(Maruttamā). In x. 131, 4, 5, they are described as assisting Indra in his conflict with the Asura Namuchi (see above, p. 93 f., note), and as vigorous slayers of Vrittra, or of enemies, vṛitrahantamā (viii. 8, 22). They are eagerly longed for (?) by the other gods when they arrive, x. 24, 5 (viśve devāḥ akṛipanta samichyor nishpatantyoḥ).

(4) Relations of the Asvins to their worshippers.

The Asvins are worshipped with uplifted hands, vi. 63, 3 (uttānahasto yuvayur vavanda), and supplicated for a variety of blessings, for long life and deliverance from calamities, i. 157, 4 (prāyus tārishṭam niḥ rapāmsi mṛikshatam); for offspring, wealth, victory, destruction of enemies, preservation of the worshippers themselves, of their houses and cattle, vii. 67, 6; viii. 8, 13, 15, 17; viii. 9, 11, 13; viii. 26, 7; viii. 35, 10 ff. They are exhorted to overwhelm and destroy the niggard who offers no oblations, and to create light for the wise man who praises them, i. 182, 3 (kim atra dasrā kṛinuthaḥ kim āsāthe jano yah kaśchid ahavir mahiyate | ati kramishṭam juratam paner asum jyotir vipraya kṛinutam vachasyave).

No calamity or alarm from any quarter can touch the man whose chariot they place in the van, x. 39, 11 383 (na tam̃ rājānāv adite kutaśchana na amho aśnoti duritam nakir bhayam | yam aśvinā suhavā rudravartani puroratham kṛinuthaḥ patnyā saha). The rishi addresses them as a son his parents, vii. 67, 1 (sūnur na pitarā vivakmi). In x. 39, 6, a female suppliant, who represents herself as friendless and destitute, calls on them to treat her as parents do their children, and rescue her from her misfortunes (iyam vam ahve śṛinutam me Aśvinā putrāyeva pitara mahyam sikshatam | anāpir ajnā asajātyā amatiḥ purā tasyāḥ abhisaster ava spritam). In another place, viii. 62, 11, they seem to be reproached with being as tardy as two old men to respond to the summons of their worshipper (kim idam vām purāṇavaj jarator iva sasyate "Why is this praise addressed to you as if you were old men and worn out?"). In vii. 72, 2, the rishi represents himself as having

383

Compare the request preferred to Indra to bring forward the chariot of his worshipper from the rear to the front (viii. 69, 4 f.).

hereditary claims on their consideration, and a common bond of union 334 (yuvor hi naḥ sakhyā pitryāṇi samāno bandhur uta tasya vittam).

The Aśvins are described as being, like the other gods, fond of the soma-juice (iii. 58, 7, 9; iv. 45, 1, 3; viii. 8, 5; viii. 35, 7-9), and are invited to drink it with Ushas and Sūrya, viii. 35, 1 ff.

(5) Legend of Chyavana and the Asvins, according to the S'atapatha Brahmana and the Mahābhārata.

The following version of the legend relating to the cure of Chyavana by the Aśvins (to which allusion is made in the passage of the R.V. quoted above) is found in the Satapatha Brāhmaṇa, iv. 1, 5, 1 ff.:

1. Yatra vai Bhrigavo vā Angiraso vā svargam lokam̃ samāśnuvata tat Chyavano vā Bhargavaś Chyavano vā Āngirasaś tad eva jīrniḥ kṛityūrūpo jahe | 2. Saryato ha vai idam Mānavo grāmena chachāra | sa tad eva prativeśo nivivise | tasya kumārāḥ krīḍantaḥ imam jīrniṁ kṛityārūpam anarthyam manyamānāḥ loshṭair vipipishuḥ | 3. Sa Sāryātebhyas chukrodha | tebhyo 'sanjnām chakāra pita eva putrena yuyudhe bhrātā bhrātrā | 4. S'aryāto ha ikshānchakre yat "kim akaram tasmād idam āpadi" iti | sa gopālāmś cha avipālāmś cha samhvayitavai uvācha | 5. Sa ha uvācha "ko vo adya iha kinchid adrākshid" iti | te ha uchuḥ "purushaḥ eva ayam jirniḥ kṛityārūpaḥ śete | tam anarthyam manyamānāḥ kumārāḥ loshṭair vyapikshann" iti sa vidānchakāra "sa vai Chyavanaḥ" iti | 6. Sa ratham yuktvā Sukanyām Sāryātīm upādhāya prasishyanda sa ājagāma yatra rishir āsa tat | 7. Sa ha uvācha "rishe namas te | yan na avedisham tena ahimsisham | iyam Sukanyā | tayā te apahnuve | sanjānītām me grāmaḥ" iti | tasya ha tataḥ eva grāmaḥ sanjajne | sa ha tataḥ eva Saryāto Mānavaḥ udyuyuje “na id aparam hinasāni" iti | 8. Aśvinau ha vai idam bhishajyantau cheratuḥ | tau Sukanyām upeyatuḥ | tasyām mithunam ishāte | tan na jajnau | 9. Tau ha uchatuḥ "Sukanye kam imam jirnim kṛityarūpam upaśeshe | āvām anuprehi" iti | sā ha uvācha "yasmai mām pitā adād na tam̃

