Sukta 33
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (maṇi-hymn attribution varies by anukramaṇī; commonly treated as Atharvan/Angirasic).
Devata: Protective power embodied in the bound object (rakṣoghna/viṣaghna ojas).
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (4 pādas of ~8 syllables; late AV style).
AV 19.33 はマニ（護符）讃歌であり、ダルバ草とそれを結び固めた護符形態を、守護と長寿のために凝縮された神的 ojas（生命の威力）として神聖化する。讃歌は、ダルバを王者のごとき尊威をもち生命を結び合わせる力として讃えることから始まり、次いで祭場に浄化者として据え、最後にそれを結び付けて、毒と魔（悪霊）を討ち滅ぼす烈しい力として働かせ、svasti（安泰・吉祥）と jaras（円熟した老年）をもたらす。
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
दर्भः। स॒ह॒स्रा॒र्घः श॒तका॑ण्डः॒ पय॑स्वान॒पाम॒ग्निर्वी॒रुधां॑ राज॒सूय॑म्। स नो॒ऽयं द॒र्भः परि॑ पातु वि॒श्वतो॑ दे॒वो म॒णिरायु॑षा॒ सं सृ॑जाति नः
ダルバ草（darbha）――千重の価値をもち、百茎にして、汁（sap）豊か。水の火（apām agni）、植物（vīrudh）の王者灌頂（rājasūya）。願わくはこのダルバ草が四方より我らをめぐり護れ：神なる護符（maṇi）は、寿命と長き日々とをもって我らを結び合わせる。
Mantra 2
घृ॒तादुल्लु॑प्तो॒ मधु॑मा॒न् पय॑स्वान् भूमिदृं॒होऽच्यु॑तश्च्यावयि॒ष्णुः । नु॒दन्त्स॒पत्ना॒नध॑रांश्च कृ॒ण्वन् दर्भा रो॑ह मह॒तामि॑न्द्रि॒येण॑
酥油に塗られ、蜜のごとく甘く、汁液に富む。大地を固め、揺るがず、しかも押し退けるもの。敵対する者どもを追い払い、彼らを下に落とす——おお、ダルバ（Darbha）よ、偉大なるインドラの威力によって成長せよ。
Mantra 3
त्वं भूमि॒मत्ये॒ष्योज॑सा॒ त्वं वेद्यां॑ सीदसि॒ चारु॑रध्व॒रे। त्वां प॒वित्र॒मृष॑योऽभरन्त॒ त्वं पुनीहि दुरि॒तान्य॒स्मत्
汝は力によって大地を越え行き、汝は祭壇に坐し、祭儀において麗しい。仙賢たちは汝を浄めの具（パヴィトラ Pavitra）として携え来た。汝よ、われらから罪過と凶兆とを清め去れ。
Mantra 4
ती॒क्ष्णो राजा॑ विषास॒ही र॑क्षो॒हा वि॒श्वच॑र्षणिः । ओजो॑ दे॒वानां॒ बल॑मु॒ग्रमे॒तत् तं ते॑ बध्नामि ज॒रसे॑ स्व॒स्तये॑
鋭き王、毒を征し、羅刹を殺し、万民を統ぶる者――これぞ神々の威力、その力、その恐るべき勢い。われはそれを汝に結び付け、老いに至るまでの安泰と福祉のためとする。
Mantra 5
द॒र्भेण॒ त्वं कृ॑णवद् वी॒र्याऽणि द॒र्भं बिभ्र॑दा॒त्मना॒ मा व्य॑थिष्ठाः । अति॑ष्ठाया॒ वर्च॒साधा॒न्यान्त्सूर्य॑ इ॒वा भा॑हि प्र॒दिश॒श्चत॑स्रः
ダルバ草（darbha）によって汝は諸々の威力を成し遂げよ。自らの身にダルバを帯びて、怯むな。立ち現れ、光輝を据え、太陽のごとく四方の方角に照り輝け。
Inside Sukta 33
How it unfolds
- How it opens
Begins by enthroning darbha as a high-value, many-stemmed, sap-rich power—‘apām agni’ and ‘rājasūya’ of plants—asking it to guard from all sides and yoke the group to āyus.
- What it asks
That the darbha-as-pavitra cleanse away durita and that the divine maṇi be made an effective, surrounding protection for the client.
- Where its power lies
Declares the amulet’s potency as the gods’ own ojas and ugra bala—keen, kingly, poison-conquering, demon-slaying, universally prevailing.
