Sukta 36
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (maṇi-hymn corpus)
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (predominant cadence)
This short maṇi-hymn enthrones the amulet as a “hundred-warding” power that drives out yakṣma (wasting illness), rakṣasas, and recurring spirit-afflictions. By coupling the maṇi with tejas (fiery potency) and varcas (radiant prestige), it restores bodily vigor, social repute, and protective brilliance around the wearer. The hymn’s repeated “hundred” formula functions as ritual intensification, asserting total, many-directional warding.
Kind of charm
In this hymn
Addressed to
Mantras
Mantra 1
शतवारो मणिः। श॒तवा॑रो अनीनश॒द् यक्ष्मा॒न् रक्षां॑सि॒ तेज॑सा । आ॒रोह॒न् वर्च॑सा स॒ह म॒णिर्दु॑र्णाम॒चात॑नः
यह कवच सौ गुना ताकतवाला है। इसने बिमारियों और भूत-प्रेत को अपनी चमक से भगा दिया। चमक के साथ उठ के यह कवच बुरा नाम भी दूर कर देता है।
Mantra 2
शॄङ्गा॑भ्यां॒ रक्षो॑ नुदते॒ मूले॑न यातुधा॒न्यः । मध्ये॑न॒ यक्ष्मं॑ बाधते॒ नैनं॑ पा॒प्माति॑ तत्रति
इसके दो सींग भूत-प्रेत को भगाते हैं। इसकी जड़ जादू-टोनी को खत्म करती है। बीच से यह बिमारी रोक देता है। कोई बुरी चीज़ इसके पास नहीं आ सकती।
Mantra 3
ये यक्ष्मा॑सो अर्भ॒का म॒हान्तो॒ ये च॑ श॒ब्दिनः॑ । सर्वा॑न् दुर्णाम॒हा म॒णिः श॒तवा॑रो अनीनशत्
यह मणि छोटी बिमारियों को भी भगाती है, बड़ीओं को भी। जो बिमारियाँ आवाज़ करती हैं, उनको भी। यह सौ गुना ताकत वाली है। बुरा नाम देने वाली चीज़ को मार डालती है। सब बिमारियों को यह दूर कर देती है।
Mantra 4
श॒तं वी॒रान॑जनयच्छ॒तं यक्ष्मा॒नपा॑वपत्। दु॒र्णाम्नः॒ सर्वा॑न् ह॒त्वाव॒ रक्षां॑सि धूनुते
इसने सौ वीरों को जन्म दिया। सौ बिमारियों को भगा दिया। सारी बुरी चीज़ें मारी, और राक्षस लोगों को नीचे भगा दिया।
Mantra 5
हिर॑ण्यशृङ्ग ऋष॒भः शा॑तवा॒रो अ॒यं म॒णिः । दु॒र्णाम्नः॒ सर्वां॑स्तृ॒ड्ढ्वाव॒ रक्षां॑स्यक्रमीत्
यह मणि के सर पर सोना है, और बैल जैसी ताकत है। सौ बुरी चीज़ें रोक सकता है। सारी बुरी चीज़ें कुचल के, राक्षस लोगों के ऊपर से गुज़र गया।
Mantra 6
श॒तम॒हं दु॒र्णाम्नी॑नां गन्धर्वाप्स॒रसां॑ श॒तम्। श॒तं श॑श्व॒न्वती॑नां श॒तवा॑रेण वारये
सौ बुरी चीज़ें है, और गंधर्व-अप्सरा में से भी सौ। सौ चीज़ें जो बार-बार आती रहती हैं। इस सौ-बचाने वाले मणि से मैं सबको रोक के रखता हूँ।
Inside Sukta 36
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn opens by naming and praising the maṇi as “śatavāra” (hundred-warding), immediately linking it with tejas and varcas as active forces.
- What it asks
That the amulet drive out yakṣma and rakṣasas, remove durṇāman (ill-name), and prevent the return of persistent hostile influences (including Gandharva–Apsaras forces).
