Rig Veda 5.74.3: Mandala 5, Sukta 74, Mantra 3
Sukta 5.74
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
कं याथः कं ह गच्छथः कमच्छा युञ्जाथे रथम् । कस्य ब्रह्माणि रण्यथो वयं वामुश्मसीष्टये ॥
káṃ yā́thaḥ káṃ ha gacchathaḥ kám ácchā yuñjā́the rátham | kásya bráhmāṇi raṇyatho vayáṃ vām uśmasī́ṣṭaye ||
ఎవరియొద్దకు మీరు వెళ్తారు, ఎవరి కోసం నిజంగా ప్రయాణిస్తారు; ఎవరిని లక్ష్యంగా మీ రథాన్ని యోకుతారు? ఎవరి బ్రహ్మాలలో (మంత్ర-స్తుతుల్లో) మీరు ఆనందిస్తారు? యజ్ఞసిద్ధి మరియు అంతః-ఆహుతి పూర్ణత కోసం మేము మీ ఇద్దరినీ కోరుకుంటున్నాము.
Word by Word
- कम्
- whom?/which?Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचनम् (अव्यक्त-प्रश्नार्थकः)Role Karma (प्रश्नवाचकः; गन्तव्य/विषयः)Root किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → क
- याथः
- you two goVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)Root या (धातु)
- कम्
- whom?/which?Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role Karma (प्रश्नवाचकः)Root किम् → क
- ह
- indeed/thenIndeclinableनिपातः (उपपद-बलवर्धक/प्रश्न-उत्कर्षक)Root ह (निपात)
- गच्छथः
- you two goVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role KriyāRoot गम् (धातु) → गच्छ
- कम्
- whom?/which?Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role Karma (प्रश्नवाचकः)Root किम् → क
- अच्छा
- towards, hitherIndeclinableअव्ययम् (दिशा/अभिमुख्य-भावे)Role Adhikaraṇa (दिशा/गमन-सम्बन्धः)Root अच्छा (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ)
- युञ्जाथे
- you two yoke/harnessVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role KriyāRoot युज् (धातु) → युञ्ज
- रथम्
- chariotNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- कस्य
- of whom?/whose?Pronounपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)Root किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → क
- ब्रह्माणि
- sacred formulations/hymnsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role Karma (रण्यथोः विषयः)Root ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- रण्यथो
- you two rejoice/delightVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role KriyāRoot रण्/रण्य (धातु; ‘to rejoice, be delighted’)
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (उश्मसीत्यस्य)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → वयम्
- वाम्
- of you two / you twoPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया, द्विवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role Sampradāna/Viṣaya (उश्मसी—‘you two’ as desired/for you two)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम) → वाम्
- उश्मसी
- we desireVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role KriyāRoot वश्/उश् (धातु; ‘to wish, desire’) → उश्
- इष्टये
- for the sacrifice/riteNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role Sampradāna (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजनम्)Root इष्टि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘sacrifice, oblation, rite’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (Vedic): कम् | याथः | कम् | ह | गच्छथः | कम् | अच्छाऽ | युञ्जाथे | रथम् | कस्य | ब्रह्माणि | रण्यथो | वयम् | वाम् | उश्मसी | इष्टये । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) कमच्छा = कम् + अच्छा (म् + अ → मअ; लेखने ‘मच्छा’)
- (2) वामुश्मसी = वाम् + उश्मसी (म् + उ → मु)
- स्वर-टिप्पणी: पाठे उदात्त/स्वरित चिह्नाः (या॑थः, ह॑, गच्छथ॒:, अच्छाऽ॑, रथ॑म्, ब्रह्मा॑णि, वा॑म्, इ॒ष्टये॑) पदविश्लेषणे अर्थ/रूपं न परिवर्तयन्ति, किन्तु वैदिक-पाठे उच्चारण-नियमं सूचयन्ति।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The singer asks the Aśvins: to whom do you go, where do you travel, toward whom do you yoke your chariot? In whose sacred utterances do you delight? We desire you both for the accomplishment of the sacrifice.
Inner meaning
The soul calls the twin powers of swift help (Aśvins) and asks: which aspirant-consciousness is ready enough that you turn toward it? The “chariot” is the disciplined psycho-physical instrument yoked to the journey of awakening; “brahmāṇi” are mantras/true formulations that the gods “enjoy” when they carry the right vibration of sincerity and aspiration. The verse is a self-inquiry: what in me attracts the divine Helpers—habitual outer motion or an inner offering (iṣṭi) made luminous by right speech and will?
Universal truth
Divine assistance answers the call that is rightly tuned: when the inner instrument is yoked and the word becomes true-formulation, higher forces naturally gravitate to the seeker and the work moves toward fulfilment.
Themes
Invocation, Divine movement, Mantra selection, Aspiration
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.73, RV 5.75, RV 5.76, RV 5.40
Family tradition
The Ātreya seers are strongly linked with inner vision (dṛś) and luminous formulation (brahman) that calls swift divine help; many Atri hymns emphasize the movement from obscurity to clarity.
Significance
Atri represents the seer-mind capable of right question and right call: the humility that asks ‘to whom?’ becomes the precision that attracts the true divine response.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- Nā́satyā, Dasrā, Vājinīvasū, Vipravāhasā
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Twin divine physicians and rescuers who arrive swiftly, restoring wholeness, guiding transitions, and bringing the light of dawn-energies into embodied life.
