Sukta 119
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (verify Anukramaṇī for 6.119)
Devata: Agni Vaiśvānara
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; confirm in critical edition)
AV 6.119 ist ein kurzer atharvanischer Zauberspruch für ānṛṇya — die Lösung aus den bindenden „Schlingen“ der Schuld und aus der moralisch‑rechtlichen Verstrickung, die Streitfälle begleiten. Er ruft Agni Vaiśvānara als Herrn des Hauses, Zeugen und Läuterer an, der die verborgenen Knoten der Verpflichtung kennt, sie löst und den Bittenden in die „Welt des sukṛta“ (Verdienst und guter Ruf/rechte Stellung) zurückführt. Zugleich erbittet der Hymnus Reinigung von enas (Schuld/Befleckung), die dadurch entsteht, dass man aus Unwissenheit oder verzweifelter Hoffnung in einen Wettstreit eintritt.
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
आनृण्यम्। यददी॑व्यन्नृ॒णम॒हं कृ॒णोम्यदा॑स्यन्नग्न उ॒त सं॑गृ॒णामि॑ । वै॒श्वा॒न॒रो नो॑ अधि॒पा वसि॑ष्ठ॒ उदिन्न॑याति सुकृ॒तस्य॑ लो॒कम्
Schuldenfreiheit: Wenn ich, ohne zu würfeln, dennoch Schuld auf mich nehme; wenn ich, daheim sitzend, o Agni, auch ordnungsgemäß preise. Vaiśvānara, unser Herr und bester Schützer, er führt wahrlich hinauf in die Welt des guten Tuns.
Mantra 2
वै॒श्वा॒न॒राय॒ प्रति॑ वेदयामि॒ यद्यृ॒णं सं॑ग॒रो दे॒वता॑सु । स ए॒तान् पाशा॑न् वि॒चृतं॑ वेद॒ सर्वा॒नथ॑ प॒क्वेन॑ स॒ह सं भ॑वेम
Vaiśvānara verkünde ich die Schuld, die als Streit unter den Göttern steht. Er kennt all diese Schlingen, in ihrer ganzen Weite entwirrt; dann mögen wir, mit der gereiften Frucht, in voller Ganzheit zusammenkommen.
Mantra 3
वै॒श्वा॒न॒रः प॑वि॒ता मा॑ पुनातु॒ यत् सं॑ग॒रम॑भि॒धावा॑म्या॒शाम्। अना॑जान॒न् मन॑सा॒ याच॑मानो॒ यत् तत्रैनो॒ अप॒ तत् सु॑वामि
Möge Vaiśvānara, der Läuterer, mich reinigen, wenn ich in Hoffnung zum Streitlauf stürme. Unwissend, mit verwirrtem Sinn, als Bittender — welche Schuld dort an mir haftet, die treibe ich fort.
Inside Sukta 119
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn opens with the explicit aim of ānṛṇya (freedom from debt) and addresses Agni Vaiśvānara as adhipa and vasiṣṭha—lord and best protector.
- What it asks
Agni is asked to recognize the debt and dispute among divine/ethical powers, to discern every binding noose, and to bring a complete, ‘ripened’ resolution.
- Where its power lies
Vaiśvānara is portrayed as the one who ‘knows all pāśas’ in their full extent and as pavitṛ (purifier) who can remove enas even when the petitioner acted in confusion.
- How it closes
The hymn seals the rite with a purification formula: whatever guilt is present ‘therein,’ the petitioner drives it away under Vaiśvānara’s cleansing power.
Famous verses
ānṛṇyam; sukṛtasya lokam
pāśān vicṛtaṃ veda sarvān
vaiśvānaraḥ pavitā mā punātu
Kind of hymn
Paustika / Apotropaic (Debt-release; merit-protection)
What it is for
Release from debt and its constraining bonds; settlement of a contested obligation; purification from guilt/taint arising from the dispute; recovery of merit, prosperity, and social credibility.
Who it is for
Householders facing debt, legal/communal dispute, or reputational risk; ritual specialists (Atharvanic priests) performing domestic protection and purification rites.
Also used as
- Apotropaic
- Shantika
- Bhaisajya (purificatory aspect)
The deity
Vaiśvānara is Agni as the ‘belonging to all men’ fire—household lord, communal witness, and moral purifier who mediates between human obligations and divine order.
Powers of the deity
- Purifies enas (moral taint) and restores ritual/social fitness
- Knows and disentangles pāśas (nooses/bonds), including debt-bonds and dispute-entanglements
- Acts as adhipa (overlord/guardian) and vasiṣṭha (best protector), stabilizing prosperity and reputation
- Leads the petitioner toward sukṛta and auspicious destiny (sukṛtasya loka)
- Serves as divine witness in contests (saṃgara) and declarations (prati-vedana)
Why the deity is called
He is invoked to declare the debt before a truthful cosmic witness, to loosen the binding ‘nooses’ of obligation and dispute, and to cleanse any guilt incurred in the process, restoring the petitioner’s auspicious standing.
The seer
- Atharvanic seer (Anukramaṇī attribution to be verified for AV 6.119)Atharvan. Paustika–apotropaic domestic charms: protection of social standing, release from bonds (pāśa), purification from enas, and restoration through household Agni rites
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 6.118 (adjacent domestic/protective material; attribution varies by Anukramaṇī)
- AV 6.120 (adjacent domestic/protective material; attribution varies by Anukramaṇī)
Preparing for the rite
- Establish or approach the household fire (Gārhapatya) identified with Vaiśvānara; ensure a clean, orderly hearth space
- Perform basic purification: washing hands/face; mental resolve (saṅkalpa) for ānṛṇya and śuddhi
- If feasible, assemble a simple oblation set (fuel sticks/samidhs, ghee) and a seat facing the fire
The rite
- Recite 6.119.1 as a statement of intent: turning from harmful means (e.g., gambling) and seeking uplift through Vaiśvānara’s lordship
- Recite 6.119.2 as a formal ‘declaration’ (prati-vedayāmi) of the debt/dispute, asking Agni to know and loosen all pāśas
- Recite 6.119.3 for purification from enas incurred by rushing into contest through hope/ignorance; conclude with a quiet prayer for settlement
- Optionally offer a small āhuti of ghee at the end of each mantra (or at least after the final mantra), treating Agni as witness and purifier
What it needs
- Household fire (Gārhapatya/Vaiśvānara)
- Ghee for simple offerings (optional but traditional)
- Samidh/fuel sticks (optional)
- Clean water for personal purification
When
Preferably at dawn or evening near the household fire; also appropriate immediately before entering negotiation/hearing, or when initiating repayment/settlement.
The main substance
Household fire identified as Agni Vaiśvānara (with optional ghee oblation)
How it is prepared
Prepare a clean hearth space; kindle/maintain the household fire. If offering, warm ghee and make small āhutis while reciting the mantras, treating Agni as witness and purifier.
Frequently Asked Questions
It seeks ānṛṇya—freedom from the binding force of debt—along with a settled resolution of disputes and purification from any guilt or taint that may cling to the situation.
As the universal household fire and truthful witness, Vaiśvānara is invoked to ‘know all nooses’ (pāśas), untie obligations, and cleanse enas, restoring the petitioner’s auspicious status.
The first verse contrasts reckless causes (like gambling) with proper recourse: even if debt exists, the hymn turns to Vaiśvānara for lawful release, purification, and a merit-restoring settlement rather than denial or evasion.
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