Atharva Veda 5.21.11: Kanda 5, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 21, Mantra 11

Sukta 21

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

यू॒यमु॒ग्रा म॑रुतः पृश्निमातर॒ इन्द्रे॑ण यु॒जा प्र मृ॑णीत॒ शत्रू॑न्। सोमो॒ राजा॒ वरु॑णो॒ राजा॑ महादे॒व उ॒त मृ॒त्युरिन्द्रः॑

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 5.21.11

IAST Transliteration

yūyám ugrā́ marutaḥ pṛśnimātara índreṇa yujā́ prá mṛṇīta śátrūn | sómo rā́jā váruṇo rā́jā mahādevá utá mṛtyúr índraḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Ye, fierce Maruts, children of Pṛśni, yoked in fellowship with Indra, smite forth and crush the foes. Soma is King, Varuṇa is King; and Mahādeva also—yea, Death (itself) is Indra.

Translation

ஓ உக்கிர மருதர்களே, ப்ருஷ்ணி-மாதாவின் புதல்வர்களே! இந்திரனுடன் யுகமாக இணைந்து, முன்னே சென்று பகைவர்களைத் தாக்கி நசுக்குங்கள். சோமன் அரசன்; வருணன் அரசன்; மேலும் மகாதேவனும்—ஆம், மரணமே (தானே) இந்திரன்.

The meaning

What it says

The fierce Maruts, children of Pṛśni, allied with Indra, are urged to crush enemies. Then a sovereignty-litany follows: Soma is king, Varuṇa is king; Mahādeva too—and even Death is Indra.

The inner meaning

A psychodynamic battle-formula: mobilize collective energies (Maruts) under focused agency (Indra) to overcome inner enemies (fear, inertia, intrusive thoughts). The kingship litany asserts that multiple supreme forces govern reality—ecstasy/clarity (Soma), moral law (Varuṇa), transformative awe (Mahādeva/Rudra), and inevitability (Mṛtyu)—so the practitioner aligns with what cannot be resisted.

The truth in it

Conflict is won by coordinated force and by acknowledging higher sovereignties: joy, law, transformation, and mortality. Remembering death (mṛtyu) can sharpen resolve and dissolve petty fear.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Abhicarika / Rakṣoghna (Hostile-subduing; protective battle-magic)

Its aim

To crush and rout enemies (amitra/śatru), securing victory and warding hostile forces.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

यूयम् । उग्राः । मरुतः । पृश्नि-मातरः । इन्द्रेण । युजा । प्र । मृणीत । शत्रून् । सोमः । राजा । वरुणः । राजा । महा-देवः । उत । मृत्युः । इन्द्रः

यूयम्

you (all)ye (you all), addressed as an invoked troop for protectionPronounप्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

उग्राः

fierce, mightyfierce, terrible; possessing coercive, enemy-crushing forceAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)

मरुतः

the Maruts (storm-gods)the Maruts; storm-host, divine militia aiding in battle and wardingNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)

पृश्निमातरः

having Pṛśni as mothersons of Pṛśni; ‘Pṛśni as mother’, marking their lineage and ritual legitimacyNoun (compound epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशन)Root पृश्निमातृ (प्रातिपदिक; पृश्नि + मातृ)

इन्द्रेण

with Indrawith Indra; by Indra’s alliance/leadership (instrumental of empowerment)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)

युजा

as a yoked companion / in allianceas yoked companion(s); in harness, joined for a single operationNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप)Role करण (सहकारक-भाव)Root युज् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘yoke-fellow/companion’)

प्र

forth, forward (intensifier)forth, forward; directive particle intensifying the expulsion/assaultIndeclinableअव्ययRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)

मृणीत

crush / destroy!crush, smite, break; a violent apotropaic verb of removalVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot मृण् (धातु; ‘to crush, destroy’)

शत्रून्

enemiesenemies; hostile persons/forces (human and demonic) to be neutralizedNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)

सोमः

SomaSoma; kingly, vivifying power, also a divine sovereign in ritesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समास/वाक्य-आरम्भ)Root सोम (प्रातिपदिक)

राजा

kingking; sovereign authority invoked to command orderNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-सम्बन्ध (समनाधिकरण)Root राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)

वरुणः

VaruṇaVaruṇa; guardian of ṛta, binder of offenders, juridical-magical powerNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समनाधिकरण)Root वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)

राजा

kingking; repeated to stress dual sovereignty (Soma/Varuṇa)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-सम्बन्ध (समनाधिकरण)Root राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)

महादेवः

MahādevaMahādeva; ‘Great God’ (often Rudra/Śiva-tendency), supreme terrifying protectorNoun (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समनाधिकरण)Root महादेव (प्रातिपदिक; महा + देव)

उत

and alsoand also; additive emphasis in the divine rosterIndeclinableअव्ययRoot उत (निपात)

मृत्युः

DeathDeath personified; dread power enlisted to overawe/terminate hostilityNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समनाधिकरण)Root मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)

इन्द्रः

IndraIndra; slayer of foes, paradigmatic victor, here closing the list as chiefNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समनाधिकरण)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• यूयम् उग्राः मरुतः पृश्निमातरः इन्द्रेण युजा प्र मृणीत शत्रून् । सोमः राजा वरुणः राजा महादेवः उत मृत्युः इन्द्रः ।
• 1) पृश्निमातर॒ इन्द्रे॑ण → पृश्निमातरः + इन्द्रेण (विसर्ग-संधि: अः + इ → ओ/अय्-आदेश; संहितापाठ में ‘…मातर इन्द्रेण’)
• 2) मृ॒त्युरिन्द्रः → मृत्युः + इन्द्रः (विसर्ग-संधि: अः + इ → र्; ‘यु/रु’ आदेश)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic/Angiras-type attribution.

Devata

Maruts with Indra; extended sovereign powers (Soma, Varuṇa, Mahādeva, Mṛtyu).

Chandas

Mixed; predominantly triṣṭubh/jagatī-like cadence in martial invocations (needs pada-count verification).

Rasa

Vira and Raudra

Sayana's Commentary

The Seer

The Deity

The Metre

The Rite

In the Home

Substances

Healing Context

Magic Charm Layer

Symbols in this Mantra

Yogic Application

Chanting Notes

Practical Application

Scholarly Questions