Atharva Veda 5.21.2: Kanda 5, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 21, Mantra 2

Sukta 21

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

उ॒द्वेप॑माना॒ मन॑सा॒ चक्षु॑षा॒ हृद॑येन च । धाव॑न्तु॒ बिभ्य॑तो॒ऽमित्राः॑ प्रत्रा॒सेनाज्ये॑ हु॒ते

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 5.21.2

IAST Transliteration

úd vepámānā mánasā cákṣuṣā hṛ́dayena ca | dhā́vantu bíbhyato ’mitrā́ḥ pratrāsénā́jye huté

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Quaking forth with mind, with eye, and with the heart as well, let the enemies, in fear, run headlong—when, with terror as our power, the butter-offering is poured.

Translation

កំពុងញាប់ញ័រដោយចិត្ត ដោយភ្នែក និងដោយបេះដូងផងដែរ សូមឲ្យសត្រូវ ដោយសេចក្តីភិតភ័យ រត់ទៅមុខ - នៅពេលដែលគ្រឿងបូជាដោយប្រេងត្រូវបានចាក់ ដោយយកការភិតភ័យជាអាវុធរបស់យើង។

The meaning

What it says

Let the enemies, trembling with mind, eye, and heart, run away in fear—when the ghee-offering is poured with terror as our power.

The inner meaning

The mantra maps fear onto the whole perceptual system (mind/vision/heart), describing totalized panic; it also ties efficacy to a ritual trigger-moment (ājya-homa), showing Atharvan timing: affect is ‘released’ at the instant of offering.

The truth in it

Emotions can seize cognition, perception, and feeling together; rituals and symbols can mark decisive moments that shift collective behavior—for good or ill.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Abhicarika (martial panic/rout)

Its aim

To cause enemies to tremble in all faculties and flee at the moment of the ghee-oblation

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Word by Word

Pada patha

उद् । वेपमानाः । मनसा । चक्षुषा । हृदयेन । च । धावन्तु । बिभ्यतः । अमित्राः । प्र-त्रासेन । आज्ये । हुते ।

उद्वेपमानाः

trembling up / agitatedAdjective (participle)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (वर्तमान कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्यय; आत्मनेपद-भाव)Role कर्तृRoot उद्-√विप् (वेप्) / प्रातिपदिक: उद्वेपमान-

मनसा

with (their) mindwith mind; mentally shakenNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot मनस्

चक्षुषा

with (their) eye/sightwith eye/sight; visually bewildered, unable to fix aimNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot चक्षुस्

हृदयेन

with (their) heartwith heart; courage and resolve disturbedNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot हृदय

च

andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot च

धावन्तु

let (them) run awaylet them run; imperative optative of routVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √धाव्

बिभ्यतः

of the fearing (ones)fearing, in terror; as they are afraidAdjective (participle)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (वर्तमान कृदन्त, शतृ)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root √भी

अमित्राः

enemiesthe enemiesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अमित्र

प्रत्रासेन

with terror / by frightwith ‘forward-driving’ terror; by the agency of panicNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot प्रत्रास

आज्ये

in/with gheein/with clarified butter; the oblation mediumNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot आज्य

हुते

(when it is) offered (in oblation)when offered; at the time of the ājya-homaParticipleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; ‘हुते’ = ‘when/after it is offered’)Role अधिकरण (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)Root √हु

Sandhi Notes

• उद्वेपमानाः मनसा चक्षुषा हृदयेन च । धावन्तु बिभ्यतः अमित्राः प्रत्रासेन आज्ये हुते ।
• 1) बिभ्यतोऽमित्राः = बिभ्यतः + अमित्राः (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ḥ + a → ’).
• 2) अन्यत्र स्पष्ट सन्धि-परिवर्तनं न
• ‘आज्ये हुते’ सप्तमी-सप्तमी (locative absolute) प्रकारेण—‘आज्ये (सति) हुते’ इति भावः।

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

As per AV anukramaṇī for this sukta (martial Atharvanic attribution)

Devata

Trāsa/Bhaya (terror) operationalized; enemies as target

Chandas

Anuṣṭubh

Rasa

Raudra and Bhayankara

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