Atharva Veda 4.39.4: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 4, Sukta 39, Mantra 4

Sukta 39

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अ॒न्तरि॑क्षं धे॒नुस्तस्या॑ वा॒युर्व॒त्सः । सा मे॑ वा॒युना॑ व॒त्सेनेष॒मूर्जं॒ कामं॑ दुहाम्। आयुः॑ प्रथ॒मं प्र॒जां पोषं॑ र॒यिं स्वाहा॑

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 4.39.4

IAST Transliteration

antárikṣaṁ dhénus tásyā vāyúr vatsáḥ | sā́ me vāyúnā vatséneṣám ū́rjaṁ kā́maṁ duhām | ā́yuḥ prathamáṁ prajā́ṁ póṣaṁ rayíṁ svā́hā

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

The Mid-air is a milch-cow; of her the Wind is the calf. May she, for me, by Wind as calf, milk forth refreshment, sap, and desire—life first, then offspring, thriving, and wealth: svāhā.

Translation

ਅੰਤਰਿਕਸ਼ ਦੁੱਧ ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲੀ ਧੇਨੂ ਹੈ; ਉਸ ਦਾ ਵੱਛਾ ਵਾਯੂ ਹੈ। ਉਹ ਧੇਨੂ ਮੇਰੇ ਲਈ, ਵਾਯੂ ਨੂੰ ਵੱਛਾ ਬਣਾ ਕੇ, ਇਸ਼ (ਪੋਸ਼ਕ ਆਹਾਰ), ਊਰਜ (ਰਸ/ਬਲ) ਅਤੇ ਕਾਮ (ਇੱਛਾ) ਦੋਹ ਦੇਵੇ—ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਆਯੁ, ਫਿਰ ਪ੍ਰਜਾ (ਸੰਤਾਨ), ਪੋਸ਼ (ਵਾਧਾ) ਅਤੇ ਰਯਿ (ਧਨ): ਸ੍ਵਾਹਾ।

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Word by Word

• अन्तरिक्षम्: the mid-air, atmosphere
• अन्तरिक्षम्: Karma (as object of implied ‘is/exists’ in identification) / Adhikaraṇa (sense: ‘in the midspace’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)

• धेनुः: the cow
• धेनुः: Kartā (of implied ‘is’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)

• तस्याः: of her / of that (cow)
• तस्याः: Sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• वायुः: wind
• वायुः: Kartā (of implied ‘is’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)

• वत्सः: calf
• वत्सः: Kartā (in identification: ‘is the calf’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)

• सा: she
• सा: Kartā (of दुहाम्)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• मे: for me / my
• मे: Sampradāna (beneficiary: ‘for me’) / Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• वायुनā: by/with the wind
• वायुनā: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)

• वत्सेन: by/with the calf
• वत्सेन: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)

• इषम्: nourishment, food
• इषम्: Karma (object of दुहाम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्/इषा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘refreshment, food’)

• ऊर्जम्: vital strength, energy
• ऊर्जम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्ज्/ऊर्जा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘strength, sap’)

• कामम्: desire, wish
• कामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)

• दुहाम्: may (she) milk/yield
• दुहाम्: (governs कर्म: इषम् ऊर्जम् कामम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दुह् (दुहँ प्रपूरणे/दोहने)

• आयुः: life, lifespan
• आयुः: Karma (additional object of ‘yield’) / intended boon
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• प्रथमम्: first, foremost
• प्रथमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (of आयुः) / adverbial
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)

• प्रजाम्: offspring, progeny
• प्रजाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)

• पोषम्: prosperity, thriving
• पोषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पोष (प्रातिपदिक)

• रयिम्: wealth, riches
• रयिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रयि (प्रातिपदिक)

• स्वाहा: svāhā (hail!, ritual acclamation)
• स्वाहा: — (mantric exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वाहा (निपात/मन्त्र-शब्द)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (Anukramaṇī attribution for AV 4.39; commonly Atharvan/Angiras-type seer lists—edition-dependent).

Devata: Antarikṣa as dhenu (cosmic source) with Vāyu as operative deity (calf/extractor).

Chandas: Mixed/prose-like anuṣṭubh cadence (Atharvanic style; not strictly metrical throughout).

Mantra Rasa

Primary: shanta

Secondary: adbhuta