Atharva Veda 20.5.7: Kanda 20, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 5, Mantra 7
Sukta 5
यस्ते॑ शृङ्गवृषो नपा॒त् प्रण॑पात् कुण्ड॒पाय्यः॑ । न्यस्मिन्दध्र॒ आ मनः॑
yás te śṛṅgavṛ́ṣo napā́t práṇapāt kuṇḍapā́yyaḥ | ní asmín dadhré ā́ mánaḥ
That horned Bull—thy offspring, thy mightier offspring, the bowl-drinker—hath set his mind down upon this (man).
वो सींग वाला बैल, तेरा बेटा, तेरा बड़ा बेटा, जो पीये में माहिर है, उसने इस आदमी पर नज़र डाल दी।
The meaning
What it says
A ‘horned bull’—Indra’s potent offspring/emanation, famed as the ‘bowl-drinker’—has fixed his mind upon this person, i.e., has implanted steadfast intent and power of will.
The inner meaning
The mantra dramatizes the stabilizing of manas (mind/resolve) by invoking a fierce, virile archetype (vṛṣa) and the Soma-drinking current: courage becomes ‘seated’ rather than wavering.
The truth in it
When resolve is anchored in a higher principle (daiva-kratu), the mind stops scattering and becomes a force that protects, endures, and succeeds under pressure.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika / Bala (strength, resolve) within Indra-Soma liturgy
Its aim
To implant steadfast divine resolve (manas) in the ritual subject, stabilizing courage and success.
Word by Word
Pada patha
यः । ते॒ । शृ॒ङ्ग॒-वृ॒षः॒ । न॒पा॒त् । प्र-न॑पात् । कु॒ण्ड॒-पा॒य्यः॑ । नि । अ॒स्मिन् । द॒ध्रे॒ । आ । मनः॑
- यः
- who (he who)who, which (relative; introduces a defining power/agent)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (सम्बन्धवाचकः)Role कर्तृ (यः—सम्बन्धवाक्ये कर्ता)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- your / of youthy, of thee (belonging to Indra; his attribute/offspring/power)Pronounषष्ठी, एकवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक) / अथवा चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्; अत्र ‘ते’ = ‘तव’Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of you/your’Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शृङ्गवृषः
- the horned bull (epithet)horned bull (image of virility and aggressive force; Indra’s battle-form)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (यः…शृङ्गवृषः—विशेषण/उपाधि)Root शृङ्ग-वृष (समास-प्रातिपदिक; वृष ‘bull’ + शृङ्ग ‘horn’)
- नपात्
- offspring/descendant; ‘son’offspring, descendant (a generated power; sometimes ‘son’ as functional emanation)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (यः…नपात्)Root नपात् (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रणपात्
- fore-descendant / eminent offspring (epithet)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (यः…प्रणपात्)Root प्र-नपात् (उपसर्गपूर्वक-प्रातिपदिक)
- कुण्डपाय्यः
- Kundapāyya (a named/epithetic being; lit. ‘connected with the pot/drinking-vessel’)drinker from the bowl/pitcher (one who drinks from the vessel; ritual participant tied to soma-vessel)Adjective/Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (यः…कुण्डपाय्यः)Root कुण्डपाय्य (प्रातिपदिक; य-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण)
- नि
- down, intoIndeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियाविशेषकः) — ‘down/into’Role — (क्रियाविशेषण)Root नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अस्मिन्
- in thisPronounपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरण (locative: ‘in this’)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दध्रः
- has placed/has held fastVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रिया (कर्तृ = यः…; कर्म/अधिकरणं सह)Root √धृ (धारणे) → दध्र (परिपूर्ण/स्थिर-भाववाचक; परस्मैपदी-लिट्/परफेक्ट-रूप)
- आ
- towards, intounto, toward, in addition (directional; bringing mind fully to the target)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (समन्तात्/आभिमुख्ये/सम्पूर्णतायाम्) — ‘towards, into, completely’Role — (क्रियाविशेषण)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- मनः
- mindmind, intent, resolve (the internal faculty to be steadied/turned toward victory)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (what is placed/held: ‘mind’)Root मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- यः ते शृङ्गवृषः नपात् प्रणपात् कुण्डपाय्यः । नि अस्मिन् दध्रः आ मनः ।
- 1) न्यस्मिन् = नि + अस्मिन् (इ/अ संधि; ‘नि’ + ‘अ’ → ‘न्य’)
- 2) दध्र॒ आ = दध्रः + आ (विसर्गसन्धिः; विसर्गः पदान्ते ‘आ’ इत्यादि स्वरारम्भे लोप/परिवर्तनं—संहितायां ‘दध्र आ’)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Ṛgvedic source attribution (as per underlying RV hymn)
- Devata
- Indra (and his empowered emanation associated with Soma-drinking)
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira and Adbhuta
Sayana treats the relative clause as identifying a specific empowered aspect/emanation of Indra associated with soma-vessels (‘kuṇḍapāyya’). The closing hemistich is read as a fixation formula: the divine resolve is ‘set’ upon the ritual subject (‘asmin’), ensuring steadiness of mind and successful outcome (especially in contest).
Rigvedic source-seer
Indra–Soma stotra tradition; strengthening (bala/kratu) through praise and Soma imagery; victory-support liturgy.
AV 20 preserves RV-style stotras as Atharvanic ‘power-speech’: the seer’s function here is to transmit a mind-fixing, courage-installing formula adaptable to domestic and royal contexts.
Indra (with an empowered Soma-drinking emanation/offspring motif)
Breaker of obstacles and hostile forces; recipient of Soma who becomes ‘charged’ to protect the sacrificer and community.
