Kanda 7Anuvaka 11Sukta 1011 Mantras

Sukta 101

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (unspecified in the provided excerpt)

Devata: Duḥsvapna-nāśana / Śiva (auspiciousness as operative power)

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; verse-length and cadence fit common AV anuṣṭubh usage)

Mantras

Mantra 1

दुःष्वप्ननाशनम्। यत् स्वप्ने अन्नमश्नामि न प्रातरधिगम्यते । सर्वं तदस्तु मे शिवं नहि तद् दृष्यते दिवा

What food I eat in dream, that is not found as gain at morning. Let all that be for me benign and lucky; for that is not beheld by day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What problem does Atharvaveda 7.101 address?

It addresses fear caused by bad dreams—especially the worry that eating or doing something in a dream could bring real loss, impurity, or misfortune after waking.

Why does the mantra mention food eaten in a dream?

Dream-eating symbolizes an act that feels real in the moment but cannot be ‘found’ or verified in the morning. The mantra uses this to declare the dream-event non-binding and to convert it into śiva (benign luck).

How is this sukta typically used in practice?

It is recited immediately upon waking from an ominous dream, often with simple self-purification (ācamana) and focused intention, to pacify the mind and nullify the dream’s supposed omen-force.