Rig Veda 1.116.7: Mandala 1, Sukta 116, Mantra 7
Sukta 1.116
- Rishi
- Kakṣīvant Dairghatamasa
- Devata
- Aśvinau, the twin healers and rescuers
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shringara (love)
युवं नरा स्तुवते पज्रियाय कक्षीवते अरदतं पुरंधिम् । कारोतराच्छफादश्वस्य वृष्णः शतं कुम्भाँ असिञ्चतं सुरायाः ॥
yuváṃ narā stuvaté pajriyā́ya kakṣī́vate aradataṃ púraṃdhim | kārotarā́c chaphā́d áśvasya vṛ́ṣṇaḥ śatáṃ kúmbhāṃ asiñcataṃ surā́yāḥ ||
ഹേ നരന്മാരായ ബലവാന്മാരായ അധിപന്മാരേ, പജ്രി വംശത്തിലെ സ്തുതികാരനായ കക്ഷീവന്തനു നിങ്ങൾ പുരന്ധി—സമൃദ്ധിയുടെ ശക്തി—കൊണ്ടുവന്നു നൽകി. ശക്തിയുള്ള വൃഷ്ണ അശ്വത്തിന്റെ കുതിരക്കാലിൽ നിന്ന് നിങ്ങൾ സുരയുടെ നൂറു കുംഭങ്ങൾ ഒഴുകിപ്പുറപ്പെടുവിച്ചു—അതിരൊഴുകുന്ന ആനന്ദം, അത് അന്വേഷകന്റെ വർദ്ധനയെ പോഷിപ്പിക്കുന്നു.
Word by Word
- युवाम्
- you twoPronounद्वितीया/प्रथमा? द्विवचन (प्रयोगतः प्रथमा-द्विवचन ‘you two’)Role कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- नरा
- O two men (Aśvins)Nounप्रथमा द्विवचन (Vedic nom. du. of नरः)Role सम्बोधन/कर्तृ (apposition to युवाम्)Root नर
- स्तुवते
- (to/for one) praisingVerbवर्तमान, आत्मनेपद, तृतीया एकवचनRoot स्तु (स्तवति)
- पज्रियाय
- to Pajriya (the Pajra-descended one)Adjective (used as noun-epithet)चतुर्थी एकवचन (दत्तिव) पुंलिङ्गRole सम्प्रदानRoot पज्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) / पज्रि-सम्बद्ध
- कक्षीवते
- to KakṣīvānNoun (proper)चतुर्थी एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole सम्प्रदानRoot कक्षीवत् (ऋषि-नाम)
- अरदतम्
- you two gave/grantedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन भूत), परस्मैपद, उत्तम? नहीं; मध्यम? नहीं; तृतीया द्विवचनRoot रद् (अरदत्)
- पुरंधिम्
- Purandhi (a woman/consort; name)Nounद्वितीया एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्गRole कर्मRoot पुरंधि
- कारोतरात्
- from KārōtarāNounपञ्चमी एकवचन (अपादान) पुं/नपुं (स्थानीय-नाम)Role अपादानRoot कारोतर (प्रातिपदिक)
- छफात्
- from the hoofNounपञ्चमी एकवचन (अपादान) पुं/नपुंRole अपादानRoot छफ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्वस्य
- of the horseNounषष्ठी एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बन्धRoot अश्व
- वृष्णः
- of the stallion/bull (virile one)Nounषष्ठी एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बन्धRoot वृषन्
- शतम्
- a hundredNumeral/Adjectiveद्वितीया बहुवचनार्थे/एकवचन रूप (नपुंसक) — ‘a hundred’Role कर्म (परिमाण)Root शत
- कुम्भान्
- jars/pitchersNounद्वितीया बहुवचन पुंलिङ्गRole कर्मRoot कुम्भ
- असिञ्चतम्
- you two poured/filledVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन भूत), परस्मैपद, तृतीया द्विवचनRoot सिच् (सिञ्चति)
- सुरायाः
- of surā (liquor)Nounषष्ठी एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्गRole सम्बन्धRoot सुरा
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: युवाम् | नरा | स्तुवते | पज्रियाय | कक्षीवते | अरदतम् | पुरंधिम् || कारोतरात् | छफात् | अश्वस्य | वृष्णः | शतम् | कुम्भान् | असिञ्चतम् | सुरायाः || 1) ‘युवं नरा’ इति संहितायां ‘युवं’ (प्रथमा-द्विवचन) रूपं
- पदपाठे ‘युवाम्’ इति द्विवचन-प्रयोगः (वैदिक-प्रवृत्ति). 2) ‘कारोतराच्छफात्’ = कारोतरात् + छफात् (त् + छ → च्छ). 3) ‘कुम्भाँ’ = कुम्भान् (नकारस्य वैदिक-अनुनासिक/चन्द्रबिन्दु-लेखन)
The meaning
Outer meaning
To Kakṣīvant of the Pajra line, the Aśvins brought Purandhi (plenitude). From the hoof of a vigorous stallion they made a hundred jars of surā flow forth.
