Sukta 11
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (often transmitted under Atharvan/Angiras lineages; specific r̥ṣi attribution depends on anukramaṇī tradition).
Devata: Pradiśas (the Quarters) and Devāḥ (the Gods) as collective agents of delivery.
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (11.2 is in the common Atharvanic anuṣṭubh cadence).
本讃歌はアタルヴァ系の産科呪であり、閉塞を解いて出産を完了させることを目的として、閉ざされたものを「開く」宇宙的な働き手として四方（方位）と諸神に呼びかける。天と地のあらゆる方向に及ぶ全体性のイメージを、分娩の具体的生理――子宮口の開放、障碍の排出、後産（胎盤）の下降――と結びつけ、出産が速やかに安全に進み、滞留が起こらないようにする。
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
नारी–सुखप्रसूतिः। वष॑ट् ते पूषन्न॒स्मिन्त्सू॑तावर्य॒मा होता॑ कृणोतु वे॒धाः । सिस्र॑तां॒ नार्यृ॒तप्र॑जाता॒ वि पर्वा॑णि जिहतां॒ सूत॒वा उ॑
（女の安産。）汝にヴァシャット（vaṣaṭ）、プーシャン（Pūṣan）よ。この出産において、賢き定め手アリヤマン（Aryaman）をホータル（Hotar）として立てよ。正しく宿った女は流れ出でよ。関節と結び目はほどけ散れ――放て、産み担う者よ、いまこそ。
Mantra 2
चत॑स्रो दि॒वः प्र॒दिश॒श्चत॑स्रो॒ भूम्या॒ उ॒त। दे॒वा गर्भं॒ समै॑रय॒न् तं व्यू॑र्णुवन्तु॒ सूत॑वे
天には四方があり、地にもまた四方がある。神々はともに胎（はらみ）を動かし始めた。彼らがそれを開き放ち、産み出されるようにせよ。
Mantra 3
सू॒षा व्यू॑र्णोतु॒ वि योनिं॑ हापयामसि । श्र॒थया॑ सूषणे॒ त्वमव॒ त्वं बि॑ष्कले सृज
スーシャー（Sūṣā）よ、開きて子宮の門を大きく分けよ。われらは妨げを退け去らしむ。ほどく者よ、そのほどきによって、汝——まさに汝——ビシュカラ（Biṣkala）よ、それを打ち落として外へ放て。排出せしめよ。
Mantra 4
नेव॑ मां॒से न पीव॑सि॒ नेव॑ म॒ज्जस्वाह॑तम्। अवै॑तु॒ पृश्नि॒ शेव॑लं॒ शुने॑ ज॒राय्वत्त॒वेऽव॑ ज॒रायु॑ पद्यताम्
それは肉に付着するな、脂に付着するな。髄にも付着するな――打ち払われ、清く除かれよ。斑のあるぬめりのものよ、去れ。それは犬に与えよ、後産を食う者に。後産（jarāyu）は落ちよ、離れよ。
Mantra 5
वि ते॑ भिनद्मि॒ मेह॑नं॒ वि योनिं॒ वि ग॒वीनि॑के । वि मा॒तरं॑ च पु॒त्रं च॒ वि कु॑मा॒रं ज॒रायु॒णाव॑ ज॒रायु॑ पद्यताम्
われ汝のために尿の道を裂き、子宮を裂き、牛の通い路を裂く。われ母と子を裂き、幼子を裂く。後産とともに、後産そのものよ、下へと出でよ。
Mantra 6
यथा॒ वातो॒ यथा॒ मनो॒ यथा॒ पत॑न्ति प॒क्षि॑णः॑ । ए॒वा त्वं द॑शमास्य सा॒कं ज॒रायु॑णा प॒ताव॑ ज॒रायु॑ पद्यताम्
風のごとく、思いのごとく、翼ある鳥が飛びゆくごとく——そのように、十月の子よ、胎衣（jarāyu）とともに出でよ。飛び出でよ。胎衣（jarāyu）は下り落ちよ。
Inside Sukta 11
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn begins by invoking total space—four quarters of heaven and four of earth—placing childbirth under cosmic order and universal auspice.
