Sukta 128
Rishi: Uncertain/late compilation layer (Book 20); treated as traditional Atharvanic transmission rather than a single early ṛṣi attribution.
Devata: Auspicious qualities personified; effectively the empowered human subject (Tota) under brahmanic potency.
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-like cadence (late AV style; refrain-driven).
《阿闼婆吠陀》20.128 为后期、以反复句推进的赞颂—护符咒，确立一位名为托塔（Tota）的吉祥主体在仪式上“安置妥当”：受膏、佩持护符、以黄金装饰，并在婆罗门法力之下获得正当性。全诗把招致繁荣的称颂与规范约束的主题（对祭祀的忠诚、正确的方位取向、适当的驾轭/配合）交织起来，使护佑、社会承认与成功通过婆罗门的威能而汇聚于此人。
Kind of charm
Mantras
Mantra 1
खिलानि । यः स॒भेयो॑ विद॒थ्यः सु॒त्वा य॒ज्वाथ॒ पूरु॑षः । सूर्यं॒ चामू॑ रि॒शादस॒स्तद् दे॒वाः प्राग॑कल्पयन्
（Khila 附篇偈。）凡堪当集会者，堪当圣会（vidatha）者——既已榨取苏摩（Soma）、为行祭之人（yajvan）——彼人遂得安立。又有太阳，以及彼等吞噬祸害者（riśādasa）；此皆诸天神预先加以安排、使之各得其所。
Mantra 2
यो जा॒म्या अप्र॑थय॒स्तद् यत् सखा॑यं॒ दुधू॑र्षति । ज्येष्ठो॒ यद॑प्रचेता॒स्तदा॑हु॒रध॑रा॒गिति॑
凡在本族之中，不使同族兴盛者——因他竟欲加害友伴；当长者失其谋虑之时，人们便说：此乃“下等之辈”。
Mantra 3
यद् भ॒द्रस्य॒ पुरु॑षस्य पु॒त्रो भ॑वति दाधृ॒षिः । तद् वि॒प्रो अब्र॑वीदु॒ तद् ग॑न्ध॒र्वः काम्यं॒ वचः॑
当富足之人得生一子，胆气无畏——此事，受感之祭司确已宣说；此乃乾闼婆所喜、所愿之言。
Mantra 4
यश्च॑ प॒णि रघु॑जि॒ष्ठ्यो यश्च॑ दे॒वां अदा॑शुरिः । धीरा॑णां॒ शश्व॑ताम॒हं तद॑पा॒गिति॑ शुश्रुम
无论那般般尼（Paṇi），最善于攫取者；或那不向诸神献供者——我从智者、恒常者处听闻：此人名为“被弃逐者”。
Mantra 5
ये च॑ दे॒वा अय॑ज॒न्ताथो॒ ये च॑ पराद॒दिः । सूर्यो॒ दिव॑मिव ग॒त्वाय॑ म॒घवा॑ नो॒ वि र॑प्शते
那些不曾献祭的诸神——又那些把祭仪弃置一旁的——如同太阳仿佛已行至天界；那“慷慨者”（Maghavā）却使我们分裂、撕裂开来。
Mantra 6
योना॒क्ताक्षो॑ अनभ्य॒क्तो अम॑णि॒वो अहि॑र॒ण्यवः॑ । अब्र॑ह्मा॒ ब्रह्म॑णः पु॒त्रस्तो॒ता कल्पे॑षु सं॒मिता॑
其眼未曾涂膏，自身亦未涂膏；无护符（maṇi），无黄金；虽为婆罗门之子，却非婆罗门——然而为诵赞者，在诸祭式中度量得当、合乎仪轨。
Mantra 7
य आ॒क्ताक्षः॑ सुभ्य॒क्तः सुम॑णिः॒ सुहि॑र॒ण्यवः॑ । सुब्र॑ह्मा॒ ब्रह्म॑णः पु॒त्रस्तो॒ता कल्पे॑षु सं॒मिता॑
其眼已如法涂抹、善加膏饰；具善护符（maṇi），并备足好金；为善婆罗门、婆罗门之子——托塔（Tota）于诸仪轨（kalpa）中，度量得当，安置端正。
Mantra 8
अप्र॑पा॒णा च॑ वेश॒न्ता रे॒वां अप्रति॑दिश्ययः । अय॑भ्या क॒न्या कल्या॒णी तो॒ता कल्पे॑षु सं॒मिता॑
不耗散，且入于家室；富饶，不可指摘。善护之处女，吉祥者——托塔（Tota），于诸《劫波》（Kalpa，仪轨）中，已被如法量定而安置。
Mantra 9
सुप्र॑पा॒णा च॑ वेश॒न्ता रे॒वान्त्सुप्रति॑दिश्ययः । सुय॑भ्या क॒न्या कल्या॒णी तो॒ता कल्पे॑षु सं॒मिता॑
