Category:Asvini-kumaras
Theme Analysis
The Aśvinī-kumāras are prominent demigods in the Vedic hierarchy, universally celebrated as the twin physicians of the heavenly planets. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains their divine origin: they were born when the wife of Vivasvān wandered the earth in the form of a mare. Within the universal form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Aśvinī-kumāras are generated from the Lord's smelling power and reside within His nostrils. Consequently, they preside over the sense of smell and all medicinal herbs. Because of their expertise in healing and rejuvenation, they are specifically worshiped by those desiring a long duration of life.
Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently highlights the historical pastimes of the Aśvinī-kumāras to illustrate their immense capabilities and spiritual intelligence. One famous account involves the elderly Cyavana Muni. The twin physicians bathed the invalid sage in a mystical lake, completely restoring his youth and beauty. In gratitude, Cyavana Muni granted them the right to drink soma-rasa during Vedic sacrifices, a privilege previously denied to them by the other demigods because they were considered mere medical practitioners.
Despite their material expertise in Āyur-veda, the Aśvinī-kumāras were deeply eager to attain transcendental knowledge. Śrīla Prabhupāda narrates how they approached Dadhīci Muni to learn brahma-vidyā (spiritual science). When King Indra threatened to decapitate Dadhīci if he taught them, the Aśvinī-kumāras devised a brilliant plan: they temporarily replaced Dadhīci's head with a horse's head. Dadhīci spoke the mantras (known as Aśvaśira) through the horse's mouth. When Indra carried out his threat and severed the horse's head, the twin physicians immediately restored Dadhīci's original head. By acquiring this supreme knowledge, the Aśvinī-kumāras became completely liberated (jīvan-mukta) even while executing their administrative duties in the material world.
- Cosmic Origins: The Aśvinī-kumāras represent the smelling power of the universal form and are the presiding deities of medicinal herbs and the sense of smell.
- Masters of Rejuvenation: As the heavenly physicians expert in Āyur-veda, they possess the power to restore youth, famously doing so for the great sage Cyavana Muni.
- The Quest for Transcendence: Not satisfied with material science, they ingeniously outsmarted King Indra to learn the ultimate spiritual science (brahma-vidyā) from Dadhīci Muni.
- Terrestrial Contributions: The twins played a direct role in the Mahābhārata by begetting two of the Pāṇḍavas, Nakula and Sahadeva, through King Pāṇḍu's wife, Mādrī.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Aśvinī-kumāras - The Heavenly Physicians of the Universe.
- Sons of Vivasvān and Saṁjñā
- Grandsons of Kaśyapa Muni and Aditi
- Brothers of Vaivasvata Manu, Yamarāja and Yami
Subcategories
This category has only the following subcategory.
Pages in category "Asvini-kumaras"
The following 37 pages are in this category, out of 37 total.
A
- After obtaining the mantras of spiritual science from Dadhici, the Asvini-kumaras became jivan-mukta, liberated even in this life
- After saying this, the Asvini-kumaras caught hold of Cyavana Muni, who was an old, diseased invalid with loose skin, white hair, and veins visible all over his body, and all three of them entered the lake
- After warning Dadhici in this way, Indra returned to heaven. The Asvini-kumaras, who understood Indra's desires, returned and begged Dadhici for brahma-vidya
- Although the Asvini-kumaras were only physicians and were therefore excluded from drinking soma-rasa in sacrifices, the demigods agreed to allow them henceforward to drink it
- Asvini-kumaras once approached him and begged him to instruct them in spiritual science (brahma-vidya). Dadhici Muni replied, "I am now engaged in arranging sacrifices for fruitive activities. Come back some time later"
C
- Chaya had a son named Savarni and a daughter named Tapati, who later became the wife of King Samvarana. Chaya's third child is known as Sanaiscara (Saturn). Vadava gave birth to two sons, namely the Asvini brothers
- Cyavana Muni was so old that he could not enter the lake alone. Thus the Asvini-kumaras caught hold of his body, and the three of them entered the lake
O
