Ashvins are the twin divine powers whose primary function is to effect action and enjoyment. They are commonly referred to as "madhuman," (4.45.1), full of honey, the honey of delight of existence. "Of all the Gods, they are most ready to come to man and create for him ease or bliss." Hence they are called as "subhaspati," the guardians of bliss (1.34.6). Their action is to guide the humans across the travails and obstacles in the physical, vital or mental aspects of everyday life to the supreme beatitude characterized by bliss or honey. Arising from the ocean of infinite existence and endowed with Truth-Force, they are doers of action in superb thought. In the human mentality they acquire and hold the delight and treasures of the life supreme, by means of a special thought power. They effectuate in man the luminous power of impulsion needed for great action.

Recall that in veda, the vital world (prāņa) and its counterpart in the individual is the source of all the energies put forth by the humans. The physical world is referred to as "anna," it is insentient; the mental world (mana) is the world of thought, the information gathering of sense organs, the subjective judgments, intellectual analyses, etc. The vital activities in man cover a broad range. It includes the lower vital movement like small desires, creature comforts, petty ambitions, jealousy, etc. The higher vital deals with movements like courage, nobility, self giving, capacity for self-sacrifice for the sake of others, the urge for beauty and harmony at all levels, etc. Ashvins energize and propel forward all the higher vital movements. They put forth also the energies which damp or reduce the effect of lower vital movements like desire and anger which lead to physiological and psychological illness, the fear of old age, death, etc. Two principle characteristics of Ashvins are lauded in all the hymns. They are swift of movement aided by swift steeds and a fast chariot which has the freedom to go anywhere in the three planes of existence, namely matter, vital and mind with one of its wheels centered on the summit of heaven. Chariot in the veda always symbolizes movement and steeds characterize force. The name Ashvins is derived from Ashva, the physical horse or vital force indicating that they energize the vitality of the human being in its onward journey, but they also work in thought and lead them to truth.

There are several mantrās which describe the Ashvins as helping the human aspirants to cross the ocean of ignorance by rowing them in a boat. We will describe some of these mantrās later.

Their second principle characteristic is their capacity for enjoyment and bestowing enjoyment on the humans. We recall that in veda honey or Soma always symbolizes the delight of existence which pervades all manifestation. The reason d'etre for every action, every object, is the delight behind it which holds it together. All the Gods are lovers of honey or Soma, the seers repeatedly pray for the Gods to come and accept the Soma that is being released in all their actions. The Ashvins not only seek honey everywhere but they also distribute the honey to all the human seekers. They carry three parts of satisfying delights in their car - satisfactions for the physical body, satisfactions of vitality and satisfactions of mind and these are given to the human engaged in self-giving (yajňa).

These three forms of satisfaction are not all that their chariot holds. There is always a fourth, turi barya (4.45.1), a skin full of honey and out of this skin the honey breaks and overflows on every side (4.45.10). Just as the three satisfactions "trayo" in the word preceding turiya in (4.45.1) refers to the three satisfactions associated with the three planes of our consciousness, namely the body, life and mind, the fourth (turiya) refers to the fourth plane of our consciousness, the mahas, the svar, the ritam britam, Truth-vast. dŗtisturīyo madhuno vi rapshate (4.45.1). The fourth skin overflows with honey. dŗtim vahethe madhumantamasvinā (4.45.3). O Ashvin, full of honey is the skin you bear. The Ashvins bear with them the honey, the madhu in a skin that is torn, drti. drti literally means something that is cut or torn. The Ashvins bring with them the skin, a partial formation out of the Truth consciousness to contain the honey of beatitude. The beatitude, always characterized by infinities, cannot be limited to any enclosure or skin. Hence the skin is torn. The abundant and infinite sweetness of the honey overflows everywhere, drenching all the planes of our existence with delight.

A corollary of their activity in distributing the honey to the seeker is their work as divine physicians who render relief to the human aspirants in curing their diseases, both physical and psychological. The adverse forces in nature, especially in the vital, both individual and cosmic, are opposed to the human worshippers' attempts in rising to the higher levels of consciousness and they introduce obstacles in his/her path in the form of physical or psychological ailments. Ashvins offer the required cures. Ashvins are also praised as giving the humans the relief for the ailments of old age so that old age does not hold out frightening prospects. Ashvins are prayed so that "we can enter old age comfortably with happiness just as we enter our own homes." We will discuss this aspect of Ashvins in some detail later.

