Rig Veda 1.92.17: Mandala 1, Sukta 92, Mantra 17
Sukta 1.92
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
यावित्था श्लोकमा दिवो ज्योतिर्जनाय चक्रथुः । आ न ऊर्जं वहतमश्विना युवम् ॥
yáu itthā́ ślókam ā́ divó jyótir jánāya cakráthuḥ | ā́ na ūrjáṃ vahatam aśvinā yuvám ||
तुम दोनों ने लोगों के लिए ऊपर से रोशनी लाई हो। बधाई और चमक दी है सबको। अश्विन भाई, अब हमारे लिए भी ताकत और खुशी लाओ।
Word by Word
- यावित्था
- as long/so far; thus, in such a wayIndeclinableसमुच्चय/सम्बन्धार्थक अव्यय-समास (यावत् ‘यदा/यावद्’ + इत्था ‘एवं/इत्थम्’)Role Adhikaraṇa (काल/प्रकार-सूचक) / वाक्योपपादकRoot यावत् + इत्था
- श्लोकम्
- hymn; praise-songNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot श्लोक
- आ
- forth; towardsIndeclinable (preverb) / particleउपसर्ग/निपात (आ- ‘towards, forth’)Role (क्रियाविशेषण; गत्यर्थ-सम्बन्ध)Root आ
- दिवः
- from heaven; from the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (दिव्), पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot दिव् (द्यु) / दिव्-प्रातिपदिक ‘दिव्/द्यौः’
- ज्योतिः
- light; radianceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot ज्योतिस्
- जनाय
- for the people; for mankindNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot जन
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक निपातRole (समुच्चय)Root च
- चक्रथुः
- you two have made; you two fashionedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परस्मैपद), मध्यमपुरुष? → वास्तवतः: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपद (Aśvinau as dual subject)Role (क्रिया) — कर्ता: अश्विनौ (अन्तर्निहित) ; कर्म: श्लोकम्, ज्योतिःRoot कृ (करोति)
- आ
- hither; to usIndeclinable (preverb) / particleउपसर्ग/निपात (आ- ‘towards, hither’)Role (क्रियाविशेषण)Root आ
- नः
- for us; ourPronounषष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (enclitic) — ‘of us/our’Role Sampradāna/सम्बन्ध (हित-सम्बन्ध)Root अस्मद्
- ऊर्जम्
- strength; nourishment; vigorNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot ऊर्ज्
- वहतम्
- carry; bring (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया) — कर्ता: अश्विनौ; कर्म: ऊर्जम्Root वह्
- अश्विना
- O Aśvins (you two horsemen-gods)Noun (divine dual name)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा द्विवचन-रूप (Vedic vocative/nom. dual used in address)Role SambodhanaRoot अश्विन्
- युवम्
- you twoPronounप्रथमा विभक्ति, द्विवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद्
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: (1) श्लोक॒मा → श्लोकम् + आ (anusvāra before vowel; pada-sandhi). (2) ज्योति॒र्जना॑य → ज्योतिः + जनाय (visarga before voiced consonant → r). (3) च॒क्रथु॑: → चक्रथुः (visarga notation). (4) न॒ ऊर्जं॑ → नः + ऊर्जम् (enclitic नः before vowel; often written as न). (5) वहतमश्विना → वहतम् + अश्विना (final m + initial a). Accent marks are retained as in Saṃhitā
- pada-forms shown without explicit accent marking
The meaning
Outer meaning
You two (Aśvins) who have fashioned for mankind the luminous fame/renown, the light from heaven—bring to us also nourishment and strength-delight, O Aśvins.
Inner meaning
The Aśvins are recognized as creators of ‘śloka’—the luminous utterance/renown that spreads light among human beings; and as bringers of ‘divo jyotiḥ’—heaven’s light, higher illumination into the mind. The seeker asks not only for light but for ‘ūrj’—the sustaining sap: strength, nourishment, and delight that makes the illumination stable and livable in the embodied life.
Universal truth
True progress needs both illumination and nourishment: light to see, and sustaining force to live the truth in action.
Themes
Twin helpers, Light for mankind, Nourishing force
The seer
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.92.16, RV 1.92.18
Family tradition
Gotama hymns often move from dawning illumination to the descent of sustaining powers that make the light effective in life.
Significance
Balances revelation (jyotiḥ, śloka) with embodiment (ūrj): a key yogic demand that knowledge must be supported by force and delight.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- yuvam (you twain, youthful)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sarasvatī (inspired speech, conceptual proximity), Soma (delight)
Cosmic role
Bringers of dawn-aid, inspirers of luminous expression, restorers of vitality.
