Sukta 13
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).
AVŚ 2.13 ترنيمةٌ لطول العمر والحماية، تُناشد أغني بوصفه āyurdāḥ (واهب الحياة) أن يمنح شيخوخةً ناضجة (jaras) وأن يحرس المتلقّي كما يحوط الأب أبناءه. وإلى جانب صورة أغني المُغذّية المتمثّلة في «السمن والعسل»، تُوظِّف الترنيمة ثوبًا واقيًا (vāsaḥ) بوصفه درعًا محمولًا ضد اللعنات والأذى، فتختم العافية والثروة والزيادة للبيت وللقطيع.
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
दीर्घायुःप्राप्तिः। आ॒युर्दा अ॑ग्ने ज॒रसं॑ वृणा॒नो घृ॒तप्र॑तीको घृ॒तपृ॑ष्ठो अग्ने । घृ॒तं पी॒त्वा मधु॒ चारु॒ गव्यं॑ पि॒तेव॑ पु॒त्रान॒भि र॑क्षतादि॒मम्
نَيْلُ طولِ العُمر. يا أَغني، واهبَ العُمر، يا من يختارُ شيخوخةً ناضجة؛ يا ذا الوجهِ بالسَّمْن (ghṛta)، وذا الظهرِ بالسَّمْن، يا أَغني. بعدما شربتَ السَّمْن—حلوًا، بهيًّا، مولودًا من البقر—فأحِطْ هذا الرجلَ هنا واحفَظْه، كما يحوطُ الأبُ أبناءَه.
Mantra 2
परि॑ धत्त ध॒त्त नो॒ वर्च॑से॒मं ज॒रामृ॑त्युं कृणुत दी॒र्घमायुः॑ । बृह॒स्पतिः॒ प्राय॑च्छ॒द् वास॑ ए॒तत् सोमा॑य॒ राज्ञे॒ परि॑धात॒वा उ॑
لُفُّوا، لُفُّوا هذا حولَنا لأجلِ بهائنا (varcas)؛ أبعِدوا عنّا الشيخوخةَ والموتَ، واصنعوا لنا عُمراً مديداً. إنَّ بْرِهَسْپَتِي (Bṛhaspati) قد وهبَ هذا الثوبَ للملكِ سوما (Soma)، لِيُلبَسَ مُحيطاً به من كلِّ جانبٍ، حقّاً.
Mantra 3
परी॒दं वासो॑ अधिथाः स्व॒स्तयेऽभू॑र्गृष्टी॒नाम॑भिशस्ति॒पा उ॑ । श॒तं च॒ जीव॑ श॒रदः॑ पुरू॒ची रा॒यश्च॒ पोष॑मुप॒संव्य॑यस्व
هذا الثوبُ قد لَفَفتَه حولَك للسلامةِ والعافية؛ وقد صرتَ حقّاً حامياً للقطعان من اللعنةِ والقدح. عِشْ مئةَ سنةٍ، بل خريفاً كثيراً؛ والثروةَ والازدهارَ—فالتفِفْ بهما حولَك بإحكام.
Mantra 4
एह्यश्मा॑न॒मा ति॒ष्ठाश्मा॑ भवतु ते त॒नूः । कृ॒ण्वन्तु॒ विश्वे॑ दे॒वा आयु॑ष्टे श॒रदः॑ श॒तम्
تقدَّمْ إلى هنا، أيّها الحجر؛ قِفْ قريباً عند اليد. لِيَكُنْ جسدُك كالحجر. ولْيَصُغْ جميعُ الآلهةِ معاً لك عُمراً—مئةَ خريفٍ.
Mantra 5
यस्य॑ ते॒ वासः॑ प्रथमवा॒स्यं॑१ हरा॑म॒स्तं त्वा॒ विश्वे॑ऽवन्तु दे॒वाः । तं त्वा॒ भ्रात॑रः सु॒वृधा॒ वर्ध॑मान॒मनु॑ जातन्तां ब॒हवः॒ सुजा॑तम्
إنَّ لباسَكَ الأوّل—بل ثوبَكَ الأقدم—نأخذه؛ فلتُوالِكَ جميعُ الآلهةِ ولتحرسْكَ. وإيّاكَ، وأنتَ تزدادُ نماءً، فليتبعْ ميلادَكَ إخوتُكَ، المُنمّونَ الصالحون، في كثرةٍ—يا حسنَ المولد.
Inside Sukta 13
How it unfolds
- How it opens
Agni is hailed as āyurdāḥ, ‘giver of life,’ envisioned as ghee-faced and ghee-backed—radiant with nourishment and protective capacity.
- What it asks
Grant ripe old age and surround the recipient with fatherly protection; then ‘wrap on’ welfare, long life (hundred autumns), wealth, and thriving through the consecrated garment.
