Mitrasya Mantra Explanation

ॐ मि॒त्रस्य॑ च॒र्​षणी॒ धृत॒ श्रवो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ सान॒ सिम् । स॒त्यं चि॒त्रश्र॑ वस्तमम् । मि॒त्रो जनान्॑ यातयति प्रजा॒नन्-मि॒त्रो दा॑धार पृथि॒वी मु॒तद्याम् । मि॒त्रः कृ॒ष्टी रनि॑मिषा॒ऽभि च॑ष्टे स॒त्याय॑ ह॒व्यं घृ॒तव॑द्विधेम । प्रसमि॑त्त्र॒ मर्त्यो॑ अस्तु॒ प्रय॑स्वा॒ न्यस्त॑ आदित्य॒ शिक्ष॑ति व्र॒तेन॑ । न ह॑न्यते॒ न जी॑यते॒ त्वोतो॒नैन॒ मग्ंहो॑ अश्नो॒ त्यन्ति॑तो॒ न दू॒रात् ॥
Rig Veda (3.59.6), Krishna Yajur Veda (3.4.11.5), Shukla Yajur Veda (11.62)

First two pAda

Mitrasya refers to the sun god in the genitive case, but in this context refers to god. charSaNI-dhRta means the sustainer of all beings (charSaNI means humans but it includes all living beings). Shrava: means glory. The glory that god enjoys is sAnasim or adorable (worthy of adoration). Then we see satyam shrava: sAnasim, meaning the lords glory, which is worthy of adoration, is actual real glory, not the glory of men or the glory of dEvatAs. The achievements of men, the burning of agni, these are all impermanent glories, qualities not worthy of true adoration, unlike the citram, or varied, permanent glories of nArAyaNa.

Middle three pAda

mitro janAn yAtayati prajAnan. The lord, acting as a witness to the world, activates and enlivens all its beings. yAtayati means activate, janAn means the worldly beings, and as prajAnan means in his sAkSi rUpa, or witness state. In vEdAnta it is argued that the lord sustains the world without involvement . Not only just our world (prithivi), but also dyAm, the heavens are protected by the sustainer (AdhAra). The sAkSi rUpa of the lord witnesses us animiSa abhicaSTE, or without breaks. He observes our actions and accordingly gives us the phala (born fruit). Don't you want to now satisfy the lord in the prescribed manners? satyAya havyam ghRtavat vidhEma, let us offer oblations to him with nEy. {ShikSati, vrata}, through fire rituals and fasts, a devotee can offer oblations through their daily duties! Anyone who does that will attain all prosperities (prayasvAn).

Last pAda

tvOtO - under your protection, that devotee is not slain (na hanyate), nor won over (na jIyate). pApam will not affect them, not from near nor far, and so they seek your protection. Give it to us!