Atharva Veda 4.4.2: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 4, Mantra 2
Sukta 4
उदु॒षा उदु॒ सूर्य॒ उदि॒दं मा॑म॒कं वचः॑ । उदे॑जतु प्र॒जाप॑ति॒र्वृषा॒ शुष्मे॑ण वा॒जिना॑
úd uṣā́ úd u sū́rya úd idáṁ mā́makaṁ vácaḥ | úd ejatu prajā́pátir vṛ́ṣā śúṣmeṇa vājínā ||
Up let Dawn arise, up let the Sun; up let this my utterance rise: up let Prajāpati bestir himself, the Bull, with vigor, with stallion-might.
उगा सूरज, उगा चाँद। मेरा यह बोल भी उगे। प्रजापति भी उठो, तुम बैल हो, तुम्हारा दम बड़ा है। तुम्हारा बल बड़ा है।
The meaning
What it says
A dawn-rising and sun-rising is invoked as a cosmic model: as Uṣas and Sūrya rise, so may the speaker’s utterance rise; then Prajāpati, figured as a bull with stallion-force, is roused into generative activity.
The inner meaning
The psyche is “switched on” through a sunrise-template: lethargy, shame, or impotence is treated as a kind of inner night. The mantra asserts agency (“māmakaṃ vacaḥ”) so that speech itself becomes the trigger that awakens embodied vigor.
The truth in it
Renewal is rhythmic: when one aligns personal intention and speech with recurring cosmic order (dawn/sun), dormant creative power can be reactivated.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika (Prosperity) / Bhaisajya — Vajīkaraṇa
Its aim
To rouse generative/sexual vigor by analogizing it to the daily rising of dawn and sun and by invoking Prajāpati’s procreative force.
Word by Word
Pada patha
उत् । उषाः । उत् । सूर्यः । उत् । इदम् । मामकम् । वचः । उत् । एजतु । प्रजापतिः । वृषा । शुष्मेण । वाजिना ।
- उत्
- up, forth (preverb)up, forth; an elevating/rousing particle (ritually: ‘arise!’)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (prefix), अव्ययRoot उत् (उपसर्ग)
- उषाः
- DawnDawn; awakener (here: arousal/renewal)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत्
- up, forth (preverb)up, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (prefix), अव्ययRoot उत् (उपसर्ग)
- उत्
- up, forth (preverb)up, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (prefix), अव्ययRoot उत् (उपसर्ग)
- सूर्यः
- the SunSun; energizer, life-giverNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत्
- up, forth (preverb)up, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (prefix), अव्ययRoot उत् (उपसर्ग)
- इदम्
- thisPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मामकम्
- my, belonging to meAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (इदम्/वचः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot मामक (प्रातिपदिक; मम-सम्बन्धी)
- वचः
- speech, utterancespeech, utterance; efficacious formulaNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत्
- up, forth (preverb)up, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (prefix), अव्ययRoot उत् (उपसर्ग)
- ईजतु
- let (him) worship/offer; let (him) perform the riteVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्Root ईज् (धातु; यज्-सम्बद्धः ‘पूजने/यजने’)
- प्रजापतिः
- Prajāpati (Lord of creatures)Prajāpati; lord of generation (fertility principle)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषा
- bull; virile/strong onebull; virile one (epithet of generative power)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (विशेषणरूपेण प्रजापतेः)Role KartāRoot वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शुष्मेण
- with vigor, with strengthwith vigor, impetuous strength; (sexual/creative force)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot शुष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजिना
- with the prize-winner/steed; with (one) possessing speed/strengthwith the stallion-like (power); possessing vāja (strength/virility/prize)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (सहचर/विशेषणभावे)Role KaraṇaRoot वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- उत् उषाः | उत् उत् सूर्यः | उत् इदम् मामकम् वचः | उत् ईजतु प्रजापतिः वृषा शुष्मेण वाजिना ।
- 1) उदु॒षा = उत् + उषाः (उत् + उषाḥ; तकारस्य लोपः, उ + उ → उ; लिखितरूपे ‘उदु’)
- 2) उदु॒ सूर्य॒ = उत् + उत् + सूर्यः (द्विर्वचनात्मक-उद्गार; ‘उदु’ Vedic contraction)
- 3) उदि॒दं = उत् + इदम् (तकारस्य लोपः; उ + इ → उ/उदि-रूपेण)
- 4) उदे॑जतु = उत् + ईजतु (उ + ई → उदी/उदे; संहितायां ‘उदे’)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition (not specified in excerpt)
- Devata
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Prajāpati (as generative power)
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh (probable; to be confirmed)
- Rasa
- Vira and Adbhuta
Sayana takes the repeated ‘ud’ as an arousing imperative: as dawn and sun rise, so should generative power rise in the beneficiary. ‘My speech’ is the operative mantra; Prajāpati as vṛṣā embodies procreative efficacy, stirred by śuṣma and vāja.
Unknown (Anukramaṇī attribution not supplied; Atharvanic corpus)
Paustika-bhaisajya style vajīkaraṇa: rousing vitality by aligning human potency with solar rhythm and Prajāpati’s generativity.
Typical Atharvan move: the spoken act (vāc) is made coextensive with cosmic rising, so the practitioner’s body becomes a microcosmic sunrise.
Uṣas, Sūrya, Prajāpati
Uṣas initiates daily renewal; Sūrya supplies tejas and order; Prajāpati concentrates generative sovereignty that turns rhythm into reproduction and prosperity.
