Rig Veda 1.116.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 116, Mantra 1
Sukta 1.116
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
नासत्याभ्यां बर्हिरिव प्र वृञ्जे स्तोमाँ इयर्म्यभ्रियेव वातः । यावर्भगाय विमदाय जायां सेनाजुवा न्यूहतू रथेन ॥
nāsátyābhyāṃ barhír iva prá vṛñje stómāṃ iyarmy abhríyeva vā́taḥ | yā́v arbhágāya vimadā́ya jāyā́ṃ senājúvā nyūhatū́ ráthena ||
मैं नसत्य के लिए अपने गाने फैला रहा हूँ, जैसे कोई पूजा के लिए आसन बिछाता है। मैं उन्हे हवा की तरह तेज़ कर रहा हूँ, जो बादल को धक्का देता है। तुम दोनों ने अपनी रथ से विमद की दुल्हन को पहुँचाया था। अब भी आओ और हमें भी सही साथी दो, जो हमारी ज़िन्दगी के सफर में साथ दे।
Word by Word
- नासत्याभ्याम्
- to/for the Nāsatyas (the Aśvins)Noun (proper dual) / Adjective used as nounपुंलिङ्ग (देवता-नाम), तृतीया-द्विवचनRole सम्प्रदान (स्तुत्यर्थं/उद्देश्य-देवता) अथवा अधिकरण (यस्य प्रति स्तोमः)Root नासत्य (प्रातिपदिक; अश्विनौ) + भ्याम्
- बर्हिः
- the sacrificial grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्म (उपमान-रूपेण) / अधिकरण (यज्ञोपकरण-भावेन)Root बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गRoot प्र
- वृञ्जे
- I arrange/spreadVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole कर्तृ (अहं)Root √वृञ्ज् (वृञ्जति/वृञ्जते) ‘to arrange, spread, set in order’
- स्तोमान्
- hymns, praisesNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- इयर्मि
- I set in motion / I send forthVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (अहं)Root √ईर्/√इर् (ईरयति/ईरते) ‘to set in motion, raise, send forth’
- अभ्रिया
- with/by a cloud (as with a cloud)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन (उपमान-रूपेण)Role करण (उपमान-करण)Root अभ्रि (प्रातिपदिक) ‘cloud’
- इव
- likeIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव
- वातः
- the windNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृ (उपमान-कर्तृ)Root वात (प्रातिपदिक) ‘wind’
- यौ
- who (the two)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्वभागाय
- to ArbhāgaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अर्वभाग (प्रातिपदिक; पुरुष-नाम) + ए
- विमदाय
- to Vimad(a)Noun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot विमद (प्रातिपदिक; पुरुष-नाम) + ए
- जायाम्
- a wifeNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot जाया (प्रातिपदिक)
- सेनाजुवा
- (you two) impelling the host / swift with your troopAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-द्विवचन (विशेषणम्—यौ)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root सेनाजुव (प्रातिपदिक; ‘army-driving/host-hastening’, epithet)
- न्यूहतू
- you two brought/led (hither)Verbलुङ्/आशीर्लिङ्-प्राय (वेदिक आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (यौ)Root √वह् ‘to carry, convey’ with preverb नि- (Vedic: ny-); form: नि + ऊह्/वह् → न्यूह्
- रथेन
- with a chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचनRole करणRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): नास॑त्याभ्यां | ब॒र्हिर् इ॑व | प्र | वृ॑ञ्जे | स्तोमाँ॑ः → स्तोमान् (द्वितीया-बहु) | इयर्मि | अ॒भ्रिये॑व → अभ्रिया इव (तृतीया-एक) | वातः | यौ | अर्व॑भगाय | विम॒दाय॑ | जा॒याम् | से॑ना॒जुवा॑ | न्यू॒हतू॒ | रथे॑न । (नोट: ‘अभ्रियेव’ में -एव = ‘इव’ का संधिरूप; ‘बर्हिरिव’ में विसर्ग/र्-संधि; ‘स्तोमाँ’ पदपाठानुसार ‘स्तोमान्’; ‘न्यूहतू’ वेदिक रूप—नि-उह/वह धातु का द्विवचन-आज्ञार्थ/कथनात्मक प्रयोग.)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet prepares and sends forth hymns for the Aśvins (Nāsatyas), likening them to a ritual seat (barhis) and to wind driving clouds. He recalls how the Aśvins brought a bride to Arbhaga and Vimadā by their chariot, and invokes the same swift help.
