Rigveda · Maṇḍala 1

Rigveda Maṇḍala 1, Sūkta 116: The Miraculous Deeds and Divine Therapeutics of the Aśvins

Act 1

The Swift Charioteers of Grace

Verses 1, 2

Verse 1

नास॑त्याभ्यां ब॒र्हिरि॑व॒ प्र वृं॑जे॒ स्तोमाँ॑ इयर्म्य॒भ्रिये॑व॒ वातः॑ । यावर्भ॑गाय विम॒दाय॑ जा॒यां से॑ना॒जुवा॑ न्यू॒हतू॒ रथे॑न ॥

nā́satyābhyām barhíriva prá vṛñje stómām̐ iyarmyabhríyeva vā́taḥ ǀ yā́várbhagāya vimadā́ya jāyā́m senājúvā nyūhátū ráthena ǁ

Verse 2

वी॒ळु॒पत्म॑भिराशु॒हेम॑भिर्वा दे॒वानां॑ वा जू॒तिभिः॒ शाश॑दाना । तद्रास॑भो नासत्या स॒हस्र॑मा॒जा य॒मस्य॑ प्र॒धने॑ जिगाय ॥

vīḷupátmabhirāśuhémabhirvā devā́nām vā jūtíbhiḥ śā́śadānā ǀ tádrā́sabho nāsatyā sahásramājā́ yamásya pradháne jigāya ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi invokes the Nāsatyas—the Aśvins—with a breathless sense of wonder and urgency. Like the rushing wind that sweeps away storm-clouds, the poet projects his praises forward to greet the divine twins. They are implored to bring a bride with a swift chariot to Vimada, embodying the swift deliverance that rescues human consciousness from stagnation. The imagery shifts instantly to the thundering racecourse, where the miraculous ass of the Aśvins outstrips all rivals, winning a thousandfold prize in the contests of Yama. The Aśvins are not merely distant nature deities; they are the divine physicians, the swift movers whose path is firm and unshakeable (vīḷupatman). They represent the rapid, healing descent of divine light into the human vessel, bridging the gap between mortal limitations and divine boundlessness through the sheer speed of their grace.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 1: Like the wind sweeping away storm-clouds, I project my chants to the Nāsatyas, who with their war-speeding chariot brought the bride to Vimada.

Verse 2: With firm-flying, swift-darting movements or the divine glancings, their ass won a thousandfold prize in the trials of Yama.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

The narrative draws directly upon traditional tales of Vimada and his bride, interpreted by commentators like Sāyaṇa as legendary historical acts, while Sri Aurobindo sees the Aśvins as psychological powers overcoming obstacles in the seeker's journey toward divine bliss.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 1

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
नासत्याभ्याम्nāsatyābhyāmTo the two Nāsatyas (Aśvins)
बर्हिःbarhiḥSacred grass seat
वातःvātaḥWind
रथेनrathenaWith a chariot

Verse 2

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
वीळुपत्मभिःvīḷupatmabhiḥWith firm-flying paths
रासभःrāsabhaḥThe ass (their mount)
सहस्रम्sahasramA thousandfold prize
यमस्यyamasyaOf Yama
🧠

Memory Hook

Picture a magnificent chariot drawn by an uncanny ass, hurtling past storm-clouds to deliver a bride and conquer the racecourse in a flash.

Act 2

The Rescue of Bhujyu from the Ocean of Darkness

Verses 3, 4, 5

Verse 3

तुग्रो॑ ह भु॒ज्युम॑श्विनोदमे॒घे र॒यिं न कश्चि॑न्ममृ॒वाँ अवा॑हाः । तमू॑हथुर्नौ॒भिरा॑त्म॒न्वती॑भिरंतरिक्ष॒प्रुद्भि॒रपो॑दकाभिः ॥

túgro ha bhujyúmaśvinodameghé rayím ná káścinmamṛvā́m̐ ávāhāḥ ǀ támūhathurnaubhírātmanvátībhirantarikṣaprúdbhirápodakābhiḥ ǁ

