Atharva Veda 5.13.8: Kanda 5, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 13, Mantra 8
Sukta 13
उ॒रु॒गूला॑या दुहि॒ता जा॒ता दा॒स्यसि॑क्न्या । प्र॒तङ्कं॑ द॒द्रुषी॑णां॒ सर्वा॑सामर॒सं वि॒षम्
urugū́lāyā duhitā́ jātā́ dāsyásiknyāḥ | pratáṅkaṃ dadr̥śī́nāṃ sárvāsām arásaṃ viṣám
Born as the daughter of Urugūlā, of the dark slave-woman: Prataṅka—of the Dadr̥śīs, of them all—(be) poison made sapless.
Ngươi sinh làm con gái của Urugūlā, từ người nữ nô tỳ đen sẫm. Hỡi Prataṅka—giữa các Dadr̥śī, giữa tất cả bọn họ—nguyện cho chất độc này trở nên không nhựa, không tinh chất.
The meaning
What it says
The verse names poison genealogies: Prataṅka, born as daughter of Urugūlā, of a dark slave-woman; among the Dadr̥śīs—of them all—(be) poison made sapless.
The inner meaning
The toxin is ritually ‘declassed’—assigned an impure, subordinate lineage—so its authority collapses. By mapping poison into categories (mother/daughter/group), the practitioner gains cognitive and ritual control, draining its rasa (potency).
The truth in it
Classification and demystification weaken harmful forces. When a threat is placed into a known genealogy, it becomes manageable and loses its spell over the mind.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Bhaisajya (Healing) / Anti-venom (viṣa-nāśana)
Its aim
To neutralize a specific named poison-agent (Prataṅka) and, by extension, all related venomous agencies, by declaring their impure lineage and draining their potency
Word by Word
Pada patha
उ॒रु॒गूला॑याः । दु॒हि॒ता । जा॒ता । दा॒स्य-सि॑क्न्याः । प्र॒तङ्क॑म् । द॒द्रुषी॑णाम् । सर्वा॑साम् । अ॒र॒सम् । वि॒षम्
- उरुगूलायाः
- of Urugūlā (a female being/name)of Urugūlā—name of a poison-being/serpent-demoness (or a class of venomous agency); genitive marks lineage/sourceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root उरुगूला (प्रातिपदिक) < उरु- + गूला
- दुहिताः
- daughterNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot दुहितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- जाताः
- bornParticiple/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (दुहिताः इति पदेन सह)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot √जन् (जायते) → जात (क्त-प्रत्यय)
- दास्यसि
- you will giveVerbलृट् (भविष्यत्काल), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √दा (ददाति) भविष्यत्
- सिक्न्यै
- to Siknī (the dark one)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सिक्नी (प्रातिपदिक; स्त्री, ‘dark/black one’, also used as a proper name/epithet)
- प्रतङ्कम्
- a snare/entanglement; a binding (charm)Prataṅka—name of a venomous creature/poison-agent (often treated as a snake/scorpion-type in later identifications); here: the specific ‘poison’ to be rendered harmlessNounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot प्रतङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
- दद्रुषीणाम्
- of the (female) lookers/observersof the Dadr̥śī-s (a group/name of poison-beings; ‘the seeing/gleaming ones’ or a proper class-name); collectively venomous agenciesNoun (agentive/participle used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root √दृश् (पश्यति) → दद्रुश्/ददृश् (परिपूर्ण/अभ्यास-रूप) → दद्रुषी (स्त्री; ‘seeing/looking’)
- सर्वासाम्
- of all (of them)of them all (totalizing scope: all such poison-kinds)Pronoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root सर्व (सर्वा-; सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अरसम्
- tasteless; saplesssapless, without essence/juice; hence ‘deprived of potency’ (standard Atharvanic neutralization term)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विषम् इति पदस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्म-विशेषणRoot अ-रस (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
- विषम्
- poisonpoison/venom (the target to be made ineffective)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot विष (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- उरुगूलायाः | दुहिता | जाता | दास्यसि | सिक्न्यै || प्रतङ्कम् | दद्रुषीणाम् | सर्वासाम् | अरसम् | विषम् ।
- 1) उरुगूला + याः → उरुगूलायाः (षष्ठी-एकवचन)
- 2) दास्यसि + सिक्न्यै (पदसीमा; संधि-परिवर्तनं न आवश्यकम्)
- 3) सर्वासाम् + अरसम् → सर्वासामरसम् (व्यञ्जन-सन्धिः: म् + अ → म + अ; लेखने संयोगः)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition (anukramaṇī-dependent)
- Devata
- Viṣa; named poison-agents (Urugūlā, Prataṅka, Dadr̥śī-s)
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh-like
- Rasa
- Raudra and Adbhuta
Sayana reads the verse as a precise ‘origin-statement’ (janma-nirdeśa) of the venom: it is traced through named female figures and classes (Urugūlā, dāsī-siknī, Dadr̥śīs) to fix and bind it. ‘Arasam’ is glossed as ‘śakti-rahitam’ (devoid of power), the desired therapeutic transformation of viṣa.
Unknown (Atharvanic/Angiras transmission for viṣa-nāśana)
Bhaisajya toxicology charms: genealogical binding, impurity-marking, and rasa-draining declarations.
Demonstrates Atharvanic ‘genealogy magic’: to speak the poison’s origin is to seize it; to degrade its lineage is to deprive it of social/cosmic standing.
