Mantra 46

Sukta 2

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

प्राणो अपानो व्यान आयुश्चक्षुर्दृशये सूर्याय । अपरिपरेण पथा यमराज्ञः पितॄन् गच्छ

IAST Transliteration

prāṇó apā́nó vyāná āyúś cákṣur dṛśáye sū́ryāya | ápari-pareṇa pathā́ yáma-rājñaḥ pitṝ́n gacha ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Breath, out-breath, pervading breath; life, and the eye—to seeing, to the Sun: by the farther path, the path of King Yama, go thou unto the Fathers.

Word by Word

प्राणःthe in-breath, vital breath

अपानःthe out-breath

व्यानःthe pervading breath

आयुःlife, lifespan

चक्षुःeye, sight

दृशयेfor seeing, for vision

सूर्यायto/for the Sun

अपरिपरेणby a non-circuitous (direct)

पथाby the path

यमराज्ञःof King Yama

पितॄन्the Fathers (ancestors)

गच्छgo

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic funerary tradition (AV 18).

Devata: Yama (as path-lord), Pitṛs, Sūrya (recipient of sight), and the vital breaths as quasi-deities.

Chandas: Mixed/irregular (prose-like anuṣṭubh tendency; typical of directive funerary verses)

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"karuna","emotional_arc":"From solemn inventory of life-functions → quiet release → firm, reassuring dispatch.","listener_experience":"A sense of order at death: ‘nothing is wasted; all returns’; the imperative gives completion.","intensity":6}