Atharva Veda 20.73.5: Kanda 20, Anuvaka 8, Sukta 73, Mantra 5

Sukta 73

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

सो चि॒न्नु वृ॒ष्टिर्यू॒थ्या॒३ स्वा सचां॒ इन्द्रः॒ श्मश्रू॑णि॒ हरि॑ता॒भि प्रु॑ष्णुते । अव॑ वेति सु॒क्षयं॑ सु॒ते मधूदिद् धू॑णोति॒ वातो॒ यथा॒ वन॑म्

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 20.73.5

IAST Transliteration

só cid nú vṛṣṭír yūthyā̀ svā́ sacā́m índraḥ śmaśrū́ṇi haritā́bhi prá uṣṇute | áva veti sukṣáyaṃ suté mádhu íd dhū́ṇoti vā́to yáthā́ vánam

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Even he—like rain in companies, with his own host—Indra bedeweth his beards with the tawny steeds. Down he hasteth to the fair abode; at the pressed (soma) he shaketh forth sweetness, as wind a forest.

Translation

इंद्र बारिश के मौसम में अपनी सेना के साथ आता है। उसके घोड़े पीली चमक देते हैं। वो अच्छी जगह पे जल्दी पहुँचता है, सोमा पी के मीठा रस निकालता है, जैसे हवा जंगल को हिला देती है।

The meaning

What it says

Indra, with his own troop like rain in companies, bedews his beard with the tawny steeds; he hastens down to a fair dwelling; at the pressed soma he shakes out sweetness like wind shaking a forest.

The inner meaning

When inner power moves with a coherent ‘host’ (integrated faculties), it moistens dryness (fatigue, cynicism) and descends into a ‘good dwelling’ (stable mind-body). From disciplined effort (pressed soma) it releases ‘sweetness’—reward, joy, nourishment—while scattering inertia like wind through trees.

The truth in it

Abundance follows preparation: when the offering is pressed (work done, practice completed), sweetness can be shaken forth; obstacles disperse when energy moves in organized force.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Paustika (Prosperity) with Soma-rite coloration

Its aim

To attract Indra to the ‘good dwelling’ and to stimulate an abundant outpouring of sweetness/prosperity, while dispersing obstacles like wind shaking a forest.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

सः । चित् । नु । वृष्टिः । यूथ्या । स्वाः । सचाम् । इन्द्रः । श्मश्रूणि । हरिताभिः । प्रुष्णुते । अव । वेति । सु-क्षयम् । सुते । मधु । इत् । धूणोति । वातः । यथा । वनम्

सः

hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

चित्

indeed, eveneven, indeed (emphatic)Indeclinableअव्ययम्Root चित् (निपात)

नु

now, indeednow (immediacy)Indeclinableअव्ययम्Root नु (निपात)

वृष्टिः

rain, showerNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot वृष्टि- (प्रातिपदिक; √वृष्)

यूथ्या

in a troop/clustered (massive)belonging to the troop/herd (massive, in a host; ‘in companies’)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (वृष्टेः विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot यूथ्य- (प्रातिपदिक)

स्वा

own, of itselfAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (वृष्टेः विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot स्व- (प्रातिपदिक)

सचाम्

accompanying, joined (with)accompanying, in company with (together with his own host)Participle/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (वृष्टिम्—‘सचाम्’ = ‘सहचरन्तीम्/सहिता’ इति)Role KarmaRoot √सच् (समवाये) / सच्- (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

इन्द्रः

IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)

श्मश्रूणि

beards, whiskersbeards/moustaches (anthropomorphic vigor-sign; bristling power)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot श्मश्रु- (प्रातिपदिक)

हरिताभिः

with the tawny (mares)with the tawny ones (his bay steeds; or tawny rays—Sayana often keeps ‘harit’ as horses)Noun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot हरिता- (प्रातिपदिक)

प्रुष्णुते

sprinkles, besprinklessprinkles, besprinkles, makes to drip (like rain; also ‘bedews’—image of overflowing potency)Verbलट्, आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √प्रुष् (सिञ्चने/प्रक्षरणे)

अव

down, awayIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root अव (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

वेति

goes, movesgoes, moves, hastens (motion of the god; also ‘approaches’)Verbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √वे (गत्यर्थे) / √वा (वेग/गमन)

सुक्षयम्

good dwelling/abode; good homegood dwelling, good abode; secure settlement (prosperous habitation)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot सु-क्षय- (प्रातिपदिक)

सुते

in the pressed (Soma)at the pressed (soma), when soma is pressed; in the soma-rite contextNounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम् (लोके ‘सुते’ = ‘सोमे सुते’)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot सुत- (प्रातिपदिक; √सु ‘to press’ सोम) / सुत (कृदन्त)

मधु

honey, sweetnesssweetness, honey; sweet drink (often soma’s sweetness; prosperity metaphor)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot मधु- (प्रातिपदिक)

उत्

up, forthIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root उत् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

इत्

just, indeedindeed (emphatic)Indeclinableअव्ययम्Root इत् (निपात)

धूणोति

shakes, tossesshakes, tosses, whirls (violent motion; dispersal of foes/obstacles)Verbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √धू (कम्पने) / √धूण् (धूनने)

वातः

windNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot वात- (प्रातिपदिक)

यथा

as, likeIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root यथा (अव्यय)

वनम्

forest, wooda forest, wood (object shaken by wind; image of overwhelming force)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वन- (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• सः चित् नु वृष्टिः यूथ्या स्वा सचाम् इन्द्रः श्मश्रूणि हरिताभिः प्रुष्णुते । अव वेति सुक्षयम् सुते मधु उत् इत् धूणोति वातः यथा वनम् ।
• (1) चि॒न्नु = चित् + नु (व्यञ्जन-सन्धिः: त् + न् → न्न्)
• (2) वृ॒ष्टिर्यू॒थ्या = वृष्टिः + यूथ्या (विसर्ग-सन्धिः: ः + य् → र् + य्)
• (3) मधूदिद् = मधु + उत् + इत् (उद्/उत्-उपसर्गः; उ + उ → ऊ; ततः ‘ऊ’ + ‘इ’ संयोगे पदपाठे ‘उत् इत्’ इति पृथक्)
• (4) अन्यत्र पदान्त-स्वर-सन्धयः पदपाठे पृथक्कृताः (अव वेति, यथा वनम् इत्यादि)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Rigvedic provenance (per AV 20 anukramaṇī).

Devata

Indra

Chandas

Triṣṭubh

Rasa

Adbhuta and Vira

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