Rig Veda 8.57.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 57, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.57
- Devata
- Aśvins
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
युवां देवास्त्रय एकादशासः सत्याः सत्यस्य ददृशे पुरस्तात् । अस्माकं यज्ञं सवनं जुषाणा पातं सोममश्विना दीद्यग्नी ॥
yuvā́ṃ devā́s tráya ekādaśā́saḥ satyā́ḥ satyásya dadṛśe purástāt | asmā́kaṃ yajñáṃ sávanaṃ juṣāṇā́ pā́taṃ sómam aśvinā dī́dyagnī ||
Vós dois sois os deuses, «três e onze», verídicos, vistos à frente da própria Verdade. Acolhendo o nosso sacrifício e esta prensagem do Soma, bebei o Soma, ó Aśvins, vós que fulgis com fogo.
Word by Word
- युवाम्
- you twoPronounद्वितीया/प्रथमा? (प्रयोगतः प्रथमा-द्विवचनार्थे), द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्रयः
- threeAdjective (Numeral)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी)Root त्रि (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
- एकादशासः
- the elevenAdjective (Numeral)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (वैदिक बहुवचन-प्रत्यय -आसः)Role विशेषण (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी)Root एकादश (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
- सत्याः
- true, faithfulAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी)Root सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- सत्यस्य
- of truth / of the true (order)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (अर्थतः ‘सत्य’), षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- ददृशे
- has appeared / was seenVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √दृश् (दर्शन)
- पुरस्तात्
- in front, beforeIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकरण (देश)Root पुरस् + तात् (अव्यय-निर्माण)
- अस्माकम्
- of usPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञम्
- sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सवनम्
- pressing/oblation-session (soma-pressing)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (यज्ञस्य विशेषः)Root सवन (प्रातिपदिक)
- जुषाणाः
- enjoying, accepting with favorParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), आत्मनेपद-अर्थ, प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot √जुष् (सेवन/प्रीतौ) → जुषाण (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
- पातम्
- drink (you two)!Verbविधिलिङ्/आज्ञार्थ (वैदिक), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot √पा (पाने/रक्षणे) — वैदिक आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ् रूप
- सोमम्
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्विना
- O AśvinsNoun (Dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, द्विवचन (वैदिक सम्बोधन-रूप)Role सम्बोधनRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक; द्विवचन-देवता)
- दीद्यग्नी
- O two with blazing fires / shining like fireAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, द्विवचन (अश्विनौ विशेषयति)Role सम्बोधन-विशेषणRoot √दीद्/√दी (दीप्तौ) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) — बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: युवाम् | देवाः | त्रयः | एकादशासः | सत्याः | सत्यस्य | ददृशे | पुरस्तात् || अस्माकम् | यज्ञम् | सवनम् | जुषाणाः | पातम् | सोमम् | अश्विना | दीद्यग्नी || 1) ‘देवास्त्रयः’ = देवाः + त्रयः (विसर्ग-लोपः, सन्धिः)
- 2) ‘एकादशासः’ वैदिक बहुवचन-प्रत्यय -आसः
- 3) ‘जुषाणाः पातम्’—कर्तृ-विशेषण ‘जुषाणाः’ (देवाः इत्यस्य) तथा आज्ञार्थ ‘पातम्’ (अश्विनौ प्रति)
- 4) ‘दीद्यग्नी’ समास-रूपेण अश्विनौ प्रति सम्बोधन-विशेषणम्
The meaning
Outer meaning
You two are the gods—three and eleven—true, seen before the Truth. Accepting our sacrifice and Soma-pressing, drink the Soma, O Aśvins, you who blaze with fire.
Inner meaning
The Aśvins are affirmed as participants in the total divine order (‘three and eleven’—a numerical theology pointing to the major divine groupings and their completeness). They are ‘true’ and stand ‘before the Truth’: they are immediate powers that face Satya and bring its help into the human. ‘Dīdyagnī’ (blazing with fire) indicates that their harmonizing action is not passive: it carries an Agni-like ardor that purifies and quickens. When they accept our yajña (inner offering) they drink Soma—meaning the bliss is taken up by the harmonizing powers and redistributed as health, clarity, and right rhythm in the system.
Universal truth
True help is part of a larger cosmic harmony. When we offer sincerely, the powers of integration take up our joy and transform it into strength and luminous balance.
Themes
Truth-frontline-powers, divine-number-symbolism, Soma-delight
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 1.3 (Aśvins and Soma), RV 10.17 (truth and divine order themes; broad)
Family tradition
Aśvin hymns often come from lineages emphasizing practical realization—healing, rescue, integration—rather than abstract metaphysics; the numeric-theological note suggests a reflective ritual-psychological sophistication.
Significance
The seer links immediate helping powers (Aśvins) with the architecture of Truth (Satya) and cosmic totality—implying that healing and integration are expressions of the One order.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvins (Nāsatyas), ‘dīdyagnī’ (fire-bright twins)
- Epithets
- Nāsatyā, Dīdyagnī, Satyāḥ
- Related deities
- Agni, Uṣas, Soma, Indra
Cosmic role
Maintain wholeness in the evolving being; connect divine truth with human life; restore and renew.
