Sukta 32
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (specific r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī; commonly treated as Atharvan/Angiras-type healing corpus).
Devata: Āditya (Sun) as kṛmi-slayer; raśmi as his operative power.
AV 2.32 to uzdrawiająca formuła krimi-nāśana (niszczenie robaków), która mobilizuje wschodzące i zachodzące promienie Ādityi jako palącą, przeszukującą broń przeciwko pasożytom wewnętrznym, zwłaszcza tym nękającym bydło. Hymn łączy solarną oczyszczającą moc z atharwańską koncepcją „mowy jako lekarstwa”, głosząc, że brahman mantry miażdży i wypędza każdą klasę kṛmi, wewnętrzne, otaczające, wielkie i małe, przywracając witalność i płodność.
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
क्रिमिनाशनम्। उ॒द्यन्ना॑दि॒त्यः क्रिमी॑न् हन्तु नि॒म्रोच॑न् हन्तु र॒श्मिभिः॑ । ये अ॒न्तः क्रिम॑यो॒ गवि॑
Zabijanie robaków. Niech wschodzący Aditja uderzy robaki, niech zachodzący uderzy je swymi promieniami - te robaki, które są wewnątrz, w krowie.
Mantra 2
वि॒श्वरू॑पं चतुर॒क्षं क्रिमिं॑ सा॒रङ्ग॒मर्जु॑नम्। शृ॒णाम्य॑स्य पृ॒ष्टीरपि॑ वृश्चामि॒ यच्छिरः॑
Robaka o wielu postaciach, czterookiego, cętkowanego, bladego - jego kruszę: jego żebra łamię, tak, odcinam jego głowę.
Mantra 3
अ॒त्रि॒वद् वः॑ क्रिमयो हन्मि कण्व॒वज्ज॑मदग्नि॒वत्। अ॒गस्त्य॑स्य॒ ब्रह्म॑णा॒ सं पि॑नष्म्य॒हं क्रिमी॑न्
Jak Atri uderzam was, o robaki; jak Kaṇva, jak Dżamadagni. Świętym zaklęciem Agastji kruszę was całkowicie, ja - o robaki - kruszę was w dół.
Mantra 4
ह॒तो राजा॒ क्रिमी॑णामु॒तैषां॑ स्थ॒पति॑र्ह॒तः । ह॒तो ह॒तमा॑ता॒ क्रिमि॑र्ह॒तभ्रा॑ता ह॒तस्व॑सा
Zabity jest Król robaków, i zabity ich Pan domu. Zabity jest robak - jego matka zabita, jego brat zabity, jego siostra zabita.
Mantra 5
ह॒तासो॑ अस्य वे॒शसो॑ ह॒तासः॒ परि॑वेशसः । अथो॒ ये क्षु॑ल्ल॒का इ॑व॒ सर्वे॒ ते क्रिम॑यो ह॒ताः
Zabici są jego mieszkający goście; zabici są otaczający goście; tak, nawet ci, którzy są jakby tylko błahymi, każdy z tych robaków został zabity.
Mantra 6
प्र ते॑ शृणामि॒ शृङ्गे॒ याभ्यां॑ वितुदा॒यसि॑ । भि॒नाद्मि॑ ते कु॒षुम्भं॒ यस्ते॑ विष॒धानः॑
Na zewnątrz - twoje rogi kruszę, którymi kłujesz i ranisz. Rozszczepiam dla ciebie kushumbhę, która jest twoim pojemnikiem na truciznę.
Inside Sukta 32
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn opens by appointing Āditya’s rising and setting as active destroyers: the Sun is commanded to smite kṛmi with his rays, specifically those ‘within’ the cow (2.32.1).
- What it asks
That every class of worm—internal, surrounding, large and small—be struck, crushed, and removed, leaving no remnant of infestation.
- Where its power lies
The speaker claims authoritative, ṛṣi-backed efficacy: ‘Like Atri… like Kaṇva… like Jamadagni… with Agastya’s brahman I crush you’—a declaration that mantra tradition itself is the weapon (2.32.3).
- How it closes
The hymn seals the work with a totalizing verdict of defeat—‘all those worms are slain’—covering resident, encircling, and even the ‘paltry’ ones (2.32.5), implying complete clearance and safety.
Famous verses
u̱dyannā̍di̱tyaḥ krimī̍n hantu … ra̱śmibhi̍ḥ
agastyasya brahmaṇā saṃ pinaṣmi
sarve te krimayo hatāḥ
Kind of hymn
Bhaisajya (Healing) / Apotropaic (vermin-expulsion)
What it is for
Complete killing/expulsion of kṛmi (parasites/disease-worms) from within and around the patient, leading to recovery, stability, and renewed productivity.