Restorative energizing (countering debility/‘night’ states); supports vajīkaraṇa as renewed vitality.
Guards against decline, inertia, and loss of generative capacity by installing ‘rising’ as the default trajectory.
4 pādas of ~8 syllables; Atharvanic anustubh often tolerates resolution/irregular sandhi counts.
Likely minor metrical looseness around vocatives and compounded epithets (vṛṣā śuṣmeṇa vājinā).
Rousing, imperative cadence driven by repeated ‘ud’—a verbal lift each pāda.
Builds somatic ‘ascending’ sensation; suitable for energizing recitation at daybreak.
Perform at dawn or facing east, aligning the rite with Uṣas/Sūrya.
Recite the mantra while touching the beneficiary (head/heart/loins) to ‘raise’ vitality.
If an herb preparation is used, recite over it and then administer (drink/anoint).
Kauśika Sūtra: vajīkaraṇa sequences with sunrise/dawn timing and recitation over medicine/recipient (exact sūtra number to be fixed per edition).
Atharvan as timing-specialist: synchronizes recitation with dawn, directs touch and administration to ‘lift’ śuṣma.
Recite at dawn facing east; optionally after bathing; paired with administration of a vājīkaraṇa herb or ghee preparation.
Brahma-muhūrta to sunrise; repeated for several mornings.
Householder may recite; a purohita can formalize with offerings and herb preparation.
KauśS likely within vājīkaraṇa/bhaiṣajya applications for virility.
Used as a morning affirmation-mantra with breath and sunlight exposure.
Mantra as ‘māmakaṃ vacaḥ’ (speech-substance); Solar/dawn imagery as energizing ‘medicine’
The mantra itself is the medicine: speech is framed as a rising force that carries the body upward into vigor, aided by solar tejas.
Klaibya / vīrya-kṣaya (sexual debility; loss of vigor)
Sympathetic magic + performative speech: cosmic rising → bodily rising; Prajāpati’s generativity is invoked as an installing force.
Vājīkaraṇa; tejas/ojas support; dawn/sun imagery implies agni-dīpana and prāṇa activation.
Psychophysiological arousal support; motivation/energy priming; stress-related sexual dysfunction (supportive, not a substitute for care).
The practitioner (male client implied by vṛṣā/vājin imagery)
To rouse generative vigor and successful utterance (confidence/command) by synchronizing with dawn-sun ascent and Prajāpati’s procreative force.
Analogy + imperative ‘ud’ repetition; deity-arousal (udejatu) as catalytic command; vāc-as-substance.
Decline of potency, discouragement, ‘night’ inertia.
Fertility, progeny, household well-being through virility.
- उद् (ud)
- activation; lifting of vitality and confidence
- उषाः (uṣāḥ)
- first stirring of desire, hope, and physiological arousal
- सूर्यः (sūryaḥ)
- full illumination; heat/tejas that consolidates potency
- मामकम् वचः (māmakaṃ vacaḥ)
- vāc as pharmakon—self-directed command that installs a new state
- प्रजापतिः (prajāpatiḥ)
- generative intelligence; procreative coherence
- वृषा (vṛṣā)
- archetype of virility, fertility, and assertive strength
- शुष्म (śuṣma)
- surging life-force; erectile/creative impetus
- वाजिन् (vājin)
- sexual potency as dynamic, forward-driving energy
Synchronize intention with the ‘rising’ current (udāna/prāṇa uplift) and awaken creative energy without agitation.
svādhiṣṭhāna (generativity) with support from maṇipūra (tejas)
Gentle sūrya-bhedana or slow inhale-count emphasizing ‘ud’ on the rise; avoid strain.
A red-gold dawn in the pelvis rising to a steady solar disk at the navel/heart, stabilizing vigor.
Wakeful, luminous, goal-directed (sattva with energized rajas).
Recite in an upright seat; feel each ‘ud’ as a lift of spine and confidence; conclude with a moment of stillness to ‘set’ the state.
Use a steady udātta emphasis on repeated ‘ud’ openings; keep cadence even across pādas.
Punch ‘ud’ clearly; keep vocatives (sūrya, prajāpatiḥ, indra not here) slightly lifted; avoid dragging consonant clusters.
Bright, projecting, morning-voice; not harsh.
Best paired with sunrise exposure; Atharvanic ‘ud’ formulas are performative—treat each repetition as an installation of state.
21 times
Low vitality, reduced libido, trying for conception, or needing confident ‘voice’ in intimate life.
At dawn for 7–21 days; especially after rest, bathing, and before food.
Improved sense of vigor, confidence, and generative intention; supportive to vājīkaraṇa regimens.
Not a medical treatment for endocrine/cardiovascular causes of ED; avoid if the practice increases agitation/insomnia—reduce repetitions and add cooling routines.
Even without naming a plant, the mantra itself is treated as a stimulant: ‘my speech’ is a causal agent. When paired with an herb (as in adjacent verses), the mantra provides the arousal-template that the substance is made to follow.
The beneficiary’s bodily state is made dependent on ritually authorized speech and correct temporal alignment (dawn). This privileges priestly control over time, directionality, and efficacious utterance.
The insistent performative ‘ud’ series is a pragmatic Atharvanic style: the mantra enacts what it commands. The explicit self-referential ‘māmakaṃ vacaḥ’ foregrounds speech-act efficacy.
Gopatha’s emphasis on brahman as operative power fits the verse’s self-reference: the utterance rises like the sun and thereby raises vitality. Prajāpati’s role supplies a cosmogonic warrant for fertility rites.
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