Ashvins first make their appearance very early in the Rigveda in the sūkta (1.3) of the Seer Madhuchchhandas. In this sūkta the seer prays to the Ashvins prior to his prayer to Indra, the lord of the Divine mind. We will reproduce the three mantrās and comment on them. ashvinā yajvarīrisho dravatpāņni subhaspatī, purubhujā chanasyatam. (1.3.1). O Ashvins, swift-footed, guardians of bliss, abundant enjoyers, Take delight in the impelling energies of the yajňa. (1.3.1). ashvinā purudamsasā narā shavīrayā dhiyā, dhişhņyā vanatam giraĥ. (1.3.2). A Ashvins, accomplished of varied action, upholders in the intellect, Take joy in our words by a luminous energetic thought. (1.3.2).

In (1.3.1), the Ashvins are described as swift-footed guardians of bliss and abundant enjoyers. Guardians of bliss implies that they both accept bliss and bestow bliss on the human aspirants. Ashvins are asked to accept the delight flowing out of the performance of the yajňa or sacrifice. yajňa is not simply a ritual. It is self-giving. It is a way of communing with the Gods and for the rişhis, their entire life was yajňa. In the yajňa, Soma, which indicates the delight of existence, is released as a result of all the actions done by the aspirant. These are the impelling energies in the mantra (1.3.1). Ashvins are requested to accept these flowing energies impregnated with delight.

In the second mantra (1.3.2), Ashvins are described as "upholders in the intellect." When the Soma is pressed and the honey is released, words capable of manifesting fresh forms of consciousness well up. The phrase "take joy in our words by a luminous energetic thought" means that the Ashvins have to establish the words in the thought, give them a thought form and then accept them. Speech is to be made one in nature with thought abounding with the strength. The Ashvins are also called as accomplishes of varied action. The subhymn (1.3.1) through (1.3.3) comes prior to the subhymn of Indra, the lord of divine mind. The rişhi wants the help of Ashvins in strengthening the nervous mentality before praying for the power of Indra in strengthening his higher mind.

We mentioned earlier that the Ashvins hold the delight of the honey in man by a special thought power which is mentioned in (1.3.2). There are several mantrās which support this statement. Ashvins, diligent in their tasks, children of ocean, making felicities accessible thro' the mind, finding the substance with thought (1.46.2). The Ashvins obtain the divine riches beyond the reach of mind. They have the thought that knows their source. Rapid as thought, strong, speeding to the joy, Lords of plenty, with many aids for our protection. (8.22.16). By the thought, the somas have been yoked. (1.46.8).

Ashvins as divine physicians

Because of their association with madhu or honey or delight of existence, they can cure all the ailments, both physical and psychological and grant longevity. trirno ashvinā divyāni bheşhajā, ...tridhātu sharma vahatam shubaspatī (1.34.6). Give us thrice, O Ashvins, the heavenly medicaments. ...O Guardians of auspicious, give us the well-being of three bodies (1.34.6).

The medicaments remove illnesses of various kinds. The words "three bodies" stand for the physical, vital and mental bodies.

In the sūktās (1.116) through (1.120) by the Seer Kakşhivān, there are numerous instances of the healing help given by Ashvins to various persons in various contexts. We will consider several mantrās. parāvatam nāsatyānudethām  ucchābudhnam chakrathurjihmbāram, kşharannāpo na pāyanāya rāye sahasrāya trshyate gotamasya. (1.116.9). O Nasatyas, ye raised up the well and made the door curved so that abundant riches flowed like water for thirsty Gotama's drink (1.116.9).

Ashvins are called nasatyas because they are lords of movement, nas under. Well refers to the physical body which is hidden in the waters of the lower vital currents characterized by anger, greed, etc. Ashvins raise up the physical body and open the doors which are blocking the flow of the spiritual current from above, the sahasrara center of the tantric tradition. Once the door is opened, these spiritual riches automatically flow into the rişhi. Clearly neither the thirst of Gotama nor the drink are physical, but psychological. In vedic yoga, the energies of demons and other asuras harass the rişhi engaged in the inner yajňa. One such rişhi is Atri who is the recipient of the grace of Ashvins, as indicated in the following mantra. himena agnim grmsam ava barrayetha barm pitumati barm u barrjvam asmai adhattam, rbi barse atrim asvina avani bartam ut ninyathuh sarvaganam svasti (1.116.8). O Ashvins, ye quenched with cold the (inward) burning fires, ye gave him nourishing stuff; Atri, cast downward in the dark cavern, Ye restored with his hosts (senses) to well being. (1.116.8).

