Rig Veda 8.5.3: Mandala 8, Sukta 5, Mantra 3
Sukta 8.5
- Rishi
- Kaṇva lineage
- Devata
- Aśvins
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
युवाभ्यां वाजिनीवसू प्रति स्तोमा अदृक्षत । वाचं दूतो यथोहिषे ॥
yuvā́bhyāṃ vājínīvasū práti stómā adṛkṣata | vā́caṃ dūtó yáthóhiṣe ||
तुम दोनों पास बहुत ताकत रखते हो। हमारी स्तुतियाँ तुम्हारी तरफ देखती हैं। बोल तुम्हारे पास आता है जैसे कोई संदेश ले के आता है। वो तुम्हारे पास बैठ जाता है।
Word by Word
- युवाभ्याम्
- by you two / with you twoPronounपुं/स्त्री (देवद्वय-सम्बोधनार्थ), तृतीया विभक्ति, द्विवचनRole KaraṇaRoot युव (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) < युष्मद्-द्विवचन-रूप (युवाम्)
- वाजिनीवसू
- O Vājinīvasū (you two rich in prizes/wealth)Noun (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole (Sambodhana; not a kāraka)Root वाजिनी-वसु (समास-प्रातिपदिक; वाजिनी ‘swift/possessing prize’ + वसु ‘good/wealth’)
- प्रति
- towards / in response toIndeclinable (preverb/preposition)अव्ययRole (Upasarga/particle)Root प्रति
- स्तोमाः
- hymns of praiseNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अदृक्षत
- appeared / were seenVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole (Kriyā)Root √दृश् (दर्शने)
- वाचम्
- speech / utteranceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
- दूतः
- a messengerNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KartāRoot दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
- यथा
- as / likeIndeclinable (comparative particle)अव्ययRole (Sambandha/Upamā-dyotaka)Root यथा
- उहिषे
- you convey / you bringVerbलट् (present), आत्मनेपद, 2 पुरुष, एकवचनRole (Kriyā)Root √वह् (वहने) → उह्/ऊह् (वैदिक रूप; ‘to convey/bring’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (resolved): युवाभ्याम् | वाजिनीवसू | प्रति | स्तोमाः | अदृक्षत | वाचम् | दूतः | यथा | उहिषे । 1) ‘स्तोमा अदृक्षत’ इत्यत्र संहितायां ‘स्तोमाः’ (visarga) + ‘अ…’ → ‘स्तोमा …’ (विसर्ग-लोप/विसर्ग-सन्धि: ḥ + a → o)
- 2) ‘यथो॑हिषे’ = ‘यथा’ + ‘उहिषे’ (a + u → o; गुण-सन्धि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
To you two, O vājinīvasū, the hymns have looked forth in response; speech comes like a messenger to take its seat in you.
Inner meaning
As the Aśvins are invoked, the seeker’s stoma (formed aspiration) ‘looks out’ and becomes effective—consciousness finds its answering Power. Vāc as ‘messenger’ is the inspired word rising from within, carrying the soul’s call to the divine Helpers and returning with their presence; speech ‘sits’ in them when expression is aligned with higher force rather than ego-mind.
Universal truth
True speech is an envoy of consciousness: when aspiration is sincere, expression becomes a channel that connects human seeking with higher assistance and establishes inner communion.
Themes
Mantra efficacy, Invocation mechanics, Aśvins as receivers of speech
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva lineage (Kāṇvas)
- Lineage
- Kaṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.5 (Aśvin hymn), RV 8.2–8.4 (Kāṇva sequences invoking dynamic deities)
Family tradition
Kāṇva hymns often emphasize effective mantra as a force (vāc) that opens the way for divine response.
Significance
The seer’s craft is to make speech a living envoy—mantra not as poetry alone but as a power that seats itself in the gods (higher consciousness).
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- vājinīvasū (lords of dynamic plenitude), yuvābhyām (you two)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (Vāc), Agni (carrier of offerings), Uṣas
Cosmic role
Responders to the call; swift bringers of boons; establish right action and healing in the worlds.
