Rig Veda 1.34.3: Mandala 1, Sukta 34, Mantra 3
Sukta 1.34
- Rishi
- Hiraṇyastūpa Āṅgirasa
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
समाने अहन्त्रिरवद्यगोहना त्रिरद्य यज्ञं मधुना मिमिक्षतम् । त्रिर्वाजवतीरिषो अश्विना युवं दोषा अस्मभ्यमुषसश्च पिन्वतम् ॥
samāné áhan trír avadya-gohanā́ trír adyá yajñáṃ mádhunā mimikṣatam | trír vā́javatīr íṣo aśvinā yuváṃ dóṣā asmábhyam uṣásaś ca pinvatam ||
समाने अहन् त्रिरवद्यगोहना त्रिरद्य यज्ञं मधुना मिमिक्षतम्। त्रिर्वाजवतीरिषो अश्विना युवं दोषा अस्मभ्यमुषसश्च पिन्वतम्॥
Word by Word
- स॒मा॒ने
- in the same (place/occasion), togetherAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे/स्त्रीलिङ्गे; सप्तमी-द्विवचन (loc. du.)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot समाना- (प्रातिपदिक; सम ‘same’ + -आन)
- अहन्
- dayNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (acc. sg.)Role KarmaRoot अहन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्रिः
- thriceIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot त्रिः (अव्यय; संख्या-क्रियाविशेषण)
- अवद्य
- blame, fault (the blameworthy thing)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (acc. sg.)Role KarmaRoot अवद्य- (प्रातिपदिक; a-vadya ‘not-to-be-spoken/ blameworthy’)
- गोहना
- cow-slayer (a cow-killing one)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन (nom. sg.)Role KartāRoot गोहना- (प्रातिपदिक; गो- + हन ‘to strike/kill’)
- त्रिः
- thriceIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot त्रिः (अव्यय)
- अद्य
- todayIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अद्य (अव्यय)
- यज्ञम्
- sacrifice, ritualNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (acc. sg.)Role KarmaRoot यज्ञ- (प्रातिपदिक; √यज्)
- मधुना
- with honey/sweetness (mead)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचन (instr. sg.)Role KaraṇaRoot मधु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मिमिक्षतम्
- you two have mixed/moistenedVerbलिट् (परिप्रास/परफेक्ट); मध्यमपुरुष; द्विवचन; परस्मैपदमRole KartāRoot √मिक्ष्/मिक्ष (to mix, to sprinkle, to moisten)
- त्रिः
- thriceIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot त्रिः (अव्यय)
- वाजवतीः
- prize-bearing, rich in strengthAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (nom. pl.)Role KartāRoot वाजवत्- (प्रातिपदिक; वाज ‘prize/strength’ + -वत्)
- इषः
- refreshments, invigorating draughtsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (nom. pl.)Role KartāRoot इष्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘refreshment/impulse/food’)
- अश्विना
- O AśvinsNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-द्विवचन (voc. du.)Role (सम्बोधन)Root अश्विन्- (प्रातिपदिक; dual deity-name)
- युवम्
- you twoPronounप्रथमा- द्विवचन (nom. du.)Role KartāRoot युष्मद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दोषा
- at evening/nightNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन (nom. sg.)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot दोषा- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘evening/night’)
- अस्मभ्यम्
- for usPronounचतुर्थी-बहुवचन (dat. pl.)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उषसः
- at dawns / the dawnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (nom. pl.)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot उषस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRole (समुच्चय)Root च (अव्यय)
- पिन्वतम्
- do you two invigorate/prosper (grant abundance)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; द्विवचन; परस्मैपदमRole KartāRoot √पिव्/पिन्व् (to swell, to make abound, to invigorate)
Sandhi Notes
- स॒मा॒ने अह॒न् → समाने अहन् (no further sandhi)
- त्रिरवद्यगोहना → त्रिः + अवद्य + गोहना (visarga before vowel becomes र्: त्रिः अवद्य → त्रिरवद्य; compound-like close junction with गोहना)
- त्रिरद्य → त्रिः + अद्य (त्रिः अद्य → त्रिरद्य)
- त्रिर्वाजवतीरिषो → त्रिः + वाजवतीः + इषः (त्रिः वाजवतीः → त्रिर्वाजवतीः; वाजवतीः इषः → वाजवतीरिषः by vowel sandhi ī + i → īr i (RV padapāṭha style shows -र्- insertion))
- यु॒वं दो॒षा → युवम् दोषा (no change)
- अस्मभ्यमुषसश्च → अस्मभ्यम् + उषसः + च (म् + उ → म् उ; उषसः + च → उषसश्च by visarga before c becoming श्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Aśvins, slayers of the darkness that withholds the cows (rays), on the same day thrice mix the sacrifice with honey; thrice they increase for us the forceful impulsions, fostered by both Night and Dawn.
Inner meaning
The twin powers of swift luminous help (Aśvins) act repeatedly within one inner cycle: they break the obscuring resistance that hides the rays of knowledge, and they blend the seeker’s offering (yajña = consecrated aspiration) with madhu (delight) so the practice becomes joyful and effective. The ‘thrice’ marks a rhythmic, triple movement of transformation—often read (Aurobindo/Kashyap line) as triple world/plane (physical–vital–mental) or triple time (past–present–future) being harmonized. Night and Dawn together indicate that both obscurity (doṣā) and illumination (uṣas) are used by the Divine as conditions for growth: even in darkness the impulsion (iṣ) can be fostered, and at dawn it becomes articulate light.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress is not linear but cyclic: repeated descents of help convert aspiration into delight, and resistance becomes material for growth. True aid strengthens our inner impulsions across all states—clarity and confusion, day and night.
Themes
Aśvin-help, inner-sacrifice (yajña), light-vs-darkness, nourishing-impulsions (iṣ)
The seer
- Rishi
- Hiraṇyastūpa Āṅgirasa
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.34 (entire sukta traditionally ascribed to Hiraṇyastūpa Āṅgirasa)
Family tradition
Āṅgiras seers are strongly associated with the recovery of the ‘cows’ (lost rays/knowledges) and the conquest over obscuration through Agni and Indra—here expressed through the Aśvins’ swift aid.
Significance
Hiraṇyastūpa (‘golden pillar/column’) suggests a stable axis of ascent: aspiration made steady and radiant. His Aśvin hymns emphasize practical, repeatable interventions—healing, strengthening impulses, and harmonizing transitions (night→dawn) in sādhanā.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- Nāsatyā (the true, not-failing ones), Śubhaspatī (lords of beauty/harmony—echoed in the sukta), swift riders/charioteers
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Agni, Indra
Cosmic role
Divine twin physicians and rescuers who restore wholeness, bring dawn-forces, and mediate transitions; they are first helpers in the movement from darkness to light.
Inner power
Rapid harmonization: they integrate delight with effort, convert crises into openings, and quicken the right impulsions (iṣ) for progress.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvina śastra/stotra settings in Soma-yajña contexts; also general Aśvin invocation for aid and wellbeing
स॒मा॒ने अह॒न्त्रिर॑वद्यगोहना॒ त्रिर॒द्य य॒ज्ञं मधु॑ना मिमिक्षतम् । त्रिर्वाज॑वती॒रिषो॑ अश्विना यु॒वं दो॒षा अ॒स्मभ्य॑मु॒षस॑श्च पिन्वतम् ॥
स॒मा॒ने । अह॑न् । त्रिः । अ॒व॒द्य॒ऽगो॒ह॒ना॒ । त्रिः । अ॒द्य । य॒ज्ञम् । मधु॑ना । मि॒मि॒क्ष॒त॒म् । त्रिः । वाज॑वतीः । इषः॑ । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । यु॒वम् । दो॒षा । अ॒स्मभ्य॑म् । उ॒षसः॑ । च॒ । पि॒न्व॒त॒म् ॥
samāne | ahan | triḥ | avadya-gohanā | triḥ | adya | yajñam | madhunā | mimikṣatam | triḥ | vājavatīḥ | iṣaḥ | aśvinā | yuvam | doṣā | asmabhyam | uṣasaḥ | ca | pinvatam
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, expansive, suited to invocation and dynamic inner movement; the repeated ‘triḥ’ creates a mantra-like percussion.
Builds momentum and confidence; the triple repetition entrains the mind into a steady, cyclic ascent and a sense of repeated divine response.
- अश्विना (aśvinā)
- Literal: the two Aśvins, horsemen-twins. Symbolic: twin divine powers of swift, practical illumination and healing assistance in the seeker
- अवद्यगोहना (avadyagohanā)
- Literal: slayers of the blame/evil; cow-smiters/slayers of the cow-hider (compound). Symbolic: destroyers of the obscuring force that ‘holds back the cows’ = veils the rays of knowledge
- गो (go)
- Literal: cow. Symbolic: rays of light, illuminations, knowledges
- यज्ञ (yajña)
- Literal: sacrifice, offering. Symbolic: inner consecration of works, breath, speech, and thought to the Divine
- मधु (madhu)
- Literal: honey, sweetness. Symbolic: Ananda—delight that makes the practice luminous and sustainable
- इषः (iṣaḥ)
- Literal: impulsions, refreshments, energies. Symbolic: uplifted life-forces and will-impulses aligned to the truth
- वाजवतीः (vājavatīḥ)
- Literal: rich in vāja (prize/strength). Symbolic: energies filled with effective force and plenitude
- दोṣा (doṣā)
- Literal: night. Symbolic: inconscience/obscurity, the subconscious condition
- उषसः (uṣasaḥ)
- Literal: dawns. Symbolic: illumination, awakening, progressive disclosures of truth
- त्रिः (triḥ)
- Literal: thrice. Symbolic: triple action across planes (body–life–mind) or triple time; repeated intensification
Aśvina-śastra / Aśvina-stotra context in Soma ritual cycles (invocation for swift aid, healing, and right impulsions); also usable in morning/evening pressings as Aśvins connect Night and Dawn.
