Atharva Veda 4.21.1: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 21, Mantra 1
Sukta 21
गावः। आ गावो॑ अग्मन्नु॒त भ॒द्रम॑क्र॒न्त्सीद॑न्तु गो॒ष्ठे र॒णय॑न्त्व॒स्मे। प्र॒जाव॑तीः पुरु॒रूपा॑ इ॒ह स्यु॒रिन्द्रा॑य पू॒र्वीरु॒षसो॒ दुहा॑नाः
gā́vaḥ | ā́ gā́vo agmann utá bhadrám akran sī́dantu goṣṭhé raṇáyantv asmè | prajā́vatīḥ pururū́pā ihá syur índrāya pūrvī́r uṣáso dúhānāḥ
The Cows. Hither have the cows come; moreover they have wrought good fortune. Let them sit within the cow-stall; let them take delight among us. Fruitful, of many forms, may they be here—many as the Dawns—milking for Indra.
“โคทั้งหลาย”. โคทั้งหลายได้มาถึงที่นี่แล้ว และยังได้ก่อให้เกิดสิริมงคล. ขอให้พวกนางนั่งอยู่ในคอกโค; ขอให้พวกนางยินดีท่ามกลางเรา. ขอให้พวกนางอุดมด้วยลูกหลาน มีรูปแบบมากมาย อยู่ ณ ที่นี้—มากดุจอรุณทั้งหลาย—รีดน้ำนมถวายแด่อินทระ (Indra).
The meaning
What it says
Cows arrive, bring good fortune, settle happily in the stall, and become fruitful and manifold, milking abundantly—many as the Dawns—for Indra.
The inner meaning
A home prospers when its ‘life-forces’ (nutrition, routine, gentleness, community wealth) return safely and rest contentedly; joy in the stall signals inner security.
The truth in it
Prosperity is not mere acquisition but safe return, stable dwelling, fertility, and rhythmic renewal (like recurring dawns).
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika (Prosperity) / Gopaushtika (Cattle-prosperity)
Its aim
To bring cows safely home, settle them in the stall, and ensure fertility and abundant milk within the sacrificer’s household.
Word by Word
Pada patha
गावः । आ । गावः । अग्मन् । उत । भद्रम् । अक्रन् । सीदन्तु । गोष्ठे । रणयन्तु । अस्मे । प्रजावतीः । पुरुरूपाः । इह । स्युः । इन्द्राय । पूर्वीः । उषसः । दुहानाः
- गावः
- cowsthe cows; wealth-on-hoof; the chief pastoral prosperity (Sayana: dhana-bhūtāḥ)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither; towardshither; toward (ritually: into the stall/settlement)Indeclinableअव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- गावः
- cowsthe cows (repetition for invocation and fixation of the object)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्मन्
- camehave come (perfect/aorist sense: successful arrival secured)Verbलुङ् (अorist); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot √गम्
- उत
- and; alsoand also; moreover (adds auspicious supplement)Indeclinableअव्ययRoot उत (निपात)
- भद्रम्
- good fortune; auspiciousnessgood fortune; auspiciousness; welfare (bhadra as protective good)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Role KarmaRoot भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अक्रन्
- they madethey have done/made (i.e., they have brought about auspiciousness by their coming)Verbलुङ् (अorist); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot √कृ
- सीदन्तु
- let them sit downlet them sit down; settle (in the stall; stabilization of property)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot √सद्
- गोष्ठे
- in the cowshedin the cow-stall/cow-pen; the protected enclosure (goṣṭha as ritualized space)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot गो-ष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
- रणयन्तु
- let them gladden / make resoundlet them delight/low pleasantly; let them be content (sign of thriving herd)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot √रण्/√रन् (रणयति = to delight, make resound)
- अस्मे
- among us; for usamong us; in our household/lineage (domestic anchoring)Pronounसप्तमी; बहुवचन (वेदिक प्रयोग: अस्मे = अस्मासु/अस्माकम्-अर्थे)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- प्रजावतीः
- possessing offspringbearing offspring; fruitful (magically: increase of calves and household progeny)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot प्र-जा-वती (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरुरूपाः
