Atharva Veda 4.25.4: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 25, Mantra 4
Sukta 25
अपे॒तो वा॑यो सवि॒ता च॑ दुष्कृ॒तमप॒ रक्षां॑सि॒ शिमि॑दां च सेधतम्। सं ह्यू॒३र्जया॑ सृ॒जथः॒ सं बले॑न॒ तौ नो॑ मुञ्चत॒मंह॑सः
apétaḥ vā́yo savitā́ ca duṣkṛtám ápa rákṣāṁsi śímidāṁ ca sedhatam | sáṁ hí ūrjáyā sṛjáthaḥ sáṁ bálená táu no muñcatam áṁhasaḥ ||
Driven off be the ill-wrought evil, O Vāyu and Savitar; drive ye away the Rākṣases and the Śimidā brood, and bar them. For ye send forth, in full, with vigor, in full with power: do ye release us from distress.
ഹേ വായുവേയും സവിതാവേയും, ദുഷ്കൃതം (ദുഷ്കർമജന്യമായ) അശുഭം അകറ്റുക; രക്ഷാംസി (രാക്ഷസശക്തികൾ)യും ശിമിദാ-കുലവും അകറ്റി തടയുക. നിങ്ങൾ ഊർജ്ജത്തോടെ പൂർണ്ണമായി, ബലത്തോടെ പൂർണ്ണമായി പ്രവഹിപ്പിക്കുന്നു; ഞങ്ങളെ അംഹസ് (ക്ലേശം/സങ്കടം) മുതൽ മോചിപ്പിക്കണമേ.
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (see Anukramaṇī for AV 4.25).
Devata: Vāyu and Savitar; also implicitly anti-demonic (rakṣoghna) function.
Chandas: Triṣṭubh (verify by metrical scan in the received pada text).
Primary: vira
Secondary: bhayankara
Sāyaṇa reads apeta as a direct expulsion (nirāsana) of duṣkṛta conceived both as sin and as an externalized evil-force. Rákṣāṁsi and śimidāḥ are glossed as hiṁsaka-bhūtagaṇāḥ—harmful spirit-hosts causing disease and obstruction. ‘Sedhatam’ is interpreted as nivārayatam, preventing re-entry. ‘Ūrjā’ is nourishing vitality (annarasādi), and ‘balena’ is mantra-backed coercive strength; the pair ‘send forth’ protective force while simultaneously banishing hostile agencies.
To expel demonic/disease-causing beings (rakṣas, śimidā) and the residue of evil action (duṣkṛta), securing release from aṁhas.
Spirit-caused or ‘external’ affliction framed as rakṣas/śimidā; also duṣkṛta residue leading to distress (aṃhas).
Apotropaic expulsion + boundary blocking + energetic replenishment (ūrj/bala) + unbinding from aṃhas.
Āgantuka/bhūta disturbance parallels; ‘bala’ resonates with ojas-building and immuno-resilience; ‘ūrj’ with nourishment and vitality restoration.
Clearing a toxic environment/stressor + relapse-prevention boundaries + rebuilding strength (sleep, nutrition, exercise) after burnout/illness.
bhaisajya
Rakṣas and śimidā (afflictive agents) + duṣkṛta residue.
Drive off ill-wrought evil and hostile beings; block their return; restore vigor and power; release from distress.
Expulsion (apa/āpeta) + exclusion (sedh) + plenitude formula (saṃ…ūrjā/saṃ…bala) + release imperative (muñc).
Night-terrors, recurring misfortune, perceived ‘negative presence,’ epidemic fear, and persistent distress.
Driven off be the ill-wrought evil, O Vāyu and Savitar; drive away the Rākṣases and the Śimidā brood and bar them. For you send forth in full with vigor, in full with power: release us from distress (aṃhas).
A forceful clearing of intrusive, predatory patterns—panic, obsession, compulsions, hostile atmospheres—followed by re-filling the self with vigor (ūrj) and strength (bala).
Healing is both subtraction and addition: remove what is harmful, then restore energy and capacity so the harm cannot return.
- दुष्कृतम् (duṣkṛtam)
- maladaptive actions and their residue; toxic patterns
- रक्षांसि (rakṣāṃsi)
- parasitic influences; disease-demons; intrusive negativity
- शिमिदाम् (śimidām)
- swarming afflictions; ‘brood’ of recurring symptoms/thoughts
- सेधतम् (sedhatam)
- boundary enforcement; relapse prevention
- ऊर्जा (ūrjā)
- replenishment; life-force restored
- बल (bala)
- resilience; immunity of body-mind
- अंहस् (aṃhas)
- bondage state from which release is sought
Banishing + replenishing: exhale out what harms; inhale in strength (bala) and vigor (ūrj).
Anahata (breath-clearing) + Manipura (bala)
Forceful but controlled exhale on ‘āpeta/apa’; then slow nourishing inhale imagining ‘ūrjā’; finish with steady breathing on ‘muñcatam’.
Dark swarms (rakṣas/śimidā) are blown out by wind and dawn-light; a golden fullness refills the chest and belly; a boundary line seals the space.
Fierce clarity moving into grounded safety.
3 cycles: (1) 7 recitations for expulsion, (2) 7 for sealing, (3) 7 for replenishment and release; end with stillness and gratitude.
Triṣṭubh with sharp starts on imperatives (‘āpeta… apa… sedhatam’) and a broadened tone on ‘saṃ…ūrjayā… saṃ balena’.
Deliver ‘rakṣāṃsi śimidāṃ ca’ distinctly; make ‘sedhatam’ clipped (blocking); soften slightly on the final ‘muñcatam aṃhasaḥ’ to signal release.
duṣkṛtam: retroflex ṣ; clear kṛ, rakṣāṃsi: retroflex ṣ; nasal ṃ, śimidām: śi-mi-dām with long ā, sedhatam: aspirated dh
Firm, protective, commanding; avoid strain.
Pair with boundary actions (touching lintel/doorposts, outward sweeping gesture). After the brisk banishing recitation, sit quietly to ‘hold’ the replenishment.
21
Recurring nightmares, persistent ‘bad atmosphere,’ fear after disturbance, convalescence needing strength and protection.
At night before sleep, pre-dawn, or immediately after unsettling incidents; repeat for several days if needed.
Sense of cleared space, reduced fear, improved steadiness; renewed energy and resilience.
If symptoms suggest medical/psychiatric emergency, seek care; do not escalate paranoia about ‘entities’. Keep the rite grounded and calming.
Resolved/normalized padapāṭha-style segmentation: अपे॒तो → अपेतः (ppp of अप-√इ); वा॑यो = वायो (voc. sg. of वायु); दुष्कृ॒तमप॒ → दुष्कृतम् + अप (final -म् before vowel); रक्षां॑सि॒ → रक्षांसि; शिमि॑दां → शिमिदाम् (gen. pl.); सं ह्यू॒३र्जया॑ → सम् + हि + ऊर्जया (anusvāra before ह; ū- restored); सृ॒जथः॒ unchanged; बले॑न unchanged; तौ नो॑ = तौ + नः; मुञ्चत॒मंह॑सः → मुञ्चतम् + अंहसः (final -म् before vowel).
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