Atharva Veda 13.2.16: Kanda 13, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 16
Sukta 2
उदु॒ त्यं जा॒तवे॑दसं दे॒वं व॑हन्ति के॒तवः॑ । दृ॒शे विश्वा॑य॒ सूर्य॑म्
úd u tyáṃ jātávedasaṃ deváṃ vahanti ketávaḥ | dṛśé víśvāya sū́ryam ||
Up, yea, that Jātavedas God the radiant banners bear aloft—the Sun—for sight, for all the world to see.
లేచెదము—జాతవేదస్ అనే ఆ దేవుని కేతువులు (దీప్త ధ్వజ-కిరణాలు) పైకి మోస్తాయి—ఆ సూర్యుని, దర్శనార్థం, సమస్త లోకం చూడుటకు.
Rishi: Solar hymn tradition in AV 13; r̥ṣi varies by anukramaṇī.
Devata: Sūrya (with Jātavedas epithet).
Chandas: Gāyatrī-like trimeter feel; in AV transmission often treated within anuṣṭubh-dominant context—meter identification may vary by pada-count analysis.
Primary: adbhuta
Secondary: shanta
Sāyaṇa explains ketavaḥ as the Sun’s rays/ensigns that ‘carry’ him upward at dawn, making him manifest for universal sight. The epithet Jātavedas is taken as ‘knower of all beings’—underscoring omniscience and the power to reveal what is hidden; thus the stanza is apt for rites seeking vision, disclosure, and the repulsion of unseen harm.
To restore sight/clarity (literal or figurative), to reveal hidden agents, and to raise protective solar radiance in the ritual space.
Eye/vision troubles (symbolically and sometimes ritually), mental fog, hidden afflictions attributed to secrecy or sorcery.
Eyes/vision (dṛśe)
Invocation of solar illumination for dṛś (seeing): restores clarity; functions as diagnostic-revelatory charm in Atharvan use.
Supports tejas and ālocaka-pitta (visual faculty); reduces tamas/kapha dullness through ‘light’ principle.
Mindfulness-based clarity; ‘bringing issues to awareness’; supportive mantra for coping with uncertainty and improving focus (not a medical cure for ocular disease).
bhaisajya
Patient with impaired clarity/vision; household under suspicion of hidden danger or deceit.
To raise illuminating power for sight and revelation; to drive away hidden harms by making them visible.
Epiphany-magic: calling the Sun ‘up’ and letting rays (ketavaḥ) function like protective standards that rout what cannot endure visibility.
Concealed enemies, stealthy sorcery, nocturnal fears, self-deception.
The radiant banners (rays) bear aloft that God Jātavedas—the Sun—for all to see.
Insight is ‘carried’ by subtle signals (ketavaḥ): when inner light rises, perception clarifies and hidden threats (inner or outer) become visible.
Visibility is healing: what is brought into light can be known, named, and integrated; darkness thrives on concealment.
- जातवेदस् (jātavedas)
- omniscient inner fire of awareness; the principle that ‘knows’ and therefore heals
- केतवः (ketavaḥ)
- perceptual cues, intuitions, diagnostic signs; also protective ‘ensigns’ that announce presence of power
- दृशे (dṛśe)
- restored discernment—physical vision and moral/psychological clarity
- विश्वाय (viśvāya)
- universal accessibility of truth when illumined; no private hiding place for harm
‘Seeing’ practice: cultivate the inner witness-light that makes thoughts and fears visible without judgment.
Ājñā (clarity)
Trāṭaka-inspired but safe: eyes half-closed, visualize sun at brow; slow inhale, recite on exhale.
Rays as ketavaḥ lifting a golden sun within the head; a gentle wash of light across the eyes and forehead.
Luminous attention (prakāśa) with steadiness.
Recite 3–9 times at dawn; then sit 2 minutes observing what becomes clearer—name it, and let it be seen.
Bright rise on ud u; keep ketavaḥ crisp; allow a clean pause after ketavaḥ.
Emphasize dṛśe viśvāya as the purpose clause (‘for seeing, for all’).
उदु त्यं: keep the sandhi light—ud u tyam—so the ‘lifting’ is audible., जातवेदसम्: pronounce long ā and clear veda (ve-da), not ‘vay-da’., केतवः: aspirate lightly; avoid turning into ‘ketavah’ with heavy h.
Bright, ringing, not forceful; ‘opening’ tone.
For apotropaic revelation, recite once while circling the room clockwise, imagining rays as banners marking every corner.
9
When clarity is needed—health uncertainty, hidden conflict, fear of unseen negativity, study/exams.
At dawn; before important conversations; before medical appointments or decision-making.
Improved focus, calmer alertness, symbolic ‘revelation’ of what needs attention.
Do not stare directly at the sun; for eye disease seek ophthalmic care.
पदच्छेदः: उद् | उ | त्यम् | जातवेदसम् | देवम् | वहन्ति | केतवः | दृशे | विश्वाय | सूर्यम् । सन्धि-विशेषाः: (1) ‘उदु’ = ‘उद् + उ’ (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: द् + उ → दु). (2) ‘त्यं’ = ‘त्यम्’ (अनुस्वार-लोप/पदपाठ-रूप). (3) ‘दृशे’ दातिव-रूपः (दर्शनार्थे), ‘विश्वाय’ चतुर्थी-एकवचन; ‘दृशे विश्वाय’ = ‘सर्वेषां दर्शनाय/द्रष्टुं’ इत्यर्थे।
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