Atharva Veda 9.2.6: Kanda 9, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 6
Sukta 2
काम॒स्येन्द्र॑स्य॒ वरु॑णस्य॒ राज्ञो॒ विष्णो॒र्बले॑न सवि॒तुः स॒वेन॑ । अ॒ग्नेर्हो॒त्रेण॒ प्र णु॑दे स॒पत्नां॑छ॒म्बीव॒ नाव॑मुद॒केषु॒ धीरः॑
kā́masyéndrasya váruṇasya rā́jño víṣṇor bálená savitúḥ savéna | agnér hótreṇa prá nudé sapátnān chambī́va nā́vam udakéṣu dhī́raḥ ||
By Kāma’s power, by Indra’s, by Varuṇa the King, by Viṣṇu’s strength, by Savitṛ’s driving-on; by Agni’s priestly offering I thrust mine rivals forth— as a steadfast man a boat upon the waters.
काम, इंद्र, राजा वरुण, विष्णु और सविता की शक्ति से मैं अपने दुश्मनों को भगा देता हूँ। अग्नि की पूजा से भी मुझे मदद मिलती है। जैसे कोई कश्ती पानी में चलाता है, वैसे मैं भी पक्का खड़ा रहता हूँ।
The meaning
What it says
Invoking the powers of Kāma, Indra, King Varuṇa, Viṣṇu, Savitṛ, and Agni’s hotṛ-function, the speaker drives away rivals (sapatna) like pushing a boat upon waters.
The inner meaning
Rivals are also inner competitors—doubt, envy, scattered desire. Kāma is harnessed as disciplined will; the allied deities supply sovereignty (Varuṇa), force (Indra), stride/expansion (Viṣṇu), impetus (Savitṛ), and ritual efficacy (Agni).
The truth in it
When desire is aligned with order and consecrated action, it becomes a coherent force that dislodges opposition; steady effort moves obstacles as surely as a boat is moved across water.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Abhicarika (Rival-subduing / apotropaic)
Its aim
To drive away sapátnas (rivals/competitors) from the petitioner’s sphere and render them socially ineffective.
Word by Word
Pada patha
कामस्य । इन्द्रस्य । वरुणस्य । राज्ञः । विष्णोः । बलेन । सवितुः । सवेन । अग्नेः । होत्रेण । प्र । नुदे । सपत्नान् । छम्बीव । नावम् । उदकेषु । धीरः ।
- कामस्य
- of Kāma (Desire)of Kāma (Desire personified; here a coercive power that subdues rivals)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root काम (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रस्य
- of IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुणस्य
- of VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- राज्ञः
- of the kingof the King/Sovereign (regal authority; command over subjects and rivals)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विष्णोः
- of ViṣṇuNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
- बलेन
- by/with (their) strengthby the strength (effective potency; magical ‘force’ of the invoked powers)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot बल (प्रातिपदिक)
- सवितुः
- of SavitṛNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सवेन
- by/with the impulse/instigationby the impulsion (sava; the driving-on, ritual activation)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot सव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्नेः
- of AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- होत्रेण
- by/with the priestly offering/Hotṛ-functionby the Hotṛ-function/oblation-priesthood (the efficacious act of offering/recitation)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot होत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forward (intensifier with verb)forth, forward (intensifier; decisive expulsion)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- नुदे
- may I drive away / I drive awayI thrust away, drive off (apotropaic expulsion of rivals)Verbलोट्/विधिलिङ्-प्राय (आशीर्लिङ्/आज्ञार्थ), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot नुद् (धातु)
- सपत्नान्
- rivals, enemiesrivals, co-wives/enemies (social competitors; hostile claimants)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot सपत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- छम्बीव
- like a (charm-)boat/raft ‘chambī’ (as a simile)like a ‘chambī’ (as a simile of swift removal; traditional gloss: as one removes/launches a boat—uncertain lexeme)Adverbial (simile)इव = अव्यय; छम्बी = स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रातिपदिक (उपमान-शब्द)Root छम्बी + इव (इव = अव्यय)
- नावम्
- a boatNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (उपमान-रूपेण)Root नौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- उदकेषु
- in the watersNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
- धीरः
- the wise/steadfast (one)the steady/wise man (the ritualist as controlled agent; firm in rite)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot धीरा (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- (1) कामस्येन्द्रस्य → कामस्य + इन्द्रस्य
- (2) वरुणस्य राज्ञो → वरुणस्य + राज्ञः (o = visarga-sandhi)
- (3) विष्णोर्बलेन → विष्णोः + बलेन
- (4) सवितुः सवेन kept as two padas (no further sandhi)
- (5) अग्नेर्होत्रेण → अग्नेः + होत्रेण
- (6) प्र णु॑दे → प्र + नुदे (ṇ- is phonetic in saṃhitā)
- (7) सपत्नांछ॒म्बीव → सपत्नान् + छम्बीव (n + ch → ñch in saṃhitā)
- (8) नाव॑मुद॒केषु → नावम् + उदकेषु
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Traditionally Atharvanic (Kāma-sūkta complex; r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī traditions).
