Atharva Veda 7.113.2: Kanda 7, Anuvaka 12, Sukta 113, Mantra 2
Sukta 113
तृ॒ष्टासि॑ तृष्टि॒का वि॒षा वि॑षात॒क्यऽसि । परि॑वृक्ता॒ यथास॑स्यृष॒भस्य॑ व॒शेव॑
tṛṣṭā́si tṛṣṭikā víṣā víṣātaky ási | pári-vṛktā yáthā ’sasya ṛṣabhásya vaśéva ||
Keen-edged art thou, O Tṛṣṭikā; poison art thou, poison-bearing art thou: turned back and driven round, as a submissive cow before a bull, so be (the foe).
Tranchante es-tu, ô Tṛṣṭikā ; tu es poison, tu portes le poison. Rejeté en arrière et poussé en rond, comme une vache docile devant le taureau, ainsi soit (l’ennemi).
The meaning
What it says
Declares Tṛṣṭikā as keen-edged and as poison/poison-bearing; commands that the foe be turned back and driven around, becoming submissive like a cow before a bull.
The inner meaning
Transforms fear into dominance: the operator aligns with a force that both ‘cuts’ and ‘toxifies’ the enemy’s aggression, causing it to lose direction and submit; psychologically, it is the reversal of intimidation.
The truth in it
Aggression collapses when its momentum is reversed; when power is re-centered, the threatening force becomes compliant or dissipates.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Abhicārika (Sorcery) / Śatrunāśana
Its aim
To render the enemy poisoned, routed, and submissive—either destroyed or compelled into helpless compliance.
Word by Word
Pada patha
तृष्टा॑ । असि । तृष्टिका । विषा । विषातकी । असि । परि-वृक्ता॑ । यथा॑ । असस्य । ऋषभस्य॑ । वशा॑ । इव॑ ।
- तृष्टा
- parched, dried upsharpened/keen; made cutting, efficacious for harmAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण-रूपेण संबोधन/विधेय)Root तृष् (धातु) → तृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- असि
- you arethou art; identification of the invoked powerVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole अस्ति-क्रिया; कर्ता = त्वम्Root अस् (धातु)
- तृष्टिका
- ‘Thirst/Parchedness’ (name of the affliction/demoness)Tṛṣṭikā; the invoked destructive agentNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विधेय (नाम-रूपेण)Root तृष्टिका (प्रातिपदिक; तृष्-सम्बद्ध)
- विषा
- poisonspoison; venomous potency (metaphor and/or substance)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (विषाणि → विषा वैदिक-रूप)Role कर्म (निवार्य-वस्तु/दोष)Root विष (प्रातिपदिक)
- विषातकी
- Viṣātakī (name of a poison-affliction/poison-destroying power; lit. ‘poison-striker’)poison-bearing/poisonous; one whose nature is venomNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विधेय (नाम-रूपेण)Root विषातकी (प्रातिपदिक; विष-घ्न/विष-सम्बद्ध)
- असि
- you arethou art; reiterated identificationVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole अस्ति-क्रिया; कर्ता = त्वम्Root अस् (धातु)
- परिवृक्ता
- turned away, driven off, repelledturned around/encircled/overthrown; (Sayana) made to turn away, to be driven offAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root परि-√वृत् (धातु) → परिवृक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- यथा
- as, just asas; in the manner thatIndeclinableअव्ययRole सम्बन्ध/उपमान-निर्देशकRoot यथा (अव्यय)
- असस्य
- of the mouthof the (hostile) one; (text uncertain) taken as ‘of that enemy/foe’ in curse-contextNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अस (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अस’ = मुख/आस्य ‘mouth’ का वैदिक रूप/सम्बद्ध)
- ऋषभस्य
- of the bullof a bull; emblem of force and dominanceNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वशा
- a cow (esp. a barren/‘vashā’ cow; a domestic term)a cow under control / a submissive cow; image of being led/subjectedNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (उपमान-रूपेण)Root वशा (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- likelike; simile markerIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपमा-द्योतकRoot इव (अव्यय)
Sandhi Notes
- तृष्टा असि | तृष्टिका | विषा | विषातकी असि | परिवृक्ता | यथा असस्य ऋषभस्य वशा इव ||
- 1) तृष्टासि = तृष्टा + असि (स्वर-सन्धि).
- 2) विषातक्यऽसि = विषातकी + असि
- वैदिक लेखन में ‘असि’ के पूर्व ‘y’/अवग्रह-चिह्न (ऽ) संधि-चिह्नवत्.
- 3) यथासस्य = यथा + असस्य (अ + अ → आ).
- 4) वशेव = वशा + इव (आ + इ → ए)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition
- Devata
- Tṛṣṭikā (as poison and sharp force)
- Chandas
- Likely Anuṣṭubh (needs metrical verification)
- Rasa
- Raudra and Bhayankara
The verse intensifies identification: Tṛṣṭikā is ‘sharpened’ and ‘poison’—a double register of harm (blade + venom). ‘parivṛktā’ is read as the enemy’s being made to turn away, to be routed or rendered compliant. The bovine simile (vaśā before ṛṣabha) expresses domination: the adversary is to be brought under control or forced into retreat.
Unknown (Atharvanic school attribution)
Abhicārika reversals (parivṛtti), coercive subjugation charms, and ‘poison’ metaphors as deterrent power.
Shows Atharvanic technique of combining weapon-symbolism (sharpness) with toxin-symbolism (viṣa) to rout and neutralize hostility.
Tṛṣṭikā
A reversing and subjugating force: makes the foe lose initiative, become ‘turned around,’ and fall under control.
