Atharva Veda 2.11.3: Kanda 2, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 11, Mantra 3
Sukta 11
प्रति॒ तम॒भि च॑र॒ यो॒ऽस्मान् द्वेष्टि॒ यं व॒यं द्वि॒ष्मः । आ॒प्नु॒हि श्रेयां॑स॒मति॑ स॒मं क्रा॑म
práti tám abhí cara yó ’smā́n dvéṣṭi yáṃ vayáṃ dvíṣmaḥ | ā́pnuhi śréyāṃsam áti samáṃ krā́ma ||
Against that man advance—who hateth us, whom we ourselves do hate. Overtake him; win thou the better portion; step beyond the rival’s equal state.
அந்த மனிதனுக்கு எதிராக முன்னே செல்—எங்களை வெறுப்பவன், நாமும் வெறுப்பவன். அவனை எட்டிப் பிடி/அடை; சிறந்த பங்கைப் பெறு; போட்டியாளனின் சம நிலையையும் மீறி முன்னேறு.
The meaning
What it says
The mantra commands an advance against the person who hates the speaker’s group and whom they hate; it urges overtaking him, winning the better share, and stepping beyond the rival’s equal standing.
The inner meaning
This is a competitive psyche-charm: it consolidates in-group will, converts fear of hostility into forward motion, and frames success as surpassing parity (‘ati samam krāma’). It can also externalize inner self-sabotage by naming it as ‘the hater’ to be overtaken.
The truth in it
Conflict escalates when hatred mirrors itself. Yet focused intention and coordinated action can prevent stagnation in rivalry—provided one does not become identical with the hatred one opposes.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Abhicarika (Counter-sorcery / Rival-subduing)
Its aim
To redirect hostility back upon the hater and to surpass a rival’s standing, securing the ‘better lot’ for the patron.
Word by Word
Pada patha
प्रति । तम् । अभि । चर । यः । अस्मान् । द्वेष्टि । यम् । वयम् । द्विष्मः । आप्नुहि । श्रेयांसम् । अति । समम् । क्राम ।
- प्रति
- towards; againstback against; in return; counter to (apotropaically: ‘back upon’ the hostile agent)IndeclinableRoot प्रति (upasarga/avyaya)
- तम्
- him/that onethat (person), the specified adversaryPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग? द्वितीया एकवचन (acc. sg.)Role KarmaRoot तद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- अभि
- towards; upontoward; upon; over (direction of aggressive magical motion)IndeclinableRoot अभि (upasarga/avyaya)
- चर
- go; proceed; attackmove; proceed; practice (as a karman: ‘set in motion’ the counter-charm)Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (आज्ञा) क्रियापदRoot चर्
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (relative pronoun)
- अस्मान्
- usPronounद्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot अस्मद्
- द्वेष्टि
- hateshates; bears malice (hostile intention construed as injurious force)Verbलट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियापदRoot द्विष्
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (relative pronoun)
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अस्मद्
- द्विष्मः
- hatehate; are hostile to (ritually licensed enmity; identification of target)Verbलट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियापदRoot द्विष्
- आप्नुहि
- reach; obtainreach; attain; overtake (imperative: compel the charm to ‘catch’ the foe)Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (आज्ञा) क्रियापदRoot आप् (āp- ‘to reach/obtain’)
- श्रेयांसम्
- the better (one); superiorthe better; the superior advantage (i.e., secure the ‘better lot’ for us, not him)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन (acc. sg.)Role KarmaRoot श्रेयस् (comparative adj. from श्रि/श्री; prātipadika श्रेयस्)
- अति
- beyond; overbeyond; over; past (surpass, outstrip)IndeclinableRoot अति (upasarga/avyaya)
- समम्
- evenly; level; equalthe equal; parity; level (the rival’s equal standing to be exceeded)Adjective/Adverbial accusativeनपुंसकलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन (acc. sg.)Role क्रियाविशेषणRoot सम (adj. prātipadika)
- क्राम
- step; stride; advancestride; step (as ritualized advance: ‘step over’ the rival’s level)Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (आज्ञा) क्रियापदRoot क्रम्
Sandhi Notes
- (1) योऽस्मान् = यः + अस्मान् (विसर्ग-लोप/अवग्रह)
- (2) तमभि = तम् + अभि (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: म् + अ → म)
- (3) श्रेयांस॒मति॑ = श्रेयांसम् + अति (म् + अ → म)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic/Angirasa tradition (ascribed at the hymn level in many indices; verse-level r̥ṣi not separately specified).
- Devata
- Dveṣa (enmity) as a hostile force to be reversed; implicitly the mantra’s own brahman-power (vac) as agent.
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh (probable; AV 2.x commonly in anuṣṭubh—confirmable against a pada-count recension table).
- Rasa
- Vira and Raudra
Sāyaṇa construes the mantra as a pratyavāya/pratyavartanī (counter-turning) of enmity: the ‘motion’ (cara, krāma) is the directed deployment of the spell so that hatred and its injurious consequence recoil upon the hater. ‘Śreyāṃsam’ is glossed as the superior share—prosperity, victory, or social advantage—secured for the sacrificer; ‘ati samam’ indicates surpassing the opponent’s parity (sāmya) so the enemy cannot remain an equal competitor.
Āṅgirasa-affiliated Atharvanic tradition (hymn-level attribution common; verse-level not separately fixed)
Abhicāra and pratyanīka (counter-hostility) formulae for rivalry, litigation, and social competition; sharpening collective intent through vāc.
The Āṅgirasa current channels fierce speech as a weapon: vāc becomes a directed force to reverse hostile intent and secure advantage.
