Atharva Veda 2.13.1: Kanda 2, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 13, Mantra 1

Sukta 13

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

दीर्घायुःप्राप्तिः। आ॒युर्दा अ॑ग्ने ज॒रसं॑ वृणा॒नो घृ॒तप्र॑तीको घृ॒तपृ॑ष्ठो अग्ने । घृ॒तं पी॒त्वा मधु॒ चारु॒ गव्यं॑ पि॒तेव॑ पु॒त्रान॒भि र॑क्षतादि॒मम्

IAST Transliteration

āyurdā́ agne jarásaṁ vṛṇānó ghṛtápratīko ghṛtápṛṣṭho agne | ghṛtáṁ pītvā́ mádhu cā́ru gávyaṁ pitā́va putrā́n abhí rakṣatā́dimám ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

O Agni, giver of life, choosing ripe old age, ghee-faced, ghee-backed, O Agni: having drunk the ghee—sweet, pleasant, cow-born—do thou, as a father his sons, encompass and guard this man here.

Translation

阿耆尼（Agni）啊，赐寿者，愿你拣择成熟的老年；你面如酥油，你背负酥油。阿耆尼啊，饮了那酥油——甘甜、可喜、出自乳牛——愿你如父护子，环护并守卫此人于此。

The meaning

What it says

Agni, as giver of life, is invoked to choose old age for the person. Described as ghee-faced and ghee-backed, Agni is asked—after ‘drinking’ sweet cow-born ghee—to guard the man like a father guards his sons.

The inner meaning

The inner fire (metabolic clarity, courage, warmth) is nourished with sweetness and steadiness. Protection is framed as paternal containment: the psyche is held in a safe perimeter so life can ripen into jaras (mature old age) rather than be cut short.

The truth in it

Longevity is not mere duration but protected maturation—sustained by nourishment, warmth, and a stable protective field of care.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Bhaisajya (Healing) / Paustika (Longevity-Prosperity)

Its aim

Securing dīrghāyus (long life) and safe attainment of old age; apotropaic protection of the recipient from premature death and household harms.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

आयुः-दाः । अग्ने । जरसम् । वृणानः । घृत-प्रतीकः । घृत-पृष्ठः । अग्ने । घृतम् । पीत्वा । मधु । चारु । गव्यम् । पिता-इव । पुत्रान् । अभि । रक्षत । अदिमम् ।

आयुः

life-span, longevityNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक) अव्यय-स्वरूप नपुंसकलिङ्ग

दाः

give (you should give)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole KriyāRoot दा (धातु) ‘देने’

अग्ने

O AgniO Agni; the sacrificial Fire, divine priest and protector in domestic ritesNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)

जरसम्

old age (ripe age)old age; the state of ripeness/ageing (desired as ‘full age’ rather than premature decay)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot जरस् (प्रातिपदिक)

वृणानः

choosing, seekingchoosing, accepting, taking to oneself (i.e., taking on ‘old age’ as the completion of life)Verbवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot वृ (धातु) ‘वरणे/चयन’

घृतप्रतीकः

whose face/appearance is ghee-brightwhose face/appearance is of ghee; shining with clarified butter (ritually ‘anointed’ brilliance)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Viśeṣaṇa (of अग्नि)Root घृत-प्रतीक (समास; प्रातिपदिक)

घृतपृष्ठः

whose back is ghee (ghee-covered)whose back is of ghee; ghee-clad/ghee-supported (fire fed and strengthened by oblation)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Viśeṣaṇa (of अग्नि)Root घृत-पृष्ठ (समास; प्रातिपदिक)

अग्ने

O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)

घृतम्

gheeghee, clarified butter; prime oblation-substance, carrier of healing and longevityNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot घृत (प्रातिपदिक)

पीत्वा

having drunkhaving drunk; having imbibed (Agni ‘drinks’ offerings—metaphor for consuming oblations)Verbक्त्वान्त अव्यय (त्वा-प्रत्यय), पूर्वकालRole Kriyā (पूर्वकर्म)Root पा (धातु) ‘पाने’

मधु

honey, sweetnesshoney/sweetness; auspicious sap, life-promoting sweetness (also ‘pleasant essence’)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (अथवा अव्ययवत् प्रयोग)Role KarmaRoot मधु (प्रातिपदिक)

चारु

pleasant, lovelypleasant, dear, fair; agreeable (qualifying the sweet offering as beneficent)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (मधु/गव्यं विशेषण)Role ViśeṣaṇaRoot चारु (प्रातिपदिक)

गव्यम्

that which is from cows; milk (cow-product)from the cow; bovine produce (milk/ghee as life-sustaining, ritually pure nourishment)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot गव्य (प्रातिपदिक)

पिता

a fatherNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (उपमान)Root पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)

इव

like, asIndeclinableउपमावाचक अव्ययRole Sambandha (comparison)Root इव

पुत्रान्

sons, childrensons/children; the dependents to be preserved (often the sacrificer’s household)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)

अभि

towards; over; aroundtowards, over, around; in a protective encompassing senseIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय (अभिमुखता/परितः)Role Upasarga (with रक्ष)Root अभि

रक्षत

protect (you all / do protect)protect! guard! keep from harm (apotropaic imperative)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole KriyāRoot रक्ष् (धातु) ‘पालने/रक्षणे’

आ

fully; untoIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय (समन्तात्/पूर्णता)Role Upasarga (with रक्ष)Root आ

इमम्

this (person/one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• आयुः दाः अग्ने जरसम् वृणानः घृतप्रतीकः घृतपृष्ठः अग्ने । घृतम् पीत्वा मधु चारु गव्यम् पिता इव पुत्रान् अभि रक्षत आ इमम् । Sandhi:
• (1) आयुर्दा → आयुः + दाः (विसर्ग-सन्धि: उः + द → उर्द)
• (2) वृणानो घृत- → वृणानः + घृत- (विसर्ग लोप/सन्धि)
• (3) पीत्वा मधु → पीत्वा + मधु (स्वर-सन्धि नहीं)
• (4) चारु गव्यम् (सन्धि नहीं)
• (5) पितेव → पिता + इव (अ + इ → ए)
• (6) अभि रक्षतादिमम् (पाठ) → अभि रक्षत आ इमम् (त् + आ संयोग; पदविभाग में ‘रक्षत’ + ‘आ’)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic tradition (often transmitted under Atharvan/Āṅgiras lineages; specific r̥ṣi attribution depends on anukramaṇī tradition for AVŚ 2.13).

Devata

Agni (as āyurdāḥ—bestower of longevity and protector).

Chandas

Triṣṭubh-like cadence (edition-dependent; Atharvavedic meters here may be catalogued variably—verify against the AV anukramaṇī).

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