At dawn or in transitional hours; thematically suited to both night-end and dawn-beginning offerings
Invocation and praise; offering with clarified intention (inner ‘honey’/delight)
Use as a transition mantra when moving from inertia to practice (morning meditation; also during ‘dark’ phases). Repeat with attention to the triple strengthening of will, joy, and clarity.
Key terms: gohanā (go + han, √han ‘to strike, slay’; go as ‘ray/light/knowledge’ in RV symbolism); mimikṣatam from √mix/√mih? (Vedic mimikṣ- ‘to mix, mingle, blend’), here a dual 2nd person; madhunā from madhu ‘honey/sweetness’, often signifying ānanda; iṣaḥ from iṣ ‘impulse, refreshment, nourishment’ (connected with forward drive); vāja from √vaj/√vah semantic field ‘strength, impetus, prize’ → ‘plenitude of force’; pinvatam from √pī ‘to swell, make thrive’ (causative nuance ‘to increase’).
Ṛta (right order of the sacrifice and inner rhythms), Ananda (madhu as delight), triple world/state symbolism (triḥ)
The ‘triple’ action suggests ṛta as patterned, lawful movement of help through the planes and times of being.
Breaking the cow-hiding darkness releases satya-illumination into mind and life.
Emergence of light from obscurity; dawn as continual re-creation of consciousness.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo): ascent and descent, delight as essence, transformation of nature (prakṛti) by higher light.
Night-to-dawn transition; also ‘same day’ indicates one complete inner cycle
Madhu = delight permeating practice; Night = subconscious resistance; Dawn = illumination; Day-cycle = complete yogic circuit of effort, crisis, and breakthrough.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The recovery of the ‘cows’ (go) from the hider: avadya-gohanā frames the Aśvins as destroyers of the obscuring power that withholds rays/knowledges. The action is not cattle-raiding but the release of illumination from a constricting darkness, synchronized with Night and Dawn.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- han (√han ‘strike/kill’) has clear Indo-European parallels (violent strike/kill roots across IE); madhu ‘honey’ is a classic Indo-Iranian/IE poetic term (cf. Avestan madu-, and wider IE honey/mead lexicon). The formulaic triḥ repetition is an inherited Indo-European poetic device for intensification and cosmic structuring.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks for a reciprocal inner action: as the human offers yajña (self-ordering and aspiration), the Aśvins respond by ‘mixing it with madhu’ (infusing delight) and by increasing iṣaḥ (effective impulsions). The partnership spans the whole cycle of consciousness—Night (hidden assimilation) and Dawn (manifest awakening).
Invite swift harmonizing help; offer your present effort into ‘madhu’—a deliberate cultivation of delight in practice.
Anāhata (healing/harmony) and Ājñā (illumination)
3 rounds of slow inhale–exhale (11-count if comfortable) synchronized with each ‘triḥ’ cluster; brief pause at dawn-word (uṣas) to feel light rising.
From tamasic heaviness to sattvic clarity with a thread of Ananda.
When resistance hides ‘cows’ (clarities), do not strain; invoke the Aśvins, soften the will with sweetness, and repeat the triple movement: aspiration → delight → strengthened impulse.
Use standard Rigvedic accenting: preserve udātta on marked syllables in the saṃhitā tradition; ‘triḥ’ often carries a clear lift when initiating each clause.
Let each ‘triḥ’ begin with a slight upward emphasis; resolve gently on clause endings (…mimikṣatam / …pinvatam).
Keep ‘mimikṣatam’ as mi-mi-kṣa-tam (clear kṣ cluster)., In ‘aśvinā’, keep ś as palatal (not s)., ‘uṣasaś ca’ link smoothly: u-ṣa-saś-ca (avoid breaking after ś)., ‘vājavatīr’ lengthen ī and roll light r.
Bright, forward, and clear; smile in the tone on ‘madhu’.
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