prapūrvagau pūrvajau citrabhānū

girā'vaśaṃsāmi tapasā hyanantau |

divyau suparṇau virajau vimāna-

-vadhikṣipantau bhuvānāni viśvā || 1 ||

hiraṇmayau śakunī sāmparāyau

nāsatyadasrau sunasau vaijayantau |

śuklaṃ vayantau tarasā suvēmā-

-vadhīṣayantāvasitaṃ vivasvataḥ || 2 ||

grastāṃ suparṇasya balēna vartikā-

-mamuncatāśviṇau saubhagāya |

tātatsuvr̥tau amamanta māyayā

vasattamā gā aruṇā udāvahan || 3 ||

ṣaṣṭiśca gāvastriśatāśca dhēnava

ēkaṃ vatsaṃ suvatē taṃ duhanti |

nānāgōṣṭhā vihitā ekadōhanā-

-stāvāśviṇau duhatō dharmamukthyam || 4 ||

ēkāṃ nābhiṃ saptāśatā arāḥ śritā

pradhiṣvanyā viṁśatirāḥ |

anēmicakraṃ parivaratē'jaraṃ

māyāśviṇau samanakti carṣaṇī || 5 ||

ēkaṃ cakraṃ vartatē dvādaśāraṃ

ṣaṇābhimēkākṣamṛtasya dhāraṇam |

yasmindēvā 'dhiviśvē viṣaktā-

-stāvāśviṇau muncatō mā viṣīdatam || 6 ||

aśvināvindrumamṛtaṃ vṛttabhūyau

tirōdattāmāśviṇau dāsāpatnī |

hitvā girimaśviṇau gāmudā carantau

tadvṛṣṭimahnā prasthitau balasya || 7 ||

yuvāṃ diśō janayathō daśāgrē

samānaṃ mūrdhni ratha yātaṃ viyanti |

tāsāṃ yātamṛṣayō'nuprāyanti

dēvā manuṣyāḥ kṣitimācaranti || 8 ||

yuvāṃ varṇānvikurathō viśvarūpa-

-stē'dhikṣipantē bhuvānāni viśvā |

tē bhānavō'pyanusṛtāścaranti

dēvā manuṣyāḥ kṣitimācaranti || 9 ||

tau nāsatyāvaśviṇau vāṃ mahē'ahaṃ

srajaṃ ca yāṃ bibhṛtaḥ puṣkarasya |

tau nāsatyāvamṛtāvṛtāvṛdhā-

-vṛtē dēvāstatprapadē na sūtē || 10 ||

sukhēna garbhaṃ labhētāṃ yuvānau

gatāsurētatprapadē na sūtē |

sadyō jātō mātaramattigarbha-

-stāvāśviṇau muñcathō jīvasē gāḥ || 11 ||

stōtuṃ na śaknōmi guṇairbhavantau

cakṣurvihīnaḥ pathi sampramōhaḥ |

durgē'hamasmimapatō'smi kūpē

yuvāṃ śaraṇyau śaraṇaṃ prapadyē || 12 ||

English Translation

Verse 1: Ancient and born first, brilliantly shining, I praise with speech these two who are endless through austerity. Divine, having the form of Suparna (bird), without stain, traveling in celestial vehicles, they move through all the worlds.

Verse 2: Golden, having the form of birds, associated with the names Nāsatya and Dasra, brilliant and victorious. White and swift, they move quickly and brightly, surpassing the brightness of the sun.

Verse 3: Released from the grasp of Suparna by force, may the Ashwini twins, for good fortune, come to us. Having well-accomplished through illusion, may they, the red ones, quickly come, O cows.

Verse 4: Sixty cows and three hundred milk cows give milk to one excellent calf. By a single milking, the Ashwini twins milk dharma—may they not injure the cows.

Verse 5: With one nave, three hundred spokes are set in place, twenty additional spokes are placed. This ageless wheel turns, O Ashwini twins—may you protect the earth.

Verse 6: One wheel with twelve parts, with six spokes, having a single nave and the support of the immortal—upon it, all the gods are distributed. O Ashwini twins, first-born, may you not grieve.

Verse 7: O Ashwini twins, grant the nectar that is full, grant protection from the slave-wife. Having lifted the mountain, O Ashwini twins, may the cows and the tractable ones go. By their brilliance, both have stood firm in strength.

Verse 8: You two create directions; with ten heads, two chariots go apart. Upon them the sages follow; the gods and humans walk upon the earth.

Verse 9: You two create colors, having all forms, you sprinkle the worlds. They, the suns, also follow and course; the gods and humans walk upon the earth.

Verse 10: You two, Nāsatya, Ashwini twins, and also the garland of Puskara—you two, Nāsatya, full of nectar, abundant, long-lived—upon that highest step, the gods do not grieve.

Verse 11: May you two young ones obtain pregnancy easily; having gone to that highest step, they do not grieve. Born immediately, may the Ashwini twins, first-born, cause the cows to live.

Verse 12: I am unable to praise you two with qualities, I who am eyeless and lost on the path. I have fallen into a pit of difficulty; I take refuge in you two, O refuge-givers.

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Notes

This hymn is dedicated to the Ashwini Kumaras (Ashwini twins), the twin physician gods in Hindu mythology. They are known as:

• Nāsatya and Dasra - their two primary names

• Sons of Surya (the sun god) and Sanjna

• Divine physicians associated with healing, medicine, and Ayurveda

• Riders of the golden chariot with three wheels

• Mentioned throughout the Rigveda and Mahabharata

The hymn describes their celestial chariot, their role as protectors of cows and dharma, their ability to grant fertility and health, and their association with the sun's brilliance. They are invoked for healing, safe childbirth, and protection from harm.

In the Mahabharata, the Ashwini twins are closely associated with characters like Nakula and Sahadeva, and they taught Madhavati (wife of Chitrangada) the art of healing.