Atharva Veda 4.27.5: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 27, Mantra 5

Sukta 27

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

ये की॒लाले॑न त॒र्पय॑न्ति ये घृ॒तेन॒ ये वा॒ वयो॒ मेद॑सा संसृ॒जन्ति॑ । ये अ॒द्भिरीशा॑ना म॒रुतो॑ व॒र्षय॑न्ति॒ ते नो॑ मुञ्च॒न्त्वंह॑सः

IAST Transliteration

yé kīlāléna tarpáyanti yé ghṛténa yé vā váyo médasā saṃsṛjánti | yé adbhír ī́śānā marúto varṣáyanti té no muñcántv áṃhasaḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

They who with kīlāla refresh, they who with ghee, or who with fat compound vital strength; the Maruts, lords by waters, who make the rains to fall—let them release us from distress and sin.

Translation

Mereka yang menyegarkan dengan kīlāla, mereka yang dengan ghee (ghṛta), atau yang dengan lemak (medas) meramu kekuatan hayat—para Marut, para penguasa dengan perantaraan air, yang menurunkan hujan—semoga mereka melepaskan kami daripada kesusahan, bahaya, dan dosa.

The meaning

What it says

Those (Maruts) who refresh with kīlāla, with ghee, or who compound vital strength with fat; the Maruts, lords by waters, who make rains fall—may they release us from aṃhas.

The inner meaning

Nourishment and purification are not opposed: the same forces that ‘feed’ life also cleanse distress. Kīlāla/ghṛta/medas symbolize layers of sustenance—from quick refreshment to deep tissue strength—integrated under the storm’s renewing order.

The truth in it

True healing combines replenishment with release: we must both restore what is depleted and let go what constricts.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Bhaisajya / Paustika-Apotropaic (nourishment + release from evil)

Its aim

To restore vitality (tarpana) and simultaneously remove aṃhas through Marut-driven rain and consecrated nourishment imagery.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

ये । कीलालेन । तर्पयन्ति । ये । घृतेन । ये । वा । वयः । मेदसा । संसृजन्ति । ये । अद्भिः । ईशानाः । मरुतः । वर्षयन्ति । ते । नः । मुञ्चन्तु । अंहसः ।

ये

who (those who)who; those who (relative introducer)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)

कीलालेन

with fermented drink / sour gruel (kīlāla)with kīlāla; sweet drink/ferment/‘honeyed’ liquor (nourishing, strengthening)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot कीलाल (prātipadika)

तर्पयन्ति

they satisfy / they refreshthey satisfy, refresh; they satiate (restore vitality)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot तृप् (धातु) → तर्पयति (णिच् causative)

ये

whowho; those whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)

घृतेन

with gheewith ghee; clarified butter as unctuous life-supporting substanceNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot घृत (prātipadika)

ये

whowho; those whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)

वा

oror; alternatively (adds a parallel means)Indeclinableसमुच्चय/विकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम्Root वा (avyaya)

वयः

vital strength / vigorvital strength, vigor; also ‘life/age’ as sustaining powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वयस् (prātipadika)

मेदसा

with fat / marrowwith fat/marrow; nutritive essence, bodily unctionNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot मेदस् (prātipadika)

संसृजन्ति

they join together / they combinethey compound, mix together; they bring into conjunction (nourishing combination)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot सम् + सृज् (धातु)

ये

whowho; those whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)

अद्भिः

with waterswith waters; by waters (rain as medium)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot अप् (prātipadika; plural stem अद्भि-)

ईशानाः

ruling / possessing powerruling; having mastery (controllers of rain)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot ईशान (prātipadika; from √ईश् ‘to rule’)

मरुतः

the Maruts (storm-gods/winds)the Maruts; storm-hostNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot मरुत् (prātipadika)

वर्षयन्ति

they cause to rain / they showerthey cause to rain; they pour down (fertilizing discharge)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot वृष् (धातु) → वर्षयति (णिच् causative)

ते

theythey; those (agents invoked)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)

नः

to us / for usus; for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचनस्य एन्क्लिटिक-रूपम् (gen./dat. ‘of/to us’)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)

मुञ्चन्तु

let them releaselet them release/freeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot मुच् (धातु)

अंहसः

from sin / distress / evilfrom aṃhas; from evil distress/sin-impurityNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी, एकवचनम्Role ApādānaRoot अंहस् (prātipadika)

Sandhi Notes

• ये | कीलालेन | तर्पयन्ति | ये | घृतेन | ये | वा | वयः | मेदसा | संसृजन्ति | ये | अद्भिः | ईशानाः | मरुतः | वर्षयन्ति | ते | नः | मुञ्चन्तु | अंहसः । मुख्य-सन्धयः:
• (1) वयो मेदसा → वयः + मेदसा (अः + म् → ओ, परम्परापाठे ‘वयो’)
• (2) अद्भिरीशाना → अद्भिः + ईशानाः (विसर्ग-लोपः, र्-आगमः; ‘भिः’ + स्वरादौ ‘र्’)
• (3) ते नो → ते + नः (ओ-कारः परे नकारे, संहितायां ‘नो’)
• (4) मुञ्चन्त्वंहसः → मुञ्चन्तु + अंहसः (उ + अ → व्/ओ-प्रवृत्ति; संहितायां ‘मुञ्चन्त्वंहसः’)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic tradition (variable anukramaṇī attribution)

Devata

Maruts (with nourishing substances as ritual correlates)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh-like cadence (refrain-driven)

Rasa

Shanta and Adbhuta

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