Sukta 29
Rishi: Atharvanic/Angirasa tradition (per anukramaṇī for ariṣṭa material; confirm in critical apparatus).
Devata: Śānti (functional), with focus on the omen-birds (ulūka, kapota) as agents/signs.
Chandas: Mixed/irregular (Atharvanic omen-verses often deviate; confirm by metrical count).
अथर्ववेदस्य ६.२९ सूक्तं संक्षिप्तं अरिष्ट-निवारणसूक्तम्। एतत् गृहे जातान् अमङ्गल-निमित्तान्—विशेषतः उलूकस्य रुतं कपोतस्य च गार्हपत्याग्निना सह अशुभ-संस्पर्शं—शमयति। तानि निमित्तानि ‘मोगानि’ इति पुनर्व्याख्याय निरृत्याः ‘दूतैः’ सह प्रवेशं निरुणद्धि, तथा च तद् उपद्रव-बलं संवत्सर-पर्यन्तं गृहेभ्यः अपाकरोति, यम-सम्बद्धे निष्कासन-देशे प्रेषयति।
Mantras
Mantra 1
अरिष्टक्षयणम्। अ॒मून् हे॒तिः प॑त॒त्रिणी॒ न्येऽतु॒ यदुलू॑को॒ वद॑ति मो॒घमे॒तत्। यद् वा॑ क॒पोत॑ प॒दम॒ग्नौ कृ॒णोति॑
अरिष्टक्षयणम्। अमून् हेतिः पतत्रिणी न्येतु; यदुलूको वदति, मोघम् एतत्; यद्वा कपोत, पदम् अग्नौ कृणोषि।
Mantra 2
यौ ते॑ दू॒तौ नि॑रृत इ॒दमे॒तोऽप्र॑हितौ॒ प्रहि॑तौ वा गृ॒हं नः॑ । क॒पो॒तो॒लू॒काभ्या॒मप॑दं॒ तद॑स्तु
यौ ते दूतौ निरृत इदमेता अप्रहितौ प्रहितौ वा गृहं नः। कपोतोलूकाभ्याम् अपदं तदस्तु।
Mantra 3
अ॒वै॒र॒ह॒त्याये॒दमा प॑पत्यात् सुवी॒रता॑या इ॒दमा स॑सद्यात्। परा॑ङे॒व परा॑ वद॒ परा॑ची॒मनु॑ सं॒वत॑म्। यथा॑ य॒मस्य॑ त्वा गृ॒हेऽर॒सं प्र॑ति॒चाक॑शाना॒भूकं॑ प्रति॒चाक॑शान्
अवैरहत्यायेदमापपत्यात् सुवीरताय इदमाससद्यात्। पराङेव परा वद पराचीमनु संवतं। यथा यमस्य त्वा गृहेऽरसं प्रतिचाकशानाभूकं प्रतिचाकशान्।
Frequently Asked Questions
In Atharvanic omen-logic, certain bird behaviors are read as portents that can ‘carry’ misfortune into the home. This hymn treats them as Nirṛti’s messengers and neutralizes their sign-value so they cannot establish entry.
Mogha means the omen is declared ineffective—its harmful message is annulled. Apada means it has no ‘footing’ or track in the house: the channel by which misfortune could take hold is ritually denied.
It does both: it sends the threatening force outward (even toward Yama’s domain as a banishment image) and simultaneously petitions for non-enmity and ‘good heroism’—a positive, stabilizing outcome for the household.
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