Inner meaning
The “spreading of the barhis” becomes the inner arrangement of consciousness—making a receptive seat in the being for the descending help of the twin powers of swift illumination and right enjoyment (Aśvins). The hymns are set in motion like wind moving cloud: aspiration (stoma) stirs the obscured mind-stuff so that light can break. The “bringing of the bride” signifies the yoking of the soul’s seeking (psychic being) with its rightful companion-force—delight/ānanda and harmonious executive power—so the journey of sādhanā proceeds with protection and joy.
Universal truth
When aspiration is consciously prepared and released, higher assisting powers can unite our inner being with its true counterpart—clarity with delight, knowledge with right action—so life’s journey becomes guided rather than accidental.
Themes
Aśvin rescue-myths, Invocation and offering, Healing and right joining
The seer
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 1.113 (Uṣas-related by tradition of dawn-illumination milieu), RV 1.115, RV 1.116–1.120 (Aśvin cycle)
Family tradition
Āṅgirasa seers are strongly linked with the recovery of Light (go/rays) and the victory of illumination over obstruction; Kutsa hymns frequently invoke swift divine help for the human journey.
Significance
Kutsa’s voice carries the dynamic of the seeker who prepares the inner sacrifice and calls the divine powers to make the difficult passage possible—especially the harmonising, healing intervention of the Aśvins in transitional states.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- Nāsatyā, Aśvinā, Divó napātā (often associated in Aśvin hymns as luminous sons of heaven), Suvīrā (bringers of good heroism)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Twin riders of the dawn-movements: restorers, healers, rescuers; they bridge night to day and carry beings across perilous transitions.
Inner power
Rapid, practical grace: the power that converts aspiration into effective help—harmonising mind, life-force, and body so illumination can be lived.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvina śastra/stotra contexts in Soma-yajña cycles (general Aśvin invocation)
नास॑त्याभ्यां ब॒र्हिरि॑व॒ प्र वृ॑ञ्जे॒ स्तोमाँ॑ इयर्म्य॒भ्रिये॑व॒ वात॑: । यावर्भ॑गाय विम॒दाय॑ जा॒यां से॑ना॒जुवा॑ न्यू॒हतू॒ रथे॑न ॥
नास॑त्याभ्याम् । ब॒र्हिःऽइ॑व । प्र । वृ॒ञ्जे॒ । स्तोमा॑न् । इ॒य॒र्मि॒ । अ॒भ्रिया॑ऽइव । वातः॑ । यौ । अर्भ॑गाय । वि॒ऽम॒दाय॑ । जा॒याम् । से॒ना॒ऽजुवा॑ । नि॒ऽऊ॒हतुः॑ । रथे॑न ॥
nāsatyābhyām | barhiḥ-iva | pra | vṛñje | stomān | iyarmi | abhriyāiva | vātaḥ | yau | arbhagāya | vi-madāya | jāyām | senājuvā | ni-ūhatuḥ | rathena
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, martial yet spacious cadence; suited to invocation and movement.
Builds momentum of aspiration; the 11-syllable beat supports a steady inner ‘advance’ and a confident call for swift aid.
