Atharva Veda Sukta 61
Kanda 6Anuvaka 7Sukta 613 Mantras

Sukta 61

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition

Devata: Āpaḥ, Sūrya, Viśve Devāḥ (tapo-jāḥ), Savitṛ

Chandas: Mixed/triṣṭubh-like cadence possible; AV 6 includes non-anuṣṭubh meters—requires metrical verification by pada count in critical edition

Sanskrit recitationAtharva Veda 6.61

Mantras

Mantra 1

विश्वस्रष्टा। मह्य॒मापो॒ मधु॑म॒देर॑यन्तां॒ मह्यं॒ सूरो॑ अभर॒ज्ज्योति॑षे॒ कम्। मह्यं॑ दे॒वा उ॒त विश्वे॑ तपो॒जा मह्यं॑ दे॒वः स॑वि॒ता व्यचो॑ धात्

For me let the Waters, honeyed, set their powers in motion; for me the Sun hath brought joy for light. For me the Gods, yea all the Gods born of holy heat; for me may the god Savitṛ establish wide-reaching might.

Mantra 2

अ॒हं वि॑वेच पृथि॒वीमु॒त द्याम॒हमृ॒तूंर॑जनयं स॒प्त सा॒कम्। अ॒हं स॒त्यमनृ॑तं॒ यद् वदा॑म्य॒हं दैवीं॒ परि॒ वाचं॒ विश॑श्च

I sundered and set in order Earth and also Heaven; I generated the seasons, seven together. I—what I speak—make both truth and untruth; I encompass with divine Speech the peoples also.

Mantra 3

अ॒हं ज॑जान पृथि॒वीमु॒त द्याम॒हमृ॒तूंर॑जनयं स॒प्त सिन्धू॑न्। अ॒हं स॒त्वमनृ॑तं॒ यद् वदा॑मि यो अ॑ग्नीषो॒मावजु॑षे॒ सखा॑या

I begot Earth and also Heaven; I generated the seasons, the seven rivers. I—what I speak—make being and unbeing, truth and untruth: I, for him whom the companion-pair Agni and Soma favor not.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is used to gain purification and vitality through consecrated water and light, and to strengthen one’s speech so that words become effective, respected, and protective.

The rite first gathers life-force (water, radiance, Savitṛ’s impulse), then ‘seats’ that force in mantra itself: Vāc is invoked to make the recitation and the speaker’s words world-ordering and binding.

Recite 6.61.1 over clean water, sip or sprinkle it, then recite 6.61.2–3 slowly with clear intention for truthful, effective speech—ideally at sunrise or in bright daytime.

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