Atharva Veda 3.20.8: Kanda 3, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 20, Mantra 8
Sukta 20
वाज॑स्य॒ नु प्र॑स॒वे सं ब॑भूविमे॒मा च॒ विश्वा॒ भुव॑नान्य॒न्तः । उ॒तादि॑त्सन्तं दापयतु प्रजा॒नन् र॒यिं च॑ नः॒ सर्व॑वीरं॒ नि य॑छ
vā́jasya nú prasavé sáṃ babhūv imémā́ ca víśvā bhúvanāny antáḥ | utā́dit sántam dāpayatu prajā́nann rayíṃ ca naḥ sárvavīraṃ ní yaccha
Now, at the impulse of gain, it hath come wholly to pass—these here, and all the worlds within. Yea, even one that already hath, let the knowing one cause to give; and for us bestow wealth, firm-set, all-heroed.
บัดนี้ ด้วยแรงกระตุ้นแห่งการได้มา สิ่งทั้งปวงได้บังเกิดครบถ้วนแล้ว—ทั้งสิ่งเหล่านี้ ณ ที่นี้ และสรรพโลกทั้งมวลที่อยู่ภายใน. แม้ผู้ที่มีอยู่แล้ว ก็ขอให้ผู้รู้ทำให้เขาให้ทาน; และขอประทานทรัพย์ (ระยิ) แก่เรา ให้ตั้งมั่น มีกล้าหาญครบถ้วน.
Rishi: Atharvanic/Āṅgirasa stream (anukramaṇī-dependent)
Devata: Prosperity/Impulsion (prasava; often Savitar implicitly) and the ‘knowing one’ (prājānan—interpretable as Bṛhaspati/Savitar/king)
Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like expansion (AV mixed; longer pādas than strict anuṣṭubh)
Primary: vira
Secondary: shanta
Sāyaṇa takes ‘prasava’ as the divine ‘impulsion’ that makes acts succeed; ‘dāpayatu’ is explicitly causative—mantra compels donation even from the already-wealthy (‘santam’). ‘Sarvavīra’ is glossed as wealth accompanied by sons/retainers, i.e., prosperity with social power.
To consolidate prosperity and to compel even established possessors to part with wealth; to secure ‘wealth with men/sons’.
Prosperity-stress reduction via structured intention and community support; ‘resource security’ as a determinant of wellbeing.
paustika
Potential donors/patrons; the social field in which wealth circulates.
Consolidate prosperity across one’s sphere and compel/induce donors (even established possessors) to release wealth; secure ‘wealth with men/sons’.
Vāc-driven vaśīkaraṇa (persuasive/compelling speech-act) coupled with cosmic framing (prasava) and stabilizing imperative (ni-yam).
Leakage of fortune, refusal of patrons, instability of gains.
Wealth/resources, patronage, household strength (sons/retainers).
At the ‘impulse’ (prasava) of gain (vāja), prosperity is said to have fully ‘come to pass’ and to pervade all worlds. The mantra further urges that even one who already possesses wealth should be made to give, and asks that wealth endowed with ‘all heroes/sons’ be firmly bestowed on us.
Prosperity is framed as a cosmic momentum: when intention aligns with the generative ‘impulsion’ (prasava), resources consolidate. The line about compelling even the established possessor to give points to social psychology—speech-acts and ritual authority converting hoarding into circulation, and converting hesitation into generosity.
Abundance stabilizes when it flows: prosperity is not merely acquired but ritually and ethically ‘set in motion’ so that it circulates through community, sustaining life, lineage, and courage.
- वाज (vāja)
- the energizing ‘winning-force’ that makes prosperity achievable
- प्रसव (prasava)
- the cosmic push that initiates manifestation; Savitar-like activation of outcomes
- भुवनानि (bhuvanāni)
- totality of life-situations that prosperity can permeate
- दापयतु (dāpayatu)
- ritualized persuasion/compulsion of generosity; converting possession into dāna
- प्रजानन् (prajānan)
- the authoritative agent (priest/king/Bṛhaspati/Savitar) whose knowledge makes giving happen
- रयि (rayi)
- life-sustaining plenitude (food, cattle, gold, support)
- सर्ववीर (sarvavīra)
- wealth that carries social strength—retainers, sons, courage, continuity
- नि यच्छ (ni yaccha)
- stabilization of fortune; preventing leakage and reversal
Prosperity as flow: visualize resources moving through the ‘worlds within’ and stabilizing as ethical support for life and lineage.
Manipura (agency/wealth-fire)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana 6–6 count before recitation to steady intention and speech.
Saṃkalpa-focused, socially courageous (non-anxious assertiveness).
Recite with a clear, non-greedy intention: ‘May wealth come as support for dharma; may holders become generous; may it be stable and shareable.’
Atharvanic recitation with clear udātta on marked syllables; maintain strong fall at imperatives (dāpayatu, ni yaccha).
Keep the cadence weight on vā́ja-, prá- (prasave), and the closing ní yaccha to ‘seal’ the charm.
Differentiate दापयतु (dāpayatu) from ददातु (dadātu): long ā + paya., Maintain retroflex in सर्ववीरम् (sarvavīram) where applicable by sandhi; keep vīra long ī., नि यच्छ: geminate cch clearly (yaccha).
Firm, persuasive, ‘public-speech’ tone; end with a lowered, sealing cadence.
For vaśīkaraṇa-style use, recite once as declaration, then repeat in odd counts while holding a clear mental image of wealth becoming stable and donors becoming willing.
11
Make a small donation before the main request (dāna primes circulation).; Write a concise saṃkalpa statement and review it before recitation.; Practical budgeting/record-keeping immediately after (to ‘ni-yam’ wealth).
Seeking patronage, salary, clients, fundraising, stabilizing household income.
Before approaching a benefactor; before signing agreements; during monthly household ‘wealth-setting’ (accounting, storing grain, tending cattle).
Greater persuasive clarity, improved generosity response from others, and a felt stability of resources and support network.
Avoid coercive intent toward vulnerable persons; keep the aim dharmic (support, livelihood, generosity).
पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): वाजस्य | नु | प्रसवे | सम् | बभूव | इमे | इमाः | च | विश्वाः | भुवनानि | अन्तः | उत | आ | दित्सन्तम् | दापयतु | प्रजानन् | रयिम् | च | नः | सर्ववीरम् | नि | यच्छ । Notes: (1) सं बभूव → सम् + बभूव (anusvāra before b). (2) इमे॒मा → इमे + इमाः (vowel coalescence in saṃhitā). (3) भुव॑नान्य॒न्तः → भुवनानि + अन्तः (i + a → ya in saṃhitā: -नानि अन्तः → -नान्यन्तः). (4) उतादि॑त्सन्तम् → उत + आ + दित्सन्तम् (utā-). (5) र॒यिं च॑ नः॒ सर्व॑वीरं॒ → रयिम् + च + नः + सर्ववीरम्. (6) नि य॑छ → नि + यच्छ (preverb + imperative).
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