Sukta 37
Rishi: Atharvanic seer-tradition (often anonymous/Angirasic in such apotropaic hymns)
Devata: Śapatha (personified oath/curse-power) / protective all-seeing force
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (likely; narrative-ritual anuṣṭubh style)
अथर्ववेदस्य ६.३७ सूक्तं संक्षिप्तं शाप-प्रतिशाप-निवारणसूक्तम्। अत्र सर्वदर्शी शपथः—शपथ-शापशक्तेः पुरुषीभावः—हानिकरं शापवचनं योऽब्रवीत् तं अन्वेष्टुं आह्वीयते। पीडितस्य हृदयाद् अन्तर्जीवनाच्च शापं निष्कृष्य, अग्निविद्युतोरिव अनिवार्यवेगेन तस्य दण्डप्रवृत्तिं शापकस्यैव प्रति प्रत्यावर्तयति। अन्ते अपराधी मृत्यवे समर्प्यते; एवं प्रतिनिवर्तनं निबध्यते, गृहसमुदायस्य चाभयम् प्रतिष्ठाप्यते।
Mantras
Mantra 1
शापनाशनम्। उप॒ प्रागा॑त् सहस्रा॒क्षो यु॒क्त्वा श॒पथो॒ रथ॑म्। श॒प्तार॑मन्वि॒छन् मम॒ वृक॑ इ॒वावि॑मतो गृ॒हम्
शापनाशनम्। उप प्रागात् सहस्राक्षः; शपथो रथं युक्त्वा मम शप्तारम् अन्विच्छति—वृक इवाविमतो गृहम्।
Mantra 2
परि॑ णो वृङ्ग्धि शपथ ह्र॒दम॒ग्निरि॑वा॒ दह॑न्। श॒प्तार॒मत्र॑ नो जहि दि॒वो वृ॒क्षमि॑वा॒शनिः॑
परि नो वृङ्ग्धि शपथ हृदयं शोकगाँठिम्—अग्निरिव दहन्। शप्तारम् अत्र नो जहि—दिवोऽशनिरिव वृक्षम्।
Mantra 3
यो नः॒ शपा॒दश॑पतः॒ शप॑तो॒ यश्च॑ नः॒ शपा॑त्। शुने॑ पेष्ट्र॑मि॒वाव॑क्षामं॒ तं प्रत्य॑स्यामि मृ॒त्यवे॑
यो नः शपादशपतः शपतो यश्च नः शपात्—तं प्रत्यस्यामि मृत्यवे, शुने पेष्ट्रमिवावक्षामम्।
Frequently Asked Questions
Śapatha is the personified force of the oath/curse: a moral and ritual enforcer. Here it is invoked as a protective power that detects hostile speech and turns it back on its author.
It does both: it removes the curse’s effect from the victim (especially from the heart/mind) and performs pratyāvartana—sending the curse-force back to the one who uttered it, culminating in handing the offender to Mṛtyu.
Recite the three verses near the threshold or hearth with a small lamp (Agni-symbol) and clean water for sprinkling. Visualize the curse leaving you and returning to its source; optionally tie a protective thread afterward as a seal.
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