Rig Veda 4.45.7: Mandala 4, Sukta 45, Mantra 7
Sukta 4.45
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
प्र वामवोचमश्विना धियंधा रथः स्वश्वो अजरो यो अस्ति । येन सद्यः परि रजांसि याथो हविष्मन्तं तरणिं भोजमच्छ ॥
prá vām avocam aśvinā dhiyam-dhā́ ratháḥ sváśvo ajáro yó ásti | yénā sadyáḥ pári rajā́ṃsi yā́tho haviṣmántam taraṇíṃ bhójām áccha ||
Wahai Aśvin, telah kuucapkan bagi kamu berdua fikiran-syair yang menegakkan cahaya: kamu mempunyai kereta dengan kuda-kuda indah, tidak menua pada kekuatannya. Dengannya kamu melintasi serta-merta hamparan-ruang, datang terus kepada pembawa persembahan yang pantas—yang menikmati dan membahagi havis (persembahan suci) menurut tertib yang benar.
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- वाम्
- of you two / you twoPronoungenitive/accusative dualRole Sampradāna (addressed to/for you two) / Karma (you two as object)Root युष्मद्
- अवोचम्
- I have spoken / I proclaimedVerbaorist (sigmatic), 1st person singular, parasmaipadaRole Kartā (speaker: I)Root वच्
- अश्विना
- O Aśvins (you two horsemen)Noun (proper/epithet)vocative dual (Vedic: -ā for voc. du.)Role Sampradāna (addressee)Root अश्विन्
- धियम्
- thought, hymn, inspired prayerNounfeminine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot धी
- धा
- place, set, bestowVerbimperative, 2nd person dual, parasmaipada (Vedic injunctive/imperatival use)Role Kartā (you two) / Karma (object implied: it)Root धा
- रथः
- the chariotNounmasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (of अस्ति) / Adhikaraṇa (topic: the chariot)Root रथ
- सु-अश्वः
- well-horsed, having good horsesAdjectivemasculine, nominative singular (agreeing with रथः)Role Viśeṣaṇa (qualifier of रथः)Root अश्व (with prefix सु-)
- अजरः
- unaging, undecayingAdjectivemasculine, nominative singular (agreeing with रथः)Role Viśeṣaṇa (qualifier of रथः)Root अजर
- यः
- which, whoPronoun (relative)masculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (of अस्ति), referring to रथःRoot यद्
- अस्ति
- isVerbpresent, 3rd person singular, parasmaipadaRole Kriyā (copula)Root अस्
- येन
- by whichPronoun (relative)instrumental singular (masc./neut.)Role KaraṇaRoot यद्
- सद्यः
- immediately, at onceIndeclinableadverbRoot सद्यस्
- परि
- around, all aboutIndeclinableupasarga / adverbRoot परि (upasarga)
- रजांसि
- spaces, regions (of air/sky), realmsNounneuter, accusative pluralRole KarmaRoot रजस्
- याथः
- you two go, you travelVerbpresent, 2nd person dual, parasmaipada (Vedic: thematic present)Role Kartā (you two)Root या
- हविष्मन्तम्
- possessing oblation, with offeringAdjective (possessive)masculine, accusative singularRole Karma (goal/person approached)Root हविष्मन्त्
- तरणिम्
- the overcomer, savior, delivererNoun/Adjectivemasculine, accusative singularRole Karma (apposition to हविष्मन्तम्)Root तरणि
- भोजम्
- bountiful one, patron, giverNoun/Adjectivemasculine, accusative singularRole Karma (apposition)Root भोज
- अच्छ
- towards, untoIndeclinablepreposition/adverb governing accusativeRoot अच्छ
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: (1) स्वश्वो॑ → सु-अश्वः (u + a → va in orthography; Vedic compound adjective)
- (2) रथ॒: → रथः (visarga)
- (3) यो अस्ति → यः अस्ति (o + a sandhi; underlying relative pronoun yáḥ)
- (4) रजां॑सि (written with long ā due to phonetic/metrical spelling) corresponds to rजांसि < रजस् (acc. pl.)
