Atharva Veda 6.129.2: Kanda 6, Anuvaka 13, Sukta 129, Mantra 2
Sukta 129
येन॑ वृ॒क्षाँ अ॒भ्यभ॑वो॒ भगे॑न॒ वर्च॑सा स॒ह। तेन॑ मा भ॒गिनं॑ कृ॒ण्वप॑ द्रा॒न्त्वरा॑तयः
yéna vṛkṣā́n abhyábhavo bhágena várcasā sahá | téna mā bhagínaṃ kṛṇv ápa drā́ntu arā́tayaḥ ||
By that whereby thou didst prevail over the trees, by Bhaga together with splendor—by that make me fortunate: let the ill-wishers flee away.
汝が樹々に打ち勝ったその力によって—バガ（Bhaga）と、光輝（varcas）とともに—その力によってわれを福ある者と成せ。悪意の者どもよ、われより逃げ去れ。
The meaning
What it says
Invokes the power by which Bhaga ‘prevailed over the trees’ together with splendor (varcas), asking that same force make the speaker fortunate and drive ill-wishers away.
The inner meaning
Trees symbolize stable, rooted growth; the mantra internalizes that vegetative ‘success principle’ (expansion with radiance) as personal charisma and resourcefulness, while refusing psychic intrusion from envy.
The truth in it
What thrives does so by both rootedness and radiance; prosperity increases when one aligns with growth-laws and protects one’s energy from corrosive comparison.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika (Prosperity) + apotropaic
Its aim
To appropriate the prosperity-force that governs growth and radiance, and to repel hostile competitors.
Word by Word
Pada patha
येन । वृक्षान् । अभि-अभवः । भगेन । वर्चसा । सह । तेन । मा । भगिनम् । कृणु । अप । द्रान्तु । अरातयः ।
- येन
- by which (means)by which (means/agency—refers to bhaga-force and/or the implement)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम् (करणे) / अथवा सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (अधिकरणे); सन्दर्भे तृतीया अधिक युक्ताRole KaraṇaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → य-
- वृक्षान्
- treesNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, overIndeclinable (preverb/preposition)उपसर्ग/अव्ययम्Root अभि
- अभवः
- you became / you wereVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot भू (धातु)
- भगेन
- with fortune; with Bhaga (the deity of allotment)by Bhaga/fortune (the allotting power enabling superiority)Nounपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot भग (प्रातिपदिक)
- वर्चसा
- with splendor, brilliancewith splendor, vigor, brilliance (a prosperity-sign; social radiance)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot वर्चस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सह
- together, along withtogether with (concomitance of bhaga and vārchas)Indeclinableअव्ययम् (सह = ‘together/along with’; प्रायः तृतीया-सहचर्ये)Root सह
- तेन
- by that (same means)with that (same means; transfer by analogy)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → त-
- मा
- mePronounद्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम) → म-
- भगिनम्
- fortunate; endowed with good fortunefortunate, share-possessing (endowed with bhaga)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot भगिन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘fortunate/possessing bhaga’)
- कृणु
- make (you)!make (imperative: effect the state in me)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root कृ (धातु)
- अप
- awayIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्ग/अव्ययम्Root अप
- द्रान्तु
- let (them) run away / fleelet them flee (be driven off)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, तृतीयपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot द्रा/द्रु (धातु; ‘to run, flee’—वैदिक प्रयोग)
- अरातयः
- enemies, hostile beingsill-wishers/rivals/non-givers (obstructors of prosperity)Nounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot अराति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘enemy, hostile one’)
Sandhi Notes
- येन वृक्षान् अभि अभवः भगेन वर्चसा सह । तेन मा भगिनम् कृणु । अप द्रान्तु अरातयः । मुख्य सन्धयः:
- (1) वृक्षाँ अ॒भ्यभवो → वृक्षान् + अभि + अभवः (अभि + अभवः = अभ्यभवः, इ-आ संधि से ‘य्’ आगम)
- (2) भगेन वर्चसा सह—सह अव्यय, तृतीया-सहचर्ये
- (3) कृण्वप → कृणु + अप (उ/अ संधि से ‘व्’ आगम: उ + अ → व)
- (4) द्रा॒न्त्वरा॑तयः → द्रान्तु + अरातयः (उ + अ → व; संहिता में ‘त्व’ रूप)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition
- Devata
- Bhaga (with vārchas as invoked potency)
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh (probable)
- Rasa
- Adbhuta and Vira
Sāyaṇa treats the verse as analogical transfer: the same bhaga-force that ‘surpasses the trees’ (i.e., commands growth/wealth) and is conjoined with vārchas (radiant vigor) is invoked to be installed in the patron. The closing expulsion of arātis is the necessary negative counterpart to securing bhaga.
Anonymous (Atharvavedic domestic tradition)
Paustika rites drawing prosperity from vegetal powers (vṛkṣa/auṣadhi) and converting it into varcas (radiant success).
