Rig Veda 6.63.3: Mandala 6, Sukta 63, Mantra 3
Sukta 6.63
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Devata
- Aśvinau — the twin Divine Horsemen, powers of swift help and harmonizing action
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अकारि वामन्धसो वरीमन्नस्तारि बर्हिः सुप्रायणतमम् । उत्तानहस्तो युवयुर्ववन्दा वां नक्षन्तो अद्रय आञ्जन् ॥
akā́ri vām ándhaso várīmann ástāri barhíḥ suprāyaṇátamam | uttānáhasto yuvayúrvavandā́ vāṃ nákṣanto ádraya āñjan ||
നിങ്ങൾ ഇരുവർക്കുമായി വിശാലമായി ഒഴുകുന്ന അന്ധഃ (സോമ-ആനന്ദം) ഒരുക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു; ബർഹിഃ—യജ്ഞാസനം—വിരിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു, നിങ്ങളുടെ ശുഭാഗമനത്തിന് ഏറ്റവും യോജ്യമായി. കൈകൾ ഉയർത്തി യുതി തേടുന്ന ആത്മാവ് നിങ്ങളെ വന്ദിച്ചു; അതേസമയം അദ്രയഃ—പിഷണക്കല്ലുകൾ—നിങ്ങളെ എത്തിപ്പിടിക്കാൻ ശ്രമിച്ച് അന്ധഃയെ അഭിഷേകം ചെയ്ത് അതിനെ ഉണർത്തുന്നു.
Word by Word
- अकारि
- was made / has been doneVerbAorist (s-aorist), passive/impersonal; 3rd person singularRole (impersonal predicate)Root √कृ (करोति)
- वाम्
- for you two / of you twoPronounGenitive/Dative dual (enclitic)Role Sampradāna (beneficiary) / सम्बन्ध (possessor)Root युष्मद् (युवाम्)
- अन्धसः
- of the soma-juice / of the pressed drinkNounNeuter; Genitive singularRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root अन्धस्
- वरीमन्
- a wide space / broad roomNounNeuter; Nominative/Accusative singularRole Karma (thing made/prepared)Root वरीमन्
- अस्तारि
- was spreadVerbAorist (s-aorist), passive/impersonal; 3rd person singularRole (impersonal predicate)Root √स्तृ (स्तृणाति)
- बर्हिः
- the sacrificial grass (barhis)NounNeuter; Nominative singularRole Karma (thing spread)Root बर्हिस्
- सुप्रायणतमम्
- most conducive to good approach / best for the comingAdjectiveNeuter; Nominative/Accusative singular; superlativeRole Viśeṣaṇa (of बर्हिः)Root सु-प्रायण-तम (प्रायण < √या)
- उत्तानहस्तः
- (the priest) with outstretched handsAdjective (used substantively)Masculine; Nominative singularRole Kartā (agent of ववन्द)Root उत्तान-हस्त
- युवयुः
- the youthful one / young man (worshipper)NounMasculine; Nominative singularRole Kartā (apposition to उत्तानहस्तः)Root युवयु
- ववन्द
- has praised / has worshippedVerbPerfect; 3rd person singular; ParasmaipadaRole Kartā (uttānahastaḥ…yuvayuḥ)Root √वन्द् (वन्दते)
- वाम्
- you twoPronounAccusative dual (enclitic)Role Karma (object of ववन्द)Root युष्मद् (युवाम्)
- नक्षन्तः
- reaching / attainingVerb (participle)Present active participle; Masculine; Nominative pluralRole Kartā (of आञ्जन्)Root √नश् (नश्नोति/नक्षति)
- अद्रयः
- the pressing-stonesNounMasculine; Nominative pluralRole Kartā (apposition to नक्षन्तः)Root अद्रि
- आञ्जन्
- anointed / smeared (i.e., prepared/pressed)VerbImperfect; 3rd person plural; ParasmaipadaRole Kartā (अद्रयः)Root √अञ्ज् (अञ्जति)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved sandhi/pada-division: अकारि | वाम् | अन्धसः | वरीमन् | अस्तारि | बर्हिः | सुप्रायणतमम् || उत्तानहस्तः | युवयुः | ववन्द | वाम् || नक्षन्तः | अद्रयः | आञ्जन् । Notable: वामन्धसो = वाम् + अन्धसः (enclitic pronoun + gen. sg.)
