Sukta 78
Sukta 5.78
Atri (Ātreya)
Ashvins (Nāsatyā)
Gāyatrī (probable; short refrain-like structure; verify against metrical count)
هذا النشيدُ استغاثةٌ عاجلةٌ بالأشفين (النّاسَتْيَا)، الطبيبين الإلهيّين السريعين، أن يأتيا سريعًا إلى قربان السُّوما وألّا يُعرِضا عنه. ويرتكز على الحماية ونجاح الولادة—طالبًا أن ينفتح الرحم في أوانه، وأن تخرج الأمّ والطفل حيَّين غيرَ مُصابَين؛ مع استحضار دافعِ نجاةٍ مذكور (سابتافَذْري) يُعزّز قدرة الأشفين على الشفاء.
Mantras
Mantra 1
अश्विनावेह गच्छतं नासत्या मा वि वेनतम् । हंसाविव पततमा सुताँ उप ॥
يَا أَشْفِنَانِ، تَعَالَيَا إِلَى هُنَا—يَا نَاسَتْيَا، لَا تُعْرِضَا. كَبَجَعَتَيْنِ فِي طَيَرَانٍ، اهْبِطَا سَرِيعًا إِلَى السُّومَا المَعْصُورِ، إِلَى العَصْرَاتِ المُقَدَّسَةِ فِينَا.
Mantra 2
अश्विना हरिणाविव गौराविवानु यवसम् । हंसाविव पततमा सुताँ उप ॥
يا أشفين، كفرسين أشقرين، وكثورين لامعين يتبعان المرعى؛ حلِّقا كإوزَّتين نحو السُّوما المعصور—نحو اللذّة المقدَّسة المُهَيَّأة فينا.
Mantra 3
अश्विना वाजिनीवसू जुषेथां यज्ञमिष्टये । हंसाविव पततमा सुताँ उप ॥
يا أشفين، يا صاحبي الغنى بالقوّة والظَّفَر، تقبَّلا واستمتعا باليَجْنَة لإتمام التطلّع المقدّس؛ حلِّقا كإوزَّتين نحو السُّوما المعصور فينا.
Mantra 4
अत्रिर्यद्वामवरोहन्नृबीसमजोहवीन्नाधमानेव योषा । श्येनस्य चिज्जवसा नूतनेनागच्छतमश्विना शंतमेन ॥
حين سقط أَتْري في الضيق واستغاث بكما—كامرأةٍ في مخاضٍ تصرخ—فحينئذٍ، وبسرعةٍ أحدثَ من سرعة الصقر، أقبِلا يا أشفين بقوّتِكما الأشدِّ إسباغًا للسَّلام.
Mantra 5
वि जिहीष्व वनस्पते योनिः सूष्यन्त्या इव । श्रुतं मे अश्विना हवं सप्तवध्रिं च मुञ्चतम् ॥
انفلقْ، يا سيّدَ الشجر؛ ولْتُطلِقِ الرَّحِمُ كما تُطلِقُ مَن نَضَجَ أوانُها. يا أشفينَين، اسمعا ندائي وأطلِقا سبتافَذْري أيضًا.
Mantra 6
भीताय नाधमानाय ऋषये सप्तवध्रये । मायाभिरश्विना युवं वृक्षं सं च वि चाचथः ॥
للرِّشي سبتافَذْري، الخائفِ المتأوِّه، أنتما يا أشفينَين، بقُدَرِكما وسِحركما، شققتما الشجرة—تَضُمّان وتُفَرِّقان أجزاءها—ليُطلَق سراحُه.
Mantra 7
यथा वातः पुष्करिणीं समिङ्गयति सर्वतः । एवा ते गर्भ एजतु निरैतु दशमास्यः ॥
كما يُحرِّكُ الريحُ غديرَ اللوتس من كلِّ جانب، كذلك فليَضطربْ جنينُكِ وليَخرُجْ—يا ذا العشرةِ أشهر—إلى الفضاء.
Mantra 8
यथा वातो यथा वनं यथा समुद्र एजति । एवा त्वं दशमास्य सहावेहि जरायुणा ॥
كما تهبّ الريح، وكما تتمايل الغابة، وكما يضطرب البحر—هكذا أنتَ أيضًا، يا ابنَ العشرةِ أشهر، انزلْ واخرجْ، مع غشاءِ الرَّحم (jarāyu).
