Atharva Veda 3.21.1: Kanda 3, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 21, Mantra 1
Sukta 21
शान्तिः। ये अ॒ग्नयो॑ अ॒प्स्व॑१न्तर्ये वृ॒त्रे ये पुरु॑षे॒ ये अश्म॑सु । य आ॑वि॒वेशोष॑धी॒र्यो वन॒स्पतीं॒स्तेभ्यो॑ अ॒ग्निभ्यो॑ हु॒तम॑स्त्वे॒तत्
śā́ntiḥ | yé agnáyo apsv àntar yé vṛtré yé púruṣe yé áśmasu | yá āvivéśóṣadhīr yó vanaspátīṁs tébhyo agníbhyo hútam astv etát
Peace. The Fires that are within the waters, the Fires that are within Vṛtra, the Fires that are within man, the Fires that are within stones; he who hath entered the herbs, he who the forest-lords hath entered—to those Fires let this oblation be offered.
ଶାନ୍ତିଃ। ଯେ ଅଗ୍ନିମାନେ ଜଳମଧ୍ୟରେ ଅଛନ୍ତି, ଯେ ଅଗ୍ନିମାନେ ବୃତ୍ରମଧ୍ୟରେ ଅଛନ୍ତି, ଯେ ଅଗ୍ନିମାନେ ପୁରୁଷମଧ୍ୟରେ ଅଛନ୍ତି, ଯେ ଅଗ୍ନିମାନେ ପାଷାଣମଧ୍ୟରେ ଅଛନ୍ତି; ଯିଏ ଔଷଧୀମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ପ୍ରବେଶ କରିଛି, ଯିଏ ବନସ୍ପତିମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ପ୍ରବେଶ କରିଛି—ସେହି ଅଗ୍ନିମାନଙ୍କୁ ଏହି ହୁତି ଅର୍ପିତ ହେଉ।
The meaning
What it says
A śānti invocation offering to the manifold Fires: those within waters, within Vṛtra, within man, within stones; the Fire that has entered herbs and forest-lords—may this oblation be offered to those Fires.
The inner meaning
Recognizes ‘heat’ everywhere: in emotions (waters), in obstruction/conflict (Vṛtra), in the body (metabolism), and in stones (latent spark). By acknowledging and offering to these fires, one pacifies destructive inflammation and recruits transformative energy for healing.
The truth in it
The same force that harms when uncontrolled heals when honored and regulated; peace comes from integrating elemental energies rather than denying them.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Bhaisajya (Healing) / Śānti (Pacification)
Its aim
To pacify and enlist the manifold immanent fires (in water, stone, body, plants) so that their dangerous heat is quelled and their protective/curative potency is secured.
Word by Word
Pada patha
शान्तिः । ये । अ॒ग्नयः॑ । अ॒प्सु । अ॒न्तः । ये । वृ॒त्रे । ये । पुरु॑षे । ये । अश्म॑सु । यः । आ॒वि॒वेश॑ । ओष॑धीः । यः । वन॒स्पती॑न् । तेभ्यः॑ । अ॒ग्निभ्यः॑ । हु॒तम् । अ॒स्तु । ए॒तत् ।
- शान्तिः
- peace; pacificationpacification; ritual quelling of danger (śānti-karman preface)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot शान्ति- (√शम्)
- ये
- who (those who)which; those who (relative plural introducing classes of Agnis)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्नयः
- fires; Agnisthe Fires/Agni-powers (plural: manifold immanent fires)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अग्नि-
- अप्सु
- in the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अप्- (जल)
- अन्तः
- withinwithin; inside (immanence, hidden presence)Indeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अन्तः (अव्यय)
- ये
- whowhich; those whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्रे
- in Vṛtra (the obstructor); in obstructionin Vṛtra/obstruction (demonic blockage; also ‘in the enclosing’)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot वृत्र-
- ये
- whowhich; those whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरुषे
- in the man; in a personin the man/person (bodily fire: digestion, fever, vitality)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot पुरुष-
- ये
- whowhich; those whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्मसु
- in the stones; among rocksin stones (fire latent in flint; also ‘hard substances’)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अश्मन्-
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आविवेश
- has entered; enteredhas entered; has pervaded (ā-vi-viś: penetrative indwelling)Verbलिट् (परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot √विश्
- ओषधीः
- herbs; medicinal plantsherbs/medicinal plants (bhaisajya-bearing vegetation)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot ओषधि-
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वनस्पतीन्
- trees; lords of the forestlords of the forest; trees/woody plants (arboreal medicines, timber)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot वनस्पति-
- तेभ्यः
- to themto those; for those (dative/ablative plural: addressed recipients)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निभ्यः
