Rig Veda 1.116.15: Mandala 1, Sukta 116, Mantra 15
Sukta 1.116
- Rishi
- Kakṣīvant Dairghatamasa
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
चरित्रं हि वेरिवाच्छेदि पर्णमाजा खेलस्य परितक्म्यायाम् । सद्यो जङ्घामायसीं विश्पलायै धने हिते सर्तवे प्रत्यधत्तम् ॥
carítraṃ hí vér ivā́c chedi párṇam ā́jā khélasya pári-takmyāyām | sadyó jaṅghā́m ā́yasīṃ viśpálāyai dháne hité sártave práty adhattam ||
Gdy ruch został odcięty jak skrzydło ptaka w krążącym współzawodnictwie Kheli, natychmiast ustanowiliście dla Viśpalī żelazną nogę, aby mogła znów biec ku nagrodzie postawionej przed nią - przywracając postęp w walce o zysk.
Word by Word
- चरित्रम्
- course, movement; (here) the going/trackNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot चरित्र (प्रातिपदिक; √चर्) अथवा चरि-
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपातRoot हि
- वेरिवात्
- from/like a whirlwind; violentlyAdjective (used adverbially) / Nounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (अव्ययीभाव-प्राय प्रयोग)Role ApādānaRoot वेरिवात् (प्रातिपदिक) [वेरि- + वात्]
- छेदि
- was cut off / got severedVerbलुङ् (अorist), 3 एकवचन, आत्मनेपद/परस्मैपद-प्रयोग (वेदिक रूप)Root √छिद्
- पर्णम्
- leaf, wing-featherNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Kartā (with passive sense) / KarmaRoot पर्ण
- आजा
- the she-goatNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot आजा (प्रातिपदिक) < अज (goat)
- खेलस्य
- of play/sport; of the gambolNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole SambandhaRoot खेल
- परि
- around, aboutIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot परि
- तक्म्यायाम्
- in/at the rushing (motion); in the swift courseNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot तक्म्या (प्रातिपदिक) < √तक्/तक्म् (वेग/गमन-भाव)
- सद्यः
- immediatelyIndeclinableअव्ययRoot सद्यः
- जङ्घाम्
- legNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot जङ्घा
- आयसीम्
- made of iron/metalAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (विशेषण)Root आयस (प्रातिपदिक) < अयस्
- विश्पलायै
- to ViśpalāNoun (proper name)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot विश्पला (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
- धने
- in the prize/booty; in the contest for wealthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot धन
- हिते
- set/placed; (here) at stakeAdjective / Kṛdantaनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (धने इति सह)Role Adhikaraṇa (विशेषण)Root हित (कृदन्त; √धा + नि- → हित) अथवा √हि (हित = placed)
- सर्तवे
- to run, to raceVerb (infinitive)तुमर्थे दत्वे/वे-प्रत्ययान्त infinitive:Role PrayojanaRoot √सृ (सर्तु/सर्तृ- भाव) → सर्तवे (inf.)
- प्रति
- back, in return; towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot प्रति
- अधत्तम्
- you two placed/put on; you two fittedVerbलुङ् (aorist), 2 पुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRoot √धा (आ-धा with प्रति)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): वेरिवाच्छे॑दि → वेरिवात् + छेदि (त् + छ → च्छ)
- प॒र्णमा॒जा → पर्णम् + आजा (म् + अ → मा)
- परि॑तक्म्यायाम् → परि + तक्म्यायाम् (उपसर्ग-योग)
- धने॑ हि॒ते → धने + हिते (सप्तमी-सप्तमी समन्वय)
- सर्त॑वे॒ प्रत्य॑धत्तम् → सर्तवे + प्रति + अधत्तम् (उपसर्ग-समास/योग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When the movement was cut like a bird’s wing in Khela’s circling contest, the Aśvins at once fitted an iron leg for Viśpalā so she could run toward the prize.
Inner meaning
The ‘race’ is the soul’s evolutionary striving; the ‘wing cut’ is a sudden breakdown of progress—injury, collapse of will, or loss of vital support. Viśpalā represents the striving force in us that can be wounded in the contest of life. The Aśvins provide an ‘iron leg’—a firm, enduring support: disciplined strength, a reconstructed life-instrument, even a yogic ‘prosthesis’ of steadiness when natural impetus fails. This restores forward movement toward the dhana (the gain: light, wideness, fulfillment).
Universal truth
Setbacks need not end the journey. With right help and right discipline, a broken capacity can be replaced by a stronger support, enabling continued progress toward one’s true aim.
Themes
Viśpalā iron leg, Healing of rupture, Renewed striving, Support for attainment
The seer
- Rishi
- Kakṣīvant Dairghatamasa
- Lineage
- Dīrghatamas (Āṅgirasa-related)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.116-1.120
Family tradition
Narratives of restoration emphasize practical siddhi: not escape from life, but repaired capacity to move and win.
Significance
This is a classic Aśvin motif: divine aid as ‘engineering’ of the human instrument—symbolizing yogic reconstitution after collapse.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- नरा (Narā), नासत्या (Nāsatyā)
- Related deities
- Indra (victory in contest), Agni (will to progress), Savitṛ (impulsion on the path)
Cosmic role
Divine physicians and technicians of the journey; they restore mobility and capacity to win the goal.
Inner power
They supply steadfast endurance (āyasī jaṅghā) when natural vitality is wounded—turning breakdown into renewed progress.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin hymns for healing and restoration; suitable for rites seeking recovery and success in undertakings.
