Sukta 6
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (hymn to Aditi/Earth-Heaven; r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī)
Devata: Pṛthivī, Dyāus, Aditi (protective triad; ‘divine boat’ as salvific power)
Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like cadence (edition-dependent; Atharvanic meters often mixed)
Mantras
Mantra 1
अदितिः अदि॑ति॒र्द्यौरदि॑तिर॒न्तरि॑क्ष॒मदि॑तिर्मा॒ता स पि॒ता स पु॒त्रः । विश्वे॑ दे॒वा अदि॑तिः॒ पञ्च॒ जना॒ अदि॑तिर्जा॒तमदि॑ति॒र्जनि॑त्वम्
Aditi is Heaven; Aditi is the Mid-air; Aditi is Mother—she is Father, she is Son. All Gods are Aditi; the Five Peoples are Aditi; Aditi is what hath been born, and Aditi is the very act of birth.
Mantra 2
म॒हीमू॒ षु मा॒तरं॑ सुव्र॒ताना॑मृ॒तस्य॒ पत्नी॒मव॑से हवामहे । तु॒वि॒क्ष॒त्राम॒जर॑न्तीमुरू॒चीं सु॒शर्मा॑ण॒मदि॑तिं सु॒प्रणी॑तिम्
The mighty Mother—of them of good ordinance—the Consort of Ṛta, for succour we invoke: Aditi of puissant lordship, unaging, wide-gleaming, of gracious shelter, of excellent guidance.
Mantra 3
सु॒त्रामा॑णं पृथि॒वीं द्याम॑ने॒हसं॑ सु॒शर्मा॑ण॒मदि॑तिं सु॒प्रणी॑तिम्। दैवीं॒ नावं॑ स्वरि॒त्रामना॑गसो॒ अस्र॑वन्ती॒मा रु॑हेमा स्व॒स्तये॑
The well-protecting Earth, and Heaven that harmeth not, Aditi of good shelter and of good leading—upon the divine boat, well-oared, sinless, and not leaking, may we embark, for welfare.
Mantra 4
वाज॑स्य॒ नु प्र॑स॒वे मा॒तरं॑ म॒हीमदि॑तिं॒ नाम॒ वच॑सा करामहे । यस्या॑ उ॒पस्थ॑ उ॒र्व॑१न्तरि॑क्षं॒ सा नः॒ शर्म॑ त्रि॒वरू॑थं॒ नि य॑च्छात्
Now, at the setting-forth of strength, the great Mother Aditi—by name—by speech we establish. She in whose lap the wide mid-air is set, may she for us firmly bestow a threefold-guarded shelter.
Frequently Asked Questions
It asks Aditi—together with Earth and Heaven—to become complete shelter and right guidance, carrying the reciter safely through danger like a perfectly sound, well-steered boat.
To state that protection is not partial: Aditi is invoked as total wholeness itself, so no region of life—body, society, or destiny—lies outside her safeguarding power.
Recite the four verses before travel or a difficult transition, sprinkle a little clean water, and at the ‘divine boat’ verse (7.6.3) hold a small token or tied thread while intending safe arrival and freedom from harm (svasti, anāgas).
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