Atharva Veda 4.18.4: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 18, Mantra 4
Sukta 18
सह॑स्रधाम॒न् विशि॑खा॒न् विग्री॑वां छायया॒ त्वम्। प्रति॑ स्म च॒क्रुषे॑ कृ॒त्यां प्रि॒यां प्रि॒याव॑ते हर
sahásradhāman víśikhān vígrīvāṃ chāyáyā tvám | práti sma cakrúṣe kṛtyā́ṃ priyā́ṃ priyā́vate hara ||
O thou of thousand dwelling-places, with thy shadow make it crestless, make it neckless. Thou verily hast turned back the witchcraft—bear thou the dear one to him that holds it dear.
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।
The meaning
What it says
Addressing a power ‘of thousand dwelling-places’: by its shadow it makes the kṛtyā crestless and neckless, turns it back, and carries the ‘dear’ (the kṛtyā treated as dear by its owner) to the one who cherishes it—i.e., returns it to the sender.
The inner meaning
The ‘shadow’ is protective coverage—non-reactive awareness that deprives harmful thought-forms of their “head” (direction) and “neck” (connection). What one clings to as “dear” (even toxic patterns) returns to its owner.
The truth in it
Intentions and attachments rebound: what you nourish comes back to you. Protection can be achieved not only by attack, but by removing an affliction’s orientation and linkage.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Abhicarika (Counter-sorcery; reversal and disabling)
Its aim
Disable the kṛtyā (decapitate/denervate metaphorically) and return it to its sender.
Word by Word
Pada patha
सहस्रधामन् । विशिखान् । विग्रीवाम् । छायया । त्वम् । प्रति । स्म । चक्रुषे । कृत्याम् । प्रियाम् । प्रियावते । हर ।
- सहस्रधामन्
- O thousand-aboded / of a thousand dwellingsthousand-abiding/with a thousand seats; epithet of a powerful agent (often of the herb/amulet) with manifold stations of power.Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (आह्वान)Root सहस्र-धामन् (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास)
- विशिखान्
- (those) with loosened/varied tufts; tufted / crest-bearing (acc.)without tuft/crest; made crestless—i.e., stripped of 'head' or potency.Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (यस्य प्रति क्रिया) / विशेष्य-विशेषण (कृत्याम् प्रति)Root वि-शिखा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विशिख’ = शिखारहित/शिखाविशिष्ट)
- विग्रीवाम्
- (the) crooked-/strange-necked (one) (acc. sg. f.)neckless; deprived of support—metaphor for disabling the kṛtyā.Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (कृत्याम् विशेषणम्) / विशेषणRoot वि-ग्रीवा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विग्रीव’ = विकृत/विविध-ग्रीव)
- छायया
- with (your) shadowwith (thy) shadow; by protective overshadowing, a covering counter-influence.Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करण (instrument) / साधनRoot छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वम्
- youthou; addressed to the operative agent (Apāmārga/amulet-power).Pronounप्रथमपुरुषार्थे, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (agent)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रति
- against; towardback against; in return.Indeclinableअव्ययRole कर्म-प्रवचनिय (दिशा/प्रत्यभिमुखता)Root प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्म
- indeed; justindeed, verily; emphatic particle.Indeclinableअव्यय (स्मरण/नूनम्/एव-भाव)Role वाक्य-निपात (emphatic particle)Root स्म (निपात/अव्यय)
- चक्रुषे
- you have made / you have donethou hast made/done; accomplished the reversal.Verbलिट् (परफेक्ट), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √कृ (करोति) — परस्मैपद/आत्मनेपद-रूप ‘चक्रुषे’ (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट)
- कृत्याम्
- the witchcraft; the harmful spellthe witchcraft; hostile rite-entity.Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (object)Root कृत्या (प्रातिपदिक; ‘कृत’ + यत्; जादू/अभिचार-कर्म)
- प्रियाम्
- dear; pleasingdear, cherished; the sender’s 'favourite' kṛtyā—his chosen weapon.Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole विशेषण (कृत्याम्) / कर्म-विशेषणRoot प्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रियावते
- for the dear one; to one who has what is dearto the dear one/lover; i.e., to its fond maker—return it to him.Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (for/to one who is dear) / लाभार्थRoot प्रियावत् (प्रातिपदिक; -वत् प्रत्यय ‘possessing’)
- हर
- carry off; removecarry off, take away; remove and redirect.Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (आज्ञा)Root √हृ (हरति)
Sandhi Notes
- सहस्रधामन् | विशिखान् | विग्रीवाम् | छायया | त्वम् | प्रति | स्म | चक्रुषे | कृत्याम् | प्रियाम् | प्रियावते | हर । Sandhi:
- (1) छायया त्वम् = छायया + त्वम् (स्वर-संधि नहीं; केवल पद-संयोग).
