Atharva Veda 19.29.2: Kanda 19, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 29, Mantra 2

Sukta 29

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

तृ॒न्द्धि द॑र्भ स॒पत्ना॑न् मे तृ॒न्द्धि मे॑ पृतनाय॒तः । तृ॒न्द्धि मे॒ सर्वा॑न् दु॒र्हार्द॑तृ॒न्द्धि मे॑ द्विष॒तो म॑णे

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 19.29.2

IAST Transliteration

tṛ́nddhi darbha sapátnān me tṛ́nddhi me pṛtanāyató | tṛ́nddhi me sárvān durhā́rda tṛ́nddhi me dvíṣato maṇé ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Hew down, O Darbha, my rivals; hew down for me the battle-onset. Hew down for me all the ill-hearted; hew down for me the haters, O Amulet.

Translation

ഹേ ദർഭേ, എന്റെ എതിരാളികളെ നീ വെട്ടിക്കളയുക; എനിക്കുവേണ്ടി യുദ്ധത്തിനു വരുന്നവരെ വെട്ടുക. എനിക്കുവേണ്ടി ദുഷ്ടഹൃദയരെല്ലാം വെട്ടുക; ഹേ മണിയേ, വിരോധികളെ എനിക്കുവേണ്ടി വെട്ടിക്കളയുക.

The meaning

What it says

An imperative charm: Darbha grass is commanded to ‘hew down’ the patron’s rivals, battle-onset, ill-hearted persons, and haters; the Maṇi (amulet) is addressed as an active agent.

The inner meaning

A psychic boundary spell: cutting down intrusive hostility, rumination, and fear of attack; the mind externalizes threats and then ritually ‘severs’ their access, restoring agency and safety.

The truth in it

Protection often works by clear boundaries: what is ill-willed must be cut off before it takes root in one’s life.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Abhicarika (Protective/Counter-sorcery; enemy-subduing) with Paustika overtones (securing one’s welfare)

Its aim

To cut down and disable all rivals, attackers, ill-wishers, and haters of the patron by empowering darbha and the maṇi (amulet).

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Word by Word

Pada patha

तृन्द्धि । दर्भ । स-पत्नान् । मे । तृन्द्धि । मे । पृतना-यतः । तृन्द्धि । मे । सर्वान् । दुर्-हार्द । तृन्द्धि । मे । द्विषतः । मणे ।

तृन्द्धि

cut off; severhew down, cut off, sever (apotropaically: ‘cut away’ hostile forces)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot तृद् (तृन्दति) / √तृद्

दर्भ

O darbha-grassDarbha grass (kuśa-like sacred grass used as a protective, cutting, and binding implement in rites)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (आह्वान) / कर्तृ (आज्ञाकर्ता)Root दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)

सपत्नान्

rivals; enemiesrivals, co-wives/competitors; by extension any hostile counterpart (sapátna as ‘one who shares the same lord/field’)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot सपत्न (प्रातिपदिक)

मे

my; of mefor me, my (beneficiary of the rite)Pronounषष्ठी (सम्बन्धे), एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)

तृन्द्धि

cut offhew down, cut off (repetition for intensification)Verbलोट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot तृद् (तृन्दति) / √तृद्

मे

my; of meme, myPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अस्मद्

पृतनायतः

those who wage battle; assailantsthose who come as battle-array/assailants, warlike attackers (lit. ‘going in battle’)Noun (agent-noun) / Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot पृतनाय (प्रातिपदिक; पृतना + य)

तृन्द्धि

cut offcut down (as with a sharp implement; ritually transferred to darbha)Verbलोट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot तृद् (तृन्दति) / √तृद्

मे

my; of mefor mePronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अस्मद्

सर्वान्

allAdjective (pronominal)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)

दुर्हार्दान्

ill-wishers; those of hostile heartNoun / Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot दुर्हार्द (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्- + हार्द) अथवा दुर्हार्द (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष)

तृन्द्धि

cut offcut off, destroyVerbलोट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot तृद् (तृन्दति) / √तृद्

मे

my; of mefor mePronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अस्मद्

द्विषतः

haters; hostile oneshating (ones), enemies (active haters)Participle used as Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (द्विषतः = द्विषत् + अस्-प्रत्यय-रूप)Role कर्मRoot द्विष् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक: शतृ/शानच् ‘द्विषत्’)

मणे

O amulet/jewel (O Maṇi)O amulet/jewel (maṇi as protective talisman addressed as an agent)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (आह्वान)Root मणि/मण (प्रातिपदिक) — here as vocative ‘मणे’

Sandhi Notes

• तृन्द्धि । दर्भ । सपत्नान् । मे । तृन्द्धि । मे । पृतनायतः । तृन्द्धि । मे । सर्वान् । दुर्हार्दान् । तृन्द्धि । मे । द्विषतः । मणे । विशेषम्:
• (1) ‘तृन्द्धि’ = √तृद् (तृन्दति) लोट् 2sg
• धातोः ‘द् + ध्’ संयोगे द्वित्व/संहितालक्षणेन ‘न्द्ध’ लेखनम्।
• (2) ‘पृतनायतः’ को ‘पृतनाय’ (य-प्रत्ययान्त) + ‘-त’ (बहुवचन द्वितीया) रूपेण ग्रहणम्—अर्थतः ‘युद्धं कुर्वन्तः/युद्धकारिणः’।
• (3) ‘दुर्हार्द’ = दुर्-उपसर्गपूर्वकं ‘हार्द’ (हृदयसम्बन्धि) — ‘दुर्हार्दान्’ कर्मपदम्।
• (4) ‘द्विषतः’ = ‘द्विषत्’ (शतृ-कृदन्त) का बहुवचन-द्वितीया-रूपः (वैदिके ‘-तः’ बहुवचन-अन्त्यरूपं दृश्यते)।

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic tradition

Devata

Darbha and Maṇi as personified protective agents; implicitly the apotropaic power (rakṣas-kṣapana)

Chandas

Anuṣṭubh (command-form refrain; typical AV protective cadence)

Rasa

Raudra and Vira

Sayana's Commentary

The Seer

The Deity

The Metre

The Rite

In the Home

Substances

Healing Context

Magic Charm Layer

Symbols in this Mantra

Yogic Application

Chanting Notes

Practical Application

Scholarly Questions