Rig Veda 10.41.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 41, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.41
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
प्रातर्युजं नासत्याधि तिष्ठथः प्रातर्यावाणं मधुवाहनं रथम् । विशो येन गच्छथो यज्वरीर्नरा कीरेश्चिद्यज्ञं होतृमन्तमश्विना ॥
prātar-yújaṃ nāsatyā́dhi tiṣṭhathaḥ prātar-yā́vāṇaṃ madhu-vā́hanaṃ rátham | víśo yéna gácchatho yájvarīr narā kīréś cid yajñáṃ hótṛ-mantam aśvinā ||
अश्विन भाइयों, सुबह जल्दी आ जाओ। अपना रथ लाओ जिसमें मीठा रस है। लोगों के पास जाओ, जो भगवान को पूजा करते हैं उनके पास भी जाओ। जो लोग भजन करते हैं, उनकी पूजा को भी अच्छा बना दो।
Word by Word
- प्रातर्
- in the morningIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्यय (समयः: प्रातः)Role Adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)Root प्रातर् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) < प्रातः
- युजम्
- yoked, harnessedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (विशेष्य: रथम्/अश्विनौ प्रति ‘युक्तम्’)Root युज् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘युज्’ = युक्त/योजित) < √युज् (युजँ योगे)
- नासत्या
- O Nāsatyas (Aśvins)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole (सम्बोधन) —Root नासत्य (प्रातिपदिक; अश्विनोः नाम)
- अधि
- upon, onIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय; ‘ऊपर/अधिष्ठान’ अर्थेRole Adhikaraṇa (स्थानाधिकरण; तिष्ठथः इत्यस्य)Root अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तिष्ठथः
- you two stand / mountVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचनRole Kartā (कर्ता: नासत्या)Root √स्था (ष्ठा गतिनिवृत्तौ/स्थितौ) + ति (लट्)
- प्रातर्
- in the morningIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)Root प्रातर् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) < प्रातः
- यावाणम्
- swift-goingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (विशेष्य: रथम्)Root यावाण (प्रातिपदिक; ‘यावन्/याव’ से; शीघ्रगामी/यातृ-भाव)
- मधुवाहनम्
- honey-bearing / sweetness-bearingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (विशेष्य: रथम्)Root मधु + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक; वाहन < √वह (वहँ प्रापणे/वहने))
- रथम्
- chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (तिष्ठथः/गच्छथोः इत्यस्य गन्तव्य/आरोह्य-वस्तु)Root रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- विशः
- the clans / peoplesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (कर्ता: गच्छथोः—‘जनाः/विशः’ as those reached/visited; Vedic usage allows quasi-object sense)Root विश् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘जनाः/प्रजाः/कुलानि’)
- येन
- by which (means)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole Karaṇa (करण: ‘येन’ = ‘जिससे/जिसके द्वारा’)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- गच्छथो
- you two goVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचनRole Kartā (कर्ता: नरा/अश्विना)Root √गम् (गमॢँ गतौ) + ति (लट्)
- यज्वरीः
- the sacrificing womenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole Karma (गच्छथोः—‘whom you go to/visit’)Root यज्वरि (प्रातिपदिक; यज्- ‘यज्ञकर्त्री’) < √यज् (यजँ देवपूजासंगतिकरणदानेषु)
- नरा
- O two men (Aśvins)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole (सम्बोधन) —Root नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- कीरेः
- of the singer/poetNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध: ‘of the singer/poet’)Root कीरि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्तुतिकार/कवि/गायक’)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableनिपातRoot चित् (अव्यय; ‘अपि/एव’)
- यज्ञम्
- sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (गच्छथोः—‘to/for the sacrifice’ in Vedic object-of-motion sense)Root यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) < √यज्
- होतृमन्तम्
- having a Hotṛ-priestAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (विशेष्य: यज्ञम्)Root होतृ + मन्त (प्रातिपदिक; होतृ < √हु (हु दाने/आह्वाने), मन्त = ‘युक्त/सम्पन्न’)
- अश्विना
- O AśvinsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole (सम्बोधन) —Root अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक; अश्विनौ)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: प्रातर् | युजम् | नासत्या | अधि | तिष्ठथः | प्रातर् | यावाणम् | मधुवाहनम् | रथम् | विशः | येन | गच्छथो | यज्वरीः | नरा | कीरेः | चित् | यज्ञम् | होतृमन्तम् | अश्विना । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) प्रातर्युजम् = प्रातर् + युजम् (रेफ् + य-आरम्भ)
- (2) नासत्याधि = नासत्या + अधि (आ + अ → आ)
- (3) प्रातर्यावाणम् = प्रातर् + यावाणम्
- (4) मधुवाहनं रथम्: पदान्त-अनुस्वार/नासिक्य-लोप/पुनरुद्धार पादपाठे ‘मधुवाहनम् रथम्’
- (5) कीरेश्चित् = कीरेः + चित् (ः + च → श्च)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Nāsatyas, mount at dawn the yoke ready for early joining; mount the honey-bearing chariot that comes at dawn. By it you move among peoples and ardent offerers; even for the singer you make the sacrifice rich in the power of the invoking Word.
