Sukta 18
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition
Devata: Apāmārga / the apotropaic power embodied in the plant and mantra
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; hymn style and cadence consistent with AV anuṣṭubh)
AV 4.18 is a counter-sorcery hymn that turns hostile kṛtyā (manufactured witchcraft) back upon its sender, protecting an innocent household and its livelihood. Centering the apotropaic force of Apāmārga as an oṣadhi-power, the sukta claims the mantra’s ability to “spoil” sorcery done in fields, cattle, and persons, and to cripple the adversary’s capacity to act while securing blessing for the client.
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
अपामार्गः। स॒मं ज्योतिः॒ सूर्ये॒णाह्ना॒ रात्री॑ स॒मावती॑ । कृ॒णोमि॑ स॒त्यमू॒तये॑ऽर॒साः स॑न्तु॒ कृत्व॑रीः
अपामार्ग प्लांट का यूज़ कर के मैं रोशनी को सूरज जैसा बना देता हूँ। दिन और रात को बराबर कर देता हूँ। सच का काम करता हूँ ताकि मदद मिले। जो लोग जादू-टोना करते हैं, उनका काम बेजान हो जाए। उनका काम खत्म हो जाए।
Mantra 2
यो दे॑वाः कृ॒त्यां कृ॒त्वा हरा॒दवि॑दुषो गृ॒हम्। व॒त्सो धा॒रुरि॑व मा॒तरं॒ तं प्र॒त्यगुप॑ पद्यताम्
भगवान, जो किसी ने जादू-टोना करके किसी और के घर में बुरा किया है, उसको वापस उसी के पास भेज दो। जैसे बछेड़ा अपनी माँ के पास भागता है, वैसे ही वो बुरा काम उसी इंसान के पास जाए जो उसने किया है। उसका जादू उसी पर पड़ेगा।
Mantra 3
अ॒मा कृ॒त्वा पा॒प्मानं॒ यस्तेना॒न्यं जिघां॑सति । अश्मा॑न॒स्तस्यां॑ द॒ग्धायां॑ बहु॒लाः फट् क॑रिक्रति
जिसने अपने घर में बुरा काम किया और दूसरे को मारना चाहता है, उसका जादू-टोना जला दिया जाए। जब वो जादू जलाता है तो पत्थर से मारता है। पत्थर टूट के आवाज़ करते हैं और उस बुरा काम को खत्म कर देते हैं।
Mantra 4
सह॑स्रधाम॒न् विशि॑खा॒न् विग्री॑वां छायया॒ त्वम्। प्रति॑ स्म च॒क्रुषे॑ कृ॒त्यां प्रि॒यां प्रि॒याव॑ते हर
तुम्हारा हज़ार घर है, तुम्हारी छाया सब पे है। उस जादू-टोना को गिरा दो, उसका सर काट दो। तुमने उस बुरा काम को रोक दिया है। अब प्यारे इंसान को उसके प्यारे के पास पहुँचा दो।
Mantra 5
अ॒नया॒हमोष॑ध्या सर्वाः॑ कृ॒त्या अ॑दूदुषम्। यां क्षेत्रे॑ च॒क्रुर्यां गोषु॒ यां वा॑ ते॒ पुरु॑षेषु
मैं इस जड़ी-बूटी से सब काला जादू तोड़ देता हूँ। जो खेत में किया, जो गाय-भैंस के बीच किया, जो लोगों में किया, सब खत्म। यह बूटी सब बुरी हरकत को नाकाम कर देती है।
Mantra 6
यश्च॒कार॒ न श॒शाक॒ कर्तुं॑ श॒श्रे पाद॑म॒ङ्गुरि॑म्। च॒कार॑ भ॒द्रम॒स्मभ्य॑मा॒त्मने॒ तप॑नं॒ तु सः
जिसने यह काम किया, उससे कोई रोक नहीं सकता। उसने पैर और उंगली तोड़ दी है। हमारे लिए अच्छा किया है वो, पर अपने लिए भी तपस्या की है।
Mantra 7
अ॒पा॒मा॒र्गोऽप॑ मार्ष्टु क्षेत्रि॒यं श॒पथ॑श्च॒ यः । अपाह॑ यातुधा॒नीरप॒ सर्वा॒ अरा॒य्यः
अपमार्ग से कहा जाता है कि वो बुराई को साफ कर दे, जो भी श्राप हो वो भी मिटा दे। उसने चुड़ैल जैसी शक्तियों को भगा दिया। सारी बुरी चीज़ें दूर हो जायें।
Mantra 8
अ॒प॒मृज्य॑ यातु॒धाना॒नप॒ सर्वा॑ अरा॒य्यः । अपा॑मार्ग॒ त्वया॑ व॒यं सर्वं॒ तदप॒ मृज्महे
जादू करने वाले लोगों को साफ करके भगा दो, सारी बुरी चीज़ें भी साथ में। हे अपमार्ग, तुमसे हम यह माँगते हैं कि जो भी बुरा है सब मिटा दो।
Inside Sukta 18
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn frames the problem as an incoming, stealthy kṛtyā approaching an innocent house and calls on divine enforcement and the oṣadhi-power to recognize and counter it.
