Sukta 30
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (rakṣā-hymn; specific r̥ṣi not supplied in the input)
Devata: Darbha as deified protective agent; Indra/Brahmaṇaspati as empowering identifications
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; standard for many AV rakṣā verses)
Is mantra mein darbha ghaas ko ek jeevant kavaj bataya gaya hai. Isko pehenne se insaan ko suraksha milti hai aur umar lambi hoti hai. Darbha mein Brahmanaspati aur Indra ki shakti hai. Iski shuruat samundar ki awaaz aur Parjanya ki bijli se hui thi. Yeh samaj ki suraksha ke liye bhi kaam karta hai. Isliye isko divine kavaj mana gaya hai.
Mantras
Mantra 1
दर्भमणिः। यत् ते॑ दर्भ ज॒रामृ॑त्युः श॒तं वर्म॑सु॒ वर्म॑ ते । तेने॒मं व॒र्मिणं॑ कृ॒त्वा स॒पत्नां॑ जहि वी॒र्यैः
Yeh Darbha ki mani hai. Darbha, tumhari khaas baat yeh hai ki tum budha hone aur marne se bhi safe ho, sau kawach mein bhi kawach ho. Isliye is aadmi ko surakshit bana ke, uski taakat se dushmanon ko maar daal.
Mantra 2
श॒तं ते॑ दर्भ॒ वर्मा॑णि स॒हस्रं॑ वी॒र्या॑णि ते । तम॒स्मै विश्वे॒ त्वां दे॒वा ज॒रसे॒ भर्त॒वा अ॑दुः
Darbha grass ke paas sau kawach hain aur hazaar taakatein hain. Saare devtaon ne is aadmi ke liye yeh grass diya hai. Isse pehen ke woh budha ho, lekin umar lambi ho.
Mantra 3
त्वामा॑हुर्देव॒वर्म॒ त्वां द॑र्भ॒ ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पति॑म्। त्वामिन्द्र॑स्याहु॒र्वर्म॒ त्वं रा॒ष्ट्राणि॑ रक्षसि
Log darbha ko bhagwan ki suraksha kehte hain. Isko brahma ka guru maante hain. Indra ki suraksha bhi isko batate hain. Yeh deshon ki hifazat karta hai.
Mantra 4
स॒प॒त्न॒क्षय॑णं दर्भ द्विष॒तस्तप॑नं हृ॒दः । म॒णिं क्ष॒त्रस्य॒ वर्ध॑नं तनू॒पानं॑ कृणोमि ते
Yeh darbha dushman ko khatam karta hai. Jo tumse nafrat karta hai, uske dil mein jala deta hai. Main tumhare liye yeh mani bana raha hoon. Yeh tumhari taakat badhaata hai aur tumhare sharir ki hifazat karta hai.
Mantra 5
यत् स॑मु॒द्रो अ॒भ्यक्र॑न्दत् प॒र्जन्यो॑ वि॒द्युता॑ स॒ह। ततो॑ हिर॒ण्ययो॑ बि॒न्दुस्ततो॑ द॒र्भो अ॑जायत
Jab samundar zor se chillaya aur bijli chamki, tab ek sonay ki boond bani. Us boond se darbha paida hua.
Frequently Asked Questions
In AV 19.30 darbha is treated as a deified protective power. It is praised as “divine armour” and even identified with Brahmaṇaspati and Indra’s varman, so it functions as a sacred protector, not merely a plant.
The hymn aims at rakṣā and paustika results: strong protection like armour, support for long life into old age, and safeguarding of one’s well-being—extended in the text to protection of the rāṣṭra (the realm/community).
It is applied by consecrating darbha grass through recitation and then wearing or tying the darbha as an amulet/armour (varman). The act of ‘wearing’ is central to the hymn’s imagery and intended effect.
Ask anything about Sukta 30 of the Atharva Veda
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Atharva Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.