Atharva Veda 20.116.2: Kanda 20, Anuvaka 12, Sukta 116, Mantra 2
Sukta 116
अम॑न्म॒हीद॑ना॒शवो॑ऽनु॒ग्रास॑श्च वृत्रहन्। सु॒कृत्सु ते॑ मह॒ता शू॑र॒ राध॒सानु॒ स्तोमं॑ मुदीमहि
ám anmahīdánāśavo’nugrā́saś ca vṛtrahan | sukṛ́tsu te mahatā́ śūra rā́dhasā́nu stómam mudīmahi
Yea, unconquered, gracious, O Vṛtra-slayer: among the righteous, O Hero, with thy mighty bounty, in due course we gladden ourselves with a hymn of praise.
ഹേ വൃത്രഹൻ! നീ അജേയനും അനുഗ്രഹശീലനും ആകുന്നു. ഹേ ശൂരാ! സത്കൃത്യങ്ങളിൽ, നിന്റെ മഹത്തായ ദാനബലത്തോടുകൂടെ, യഥാക്രമം ഞങ്ങൾ സ്തുതിഗാനത്തിന്റെ സ്തോമംകൊണ്ട് ആനന്ദിക്കുന്നു.
The meaning
What it says
Praise to Indra: unconquered (unovercome), gracious, Vṛtra-slayer. Among the righteous, with his great bounty, the worshippers in due course rejoice with a hymn (stoma).
The inner meaning
The mind addresses the inner ‘Vṛtra-slayer’: the capacity to break through inertia, depression, and obstruction. “Among the righteous” suggests alignment with integrity (sukṛt) as the condition for receiving strength and resources.
The truth in it
Obstacle-removal is not merely force; it is force guided by right action and timely praise—disciplined effort plus gratitude unlocks support.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika (Prosperity) / Indra-stuti (Soma-liturgical)
Its aim
To secure Indra’s bounty and obstacle-removal through praise within a Soma context (prosperity, victory, unhindered rite).
Word by Word
Pada patha
अम् । अन्महीदनाशवः । अनुग्रासः । च । वृत्रहन् । सुकृत्सु । ते । महता । शूर । राधसा । अनु । स्तोमम् । मुदीमहि
- अमन्महीदनाशवः
- (they) who are not quickly harmed/checked in their impulse (i.e., unimpeded, unharmed swiftly)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (अनु-ग्रासाः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्) अथवा कर्तृसमूह-विशेषणम्Root अमन्महीदनाशु (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि-समास) = अ- (निषेध) + मन्मही (मन्मथ/मन्मन्-सम्बद्ध ‘उत्साह/प्रेरणा’) + दन (√दन्/√दं ‘to hurt, to bite’ से) + आशु ‘शीघ्र’
- अनुग्रासाः
- followers/assailants; those who press on (devour after)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अनुग्रास (प्रातिपदिक; अनु- + √ग्रस् ‘to swallow, devour’ → ‘following-devourers/assailants’)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRoot च
- वृत्रहन्
- O Vṛtra-slayerVṛtra-slayer (Indra as the paradigmatic remover of obstruction/disease)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (address)Root वृत्रहन् (प्रातिपदिक; वृत्र- ‘obstacle/dragon’ + हन् ‘slayer’)
- सुकृत्सु
- among the well-doers / among the meritoriousamong the well-doers/meritorious (those performing right rites; also ‘in good works’)Nounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे बहुधा नपुंसक), सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (locative: ‘among/in’)Root सुकृत् (प्रातिपदिक; सु- + √कृ ‘to do’ → ‘well-doer/merit’)
- ते
- of you / yourto thee/thy (dative/genitive; recipient of the stoma)Pronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of/for you’)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- महता
- with great (power/means)with great (instrumental; intensifier of ‘rādhas’)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole Karaṇa (instrumental: ‘by/with’)Root महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शूर
- O heroNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- राधसा
- with bounty / with your giftwith bounty, with beneficent gift (Sayana: ‘dhanādi-rūpeṇa rādhasā’)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole Karaṇa (instrumental)Root राधस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘bounty, gift, favor’)
