Rig Veda 5.74.8: Mandala 5, Sukta 74, Mantra 8
Sukta 5.74
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
आ वां रथो रथानां येष्ठो यात्वश्विना । पुरू चिदस्मयुस्तिर आङ्गूषो मर्त्येष्वा ॥
ā́ vāṃ rátho ráthānāṃ yéṣṭho yātvaśvinā | purū́ cíd asmayús tíra ā́ṅgūṣo mártyeṣv ā́ ||
अश्विनी कुमार, तुम्हारा रथ सबसे बड़ा है। आज यहाँ आओ। हम लोग तुम्हारे लिए गाना गाते हैं। यह गाना तुम्हे ढूंढता है और लोगों तक पहुँचता है।
Word by Word
- आ
- hither; towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (गत्यर्थे ‘towards, hither’)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वाम्
- you two; of you twoPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया द्विवचन (enclitic) ‘of you two / you two’Role Sampradāna (लक्ष्य/प्राप्ति) / सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (द्वि-पुरुष सर्वनाम)
- रथः
- the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथानाम्
- of chariotsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- येष्ठः
- the best; foremostAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (रथः इति विशेष्यस्य)Role Kartā (विशेषण) / सम्बन्धRoot येष्ठ (श्रेष्ठ/ज्येष्ठ-भाव; प्रातिपदिक)
- यातु
- let (it) come/goVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole KriyāRoot या (गत्यर्थ धातु)
- अश्विना
- O AśvinsNoun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचन (हे अश्विनौ)Role सम्बोधनRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक; देवता-नाम)
- पुरू
- much; manyAdjective/Indeclinable (Vedic usage)अव्ययवत् ‘much, many’ (परिमाण/प्रकार)Role विशेषण (मात्रा/प्रकार) / कर्म-विशेषणRoot पुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्यय (emphatic/‘even’)Root चित् (निपात)
- अस्मयुः
- not-smiling; joyless; uncheerfulAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (आङ्गूषः इति विशेष्यस्य)Role Kartā (विशेषण) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मयु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अ-’ + स्मयु ‘smiling/joyful’)
- तिरः
- across; beyond; awayIndeclinableअव्यय ‘across, beyond, over; away’Role (क्रिया-विशेषण) / गत्यर्थRoot तिरस् (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ)
- आङ्गूषः
- hymn; chant; song of praiseNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot आङ्गूष (प्रातिपदिक)
- मर्त्येषु
- among mortalsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither; to (towards)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (समाप्त्यर्थ/गत्यर्थे ‘hither, to’)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): आ | वाम् | रथः | रथानाम् | येष्ठः | यातु | अश्विना । पुरू | चित् | अस्मयुः | तिरः | आङ्गूषः | मर्त्येषु | आ । विशेष: ‘आ वां’ = आ + वाम् (enclitic dual pronoun)
- ‘यात्वश्विना’ इति संहितायां: यातु + अश्विना → यात्वश्विना (उकारस्य वकारादेशः/संयोगः)
- ‘मर्त्येष्वा’ = मर्त्येषु + आ (उकार + आ → वा, संहितायां ‘ष्वा’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Atri calls the Aśvins to come on their supreme chariot; the many-toned hymn that seeks them is asked to cross over and reach the mortal world.
Inner meaning
The “foremost chariot” is the swift, harmonized movement of the twin divine powers (Aśvins) that bring right functioning to mind-life-body. The “many-voiced hymn” is the soul’s manifold aspiration (thought, breath, feeling, will) gathering into one call; it must “cross over” inner resistances and arrive in embodied consciousness (martyeṣu) so the higher help becomes practical and lived.
Universal truth
When aspiration becomes integral (many-voiced yet one-pointed), higher assisting powers can descend swiftly and organize our mixed nature into a forward-moving vehicle of transformation.
Themes
Divine arrival, Bridge between worlds, Mantric call, Foremost power
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.1–5.27 (Ātreya maṇḍala core), RV 5.74–5.77 (Aśvin hymns in Maṇḍala 5, traditional)
Family tradition
Ātreya lineage noted for luminous intuition and healing/helping invocations, especially to the Aśvins and Agni; a tradition of bringing higher light into embodied life.
Significance
Atri symbolizes the seer of concentrated inner fire and clear discernment; his Aśvin calls emphasize practical divine assistance—swift restoration, right arrangement, and the crossing of inner obstacles.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- Aśvinā, Nāsatyā, Dasrā (wondrous doers), yuvā (youthful, ever-renewing)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Agni, Indra, Sarasvatī
Cosmic role
Twin powers of transition and rescue: they precede dawn, restore wholeness, heal breaks, and bring the seeker safely across dangers and limitations.
