Atharva Veda 2.13.4: Kanda 2, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 13, Mantra 4
Sukta 13
एह्यश्मा॑न॒मा ति॒ष्ठाश्मा॑ भवतु ते त॒नूः । कृ॒ण्वन्तु॒ विश्वे॑ दे॒वा आयु॑ष्टे श॒रदः॑ श॒तम्
éhy aśmā́nam ā́ tiṣṭhā́śmā́ bhavatu te tanū́ḥ | kṛṇvántu víśve devā́ ā́yus te śarádaḥ śatám ||
Come hither, O Stone; stand thou close at hand. Let thy body be as stone. Let all the Gods conjointly fashion for thee life—an hundred autumns.
आ पत्थर, पास खड़ा हो जा। तुम्हारा शरीर पत्थर जैसा बने। सारे देव मिल के तुम्हे लंबी उम्र दें, सौ साल तक।
The meaning
What it says
The practitioner summons a stone to come near, to stand close, and blesses the recipient with a “stone-like body,” while the Viśve Devāḥ collectively “fashion” a full lifespan of one hundred autumns.
The inner meaning
A deliberate psychological “hardening” against fear, fragility, and relapse: the mind is trained to feel steady, unshaken, and durable; longevity is framed as a crafted state supported by many powers, not a private struggle.
The truth in it
Stability is medicinal: when one’s center is firm (like stone), life-force can endure; longevity is sustained by aligning personal resilience with the wider order (the many ‘gods’/forces that uphold life).
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Bhaisajya (Healing) / Āyuṣya (Longevity charm)
Its aim
To stabilize and harden the patient’s body against harm and to secure a full lifespan of one hundred years.
Word by Word
Pada patha
एहि । अश्मानम् । आ । तिष्ठ । अश्मा । भवतु । ते । तनूः । कृण्वन्तु । विश्वे । देवाः । आयुः । ते । शरदः । शतम् ।
- एहि
- come!Come hither; an imperative summons that draws the protective power into proximity (āhvāna).Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot इ (धातु)
- अश्मानम्
- the stoneThe stone/rock (as a hard, apotropaic substance); here, a talismanic ‘stone-body’ warding injury and decay.Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, hitherHither, toward; directional particle intensifying the act of bringing/placing near.Indeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तिष्ठ
- stand! remain!Stand fast, remain firm; a command for stability and unshakable protection.Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot स्था (धातु)
- अश्मा
- the stoneStone (as predicate/essence): ‘be stone’—metaphorically, be adamant, unassailable.Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: अश्मा < अश्मान्)Role KartāRoot अश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- भवतु
- let it be / may it becomeLet it be/become; optative-jussive expressing ritual efficacy (siddhi) as a performative.Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot भू (धातु)
- ते
- for you / of youThy/for thee; marks the beneficiary (the patient/rite-recipient).Pronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तनूः
- body, personBody, person; the living frame to be rendered firm and unharmed.Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तनू (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृण्वन्तु
- let (them) makeLet them make, effect, accomplish; divine causation invoked to ‘manufacture’ longevity.Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRoot कृ (धातु)
- विश्वे
- allAll, the totality; ‘all the gods’ as a comprehensive guarantee against gaps in protection.Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (देवानाम् विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवाः
- the godsThe gods; collective divine agency ensuring the charm’s success.Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- आयुः
- life, lifespanLife, vital span; the measurable ‘term of life’ to be extended and secured.Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- for you / of youFor thee; repeats beneficiary-focus, binding the boon specifically to the subject.Pronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शरदः
- autumns; yearsAutumns/years; conventional Vedic unit for a full year, hence ‘years of life.’Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot शरद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शतम्
- a hundredA hundred; the canonical ideal of complete human longevity (śataśāradīya).Numeral/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (संख्याविशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot शत (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- एहि | अश्मानम् | आ | तिष्ठ | अश्मा | भवतु | ते | तनूः | कृण्वन्तु | विश्वे | देवाः | आयुः | ते | शरदः | शतम् । प्रमुख-सन्धयः:
- (1) एहि + अश्मानम् → एह्यश्मानम् (इ + अ = य्-अगम)
- (2) आ + तिष्ठ → आतिष्ठ (दीर्घ/संयोग)
- (3) तिष्ठ + अश्मा → तिष्ठाश्मा (अ + अ = आ)
- (4) आयुः + ते → आयुष्टे (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + त → ष्ट)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition (often anonymous/Ātharvaṇa seer in Saunaka transmission for such charms)
- Devata
- Aśman (Stone) and Viśve Devāḥ (All the Gods) as collective guarantors of longevity
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh (4 pādas of ~8 syllables; Atharvanic anuṣṭubh with minor metrical flexibility)
- Rasa
- Shanta and Vira
Sāyaṇa takes ‘aśman’ in its Atharvanic, protective sense: hardness and immovability are transferred to the recipient’s tanū-, making the body ‘stone-like’ against assault (disease, injury, hostile magic). The imperatives (‘ehi’, ‘tiṣṭha’) are performative summons and fixation. ‘All the gods’ are invoked to remove any deficiency of single-deity address and to secure the full measure of śata-śaradaḥ longevity, the standard Vedic ideal.
