Atharva Veda 5.13.9: Kanda 5, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 13, Mantra 9
Sukta 13
क॒र्णा श्वा॒वित् तद॑ब्रवीद् गि॒रेर॑वचरन्ति॒का। याः काश्चे॒माः ख॑नि॒त्रिमा॒स्तासा॑मर॒सत॑मं वि॒ष॑म्
kárṇā śvā́vit tád abravīd girér avacarántikā | yā́ḥ kā́ś cemā́ḥ khanitrímās tāsām arásatamaṃ viṣám
Karnā, Śvāvit—thus spake she that cometh down from the mountain: whatever these be, earth-dug (burrow-born), of them (be) the poison most sapless.
Karnā, Śvāvit—así habló la que desciende de la montaña: sean cuales sean éstas, cavadas en la tierra (nacidas de madriguera), de ellas sea el veneno el más falto de savia.
The meaning
What it says
Karnā and Śvāvit—named poison-beings—are invoked as coming down from the mountain; all poisons that are “earth-dug/burrow-born” are declared to be the most “sapless” (arasa), i.e., drained of potency.
The inner meaning
The mind maps danger by “where it comes from” (mountain slope, underground burrow). Naming the threat and classifying its habitat reduces panic and restores agency; the mantra performs cognitive containment, then de-potentiation (arasa) of the feared toxin.
The truth in it
What is named and rightly located becomes governable; fear loses its ‘juice’ when the source is recognized and ritually neutralized.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Bhaisajya (Healing) / Apotropaic anti-venom
Its aim
To cover multiple ecological sources of venom (mountain-descending and subterranean/burrow-born), ensuring comprehensive neutralization of poison potency
Word by Word
Pada patha
क॒र्णा । श्वा॒वित् । तत् । अ॒ब्र॒वी॒त् । गि॒रेः । अ॒व॒च॒र॒न्ति॒का । याः । काः । च॒ । इ॒माः । ख॒नि॒त्रिमाः । तासाम् । अ॒र॒स॒त॒मम् । वि॒षम्
- कर्णा
- Karnā (a female being/name); the speakerKarnā—proper name (a female figure/poison-being); also ‘ear’ in common Sanskrit, but here treated as a named agent in the poison-catalogueNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot कर्णा (प्रातिपदिक) / कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्वावित्
- the porcupine (śvāvít)Śvāvit—proper name (paired with Karnā); a poison-being/venomous creature-name in the charm’s taxonomyNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (सम्बन्धः/सहकर्तृभावः) अथवा विशेषणम्Root श्वावित् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अब्रवीत्
- said/spokesaid, declared (authoritative utterance; the charm reports a prior ‘naming’ speech-act)Verbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root ब्रू (धातु)
- गिरेः
- of the mountainfrom/of the mountain (source-location of venomous beings; mountains as habitats of dangerous creatures)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवचरन्ति
- they descend/come downVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root अव√चर् (धातु)
- इका
- hither/near (Vedic particle)Indeclinableअव्ययम्Root इका (अव्यय/निपात-प्रातिपदिक; वेदिक)
- याः
- which (fem. pl.)which (fem. pl.; introducing a class)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- काश्च
- and which/whatever (fem. pl.)Pronoun + Indeclinableस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (काः) + अव्ययम् (च)Role कर्तृRoot क (किम्-प्रातिपदिक) + च
- इमाः
- these (fem. pl.)these (present/near; the poisons at hand)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- खनित्रिमाः
- dug-out/obtained by digging (fem. pl.; e.g., roots/herbs)‘dug-out’/earth-bred (from khanitra ‘spade, digging’); i.e., creatures/poisons arising from holes, burrows, or dug ground—scorpions, snakes, subterranean venomAdjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot खनित्रिम (प्रातिपदिक; खनित्र-इम/इमक-सम्बद्धः)
- तासाम्
- of thoseof them (gen. pl.; of those poison-kinds)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अरसतमम्
- most tasteless/most sapless (superlative)most sapless, utterly without essence (superlative intensifier: complete neutralization)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root अ-रस-तम (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + रस + तमप्)
- विषम्
- poisonpoison/venomNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot विष (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- कर्णा | श्वावित् | तत् | अब्रवीत् | गिरेः | अवचरन्ति | इका । याः | काः | च | इमाः | खनित्रिमाः | तासाम् | अरसतमम् | विषम् ।
- 1) काश्चेमाः = काः + च + इमाः (च + इ → चे).
- 2) गिरेरवचरन्तिका = गिरेः + अवचरन्ति + इका
- विसर्ग-लोपः/रेफ-सन्धिः (गिरेः + अ → गिरेऽ/गिरेर्) तथा अवचरन्ति + इका → अवचरन्तिका (स्वर-सन्धिः)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition (anukramaṇī-dependent)
- Devata
- Viṣa; named poison-beings (Karnā, Śvāvit) and habitat-sources
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh-like
- Rasa
- Shanta and Bhayankara
Sayana construes the verse as extending the charm’s net: poisons ‘descending from the mountain’ and those ‘khanitrimāḥ’ (arising from dug ground/holes) are included. The superlative ‘arasatamam’ is emphasized as total deprivation of viṣa-śakti; the reported speech (‘abravīt’) lends traditional authority to the formula.
Anukramaṇī-attributed Atharvanic seer (specific name varies by tradition for AVŚ 5.13)
Bhaiṣajya: anti-venom and ecological classification of toxins; mantra as diagnostic grid (source-based taxonomy)
Embodies the Atharvan stance: identify, name, and ritually ‘thin’ the harmful essence, converting dread into ordered protection.
Viṣa (Poison) with named poison-beings (Karnā, Śvāvit)
Viṣa is treated as an animate, mobile power tied to landscapes; it must be localized and rendered inert by speech-act.