Verse 4

ति॒स्रः क्षप॒स्त्रिरहा॑ति॒व्रज॑द्भि॒र्नास॑त्या भु॒ज्युमू॑हथुः पतं॒गैः । स॒मु॒द्रस्य॒ धन्व॑न्ना॒र्द्रस्य॑ पा॒रे त्रि॒भी रथैः॑ श॒तप॑द्भिः॒ षळ॑श्वैः ॥

tisráḥ kṣápastríráhātivrájadbhirnā́satyā bhujyúmūhathuḥ pataṃgáiḥ ǀ samudrásya dhánvannārdrásya pāré tribhī́ ráthaiḥ śatápadbhiḥ ṣáḷaśvaiḥ ǁ

Verse 5

अ॒ना॒रं॒भ॒णे तद॑वीरयेथामनास्था॒ने अ॑ग्रभ॒णे स॑मु॒द्रे । यद॑श्विना ऊ॒हथु॑र्भु॒ज्युमस्तं॑ श॒तारि॑त्रां॒ नाव॑मातस्थि॒वांसं॑ ॥

anārambhaṇé tádavīrayethāmanāsthāné agrabhaṇé samudré ǀ yádaśvinā ūháthurbhujyúmástam śatā́ritrām nā́vamātasthivā́ṃsam ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

Here unfolds one of the most famous legends of the Ṛgveda: the rescue of Bhujyu, son of Tugra, who was cast into a waterless, fathomless ocean of cloud and mist by his wicked companions. Abandoned in the unsupportable depths where no foothold exists, Bhujyu faces certain doom until the Aśvins come to his aid. They transport him across three days and nights using self-moving vessels and winged pegasus-like steeds with three chariots and six horses. Symbolically, the 'ocean without support' (anārambhaṇa samudra) represents the chaotic, unmanifest waters of the cosmic abyss or the profound disorientation of the human soul lost in the unconscious. The Aśvins' ship with a hundred oars represents the vast, organized machinery of divine rescue that carries the aspirant safely to the other shore of immortality.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 3: Tugra abandoned Bhujyu in the cloud-waters like a dead corpse, but you carried him forth in ships of your own consciousness, moving through the trackless spaces.

Verse 4: For three nights and three days you bore Bhujyu with winged creatures across the moist ocean's shore upon three chariots of hundred-foot span and six horses.

Verse 5: In that ungraspable, supportless, shoreless ocean you performed your heroism, when you bore Bhujyu home in a ship with a hundred oars.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sāyaṇa treats this purely as a maritime rescue of a king's son, while esoteric commentators view the ocean as the waters of conditional existence and the hundred-oared ship as the comprehensive vehicle of spiritual awakening.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 3

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
तुग्रःtugraḥTugra (father of Bhujyu)
भुज्युम्bhujyumBhujyu
अश्विनाaśvināO Aśvins
आत्मन्वतीभिःātmanvatībhiḥPossessed of breath/soul (self-moving)

Verse 4

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
तिस्रः क्षपःtisraḥ kṣapaḥThree nights
पतङ्गैःpataṅgaiḥWith winged birds/steeds
समुद्रस्यsamudrasyaOf the ocean

Verse 5

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
अनारम्भणेanārambhaṇeSupportless
समुद्रेsamudreIn the ocean
शतअरित्राम्śata-aritrāmHundred-oared
🧠

Memory Hook

Visualize a lone sailor sinking into a bottomless cosmic ocean, suddenly lifted by a glowing, hundred-oared ship piloted by the twin physicians.

