Atharva Veda 3.21.7: Kanda 3, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 21, Mantra 7
Sukta 21
दिवं॑ पृथि॒वीमन्व॒न्तरि॑क्षं॒ ये वि॒द्युत॑मनुसं॒चर॑न्ति । ये दि॒क्ष्व॑१न्तर्ये वाते॑ अ॒न्तस्तेभ्यो॑ अ॒ग्निभ्यो॑ हु॒तम॑स्त्वे॒तत्
dívam pṛthivī́m ánv antárikṣaṃ yé vidyútam anusáṃcaranti | yé dikṣv àntar yé vā́te antás tébhyo agníbhyo hutám astv etát ||
They who range through heaven and earth and mid-air, who move attendant on the lightning; who are within the quarters, who are within the wind—to those Agnis be this oblation offered; let it be so.
যাঁরা দ্যুলোক, পৃথিবী ও অন্তরিক্ষে বিচরণ করেন, যাঁরা বিদ্যুতের সঙ্গে সঙ্গে চলেন; যাঁরা দিকগুলির অন্তরে, যাঁরা বায়ুর অন্তরে—সেই অগ্নিদের উদ্দেশে এই হবি অর্পিত হোক; তেমনই হোক।
The meaning
What it says
Offers oblation to Agnis that roam through heaven, earth, and mid-air; that move with lightning; that dwell within the quarters and within the wind—may the offering be made to those fires.
The inner meaning
An all-encompassing containment spell: name every place where ‘heat’ can hide—sky, directions, wind, flashes of insight/anger—so the psyche and home feel sealed from unpredictable ignition.
The truth in it
Threats feel omnipresent until mapped and addressed; naming the full field of danger is the first step to restoring calm and order.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Apotropaic Śānti (fire/kravyād pacification); secondarily Bhaisajya (removal of fiery affliction)
Its aim
To encompass and appease all regional manifestations of fire (celestial, atmospheric, directional, and wind-borne), sealing the ritual space against harmful fiery intrusion.
Word by Word
Pada patha
दिवम् । पृथिवीम् । अनु । अन्तरिक्षम् । ये । विद्युतम् । अनु-सं-चरन्ति । ये । दिक्षु । अन्तर् । ये । वाते । अन्तः । तेभ्यः । अग्निभ्यः । हुतम् । अस्तु । एतत् ।
- दिवम्
- heaven, the skyheaven (upper region)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (अन्वय-गम्य: ‘अनुचरन्ति’ इत्यस्य)Root दिव् (प्रातिपदिक: दिव्/द्यौ ‘स्वर्ग’)
- पृथिवीम्
- earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनु
- along, afteralong, following throughIndeclinableअव्ययRole (उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण) गत्यर्थे ‘along/after’Root अनु
- अन्तरिक्षम्
- mid-air, atmospheremidspace/atmosphereNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अन्तरिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
- ये
- who (those who)who (relative pronoun introducing the fire-forms)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (अनुचरन्ति)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विद्युतम्
- lightningNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (अनुसंचरन्ति)Root विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनु
- followingalong, following throughIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण)Role (उपसर्ग) ‘following’Root अनु
- संचरन्ति
- they move about, they roamVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot चर् (धातु) + सम्- (उपसर्ग)
- ये
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (अन्तः [सन्ति] इत्यर्थे)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दिक्षु
- in the directionsin the directions/quartersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot दिश् (प्रातिपदिक: दिश्)
- अन्तः
- within, insidewithin (interiorly present)Indeclinableअव्यय (स्थानवाचक)Role अधिकरण/भाववाचक ( ‘within’ )Root अन्तः
- ये
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (अन्तः [सन्ति])Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाते
- in the windNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot वात (प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्तः
- withinIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकरण/भाववाचकRoot अन्तः
- तेभ्यः
- to themto thosePronounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निभ्यः
