Ashvins

  • Ashvins or Ashwini Kumaras, an epithet for the twin sons of Surya, by his wife Sangya, who had hidden herself in the form of a mare.
  • Their real names were Dastra and Nasatya. They are also considered the physicians of the gods and procreated in Maadri the Pandav twins - Nakula and Sahdeva.
  • Indra, the king of the gods, would not acknowledge their divinity and right to the offering of Som juice, as they were by birth Shudras from being born of a mare.
  • Sage Chyavana compelled Indra to let the Ashvini kumars partake of the Som offering as he had received perpetual youth from them. When Vishnu incarnated as Ram to destroy the demon Ravan, Brahma commanded the other gods to produce valiant, intelligent offspring on earth, who were well-versed in the use of arms, to assist Ram in the destruction of Ravan.
  • The Ashvini kumars be got the Vanars, Maind and Dvivid.


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