AVŚ 2.13 (contextual āyuṣya/saṃskāra-protective formulas); AVŚ 3.11 (āyuṣya motifs); AVŚ 19.67–19.69 (longevity/āyuṣya clusters; later book parallels in theme)
Ātharvaṇa (anonymous Atharvanic seer in AVŚ transmission)
Āyuṣya and protective healing charms (stambhana/strengthening), amulet-based stabilization of the patient.
Represents the Atharvan method of converting a physical object (stone) into a durable ‘body-ideal’ through vāc; healing is enacted as firmness plus divine consensus (Viśve Devāḥ).
Aśman; Viśve Devāḥ
Aśman embodies the principle of fixity and resistance; Viśve Devāḥ function as a collective guarantor of ṛta-like order in the human lifespan, ‘crafting’ longevity as a cosmic-social product.
Constitutional strengthening (bala), stabilizing recovery, guarding against wasting/fragility and recurrent harm.
Apotropaic shielding—stone as a ‘hard’ boundary against injury, sorcery, and destabilizing influences.
4 pādas of ~8 syllables (Atharvanic flexibility with sandhi/orthoprax accent)
Imperative-heavy diction; occasional syllabic looseness typical of AV domestic charms.
Compact, commanding cadence; the repeated ‘aśmā’ creates a hammering firmness.
Suggests ‘setting’ (stambhana) in the listener—breath slows, posture steadies; suitable for amulet-consecration recitation.
Select a clean, intact stone (aśman), preferably from a stable place (not from a cremation-ground or impure site).
Seat the beneficiary facing east; the Atharvan priest holds the stone in the right hand (or binds/places it as an amulet according to local śākhā-prayoga).
Recite the mantra while bringing the stone toward the beneficiary (‘ehi’) and fixing it in position (‘ā tiṣṭha’)—either touching the chest/shoulder or placing it near the head.
On ‘aśmā bhavatu te tanūḥ’, perform a firm touch/pressing gesture (sparśa/abhighāta) to ‘imprint’ steadiness into the body.
On the second hemistich, raise the stone slightly (or gesture outward) to invoke the collective gods for the boon of longevity; conclude by leaving the stone with the beneficiary (kept on the person or in the dwelling) as continuing protection.
Kauśika Sūtra: Āyuṣya/abhaya-type application with aśman (exact sūtra numbering varies by edition; commonly placed among longevity and protection rites employing amulets and substances).
Atharvan/Brahman officiant as mantra-reciter and apotropaic technician: he summons, fixes, and transfers the stone’s ‘steadfastness’ to the patient through touch and placement.
Tie/hold a consecrated stone near the body (neck/chest/waist) while reciting; can be done by household elder or Atharvan practitioner.
At recovery milestones, after fever subsides, or at dawn/dusk for protection; also suitable for child-protection cycles.
Atharvan specialist or senior family member recites and installs the charm; emphasis on correct accent and intent.
Likely applied under āyuṣya/maṇi- and rakṣā-rites in Kauśika (exact sūtra depends on mapping of AVŚ 2.13 in the edition; commonly paired with amulet binding and blessing of lifespan).
Use as a resilience/health affirmation while holding a smooth stone; pair with breath grounding and medical care.
Aśman (stone) as amulet/substance of hardness and apotropaic force
aśman as a physical stone/pebble used as protective amulet (mani-like function though termed aśman).
Stone is the archetype of steadiness: by bringing it ‘close’ and speaking firmness into the body, the charm externalizes stability and then internalizes it as health and long life.
