Apo Hi Shtha Mayo Bhuvah — Word-by-Word Meaning
आपो हि ष्ठा मयोभुवः
Every Sanskrit word explained in English
Word-by-Word Breakdown
आपः
Apah
O Waters (the divine, life-giving waters)
हि ष्ठा
Hi Shtha
Indeed you are; truly you exist as
मयोभुवः
Mayo-Bhuvah
Sources of happiness and well-being; bringers of comfort
ता नः
Ta Nah
Therefore, to us
ऊर्जे दधातन
Urje Dadhatana
Grant strength and nourishment (vigour)
महे रणाय चक्षसे
Mahe Ranaya Chakshase
For the perception of great delight (and for great spiritual insight)
यो वः शिवतमो रसः
Yo Vah Shivatamo Rasah
That most auspicious, blissful essence of yours
तस्य भाजयत इह नः
Tasya Bhajayata Iha Nah
Of that, give us a share here (in this world)
उशतीरिव मातरः
Ushatir-Iva Matarah
Like loving mothers eager (to nourish their children)
तस्मा अरं गमाम वः
Tasma Aram Gamama Vah
To you we come fully (we resort to you readily) for that
यस्य क्षयाय जिन्वथ
Yasya Kshayaya Jinvatha
To whose abode (of bliss / for whose dwelling) you gladden and impel us
आपो जनयथा च नः
Apo Janayatha Cha Nah
O Waters, and (so) regenerate / give new birth to us
Complete Translation
O Waters, you are indeed the bringers of well-being and joy; therefore grant us strength and nourishment, that we may perceive great delight. Give us a share, here in this world, of that most auspicious essence of yours — like loving mothers eager to nourish their children. To you we come readily for that bliss to whose abode you gladden and impel us; O Waters, regenerate and renew us. (This is the Marjana hymn recited while sprinkling purifying water in the daily ritual.)
Origin & History
Source: Rigveda 10.9.1–3 (also in Yajurveda); used in Sandhyavandana Marjana
Author: Rishi Sindhudvipa (Ambarisha)
Period: Vedic
This short hymn to the Waters (Apah) is one of the most frequently chanted passages of the Veda. Attributed to Rishi Sindhudvipa in the Rigveda's tenth Mandala, it personifies water as a divine, motherly power that bestows strength, joy and spiritual renewal. Because water is the great purifier, the tradition placed these verses at the heart of the daily Marjana rite, where the worshipper sprinkles consecrated water on the body while chanting them, cleansing the self before approaching the sacred.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the meaning of 'Apo Hi Shtha'?▼
'Apo Hi Shtha' means 'O Waters, you indeed are…' It opens a three-verse Rigvedic hymn praising water as 'Mayo-Bhuvah' — the source of well-being and joy — and asking it for strength, its most auspicious essence, and renewal.
Where does this mantra come from?▼
It is from the Rigveda (Mandala 10, hymn 9, verses 1–3), attributed to Rishi Sindhudvipa. The same verses appear in the Yajurveda and are widely used in the daily Sandhyavandana ritual and in temple worship.
How is it used in daily ritual?▼
It is the principal Marjana (water-sprinkling) mantra. The worshipper sprinkles or touches purifying water on the head and body while reciting it, cleansing both the outer body and inner self before further worship.
Why are the Waters called 'mothers'?▼
The verse compares the Waters to 'Ushatir-Iva Matarah' — loving mothers eager to nourish their children. Like a mother who freely gives her milk, the Waters are asked to share their most blissful, life-sustaining essence with the worshipper.
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