Atharva Veda 13.2.46: Kanda 13, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 46

Sukta 2

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अबो॑ध्य॒ग्निः स॒मिधा॒ जना॑नां॒ प्रति॑ धे॒नुमि॑वाय॒तीमु॒षास॑म्। य॒ह्वा इ॑व॒ प्र व॒यामु॒ज्जिहा॑नाः॒ प्र भा॒नवः॑ सिस्रते॒ नाक॒मच्छ॑

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 13.2.46

IAST Transliteration

abódh y agníḥ samídhā jánānāṃ práti dhénum-ivāyátīm uṣā́sām | yahvā́ iva prá vayā́m ujjíhānāḥ prá bhā́navas sisrate nā́kam áccha

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Awakened is Agni by the kindling of men, to meet the Dawn that cometh on like a milch-cow. Like eager birds, uplifting tongues, his beams stream forth, onward toward heaven.

Translation

लोगों ने अग्नि को जलाया है, अब वो जाग उठा है। वो सुबह की रोशनी से मिलने जा रहा है, जैसे कोई गाया दूध देने आती है। अग्नि की जलती लाटें हैं, जैसे उड़ने को बेकर पक्षी। उसकी रोशनी आसमान की तरफ जा रही है।

The meaning

What it says

Agni is awakened by people’s kindling; he goes to meet Uṣas who comes like a milch-cow. Like eager birds raising their tongues, Agni’s beams stream upward toward heaven.

The inner meaning

Kindling is intentional effort; Agni is the will and digestive clarity that must be ‘woken.’ Dawn-as-cow is nourishing renewal; the ‘tongues’ are flames and also speech—when inner fire rises, vitality and expression lift upward.

The truth in it

Renewal is co-created: when humans kindle disciplined effort, the world responds with dawn-like nourishment; purified energy naturally rises toward higher order.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Bhaisajya (Healing via fire/purification) / Apotropaic (burning away evil) with dawn-renewal imagery

Its aim

To kindle purificatory fire that meets the renewing dawn, spreading beams that burn away impediments and restore vitality and auspiciousness.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

अ॒बो॒धि॒ । अ॒ग्निः । स॒मिधा॑ । जना॑नाम् । प्रति॑ । धे॒नुम्-इ॑व । आ॒य॒तीम् । उ॒षास॑म् । य॒ह्वाः । इ॒व॒ । प्र । व॒याम् । उत्-जिहा॑नाः । प्र । भा॒नवः॑ । सि॒स्र॒ते॒ । नाक॑म् । अच्छ॑

अबोधि

awoke / has been kindledhas awakened; has been kindled/roused (ritual ignition as awakening)Verbलुङ् (aorist), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √बुध्

अग्निः

Agni (fire)Agni, fire; the ritual and medicinal heat-agent (burning away impurity)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अग्नि-

समिधा

with kindling-stick / fuelwith kindling-sticks; by fuel (the technical means of arousal)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot समिध्-

जनानाम्

of the peopleof men/peoples; for the community (domestic/public beneficiaries)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot जन-

प्रति

towardstoward, in response to; meeting/answering (reciprocal approach)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole दिशा/सम्बन्धRoot प्रति

धेनुम्

a cowNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot धेनु-

इव

likeas, like (simile marker)Indeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRole उपमाRoot इव

आयतीम्

coming, approachingParticiple (Adjective)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-समकक्ष), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole विशेषण (धेनुम्) / कर्मRoot √या (आ-√या)

उषासम्

DawnUṣas, Dawn; personified morning (renewal, healing freshness)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot उषस्-

यह्वाः

swift/impetuous (ones)swift/impetuous, mighty (often of flames or divine powers)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot यह्व-

इव

likeas, like (simile marker)Indeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRole उपमाRoot इव

प्र

forthforth; forward (impulsion of spreading)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot प्र

वयाम्

birdsbirds (or winged ones); metaphor for flames/leaping tonguesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot वय-

उज्जिहानाः

rising up / springing forthParticiple (Adjective)वर्तमान कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole विशेषण (वयाम्) / कर्तृRoot √हा (उद्-√हा)

प्र

forthforth; outwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot प्र

भानवः

rays, beamsbeams, radiances; shining flames/rays (agents of dispelling)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot भानु-

सिस्रते

flow/stream forthstream forth, run; spread in lines (diffusion of light/heat)Verbलट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √सृ

नाकम्

heaven, skyheaven; the celestial region (goalward direction)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot नाक-

अच्छ

towardstoward, unto (directional particle)Indeclinableगत्यर्थ-अव्ययRole गति/दिशाRoot अच्छ

Sandhi Notes

• अबो॑ध्य॒ग्निः → अबोधि + अग्निः
• जना॑नां॒ प्रति॑ → जनानाम् + प्रति
• धे॒नुमि॑वाय॒तीमु॒षास॑म् → धेनुम् + इव + आयतीम् + उषासम्
• य॒ह्वा इ॑व॒ → यह्वाः + इव
• प्र व॒यामु॒ज्जिहा॑नाः → प्र + वयाम् + उज्जिहानाः
• नाक॒मच्छ॑ → नाकम् + अच्छ. (स्वरचिह्नाः केवलं पाठस्वराः; पदरूपे अर्थ/रूपनिर्णये न बाधकाः)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Agni/Uṣas hymn tradition; specific AV index attribution varies.

Devata

Agni (with Uṣas as associated figure)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (probable)

Rasa

Adbhuta and Vira

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