- O King, when all the asuras came onto the battlefield, headed by Vrtrasura, they saw King Indra carrying the thunderbolt and surrounded by the Rudras, Vasus, Adityas, Asvini-kumaras, Pitas, Vahnis, Maruts, Rbhus, Sadhyas and Visvadevas
- One who desires a long span of life should worship the demigods known as the Asvini-kumaras
S
- Samjna, the wife of Vivasvan, gave birth to the Manu named Sraddhadeva, & the same fortunate wife also gave birth to the twins Yamaraja and the River Yamuna. Then Yami, while wandering on the earth in the form of a mare, gave birth to the Asvini-kumaras
- Seated on his throne, he was surrounded by the Maruts, Vasus, Rudras, Adityas, Rbhus, Visvadevas, Sadhyas, Asvini-kumaras, Siddhas, Caranas and Gandharvas and by great saintly persons
- Since Dadhici had promised to impart brahma-vidya to the Asvini-kumaras, he agreed to their proposal. Therefore, because Dadhici imparted brahma-vidya through the mouth of a horse, this brahma-vidya is also known as Asvasira
- Some time having passed, the Asvini-kumara brothers, the heavenly physicians, happened to come to Cyavana Muni's asrama. After offering them respectful obeisances, Cyavana Muni requested them to give him youthful life, for they were able to do so
- Such demigods are known as the controller of directions, the controller of air, the sun-god, the father of Daksa Prajapati, the Asvini-kumaras, the fire-god, the King of heaven, the worshipable deity in heaven, the chief of the Adityas, and Brahmaji
- Sukanya could have selected any one of them as her husband, for one could not distinguish among them, but because she was chaste, she took shelter of the Asvini-kumaras so that they could inform her who her actual husband was
T
- That saintly Dadhyanca, who's also known as Dadhici, personally assimilated the spiritual science & then delivered it to the Asvini-kumaras. It's said that Dadhyanca gave them mantras through the head of a horse. Therefore the mantras are called Asvasira
- The Asvini-kumaras were expert in Ayur-veda, as was Dhanvantari. In every department of material science, there is a perfection to be achieved, and to achieve it one must consult the Vedic literature
- The Asvini-kumaras were very pleased to see Sukanya's chastity and faithfulness. Thus they showed her Cyavana Muni, her husband, and after taking permission from him, they returned to the heavenly planets in their plane
- The chaste and very beautiful Sukanya could not distinguish her husband from the two Asvini-kumaras, for they were equally beautiful. Not understanding who her real husband was, she took shelter of the Asvini-kumaras
- The demigod Aparajita fought with Namuci, and the two Asvini-kumara brothers fought with Vrsaparva. The sun-god fought with the one hundred sons of Maharaja Bali, headed by Bana, and the moon-god fought with Rahu
- The different manifestations of Lord Siva, the Adityas, the Vasus, the Sadhyas, the Visvadevas, the two Asvins, the Maruts, the forefathers and the Gandharvas, the Yaksas, Asuras, and all perfected demigods are beholding You in wonder. BG 11.22 - 1972
- The great physicians, the Asvini-kumaras, very gladly accepted Cyavana Muni's proposal. Thus they told the brahmana, "Just dive into this lake of successful life." (One who bathes in this lake has his desires fulfilled)
- The heavenly physicians like the Asvini-kumaras could give youthful life even to one who was advanced in age. Indeed, great yogis, with their mystic powers, can even bring a dead body back to life if the structure of the body is in order
- The muni offered a full pot of soma-rasa to the Asvini-kumaras, although they were unfit to drink it
- These two physicians took Cyavana Muni to a particular lake, in which they bathed and regained full youth
- Those who have had their arms cut off will have to work with the arms of Asvini-kumara, and those whose hands were cut off will have to do their work with the hands of Pusa. The priests will also have to act in that manner
W
- When the Asvini-kumaras beg for Dadhyanca's body on your behalf, he will surely give it because of affection. Do not doubt this, for Dadhyanca is very experienced in religious understanding
- When the Lord's two nostrils separately manifested themselves, the dual Asvini-kumaras entered them in their proper positions, and because of this the living entities can smell the aromas of everything
- Within its mind (of the sisumara) is the moon; on its navel, Venus; and on its breasts, the Asvini-kumaras