Atharva Veda Sukta 8
Kanda 6Anuvaka 1Sukta 83 Mantras

Sukta 8

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (love-charm corpus; specific r̥ṣi per anukramaṇī varies)

Devata: Kāma (Desire) / the binding power of attraction

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; Atharvanic love-charms commonly in anuṣṭubh-like cadence)

この短いアタルヴァ系の恋愛呪歌は、カーマ(欲望)を結縛の力として用い、抱擁・執着・不離を生じさせることを目的とする。蔓が木に絡みつくこと、鳥が地に打ち当たること、そして太陽が周回して包み込むことという三つの鮮烈な譬喩によって、儀礼的に相手の心(manas)を語り手へと「結び留め」、離別を防ぐ。

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 6.8

Mantras

Mantra 1

कामात्मा यथा॑ वृ॒क्षं लिबु॑जा सम॒न्तं प॑रिषस्व॒जे। ए॒वा परि॑ ष्वजस्व॒ मां यथा॒ मां का॒मिन्यसो॒ यथा॒ मन्नाप॑गा॒ असः॑

欲(kāma)を魂とする蔓草(libujā)が四方から木を抱き締めるように、そのようにわたしを取り巻いて抱き締めよ——欲する乙女たちがわたしのものとなり、わたしから去らぬように。

Mantra 2

यथा॑ सुप॒र्णः प्र॒पत॑न् प॒क्षौ नि॒हन्ति॒ भूम्या॑म्। ए॒वा नि ह॑न्मि ते॒ मनो॒ यथा॒ मां का॒मिन्यसो॒ यथा॒ मन्नाप॑गा॒ असः॑

美しい翼の鳥が急降下して翼を大地に打ちつけるように、そのようにわたしは汝の心(manas)を打ち伏せる——欲する乙女たちがわたしのものとなり、わたしから去らぬように。

Mantra 3

यथे॒मे द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी स॒द्यः प॒र्येति॒ सूर्यः॑ । ए॒वा पर्ये॑मि ते॒ मनो॒ यथा॒ मां का॒मिन्यसो॒ यथा॒ मन्नाप॑गा॒ असः॑

太陽がただちにこの天と地を巡るように、わたしもまた汝の心を巡り包む――欲する乙女たちがわたしのものとなり、わたしから去らぬように。

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a traditional vaśīkaraṇa (attraction/subjugation) charm aimed at producing embrace and attachment, and at preventing the desired person from leaving.

They are ‘models’ of irresistible action: the creeper clings, the bird forcefully strikes down, and the sun inevitably encircles—each image is used to bind and control the target’s mind and presence.

Only 6.8.1 explicitly mentions libujā, a clinging creeper/vine. In practice it functions as a symbolic support for the mantra’s ‘embracing’ effect; the other verses work through gesture and focused recitation.

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