A Mantra from Atharva Veda Used in Warfare

Today we are going to discuss a sukta from Atharva Veda, from the first kanda: Vidma sharasya pitaram.

Vidma sharasya……
There are four mantras in this sukta. Primarily, they are used in warfare. But there are other applications as well. It is also used in Upakarma. Homa with ghee is performed during Atharva Veda Upakarma with these mantras.

Atharva Veda scholars used to play a crucial role in warfare. In fact, their position in the kingdom was next to the king— even above the prime minister. The flagpost of their chariot used to be higher than that of the prime minister, indicating their higher position in the hierarchy.

Before a battle, these mantras are used to energize the bows and arrows. That too — Agni is ignited with firewood of the same wood that is used to make the bow, and in that Agni, ahutis of samidhas of the same wood are given. Similarly, Agni is ignited with firewood of the same wood used to make the arrows, and ahutis are given likewise.

These are very specific instructions, you see. Just doing a havan whichever way you like will not work. Then sampata from these Agnis is used to energize the bow and arrow respectively.

Sampata means something that has touched the flames of the Agni — like a drop of ghee — is taken, and with that, the bow and arrow are touched. This is how the power of the mantra is transferred from the homa kunda to the bow and arrow.

The sutra says, merely by seeing such bows and arrows, the enemies will run away. That much is the power of the mantra. The mantras, in another plane, will create fear in the minds of the enemies, and they will flee.

Now, enemies are not just always external. They can be internal also — like diseases. This sukta is particularly used for curing jawaratisara — dysentery coupled with fever and ulcers in the urinary system.

For this, the mantra chaitanya has to be transferred to the body. A thread made of munja grass is energized with this mantra and tied to the hand or waist of the patient. Medicines energized with these mantras are given to the patient in such cases.

The mantra says — we know who the parents of the arrows are. The father of arrows is Parjanya, the god of rain clouds. The mother of arrows is Prithvi — Bhumi. Arrows are made from trees or bamboos. They grow out of the earth, so she is their mother. They grow only if rain is there. So when Parjanya as father nourishes earth with rains, the trees grow.

Here, by calling out to two natural powers — earth and rain clouds — both of which are divine powers, an ordinary arrow is made powerful with divine energy.

How do you make someone powerful? By giving a designation like IPS. Attaching a tag. Or calling out to the power inside, which is latent.

By telling the arrow — do you know who you are? You are the son of God Parjanya and Goddess Prithvi. The tremendous divine power inside the arrow is woken up. It is like an awakening call.

Parjanya and Prithvi are powerful because they both represent abundance.
Parjanyam bhuridhayasam — Parjanya is capable of giving in abundance.
Prithiveem bhurivarpasam — Upon her only are the various chara and achara beings.

Both stand for abundance, and their son, the arrow, thus has inherited their abundant nature — an abundance of power — which is being awakened now with this mantra.

Jyake……
The bowstring of the enemy's bow is being addressed. You are not aware that we are under the protection of Indra. We have propitiated Indra through yajnas, and we are under his protection. So the arrows originating from you will not be able to touch us.

Oh Indra — make our bodies as strong as rocks. And also, you are famous for your stambhana shakti. You can freeze armies. Please freeze these enemies of ours who are trying to harm us again and again.

Vriksham………….
The enemies have prepared their bows. They have tied the strings to their bows. They are ready to shoot arrows at us.

Oh God Indra, as they shoot at us, deflect those arrows away from us.

Yatha dyam cha…..
Now, mantra for diseases. The thread made of munja grass is addressed. Just as bamboo stands between the sky and earth, let this thread of munja grass stand between the disease and patient — protecting the patient, blocking the diseases from harming the patient.

We are only broadly touching upon this. It is a very deep subject. Each mantra you can take and analyse on and on. There is so much behind each mantra — how each syllable works individually and in unison with other syllables, and so on.

There are many more principles involved. When we say arrow, it is not limited to physical arrows. Arrow can signify so many things, and the mantras can be used in all those situations.

Possibilities of Veda mantras are endless.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi