Atharva Veda 7.40.2: Kanda 7, Anuvaka 4, Sukta 40, Mantra 2
Sukta 40
आ प्र॒त्यञ्चं॑ दा॒शुषे॑ दा॒श्वंसं॒ सर॑स्वन्तं पुष्ट॒पतिं॑ रयि॒ष्ठाम्। रा॒यस्पोषं॑ श्रव॒स्युं वसा॑ना इ॒ह हुवेम॒ सद॑नं रयी॒णाम्
ā́ pratyáñcaṃ dāśúṣe dāśváṃsaṃ sárasvantaṃ puṣṭápatiṃ rayiṣṭhā́m | rāyás-poṣaṃ śravasyúṃ vásānā ihá huvema sádanaṃ rayīṇā́m
Hither, turned toward the offerer, bounteous, Sarasvant—lord of nourishment, most wealthy—(bringing) increase of riches, fame-bestowing: clothing ourselves therewith, here let us invoke the seat of treasures.
供物を捧げる者へと向き直って来たれ、施与に富むサラスヴァント——養育の主（Puṣṭapati）、最も富める者よ。財の増益を、名声をもたらしつつ；それを身にまとい、ここに我らは宝の座を呼び招こう。
The meaning
What it says
The sacrificers invite Sarasvant to turn toward the giver, bounteous, lord of nourishment and most wealthy, bringing increase of riches and fame; ‘clothing ourselves’ with that, they invoke here the seat of treasures.
The inner meaning
Turning toward the offerer signifies reciprocity: generosity draws abundance back. ‘Clothing ourselves’ indicates identity-shift—prosperity becomes a lived habitus, not a windfall. The ‘seat of treasures’ is the stable inner and outer infrastructure (home, discipline, reputation) that can hold wealth without leakage.
The truth in it
Wealth becomes enduring when it is housed in a worthy ‘seat’: disciplined conduct, reputation, and a supportive environment that can contain and circulate abundance.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika (Prosperity)
Its aim
To draw Sarasvant’s favour toward the patron, establishing a ‘seat’ of wealth, increase, and fame within the household/community.
Word by Word
Pada patha
आ । प्रत्यञ्चम् । दाशुषे । दाश्वंसम् । सरस्वन्तम् । पुष्टपतिम् । रयिष्ठाम् । रायः-पोषम् । श्रवस्युम् । वसानाः । इह । हुवेम । सदनम् । रयीणाम् ।
- आ
- towards; hither (preverb to the verb)hither; toward us (invocatory preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb), अव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- प्रत्यञ्चम्
- the one turned towards (us); facing hitherturned toward (us); facing hither, responsiveAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot प्रत्यञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) / praty-añcá
- दाशुषे
- to the worshipper/giver (to the one who offers)to the worshipper/giver; to him who offers (dāś-)Noun (agent/participant) / Adjectival substantiveपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot √दाश् (दाने/यज्ञे दाने) → दाशुष् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- दाश्वंसम्
- the offering one; the generous worshipperthe liberal giver; one who has offered (epithet of the invoked power as ‘bounteous’)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot √दाश् → दाश्वांस् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, perf. act. ptcp.)
- सरस्वन्तम्
- Sarasvant (the deity/possessor of Sarasvatī)Sarasvant; bestower of flowing wealthNoun (proper/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सरस्वन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुष्टपतिम्
- lord of nourishment/prosperitylord of nourishment; master of increaseNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पुष्टि-पति (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- रयिष्ठाम्
- most rich in wealth; wealthiest (fem. acc. as epithet)most rich in wealth; abounding in possessionsAdjective (superlative)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रयिष्ठा (स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रातिपदिक; superlative from रयि/रय)
- रायस्पोषम्
- increase/nourishment of wealthNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रायस्-पोष (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रवस्यम्
- fame-bringing; gloriousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot श्रवस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसानाः
- wearing; being clothed (we, as performers)clothing ourselves; assuming (prosperity/fame) as a garmentParticiple (adjectival)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot √वस् (आच्छादने) → वसान (वर्तमान कृदन्त/शतृ-प्रातिपदिक)
- इह
- herehere; in this place/householdIndeclinableदेशवाचक अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot इह (अव्यय)
- हुवेम
- we invoke/calllet us invoke; we would callVerbलिट् (perfect), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot √हू (आह्वाने) / √ह्वे (आह्वाने)
- सदनम्
- seat; abode; dwellingseat; dwelling, settled abodeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सदन (प्रातिपदिक; from √सद् ‘to sit’)
- रयीणाम्
- of riches/wealthsof riches; of wealth (plural, various forms of property)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root रयि (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- (1) रायस् + पोषम् → रायस्पोषम् (विसर्ग-लोप, स-आदेश)
- (2) रयि + ईणाम् → रयीणाम् (इ + ई → ई)
- (3) मन्त्रपाठे ‘प्रत्यञ्चं’ = प्रत्यञ्चम् (अनुस्वार/व्यञ्जनान्त-लेखनभेद)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- As per Anukramaṇī tradition for this hymn-group (variable across lists)
- Devata
- Sarasvant (prosperity and fame as attendant powers)
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh-like (hymn-level assignment uncertain without full metrical audit)
- Rasa
- Vira and Shanta
Sāyaṇa takes pratyáñcam as ‘turned toward the sacrificer’, i.e., favourably disposed. Dāśuṣe marks the patron as the giver of offerings; dāśvaṃsaḥ underscores the deity’s reciprocal liberality. ‘Seat of riches’ is read as a stable locus of rái (various wealth-forms) established in the household through invocation.
