Sukta 25
Rishi: Traditionally connected with Vaiṣṇava/Ṛgvedic material; Atharvanic redaction preserves it for protective use (specific r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī tradition).
Devata: Viṣṇu (with Varuṇa in associative dual sovereignty)
Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like cadence (borrowed/parallel to Ṛgvedic diction; metrical exactness depends on recension reading)
ຄຳສັງການສັ້ນໆສອງບົດນີ້ອວຍຮ້ອງຂໍຕໍ່ວິດສນຸ ພ້ອມກັບວະຣຸນ ເປັນຜູ້ຮັກສາຄວາມສະຫງົບຂອງຈັກກະວານ ຜູ້ເຊິ່ງ "ຄ້ຳຈຸທິດທັງໝົດ" ແລະ ປົກຄອງຢ່າງບໍ່ອາດຕ້ານໄດ້ ດ້ວຍພະຄຸນ ແລະ ທັມມະ. ການນຳໃຊ້ໃນອາທານວະເທດ ແມ່ນເພື່ອປ້ອງກັນ: ໂດຍການຈັດວາງທີ່ປະຕິບັດພິທີ ແລະ ທິດທັງໝົດ ໃຫ້ສອດຄ່ອງກັບອຳນາດອະທິປະໄຕຂອງພວກພະອົງ ຈຶ່ງເຮັດໃຫ້ໂລກມີຄວາມສະຖິດຢ່າງຮອບດ້ານ ແລະ ປ້ອງກັນຄວາມວຸ້ນວາຍ, ຄວາມຢ້ານກົວ, ແລະ ກຳລັງຊົ່ວຮ້າຍ.
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
विष्णुः। ययो॒रोज॑सा स्कभि॒ता रजां॑सि॒ यौ वीर्यौऽर्वी॒रत॑मा॒ शवि॑ष्ठा । यौ पत्ये॑ते॒ अप्र॑तीतौ॒ सहो॑भि॒र्विष्णु॑मग॒न् वरु॑णं पू॒र्वहू॑तिः
ພະວິດສະນຸ: ໂດຍພະ���ານສອງປະການຂອງຜູ້ໃດ ທີ່ຈັກກະວັນຖືກສ້າງໃຫ້ໝັ້ນຄົງ, ພະ��ານວິລະຊົນສອງປະການນັ້ນ, ຜູ້ກ້າວກ້າທີ່ສຸດ, ຜູ້ມີພະຄຸນທີ່ສຸດ; ຜູ້ປົກຄອງໂດຍບໍ່ຖືກຕໍ່ຕ້ານ, ພ້ອມດ້ວຍພະ�ານຂອງພວກເຂົາ, ການອວຍຮ້ອງບູຮານໄດ້ໄປສູ່ພະວິດສະນຸ ແລະ ພະວະຣຸນ.
Mantra 2
यस्ये॒दं प्र॒दिशि॒ यद् वि॒रोच॑ते॒ प्र चान॑ति॒ वि च॒ चष्टे॒ शची॑भिः । पु॒रा दे॒वस्य॒ धर्म॑णा॒ सहो॑भि॒र्विष्णु॑मग॒न् वरु॑णं पू॒र्वहू॑तिः
ຂອງຜູ້ໃດ ທີ່ສະຫວ່າງໃນທິດທາງທັງສີ່, ທີ່ເຄື່ອນຍ້າຍອອກ ແລະ ເບິ່ງຢ່າງກວ້າງຂວາງດ້ວຍພະຄຸນຂອງພະອົງ; ແຕ່ບູຮານ, ໂດຍກົດລະບຽບຂອງພະເຈົ້າ, ພ້ອມດ້ວຍພະານຂອງພະອົງ, ການອວຍຮ້ອງບູຮານໄດ້ໄປສູ່ພະວິດສະນຸ ແລະ ພະວະຣຸນ.
