Rig Veda 5.41.3: Mandala 5, Sukta 41, Mantra 3
Sukta 5.41
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Aśvins
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
आ वां येष्ठाश्विना हुवध्यै वातस्य पत्मन्रथ्यस्य पुष्टौ । उत वा दिवो असुराय मन्म प्रान्धांसीव यज्यवे भरध्वम् ॥
ā́ vāṃ yéṣṭhā aśvinā huvádhyai vā́tasya pátman rathyásya puṣṭáu | utá vā divó ásurāya mánma prá andhā́ṃsīva yájyave bharadhvam ||
تَعَالَيَا، أَيُّهَا الأَشْفِنَانِ الأَقْدَمَانِ، لِتُدْعَيَا—عَلَى سَبِيلِ فَاتَا (الرِّيح)، فِي غِذَاءِ العَرَبَةِ المُنْطَلِقَةِ؛ وَاحْمِلَا أَيْضًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ الفِكْرَ المُوحَى لِلسُّلْطَانِ الرَّبَّانِيِّ (أَسُورَا)، كَمَنْ يَسُوقُ النُّورَ قُدُمًا خِلَالَ الظُّلْمَةِ، لِأَجْلِ المُقَدِّمِ لِلْيَجْنَا.
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (आह्वान/आगमनार्थ)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वाम्
- you twoPronounद्वितीया/षष्ठी द्विवचन (enclitic) — ‘you two’/‘of you two’Role Karma (आह्वानस्य विषयः)Root युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- येष्ठा
- most excellent, bestAdjectiveप्रथमा द्विवचन (पुं.) — वाम् (अश्विनौ) विशेषणम्Role Kartā (सम्बोधन-आह्वानार्थे)Root येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; superlative of ज्येष्ठ)
- अश्विना
- O Aśvins (the two horsemen)Noun (dual deity name)प्रथमा/सम्बोधन द्विवचन (पुं.)Role Kartā (आहूतौ)Root अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- हुवध्यै
- to invoke (for calling)Verbal noun / Infinitival formचतुर्थी एकवचन (प्रयोजनार्थ) — ‘to invoke/call’Role Prayojana (उद्देश्य)Root हू (धातु) → हुवधि (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) / हुवधि- (Vedic) + ए (दत्तिव)
- वातस्य
- of the windNounषष्ठी एकवचन (पुं.)Role Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)Root वात (प्रातिपदिक)
- पत्मन्
- in the course/trackNounसप्तमी एकवचन (नपुं./पुं. Vedic usage) — ‘in/along the course’Role AdhikaraṇaRoot पत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; Vedic ‘flight/track/impulse, course’)
- रथ्यस्य
- of the chariot(-way), of the roadAdjective (used substantively)षष्ठी एकवचन (नपुं./पुं. according to implied noun) — पत्मन्-सम्बन्धःRole SambandhaRoot रथ्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘belonging to a chariot/road’)
- पुष्टौ
- in nourishment, in prosperityNounसप्तमी एकवचन (स्त्री.)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot पुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय/विकल्पार्थ निपातRoot उत (निपात)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थ निपातRoot वा (निपात)
- दिवः
- of heavenNounषष्ठी एकवचन (स्त्री./पुं. Vedic) — ‘of heaven’Role SambandhaRoot दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- असुराय
- to the Asura (lord)Nounचतुर्थी एकवचन (पुं.)Role SampradānaRoot असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
- मन्म
- a thought/hymnNounद्वितीया एकवचन (नपुं.)Role KarmaRoot मन्मन्/मन्म (प्रातिपदिक; ‘thought, hymn, counsel’)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग (प्र- ‘forth, forward’)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- अन्धांसि
- darknessesNounद्वितीया बहुवचन (नपुं.)Role KarmaRoot अन्धस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘darkness’)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थ निपातRoot इव (निपात)
- यज्यवे
- to the worshipper / to the one to be worshipped (ritual recipient)Noun/Adjective (ritual recipient)चतुर्थी एकवचन (पुं.)Role SampradānaRoot यज्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘worthy of worship’ / ‘worshipper’ in Vedic dative) ← यज्
- भरध्वम्
- bring, bear (you all)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ) मध्यमपुरुष बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद — ‘bear/bring!’Role Kriyā (मुख्य क्रिया)Root भृ (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): आ | वाम् | येष्ठा | अश्विना | हुवध्यै | वातस्य | पत्मन् | रथ्यस्य | पुष्टौ | उत | वा | दिवः | असुराय | मन्म | प्र | अन्धांसि | इव | यज्यवे | भरध्वम् । प्रमुख सन्धयः: (1) प्रान्धांसीव → प्र + अन्धांसि + इव (स्वर-सन्धि: अ + अ → आ; तथा इव ‘इव’ संधौ ‘सीव’ रूपेण संलग्नम्). (2) अन्यत्र पदान्त/पदान्त सन्धि न्यून
- मन्त्रपाठे उच्चारण-चिह्न (उदात्त/स्वरित/अनुदात्त) यथास्थानं, परं पदच्छेदे मूलरूपाणि दर्शितानि।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Aśvins are invited to come, invoked on the path of the Wind with the moving chariot’s nourishment; they are asked to bring from heaven inspired thought for the lordly power, like bringing light forward through darkness, for the sacrificer.
