(Redirected from Ashwini Gods)The 'Ashvins' (
Sanskrit: अश्विन) ('' "possessor of horses", "horse tamer", "cavalier", dual '') or 'Ashwini Kumaras' are divine
twin horsemen in the
Rigveda, sons of
Saranya, a goddess of the clouds and wife of either
Surya in his form as
Vivasvat. They are
Vedic gods symbolising the shining of sunrise and sunset, appearing in the sky before the dawn in a golden chariot, bringing treasures to men and averting misfortune and sickness. They can be compared with the
Dioscuri (the twins
Castor and Pollux) of
Greco-Roman mythology.
They are the doctors of gods and are
devas of
Ayurvedic medicine. They are called 'Nasatya' (dual '' "kind, helpful" in the Rigveda; later, Nasatya is the name of one twin, while the other is called 'Dasra'. By popular etymology, the name '' was analysed as ''na+asatya'' "not untrue"="true".
In the epic Mahabharata, King Pandu's wife Madri is granted a son by each Ashvin God and bears the twins Nakula and Sahadeva who, along with the sons of Kunti, are knowns as the Pandavas.
To each one of them is assigned the
number 7 and to the pair the
number 14.
Ashvini is the name of a constellation, later identified with the mother of the Ashvins.
The Ashvins are mentioned 376 times in the
Rigveda, with 57 hymns specifically dedicated to them: 1.3, 1.22, 1.34, 1.46-47, 1.112, 1.116-120 (c.f.
Vishpala), 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.
References
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Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna L. Dallapiccola
See also
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Divine twins
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Ashva