Rig Veda 5.73.3: Mandala 5, Sukta 73, Mantra 3
Sukta 5.73
- Devata
- Aśvins
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ईर्मान्यद्वपुषे वपुश्चक्रं रथस्य येमथुः । पर्यन्या नाहुषा युगा मह्ना रजांसि दीयथः ॥
ī́rmā́ anyád váp uṣe váp uś cakráṃ ráthasya yémathuḥ | pár y anyā́ nā́huṣā yugā́ mahnā́ rajā́ṃsi dīyathaḥ ||
अश्विन भाइयों ने एक रूप सुंदर बनाया, दूसरा रूप अलग बनाया। उन्होंने रथ का पहिया ठीक से लगाया। दूसरी जोड़ी जोड़ी, और अपनी ताकत से वो सारी दुनिया घूमते हैं। यह सब जगह चलते फिरते हैं।
Word by Word
- ईर्मान्यत्
- impulse/force (as something set in motion)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (अव्यक्त-रूप; ‘ईर्मन्’ + यत्-सम्बन्ध)Role Karma (येमथुः—‘स्थापित/नियोजित’ का विषय)Root ईर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वेग/प्रेरणा/उत्साह’)
- यत्
- which/thatPronounनपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बन्धसूचक ‘which/that’)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वपुषे
- for (your) form/beautyNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole Sampradāna (उद्देश्य/हित—‘for beauty/form’)Root वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वपुः
- form, beautyNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (चक्रं—‘wheel’ के साथ समन्वय; ‘form/beauty’ as object/attribute)Root वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थकRoot च (निपात)
- चक्रम्
- wheelNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथस्य
- of the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- येमथुः
- the two have set/controlled/fastenedVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद), उत्तम? नहीं—प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन (3rd dual perfect)Role (क्रिया)Root यम् (धातु; ‘यच्छति/नियच्छति/योजयति’)
- परि
- around, all aboutIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अन्या
- the other (one)Adjective/Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (दीयथः—‘you two move/drive’ के साथ; ‘the other (one)’)Root अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- नाहुषा
- Nahusha-born / of Nahusha (epithet)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (RV usage: epithet; accentless here)Role Kartā (युगा—‘yokes’ के विशेषण/सम्बन्ध)Root नाहुष (प्रातिपदिक; ‘नहुष-सम्बन्धी/नहुष-वंशीय’)
- युगा
- yokes, pairsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole Karma (परि…दीयथः—‘you two drive/extend around the yokes’)Root युग (प्रातिपदिक)
- मह्ना
- by (your) mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole Karaṇa (by/with might)Root मघन्/महन् → मह्न् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘महत्त्व/महिमा/बल’)
- रजांसि
- the spaces/realms (regions of air/sky)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- दीयथः
- you two drive/speed (through)Verbलट् (परस्मैपद), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन (2nd dual present)Role (क्रिया)Root दी/दा (धातु; Vedic: ‘to move/drive/dispense’; here with sense ‘to speed/drive’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (मुख्य): ईर्मन् + यत् → ईर्मान्यत् (न् + य् = न्य्)
- चक्रं रथस्य (अनुस्वार/हलन्त-समायोजन)
- पर्यन्या = परि + अन्या (इ/अ संधि: इ + अ → य)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Aśvins take on different beautiful forms, set the wheel of their chariot, and with another pair of yokes traverse the regions/worlds by their greatness; they are called Nāhuṣa-descended.
Inner meaning
The Twin Powers of swift aid (Aśvins) assume the needed “forms” (vapus) for the seeker—now as healing, now as illumination—so the inner vehicle (ratha) can move. The “wheel” is the revolving power of progress (recurrent movement of practice and realization). The “yokes” are disciplines/forces harnessed to consciousness; changing yokes indicates adaptive yogic means suited to different layers of being. “Traversing the rajāṃsi” becomes the Aśvins’ action through graded planes of consciousness—vital, mental, supramental touches—opening passages where the human being is stuck.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress needs adaptable divine assistance: the helping Power takes whatever form is required, repairs the instrument of progress, and carries the aspirant through multiple inner worlds by a greater Force than ego-effort.
Themes
Divine chariot, Cosmic travel, Power of movement, Form and manifestation
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 5.73.1-7 (Aśvin hymn context)
Significance
The anonymity of the seer foregrounds the impersonal vision: the experience is presented as a universal yogic fact—divine Helpers refit the inner vehicle and carry consciousness across its domains.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvins (Nāsatyas)
- Epithets
- Nāsatyā (true, unfailing), Divó napātā (often associated in Aśvin lore as luminous powers), Dasrā (wondrous workers—common epithet)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya/Sūryā, Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Twin divine physicians and rescuers who arrive swiftly, restore wholeness, and initiate movement from obscurity to light.
