Sukta 5
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (Svapna-hymn seer not uniformly fixed across ancillary lists)
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-like (Atharvanic mixed cadence; requires pada-count verification)
This Svapna-sūkta treats ominous dreaming as a tangible, death-linked force and neutralizes it by naming, identifying, and ritually “knowing” its origin and function. By openly declaring Dream to be Yama’s instrument—Antaka and Mṛtyu—the hymn converts fear into controllable speech-power and petitions Svapna itself to protect the sleeper from duṣvapnya (evil dreaming). Its power lies in apotropaic recognition: once the threat is unmasked, it can be turned away and constrained.
Kind of charm
In this hymn
Addressed to
Mantras
Mantra 1
वि॒द्म ते॑ स्वप्न ज॒नित्रं॒ ग्राह्याः॑ पु॒त्रोऽसि य॒मस्य॒ कर॑णः
नींद, हम तेरा जनम जानते हैं। तुझे पकड़ना है। तू यम का बेटा है, उसका काम चलाने वाला।
Mantra 2
अन्त॑कोऽसि मृ॒त्युर॑सि
तू ही सब खत्म करने वाला है। तू ही मौत है। यह मंत्र दुश्मन को डराना चाहता है कि अब तुम्हारा काम तमाम है।
Mantra 3
तं त्वा॑ स्वप्न॒ तथा॒ सं वि॑द्म॒ स नः॑ स्वप्न दु॒ष्वप्न्या॑त् पाहि
हे स्वप्न, हम तुम्हे पहचानते हैं। तुम हमें बुरे सपनों से बचाओ।
Mantra 4
वि॒द्म ते॑ स्वप्न ज॒नित्रं॒ निरृ॑त्याः पु॒त्रोऽसि य॒मस्य॒ कर॑णः । अन्त॑कोऽसि मृ॒त्युर॑सि । तं त्वा॑ स्वप्न॒ तथा॒ सं वि॑द्म॒ स नः॑ स्वप्न दु॒ष्वप्न्या॑त् पाहि
हे स्वप्न, हम जानते हैं तुम कहाँ से हो। तुम निर्रुति के बेटा हो। तुम यम के काम आते हो। तुम अंत लाने वाले हो, तुम मौत हो। हम तुम्हे पहचानते हैं। तुम हमें बुरे सपनों से बचाओ।
Mantra 5
वि॒द्म ते॑ स्वप्न ज॒नित्र॒मभू॑त्याः पु॒त्रोऽसि य॒मस्य॒ कर॑णः । अन्त॑कोऽसि मृ॒त्युर॑सि । तं त्वा॑ स्वप्न॒ तथा॒ सं वि॑द्म॒ स नः॑ स्वप्न दु॒ष्वप्न्या॑त् पाहि
हे स्वप्न, हम जानते हैं तुम कहाँ से हो। तुम अभूति के बेटा हो। तुम यम के काम आते हो। तुम अंत लाने वाले हो, तुम मौत हो। हम तुम्हे पहचानते हैं। तुम हमें बुरे सपनों से बचाओ।
Mantra 6
वि॒द्म ते॑ स्वप्न ज॒नित्रं॒ निर्भू॑त्याः पु॒त्रोऽसि य॒मस्य॒ कर॑णः । अन्त॑कोऽसि मृ॒त्युर॑सि । तं त्वा॑ स्वप्न॒ तथा॒ सं वि॑द्म॒ स नः॑ स्वप्न दु॒ष्वप्न्या॑त् पाहि
हे स्वप्न, हम जानते हैं तुम कहाँ से हो। तुम निर्भूति के बेटा हो। तुम यम के काम आते हो। तुम अंत लाने वाले हो, तुम मौत हो। हम तुम्हे पहचानते हैं। तुम हमें बुरे सपनों से बचाओ।
Mantra 7
वि॒द्म ते॑ स्वप्न ज॒नित्रं॒ परा॑भूत्याः पु॒त्रोऽसि य॒मस्य॒ कर॑णः । अन्त॒कोऽसि मृ॒त्युर॑सि । तं त्वा॑ स्वप्न॒ तथा॒ सं वि॑द्म॒ स नः॑ स्वप्न दु॒ष्वप्न्या॑त् पाहि
हे सपना, हम जानते हैं तू कहाँ से आई है। तू परभुति का बेटा है, यम का काम करने वाला। तू अंत करने वाला है, तू मौत है। तुझे हम पूरा जानते हैं। इसलिए हे सपना, बुरा सपने से हमें बचा।
Mantra 8
वि॒द्म ते॑ स्वप्न ज॒नित्रं॑ देवजामी॒नां पु॒त्रोऽसि य॒मस्य॒ कर॑णः
हे सपना, हम जानते हैं कि तुम्हारा घर कहाँ है। तुम देवताओं के खानदान में पैदा हुए हो। तुम यम के काम आते हो, जो मरने के बाद इंसान का हिसाब करते हैं।
Mantra 9
अन्त॑कोऽसि मृ॒त्युर॑सि
तुम वही हो जो सब खत्म करता है। तुम मृत्यु हो, यानी मौत। तुम ज़िंदगी का अंत लाते हो।
Mantra 10
तं त्वा॑ स्वप्न॒ तथा॒ सं वि॑द्म॒ स नः॑ स्वप्न दु॒ष्वप्न्या॑त् पाहि
हे सपना, अब तुम्हारी पूरी पहचान हो गई है। अब हमसे कोई बुरा सपना नहीं दिखाई देगा। हमें बुरे सपनों से बचा ले।
Inside Sukta 5
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn approaches Dream directly and begins by asserting knowledge of its origin (janitra), shifting the encounter from fear to mastery through naming.
