Sukta 35
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (often transmitted under Atharvan/Angiras lineages; specific r̥ṣi attribution depends on anukramaṇī tradition for this hymn).
Devata: Hiraṇya (gold) as empowered substance; implicitly Āyus/Varcas/Bala as desired powers.
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (predominant Atharvanic charm-meter; verse is in two pādas/hemistichs with anuṣṭubh cadence).
ഈ ചെറു ആഥർവണിക മന്ത്രം ഹിരണ്യത്തെ (സ്വർണം) ശരീരത്തിൽ കെട്ടി ധരിക്കുന്ന അമുലെറ്റായി പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ച്, ധാരകനു ആയുസ്സ് (ദീർഘായുസ്സ്), വർചസ് (പ്രഭാമയ ജീവശക്തി), ബല/ഓജസ് (ശക്തി) എന്നിവ ലഭിക്കണമെന്നു പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കുന്നു. ജലങ്ങളുടെയും ഔഷധസസ്യങ്ങളുടെയും സംയുക്ത ശക്തികളെ ധാരകനിൽ ഏകീകരിച്ച്, തുടർന്ന് മാസങ്ങൾ, ഋതുക്കൾ, വർഷം എന്നിവയുടെ ക്രമബദ്ധ ചക്രത്തിലൂടെ ജീവനെ ‘നിറച്ച്’ സ്ഥിരപ്പെടുത്തുന്നു. ഇന്ദ്ര-അഗ്നിയും സർവ്വദേവന്മാരും സമ്മതിക്കട്ടെ; ഈ അനുഗ്രഹം തടസ്സമില്ലാതെ നിലനില്ക്കട്ടെ എന്നും അപേക്ഷിക്കുന്നു.
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
दीर्घायुःप्राप्तिः। यदाब॑ध्नन् दाक्षाय॒णा हिर॑ण्यं श॒तानी॑काय सुमन॒स्यमा॑नाः । तत् ते॑ बध्ना॒म्यायु॑षे॒ वर्च॑से॒ बला॑य दीर्घायु॒त्वाय॑ श॒तशा॑रदाय
സുമനസ്സോടെ ദാക്ഷായണർ ശതാനീകന്റെ മേൽ കെട്ടിയ ആ സ്വർണം—അതേ ഞാൻ നിനക്കായി കെട്ടുന്നു: ആയുസ്സിനായി, തേജസ്സിനായി, ബലത്തിനായി, ദീർഘായുസ്സിനായി, നൂറു ശരദൃതുക്കൾ വരെ.
Mantra 2
नैनं॒ रक्षां॑सि॒ न पि॑शा॒चाः स॑हन्ते दे॒वाना॒मोजः॑ प्रथम॒जं ह्ये॒तत्। यो बिभ॑र्ति दाक्षाय॒णं हिर॑ण्यं॒ स जी॒वेषु॑ कृणुते दी॒र्घमायुः॑
രാക്ഷസന്മാരും പിശാചുകളും അവനെ സഹിക്കുകയില്ല; കാരണം ഇത് ദേവന്മാരുടെ ഓജസ്—ഉത്ഭവത്തിൽ തന്നെ ആദിജനിതമായ ശക്തി. ദാക്ഷായണ സ്വർണം ധരിക്കുന്നവൻ, ജീവികളിൽ തനിക്കായി ദീർഘായുസ്സ് സ്ഥാപിക്കുന്നു.
Mantra 3
अ॒पां तेजो॒ ज्योति॒रोजो॒ बलं॑ च॒ वन॒स्पती॑नामु॒त वी॒र्याऽणि । इन्द्र॑ इवेन्द्रि॒याण्यधि॑ धारयामो अ॒स्मिन् तद् दक्ष॑माणो बिभर॒द्धिर॑ण्यम्
ജലങ്ങളുടെ തേജസ്സ്, അവരുടെ ജ്യോതി, ഓജസ്സ്, ബലം, കൂടാതെ വനസ്പതികളുടെ അധിപതികളുടെ (വനസ്പതി) വീര്യങ്ങൾ—ഇവയെ ഇന്ദ്രസമമായ ഇന്ദ്രിയശക്തികളായി ഞങ്ങൾ ഇവിടെ ഞങ്ങളിലേയ്ക്ക് ധരിച്ചു വഹിക്കുന്നു. ഇങ്ങനെ ദക്ഷമായിത്തീർന്നവൻ, ഹിരണ്യ (സ്വർണം) ധരിച്ചു, ആ മഹാശക്തി വഹിക്കുന്നു.
Mantra 4
समा॑नां मा॒सामृ॒तुभि॑ष्ट्वा व॒यं सं॑वत्स॒रस्य॒ पय॑सा पिपर्मि । इ॒न्द्रा॒ग्नी विश्वे॑ दे॒वास्तेऽनु॑ मन्यन्ता॒महृ॑णीयमानाः
ക്രമബദ്ധമായ മാസങ്ങളോടും ഋതുക്കളോടും കൂടി, സംവത്സരത്തിന്റെ പാലുപോലെയുള്ള പോഷണത്തോടെ ഞങ്ങൾ നിന്നെ പുനഃപൂരിപ്പിച്ച് സമ്പൂർണ്ണമാക്കുന്നു. ഇന്ദ്ര-അഗ്നിയും സർവ്വദേവന്മാരും—കോപമില്ലാതെ—പിന്നീട് ഇതിനെ അംഗീകരിക്കട്ടെ.
