Sukta 9
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (seer attribution varies by anukramaṇī for this hymn)
Devata: Saṁvanana/vaśīkaraṇa (the charm’s coercive ‘binding’ power; effectively the addressed person as object of the rite)
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; common for AV domestic charms)
AV 6.9 — краткое саṁванана/ваśīкараṇa-заклятие, призванное притянуть ум и тело желанного человека к исполнителю обряда. Оно разворачивается от разжигания вожделения (kāma) к «связыванию» привязанности (скреплению рук и сердца), а затем завершается образом втягивания, где коровы и топлёное масло (гхи) выступают как неотразимые материнские приманки.
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
कामात्मा वाञ्छ॑ मे त॒न्वं॑१ पादौ॒ वाञ्छा॒क्ष्यौ॒३वाञ्छ॑ स॒क्थ्यौऽ। अ॒क्ष्यौऽ वृष॒ण्यन्त्याः॒ केशा॒ मां ते॑ कामे॑न शुष्यन्तु
Одержимая желанием, возжажди моего тела; возжажди моих стоп; возжажди моих глаз; возжажди моих бёдер. Пусть волосы твои, о женщина, пылающая похотью, иссохнут от желания ко мне.
Mantra 2
मम॑ त्वा दोषणि॒श्रिषं॑ कृ॒णोमि॑ हृदय॒श्रिष॑म्। यथा॒ मम॒ क्रता॒वसो॒ मम॑ चि॒त्तमु॒पाय॑सि
Я делаю тебя прикреплённым к руке, я делаю тебя прикреплённым к сердцу; чтобы ты, о помощник моего замысла, пришёл к моему уму — ко мне.
Mantra 3
यासां॒ नाभि॑रा॒रेह॑णं हृ॒दि सं॒वन॑नं कृ॒तम् । गावो॑ घृ॒तस्य॑ मा॒तरो॒ ऽमूं सं वा॑नयन्तु मे
Те, у кого пуп — для облизывания, у кого в сердце сотворены чары-связывания, — пусть коровы, матери топлёного масла (гхрита), целиком привлекут ко мне вон того.
Inside Sukta 9
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn opens by addressing desire itself—kāma—ordering the target’s senses and body to ‘long for’ the practitioner.
- What it asks
That the target become arm-attached and heart-attached, and that their mind come toward and settle on the practitioner.
- Where its power lies
The speaker claims operative control through binding language (śriṣ- ‘attached/fastened’) and through a sympathetic attractor-model (cows as ‘mothers of ghee’ drawing the person in).
- How it closes
It culminates in an irresistible ‘drawing together’ (saṁ-vānayantu) of ‘that one yonder’ (amūm) wholly to ‘me’ (me), sealing the attraction as completed movement and alignment.
Famous verses
kāmātmā vāñcha me tanvām
doṣaṇiśriṣaṃ… hṛdayaśriṣam
gāvo ghṛtasya mātaraḥ
Kind of hymn
Strikarmani / Saṁvanana (Attraction, winning affection)
What it is for
The target becomes emotionally compelled—longing, mentally oriented toward the practitioner, and physically drawn to approach and attach.
Who it is for
Householders or lovers seeking to win affection, reconcile, or induce a desired person to return/approach.
Also used as
- Paustika (winning/attraction)
- Strīkarmāṇi
- Saṁvanana
- Vaśīkaraṇa
The deity
A personified coercive ‘binding’ force that compels concord and attraction; in practice the rite addresses the target as an object to be drawn, while Kāma (desire) and the maternal pull of cows/ghee supply the imagery of irresistible attraction.
Powers of the deity
- Ignites and concentrates erotic longing (kāma) toward a single person
- Binds the target’s body and mind through ‘attachment’ imagery (arm-fastened, heart-fastened)
- Draws a distant person near (amūm) by sympathetic attraction
- Produces pining/withering (śoṣa) as pressure that culminates in approach and compliance
Why the deity is called
To compel the target’s attention and movement toward the speaker, aligning the target’s mind (citta) with the practitioner’s intention (kratu).
The seer
- Atharvan (anukramaṇī attribution varies)Atharvan. Domestic charms for attraction (saṁvanana), coercive “binding” (vaśīkaraṇa), and emotional compulsion framed as mind-fastening and love-sickness.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 6.8
- AV 6.10
- AV 3.25
Preparing for the rite
- Choose a private, undisturbed place; steady the intention toward a single target (name and mental image).
- Maintain bodily and verbal purity for the sitting (simple washing; quiet speech).
- If using ghṛta as a support (suggested by 6.9.3), set aside a small amount of ghee as offering/anointing.
The rite
- Recite 6.9.1 to kindle longing and exclusivity of desire.
- Recite 6.9.2 while performing a symbolic ‘fastening’ gesture (touching one’s own arm/heart or tying a simple knot) to fix the target to oneself in mind and heart.
- Recite 6.9.3 while mentally ‘drawing’ the distant person in; optionally offer or touch ghṛta as the attractor-symbol.
- Conclude with silent resolve that the target’s mind comes under one’s intention (kratu).
What it needs
- None required by the text
- Optional: ghṛta (ghee) as a ritual support per 6.9.3
When
Evening/night is thematically consonant with doṣaṇi- (‘arm-attached’/twilight association) and with private domestic rites; perform when focused and undistracted.
The main substance
Ghṛta (ghee) (optional, implied by 6.9.3)
Amulets
- Optional: a simple knotted cord as a ‘binding’ token (symbolic, not specified in the verses)
How it is prepared
If using ghṛta, keep a small clean portion for offering/anointing during 6.9.3; if using a cord, tie a single knot during 6.9.2 to mirror ‘attachment’.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used to attract a specific person—stirring longing, ‘binding’ their mind and heart, and drawing them to approach the practitioner.
Cows are called the “mothers of ghee,” symbolizing nourishing, maternal pull; that natural ‘drawing power’ is redirected to draw the target (amūm) wholly toward the speaker.
The verses do not mandate substances. Ghṛta (ghee) is thematically suggested by the final mantra and may be used optionally as a supportive offering or focus during recitation.
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