Atharva Veda 1.13.4: Kanda 1, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 13, Mantra 4
Sukta 13
यां त्वा॑ दे॒वा असृ॑जन्त॒ विश्व॒ इषुं॑ कृण्वा॒ना अस॑नाय धृ॒ष्णुम्। सा नो॑ मृड वि॒दथे॑ गृणा॒ना तस्यै॑ ते॒ नमो॑ अस्तु देवि
yā́m tvā́ devā́ asṛ́janta víśva íṣuṁ kṛṇvāná asanā́ya dhṛṣṇúm | sā́ no mṛḍa vidáthé gṛṇānā́s tásyai te námo astu devi ||
Thee whom the Gods, yea all of them, sent forth—fashioning thee a missile, bold to be hurled for smiting—be gracious unto us, while in the rite we hymn thee: to her, to thee, be reverence; homage be, O Goddess.
ທ່ານຜູ້ທີ່ພະເຈົ້າທັງປວງສົ່ງມາ, ສ້າງທ່ານເປັນລູກສັດຍະພາບ, ກ້າຫານທີ່ຈະຂວ້າງເພື່ອຕີກະທົບ, ຂໍໃຫ້ທ່ານເມດຕາຕໍ່ພວກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ, ໃນຂະນະທີ່ພວກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າສັງກະຍາຍສັນລະລຶະຕໍ່ທ່ານ: ຕໍ່ນາງ, ຕໍ່ທ່ານ, ຂໍໃຫ້ມີການສະແຫວງ, ພະເຈົ້າທີ່ເປັນພະຍິງ.
Rishi: Uncertain here from the isolated verse; commonly Atharvanic/Āṅgirasa attribution is typical for early protective hymns (needs hymn-level anukramaṇī confirmation).
Devata: Iṣu (the Missile/Arrow) personified as Devī; implicitly backed by Viśve Devāḥ.
Chandas: Likely Triṣṭubh (based on cadence and length; requires pada syllable count on full hymn context for certainty).
Primary: vira
Secondary: shanta
Sayana treats the ‘iṣu’ not as a mere physical arrow but as a divinely constituted force: the All-gods ‘send it forth’ after ‘making’ it fit for casting and for overcoming resistance (dhṛṣṇu). Because such a power is intrinsically dangerous, the mantra pivots to appeasement (mṛḍa, namas): the same force that can strike enemies/demons is entreated to spare and protect the sacrificer when praised in the vidatha (ritual session). ‘Devi’ signals personification—addressing the missile as a goddess so that it may be ritually controlled through praise and obeisance.
To consecrate and direct a divinely empowered ‘missile-force’ against affliction/hostility, while ensuring it remains benign toward the performer and household.
Broadly, affliction conceived as an attacking agency (āmayāḥ, rakṣas, hostile sorcery).
Apotropaic ‘striking-out’ mechanism: disease/evil is treated as an enemy to be smitten and expelled, while the force is petitioned to spare the patient/household.
Parallels the idea of removing āvaraṇa/obstruction and external āgantuka disturbances rather than balancing doṣa directly.
Psychological boundary-setting and threat-response regulation; ritual can reduce fear and increase perceived safety/control.
abhicarika
Hostile persons, sorcery, malign spirits, or personified disease attacking the household.
Consecrate and aim a divinely authorized ‘missile-force’ to strike hostile agents while remaining gracious to the patron.
Personification + propitiation: name the weapon as Devī, praise it in vidatha, offer namas to bind its trajectory; sympathetic ‘missile’ logic for expulsion.
Curses, aggression, sudden misfortune, intrusive influences.
A goddess-like ‘Missile’ (iṣu) sent forth by all the gods, made bold for smiting, is hymned in the rite and asked to be gracious; homage is offered to her.
The verse handles aggressive power by personifying it and negotiating with it: the same force that can strike enemies/afflictions must be pacified toward the self. It is a psychology of controlled wrath—weaponized focus without self-harm.
Power is ambivalent: what protects can also injure. Ethical and ritual containment—reverence, naming, and right aim—turns raw force into guardianship.
- इषु (iṣu)
- directed intention; sharp protective force; decisive boundary-setting
- विश्वे देवाः (viśve devāḥ)
- total sanction/collective authority behind the protective act
- असनाय (asanāya)
- removal of obstacles, cutting-through affliction
- धृष्णु (dhṛṣṇu)
- fearless efficacy; uncompromising protective energy
- मृड (mṛḍa)
- containment and reversal of harm toward the patron
- विदथे (vidathe)
- legitimization—force is tamed by being placed inside ritual order
Transforming anger/fear into precise protective clarity; ‘aimed’ attention.
manipura
Short, steady exhale emphasis (without strain) to feel ‘release/expulsion’ of threat; then lengthen inhale to restore calm.
A single beam/arrow of light extending outward from the navel/solar plexus, stopping at a boundary line; threats dissolve at the perimeter.
Saṃyama on ‘direction’—one-pointedness with ethical constraint.
Chant 3–9 times; end with one silent bow (namo) to restrain the force; avoid chanting in a rage—generate protective steadiness first.
Follow Śaunakīya accents; keep the cadence firm through dhṛṣṇum, soften on mṛḍa and namo astu.
Mark the turn: strong stress on asanāya dhṛṣṇum; devotional fall on tasyai te namo astu devi.
असृजन्त: keep ṛ short and clear., धृष्णुम्: retroflex ṣṇ cluster; do not split into s+n., गृणाना: nasalization light; long ā maintained.
Firm, controlled, non-angry; end with reverent softness.
Abhicārika-leaning verses are traditionally ‘sealed’ with namas to prevent recoil; conclude with a brief silence to ‘bind’ the missile.
9
Feeling threatened—harassment, hostile environment, fear of ill-will, or sense of ‘psychic attack’.
Before confronting conflict; before sleep after nightmares; before travel through unsafe areas.
Increased sense of protection, clearer boundaries, reduced fear, and a ritual container for defensive energy.
Avoid using with intent to harm specific persons; if agitation rises, stop and shift to calming breath/prayer.
पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): याम् त्वाम् देवाः असृजन्त विश्वे इषुम् कृण्वानाः असनाय धृष्णुम् । सा नः मृड विदथे गृणाना तस्यै ते नमः अस्तु देवि । विशेषाः: (1) ‘यां त्वा’ → याम् त्वाम् (अनुस्वार/नासिक्य-सन्धि; मन्त्रपाठे ‘त्वा’ एन्क्लिटिक-रूपम्)। (2) ‘देवा’ → देवाः (विसर्गः पदान्ते)। (3) ‘विश्व इषुम्’ → विश्वे इषुम् (ए-आदेशः: प्रथमा-बहुवचन ‘विश्वे’)। (4) ‘सा नो’ → सा नः (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’)। (5) ‘नमो अस्तु’ → नमः अस्तु (विसर्ग-सन्धि)।
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