Atharva Veda 3.21.5: Kanda 3, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 21, Mantra 5

Sukta 21

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

यं त्वा॒ होता॑रं॒ मन॑सा॒भि सं॑वि॒दुस्त्रयो॑दश भौव॒नाः पञ्च॑ मान॒वाः । व॒र्चो॒धसे॑ य॒शसे॑ सू॒नृता॑वते॒ तेभ्यो॑ अ॒ग्निभ्यो॑ हु॒तम॑स्त्वे॒तत्

IAST Transliteration

yáṁ tvā hótāram mánasā́bhi saṁvidús tráyodaśa bhúvanāḥ páñca mānavā́ḥ | várcodhasé yáśase sūnṛ́tāvate tébhyo agníbhyo hútam astv etát

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Thee, whom as Hotar they have with the mind acknowledged—thirteen are the worlds, and five the races of men—for increase of splendour, for fame, for possession of gracious truth: to those Fires let this oblation be offered.

Translation

汝を——心によって祭官ホータル（hótṛ）として認めた。十三は諸世界（bhūvanāḥ）、五は人の諸族（mānavāḥ）。輝き（varchas）の増大のため、名声（yaśas）のため、慈愛ある真実の言（sūnṛtā）の保持のため——その諸火（Agni）に、この供物（huta）を捧げよ。

The meaning

What it says

Agni as Hotṛ is acknowledged ‘with the mind’ by cosmic and human orders: thirteen worlds and five human races; the offering is for varcas (splendour/health), yaśas (fame), and sūnṛtā (gracious truthful speech).

The inner meaning

Mind-recognition (manasā abhi saṃviduḥ) signals inward consent: when one internally appoints the ‘Hotṛ’ (the discerning, speech-guiding fire), speech becomes truthful and beneficial, and vitality becomes radiant.

The truth in it

True radiance and reputation arise when inner intention, speech, and action are officiated by a steady ethical ‘fire’—a principle recognized across all levels of life.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Paustika (Prosperity) + Śānti (Pacification)

Its aim

To obtain varcas (health-splendour), yaśas (renown), and sūnṛtā (auspicious truthful speech) by offering to the universally acknowledged Agni-Hotar across cosmic and human orders.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

Pada patha

यम् । त्वा॒ । होता॑रम् । मन॑सा । अ॒भि । सं॒-वि॒दुः । त्रयो॑दश । भौव॒नाः । पञ्च॑ । मान॒वाः । व॒र्चो॒-धसे॑ । य॒शसे॑ । सू॒नृता॑-वते । तेभ्यः॑ । अ॒ग्निभ्यः॑ । हु॒तम् । अ॒स्तु । ए॒तत् ।

यम्

whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

त्वा

youthee (Agni addressed directly)Pronounद्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

होतारम्

the Hotṛ-priest (invoker)Hotar; offering-priest (Agni as ritual officiant/mouth)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot होतृ (प्रातिपदिक; √हु ‘to sacrifice/offer’ से)

मनसा

with (their) mindwith mind; by mental intention (manas: inner rite)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)

अभि

towards, untotoward; upon (directed cognition)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अभि

संविदुः

have recognized/knownhave recognized/known together (saṁ-vid: acknowledged as such)Verbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot √विद् (विदँ ‘to know’) + सम् (उपसर्ग)

त्रयः

threeNumeralपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)

दश

tenNumeral(अव्ययवत्/संख्याशब्द); त्रयोदश-समासाङ्गRoot दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)

भौवनाः

beings/creatures (of the world)cosmic domains/world-orders (bhuvana: worlds/planes)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot भौवन (प्रातिपदिक; भू ‘to be’ से व्युत्पन्न)

पञ्च

fiveNumeral(अव्ययवत्) प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचनार्थRole KartāRoot पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)

मानवाः

men, humansmen; the human peoples (mānava: mankind, social collectives)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot मानव (प्रातिपदिक)

वर्चोधसे

for splendor/strengthfor increase of splendour/holy lustre (varcas: radiance, health-glow)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot वर्चोधस् (प्रातिपदिक; वर्चस् + धस् ‘placing/holding’)

यशसे

for famefor fame; renown; social prestige (yaśas)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)

सूनृतावते

for (him) possessing good/true speechendowed with good/true speech (sūnṛtā: auspicious truth-speaking)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot सूनृतावत् (प्रातिपदिक; सूनृता ‘good/true speech’ + वत्)

तेभ्यः

from themto thosePronounपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी/षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole ApādānaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

अग्निभ्यः

to/for the fires (Agni-powers)to the FiresNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी; बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)

हुतम्

offered, oblationofferedParticipleभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot √हु (to offer) → हुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

अस्तु

let it beVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्गसदृश); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √अस् (to be)

एतत्

thisPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• यं | त्वा | होतारम् | मनसा | अभि | संविदुः | त्रयोदश | भौवनाः | पञ्च | मानवाः | वर्चोधसे | यशसे | सूनृतावते | तेभ्यः | अग्निभ्यः | हुतम् | अस्तु | एतत् ।
• 1) मनसाभि = मनसा + अभि (स्वर-सन्धि/दीर्घ).
• 2) सं॑विदुः = सम्-उपसर्गपूर्वक √विद्
• ‘सं’ + ‘विदुः’ (उपसर्ग-संयोग).
• 3) त्रयो॑दश = त्रयः + दश (संख्यासमास/संयोग).
• 4) हु॒तम॑स्त्वे॒तत् (पाठ) का पदच्छेद: हुतम् | अस्तु | एतत्
• ‘हुतम् अस्तु’ में त्+अ → त् अ (पदपाठ में पृथक्), संहितापाठ में संयोग/स्वर-समायोजन।

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic tradition (variable)

Devata

Agni (as Hotar; plural fires as recipients in refrain)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh-like (mixed)

Rasa

Shanta and Adbhuta

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