Atharva Veda 2.13.3: Kanda 2, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 13, Mantra 3
Sukta 13
परी॒दं वासो॑ अधिथाः स्व॒स्तयेऽभू॑र्गृष्टी॒नाम॑भिशस्ति॒पा उ॑ । श॒तं च॒ जीव॑ श॒रदः॑ पुरू॒ची रा॒यश्च॒ पोष॑मुप॒संव्य॑यस्व
párī́daṁ vā́so adhithāḥ svastáye ’bhū́r gṛṣṭīnā́m abhiśastipā́ u | śatáṁ ca jī́va śarádaḥ purūcī́ rā́yaś ca póṣam upasaṁvyáyasva
Round thee this garment hast thou put for welfare; thou hast become, verily, the herds’ protector from imprecation. Live thou a hundred years, yea many autumns; and wealth and thriving—wrap them close about thee.
यह कपड़ा तुमने अपने आस-पास लपेटा है भलाई के लिए। तुम जानवरों की रक्षा करने वाले बन गए हो। सौ साल तक जियो, और कई साल और भी। धन और समृद्धि भी अपने पास रखो।
The meaning
What it says
Having put on this garment for welfare, the wearer becomes protector of the herds from imprecation. The mantra blesses: live a hundred years, many autumns; and wrap wealth and thriving close about yourself.
The inner meaning
The garment is a social-ritual shield against hostile speech (abhiśasti). Protection extends beyond the individual to the economic heart of the household—productive cattle. Longevity is tied to prosperity and to immunity from verbal poison.
The truth in it
Words can wound like weapons; communities need protective norms and blessings that guard both people and livelihoods. Long life flourishes where prosperity and protection from malice coexist.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika (Prosperity) / Raksha (Apotropaic protection)
Its aim
Protect the wearer and the productive herd from hostile speech/curse and secure long life together with wealth and increase.
Word by Word
Pada patha
परि । इदम् । वासः । अधिथाः । स्वस्तये । अभूः । गृष्टीनाम् । अभिशस्ति-पाः । उ । शतम् । च । जीव । शरदः । पुरूचीः । रायः । च । पोषम् । उप-सम्-व्ययस्व
- परीदम्
- around/fully thisIndeclinable (particle + pronoun)परी (उपसर्ग/निपात, अव्यय); इदम् (सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन)Role Karma (इदम् = ‘this’ as object)Root परी + इदम्
- वासः
- garment, clothinggarment, cloth; a covering that ‘clothes’ and thereby guards the body (rakṣā-vastra)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Karma (object of ‘put on/assume’)Root वासस् (प्रातिपदिक) ← √वस् ‘to clothe/dwell’
- अधिथाः
- you have put on/placed uponthou hast put on / assumed / placed upon (as one dons a protective vestment)Verbलिट्/परस्मैपद-परफेक्ट (वेदिक), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole Kriyā (main verb)Root √धा (दधाति) + अधि
- स्वस्तये
- for well-being, for welfarefor well-being, safety, auspiciousness (svasti as a realized protective state)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole Sampradāna (purpose/beneficiary)Root स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभूः
- you became / you werethou hast become; thou art thereby constituted (as) [a protector/beneficiary]Verbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √भू
- गृष्टीनाम्
- of the cows (milch-cows)of the gṛṣṭi-s: breeding cows / cow-kind (esp. the productive herd; emblem of wealth and social stability)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root गृष्टी (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभिशस्तिपाः
- warder-off/drinker of imprecation; protector against cursea protector against imprecation/accusation (abhisasti); one who wards off hostile speech, curse, or legal-religious denunciationNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (as epithet)Role Kartā/Predicative (epithet of ‘you’)Root अभिशस्ति + पा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘drinker/protector’)
- उ
- indeed, andindeed, verily (emphatic particle strengthening the performative force)ParticleनिपातRoot उ
- शतम्
- a hundredNumeralनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन (here adverbial-accusative with time)Role Kāla-adhikaraṇa (duration)Root शत (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andParticleसमुच्चयRoot च
- जीव
- live!Verbलोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √जीव्
- शरदः
- autumns; yearsautumns, years (the standard Vedic unit of counted life-years)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (time-accusative)Role Kāla-adhikaraṇa (for years/autumns)Root शरद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरूचीः
- many, abundantmany, abundant, far-extended (qualifying the years as plentiful and long-reaching)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (agreeing with शरदः)Role Viśeṣaṇa (of ‘autumns/years’)Root पुरूची (प्रातिपदिक)