Unknown/variable (hymn-group attribution differs)
Pauṣṭika establishment rites: drawing prosperity toward the patron and ‘installing’ a stable seat of wealth and fame in the household.
This is Atharvanic ‘installation’ magic: prosperity is not merely requested but seated (sadanam) and worn (vasānāḥ), turning blessing into permanence.
Sarasvant
Brings reciprocal abundance to the giver; establishes nourishment, wealth-growth, and fame as stable household powers; embodies flowing prosperity that can be ‘seated’.
Indirect: nourishment and stability support health; fame/social support reduces vulnerability in crises.
Protects wealth from dissipation by establishing a ‘seat’ and linking it to reputation and right giving.
4 pādas; imperative invitation (‘ā… huvema’) with descriptive epithets in mid-pādas.
Epithets stack densely; AV allows compression/expansion around the core imperative.
Summoning and installing: ‘come’ → ‘bring’ → ‘we clothe ourselves’ → ‘we invoke the seat’.
Ritually ‘pulls’ prosperity toward the speaker and ‘sets’ it in place, reinforcing confidence and readiness to hold wealth responsibly.
Recite the mantra while bringing consecrated water or prosperity-token (e.g., grain) toward the patron (‘pratyáñcam’ enacted by movement).
Touch the patron’s head/shoulder and the household threshold, symbolically ‘seating’ wealth.
Sprinkle the dwelling and cattle-area; optionally distribute a small portion of blessed food to household members.
Kauśika Sūtra: Paustika rites for rái/puṣṭi establishment (general Sarasvant invocations; exact sūtra numbering varies by edition)
Atharvan priest as installer of puṣṭi (puṣṭi-pratiṣṭhā), coordinating speech with directional gesture and sprinkling.
Used when inaugurating a storehouse, moving into a home, beginning a new livelihood cycle, or blessing a treasury/granary; can accompany placing grain/coins in a designated ‘seat’ area.
Auspicious day for beginnings; dawn or early evening; seasonal harvest storage time.
Householder/Atharvan officiant may lead; family participates by ‘clothing’ (wearing clean garments) to enact vasānāḥ.
Prosperity blessing for new home/business; designate a ‘wealth corner’ as symbolic sadanam with ethical intent.
āpaḥ (implicit through Sarasvant’s watery character); rāyas/rai (wealth as a ritualized substance)
Implicit via Sarasvant’s watery identity
Wealth is treated as wearable and seatable: it must be embodied (habits, character) and housed (structures, stores, community trust) to endure.
Household stability and social reputation as protective factors for mental health and resilience.
Patron/household/community treasury
Attract Sarasvant’s favor toward the giver and establish a stable ‘seat’ of wealth, increase, and fame.
Directional summoning (pratyañcam) + epithet stacking (puṣṭapati, rayiṣṭhā, śravasyu) + installation formula (sadanam rayīṇām).
Wealth leakage, reputational harm, chronic scarcity
Treasury stability, nourishment, fame
- pratyañcam
- reciprocity; grace responding to giving
- dāśuṣe / dāśvaṃsam
- ethic of generosity as the engine of prosperity
- puṣṭapati
- governance of growth; capacity to sustain dependents
- rayiṣṭhām
- plenitude; resource-rich field
- rāyas-poṣam
- compounding prosperity
- śravasyum
- social capital; good name as protective wealth
- vasānāḥ
- embodiment; making prosperity a stable identity
- sadanam rayīṇām
- infrastructure of abundance; stable household treasury and inner stability
Becoming a ‘container’ for abundance—capacity, stewardship, reputation.
Maṇipūra (capacity/management) and Mūlādhāra (stability/seat)
Box breathing 4-4-4-4 for steadiness before recitation
A golden cloak settles on the body (vasānāḥ); beneath, a stable throne/platform (sadanam) forms at the base of the spine; wealth flows like a river into a calm reservoir.
Confident steadiness.
After recitation, perform one concrete act of ‘installation’: organize finances, store food properly, set ethical rules for earning/spending, and protect reputation through truthful speech.
Slightly more energetic than 7.40.1; emphasize opening ‘ā’ invitation; let final ‘rayīṇām’ trail into a settling cadence.
Stress pratyañcam and puṣṭapatim; give sadanam rayīṇām a deliberate, installing tone.
Clear, confident, ‘inviting’ voice; end grounded.
Best paired with a concrete ‘seat’ gesture (placing grain/coin pot) to enact sadanam; Atharvanic efficacy often hinges on such word-act coupling.
21 times
Starting a new job/business, moving house, stabilizing finances, rebuilding reputation and resource base.
On a chosen auspicious morning; during a simple home offering; while setting up a savings plan or storing harvest.
Confidence, improved stewardship mindset, sense of stability and social support; motivation to build durable structures for prosperity.
Avoid greed/extractive aims; prosperity is framed as linked to giving (dāśuṣe).
Again, no herb is named; prosperity is ‘materialized’ through water, grain, and spatial acts (threshold, seat). The mantra’s ‘sádana’ concept maps well onto ritual emplacement of substances in domestic space.
The patron is defined as dāśuṣ (offerer), and prosperity is framed as a return-gift mediated by priestly invocation. Fame (śravas) is treated as a social capital granted by divine agency, reinforcing ritualized status production.
The lexicon is largely RV-shared (rāyas, śravas, huvema), but the domestic ‘seat of riches’ idiom and the explicit puṣṭapati epithet reflect Atharvanic specialization in prosperity technology.
Gopatha’s tendency is to ground efficacy in correct invocation and the ‘settling’ (pratiṣṭhā) of powers. The mantra’s imagery of seating wealth aligns with that: speech establishes a stable locus of rái in the patron’s domain.
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