Sukta 83
Rishi: Atharvanic seer-tradition (often associated with Varuṇa-release charms)
Devata: Varuṇa (as pāśa-binder and releaser)
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (tendency; short charm-style)
এই সংক্ষিপ্ত আথর্বণিক মন্ত্রে ঋতের অধিপতি ও পাশ (ফাঁস)-ধারী বরুণের কাছে প্রার্থনা করা হয়—যেন তিনি উপাসককে সকল প্রকার বন্ধন থেকে মুক্ত করেন: নৈতিক অপরাধবোধ, বিচারিক‑সামাজিক বিধিনিষেধ, এবং “বরুণের বন্ধন” বলে ব্যাখ্যাত দেহগত কষ্ট। শুদ্ধিকারক জলধারা ও বরুণের “সোনালি গৃহ”-এর প্রেক্ষিতে স্তোত্রটি বন্ধনগুলির নাম উচ্চারণ করে (উর্ধ্ব, মধ্য, নিম্ন) সেগুলি খুলে দেয়/শিথিল করে; ফলে ব্যক্তি অনাগস্ (নির্দোষতা) ও অদিতি-সদৃশ মুক্তিতে পুনঃপ্রতিষ্ঠিত হয়।
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
पाशमोचनम्। अ॒प्सु ते॑ राजन् वरुण गृ॒हो हि॑र॒ण्ययो॑ मि॒थः । ततो॑ धृ॒तव्र॑तो॒ राजा॒ सर्वा॒ धामा॑नि मुञ्चतु
পাশমোচন। হে রাজন্ বরুণ! জলে তোমার স্বর্ণময় গৃহ আছে, যা পরস্পর দৃঢ়ভাবে সংযুক্ত। সেখান থেকেই দৃঢ়-ব্রত রাজা বরুণ আমাদের সকল প্রকার পাশ ও আবদ্ধতার স্থান থেকে মুক্ত করুন।
Mantra 2
धाम्नो॑धाम्नो राजन्नि॒तो व॑रुण मुञ्च नः । यदापो॑ अ॒घ्न्या इति॒ वरु॒णेति॒ यदू॑चि॒म ततो॑ वरुण मुञ्च नः
হে রাজন্, হে বরুণ! বন্ধন-পর-বন্ধন থেকে, এখান থেকে আমাদের মুক্ত করো। আমরা যা কিছু বলেছি—‘আপঃ অঘ্ন্যা (অবধ্য/অহিংস্য)’, এবং ‘বরুণ’—সে উক্তির কারণে যে বন্ধন হোক, তা থেকেও, হে বরুণ, আমাদের মুক্ত করো।
Mantra 3
उदु॑त्त॒मं व॑रुण॒ पाश॑म॒स्मदवा॑ध॒मं वि म॑ध्य॒मं श्र॑थाय । अधा॑ व॒यमा॑दित्य व्र॒ते तवाना॑गसो॒ अदि॑तये स्याम
হে বরুণ, আমাদের থেকে ওপরের ফাঁস (পাশ) তুলে নাও; নীচেরটিকে দূরে ছুঁড়ে ফেলো; আর মাঝেরটিকে ঢিলা করে আলগা করে দাও। তখন, হে আদিত্য, তোমার ব্রত/নিয়মে আমরা অপরাধহীন হয়ে অদিতির অন্তর্গত হই—অদিতি (মুক্তি/অসীম স্বাধীনতা)-র জন্য আমরা হই।
Mantra 4
प्रास्मत् पाशा॑न् वरुण मुञ्च॒ सर्वा॒न् य उ॑त्त॒मा अ॑ध॒मा वा॑रु॒णा ये । दु॒ष्वप्न्यं॑ दुरि॒तं नि ष्वा॒स्मदथ॑ गच्छेम सुकृ॒तस्य॑ लो॒कम्
হে বরুণ! আমাদের থেকে তোমার সকল পাশ (বন্ধন) মুক্ত কর—বরুণীয় সেই বন্ধন, তা উচ্চতম হোক বা নিম্নতম। দুঃস্বপ্নজাত অমঙ্গল ও দুরিত আমাদের থেকে নামিয়ে সম্পূর্ণ দূর কর; তারপর আমরা সুকৃতের লোক লাভ করি।
Inside Sukta 83
How it unfolds
- How it opens
Varuṇa is addressed as king situated in the waters, with a ‘golden house,’ establishing his sovereign, purifying locus (7.83.1).
- What it asks
A direct technical unbinding: remove the uppermost noose, cast off the lowest, loosen the middle—so the supplicant becomes anāgas within Varuṇa’s vrata and attains Aditi-like freedom (7.83.3).
- Where its power lies
By enumerating all pāśas (upper/lower) and naming specific afflictions (duṣvapnya, durita), the mantra frames release as comprehensive—nothing remains unaddressed (7.83.4).
