Hymn to the Aśvins
Rigveda I.117 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 intoxication of sweet soma, O Aśvins, the ancient priest calls out to you. The offering is laid on the sacred grass, the hymn is sent forth. Come, O Nāsatyas, with nourishment, with your powers.
2. Your chariot, O Aśvins, swifter than thought, drawn by fine horses, arrives among the people. By the same chariot that carries you to the home of the righteous — by that, O heroes, make your circuit to us.
3. You two freed the seer Atri, kin to the five peoples, from distress — from the pit — together with his company. You thwarted, one by one, the deceits of the malevolent Dasyu, O mighty ones, driving them back.
4. Like a horse hidden away by ill-wishers, O Aśvins, the seer Rebha lay hidden in the waters, O men, O mighty ones. You freed him, adrift there, by your marvelous powers — your deeds of old never grow old.
5. Like one sunk in sleep in the lap of Nirṛti, like the sun lying in darkness, like a bright ornament buried out of sight — you raised him up again, O wondrous Aśvins, for Vandana's sake.
6. That deed of yours, O heroes, is worth proclaiming — as Kakṣīvant of the Pajra clan proclaimed it, O Nāsatyas who travel all around: from the hoof of the swift horse you poured out a hundred jars of honey for the people.
7. You two, O heroes, gave Viṣṇāpū to Viśvaka's son when he praised you. And to Ghoṣā, who sat aging in her father's house, O Aśvins, you granted a husband.
8. You gave the radiant one to Śyāva, O Aśvins, to Kaṇva of the mighty host. That deed of yours deserves telling, O mighty ones — that you conferred renown on the son of Nṛṣad.
9. Taking on many forms, O Aśvins, you brought to Pedu a swift horse — winner of a thousand prizes, unmatched in power, a slayer of serpents, bearing fame, ever triumphant.
10. These are your deeds, O generous ones, deeds that win fame — the sacred chant resounding through the seat of the two worlds. When the Pajras call upon you, O Aśvins, come with nourishment, and with strength for the one who knows.
11. Praised through the son's own hymn, O Aśvins, swiftly granting strength to the inspired poet, exalted by Agastya's prayer, you, O Nāsatyas, restored Viśpalā whole again.
12. Where were you two going, O grandsons of Heaven, O mighty ones, when you heard the fine praise of the poet lying helpless? Like a jar of gold buried in the ground, you raised him up, O Aśvins, on the tenth day.
13. You, O Aśvins, made old Cyavāna young again through your powers. The daughter of the Sun chose your chariot, together with its splendor, O Nāsatyas.
14. You two, by your age-old ways, came again to ease Tugra's anguish, O ever-youthful ones. You carried Bhujyu out of the surging sea, out of the ocean, with winged steeds, with ruddy horses.
15. He kept calling upon you, O Aśvins — Tugra's son, swept out to sea, drifting there unharmed. You carried him away in your well-yoked chariot, swift as thought, O mighty ones, to safety.
16. The quail called upon you repeatedly, O Aśvins, when you freed her from the mouth of the wolf. You went triumphant over the mountain ridge, to the one born and struck through with poison on every side.
17. To the she-wolf a hundred rams were given as a lavish gift; for this his own harsh father led Ṛjrāśva into darkness. You, O Aśvins, restored the eyes of Ṛjrāśva, and gave the blind man light to see by.
18. That she-wolf cried out for good fortune for the blind man: "O Aśvins, O mighty ones, O heroes!" Ṛjrāśva, favoring her as a young lover favors his beloved, had given a hundred and one rams.
19. Great and joy-bringing is your help, O Aśvins; you, O wise ones, made the lame whole again. Then Purandhi herself called upon you — come to her, O mighty ones, with your aid.
20. You made the barren, sterile cow bound in her plight yield milk for Śayu, O wondrous Aśvins. By your powers you brought a bride to Vimada — the young wife of Purumitra.
21. Sowing barley with the plow, O Aśvins, drawing out nourishment for mankind, O wondrous ones — blowing back the Dasyu with the war-horn, you made broad light for the Ārya.
22. For Dadhyañc, the son of Atharvan, O Aśvins, you set on a horse's head. He, keeping to the truth, revealed to you the secret sweetness of Tvaṣṭṛ, hidden away, O wondrous ones.
23. Always, O wise ones, have I sought your favor; further all my thoughts, O Aśvins. Grant to us, O Nāsatyas, great wealth, rich in offspring, and renown.
24. Giving freely, O Aśvins, O heroes, you granted Vadhrimatī a son with a golden hand. And Śyāva, hacked into three pieces, you raised up again to live, O most generous ones.
25. These heroic deeds of yours, O Aśvins, the people of old have proclaimed. Composing this hymn for you, O mighty ones, may we, rich in strong sons, speak forth at the sacrifice.
Translator's note: verse 16 (the quail and the wolf) and the closing lines of verse 16 in particular contain a compressed, elliptical allusion whose full narrative is not recoverable from the verse alone; the rendering here stays close to the Sanskrit word order rather than supplying a smoothed-over story. Several proper names (Rebha, Vandana, Kakṣīvant, Viṣṇāpū, Ghoṣā, Śyāva, Kaṇva, Pedu, Viśpalā, Cyavāna, Tugra, Bhujyu, Ṛjrāśva, Purandhi, Śayu, Vimada, Purumitra, Dadhyañc, Vadhrimatī) refer to figures and episodes known only through scattered Rigvedic allusions like this one; no further narrative detail has been added beyond what the Sanskrit states.