- to the fires; to the Agnisto the Fires/Agni-powers (plural recipients of offering)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot अग्नि-
- हुतम्
- offered; oblation (that which is offered)offered; oblated (huta: poured into fire as efficacious gift)Participle (past passive)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot √हु (हू) → हुत-
- अस्तु
- let it beVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot √अस्
- एतत्
- thisPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- ‘अप्स्वन्तर्’ = अप्सु + अन्तः (उदात्त/स्वरचिह्नयुक्त संहिता-रूप)
- ‘आविवेश’ लिट्-रूप (√विश्) ‘आ-’ उपसर्गयुक्त
- ‘हुतम्’ √हु-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृत् (P.P.P.)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition (often transmitted under Atharvan/Angiras rubric; specific r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī)
- Devata
- Agni (plural forms; Vaiśvānara implied by the hymn’s theology)
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh-like cadence (mixed/irregular in Atharvanic śānti verses)
- Rasa
- Shanta
Sāyaṇa glosses the plural ‘agnayaḥ’ as the many forms of Agni abiding in diverse seats (waters, stones, the human body, vegetation). ‘Vṛtra’ is taken as the obstructing/demonic enclosure wherein Agni is yet present as the power that breaks obstruction. ‘Āviveśa’ is emphasized as vyāpti/antarvyāpti (pervasion), grounding the mantra’s efficacy: by acknowledging Agni’s indwelling in medicines and materials, the oblation reaches all such fires and pacifies their potentially harmful manifestations (e.g., fever-heat) while activating their protective force.
Atharvanic tradition (variable anukramaṇī attribution)
Śānti and bhaiṣajya: pacifying immanent elemental forces and redirecting them into protection/healing via oblation and recognition formulas.
Teaches Atharvanic immanence: Agni is not only altar-fire but distributed through nature and the body—thus healing is cosmic diplomacy.
Agni (plural, immanent forms; Vaiśvānara implied)
Universal transformer present in all states of matter and life; mediator that can burn harm or cook nourishment depending on appeasement.
Regulates digestion/metabolism, supports herbal efficacy, and ‘cooks’ toxins into harmlessness when pacified.
Pacifies dangerous heats (feverish, inflammatory, destructive) and turns them into guardian fires in home and body.
Loosely 4×8 with enumerative piling; Atharvanic prose-like listing within metrical frame.
Enumeration stretches pādas; recitation often groups by semantic units rather than strict metrical breaks.
Soothing litany; repetitive ‘ye… ye…’ creates pacifying cadence.
Calms and harmonizes; suitable for steady offering and mental settling.
Prepare the domestic fire (gārhapatya) or a consecrated homa-fire; seat the patient/householder to the north/east as customary.
Perform ācamana and preliminary śānti recitation (‘śāntiḥ’ as rubric).
Offer ghee (ājya) as oblation while reciting the mantra; mentally ‘address’ the fires in the enumerated loci (waters, obstruction, man, stones, herbs, trees).
Optionally touch/indicate relevant substances (water vessel, stone, medicinal bundle) to ‘map’ the mantra’s loci onto the ritual space.
Conclude with a final oblation and silent settling (upasthāna), aiming at cooling/pacifying heat and removing obstruction.
Kauśika Sūtra: śānti-homa context for Vaiśvānara/Agni pacification (exact sūtra numbering varies by edition; applied as a general śānti-homa with AV 3.21).
Atharvan/Brahman officiant as śānti-kartṛ: recites, offers ājya, and ritually ‘locates’ the immanent Agnis to redirect their force from harm to protection.
Recite during a small ghee offering or lamp-lighting while holding water and/or touching a stone (flint) and herbs—symbolically uniting the loci named.
Evening pacification; also during fever episodes or after exposure to heat/anger/conflict.
Atharvan priest may conduct śānti-homa with simple offerings; in household use, elder performs a minimal offering and recitation.
Kauśika Śānti/ārogya applications are commonly associated with such litanies (exact sūtra citation depends on edition/context).
Use as a ‘cooling’ nightly chant; pair with warm (not hot) herbal tea and quieting routine.
