Atharva Veda 4.15.1: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 15, Mantra 1

Sukta 15

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

वृष्टिः। स॒मुत्प॑तन्तु प्र॒दिशो॑ नभ॑स्वतीः॒ सम॒भ्राणि॒ वात॑जूतानि यन्तु । म॒ह॒ऋ॒ष॒भस्य॒ नद॑तो॒ नभ॑स्वतो वा॒श्रा आपः॑ पृथि॒वीं त॑र्पयन्तु

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 4.15.1

IAST Transliteration

vr̥ṣṭíḥ | samútpatantu pradíśo nabhasvatī́ḥ sám abhrā́ṇi vātájūtāni yantu | mahār̥ṣabhásya nádataḥ nabhasvató vāśrā́ ā́paḥ pr̥thivī́ṃ tarpayantu

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Rain. Let the cloud-bearing regions spring up together; let the wind-driven clouds move in a mass. Let the strong waters of the great Bull, of the thundering, clouded one, refresh and satisfy the Earth.

Translation

बारिश आए। बादल वाले आसमान उभर आए। हवा के साथ बादल ढेर सारे आए। भगवान इंद्र के पानी, जो बादल में गरजते हैं, वो धरती को निहाल करें। धरती को गीला करके तरपुआ दें।

The meaning

What it says

A rain-charm: clouds from all directions gather; wind drives them as one mass; the roaring “great Bull” releases strong waters that satiate Earth.

The inner meaning

The psyche’s scattered energies (quarters) are summoned into coherence (sam-), propelled by disciplined breath-force (vāta) until the inner ‘thunder’ releases a cleansing emotional rain that restores groundedness (pṛthivī).

The truth in it

Fertility arises when dispersed forces synchronize: when direction, wind, and water cooperate, life renews; when mind, breath, and feeling align, the ‘dry season’ ends.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Paustika (Prosperity) / Bhaisajya-adjacent (drought-relief as communal health)

Its aim

To induce rainfall by summoning clouds from all quarters, mobilizing wind-driven cloud-masses, and directing the rain-waters to replenish the earth.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

Pada patha

वृष्टिः । सम्-उत्पतन्तु । प्रदिशः । नभस्वतीः । सम् । अभ्राणि । वात-जूतानि । यन्तु । महा-ऋषभस्य । नदतः । नभस्वतः । वाश्राः । आपः । पृथिवीम् । तर्पयन्तु

वृष्टिः

rain; rainfallrainfall; the desired downpour (personified as a power)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (आशीर्वचन/विध्यर्थे—‘वृष्टिः (भवतु)’)Root वृष्टि- (√वृष् ‘वर्षणे’ से निष्पन्न भाववाचक)

सम्

together; completelytogether, in conjunction (confluence of cloud-masses)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियायोगे)Root सम् (उपसर्ग)

उत्

up; forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियायोगे)Root उत् (उपसर्ग)

पतन्तु

let (them) fly/fallVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole — (क्रिया)Root √पत् (पतने)

प्रदिशः

the directions (quarters)the regions/quarters around (all directions as sources of clouds)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot प्रदिश्- (प्र + दिश् ‘दिशा’)

नभस्वतीः

cloud-bearing; sky-filledcloud-bearing, sky-possessing (laden with rain)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (प्रदिशः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण)Root नभस्वत्- (नभस् + वत्)

सम्

togethertogether, in conjunction (confluence of cloud-masses)Indeclinableउपसर्गRoot सम् (उपसर्ग)

अभ्राणि

cloudsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अभ्र-

वातजूतानि

driven by the windwind-driven, impelled by the wind (meteorological propulsion)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (अभ्राणि इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root वातजूत- (वात + जूत ‘प्रेरित/वेगित’)

यन्तु

let (them) go/comelet them go/come, proceed (toward the ritual locale)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole — (क्रिया)Root √या (गत्यर्थे)

महाऋषभस्य

of the great bullNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root महाऋषभ- (महा + ऋषभ)

नदतः

of (him) roaringroaring, thundering (audible sign of rain’s approach)Kṛdanta (Participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (महाऋषभस्य इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root √नद् (नादे)

नभस्वतः

of the sky(-one); of the cloud-bearing onecloudy, sky-laden; possessing the rain-bearing heavenAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root नभस्वत्-

वाश्राः

roaring; rushing (waters)strong/impetuous (waters), ‘bellowing’ or ‘rushing’ streams (Sāyaṇa: balavatyaḥ)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (आपः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root वाश्र-

आपः

watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अप्- (आप्-)

पृथिवीम्

the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पृथिवी-

तर्पयन्तु

let (them) satisfy/refreshlet them satisfy, refresh, fill (make fertile; quench drought)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच् (प्रेरणार्थ)Role — (क्रिया)Root √तृप् (तर्पणे/प्रीणने; caus. तर्पय-)

Sandhi Notes

• पाठे ‘स॒मुत्प॑तन्तु’ = सम् + उत् + पतन्तु (उपसर्ग-संयोग). ‘सम॒भ्राणि॒’ = सम् + अभ्राणि. ‘वात॑जूतानि’ समास/तद्धित-विशेषण (वातेन जूतानि). ‘म॒ह॒ऋ॒ष॒भस्य॒’ = महा + ऋषभ (समास) + षष्ठी. ‘नदतो नभस्वतो’—द्वौ षष्ठी-एकवचनौ विशेषणौ (नदतः शतृ-कृदन्तः; नभस्वतः विशेषण-प्रातिपदिकम्). ‘वाश्रा आपः’—विशेषण-विशेष्य. ‘पृथिवीं तर्पयन्तु’—कर्म-क्रिया
• तर्पयन्तु = √तृप् का णिच्-प्रयोगः

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Traditionally Atharvanic seers for rain-hymns (specific r̥ṣi depends on anukramaṇī)

Devata

Vṛṣṭi (Rain), Parjanya/Indra-like rain-bull, Āpaḥ (Waters)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh-like movement (longer cadence), though Atharvanic transmission may be irregular

Rasa

Adbhuta and Shanta

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