Atharva Veda 20.126.20: Kanda 20, Anuvaka 13, Sukta 126, Mantra 20
Sukta 126
धन्व॑ च॒ यत् कृ॒न्तत्रं॑ च॒ कति॑ स्वि॒त् ता वि योज॑ना । नेदी॑यसो वृषाक॒पेऽस्त॒मेहि॑ गृ॒हाँ उप॒ विश्व॑स्मा॒दिन्द्र॒ उत्त॑रः
dhánva ca yát kṛ́ntatraṃ ca kátí svit tā́ ví yójanā | nédīyaso vṛṣākape’stám ehi gṛhā́n úpa víśvasmā́d índra úttaraḥ ||
The bow, and what cutting-gear there is—how many, pray, are those fastenings to be loosed? Come thou, O Vṛṣākapi, nearer; come home, up to the houses: from all men, O Indra, thou art the higher.
धनुष है, और जो भी कटने वाली चीज़ें हैं, कितनी बाँधें हैं जो खोलनी पड़ेगी? वृषाकपि, थोड़ा पास आ जाओ। घर आ जाओ, घर के पास। इंद्र, तुम सबसे बड़े हो।
The meaning
What it says
Asks about the bow and cutting-gear and how many fastenings are to be loosened; calls Vṛṣākapi to come nearer and come home to the houses; refrain: Indra is higher than all.
The inner meaning
Weapons and ‘bindings’ are both external and internal: hostile linkages (yójanā) and compulsions must be undone; then protective potency (Vṛṣākapi/Indraic force) is summoned back into the settled, domestic sphere.
The truth in it
Safety is created by unbinding harmful connections and re-centering power at home—strength must return to the hearth to become protection.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Rakṣoghna/Apotropaic (protective return-home) with Indraic victory coloring
Its aim
To ‘disjoin’ hostile connections (yójanā), neutralize weapon-threat, and compel a protective return to the household/settlement.
Word by Word
Pada patha
धन्व । च । यत् । कृन्तत्रम् । च । कति । स्वित् । ता । वि । योजना । नेदीयसः । वृषाकपे । अस्तम् । एहि । गृहान् । उप । विश्वस्मात् । इन्द्र । उत्तरः ।
- धन्व
- bow (weapon)bow (weapon; emblem of martial force)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot धन्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot च
- यत्
- which/thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- कृन्तत्रम्
- cutting-implement; cutter/knifecutting-implement, cutter (from √kṛnt ‘to cut’; weapon/tool for severing)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot कृन्तत्र (प्रातिपदिक; कृन्त्-धातु-सम्बद्ध)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot च
- कति
- how manyhow many? (interrogative; rhetorical counting)Pronoun(सामान्यतः बहुवचनार्थे) प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचन-प्रयोगRole KarmaRoot कति (सर्वनाम/संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वित्
- indeed? / pray?pray, indeed (enclitic intensifier in questions)Indeclinableप्रश्न/अनिश्चितता-निपातRoot स्वित्
- ताः
- those (things)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart; asunderapart, asunder (separative; ‘disjoin’)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (वियोग/विभागार्थ)Root वि
- योजनाः
- joinings/fastenings; fittingsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot योजना (प्रातिपदिक)
- नेदीयसः
- of the nearer/closestnearer, very near (comparative of nediya-; proximity emphasis)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole SambandhaRoot नेदीयस् (प्रातिपदिक; निः/अति-निकटार्थ तुलनात्मक)
- वृषाकपे
- O VṛṣākapiNoun (proper epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot वृषाकपि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्तम्
- home; to homehome, to the house (goal of return; ‘to one’s dwelling’)Indeclinableदिशा/गमनार्थे अव्यय (घरं/अस्तं = homewards)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अस्तम् (अस्त- अव्ययीभाव/निपात-प्रयोग)
- एहि
- come!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot इ (धातु)
- गृहान्
- houses; homehouses, home(s) (domestic sphere; settlement)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
- उप
- towards; neartowards, near (approach; ‘up to’)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय (सामीप्य/उपगमार्थ)Root उप
- विश्वस्मात्
- from all (sides/everything)from all (others), beyond allAdjective (pronominal decl.)पुं/नपुंसक; पञ्चमी; एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraIndraNoun (deity)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत्तरः
- higher; superior; further (away)superiorAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- (1) वृषाकपेऽस्तम् = वृषाकपे + अस्तम् (अ + अ → ’/अवग्रह)
- (2) विश्वस्मादिन्द्र = विश्वस्मात् + इन्द्र (त् + इ → दि; जश्त्व/परसवर्ण-सन्धि)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Indra/Vṛṣākapi cycle (RV-derived within AVŚ 20)
- Devata
- Vṛṣākapi / Indra
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira and Bhayankara
Sayana reads the opening as a martial inventory—bow and cutting weapons—then ‘yójanā’ as the bonds/attachments of conflict to be separated. The call to Vṛṣākapi is treated as summoning an Indra-associated helper back to the domestic sphere (‘gṛhān upa’), ensuring protection and victory; the refrain seals the superiority claim.
Uncertain (RV-derived Vṛṣākapi/Indra cycle voice)
Apotropaic ‘return-home’ and unbinding diction, adaptable to Atharvanic household protection rites.
