Atharva Veda 11.3.63: Kanda 11, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 3, Mantra 63
Sukta 3
अ॒ग्नेर्जि॒ह्वया॑
agnéḥ jihváyā
With Agni’s tongue.
अग्नि की जीभ से यह काम हुआ।
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (not explicit in excerpt)
Devata: Agni
Chandas: Fragment/formula (elliptic)
Primary: adbhuta
Secondary: shanta
Sāyaṇa glosses Agni’s ‘tongue’ as the flame that consumes offerings; by invoking it, the rite transfers the act of eating/tasting into the sacrificial register—purification through divine consumption.
To effect purification and safe assimilation by identifying the consuming agency with Agni’s flame-tongue.
Impurity/poisoning conceptually; indigestion-like harm; contamination of food/medicine; spirit-taint.
tongue (jihvā)
Agni-identification: the consuming organ is made divine; what is ingested is processed as offering, not as threat.
Jatharāgni/tejas: strengthening digestive fire to prevent āma (toxic residue).
Mindful eating/medication adherence ritual; reducing anxiety about contamination; symbolic ‘sterilization’ through heat metaphor.
bhaisajya
Impurity/poison/hostile essence in what is to be taken in
Purify and render safe the act of consumption/assimilation by invoking Agni’s consuming organ.
Identification (tanmayatā): the human act becomes Agni’s act; mantra as consecratory seal over ingestion.
Contamination, adverse effects, malevolent ‘taint’
“With Agni’s tongue.” A compact identification of the consuming/transforming instrument: the act is performed through Agni’s jihvā (flame-tongue).
The psyche learns to ‘metabolize’ experience: what is taken in is not raw; it is processed by inner fire—discernment, digestion, transformation.
Purification is not rejection alone; it is right transformation. The same ‘tongue’ that consumes offerings can consume impurity when aligned with sacred order.
- Agni
- transformative intelligence; digestive/purifying power; mediator between realms
- jihvā
- flame as organ of sacred consumption; also speech as ‘tasting’ reality
Inner fire as purifier; align speech and digestion.
manipura
Gentle kapalabhati-like warming (very mild) or simply warming ujjayi for a few breaths.
A small flame at the tongue and navel that safely burns impurities into light.
Sattvic alertness; ‘metabolic’ clarity.
Recite once before eating/medicine; pause and feel warmth and steadiness; keep intention of ‘safe assimilation’.
Single, clean utterance; keep agneḥ with clear visarga; stress jihvāyā as the operative instrumental.
Agneḥ (genitive) + jihvāyā (instrumental): articulate the case endings—this is a ‘means’ formula.
Agneḥ: audible ḥ at end, jihvāyā: long ī, long ā; avoid collapsing hv cluster
Warm, reverent, slightly whispered if accompanying ingestion.
Best used as an action-mantra timed exactly with touching food/medicine to the lips or offering to flame/lamp.
3
Before taking medicine, starting a therapeutic diet, or consuming something that causes anxiety (fear of reaction/contamination).
Immediately prior to ingestion; also before speaking difficult truth (tongue as purifier of speech).
Calmer, more confident assimilation; symbolic purification; improved compliance through ritual framing.
If there is real allergy/toxicity risk, do not rely on mantra—follow medical guidance.
पदच्छेदः: अग्नेः + जिह्वया। संधिः: विसर्ग-संधि—अग्नेः (…eḥ) के पश्चात् घोष/स्वर (ज्) आने पर विसर्ग का रूप ‘ः’ ही रहता है; कोई परिवर्तन नहीं। उच्चारण-चिह्न: अ॒ग्नेर्जि॒ह्वया॑ में ‘अग्नेः’ का विसर्ग पदसंहिता में ‘र्’ (रेफ) के रूप में प्रकट (अग्नेर्ज्…)—यह संहिता-पाठ का ध्वन्यात्मक/लिप्यन्तरण-रूप है; पदपाठ में स्पष्ट रूप ‘अग्नेः जिह्वया’।
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