Sukta 18
Rishi: Traditionally associated with Vrātya-speculation in AV 15 (exact r̥ṣi assignment varies by anukramaṇī tradition).
Devata: Vrātya (personified liminal sacral power).
Chandas: Mixed/irregular (AV 15 often exhibits non-RV metrical behavior; this line is formulaic rather than strictly metrical).
Mantras
Mantra 1
अध्यात्म-प्रकरणम्। तस्य॒ व्रात्य॑स्य
The chapter of the Inner-Self: of that Vratya—
Mantra 2
यद॑स्य॒ दक्षि॑ण॒मक्ष्य॒सौ स आ॑दि॒त्यो यद॑स्य स॒व्यमक्ष्य॒सौ स च॒न्द्रमाः॑
That which is his right eye—yonder, that is the Āditya; and that which is his left eye—yonder, that is the Moon.
Mantra 3
योऽस्य॒ दक्षि॑णः॒ कर्णो॒ऽयं सो अ॒ग्निर्योऽस्य स॒व्यः कर्णो॒ऽयं स पव॑मानः
Which is his right ear—this is Agni; and which is his left ear—this is Pavamāna.
Mantra 4
अ॒हो॒रा॒त्रे नासि॑के॒ दिति॒श्चादि॑तिश्च शीर्षकपा॒ले सं॑वत्स॒रः शिरः॑
Day-and-night are the nostrils; Diti and Aditi are (there); in the skull the Year is the head.
Mantra 5
अह्ना॑ प्र॒त्यङ् व्रात्यो॒ रात्र्या॒ प्राङ् नमो॒ व्रात्या॑य
By day the Vrātya is turned backward; by night he is turned forward. Reverence be to the Vrātya.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here the Vrātya is a personified liminal force—socially “outside” yet ritually powerful—recast as a cosmic person whose body is made of sun, moon, day-night, and the year.
The identifications (bandhus) stabilize and ‘domesticate’ dangerous power: by naming the Vrātya as structured time and light, the hymn turns unpredictability into protective order.
It functions mainly through recitation and reverence—especially at thresholds or liminal times (dusk/dawn)—ending with homage (“namo vrātyāya”) to avert hostility and gain protection.
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