- of many formsof many forms/colours; manifold (abundance and variety of yield)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot पुरु-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot इह (अव्यय)
- स्युः
- may they beVerbविधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot √अस्
- इन्द्राय
- for Indrafor Indra; to Indra (as lord of cattle-booty and protector of possession)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- पूर्वीः
- many/ancient; formermany; former/ancient; abundant (Sayana often: bahvyaḥ)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- उषसः
- dawnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन (वेदिक: उषसः = उषसः/उषसः बहुवचन-प्रयोग)Role KartāRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुहानाः
- milking; yielding (milk)milking; yielding milk (as continual nourishment and prosperity)Participleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), आत्मनेपदी; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot √दुह् (दोहने) + शानच्
Sandhi Notes
- गावः | आ | गावः | अग्मन् | उत | भद्रम् | अक्रन् | सीदन्तु | गोष्ठे | रणयन्तु | अस्मे | प्रजावतीः | पुरुरूपाः | इह | स्युः | इन्द्राय | पूर्वीः | उषसः | दुहानाः । प्रमुख सन्धयः:
- (1) अग्मन्+उत → अग्मन्नुत (नकार-सन्धि/अनुस्वार-प्रयोग)
- (2) अक्रन्+सीदन्तु → अक्रन्त्सीदन्तु (त्-सन्धि)
- (3) रणयन्तु+अस्मे → रणयन्त्वस्मे (उ/व्-आदेश)
- (4) स्युः+इन्द्राय → स्युरिन्द्राय (विसर्ग-लोप/रुत्व)
- (5) पूर्वीः+उषसः → पूर्वीरुषसः (विसर्ग-लोप/रुत्व)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition (often anonymous/household seer for paustika hymns)
- Devata
- Gāvaḥ (Cows) with Indra as beneficiary/protector
- Chandas
- Mixed; predominantly Triṣṭubh-like cadence in Saunaka transmission (as commonly analyzed for this type of prosperity verse)
- Rasa
- Shanta and Shringara
Sayana treats the opening as a direct ‘calling-in’ (āhvāna) of cattle as embodied wealth. ‘Bhadrám akran’ is glossed as the cows’ arrival itself producing auspiciousness for the sacrificer’s house. ‘Sīdantu goṣṭhe’ fixes the herd within the protected domestic boundary; ‘raṇayantu’ marks contentment and freedom from distress. ‘Uṣaso duhānāḥ’ is read as a simile of unceasing, daily renewal of milk like the recurring dawns; ‘for Indra’ aligns the prosperity with Indra’s lordship over cattle and gain.
Anonymous Atharvanic household seer (Śaunaka AV tradition)
Paustika gopaushtika rites: safe return of cattle, stall-settling, fertility and milk increase
Represents Atharvan domestic prosperity-magic: blessing the living economy (cattle) through invitation, settling, and joy rather than coercion.
Gāvaḥ (Cows) with Indra as protector/beneficiary
Cows are terrestrial embodiments of plenty; Indra secures and amplifies their yield and protects wealth from loss.
Indirect: nutritional security (milk) supports health and recovery.
Guards herd against wandering, predators, theft, and misfortune; stabilizes the household’s economic body.
Tends toward 4 pādas with ~11 syllables; Atharvanic transmission may show irregularities due to prose-like openings and thematic headings.
Paustika verses often loosen strict metrical regularity in favor of evocative, performative imperatives (sīdantu, raṇayantu).
Expansive, processional, welcoming.
Creates a ‘homecoming’ atmosphere; calms herd and handlers; reinforces confidence in return and increase.
Prepare/clean the goṣṭha (cow-stall) and mark the threshold as a protected boundary.
As the herd is led toward the stall at evening or after grazing, the Atharvan priest recites 4.21.1 facing the cows.
At the moment the first cows enter, the priest repeats the settling formula (‘sīdantu goṣṭhe’) to ‘fix’ them within the enclosure.
After entry, the priest recites the fertility and milk-yielding portion (‘prajāvatīḥ…duhānāḥ’) while touching/gesturing toward the herd or the stall-posts, sealing prosperity to the household.
