Sukta 38
Rishi: Atharvanic healer tradition (specific r̥ṣi uncertain without Anukramaṇī).
Devata: Bheṣaja (medicine) embodied in guggulu; anti-yákṣma power.
Chandas: Predominantly anuṣṭubh-like (late Atharvanic prose-verse mixture at opening).
Este breve himno curativo emplea el guggulu (una resina medicinal fragante) como bheṣaja atharvánico para expulsar el yákṣma (consunción/agotamiento) y neutralizar los śapatha (maldiciones) hostiles. Al combinar el guggulu con sales purificadoras y «asir el nombre» del remedio, la sukta sostiene que la enfermedad y las influencias malignas no pueden aferrarse al paciente. Su poder actúa mediante el aroma, la mezcla y el nāman (poder del nombre) como sello ritual de ariṣṭatāti: una seguridad indemne.
Mantras
Mantra 1
यक्षमनाशनम्। न तं यक्ष्मा॒ अरु॑न्धते॒ नैनं॑ श॒पथो॑ अश्नुते । यं भे॑ष॒जस्य॑ गुल्गु॒लोः सु॑र॒भिर्ग॒न्धो अ॑श्नु॒ते
Destructor de la tisis: la tisis no lo sujeta, ni lo alcanza la maldición — a aquel a quien llega y penetra el fragante olor del remedio, del guggulu.
Mantra 2
विष्व॑ञ्च॒स्तस्मा॒द् यक्ष्मा॑ मृ॒गा अश्वा॑ इवेरते । यद् गु॑ल्गु॒लु सै॑न्ध॒वं यद् वाप्यासि॑ समु॒द्रिय॑म्
De él, por todas partes, la tisis huye, como fieras, como caballos, se precipitan en fuga — cuando mezclas guggulu, sal del Sindhu o sal nacida del mar.
Mantra 3
उ॒भयो॑रग्रभं॒ नामा॒स्मा अ॑रि॒ष्टता॑तये
De ambos he asido el nombre; para él, para una seguridad intacta, sin daño.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yákṣma is a wasting, consumptive affliction—often understood as chronic weakening illness—treated here as something that can ‘seize’ a person unless driven off by medicine and mantra.
Guggulu is presented as bheṣaja embodied: its fragrant gandha pervades the patient and space, functioning apotropically to prevent yákṣma and even curse-effects from taking hold.
It refers to a ritual sealing act: the healer verbally fixes the remedy by naming the paired components/variants (such as the two salts, or medicine plus additive), ensuring ariṣṭatāti—unharmed safety—for the patient.
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