Atharva Veda 2.14.1: Kanda 2, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 14, Mantra 1
Sukta 14
वस्युनाशनम्। निः॒सालां धृ॒ष्णुं धि॒षण॑मेकवा॒द्यां जि॑घ॒त्स्वऽम्। सर्वा॒श्चण्ड॑स्य न॒प्त्योऽ ना॒शया॑मः स॒दान्वाः॑
vasyunāśánam | níḥsālā́m dhṛṣṇúṃ dhiṣáṇam ekavādyā́ṃ jíghatsvám | sárvāś caṇḍásya naptýo náśayāmaḥ sadā́nvāḥ
A destroyer of the Vasyu: forth from the hall we drive the bold impelling power, the single-sounding (charm), the devouring Hunger. All the offspring of Caṇḍa—his ever-attendant brood—these do we cause to perish.
وسیو کا ناش کرنے والا: ہم ہال سے بہادر اکسانے والی طاقت کو، ایک آواز والے جادو کو، بھوکے ہنگر کو نکالتے ہیں۔ چنڈا کی تمام اولاد - اس کے ہمیشہ ساتھ رہنے والے گروہ کو - ہم ہلاک کرتے ہیں۔
Rishi: Atharvanic seer-tradition (Atharvan/Āṅgirasa attribution typical for apotropaic hymns; exact r̥ṣi ascription depends on Anukramaṇī data for AVŚ 2.14).
Devata: Mantra-power directed against Vasyu/Caṇḍa; personified ‘Hunger’ (Jighatsā) as destructive agent; broadly rakṣas-/enemy-expelling force.
Chandas: Likely Anuṣṭubh or mixed (to be confirmed against pada-count in the edition used for accent and metrical scansion).
Primary: raudra
Secondary: vira
Sāyaṇa glosses vasyu as the inimical outsider (dasyu/robber-like foe) to be expelled from the domestic sphere; níḥsālām indicates the act of driving out from the house-enclosure. dhṛṣṇu and dhiṣaṇa are taken as qualifiers of the mantra’s force—fearless and impelling—while ekavādyā is interpreted as a concentrated, unitary performance (single utterance or single instrument), enhancing efficacy. ‘Hunger’ (jighatsvā) is treated as a consuming power turned against the enemy. Caṇḍa is read as a named hostile agent; ‘naptayaḥ’ and ‘sadānvāḥ’ extend the target to his proliferating line and constant attendants, ensuring total extirpation.
Expulsion and destruction of hostile intruders (vasyu) and the complete eradication of a named enemy-force (Caṇḍa) together with its progeny/retinue from the household or settlement.
Psychological ‘cutting off’ of harmful influences (addictive craving, intrusive thought-spirals) via decisive verbal boundary-setting.
abhicarika
Vasyu (intruder/enemy), Caṇḍa and ‘offspring’ (retinue/effects).
Expel and destroy hostile intruders (vasyu) and eradicate the Caṇḍa-force together with its proliferations.
Aggressive expulsion (niḥ-) + annihilation (nāśayāmaḥ) using concentrated sound (ekavādyā) and personified devouring (jighatsā).
House-invasion (literal or occult), recurring malefic episodes, ‘return’ of the hostile force.
A formula for destroying the ‘Vasyu’ (intruder/enemy). The bold force and devouring Hunger are driven out from the hall; all the offspring of Caṇḍa and his attendant brood are made to perish.
Aggressive psychic cleansing: the mantra externalizes predatory impulses (greed, invasive craving, ‘hunger’ that consumes wellbeing) and then banishes/destroys them, restoring the household’s integrity.
Some threats cannot be negotiated with: when an influence is purely consuming, health and order require decisive removal and refusal of hospitality to the destructive force.
- vasyu (वस्यु)
- parasitic influence—social or psychic—that steals vitality
- niḥ-sālā (निःसाला)
- expulsion beyond the domestic boundary; refusal of entry
- dhṛṣṇu (धृष्णु)
- brazen affliction that ignores norms and boundaries
- dhiṣaṇā (धिषणा)
- here: driving force of intrusion; ‘impetus’ of harm redirected and expelled
- ekavādyā (एकवाद्या)
- concentrated utterance—one-pointed sonic weapon
- jighatsā (जिघत्सा) / jighatsvám
- consuming affliction—wasting, craving, predation
- Caṇḍa (चण्ड)
- named node of aggression/terror; personified malefic agency
- naptīḥ (नप्त्यः)
- secondary effects, proliferations of harm (symptoms/retinue)
Cutting cords with harmful influences; fierce clarity without hatred.
maṇipūra
Short, forceful exhale on the expulsion phrases; then settle into slower breath to avoid agitation.
Focused, uncompromising, boundary-strong.
Visualize the hall as your inner space; on each recitation, push a dark intrusive mass out through the doorway; end by sealing the threshold with calm awareness to return to śānta.
Deliver with clear, clipped accents; if ‘vasyunāśanam’ is rubric-like in your source, intone it separately as a title/marker, then begin the metrical pādas.
Keep niḥ-sālāṃ distinct (niḥ + sālāṃ); emphasize nāśayāmaḥ as the decisive verb.
niḥsālām: visarga as light aspiration before s-, ekavādyām: long ā in -vā-, clear dy cluster, nāśayāmaḥ: long ā, avoid nasalizing too much
Forceful but controlled; avoid rage—aim for ‘command’ rather than agitation.
Because of abhicārika coloring, traditional practice constrains intention: direct toward ‘hostile forces’ rather than named persons; conclude with a pacifying breath/short śānti to re-stabilize the space.
7
Perceived intrusion/hostility in the home, recurring disturbances, need for strong boundary assertion.
During a cleansing action (sweeping outward), at threshold/corners; preferably daytime if the household is anxious at night.
Restored sense of control and safety; psychological relief through decisive expulsion ritual.
Avoid using as a curse against individuals; if conflict is interpersonal, choose conciliatory rites; seek professional help for safety concerns (break-ins) or severe fear states.
पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): वस्यु-नाशनम् । निः-सालाम् धृष्णुम् धिषणम् एक-वाद्याम् जिघत्स्वम् । सर्वाः चण्डस्य नप्त्यः नाशयामः सदान्वाः । Sandhi/orthography: (1) जिघत्स्वऽम् → जिघत्स्वम् (अवग्रह-चिह्नः; ‘अम्’ प्रत्ययस्य ग्रहणम्). (2) न॒प्त्योऽ → नप्त्यः (ओऽ = विसर्ग-लोप/अवग्रह-लेखनम्). (3) ‘वस्युनाशनम्’ समासः: वस्यु + नाशनम्. (4) ‘एकवाद्याम्’ समासः: एक + वाद्याम्. (5) ‘सदान्वाः’ समास/निगडित-रूपम्: सदा + अन्व (अन्व्/अनु-गमनार्थक).
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