Ṛgveda · Maṇḍala 1 · Sūkta 22

Ṛk 1.22.3

Aśvins · Savitṛ · Agni · Devās · Agnāyī, Indrāṇī, Varuṇānī · Divaḥ, Pṛthivī · Pṛthivī · Viṣṇu Or Devās · Viṣṇu · Medhātithi Kāṇva

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Saṃhitā

या वां॒ कशा॒ मधु॑म॒त्यश्वि॑ना सू॒नृता॑वती ।
तया॑ य॒ज्ञं मि॑मिक्षतं ॥

या वां कशा मधुमत्य् अश्विना सूनृतावती |
तया यज्ञम् मिमिक्षतम् ||

yā́ vām káśā mádhumatyáśvinā sūnṛ́tāvatī ǀ
táyā yajñám mimikṣatam ǁ

yā vāṃ kaśā madhumaty aśvinā sūnṛtāvatī |
tayā yajñam mimikṣatam ||

Padapāṭha

या । वा॒म् । कशा॑ । मधु॑ऽमती । अश्वि॑ना । सू॒नृता॑ऽवती ।
तया॑ । य॒ज्ञम् । मि॒मि॒क्ष॒त॒म् ॥

या । वाम् । कशा । मधुऽमती । अश्विना । सूनृताऽवती ।
तया । यज्ञम् । मिमिक्षतम् ॥

yā́ ǀ vām ǀ káśā ǀ mádhu-matī ǀ áśvinā ǀ sūnṛ́tā-vatī ǀ
táyā ǀ yajñám ǀ mimikṣatam ǁ

yā ǀ vām ǀ kaśā ǀ madhu-matī ǀ aśvinā ǀ sūnṛtā-vatī ǀ
tayā ǀ yajñam ǀ mimikṣatam ǁ

References

Maṇḍala · Sūkta · Ṛk
01.022.03
Aṣṭaka · Adhyāya · Varga · Ṛk
1.2.04.03
Maṇḍala · Anuvāka · Ṛk
01.05.035
Devatā देवता
1-4: Aśvins; 5-8: Savitṛ; 9, 10: Agni; 11: Devās; 12: Agnāyī, Indrāṇī, Varuṇānī; 13, 14: Divaḥ, Pṛthivī; 15: Pṛthivī; 16: Viṣṇu Or Devās; 17-21: Viṣṇu
Ṛṣi ऋषि
Medhātithi Kāṇva
Chandas छन्दस्
Gāyatrī
Svara स्वरः
षड्जः

Text and interpretations from the Ṛgveda database of theveda.org.in.

Ṛgveda 1.22.3

Interpretations

Kapali Shastri

Translation

Tr. O Ashvins, your speech sweet and of happy truth, with that moisten the sacrifice.

Commentary

aśvinā O Ashvins; vām your; madhumati sweet; sūnſtāvati and of happy truth; kaśā (name of speech); yā the speech that is; tayā by that speech capable of impelling the steeds; yajñam this present sacrifice; mimikșatam moisten (form of mihi to sprinkle).

It is to be remembered that Usha, daughter of Heaven, is the spouse of the Ashvins and that Goddess Usha has been described by terms denoting form and nature like of happy birth, full of truth, full of lustre, etc. The optional sense given to kaśā by Sayana favours the meaning 'speech'. The meaning of the Mantra is : Moisten this sacrifice, make this drip with delight by speech that is full of sweetness, of happy truth and hence full of savour.

The whip by which the horse is goaded, kaśā, with which to beat the horse, is well-known. Here even speech has that capacity, hence, kaśā is read in the sense of speech. Here the purport of the ritualist commentary may be noted for a comparative study of the thoughtful (reader). kaśā the horsewhip is watery (madhumati), is it not? How? It is soaked with the perspiration that flows from the horse in speed. If it be asked how is the horsewhip of happy truth, it is said : the sound that ensues from a rapid whipping of the horse, the shout that is made by the rider while thrashing the horse, are both dear to the sacrificer. How? Because both the report of the thrashing and the shouting are causes of rapid advance.