Hymn to the Aśvins
Rigveda I.116 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) addressed to the Aśvins, the twin divine horsemen, healers of the gods and bringers of dawn. It is one of the 1,028 hymns of the Rigveda organized within Maṇḍala 1, the first of ten books. The ṛṣi (seer) to whom this hymn is attributed and its precise liturgical context are recorded in the traditional Śākalya Anukramaṇī.
The Rigveda is the oldest of the four Vedas and one of the oldest surviving religious texts in the world, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE in the Vedic Sanskrit of the Indus-Sarasvatī region. Its hymns were preserved through oral transmission across millennia before being committed to writing. This is a Good Works Translation produced for the Good Works Library from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension.
1. For the Nāsatyas I lay out my hymns like sacred grass; I send forth praises as the wind drives a rain-cloud — the two who, swift as an army, brought a wife home by chariot for young Vimada.
2. Prevailing with strong wings or swift-driving steeds, or by the impulses of the gods, that donkey, O Nāsatyas, won a thousand prizes for you in the contest, in the race of Yama.
3. Tugra had left Bhujyu behind, O Aśvins, in the cloud of water, as a dying man leaves wealth that no one can save; you carried him away in self-moving ships that fly through the midair, without water.
4. For three nights and three days, with your ever-going flying steeds, O Nāsatyas, you carried Bhujyu across the shore of the wet sea, with three hundred-footed, six-horsed chariots.
5. You two showed your heroism there, in a sea with no place to hold on, no foothold, no grip — when, O Aśvins, you carried Bhujyu home, mounted on a hundred-oared boat.
6. The white horse that you two, O Aśvins, gave forever, for lasting good fortune, to Aghāśva — that gift of yours was great and worthy of praise: the Paidva steed, ever to be called on by the noble.
7. You two, O men, opened up abundance for the praising Pajriya Kakṣīvant; from the hoof-cup of the strong horse you poured out a hundred jars of liquor.
8. With ice you two held back the fire's scorching heat, and gave him nourishing food; O Aśvins, you drew Atri up out of the pit where he had sunk, together with his whole company, unharmed.
9. You two, O Nāsatyas, drove distance away; you tilted the well with a high bottom so its mouth slanted low — water flowed out for drinking, for the wealth of Gotama's thirsting thousand.
10. From aged Chyavana, O Nāsatyas, you stripped off his worn covering as if it were a cloak; you extended the lifespan of the one who had been left for dead, and made him, wonder-workers that you are, the husband of young women.
11. That is your praiseworthy and accomplished deed, O men, O Nāsatyas full of aid and shelter — that, knowing where he was, you two drew Vandana up out of the dark, like a hidden treasure, into the light for all to see.
12. That mighty wonder of yours I now make known, O men, for my own gain, as thunder makes known the coming rain — how Dadhyañc, son of Atharvan, declared to you the sweet mead through the head of a horse.
13. Puraṁdhi called on you again and again, O Nāsatyas, for the work of your two hands, on your great journey, O you who help many; that deed is famous, like a ruler's decree — you gave Vadhrimatī a golden hand, O Aśvins.
14. From the mouth of the wolf, close at hand, you two, O men, O Nāsatyas, freed the quail; and also, O you who help many, you restored sight to the grieving seer.
15. For, like the wing-feather of a bird, her leg was cut off in the racing contest of Khela, at the critical moment; at once, when the prize was set for the running, you fitted Viśpalā with a leg of iron.
16. Ṛjrāśva, who gave a hundred rams to the she-wolf, was struck blind by his own father; for him, O Nāsatyas, O wonder-workers, O unrivaled healers, you two restored his seeing eyes.
17. The daughter of Sūrya mounted your chariot, as one mounts the goal-post at a race, winning together with your steed; all the gods approved with their hearts; you two, O Nāsatyas, are joined with glory.
18. When you drove your circuit to Divodāsa, to Bharadvāja, O Aśvins, driving onward, your favoring chariot carried you richly, yoked with a bull and a river-creature.
