Sukta 15
Rishi: Traditionally associated with Atharvanic seers in the Vratya book (specific r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī tradition).
Devata: Vrātya (as cosmic person) / bandhu-identifications to follow
Chandas: Prose/Anuṣṭubh-fragment (Vratya book contains many prose-like formulae)
Mantras
Mantra 1
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य
Of that Vratya.
Mantra 2
स॒प्त प्रा॒णाः स॒प्तापा॒नाः स॒प्त व्या॒नाः
Seven are the in-breaths, seven the down-breaths, seven the pervading breaths.
Mantra 3
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य । योऽस्य प्रथ॒मः प्रा॒ण ऊ॒र्ध्वो नामा॒यं सो अ॒ग्निः
Of that Vratya: that which is his first vital breath, named ‘Upward’—this verily is Agni.
Mantra 4
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य ।योऽस्य द्वि॒तीयः॑ प्रा॒णः प्रौढो॒ नामा॒सौ स आ॑दि॒त्यः
Of that Vratya: that which is his second vital breath, named ‘Mature’—that yonder is Āditya.
Mantra 5
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य ।योऽस्य तृ॒तीयः॑ प्रा॒णो॒३ऽभ्यूऽढो॒ नामा॒सौ स च॒न्द्रमाः॑
Of that Vratya: that which is his third vital breath, named ‘Raised aloft’—that yonder is the Moon.
Mantra 6
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य ।योऽस्य चतु॒र्थः प्रा॒णो वि॒भूर्नामा॒यं स पव॑मानः
Of that Vrātya, the fourth vital breath—Vibhū by name—this same is Pavamāna, the Purifier.
Mantra 7
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य ।योऽस्य पञ्च॒मः प्रा॒णो योनि॒र्नाम॒ ता इ॒मा आपः॑
Of that Vrātya, the fifth vital breath—Yoni by name—those are these Waters.
Mantra 8
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य । योऽस्य ष॒ष्ठः प्रा॒णः प्रि॒यो नाम॒ त इ॒मे प॒शवः॑
Of that Vrātya, the sixth vital breath—Priya by name—these are the Cattle.
Mantra 9
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य ।योऽस्य सप्त॒मः प्रा॒णोऽप॑रिमितो॒ नाम॒ ता इ॒माः प्र॒जाः
Of that Vrātya, the seventh vital breath—Aparimita by name—those are these Peoples, these progenies.
Frequently Asked Questions
In AV 15.15 the Vrātya is treated as a cosmic person, not just a social outsider. His vital breaths (prāṇas) are declared to be identical with cosmic and communal powers.
The Moon carries Soma-like meanings: renewal, nourishment, and rhythmic regulation. By naming Candramās as a prāṇa of the Vrātya, the hymn installs those qualities as his vital potency.
It presents the community and lineage as rooted in an ‘immeasurable’ life-force. The point is social-theological: the growth and continuity of people are grounded in limitless prāṇa, legitimating prosperity and expansion.
Ask anything about Sukta 15 of the Atharva Veda
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Atharva Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.