Atharva Veda 8.7.18: Kanda 8, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 7, Mantra 18
Sukta 7
सर्वाः॑ सम॒ग्रा ओष॑धी॒र्बोध॑न्तु॒ वच॑सो॒ मम॑ । यथे॒मं पा॒रया॑मसि॒ पुरु॑षं दुरि॒तादधि॑
sárvāḥ samagrā́ oṣádhīr bódhantu vácaso máma | yáthémaṁ pāráyāmasi púruṣaṁ duritā́d ádhi ||
Let all the Herbs, whole and entire, awaken to my word, that we may bring this man safely across, away from distress and evil.
सब पौधे मेरे बोलने पर जाग उठो। मैं चाहता हूँ कि हम इस इंसान को किसी भी बुराई और तकलीफ से पार ले जाएँ।
The meaning
What it says
All herbs, ‘whole and entire,’ are commanded to awaken to the speaker’s word, so that the patient may be brought safely across—beyond durita (distress/evil).
The inner meaning
Speech (vāc) is treated as an activator: the mind’s directive awakens latent healing capacities. The crossing motif reframes illness as a perilous passage that can be navigated with collective support.
The truth in it
Words can organize reality: when intention is coherent, the ‘whole system’ awakens and one can cross crises without being defined by them.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Bhaisajya (Healing)
Its aim
Rousing/activating the complete host of herbs to rescue the patient from durita (misfortune/disease) and bring him through safely.
Word by Word
Pada patha
सर्वाः । समग्राः । ओषधीः । बोधन्तु । वचसः । मम । यथा । इमम् । पारयामसि । पुरुषम् । दुरितात् । अधि ।
- सर्वाः
- allall; totality without remainderAdjective (pronoun-like)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- समग्राः
- entire, completeentire, complete, unbroken; intact potency (no deficiency)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot समग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- ओषधीः
- herbs, medicinal plantsherbs; the full pharmacopeiaNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot ओषधी (प्रातिपदिक)
- बोधन्तु
- let (them) awaken/notice/understandlet them awaken/heed; activation of agency by the spoken formulaVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot बुध् (धातु)
- वचसः
- of the speech/utteranceto the speech/utterance; mantra as commanding signalNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मम
- myof me; the officiant’s authoritative utterancePronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यथा
- so that, in such a way thatso that; purpose clauseIndeclinableअव्ययRole सम्बन्ध/उपपद-सम्बन्धRoot यथा (अव्यय)
- इमम्
- thisthis; the present patientPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पारयामसि
- we carry across, we bring throughwe may carry across, bring through safely; rescue metaphor (crossing danger)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot पॄ/पारय् (धातु; causative sense ‘to carry across’)
- पुरुषम्
- person, manman/person; the patientNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (इमम् पुरुषम्)Root पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुरितात्
- from distress/evil/misfortunefrom distress, evil, misfortune (including disease as ‘evil’)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचनRole अपादानRoot दुरित (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधि
- over, beyond; (with abl.) away fromfrom, away from; separative forceIndeclinable (preverb) / postpositionअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण/उपपदRoot अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
Sandhi Notes
- सर्वाः | समग्राः | ओषधीः | बोधन्तु | वचसः | मम | यथा | इमम् | पारयामसि | पुरुषम् | दुरितात् | अधि ।
- 1) ओषधीः + बोधन्तु: विसर्ग/सन्धि नहीं
- पदसीमा पर ‘ः’ (दीर्घ ‘ईः’) यथावत्।
- 2) यथा + इमम् → यथे॒मम् (ए-आदेशः: अ + इ → ए)।
- 3) दुरितात् + अधि: त् + अ पर संधि-रूप प्रायः ‘दुरितादधि’ (त् → द्, तत्पश्चात् ‘दधि’ लेखन) वैदिक-पाठानुसार।
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition
- Devata
- Oṣadhayaḥ (Herbs)
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira and Shanta
Sayana reads ‘bodhantu’ as the herbs’ rousing to action upon the priest’s mantra. ‘Samagrāḥ’ underscores unimpaired efficacy (no missing members of the herb-host). ‘Pārayāmasi’ is glossed as rescuing the patient across the peril of disease/misfortune.
Atharvanic tradition (Śaunaka); healer-voice as ritual agent
Bhaiṣajya activation formulae; ‘awakening’ (bodhana) of substances through vāc.
Classic Atharvan stance: substances are not inert; they respond to properly framed speech. Healing is a coordinated awakening enabling safe passage beyond durita.
Oṣadhayaḥ (Herbs) responding to Vāc
A collective ‘host’ whose powers can be roused and synchronized by mantra; guardians of passage from harm to safety.
Activated herbs restore balance and remove durita conceived as disease-distress.
Escort-function: they ‘carry across’ the patient like a ferry through danger.
