Verses 1, 2
अबो॑ध्य॒ग्निर्ज्म उदे॑ति॒ सूर्यो॒ व्यु१॒॑षाश्चं॒द्रा म॒ह्या॑वो अ॒र्चिषा॑ । आयु॑क्षाताम॒श्विना॒ यात॑वे॒ रथं॒ प्रासा॑वीद्दे॒वः स॑वि॒ता जग॒त्पृथ॑क् ॥
ábodhyagnírjmá údeti sū́ryo vyúṣā́ścandrā́ mahyā́vo arcíṣā ǀ ā́yukṣātāmaśvínā yā́tave rátham prā́sāvīddeváḥ savitā́ jágatpṛ́thak ǁ
यद्युं॒जाथे॒ वृष॑णमश्विना॒ रथं॑ घृ॒तेन॑ नो॒ मधु॑ना क्ष॒त्रमु॑क्षतं । अ॒स्माकं॒ ब्रह्म॒ पृत॑नासु जिन्वतं व॒यं धना॒ शूर॑साता भजेमहि ॥
yádyuñjā́the vṛ́ṣaṇamaśvinā rátham ghṛténa no mádhunā kṣatrámukṣatam ǀ asmā́kam bráhma pṛ́tanāsu jinvatam vayám dhánā śū́rasātā bhajemahi ǁ
As the dark veil of night lifts, Agni is awakened in the hearth of the universe, and the radiant Sūrya rises from the deep foundation of the earth. Uṣās, the shining dawn, spreads her wide magnificence with streaming rays of light. In this pristine moment of cosmic transition, the Ṛṣi invokes the twin horsemen, the Aśvins, urging them to harness their swift chariot for the journey across the realms. Savitṛ, the divine impeller of all movement, sends forth every living creature to its respective task, setting the vast machinery of existence into motion. The Ṛṣi then calls upon the Aśvins to yoke their vigorous, masculine chariot, anointing it with streams of sacred butter and honey—symbolizing the sweet essence of divine illumination and vital energy. In doing so, they are asked to protect and nourish our capacity for rulership and inner strength (kṣatram), while invigorating our prayerful devotion (brahma) in the daily spiritual battles of life. Thus empowered, the seeker aspires to win the highest treasures in the contests of spiritual heroism.
Verse 1: Agni is awakened, Sūrya rises from the deep earth, and the shining, mighty Dawn spreads her rays; the Aśvins yoke their chariot for the journey, and the divine Savitṛ sets all creatures separately in motion.
Verse 2: When you yoke your vigorous chariot, O Aśvins, drench it with butter and honey, and quicken our royal power; invigorate our prayer in conflicts so that we may win the prizes of the heroic quest.
Sāyaṇa interprets these verses primarily through the lens of morning ritual sacrifice, where Agni and Savitṛ govern the dawn liturgy. Sri Aurobindo views the Aśvins as the dual lords of bliss (ānanda) who bridge darkness and light, preparing the seeker's inner vehicle (the body and mind) for the upward journey.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अबोध्यग्निः | abodhyagniḥ | Agni has been awakened |
| सूर्यः | sūryaḥ | the sun |
| अश्विना | aśvinā | O Aśvins (the divine horsemen) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| युञ्जाथे | yuñjāthe | you both yoke |
| अश्विना | aśvinā | O Aśvins |
| ब्रह्म | brahma | prayer, sacred formula, spiritual force |
Picture the grand gates of heaven swinging open at sunrise, where two golden horsemen ready their chariot as the first drops of honeyed light touch the dew-kissed earth.
Verses 3, 4
अ॒र्वाङ् त्रि॑च॒क्रो म॑धु॒वाह॑नो॒ रथो॑ जी॒राश्वो॑ अ॒श्विनो॑र्यातु॒ सुष्टु॑तः । त्रि॒वं॒धु॒रो म॒घवा॑ वि॒श्वसौ॑भगः॒ शं न॒ आ व॑क्षद्द्वि॒पदे॒ चतु॑ष्पदे ॥
arvā́ṅ tricakró madhuvā́hano rátho jīrā́śvo aśvínoryātu súṣṭutaḥ ǀ trivandhuró maghávā viśvásaubhagaḥ śám na ā́ vakṣaddvipáde cátuṣpade ǁ
आ न॒ ऊर्जं॑ वहतमश्विना यु॒वं मधु॑मत्या नः॒ कश॑या मिमिक्षतं । प्रायु॒स्तारि॑ष्टं॒ नी रपां॑सि मृक्षतं॒ सेध॑तं॒ द्वेषो॒ भव॑तं सचा॒भुवा॑ ॥
ā́ na ū́rjam vahatamaśvinā yuvám mádhumatyā naḥ káśayā mimikṣatam ǀ prā́yustā́riṣṭam nī́ rápāṃsi mṛkṣatam sédhatam dvéṣo bhávatam sacābhúvā ǁ
The Ṛṣi paints a vivid picture of the approaching divine chariot—it is a three-wheeled wonder, bearing honey, pulled by eager, fleet-footed horses, and equipped with three seats or supports. Extolled by hymns, this magnificent vehicle arrives bearing universal auspiciousness, bringing peace, healing, and welfare to all two-footed and four-footed beings in the creation. It is the chariot of the Maghavans, the bountiful lords of grace. Building upon this arrival, the Ṛṣi asks the Aśvins to pour out abundant energy (ūrj) upon the petitioners, anointing them with a honeyed whip that symbolizes the sweet, penetrating touch of divine inspiration. They are beseeched to lengthen our span of life, wash away our faults and impurities, banish all forms of hostility, and stand closely by our side as our constant companions and protectors.