Mantra 9
दश मासाञ्छशयानः कुमारो अधि मातरि । निरैतु जीवो अक्षतो जीवो जीवन्त्या अधि ॥
بعد أن اضطجعَ عشرةَ أشهرٍ، الطفلُ على أُمِّه—فليخرجْ حيًّا غيرَ مُصاب؛ حيًّا على الأُمِّ الحيّة.
Inside Sukta 78
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
A direct, affectionate summons: the Aśvins are called to come immediately, like two swans descending, and to attend the Soma offering.
- Development
The hymn shifts from invitation to specific remedial petitions—opening what is closed, hearing the call, and enacting release and rescue, including the remembered freeing of Saptavadhri.
- Climax
The childbirth prayer peaks with the vivid wish that after ten months the child should come forth alive and unharmed—life affirmed for both child and living mother.
- Where it settles
The tone settles into assurance through invocation: the Aśvins’ known beneficence and healing agency are relied upon to complete the safe transition and preserve vitality.
The deity: Aśvins
- In the VedaTwin horsemen, radiant and swift, who arrive like birds in flight; famed as healers, rescuers, and bringers of timely aid, especially at dawn. They are repeatedly invoked to hear the call (háva) and to grant health, safe passage, and restoration.
- Cosmic functionThey mediate the transition from night to day (dawn’s approach), restore vitality, and “set right” what is stuck or endangered—disease, injury, peril, and difficult thresholds such as birth and travel.
- Inner significanceThe Aśvins symbolize quick, practical grace: the inner healing intelligence that arrives at the critical moment, unblocks what is obstructed, and safely brings new life or new awareness into expression.
The seer
- Atri (Ātreya)Ātreya (Atri-gotra) · One of the great ancestral seers (saptarṣi), celebrated for luminous insight and for hymns that call on divine help in healing, protection, and life-sustaining powers; closely associated with Soma and with beneficent deities like the Aśvins.
Famous verses
haṃsāv iva patatam ("like two swans in flight")
saptavadhriṃ ca muñcatam ("set Saptavadhri free")
दश मासाञ्छशयानः कुमारो अधि मातरि । निरैतु जीवो अक्षतो जीवो जीवन्त्या अधि ॥Attributes of the deity
- Twin deities (yugmá)
- Swift approach (often linked with dawn)
- Divine physicians and rescuers
- Protectors of life and safe delivery
- Responders to sincere invocation (háva)
- Bringers of renewal, health, and safe transitions
Also by this seer
- Rig Veda Mandala 5 is largely attributed to the Ātreyas (Atri’s family line).
- Numerous RV hymns in Mandala 5 addressed to Agni, Indra, the Maruts, and the Aśvins are linked to the Ātreya tradition.
- Later Vedic and Itihāsa-Purāṇic memory preserves Atri as a foundational rishi and progenitor of an influential seer-lineage.
The rite, step by step
- Prepare a clean, quiet space; establish Agni (if in a formal rite) or a simple lamp/fire in domestic practice.
- Consecrate water and seat; mentally invoke the Aśvins as swift healers and guardians of thresholds.
- Offer Soma (in śrauta context) or a symbolic substitute (milk/ghee) while reciting the opening invitation to “come here” and “do not turn away.”
- Recite the release/opening verses as a focused prayer for timely, safe delivery—visualizing unobstructed passage and protection for both mother and child.
- Conclude with a benediction for life, wholeness, and freedom from harm; share the offering remnants as prasāda in domestic settings.
- Maintain a protective silence or gentle recitation afterward, emphasizing calm, steadiness, and auspiciousness.
Offerings
- Soma libation (śrauta)
- Ghee (ājya)
- Milk/curds (as gentle, life-supporting offerings)
- Water for purification and blessing
Frequently Asked Questions
The hymn praises the Aśvins (also called Nāsatyā), twin divine horsemen known in the Veda as swift healers and rescuers who respond quickly to prayers.
Its main purpose is protection and healing, with a strong focus on safe childbirth—asking that the womb open at the right time and that both mother and child remain alive and unharmed.
Saptavadhri is recalled as an example of the Aśvins’ power to free and save. By naming a past rescue, the hymn strengthens confidence that they will grant timely help again.
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