Mitra-Varuna

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The Vedas contain numerous references to a god named "Mitra". In many Indian languages, the word "Mitra" means "friend." In the Vedas, Mitra is the god of honesty, friendship, and contracts.

Occasionally, Mitra is paired together with Varuna, the Vedic god of water. Here are a few quotations from the Rig Veda:

Book 7, Hymn 50:
1. O MITRA-VARUNA, guard and protect me here: let not that come to me which nests within and swells.
I drive afar the scorpion hateful to the sight: let not the winding worm touch me and wound my foot.

Book 7, Hymn 61:
1. O VARUNA and Mitra, Sūrya spreading the beauteous light of you Twain Gods ariseth.
He who beholdetb all existing creatures observetb well the zeal that is in mortals.
2 The holy sage, renowned afar, directeth his hymns to you, O Varuṇa and Mitra,—
He whose devotions, sapient Gods, ye favour so that ye fill, as ’twere, with power his autumns.
3 From the wide earth, O Varuṇa and Mitra from the great lofty heaven, ye, Bounteous Givers, -
Have in the fields and houses set your warder-, who visit every spot and watch unceasing.
4 I praise the strength of Varuṇa and Mitra that strength, by mightiness, keeps both worlds asunder.
Heroless pass the months of the ungodly he who loves sacrifice makes his home enduring.
5 Steers, all infallible are these your people in whom no wondrous thing is seen, no worship.
Guile follows close the men who are untruthful: no secrets may be hidden from your knowledge.
6 I will exalt your sacrifice with homage: as priest, I, Mitra-Varuṇa, invoke you.
May these new hymns and prayers that I have fashioned delight you to the profit of the singer.
7 This priestly task, Gods! Varuṇa and Mitra! hath been performed for you at sacrifices.
Convey us safely over every peril. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.

 

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Here are some references to Mitra-Varuna in the White Yajur Veda:

Book 2, Verse 16:
For Vasus thee. For Rudras thee. Thee for Âdityas.
Be, Heaven and Earth, accordant with each other. With
rain may Mitra-Varuna assist thee.
May the birds go, licking what is anointed.
Go to the Maruts’ speckled mares. Go, having become a
speckled cow thyself, to heaven, and from that place bring
the rain for us hither.
Thou art the eye's guard: guard mine eye, O Agni.

Book 4, Verse 35:
Do homage unto Varuna's and Mitra's eye: offer this solemn
worship to the Mighty God,
Who seeth far away, the Ensign born of Gods. Sing praises
unto Sûrya, to the Son of Dyaus.

Book 6, Verse 21:
Go to the sea. All-hail! Go to the air. All-hail! Go to God
Savitar. All hail!
Go thou to Mitra-Varuna. All-hail! Go thou to Day and
Night. All-hail!
Go to the Metres. till-hail! Go to Heaven and Earth. All-hail!
Go to the sacrifice. All-hail! Go to Soma. All-hail!
Go to the heavenly ether. All-hail! Go to Vaisvânara
Agni. All hail! Bestow upon me mind and heart.
Thy smoke mount to the sky, to heaven thy lustre. Fill
thou the spacious earth full with thine ashes.

Book 7, Verse 9:
This Soma hath been shed for you, Law-strengtheners,
Mitra-Varuna!
Here listen ye to this my call.
Taken upon a base art thou. For Mitra thee, for Varuna.

Book 7, Verse 23:
For Mitra-Varuna thee, the Gods protector, yea, for the
sacrifice's life I take thee.
For Indra, thee, etc. For Indra-Agni, thee, etc. For Indra-
Varuna, thee, etc. For Indra-Brihaspati thee, etc. For
Indra-Vishnu thee, etc.

Book 9, Verse 36:
Gods who have Agni as their guide, whose seat is eastward,
Hail to them!
Gods who have Yama as their guide, whose seat is southward,
Hail to them!
Gods who have All-Gods as their guides, whose seat is westward,
Hail to them!
Gods who have Mitra-Varuna for guides, north-seated,
Hail to them!
Gods who have Soma as their guide, high-seated, worshipful,
Hail to them!

