Atharva Veda 7.61.2: Kanda 7, Anuvaka 7, Sukta 61, Mantra 2
Sukta 61
अग्ने॒ तप॑स्तप्यामह॒ उप॑ तप्यामहे॒ तपः॑ । श्रु॒तानि॑ शृ॒ण्वन्तो॑ व॒यमायु॑ष्मन्तः सुमे॒धसः॑
agné tápaḥ tapyā́maha úpa tapyā́mahe tápaḥ | śrutā́ni śṛṇvánto vayám āyuṣmántaḥ sumédhasaḥ
O Agni, tapas we practise; we further heat up tapas. Hearing the sacred things, may we be long-lived and of good understanding.
Wahai Agni, kami mengamalkan tapas; kami lebih memanaskan tapas. Sambil mendengar perkara-perkara suci (śrutāni), moga kami panjang umur dan berakal budi yang baik.
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (specific r̥ṣi not supplied in the input)
Devata: Agni
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (likely)
Primary: shanta
Secondary: adbhuta
Sayana emphasizes the shift from conditional (‘when’) to direct address: the performers actively ‘do tapas’ under Agni’s patronage. ‘Śrutāni śṛṇvantaḥ’ is read as disciplined hearing of Veda/auspicious instruction, which itself is a means to āyuṣ and medhā—knowledge as medicine.
To intensify tapas through Agni and thereby secure longevity and intelligence through attentive reception of śruti.
General debility; dullness of intellect; shortened lifespan (non-specific).
Psychophysical ‘agni’ strengthening via tapas + śruti-listening; restores order in prāṇa and buddhi.
Agni (digestive/metabolic fire), ojas (longevity-resilience), medhā (cognition) supported by regulated tapas and sattvic learning.
Attention training + disciplined routine improving cognition, stress tolerance, and healthy aging.
paustika
Self/household members (students, ritualists, elders).
Increase āyuṣ (longevity) and su-medhā (clear intelligence) by intensifying tapas through Agni and receptive hearing.
Declarative self-identification with tapas; ‘heat’ as operative force; śruti as efficacious intake (a ‘substance’ ingested by hearing).
Mental scatter, lethargy, forgetfulness; decline of vitality.
Long life, learning, ritual competence.
Invocation to Agni declaring the practice and intensification of tapas (heat/ardor). Through attentive hearing of sacred teachings (śrutāni), the speakers seek longevity (āyus) and refined intelligence (su-medhas).
Agni is the disciplined inner fire (will, attention, digestion of experience). ‘Tapyāmahe’ is self-regulation: converting impulses into focused heat. ‘Śruṇvantaḥ śrutāni’ signals receptive listening—learning that becomes embodied. Longevity and good understanding arise when inner heat is steady and the mind remains teachable.
Sustained growth comes from a balance of ardor (tapas) and receptivity (listening). When energy is refined rather than scattered, life-force stabilizes and insight increases.
- अग्नि (agni)
- inner transformative power; disciplined will; metabolic/psychic heat
- तपस् (tapas)
- self-cultivation through restraint; concentrated vitality; purification
- उप तप्यामहे (upa tapyāmahe)
- incremental strengthening of practice; compounding focus
- श्रुतानि (śrutāni)
- efficacious knowledge as ‘substance’; transmission that reshapes the self
- आयुष्मन्तः (āyuṣmantaḥ)
- stable prāṇa; resilient life-course
- सु-मेधसः (su-medhasaḥ)
- clear discernment; integrated memory and judgment
Kindle inner agni: disciplined attention + receptive listening.
Maṇipūra (digestive fire) as primary; Ajñā for medhā (discernment) as secondary.
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana or gentle kapalabhāti (if appropriate) before recitation.
A steady golden flame at the navel rising to illuminate the forehead; ‘śruti’ entering as clear sound-light.
Sattvic steadiness; alert calm.
Recite slowly 9/27 times; then sit in silence, ‘listening’ inwardly to refine medhā and stabilize resolve.
Simple Atharvanic recitation; maintain udātta on marked syllables (per provided accents) and avoid over-melodic singing.
Keep ‘agne̱’ and ‘tapa̍ḥ’ clearly articulated; preserve contrast of tapyāmahe / upa tapyāmahe.
Keep retroflex ṣ in ‘su-meḍhasaḥ’ (medhas) clear., Avoid swallowing consonant clusters in ‘śruṇvantaḥ’., Hold short ‘a’ in ‘tapas’ distinctly; do not lengthen by habit.
Warm, steady, ‘kindling’ tone; not forceful.
Best paired with a small lamp or hearth-gaze (agni-dhyāna); the ‘heating’ is primarily mental/ethical, not merely physical austerity.
27
Study, exams, memory work; rebuilding vitality after fatigue; establishing disciplined routine.
Before study/teaching; at dawn; during periods of low motivation or cognitive dullness.
Improved focus and comprehension; steadier energy; sense of long-term resilience.
If using strong breath practices, avoid in hypertension/pregnancy; keep tapas as balanced discipline (not self-harm).
पदच्छेदः (वेदपाठानुसारम्): अग्ने | तपः तप्यामहे | उप तप्यामहे तपः | श्रुतानि शृण्वन्तः वयम् आयुष्मन्तः सुमेधसः । 1) ‘अग्ने’ = अग्नि-सम्बोधन एकवचन (इ-प्रातिपदिकस्य सम्बोधन-रूपः)। 2) ‘तपस्तप्यामहे’ इत्यत्र संधिः: तपः + तप्यामहे → तपस् तप्यामहे (विसर्गस्य सत्वम्; लेखने ‘तपस्’/‘तपः’ परम्पराभेदेन दृश्यते)। 3) ‘उपतप्यामहे’ = उप + तप्यामहे (उपसर्ग-संयोगः; पदपाठे ‘उप’ पृथक्)। 4) ‘श्रुतानि’ (नपुंसक बहु.) + ‘शृण्वन्तः’ (पुं. बहु.)—अर्थतः ‘श्रुतानि (वस्तूनि) शृण्वन्तः’ = ‘श्रुत/श्रवणीय विषयों को सुनते हुए’।
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