The burning fires do not refer to the external heat caused by the Sun, etc., but to the internal heat characterized by physical ailments like fever or psychological ailments caused by the lower vital movements like anger, sex, tasty palate, etc. Ashvins cool down the heated senses. Similarly, the rişhi finds himself in a psychological cavern devoid of light and Atri restore him back to light and also expose his sense organs (gaņa or hosts) both internal and external to light and well being.

The next mantra also confirms the symbolic character of the Ashvins healing powers. O Ashvins, ye raised up Rebha (seer), like soma in a ladle who for ten nights and nine days had lain fettered in cruel bonds, distressed, immersed in waters (1.116.24). Ashvins, leaders, showerers, rescuing Rebha cast by unassailable enemies in waters ye made the (maimed) rişhi whole with your healing skills like a wounded steed. Your past deeds do not fade (1.117.4).

Both the mantrās refer to the same rişhi Rebha. The waters as before refer to the lower vital currents. Ashvins raise up the seer immersed in these currents. They heal all his wounded parts just like healing a wounded steed. Again the wounds here are both physical and psychological. The characteristic of Ashvins to endow an integral perfection as the seer, i.e., making the maimed rişhi whole, is also mentioned in (1.117.19).

Ashvins also have the power of freeing persons from the limitations of old age. We will quote two mantrās. na jujuruso na barsatyota vavrim pramuncatam drapimiva cyava bar n a bart, pra bartiratam jahitasya a baryuh dasra bar a barditpatin krnutam kani barna barm 11 (1.116.10). O Nāsatyās, ye stripped old age from aged yavana as it were mail (armour). Ye prolonged his life and made him husband of youthful maidens (1.116.10). "Maidens" symbolize the potential unmanifested powers within a person waiting to be manifested. "Becoming their husband" means manifesting these powers. The Ashvins are full of honey of the delight of existence. Bestowing this honey on a person rejuvenates all the parts of the being and the conditions and symptoms of old age are removed in one stroke like a dress or armour. The analogy of armour or mail also indicates that old age is not easy to break up. uta pasyan asnuvan di barrgam a bar yuh astamivet jarimanam jagamyam. (1.116.25). May I, enjoying life with all senses active, enter old age as a master his house (1.116.25).

When a master enters his own home, all the persons obey and love him and all the objects are at his command. Similarly even in old age, the rişhi prays that he may be in command of all his facilities including physical, mental and spiritual. Another mantra (1.119.7) says "ye restored Vandana worn out with old age; by his lauds he brought forth the sage (Vāmadeva) from the womb." Here the poet is not referring to the physical delivery of a child from a mother's womb. In the veda, birth of a child from a womb always symbolizes the manifestation of the power of godhead in man. To be in the womb means that the power is only potential and unmanifested. The Ashvins help in manifesting this power. In this sense they bring forth the seer from the womb. In the veda and upanishad "hiraņya garba" (golden womb) indicates the cosmic condition when all the things that have to be manifested are in a seed condition, ready to manifest. Since each power is divine and is shining, it is called golden.

We will quote two mantrās from the eighth book to show that the powers of Ashvins are described in all books and not just the first book. And may the Ashvins, the divine physicians effect our weal (8.18.8). You both accomplishes, physicians, bringers of delight, you both won the praise of Daksha (8.86.1).

In another section, we will discuss the relationship of the Ashvins to the doctrine of mystic honey elucidated in the brhadāraņyaka upanishad. The Ashvins give the secret of mystic honey to Dadhyan, son of the seer Atharvan. This incident in mentioned in several mantrās of Rigveda (1.117.22, 1.116,12, 1.119.9). Ashvins as guides.

There are several mantrās which describe the Ashvins as the leaders of the journey. They lead the human aspirants from the present state of confusion and unhappiness to the other shore of happiness. Ashvins are commonly called as nāsatyas, the leaders of movement (derived from the word "nas," to move). vartanim madhuna bar jinvathas panthah. (4.45.3)