Book 10, Verse 9:
Visible, O ye men, Informed is Agni, Master of the House.
hold. Informed is Indra of exalted glory. Informed are
Mitra-Varuna, Law-Maintainers. Informed is Pûshan, Lord
of all Possessions. Informed are Heaven and Earth, the
All-propitious. Informed is Aditi who gives wide shelter.

Book 10, Verse 21:
Indra's bolt art thou. I by the direction of Mitra-Varuna,
Directors, yoke thee.
I, the uninjured Arjuna, mount thee for firmness, thee for food.
By quickening of the Maruts be thou victor. May we obtain
by mind: with power united.

Book 13, Verse 46:
The brilliant presence of the Gods hath risen, the eye of
Mitra, Varuna, and Agni.
The soul of all that moveth not or moveth, the Sun hath
filled the air, and earth and heaven.

Book 21, Verses 8 & 9:
O Mitra-Varuna, gracious Pair, with fatness dew our
pasturage,
With mead the regions of the air.
Stretch forth your arms and let our lives be lengthened:
with fatness dew the pastures of our cattle.
Ye Youthful, make us famed among the people: hear,
Mitra-Varuna, these mine invocations.

Book 24, Verse 2:
The red goat, the smoky-red, the jujube-red, these belong to
Soma. The brown, the ruddy-brown, the parrot-brown,
these are Varuna's. One with white ear holes, one with
partly white, one with wholly white, belong to Savitar.
One with fore feet white, partly white, wholly white,
belongs to Brihaspati. She goats speckled, with small spots,
with big spots, these belong to Mitra-Varuna.

Book 24, Verse 8:
Variegated, Indra-Agni's; two-coloured, Agni-Soma's; dwarf
oxen, Agni-Vishnu's; barren cows, Mitra-Varuna's; partly
variegated, Mitra's.

Book 24, Verse 23:
To Agni he sacrifices cocks; to Vanaspatis owls; to Agni-Soma
blue jays; to the Asvins peacocks; to Mitra-Varuna
pigeons.

Book 25, Verse 6:
The shoulders belong to the Maruts; the first rib-cartilages
to the All-Gods; the second to the Rudras; the third to
the Âdityas; the tail belongs to Vâyu; the hind-quarters
to Agni-Soma. I gratify the two Curlews with the hips;
Indra-Brihaspati with the thighs; Mitra-Varuna with
the groins; Approach with the buttocks; Strength with
the two cavities of the loins.

Book 29, Verse 60:
To Agni of the Gâyatrî, of the Trivrit hymn and of the
Rathantara Sâman is to be offered a rice-cake on eight
potsherds; to Indra of the Trishtup, the Pañchadasa
hymn and the Brihat Sâman one on eleven potsherds; to
the All-Gods of the Jagatî, the Seventeenfold hymn
and the Vairûpa Sâman, one on twelve potsherds; to
Mitra-Varuna of the Anushtup, the Ekavimsa hymn, and
the Vairâja Sâman, a mess of curdled milk; to Brihaspati
of the Pankti metre, the Trinava hymn, and the Sâkvara
Sâman, an oblation of rice boded in milk; to Savitar of
the Ushnih, the Thirty-threefold hymn, and the Raivata
Sâman, a rice-cake on eight potsherds; a mess of boiled
rice is to be made for Prajâpati; the same for Vishnu's
Consort Aditi; to Agni Vaisvânara is to be offered a
rice-cake on twelve potsherds, and to Anumati one on eight.

Book 33, Verse 2:
Gold-coloured, bannered with the smoke, urged by the wind,
aloft to heaven
Rise, lightly borne, the flames of fire.
Bring to us Mitra-Varuna, bring the Gods to the great
sacrifice;
Bring them, O Agni, to thine home.

