Dvitiya

The second day of the lunar fortnight is duitiya. This day is associated with the worship of the twin gods the Ashvinis, who are the physicians of the gods. (They are also referred to as the Ashvinkumaras.)

Samjna, the daughter of Vishvakarma, was married to the sun-god Martanda. But Samjna could not bear to stand her husband’s radiance. She therefore created a shadow-form named Chhaya out of her own body. Chhaya looked exactly like Samjna, so that it was impossible to tell the two apart. Samjna requested Chhaya to assume her place in her husband’s household. She herself went to her father’s house. But Vishvakarama kept advising Samjna went to the kingdom known as Uttarakuru and began to live there in the form of a mare (ashvini). After some time had pased, the sun-god discovered the substitution. He sought out Samjna in Uttarakuru, adopted the form of a horse, and began to live with her. As horse and mare, Martanda and Samjna had two sons named Nasatya and Dasra. Since they had been born when their parents had been in the forms of horses, they were also known as the Ashvinis.