With the honey, you gladden the movements and its paths (4.45.3). "By the action of Ashvins, man's progress toward beatitude becomes itself beatific; all his travail and struggle and labour grows full of divine delight... By the growing law of Truth in the mental and physical consciousness we finally arrive beyond the mind and body to the superconscient Truth" (Sri Aurobindo, Secret of Veda, p. 320). yate vishva baram anu svadhya chetathaspathah. (4.45.6). By force of Nature's self-arranging, you move consciously along all paths. (4.45.6). du parametave pantha rtasya sadhuya. (1.46.11). The fit path was ready to reach the shores of truth. The Ashvins follow the path of Truth, rtasya pantha bar, and the force is "svadha," their innate force, Nature's self-arranging force. Give us, O Ashvins, the luminous impulsion that may carry us across darkness. (1.46.6). We call the Ashvins, of auspicious car, superbly charioted, the Gods who reach the heaven. (1.22.2). Ashvins, ye have created for man this adorable light from Heaven. Do ye bring into us powerful strengths (1.92.17).

In several of the Agni hymns of Rigveda, Agni is described as helping the aspirant cross all the obstructions like a boat over the river. See for instance, (1.99). Since Ashvins are also described as helpers in the journey, what is the connection between their respective roles? This is given in (1.112.1). I laud heaven and earth to know them first, then Agni, kindled and bright shining for their coming for worship Come hither into us, O Ashvins with these aids with which you please the sacrificer for your share of the sacrifice. This mantra says that by the grace of shining Agni the path becomes clear and Ashvins help the aspirant across the indicated path. They symbols of vehicles of the journey are the "ratha" chariot or the boat. Recall that in veda, "ratha" commonly translated as car, always denotes a movement. As Sri Aurobindo says chariot or car if the Ashvins signify "the happy movement of the Ananda in man which pervades with its action all his worlds or planes of being." tribandhurena trivrta supesasa rathena yatam asvina. (1.47.2). O Ashvins come ye in your beautiful car three columned, moving in the three worlds (1.47.2). trisadhasthe barhisi vishvavedasa madhva yajňam mimiksatam. (1.47.4). O Ashvins, omniscient, seated in the triple seat sprinkle our sacrifice with your honey. (1.47.4). "Your car born of truth" (3.58.8) "Come Ashvins in the car of solar skin" (8.8.2) "Gold-seated, gold-reined (car) touching the heaven" (8.5.28). "Your car by which you move at once over all the worlds towards the enjoyment rich in offerings that make thro' the goal.” (4.45.7). On the summit of the hill, you placed firm the wheel of car, The other wheel goes around. (1.30.19). One wheel of the Ashvins car is placed on the summit of the plane of the physical consciousness, the peak of ripened consciousness of man. The other wheel (or the other two wheels) go in the other worlds.

This Ashvins bring health, youth, strength and wholeness to the physical man, capacity of action and enjoyment to the vital man and the "glad energy of the light" to the mental man. They act on the three planes of bhur, bhuvaĥ and svar, the planes of matter, life (or vital) and mental energy. Their chariot is often described as three wheeled or three seated or three columned. "Seat" in the veda is that which supports and is synonymous with the body. The three seats refers to the three bodies of man, namely physical, vital and mental. In the ritualistic interpretations, the three seated is interpreted as the three heaps of grass.

The hymn (1.34) having twelve mantrās makes repeated references to the number three, "three pillars of support" (1.34.2), journey thrice by night (1.34.2), journey thrice by day (1.34.2), render faultless yajňa thrice on the same day (1.34.3), sprinkle our sacrifice thrice with the celestial honey or madhu (1.34.3), sprinkle thrice for us the opulent forceful impulsions, day and night.

"Come thrice to our dwelling" (1.34.4) Thrice to the sacrifice deserving protection (1.34.4) Thrice reach us the wealth (1.34.5) Thrice come to the assembly of gods (1.34.5) Bring us inspiration thrice (1.34.5) Give us the well being of the three substances (1.34.6) travel thrice around our earth (1.34.7) Come ye far to our threefold earth (1.34.7) .in -.5i

We will consider three mantrās in this hymn in some detail. O Ashvins, thrice is the Soma distilled by the seven mother streams; Three are the receptacles; in the three ways is the oblation done; Moving above the three earths, ye guard the Sun in the firmament of heaven, established by day and by night. (1.34.8).

The seven streams are the streams of consciousness, namely the three streams of the lower triple worlds, viz matter, life and mind, the three streams of the upper triple world, existence (sat), consciousness-force (chit), delight (ananda) and the stream, mahas or svar, linking the two triples. Soma, the essence of Delight of all existence, is prepared by the radiant powers of the sevenfold Being, associated with the seven streams. The receptacles of the Soma are the three planes of matter, life and mind and they are ready. O Ashvins, accept the Soma, travel above the three worlds and guard the supreme Light. Working day and night, the Sun of truth has been established by the (inner) sacrifices, so that we can realize it. Guard it for us.