Psychosomatic strengthening: restoration of ojas/tejas through ‘installed’ resolve; supports recovery where fear and depletion weaken vitality.
Apotropaic courage; wards off intimidation and hostile pressure by establishing Indraic firmness in the subject.
4 pādas of ~8 syllables (RV-style anuṣṭubh cadence)
AVŚ 20 often preserves RV metrical habits; minor phonetic sandhi/recensional quirks may affect syllable-count in chanting.
Compact, hammering cadence suited to ‘fixing’ intent—each pāda lands like a placement (dadhre).
Produces a psychological ‘settling’ effect: the mind is suggested to sit down firmly, aligning breath and intention.
Place the soma-substitute vessel (kuṇḍa) before the subject or near the fire.
Recite the mantra while touching the vessel and then the subject’s head/heart region (manas locus) to ‘seat’ resolve.
Optionally perform a small libation from the vessel, marking the transfer of power from offering to subject.
Conclude with a sealing gesture (hand pressed down briefly) corresponding to ‘ni’ (down/into).
Kauśika Sūtra: used in rites of mental fixation/strengthening (manas-dhāraṇa) and victory, recited while touching the subject or the offering-vessel; edition-specific concordance needed for precise numbering for AV 20 citations.
Atharvan as ‘installer’ of manas: performs tactile and verbal fixation, ensuring the intended psychological effect is ritually grounded.
Recited for steadiness before contests, negotiations, examinations, or journeys; can be spoken over the head/heart as a resolve-installation.
Dawn or before undertaking the task; optionally after a simple offering of water or sweet drink as Soma-substitute.
Householder may recite; a purohita can formalize as a protective/strengthening prayoga.
Use as a short ‘resolve mantra’ with breath-counted repetition before high-stakes moments.
Soma vessel (kuṇḍa); Soma (implied by ‘drinker’)
The Soma bowl signifies a contained, ritually purified potency; ‘drinking’ marks assimilation of divine vigor that becomes mental steadiness (manas-ādhāraṇa).
Indirect: stabilizes manas and boosts ojas-like resilience, useful in convalescence, anxiety, or fatigue contexts.
Supports sattva and ojas; can be framed as calming vāta-driven restlessness by anchoring intention.
Stress resilience and performance anxiety support via focused suggestion/affirmation + paced recitation.
The ritual subject (person seeking success/steadfastness).
To implant steadfast divine resolve (manas) and Indraic courage in the ritual subject.
Nyāsa-like ‘placing’ by speech: verbal installation of a power-image (bull/offspring/Soma-drinker) onto the person’s mind-field.
Wavering, fear, intimidation, failure of nerve; by extension hostile pressure.
Bala (strength), victory-readiness, social success.
- शृङ्ग-वृषः (śṛṅga-vṛṣaḥ)
- indomitable virility; protective aggression harnessed for dharma; unshakable confidence
- नपात् / प्रणपात् (napāt / pra-napāt)
- emanated power; intensified lineage-force; a ‘second-order’ potency that surpasses the ordinary
- कुण्डपाय्यः (kuṇḍapāyyaḥ)
- Soma-current; the capacity to ‘drink’ inspiration/ojas and convert it into victory-strength
- मनस् (manas)
- resolve, intent, focused attention; the inner ‘pilot’ of action
- नि…दध्रे (ni…dadhre)
- implantation, fixation, enthronement of courage within the subject
Manas-niyama: feel the mind ‘sit down’ in one-pointed resolve under an Indraic archetype of courage.
Manipura
4-4 breathing (inhale 4, exhale 4) with each pāda; brief kumbhaka after ‘ni…dadhre’ to ‘seal’ intent.
A golden Soma-bowl at the navel radiating warmth; a horned-bull emblem above it stabilizing the mind.
Steady, vigilant, action-ready calm (sthira-vīrya).
Repeat 8 or 27 times before action; end with a moment of silence to let the ‘placement’ take effect.
RV-style udātta/anudātta/svarita as marked; keep udātta lifts on accented syllables (e.g., yás-, té, prá-, mánaḥ).
Let the cadence ‘drop’ on ni…dadhre to enact firmness; avoid speeding through compounds (śṛṅga-vṛṣa, kuṇḍa-pāyya).
Firm, chest-resonant, with a decisive close on each pāda.
Though RV-derived, it functions Atharvanically as a ‘mind-fixing’ charm; seal with a brief silence after the final manas.
27 times
Before competition, confrontation, leadership decisions, or when confidence is shaken.
Immediately before the event; also during a daily morning resolve practice for 7–21 days.
Greater steadiness, courage, and follow-through; reduced wavering and fear response.
Not a substitute for medical/mental-health care; if agitation increases, reduce repetitions and slow the breath.
The soma-vessel (‘kuṇḍa’) indexes the sacramental drink as the conduit of Indra’s force. The mantra converts a physiological intoxicant into a cognitive technology: it ‘sets’ manas, linking ingestion/offerings to mental steadiness.
It ritualizes psychological states (resolve, courage) as priest-managed outcomes. The subject’s mind is treated as a site where divine power can be installed by authorized speech and gesture.
Relative-clause structure and epithets are RV-like; the fixation formula ‘ni … dadhre manas’ is a compact liturgical idiom. AV 20’s language remains conservative, reflecting its anthology character.
Gopatha would interpret ‘mind-setting’ as a brahmanic correspondence: speech and offering establish a real linkage (bandhu) between deity and subject, making the psychological effect a ritual fact rather than mere metaphor.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Atharva Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
