Atharva Veda 3.16.5: Kanda 3, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 16, Mantra 5
Sukta 16
भग॑ ए॒व भग॑वाँ अस्तु दे॒वस्तेना॑ व॒यं भग॑वन्तः स्याम । तं त्वा॑ भग॒ सर्व॒ इज्जो॑हवीमि॒ स नो॑ भग पुरए॒ता भ॑वे॒ह
bhága evá bhágavāṃ astu devás ténā vayáṃ bhágavantaḥ syāma | táṃ tvā bhága sárva íj johavīmi sá no bhága puraetā́ bhavéhá
Bhaga indeed—let the god be the Fortunate One; thereby may we be fortunate. Thee, O Bhaga, do all men verily invoke again and again: be thou for us, O Bhaga, our leader in front, here.
ภคะเท่านั้น—ขอให้เทพองค์นั้นเป็น “ผู้ทรงความเป็นสิริมงคล” จริงเถิด; ด้วยเหตุนั้น ขอให้เราก็เป็นผู้มีสิริมงคล. ข้าแต่ภคะ ข้าพเจ้าขอวิงวอนท่านซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่า—ชนทั้งปวงก็วิงวอนท่านจริงดังนี้. ข้าแต่ภคะ โปรดเป็นผู้นำหน้าเรา อยู่เบื้องหน้า ณ ที่นี้เถิด.
The meaning
What it says
Affirms Bhaga as the Fortunate god; by him may we be fortunate. All invoke Bhaga repeatedly; may he be our leader going before us here.
The inner meaning
A psychological ‘installation’ of fortune as leadership: the practitioner places the principle of right allotment ahead of impulses, so decisions are guided by auspicious order rather than anxiety or greed.
The truth in it
When one aligns with a guiding principle that precedes action (ethics, right timing, right share), success becomes safer and more repeatable.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika (Prosperity) / Apotropaic leadership-charm
Its aim
To make Bhaga precede the practitioner/patron in present undertakings, ensuring success, safe passage, and the securing of one’s share.
Word by Word
Pada patha
भग॑ः । ए॒व । भग॑वान् । अ॒स्तु॒ । दे॒वः । तेना॑ । व॒यम् । भग॑वन्तः । स्या॒म॒ । तम् । त्वा॒ । भग॑ । सर्वः॑ । इत् । जो॒ह॒वी॒मि॒ । सः । नः॒ । भग॑ । पु॒रः॒ए॒ता । भ॒व॒ । इ॒ह
- भगः
- Bhaga (the god of fortune/portion)Bhaga (fortune as deity and distributive power)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot भग (प्रातिपदिक)
- एव
- indeed, justindeed, just so (exclusive emphasis: Bhaga alone as the key)Indeclinableअव्ययRoot एव
- भगवान्
- possessing fortune; blessedpossessed of bhaga; glorious/fortunate (here: ‘the fortunate one’ as divine epithet)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्तु
- let (him) belet there be; may he be (injunctive/benedictive)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot अस् (धातु)
- देवः
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- तेन
- by him/therebyPronounपुं/नपुं, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वयम्
- wePronounत्रिलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भगवन्तः
- fortunate, blessedfortunate; share-possessingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्याम
- may we beVerbविधिलिङ्, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot अस् (धातु)
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वा
- youthee (direct address; object of invocation)Pronounत्रिलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भग
- O BhagaNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot भग (प्रातिपदिक)
- सर्वः
- all (of me), whollyall (collectively; the whole community)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- इत्
- just, indeed (emphatic)indeed, just (emphatic particle)Indeclinable (particle)अव्ययRoot इत्
- जोहवीमि
- I repeatedly invoke/callI repeatedly invoke (intensive/frequentative: sustained calling for assured effect)Verbलट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; (वेदिक) पुनरुक्त/आवृत्त-आह्वानार्थक रूप ‘जोहव-’Root ह्वे (धातु) / √ह्वा
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us/ourfor usPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भग
- O BhagaNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot भग (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरएता
- one who goes in front; leader, forerunnerNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot पुरएतृ (प्रातिपदिक) < पुरः + √इ (एतृ)
- भव
- be (become)be (imperative: take up the role now)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot भू (धातु)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकरणRoot इह
Sandhi Notes
- भगः एव भगवान् अस्तु देवः तेन वयम् भगवन्तः स्याम् । तम् त्वा भग सर्वः इत् जोहवीमि । सः नः भग पुरएता भव इह । मुख्य सन्धि/वैदिक-विशेष:
- (1) ‘भग॑ ए॒व’ = भगः + एव (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ḥ + e → e, लेखने विसर्ग लोप).
- (2) ‘भग॑वाँ’ = भगवान् (वैदिक नासिक्य/स्वरभेद).
- (3) ‘स्याम’ = स्याम् (पदान्त ‘म्’ लोप/अनुस्वार-पर्याय).
- (4) ‘सर्व॒ इज्जो॑हवीमि’ = सर्वः + इत् + जोहवीमि
- ‘इज्’ लेखनं ‘इत्’ कणस्य वैदिक-रूप/उच्चारण-परिणाम.
- (5) ‘पुरए॒ता’ = पुरः + एता/एतृ-सम्बद्ध प्रातिपदिक ‘पुरएतृ’ का प्रथमा एकवचन रूप (वैदिक संधि में ‘पुरः’ का ‘पुर’)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition
- Devata
- Bhaga
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira and Shanta
Sāyaṇa emphasizes the exclusivizing ‘eva’: Bhaga is singled out as the decisive factor in prosperity. ‘Johavīmi’ is taken as repeated invocation to ensure fixation of the result. ‘Puraetā’ is interpreted as the deity’s going-before in undertakings—clearing impediments, guiding to gain, and warding mishap in the immediate locale (‘iha’).