- Devata
- Kāma with allied deities (Indra, Varuṇa, Viṣṇu, Savitṛ, Agni).
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh-like cadence (as transmitted; metrical exactness may vary with pada resolution).
- Rasa
- Vira and Raudra
Sāyaṇa construes the verse as a formal ‘nuda’ (expulsion) of sapátnas through compounded sovereignties: Indra’s victory, Varuṇa’s royal restraint, Viṣṇu’s stabilizing stride, Savitṛ’s impelling ‘sava’, and Agni’s hotṛ-activity. The boat-in-water simile is taken as ‘casting away’ the enemy beyond the community’s bounds; the speaker’s dhīratā is ritual composure ensuring efficacy.
Atharvanic attribution uncertain within Kāma-sūkta complex (requires AVŚ 9.2 anukramaṇī detail)
Asapatna (rival-nullifying) charms; integration of desire-power (kāma) with royal/ritual deities for social victory.
Represents Atharvan strategy: not mere aggression, but sacral coalition—desire yoked to cosmic order to produce legitimate dominance.
Kāma (with Indra, Varuṇa, Viṣṇu, Savitṛ, Agni)
Kāma is the initiating impulse; allied deities supply enforcement (Indra), lawful sovereignty (Varuṇa), pervasion (Viṣṇu), activation (Savitṛ), and sacrificial mediation (Agni).
Restores morale and coherence of intention; counters psychosomatic depletion caused by rivalry and fear.
Drives off rivals and hostile intentions; reinforces social standing and ritual legitimacy.
Triṣṭubh (approx.; Atharvanic metrical looseness possible)
4 pādas with triṣṭubh-like cadence; final simile cola may show resolution/irregularity in transmission.
Name-cluster invocations and heavy compounds can create extra syllables; recitational triṣṭubh rather than strict ṛgvedic regularity.
Forceful, driving rhythm; momentum builds through deity-list then releases in expulsion verb (pra ṇude).
Energizes and hardens resolve; ‘pushes’ the field outward from the speaker.
The Atharvan priest prepares a protective working for ‘asapatnatā’ (freedom from rivals).
Fire is kindled; ājya is readied.
While reciting the mantra, he performs a forward ‘driving’ gesture (nuda) toward the direction associated with the rival(s).
The rival is symbolically ‘set afloat’/cast out (often by water-gesture or disposal of a token into water, per local prayoga).
Concludes with oblation to Agni to seal the expulsion.
Kauśika Sūtra: sapátna-nāśana / asapatna-karman sections (exact pāṭha-division varies by edition; commonly grouped with AV 9.2 as ‘asapatna’ rite).
Atharvan/Brahman officiant as apotropaic technician: recites, offers ājya, and performs the expulsive gesture; maintains dhīra (controlled) demeanor to prevent recoil of the rite.
