Atharva Veda 20.51.3: Kanda 20, Anuvaka 6, Sukta 51, Mantra 3

Sukta 51

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

प्र सु श्रु॒तं सु॒राध॑स॒मर्चा॑ श॒क्रम॒भिष्ट॑ये । यः सु॑न्व॒ते स्तु॑व॒ते काम्यं॒ वसु॑ स॒हस्रे॑णेव॒ मंह॑ते

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 20.51.3

IAST Transliteration

prá sú śrutáṃ surā́dhasam árcā śakrám abhíṣṭaye | yáḥ sunváte stúvate kāmyáṃ vásu sahásreṇeva máṃhate

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Praise forth, yea praise, the famed and bounteous Śakra for our succor: who to the Soma-presser, to the singer, grants the wished-for good, as though he lavished it a thousandfold.

Translation

इंद्र की तारीफ करो, उसका नाम सुना हुआ है और वो बहुत देने वाला है। जो लोग उसकी पूजा करते हैं और उसके लिए गाते हैं, उनको वो वो चीज़ देता है जो वो चाहते हैं। हज़ारों गुना ज़्यादा देता है।

The meaning

What it says

A direct stotra: praise the well-known, generous Śakra (Indra) for immediate aid; he grants the Soma-presser and singer the desired wealth, as if a thousandfold.

The inner meaning

Sustained praise (stuti) disciplines attention and confidence; the mind that ‘presses Soma’ (extracts essence through effort) and ‘sings’ (articulates intention) becomes receptive to timely help and abundance.

The truth in it

When aspiration is clarified and effort is ritually/ethically aligned, supportive forces (social, psychological, cosmic) amplify outcomes beyond linear expectation.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Paustika (Prosperity) with protective intent (abhishti)

Its aim

To obtain aid/protection and the ‘desired wealth’ for the soma-pressing, hymn-singing patron.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

प्र । सु । श्रु॒तम् । सु॒राध॑सम् । अर्चा॑ । श॒क्रम् । अ॒भिष्ट॑ये । यः । सु॒न्व॒ते । स्तु॑व॒ते । काम्य॑म् । वसु॑ । स॒हस्रे॑ण । इ॒व॒ । मंह॑ते

प्र

forth, forward (preverb)forth; forward (begin the laud)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियाविशेषक)Root प्र (उपसर्ग)

सु

well, good (preverb)well; excellently (intensifier of correct/auspicious performance)Indeclinableउपसर्गRoot सु (उपसर्ग)

श्रुतम्

heard of; renownedrenowned; well-heard-of (Indra as famed for giving and victory)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Karma (स्तुत्य-वस्तु) / विशेष्यRoot श्रुत (√श्रु ‘to hear’)

सु

well (intensifier)well; excellently (intensifier of correct/auspicious performance)Indeclinableउपसर्गRoot सु (उपसर्ग)

राधसम्

bounty, generosity, wealthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (स्तुत्य-वस्तु) / विशेष्यRoot राधस् (प्रातिपदिक)

अर्चा

I shall/let me praisepraise! sing! (imperative; performative utterance)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √अर्च् (to praise, worship)

शक्रम्

Śakra (Indra)the mighty one; Śakra (Indra as powerful)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (स्तुत्यः)Root शक्र (इन्द्र-नाम, प्रातिपदिक)

अभिष्टये

for help; for aidfor help; for succor; for desired aid (purpose of the hymn)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole Sampradāna (प्रयोजन/हित)Root अभिष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)

यः

whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धवाक्ये)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

सुन्वते

to the Soma-presserto the presser (of soma); to him who pressesNoun/Participleपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole Sampradāna (यस्य हिताय)Root √सु (to press Soma) → सुन्वत्

स्तुवते

to the praiserto the praiser; to him who laudsNoun/Participleपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole Sampradāna (यस्य हिताय)Root √स्तु (to praise) → स्तुवत्

काम्यम्

desirable, wished-fordesirable; wished-for (object of request)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (वसु-विशेषण)Root काम्य (प्रातिपदिक; from काम ‘desire’)

वसु

wealth, goodwealth; good (cattle, treasure; prosperity-substance)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (ददाति/प्रयच्छति—अध्याहृत)Root वसु (प्रातिपदिक)

सहस्रेण

with a thousand; by a thousandwith a thousand (thousandfold measure of giving)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole Karaṇa (उपमान-प्रयोगे साधनवत्)Root सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)

इव

like, asas if; likeIndeclinableउपमानार्थक-अव्ययRoot इव (निपात)

मंहते

bestows; grants generouslyhe grants; he bestows richly (lavishes; makes abundant)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole — (क्रिया; कर्ता = यः/शक्रः)Root √मंह्/√मह् (to grant, bestow; be liberal)

Sandhi Notes

• प्र | सु | श्रुतम् | सु | राधसम् | अर्चा | शक्रम् | अभिष्टये | यः | सुन्वते | स्तुवते | काम्यम् | वसु | सहस्रेण | इव | मंहते । मुख्य-सन्धि/संहिता-टिप्पणी:
• (1) सुश्रुतम् = सु + श्रुतम् (उपसर्ग/निपात ‘सु’ + क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘श्रुतम्’).
• (2) सुराधसम् = सु + राधसम्.
• (3) अर्चा शक्रम्—पदसंहिता में ‘अर्चा’ के दीर्घ ‘आ’ के बाद ‘श’ आरम्भ होने से केवल संहिता-प्रवाह
• विशेष सन्धि-परिवर्तन नहीं.
• (4) सहस्रेणेव = सहस्रेण + इव (एव-रूप: अ + इ → ए)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Ṛgvedic provenance (Indra stotra source)

Devata

Indra (Śakra)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh

Rasa

Vira 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