Atharva Veda 3.17.6: Kanda 3, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 17, Mantra 6
Sukta 17
शु॒नं वा॒हाः शु॒नं नरः॑ शु॒नं कृ॑षतु॒ लाङ्ग॑लम्। शु॒नं व॑र॒त्रा ब॑ध्य॒न्तां शु॒नमष्ट्रा॒मुदि॑ङ्गय
śunáṃ vāhā́ḥ śunáṃ náraḥ śunáṃ kṛṣatu lā́ṅgalam | śunáṃ varatrā́ badhyántāṃ śunám aṣṭrā́m úd iṅgaya ||
Auspicious be the teams, auspicious the men; auspiciously let the plough do its ploughing. Auspiciously let the traces be fastened; auspiciously ply thou the goad.
बैल अच्छे हों और किसान भी अच्छा काम करे। हल अच्छे से चलके ज़मीन जोड़े। बैल की रस्सी अच्छे से बाँधे और तुम संभाल के चलाओ।
The meaning
What it says
A blessing of śunam (“auspicious success”) upon the entire ploughing operation: the draught-teams, the men, the plough’s cutting, the fastening of traces, and the driving of the goad.
The inner meaning
A coordinated psyche: intention (men), vital energies (teams), disciplined effort (ploughing), secure bonds (traces), and directed will (goad) are all aligned so work proceeds without friction or mishap.
The truth in it
Prosperity arises when every link in a system is harmonized; ‘good fortune’ is not random but cultivated by right alignment, secure connections, and skillful direction.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika (Prosperity/Agricultural increase)
Its aim
To remove operational obstacles in ploughing—animal control, human coordination, implement function, and harness security.
Word by Word
Pada patha
शु॒नम् । वा॒हाः । शु॒नम् । नरः॑ । शु॒नम् । कृ॑षतु । लाङ्ग॑लम् । शु॒नम् । व॑र॒त्राः । ब॑ध्य॒न्ताम् । शु॒नम् । अष्ट्रा॑म् । उद् । इ॑ङ्गय ।
- शुनम्
- auspiciously; wellauspiciously; prosperity-formula repeated as a protective ‘setting’ for each componentIndeclinableअव्यय (न विभक्ति-लिङ्ग-वचन)Role विशेषणभावे (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root शुनम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक; ‘शुभ/कल्याण’)
- वाहाः
- the draft-animals / carriersdraught-animals/teams; the pullers of the ploughNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot वाह (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वाह’ = वहनकर्ता/वाहक)
- शुनम्
- auspiciouslyauspiciously; blessing on the human/animal systemIndeclinableअव्ययRole विशेषणभावेRoot शुनम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
- नरः
- menmen; the workers/ploughmenNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (वैदिके ‘नरः’ = ‘नराः’)Role KartāRoot नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- शुनम्
- auspiciouslyauspiciously; blessing on the act itselfIndeclinableअव्ययRole विशेषणभावेRoot शुनम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
- कृषतु
- let (him/it) ploughlet it/let them plough; perform cultivation successfullyVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (अकर्मक/सकर्मक) क्रिया; कर्ता-सम्बन्धः पूर्वपदाभ्याम्Root कृष् (धातु; ‘कर्षणे/कृषौ’)
- लाङ्गलम्
- the ploughthe plough; principal implement of field-openingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot लाङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
- शुनम्
- auspiciouslyauspiciously; blessing on the binding/assemblyIndeclinableअव्ययRole विशेषणभावेRoot शुनम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
- वरत्राः
- the straps / reinstraces/ropes; harnessing straps that bind the team to the ploughNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot वरत्रा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘रज्जु/बन्धन-रज्जु’)
- बध्यन्ताम्
- let them be fastenedlet them be bound/fastened; secure fastening to prevent mishapVerbलोट्, आत्मनेपद (कर्मणि/मध्यभावे), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रिया; कर्ता = ‘वरत्राः’Root बन्ध् (धातु; ‘बन्धने’)
- शुनम्
- auspiciouslyauspiciously; blessing on the goad/impulseIndeclinableअव्ययRole विशेषणभावेRoot शुनम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
- अष्ट्राम्
- the goadgoad/whip; stimulus tool for the teamNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अष्ट्रा’ = अङ्कुश/प्रेरक-उपकरण, goad)
- उदिङ्गय
- raise/brandish; set in motion (the goad)Verbलोट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (वैदिक-आदेशरूपम्)Role क्रिया; कर्म = ‘अष्ट्राम्’Root उद्-इङ्गय (धातु-समास; इङ्ग्/इङ्गय ‘चलने/प्रेरणे’ + उद्)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: शुनम् | वाहाः | शुनम् | नरः | शुनम् | कृषतु | लाङ्गलम् | शुनम् | वरत्राः | बध्यन्ताम् | शुनम् | अष्ट्राम् | उदिङ्गय । वैदिकविशेषाः:
- (1) ‘नरः’ इति रूपं प्रथमा-बहुवचने ‘नराः’ अर्थे (वैदिक-प्रयोगः)।
- (2) ‘बध्यन्ताम्’ लोट्-आत्मनेपदं कर्मणि/मध्यभावे ‘let them be bound’ इत्यर्थे।
- (3) ‘उदिङ्गय’ इति वैदिक-आज्ञार्थ-रूपं
- उद्-उपसर्गेण ‘उत्थापय/प्रेरय’ इत्यर्थः।
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic/Angirasa tradition (anukramaṇī-dependent)
- Devata
- Auspiciousness (śunam) applied to ploughing apparatus; implicitly Śunāsīrau/field-fertility complex
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta and Vira
Sāyaṇa treats the repeated ‘śunam’ as a benedictive charm securing freedom from obstacles at each stage: animals, workers, implement, harnessing, and driving. ‘Varatrāḥ’ are the binding-ropes whose secure fastening prevents breakdown; ‘aṣṭrā’ is the goad, to be used so that the work proceeds briskly and safely.
