Atharva Veda 13.2.7: Kanda 13, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 7
Sukta 2
सु॒खं सूर्य॒ रथ॑मंशु॒मन्तं॑ स्यो॒नं सु॒वह्नि॒मधि॑ तिष्ठ वा॒जिन॑म्। यं ते॒ वह॑न्ति ह॒रितो॒ वहि॑ष्ठाः श॒तमश्वा॒ यदि॑ वा स॒प्त ब॒ह्वीः
sukháṃ sū́rya rátham aṃśumántaṃ syonáṃ suvahním ádhi tiṣṭha vājínam | yáṃ te váhanti haríto váhiṣṭhāḥ śatám aśvā́ yádi vā saptá bahvī́ḥ ||
Mount thou, O Sūrya, the radiant chariot, pleasant and kindly, easy to be borne, the swift prize-winner;—that which thy tawny steeds, best of bearers, convey for thee, whether a hundred horses, or seven, or many.
சூர்யனே! கதிர்மிகு, இனிமையும் நலனும் தரும், எளிதில் ஏற்றுச் செல்லத்தக்க, வேகமிகு வெற்றியளிக்கும் ரதத்தில் ஏறு. உனக்காகச் சிறந்த சுமப்போர் ஆகிய உன் ஹரித (மஞ்சள்/செம்மஞ்சள்) குதிரைகள் இழுக்கும் அந்த ரதம்—நூறு குதிரைகளாக இருந்தாலும், அல்லது ஏழாக இருந்தாலும், அல்லது பலவாக இருந்தாலும்.
The meaning
What it says
A hymn inviting Sūrya to mount his radiant, comfortable, swift chariot drawn by tawny steeds—whether many or few—so he may proceed in his victorious course.
The inner meaning
The mind requests the ‘inner sun’ to take its seat on a stable vehicle: clarity rides on disciplined momentum (vājin), and wellbeing arises when luminous attention is easy-bearing (sukham, syonam) rather than strained.
The truth in it
When illumination is welcomed and made ‘easy to carry,’ darkness and confusion naturally recede; consistent clarity is a daily victory.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika (Prosperity) / Apotropaic (Light-against-darkness)
Its aim
To secure the Sun’s favorable ascent and presence, thereby dispelling darkness, inauspiciousness, and obstruction; to stabilize cosmic order as a support for welfare.
Word by Word
Pada patha
सु॒खम् । सूर्य । रथम् । अंशु॒मन्तम् । स्यो॒नम् । सु॒वह्निम् । अधि॑ । तिष्ठ । वा॒जिन॑म् । यम् । ते॒ । वह॑न्ति । ह॒रितः । वहि॑ष्ठाः । श॒तम् । अश्वाः । यदि॑ । वा । स॒प्त । ब॒ह्वीः
- सुखम्
- pleasantly; with ease; comfortpleasantly; with ease; auspiciously (as a magically ‘smooth’ course, free of obstruction)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (क्रियाविशेषणवत्—‘सुखेन/सुखम्’)Root सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूर्य
- O SunO Sūrya (the Sun as divine agent of light, order, and expulsion of evil)Noun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथम्
- chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अंशुमन्तम्
- ray-bearing; radiantray-possessing; radiant (endowed with beams that ‘cut’ darkness and disease)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (रथम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण)Root अंशुमन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्योनम्
- comfortable; kindly; auspiciouskindly; gracious; comfortable (a ‘friendly’ seat/vehicle, non-hostile to the sacrificer)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (रथम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण)Root स्योन (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुवह्निम्
- well-bearing; good-carrier (well-drawing)well-bearing; easy to draw/carry (conducive to successful conveyance of the god and the rite)Adjective/Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (रथम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण)Root सुवह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधि
- upon; onupon; over (as mounting/establishing oneself upon the chariot)Indeclinable (preverb/preposition)अव्ययRole अधिकरण (उपरि/अधिष्ठानार्थे)Root अधि
- तिष्ठ
- stand; mount; take your placestand; mount; take your station (imperative, activating the deity’s presence)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot स्था (धातु)
- वाजिनम्
- the swift/steed; the racerswift; prize-winning; vigorous (the chariot/steed as bearer of victory and efficacy)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (तिष्ठ इति क्रियायाः)Root वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यम्
- whom/whichwhich (relative pronoun introducing the chariot/vehicle)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बन्धः—रथम्/वाजिनम् प्रति)Role कर्म (वहन्ति इति)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- yourthy; for thee (belonging to Sūrya)Pronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘ते’ = तव)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वहन्ति
- they carry; they bearthey bear; they convey (ritually: they ‘carry’ the god into visibility and power)Verbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot वह् (धातु)
