Rig Veda 1.116.9: Mandala 1, Sukta 116, Mantra 9
Sukta 1.116
- Rishi
- Kakṣīvant Dairghatamasa
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
परावतं नासत्यानुदेथामुच्चाबुध्नं चक्रथुर्जिह्मबारम् । क्षरन्नापो न पायनाय राये सहस्राय तृष्यते गोतमस्य ॥
párāvatáṃ nāsatyā anudethām uccā́budhnaṃ cakrathur jihmá-bāram | kṣárann ā́paḥ na pā́yanāya rā́ye sahásrāya tṛ́ṣyate gótamasya ||
Wahai Nāsatya, kamu berdua menuruti dia hingga ke jarak yang paling jauh; kamu menegakkan penopang beralas tinggi yang telah menjadi bengkok oleh bebannya. Seperti air yang mengalir ke tempat minumnya, kamu mendatangkan bagi Gotama—yang dahaga akan kelimpahan seribu kali ganda—sarana pertambahan yang mengalir, demi kekayaan.
Word by Word
- परावतम्
- to a far region / far awayNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (गत्यर्थे/देशवाचक) — ‘दूरं देशम्’Role कर्म (गन्तव्य/प्राप्य) / अधिकरण (गन्तव्यदेश) संदर्भेRoot परावत् (प्रातिपदिक) < परा + अव (दूर)
- नासत्या
- O Nāsatyas (Aśvins)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन द्विवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot नासत्य (प्रातिपदिक; अश्विनौ) संभवतः *na-asatya ‘not untrue’ (देव-नाम)
- अनूदेथाम्
- you two bestowed / grantedVerbलुङ् (आगमयुक्तः); मध्यमपुरुष; द्विवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (मुख्य क्रिया) — ‘you two gave/assigned’Root अनु + √दा (दा/ददाति) ‘देना/प्रदान’
- उच्चा
- high / aloftIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot उच्चा (अव्यय; उच्च ‘ऊँचा’)
- अबुध्नम्
- bottomless / without a baseAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (चक्रथुः इत्यस्य) / विधेयRoot अ-बुध्न (प्रातिपदिक) < न + बुध्न ‘तल/बुध्न’
- चक्रथुः
- you two madeVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद); मध्यमपुरुष; द्विवचनRole क्रिया (मुख्य क्रिया) — ‘you two made’Root √कृ (करोति) — परिपूर्ण/कृत (चकार)
- जिह्मबारम्
- a crooked barrier/obstruction (or: with a crooked enclosure)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (चक्रथुः इत्यस्य) / विधेयRoot जिह्म-बार (प्रातिपदिक) < जिह्म ‘वक्र’ + बार ‘बन्ध/आवरण/प्रतिबन्ध’
- क्षरन्
- flowingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (कर्तरि)Role कर्ता (उपवाक्ये) — ‘flowing’Root √क्षर् (क्षरति) ‘बहना/टपकना’
- आपः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्ता (क्षरन् इत्यस्य) / उपमान-आधारRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘जल’
- न
- likeIndeclinableउपमा/निषेधार्थक अव्यय; अत्र उपमार्थेRole सम्बन्धक (उपमा)Root न (अव्यय)
- पायनाय
- for drinking / for a draughtNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचन (दत्त्यर्थे)Role सम्प्रदान (उद्देश्य) — ‘for drinking/for a drink’Root पायन (प्रातिपदिक) < √पा ‘पान/रक्षण’ → पायन ‘पानस्थान/पानमार्ग/पानम्’
- राये
- for wealthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (उद्देश्य) — ‘for wealth’Root राय् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘धन/समृद्धि’
- सहस्राय
- for a thousand (in number)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (उद्देश्य) — ‘for a thousand (fold)’Root सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) ‘हजार’
- तृष्यते
- thirsts / longsVerbलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole क्रिया (उपवाक्ये) — ‘longs/thirsts’Root √तृष् (तृष्यति) ‘प्यासा होना/लालसा करना’
- गोतमस्य
- of GotamaNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of Gotama’Root गोतम (प्रातिपदिक; ऋषि-नाम)
Sandhi Notes
- सन्धि-विच्छेद (पद-सीमा): परावतम् | नासत्या | अनूदेथाम् | उच्चा | अबुध्नम् | चक्रथुः | जिह्मबारम् | क्षरन् | आपः | न | पायनाय | राये | सहस्राय | तृष्यते | गोतमस्य । मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) नासत्या+अनूदेथाम् → नासत्यानूदेथाम् (आ + अ → आ; य्-सन्धि)
- (2) अनूदेथाम्+उच्चा → अनूदेथामुच्चा (म् + उ → मु)
- (3) चक्रथुः+जिह्मबारम् → चक्रथुर्जिह्मबारम् (विसर्ग-पूर्व र्-आदेशः)
- (4) क्षरन्+आपः → क्षरन्नापः (न् + आ → न्ना)
- (5) आपः+न → आपो न (ओ-रूपः पदान्ते)
- (6) न+पायनाय → न पायनाय (सन्धि नहीं; पद-सीमा)
The meaning
Outer meaning
You Nāsatyas followed him to the farthest distance; you made firm the high-based support that had become crooked under its burden. Like waters to a drinking place, you brought flowing wealth for Gotama who thirsted for thousandfold increase.
