Sukta 13
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (ṛṣi not securely fixed for this individual mantra in common indices)
Devata: Āpas (Waters), with mythic linkage to Varuṇa and Indra
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; hymn largely in short pādas typical of AV style)
ଏହି ସଂକ୍ଷିପ୍ତ ଅଥର୍ବବେଦୀୟ ସୂକ୍ତ ଆପଃ/ନଦୀମାନଙ୍କୁ ଆଦିକାଳୀନ, ଦେବତାମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଅର୍ଜିତ, ପବିତ୍ରକାରୀ ଶକ୍ତି ଭାବେ ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠା କରେ; ତାଙ୍କର ସତ୍ୟ ନାମ ଓ ଉତ୍ପତ୍ତି-କଥା ସ୍ମରଣ କଲେ ତାଙ୍କର ଚିକିତ୍ସାଶକ୍ତି ସକ୍ରିୟ ହୁଏ। ବରୁଣଙ୍କ ପ୍ରେରଣା ଓ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଜଳ ‘ଜିତା’ ହେବାର ସ୍ମୃତି ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ, ସାଧାରଣ ଜଳକୁ ପ୍ରାଣ ଓ ବର୍ଚସ୍ (ଜୀବନ୍ତ ତେଜ) ବହନକାରୀ କରି, ଶୁଦ୍ଧି, ରକ୍ଷା ଓ ପୁନରୁଦ୍ଧାର ପାଇଁ ବ୍ୟବହାର କରାଯାଏ।
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
आपः। यद॒दः सं॑प्रय॒तीरहा॒वन॑दता हते॑। तस्मा॒दा न॒द्यो॒३ नाम॑ स्थ॒ ता वो॒ नामा॑नि सिन्धवः
ହେ ଆପଃ (ଜଳମାନେ)! ଯେତେବେଳେ ସେଠାରେ ତୁମେ ସମେତ ଏକାସାଥି ବହି ଚାଲି, ଆଘାତ ସମୟରେ ଦିନକୁ ଦିନ ଗର୍ଜନ କଲ, ସେହିହେତୁ ତୁମକୁ ‘ନଦୀ’ ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ। ହେ ସିନ୍ଧୁମାନେ, ସେଇ ହେଉଛି ତୁମର ନାମଗୁଡ଼ିକ।
Mantra 2
यत् प्रेषि॑ता॒ वरु॑णे॒नाच्छीभं॑ स॒मव॑ल्गत । तदा॑प्नो॒दिन्द्रो॑ वो य॒तीस्तस्मा॑दापो॒ अनु॑ ष्ठन
ଯେତେବେଳେ ବରୁଣଙ୍କ ପ୍ରେରଣାରେ ତୁମେ ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ ଲକ୍ଷ୍ୟ ଦିଗକୁ ଏକାସାଥି ଧାଇଗଲ, ସେତେବେଳେ ଆଗକୁ ଧକ୍କା ଦେଇ ଚାଲୁଥିବା ତୁମମାନଙ୍କୁ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର ଜିତି ନିଜ ଅଧିକାରରେ ନେଲେ। ତେଣୁ, ହେ ଆପଃ (ଜଳମାନେ), ଅନୁସରଣ କରି ନିଜ ନିଜ ସ୍ଥାନରେ ସ୍ଥିର ହୁଅ।
Mantra 3
अ॒प॒का॒मं स्यन्द॑माना॒ अवी॑वरत वो॒ हि क॑म्। इन्द्रो॑ वः॒ शक्ति॑भिर्देवी॒स्तस्मा॒द् वार्नाम॑ वो हि॒तम्
ଅପକାମ (ଅନିଷ୍ଟ) ଠାରୁ ପଥ ଖୋଲି, ବହୁଥିବାବେଳେ ତୁମେ ବାଧାକୁ ଦୂର କଲ—ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ତୁମେ ଆନନ୍ଦ ଆଣିଲ। ହେ ଦେବୀମାନେ, ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର ନିଜ ଶକ୍ତିଦ୍ୱାରା ତୁମକୁ ଏପରି କରିଛନ୍ତି; ତେଣୁ ତୁମର ‘ବରୁଣିକ’ ସ୍ୱଭାବ ହିତକର ବ୍ୟବହାର ପାଇଁ ସ୍ଥାପିତ।
