Rig Veda 10.39.7: Mandala 10, Sukta 39, Mantra 7
Sukta 10.39
- Devata
- Aśvins
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
युवं रथेन विमदाय शुन्ध्युवं न्यूहथुः पुरुमित्रस्य योषणाम् । युवं हवं वध्रिमत्या अगच्छतं युवं सुषुतिं चक्रथुः पुरंधये ॥
yuváṃ ráthena vi-madā́ya śundhyúvam ní ūhathuḥ puru-mítrasya yóṣaṇām | yuváṃ hávaṃ vadhri-matyā́ á-gacchataṃ yuváṃ su-sútiṃ cakrathuḥ puráṃ-dhaye ||
युवां रथेन विमदाय शुन्ध्युवं पुरुमित्रस्य योषणाम् आनयतम्। युवां वध्रिमत्याः हवं प्रति आगच्छतम्; युवां पुरंध्यै सुषुतिं (शुभप्रसवम्) अकरुतम्—एवं युवयोः सहाय्यं जटिलेष्वपि मानुषेषु भाग्येषु प्रविशति।
Word by Word
- युवाम्
- you twoPronounद्वितीया/प्रथमा? द्विवचन (वैदिक प्रयोगे प्रायः प्रथमा द्विवचन ‘युवाम्’ = ‘you two’)Role कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रथेन
- with a chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- विमदाय
- to VimadáNoun (proper name)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot विमद (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
- शुन्धी
- cleanse/purify (thou)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot शुन्ध् (धातु; ‘to cleanse/purify’)
- युवाम्
- you twoPronounप्रथमा द्विवचन (वैदिक ‘युवाम्’)Role कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- न्यूहतुः
- you two brought/ledVerbलिट्/लुङ्-प्रयोगवत् वैदिक परिप्रेक्ष्ये: परस्मैपद, तृतीयपुरुष, द्विवचन (कथन: ‘you two brought/led’)Root नि + ऊह् (धातु; ‘to bring/lead/drive’)
- पुरुमित्रस्य
- of PurumitraNoun (proper name)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot पुरुमित्र (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
- योषणाम्
- the maiden/wifeNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप; अर्थतः ‘wife/maiden’)Role कर्मRoot योषणा (प्रातिपदिक)
- युवाम्
- you twoPronounप्रथमा द्विवचन (वैदिक ‘युवाम्’)Role कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- हवम्
- the call/invocationNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हव (प्रातिपदिक; ‘call/invocation’)
- वध्रिमत्या
- by/with Vadhri-matīNoun (proper name)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot वध्रिमती (प्रातिपदिक; स्त्री-नाम)
- अगच्छतम्
- you two cameVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन भूत), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRoot आ + गम् (धातु)
- युवाम्
- you twoPronounप्रथमा द्विवचन (वैदिक ‘युवाम्’)Role कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- सुषुतिम्
- a good soma-pressing/oblationNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सु + सुति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘good pressing/oblation’)
- चक्रथुः
- you two have made/didVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण भूत), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRoot कृ (धातु)
- पुरंधये
- for PurandhiNoun (proper name)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot पुरंधि (प्रातिपदिक; स्त्री-नाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (मुख्य): युवाम् | रथेन | विमदाय | शुन्धी | युवाम् | नि-ऊहतुः (न्यूहतुः) | पुरुमित्रस्य | योषणाम् | युवाम् | हवम् | वध्रिमत्या | आ-गच्छतम् (अगच्छतम्) | युवाम् | सुषुतिम् | चक्रथुः | पुरंधये । Sandhi: (1) नि + ऊहतुः → न्यूहतुः (इ/उ संधि: इ + ऊ → यू)
- (2) आ + गच्छतम् → आगच्छतम् (दीर्घसंधि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Aśvins brought a purified maiden to Vimadā in their chariot; they answered the call of Vadhryaśvā’s wife; they ensured a fortunate birth for Purandhī.
Inner meaning
The twin Divine Healers (Aśvins) bring the purified soul-force (śundhyuvā) into the seeker’s movement (ratha) so the illumined intelligence (Vimadā—“joy/clarity in the mind”) can receive it. They respond when the embodied nature (the “wife”) calls from limitation, and they shape a “good birth” (suṣuti) of a new consciousness in Purandhī—symbol of the power that “fills/plenishes” the being with right discernment and right enjoyments.
Universal truth
When aspiration calls sincerely, higher powers of restoration can re-order destiny: they bring purified capacities into our life-journey and midwife a new birth of awareness, even amid entanglement and inherited limits.
Themes
aid-to-women, fertility, swift-help, exemplary-myths
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.39.1-11, Rig Veda 10.40.1-14
Family tradition
Late Maṇḍala (10th) style: narrative exempla of Aśvin help used as symbolic testimony of divine intervention.
Significance
The seer speaks from a consciousness that trusts the ‘instant help’ of the Aśvins—powers that convert crisis into a turning-point, a key motif in Sri Aurobindo’s psychological reading.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- Nāsatyā (the true, the unerring), Dasrā (wonder-workers), Rudravartanī (moving in Rudra’s forceful path—contextually echoed in 10.39.11)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Rudra, Aditi
Cosmic role
Twin lords of transition: they mediate between Night and Dawn, decay and renewal, danger and safety; they restore wholeness and bring auspicious beginnings.
