Rig Veda 4.44.3: Mandala 4, Sukta 44, Mantra 3
Sukta 4.44
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
को वामद्या करते रातहव्य ऊतये वा सुतपेयाय वार्कैः । ऋतस्य वा वनुषे पूर्व्याय नमो येमानो अश्विना ववर्तत् ॥
kó vām adyá karte rātá-havya ūtáye vā suta-peyā́ya vā arkáiḥ | ṛtásya vā vanúṣe pū́rvyāya námo yemā́no aśvinā́ ā́ vavartat ||
आज कौन तुम्हारे लिए यह बनती है, जो तुम्हे चढ़ाई के लिए लाता है? कौन तुमसे मदद माँगता है, या सोम पीता है गानों के साथ? या कौन पुराना धरम का रास्ता ढूंढ़ता है, झुक के आता है, अश्विन?
Word by Word
- कः
- who?Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot क (किम्-प्रातिपदिक) / किम्
- वाम्
- of you two / to you twoPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया, द्विवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘वाम्’)Role सम्प्रदानRoot युष्मद्
- अद्य
- today, nowIndeclinableकाल-अव्ययRole अधिकरणRoot अद्य
- करते
- does, makesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot कृ
- रातहव्यः
- the one who offers the given oblation / the giver of oblationsNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot रात-हव्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘रात’=दत्त, ‘हव्य’=हवनीय/हविः) अथवा कृत्प्रत्यय-समास
- ऊतये
- for help, for aidNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot ऊति (प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक-अव्ययRoot वा
- सुतपेयाय
- for drinking the pressed (soma)Noun (purpose)नपुंसकलिङ्ग (पेयं), चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सुत- पेय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सुत’=सोम-निष्पन्न, ‘पेयं’=पानयोग्य)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक-अव्ययRoot वा
- अर्कैः
- with hymns/songs of praiseNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक-अव्ययRoot वा
- वनुषे
- for the seeker/worshipper (who strives)Noun (agent/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot वन्/वन (धातु: √वन् ‘to win/seek/like’ → ‘वनुष्’ as desiderative/agentive noun in Vedic usage)
- पूर्व्याय
- for the ancient/primeval (one)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन (विशेषणम् ‘वनुषे’/अथवा ‘ऋतस्य’ सम्बन्धे)Role सम्प्रदानRoot पूर्व्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ancient, primeval’)
- नमः
- obeisance, homageNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- येमानः
- offering/holding forth (homage)Verb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्), आत्मनेपद-भाव, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot √यम् (येम्-; Vedic present participle)
- अश्विना
- O Aśvins (you two)Noun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, द्विवचन (Vedic dual for the Aśvins)Role सम्प्रदानRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ववर्तत्
- has turned/has proceeded (towards), has come aboutVerbलिट् (परोक्ष/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot √वृत् (वर्तते/ववर्त)
Sandhi Notes
- संधि-विच्छेद (पदपाठानुसार): को→कः
- वामद्या→वाम् + अद्य
- रातहव्य ऊतये→रातहव्यः + ऊतये (विसर्ग-लोप/संयोग)
- सुतपेयाय वार्कैः→सुतपेयाय + वा + अर्कैः (वा + अर्कैः = वार्कैः)
- ऋतस्य वा→ऋतस्य + वा
- नमो येमानो→नमः + येमानः (विसर्ग-लोप)
- अश्विना ववर्तत्→अश्विना + ववर्तत्
The meaning
Outer meaning
Who today prepares for you the offered oblation—who turns to you for help, or for drinking the pressed Soma with hymns? Or who, seeking the ancient path of Ṛta, comes forward bowing in homage, O Aśvins?
Inner meaning
The question ‘who?’ is a self-inquiry of the seeker: what part of me is truly fit to call the Aśvins? ‘Rātahavya’ is the consciousness that can offer—able to give (rāta) its energies upward as oblation, not hoard them. ‘Sutapeyāya’ points to Soma as inner bliss-essence: the Aśvins are invited to drink the pressed delight, meaning the refined joy released by aspiration and purification. ‘Arkaiḥ’ are mantric formations—vibrations that shape the inner space. The highest approach is ‘ṛtasya vanuṣe pūrvyāya’: seeking the ancient path of right order—aligning thought, life, and will with the timeless truth. ‘Namo yemānaḥ’ is the movement of surrender: the ego bows so the divine helpers can act swiftly.
Universal truth
Divine help responds most fully when we offer ourselves, refine our joy into a pure essence, and align with the ancient law of truth. The right question is not merely ‘will help come?’ but ‘am I becoming the one who can truly approach?’
Themes
invocation-and-qualification, Rita-path, Soma-delight, discipline-and-aid
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.1 (Agni as inner priest), RV 4.23-24 (force and truth themes), RV 4.44.1-2
Family tradition
The Gautama seer tradition often turns ritual questions into inner criteria: who is fit, what is the right approach, what aligns with ṛta.
Significance
This verse is a diagnostic mantra: it tests sincerity (offering), purity (Soma), and alignment (ṛta). It is the seer’s call to become a true adhikārin (fit vessel) for divine aid.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- Aśvinā, helpers (ūtī), Soma-drinkers (sutapeyā)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni (as priest of offering), Indra (as slayer of obstruction), Varuṇa/Mitra (as guardians of ṛta)
Cosmic role
Responders to the call—arriving where aspiration is prepared; they assist the rite and the seeker at the crucial turn toward ṛta.
Inner power
They quicken the transition from seeking to alignment: help, healing, and the capacity to receive bliss without distortion.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin invitation in Soma sacrifice—asking who is the proper preparer and caller; also a formal ‘who will invoke’ motif.
