Atharva Veda 1.35.2: Kanda 1, Anuvaka 4, Sukta 35, Mantra 2

Sukta 35

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

नैनं॒ रक्षां॑सि॒ न पि॑शा॒चाः स॑हन्ते दे॒वाना॒मोजः॑ प्रथम॒जं ह्ये॒तत्। यो बिभ॑र्ति दाक्षाय॒णं हिर॑ण्यं॒ स जी॒वेषु॑ कृणुते दी॒र्घमायुः॑

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 1.35.2

IAST Transliteration

náinaṃ rákṣāṃsi ná piśācā́ḥ sahante devā́nām ójaḥ prathamajáṃ hí etát | yó bíbhar̥ti dākṣāyaṇáṃ híraṇyaṃ sá jīvéṣu kr̥ṇute dīrghám-ā́yuḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Neither Rākṣases nor Piśācas can withstand him: for this is the Gods’ might, first-born in its origin. Whoso beareth the Dākṣāyaṇa gold, he among the living maketh for himself long life.

Translation

भगवान की ताकत इसमें है। कोई बुरा जानवर इसको नहीं हार सकता। यह सबसे पहले बना था। जो यह सोने की बाँध पहनता है, वो लंबी उम्र जीता है।

The meaning

What it says

The wearer is not overcome by rākṣasas or piśācas, because the gold amulet embodies the gods’ primal might; by bearing the dākṣāyaṇa-gold one secures long life among the living.

The inner meaning

Fear of unseen harm is countered by installing a felt sense of divine potency (ojas) in the body-image; the amulet functions as a stable “anchor” for courage, vitality, and boundary-strength.

The truth in it

What is ‘first-born’ in us—vital force and clarity—becomes protective when consciously carried and ritually affirmed; sustained life is supported by both material supports and meaning-bestowing speech.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Bhaisajya (Healing) / Rakṣoghna (Apotropaic)

Its aim

To render the wearer invulnerable to demonic affliction (rākṣasa/piśāca) and to secure long life through a gold amulet (Dākṣāyaṇa-hiraṇya).

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Word by Word

Pada patha

न । एनम् । रक्षांसि । न । पिशाचाः । सहन्ते । देवानाम् । ओजः । प्रथम-जम् । हि । एतत् । यः । बिभर्ति । दाक्षायणम् । हिरण्यम् । सः । जीवेषु । कृणुते । दीर्घम्-आयुः

न

notnot; negation used for apotropaic exclusionIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक-अव्ययRoot न

एनम्

him/itthis (person/amulet-bearer); the protected subjectPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इदम् (एतद्-प्रातिपदिक) → एन

रक्षांसि

demons, harmful spiritsRākṣasas, malignant demons; disease-bringing/obstructive beingsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot रक्षस्

न

notnor; continued negationIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक-अव्ययRoot न

पिशाचाः

piśācas (ghouls/evil beings)Piśācas, ghoulish spirits; agents of possession, wasting, and fearNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot पिशाच

सहन्ते

endure, withstandendure, withstand, overpower (are able to resist); here: cannot prevail againstVerbलट्; आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचनRoot सह्

देवानाम्

of the godsof the gods; indicating divine sanction and superior potencyNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root देव

ओजः

strength, mightvital force, might, efficacious power; a quasi-substance of protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Karma (with सह्: ‘withstand X’)Root ओजस्

प्रथमजम्

first-born, primevalfirst-born, primordial; possessing original/unsurpassed efficacyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole Viśeṣaṇa (of एतत्/ओजः) / Karma in appositionRoot प्रथम + ज (√जन्) → प्रथमज

हि

indeed, forfor, indeed; emphatic justificationIndeclinableनिपात (हेतौ/बलार्थे)Root हि

एतत्

thisthis (amulet/force); the present ritual object/powerPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (अत्र: प्रथमा, ‘this (is)’)Role Kartā (of implied ‘अस्ति’)Root एतद्

यः

whowho; relative introducing the bearer/performerPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद्

बिभर्ति

bears, carriesbears, wears, carries (as an amulet); sustained bodily contact for efficacyVerbलट्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRoot भृ

दाक्षायणम्

(belonging to) Dakṣa / DākṣāyaṇaDākṣāyaṇa (Dakṣa-derived/connected) [gold/amulet]; a consecrated lineage-marked protective objectAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole Viśeṣaṇa (of हिरण्यम्)Root दाक्षायण (patronymic from दक्ष)

हिरण्यम्

goldgold; luminous, solar, life-prolonging, demon-repelling substanceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot हिरण्य

सः

hehe; the wearerPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद्

जीवेषु

among the living (beings)among the living; in the sphere of embodied life/this-worldly existenceNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot जीव

कृणुते

makes, produces (for himself)makes, effects, establishes (for himself); ritual causationVerbलट्; आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRoot कृ

दीर्घम्

longAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole Viśeṣaṇa (of आयुः)Root दीर्घ

आयुः

life, lifespanNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot आयुस्

Sandhi Notes

• नैनम् = न + एनम्
• रक्षांसि (no split)
• न पिशाचाः (no split)
• देवानामोजः = देवानाम् + ओजः
• प्रथमजं ह्येतत् = प्रथमजम् + हि + एतत् (hy- from hi + etat)
• दाक्षायणं हिरण्यं = दाक्षायणम् + हिरण्यम्
• स जीवेषु = सः + जीवेषु
• दीर्घमायुः = दीर्घम् + आयुः

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic tradition

Devata

Hiraṇya as empowered by ‘devānām ojas’ (divine might); apotropaic power against Rākṣasas and Piśācas

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (11-syllable cadence typical of the two-hemistich structure here)

Rasa

Vira and Shanta

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