| Ashvins | |
|---|---|
Gods of Health and Medicine | |
 | |
| Other names | Ashvini Kumaras, Ashveen, Ashvinau, Nasatya, Dasra |
| Affiliation | Devas |
| Texts | Rigveda,Mahabharata,Puranas |
| Genealogy | |
| Parents | |
| Siblings | Revanta,Yami,Yama,Shraddhadeva Manu,Shani,Karna,Tapati andSavarni Manu |
| Consort | Sūryā[1][2] |
| Children | Nakula (son) Sahadeva (son) |
| Equivalents | |
| Greek | Dioskuri |
| Baltic | Ašvieniai,Dieva Dēli |
TheAshvins (Sanskrit:अश्विन्,lit. 'horse possessors',IAST:Aśvin), also known as theAshvini Kumaras andAsvinau,[3] areHindutwin gods associated with medicine, health, healing, sciences, and the twilight.[4] In theRigveda, they are described as youthful divine twin horsemen, travelling in a chariot drawn by horses that are never weary, and portrayed as guardian deities that safeguard and rescue people by aiding them in various situations.[2][5]
There are varying accounts, but Ashvins are generally mentioned as the sons of the sun godSurya and his wifeSanjna. In the epicMahabharata, the Pandava twinsNakula andSahadeva were the children of the Ashvins.
TheSanskrit nameAśvín (अश्विन्) derives from theIndo-Iranian stem*Haćwa- (cf.Avestanaspā), itself from theIndo-European word for the horse,*H1éḱwos, from which also descends the Lithuanian nameAšvieniai.[6]
In theRigveda, the Ashvins are always referred to in the dual, without individual names,[5] although Vedic texts differentiate between the two Ashvins: "one of you is respected as the victorious lord of Sumakha, and the other as the fortunate son of heaven" (RV 1.181.4). They are called several timesdivó nápātā, that is 'grandsons ofDyaús (the sky-god)'. This formula is comparable with the LithuanianDievo sūneliai, 'sons ofDievas (the sky-god'), attached to theAšvieniai; the LatvianDieva Dēli, the 'sons of Dievs (the sky-god)'; and the GreekDiós-kouroi, the 'boys ofZeus', designatingCastor and Pollux.[7][8]
The twin gods are also referred to asNā́satyā (possibly 'saviours'; a derivative ofnasatí, 'safe return home'), a name that appears 99 times in theRigveda.[8] Theepithet probably derives from theProto-Indo-European root*nes- ('to return home [safely]'), withcognates in theAvestanNā̊ŋhaiθya, the name of a demon of discord, and also in the Greek heroNestor and in theGothic verbnasjan ('save, heal').[9][10]
In the laterMahabharata, the Ashvins are often called theNasatyas orDasras. Sometimes one of them is referred to asNasatya and one asDasra.[11]
The Ashvins are an instance of theIndo-Europeandivine horse twins.[5][12][13] Reflexes in other Indo-European religions include the LithuanianAšvieniai, the LatvianDieva Dēli, the GreekCastor and Pollux; and possibly the EnglishHengist and Horsa, and the WelshBran andManawydan.[7][12] The first mention of the Nasatya twins is from aMitanni treaty (c.1350 BCE), betweenSuppiluliuma andShattiwaza, respectively kings of the Hittites and theMitanni.[14]
_LACMA_M.83.1.7_(1_of_2).jpg)
The Ashvins are mentioned 398 times in theRigveda,[3] with more than 50 hymns specifically dedicated to them: 1.3, 1.22, 1.34, 1.46–47, 1.112, 1.116–120, 1.157–158, 1.180–184, 2.20, 3.58, 4.43–45, 5.73–78, 6.62–63, 7.67–74, 8.5, 8.8–10, 8.22, 8.26, 8.35, 8.57, 8.73, 8.85–87, 10.24, 10.39–41, 10.143.[5]
Your chariot, o Aśvins, swifter than mind, drawn by good horses, comes to the clans.
By which (chariot) you go to the home of the good ritual performer, by that, o men, travel your course to us.
You free Atri, the seer of the five peoples, from narrow straits, from the earth cleft along with his band, o men—confounding the wiles of the merciless Dasyu, driving them out, one after another, o bulls.
O Aśvins—you men, you bulls—by the wondrous powers you draw back together the seer Rebha, who bobbed away in the waters, like a horse hidden by those of evil ways. Your ancient deeds do not grow old.
