Rig Veda 5.78.4: Mandala 5, Sukta 78, Mantra 4
Sukta 5.78
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Ashvins
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Shanta (peace)
अत्रिर्यद्वामवरोहन्नृबीसमजोहवीन्नाधमानेव योषा । श्येनस्य चिज्जवसा नूतनेनागच्छतमश्विना शंतमेन ॥
atrír yád vām avaróhān ṛbī́sám ájohavīn nā́dhamānā iva yóṣā | śyénasya cid jávasā nū́tanenā́gacchatam aśvinā śáṃtamena ||
जब रिशि अत्रि बहुत परेशानी में गिर गया था, उसने तुम्हे पुकारा। जैसे कोई औरत बच्चे के लिए चिल्लाती है, वैसे ही उसने मदद माँगी। अश्विन्स, तुम फाल्कन से भी तेज़ हो। अपनी नयी रफ़्तार से आओ और शांति लाओ।
Word by Word
- अत्रिः
- Atri (the seer)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot अत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- whenIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/कालवाचक अव्यय (यदा/यत् = ‘when/that’)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाम्
- of you two / you twoPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया, द्विवचनम् (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (contextual)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अवरोहन्
- descendedVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट्), प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot अव-√रुह् (धातु)
- नृबीसम्
- man-help / human aidNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot नृ-बीस (समास-प्रातिपदिक; नृ ‘man’ + बीस ‘aid/strength’)
- अजोहवीत्
- kept calling / invoked repeatedlyVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट्), प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot √ह्वे (ह्वयति) with intensive/iterative + augment a-; reduplicated stem (जोहव-)
- नाधमानेव
- like one in distressParticiple + Indeclinableनाधमानः (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (अत्रिः इव) + इव (उपमा)Role कर्तृ (उपमान-विशेषण) / —Root नाधमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √नाध्/नन्ध् ‘to cry/roar, be in distress’) + इव
- योषा
- a womanNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (उपमान) / विशेषणभावRoot योषा (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्येनस्य
- of the falconNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot श्येन (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्यय (emphatic: ‘even/indeed’)Root चित् (निपात/अव्यय)
- जवसा
- with speed / by swiftnessNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot जव (प्रातिपदिक)
- नूतनेन
- new, freshAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम् (जवसा सह)Role करण (विशेषण)Root नूतन (प्रातिपदिक)
- आगच्छतम्
- come (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम, द्विवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot आ-√गम् (गच्छति)
- अश्विना
- O AśvinsNounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शंतमेन
- with the most beneficent (aid) / most auspiciouslyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम् (जवसा/नूतनेन इत्यस्य सहवर्तक-करण-विशेषणभावः) अथवा साधन-विशेषणम्Role करण (विशेषण)Root शंतम (प्रातिपदिक; शम् + तमप् ‘most auspicious’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (major): अत्रि॒र्यत् → अत्रिः + यत्
- यद्वा॑म → यत् + वाम्
- अव॒रोह॑न् (finite verb) kept as one pada
- नृ॒बीस॒मजो॑हवीत् → नृबीसम् + अजोहवीत्
- नाध॑मानेव → नाधमानः + इव
- श्ये॒नस्य॑ चि॒ज्जव॑सा → श्येनस्य + चित् + जवसा
- नूत॑ने॒नाग॑च्छतम् → नूतनेन + आगच्छतम्
- अश्विना॒ शंत॑मेन → अश्विना + शंतमेन. Accent marks in the Saṃhitā text are not reproduced in the pada forms here
- analysis is morphological after sandhi-splitting
The meaning
Outer meaning
Atri, having fallen into distress, cries out to the Aśvins like a woman in labour; the Aśvins are urged to come with falcon-like speed and with their most peace-giving power.
Inner meaning
The soul (Atri) descends into a constricted, painful passage of transformation (the ‘fall’ into ṛbīsa—tightness/straits). The cry ‘like a woman in labour’ is the psychic urgency when a new consciousness is ready to be born but is still held by resistance. The Aśvins—powers of swift, healing transition—are invoked to bring the rapid intervention of right movement and soothing harmony so the new birth in consciousness can proceed safely.
Universal truth
When inner growth reaches its critical hour, the call becomes irresistible; at that moment, higher assisting powers respond with sudden swiftness, bringing both speed and peace—effective change without violence.
Themes
rescue-motif, birth-struggle, swift-divine-intervention, healing-and-peace
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.78 (Aśvin hymn sequence), RV 5.40 (Atri and the Sun motif, tradition of deliverance)
Family tradition
Atri’s lineage is associated with hymns of inner rescue and right passage—invoking swift divine aids in moments of constriction and peril.
Significance
Atri here functions as the archetypal seer in crisis: the awakened part of consciousness that can still call the higher powers when the being is ‘fallen’ into limitation.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvins
- Epithets
- Nā́satyā, Dasrā, Śubhaspatī (beneficent lords), Yuvānā (the youthful twins)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Divine physicians and rescuers; mediators of transitions—night to dawn, illness to health, danger to safety—bringing timely aid.