Mantra 4
एको॑ वो दे॒वोऽप्य॑तिष्ठ॒त् स्यन्द॑माना यथाव॒शम्। उदा॑निषुर्म॒हीरिति॒ तस्मा॑दुद॒कमु॑च्यते
ତୁମମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଗୋଟିଏ ଦେବ ଦୃଢ଼ଭାବେ ଦଣ୍ଡାୟମାନ ହେଲେ, ଯେତେବେଳେ ତୁମେ ଇଚ୍ଛାନୁସାରେ ବହୁଥିଲ। ‘ମହୀମାନେ (ମହାନମାନେ) ଏହାକୁ ଉପରକୁ ଉଠାଇଲେ’—ଏଭଳି; ତେଣୁ ଏହାକୁ ‘ଉଦକ’ (ଜଳ) ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ।
Mantra 5
आपो॑ भ॒द्रा घृ॒तमिदाप॑ आसन्न॒ग्नीषोमौ॑ बिभ्र॒त्याप॒ इत् ताः। ती॒व्रो रसो॑ मधुपृचा॑मरंग॒म आ मा॑ प्रा॒णेन॑ स॒ह वर्च॑सा गमेत्
ଆପଃ ଭଦ୍ର; ଆପଃ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଘୃତ ହିଁ ଥିଲେ। ଅଗ୍ନି ଓ ସୋମକୁ ଧାରଣ କରୁଥିବା—ସେଇ ଆପଃ ହିଁ। ସେମାନଙ୍କର ତୀବ୍ର ରସ, ମଧୁ-ମିଶ୍ରିତ ଓ ଅହିଂସକ, ପ୍ରାଣ ସହ ଏବଂ ତେଜ ସହ ମୋ ପାଖକୁ ଆସୁ।
Mantra 6
आदित् प॑श्याम्यु॒त वा॑ शृणो॒म्या मा॒ घोषो॑ गच्छति॒ वाङ् मा॑साम्। मन्ये॑ भेजा॒नो अ॒मृत॑स्य तर्हि॒ हिर॑ण्यवर्णा॒ अतृ॑पं य॒दा वः॑
ଏବେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ମୁଁ ଦେଖୁଛି; ହଁ, ମୁଁ ଶୁଣୁଛି: ମୋ ପାଖକୁ ଘୋଷ ଆସୁଛି—ଏମାନଙ୍କୁ ଠାରୁ ବାଣୀ ମୋ ପାଖକୁ ଆସୁଛି। ହେ ହିରଣ୍ୟବର୍ଣ୍ଣାମାନେ, ଯେତେବେଳେ ମୁଁ—ପୂର୍ବେ ଅତୃପ୍ତ—ତୁମମାନଙ୍କୁ ପାଉଛି, ସେତେବେଳେ ମୁଁ ଅମୃତତ୍ୱର ଭାଗୀ ହୁଏ ବୋଲି ମନେ କରେ।
Mantra 7
इ॒दं व॑ आपो॒ हृद॑यम॒यं व॒त्स ऋ॑तावरीः । इ॒हेत्थमेत॑ शक्वरी॒र्यत्रे॒दं वे॒शया॑मि वः
ହେ ଆପଃ (ଜଳଦେବୀମାନେ), ଏହା ତୁମମାନଙ୍କର ହୃଦୟ; ଏହା ହେଉଛି ବଛଡ଼ା, ହେ ଋତକୁ ଧାରଣ କରୁଥିବାମାନେ। ଏଭଳି—ଏଠାକୁ ଆସ, ହେ ଶକ୍ତିଶାଳିନୀମାନେ—ଯେଉଁ ସ୍ଥାନରେ ମୁଁ ତୁମମାନଙ୍କୁ ନିବାସ କରାଏ।
Inside Sukta 13
How it unfolds
- How it opens
Direct address to Āpas as roaring, conjoined, ancient rivers, invoked through their origin and ‘names’ (nadyaḥ/sindhavaḥ).
- What it asks
May the waters, bearing sacred potency, come to the reciter as a beneficent essence—bringing prāṇa and varcas while cleansing harm and pollution.
- Where its power lies
Waters are not merely physical: they are primordial, divinely impelled (Varuṇa) and divinely secured for beings (Indra), therefore inherently efficacious as purifiers and restorers.
