Rig Veda 1.116.10: Mandala 1, Sukta 116, Mantra 10
Sukta 1.116
- Rishi
- Kakṣīvant Dairghatamasa
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
जुजुरुषो नासत्योत वव्रिं प्रामुञ्चतं द्रापिमिव च्यवानात् । प्रातिरतं जहितस्यायुर्दस्रादित्पतिमकृणुतं कनीनाम् ॥
jujuruṣó nāsatyóta vavríṃ prā́muñcataṃ drā́pim iva cyávānāt | prā́t irataṃ jahitásyā́yur dasrā́dit pátim akṛṇutaṃ kanī́nām ||
Wy, Nāsatyowie, nawet dla wyczerpanego i słabnącego, poluzowaliście otaczającą powłokę z Cyavāny, jak się zdejmuje skórę. Pociągnęliście naprzód ponownie życie, które zostało porzucone; i, o cudotwórcy, uczyniliście go znów mężem - panem młodych sił.
Word by Word
- जुजुरुषः
- the aged/decayed oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (कर्म/सम्प्रदान-सम्बद्ध) — ‘च्यवान’ का विशेषणRoot जुजुरुषु- (प्रातिपदिक; √जॄ/जॢ ‘to wear out, decay’ से व्युत्पन्न, ‘क्षीण/जीर्ण’)
- नासत्या
- O Nāsatyas (Aśvins)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot नासत्य- (अश्विनौ; प्रातिपदिक)
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableअव्ययRole समुच्चय/अन्वयRoot उत (निपात)
- वव्रिम्
- a covering/skin (sheath)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वव्रि- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘आवरण/चर्म/कवच’)
- प्र
- forth, awayIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग) — ‘अमुंचतम्’ के साथRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot प्र (उपसर्ग)
- अमुंचतम्
- you two released/loosenedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन भूत), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रिया (कर्तृ: नासत्या)Root √मुच् (मोचने) + आ- (उपसर्ग)
- द्रापिम्
- a skin/coveringNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (उपमेय) — ‘इव’ के साथRoot द्रापि- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘चर्म/आवरण/कवच’)
- इव
- likeIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपमाRoot इव (उपमा-निपात)
- च्यवानात्
- from CyavānaNounपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचनRole अपादानRoot च्यवान- (प्रातिपदिक; ऋषि-नाम)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग) — ‘आतिरतम्’ के साथRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot प्र (उपसर्ग)
- आतिरतम्
- you two carried across / brought throughVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन भूत), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रिया (कर्तृ: नासत्या)Root √तॄ/तॢ (तरणे ‘to cross, overcome’) + आ- (उपसर्ग)
- जहितस्य
- of the abandoned/left (one)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (आयुः का विशेषण)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘आयुः’ के साथRoot √हा (त्यागे) → जहित- (कृदन्त ‘त्यक्त/परित्यक्त’)
- आयुः
- life, lifespanNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (यहाँ कर्मरूपेण)Role कर्मRoot आयुस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- दस्रात्
- from the wondrous one(s) (the Aśvins)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (समष्टि/जात्यर्थ; ‘दस्र’ = अश्विन्)Role अपादान (स्रोत/कारण) / अथवा हेत्वर्थ पञ्चमीRoot दस्र- (अश्विनौ का विशेषण ‘दक्ष/अद्भुत-कर्तृ’)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableअव्ययRole निपात (निश्चय/बल)Root इत् (निपात; एव/खलु-अर्थ)
- पतिम्
- a husband/lordNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पति- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अकृणुतम्
- you two madeVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन भूत), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रिया (कर्तृ: नासत्या)Root √कृ (करणे)
- कनीनाम्
- of the maidens/young womenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘पति’ के साथRoot कनीना- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘कन्या/युवती’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): जुजुरुषः नासत्या उत वव्रिम् प्र अमुंचतम् द्रापिम् इव च्यवानात् । प्र आतिरतम् जहितस्य आयुः दस्रात् इत् पतिम् अकृणुतम् कनीनाम् ॥ मुख्य सन्धि: (1) नासत्यो॒त = नासत्या + उत (ओ/आ संधि; पदपाठ में ‘नासत्या उत’)
- (2) प्रामुंचतम् = प्र + अमुंचतम्
- (3) द्रापिमिव = द्रापिम् + इव (म् + इ → मिव)
- (4) प्रातिरतम् = प्र + आतिरतम्
- (5) द॒स्रादित् = दस्रात् + इत् (त् + इ → दित्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
You Nāsatyas loosened the enclosing sheath from Cyavāna like stripping a skin. You carried forward again the life that had been abandoned; and you made him again the husband/master of youthful maidens.
