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Hymn 46:
Leaders of Journey
Rişhi:
Praskaņvaĥ Kāņvaĥ
MANTRA
(1.46.1): FRESH SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE
Uşha,
who is fresh and
Is the beloved
of Heaven, is lighting up (the worlds);
O Ashvins, I
laud you with great hymns.
eşho
uşhā apūrvyā
she, Uşha,
who is manifesting just now or fresh,
vyuchchhati priyā divaĥ;
lights up,
beloved, heaven,
stuşhe
vām ashvinā bŗhat.
(I)laud, you,
Ashvins, vast (hymns).
Details:
Uşha is the spouse of Ashvins and also the daughter of
Sun, the Lord of Heaven. Ashvins are known for their love for
Uşha.
Uşha is the harbinger of the spiritual dawns. Every dawn
is symbolic of a fresh spiritual experience. Hence the adjective
fresh, apūrvya.
bŗhat:
vast; The hymns which create the sense of vastness in the
listener.
MANTRA
(1.46.2): SOURCE OF THOUGHT
O
Ashvins, Gods who are skilled in their tasks and are the
children of the ocean,
Make
felicities available beyond the mind,
Knowing the
primary substance of thought.
yā dasrā
sindhumātarā
they, skilled
in their tasks, children of the ocean,
manotarā
rayīņām;
available
through the mind, riches or felicities,
dhiyā
devā vasuvidā.
thought, Gods,
finding the source or essence of the substances.
Details:
Ashvins know the source of the substance from which the thought
arises. They obtain the felicities or riches beyond the reach of
mind and make it available to the humans.
manotara:
beyond the mind.
MANTRA
(1.46.3): GLORY PROCLAIMED
Your glories
are proclaimed
When the
celebrated Sun-World
Is reached by
your car with its steeds.
vachyante vām kakuhāso
proclaimed,
your, glories,
jūrņāyām
adhivişhţapi;
celebrated,
the Sun-World,
yad vām
ratho vibhişh patāt.
when, your,
car, steeds, goes or reaches.
Details:
The idea is that as the car nears the svar-world in its
upward path, the force which impels the car to reach the
Sun-World is felt and thus leads to the hymns, i.e., the glories
of Ashvins are proclaimed by the rişhis on seeing the
car.
jūrņāyām:
that which is lauded by the wise seers.
vibhi:
birds, steeds, Maruts; derived from vi, which
goes.
MANTRA
(1.46.4): OVERSEES THE BODY
O Ashvins, the
lover of creative energies (Agni),
Fills the Gods
with the offerings (given by yajamāna);
Then the
guardian oversees the home (body of the yajamāna) being
filled (by the Divine Energies).
havişhā
jāro apām
offerings,
lover (Agni), the energies,
piparti
papurir narā;
fills, having
filled, leaders,
pitā
kuţasya charşhaņiĥ.
guardian,
home, sees or oversees.
Details:
The word lover (jāra) usually refers to Agni as in
(1.69.1) lover of Dawn; (1.69.5) lover of maidens (unmanifested
powers). Hence in all the three lines, we are dealing with Agni.
kuţa:
home;
In recitation, this is the word used. However S. following
Yāska gives it as kŗta or work. The translation of the
third line is appropriate for Agni since he is called master of
house gŗhapate in many verses in RV.
MANTRA
(1.46.5): SHARPEN THE MIND
You drink the
Soma which strengthens your intelligence;
O Ashvins,
lovers of lauds,
The drink
renders the mind sharp.
ādāro
vām matīnām
exhilerating,
you, intelligence,
nāsatyā
matavachasā;
Ashvins,
lovers of lauds,
pātam
somasya dhŗşhņuyā.
drink, Soma,
sharpens.
Details:
The
intoxication of Soma, the Delight of Existence, has been
mentioned earlier.
MANTRA
(1.46.6): OVERCOMING IGNORANCE
O Ashvins, to
carry us
Beyond the
ignorance which hides everything,
Grant us the
luminous impulsion.
yā
naĥpīparad ashvinā
which, us,
carries (us) beyond, Ashvins,
jyotişhmatī tamas tiraĥ;
luminous,
ignorance, hidden,
tām asme
rāsāthām işham.
that, in us,
granted by you, impulsion.
Details:
The seer prays for the forces of impulsion (işha) to
overcome the forces of ignorance (tamas). S. translates
işha as food (anna) and tama as poverty.
The translation is: give us food to overcome our poverty. The
word meanings given here are consistent in the entire text.
MANTRA
(1.46.7): WORLD BEYOND MIND
Come to us in
a boat
To reach the
world beyond the thoughts (of the mind);
O Ashvins,
yoke your car.
ā no
nāvā matīnām
., to us,
boat, thoughts,
yātam
pārāya gantave;
come, beyond,
re ach,
yuňjāthām ashvinā ratham.
yoke, Ashvins,
car.
MANTRA
(1.46.8): VAST BOAT
Your boat is
vaster than the heaven;
Your car is on
the shore of the oceans;
By the thought
the Somas have been yoked.
aritram
vām divas pŗthu
boat, your,
Heaven, wider,
tīrthe
sindhūnām rathaĥ;
shore, oceans,
car,
dhiyā
yuyujra indavaĥ.
thought,
yoked, Somas.
