Atharva Veda 13.2.6: Kanda 13, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 6
Sukta 2
स्व॒स्ति ते॑ सूर्य च॒रसे॒ रथा॑य॒ येनो॒भावन्तौ॑ परि॒यासि॑ स॒द्यः । यं ते॒ वह॑न्ति ह॒रितो॒ वहि॑ष्ठाः श॒तमश्वा॒ यदि॑ वा स॒प्त ब॒ह्वीः
svásti te sū́rya cárase ráthāya yéna ubháu ántau pariyā́si sadyáḥ | yáṁ te váhanti haríto váhiṣṭhāḥ śatám-aśvā yádi vā saptá bahvī́ḥ ||
Welfare be to thee, O Sūrya, for thy going, for thy chariot whereby thou straightway encompassest both the ends. That which the tawny, best-bearing ones convey for thee—be it hundred-horsed, or seven, or many.
សូមឲ្យមានសេចក្តីសុខដល់ព្រះអង្គ ព្រះសូរ្យអើយ សម្រាប់ការធ្វើដំណើររបស់ព្រះអង្គ និងសម្រាប់រថព្រះអង្គដែលព្រះអង្គប្រើដើម្បីគ្រប់គ្រងចុងទាំងពីរនៃលោកភ្លាមៗ សត្វសេះពណ៌លឿងដែលល្អបំផុតនាំយកនូវអ្វីដែលជារបស់ព្រះអង្គ ទោះបីជាមានរហូតដល់មួយរយក្បាលក៏ដោយ ឬប្រាំពីរក្បាលក៏ដោយ ឬច្រើនក្បាលក៏ដោយ។
The meaning
What it says
Welfare to Sūrya for his movement and chariot by which he quickly encompasses both ends (horizons). The tawny, best-bearing ones carry it—whether hundred-horsed, or seven, or many.
The inner meaning
Auspiciousness is invoked for the very ‘vehicle’ of one’s life—habits, routines, and means—so that one can traverse from beginning to end without delay. The variable horse-count suggests adaptable power: one protection fits many scales of effort.
The truth in it
When the ‘conveyance’ is sound and blessed, the journey completes. Support-systems (inner and outer) multiply as needed when aligned with a stable cosmic principle.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika / Rakṣoghna
Its aim
To secure auspiciousness for solar motion and, by homology, for rapid successful completion of the patron’s undertakings ‘from end to end’.
Word by Word
Pada patha
स्व॒स्ति । ते॒ । सूर्य॑ । च॒रसे॑ । रथा॑य । येन॑ । उ॒भौ । अन्तौ॑ । परि॒-यासि॑ । स॒द्यः । यम् । ते॒ । वह॑न्ति । ह॒रितः॑ । वहि॑ष्ठाः । श॒तम्-अश्वाः । यदि॑ । वा॒ । स॒प्त । ब॒ह्वीः
- स्वस्ति
- well-being; hail; good fortunewell-being, blessing, safety (apotropaic benediction)Indeclinableअव्यय (मङ्गलार्थे)Root स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक) < सु- + अस्ति
- ते
- to/for youto thee/thy (for thee)Pronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘ते’)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सूर्य
- O SunO Sūrya (sun as addressed power)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- चरसे
- you move; you gofor (thy) going/moving (course; motion as function)Verbलट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot चर् (धातु)
- रथाय
- for (your) chariotfor the chariot (vehicle of solar motion; ritual model of conveyance)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- येन
- by whichwhereby/with which (instrumental relative)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उभौ
- bothPronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचनRole KartāRoot उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अवन्तौ
- helping; protectiveAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचनRole KartāRoot अवन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- aroundIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यासि
- you go; you travelVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot या (धातु)
- सद्यः
- immediately; at oncestraightway, at once (immediate traversal)Indeclinableअव्ययRoot सद्यस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
- यम्
- whom/whichwhich/whom (the chariot/one borne)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- yourthee/thyPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘ते’)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वहन्ति
- they carry; they conveythey bear (carry along)Verbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRoot वह् (धातु)
- हरितः
