty Aditi, that I may see my Father and my Mother.
Answer crystallizes: Agni, foremost Immortal, is the named bridge back to Aditi. Fire as first Deva and mouth of the gods can renegotiate cosmic belonging. Auspicious nāma-smaraṇa of Agni becomes the path home—mantra as restoration technology. The inverted tree and unweakened vratāni reveal Varuṇa as architect of cosmic order who still answers the fettered cry.
Kindle clarifying intention (inner fire) as the first practical step back toward wholeness and reconciled relationships. Build pathways for truth and energy while using restorative tools proportional to harm; justice without balm becomes another stake.
1.24.3
अ॒भि त्वा॑ देव सवित॒रीशा॑नं॒ वार्या॑णाम् |
सदा॑वन्भा॒गमी॑महे ||
To thee, O Savitar, the Lord of precious things, who helpest us Continually, for our share we come—
To you, O Savitar, lord of precious things, who continually help us, we come for our share—. May the listener take this not as museum verse but as a living call into sacred relationship.
Savitar as lord of 'vāma' (precious goods) and continual helper receives the claim of 'bhāga' (due share). Even the distressed assert rightful portion under solar justice—not mere begging. Continuous help ('śaśvat') marks Savitar's reliability. Belonging to Aditi anāgas under Varuṇa's law is the hymn's telos—freedom as purified kinship with the boundless.
Ask for fair share from reliable systems. Continuous, not one-off, support structures matter most in crisis. Keep liberation narratives active in daily self-talk; hope needs repetition as much as strategy does.
1.24.4
यश्चि॒द्धि त॑ इ॒त्था भग॑: शशमा॒नः पु॒रा नि॒दः |
अ॒द्वे॒षो हस्त॑योर्द॒धे ||
Wealth, highly lauded ere reproach hath fallen on it, which is laid, Free from all hatred, in thy hands
Wealth highly praised before reproach has fallen on it, which is laid free from all hatred in your hands.
Rayi still 'praśasta' before ninde (blame), held hatred-free in Savitar's hands—ideal of clean wealth. Divine custody preserves prosperity from moral stain. The verse distinguishes blessed abundance from wealth already corrupted by dveṣa. Śunaḥśepa's appeal through Agni to Varuṇa and Aditi is paradigmatic pāśa-mocana: fire as bridge, Āditya as releaser, Aditi as infinite restored membership in ṛta.
Protect assets and reputations early through ethical handling. Once hatred and scandal attach, recovery is harder. Name layered bondage—ideal, social, material—and seek release that restores belonging, not only the removal of pain.
1.24.5
भग॑भक्तस्य ते व॒यमुद॑शेम॒ तवाव॑सा |
मू॒र्धानं॑ रा॒य आ॒रभे॑ ||
Through thy protection may we come to even the height of affluence Which Bhaga hath dealt out to us.
Through your protection may we come even to the height of affluence which Bhaga has dealt out to us.
Savitar's protection enabling Bhaga's allotted fortune binds solar impulse to the deity of due portion (Bhaga). Height of 'suṣṭuti'-worthy wealth under divine allotment affirms destiny-with-dharma, not random grab. The inverted tree and unweakened vratāni reveal Varuṇa as architect of cosmic order who still answers the fettered cry.
Seek growth within fair allocation and protective frameworks—ambition aligned with equitable distribution. Build pathways for truth and energy while using restorative tools proportional to harm; justice without balm becomes another stake.
1.24.6
न॒हि ते॑ क्ष॒त्रं न सहो॒ न म॒न्युं वय॑श्च॒नामी प॒तय॑न्त आ॒पुः |
नेमा आपो॑ अनिमि॒षं चर॑न्ती॒र्न ये वात॑स्य प्रमि॒नन्त्यभ्व॑म् ||
Ne’er have those birds that fly through air attained to thy high dominion or thy might or spirit; Nor these the waters that flow on for ever, nor hills, abaters of the wind's wild fury.
Never have birds that fly the air attained your high dominion, might, or spirit; nor the forever-flowing waters, nor hills that still the wind's wild fury.
