Rig Veda 7.72.3: Mandala 7, Sukta 72, Mantra 3
Sukta 7.72
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Aśvinau with Uṣas as associated presence
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
उदु स्तोमासो अश्विनोरबुध्रञ्जामि ब्रह्माण्युषसश्च देवीः । आविवासन्रोदसी धिष्ण्येमे अच्छा विप्रो नासत्या विवक्ति ॥
úd u stomā́so aśvínor abudhran jā́mi bráhmāṇy uṣásas ca devī́ḥ | ā́vivāsan ródasī dhiṣṇyéme ácchā vipró nā́satyā vivakti ||
उदु स्तोमासोऽश्विनोरबुध्रन्, जामि ब्रह्माण्युषसश्च देवीः। आविवासन् रोदसी धिष्ण्येमे, अच्छा विप्रो नासत्या विवक्ति॥
Word by Word
- उद्
- up, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (preverb/particle)Root उद्
- उ
- indeed, nowIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic particle)Root उ
- स्तोमासः
- praises, hymnsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot स्तोम
- अश्विनोः
- of the AśvinsNoun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; द्विवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root अश्विन्
- अबुध्रन्
- awoke, became awakeVerbलुङ् (aorist); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot बुध्
- जामि
- together, in common; as kinIndeclinableअव्यय (adverb)Root जामि
- ब्रह्माणि
- sacred formulations, prayersNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot ब्रह्मन्
- उषसः
- of Uṣas (Dawn)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root उषस्
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय (conjunction)Root च
- देवीः
- goddessesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot देवी
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (preverb/particle)Root आ
- विवासन्
- revered, paid homageVerbलुङ् (aorist); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot विवास्
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; द्विवचनRole KarmaRoot रोदसी
- धिष्ण्ये
- in the sacred/ritual seat; in the holy placeAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन (used adverbially)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot धिष्ण्य
- इमे
- thesePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot इदम्
- अच्छा
- towards, untoIndeclinableअव्यय (directional adverb)Root अच्छा
- विप्रः
- inspired poet/seerNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot विप्र
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा (particle of comparison)Root न
- नासत्या
- the Nāsatyas (Aśvins)Noun (dual deity epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; द्विवचनRole KarmaRoot नासत्य
- विवक्ति
- speaks forth, proclaimsVerbलट् (present); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRoot वच्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): उद् | उ | स्तोमासः | अश्विनोः | अबुध्रन् | जामि | ब्रह्माणि | उषसः | च | देवीः || आ | विवासन् | रोदसी | धिष्ण्ये | इमे | अच्छा | विप्रः | न | नासत्या | विवक्ति । प्रमुख सन्धि: (1) उदु → उद् + उ (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: द् + उ)
- (2) अश्विनोरबुध्रन् → अश्विनोः + अबुध्रन् (विसर्ग-लोप/ओः + अ-)
- (3) ब्रह्माण्युषसश्च → ब्रह्माणि + उषसः + च (इ + उ → यु; तथा ः + च → श्च)
- (4) आविवासन् → आ + विवासन्
- (5) नासत्या विवक्ति: नासत्या (द्वि.द्वि.) कर्म, विवक्ति क्रिया।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The hymns to the Aśvins awaken; the familiar sacred formulas and Dawn the goddess arise. Heaven and Earth are prepared for worship, and the inspired seer directs his call toward the Nāsatyas.
Inner meaning
At the moment of inner awakening, the soul’s “hymns” (aspiration) rise from within; the well-known mantric truths become living again (jāmi brahmāṇi). Uṣas is the first light of consciousness that makes the inner worlds (rodasī: mind and life, or heaven and earth within) fit for adoration. The vipra (seer-mind) then “leads the call” toward the Aśvins/Nāsatyas—swift twin powers of right discernment and effective action that heal divisions and bring harmony to the nature.
Universal truth
When aspiration and remembered truth awaken together with inner illumination, the whole being becomes a prepared field; then higher helping powers can be invoked effectively and arrive swiftly to restore balance and right movement.
Themes
Awakening, Dawn, Mantra as guidance, Heaven-and-Earth
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.18, RV 7.33, RV 7.76, RV 7.88
Family tradition
Saptarṣi Vasiṣṭha’s family hymns in Maṇḍala 7 emphasize inner order (ṛta), the right law of action, and the progressive dawnings of truth.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s vision often moves from obscurity to clarity through disciplined invocation—turning ritual forms into a psychology of ascent: awakening, preparation of the inner worlds, and calling the divine powers to act.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā) with Uṣas as associated presence
- Epithets
- Nāsatyā (true in their workings), Aśvinā (possessors of the horse/speed), Divine physicians, Swift helpers
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Savitṛ, Agni
Cosmic role
They arrive at the dawn-moment to restore, heal, and set right the movements of life; they mediate between darkness and full day, bringing safe passage and right functioning.