Inner meaning
The twin Aśvins (powers of swift, harmonious help and healing) are called to descend along the prāṇic current (Vāta’s path) and energize the ‘chariot’ of embodied movement. They bring divo manma—luminous inspired understanding—from the higher mind, for the asura (here: lordly, sovereign power of the soul’s will). The image ‘as if pushing light through darkness’ describes their characteristic action: they pioneer through inertia and confusion, restoring clarity, health, and right direction for the inner yajamāna (the one who offers).
Universal truth
Help from higher intelligence often arrives as paired forces: discernment and execution, intuition and practical remedy. When aligned with the life-breath’s movement, they carry illumination into obscurity and convert struggle into progress.
Themes
Aśvin aid, transition from darkness to light, inspiration, nourishment and growth
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 1.3 (Aśvin invocation, thematic parallel), RV 1.46 (Aśvins as swift helpers)
Family tradition
Kaṇva hymns frequently invoke swift helper-deities (Aśvins, Indra, Maruts) to aid the human journey from obscurity to light.
Significance
Kaṇva’s vision here emphasizes the Aśvins as practical yogic aids—bringing higher inspiration into the moving life, not merely granting external boons.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvins
- Epithets
- Yeṣṭhā (most excellent/eldest), Nā́satyā (true helpers—traditional epithet), Dasrā (wonder-working—traditional epithet)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Vāta, Sūrya, Indra
Cosmic role
Twin powers of transition: they link night to dawn, sickness to health, helplessness to capability; mediators between heaven’s light and earth’s need.
Inner power
Rapid remedial intuition and harmonized action; the ‘two-in-one’ aid that restores balance and opens a passage for illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvinā invitation (āvāhana) within soma offerings and morning rites
आ वां॒ येष्ठा॑श्विना हु॒वध्यै॒ वात॑स्य॒ पत्म॒न्रथ्य॑स्य पु॒ष्टौ । उ॒त वा॑ दि॒वो असु॑राय॒ मन्म॒ प्रान्धां॑सीव॒ यज्य॑वे भरध्वम् ॥
आ । वा॒म् । येष्ठा॑ । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । हु॒वध्यै॑ । वात॑स्य । पत्म॑न् । रथ्य॑स्य । पु॒ष्टौ । उ॒त । वा॒ । दि॒वः । असु॑राय । मन्म॑ । प्र । अन्धां॑सिऽइव । यज्य॑वे । भ॒र॒ध्व॒म् ॥
ā | vām | yeṣṭhā | aśvinā | huvadhyai | vātasya | patman | rathyasya | puṣṭau | uta | vā | divaḥ | asurāya | manma | pra | andhāṃsi-iva | yajyave | bharadhvam
44
4 × ~11
Forward-driving, chariot-like cadence; suitable for ‘come!’ invocations and movement imagery.
Encourages a sense of arrival and assistance; breath and rhythm feel yoked to motion.