Varuna's asurya dominion exceeds birds, endless waters, and wind-stilling mountains—transcendence of all elemental magnitudes. This Trishtubh turn elevates Varuna above nature-as-object while remaining lord of nature's laws. Classic Vedic via negativa toward the sovereign of ṛta. Belonging to Aditi anāgas under Varuṇa's law is the hymn's telos—freedom as purified kinship with the boundless.
Acknowledge principles larger than any single natural force or human scale—ethical law outranks raw magnitude. Keep liberation narratives active in daily self-talk; hope needs repetition as much as strategy does.
1.24.7
अ॒बु॒ध्ने राजा॒ वरु॑णो॒ वन॑स्यो॒र्ध्वं स्तूपं॑ ददते पू॒तद॑क्षः |
नी॒चीना॑: स्थुरु॒परि॑ बु॒ध्न ए॑षाम॒स्मे अ॒न्तर्निहि॑ताः के॒तव॑: स्युः ||
Varuṇa, King, of hallowed might, sustaineth erect the Tree's stem in the baseless region. Its rays, whose root is high above, stream downward. Deep may they sink within us, and be hidden.
King Varuna of hallowed might sustains erect the Tree's stem in the baseless region; its rays, rooted high above, stream downward—deep may they sink within us and be hidden.
The inverted cosmic tree—root above, rays streaming down—held by Varuna in supportless space is a seminal Vedic image (later Aśvattha of the Gītā). Internalizing downward rays means receiving cosmic order into the heart's depth. Varuna as stambha-holder of reality. Śunaḥśepa's appeal through Agni to Varuṇa and Aditi is paradigmatic pāśa-mocana: fire as bridge, Āditya as releaser, Aditi as infinite restored membership in ṛta.
Internalize guiding frameworks that are rooted in higher principle yet feed daily life. Let order sink deep, not stay cosmetic. Name layered bondage—ideal, social, material—and seek release that restores belonging, not only the removal of pain.
1.24.8
उ॒रुं हि राजा॒ वरु॑णश्च॒कार॒ सूर्या॑य॒ पन्था॒मन्वे॑त॒वा उ॑ |
अ॒पदे॒ पादा॒ प्रति॑धातवेऽकरु॒ताप॑व॒क्ता हृ॑दया॒विध॑श्चित् ||
King Varuṇa hath made a spacious pathway, a pathway for the Sun wherein to travel. Where no way was he made him set his footstep, and warned afar whate’er afflicts the spirit.
King Varuna has made a spacious pathway for the Sun to travel; where no way was he made him set his foot, and warned afar whatever afflicts the spirit.
Varuna as path-maker for Sūrya—architect of luminous trajectory—shows ṛta enabling jyotis. Creating foothold where none existed is cosmic kindness. Driving far 'what afflicts the heart' unites astronomy with psychotherapy of conscience. The inverted tree and unweakened vratāni reveal Varuṇa as architect of cosmic order who still answers the fettered cry.
Build clear pathways for energy and truth to move, and remove ambient psychic toxins from those corridors. Build pathways for truth and energy while using restorative tools proportional to harm; justice without balm becomes another stake.
1.24.9
श॒तं ते॑ राजन् भि॒षज॑: स॒हस्र॑मु॒र्वी ग॑भी॒रा सु॑म॒तिष्टे॑ अस्तु |
बाध॑स्व दू॒रे निऋ॑तिं परा॒चैः कृ॒तं चि॒देन॒: प्र मु॑मुग्ध्य॒स्मत् ||
A hundred balms are thine, O King, a thousand; deep and wide-reaching also be thy favours. Far from us, far away drive thou Destruction. Put from us e’en the sin we have committed.
A hundred balms are yours, O King, a thousand; deep and wide-reaching also be your favours. Far from us drive Destruction; put from us even the sin we have committed.
