Atharva Veda 1.11.3: Kanda 1, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 11, Mantra 3

Sukta 11

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

सू॒षा व्यू॑र्णोतु॒ वि योनिं॑ हापयामसि । श्र॒थया॑ सूषणे॒ त्वमव॒ त्वं बि॑ष्कले सृज

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 1.11.3

IAST Transliteration

sūṣā vyù̄rṇotu ví yóniṃ hāpayāmasi | śratháyā sūṣaṇe tvám áva tváṃ biṣkale sṛja

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Let Sūṣā unclose, set wide apart the womb: we cause the hindrance to depart. By loosening, O Loosener, do thou—yea, thou—cast it down and forth, O Biṣkala; discharge it.

Translation

सुषा नाम का देवता है जो गर्भाशय को खोलता है। हम रुकावट को दूर करने की दुआ करते हैं। हे लूज़नर, तू इसे ढीला कर। हे बिस्कल, तू इसे बाहर फेंक दे। इसे निकाल के बाहर कर दे।

The meaning

What it says

A command for Sūṣā to ‘unclose’ and widen the yoni (womb/birth passage), removing hindrance. Through loosening, the Loosener is asked to cast the obstruction down and out; Biṣkala is invoked in the act of discharge.

The inner meaning

The psyche’s ‘closed gate’ under fear is addressed by personifying the releasing power. Naming the loosener externalizes the function of relaxation; the mantra teaches that opening happens by unbinding, not by force.

The truth in it

Obstructions yield when the right principle is applied: not brute pressure, but skilful loosening. Language can cue the nervous system toward release.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Bhaisajya (Healing) / Strikarmāṇi (Women’s Rites)

Its aim

To open the birth-passage and expel an obstructing factor in childbirth (release of retention/‘binding’ in the womb).

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Word by Word

Pada patha

सूषा । वि । ऊर्णोतु । वि । योनिम् । हापयामसि । श्रथया । सूषणे । त्वम् । अव । त्वम् । बिष्कले । सृज ।

सूषा

the सूषा (a wasting/afflicting condition; disease/evil)the (personified) loosening/expulsive power; the agent that opens and drives out (esp. in obstructed delivery/retention)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सूषा- (प्रातिपदिक; रोग/दोष-विशेषः) अथवा सूष्- (धातु, शोषणे)

व्यूर्णोतु

let (her/it) open/spread apartVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √वृ (वृणोति/वृणुते) उपसर्गः वि-

वि

apart, asunderapart, asunder; in a dispersive/undoing sense (magically ‘unfastening’)Indeclinableअव्ययRoot वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

योनिम्

the womb; the source/seatthe womb, generative passage; the birth-channel (site of obstruction to be opened)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot योनि- (प्रातिपदिक)

हापयामसि

we cause to abandon; we drive awaywe cause to depart, we drive away, we make it let go (the retained/obstructing factor)Verbलट्, परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √हा (त्यागे) णिच् → हापय-

श्रथया

with loosening/relaxationby loosening, by slackening; with the act/formula of untying (apotropaic ‘unbinding’)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot श्रथया- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘loosening/relaxing’), √श्रथ् (शिथिलीकरणे) से

सूषणे

in/for the सूषण (the wasting affliction; the condition)O Loosener/Expeller (voc.); addressed as a functional deity of releaseNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सूषण- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सूषा’ से सम्बन्धित/सूषा-कारक) अथवा √सूष् (शोषणे) से

त्वम्

youthou (emphatic): you yourself (as operative power in the rite)Pronounउत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

अव

down, away; offdown, away; in the sense of removal/expulsion (casting out the impediment)Indeclinableअव्ययRoot अव (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

त्वम्

youthou (again emphatic): you, not another, effect the releasePronounप्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्-

बिष्कले

O Biṣkala (name of the affliction/evil being addressed)O Biśkala (voc.); a named female/daemon-like power associated with ‘unfastening’ or with the obstructing mass to be released (interpreted in ritual as the binding/plug to be expelled)Nounपुंलिङ्ग (सम्भाव्य), सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot बिष्कल- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘बिष्कल’ = रोग/दोष-विशेषः; voc.)

सृज

release; let go; cast offsend forth, let loose, discharge; effect the actual expulsion/releaseVerbलोट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √सृज् (विसर्गे/मोचने)

Sandhi Notes

• सूषा | व्यूर्णोतु (= वि + ऊर्णोतु; उपसर्ग ‘वि-’ + √वृ ‘ऊर्णोति’ लोट् 3sg) | वि | योनिम् | हापयामसि | श्रथया | सूषणे | त्वम् | अव | त्वम् | बिष्कले | सृज । ‘व्यूर्णोतु’ में वि-उपसर्ग के साथ स्वर-सन्धि से ‘वि ऊ…’ → ‘व्यू…’।

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic tradition (seer not securely fixed for this single verse in common modern apparatus; often assigned within the hymn’s anuvāka tradition).

Devata

Sūṣā (personified loosener/expeller); Biṣkala (named power linked to the obstruction or its release).

Chandas

Anuṣṭubh (probable; standard for many AV healing verses—exact metrical scan depends on pada reading).

Rasa

Vira and Adbhuta

Sayana's Commentary

The Seer

The Deity

The Metre

The Rite

In the Home

Substances

Healing Context

Magic Charm Layer

Symbols in this Mantra

Yogic Application

Chanting Notes

Practical Application

Scholarly Questions