Rig Veda 4.14.4: Mandala 4, Sukta 14, Mantra 4
Sukta 4.14
- Devata
- Aśvins
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shringara (love)
आ वां वहिष्ठा इह ते वहन्तु रथा अश्वास उषसो व्युष्टौ । इमे हि वां मधुपेयाय सोमा अस्मिन्यज्ञे वृषणा मादयेथाम् ॥
ā vāṃ vahiṣṭhā́ ihá te vahantu ráthā áśvāsa uṣáso vyùṣṭau | imé hí vāṃ madhu-péyāya sómā asmín yajñé vṛṣaṇā mādayethām ||
تمہارے سب سے طاقتور رتھ اور گھوڑے تمہیں صبح کے پورے پھٹنے پر یہاں لائیں۔ کیونکہ یہ سوم کی پیدائشیں تمہارے شہد پینے کے لیے ہیں؛ اس قربانی میں، اے طاقتور جوڑے، خوشی لو اور ہم میں طاقت بڑھاؤ۔
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- वाम्
- you two (as object: you both)Pronounद्वितीया/षष्ठी द्विवचन (enclitic form of युवाम्)Role KarmaRoot युष्मद् (युवाम्-प्रत्ययः)
- वहि॑ष्ठा
- most conveying / best bearers (O you two)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग? प्रथमा द्विवचन (vocative-like address to the two gods)Root वह (धातु) → वहि॑ष्ठ (superlative adj.)
- इ॒ह
- hereIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot इह
- ते
- those (they)Pronounप्रथमा बहुवचन (m.)Role KartāRoot तद्
- वहन्तु
- let (them) carry / conveyVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष बहुवचनRoot वह्
- रथाः
- chariotsNounपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot रथ
- अश्वाः
- horsesNounपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अश्व
- उषसः
- of DawnNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग षष्ठी एकवचन (gen.)Role SambandhaRoot उषस्
- व्युष्टौ
- at the dawning / at daybreakNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot व्युष्टि (वि + उष्/वस्-सम्बद्धः) / vyuṣṭi
- इमे
- thesePronounपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot इदम्
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपातRoot हि
- वाम्
- for you twoPronounचतुर्थी द्विवचन (enclitic: ‘for you two’)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (युवाम्-प्रत्ययः)
- मधुपेयाय
- for honey-drinking / for sweet-drinkingAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग चतुर्थी एकवचन (purpose dative)Role SampradānaRoot मधु-पेय (compound adj./n.)
- सोमाः
- Soma-pressings / Soma draughtsNounपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot सोम
- अस्मिन्
- in thisPronounपुं/नपुं सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot इदम् (अयम्-प्रत्ययः)
- यज्ञे
- sacrifice, riteNounपुंलिङ्ग सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot यज्ञ
- वृषणा
- O you two bulls (mighty ones)Nounपुंलिङ्ग संबोधन द्विवचनRoot वृषन् (adj./n.)
- मादयेथाम्
- rejoice / become exhilarated (you two)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) आत्मनेपद, 2 पुरुष द्विवचनRoot मद् (to be exhilarated) / मादय् (caus./denom. in Vedic usage)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: (1) आ वां वहिष्ठा इह = ā + vām + vahiṣṭhā + iha (no further internal sandhi)
- (2) ते वहन्तु रथा अश्वासः = te + vahantu + rathāḥ + aśvāsaḥ (rathāḥ aśvāsaḥ in saṃhitā shows loss of visarga before vowel)
- (3) उषसो व्युष्टौ = uṣasaḥ + vyuṣṭau (gen. + loc.)
- (4) इमे हि वां मधुपेयाय सोमाः = ime + hi + vām + madhupeyāya + somāḥ
- (5) अस्मिन्यज्ञे = asmin + yajñe (n → ny before y)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May your most powerful chariots and horses bring you here at dawn’s full breaking. These Soma-pressings are for your honey-drinking; in this sacrifice, O mighty pair, rejoice.
Inner meaning
The seeker calls the Aśvins—twin divine forces of swift assistance—to arrive with their strongest instruments (chariots/horses = energized capacities). ‘Honey-drinking’ indicates the sweetness of delight (soma-madhu) that these powers can release in life when the energies are rightly yoked. Their joy in the yajña is the intensification of inner force (vṛṣaṇā) and the healing harmonization of the being at the moment of awakening (dawn).
Universal truth
Help comes when we prepare the offering: when aspiration and delight are made available, higher harmonizing powers intensify our strength and restore right functioning.
Themes
Aśvin aid, Soma offering, Dawn arrival, Delight and force
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 1.3 (Aśvins), RV 1.22 (Aśvins), RV 8.5 (Aśvins)
Family tradition
Aśvin hymns often belong to dawn transitions: the twin helpers come at the threshold to heal, hasten, and harmonize the journey.
Significance
This voice is practical and intimate: it knows that illumination must be supported by right vital energies and sweetness (soma-madhu), not only by ideas.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvins (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- nāsatyā, vahiṣṭhā (most potent), vṛṣaṇā (mighty pair), madhu-pā (honey-drinkers; implied)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Twin gods of transition (night→day), healers and swift rescuers; they bring the chariot of effective means and restore wholeness.
