Mantra 21
Sukta 7
Sanskrit (Devanagari)
असच्छाखां प्रतिष्ठन्तीं परममिव जना विदुः । उतो सन्मन्यन्तेऽवरे ये ते शाखामुपासते
IAST Transliteration
asác-chākhāṃ pratíṣṭhantīṃ paramám iva jánā vidúḥ | utó sán manyánte ’váre yé té śā́khām upā́sate
English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)
Men know a branch of untruth, standing established, as though it were the highest; and the lower sort deem it verily real—those who attend upon that branch.
Word by Word
असत्untrue, unreal, not-being
असत्:
Karma (विशेष्य ‘शाखाम्’ का विशेषण) / Viśeṣaṇa
TypeAdjective
Rootअसत् (प्रातिपदिक; न-प्रत्ययान्त, ‘न सत्’)
शाखाम्branch (figuratively: a branch/lineage/section)
शाखाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootशाखा (प्रातिपदिक)
प्रतिष्ठन्तीम्standing forth/established, taking its stand
प्रतिष्ठन्तीम्:
Karma (विशेषण) / Viśeṣaṇa
TypeVerb (Participle)
Root√स्था (तिष्ठ) + प्रति- (उपसर्ग); वर्तमानकृदन्त ‘प्रतिष्ठन्ती’
परमम्supreme, highest
परमम्:
Karma (उपमान/विशेषणभाव) / Viśeṣaṇa
TypeAdjective
Rootपरम (प्रातिपदिक)
इवas if, like
इव:
— (उपमानसूचक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव (निपात)
जनाःpeople
जनाः:
Kartā
TypeNoun
Rootजन (प्रातिपदिक)
विदुःknow
विदुः:
Kriyā
TypeVerb
Root√विद् (विद्—‘जानना’)
उतोand also, moreover
उतो:
—
TypeIndeclinable
Rootउ (निपात) + तो (समुच्चय/अन्वर्थ) → ‘उतो’
सन्being, true, real
सन्:
Kartā (अन्तर्निहित ‘सन्’—‘being/true’) / Viśeṣaṇa
TypeAdjective (Participle)
Root√अस् (भू) → ‘सत्/सन्’ (वर्तमानकृदन्त)
मन्यन्तेthink, consider
मन्यन्ते:
Kriyā
TypeVerb
Root√मन् (मन्य—‘सोचना/मानना’)
अवरेthe lower/lesser ones
अवरे:
Kartā
TypeAdjective (used substantively)
Rootअवर (प्रातिपदिक)
येwho
ये:
Kartā (सम्बन्धवाचक)
TypePronoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
तेthey
ते:
Kartā
TypePronoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
शाखाम्branch
शाखाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootशाखा (प्रातिपदिक)
उपासतेworship, attend upon, practice
उपासते:
Kriyā
TypeVerb
Rootउप-√आस् (आस्—‘सेवना/उपासना’)
Attribution
Rishi: Atharvanic Skambha-seer tradition
Devata: Implicitly Skambha/Truth (sat) as the highest; no single anthropomorphic deity
Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like (irregular)
Mantra Rasa
{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhayankara","emotional_arc":"Quiet clarity → warning → firm detachment.","listener_experience":"A sobering check against complacency; encourages steady discrimination.","intensity":6}