Varuna's hundred-thousand bheṣajas and deep favors frame the Judge also as Healer. Driving Nirriti (Destruction) and removing committed pāpa unite outer and inner rescue. Sovereign mercy does not deny sin; it removes it. Belonging to Aditi anāgas under Varuṇa's law is the hymn's telos—freedom as purified kinship with the boundless.
Accountability systems need abundant restorative tools. Drive away ruinous patterns while actively clearing past harm. Keep liberation narratives active in daily self-talk; hope needs repetition as much as strategy does.
1.24.10
अ॒मी य ऋक्षा॒ निहि॑तास उ॒च्चा नक्तं॒ ददृ॑श्रे॒ कुह॑ चि॒द् दिवे॑युः |
अद॑ब्धानि॒ वरु॑णस्य व्र॒तानि॑ वि॒चाक॑शच्च॒न्द्रमा॒ नक्त॑मेति ||
Whither by day depart the constellations that shine at night, set high in heaven above us? Varuṇa's holy laws remain unweakened, and through the night the Moon moves on in splendor
Whither by day depart the constellations that shine at night, set high in heaven? Varuna's holy laws remain unweakened, and through the night the Moon moves on in splendour.
Cosmic riddle of stars' daytime vanishing answered by steadfastness of Varuna's vratāni and the Moon's night splendour—ṛta persists through apparent disappearance. Astronomical wonder becomes theology of unbroken law. Śunaḥśepa's appeal through Agni to Varuṇa and Aditi is paradigmatic pāśa-mocana: fire as bridge, Āditya as releaser, Aditi as infinite restored membership in ṛta.
When supportive signs seem to vanish, rely on underlying constants. Cycles hide and reveal; principles need not weaken. Name layered bondage—ideal, social, material—and seek release that restores belonging, not only the removal of pain.
1.24.11
॥
तत्त्वा॑ यामि॒ ब्रह्म॑णा॒ वन्द॑मान॒स् तदा शा॑स्ते॒ यज॑मानो ह॒विर्भि॑: |
अहे॑ळमानो वरुणे॒ह बो॒ध्युरु॑शंस॒ मा न॒ आयु॒: प्र मो॑षीः ||
I ask this of thee with my prayer adoring; thy worshipper craves this with his oblation. Varuṇa, stay thou here and be not angry; steal not our life from us, O thou Wide-Ruler.
I ask this of you with adoring prayer; your worshipper craves this with his oblation. Varuna, stay here and be not angry; steal not our life from us, O Wide-Ruler.
Stuti plus havis accompany the plea: remain, withhold anger (manyu), do not take āyus. Wide-ruling Varuna's nearness without wrath is the heart of Śunaḥśepa spirituality—fear of just anger transformed into request for abiding presence. The inverted tree and unweakened vratāni reveal Varuṇa as architect of cosmic order who still answers the fettered cry.
In conflict with rightful authority, ask for presence without punitive excess. Relationship repair needs stayed engagement, not abandoned punishment-only. Build pathways for truth and energy while using restorative tools proportional to harm; justice without balm becomes another stake.
1.24.12
॥
तदिन्नक्तं॒ तद् दिवा॒ मह्य॑माहु॒स् तद॒यं केतो॑ हृ॒द आ वि च॑ष्टे |
शुन॒:शेपो॒ यमह्व॑द् गृभी॒तः सो अ॒स्मान् राजा॒ वरु॑णो मुमोक्तु ||
Nightly and daily this one thing they tell me, this too the thought of mine own heart repeateth. May he to whom prayed fettered Śunaḥśepa, may he the Sovran Varuṇa release us.
Nightly and daily this one thing they tell me; this too my own heart's thought repeats: may he to whom prayed fettered Shunahshepa—may sovereign Varuna release us.
The hymn names its own legend: bound Śunaḥśepa's prayer to Varuna as paradigm of release. Day-night repetition and hṛdaya-echo show conviction saturating time and conscience. Sovereign Varuna as mocaka (releaser) of the ritually condemned. Belonging to Aditi anāgas under Varuṇa's law is the hymn's telos—freedom as purified kinship with the boundless.
