Atharva Veda 13.2.42: Kanda 13, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 42

Sukta 2

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

आ॒रोह॑न्छु॒क्रो बृ॑ह॒तीरत॑न्द्रो॒ द्वे रू॒पे कृ॑णुते॒ रोच॑मानः । चि॒त्रश्चि॑कि॒त्वान् म॑हि॒षो वात॑माया॒ याव॑तो लो॒कान॒भि यद् वि॒भाति॑

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 13.2.42

IAST Transliteration

āróhan śukró bṛhatī́r átandro dvé rūpé kṛṇute rócamānaḥ | citráś cikitvā́n mahiṣó vātamāyā́ yā́vato lokā́n abhí yád vibhā́ti

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Ascending, bright, unwearied, he traverseth the mighty regions; shining, he assumeth twofold forms. Wondrous, discerning, the mighty Bull, whose magic is as wind, he shineth forth over whatsoever worlds there be, making them manifest.

Translation

เขาไต่ขึ้น สว่างผ่อง ไม่อ่อนล้า ท่องไปในแดนอันกว้างใหญ่; เมื่อส่องประกาย เขาทำรูปเป็นสองประการ. น่าอัศจรรย์ ผู้รู้แจ้ง คือมหากระทิง ผู้มีมายาดุจลม; เขาส่องเหนือโลกทั้งปวงเท่าที่มี ทำให้โลกเหล่านั้นปรากฏชัด.

The meaning

What it says

The bright, unwearied solar power ascends and traverses vast regions; shining, it assumes two forms; wondrous and discerning, the mighty Bull with wind-like māyā illuminates all worlds, making them manifest.

The inner meaning

Consciousness rises, tirelessly surveying inner ‘regions.’ The ‘two forms’ can be read as day/night, visible/invisible, or manifest/unmanifest cognition. The Bull is disciplined power; wind-like māyā is subtle, pervasive agency that moves unseen yet reveals.

The truth in it

Illumination is transformative: when awareness pervades all domains, hidden forces lose their concealment and order becomes visible.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Paustika (Prosperity) / Apotropaic (Protective) with solar-cosmic theology

Its aim

To invoke the all-pervading solar power that reveals and dispels concealment—thereby removing unseen harms and securing right order for the patron.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

आ-रोहन् । शु॒क्रः । बृ॒ह॒तीः । अ॒त॒न्द्रः । द्वे इति । रू॒पे इति । कृ॒णु॒ते॒ । रोच॑मानः । चि॒त्रः । चि॒कि॒त्वान् । म॒हि॒षः । वा॒त॒मा॒याः । याव॑तः । लो॒कान् । अ॒भि । यत् । वि॒भाति॑

आरोहन्

ascending, mountingmounting up; ascending (esp. the Sun’s rising/approach), a sign of renewed powerVerb (participial)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) — 'आरोहन्' = आरोहन् (आ-रुह् + शतृ)Role KartāRoot आ-√रुह् (रुहँ) / वर्तमानकृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक 'आरोहन्'

शुक्रः

bright, radiant (one)bright, pure, shining; the radiant one (solar brilliance as purifying force)Adjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)

बृहतीः

the great (ones); great regions/expansesthe great (spaces/regions); the vast expanses (heavenly reaches)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot बृहती (प्रातिपदिक)

अतन्द्रः

unwearied, untiringunwearied, unremitting; ceaseless in operation (never failing efficacy)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अतन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)

द्वे

twoNumeralनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, द्विवचन (रूप-विशेषण)Role KarmaRoot द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)

रूपे

formsforms, appearances (visible modes assumed for cosmic function)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole KarmaRoot रूप (प्रातिपदिक)

कृणुते

makes, fashionshe makes, fashions, assumes (takes on forms by will/power)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया) — कर्म: रूपेRoot √कृ (डुकृञ् करणे)

रोचमानः

shining, being radiantshining forth; blazing (self-manifesting radiance)Verb (participial)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्), आत्मनेपदीRole KartāRoot √रुच् (रुचँ दीप्तौ) / 'रोचमान' (शानच्)

चित्रः

variegated, wondrousvariegated, wondrous; marvellous in aspect (awe-producing potency)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)

चिकित्वान्

wise, discerningwise, discerning; possessing insight (knower of paths/rites)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot चिकित्वस्/चिकित्वान् (प्रातिपदिक; 'knowing, wise')

महिषः

bull; mighty onethe great one/bull; a common epithet for the Sun/Agni as mighty male powerNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot महिष (प्रातिपदिक)

वातमायाः

wind-like powers/illusions; airy deviceshaving wind as (his) māyā; whose occult power works like the wind—unseen yet effectiveNoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (सहचर/विशेषण-सम्बन्धः) अथवा करण-भावः (मायाभिः) — पाठभेदानुसारRoot वातमाया (समास: वात + माया) (प्रातिपदिक)

यावतः

as many asas many as; to the full extent ofPronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (लोकान् विशेषयति)Role KarmaRoot यावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

लोकान्

worlds, realmsworlds/realms; ordered domains of beingsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot लोक (प्रातिपदिक)

अभि

towards, overtoward, over, upon; encompassing directionalityIndeclinableअव्ययRole Upasarga (क्रियाविशेषक)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

यत्

that which; insofar aswhen/that which; introducing the condition of manifestationPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बन्धसूचक)Role (सम्बन्ध/निमित्त) — 'insofar as/when/that which'Root यद् (सर्वनाम)

विभाति

shines forth, illuminatesshines out, illumines distinctly; makes manifest (dispels concealment)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया) — कर्ता: (सः) महिषः/शुक्रःRoot वि-√भा (भा दीप्तौ)

Sandhi Notes

• आरोहन् शुक्रः बृहतीः अतन्द्रः । द्वे रूपे कृणुते रोचमानः । चित्रः चिकित्वान् महिषः वातमायाः । यावतः लोकान् अभि यत् विभाति । मुख्य सन्धि-विचारः:
• (1) 'आरोहन्' + 'शुक्रः' इत्यत्र नासिकान्त-समाप्ति
• लेखनरूपे 'आरोह॑न्छु॒क्रो' = 'आरोहन् शुक्रः' (न् + श् → ञ्छ्/ंछ्-प्रतीति वैदिकलेखने).
• (2) 'बृहतीः' + 'अतन्द्रः' में विसर्ग/स्वर-सन्धि नहीं
• पदसीमा पर विराम.
• (3) 'अभि यत्' में सन्धि-निषेध (पदविराम) रखा गया
• संहितायां 'अभ्ययत्' सम्भव, पर मन्त्रपाठ में पृथक्.
• (4) 'यद् विभाति' में 'यद्' का 'त्' परसवर्ण/उच्चारण-समायोजन से 'यद् वि…' रूप
• पदच्छेद में 'यत् विभाति'

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Traditionally associated with solar seers in AV 13.2 (Āditya/Sūrya hymn complex); specific r̥ṣi attribution varies in ancillary indices.

Devata

Sūrya/Āditya (solar ‘mahiṣa’)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (probable; long pādas with 11-syllable cadence)

Rasa

Adbhuta and Shanta

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