Inner power
Rapid harmonization—bringing clarity to perception and effectiveness to action; bridging higher light into the physical-vital plane.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvina śastra/stotra context in Soma and morning-oriented invocations (general Aśvin praise usage)
आ वां॒ रथो॒ रथा॑नां॒ येष्ठो॑ यात्वश्विना । पु॒रू चि॑दस्म॒युस्ति॒र आ॑ङ्गू॒षो मर्त्ये॒ष्वा ॥
आ । वा॒म् । रथः॑ । रथा॑नाम् । येष्ठः॑ । या॒तु॒ । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । पु॒रु । चि॒त् । अ॒स्म॒ऽयुः । ति॒रः । आ॒ङ्गू॒षः । मर्त्ये॑षु । आ ॥
ā | vām | rathaḥ | rathānām | yeṣṭhaḥ | yātu | aśvinā | puru | cit | asma-yuḥ | tiraḥ | āṅgūṣaḥ | martyeṣu | ā
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables (triṣṭubh cadence; exact count depends on saṃhitā phonetics)
Forward-driving, energetic, with a decisive lift at the end of each pāda.
Builds invocational momentum—felt as a ‘summoning’ rhythm that supports calling higher help into active life.
- rathaḥ
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: organized movement/vehicle of the gods; coordinated powers carrying consciousness forward
- yeṣṭhaḥ
- Literal: most excellent, foremost. Symbolic: supreme, best-ordered movement of higher aid among all available forces
- aśvinā
- Literal: the Aśvin twins. Symbolic: twin rescuing/healing powers: right action + right perception; swift harmonizers of the nature
- āṅgūṣaḥ
- Literal: hymn/chant, loud song. Symbolic: active aspiration voiced through mind and speech; mantra-force seeking the divine
- asmayuḥ
- Literal: desirous of us/ seeking (you). Symbolic: yearning consciousness that turns toward the divine help
- tiraḥ
- Literal: across, beyond. Symbolic: crossing over obstruction, limitation, and inertia
- martyeṣu
- Literal: among mortals. Symbolic: in the embodied, habitual human nature where realization must settle
Arrival formula: calls the Aśvins’ chariot and the effective chant to ‘cross over’ into the human sphere; suitable as a climactic invitation
Often near dawn/morning sequences; also as general invocatory verse for swift aid.
Calling the Aśvins to the yajña-vehicle; strengthening the hymn as the ‘bridge’ for descent.
Use as a mantra of ‘arrival’—inviting swift harmonizing forces before meditation, healing work, or beginning a demanding task.
ratha is the archetypal vehicle of divine approach; yeṣṭha superlative underscores unmatched efficacy. āṅgūṣa: hymn/chant (from √aṅg/√añj or expressive formation; denotes resonant vocalization). tiraḥ ‘across’ encodes the crossing of inner obstacles (darkness, inertia). asma-yu ‘seeking us’ indicates the hymn itself is a living force that reaches out to draw the gods.
Descent of divine force into the mortal field, Mantra as a bridging power (āṅgūṣa), Overcoming obstacles (tiraḥ)
The ‘foremost chariot’ signifies ṛta’s right arrangement of forces—order that can move.
True hearing/true arrival: the divine response becomes concrete among mortals.
Descent of higher powers into embodied life; bridging worlds through mantra.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: descent-ascent through aspiration and higher aid.
Dawn-approach (Aśvins’ characteristic hour)
The chariot is the integrated psycho-physical vehicle; the many-voiced chant is the convergence of inner faculties into a single aspiration that can cross resistance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The descent of the divine chariot and the crossing hymn: the Aśvins’ vehicle is summoned as supreme, while the chant itself ‘crosses over’ into the mortal realm. Innerly, aspiration becomes a bridge that brings swift healing powers into embodied life.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Motion vocabulary (√yā, tiraḥ ‘across’) and vehicle imagery (ratha) are central to Indo-European poetic tradition. The superlative yeṣṭha shows inherited comparative/superlative strategies used to elevate the deity’s instrument as unmatched.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi coordinates two forces: the gods’ chariot (divine initiative) and the āṅgūṣa (human voiced aspiration). Their meeting ‘among mortals’ is the desired reciprocity: human call becomes sufficiently potent to host the descending powers.
Invite swift harmonizing assistance; feel the ‘vehicle’ of the being align and move under higher guidance.
Anāhata (harmonization) and Ājñā (clear discernment)
4-count inhale + 6-count exhale while mentally repeating key words (ā vāṃ rathaḥ…); feel ‘crossing over’ on the exhale.
Receptive, uplifted, quietly urgent aspiration.
Before practice, offer the ‘many voices’ (thought-feeling-will) into one call; then pause after chanting to sense a swift organizing descent into the body-life-mind.
Use Vedic accenting if available from a pada-svara source; otherwise chant with gentle rise on udatta syllables and glide on svarita; keep pāda-end cadences firm.
Mark stress lightly on: ā VĀṂ RÁTHO… YEṢṬHÓ…; avoid modern heavy stress—let pitch carry accent.
Keep ‘aśvinā’ as aś-vi-nā (clear ‘ś’ palatal)., ‘yeṣṭho’ with ṣṭh cluster: ye-ṣṭho (retroflex ṣ, aspirated th)., ‘āṅgūṣo’ lengthen ā and ū; nasalize ‘ṅ’ before g.
Clear, forward, summoning; end each pāda with a settled resonance.
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