Rig Veda 10.39.11: Mandala 10, Sukta 39, Mantra 11
Sukta 10.39
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Jagati
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
न तं राजानावदिते कुतश्चन नांहो अश्नोति दुरितं नकिर्भयम् । यमश्विना सुहवा रुद्रवर्तनी पुरोरथं कृणुथः पत्न्या सह ॥
ná taṃ rājānāv adite kútaś caná nā́ṃho aśnoti duritáṃ nákir bhayám | yám aśvinā suhavā rudravartanī puroratháṃ kṛṇutháḥ pátnyā sahá ||
ผู้นั้น—โอ อัศวินผู้ทรงราชา บุตรแห่งความกว้างใหญ่ของอทิติ (Aditi)—ไม่ถูกต้องด้วยความทุกข์จากด้านใด ไม่ถูกครอบงำด้วยเคราะห์ร้ายอันคดเคี้ยว และไม่ถูกแตะต้องด้วยความหวาดกลัวใดๆ. ท่านทั้งสอง ผู้เรียกหาได้ง่าย ผู้ดำเนินไปตามวิถีแห่งพลังของรุทระ (Rudra) ได้ทำให้เขาเป็นราชรถนำหน้า พร้อมกับนางผู้เป็นภริยา (พลังวิญญาณภายใน).
Word by Word
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध (negation)Root न
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद्
- राजानौ
- the two kings (Aśvins)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole KartāRoot राजन्
- अदिते
- O AditiNoun (vocative)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRoot अदिति
- कुतश्चन
- from anywhere at allIndeclinableअव्यय (indefinite/anywhere-from)Role ApādānaRoot कुतस् + चन
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- अंहः
- distress, sin, troubleNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अंहस्
- अश्नोति
- reaches, attainsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot अश् (अश्नुते)
- दुरितम्
- misfortune, evilNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot दुरित
- नकिः
- no oneIndeclinable/Pronoun-likeअव्यय (indefinite: ‘no one’)Role KartāRoot नकिस्
- भयम्
- fearNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot भय
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (relative)Role KarmaRoot यद्
- अश्विना
- O AśvinsNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRoot अश्विन्
- सुहवा
- easy to invokeAdjective (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRoot सु-हव (सुहव)
- रुद्रवर्तनी
- whose course/track is Rudra’s (or: moving in Rudra’s path)Adjective (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचन (bahuvrīhi/compound epithet)Root रुद्र-वर्तनी
- पुरोरथम्
- the chariot in front; the fore-chariotNoun/Adjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पुरो-रथ
- कृणुथः
- you two make, fashionVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचनRoot कृ (करोति)
- पत्न्या
- with (your) wifeNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot पत्नी
- सह
- together withIndeclinableअव्यय (association)Root सह
Sandhi Notes
- External sandhi resolved as: राजानावदिते → राजानौ + अदिते
- कुतश्चन unchanged (कुतस् + चन as lexical sandhi)
- नांहो → न + अंहः (a + a → ā)
- नकि॑र्भ॒यम् → नकिः + भयम् (visarga before bh often written as -r in Saṃhitā: ः → र्)
- यम॑श्विना → यम् + अश्विना (m + a retained with close junction)
- पुरोर॒थं → पुरः + रथम् (compound form)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Whomever the royal Aśvins—sons of Aditi—make into a front-leading chariot together with the Lady, that person is untouched by distress, misfortune, or fear; the Aśvins are easy to call and move on Rudra’s path.
Inner meaning
Aditi signifies wideness/infinity; to be ‘of Aditi’ is to stand in expansive consciousness. When the Aśvins make the seeker a ‘puroratha’—a leading chariot—this means the life-journey is put in the front of progress under divine guidance. ‘With the Lady’ (patnyā saha) indicates the soul-power (Śrī-like inner śakti) accompanying the movement; then distress (aṃhas), crooked misfortune (durita), and fear cannot touch the being. ‘Rudravartanī’ suggests their action can be forceful, cutting through resistance with Rudra’s dynamic power.
Universal truth
Protection is not mere shielding; it is a reorganization of the journey under higher guidance, joined with the soul’s power—then fear and misfortune lose their hold.
Themes
protection, fearlessness, right-leading guidance, purification, divine response to invocation
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.39.1-10, Rig Veda 10.40.1-14
Family tradition
Late Maṇḍala synthesis: combines Aśvin healing with Aditi’s wideness and Rudra’s force—integrating protection, expansion, and transformation.
Significance
A compact psychological assurance: wideness (Aditi) + swift harmonizing aid (Aśvins) + force of transformation (Rudra) + consent of the soul-power (patnī) yields fearlessness.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (with Aditi invoked; Rudra referenced)
- Epithets
- rājānau (royal lords), suhavā (easy to call), rudravartanī (moving in Rudra’s track)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Rudra, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Guardians who establish fearlessness by aligning the human journey with cosmic wideness and dynamic force.