Who it is for
Householders, herdsmen, and Atharvanic practitioners performing protective-healing rites for cattle (and secondarily for humans in analogous ‘worm’ ailments).
Also used as
- Apotropaic (rakṣoghna/krimi-nāśana)
- Pāśubhaiṣajya (veterinary healing for cattle)
- Śāntika (pacificatory cleansing by solar power)
The deity
The Sun is invoked not only as a celestial deity but as a therapeutic purifier whose rays penetrate hidden places, exposing and destroying disease-agents conceived as ‘worms’ (kṛmi). The raśmi functions as the concrete instrument—heat, light, and a binding/smiting power—that reaches what ordinary remedies cannot.
Powers of the deity
- Illuminates and exposes concealed afflictions
- Burns, dries, and destroys kṛmi/disease-agents
- Purifies bodies, stalls, and surroundings through radiance
- Restores strength, appetite, and fertility/productivity (especially in cattle)
- Empowers mantra (brahman) with unstoppable force across day-cycle (rising/setting)
Why the deity is called
To enlist the Sun’s daily, unavoidable radiance as a universal cleanser that strikes internal and external worms, ensuring total eradication and renewed health for the afflicted cow (and, by extension, the herd/household).
The seer
- Atharvan/Āṅgirasa-type healer (anukramaṇī varies; Atharvanic krimi-corpus)Atharvan. Bhaiṣajya and rakṣoghna charms—especially krimi (vermin/parasite) expulsion, purification, and disease-agent subjugation through mantra-brahman and solar imagery.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 2.31 (krimi/apotropaic context, adjacent healing material)
- AV 2.33 (healing/apotropaic material in the same kanda sequence)
- AV 5.23 (krimi-related healing charm; tradition-wide parallel corpus)
- AV 6.50 (krimi-nāśana type hymn; thematic parallel)
Preparing for the rite
- Place the afflicted cow in a clean, sun-facing spot (east-facing preferred).
- Arrange clean water for sprinkling and a simple cord/amulet if used in the local tradition.
- Prepare a small quantity of warming medium (e.g., sun-warmed water or clarified butter) as a symbolic carrier of Āditya’s heat (optional, tradition-dependent).
- Mentally ‘appoint’ the Sun’s rays as the operative weapon (raśmi-saṅkalpa).
The rite
- Recite the hymn while facing the Sun at sunrise; repeat or complete the cycle again toward sunset to mirror ‘rising/setting smite with rays’ (2.32.1).
- During recitation, stroke or lightly touch the cow’s flank/belly (site of affliction) with the hand, a darbha blade, or a cord, as if ‘drawing out’ the kṛmi.
- On verses of crushing/defeat (e.g., 2.32.3; 2.32.5), perform a downward pressing gesture, symbolically ‘crushing’ the worms.
- Sprinkle the cow and the immediate area with the prepared water at the close as a seal of purification.
What it needs
- Clean water (for sprinkling)
- Darbha/kuśa grass (optional, for touching/ritual purity)
- Simple cord/amulet thread (optional, to ‘bind off’ the affliction)
- Sunlight/solar heat (primary ‘substance’ as raśmi)
When
Preferably at sunrise; optionally repeated at sunset, aligning with the hymn’s rise/set framing of Āditya’s worm-slaying action.
The main substance
Sunlight/solar heat (Āditya-raśmi) as the principal therapeutic agent, carried ritually through water-touch/sprinkling.
Herbs
- Kuśa/darbha (ritual grass; optional as a purifier and toucher)
Amulets
- Simple protective thread/cord (to ‘bind off’ the infestation; optional, local practice)
How it is prepared
Warm clean water in sunlight (or simply expose it to direct rays), then use it for sprinkling while reciting; accompany with touching/pressing gestures that mimic ‘drawing out’ and ‘crushing’ the kṛmi.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a healing charm aimed at destroying and expelling kṛmi—‘worms’ or parasite-like disease agents—especially those believed to be inside cattle.
Because the Sun’s rays are imagined as a penetrating purifier: they reveal what is hidden, burn away impurities, and act like a divine weapon that reaches inside the body.
The hymn’s main ‘medicine’ is mantra plus solar power. Simple supports like sun-exposed water for sprinkling, kuśa grass, or a protective thread may be used, but the verses themselves emphasize rays and brahman as the decisive force.
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