Aghamarshana Suktam is part of Narayanopanishad (Taittireeya Aranyakam). It is chanted at the time of taking bath praying for release from sins and attaining purity. 

Click below to listen to Aghamarshana Suktam 

The ceremonious bath with Aghamarshana Sukta involves steps:

1. Offering namaskaras to water and Devatas associated with water.
2. Making water safe from danger and pure with mantra.
3. Getting into the water (river, lake, etc.).
4. Invoking holy rivers into the water.
5. Chanting of three mantras briefly describing creation and the importance of water.
6. Taking three dips chanting mantras.
7. Doing achamanam.
8. Taking one more dip.
9. Chanting mantra for removal of unknown/secret sins.
10. Chanting a final mantra.

Aghamarshana Suktam meaning

Here’s the meaning of Aghamarshana Sukta, verse by verse:

हिरण्यशृङ्गं वरुणं प्रपद्ये तीर्थं मे देहि याचितः।
यन्मया भुक्तमसाधूनां पापेभ्यश्च प्रतिग्रहः॥

In the Vedas, Varuna is the lord of water. He is also the Lord of righteousness. Gold stands for purity. Here, Varuna is being described as wearing a crown made of gold symbolizing his pure nature.

I am approaching Varuna seeking water that has got the power to purify me.

Purify me of what?

The sin that I have acquired by eating at an evil person’s home.
The sin that I have acquired by receiving a gift from a sinner.

When you give away something in charity, it is called danam. When you receive something in charity, it is called pratigraha.

When you receive something from a sinner, part of his sin also gets transferred to you.

Varuna is being prayed to provide water to bathe through which such sin will be washed away.

यन्मे मनसा वाचा कर्मणा वा दुष्कृतं कृतम्।
तन्न इन्द्रो वरुणो बृहस्पतिः सविता च पुनन्तु पुनः पुनः॥

Bad deeds are done with the mind, words, and action (मनसा वाचा कर्मणा).

Whatever sin I may have committed with all the three, may Indra, Varuna, Brihaspati, and Savita purify me again and again.

नमोऽग्नयेऽप्सुमते नम इन्द्राय नमो वरुणाय
नमो बारुण्यै नमोऽद्भ्यः॥

The Devatas - Agni, Indra, Varuna, and Varuni (Varuna’s wife) are present in water. They are being offered namaskaras to and also to water.

The above three mantras are pranamas to Devatas associated with water.

यदपां क्रूरं यदमेध्यं यदशान्तं तदपगच्छतात् ॥

Before getting into the water (river, lake, etc.) it is prayed with this mantra that all the impurities and dangers present in the water may go away.

They are of three types:

• क्रूरम् - dangers such as whirlpools
• अमेध्यम् - spit etc.
• अशान्तम् - muddy or turbulent water.

अत्याशनादतीपानाद्यच्च उग्रात्प्रतिग्रहात्।
तन्नो वरुणो राजा पाणिना ह्यवमर्शतु॥
सोऽहमपापो विरजो, निर्मुक्तो मुक्तकिल्बिषः।
नाकस्य पृष्ठमारुह्य गच्छेद्ब्रह्म सलोकताम्॥

These two mantras are for getting into the water.

May King Varuna with his hands remove these -

• Sin on account of whatever I have eaten without offering first to Devas, forefathers, and fellow beings.
• Sin on account of whatever I have drunk without offering first to Devas, forefathers, and fellow beings.
• Sin on account of whatever I have consumed from persons whose means of earning are evil.

Why this should be done?

So that I become free of sins. I become free of rajoguna, I become free of defects such as passion and dislike which cause rebirths.

Free of all these, may I ascend to Brahmaloka which is even above Swargaloka.

यश्चाप्सु वरुणः स पुनात्वघमर्षणः॥

Varuna is the destroyer of sins, hence he is called Aghamarshana. May he purify me.

इमं मे गङ्गे यमुने सरस्वति शुतुद्रि स्तोमँ सचता परुष्णिया।
असिक्निया मरुद्वृधे वितस्तयाऽऽर्जीकीये शृणुह्या सुषोमया॥

Holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Shutudri, Marudvridha, and Arjikiya are being invoked. After listening to this praise they may come and be present in this water along with Parushni, Asikni, Vitasta, and Sushoma.

I am unable to go to each and every such holy river to purify myself. Hence this prayer to bless me by being present here in this water

ऋतं च सत्यं चाभीद्धात्तपसोऽध्यजायत।
ततो रात्रिरजायत ततः समुद्रो अर्णवः॥

As a result of tapas, Rita (truthfulness in the mind) and Satya (truthfulness in words) came into existence and they spread everywhere.

From tapas came into existence night and from the night the ocean.

What is meant by tapas here is the creative power of the Paramatma, his will and wish to create the world of multiplicity. The existence of the world is founded on truth. The concept of truthfulness has to come into existence first, then only the creation of the material world can happen. The truth exists at two levels - mind and speech.

Ratri or night represents the state in which there are no objects. It is only darkness everywhere.