Inner power
Protective harmonization plus decisive cutting power against inner and outer ‘crookedness’.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective invocation; auspicious setting-out; dawn recitation
न तं रा॑जानावदिते॒ कुत॑श्च॒न नांहो॑ अश्नोति दुरि॒तं नकि॑र्भ॒यम् । यम॑श्विना सुहवा रुद्रवर्तनी पुरोर॒थं कृ॑णु॒थः पत्न्या॑ स॒ह ॥
न । तम् । रा॒जा॒नौ॒ । अ॒दि॒ते॒ । कुतः॑ । च॒न । न । अंहः॑ । अ॒श्नो॒ति॒ । दुः॒ऽइ॒तम् । नकिः॑ । भ॒यम् । यम् । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । सु॒ऽह॒वा॒ । रु॒द्र॒व॒र्त॒नी॒ इति॑ रुद्रऽवर्तनी । पु॒रः॒ऽर॒थम् । कृ॒णु॒थः । पत्न्या॑ । स॒ह ॥
na | tam | rājānau | adite | kutaḥ | cana | na | aṃhaḥ | aśnoti | duḥ-itam | nakiḥ | bhayam | yam | aśvinā | su-havā | rudravartanī itirudra-vartanī | puraḥ-ratham | kṛṇuthaḥ | patnyā | saha
44
4 × ~11 (probable)
Majestic and protective; negations (‘na…na…nakir’) create a shield-like sonic pattern.
Strong reassurance; the repeated ‘na’ functions as a verbal armor, calming fear responses.
- अदिति (aditi)
- Literal: Aditi, the Infinite Mother. Symbolic: boundless consciousness; freedom from limitation
- अंहस् (aṃhas)
- Literal: distress, sin, tightness. Symbolic: constriction in consciousness; oppressive formations
- दुरित (durita)
- Literal: hard-going, misfortune. Symbolic: crooked movement; wrong turnings of nature
- पुरोरथ (puroratha)
- Literal: front-leading chariot. Symbolic: life-force led by the divine; consciousness that goes ‘in front’ of events
- पत्नी (patnī)
- Literal: lady/wife. Symbolic: soul-power/inner Śakti that consents and accompanies transformation
- रुद्रवर्तनी (rudravartanī)
- Literal: moving in Rudra’s track. Symbolic: forceful transformative path that cuts through resistance
Protective invocation for removal of aṃhas/durita/bhaya; adaptable to rites seeking safe passage and right-leading impetus (esp. Aśvin morning contexts).
At the start of day, before travel, before risky undertakings; also as a protective vow
Recite as kavaca-like protection, invoking Aditi’s wideness and Aśvin guidance
Use as a ‘fear-clearing’ mantra before presentations, medical procedures, childbirth, or any threshold moment.
aṃhaḥ ‘narrowness/distress’ relates to constriction (cf. Vedic opposition urú ‘wide’ vs aṃhas ‘narrow’), supporting an inner reading as contraction of consciousness. durita ‘ill-going’ (dur- ‘bad’ + ita from √i ‘go’) is literally wrong-going movement—psychologically, deviation from ṛta. su-havā ‘well/easily called’ (√hū ‘call, invoke’). vártani ‘track, course’ from √vṛt ‘turn, roll, proceed’; rudra-vartanī indicates a course characterized by Rudra’s forceful straightening/purification. puro-ratha ‘front chariot’ (puras ‘in front’ + ratha) indicates leadership of movement.
Aditi (infinity/freedom), Ṛta as right movement vs durita as wrong movement, purification/straightening (Rudra’s force)
Puroratha: right-leading movement—life aligned to ṛta goes safely ahead.
Fearlessness arises when consciousness stands in truth-wideness, not in contraction.
Establishing a ‘front’ of consciousness that leads manifestation rather than being dragged by circumstances.
Integral yoga psychology: wideness + force + harmonizing aid = stable progress.
dawn (Aśvin hour)
Road = life-path; front-leading chariot = consciousness taking the lead; storm-force = transformative energy that clears obstacles.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic pattern is divine protection through right guidance: the Aśvins establish a ‘front-leading chariot’ that wards off distress and fear. Psychologically, the gods install a leading movement of consciousness aligned with Aditi’s wideness and Rudra’s purifying force, preventing the onset of constriction (aṃhas) and wrong-going (durita).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dur- as a negative prefix is inherited Indo-European (cf. Greek dys-, Latin durus is not cognate but the prefixal pattern is), and the verbal noun from √i ‘go’ parallels PIE *h₁ei- ‘go’. The semantic opposition wide vs narrow as metaphors for freedom vs constraint is also archaic and cross-Indo-European in poetic usage.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker frames the Aśvins as sovereign guardians: when invoked (su-havā), they actively restructure the seeker’s journey—placing a leading divine movement ‘in front’ in alliance with the inner consort (patnī). The exchange is: invocation and alignment → divine installation of guidance and fearlessness.
Expand into Aditi-wideness; feel the Aśvins place your life ‘in front’ under guidance; invite the soul-power (patnī) to consent.
anāhata (fear release) and ājñā (right leading)
slow exhale-lengthening (e.g., inhale 4, exhale 6) while repeating the negations ‘na…na…’ as release
abhaya (fearless wideness) with poised readiness.
Stand or sit upright; visualize a chariot at your brow moving ahead of you; on each ‘na’ drop one fear; end by feeling a companion-presence (patnī) at the heart.
Follow Ṛgvedic udatta/anudatta/svarita as per pada; the sequence of negations benefits from crisp accent discipline.
Strike the ‘na’ clearly without harshness; keep ‘rudravartanī’ as one flowing compound; pause after ‘bhayam’.
‘adite’ with clear short i, ‘duritam’ dental d, not retroflex, ‘purorathaṃ’ keep ‘ro’ longish and ‘thaṃ’ nasalized
calm, protective, spacious
11
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