Verses 1, 2, 3
कदु॒ प्रेष्ठा॑वि॒षां र॑यी॒णाम॑ध्व॒र्यंता॒ यदु॑न्निनी॒थो अ॒पां । अ॒यं वां॑ य॒ज्ञो अ॑कृत॒ प्रश॑स्तिं॒ वसु॑धिती॒ अवि॑तारा जनानां ॥
kádu préṣṭāviṣā́m rayīṇā́madhvaryántā yádunninīthó apā́m ǀ ayám vām yajñó akṛta práśastim vásudhitī ávitārā janānām ǁ
आ वा॒मश्वा॑सः॒ शुच॑यः पय॒स्पा वात॑रंहसो दि॒व्यासो॒ अत्याः॑ । म॒नो॒जुवो॒ वृष॑णो वी॒तपृ॑ष्ठा॒ एह स्व॒राजो॑ अ॒श्विना॑ वहंतु ॥
ā́ vāmáśvāsaḥ śúcayaḥ payaspā́ vā́taraṃhaso divyā́so átyāḥ ǀ manojúvo vṛ́ṣaṇo vītápṛṣṭhā éhá svarā́jo aśvínā vahantu ǁ
आ वां॒ रथो॒ऽवनि॒र्न प्र॒वत्वा॑न्त्सृ॒प्रवं॑धुरः सुवि॒ताय॑ गम्याः । वृष्णः॑ स्थातारा॒ मन॑सो॒ जवी॑यानहंपू॒र्वो य॑ज॒तो धि॑ष्ण्या॒ यः ॥
ā́ vām rátho’vánirná pravátvāntsṛprávandhuraḥ suvitā́ya gamyāḥ ǀ vṛ́ṣṇaḥ sthātārā mánaso jávīyānahampūrvó yajató dhiṣṇyā yáḥ ǁ
In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi invokes the Aśvins—the divine twin horsemen who bridge darkness and light, heaven and earth. Picture a magnificent, swift chariot descending from the upper realms just as the first blush of dawn touches the horizon. The Ṛṣi wonders at their mysterious power: how do they, as masters of sacrifice, draw forth the rich streams of nourishment and abundance from the celestial waters? They are invoked with bright, pure, and milk-drinking steeds that outrun the wind and move swifter than thought itself. The imagery here is deeply dynamic. The chariot wheel moves smoothly and effortlessly down the slope, driven by lords who are more rapid than the mind and whose presence fills the sacrificer with enduring vigor. The Ṛṣi is setting the stage for a profound spiritual descent. The Aśvins are not merely mythological figures; they are the swift divine powers that rush to heal, uplift, and bring conscious illumination into the human vessel before the full heat of the day sets in.
Verse 1: What is this, O leaders of the sacrifice, that you draw forth the rich streams of waters from on high? This our sacrifice has fashioned your praise, O bestowers of wealth, protectors of men.
Verse 2: Let your bright, milk-drinking, wind-swift, and divine steeds—swift as thought, vigorous, and well-backed—bring you hither, O self-ruling Aśvins.
Verse 3: May your smooth-axled chariot, rolling down the slope like a river, come hither for our well-being. Its drivers are vigorous, swifter than thought, foremost in sacrifice, and glorious in their seats.
The translation adheres closely to the ritual and naturalistic layers explained by Sāyaṇa, while the psychological interpretation views the 'waters' and 'chariot' as the descent of higher consciousness and bliss into the mind-vessel.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| प्रेष्ठौ | preṣṭhau | most dear, beloved leaders |
| रयीणाम् | rayīṇām | of riches, treasures |
| अध्वर्यन्ता | adhvaryantā | performing the sacrifice |
| अवितारा | avitārā | protectors, sustainers |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अश्वासः | aśvāsaḥ | horses, steeds |
| पयस्पाः | payaspāḥ | drinking milk or water |
| वातरंहसः | vātaraṃhasaḥ | swift as the wind |
| मनोजुवः | manojuvaḥ | swift as the mind |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रथः | rathaḥ | chariot |
| सृप्रवन्धुरः | sṛpravandhuraḥ | smooth-seated or gliding chariot |
| सुविताय | suvitāya | for safe journey/well-being |
| जवीयान् | javīyān | swifter, faster |
Imagine two blazing comets racing across the morning sky on a golden chariot, outstripping the wind to deliver drops of divine elixir straight to your heart.