Agni (plural fires); Waters (apsu); Stones/flint (aśmasu); Herbs (oṣadhīḥ); Trees/forest plants (vanaspati)
apsu—waters as locus of hidden fire; supports sprinkling and cooling rites.
agnayaḥ explicitly; oblation to fires.
Healing is the reconciliation of opposites: fire within water, spark within stone, medicine within plants—Agni everywhere, pacified through offering.
Heat disorders broadly conceived: fever, inflammation, burning sensations; also ‘inner heat’ agitation and toxic obstruction (Vṛtra motif).
puruṣa (whole body as locus of agni)
Pacification and reorientation of agni: acknowledging distributed fires, offering to them, and thereby restoring balanced internal/external heat.
Agni regulation (jāṭharāgni/bhūtāgni conceptually); useful in pitta aggravation imagery, while also stabilizing vāta by ritual order.
Mind–body practices for stress-related inflammation; ritualized relaxation supporting autonomic regulation.
To pacify manifold fires in nature and body so they become protective and curative rather than harmful.
Enumerative identification (naming loci of agni) + oblation formula that establishes appeasement and alliance.
Fevers, burns, inflammatory ‘heat,’ environmental dangers (fire/lightning) by extension.
Health and household safety; stable vitality.
- अग्नयः (agnayaḥ)
- multiple metabolic/transformative energies across domains
- अप्सु अन्तः (apsu antaḥ)
- hidden heat in coolness; vitality within emotion and purification
- वृत्रे (vṛtre)
- fire within blockage—pressure that can be released into healing change
- पुरुषे (puruṣe)
- digestive fire, will, consciousness
- अश्मसु (aśmasu)
- latent spark; potential energy; the flint-heart
- ओषधीः (oṣadhīḥ)
- plant medicines as embodied agni—healing intelligence
- वनस्पतीन् (vanaspatīn)
- protective vegetal powers; shelter and medicine
- हुतम् अस्तु (hutam astu)
- ritual consent that converts danger into protection
Observe ‘inner fire’ (metabolic heat, irritation) and offer it into a calm witnessing space; cultivate balanced warmth.
manipura
moderate
Small, steady flame in the navel becoming gentle; cool waters surrounding it; herbs glowing with soft inner light.
Equanimous regulation of energy; calm alertness.
Chant slowly, pausing after each locus (‘apsu… vṛtre… puruṣe… aśmasu…’) and exhale as an ‘offering’ of excess heat.
Śānti-style steady recitation; keep even tone, slight emphasis on each ‘ye’ and on ‘agnibhyaḥ’.
Group by loci: (apsu antaḥ) (vṛtre) (puruṣe) (aśmasu) (oṣadhīḥ) (vanaspatīn); conclude firmly on ‘hutam astu etat’.
soft, steady, appeasing; avoid harsh plosives.
Works well with a minimal ‘substance set’ (water + stone + herb) to enact the mantra’s distributed-agni theology.
Feverishness, irritability/overheating, recovery after conflict, desire to pacify household atmosphere.
Evening; during convalescence; after exposure to heat, anger, or exhausting work.
Cooling calm, improved sense of balance and safety; supportive mindset for recovery.
If high fever or serious symptoms persist, seek medical care; do not use fire offerings unsafely indoors.
The mantra asserts Agni’s immanence in oṣadhi and vanaspati: medicinal efficacy is framed as ‘fire’ (heat, transformation) dwelling in plants. The homa redirects that internal heat toward healing—cooling harmful fever-heat while activating digestive/metabolic ‘right heat’ as a curative principle.
It presumes a specialist who can ritually address hidden powers across domains (water, stone, body, plants). The Atharvan priest’s authority lies in managing liminal dangers (fever, obstruction, demonic enclosure) through domestic rite, complementing but distinct from śrauta public sacrifice.
The cataloguing of Agni’s ‘seats’ and the explicit inclusion of herbs/trees as loci is characteristically Atharvanic and pragmatic. The syntax is RV-like relative chaining (ye…ye…yaḥ…), but the semantic field is expanded toward materia medica and apotropaic mapping.
Gopatha-style Atharvanic exegesis typically grounds efficacy in bandhu (correspondence): the same Agni that is cosmic (in waters, in obstruction) is bodily (in man) and pharmacological (in herbs). By offering to ‘all Agnis,’ the rite claims comprehensive reach across these correspondences, ensuring pacification and protection.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Atharva Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
