Rig Veda 1.116.25: Mandala 1, Sukta 116, Mantra 25
Sukta 1.116
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Āucathya
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
प्र वां दंसांस्यश्विनाववोचमस्य पतिः स्यां सुगवः सुवीरः । उत पश्यन्नश्नुवन्दीर्घमायुरस्तमिवेज्जरिमाणं जगम्याम् ॥
prá vāṁ daṁsā́ṁsy aśvināv avocam asyá pátiḥ syāṁ sugávaḥ suvī́raḥ | utá páśyann aśnuván dīrghám ā́yur ástam ivéj jarimā́ṇaṁ jagamyām ||
Ogłosiłem wasze potężne czyny, o Aśvinowie. Obym był panem tego, bogaty w luminouszne stada i bogaty w herojską moc; i widząc, osiągając długie życie, obym doszedł do starości jak do domu wieczorem, bez utraty wewnętrznego światła.
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot प्र (उपसर्ग)
- वाम्
- of you twoPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया द्विवचन (enclitic form of युवाम्/वाम्; here genitive ‘of you two’)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root युष्मद्
- दंसांसि
- wondrous deeds, marvelsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (said/recited as object)Root दंसस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्विनौ
- O Aśvins (the two horsemen)Noun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole सम्बोधन (addressed)Root अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवोचम्
- I proclaimed, I spokeVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot वच्
- अस्य
- of this (man), of himPronounपुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot इदम्
- पतिः
- lord, masterNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (of ‘be’)Root पति (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्याम्
- may I beVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot अस्
- सुगवः
- rich in cattle, having good cowsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (predicative to ‘I’)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot सु-गव (प्रातिपदिक; सु + गो)
- सुवीरः
- rich in heroes/sons, having good menAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (predicative to ‘I’)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot सु-वीर (प्रातिपदिक; सु + वीर)
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय/अपि-अर्थRoot उत (निपात)
- पश्यन्
- seeingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (to ‘I’, as attendant circumstance)Root पश्
- अश्नुवन्
- attaining, reachingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (to ‘I’, attendant circumstance)Root अश् (अश्नुते) / अश्नु (धातु ‘to attain’)
- दीर्घम्
- longAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (object of ‘attaining’)Root दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
- आयुः
- life, lifespanNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (with दीर्घम्)Root आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्तम्
- homeward, down (to setting)Noun/Adverbial accusativeनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग: ‘to home/down’)Role अधिकरण/दिशा (goal/direction)Root अस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानसूचकRoot इव (निपात)
- एत्
- goesVerbलुङ्/इञ्जङ्क्टिव (injunctive aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रिया (in simile: ‘as … goes’)Root इ (धातु ‘to go’) / एत् (aorist injunctive form)
- जरिमाणम्
- old age, senescenceNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (object of ‘goes/approaches’ in simile)Root जरिमन् (प्रातिपदिक; from √जॄ/जर् ‘to grow old’)
- जगम्याम्
- may I go/attain, may I reachVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; Vedic reduplicated stem (जगम्-)Role क्रियाRoot गम्
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): वां॒ → वाम् (युष्मद् enclitic dual)
- दंसां॑स्यश्विनाववोचम् → दंसांसि + अश्विनौ + अवोचम्
- (अवोचम्॒स्य) → अवोचम् + अस्य
- स्यां → स्याम्
- पश्य॑न्नश्नु॒वन् → पश्यन् + अश्नुवन्
- दी॒र्घमायु॒र् → दीर्घम् + आयुः
- आयुरस्त॑मि॒वेज्ज॑रि॒माणं॑ → आयुः + अस्तम् + इव + एत् + जरिमाणम्
- जगम्याम् is independent optative from √गम्. Accent marks are retained in the source but not encoded per-pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
I have proclaimed your mighty deeds, O Aśvins. May I be master of this—rich in good cattle and rich in heroic sons; and seeing, attaining long life, may I go to old age as to a home at evening.
Inner meaning
Having voiced the divine works (daṃsāṃsi), the seer asks to become ‘pati’—a conscious master of his life and sadhana. ‘Sugavaḥ’ is not mere cattle: it is abundance of luminous rays of knowledge; ‘suvīraḥ’ is heroic force—courageous energies of action. ‘Paśyan’ (seeing) indicates sustained inner vision; ‘dīrgham āyuḥ’ is long continuity of awakened life. To go to ‘jarimāṇa’ (old age) like going to one’s home at sunset means completing the life-journey without inner dimming—arriving in peace, with the light intact.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress is not only rescue in crises but a stable mastery: abundance of knowledge, strength of action, clear seeing, and a fulfilled life that ends in peace rather than diminishment.
Themes
prayer for longevity, vision and mastery, luminous prosperity, completion without decline
The seer
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Āucathya
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.164, Rig Veda 1.116
Family tradition
A seer who couples visionary symbolism with practical aspiration: from recounting divine acts to praying for stable inner mastery and fulfilled life.
Significance
This closing prayer turns narrative miracles into a sadhana-goal: sovereignty, luminous abundance, heroic force, and a life completed in seeing.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- Aśvinā, Nāsatyā
- Related deities
- Agni (inner sacrifice leader), Indra (illumined mind), Soma (bliss sustaining life)
Cosmic role
Bestowers of wholeness: health, strength, prosperity, and safe passage through life’s transitions—including aging.
Inner power
Sustaining integration of body-life-mind so that inner vision remains and the journey completes without collapse.
In ritual
Where it is used
Concluding stuti/prayer in Aśvin hymn sequence; suitable as a personal sankalpa after recitation.