Recited before entering competition, court, debate, or confronting obstruction; may be paired with a small homa or lamp-offering to Agni.
Dawn or before the decisive encounter; optionally repeated over water then poured away to symbolize removal.
Householder can perform; Atharvan-style specialist may formalize with offerings.
Use as a focused affirmation with a brief candle offering and a concrete action plan.
Agni (fire/oblation); Ājya/ghṛta context implied in the sukta sequence; Water/boat imagery (expulsion into liminality)
udakeṣu (waters) as liminal medium for removal/banishment.
Agni’s hotra (offering-power) as operative engine of expulsion.
Fire legitimizes and propels; water receives and carries away. Together they enact removal: authorized expulsion into the outside.
Coping ritual for competitive stress; confidence-building visualization used alongside practical conflict resolution.
Sapatnas (competitors/rivals) in social, legal, or workplace contexts.
To thrust rivals out of the petitioner’s sphere and render them ineffective.
Deity-force coalition + verbal expulsion (pra-√nud) + liminal displacement simile (boat on waters).
Envy, obstruction, hostile competition, social displacement.
Status, success, uncontested achievement.
- काम (kāma)
- directed will; motivational energy that can be sanctified
- सपत्न (sapatna)
- obstructing forces—social or psychological—that contest one’s place
- वरुण राजन् (varuṇa rājñ)
- sovereign order, binding law, legitimacy
- विष्णोः बल (viṣṇor bala)
- expansive stride; overcoming by widening one’s sphere
- सवितुः सव (savituḥ sava)
- activation, setting in motion, auspicious ‘push’
- अग्नेः होत्र (agner hotra)
- ritual authorization; efficacy of spoken/acted offering
- नावम् उदकेषु (nāvam udakeṣu)
- expulsion into liminality; sending rivals away into the ‘outside’
Harnessing desire as disciplined will; expanding one’s ‘field’ while releasing fixation on rivals.
manipura
Brisk, controlled exhale emphasis (without strain) to embody ‘pushing out’ obstacles.
Rivals as small boats drifting away on a wide river; your inner fire steady at the center.
Uplifted, assertive clarity.
Recite standing; feel feet grounded; on pra ṇude imagine pushing obstruction beyond your boundary, then return to calm.
Ṛc-style with clear udātta; build emphasis through the deity list, peak on प्र णुदे (pra ṇude).
Keep compounds clean; do not rush the deity names; articulate sapátnān distinctly.
Firm, projecting, command-like.
Repetition is traditionally functional: 3 or 7 times while facing the direction of perceived opposition; conclude with a quiet settling breath.
3 times
Workplace rivalry, legal disputes, competitive exams, leadership conflicts, or persistent obstruction.
Before key meetings/competitions; when feeling socially undermined.
Increased confidence, clearer boundaries, reduced intimidation; sense of divine-backed legitimacy.
Avoid using as justification for unethical harm; pair with fair conduct and realistic strategy.
No explicit herb appears in 9.2.6; the operative ‘substance’ is ritual fire and offering (Agni/hótra). The expulsion is enacted through oblation-power and directional gesture, while water/boat imagery supplies a material metaphor for removal beyond the settlement.
The verse mobilizes ‘royal’ and ‘kingly’ idioms (Varuṇa as rājan; ‘rājñaḥ’) to authorize private rivalry-management. It implies that social competition (sapátna) is resolved through priestly technology that borrows the language of sovereignty and public power.
The sapátna-expulsion register is characteristically Atharvanic (domestic rivalry, coercive speech-acts). The piling of genitives (‘kāmasyéndrasya…’) is a rhetorical intensification; the simile with a rare/obscure term (chambī́va) suggests either dialectal vocabulary or specialized ritual diction.
Gopatha’s general theory treats Atharvanic mantras as effective through correct application (prayoga), especially where they ‘bind’ or ‘drive off’ hostile forces. This verse exemplifies efficacy by combining deity-powers with a concrete ritual operator (Agni’s hotṛ/oblation), aligning speech with act.
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