- ववन्द वां = ववन्द + वाम् (acc. dual enclitic)
- नक्षन्तो अद्रयः = नक्षन्तः + अद्रयः (external sandhi o + a → o, restored to visarga form नक्षन्तः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
For the two Aśvins, abundant Soma has been prepared and the sacrificial seat spread for their auspicious arrival. With uplifted hands the seeker bows; the pressing stones reach them and anoint the Soma.
Inner meaning
The inner ecstasy (Soma) is widened and made ready; the ‘barhis’ is the prepared foundation of receptivity in the consciousness. The uplifted hands signify aspiration and surrender. The pressing-stones are the forces of concentration and tapas that extract delight from experience; their ‘anointing’ is the energizing of the offering so it becomes fit to attract and sustain the Aśvins’ swift help.
Universal truth
Spiritual help comes most fully when the being is prepared: receptivity is laid down, aspiration is raised, and disciplined effort distills joy into an offering that draws higher powers.
Themes
Soma-ritual (inner/outer), Invocation of the Aśvins, Preparation of the inner field, Consecration and aspiration
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja (Bārhaspatya)
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 6.62, Rig Veda 6.64, Rig Veda 6.45
Family tradition
Seer-poet of precise ritual-psychological correspondences; emphasizes readiness, right formation of the inner sacrifice, and effective invocation.
Significance
Bharadvāja frames yoga as a collaboration: human tapas prepares Soma and the seat; the divine powers respond with swift harmonizing descent.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- suprāyaṇa (of auspicious coming), Nāsatyā
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Bringers of fortunate arrival and timely aid; awaken and heal; connect the human offering to the divine reception.
Inner power
They respond to prepared receptivity and accelerate the transformation of the mind-vital by infusing it with energized delight.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and Aśvin invitation (morning/midday sequences depending on śastra arrangement)
अका॑रि वा॒मन्ध॑सो॒ वरी॑म॒न्नस्ता॑रि ब॒र्हिः सु॑प्राय॒णत॑मम् । उ॒त्ता॒नह॑स्तो युव॒युर्व॑व॒न्दा वां॒ नक्ष॑न्तो॒ अद्र॑य आञ्जन् ॥
अका॑रि । वा॒म् । अन्ध॑सः । वरी॑मन् । अस्ता॑रि । ब॒र्हिः । सु॒प्र॒ऽअ॒य॒नत॑मम् । उ॒त्ता॒नऽह॑स्तः । यु॒व॒युः । व॒व॒न्द॒ । आ । वा॒म् । नक्ष॑न्तः । अद्र॑यः । आ॒ञ्ज॒न् ॥
akāri | vām | andhasaḥ | varīman | astāri | barhiḥ | supra-ayanatamam | uttāna-hastaḥ | yuvayuḥ | vavanda | ā | vām | nakṣantaḥ | adrayaḥ | āñjan
44
4 × 11
Ceremonial yet dynamic; a ‘setting-the-rite’ cadence—preparation, then ascent.
Induces readiness and uplift; supports a gesture of offering and invocation.
- akāri
- Literal: has been made/prepared. Symbolic: inner preparation—purification and readiness of the instruments
- andhaso varīman
- Literal: the wide expanse of Soma. Symbolic: widened Ananda; increased capacity to contain delight
- barhiḥ
- Literal: sacrificial grass/seat. Symbolic: a stable plane of receptivity and welcome in the consciousness
- suprāyaṇatamam
- Literal: most excellent for good coming. Symbolic: the perfected condition that invites auspicious descent
- uttānahastaḥ
- Literal: with hands stretched upward. Symbolic: aspiration, surrender, upward opening of the being
- yuvayuḥ
- Literal: seeking you two / desiring union. Symbolic: the soul’s urge toward conjunction with the divine powers
- adrayaḥ
- Literal: pressing-stones. Symbolic: concentrated tapas; disciplined thought-force that ‘presses’ out Soma
- āñjan
- Literal: anointing, smearing. Symbolic: charging the delight with luminous energy; consecration
Aśvina-śastra / Aśvina call in Soma-yajña contexts (general Soma pressing and invocation of the Aśvins as early helpers and healers); applicable within Agniṣṭoma-type Soma rites
During preparation and welcoming of the Aśvins to partake of Soma.