- रायः
- wealthwealth, substance (esp. movable wealth including cattle; also general prosperity)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Vedic form; object)Role KarmaRoot राय्/रायि (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andParticleसमुच्चयRoot च
- पोषम्
- prosperity, nourishmentthriving, increase, nourishment (the growth of wealth, herd, and household vitality)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पोष (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपसंव्ययस्व
- wrap yourself with; put on (as a covering)Verbलोट् (imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot उप + सम् + √व्यय्/√वी (वेदिक ‘to wrap/put on, cover oneself’)
Sandhi Notes
- पाठे ‘स्वस्तयेऽभूः’ = स्वस्तये + अभूः (ए + अ → एऽ)
- ‘गृष्टीनामभिशस्तिपा’ = गृष्टीनाम् + अभिशस्तिपाः (म् + अ → म)
- ‘रायश्च’ = रायः + च (विसर्गसन्धि: ः + च → श्च)
- ‘पोषमुपसंव्ययस्व’ = पोषम् + उपसंव्ययस्व (म् + उ → म)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition (seer attribution varies by anukramaṇī for this hymn; commonly classed under Atharvan/Angiras strata)
- Devata
- Vāsaḥ (the garment as a personified protective medium) / Svasti (Auspicious Well-being) with paustika intent
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh (with Atharvanic cadence; pāda-structure consistent with anuṣṭubh-type blessing verse)
- Rasa
- Shanta and Adbhuta
Sāyaṇa takes vāsaḥ as a rakṣā-vastra (protective cloth) assumed with intent of svasti. Abhiśasti is hostile speech—curse, accusation, or denunciation—capable of injuring cattle and household fortune; the wearer becomes ‘abhisasti-pā,’ a warder-off thereof. ‘Śarad’ denotes years; ‘śataṁ’ is the complete measure of life. Upasaṁvyayasva is construed as the act of fully wrapping/putting on the cloth, simultaneously ‘enwrapping’ oneself with rāyas and poṣa—i.e., securing prosperity by the same investiture.
Anukramaṇī-uncertain (AVŚ 2.13 blessing continuation)
Paustika prosperity-protection, especially against hostile speech affecting household wealth (cattle).
A domestic prosperity theology: welfare (svasti) is wearable and transmissible; protection from curse is central to safeguarding the herd-based economy.
Vāsaḥ; Svasti (well-being)
Svasti is auspicious order in lived life; the garment serves as its vehicle. The power protects against the social-cosmic danger of curses, preserving herd fertility and household continuity.
Indirect healing via removal of curse-anxiety and restoration of welfare-field.
Strong apotropaic shield against abhiśasti; extends protection to cattle and prosperity.
4 x 8 syllables with blessing-style expansions across pādas
Benedictive anuṣṭubh typical of paustika verses; imperative blessing (‘jīva’) anchors cadence.
Gentle, expansive blessing rhythm; ‘hundred years’ line lands with solemn assurance.
Calms fear of curse and affirms prosperity; socially reassuring tone.
Prepare a clean garment/cloth designated as rakṣā (often new or ritually purified).
Seat the beneficiary facing east; the Atharvan priest holds or touches the cloth while reciting the mantra.
At ‘parī́daṁ vā́so…’ the cloth is placed upon the beneficiary (draped or worn).
At ‘upasaṁvyáyasva’ the beneficiary is instructed to wrap it fully around the body (or the priest wraps it), completing the protective enclosure.
Conclude with a silent or spoken svasti-formula; the cloth may be retained as a continuing charm, especially during cattle-related activities.
Kauśika Sūtra: clothing/amulet-investiture (vastra-paridhāna) rites within paustika–rakṣā sequences; this verse is employed while donning and wrapping the protective cloth (exact adhikaraṇa varies by edition/numbering).
Atharvan/Brahman officiant: consecrates the cloth by mantra, directs the investiture, and functions as the ritual ‘warder’ against abhiśasti affecting household and herd.
After consecration, the garment is worn during herd-related activities (milking, pasture departure) or when entering socially tense spaces; recite as a blessing over cattle and the wearer.
At the start of the pastoral day; during seasonal transitions; after rumors/curse-fears arise.
Householder/elder blesses; Atharvan priest may perform if curse is suspected.
Blessing a shawl/dupatta as ‘well-being wrap’; recited for farmers, dairy households, or anyone facing hostile speech.
