A confession to Varuna, the protector of Order in the universe, that we make every evening after our Evening water oblations to Sandhya

A confession to Varuna, the protector of Order in the universe, that we make every evening after our Evening water oblations to Sandhya

This is a mantram in Rigvedam and Yajurvedam too.

इमं मे वरुण श्रुधी हवमद्या च मृडय त्वां अवस्युराचके तत्वा यामि ब्रह्मणा वन्दमानस्तदाशास्ते यजमानो हविर्भिः अहेडमानो वरुणेहबोध्युरुंशमान आयुः प्रमोषीः यच्चिद्धि ते विशो यथा प्रदेवा वरुणव्रतं मिनीमसि द्यवि द्यवि यत्किञ्चेदं वरुण्दैव्ये जनेभिद्रोहं मनुष्याश्चरामसि अचित्तीयत्तव धर्मा युयोपिम मा नस्तस्मादेनसो देवरीरिषः कितवासो यद्रिपुर्नदिवि यद्वाघा सत्यमुतयन्न विद्म सर्वा ता विष्य शिथिरेव देवाथा ते स्याम वरुण प्रियासः

imaṁ me varuṇa śrudhī havamadyā ca mṛḍaya tvāṁ avasyurācake tatvā yāmi brahmaṇā vandamānastadāśāste yajamāno havirbhiḥ aheḍamāno varuṇehabodhyuruṁśamāna āyuḥ pramoṣīḥ yacciddhi te viśo yathā pradevā varuṇavrataṁ minīmasi dyavi dyavi yatkiñcedaṁ varuṇdaivye janebhidrohaṁ manuṣyāścarāmasi acittīyattava dharmā yuyopima mā nastasmādenaso devarīriṣaḥ kitavāso yadripurnadivi yadvāghā satyamutayanna vidma sarvā tā viṣya śithireva devāthā te syāma varuṇa priyāsaḥ

Oh Varuna, may you be pleased to listen to this prayer and entreaty of mine

May you be pleased to bring comfort and welfare to me now itself

Desirous of my own protection I am standing in front of you and making this prayer

With that purpose in mind, I am taking refuge under your protection by making prayers to you as prescribed by the Vedas

with that purpose in my, I am offering oblations for you with my own body as if it is the oblation prescribed in yajnas and request you to make me happy and comfortable

May you, with a heart filled with endearing thoughts for me,

be pleased to take note of this prayer of mine

May you not entertain any thoughts to curtail of reduce my life span and may you not entertain any thoughts that would destroy my life itself

I confess that I have defaulted in and have gone contrary to the rules and penances prescribed by the rules which are protected by you, although you expect that I should follow such rules without fail. I submit that we are mere human beings who lack proper sense and discretion

May you be pleased not to cause us harm or destruction for the wrong action perpetrated by me by causing default to our duties and services towards gods as prescribed by the Vedas

Indeed, I am often thwarting the guidelines and directions ordained for me by gods ( which you Varuna is duty bound to keep in place), and in that way I look like an enemy and a fake person. Often, I commit transgressions in the divine rules of propriety with my full knowledge. Alternately I deviate from the rules prescribed by the divines without our knowledge.. I do sins openly and clandestinely too.

I submit that the Supreme being Varuna may be pleased to treat my errors and misdeeds in a benign manner, take them as aberrations and shatter the sins arising out of them and make me a person dear to him

( Here “We”.. the plural of I too can fit in the whole context of the prayer.. In effect it is a confession before the Judge Varuna seeking pardon and protection)