- (5) भो॒जमच्छ॑ → भोजम् + अच्छ (m + a sandhi; often written as maccha)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The seer proclaims a luminous thought to the Aśvins: they possess an ageless chariot with fine horses by which they swiftly traverse the mid-regions and come straight to the sacrificer who offers well.
Inner meaning
The “thought that bears the light” (dhiyam-dhāḥ) is the inspired intuition that can hold and carry illumination. The Aśvins—powers of swift, harmonizing help—arrive in the inner being by their “chariot” (a perfected movement of consciousness) drawn by “splendid steeds” (pure, eager life-energies). They cross the rajāṃsi (levels/fields of the inner world) instantly, reaching the taraṇi bhoja—Agni as the swift carrier and right distributor of the offering—so the inner sacrifice (self-giving of energies) becomes effective and well-ordered.
Universal truth
When aspiration becomes a luminous, truth-bearing thought, higher helping powers can rapidly reorganize our life-force and mind, carrying our offering of effort to the divine Fire within; then right enjoyment and right distribution of energies arise naturally.
Themes
Invocation, Swift divine aid, Chariot myth, Inspired thought (dhī), Offerer and oblation
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.26, RV 4.27, RV 4.18, RV 4.1
Family tradition
Vāmadeva of the Gautamas in Maṇḍala 4; hymns often emphasize inner ascent, right inspiration (dhī), and the divine powers’ swift help.
Significance
Vāmadeva is a seer of transformative realization: the inspired word (vāc) becomes a vehicle for ascent, calling the luminous powers to convert human striving into a diviner movement.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- Nā́satyā, Dasrā, swift helpers, healers, youthful lords of journey
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Twin powers that bring rapid aid, restoration, and right adjustment; mediators between higher light and the human field, especially at transitions and crossings.
Inner power
Quick, harmonizing intervention that heals the divided mind-life and enables safe passage across inner regions toward illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña invitations to the Aśvins; morning approach in pressing context (general soma-invocation usage in Ṛgvedic liturgy).
प्र वा॑मवोचमश्विना धियं॒धा रथ॒: स्वश्वो॑ अ॒जरो॒ यो अस्ति॑ । येन॑ स॒द्यः परि॒ रजां॑सि या॒थो ह॒विष्म॑न्तं त॒रणिं॑ भो॒जमच्छ॑ ॥
प्र । वा॒म् । अ॒वो॒च॒म् । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । धि॒य॒म्ऽधाः । रथः॑ । सु॒ऽअश्वः॑ । अ॒जरः॑ । यः । अस्ति॑ । येन॑ । स॒द्यः । परि॑ । रजां॑सि । या॒थः । ह॒विष्म॑न्तम् । त॒रणि॑म् । भो॒जम् । अच्छ॑ ॥
pra | vām | avocam | aśvinā | dhiyam-dhāḥ | rathaḥ | su-aśvaḥ | ajaraḥ | yaḥ | asti | yena | sadyaḥ | pari | rajāṃsi | yāthaḥ | haviṣmantam | taraṇim | bhojam | accha
44
4 padas of ~11 syllables each (Triṣṭubh cadence; exact count may vary by saṃhitā reading)
Forward-driving, expansive, suited for invocation and swift movement imagery.
Builds a sense of momentum and confident calling; supports an inner ‘surge’ of aspiration and arrival of help.
- धियम्ऽधाः (dhiyam-dhāḥ)
- Literal: thought/vision that holds or bears. Symbolic: truth-intuition that carries light and sustains right movement
- रथः (rathaḥ)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: organized dynamism of consciousness; vehicle of divine intervention
- स्वश्वः (svaśvaḥ)
- Literal: with good/splendid horses. Symbolic: purified vital energies and capacities of action yoked to the divine
- अजरः (ajaraḥ)
- Literal: ageless, undecaying. Symbolic: deathless power of the higher functioning, not exhausted by effort
- रजांसि (rajāṃsi)
- Literal: spaces/regions. Symbolic: planes and ranges of consciousness (inner mid-world) traversed by the gods
- हविष्मन्तम् (haviṣmantam)
- Literal: possessing oblation. Symbolic: the aspiring being rich in self-offering and consecrated energies
- तरणिम् (taraṇim)
- Literal: the swift crosser/overcomer. Symbolic: Agni as the force that carries across resistances and conveys the offering
- भोजम् (bhojam)
- Literal: enjoyer/distributor. Symbolic: the divine enjoyer who apportions energies rightly (right bhoga)
Invitation for rapid arrival to the offerer/pressing; typical Aśvin dawn-call with emphasis on swift chariot and immediate response
At soma pressings/invitations (especially morning sequences where Aśvins are prominent).