- अनु
- after; in accordance; alongafter, in accordance with (following the established praise/rite)Indeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण)Root अनु
- स्तोमम्
- praise-hymnhymn of praise (a liturgical ‘stoma’ as efficacious speech-act)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक; ‘hymn of praise’)
- मुदीमहि
- we rejoice / we are gladwe would rejoice/celebrate (ritual exultation; successful completion of praise)Verbलट् (वर्तमाने), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole Kartā (अस्मदर्थे ‘वयम्’)Root √मुद् (to rejoice, be glad)
Sandhi Notes
- अम॑न्म॒हीद॑ना॒शवो॑ऽनु॒ग्रास॑श्च वृत्रहन् । सु॒कृत्सु ते॑ मह॒ता शू॑र॒ राध॒सानु॒ स्तोमं॑ मुदीमहि ।
- 1) आशवः + अनुग्रासाः → आशवोऽनुग्रासाः (अ + अ = ‘ऽ’ अवग्रह)
- 2) अनुग्रासाः + च → अनुग्रासाश्च (आः + च)
- 3) राधसा + अनु → राधसानु (अ + अ संधिः)
- 4) सुकृत्सु = सुकृत् + सु (सप्तमी-बहुवचन-प्रत्यय ‘सु’ परे त् → त्स्)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- RV provenance (Indra-stuti tradition; AV 20 is a collection of RV hymns/verses in Saunaka)
- Devata
- Indra (Vṛtrahan)
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh/Triṣṭubh-type RV cadence (as transmitted in AV 20; meter should be verified against RV parallel).
- Rasa
- Vira and Adbhuta
Sayana glosses the epithets as ritual-qualifiers: Indra is ‘unassailable’ and ‘favouring’ (anugrahakartṛ), invoked as Vṛtra-slayer to remove impediments. ‘Among the sukṛts’ marks the sacrificers as properly qualified; ‘rādhas’ is interpreted as tangible benefaction (wealth, strength) granted in response to stoma.
RV provenance (Indra-stuti); specific ṛṣi requires identification via RV parallel for this exact verse
Rigvedic Indra praise-poetry transmitted into AVŚ 20 (Saunaka) for liturgical/paustika use; mastery of stoma as efficacious offering.
In AVŚ 20, RV stanzas are repurposed: Indra-stuti becomes a prosperity and victory technology—praise as a means to secure rādhas (bounty) and remove impediments.
Indra
Champion of ṛta-aligned power: slays Vṛtra (constriction), releases waters/cows/wealth, and grants victory and expansive life-force.
Indirect: restores vitality by ‘opening’ blocked flows; supports recovery framed as removal of constriction and restoration of strength.
Strong: wards enemies, breaks hostile bindings, protects the rite and community.
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each (to be verified against RV pada division)
AVŚ 20 transmission may show minor phonetic/wording variants; recitation can be slightly Atharvanized while retaining RV metrical skeleton.
Majestic, forward-driving, suitable for communal praise and confidence.
Energizes and uplifts; builds vīrya (heroic vigor) through rhythmic exaltation.
Prepare the rite-space; seat the Atharvan/Brahman overseeing correct recitation.
Recite the mantra as an Indra-stuti during a prosperity/obstacle-removal segment, synchronizing with offering or concluding acclamation.
Conclude with a stoma-like response (praise/affirmation) to ‘seal’ the intended benefaction.
Kauśika Sūtra: general Indra-stuti deployment in śānti/paustika contexts; AV 20 is largely RV-derived and used in soma-linked recitations (exact KS mapping varies by regional paddhati).
Brahman/Atharvan as supervisory corrector and apotropaic specialist: ensures faultless accent and deploys the stuti as a protective-productive speech-act.
