Earlier this week, a wise friend and student asked me about this mantra which has been doing the rounds on What’sApp. She said perhaps it might be nice to share with our Veda chanting group. I shot this suggestion down immediately saying I had absolutely no time or energy for new projects. Homeschooling two kids and figuring out the Webinar world to continue my classes was already taking up all my available resources – time, energy & will-power!!

The very next day, I received from my different teachers, all the resources needed to put this little ‘teaching’ together. The Challakere family sent me a recording through which we can learn the chanting. They also sent me the Devanagari text for this mantra! SAKSHI institute sent me the mantra reference, so it took literally 2 minutes to open it up and find its context, meaning and application. The english transliteration was right there too.

I was able to send a recording of my recitation to Guruji Sreenivasan and he ‘approved’ it. I told him I will teach my children this mantra. He said, you must also teach (or share somehow) with all your students and friends.

So, now I’m left with no excuses. I had to do almost nothing to put this together. So here is everything you need to learn this powerful mantra!!

You can download a copy of the text in English transliteration here:

Atriṇa tvā – download text

Some Devanagari practice:

Meaning:

I was asked what is the name of this hymn? There really isn’t a name, it is just a little excerpt hidden away in the Taittirīya Āraṇyaka 4.36.1 recited for the annihilation of microbes, their leaders, big and small, dark or white and for them to be annihilated at their source. It is an expiatory mantra used in the context of rituals to protect the Gharma (ritual pot) and its contents from insects and microbes. It may also be used in other various other situations, including the protection of our bodies and health from microbes.

I annihilate (hatā) microbes with the grace of Ṛṣi-s Atriṇa, Kaṇva & Jamadagni,
The king (rājā) of insects (microbes) was killed by the gandharva Viśvāvasu,
as well as the supreme leader (īśa) of microbes,
and the source of the microbes (māta & pitā – parents),
The very strong (sthūrāḥ) and the most insignificant (kṣudrāḥ),
White (śvetā) or dark (kṛṣṇā),
The aggressive ones (āśātikā) were annihilated along (saha) with all the white ones.

Here’s an audio lesson straight from my teacher Guruji Sreenivasan, you can repeat after him to learn it!

For those who know our Veda Studies method of Vedic phonetics, you can download the guide here:

Atriṇa tvā – download Vedic phonetics

Here’s my slow recitation with text, for continuing practice!

About prayer:

Do keep in mind what we develop through these practices – a prayerful attitude. In the words of my teachers, a prayer is the only complete, beautiful expression of your free-will. Instead of feeling helpless, we exercise our choice to ‘act’ through prayer, making our own shock-absorbers for everything life throws our way. This attitude helps us with acceptance and makes one feel free. We are therefore not literally destroying microbes by the recitation of this mantra.

So, thanks to my wise friend, my teachers, my cousin (who made the video at lightning speed) who made this little teaching happen. Life is a blessing!

With much love – Shantala