Atharva Veda 19.13.8: Kanda 19, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 13, Mantra 8
Sukta 13
बृह॑स्पते॒ परि॑ दीया॒ रथे॑न रक्षो॒हामित्राँ॑ अप॒बाध॑मानः । प्र॒भ॒ञ्जंछत्रू॑न् प्रमृ॒णन्न॒मित्रा॑न॒स्माक॑मेध्यवि॒ता त॒नूना॑म्
bṛ́haspate pári dīyā́ ráthena rakṣohā́mitrā́m̐ apabā́dhamānaḥ | prabhañjáñ chátrūn pramṛṇán amítrān asmā́kam edhyavitā́ tanū́nām
O Bṛhaspati, course round about with thy chariot, rákṣas-slayer, repelling the foes; shattering the enemies, crushing down the non-friends—be thou the increaser of our bodies, our folk.
O Bṛhaspati, umkreise auf deinem Wagen, Rakṣas-Töter, die Feinde zurückdrängend; die Gegner zerschmetternd, die Unfreunde niederwerfend — sei uns Mehrer der Leiber, Mehrer unseres Volkes.
Rishi: Atharvanic/Angirasa tradition (not explicit here)
Devata: Bṛhaspati
Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like (late AV martial liturgy; irregular)
Primary: vira
Secondary: raudra
Sayana emphasizes Bṛhaspati’s dual capacity: brahman (sacral speech) becomes martial power. ‘Circling’ (pari dīyā) is read as a protective patrol enclosing the patron’s side; ‘rakṣohā’ extends the target from human enemies to demonic impediments. ‘Edhyavitā tanūnām’ is glossed as nourishment/augmentation of the community’s vitality and fighting capacity.
To establish a protective perimeter, repel hostile forces (human and demonic), and increase the patron’s vitality and strength.
Affliction attributed to rakṣas/hostile agencies (night-terrors, wasting influences, ‘possession-like’ distress in Atharvan idiom).
तनू (tanū) as the whole body/embodiment.
Expulsion (apabādha) of intrusive forces + strengthening (edhi) of tanū (body) and community vitality.
Rakṣas idiom maps loosely to bhūta/āgantuka disturbances; treatment pattern: apakarṣaṇa (removal) + bṛṃhaṇa (strengthening).
Boundary-setting and stressor removal plus recovery-building; for some, supportive in anxiety/nightmare contexts alongside care.
abhicarika
Amitrāḥ (foes) and rakṣas (malevolent entities).
Repel and crush enemies and demonic harms; establish a moving protective perimeter; increase bodily strength and the patron’s folk.
Pari- (circumambulation) as verbal magic; deity-as-guardian patrol; violent verbs to ‘break’ opposition + blessing to ‘increase’ the self.
Attack, intrusion, malign influence, decline of vitality.
Increase of bodily strength and group thriving.
Bṛhaspati is asked to circle around on his chariot as a rakṣas-slayer, repelling foes, shattering enemies, and becoming the increaser of our bodies/people.
Protective intelligence ‘patrols’ the perimeter of consciousness: clear counsel (Bṛhaspati) pushes out intrusive thoughts/hostilities, while strengthening vitality (tanū) and communal coherence.
Lasting protection is not only force but wise guardianship—an intelligent boundary that repels harm and nourishes growth.
- बृहस्पति (bṛhaspati)
- protective intelligence, right counsel, mantra-mastery that defeats chaos
- परि दीय (pari dīya)
- perimeter-warding; establishing a sacred boundary
- रथेन (rathena)
- mobile protection; swift response and strategic coverage
- रक्षोहा (rakṣo-hā)
- expulsion of parasitic forces—fear, obsession, malefic influence
- अपबाधमानः (apabādhamānaḥ)
- active clearing; refusal of intrusion
- प्रभञ्जन् (prabhañjan)
- breaking enemy cohesion; dismantling harmful patterns
- एधिविता तनूनाम् (edhyavitā tanūnām)
- vital augmentation—strength, immunity, social flourishing
Intelligent boundary: let ‘Bṛhaspati’ patrol the edges of attention and repel intrusive thoughts.
Maṇipūra (protective will) and Viśuddha (brahman/vāc).
Ujjāyī with slow circumferential body-scan; chant on exhale imagining a protective ring moving around you.
A golden chariot-wheel of light circles the body and home, pushing out dark forms; then a warm strengthening glow fills the limbs (tanū).
Alert protection without panic—clear, watchful steadiness.
Do 3 circumambulations (clockwise) of your practice spot mentally or physically, chanting once per round; end with 1 minute silent settling.
Strong, even recitation; emphasize motion verbs (pari dīya, apabādhamānaḥ) and impact verbs (prabhañjan, pramṛṇan).
Slight lift on bṛháspate; keep a rolling cadence through participles; resolve gently on tanūnām.
bṛhaspate: syllabic ṛ; keep aspiration in -sp- cluster minimal but clear., rakṣohā: kṣ conjunct crisp; long ā at end., pramṛṇan: retroflex ṇ; keep ṛ short and clear.
Resonant, protective command with controlled breath; avoid harsh strain.
If used for night protection, chant once briskly, then repeat once slowly to ‘seal’ the perimeter with calm.
Feeling threatened, spiritual/psychic intrusion anxiety, nightmares, hostile environments, need for strong boundaries and vitality.
Before sleep; before entering contentious meetings; when fear or ‘oppression’ sensations arise.
Sense of guardedness, mental clearing, strengthened resolve and vitality.
If fear/panic is severe or persistent, seek professional support; do not escalate conflict—use for protection and de-escalation.
पदच्छेद (सन्धिविच्छेद): बृहस्पते | परि | दीय | रथेन | रक्षोहा | अमित्रान् | अपबाधमानः | प्रभञ्जन् | शत्रून् | प्रमृणन् | अमित्रान् | अस्माकम् | एध्यविता | तनूनाम् । मुख्य सन्धि/संहिता-रूप: (1) रक्षो॒हा + अमित्रान् → रक्षो॒हामित्रान् (आ + अ → आ). (2) प्रभञ्जन् + शत्रून् → प्रभञ्जंछत्रून् (न् + श् → ञ्छ्; वैदिक संधि/अनुस्वार-परिवर्तन). (3) प्रमृणन् + अमित्रान् → प्रमृणन्नमित्रान् (न् + अ → न्न). (4) अस्माकम् + एध्यविता → अस्माकमेध्यविता (म् + ए → मे).
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