It should be clear that interpreting seven streams as the seven rivers of Punjab as most Western indologists are wont to do even today, will make the mantra unintelligible. But when we take the hints of Sri Aurobindo and look for the hidden secret, the mantra's meaning shines luminously.

The next mantra (1.34.9) of the same hymn, is again clear if we interpret it in the esoteric sense.

Where, O Ashvins, are the three wheels of your triangular car? Where are the seat-supporting three pillars? When will the powerful ass be yoked to arrive at our sacrifice? (1.34.9).

The seer of the mantra says "we are ready to receive you, the Soma is prepared, but your car is yet to be seen; be quick of grace, yoke the asses to the car and come quickly to us."

In several mantrās, Ashvins are also hymned as carrying the seer to the other shore of truth with a boat. O Ashvins, come with the boat to reach the shore beyond the thoughts; harness your car. (1.46.7). Your boat is vaster than heaven, your car is on the shore of the heavens. (1.46.8).

Dual nature of the Ashvins

The twin powers, Ashvins, always appear together in all the mantrās; they are never separated from each other. There are other twin powers in the Rigveda like Mitra and Varuņa. Even though there are several mantrās for the twin deities together, there are a large number of mantrās for Varuņa and Mitra separately. This is not the case with the Ashvins. It is not that they are identical rişhi Paura Atreya notes that they are born "separately" (5.7.34). "They are co-existent and interdependent for their effective effectioning which they discharge in common." Gritsamada's hymn (2.39) likens them to a splendid named pair, to the two lips that speak sweet words, to the two nostrils, etc. "Ashvins are two distinct formations of the same Godhead for the same purpose but representing severally Light and Power, or knowledge and will... Their mutual relation is that of a balance and harmony, neither of them can be explained by itself without the term of the other... their mutual dependence can be explained by that one secret the madhu, the delight of being in all existence which affects, supports and holds them in close harmony."

Lords of Bliss (RV 4.45)

1.            Lo, that Light is rising up and the all pervading car is being yoked on the high level of this Heaven; there are placed satisfying delights in their triple pairs and the fourth skin of honey overflows.

2.            Full of honey upward rise the delight; upward horses and cars in the wide-shinings of the Dawn and they roll aside the veil of darkness that encompassed on every side and they extend the lower world into a shining form like that of the luminous heaven.

3.            Drink of the honey with your honey-drinking mouths, for the honey yoke your car beloved. With the honey you gladden the movements and its paths; full of honey, O Ashvins, is the skin that you bear.

4.            Full of the honey are the swans that bear you, golden winged, waking with the Dawn, and they come not to hurt, they rain forth the waters, they are full of rapture and touch that which holds the Rapture. Like bees to pouring of honey you come to the Soma-offerings. 

5.            Full of the honey the fires lead well the sacrifice and they woo your brightness, O Ashvins, day by day, when one with purified hands, with a perfect vision, with power to go through to the goal, has pressed out with the pressing-stones the honeyed Soma-wine.

6.            Drinking the wine near them, the fires ride and run and extend the lower world into a shining form like that of the luminous heaven. The Sun too goes yoking his steeds; by force of Nature’s self-arranging you move consciously along all paths.

7.            I have declared, O Aahvins, holding the Thought in me, your car that is undecaying and drawn by perfect steeds, -your car by which you move at once over all the worlds towards the enjoyment rich in offerings that makes through to the goal.

COMMENTARY

The hymns of the Rig-veda addressed to the two shining Twins, like those addressed to the Ribhus, are full of symbolic expressions and unintelligible without a firm clue to their symbolism. The three leading features of these hymns to the Ashvins are the praise of their chariot, their horses and their rapid all- pervading movement; their seeking of honey and their joy in the honey, madhu, and the satisfying delights that they carry in their car; and their close association with the Sun, with Surya the daughter of the Sun and with the Dawn.

  The Ashvins like the other gods descend from the Truth- Consciousness, the rtam; they are born or manifested from Heaven, from Dyau, the pure Mind; their movement pervades all the worlds, - the effect of their action ranges from the body through the vital being and the thought to the superconscient Truth. It commences indeed from the ocean, from the vague of the being as it emerges out of the subconscient and they conduct the soul over the flood of these waters and prevent its foundering on its voyage. They are therefore nasatya, lords of the movement, leaders of the journey or voyage.