Inner power
Rapid harmonizing intelligence and force that converts aspiration into effective transformation; they “carry” the seeker across transitional states.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvina-śastra / morning invocation sequences (general)
उदु॒ स्तोमा॑सो अ॒श्विनो॑रबुध्रञ्जा॒मि ब्रह्मा॑ण्यु॒षस॑श्च दे॒वीः । आ॒विवा॑स॒न्रोद॑सी॒ धिष्ण्ये॒मे अच्छा॒ विप्रो॒ नास॑त्या विवक्ति ॥
उत् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । स्तोमा॑सः । अ॒श्विनोः॑ । अ॒बु॒ध्र॒न् । जा॒मि । ब्रह्मा॑णि । उ॒षसः॑ । च॒ । दे॒वीः । आ॒ऽविवा॑सन् । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । धिष्ण्ये॒ इति॑ । इ॒मे इति॑ । अच्छ॑ । विप्रः॑ । नास॑त्या । वि॒व॒क्ति॒ ॥
ut | oṃ iti | stomāsaḥ | aśvinoḥ | abudhran | jāmi | brahmāṇi | uṣasaḥ | ca | devīḥ | āvivāsan | rodasī iti | dhiṣṇyeiti | ime iti | accha | vipraḥ | nāsatyā | vivakti
48
4 pādas × 12 syllables (typical Jagatī cadence)
Long, flowing, forward-driving; suited to ‘awakening’ and ‘leading onward’ motifs.
Creates an expansive rise in the listener—like the mind stretching toward light—supporting a calm but progressive invocation.
- स्तोमासः (stomāsaḥ)
- Literal: hymns, praises. Symbolic: uprising of aspiration and affirmation in consciousness
- अश्विनोः / नासत्या (aśvinoḥ / nāsatyā)
- Literal: the Aśvin twins / the Nāsatyas. Symbolic: twin divine helpers—swift harmonizers, healers of the divided nature; discernment + effective force
- जामि ब्रह्माणि (jāmi brahmāṇi)
- Literal: familiar/kin sacred words. Symbolic: mantric truths already latent in us that reawaken as living knowledge
- उषसः देवीः (uṣasaḥ devīḥ)
- Literal: Dawn, the goddess. Symbolic: illumination; first opening of higher light in the mind
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: the two worlds (Heaven & Earth). Symbolic: mind and life (or higher and lower nature) made ready for consecration
- विप्रः (vipraḥ)
- Literal: inspired seer. Symbolic: intuitive intelligence guiding the inner sacrifice
- धिष्ण्ये (dhiṣṇye)
- Literal: in the sacred seats/altars. Symbolic: stable centers of consciousness where offerings/attention are placed
Dawn-liturgical awakening: hymns and brahman-formulas ‘wake’ with Uṣas; suitable for prātaḥ-savana atmosphere (morning Soma pressing).
At daybreak or early morning recitations; also as an inner ‘opening’ mantra before practice.
Stotra/śastra praise to invite the Aśvins; preparation of the sacred space (outer and inner).
Use as a dawn-start mantra: awaken aspiration, recall true formulas, and prepare mind–life for meditation and right action.
abudhran: from √budh ‘wake, know’ (PIE *bheudh-). āvivāsan: intensive/reduplicated from √vas ‘to dwell/also to honor’ in Vedic; here ‘to reverence’. rodasī: dual of rodas (heaven/earth pair). viprá: ‘inspired, trembling with inspiration’ from √vip ‘quiver, be stirred’. vivakti: from √vac ‘speak’ with vi-; semantic shift ‘to direct/lead forth by speech’.
awakening (budh) as rise of consciousness, Vāc as directive force (vivakti), dhiṣṇya as stable seats of power (inner centers)
The ‘prepared’ worlds imply alignment to ṛta so divine help can act without distortion.
Nāsatyā as ‘true in working’ points to truth made effective, not merely known.
Daily re-creation through dawn: emergence of light from obscurity; renewal of the worlds by revelation.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent of consciousness and descent of helping powers.
dawn
The dawning of higher awareness makes the inner field (mind and life) receptive; aspiration becomes the vehicle for divine intervention.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The dawn-awakening of hymn and world: as Uṣas rises, the praises for the Aśvins awaken and the two worlds become fit for worship. Inner sense: the emergence of a higher wakefulness in which speech (brahman, stoma) becomes the leading power that directs consciousness toward the helpers (Nāsatyas).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √budh ‘awake/know’ is PIE *bheudh-. The paired-world formula (rodasī) mirrors Indo-European dual cosmologies (sky/earth dyad). The seer-term vipra and the performative verb vivakti show the archaic idea that speech is an act that ‘leads’ reality—an old IE poetics of performative utterance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi is the vipra who ‘directs’ the call: he mediates between worlds (rodasī) and devatā by awakened speech. The Aśvins are approached through the prepared field of dawn-consciousness, suggesting that divine response is strongest when the worlds within (mind/body; heaven/earth) are made ‘dhiṣṇya’—stable and ready.
‘Awaken the hymn within’—shift from mechanical repetition to living aspiration; invite harmonizing forces to set mind and life in right rhythm.
Ājñā (illumination) with support to Anāhata (devotional readiness)
Gentle ujjāyī or equal breathing (sama-vṛtti) for 12-count pacing per pāda
Pratyāhāra → dhāraṇā at the threshold of illumination (dawn-state)
Chant once slowly to ‘prepare the two worlds’ (mind and life). Pause, feel the inner space become orderly. Chant again directing the call to the Aśvins: ‘Let the swift harmonizers enter my transitions today.’
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita as per Śākala tradition; key lifts often on invocatory names (aśvinor, uṣasaḥ, nāsatyā).
Sustain the rise on vocatives; keep cadence even across 4×12 structure; avoid rushing sandhi clusters.
उदु (udu): keep short u then dental d, अश्विनोः (aśvinoḥ): clear śv cluster; final ḥ light, जामि (jāmi): long ā, soft m, रोदसी (rodasī): dental d; long ī, नासत्या (nāsatyā): long ā and yā
Clear, bright, ‘morning’ tone; gentle emphasis on dawn/arrival words.
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