Act 3

Gifts of Abundance: The White Horse and the Flowing Well

Verses 6, 7, 8, 9

Verse 6

यम॑श्विना द॒दथुः॑ श्वे॒तमश्व॑म॒घाश्वा॑य॒ शश्व॒दित्स्व॒स्ति । तद्वां॑ दा॒त्रं महि॑ की॒र्तेन्यं॑ भूत्पै॒द्वो वा॒जी सद॒मिद्धव्यो॑ अ॒र्यः ॥

yámaśvinā dadáthuḥ śvetámáśvamaghā́śvāya śáśvadítsvastí ǀ tádvām dātrám máhi kīrtényam bhūtpaidvó vājī́ sádamíddhávyo aryáḥ ǁ

Verse 7

यु॒वं न॑रा स्तुव॒ते प॑ज्रि॒याय॑ क॒क्षीव॑ते अरदतं॒ पुरं॑धिं । का॒रो॒त॒राच्छ॒फादश्व॑स्य॒ वृष्णः॑ श॒तं कुं॒भाँ अ॑सिंचतं॒ सुरा॑याः ॥

yuvám narā stuvaté pajriyā́ya kakṣī́vate aradatam púraṃdhim ǀ kārotarā́cchaphā́dáśvasya vṛ́ṣṇaḥ śatám kumbhā́m̐ asiñcatam súrāyāḥ ǁ

Verse 8

हि॒मेना॒ग्निं घ्रं॒सम॑वारयेथां पितु॒मती॒मूर्ज॑मस्मा अधत्तं । ऋ॒बीसे॒ अत्रि॑मश्वि॒नाव॑नीत॒मुन्नि॑न्यथुः॒ सर्व॑गणं स्व॒स्ति ॥

himénāgním ghraṃsámavārayethām pitumátīmū́rjamasmā adhattam ǀ ṛbī́se átrimaśvinā́vanītamúnninyathuḥ sárvagaṇam svastí ǁ

Verse 9

परा॑व॒तं ना॑सत्यानुदेथामु॒च्चाबु॑ध्नं चक्रथुर्जि॒ह्मबा॑रं । क्षर॒न्नापो॒ न पा॒यना॑य रा॒ये स॒हस्रा॑य॒ तृष्य॑ते॒ गोत॑मस्य ॥

párāvatám nāsatyānudethāmuccā́budhnam cakrathurjihmábāram ǀ kṣárannā́po ná pāyánāya rāyé sahásrāya tṛ́ṣyate gótamasya ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The catalog of marvels continues as the Ṛṣi recalls how the Aśvins bestowed a radiant white horse upon Aghāśva, assuring lasting well-being. They then carved out a spring of intoxicating mead for the devoted sage Kakṣīvān from the hoof of a vigorous stallion, filtering it as through a strainer. Next, they shielded Atri from the blistering heat of the ṛbīsa (fiery pit or furnace), enveloping him in cooling frost and feeding him with nourishing energy before lifting him and his companions to safety. The sequence culminates in the opening of the subterranean well for Gotama, turning a downward-bending, high-based well upside down so that the life-giving waters gushed forth to quench the sage's thirst. These acts symbolize the divine transmutation of suffering into sweetness, cooling the fiery trials of asceticism and quenching the spiritual thirst of the devotee.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 6: The white horse you gave to Aghāśva for lasting welfare remains a supreme, eternally worthy gift of your divine generosity.

Verse 7: For Kakṣīvān, your worshipper, you opened the hidden fountain, causing a hundred jars of mead to flow from the strong horse's hoof.

Verse 8: With cooling frost you warded off the scorching fire from Atri, granting him nourishing strength, and lifted him safely from the fiery pit with all his band.