- to the fires (Agni-powers)to the Fires (cosmic and directional fire-presences)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- हुतम्
- offered, oblationoffered (oblation made)Participle (past passive)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (कर्मणि ‘offered’)Role कर्म/भाव (अस्तु इत्यस्य विधेय)Root हु (धातु) → क्त (कृदन्त); प्रातिपदिक: हुत
- अस्तु
- let it beVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्ग-प्राय); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot अस् (धातु)
- एतत्
- thisPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म/विधेय-सम्बन्ध (हुतम् एतत्)Root एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- दिवं→दिवम्
- पृथि॒वीमन्व॒न्तरि॑क्षम्→पृथिवीम् + अनु + अन्तरिक्षम् (म् + अ → म् अ; ‘अन्व’ इति संधिरूप)
- विद्यु॑तमनुसं॒चर॑न्ति→विद्युतम् + अनु + संचरन्ति (म् + अ → म् अ; ‘अनु’ उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- दि॒क्ष्व॑न्तर्ये→दिक्षु + अन्तः + ये (उ + अ → व; ‘दिक्ष्वन्तः’ इति; ‘अन्तर्ये’ = अन्तः + ये, र् आगम/यण्-प्रभावेन संहितारूप)
- वाते॑ अ॒न्तस्तेभ्यो॑→वाते + अन्तः + तेभ्यः (अन्तः + त- आरम्भे ‘अन्तस्’ रूप)
- अ॒ग्निभ्यो॑→अग्निभ्यः
- हु॒तम॑स्त्वे॒तत्→हुतम् + अस्तु + एतत् (म् + अ → म् अ; उ + ए → वे, ‘अस्त्वेतत्’)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic transmission (anukramaṇī-dependent)
- Devata
- Agnis in the three worlds; lightning-Agni; directional/wind-Agni
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh (with extended syntactic span)
- Rasa
- Shanta and Bhayankara
Sayana reads the verse as a cosmological mapping of Agni: fires in the three worlds, in lightning, in the quarters, and in wind. The point is comprehensive propitiation—no fiery locus is left unaddressed—thereby preventing the ‘kravyād’ fire from finding an unguarded avenue.
Atharvanic transmission (anukramaṇī-dependent for AVŚ 3.21)
Directional and atmospheric śānti: pacifying roaming fires (lightning, wind-borne heat) by comprehensive enumeration of loci.
Atharvanic ‘total address’: by ritually naming all spaces, one restores cosmic jurisdiction and prevents liminal intrusion.
Agnis of the three worlds; lightning-Agni; directional/wind-Agni
Distributed fire-principle manifesting as lightning, heat in winds, and regionally localized flames; must be pacified to maintain safe order.
Soothes fear-shock and ‘heat’ disturbances by ritually stabilizing the environment; secondarily supports recovery from feverish agitation.
Creates a protective net across directions and elements; reduces risk of sudden fiery harm (symbolically and ritually).
4×8 with extended relative clauses; syntactic overflow is common in AV enumerations.
Long relative-chain (‘ye… ye…’) creating incantatory sweep; mantra functions like a ‘net’ cast over space.
Expansive, scanning rhythm; feels like circumambulation in sound.
Enclosure effect—listener senses the perimeter being traced and sealed.
Facing successive directions (or mentally ‘covering’ them), the priest recites the mantra to address fires ‘in the quarters’.
Offer havis into the fire once per recitation, or once per directional turn if the rite is expanded.
Optionally accompany with sprinkling (prokṣaṇa) around the hearth/house boundary to ‘bind’ the quarters.
Close by returning to the principal direction (east) and making a final appeasing oblation.
Kauśika Sūtra: AV 3.21 employed in śānti-karmāṇi addressing fires in directions and atmosphere (edition-dependent numbering).
Atharvan priest as spatial-technologist: he ‘maps’ the cosmos onto the domestic arena by directional recitation and controlled offering.
After thunderstorms or when fearing lightning/fire; recite with small offering and a clockwise glance/gesture to the four directions to ‘cover’ the quarters.
After a storm, at evening twilight, or before seasonal storm periods.
