Rig Veda Sukta 157
Mandala 1Sukta 1575 Mantras

Sukta 157

Sukta 1.157

Devata

Aśvins (with Agni, Sūrya, Uṣas, Savitṛ as supporting powers)

Chandas

Jagatī (probable for RV 1.157 opening; needs confirmation by syllable count)

Ten hymn jest poranną inwokacją do Aśvinów, umieszczoną w momencie, gdy Agni się budzi, Sūrya wschodzi, a Uṣas rozprzestrzenia swoje światło, oznaczając uporządkowany ruch świata ustanowiony przez Savitṛ. Prosi bliźniaczych uzdrowicieli o szybkie przybycie na ich rydwanie, przyniesienie witalności i pożywienia, oczyszczenie z krzywd i wrogości oraz ustanowienie siły i powodzenia dla oddanego ofiarodawcy.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 1.157

Mantras

Mantra 1

अबोध्यग्निर्ज्म उदेति सूर्यो व्युषाश्चन्द्रा मह्यावो अर्चिषा । आयुक्षातामश्विना यातवे रथं प्रासावीद्देवः सविता जगत्पृथक् ॥

Agni przebudził się w ziemskiej istocie; Słońce wschodzi; Jutrzenka rozpostarła się, a jasna jaśnieje rozległym blaskiem. Aśvinowie zaprzęgli swój rydwan do podróży; bóg Sawitri wysłał poruszający się świat, każdą rzecz na jej własną szeroką drogę.

Mantra 3

अर्वाङ्त्रिचक्रो मधुवाहनो रथो जीराश्वो अश्विनोर्यातु सुष्टुतः । त्रिवन्धुरो मघवा विश्वसौभगः शं न आ वक्षद्द्विपदे चतुष्पदे ॥

Niechaj przybędzie tutaj trójkołowy, miodem niosący rydwan Aświnów, ze swiftymi końmi, dobrze wychwalany. Trójsiedzibny, bogaty w dary i powszechne szczęście, niechaj przyniesie nam pokój, w istotach dwunożnych i czworonożnych, w całym naszym ucieleśnionym życiu.

Mantra 4

आ न ऊर्जं वहतमश्विना युवं मधुमत्या नः कशया मिमिक्षतम् । प्रायुस्तारिष्टं नी रपांसि मृक्षतं सेधतं द्वेषो भवतं सचाभुवा ॥

Przynieście nam prawdziwe pożywienie i wzrost, o Aświnowie; waszym miodem naczynym biczem zmieszajcie je dla nas. Skierujcie naszą siłę życiową ku całości; wymażcie plamy i rany; odeprzyście wrogość, bądźcie z nami jako moce, które towarzyszą i stają się z nami.

Mantra 5

युवं ह गर्भं जगतीषु धत्थो युवं विश्वेषु भुवनेष्वन्तः । युवमग्निं च वृषणावपश्च वनस्पतीँरश्विनावैरयेथाम् ॥

Wy istotnie umieściliście tajemny embrion stawania się w poruszających się światach; jesteście we wszystkich światach. Wy dwaj, mocni, daliście ruch Agni i Wodom oraz Panom lasu, budząc moce, które budują i uzdrawiają ucieleśnione życie.

Mantra 6

युवं ह स्थो भिषजा भेषजेभिरथो ह स्थो रथ्या राथ्येभिः । अथो ह क्षत्रमधि धत्थ उग्रा यो वां हविष्मान्मनसा ददाश ॥

Wy istotnie jesteście uzdrowicielami ze swymi uzdrowieniami; i jesteście mistrzami drogi rydwanu ze swymi mocami rydwanu. I umieszczacie zwycięską potęgę na tym, kto składa wam ofiarę z oblatą i z myślą, tak wewnętrzna walka zostaje wygrana przez wasze silne towarzystwo.

Inside Sukta 157

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    A cosmic awakening: Agni stirs, the Sun rises, Dawn expands, and Savitṛ impels the moving world into ordered courses.

  2. Development

    The Aśvins are summoned as the timely dawn-helpers, their chariot readied; the hymn turns from cosmic scene to personal need—nourishment, vitality, cleansing, and protection.

  3. Climax

    The direct petition for renewal: bring ūrj (nourishing power), set āyus forward into wholeness, wipe away stains/hurts, and repel hostility—making the Aśvins intimate companions in life’s struggle.