- अश्विना (aśvinā)
- Literal: the Aśvins, twin horsemen. Symbolic: Twin succoring powers—swift healing, practical intuition, harmonized action
- येष्ठा (yeṣṭhā)
- Literal: eldest/most excellent. Symbolic: Primordial helpers; earliest awakening aids in the path
- वातस्य पत्मन् (vātasya patman)
- Literal: on the path/track of Wind. Symbolic: Along the breath-current; prāṇic channel enabling descent of help
- रथ्यस्य पुष्टौ (rathyasya puṣṭau)
- Literal: in the nourishment of the moving chariot. Symbolic: Strengthening the embodied instrument and its forward movement
- दिवः (divaḥ)
- Literal: from heaven. Symbolic: From higher mind/illumined plane
- मन्म (manma)
- Literal: inspired thought, hymn-thought. Symbolic: Intuitive formulation; illumined ideation that guides practice
- असुराय (asurāya)
- Literal: for the Asura (lordly power). Symbolic: For the sovereign soul-force; mastery rather than ego
- प्र अन्धांसि इव (prāndhāṃsīva)
- Literal: as if (bringing) forth from darkness. Symbolic: Illumination emerging through obscurity; pioneering clarity
- यज्यवे (yajyave)
- Literal: for the worshipper/sacrificer. Symbolic: For the practitioner offering inner actions to the Divine
Aśvin invocation in morning/transition contexts; here as bringers of inspired thought and forward movement in the yajña, aiding passage from obscurity to light.
Often associated with early/morning sequences where Aśvins are prominent; adaptable as a ‘before practice’ invocation
Calling the Aśvins to the sacrifice; requesting manma (inspiration) and puṣṭi (nourishment/strength)
Before study/meditation: invoke ‘twin helpers’ for clear insight plus practical follow-through; coordinate breath with the sense of their chariot arriving.
from aśva ‘horse’ (swift force) → the twins of rapid help. from √vā ‘to blow’ (breath/movement). ‘flight/path’ related to √pat ‘to fly, fall’. from √puṣ ‘to thrive, prosper’. /manma from √man ‘to think’ → inspired thought. in early RV can mean ‘lordly, possessing vital breath/force’ from √as ‘to be’ + ura? (etymology debated); here taken positively as spiritual lordship rather than later ‘demon’ sense.
movement as progress of consciousness, manma (inspired thought), emergence of light through darkness
Implicit: the ‘path of Vāta’ suggests a lawful channel of movement that can carry divine help.
Manma from heaven as truth-thought that dispels darkness.
Bringing light through darkness: emergence of consciousness from obscurity.
Yogic-psychological reading: Aśvins as transitional powers enabling ascent/illumination.
dawn (implied by Aśvin character and light-through-darkness image)
Breath-led awakening: prāṇa becomes the roadway for higher intuition to enter embodied action and clear tamas.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The twin rescuers who bring swift passage: the Aśvins arrive on the wind’s path and bring heavenly inspiration forward ‘as through darkness’—a mythic pattern of divine helpers guiding transition and recovery.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Chariot-and-horse imagery is a pervasive IE poetic complex for divine motion and aid. The root √pat ‘fly’ and √vā ‘blow’ are old IE motion lexemes; the metaphor of bringing light through darkness is likewise widely attested in IE dawn/rescue narratives.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks not merely for outer help but for ‘manma’—inspired thought—from the higher realm, to be carried into the sacrificer. The Aśvins thus function as inner mediators who convert movement (vāta/ratha) into growth (puṣṭi) and illumination.
Invite swift, balanced assistance: intuition + remedy. Feel breath as the ‘path of Vāta’ carrying higher guidance into the body-mind.
svadhisthana/manipura (movement and vitality) with ajna (inspired manma)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) to ‘yoke’ breath to steady motion; on exhale, imagine light advancing through inner darkness.
Alert, hopeful, help-receptive; from tamas to clarity.
When stuck in confusion, repeat the verse slowly; visualize a golden chariot arriving on the breath-current, delivering a clear next step (manma) rather than abstract theory.
Tri-svara; lift udātta on ā vām and aśvinā; keep the long vowels clear in yeṣṭhā and manma.
Do not rush the compound vātasya patman rathyasya puṣṭau—articulate each segment to preserve the ‘chariot’ cadence.
Aśvinā: keep śv cluster crisp (aś-vi-nā)., Prāndhāṃsīva: nasalization on āṃ; avoid inserting extra vowel between ndh., Huvadhyai: pronounce dhy as a tight cluster, not ‘dahi-yai’.
Bright, inviting, slightly rising tone on the opening ā vām.
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