Mantra 3

Sukta 8

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

यातुधानस्य सोमप जहि प्रजां नयस्व च । नि स्तुवानस्य पातय परमक्ष्युतावरम्

IAST Transliteration

yātudhā́nasya somapa jahí prajā́m náyasva ca | ní stuvāná­sya pātaya paráṃ ákṣyutā́varam ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

O Soma-drinker, smite the Yātudhāna; and lead forth the folk (their offspring). The praiser—cast him down; hurl him far away, O Unshaken, to the nethermost.

Word by Word

• यातुधानस्य: of the demon/witch (yātudhāna)
• यातुधानस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यातुधान (प्रातिपदिक)

• सोमप: O Soma-drinker
• सोमप: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun (vocative)
• Root: सोमप (प्रातिपदिक; सोम + प ‘पिबति’)

• जहि: slay!
• जहि: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)

• प्रजाम्: offspring/people
• प्रजाम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)

• नयस्व: lead (away)/carry off
• नयस्व: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• नि: down, away (as a preverb)
• नि: उपसर्ग
• Type: Indeclinable (preverb)
• Root: नि

• स्तुवानस्य: of (him) who is praising
• स्तुवानस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Participle (verbal adjective)
• Root: स्तु (धातु) → स्तुवान (वर्तमान कृदन्त)

• पातय: cause to fall; strike down
• पातय: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) → पातय (णिच् causative)

• परम: to the farthest point; utterly
• परम: कर्म/गति-निर्देश (अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)

• अक्ष्युत: unfailing; not slipping (i.e., decisively)
• अक्ष्युत: विशेषण (परमम् इत्यस्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + क्ष्युत (क्ष्यु/क्ष्युत्-सम्बद्ध; ‘to slip/fall’)

• अवम्: downward; low
• अवम्: विशेषण (परमम् इत्यस्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव (प्रातिपदिक)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (exact r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī for this hymn)

Devata: Indra (as Somapa, Akṣyuta) as demon-slayer and protector of prajā

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; common for compact apotropaic verses)

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"vira","secondary_rasa":"raudra","emotional_arc":"From threat-recognition to decisive strike, ending in total banishment to the nethermost.","listener_experience":"A sense of firm protection and restored agency; fear is transmuted into command.","intensity":8}