- the bay mares (sun’s horses)the tawny ones (solar mares/rays)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot हरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वहिष्ठाः
- most swift/most carryingmost bearing, best at carrying (strongest steeds; most effective carriers)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot वहिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; वह् + इष्ठन्)
- शतम्
- a hundredNumeralनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (संख्यावाचक)Root शत (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्वाः
- horsesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- यदि
- ifIndeclinableअव्यय (शर्तार्थे)Root यदि (अव्यय)
- वा
- orIndeclinableअव्यय (विकल्पार्थे)Root वा (अव्यय)
- सप्त
- sevenNumeralअव्ययवत् संख्या (सर्वलिङ्गेषु), प्रथमा बहुवचनार्थेRoot सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- बह्वीः
- many (fem.)many (numerous; plentiful)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot बह्वी (प्रातिपदिक; बहु-स्त्री)
Sandhi Notes
- स्वस्ति | ते | सूर्य | चरसे | रथाय | येन | उभौ अवन्तौ | परि | यासि | सद्यः || यम् | ते | वहन्ति | हरितः | वहिष्ठाः | शतम् अश्वाः | यदि | वा | सप्त | बह्वीः । मुख्य सन्धि/संहिता-लक्षण:
- (1) उभौ + अवन्तौ → उभावन्तौ (स्वर-सन्धि: औ + अ → आव)
- (2) शतम् + अश्वाः → शतमश्वाः (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: म् + अ-)
- अन्यत्र पदान्त/पदान्तरे विशेष-सन्धि अपेक्षाकृत न्यून।
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic solar-stuti seer tradition (general).
- Devata
- Sūrya.
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh-like (mixed).
- Rasa
- Shanta and Vira
Sāyaṇa treats ‘svasti’ as a formal benediction that strengthens the deity’s unobstructed course (and by extension the patron’s). ‘Both ends’ are the two horizons/limits of the day’s path. The numerical variation (hundred vs seven vs many) is reconciled as poetic enumeration of rays/steeds: seven as canonical, ‘hundred’ as hyperbolic plenitude.
Atharvanic solar-stuti lineage (anonymous/collective)
Prosperity-protection through solar alignment; blessing of movement, vehicles, and completion of tasks.
Atharvanic ‘svasti’ formulas are performative: they do not merely praise Sūrya but ritually ‘set right’ the patron’s pathways by tying them to the sun’s successful traversal.
Sūrya
Traverses and connects the two horizons; ensures continuity of space-time and reliable return.
Reanimates lethargy; supports swift recovery and functional mobility; strengthens prāṇa through light/heat symbolism.
Blesses journeys and undertakings; protects the ‘vehicle’ (body, chariot, enterprise) from breakdown and delay.
4 pādas; triṣṭubh-like with cataloging in final pāda (100/7/many)
Enumerative ending is characteristically Atharvanic—ritual ‘coverage’ by listing variants.
Blessing cadence; culminates in expansive enumeration that feels like ‘multiplying’ support.
Creates confidence in adequate resources—‘whatever the scale, it is carried’.
At dawn, recite over a vehicle (cart/chariot) or over the traveller’s feet as a proxy for ‘ratha’.
Touch the vehicle’s yoke or the traveller’s shoulder while saying ‘svasti te…rathāya’.
If used for household prosperity, recite while circumambulating the hearth once, mapping ‘pariyāsi’ onto enclosure and completeness.
Kauśika Sūtra: svasti recitations for conveyance (ratha) and success in movement; used in domestic rites for journeys and for general auspiciousness at dawn.
Atharvan as svasti-prayoktṛ: applies benediction to movement technologies (vehicle, journey, circumambulation).
Recite before travel, moving house, starting a new job/project; optionally sprinkle water on a vehicle/tool as ‘ratha’ surrogate while reciting svasti.
Morning, ideally before first departure; also at the start of a work cycle.