Verse 9: You turned the high-based, downward-opening well sideways for Gotama, making waters gush forth to satisfy the thirst of the seeker of truth.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Commentators view the well and the hoof-mead as allegories for the inner streams of Soma and spiritual sweetness locked within the physical body, accessible through divine grace.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 6

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
श्वेतम् अश्वम्śvetam aśvamWhite horse
अघाश्वायaghāśvāyaTo Aghāśva
स्वस्तिsvastiWell-being, safety

Verse 7

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
कक्षीवतेkakṣīvateTo Kakṣīvān
कारोतरात्kārotarātFrom the strainer/hoof
सुरायाःsurāyāḥOf intoxicating drink/mead

Verse 8

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
हिमेनhimenaWith ice/frost
ऋबीसेṛbīseIn the fiery pit/furnace
अत्रिम्atrimAtri (the sage)

Verse 9

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
उच्चाबुध्नम्uccābudhnamHigh-bottomed (upside down)
जिह्मबारम्jihmabāramOblique-mouthed
गोतमस्यgotamasyaOf Gotama
🧠

Memory Hook

Picture a glowing white horse, a hoof gushing sweet mead, cooling frost extinguishing a blazing furnace, and a desert well flipping open to release gushing streams.

Act 4

Rejuvenation and the Secret Wisdom of Dadhyañc

Verses 10, 11, 12

Verse 10

जु॒जु॒रुषो॑ नासत्यो॒त व॒व्रिं प्रामुं॑चतं द्रा॒पिमि॑व॒ च्यवा॑नात् । प्राति॑रतं जहि॒तस्यायु॑र्द॒स्रादित्पति॑मकृणुतं क॒नीनां॑ ॥

jujurúṣo nāsatyotá vavrím prā́muñcatam drāpímiva cyávānāt ǀ prā́tiratam jahitásyā́yurdasrā́dítpátimakṛṇutam kanī́nām ǁ

Verse 11

तद्वां॑ नरा॒ शंस्यं॒ राध्यं॑ चाभिष्टि॒मन्ना॑सत्या॒ वरू॑थं । यद्वि॒द्वांसा॑ नि॒धिमि॒वाप॑गूळ्ह॒मुद्द॑र्श॒तादू॒पथु॒र्वंद॑नाय ॥

tádvām narā śáṃsyam rā́dhyam cābhiṣṭimánnāsatyā várūtham ǀ yádvidvā́ṃsā nidhímivā́pagūḷhamúddarśatā́dūpáthurvándanāya ǁ

Verse 12

तद्वां॑ नरा स॒नये॒ दंस॑ उ॒ग्रमा॒विष्कृ॑णोमि तन्य॒तुर्न वृ॒ष्टिं । द॒ध्यङ् ह॒ यन्मध्वा॑थर्व॒णो वा॒मश्व॑स्य शी॒र्ष्णा प्र यदी॑मु॒वाच॑ ॥

tádvām narā sanáye dáṃsa ugrámāvíṣkṛṇomi tanyatúrná vṛṣṭím ǀ dadhyáṅ ha yánmádhvātharvaṇó vāmáśvasya śīrṣṇā́ prá yádīmuvā́ca ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

Age and decay are conquered in this act as the Aśvins strip away the withered skin of Cyavāna like a garment, prolonging his life and making him once again the beloved husband of young maidens. They also rescue Vandana from a hidden pit, revealing him like a buried treasure. Then comes the profound mystery of Dadhyañc, the Ātharvaṇa, who possessed the secret honey-knowledge. Bound by a divine oath, he could only impart this wisdom if his own head was replaced by that of a horse. The Aśvins performed this wondrous surgical feat, enabling Dadhyañc to speak the supreme truth and securing for themselves the powerful honey-knowledge (madhu-vidyā).

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 10: You stripped the withered skin from Cyavāna like a garment, prolonged his life, O Dasras, and made him the husband of maidens.

Verse 11: That praised and successful protection of yours was revealed when, like a hidden treasure, you brought Vandana up to the light for worship.

