Rig Veda 4.44.5: Mandala 4, Sukta 44, Mantra 5
Sukta 4.44
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आ नो यातं दिवो अच्छा पृथिव्या हिरण्ययेन सुवृता रथेन । मा वामन्ये नि यमन्देवयन्तः सं यद्ददे नाभिः पूर्व्या वाम् ॥
ā́ no yātaṁ divó ácchā pṛthivyā́ hiraṇyáyena su-vṛ́tā ráthena | mā́ vām anyé ní yaman deva-yántaḥ sáṁ yád dadé nā́bhiḥ pū́rvyā vām ||
आसमान से और धरती से हमारे पास आओ, अपने सोना के रथ में। तुम्हारा रथ अच्छा चलता है। दूसरे लोगों को तुम्हे रोकने का मौका मत देना। तुम्हारा पुराना संबंध हमारे साथ है।
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towards (us)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (directional: ‘hither, towards’)Root आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी? (enclitic) 1st person plural; here accusative/dative sense ‘us’ (RV usage)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- यातम्
- come (you two)Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRoot या (याति)
- दिवः
- from heaven / of heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्यौः), षष्ठी एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक: दिव्/द्यौ-)
- अच्छा
- towardsIndeclinableगत्यर्थक अव्यय (‘towards’)Root अच्छा (अव्यय)
- पृथिव्याः
- of the earth / on earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot पृथिवी
- हिरण्ययेन
- with the goldenAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (instrumental)Role KaraṇaRoot हिरण्यय (हिरण्य + य)
- सुवृता
- well-fashioned / well-madeAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with रथेन as ‘(with) well-made (chariot)’; RV allows adjectival neuter used adverbially)Root सु-वृत (PPP/adj. from √वृत्/√वृ ‘to cover/enclose; to choose’ in RV sense ‘well-turned/ well-made’)
- रथेन
- with the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot रथ
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक निपात (prohibitive ‘do not’)Root मा (निषेध)
- वाम्
- you two / yourPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया द्विवचन (enclitic) ‘you two/your two’Role KarmaRoot युष्मद्
- अन्ये
- othersPronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अन्य
- नि
- down / awayIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (‘down, in, back’)Root नि (उपसर्ग)
- यमन्
- restrain / hold backVerbलोट् (injunctive/imperative-like in RV), 3rd person plural, परस्मैपद (Vedic form: यमन् = ‘let them restrain/they restrain’)Root यम् (यच्छति/यमयति ‘to restrain, hold back’)
- देवयन्तः
- seeking the gods / piousParticiple (Adjective)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot देवयन्त् (present participle from desiderative/denominative √देवय् ‘to seek/worship the gods’)
- सम्
- togetherIndeclinableउपसर्ग (‘together, completely’)Root सम् (उपसर्ग)
- यत्
- what / that whichRelative pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद्
- ददे
- has given / has placedVerbपरफेक्ट् (लिट्), 3rd person एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (Vedic: ददे ‘has given/placed for itself’)Root दा (ददाति)
- नाभिः
- the navel / hubNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot नाभि
- पूर्व्या
- ancient / formerAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (agreeing with नाभिः)Root पूर्व्य (from पूर्व)
- वाम्
- of you two / for you twoPronounषष्ठी द्विवचन (enclitic) ‘of you two’Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद्
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): आ | नः | यातम् | दिवः | अच्छा | पृथिव्याः | हिरण्ययेन | सुवृता | रथेन || मा | वाम् | अन्ये | नि | यमन् | देवयन्तः | सम् | यत् | ददे | नाभिः | पूर्व्या | वाम् । Key sandhis: (1) आ नो॑ → आ + नः (enclitic pronoun)
- (2) दिवो अच्छा → दिवः + अच्छा (o/ḥ alternation before vowel in saṃhitā)
- (3) पृथिव्या हि॑र॒ण्यये॑न → पृथिव्याः + हिरण्ययेन (āḥ + h-)
- (4) मा वा॑म॒न्ये → मा + वाम् + अन्ये (m-final + vowel)
- (5) नि य॑मन् → नि + यमन्
- (6) सं यद्द॒दे → सम् + यत् + ददे (anusvāra before y; t + d across word boundary in saṃhitā gives yadd-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A request for the Aśvins to come from heaven and earth in their well-rolling golden chariot; a plea that other worshippers not detain them, since their ancient ‘navel-centre’ of connection is established here.
Inner meaning
Call the Aśvins from both poles of our experience: the higher mind (heaven) and the embodied life (earth). Their ‘well-rolling’ chariot is the smooth, unobstructed movement of purified prāṇa and thought. The seeker asks that dispersing desires or rival pulls (‘other god-seekers’) not hold back the descending help. The ‘ancient navel-centre’ (nābhiḥ pūrvyā) is the perennial point of union—an inner seat where aspiration and divine response meet; once re-established, it becomes the stable hub for transformation.
Universal truth
Spiritual help becomes effective when our inner vehicle is made smooth and unified; competing impulses cannot detain the higher movement when a stable centre of sincerity and communion is set within.
Themes
summons, unhindered-arrival, centre-of-communion, rival-invocations
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.44 (Aśvin hymn sequence), RV 4.26–4.27 (Vāmadeva’s visionary declarations)
Family tradition
Gautama seers—mantric psychology of ascent: establishing inner centres (nābhi) for stable divine contact.
Significance
Vāmadeva often emphasizes a ‘seat’ of realization—where the many movements become one; here the nābhi is that integrating centre.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- Nāsatyā, Yuvānā, Dasrā
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Indra
Cosmic role
Bringers of swift passage between worlds; they move across dyu and pṛthivī, restoring balance and enabling right transition.
