Atharva Veda 3.12.7: Kanda 3, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 12, Mantra 7
Sukta 12
एमां कु॑मा॒रस्तरु॑ण॒ आ व॒त्सो जग॑ता स॒ह। एमां प॑रि॒स्रुतः॑ कु॒म्भ आ द॒ध्नः क॒लशै॑रगुः
émām kumārás tarúṇa ā́ vatsó jágatā sahá | émām parisrútaḥ kúmbha ā́ dádhnaḥ kaláśair agúḥ ||
To this (home) the youthful boy hath come, and the calf with all that moves beside; to this have come the brimming jar, the curds, with pitchers in their train.
สู่เรือนนี้ เด็กหนุ่มได้มาแล้ว และลูกวัวก็มาพร้อมกับสรรพสิ่งที่เคลื่อนไหวทั้งปวง; สู่เรือนนี้ หม้อที่เอ่อล้นได้มาแล้ว และนมเปรี้ยว/นมข้นก็มา โดยมีเหยือกทั้งหลายตามมาเป็นขบวน.
The meaning
What it says
To this home come the youthful boy and the calf with all moving life; to this come the brimming jar and the curds, with pitchers following.
The inner meaning
Prosperity is invited through living symbols: youth (continuity), calf (wealth and nourishment), and full vessels (abundance). The psyche learns to ‘receive’—to become a vessel that can hold fullness without fear of loss.
The truth in it
Auspiciousness grows where life is welcomed: nourishment, continuity, and generosity circulate when the home is treated as a sacred container.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika (Prosperity) / Gṛha (Domestic consecration)
Its aim
To draw auspiciousness and abundance into the dwelling by bringing lucky beings and full vessels (dairy) to the ritual locus.
Word by Word
Pada patha
ए॒माम् । कु॒मा॒रः । तरु॑णः । आ । व॒त्सः । जग॑ता । स॒ह । ए॒माम् । प॒रि॒स्रुतः॑ । कु॒म्भः । आ । द॒ध्नः । क॒लशैः॑ । अ॒गुः
- एनाम्
- her / this (woman, object)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → एना-
- कुमारः
- the boy / youtha boy/young lad; ritually ‘pure’ youth used in auspicious actsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
- तरुणः
- youngyoung, fresh; in ritual, sign of vigor and renewalAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कुमारः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot तरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, hitherhither, unto; toward the ritual locusIndeclinableउपसर्गः (गम्-धातोः सह)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वत्सः
- the calfa calf; emblem of increase and domestic wealthNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (कुमारः इत्यस्य सह-कर्तृ/समुच्चित-कर्तृ)Root वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
- जगता
- with the moving (creature); with the living onewith the moving (world/creatures); ‘with the living train’ (attendant prosperity)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करण (सह-प्रयोगे ‘सह’ इत्यस्य योगे)Root जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सह
- together withtogether with; accompanied byIndeclinableसह-योगे तृतीया अपेक्षाRoot सह (अव्यय)
- एनाम्
- her / this (woman, object)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → एना-
- परिस्रुतः
- flowing around; having oozed/overflowedflowing around/overflowing; ‘well-filled, brimming’ (auspicious abundance)Adjective/Participleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कुम्भः इति विशेषणम्); भूतकृदन्त (क्त)Role कर्तृ (कुम्भः इत्यस्य)Root परि-√स्रु (धातु) → परिस्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- कुम्भः
- the pot, jarjar/pot; a fullness-symbol and carrier of consecrated liquidsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, hitherhither; into placeIndeclinableउपसर्गः (गम्-धातोः सह)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- दध्नः
- of curd; of yogurtof curds; nourishing, auspicious dairy substanceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root दधन्/दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
- कलशैः
- with jars/pitcherswith pitchers/jars; ritual vessels (plural, equipment of consecration)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करण (सह-प्रयोग/साधन)Root कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
- अगुः
- they came / have comethey came; arrived/approached (bringing auspicious goods)Verbलिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot √गम् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- एनाम् कुमारः तरुणः आ वत्सः जगता सह | एनाम् परिस्रुतः कुम्भः आ दध्नः कलशैः अगुः ||
- 1) ‘एमां’ = ‘एनाम्’ (एना- सर्वनाम, द्वितीया एकवचन; न् + आ → म् आ (अनुस्वार/अनुनासिक-सन्धि) लेखन-परम्परा)
- 2) ‘कलशै॑रगुः’ = ‘कलशैः अगुः’ (विसर्ग-सन्धि: -ैः + अ- → -ैर-)
- 3) ‘आ वत्सो’ = ‘आ वत्सः’ (पदपाठे विसर्गः; संहितायां ओ-आदेशः)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic domestic tradition (anukramaṇī attribution varies)
- Devata
- Gṛha (the house) and Maṅgala/Śrī-like prosperity-signs (implicit)
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh (domestic narrative couplet style)
- Rasa
- Shringara and Shanta
Sāyaṇa reads the verse as an auspicious ‘bringing-in’ (āgamanam) of prosperity-signs at house-entry or house-establishment: a young boy (kumāra) and calf (vatsa) are lucky bearers of increase; vessels (kumbha/kalasha) filled and dairy (dadhi) signify plenitude. The repeated ‘emām’ fixes the ritual deictic: ‘unto this house/this place’.
Unknown/variable (domestic gṛha tradition)
Paustika home-prosperity charms: drawing Śrī-like abundance via living beings and full dairy vessels; auspicious ‘arrival’ formulas.