च॒रित्रं॒ हि वेरि॒वाच्छे॑दि प॒र्णमा॒जा खे॒लस्य॒ परि॑तक्म्यायाम् । स॒द्यो जङ्घा॒माय॑सीं वि॒श्पला॑यै॒ धने॑ हि॒ते सर्त॑वे॒ प्रत्य॑धत्तम् ॥
च॒रित्र॑म् । हि । वेःऽइ॑व । अच्छे॑दि । प॒र्णम् । आ॒जा । खे॒लस्य॑ । परि॑ऽतक्म्यायाम् । स॒द्यः । जङ्घा॑म् । आय॑सीम् । वि॒श्पला॑यै । धने॑ । हि॒ते । सर्त॑वे । प्रति॑ । अ॒ध॒त्त॒म् ॥
caritram | hi | veḥ-iva | acchedi | parṇam | ājā | khelasya | pari-takmyāyām | sadyaḥ | jaṅghām | āyasīm | viśpalāyai | dhane | hite | sartave | prati | adhattam
44
4 x ~11
Quick narrative pace; decisive ‘sadyas’ (immediately) gives a sharp turn from loss to restoration.
Energizes perseverance; helps re-establish rhythm after inner ‘stumble’.
- चरित्रम् (caritram)
- Literal: movement, course. Symbolic: life-trajectory; progress of sadhana
- अच्छेदि (acchedi)
- Literal: was cut. Symbolic: sudden interruption; breakdown of inner momentum
- पर्णम् (parṇam)
- Literal: wing/leaf. Symbolic: capacity for swift movement; uplift of life-force
- आजा (ājā)
- Literal: contest, race. Symbolic: field of life-struggle and self-surpassing
- परितक्म्यायाम् (paritakmyāyām)
- Literal: in the circling/turning movement. Symbolic: repetitive cycles of nature; samsaric rounds where one can falter
- जङ्घाम् (jaṅghām)
- Literal: leg. Symbolic: support of action; means of forward movement
- आयसीम् (āyasīm)
- Literal: iron-made. Symbolic: unyielding endurance; disciplined strength
- विश्पला (viśpalā)
- Literal: Viśpalā (name). Symbolic: the striving energy/personality engaged in the race of attainment
- धने हिते (dhane hite)
- Literal: the prize/wealth set. Symbolic: the spiritual gain set before the seeker (light, power, joy)
- सर्तवे (sartave)
- Literal: to run. Symbolic: to continue the yoga of progress; persistent forward endeavor
Invoked for restoration after injury/rupture; supports the sacrificer’s continuity in effort and attainment.
Invoked when seeking swift remedy and renewed capacity—especially before demanding efforts or journeys.
Recitation with intention for restoration; offering of fatigue/defeat into the divine help.
For rehabilitation after injury, burnout, or repeated failure: affirm the possibility of a new support system (habits, discipline, therapy, practice) enabling continued striving.
(movement) from √car ‘to move, to conduct oneself’. √chid ‘cut’ marks rupture in progress. āyasī ‘iron’ signifies firmness and endurance; the Ashvins restore the instrument of advance (jaṅghā) so the soul can ‘run’ (√sṛ) toward the dhana—here read as spiritual gain, plenitude of force.
Restoration of progress (caritra), Endurance and firmness (āyasī), Goal-directed striving (āj(i), dhana)
The Aśvins restore the right functioning of the journey so the being can move again in ṛta.
The ‘dhana hita’ symbolizes the true gain; satya draws the seeker forward despite setbacks.
Reconstruction: the divine refashions the broken limb; evolution continues by new formation.
Integral yoga theme: transformation of the instrument, not abandonment of the field of action.
Daytime/active striving (implied by race)
Wing cut = loss of uplift; iron leg = disciplined support; race = evolutionary striving; prize = spiritual attainment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Ashvins replace Viśpalā’s lost leg with an iron one so she can run again in the contest. Inner sense: when the soul’s movement is cut (loss of capacity), the twin healers restore a stronger support, enabling renewed progress toward the established goal (hita dhana).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √car ‘move’ and √sṛ ‘run/flow’ reflect ancient motion roots common in IE languages. The contest/race (āj(i)) is a typical IE heroic frame for spiritual striving, preserved in Indo-Iranian poetic tradition.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents the Ashvins as restorers of the means, not merely givers of the end. By their intervention the aspirant regains the capacity to strive—showing that divine help in the Veda often rebuilds the instrument (body/vital/mental function) so the seeker can fulfill the journey.
Rebuild forward movement after a break; cultivate steady endurance rather than fragile speed.
Maṇipūra (will/drive) stabilized by Mūlādhāra (support).
Walking meditation with mantra: synchronize steps with pādas; or seated breathing with strong diaphragmatic support (inhale 4, exhale 4) for steadiness.
From discouragement to resilient progress; grounded courage.
Identify where ‘movement was cut’ (habit, health, faith). Ask inwardly for the ‘iron leg’: a specific, sustainable discipline. Commit to small daily forward motion toward the ‘dhana’.
Tri-svara; keep ‘sadyas’ crisp and slightly emphasized within svara rules.
Maintain clear segmentation of compounds: ‘paritakmyāyām’; land firmly on ‘āyasīm’.
: short i, retroflex ṭ not present—keep dental t, : geminated cch; short e, : kmya cluster—articulate without inserting extra vowels, : nasal ṅ + gh; keep aspirate, : śp cluster clean; long āyai
Steady, rhythmic, ‘march-like’ to embody restored movement.
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