Atharva Veda 20.21.11: Kanda 20, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 21, Mantra 11

Sukta 21

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

य उ॒दृची॑न्द्र दे॒वगो॑पाः॒ सखा॑यस्ते शि॒वत॑मा॒ असा॑म । त्वां स्तो॑षाम॒ त्वया॑ सु॒वीरा॒ द्राघी॑य॒ आयुः॑ प्रत॒रं दधा॑नाः

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 20.21.11

IAST Transliteration

yé udṛ́cīndra devágopāḥ sákhāyas te śivátamā́ asáma | tvā́ṃ stóṣāmi tváyā suvī́rā drā́ghīya ā́yuḥ prataráṃ dádhānāḥ

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

We, who are in the northern quarter, god-guarded—thy comrades—would be most graciously befriended, O Indra. Thee will I praise; with thee for our companion, rich in good heroes, bearing onward a longer life and better fortune.

Translation

Kami yang berada di penjuru utara, dipelihara para dewa—sahabat-sahabat-Mu—semoga Engkau berkenan menjadi sahabat yang paling membawa sejahtera, wahai Indra. Kepada-Mu aku memuji; dengan Engkau sebagai teman, kaya dengan wira yang baik, kami melangkah membawa umur yang lebih panjang dan tuah yang lebih baik.

The meaning

What it says

The speakers, situated in the northern quarter (udīcī), identify as Indra’s god-guarded comrades and ask to be most auspiciously befriended. They praise Indra and seek, with Indra as companion, heroic offspring/warriors (suvīra), longer life (drāghīya āyuḥ), and forward-moving success (prataram).

The inner meaning

Orientation to the “north” symbolizes turning the psyche toward steadiness, clarity, and protective order. Praise (stuti) is a self-aligning act: by choosing Indra as ‘inner companion,’ the practitioner strengthens will, courage, and life-affirming momentum, loosening fear of decline and misfortune.

The truth in it

Human flourishing increases when one consciously allies with a principle of strength and protection; disciplined praise, gratitude, and right orientation convert anxiety into forward movement, longevity, and generational continuity.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Paustika + Rājanya (Prosperity through Indra; longevity and heroic issue)

Its aim

To obtain longevity, forward success, and ‘good heroes’ (sons/warriors) under Indra’s companionship.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

ये । उ॒दृची॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । दे॒व-गो॑पाः । सखा॑यः । ते । शि॒व-त॑माः । अ॒स॒म । त्वाम् । स्तो॑षामि । त्वया॑ । सु॒-वीरा॑ः । द्राघी॑यः । आयुः॑ । प्र॒त॒रम् । दधा॑नाः

ये

who (they)who (those)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

उदृची

the upraised hymn/chantin the northern quarter; upward/northward (auspicious direction)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot उद्-ऋच् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘उदृच्’ = उद्गता ऋच्/स्तुति:)

इन्द्र

O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)

देवगोपाः

protectors of the godsguarded by the gods / god-protected; under divine wardshipNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot देवगोप (प्रातिपदिक; देव + गोप ‘protector of the gods’)

सखायः

friendscompanions, alliesNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot सखि (प्रातिपदिक)

ते

of you/yourthyPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role SambandhaRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

शिवतमाः

most auspiciousmost gracious/benign; most auspiciousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot शिवतम (प्रातिपदिक; शिव + तमप् ‘most auspicious’)

असाम

may we beVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/विधिलिङ्-प्रयोगसदृशः वैदिकः), उत्तमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम् (अस् → असाम ‘may we be’)Role क्रियापदRoot अस् (धातु)

त्वाम्

youtheePronounद्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

स्तोषाम

may I praiseVerbलोट्, उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (वैदिक-रूपम्) ‘let me praise’Role क्रियापदRoot स्तु (धातु)

त्वया

with you/through youwith thee; through thy companionshipPronounतृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

सुवीराः

having good heroes/valiant offspringhaving good heroes/sons; rich in valiant menAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot सुवीर (प्रातिपदिक; सु + वीर ‘having good heroes/strong sons’)

द्राघीय

longerAdjective (comparative)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (आयुः-विशेषणम्) अथवा अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः ‘longer’Role KarmaRoot द्राघीयस् (प्रातिपदिक; comparative of द्राघ ‘long’)

आयुः

life, lifespanlife-span; vital durationNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)

प्रतरम्

further, more (extended)further onward; more successfully/forwardAdjective/Adverbialनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (आयुः-विशेषणम्) / क्रियाविशेषणवत्Role KarmaRoot प्रतर (प्रातिपदिक; comparative of प्र ‘further/forward’, ‘more’)

दधानाः

bearing, bestowingbearing, holding; maintaining (life and success)Participleवर्तमानकाले, परस्मैपदीय-शतृ (दधान), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot धा (धातु) → दधत् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)

Sandhi Notes

• य उ॒दृची॑न्द्र → ये + उदृची + इन्द्र (इ/ई-सन्धिः: उदृची + इन्द्र = उदृचीन्द्र)
• सखा॑यस्ते → सखायः + ते (विसर्ग-लोपः/सन्धिः)
• शिवतमा॒ असा॑म → शिवतमाः + असाम (विसर्गः → अ-पूर्वे लोपः)
• स्तो॑षाम॒ त्वया॑ → स्तोषाम + त्वया (पदसन्धिः)
• सु॒वीरा॒ द्राघी॑य॒ आयुः॑ → सुवीराः + द्राघीय + आयुः (विसर्ग-लोपः)
• प्रत॒रं दधा॑नाः → प्रतरम् + दधानाः (अनुस्वार/विसर्ग-निरपेक्षः)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Ṛgvedic provenance.

Devata

Indra

Chandas

Triṣṭubh/Jagatī-type (requires scansion).

Rasa

Vira 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