Atharvanic tradition (Anukramaṇī: unspecified/collective)
Apotropaic prosperity charms that combine affirmation (truth statement) with protective ‘going-before’ leadership formulas.
Shows Atharvanic ‘speech-act’ theology: declaring Bhaga as bhagavān is itself a consecration that makes the household ‘bhagavant’ (fortunate).
Bhaga
Ensures rightful portion and auspicious precedence; a power that organizes events so the practitioner meets their share without harm.
Strong apotropaic ‘fore-runner’ function: prevents misfortune on journeys, ventures, and negotiations by placing auspicious order ahead.
4 x ~11; first half is declarative/causal, second half is repetitive invocation culminating in ‘puraetā’.
Atharvanic triṣṭubh often permits emphatic repetition (‘bhaga…bhaga…’) as a rhythmic intensifier.
Mantric insistence—repetition creates a ‘binding’ cadence.
Installs a protective lead: affirmation → communal invocation → personal request for immediate guidance.
Recite at the threshold before departure, or before commencing a transaction/contest.
On ‘puraetā bhava’, step forward with the right foot (a bodily enactment of ‘going-before’), or have the patron do so.
Optionally touch the head or the path/ground ahead to ‘install’ Bhaga in front; conclude with a brief silence to ‘set’ the charm.
Kauśika Sūtra: paustika and travel/undertaking preliminaries (mantra as ‘puraetṛ’ charm before departure or enterprise).
Atharvan as guide-and-warder: he installs Bhaga as the patron’s अग्रगामी (fore-goer), ritually engineering success and protection.
Recite at the threshold before leaving home; also before signing agreements or beginning a new enterprise; optionally touch the doorway lintel as ‘puraetā’ marker.
Immediately before departure/commencement (‘iha’).
Householder recitation is typical; a purohita may prescribe as part of a broader svastyayana sequence.
Likely used in paustika/protective contexts; exact Kausika citation depends on mapping traditions.
Used as a ‘start-of-task’ mantra to prime ethical confidence and protective attentiveness.
Bhaga (fortune/share) as personified power; Puraetā (going-before) as a protective ‘path-clearing’ function
No physical substances appear; the ‘substance’ is Bhaga-as-principle installed in front of action. Repetition is the operative medium—speech as protective escort.
Indirect: reduces fear/uncertainty, supporting sattva and steadier vata; leadership imagery counters scatteredness.
Anxiety regulation through repeated affirmation and goal-priming; ‘leader in front’ as cognitive reframing for decision-making.
Individual practitioner/patron; immediate venture (‘iha’).
To make Bhaga precede the practitioner in current undertakings, ensuring safe passage, success, and receipt of one’s rightful share.
Affirmation (truth-claim) + iterative invocation (johavīmi) + installation of a ‘forerunner’ guardian (puraetā).
Bad omens, delays, misdirection, loss of opportunity, social/contractual disadvantage.
Successful ventures, negotiations, travel, and share-allotment.
- भगवान् (bhagavān)
- the fully empowered principle of auspicious allotment
- तेन (tena)
- causal linkage: alignment produces like results
- जो॒हवीमि (johavīmi)
- iterative invocation; persistence as ritual force
- पुरएता (puraetā)
- protective leadership; clearing obstacles before they arise
- इह (iha)
- immediacy—fortune applied to the present concrete task
Visualize an auspicious intelligence walking one step ahead of you, clearing confusion and aligning outcomes with rightful share.
Ajna (guidance) with Manipura (initiative).
3 rounds of bhrāmarī (gentle) or steady ujjāyī to build confident steadiness before recitation.
Visualize a golden path opening ahead; obstacles dissolve before they form.
Decisive, protected readiness.
After chanting, take one deliberate step (literal or metaphorical) while holding ‘puraetā’ in mind—link mantra to embodied action.
‘bhagavān’—nasalization on ‘vān’ (vā̃) as per Vedic phonetics.; ‘puraetā’—keep the diphthong-like sequence clear (pura-etā), not puraitā.; ‘johavīmi’—articulate ha-vī, not ha-bī.
Triṣṭubh with emphatic repetition; keep each ‘bhaga’ cleanly separated, avoiding slurring across word boundaries.
Peak stress on ‘bhagavān’ and ‘puraetā’; let ‘iha’ land firmly as the final anchoring deictic.
Bright, leading, confident; not harsh.
As an apotropaic start-formula, odd repetitions (3/7/9) are traditional in many Atharvanic household settings, though not mandatory.
7 times
Starting new work, travel, interviews, negotiations, legal/contract steps, leadership responsibilities.
At the moment of commencement (leaving home, opening shop, beginning meeting).
Greater confidence, better situational awareness, fewer avoidable errors; felt protection and ‘right-share’ orientation.
Do not use as a substitute for due diligence; ‘leader in front’ also implies you must follow with integrity.
No herb; the operative mechanism is spatial: Bhaga is asked to ‘go before’ and thus function like an apotropaic shield on the path. This is a non-pharmacological protective technology.
‘All indeed invoke’ suggests broad social uptake, yet the formalized, correct invocation is typically priest-mediated. The verse thus reflects a shared prosperity ideology while preserving specialist control over efficacious repetition and deployment.
The intensive johavīmi and the puraetā epithet are well-attested Vedic idiom. The Atharvanic innovation is functional: the line is readily mapped onto threshold-rites and departures as a practical charm.
Gopatha’s concern with averting obstacles and securing success through brahman aligns with ‘puraetā’: the deity is installed as a forward-moving protective principle, with speech acting as the installing instrument.
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