Sukta 16
Rishi: Vratya (mythic/cosmic subject; traditional attribution varies in ancillary lists)
Devata: Vratya / Prāṇa-functions (here Apāna) as cosmic principle
Chandas: Prose-like Atharvanic style (not a strict ṛgvedic meter; often treated as mixed/anuṣṭubh-adjacent in later catalogues)
AV 15.16 setzt die Vratya-Spekulation fort, indem es die apāna des Vratya (den abwärts gerichteten Atem) auf zentrale rituelle und kalendarische Wirklichkeiten abbildet und so Physiologie in Kosmologie verwandelt. Indem das Lied Dinge wie Amāvāsyā (Neumondnacht), Yajña (Opfer) und Dakṣiṇā (Priesterlohn) zu „apāna-Gliedern“ des Vratya erklärt, heiligt es Schwellenzeit, rituelles Handeln und verpflichtendes Schenken als inhärente kosmische Funktionen. Seine Kraft ist integrativ: Es autorisiert den Platz des Vratya innerhalb der brahmanischen Opferordnung und behauptet zugleich, dass der Atem selbst der Motor von Ritus und sozialer Legitimität ist.
Mantras
Mantra 1
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य ।योऽस्य प्रथ॒मोऽपा॒नः सा पौ॑र्णमा॒सी
Von jenem Vrātya: der erste Apāna-Hauch — sie ist Paurṇamāsī, der Vollmond.
Mantra 2
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य ।योऽस्य द्वि॒तीयो॑ऽपा॒नः साष्ट॑का
Von jenem Vrātya: der zweite seiner Apāna-Atemzüge — das ist die Aṣṭakā.
Mantra 3
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य ।योऽस्य तृ॒तीयो॑ऽपा॒नः सामा॑वा॒स्या
Von jenem Vrātya: der dritte seiner Apāna-Atemzüge — das ist die Neumondnacht (Amāvāsyā).
Mantra 4
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य । योऽस्य चतु॒र्थोऽपा॒नः सा श्र॒द्धा
Von jenem Vrātya: der vierte seiner Apāna-Atemzüge — das ist Śraddhā, der Glaube.
Mantra 5
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य । योऽस्य पञ्च॒मोऽपा॒नः सा दी॒क्षा
Von jenem Vrātya: der fünfte seiner Apāna-Atemzüge — das ist die Dīkṣā (Weihe).
Mantra 6
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य । योऽस्य ष॒ष्ठोऽपा॒नः स य॒ज्ञः
Von jenem Vrātya: der sechste seiner Apāna-Atemzüge — das ist das Yajña (Opfer).
Mantra 7
तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य । योऽस्य सप्त॒मोऽपा॒नस्ता इ॒मा दक्षि॑णाः
Von jenem Vrātya: was bei ihm das Siebte ist — Apāna, der abwärts gerichtete Atem — das sind diese Dakṣiṇās, die priesterlichen Gaben.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here the Vratya is treated as a cosmic figure, not only a social category. The hymn speaks of the Vratya’s inner breaths (especially apāna) as identical with major ritual and temporal powers.
The sukta uses bandhu logic: inner physiology mirrors outer cosmos. By saying a particular apāna ‘is’ Amāvāsyā or ‘is’ Yajña, it makes liminal time and sacrifice part of a single cosmic-bodily system that can be ritually affirmed.
It means the priestly fee is presented as a necessary, power-bearing element of the rite—cosmically grounded rather than optional. Giving dakṣiṇā becomes a sacral act that completes and legitimates the ritual order.
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