Inner power
They convert illumination into workable life-force; they ‘heal’ the gap between seeing and doing.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin praise and request within dawn sequence; soma context nearby in the hymn cycle
यावि॒त्था श्लोक॒मा दि॒वो ज्योति॒र्जना॑य च॒क्रथु॑: । आ न॒ ऊर्जं॑ वहतमश्विना यु॒वम् ॥
यौ । इ॒त्था । श्लोक॑म् । आ । दि॒वः । ज्योतिः॑ । जना॑य । च॒क्रथु॑ह् । आ । नः॒ । ऊर्ज॑म् । व॒ह॒त॒म् । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । यु॒वम् ॥
yau | itthā | ślokam | ā | divaḥ | jyotiḥ | janāya | cakrathuh | ā | naḥ | ūrjam | vahatam | aśvinā | yuvam
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Elevated and declarative in first half; turns supplicatory in second.
First inspires uplift (heaven-light), then grounds it into the body through a felt request for ūrj.
- श्लोकम् (ślokam)
- Literal: fame, renown; luminous utterance. Symbolic: Inspired word/vision that carries light; the mantra-power that reveals
- दिवः ज्योतिः (divaḥ jyotiḥ)
- Literal: light of heaven. Symbolic: Higher mental/supramental illumination descending into the human mind
- ऊर्जम् (ūrjam)
- Literal: sap, nourishment, strength. Symbolic: Sustaining energy and delight that consolidates realization
- वहतम् (vahatam)
- Literal: carry, bring. Symbolic: Make the higher powers operative within the embodied nature
- अश्विना युवम् (aśvinā yuvam)
- Literal: you two Aśvins. Symbolic: Dual power acting in harmony—swift help in both knowledge and life
Aśvin invitation for soma and for bestowal of ūrj (strength); aligns with their role as restorers and bringers of vitality at the beginning of the day.
Morning recitation; when seeking both inspiration and strength.
Stuti (praise) followed by yācñā (request).
Use when feeling inspired but depleted: ask for sustaining energy to embody insight.
√kṛ (make) frames the Aśvins as creators/establishers of ‘heavenly light’ in human life—mythically benefactors, psychologically builders of capacities. ūrj- denotes sap/strength (nourishing essence), not mere food: an inner sustaining delight-power that supports growth after illumination.
descent of jyotis (light) into the human, ūrj as sustaining essence after awakening, śloka as inspired speech/manifestation
Heaven-light establishes right perception; ūrj establishes right functioning—together they manifest ṛta in life.
‘Light from heaven’ as truth-illumination rather than sensory brightness.
Descent of light into humanity; formation of inspired speech as a creative act.
Mantra-psychology: śloka as inspired revelation; jyotiḥ as higher consciousness.
dawn (implied)
A higher clarity descending, followed by the ‘sap’ that nourishes nerves, heart, and will so the light can be lived.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Aśvins as benefactors who ‘made’ heavenly light for humanity and now are asked to bring ūrj. Innerly, after revelation comes the need for sustaining essence—vital strength that can carry the new consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √kṛ continues PIE *kwer-/*ker- ‘do, make’ (broad IE action root). ūrj- relates to Indo-Iranian vitality terms (Avestan cognate fields for strength/nourishment). √vah ‘carry’ again shows inherited IE transport metaphor for divine gifts.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi grounds his request in precedent: ‘you who have already done this for mankind’. This establishes entitlement through shared cosmic work—invocation becomes a claim upon the gods’ known beneficence.
Receive descending light; then consciously draw in ‘ūrj’ as a nourishing delight in the cells.
ajna (light) to manipura (strength) integration
Inhale imagining a white-gold descent from above the head; exhale spreading warmth (ūrj) through the torso.
Illumined receptivity with embodied consolidation.
After chanting, sit 2–3 minutes: feel a quiet brightness above, and a steady, sweet strength in the solar plexus/heart—light supported by sap.
Tri-svara; emphasize the lift on ‘jyotiḥ’ and the request phrase ‘ā na ūrjam’.
Keep ‘divo jyotiḥ’ connected (do not over-separate); make ‘ūrjam’ full and resonant.
/ (yau): clear diphthong, (itthā): doubled tth cluster, (jyotiḥ): jyo glide, final ḥ light, (cakrathuḥ): aspirated th, (ūrjam): long ū; rj cluster crisp
Luminous on first half, warmer and fuller on ‘ūrjam’.
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