Atharva Veda 13.2.5: Kanda 13, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 5
Sukta 2
मा त्वा॑ दभन् परि॒यान्त॑मा॒जिं स्व॒स्ति दु॒र्गां अति॑ याहि॒ शीभ॑म्। दिवं॑ च सूर्य पृथि॒वीं च॑ दे॒वी म॑होरा॒त्रे वि॒मिमा॑नो॒ यदेषि॑
mā́ tvā dabhān pariyā́ntam ājím svásti durgā́m áti yāhi śībhám | dívaṁ ca sū́rya pṛthivī́ṁ ca devī́ mahórātré vimímāno yád éṣi ||
Let none assail thee as thou goest circling on thy course: in welfare pass beyond the perilous strait, swiftly. Heaven and Earth, O Sūrya—(thou) divine—measuring out the great Day and Night, when thou goest.
เมื่อท่านเวียนไปตามวิถีของท่าน ขออย่าให้ผู้ใดทำร้ายท่าน; ด้วยความสวัสดีจงข้ามช่องคับขันอันอันตรายไปอย่างรวดเร็ว. โอ สุริยะ (Sūrya) ฟ้าและแผ่นดิน—ผู้เป็นเทพ—เมื่อท่านดำเนินไป ท่านย่อมวัดกำหนดกลางวันและกลางคืนอันยิ่งใหญ่.
The meaning
What it says
May none harm Sūrya as he circles; may he pass swiftly beyond the perilous passage in welfare. He measures out Heaven and Earth, and the great Day and Night, as he goes.
The inner meaning
Obstructions to one’s ‘course’—inner sabotage, envy, fear—are warded off by aligning with the sun’s unobstructed movement. ‘Durgā’ is the tight passage where panic narrows options; ‘svasti’ is the widening of safe possibility.
The truth in it
When time is rightly measured (day/night in balance), life regains navigability. Safety is not mere luck but participation in a larger rhythm that outpaces and outlasts assaults.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Rakṣoghna (Apotropaic) / Paustika
Its aim
To avert obstruction of the sun’s course (a cosmic model for averting obstacles), and to secure safe crossing beyond ‘durgā’—dangerous passages for the patron.
Word by Word
Pada patha
मा । त्वा॑ । दभन् । परि॒-यान्त॑म् । आ॒जिम् । स्व॒स्ति । दु॒र्गाम् । अति॑ । याहि॑ । शीभ॑म् । दिव॑म् । च॒ । सूर्य॑ । पृ॒थि॒वीम् । च॒ । दे॒वी । म॒हः-रा॒त्रे । वि॒-मिमा॑नः । यत् । एषि॑
- मा
- do notnot (prohibitive; warding formula)Indeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्ययRoot मा (निषेध) अव्यय
- त्वा
- you (as object)thee (Sūrya addressed)Pronounद्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- दभन्
- may (they) harm/deceivemay they injure/deceive (harm, thwart; hostile powers)Verbलोट् (विधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ्-प्रयोगः) 3 पुरुष, बहुवचन (परस्मैपद) — ‘दभन्तु’ का वैदिक संक्षेप/पदपाठ-रूपRole KartāRoot दभ् (हिंसायाम्/द्रोहे)
- परि
- around; completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषणRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यान्तम्
- (you) going; proceedingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ) ‘यान्त्’ पुं., द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot या (गत्यर्थे)
- आजिम्
- to the contest/battle; racecourse, race-track (the sun’s path)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot आजि (प्रातिपदिक) अथवा √अज् (गत्यर्थे) से निष्पन्न
- स्वस्ति
- well-being; safelywell-being, safety (apotropaic ‘svasti’)Indeclinableमङ्गलार्थक अव्ययRoot स्वस्ति (अव्यय/नाम)
- दुर्गाम्
- the difficult passage; dangerhard passage, perilous strait (danger, difficulty; also liminal ‘bad crossing’)Noun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
- अति
- across; beyondover, beyond (crossing past)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषणRoot अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- याहि
- go; proceedgo, pass (imperative; ritual urging)Verbलोट्, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot या (गत्यर्थे)
- शीभम्
- swiftlyAdverbial nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण)Root शीभ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘शीघ्र/वेग’)
- दिवम्
- heaven; skyheaven/sky (upper realm)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot दिव्/द्यौस् (प्रातिपदिक ‘दिव्/द्यौः’)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (अव्यय)
- सूर्य
- O SunNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचनRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृथिवीम्
- earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (अव्यय)
- देवी
- O Goddess (Divine one)the goddess (Earth as Devī; or the divine counterpart in the pair)Noun (vocative)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचनRoot देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- महो-रात्रे
- O Day-and-Night (great pair)Noun (dual vocative)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-द्विवचनRoot महो-रात्रि (समास: महत् + रात्रि)
- विमिमानः
- measuring out; apportioningmeasuring out, apportioning (establishing order by measurement)Verb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्) आत्मनेपद, पुं., प्रथमा-एकवचनRole KartāRoot वि + मा (माने/मितौ)
- यत्
- when/that whichwhen/inasmuch as (temporal-relative)Relative pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (सम्बन्धसूचक)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- एषि
- you go; you movethou goest (thy motion; ongoing course)Verbलट्, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot इ (गत्यर्थे)
Sandhi Notes
- परि॒यान्त॑म् → परि + यान्तम्
- स्व॒स्ति दु॒र्गां → स्वस्ति + दुर्गाम् (संधि नहीं)
- अति॑ याहि → अति + याहि
- दिवं॑ च → दिवम् + च
- पृथि॒वीं च॑ → पृथिवीम् + च
- म॑होरा॒त्रे → महो-रात्रे (समास/पद-सीमा)
- वि॒मिमा॑नो → विमिमानः (वैदिक उच्चारण/पदपाठानुसार)
- यदेषि → यत् + एषि (द् + ए → त् ए, संधि से ‘यदेषि’)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic solar-stuti seer tradition (general).
- Devata
- Sūrya; implicitly Dyāvā-Pṛthivī (Heaven and Earth) as cosmic frame.
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh-like (mixed).
- Rasa
- Vira and Shanta
Sāyaṇa reads the prohibitive ‘mā…dabhān’ as a protective wish against obstructing forces (often construed as rāksasas/demons or eclipsing powers). ‘Durgā’ is the difficult passage—interpretable cosmically (dangerous juncture) and ritually (any hazardous transition). ‘Vimimāna’ emphasizes the sun as measurer of time, establishing ṛta.
Atharvanic solar-stuti lineage (anonymous/collective within AVŚ 13.2)
Apotropaic solar praise used to avert obstruction and ensure safe passage through dangerous transitions.
In the Atharvan frame, Sūrya’s invulnerability becomes a transferable protection: what cannot be ‘assailed’ in heaven is invoked to make the patron likewise unassailable in the human sphere.
Sūrya (framed by Dyāvā-Pṛthivī)
Measures and maintains the alternation of day and night across Heaven and Earth; guarantor of temporal order.
Supports recovery by restoring regular cycles (sleep, appetite, energy); dispels gloom and stagnation by swift passage.
Prevents ‘assault’ on the course—metaphor for warding off attacks, accidents, sudden reversals, and spell-obstruction.
4 pādas; triṣṭubh-like with AV flexibility; emphatic prohibitive opening (mā ...)
Mantric compression and occasional syllabic looseness; rhetorical imperatives dominate over strict metrical symmetry.
Protective, command-like; quickened by śībham and repeated motion imagery.
Creates a ‘warding perimeter’—good for reciting while stepping forward or crossing a doorway.
Before a journey or at a feared threshold, the priest recites the mantra over the traveller.
The traveller steps across a marked line (or over water/stone) as ‘ati yāhi durgām’ is spoken.
Optionally tie a simple protective cord/amulet (rakṣā-sūtra) while uttering ‘svasti’ to ‘seal’ the passage.
Conclude by facing east and acknowledging Heaven-and-Earth as witnesses to the safe transit.
Kauśika Sūtra: svasti-mantras in rites for overcoming obstacles (durgā-taraṇa) and for safe travel; frequently used with boundary-crossing gestures in domestic ritual.
Atharvan as obstacle-remover (vighna-śamana): applies svasti speech-act to a concrete crossing.
Use before leaving home, beginning a journey, or starting a risky task; recite at the threshold, then step out with right foot (common domestic gesture; local custom).