- What it asks
Let the witchcraft return and ‘step upon’ (afflict) its maker; let the client’s household, cattle, and fields be cleared of all hostile workings.
- Where its power lies
The speaker asserts efficacy through the herb-mantra alliance: ‘with this herb I have spoiled all kṛtyā,’ extending the claim across every sphere where harm may be planted.
- How it closes
A final reversal-and-settlement logic: blessing (bhadra) is secured for ‘us,’ while burning (tapas) is assigned to the hostile party, sealing the transfer of harm away from the client.
Famous verses
pratyagupa padyatām
bhadrama̱smabhya̍mā̱tmane̱ tapa̍nam
Kind of hymn
Abhicarika (counter-sorcery) / Rakṣoghna (demon-expelling)
What it is for
Recoil of kṛtyā to its originator; comprehensive shielding of home, field, cattle, and persons; disabling of the hostile agent and establishment of bhadra (auspicious welfare) for the client.
Who it is for
Atharvanic ritualists and householders seeking protection from suspected witchcraft, envy, or malicious rites affecting family, livestock, and agriculture.
Also used as
- Rakṣoghna
- Śāntika (protective pacification of harm)
- Paustika (indirectly, by safeguarding cattle/fields and prosperity)
The deity
Apāmārga is invoked as a personified medicinal-ritual force: the ‘sweeper-away’ plant whose inherent tapas (scorching punitive heat) and purity drive out, undo, and return hostile constructions (kṛtyā). In this sukta it functions less as a botanical specimen alone and more as a deity-substance empowered by speech.
Powers of the deity
- Nullifies and ‘spoils’ (adūduṣ-) hostile kṛtyā across domains (field, cattle, people)
- Forces recoil/return of sorcery to its maker (pratyag-)
- Afflicts, scorches, and disables the aggressor (tapas, ‘burning’)
- Guards the household boundary and restores auspiciousness (bhadra) for the client
Why the deity is called
To reverse incoming witchcraft, protect the unsuspecting householder, and redirect the harm so the sender bears the torment while the client receives welfare and safety.
The seer
- Atharvanic (anukramaṇī-unspecified) seerAtharvan. Abhicāra-pratīkāra (reversal of witchcraft), rakṣoghna protections for house and boundary, and oṣadhi-based charms that neutralize kṛtyā across land, cattle, and community.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 4.17 (apāmārga-related charm complex, traditional proximity)
- AV 4.19 (adjacent counter-sorcery/protection material in the same kanda cluster)
Preparing for the rite
- Identify the locus of affliction (household threshold, cattle-shed, field edge, or the person).
- Obtain Apāmārga (Achyranthes aspera), preferably uprooted with root intact; keep it ritually clean and unbroken.
- Prepare a small bundle/sprig for sprinkling/sweeping; optionally make a simple amulet-bundle by tying the herb with a thread.
- Establish a protective boundary at the house-door (gṛha-dvāra) and/or around the afflicted area.
The rite
- Recite the sukta while sweeping/wafting Apāmārga outward from the protected person/space toward the outside (symbolizing expulsion).
- At verses of recoil (e.g., 4.18.2), gesture outward/behind, directing the kṛtyā to ‘go back’ to the sender.
- At verses of nullification (e.g., 4.18.5), touch or circle the herb over field/cattle/person to cover all domains named.
- At punitive lines (e.g., 4.18.6), perform a firm stamping/pressing gesture at the threshold or ground to ‘crush’ the foe’s agency, then conclude with a settling gesture for bhadra (welfare).
What it needs
- Apāmārga (Achyranthes aspera) as the primary oṣadhi
- Water for sprinkling/purification (optional, as common Atharvanic support)
- Thread for tying an herb-amulet (optional)
- Household threshold/doorway as ritual locus; alternatively cattle-shed/field boundary
When
Preferably at liminal times (dawn or dusk) or immediately upon suspicion/appearance of harm; commonly performed at the threshold before entry or around the afflicted asset (cattle/field).
The main substance
Apāmārga (Achyranthes aspera)
Herbs
- Apāmārga (Achyranthes aspera)
Amulets
- Apāmārga sprig tied with thread (simple protective bundle)
- Herb bundle placed/wafted at the threshold or carried briefly by the afflicted person
How it is prepared
Uproot or gather Apāmārga cleanly; make a small sprig/bundle for sweeping or circling. Optionally tie as an amulet-bundle; use it to sweep outward from the protected locus and to mark/guard the threshold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kṛtyā is a deliberately ‘made’ harmful act—witchcraft or hostile ritual construction—sent to injure a person, household, cattle, or crops. The hymn treats it as something that can be detected, undone, and forced to return to its maker.
Apāmārga is the ‘sweeper-away’ herb used as an oṣadhi-power that drives out and neutralizes harmful forces. In AV 4.18 it is the main ritual support for spoiling sorcery and protecting every affected domain (field, cattle, people).
It does both: it seeks welfare (bhadra) for the client while explicitly redirecting the harm so the sender bears the consequence. The hymn’s logic is reversal—harm is not kept in the household but sent back to its source.
Ask anything about Sukta 18 of the Atharva Veda
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Atharva Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