  They help man with the Truth which comes to them especially by association with the Dawn, with Surya, lord of the Truth, and with Surya, his daughter, but they help him more characteristically with the delight of being. They are lords of bliss, Subhaspati; their car or movement is loaded with the satisfactions of the delight of being in all its planes, they bear the skin full of the overflowing honey; they seek the honey, the sweetness, and fill all things with it. They are therefore effective powers of the Ananda which proceeds out of the Truth-Consciousness and which manifesting itself variously in all the three worlds maintains man in his journey. Hence their action is in all the worlds. They are especially riders or drivers of the Horse, Ashvins, as their name indicates, - they use the vitality of the human being as the motive-force of the journey: but also they work in the thought and lead it to the Truth. They give health, beauty, wholeness to the body; they are the divine physicians. Of all the gods they are the most ready to come to man and to create for him ease and joy, agamistha, subhaspati. For this is their peculiar and perfect function. They are essentially lords of weal, of bliss, subhaspati.

This character of the Ashvins is brought out with a continual emphasis by Vāmadeva in the present hymn. In almost every verse occurs with a constant iteration the words madhu, madhuman, honey, honied. It is a hymn to the sweetness of existence; it is a chant of the delight of being. The great Light of lights, the Sun of Truth, the illumination of the Truth-Consciousness is rising up out of the movement of life to create the illumined Mind, Swar, which completes the evolution of the lower triple world. Esa sya bhanur udiyarti. By this rising of Sun in man, the full movement of the Ashvins becomes possible; for by the Truth comes the realised Delight, the heavenly beatitude. Therefore, the chariot of the Ashvins is being yoked upon the height of this Dyau, the high level or plane of the resplendent mind. That chariot is all-pervading; its motion goes everywhere; its speed runs freely on all planes of our consciousness. Yujyate rathah parijma divo asya sanavi.

The full all-pervading movement of the Ashvins brings with it the fullness of all the possible satisfactions of the delight of being. This is expressed symbolically in the language of the Veda by saying that in their car are found the satisfactions, prksasah, in three pairs, prksaso asmin mithuna adhi trayah. The word prksa, is rendered food in the ritual interpretation like the kindred word prayas. The root means pleasure, fullness, satisfaction, and may have the material sense of a "delicacy" or satisfying food and the psychological sense of a delight, pleasure or satisfaction. The satisfactions or delicacies which are carried in the car of the Ashvins are, then, in three pairs; or the phrase may simply mean, they are three but closely associated together. In any case, the reference is to the three kinds of satisfaction or pleasure which correspond to the three movements or worlds of our progressive consciousness, - satisfactions of the body, satisfactions of vitality, satisfactions of the mind. If they are in three pairs, then we must understand that on each plane there is a double action of the delight corresponding to the double and united twinhood of the Ashvins. It is difficult in the Veda itself to distinguish between these brilliant and happy Twins or to discover what each severally represents. We have no such indication as is given us in the case of the three Ribhus. But perhaps the Greek names of these two Dioskouroi, divo napata, sons of Heaven, contain a clue. Kastor, the name of the elder, seems to be Kashitri, the Shining One; Poludeukes may possibly be Purudansas, a name which occurs in the Veda as an epithet of the Ashvins, the Manifold in activity. If so, the twin birth of the Ashvins recalls the constant Vedic dualism of Power and Light, Knowledge and Will, Consciousness and Energy, go, and ashva. In all the satisfactions brought to us by the Ashvins these two elements are inseparably united; where the form is that of the Light or Consciousness, there Power and Energy are contained; where the form is that of the Power or Energy, there Light and Consciousness are contained.

But these three forms of satisfaction are not all that their chariot holds for us; there is something else, a fourth, a skin full of honey and out of this skin the honey breaks and overflows on every side. dŗtis turiyo madhuno vi rapsate. Mind, life and body, these are three; turiya, the fourth plane of our consciousness, is the superconscient, the Truth-Consciousness. The Ashvins bring with them a skin, drti, literally a thing cut or torn, a partial formation out of the Truth-Consciousness to contain the honey of the superconscient Beatitude; but it cannot contain it; that unconquerably abundant and infinite sweetness breaks out and overflows everywhere drenching with delight the whole of our existence.