- What it asks
That Svapna, once identified and constrained, guard the petitioner from duṣvapnya—harmful, loss-bringing, death-portending dreams.
- Where its power lies
Repeated ‘we know you fully’ (saṃ vidma) functions as a binding claim: the mantra’s truth-recognition renders Svapna ritually manageable even when linked to Yama/Mṛtyu.
- How it closes
A protective adjuration: having unmasked Dream as Antaka/Mṛtyu and Yama’s instrument, the hymn seals the rite by commanding/asking Dream to keep the sleeper safe from evil dreaming.
Famous verses
anta̍ko'si mṛ̱tyura̍si
pu̱tro'si ya̱masya̱ kara̍ṇaḥ
anta̍ko'si mṛ̱tyura̍si
Kind of hymn
Bhaisajya (Healing) / Rakṣoghna (Apotropaic)
What it is for
Averting nightmares and ominous dreams, cutting off death-portents, and restoring safe, auspicious sleep through the mantra’s identificatory and protective force.
Who it is for
Householders, patients, and ritual specialists (Atharvanic practitioner) seeking protection for a sleeper—especially after repeated nightmares, fear, illness, or inauspicious omens.
Also used as
- Rakṣoghna
- Śāntika
Powers of the deity
- Enters sleepers and shapes dream-visions (śubha/ aśubha)
- Functions as a carrier of death-omens and failure-portents
- Can be constrained by truthful identification (vidma/saṃ vidma)
- Can be compelled to guard the petitioner from duṣvapnya (evil dreaming)
Why the deity is called
To confront Svapna directly, expose its death-linked pedigree, and compel it to avert harmful dreams and protect the sleeper’s life, prosperity, and auspicious rest.
The seer
- Atharvanic seer (Svapna-hymn; name not uniformly fixed in ancillary lists)Atharvan. Rakṣoghna and bhaisajya charms: identifying hostile agencies (dreams, death-portents, night-terrors) and reversing them through naming, truth-assertion, and protective adjuration.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 16.5 (Svapna-sūkta)
- Related Atharvanic dream/night-protection materials within AV 16 (Svapna/portent cluster; attributions vary by anukramaṇī tradition)
Preparing for the rite
- Clean the sleeping space; reduce sources of impurity and disturbance (smoke, noise, fear triggers).
- Seat the reciter near the head of the sleeper (or recite for oneself before lying down).
- Establish intention: protection from duṣvapnya and severing of death-portents.
The rite
- Recite the sūkta in a steady, controlled voice, emphasizing the ‘knowing’ formulas (vidma / saṃ vidma) as acts of ritual recognition.
- On verses identifying Svapna with Yama/Antaka/Mṛtyu, perform a dismissive/warding gesture outward (symbolic expulsion) and then a protective gesture toward the sleeper (symbolic guarding).
- Conclude with a direct petition that Svapna protect from evil dreaming and allow auspicious sleep.
When
At night before sleep; also after a frightening dream, or during a period of repeated nightmares/inauspicious portents.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Atharvanic thought, certain dreams are treated as carriers of death-omens and affliction. By naming Svapna as Antaka/Mṛtyu and Yama’s instrument, the hymn “unmasks” the danger so it can be ritually constrained and turned away.
No. Its focus is duṣvapnya—harmful, frightening, loss-bringing or death-portending dreams. The aim is to secure auspicious rest and safety, not to eliminate ordinary dreams.
It is recited before sleep, or after a frightening dream, with the intention of warding off evil dreaming. The key method is repeated identification (vidma/saṃ vidma) followed by a protective petition that Svapna guard the sleeper.
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