4×8
Imperative + purpose-clause structure typical in Atharvan anuṣṭubh; strong syntactic turn at yathā.
Commanding first half, resolving into a guiding cadence in the second.
Energizes intention; then settles into assurance of safe passage.
The prepared herb bundle/mixture is placed before the officiant and patient.
The officiant recites the verse as an activation command (‘bodhantu’).
Administration follows immediately (ingestion, anointing, fumigation, or binding as an amulet-bundle), timed so the ‘awakened’ potency is transferred.
A final gesture of ‘carrying across’ may be enacted by leading the patient a few steps, or by symbolic crossing (over a line/water/threshold), depending on local rite-forms.
Kauśika Sūtra: concluding activation formula in herb-healing rites (AV 8.7 used to ‘awaken’ herbs before administration; numbering varies by edition).
Atharvan as activator and rescuer: he ‘awakens’ the herbs by authoritative speech and conducts the patient through a liminal passage away from durita.
Chant over the prepared remedy, then administer; or recite while touching the patient’s head/shoulders as a ‘crossing’ blessing.
At the start of treatment; during fever peaks or moments of fear; also before sleep for protection.
Atharvan/healer leads; family members may join on the ‘pārayāmasi’ line to emphasize collective escort.
Kauśika: bhaiṣajya rites often pair recitation with touching/administration of herbs; this verse suits the ‘activation’ moment before giving medicine (exact sūtra mapping varies).
Used as a short ‘activation prayer’ before medication and as a resilience mantra in crisis.
oṣadhayaḥ (all herbs, as a collective host); vacas/mantra (speech as activator); crossing/rescue metaphor (pāray-)
Here the primary ‘substance’ is vāc itself: speech awakens dravya. The crossing image implies medicine as an escort-force, not merely a chemical agent.
General durita—illness, misfortune, crisis states; suitable for acute distress or chronic adversity.
Mantric ‘bodhana’—awakening the complete herbal host to act; crossing metaphor frames recovery as guided transition.
Agni/ojas support through activation; also satvavajaya-like effect (mind strengthened by assurance of passage).
Crisis coping and recovery framing; mobilizing support systems; psychosomatic activation and adherence support.
puruṣa (patient).
To rouse all herbs to the mantra so the patient is safely delivered beyond distress/evil.
Activation imperative (bodhantu) + totality formula (sarvāḥ samagrāḥ) + ferry/crossing charm (pāray-).
durita (disease, misfortune, malignant influences).
- sarvāḥ samagrāḥ
- no fragmentation; integrated healing
- bodhantu
- activation of dormant potency; arousal of immunity/response
- vacas
- mantra as pharmakon; directing intelligence
- pārayāmasi
- safe passage through crisis; liminality management
- puruṣam
- the embodied self as ritual subject
- duritāt
- disease + bad fate; entangling negativity
Activation and crossing: awaken inner healing allies; visualize being guided beyond darkness.
Maṇipūra (activation/agency) moving toward Anāhata (safe passage and trust)
3 energizing breaths (slightly stronger inhale), then long exhale while chanting the yathā-clause.
A boat/bridge of green herbs carrying the patient across a dark river labeled ‘durita’.
Mobilized, then reassured.
Use when motivation is low: speak the command clearly, then rest in the image of crossing; end with quiet gratitude.
Firm opening; allow a slight lift on bodhantu; soften into a flowing cadence on pārayāmasi.
Pause after ‘mama’ and after ‘pārayāmasi’ to mark command and purpose; keep ‘duritādadhi’ as a decisive release.
First half clear and directive; second half protective and steady.
Effective when spoken directly over the medicine (breath carrying vāc onto dravya) before administration.
9 times
Acute illness episode, fear during recovery, hospitalization or major life stress framed as ‘crossing’.
Before giving/taking medicine; at symptom spikes; before sleep to reduce fear.
Greater sense of agency and protection; calmer framing of illness as a passable phase; improved adherence/hope.
Seek medical attention for severe symptoms; do not delay emergency care.
The verse makes mantra the switch that turns materia medica into an acting ‘host’: herbs ‘awaken’ to speech. This encodes a theory of efficacy where pharmacological substance requires ritual activation and correct timing of administration.
The phrase ‘to my word’ (vacasas mama) centers agency in the officiant’s authorized speech, implying that healing is mediated by a specialist whose utterance commands natural powers—an institutional basis for Atharvanic priestly authority.
The imperative ‘bodhantu’ addressed to herbs is a pragmatic innovation in tone: RV often praises, AV commands. ‘Pāray-’ as a rescue-across metaphor is old, but here it is concretely medicalized (crossing out of durita as illness).
Gopatha’s ritual epistemology treats speech as operative power when properly deployed. This verse is a compact enactment of that doctrine: the herbs respond to mantra, and the patient’s deliverance is framed as a ritually effected transition from danger to safety.
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