Atharva Veda Sukta 39
Kanda 4Anuvaka 4Sukta 3910 Mantras

Sukta 39

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (Anukramaṇī attribution for AV 4.39; commonly Atharvan/Angiras-type seer lists—edition-dependent).

Devata: Antarikṣa as dhenu (cosmic source) with Vāyu as operative deity (calf/extractor).

Chandas: Mixed/prose-like anuṣṭubh cadence (Atharvanic style; not strictly metrical throughout).

Mantras

Mantra 1

संनति पृ॒थि॒व्याम॒ग्नये॒ सम॑नम॒न्त्स आ॑र्ध्नोत्। यथा॑ पृथि॒व्याम॒ग्नये॑ स॒मन॑मन्ने॒वा मह्यं॑ सं॒नमः॒ सं न॑मन्तु

On Earth, unto Agni, the Convergence bowed together; thereby he won success. As on Earth, unto Agni, they bowed together, even so for me let all convergences bow in accord.

Mantra 2

पृ॒थि॒वी धे॒नुस्तस्या॑ अ॒ग्निर्व॒त्सः । सा मे॒ऽग्निना॑ व॒त्सेनेष॒मूर्जं॒ कामं॑ दुहाम्। आयुः॑ प्रथ॒मं प्र॒जां पोषं॑ र॒यिं स्वाहा॑

Earth is the milch-cow; of her Agni is the calf. With Agni for her calf let her milk out for me refreshment, vigor, and desire fulfilled—life first, then offspring, thriving, and wealth—svāhā!

Mantra 3

अ॒न्तरि॑क्षे वा॒यवे॒ सम॑नम॒न्त्स आ॑र्ध्नोत्। यथा॒न्तरि॑क्षे वा॒यवे॑ स॒मन॑मन्ने॒वा मह्यं॑ सं॒नमः॒ सं न॑मन्तु

In mid-air, unto Vāyu, they bowed together; thereby he won success. As in mid-air, unto Vāyu, they bowed together, even so for me let all convergences bow in accord.

Mantra 4

अ॒न्तरि॑क्षं धे॒नुस्तस्या॑ वा॒युर्व॒त्सः । सा मे॑ वा॒युना॑ व॒त्सेनेष॒मूर्जं॒ कामं॑ दुहाम्। आयुः॑ प्रथ॒मं प्र॒जां पोषं॑ र॒यिं स्वाहा॑

The Mid-air is a milch-cow; of her the Wind is the calf. May she, for me, by Wind as calf, milk forth refreshment, sap, and desire—life first, then offspring, thriving, and wealth: svāhā.

Mantra 5

दि॒व्याऽदि॒त्याय॒ सम॑नम॒न्त्स आ॑र्ध्नोत्। यथा॑ दि॒व्याऽदि॒त्याय॑ स॒मन॑मन्ने॒वा मह्यं॑ सं॒नमः॒ सं न॑मन्तु

The heavenly ones bowed in unison to Āditya; thereby he attained success. As the heavenly ones bowed to Āditya, so, even thus, let acts of homage bow together unto me.

Mantra 6

द्यैर्धे॒नुस्तस्या॑ आदि॒त्यो व॒त्सः । सा म॑ आदि॒त्येन॑ व॒त्सेने॑ष॒मूर्जं॒ कामं॑ दुहाम्। आयुः॑ प्रथ॒मं प्र॒जां पोषं॑ र॒यिं स्वाहा॑

Heaven is a milch-cow; of her Āditya is the calf. May she, for me, by Āditya as calf, milk forth refreshment, sap, and desire—life first, then offspring, thriving, and wealth: svāhā.

Mantra 7

दि॒क्षु च॒न्द्राय॒ सम॑नम॒न्त्स आ॑र्ध्नोत्। यथा॑ दि॒क्षु च॒न्द्राय॑ स॒मन॑मन्ने॒वा मह्यं॑ सं॒नमः॒ सं न॑मन्तु

In the quarters they bowed together to Candra; thereby he attained success. As in the quarters they bowed to Candra, so, even thus, let acts of homage bow together unto me.

Mantra 8

दिशो॑ धे॒नव॒स्तासां॑ च॒न्द्रो व॒त्सः । ता मे॑ च॒न्द्रेण॑ व॒त्सेनेष॒मूर्जं॒ कामं॑ दुहाम् । आयुः॑ प्रथ॒मं प्र॒जां पोषं॑ र॒यिं स्वाहा॑

The Directions are milch-cows; of them the Moon is the calf. May they, for me, by the Moon as calf, milk forth refreshment, sap, and desire—life first, then offspring, thriving, and wealth: svāhā.

Mantra 9

अ॒ग्नाव॒ग्निश्च॑रति॒ प्रवि॑ष्ट॒ ऋषी॑णां पु॒त्रो अ॑भिशस्ति॒पा उ॑ । न॒म॒स्का॒रेण॒ नम॑सा ते जुहोमि॒ मा दे॒वानां॑ मिथु॒या क॑र्म भा॒गम्

Within the Fire doth Agni move, entered therein—son of the Seers, a warder-off of imprecation. With salutation, with obeisance, to thee I offer: let not the gods’ portion of the rite be taken in falsewise manner.

Mantra 10

हृ॒दा पू॒तं मन॑सा जातवेदो॒ विश्वा॑नि देव व॒युना॑नि वि॒द्वान्। स॒प्तास्या॑नि॒ तव॑ जातवेद॒स्तेभ्यो॑ जुहोमि॒ स जु॑षस्व ह॒व्यम्

Purified with heart, with mind, O Jātavedas—O god, knowing all wise ordinances: thine are seven mouths, O Jātavedas; to them I offer: do thou accept the oblation graciously.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a ritual image for hidden abundance: the atmospheric realm holds life-supporting powers (rain, breath, vitality). The hymn treats these as milk to be Ǎrawn out for the performer.

A calf makes the cow let down milk; likewise Vāyuwind and breathis the activating force that releases nourishment and vigor. Practically, it also points to breath-control and life-force as part of the rites efficacy.

Agni is the receiver and validator of the offering. By addressing Agni as knowing all ordinances and having seven mouths, the performer asks that the oblation be fully accepted so the prosperity request is firmly established.

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