Inner power
A double force of intuitive discernment and effective action: rapid aid, healing of the divided nature, and the bringing of higher energies into the vital and physical.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvina śastra/stotra context in Soma-yajña sequences; general Aśvin invocation for swift aid
कं या॑थ॒: कं ह॑ गच्छथ॒: कमच्छा॑ युञ्जाथे॒ रथ॑म् । कस्य॒ ब्रह्मा॑णि रण्यथो व॒यं वा॑मुश्मसी॒ष्टये॑ ॥
कम् । या॒थः॒ । कम् । ह॒ । ग॒च्छ॒थः॒ । कम् । अच्छ॑ । यु॒ञ्जा॒थे॒ इति॑ । रथ॑म् । कस्य॑ । ब्रह्मा॑णि । र॒ण्य॒थः॒ । व॒यम् । वा॒म् । उ॒श्म॒सि॒ । इ॒ष्टये॑ ॥
kam | yāthaḥ | kam | ha | gacchathaḥ | kam | accha | yuñjātheiti | ratham | kasya | brahmāṇi | raṇyathaḥ | vayam | vām | uśmasi | iṣṭaye
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, interrogative cadence; strong mid-line lift typical of Triṣṭubh suits invocation and seeking.
Energizes aspiration and sharpens inquiry; the repeated ‘kam’ produces a mantra-like insistence that concentrates the will.
- कं (kam)
- Literal: to whom? which?. Symbolic: the searching question of aspiration; discernment of the true object of pursuit
- युञ्जाथे रथम् (yuñjāthe ratham)
- Literal: you yoke the chariot. Symbolic: aligning the inner instrument (mind-life-body) for the divine journey; disciplined yoga of the faculties
- ब्रह्माणि (brahmāṇi)
- Literal: sacred utterances, mantras, formulations. Symbolic: truth-vibrations that shape consciousness; inspired speech that can host the gods
- रण्यथो (raṇyatho)
- Literal: you delight, take pleasure. Symbolic: the gods’ consent to act where the vibration is harmonious and sincere
- इष्टये (iṣṭaye)
- Literal: for the offering/sacrifice. Symbolic: the inner sacrifice—self-giving of ego and desire into the flame of aspiration
Summoning by specifying the deity’s ‘preferences’ (which brahman they enjoy) and redirecting their chariot toward the current sacrificer
At dawn or early rites; whenever calling rapid divine assistance and healing
Recitation/chant to invite the Aśvins to the offering and to ‘yoke’ them to the rite
Use as a contemplative inquiry before practice: ‘What am I truly moving toward?’ then align breath, posture, and intention as the ‘chariot’.
√yuj ‘yoke’ (< PIE *yeug-; cf. Latin iugum, English yoke) strongly preserves Indo-European ritual-vehicle imagery. √gam ‘go’ (< PIE *gʷem-). √yā ‘go’ is Indo-Iranian motion root. raṇy- from √raṇ ‘rejoice/resound’—suggests the gods ‘vibrate’ to certain mantras, i.e., respond to right-formulated speech. iṣṭi from √yaj: sacrifice as act of alignment; innerly, the willed offering that enables descent.
Mantra efficacy (brahman that attracts gods), Desire as spiritual aspiration (uśmasi), Sacrifice as inner alignment (iṣṭi)
Right formulation (brahman) and right alignment (yoking) invite the powers that uphold Ṛta.
The gods delight in speech that carries satya—inner sincerity and exactness.
Manifestation through Word and ordered movement: the chariot of consciousness is yoked toward the true goal.
Proto-Vedāntic/psychological reading (Aurobindo): mantra as formative power shaping inner states.
dawn
Dawn-helpers moving along the inner path: the ‘journey’ is the ascent of consciousness; the ‘chariot’ is the integrated psycho-physical vehicle.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The divine chariot that can be redirected by right speech: the Aśvins travel to chosen destinations and delight in particular brahman. The mythic logic is that correct, living mantra ‘turns’ the gods’ movement toward the seeker.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- yuñj- (yoke) directly continues PIE *yeug-; this is a key Indo-European poetic-ritual image (yoking horses/chariot = harnessing powers). gam- (go) continues PIE *gʷem-. The verse layers near-synonymous motion verbs (√yā, √gam) for intensification, a common archaic poetic strategy.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi negotiates divine attention: he asks what kind of brahman pleases them and positions his own aspiration (uśmasi) as worthy of their arrival. The relationship is transactional in the Vedic sense: sincere, rightly-shaped offering invites reciprocal descent and assistance.
Inquiry + alignment: identify the true aim, then ‘yoke’ attention, breath, and will toward it; call the twin helpers for swift correction and healing.
ājñā (discernment) and anāhata (sincere offering)
4-fold even breathing (sama-vṛtti) for 11-count cadence; pause briefly after each pāda to feel the ‘question’ settle.
Aspiring, wakeful, receptive (dawn-state of the mind).
Begin practice by repeating ‘kam’ inwardly as a drill of sincerity: remove vague desire; formulate one clear intention; offer it (iṣṭi) and listen for the answering movement.
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita as per śākala; interrogatives (kaṃ/ko) often carry marked accent—follow pada text and traditional svara marking from a recitation source.
Keep the repeated ‘kaṃ’ crisp and slightly lifted; maintain Triṣṭubh forward swing; avoid flattening the questions into monotone.
kaṃ: final anusvāra as velar nasal before y (≈ ‘kaŋ’), yāthaḥ/gacchathaḥ: aspirates clear (th), do not turn into dental ‘t’, yuñjāthe: ‘ñj’ cluster—nasal palatal then ‘j’, raṇyatho: retroflex ‘ṇ’
Clear, bright, inviting; slight urgency in the questions, warmth in the final longing.
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.
