Rig Veda 8.5.7: Mandala 8, Sukta 5, Mantra 7
Sukta 8.5
- Rishi
- Kāṇva/pragātha tradition
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Pragātha complex
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आ नः स्तोममुप द्रवत्तूयं श्येनेभिराशुभिः । यातमश्वेभिरश्विना ॥
ā́ naḥ stómam úpa dravat tū́yaṃ śyenébhir āśúbhiḥ | yā́tam aśvébhir aśvinā ||
Berlari cepatlah menuju nyanyian pujian kami; datanglah dengan elang-elangmu yang tangkas dan cepat; tiba, wahai Aśvin, dengan kuda-kudamu—daya-daya yang mengusung jiwa ke hadapan.
Word by Word
- आ
- hither; towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (directional: ‘towards, hither’)Root आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- नः
- of us; ourPronounषष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन (plural) — encliticRole सम्बन्ध (possessive relation)Root अस्मद् (pronoun stem)
- स्तोमम्
- hymn of praise; chantNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचनRole कर्म (object of motion/bringing)Root स्तोम (prātipadika)
- उप
- near; up toIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (proximity: ‘near, up to’)Root उप (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- द्रवत्
- let (it) run/hastenVerbलोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; injunctive/imperatival sense in VedicRole क्रिया (finite verb)Root द्रु (धातु) ‘to run, hasten’
- तूयम्
- swiftly; quicklyIndeclinableक्रियाविशेषण (adverb)Root तूयम् (avyaya; from √तू/तव् ‘to be strong/quick’ in Vedic usage)
- श्येनेभिः
- with falcons/hawksNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental), बहुवचनRole करण (means/instrument)Root श्येन (prātipadika)
- आशुभिः
- swift (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental), बहुवचन; श्येनेभिः इति विशेषणम्Role करण (as qualifier of the instrument)Root आशु (prātipadika)
- यातम्
- come; go (you two)Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (addressed command)Root या (धातु) ‘to go’
- अश्वेभिः
- with horsesNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental), बहुवचनRole करण (means: ‘with horses’)Root अश्व (prātipadika)
- अश्विना
- O Aśvins (you two horsemen)Noun (proper/theonym)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा (vocative/nominative), द्विवचन (dual) — Vedic dual addressRole सम्बोधन (addressee)Root अश्विन् (prātipadika; dual deity-name)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: आ + नः + स्तोमम् + उप + द्रवत् + तूयम् + श्येनेभिः + आशुभिः । यातम् + अश्वेभिः + अश्विना ॥ Notable: ‘नः’ is enclitic gen. pl. of अस्मद्. ‘द्रवत्’ is Vedic imperative (लोट्) from √द्रु
- ‘उप’ functions as preverb/particle with the motion-verb. ‘अश्विना’ is dual address (Aśvinau) in Vedic vocative/nominative dual form
The meaning
Outer meaning
A call to the Aśvins to hurry to the singer’s hymn, coming swiftly with their fast “hawks” and arriving with their horses.
Inner meaning
The seeker invokes the twin divine powers of swift help (Aśvinau) to descend quickly into the inner offering. The “stoma” is the soul’s formed aspiration; the “hawks” are keen, upward-leaping faculties of intuition that seize the light; the “horses” are disciplined vital energies that carry consciousness forward into right action.
Universal truth
When aspiration becomes clear and intense, higher helping powers answer quickly; intuition and energized will together bring the consciousness to its next luminous step.
Themes
invitation, swift arrival, Soma-associated imagery (śyena motif)
The seer
- Rishi
- Kāṇva (Kāṇva-pragātha tradition; RV 8.5 hymn milieu)
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.5 (Aśvin hymn sequence), RV 8.1–8.6 (Kāṇva cluster, many pragātha strophes)
Family tradition
Kāṇvas are noted for dynamic invocations to helper-gods (especially Indra and the Aśvins) and for pragmatic spiritual psychology: calling down powers that convert aspiration into effective progress.
Significance
The Kāṇva voice often emphasizes speed, efficacy, and the transformation of the journey—an inner yoga of calling forces that bridge human limitation and divine action.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- Dasrā (wondrous helpers), Nā́satyā (true, unfailing), Śubhas patī (lords of beauty/harmony)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Indra, Soma, Agni
Cosmic role
Twin riders who traverse the worlds and bring remedies, safe passage, dawn-like openings, and timely aid; mediators of transitions (night→dawn, ignorance→illumination).