 

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^^^ Note that in Book 7, Verse 9, and Book 10, Verse 9, Mitra-Varuna are referred to as "Law-strengtheners" or "Law-maintainers".
Also note that in Book 4, Verse 35, and Book 13, Verse 46, the sun is referred to as "the eye of Mitra-Varuna".

 

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There are more references to Mitra-Varuna in the Atharva Veda:

Book 1, Hymn 20:
[SIZE=-1][/SIZE]2. Mitra and Varuna, ye twain, turn carefully away from us
The deadly dart that flies to-day, the missile of the wicked
ones.

Book 2, Hymn 28:
2. Mitra or Varuna the foe-destroyer, accordant, grant him death
in course of nature!
Thus Agni, Hotar-priest, skilled in high statutes, declareth all
the deities' generations.

Book 4, Hymn 29:
The entire hymn is dedicated to them.

Book 5, Hymn 25:
4. Let Mitra-Varuna and God Brihaspati lay the germ in thee.
Indra and Agni lay the germ, Dhātar bestow the germ in thee.

Book 6, Hymn 32:
3. Here, Mitra-Varuna! may we dwell safely: with splendour drive
the greedy demons backward,
Let them not find a surety or a refuge, but torn away go down
to Death together.

Book 6, Hymn 132:
5. The charm aglow with longing which Mitra and Varuna have
poured within the bosom of the floods,
That spell for thee I heat by Varuna's decree.

Book 9, Hymn 3:
18. I loosen and remove from thee thy covering formed by mats of
reed.
What Varuna hath firmly closed Mitra shall ope at early morn.

Book 9, Hymn 7:
[SIZE=-1][/SIZE]7. Mitra and Varuna are the shoulder-blades. Tvashtar and Arya-
man the fore-arms, Mahādeva is the arms.

Book 9, Hymn 10:
23. The footless Maid precedeth footed creatures. Who marketh,
Mitra Varuna! this your doing?
The Babe unborn supporteth this world's burthen, supporteth
Right and watcheth Wrong and Falsehood.

Book 11, Hymn 3:
44. And thence, etc. . . . with other thighs . . .
Thy thigh will perish . . . With Mitra-Varuna as thighs.

Book 13, Hymn 1:
31. Cast down our foes beneath our feet, O Agni. Brihaspati,
oppress our rebel kinsman.
Low let them fall, O Indra-Agni. Mitra-Varuna, powerless to
show their anger.

Book 13, Hymn 2:
[SIZE=-1][/SIZE]35. He hath gone up on high, the Gods' bright presence, the eye of
Mitra, Varuna and Agni.
The soul of all that moveth not or moveth, Sūrya hath filled the
earth and air and heaven,

Book 14, Hymn 1:
54. May Indra-Agni, Heaven-Earth, Mātarisvan, may Mitra-Varuna,
Bhaga, both the Asvins,
Brihaspati, the host of Maruts, Brahma, and Soma magnify this
dame with offspring.

Book 16, Hymn 4:
7. Mighty are ye, domestic creatures. May Mitra-Varuna stand
beside me. May Agni give me inward and outward breath.
May,he give me ability.

Book 16, Hymn 8:
[SIZE=-1][/SIZE]25. Whatever, etc. Let him not be freed from the noose of Mitra-
Varuna, etc.

Book 18, Hymn 1:
7. Who knows that earliest day whereof thou speakest, Who hath
beheld it? Who can here declare it?
Great is the law of Varuna and Mitra. What, wanton, wilt thou
say to men to tempt them?

Book 18, Hymn 3:
12. Mitra and Varuna have stood about me. Ādityas, Sacirifical
Posts exalt me!
May Indra balm my hands with strength and splendour. A long,
long life may Savitar vouchsafe me.

 

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^^^ Note that in Book 13, Hymn 2, the sun is referred to again as "the eye of Mitra-Varuna".
Also note that in Book 18, Hymn 1, Mitra and Varuna are referred to again as "law-givers".