Verses 4, 5, 6
इ॒हेह॑ जा॒ता सम॑वावशीतामरे॒पसा॑ त॒न्वा॒३॒॑ नाम॑भिः॒ स्वैः । जि॒ष्णुर्वा॑म॒न्यः सुम॑खस्य सू॒रिर्दि॒वो अ॒न्यः सु॒भगः॑ पु॒त्र ऊ॑हे ॥
ihéha jātā́ sámavāvaśītāmarepásā tanvā́ nā́mabhiḥ sváiḥ ǀ jiṣṇúrvāmanyáḥ súmakhasya sūrírdivó anyáḥ subhágaḥ putrá ūhe ǁ
प्र वां॑ निचे॒रुः क॑कु॒हो वशाँ॒ अनु॑ पि॒शंग॑रूपः॒ सद॑नानि गम्याः । हरी॑ अ॒न्यस्य॑ पी॒पयं॑त॒ वाजै॑र्म॒थ्ना रजां॑स्यश्विना॒ वि घोषैः॑ ॥
prá vām nicerúḥ kakuhó váśām̐ ánu piśáṅgarūpaḥ sádanāni gamyāḥ ǀ hárī anyásya pīpáyanta vā́jairmathnā́ rájāṃsyaśvinā ví ghóṣaiḥ ǁ
प्र वां॑ श॒रद्वा॑न्वृष॒भो न नि॒ष्षाट् पू॒र्वीरिष॑श्चरति॒ मध्व॑ इ॒ष्णन् । एवै॑र॒न्यस्य॑ पी॒पयं॑त॒ वाजै॒र्वेषं॑तीरू॒र्ध्वा न॒द्यो॑ न॒ आगुः॑ ॥
prá vām śarádvānvṛṣabhó ná niṣṣā́ṭ pūrvī́ríṣaścarati mádhva iṣṇán ǀ évairanyásya pīpáyanta vā́jairvéṣantīrūrdhvā́ nadyó na ā́guḥ ǁ
Here the Ṛṣi contemplates the dual nature of the Aśvins and how they manifest uniquely in different domains of existence. Born again and again in every ritual invocation, each takes on a distinct form: one is a victorious lord of abundant joy and bounty, while the other is the radiant, auspicious son of heaven. Their golden-hued horses move across the hidden pastures, swelling with energy and echoing through the spaces with mighty roars. Like a roaring bull or a seasonal cloud unleashing life-giving rain, one Aśvin traverses the cosmos granting rich blessings, while the other causes rivers of inspiration to flow upward like mighty currents. The imagery captures the dynamic interplay of cosmic forces—light, moisture, and spiritual energy—crashing together to revitalize the earthly plane and awaken the seeker's inner wealth.
Verse 4: Born everywhere, may they embrace this [offering] with faultless bodies and their own sacred names. One of you is the victorious patron of joyful abundance, the other is hailed as the auspicious son of heaven.
Verse 5: Moving near with tawny forms, may you reach the abodes like eager bulls. You fatten the horses of the one with your energies, shaking the realms of space with your shouts, O Aśvins.
Verse 6: Like a mighty bull bringing the rainy season, one strides forth, bestowing abundant refreshments and invoking sweetness. With their movements they enrich the other, and rivers of blessing rise up like flowing streams to us.
Commentators like Sāyaṇa explain these verses through meteorological phenomena (rain, clouds, and seasonal transitions), whereas spiritual commentators see them as the descent of divine Ananda (bliss) and Tapas (spiritual energy).
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अरेपसा | arepasā | faultless, immaculate |
| तन्वा | tanvā | with body |
| जिष्णुः | jiṣṇuḥ | victorious |
| सुभगः | subhagaḥ | auspicious, blessed |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| निचेरुः | niceruḥ | moving about, searching |
| पिशङ्गरूपः | piśaṅgarūpaḥ | tawny-formed, golden |
| पीपयन्त | pīpayanta | they cause to swell/thrive |
| रजांसि | rajāṃsi | realms, spaces, worlds |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| शरद्वांवृषभः | śaradvānvṛṣabhaḥ | autumnal bull, rain-bringing bull |
| निष्षाट् | niṣṣāṭ | overcoming, prevailing |
| इषः | iṣaḥ | refreshments, nourishment |
| ऊर्ध्वाःनद्यः | ūrdhvāḥ nadyaḥ | upward-flowing rivers |
Picture twin storm clouds rolling over parched fields at the end of summer, bursting with lightning, golden light, and refreshing torrents of rain.