Shows the Atharvan strategy of ‘borrowing’ nature’s victorious growth (tree-power) for household prosperity and social aura.
Bhaga (with Varcas as invoked potency)
Bhaga distributes fortune; varcas is the manifest sign of that fortune—glow, prestige, and life-force that makes prosperity visible and effective.
Indirect: supports vitality and resilience through varcas (often linked with strength and immunity in Vedic idiom).
Repels arāti by strengthening one’s radiance and social ‘field’.
4 × ~8; second hemistich functions as a refrain-like charm closure.
Parallelism + repeated apotropaic ending typical of AV charm sequences.
Forward-moving, ‘drawing down’ rhythm in first half; expulsive snap at the end.
Builds an image of victorious growth, then seals it with a banishing command.
Continue holding/touching the śāṃśapa implement from the prior verse.
Recite while touching a wooden post/doorframe or a living tree to ‘tap’ arboreal prosperity symbolism.
On ‘bhagena varcasā saha’ touch the patron’s forehead/chest to install vārchas (social brilliance).
Perform the outward sweep on ‘apa drāntu arātayaḥ’ to remove rivals.
Kauśika Sūtra: Paustika prosperity rite with plant-contact and expulsion gesture (general application; exact sūtra-number varies by edition).
Atharvan as prosperity-installer and rival-expeller; manages sympathetic linkage between tree-growth and human fortune.
Recite near a healthy tree or while holding a wooden piece; visualize drawing ‘varcas’ from the tree into oneself; end with outward gesture on ‘apa drāntu’.
At sunrise or before public appearance/negotiation.
Optional; typically a householder charm.
Use as a ‘presence’ mantra before interviews/presentations; pair with breathwork.
śāṃśapa (implied from the sukta’s opening; implement likely continues across verses)
Implied continuation of the sukta’s implement (śāṃśapa wood) though not named in this verse.
Trees encode ‘stored time’ (rings, endurance) and steady multiplication; the charm treats nature’s abundance as a transferable charge, especially when mediated by wood/amulet.
Varcas can be loosely mapped to ojas/tejas discourse (later), but the mantra is primarily paustika.
Confidence/charisma training; reducing social threat sensitivity; cultivating ‘presence’ in competitive environments.
Self (prosperity/varcas) and opponents (apotropaic expulsion).
Transfer the victorious growth-and-splendor power into the client; expel rivals/ill-wishers.
Analogical transfer (tree-thriving → personal thriving) + potency-word (varcas) + repeated banishment formula.
Jealousy, obstruction, competitive depletion.
Success, prestige, visibility, resource growth.
- vṛkṣān abhyabhavaḥ
- mastery of growth-force; command over resources and their multiplication
- varcas
- charisma, healthful glow, social visibility that attracts opportunity
- bhaginam kṛṇu
- ritual self-transformation into a ‘fortunate’ identity
- arātayaḥ
- forces that resent and obstruct flourishing
Varcas-cultivation: feel a luminous field expanding from the chest/solar plexus while staying rooted like a tree.
anāhata (social warmth) and maṇipūra (confidence)
Inhale imagining sap rising; exhale imagining light spreading; sharp exhale on the expulsion phrase.
Golden-green light rising like sap and forming an aura that discourages hostile approach.
Bright, steady, socially open yet protected.
Chant 9/21 times before public-facing work; keep posture ‘tree-like’ (tāḍāsana) for 1–2 minutes afterward.
Even, luminous tone; slight lift on ‘bhage̍na varca̍sā’ to highlight potency; firm downward cadence on ‘apa drāntu’.
Stress the pairing ‘bhage̍na varca̍sā sa̱ha’ as the power-knot; keep the refrain consistent across repetitions.
Bright but controlled; not harsh.
Consistency of the repeated closing formula is part of the ‘binding’ technique in charm sequences.
21 times
Seeking recognition, promotion, clients; entering competitive social settings.
Before meetings/presentations; when feeling overshadowed or blocked.
Enhanced confidence/‘radiance’, steadier performance, less impact from envy.
Avoid obsessive comparison with others; if conflict escalates, choose conciliatory action rather than fixation on ‘rivals’.
The verse explicitly mobilizes arboreal imagery (‘trees’) as a prosperity model. In ritual terms, plant/wood contact (śāṃśapa; tree/post) provides a sympathetic conduit for transferring growth-power into the patron’s ‘share’ (bhaga).
Vārchas (radiant vigor) is not only health but status-display; the charm aims at social visibility and advantage. The expulsion of arātis encodes competitive social relations around wealth and recognition.
The analogical ‘yena… tena…’ transfer construction is common, but Atharvanic usage tends toward pragmatic causality (a ‘technology of means’) rather than mythic narration.
Gopatha’s framework of correspondences (bandhu) supports the tree→human transfer: what prevails in the macrocosm (growth/splendor) can be installed in the microcosm (patron) through mantra and contact.
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