Inner power
Rapid harmonizing force that repairs the faculties (mind-life-body) and enables safe passage between consciousness-levels.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvina-śastra / Aśvin invocation in Soma-related sequences (general Aśvin praise usage)
ई॒र्मान्यद्वपु॑षे॒ वपु॑श्च॒क्रं रथ॑स्य येमथुः । पर्य॒न्या नाहु॑षा यु॒गा म॒ह्ना रजां॑सि दीयथः ॥
ई॒र्मा । अ॒न्यत् । वपु॑षे । वपुः॑ । च॒क्रम् । रथ॑स्य । ये॒म॒थुः॒ । परि॑ । अ॒न्या । नाहु॑षा । यु॒गा । म॒ह्ना । रजां॑सि । दी॒य॒थः॒ ॥
īrmā | anyat | vapuṣe | vapuḥ | cakram | rathasya | yemathuḥ | pari | anyā | nāhuṣā | yugā | mahnā | rajāṃsi | dīyathaḥ
Likely Triṣṭubh (common in RV; verse length suggests ~44 syllables total)
44
4 padas of ~11 syllables (approx.)
Forward-driving, expansive cadence suited to motion imagery (chariot, wheel, traversing).
Builds a sense of momentum and uplift—useful for energizing aspiration and invoking swift inner help.
- वपु (vapu)
- Literal: form, body, beauty. Symbolic: assumed modes of divine action; tailored help/manifestation for the seeker
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: the psycho-physical vehicle of sādhanā; the moving consciousness
- चक्र (cakra)
- Literal: wheel. Symbolic: cyclic momentum of progress; the turning of practice and realization
- युग (yuga/yugā)
- Literal: yoke(s), pair of yokes. Symbolic: disciplines/energies harnessed to the inner journey; method suited to plane of being
- रजांसि (rajāṃsi)
- Literal: spaces, regions, worlds. Symbolic: planes/fields of consciousness to be crossed and integrated
- नाहुषा (nāhuṣā)
- Literal: descendants of Nāhuṣa. Symbolic: powers allied to the human lineage—divine helpers close to mankind
Praise of the Aśvins’ chariot and mobility; typical prelude to requesting their arrival and gifts in Soma rites.
Dawn-adjacent invocations; moments calling for swift aid and right setting of the rite’s movement.
Recitation to invite the Aśvins’ arrival, protection, and facilitation of the sacrifice’s progress.
Use before meditation as an invocation for ‘right means’ and for repairing scattered energies; also before travel/transition phases in life as a prayer for safe passage through change.
cakra ‘wheel’ from √kṛ/√car semantic complex of turning/moving (Indo-European wheel vocabulary is ancient). √yam ‘hold, rein’ (PIE *yem- ‘hold’). rajas- ‘space, region’ from √raj ‘to shine/color’ or ‘haze’—Vedic rajas often denotes luminous/atmospheric expanses; inwardly the graded fields of consciousness. yuga ‘yoke’ from √yuj ‘yoke’ (PIE *yeug-).
Ordered movement (cakra) as law of progression, Harnessing energies (yuga/yuj) for ascent
The ‘wheel set right’ signifies alignment of inner movement with Ṛta—progress becomes lawful, not erratic.
Aśvins’ unfailing action (Nāsatyā) embodies truth-effective help—what is invoked becomes workable.
Traversal of rajāṃsi echoes the Vedic idea of multiple worlds/levels to be opened and linked.
Proto-Vedāntic and Integral-Yoga friendly (graded planes; divine intervention as inner function)
dawn (Aśvin hour, implied)
A dawn-force of assistance sets the inner instrument in motion and carries awareness through successive fields of experience.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Aśvins’ chariot-technology: wheel, yokes, and swift traversal of rajas (world-regions). Mythically it is divine mobility; psychologically it is the capacity of illumined forces to move through and reorder the planes of the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- yuga (from √yuj) reflects PIE *yeug- ‘yoke’ (cf. Latin iugum, English yoke). √yam ‘hold’ is old and widespread. The wheel/chariot lexicon is part of early IE poetic and cultural inheritance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi praises the gods’ mastery over form and motion (vapus/cakra/yuga), effectively ‘naming’ their capacities so they may be activated inwardly; praise functions as alignment—recognition that invites the same ordered movement in the sacrificer’s consciousness.
Invoke the Twin Helpers to ‘set the wheel’ of practice—stabilize routine, restore harmony of faculties, and enable transition through inner layers.
Anāhata to Ājñā (harmonizing life-force with illumined guidance)
Nadi-śodhana (gentle alternate-nostril) for 7–11 rounds, then silent invocation on the exhale.
Dynamic quietude—calm center with forward movement.
Before sitting, offer the day’s energies to the inner chariot; feel a luminous pair of forces yoking breath and attention; let progress be rhythmic rather than strained.
Not fully derivable from provided text alone; chant in a neutral Vedic recitation style with attention to natural word-accent (udātta prominence).
Let primary lift fall on content words (vapu, cakram, rathasya, yugā, rajāṃsi); keep enclitics light.
(īrmā): sustain long ī; light retroflex/cluster control, (vapu): short a/u, avoid ‘vapuH’ aspiration, (cakraṃ): crisp ‘kr’ cluster; anusvāra as nasalization, (rajāṃsi): ‘jāṃ’ with nasalized long ā, (dīyathaḥ): long ī; final ḥ audible but soft
Bright, forward, steady (as if setting something in motion).
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