Rig Veda Sukta 39
Mandala 2Sukta 398 Mantras

Sukta 39

Sukta 2.39

Rishi

Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh

Himne ini menyeru Aśvin kembar sebagai kuasa ganda yang pantas, yang membawa persembahan manusia dan menghadirkan pertolongan yang nyata—kesihatan, perlindungan, bimbingan yang benar, dan kemakmuran. Melalui perumpamaan berpasangan yang hidup (batu, utusan, mata, tangan, kaki), penyair memohon agar mereka segera tiba, melihat dengan jelas, menyembuhkan tubuh, dan menuntun pemuja menuju kebaikan yang lebih utama. Pada akhirnya, stoma yang digubah dipersembahkan sebagai “pertambahan” bagi Aśvin, serta dipanjatkan doa untuk zuriat yang kuat dan bercahaya, dan tutur kata yang luas lagi menang dalam perhimpunan.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 2.39

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • AshvinauAśvinau (the two Aśvins)

    Twin horsemen, youthful and radiant, quick to come at dawn; healers and rescuers who respond to calls, travel widely, and bring medicines, protection, and good fortune.

Mantras

Mantra 1

ग्रावाणेव तदिदर्थं जरेथे गृध्रेव वृक्षं निधिमन्तमच्छ । ब्रह्माणेव विदथ उक्थशासा दूतेव हव्या जन्या पुरुत्रा ॥

Seperti batu-batu pemerah, kamu berdua digerakkan bagi tujuan yang benar; seperti para pencari yang ghairah, kamu mendatangi pohon yang sarat harta. Seperti para brahmana, kamu bergerak dalam perhimpunan-perhimpunan dengan kuasa himne; seperti para utusan, kamu membawa persembahan manusia ke banyak penjuru.

Mantra 2

प्रातर्यावाणा रथ्येव वीराजेव यमा वरमा सचेथे । मेने इव तन्वा शुम्भमाने दम्पतीव क्रतुविदा जनेषु ॥

Wahai kamu berdua yang datang pada pagi hari, berpadu seperti dua sahabat se-kereta; seperti sepasang yang bercahaya memilih yang terbaik. Seperti dua wanita bijaksana yang menghias tubuh, seperti sepasang suami isteri yang mengetahui kebijaksanaan (kratu) di kalangan manusia.

Mantra 3

शृङ्गेव नः प्रथमा गन्तमर्वाक्छफाविव जर्भुराणा तरोभिः । चक्रवाकेव प्रति वस्तोरुस्रार्वाञ्चा यातं रथ्येव शक्रा ॥

Datanglah kepada kami terlebih dahulu, seperti dua tanduk yang memimpin ke hadapan; seperti dua kuku yang pantas bergerak dengan lompatan. Seperti burung cakravāka kembali menuju tempat tinggal fajar, datanglah ke mari; seperti dua yang perkasa di laluan kereta, wahai pasangan yang kuat.

Mantra 4

नावेव नः पारयतं युगेव नभ्येव न उपधीव प्रधीव । श्वानेव नो अरिषण्या तनूनां खृगलेव विस्रसः पातमस्मान् ॥

Seperti perahu, seberangkanlah kami; seperti kuk, satukanlah kami; seperti pusat roda, teguhkanlah kami di tengah; seperti penopang, sokonglah kami. Seperti anjing penjaga, lindungilah tubuh-tubuh kami; seperti makhluk yang teguh pijaknya, peliharalah kami daripada tergelincir dan jatuh.

Mantra 5

वातेवाजुर्या नद्येव रीतिरक्षी इव चक्षुषा यातमर्वाक् । हस्ताविव तन्वे शम्भविष्ठा पादेव नो नयतं वस्यो अच्छ ॥

Datanglah kepada kami dengan segera seperti angin, seperti arus sungai; datanglah ke mari dengan penglihatan seperti sepasang mata. Seperti dua tangan, jadilah yang paling membawa berkat bagi tubuh kami; seperti dua kaki, pimpinlah kami menuju kebaikan yang lebih utama dan lebih bercahaya.

Mantra 6

ओष्ठाविव मध्वास्ने वदन्ता स्तनाविव पिप्यतं जीवसे नः । नासेव नस्तन्वो रक्षितारा कर्णाविव सुश्रुता भूतमस्मे ॥

Seperti dua bibir yang berkata-kata madu di dalam mulut, jadilah bagi kami kata-kata yang manis; seperti dua payudara, suburkanlah kami demi kehidupan. Seperti dua lubang hidung, jadilah pelindung bagi diri kami yang berjasad; seperti dua telinga, jadilah bagi kami pendengar yang baik—menerima dan mengurniakan pendengaran yang benar.

Mantra 7

हस्तेव शक्तिमभि संददी नः क्षामेव नः समजतं रजांसि । इमा गिरो अश्विना युष्मयन्तीः क्ष्णोत्रेणेव स्वधितिं सं शिशीतम् ॥

Seperti dengan tangan, tanamkanlah kekuatan ke dalam diri kami; seperti bumi yang teguh, susun dan satukanlah ruang-ruang kami. Ucapan-ucapan ini, wahai Aśvin, yang merindu kepada kamu berdua—tajamkanlah bersama, seperti kapak dengan batu asah.