19. Bringing wealth of good rule, good offspring, long life, and heroism, O Nāsatyas, you two came in one accord, with your prize-winning strength, to the daughter of Jahnu, who grants her share three times a day.
20. Jāhuṣa, surrounded on every side, you carried off by night, by easy paths through the realms of dust; with your rending chariot, O Nāsatyas, unaging, you drove the mountains apart.
21. In a single dawn you two favored Vaśa for battle, O Aśvins, so he might win thousands; together with Indra you drove away the misfortunes and hostilities of Pṛthuśravas, O bulls.
22. Even from the well of Śara, of Ārcatka, you made the water rise from below for drinking; even for Śayu, O Nāsatyas, by your powers you made the barren cow yield milk for the exhausted man.
23. For Kṛṣṇiya, seeking help, praising you, going straight to you, O Nāsatyas, by your powers — as if restoring the sight of lost cattle — you gave Viṣṇāpū to Viśvaka.
24. For ten nights and nine days, bound by an unkind foe, wounded, within the waters — Rebha, flung out and swept away in the water, you two drew up, as one draws up soma with a ladle.
25. I have proclaimed your wonders, O Aśvins; may I be the master of this wealth, rich in cattle and good sons; and, seeing clearly, attaining a long life, may I come to old age as one comes home.
Translator's note: verse 13's "golden hand" (hiraṇyahastam) and several other proper names (Vandana, Vadhrimatī, Jāhuṣa, Vaśa, Kṛṣṇiya, Viṣṇāpū) refer to figures and episodes known only from this hymn and later commentarial tradition; they are rendered literally rather than expanded with details not present in the Sanskrit.
Colophon
Rigveda I.116 is drawn from the Śākala recension of the Rigveda, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE. This is a Good Works Translation rendered verse by verse from the Sanskrit text printed below. Prepared for the Good Work Library by the Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted translation.
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Source Text: ṛgveda I.116
nāsatyābhyām barhir iva pra vṛñje stomām̐ iyarmy abhriyeva vātaḥ |
yāv arbhagāya vimadāya jāyāṁ senājuvā nyūhatū rathena || 1 ||
vīḻupatmabhir āśuhemabhir vā devānāṁ vā jūtibhiḥ śāśadānā |
tad rāsabho nāsatyā sahasram ājā yamasya pradhane jigāya || 2 ||
tugro ha bhujyum aśvinodameghe rayiṁ na kaś cin mamṛvām̐ avāhāḥ |
tam ūhathur naubhir ātmanvatībhir antarikṣaprudbhir apodakābhiḥ || 3 ||
tisraḥ kṣapas trir ahātivrajadbhir nāsatyā bhujyum ūhathuḥ pataṁgaiḥ |
samudrasya dhanvann ārdrasya pāre tribhī rathaiḥ śatapadbhiḥ ṣaḻaśvaiḥ || 4 ||
anārambhaṇe tad avīrayethām anāsthāne agrabhaṇe samudre |
yad aśvinā ūhathur bhujyum astaṁ śatāritrāṁ nāvam ātasthivāṁsam || 5 ||
yam aśvinā dadathuḥ śvetam aśvam aghāśvāya śaśvad it svasti |
tad vāṁ dātram mahi kīrtenyam bhūt paidvo vājī sadam id dhavyo aryaḥ || 6 ||