Verse 3: May the three-wheeled chariot of the Aśvins, honey-bearing, swift-horsed, rich in boons, and well-praised, approach us, bringing well-being to both bipeds and quadrupeds.
Verse 4: Bring forth energy unto us, O Aśvins, and touch us with your honeyed whip; lengthen our life, wash away our taints, drive away our foes, and be our steadfast companions.
The 'honeyed whip' (madhumatī kaśā) is a famous esoteric image. While ritualists see it as a symbol of weather-control and rain-bringing instruments, psychological interpreters like Aurobindo see it as the swift stroke of divine ecstasy that awakens higher consciousness.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| त्रिचक्रः | tricakraḥ | three-wheeled |
| मधुवाहनः | madhuvāhanaḥ | bearing honey or sweetness |
| विश्वसौभगः | viśvasaubhagaḥ | all-blessed, bringing universal fortune |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ऊर्जम् | ūrjam | vital energy, strength, sap of life |
| कशया | kaśayā | with the whip (symbol of swift impulsion) |
| रपांसि | rapāṃsi | blemishes, faults, impurities |
Imagine a celestial wagon gliding through the morning mist, leaving trails of golden honey and scattering health, joy, and vitality to every creature it passes.
Verses 5, 6
यु॒वं ह॒ गर्भं॒ जग॑तीषु धत्थो यु॒वं विश्वे॑षु॒ भुव॑नेष्वं॒तः । यु॒वम॒ग्निं च॑ वृषणाव॒पश्च॒ वन॒स्पतीँ॑रश्विना॒वैर॑येथां ॥
yuvám ha gárbham jágatīṣu dhattho yuvám víśveṣu bhúvaneṣvantáḥ ǀ yuvámagním ca vṛṣaṇāvapáśca vánaspátīm̐raśvināváirayethām ǁ
यु॒वं ह॑ स्थो भि॒षजा॑ भेष॒जेभि॒रथो॑ ह स्थो र॒थ्या॒३॒॑ राथ्ये॑भिः । अथो॑ ह क्ष॒त्रमधि॑ धत्थ उग्रा॒ यो वां॑ ह॒विष्मा॒न्मन॑सा द॒दाश॑ ॥
yuvám ha stho bhiṣájā bheṣajébhirátho ha stho rathyā́ rā́thyebhiḥ ǀ átho ha kṣatrámádhi dhattha ugrā yó vām havíṣmānmánasā dadā́śa ǁ
The vision broadens to encompass the cosmic scope of the Aśvins' creative power. They are the ones who place the divine embryo or seed of life within the moving worlds and deep within all existing phenomena. They are the cosmic forces that stir and animate Agni (the divine flame of consciousness), the life-giving waters, and the towering forest trees, proving themselves to be the master architects of biological and spiritual existence. In the final verse, the Ṛṣi acclaims them in their dual capacity: they are the supreme Physicians equipped with medicines that heal all mortal ailments, and they are the expert Charioteers guiding the vehicle of life. Furthermore, they establish supreme sovereign authority and grace for any sincere mortal who worships them with an observant, devoted mind and holds the sacrificial offering in their heart.
Verse 5: You indeed place the seed of life within the moving worlds and deep inside all beings; O vigorous Aśvins, you set in motion Agni, the waters, and the forest trees.
Verse 6: Truly you are physicians with healing remedies, and truly you are chariot-drivers upon the paths; yea, you bestow supreme power upon the fierce one who worships you with a devoted mind.
Sāyaṇa highlights the medical expertise (bhiṣaj) of the Aśvins, referencing legends of their healing deeds. The esoteric reading emphasizes their role as healers of the soul's fragmentation, restoring harmony between body, mind, and spirit.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| गर्भम् | garbham | embryo, womb-seed, inner core |
| जगतीषु | jagatīṣu | in the moving/living creatures |
| वनस्पतीन् | vanaspatīn | lords of the forest, trees |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| भिषजा | bhiṣajā | two physicians |
| भेषजेभिः | bheṣajebhiḥ | with medicines/remedies |
| हविष्मान् | haviṣmān | one who has the oblation/devotion |
Think of twin master physicians walking through a bustling cosmic hospital, holding both the healing balm for physical ailments and the golden reins that steer destiny.