Inner power
Harmonizing intelligence in action, with purifying ardor that accelerates progress.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma Yajña (invitation to Aśvins at a savana)
यु॒वां दे॒वास्त्रय॑ एकाद॒शास॑: स॒त्याः स॒त्यस्य॑ ददृशे पु॒रस्ता॑त् । अ॒स्माकं॑ य॒ज्ञं सव॑नं जुषा॒णा पा॒तं सोम॑मश्विना॒ दीद्य॑ग्नी ॥
यु॒वाम् । दे॒वाः । त्रयः॑ । ए॒का॒द॒शासः॑ । स॒त्याः । स॒त्यस्य॑ । द॒दृ॒शे॒ । पु॒रस्ता॑त् । अ॒स्माक॑म् । य॒ज्ञम् । सव॑नम् । जु॒षा॒णा । पा॒तम् । सोम॑म् । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । दीद्य॑ग्नी॒ इति॒ दीदि॑ऽअग्नी ॥
yuvām | devāḥ | trayaḥ | ekādaśāsaḥ | satyāḥ | satyasya | dadṛśe | purastāt | asmākam | yajñam | savanam | juṣāṇā | pātam | somam | aśvinā | dīdyagnī itidīdi-agnī
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables (approximate)
Declarative authority in first half; devotional invitation in second half
Instills faith in truth-backed help; then opens into receptive offering.
- त्रयः एकादशासः (traya ekādaśāsaḥ)
- Literal: three and eleven. Symbolic: complete divine order; totality of functional powers (grouping symbolism)
- सत्याः (satyāḥ)
- Literal: true. Symbolic: aligned with truth-nature; reliable divine action
- सत्यस्य पुरस्तात् (satyasya purastāt)
- Literal: in front of the Truth. Symbolic: immediate mediators of Satya to the human consciousness
- यज्ञ (yajña)
- Literal: sacrifice. Symbolic: inner offering of works, will, and aspiration
- सवन (savana)
- Literal: Soma pressing. Symbolic: extraction of bliss from experience through discipline
- दीद्यग्नी (dīdyagnī)
- Literal: blazing with fire. Symbolic: ardent, purifying, quickening harmonizers
- सोम (soma)
- Literal: Soma. Symbolic: divine delight; nectar of immortality
Soma offering; acceptance formula (juṣāṇā) and drinking injunction (pātam).
During Soma-pressing sequences where Aśvins are invited to partake; reinforces their truth-status and eligibility.
Recitation accompanying offering and invitation to drink Soma.
Use when seeking integration after upheaval: affirm ‘true helpers before the Truth’ and offer the day’s essence for harmonization.
: √dṛś ‘see’—the Aśvins ‘appear’ before satya, i.e., as manifest helpers of truth. (√juṣ): ‘to enjoy, accept’—signals inner consent/participation of the gods. : intensive reduplication (dīdī-) conveys repeated blazing—psychologically, a heightened ignition of forces.
satya (Truth), divine multiplicity-in-unity (three/eleven), juṣ (divine enjoyment/assent)
‘Three and eleven’ signals ordered multiplicity; Aśvins function within that order to keep the human instrument aligned.
They are ‘seen before the Truth’: the gods as powers of direct perception and faithful operation of Satya.
Cosmic order expresses through functional powers; integration/healing is a creative maintenance of harmony.
Vedic integralism: many powers, one Truth; numbers as symbols of completeness of function.
Purifying ardor (fire) that makes bliss (Soma) assimilable and redistributable as harmony.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Twins as ‘foremost before Truth’: a mythic positioning where helper-gods stand at the gate/front of Satya. Innerly, the restoring dual powers are not secondary; they are stationed before Truth as practical executors who make Satya workable in life.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dṛś ‘see’ continues PIE *derk- ‘to see’ (Greek dérkomai). The reduplicated intensive (dīdī-) is a common IE expressive strategy for iterative/intensive action.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer asserts the Aśvins’ authority as truth-aligned powers and asks them to ‘accept’ (juṣāṇā) the offering—implying that divine help requires resonance/consent with the human yajña, not mechanical ritual.
Offer the ‘pressed Soma’ of experience to the harmonizers; let bliss be purified into strength and clarity.
Anahata (healing integration) with support from Manipura (purifying fire)
Warm ujjayi breathing 5–7 minutes, then silent pause imagining two flames balancing left-right channels.
Balanced ardor—warm, coherent, truth-facing receptivity.
Contemplate: ‘My helpers stand before Truth; therefore my healing is part of Truth.’ Offer one difficulty and one joy; let both be ‘pressed’ into a single refined sweetness and surrendered.
Make the first two pādas declarative and steady; soften into invitation on ‘juṣāṇā… pātaṃ somam’.
traya: dental ‘t’, clear ‘ry’, ekādaśāsaḥ: long ā; ś pronounced palatal; final visarga, satyasya: crisp ‘ty’ cluster, purastāt: retroflex ṣ; long ā, juṣāṇā: retroflex ṣ; long ā; nasalization if in tradition, aśvinā: ‘śv’ conjunct; long ā at end, dīdyagnī: long ī; keep ‘dy’ cluster clear; ‘gnī’ with long ī
Warm, devotional, with a contained flame-like intensity.
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