善施饮食之赐，且入于家室；兴盛，广受称许。善护之处女，吉祥者——托塔（Tota），于诸《劫波》（Kalpa，仪轨）中，已被如法量定而安置。
Mantra 10
परि॑वृ॒क्ता च॒ महि॑षी स्व॒स्त्या च यु॒धिंग॒मः । अना॑शुर॑श्चाया॒मी तो॒ता कल्पे॑षु सं॒मिता॑
被拣选而立为王后者；以安泰，并为赴战之行者。不朽者——恰亚弥（Chāyāmī）；托塔（Tota），于诸《劫波》（Kalpa，仪轨）中，已被如法量定而安置。
Mantra 11
वा॒वा॒ता च॒ महि॑षी स्व॒स्त्या च यु॒धिंग॒मः । श्वा॒शुर॑श्चाया॒मी तो॒ता कल्पे॑षु सं॒मिता॑
瓦瓦塔（Vāvātā）与王后（Mahīṣī）；以安泰（svastí）与赴战者（yudhiṃgama）；以犬守护之力（或名“Śvāśura”）——恰亚弥（Chāyāmī）；托塔（Tota）于诸仪轨（kalpa）中，皆已如法量定而安置。
Mantra 12
यदि॑न्द्रा॒दो दा॑शरा॒ज्ञे मानु॑षं॒ वि गा॑हथाः । विरू॑पः॒ सर्व॑स्मा आसीत् सह य॒क्षाय॒ कल्प॑ते
若在那十王之战之日，因陀罗啊，你跃入人间的战阵之中——则彼者形相乖异，众目共见；与汝同在，此（咒法）为夜叉（Yakṣa）而备就。
Mantra 13
त्वं वृ॑षा॒क्षुं म॑घव॒न्नम्रं॑ म॒र्याकरो॒ रविः॑ । त्वं रौ॑हि॒णं व्यास्यो॒ वि वृ॒त्रस्याभि॑न॒च्छिरः॑
你，雄健者，摩伽梵啊，使弗利沙克苏（Vṛṣākṣu）俯伏，令其屈从；连太阳（Ravi）亦宣告此功业。你张开颚口，击落弗利特罗（Vṛtra）之首，将其劈裂。
Mantra 14
यः पर्व॑ता॒न् व्य॑दधा॒द् यो अ॒पो व्य॑गाहथाः । इन्द्रो॒ यो वृ॑त्र॒हान्म॒हं तस्मा॑दिन्द्र॒ नमो॑ऽस्तु ते
彼分裂群山者，彼潜入诸水者——因陀罗，伟大的弗利特罗杀者（Vṛtrahan）：因此，因陀罗啊，愿敬礼归于你。
Mantra 15
पृ॒ष्ठं धाव॑न्तं ह॒र्योरौच्चैः॑ श्रव॒सम॑ब्रुवन्। स्व॒स्त्यश्व॒ जैत्रा॒येन्द्र॒मा व॑ह सु॒स्र॑म्
两匹枣色骏马之中，当那背脊疾驰向前时，他们高声呼唤求取荣光：“愿吉祥临于你，骏马；为得胜利，请把因陀罗（Indra）载来此处——奔行良善而平稳。”
Mantra 16
ये त्वा॑ श्वे॒ता अजै॑श्रव॒सो हार्यो॑ युञ्जन्ति॒ दक्षि॑णम्। पूर्वा॒ नम॑स्य दे॒वानां॒ बिभ्र॑दिन्द्र महीयते
那些人——白色的阿阇伊施罗婆斯（Ajaiśravas）——为你在右侧套上枣色骏马；承载诸神自古的敬礼，因陀罗（Indra）啊，他因此被尊崇而显大。
Inside Sukta 128
How it unfolds
- How it opens
Begins in a stotra-like mode that frames the rite as establishing auspicious conditions and correct ritual alignment, with cosmic powers (Sūrya/Indra) implicitly/explicitly available as witnesses and enforcers.
- What it asks
That the named subject be ‘well-set’ in the ordinances—anointed, amulet-protected, gold-endowed, and recognized as brahmanically legitimate—so prosperity and protection become stable and publicly effective.
- Where its power lies
Efficacy is asserted through enumerated auspicious markers (unctuous anointment, maṇi, hiraṇya) plus the claim of correct measure/placement in kalpa; disruption is countered by invoking the separating/enforcing power associated with neglected sacrifice.
