Rig Veda 1.116.21: Mandala 1, Sukta 116, Mantra 21

Sukta 1.116

Rishi

Dīrghatamas Āucathya

Devata

Aśvinau with Indra as supporting power

Chandas

Triṣṭubh

Rasa

Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

एकस्या वस्तोरावतं रणाय वशमश्विना सनये सहस्रा । निरहतं दुच्छुना इन्द्रवन्ता पृथुश्रवसो वृषणावरातीः ॥

Recitation with translationRig Veda 1.116.21

Transliteration

ékasyā vástor ā́vataṁ ráṇāya váśam aśvinā sanáye sahásrā | nír ahataṁ ducchúnā índravantā pṛthúśravasaḥ vṛṣaṇāv arā́tīḥ ||

Translation

एक ही सुबह अश्विन भाइयों ने वश को जीता था। यह लड़ाई जीतने के लिए हुआ था, हज़ारों चीज़ें पाने के लिए। बुरा वक़्त भगाया, इंद्र की ताकत साथ थी। दोनों बड़े बलवान थे, पृथुश्रवस के दुश्मनों को हटा दिया।

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Word by Word

एकस्याः

of one (woman)Adjective/Pronoun · स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation) · Root एक (प्रातिपदिक)

वस्तोः

of the dwelling / of the nightNoun · स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation) · Root वस्तु/वस्तु- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘dwelling, house; night’)

आवतम्

help, aidNoun · नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म · Root अव (धातु) → अवत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक ‘help, protection’)

रणाय

for battleNoun · पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान · Root रण (प्रातिपदिक)

वशम्

control, masteryNoun · पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म · Root वश (प्रातिपदिक ‘will, control; power’)

अश्विना

O AśvinsNoun (dual deity name) · पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, द्विवचन (Vedic: form used for address)Role सम्बोधन · Root अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)

सनये

for winning, for gainNoun · स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान · Root सनि (प्रातिपदिक ‘gain, winning’) / √सन् ‘to win, obtain’

सहस्रा

thousandsNoun/Adjective (numeral) · नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Vedic: ‘thousands’ as object)Role कर्म · Root सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)

निः

out, forthIndeclinable · अव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण · Root निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

अहतम्

you two struck down / removedVerb (participial predicate) · कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; here with dual subject ‘अश्विना’ as finite-like predicate: ‘you two struck/removed’Role क्रिया · Root √हन् (धातु) with preverb नि- → नि-हन्; past passive participle ‘हत’

दुच्छुनाः

misfortunes, evil afflictionsNoun · स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म · Root दुच्छुना (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ill-omen, misfortune, evil condition’)

इन्द्रवन्ता

having Indra (as ally), Indra-possessingAdjective · पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (qualifying the Aśvins)Role विशेषण (कर्तृसम्बन्धी) · Root इन्द्र-वन्त (बहुव्रीहि/तद्धित ‘having Indra’)

पृथुश्रवसोः

of PṛthuśravasProper Noun (patronymic/epithet) · पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध · Root पृथु-श्रवस् (बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय; name/epithet)

वृषणौ

you two vigorous onesNoun/Adjective · पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (address/predicate of the Aśvins)Role कर्तृ/सम्बोधन (contextual) · Root वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक ‘bull; vigorous one’)

अरातीः

hostilities, harms (enemy-attacks)Noun · स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म · Root अराति (प्रातिपदिक ‘harm, hostility; enemy’)

Sandhi Notes

• Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): एकस्याः + वस्तोः (genitive chain) + आवतम्
• रणा॑य
• वशम् + अश्विना (voc./dual)
• सनये
• सहस्रा. Second hemistich: निः + अहतम् (niḥ + ahatam)
• दुच्छुनाः
• इन्द्रवन्ता
• पृथुश्रवसो + वृषणौ + अरातीः. Accent marks retained as in Saṃhitā
• pada-forms given without re-accenting

The meaning

Outer meaning

In one dawn, the Aśvins brought Vaśa for victory in battle and the gaining of a thousand; with Indra’s power they drove away evil distress and removed hostile forces from Pṛthuśravas.

Inner meaning

In a single moment of awakening (one “dawn”), the twin divine healers (Aśvins) restore the soul’s capacity (Vaśa: power of self-mastery/possession) so the inner being can win the battle against confusion and inertia. “A thousand” signifies plenitude of energies/knowledges. With Indra’s luminous force (indra-vantā), they expel ducchunā—deforming, misfortune-bearing vibrations—and break arātīḥ, the hostile movements of division, from the wide-hearing seeker (Pṛthuśravas: broad receptivity to Truth).

Universal truth

A decisive inner awakening can rapidly reorient life: when higher aids join the illumined mind, adverse formations lose their hold and the being regains mastery and abundance.

Themes

swift aid, victory and gain, expulsion of affliction, divine alliance

The seer

Rishi

Dīrghatamas Āucathya

Other hymns

Rig Veda 1.140, Rig Veda 1.141, Rig Veda 1.142, Rig Veda 1.143, Rig Veda 1.144, Rig Veda 1.145, Rig Veda 1.146, Rig Veda 1.147, Rig Veda 1.148, Rig Veda 1.149, Rig Veda 1.150, Rig Veda 1.151, Rig Veda 1.152, Rig Veda 1.153, Rig Veda 1.154, Rig Veda 1.155, Rig Veda 1.156, Rig Veda 1.157, Rig Veda 1.158, Rig Veda 1.159, Rig Veda 1.160, Rig Veda 1.161, Rig Veda 1.162, Rig Veda 1.163, Rig Veda 1.164, Rig Veda 1.165

Family tradition

Āucathya/Angirasa-related seer-line; hymns marked by symbolic vision and inner journey through darkness toward light.

Significance

Dīrghatamas is a paradigmatic seer of transformation: moving from obscurity (“long darkness”) to the revelation of ṛta and the hidden order; his Aśvin hymns emphasize rescue, restoration, and rapid divine intervention in the human journey.

The deity

Devata

Aśvinau (Nāsatyā) with Indra as supporting power

Epithets

Nāsatyā (true, unfailing), Aśvinā (the Horsemen), vṛṣaṇā (mighty/virile), indra-vantā (with Indra)

Related deities

Indra, Uṣas, Agni, Soma

Cosmic role

Twin powers of swift help who bridge night to dawn, heal fractures, restore faculties, and bring the seeker from peril to safety.

Inner power

Rapid harmonizing action in the vital-physical and nervous being; they integrate opposites and prepare the system for Indra’s illuminations.

In ritual

Where it is used

Aśvina-śastra / Aśvin praise within Soma-related recitations (general RV usage; specific śrauta placement varies by śākhā).

Accents and Padapatha

Chandas Analysis

Key Symbols

Ritual Application

Etymology

Philosophical Concepts

Vedic Cosmology

Natural Symbolism

Academic Analysis

Yogic Application

Chanting Notes