Sukta 77
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (exact r̥ṣi not specified in the provided excerpt; commonly assigned by Anukramaṇī to an Atharvan/Angiras line for such apotropaic material).
Devata: Maruts (as troop-protectors and purifiers).
Chandas: Likely Triṣṭubh/Jagatī-type cadence (needs full pada-metrical verification against the Saunaka text).
Mantras
Mantra 1
शत्रुनाशनम्। सांत॑पना इ॒दं ह॒विर्मरु॑त॒स्तज्जु॑जुष्टन । अ॒स्माको॒ती रि॑शादसः
Enemy-destroying. This scorching oblation—O Maruts, accept ye that: ye who are our succour, devourers of harm.
Mantra 2
यो नो॒ मर्तो॑ मरुतो दुर्हृणा॒युस्ति॒रश्चि॒त्तानि॑ वसवो॒ जिघां॑सति । द्रु॒हः पाशा॒न् प्रति॑ मुञ्चतां॒ सस्तपि॑ष्ठेन॒ तप॑सा हन्तना॒ तम्
What mortal, O Maruts, of evil will and hidden thought, O Vasus, seeketh to slay us—let the nooses of the treacherous be loosed back upon him; with hottest heat smite ye him down.
Mantra 3
संव॒त्स॒रीणा॑ म॒रुतः॑ स्व॒र्का उ॒रुक्ष॑याः॒ सग॑णा॒ मानु॑षासः । ते अ॒स्मत् पाशा॒न् प्र मु॑ञ्च॒न्त्वेन॑सः सांतप॒ना म॑त्स॒रा मा॑दयि॒ष्णवः॑
The year-returning Maruts, heaven-bright, wide-housed, with their companies, friendly among men—let them from us loosen forth the nooses of offence: the burning ones, the jealous, the maddeningly impetuous.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is both a metaphor and a ritual image for binding—sin/pollution (enas), disease-like constraint, or hostile sorcery—something that can be “loosened” by divine power.
It is primarily protective and cleansing (release from enas), but it also contains a reversal element: the enemy’s treacherous binding is sent back to the aggressor rather than accepted by the victim.
With a small havis offering into fire while reciting, plus a symbolic loosening action (untying/relaxing a cord) to enact release, followed by a brief settling or optional water-sprinkling for cleansing.
Ask anything about Sukta 77 of the Atharva Veda
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Atharva Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.