Inner meaning
The Aśvins accompany the seeker even in extreme outwardness or remoteness (parāvat). They straighten and stabilize the ‘support’ (inner axis, dharma-basis) that has become warped by load—psychological distortion under stress. Then the currents of increase flow naturally, like waters to their resting place: when the inner foundation is rectified, abundance (rāyaḥ) and plenitude (sahasra) come as a spontaneous movement toward the thirsty aspiration (tṛṣyate).
Universal truth
In crisis or dislocation, divine help is the re-straightening of the inner support; once the foundation is true, nourishment and resources flow of themselves to the place of need.
Themes
Restoration of support, Waters of increase, Companionship of the gods in exile, Thirst for plenitude
The seer
- Rishi
- Kakṣīvant Dairghatamasa
- Lineage
- Dīrghatamasa lineage
- Other hymns
- RV 1.116.8, RV 1.116.10, RV 1.117.9
Family tradition
Narratives of guidance through distance and restoration of supports reflect a seer’s concern with the right foundation for progress—especially when the path becomes difficult.
Significance
He frames divine aid as both companionship (not abandoning the seeker in remoteness) and structural correction (straightening what is bent).
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- Nāsatyā, Dasrā
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (order), Indra (release of waters), Sarasvatī (flow)
Cosmic role
Guides and restorers; they accompany, correct, and channel the flow of increase toward the aspirant.
Inner power
Re-align the inner axis; open channels so the currents of plenitude move naturally.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin invocations for safe journey, restoration, and prosperity
परा॑व॒तं ना॑सत्यानुदेथामु॒च्चाबु॑ध्नं चक्रथुर्जि॒ह्मबा॑रम् । क्षर॒न्नापो॒ न पा॒यना॑य रा॒ये स॒हस्रा॑य॒ तृष्य॑ते॒ गोत॑मस्य ॥
परा॑ । अ॒व॒तम् । ना॒स॒त्या॒ । अ॒नु॒दे॒था॒म् । उ॒च्चाऽबु॑ध्नम् । च॒क्र॒थुः॒ । जि॒ह्मऽबा॑रम् । क्षर॑न् । आपः॑ । न । पा॒यना॑य । रा॒ये । स॒हस्रा॑य । तृष्य॑ते । गोत॑मस्य ॥
parā | avatam | nāsatyā | anudethām | uccābudhnam | cakrathuḥ | jihma-bāram | kṣaran | āpaḥ | na | pāyanāya | rāye | sahasrāya | tṛṣyate | gotamasya
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4 × ~11
Long-striding and stabilizing; effective for themes of travel, support, and flow.
Creates a sense of being accompanied and re-centered; encourages trust that resources will come once alignment is restored.