Verse 12: I proclaim that mighty deed of yours for our gain like thundering rain: how Dadhyañc Ātharvaṇa spoke to you the honey-secret through the horse's head.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

The horse-headed Dadhyañc (Aśva-śiras) is a famous Brāhmaṇa legend signifying the transmission of esoteric knowledge that transcends ordinary human vocal organs.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 10

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
जुजुरुषःjujuruṣaḥOf the aged one
वव्रिम्vavrimSkin/covering
च्यवानात्cyavānātFrom Cyavāna

Verse 11

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
निधिम् इवnidhim ivaLike a treasure
अपगूळ्हम्apagūḷhamHidden
वन्दनायvandanāyaFor Vandana

Verse 12

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
दध्यङ्dadhyaṅDadhyañc
मधुmadhuThe honey (divine bliss/nectar)
अश्वस्य शीर्ष्णाaśvasya śīrṣṇāWith the head of a horse
🧠

Memory Hook

Imagine an old man shedding his wrinkled skin like an autumn leaf, and a sage speaking eternal wisdom through the miraculous head of a horse.

Act 5

Deliverance of Vadhrymatī, Viśpalā, and Ṛjrāśva

Verses 13, 14, 15, 16

Verse 13

अजो॑हवीन्नासत्या क॒रा वां॑ म॒हे याम॑न्पुरुभुजा॒ पुरं॑धिः । श्रु॒तं तच्छासु॑रिव वध्रिम॒त्या हिर॑ण्यहस्तमश्विनावदत्तं ॥

ájohavīnnāsatyā karā́ vām mahé yā́manpurubhujā púraṃdhiḥ ǀ śrutám tácchā́suriva vadhrimatyā́ híraṇyahastamaśvināvadattam ǁ

Verse 14

आ॒स्नो वृक॑स्य॒ वर्ति॑काम॒भीके॑ यु॒वं न॑रा नासत्यामुमुक्तं । उ॒तो क॒विं पु॑रुभुजा यु॒वं ह॒ कृप॑माणमकृणुतं वि॒चक्षे॑ ॥

āsnó vṛ́kasya vártikāmabhī́ke yuvám narā nāsatyāmumuktam ǀ utó kavím purubhujā yuvám ha kṛ́pamāṇamakṛṇutam vicákṣe ǁ

Verse 15

च॒रित्रं॒ हि वेरि॒वाच्छे॑दि प॒र्णमा॒जा खे॒लस्य॒ परि॑तक्म्यायां । स॒द्यो जंघा॒माय॑सीं वि॒श्पला॑यै॒ धने॑ हि॒ते सर्त॑वे॒ प्रत्य॑धत्तं ॥

carítram hí vérivā́cchedi parṇámājā́ khelásya páritakmyāyām ǀ sadyó jáṅghāmā́yasīm viśpálāyai dháne hité sártave prátyadhattam ǁ

Verse 16

श॒तं मे॒षान्वृ॒क्ये॑ चक्षदा॒नमृ॒ज्राश्वं॒ तं पि॒तांधं च॑कार । तस्मा॑ अ॒क्षी ना॑सत्या वि॒चक्ष॒ आध॑त्तं दस्रा भिषजावन॒र्वन् ॥

śatám meṣā́nvṛkyé cakṣadānámṛjrā́śvam tám pitā́ndhám cakāra ǀ tásmā akṣī́ nāsatyā vicákṣa ā́dhattam dasrā bhiṣajāvanarván ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The healing touch of the Aśvins reaches across every form of distress. When Vadhrymatī's prayer rises, they grant her a golden-handed son, fulfilling her deepest longing. They rescue the quail (vārtikā) from the jaws of a wolf and restore the crying poet to clear vision. When Queen Viśpalā loses her leg in the heat of battle 'like the wing of a bird,' the Aśvins instantly replace it with an iron limb (āyasī jaṅghā) so she can run for the prize. Furthermore, when Ṛjrāśva is blinded by his father for distributing a hundred sheep to a she-wolf (vṛkyā), the twin physicians restore his sight so that he may gaze upon the world once more. These accounts emphasize divine restoration of bodily integrity and moral vindication.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 13: Purubhujā, the prayer of Vadhrymatī called upon you; you heard it and granted her a son with golden hands.

Verse 14: You freed the quail from the wolf's mouth in the encounter, and you enabled the crying poet to see clearly.

