THIRD HYMN- ASHWINI

In The third hymn of madhuchandas appear ashwinis.

They are first described as ashwins, swift footed lords of bliss, much enjoying, -“ drawatpaani subhaspati, purubhuja”. The word “shubh”, is capable of signifying either light or enjoyment, but here appears with adjective “purubhuja”, much enjoying, and verb “canasyatam”  meaning  take delight, thus should be taken in sense of weal or bliss.

Next twin gods are described as “ashwins, divine souls many auctioned , thought holding”, who accept and rejoice in words of mantra , “ with an energetic thought” – “purushamsasa nara saviraya dhiya dhisnaya”, nr in Vedas is applicable both to god and men,  and does not simply mean a man. It meant originally strong or active, and then a male and is applied to male gods, active divine powers or souls or purushas opposed to gnah, who are their energies.

“sawas” and it’s adjective savira, give idea of energy, but always in association of farther idea of flame or light. “savira” is therefore a very appropriate epithet for “dhi”, thought full of shining and flashing energy. “dhisnaya” is connected with “dhisana”, intellect or understanding. 


"dastra yuvakavah suta nasatya vriktbahirsah, aa yatam rudravartani"

ashvins are described as "effectual in action", powers of movement, fierce moving in their paths," dasra nasatya rudravartani. vedic epithet dasra can be taken in sense of doing, acting , shaping, accomplishing. 

nasatya can be taken from nas as to move as ashvins are riders on horse that they are described often by motion, swift footed, fierce moivng in their paths. 
rudra must have meant at one time, shining deep coloured red. fierce and violent is therefore likely to be as good sense of for rudra as "red". 

the ashwins are both "hiranyavartani", and "rudravartani", because they are both powers of light and of nervous force; in the former they have bright gold movement, and in later they are violent in their movement. in one hymn (V. 75.3) we have the combination "rudra hiranyavartani", violent and moving in path of light. 


ashvins are riders of horse, the ashwa, symbolic of force and especially of life energy and nervous force, the prana. their common character is that they are gods of enjoyment, seekers of honey; they are physicians , they bring back youth to old, health to the sick, wholeness to the maimed. 

another characteristics is movement, swift, violent, irresistible; their rapid and indomitable chariot is constant object of celebration and they are described here as swift footed and violent in their paths. they are like birds in their swiftness, like mind, like the wind ( V77.3 and 78.1). they bring in their chariot ripe or perfected satisfaction to man, they are creators of bliss, mayas. 

they show that ashwins are twin divine powers whose special function is to perfect the nervous or vital being in man in sense of action and enjoyment. but they are also powers of truth of intelligent actions of right enjoyment. they are powers that appear with dawn, effective powers of action born out of ocean of being who are able to mentalise securely the falicities of higher existence by a thought faculty which finds or come to know that true substance and true wealth. 

अश्विना यज्वरीरिषो दरवत्पाणी शुभस पती | पुरुभुजाचनस्यतम || 
"o riders of steed, swift footed, much enjoying, lords of bliss, take delight in energies of sacrifice. 

अश्विना पुरुदंससा नरा शवीरया धिया | धिष्ण्या वनतं गिरः || 
"o riders of steed, male souls effecting a manifold action, take joy of words, o holders in intellect, by a luminously energetic thoughts. "

दस्रा युवाकवः सुता नासत्या वर्क्तबर्हिषः | आ यातंरुद्रवर्तनी || 
" i have piled the seat of sacrifice, i have pressed out the vigorous soma juices; fulfillers of action, powers of movement come to them with your fierce speed on the path. "