Rig Veda 10.143.5: Mandala 10, Sukta 143, Mantra 5
Sukta 10.143
- Rishi
- Kakṣīvant Dairghatamasa
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
युवं भुज्युं समुद्र आ रजसः पार ईङ्खितम् । यातमच्छा पतत्रिभिर्नासत्या सातये कृतम् ॥
yuváṃ bhujyúṃ samudrá ā́ rájasaḥ pāré ī́ṅkhitam | yā́tam ácchā patatríbhir nā́satyā sātáye kṛtám ||
नासत्य देवता, तुम दोनों ने भुज्यु की मदद की। वो समुंदर में फंस गया था, बहुत दूर तक। तुमने उसे पकड़ लिया, जैसे पंख से उड़ के। तुमने उसे जीता और सही जगह पहुंचाया।
Word by Word
- युवम्
- you twoPronounद्वितीया? (न), प्रथमा द्विवचनम् (मध्यमपुरुषः) — ‘you two’Role कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- भुज्युम्
- Bhujyu (a man)Noun (proper name)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot भुज्यु (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
- समुद्रात्
- from the oceanNounपुंलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी एकवचनम्Role अपादानRoot समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, up toIndeclinableउपसर्गः (गत्यर्थे/समन्तात्) — with √यम्/√याRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- रजसः
- of the mid-air/spaceNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पारः
- the far shore, the farther sideNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role अधिकरण (गत्यर्थे लक्ष्य-स्थानम्)Root पार (प्रातिपदिक)
- ईङ्खितम्
- tossed/rocked (about)Participle (past passive)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया एकवचनम् (भुज्युम् इति कर्मणि विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण)Root ईङ्ख् (धातु; चलने/कम्पने) → क्त (कृदन्त)
- यातम्
- go/come (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot या (धातु; गत्यर्थे)
- अच्छा
- hither, towardsIndeclinableअव्ययम् (अभिमुख्ये/प्राप्तौ)Root अच्छा (निपात)
- पतत्रिभिः
- with winged (ones), with birds (i.e., with winged steeds)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot पतत्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नासत्या
- O Nāsatyas (Aśvins)Noun (dual epithet/proper)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन द्विवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot नासत्य (प्रातिपदिक; अश्विनौ)
- सातये
- for winning, for gain/successNoun (purpose-dative)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदान (प्रयोजनम्)Root साति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘winning, gain’) / √सन् (to win) (निष्पन्नार्थः)
- कृतम्
- done, made, accomplishedParticiple (past passive)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; अत्र ‘(एतत्) कृतम्’ इति—कर्मणि/भावेRole क्रियाविशेषण/विधेयRoot कृ (धातु; करण) → क्त (कृदन्त)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: युवम् | भुज्युम् | समुद्रात् | आ | रजसः | पारः | ईङ्खितम् || यातम् | अच्छा | पतत्रिभिः | नासत्या | सातये | कृतम् || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) समुद्र आ → समुद्रात् आ (त्-आगमः/पदविभागे पञ्चमी ‘समुद्रात्’)
- (2) पार ईङ्खितम् → पारः ईङ्खितम् (विसर्ग-सन्धिः)
- (3) यातम् अच्छा → यातम् अच्छाऽ (व्यवहारे संधिः; पदपाठे पृथक्)
- (4) पतत्रिभिः नासत्या → पतत्रिभिर्नासत्या (र् + न)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Aśvins (Nāsatyas) come to rescue Bhujyu, who is being tossed in the ocean at the far shore of the midspace, reaching him with winged means made for victory and safe arrival.
Inner meaning
The twin powers of right movement and right discernment (Aśvins) hasten to the seeker-soul (Bhujyu) when consciousness is thrown into the vast, unstable subconscient-vital “ocean.” Even when one is at the “far shore” of rajasaḥ—beyond the familiar field of the restless middle-world (rajas: life-force/mind-force)—the Aśvins bring swift upliftment through “winged powers”: higher impulsions and intuitive faculties that can carry the being over the flood of confusion into security (sātaye).
Universal truth
When the inner being is overwhelmed by the turbulence of life and mind, a higher twin aid—clarity plus effective force—can arrive suddenly. True rescue is not mere escape but a guided crossing: the transformation of peril into a victorious attainment through higher faculties.
Themes
Bhujyu rescue, Aśvins as saviors, ocean-crossing, swift divine means (patatri)
The seer
- Rishi
- Kakṣīvant Dairghatamasa (probable)
- Lineage
- Dīrghatamas/Aṅgirasa line (traditional association; attribution in late Maṇḍala context is debated)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.18, RV 1.19, RV 1.116–1.120 (Aśvin rescue cycle, thematic parallels)
Family tradition
Kakṣīvant is linked with seer-poetry that often blends heroic legend with inner ascent motifs; the Dīrghatamas stream is associated with symbolic cosmology and the recovery of light.
Significance
As a seer-voice, Kakṣīvant represents the poetic intelligence that turns event into revelation: outer rescue becomes a paradigm for inner deliverance by higher powers.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- Nāsatyā, divó napātā (often associated in Aśvin hymns as youthful powers), suvṛktī (well-invoked, contextual)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Indra, Sarasvatī
Cosmic role
Divine physicians and swift rescuers; they intervene at critical thresholds and restore right functioning, bridging night-to-dawn transitions.
