Rig Veda 5.75.8: Mandala 5, Sukta 75, Mantra 8
Sukta 5.75
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अस्मिन्यज्ञे अदाभ्या जरितारं शुभस्पती । अवस्युमश्विना युवं गृणन्तमुप भूषथो माध्वी मम श्रुतं हवम् ॥
asmín yajñé adā́bhyā jaritā́raṃ śúbhaspatī | avasyúm aśvinā yuváṃ gṛṇántaṃ úpa bhūṣatho mā́dhvī mama śrutáṃ hávam ||
अस्मिन्यज्ञे अदाभ्या जरितारं शुभस्पती। अवस्युमश्विना युवं गृणन्तमुप भूषथो—माध्वी मम श्रुतं हवम्।
Word by Word
- अस्मिन्
- in thisPronounपुं/नपुं, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → अस्मिन्
- यज्ञे
- sacrifice, ritualNounपुं, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अदाभ्या
- unharming, inviolableAdjectiveपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot अदाभ्य (प्रातिपदिक; न- + √दभ् ‘to harm/deceive’)
- जरितारम्
- the singer/praiserNounपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot जरितृ (प्रातिपदिक; कर्तरि-तृन् from √गॄ/√गृ ‘to sing/praise’ in RV usage ‘singer, praiser’)
- शुभस्पती
- O lords of splendour (Aśvins)Nounपुं, संबोधन, द्विवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot शुभस्-पति (समास; शुभस् ‘splendour/beauty’ + पति ‘lord’)
- अवस्युम्
- seeking aidAdjectiveपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot अवस्यु (प्रातिपदिक; desiderative sense ‘seeking help/favour’, from अवस् ‘help’)
- अश्विना
- O AśvinsNounपुं, संबोधन, द्विवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- युवम्
- you twoPronounउत्तम-पुरुषार्थे (2nd person), प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → युवम्
- गृणन्तम्
- (him) praisingParticipleपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्तमान-कर्तरि ‘praising’Role कर्मRoot √गॄ/√गृ (धातु) → गृणत् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त, शतृ)
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableअव्ययRoot उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- भूषथः
- you two adorn/favourVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यम-पुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √भूष् (धातु ‘to adorn, favour, make splendid’)
- माध्वी
- honey-sweet (utterance)Adjective/Nounस्त्री, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वाक्/गीः इत्यादि-शब्दस्य विशेषणवत्; here as ‘honeyed (utterance)’)Role कर्तृ/विषय (वाक्ये विशेष्य-निहित)Root माध्वी (प्रातिपदिक; ‘honey-sweet’, also ‘honeyed (speech/utterance)’)
- मम
- myPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → मम
- श्रुतम्
- heardParticipleनपुं, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘heard’Role कर्म/विधेयRoot √श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (भूतकृदन्त/कृत)
- हवम्
- invocation, callNounपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हव (प्रातिपदिक; from √ह्वा/√हू ‘to call, invoke’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): अस्मिन्यज्ञे → अस्मिन् यज्ञे (न् + य → न्य्).
- remaining forms are already pada-separated. Vocatives: शुभस्पती, अश्विना. Verb: भूषथः governs the object-group ‘अदाभ्या जरितारम् अवस्युम् … गृणन्तम्’ (the praiser seeking aid, praising)
The meaning
Outer meaning
In this yajña, the invincible Aśvins, lords of splendor, are invoked to come near, adorn/strengthen the praising singer who seeks their protection, and to hear the poet’s honeyed call.
Inner meaning
The “sacrifice” is the inner offering of aspiration. The Aśvins—swift twin powers of luminous Force and healing—are asked to draw close to the jaritṛ (the soul-voice that articulates the seeking) and “beautify/complete” (upa bhūṣathas) the chant: they refine the seeker’s mixed human energies into a harmonious movement fit for higher illumination. The “honeyed call” (mādhvī havam) is the sweetened vibration of sincerity and delight that naturally arises when the heart’s aspiration becomes pure.
Universal truth
When aspiration is offered in a disciplined inner practice, higher assisting powers respond most readily by strengthening the voice of truth within and transmuting crude impulse into luminous, effective action; the call that carries inner sweetness is heard most surely.
Themes
Support of the singer, Divine proximity, Invincibility and splendour
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.75, RV 5.76, RV 5.77 (Ātreya Aśvin cycle, traditional grouping)
Family tradition
Atri’s line is strongly associated with luminous vision and healing/helping powers; Aśvin hymns in Mandala 5 reflect a practical yoga of swift assistance and right timing.
Significance
Atri represents the seer-mind that turns aspiration into effective mantra: not merely praise, but a formative word that invites the descent of harmonizing forces (Aśvins) into embodied life.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nasatyā)
- Epithets
- adābhyā (invincible), śubhas patī (lords of splendor), dasrā (wonder-workers, implied in the cluster), yuvām (the two, youthful)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Agni, Sūrya, Soma
Cosmic role
Twin deities of swift transition: they mediate between night and dawn, illness and health, inertia and movement; they bring right arrangement and timely aid.
