Atharva Veda 7.20.2: Kanda 7, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 20, Mantra 2

Sukta 20

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अन्विद॑नुमते॒ त्वं मंस॑से॒ शं च॑ नस्कृधि । जुष॒स्व॑ ह॒व्यमाहु॑तं प्र॒जां दे॑वि ररास्व नः

IAST Transliteration

ánv íd anumate tváṃ máṃsase śáṃ ca naḥ kṛdhi | júṣasva havíyam ā́hutam prajā́ṃ devi rárāsva naḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Yea, in accord, O Anumati, thou art minded: work thou for us both welfare and good. Take thou delight in the oblation duly offered; and, O Goddess, bestow on us progeny.

Translation

In Übereinstimmung, o Anumati, bist du geneigt: wirke uns Heil und Gutes. Freue dich an der dargebrachten Opfergabe, recht dargeboten; und, o Göttin, schenke uns Nachkommenschaft.

The meaning

What it says

Invocation to Anumati: ‘in accord’ she is well-disposed; she should make welfare for us, accept the offered oblation, and grant progeny.

The inner meaning

A domestic prosperity prayer that centers consent/assent as a divine force: when inner and outer ‘permission’ aligns, offerings bear fruit—especially in family continuity and well-being.

The truth in it

Flourishing requires right timing and consent—alignment of intention, community, and the unseen conditions that allow life to increase.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Paustika (Prosperity/Increase) with domestic-procreative emphasis

Its aim

Securing divine assent to the offering, producing welfare and progeny for the patron’s household

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Word by Word

Pada patha

अनु । इत् । अनुमते । त्वम् । मंससे । शम् । च । नः । कृधि । जुषस्व । हव्यम् । आहुतम् । प्रजाम् । देवि । ररास्व । नः ।

अनु

after, along; (as preverb)after, in accordance with; (ritually) in assent to, following the sacrificer’s intentIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अनु (उपसर्ग) / अव्यय

इत्

indeed, justindeed, just so; emphatic particle strengthening the invocationIndeclinableनिपातRoot इत् (निपात) अव्यय

अनुमते

O Anumati (goddess of consent/approval)O Anumati (‘Assent/Approval’), the goddess who grants consent and successful issueNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अनुमति (प्रातिपदिक) < अनु + √मन् (to think/approve)

त्वम्

youthou; the addressed divine agentPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुंसक (त्रिलिङ्ग); प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

मंससे

you think/approve/intendthou thinkest/approvest; (Sayana-style) ‘thou inclinest to grant’Verbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √मन् (मनँ/मनीँ— to think, to intend)

शम्

welfare, well-beingweal, welfare, auspiciousness; the pacific, beneficent resultIndeclinableअव्यय (कल्याणार्थक)Role कर्म (फल/प्रार्थ्य)Root शम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-प्रातिपदिक ‘शम्’)

च

andand; coupling welfare with the requested actIndeclinableसमुच्चय-निपातRoot च (अव्यय)

नः

for us / ourfor us, to us; the patron’s household/community as beneficiaryPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी-बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक रूप)Role सम्प्रदान (हितार्थ) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

कृधि

do/makemake, effect; accomplish the boon in concrete outcomeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √कृ (डुकृञ्— to do, make)

जुषस्व

accept; take delight intake pleasure in, accept graciously; (ritually) ‘receive the oblation’Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √जुष् (जुषँ— to be pleased with, to enjoy, to accept)

हव्यम्

the oblation to be offeredthe oblation-worthy offering; that which is to be invoked/borne to the deityNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हव्य (प्रातिपदिक) < √हू (to call/invoke) / √हु (to sacrifice)

आहुतम्

offered, poured (into the fire)poured/offerred (into fire); the duly made libation/oblationParticiple (Adjective)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त)Role कर्म (विशेषण)Root आहुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < आ + √हु (जुहोति— to offer)

प्रजाम्

offspring, progenyprogeny, offspring; also ‘increase of people’ as household continuityNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक) < प्र + √जन् (to be born)

देवि

O goddessO goddess; formal address marking divine agencyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot देवी (प्रातिपदिक)

ररास्व

grant; bestowgrant, bestow, cause to come to us; (apotropaic nuance) ‘secure for us’Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √रा (रा— to give, grant) [वेदिक पुनरुक्ति-आदेश: ररा-]

नः

to usto us; reiteration for insistence and ritual efficacyPronounचतुर्थी-बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक रूप)Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• अनु + इत् + अनुमते | त्वम् | मंससे | शम् + च | नः + कृधि || जुषस्व | हव्यम् + आहुतम् | प्रजाम् | देवि | ररास्व | नः ।
• 1) अन्विदनुमते = अनु + इत् + अनुमते (वेदिक संधि: उ + इ → वि; ‘अनु’ + ‘इत्’ → ‘अन्वित्/अन्विद्’ रूप, ततः ‘अन्विद्’ + ‘अनुमते’ में संधि से ‘अन्विदनुमते’)
• 2) नस्कृधि = नः + कृधि (विसर्ग/ः का परवर्ती ककारे ‘स्’ आदेश: नः कृधि → नस्कृधि)
• 3) हव्यमाहुतम् = हव्यम् + आहुतम् (म् + आ → माऽ; लेखन में ‘माहु’)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic tradition (hymn to Anumati; specific r̥ṣi attribution varies in ancillary lists)

Devata

Anumati (personified Consent/Approval)

Chandas

Anuṣṭubh (predominant)

Rasa

Shanta and Shringara

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