Sukta 162
Sukta 10.162
Late Maṇḍala 10 protective/healing tradition; specific r̥ṣi uncertain in common catalogs.
Likely Tr̥ṣṭubh; requires scansion confirmation.
This short protective hymn invokes Agni as rakṣohā (slayer of hostile forces), empowered by brahman, to expel a wasting, ill-named presence believed to have entered the womb and threaten conception and progeny. It names multiple modes of intrusion—physical lurking, creeping within the yoni, and delusion through dream and darkness—and repeatedly commands the remover-force to drive the danger away. The sukta functions as an exorcistic-healing prayer aimed at safeguarding fertility, pregnancy, and the continuity of the family line.
In this hymn
Addressed to
Mantras
Mantra 1
ब्रह्मणाग्निः संविदानो रक्षोहा बाधतामितः । अमीवा यस्ते गर्भं दुर्णामा योनिमाशये ॥
मंत्र की शक्ति से अग्नि जाग उठो। वो अँधेरे की बुरी चीज़ को मारे। जो भी बिमारी तुम्हारे पेट में बुरी तरह से फंसी है, उसे यहाँ से भगाओ। वो जन्म स्थान में बुरी तरह से छुपी है।
Mantra 2
यस्ते गर्भममीवा दुर्णामा योनिमाशये । अग्निष्टं ब्रह्मणा सह निष्क्रव्यादमनीनशत् ॥
जो बिमारी तुम्हारे पेट में बुरी नाम से फंसी है, वो जन्म स्थान में छुपी है। अग्नि ने उसे मंत्र की शक्ति के साथ बाहर निकाला है। उसने उसे कुचल के बाहर फेंक दिया है, जैसे कोई सड़ा हुआ माँस को फेंक दे।
Mantra 3
यस्ते हन्ति पतयन्तं निषत्स्नुं यः सरीसृपम् । जातं यस्ते जिघांसति तमितो नाशयामसि ॥
जो शख्स उड़ने वाले परिंदे को मार डाले। जो नए-नए जन्म लिए जानवर को तकलीफ दे। जो रेंगने वाले जीव को हानि पहुँचाए। जो तुम्हारे लिए पैदा हुए किसी को मारना चाहे। ऐसे बुरे इंसान को हम यहीं से खत्म कर देते हैं।
Mantra 4
यस्त ऊरू विहरत्यन्तरा दम्पती शये । योनिं यो अन्तरारेळ्हि तमितो नाशयामसि ॥
जो तुम्हारी टांगों के बीच घूमता है। जो पति-पत्नी के बीच सो जाता है। जो गर्भ में घुस कर बच्चे को नुकसान पहुँचाता है। ऐसे शख्स को हम यहीं से खत्म कर देते हैं।
Mantra 5
यस्त्वा भ्राता पतिर्भूत्वा जारो भूत्वा निपद्यते । प्रजां यस्ते जिघांसति तमितो नाशयामसि ॥
जो तुम्हारे पास भाई बन कर आता है। जो पति बन कर या प्यार करने वाला बन कर धोखा देता है। और तुम्हारी औलाद को मारना चाहता है। ऐसे धोखेबाज इंसान को हम यहीं से खत्म कर देते हैं।
Mantra 6
यस्त्वा स्वप्नेन तमसा मोहयित्वा निपद्यते । प्रजां यस्ते जिघांसति तमितो नाशयामसि ॥
जो सपने और अंधेरे से तुम्हे धोखा देता है। जो तुम्हारी सोच को उलझ कर तुम्हारे पास आता है। और तुम्हारी औलाद को बरबाद करना चाहता है। ऐसे बुरे इंसान को हम यहीं से खत्म कर देते हैं।
Inside Sukta 162
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Agni, strengthened by brahman and right awareness, is invoked to expel a wasting, ill-named presence lodged in the womb/birthplace.
- Development
The hymn specifies the hostile agent’s modes of approach—moving between the thighs, lying between the married pair, creeping within the yoni—making the threat concrete and ritually addressable.
- Climax
A forceful, repeated banishing command (‘tam ito nāśayāmasi’) targets the intruder directly, asserting the community’s mantra-backed authority to destroy and remove it.
- Where it settles
The sukta closes by extending protection to progeny against dream-and-darkness delusion, sealing the rite with a final expulsion and the implied restoration of safety and fertility.
The deity: Agni, empowered by Brahman
- Cosmic functionAs the sacrificial fire and divine messenger, Agni mediates between human and divine realms, purifies spaces, and repels disordering forces that threaten life, lineage, and ritual order.
- Inner significanceAgni here symbolizes the clarifying, protective intelligence of mantra—lucid awareness that burns through fear, confusion, and invasive negativity, restoring safety to the generative center (yoni) and to the future (prajā).
The seer
- Anirukta (late Maṇḍala 10 healing/protective tradition; r̥ṣi uncertain)Associated (in style and function) with the late Rigvedic apotropaic corpus that deploys brahman/mantra as a therapeutic and exorcistic power, especially for threats to pregnancy and offspring.
Famous verses
brahmaṇāgniḥ saṃvidāno rakṣohā
tam ito nāśayāmasi
यस्त्वा स्वप्नेन तमसा मोहयित्वा निपद्यते । प्रजां यस्ते जिघांसति तमितो नाशयामसि ॥Attributes of the deity
- Rakṣohā (protector, demon-slayer)
- Purifier and remover of pollution
- Mantra-empowered (brahmaṇā)
- Awake discernment (saṃvidānaḥ)
- Guardian of life, fertility, and progeny
Also by this seer
- Attributed broadly to the late Maṇḍala 10 rakṣoghna/bhaiṣajya (protective-healing) stream rather than a single stable family r̥ṣi
- Comparable in tone and ritual aim to other late RV protective hymns used for warding off amīvā, rakṣas, and hostile influences
The rite, step by step
- Kindle or approach the household/ritual fire, establishing Agni as witness and protector.
- Recite the sukta as a rakṣoghna prayer, directing the command ‘drive away from here’ toward the perceived affliction.
- Perform protective circumambulation or blessing gestures around the woman/couple (or the designated ritual space), synchronizing with the repeated expulsion formulae.
- Conclude with a sealing prayer for protection of the garbha/prajā and restoration of auspiciousness in the yoni and household.
Offerings
- Ghee (ājya) into Agni
- Simple oblations appropriate to a household rite (e.g., samidh/fuel-sticks)
- Water for purification (ācamana/prokṣaṇa) as a supportive act
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a protective healing hymn that calls on Agni, strengthened by sacred speech (brahman), to drive away a wasting affliction or hostile presence thought to have entered the womb and to safeguard future offspring.
Because the ritual aim is fertility and safe continuation of the family line. The sukta treats threats to conception and pregnancy as something that can be expelled through Agni and mantra.
Typically alongside a fire rite: the household fire is kindled, oblations like ghee are offered, and the verses are recited as a banishing prayer to remove harm and re-establish protection around the couple and the womb.
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