Verse 15: When Khela's leg was severed like a bird's wing in the night battle, immediately you fastened an iron leg on Viśpalā that she might run for the prize.

Verse 16: When his father made Ṛjrāśva blind for giving a hundred sheep to the she-wolf, you, O Dasras, unblemished physicians, gave him back his eyes to see.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

These verses highlight the Aśvins as premier surgeons (bhiṣajau) of the cosmos, repairing anatomical and structural losses with miraculous prosthesis and biological restoration.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 13

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
वध्रिमत्याःvadhrimatyāḥOf Vadhrymatī
हिरण्यहस्तम्hiraṇya-hastamGolden-handed son
अवतम्avattamYou granted

Verse 14

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
वृकस्यvṛkasyaOf the wolf
वर्तिकाम्vartikāmThe quail
अमुमुक्तम्amumuktamYou released

Verse 15

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
चरित्रम्caritramLeg/foot
आयसीम्āyasīmMade of iron
विश्पलायैviśpalāyaiFor Viśpalā

Verse 16

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
ऋज्रअश्वम्ṛjra-aśvamṚjrāśva
अन्धम्andhamBlind
भिषजौbhiṣajauThe two physicians
🧠

Memory Hook

Picture a fierce warrior queen leaping forward on a gleaming iron leg, and a blind prince opening restored eyes to bright sunlight.

Act 6

Sūryā’s Choice and the Deliverance of Divodāsa

Verses 17, 18, 19, 20

Verse 17

आ वां॒ रथं॑ दुहि॒ता सूर्य॑स्य॒ कार्ष्मे॑वातिष्ठ॒दर्व॑ता॒ जयं॑ती । विश्वे॑ दे॒वा अन्व॑मन्यंत हृ॒द्भिः समु॑ श्रि॒या ना॑सत्या सचेथे ॥

ā́ vām rátham duhitā́ sū́ryasya kā́rṣmevātiṣṭhadárvatā jáyantī ǀ víśve devā́ ánvamanyanta hṛdbhíḥ sámu śriyā́ nāsatyā sacethe ǁ

Verse 18

यदया॑तं॒ दिवो॑दासाय व॒र्तिर्भ॒रद्वा॑जायाश्विना॒ हयं॑ता । रे॒वदु॑वाह सच॒नो रथो॑ वां वृष॒भश्च॑ शिंशु॒मार॑श्च यु॒क्ता ॥

yádáyātam dívodāsāya vartírbharádvājāyāśvinā háyantā ǀ reváduvāha sacanó rátho vām vṛṣabháśca śiṃśumā́raśca yuktā́ ǁ

Verse 19

र॒यिं सु॑क्ष॒त्रं स्व॑प॒त्यमायुः॑ सु॒वीर्यं॑ नासत्या॒ वहं॑ता । आ ज॒ह्नावीं॒ सम॑न॒सोप॒ वाजै॒स्त्रिरह्नो॑ भा॒गं दध॑तीमयातं ॥

rayím sukṣatrám svapatyámā́yuḥ suvī́ryam nāsatyā váhantā ǀ ā́ jahnā́vīm sámanasópa vā́jaistríráhno bhāgám dádhatīmayātam ǁ

Verse 20

परि॑विष्टं जाहु॒षं वि॒श्वतः॑ सीं सु॒गेभि॒र्नक्त॑मूहथू॒ रजो॑भिः । वि॒भिं॒दुना॑ नासत्या॒ रथे॑न॒ वि पर्व॑ताँ अजर॒यू अ॑यातं ॥

páriviṣṭam jāhuṣám viśvátaḥ sīm sugébhirnáktamūhathū rájobhiḥ ǀ vibhindúnā nāsatyā ráthena ví párvatām̐ ajarayū́ ayātam ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

Sūryā, the daughter of the Sun, mounts the chariot of the Aśvins as a bride, symbolizing the union of divine illumination with the active twin powers of bliss and action, while all the gods rejoice in their hearts. The Aśvins then bring their swift chariot to Divodāsa, sent by Bharadvāja, accompanied by mystical creatures—a bull and a makara (shark or sea-monster)—yoked to their car. They carry abundant wealth, noble offspring, and long life, guiding their chariot toward the Jahṇāvī (Ganges) with unified minds. They also rescue Jāhuṣa from encirclement, moving through nocturnal realms with their mountain-splitting, obstacle-destroying chariot.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 17: The daughter of Sūryā mounted your chariot like a victorious victor on a steed; all the gods rejoiced with their hearts as you joined in splendor.