Atharvanic prosperity magic often works by ‘procession’ of signs: what you bring to the threshold is what the home becomes—full, fertile, and well-supplied.
Gṛha (the home) with implicit Śrī/Maṅgala prosperity-signs
The house as receiving altar of life; prosperity as a visiting presence that must be welcomed and housed.
Nourishment-centered well-being; supports recovery and family health through abundance of food and calm domestic atmosphere.
Protects by fullness—scarcity invites danger; abundance supports resilience and hospitality obligations.
2 lines (as given) typically divisible into 4 pādas of 8 syllables each; domestic narrative cadence.
Colloquial, processional feel; emphasis on deictic repetition ‘emām… emām…’ rather than strict quantitative precision.
Light, inviting, processional.
Creates a welcoming atmosphere; good to chant while physically bringing items into the home.
At first entry or consecration, lead a young boy and a calf toward/into the house.
Carry a full jar (kumbha/kalasha), and bring curds in vessels.
Recite the mantra while crossing the threshold and placing the vessels in the central space.
Keep the vessels ‘brimming’ as a material enactment of abundance.
Kauśika Sūtra: gṛha-praveśa / maṅgala-praveśa (bringing auspicious items into a new house); specific sūtra numbering varies by edition.
Atharvan priest coordinates the entry-rite, recites the mantra at threshold-crossing, and directs placement of vessels and auspicious carriers.
At house entry/housewarming: bring a calf (or symbolic cow image), a pūrṇa-kumbha, and dairy/food vessels into the home while chanting.
First entry into a new home; after major cleansing/repair; at auspicious muhurta.
Householder leads; women often carry the kalaśas in later practice; Atharvan priest may supervise.
Kauśika Sūtra: gṛha-praveśa/gṛha-pratiṣṭhā prosperity acts commonly pair AVŚ 3.12 verses with bringing in auspicious items (edition-dependent).
Use a pūrṇa-kumbha (water + mango leaves/coconut) and a bowl of curds; symbolic calf/cow image if live animal not possible.
calf (vatsa); curds (dadhi); brimming jar (kumbha); pitchers (kalasha)
Dairy is ‘stored life’ and social wealth. Full vessels signify a home that contains and distributes nourishment; the calf represents growth-in-potential; the youth embodies continuity and auspicious beginnings.
Indirect wellness via nutrition security and positive home environment.
The house and household economy (food, cattle, children)
Attract prosperity, fertility, and auspicious increase into the dwelling through symbolic arrivals (youth, calf, full vessels, curds).
Sympathetic magic by ‘bringing in’ auspicious tokens; deictic invocation anchors prosperity to the ritual locus.
Poverty, emptiness, inauspiciousness, domestic decline
Food abundance, cattle/wealth, family continuity
- कुमार (kumāra)
- renewal, future, continuity of lineage/skill
- तरुण (taruṇa)
- fresh energy; beginnings that promise growth
- वत्स (vatsa)
- wealth-in-seed form; nourishment, increase of cattle/means
- जगत् (jagat)
- vital circulation—life entering and thriving in the home
- परिस्रुत (parisruta)
- abundance that exceeds scarcity-mind
- कुम्भ (kumbha)
- womb/container of prosperity; stored life
- दध्नः (dadhnaḥ)
- ripened nourishment; transformation into stable sustenance
- कलश (kalaśa)
- auspicious presence; prosperity carried in procession
Cultivating receptivity and gratitude; becoming a ‘full vessel’ rather than a scarcity-self.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (nourishment/flow) and Anāhata (home/heart)
Soft breathing with a slight smile; inhale ‘receiving’, exhale ‘sharing’.
A bright, full pot in the heart-space; streams of nourishment entering the home and circulating to all beings.
Gentle contentment and welcoming presence.
Chant while mindfully placing food/water in the kitchen/altar; end with a deliberate act of giving (small donation/feeding).
Simple, even domestic chant; less ‘grand’ than śrauta tones; keep the deictic ‘emām’ clear and repeated.
Emphasize arrival verbs/particles: ‘ā’ and ‘aguḥ’; keep items enumerated distinctly.
Warm, inviting, slightly higher pitch; suitable for group recitation.
Best synchronized with action: chant as each auspicious item crosses the threshold, making the home the ‘receiver’ of prosperity.
Housewarming, starting a new kitchen, rebuilding after loss, inviting prosperity into a stagnant home.
On first entry to a new home; before stocking pantry; during festivals of prosperity.
Sense of auspicious beginning, cohesion, and abundance; reinforces habits of nourishment and hospitality.
Avoid waste; prosperity charm is ethically paired with sharing and responsible use of food/resources.
The verse is dairy-ritual rather than botanical: curds and ‘full jars’ are prosperity-substances. The mantra sacralizes the act of importation—abundance is not merely carried in, it is verbally installed.
It presumes household ownership, cattle wealth, and ritual specialists. The use of a kumāra and vatsa as auspicious agents reflects controlled domestic symbolism, where persons/animals are deployed as ritual instruments under priestly direction.
The diction is markedly domestic and concrete (kumbha, kalasha, dadhi), aligning with Atharvanic gr̥hya life more than RV sacrificial poetics. The repetitive deictic ‘emām’ is a performative anchoring typical of practical charms.
Gopatha’s logic of ‘bringing’ (āharaṇa/āgama) treats prosperity as transferable through correct acts and formulas; fullness (parisruta) and dairy nourishment become ritualized carriers of śrī-like increase when accompanied by Atharvanic speech.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Atharva Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