- नासत्याभ्याम् (nāsatyābhyām)
- Literal: to/for the Nāsatyas (Aśvins). Symbolic: the twin divine helpers: swift illumining mind and harmonising vital-physical energies
- बर्हिः (barhiḥ)
- Literal: sacrificial grass/seat. Symbolic: inner receptivity; the prepared field of consciousness for the descent
- स्तोमान् (stomān)
- Literal: hymns/affirmations. Symbolic: aspiration, mantra-force, upward call that shapes inner movement
- वातः (vātaḥ)
- Literal: wind. Symbolic: prāṇa/impulsion of life-force that drives transformation
- अभ्रि (abhri/abhra)
- Literal: cloud. Symbolic: mental-vital obscurity that can be moved to release light
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: integrated dynamic movement of the yoga; coordinated powers carrying consciousness
- जाया (jāyā)
- Literal: bride/wife. Symbolic: the wedded union of soul with its delight/right companion power (ānanda + śakti in harmony)
Aśvin praise in soma rituals (Aśvina-śastra/stotra contexts broadly); also apt for healing/protection invocations seeking swift aid.
Invocations for the Aśvins, especially in morning or transitional offerings; also as general aid-bringing praise.
Spreading barhis, offering and recitation to invite the deities’ arrival by chariot.
Use as a morning invocation for harmonising mind-life-body and for invoking ‘right companionship’ (inner alignment) before work, travel, or major decisions.
nāsatya- traditionally ‘not untrue’ (na + asatya) → powers of unfailing right-arrival/help. barhis as prepared seat symbolizes receptivity. √īr ‘to set in motion’ (iyarmi) foregrounds inspired speech as dynamic force. vāta ‘wind’ (PIE *h₂weh₁- ‘blow’) links breath/impulse. senā-jū ‘impelling the host’ from √ju ‘hasten/impel’ → the Aśvins marshal energies in the seeker. ni-√uh ‘carry down/bring’ expresses descent of help into embodied life.
descent of help (avataraṇa motif), right union/wholeness (symbolized by ‘bride’), inspired speech as force (stoma)
The Aśvins restore ṛta by re-linking the human movement to divine timing and right relation.
True union (jāyā as right partner) implies alignment with the soul’s truth rather than desire’s substitutions.
Dawn-like emergence: movement of obscurity (cloud) by the wind of life so light can manifest.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: descent of higher powers into mind-life for transformation.
dawn / early morning (Aśvin atmosphere)
Preparation of the inner field, stirring of obscurity by prāṇic impulse, and swift integrative movement toward illumination and delight.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Aśvins as bringers of the ‘bride’—a motif of restoration and right joining (often social/mythic, here read inwardly as the joining of the seeker with a completing power of delight/right relation). The chariot signifies rapid divine intervention.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vā́taḥ ‘wind’ and rátha ‘chariot’ belong to widespread Indo-European poetic vocabulary (chariot as divine vehicle; wind as driving force). The twin-god structure (Aśvins) resonates with Indo-European divine twins myth-patterns.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi prepares a ‘seat’ of hymn (barhis-iva) and sets the stoma in motion; the Aśvins respond by bringing aid. Reciprocity: inspired offering creates receptivity; the twins deliver swift, practical transformation—right union and forward movement in life.
Invoke the ‘twin helpers’ to harmonise thought and life-force; contemplate the inner seat (barhis) as quiet receptivity.
anahata (harmonising union)
nāḍī-śodhana or gentle equal breathing to ‘move the cloud’ without strain
transition from restless mind to receptive clarity
Begin with 3 slow repetitions, feeling the chest-area widen (barhis). On each exhale, release obscurity (abhra); on inhale, invite swift help (Aśvins) to unite aspiration with delight and right power.
Vedic accenting with udatta on marked syllables, svarita where applicable; maintain continuity across caesura in triṣṭubh.
Lift the voice slightly on udatta-marked syllables (e.g., nāsatyā́bhyām, stómān̐); let anudatta remain low; allow svarita to glide down.
Keep retroflex distinction: ṇ in vṛñje; ṭ/ḍ if encountered in recitation tradition., Anusvāra in stomām̐: nasalize lightly before following consonant., Maintain long vowels: ā in nāsatyābhyām, jāyāṃ; do not shorten., Cluster clarity: nyūhatū (ny-ū-ha-tū) with clean y glide.
clear, inviting, slightly bright (dawn-quality)
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