384 The commentator explains this of a common ancestry by saying, in accordance with later tradition, that Vivasvat and Varuna were both sons of Kas'yapa and Aditi, and that Vivasvat was the father of the As'vins, while Varuna was father of Vasishtha, the rishi of the hymn. See the 1st volume of this work, pp. 329 f., note 114.

İīvantam̃ hāsyāmi” iti | tad ha ayam ṛishir ājajnau | 10. Sa ha uvācha

Sukanye kim tvā etad avochatām" iti | tasmai etad vyāchachakshe | sa ha vyākhyātaḥ uvācha "yadi tvā etat punar bruvataḥ ṣā tram brūtād 'na vai susarvāv iva stho na susamṛiddhāv iva atha me patim nindathaḥ' iti tau yadi tvā bruvataḥ kena āvam asarvau svaḥ kena asamṛiddhāv' iti | sā tvam brūtāt 'patim nu me punar yuvānam kurutam atha vām vakshyāmi' iti" | tām punar upeyatus tām ha etad eva uchatuḥ | 11. Sā ha uvācha". 'na vai susarvāv iva stho na susamṛiddhāv iva atha me patim nindathaḥ" iti | tau ha ūchatuḥ "kena āvam asarvau svaḥ kena asamṛiddhāv" iti | sā ha uvācha "patim nu me punar yuvānam kurutam atha vām vakshyāmi" iti | 12. Tau ha uchatur "etam hradam abhyavahara | sa yena vayasā kamishyate tena udaishyati” iti | tam hradam abhyavajahāra | sa yena vayasā chakame tena udeyāya | 13. Tau ha uchatuḥ “Sukanye kena āvam asarvau svaḥ kena asamṛiddhāv iti tau ha rishir eva pratyuvacha "kurukshetre ami devāḥ yajnam tanvate | te vām yajnād antaryanti | tena asarvau sthas tena asamṛiddhāv” iti | tau ha tataḥ eva Aśvinau preyatuḥ | tāv ājagmatur devān yajnam tanvānān stute bahishpavamāne | 14. Tau ha uchatur upa nau hvayadhvam" iti | te ha devāḥ uchur " na vām upahvayishyamahe | bahu manushyeshu samsṛishtam achārishṭam bhishajyantāv❞ iti | 15. Tau ha uchatur viśīrshnā vai yajnena yajadhve" iti | "katham viśīrshnā" iti | "upa nau hvayadhvam atha vo vakshyāvaḥ" iti | “tathā” iti | tā upāhvayanta tābhyām etam āśvinam graham agṛihnams tāv adhvaryū yajnasya abhavatām | tāv etad yajnasya śiraḥ pratyadhattām |

"When the Bhrigus or the Angirases had reached the heavenly world, Chyavana of the race of Bhrigu, or Chyavana of the race of Angiras, having magically assumed a shrivelled form, was abandoned. Saryata, the descendant of Manu, wandered over this [world] with his tribe. He settled down in the neighbourhood [of Chyavana]. His youths, while playing, fancied this shrivelled magical body to be worthless, and pounded it with clods. Chyavana was incensed at the sons of Saryata. He created discord among them, so that father fought with son, and brother with brother. Saryata bethought him, 'what have I done, in consequence of which this calamity has befallen us?' He ordered the cowherds and shepherds to be called, and said, 'Which of you has seen anything here to-day?' They replied, "This shrivelled

