Rig Veda 8.5.32: Mandala 8, Sukta 5, Mantra 32
Sukta 8.5
- Rishi
- Same RV 8.5 cycle seer
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh/Jagatī-family
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
आ नो द्युम्नैरा श्रवोभिरा राया यातमश्विना । पुरुश्चन्द्रा नासत्या ॥
ā́ no dyumnáir ā́ śrávobhir ā́ rāyā́ yātam aśvinā | púruścandrā nā́satyā ||
अश्विन भाई, तुम दोनों हमारे पास आओ। अपनी शक्ति और चमक लेकर आओ। तुम्हारी बड़ाई सब जगह फैल जाए। तुम हमारे लिए धन और सुख लाओ। तुम दोनों चमकते हो, बहुत रोशनी वाले हो। हमारे लिए वो खूबसूरती लाओ जो सब साफ कर दे।
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb)Root आ (उपसर्ग)
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी द्विवचन/बहुवचन (enclitic ‘nas’ = our/to us; here dative sense)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- द्यु॒म्नैः
- with splendors, with glorious powersNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot द्यु॒म्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb)Root आ (उपसर्ग)
- श्रवोभिः
- with fame, with renownNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb)Root आ (उपसर्ग)
- रायā
- with wealthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (Vedic instrumental of ‘राय्’)Role KaraṇaRoot राय्/रायि (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक ‘राय्’ = wealth)
- या॒तम्
- come (you two)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया) —Root या (धातु)
- अश्विना
- O AśvinsNoun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन द्विवचनRole (आह्वान) सम्बोधनRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरुश्चन्द्रा
- O much-radiant (ones)Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन द्विवचन (बहुचन्द्र = ‘many-bright/very radiant’)Role (आह्वान) सम्बोधनRoot पुरु- + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
- नासत्या
- O Nāsatyas (true/saving ones)Noun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन द्विवचनRole (आह्वान) सम्बोधनRoot नासत्य (प्रातिपदिक; Aśvin-epithet)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: आ | नः | द्युम्नैः | आ | श्रवोभिः | आ | रायā | यातम् | अश्विना | पुरुश्चन्द्रा | नासत्या । मुख्य-सन्धि: (1) ‘आ नः’ = उपसर्ग + एनक्लिटिक सर्वनाम (कोई परिवर्तन नहीं). (2) ‘द्युम्नैरा’ = द्युम्नैः + आ (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + आ → रा). (3) ‘श्रवोभिरा’ = श्रवोभिः + आ (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + आ → रा). (4) ‘राया यातम्’ में ‘राया’ वैदिक रूप (राय्-शब्द का तृतीया एकवचन) है
- पृथक् पद ‘यातम्’ लोट् 2द्वि.। स्वर/उच्चारण: मन्त्र में उदात्त/स्वरित चिह्न (नो॑, द्यु॒म्नैः, श्रवो॑भिः, रा॒या, या॑तम्, पुरु॑श्चन्द्रा॒, नास॑त्या) वैदिक उच्चारण-विशेष दर्शाते हैं
- पदच्छेद में शब्द-रूप अपरिवर्तित रखे गए हैं।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Aśvins are invoked to come to the worshippers with brilliance (dyumna), with fame (śravas), and with wealth/fullness (rāyā); they are called “many-shining” (puruścandrā) and “Nāsatyā” (true, unfailing).
Inner meaning
The twin powers of swift divine help (Aśvins) are invited to descend into the seeker with (1) dyumna—luminous capacities of the mind and senses, (2) śravas—an expanding vibration of inspired hearing and receptive renown (the soul’s “wide hearing” of truth), and (3) rāyas—plenitude of substance and force in the being. “Puruścandrā” becomes the many-rayed dispersal of inner light that turns the nature into a clear field for right perception and right action.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires a triple enrichment: illumination (clarity), receptivity/true hearing (alignment with higher truth), and an integrated fullness of life-force—so that awakening is not merely mental but becomes a stable, radiant capacity of the whole nature.
Themes
triple boon request, many-rayed illumination, truth-harmony powers
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva (Kaṇva lineage; RV 8.5 cycle)
- Lineage
- Kaṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.5.1, RV 8.5.2, RV 8.5.31, RV 8.5.36
Family tradition
Kaṇvas are noted for vigorous hymns to Indra and the Aśvins, often stressing swift aid, illumination, and the right ordering of the inner sacrifice.
Significance
The Kaṇva vision frequently translates outer ritual movement into inner psychology: invocation as a call for descent of higher powers, and “wealth” as plenitude of consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- Aśvinā, Nāsatyā, Puruścandrā
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Twin dawn-riders and healers who restore, renew, and bring timely help; mediators between night and day, limitation and expansion.
