Rig Veda 8.73.13: Mandala 8, Sukta 73, Mantra 13
Sukta 8.73
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यो वां रजांस्यश्विना रथो वियाति रोदसी । अन्ति षद्भूतु वामवः ॥
yó vāṃ rajā́ṃsy aśvinā rátho viyā́ti ródasī | ánti ṣádbhūtu vāmávaḥ ||
Wahai Aśvin, ratah kamu yang bergerak merentas hamparan luas dan menjelajah dua alam—moga pertolongan kamu dekat dan benar-benar hadir.
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाम्
- you two; for you two / of you twoPronounद्वितीया/षष्ठी, द्विवचनम् (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रजांसि
- regions, spaces (realms)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्विना
- O AśvinsNoun (proper, dual deity name)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनम्Role SambodhanaRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक; द्विवचन-देवता-नाम)
- रथः
- chariotNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वियाति
- goes forth, travels apart/throughVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot या (धातु) + वि- (उपसर्ग)
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (heaven and earth)Noun (dual)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, द्विवचनम्Role KarmaRoot रोदसी (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक; द्यावापृथिव्यौ)
- अन्ति
- near, in the presence (of)Indeclinableअव्ययम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अन्ति (अव्यय)
- सत्
- being; while being / as (it) isParticiple (used adverbially) / Adjectiveवर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ), नपुंसकलिङ्गे/अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगःRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अस् (धातु) → सत् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त) / सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- भूतु
- let it be; may it becomeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot भू (धातु)
- वाम्
- of you twoPronounषष्ठी, द्विवचनम् (enclitic)Role SambandhaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अवः
- help, aid, protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: वां॒ रजां॑स्यश्विना॒ → वाम् + रजांसि + अश्विना (अन्त्य-इ + अ- आरम्भे ‘रजांसि अश्विना’ → ‘रजांस्यश्विना’)
- वि॒याति॒ रोद॑सी is straightforward (no internal sandhi)
- अन्ति॒ षद्भू॑तु → अन्ति + सत् + भूतु (mantra-text shows षद् by Vedic phonetic/orthographic convention; underlying सत्)
- वा॒मव॑: → वाम् + अवः (enclitic pronoun + noun; visarga belongs to अवः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Aśvins’ chariot moves through the wide mid-regions and ranges over the two worlds (heaven and earth); may their help be near and truly present.
Inner meaning
The Aśvins (twin divine powers of swift right-action and healing) move the seeker’s consciousness through all inner spaces—physical and mental—and across the dualities of embodied life. The prayer is for their immediate, effective aid (avaḥ) to become “near” (anti) and “real” (sat): not distant inspiration but operative guidance that arrives in the present moment.
Universal truth
Spiritual help becomes transformative when it is not merely believed in, but made present in lived experience—bridging inner and outer worlds and turning aspiration into effective action.
Themes
divine chariot, cosmic traversal, invocation
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.73.14, Rig Veda 8.73.15, Rig Veda 8.73.16, Rig Veda 8.73.17
Significance
The anonymity here highlights a common Rigvedic phenomenon: a communal or refrained aspiration where the mantra functions as a portable yogic petition—calling the divine powers to become immediately operative (anti…sat).
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- Nā́satyā (truthful rescuers), Dasrā (wonder-working healers), yuvām (the two youthful ones)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Twin powers who traverse the worlds, restoring harmony, rescuing from peril, and bringing swift boons at the junctions of night and dawn.
Inner power
Rapid rectification and healing in the vital-physical nature; right timing, practical intuition, and the ‘arriving’ of help when consciousness is in transition.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvina-oriented morning/transition invocations; used as an inviting refrain in soma-related praise contexts
यो वां॒ रजां॑स्यश्विना॒ रथो॑ वि॒याति॒ रोद॑सी । अन्ति॒ षद्भू॑तु वा॒मव॑: ॥
यः । वा॒म् । रजां॑सि । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । रथः॑ । वि॒ऽयाति॑ । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । अन्ति॑ । सत् । भू॒तु॒ । वा॒म् । अवः॑ ॥
yaḥ | vām | rajāṃsi | aśvinā | rathaḥ | vi-yāti | rodasī iti | anti | sat | bhūtu | vām | avaḥ
Likely Anuṣṭubh (probable; common in RV 8 and in refrain-like verses)
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4 pādas × ~8 syllables (approximate, subject to saṃhitā resolution)
Even, compact, refrain-friendly cadence
Creates a steady insistence—ideal for repeated invocation, imprinting the sense of ‘near, real help’ into the listener’s nervous system.
