Atharva Veda 9.5.2: Kanda 9, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 5, Mantra 2
Sukta 5
इन्द्रा॑य भा॒गं परि॑ त्वा नयाम्य॒स्मिन् य॒ज्ञे यज॑मानाय सू॒रिम्। ये नो॑ द्वि॒षन्त्यनु तान् र॑भ॒स्वाना॑गसो॒ यज॑मानस्य वी॒राः
índrāya bhāgáṃ pári tvā nayāmy asmín yajñé yajamānā́ya sūrím | yé no dvíṣanty ánu tā́n rabhásvānā́gaso yajamānasya vīrā́ḥ
For Indra’s share I lead thee duly on, within this sacrifice, for the sacrificer, the bounteous patron. Those who hate us—after them seize thou; guiltless are the heroes of the sacrificer.
اند کے حصے کے لیے میں تجھے اس قربانی میں مناسب طور پر لے جاتا ہوں، قربانی کرنے والے، سخی سرپرست کے لیے۔ جو ہم سے نفرت کرتے ہیں - ان کے پیچھے تو پکڑ، قربانی کرنے والے کے بہادر بے گناہ ہیں۔
The meaning
What it says
An offering-direction and sanctioned aggression charm: the speaker leads the offering for Indra’s portion in the sacrifice for the patron; Indra is urged to seize those who hate the group; the patron’s heroes are declared guiltless.
The inner meaning
One aligns personal power with a higher protective principle (Indra) and clarifies boundaries: hostility is not internalized but handed to a regulating force. Declaring ‘guiltless’ restores group cohesion and removes corrosive self-blame.
The truth in it
Protection requires rightful alignment (offering/portion) and clear response to hostility; when aggression is ritually contained and ethically framed, community strength is preserved.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Rakṣā / Abhicārika-adjacent (Protective with sanctioned aggression)
Its aim
To allocate the offering to Indra and to turn Indraic force against hostile rivals, securing the patron and his men as ‘guiltless’ and protected.
Word by Word
Pada patha
इन्द्राय । भागम् । परि । त्वा । नयामि । अस्मिन् । यज्ञे । यजमानाय । सूरिम् । ये । नः । द्विषन्ति । अनु । तान् । रभस्व । अनागसः । यजमानस्य । वीराः
- इन्द्राय
- to/for Indrafor Indra (recipient deity; guarantor of force and victory)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot इन्द्र
- भागम्
- a share/portionportion, share (the deity’s allotted sacrificial due)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot भाग
- परि
- around, aboutaround, in due course (ritual circumduction/assignment)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot परि
- त्वा
- youthee (the goat/agent being led; or the offering-bearer)Pronounद्वितीया-एकवचन (सर्वनाम)Role कर्मRoot युष्मद्
- नयामि
- I lead/bringI lead (performative priestly action: conducting the victim/oblation)Verbलट्; उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole कर्तृRoot नी (नयति)
- अस्मिन्
- in thisPronounपुं/नपुं; सप्तमी-एकवचन (सर्वनाम)Role अधिकरणRoot इदम्
- यज्ञे
- in the sacrificesacrifice (the operative ritual frame)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot यज्ञ
- यजमानाय
- to/for the sacrificerfor the sacrificer/patron (the beneficiary whose merit and protection are sought)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot यजमान
- सूरिम्
- the patron/bountiful lordthe patron-lord, bounteous man (a socially eminent giver; Sayana: ‘dātā’/‘prabhū’)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सूरि
- ये
- who (those who)who (relative pronoun introducing adversaries)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (सम्बन्ध/यद्-प्रत्यय)Role कर्तृRoot यद्
- नः
- of us/ourus (the ritual community/patron’s side)Pronounषष्ठी-बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- द्विषन्ति
- hatehate, bear malice (hostile rivals; social conflict encoded as ritual threat)Verbलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot द्विष्
- अनु
- after, along; (here) against/with respect toafter, following (pursuit/retaliatory tracking)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अनु
- तान्
- those (them)those (the hostile persons)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot तद्
- रभस्व
- seize/lay hold (of)!seize, lay hold of (Indraic/ritual coercion against enemies)Verbलोट्; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot रभ्
- अनागसः
- sinless, guiltlessAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अनागस्
- यजमानस्य
- of the sacrificerNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot यजमान
- वीराः
- heroes/menmen, heroes (the patron’s fighting/working male dependents)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot वीर
Sandhi Notes
- इन्द्रा॑य→इन्द्राय
- भा॒गं→भागम्
- परि॑ त्वा→परि + त्वा
- नयाम्य॒स्मिन्→नयामि + अस्मिन् (इ + अ = य्-आगम/यण्-सन्धि)
- य॒ज्ञे यज॑मानाय→यज्ञे + यजमानाय
- सू॒रिम्→सूरिम्
- द्वि॒षन्त्यनु→द्विषन्ति + अनु (इ + अ = य्-आगम)
- तान् र॑भ॒स्व→तान् + रभस्व (न् + र)
- र॑भ॒स्वाना॑गसो॒→रभस्व + अनागसः (अ + अ = आ)
- यज॑मानस्य→यजमानस्य
- वी॒राः→वीराः
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh-like (requires full pada scansion)
- Rasa
- Vira and Raudra
Sayana construes the leading as assignment of the victim/oblation to Indra’s ‘bhāga’. The second hemistich is protective and punitive: the rite authorizes Indra (or the empowered agent) to ‘grasp’ adversaries, while affirming the yajamāna’s party as ‘anāgas’—ritually untainted and therefore inviolable.
Anonymous Atharvanic ritual-seer (AVŚ 9.5 Indraic protection within sacrificial frame)
Rakṣā with Indraic enforcement: combining correct offering-allocation with controlled aggression against enemies; juridical purification by declaration (anāgasaḥ).
