Sukta 116
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (hymn ascribed in the Anukramaṇī to Atharvan/Angiras-type seers; requires edition-specific confirmation).
Devata: Jvara (Fever) personified; śīta-jvara as a specific form.
Chandas: Likely Anuṣṭubh (requires metrical verification against full pada-count in critical text).
अयं संक्षिप्तो भैषज्यसूक्तः ज्वरं देवतारूपेण व्यक्तीकृत्य तस्य शमनं याचते, विशेषतः शीतज्वरं तथा च पुनःपुनरागच्छन्तं (अन्तरायिकं) ज्वररूपं प्रति। अत्र ‘नमो’ इत्यादिना सम्मानपूर्वकं प्रसीदनं च, अथर्वणीयरीत्या निष्कासन-स्थानान्तरणयोः प्रयोगश्च दृश्यते—पुनरावर्तमानं ज्वरं निर्गच्छतु इति प्रेष्य, तस्य निवासं प्रतिनिधौ (मण्डूके) स्थापयितुं निर्देशः। एवं सूक्तस्य शक्तिः द्विविधा—नामभिः सत्कार्य ज्वरं शमयितुं, तथा च तस्य गतिं रोगिणः पराङ्मुखीं कृत्वा अन्यत्र प्रेषयितुं।
Mantras
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a healing (bhaiṣajya) hymn meant to pacify and remove fever, especially cold-fever (śīta-jvara) and fevers that recur on set days.
The frog functions as a substitute recipient in a transference rite: the mantra instructs the recurring fever to leave the patient and ‘go upon’ the frog instead, symbolically carrying the illness away.
Both: it begins with respectful homage to fever’s named forms (appeasement) and then turns to a direct directive that the fever depart and relocate, expressing Atharvanic healing authority.
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