Sukta 20
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (often ascribed to Atharvan/Angiras line for rakṣoghna hymns; specific r̥ṣi varies by anukramaṇī)
Devata: Oṣadhi (the herb) as personified revealer; secondarily rakṣas/piśāca as targets
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (4 pādas of 8 syllables; typical for Atharvanic charms)
Is mantra mein ek jadi-booti ko bulaya ja raha hai jo chhupi hui buri cheezein dikhne lagati hai. Yeh jadi-booti haath mein lekar koi bhi chhupa hua dushman ko pakadne mein madad karti hai. Kimidin, pishach aur rakshas jaise log jo chhup ke rehte hain, yeh unhe saamne la deta hai. Jab woh log dikhne lagte hain, toh unhe bhagaya ja sakta hai aur koi bhi unse bach sakta hai. Isliye yeh mantra ghar mein rehne wale logon ke liye bahut kaam aata hai. Haath mein rakhi hui jadi-booti aankhon ko itna tej bana deti hai ki koi bhi nakab posh dikhne lagta hai. Phir woh buri cheezein dikh gayi toh unhe door karna aasan ho jata hai.
Mantras
Mantra 1
पिशाचक्षयणम्। आ प॑श्यति॒ प्रति॑ पश्यति॒ परा॑ पश्यति॒ पश्य॑ति । दिव॑म॒न्तरि॑क्ष॒माद् भूमिं॒ सर्वं॒ तद् दे॑वि पश्यति
Yeh devi pisach bhagane wali hai. Woh idhar dekhti hai, peeche dekhti hai, door tak dekhti hai. Aasmaan se hawa mein aur zameen tak, sab kuch woh devi dekh rahi hai.
Mantra 2
ति॒स्रो दिव॑स्ति॒स्रः पृ॑थि॒वीः षट् चे॒माः प्र॒दिशः॒ पृथ॑क्। त्वया॒हं सर्वा॑ भू॒तानि॒ पश्या॑नि देव्योषधे
Teen aasmaan hain aur teen zameen hain. Alag-alag chh dishaayein hain. Devi, tumhari madad se main sab jeev dekh sakun. Tum ek aisi paudha ho jo sab dikhati ho.
Mantra 3
दि॒व्यस्य॑ सुप॒र्णस्य॒ तस्य॑ हासि क॒नीनि॑का । सा भूमि॒मा रु॑रोहिथ व॒ह्यं श्रा॒न्ता व॒धूरि॑व
Woh upar wala pakshi jo aasmaan mein udta hai, uski aankh ki putli tum ho. Tum zameen par aa gayi ho. Ab tum thaki hui dulhan ki tarah ho, jise utha ke le jana hai.
Mantra 4
तां मे॑ सहस्रा॒क्षो दे॒वो दक्षि॑णे॒ हस्त॒ आ द॑धत्। तया॒हं सर्वं॑ पश्यामि॒ यश्च॑ शू॒द्र उ॒तार्यः॑
Hazaar aankhon wale bhagwan ne mujhe yeh cheez de di hai. Ab main isse sab kuch dekh sakta hoon. Chahe koi shudra ho ya aarya ho, sab mere saamne saaf dikhayi dete hain.
Mantra 5
आ॒विष्कृ॑णुष्व रू॒पाणि॒ मात्मान॒मप॑ गूहथाः । अथो॑ सहस्रचक्षो॒ त्वं प्रति॑ पश्याः किमी॒दिनः॑
Apna asli roop dikhao, chhupo mat. Tumhare paas hazaar aankhein hain. Inse sab dekho. Kimidin naam ke dushmanon ko pakdo.
Mantra 6
द॒र्शय॑ मा यातु॒धाना॑न् द॒र्शय॑ यातुधा॒न्यः । पि॒शा॒चान्त्सर्वा॑न् दर्श॒येति॒ त्वा र॑भ ओषधे
Mujhe Yatudhan dikhao, Yatudhani bhi dikhao. Saare Pisach dikhao. Main is jadi-booti ko pakad leta hoon. Yeh mujhe in sab buri aatmon ko dikhayegi.
Mantra 7
क॒श्यप॑स्य॒ चक्षु॑रसि शु॒न्याश्च॑ चतुर॒क्ष्याः । वी॒ध्रे सूर्य॑मिव॒ सर्प॑न्तं॒ मा पि॑शा॒चं ति॒र॒स्क॑रः
Yeh jadi-booti Kashyap ki nazar hai, Shuni ki bhi. Suraj ki tarah chamakti hai. Pisach jaise buri aatmain chhup ke rehti hain. Par yeh jadi-booti unhe dikhati hai, chhupne nahi deti.
Mantra 8
उद॑ग्रभं परि॒पाणा॑द् यातु॒धानं॑ किमी॒दिन॑म्। तेना॒हं सर्वं॑ पश्याम्यु॒त शू॒द्रमु॒तार्य॑म्
Maine Yatudhan aur Kimidin ko pakad liya. Ab main sab kuch dekh sakta hoon. Chhota aadmi bhi dikhta hai, bada aadmi bhi. Koi nahi chhup sakta.
Mantra 9
यो अ॒न्तरि॑क्षेण॒ पत॑ति॒ दिवं॒ यश्चा॑ति॒सर्प॑ति । भूमिं॒ यो मन्य॑ते ना॒थं तं पि॑शा॒चं॑ प्र द॑र्शय
Jo hawa mein urr ke aasman tak jaata hai, aur jo zameen par rengta hai. Jo yeh samajhta hai ki zameen uski hai, us pisach ko tu saamne la de.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used to uncover and drive away hidden harmful beings (piśāca/kīmīdin/rakṣas) believed to cause illness, fear, or disturbance—by forcing them to become visible and identifiable.
In Atharvanic healing, certain herbs are personified as conscious powers. Here the oṣadhi is the revealer: it grants ‘seeing’ to the practitioner and compels concealed forces to show themselves.
The text emphasizes the function—revelation and protection—more than a single botanical identity. Traditionally a locally recognized protective herb is chosen, held in the right hand during recitation, and used to ‘point out’ or ward the afflicted space.
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