Verse 18: When you drove your dwelling to Divodāsa, sent by Bharadvāja, your rich chariot was yoked with a bull and a śiṃśumāra (sea-monster).

Verse 19: Carrying wealth, good progeny, long life, and supreme heroism, you came with one mind toward the Jahṇāvī with boons three times a day.

Verse 20: Surrounded on all sides, Jāhuṣa was carried by you through the night with smooth paths, splitting the mountains with your obstacle-destroying chariot.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sūryā's marriage to the Aśvins is a profound Vedic allegory of the soul's union with twin divine energies of delight and dynamic action.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 17

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
दुहिता सूर्यस्यduhitā sūryasyaDaughter of the Sun
रथम्rathamChariot
विश्वे देवाःviśve devāḥAll the gods

Verse 18

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
दिवोदासायdivodāsāyaTo Divodāsa
वृषभःvṛṣabhaḥBull
शिंशुमारःśiṃśumāraḥAlligator/porpoise/sea-monster

Verse 19

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
रयिम्rayimWealth
जह्नावीम्jahnāvīmTo the Jahṇāvī (Ganges)
त्रिरह्नो भागम्trirahna bhāgamThreefold share of the day

Verse 20

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
परिविष्टम्pariviṣṭamSurrounded/hemmed in
विभिन्दुना रथेनvibhindunā rathenaWith the mountain-splitting chariot
पर्वतान्parvatānMountains
🧠

Memory Hook

Picture Sūryā radiant as a bride stepping onto a bizarre chariot pulled by a bull and a sea-monster, cleaving mountains under the moonlight.

Act 7

The Final Triumphs: From Dry Wells to Rebha's Revival

Verses 21, 22, 23, 24, 25

Verse 21

एक॑स्या॒ वस्तो॑रावतं॒ रणा॑य॒ वश॑मश्विना स॒नये॑ स॒हस्रा॑ । निर॑हतं दु॒च्छुना॒ इंद्र॑वंता पृथु॒श्रव॑सो वृषणा॒वरा॑तीः ॥

ékasyā vástorāvatam ráṇāya váśamaśvinā sanáye sahásrā ǀ nírahatam ducchúnā índravantā pṛthuśrávaso vṛṣaṇāvárātīḥ ǁ

Verse 22

श॒रस्य॑ चिदार्च॒त्कस्या॑व॒तादा नी॒चादु॒च्चा च॑क्रथुः॒ पात॑वे॒ वाः । श॒यवे॑ चिन्नासत्या॒ शची॑भि॒र्जसु॑रये स्त॒र्यं॑ पिप्यथु॒र्गां ॥

śarásya cidārcatkásyāvatā́dā́ nīcā́duccā́ cakrathuḥ pā́tave vā́ḥ ǀ śayáve cinnāsatyā śácībhirjásuraye staryám pipyathurgā́m ǁ

Verse 23

अ॒व॒स्य॒ते स्तु॑व॒ते कृ॑ष्णि॒याय॑ ऋजूय॒ते ना॑सत्या॒ शची॑भिः । प॒शुं न न॒ष्टमि॑व॒ दर्श॑नाय विष्णा॒प्वं॑ ददथु॒र्विश्व॑काय ॥

avasyaté stuvaté kṛṣṇiyā́ya ṛjūyaté nāsatyā śácībhiḥ ǀ paśúm ná naṣṭámiva dárśanāya viṣṇāpvám dadathurvíśvakāya ǁ