Brahman (mantra-force) as agent; Dveṣa (enmity) as the force to be redirected
The mantra positions hostility as an impersonal force that can be turned; brahman/vāc functions as the commanding vector that ‘moves’ fate in competitive situations.
Protects social standing by countering an enemy’s intent; prevents loss of ‘share’ and reputation.
4×8 (compact command-style).
Imperative clustering (‘abhi cara… āpnuhi… krāma’) creates a martial beat; minor sandhi can compress counts in recitation.
Brisk, marching cadence suited to competitive rites.
Energizes resolve; creates a ‘forward thrust’ feeling matching the imperatives.
Identify the hostile person (dveṣṭṛ) by name or by a substitute token (e.g., a clod, effigy, or marked stake) placed to the north or in front of the performer.
The Atharvan priest performs a short forward ‘stepping’ (krama) toward the token while reciting the mantra, enacting ‘abhí cara’ as physical advance.
A counter-turning gesture is made: the token is pushed/rolled away or struck lightly, signifying the recoil of malice ‘back upon him’ (prati).
Conclude with a protective delimitation around the patron (e.g., sprinkling or boundary-marking), so the redirected hostility does not return.
Kauśika Sūtra: general pratyavartanī / dveṣa-pratiṣedha applications for AV 2.11 (exact pada-level assignment varies by Kauśika tradition and later paddhatis).
Atharvan/Brahman as apotropaic technician: he identifies the target, vocalizes the mantra with directed intention (saṃkalpa), and performs the stepping/repulsion gestures to ‘turn back’ dveṣa.
Recited before contests, disputes, negotiations, or when facing a hostile party; can be paired with a symbolic forward step over a line/threshold.
Before leaving the house for confrontation; at dawn for ‘first-move’ advantage.
Atharvan specialist or head of household; may keep the rival unnamed to avoid escalation.
Kauśika: abhicāra and rival-subduing applications (exact sūtra number to be confirmed).
Use only as a confidence/anti-bullying affirmation; avoid obsessive fixation on enemies.
No material substances: pure vāc-weapon. The ‘substance’ is momentum—speech as a vector that crosses the rival’s boundary.
Performance/competition psychology: affirmation for assertiveness and goal surpassing (with ethical caution).
A named rival/enemy (explicitly ‘the one who hates us’).
To reverse/overrun an enemy’s hatred and secure the better share/status for the patron.
Direct imperative abhicāra: command the mantra-force to ‘advance’, ‘overtake’, and ‘step beyond’—a verbal enactment of conquest.
Hostile intent, rivalry, social displacement.
status/precedence; share of gains
- अभि चर (abhi cara)
- directed counter-force; strategic engagement
- द्वेष्टि / द्विष्मः (dveṣṭi / dviṣmaḥ)
- reciprocal enmity; mirror-hostility
- आप्नुहि (āpnuhi)
- gain advantage; close the gap
- श्रेयांसम् (śreyāṃsam)
- superior outcome; auspicious share
- अति समम् क्राम (ati samam krāma)
- break parity; exceed the rival’s matched status
Transform reactive hatred into disciplined strength and boundary-setting.
manipura
Kapalabhāti-light (if appropriate) or strong nasal exhales to build resolve; then steady breathing to prevent rage spillover.
Focused, one-pointed intent (ekāgratā) without losing ethical clarity.
Recite, then take one mindful step forward; internally commit to ‘surpass by excellence’ rather than harm.
Keep a strong, even pitch; slight rise on imperatives to project force.
Hit the imperatives: abhi cara, āpnuhi, krāma; keep ‘śreyāṃsam’ elongated for ‘better portion’.
Firm, projected, not shouted; avoid trembling anger.
Abhicāra verses are traditionally handled with restraint; intention should be protective/defensive rather than cruelly destructive.
21 times
Facing hostility, bullying, rivalry at work/community, competitive exams or negotiations.
Before engagement with a rival; when confidence drops due to perceived hostility.
Increased assertiveness, clarity of aim, reduced intimidation; traditional aim: overtaking the hostile party in status/share.
Do not use to justify harm or obsession; if conflict is dangerous, prioritize safety and lawful resolution.
No explicit plant, amulet, or materia medica is named in this verse; efficacy is primarily performative (directed speech + gesture). In practice, Kauśika-style deployment often couples such counter-hate verses with a token-object (effigy/clod) functioning as a ‘material anchor’ for the mantra’s redirection, substituting for a named herb.
The verse presumes legitimate, ritually sanctioned hostility: ‘whom we hate’ is not private emotion alone but a socially actionable category (rival, aggressor, or competitor). The Atharvan priest mediates conflict through ritual technology, implying a household’s dependence on specialist brahman-power to manage enmity and status competition (‘step beyond the equal’).
The diction is broadly RV-compatible (dvéṣṭi, dvíṣmaḥ, krāma), but the Atharvanic pragmatics are more explicit: imperatives of directed action (abhí cara; ā́pnuhi; krā́ma) foreground the mantra as an operational command. The collocation ‘ati samám’ (‘beyond the equal’) is characteristically Atharvanic in its social-competitive framing rather than cosmological praise.
Gopatha’s general theory treats Atharvanic mantras as brahman-powered instruments that bind, repel, or redirect hostile forces when properly applied with intention and rite. For a dveṣa-reversal verse like this, efficacy is explained as the ‘turning back’ (pratyāvṛtti) of injurious intent through correctly voiced mantra and corresponding karman (gesture/stepping), making the adversary the locus of the returning harm while the patron gains ‘śreyas’ (the better condition).
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