Sukta 4
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (often transmitted under Atharvan/Angiras lineages for maṇi and bheṣaja hymns; specific r̥ṣi attribution depends on Anukramaṇī tradition for this sukta).
Devata: Jāṅgiḍa (as personified remedy/amulet) and the apotropaic power opposed to Viṣkandha and Attrins.
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; short pādas with Atharvanic cadence—confirmable against pada-count in a metrical edition).
Ce bref charme‑hymne atharvanique investit le Jāṅgiḍa comme un maṇi (amulette/remède) donné par les dieux, qui protège le porteur des afflictions de type Viṣkandha, des forces rākṣasa et des « dévoreurs » (attrin). Le remède y est présenté comme une médecine universelle (viśvabheṣaja) : non seulement il repousse les agents hostiles et la sorcellerie (kṛtyā), mais il « porte en avant » la durée de vie de la personne au‑delà du danger.
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
दीर्घायुःप्राप्तिः। दी॒र्घा॒यु॒त्वाय॑ बृह॒ते रणा॒यारि॑ष्यन्तो॒ दक्ष॑माणाः॒ सदै॒व। म॒णिं वि॑ष्कन्ध॒दूष॑णं जङ्गि॒डं बि॑भृमो व॒यम्
Pour obtenir une longue vie; pour la grande lutte — indemnes, déployant à jamais notre force, nous portons l’amulette, Jāṅgiḍa, fléau de Viṣkandha, corrupteur du corrupteur.
Mantra 2
जङ्गि॒डो ज॒म्भाद् वि॑श॒राद् विष्क॑न्धादभि॒शोच॑नात्। म॒णिः स॒हस्र॑वीर्यः॒ परि॑ णः पातु वि॒श्वतः॑
De Jambha, de Viśará, de Viṣkandha, de l’Abhiśocana — que l’amulette, aux mille puissances, nous enveloppe et nous garde de toutes parts.
Mantra 3
अ॒यं विष्क॑न्धं सहते॒ऽयं बा॑धते अ॒त्त्रिणः॑ । अ॒यं नो॑ वि॒श्वभे॑षजो जङ्गि॒डः पा॒त्वंह॑सः
Ceci triomphe du Viṣkandha ; ceci repousse les Dévoreurs. Que ce Jāṅgiḍa, remède universel, nous protège de la détresse et du mal.
Mantra 4
दे॒वैर्द॒त्तेन॑ म॒णिना॑ जङ्गि॒डेन॑ मयो॒भुवा॑ । विष्क॑न्धं॒ सर्वा॒ रक्षां॑सि व्याया॒मे स॑हामहे
Avec l’amulette donnée par les dieux, avec Jaṅgiḍa, porteuse de bien-être,—Viṣkandha et tous les Rākṣasas, mis en déroute, nous les maîtrisons.
Mantra 5
श॒णश्च॑ मा जङ्गि॒डश्च॒ विष्क॑न्धाद॒भि र॑क्षताम्। अर॑ण्याद॒न्य आभृ॑तः कृ॒ष्या अ॒न्यो रसे॑भ्यः
Que Śaṇa et Jaṅgiḍa me gardent contre Viṣkandha. L’un est apporté de la forêt; l’autre du champ cultivé, issu des sucs des plantes.
Mantra 6
कृ॒त्या॒दूषि॑र॒यं म॒णिरथो॑ अराति॒दूषिः॑ । अथो॒ सह॑स्वान् जङ्गि॒डः प्र ण॒ आयुं॑षि तारिषत्
Cette amulette est un destructeur de Kṛtyā accomplie; de plus, elle détruit l’hostilité. Et que la puissante Jaṅgiḍa fasse passer nos durées de vie en sûreté.
Inside Sukta 4
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn begins by pointing to the present, handled remedy—“this (ayam)”—establishing the amulet as immediately effective and near at hand.
- What it asks
That Jāṅgiḍa, the universal medicine, guard the community/client from aṃhas, overpower Viṣkandha, and rout devouring/hostile forces.
- Where its power lies
Its efficacy is grounded in being ‘god-bestowed’ (devair datta), weal-producing (mayobhu), and specifically a ‘spoiler’ of kṛtyā and arāti.
- How it closes
It ends by sealing the boon of protection with the life-preserving claim: the mighty Jāṅgiḍa will carry forward our life-spans (āyūṃṣi).
