Sukta 32
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (specific r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī; commonly treated as Atharvan/Angiras-type healing corpus).
AV 2.32 is a krimi-nāśana (worm-destroying) healing charm that mobilizes Āditya’s rising and setting rays as a burning, searching weapon against internal parasites, especially those afflicting cattle. The hymn combines solar purification with Atharvanic “speech-as-medicine,” asserting that the mantra’s brahman crushes and expels every class of kṛmi—inner, surrounding, great and small—restoring vitality and productivity.
Kind of charm
In this hymn
Addressed to
Mantras
Mantra 1
क्रिमिनाशनम्। उ॒द्यन्ना॑दि॒त्यः क्रिमी॑न् हन्तु नि॒म्रोच॑न् हन्तु र॒श्मिभिः॑ । ये अ॒न्तः क्रिम॑यो॒ गवि॑
यह मंत्र कीड़े मारने के लिए है। सूरज जब उठता है, वो कीड़े मार दे। जब सूरज ढलता है, वो भी अपनी किरणों से कीड़े मार दे। जो कीड़े गाय के अंदर हैं, वो भी साफ हो जाएँ।
Mantra 2
वि॒श्वरू॑पं चतुर॒क्षं क्रिमिं॑ सा॒रङ्ग॒मर्जु॑नम्। शृ॒णाम्य॑स्य पृ॒ष्टीरपि॑ वृश्चामि॒ यच्छिरः॑
वो कीड़ा जो अलग-अलग रूप ले सकता है, चार आँखों वाला, चमकीला, सफेद रंग का, उसको मैं तोड़ रहा हूँ। उसकी पसलियाँ तोड़ रहा हूँ, उसका सर काट रहा हूँ।
Mantra 3
अ॒त्रि॒वद् वः॑ क्रिमयो हन्मि कण्व॒वज्ज॑मदग्नि॒वत्। अ॒गस्त्य॑स्य॒ ब्रह्म॑णा॒ सं पि॑नष्म्य॒हं क्रिमी॑न्
अत्रि रिशि की तरह मैं तुम्हे मार रहा हूँ, हे कीड़े। कण्व की तरह, जमदग्नि की तरह मार रहा हूँ। अगस्त्य रिशि की ताकत से मैं तुम्हे कुचल रहा हूँ, मैं तुम्हे पूरा खत्म कर रहा हूँ।
Mantra 4
ह॒तो राजा॒ क्रिमी॑णामु॒तैषां॑ स्थ॒पति॑र्ह॒तः । ह॒तो ह॒तमा॑ता॒ क्रिमि॑र्ह॒तभ्रा॑ता ह॒तस्व॑सा
कीड़ों का राजा मर गया, उनका सरदार भी मर गया। वो कीड़ा भी मर गया, उसकी माँ मरी, उसका भाई मरा, उसकी बहन भी मरी।
Mantra 5
ह॒तासो॑ अस्य वे॒शसो॑ ह॒तासः॒ परि॑वेशसः । अथो॒ ये क्षु॑ल्ल॒का इ॑व॒ सर्वे॒ ते क्रिम॑यो ह॒ताः
इसके अंदर रहने वाले सब के सब मर गए। इसके चारों तरफ घूमने वाले भी मर गए। जो छोटे-छोटे कीड़े थे, वो भी सब मर गए। एक भी ज़ि�दा नहीं बचा।
Mantra 6
प्र ते॑ शृणामि॒ शृङ्गे॒ याभ्यां॑ वितुदा॒यसि॑ । भि॒नाद्मि॑ ते कु॒षुम्भं॒ यस्ते॑ विष॒धानः॑
मैं तुम्हारे सींग तोड़ रहा हूँ, जिससे तुम लोगों को छेड़ते हो। मैं तुम्हारी ज़हर वाली जगह भी फाड़ रहा हूँ जहाँ तुम ज़हर रखते हो।
Inside Sukta 32
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn opens by appointing Āditya’s rising and setting as active destroyers: the Sun is commanded to smite kṛmi with his rays, specifically those ‘within’ the cow (2.32.1).
- What it asks
That every class of worm—internal, surrounding, large and small—be struck, crushed, and removed, leaving no remnant of infestation.
- Where its power lies
The speaker claims authoritative, ṛṣi-backed efficacy: ‘Like Atri… like Kaṇva… like Jamadagni… with Agastya’s brahman I crush you’—a declaration that mantra tradition itself is the weapon (2.32.3).
- How it closes
The hymn seals the work with a totalizing verdict of defeat—‘all those worms are slain’—covering resident, encircling, and even the ‘paltry’ ones (2.32.5), implying complete clearance and safety.
