Mantra 6

Sukta 2

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

कः सप्त खानि वि ततर्द शीर्षाणि कर्णाविमौ नासिके चक्षणी मुखम्। येषां पुरुत्रा विजयस्य मह्ननि चतुष्पादो द्विपदो यन्ति यामम्

IAST Transliteration

káḥ saptá khā́ni ví tatarda śīrṣā́ṇi kárṇāv imáu nā́sike cákṣaṇī múkham | yéṣāṃ purutrā́ vijáyasya máhnani catúṣpādo dvipádo yánti yā́mam

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Who hath bored out the seven openings, the head—these two ears, the nostrils, the eyes, the mouth—of whom, in many a place, by the mighty power of victory, the four-footed and the two-footed go their ordered course?

Word by Word

कःwho? (which one?)

सप्तseven

खानिopenings, apertures (sense-organs)

विapart, asunder, forth

ततर्दpierced, bored, made (them)

शीर्षाणिheads (head-parts)

कर्णौtwo ears

इमौthese two

नासिकेtwo nostrils

चक्षणीtwo eyes

चand

मुखम्mouth

येषाम्of whom/whose

पुरुत्राin many places, variously

विapart, distinctly (as prefix)

जयस्यof victory, of conquest

मह्ननिin greatness, in the great (power/state)

चतुष्पादःfour-footed (creatures)

द्विपदःtwo-footed (creatures/men)

यन्तिgo, proceed

यामम्course, path, march; appointed going

Attribution

Rishi: Traditionally assigned within AVŚ 10.2 to Atharvanic seers (hymn-level attribution varies by anukramaṇī); verse functions as a brahmodya-style question.

Devata: Kaḥ (enigmatic Prajāpati/Skambha; the unknown creator as deity-form)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like cadence (question-style; exact metrical classification depends on pada-scansion)

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"adbhuta","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_arc":"Astonished inquiry → precise bodily awareness → awe at cosmic order → quiet reverence.","listener_experience":"Heightened somatic awareness of face/head; calm respect for breath and senses.","intensity":6}