Atharvaveda Commentary [Hymn 4, Verse 4]

O Bṛhaspati Lord of Prayer/Great Master, the one named for being the instructor and protector of the great gods, come to us with ākūti will/purpose, which is the very meaning of all speech; come to make the deity of Speech favorable to us.

Grammatical note: The verb upa-gahi come to is an imperative form where the suffix sap is elided according to the rule of Vedic irregularity. Due to the initial aspirate, the nasal is elided. Because the elision of the nasal is considered non-existent for subsequent rules, the final he is not elided.

This is repeated for the sake of respect: "Come to us with ākūti." Furthermore, grant us bhaga fortune/destiny. Grammatical note: Because the act of giving is involved, the object takes the dative case. The sixth case is used in the sense of the fourth. Grant and bestow this upon us. All of this cannot occur without the presence of Bṛhaspati; thus, this is what is prayed for in the final verse. Furthermore, be a good friend to us, one who is well-known, and become favorable simply by being invoked.

May Bṛhaspati, the Āṅgirasa descendant of Aṅgiras, acknowledge this Speech and this Will to me. May the desire of him, for whom all deities became one, come to us well-led. || 4 ||

Bṛhaspati is the Āṅgirasa, the son of Aṅgiras. The sonship of Bṛhaspati as an Āṅgirasa is recorded in the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa: "Those who were the Aṅgirases became the Aṅgirases. That which was the glowing embers, which were rekindled from the dying coals, that became Bṛhaspati." Such a god, may he acknowledge—that is, remember—this Speech, the deity of Speech, which represents all purposes and is famous in all the Śrutis and Purāṇas, to give it to me.

Grammatical note: The dative case is used for the object intended for giving.

The desire that is to be given is remembered as ending in the bestowal; this is what is prayed for. Whose Bṛhaspati? The word "wish" is interpolated here. The gods and the goddesses, famous as male and female, all the deities—those for whom the gods, being well-led by Bṛhaspati alone in all tasks, became assembled and united, attaining unanimity—all deities are under his control. May that Kāma Desire/the fulfiller of desired fruits, Bṛhaspati, approach us to grant the fruits we desire.

Thus ends the fourth hymn of the first Anuvāka sub-section.

With the single-versed hymn starting with "Indra is King," one who desires wealth should worship or pay homage to Indra.