Recitation to invite the Aśvins to the offering and to the ‘carrier’ of oblation (Agni).
Use as a mantra of swift assistance: before travel, before meditation, or when seeking rapid re-alignment of energies and clarity of direction.
dhī ‘inspired thought’ from √dhī/√dhyai ‘to think, contemplate’, in RV often the luminous intelligence that receives truth. ratha ‘chariot’ (vehicle) is central IE poetic motif (mobility of gods). ajara ‘unaging’ from a- (negation) + √jṛ ‘to grow old, decay’. sadyas ‘immediately’ from sadyaḥ ‘on the same day/at once’, marking instant divine response. bhoja from √bhuj ‘enjoy, partake, possess’ extends to ‘administer/distribute’: inner sense is assimilation of offering into consciousness and its right apportioning.
dhī (inspired intelligence), mantra-vāc (effective speech), Ṛta-guided distribution of offering
The Aśvins’ ‘straight’ arrival and Agni’s right distribution signify restoration of Ṛta in the human instrument.
Dhī as truth-bearing vision—speech aligned to truth becomes effective power.
Traversal of rajāṃsi suggests ascent through graded worlds; divine mobility links planes.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent of consciousness and descent of helping powers through the inner sacrifice.
dawn/morning (Aśvin context)
The chariot is concentrated yogic movement; horses are vital forces; rajāṃsi are inner planes; the swift ‘crosser’ is the will-fire carrying offering through resistances.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘swift chariot of the twins’ mythologem: the Aśvins traverse the rajas instantly to reach the offerer. Innerly, the mantra (vac) calls down rapid harmonizing forces that establish dhī and carry consciousness across transitional spaces to the place of offering (haviṣ)—where energies are rightly enjoyed and distributed (bhoja).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vac ‘speak’ continues PIE *wekʷ- ‘voice, speak’ (cf. Latin vox). aśva corresponds to PIE *h₁éḱwos. ratha belongs to the IE chariot-poetics of the late PIE/early IE horizon, prominent in Indo-Iranian hymn style.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers effective speech and dhī as the ‘gift’ that summons; the Aśvins reciprocate by immediate movement and by establishing inspired intelligence (dhiyam-dhāḥ). The exchange is: mantra and offering from the human side; swift guidance, healing harmony, and right enjoyment/distribution of energies from the divine side.
Invoke swift harmonizing help to align mind (dhī) and life-force (aśvāḥ) with the inner fire of aspiration.
Ājñā (dhī/vision) and Anāhata (harmonizing help and right offering).
Gentle coherent breathing (e.g., 4-4-6) while inwardly ‘mounting the chariot’—steady attention riding the breath.
Dynamic concentration with receptive openness to descent of help.
Begin with offering: name the effort you consecrate; then repeat the mantra, imagining the Aśvins’ chariot crossing inner spaces and arriving at the heart-fire; end with a quiet pause to feel right distribution of energies.
Notated svaras vary by śākhā; generally follow Ṛgvedic udātta/anudātta/svarita accents as in pada text. Use a recorded Ṛgveda recitation for exact pitch contours.
Keep udātta syllables slightly raised; let svarita fall/curve; avoid stressing English-like word accents. Maintain sandhi in saṃhitā recitation (e.g., avocam aśvinā).
aśvinā: ‘śv’ as palatal ‘shv’ cluster, not ‘sv’, dhiyam-dhāḥ: clear aspiration in ‘dh’, and long ‘āḥ’ at end, rajāṃsi: nasal ‘ṃ’ as anusvāra before ‘s’, taraṇim: retroflex ‘ṇ’
Bright, forward, and steady; emphasize swiftness without rushing consonants.
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