Sukta 2
Rishi: Atharvanic/Angiras-type attribution (requires hymn-level colophon confirmation for AVŚ 1.2 in the chosen edition).
Devata: Indra (as repeller of missiles; with mention of Ṛbhu as invoked/celebrated figure).
Chandas: Mixed/Triṣṭubh-like cadence (to be confirmed against pada count and editional metrical marking).
Dieser kurze atharvavedische Hymnus ist ein kompaktes apotropäisches Zauberlied, das feindliche Kräfte, als geschossartige Leiden vorgestellt — Pfeile, Blitze und Fesselungen, von Gegnern oder Zauberern gesandt — «zurückwendet». Er härtet den Leib des Verehrers wie Stein, weitet einen sicheren Schutzraum und treibt den gefährlichen Stachel weit fort, indem er Indras abwehrende Macht anruft, zusammen mit wirkmächtigen Stoff-Symbolen wie der Bogensehne und der Muñja-Bindung.
Mantras
Mantra 1
रोगोपशमनम्। वि॒द्मा श॒रस्य॑ पि॒तरं॑ प॒र्जन्यं॒ भू॑रिधायसम्। वि॒द्मो ष्व॑स्य मा॒तरं॑ पृथि॒वीं भूरि॑वर्पसम्
Stillung der Krankheit. Wir kennen den Vater des Schilfs — Parjanya, reich an gehorteter Fülle. Wir kennen auch seine Mutter — die Erde, vielgestaltig und reich an mannigfaltiger Fruchtbarkeit.
Mantra 2
ज्याऽके॒ परि॑ णो न॒माश्मा॑नं त॒न्वं कृधि । वी॒डुर्वरी॒योऽरा॑ती॒रप॒ द्वेषां॒स्याऽकृ॑धि
O Bogensehne, rings um uns nimm unsere Verehrung an; mache den Leib wie Stein, unnachgiebig. Treibe die Feindseligkeiten fort; setze die Hassgedanken fern und gewähre uns den sichereren, weiteren Raum.
Mantra 3
वृ॒क्षं यद्गावः॑ परिषस्वजा॒ना अ॑नुस्फु॒रं श॒रमर्च॑न्त्यृ॒भुम्। शरु॑म॒स्मद्या॑वय दि॒द्युमि॑न्द्र
Wenn um den Baum die Kühe, eng umschlingend, sich sammeln und den geschickten Ṛbhu mit dem bebenden Pfeil preisen — diesen Pfeil treibe von uns weit fort, o Indra, du blitzender Donnerkeil.
Mantra 4
यथा॒ द्यां च॑ पृथि॒वीं चा॒न्तस्तिष्ठ॑ति॒ तेज॑नम्। ए॒वा रोगं॑ चास्रा॒वं चा॒न्तस्ति॑ष्ठतु॒ मुञ्ज॒ इत्
Wie innen das Befestigungsgerät zwischen Himmel und Erde steht, so — innen — halte Muñja die Krankheit und den zehrenden Fluss fest; ja, es stehe eingeschlossen im Innern.
Frequently Asked Questions
It targets harm imagined as a “dart/arrow” (śara/śaru): enemy hostility, curse-like attack, or a sudden affliction that strikes like a projectile. The hymn repels it outward and also binds its effects so they cannot spread.
The bow-string (jyā) symbolizes protective encirclement—creating a boundary around the person—while the stone (aśman) represents making the body firm and unyielding to attack. Together they express both defense (boundary) and resilience (hardness).
Muñja is treated as an empowered binding material: it ‘holds fast’ disease (roga) and wasting discharge (āsrāva) within a confined state, using the model of a firm cosmic fastening between Heaven and Earth. Practically, it points to a tied band/amulet used to restrain and neutralize the affliction.
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