Rig Veda 5.76.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 76, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.76
- Rishi
- Atri tradition
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
न संस्कृतं प्र मिमीतो गमिष्ठान्ति नूनमश्विनोपस्तुतेह । दिवाभिपित्वेऽवसागमिष्ठा प्रत्यवर्तिं दाशुषे शम्भविष्ठा ॥
ná saṃskṛtáṃ prá mimītaḥ gám-iṣṭhā ánti nūnám aśvinópa-stutéhá | divā́bhi-pitvé ’vá sā́gamiṣṭhā práty ávartim dāśúṣe śáṃ-bhaviṣṭhā ||
வெறும் ‘ஸம்ஸ்க்ருத’ (அமைத்துச் செய்யப்பட்ட) அளவின்படி உங்கள் வருகையை அளக்காதீர்; ஹே அஷ்வினரே, புகழப்பட்டால் இப்போது—இங்கே—மிக விரைவாக வருபவர்கள் நீங்களே. பகலில், எங்கள் இல்லத்தின் அண்மையில், உதவியுடன் வாருங்கள்; தாஷுஷ் (தானம் செய்பவன்) க்கான தடையைத் திருப்பி விடுங்கள்—ஹே ஶம்பவிஷ்ட, மிகச் சிறந்த நலமளிப்பவரே.
Word by Word
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध (negation)Root न
- संस्कृतम्
- prepared, well-arranged (rite/act)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (here: object-like)Role KarmaRoot सं-√कृ (कृ) / संस्कृत (ppp)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गRoot प्र
- मिमीते
- measures out, apportionsVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole Kartā (implicit: he/one)Root √मा (मि) + उपसर्ग प्र
- गमिष्ठान्
- the most ready to come / swiftest-goersAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole Karma (as goal/objects of reaching)Root गमिष्ठ (superlative of √गम्/गम)
- इति
- thusIndeclinableउद्धरण/इत्यर्थकRoot इति
- नूनम्
- now, indeedIndeclinableकाल/निश्चय अव्ययRoot नूनम्
- अश्विनोः
- of the AśvinsNoun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी द्विवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अश्विन्
- उपस्तुते
- praises, hymnsVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole Kartā (implicit: the singer/poet)Root उप-√स्तु (स्तु)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableदेश अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot इह
- दिवा
- by day, in daytimeNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (instrumental/temporal)Role Karaṇa / Adhikaraṇa (time)Root दिव्
- अभिपित्वे
- at the drinking/feast (soma-drinking)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अभि-पित्व (from √पा ‘to drink’ → पित्व ‘drinking/feast’)
- अवसा
- with help, with protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot अवस्
- गमिष्ठा
- O most ready to come!Adjective (vocative to dual gods) / epithet(addressing the Aśvins) पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative) द्विवचन sense; form used as Vedic vocative epithetRole सम्बोधनRoot गमिष्ठ (superlative of √गम्/गम)
- प्रति
- towards, backIndeclinable (preverb/preposition)उपसर्ग/निपातRoot प्रति
- अवर्तिम्
- a return (back), turning backNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अ-वर्ति (from √वृत/√वर्त ‘to turn/return’; avarti ‘return/turning back’)
- दाशुषे
- to the giver, to the worshipper (who gives)Noun (participle used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot दाश्वस् (perf. part. of √दा ‘to give’)
- शम्भविष्ठा
- O most beneficent!Adjective (vocative epithet)सम्बोधन (vocative) द्विवचन sense; Vedic epithet addressed to the AśvinsRole सम्बोधनRoot शम्-भविष्ठ (superlative of शम्भव ‘beneficent’, from शम् + √भू)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved/normalized sandhi & padapāṭha-style splits: (1) गमिष्ठान्ति → गमिष्ठान् + इति. (2) अश्विनोपस्तुतेह → अश्विनोः + उपस्तुते + इह. (3) दिवाभिपित्वेऽवसागमिष्ठा → दिवा + अभिपित्वे + अवसा + गमिष्ठा (’ऽ’ = vowel sandhi). (4) प्रत्यवर्तिं → प्रति + अवर्तिम्. (5) दाशुषे शम्भविष्ठा kept separate (vocative epithet). Accent marks in the saṃhitā are not reproduced per-word here
- analysis is after sandhi resolution
The meaning
Outer meaning
Do not measure your coming by what is merely prepared/arranged; you are the readiest to come near now when praised, O Aśvins. By day, near our dwelling, come with help; turn back obstruction for the giver, O most peace-bringing.