With that honey the three pairs of satisfactions, mental, vital, bodily, are impregnated by this all-pervasive overflowing plenty and they become full of its sweetness, madhumantaĥ. And so becoming, at once they begin to move upward. Touched by the divine delight all our satisfactions in this lower world soar upward irresistibly attracted towards the superconscient, towards the Truth, towards the Beatitude. And with them, for, secretly or openly, consciously or subconsciously it is the delight of being that is the leader of our activities, -all   the chariots and horses of these gods take the same soaring upward movement. All the various movements of our being, all the forms of Force that give them their impulsion, all follow the ascending light of Truth towards its home. ud vam prksaso madhumanta irate, ratha asvasa usaso vyustisu.

 “In the wide-shinings of the Dawn” they rise; for Dawn is the illumination of the Truth rising upon the mentality to bring the day of full consciousness into the darkness or half-lit night of our being. She comes as Dakshina, the pure intuitive discernment on which Agni the God-force in us feeds when he aspires towards the Truth or as Sarama, the discovering intuition, who penetrates into the cave of the subconscient where the niggard lords of sense-action have hidden the radiant herds of the Sun and gives information to Indra. Then comes the lord of luminous Mind and breaks open the cave and drives upward the herds, udajat, upwards towards the vast Truth-Consciousness, the own home of the gods. Our conscious existence is a hill (adri) with many successive levels and elevations, sanuni, the cave of the subconscient is below; we climb upwards towards the godhead of the Truth and Bliss where are the seats of Immortality, yatramrtasa asate.

By this upward movement of the chariot of the Ashvins with its burden of uplifted and transformed satisfactions the veil of Night that encompasses the worlds of being in us is rolled away. All these worlds, mind, life, body, are opened to the rays of the Sun of Truth. This lower world in us, rajas, is extended and shaped by this ascending movement of all its powers and satisfactions into the very brightness of the luminous intuitive mind, Swar, which receives directly the higher Light. The mind, the act, the vital, emotional, substantial existence, all becomes full of the glory and the intuition, the power and the light of the divine Sun, - tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya. The lower mental existence is transformed into an image and reflection of the higher Divine. apornuvantas tama a parivrtam, svar na sukram tanvanta a rajah.

This verse closes the general description of the perfect and final movement of the Ashvins. In the third the Rishi Vamadeva turns to his own ascension, his own offering of the Soma, his voyage and sacrifice; he claims for it their beatific and glorifying action. The mouths of the Ashvins are made to drink of the sweetness; in his sacrifice, then, let them drink of it. madhvah pibatam madhupebhir dsabhih. Let them yoke their chariot for the honey, their chariot beloved of men; uta priyam madhune yunjathamh ratham. For man's movement, his progressive activity, is made by them glad in all its paths with that very honey and sweetness of the Ananda. A vartanim madhuna jinvathas pathah. For they bear the skin full and overflowing with its honey. drtim vahethe madbumantam asvina. By the action of the Ashvins man's progress towards the beatitude becomes itself beatific; all his travail and struggle and labour grows full of a divine delight. As it is said in the Veda that by Truth is the progress towards the Truth, that is to say, by the growing law of the Truth in the mental and physical consciousness we arrive finally beyond mind and body to the superconscient Truth, so here it is indicated that by Ananda is the progress towards the Ananda, -by a divine delight growing in all our members, in all our activities we arrive at the superconscious beatitude.

In the upward movement the horses that draw the chariot of the Ashvins change into birds, into swans, hamsasah. The Bird in the Veda is the symbol, very frequently, of the soul liberated and upsoaring, at other times of energies so liberated and upsoaring, winging upwards towards the heights of our being, winging widely with a free flight, no longer involved in the ordinary limited movement or labouring gallop of the Life-energy, the Horse, asva. Such are the energies that draw the free car of the Lords of Delight, when there dawns on us the Sun of the Truth. These winged movements are full of the honey showered from the overflowing skin, madhumantaĥ. They are unassailable, asridhah, they come to no hurt in their flight; or, the sense may be, they make no false or hurtful movement. And they are golden-winged, hiranyaparnaĥ. Gold is the symbolic colour of the light of Surya. The wings of these energies are the full, satisfied, attaining movement, parna, of his luminous knowledge.

For these are the birds that awake with Dawn; these are the winged energies that come forth from their nests when the feet of the daughter of Heaven press the levels of our human mentality, divo asya sanavi. Such are the swans that bear the swift-riding Twins. hamsaso ye vam madbumanto asridho hiranyaparna uhuva usarbudhah.

