Atharva Veda 4.21.6: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 21, Mantra 6
Sukta 21
यू॒यं गा॑वो मेदयथ कृ॒शं चि॑दश्री॒रं चि॑त् कृणुथा सु॒प्रती॑कम्। भ॒द्रं गृ॒हं कृ॑णुथ भद्रवाचो बृ॒हद् वो॒ वय॑ उच्यते स॒भासु॑
yūyáṃ gā́vo medayatha kr̥śáṃ cíd aśrīráṃ cít kr̥ṇutha suprátīkam | bhadráṃ gr̥háṃ kr̥ṇutha bhadravā́co br̥hád vo váya ucyate sabhā́su ||
Ye Cows, make ye the lean one fat; yea, even the luckless make ye of fair aspect. Make ye the house auspicious, of auspicious speech: great is your life-giving power, so is it proclaimed in the assemblies.
Вы, Коровы, делаете тучным даже худого; да, и бездольного делаете прекрасного облика. Сделайте дом благим, с благой речью; велика ваша жизнедательная сила — так о вас возвещают в собраниях.
The meaning
What it says
The cows are addressed directly: they make the lean person fat and even the luckless become fair; they make the house auspicious and speech auspicious; their life-giving power is famed in assemblies.
The inner meaning
Nourishment is social and moral as well as physical: prosperity brings confidence, beauty, good speech, and public standing. Gratitude toward sustaining sources (food, caregivers, community) heals shame and scarcity-mind.
The truth in it
Care for the sources of nourishment and they nourish you back; well-being radiates outward—from body to home to reputation.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika (Prosperity) / Bhaisajya (Restorative)
Its aim
To restore bodily thriving and auspicious appearance, and to secure the household’s fortune and good repute in public assemblies.
Word by Word
Pada patha
यूयम् । गावः । मेदयथ । कृशम् । चित् । अश्रीरम् । चित् । कृणुथ । सुप्रतीकम् । भद्रम् । गृहम् । कृणुथ । भद्र-वाचः । बृहत् । वः । वयः । उच्यते । सभासु ।
- यूयम्
- you (all)ye (you all); addressed to the cows as efficacious agentsPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- गावः
- cowscows; auspicious, wealth-bearing, and protective beingsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot गो
- मे
- for me / to mePronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी; एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्
- मेदयथ
- you make fat / you nourishmake fat, cause to thrive; confer bodily fullness/strength (medas)Verbलट्; मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot मेदय्
- कृशम्
- lean (one)the lean one; emaciated person/householder/cattleAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot कृश
- चित्
- eveneven; emphatic particle strengthening the charmIndeclinable (particle)अव्ययRoot चित्
- अश्रीरम्
- even the ill-favoured / lacking beautyill-favoured, luckless, lacking śrī (splendour/prosperity)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अ-श्रीर (श्रीर) / अ-श्री
- चित्
- eveneven; again emphaticIndeclinable (particle)अव्ययRoot चित्
- कृणुथ
- you makemake (him/it); perform the transformation by your powerVerbलट्; मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot कृ
- सुप्रतीकम्
- handsome / of good appearancefair-faced, of good appearance; restore auspicious physiognomyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म-विशेषणRoot सु-प्रतीक
- भद्रम्
- auspiciousfortunate, auspicious, safe; apotropaic goodAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म-विशेषणRoot भद्र
- गृहम्
- househouse/home; the domestic sphere to be securedNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot गृह
- कृणुथ
- you makemake; establish (auspiciousness) rituallyVerbलट्; मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot कृ
- भद्रवाचः
- (you) of auspicious speechof auspicious speech; speaking well, free from inauspicious utterance/curseAdjective (bahuvrīhi) / Noun-like adjectiveपुं/स्त्री; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (सम्बोधनार्थे/विशेषणरूपेण) तथा ‘यूयम्/गावः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Root भद्र-वाच्
- बृहत्
- greatgreat, lofty; socially eminent, ritually ‘large’Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (उच्यते इत्यस्य)Root बृहन्त्