Neutralization by ‘rasa-draining’ (arasa-karaṇa): reducing potency rather than ‘destroying’ matter.
Apotropaic coverage of multiple ecological sources; comprehensive warding across terrain-types.
4 pādas of ~8 syllables with mild Atharvanic irregularity (lexical names and compounds can shift counts)
Name-heavy diction (Karnā/Śvāvit) and habitat-compounds often create a slightly uneven cadence typical of charm-verses.
Incantatory, cataloguing rhythm—classification followed by verdict (arasa).
Produces a ‘netting’ effect: the listener feels all sources of poison are encompassed and therefore controllable.
If the biter is unknown, the priest recites this verse to ‘include’ mountain and subterranean classes.
While reciting, he may gesture downward (toward earth) and outward (toward hills) to symbolically encompass habitats.
Apply the counter-medium (sprinkling/anointing/binding) immediately after the recitation, sealing the ‘most sapless’ transformation.
Kauśika Sūtra: viṣa-śānti/viṣa-nāśana application of AV 5.13; used when the biting creature is unknown or when multiple poison-sources are suspected (edition-dependent numbering).
Atharvan priest as classifier of danger: expands the rite’s scope by ecological enumeration, preventing ritual ‘loopholes’.
Recited over the patient and/or over a medium (water, ointment, amulet) while enumerating suspected sources (hill/field/burrow).
Immediately after suspected bite/sting or toxic contact; repeated during symptom escalation.
Family Atharvan/householder-healer recites; a specialist may prepare protective bindings.
Kauśika anti-venom applications are typically grouped with viṣa-pratikriyā rites (exact sūtra numbering varies by edition).
Used as a protective recitation alongside urgent medical care; can accompany breathing/grounding and immobilization.
Poison (viṣa); Landscape taxonomy (mountain, dug earth) as diagnostic grid
Landscape functions as a pharmacological map: mountain and burrow are ‘diagnostic categories.’ The mantra’s ‘medicine’ is vāc that strips viṣa of rasa (effective essence).
Envenomation/poisoning (animal venom or toxic exposure), broadly construed
Verbal de-potentiation: declaring poison ‘sapless’ + ecological totalization (mountain + subterranean) to prevent overlooked sources.
Conceptual link to viṣa-cikitsā (toxicology) and the idea of reducing tejas/virya of toxins; ‘rasa’ language resonates with dhātu/rasa discourse though not strictly classical Ayurveda.
First-aid framing: identify exposure source and reduce systemic impact; psychologically akin to grounding techniques during panic after bites/stings.
Viṣa as an animate adversary; poison-beings tied to terrain
Comprehensive neutralization of poison from multiple habitats; render it ineffective (arasa).
Taxonomic binding by naming + performative predicate (‘arasatamam viṣam’) to drain potency.
Venom from mountain/forest descent and from burrows/dug-earth creatures
- कर्णा (karnā)
- the ‘listening/sensing’ aspect of danger—poison that ‘hears’ and finds its way; also a specific venom-class in Atharvanic taxonomy
- श्वावित् (śvāvit)
- the stealthy, subterranean mode of harm—what strikes from hidden places
- गिरेः अवचरन्तिका (gireḥ avacarantikā)
- descending danger; sudden onset from higher/remote regions (hills, forest slopes), i.e., unpredictable exposure
- खनित्रिमाः (khanitrimāḥ)
- toxins arising from the underworld/hidden layers—latent afflictions, concealed hostility
- अरसतमम् (arasatamam)
- complete deactivation of virulence; draining the ‘rasa’ (effective essence) of poison
- विषम् (viṣam)
- any invasive, destabilizing force—venom, contagion, malice, or toxic speech/thought
Source-awareness: observe where ‘toxicity’ enters (sense, speech, contact) and name it without fear.
Manipura (poison/heat transformation)
Moderate, steady exhale-lengthening to reduce panic response after exposure.
Imagine venom as dark ‘juice’ draining out into dry earth until it becomes tasteless dust.
Grounded vigilance moving into equanimity.
Chant with attention on containment (a boundary around the body) and on the word arasa as a felt ‘drying’ of harm.
Simple Atharvanic recitation with clear udātta emphasis on key predicates (notably arasa/viṣa) according to śākhā practice.
Keep the cadence even; give slight stress to names (karnā, śvāvit) and to arasa-tamam / viṣam as the operative verdict.
Firm, clinical, ‘naming’ tone rather than devotional singing.
Charm-verses often work by ‘coverage’; recite while mentally scanning terrains and possible sources to avoid ritual ‘blind spots’.
Suspected bite/sting, toxic contact, or fear of unseen venom in wilderness/fieldwork contexts.
Immediately after exposure and while arranging medical help; also as preventive recitation when entering high-risk terrain.
Psychological stabilization + traditional apotropaic protection; supports the intent to neutralize venom’s potency.
Not a substitute for antivenom/urgent care; immobilize affected limb, avoid harmful folk interventions (incisions/suction).
The verse supplies a ‘coverage clause’—it ensures the remedy applies regardless of the poison’s habitat-origin. In practice, the same herb/water/amulet can be used while the mantra broadens its target-set.
Authority is located in inherited speech (‘thus spake…’), aligning healing with tradition and specialist custody of formulas. The patient’s world (mountain/earth dangers) is ritually mapped and controlled by priestly discourse.
The indefinite-relative construction (‘yāḥ kāś ca’) and technical habitat-term ‘khanitrimāḥ’ reflect AV’s pragmatic, quasi-ethnobiological lexicon. The superlative ‘arasatamam’ is a charm-style intensifier.
Gopatha’s emphasis on comprehensive ritual correctness is mirrored here: enumerating categories prevents omission. Efficacy is tied to exhaustive verbal capture of the threat-domain.
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