विश्वस्वं मातरमोषधीनां ध्रुवां भूमिं पृथिवीं धर्मणा धृताम्। शिवां स्योनामनु चरेम विश्वहा॥
viśvasvaṃ mātaram oṣadhīnāṃ dhruvāṃ bhūmiṃ pṛthivīṃ dharmaṇā dhṛtām । śivāṃ syonām anu carema viśvahā ॥
Meaning of Viśvasvaṃ Mātaram Oṣadhīnāṃ Dhruvāṃ
May Mother Earth—who yields all manner of excellent vegetation and medicinal herbs—be vast and steadfast. Let us ever serve this benevolent Motherland, which nurtures us with virtues such as wisdom, valor, truth, and affection, and bestows upon us the means of well-being and happiness.
Word by word
- विश्वस्वम्viśvasvam
possessing all
विश्व + स्व
- मातरम्mātaram
the mother
मातृ
- ओषधीनाम्oṣadhīnām
of the herbs
ओषधि
- ध्रुवाम्dhruvām
steadfast
√ध्रु
- भूमिम्bhūmim
the ground
√भू
- पृथिवीम्pṛthivīm
the earth
√प्रथ्
- धर्मणा धृताम्dharmaṇā dhṛtām
upheld by dharma
√धृ
- शिवाम्śivām
benign
शिव
- स्योनाम्syonām
kindly, comfortable
स्योन
- अनु चरेमanu carema
may we walk upon
अनु + √चर्
- विश्वहाviśvahā
all our days
विश्व
Commentary
This mantra addresses Earth as the mother of oṣadhis, the plants and herbs that arise from her. She is dhruvā, steadfast, and dharmaṇā dhṛtā, upheld by dharma—the sustaining order that makes life possible. The adjectives śivā and syonā present her as auspicious, benevolent, and pleasant to dwell upon. The closing wish, anu carema viśvahā, asks that we may walk or live upon her always. The video meaning develops this image into a modern call to serve the motherland and associates dharma with wisdom, valor, truth, and affection. Those details are an interpretive application rather than words explicitly listed in the mantra. The verse itself offers a more elemental vision: human life depends on a stable, life-giving Earth, and our way of inhabiting her belongs within the order that sustains her.
Sources and textual variants
Original Post
More from Atharvaveda
View source pageसुत्रामाणं 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 ॥
An Atharvaveda mantra envisions earth, heaven and Aditi as a secure divine boat that carries people toward well-being.
सहृदयं 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.
समानी व आकूतिः समाना हृदयानि वः। समानमस्तु वो मनो यथा वः सुसहासति॥
samānī va ākūtiḥ samānā hṛdayāni vaḥ । samānam astu vo mano yathā vaḥ susahāsati ॥
The closing verse of the Rigveda prays for united intention, united hearts and united minds, so that people may dwell together in good fellowship.
More subhashitams on Nature
View topic pageसुखोपविष्टास्ते तत्र पुण्यां चक्रुः कथामिमाम्। धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणामारोग्यं मूलमुत्तमम्॥
sukhopaviṣṭās te tatra puṇyāṃ cakruḥ kathām imām । dharmārthakāmamokṣāṇām ārogyaṃ mūlam uttamam ॥
Charaka Samhita presents good health as the foremost foundation for pursuing dharma, prosperity, desire and liberation.
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 ॥
An Atharvaveda mantra envisions earth, heaven and Aditi as a secure divine boat that carries people toward well-being.
एको धर्मः परं श्रेयः क्षमैका शान्तिरुत्तमा। विद्यैका परमा तृप्तिरहिंसैका सुखावहा॥
eko dharmaḥ paraṁ śreyaḥ kṣamaikā śāntir uttamā । vidyaikā paramā tṛptir ahiṁsaikā sukhāvahā ॥
A verse from Vidura Niti in the Mahabharata that pairs four virtues with what each one alone can give: dharma brings the highest good, forgiveness the finest peace, knowledge true contentment, and non-violence lasting happiness.