Colophon
Rigveda I.117 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.117
madhvaḥ somasyāśvinā madāya pratno hotā vivāsate vām |
barhiṣmatī rātir viśritā gīr iṣā yātaṁ nāsatyopa vājaiḥ || 1 ||
yo vām aśvinā manaso javīyān rathaḥ svaśvo viśa ājigāti |
yena gacchathaḥ sukṛto duroṇaṁ tena narā vartir asmabhyaṁ yātam || 2 ||
ṛṣiṁ narāv aṁhasaḥ pāñcajanyam ṛbīsād atrim muñcatho gaṇena |
minantā dasyor aśivasya māyā anupūrvaṁ vṛṣaṇā codayantā || 3 ||
aśvaṁ na gūḻham aśvinā durevair ṛṣiṁ narā vṛṣaṇā rebham apsu |
saṁ taṁ riṇītho viprutaṁ daṁsobhir na vāṁ jūryanti pūrvyā kṛtāni || 4 ||
suṣupvāṁsaṁ na nirṛter upasthe sūryaṁ na dasrā tamasi kṣiyantam |
śubhe rukmaṁ na darśataṁ nikhātam ud ūpathur aśvinā vandanāya || 5 ||
tad vāṁ narā śaṁsyam pajriyeṇa kakṣīvatā nāsatyā parijman |
śaphād aśvasya vājino janāya śataṁ kumbhām̐ asiñcatam madhūnām || 6 ||
yuvaṁ narā stuvate kṛṣṇiyāya viṣṇāpvaṁ dadathur viśvakāya |
ghoṣāyai cit pitṛṣade duroṇe patiṁ jūryantyā aśvināv adattam || 7 ||
yuvaṁ śyāvāya ruśatīm adattam mahaḥ kṣoṇasyāśvinā kaṇvāya |
pravācyaṁ tad vṛṣaṇā kṛtaṁ vāṁ yan nārṣadāya śravo adhyadhattam || 8 ||
purū varpāṁsy aśvinā dadhānā ni pedava ūhathur āśum aśvam |
sahasrasāṁ vājinam apratītam ahihanaṁ śravasya1ṁ tarutram || 9 ||
etāni vāṁ śravasyā sudānū brahmāṅgūṣaṁ sadanaṁ rodasyoḥ |
yad vām pajrāso aśvinā havante yātam iṣā ca viduṣe ca vājam || 10 ||
sūnor mānenāśvinā gṛṇānā vājaṁ viprāya bhuraṇā radantā |
agastye brahmaṇā vāvṛdhānā saṁ viśpalāṁ nāsatyāriṇītam || 11 ||
kuha yāntā suṣṭutiṁ kāvyasya divo napātā vṛṣaṇā śayutrā |
hiraṇyasyeva kalaśaṁ nikhātam ud ūpathur daśame aśvināhan || 12 ||
yuvaṁ cyavānam aśvinā jarantam punar yuvānaṁ cakrathuḥ śacībhiḥ |
yuvo rathaṁ duhitā sūryasya saha śriyā nāsatyāvṛṇīta || 13 ||
yuvaṁ tugrāya pūrvyebhir evaiḥ punarmanyāv abhavataṁ yuvānā |
yuvam bhujyum arṇaso niḥ samudrād vibhir ūhathur ṛjrebhir aśvaiḥ || 14 ||
ajohavīd aśvinā taugryo vām proḻhaḥ samudram avyathir jaganvān |
niṣ ṭam ūhathuḥ suyujā rathena manojavasā vṛṣaṇā svasti || 15 ||
ajohavīd aśvinā vartikā vām āsno yat sīm amuñcataṁ vṛkasya |
vi jayuṣā yayathuḥ sānv adrer jātaṁ viṣvāco ahataṁ viṣeṇa || 16 ||
śatam meṣān vṛkye māmahānaṁ tamaḥ praṇītam aśivena pitrā |
ākṣī ṛjrāśve aśvināv adhattaṁ jyotir andhāya cakrathur vicakṣe || 17 ||
śunam andhāya bharam ahvayat sā vṛkīr aśvinā vṛṣaṇā nareti |
jāraḥ kanīna iva cakṣadāna ṛjrāśvaḥ śatam ekaṁ ca meṣān || 18 ||
mahī vām ūtir aśvinā mayobhūr uta srāmaṁ dhiṣṇyā saṁ riṇīthaḥ |
athā yuvām id ahvayat puraṁdhir āgacchataṁ sīṁ vṛṣaṇāv avobhiḥ || 19 ||
adhenuṁ dasrā starya1ṁ viṣaktām apinvataṁ śayave aśvinā gām |
yuvaṁ śacībhir vimadāya jāyāṁ ny ūhathuḥ purumitrasya yoṣām || 20 ||
yavaṁ vṛkeṇāśvinā vapanteṣaṁ duhantā manuṣāya dasrā |
abhi dasyum bakureṇā dhamantoru jyotiś cakrathur āryāya || 21 ||
ātharvaṇāyāśvinā dadhīce 'śvyaṁ śiraḥ praty airayatam |
sa vām madhu pra vocad ṛtāyan tvāṣṭraṁ yad dasrāv apikakṣyaṁ vām || 22 ||
sadā kavī sumatim ā cake vāṁ viśvā dhiyo aśvinā prāvatam me |
asme rayiṁ nāsatyā bṛhantam apatyasācaṁ śrutyaṁ rarāthām || 23 ||
hiraṇyahastam aśvinā rarāṇā putraṁ narā vadhrimatyā adattam |
tridhā ha śyāvam aśvinā vikastam uj jīvasa airayataṁ sudānū || 24 ||
etāni vām aśvinā vīryāṇi pra pūrvyāṇy āyavo 'vocan |
brahma kṛṇvanto vṛṣaṇā yuvabhyāṁ suvīrāso vidatham ā vadema || 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).