Mantra 8

एतानि वामश्विना वर्धनानि ब्रह्म स्तोमं गृत्समदासो अक्रन् । तानि नरा जुजुषाणोप यातं बृहद्वदेम विदथे सुवीराः ॥

Inilah penambah-kekuatanmu, wahai Aśvin; sabda ilham dan stoma (himne) yang telah ditempa para resi Gṛtsamada. Terimalah semuanya, wahai dua wira, dan datanglah mendekat; moga kami menuturkan Yang Maha-Luas dalam majlis suci, kaya dengan zuriat jiwa yang gagah dan bercahaya.

Inside Sukta 39

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    The Aśvins are praised through strong paired similes as purposeful, treasure-seeking, priest-like movers in assemblies, and messengers who carry offerings everywhere (2.39.1).

  2. Development

    The hymn intensifies the request for their rapid approach and beneficent dual action—seeing, protecting, healing, and guiding—by comparing them to wind, river-current, two eyes, two hands, and two feet (e.g., 2.39.5).

  3. Climax

    The prayer peaks in the explicit plea for embodied auspiciousness and right leading toward the ‘better good,’ presenting the Aśvins as the very faculties of sight and movement that enable success.

  4. Where it settles

    The seer offers the finished stoma as the Aśvins’ ‘increase,’ asks them to accept and draw near, and prays for wide speech in the assembly and strong, luminous offspring (2.39.8).

The deity: Aśvinau

  • Cosmic functionThey mediate the transition from night to day and from distress to well-being—restoring order by healing, rescuing, and enabling movement, sight, and successful ritual exchange.
  • Inner significanceThe harmonized dual powers in the seeker—discernment and energy, inspiration and execution—arriving swiftly to heal what is broken and to guide the mind-body toward a higher, clearer good.

The seer

  • Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)Bhṛgu/Bhārgava lineage; associated with the Gṛtsamada family of seers · A principal seer of Maṇḍala 2, celebrated for powerful, well-crafted hymns—especially to Agni and the divine helpers—linking precise ritual speech with practical boons.

Famous verses

ग्रावाणेव तदिदर्थं जरेथे गृध्रेव वृक्षं निधिमन्तमच्छ । ब्रह्माणेव विदथ उक्थशासा दूतेव हव्या जन्या पुरुत्रा ॥
Verse 2.39.1Sets the hymn’s core imagery: the Aśvins as purposeful agents—pressing-stones, eager seekers of treasure, priests in assembly, and messengers bearing offerings—defining their role as swift mediators between humans and gods.Read verse 2.39.1 →
वातेवाजुर्या नद्येव रीतिरक्षी इव चक्षुषा यातमर्वाक् । हस्ताविव तन्वे शम्भविष्ठा पादेव नो नयतं वस्यो अच्छ ॥
Verse 2.39.5A classic verse of dual-function symbolism: the Aśvins are invoked as speed (wind/river), perception (two eyes), healing support (two hands), and right guidance (two feet leading to the better good).Read verse 2.39.5 →
bṛhad vadema vidathe suvīrāḥ
Verse 2.39.8Concluding dedication: the hymn itself is offered as ‘vardhanāni’ (increasings) for the Aśvins, with the final wish for expansive speech in the assembly and ‘suvīra’—strong, luminous progeny/inner strength.Read verse 2.39.8 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Twin and inseparable (dual agency)
  • Swift approach (wind/river imagery)
  • Healers and restorers
  • Guides and protectors on the path
  • Bearers of offerings like messengers
  • Associated with dawn and auspicious beginnings

Also by this seer

  • Major attribution for Rig Veda Maṇḍala 2 (many sūktas of the Gṛtsamada/Bhārgava tradition)
  • Noted Agni hymns in Book 2 that establish Agni as priest, messenger, and protector in the sacrifice

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the ritual space and kindle/maintain the sacred fire (as applicable to the rite).
  • At dawn, recite the Aśvin stotra/mantras with emphasis on their swift arrival and clear sight.
  • Invite the twins to the seat/space of worship and present the oblations as ‘havyā’ carried to them.
  • State specific petitions: bodily well-being, auspiciousness, guidance to ‘vasyaḥ’ (the better good), and prosperity/offspring.
  • Conclude with acceptance-formula: offer the composed stoma as their ‘vardhanāni’ (increase) and request success in the assembly (vidatha).

Offerings

  • Ghee (ghṛta) oblations
  • Soma/pressing-related offerings (contextually implied by pressing-stone imagery)
  • Food offerings appropriate to the rite (havis)

Frequently Asked Questions

The Aśvins are twin divine helpers—swift riders associated with dawn—praised as healers, rescuers, and guides who quickly respond to human prayers and offerings.

It asks them to come quickly, see clearly, bring bodily well-being and auspiciousness, and lead the worshipper toward “vasyaḥ”—the better, brighter good.

Because the twins act as a coordinated pair: like two eyes they bring clear perception, like two hands they support and heal the body, and like two feet they guide forward on a safe and beneficial path.

Ask anything about Sukta 39 of the Rig Veda

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