Atharva Veda 13.3.7: Kanda 13, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 3, Mantra 7
Sukta 3
यो अ॑न्ना॒दो अन्न॑पतिर्ब॒भूव॒ ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पति॑रु॒त यः । भू॒तो भ॑वि॒ष्यद् भुव॑नस्य॒ यस्पति॒स्तस्य॑ दे॒वस्य॑ । क्रु॒द्धस्यै॒तदागो॒ य ए॒वं वि॒द्वांसं॑ ब्राह्म॒णं जि॒नाति॑ । उद् वे॑पय रोहित॒ प्र क्षि॑णीहि ब्रह्म॒ज्यस्य॒ प्रति॑ मुञ्च॒ पाशा॑न्
yó annādó annápatir babhū́va bráhmaṇas pátir utá yáḥ | bhūtó bhaviṣyád bhúvanasya yás pátis tásya devásya | kruddhásyaitád ā́go yá eváṃ vidvā́ṃsaṃ brāhmaṇáṃ jinā́ti | úd vepaya rohita prá kṣiṇīhi brahmajyásya práti muñca pā́śān
He who became the Eater of food, the Lord of food; who is Lord of brahman also; who is master of what hath been and what shall be, the lord of the world of being—of that God. This is the offence against that wrathful God, whoso thus wrongs a knowing Brahmin. Make him quake, O Rohita; waste him away; against the Brahmin-hurter loose back the nooses.
जो अन्नभक्षक, अन्नाचा स्वामी झाला; जो ब्रह्मणस्पतीही आहे; जो भूत व भविष्य आणि समस्त भुवनाचा (जगाचा) अधिपती आहे—त्या देवाचा. त्या क्रुद्ध देवाविरुद्ध हेच पाप आहे—जो असा जाणणाऱ्या ब्राह्मणाला जिंकतो/छळतो. हे रोहित! त्याला थरथर कापव; त्याला क्षीण कर; ब्राह्मण-हंत्याच्या विरुद्ध पाश (फास) प्रत्याघात करून सोड।
The meaning
What it says
The deity is praised as eater and lord of food, and as lord of brahman; master of what has been and what will be, lord of the world. Against that wrathful god it is an offence to wrong a knowing Brahmin; Rohita is commanded to make the offender tremble, waste away, and to reverse the nooses upon him.
The inner meaning
Food (anna) is sovereignty over life; brahman is sovereignty over meaning and law. When one harms a knower, one attacks both sustenance and sacred intelligence; the consequence is depletion (kṣaya) and loss of support—social and existential.
The truth in it
Power over resources and power over knowledge are inseparable foundations of society. Violating the guardians of knowledge corrodes both prosperity and legitimacy, returning constraint upon the violator.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Abhicarika (Punitive/Counter-curse); protection of Brahmin and brahman
Its aim
To invoke a sovereign deity (lord of food and brahman) to punish the Brahmin-injurer by fear, depletion, and fettering.
Word by Word
Pada patha
यः । अन्नादः । अन्नपतिः । बभूव । ब्रह्मणः-पतिः । उत । यः । भूतः । भविष्यत् । भुवनस्य । यः-पतिः । तस्य । देवस्य । क्रुद्धस्य । एतत् । आगः । यः । एवम् । विद्वांसम् । ब्राह्मणम् । जिनाति । उत् । वेपय । रोहित । प्र । क्षिणीहि । ब्रह्मज्यस्य । प्रति । मुञ्च । पाशान्
- यः
- who (he who)who (the deity characterized)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्नादः
- food-eater, eatereater of food (consumer; sovereign who appropriates offerings)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अन्नाद (अन्न + आद ‘eater’)
- अन्नपतिः
- lord/master of foodlord of food (controller of sustenance; dispenser/withholder)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अन्नपति (अन्न + पति)
- बभूव
- became / has becomehas become, came to be (assumed this lordship)Verbलिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root भू (धातु)
- ब्रह्मणस्पतिः
- Brahmaṇaspati (lord of prayer/sacred speech)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot ब्रह्मणस्-पति (समास)
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root उत
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भूतः
- become; past (as a state)the become/past (what has been; the existent)Adjective/Participleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot भूत (भू-क्त)
- भविष्यत्
- future (that which will be)the future (what will be; fate under divine control)Adjective/Participleनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रातिपदिकवत् (here as ‘future’), एकवचनम् (अव्यक्त-विशेषणवत्)Root भविष्यत् (भू-शतृ/भविष्यत्-प्रातिपदिक)
- भुवनस्य
- of the world/beingof the world/creaturely realm (totality of beings)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Root भुवन (भू + यु/अन)
- यः
- whowhoeverPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पतिः
- lordNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot पति
- तस्य
- of him/thatof thatPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवस्य
- of the godNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Root देव
- क्रुद्धस्य
- of (the) angry oneof the wrathful oneAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Root क्रुद्ध (क्रुध्-क्त)
- एतत्
- thisPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आगः
- sin, offenceoffense, guiltNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot आगस्
- यः
- whowhoeverPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- एवम्
- thus, in this waythus (knowing this formula/structure)Indeclinableअव्ययम्Root एवम्
- विद्वान्
- knowing, learnedAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Karma (object-qualifier) / Kartā (in apposition)Root विद्वस् (विद्-वत्)
- ब्राह्मणम्
- a BrahminBrahminNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot ब्राह्मण
- जिनाति
- overpowers, harms, conquerswrongs, injuresVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root जि (धातु; ‘to conquer/overpower’)
- उत्
- up, forth (as preverb)up, forthIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गःRoot उत्
- वेपय
- make (him) tremblemake trembleVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; णिच्-प्रयोगः (कारयति)Root विप्/वेप् (धातु; causative)
- रोहित
- O Rohita (a deity/epithet)O RohitaNoun/Proper nameपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role Sampradāna (addressed) /Root रोहित (प्रातिपदिक; voc.)
