Sukta 16
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (often anonymous/Angiras-type attribution in AV medical hymns)
Devata: Bhaiṣajya (healing power) personified as Ābaya/Anābaya; implicitly the medicinal ‘rasa’
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (with Atharvanic irregularities noted in some recensions)
Mantras
Mantra 1
अक्षिरोगभैषजम्। ३ बृहतीगर्भा ककुम्मत्यनुष्टुप्, ४ त्रिपदा प्रतिष्ठा। आब॑यो॒ अना॑बयो॒ रस॑स्त उ॒ग्र आ॑बयो । आ ते॑ कर॒म्भम॑द्मसि
O Ābaya, O harmless Anābaya—thy sap is fierce in power, O Ābaya. Hither for thee we eat the karambha-mixture.
Mantra 2
वि॒हह्लो॒ नाम॑ ते पि॒ता म॒दाव॑ती॒ नाम॑ ते मा॒ता। स हि॑न॒ त्वम॑सि॒ यस्त्वमा॒त्मान॒माव॑यः
Vihahla by name is thy father; Madāvatī by name is thy mother. For thou art now that one who weaveth thyself about (the man).
Mantra 3
तौवि॑लि॒केऽवे॑ल॒यावा॒यमै॑ल॒ब ऐ॑लयीत्। ब॒भ्रुश्च॑ ब॒भ्रुक॑र्ण॒श्चापे॑हि॒ निरा॑ल
O Tauvīlike, O Avelayāva—whom Ailaba would make to ail; Babhru and Babhru-ear likewise: depart! forth, away from here!
Mantra 4
अ॒ल॒साला॑सि॒ पूर्व॑ सि॒लाञ्जा॑ला॒स्युत्त॑रा । नी॒ला॒ग॒ल॒साला॑
Thou art Alasālā, the former; thou art Silāñjālā, the latter—thou art Nīlāgalasālā.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used to treat and ward off eye-disease (akṣi-roga) by empowering a medicinal preparation and driving away the affliction named in multiple forms.
Ābaya/Anābaya is the personified healing potency of the remedy—its rasa (sap/essence)—described as fierce against disease yet harmless to the patient.
Atharvanic medical hymns often name the disease and its agents to gain control over them; listing variants ensures the ailment is addressed in every form and then expelled.
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