Sukta 90
Rishi: Atharvanic/Aṅgiras-type attribution (book-level tradition; specific r̥ṣi uncertain without padānukramaṇī citation)
Devata: Bodily function/organ-state (implicit); operative power of mantra (vac) rather than a named deity
Chandas: Mixed/irregular (Atharvanic medical verses often deviate from strict RV meters)
Is mantra mein do kaam hain. Pehle, dushman ki taakat aur chamak todni hai. Uski jo power ya daulat jami hai, woh apne paas lana hai. Dusra, kisi mard ki body ka ek dikkat theek karna hai. Jaise koi cheez tight ho gayi ho, use dheela karna hai. Yeh seedha body ko command deta hai. Mantra ki shakti se yeh kaam hota hai.
Mantras
Mantra 1
शत्रुबलनाशनम्। अपि॑ वृश्च पुराण॒वद् व्र॒तते॑रिव गुष्पि॒तम्। ओजो॑ दा॒स्यस्य॑ दम्भय
Yeh mantra dushman ki taakat todne ke liye hai. Jaise purane zamane mein koi gaanth kaat deta tha, waise hi dushman ki taakat kaat do. Dasa ki shakti ko kuchal do.
Mantra 2
व॒यं तद॑स्य॒ सम्भृ॑तं॒ वस्विन्द्रे॑ण॒ वि भ॑जामहै । म्ला॒पया॑मि भ्र॒जः शि॒भ्रं वरु॑णस्य व्र॒तेन॑ ते
Uske paas jo dhan hai, use hum Indra ke saath baant lenge. Teri chamak-dhamak ko main sukhata hoon. Varuna ke niyam se teri taakat kam ho rahi hai.
Mantra 3
यथा॒ शेपो॑ अ॒पाया॑तै स्त्री॒षु चास॒दना॑वयाः । अ॒व॒स्थस्य॑ क्न॒दीव॑तः शाङ्-कु॒रस्य॑ नितो॒दिनः॑ । यदात॑त॒मव॒ तत् त॑नु॒ यदुत्त॑तं॒ नि तत् त॑नु
Jaise auraton mein se purush ki shakti chale jaati hai, bilkul waise hi. Jo bhi upar khicha hua hai, usey neeche kar do. Jo bhi utha hua hai, usey betha do. Yeh sab normal ho jaye.
Frequently Asked Questions
It combines both. Verses 7.90.1–2 work in an abhicāric/apotropaic mode (crushing an enemy’s ojas and withering their brilliance), while 7.90.3 is explicitly therapeutic in effect, commanding normalization of a genital/sexual bodily state.
No single deity is consistently addressed throughout. Indra is invoked as the power of victory and appropriation (7.90.2), Varuṇa as the binding force of ‘vrata’ that withers hostile splendor (7.90.2), and the final verse functions as direct mantra-command over the body rather than praise of a named god.
Not in the text as given—no herbs or amulets are specified. The hymn’s method is primarily verbal/performative (vāc), though some practitioners may add a symbolic ‘cutting’ gesture for 7.90.1 as an optional, interpretive aid.
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