Inner meaning
Cyavāna represents the soul-force or will that has grown worn in the embodied nature. The ‘enclosing sheath’ (vavri/drāpi) is the hardened covering—age, inertia, depression, or limiting formation—that constricts consciousness. The Aśvins remove this casing, restore the abandoned life-force (āyuḥ), and re-establish mastery over youthful energies (kanīnāṃ): the renewed capacity to govern fresh powers of action and delight without being ruled by decay.
Universal truth
Renewal is possible when the constricting layers of habit and exhaustion are shed; life returns when consciousness is freed from its casing, and vitality becomes again a governed instrument of the higher will.
Themes
Rejuvenation of Cyavāna, Liberation from limitation, Return of vitality, Reintegration of powers
The seer
- Rishi
- Kakṣīvant Dairghatamasa
- Lineage
- Dīrghatamasa lineage
- Other hymns
- RV 1.116.8, RV 1.117.10, RV 10.39.5
Family tradition
The Cyavāna episode is a classic Aśvin restoration myth; Kakṣīvant uses it to affirm that decline is not final when divine helpers are invoked.
Significance
He highlights a key yogic principle: transformation often begins by removing a limiting sheath; then life and mastery return as a natural consequence.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- Nāsatyā, Dasrā (wonder-workers)
- Related deities
- Soma (renewal/bliss), Agni (will), Indra (force of victory over obstruction)
Cosmic role
Restorers of youth, healers of decay, releasers from constriction; they renew the functioning of the embodied being.
Inner power
Capacity to dissolve hardened coverings, re-infuse prāṇa, and re-establish mastery of the vital energies under a higher guidance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin hymns for healing, longevity, and restoration
जु॒जु॒रुषो॑ नासत्यो॒त व॒व्रिं प्रामु॑ञ्चतं द्रा॒पिमि॑व॒ च्यवा॑नात् । प्राति॑रतं जहि॒तस्यायु॑र्द॒स्रादित्पति॑मकृणुतं क॒नीना॑म् ॥
जु॒जु॒रुषः॑ । ना॒स॒त्या॒ । उ॒त । व॒व्रिम् । प्र । अ॒मु॒ञ्च॒त॒म् । द्रा॒पिम्ऽइ॑व । च्यवा॑नात् । प्र । अ॒ति॒र॒त॒म् । ज॒हि॒तस्य॑ । आयुः॑ । द॒स्रा॒ । आत् । इत् । पति॑म् । अ॒कृ॒णु॒त॒म् । क॒नीना॑म् ॥
jujuruṣaḥ | nāsatyā | uta | vavrim | pra | amuñcatam | drāpim-iva | cyavānāt | pra | atiratam | jahitasya | āyuḥ | dasrā | āt | it | patim | akṛṇutam | kanīnām
44
4 × ~11
Strong, incisive, with a ‘cutting free’ feel—well-suited to the image of stripping a sheath.
Invokes renewal and courage; can produce a felt sense of shedding heaviness and regaining forward life.