Famous verses
viśvabheṣajo jaṅgiḍaḥ
devair dattena maṇinā
kṛtyādūṣir ayaṃ maṇiḥ
Kind of hymn
Bhaisajya (Healing) / Rakṣoghna (Apotropaic protection)
What it is for
Comprehensive protection and healing: repelling Viṣkandha and hostile beings, spoiling witchcraft and enmity, and stabilizing/lengthening the client’s life-force.
Who it is for
Householders and Atharvanic practitioners performing protective rites for a patient, child, traveler, or anyone threatened by illness, malevolent forces, or sorcery.
Also used as
- Rakṣoghna
- Kṛtyāpratiṣedha
- Āyuṣya
The deity
Jāṅgiḍa is treated as a living, god-bestowed protective power embodied in a plant-substance and/or worn maṇi. In this sukta it functions as an apotropaic medicine that confronts Viṣkandha (a binding/obstructive affliction) and consumes the efficacy of hostile beings and sorcery.
Powers of the deity
- Overcomes Viṣkandha affliction and loosens harmful “bindings”
- Drives away attrins (“devourers”) and rākṣasas (hostile agencies)
- Neutralizes kṛtyā (wrought witchcraft) and arāti (enmity/hostility)
- Guards from aṃhas (distress, sin-like calamity)
- Preserves and safely carries forward āyus (life-span, vitality)
Why the deity is called
To consecrate and activate the Jāṅgiḍa-maṇi as an all-purpose protective remedy—expelling demons/afflictions, breaking sorcery, and securing safety and longevity for the wearer/patient.
The seer
- Atharvanic/Āṅgirasa line (Anukramaṇī-dependent)Atharvan. Bheṣaja and maṇi (amulet) charms—healing, rakṣoghna protection, and kṛtyā-pratiṣedha (countering sorcery) through empowered substances.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 2.4 (Jāṅgiḍa-maṇi hymn)
- AV 1.34 (maṇi/protective charm cluster, tradition-linked)
- AV 2.9 (bheṣaja/protection cluster, tradition-linked)
Preparing for the rite
- Obtain a Jāṅgiḍa-based maṇi/amulet (plant piece, bead, or tied sachet) intended for wearing.
- Purify the amulet with clean water (optionally with a simple sprinkling/abhiṣeka) and keep it on a clean cloth.
- Seat the client facing an auspicious direction; establish a calm, protected space (rakṣā) around them.
The rite
- Recite the sukta while holding up or touching the amulet with the deictic emphasis of ‘ayam’ (“this”).
- Bind/tie the amulet onto the client (neck/arm/waist) or place it at the head/heart area as the verses are spoken.
- Conclude with a final recitation over the client’s head/shoulders, affirming the spoilage of kṛtyā and the safe passage of āyus.
What it needs
- Jāṅgiḍa (as plant-substance and/or named amulet material)
- Maṇi/amulet cord or binding thread
- Clean water for sprinkling/purification
When
Performed when affliction is suspected (Viṣkandha-like symptoms), after ominous encounters, or as a proactive protective wearing; commonly done in the morning or before travel/sleep.
The main substance
Jāṅgiḍa as maṇi (protective amulet substance; plant-based charm material)
Herbs
- Jāṅgiḍa (identification varies by tradition; treated here as the named protective plant-substance)
Amulets
- Maṇi (tied/worn amulet)
- Binding cord/thread for fastening the charm
How it is prepared
Fashion or select the Jāṅgiḍa piece as an amulet (or place it in a small sachet), purify by sprinkling with clean water, then tie it onto the body during recitation with repeated emphasis on ‘this’ (ayam) as the activated object.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jāṅgiḍa is the name of a protective remedy treated as a living power embodied in an amulet (maṇi). The hymn speaks to it as an active guardian that repels afflictions and hostile forces.
Viṣkandha is an Atharvanic term for a harmful, obstructive affliction—often imagined as a binding force that causes distress. The sukta’s aim is to overpower and drive it away using the Jāṅgiḍa-maṇi.
The verses are recited over a prepared amulet while it is held and then tied onto the person (neck/arm/waist) as protection. The hymn explicitly frames the object as ‘this’ effective remedy, meant to be worn or applied.
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