Anukramaṇī-unspecified (Atharvanic corpus; Śaunaka AV 3.17)
Paustika field-rites: securing smooth agricultural operations, auspicious coordination of people, animals, and implements.
Embodies Atharvan ‘beneficent magic’: blessing the mundane mechanics of livelihood so that ṛta-like order is mirrored in the household economy.
Śunam (Auspiciousness) operative in ploughing; implicit Śunāsīrau complex
Turns labor into gain by aligning action with favorable cosmic currents; removes ‘operational’ obstacles in agriculture.
Protects against mishap in yoking, breakage of gear, loss of control over animals, and human mis-coordination.
4 pādas of ~8 syllables (Atharvanic flexibility with sandhi and pragmatic diction)
AV anuṣṭubh often tolerates minor syllabic irregularity and ‘work-song’ cadence; here repetition of śunam provides a refrain-like propulsion.
Incantatory, rhythmic, and procedural—like a checklist sanctified by mantra.
Builds confidence and steadiness; the repeated śunam ‘locks in’ auspiciousness over each step of the task.
During yoking, the priest recites the ‘varatrā badhyantām’ segment as the traces are tied.
When the plough is positioned and the first pull begins, he recites the ‘kṛṣatu lāṅgalam’ segment.
As the driver raises the goad, the priest recites ‘śunám aṣṭrām úd iṅgaya,’ synchronizing utterance with the gesture.
The full mantra may be repeated at the start of each furrow to maintain uninterrupted auspiciousness.
Kauśika Sūtra: kṛṣikarman for AV 3.17 (recited while yoking and setting the plough in motion).
Atharvan priest as operational ‘systems’ guarantor: he times mantra to yoking, launch, and driving, ensuring the rite’s technical success.
Recite at the start of ploughing while yoking, fastening traces, and taking up the goad; optionally sprinkle the yoke/ropes with clean water as a secondary act of śānti.
First furrow; morning; waxing fortnight preferred in many agrarian customs.
Householder may perform; a purohita can formalize with offering and direction of rite.
Kauśika Sūtra: associated with kṣetra-karma/field rites (general placement; exact sūtra numbering varies by edition).
Used as a ‘start-of-work’ blessing for farming, gardening, or beginning a major livelihood project.
plough (lāṅgala); traces/ropes (varatrā); goad (aṣṭrā); draught-animals (vāha)
Implements become ‘charged’ nodes: rope = binding order, plough = transformative discipline, goad = measured force, animals = prāṇa harnessed to purpose.
Occupational safety and process reliability: reducing accidents and errors by ritualized attention and positive priming.
Field operation (teams, men, plough apparatus).
Ensure successful, obstacle-free ploughing through auspicious empowerment of workers, animals, and gear.
Verbal ‘consecration-by-enumeration’: naming each component and sealing it with śunam; performative speech as operational blessing.
Harness failure, animal misbehavior, tool malfunction, inauspicious starts, waste of labor.
Agriculture, yield, household sustenance.
- śunam
- the ‘right-going’ current that removes obstacles and makes action fruitful
- vāhāḥ
- life-forces that carry one’s work forward
- naraḥ
- agency, planning, cooperative order
- lāṅgala
- disciplined penetration of inertia; transforming raw ground into yield
- varatrāḥ
- bonds, commitments, the integrity of connections
- aṣṭrā
- directed impetus; timely corrective force
- ud iṅgaya
- activate resolve; initiate the work-current
Right alignment of effort: harmonize ‘drivers’ (mind), ‘teams’ (energies), and ‘implements’ (skills).
Manipura (work/agency) with grounding into Muladhara (stability).
Moderate, steady nasal breathing; brief pause after each śunam for ‘sealing’ the intention.
See each component of your work-system lit with a clear, warm light; knots secure, movement smooth.
Task-samadhi: calm, alert, embodied focus.
Recite before beginning work; then act with the same ordered sequence named in the verse—mindful yoking, fastening, initiating.
Simple Atharvanic recitation; maintain even tone with slight lift on repeated śunam as refrain.
Respect udātta on marked syllables in śunám; keep pāda breaks clear after each clause (teams/men/plough/traces/goad).
Firm, practical, work-blessing tone; not overly soft.
Well-suited to recite while physically touching/inspecting the implements—speech and action yoked together.
3 times
Clean and inspect tools/ropes; Offer a small first portion (anna/til/sesame) to household fire or to the field-edge; Begin with a clear plan and roles for helpers
Beginning ploughing, planting, or any complex coordinated work (farm, construction, team operations).
Before starting; again when fastening critical connections (ropes, straps, agreements).
Smoother coordination, fewer errors, steadier animals/energies, confident start.
Do not substitute mantra for safe handling of animals/tools; treat it as attention-training and blessing, not risk removal.
Botanical yield is approached indirectly: the mantra optimizes the production chain (labor + animal traction + tools). In Atharvanic logic, preventing mishap in the technical process is itself a fertility measure.
It encodes a managed agrarian workplace: men, animals, and equipment are coordinated under ritual speech. The priestly role extends into ‘technology management,’ sacralizing practical know-how.
The dense repetition of a single auspicious adverb (‘śunam’) as a modular blessing is typical of Atharvanic charm style. The lexicon of implements (lāṅgala, varatrā, aṣṭrā) foregrounds material culture more than RV’s predominantly laudatory register.
Gopatha’s Atharvanic perspective treats correct performance and correct utterance as mutually reinforcing; here, the mantra is effectively a verbal ‘checklist’ that ritually validates each operational step.
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