Atharva Veda 11.8.23: Kanda 11, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 8, Mantra 23

Sukta 8

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

वि॒द्याश्च॒ वा अवि॑द्याश्च॒ यच्चा॒न्यदु॑पदे॒श्यऽम्। शरी॑रं॒ ब्रह्म॒ प्रावि॑श॒दृचः॒ सामाथो॒ यजुः॑

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 11.8.23

IAST Transliteration

vidyā́ś ca vā́ avidyā́ś ca yác cā́nyád upadeśyàm | śarī́raṁ bráhma prā́viśad ṛ́caḥ sā́mā́tho yájuḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Knowledges and, yea, un-knowledges, and whatsoever else is meet to be imparted by instruction—Brahman entered the body: the Ṛc-verses, the Sāman, and moreover the Yajus.

Translation

विद्या भी और जो चीज़ें नहीं पता, वो भी। और जो भी सिखाया जाता है, वो सब। ब्रह्मा ने शरीर में प्रवेश किया। साथ में आए ऋग्वेद के मंत्र, सामवेद के गीत, और यजुर्वेद के शब्द।

The meaning

What it says

All forms of knowledge and un-knowledge, and whatever else can be taught, entered the body as Brahman—namely the Ṛc, Sāman, and Yajus.

The inner meaning

The psyche-body is presented as a living curriculum: even ignorance is part of the human field that can be instructed and transformed; speech-forms (Vedic meters/tones) become inner organs of meaning.

The truth in it

Human embodiment is not separate from sacred intelligence; learning and unlearning are both movements of the same indwelling consciousness.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Brahmavidya / Cosmological-Anthropological (body as microcosm); ancillary to Bhaisajya as a theory of embodied powers

Its aim

To establish the body as the seat of Brahman and the Vedic speech-forms, legitimating ritual/medical efficacy as internalized power

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

Pada patha

वि॒द्याः । च॒ । वा । अवि॑द्याः । च॒ । यत् । च॒ । अ॒न्यत् । उ॒प॒दे॒श्य॑म् । शरी॑रम् । ब्रह्म॑ । प्र । आ॒वि॒श॒त् । ऋचः॑ । साम॑ । अथो॒ इति॑ । यजुः॑

विद्याः

knowledges, sciencesknowledges; efficacious sacred sciences (mantra-vidyā) conferring powerNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot विद्या (प्रातिपदिक; √विद् ‘जानने’)

च

andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot च

वै

indeed, surelyIndeclinableनिपात (अवधारण/प्रत्ययार्थक)Root वै

अविद्याः

ignorances, non-knowledgesnon-knowledges; counter-knowledges/ignorances, also heterodox or harmful lore (as potency to be contained)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अविद्या (प्रातिपदिक; a- + विद्या)

च

andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot च

यत्

whatever (that which)whatever (relative)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

च

andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot च

अन्यत्

something else, other (thing)other (remaining kinds besides those named)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)

उपदेश्यम्

to be taught/communicatedthat which is to be taught/communicated by instruction; esoteric transmissible doctrineAdjective (gerundive)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot उपदेश्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; उप-√दिश् ‘उपदेशनिर्देशयोः’ + यत्/ण्यत्; ‘to be taught/indicated’)

शरीरम्

bodythe body (as the ritual-physiological vessel)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)

ब्रह्म

Brahman; sacred power/absoluteBrahman: sacred power/holy utterance; also the Atharvanic priestly potencyNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)

प्राविशत्

enteredVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot प्र-√विश् (धातु ‘प्रवेशने’)

ऋचः

Ṛc-verses (Rigvedic hymns)ṛc-verses (Rigvedic stanzas as power-forms)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot ऋच्/ऋचा (प्रातिपदिक ‘ऋक्’)

साम

Sāman-chantsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समाहार/जातिवाचक प्रयोग)Role कर्तृRoot सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)

अथ

then, and thenIndeclinableअनन्तरार्थक-अव्ययRoot अथ

यजुः

Yajus-formulas (Yajurvedic prose)yajus-formulas (Yajurvedic sacrificial utterances as operative speech)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (जातिवाचक)Role कर्तृRoot यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• विद्याः च वै अविद्याः च यत् च अन्यत् उपदेश्यम् । शरीरम् ब्रह्म प्राविशत् ऋचः साम अथ यजुः ।
• 1) यच्चा॒न्यदु॑पदे॒श्यऽम् → यत् + च + अन्यत् + उपदेश्यम् (च + अन्यत् = चान्यत्; अन्यत् + उपदेश्यम् = अन्यदुपदेश्यम्; उपदेश्यम् इति पदान्ते ‘ऽ’ केवलं पदविरामचिह्न/प्रगृह्य-सूचक-लिप्यन्तर, अर्थतः उपदेश्यम् एव).
• 2) सामाथो॒ → साम + अथ (अ + अ = आ दीर्घसन्धि).
• 3) ब्रह्म प्राविशत्: ‘ब्रह्म’ कर्तृ, ‘शरीरम्’ कर्म
• प्र-√विश् लङ् 3sg.

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Traditionally associated with Atharvanic seers in AV 11.8 (microcosm hymn); specific r̥ṣi attribution varies in anukramaṇī traditions.

Devata

Brahman / Vāc (as Vedic speech-power) implicitly; also the triad Ṛc-Sāman-Yajus

Chandas

Anuṣṭubh (predominant in this section)

Rasa

Adbhuta and Shanta

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