Sukta 33
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (maṇi-hymn attribution varies by anukramaṇī; commonly treated as Atharvan/Angirasic).
Devata: Protective power embodied in the bound object (rakṣoghna/viṣaghna ojas).
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (4 pādas of ~8 syllables; late AV style).
Ang AV 19.33 ay isang maṇi-hymn na nagpapabanal sa damong darbha at sa nakataling anyo nito bilang anting-anting na isang pinuspusang, banal na ojas (lakas na buhay) para sa proteksyon at haba ng buhay. Ang sukta ay nagsisimula sa pagpapuri sa darbha bilang isang makaharing kapangyarihang nag-uugnay ng buhay, pagkatapos ay inilalagay ito bilang pampadalisay sa ritwal na lugar, at sa huli ay nagtatali ng mabangis na kapangyarihang pumatay ng lason at demonyo para sa svasti (kagalingan) at jaras (gulang na may karunungan).
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
दर्भः। स॒ह॒स्रा॒र्घः श॒तका॑ण्डः॒ पय॑स्वान॒पाम॒ग्निर्वी॒रुधां॑ राज॒सूय॑म्। स नो॒ऽयं द॒र्भः परि॑ पातु वि॒श्वतो॑ दे॒वो म॒णिरायु॑षा॒ सं सृ॑जाति नः
Darbha, ng libu-libong halaga, may daang tangkay, sagana sa katas; ang Apoy ng mga Tubig, ang maharlikang pagpapakabanal ng mga halaman. Sana ang aming Darbha ay bantayan kami sa paligid mula sa lahat ng dako: ang banal na Anting-anting ay nagkakaisa sa amin sa buhay at haba ng mga araw.
Mantra 2
घृ॒तादुल्लु॑प्तो॒ मधु॑मा॒न् पय॑स्वान् भूमिदृं॒होऽच्यु॑तश्च्यावयि॒ष्णुः । नु॒दन्त्स॒पत्ना॒नध॑रांश्च कृ॒ण्वन् दर्भा रो॑ह मह॒तामि॑न्द्रि॒येण॑
Pinahiran ng tinapay na ghee, matamis, sagana sa katas; Tagapagpatibay ng Lupa, hindi natinag, at nagpapaalis: itinataboy ang mga karibal palabas at ginagawa silang mabababa, O Darbha, tumubo ka na may makapangyarihang kapangyarihan ni Indra.
Mantra 3
त्वं भूमि॒मत्ये॒ष्योज॑सा॒ त्वं वेद्यां॑ सीदसि॒ चारु॑रध्व॒रे। त्वां प॒वित्र॒मृष॑योऽभरन्त॒ त्वं पुनीहि दुरि॒तान्य॒स्मत्
Ikaw ay tumatawid sa lupa na may lakas; ikaw ay nauupo sa dambana, marikit sa sakripisyo. Ang mga Rishi ay nagdala sa iyo bilang Tagapagdalisay: patawarin mo kami mula sa mga kasamaan at mga masamang kapalaran.
Mantra 4
ती॒क्ष्णो राजा॑ विषास॒ही र॑क्षो॒हा वि॒श्वच॑र्षणिः । ओजो॑ दे॒वानां॒ बल॑मु॒ग्रमे॒तत् तं ते॑ बध्नामि ज॒रसे॑ स्व॒स्तये॑
Isang matalinong Hari, isang mananakop ng lason, isang pumatay ng mga demonyo, na may pangkalahatang kapangyarihan - ito ang lakas ng mga diyos, ang kanilang tatag, ang kakila-kilab na kapangyarihang ito: ito ang iniuugnay ko sa iyo para sa katandaan, para sa kagalingan.
Mantra 5
द॒र्भेण॒ त्वं कृ॑णवद् वी॒र्याऽणि द॒र्भं बिभ्र॑दा॒त्मना॒ मा व्य॑थिष्ठाः । अति॑ष्ठाया॒ वर्च॒साधा॒न्यान्त्सूर्य॑ इ॒वा भा॑हि प्र॒दिश॒श्चत॑स्रः
Sa pamamagitan ng darbha ay tuparin mo ang mga kapangyarihan; na nagbubuhat ng darbha sa iyong sarili, huwag kang mabahala. Tumayo, nagtatatag ng kislap, magniningning ka tulad ng Araw sa apat na sulok.
Inside Sukta 33
How it unfolds
- How it opens
Begins by enthroning darbha as a high-value, many-stemmed, sap-rich power—‘apām agni’ and ‘rājasūya’ of plants—asking it to guard from all sides and yoke the group to āyus.
