Mantra 21

Sukta 22

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

ब्रह्मज्येष्ठा संभृता विर्याऽणि ब्रह्माग्रे ज्येष्ठं दिवमा ततान । भूतानां ब्रह्मा प्रथमोत जज्ञे तेनार्हति ब्रह्मणा स्पर्धितुं कः

IAST Transliteration

bráhma-jyeṣṭhā́ saṁbhṛtā́ vīryā̀ṇi bráhmā́gre jyeṣṭháṁ divám ā́ tatāna | bhūtā́nāṁ bráhmā prathamóta jajñe ténārhati bráhmaṇā spárdhituṁ káḥ

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Brahman is the eldest: gathered are the potencies. Brahman, in the beginning, as the most excellent, stretched forth the heaven. Of beings Brahmā was born first indeed: who, by that Brahman, is worthy to contend with Brahman?

Word by Word

• ब्रह्म: Brahman (sacred power/absolute)
• ब्रह्म: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• ज्येष्ठाः: the eldest/most excellent
• ज्येष्ठाः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)

• संभृताः: collected, gathered, brought together
• संभृताः: Kartā
• Type: Participle (Adjectival)
• Root: सम्√भृ (भृञ् धारणे) → संभृत (कृदन्त, भूतकर्मणि/कृत)

• वीर्याणि: powers, strengths
• वीर्याणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• अग्रे: in the beginning, at the front
• अग्रे: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Indeclinable (locative adverbial)
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• ज्येष्ठम्: as the foremost/eldest
• ज्येष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)

• दिवम्: heaven, the sky
• दिवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक: दिव)

• आ: forth, unto; (intensifier with verb)
• आ: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)

• ततान: stretched out, extended
• ततान: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तन् (तनुँ विस्तारे)

• भूतानाम्: of beings, of creatures
• भूतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) < √भू (भवति)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā / the Brahman-principle (as agent)
• ब्रह्मा: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) → ब्रह्मा (पुं. प्रथमा एक.)

• प्रथमः: first
• प्रथमः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)

• उत: and also, moreover
• उत: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत (निपात)

• जज्ञे: was born, came into being
• जज्ञे: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (जनँ प्रादुर्भावे)

• तेन: by that, with that
• तेन: Karaṇa
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• अर्हति: is worthy, is fit
• अर्हति: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्ह् (अर्हँ पूजायाम्/योग्यतायाम्)

• ब्रह्मणा: by/with Brahman
• ब्रह्मणा: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• स्पर्धितुम्: to contend, to rival
• स्पर्धितुम्: Karma (of अर्हति: ‘to compete’)
• Type: Infinitive
• Root: √स्पर्ध् (स्पर्धँ संघर्षे/प्रतियोगे)

• कः: who? (i.e., no one)
• कः: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic/Angirasa tradition (late AV cosmological-priestly stratum; specific r̥ṣi attribution varies in ancillary lists)

Devata: Brahman / Brahmā (sacred power personified)

Chandas: Mixed/late style; effectively triṣṭubh-jagatī cadence in parts (not a strict RV-type metrical regularity)

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"vira","secondary_rasa":"adbhuta","emotional_arc":"From cosmic proclamation → consolidation of power → rhetorical victory over all rivals.","listener_experience":"Uplifted authority, confidence, a sense of standing on unshakable ground.","intensity":6}