Inner meaning
Purandhi is the power of fullness and right abundance in the consciousness—capacity that ‘fills the city’ (the embodied nature) with divine increase. The ‘hoof of the stallion’ symbolizes the striking point of dynamic life-force; when illumined and released by the Aśvins, it yields an overflowing delight/energy (surā) in many vessels—multiple faculties of the being becoming filled with sustaining joy-force.
Universal truth
When the divine harmonizers touch our active energy at its root-contact with life, abundance and delight can pour into many parts of the personality; true plenitude is a distribution of conscious joy that supports growth.
Themes
Ashvin rescue-miracle, Bestowal of plenitude, Delight/overflow as spiritual nourishment, Inner alchemy of force into bliss
The seer
- Rishi
- Kakṣīvant Dairghatamasa
- Lineage
- Dīrghatamasa lineage (Aṅgirasa-associated in tradition)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.116, RV 1.117, RV 1.118
Family tradition
Kakṣīvant’s hymns often weave concrete marvel-stories with inner gains—rescue, replenishment, and the opening of abundance through divine intervention.
Significance
He embodies the ‘praiser’ whose aspiration draws practical spiritual results: restoration of energies, release of delight, and establishment of plenitude in the human instrument.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- Nārā (strong lords), Dasrā (wonder-workers), Nāsatyā (true-acting)
- Related deities
- Soma, Bhaga (dispenser), Uṣas
Cosmic role
Bringers of boons that increase life—health, abundance, timely help; mediators between higher light and embodied existence.
Inner power
They unlock blocked currents of delight and distribute force into many ‘vessels’ of the nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin invocation within Soma liturgy; also general praise in recitation cycles
यु॒वं न॑रा स्तुव॒ते प॑ज्रि॒याय॑ क॒क्षीव॑ते अरदतं॒ पुरं॑धिम् । का॒रो॒त॒राच्छ॒फादश्व॑स्य॒ वृष्ण॑: श॒तं कु॒म्भाँ अ॑सिञ्चतं॒ सुरा॑याः ॥
यु॒वम् । न॒रा॒ । स्तु॒व॒ते । प॒ज्रि॒याय॑ । क॒क्षीव॑ते । अ॒र॒द॒त॒म् । पुर॑म्ऽधिम् । का॒रो॒त॒रात् । श॒फात् । अश्व॑स्य । वृष्णः॑ । श॒तम् । कु॒म्भान् । अ॒सि॒ञ्च॒त॒म् । सुरा॑याः ॥
yuvam | narā | stuvate | pajriyāya | kakṣīvate | aradatam | puram-dhim | kārotarāt | śaphāt | aśvasya | vṛṣṇaḥ | śatam | kumbhān | asiñcatam | surāyāḥ
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4 × ~11
Energetic and expansive; suited to depicting abundant outflow and divine feat.
Elicits a felt sense of opening and ‘pouring’; supports receptivity to delight and increase.
- पुरंधिम् (puraṃdhim)
- Literal: Purandhi; ‘filler of the strongholds/cities’. Symbolic: power of plenitude that fills the embodied nature with increase
- अश्वस्य वृष्णः (aśvasya vṛṣṇaḥ)
- Literal: of the vigorous stallion. Symbolic: potent life-force when purified and made effective
- शफात् (śaphāt)
- Literal: from the hoof. Symbolic: point of contact/impact—decisive action that releases hidden streams
- शतं कुम्भान् (śataṃ kumbhān)
- Literal: a hundred jars. Symbolic: many receptacles/faculties in the being (mind, life, body, sub-parts) ready to be filled
- सुरायाः (surāyāḥ)
- Literal: surā (intoxicating drink). Symbolic: overflowing delight-energy; a dynamic joy that can nourish increase (distinct from Soma but here read as delight-force)
- स्तुवते (stuvate)
- Literal: to the praiser. Symbolic: the aspiring consciousness that calls and opens receptivity
Aśvina-śastra / Aśvina praise in Soma rites (general); invoked for healing, restoration, and increase of plenitude (rayi/ūrj).
