Sukta 18
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (specific r̥ṣi not stated in the provided excerpt)
Devata: Apāmārga / the apotropaic power embodied in the plant and mantra
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; hymn style and cadence consistent with AV anuṣṭubh)
Is mantra mein kisi ki kari hui jadu ko wapas usi ke upar karne ki baat hai. Koi neech insaan kisi ghar par jadu karke nuksan pahuncha raha hai. Isme Apamarga naam ki ek jadi ka prayog bataya gaya hai. Yeh jadi us jadu ko bigad deti hai aur usey karne wale ko phansi lagti hai. Khet mein, gaay-bhains mein, ya insaan par kiya gaya jadu sab khatam ho jata hai. Ghar wale log surakshit ho jate hain aur unka kaam dhandha theek chalta hai.
Mantras
Mantra 1
अपामार्गः। स॒मं ज्योतिः॒ सूर्ये॒णाह्ना॒ रात्री॑ स॒मावती॑ । कृ॒णोमि॑ स॒त्यमू॒तये॑ऽर॒साः स॑न्तु॒ कृत्व॑रीः
Apamarg plant ka use kar ke main roshni ko suraj jaisa bana deta hoon. Din aur raat ko barabar kar deta hoon. Sach ka kaam karta hoon taaki madad mile. Jo log jadu-tona karte hain, unka kaam bejaan ho jaye. Unka kaam khatam ho jaye.
Mantra 2
यो दे॑वाः कृ॒त्यां कृ॒त्वा हरा॒दवि॑दुषो गृ॒हम्। व॒त्सो धा॒रुरि॑व मा॒तरं॒ तं प्र॒त्यगुप॑ पद्यताम्
Bhagwan, jo kisi ne jadu-tona karke kisi aur ke ghar mein bura kiya hai, usko wapas usi ke paas bhej do. Jaise bachheda apni maa ke paas bhaagta hai, waise hi woh bura kaam usi insaan ke paas jaye jo usne kiya hai. Uska jadu usi par padega.
Mantra 3
अ॒मा कृ॒त्वा पा॒प्मानं॒ यस्तेना॒न्यं जिघां॑सति । अश्मा॑न॒स्तस्यां॑ द॒ग्धायां॑ बहु॒लाः फट् क॑रिक्रति
Jisne apne ghar mein bura kaam kiya aur dusre ko maarna chahta hai, uska jadu-tona jala diya jaye. Jab woh jadu jalata hai toh patthar se maarta hai. Patthar toot ke awaaz karte hain aur us bura kaam ko khatam kar dete hain.
Mantra 4
सह॑स्रधाम॒न् विशि॑खा॒न् विग्री॑वां छायया॒ त्वम्। प्रति॑ स्म च॒क्रुषे॑ कृ॒त्यां प्रि॒यां प्रि॒याव॑ते हर
Tumhara hazaar ghar hai, tumhari chhaaya sab pe hai. Us jadu-tona ko gira do, uska sar kaat do. Tumne us bura kaam ko rok diya hai. Ab pyaare insaan ko uske pyaare ke paas pahuncha do.
Mantra 5
अ॒नया॒हमोष॑ध्या सर्वाः॑ कृ॒त्या अ॑दूदुषम्। यां क्षेत्रे॑ च॒क्रुर्यां गोषु॒ यां वा॑ ते॒ पुरु॑षेषु
Main is jadi-booti se sab kala jaadu tod deta hoon. Jo khet mein kiya, jo gay-bhains ke beech kiya, jo logon mein kiya, sab khatam. Yeh booti sab buri harkat ko nakaam kar deti hai.
Mantra 6
यश्च॒कार॒ न श॒शाक॒ कर्तुं॑ श॒श्रे पाद॑म॒ङ्गुरि॑म्। च॒कार॑ भ॒द्रम॒स्मभ्य॑मा॒त्मने॒ तप॑नं॒ तु सः
Jisne yeh kaam kiya, usse koi rok nahi sakta. Usne pair aur ungli tod di hai. Humare liye accha kiya hai woh, par apne liye bhi tapasya ki hai.
Mantra 7
अ॒पा॒मा॒र्गोऽप॑ मार्ष्टु क्षेत्रि॒यं श॒पथ॑श्च॒ यः । अपाह॑ यातुधा॒नीरप॒ सर्वा॒ अरा॒य्यः
Apamarg se kaha jaata hai ki woh buraai ko saaf kar de, jo bhi shraap ho woh bhi mita de. Usne chudail jaisi shaktiyon ko bhaga diya. Saari buri cheezein door ho jaayen.
Mantra 8
अ॒प॒मृज्य॑ यातु॒धाना॒नप॒ सर्वा॑ अरा॒य्यः । अपा॑मार्ग॒ त्वया॑ व॒यं सर्वं॒ तदप॒ मृज्महे
Jadu karne wale logon ko saaf karke bhaga do, saari buri cheezein bhi saath mein. Hey Apamarg, tumse hum yeh maangte hain ki jo bhi bura hai sab mita do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kṛtyā is a deliberately ‘made’ harmful act—witchcraft or hostile ritual construction—sent to injure a person, household, cattle, or crops. The hymn treats it as something that can be detected, undone, and forced to return to its maker.
Apāmārga is the ‘sweeper-away’ herb used as an oṣadhi-power that drives out and neutralizes harmful forces. In AV 4.18 it is the main ritual support for spoiling sorcery and protecting every affected domain (field, cattle, people).
It does both: it seeks welfare (bhadra) for the client while explicitly redirecting the harm so the sender bears the consequence. The hymn’s logic is reversal—harm is not kept in the household but sent back to its source.
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