Atharva Veda 4.9.2: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 9, Mantra 2
Sukta 9
प॒रि॒पाणं॒ पुरु॑षाणां परि॒पाणं॒ गवा॑मसि । अश्वा॑ना॒मर्व॑तां परि॒पाणा॑य तस्थिषे
paripā́ṇaṃ púruṣāṇāṃ paripā́ṇaṃ gávām asi | áśvānām árvatāṃ paripā́ṇāya tasthíṣe
A guarding hand for men art thou, a guarding hand for cattle; for horses, for swift steeds, thou standest established as protection.
Du bist die schützende Hand der Menschen, die schützende Hand des Rindviehs; für die Pferde, für die schnellen Renner stehst du fest gegründet als Schutz.
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (uncertain)
Devata: Āñjana / Rakṣā (protective power) as functional deity
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh
Primary: shanta
Sayana glosses paripāṇa as a comprehensive protection that ‘covers on all sides’ (sarvato rakṣaṇam). In context of the añjana hymn, the collyrium is not only ocular medicine but a general safeguard extending to household dependents and wealth (cattle, horses). ‘Tasthīṣe’ marks stable, enduring protection—like a stationed sentinel.
To establish the applied protective agent (here, añjana by context) as a standing safeguard for persons and key domestic wealth (cattle and horses).
Broad protective prophylaxis: prevents ailments and misfortune affecting people and domestic animals.
Establishes a standing protective ‘cover’ (paripāṇa) through consecrated substance/word; prophylactic boundary logic.
Preventive rasāyana mindset: protection of prāṇa and household stability; not a specific doṣa treatment.
Public/household health framing: prevention, biosecurity for livestock, and protective routines that reduce disease risk.
mixed
Household unit (gr̥ha) and its living assets.
Extend protection from the individual to household dependents and wealth—people, cattle, horses.
Enumerative coverage (naming domains) + stabilization formula (tasthiṣe) to ‘fix’ the protection in place.
Disease, predators/thieves, misfortune, ‘evil eye’ on wealth.
Cattle, horses, human security—core paustika assets.
You are a guarding hand for men, a guarding hand for cattle; for horses, for swift steeds, you stand established for protection.
Protection is imagined as a ‘hand’ that covers and steadies what sustains life: persons and livelihood-animals. The remedy (āñjana by context) becomes a standing guardian—continuous, not momentary—over the household’s vulnerable assets.
Well-being depends on protective structures around both body and livelihood; security is a ritual-ethical ‘covering’ that allows life to flourish.
- परिपाणम् (paripāṇam)
- active guardianship; boundary at the point of contact
- पुरुषाणाम् (puruṣāṇām)
- protection of the human community
- गवाम् (gavām)
- household prosperity, nourishment, continuity
- अश्वानाम् अर्वताम् (aśvānām arvatām)
- mobility, status, capacity to act/prevail
- तस्थिषे (tasthiṣe)
- durable ward; a fixed protective presence
Establish a protective ‘field’ around self and dependents; cultivate steadiness of care.
Anāhata (protective care) with grounding in Mūlādhāra (security).
Slow nasal breathing with palms awareness (hasta-smṛti) to embody ‘paripāṇa’.
A luminous hand-shaped aura covers the household, herd, and paths; it remains ‘standing’ like a pillar.
Calm vigilance (rakṣā-jāgrat).
Recite once for self, once for family, once for livelihood; end with a practical act of care (feeding, cleaning) to anchor the charm.
Even, level recitation; let paripāṇam repeat with identical contour to ‘fix’ the charm.
Stress paripāṇam each time; keep tasthiṣe as firm closure.
paripāṇam: long ā in pā., arvatām: articulate rv cluster clearly.
Steady, quiet authority—protective rather than aggressive.
After recitation, perform a simple protective gesture: place palm briefly on the head/heart, then extend palm outward as ‘covering’.
9
Household protection—family safety, livestock health, travel security, safeguarding livelihood.
At daybreak; before leaving home; during illness outbreaks among animals; when anxiety about security rises.
A sense of guardedness and order; traditional framing for comprehensive protection.
Do not substitute mantra for veterinary/medical care or safety planning.
पदच्छेद (resolved): परिपाणम् | पुरुषाणाम् | परिपाणम् | गवाम् | असि | अश्वानाम् | अर्वताम् | परिपाणाय | तस्थिषे । Sandhi: ‘गवामसि’ = ‘गवाम् असि’ (म् + अ → म् अ; writing shows close junction). No other mandatory sandhi changes beyond pada-division; Vedic accent marks retained in the source.
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