Atharva Veda 9.5.17: Kanda 9, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 5, Mantra 17
Sukta 5
येना॑ स॒हस्रं॒ वह॑सि॒ येना॑ग्ने सर्ववेद॒सम्। तेने॒मं य॒ज्ञं नो॑ वह॒ स्वऽर्दे॒वेषु॒ गन्त॑वे
yénā sahásraṃ váhasi yénāgne sarvavedásam | ténemáṃ yajñáṃ no vaha svàr devéṣu gántave ||
With that whereby thou bearest a thousand, whereby, O Agni, thou bearest the All-knowing—therewith bear for us this sacrifice to heaven, to go unto the Gods.
अग्नि, जिस शक्ति से तुम हज़ार चीज़ें उठा लेते हो, जिस से तुम सब कुछ जानते हो। उसी शक्ति से हमारी यह पूजा को स्वर्ग में ले जाओ, भगवानों तक पहुँचाओ।
Rishi: Atharvanic/Angiras-associated (hymn context)
Devata: Agni
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-like (pāda structure consistent with 8-syllable tendency; recension-dependent)
Primary: vira
Secondary: adbhuta
Sāyaṇa emphasizes Agni’s vahni-function: he transports offerings and thereby transports the sacrificer’s intention. ‘Sahasram’ is taken as abundance of rewards/hosts conveyed by Agni. ‘Sarvavedasam’ underscores Agni’s omniscience as ritual guarantor: he knows the proper recipients and paths, hence can conduct the yajña to svarga and the gods.
To have Agni convey the yajña and its merit to svarga, enabling communion/arrival among the gods
Agni principle (digestive/metabolic fire) as foundational to health, though this verse is primarily svargya/paustika.
Motivational/psychological ‘activation’—strengthening commitment and clarity; not a medical charm.
paustika
Agni as transporter; sacrificer’s merit-path
Have Agni convey the yajña and its merit to svarga, enabling ‘going among the gods.’
Vehicle-invocation: calling on Agni’s carrying-power (vah-) and amplifying it by citing his capacity for ‘a thousand’ and ‘all-knowing’.
Ritual failure, loss of merit, inability to ‘reach’ the intended goal
Svargya prosperity (merit, divine communion)
Agni is asked: with the power by which he bears “a thousand” and bears the “all-knowing,” may he bear this sacrifice for us to heaven, to go among the gods.
The inner fire (will, discernment) that can carry vast burdens (“a thousand”) and carry knowledge is invoked to lift one’s life-offering upward—turning effort into transcendence.
Transformation requires a carrier: disciplined fire converts material action into subtle outcome; aspiration must be conveyed by steady practice.
- अग्ने (agne)
- inner and outer fire: digestion, will, ritual transformer
- सहस्रं वहसि (sahasraṃ vahasi)
- capacity to carry innumerable offerings/merits; immense transformative power
- सर्ववेदसम् (sarvavedasam)
- omniscient light; integrative wisdom carried by fire
- यज्ञम् (yajñam)
- life-offering: disciplined action, attention, ethical labor
- स्वः (svaḥ)
- higher state of clarity and communion
- देवेषु गन्तवे (deveṣu gantave)
- entry into luminous faculties; alignment with higher powers within and beyond
Kindle inner Agni to carry intention upward; treat daily discipline as yajña to be conveyed.
Maṇipūra
Gentle bhastrikā is optional only for healthy practitioners; otherwise slow breath with attention at navel as steady flame.
Energized, focused, uplifted.
Light a lamp, recite, then sit quietly imagining the day’s actions rising as clear flame-offerings to a luminous realm of wisdom.
Slightly rising contour on vahasi/vaha; keep a steady beat to mimic ‘carrying.’
Make the parallelism clear: yenā… yenā… tene…; emphasize vaha in the imperative.
Keep aspirate in sahasraṃ., Pronounce sarvavedasam with clear v-d-s sequence (avoid ‘sarvevedasam’)., Maintain devoṣu gantave with clean retroflex ṣ.
Bright, steady, slightly projecting (as if offering into flame).
Though not a bhaiṣajya charm, it can be used Atharvanically as a ‘conveyance’ formula—linking intention to a visible flame to stabilize focus.
9
Beginning a new venture, seeking clarity and ‘right passage’ of efforts; devotional fire-lighting at home.
At lamp-lighting, before study/prayer, or before charitable acts to dedicate them as yajña.
Increased focus, motivation, sense of sacred direction and support.
Fire safety; avoid substituting ritual for necessary practical planning.
पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विग्रहः): येन | सहस्रम् | वहसि | येन | अग्ने | सर्ववेदसम् | तेन | इमम् | यज्ञम् | नः | वह | स्वः | देवेषु | गन्तवे । 1) येनाग्ने → येन + अग्ने (स्वर-सन्धिः/स्वर-दीर्घादि न; केवलं संहितायां संयोगः). 2) तेनेमम् → तेन + इमम् (नकारान्त-प्रगृह्य-संयोगः; संहितायां ‘न’ + ‘इ’ इति). 3) स्वऽर्देवेषु → स्वः + देवेषु (विसर्ग-सन्धिः: स्वः + द- → स्वर्द-; पाठेऽवग्रहः ‘ऽ’).
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