Householder can perform; priest if formal blessing of vehicle/enterprise is desired.
Use as a ‘start-of-day’ mantra before commuting or beginning focused work; treat your schedule as the ‘ratha’ to be kept sound.
Ratha (chariot) as model of conveyance and success; Haritāḥ (tawny steeds/rays) as carriers of efficacy
The chief ‘substance’ is conveyance itself: the ratha symbolizes the integrated body-mind system and the practical means that carry intentions. The haritāḥ represent reliable energetic carriers.
Debility with immobility or slow convalescence; psychosomatic ‘stuckness’ and fatigue.
Consecrates motion and the body-as-vehicle; invokes immediate encompassing (sadyas) to shorten the ‘course’ of illness and restore function.
Agni/ojas support; encourages movement (vāta in healthy direction) without derangement—regular, sun-aligned activity.
Rehabilitation framing: blessing the ‘process’ and ‘means’ (routine, therapy plan) for consistent follow-through.
Patron’s undertakings; also literal vehicles/roads by extension.
Secure auspicious movement and completion ‘from end to end’; protect journeys, projects, and bodily vitality by linking them to Sūrya’s chariot.
Svastivāc (blessing speech) + sympathetic identification of patron’s ‘vehicle’ with Sūrya’s ratha; enumerative totalization (100/7/many).
Delays, breakdowns, accidents, loss of momentum, inauspicious starts.
Successful travel, business completion, timely results, sustained energy.
- स्वस्ति ते (svasti te)
- consecration/blessing that makes movement safe and fruitful
- चरसे (carase)
- life’s progress; recovery as forward motion
- रथ (ratha)
- embodied agency; the integrated system that carries intention
- उभौ अन्तौ (ubhau antau)
- horizon-to-horizon completion; total coverage; beginning-to-end success
- हरितः वहिष्ठाः (haritaḥ vahiṣṭhāḥ)
- most reliable carriers of efficacy—rays/energies that do not fail
- शतमश्वाः / सप्त / बह्वीः
- scalable force: from canonical seven rays to expansive abundance of support
Bless the ‘vehicle’: feel the body as a chariot guided by steady awareness; commit to completing the arc from start to finish.
Maṇipūra (drive/agency) and Mūlādhāra (stable ‘vehicle’ base).
Even-paced breathing while visualizing a smooth forward glide; optional gentle kapalabhāti avoided if unwell.
A golden chariot moving smoothly from eastern to western horizon; rays as horses pulling without strain.
Integrated, task-ready steadiness.
Recite 7 times before beginning a task; after chanting, take one deliberate step that represents ‘starting the ratha’ (open the book, send the message, begin the walk).
Let svastí be clear and slightly elevated; keep steady pace through enumerations without rushing articulation.
Mark the syntactic hinge at ‘yena ubhau antau’; then flow into the carrying (vahanti) clause.
Warm, even, blessing tone.
If used for travel-protection, some lineages add a brief circumambulation of the vehicle/tool (clockwise) after recitation.
7 times
Starting something that must be carried through—travel, rehab plan, study period, business launch.
At the outset; repeat weekly at sunrise to renew momentum.
Greater steadiness, fewer delays, sense of protected forward motion; traditional aim: auspicious completion across the whole ‘course’.
Pair mantra with practical planning; do not treat as replacement for safety measures.
The mantra’s ‘technology’ is vehicular and kinetic rather than botanical: ratha/haritāḥ encode movement and successful conveyance, often materialized in ritual by touching yoke/vehicle or the traveller’s body.
It presumes patrons with mobility assets (vehicles, journeys) and a priestly specialist who sacralizes and protects that mobility—an index of social stratification and ritual service.
Solar chariot and haritāḥ are RV-classic; Atharvanic style emphasizes direct benediction (‘svasti te’) and practical extension to human conveyance.
Gopatha’s logic of correspondence supports the transfer: as the sun encompasses ‘both ends’, so the patron’s task/journey is made complete by mantra aligning human action with cosmic circuit.
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