- How it closes
The hymn seals the rite with a positive relocation: with evil removed, the speaker ‘goes to the world of sukṛta,’ i.e., an auspicious, merit-secured condition (7.83.4).
Famous verses
pāśamocanam
udu uttamaṃ varuṇa pāśam asmát
duṣvapnyaṃ duritaṃ
Kind of hymn
Bhaisajya (Healing) / Apotropaic (release from bonds, guilt, and Varuṇa-affliction)
What it is for
Release from Varuṇa’s fetters understood as disease, curse, or moral-legal constraint; removal of evil dreams and misfortune; restoration to guiltlessness and well-being.
Who it is for
Householders and ritual specialists treating Varuṇa-affliction (fear of punishment for wrongdoing or oath-breaking), those experiencing binding illness/swelling-like conditions in later readings, and anyone troubled by ominous dreams or constraining circumstances.
Also used as
- Shantika
- Prāyaścitta (expiatory)
- Apotropaic (duṣvapnya/durita-nivāraṇa)
The deity
Varuṇa is the sovereign guardian of ṛta (cosmic-moral order) who binds transgression with the pāśa yet also grants release when truth, confession, and ritual rectification are sought. Here he is envisioned as enthroned in the waters, with a “golden house,” emphasizing purity, depth, and juridical authority.
Powers of the deity
- Binds offenders with pāśa (fetters) and loosens them upon expiation
- Oversees oaths, contracts, truthfulness, and moral accountability
- Purifies through the waters (āpas) and removes ritual/moral pollution
- Averts duṣvapnya (evil dreams) and durita (misfortune) as omens of affliction
- Restores anāgas (guiltlessness) and reintegration into right order (vrata/ṛta)
Why the deity is called
To have Varuṇa actively unbind all Varuṇian nooses—upper, middle, and lower—thereby removing guilt/curse/illness and securing freedom (Aditi) and an auspicious destiny (sukṛta-loka).
The seer
- Atharvanic seer-tradition (anonymous/collective; Varuṇa-pāśa release lineage)Atharvan. Pāśamocana (loosing of bonds) charms: expiation for oath-breaking and Varuṇa-affliction; apotropaic release from curses, nightmares, and constraining conditions.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 7.80 (Varuṇa-related release/expiation cluster, tradition-dependent)
- AV 7.81 (Varuṇa-related release/expiation cluster, tradition-dependent)
- AV 4.16 (Varuṇa pāśa-release type material; parallel motifs)
- AV 6.51 (bond/constraint release motifs; thematic kinship)
Preparing for the rite
- Collect clean water (āpas) in a vessel; if possible from flowing or ritually esteemed water.
- Seat the patient/supplicant facing the water; maintain silence/cleanliness (śauca) and a truth-intent (satya-saṅkalpa).
- Optionally place a small piece of gold (hiraṇya) or a golden-colored token near/into the water as an auspicious purifier-symbol.
- Mentally enumerate the ‘bonds’ to be released (guilt, illness, fear, social constraint) to align the rite with the mantra’s naming of fetters.
The rite
- Recite the hymn as a pāśamocana, especially emphasizing the untying sequence (upper–lower–middle) in 7.83.3.
- Sprinkle (prokṣaṇa) the water on the head/limbs of the client while reciting release lines (muñca, śrathāya).
- If a physical cord/knotted thread is used as a proxy pāśa, loosen/untie knots in sync with the mantra’s ‘upper/middle/lower’ triad.
- Conclude by discarding the ‘bond’ (cord) away from the dwelling or into moving water, while affirming freedom (Aditi) and removal of duṣvapnya/durita.
What it needs
- Water (āpas) for purification and release symbolism
- Optional gold (hiraṇya) or golden token (auspicious purity)
- Optional cord/thread with knots as a representational pāśa
- Optional offering materials for Varuṇa (simple libation of water)
When
Preferably at dawn or at a water source; also suitable immediately after ominous dreams or when ‘binding’ symptoms/constraints are felt.
The main substance
Water (āpas)
Amulets
- Gold (hiraṇya) token (optional)
- Knotted cord/thread as a proxy pāśa (optional)
How it is prepared
Keep water ritually clean; optionally place/immerse a small gold piece as an auspicious purifier. If using a cord, tie three knots (upper/middle/lower) and untie them during recitation of the release triad.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a Vedic image for constraining force—especially the punishment of moral transgression (like oath-breaking), but also any binding affliction such as illness, fear, or social-legal constraint that ‘holds’ a person.
The hymn treats bondage as layered and complete; naming three levels makes the release total. In practice it also supports a simple rite of untying knots in sequence while reciting the verse.
Water represents Varuṇa’s domain and purification. The hymn can be recited over clean water and then sprinkled on the person to ritually enact release and removal of duṣvapnya (evil dreams) and durita (mischance).
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