Inner power
The paired force of intuitive discernment and effective executive will; rapid harmonization that converts crisis into progress.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin invocation in Soma-related or dawn-adjacent recitations; also suitable for āśvina praise sequences
यु॒वं भु॒ज्युं स॑मु॒द्र आ रज॑सः पा॒र ई॑ङ्खि॒तम् । या॒तमच्छा॑ पत॒त्रिभि॒र्नास॑त्या सा॒तये॑ कृतम् ॥
यु॒वम् । भु॒ज्युम् । स॒मु॒द्रे । आ । रज॑सः । पा॒रे । ई॒ङ्खि॒तम् । या॒तम् । अच्छ॑ । प॒त॒त्रिऽभिः॑ । नास॑त्या । सा॒तये॑ । कृ॒त॒म् ॥
yuvam | bhujyum | samudre | ā | rajasaḥ | pāre | īṅkhitam | yātam | accha | patatri-bhiḥ | nāsatyā | sātaye | kṛtam
Likely Triṣṭubh (probable for narrative Aśvin verses)
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables (approx.)
Forward-driving, wave-like cadence suitable for a ‘crossing’ and ‘arrival’ motif.
Builds urgency then release—supports a felt sense of being carried over inner turbulence into steadiness.
- नासत्या (nāsatyā)
- Literal: the Nāsatyas, Aśvin twins. Symbolic: twin divine helpers: swift right action + luminous right perception; harmonizers and healers of the journey
- भुज्यु (bhujyu)
- Literal: Bhujyu (a rescued figure). Symbolic: the seeker-soul or embodied consciousness cast into peril; the part that needs saving from the flood
- समुद्र (samudra)
- Literal: ocean/sea. Symbolic: vast subconscient or undifferentiated vital field; overwhelming waves of desire/fear/confusion
- रजसः पार (rajasaḥ pāra)
- Literal: far shore of the midspace (rajas). Symbolic: limit of the restless middle world (life-mind); the boundary beyond habitual consciousness
- ईङ्खितम् (īṅkhitam)
- Literal: tossed, shaken. Symbolic: inner instability; oscillation of the vital-mind under pressure
- पतत्रिभिः (patatribhiḥ)
- Literal: with winged ones/powers. Symbolic: winged faculties—intuitions, inspired will-forces, swift prāṇic currents uplifted by higher mind
- सातये (sātaye)
- Literal: for winning, attainment, safety. Symbolic: secure arriving in the truth; effective realization (siddhi) rather than temporary relief
Rescue motif frequently invoked for protection in journeys and (peril) situations; ritually, a prayer for deliverance and successful attainment (sāti) in undertakings.
Often in morning pressing/dawn invocations or as part of Aśvin laud in soma-yajña contexts
Calling the Aśvins to ‘come’ (yātam) and bring aid/protection; accompaniment to offerings and stotra recitation
Used as a protective/aid mantra in times of mental overwhelm, travel, illness recovery, or major life transitions—meditating on ‘crossing the ocean’ with higher help.
(sam-udrá-) 'gathered waters' (sam- + udra): vastness of collected movements; psychologically the subconscient deep. (īṅkh-) 'to sway, totter': instability. (patatrí-) from √pat (fly): winged means—swift powers/instruments. (nā́satyá-) often linked to 'not untrue' (na + asatya) or a title of saving truthfulness: the Aśvins as reliable rescuers. (sātí-) from √san (to win, gain): attainment/victory in the journey.
deliverance from the subconscient deep, transition across the intermediate region (rajas), victory/attainment (sāti)
Rescue is not arbitrary: it is the restoring of right movement across the mid-world (rajas) into ordered progression.
The Nāsatyas embody ‘non-false’ action—aid that leads to real attainment (sāti).
Crossing from chaotic waters to stable shore echoes emergence of order from the waters (āpas) through higher powers.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): ascent from vital-sea to illumined stability via divine agencies.
dawn-adjacent (Aśvin association)
Ocean = subconscient/vital flood; midspace = life-mind field; wings = supramental/intuitive lift that carries consciousness beyond oscillation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The famous Bhujyu-rescue myth: the Aśvins save one cast in the ocean, reaching him with 'winged' means. In inner terms, the divine twins retrieve the endangered soul from the tossing subconscient and carry it toward successful attainment.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √pat 'fly' is an old IE root (PIE *pet-; cf. Lat. petō 'seek/aim' is divergent but PIE *pet- 'fly' appears in various branches; Indo-Iranian preserves flight forms). The sea/ocean crossing as a heroic rescue motif is widespread in Indo-European narrative, here embedded in liturgical diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi cites the paradigmatic saving act to secure present help: remembrance (smṛti) becomes invocation. The devatā is approached as the reliably true rescuer (Nāsatyā), whose instruments (patatri) are effective powers responding to human peril.
Invoke the ‘twin help’—clarity (buddhi/intuition) and force (will/prāṇa)—to cross a present turbulence without suppression.
anahata (support and protection) and ajna (clear seeing)
Nadi-śodhana or 4-4-6 breathing while visualizing being carried over waves by ‘winged’ light-forces.
From rajasic agitation toward sattvic steadiness and intuitive guidance.
When overwhelmed, do not wrestle the ocean; call the higher aid, consent to be carried, and hold the intention of sāti (secure attainment), not mere relief.
Use standard Rigvedic accenting: observe udātta on marked syllables, anudātta in unmarked, svarita following udātta; exact pada-svara requires śākala accent text for this verse.
Keep the cadence steady on yuvám…; give clear lift to nā́satyā and sā́taye (where accents occur in recitation tradition).
Hold long vowels: yū- in yuvam (not clipped), pāre (ā), sātaye (ā)., Retroflex ṭ in patatribhiḥ? (here ‘patatribhiḥ’ has dental t; keep it light, not ṭ)., Keep consonant clusters clear: īṅ-khi-tam (ṅ + kh).
Clear, forward-moving, with a slight intensification on ‘yātam acchā’ (the coming).
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