From the darkness came into existence the primal building material which is water (liquid state). At this stage, the whole universe is just water compared here to an ocean.

समुद्रादर्णवादधि संवत्सरो अजायत।
अहोरात्राणि विदधद्विश्वस्य मिषतो वशी॥

Time came into existence from the ocean. There can not be any world experience without Time. Time controls everything.

सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ धाता यथापूर्वमकल्पयत्।
दिवं च पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षमथो सुवः।

The creator just recreated everything - Surya, Chandra, Earth, Atmosphere, Swarga - everything was recreated exactly as they were in the earlier Kalpa.

These mantras reveal in brief the process of creation:

Paramatma - Truth - Darkness - Water - Time - All beings.

The importance of water can be understood from this, how every being has originated from water.

यत्पृथिव्याँ रजः स्वमान्तरिक्षे विरोदसी।
इमाँस्तदापो वरुणः पुनात्वघमर्षणः॥
पुनन्तु वसवः पुनातु वरुणः पुनात्वघमर्षणः।
एष भूतस्य मध्ये भुवनस्य गोप्ता।
एष पुण्यकृतां लोकानेष मृत्योर्हिरण्मयम्।
द्यावापृथिव्योर्हिरण्मयँ सँश्रितँ सुवः।
स नः सुवः सँशिशाधि॥

These three mantras are for taking dips.

May Aghamarshana Varuna remove all the sins that exist on Earth, Atmosphere, and Swarga.

May the Vasus and Varuna purify. He is the protector of both living and non-living beings of both the present and the future.

Varuna provides great worlds for those who perform good deeds. He only sends sinners to Yama’s world. May Varuna provide us Swargaloka.

आर्द्रं ज्वलति ज्योतिरहमस्मि।
ज्योतिर्ज्वलति ब्रह्माहमस्मि।
योऽहमस्मि ब्रह्माहमस्मि।
अहमस्मि ब्रह्माहमस्मि।
अहमेवाहं मां जुहोमि स्वाहा॥

These mantras are for doing achamana after the bath.

Water even if it is wet, it burns like fire (shines forth). That brilliance is me. That brilliance is Brahman. That brilliance is me. I am Brahman.

In that fire which is Brahman, I am offering myself (Brahman) as ahuti.

अकार्यकार्यवकीर्णी स्तेनो भ्रूणहा गुरुतल्पगः।
वरुणोऽपामघमर्षणः तस्मात् पापात् प्रमुच्यते॥

This mantra is for taking a dip once again.

Doing forbidden acts, having illicit relationships, theft, causing abortion, having an illicit relationship with gurupatni - May Varuna release me from all such sins.

रजोभूमिस्त्व माँ रोदयस्व प्रवदन्ति धीरा:।

This is for relief from unknown/secret sins.

I am a ground upon which sins grow. Only you (Varuna) can stop me. Scholars have declared this.

आक्रान्त्समुद्रः प्रथमे विधर्मञ्जनयन्प्रजा भुवनस्य राजा।
वृषा पवित्रे अधि सानो अव्ये बृहत्सोमो वावृधे सुवान इन्दुः॥

This mantra is chanted after the bath.

Varuna (Paramatma) created everything, he protects everything, he fulfills every wish of his devotees. He is present everywhere. He provides results of karma. He is the cause of joy for everyone.

Aghamarshana Suktam lyrics

हिरण्यशृङ्गं वरुणं प्रपद्ये तीर्थं मे देहि याचितः।
यन्मया भुक्तमसाधूनां पापेभ्यश्च प्रतिग्रहः॥
यन्मे मनसा वाचा कर्मणा वा दुष्कृतं कृतम्।
तन्न इन्द्रो वरुणो बृहस्पतिः सविता च पुनन्तु पुनः पुनः॥
नमोऽग्नयेऽप्सुमते नम इन्द्राय नमो वरुणाय
नमो बारुण्यै नमोऽद्भ्यः॥
यदपां क्रूरं यदमेध्यं यदशान्तं तदपगच्छतात् ॥
अत्याशनादतीपानाद्यच्च उग्रात्प्रतिग्रहात्।
तन्नो वरुणो राजा पाणिना ह्यवमर्शतु॥
सोऽहमपापो विरजो, निर्मुक्तो मुक्तकिल्बिषः।
नाकस्य पृष्ठमारुह्य गच्छेद्ब्रह्म सलोकताम्॥
यश्चाप्सु वरुणः स पुनात्वघमर्षणः॥
इमं मे गङ्गे यमुने सरस्वति शुतुद्रि स्तोमँ सचता परुष्णिया।
असिक्निया मरुद्वृधे वितस्तयाऽऽर्जीकीये शृणुह्या सुषोमया॥
ऋतं च सत्यं चाभीद्धात्तपसोऽध्यजायत।
ततो रात्रिरजायत ततः समुद्रो अर्णवः॥
समुद्रादर्णवादधि संवत्सरो अजायत।
अहोरात्राणि विदधद्विश्वस्य मिषतो वशी॥
सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ धाता यथापूर्वमकल्पयत्।
दिवं च पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षमथो सुवः।
यत्पृथिव्याँ रजः स्वमान्तरिक्षे विरोदसी।
इमाँस्तदापो वरुणः पुनात्वघमर्षणः॥
पुनन्तु वसवः पुनातु वरुणः पुनात्वघमर्षणः।
एष भूतस्य मध्ये भुवनस्य गोप्ता।
एष पुण्यकृतां लोकानेष मृत्योर्हिरण्मयम्।
द्यावापृथिव्योर्हिरण्मयँ सँश्रितँ सुवः।
स नः सुवः सँशिशाधि॥
आर्द्रं ज्वलति ज्योतिरहमस्मि।
ज्योतिर्ज्वलति ब्रह्माहमस्मि।
योऽहमस्मि ब्रह्माहमस्मि।
अहमस्मि ब्रह्माहमस्मि।
अहमेवाहं मां जुहोमि स्वाहा॥
अकार्यकार्यवकीर्णी स्तेनो भ्रूणहा गुरुतल्पगः।
वरुणोऽपामघमर्षणः तस्मात् पापात् प्रमुच्यते॥
रजोभूमिस्त्व माँ रोदयस्व प्रवदन्ति धीरा:।
आक्रान्त्समुद्रः प्रथमे विधर्मञ्जनयन्प्रजा भुवनस्य राजा।
वृषा पवित्रे अधि सानो अव्ये बृहत्सोमो वावृधे सुवान इन्दुः॥

