Sukta 68
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition
Devata: Savitar; Vāyu; Ādityas, Rudras, Vasus; Soma (as royal paradigm)
Chandas: Mixed/prose-like anuṣṭubh cadence (likely anuṣṭubh with ritual heading ‘vapanam’)
この短い剃毛（vapanam）の讃歌は、身体の手入れという行為を護身のサンスカーラ（saṃskāra）として聖別し、剃刀が身を傷つけず不浄を招かぬよう、神々の巧みな力を祈り求める。さらに、サヴィトリによってソーマ（およびヴァルナ）が剃られたという王者の範型に人の剃毛を重ね合わせ、危うさを伴う行為を、光輝（varcas）、長寿、澄んだ視力、そして牛馬と子孫の繁栄を授ける儀礼へと転化させる。
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
वपनम्। आयम॑गन्त्सवि॒ता क्षु॒रेणो॒ष्णेन॑ वाय उद॒केनेहि॑ । आ॒दि॒त्या रु॒द्रा वस॑व उन्दन्तु॒ सचे॑तसः॒ सोम॑स्य॒ राज्ञो॑ वपत॒ प्रचे॑तसः
剃髪。ここへこの儀は来た――サヴィタル（Savitar）は剃刀と温き水とともに来たり、ヴァーユ（Vāyu）よ、水とともに来たれ。アーディティヤ（Āditya）・ルドラ（Rudra）・ヴァス（Vasu）ら、心を合わせて彼を潤せ。用心深く先見の者たちよ、ソーマ王（Soma-rājan）を剃り清めよ。
Mantra 2
अदि॑तिः॒ श्मश्रु॑ वप॒त्वाप॑ उन्दन्तु॒ वर्च॑सा । चिकि॑त्सतु प्र॒जाप॑तिर्दीर्घायु॒त्वाय॒ चक्ष॑से
アディティ（Aditi）はその髭を剃り落とせ。水たちは光輝をもって（彼を）潤せ。プラジャーパティ（Prajāpati）はよく見定め、長寿のため、眼の澄んだ見通しのために、これを定めよ。
Mantra 3
येनाव॑पत् सवि॒ता क्षु॒रेण॒ सोम॑स्य॒ राज्ञो॒ वरु॑णस्य वि॒द्वान्। तेन॑ ब्रह्माणो वपते॒दम॒स्य गोमा॒नश्व॑वान॒यम॑स्तु प्र॒जावा॑न्
智あるサヴィタル（Savitar）が、その剃刀によって王ソーマ（Soma）とヴァルナ（Varuṇa）を剃った、その同じものによって、ブラーフマナたちよ、この人のそれ（穢れ・障り）を剃り落とせ。彼が牛を持ち、馬を持ち、子孫を持つ者となるように。
Inside Sukta 68
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn opens with the ritual heading vapanam and calls Savitar with the razor and warm water, and Vāyu with water, to arrive and empower the act.
- What it asks
That the divine collectives and Waters ‘bedew’ the shaven person with splendor, while Aditi performs the shaving and Prajāpati ordains long life and clear seeing.
- Where its power lies
Efficacy is asserted by citing the divine prototype: Savitar’s knowing shave of King Soma (and Varuṇa) becomes the operative precedent transferred to the human beneficiary.
- How it closes
The conclusion seals the rite with paustika outcomes—cows, horses, and progeny—marking the shave as a prosperity-conferring saṃskāra.
Famous verses
savi̱tā kṣu̱reṇo̱ṣṇena̍
dīrghāyu̱tvāya̱ cakṣa̍se
yena̍ … savi̱tā kṣu̱reṇa̱
Kind of hymn
Saṃskāra / Bhaisajya-adjacent (protective bodily rite; shaving as purification and life-extension support)
What it is for
Safe and auspicious shaving (especially of the beard), purification and splendor (varcas), protection of eyesight, long life, and blessings of wealth and progeny.
Who it is for
Householder families and officiants (brahmans/ritual specialists) performing shaving as a grooming-saṃskāra or preparatory purification before other rites.
Also used as
- Saṃskāra
- Bhaisajya-adjacent
- Paustika
The deity
Savitar is the divine impeller and ritual regulator who makes actions auspicious and safe; Vāyu and the Waters carry cleansing, cooling/soothing force; the Ādityas, Rudras, and Vasus represent total divine oversight; Aditi embodies wholeness and unbinding; Prajāpati ordains life and continuity. Soma appears as the ‘kingly’ precedent—what is done to Soma under divine knowledge becomes a template for human well-being.
Powers of the deity
- Auspicious initiation and ‘setting in motion’ of rites (Savitar)
- Protection from harm during cutting/shaving; right performance of craft (Savitar)
- Cleansing, soothing, and enlivening unction through water/warm water (Vāyu, Waters)
- Cosmic guardianship and consent of the divine collectives (Ādityas, Rudras, Vasus)
- Restoration of wholeness and removal of fault/defect (Aditi)
- Bestowal of long life, clear vision, and generative continuity (Prajāpati)
- Royal legitimacy and prosperity paradigm via Soma (and Varuṇa) precedent
Why the deity is called
They are invoked to render shaving non-injurious and ritually pure, to ‘bedew’ the shaven person with varcas, and to seal the act with longevity, clear sight, and prosperity by appealing to a divine prototype.
The seer
- Atharvanic (anonymous) seerAtharvan. Saṃskāra-linked protective rites and bhaisajya-adjacent bodily procedures (purification, safe handling of sharp implements, longevity and varcas charms)
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 6.67
- AV 6.69
- AV 6.70
Preparing for the rite
- Prepare a clean shaving place and seat the beneficiary facing a ritually ‘bright’ direction (commonly east).
- Warm water is readied; razor is cleaned and handled with restraint (non-violent intent).
- Reciter(s) establish calm breath and attention; beneficiary is sprinkled lightly with water.
The rite
- Recite 6.68.1 while bringing forward the razor and warm water; sprinkle/bedew the beneficiary as the divine collectives are invoked.
- Recite 6.68.2 while beginning the beard shave; continue gentle sprinkling to ‘bedew with varcas’ and petition long life and clear sight.
- Recite 6.68.3 to anchor the act in Savitar’s precedent with Soma/Varuṇa; complete shaving and conclude with a final sprinkling and blessing for cattle, horses, and offspring.
What it needs
- kṣura (razor)
- uṣṇa udaka (warm water)
- āpaḥ (water for sprinkling/bedewing)
When
Performed at the time of shaving—ideally in daylight under Savitar’s auspices (morning/forenoon), and as a preparatory purification before ceremonies.
The main substance
uṣṇa udaka (warm water) used with the kṣura (razor)
How it is prepared
Warm clean water is prepared for softening and for sprinkling; the razor is cleaned before use. During recitation, water is used to ‘bedew’ (uṇd-) the beneficiary as a consecratory protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is recited during shaving—especially beard shaving—to make the act safe, ritually pure, and auspicious, while invoking radiance (varcas), long life, and well-being.
Soma functions as a royal paradigm: by recalling that Savitar shaved King Soma (and Varuṇa) with divine knowledge, the same successful, harm-free pattern is applied to the human rite.
No specific herbs or amulets are stated here. The key ritual supports are the razor and water (especially warm water), used with sprinkling/bedewing alongside the recitation.
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