Householder can perform directional offering; priest used for extended śānti sequences.
A safe indoor lamp-offering (or symbolic offering) with mindful attention to directions; combine with practical fire preparedness.
lightning (vidyut) as fiery sign; wind (vāta) as carrier of heat/fire; havis/oblation
Lightning (vidyut), atmospheric and directional fires, oblation to Agni.
Fire is not singular; it migrates through media (wind) and flashes (lightning). The mantra ‘pins’ it by naming every route and offering satisfaction.
Fiery affliction broadly; anxiety after storms/lightning; disturbances attributed to atmospheric/fire forces.
Environmental pacification: by offering and naming all loci of Agni, the rite ‘settles’ roaming heat and reduces perceived intrusion.
Vāta as carrier: calming vāta prevents spreading ‘heat’; supports balancing of vāta-pitta agitation (symbolic alignment).
Trauma-informed grounding after sudden shocks (thunderstorms/accidents): mapping space, restoring safety signals.
To appease all manifestations of fire across realms/directions/wind, sealing the ritual and domestic space against harmful fiery intrusion.
Sarvato-bhadrā śānti logic: comprehensive enumeration + oblation; verbal circumambulation of cosmos.
Lightning harm, wind-fanned fires, unseen ‘roaming’ heat forces, directional vulnerabilities.
- dyu/pṛthivī/antarikṣa (दिव्/पृथिवी/अन्तरिक्ष)
- totality of realms; no place left unaddressed
- vidyut (विद्युत्)
- sudden ignition; shock; abrupt crisis
- dikṣu (दिक्षु)
- perimeter protection; spatial sealing
- vāta (वात)
- carrier of spread; breath/prāṇa that can fan flames or soothe
- agnibhyaḥ hutam astu (अग्निभ्यो हुतमस्तु)
- appeasement contract across the whole field
Directional sealing: with each exhale, visualize a ring of calm light expanding to the four directions, then above/below, then filling the mid-space.
anahata
Nāḍī-śodhana to balance ‘wind’ and ‘heat’; end with long exhale while visualizing calm in the quarters.
Lightning transformed into a gentle golden thread that is absorbed into a steady hearth-flame, no longer wild.
Grounded, spatially secure, calm vigilance.
Use when feeling ‘scattered’ by sudden events; map your space, breathe, and reaffirm boundaries—then act practically.
Maintain a steady flow through the relative clauses; avoid rushing ‘ye… ye…’—let it feel like a sweep across space.
Slight emphasis on the loci: divam, pṛthivīm, antarikṣam; then on vidyut; then on dikṣu and vāte; finish firmly with hutam astu etat.
Clear, steady, ‘ritual announcement’ tone.
A traditional spatial gesture fits: slight turn of face/hand to directions during ‘dikṣu’, and a breath-sweep motion during ‘vāte’.
3 times
Fear after lightning/storm, sense of vulnerability in home, need to ‘seal’ space during illness or anxiety.
After storms; during seasonal transitions; before sleep if storm anxiety persists.
Reduced fear, increased sense of coverage and safety, calmer environment and mind.
Do not perform with open flames during active storms or unsafe conditions; seek medical help for burns/trauma symptoms.
Again no herb is named; the operative ‘material’ is the oblation and the spatialization of fire. The mantra functions as a verbal net, ritually ‘covering’ all loci where heat/fire might manifest.
It presupposes a household dependent on a ritual expert to manage environmental risk (lightning, wind-driven fire). Such expertise reinforces priestly mediation between domestic life and cosmic forces.
The tripartite cosmology (dyu–pṛthivī–antarikṣa) is RV-standard; the Atharvanic emphasis lies in enumerative comprehensiveness and practical apotropaic intent rather than praise alone.
Gopatha’s ritual hermeneutics often treat ‘total address’ (sarvavyāpti) as a mechanism of control: by naming every station of Agni, the sacrificer prevents residual, unpropitiated fire from turning predatory.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Atharva Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