- How it closes
Seals the rite with the explicit act of binding (badhnāmi) for jaras (full old age) and svasti (welfare), grounding the mantra’s power in a worn, carried object.
Famous verses
devo maṇir āyuṣā saṃ sṛjāti naḥ
tvaṃ punīhi duritāny asmat
taṃ te badhnāmi jarase svastaye
Kind of hymn
Bhaisajya (Healing) / Rakshoghna (Apotropaic)
What it is for
To purify away misfortune and affliction, repel demons/hostile influences, neutralize poison, and secure welfare with longevity by binding on a consecrated darbha-maṇi.
Who it is for
Householders and ritual specialists (Atharvanic practitioners) performing protective/healing rites for an individual, family, or community—especially where poisoning, unseen harms, or chronic ill-luck are feared.
Also used as
- Rakṣoghna
- Śāntika
- Pauṣṭika
The deity
Not a single anthropomorphic deity but a personified, divine potency residing in the consecrated darbha and its amulet-binding—praised as ‘apām agni’ (fire in the waters) and as pavitra (purifier), then treated as the gods’ own bala (strength) to be fastened onto the client.
Powers of the deity
- All-around protection (pari pāti viśvataḥ)
- Poison-conquest (viṣāsahī)
- Demon/hostile-force slaying (rakṣohā)
- Purification and removal of durita (punīhi duritāni)
- Bestowal/extension of life-force and lifespan (āyus, jaras)
- Ritual consecration and stabilization in the sacrifice (sīdasi vedyām)
Why the deity is called
To awaken and localize fierce divine strength within a tangible medium (darbha/maṇi) so it can be installed in the rite and physically bound on the person for protection, cleansing, and long life.
The seer
- Atharvan/Āṅgirasa (attribution varies by anukramaṇī; late Atharvanic transmission)Atharvan. Bhaiṣajya and rakṣoghna charms—especially maṇi/amulet rites that bind protective ojas against viṣa (poison), rakṣas, and durita (misfortune), while extending āyus (lifespan).
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 19.31 (maṇi/āyus-protection cluster)
- AV 19.32 (protective binding themes)
- AV 19.34 (adjacent late-book protective material)
Preparing for the rite
- Collect fresh darbha (kuśa-type) with intact tips; select ‘many-stemmed’ bunches if available.
- Purify hands and space; sprinkle water; establish a simple vedi/clean seat for the rite.
- Fashion the darbha into a maṇi-form: a small bundle/tuft, ring, or knot suitable for tying; prepare a clean binding cord/thread.
- Optionally fumigate or pass darbha through clean water as a preliminary purification.
The rite
- Recite the opening verse(s) over the darbha, praising it as divine maṇi and establishing its protective perimeter.
- Place/seat the darbha on the vedi while reciting the purification verse (pavitra-theme), asking it to remove durita.
- Bind the prepared darbha-maṇi onto the client (arm, neck, or hair-knot per local practice) while reciting the ‘tīkṣṇo rājā… taṃ te badhnāmi’ binding formula.
- Conclude with a brief silent intention for svasti and āyus; keep the amulet on for the intended period.
What it needs
- Darbha grass (primary)
- Binding cord/thread (for badhnāmi)
- Clean water for sprinkling/ablution (optional but customary)
- A small clean cloth or leaf to place darbha on the vedi (optional)
When
Preferably at a śānti-appropriate time: morning or evening in a calm interval; also suitable immediately when poison/fear of attack is suspected.
The main substance
Darbha (kuśa-type sacred grass) fashioned as a maṇi/amulet
Herbs
- Darbha (kuśa)
Amulets
- Darbha-maṇi (bundle/tuft/ring)
- Binding cord/thread (to fasten the maṇi)
How it is prepared
Twist or bundle darbha into a compact maṇi; optionally moisten/purify with clean water; seat it briefly on a clean vedi/cloth while reciting purification lines; then tie it onto the body with a cord during the binding mantra.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here maṇi means a consecrated protective object—specifically darbha grass shaped and bound as an amulet—treated as a vessel of divine ojas (power).
It is aimed at protection and healing: neutralizing poison, repelling demonic/hostile forces, removing durita (misfortune/evil influence), and securing welfare with long life.
Darbha is praised and purified, placed on the ritual seat/altar as a pavitra, then fashioned into an amulet and physically tied onto the person while reciting the binding verse for svasti and jaras.
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