Inner power
Rapid harmonising force that repairs breaks between mind–life–body, enabling the ‘birth’ of a new formation of consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Assisting prayer for safe delivery / rescue in peril (Aśvin aid)
अत्रि॒र्यद्वा॑मव॒रोह॑न्नृ॒बीस॒मजो॑हवी॒न्नाध॑मानेव॒ योषा॑ । श्ये॒नस्य॑ चि॒ज्जव॑सा॒ नूत॑ने॒नाग॑च्छतमश्विना॒ शंत॑मेन ॥
अत्रिः॑ । यत् । वा॒म् । अ॒व॒ऽरोह॑न् । ऋ॒बीस॑म् । अजो॑हवीत् । नाध॑मानाऽइव । योषा॑ । श्ये॒नस्य॑ । चि॒त् । जव॑सा । नूत॑नेन । आ । अ॒ग॒च्छ॒त॒म् । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । शम्ऽत॑मेन ॥
atriḥ | yat | vām | ava-rohan | ṛbīsam | ajohavīt | nādhamānāiva | yoṣā | śyenasya | cit | javasā | nūtanena | ā | agacchatam | aśvinā | śam-tamena
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables (triṣṭubh cadence; narrative drive)
Forward-pressing, urgent, with a long breath-line suitable for an appeal in crisis.
Builds intensity then releases into the calming word śaṃtamena—felt as ‘swift arrival’ followed by pacification.
- अत्रिः (atriḥ)
- Literal: Atri, a seer; also ‘not-three’/undivided (folk etymology). Symbolic: the aspiring soul-consciousness that remembers the way through crisis; the seer-portion in us that can call the higher help
- अवरोहन् (avarohan)
- Literal: falling down, descending. Symbolic: descent into the subconscient pressure, entering the narrow passage where transformation is forced
- ऋबीसम् (ṛbīsam)
- Literal: straits, tight place, distress. Symbolic: inner constriction: knot of fear/pain where the new birth is delayed
- नाधमानाऽइव योषा (nādhāmānā iva yoṣā)
- Literal: like a woman groaning/crying in labour. Symbolic: the psychic labour of bringing forth a new state of being; intense aspiration under pressure
- श्येनस्य… जवसा नूतनेन (śyenasya… javasā nūtanena)
- Literal: with a new speed of the falcon. Symbolic: sudden descent of swift, precise intuition and remedial force
- अश्विना (aśvinā)
- Literal: the two Aśvins. Symbolic: twin powers of luminous life-force and healing mind that carry the seeker across transitions
- शंतमेन (śaṃtamena)
- Literal: with the most peace-giving. Symbolic: a supravital calm that resolves crisis without agitation
Remembrance (itihāsa-like) of Ashvin rescue as persuasive precedent in invocation during Soma rite.
During childbirth-related rites or invocations for swift help in emergencies; also as a general ‘deliverance’ appeal.
Calling the Aśvins to approach quickly and confer peace; recited as an urgent supplication.
Use as a mantra of ‘inner delivery’: when stuck in anxiety or transition, invoke swift help and peace; suitable before medical procedures or major life changes.
ajohavīt from √hū 'to call' with intensive/reduplicated formation (jo-hav-), expressing repeated urgent invocation. ṛbī́sá- denotes straitness/distress (semantic field of pressure/constraint). śyéna 'falcon' is a standard RV emblem of swift movement and often linked with Soma’s heavenly fetching; here used as a benchmark for speed. śáṃtamena from śám 'peace/benediction' + -tama superlative: the Ashvins’ help is not only rapid but harmonizing.
crisis and rescue as stages of inner transformation, birth symbolism (labour pains as emergence of new consciousness), śam (peace) as integration after crisis
The ‘right time’ of intervention—Aśvins restore the lawful rhythm of becoming when it is obstructed.
Truth is not merely known; it must be delivered into life—hence the labour image.
Birth as a cosmic process: new forms emerge through pressure and divine assistance.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-yogic reading (Aurobindo): gods as powers of consciousness acting in the inner sacrifice.
Dawn-threshold (Aśvin hour; transition)
Threshold-moment when intuition-speed (falcon) and healing harmony (Aśvins) descend to midwife a new consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Atri’s rescue by the Ashvins: the seer in a constricted peril calls, and the twins arrive with superlative peace-giving power. The labouring-woman simile reframes the peril as a birth-crisis—an initiation into a new state rather than mere misfortune.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The intensive/reduplicated call-form (ajohavīt) is an inherited Indo-European expressive strategy (reduplication for intensity). The superlative -tama (śaṃ-tama) continues PIE superlative formations (cf. -tmo-).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi establishes a precedent of grace: sincere, repeated invocation in extremity elicits immediate divine response. The devatā is portrayed as both swift (java) and harmonizing (śam), indicating that true help restores R̥ta within the disturbed human nature.
Invoke swift, peaceful assistance at the ‘narrow passage’—feel the descent of calm speed into the heart and navel region.
svādhiṣṭhāna (birth/flow) and anāhata (supporting peace)
Gentle 1:2 exhale emphasis (e.g., inhale 4, exhale 8) while mentally repeating śaṃtamena.
From agitated pressure to supported surrender; a ‘rescued’ composure.
Name the constriction, offer it inwardly, then call the Aśvins as swift harmonisers; end with a few breaths resting in quiet gratitude.
Vedic svara as per śākhā tradition; maintain udatta peaks on main vocatives (aśvinā) and key verbs (āgacchatam).
Lift pitch on udatta-marked syllables; soften into anudatta on descriptive clauses; let ‘śaṃtamena’ fall gently, as a cadence.
Keep retroflex ṛ in ṛbīsam clear (not ri)., śyena: palatal ś, not dental s., aśvinā: short a-, and clear aspirated v? (actually v unaspirated); keep nasal -nā long ā.
Urgent but controlled; end with a soothing, rounded tone on śaṃtamena.
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