Famous verses
u̱dyannā̍di̱tyaḥ krimī̍n hantu … ra̱śmibhi̍ḥ
agastyasya brahmaṇā saṃ pinaṣmi
sarve te krimayo hatāḥ
Kind of hymn
Bhaisajya (Healing) / Apotropaic (vermin-expulsion)
What it is for
Complete killing/expulsion of kṛmi (parasites/disease-worms) from within and around the patient, leading to recovery, stability, and renewed productivity.
Who it is for
Householders, herdsmen, and Atharvanic practitioners performing protective-healing rites for cattle (and secondarily for humans in analogous ‘worm’ ailments).
Also used as
- Apotropaic (rakṣoghna/krimi-nāśana)
- Pāśubhaiṣajya (veterinary healing for cattle)
- Śāntika (pacificatory cleansing by solar power)
The deity
The raśmi functions as the concrete instrument—heat, light, and a binding/smiting power—that reaches what ordinary remedies cannot.
Powers of the deity
- Illuminates and exposes concealed afflictions
- Burns, dries, and destroys kṛmi/disease-agents
- Purifies bodies, stalls, and surroundings through radiance
- Restores strength, appetite, and fertility/productivity (especially in cattle)
- Empowers mantra (brahman) with unstoppable force across day-cycle (rising/setting)
Why the deity is called
To enlist the Sun’s daily, unavoidable radiance as a universal cleanser that strikes internal and external worms, ensuring total eradication and renewed health for the afflicted cow (and, by extension, the herd/household).
The seer
- Atharvan/Āṅgirasa-type healer (anukramaṇī varies; Atharvanic krimi-corpus)Atharvan. Bhaiṣajya and rakṣoghna charms—especially krimi (vermin/parasite) expulsion, purification, and disease-agent subjugation through mantra-brahman and solar imagery.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 2.31 (krimi/apotropaic context, adjacent healing material)
- AV 2.33 (healing/apotropaic material in the same kanda sequence)
- AV 5.23 (krimi-related healing charm; tradition-wide parallel corpus)
- AV 6.50 (krimi-nāśana type hymn; thematic parallel)
Preparing for the rite
- Place the afflicted cow in a clean, sun-facing spot (east-facing preferred).
- Arrange clean water for sprinkling and a simple cord/amulet if used in the local tradition.
- Prepare a small quantity of warming medium (e.g., sun-warmed water or clarified butter) as a symbolic carrier of Āditya’s heat (optional, tradition-dependent).
- Mentally ‘appoint’ the Sun’s rays as the operative weapon (raśmi-saṅkalpa).
The rite
- Recite the hymn while facing the Sun at sunrise; repeat or complete the cycle again toward sunset to mirror ‘rising/setting smite with rays’ (2.32.1).
- During recitation, stroke or lightly touch the cow’s flank/belly (site of affliction) with the hand, a darbha blade, or a cord, as if ‘drawing out’ the kṛmi.
- On verses of crushing/defeat (e.g., 2.32.3; 2.32.5), perform a downward pressing gesture, symbolically ‘crushing’ the worms.
- Sprinkle the cow and the immediate area with the prepared water at the close as a seal of purification.
What it needs
- Clean water (for sprinkling)
- Darbha/kuśa grass (optional, for touching/ritual purity)
- Simple cord/amulet thread (optional, to ‘bind off’ the affliction)
- Sunlight/solar heat (primary ‘substance’ as raśmi)
When
Preferably at sunrise; optionally repeated at sunset, aligning with the hymn’s rise/set framing of Āditya’s worm-slaying action.
The main substance
Sunlight/solar heat (Āditya-raśmi) as the principal therapeutic agent, carried ritually through water-touch/sprinkling.
Herbs
- Kuśa/darbha (ritual grass; optional as a purifier and toucher)
Amulets
- Simple protective thread/cord (to ‘bind off’ the infestation; optional, local practice)
How it is prepared
Warm clean water in sunlight (or simply expose it to direct rays), then use it for sprinkling while reciting; accompany with touching/pressing gestures that mimic ‘drawing out’ and ‘crushing’ the kṛmi.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a healing charm aimed at destroying and expelling kṛmi—‘worms’ or parasite-like disease agents—especially those believed to be inside cattle.
Because the Sun’s rays are imagined as a penetrating purifier: they reveal what is hidden, burn away impurities, and act like a divine weapon that reaches inside the body.
The hymn’s main ‘medicine’ is mantra plus solar power. Simple supports like sun-exposed water for sprinkling, kuśa grass, or a protective thread may be used, but the verses themselves emphasize rays and brahman as the decisive force.
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