Atharva Veda 13.2.9: Kanda 13, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 9

Sukta 2

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

उत् के॒तुना॑ बृह॒ता दे॒व आग॒न्नपा॑वृ॒क् तमो॒ऽभि ज्योति॑रश्रैत्। दि॒व्यः सु॑प॒र्णः स वी॒रो व्यऽख्य॒ददि॑तेः पु॒त्रो भुव॑नानि॒ विश्वा॑

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 13.2.9

IAST Transliteration

út ketúnā bṛhatā́ devá ā́gan apāvṛ́k támo ’bhí jyótir aśrait | divyáḥ supárṇaḥ sá vīró vy àkhyad áditeḥ putró bhúvanāni víśvā ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Forth with his mighty signal came the god, uncovering: upon the darkness the light pressed on. The heavenly fair-winged, that hero, made manifest—all worlds—Aditi’s son.

Translation

भगवान अपने बड़े चमकदार संकेत के साथ आया। उसने अंधेरा हटा दिया और रोशनी फैल गई। वो आसमानी पक्षी, वो बहादुर भगवान, सारी दुनिया को दिखाता है। वो अदिति का बेटा है।

The meaning

What it says

With a vast ‘banner/signal’ (ketu) the god comes forth, uncovering; light presses against and dispels darkness. The heavenly fair-winged hero (solar bird) makes all worlds manifest as Aditi’s son.

The inner meaning

Clarity arises when the mind’s ‘covering’ (tamas as āvaraṇa) is lifted; attention (ketu as signal) turns inward confusion into discernment. The ‘solar bird’ is the swift faculty of insight that surveys one’s whole inner landscape.

The truth in it

Revelation is protective: what is seen clearly loses its power to harm. Order and safety depend on the regular triumph of illumination over concealment.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Apotropaic / Cosmological revelation

Its aim

To ‘uncover’ hidden harm and drive away darkness conceived as a covering; to ensure clarity, visibility, and protection through the Sun’s revealing power.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

उत् । के॒तुना॑ । बृह॒ता । दे॒वः । आ॒ग॒न् । अ॒पा॒वृ॒क् । तमः । अ॒भि । ज्योतिः । अ॒श्रै॒त् । दि॒व्यः । सु॒प॒र्णः । सः । वी॒रः । वि । अ॒ख्य॒त् । अदि॑तेः । पु॒त्रः । भुव॑नानि । विश्वा॑

उत्

up; forth; thenup; forth (marking emergence/raising)Indeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग/निपात)Root उत् (उपसर्ग) अथवा उद् (अव्यय)

केतुना

by/with the banner; by the sign (ray/ensign)with banner/sign; with radiance as a signal (ketu as luminous ‘standard’ that reveals and wards)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot केतु

बृहता

great; loftyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (केतुना इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KaraṇaRoot बृहन्त्

देवः

the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KartāRoot देव

आगन्

came; arrivedcame; has come (arrival into visibility/presence)Verbलुङ् (अorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √गम्

अपावृक्

removed; drove awayuncovering; laying bare (removing the covering of night; a ‘revealer’ function)Verbलुङ् (अorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot अप + √वृज्/√वृक् (वृञ्ज्/वृक्)

तमः

darknessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तमस्

अभि

towards; over; againstagainst; over; upon (direction of action)Indeclinableअव्ययRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

ज्योतिः

lightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KartāRoot ज्योतिस्

अश्रैत्

leaned/pressed on; advanced upon (shone forth)leaned/pressed; advanced; set itself (light ‘presses upon’ darkness; philologically: √śri ‘to lean on/approach’)Verbलुङ् (अorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √श्रि (श्रयति) / वैदिक-रूप

दिव्यः

heavenly; celestialAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (सुपर्णः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot दिव्य

सुपर्णः

the fair-winged one (bird; often the Sun/Garuḍa)fair-winged; good-winged (solar bird image; swift traverser, also protective)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सुपर्ण

सः

hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद्

वीरः

hero; strong oneNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KartāRoot वीर

व्यख्यत्

made manifest; proclaimed; revealedVerbलुङ् (अorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot वि + √ख्या

अदितेः

of AditiNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive)Root अदिति

पुत्रः

sonNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KartāRoot पुत्र

भुवनानि

worlds; beings; realmsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot भुवन

विश्वा

all; entireall (comprehensive scope)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (भुवनानि इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot विश्व

Sandhi Notes

• उत् | केतुना | बृहता | देवः | आगन् | अपावृक् | तमः | अभि | ज्योतिः | अश्रैत् || दिव्यः | सुपर्णः | सः | वीरः | व्यख्यत् | अदितेः | पुत्रः | भुवनानि | विश्वा । Key sandhi:
• (1) तमोऽभि = तमः + अभि (visarga → o’ before vowel)
• (2) व्यऽख्यद् = वि + अख्यत् (upasarga वि + a- initial; written with avagraha; final -त् may appear as -द् in saṃhitā before voiced sound/pause)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Sūrya-hymn tradition (anukramaṇī-dependent)

Devata

Sūrya (Āditya)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh/Jagatī-type (to be confirmed by metrical count)

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