Inner power
Rapid harmonizers of the being—bringing luminous discernment, healing of distortions, and a practical descent of higher force into life activity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin śastra/stotra contexts and morning invocations; general soma-yajña invitatory use
आ नो॑ द्यु॒म्नैरा श्रवो॑भि॒रा रा॒या या॑तमश्विना । पुरु॑श्चन्द्रा॒ नास॑त्या ॥
आ । नः॒ । द्यु॒मैः । आ । श्रवः॑ऽभिः । आ । रा॒या । या॒त॒म् । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । पुरु॑ऽचन्द्रा । नास॑त्या ॥
ā | naḥ | dyumaiḥ | ā | śravaḥ-bhiḥ | ā | rāyā | yātam | aśvinā | puru-candrā | nāsatyā
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving and declarative, suited to invocation and descent.
Builds an ascending call; the cadence naturally supports a felt ‘drawing-near’ of the deity-powers into the listener’s field.
- द्यु॒म्न (dyumna)
- Literal: brightness, splendour, power of light. Symbolic: luminous faculties; illuminated energy in mind-life-body
- श्रवस् (śravas)
- Literal: fame, glory; that which is heard. Symbolic: inspired hearing; receptivity to the Word/Truth; widening of consciousness
- राय (rāya/rayi)
- Literal: wealth, abundance. Symbolic: plenitude of being; integrated force and substance for the yoga
- अश्विना (aśvinā)
- Literal: the two horsemen (Aśvins). Symbolic: twin divine helpers: swift, practical, healing powers that bridge human and divine
- पुरुश्चन्द्र (puruścandra)
- Literal: many-shining, many-mooned/many-rayed. Symbolic: multiplicity of rays of knowledge spreading through the nature
- नासत्या (nāsatyā)
- Literal: true, not untrue; unfailing. Symbolic: powers that do not betray the seeker; sure guidance toward truth (satya)
Triple-instrument invitation (dyumna/śravas/rayi) typical of boon-catalog verses in soma praise.
Often near dawn or early pressing sequences where Aśvins are invited as first helpers.
Āvāhana (invocation) and offering intention—calling the powers with light, fame, and rāya.
Morning meditation/mantra for inviting clarity, receptivity, and inner abundance before work or study.
dyumná- from dyú- ‘sky/light’ → ‘luminous power’. śrávas from √śru ‘to hear’ (PIE *ḱleu- ‘hear, fame’; cf. Gk. kléos): thus ‘fame’ and inwardly ‘capacity to hear truth’. rāyí- ‘wealth’ (spiritual plenitude). nā́satyā: often connected with ‘not untrue’ / ‘true, saving’, marking their function as restorers of rightness (ṛta).
Satya (nāsatya = truth-aligned saving power), Ṛta as harmony restored by the Twins, śravas as inner ‘hearing’ of truth
The “wideness of śravas” and “many rays” imply consciousness aligning to ṛta through widened receptivity and luminous order.
Nāsatyā emphasizes the unfailing movement toward satya—truth that works in life.
Illumination multiplying into many rays—knowledge differentiating itself in the manifested nature.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral-Vedic psychology (Aurobindonian reading: descent of higher light-force into mind and life).
dawn/early morning
A dawning of inner light and a many-rayed clarity spreading through the mind-life field.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Aśvins as ‘many-rayed’ bringers of radiance and rightness: a mythic identity rather than a story—twins who restore, heal, and illumine, arriving with a triad of gifts (light-power, truth-hearing/fame, plenitude).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- śrávas corresponds to the famous PIE poetic concept *ḱléwos ‘fame’ (Gk. kléos), showing inherited Indo-European poetics where ‘hearing’ and ‘renown’ are one semantic field; the verse uses that inherited value but turns it inward as ‘capacity to hear truth’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi asks not for isolated gifts but for an integrated transformation: dyumna (illumined force) + śravas (truth-resonance) + rayi (plenitude). The devatā is invoked as the agent who makes the seeker’s nature capable of stable truth-perception and right action.
Invoke twin helping powers for illumination (dyumna), receptive hearing (śravas), and embodied fullness (rāya).
ājñā (illumination) and anāhata (wideness/receptivity)
Gentle inhale on “ā no…”, soft retention on key nouns (dyumaiḥ/śravobhiḥ/rāyā), exhale on “yātam aśvinā”.
Bright, receptive, quietly confident (sattvic widening).
Before japa, recall three intentions: clarity, true receptivity, and integral abundance; then chant as an invitation for descent into the whole day’s activity.
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita per Rigvedic recitation; preserve udātta on key invocatory accents (ā, yātam) as per śākhā tradition.
Keep the opening ‘ā’ as a clear uplift; do not flatten compound accents in śravobhir/ puruścandrā.
ā: sustain long vowel, śravo-bhi-rā: articulate śra- (palatal ś) distinctly from sa, aśvinā: clear retroflex/ dental contrasts; keep v soft, nāsatyā: long ā; avoid nasalizing ā excessively
Bright, inviting, slightly rising on invocatory phrases; end with steady assurance.
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