Atharva Veda 7.13.1: Kanda 7, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 13, Mantra 1
Sukta 13
शत्रुनाशनम्। यथा॒ सूर्यो॒ नक्ष॑त्राणामु॒द्यंस्तेजां॑स्याद॒दे। ए॒वा स्त्री॒णां च॑ पुं॒सां च॑ द्विष॒तां वर्च॒ आ द॑दे
yáthā sū́ryo nákṣatrāṇām udyáṃs téjāṃsy ā́ dadé | evá strīṇā́ṃ ca puṃsā́ṃ ca dvíṣatāṃ várca ā́ dadé
As the Sun, uprising, taketh to himself the splendours of the stars, even so from women and from men that hate—mine adversaries—I take away their lustre and their might of glory.
जैसे सूरज निकलता है और तारों की चमक अपने में समेट लेता है, वैसे ही मैं दुश्मन और दुश्मनियों की ताकत चीन लेता हूँ। चाहे वो औरतें हों या मर्द, जो मुझसे नफरत करते हैं, उनकी चमक और ताकत मैं खींच लेता हूँ।
The meaning
What it says
By a solar simile: as the rising Sun takes the splendours of the stars, so the speaker takes away the varcas (lustre/prestige) of hostile women and men.
The inner meaning
A hostile charm to eclipse opponents: withdrawing their confidence, public shine, and persuasive power, while consolidating one’s own dominance in the social-psychic arena.
The truth in it
Power is often perceived as ‘radiance’; when confidence and reputation are dimmed, adversaries lose effectiveness—yet such operations bind the operator to ethical consequences.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Abhicarika (Sorcery/Hostile magic) / Shatrunashana (Enemy-destruction)
Its aim
To diminish and appropriate the prestige/power (varchas) of hostile persons, rendering them ineffective.
Word by Word
Pada patha
यथा । सूर्यः । नक्षत्राणाम् । उद्यन् । तेजांसि । आ । ददे । एव । स्त्रीणाम् । च । पुंसाम् । च । द्विषताम् । वर्चः । आ । ददे ।
- शत्रुनाशनम्
- enemy-destruction; a charm/act that destroys enemiesNoun (compound)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (अभिधेय/शीर्षक-रूपेण ‘नाशनम्’ = ‘नाशयितव्यम्/नाशकं’)Root शत्रु-नाशन (प्रातिपदिक; नाशन < √नश्/नाश् ‘नाशे’)
- यथा
- just asas, just as (model analogy establishing magical certainty)Indeclinableअव्ययRole उपमान-सम्बन्धसूचकRoot यथा (अव्यय)
- सूर्यः
- the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- नक्षत्राणाम्
- of the stars/constellationsof the stars (lesser lights; rivals eclipsed)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः; ‘of the stars’)Root नक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- उद्यमन्
- rising; as he risesVerb (participle)वर्तमानकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सूर्यः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणम्Root √उद्-या (उद् + √या ‘गत्यर्थे’) → वर्तमानकृदन्त ‘उद्यमान/उद्यमन्’
- तेजांसि
- splendours, lights, brilliancesplendours, lights, energies (their visible power)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आददे
- takes away; seizes; removesVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रिया (कर्तृ=सूर्यः; कर्म=तेजांसि)Root √दा (आ + √दा ‘दाने/ग्रहणे’)
- एव
- just so; indeedeven so (ritual equivalence)Indeclinableअव्ययRole उपमेय-निश्चय/अवधारणRoot एव (अव्यय)
- स्त्रीणाम्
- of womenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)Root स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRole समुच्चयRoot च (अव्यय)
- पुंसाम्
- of menNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)Root पुंस्/पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRole समुच्चयRoot च (अव्यय)
- द्विषताम्
- of the hostile ones; of the hatersof the hating/envious; hostile persons (adversaries)Noun/Adjective (participle used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग/सामान्य, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः; ‘of the haters/hostile ones’)Root द्विषत् (प्रातिपदिक; शत्रु-अर्थे, वर्तमानकृदन्त-आधारित)
- वर्चः
- lustre, radiance, vital brilliancelustre, prestige, potency (social and bodily brilliance)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वर्चस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards; completely (as preverb)away/unto (prefix of taking; here: drawing off)Indeclinable (preverb)अव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषक; उपसर्गःRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ददे
- I take away; I seize/removehe takes (removes/appropriates; eclipses)Verbलिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रिया (कर्तृ=अहं/मन्त्रः/औषधि-शक्ति implied; कर्म=वर्चः)Root √दा (आ + √दा ‘दाने/ग्रहणे’)
Sandhi Notes
- शत्रुनाशनम् | यथा सूर्यः नक्षत्राणाम् उद्यमन् तेजांसि आददे | एव स्त्रीणाम् च पुंसाम् च द्विषताम् वर्चः आ ददे।
- 1) नक्ष॑त्राणामु॒द्यंस्तेजां॑स्याद॒दे → नक्षत्राणाम् + उद्यमन् + तेजांसि + आददे (म्+उ → मु; उद्यमन्+तेजांसि → उद्यंस्-तेजांसि (न् + त → ंस्); तेजांसि+आददे → तेजांस्याददे (इ+आ → या))
- 2) ए॒वा → एव (अव्यय) + (पादपूरण/स्वर-प्रभावः; पाठे दीर्घस्वरः)
- 3) वर्च॒ आ द॑दे → वर्चः + आ + ददे (विसर्गः पदान्ते; आ उपसर्गवत् पृथक् लिख्यते)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition.
- Devata
- Sūrya (as paradigmatic victor); the operative target is the dvīṣant (enemy).
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh-like cadence (simile + application), though Atharvanic metrics may be loose.
