Rig Veda 4.44.4: Mandala 4, Sukta 44, Mantra 4
Sukta 4.44
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
हिरण्ययेन पुरुभू रथेनेमं यज्ञं नासत्योप यातम् । पिबाथ इन्मधुनः सोम्यस्य दधथो रत्नं विधते जनाय ॥
hiraṇyáyena purubhū́ ráthene máṁ yajñáṁ nāsatyópa yātam | pibā́thaḥ ín mádhunaḥ somyásya dádhatho rátnam vidhaté jánāya ||
Approchez de ce sacrifice, ô Nāsatyas, sur votre char d’or, prodigue en dons. Buvez vraiment le Soma miellé, le Soma; et déposez le trésor en l’homme qui sert et ordonne l’œuvre de l’offrande.
Word by Word
- हिरण्ययेन
- with/by the goldenAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम् (करणे)Role KaraṇaRoot हिरण्यय (प्रातिपदिक) < हिरण्य
- पुरुभू
- O much-being/mighty one (epithet)Adjective (epithet)सम्बोधन-एकवचनम् (द्विवचनार्थे युगलदेवतासम्बोधनम्)Role (Sambodhana; not a kāraka)Root पुरुभू (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-स्वरूप) < पुरु + भू
- रथेन
- with the chariotNounपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- इमम्
- thisPronounपुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञम्
- sacrifice, riteNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- नासत्या
- O Nāsatyas (Aśvins)Noun (proper/epithet)सम्बोधन-द्विवचनम् (अश्विनोः)Role (Sambodhana; not a kāraka)Root नासत्य (प्रातिपदिक; अश्विनौ)
- उप
- near, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Role (verb-modifier)Root उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यातम्
- come, drive (hither)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (main verb; addressed to deities)Root या (धातु)
- पिबाथः
- drink (you two)!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (main verb)Root पा (पिबति) (धातु)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपातः (एव/खलु-अर्थे, बलवत्त्वे)Role (particle)Root इत् (निपात/अव्यय)
- मधुनः
- of sweetness / of honeyNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी-एकवचनम्Role (genitive relation to ‘सोम्यस्य’ / drink)Root मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोम्यस्य
- of the Soma(-like), of SomaAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी-एकवचनम्Role (genitive relation)Root सोम्य (प्रातिपदिक) < सोम
- दधथः
- you two place/giveVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (main verb)Root धा (धातु)
- रत्नम्
- treasure, giftNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- विधते
- to the worshipper/ordainer (sacrificer)Noun (agentive)पुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot विधत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विधत्’ = यजमान/यजक, worshipper) < √धा/√विध् (विधाने)
- जनाय
- to the man/peopleNounपुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: हिरण्ययेन | पुरुभू | रथेन | इमम् | यज्ञम् | नासत्या | उप | यातम् || पिबाथः | इत् | मधुनः | सोम्यस्य || दधथः | रत्नम् | विधते | जनाय || 1) ‘रथेनेमम्’ = रथेन + इमम् (स्वर-सन्धिः: ए + इ → ए)
- 2) ‘नासत्योप’ = नासत्या + उप (आ + उ → ओ)
- 3) ‘इन्मधुनः’ = इत् + मधुनः (त् + म → न् + म; परसवर्ण/अनुस्वार-प्रवृत्तिः; संहितायां ‘द्/त्’ निपातस्य रूपपरिवर्तनम्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
An invitation to the Aśvins (Nāsatyā) to come to the sacrifice in their golden, abundant chariot, drink the honeyed Soma, and bestow a treasure upon the worshipper who performs the offering.
Inner meaning
The twin divine powers of swift help and harmonious right-action (Aśvins) are called into the inner yajña. Their “golden chariot” is the luminous, well-ordered movement of the prāṇa and mind carrying consciousness toward the higher light. “Honeyed Soma” is the sweetness of divine Ananda poured into the system when aspiration and offering become sincere. The “treasure” is the attained capacity—clarity, healing, right discernment, and effective force—placed in the seeker who steadily ‘sets the work’ (vidhate) of self-offering.
Universal truth
When aspiration is organized and sincere, higher aiding powers naturally draw near; by receiving inner delight (Soma) and aligning action with truth (yajña), one becomes fit to hold enduring inner wealth (ratna)—qualities and realizations that support life and service.
Themes
invitation, Soma-drinking, bestowal-of-treasure, golden-chariot
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.1–4.58 (Vāmadeva corpus, including many Agni/Indra/Aśvin hymns), RV 4.44–4.45 (Aśvin-focused section)
Family tradition
Gautamas—seer-line emphasizing inspired vision (kavi-dṛṣṭi) and the transformation of life by luminous powers.
Significance
Vāmadeva’s voice often moves from invocation to inner realization: the gods are not only cosmic but psychological powers aiding the ascent from mixed human nature to a clarified, truth-led consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- Nāsatyā, Dasrā (wondrous/skillful), Yuvānā (the ever-young)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Agni, Soma, Indra
Cosmic role
Twin riders who traverse heaven and earth, bringing swift aid, restoration, and the right enjoyment of life; mediators of transitions (night to dawn, sickness to health, confusion to clarity).
Inner power
A double force in sadhana: (1) rapid rescue from obstruction and inertia, (2) harmonizing intelligence that sets the life-force into right rhythm for receptivity to Soma-Ananda.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin invocation in Soma-related praise/offerings; used in calling the Aśvins to the yajña and offering Soma.