Indirect: removes the ‘poison’ of enmity from the practitioner’s sphere by relocating toxicity onto the hostile vector.
Strong deterrent; wards by threatening consequence.
4 pādas of ~8 syllables; compounds (viṣātakī) may compress in recitation.
Atharvanic anuṣṭubh often tolerates resolution/overlength in heavy clusters; semantic parallelism is stronger than strict syllable regularity.
Driving, rotational rhythm matching ‘parivṛktā’ (turned around).
Creates a sense of spinning back the threat; repeated ‘viṣ-’ phonetics feel like a hiss (serpentine deterrence).
Prepare an effigy or a marked object representing the enemy.
Recite the mantra while anointing the effigy with a bitter/irritant substance (as ‘viṣa’ substitute) or while gesturing as if ‘poisoning’.
Perform a turning/whirling action (parivartana) of the effigy to enact ‘parivṛkta’—driving the foe back.
Conclude by placing the effigy under a heavy stone or tethering it, enacting ‘vaśā’ (subjugation).
Kauśika-sūtra: abhicāra procedures involving ‘poisoning’ symbolism and turning-back (parivartana) of an enemy; exact sūtra number requires concordance for AVŚ 7.113.2.
Atharvan practitioner coordinates anointing/turning/subjugating gestures with the identifications ‘viṣā…viṣātaky’ and the routing term ‘parivṛktā’.
Used in enemy-subjugation contexts; may accompany circling (pradakṣiṇa/anti-pradakṣiṇa depending on intent) around an effigy or boundary marker to enact ‘turning back.’
Liminal times; before disputes; sometimes with directional targeting (toward the foe’s quarter).
Atharvan specialist or knowledgeable householder; requires careful ethical containment.
Best treated as symbolic empowerment; avoid literal ‘poison’ acts.
Poison/venom (viṣa) as a conceptual or material adjunct; Cutting/sharpened force (tṛṣṭa) as weapon-symbolism
conceptual poison (viṣa) or a ritual bitter/caustic adjunct (possible, not stated)
‘Poison’ is the deterrent charge of the mantra—malice meets a toxic consequence; ‘sharpness’ is precision, preventing diffuse fear.
Not clinical; protective through coercion and reversal of hostility.
Symbolic overlap with viṣa (toxin) discourse; here viṣa is weaponized rather than treated.
Psychological ‘reversal’ techniques (refusing intimidation, asserting dominance); conflict de-escalation by removing the opponent’s leverage (non-clinical).
A specific enemy (named/indicated).
Poison/rout the foe; force submission and loss of agency by reversal.
Identification of the invoked power with poison and blade; reversal formula (parivṛktā) + simile of subjugation (cow-before-bull) to ‘script’ the foe’s behavior.
Aggressive rivals, coercion, hostile magic, intimidation.
- तृष्टा (tṛṣṭā)
- Penetrating clarity; decisive force
- विषा (viṣā)
- Toxic consequence for malice; counter-venom logic (like cures like) in magical register
- विषातकी (viṣātakī)
- Carrier of deterrence; the charm itself as ‘venom’ to hostility
- परिवृक्ता (parivṛktā)
- Reversal spell; turning the attacker’s intent back
- वशा इव (vaśā iva)
- Domination/subjugation; enemy rendered harmless and controllable
- ऋषभ (ṛṣabha)
- Archetype of overpowering force; the operator’s empowered stance
Reversal of fear-response; visualize rotating the hostile force outward until it dissolves.
Maṇipūra
Bhrāmarī (humming) softly after recitation to cool the raudra charge; during recitation keep steady nasal resonance on ‘viṣ-’.
A dark spiral leaving the body and circling away; a bright edge seals the perimeter.
Alert, guarded, centered.
Conclude with śānti-pāṭha or a cooling mantra to avoid carrying ‘poison’ internally.
Maintain steady pitch with emphatic rises on ‘tṛṣṭāsi’ and ‘viṣā’; soften slightly on the simile pāda to ‘seal’ submission.
Keep ‘viṣā viṣātakī’ as a tight pair; articulate retroflex ‘ṣ’ clearly.
Sibilant, controlled; avoid shouting; let ‘viṣ-’ hiss but remain measured.
If a circling action is used, synchronize ‘parivṛktā’ with the turning gesture; end by ‘sending away’ the force (do not retain the raudra mood).
21 times
When feeling dominated or manipulated; when facing an aggressive rival.
Before negotiations or confrontations; as a symbolic reversal rite after intimidation.
Restored agency; sense of deterrence and boundary control.
Do not use to escalate conflict; avoid any real poisoning; seek mediation/legal help if threatened.
If a plant irritant/poison is used, it is not ‘medicine’ but weaponized materia magica. The mantra authorizes the substance as viṣa in a ritual-semiotic sense, enabling substitution (mild irritant stands for lethal poison).
The verse encodes domination imagery (bull vs. submissive cow) as a social metaphor for power relations. Ritual speech is a means to enforce hierarchy beyond physical coercion, implying a world where status and safety can be contested through ritual aggression.
The explicit self-identification formula (‘…asi’) and the compact spell-like predicates (‘poison art thou’) are Atharvanic stylistics. The simile is traditional, but its deployment for coercive subjugation is more spell-oriented than RV encomium.
Gopatha’s substitution logic would support the ‘poison’ predicate as a transfer of quality: by naming and ritually representing poison, the practitioner installs that quality in the enemy’s sphere. The turning action would be justified as a physical analogue of verbal ‘routing’.
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