Sukta 39
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (hymn-level attribution varies by anukramaṇī)
Devata: Āpas (Waters) / Rain-nourishment as divine agency
Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like cadence (longer pādas; not strict anuṣṭubh)
គាថានេះមានតែមួយបទ អញ្ជើញនូវទឹកទាំងឡាយជាអ្នកនាំយកនូវភស្តុតាងដ៏សក្តិសិទ្ធិពីទឹកភ្លៀង ដែលបានបង្កើតនូវគ្រឿងចិត្តសម្រាប់បំប៉ន ហើយត្រូវបានមើលឃើញថាជាអំណាចដ៏ស្រស់ស្អាតពីស្ថានសួគ៌ ដែលមានស្លាបស្រស់ ហើយចុះមកធ្វើឲ្យពិភពលោកត្រជាក់ត្រលប់។ ដោយភ្ជាប់ទឹកភ្លៀង រុក្ខជាតិ និងទ្រព្យសម្បត្តិពីគោ គាថានេះសុំឲ្យ "តាំង" នូវសេចក្តីសុខសប្បាយយ៉ាងពិតប្រាកដនៅលើទីលំនៅ ជាពិសេសនៅក្នុងទីចាក់គោ តាមរយៈចក្រវាលនៃទឹកដែលផ្តល់ជីវិតដល់រុក្ខជាតិ និងហ្វូងគោ។
Kind of charm
Mantras
Inside Sukta 39
How it unfolds
- How it opens
A direct address to the Waters (āpaḥ), immediately elevating them as heavenly and potent.
- What it asks
That the descending rain-refreshing power—waters’ ‘embryo’ and bull of herbs—establish the richest wealth for us in the cow-stall.
- Where its power lies
Rain is framed as the effective agent that ‘refreshes’ (tarpayati) and activates the waters–herbs chain of abundance, implying assured efficacy through natural-cosmic order.
- How it closes
The hymn ends with a concrete placement: prosperity is to be ‘established’ (sthāpayāti) specifically in the goṣṭha, sealing the charm in the household’s economic heart.
Famous verses
ā no goṣṭhe rayiṣṭhāṃ sthāpayāti
vṛṣabham oṣadhīnām
Kind of hymn
Paustika (Prosperity) / Bhaisajya-adjacent (waters-herbs nexus)
What it is for
Rain and replenishment that nourish herbs and, through them, establish enduring wealth—especially cattle-wealth—at the household/cow-stall.
Who it is for
Householders, herdsmen, village ritualists, and Atharvanic practitioners seeking prosperity through rainfall, pasture, and healthy cattle.
Also used as
- Bhaisajya-adjacent
- Shantika (rain-as-restoration and replenishment)
The deity
The Waters are personified as a heavenly, life-bearing potency: the ‘embryo of waters’ that becomes rain, generates herbs, and thereby sustains cattle and household prosperity.
Powers of the deity
- Bring rain and refresh living beings (tarpayati)
- Generate and strengthen herbs (oṣadhīḥ) through moisture
- Support fertility, growth, and abundance in the homestead economy
- Confer tangible wealth, especially cattle-wealth, by sustaining pasture and fodder
Why the deity is called
To secure rain-fed nourishment that ripens herbs and establishes ‘richest wealth’ in the goṣṭha (cattle-stall), ensuring prosperity through thriving herds and resources.
The seer
- Atharvanic seer (anukramaṇī attribution varies)Atharvan. Paustika and bhaiṣajya-adjacent charms emphasizing nourishment, increase of cattle-wealth, and the waters–herbs nexus (rain as the mediator of prosperity and healing).
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 7.38
- AV 7.40
- AV 6.23
Preparing for the rite
- Collect clean water (preferably rainwater if available) in a vessel; keep it in a ritually clean space near the homestead or cattle area.
- Prepare the reciter with basic purity (washing hands/face) and a calm focus on rain, fodder, and the well-being of the herd.
The rite
- Recite the verse facing the open sky or toward the cattle-stall (goṣṭha), visualizing descending rain that refreshes herbs and animals.
- Sprinkle or pour a small amount of water at the threshold of the goṣṭha or on fodder, as a material ‘installation’ of the invoked prosperity.
What it needs
- Āpas (clean water; ideally rainwater)
- Vessel for water (kalaśa or clean pot)
- Fodder or a small bundle of fresh grass/herb as a proxy for oṣadhi
When
At the onset of the rains, during cloud-formation, or when bringing cattle into the stall; also suitable after drought anxiety as a prosperity-restoring recitation.
The main substance
Āpas (clean water; ideally rainwater)
Herbs
- Fresh grasses/pasture plants (as representative oṣadhi)
- Any locally valued rain-fed medicinal herb (oṣadhi) available in season
How it is prepared
Keep water in a clean vessel; during recitation, sprinkle at the goṣṭha threshold or on fodder/grass to materially link mantra, rain-nourishment, and cattle prosperity.
Frequently Asked Questions
It asks the Waters—acting as rain and nourishment—to refresh the world, strengthen herbs, and establish abundant wealth, especially cattle-wealth, in the cow-stall at home.
Because rain (waters descending) is portrayed as the power that makes herbs flourish; thriving herbs mean fodder and health for cattle, which translates into household prosperity.
Recite the verse with a clean vessel of water (ideally rainwater) and sprinkle a little near the cattle-stall area or on fodder/grass, focusing on rainfall, pasture growth, and the well-being of the herd.
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