Inside Sukta 25
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn opens by naming Viṣṇu and immediately framing Viṣṇu–Varuṇa as the two mighty powers by whose ojas the regions are held firm.
- What it asks
That their unresisted sovereignty and ordinance extend across the quarters—shining, going forth, and beholding widely—so the entire space is stabilized and protected.
- Where its power lies
Their rule is ‘apratīta’ (not to be turned back/resisted); their strengths and dharma are presented as the ancient, proven basis of protection.
- How it closes
Both mantras seal with the refrain-like affirmation: ‘unto Viṣṇu and Varuṇa hath the ancient invocation gone forth’ (…pūrvahūtiḥ).
Famous verses
skabhitā rajāṃsi … viṣṇum agan varuṇaṃ pūrvahūtiḥ
pradiśi yad virocte … dharmaṇā … pūrvahūtiḥ
Kind of hymn
Rakṣoghna / Śānti (Apotropaic protection; cosmic stabilization)
What it is for
Cosmic and local stabilization: the quarters are “made firm,” order (dharma) is reaffirmed, and threats arising from disorder or hostile beings are averted.
Who it is for
Householders and ritual specialists seeking protection for home, settlement, journey routes, or a consecrated space (sabhā, yajña-śālā) where directional security is desired.
Also used as
- Rakṣoghna
- Rakṣā (protective)
- Dik-śānti (quarters pacification)
The deity
Viṣṇu appears as the expansive, all-pervading stabilizer who supports the regions, while Varuṇa functions as the dharma/ṛta-sovereign whose ordinance makes order unassailable; together they represent cosmic sovereignty that cannot be resisted.
Powers of the deity
- Stabilizing and “propping” the regions/quarters (rajāṃsi, pradiśaḥ)
- Unopposed rulership and protection through strength (sahas, ojas)
- Illuminating and overseeing the quarters (virocate; caṣṭe)
- Enforcing dharma/ṛta and restraining disorder (Varuṇa’s ordinance)
- Apotropaic warding of hostile influences by cosmic alignment
Why the deity is called
To secure the ritual and social space by invoking the ancient, authoritative call to Viṣṇu–Varuṇa, ensuring stability in all directions and preventing intrusion of chaos, fear, or malevolent forces.
The seer
- Anukramaṇī-varied (Ṛgvedic/Vaiṣṇava provenance; Atharvanic redaction)Atharvan. Rakṣā/śānti charms that secure the quarters (diśaḥ) and reinforce ṛta/dharma by invoking sovereign deities; especially effective for boundary-protection and communal stabilization rites.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 7.25 (this sūkta)
Preparing for the rite
- Choose a clean, quiet spot; lightly sweep and mark the space as protected (simple boundary-setting).
- Sit facing east (or toward the principal direction of concern) and recollect the ‘quarters’ (pradiśaḥ) as a complete circuit.
- Optional: take a sip of clean water for internal śuddhi; maintain calm, steady breath.
The rite
- Recite 7.25.1 to invoke the paired, irresistible sovereignty that ‘props’ the regions.
- Recite 7.25.2 while mentally extending protection to all directions, visualizing radiance spreading through the quarters.
- Conclude with a brief silent resolve (saṅkalpa) that the space remains under Viṣṇu–Varuṇa’s dharma.
When
As-needed for protection and stabilization; especially before entering a new space, beginning a rite, or at times of perceived directional inauspiciousness.
Frequently Asked Questions
They function as complementary sovereign powers: Viṣṇu stabilizes and pervades the regions, while Varuṇa represents dharma/ṛta that restrains disorder. Together they secure the quarters and make protection ‘unresisted.’
It is used for rakṣā and śānti—especially to pacify and protect the directions (pradiśaḥ) before a rite, in a new dwelling, or whenever one seeks stability and freedom from hostile influences.
No substances are specified in the text. It can be performed as a pure recitation with mental extension of protection to all quarters; optional simple cleanliness and boundary-setting are customary.
Ask anything about Sukta 25 of the Atharva Veda
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