Inner power
Integration of higher inspiration with embodied life; removal of delays caused by divided will.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin āvāhana in Soma rites or morning invocations; also suitable for travel/arrival motifs in liturgy.
आ नो॑ यातं दि॒वो अच्छा॑ पृथि॒व्या हि॑र॒ण्यये॑न सु॒वृता॒ रथे॑न । मा वा॑म॒न्ये नि य॑मन्देव॒यन्त॒: सं यद्द॒दे नाभि॑: पू॒र्व्या वा॑म् ॥
आ । नः॒ । या॒त॒म् । दि॒वः । अच्छ॑ । पृ॒थि॒व्याः । हि॒र॒ण्यये॑न । सु॒ऽवृता॑ । रथे॑न । मा । वा॒म् । अ॒न्ये । नि । य॒म॒न् । दे॒व॒ऽयन्तः॑ । सम् । यत् । द॒दे । नाभिः॑ । पू॒र्व्या । वा॒म् ॥
ā | naḥ | yātam | divaḥ | accha | pṛthivyāḥ | hiraṇyayena | su-vṛtā | rathena | mā | vām | anye | ni | yaman | deva-yantaḥ | sam | yat | dade | nābhiḥ | pūrvyā | vām
44
4×~11; invocatory cadence with a strong mid-pāda turn.
Rolling and continuous—mirrors ‘suvṛtā ratha’.
Creates a sense of uninterrupted approach; helpful for gathering scattered attention into a single hub.
- दिवः (divaḥ)
- Literal: from heaven. Symbolic: from higher mind/supramental influence (higher plane of consciousness)
- पृथिव्याः (pṛthivyāḥ)
- Literal: from earth. Symbolic: from embodied existence; life and substance needing transformation
- सुवृता (suvṛtā)
- Literal: well-rolling, smoothly turning. Symbolic: unblocked prāṇa; harmonious functioning of faculties
- नाभि (nābhi)
- Literal: navel, hub. Symbolic: central seat of communion; inner pivot of gathered consciousness
- देवयन्तः (devayantaḥ)
- Literal: seeking the gods. Symbolic: scattered aspirations/desires that divert the force
- नि यमन (ni yaman)
- Literal: hold back, restrain. Symbolic: inhibitions, rival attractions, fragmentation
Competitive invocation motif in Soma rites: requesting the Aśvins not be diverted by other patrons; establishing the ‘nābhi’ (central seat) of their attendance at this rite.
During invitations at the start of offerings; often in dawn-associated sequences for Aśvins.
Invitation and ensuring exclusive attention of the invoked deities.
Use when feeling pulled in many directions: chant to re-establish a single ‘centre’ before meditation or important work.
su-vṛ́tā ‘well-rolling’ from su- ‘good’ + √vṛt ‘to turn/roll’—image of unobstructed progress. ní yaman from √yam ‘restrain’ with ni- ‘down/back’ → ‘hold back’. nā́bhi ‘navel/hub’ (turning-centre) becomes a key psychological symbol: the fixed centre of communion where divine force ‘connects’ and ‘turns’ the movement of life.
nābhi as centre of integration, unobstructed right movement (su-vṛtā), exclusive concentration in spiritual practice
The smooth rolling of the chariot symbolizes ṛta as right movement—no friction between higher and lower nature.
The ‘ancient’ communion implies an eternal truth-connection recoverable in the present.
Re-linking heaven and earth within the human as a microcosm.
Integral Vedic symbolism: dyu/pṛthivī as planes of consciousness to be unified.
Dawn or early morning (Aśvin approach)
Union of higher thought and embodied energy; establishment of a stable inner hub (nābhi) for descent and guidance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘race for the gods’ mythologem: multiple worshippers call, but the poet asks the Aśvins to come here, to the established hub (nābhi). Innerly, it is the insistence that the seeker’s central concentration not be scattered by competing impulses, so the divine powers arrive unobstructed.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛt ‘turn/roll’ continues PIE *wert- ‘to turn’ (cf. Latin vertō, English ‘wart/convert’ via Latin). nābhi ‘navel’ aligns with PIE *h₃nobh- ‘navel’ (cf. Latin umbilīcus is different root; but Germanic ‘navel’ reflects *nobh-). The shared metaphor of ‘hub/turning-centre’ is deeply archaic.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi establishes a stable locus of exchange (nābhi) and asks for fidelity of divine response: ‘do not be held back’. It expresses a yogic reciprocity—steadfast human centring invites steadfast divine descent.
Gather the mind into a single centre; invite higher help to descend into embodied life.
Maṇipūra (nābhi as hub of will and organization)
Box breathing (4–4–4–4) for 6 rounds, then chant
Collected, centered, and protected from dispersion.
After chanting, place attention at the navel for 1–2 minutes; feel a smooth golden wheel turning—steady will without strain; then widen awareness to include heart and brow, linking earth and heaven within.
Standard Rigvedic accents; emphasize the directional movement on ‘ā no yātam’ and the prohibitive ‘mā’.
Let ‘ā no yātam’ rise clearly; ‘mā vām’ should be firm but not harsh; keep pāda endings grounded.
divo: ‘i’ short, ‘vo’ clear, pṛthivyā: retroflex ṛ; ‘th’ dental aspirate, suvṛtā: ‘vṛ’ with vocalic ṛ, devayantaḥ: ‘ya’ light; visarga at end soft
Commanding yet devotional; steady breath support.
3
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