The seer’s concern is domestic security: neutralize weapon-threat and call protective power back to the settlement—classic Atharvanic orientation toward the home as sacred perimeter.
Vṛṣākapi / Indra
Indra as supreme protector; Vṛṣākapi as vigorous agent who can be summoned and stationed near the household.
Disjoins hostile bindings, pacifies weapon-threat, and establishes a guarded domestic boundary.
4×8; interrogative opening, imperative middle, refrain close.
Spell-structure: question → operative verb (vi yoj) → summons (ehi) → seal (Indra uttaराḥ).
Quick, practical, command-like.
Feels like a ritual instruction; induces decisiveness and protective closure.
Stand at the house-threshold facing outward
Recite while touching/indicating bow/knife (or symbolic substitutes) to ‘separate’ hostile linkages
Step inward on ‘astám ehi… gṛhān úpa’ as a performative ‘return-home’ command
Repeat refrain as sealing acclamation.
Kauśika Sūtra: no stable mapping for AVŚ 20.126; functionally comparable to Kauśika ‘gṛha-rakṣā’ (house-protection) recitations performed at thresholds and during return from danger.
Atharvan priest as household-protector: directs threshold-rite, controls liminal movement (out/in), and ensures the refrain is uttered as the final ‘bandhana’ (binding) of protection.
Recite at the threshold or courtyard to ‘send apart’ harmful ties and call guardianship home; can be paired with tracing a boundary line (with water, ash, or rice flour) in later folk-Atharvanic practice.
At dusk (boundary time) or after a quarrel/threat; before travelers return.
Householder as ritual agent; priest optional for extended śānti.
Used as a home-protection affirmation and boundary-setting practice.
Weapons (bow; cutting implement)
Weapons are both threat and tool: the charm ‘turns’ cutting power toward bonds of danger, not toward people; then relocates force to the household perimeter.
Protective rather than medical; reduces fear-stress by asserting unbinding and return to safety.
Stress reduction and restoration of safety (sattva) through ritual boundary-making.
Anxiety management via ‘closure’ rituals; home-safety affirmation after conflict/trauma.
Hostile connections/weapon-threat; also summons Vṛṣākapi as guardian
Unfasten hostile ‘joinings’ and compel protective power to return and stand near the home.
Unbinding verb-magic (vi yoj) + summoning imperative (ehi) + domestic localization (gṛhān upa) + supremacy seal.
Attack, entanglement, harmful alliances, weapon danger
- धन्व (dhanva)
- projected force; threat and defense
- कृन्तत्रम् (kṛntatram)
- capacity to sever bonds; decisive removal
- योजना (yojanā)
- bindings, alliances, entanglements
- वि योज (vi yoj)
- release from harmful ties; unbinding spell action
- नेदीयसः (nedīyasaḥ)
- bringing protection close; intimacy of guardian power
- अस्तम् एहि (astam ehi)
- return to safety; restoration of order
- गृहान् उप (gṛhān upa)
- domestic perimeter protection
- विश्वस्माद् इन्द्र उत्तरः
- final authority over threats
Unbinding (release of harmful ties) and re-centering power in the heart/home-space.
Mūlādhāra (safety/home)
Exhale-focused practice: long exhale while mentally ‘loosening knots’; inhale while drawing protection inward (‘astam ehi’).
See dark cords (yojanā) being cut by a blade of light; then a golden guardian-force taking position at the doorway.
Alert → settled; guarded calm.
Pair with practical safety actions; let the mantra support clear boundaries, not paranoia.
Imperative-driven; rise slightly on ‘vi yojanā’ and ‘ehi’; settle firmly on the refrain.
Make ‘vi yojanā’ crisp—this is the operative action; keep ‘astam ehi’ warm and inviting (homecoming).
Commanding but not harsh; protective authority.
Effective as threshold-recitation: speak the operative verb facing outward (unbinding), then ‘astam ehi’ facing inward (bringing protection home).
9 times
Feeling unsafe at home, after conflict, or when cutting ties with harmful influences.
At dusk; after a disturbing encounter; when returning from risky places; during a home-clearing/boundary-setting.
Sense of protection, clearer boundaries, reduced fear; ‘closing’ of harmful entanglements.
Do not substitute mantra for urgent safety measures; if threats are real, seek help and protection through appropriate authorities.
No plant is named; instead, weapons are the ‘material culture’ substrate. The mantra treats objects (bow/cutter) as nodes in a network of ‘yójanā’ (connections) that can be ritually ‘unfastened’ by speech.
The household (‘gṛhān’) is the protected unit; the priestly voice commands movement and safety. The refrain again universalizes Indra’s supremacy, legitimating the community’s security order under Indraic sovereignty.
The lexicon (dhánva, kṛ́ntatra, yójanā) is RV-like; the rhetorical question with svit is archaic poetic usage. The domestic ‘threshold’ reading is a later functional redeployment rather than a linguistic innovation.
Gopatha’s general theory supports efficacy through correct mantra-utterance at liminal moments (approach/return). Even without a direct citation, the ‘come home’ imperative fits Atharvanic logic: speech directs reality, especially at boundaries.
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