Atharva Veda 7.17.4: Kanda 7, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 17, Mantra 4

Sukta 17

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

धा॒ता रा॒तिः स॑वि॒तेदं जु॑षन्तां प्र॒जाप॑तिर्नि॒धिप॑तिर्नो अ॒ग्निः । त्वष्टा॒ विष्णुः॑ प्र॒जया॑ संररा॒णो यज॑मानाय॒ द्रवि॑णं दधातु

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 7.17.4

IAST Transliteration

dhā́tā rātíḥ savité́daṁ juṣántāṁ prajā́patir nídhipatir no agníḥ | tváṣṭā víṣṇuḥ prajā́yā saṁrarāṇó yajámānāya dráviṇaṁ dadhātu

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

May Dhātṛ and the Gift, may Savitṛ take pleasure in this; may Prajāpati, the Lord of treasure, our Agni. Tvaṣṭṛ and Viṣṇu, rejoicing together with progeny, bestow upon the sacrificer substance and wealth.

Translation

धाता और सविता इस में खुश हों। प्रजापति जो खज़ीना का मालिक है, हमारा अग्नि। त्वष्टा और विष्णु दोनों मिलकर बच्चों के साथ खुश होकर यज्ञ करने वाले को धन दें।

The meaning

What it says

A cluster of deities—Dhātṛ, Rāti (Gift), Savitṛ, Prajāpati (lord of treasures), Agni, Tvaṣṭṛ, Viṣṇu—are asked to delight in this offering and bestow wealth (draviṇa) upon the sacrificer, rejoicing with progeny (prajayā).

The inner meaning

Multiple inner powers must concur for flourishing: ordering (Dhātṛ), generosity/receiving (Rāti), motivation (Savitṛ), creative fecundity (Prajāpati), transformative appetite (Agni), formative skill (Tvaṣṭṛ), and sustaining expansion (Viṣṇu). Prosperity and offspring symbolize continuity of life-projects.

The truth in it

Flourishing is systemic: when order, inspiration, transformation, craft, and sustaining vision align, both resources and ‘continuations’ (projects/children) arise.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Paustika (Prosperity) / Prajā-kāma (Offspring-seeking)

Its aim

Securing wealth (draviṇa) and progeny for the yajamāna through divine concurrence and acceptance of the rite.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

धा॒ता । रा॒तिः । स॒वि॒ता । इ॒दम् । जु॒ष॒न्ता॒म् । प्र॒जा-प॑तिः । नि॒धि-प॑तिः । नः । अ॒ग्निः । त्वष्टा॑ । विष्णुः॑ । प्र॒जया॑ । स॒म्-र॒रा॒णः । यज॑मानाय । द्रवि॑णम् । द॒धा॒तु॒

धाता

the Creator/Ordainer (Dhātṛ)Dhātṛ, the Ordainer/Creator; the divine establisher who ‘sets’ prosperity in placeNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot धा (धातृ-प्रातिपदिक) < धा-धातु

रातिः

the gift/bountyRāti, the Gift/Bestowal; the effective act of granting (esp. wealth, boons)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot राति- (प्रातिपदिक; √रा/√रद् ‘to give’ से ‘दान/भेट’ अर्थ)

सविता

Savitar (the Impeller)Savitṛ, the Impeller; the deity who sets in motion and makes rites succeedNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot सवितृ- (प्रातिपदिक) < √सू ‘to impel/bring forth’

इदम्

this (offering/act)this (present rite/oblation/utterance), the immediate sacrificial actPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

जुषन्ताम्

may they accept/enjoylet them enjoy/accept with favour; ritual ‘acceptance’ that makes the mantra efficaciousVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे/विधिलिङ्ग-प्राय), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रियाRoot √जुष् (सेवने/प्रीतौ)

प्रजापतिः

Prajāpati (Lord of creatures)Prajāpati, Lord of creatures; giver of offspring and social continuityNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot प्रजापति- (प्रातिपदिक)

निधिपतिः

lord of the treasure/storeNidhipati, Lord of treasure/hoards; controller of stored wealthNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot निधिपति- (प्रातिपदिक)

नः

of us/ourfor us/our; beneficiary marker of the ritePronounषष्ठी (सम्बन्धे), बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)

अग्निः

Agni (fire)Agni, Fire; carrier of offerings and guarantor of ritual conveyanceNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)

त्वष्टा

Tvaṣṭṛ (the Fashioner)Tvaṣṭṛ, the Fashioner; shaper of bodies and progeny, artisan of formsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot त्वष्टृ- (प्रातिपदिक)

विष्णुः

ViṣṇuViṣṇu; the pervader/strider who stabilizes space and supports prosperityNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot विष्णु- (प्रातिपदिक)

प्रजया

with offspring/progenywith progeny/offspring; the concrete sign of flourishingNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot प्रजा- (प्रातिपदिक)

संरराणः

rejoicing/being delighted (together)Participle (verbal adjective)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot √र (रमणे/आनन्दे) → संरराण- (वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त-प्रायः; आत्मनेपदीय वर्तमान-प्रत्ययान्त रूप)

यजमानाय

to the sacrificerto the sacrificer/patron; the ritual client who commissions the actNounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot यजमान- (प्रातिपदिक; √यज् ‘to sacrifice’ से)

द्रविणम्

wealth, propertydraviṇa, substance/wealth (movable goods, cattle, treasure); the targeted boonNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot द्रविण- (प्रातिपदिक)

दधातु

may (he) place/grantlet (him/them) place, bestow, establish; performative grantingVerbलोट्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot √धा (धारणे/स्थापने)

Sandhi Notes

• धाता | रातिः | सविता | इदम् | जुषन्ताम् | प्रजापतिः | निधिपतिः | नः | अग्निः || त्वष्टा | विष्णुः | प्रजया | संरराणः | यजमानाय | द्रविणम् | दधातु । प्रमुख-सन्धयः:
• (1) सविता+इदम् → सवितेदम् (आ+इ = ए)
• (2) प्रजापतिः+निधिपतिः → प्रजापतिर्निधिपतिः (विसर्ग/रुत्व)
• (3) निधिपतिः+नः → निधिपतिर्नो (विसर्ग/रुत्व)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic tradition (anonymous/collective in many paustika units)

Devata

Dhātṛ, Savitṛ, Prajāpati, Agni, Tvaṣṭṛ, Viṣṇu (prosperity-and-progeny complex)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh-like cadence (mixed/irregular in AV transmission)

Rasa

Shringara 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

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