- Rasa
- Raudra and Vira
Sāyaṇa explains the solar simile as a cosmic precedent: at sunrise the stars’ light is ‘as though taken away’ by the Sun. Likewise the performer, by mantra, removes (āpaharaṇa) the vārchas of enemies—male and female alike—thereby weakening their capacity to harm and strengthening the performer’s standing.
Unknown (Angiras-leaning register within Atharvavedic corpus)
Abhicārika: shatrunāśana through tejas/varchas eclipse, using cosmic analogy (sun over stars).
Illustrates the Angiras strand: aggressive speech as weaponized tejas; the cosmos is recruited as precedent for social defeat.
Sūrya (as paradigmatic victor)
Daily conqueror of darkness and star-lights; establishes hierarchy of radiance—used here to justify the operator’s eclipse of rivals.
Can be reframed as restoring one’s tejas (vital radiance) when ‘eclipsed’ by others, but this verse is primarily hostile.
Protection by dominance: preventing enemies from shining/prevailing.
Typically 4 pādas × ~11 syllables; Atharvanic practice allows irregularities and prose-like openings (e.g., śatrunāśanam rubric).
Rubric/heading may precede; the simile-application structure is more important than strict syllable count.
Expansive, forceful; simile builds inevitability, application delivers the blow.
Generates raudra-vīra energy; psychologically primes dominance and adversarial certainty.
The rite is timed to sunrise (udayan), matching the mantra’s model.
Facing east, the performer recites while looking toward the rising sun.
On ‘ā dade’ he performs a grasping motion toward himself, symbolically ‘taking’ the enemy’s vārchas.
He may then spit or cast away a small pinch of dust to the west, signifying the enemy’s waning.
The mantra may be repeated a set number of times (commonly 3/7/9) to fix the transfer.
Kauśika Sūtra: śatru-tejas-haraṇa / varcas-āpaharaṇa (hostile rite; exact numbering varies by edition).
Atharvan priest serves as abhicāra-specialist: he selects the proper time (sunrise), enforces secrecy, and executes the ‘taking’ gesture; he also performs protective counter-rites to prevent rebound.
Historically used in rivalry disputes; in modern ethical use, better reframed as ‘remove hostile influence’ without naming persons.
At sunrise (udyan) to align with the solar model; or before public contest.
Traditionally an Atharvan priest could perform on behalf of a patron; due to aggressive nature, often restricted/guarded.
KauśS: abhicārika sections include enemy-destruction and rival-eclipse rites (exact sūtra depends on edition concordance).
Generally discouraged; if used, interpret as cutting one’s fear of opponents and withdrawing attention from hostile voices.
Tejas/varchas are treated as quasi-material radiance that can be seized; Sūrya provides the model of legitimate eclipse.
Not recommended as ‘health’ use; at most, metaphorically relates to confidence restoration after social undermining.
Identified adversaries (women and men who hate).
To diminish and appropriate the enemies’ prestige/tejas so they become ineffective and socially eclipsed.
Cosmic homology + transfer formula: ‘as Sun takes stars’ splendour, so I take enemies’ varcas’.
Public humiliation, political defeat, rival influence.
- सूर्य (sūrya)
- overriding authority; inevitable dominance; daily victory
- नक्षत्र (nakṣatra)
- lesser powers/reputations that fade before greater presence
- उद्यन् (udyan)
- emergence of one’s force; turning point in contest
- तेजांसि (tejāṃsi)
- vital force, influence, brilliance
- द्विषत् (dviṣat)
- active opposition; hostile will
- वर्चस् (varcas)
- social legitimacy and ‘shine’ that makes others follow
- आ ददे (ā dadē)
- ritual expropriation; eclipse-and-transfer
Shadow-work: transform the impulse to eclipse others into reclaiming one’s own tejas without harm.
Maṇipūra (tejas, power) with ethical restraint from Anāhata (non-harm).
Brisk energizing breath is not advised with hostile intent; prefer steady diaphragmatic breathing to avoid agitation.
Visualize the Sun rising within your navel center, dissolving fear and envy (not ‘stealing’ others’ light).
Alert and strong, but ideally reoriented toward self-mastery rather than malice.
If practicing responsibly, replace ‘dvīṣatām’ in intention with ‘dveṣa’ (hatred) as the true enemy—let hatred’s ‘varchas’ be taken away.
Strong udātta on sū́ryo / udyán; deliver ‘ā dade’ with decisive downward closure.
Keep the simile pāda expansive; compress the application ‘evā … varca ā dade’ like a strike.
Forceful, controlled, not shouted.
Because this is abhicārika, traditional manuals often prescribe privacy, containment, and strict intent; avoid casual repetition.
9 times
Historical rivalries and adversarial contests; modern users should treat it as symbolic self-empowerment rather than harm.
If used at all, at sunrise, with a restrained, non-harmful intention (remove hostility, restore your confidence).
Psychological strengthening; reduction of intimidation by opponents (when ethically reframed).
Do not use to target specific persons; can intensify anger/obsession. Avoid if prone to rumination or aggression.
No botanical agent is invoked; the ‘substance’ is vārchas/tejas, treated as transferable energy. The Sun provides the cosmological template for the transfer.
Conflict is framed in terms of prestige (vārchas) rather than only physical harm, suggesting competition for status and influence. Atharvanic specialists offer technical means to manage rivalry within and across genders (‘strīṇām ca puṃsām ca’).
The solar-over-stars motif is old; the explicit first-person hostile appropriation (‘ā dade’) is more typical of Atharvanic charm diction, shifting from praise to operative coercion.
Gopatha’s bandhu reasoning supports the analogical engine: sunrise is a daily enactment of dominance; by aligning speech and time with that dominance, the performer reproduces it in the social sphere as loss of enemy vārchas.
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