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Hymn 118: Complete Our Knowledge
Rişhi: Kakşhīvān Dairghatamasaĥ Aushijaĥ
MANTRA (1.118.1): CAR FASTER THAN MIND
O Ashvins, who fly fast like a falcon,
Who are felicitous and self-controlled, please come here in your
car;
O Showerers, your car is faster than the human mind,
three-seated
And irresistible as wind.
ā vām ratho ashvinā shyenapatvā
., your, car, Ashvins, flying fast like a falcon,
sumŗļīkaĥ svavām yātv arvāng;
felicitous, self-controlled, come, near (us),
yo martyasya manaso javīyān trivandhuro
your (car), human, like mind, speeding, three-seated,
vŗşhaņā vātaramhāĥ.
showerers, swift as wind.
Details:
Three-seated means capable of being driven in three planes
namely physical anna, emotional and vital prāņa
and mental mana. The epithet "faster than mind'
indicates all-pervasion, i.e., the car can go anywhere like the
mind. "Swift as wind' means that its direction of motion is
irresistible like that of wind.
MANTRA (1.118.2): OUR KNOWLEDGE AND VITAL FORCE
In your three-seated and three-wheeled car with triple form
Which rolls smoothly come near to us;
Complete our knowledge, invigorate our vital energies
And increase our hero-strength, O Ashvins.
trivandhureņa trivŗtā rathena trichakreņa
three-seated, triple-form, car, three-wheeled,
suvŗtā yātam arvāk;
rolling smoothly, come, near (us),
pinvatam gā jinvatam arvato no
fill, cows or rays, invigorate, steeds or vital energies, our,
vardhayatam ashvinā vīram asme
increase, Ashvins, hero-strength, our.
Details:
The number three associated with the car of Ashvins has been
explained in (1.34.1) and others.
MANTRA (1.118.3): TAKE US TO THE HIGH STATE
O Ashvins, coming in your well-directed and easy-rolling car,
Listen to this prayer of ours made with adoration;
O Ashvins, you are most prompt in averting our absence from the
high station;
So declare the ancients.
pravadyāmanā suvŗtā rathena
well-directed, easy- rolling, car,
dasrāv imam shŗņutam shlokam adreĥ;
Ashvins or skilled workers, my, listen, prayer, made with
adoration,
kim aňga vām praty avartim gamişhţh āhur
why, Ashvins, you, averting, absence, most prompt, speak,
viprāso ashvinā purājāĥ.
wise, Ashvins, the ancients.
Details:
The idea is that Ashvins are eager to take the aspirant to the
high station i.e., they want to avert his/her absence from the
high station.
MANTRA (1.118.4): YOUR CAR COMES HERE
O Ashvins, may your winging steeds flying fast like a falcon
And yoked to the car bear you here;
May your car moving smoothly as flowing water and swift like the
divine hawk
Bring us the cherished objects, O Nāsatyās.
ā vām shyenāso ashvinā
., you, flying fast like a falcon, Ashvins,
vahantu rathe yuktāsa āshavaĥ pataňgāĥ;
bear or bring, in the car, yoked (to the car), the steeds,
winging,
ye apturo divyāso na gŗdhrā
you, quick as flowing water, divine, like, hawks,
abhi prayo nāsatyā vahanti.
towards (us), cherished objects, Nāsatyās, carry.
Details:
ā + vahanti:
bring.
MANTRA (1.118.5): DAUGHTER OF SUN
O Leaders, this car was ascended by
The youthful daughter of the Sun, full of delight;
May your strong-bodied and winging steeds,
Which are luminous, bring you to us.
ā vām ratham yuvatis tişhţhad atra
., you, car, youthful, ascended, there,
juşhţvī narā duhitā sūryasya;
delighted, leaders, daughter, of Sun,
pari vām ashvā vapuşhaĥ pataňgā
., you, steeds, strong-bodied, winging,
vayo vahantv aruşhā abhīke.
travelling, carry, shining, near us.
Details:
pari + vahantu:
bring.