yuvaṁ narā stuvate pajriyāya kakṣīvate aradatam puraṁdhim |
kārotarāc chaphād aśvasya vṛṣṇaḥ śataṁ kumbhām̐ asiñcataṁ surāyāḥ || 7 ||
himenāgniṁ ghraṁsam avārayethām pitumatīm ūrjam asmā adhattam |
ṛbīse atrim aśvināvanītam un ninyathuḥ sarvagaṇaṁ svasti || 8 ||
parāvataṁ nāsatyānudethām uccābudhnaṁ cakrathur jihmabāram |
kṣarann āpo na pāyanāya rāye sahasrāya tṛṣyate gotamasya || 9 ||
jujuruṣo nāsatyota vavrim prāmuñcataṁ drāpim iva cyavānāt |
prātirataṁ jahitasyāyur dasrād it patim akṛṇutaṁ kanīnām || 10 ||
tad vāṁ narā śaṁsyaṁ rādhyaṁ cābhiṣṭiman nāsatyā varūtham |
yad vidvāṁsā nidhim ivāpagūḻham ud darśatād ūpathur vandanāya || 11 ||
tad vāṁ narā sanaye daṁsa ugram āviṣ kṛṇomi tanyatur na vṛṣṭim |
dadhyaṅ ha yan madhv ātharvaṇo vām aśvasya śīrṣṇā pra yad īm uvāca || 12 ||
ajohavīn nāsatyā karā vām mahe yāman purubhujā puraṁdhiḥ |
śrutaṁ tac chāsur iva vadhrimatyā hiraṇyahastam aśvināv adattam || 13 ||
āsno vṛkasya vartikām abhīke yuvaṁ narā nāsatyāmumuktam |
uto kavim purubhujā yuvaṁ ha kṛpamāṇam akṛṇutaṁ vicakṣe || 14 ||
caritraṁ hi ver ivācchedi parṇam ājā khelasya paritakmyāyām |
sadyo jaṅghām āyasīṁ viśpalāyai dhane hite sartave praty adhattam || 15 ||
śatam meṣān vṛkye cakṣadānam ṛjrāśvaṁ tam pitāndhaṁ cakāra |
tasmā akṣī nāsatyā vicakṣa ādhattaṁ dasrā bhiṣajāv anarvan || 16 ||
ā vāṁ rathaṁ duhitā sūryasya kārṣmevātiṣṭhad arvatā jayantī |
viśve devā anv amanyanta hṛdbhiḥ sam u śriyā nāsatyā sacethe || 17 ||
yad ayātaṁ divodāsāya vartir bharadvājāyāśvinā hayantā |
revad uvāha sacano ratho vāṁ vṛṣabhaś ca śiṁśumāraś ca yuktā || 18 ||
rayiṁ sukṣatraṁ svapatyam āyuḥ suvīryaṁ nāsatyā vahantā |
ā jahnāvīṁ samanasopa vājais trir ahno bhāgaṁ dadhatīm ayātam || 19 ||
pariviṣṭaṁ jāhuṣaṁ viśvataḥ sīṁ sugebhir naktam ūhathū rajobhiḥ |
vibhindunā nāsatyā rathena vi parvatām̐ ajarayū ayātam || 20 ||
ekasyā vastor āvataṁ raṇāya vaśam aśvinā sanaye sahasrā |
nir ahataṁ ducchunā indravantā pṛthuśravaso vṛṣaṇāv arātīḥ || 21 ||
śarasya cid ārcatkasyāvatād ā nīcād uccā cakrathuḥ pātave vāḥ |
śayave cin nāsatyā śacībhir jasuraye staryam pipyathur gām || 22 ||
avasyate stuvate kṛṣṇiyāya ṛjūyate nāsatyā śacībhiḥ |
paśuṁ na naṣṭam iva darśanāya viṣṇāpvaṁ dadathur viśvakāya || 23 ||
daśa rātrīr aśivenā nava dyūn avanaddhaṁ śnathitam apsv a1ntaḥ |
viprutaṁ rebham udani pravṛktam un ninyathuḥ somam iva sruveṇa || 24 ||
pra vāṁ daṁsāṁsy aśvināv avocam asya patiḥ syāṁ sugavaḥ suvīraḥ |
uta paśyann aśnuvan dīrgham āyur astam ivej jarimāṇaṁ jagamyām || 25 ||
Source Colophon
Sanskrit text of the Rigveda, Śākala recension. The standard scholarly edition is the Bombay Oriental (Vishva Bandhu, 5 vols., 1963–66). IAST transliteration available from GRETIL (Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages) and Vedaweb (University of Cologne). Both sources are open access. IAST transliteration from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).