- What it asks
That the darbha-as-pavitra cleanse away durita and that the divine maṇi be made an effective, surrounding protection for the client.
- Where its power lies
Declares the amulet’s potency as the gods’ own ojas and ugra bala—keen, kingly, poison-conquering, demon-slaying, universally prevailing.
- How it closes
Seals the rite with the explicit act of binding (badhnāmi) for jaras (full old age) and svasti (welfare), grounding the mantra’s power in a worn, carried object.
Famous verses
devo maṇir āyuṣā saṃ sṛjāti naḥ
tvaṃ punīhi duritāny asmat
taṃ te badhnāmi jarase svastaye
Kind of hymn
Bhaisajya (Healing) / Rakshoghna (Apotropaic)
What it is for
To purify away misfortune and affliction, repel demons/hostile influences, neutralize poison, and secure welfare with longevity by binding on a consecrated darbha-maṇi.
Who it is for
Householders and ritual specialists (Atharvanic practitioners) performing protective/healing rites for an individual, family, or community—especially where poisoning, unseen harms, or chronic ill-luck are feared.
Also used as
- Rakṣoghna
- Śāntika
- Pauṣṭika
The deity
Not a single anthropomorphic deity but a personified, divine potency residing in the consecrated darbha and its amulet-binding—praised as ‘apām agni’ (fire in the waters) and as pavitra (purifier), then treated as the gods’ own bala (strength) to be fastened onto the client.
Powers of the deity
- All-around protection (pari pāti viśvataḥ)
- Poison-conquest (viṣāsahī)
- Demon/hostile-force slaying (rakṣohā)
- Purification and removal of durita (punīhi duritāni)
- Bestowal/extension of life-force and lifespan (āyus, jaras)
- Ritual consecration and stabilization in the sacrifice (sīdasi vedyām)
Why the deity is called
To awaken and localize fierce divine strength within a tangible medium (darbha/maṇi) so it can be installed in the rite and physically bound on the person for protection, cleansing, and long life.
The seer
- Atharvan/Āṅgirasa (attribution varies by anukramaṇī; late Atharvanic transmission)Atharvan. Bhaiṣajya and rakṣoghna charms—especially maṇi/amulet rites that bind protective ojas against viṣa (poison), rakṣas, and durita (misfortune), while extending āyus (lifespan).
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 19.31 (maṇi/āyus-protection cluster)
- AV 19.32 (protective binding themes)
- AV 19.34 (adjacent late-book protective material)
Preparing for the rite
- Collect fresh darbha (kuśa-type) with intact tips; select ‘many-stemmed’ bunches if available.
- Purify hands and space; sprinkle water; establish a simple vedi/clean seat for the rite.
- Fashion the darbha into a maṇi-form: a small bundle/tuft, ring, or knot suitable for tying; prepare a clean binding cord/thread.
- Optionally fumigate or pass darbha through clean water as a preliminary purification.
The rite
- Recite the opening verse(s) over the darbha, praising it as divine maṇi and establishing its protective perimeter.
- Place/seat the darbha on the vedi while reciting the purification verse (pavitra-theme), asking it to remove durita.
- Bind the prepared darbha-maṇi onto the client (arm, neck, or hair-knot per local practice) while reciting the ‘tīkṣṇo rājā… taṃ te badhnāmi’ binding formula.
- Conclude with a brief silent intention for svasti and āyus; keep the amulet on for the intended period.
What it needs
- Darbha grass (primary)
- Binding cord/thread (for badhnāmi)
- Clean water for sprinkling/ablution (optional but customary)
- A small clean cloth or leaf to place darbha on the vedi (optional)
When
Preferably at a śānti-appropriate time: morning or evening in a calm interval; also suitable immediately when poison/fear of attack is suspected.
The main substance
Darbha (kuśa-type sacred grass) fashioned as a maṇi/amulet
Herbs
- Darbha (kuśa)
Amulets
- Darbha-maṇi (bundle/tuft/ring)
- Binding cord/thread (to fasten the maṇi)
How it is prepared
Twist or bundle darbha into a compact maṇi; optionally moisten/purify with clean water; seat it briefly on a clean vedi/cloth while reciting purification lines; then tie it onto the body with a cord during the binding mantra.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here maṇi means a consecrated protective object—specifically darbha grass shaped and bound as an amulet—treated as a vessel of divine ojas (power).
It is aimed at protection and healing: neutralizing poison, repelling demonic/hostile forces, removing durita (misfortune/evil influence), and securing welfare with long life.
Darbha is praised and purified, placed on the ritual seat/altar as a pavitra, then fashioned into an amulet and physically tied onto the person while reciting the binding verse for svasti and jaras.
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