Sukta 95
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (often transmitted under Atharvan/Angiras lineages; specific r̥ṣi not explicit in the provided excerpt).
Devata: Kuṣṭha (herb as divine remedy) / amṛta-associated divine agency
Chandas: Mixed; predominantly anuṣṭubh-like cadence with Atharvanic flexibility (needs padic confirmation from full hymn).
Mantras
Mantra 1
कुष्ठौषधिः। अ॒श्व॒त्थो दे॑व॒सद॑नस्तृ॒तीय॑स्यामि॒तो दि॒वि। तत्रा॒मृत॑स्य॒ चक्ष॑णं दे॒वाः कुष्ठ॑मवन्वत
Kuṣṭha, the healing herb: the Aśvattha, a seat of Gods, stands in the third, the boundless heaven. There was the visible token of immortality: there the Gods won Kuṣṭha for themselves.
Mantra 2
हि॒र॒ण्ययी॒ नौर॑चर॒द्धिर॑ण्यबन्धना दि॒वि। तत्रा॒मृत॑स्य॒ पुष्पं॑ दे॒वाः कुष्ठ॑मवन्वत
A golden ship went coursing, gold-bound, in heaven. There was the flower of immortality: there the Gods won Kuṣṭha for themselves.
Mantra 3
गर्भो॑ अ॒स्योष॑धीनां॒ गर्भो॑ हि॒मव॑तामु॒त। गर्भो॒ विश्व॑स्य भू॒तस्ये॒मं मे॑ अग॒दं कृ॑धि
The womb of herbs is he; the womb of the Himavant mountains also; the womb of all that hath become: make thou this for me an antidote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kuṣṭha is a medicinal herb treated as a divine power. The hymn praises it as amṛta-linked and commands it to act as a living remedy for the patient.
These images establish the medicine’s highest authority: Kuṣṭha is portrayed as obtained by the gods where immortality is manifest. The mythic setting ‘licenses’ the herb’s healing force in ritual use.
Traditionally, one recites the three mantras over Kuṣṭha, then applies or administers the herb (often with water, honey, or ghee). The final verse explicitly asks the herb to become an agada—an effective antidote.
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