Sukta 2
Rishi: Traditionally connected with Vrātya material (ancillary attributions vary)
Devata: Dik (Direction), especially Prācī (East), as ordering power
Chandas: Prose/anuṣṭubh-like cadence (Atharvanic narrative style)
Mantras
Mantra 1
स उदतिष्ठत् स प्राचीं दिशमनु व्यऽचलत्
He rose; he went forth following the eastern quarter.
Mantra 2
तं बृहच्च रथंतरं चादित्याश्च विश्वे च देवा अनुव्यऽ चलन्
After him moved Bṛhat and Rathantara; after him the Ādityas, and all the Gods, went forth.
Mantra 3
बृहते च वै स रथंतराय चादित्येभ्यश्च विश्वेभ्यश्च देवेभ्य आ वृश्चते य एवं विद्वांसं व्रात्यमुपवदति
From Bṛhat, verily, and from Rathantara, from the Ādityas and from all the Gods, is he clean cut off—whoso revileth thus a knowing Vrātya.
Mantra 4
बृहतश्च वै स रथंतरस्य चादित्यानां च विश्वेषां च देवानां प्रियं धाम भवति तस्य प्राच्यां दिशि
Dear dwelling-place of Bṛhat and of Rathantara, of the Ādityas and of all the Gods, verily he becometh—his station is in the eastern quarter.
Mantra 5
श्रद्धा पुंश्चली मित्रो मागधो विज्ञानं वासोऽहरुष्णीषं रात्री केशा हरितौ प्रवर्तौ कल्मलिर्मणिः
Faith, the roving woman; Mitra; the Māgadhan herald; discerning knowledge; the garment; day; the turban; night; the hairs; the two tawny powers, the two impellers—Kalmalí, the amulet.
Mantra 6
भूतं च भविष्यच्च परिष्कन्दौ मनो विपथम्
The been and the to-be, the two that range about; the mind—(let it not go upon) the by-path.
Mantra 7
मातरिश्वा च पवमानश्च विपथवाहौ वातः सारथी रेष्मा प्रतोदः
Mātariśvan and Pavamāna; the two that bear upon the by-path; Wind is the charioteer, the reins, the goad.
Mantra 8
कीर्तिश्च यशश्च पुरःसरावैनं कीर्तिर्गच्छत्या यशो गच्छति य एवं वेद
Fame and glory go before him as forerunners: fame goes unto him, glory comes unto him—who thus hath knowledge.
Mantra 9
स उदतिष्ठत् स दक्षिणां दिशमनु व्यऽचलत्
He arose; he moved forth, following along the southern quarter.
Mantra 10
तं यज्ञायज्ञियं च वामदेव्यं च यज्ञश्च यजमानश्च पशवश्चानुव्यऽचलन्
Him followed—sacrifice-worthy and sacrifice-honoured—Vāmadeva’s auspicious might; yea, Sacrifice, and the Sacrificer, and the Cattle went after him.
Mantra 11
यज्ञायज्ञियाय च वै स वामदेव्याय च यज्ञाय च यजमानाय च पशुभ्यश्चा वृश्चते य एवं विद्वांसं व्रात्यमुपवदति
Verily, he is cut off—from sacrifice-worthiness and from Vāmadeva’s auspicious power, from Sacrifice, from the Sacrificer, and from the Cattle—whoso revileth, knowing him such, the wise Vrātya.
Mantra 12
यज्ञायज्ञियस्य च वै स वामदेव्यस्य च यज्ञस्य च यजमानस्य च पशूनां च प्रियं धाम भवति तस्य दक्षिणायां दिशि
Verily he becometh the dear abode of sacrifice-worthiness, and of Vāmadeva’s auspicious power, of Sacrifice, of the Sacrificer, and of the Cattle—his station is in the southern quarter.
Mantra 13
उषाः पुंश्चली मन्त्रो मागधो विज्ञानं वासोऽहरुष्णीषं रात्री केशा हरितौ प्रवर्तौ कल्मलिर्मणिः
Dawn is his wanton woman; Mantra his Māgadhan herald; Knowledge is his raiment; Day his turban; Night his hair; the two Tawny ones his pair of drivers; Kalmalī is his amulet-jewel.
Mantra 14
अमावास्याऽ च पौर्णमासी च परिष्कन्दौ मनो विपथम्
New-moon and Full-moon—those twain that range about—(guard) the mind from the path of error.
Mantra 15
मातरिश्वा च पवमानश्च विपथवाहौ वातः सारथी रेष्मा प्रतोदः
Mātariśvan and Pavamāna—those two that bear one through pathless ways—Wind is the charioteer; the reins and the goad are his.
Mantra 16
कीर्तिश्च यशश्च पुरःसरावैनं कीर्तिर्गच्छत्या यशो गच्छति य एवं वेद॥१६ स उदतिष्ठत् स प्रतीचीं दिशमनु व्यऽचलत्
Fame and Glory, as his forerunners, go before him; Fame goes, and Glory comes unto him—whoso thus knoweth. He arose; he moved forth following the western quarter.
