Sukta 40
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (late AV strata)
Devata: Bṛhaspati (primary), with Sarasvatī and Viśve Devāḥ as supporting agencies
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-like cadence (late AV style; exact metrical scansion may vary)
یہ اتھرو وید کا ایک متأخر منتر ہے جو ایک مختصر بحالی کا منتر ہے برائے میڈھا, یعنی ذہانت، یاداشت، اور رسمی گفتگو کی صلاحیت, جب ذہن اور آواز بے چینی سے ٹوٹی ہوئی یا منتشر محسوس ہو۔ یہ برہسپتی سے، سرسوتی اور ویشو دیووں کے ہم آہنگی میں، التجا کرتا ہے کہ وہ وہ سب پھر سے جوڑ دیں جو اڑا لیا گیا ہو، اور یہ کام کو دیکشا اور تپس کے لیے شانتی سے مہر کرتا ہے اور اشونی پوشش سے جو "اندھیرے کو پار کرے۔"
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
मेधा। यन्मे॑ छि॒द्रं मन॑सो॒ यच्च॑ वा॒चः सर॑स्वती मन्यु॒मन्तं॑ ज॒गाम॑ । विश्वै॒स्तद् दे॒वैः स॒ह सं॑विदा॒नः सं द॑धातु॒ बृह॒स्पतिः॑
عقل، میرے ذہن کی جو کمی ہے اور بولی کی جو، سرسوتی نے اسے جذباتی ہنگامے میں اٹھا لیا ہے، سب دیووں کے ساتھ مل کر برہسپتی اسے واپس رکھیں اور درست کر دیں۔
Mantra 2
मा न॒ आपो॑ मे॒धां मा ब्रह्म॒ प्र म॑थिष्टन । सु॒ष्य॒दा यू॒यं स्य॑न्दध्व॒मुप॑हूतो॒ऽहं सु॒मेधा॑ वर्च॒स्वी
اے پانیو، تم ہم سے عقل نہ نکالو، ہماری پاک دعا کو ہراساں نہ کرو۔ اے بہترین دینے والو، مہربان دھاراؤں میں بہو، میں پکارا گیا ہوں، اچھی عقل والا، روشن تابناک۔
Mantra 3
मा नो॑ मे॒धां मा नो॑ दी॒क्षां मा नो॑ हिंसिष्टं॒ यत् तपः॑ । शि॒वा नः॒ शं स॒न्त्वायु॑षे शि॒वा भ॑वन्तु मा॒तरः॑
ہماری عقل کو نقصان نہ پہنچاؤ، ہماری دیکشا کو ہانٹ نہ کرو، ہمارے پاک تپ میں ہمیں تکلیف نہ دو۔ ہمارے لیے زندگی کے لیے امن مبارک ہو، مائیں ہمارے لیے مبارک ہوں۔
Mantra 4
या नः॒ पीप॑रद॒श्विना॒ ज्योति॑ष्मती॒ तम॑स्ति॒रः । ताम॒स्मे रा॑सता॒मिष॑म्
وہ پوشش جو اشون نے ہمارے لیے بڑھائی ہے، روشن، اندھیرے کو پار کرنے والی، وہ تازگی ہم پر یہاں عطا فرمائیں۔
Inside Sukta 40
How it unfolds
- How it opens
The hymn opens by naming medhā and identifying a ‘chidra’ (breach) in mind and speech, attributed to turbulent passion and displacement.
- What it asks
Bṛhaspati—acting in accord with Sarasvatī and all the Gods—is asked to set back, rejoin, and orderly recompose the lost or scattered faculties.
- Where its power lies
The efficacy is grounded in divine concord (Viśve Devāḥ saṃvid) and in Bṛhaspati’s authority over brahman, speech-order, and cognitive integration.
- How it closes
A śānti-protection for medhā, dīkṣā, and tapas is affirmed, and the hymn culminates in an Aśvinic bestowal of luminous nourishment that crosses over darkness.