Inside Sukta 35
How it unfolds
- How it opens
Begins with the precedent of an auspicious binding of gold (the Dākṣāyaṇas binding hiraṇya upon Śatānīka), establishing a transmitted, successful model.
- What it asks
‘This same I bind on you’—for āyus, varcas, bala, and long-livedness for ‘a hundred autumns.’
- Where its power lies
Asserts that the gold-bearer carries within himself the tejas/jyotis/ojas/bala of waters and the vīrya of plants—Indra-like powers installed ‘upon us.’
- How it closes
Closes by ‘filling’ the person with the year’s nourishing essence through months and seasons, and by seeking unangered approval from Indra-Agni and all the Gods.
Famous verses
dīrghāyutvāya śataśāradāya
apāṃ tejo jyotir ojo balaṃ ca
saṃvatsarasya payasā piparmi
Kind of hymn
Bhaisajya (Healing) / Āyuṣya (Longevity charm)
What it is for
Binding and empowering a gold amulet so the wearer gains long life ‘for a hundred autumns,’ sustained radiance, strength, and uninterrupted well-being through the full cycle of the year.
Who it is for
Householders and domestic priests (Atharvanic practitioners) performing protective/healing rites for a child, patient, patron, or any family member seeking longevity and vigor.
Also used as
- Āyuṣya
- Paustika
- Śāntika
The deity
Hiraṇya functions as a luminous, incorruptible carrier of life-force and auspicious brilliance; it is treated as a material ‘seat’ for āyus and varcas. The hymn also invokes the purifying strength of waters and the efficacies of plants, and finally the cosmic order of time (months–seasons–year) to make the blessing continuous and complete.
Powers of the deity
- Confers long life (āyus) and durability
- Installs radiance, prestige, and bodily luster (varcas/tejas)
- Strengthens vitality, resistance, and courage (ojas/bala/vīrya)
- Purifies and protects through waters (āpah)
- Heals/fortifies through plant efficacy (vanaspati-vīrya)
- Stabilizes prosperity by aligning the person with the yearly cycle (saṃvatsara, ṛtu, māsa)
- Secures divine approval and removes obstruction (an-āhṛṇīyamāna)
Why the deity is called
To make the gold amulet a living receptacle of life, splendor, and strength, and to ‘seal’ that empowerment by integrating it with natural forces (water, plants) and the ordered flow of time, under the consent of the major deities.
The seer
- Atharvanic/Āṅgirasa (anukramaṇī varies for AVŚ 1.35)Atharvan. Āyuṣya and bhaisajya charms: binding (bandhana) of amulets, installing varcas/ojas, and protective strengthening through substances (gold, water, plant-power) and time-consecration.
Other hymns of this seer
- AVŚ 1.34 (āyuṣya/strengthening context, adjacent charm-cycle)
- AVŚ 2.11 (āyuṣya-type longevity protection, Atharvanic style)
- AVŚ 3.11 (varcas/ojas strengthening motifs, Atharvanic charm-idiom)
Preparing for the rite
- Obtain clean hiraṇya (gold) suitable for binding as an amulet/ornament (bandhana).
- Purify the ritual space and the amulet with clean water; optionally use a simple plant infusion or touch of auspicious greenery (vanaspati) to mark ‘plant-power.’
- Seat the beneficiary facing an auspicious direction; calm the mind (sumanasya) and set the intention for āyus/varcas/bala.
The rite
- Recite the hymn while physically binding/fastening the gold on the person (wrist, neck, or garment), synchronizing the binding with the key petitions for āyus, varcas, bala.
- During verses emphasizing waters and plants, touch water to the amulet/person and gesture to plant/wood as the source of vīrya.
- On the concluding verse, offer or symbolically ‘fill’ with milk (páyas)—either by sipping, sprinkling, or presenting it—while naming months, seasons, and the year, then request Indra-Agni and the Viśve Devāḥ to approve.
What it needs
- Gold (hiraṇya) amulet/ornament
- Clean water (āpah)
- Plant/wood or medicinal greenery (vanaspati token)
- Milk (páyas) or a milk-offering vessel
- Binding thread/cord if needed
When
Auspicious mornings; especially at life-cycle moments (birth/infancy protection, recovery from illness) or at the beginning of a monthly/seasonal/yearly observance to ensure continuity.
The main substance
Hiraṇya (gold)
Herbs
- Vanaspati token (any auspicious/medicinal plant or wood used as a representative of plant-vīrya)
Amulets
- Gold amulet/ornament (bandhana)
- Binding cord/thread if the gold is tied on rather than clasped
How it is prepared
Cleanse the gold with water; optionally touch it to a green plant/wood to ‘connect’ vanaspati-vīrya; bind it on while reciting the āyus/varcas/bala petitions, and conclude with a milk offering/sprinkling as the ‘year’s filling’ (saṃvatsara-payas).
Frequently Asked Questions
It is recited while binding a gold amulet to secure long life, bodily radiance, and strength—ideally “for a hundred autumns”—and to keep the blessing stable through the year.
In Atharvanic practice, certain substances are empowered as carriers of tejas and āyus. Gold’s brightness and durability make it a fitting seat for varcas and protective vitality when ritually bound on.
Water represents purification and life-splendor, plants represent healing efficacy and vigor, and milk symbolizes nourishment and ‘filling.’ Together they complete the charm and help it endure across months, seasons, and the year.
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