Sukta 1
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (hymn to Savitar; r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī tradition)
Devata: Doṣā (Night) and Savitar
Chandas: Mixed/Anuṣṭubh-like cadence (requires metrical verification)
Este breve himno paustika vincula el poder restaurador de la Noche (Doṣā) con el impulso divino de Savitar para asegurar una vitalidad renovada, dones semejantes al «amṛta» y un avance sin obstáculos. Al alabar a Savitar como veraz, benévolo y nacido «en las aguas», presenta la prosperidad y la protección como resultados de la palabra correcta (suṣṭuti) alineada con el orden cósmico. La eficacia del himno se realiza mediante una alabanza bien formada que «asienta» el esplendor e invita a un tránsito seguro (sugātava).
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
अमृतप्रदाता दो॒षो गा॑य बृ॒हद् गा॑य द्यु॒मद् धे॑हि । आथ॑र्वण स्तु॒हि दे॒वं स॑वि॒तार॑म्
Oh Noche, dadora de amṛta, canta; canta lo Grande, canta lo Espléndido: establécelo. Oh Atharvan, alaba al dios Savitar.
Mantra 2
तमु॑ ष्टुहि॒ यो अ॒न्तः सिन्धौ॑ सू॒नुः । स॒त्यस्य॒ युवा॑न॒मद्रो॑घवाचं सु॒शेव॑म्
A él, en verdad, alaba: al Hijo dentro de las Aguas, al Joven de la Verdad, de palabra no engañosa, el muy benévolo.
Mantra 3
स घा॑ नो दे॒वः स॑वि॒ता सा॑विषद॒मृता॑नि॒ भूरि॑ । उ॒भे सु॑ष्टुती सु॒गात॑वे
Que él, en verdad, el dios Savitar, nos impulse hacia abundantes dones inmortales — hacia nuestras dos buenas alabanzas — para un buen camino y un paso seguro.
Inside Sukta 1
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn opens by hailing Night as ‘amṛtapradātā’ and commanding her to ‘sing’ greatness and splendor, establishing an auspicious field for the rite.
- What it asks
Savitar is praised as the truthful, gracious ‘Son within the waters’ and is asked to impel abundant ‘amṛtāni’—life-renewing boons—for the worshipper.
- Where its power lies
Efficacy is grounded in aligned speech and order: undeceitful vāc, well-made praise (suṣṭuti), and Savitar’s reliable impulsion that makes outcomes ‘set in place.’
- How it closes
The hymn concludes with the goal-state ‘sugātave’—fair going/safe passage—framing prosperity as protected movement and successful continuity.
Famous verses
amṛtapradātā doṣaḥ
adroghavācam suśevam
amṛtāni bhūri … sugātave
Kind of hymn
Paustika (Prosperity/Vitality) with protective-healing overtones
What it is for
Renewed vitality and auspiciousness through Night’s restorative interval, plus Savitar’s impulsion of abundant boons and safe passage; stabilization of welfare through truthful, well-formed praise.
Who it is for
Householders and Atharvanic practitioners seeking prosperity, recovery of strength, auspicious beginnings/continuations of rites, and protection during transitions or journeys.
Also used as
- Shantika (auspicious pacification)
- Bhaisajya-adjacent (restorative/renewal overtones)
- Raksha/Apotropaic (protective safe-going)
The deity
Doṣā embodies nocturnal renewal—rest, recuperation, and the womb-like interval that restores life-force; Savitar is the impelling solar deity who sets beings in motion according to ṛta, granting auspicious direction and successful going.
Powers of the deity
- Bestows restorative vitality and ‘amṛta’-like refreshment
- Impels (prasava) prosperity, movement, and success of undertakings
- Guards by truthful ordinance (satya) and undeceitful speech (adroghavāc)
- Provides safe passage and unobstructed progress (sugātava)
- Consecrates praise as an effective ritual instrument (suṣṭuti)
Why the deity is called
Night is invoked to ‘sing forth’ and establish greatness/splendor as a restorative field, while Savitar is invoked to impel abundant immortal boons and ensure welfare, truthful efficacy, and safe onward movement.
The seer
- Atharvan (r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī)Atharvan. Paustika and protective-healing charms: rites for vitality, auspicious renewal, safe passage, and securing divine favor through efficacious stotra and truthful speech (vāc).
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 1.1 (Atharvanic opening tradition varies)
- AV 2.1 (tradition-dependent attributions)
- AV 6.2 (Atharvanic attributions occur in some anukramaṇīs)
Preparing for the rite
- Choose a quiet threshold time: late evening/nightfall or pre-dawn when Night’s renewal and Savitar’s impulsion are thematically aligned.
- Perform basic purification: rinse hands/mouth; keep a small vessel of clean water nearby as the ‘waters’ motif (sindhu).
- Compose intention (saṅkalpa): vitality, welfare, and ‘sugātava’ (safe going) for self/household.
The rite
- Recite 6.1.1 addressing Doṣā, then immediately turn to Savitar praise as directed (‘ātharvaṇa stuhi’).
- Recite 6.1.2 with attention to truthfulness of speech; avoid interruption and maintain a steady cadence.
- Recite 6.1.3 as the concluding petition for abundant amṛtāni and safe passage; optionally repeat 6.1.3 three times as a sealing prayer.
What it needs
- Clean water (as symbolic ‘sindhu’/waters)
- Optional lamp or low firelight to mark transition from Night toward Savitar’s guidance
- Optional offering of simple food (milk/ghee) as ‘paustika’ nourishment (regional practice)
When
Nightfall, late night, or pre-dawn; especially before travel, a new undertaking, or during convalescence/restoration.
The main substance
Clean water (symbolic ‘sindhu’/waters of renewal)
How it is prepared
Keep a fresh vessel of water beside the reciter; optionally sip or touch water after recitation as a sign of internalizing ‘amṛta’-like renewal and truthful speech.
Frequently Asked Questions
Night represents restoration and renewal, while Savitar represents the divine force that impels life and success. Together they express: recovery of vitality plus auspicious forward movement and protection.
In this context it primarily means life-renewing vitality and enduring well-being—boons that feel ‘deathless’ because they restore strength, stability, and continuity of life.
‘Sugātave’ means fair going or safe passage. The hymn is often read as seeking unhindered progress—during travel, transitions, recovery, or any undertaking needing protection and smooth success.
Ask anything about Sukta 1 of the Atharva Veda
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.
