Part 15 - Mitrāvaruṇau [i.e., Mitra and Varuṇa] (Presiding Deity of the Day and Night)

Mitra and Varuṇa are worshipped jointly in the Vedas.

In the Taittirīyasaṃhitā, Mitra and Varuṇa are invoked as the presiding deity of the day and night:

ahorātre vai mitrāvaruṇo.^[1]

Again in another context,

mitraḥ aharabhimānī devatā varuṇaḥ rātryābhimānī/ maitraṃ vā ahaḥ vāruṇī rātriḥ/^[2]

The close association of Mitra and Varuṇa as the deity of the day and night are prominently expressed in the Vedic texts.

But it is observed, in a Ṛgvedic verse both the deities are invoked and invited after the rising of the Sun.^[3] They are worshipped jointly as the leader of the water.^[4] They protect the rain water and shower it towards the earth for the welfare of his devotees.^[5] They are jointly invoked as the lord of the sea, i.e. sindhupati.^[6] Pūṣan:

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Taittirīyasaṃhitā, 2.4.10.1

[2]:

Taittirīyabrāhmaṇa, 1.7.10.1

[3]:

cf., prati vāṃ sūra udite mitraṃ gṛṇīṣe varuṇam/ aryamaṇaṃ riśādasam// Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, 7.66.7

[4]:

cf., varuṇomitro aryamā yūyamṛtasya rathyāḥ/ Ibid., 7.66.12

[5]:

cf., ṛtasya gopāvadhi tiṣṭhatho rathaṃ satyadharmāṇā parame vyomani/ yamatra mitrāvaruṇāvatho yuvaṃ tasmai vṛṣṭirmadhumatpinvate divaḥ// Ibid., 5.63.1

[6]:

Ibid., 7.64.2