Atharva Veda 4.22.5: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 22, Mantra 5
Sukta 22
यु॒नज्मि॑ त उत्त॒राव॑न्त॒मिन्द्रं॒ येन॒ जय॑न्ति॒ न प॑रा॒जय॑न्ते । यस्त्वा॒ कर॑देकवृ॒षं जना॑नामु॒त राज्ञा॑मुत्तमं मा॑न॒वाना॑म्
yunájmi te uttarā́vantaṁ índraṁ yéna jáyanti ná parā-jáyante | yás tvā́ kárad eka-vṛ́ṣaṁ jánānām utá rājñā́m uttamáṁ mānavā́nām ||
I yoke to thee Indra the Overmastering, by whom men conquer and are not conquered; who made thee the sole Bull of the peoples, yea, the highest of kings, the foremost among men.
Aku menggandingkan bagimu Indra Yang Maha Mengatasi, yang dengannya manusia menang dan tidak dikalahkan; yang menjadikan engkau satu-satunya Banteng bagi bangsa-bangsa, bahkan yang tertinggi antara raja-raja, yang terdepan antara manusia.
The meaning
What it says
The speaker ‘yokes’ to the client Indra the Overmastering—by whom men conquer and are not conquered—who made Indra the sole bull of the peoples, the highest of kings and foremost among men.
The inner meaning
Harnessing victory-energy: disciplined alignment with a victorious archetype. ‘Yoking’ is psychological integration—bringing raw power under intentional guidance so one can act without collapse under counterforce.
The truth in it
Power becomes effective when harnessed (yoked) to purpose; victory is sustained not by impulse but by trained alignment and resilience.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Rajakarma (Royal victory/ascendancy); Paustika with political edge
Its aim
To yoke Indra’s victory-power to the king so that he conquers without being conquered; to assert supremacy over peoples and rival kings.
Word by Word
Pada patha
युनज्मि । ते । उत्तरावन्तम् । इन्द्रम् । येन । जयन्ति । न । परा-जयन्ते । यः । त्वा । करत् । एक-वृषम् । जनानाम् । उत । राज्ञाम् । उत्तमम् । मानवानाम्
- युनज्मि
- I yoke / I harnessI yoke/attach (ritually harness; connect the king to power)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचनRole KartāRoot युज् (युजँ समाधौ/युजिर् योगे)
- ते
- for you / of youfor thee/unto thee (to the king as addressee)Pronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot त्वद् (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
- उत्तरावन्तम्
- the superior / having the upper (hand)having the upper hand; superior, prevailing (victory-bearing)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot उत्तरावन्त (प्रातिपदिक; उत्तर + वन्त)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- येन
- by whom / by whichby whom/with which (instrumental linkage: Indra as means)Pronounपुं/नपुं, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- जयन्ति
- they win / conquerthey conquer (win contests/battles)Verbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot जि (जि॒—जय॑ने)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- पराजयन्ते
- they are defeated / they losethey are defeated/overcome (lit. 'conquered away')Verbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole KartāRoot परा + जि (जि॒—जय॑ने)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वा
- youthee (Indra as object of 'made/appointed')Pronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot त्वद् (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
- करत्
- made / fashionedmade, fashioned, appointed (aorist; instituting status)Verbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole KartāRoot कृ (डुकृञ् करणे)
- एकवृषम्
- the sole bull; pre-eminent/unique herosole bull; pre-eminent male, unrivalled champion (sovereign virility metaphor)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot एकवृष (प्रातिपदिक; एक + वृष)
- जनानाम्
- of peoples / of menof the peoples/clans (political collectives)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय/अपि-अर्थRoot उत
- राज्ञाम्
- of kingsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत्तमम्
- the highest / besthighest, best, supreme (rank-assertion)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
- मानवानाम्
- of men / of mortalsof men/humans (universalizing the supremacy claim)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- युनज्मि | ते | उत्तरावन्तम् | इन्द्रम् | येन | जयन्ति | न | पराजयन्ते | यः | त्वा | करत् | एकवृषम् | जनानाम् | उत | राज्ञाम् | उत्तमम् | मानवानाम् । Sandhi/phonetic notes:
- (1) यु॒नज्मि॑ = युनज्मि (Vedic accent only)
- (2) उत्त॒राव॑न्तम् = उत्तरावन्तम् (no further split; -आ- is stem vowel)
- (3) परा॒जय॑न्ते = परा + जयन्ते (upasarga + verb)
- (4) कर॑द्- = करत् (aorist of √कृ; final -d in saṃhitā corresponds to underlying -t before pause)
- (5) राज्ञा॑म् = राज्ञाम् (gen.pl. of राजन्)
- (6) उ॒त ..
- उ॒त = repeated avyaya ‘and also’
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic/Angirasa tradition (as per AV royal hymns)
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh/Jagatī-like cadence (needs metrical audit by pada-count)
- Rasa
- Vira and Adbhuta
Sāyaṇa emphasizes yunajmi as a ritual 'joining'—the priest binds Indra’s victorious energy to the king. uttarāvant is glossed as 'one who makes (his client) superior.' eka-vṛṣa is taken as ekādhipati/ekavīrya: singular lordship and unmatched manly force. The verse is read as a charter of precedence over rival kings.
