Atharva Veda 4.32.7: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 4, Sukta 32, Mantra 7
Sukta 32
अ॒भि प्रेहि॑ दक्षिण॒तो भ॑वा॒ नोऽधा॑ वृ॒त्राणि॑ जङ्घनाव॒ भूरि॑ । जु॒होमि॑ ते ध॒रुणं॒ मध्वो॒ अग्र॑मु॒भावु॑पां॒शु प्र॑थ॒मा पि॑बाव
abhí prá ’hi dakṣiṇató bhavā no ’dhā vṛtrā́ṇi jaṅghanāvá bhū́ri | juhómi te dharuṇáṃ mádhvo ágram ubhā́v upā́ṃśu prathamā́ pibāva ||
Advance forth; be ours upon the right: then crush down, in abundance, the obstructions. I offer unto thee the sustaining draught, the foremost of the sweet; drink down both—firstly, in a low voice (in secret).
จงรุกไปข้างหน้า; จงอยู่ทางขวาของเราเป็นฝ่ายเรา; แล้วจงบดขยี้สิ่งกีดขวางทั้งหลายให้มากมาย. ข้าพเจ้าถวายแก่ท่านน้ำดื่มอันค้ำจุน เป็นยอดแห่งความหวาน; จงดื่มทั้งสองส่วน โดยเริ่มดื่มด้วยเสียงแผ่ว (อย่างลับ) ก่อนเถิด.
Rishi: As above (Manyu-hymn tradition).
Devata: Manyu
Chandas: Triṣṭubh
Primary: vira
Secondary: adbhuta
Sāyaṇa notes the tactical/ritual auspiciousness of the ‘right/south’ side as the ally’s station. ‘Vṛtrāṇi’ are generalized impediments—enemy forces and blocking powers. The verse explicitly introduces offering-technology: Manyu is propitiated with ‘madhu’ as a ‘dharuṇa’ (supporting, strengthening drink). ‘Upāṃśu’ indicates subdued/secret performance, fitting Atharvanic rites where efficacy may require concealment.
To station Manyu on the auspicious flank, crush obstacles, and strengthen the invoked power through a sweet oblation so it acts effectively for the patron.
Indirect: ‘obstruction-crushing’ can be applied to psychosomatic blocks; madhu as nourishing support suggests restoring stamina.
Madhu as ojas-support and yogavāhī (carrier) in Ayurveda; here symbolic of stabilizing tejas so it becomes dhāraṇa (support).
Ritualized performance priming: quiet internal rehearsal (upāṃśu) + energizing ‘fuel’ before difficult tasks.
abhicarika
Obstacles/enemy impediments (vṛtrāṇi)
Position Manyu as right-flank ally; crush obstacles; empower the invoked force through sweet oblation and secret/low-voiced activation.
Directional placement (dik-niyoga) + offering (homa/oblatory speech) + secrecy (upāṃśu) to concentrate efficacy.
Blockages, hostile resistance, bad luck in undertakings
Manyu is urged to advance and stand on the right flank; then the group will crush many obstacles (vṛtrāṇi). The speaker offers a sustaining sweet draught (madhu) and asks Manyu to drink both, first in a low/secret voice (upāṃśu).
Right-sided placement signifies auspicious, skillful force under control. Sweet oblation ‘feeds’ the protective drive so it becomes stable nourishment rather than destructive rage. Upāṃśu suggests inner, contained activation—power kindled quietly before decisive action.
Effective strength is positioned wisely and nourished; the most potent transformations begin inwardly and silently before they become outward victories.
- दक्षिणतः (dakṣiṇataḥ)
- auspicious flank; skillful means; controlled dominance
- वृत्राणि (vṛtrāṇi)
- psychic knots, systemic impediments, enemy formations
- धरुण (dharuṇa)
- stability/ground that holds power steady
- मधु (madhu)
- nourishing delight; cohesion; ojas-like sweetness that stabilizes force
- जुहोमि (juhomi)
- exchange with power; disciplined channeling of energy
- उपांशु (upāṃśu)
- esoteric/inner activation; stealth and containment
- पिब (piba)
- assimilation—making the invoked power operative within
Station disciplined power on the ‘right’ (skillful, auspicious action) and feed it with sweetness (non-hatred) so force remains steady.
Maṇipūra (drive) balanced by Anāhata (sweetness/cohesion)
Two-phase: energizing breaths for the first half; then slow nasal breathing while chanting the upāṃśu/drinking portion softly.
Obstacles as dark knots crushed under a radiant foot; then a stream of golden honey-light stabilizing the core.
Focused readiness moving into concentrated silence.
Chant the advance lines aloud; chant ‘upāṃśu’ segment in a low voice; end with a sip of honeyed water as symbolic ‘piba’ (optional).
Mark the tactical imperatives with higher pitch; drop to a softer register on ‘upāṃśu’.
Keep clear separation: ‘dakṣiṇataḥ’ and ‘vṛtrāṇi’; do not blur ‘madhvo agraṃ’.
Retroflex ‘ṇ’ in ‘dakṣiṇa’, Long ‘ā’ in ‘juhomi’ first syllable is short ‘ju-’ (not jū-), Articulate ‘upāṃśu’ with nasal ‘ṃ’
First half firm and martial; second half low, contained, sacrificial.
Upāṃśu is itself a technique: perform the last pāda in a near-whisper to ‘concentrate’ the charm.
7
Blocked projects, repeated obstacles, competitive environments requiring both courage and composure.
Before initiating a difficult task; when you sense resistance building.
Clearing of ‘blocks,’ increased stamina, more strategic action rather than reactive anger.
Do not use to justify cruelty; keep intention limited to removing obstacles and defending legitimate aims.
पाठे ‘प्रेहि’ = ‘प्र + एहि’ (उपसर्ग-सन्धि). ‘नोऽधा’ = ‘नः + अध’ (विसर्गसन्धि: ḥ + a → o’). ‘मध्वो अग्रम्’ = ‘मध्वः + अग्रम्’ (विसर्गसन्धि: ḥ + a → o). ‘उभावुपांशु’ = ‘उभौ + उपांशु’ (स्वर-सन्धि: au + u → āv u). अन्ते ‘पिबाव’ को पदविभागे ‘पिबतम्’ (लोट् 2द्वि) रूपेण ग्रहणीयम्; संहितापाठे वेदिक संक्षेप/प्रयोगभेद सम्भवः (शौनक/पैप्पलाद परम्परा).
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