Sukta 4
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (specific r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī for this section; commonly treated as anonymous/collective in late books)
Devata: Composite sovereignty: Agni–Sūrya–Yama–Mahendra (Indra) as a single power
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (with refrain-like cadence in pāda 2)
Is mantra mein ek hi mahashakti ko kayi devataon ke roop mein pukara gaya hai - Agni, Surya, Yama, Indra aur Rudra jaise sab naam liye hain. Har baar yahi kehte hain ki wohi devta aasman ko apni kiran se gher leta hai. Jaise suraj ki kiran charo taraf failti hai, waise wohi shakti sab jagah hai. Isse rajya mein sukh aur suraksha aati hai - dushman log nuksan nahi kar sakte. Yeh ek tarah ki dhai hai jo pure rajya ko cover karti hai. Raja log isse apne raj ko safe rakhne ke liye use karte the.
Mantras
Mantra 1
अध्यात्मम्। स ए॑ति सवि॒ता स्वऽर्दि॒वस्पृ॒ष्ठेऽव॒चाक॑शत्
Bhitar se woh chalta hai. Savita aage badh raha hai. Aasmaan ki roshni ke peeche woh chamak utha.
Mantra 2
र॒श्मिभि॒र्नभ॒ आभृ॑तं महे॒न्द्र ए॒त्यावृ॑तः
Kirnon se aasmaan bhara hai aur dharan kiya gaya hai. Bada Indra chal raha hai, charon taraf se ghira hua.
Mantra 3
स धा॒ता स वि॑ध॒र्ता स वा॒युर्नभ॒ उच्छ्रि॑तम्। र॒श्मिभि॒र्नभ॒ आभृ॑तं महे॒न्द्र ए॒त्यावृ॑तः
Woh hi dharan karta hai, woh hi sambhalta hai. Woh Vayu hai, aasmaan upar utha hai. Kirnon se aasmaan bhara hai aur dharan kiya gaya hai. Bada Indra chal raha hai, charon taraf se ghira hua.
Mantra 4
सोऽर्य॒मा स वरु॑णः॒ स रु॒द्रः स म॑हादे॒वः। र॒श्मिभि॒र्नभ॒ आभृ॑तं महे॒न्द्र ए॒त्यावृ॑तः
Woh Aryaman hai, woh Varun hai, woh Rudra hai, woh maha devta hai. Aasman kirnon se bhara hai. Maha Indra aage badh raha hai, chaaron taraf se ghera hua.
Mantra 5
सो अ॒ग्निः स उ॒ सूर्यः॒ स उ॑ ए॒व म॑हाय॒मः। र॒श्मिभि॒र्नभ॒ आभृ॑तं महे॒न्द्र ए॒त्यावृ॑तः
Woh Agni hai, woh Surya bhi hai, woh Yama bhi hai. Kirnon se aasmaan bhara hai. Bada Indra aa raha hai, sab taraf se ghira hua.
Mantra 6
तं व॒त्सा उप॑ तिष्ठ॒न्त्येक॑शीर्षाणो यु॒ता दश॑ । र॒श्मिभि॒र्नभ॒ आभृ॑तं महे॒न्द्र ए॒त्यावृ॑तः
Uske paas bacche khade hain. Das bacche jude hain, sab ka ek hi sar hai. Kirnon se aasmaan bhara hai. Bada Indra aa raha hai, sab taraf se ghira hua.
Mantra 7
प॒श्चात् प्राञ्च॒ आ त॑न्वन्ति॒ यदु॒देति॒ वि भा॑सति । र॒श्मिभि॒र्नभ॒ आभृ॑तं महे॒न्द्र ए॒त्यावृ॑तः
Jab woh uthta hai aur chamakta hai, tab peeche se aage tak fail jate hain. Kirnon se aasmaan bhara hai. Bada Indra aa raha hai, sab taraf se ghira hua.
Mantra 8
तस्यै॒ष मारु॑तो ग॒णः स ए॑ति शि॒क्याकृ॑तः
Uski Marut sena yahan hai. Woh aisa aa raha hai jaise latka hua jaal ho.
Mantra 9
र॒श्मिभि॒र्नभ॒ आभृ॑तं महे॒न्द्र ए॒त्यावृ॑तः
Aasman kirnon se bhara hai. Bada Indra aa raha hai, charo taraf se ghera hua.
Mantra 10
तस्ये॒मे नव॒ कोशा॑ विष्ट॒म्भा न॑व॒धा हि॒ताः
Is bhagwan ke nau chhede hain. Nau stambh hain jo pakke khade hain. Sab apni jagah par sahi se baithe hain.
Mantra 11
स प्र॒जाभ्यो॒ वि प॑श्यति॒ यच्च॑ प्रा॒णति॒ यच्च॒ न
Woh sab praniyon ko dekhta hai. Jo saans le rahe hain aur jo nahi, dono ko woh jaanta hai.
Mantra 12
तमि॒दं निग॑तं॒ सहः॒ स ए॒ष एक॑ एक॒वृदेक॑ ए॒व
Is poori duniya mein uski taakat hai. Woh ek hai, akela hai, sabse bada hai. Bas wohi ek hai.
Mantra 13
ए॒ते अ॑स्मिन् दे॒वा ए॑क॒वृतो॑ भवन्ति
Is bhagwan mein sab dev ek ho jaate hain. Sab milkar ek hi kaam karte hain. Sab ek niyam ke neeche aate hain.
Frequently Asked Questions
It proclaims that one sovereign divine power appears as many gods (Agni, Sūrya, Yama, Indra and others) and uses the image of sun-rays filling the sky to create an all-round protective enclosure for prosperity and order.
Rays function like binding, protective ‘bands’ that leave no opening for harm, while the firmament is the total ritual-cosmic field being ‘filled’—a way of saying protection and authority pervade everything.
Traditionally it suits prosperity-and-protection rites for a community or ruler: recited at dawn/midday, with purification, optional fire, and an encircling action or protective cord to mirror the hymn’s theme of being ‘encompassed round about.’
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