- Where its power lies
The hymn asserts efficacy through tangible media—ghee/honey as life-sap and the garment as a protective sheath that turns aside abhiśasti and secures prosperity.
- How it closes
The rite closes by entrusting the wearer to Viśve Devāḥ and by blessing increase and well-born multiplicity within the kin-group, stabilizing longevity within social continuity.
Famous verses
āyurdā agne
śataṃ ca jīva śaradaḥ
viśve 'vantu devāḥ
Kind of hymn
Bhaisajya (Healing) / Paustika (Longevity-Prosperity)
What it is for
Attainment of dīrghāyus (long life) and jaras (ripe old age), with protection from abhiśasti (hostile speech/curse) and the concurrent ‘wrapping on’ of wealth (rāyas) and thriving (poṣa).
Who it is for
Householders performing domestic rites for a child/youth at first vesting, or for any family member needing longevity protection; also applicable where herd-protection and prosperity are primary concerns.
Also used as
- Bhaiṣajya (healing/longevity)
- Rakṣā (apotropaic protection)
- Gṛhya/domestic consecration (first vesting/cloth rite-adjacent)
The deity
Agni is invoked here not primarily as sacrificial fire alone but as the life-giver who digests nourishment (ghṛta, madhu) and converts it into vitality, protection, and safe attainment of old age. The garment (vāsaḥ) is treated as a personified protective medium that ‘wraps’ welfare, wealth, and increase around the wearer, while the All-Gods confirm communal guardianship.
Powers of the deity
- Bestows longevity and ‘ripe old age’ (jaras)
- Apotropaic protection against harm, curses, and premature death
- Transforms nourishment (ghee/honey/cow-born essence) into strength and well-being
- Establishes household prosperity and herd-protection
- Creates a protective ‘enclosure’ (pari…/abhi rakṣ-) around the recipient
Why the deity is called
To secure long life and safety through Agni’s life-bestowing power, and to ‘bind on’ welfare and prosperity via a consecrated garment that repels imprecation and stabilizes the social–economic base (kin and cattle).
The seer
- Atharvanic (Ātharvaṇa/Āṅgiras) transmission; specific r̥ṣi varies by anukramaṇīAtharvan. Bhaiṣajya–paustika domestic charms: longevity (dīrghāyus), protection from premature death and hostile speech (abhiśasti), and prosperity secured through consecrated substances (ghee, honey) and wearable protections (cloth/amulet).
Other hymns of this seer
- AVŚ 1.1 (protective/consecratory formulas, Atharvanic strata)
- AVŚ 2.11–2.14 (adjacent early-book paustika/rakṣā material; attribution depends on recension/anukramaṇī)
Preparing for the rite
- Select a clean, new or specially kept garment/cloth (vāsaḥ) intended for protective wearing.
- Prepare a small offering/unction of ghṛta (ghee); optionally mix with madhu (honey) as a sweet ‘essence’ consistent with the hymn’s imagery.
- Seat the recipient facing an auspicious direction; establish a small domestic fire if available (Agni-support), or perform near the household hearth.
- State the intention (saṅkalpa): long life, protection from harm/curses, and prosperity for household and herd.
The rite
- Recite the Agni-focused verse(s) while touching/raising the ghee (and honey) and symbolically ‘feeding’ Agni (either into fire or by ritual association).
- During the garment verses, wrap or drape the cloth around the recipient (parīdaṃ vāso…): treat the garment as a protective enclosure.
- Conclude by affirming divine guardianship (Viśve Devāḥ) and social increase (brothers/kin), optionally touching the head/heart and the garment’s edge as a ‘seal’ of protection.
What it needs
- Ghṛta (ghee)
- Madhu (honey)
- Cow-derived nourishment (gavyam: milk/ghee; as available)
- Protective garment/cloth (vāsaḥ)
When
Auspicious daytime; commonly at first vesting, recovery/strengthening moments, or before seasonal transitions (autumnal ‘śarad’ framing) when longevity blessings are emphasized.
The main substance
Ghṛta (ghee) and the protective garment (vāsaḥ)
Amulets
- Consecrated garment/cloth worn as a protective covering
How it is prepared
Keep the garment clean and reserved for auspicious use; warm/clarify ghee if needed and optionally blend with a small portion of honey. Use the substances by association (touching/unction/offering) while reciting the relevant verses, then drape the garment to ‘wrap on’ welfare and protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used to pray for long life and safe old age, while also protecting the person from harm caused by curses or hostile speech and strengthening prosperity in the home.
These are symbols (and sometimes ritual substances) of nourishment and life-sap; Agni ‘receives’ them and, in return, is asked to convert that nourishment into vitality, protection, and longevity.
The garment functions like a wearable protection: it is ritually put around the person for svasti (well-being), to guard the herd/wealth-base, and to ‘wrap on’ thriving and a “hundred autumns” of life.
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