Atharva Veda 3.13.6: Kanda 3, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 13, Mantra 6

Sukta 13

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

आदित् प॑श्याम्यु॒त वा॑ शृणो॒म्या मा॒ घोषो॑ गच्छति॒ वाङ् मा॑साम्। मन्ये॑ भेजा॒नो अ॒मृत॑स्य तर्हि॒ हिर॑ण्यवर्णा॒ अतृ॑पं य॒दा वः॑

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 3.13.6

IAST Transliteration

ā́d ít paśyāmy utá vā́ śṛṇomy ā́ mā ghóṣo gacchati vā́ṅ mā āsā́m | mányे bhajā́nó amṛ́tasya tárhi híraṇyavarṇā́ átr̥paṁ yadā́ vaḥ

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Now, indeed, I see; yea, I hear: to me comes sound—speech comes to me—from these. I deem that then I partake of immortality, O golden-hued ones, when I, erst unsated, have you.

Translation

ಈಗ ನಿಜಕ್ಕೂ ನಾನು ನೋಡುತ್ತೇನೆ; ಹೌದು, ಕೇಳುತ್ತೇನೆ: ನನ್ನ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಘೋಷ ಬರುತ್ತದೆ—ಇವುಗಳಿಂದ ವಾಣಿ ನನ್ನ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಬರುತ್ತದೆ. ಹೇ ಸುವರ್ಣವರ್ಣಿಗಳೇ, ನಾನು—ಹಿಂದೆ ಅತೃಪ್ತನಾಗಿದ್ದವನು—ನಿಮ್ಮನ್ನು ಪಡೆಯುವಾಗ, ಆಗ ನಾನು ಅಮೃತತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಪಾಲುಗೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತೇನೆ ಎಂದು ಭಾವಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ.

The meaning

What it says

The speaker declares restored perception and communication: “Now I see, I hear; sound comes to me—speech comes to me—from these (waters).” With the golden-coloured waters, the speaker feels they partake of immortality (amṛta), having been previously unsated.

The inner meaning

When the mind is ‘dry’ or depleted, faculties dull. Contact with consecrated waters symbolizes replenishment of sensory clarity and expressive power (vāc). ‘Amṛta’ here is the felt return of continuity, meaning, and inner sufficiency.

The truth in it

Renewal of life is experienced as the return of clear perception and truthful speech; nourishment restores not only the body but the capacity to relate, communicate, and feel ‘enough.’

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Bhaisajya (Restoration of faculties) / Paustika (Revitalization)

Its aim

To restore sensory and vocal faculties and to confer ‘amṛta’-like vitality through consecrated waters.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

आ । इत् । पश्यामि । उत । वा । शृणोमि । आ । मा । घोषः । गच्छति । वाक् । मा । आसाम् । मन्ये । भजानः । अमृतस्य । तर्हि । हिरण्य-वर्णाः । अतृपम् । यदा । वः

आदित्

then/just then (emphatic)Indeclinableनिपातः (अव्ययम्)Root आ + इत् (निपात-समूह; आद्/अथ + इत्) पारम्परिकः

पश्यामि

I seeI see; restoration of sight/clarityVerbलट्, उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role Kartā (अहं) अप्रकटःRoot √पश् (दृश्-अर्थे)

उत

and/alsoand also; additiveIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root उत (निपातः)

वा

oror/even; stylistic alternationIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root वा (विकल्पार्थक-निपातः)

शृणोमि

I hearI hear; restoration of hearingVerbलट्, उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role Kartā (अहं) अप्रकटःRoot √श्रु (श्रवणे)

आ

towards; up tonow, hither; onset marker of regained functionIndeclinableउपसर्गः/निपातःRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपातः)

मा

meme; the patient/reciterPronounद्वितीया/चतुर्थी एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक रूपम्)Role Karma/सम्प्रदान (क्रियानुसारम्) — ‘to/at me’Root अस्मद् (अहम्-शब्दः)

घोषः

a sound/crysound, noise, voice; audible vitality and social presenceNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot घोष (प्रातिपदिकम्)

गच्छति

goes/comesgoes/comes; returns, reachesVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Root √गम् (गतौ)

वाक्

speech/voicespeech; capacity for articulate utterance, social agencyNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (समुच्चितः) / अथवा ‘घोषः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणार्थेRoot वाच् (प्रातिपदिकम्)

मासाम्

of the monthsNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root मास (प्रातिपदिकम्)

मन्ये

I think/supposeI think, I deem; reflective assurance of cureVerbलट्, उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role Kartā (अहं) अप्रकटःRoot √मन् (मन्यते—बुद्धौ/मतौ)

भेजानः

partaking; devoted (sharing)Participleवर्तमानकृदन्तः (शानच्), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (मन्ये इत्यस्य कर्तृ-विशेषणम्) / ‘I, being devoted/partaking’Root √भज् (सेवायाम्/भागे) → भेजान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकम्)

अमृतस्य

of immortality/nectarof immortality; life-renewing essence, Soma-like vitalityNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot अमृत (प्रातिपदिकम्)

तर्हि

then/at that timethen/thereupon; at that moment of administrationIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root तर्हि (निपातः)

हिरण्यवर्णाः

golden-coloredgolden-coloured; epithet of the waters (bright, pure, auspicious)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (अतृपम् इत्यस्य) / सम्बोधन-सम्भावनाRoot हिरण्यवर्ण (प्रातिपदिकम्; समासः)

अतृपम्

I was not satisfied / I did not become satiatedI was unsated/unrefreshed; prior deficiency now remediedVerbलुङ्/अorist (अतृपम्), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role Kartā (अहं) अप्रकटःRoot √तृप् (तर्पणे) + नङ् (निषेध) → अ-तृप्

यदा

whenwhen; temporal clauseIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root यदा (सम्बन्ध-निपातः)

वः

of you / to you (pl.)of you/your; addressing the WatersPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्ध/सम्प्रदान (प्रसङ्गानुसारम्)Root युष्मद् (त्वम्-शब्दः)

Sandhi Notes

• पाठे ‘पश्याम्युत’ = पश्यामि + उत (इकारस्य यणादेशः: इ + उ → यु)
• ‘शृणोम्या’ = शृणोमि + आ (इ + आ → या)
• ‘वाङ्’ = वाक् (पदान्त-क् परे म्/मासाम् इत्यादौ अनुस्वार/ङ्-आदेशः; संहितायां वाक् + मासाम् → वाङ् मासाम्)
• ‘यदा वः’ संधिः न आवश्यकः (अकारान्त + व- आरम्भ)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic tradition (unspecified)

Devata

Āpas (golden-coloured waters) as bearers of amṛta

Chandas

Likely Anuṣṭubh with Atharvanic flexibility; exact scan uncertain

Rasa

Adbhuta and Shanta

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