Details:
Soma, the
delight of existence, unites with the thought or intelligence.
aritram:
vehicle; root is ŗ to move. It is not a physical vehicle,
but a spiritual force which makes one move along that road.
MANTRA
(1.46.9): OCEAN OR HEAVEN?
O Kaņva
(Ashvins), Somas proceed from the Heaven;
The treasure
of substance is in the world of Waters.
Where do you
wish to manifest your form (O Ashvins)?
divas
kaņvāsa indavo
heaven,
Kaņvas, Somas,
vasu
sindhūnām pade;
treasure,
ocean or waters, world or realm,
svam
vavrim kuha dhitsathaĥ.
your, form,
whose, manifest.
Details:
This verse is easily understandable if by the word Kaņva is
meant Ashvins. It is a common convention in the Veda for a rişhi
to indicate the name of a God by his own name.
As is well-known, the origin of Soma is the dyu heaven as
indicated in (6.61.10) and others. The ocean is rich with the
infinite substance. Ashvins are known as the sons of waters
sindhumātarah in many places including this sūkta. They know the
treasure in the ocean and also drink soma. Hence the rişhi asks
them: “Where do you seek to manifest and establish yourself, -
in the ocean where the treasure lies or in the Heaven which has
Soma?''. The rişhi prays to them to swiftly come and manifest
their form to him. This mantra is connected to the next few
verses where the drinking of soma is lauded with the arrival of
Uşha.
MANTRA
(1.46.10): AGNI LIGHTS UP
The Light
became manifest to make each ray luminous;
Sun became
golden;
Appearing
dark, Agni lighted up with his flame-tongue.
abhūd u
bhā u amshave
manifest, .,
luminous, ., ray,
hiraņyam
prati sūryaĥ;
golden, like,
Sun,
vyakhyaj
jihvay āsitaĥ.
lighted up,
tongue, (appearing) dark.
Details:
The Light which was invisible till now becomes manifest in its
ray.
The hour of the onset of the Truth-Light has arrived. Hence the Ashvins are invoked to be ready to take their appropriate
station in the next few verses.
Agni, always
the first God, lights up the place to usher the dawn.
amshave:
a part, a ray of light.
MANTRA
(1.46.11): FLOW OF BLISS
The
appropriate path to reach the shores of
Truth beyond
darkness was ready;
The flow from
the heaven was conspicuous.
abhūd u
pāram etave panthā ŗtasya sādhuyā;
was ready, .,
beyond (darkness), to go, path, truth, fit or appropriate,
adarshi
vi srutir divaĥ.
conspicuous,
., flow, Heaven.
Details:
The verse
indicates that the conditions were ready for the advent of
Ashvins. The Soma flow has markedly increased waiting for
Ashvins to partake the same.
vi+adarshi:
seen conspicuously.
MANTRA
(1.46.12): DELIGHT OF SOMA
Whatever is
done by the Ashvins for the increase (of Soma) in the yajamāna
Is extolled in
gratitude by the yajamāna in detail;
And the
delight of Soma fills the yajamāna.
tattad
id ashvinor avo
that and that
(all), ., Ashvins, increase,
jaritā
prati bhūşhati;
worshipper or
yajamāna, separately, decorates or extols (expression of
gratitude),
made
somasya pipratoĥ.
delight, of
soma, fill (the yajamāna).
MANTRA
(1.46.13): ABODE IN SUN
O Luminous
Ones with abode in the Sun,
To drink the
Soma and accept our praise
Kindly come to
me, O Givers of felicity.
vāvasānā
vivasvati
with beautiful
abode, shines,
somasya
pītyā girā;
of Soma,
drink, laud or praise,
manuşhvach chhambhū āgatam.
as to Manu
or as a favour to me, givers of felicity, come.
Details:
vivasvate:
shining, luminous.
MANTRA
(1.46.14): NIGHT AND THE TRUTH
Following the
radiance surrounding you,
The dawn,
Uşhas, has arrived;
You have
partaken with the nights the glories of the Truth.
yuvor
uşhā anu shriyam
you, Uşha,
following, radiances,
parijmanor upācharat;
surrounding,
arrived,
ŗtā
vanatho aktubhiĥ.
truth, enjoy,
jointly with the nights.
Details:
Nights are the states of incubation or obscurity which hide the
felicities of Truth in their wombs. The function of Ashvins is
to liberate these hidden felicities or glories of truth. Hence
they gladly participate with the nights in this task and the
yajamāna is also delighted at the revelation of the glories
of Truth.
MANTRA
(1.46.15): YOUR PROTECTION
O Ashvins, you
two drink the Soma;
Grant us the
happiness
Through your
inviolable protections.
ubhā
pibatam ashvin obhā
you two,
drink, Ashvins, two,
naĥ
sharma yachchhatam;
us, happiness,
grant or bring,
avidriyābhir ūtibhiĥ.
firm or inviolable, protections. |