— 1.117.2–4, in The Rigveda, translated by Stephanie W. Jamison (2014)[15]
According to the text, the Ashvins were born after the sun godVivasvat and his wifeSaranyu (Sanjna) engaged in love making in the form of a stallion and a mare respectively.[16] The Ashvins are also called "divó nápātā", which is variously translated as either "sons" or "grandsons" of Dyaush.[7][8][17][18] At one mention, theIndus (Sindhu) River is stated to be their mother.[19] Ashvins were the close companions of the Vedic mother goddessUshas (dawn) and sometimes they are even mentioned as her sons.[20] The marriage of the Ashvin brothers is narrated in theSukta 117 of Rigveda. According to the legend, the sun god, Surya-Savitra, had a daughter named Sūryā (with a long ā) and arranged a horse-race to choose her bridegroom. The Ashvins won the race and thus, both of them married Suryā.[21][2][a]Pushan is also stated to have chosen the Ashvins to be his fathers.[17][22]
The Ashvins are depicted as the helpers of mortals in varioussuktas of Rigveda. Thesukta 112 describes that when the sage Dirghashravas prayed to Ashvins for rain, the twins poured sweet water from the sky. According tosukta 16, they also helped the sage Gotama, who was lost in a desert and begged for water. It is described that the gods dug a water well and helped the sage.[21] According to another account, Rebha was bound, stabbed, and cast into the waters for nine days and ten nights before being saved by the twins. He was explicitly described as "dead" when the twins "raised (him) up" to save him (RV 10.39.9). Similarly, Bhujyu was saved after his father or evil companions abandoned him at sea when the twins brought him home from the dead ancestors (RV, 1.119.4).[9]
The Ashvins also raised Vandana, rescued Atri from a fissure in the earth and its heat, found Vishnapu and returned him to his father, restored the youth of Kali, brought Kamadyū as a wife for Vimada, gave a son to Vadhrimatī (whose husband was a steer), restored the eyesight of Rijrashva, replaced the foot ofVishpala with a metal one, made the cow Śayu give milk, gave a horse to Pedu, and put a horse's head onDadhyañc.[2] According to theShatapatha Brahmana, Ashvins once tried to seduceSukanya, the daughter of king Saryati and wife of an old sage namedChyavana. However, she refused and claimed that the twins were imperfect and told them to restore the youth of Chyavana. Desperate to know the reason for her words, they fulfilled her condition and the sage finally revealed that Ashvins were excluded from ayajna (fire sacrifice) performed by the gods, and thus, they were incomplete. Ashvins went to the sacrifice but the gods don't accept, claiming that the Ashvins were spending too much time with the mortals. After many attempts of explanation, they were finally accepted.[23] The Ashvins are sometimes presented as fierce deities. In thesukta 117, they even destroyed anasura Vishvaka as well as his dynasty.[21]
In the post-Vedic texts of Hinduism, the Ashvins remain significant, and in these texts, one of them is referred as Nasatya and the other one is known as Darsa. Many of their legends are rewritten in various texts like the epicMahabharata,Harivamsha, and thePuranas.
According to these texts, Sanjna, daughter ofVishvakarma, was married to Surya, but she was unable to bear his heat and decided to abandon him. She ran away and roamed in the forest of northernKuru kingdom in the form of a mare. TheVishnu Purana adds that she performed austerities in the forest to gain control over Surya's heat. After Surya discovered Sanjna's disappearance, he located her and had sex with her in the form of a stallion. Sanjna gave birth to the twins.[24] Rarely, in somePuranas, Ashvins are mentioned as the sons (creation) of the godBrahma.[25]
These texts also elaborate the story ofChyavana, which was first narrated inBrahmanas.[26] In this version,Sukanya—the beautiful daughter of the king Saryati— accidentally blinded the old Chyavana, who was performing austerities. She married him to save her kingdom from his wrath and served him dutifully.[24] While traveling on their chariot, the Ashvins saw Sukanya in a forest and tried to seduce her. They asked her to choose one of them as her new husband, but she refused and remained faithful to Chyavana. The twins were impressed by her chastity and asked her to wish anything. Upon their request, she told them to restore the youth and sight of Chyavana. Ashvins agreed but they had a condition. After curing Chyavana, they would also take similar form and she would have to identify Chyavana. Sukanya showed her consent after getting permission from her husband. Ashvins took Chyavana into a lake and cured him. When a young Chyavana emerged from the lake, Ashvins also took forms similar to him and Sukanya successfully identified her husband.[27][28]
TheMahabharata also narrates about the birth of Nakula and Sahadeva, who were the “spiritual sons” of the Ashvins. According to the epic, kingPandu was unable to make love to his wives due to a curse and didn't have any heir. So, he advised his wives,Kunti andMadri, to invoke various gods and ask for sons. Ashvins Nasatya and Darsa blessed Madri withNakula andSahadeva, respectively, throughNiyoga.[21][29]
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The Ashvins are often associated with rescuing mortals and bringing them back to life.[30][b] TheRigveda also describes the Ashvins as "bringing light": they gave "light-bringing help" (svàrvatīr…ūtī́r, 1.119.8) to Bhujyu, and "raised (Rebha) up to see the sun" (úd…aírayataṃ svàr dṛśé, 1.112.5).[31][5]
The Ashvins are associated with honey, which was likely offered to them in a sacrifice. They are the chief deities in thePravargya rite, in which they are offered hot milk. They are also associated with the morning pressing ofSoma, because they are dual deities, along withIndra-Vāyu andMitra-Varuṇa. They also are the last deities to receive Soma in the Atirātra, or Overnight Soma Ritual.[32]
The Ashvins are invoked at dawn, the time of their principal sacrifice, and have a close connection with the dawn goddess,Uṣas: she is bidden to awaken them (8.9.17), they follow her in their chariot (8.5.2), she is born when they hitch their steeds (10.39.12), and their chariot is once said to arrive before her (1.34.10). They are consequently associated with the "return from darkness": the twins are called “darkness slayers” (tamohánā, 3.39.3), they are invoked with the formula "you who have made light for mankind" (yā́v…jyótir jánāya cakráthuḥ, 1.92.17), and their horses and chariot are described as "uncovering the covered darkness" (aporṇuvántas táma ā́ párīvṛtam, 4.45.2).[33]
The chariot of the Ashvins is repeatedly mentioned in theRigveda. Their chariot has three chariot-boxes, three wheels, three turnings, and three wheel rims. The emphasis on the number 3 is symbolized in the sacrifice with its three soma pressings. The chariot is pulled by bulls, buffaloes, horses, birds, geese, and falcons. The chariot allows the Ashvins to be quick and mobile and travel to a number of places, which is necessary to fulfill their role of rescuing people. Sūryā, the daughter of the Sun, is sometimes mentioned as the wife of the Ashvins, and she rides with them in their chariot.[2]
It is also believed that the Ashvins were the first one to prepare thechayavanprasham formulation for SageChyavana believed in local tradition to be located at hisashram onDhosi Hill nearNarnaul,Haryana,India, the etymology behind the modern rendering ofchyavanprash.[34]
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