- हरितः
- the tawny (mares); the bay horsesthe Harits; tawny mares (solar steeds; also apotropaic ‘bright’ forces)Noun (collective/adj used as noun)स्त्रीलिङ्ग (वेदे प्रायः), प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot हरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वहिष्ठाः
- most carrying; best bearersmost conveying; best bearers (superlative of carrying-power; intensifies efficacy)Adjectiveपुं/स्त्री (हरितः इति सह), प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root वहिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; वह्-धातोः श्रेष्ठार्थे तद्धित/तमप्-प्रायः)
- शतम्
- a hundredNumeralनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (संख्यावाचक)Role कर्तृ (अश्वाः इत्यस्य संख्याविशेषणम्)Root शत (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्वाः
- horsesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वहन्ति इति)Root अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- यदि
- ifif; whether (alternative enumeration)Indeclinable (conjunction)अव्ययRole सम्बन्ध/निबन्धन (शर्तार्थक)Root यदि
- वा
- orIndeclinable (particle)अव्ययRole समुच्चय/विकल्पRoot वा
- सप्त
- sevenNumeralअव्ययवत् संख्या; (अश्वाः इत्यस्य संख्याविशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (अश्वाः इत्यस्य संख्याविशेषणम्)Root सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- बह्वीः
- manyAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (अश्वाः/हरितः इत्यर्थे ‘many’)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root बह्वी (प्रातिपदिक; बहु-शब्दस्य स्त्री बहुवचन रूपम्)
Sandhi Notes
- पाठे ‘सूर्य रथम्’ इत्यत्र विसर्ग/स्वर-सन्धिः न दृश्यते (सम्बोधन ‘सूर्य’)। ‘सुवह्निमधि’ = ‘सुवह्निम् + अधि’ (म् + अ → म् अ, लेखने ‘मधि’ इति संयोगः)। ‘शतमश्वा’ = ‘शतम् + अश्वाः’ (म् + अ → म् अ; पदपाठे पृथक्)। अन्यत्र प्रमुख सन्धि-परिवर्तनं न आवश्यकम्।
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Traditionally Sūrya-hymn seers; in AV 13.2 the hymn is Sūrya-centered (r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī tradition).
- Devata
- Sūrya (Āditya), with Haritaḥ as subsidiary personifications
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh/Jagatī-type cadence in AV 13.2 context (meter requires pada-count verification by padapāṭha edition).
- Rasa
- Adbhuta and Vira
Sāyaṇa construes the imperatives as a direct ‘invitation’ (āvāhana) to Sūrya: the chariot is ‘aṃśumant’ by its rays, ‘syonam’ as non-injurious and beneficent to the worshipper, and ‘suvahni’ as readily drawn. The varying counts (hundred/seven/many) are treated as traditional alternatives: ‘seven’ as the well-known Harits, ‘hundred’ as poetic magnification of solar power. The superlative ‘vahiṣṭhāḥ’ underscores their unsurpassed capacity to bring the deity and thus the rite’s success.
Sūrya-hymn seer tradition (AVŚ 13.2 anukramaṇī-dependent)
Cosmic apotropaic light-charms: securing sunrise as a daily restoration of order and welfare.
Atharvanic use of cosmology as protection: aligning the household with the Sun’s victorious course to dispel obstruction and fear.
Sūrya (Āditya)
Illuminator and regulator of time; establishes visibility, truth, and daily renewal of ṛta.
Supports vitality, eyesight symbolism, circadian restoration; dispels ‘tamas’ as a psycho-physical heaviness.
Apotropaic against darkness, fear, nocturnal malign influences, and inauspiciousness.
Likely 4 pādas with extended syllable counts; Atharvanic mixed triṣṭubh/jagatī rhythm
AVŚ 13.2 often shows flexible syllable counts and heavy compounds (aṃśumant, suvahnim) affecting cadence.
Expansive, rising—mirrors mounting and forward motion of the solar chariot.
Energizing clarity; evokes uplift and forward movement (suitable at dawn).
At sunrise, the Atharvan priest faces east, maintaining silence until the solar disc is visible.
He performs ācamana and establishes a clean standing posture (or sits on kuśa if prescribed by the household setting).
Recites the mantra as an āvāhana: verbally ‘mounting’ Sūrya upon his chariot, synchronizing with the first appearance of rays.
Optionally accompanies recitation with a right-hand gesture (eastward extension) marking the ‘path’ of the chariot, and a brief circumambulation of the domestic fire if integrated into a household rite.
Concludes with a short namaskāra and a protective intention (rakṣā) for the patron/household.