  4. Where it settles

    Assurance of their functional gifts: they are healers with remedies and masters of the chariot-way, establishing victorious strength for the devoted offerer who gives oblation and intent.

The deity: Aśvins

  • In the VedaThe Aśvins are the radiant twin horsemen, swift charioteers and divine physicians, invoked at dawn to arrive quickly and bestow help. They are praised for restoring health, rescuing from distress, and bringing refreshment and auspiciousness as the day begins.
  • Cosmic functionThey mediate the transition from night to day—opening pathways, setting movement and safe passage, and renewing life through healing and revitalization in the morning order of ṛta.
  • Inner significanceThey symbolize the paired forces of restoration and forward motion: the capacity to recover (healing, cleansing, renewal) and to proceed (courage, skill, right timing) at the start of a new cycle.

Famous verses

अबोध्यग्निर्ज्म उदेति सूर्यो व्युषाश्चन्द्रा मह्यावो अर्चिषा । आयुक्षातामश्विना यातवे रथं प्रासावीद्देवः सविता जगत्पृथक् ॥
Verse 1.157.1Sets the hymn’s ritual-cosmic frame at dawn—Agni’s awakening, Sūrya’s rising, Uṣas’ unfolding, and Savitṛ’s impulsion—then links this to the Aśvins’ chariot being yoked.Read verse 1.157.1 →
आ न ऊर्जं वहतमश्विना युवं मधुमत्या नः कशया मिमिक्षतम् । प्रायुस्तारिष्टं नी रपांसि मृक्षतं सेधतं द्वेषो भवतं सचाभुवा ॥
Verse 1.157.4Core petition for practical and inner well-being: bring nourishment (ūrj), sweeten/animate it, advance life-force (āyus), cleanse harms, and repel hostility—encapsulating the Aśvins as renewers.Read verse 1.157.4 →
युवं ह स्थो भिषजा भेषजेभिरथो ह स्थो रथ्या राथ्येभिः । अथो ह क्षत्रमधि धत्थ उग्रा यो वां हविष्मान्मनसा ददाश ॥
Verse 1.157.6Defines the Aśvins’ essential identities—divine physicians and chariot-masters—and promises empowered success (kṣatra) to the mindful offerer.Read verse 1.157.6 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Twin deities
  • Swift chariot-borne helpers
  • Healers (bhiṣajā) with remedies (bheṣaja)
  • Dawn-associated benefactors
  • Protectors who repel hostility
  • Givers of vitality (āyus) and nourishment (ūrj)

Also by this seer

  • Because the rṣi attribution is uncertain here, no single corpus of additional hymns can be confidently assigned to this same seer on internal evidence alone.
  • Traditionally, Aśvin hymns in early Maṇḍala 1 are associated with several families (e.g., Kāṇva, Gautama, etc.), but this sūkta’s rṣi cannot be fixed with certainty from the provided data.

The rite, step by step

  • Kindle or rekindle Agni as the rite begins (signaling ‘Agni awakens’).
  • Face the dawn/east; recite the opening verse to align with Sūrya’s rising and Uṣas’ spreading light.
  • Invite the Aśvins to ‘yoke the chariot’ and arrive swiftly; state the specific requests: nourishment, vitality, cleansing of harms, and repelling of hostility.
  • Offer oblations with focused intention (manasā), asking the Aśvins to establish kṣatra (effective strength) in the worshiper.
  • Conclude with a brief dedication of the rite’s merit toward health, protection, and right course in the moving world (jagat).

Offerings

  • Ghee (ājya) into Agni
  • Simple morning oblation (havis) appropriate to household or śrauta setting
  • Honey/sweet offering symbolically aligned with ‘madhumatī’ (where culturally appropriate)
  • Water for purification and well-being

Frequently Asked Questions

They are the twin dawn deities—swift charioteers and divine healers—invoked to arrive quickly and restore health, vitality, and protection as the day begins.

It frames the prayer in the dawn moment: Agni is awakened, the Sun rises, Dawn spreads light, and Savitṛ ‘sets the world in motion.’ This is the natural time when the Aśvins are traditionally called.

It asks for nourishment and increase (ūrj), a strengthened life-force (āyus), cleansing of hurts and ‘stains,’ repelling of hostility, and the establishment of effective strength (kṣatra) for the devoted worshiper.

Ask anything about Sukta 157 of the Rig Veda

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