- वः
- youryour; belonging to you (cows) / by your agencyPronounषष्ठी; बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद्
- वयः
- vigour / vitality (lit. life-force)vital strength, vigor (also ‘age/life’); here life-power to be proclaimedNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (उच्यते इत्यस्य)Root वयस्
- उच्यते
- is called / is spoken ofis said/proclaimed; performative utterance in assemblyVerbलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः)Role क्रियाRoot वच्
- सभासु
- in assembliesin the assemblies; public recognition/status-setting venueNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सभा
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): यूयम् | गावः | मे | मेदयथ | कृशम् | चित् | अश्रीरम् | चित् | कृणुथ | सुप्रतीकम् || भद्रम् | गृहम् | कृणुथ | भद्रवाचः | बृहत् | वः | वयः | उच्यते | सभासु ।
- 1) ‘चिद्’ इति निग्रहयुक्तरूपं पदान्ते ‘चित्’ (अव्यय) इति।
- 2) ‘बृहद्’ इति संहितापाठे पदान्त-दकारः
- पदपाठे ‘बृहत्’ (नपुं. प्रथ. एक.)।
- 3) ‘अश्रीरं’ = अ-श्रीरम् (निषेध-उपसर्ग ‘अ’ + विशेषण ‘श्रीर’/‘श्री’सम्बद्ध), अर्थतः ‘अलक्ष्मी/अशोभन’।
- 4) ‘भद्रवाचो’ संहितारूपं
- पदपाठे ‘भद्रवाचः’ (प्रथ. बहु.)।
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition (attributed within AV ancillary tradition; hymn-level attribution varies by anukramaṇī)
- Devata
- Gāvaḥ (Cows) as prosperity-bearing powers
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh-like cadence (AV mixed meters; requires pada-count verification by recension tables)
- Rasa
- Shanta and Shringara
Sāyaṇa takes the address to ‘cows’ as intentional: cows are śrī-mūrti (embodiments of prosperity) and their presence/contact is a domestic charm. ‘Meda’ is both bodily fat and the sap of thriving; thus the mantra is a paustika-bhaisajya transformation of misfortune (aśrī) into auspicious appearance (supratīka). ‘Bhadravācaḥ’ is read as removal of durvāc (evil speech/ill-omen) from the household; ‘sabhāsu’ indicates public validation of prosperity and status.
Anukramaṇī-variable / Atharvanic redactional attribution
Paustika prosperity charms centered on cattle as living wealth and nourishment; restorative speech-acts to rebuild body and social standing.
Embodies the Atharvan view of cattle as both substance (milk, ghee) and divinity (nourishing power), linking bodily healing with household auspiciousness.
Gāvaḥ (Cows as prosperity-bearing powers)
Sustain the domestic cosmos through milk, ghee, dung-fuel, and social wealth; stabilize community via exchange and hospitality.
Repletion and convalescence—restoring strength, complexion, and vitality.
Auspiciousness of house and speech; social protection through good repute.
4×~11; parallel imperatives create balanced pādas.
AV cadence often emphasizes semantic pairing (kṛśam…aśrīram) and blessing formulae (bhadram…).
Warm, beneficent, blessing-like; repeated imperatives feel like ‘feeding’ pulses.
Soothing and strengthening; well-suited for prosperity rites and convalescence encouragement.
Bring auspicious cows into/near the homestead (or lead the beneficiary among them).
Touch (sparśa) the beneficiary and/or threshold with the cow (or with products of the cow, per local practice) while reciting the mantra.
Conclude by a public-facing utterance/blessing (toward ‘sabhā’), affirming prosperity and good speech within the house.
Kauśika Sūtra: domestic paustika rites employing cattle-contact and house-blessing (general locus: gṛhya-paustika sections; exact sūtra number requires edition alignment).
Atharvan/Brahman officiant recites the mantra as a performative blessing while directing contact with cattle and delimiting the domestic space as ‘bhadra’.
Recite when feeding or milking cows, or when bringing dairy into the home; bless a convalescent with milk/ghee offering (as culturally appropriate).
Morning milking; before meals; during prosperity observances.
Householder can recite; an Atharvan priest may formalize as paustika rite for recovery and fortune.
