Atharva Veda 14.2.5: Kanda 14, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 5

Sukta 2

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

आ वा॑मगन्त्सुम॒तिर्वा॑जिनीवसू॒ न्यश्विना हृ॒त्सु कामा॑ अरंसत । अभू॑तं गो॒पा मि॑थु॒ना शु॑भस्पती प्रि॒या अ॑र्य॒म्णो दुर्यां॑ अशीमहि

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 14.2.5

IAST Transliteration

ā́ vām agan sumatír vājini-vasū ny àśvinā hṛtsú kā́mā araṃsata | abhū́taṃ gopā́ mithunā́ śubhaspatī priyā́ aryamṇó duryā́m aśīmahi

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

To you hath come good favour, O ye wealthy prize-bestowers: within our hearts, O Aśvins, desires have found their seat. Be ye the guarding pair, O lords of splendour; in Aryaman’s dear house may we attain our home-bliss.

Translation

अश्विन भाइयों, तुम्हारे ऊपर बड़ा प्यार है। तुम दोनों धन देने वाले हो। हमारे दिल में अब प्यार भरा है। तुम दोनों हमारी रक्षा करो। अर्यमन के घर में हमें सुख मिले।

The meaning

What it says

A blessing addressed to the Aśvins: their “good favor” arrives; desires settle in the heart; the divine Twins are asked to guard the couple and grant settled domestic happiness in Aryaman’s beloved household sphere (marriage-order).

The inner meaning

The verse installs concord as an inner state: desire (kāma) is not restless but “seated” in the heart—integrated, shared, and guided by benevolent discernment (sumati). The guarding pair symbolizes mutual protection and reciprocity between spouses.

The truth in it

A stable home arises when longing is harmonized within the heart and protected by ethical-social order (Aryaman) and healing companionship (Aśvins). Desire becomes constructive when it is housed within commitment and mutual guardianship.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Strikarmani (Women's Rites) / Vivaha (Marriage) / Paustika

Its aim

To secure concord of hearts, fulfilled desires, and protected household establishment under Aryaman’s marital patronage.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

Pada patha

आ । वाम् । अगन् । सुमतिः । वाजिनी-वसू इति । नि । अश्विना । हृत्सु । कामाः । अरंसत । अभूतम् । गोपा । मिथुना । शुभः-पती इति । प्रिया । अर्यम्णः । दुर्याम् । अशीमहि ।

आ

hither; towardshither; invocational ‘come/arrive’ particleIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root आ (upasarga)

वाम्

you two; of you twoto you two; dual (the Aśvins)Pronoundual, accusative/genitive (enclitic form)Role Karma (with आगन्) / SambandhaRoot युष्मद् (pronominal stem)

अगन्

camehas come; arrived (perfective aorist sense)Verbaorist (injunctive/aorist), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipadaRoot गम्

सुमतिः

good thought; favor; benevolencegood thought/favour; benevolent grace that secures successNounfeminine, nominative, singularRole KartāRoot सुमति (प्रातिपदिक: सु- + मति)

वाजिनीवसू

O you two rich in prize-winning (steeds/strength), i.e., the AśvinsO possessors of prize-winning wealth; bringers of strength and goodsNoun (epithet)masculine, vocative, dualRole SambodhanaRoot वाजिनीवसु (प्रातिपदिक)

नि

down; intodown/within; settling firmlyIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root नि (upasarga)

अश्विना

O AśvinsO Aśvins; divine twin healers and helpersNounmasculine, vocative, dualRole SambodhanaRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)

हृत्सु

in (our) heartsin (our) hearts; inner seat of desire and resolveNounfeminine, locative, pluralRole AdhikaraṇaRoot हृत् (प्रातिपदिक)

कामाः

desires; wishesdesires; marital wishes, erotic and household aimsNounmasculine, nominative, pluralRole KartāRoot काम (प्रातिपदिक)

अरंसत

settled; took delight; found placehave been fitted/settled; have found right place (made effective)Verbaorist, 3rd person, plural, ātmanepadaRoot रंस्

अभूतम्

you two became; you two have beenbecome; be (now) in a stateVerbaorist, 2nd person, dual, parasmaipadaRoot भू

गोपाः

protectors; guardiansNounmasculine, nominative, pluralRole Kartā (predicate/apposition)Root गोप (प्रातिपदिक)

मिथुना

a paired couple; the two togethera pair; the coupled twain (esp. husband and wife / the twin gods)Adjective/Nounmasculine, nominative, dualRole Kartā (apposition to ‘you two’)Root मिथुन (प्रातिपदिक)

शुभस्पती

O lords of splendor/beautyNoun (epithet)masculine, vocative, dualRole SambodhanaRoot शुभस्-पति (प्रातिपदिक)

प्रियाः

dear; belovedAdjectivemasculine, nominative, dualRole Kartā (apposition to ‘you two’)Root प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)

अर्यम्णः

of Aryamanof Aryaman; deity of marriage-contract and social allianceNounmasculine, genitive, singularRole SambandhaRoot अर्यमन् (प्रातिपदिक)

दुर्याम्

house; household; dwellingin the house; household station, domestic dwellingNounfeminine, accusative, singularRole KarmaRoot दुर्य (प्रातिपदिक)

अशीमहि

we would attain; may we obtainmay we attain; may we obtain (a blessing)Verbpresent (or subjunctive-like Vedic present), 1st person, plural, ātmanepadaRoot अश् (to attain/obtain)

Sandhi Notes

• आ + वाम् + अगन् (ā vāmagan → ā vām agan)
• न्यश्विना = नि + अश्विना
• हृत्सु is loc.pl
• of हृत्
• plural subject ‘desires’ + aor. 3pl Ā
• अभूतं is aor. 2du P
• addressing the Aśvins
• गोपा मिथुना: appositional predicates to the addressed dual
• शुभस्पती is voc.du (pati-compound)
• अर्यम्णो is gen.sg of अर्यमन्
• दुर्यां is acc.sg ‘dwelling’

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Marriage-hymn tradition; specific r̥ṣi varies by anukramaṇī

Devata

Aśvins; Aryaman (implicit/secondary)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh-like cadence (as transmitted; metrical classification varies in AV tradition)

Rasa

Shanta and Shringara

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