Rig Veda 8.73.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 73, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.73
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Aśvins
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
निमिषश्चिज्जवीयसा रथेना यातमश्विना । अन्ति षद्भूतु वामवः ॥
nimiṣáś cic javī́yasā ráthenā́ yātam aśvinā | ánti ṣád bhūtu vām ávaḥ ||
أسرعَ من طَرْفَةِ عينٍ، تعاليا على مركبتكما الأشدّ عَدْواً، يا أشفين؛ لِتكن معونتكما قريبةً، ولتستقرّ فينا.
Word by Word
- निमिषः
- a wink; a momentNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot निमिष (प्रातिपदिक; √मिष् ‘निमेषणे/चेष्टायाम्’)
- चित्
- even; indeedIndeclinableनिपात; ‘even/indeed’Root चित् (अव्यय)
- जवीयसा
- with (something) swifterAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन (तुलनात्मक)Role KaraṇaRoot जवीयस् (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मक-विशेषण ‘swifter’ < जव ‘swift’)
- रथेन
- by/with a chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- या॒तम्
- come!; drive hither! (you two)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; द्विवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √या (धातु) ‘गत्यर्थे’
- अश्विना
- O Aśvins (you two)Noun (Deity name)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन द्विवचनRole SambodhanaRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक; द्विवचन-देवनाम)
- अन्ति
- near; close byIndeclinableअव्यय; ‘near/close’Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अन्ति (अव्यय)
- सत्
- being; existent (thing)Participle (Adjective) used substantivelyनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्यय (sat ‘being’)Role KartāRoot √अस् ‘भू/सत्तायाम्’ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- भूतु
- let it be; may it becomeVerbलोट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √भू (धातु) ‘भवने’
- वाम्
- for you two; of you twoPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी द्विवचन (enclitic) ‘of you two/for you two’Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अवः
- help; aid; protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot अवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): निमिषः | चित् | जवीयसा | रथेन | यातम् | अश्विना | अन्ति | सत् | भूतु | वाम् | अवः । 1) चि॒ज्जवी॑यसा = चित् + जवीयसा (त् + ज → ज्ज). 2) रथे॒ना = रथेन (स्वर/प्लुति-प्रयोग; रूपतः तृतीया एकवचन). 3) अन्ति॒ षद्भू॑तु = अन्ति + सत् + भूतु
- ‘सत्’ के त् + भ → द्भ (सम्प्रसारण/व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: त् → द् before voiced bh). 4) वा॒मव॑: = वाम् + अवः (म् + अ → म + अ; पदान्त-अनुस्वार/मकार-प्रयोग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Even quicker than a blink, come on your most rapid chariot, O Aśvins; near at hand may your help take its seat.
Inner meaning
The mantra intensifies the previous call: the Aśvins are invoked as powers of instantaneous response—faster than the mind’s blink-like oscillations. Their ‘swiftest chariot’ is the rapid movement of inspired prāṇa and illumined nerve-force. The refrain asks that this help become immediate and inwardly established, not episodic—grace as a seated presence.
Universal truth
Transformation can be swift when the right powers are called and the system is ready. The gap between aspiration and assistance can shrink to ‘less than a blink’ when sincerity and receptivity are complete.
Themes
Urgent invocation, Aśvin swiftness, Inner rescue
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (probable)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 1.46 (swift Aśvins), RV 8.73.1 (paired)
Family tradition
Ātreya Aśvin tradition emphasises swift rescue—divine physicians arriving in time to save and restore.
Significance
A mantra of immediacy: it trains the psychology to expect quick alignment and to remove inner procrastination in the turn toward truth.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvins
- Epithets
- Javīyas (swift—implied), Dasrā, Nāsatyā
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Agni
Cosmic role
Agents of rapid transition and healing; they bridge states and bring timely aid.
