Sukta 24
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (anonymous healing unit)
Devata: Āpas (Waters) as Devīs
Chandas: Mixed/loosely Anuṣṭubh (Atharvanic prose-verse tendency; pāda lengths may vary)
Mantras
Mantra 1
अपां भैषज्यम्। हि॒मव॑तः॒ प्र स्र॑वन्ति॒ सिन्धौ॑ समह सङ्ग॒मः । आपो॑ ह मह्यं॒ तद् दे॒वीर्दद॑न् हृद्द्योतभेष॒जम्
The Waters’ remedy: from Himavant they stream forth; in Sindhu is their gathered meeting. Let the Waters, the Goddesses, give me that— the heart-illumining medicine.
Mantra 2
यन्मे॑ अ॒क्ष्योरा॑दि॒द्योत॒ पार्ष्ण्योः॒ प्रप॑दोश्च॒ यत्। आप॒स्तत् सर्वं॒ निष्क॑रन् भि॒षजां॒ सुभि॑षक्तमाः
Whatsoever in my eyes hath burned and flashed, or in my heels, or in the foreparts of my feet—let the Waters, most excellent of healers among physicians, carry all that forth.
Mantra 3
सिन्धु॑पत्नीः॒ सिन्धु॑राज्ञीः॒ सर्वा॒ या न॒द्य॑१स्थन॑ । द॒त्त न॒स्तस्य॑ भेष॒जं तेना॑ वो भुनजामहै
Ye rivers all, whose lord is Sindhu, whose sovereign is Sindhu, as ye stand in your several seats—give us of that its remedy; with that gift of yours may we partake and profit.
Frequently Asked Questions
That sacred water—especially water from a river meeting-point—can be ritually awakened as bhaiṣajya (medicine) and can carry disease or burning pain out of the body.
It maps a sacred flow: waters arise from the Himavant and gather in Sindhu, symbolizing concentrated potency—ideal for consecration as a strong, ‘gathered’ remedy.
Traditionally by reciting it over clean water and then washing or sprinkling the affected areas (notably eyes and feet), while intending the waters to remove the burning/irritation and restore inner calm.
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