Use as gratitude-prayer before consuming milk/dairy (or before a nourishing meal), emphasizing ethical sourcing and care for animals.
Cows (go); Household space (gṛha); Auspicious speech (bhadravāc)
The cow is the Atharvan ‘pharmakon’ of prosperity: a living medicine that converts scarcity into repletion and harsh speech into auspicious speech.
Emaciation, weakness, convalescent depletion; misfortune-associated malaise; loss of luster.
Invokes nourishing agency of cows; blessing of home and speech supports recovery through social support and reduced stress.
Br̥ṃhaṇa (bulk-promoting) and ojas-building orientation; aligns with rasāyana and nutritive therapy (milk/ghee) when appropriate.
Nutritional rehabilitation, recovery from illness, weight restoration, supportive home environment improving health outcomes.
Householder/family; especially a weak or unlucky member.
Increase nourishment, auspicious appearance, household luck, and good reputation/speech.
Direct address to the source of nourishment; performative blessing over body and home; social validation (‘in assemblies’).
Cattle wealth, household auspiciousness, social esteem.
- गावः (gāvaḥ)
- nourishing abundance; steady generosity; the economy of care
- मेदयथ (medayatha)
- restoration of tissue/strength; rebuilding depleted reserves
- कृश (kṛśa)
- depletion—burnout, undernourishment, loss of ojas
- अश्रीर (aśrīra)
- loss of fortune/charisma; depressive dimming
- सुप्रतीक (supratīka)
- visible health; restored self-image
- भद्र (bhadra)
- harmonious alignment in home and speech
- गृह (gṛha)
- psychic container; family system
- भद्रवाचः (bhadravācaḥ)
- non-violent, fortunate communication; social harmony
- वयस् (vayaḥ)
- ojas-like vitality that sustains longevity and esteem
Cultivate gratitude for nourishment; visualize repletion and auspicious speech.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (nourishment/pleasure) and Anāhata (warmth, kindness).
Slow belly breathing; feel ‘filling’ on inhale and ‘settling’ on exhale.
A gentle cow radiates white-gold milk-light filling the body’s depleted areas; the home becomes bright and calm; speech becomes sweet and truthful.
Sattvic contentment and grounded abundance.
Chant 3 times before meals for 21 days while practicing mindful eating and kind speech (bhadravāc).
Keep a gentle, even AV accent; avoid aggressive emphasis—this is a blessing.
Slightly lengthen imperatives (‘medayatha’, ‘kṛṇutha’) and the ‘bhadram’ phrases for benediction effect.
Soft, nourishing, affectionate; suitable for chanting near animals.
Atharvan paustika verses are often paired with actual acts of feeding, gifting, and maintaining cleanliness—ritual efficacy is tied to care.
3 times
Recovery from illness, underweight/weakness, household seeking prosperity, improving family communication and public confidence.
Morning or before meals; while caring for cattle or reflecting on sources of nourishment.
Sense of nourishment and stability; motivation for restorative habits; improved home atmosphere and speech.
For medical malnutrition or eating disorders, seek professional care; avoid romanticizing dairy if unsuitable—adapt to culturally/physically appropriate nourishment.
No plant is named; the operative ‘substance’ is bovine vitality (medas/ojas) transferred by presence/contact. The charm treats prosperity as a transferable ‘sap’ analogous to medicinal fattening therapies.
Prosperity is not merely private: ‘sabhāsu’ frames wellbeing as publicly ratified status. The household’s ‘good speech’ implies control of omens, reputation, and social legitimacy—key concerns of settled, assembly-governed communities.
The direct magical imperative to cows and the domestic ‘house-making’ (bhadraṃ gṛhaṃ kṛṇutha) is characteristically Atharvanic in pragmatic orientation. Lexemes are largely RV-common, but the performative domestic framing and ‘sabhā’ linkage are more AV-social.
Gopatha frequently rationalizes Atharvanic efficacy through brahman (sacral speech) and correspondences (bandhu) between beings and prosperity. Here, cows function as a bandhu of śrī and nourishment; the mantra’s truth-utterance is what ‘makes’ the house bhadra.
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