Sukta 5
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (anonymous)
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable)
This short Paustika hymn is a domestic prosperity-charm that raises a person’s varcas (splendour, social radiance) and secures increase in wealth, mastery among peers, and abundant progeny. Agni, fed with ghee, is the primary elevating power; Indra grants eminence and longevity; Soma and Brahmaṇaspati provide divine assent, sealing the household’s growth through oblation.
Kind of charm
In this hymn
Addressed to
Mantras
Mantra 1
वर्चः प्राप्तिः उदे॑नमुत्त॒रं न॒याग्ने॑ घृ॒तेना॑हुत । समे॑नं॒ वर्च॑सा सृज प्र॒जया॑ च ब॒हुं कृ॑धि
अग्नि, जब तुम्हे घी में डाला जाता है, तब इस आदमी को आगे बढ़ाओ। उसमें चमक डालो और उसकी औलाद को बहुत बना दो।
Mantra 2
इन्द्रे॒मं प्र॑त॒रं कृ॑धि सजा॒ताना॑मसद् व॒शी। रा॒यस्पोषे॑ण॒ सं सृ॑ज जी॒वात॑वे ज॒रसे॑ नय
इंद्र, इस आदमी को उसके बराबर लोगों में सबसे ऊपर कर दो। उसको धन और समृद्धि दे दो। उसको लंबी उम्र तक जियो और बुढ़ापे तक पहुँचाओ।
Mantra 3
यस्य॑ कृ॒ण्मो ह॒विर्गृ॒हे तम॑ग्ने वर्धया॒ त्वम्। तस्मै॒ सोमो॒ अधि॑ ब्रवद॒यं च॒ ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पतिः॑
जिस घर में हम हवि डालते हैं, अग्नि उस आदमी को बड़ा कर दे। सोम ने उसकी तारीफ की है, और ब्रह्मणस्पति भी उसके साथ हैं।
Inside Sukta 5
How it unfolds
- How it opens
Agni is addressed as the ghee-fed power who can ‘lead the man upward’ and unite him with varcas.
- What it asks
Splendour/status, peer-eminent mastery, wealth with thriving, abundant progeny, and a life carried forward to old age.
- Where its power lies
The rite’s efficacy is implied by the successful household oblation: the one in whose house the offering is made is increased by Agni.
- How it closes
Divine confirmation: Soma ‘speaks in approval’ and Brahmaṇaspati concurs, sealing the blessing with authoritative assent.
Famous verses
उत्त॒रं न॒याग्ने॑ (lead upward, O Agni)जी॒वात॑वे ज॒रसे॑ नय (lead on for life, lead on to old age)Kind of hymn
Paustika (prosperity; splendor and fertility)
What it is for
To raise the client’s splendour and rank, make him pre-eminent among peers, unite him with wealth and thriving, and secure abundant offspring and long life, especially for the house where oblation is performed.
Who it is for
Householders and patrons performing or hosting a ghee/havis offering; a family seeking reputation, increase, progeny, and stable longevity.
Also used as
- Gṛhya/Domestic rite
- Āyuṣya (longevity)
- Saubhāgya/Śrī (fortune, splendour)
- Praja-kāma (progeny-seeking)
The deity
Indra embodies eminence and lordship among peers; Soma represents auspicious approval and flourishing; Brahmaṇaspati guarantees the efficacy of sacred speech and rite.
Powers of the deity
- Elevates the client (‘leads upward’) through accepted oblation
- Bestows varcas (splendour, reputation, authority-bearing radiance)
- Grants increase: prosperity, thriving (poṣa), and household growth
- Secures progeny and abundance
- Confers social mastery among equals (peer-group dominance)
- Extends life and leads to old age (jaras)
- Ratifies the rite through Soma’s assent and Brahmaṇaspati’s sanction
Why the deity is called
Invoked to convert a simple domestic offering into visible status, prosperity, fertility, and long life, with multiple divine authorities affirming the householder’s increase.
The seer
- Anonymous Atharvanic seerAtharvan. Paustika rites for varcas (brilliance/status), household increase, prosperity-through-offering, and long-life blessings integrated with domestic Agni worship
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 6.1–6.7 (cluster of short domestic/paustika charms, commonly transmitted without individual seer names)
- AV 3.12 (varcas-type prosperity prayer; tradition often treats such pieces as Atharvanic/anonymous)
Preparing for the rite
- Kindle and steady the domestic fire (gārhapatya-like hearth) in a clean space.
- Prepare ghṛta (ghee) and a simple havis (food oblation such as cooked grain/cake) according to household capacity.
- Seat the beneficiary (client/householder) facing the fire; maintain silence and purity (hands washed, mind composed).
The rite
- At 6.5.1, offer ghee into Agni while reciting, intending ‘leading upward’ and varcas with progeny.
- At 6.5.2, recite as a blessing over the beneficiary (optionally with a small offering or touch/gesture of bestowal), aiming at eminence, wealth, thriving, and longevity.
- At 6.5.3, offer havis in the house-fire and recite to ‘increase’ the householder, concluding with the sense of Soma’s and Brahmaṇaspati’s approval (ritual ratification).
What it needs
- Ghṛta (ghee) for oblation
- Havis (simple food offering; unspecified in the text)
- Domestic fire (Agni) and offering implement (ladle/spoon)
When
Favourable on a bright fortnight day, at morning/evening household offering times; also suitable at beginnings (new undertaking, moving into a house, marriage/household establishment).
The main substance
Ghṛta (ghee) offered into Agni
How it is prepared
Warm/clarify ghee if needed; keep it clean in a dedicated vessel. Offer small measured portions into a steady domestic flame while reciting the mantras with the beneficiary’s name mentally intended.
Frequently Asked Questions
It asks for the full Paustika set: varcas (splendour/status), wealth with thriving (poṣa), abundant progeny (prajā), and a life carried to old age.
Agni is the domestic ritual power who ‘raises’ the person through accepted ghee-offering; Indra is invoked to add social eminence, mastery among peers, and longevity.
No special herbs or amulets are mentioned. The text emphasizes a simple household offering—especially ghee into the fire—paired with recitation and intention for the beneficiary/house.
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