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).
Yeh mantra dukh aur garibi ko bhagane ke liye hai. Isme alakshmi aur dushman taakat ko shareer se nikala jata hai. Mantra bolne se buri cheezein door ho jaati hain. Savitar aur doosre devta isme madad karte hain. Saath hi bhagya aur shubh taakat ko aapke paas laya jata hai. Ghar mein khushali aur bacche hone ki baat hai. Yeh ek simple upay hai jisse bura nikal aur acha aaye.
Mantras
Mantra 1
अलक्ष्मीनाशनम्। निर्ल॒क्ष्म्यं ऽ लला॒म्यं॑१ निररा॑तिं सुवामसि । अथ॒ या भ॒द्रा तानि॑ नः प्र॒जाया॒ अरा॑तिं नयामसि
Buri kismat ko bhagao. Buri nazar, daag, aur jo kuch nahi deta, yeh sab door karo. Phir jo accha hai, jo achhi cheezein hain, woh hamare bacchon ke liye aaye. Aur dushmani ko ham log door bhej dete hain.
Mantra 2
निरर॑णिं सवि॒ता सा॑विषक् प॒दोर्निर्हस्त॑यो॒र्वरु॑णो मि॒त्रो अ॑र्य॒मा। निर॒स्मभ्य॒मनु॑मती॒ ररा॑णा॒ प्रेमां दे॒वा अ॑साविषुः॒ सौभ॑गाय
Savitar bhagwan ne us cheez ko bahar nikala jo pairon mein phansi hui thi. Varuna, Mitra aur Aryaman ne haathon mein phansi hui cheez ko bahar kiya. Anumati khush ho ke humse buri cheez ko door kar rahi hai. Devtaon ne yeh sab humare bhale ke liye kiya hai.
Mantra 3
यत् त॑ आ॒त्मनि॑ त॒न्वां ऽ घो॒रमस्ति॒ यद्वा॒ केशे॑षु प्रति॒चक्ष॑णे वा । सर्वं॒ तद्वा॒चाप॑ हन्मो व॒यं दे॒वस्त्वा॑ सवि॒ता सू॑दयतु
Tumhare andar jo bhi daravana hai, tumhare badan mein jo bhi bura hai, woh sab hum apni baaton se bhaga denge. Tumhare baalon mein ya tumhari nazar mein jo bhi problem hai, woh sab door kar denge. Savitar bhagwan tumhe aage badha ke surakshit karein.
Mantra 4
रिश्य॑पदीं॒ वृष॑दतीं गोषे॒धां वि॑ध॒मामु॒त। वि॒ली॒ढ्यं ऽ लला॒म्यं॑१ ता अ॒स्मन्ना॑शयामसि
Hiran jaisi taang wali, bail ke daant wali, gayein rokne wali, girane wali, aur jo chaatne wali hai, daag wali, yeh sab buri cheezein ham log apne paas se mita dete hain. Khatam kar do inko.
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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