- How it closes
Concludes by magnifying Indra through correct yoking and right-sided orientation, sealing the rite with victorious, auspicious alignment and inherited divine homage.
Famous verses
कल्पेषु संमितादक्षिणम्Kind of hymn
Paustika (Prosperity) / Saṃskāra-commendatory (praise of auspicious persons/conditions)
What it is for
To produce prosperity and protective auspiciousness by ritually marking and praising the subject as properly anointed, amulet-protected, gold-endowed, and brahmanically authorized; simultaneously to avert disruption linked to neglect of yajña and to secure right-ordered divine support.
Who it is for
Householders and officiants (brahman/atharvan-practitioners) performing prosperity/commendation rites, especially when publicly establishing a person’s auspicious standing (initiation-like, appointment, or honorific contexts).
Also used as
- Saṃskāra-commendatory
- Śāntika
- Apotropaic / norm-enforcement
The deity
The hymn’s operative ‘deity’ is auspicious qualification itself—ritual fitness, splendor, and protection—personified in the empowered human subject (Tota) and backed by cosmic witnesses/enforcers (Sūrya) and victory-granters (Indra).
Powers of the deity
- Confers śrī-like prosperity through visible markers (gold, anointment, amulet)
- Stabilizes ritual correctness and social legitimacy (“kalpeṣu saṃmitā”)
- Protects the community by separating from non-sacrificial disorder
- Magnifies Indra’s aid through correct yoking, right-sided orientation, and inherited divine homage
Why the deity is called
To ‘install’ auspiciousness around Tota and the ritual setting, ensuring prosperity and protection while reaffirming fidelity to sacrifice and correct ritual procedure.
The seer
- Anonymized Atharvanic redaction (Book 20, RV-derived layer; no single early ṛṣi fixed)Atharvan. Paustika and saṃskāra-commendatory stotra-style charms: establishing auspicious marks (anointment, maṇi, hiraṇya), ritual correctness (kalpa), and socially effective brahmanic legitimacy; also apotropaic norm-enforcement against abandonment of sacrifice.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV 20.127
- AV 20.129
- AV 20.135
Preparing for the rite
- Purify the space and performer with water-sprinkling (ācaman/prokṣaṇa).
- Prepare an unguent for auspicious anointment (especially for eyes/forehead) and set aside hiraṇya (gold) and a maṇi (amulet/jewel).
- Seat the beneficiary (e.g., Tota) facing an auspicious direction; arrange right-sided (dakṣiṇa) placements as a marker of correctness.
- Establish calm: light a simple fire or lamp if customary; gather witnesses/elders for ‘commendation’ effect.
The rite
- Anoint the beneficiary (notably eyes/forehead) while reciting the praise-verses that enumerate auspicious marks (e.g., 20.128.7).
- Affix or display the maṇi and place/offer hiraṇya as a prosperity-token; recite the refrain-driven sections to ‘set’ the qualities.
- Recite the norm-enforcement verse(s) to separate the rite from non-sacrificial fault (e.g., 20.128.5) as a protective boundary.
- Conclude with Indra-magnification/yoking imagery (e.g., 20.128.16), emphasizing right orientation (dakṣiṇa) and successful harnessing of power.
What it needs
- Anointing unguent (ghṛta-based or fragrant ointment)
- maṇi (amulet/jewel)
- hiraṇya (gold)
- Water for purification
When
Preferably in the morning or at an auspicious muhurta; suitable at beginnings (installations, commencements, honorific rites) or before public/ritual performance.
The main substance
maṇi (amulet/jewel) with hiraṇya (gold) as prosperity-token
Amulets
- maṇi (protective jewel/amulet)
- hiraṇya (gold piece/ornament used as auspicious wealth-marker)
How it is prepared
Prepare a clean unguent (often ghṛta-based or fragrant paste) for anointing; purify the maṇi and gold with water, then touch/affix them to the beneficiary during recitation, emphasizing right-side placement where applicable.
Frequently Asked Questions
The hymn primarily empowers auspicious qualities (prosperity, protection, ritual fitness) as embodied in the named subject ‘Tota’. It also draws on Sūrya and Indra as cosmic enforcers and magnifiers of right-ordered power.
To establish someone as auspiciously ‘set’—anointed, protected by an amulet, associated with gold/wealth, and ritually legitimate—so that prosperity, protection, and social recognition follow.
An anointing ointment, a maṇi (protective jewel/amulet), and hiraṇya (gold). These are used as visible and ritually charged markers of auspiciousness during recitation.
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