Inner power
Rapid harmonization of mind-life-body; healing of divided energies; awakening of the ‘right functioning’ that makes the inner sacrifice effective.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvina śastra/stotra context in soma-related sequences; also dawn-invocation setting
अ॒स्मिन्य॒ज्ञे अ॑दाभ्या जरि॒तारं॑ शुभस्पती । अ॒व॒स्युम॑श्विना यु॒वं गृ॒णन्त॒मुप॑ भूषथो॒ माध्वी॒ मम॑ श्रुतं॒ हव॑म् ॥
अ॒स्मिन् । य॒ज्ञे । अ॒दा॒भ्या॒ । ज॒रि॒तार॑म् । शु॒भः॒ । प॒ती॒ इति॑ । अ॒व॒स्युम् । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । यु॒वम् । गृ॒णन्त॑म् । उप॑ । भू॒ष॒थः॒ । माध्वी॒ इति॑ । मम॑ । श्रुत॑म् । हव॑म् ॥
asmin | yajñe | adābhyā | jaritāram | śubhaḥ | patī iti | avasyum | aśvinā | yuvam | gṛṇantam | upa | bhūṣathaḥ | mādhvī iti | mama | śrutam | havam
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables (with Vedic resolutions possible)
Firm and forward-driving; suited to invocation and decisive calling.
Creates a steady lift of will and confidence; supports an ‘approach’ movement—calling the Aśvins nearer into the practitioner’s field.
- यज्ञ (yajña)
- Literal: sacrifice, ritual offering. Symbolic: inner consecration; offering of thoughts, will, and breath to the Divine
- अदाभ्य (adābhya)
- Literal: invincible, not to be deceived. Symbolic: powers that cannot be overcome by ignorance; sure guidance in inner crisis
- शुभस्पती (śubhas patī)
- Literal: lords of splendor/beauty. Symbolic: twin harmonizers who bring clarity, grace, and right arrangement to the being
- जरितृ (jaritṛ)
- Literal: singer/praiser. Symbolic: the aspiring soul-voice (mantra-consciousness) that calls the higher help
- अवस्यु (avasyu)
- Literal: seeking aid/protection. Symbolic: the state of surrender and need that opens receptivity
- उप भूषथः (upa bhūṣathaḥ)
- Literal: adorn, equip, strengthen. Symbolic: refine and empower the seeker’s expression and capacity
- माध्वी (mādhvī)
- Literal: honeyed, sweet. Symbolic: delight (ānanda) in aspiration; nectar-like sincerity of the heart-call
- हवम् (havam)
- Literal: invocation, call. Symbolic: the upward vibration that summons higher consciousness
Concluding/continuing invitatory within the Aśvin hymn: asks the gods to come near the jaritṛ in the yajña and strengthen his praise—standard Soma-liturgy function of ensuring divine proximity and support.
Near dawn or early pressing contexts; as an invitatory for Aśvins in morning rites
Recitation/chant to invite deities, strengthen the hotṛ/udgātṛ’s praise, and consecrate the offering
Use as a pre-meditation invocation for help in healing, aligning energies, and making one’s aspiration ‘sweet and effective’ before practice.
yajña from √yaj (to worship, sacrifice) → inner act of consecration aligning with ṛta. jaritṛ from √jar/√gṛ (praise/celebrate; Vedic jar- ‘to sing, praise’) → the growing utterer. śubha ‘splendour/beauty’ from √śubh (to shine, be bright) → luminous well-being. avasyu from √av (to protect, favor) with desiderative sense → one seeking protection/help.
Yajña as inner consecration and exchange, Protection/help (ava) as saving grace, Nearness (upa) as intimacy of divine presence
Aśvins restore right functioning—bringing the seeker back into ṛta through timely assistance.
The ‘heard’ call implies alignment of speech with truth-intent; mantra becomes satya-vāc.
Transformation rather than first creation: ordering and beautifying the human instrument so higher light can manifest.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent by aspiration and descent by grace into embodied life.
dawn-approach (implied by Aśvin setting)
Honey = sweetness of awakened consciousness; ‘approach’ = descent of higher help into the nervous and vital system.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘god supports the singer in the sacrifice’ motif: divine proximity empowers the human voice. The mythic action is the Aśvins’ coming near; the inner action is the strengthening and beautifying of aspiration and speech so it can hold ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yaj is Indo-Iranian ritual vocabulary with deep antiquity; √śubh ‘shine’ links to broader IE imagery of brightness as goodness. The construction upa + verb expresses approach/proximity, a common archaic preverb strategy in Indo-European verbal systems.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi presents himself as avasyu—seeking protection—and as gṛṇant—actively praising. The Aśvins, as śubhaspatī and adābhyā, respond by coming near (upa) and ‘adornment/strengthening’ (bhūṣ-) the human instrument, enabling a more luminous and effective inner yajña.
Invite swift harmonizing help; refine the inner voice so aspiration becomes clear, sweet, and effective.
Anāhata (heart: sweetness, devotion) and Viśuddha (throat: true mantra-voice)
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana 6–6 or 4–4 before chanting; then soft exhale emphasis on ‘mādhvī…havam’.
Receptive quietude with a bright, helpful expectancy.
Chant once to set intention; then sit 5–10 minutes feeling the ‘near presence’ (upa) and allowing inner speech to become simpler, truer, and more luminous.
Follow Rigvedic accenting: udatta on marked syllables; svarita on following; anudatta in unmarked low tone (requires śākhā-specific notation for precision).
Keep ‘aśvinā yuvam’ as a clear two-beat address; slightly lengthen the cadence on ‘mādhvī…havam’ as the closing refrain.
śubhas patī: keep dental ‘t’ in patī, not retroflex, aśvinā: ‘śv’ cluster crisp; avoid ‘ashwina’ blur, gṛṇantam: vocalic ṛ as short, centered sound, mādhvī: long ā; dh is aspirated (breathy)
Clear, inviting, slightly warm (honeyed) tone rather than forceful.
9
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