Inner meaning
The human mind tries to ‘schedule’ grace by outer arrangements (saṃskṛtam), but the Aśvins move by a subtler law: sincere praise/aspiration instantly opens the channel. Their coming is ‘anti nūnam’—near, immediate—when consciousness becomes rightly turned. ‘Divābhipitve’ suggests the waking state and the intimate field of embodied life; the prayer is for practical help in daylight living. ‘Praty avartiṃ’ is the reversal of the turning-back force: the resistance that blocks progress (habit, inertia, subconscient pushback). For the dāśuṣ (the giver—one who offers), they restore peace (śambhaviṣṭhā) by clearing obstruction and re-establishing forward movement.
Universal truth
Grace is not compelled by outer preparation but by inner sincerity; when one truly offers, help arrives in the midst of daily life and turns back the forces of obstruction, restoring peace and forward progress.
Themes
Urgent invocation, Divine responsiveness, Obstacle-removal, Protection for the giver
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.76.3 (timings of approach), RV 5.75.8 (strengthening the singer)
Family tradition
Atri’s line stresses practical spirituality: divine aid is tested in daily life (‘abhipitve’), not only in lofty states.
Significance
The seer teaches a key yogic principle: abandon bargaining with the Divine; cultivate sincere invocation, and the higher powers act directly against resistance.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- gamiṣṭhā (most ready to come), śambhaviṣṭhā (most peace-bringing)
- Related deities
- Agni (as opener of the path), Uṣas (as awakener), Indra (as remover of cover)
Cosmic role
Immediate responders at transitions; they remove impediments and restore well-being and right movement.
Inner power
They break the ‘turning-back’ momentum in sadhana—doubt, relapse, inertia—especially in waking life where practice is tested.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin invocation in morning sequences; also suitable as a prayer for removing obstacles to the sacrificer
न सं॑स्कृ॒तं प्र मि॑मीतो॒ गमि॒ष्ठान्ति॑ नू॒नम॒श्विनोप॑स्तुते॒ह । दिवा॑भिपि॒त्वेऽव॒साग॑मिष्ठा॒ प्रत्यव॑र्तिं दा॒शुषे॒ शम्भ॑विष्ठा ॥
न । सं॒स्कृ॒तम् । प्र । मि॒मी॒तः॒ । गमि॑ष्ठा । अन्ति॑ । नू॒नम् । अ॒श्विना॑ । उप॑ऽस्तुता । इ॒ह । दि॒वा॑ । अ॒भि॒ऽपि॒त्वे । अव॑सा । आऽग॑मिष्ठा । प्रति॑ । अव॑र्तिम् । दा॒शुषे॑ । शम्ऽभ॑विष्ठा ॥
na | saṃskṛtam | pra | mimītaḥ | gamiṣṭhā | anti | nūnam | aśvinā | upa-stutā | iha | divā | abhi-pitve | avasā | āgamiṣṭhā | prati | avartim | dāśuṣe | śam-bhaviṣṭhā
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4 × ~12 syllables
Conversational yet insistent; the negation ‘na’ at the opening gives a corrective force.
Cuts mental over-control; encourages trust and immediacy; stabilizes the will against relapse.