- How it closes
A settling command/request that the Waters ‘follow on and take their station’—i.e., remain present in the consecrated medium and complete the rite’s protection and healing.
Famous verses
nadyo nāma stha
tasmād āpo anu ṣṭhana
ā mā prāṇena saha varcasā gamet
Kind of hymn
Bhaisajya (Healing) / Apotropaic purification by Waters
What it is for
Consecrates water as a potent purifier and tonic so that it cleanses defilement, protects from harmful influences, and brings prāṇa and splendour to the recipient.
Who it is for
Householders and Atharvanic practitioners performing cleansing after impurity (aśauca/saṃsparśa), illness-recovery rites, protective sprinklings for home/child, and general well-being observances.
Also used as
- Shantika (pacificatory purification)
- Paustika (vitality, varcas)
- Apotropaic protection
The deity
Āpas are the living, moral and physical purifying power in liquid form—rivers and waters that cleanse sin/defilement, bear sacred potency (Agni–Soma), and renew life-force. Their mythic frame connects Varuṇa (cosmic order, impulse, restraint) with Indra (winning/releasing and making waters available for beings).
Powers of the deity
- Purification of physical and ritual impurity
- Removal of pāpmān (evil influence) and durita (misfortune)
- Bestowal of prāṇa (life-breath) and varcas (radiance/vigour)
- Safe, nourishing essence likened to ghee and honey
- Protection through consecrated sprinkling and bathing
- Restoration/refreshment after harm, fear, or contamination
Why the deity is called
To make water ritually ‘awake’ as a medicine and apotropaic shield—fit for sprinkling, bathing, and/or sipping—by invoking its primordial origin, divine ownership, and life-giving essence.
The seer
- Anukta (Atharvanic water-hymn tradition)Atharvan. Bhaiṣajya and śāntika-style purifications: consecration of water, removal of pollution/inauspiciousness, and restoration of vitality through ablution and ingestion rites.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 1.5 (Āpas hymn, traditional water-purification set)
- AV 6.23 (water as purifier; tradition varies by index)
- AV 19.2 (Āpas praises; later collection, attribution varies)
Preparing for the rite
- Collect clean water (preferably flowing/river water) in a kalaśa; keep it covered and placed on clean ground.
- Seat the patient/recipient facing east or north; maintain silence/cleanliness (śauca) as feasible.
- Optionally add a small amount of ghṛta and/or madhu as symbolic ‘essence’ (as the hymn imagines waters as ghee/honey-blent).
- Mentally dedicate the water to Āpas with remembrance of Varuṇa (ṛta) and Indra (winning/releasing).
The rite
- Recite the 7 mantras over the water, breathing gently toward the vessel at key points (prāṇa/varcas petition).
- Sprinkle (prokṣaṇa) the recipient: head, heart, and limbs; also sprinkle thresholds/bed/seat if used apotropaically.
- Have the recipient sip a small portion (ācāmana-style) if appropriate, then bathe or wipe with the consecrated water.
- Conclude by placing remaining water in a clean place or pouring it in a pure flow (not in impure drainage).
What it needs
- Āpas (clean water)
- Kalaśa (water vessel)
- Optional: ghṛta (ghee)
- Optional: madhu (honey)
- Sprinkling implement (kuśa tip or clean spoon)
When
At dawn or before daily rites; also immediately after contact with impurity, after illness/fever subsides, or before protective boundary-sprinkling of a dwelling.
The main substance
Consecrated water (āpas) in a vessel (kalaśa)
How it is prepared
Use clean water; optionally enrich with a drop of ghṛta and/or madhu. Recite the sukta over the vessel, then apply by sprinkling, sipping, and/or bathing to transfer the hymn’s purificatory and vitalizing force.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used to consecrate water for purification—sprinkling, bathing, or sipping—to remove defilement and invite renewed vitality (prāṇa) and radiance (varcas).
They supply the mythic authorization: Varuṇa impels the waters according to cosmic order, and Indra ‘wins’ or secures them for beings, making the waters ritually commandable and beneficent.
No. The primary medium is clean water. Optional ghee and honey can be added symbolically to match the hymn’s imagery of a nourishing, harmless essence.
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