Inner power
The paired powers of swift discernment and effective execution—intuition that sees the right way and vital energy that carries it out; also healing integration of mind-life-body for the journey.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvina-śastra / Aśvin invocation in Soma contexts (general)
आ न॒: स्तोम॒मुप॑ द्र॒वत्तूयं॑ श्ये॒नेभि॑रा॒शुभि॑: । या॒तमश्वे॑भिरश्विना ॥
आ । नः॒ । स्तोम॑म् । उप॑ । द्र॒वत् । तूय॑म् । श्ये॒नेभिः॑ । आ॒शुऽभिः॑ । या॒तम् । अश्वे॑भिः । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ ॥
ā | naḥ | stomam | upa | dravat | tūyam | śyenebhiḥ | āśu-bhiḥ | yātam | aśvebhiḥ | aśv inā
Pragātha (complex strophic form; verse-level validation pending)
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2 padas of ~12 syllables each (pragātha-style cadence)
Forward-driving, imperative rhythm suited to summoning and quick approach.
Creates a sense of acceleration and descent of force; supports energizing concentration and a ‘coming nearer’ feeling in meditation.
- स्तोम (stoma)
- Literal: hymn of praise. Symbolic: formed aspiration and articulated inner call
- उप द्रवत् (upa dravat)
- Literal: run near, rush toward. Symbolic: swift descent/approach of the helping force into the inner field
- तूयम् (tūyam)
- Literal: swiftly. Symbolic: urgency of sincere aspiration; quickened inner response
- श्येन (śyena)
- Literal: hawk, falcon. Symbolic: intuitive faculty/keen vision that can seize higher light
- आशु (āśu)
- Literal: rapid. Symbolic: speed of illumined movement, unhesitating inner action
- अश्व (aśva)
- Literal: horse. Symbolic: vital force/energy of action yoked to the divine movement
- अश्विना (aśvinā)
- Literal: O Aśvins. Symbolic: twin powers of luminous aid, healing, and swift right-going progress
Morning Soma pressing: invitation for the Aśvins to arrive and partake; stoma as the call that ‘draws near’ the deities.
Morning or transitional rites; invocations for swift arrival and assistance
Calling the Aśvins to the offering and to the stoma; welcoming their approach
Use at the start of practice to ‘call in help’: before meditation, healing intention, travel, exams, or any transition requiring clarity + energy.
√dru ‘run’ (dravat) is an old motion root (cf. drava ‘running, fluid’). śyena ‘hawk’ is tied to speed and ascent; in RV often linked to Soma-bringing flight (mythic messenger). √yā ‘go’ is PIE *h₁ey- ‘go’ (broadly attested: Greek eimi ‘I go’). aśva ‘horse’ from PIE *h₁éḱwos (Latin equus, Old Irish ech).
invocation as effective speech (vāc) shaping approach of powers, right movement toward Light (dynamic advance)
The Aśvins’ swift arrival symbolizes r̥ta as timely, right intervention—help that comes in the correct moment and direction.
True aspiration (stoma as satya-vāk) draws true response; sincerity aligns human speech with cosmic truth.
Descent of higher powers into the human field; opening pathways from luminous realms into embodied action.
Proto-yogic/Upaniṣadic tendency: inner sacrifice, descent of illumination, integration of mind and life.
dawn-transition (Aśvin sphere)
Hawk = intuition’s ascent and seizure of light; horse = vital energy harnessed; rushing = quickened sādhanā momentum toward illumination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Aśvins’ rapid approach in a vehicle of swift powers (hawks/horses) is the recurring rescue-arrival mythologem: the divine Twins respond instantly to the call and bring forward-moving energy, often in the Soma-sacrifice context where the hymn is the summons.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśva- reflects PIE *h₁éḱwos (equus/eoh/ech), preserving an inherited Indo-European poetic motif of divine horsemen. √yā ‘go’ (yātam) continues PIE *h₁ey-. These inherited motion lexemes support the archaic ‘arrival hymn’ formula.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi’s stoma is not description but an operative call; the Aśvins are asked to ‘run to’ the hymn itself, implying a reciprocity where inspired speech becomes the channel that makes the divine presence active in the human field.
Invoke swift inner help: ‘May intuition (śyena) and disciplined vitality (aśva) carry my aspiration to fulfillment.’
Anahata to Ajna (heart aspiration rising to intuitive sight)
Moderate inhalation on ‘ā naḥ stomam’ (calling in), steady exhalation on ‘upa dravat tūyam’ (receiving/settling); repeat 9–27 cycles.
Active receptivity—alert, uplifted, ready for right action.
Begin with a clear intention (stoma). Feel a quick descent of help on the crown/forehead (śyena), then channel it into calm, effective energy in the chest and navel (aśva).
Mixed udātta/anudātta/svarita as per Ṛgvedic recitation; this verse is best learned from a śākha-based audio to fix accents precisely.
Keep the imperative drive: lengthen ‘ā’ in ‘ā naḥ’; maintain crisp consonants in ‘dravat’, ‘śyenebhir’, ‘aśvinā’. Avoid flattening final long vowels.
śy in śyena: palatal ‘ś’ (not dental ‘s’), aśvinā: short ‘a’, clear ‘śv’ cluster, voiced dental ‘d’ in dravat; do not retroflex it, keep ‘bh’ in -bhir as aspirated (not ‘bir’)
Bright, forward, calling tone; end each pada with a clean release.
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