Atharva Veda 19.39.7: Kanda 19, Anuvaka 4, Sukta 39, Mantra 7
Sukta 39
हि॒र॒ण्ययी॒ नौर॑चर॒द्धिर॑ण्यबन्धना दि॒वि। तत्रा॒मृत॑स्य॒ चक्ष॑णं॒ ततः॒ कुष्ठो॑ अजायत । स कुष्ठो॑ वि॒श्वभे॑षजः सा॒कं सोमे॑न तिष्ठति । त॒क्मानं॒ सर्वं॑ नाशय॒ सर्वा॑श्च यातुधा॒न्यः
hiraṇyáyī náur acarad hiraṇyabandhanā diví | tatrā́mṛ́tasya cákṣaṇaṃ tatáḥ kúṣṭho ajāyata | sá kúṣṭho viśvá-bheṣajaḥ sā́kaṃ sómena tiṣṭhati | takmā́naṃ sárvaṃ nāśaya sárvāś ca yātudhānyàḥ
A golden ship went moving in the heaven, gold-bound. There is the visible station of Immortality: thence Kuṣṭha was born. That Kuṣṭha, the universal remedy, standeth together with Soma. Destroy thou every fever, and all the Yātudhānī witches.
黄金の舟が天に動き行き、黄金の綱に結ばれている。そこに不死（アムリタ）の見える座があり、そこからKuṣṭha（クシュタ草）が生まれた。そのKuṣṭhaは万薬、Soma（ソーマ）とともに立つ。あらゆる熱病を滅し、またすべてのYātudhānī（ヤートゥダーニー）の魔女を滅ぼせ。
The meaning
What it says
A golden, gold-bound ship moves in heaven; there is the visible station of immortality. From there Kuṣṭha was born. Kuṣṭha, the universal remedy, stands with Soma. Destroy all fever and all yātudhānī witches.
The inner meaning
The ‘golden ship’ images a protected conveyance of healing power: medicine arrives from the luminous beyond, securely bound (bandhana) against contamination—countering both disease and hostile intent.
The truth in it
Healing often requires a ‘vessel’: a stable container—ritual, community care, disciplined regimen—through which vitality can safely reach the suffering person.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Bhaisajya (Healing) with apotropaic extension
Its aim
To empower Kuṣṭha as a panacea by celestial imagery (golden ship) and to expel fever and witchcraft-agents.
Word by Word
Pada patha
हिरण्ययी । नौः । अचरत् । हिरण्य-बन्धना । दिवि । तत्र । अमृतस्य । चक्षणम् । ततः । कुष्ठः । अजायत । सः । कुष्ठः । विश्व-भेषजः । साकम् । सोमेन । तिष्ठति । तक्मानम् । सर्वम् । नाशय । सर्वाः । च । यातुधान्यः ।
- हिरण्ययी
- goldengolden; radiant, auspicious, imperishable (gold as apotropaic and divine)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- नौः
- ship/boatship/boat; a vehicle across realms (here: celestial conveyance)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot नौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अचरत्
- moved/wentmoved, went; traversed (ritually: the power ‘circulates’ in heaven)Verbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot चर्
- हिरण्यबन्धना
- having golden bonds/fasteningsgold-bound, having golden fastenings; intensified auspiciousness and inviolabilityAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot हिरण्य-बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवि
- in heaven/in the skyin heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तत्र
- thereIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot तत्र
- अमृतस्य
- of immortality/nectarof amṛtaNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRoot अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- चक्षणम्
- eye/vision (faculty of seeing)visible station/token; the manifest locus of immortalityNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot चक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
- ततः
- from there/thereuponthenceIndeclinableअव्ययRole ApādānaRoot ततः
- कुष्ठः
- kuṣṭha-plant (medicinal herb)Kuṣṭha (healing herb)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot कुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अजायत
- was born/arosewas bornVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot जन्
- सः
- that/hethatPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- कुष्ठः
- the kuṣṭha-plantKuṣṭhaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot कुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वभेषजः
- universal medicine (healer of all)universal remedyNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot विश्व-भेषज (प्रातिपदिक)
- साकम्
- together (with)together withIndeclinableअव्ययRole KaraṇaRoot साकम्
