વૈદિક 'अश्विनौ' (अश्विना) Vedic 'Ashvins' (vedik 'adhinii' or 'ashvina')

Summary

This Gujarati article explores the identities and functions of the Ashvin twins in the Vedic tradition. The Ashvins are youthful twin gods who traverse the heavens in a horse‑drawn chariot, responding swiftly to those in distress. The author surveys diverse interpretations of these deities offered by ancient commentators and modern scholars. Some identify the Ashvins with the dawn and twilight, seeing them as personifications of the transition between night and day. Others interpret them as celestial horsemen akin to the Greek Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux) or compare them to twin heroes in Latvian mythology. Vedic etymologists note that the name is derived from the Sanskrit root aśva, meaning horse, and thus translate Ashvins as “horse‑born.” Another line of interpretation views the Ashvins as dual aspects of the sun—its light and heat—or as the cosmic forces of prāṇa and apāna (inhalation and exhalation) within the human body. The article catalogues tales from the Rigveda and later literature in which the Ashvins rescue sages, heal the blind and restore youth. Their chariot is described as three‑wheeled and drawn by horses or birds; they are physicians to the gods and patrons of medicine. The author also examines hymnological evidence that associates the Ashvins with fertility and the nurturing of crops and livestock. Commentaries by Yāska and Sayana are discussed, alongside modern scholarly debates on whether the Ashvins originated in Indo‑European or indigenous Indian mythology. The article concludes that the multiplicity of interpretations reflects the Ashvins’ multifaceted character. They are simultaneously cosmic forces, cultural heroes and embodiments of health and vitality. Their enduring appeal lies in their youthful vigour, swiftness and benevolent interventions on behalf of humanity.