Kauśika Sūtra: Sūrya-related prayogas (general: sunrise recitation and āvāhana-type usage; exact sutra-number requires edition-specific collation).
Atharvan/Brahman officiant as apotropaic specialist: he times the utterance to the liminal moment of dawn, ‘activating’ the Sun’s protective agency.
Recite at dawn facing east; can accompany lighting a lamp or opening the house to morning light.
Sunrise or early morning before work/travel.
Householder may recite; priest optional for special pacification rites.
KauśS: Sūrya-related apotropaic/dawn usages (general; numbering varies)
Morning recitation as a ‘day-opening’ practice for clarity and protection.
Solar chariot (ratha) as ritual-cosmic instrument; Harit mares (haritaḥ) as personified carriers of light
Implicit solar fire (radiance)
Solar radiance functions as the primary apotropaic ‘substance’; the chariot is the ordered vehicle of time—when it runs smoothly, life runs smoothly.
Tamas-associated malaise (lethargy, fear, depressive heaviness) in a broad Atharvanic sense
Light-as-medicine: invoking Sūrya’s ascent to normalize vitality and dispel obstructive darkness
Tejas/ojas support; dawn routine (dinacaryā) and Sūrya as regulator of agni and daily rhythm (conceptual)
Morning light exposure for circadian alignment; mood and alertness support.
Household/community and the day’s undertakings
Secure favorable solar ascent and presence; dispel darkness/inauspicious obstruction; stabilize welfare through cosmic order.
Cosmic mirroring: praising and ‘seating’ Sūrya to ensure the macrocosmic event (sunrise) becomes microcosmic protection.
Darkness, fear, obstruction, ill-omens
Wellbeing, success in daily work, clarity
- सूर्य (sūrya)
- consciousness, discernment, life-force, order
- रथ (ratha)
- psycho-physical vehicle; disciplined life-structure
- अंशुमन्त (aṃśumant)
- insight that radiates outward
- सुखम् (sukham)
- non-strained practice; sustainable clarity
- स्योन (syonam)
- secure inner seat; benevolent guidance
- सुवह्नि (suvahni)
- a life-path that supports rather than burdens
- वाजिन् (vājin)
- victorious energy; forward drive
- हरितः (haritaḥ)
- life-energies carrying perception; senses harnessed to light
Inner sunrise: invite clarity to ‘mount’ the breath-body vehicle.
ajna
Sūrya-bhedana (gentle) or simple 6–8 deep breaths facing east
A radiant chariot rising within the forehead space; tawny horses as balanced senses pulling attention upward.
Alert, luminous presence; steady witnessing.
Recite once at dawn, then sit silently for 2–3 minutes watching light behind closed eyes; let thoughts align into a single forward direction.
Maintain strong udātta on sūrya̱, ratha̍m, aṃśu̱manta̍m; let the cadence ‘rise’ through each pāda.
Clear caesura after sūrya / ratham; emphasize mounting verb tiṣṭha as the pivot.
Bright, forward, slightly higher pitch; avoid heaviness.
Best recited in open air facing east; align voice with the sense of ‘ascending’.
3 times
Beginning the day; overcoming sluggishness, fear of the day, or a sense of ‘dark obstruction.’
At dawn or before important work/travel; also after nightmares or nocturnal anxiety.
Greater alertness, confidence, and a protective ‘daylight’ mood.
If practicing breath techniques, keep them gentle; avoid forceful pranayama if hypertensive/anxious.
No explicit botanical is named; the operative ‘substance’ is solar radiance (aṃśu), functioning as a non-material pharmakon: light as the remover of tamas, fear, and impediment. In Atharvanic logic, such non-material agents can substitute for herbs when the rite targets cosmic/psychic afflictions rather than somatic lesions.
The imperative address to a major deva presumes a specialist speaker authorized to ‘invite’ and ‘install’ divine power. The verse encodes priestly control over auspicious timing (dawn) and over the household’s welfare through correct speech—an index of Atharvanic ritual expertise alongside (and sometimes competing with) śrauta specialists.
The diction is strongly RV-like (Sūrya’s ratha, Harits, aṃśu-), suggesting inheritance rather than innovation. The Atharvanic setting, however, tends to refunctionalize such inherited praise into a more directly instrumental utterance (āśīr/āveśa), foregrounding efficacy over encomium.
Gopatha’s general Atharvanic theory treats mantras as operative speech that secures order (ṛta) and protection (rakṣā). A Sūrya-mantra’s efficacy is grounded in the Sun’s paradigmatic role as revealer and expeller: by aligning the rite with sunrise, the practitioner harnesses a cosmological ‘proof’ of successful banishment of darkness.
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