Hiranyashri'ngam varunam prapadye teertham me dehi yaachitah'.
Yanmayaa bhuktamasaadhoonaam paapebhyashcha pratigrahah'..
Yanme manasaa vaachaa karmanaa vaa dushkri'tam kri'tam.
Tanna indro varuno bri'haspatih' savitaa cha punantu punah' punah'..
Namo'gnaye'psumate nama indraaya namo varunaaya
Namo baarunyai namo'dbhyah'..
Yadapaam krooram yadamedhyam yadashaantam tadapagachchhataat ..
Atyaashanaadateepaanaad yachcha ugraatpratigrahaat.
Tanno varuno raajaa paaninaa hyavamarshatu..
So'hamapaapo virajo, nirmukto muktakilbishah'.
Naakasya pri'sht'hamaaruhya gachchhedbrahma salokataam..
Yashchaapsu varunah' sa punaatvaghamarshanah'..
Imam me gange yamune sarasvati shutudri stomam' sachataa parushniyaa.
Asikniyaa marudvri'dhe vitastayaa''rjeekeeye shri'nuhyaa sushomayaa..
Ri'tam cha satyam chaabheeddhaattapaso'dhya jaayata.
Tato raatrirajaayata tatah' samudro arnavah'..
Samudraadarnavaadadhi samvatsaro ajaayata.
Ahoraatraani vidadhadvishvasya mishato vashee..
Sooryaachandramasau dhaataa yathaapoorvamakalpayat.
Divam cha pri'thiveem chaantarikshamatho suvah'.
Yatpri'thivyaam' rajah' svamaantarikshe virodasee.
Imaam'stadaapo varunah' punaatvaghamarshanah'..
Punantu vasavah' punaatu varunah' punaatvaghamarshanah'.
Esha bhootasya madhye bhuvanasya goptaa.
Esha punyakri'taam lokaanesha mri'tyorhiranmayam.
Dyaavaapri'thivyorhiranmayam' sam'shritam' suvah'.
Sa nah' suvah' sam'shishaadhi..
Aardram jvalati jyotirahamasmi.
Jyotirjvalati brahmaahamasmi.
Yo'hamasmi brahmaahamasmi.
Ahamasmi brahmaahamasmi.
Ahamevaaham maam juhomi svaahaa..
Akaaryakaaryavakeernee steno bhroonahaa gurutalpagah'.
Varuno'paam aghamarshanastasmaat paapaat pramuchyate..
Rajobhoomistva maam' rodayasva pravadanti dheeraa:.
Aakraantsamudrah' prathame vidharmanjanayanprajaa bhuvanasya raajaa.
Vri'shaa pavitre adhi saano avye bri'hatsomo vaavri'dhe suvaana induh'..

Aghamarshana Suktam benefits

• Removal of sins and problems arising due to them.
• Attaining purity.
• Attaining great worlds such as Swargaloka, and Brahmaloka.

Knowledge Bank

Who are the parents of Veda Vyasa?

Sage Parashara and Satyavati.

What is the significance of Avudai Akkal's realization for women?

The significance of Avudai Akkal's realization for women lies in the fact that her story challenges the traditional patriarchal norms and stereotypes that women are incapable of achieving spiritual enlightenment. Her journey towards realization and her subsequent teachings and writings demonstrate that women can attain the highest spiritual levels and should be respected for their devotion and surrender to a higher power. Avudai Akkal's story serves as an inspiration for women to pursue their spiritual journeys and seek the divine within themselves, breaking free from societal expectations and limitations.