- What it asks
That the Gods ‘unclose’ what is closed: widen the yoni, remove hindrance, and bring the child forth at full term together with the afterbirth.
- Where its power lies
Efficacy is asserted through command-form verbs (unclose, loosen, cast forth) and swift-motion similes (wind, thought, birds) that rhetorically compel rapid delivery.
- How it closes
It culminates in the successful exit of the ten-month child and the downward descent of the jarāyu, marking completion and safety.
Famous verses
देवा गर्भं समैरयन् तं व्यूर्णुवन्तु सूतवेसूषा व्यूर्णोतु वि योनिम्यथा वातो यथा मनो यथा पतन्ति पक्षिणःKind of hymn
Bhaisajya (Healing) / Strikarmani (Women's Rites)
What it is for
Facilitate safe delivery by opening the passage, expelling obstruction, hastening birth at term, and preventing retained afterbirth.
Who it is for
Atharvanic practitioner (family priest/healer/midwife-ritualist) reciting for a woman in labor and for the protection of mother and child.
Also used as
- Strīkarmāṇi
- Śāntika (protective/avertive aspect during perilous labor)
The deity
The Quarters (of sky and earth) represent total cosmic space and the lawful opening of pathways; the collective Gods act as overseers of life-processes. Sūṣā functions as the ‘uncloser/loosener’ of the yoni (birth-channel), while Biṣkala is invoked in the idiom of casting down and discharging the obstructing factor.
Powers of the deity
- Open and widen the yoni/birth-passage
- Remove hindrance/obstruction to labor
- Set the embryo in motion and bring forth delivery
- Ensure descent/expulsion of the jarāyu (afterbirth)
- Provide protection through cosmic totality (all directions invoked)
Why the deity is called
They are invoked to command the body’s passages to open, to drive away what ‘holds back’ delivery, and to complete birth cleanly by bringing out both child and afterbirth.
The seer
- Atharvanic (Atharvan/Āṅgiras line; specific r̥ṣi varies by anukramaṇī)Atharvan. Bhaiṣajya healing charms, especially strīkarmāṇi (women’s rites) for easing labor, removing obstruction (bandha/rodha), and ensuring expulsion of fetus and jarāyu (afterbirth).
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 1.11 (this hymn)
- Related Atharvanic obstetric/delivery charms in the early books (variously assigned across Atharvan/Āṅgiras anukramaṇīs)
Preparing for the rite
- Seat/lay the laboring woman comfortably with privacy and calm; ensure a clean space.
- Orient the rite by acknowledging the four quarters (symbolic ‘opening of space’).
- Prepare water for sips/sprinkling if customary in the household Atharvanic practice (not required by the sukta text).
The rite
- Recite the sukta in anuṣṭubh cadence with clear imperatives on ‘opening’ and ‘casting forth’.
- During verses on unclosing/widening, perform a gentle outward hand-gesture (vi- ‘apart’) toward the lower abdomen (non-invasive, symbolic).
- During the ‘swift as wind/thought/birds’ verse, gesture forward/downward to signify descent of the child and jarāyu.
- Conclude by verbally ‘sealing’ the intention: child forth, afterbirth descending, obstruction gone.
What it needs
- None mandated by the mantras; optionally clean water for sprinkling/sipping as a supportive śānti adjunct
When
Performed during active labor, especially when delivery is delayed/obstructed or when concern exists about retained afterbirth.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used to facilitate childbirth—especially when labor is delayed—by ritually ‘opening’ the birth-passage, removing hindrance, and ensuring both baby and afterbirth come out safely.
Invoking all quarters symbolizes total cosmic support and the opening of all pathways, so delivery is not ‘blocked’ in any direction—physically or ritually.
No. The mantras themselves focus on command and release imagery (opening, loosening, expelling). In practice, some may add clean water or calming observances, but the text does not require substances.
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