Sunrise or immediately before crossing a ‘durgā’ (river crossing, court appearance, surgery, confrontation).
Householder recitation is appropriate; priest may add nyāsa-like touch to forehead/heart with ‘svasti’.
Pair with a brief ‘time-measuring’ pause: note breath for one minute, then proceed swiftly—embodying vimimāna + śībham.
Svastí (well-being formula) as protective ‘seal’; Durgā (perilous passage) as ritualized obstacle
No material drug is named; the ‘medicine’ is measured time and auspicious speech. Svasti functions like a verbal talisman that closes openings through which danger enters.
Crisis states: sudden attacks, relapse episodes, panic/anxiety during transitions; also ‘obstruction’ illnesses (stambha/āvaraṇa by later interpretive lens).
Apotropaic command + temporal regulation: invoking the measurer of day/night to re-establish physiological and psychological rhythm, reducing vulnerability.
Balancing rajas/tamas through sūrya-tattva; supports agni and regulated dinacaryā; ‘durgā’ aligns with vyādhi-saṅkaṭa (danger phase).
Stress inoculation for high-risk moments; grounding via time-structure and rapid exit from unsafe contexts.
Patron/household undertaking; also any perceived hostile agent (seen/unseen).
Pacify and avert obstruction/assault; ensure swift, auspicious crossing of dangerous passages for the patron by modeling it on Sūrya’s unhindered course.
Prohibitive ward (mā ...), svasti ‘seal’, and cosmological framing (Heaven–Earth; day–night measurement) to stabilize conditions.
Accidents, ambush, malign speech/spells, inauspicious timing, liminal dangers.
Smooth completion of work, safe travel, stable household routine.
- मा त्वा दभन् (mā tvā dabhan)
- banishment of hostile forces, sabotage, and occult obstruction
- स्वस्ति (svastí)
- protective seal; auspicious ‘reset’ of conditions
- दुर्गा (durgā)
- crisis passage: illness flare, danger, liminal threshold
- शीभम् (śībham)
- rapid resolution; preventing danger from ‘settling’
- महोरात्रे (mahorātre)
- totality of time; circadian order; cosmic stability
- विमिमानः (vimimānaḥ)
- setting limits, restoring proportion and boundaries
‘Crossing the durgā’: maintain a bright, forward attention that does not get hooked by threat-signals.
Maṇipūra (decisive forward energy) with Ajñā (clear discernment).
Short practice of 6–12 rounds of sūrya-bhedana or brisk coherent breathing (no strain).
A narrow pass opening into a sunlit plain; the mantra is the ‘svasti’ gate-pass.
From constricted threat-response to confident, time-ordered presence.
Recite once slowly, then 3/7 brisk repetitions; immediately act (one concrete step), honoring śībham (swift passage).
Begin with firm prohibitive ‘mā’; keep energetic rise on svastí and śībham.
Do not over-pause between svastí and durgāṃ; treat as a single protective instruction.
Commanding but not harsh; ‘protective proclamation’ tone.
Often effective as a ‘threshold mantra’: recite while touching the lintel or doorway edge (local domestic practice; not a strict textual requirement).
3 times
Entering a risky situation (travel, exam, negotiation, medical visit) or when feeling ‘blocked’ by fear/obstacles.
Right before the event; also at sunrise on days requiring courage and speed.
Reduced sense of obstruction, increased confidence, smoother transitions; traditional aim: warding off attacks and inauspicious hindrances.
Avoid reckless haste; ‘śībham’ means swift crossing with awareness, not impulsivity.
No herb is present; the operative technology is ‘svasti’ as a verbal amulet, often materially paired in practice with cord/amulet tying—speech and object co-function.
The priest’s role in managing ‘durgā’ (dangerous transitions) reflects a service economy of ritual protection, where specialized knowledge is exchanged for security and success.
The svasti/durgā idiom is widespread, but Atharvanic deployment is more directly pragmatic (journey, threshold, obstacle), turning cosmic motion into a template for human passage.
Gopatha’s emphasis on ṛta through measurement aligns with ‘vimimāna’: the mantra is efficacious because it aligns the patron’s passage with the sun’s ordering of time.
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