Atharva Veda 4.22.4: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 22, Mantra 4

Sukta 22

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अ॒स्मै द्यावा॑पृथिवी॒ भूरि॑ वा॒मं दु॑हाथां घर्म॒दुघे॑ इव धे॒नू। अ॒यं राजा॒ प्रि॒य इन्द्र॑स्य भूयात् प्रि॒यो गवा॒मोष॑धीनां पशू॒नाम्

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 4.22.4

IAST Transliteration

asmái dyā́vā-pṛthivī bhū́ri vā́maṁ duhāthāṁ gharma-dúghe iva dhenū́ | ayáṁ rājā́ priyá índrasya bhūyāt priyó gavā́m óṣadhīnāṁ paśūnā́m ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

For him let Heaven and Earth, like two warm-milking kine, pour forth abundant good. Let this King be dear to Indra; dear to cattle, to the healing plants, and to the beasts of the field.

Translation

เพื่อเขา ขอให้ฟ้ากับแผ่นดินดุจแม่โคสองตัวผู้หลั่งน้ำนมอุ่น ไหลหลั่งความดีอันอุดมเถิด ขอให้พระราชาองค์นี้เป็นที่รักของอินทระ เป็นที่รักของโคทั้งหลาย ของโอษธิ (ओषधि, oṣadhi) คือพืชสมุนไพร และของสัตว์ทั้งหลาย

The meaning

What it says

Heaven and Earth are invoked to pour abundant good for the king like two warm-milking cows; may the king be dear to Indra and dear to cattle, healing plants, and animals.

The inner meaning

Ecological legitimacy: the ruler’s inner harmony aligns with the sustaining field (dyāvāpṛthivī). Being ‘dear’ to cattle and herbs symbolizes attunement to nourishment systems—care, stewardship, non-extractive power.

The truth in it

Prosperity is relational: when leadership is aligned with the sustaining cosmos (ecology, community, care for life), abundance flows and life-forms ‘consent’ to flourish.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Paustika (Prosperity) / Rajakarma (Royal rite)

Its aim

To secure royal favor, abundance, and the willing increase of cattle, herbs, and livestock under the king’s rule; to stabilize legitimacy through cosmic assent.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

अस्मै । द्यावा-पृथिवी । भूरि । वामम् । दुहाथाम् । घर्म-दुघे । इव । धेनू । अयम् । राजा । प्रियः । इन्द्रस्य । भूयात् । प्रियः । गवाम् । ओषधीनाम् । पशूनाम्

अस्मै

to/for him (this one)to/for this (king/patron); dative of benefaction in blessingPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; चतुर्थी (दत्तिव) एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

द्यावापृथिवी

Heaven and EarthHeaven-and-Earth as a paired cosmic source of nourishment and legitimacyNoun (dual compound)स्त्री; प्रथमा द्विवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्व/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व; ‘Heaven-and-Earth’ as a pair)Role कर्तृRoot द्यावा-पृथिवी (समास; द्यौस् + पृथिवी)

भूरि

abundantly, muchabundantly, in great measure (plenty as royal fortune)Indeclinable (adverbial)अव्यय; परिमाण/बहुत्वार्थेRole विशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण)Root भूरि (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)

वामम्

good thing, boon, wealthgood thing, boon, desirable wealth (royal prosperity)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसक; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वाम (प्रातिपदिक)

दुहाथाम्

you two milk/yieldmay you two milk out (bestow as cows yield milk)Verbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; द्विवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot दुह् (धातु) ‘दोहने’

घर्मदुघे

(you two) who yield the hot drink/gharmamilk-yielding with warm milk; lit. 'hot-dripping/milking' (image of rich, immediate bounty)Adjective (dual epithet)स्त्री; प्रथमा/सम्बोधन द्विवचन (द्यावापृथिव्योः विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot घर्म-दुघ (उपपद-तत्पुरुष; घर्म + दुह्-प्रत्ययान्त ‘दुघ’)

इव

like, asas, like (simile marker)Indeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRole सम्बन्ध/उपमान-निर्देशकRoot इव

धेनू

two milch-cowsNounस्त्री; प्रथमा द्विवचन (वैदिक रूप: ‘धेनू’ = धेन्वौ)Role उपमान (कर्तृ-उपमा)Root धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)

अयम्

this (man)this (present, installed/recognized)Pronounपुं; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (भूयात्-क्रियायाः)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

राजा

kingking; the consecrated ruler as ritual clientNounपुं; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (भूयात्-क्रियायाः)Root राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)

प्रियः

dear, beloveddear, favored; one who enjoys divine and social acceptanceAdjectiveपुं; प्रथमा एकवचन (राज्ञः विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)

इन्द्रस्य

of Indraof Indra; the paradigmatic victorious sovereign powerNoun (proper)पुं; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)

भूयात्

may he be/becomeVerbविधिलिङ् (आशीर्लिङ्/विधि); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot भू (धातु) ‘भवने’

प्रियः

deardear, favored (repeated for emphatic fixation of 'favor')Adjectiveपुं; प्रथमा एकवचन (अयम्/राजा इत्यस्य पुनर्विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)

गवाम्

of cowsof cattle; movable wealth and sacrificial economyNounस्त्री; षष्ठी बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root गो (प्रातिपदिक)

ओषधीनाम्

of herbs/medicinal plantsof plants/herbs; sources of healing, food, and ritual potencyNounस्त्री; षष्ठी बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root ओषधि (प्रातिपदिक)

पशूनाम्

of livestock/animalsof livestock/creatures; the king’s domain of prosperity and protectionNounपुं; षष्ठी बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root पशु (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• पदच्छेदः: अस्मै | द्यावापृथिवी | भूरि | वामम् | दुहाथाम् | घर्मदुघे | इव | धेनू । अयम् | राजा | प्रियः | इन्द्रस्य | भूयात् | प्रियः | गवाम् | ओषधीनाम् | पशूनाम् । विशेषम्:
• (1) ‘द्यावापृथिवी’ समासरूपेण द्विवचन-कर्तृपदम्।
• (2) ‘धेनू’ वैदिक-प्रयोगे प्रथमा द्विवचन (धेन्वौ) इत्यर्थे।
• (3) ‘घर्मदुघे’ द्यावापृथिव्योः विशेषणम्—‘घर्मं दुह्यतः’ इति उपपद-समास/कृदन्ताधारित विशेषणम्।
• (4) ‘प्रियः … प्रियः’ पुनरुक्त्या ‘अयम् राजा’ इत्यस्य विशेषणद्वयम्
• ‘गवाम्/ओषधीनाम्/पशूनाम्’ षष्ठी-सम्बन्धाः।

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic/Angirasa tradition (royal benediction hymn; specific ṛṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī traditions)

Devata

Dyāvāpṛthivī; Indra (as victory and sovereignty); prosperity of cattle/herbs/beasts

Chandas

Triṣṭubh/Jagatī-like cadence (mixed; requires pada-count verification by edition)

Rasa

Shanta and Adbhuta

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