- (2) प्रति स्म = प्रति + स्म (निपात-संयोग).
- (3) चक्रुषे कृत्याम् = चक्रुषे + कृत्याम् (कोई परिवर्तन नहीं).
- (4) प्रियां प्रियावते = प्रियाम् + प्रियावते
- म् + प् पर ‘म्’ का अनुस्वार-रूप सम्भव (प्रियां) — पाठ में ‘प्रियां’ दिखता है।
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic transmission (anukramaṇī-dependent).
- Devata
- Apāmārga/counter-charm power; kṛtyā as adversary-object.
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh-like.
- Rasa
- Vira and Shanta
Sāyaṇa treats the addressed power as the counter-charm (Apāmārga/its indwelling potency). 'Shadow' is protective covering that deprives the kṛtyā of its 'head' and 'neck'—its directing and sustaining faculties. The kṛtyā is called 'dear' ironically: it is the aggressor’s prized instrument, now to be returned to him.
Anukramaṇī-attributed Atharvanic transmitter (kṛtyā-reversal hymn)
Kṛtyā-pratiharaṇa (reversal) using oṣadhi-power (commonly Apāmārga in this hymn complex) and ‘shadow’ shielding techniques.
Shows Atharvan method of ‘disabling’ rather than merely destroying—render the hostile form headless/neckless, then return it to its source.
Apāmārga-oṣadhi (Achyranthes aspera) as counter-charm power; chāyā (protective shadow) as operative medium
Restores order by unmaking hostile constructions and reassigning them to their origin; the ‘shadow’ functions as a cooling, concealing cosmic screen.
Calms panic and perceived attack by establishing a ‘cover’ and breaking obsessive linkages.
Turns back kṛtyā; neutralizes its targeting capacity.
4×8 (with compound-heavy openings typical of Atharvanic diction)
Dense epithets (sahasradhāman) can produce metrical compression; reciters often maintain cadence by clear sandhi resolution.
Commanding but smoother than ‘phaṭ’-verses; the imagery of shadow cools the rhythm.
Creates a ‘covering’ auditory field—good for protective recitation over person/space.
Hold the Apāmārga bundle/amulet over the patient or threshold so that it 'casts a shadow' (covering gesture).
Recite the mantra while moving the bundle from head/neck region downward, symbolically removing 'crest' and 'neck' of the hostile force.
Perform a reversal motion (turning back, counter-circling) and then cast/dispatch the carrier away, assigning it to the sender ('priyāvate').
Kauśika Sūtra: pratyāvartana of kṛtyā with herb/amulet; covering gesture (chāyā) in protective acts (general rubric; exact numbering varies).
Atharvan priest as manipulator of protective covering and reversal; directs the 'return' through gesture and disposal.
Wave/brush Apāmārga over the person or threshold; recite while casting a ‘shadow’ covering gesture (cloth/hand over head) to symbolically make the kṛtyā ‘headless/neckless’.
At onset of suspected bewitchment; before entering contested spaces; at dusk
Householder may perform; Atharvan specialist for formal reversal rite if severe/recurrent.