प्र वां॒ दंसां॑स्यश्विनाववोचम॒स्य पति॑: स्यां सु॒गव॑: सु॒वीर॑: । उ॒त पश्य॑न्नश्नु॒वन्दी॒र्घमायु॒रस्त॑मि॒वेज्ज॑रि॒माणं॑ जगम्याम् ॥
प्र । वा॒म् । दंसां॑सि । अ॒स्वि॒नौ॒ । अ॒वो॒च॒म् । अ॒स्य । पतिः॑ । स्या॒म् । सु॒ऽगवः॑ । सु॒ऽवीरः॑ । उ॒त । पश्य॑न् । अ॒श्नु॒वन् । दी॒र्घम् । आयुः॑ । अस्त॑म्ऽइव । इत् । ज॒रि॒माण॑म् । ज॒ग॒म्या॒म् ॥
pra | vām | daṃsāṃsi | asvinau | avocam | asya | patiḥ | syām | su-gavaḥ | su-vīraḥ | uta | paśyan | aśnuvan | dīrgham | āyuḥ | astam-iva | it | jarimāṇam | jagamyām
44
4 × ~11
Concluding, prayerful firmness; less dramatic than rescues, more steady and integrative.
Instills resolve and gratitude; leaves the listener with a sense of settled aspiration and life-affirming continuity.
- दंसांसि (daṃsāṃsi)
- Literal: wonder-deeds/mighty acts. Symbolic: transformative interventions of higher powers in the psyche
- अस्य पतिः (asya patiḥ)
- Literal: master/lord of this. Symbolic: inner sovereignty; conscious governance of nature
- सु-गवः (su-gavaḥ)
- Literal: having good cows. Symbolic: rich in rays of light/knowledge
- सु-वीरः (su-vīraḥ)
- Literal: having good heroes/sons. Symbolic: strong forces of action; courageous qualities
- पश्यन् (paśyan)
- Literal: seeing. Symbolic: continuous inner perception; vigilance
- दीर्घम् आयुः (dīrgham āyuḥ)
- Literal: long life. Symbolic: sustained integral growth; longevity of awakened consciousness
- अस्तम् इव (astam iva)
- Literal: like to home/evening setting. Symbolic: natural completion; peaceful integration at life’s close
- जरिमाणम् (jarimāṇam)
- Literal: old age. Symbolic: maturity/consummation; ripened consciousness
Concluding phala-śruti style aspiration: after praise, the seer petitions for mastery, vision, long life, and luminous prosperity
After chanting Aśvin hymns; morning or evening reflection.
Phala-śruti-like aspiration: asking for mastery, luminous abundance, strength, long life, good aging.
Use as an affirmation for ‘integral well-being’: clarity (light), strength (heroic energy), and graceful aging; good for elder-care intentions and longevity practices.
daṃsas-: effective wonder-work (not mere miracle), indicating skill in right action. pati- 'master' implies inner lordship over the field of life. su-gavaḥ: cows as rays/illumined knowledges (go- as light); thus 'rich in cows' = rich in luminous cognition. √paś 'see' (paśyan) = inner vision. √aś 'attain' (aśnuvan) = reaching fulfilment. The simile 'astam iva' (like going home at evening) reframes ageing as harmonious completion under ṛta, not decline into darkness.
inner mastery (pati), knowledge as light (go), life as ordered completion (ṛta in ageing)
Becoming ‘pati’ indicates alignment with ṛta—life governed by the true order rather than impulses.
Seeing (paśyan) as truth-perception maintained through the whole lifespan.
Consummation rather than beginning: the created life completes in harmony, like sunset returning home.
Integral yoga: aim is not escape but fulfilled life with preserved consciousness.
evening (symbolic)
Sunset = completion and integration; long life = sustained flame of consciousness; cows = knowledge-rays; heroes = dynamic forces.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A concluding turn from narrative praise to personal attainment: after recounting divine deeds, the poet seeks vision, mastery, and a harmonious passage into old age. The mythologem is the 'boon-after-praise' contract grounded in ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vac (avocam) from PIE *wekʷ- 'speak' (Latin vōx), √paś/√dṛś vision lexicon parallels PIE *derk- (though paś has distinct history), √gam (jagamyām) from PIE *gʷem- 'go, come' (Greek baínō is different; but PIE *gʷem- yields Skt gam-, Latin veniō via *gʷem- developments debated; Indo-Iranian evidence is clear). The optatives (syām, jagamyām) show archaic mood usage for wish/aspiration.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers speech (mantra) as a formative act and asks for a transformed life in return: mastery, luminous knowledge (go), heroic force (vīra), and conscious longevity. The relationship is reciprocal—utterance aligned with truth invites the devatā’s sustaining action in the human vessel.
Inner sovereignty (pati): witness the mind and choose the straight, luminous movement; invite strength and clarity for the full life-arc.
anahata
hridaya-focused breathing (slow inhale to heart, slower exhale) for 12 breaths
Integrated, grateful, steady aspiration.
Chant once as a closing vow. On ‘asya patiḥ syām’ feel a quiet command in the heart; on ‘paśyan’ rest in open awareness; on ‘astam iva’ let the nervous system soften into trust about life’s completion.
Keep a calm, even svara contour; let udātta accents gently lift on key aspiration-words (patiḥ, su-gavaḥ, su-vīraḥ, paśyan).
Slight emphasis on the prayer structure: proclamation (pra… avocam) then requests (… syām; … jagamyām).
daṃsāṃsi: nasalization on ṃ and long āṃ, aśvināv: aś-vi-nā-v (clear v), sugavaḥ: su-ga-vaḥ (final ḥ audible), jarimāṇam: ja-ri-mā-ṇaṃ (retroflex ṇ)
Warm, settled, devotional; avoid force—aim for clarity and sincerity.
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