- संस्कृत (saṃskṛta)
- Literal: prepared, arranged, refined. Symbolic: mere external arrangement; mental calculation of spiritual timing
- प्र मिमीतः (pra mimītaḥ)
- Literal: measure out. Symbolic: attempt to control the Divine by planning/conditioning
- गमिष्ठा (gamiṣṭhā)
- Literal: most ready to come. Symbolic: ever-available higher help when the channel opens
- उपस्तुता (upastutā)
- Literal: praised/invoked. Symbolic: the state of inner turning through mantra and aspiration
- अभिपित्वे (abhipitve)
- Literal: near the dwelling/household. Symbolic: the embodied, intimate life-field; the ‘near’ consciousness
- अवसा (avasā)
- Literal: with help, protection. Symbolic: supporting force that carries one over difficulty
- प्रत्यवर्तिम् (praty-avartim)
- Literal: the turning-back, obstruction. Symbolic: resistance of ignorance/inertia; the force that reverses progress
- दाशुषे (dāśuṣe)
- Literal: to the giver/offerer. Symbolic: the consecrating practitioner who offers self and works
- शम्भविष्ठा (śambhaviṣṭhā)
- Literal: most auspicious/peace-bringing. Symbolic: restorers of harmony and inner well-being
General Aśvin invocation in morning rite; emphasis on immediate help for the dāśuṣ (giver)
When invoking timely arrival and protection; especially at beginnings of rites or transitions
Recitation to invite deities without over-ritualizing; petition to remove impediments for the yajamāna
Use when stuck in procrastination/relapse: chant to release control and ask for immediate help to reverse obstruction.
: √ ‘to measure’ (dual 2nd/3rd; here imperative-like sense ‘do not measure out/limit’). /: from √ ‘go/come’ with -iṣṭha superlative ‘most’. : upa + √ ‘praise’ (PPP). : instrumental of avas ‘help, protection’. : from √/√ ‘to turn’ with privative/‘turning back’; in RV often ‘obstruction, check’ to be reversed. : śam ‘peace’ + √ ‘become’ with superlative—‘most conducive to well-being’.
Ṛta vs. mere saṃskṛta (true order vs. external arrangement), Grace/Help (avas), Removal of obstruction (nivṛtti/avarti)
‘Praty-avarti’ is the reversal away from ṛta; the Aśvins restore the forward current of right order.
Upastuti (true praise) is effective when speech matches inner intention—satya-vāc.
Ongoing formation: the divine re-orders the life-field by removing reversals and restoring peace.
Vedic psychological yoga: grace responds to aspiration; obstacles are forces to be turned back, not merely endured.
day (divā)
Daylight = waking consciousness; home = embodied field and habitual patterns; obstruction = inertia/subconscient recoil.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The immediate descent of the Aśvins upon praise, reversing impediments for the sacrificer. Mythically: the swift twins respond to invocation. Psychologically: when aspiration becomes living praise, higher powers need not be ‘scheduled’ by outer form; they arrive and turn back inner resistances.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ ‘measure’ < PIE *meh₁- ‘measure’ (cf. Greek métron). √ ‘go’ is an Indo-Iranian continuation of PIE motion roots (often linked with *gʷem- ‘come/go’, cf. Latin venio via different development; Sanskrit gam- is standard Indo-Aryan). √ ‘praise’ relates to PIE *steu- ‘praise’ (cf. Greek stóma?; more securely Latin stupeo is different; but *steu- appears in Germanic ‘stout’ etc. is debated—still, praise-root is old Indo-Iranian).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asserts a law of reciprocity: authentic praise (upastuti) creates nearness (anti) and invites immediate aid (avas). The Aśvins’ gift is the ‘turning back’ of what blocks the giver’s progress—an inner restoration of right movement rather than a mere external boon.
Let go of controlling spiritual outcomes; invoke immediate help; reverse the ‘turning-back’ habit-force.
Maṇipūra (will vs. inertia) and Mūlādhāra (habit/subconscient resistance)
Exhale-lengthening to signal surrender: 4–8 breathing for 12 cycles; then chant once, feeling ‘praty avartiṃ’ as pushing out resistance on exhale.
Trustful immediacy; grounded peace in waking life.
Name one specific obstruction (fear, relapse, distraction). Chant, then sit and feel the inner ‘turning-back’ unwind; finish with one small concrete act of offering (dāśuṣe) to seal the shift.
Observe initial negation ‘na’ with clear low-to-high accent per Vedic rule; maintain steady cadence through the long compounds.
Mark the rhetorical pivot: ‘na…’ (don’t measure) → ‘gamiṣṭhānti nūnam’ (you come now). Slight emphasis on ‘praty avartiṃ’.
saṃskṛtam: anusvāra before s; crisp kṛ, mimītaḥ: long ī; dental tḥ ending, aśvinopastuteha: sandhi—keep ‘upa’ audible within upastutā, śambhaviṣṭhā: bh aspirated; ṣṭh cluster clear
Firm, reassuring, not hurried; clarity over sweetness here.
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