Shows Atharvan integration of śrauta-like offering language (bhāga/yajña) with practical protective intent—violence is ritually authorized and bounded.
Indra
Indra as sovereign force who receives his portion and enforces order by subduing hostile powers; protector of patron and warriors.
Turns back hatred/enmity; grants victory, fearlessness, and moral immunity (‘guiltless heroes’).
Two longer syntactic units with imperative climax; likely 4 pādas in recitational division though text here is continuous.
Atharvanic triṣṭubh often tolerates irregularities; emphasis falls on legal-ritual verbs (nayāmi/rabhasva) and social terms (yajamāna/vīra).
Forward-driving, martial; ends with a firm declarative (‘anāgaso…vīrāḥ’).
Energizes resolve and group solidarity; frames conflict as divinely adjudicated.
While conducting the victim/oblation to the offering-place, recite ‘índrāya bhāgáṃ…’.
Mentally/verbally designate the share as Indra’s and the benefit as the yajamāna’s.
At ‘yé no dvíṣanti…’, perform a forward thrusting or grasping gesture (symbolic ‘seizure’ of enemies), optionally facing the direction of perceived hostility.
Conclude by touching/indicating the patron’s men (or their tokens) to seal ‘anāgas’ status.
Kauśika Sūtra: protective rites accompanying offerings to Indra in domestic/funerary sequences (edition-dependent citation).
Atharvan priest as protector of the household/patron: assigns deity-shares, directs hostile force outward, and ritually certifies the patron’s party.
Recited when making an Indra-directed offering for protection—before disputes, journeys, competitions, or when facing enmity; can be adapted as a household protective prayer with a small oblation.
Before public engagements; during conflict periods; on Indra-related observances.
Ritual leader ensures proper offering allocation; also functions as social-legal ‘speaker’ declaring innocence/protection.
Used as a protective invocation before challenging negotiations; emphasize ethical restraint and lawful conduct.
Indra’s bhāga (sacrificial portion); goat/offering-bearer (implicit from hymn context)
Implicit sacrificial fire context (yajña) as carrier of Indra’s portion.
The ‘portion’ is a calibrated release of power: by giving Indra his due, one gains lawful protection; the rite converts raw aggression into sanctioned defense.
Conflict-stress management through ritualized boundary-setting and group affirmation; reduces rumination by externalizing hostility into a contained process.
Enemies/haters of the patron’s group; protection for yajamāna and vīras.
To duly allocate Indra’s sacrificial share and redirect Indraic force against haters, securing patron and his men as protected and blameless.
Offering-conduction (bhāga leading) + divine command (rabhasva) + juridical declaration (anāgasaḥ) to invert accusation and bind protection.
Hostile intent, social rivalry, curse-like blame, and threats to patronage.
Political/social security; success of patron and household.
- इन्द्राय (indrāya)
- for sovereign protective power; decisive courage
- भागम् (bhāgam)
- right allotment; cosmic reciprocity; proper channeling of force
- परि नयामि (pari nayāmi)
- ritual correctness; orderly conduction of power
- यज्ञे (yajñe)
- structured transformation; social-ethical container
- यजमानाय (yajamānāya)
- householder sovereignty; protected center
- सूरिम् (sūrim)
- generosity as legitimacy; rightful power
- द्विषन्ति (dviṣanti)
- hostile intent; envy as social poison
- रभस्व (rabhasva)
- decisive neutralization of threat
- अनागसः (anāgasaḥ)
- moral insulation; removal of blame/curse
- वीराः (vīrāḥ)
- protected community strength
Align personal will with protective sovereignty; practice firm boundaries without hatred.
Maṇipūra (will/force)
Brisk but controlled breathing for a few rounds, then settle into steady nasal breath while repeating ‘anāgasaḥ’.
A thunderbolt-light around the body; offerings forming a luminous boundary; hostile arrows dissolving before reaching the circle.
Resolute, ethically contained power.
Chant with upright posture; dedicate the ‘force’ to protection and justice, not revenge; conclude with a vow of restraint and clarity.
Energetic, with clear lift on indrāya and strong imperative on rabhasva; end with steady, declarative cadence on anāgasaḥ…vīrāḥ.
Mark syntactic breaks: (1) indrāya bhāgam…sūrim (2) ye no dviṣanti…vīrāḥ.
Commanding, bright, controlled (avoid shouting).
In Atharvan use, the ‘guiltless’ clause functions as a counter-curse; speak it as a legal sealing statement.
9 times
Facing rivalry, harassment, litigation-like social conflict, or threats to household/patronage.
Before important meetings, travel, or community disputes; during protective offerings.
Strengthened confidence and cohesion; traditional sense of Indraic protection and reversal of hostile intent.
Do not use to justify unethical harm; if in danger, seek practical/legal protection; keep aggression bounded.
None is explicit; the operative ‘substance’ is the sacrificial share (bhāga) and the victim/offering-bearer. The mantra functions as juridical allocation plus coercive protection, rather than pharmacology.
It foregrounds the yajamāna as ‘sūri’ (elite patron) whose ‘vīrāḥ’ are protected; ritual speech legitimates violence against ‘dviṣant’ rivals. The priest mediates divine power in patron-centered social competition.
The diction is RV-like (Indra, bhāga, yajña), but the pragmatic, almost legal tone (‘anāgas’) and direct enemy-targeting aligns with AV’s applied ritual register.
A Gopatha rationale would treat correct ‘bhāga’ assignment as maintaining cosmic/ritual order; misallocation breeds danger. The enemy-seizure clause would be justified as Indra’s function activated by properly offered shares and correctly spoken formulae.
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