When seeking increase (rāyaḥ), nourishment, and successful movement in undertakings.
Stuti naming past ‘marvels’ to compel present aid (smaraṇa → āhvāna).
Chant to cultivate abundance-consciousness without grasping: invite Purandhi—fullness that fills all faculties with a calm joy-energy.
(púraṃ-dhi): often ‘abundance, bounty’; analyzable as *puraṃ* (much, plenty) + √dhā/√dhi (to place, to hold), hence ‘that which establishes plenitude’—psychologically, the settling of a rich capacity in the being. from √sic ‘to pour, sprinkle, cause to flow’; the image supports a descent/effusion of ānanda-like energy. from √vṛṣ ‘to be strong, rain down, be virile’; links strength with a raining/streaming potency. (aśva) from √aś ‘to reach, to run/drive’; symbolically the dynamic life-energy that carries consciousness forward.
R̥ta (right order expressed as timely bestowal and restoration), Rayi / Purandhi (plenitude as fullness of being), Ānanda (delight as a sustaining power, figured as surā)
Plenitude is ‘rightly’ apportioned into many kumbhas—orderly abundance rather than chaos.
Nāsatyā as truth-acting ensures delight is not intoxication but sustaining force.
Hidden streams released from the active principle; abundance emerges when force is rightly touched.
Integral psychological reading: delight as a power that can inhabit life and organize growth.
Hoof-strike = decisive activation; flowing surā = released joy-force; jars = prepared receptacles in the being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Ashvins’ miracle of superabundant outflow: from the horse’s hoof they ‘pour’ a hundred jars of surā. Outer narrative: wondrous provision for the devotee. Inner sense: the twin powers awaken the dynamic aśva (vital-force/energy) so that from its point of contact (śaphāt, ‘hoof’ = decisive impact in action) streams an overflowing delight that fills many inner vessels (kumbhān), establishing Purandhi—plenitude in the seeker.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Key lexemes preserve Indo-European poetic diction: aśva ‘horse’ aligns with PIE *h₁éḱwos (Lat. equus, OIr. ech, Av. aspa). √sic ‘to pour’ continues PIE *(s)seik- ‘to pour/strain’ (cf. Lat. sēcāre in extended developments; broader IE ‘pouring’ imagery in ritual poetry). vṛṣan ‘bull/strong one’ reflects an IE pattern where strength/virility and ‘raining down’ share semantic space (Skt √vṛṣ), common in storm/abundance metaphors.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The relationship is reciprocal and developmental: the seer (Kakṣīvant), by stuti (aspirational praise), aligns himself with the Ashvins’ mode of action—swift help and restoration. The Devata responds by ‘granting’ (aradatam) Purandhi (capacity for plenitude) and by making delight flow (asiñcatam). Dakṣiṇā in the inner sense is not payment but right receptivity: the praiser becomes a fit vessel (kumbha) for the descending abundance under R̥ta.
Receive Purandhi: feel the whole embodied ‘city’ filling with quiet abundance and glad force.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (fluid delight) harmonized with Maṇipūra (dynamic release).
Wave-breath: inhale up the spine, exhale as a ‘pouring’ down into abdomen/pelvis; keep mind clear, not excited.
Expansive receptivity; joyful increase without restlessness.
Before chanting, set the intent: ‘May the Divine fill all my faculties with sustaining delight and right abundance.’ Observe where joy wants to overflow; guide it into steadiness.
Rigvedic accenting; keep udātta prominent on puráṃdhim, vṛ́ṣṇaḥ, śatám, surā́yāḥ where marked in tradition.
Maintain a steady triṣṭubh beat; avoid dragging compounds (kakṣīvate, kārotarāt).
kakṣīvate: retroflex ‘kṣ’ crisp, pajriyāya: ‘jr’ cluster clear, śaphāt: ‘śa’ palatal, short ‘a’, asiñcatam: nasal ‘ñc’ as in ‘inch’
Clear, flowing, slightly uplifted to match the ‘pouring’ imagery.
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