- परावतं (parāvataṃ)
- Literal: to the farthest distance. Symbolic: extreme outwardness; exile of consciousness; remote states of being
- उच्चाबुध्नम् (uccābudhnam)
- Literal: high-based, with lofty foundation. Symbolic: the higher grounding of the being; inner pillar aligned to the heights
- जिह्मबारम् (jihmabāram)
- Literal: crooked in its burden. Symbolic: distorted structure under pressure; warped will or bent mind
- आपो न पायनाय (āpo na pāyanāya)
- Literal: like waters to a drinking place. Symbolic: natural flow of energies toward receptivity when channels are open
- राये सहस्राय (rāye sahasrāya)
- Literal: for wealth a thousandfold. Symbolic: large plenitude of force, joy, and means for the work
- तृष्यते (tṛṣyate)
- Literal: thirsts. Symbolic: intense aspiration/desire for spiritual fullness
- गोतमस्य (gotamasya)
- Literal: of Gotama. Symbolic: the seeker-mind oriented to ‘go’ (light/rays) and ‘tama’ (darkness) to be crossed
Recitation as remembrance of Ashvin aid for restoring supports and bringing ‘waters’ of increase; applicable in rites seeking stability and abundance.
When seeking protection over distance, correction of misfortune, and increase for the sacrificer.
Recitation emphasizing the Aśvins’ following/helping and their power to ‘make firm’.
Use in times of disorientation, relocation, or heavy responsibility—chant to straighten the inner foundation and invite natural flow of support.
(parāvat) ‘far off’ from para + avat (region). √kṣar ‘to flow’ gives kṣaran, central to water-as-knowledge imagery. (Gotama) is traditionally a rishi-name; symbolically can be read through go ‘light/cow’ + tama ‘darkness’: one who presses toward light from obscurity—hence ‘thirsting’ for sahasra-rayī (massive plenitude).
R̥ta as right support (upright foundation replacing the crooked burden), Rayi as spiritual increase, Aspiration (tṛṣ) as the engine of progress
Straightening the ‘crooked burden’ is restoration of ṛta in the individual structure.
Truth is the ‘high foundation’ that must be made firm.
Re-channeling of the waters of increase once obstruction/distortion is corrected.
Aurobindo-style: the ‘waters’ as streams of consciousness/force; alignment enables descent and flow.
Distance = outward dispersion; foundation = inner axis; waters = streams of consciousness-energy moving to receptivity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Ashvins accompany the seeker to the farthest place and straighten a distorted support, then bring streaming ‘waters’ for the thirsty Gotama. Inner sense: even in extreme states, the twin powers rebuild the upright foundation of the being (uccābudhna), replacing warped load-bearing structures (jihmabāra), and release a flow of refreshment/knowledge that satisfies aspiration and yields thousandfold increase.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The water-flow lexicon (√kṣar) corresponds to an inherited IE poetic motif of ‘streams’ as gifts of the gods. The dual verbal endings (anudethām, cakrathuḥ) preserve archaic morphology. sahasra ‘thousand’ is a pan-IE numeral (PIE *ǵheslo-/ *ǵhesr̥- type developments; Skt sahásra, Av. hazanra).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s thirst (tṛṣ) is presented as legitimate under R̥ta; the Devata answers not by external charity but by structural correction (making the foundation high and true) and by releasing streams that the seeker can ‘drink’—assimilate into consciousness as rayi.
Straighten the inner support: feel a high-based foundation above the head and a stable base in the body; invite flows of support to come naturally.
Viśuddha/Ājñā (upright truth-guidance) with Mūlādhāra (foundation).
Spinal-breathing: inhale up the central channel, exhale down; on exhale, release the ‘crooked burden’.
Centered, accompanied, quietly empowered.
Identify where responsibility has bent the being (jihmabāra). Offer it; then hold a simple vertical alignment and let ‘waters’ (support, insight, energy) arrive without forcing.
Rigvedic accents; emphasize udātta on uccābudhnam and rā́ye/sahásrāya as marked in recensional tradition.
Keep pāda endings clean; do not blur consonant clusters (jihmabāram).
nāsatyā: long ā, palatal ‘ty’, uccābudhnam: double ‘cc’, ‘dh’ voiced aspirate, jihmabāram: ‘jh’ voiced aspirate; long ā, kṣarann: ‘kṣ’ crisp; geminate ‘nn’
Grounded, steady, with a sense of long stride.
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