Verses 7, 8, 9
अस॑र्जि वां॒ स्थवि॑रा वेधसा॒ गीर्बा॒ळ्हे अ॑श्विना त्रे॒धा क्षरं॑ती । उप॑स्तुताववतं॒ नाध॑मानं॒ याम॒न्नया॑मञ्छृणुतं॒ हवं॑ मे ॥
ásarji vām sthávirā vedhasā gī́rbāḷhé aśvinā tredhā́ kṣárantī ǀ úpastutāvavatam nā́dhamānam yā́mannáyāmañchṛṇutam hávam me ǁ
उ॒त स्या वां॒ रुश॑तो॒ वप्स॑सो॒ गीस्त्रि॑ब॒र्हिषि॒ सद॑सि पिन्वते॒ नॄन् । वृषा॑ वां मे॒घो वृ॑षणा पीपाय॒ गोर्न सेके॒ मनु॑षो दश॒स्यन् ॥
utá syā́ vām rúśato vápsaso gī́stribarhíṣi sádasi pinvate nṝ́n ǀ vṛ́ṣā vām meghó vṛṣaṇā pīpāya górná séke mánuṣo daśasyán ǁ
यु॒वां पू॒षेवा॑श्विना॒ पुरं॑धिर॒ग्निमु॒षां न ज॑रते ह॒विष्मा॑न् । हु॒वे यद्वां॑ वरिव॒स्या गृ॑णा॒नो वि॒द्यामे॒षं वृ॒जनं॑ जी॒रदा॑नुं ॥
yuvā́m pūṣévāśvinā púraṃdhiragnímuṣā́m ná jarate havíṣmān ǀ huvé yádvām varivasyā́ gṛṇānó vidyā́meṣám vṛjánam jīrádānum ǁ
In the final movement of the hymn, the Ṛṣi turns deeply personal. The inspired song has been forged by wise seers, pouring forth in a threefold current. He cries out for protection, asking the divine twins to listen to his earnest call just as a distressed man seeks refuge. The prayer itself becomes a living, nourishing force, swelling with sweetness upon the sacred grass like a mighty rain-cloud pouring down its bounty for humanity. The Sūkta culminates in a touching comparison: just as Pūṣan is bountiful, and just as the devout sacrificer tends to Agni and Uṣas with regular devotion, so does the Ṛṣi invoke the Aśvins with expansive hymns. His ultimate prayer is for 'iṣam' (nourishment) and 'vṛjanam' (strength/protection)—a complete integration of material abundance and spiritual vitality granted by the ever-responsive twin physicians of the cosmos.
Verse 7: The firm hymn fashioned by the two wise seers has been let loose for you, O Aśvins, flowing in a threefold stream. Protect the suppliant who invokes you; in every movement and path, hear my call.
Verse 8: And this shining, beautiful hymn swells with heroes upon the triple-sacrificial seat. Like a rain-cloud pouring its waters for the cow, your thundering bounty gladdens the mortal who shows generosity.
Verse 9: Like Pūṣan, full of wisdom, O Aśvins, does the sacrificer tend to you as one tends to Agni and Uṣas with oblations. When I invoke you with expansive praise, may we attain lasting nourishment and spirited strength.
Sāyaṇa interprets the 'threefold stream' as the hymn recited in three Vedic meters or the triple daily sacrifice. Sri Aurobindo views it as the descent of divine light, life-force, and joy into the triple instrumentation of human consciousness (mind, life, and body).
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| स्थविरा | sthavirā | firm, robust |
| वेधसा | vedhasā | by the two wise creators/seers |
| त्रेधाक्षरन्ती | tredhā kṣarantī | flowing in three ways |
| नाधमानम् | nādhamānam | suppliant, seeking help |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रुशतःवप्ससः | ruśataḥ vapsasaḥ | shining and beautiful form |
| त्रिबर्हिषि | tribarhiṣi | on the triple sacred grass seat |
| पिन्वतेनॄन् | pinvate nṝn | swells or gladdens men |
| मेघः | meghaḥ | cloud, rain-cloud |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पूरुषेव | pūṣā iva | like Pūṣan (the nourisher) |
| पुरम्धिः | puramdhiḥ | abounding in bounty/wisdom |
| वरिवस्या | varivasyā | with wide open space/homage |
| जीरदानुम् | jīradānum | swift-bestowing, life-giving |
Imagine an ancient sage sitting by a sacred fire at twilight, lifting cupped hands upward as warm, nourishing rain falls gently from the heavens, quenching the earth's thirst.