Famous verses
yan me chidraṃ manaso yac ca vācaḥ … saṃ dadhātu bṛhaspatiḥ
mā no medhāṃ mā no dīkṣāṃ
jyotiṣmatī tamas-tiraḥ
Kind of hymn
Paustika (Prosperity/Capacity) / Bhaisajya-adjacent (restoration of mental-speech integrity)
What it is for
Reconstitution of medhā and vāc, sealing of consecration and inner power against injury, and receipt of luminous nourishment that overcomes mental darkness.
Who it is for
Students of mantra and śāstra, ritual performers, speakers/reciters, and anyone experiencing cognitive fatigue, speech disruption, or agitation affecting memory and composure.
Also used as
- Bhaisajya-adjacent (cognitive/voice restoration)
- Shantika (peace and protection of dīkṣā/tapas)
The deity
Bṛhaspati is the lord of sacred formulation (brahman), the re-establisher of right order in thought and speech; Sarasvatī governs inspired speech and flowing intelligence; the Viśve Devāḥ guarantee communal divine consent; the Aśvins supply quick, luminous revitalization.
Powers of the deity
- Repairs breaches in mind (manas) and speech (vāc)
- Restores medhā (intelligence/memory/competence) and re-integrates scattered faculties
- Establishes concord (saṃvid) among divine powers to stabilize the person
- Protects dīkṣā (consecratory discipline) and tapas (austerity/inner heat) from harm
- Bestows iṣ (nourishing refreshment) that is “jyotiṣmatī,” dispelling tamas (darkness/obscurity)
Why the deity is called
To ‘set back in order’ what agitation has displaced—especially mental clarity and articulate ritual speech—while ensuring the practitioner’s consecration, vitality, and replenishment remain unharmed.
The seer
- Atharvanic (anonymous late strata) seerAtharvan. Paustika and śānti charms for restoring cognitive-speech integrity (medhā, vāc), protecting consecration (dīkṣā) and inner heat (tapas), and securing replenishing vitality (iṣ).
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 19.39 (medhā/śānti-adjacent cluster, traditional association)
- AV 19.41 (continuing late AV prosperity-restoration themes, traditional association)
Preparing for the rite
- Choose a quiet, clean place; sit facing east or north.
- Perform ācamana and a brief śānti-saṅkalpa for medhā and vāc.
- Optional: keep clean water or a simple nourishing food (milk/ghee/anna) as a symbolic iṣ offering.
The rite
- Recite 19.40.1 slowly with attention to the ‘breach’ (chidra) being closed and faculties reassembled by Bṛhaspati.
- Recite protective verses (including 19.40.3) as a śānti-seal for medhā, dīkṣā, and tapas.
- Conclude with 19.40.4 as a request for Aśvinic, luminous nourishment; then sit briefly in silence focusing on steady breath and clear speech.
- Optional: sip water or take a small portion of food as ‘iṣ’ after the final recitation.
What it needs
- None required by the text
- Optional: water for sipping (ācamana)
- Optional: simple nourishment (milk, ghee, or cooked grain) as iṣ-symbol
When
Preferably at dawn (prātaḥ) or before study/recitation; also suitable after agitation, argument, or mental exhaustion.
The main substance
Iṣ (symbolic nourishment/refreshment; optional food-offering)
How it is prepared
No medicinal preparation is prescribed in the hymn; if desired, prepare a small, simple nourishing portion (e.g., milk/ghee/anna) to be taken after recitation as a symbolic iṣ.
Frequently Asked Questions
It refers to a felt gap or leak in mental steadiness and verbal capacity—forgetfulness, scattered attention, or speech faltering—often linked to agitation or emotional turbulence.
Sarasvatī represents the flow of inspired speech and intelligence, while the Viśve Devāḥ represent collective divine assent; together they support Bṛhaspati’s act of re-ordering and reintegration.
No. The hymn works primarily through recitation and intention; at most, one may optionally take water or a small nourishing food as a symbolic ‘iṣ’ after the concluding verse.
Ask anything about Sukta 40 of the Atharva Veda
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