Sukta 2
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (anukramaṇī-dependent)
Chandas: Likely Anuṣṭubh fragment/hemistich; full metrical context depends on surrounding mantras
This short Atharvavedic hymn works as a śānti-formula for social harmony: it expels ill-will and installs speech that is vigorous, honey-sweet, and publicly effective. It also safeguards the auditory channel—so that one hears auspicious words rather than ill-omens—and finally consecrates the ritual setting by honoring the prastara, anchoring the rite in correct sacred order.
Kind of charm
In this hymn
Addressed to
Mantras
Mantra 1
निर्दु॑रर्म॒ण्य ऊ॒र्जा मधु॑मती॒ वाक्
बुराई से निकली हुई बात में ताकत होती है। वो बात मीठी है, जैसे शहद हो। यह शब्द बुरी नज़र और बुरा खयाल को दूर भगा देता है।
Mantra 2
मधु॑मती स्थ॒ मधु॑मतीं॒ वाच॑मुदेयम्
तू शहद जैसी मीठी हो जा। और जो बात मैं बोलूँ, वो भी शहद जैसी मीठी हो।
Mantra 3
उप॑हूतो मे गो॒पाः उप॑हूतो गोपी॒थः
मैंने पुकारा है तो वो आएगा जो गायों की रक्षा करता है। उसके साथ गायों का आशियाना भी आएगा।
Mantra 4
सु॒श्रुतौ॒ कर्णौ॑ भद्र॒श्रुतौ॒ कर्णौ॑ भ॒द्रं श्लोकं॑ श्रूयासम्
मेरे कान ऐसे हो जो अच्छी तरह सुन सकें। जो भी अच्छी बात बोली जाए, मैं उसे सुन पाऊँ।
Mantra 5
सुश्रु॑तिश्च॒ मोप॑श्रुतिश्च॒ मा हा॑सिष्टां॒ सौप॑र्णं॒ चक्षु॒रज॑स्रं॒ ज्योतिः॑
अच्छी सुनाई और ध्यान से सुनना, यह दोनों मुझे न छोड़ें। मेरी आँखें बाज़ जैसी तेज़ हो, और अंधेरा न हो।
Mantra 6
ऋषी॑णां प्रस्त॒रोऽसि॒ नमो॑ऽस्तु दैवा॑य प्रस्त॒राय॑
यह मंत्र रिशियों के लिए है जो उनकी पूजा का एक हिस्सा है। भगवान को सलाम है जो सबसे बड़ा है। रिशि लोग भी इसमें शामिल हैं क्योंकि वो भगवान के पास जाते हैं।
Inside Sukta 2
How it unfolds
- How it opens
It begins by pushing speech ‘out from ill-will’ and characterizing it as powerful (ūर्जā) and honeyed (madhu-matī).
- What it asks
That one’s communicative life be auspicious on both ends: sweet, socially effective utterance and the hearing of auspicious śloka/report.
- Where its power lies
The hymn treats vā́k and śruti as installable powers—qualities that can be ritually set into the person (mouth/ears) and into the social field, reversing hostility and ill-omen.
- How it closes
It closes by consecrating the prastara as ‘of the seers’ and ‘divine,’ a formal obeisance that seals the rite’s legitimacy and invites deva-acceptance.
Famous verses
ūर्जā madhu-matī vākbhadraṃ ślokaṃ śrūyāsam
ṛṣīṇāṃ prastaro'si
Kind of hymn
Śānti / Social-apotropaic (countering hostility; securing agreeable speech)
What it is for
Hostile intention is dispelled; the practitioner gains strong, honeyed, socially welcomed speech and the capacity to hear auspicious sayings; the ritual space is stabilized through prastara-veneration.
Who it is for
Householders, speakers/negotiators, students/reciters, and ritual practitioners seeking concord, good report, and smooth public interaction.
Also used as
- Paustika (renown/auspicious reception)
- Social-apotropaic (counter-hostility)
- Karmāṅga sanctification (ritual implement consecration)
Powers of the deity
- Drives out durarmaṇya (ill-will/hostile intent) from the social field
- Makes speech ‘madhu-matī’ (honeyed), persuasive, and reputation-forming
- Turns hearing toward bhadra-śruti (auspicious report) and away from ill-omens
- Consecrates the ritual locus (prastara), ensuring correctness and divine favor
Why the deity is called
To replace hostility with sweet, effective speech; to ensure one both speaks and hears auspiciously; and to seal the rite by sacralizing its physical support (prastara).
The seer
- Atharvanic (anukramaṇī-dependent attribution)Atharvan. Śānti and social-apotropaic charms: pacifying hostility, securing agreeable vā́k (speech), and stabilizing ritual correctness through brief efficacious formulas.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 16.1
- AV 16.3
- AV 7.12 (vā́k/renown-oriented charms; tradition-level parallel)
Preparing for the rite
- Choose a clean, quiet place; establish a small prastara (strewn kuśa/darbha grass) as a seat or ritual base.
- Perform ācamana (sipping water) and a brief intention-setting: ‘for concord and sweet speech’.
- If desired, place a small amount of honey (madhu) or sweet water nearby as a symbolic support for ‘madhu-matī vā́k’.
- Compose the mind: avoid anger; the hymn’s efficacy presumes a pacific inner stance.
The rite
- Recite the opening formula(s) with emphasis on expelling durarmaṇya and installing ‘ūर्जā madhu-matī vāk’.
- Touch or gesture toward the mouth/throat while reciting speech-formulas; then touch both ears while reciting the ‘suśrutau/ bhadraśrutau karṇau’ verse.
- Conclude by saluting the prastara (or the seat/grass) with the prastara-mantra, treating it as divine support and seal of correctness.
- Optionally repeat the key lines 3 or 9 times for reinforcement, maintaining calm breath and clear articulation.
What it needs
- Prastara (strewn kuśa/darbha grass) or a clean seat as its substitute
- Water for ācamana
- Optional: honey (madhu) or sweetened water as a symbolic adjunct
When
Before assemblies, negotiations, teaching/recitation, or any setting where speech and reputation are at stake; also at the start of a rite when establishing the seat/prastara.
The main substance
Prastara (strewn kuśa/darbha grass) as ritual base; ‘madhu’ as a symbolic quality of speech (optionally materialized as honey).
Amulets
- Kuśa/darbha prastara (kept as a consecrated seat/base for recitation)
How it is prepared
Spread kuśa/darbha tips oriented in a consistent direction to form a prastara; keep it clean and reserved for recitation/rite. If using honey, place a small drop in water as a symbolic ‘sweetening’ adjunct (not mandatory).
Frequently Asked Questions
For social śānti: it removes ill-will and establishes speech that is strong, sweet, and welcome, while also guarding one’s hearing from inauspicious reports.
Because social well-being depends on both: speaking agreeably and receiving good, auspicious words. The ear-verse asks that only ‘bhadra’ (good) sayings be heard.
Prastara is the strewn sacred grass/seat that supports a rite. Ideally it is used physically, but the verse can also consecrate a clean seat as a functional substitute when needed.
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