KauśS: Apāmārga-based kṛtyā-reversal rites associated with AVŚ 4.18 (edition-dependent citation)
Use a symbolic ‘covering’ (shawl over head briefly) plus protective recitation; focus on non-reactive boundary.
Apāmārga (as addressed power); Shadow/covering (chāyā) as protective medium
The herb’s ‘everywhere-ness’ (sahasradhāman) makes protection non-elite; shadow signifies cool concealment—harm fails when it cannot ‘see’ or ‘grip’.
Kṛtyā-affliction; fear, sleep disturbance, misfortune attributed to hostile rites
gṛīvā (neck) as metaphor for linkage
Shielding (chāyā) + disconnection (headless/neckless) + reversal (return-to-sender)
Āgantuka/bhūta-bādhā framing; pacifying rajas-tamas agitation through protective containment
Boundary-setting for harassment/threat; cognitive defusion—removing ‘hook’ and ‘aim’ of intrusive thoughts
Kṛtyā (hostile operation)
Disable kṛtyā’s ‘aim’ and ‘connection’ and return it to its originator.
Oṣadhi-empowerment + shadow-covering (pariveṣṭana) + reversal formula (prati-)
Witchcraft, targeted malice, psychic intrusion
- सहस्रधामन् (sahasradhāman)
- ubiquitous protective presence; the herb/power found everywhere, available to all households
- छाया (chāyā)
- covering, concealment from harm; cool protective envelope; non-confrontational shield
- विशिख (viśikha)
- de-weaponizing—removing the ‘point’ of attack
- विग्रीव (vigrīva)
- cutting the conduit/continuity of the spell; disconnection
- कृत्या (kṛtyā)
- constructed harm; programmed hostility
- प्रति चक्रुषे (prati cakruṣe)
- reversal/return-to-sender principle
- प्रिय/प्रियावन्त (priya/priyāvant)
- ownership/attachment; karmic-moral address—send it to its ‘lover’
Protective ‘shadow awareness’: remain covered in calm presence while harmful projections lose traction.
Ājñā (discerning aim/targeting) and Anāhata (non-reactive protection)
Śītalī/śītkārī (cooling breath) after recitation; during recitation, steady ujjāyī-light
A dark dart (kṛtyā) approaches; your shadow expands, blunting its tip and snapping its neck; it turns back along its own trail.
Cool vigilance; witness-state that denies the affliction a ‘hook’.
Pair protective assertion with cooling closure: end by visualizing the home under a soft canopy of shade and silence.
Even Anuṣṭubh recitation; keep epithets clearly segmented; slight emphasis on prati.
Mark the imperative force in viśikhān/vigrīvām; avoid rushing sahasradhāman.
Cool, authoritative; not harsh
Gesture can accompany: cover the head/space briefly to enact chāyā while reciting.
11 times
Feeling ‘psychically targeted’ at work/home; recurring nightmares attributed to hostility; conflict where you need firm boundaries.
Before sleep; before entering a tense meeting; after receiving disturbing messages/visits.
Sense of shielding; reduced fear; traditional ‘return-to-sender’ neutralization without escalating aggression.
Avoid obsessive fixation on an enemy; use as self-protection, not vendetta.
The herb is treated as an agent with 'shadow'—a portable protective field. The mantra’s anatomical negations (crest/neck) provide a disabling model that the ritual gesture enacts by moving the herb over the body/space, converting metaphor into procedure.
It presumes a competitive ritual economy where aggressors possess 'cherished' magical technologies. The counter-priest claims superior command: he can not only block but also confiscate and reassign the enemy’s instrument.
The personification of a herb/rite-power as a 'thousand-abiding' agent and the technical disabling imagery are more typical of AV’s pragmatic magical register than RV’s praise-poetry.
Gopatha’s Atharvanic hermeneutics often construe protective acts as 'covering' (a kind of ritual enclosure) and hostile acts as detachable entities. This verse aligns: the kṛtyā is detachable, disable-able, and transferable back to its originator.
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