को वा॑म॒द्या क॑रते रा॒तह॑व्य ऊ॒तये॑ वा सुत॒पेया॑य वा॒र्कैः । ऋ॒तस्य॑ वा व॒नुषे॑ पू॒र्व्याय॒ नमो॑ येमा॒नो अ॑श्वि॒ना व॑वर्तत् ॥
कः । वा॒म् । अ॒द्य । का॒र॒ते॒ । रा॒तऽह॑व्यः । ऊ॒तये॑ । वा॒ । सु॒त॒ऽपेया॑य । वा॒ । अ॒र्कैः । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । वा॒ । व॒नुषे॑ । पू॒र्व्याय॑ । नमः॑ । ये॒मा॒नः । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । आ । व॒व॒र्त॒त् ॥
kaḥ | vām | adya | kārate | rāta-havyaḥ | ūtaye | vā | suta-peyāya | vā | arkaiḥ | ṛtasya | vā | vanuṣe | pūrvyāya | namaḥ | yemānaḥ | aśvinā | ā | vavartat
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Interrogative and turning; strong openings (‘ko’) create a searching thrust.
Provokes self-examination; then settles into humility and alignment with ṛta.
- रातहव्यः (rātahavyaḥ)
- Literal: one who has prepared/given the oblation. Symbolic: the offering consciousness; willingness to consecrate energies
- ऊतये (ūtaye)
- Literal: for help, protection. Symbolic: seeking divine intervention for right movement and healing
- सुतपेया (sutapeyā)
- Literal: for drinking the pressed (Soma). Symbolic: invitation to partake of refined bliss-essence in the being
- अर्कैः (arkaiḥ)
- Literal: with hymns. Symbolic: mantric formulations that build inner order
- ऋतस्य (ṛtasya)
- Literal: of Ṛta. Symbolic: truth-law, right order governing ascent
- पूर्व्याय (pūrvyāya)
- Literal: ancient, primordial. Symbolic: timeless path; perennial yoga of alignment
- नमो येमानः (namo yemānaḥ)
- Literal: bearing homage. Symbolic: surrendering egoic claim; receptivity
Invitation to the Aśvins at Soma pressing: identifying the qualified offerer who calls them with arká (hymnic formulation) for ūtí (aid) and Soma participation.
At the beginning of an Aśvin section, to frame eligibility and right approach.
Recitation accompanying offering preparation and Soma pressing; rhetorical questioning to intensify intention.
Use as a reflective prelude to practice: ‘Am I offering? Am I aligned with ṛta? Is my joy purified?’
rātá-havya ‘one whose oblation is given’ (rāta- ‘given’ + havya ‘oblation’). ūtí ‘help’ from √av/√ū? (Vedic ūtí as saving aid; idiomatically ‘succour’). suta-peyā́ya: suta ‘pressed (Soma)’ + peyá ‘drinkable’ (dative purpose). arká ‘hymn/flash’ possibly from √arc ‘to shine, praise’—poetry as luminous utterance. ṛtá from √ar ‘to fit, to set in order’ → truth-order. yemā́naḥ from √yam ‘to rein in, restrain’—inner discipline enabling approach to the gods.
Ṛta (truth-order as the ancient path), self-restraint (yama-like inner yoking), namo (ego-offering as condition of reception)
Explicit: seeking the ancient path of ṛta as the highest qualification for approach.
Approach to ṛta implies satya in motive and speech (arka).
Order is maintained by right offering and right alignment; bliss becomes drinkable when refined.
Vedic sādhanā as self-preparation: consecration (offering), purification (Soma), alignment (ṛta), surrender (namas).
Dawn (Aśvin context; Soma pressing can be morning)
Refined delight and consecrated energy create an inner pathway where divine helpers can enter; surrender widens receptivity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of the ‘right caller’ who turns the gods toward the sacrifice. Innerly, the verse asks: which part of the being becomes the true offerer—disciplined (yemānaḥ), aligned to Ṛta—so that the Aśvins’ help and delight can enter.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ṛtá (truth-order) reflects an archaic Indo-Iranian concept (Avestan aša) from a common PIE notion of ‘fittingness/order’. √yam ‘rein in’ has PIE *yem- ‘to hold’ (cf. Latin emō? debated; clearer in Indo-Iranian), expressing the shared metaphor of self-control as ‘yoking/holding’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi frames a criterion of reciprocity: the gods respond where the human offers rightly (rātá-havya), calls with luminous speech (arká), and is inwardly reined (yemānaḥ). The relationship is pedagogic—training the sacrificer into Ṛta so the Aśvins can ‘turn’ toward him.
Self-inquiry before practice: identify what in you is ‘rātahavya’ (ready to offer). Then feel Soma as a subtle sweetness in the breath and heart, offered upward to the light.
Anāhata (offering/reverence) with Sahasrāra (alignment with ṛta as highest order)
3-part breath: inhale (receive), brief hold (offer upward), exhale (surrender/namas). Keep gentle.
Humble clarity; readiness for assistance.
Chant once slowly as a question; pause; chant again as a commitment to ṛta; end with silent namas (bow inwardly).
Tri-svara; interrogative ‘ko’ often carries a clear udātta lift; keep the questioning tone without speeding up.
Let each ‘vā’ option (ūtaye vā / sutapeyāya vā / ṛtasya vā) be distinctly phrased; slight pause to mark alternatives.
ṛtasya: clear syllabic ṛ; avoid ‘rit’., vavartat: pronounce both v’s; keep -rt- crisp., nam yemānaḥ: keep anusvāra/visarga clarity; light final ḥ.
Reflective, slightly hushed; intensify gently on ‘ṛtasya’.
3
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.
