Atharva Veda 2.21.2: Kanda 2, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 21, Mantra 2
Sukta 21
सूर्य॒ यत् ते॒ हर॒स्तेन॒ तं प्रति॑ हर॒ यो॒३स्मान् द्वेष्टि॒ यं व॒यं द्वि॒ष्मः
sū́rya yát te háras téna táṃ práti hara yó ’smā́n dvéṣṭi yáṃ vayáṃ dvíṣmaḥ
O Sūrya, with that thy burning glare—therewith bear him back, him who hateth us, whom we ourselves do hate.
苏利耶啊，以你那灼烈的光焰——就以此将那人反击回去：那憎恨我们者，那我们亦所憎者。
The meaning
What it says
The speaker calls on Sūrya’s haras (burning glare/fierce heat) to ‘bear back’ (prati-har) the hater—returning hostility upon the hostile one.
The inner meaning
Haras is the surge of anger/heat; the mantra ritualizes that heat into a controlled, externalized force so it protects rather than consumes the practitioner.
The truth in it
Fierce energy is not inherently destructive; when aligned with order and directed rightly, it becomes protection and justice.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Abhicarika (counter-sorcery / hostile-reversal); also apotropaic protection by solar agency
Its aim
To repel and redirect hostile hatred/evil intent back upon the aggressor by means of Sūrya’s haras (burning force).
Word by Word
Pada patha
सूर्य । यत् । ते । हरः । तेन । तम् । प्रति । हर । यः । अस्मान् । द्वेष्टि । यम् । वयम् । द्विष्मः ।
- सूर्य
- O SunO Sūrya (Sun); the luminous divine agent invoked as witness and executor of retributive turning-backNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन/प्रथमा एकवचन (हे सूर्य)Role सम्बोधन (address)Root सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- whatever/that whichwhat/which; the particular (sun-)power or property about to be specifiedPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (of implied verb ‘to take/turn back’)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- of you/yourof thee/thy; belonging to SūryaPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive possessor)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हरः
- the yellow/fiery (ray/heat)the ‘yellow/fiery’ force, glare, heat; also the sun’s consuming/retributive energy (apotropaic potency)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ/भाव (subject: ‘the yellow/fiery one’, i.e., ray/heat)Root हर (प्रातिपदिक)
- तेन
- with thatwith that; by means of that very solar force (instrumental of magical agency)Pronounतृतीया एकवचनRole करणRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तम्
- himhim; the hostile person as target of the ritePronounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रति
- towards/againstback, in return, against; marker of reversal/retaliation (pratīkāra)Indeclinableअव्ययRole दिशा/प्रत्यभिमुखता (towards)Root प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- हर
- carry/turn (him) awaycarry off, take away, smite; imperative to Sūrya to remove/transfer the ‘haras’ onto the enemyVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रिया (imperative)Root हृ (धातु) — लोट् मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन
- यः
- whowho; relative pronoun introducing the adversaryPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (relative subject)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मान्
- usus; the ritual patron and his household/community under protectionPronounद्वितीया बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- द्वेष्टि
- hateshates, bears malice toward; the social-ritual condition that legitimizes counteractionVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot द्विष् (धातु)
- यम्
- whomwhom; correlating with the second clause (the one we ourselves hate)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (object of ‘द्विष्मः’)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वयम्
- wewe; the officiant/patron side, explicitly claiming enmity (ritually framed as justified)Pronounप्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- द्विष्मः
- hatewe hate; formal declaration of hostility enabling a ‘return-to-sender’ operationVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot द्विष् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- सूर्य | यत् | ते | हरः | तेन | तम् | प्रति | हर | यः | अस्मान् | द्वेष्टि | यम् | वयम् | द्विष्मः ।
- 1) यो॒३स्मान् = यः + अस्मान् (विसर्ग-सन्धि: अकारादौ ‘अ’ परे विसर्गलोपः; यः अस्मान् → योऽस्मान्; पाठे प्लुत/स्वरचिह्नयुक्त ‘यो॒३’).
- 2) अन्यत्र स्पष्ट संधि-परिवर्तन नहीं
- ‘प्रति’ अव्ययम्, ‘हर’ लोट्-रूपम्।
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic tradition (specific ṛṣi attribution for this verse/hymn depends on Anukramaṇī tradition for AVŚ 2.21).
- Devata
- Sūrya (Sun), as bearer of haras/tejas and agent of retributive return.
- Chandas
- Likely Anuṣṭubh (to be confirmed against pada count in the received text).
- Rasa
- Raudra and Vira
Sāyaṇa takes haras as Sūrya’s tejas (fiery brilliance) capable of afflicting; the mantra is a pratiharaṇa (turning-back) formula: the sun’s heat is entreated to be transferred ‘in return’ upon the hater. The explicit ‘whom we hate’ is read as a ritually sanctioned identification of the adversary, not mere private passion, establishing the adhikāra for counteraction.
Solar ‘haras’ formulas for forceful reversal and boundary defense in domestic conflict settings.