Atharvanic-Aṅgirasa royal charm tradition (victory-yoking)
Victory rites, political ascendancy, mantra as ‘harness’ for Indraic force in contests.
Explicitly articulates the Atharvanic technique of ‘yoking’ a deity—mantra as harness (yuga) that binds cosmic power to the patron’s aim.
Indra (Uttarāvant)
Archetype of unconquered victory; grants strategic superiority and enthrones primacy among rival powers.
Protection from defeat, reversal, and humiliation; guards the patron’s ‘upper hand’ in struggle.
Pāda lengths may vary (~11–12); narrative-relative clauses can stretch to Jagatī feel.
Atharvanic royal verses often prioritize syntactic sweep (relative clauses yastvā… ) over strict count.
Forward-driving ‘harnessing’ rhythm; relative clause adds epic lift.
Generates momentum and confidence; feels like fastening armor before action.
The priest performs a 'yoking' gesture—touching a yoke, bow, chariot-part, or the king’s arm—as the verb yunajmi is uttered.
The mantra is recited over the king before contest/battle or during enthronement sequences.
A concluding act may include stepping forward (symbolic advance) and a protective binding (rakṣā-bandha) to prevent 'parājaya' (defeat).
Kauśika Sūtra: victory/royal supremacy rites employing AV 4.22 (general; edition-dependent numbering).
Atharvan as strategist-priest: he ritually equips the king with Indra’s conquering capacity and wards off reversal.
Used before journeys, competitions, court matters, or leadership decisions; can be recited while symbolically ‘yoking’ (touching a belt, ring, or thread as a harness-token).
Immediately before departure or entering the contest-space.
Priest/ritualist may recite while tying a protective thread or adjusting the patron’s garment/armor (symbolic yoking).
Recite before interviews/exams/athletic events; pair with grounding to avoid arrogance.
Yoking/harnessing (yuj imagery); Bull (vṛṣa) as sovereignty-virility emblem
The ‘yoke’ is the operative instrument: mantra itself is a harness that channels Indraic force. Bull imagery reiterates concentrated sovereignty and virile stability.
Performance psychology: pre-competition ritual to enter a ‘winning mindset’ and reduce fear of loss.
Competitive opponents (political/military/rival authorities).
Bind Indra’s unconquered victory-power to the patron so he conquers without being conquered; assert supremacy over peoples and rival kings.
Deity-yoking (yuj), victory formula (jayanti… na parājayante), and supremacy proclamation (eka-vṛṣa; rājñām uttama).
Defeat, loss of rank, strategic disadvantage.
- yunjmi
- integration of energy; channeling force into a path
- uttarāvant
- resilience, strategic advantage, non-defeat
- jayanti… na parājayante
- stable success; immunity to reversal
- eka-vṛṣa
- unshared sovereignty; decisive leadership
- rājñām uttamam
- supreme authority principle
- mānavānām
- human excellence; exemplary stature
Victory without aggression: focus on disciplined strength and strategic clarity.
maṇipūra
Brisk_energetic: 3 steady breaths; chant on exhale; brief pause after ‘uttarāvantam indram’ to ‘lock the yoke.’
Visualize a luminous yoke settling across the shoulders/heart-line, connecting you to a sky-force; a banner of victory rises behind you.
Task-focused, fearless composure; high coherence.
End with one minute of quiet to transmute excitement into steady resolve; commit to dharmic conduct in victory.
Strong udātta on uttarāvantam and jayanti; keep the relative clause (yastvā…) flowing in one breath where possible.
Emphasize the negation contrast: jayanti / na parājayante; give weight to eka-vṛṣam and rājñām uttamam.
Bright, forward, but controlled—like a war-drum held to rhythm.
Because this is ‘yoking,’ a brief intentional pause after yunjmi is traditional in spirit: mentally ‘fasten’ the deity to the aim before continuing.
11 times
Competition, leadership transitions, negotiations, defending one’s position against strong challengers.
Right before action—entering the arena, courtroom, interview room, or difficult conversation.
Increased courage, strategic steadiness, reduced fear of reversal; sense of ‘upper hand.’
Guard against arrogance and dehumanizing opponents; victory-power without restraint can destabilize relationships.
No explicit herb appears; the operative technology is 'yoking' (yuj) of divine force. In Atharvanic logic, this is analogous to medicinal binding: as a drug is applied to a body, Indra is applied to the king as a power-substance.
It presumes inter-king rivalry and ranks (uttama). The priest’s utterance authorizes hierarchy by claiming divine appointment (karat) of supremacy, making political order a ritual product.
Indra as victory-agent and the bull metaphor are RV-typical. The explicit political superlative over 'kings' (rājñām uttamam) is a pointed Atharvanic deployment toward domestic sovereignty and rivalry management.
Gopatha’s emphasis on the Brahman’s controlling speech supports reading yunajmi as a technical act: the mantra is the harness, and Indra’s power is the yoked draft-force that pulls the king to victory.
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