Kanda 7Anuvaka 12Sukta 1181 Mantras

Sukta 118

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (requires Anukramaṇī confirmation).

Devata: Soma, Varuṇa, and the Viśve Devāḥ (collectively).

Chandas: Mixed/likely Triṣṭubh-like cadence (needs metrical verification; verse is longer than standard Anuṣṭubh).

Mantras

Mantra 1

वर्मधारणम्। मर्माणि ते वर्मणा छादयामि सोमस्त्वा राजामृतेनानु वस्ताम्। उरोर्वरीयो वरुणस्ते कृणोतु जयन्तं त्वानु देवा मदन्तु

Thy vital parts I cover with armour: let Soma the King clothe thee round with immortality. Let Varuṇa make for thee a broader, safer space; let the Gods rejoice, attending thee victorious.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this sukta actually do?

It ritually ‘arms’ a person by covering vulnerable vital points (marmāṇi) with protective power, asking Soma to clothe them in amṛta and Varuṇa to create a wider zone of safety, ending with divine support for victory.

Do I need real armour to use this hymn?

Ideally a physical covering (armour, shawl, or consecrated cloth) is used as the varman-symbol, but the core action is the mantra’s protective “covering” of the body’s vital points during recitation.

Why are Soma and Varuṇa invoked together here?

Soma provides inner invulnerable vitality through ‘amṛta-clothing,’ while Varuṇa secures the outer environment by widening safe space; together they protect both the person and the surrounding field of action.