Embodies the Atharvanic idea that cosmic ferocity can be ethically deployed as apotropaic protection when danger is real and named.
Sūrya
Enforcer through heat and visibility; burns away obstruction and punishes transgression by consequence.
Cauterizing symbolism—burning away impurity; supports vigor when invoked with restraint.
Strong repulsion: drives back hostile forces and seals the practitioner’s space.
4×8 (approx.)
Lexical substitution (tapas/haras/arciṣ) within a stable charm-template; emphasis on imperative verb.
Forceful, driving; ‘prati har(a)’ feels like a shove in sound.
Audible ‘push-back’—the mantra’s phonetics enact expulsion.
At sunrise, the Atharvan priest faces the sun with the patron.
He identifies the adversary mentally (or by name in a low voice, per local practice) as ‘yo ’smān dveṣṭi’.
With the recitation of the mantra, he performs a ‘returning’ gesture (hand motion outward and back, or casting away from the patron’s body toward the sun’s direction), signifying prati- (‘back upon him’).
Optionally, he may touch the patron’s head/heart and then extend the hand outward, enacting the transfer of haras away from the protected party.
The rite concludes with a brief silent gaze at the sun, sealing the solar witness and execution.
Kauśika Sūtra: pratiharaṇa / dveṣa-pratīkāra context for Sūrya-mantras.
Atharvan/Brahman as apotropaic technician: he authorizes the reversal (prati-) and channels solar tejas through correct recitation and gesture.
Recite at the threshold or courtyard facing east; visualize a fiery perimeter around the home or body.
Morning sun; also when immediate threat is felt.
Householder can perform; Atharvan specialist for formal enemy-rites.
Use briefly; then shift to calming practices to avoid lingering agitation.
Sūrya’s haras (solar heat/glare) as the operative ‘substance’ (tejas) rather than a plant or amulet
हरः as fierce solar heat (fire-substance).
Haras is ‘fire at the boundary’: it marks a no-crossing line, like a cauterized edge that prevents infection.
Haras aligns with heat/pitta; the charm presumes controlled heat as protective rather than inflammatory.
Somatic boundary assertion; channeling anger into structured action rather than dysregulation.
The hater/enemy.
To repel and return hostility using Sūrya’s fierce glare (haras).
Reversal + expulsion (prati- + har) using deity’s weapon-quality (haras).
Hostile intent, curses, aggressive gaze, and social-spiritual intrusion.
- हरः (haras)
- wrathful protective power; controlled ferocity
- प्रति-हर (prati-har)
- repulsion; pushing back intrusion; energetic eviction
- सूर्य (sūrya)
- authority that sanctions consequence; the ‘law’ of exposure
- द्वेष (dveṣa)
- toxic bond that must be severed
Protective fire at the perimeter: cultivate ‘fierce compassion’—strong boundary without obsession.
Maṇipūra
Short, controlled kapalabhāti-like pulses only if stable; otherwise steady exhale emphasizing ‘prati har’.
A ring of golden-red fire around you; any dark arrow touching it turns back.
Upright, fearless, sharply bounded awareness.
Keep spine tall; chant with firm resolve. Conclude with cooling breath (śītali/slow exhale) to balance haras.
Accentuate sūryá and haráḥ; articulate prati clearly; keep har(a) with a firm ‘h’.
Make the imperative ‘prati har(a)’ the sonic climax; keep the rest even and formulaic.
Commanding, slightly forceful; avoid strain.
Fierce charms are traditionally ‘sealed’ by touching the ground/threshold or making a closing gesture to contain the heat.
21 times
Active conflict, threats, stalking/harassment, or intense envy directed at the household.
Immediately before leaving home or when sensing intrusion; best in daylight.
Strong sense of protection and repulsion; reduced fear; restored agency.
Not for trivial irritations; if anger becomes consuming, stop and cool down.
No plant is named; the operative ‘substance’ is tejas—Sūrya’s haras—treated as a transferable, quasi-material force. This is typical of Atharvanic technology where heat/light functions like a curative/weaponized medium, analogous to herbs in healing hymns but here deployed for reversal against an enemy.
The verse presumes a household/patron under threat and a specialist (Atharvan/Brahman) who can legitimately articulate enmity and effect a sanctioned counteraction. The explicit framing ‘whom we hate’ suggests that hostility is ritually regulated—channeled through priestly speech—rather than merely personal violence, reinforcing the priest’s mediating authority.
The diction is broadly RV-compatible (Sūrya, haras, dveṣ-), but the pragmatic deployment is characteristically Atharvanic: a direct imperative ‘hara’ with prati- for magical reversal, and the explicit social targeting (‘he who hates us’) foregrounds applied ritual speech-acts more than many RV hymns’ praise-structure.
In Gopatha’s general Atharvanic theory, efficacy rests on brahman (formulated speech) correctly applied in karman; solar deities are especially potent as witnesses and punishers because their light ‘sees’ and their heat ‘consumes.’ This mantra exemplifies that logic: the sun’s tejas is invoked as an enforceable power that can be redirected by properly voiced formula and intention.
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