Rig Veda 4.44.2: Mandala 4, Sukta 44, Mantra 2
Sukta 4.44
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Aśvinau, twin divine powers
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
युवं श्रियमश्विना देवता तां दिवो नपाता वनथः शचीभिः । युवोर्वपुरभि पृक्षः सचन्ते वहन्ति यत्ककुहासो रथे वाम् ॥
yuváṁ śríyam aśvinā devátā tā́ṁ divó napātā vanathaḥ śácībhiḥ | yuvór vápuḥ abhí pṛ́kṣaḥ sacante váhanti yát kakuhā́saḥ ráthe vām ||
Hỡi hai vị Aśvin, những quyền năng thần linh; hỡi các con của Trời, chính nhờ các śacī—những năng lực hữu hiệu—mà hai ngài tự giành lấy Śrī, phúc lạc rực sáng ấy. Những tuấn mã áp sát quanh dung mạo chói ngời của hai ngài và chở nó tiến lên, khi những kẻ mào cao kéo cỗ xe của hai ngài.
Word by Word
- युवम्
- you twoPronounद्वितीया? (न) — प्रथमा, द्विवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- श्रियम्
- splendour, prosperityNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot श्री
- अश्विना
- O AśvinsNoun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, द्विवचनम् (Vedic vocative/nom. dual)Role सम्बोधनRoot अश्विन्
- देवता
- as divinity / divine onesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (Vedic usage: appositional epithet)Role विशेषण-सम्बन्धRoot देवता
- ताम्
- that (her/it)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद्
- दिवः
- of heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root दिव्
- नपाता
- O descendants/sonsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot नपात्
- वनथः
- you two win/attainVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot वन्
- शचीभिः
- with powers/skillsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot शची
- युवोः
- of you twoPronounषष्ठी, द्विवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root युष्मद्
- वपुः
- form, beautyNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot वपुस्
- अभि
- towards, untoIndeclinable (preverb/preposition)उपसर्ग/अव्ययRole उपपद-सम्बन्धRoot अभि
- पृक्षः
- (those) sprinkled/strong ones; companions (contextual)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot पृक्ष
- सचन्ते
- they accompany/cleaveVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रियाRoot सच्
- वहन्ति
- they carry/bearVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot वह्
- यत्
- when/that whichPronoun/Conjunctionसम्बन्धसूचकं यद् (relative ‘when/that which’)Role सम्बन्धRoot यद्
- ककुहासः
- peaks/summits (of the chariot)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot ककुहा
- रथे
- on/in the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot रथ
- वाम्
- of you two / you twoPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया, द्विवचनम् (Vedic enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root युष्मद्
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): श्रियम्+अश्विना → श्रियमश्विना
- देवता+ताम् → देवता ताम्
- नपाता+वनथः → नपाता वनथः
- युवोः+वपुः → युवोर्वपुः
- वपुः+अभि → वपुः अभि
- अभि+पृक्षः → अभि पृक्षः
- सचन्ते+वहन्ति → सचन्ते वहन्ति
- यत्+ककुहासः → यत्ककुहासः
- रथे+वाम् → रथे वाम्. Accent marks retained from Saṃhitā but not re-assigned per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
You two divine Aśvins win for yourselves that Śrī, children of Heaven, by your powers. The steeds press around your radiant form and carry it when the high-crested ones draw your chariot.
Inner meaning
Śrī is the shining felicity—harmonious prosperity of the being—won not by chance but by śacībhiḥ: effective conscious energies. As ‘children of Heaven’ the Aśvins embody supramental support entering the human field. Their vapuḥ (radiant form) is the visible presence of these powers in consciousness; the pṛkṣaḥ (steeds/energies) cluster around it—our life-forces naturally align around a higher center when it is invoked. Kakuhāsaḥ (high-crested) suggests uplifted, aspiring energies that can draw the chariot: prāṇa elevated and made noble, capable of bearing the divine movement.
Universal truth
True prosperity is a luminous harmony (Śrī) established by conscious force and right energy. When a higher center is present, energies gather around it and carry life forward with uplifted aspiration.
Themes
Aśvins-invocation, inner-felicity, divine-chariot, powers-of-accomplishment
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.24, RV 4.44.1, RV 4.44.3
Family tradition
Gautama hymns frequently connect divine ‘efficacy’ (śacī) with tangible transformation—radiance, right energy, and felicity (śrī).
Significance
The seer frames prosperity as spiritual: śrī arises when energies gather around the divine presence and are carried by uplifted aspiration.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- devatā (divine powers), divo napātā, Nāsatyā (implied in hymn group)
- Related deities
- Śrī (as principle), Uṣas, Sūrya, Indra
Cosmic role
They secure felicity and well-being; restore harmony and carry forward the evolutionary movement toward light.
Inner power
Efficacious harmonizers: they make energies cohere around a luminous center, enabling uplift and forward carriage.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise to Aśvins for śrī and effective action within Soma ritual sequences.