MANTRA (1.118.6): VANDANA, REBHA AND CHYAVNA
By your deeds and powers you raised up Vandana and
Rebha from darkness,
O Showerers and skilled workers;
You did reach the son of Tugra across the sea (to the
shore);
You made Chyavana youthful again.
ud vandanam airatam damsanābhir ud rebham
up, Vandana, raised, your deeds, up, Rebha,
dasrā vŗşhaņā shachībhiĥ;
skilled workers, showerers, powers,
nişh ţaugryam pārayathaĥ
., son of Tugra, reached,
samudrāt punash chyavānam chakrathur yuvānam.
sea, again, Chyavana, made, youthful.
Details:
The anecdotes associated with Vandana, Rebha and
Chyavana have been mentioned earlier. Both the rişhis
Vandana and Rebha had fallen to the depths of
ignorance denoted by well; Ashvins raised them up to the realms
of knowledge.
MANTRA (1.118.7): ATRI AND THE BLIND KANVA
To the seer Atri, cast down (in ignorance) and scorched,
You gave protective food and strength, O Ashvins.
You gave sight to the blinded Kaņva
Accepting his beautiful hymn given with love.
yuvam atraye avanītāya
you, to Atri, cast down,
taptam ūrjam omānam ashvinā avadhattam;
scorched, strength, protective, Ashvins, gave,
yuvam kaņvāy āpiriptāya chakşhuĥ
you, for Kaņva, blinded, eyes,
pratyadhattam suşhţutim jujuşhāņā.
restored, beautiful hymn, loving.
MANTRA (1.118.8): SHAYU AND VISHPALA
O Ashvins, for the ancient Shayu, you filled his cow with
milk;
You freed the bird from danger;
You restored the leg for Vishpala.
yuvam dhenum shayave nādhitāy āpinvatam ashvinā pūrvyāya;
you, cow, for the person Shayu (or Shayāna), for
the yajamāna, filled with milk, Ashvins, ancient,
amunchatam vartikām amhaso niĥ prati
freed, bird, danger or sin, ., .,
janghām vishpalāyā adhattam.
leg, to Vishpala, gave.
Details:
niĥ+ amunchatam:
freed.
prati + adhattam:
reestablish or restore.
MANTRA (1.118.9): STEED FOR PEDU
O Ashvins, you gave Pedu a white horse, provided by
Indra,
Which helped in killing Vŗtra;
This is sought after in battles; the horse overcomes the foe, is
high spirited,
Showers a thousand riches and is firm-limbed.
yuvam shvetam pedava indrajūtam
you, white, to Pedu, provided by Indra,
ahihanam ashvinā dattam ashvam;
slayer of Vŗtra, Ashvins, gave, steed,
johūtram aryo abhibhūtim ugram
one which is eagerly called (in the battle), foe, overcoming,
high-spirited,
sahasrasām vŗşhaņam vīdvaňgam.
giver of a thousand riches, showerer of gifts, firm-limbed.
Details:
Clearly what is given is not a mere four-legged animal, but a
form of life-force capable of skill in action.
johūtram:
loud-neighing (alternate).
MANTRA (1.118.10): PROTECTION AND WELL-BEING
O Leaders of Noble-birth,
We invoke you for protection and for wealth, O Ashvins;
Accepting with love our hymn of praise,
Come to us in your car along with the wealth for our well-being.
tā vām narā svavase sujātā
., you, leaders, for protection, of noble birth,
havāmahe ashvinā nādhamānāĥ;
call, Ashvins, soliciting (wealth),
ā na upa vasumatā rathena giro
., us, ., along with wealth, car, hymn of praise,
juşhāņā suvitāya yātam.
accepting with love, for (our) well-being, come.
MANTRA (1.118.11): ETERNAL DAWN
With the great speed of the untiring falcon
Come to us, Nāsatyās, who are pleased in common;
I invoke you, O Ashvins, bearing the offering
At the onset of the Eternal Dawn.
ā shyenasya javasā nūtanen āsme
., bird, speedy, fresh or untiring, to us,
yātam nāsatyā sajoşhāĥ;
come, Nāsatyās, pleased in common,
have hi vām ashvinā rātahavyaĥ
call, ., you, Ashvins, bearing offering,
shashvattamāyā uşhaso vyuşhţau.
eternal, dawn,
beginning of the light.
Details:
At
the onset of the dawn, Ashvins arrive. The prayer is for their
mounting the chariot. |