Spreading barhis, preparing Soma, raising hands in invocation, pressing/anointing Soma.
Use as a pre-meditation ‘setup’ mantra: prepare seat, posture, breath; then chant to invite swift alignment and healing.
Key roots: √kṛ ‘make, effect’ → akā́ri (passive aorist: ‘has been prepared’), indicating accomplished inner readiness. √stṛ ‘spread, strew’ → ástāri (ritual barhis as inner foundation/field of consciousness). √vand ‘praise, revere’ → vavandā́ (perfect: sustained act of adoration). √añj ‘anoint, smear’ → āñjan (aorist: energizing consecration). Semantic-symbolic pivots: ándhas ‘Soma-juice’ also ‘sap, delight’ (inner rasa); váriman ‘wideness’ from √vṛ ‘to cover/choose’ in nominal development indicating expansive space—psychologically the widening of consciousness for the descent of the powers.
Ṛta (right order) as the correctly prepared inner and outer rite, Expansion of consciousness (váriman), Descent of delight (Soma-rasa) as spiritual nourishment
The properly spread barhis symbolizes ṛta as ordered receptivity—right place for the divine to ‘sit’.
The sincerity of uplifted hands and praise makes the call effective.
Widening of Soma = expansion of consciousness to hold Ananda.
Integral-psychological exegesis (Aurobindo/Kashyap): ritual acts as inner operations of consciousness.
morning (Aśvin association with early help; general)
Soma = Ananda; barhis = prepared receptive mind-stuff; stones = focused will/concentration extracting essence.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic action is the ‘welcoming descent’ of the Aśvins through a correctly prepared Soma-rite: Soma (ándhas) is made, the barhis is spread, the worshipper raises hands, and the stones anoint the offering. In inner terms, the aspirant widens consciousness (váriman), establishes the receptive foundation (barhis), and the powers of swift harmonious aid (Aśvins) are invited to enter and vitalize the delight (rasa) in the human vessel.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Several key verbs preserve archaic Indo-European poetic diction: √kṛ ‘make’ (PIE *kwer-/*ker- ‘do/make’ in Indo-Iranian developments) signals ritual efficacy; √stṛ ‘strew’ aligns with PIE *ster- ‘spread, strew’ (cf. Latin sternō), fitting the formulaic ‘spreading’ of the seat; √añj ‘anoint’ corresponds to PIE *h₂engʷ- ‘smear/anoint’ (cf. Latin unguō ‘anoint’), marking consecration as a shared Indo-European sacral gesture. The dual pronoun vām and the twin addressee preserve the old Indo-European poetic prominence of paired divine helpers.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The exchange is reciprocal: the seer/aspirant prepares the delight and the seat (akāri, astāri) and offers uplifted aspiration (uttāna-hastaḥ, vavandā́). In response, the Aśvins are ‘reached’ (nákṣantaḥ) and the rite is ‘anointed’ (āñjan), symbolizing the descent of harmonizing power into the prepared consciousness. The relationship is thus one of right preparation (Ṛta) inviting grace—swift divine assistance entering where the inner field has been made wide and receptive.
Preparation of receptivity and extraction of inner delight through concentration.
Viśuddha (mantric offering) and Sahasrāra (upward opening signified by raised hands)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) for a few cycles; chant on exhale, feeling ‘widening’ on varīman.
Receptive uplift with disciplined attention.
Before chanting, ‘spread the barhis’: straighten spine, relax abdomen, quiet mind. While chanting, feel the heart lift (uttānahasta inwardly). Let concentration ‘press’ experiences into a subtle sweetness offered upward.
As per Śākala accents in saṃhitā; keep clear udātta on key verbs (akāri, astāri) and invocatory markers.
Maintain even pāda pacing; slight pause at caesura; emphasize preparation words in first half, aspiration in second.
suprāyaṇatamam: articulate prā-ya-ṇa-ta-mam without collapsing vowels., uttānahastaḥ: double ‘tt’ and long ā; visarga at end soft., adrayaḥ: clear ‘dr’ cluster; final ḥ light., āñjan: palatal ñ (like ‘ny’ in canyon) + j.
Bright, inviting, with uplift at ‘uttānahastaḥ’.
3
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