Recite for success in undertakings, before competitions, disputes, or communal projects; suitable as a prosperity/victory prayer in a domestic setting.
Morning or before action; also during festive gatherings where praise is offered.
If formalized, a priest leads stotra-like recitation; otherwise a householder can recite as paustika praise.
Use as a strength-and-focus hymn before major work or recovery milestones.
stoma (efficacious praise as ‘verbal oblation’)
Speech is treated as a substance offered: stoma is a ‘thing’ that can gladden, attract, and bind divine attention—verbal soma for the community.
Not a clinical charm; supports vigor and resilience by invoking Indra’s obstacle-breaking and bounty-giving powers.
Symbolic support for ojas/tejas increase and removal of āvaraṇa (obstruction) in a broad metaphorical sense.
Motivational/anti-inertia recitation; stress-to-agency shift; communal morale building.
Patron/household/community performing the stoma; the rite’s success.
Secure Indra’s bounty and unobstructed success of praise/rite; strengthen community fortune and victory.
Stoma-as-offering: praise as performative transaction; aligning with sukṛt (right action) to attract rādhas.
Obstacles, rivals, ritual failure, constriction of resources.
wealth, victory, successful rites, social standing
- वृत्रहन् (vṛtrahan)
- breaker of blockages; remover of constriction (physical/mental/social)
- अनुग्रासः (anugrāsaḥ)
- benevolence that turns power into protection rather than tyranny
- सुकृत्सु (sukṛtsu)
- ethical alignment as the ‘field’ where blessings land
- राधसा (rādhasā)
- inflow of resources/ojas/fortune
- स्तोमम् (stomam)
- verbal oblation; speech-as-sacrifice that organizes community and intention
Breaking inner obstruction; cultivating heroic steadiness with ethical alignment (sukṛt).
Manipura (will/agency)
Moderate paced breathing; emphasize strong exhale on Vṛtrahan phrases.
See a thunderbolt of light breaking a dark knot; then a flow of light/water released through the body and life-situation.
Energized clarity and resolve.
Recite with upright posture; after recitation, sit briefly and choose one concrete action that expresses ‘obstacle removed’.
RV-style accenting; keep udātta on key epithets (vṛtrahan, śūra) as transmitted; exact svara requires pada-based accent marks from the AVŚ text edition.
Maintain triṣṭubh swing: do not flatten pāda endings; keep caesura-like pauses natural.
Clear, resonant, confident; suitable for group recitation.
Though RV-derived, in Atharvan hands it functions paustika: recite with intent for unobstructed success and protective victory rather than purely soma-liturgical framing.
Facing obstacles in work, legal matters, exams, or community disputes; seeking renewed vigor and fortune.
Before beginning an important undertaking; when morale is low; during weekly household worship.
Greater resolve, confidence, and a sense of support; traditional framing: Indra’s bounty and obstacle-removal.
Avoid using ‘victory’ framing to justify unethical actions; align with sukṛt (right conduct).
No explicit plant occurs; the operative ‘substance’ is stoma (speech as oblation). In Atharvanic pragmatics, praise functions like a material offering, effecting prosperity and the removal of ‘vṛtra’ as obstruction (including illness or ritual blockage).
‘Sukṛtsu’ presupposes a class of ritually competent patrons/performers; efficacy is tied to correct performance and authorized reciters (Brahman/Atharvan), reflecting a stratified ritual economy where merit and right-rite confer access to divine bounty.
The diction is RV-standard (Indra epithets, stoma, rādhas). AV 20 largely preserves RV phraseology; any innovations are more in compilation-context than in morphology. Accentuation and sandhi reflect Vedic recensional transmission rather than later Classical norms.
Gopatha typically frames Atharvanic efficacy in terms of brahman (potent formulation) and correct deployment; an Indra-stuti is efficacious insofar as it is properly ‘yukta’ (applied) to remove impediments and secure rādhas. Direct Gopatha citation for this exact verse is not fixed here and should be checked against GB’s Indra/śānti discussions.
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