Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.53.12
चक्रु: सामर्ग्यजुर्मन्त्रैर्वध्वा रक्षां द्विजोत्तमा: ।
पुरोहितोऽथर्वविद्वै जुहाव ग्रहशान्तये ॥ १२ ॥
cakruḥ sāma-rg-yajur-mantrair
[chakruh saama-rg-yajur-mantrair]
vadhvā rakṣāṁ dvijottamāḥ
[vadhvaa rakshaam dvijottamaah]
purohito ’tharva-vid vai
[purohito ’tharva-vid vai]
juhāva graha-śāntaye
[juhaava graha-shaantaye]
Word-for-word
cakruḥ
—
effected
sāma - ṛg - yajuḥ
—
of the Sāma, Ṛg and Yajur Vedas
mantraiḥ
—
with chants
vadhvāḥ
—
of the bride
rakṣām
—
the protection
dvija - uttamaḥ
—
first-class brāhmaṇas
purohitaḥ
—
the priest
atharva - vit
—
who was expert in the mantras of the Atharva Veda
vai
—
indeed
juhāva
—
poured oblations of ghee
graha
—
the controlling planets
śāntaye
—
to pacify .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
cakruḥ sāma-rg-yajur-mantrair
cakruḥ
effected
sāma - ṛg - yajuḥ
of the Sāma, Ṛg and Yajur Vedas
mantraiḥ
with chants
vadhvā rakṣāṁ dvijottamāḥ
vadhvāḥ
of the bride
rakṣām
the protection
dvija - uttamaḥ
first-class brāhmaṇas
purohito ’tharva-vid vai
purohitaḥ
the priest
atharva - vit
who was expert in the mantras of the Atharva Veda
vai
indeed
juhāva graha-śāntaye
juhāva
poured oblations of ghee
graha
the controlling planets
śāntaye
to pacify .
Important Words
-
sāma - ṛg - yajuḥ
—
of the Sāma, Ṛg and Yajur Vedas
Compound of three of the four Vedas. The Atharva is named separately in the same verse. Gauḍīyas treat this as a śruti-completeness signal: the entire Vedic corpus is invoked at the threshold of the Rukmiṇī-haraṇa, blessing the rākṣasa-vivāha to come.
-
rakṣām
—
protection
Accusative of rakṣā. The same word that recurs in śaraṇāgati (rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāsaḥ — trust that He will protect). The brāhmaṇas perform rakṣā; Kṛṣṇa is the rakṣaka, and Rukmiṇī's faith is in Him alone.
-
atharva - vit
—
expert in the Atharva Veda
Compound: atharva + vit (knower). The Atharva is specialized in apotropaic rites against grahas, doṣas, and obstacles. Vyāsa records every precaution Bhīṣmaka took — and Kṛṣṇa walks through them all.
The best of brāhmaṇas chanted mantras of the Ṛg, Sāma and Yajur Vedas for the bride’s protection, and the priest learned in the Atharva Veda offered oblations to pacify the controlling planets.
Purport
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī points out that the Atharva Veda often deals with the pacification of unfavorable planets.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
The best of brāhmaṇas chanted mantras of the Ṛg, Sāma and Yajur Vedas for the bride's protection, and the priest learned in the Atharva Veda offered oblations to pacify the controlling planets.
Commentary
The experts in the atharvana mantras performed sacrifices to appease the unfavorable planets.
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
Vai means famous. The mantras of the Atharva Veda deal with pacifying the planets.
Śrīdhara Svāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
The brāhmaṇas were different from the priest who chanted the Atharva Veda. Vai indicates the distinction.
Related values & verses
Related values
Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Bhakti (Devotion)Saurya (Heroism / Bravery)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)
Related verses
BG 14.1
BG 9.11
BG 12.6
BG 17.3
BG 5.18
BG 3.10
BG 18.64
BG 10.3
BG 10.4
BG 7.8
BG 18.37
SB 4.29.1
BG 3.9
BG 10.1
Concepts
Mantra
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Brāhmaṇas chant Ṛg, Sāma, and Yajur mantras for the bride's protection; the Atharva-vedic priest offers oblations to pacify controlling planets. Multi-tradition ceremony surrounds even ambiguous unions; planetary pacification is taken seriously.
Reflection Questions
- What 'controlling planets' might benefit from pacification in your own life decisions?
- Where do you skip layered protection and rush into events?
Analogy
Four guardians of the four Vedas stand at the four corners of a bridal chamber. The girl inside is named Rukmiṇī, but the protection being woven is for the marriage Kṛṣṇa is about to enact — the Vedas defend Bhagavān's līlā even when the priests think they are defending another match.
My note
Source: vedabase.io