सुत्रामाणं पृथिवीं द्यामनेहसं सुशर्माणमदितिं सुप्रणीतिम् । दैवीं नावं स्वरित्रामनागसो अस्रवन्तीमा रुहेमा स्वस्तये॥
sutrāmāṇaṃ pṛthivīṃ dyām anehasaṃ suśarmāṇam aditiṃ supraṇītim । daivīṃ nāvaṃ svaritrām anāgaso asravantīm ā ruhemā svastaye ॥
Meaning of Sutrāmāṇaṃ Pṛthivīṃ Dyām Anehasaṃ
May human beings seek refuge in the ever-protecting earth and the vast, boundless heavens, which provide secure shelter and uphold righteousness. Freed from sin and guided along the auspicious path, may we embark upon the divine boat—strong, well-crafted, and equipped with noble oars—and safely cross over to happiness, prosperity, and well-being.
Word by word
- सुत्रामाणम्sutrāmāṇam
affording good protection
सु + त्रामन्
- पृथिवीम्pṛthivīm
the earth
पृथिवी
- द्याम्dyām
heaven
दिव्
- अनेहसम्anehasam
inviolable, unharmed
अनेहस्
- सुशर्माणम्suśarmāṇam
providing good shelter
सु + शर्मन्
- अदितिम्aditim
Aditi, the unbounded one
अदिति
- सुप्रणीतिम्supraṇītim
guiding well
सु + प्र + √नी
- दैवीम् नावम्daivīṃ nāvam
the divine boat
देव + नौ
- स्वरित्राम्svaritrām
furnished with good oars
सु + अरित्र
- अनागसोanāgaso
free from fault or injury
अन् + आगस्
- अस्रवन्तीम्asravantīm
not leaking
अ + √स्रु
- आ रुहेमā ruhema
may we board, may we ascend
आ + √रुह्
- स्वस्तयेsvastaye
for well-being
सु + अस्ति
Commentary
The mantra gathers earth, heaven and Aditi into a single image of generous protection. The compounds sutrāmāṇam, suśarmāṇam and supraṇītim describe what protects well, offers good shelter and guides well, while the closing svastaye states the purpose: well-being. Its central metaphor is a divine boat with good oars, sound and unwounded, which the speakers hope to board together. The boat turns cosmic protection into an image of passage: safety depends not only on a destination, but also on a trustworthy support and right guidance along the way. The supplied meaning develops this vision into a prayer for human beings to reach happiness, prosperity and welfare, while the Sanskrit itself speaks compactly in the communal first-person plural, ‘may we ascend.’
Sources and textual variants
Original Post
More from Atharvaveda
View source pageसहृदयं सांमनस्यमविद्वेषं कृणोमि वः। अन्यो अन्यमभि हर्यत वत्सं जातमिवाघ्न्या॥
sahṛdayaṁ sāṃmanasyam avidveṣaṁ kṛṇomi vaḥ । anyo anyam abhi haryata vatsaṁ jātam ivāghnyā ॥
An Atharvaveda mantra calls people to shared feeling, concord and freedom from hatred, with a cow's tenderness for her newborn calf as its model.
स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः। स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्टनेमिः स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु॥
svasti na indro vṛddhaśravāḥ svasti naḥ pūṣā viśvavedāḥ । svasti nas tārkṣyo ariṣṭanemiḥ svasti no bṛhaspatir dadhātu ॥
A Rigveda svasti mantra in which Indra, Pushan, Tarkshya and Brihaspati are each asked to bestow well-being upon us.
तन्तुं तन्वन्रजसो भानुमन्विहि ज्योतिष्मतः पथो रक्ष धिया कृतान्। अनुल्बणं वयत जोगुवामपो मनुर्भव जनया दैव्यं जनम्॥
tantuṃ tanvan rajaso bhānum anv ihi jyotiṣmataḥ patho rakṣa dhiyā kṛtān । anulbaṇaṃ vayata joguvām apo manur bhava janayā daivyaṃ janam ॥
A Rigveda mantra invokes luminous paths shaped by insight and culminates in the call to become truly human and bring forth divine qualities.
More subhashitams on Nature
View topic pageहिताहितं सुखं दुःखमायुस्तस्य हिताहितम्। मानं च तच्च यत्रोक्तमायुर्वेदः स उच्यते॥
hitāhitaṃ sukhaṃ duḥkham āyus tasya hitāhitam । mānaṃ ca tac ca yatroktam āyurvedaḥ sa ucyate ॥
Charaka Samhita defines Ayurveda through beneficial and harmful, happy and unhappy forms of life and the measure of lifespan.
स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः। स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्टनेमिः स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु॥
svasti na indro vṛddhaśravāḥ svasti naḥ pūṣā viśvavedāḥ । svasti nas tārkṣyo ariṣṭanemiḥ svasti no bṛhaspatir dadhātu ॥
A Rigveda svasti mantra in which Indra, Pushan, Tarkshya and Brihaspati are each asked to bestow well-being upon us.