- प्र
- forth, forward (as preverb)forth, intenselyIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गःRoot प्र
- क्षिणीहि
- destroy, waste awaywaste awayVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root क्षि (धातु; ‘to destroy/waste away’)
- ब्रह्मज्यस्य
- of brahma-slaying / of injury to a Brahminof the Brahmin-hurter (brahman-injurer)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (पाठभेद-संभाव्य), षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Root ब्रह्मज्य (ब्रह्मन् + ज्या/ज्य ‘injury/violence’ → ‘Brahmin-slaying/violence against brahman’)
- प्रति
- back, in return, againstback upon (reversal)Indeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गः/अव्ययम्Root प्रति
- मुञ्च
- release, let looserelease/let looseVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root मुच् (धातु)
- पाशान्
- nooses, bondsnooses/bondsNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot पाश
Sandhi Notes
- अन्नादो → अन्नादः (visarga in pada)
- अन्नपतिर् → अन्नपतिः
- ब्रह्मणस्पतिरुत → ब्रह्मणस्पतिः + उत
- भविष्यद् → भविष्यत् (final -d before pause/pada)
- यस्पतिः → यः + पतिः
- तस्य देवस्य → तस्य + देवस्य
- एतदागो → एतत् + आगः
- एवम् विद्वांसं → एवम् + विद्वान् (acc. sg. in saṃhitā often appears as विद्वांसम्; pada normalized to stem-form vidvān)
- उद् वेपय → उत् + वेपय
- रोहित प्र → रोहित + प्र
- ब्रह्मज्यस्य प्रति → ब्रह्मज्यस्य + प्रति
- मुञ्च पाशान् → मुञ्च + पाशान्
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic/Angirasa (requires anukramaṇī verification).
- Devata
- Sovereign deity identified by lordship of food and brahman (Bṛhaspati/Varuṇa-like), with Rohita as addressed agent.
- Chandas
- To be confirmed by metrical scan; refrain-driven.
- Rasa
- Vira and Raudra
Sāyaṇa emphasizes the deity’s sovereignty over nourishment (anna) and over brahman (spell/holy speech), extending to temporal totality (past and future) and the whole bhuvana. The refrain defines the actionable guilt: injury to a learned Brahmin is an offense against this sovereign god, who therefore authorizes Rohita to punish by trembling, wasting, and binding.
Atharvanic/Angirasa attribution uncertain (anukramaṇī-dependent); mantra voice aligned with Atharvanic social protection
Protective theology linking prosperity (anna) and sacred authority (brahman) to justify punitive reversal against Brahmin-harmers.
By naming the deity as lord of both food and brahman, the charm asserts that attacking a Brahmin is an attack on the very pillars of life and order.
Brahmaṇaspati/Bṛhaspati-like sovereign (lord of brahman) with time-sovereignty; Rohita as punitive agent in refrain
Cosmic rulership over sustenance and sacred speech; governs time continuity; authorizes sanctions against violations of brahman.
Protects brahman and its carriers; ensures offenders lose strength/support and are bound by returned pāśas.
Mixed; refrain-driven; triṣṭubh-like cadence in praise portion
Praise pādas (lordship titles) + fixed refrain
Title-stacking (epithet lists) tends to compress/expand syllables; refrain standardizes delivery
Royal proclamation tone; then punitive command
Feels like reading a sovereign’s decree: authority first, enforcement second.