 

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The god Mitra is also mentioned in Zoroastrian scriptures, but this time, he is paired with the deity Ahura Mazda:

Zend Avesta, Part 2, Mihir Yast, Part 1:
1. Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathustra, saying: 'Verily, when I created Mithra, the lord of
wide pastures, O Spitama! I created him as worthy of sacrifice, as worthy of prayer as myself, Ahura Mazda

Zend Avesta, Part 2, Zamyad Yast, Part 7:
35. The first time when the Glory departed from the bright Yima, the Glory went from Yima, the son of Vîvanghant, in the shape of a Vâraghna bird.
Then Mithra seized that Glory, Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, whose ear is quick to hear, who has a thousand senses. We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of all countries, whom Ahura Mazda has created the most glorious of all the gods in the heavens.

Zend Avesta, Part 2, Khoresed Nyayis:
7. We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of all countries, whom Ahura Mazda made the most glorious of all the gods in the world unseen.
So may Mithra and Ahura, the two great gods, come to us for help!
We sacrifice unto the bright, undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun.

Zend Avesta, Part 2, Mihir Nyayis:
7. We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of all countries, whom Ahura Mazda made the most glorious of all the heavenly gods.
So may Mithra and Ahura, the two great gods, come to us for help!
We sacrifice unto the undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun.

Zend Avesta, Part 3, Yasna 1:
11. And I announce and complete (my Yasna) to the two, to Ahura and to Mithra, the lofty, and the everlasting, and the holy, and to all the stars which are Spenta Mainyu's creatures, and to the star Tistrya, the resplendent and glorious, and to the Moon which contains the seed of the Kine, and to the resplendent Sun, him of the rapid steeds, the eye of Ahura Mazda, and to Mithra the province-ruler. And I celebrate and complete my Yasna to Ahura Mazda (once again, and as to him who rules the month), the radiant, the glorious, and to the Fravashis of the saints.

Zend Avesta, Part 3, Yasna 2:
11. And in this Zaothra with this Baresman I desire to approach Ahura and Mithra with my praise, the lofty, eternal, and the holy two; and I desire to approach the stars, moon, and sun with the Baresman plants, and with my praise, and with them Mithra the governor of all the provinces, and Ahura Mazda the radiant and glorious, and the good, heroic, bountiful Fravashis of the saints,

Zend Avesta, Part 3, Yasna 3:
13. And I desire to approach Ahura and Mithra, the lofty and imperishable two, the holy, and with the Yast of those stars which are the creatures of Spenta Mainyu, and with the Yast of the star Tistrya, the radiant, the glorious, and with that of the moon which contains the seed of cattle, and with that of the resplendent sun, the eye of Ahura Mazda, and of Mithra, province-lord of the provinces, and with that of Ahura Mazda (as He rules this day) the radiant, the glorious, and with that of the Fravashis of the saints, (who rule this month),

Zend Avesta, Part 3, Yasna 6:
10. And we worship Ahura and Mithra with our sacrifice, the lofty, and imperishable, and holy two, and the stars, moon, and sun, among the plants of the Baresman, and Mithra, the province-lord of all the provinces, even Ahura Mazda, the radiant, the glorious, and the good, valiant, and bountiful Fravashis of the saints.

Zend Avesta, Part 3, Yasna 7:
13. And I offer with a complete and sacred offering to Ahura and Mithra, the lofty and imperishable, and holy two, and to the stars which are the creatures of Spenta Mainyu, and to the star Tistrya, the radiant, the glorious, and to the Moon which contains the seed of cattle in its beams, and to the resplendent Sun of the fleet horses, the eye of Ahura Mazda, and to Mithra, the lord of the provinces. And I offer with a complete and sacred offering to Ahura Mazda, the resplendent, the glorious, (who rules this day), and to the Fravashis of the saints (who name the month).

 

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^^^ Note that in the above passages from the Zend Avesta, the Sun is referred to several times as "the eye of Ahura Mazda" (Yasnas 1, 3, and 7). This matches up EXACTLY with the verses in the Vedas which refer to Surya as "the eye of MItra-Varuna".
Therefore, we can conclude that Ahura Mazda is none other than the Hindu God Varuna.