यु॒वं श्रिय॑मश्विना दे॒वता॒ तां दिवो॑ नपाता वनथ॒: शची॑भिः । यु॒वोर्वपु॑र॒भि पृक्ष॑: सचन्ते॒ वह॑न्ति॒ यत्क॑कु॒हासो॒ रथे॑ वाम् ॥
यु॒वम् । श्रिय॑म् । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । दे॒वता॑ । तान् । दिवः॑ । न॒पा॒ता॒ । व॒न॒थः॒ । शची॑भिः । यु॒वोः । वपुः॑ । अ॒भि । पृक्षः॑ । स॒च॒न्ते॒ । वह॑न्ति । यत् । क॒कु॒हासः॑ । रथे॑ । वा॒म् ॥
yuvam | śriyam | aśvinā | devatā | tān | divaḥ | napātā | vanathaḥ | śacībhiḥ | yuvoḥ | vapuḥ | abhi | pṛkṣaḥ | sacante | vahanti | yat | kakuhāsaḥ | rathe | vām
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Compact and forceful; emphasizes ‘winning’ and ‘bearing onward’.
Invokes confidence and coherence; helps gather scattered energies into alignment.
- श्रियम् (śriyam)
- Literal: splendor, prosperity, Śrī. Symbolic: shining felicity; harmonious abundance of consciousness
- शचीभिः (śacībhiḥ)
- Literal: with powers, efficacies. Symbolic: effective conscious energies; skill of divine action
- दिवो नपाता (divo napātā)
- Literal: children of Heaven. Symbolic: powers derived from the luminous plane; helpers from higher consciousness
- वपुः (vapuḥ)
- Literal: form, beauty, radiance. Symbolic: manifest presence of divine force in the being
- पृक्षः (pṛkṣaḥ)
- Literal: steeds. Symbolic: dynamic energies (especially prāṇa) aligning with the divine center
- ककुहासः (kakuhāsaḥ)
- Literal: high-crested. Symbolic: uplifted energies; aspiring life-force capable of bearing higher movement
Aśvina-invocation within Soma-yajña contexts (general): calling the Aśvins to the rite and to the offering; also applicable in morning pressings where Aśvins are prominently invited.
When seeking well-being, success of rite, and harmonious forward movement.
Stotra-like praise emphasizing divine efficacy (śacī) and the chariot’s onward movement.
Chant as an ‘alignment’ mantra: gather energies around a chosen inner light; cultivate luminous prosperity (śrī) as harmony.
Key terms: (1) śrī- ‘splendour, prosperity’ (semantic field: shine/beauty/abundance; in inner sense = settled luminous felicity). (2) vanathaḥ from √van ‘to win, to desire and obtain’ (2nd dual), marking attainment by victorious effort. (3) śacībhiḥ from śacī- ‘power, effective skill’ (instrumental), the Aśvins’ executive force. (4) vápuḥ ‘radiant form’ (often of divine brilliance). (5) sacante from √sac ‘to accompany, adhere, be associated with’ (middle), indicating the steeds as attendant life-forces yoked to the divine movement. (6) vahanti from √vah ‘to carry’ (present), typical chariot imagery for conveyance of consciousness.
Śrī (felicity as luminous plenitude), effective power/śacī (executive Shakti-like efficacy), right movement of forces supporting ascent
Śrī is the aesthetic face of ṛta—order experienced as harmony and well-being.
Radiant vapuḥ implies truth made visible in consciousness.
Higher powers descend; energies cluster; movement advances—evolution by alignment.
Vedic integral psychology: prosperity as outcome of consciousness-force, not mere material gain.
Dawn (Aśvin domain, implied)
When higher radiance is present, prāṇic energies uplift and organize, carrying life toward harmony and success.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Aśvins’ chariot-arrival mythologem: the twin powers move swiftly in a radiant chariot drawn by exalted steeds. Innerly, it encodes the descent/approach of illumined forces that bring Śrī (felicity) into the human field through effective energies (śacī).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah ‘carry’ (vahanti) aligns with PIE *weǵh- ‘to convey/transport’ (cf. English ‘weigh’ in older sense of carry, Latin vehō). √van ‘win/desire’ has Indo-European parallels in notions of striving/obtaining (Skt van-, Avestan van- ‘to win’), preserving an archaic poetic idiom of ‘winning’ prosperity by divine aid.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi does not bargain materially; he recognizes the Aśvins as functional powers whose presence reorganizes the seeker’s energies. The reciprocity is: invocation and alignment (stoma/attention) offered by the human, and in return the Aśvins ‘win’ and establish Śrī—an inner abundance—and set the life-forces (steeds) into a coordinated, uplifted motion.
Bring attention to a luminous center (heart or brow) as vapuḥ; invite energies (pṛkṣaḥ) to ‘press close’—settle around that center without strain.
Anāhata (śrī as harmony) with support of Maṇipūra (carrying force)
Sama-vṛtti (equal inhale/exhale) to create coherence; brief visualization of a golden chariot on exhale moving forward.
Coherent strength; luminous well-being.
After chanting, sit 2–3 minutes sensing a ‘protective radiance’ and letting the breath-horses align around it.
Tri-svara; lift on śriyam, devatā, divo napātā; keep steady descent into descriptive second hemistich.
Maintain clear articulation of consonant clusters (abhi pṛkṣaḥ sacante).
śacībhiḥ: keep śa- and long ī; final ḥ audible but light., abhi pṛkṣaḥ: pṛk- with syllabic ṛ; do not turn into ‘prik’., kakuhāsaḥ: keep medial h; avoid collapsing to ‘kakuās’.
Clear and bright; slightly emphatic on ‘win śrī’ phrases.
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