- Where its power lies
Efficacy is asserted through repeated ‘hundred’ amplification—casting away a hundred sicknesses, generating a hundred heroes, and holding at bay a hundred recurring afflictions.
- How it closes
It ends with a direct warding statement: the speaker, empowered by the ‘hundred-warding’ maṇi, holds the hostile forces at a distance and prevents their return.
Famous verses
śatavāro maṇiḥ
śatavāreṇa vāraye
Kind of hymn
Bhaisajya (Healing) / Rakṣoghna / Social-apotropaic
What it is for
Healing and fortification: removal of wasting illness and demonological impediments, prevention of relapse/returning afflictions, and reinstatement of varcas and good name.
Who it is for
Householders, healers/exorcists, and ritual specialists applying an amulet for protection, recovery from chronic illness, or defense against recurring spirit-related disturbances.
Also used as
- Rakṣoghna
- Śāntika
- Social-apotropaic (durṇāman-nivṛtti)
Powers of the deity
- Expels yakṣma (consumption/wasting sickness)
- Drives away rakṣasas and other hostile beings
- Wards off Gandharva–Apsaras influences and recurring afflictions
- Removes durṇāman (ill-name/ominous stigma) and restores good repute
- Generates vīrya (vigor/heroic strength) and protective varcas (radiance)
- Creates a “hundredfold” perimeter of protection through numerical intensification
Why the deity is called
To install the maṇi on the body as a radiant, fiery shield that heals wasting disease, repels spirit-attack, and reverses social-ritual pollution signaled as ‘ill-name’.
The seer
- Atharvanic seer(s) of the Maṇi corpus (anukramaṇī varies)Atharvan. Protective and healing charms centered on maṇi/amulet technology—rakṣoghna warding, yakṣma-expulsion, and restoration of varcas (ritual-social radiance).
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 19.34 (maṇi-hymn cluster)
- AV 19.35 (maṇi-hymn cluster)
- AV 19.37 (maṇi-hymn cluster)
Preparing for the rite
- Select or prepare a clean maṇi (jewel/amulet) or a substitute charm-object; purify by washing and drying.
- Establish the intent: protection from yakṣma, rakṣasas, and durṇāman; optionally perform a brief ācamana and silent resolve (saṅkalpa).
- Seat the patient/wearer facing an auspicious direction; keep the amulet on a clean cloth or in the hand.
The rite
- Recite the sukta over the maṇi, emphasizing the ‘śatavāra/śatam’ formulas as the warding boundary.
- Touch or bind the amulet to the body (neck/arm/waist) at the verses that speak of ‘mounting with varcas’.
- Perform a ‘shake-off’ (dhūnana) gesture downward/away when rakṣasas and durṇāman are mentioned, symbolically casting them off.
- Conclude by reaffirming protective containment—‘I hold at bay’—as a sealing act of warding.
What it needs
- Maṇi (amulet/jewel-charm) or protective pendant
- Binding thread/cord (for wearing)
- Clean water for purification (optional)
- Clean cloth or small pouch (optional)
When
Preferably at dawn or before public/social engagement; also at onset of symptoms or when afflictions recur.
The main substance
Maṇi (amulet/jewel-charm; ‘śatavāra’ protective object)
Amulets
- Maṇi (jewel/stone/metal charm)
- Protective cord/thread for tying or wearing
- Pouch/locket for carrying (optional)
How it is prepared
Purify the maṇi with clean water, dry it, then recite the sukta over it; bind it on the body while repeating the ‘śatavāra/śatam’ warding formulas, adding a downward shake-off gesture when expelling rakṣasas/durṇāman.
Frequently Asked Questions
In AV 19.36 the maṇi is both an amulet-object and a personified power. It is spoken of as acting with tejas and varcas to protect, heal, and restore reputation.
It targets yakṣma (wasting illness), rakṣasas and other hostile forces, recurring or returning afflictions, and durṇāman—an ominous ‘ill-name’ or social stigma that clings to a person.
“Hundred” functions as ritual intensification: it signifies totality and many-directional coverage. Saying ‘a hundred’ repeatedly builds the sense of complete warding and prevents relapse or return.
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