Inner meaning
At the moment of awakening (prātar), the Aśvins are asked to take up the ‘yoke’—the disciplined linkage of energies—so their help becomes operative early, before the day’s inertia forms. The chariot is ‘madhuvāhana’—carrying honey: the sweetness of conscious delight that makes effort sustainable. Moving among ‘peoples’ means they can work through all parts of the being, not only the mind. They enrich the ‘yajña’ with ‘hotṛmant’—the power of the invoking Word: mantra-force that calls, organizes, and offers. Even the ‘kīra’ (singer) is granted a sacrifice filled with effective speech-power, not mere poetry.
Universal truth
Begin early: when we yoke our energies at the start, divine help can circulate through all parts of life and make our actions an offering empowered by truthful speech.
Themes
Dawn-invocation, Aśvins as healers/helpers, Inner sacrifice (yajña) empowered by inspired word
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.41.1-3
Significance
Emphasizes prātah-sādhana (morning practice): the Aśvin help is most effective when the being is freshly yoked and delight-bearing, and when speech becomes an instrument of offering.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- नासत्या (nāsatyā), नरा (narā) strong ones, मधुवाहन-रथ-यात्री (riders of the honey-bearing chariot)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Soma, Agni
Cosmic role
Bringers of swift aid at transitions (especially dawn); they connect higher help to human activity.
Inner power
Morning alignment of prāṇa and mind; infusion of delight; empowerment of mantra/speech to make life an effective yajña.
In ritual
Where it is used
Morning Aśvin invocation; connected to early rites and movement among offerers
प्रा॒त॒र्युजं॑ नास॒त्याधि॑ तिष्ठथः प्रात॒र्यावा॑णं मधु॒वाह॑नं॒ रथ॑म् । विशो॒ येन॒ गच्छ॑थो॒ यज्व॑रीर्नरा की॒रेश्चि॑द्य॒ज्ञं होतृ॑मन्तमश्विना ॥
प्रा॒तः॒ऽयुज॑म् । ना॒स॒त्या॒ । अधि॑ । ति॒ष्ठ॒थः॒ । प्रा॒तः॒ऽयावा॑नम् । म॒धु॒ऽवाह॑नम् । रथ॑म् । विशः॑ । येन॑ । गच्छ॑तः । यज्व॑रीः । न॒रा॒ । की॒रेः । चि॒त् । य॒ज्ञम् । होतृ॑ऽमन्तम् । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ ॥
prātaḥ-yujam | nāsatyā | adhi | tiṣṭhathaḥ | prātaḥ-yāvānam | madhu-vāhanam | ratham | viśaḥ | yena | gacchataḥ | yajvarīḥ | narā | kīreḥ | cit | yajñam | hotṛ-mantam | aśvinā
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Brisk, morning-forward; clear imperatives (‘adhi tiṣṭhathaḥ’).
Energizes and aligns; supports a ‘ready-to-act’ clarity with sweetness rather than strain.
