Sukta 17
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (specific ṛṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī; commonly Atharvan/Angiras-type for protective hymns).
Devata: Protective power personified as Sikātāvatī and the Bow (Dhanuḥ), with Bṛhatī as magnified might.
Chandas: Likely Anuṣṭubh/related short meter; ‘bṛhatī’ here is primarily adjectival/personified (meter-identification requires padic count confirmation from a critical text).
Ye mantra aise jagah par suraksha ke liye hai jahan cheezein hil gayi ho ya bigad gayi ho. Pehle ye neeche, door aur beech sab jagah stability lagata hai. Phir ye body ke hisse aur nason ko theek kar deta hai. Aakhir mein ye Sikatavati aur ek oonchi dhanush ki shakal mein suraksha ki deewar banata hai. Isse wo jagah toot nahi sakti aur logon ki bhalai bani rehti hai. Ye mantra tab kaam aata hai jab kisi cheez ka balance bigad jaye.
Mantras
Mantra 1
रुधिरस्रावनिवृत्तये धमनीबन्धनम्। अ॒मूर्या यन्ति॑ यो॒षितो॑ हि॒रा लोहि॑तवाससः । अ॒भ्रात॑र इव जा॒मय॒स्तिष्ठ॑न्तु ह॒तव॑र्चसः
Yeh mantra rog ke liye hai. Auratein jinki khushi chali gayi hai, laal kapde pehne hain, khoon jaisa rang hai. Woh apne aap ko rok ke khadi hon. Inki shaan bhi tooti hai, jaise koi apna bhai-bahen nahi ho. Yeh sab buri cheezein yahin ruk jayen.
Mantra 2
तिष्ठा॑वरे॒ तिष्ठ॑ पर उ॒त त्वं ति॑ष्ठ मध्यमे । क॒नि॒ष्ठि॒का च॒ तिष्ठ॑ति॒ तिष्ठा॒दिद्ध॒मनि॑र्म॒ही
Neeche khada ho, upar khada ho, beech mein bhi khada ho. Choti ungli bhi pakki rehni chahiye. Sab jagah pe sab theek se khada ho, hilna nahi hai. Yeh sab pakka ho ke jaise jam ke khada ho.
Mantra 3
श॒तस्य॑ ध॒मनी॑नां स॒हस्र॑स्य हि॒राणा॑म्। अस्थु॒रिन्म॑ध्य॒मा इ॒माः सा॒कमन्ता॑ अरंसत
Sau nason ki baat hai, hazaar sona jaise dhaagon ki. Yeh sab hadiyaan aur body ke beech ke hisse sab sahi jagah pe aa gaye hain. Aakhir se lekar shuru tak sab theek se jud gaya hai.
Mantra 4
परि॑ वः॒ सिक॑तावती ध॒नूर्बृ॑ह॒त्यऽक्रमीत्।तिष्ठ॑ते॒लय॑ता॒ सु क॑म्
Retiche aur ret lekar chalne wali shakti tumhare charon taraf aa gayi hai. Bada dhanush aage badh kar khada ho gaya hai. Yeh ab pakka khada hai, hilta nahi. Theek se kaam karo, mat tooto. Kalyan ho.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used to establish a firm, all-around protective boundary and to stabilize what feels loosened or unsettled—both in a person (limbs/channels) and in a protected space (home, threshold, travel).
Sikātāvatī is a personified protective force associated with sand/grit—imagery of hardening and sealing a perimeter—advancing ‘all around’ to prevent intrusion and undoing.
Traditionally the imagery is enacted with a sand/earth ring and a bow (or symbol) as a repellent sign, but the core function is the spoken installation—‘stand fast’—which can be performed with minimal materials such as a cord/amulet and a marked boundary.
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