हि॒र॒ण्यये॑न पुरुभू॒ रथे॑ने॒मं य॒ज्ञं ना॑स॒त्योप॑ यातम् । पिबा॑थ॒ इन्मधु॑नः सो॒म्यस्य॒ दध॑थो॒ रत्नं॑ विध॒ते जना॑य ॥
हि॒र॒ण्यये॑न । पु॒रु॒भू॒ इति॑ पुरुऽभू । रथे॑न । इ॒मम् । य॒ज्ञम् । ना॒स॒त्या॒ । उप॑ । या॒त॒म् । पिबा॑थः । इत् । मधु॑नः । सो॒म्यस्य॑ । दध॑थः । रत्न॑म् । वि॒ध॒ते । जना॑य ॥
hiraṇyayena | purubhūitipuru-bhū | rathena | imam | yajñam | nāsatyā | upa | yātam | pibāthaḥ | it | madhunaḥ | somyasya | dadhathaḥ | ratnam | vidhate | janāya
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables (Triṣṭubh cadence; exact scansion may vary with sandhi)
Forward-driving, firm, and expansive; suited to invocation and decisive giving.
Builds momentum and receptivity—like a summons that ‘draws near’ the helping powers and stabilizes the will to offer.
- हिरण्ययेन (hiraṇyayena)
- Literal: golden. Symbolic: luminous, sattwic radiance; higher light shaping movement
- पुरुभू (purubhū)
- Literal: all-abundant, manifold-becoming. Symbolic: plentitude of forces; many-sided help in nature
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: organized dynamic of consciousness; vehicle of ascent and effective action
- यज्ञ (yajña)
- Literal: sacrifice, offering. Symbolic: inner consecration; exchange between human and divine nature
- नासत्या (nāsatyā)
- Literal: the Nāsatyas (Aśvins). Symbolic: powers of truth-guided swiftness, healing, and right enjoyment
- मधु (madhu)
- Literal: honey, sweetness. Symbolic: Ananda; sweetness of realized consciousness
- सोम्य (somya)
- Literal: of Soma. Symbolic: delight-substance that refines mind and life-force
- रत्न (ratna)
- Literal: treasure, jewel. Symbolic: stable inner attainment—light, strength, harmony, joy
- विधते (vidhate)
- Literal: to the arranger/performer of rite. Symbolic: the one who orders the inner work; disciplined sadhaka
Soma-yajña invitation: summoning the Aśvins to approach and drink Soma; request for ratna (boon) to the vidhát (ritual agent).
At points of inviting deities and presenting Soma libation (general Aśvin stotra context).
Āvāhana (invocation), Soma offering, request for boons.
Before meditation: invoke inner helpers for clarity and healing; offer breath and attention as ‘yajña’, then sit to receive calm sweetness (Soma) and guidance (ratna).
hiraṇya ‘gold’ (symbolic of light, immortality; not merely metal). puru-bhū ‘much-becoming’ (puru ‘many’ + √bhū ‘to become’), indicating manifold power of manifestation. yātam (imperative dual) from √yā ‘to go/come’. pibāthaḥ from √pā ‘to drink’. mádhu ‘honey/sweetness’ also ‘delight’ (inner rasa). soma- from √su ‘to press’ (outer), but innerly the pressed essence of luminous delight. dádhatho from √dhā ‘to place/establish’. ratná ‘treasure’ as realized powers/boons of consciousness. vidhaté from √vidh ‘to arrange, worship, serve’—one who orders the offering.
yajña as consecrated action, Soma as delight of illumination, ratna as inner attainment
The ‘well-ordered’ approach of the Aśvins supports ṛta in the seeker—right rhythm of mind-life-body.
Nāsatyā as truth-powers that do not fail—aid aligned with the true need of evolution.
Descent of higher delight into human instrument through offering; transformation rather than mere gift.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: gods as powers of consciousness active in inner evolution.
Dawn-transition implied (Aśvins’ typical approach)
Luminous movement of prāṇa-mind receives sweetness of Ananda; treasure is consolidated capacity in the embodied seeker.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The gods’ arrival to drink Soma and grant treasure: a recurrent Vedic scene. Innerly, it depicts higher powers approaching the consecrated practice, taking into themselves the offered delight (Soma), and in exchange stabilizing realized riches (ratna) in the practitioner.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yā ‘go’ is a core IE verb (PIE *h₁ey- ‘to go’). √pā ‘drink’ aligns with PIE *peh₃- ‘to drink’ (cf. Greek pínō). √dhā ‘place’ aligns with PIE *dʰeh₁- (cf. Greek títhēmi). These preserve an archaic action-grammar suited to ritual and inner practice.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi offers a defined seat: ‘this yajña’. The Aśvins are asked to participate (drink Soma) and to reciprocate by establishing ratna in the vidhát—i.e., in the human who actively orders life into a sacrificial discipline.
Invoke twin powers of swift aid and harmonizing intelligence; receive inner sweetness without strain.
Anāhata (sweetness/joy) and Ājñā (clarity/right guidance)
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana (6–6 or 6–2–6) before japa/chanting
Receptive, luminous calm with a subtle uplift in the heart and brow.
Begin with offering: ‘May my breath, speech, and attention be the yajña.’ Chant once slowly, then sit; feel a golden movement above the head descending as sweetness into the heart; end by resolving one truthful action (ratna) to embody.
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita as per Rigvedic recitation; key lifts often on invocatory vocatives (e.g., nāsatyā) and imperatives (upa yātam, pibātha, dadhatho).
Keep a clear rise on udatta syllables; avoid flattening vocatives; let pāda ends settle gently without dropping pitch abruptly.
hiraṇyayena: clear retroflex ṇ; ‘ya’ light, nāsatyā: long ā; ‘ty’ crisp, pibātha: ‘bh’ voiced aspirate, madhunaḥ: dental ‘dh’; visarga lightly released, dadhatho: repeat ‘dha’ with steady aspiration
Bright, inviting, and steady; not forceful—more like a clear call.
3
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