Sukta 16
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (often anonymous/Angiras-type attribution in AV medical hymns)
Devata: Bhaiṣajya (healing power) personified as Ābaya/Anābaya; implicitly the medicinal ‘rasa’
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (with Atharvanic irregularities noted in some recensions)
AV 6.16 ist ein knappes atharvanisches Heilbeschwörungs‑Lied gegen akṣi-roga (Augenleiden), das eine medizinische Anrufung mit der energischen Austreibung der namentlich genannten Urheber des Leidens verbindet. Es aktiviert den wirkmächtigen rasa (Saft/Essenz) des Mittels durch ein bereitetes Speise‑Trägermedium (karambha) und «fasst» zugleich die Störung, indem es ihre vielen Gestalten und Geist‑Namen aufzählt und fortweist.
Mantras
Mantra 1
अक्षिरोगभैषजम्। ३ बृहतीगर्भा ककुम्मत्यनुष्टुप्, ४ त्रिपदा प्रतिष्ठा। आब॑यो॒ अना॑बयो॒ रस॑स्त उ॒ग्र आ॑बयो । आ ते॑ कर॒म्भम॑द्मसि
O Ābaya, o harmlose Anābaya — dein Saft ist gewaltig an Kraft, o Ābaya. Hierher, dir zuliebe, essen wir die Karambha-Mischung (karambha).
Mantra 2
वि॒हह्लो॒ नाम॑ ते पि॒ता म॒दाव॑ती॒ नाम॑ ते मा॒ता। स हि॑न॒ त्वम॑सि॒ यस्त्वमा॒त्मान॒माव॑यः
Vihahla heißt dein Vater; Madāvatī heißt deine Mutter. Denn du bist derjenige, der sich nun um (den Menschen) schlingt, der sich selbst um ihn webt.
Mantra 3
तौवि॑लि॒केऽवे॑ल॒यावा॒यमै॑ल॒ब ऐ॑लयीत्। ब॒भ्रुश्च॑ ब॒भ्रुक॑र्ण॒श्चापे॑हि॒ निरा॑ल
O Tauvīlike, o Avelayāva — den Ailaba zum „Ailen“ bringt; auch Babhru und Babhru-Ohr (Babhru-karṇa): weicht! hinaus, fort von hier!
Mantra 4
अ॒ल॒साला॑सि॒ पूर्व॑ सि॒लाञ्जा॑ला॒स्युत्त॑रा । नी॒ला॒ग॒ल॒साला॑
Du bist Alasālā, die frühere; du bist Silāñjālā, die spätere — du bist Nīlāgalasālā.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used to treat and ward off eye-disease (akṣi-roga) by empowering a medicinal preparation and driving away the affliction named in multiple forms.
Ābaya/Anābaya is the personified healing potency of the remedy—its rasa (sap/essence)—described as fierce against disease yet harmless to the patient.
Atharvanic medical hymns often name the disease and its agents to gain control over them; listing variants ensures the ailment is addressed in every form and then expelled.
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