Verse 24

दश॒ रात्री॒रशि॑वेना॒ नव॒ द्यूनव॑नद्धं श्नथि॒तम॒प्स्वं१॒॑तः । विप्रु॑तं रे॒भमु॒दनि॒ प्रवृ॑क्त॒मुन्नि॑न्यथुः॒ सोम॑मिव स्रु॒वेण॑ ॥

dáśa rā́trīráśivenā náva dyū́návanaddham śnathitámapsvántáḥ ǀ víprutam rebhámudáni právṛktamúnninyathuḥ sómamiva sruvéṇa ǁ

Verse 25

प्र वां॒ दंसां॑स्यश्विनाववोचम॒स्य पतिः॑ स्यां सु॒गवः॑ सु॒वीरः॑ । उ॒त पश्य॑न्नश्नु॒वंदी॒र्घमायु॒रस्त॑मि॒वेज्ज॑रि॒माणं॑ जगम्यां ॥

prá vām dáṃsāṃsyaśvināvavocamasyá pátiḥ syām sugávaḥ suvī́raḥ ǀ utá páśyannaśnuvándīrghámā́yurástamivéjjarimā́ṇam jagamyām ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The Sūkta reaches its grand crescendo by recounting more miraculous deliverances: aiding Vaśa in a single day, raising water from a low, dry well for the thirsty, nourishing the barren cow of the sluggish Jasure, and restoring Viṣṇāpvu to the devoted Kṛṣṇiya like a lost pet. Most dramatically, they rescue Rebha, who had been bound, submerged in water, and left for dead for ten nights and nine days. They draw him out of the depths like Soma pressed with a ladle. The Ṛṣi concludes with a heartfelt personal prayer: having proclaimed these mighty deeds (daṃsāṃsi), he desires to be a master of rich herds and heroic strength, seeing and attaining long life until he reaches his final rest in old age.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 21: In a single day you aided Vaśa for the contest, granting thousands; allied with Indra, you smashed the malicious foes.

Verse 22: From the lowest dry well of the arrow-maker you brought water up for drinking, and with your powers you made the barren cow give milk for the sluggish Jasure.

Verse 23: To the devoted, upright Kṛṣṇiya calling upon you, you restored Viṣṇāpvu for his sight like a lost animal found again.

Verse 24: For ten nights and nine days bound, cast into the waters, injured and overwhelmed, you brought Rebha out from the waters like Soma pressed with a ladle.

Verse 25: I have proclaimed these mighty deeds of yours, O Aśvins; may I be a master of cattle and heroes, seeing and attaining long life, reaching old age as a home.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

The rescue of Rebha from the dark waters concludes the hymn's litany of miracles, bridging divine therapy with the poet's personal aspiration for longevity and spiritual maturity.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 21

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
वशम्vaśamVaśa
इन्द्रवन्ताindravantāAccompanied by Indra
अरातीःarātīḥHostile enemies

Verse 22

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
अवतात्avatātFrom the well
पातवेpātaveFor drinking
स्तर्यम्staryamBarren cow

Verse 23

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
कृष्णियायkṛṣṇiyāyaTo Kṛṣṇiya
नष्टम् इवnaṣṭam ivaLike something lost
विष्णाप्वम्viṣṇāpvamViṣṇāpvu

Verse 24

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
दश रात्रीःdaśa rātrīḥTen nights
रेभम्rebhamRebha (the chanter/poet)
स्रुवेणsruveṇaWith a sacrificial ladle

Verse 25

DevanāgarīIASTTranslation
दंसांसिdaṃsāṃsiWonderful deeds
दीर्घम् आयुःdīrgham āyuḥLong life
जरिमाणम्jarimāṇamOld age
🧠

Memory Hook

Picture a poet pulled out of a dark, watery abyss like glowing Soma juice lifted in a golden spoon, stepping into a long, blessed life of fulfillment.