- वव्रिम् (vavrim)
- Literal: covering, enclosure. Symbolic: constricting formation; ignorance-cover; hardened habit-shell
- द्रापिमिव (drāpim iva)
- Literal: like a skin. Symbolic: outer layer of inertia/old identity to be shed
- च्यवानात् (cyavānāt)
- Literal: from Cyavāna. Symbolic: from the declining will/personality—state of ‘fallen’ vitality
- जहितस्य आयुः (jahitasya āyuḥ)
- Literal: life that had been abandoned. Symbolic: withdrawn prāṇa/ojas; lost zest and forward movement
- प्रातिरतम् (prātiratam)
- Literal: you carried forward/extended again. Symbolic: restarting the evolutionary push; re-launch of life-current
- पतिम् (patim)
- Literal: husband, lord/master. Symbolic: inner mastery; governing power over energies
- कनीनाम् (kanīnām)
- Literal: of young maidens. Symbolic: fresh youthful forces—new energies, impulses, capacities that must be rightly mastered
Healing/renewal paradigm in Soma ritual praise; used to invoke rejuvenation and restoration of vitality.
When praying for release from illness, decline, or constriction; also for renewed capacity and prosperity of household life (symbolically, mastery of energies).
Praise of the Aśvins’ rejuvenating act to invite the same power.
Chant during recovery, fatigue, or life-transition; use as an inner ‘renewal’ mantra to shed stale identity and restart aspiration.
√muc ‘release’ is central to liberation imagery. (vavrí) ‘covering’ suggests an enclosing limitation; paired with ‘skin’ (drāpi) to indicate shedding an old formation. √jar (aging) vs restored āyus (life-force) frames the Ashvins as renewers. (pati) extends from ‘husband’ to ‘lord/master’—psychologically, regained mastery over the youthful powers (kanīnāṃ).
Transformation (old sheath removed), Restoration of āyus (continuity of conscious life), Integration/mastery (pati)
Mastery (pati) implies energies return to right order rather than chaotic impulse.
Truth-acting renewal: not cosmetic, but removal of the real sheath that binds life.
Rejuvenation as re-birth: shedding a skin and restarting the life-current.
Integral yoga: transformation by removing coverings (āvaraṇa-bheda) and restoring the soul’s forward movement.
Sheath = inertia-cover; stripping = liberation; youth = fresh prāṇic powers under mastery.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Rejuvenation by shedding: the Ashvins strip off Cyavāna’s enclosing sheath like a skin and restore abandoned life. Inner sense: liberation from an old formation of consciousness (vavrí/drāpi) allows āyus to flow forward again; mastery (pati) over youthful energies is regained—renewed capacity to act under R̥ta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √muc ‘release’ continues an old IE semantic field of freeing/unbinding (cf. Latin mūnus is not cognate; better to note the widespread IE motif of ‘unbinding’ in ritual speech). pati ‘lord’ is a clear IE inheritance (PIE *pótis; cf. Gk. pósi(s), Lat. potis/potens in semantic extension).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recounts the Ashvins’ power over decline itself: they do not merely prolong life but renew its form. The devotee seeks the same inner operation—release from constriction, restoration of vitality, and re-integration of energies into a governed, harmonious mastery.
Shedding the sheath: release the sense of heaviness/old identity; invite renewed life-current and mastery over fresh energies.
Maṇipūra (renewed will) with Svādhiṣṭhāna (youthful life-energy) brought under guidance of Ājñā (mastery).
Exhale-centric release: long exhale imagining the ‘skin’ slipping off; inhale receiving fresh prāṇa; brief kumbhaka to feel new steadiness.
Rejuvenated, forward-moving, self-mastering.
Identify the ‘vavri’—a habitual constriction (belief, fatigue-pattern). Chant while consciously relaxing that layer; then take one small right action to anchor the restored āyuḥ.
Rigvedic accent; keep udātta clear on nāsatyā, prāmuñcatam, āyuḥ, dasrā́ as per accent tradition.
Articulate the ‘release’ verbs (prāmuñcatam, prātiratam) with slightly clearer onset; maintain triṣṭubh pulse.
jujuruṣo: repeated ‘ju’ light and quick, not heavy, prāmuñcatam: ‘ñc’ palatal; long ā in prā-, drāpimiva: long ā; ‘miva’ connected, kanīnām: long ī; retroflex ‘ṇ’
Firm, cleansing, rejuvenating; avoid lamenting tone.
12
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
