Atharva Veda 2.5.3: Kanda 2, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 5, Mantra 3

Sukta 5

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

इन्द्र॑स्तुरा॒षाण्मि॒त्रो वृ॒त्रं यो ज॒घान॑ य॒तीर्न। बि॒भेद॑ व॒लं भृगु॒र्न स॑सहे॒ शत्रू॒न् मदे॒ सोम॑स्य

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 2.5.3

IAST Transliteration

índras turā́ṣāṇ mitró vṛtráṃ yó jaghā́na yatī́r ná | bibhéda valáṃ bhṛgúr ná sasahé śatrū́n madé sómasya

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Indra the Overmasterer, and Mitra—he who smote Vṛtra—(he) brake the Yatis; he clave Vala asunder; like Bhṛgu he prevailed against the foes, in the exhilaration of Soma.

Translation

إندرا الغالبُ القاهر، ومِترا—هو الذي صرعَ فِرِترا—حطَّمَ اليَتيّين؛ وشقَّ فالا شقّاً؛ وكبِهْرِغو غلبَ الأعداءَ، في نشوةِ السُّوما.

The meaning

What it says

Indra (as overpowering victor) together with Mitra recalls the paradigmatic slaying of Vṛtra, the breaking of the Yatis, and the cleaving of Vala; in Soma-exhilaration he conquers enemies.

The inner meaning

The psyche invokes a force that breaks inner obstruction (vṛtra/vala), dissolves hostile compulsions or self-sabotaging “vows” (yati as rigid, misdirected asceticism), and restores confident agency through energized clarity (soma-mada).

The truth in it

When life-force and disciplined order (Indra + Mitra) align, blocked resources open and adversities lose cohesion; exhilaration is not escapism but a catalytic surge that enables decisive action.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Abhicarika (Apotropaic/Hostile-subduing) with secondary Paustika (release of withheld goods/strength)

Its aim

To secure victory by invoking Indra’s paradigmatic acts of breaking obstruction and overcoming enemies; to ‘open’ what is shut (fortunes, breath, cattle, bodily channels) and to repel hostile rivals.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

इन्द्रः । तुराषाट् । मित्रः । वृत्रम् । यः । जघान । यतीन् । न । बिभेद । वलम् । भृगुः । न । ससहे । शत्रून् । मदे । सोमस्य ।

इन्द्रः

IndraIndra; the paradigmatic slayer of obstructive powers, invoked as victorious forceNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)

तुराषाट्

the overpowering/impetuous one (epithet)the overmasterer/overpowerer; he who conquers swiftly and decisively (epithet of Indra)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणत्वेन)Root तुराषाट् (प्रातिपदिक)

मित्रः

MitraMitra; the ally/contract-guardian, here functioning as a power of concord that still subdues foesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)

वृत्रम्

Vṛtra (the obstructor)Vṛtra; the Obstructor/Enveloper, archetype of blockage (disease, siege, restraint) to be brokenNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)

यः

whowho; relative pronoun introducing the exemplary deedPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

जघान

slewslew/smit; aorist of √han, the decisive killing that establishes apotropaic certaintyVerbलिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot हन् (धातु)

यतीः

ascetics/wanderersNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot यति (प्रातिपदिक)

न

notnot; negation (also used in comparisons with 'like' when paired with another न)IndeclinableनिषेधRoot न (निपात)

बिभेद

split/brokesplit asunder/broke open; perfect of √bhid, the rending of enclosure (fort, cave, bodily obstruction)Verbलिट् (परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot भिद् (धातु)

वलम्

Vala (cave/demon Vala)Vala; the enclosing cavern/pen/fortress of withheld goods (also a demon), i.e., the closed store of vitality/wealthNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वल (प्रातिपदिक)

भृगुः

BhṛguBhṛgu; ancestral seer-name, here a comparand for irresistible prowess (or a seerly model of victory)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot भृगु (प्रातिपदिक)

न

like/aslike/as; comparative particle in the idiom 'X … न' = 'like X' (contextually)Indeclinableउपमान/तुलनाRoot न (उपमानार्थ-निपात)

ससहे

overcame/enduredovercame/was able to withstand and master; perfect of √sah, victorious enduranceVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot सह् (धातु)

शत्रून्

enemiesenemies; human and non-human adversaries (rivals, demons, disease-agents) targeted by the charmNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)

मदे

in intoxication/rapturein exhilaration/intoxication; the empowered state produced by Soma, i.e., heightened victorious potencyNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot मद (प्रातिपदिक)

सोमस्य

of Somaof Soma; the sacred pressed drink and deified power, source of Indra’s conquering energyNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• इन्द्र॑स्तुरा॒षाण्मि॒त्रो → इन्द्रः तुराषाट् मित्रः (विसर्ग-लोपः; ट्-आदेशः: तुराषाट्)
• वृ॒त्रं यो → वृत्रम् यः (म् + यः)
• ज॒घान॑ य॒तीर्न → जघान यतीः न (विसर्ग/अनुस्वार-सन्धि; दीर्घः: यतीः)
• बि॒भेद॑ व॒लं → बिभेद वलम्
• भृगु॒र्न → भृगुः न (विसर्ग-लोपः)
• स॑सहे॒ शत्रू॒न् → ससहे शत्रून्
• मदे॒ सोम॑स्य → मदे सोमस्य (सन्धि-रहित)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic tradition (hymn framed in Indra-victory diction; specific r̥ṣi attribution depends on the Anukramaṇī for AV 2.5)

Devata

Indra (primary), with Mitra as allied divine power; Soma as enabling force

Chandas

Mixed/irregular; predominantly triṣṭubh-like cadence in diction, though Atharvanic transmission may not preserve strict metrical regularity

Rasa

Vira and Raudra

Sayana's Commentary

The Seer

The Deity

The Metre

The Rite

In the Home

Substances

Healing Context

Magic Charm Layer

Symbols in this Mantra

Yogic Application

Chanting Notes

Practical Application

Scholarly Questions