Mantra 17
तं वैरूपं च वैराजं चापश्च वरुणश्च राजानुव्यऽचलन्
After him moved Vairūpa and Vairāja; the Waters, and Varuṇa, and the King followed on.
Mantra 18
वैरूपाय च वै स वैराजाय चाद्भ्यश्च वरुणाय च राज्ञ आ वृश्चते य एवं विद्वांसं व्रात्यमुपवदति
Against Vairūpa verily, and against Vairāja; against the Waters, against Varuṇa, and against the King is he cut off, who thus revileth a knowing Vrātya.
Mantra 19
वैरूपस्य च वै स वैराजस्य चापां च वरुणस्य च राज्ञः प्रियं धाम भवति तस्य प्रतीच्यां दिशी
Dear is he, a chosen station he attaineth, of Vairūpa and of Vairāja, of the Waters and of Varuṇa, and of the King—his in the western quarter.
Mantra 20
इरा पुंश्चली हसो मागधो विज्ञानं वासोऽहरुष्णीषं रात्री केशा हरितौ प्रवर्तौ कल्मलिर्मणिः
Irā, the wanton woman, laughter, the Magadhan, discerning knowledge, the garment—Day; the turban—Night; the hairs; the two tawny ones, the two impellers: the Kalmali-amulet is the jewel.
Mantra 21
अहश्च रात्री च परिष्कन्दौ मनो विपथम्
Day and Night are the two encircling assailants; the mind (is prone to) the wrong path.
Mantra 22
मातरिश्वा च पवमानश्च विपथवाहौ वातः सारथी रेष्मा प्रतोदः
Mātariśvan and Pavamāna are the two that bear along the wrong road; Wind is the charioteer, the rein, the goad.
Mantra 23
कीर्तिश्च यशश्च पुरःसरावैनं कीर्तिर्गच्छत्या यशो गच्छति य एवं वेद
Fame and Glory are his two forerunners: Fame comes unto him, and Glory comes unto him—who thus hath knowledge.
Mantra 24
स उदतिष्ठत् स उदीचीं दिशमनु व्यऽ चलत्
He arose; he moved forth, following the northern quarter.
Mantra 25
तं श्यैतं च नौधसं च सप्तर्षयश्च सोमश्च राजानुव्यऽचलन्
Him did Śyaita follow, and Naudhasa; the Seven Seers followed, and Soma, and the King moved after him.
Mantra 26
श्यैताय च वै स नौधसाय च सप्तर्षिभ्यश्च सोमाय च राज्ञ आ वृश्चते य एवं विद्वांसं व्रात्यमुपवदति
Verily, he is cut off—(cut off) for Śyaita and for Naudhasa, for the Seven Seers, for Soma, and for the King—who, knowing thus, revileth the wise Vratya.
Mantra 27
श्यैतस्य च वै स नौधसस्य च सप्तर्षीणां च सोमस्य च राज्ञः प्रियं धाम भवति तस्योदीच्यां दिशि
Verily he becometh a dear abode—of Śyaita and of Naudhasa, of the Seven Seers, of Soma, and of the King—his station being in the northern quarter.
Mantra 28
विद्युत् पुंश्चली स्तनयित्नुर्मागधो विज्ञानं वासोऽहरुष्णीषं रात्री केशा हरितौ प्रवर्तौ कल्मलिर्मणिः
Lightning; Puṃścalī; Thunder; the Māgadha; Knowledge; the Garment; Day; the Turban; Night; the Hair; the two Bay ones; the two Impellers; Kalmalī; the Amulet.
Mantra 29
श्रुतं च विश्रुतं च परिष्कन्दौ मनो विपथम्
The Heard and the Far-heard; the two that compass about; the mind—(lest it go) astray from the path.
Mantra 30
मातरिश्वा च पवमानश्च विपथवाहौ वातः सारथी रेष्मा प्रतोदः
Mātariśvan and Pavamāna—those two that bear along the path: Wind is the charioteer, the rein, the goad.
Mantra 31
कीर्तिश्च यशश्च पुरःसरावैनं कीर्तिर्गच्छत्या यशो गच्छति य एवं वेद
Fame and Glory, the two that go before, attend him: Fame comes unto him, Glory comes—who thus hath knowledge.
Frequently Asked Questions
It ritually authorizes a figure’s movement by aligning him with the Directions—especially the East—so that transition and mobility become auspicious, ordered, and socially recognized.
In Vedic ritual space the East is the quarter of beginnings and rightful emergence; moving “following the East” symbolizes correct orientation, legitimacy, and the start of sanctioned progress.
It states that correct knowledge and performance bring visible social results: fame (kīrti) and glory (yaśas) ‘go before’ the person—meaning they gain precedence, good reputation, and public acknowledgement.