magical body which lies there is a man. Fancying it was something worthless, the youths pounded it with clods.' Saryata knew then that it was Chyavana. He yoked his chariot, and taking his daughter Sukanya, drove off, and arrived at the place where the rishi was. He said, 'Reverence to thee, rishi; I injured thee because I did not know. This is Sukanya, with her I appease thee. Let my tribe be reconciled.' His tribe was in consequence reconciled; and Saryata of the race of Manu departed thence "lest," said he, "I might do him some other injury.” Now the Aśvins used to wander over this world, performing cures. They approached Sukanya, and wished to seduce her; but she would not consent. They said to her, 'Sukanya, what shrivelled magical body is this by which thou liest? follow us.' She replied, 'I will not abandon, while he lives, the man to whom my father gave me.' The rishi became aware of this. He said, 'Sukanya, what was this that they said to thee?' She told it to him. When informed, he said, 'If they address thee thus again, say to them, 'Ye are neither complete nor perfect, and yet ye speak contemptuously of my husband!' and if they ask, 'In what respect are we incomplete and imperfect?' then reply, 'Make my husband young again, and I will tell you.' Accordingly they came again to her, and said the same thing. She answered, "Ye are neither complete nor perfect, and yet ye talk contemptuously of my husband!' They enquired, 'In what respect are we incomplete and imperfect?' She rejoined, 'Make my husband young again, and I will tell you.' They replied, 'Take him to this pond, and he shall come forth with any age which he shall desire.' She took him to the pond, and he came forth with the age that he desired. The Aśvins then asked, 'Sukanya, in what respect are we incomplete and imperfect?' To this the rishi replied, 'The other gods celebrate a sacrifice in Kurukshetra, and exclude you two from it. That is the respect in which ye are incomplete and imperfect.' The Asvins then departed and came to the gods who were celebrating a sacrifice, when the Bahishpavamāna 385 text had been recited. They said, 'Invite us to join you.' The gods replied, 'We will not invite you, for ye have wandered about very familiarly among men,366 per

385 See Haug's Ait. Br. ii. p. 120, note 13.

386 In the Mahābhārata, S'āntip. v. 7589 f. it is said that the Asvins are the S'ūdras of the gods, the Angirases being the Brahmans, the Adityas the Kshatriyas,

forming cures.' The Asvins rejoined, "Ye worship with a headless sacrifice.' They asked, 'How [do we worship] with a headless [sacrifice]?' The Asvins answered, 'Invite us to join you, and we will tell you.' The gods consented, and invited them. They received this Āśvina draught (graha) for the Aśvins, who became the two adhvaryu priests 367 of the sacrifices, and restored the head of the sacrifice." As regards the cutting off of the head of the sacrifice see the passages quoted in the 4th volume of this work, pp. 109 ff.

The Taittiriya Sanhitā vi. 4, 9, 1, gives the following brief notice of the story of the Asvins replacing the head of the sacrifice, with an addition not found in the Satap. Br.:

Yajnasya siro 'chhidyata | te devāḥ aśvināv abruvan "bhishajau vai sthaḥ idam yajnasya siraḥ pratidhattam" iti | tāv abrūtām "varam vṛināvahai grahaḥ eva nāv atrāpi gṛihyatām” iti | tābhyām etam āśvinam agṛihnan | tato vai tau yajnasya śiraḥ pratyadhatṭām | yadāśvino grihyate yajnasya nishkrityai tau devāḥ abruvann "apūtau vai imau manushyacharau bhishajāv" iti | tasmād brāhmaṇena bheshajam na kāryam | aputo hy esho 'medhyo yo bhishak | tau bahishpavamānena pavayitvā tabhyām etam āśvinam agṛihnan |

"The head of the sacrifice was cut off. The gods said to the Aśvins, ‘You are physicians; replace this head of the sacrifice.' The Asvins replied, 'Let us ask a favour: allow a libation for us also to be received in this ceremony.' They, in consequence, received for them this Āśvina oblation, when they replaced the head of the sacrifice. When this Aśvina libation had been received for the sake of rectifying the sacrifice, the gods said of the Aśvins, 'These two are unclean, going among men as they do, as physicians.' Hence, no Brahman must act as a physician, since a person so acting is unclean and unfit to sacrifice. They purified the Aśvins by the Bahishpavamana; and then received for them the Aśvina libation." Compare the Ait. Br. i. 18, pp. 41 ff. of Professor Haug's translation.

A story, varying in some particulars, is narrated in the Mahābhārata,

and the Maruts the Vaisyas. With the objection made against the Asvins of too great familiarity with mortals, compare the numerous instances of help rendered to their worshippers, which have been quoted above from the R. V., and which may have given rise to this idea.

387 Compare S. P. Br. viii. 2, 1, 3.