Sukta 128
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (specific ṛṣi not securely determinable from the provided excerpt alone)
Devata: Nakṣatra-rājan (Śakadhūma) with day/night and sun/moon as invoked supports
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; common in AV 6th kāṇḍa short charms)
Dieser kurze atharvavedische Zauberspruch bittet den Nakṣatra-König Śakadhūma und die ordnenden Mächte der Zeit — Tag/Nacht und Sonne/Mond —, den gegenwärtigen Augenblick in „bhadrāham“, einen glückverheißenden, erfolgbringenden Tag, zu verwandeln. Er wirkt, indem er ein menschliches Vorhaben (besonders königliches/öffentliches Handeln) rituell mit der kosmischen Ordnung in Einklang bringt, widrige Zeitzeichen besänftigt und beständiges Glück über den gesamten Tag-Nacht-Zyklus sichert.
Mantras
Mantra 1
राजा श॒क॒धूमं॒ नक्ष॑त्राणि॒ यद् राजा॑न॒मकु॑र्वत । भ॒द्रा॒हम॑स्मै॒ प्राय॑च्छन्नि॒दं रा॒ष्ट्रमसा॒दिति॑
Als die Nakṣatras den König machten — (selbst) Śakadhūma — da verlieh Bhadrāham ihm dieses Reich: »So sei dieses Königtum.«
Mantra 2
भ॒द्रा॒हं नो॑ म॒ध्यंदि॑ने भद्रा॒हं सा॒यम॑स्तु नः । भ॒द्रा॒हं नो॒ अह्नां॑ प्रा॒ता रात्री॑ भद्रा॒हम॑स्तु नः
Bhadrāham sei uns zur Mittagszeit; Bhadrāham sei uns am Abend. Bhadrāham sei uns durch die Tage — am Morgen, in der Nacht — Bhadrāham sei uns.
Mantra 3
अ॒हो॒रा॒त्राभ्यां॒ नक्ष॑त्रेभ्यः सूर्याचन्द्र॒मसा॑भ्याम्। भ॒द्रा॒हम॒स्मभ्यं॑ राज॒न्छक॑धूम॒ त्वं कृ॑धि
Bei Tag und Nacht, bei den Nakṣatras, bei Sonne und Mond: schaffe uns einen glückverheißenden Tag, o König, o Śakadhūma.
Mantra 4
यो नो॑ भद्रा॒हमक॑रः सा॒यं नक्त॒मथो॒ दिवा॑ । तस्मै॑ ते नक्षत्रराज॒ शक॑धूम॒ सदा॒ नमः॑
Du, der uns einen glückverheißenden Tag bereitet hat, am Abend, in der Nacht und auch am Tage — dir, o König der Nakṣatras, o Śakadhūma, sei immerdar Verehrung.
Frequently Asked Questions
It aims to secure “bhadrāham”—a lucky, auspicious day—by pacifying harmful time/astral influences and aligning the undertaking with day/night, sun/moon, and the nakṣatras.
Śakadhūma is addressed as a Nakṣatra-king (nakṣatra-rājan), a ruling astral power who can ‘make’ the day auspicious when invoked with the cosmic supports of time.
No special substances are required by the text. It can be used as a short recitation at the start of an important action, ideally with a clear intention for an obstacle-free, auspicious day.
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