Atharva Veda Sukta 18
Kanda 1Anuvaka 2Sukta 184 Mantras

Sukta 18

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (often attributed broadly to Atharvan/Angiras circles for alakṣmī-expulsion hymns; specific r̥ṣi assignment depends on anukramaṇī).

Devata: Alakṣmī (as the expelled misfortune) and Bhadrā/Śrī (as the attracted auspicious fortune); also the abstract power of Arāti as obstruction.

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; standard for many AV domestic/apotropaic verses—confirmable by full metrical count in critical edition).

AV 1.18 est un charme atharvanique concis qui chasse alakṣmī (malchance/pauvreté), arāti (obstruction hostile et refus de donner) et toute « ghora » — affliction intérieure terrible — agrippée au corps. En « soufflant au loin » l’impureté et en la déplaçant rituellement hors des membres et de l’apparence de la personne, l’hymne attire simultanément bhadrā/śrī — la fortune propice qui soutient la réussite du foyer et la descendance. La force opérante est vāc (la parole-mantra), appuyée par Savitar et des divinités alliées, qui repoussent le mal et mettent en mouvement la bonne fortune.

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 1.18

Mantras

Mantra 1

अलक्ष्मीनाशनम्। निर्ल॒क्ष्म्यं ऽ लला॒म्यं॑१ निररा॑तिं सुवामसि । अथ॒ या भ॒द्रा तानि॑ नः प्र॒जाया॒ अरा॑तिं नयामसि

Destruction d’Alakṣmī (malchance). Le non‑Lakṣmī, la marque funeste (lalāmya) et le non‑don hostile — nous les chassons au loin comme par un souffle. Puis ce qui est propice, ces [bonnes puissances] pour nous — pour la descendance — nous les amenons; et l’hostilité, nous l’éloignons.

Mantra 2

निरर॑णिं सवि॒ता सा॑विषक् प॒दोर्निर्हस्त॑यो॒र्वरु॑णो मि॒त्रो अ॑र्य॒मा। निर॒स्मभ्य॒मनु॑मती॒ ररा॑णा॒ प्रेमां दे॒वा अ॑साविषुः॒ सौभ॑गाय

Savitar a poussé dehors l’Arani—dehors des pieds; dehors des mains Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman. Dehors de nous Anumati, dans la joie: les dieux ont mis cela en marche—pour notre bonne fortune.

Mantra 3

यत् त॑ आ॒त्मनि॑ त॒न्वां ऽ घो॒रमस्ति॒ यद्वा॒ केशे॑षु प्रति॒चक्ष॑णे वा । सर्वं॒ तद्वा॒चाप॑ हन्मो व॒यं दे॒वस्त्वा॑ सवि॒ता सू॑दयतु

Tout ce qu’il y a en toi, en ton être, en ton corps, de terrible; ou ce qui est dans les cheveux, ou dans le regard et l’aspect — tout cela, nous le frappons et l’écartons par la parole. Que le dieu Savitar te pousse en avant, vers la sauvegarde.

Mantra 4

रिश्य॑पदीं॒ वृष॑दतीं गोषे॒धां वि॑ध॒मामु॒त। वि॒ली॒ढ्यं ऽ लला॒म्यं॑१ ता अ॒स्मन्ना॑शयामसि

L’aux pieds d’antilope, la dentée de taureau, l’entraveuse des vaches, la renverseuse — et aussi la lécheuse, la marquée : celles-là, nous les faisons périr loin de nous.

Frequently Asked Questions

Alakṣmī is the inauspicious condition—poverty, bad luck, and the ominous ‘blemish’ that blocks prosperity. The hymn treats it as something that can be ritually dislodged and sent away.

These are body-loci where impurity or obstruction is imagined to cling: hands and feet for action and movement, hair and appearance for visible omen and social presence. The recitation targets all these points to remove the ‘ghora’ affliction completely.

Wash hands and feet, stand at the doorway, recite while wafting outward to send away alakṣmī/arāti, then gesture inward to welcome bhadrā/śrī. It is commonly done in the morning or before an important undertaking to establish saubhāgya.

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