Viṣa (Poison) with named agents Urugūlā, Prataṅka, Dadr̥śī-s
A proliferating hostile lineage; here rendered powerless through verbal taxonomy and disgrace.
Neutralization by ‘drying’ the poison’s rasa; supports recovery when paired with remedies.
Prevents spread/recurrence by addressing the whole ‘family’ of toxins, not only one instance.
4 × ~8; heavy with proper names and genitives.
Proper-name density can cause metrical irregularity; AV prioritizes performative naming over strict prosody.
Catalog-like, forensic, binding.
Feels like a legal indictment of the poison’s lineage, culminating in the ‘arasam viṣam’ verdict.
Prepare a counter-medium (water for sprinkling, or an herb/amulet) designated for ‘poison-draining.’
Recite the mantra over the medium, emphasizing the named poison-agent (Prataṅka) and the totalizing ‘of them all.’
Apply the medium to the affected spot: sprinkle, anoint, or bind as appropriate.
Repeat as needed in a set count (commonly thrice), concluding with a dismissal of the poison-power.
Kauśika Sūtra: viṣa-pratikriyā (poison counter-rite) employing AV 5.13; recited while applying a counter-agent (water/herb/amulet) to the bite (edition-dependent numbering).
Atharvan priest as diagnostician-by-naming: identifies the poison’s ‘family’ and transfers the mantra’s ‘arasa-making’ force into the applied medium.
Recite over the affected person; traditionally may accompany application of antidotal substances (herbs, washing) though not named here; today: recite while seeking emergency treatment.
Immediately after bite/poison suspicion; repeat at intervals until care is reached.
Household healer or specialist; the efficacy is tied to correct name-recitation and calm control of the scene.
Use as focused speech during first aid and transport; keep patient reassured.
Poison (viṣa); Genealogical naming (mother/daughter/class) as binding technology
Poison is treated like a living clan; the mantra acts as an antidotal ‘drying agent’ by stripping rasa and status through speech.
Poison/venom; possibly specific envenomation type represented by ‘Prataṅka’ in tradition.
Genealogical naming + impurity degradation + declaration of saplessness to drain venom potency; ritually ‘cuts’ the poison’s reproductive capacity.
Viṣa-cikitsā: mantra as adjunct; conceptually akin to ‘viṣa-śoṣaṇa’ (drying/neutralizing) strategies.
Structured threat appraisal and calming narration while urgent care proceeds.
Prataṅka (and the Dadr̥śī group); the poison in the patient.
Neutralize Prataṅka and all related poison agencies by exposing origin and declaring viṣa sapless.
Genealogical binding (mother/daughter/class) + impurity marking (dāsī-siknī) + rasa-draining decree (arasam viṣam).
Venom potency and spread; recurrence from ‘related’ toxins.
- उरुगूला (urugūlā)
- source-matrix of toxicity; the ‘root’ of the venom-line
- दुहिता (duhitā)
- derivative manifestation; secondary outbreak of the root toxin
- दास्यसिक्न्या (dāsyasiknyā)
- ritual degradation/impurity marking to strip power
- प्रतङ्क (prataṅka)
- a specific venom-vector singled out for binding
- दद्रुषी (dadr̥śī)
- a swarm-category of toxic agencies; epidemiology of poison
- अरस (arasa)
- drained potency; venom neutralized
- विष (viṣa)
- hostile invasive substance-force
Drying the toxin: cultivate a cool, precise mind that ‘classifies’ and drains the poison’s force.
Manipura
Cooling breath (śītali/śītkārī) only if safe and appropriate; otherwise slow exhale to maintain calm.
Dark venom-lineage as a withering vine; on each recitation it dries and crumbles into dust.
Clear, diagnostic, unshaken.
Chant with exact articulation of names; hold the intention ‘arasam’—let the poison lose ‘juice’ and movement.
Name-heavy verse: keep steady pitch; emphasize the final ‘arasam viṣam’ as the operative verdict.
Slight pause after each genealogical unit: urugūlāyāḥ | duhitā | jātā | dāsyasiknyāḥ ||
Controlled, ‘forensic’ firmness; not emotional.
Treat ‘arasam’ as the technical performative: the mantra’s goal is śoṣaṇa (drying) of venom potency.
21 times
Emergency response and immobilization; Reassuring speech to patient; Follow evidence-based first aid for bites/stings per local health authority
Poisoning/envenomation anxiety or actual suspected bite/sting.
Immediately while arranging medical help; during transport to maintain calm and focus.
Traditional neutralization framing; reduced panic; sense of control and containment.
Urgent medical care is primary; do not attempt dangerous traditional procedures; monitor breathing and consciousness.
The mantra functions as a classificatory ‘diagnosis’ and coercion; the botanical or aqueous medium (if used) becomes the carrier of the ‘arasa’ transformation. The verse’s totalizing scope (‘of them all’) supports broad-spectrum application when the exact creature is uncertain.
The stigmatized maternal label ‘dāsī-siknī’ encodes social hierarchy into etiological myth: poison is linked to marginal/impure origins. The priest’s speech reasserts normative order by locating danger in a controllable, named ‘other.’
The dense proper-name cluster and quasi-mythic genealogy are more typical of AV charm-style than RV hymn-theology. The predicate-less, injunctive-like ending (‘arasaṃ viṣam’) suits performative charm syntax.
Gopatha’s Atharvanic hermeneutic privileges correct identification and application: naming the poison’s ‘birth’ is a means of ritual control, enabling the priest to ‘turn’ viṣa into a powerless state through brahman (effective utterance).
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Atharva Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