- प्रातर्युज (prātaryuja)
- Literal: yoked in the morning. Symbolic: early discipline that aligns energies before dispersion
- नासत्या (nāsatyā)
- Literal: the true ones. Symbolic: powers of truth-in-action; effective rightness
- मधुवाहन (madhuvāhana)
- Literal: honey-bearing. Symbolic: delight that carries and sweetens the path of effort
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: dynamic movement of divine aid through the nature
- विशः (viśaḥ)
- Literal: peoples. Symbolic: multiple inner communities: thoughts, impulses, habits
- यज्वरीः (yajvarīḥ)
- Literal: ardent sacrificers. Symbolic: parts of the being that aspire and offer themselves
- होतृमन्त (hotṛmant)
- Literal: possessing the Hotṛ (invoker). Symbolic: filled with mantra-power: the effective calling Word
Aśvina-related dawn invocations; suitable to prātar-savana (morning pressing) context in Soma ritual as an inner ‘opening’ to illumination (psychological dawn).
At dawn; before beginning work/ritual; in Aśvin-prayer sequences
Āvāhana and request to ride the chariot to the sacrificers; strengthening the Hotṛ function
Morning routine mantra: align breath and intention; dedicate the day’s actions as yajña with truthful speech.
Key terms: prātar ‘at dawn’ (pra- + √tar ‘cross/overcome’ > opening/crossing into light); yuj ‘yoke’ from √yuj ‘join, harness’ (joining powers to the work); nāsatyā (traditionally ‘not untrue’ na + asatya, or connected with *nas- ‘save/return’ in Indo-Iranian comparisons—functionally ‘unfailing helpers’); madhu from √mad ‘to be glad, intoxicate’ → sweetness/rapture (delight as essence of truth); ratha ‘chariot’ (vehicle/ordered motion); yajña from √yaj ‘to worship, sacrifice’ → consecrated exchange; hotṛ from √hu ‘to invoke’ + agentive -tṛ → the summoning will/word; kīr from √kīr/√kir ‘to praise, proclaim’ → inspired utterance.
ṛta as right ordering of movement (yoking/going rightly), madhu as ānanda (delight) supporting truth-consciousness
Yoking at dawn establishes right order for the day’s movement.
Truth-in-action expressed as speech that invokes and organizes.
Dawn as daily re-creation; delight as the sap that carries evolution.
Integral yoga reading: ānanda supports tapas; mantra (vak) as creative power.
dawn
Honey = ānanda; yoke = disciplined linkage of faculties; chariot = coordinated movement of energies; dawn = opening of awareness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Dawn Arrival of the Twin Riders’: the Aśvins mount the honey-bearing chariot at dawn and traverse the peoples/offerers. Mythically it is the epiphany of the divine helpers at the liminal hour; psychologically it is the descent of swift harmonizing forces at the moment consciousness opens to light, making the inner yajña effective through awakened invocation (hotṛ-mant).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yuj ‘yoke/join’ continues PIE *yeug- (cf. Latin iugum, English yoke), marking the joining of forces; hotṛ from √hu ‘invoke’ aligns with PIE *ǵʰewH- ‘pour/libate’ (semantic field of offering/invocation in Indo-Iranian ritual speech); ratha ‘chariot’ corresponds to the Indo-European chariot-poetics complex (movement/vehicle imagery) though direct cognation varies by branch.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Reciprocity is framed as: the singer’s kīr (inspired utterance) and yajña (self-offering) invite the Aśvins; in return, the Aśvins ‘make the sacrifice hotṛ-mant’—they increase the effective calling power within the practitioner, i.e., they intensify the inner priesthood (invoking will) so the exchange with the gods becomes ordered and fruitful in ṛta.
Morning yoking: align intention, breath, and speech; invite delight to carry effort.
Maṇipūra (will/drive) supported by Viśuddha (truthful speech)
3 minutes kapalabhāti (gentle) or if unsuitable, brisk diaphragmatic breathing; then chant in a steady rhythm
From tamas to sattvic dynamism with sweetness
Before speaking to anyone in the morning, chant once; set a vow: ‘my speech today will be hotṛ—invoking the best and offering the rest’.
Rigvedic three-tone; emphasize prātar- (morning) phrases with a light lift; keep flow on long compounds.
Make the two imperatives clear: ‘adhi tiṣṭhathaḥ’ and ‘gacchathaḥ’; broaden on ‘yajñaṃ hotṛmantam’.
prātar: long ā; light dental ‘t’, nāsatyā: ‘ty’ cluster crisp; long ā at end, madhuvāhanam: keep ‘dh’ voiced aspirate; long ā in vā, aśvinā: final long ā; avoid nasalizing ‘śv’
Bright, energized, slightly forward resonance
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