Inner power
They make aspiration effective and speech inspired; they ‘receive’ the mantra and translate it into inner result.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin praise within Soma rites and dawn invocations; also general stotra usage
यु॒वाभ्यां॑ वाजिनीवसू॒ प्रति॒ स्तोमा॑ अदृक्षत । वाचं॑ दू॒तो यथो॑हिषे ॥
यु॒वाभ्या॑म् । वा॒जि॒नी॒व॒सू॒ इति॑ वाजिनीऽवसू । प्रति॑ । स्तोमाः॑ । अ॒दृ॒क्ष॒त॒ । वाच॑म् । दू॒तः । यथा॑ । ओ॒हि॒षे॒ ॥
yuvābhyām | vājinīvasūitivājinī-vasū | prati | stomāḥ | adṛkṣata | vācam | dūtaḥ | yathā | ohiṣe
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3 × 8 syllables (probable)
Compact and incisive; mantra-like, suited to ‘sending’ an inner message.
Gathers scattered thought into a single aspiration; supports clarity of speech and intention.
- वाजिनीवसू (vājinīvasū)
- Literal: possessors of vājinī and vasu; rich in winning force and wealth. Symbolic: holders of dynamic plenitude—energies that bring effective power and right enjoyment
- स्तोम (stoma)
- Literal: hymn of praise. Symbolic: structured aspiration; concentrated thought-force offered upward
- अदृक्षत (adṛkṣata)
- Literal: have seen/looked forth. Symbolic: aspiration becomes vision—turns toward and meets the responding divine
- वाच् (vāc)
- Literal: speech. Symbolic: inspired word/inner utterance; mantra-force as carrier of consciousness
- दूत (dūta)
- Literal: messenger. Symbolic: mediating power that links planes—communication between human and divine
- ओहिषे (ohiṣe)
- Literal: to take seat/settle. Symbolic: establishment of the word in the divine presence; stable alignment
Aśvin invocation in morning; emphasises mantra as operative link (vāc as dūta).
When inviting the Aśvins and establishing the efficacy of the stoma/mantra.
Recitation as an ‘opening’ verse—making the hymn an active messenger.
Before japa, set intention: chant to align speech and thought with higher guidance (truthful communication, inspired expression).
√dṛś (adṛkṣata) from PIE *derk- ‘see’ (cf. Greek derkomai) supports the idea that hymns are ‘visions’ that become manifest. vāc ‘speech’ is the messenger between human and divine: inwardly, articulated mantra carries consciousness across planes and then ‘seats’ itself (√oh) in the devatā-force, becoming effective.
Vāc as mediator (dūta), Mantra as vision (stoma ‘seen’), Vasu/vāja as inner riches and force
Vāc as messenger functions rightly when aligned to Ṛta—speech becomes a law of harmony, not disorder.
Inspired speech is satya-vāk: word that corresponds to truth-seeing.
Worlds are upheld by Word—speech as formative power (vāc as creative principle).
Vedic psychology of mantra; anticipates Upaniṣadic emphasis on Vāc/Om as support of realization.
The ‘message’ is the rising mantra-force; the ‘seeing’ is inner opening; the ‘seat’ is stable communion with higher powers.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘speech as messenger’ mythologem: vāc travels between worlds, establishing contact. Psychologically, mantra is the intentional vibration that carries the seeker’s aspiration to the assisting powers and returns as settled force in the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vāc relates to PIE *wekʷ- ‘speak’ (Latin vox). √dṛś ‘see’ supports the Indo-European poetic equation of ‘song’ and ‘vision’, where utterance is grounded in inner seeing.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s speech does not merely describe; it ‘goes’ as envoy and ‘seats’ itself in the Aśvins. The devatā is thus not distant but a receptacle of mantra-force, enabling reciprocal exchange: invocation becomes embodied assistance.
Make speech and thought an offering; feel mantra as a messenger linking the heart’s aspiration to higher help.
viśuddha (speech/truth) and ājñā (clarity/vision)
Exhale-led chanting; slight pause after each pāda to let ‘vāc’ settle (ohiṣe).
Collected, receptive, inwardly listening.
Before important speech or teaching, chant and then speak minimally from stillness; let words arise as ‘messenger’ rather than mental fabrication.
Three-tone Ṛgvedic pattern; keep a steady mid-register with light udātta lifts on vājinīvasū, stomāḥ, vācam.
Do not over-accent enclitics; maintain flow across sandhi (yuvābhyāṃ…prati).
(yuvābhyām): clear ‘bhyām’ conjunct, (vājinīvasū): long ā; retroflex-like clarity not needed—keep dental n, (adṛkṣata): cluster ‘dṛkṣ’—articulate ṛ and kṣ cleanly
Steady, centered, articulate—speech-focused clarity.
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