Keep liberation stories alive as working hope. Personal conviction reinforced daily fuels resilience under constraint. Keep liberation narratives active in daily self-talk; hope needs repetition as much as strategy does.
1.24.13
शुन॒:शेपो॒ ह्यह्व॑द् गृभी॒तस् त्रि॒ष्वा॑दि॒त्यं द्रु॑प॒देषु॑ ब॒द्धः |
अवै॑नं॒ राजा॒ वरु॑णः ससृज्याद् वि॒द्वाँ अद॑ब्धो॒ वि मु॑मोक्तु॒ पाशा॑न् ||
Bound to three pillars captured Śunaḥśepa thus to the Āditya made his supplication. Him may the Sovran Varuṇa deliver, wise, ne’er deceived, loosen the bonds that bind him.
Bound to three pillars, captured Shunahshepa thus made his plea to the Aditya. Him may sovereign Varuna deliver—wise, never deceived—loosen the bonds that bind him.
Three-pillar binding and appeal to Āditya detail the sacrificial crisis of the legend. Varuna as undeceivable sage loosens pāśas—bonds both literal and karmic. Āditya identity stresses solar-ethical lineage of the releaser. Śunaḥśepa's appeal through Agni to Varuṇa and Aditi is paradigmatic pāśa-mocana: fire as bridge, Āditya as releaser, Aditi as infinite restored membership in ṛta.
Name structural bindings clearly (the 'three pillars') when seeking release. Wise, undeceived advocates loosen real constraints. Name layered bondage—ideal, social, material—and seek release that restores belonging, not only the removal of pain.
1.24.14
अव॑ ते॒ हेळो॑ वरुण॒ नमो॑भि॒रव॑ य॒ज्ञेभि॑रीमहे ह॒विर्भि॑: |
क्षय॑न्न॒स्मभ्य॑मसुर प्रचेता॒ राज॒न्नेनां॑सि शिश्रथः कृ॒तानि॑ ||
With bending down, oblations, sacrifices, O Varuṇa, we deprecate thine anger: Wise Asura, thou King of wide dominion, loosen the bonds of sins by us committed.
With bending down, oblations, and sacrifices, O Varuna, we deprecate your anger; wise Asura, king of wide dominion, loosen the bonds of sins we have committed.
Namaskāra, havis, and yajña as means to soften Varuna's manyu—ritual as ethical diplomacy. Addressing him as wise Asura (here sacred lordly power, Vedic sense) and wide king, the plea targets pāpa-bandhanāni specifically: sin-bonds, not only outer ropes. The inverted tree and unweakened vratāni reveal Varuṇa as architect of cosmic order who still answers the fettered cry.
Combine humility, concrete amends, and disciplined practice when seeking to reduce justified anger and self-made constraints. Build pathways for truth and energy while using restorative tools proportional to harm; justice without balm becomes another stake.
1.24.15
उदु॑त्त॒मं व॑रुण॒ पाश॑म॒स्मदवा॑ध॒मं वि म॑ध्य॒मं श्र॑थाय |
अथा॑ व॒यमा॑दित्य व्र॒ते तवाना॑गसो॒ अदि॑तये स्याम ||
Loosen the bonds, O Varuṇa, that hold me, loosen the bonds above, between, and under. So in thy holy law may we made sinless belong to Aditi, O thou Āditya.
Loosen the bonds, O Varuna, that hold me—bonds above, between, and under. So in your holy law may we, made sinless, belong to Aditi, O Aditya.
Triadic bonds—adhara, madhya, ūrdhva—map total binding of the person; their loosening restores anāgas (sinless) belonging to Aditi under Varuna's vrata. The sukta's arc completes: from 'Who?' and orphan longing to Aditi-membership through Varuna's release. Full Sanātana grammar of pāśa-mocana. Belonging to Aditi anāgas under Varuṇa's law is the hymn's telos—freedom as purified kinship with the boundless.
Address constraints at every level—ideals, relationships, material conditions. Freedom means clean belonging in a wider wholesome order. Keep liberation narratives active in daily self-talk; hope needs repetition as much as strategy does.