- सोमेन
- with SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- तिष्ठति
- stands/remainsstands/abidesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot स्था
- तक्मानम्
- fever (takman)fever (as demon)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तक्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सर्वम्
- entire/allallAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (तक्मानम् इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- नाशय
- destroy/removedestroy/expelVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot नश्/नाशय (णिजन्त: नश् → नाशय)
- सर्वाः
- allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (यातुधान्यः इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRoot च
- यातुधान्यः
- witches/sorceresses (yātudhānīs)female yātudhānas; witches/disease-bringersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot यातुधानी (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- नौरचरद् → नौः अचरत् (visarga restoration; RV/AV style often writes -r- for visarga before vowel)
- तत्रामृतस्य → तत्र अमृतस्य
- कुष्ठो अजायत → कुष्ठः अजायत (visarga before vowel)
- विश्वभेषजः is a तत्पुरुष compound (विश्व + भेषज) used as an epithet of कुष्ठः
- सर्वं नाशय is imperative addressing the herb/charmer: ‘destroy all fever’
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition (anukramaṇī attribution varies)
- Devata
- Kuṣṭha (herb-deity) with Soma; adversaries: takman and yātudhānīs
- Chandas
- Late Atharvanic, anuṣṭubh-like with refrain
- Rasa
- Adbhuta and Bhayankara
Sāyaṇa reads the ‘golden ship’ as a celestial image of auspicious conveyance and divine protection; gold signifies incorruptibility and warding-off. The refrain again grounds kuṣṭha in amṛta’s locus and pairs it with Soma, then turns to direct exorcistic command against fever and yātudhānīs.
Anukramaṇī-uncertain (AVŚ 19.39 refrain-variants)
Bhaiṣajya incantations using celestial imagery (hiraṇya) to intensify apotropaic force and validate herb potency.
Gold imagery marks purity, brilliance, and unassailable protection—typical Atharvanic intensifiers for warding and healing.
Kuṣṭha (herb-deity) with Soma; hiraṇya as apotropaic brilliance; adversary: Takman
Kuṣṭha channels heavenly amṛta; Soma sanctifies and energizes; gold signifies inviolable protection and auspicious potency.
Fever destruction; general restorative force via Soma alliance.
Gold-brilliance wards off witchcraft and malign gazes; protects the rite and patient.
Opening image pāda(s) + repeated refrain identical to 19.39.6 from ‘tatrāmṛtasya…’.
Refrain chanting is central; the opening ‘golden ship’ functions as a vivid upodghāta (prelude) to empower the repeated expulsion formula.
Gliding (ship image) then percussive (nāśaya).
Imagery-induced confidence; then decisive banishment of fever/witches.
Prepare kuṣṭha and a binding medium (water/ghee) as per household medical rite.
Recite the verse while holding the herb and making a ‘bringing-down’ motion from above (symbolically importing heavenly amṛta).
Apply to the patient; repeat the refrain as a sealing.
Perform expulsion on ‘takmānaṃ… nāśaya’ by casting away a small portion of the mixture or brushing outward from the body.
Conclude with protective tying/placement to avert yātudhānīs.
Kauśika Sūtra: takman-bhaiṣajya using Kuṣṭha; this verse is recited as part of the Kuṣṭha refrain-series in AVŚ 19.39 during herb-application and disease-expulsion gestures (edition-dependent numbering).
Atharvan priest as ritual-technician: synchronizes recitation with handling, application, and expulsion gestures to operationalize the mythic imagery.
Recite over medicine; optionally place a small gold item (or symbol) near the patient as a ‘seal’ of protection in folk-Atharvanic continuities.
At night or during fever spikes; repeat as protective watch-chant.
Householder/healer; purohita if formalized with offerings and protective bindings.