General debility, vulnerability to injury/attack, convalescent weakness; broadly ‘ayakṣma’-type fragility by implication (not explicit).
tanūḥ (whole body)
Sympathetic magic (stone → body hardness) + divine ‘crafting’ of lifespan; stabilization through proximity and verbal installation.
Bala-vardhana and dhātu-sthairya (stability of tissues); grounding vāta (mobility/instability) through ‘guru-sthira’ symbolism.
Stress-resilience training; somatic anchoring for anxiety during illness recovery; supportive ritual for chronic-condition management.
The patient/recipient of the charm (often a child, convalescent, or household member).
To ‘stone-fortify’ the patient and secure full lifespan (śaradaḥ śatam).
Amulet-contact and verbal installation (āveśa/sthāpana): summoning the substance, commanding nearness, transferring its quality to the body.
Injury, sudden shocks, hostile influences, relapse, frailty.
- aśman (अश्मन्)
- hardness, stability, apotropaic shielding; ‘unbreakable’ constitution
- ā tiṣṭha (आ तिष्ठ)
- establishing a protective presence; fixing health in place
- tanūḥ (तनूः)
- the embodied self; constitution (dhātu-sāmya) made resilient
- Viśve Devāḥ (विश्वे देवाः)
- totality of supportive forces—social, cosmic, physiological—converging for healing
- āyuḥ (आयुः)
- vital continuity; integrated vitality rather than mere survival
- śaradaḥ śatam (शरदः शतम्)
- ideal complete life-cycle; ripened longevity and maturity
Stability (sthiti) and embodied protection; cultivating ‘inner rock’ steadiness.
mūlādhāra (grounding)
Slow diaphragmatic breathing with longer exhale (e.g., 4–6 inhale, 6–8 exhale) while repeating ‘aśmā bhavatu te tanūḥ’.
A cool, dense stone-light forming a protective sheath around the body, especially the torso and spine.
Calm, anchored, non-reactive presence.
Hold a stone in the left palm (receiving) and touch the sternum with the right; recite steadily, letting the body ‘learn’ firmness without tension.
Vedic (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as in Śaunaka accent; keep the imperative accents crisp on ‘ehi’ and ‘tiṣṭha’.
Do not flatten ‘aśmā́n(am)’; maintain the accented syllable and avoid dragging sandhi across pāda breaks.
Firm, steady, low-to-mid pitch; ‘installing’ tone rather than lyrical.
Best paired with physical contact (holding/touching the stone) to realize the substance-action paradigm; recite while ‘placing’ the quality of hardness into the tanūḥ.
21 times
Convalescence, recurring weakness, fear of harm, or a family blessing for longevity.
Morning grounding or at the time of tying/placing a protective stone; also before travel for bodily protection.
Increased sense of stability and protection; traditional support for long life and robust constitution.
Not a substitute for medical treatment; avoid using stones/amulets in choking-risk contexts for infants.
No botanical drug is present; the operative substance is mineral (aśman). Atharvanic therapeutics frequently extend ‘medicine’ beyond plants to include materially potent objects. The mantra performs a transfer of qualities: the stone’s hardness/immobility becomes a model and magical substrate for bodily integrity and resistance to affliction.
The efficacy is mediated by a specialist (Atharvan/Brahman) who controls correct speech and procedure, reflecting a ritual-technical hierarchy. The beneficiary is grammatically foregrounded (‘te’ repeated), but agency is split: the priest activates the charm, while ‘all the gods’ are invoked as ultimate guarantors—an ideology that legitimizes priestly expertise within a theistic order.
The diction is largely common-Vedic, but the Atharvanic hallmark is the direct, pragmatic imperative sequence (‘ehi… tiṣṭha… bhavatu… kṛṇvantu’) used as a ritual performative. The predicative ‘aśmā bhavatu te tanūḥ’ exemplifies Atharvanic ‘quality-transfer’ formulations, more programmatically magical than typical Ṛgvedic praise-poetry.
The Gopatha Brahmaṇa characteristically frames Atharvanic mantras as effective through correct application (prayoga), especially where substances embody the intended result. Aśman, as a stable and ‘unbroken’ object, naturally supports āyuṣya and abhaya aims: the rite works by bandhu—correspondence between the stone’s firmness and the desired firmness of life and body—activated by properly uttered mantra and controlled handling.
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