Kauśika Sūtra: cattle-prosperity (go-karman) section; recitation while leading/penning the herd (exact numbering varies by edition).
Atharvan/Brahman officiant as domestic protector: he ‘binds’ the herd to the household by mantra at the liminal threshold (stall-entry).
Recite at the time of bringing cattle into the goṣṭha; sprinkle clean water or offer fodder while chanting; circle the stall boundary to ‘seat’ them.
Evening return from pasture; also at acquisition of new cattle or after loss/recovery.
Householder/herdsman can recite; Atharvan priest may officiate for larger rites.
KauśS: gopaushtika/cattle-prosperity procedures (general alignment; exact sūtra varies by edition).
Use as a blessing when starting dairy work, animal shelter inaugurations, or community farm rituals.
cows (gāvaḥ); cow-stall/cow-pen (goṣṭha); milk (duh-)
Cows are the moving storehouse of prosperity; the stall is the stabilized ‘womb’ of wealth; milk is the visible flow of fortune.
Supports ojas indirectly through milk and stable livelihood; a paustika foundation for health.
Food security and livelihood stability as determinants of health; stress reduction via economic assurance.
The household herd and its prosperity
Bring cows safely home, seat them contentedly in the stall, and ensure fertility and abundant milk.
Invitational imperative + auspicious simile (many as dawns) + dedicatory frame to Indra to secure protection and yield.
Loss, wandering, fear in animals, theft, misfortune affecting livestock
cattle, milk, fertility, household wealth
- गावः (gāvaḥ)
- nourishment, wealth, social stability, maternal abundance
- भद्रम् अक्रन् (bhadram akran)
- auspiciousness generated by right order and care
- गोष्ठे (goṣṭhe)
- secure container; protected domestic space
- रणयन्तु (raṇayantu)
- well-being as a sign of true prosperity (not forced productivity)
- पूर्वीः उषसः (pūrvīḥ uṣasaḥ)
- renewal, cyclical increase, dependable return of resources
- दुहानाः (duhānāḥ)
- sustained yield; ethical extraction through care
Gratitude and stewardship: visualizing resources returning and resting safely.
Anāhata (care/relationship)
Slow breathing with metta-like phrases while visualizing herd settling.
Contentment and trust.
Recite while offering feed/water, cultivating a non-extractive intention: ‘May they delight among us.’
Gentle, welcoming recitation; keep imperatives clear (sīdantu, raṇayantu).
Slight pause after ‘goṣṭhe’; lift tone on ‘prajāvatīḥ’ and ‘pururūpāḥ’ as blessing peaks.
Soft, soothing (suitable near animals).
Recite without harshness; in paustika cattle contexts, the operator’s calm voice is part of the efficacy.
7 times
Bringing cattle home; stabilizing a dairy/farm household; blessing new livestock.
At evening return, at stall entry, during shelter inauguration.
Sense of safety, cohesion, and abundance; culturally grounded blessing of livelihood.
Ensure humane care—food, water, cleanliness—so the mantra aligns with dharmic stewardship.
No botanical drug is invoked here; the ‘substance’ is pastoral: cows, stall, and milk. The mantra functions as a performative technology to stabilize mobile wealth (herd) into a controlled domestic space (goṣṭha), converting movement into possession and yield.
Cattle are treated as primary wealth and status; the household that can pen, protect, and multiply cows is socially elevated. The priestly voice authorizes ownership and security through mantra, reflecting a ritual economy where prosperity is mediated by Atharvanic expertise.
The diction is RV-like (Indra, uṣas-, duh-), but the pragmatic domestic focus (stall-entry, household anchoring ‘asme’) is characteristically Atharvanic. The verse reads like a repurposed high-style register applied to gr̥hya-level cattle management.
Gopatha typically frames Atharvanic efficacy as arising from correct application (yukti) of mantra to a concrete act (karman). This verse exemplifies that logic: the spoken ‘settle’ and ‘delight’ aligns the herd’s behavior with the sacrificer’s desired outcome, making prosperity a ritually engineered result.
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.