Full of the honey these winged energies shower on us as they rise the abundance of the waters of heaven, the full outpouring of the high mental consciousness; they are instinct with ecstasy, with rapture, with the intoxication of the immortal wine; and they touch, they come into conscious contact with that superconscient being which is eternally in possession of the ecstasy, rapturous for ever with its divine intoxication. udapruto mandino mandinisprsaĥ. Drawn by them the Lords of delight come to the rişhi's Soma-offering like bees to tricklings of honey; madhvo na maksah savanani gacchathah. Makers themselves of the sweetness, they like the bees seek whatever sweetness can serve them as their material for more delight.

In the sacrifice the same movement of general illumination already described as the result of the ascending flight of the Ashvins is now described as being effected by the aid of the fires of Agni. For the flames of the Will, the divine Force burning up in the soul, are also drenched with the overflowing sweetness and therefore they perform perfectly from day to day their great office of leading the sacrifice progressively to its goal. For that progress they woo with their flaming tongues the daily visitation of the brilliant Ashvins who are bright with the light of the intuitive illuminations and uphold them with their thought of flashing energy. svadhvarso madhumanto agnaya usra jarante prati vastor asvina.

This aspiration of Agni happens when the Sacrificer with pure hands, with a perfectly discerning vision, with power in his soul to travel to the end of its pilgrimage, to the goal of the sacrifice through all obstacles, breaking all opposers, has pressed out the immortalising wine with the pressing-stones and that too becomes full of the honey of the Ashvins. yan niktahastas taranir vicaksanah, somam susava madhumantam adribhiĥ. For the individual's delight in things is met by the Ashvins' triple satisfactions and by the fourth, the delight pouring from the Truth. The cleansed hands of the Sacrificer, niktahastaĥ, are possibly symbolic of the purified physical being; the power comes from a fulfilled life-energy; the force of clear mental vision, vicaksana, is the sign of the truth-illumined mind. These are the conditions in mind, life and body for the overflowing of the honey over the triple satisfactions of the Ashvins.

When the sacrificer has thus pressed out the honey-filled delight of things in his sacrifice, the flames of the Will are able to drink them from near, they are not compelled to bring them meagrely or with pain from a distant and hardly accessible plane of consciousness. Therefore, drinking immediately and freely, they become full of an exultant force and swiftness and run and race about over the whole field of our being to extend and build up the lower consciousness into the shining image of the world of free and luminous Mind. akenipaso ahabhir davidhvatah, svar na sukram tanvanta a rajah. The formula used is repeated without variations from the second Rik; but here it is the flames of the Will full of the fourfold satisfaction that do the work. There the free upsoaring of the gods by the mere touch of the Light and without effort; here the firm labour and aspiration of man in his sacrifice. For then it is by Time, by the day, that the work is perfected, ahabhih, by successive dawns of the Truth each with its victory over the night, by the unbroken succession of the sisters of which we have had mention in the hymn to the divine Dawn. Man cannot seize or hold at once all that the illumination brings to him; it has to be repeated constantly so that he may grow in the light.

But not only the fires of the Will are at work to transform the lower consciousness. The Sun of Truth yokes also his lustrous coursers and is in movement; surascid asvan yuyujana iyate. The Ashvins too take knowledge for the human consciousness of all the paths of its progress so that it may effect a complete, harmonious and many-sided movement. This movement advancing in many paths is combined in the light of the divine knowledge by the spontaneous self-arranging action of Nature which she assumes when the will and the knowledge are wedded in the perfect harmony of a fully self-conscious, intuitively guided action. Visvan anu svadhaya cetathas pathah.

Vāmadeva closes his hymn. He has been able to hold firmly the shining Thought with its high illumination and has expressed in himself by the shaping and fixing power of the Word the chariot, that is to say, the immortal movement of the delight of the Ashvins; the movement of a bliss that does not fade or grow old or exhaust itself, - it is ageless and undecaying, ajaraĥ, - because it is drawn by perfect and liberated energies and not by the limited and soon exhausted, soon recalcitrant horses of the human vitality. pra vam avocam asvina dhiyamhdhah, rathah svasvo ajaro yo asti. In this movement they traverse in a moment all the worlds of the lower consciousness, covering it with their speeding delight, and so arrive to that universal enjoyment in man full of his offering of the Soma-wine by which they can lead him, puissantly entering into it, through all opposers and to the great goal. yena sadyah pari rajamsi yatho havismantam taranim bhojam accha.

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