Inner power
Rapid healing intelligence and harmonizing prāṇa that repairs the nervous-vital being and opens it to the dawn-forces of illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvina-śastra / Aśvin praise in Soma contexts; also general healing/aid invocations
यु॒वं रथे॑न विम॒दाय॑ शु॒न्ध्युवं॒ न्यू॑हथुः पुरुमि॒त्रस्य॒ योष॑णाम् । यु॒वं हवं॑ वध्रिम॒त्या अ॑गच्छतं यु॒वं सुषु॑तिं चक्रथु॒: पुरं॑धये ॥
यु॒वम् । रथे॑न । वि॒ऽम॒दाय॑ । शु॒न्ध्युव॑म् । नि । ऊ॒ह॒थुः॒ । पु॒रु॒ऽमि॒त्रस्य॑ । योष॑णम् । यु॒वम् । हव॑म् । व॒ध्रि॒ऽम॒त्याः । अ॒ग॒च्छ॒त॒म् । यु॒वम् । सुऽसु॑तिम् । च॒क्र॒थुः॒ । पुर॑म्ऽधये ॥
yuvam | rathena | vi-madāya | śundhyuvam | ni | ūhathuḥ | puru-mitrasya | yoṣaṇam | yuvam | havam | vadhri-matyāḥ | agacchatam | yuvam | su-sutim | cakrathuḥ | puram-dhaye
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, declarative cadence suited to recounting decisive acts of rescue.
Builds confidence and momentum; evokes ‘swift help’ and a sense of being carried through obstacles.
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: the embodied journey; the psycho-physical vehicle directed by will
- शुन्ध्युव (śundhyuvā)
- Literal: purified/cleansed maiden. Symbolic: purified soul-force; clarified receptivity (śuddhi) in the nature
- हव (hava)
- Literal: call/invocation. Symbolic: aspiration; the soul’s cry that opens a response from higher help
- सुषुति (suṣuti)
- Literal: good birth / safe delivery. Symbolic: right emergence of a new state of consciousness; successful transition
- पुरंधि (puraṃdhī)
- Literal: a woman’s name; ‘abounding/fulfilling’. Symbolic: plenitude of understanding; the capacity to receive and distribute inner riches
Narrative exempla within praise; supports petitions for marriage, fertility, and right issue (inner and outer).
Dawn-related recitations; transitional moments in Soma ritual sequences; also as protective recitation in later practice
Stotra/śastra praising Aśvin interventions; inviting their chariot-presence
Use as a mantra of ‘support in life-transitions’: childbirth/new projects, recovery, and purification of habits.
yoṣaṇā ‘woman/maiden’. su-súti: su- + sūti from √sū ‘beget/bring forth’ → good birth; also resonates with Soma ‘well-pressed’ (√su) by phonetic/semantic echo. √gam ‘go/come’ in agacchatam.
purification (śundhyu), right issue/manifestation (sūti as emergence)
Aśvins restore ṛta by correcting disorder in fate and body-life.
Nāsatyā: the power that makes the true outcome manifest.
‘New birth’ (suṣuti) as emergence of a higher formation in the being.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo): gods as powers of consciousness aiding evolution.
dawn (implied Aśvin hour)
Dawn-transition in consciousness: purified receptivity is brought into the life-journey and a new awareness is ‘delivered’ safely.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Aśvins as responders to the call, arranging unions and ‘good birth’. Inner sense: they harmonize the masculine seeking will and the purified feminine power so that a right manifestation (su-sūti) can arise.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The fertility/issue vocabulary from √sū ‘beget’ is inherited (cf. Latin suus? not cognate; but PIE *seuH-/ *suh₁- ‘bring forth’ is debated). More securely, the narrative formula ‘came to the call’ (hávaṃ + √gam) matches archaic IE hymn style: invocation → epiphany.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi strengthens his claim by citing precedents: since the Aśvins answered others’ calls and shaped right outcomes, they should respond now as consistent powers of beneficent intervention.
Invite swift harmonization: ‘Bring the purified capacity into my journey; midwife the new birth of awareness.’
svādhiṣṭhāna/maṇipūra (vital purification and forward movement)
nāḍī-śodhana or gentle equal breathing (sama-vṛtti) while repeating the refrain-like ‘yuvam…’
transition from agitation to guided momentum; trustful receptivity.
Recall a current ‘knot’ in life; on inhalation feel the Aśvin chariot arriving, on exhalation release fear; end by visualizing a ‘good birth’ of the next right step.
Vedic svara not fully specified here; chant with standard Ṛgvedic udatta/anudatta/svarita as per śākhā tradition (requires pada-based accenting).
Lean on repeated ‘yuvám’ openings; keep caesura after the first pāda break; avoid flattening the compound names (purumitrasya, vadhri-matyāḥ).
Maintain ṛ/ḷ distinctions: ‘púru-mítrasya’ with clear short i, Cluster care: ‘ny ūhathuḥ’ articulate ‘ny’ then long ū, Retroflex vs dental: ‘ṣ’ in suṣutim; ‘dh’ in puraṃdhaye is aspirated
bright, invoking, steady-forward
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