Vāsaḥ (protective garment/cloth used as an amulet-like covering); Cattle/herd (gṛṣṭi—productive cows as the wealth-base invoked)
Vāsaḥ as continuous-wear protective charm.
The cloth is a ‘portable svasti’; cattle symbolize the household’s life-support system—protecting them equals protecting the family’s longevity.
Curse-fear, psychosomatic decline from social hostility; household anxiety impacting well-being.
Apotropaic shielding via consecrated garment; blessing of longevity and prosperity reduces fear and stabilizes social-psychic health.
Abhiśasti as a rajas/tamas disturbance mediated through vāk; svasti/poṣa align with ojas-building and sattva stabilization.
Stress from social malice/bullying affecting health; protective rituals as resilience-building and community reassurance.
The garment-wearer and their herd/household economy
Secure welfare, protect cattle from curses, grant long life and prosperity.
Investiture + verbal warding: wear the consecrated cloth as a continuous charm; blessing formula ‘śataṃ jīva’ seals the outcome.
Abhiśasti (imprecation), envy, hostile speech
Cattle, wealth, thriving, longevity
- स्वस्ति (svasti)
- stable welfare-field; safety and blessing
- अभिशस्ति (abhiśasti)
- verbal poison; social aggression that harms vitality
- गृष्टि (gṛṣṭi)
- sustaining wealth-base; fertility and nourishment economy
- अभिशस्ति-पाः (abhiśasti-pāḥ)
- one who can neutralize harmful speech; guardian role
- शतम् जीव (śataṃ jīva)
- ideal full life-span; complete cycle
- शरदः (śaradaḥ)
- seasonal completeness; ripened time
- रायः / पोषम् (rāyaḥ/poṣam)
- material and biological increase; flourishing
Shielding the mind from harmful words; cultivating svasti and abundance consciousness without grasping.
anahata
So-ham style gentle breathing; on exhale imagine hostile words dissolving at the garment-border.
A soft luminous cloak; dark word-arrows bounce off; behind the wearer, a calm herd within a glowing circle; autumn leaves marking ‘many śaradaḥ’.
Equanimity amid social noise; stable inner welfare.
Chant once while wrapping a shawl; then practice 5 minutes of compassionate silence, resolving not to return abhiśasti with abhiśasti.
Gentle blessing intonation; lift slightly on ‘svastaye’ and ‘śataṃ ca jīva’.
Make ‘abhiśasti-pāḥ’ crisp; slow down on ‘śaradaḥ purūcīḥ’ to savor the longevity image.
Soft, benevolent, pastoral.
Best chanted as a public blessing over family and herd; the social function (anti-curse) is part of its efficacy.
5 times
Facing jealousy, gossip, hostile speech; protecting livelihood and household welfare; blessing elders and farmers.
Before work with animals/wealth; after hearing harmful talk; during community tensions.
Reduced fear of curse, strengthened sense of welfare, reaffirmed prosperity and longevity intention.
Do not escalate conflicts; use alongside practical measures (community mediation, safety for livestock).
No botanical drug is named; the operative ‘substance’ is textile (vāsaḥ). The mantra treats the garment as a material technology of protection: by encircling (parí) and wrapping (upasaṁvyayasva), it creates a bounded space on the body analogous to later amulet logic. The efficacy is transferred from speech-act to object through investiture.
Wealth is indexed primarily through cattle (gṛṣṭi), implying a household economy where herd-protection is central. ‘Abhiśasti’ evokes social conflict mediated by speech—curse, accusation, denunciation—suggesting that reputational/ritual speech could materially harm prosperity. The need for an Atharvan specialist to neutralize such speech reflects a stratified ritual economy in which expert mantra-operators manage invisible threats to household assets.
The diction is broadly shared with RV blessing idiom (śatáṁ jīva śarádaḥ), but the Atharvanic specialization is seen in the explicit apotropaic compound abhiśasti-pā́ (‘protector from imprecation’), foregrounding hostile speech as a technical category of harm. The performative imperative upasaṁvyayasva ties the utterance tightly to a domestic action, characteristic of AV’s applied ritual register.
Gopatha Brahmana generally rationalizes Atharvanic efficacy through the identification of mantra with protective power (rakṣā) and through the notion that properly applied speech ‘binds’ or ‘wards’ unseen dangers. In this verse, efficacy is contextualized as the mantra’s capacity to convert a mundane object (cloth) into a consecrated boundary against abhiśasti, thereby safeguarding cattle-wealth and extending lifespan—standard Atharvanic goals of rakṣā plus puṣṭi.
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