Atharva Veda 18.4.67: Kanda 18, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 4, Mantra 67

Sukta 4

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

शुम्भ॑न्तां लो॒काः पि॑तृ॒षद॑नाः पितृ॒षद॑ने त्वा लो॒क आ सा॑दयामि

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 18.4.67

IAST Transliteration

śúmbhantāṃ lokā́ḥ pitṛ́ṣadanāḥ pitṛ́ṣadane tvā loká ā́ sādayāmi

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Let the worlds, the Fathers’ seats, be made fair: in the Fathers’ seat, in that world, I set thee down and establish thee.

Translation

सब लोक अच्छे हो जाएँ, जहाँ पितर रहते हैं। मैं तुझे उस जगह बिठा देता हूँ जहाँ पितर बैठे हैं, उस लोक में।

The meaning

What it says

The ‘worlds’ that are the Fathers’ seats are asked to be made fair; the speaker seats the deceased in the Fathers’ seat, in that world, establishing him there.

The inner meaning

A placement-and-beautification formula: it turns grief into an act of orderly relocation. ‘Make the worlds fair’ also beautifies memory—reducing harshness and restoring dignity to the departed’s image.

The truth in it

Belonging is healing: when a being is properly ‘seated’ in an appropriate place, both the individual and the community regain harmony. Ritual aesthetics (śumbh-) are not decoration but restoration of order.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Antyeṣṭi / Pitṛkarman (Funerary; Ancestor-rite)

Its aim

To transfer and seat the deceased in the ancestral realm (pitṛsadana), ensuring proper post-mortem placement.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

शुम्भन्ताम् । लोकाः । पितृषदनाः । पितृषदने । त्वा । लोकः । आ । सादयामि ।

शुम्भन्ताम्

let (them) be adorned / become splendidlet them be adorned/brightened (auspiciously prepared; made splendid for reception)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot शुभ् (धातु)

लोकाः

the worlds / realmsworlds/realms (stations of existence; here, the ancestral realms)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot लोक (प्रातिपदिक)

पितृषदनाः

(worlds) that are the abodes/seats of the Fathers (Pitṛs)having the Fathers as their seat (ancestral abodes; ‘pitṛ-sadana’ worlds)Noun (compound)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot पितृ- + सदन (प्रातिपदिक; ‘seat/dwelling’)

पितृषदने

in/at the abode of the Fathersin the seat of the Fathers (locative: the ancestral dwelling-place)Noun (compound)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot पितृ- + सदन (प्रातिपदिक)

त्वा

you (as object)thee (the departed person as object of placement)Pronounद्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

लोकः

the world / realma world/realm (the destined station; the ritual ‘place’ assigned)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot लोक (प्रातिपदिक)

आ

towards, untounto, toward, into (preverb of bringing/placing)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियायोगे)Role क्रिया-विशेषकRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)

सादयामि

I cause (you) to sit/place; I seat/establishI cause to sit/place (ritual installation; establishing the dead among the Fathers)Verbलट्, उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot सद् (धातु) + णिच् (कारण) → सादयति

Sandhi Notes

• शुम्भन्ताम् | लोकाः | पितृषदनाः | पितृषदने | त्वा | लोकः | आ | सादयामि ।
• 1) पितृ + सदन → पितृषदन (रेफ-षत्व: ‘पितृ’ के ‘ृ’ के पश्चात् ‘स’ → ‘ष’).
• 2) पितृषदने त्वा: संधि नहीं (स्वर-संधि नहीं होता).
• 3) लोक आ: विसर्ग/स्वर-संधि नहीं
• ‘लोकः’ पृथक् पद, ‘आ’ उपसर्ग।

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic funerary tradition (collective attribution typical of AV 18)

Devata

Pitṛs (Fathers), Pitṛloka

Chandas

Anuṣṭubh-like (ritual verse)

Rasa

Shanta and Adbhuta

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