- रजांसि (rajāṃsi)
- Literal: wide spaces, regions (mid-air/realms). Symbolic: inner domains of consciousness; the subtle ranges the soul must traverse
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: the dynamic vehicle of yogic movement; coordinated powers carrying the seeker
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: the two worlds (heaven and earth). Symbolic: mind and body; higher and lower nature; the field of duality to be harmonized
- अन्ति (anti)
- Literal: near. Symbolic: immediacy of grace; help that touches the present state
- सत् (sat)
- Literal: being, real, true. Symbolic: effective truth-force; aid that is concretely established in consciousness
- अवः (avaḥ)
- Literal: help, protection, favor. Symbolic: active divine intervention that supports the inner sacrifice
Typical Aśvin chariot-motif verse; supports visualization/invitation of their swift advent
At dawn or in early morning recitations; especially in transitional rites or when calling swift assistance
Āvāhana (invitation) and stuti (praise) with a refrain to ‘bring near’ the deities’ aid
Use as a short daily invocation before work or travel: ‘May right help be near and real’—a mantra for timely guidance.
rajas- ‘space/region’ (not ‘dust’ here) indicates expanse; viyāti: √yā ‘go’ < PIE *h₁ei- ‘go’ (cf. Lat. ire). rodasī dual of rodas- ‘world’ (heaven/earth pair) shows archaic cosmic dualism. ratha ‘chariot’ is a standard Indo-European poetic vehicle-image for divine movement and effective force-organization.
planes of being, descent and movement of divine force, integration of the two worlds
The chariot’s ranging over rodasī suggests harmonizing the two poles under right order.
Sat emphasizes truth as realized presence, not abstraction.
Bridging and linking realms—movement that connects higher light with embodied life.
Proto-Vedāntic and yogic symbolism (as developed by Sri Aurobindo/Kashyap): deities as powers of consciousness.
Dawn/transition (Aśvins’ characteristic time)
The ‘two worlds’ become mind-body; the ‘wide spaces’ are the inner planes; the chariot is the coordinated yogic force that can traverse and unite them.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Chariot of the Twins traversing the worlds’: a signature Aśvin mythic image. Psychologically, it is the capacity of the twin powers to move across inner planes and link mind and life/body, bringing coordinated help into the embodied field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yā ‘go’ reflects PIE *h₁ei- (Lat. ire). The chariot motif itself is pan-Indo-European in poetics; rodasī as a fixed dual cosmic pair parallels other archaic dual cosmologies in IE traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- By recalling the gods’ world-traversing vehicle, the rishi affirms their ability to reach any level of his being; the refrain asks that this cosmic mobility translate into intimate, immediate assistance.
Invoke swift corrective guidance across mind–body; feel divine assistance becoming ‘near and real’.
Anāhata (for trust and receptivity) and Ājñā (for right perception)
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana 6–6 or 4–4 before chanting; then natural breath while repeating the refrain
Quietly alert, receptive, transitional (between thought and silence)
On ‘anti’, sense nearness; on ‘sat’, feel the help crystallize as a clear decision or calm force; end with a moment of stillness to receive practical intuition.
Notated svaras not provided; chant in a steady udātta-forward Rigvedic style with clear cadence on the refrain.
Give gentle emphasis to key words: rathó / rodasī / ánti / sát / bhūtu / aváḥ (approximate accenting by semantic stress).
aśvinā: keep ‘śv’ crisp, short ‘i’, rajāṃsi: nasal ‘ṃ’ before ‘s’, rodasī: long ī at end, viyāti: separate vi-yā-ti, avaḥ: visarga-like breath at end if reciting with pause
Clear, forward, prayerful; avoid heaviness—aim for swift brightness befitting the Aśvins.
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