Takman- and rakṣā-oriented applications in Kauśika; gold may be used as protective adjunct in Atharvanic healing contexts (edition-dependent specifics).
Use as a calming protective recitation while monitoring fever and ensuring hydration/medical care.
Kuṣṭha (herb); Soma (co-agent); Gold (hiraṇya as apotropaic brilliance; metaphorical/ritual value)
Implicit: hiraṇya (gold) often functions as protective amulet-material in Atharvanic practice, though not explicitly prescribed here.
Gold is the sealed vessel of auspicious power; it ‘binds’ the remedy against hostile forces and signifies incorruptible healing.
Takman (fever) broadly construed; illness plus perceived sorcery/evil influence.
Invokes celestial conveyance (golden ship) and amṛta station to intensify Kuṣṭha’s authority; commands expulsion.
Jvara; gold (hiraṇya) resonates with later ‘suvarṇa’ auspicious/ojas symbolism (not a direct medical instruction here).
Ritualized reassurance and protective framing during febrile illness; supportive care container (routine, monitoring) as the ‘vessel’.
Patient; adversaries: takman and hostile forces.
Expel all fevers and repel yātudhānī-type harmful agents; strengthen remedy potency through hiraṇya imagery.
Image-magic (golden ship) + refrain + imperative expulsion; hiraṇya as apotropaic brilliance.
Fever recurrence; fear of witchcraft/evil eye; contamination of medicine/rite.
- hiraṇyayī nauḥ
- protected carrier of remedy; safe passage across danger (illness)
- hiraṇyabandhanā
- sealed protection; integrity of medicine and rite
- divi
- transcendent source of order and vitality
- amṛtasya cakṣaṇam
- assurance of life beyond crisis; a ‘sign’ that counters despair
- kuṣṭha
- heaven-descended pharmakon; embodied blessing
- soma
- vital sap; consecration and exhilaration
- takman
- burning disorder
- yātudhānī
- malicious intrusion; fear-personification around illness
Creating a ‘safe vessel’ for recovery—containment, reassurance, and cooling attention.
Anāhata (safety/trust) supporting Maṇipūra (heat).
Slow exhale-focused breathing; mentally ride the ‘boat’ across waves of heat.
A golden boat in a night-sky ocean carrying Kuṣṭha and Soma-light to the body; fever leaves as red sparks falling into water.
Protected composure amid bodily heat.
Recite 11 times softly; then rest with one hand on the chest, lengthening exhale to calm fear responses.
Keep the opening image flowing, then lock into the refrain with consistent accents; strong imperative on nāśaya.
Slightly elongate hiraṇya- words for brilliance; do not rush ‘tatrāmṛtasya cakṣaṇam’.
Protective and steady; avoid harshness that agitates a feverish patient.
Refrain consistency is key—Atharvanic late-book charms often depend on stable formulaic repetition across variants.
11 times
Fever with anxiety, fear of ‘evil eye’/malign influence, protecting a sick child or elder at night.
During fever peaks; before sleep; when caretakers need steadiness.
Traditional: fever-destruction and warding; experiential: calmer patient/caregiver, strengthened sense of protection and order.
Urgent medical care for severe/high fever or alarming symptoms; do not rely on symbolic gold objects as treatment.
The ‘golden ship’ motif frames kuṣṭha as a transported celestial commodity: healing is imagined as a precious, guarded substance conveyed from heaven. This strengthens the herb’s authority and supports ritual ‘transfer’ logic during application.
Gold imagery indexes elite value and sacral prestige; the healer’s speech claims access to heavenly resources. The demonization of yātudhānīs again encodes social boundary-making around suspected female harm.
The compact narrative image (a ship in heaven) plus the repeated medical refrain is more Atharvanic than RV. The pragmatic imperative closure is typical of AV exorcistic style.
Gopatha’s emphasis on brahman as operative power aligns with the refrain-structure: repeated origin-claims and naming stabilize efficacy. The heavenly ‘vehicle’ image supports the notion that ritual speech can ‘bring’ divine medicine into the human sphere.
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