Atharva Veda 7.73.11: Kanda 7, Anuvaka 8, Sukta 73, Mantra 11

Sukta 73

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

सू॒य॒व॒साद् भग॑वती॒ हि भू॒या अधा॑ व॒यं भग॑वन्तः स्याम । अ॒द्धि तृण॑मघ्न्ये विश्व॒दानीं॒ पिब॑ शु॒द्धमु॑द॒कमा॒चर॑न्ती

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 7.73.11

IAST Transliteration

sūyavasā́d bhágavatī hí bhūyā́ ádha vayáṃ bhágavantaḥ syāma | áddhi tṛ́ṇam aghnye viśvadā́nīṃ píba śuddhám udakám ācarántī ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

From good pasture be thou, O Blessed One, yet more a bringer of good fortune; and then may we be fortunate. Eat thou the grass, O inviolable Cow, at all times; drink thou the pure water, moving freely to and fro.

Translation

हे गाये, अच्छे चारागाहों से खाओ और भगवान तुम्हे और अच्छा करे। हम भी भगवान की कृपा से अच्छे हो जायें। तू घास खाया कर, सारा दिन। साफ पानी पिया कर, आज़ादी से घूमती रहो।

The meaning

What it says

Blessing for the sacred cow: may she have good pasture and be bhagavatī (fortunate); may we be fortunate. She should eat grass always and drink pure water while moving freely.

The inner meaning

The cow embodies the household’s nurturing capacity. Prosperity depends on steady nourishment (tṛṇa), purity (śuddha udaka), and freedom of movement—i.e., non-constriction and right conditions for life-force to circulate.

The truth in it

Abundance grows from care of the sources: food, water, freedom, and reverent relationship with what sustains us.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Paustika (Prosperity) / Pashupaushtika (Cattle-prosperity)

Its aim

To increase and safeguard cattle-prosperity (health, fertility, milk-yield) and thereby confer bhaga (good portion) upon the household.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

सूयवसात् । भगवती । हि । भूयाः । अध । वयम् । भगवन्तः । स्याम । अद्धि । तृणम् । अघ्न्ये । विश्वदानीम् । पिब । शुद्धम् । उदकम् । आचरन्ती ।

सूयवसात्

from good pasture/grassfrom good pasture/abundant fodder; (magically) from the auspicious source of nourishment and increaseNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (अपादान); एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot सूयवसा- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘good pasture/grass, fodder’)

भगवती

(she) blessed/fortunateO blessed/fortunate one (address); bearer of bhaga (luck, portion, prosperity)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot भगवत्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘fortunate, blessed’)

हि

indeed, forfor, indeed; emphatic particle strengthening the wishIndeclinableअव्ययRoot हि (निपात)

भूयाः

may you be / becomemay you be/become (more) so; may you thrive and increaseVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/आज्ञार्थे); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot भू (धातु)

अध

then, thereafterthen, thereafter; consequential marker in the charmIndeclinableअव्ययRoot अध (निपात)

वयम्

wewe; the household/community benefiting from the ritePronounप्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अस्मद्- (सर्वनाम)

भगवन्तः

blessed, fortunatefortunate, possessed of bhaga; endowed with prosperity and good portionAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot भगवत्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘fortunate, blessed’)

स्याम

may we bemay we be; optative of attainment (prosperity/wholeness)Verbविधिलिङ्; उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRoot अस् (धातु)

अद्धि

eat!eat! (imperative); ritual command to ingest for well-beingVerbलोट्; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot अद् (धातु)

तृणम्

grassgrass; emblem of pasture, fertility, and settled prosperityNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तृण- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘grass’)

अघ्न्ये

O inviolable one (cow)!O inviolable cow (not-to-be-slain); sacralized cattle as wealth and purityNoun (vocative) / Epithetस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot अघ्न्या- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘cow’, lit. ‘not to be slain’)

विश्वदानीम्

always, at all times (all-givingly)at all times/ever; continuously, without interruptionAdjective (used adverbially) / Indeclinable-like(रूपेण) नपुंसक/अव्ययीभाववत्; द्वितीया/अव्ययप्रयोग; एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot विश्वदानि- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘all-giving/always giving’)

पिब

drink!drink! (imperative); command for health and purityVerbलोट्; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot पा (धातु)

शुद्धम्

purepurified, clean; ritually uncontaminatedAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot शुद्ध- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘pure’)

उदकम्

waterwater; purifier and life-support, used for apotropaic cleansingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot उदक- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘water’)

आचरन्ती

moving about / grazing / behaving (as she goes)moving about, grazing/wandering; in normal healthy activity (a sign of restored order)Participle (verbal adjective)वर्तमान-शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot आ-चर् (धातु) → आचरन्ती (वर्तमान कृदन्त)

Sandhi Notes

• (1) सू॒य॒व॒साद् = सूयवसात् (द्/त्-आदेशः पदान्ते)
• (2) भू॒या = भूयाः (विसर्गलोपः/पदपाठे विसर्गः)
• (3) अ॒द्धि = अद् + धि (लोट्-आदेशे धि-प्रत्यय; धातोः ‘अद्’ इत्यस्य रूपम्)
• (4) उद॒कमा॒चर॑न्ती = उदकम् + आचरन्ती (म् + आ → मा; अनुस्वार/मकार-सन्धिः)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic tradition.

Devata

Aghnyā (sacral cow) / Bhaga (prosperity) implicitly.

Chandas

Mixed; cadence consistent with late Atharvanic anuṣṭubh-like phrasing (exact metrical scansion requires full hymn context).

Rasa

Shanta and Shringara

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