Inner power
Instantaneous corrective intuition and pranic rebalancing; swift ‘righting’ of the chariot of life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dawn call to Aśvins (general)
नि॒मिष॑श्चि॒ज्जवी॑यसा॒ रथे॒ना या॑तमश्विना । अन्ति॒ षद्भू॑तु वा॒मव॑: ॥
नि॒मिषः॑ । चि॒त् । जवी॑यसा । रथे॑न । आ । या॒त॒म् । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । अन्ति॑ । सत् । भू॒तु॒ । वा॒म् । अवः॑ ॥
nimiṣaḥ | cit | javīyasā | rathena | ā | yātam | aśvinā | anti | sat | bhūtu | vām | avaḥ
24
3×8
Quick, sharp strokes (nimiṣa) followed by a settling refrain—speed then establishment.
Stimulates alertness and responsiveness; then anchors the feeling of help ‘seated’ within.
- निमिषः चित् (nimiṣaḥ cit)
- Literal: even than a blink. Symbolic: faster than thought’s flicker; immediacy beyond mental delay
- जवीयसा (javīyasā)
- Literal: more swift, very rapid. Symbolic: accelerated pranic movement under higher guidance
- रथेन (rathena)
- Literal: by chariot. Symbolic: organised vehicle of faculties; disciplined energy-system
- आ यातम् (ā yātam)
- Literal: come here. Symbolic: descent/approach of divine aid into present awareness
- अन्ति षद् ... अवः (anti ṣad ... avaḥ)
- Literal: may your help sit near. Symbolic: grace becoming stable inner support
Dawn-invocation emphasizing immediacy of aid; suitable for moments of urgency (healing/rescue motifs) within Soma rites.
At the start of day/practice; also in moments of urgency or illness as a call for swift restoration.
Āvāhana (invocation) emphasising speed; inner ‘yoking’ of energies to receive aid.
Use when anxious, stuck, or procrastinating: a short energising chant to shift state quickly and invite stabilising support.
(nimiṣa-) from ni-√miṣ 'to wink/blink'. javīyas- comparative from javá- 'speed, impetuous force' (√ju/√jav semantic field of swift motion). yātam from √yā 'to go/come'.
Grace as immediate descent of power, Speed as intensity of effective consciousness-force (javá)
True help is timely; Aśvins represent the right moment and right movement in ṛta.
Nāsatyā: the swift movement is not impulsive but true and corrective.
Transitions are creative acts—new order entering the field through swift mediation.
Prāṇa-yoga / integral yoga of swift alignment.
dawn
Blink = mental flicker; speed = rapid pranic shift; dawn = awakening; seated help = stable inner support.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Aśvins as instant rescuers: faster than a blink they arrive. The inner sense is the sudden intervention of luminous life-powers that can overturn distress in a moment when invoked.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The verb √yā 'go' is an Indo-European basic motion verb (cf. Avestan yā-, related motion forms across IE). Comparative formation javīyasā shows inherited morphological strategies for intensity/comparison.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks not for distant favor but for immediate embodied assistance—avaḥ that becomes 'near-seated'. The reciprocity is the call of aspiration answered by swift divine movement.
Cut delay; invoke immediate assistance and stabilise it inwardly.
Ājñā (quick reorientation) and Maṇipūra (mobilised action)
2–3 minutes of quick coherent breathing (in/out equal but slightly faster than usual), then slow to normal and chant.
Swiftly aligned, then inwardly supported.
On ‘nimiṣaś cit’ notice the mind’s flicker; let the mantra outrun it. Feel a rapid clearing in the forehead, then the refrain settling as a warm weight of help in the heart. Repeat 12 times.
Rigvedic accents with strong lift on नि॒मिष॑श्चि॒त् and जवी॑यसा; keep refrain identical in tone each time for anchoring.
Let the first pāda be crisp and quick; slightly broaden on the refrain to ‘seat’ the help.
: short i’s; ṣ retroflex, : ja-vī-ya-sā (long ī), : rathenā (long ā), : open long ā, and yā- (long ā)
Invocatory and sharp at start; warm and steady on the refrain.
12
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