Inner power
Rapid harmonization of mind-life-body; healing of imbalance; bringing joyous energy and practical right action at the moment of awakening.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering segments invoking Aśvins (general)
आ वां॒ वहि॑ष्ठा इ॒ह ते व॑हन्तु॒ रथा॒ अश्वा॑स उ॒षसो॒ व्यु॑ष्टौ । इ॒मे हि वां॑ मधु॒पेया॑य॒ सोमा॑ अ॒स्मिन्य॒ज्ञे वृ॑षणा मादयेथाम् ॥
आ । वा॒म् । वहि॑ष्ठाः । इ॒ह । ते । व॒ह॒न्तु॒ । रथाः॑ । अश्वा॑सः । उ॒षसः॑ । विऽउ॑ष्टौ । इ॒मे । हि । वा॒म् । म॒धु॒ऽपेया॑य । सोमाः॑ । अ॒स्मिन् । य॒ज्ञे । वृ॒ष॒णा॒ । मा॒द॒ये॒था॒म् ॥
ā | vām | vahiṣṭhāḥ | iha | te | vahantu | rathāḥ | aśvāsaḥ | uṣasaḥ | vi-uṣṭau | ime | hi | vām | madhu-peyāya | somāḥ | asmin | yajñe | vṛṣaṇā | mādayethām
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4 × ~11
Briskly invitational; strong imperatival movement; celebratory close.
Invokes swift descent of help; energizes the vital being while keeping it yoked to the rite.
- रथा॒ अश्वा॑सः (rathā aśvāsaḥ)
- Literal: chariots and horses. Symbolic: organized means and vital energies for progress
- उ॒षसो॒ व्यु॑ष्टौ (uṣaso vyuṣṭau)
- Literal: at dawn’s full breaking. Symbolic: moment of clear awakening when help can enter most directly
- मधु॒पेया॑य (madhupeyāya)
- Literal: for honey-drinking. Symbolic: for tasting delight/bliss; sweetness of realized consciousness
- सोमा॑ (somāḥ)
- Literal: Soma-pressings. Symbolic: distilled delight and luminous essence offered to the gods
- य॒ज्ञे (yajñe)
- Literal: in the sacrifice. Symbolic: in the inner work of self-offering and transformation
- वृ॑षणा (vṛṣaṇā)
- Literal: mighty/virile pair. Symbolic: powers that increase force, courage, and effective action
- मा॒द॒ये॒था॒म् (mādayethām)
- Literal: rejoice, be exhilarated. Symbolic: let the higher powers take delight in the offering and pour delight-force into the being
Aśvin invocation in the morning pressing (prātaḥ-savana) where Soma is offered; calling the twins at dawn
Morning Soma pressing / dawn rites; threshold moments of beginning.
Invitation for Aśvins to partake of Soma; offering and praise to secure aid and healing.
Before travel, important work, or recovery: chant to invoke harmonizing ‘twin powers’—clarity + energy—then proceed mindfully.
madhu ‘honey/sweetness’ indicates delight (ānanda-tone) in Vedic inner readings; Soma as pressed essence is the concentrated delight offered to the gods. √mad ‘be exhilarated’ denotes intensification of force through delight. vṛṣan ‘bull’ from √vṛṣ ‘to rain/sprinkle, be potent’ conveys virile power that can ‘shower’ energies.
Soma as delight-essence, invocation for right movement and strengthening, delight as a means of transformation (mad)
Aśvins embody right transition and right timing; their arrival ‘at dawn’s breaking’ mirrors Ṛta’s precise opening.
Their ‘truthness’ (nāsatyā) implies fidelity to reality: practical truth that heals and works.
Transformation through delight: soma as creative nectar that strengthens and renews.
Integral yoga resonance: delight (ānanda) as a power for transformation, not an after-effect only.
dawn
Horses = vital energies; chariot = coordinated faculties; honey/soma = sweetness of consciousness that nourishes the gods (higher powers) in us.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The twin horsemen arriving at dawn to drink Soma. Inner sense: the paired powers of right action and healing-swiftness are summoned to the awakened state; they take the offered delight and convert it into increased effective force for the journey of consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yuj (implicit in chariot-yoking imagery across the Aśvin cycle) is PIE *yeug-. aśva ‘horse’ is PIE *h₁éḱwos (cf. Lat. equus). Soma as a ritual/poetic substance is Indo-Iranian shared (Avestan haoma), indicating a deep inherited sacral lexicon.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A reciprocal delight-exchange: the rishi offers Soma (delight-essence) and calls the Aśvins to ‘rejoice’; their rejoicing is not private pleasure but a powering of the rite—strengthening the human field through the gods’ intensified presence.
Invite twin qualities: (1) clear discernment, (2) steady life-energy. Offer a felt ‘sweetness’ (gratitude/ānanda) inwardly as soma.
svādhiṣṭhāna/manipūra (vital sweetness and force) harmonized with ājñā (right guidance)
Energizing but controlled: 6 breaths with slightly stronger inhale (inviting Aśvins), long exhale (yoking energies).
Supported dynamism—alert, healed, and joyfully capable.
Chant, then do one practical act immediately (a small ‘right action’) to anchor the invoked help into works.
Rigvedic accents; emphasize invitations ‘ā vām … vahantu’ and the offering clause ‘ime hi vām … somāḥ’.
Make the first pāda a clear call; brighten on ‘madhupeyāya’; end with a strong, joyful firmness on ‘mādayethām’.
‘vahiṣṭhā’: aspirate ‘hiṣ’ lightly; keep retroflex ṣṭh, ‘vyuṣṭau’: pronounce ‘vyuṣ’ with clear ‘ṣ’ and ‘ṭ’, ‘mādayethām’: keep long ā and the dual ending ‘-thām’ distinct
Inviting, vigorous, slightly celebratory; avoid strain.
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