Recite while holding or displaying a cord/noose as the material correlate of pāśa.
Gesture ‘casting back’ (prati) toward the offender’s direction/name.
Conclude with a protective act for the Brahmin (touching head/heart; or enclosing with a cord), per prayoga.
Kauśika Sūtra: rites addressing brahmajyā/brahmabandhu-harm and counter-binding.
Atharvan priest as enforcer of sacral law; he operationalizes the mantra as a juridical ‘return’ of guilt and punishment.
Recite in the food-store area (granary/kitchen) as a reminder that prosperity depends on respecting sacred counsel; used when a household teacher is threatened or when slander disrupts harmony.
Before meals (anna context) or at dawn; also during dispute settlement.
Household priest/elder leads recitation; may accompany a vow of respectful speech and offerings of food to the learned.
KauśS: protective/abhicāra recitations safeguarding brahman and household prosperity; exact citation depends on edition
Ethical recitation before communal meals to reinforce respect for teachers and non-violent speech.
anna (food as prosperity/sovereignty token); brahman (spell-power); pāśa (fetters)
Food is the concrete sign of sovereignty and prosperity; the mantra implies that harming brahman jeopardizes one’s ‘anna’ (support), leading to kṣaya (wasting). Noose is the sanction mechanism.
Anna as ojas-support metaphor (indirect); the mantra’s aim is punitive/protective, not therapeutic.
Protection of intellectual/educational institutions; deterrence against abuse by invoking legitimacy and consequence.
brahmajya
To invoke sovereign authority over sustenance and brahman to punish and bind the Brahmin-injurer; induce trembling and wasting.
Royal-epithet legitimation + juridical accusation + reversal of pāśa; performative imperatives.
Coercion, exploitation, or violence against learned persons; disruption of counsel and ritual order
Food security and social legitimacy (implicitly safeguarded by protecting ‘annapati/brahmaṇaspati’)
- अन्नाद (annāda)
- ultimate consumer/time; the force that assimilates all actions
- अन्नपति (annapati)
- sovereignty over sustenance, prosperity, and social distribution
- ब्रह्मणस्पति (brahmaṇaspati)
- master of sacred speech, counsel, and ritual authority
- भूत भविष्यत् (bhūta bhaviṣyat)
- time-sovereignty; karmic continuity
- भुवनस्य पतिः (bhuvanasya patiḥ)
- cosmic kingship legitimating punishment
- पाश (pāśa)
- binding sanction; consequence returning
Contemplate ‘anna’ and ‘brahman’ as two supports: nourish the body and nourish truth; align consumption with ethics.
Manipura (assimilation/anna) and Vishuddha (brahman/speech)
Moderate diaphragmatic breathing; on exhale, mentally release resentment; keep refrain as boundary affirmation.
A store of grain protected by a ring of light; harmful cords rebound and dissolve; the protected teacher seated at the center with calm authority.
Dignified resolve; ethical courage.
Before eating or speaking counsel, recall interdependence: prosperity requires respect for knowledge; practice dana (food-giving) and satya-vāk.
Proclaim epithets with steady rise; refrain with clipped force
Emphasize compounds: annā́do annápatir… brahmaṇáspatir… bhūtó bhaviṣyád…
Authoritative, ‘decree-like’; refrain slightly louder
Pairing with a small food offering to a learned person aligns the ‘anna’ theology with non-violent protection.
7 times
When prosperity and harmony are threatened by disrespect toward teachers/elders or by attacks on counsel and learning.
Before communal meals, before teaching, or when resolving a dispute involving slander/abuse.
Reinforces respect for knowledge; traditional aim: offender loses force and is restrained; protected person feels supported.
Avoid using to justify social oppression; keep focus on protecting the vulnerable and upholding truth.
Again, no herb; the ‘material’ is food (anna) as a political-theological symbol of control. The mantra weaponizes deprivation (kṣiṇīhi) as the inverse of anna-lordship.
It links Brahmin inviolability to cosmic sovereignty: the same power that controls food and time polices offenses against the learned Brahmin, reinforcing brahminical centrality.
The compact sovereignty-titles (annāda/annapati) and the explicit temporal totalization (bhūta/bhaviṣyat) are typical Atharvanic cataloguing. The refrain’s legal framing is more Atharvanic than RV hymnody.
Gopatha’s Atharvanic theology often equates brahman with effective speech and the Brahmin with its custodian; thus harming him disrupts order and warrants coercive restoration through mantra.
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