Mantra 4
Sukta 18
Sanskrit (Devanagari)
पिशाचक्षयणमसि पिशाचचातनं मे दाः स्वाहा
IAST Transliteration
piśāca-kṣáyaṇam asi piśāca-cátanaṁ me dāḥ svā́hā
English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)
Thou art the wasting of the Piśācas; bestow on me the driving-forth of the Piśācas—svāhā.
Word by Word
पिशाचक्षयणम्(you are) the destruction/abode-of-decay of the Piśācas; i.e., a Piśāca-destroyer
पिशाचक्षयणम्:
कर्म (असि के साथ विधेय/विशेष्य-रूपेण)
TypeNoun
Rootपिशाच- (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षयण- (प्रातिपदिक; √क्षि/क्षय् ‘क्षय/नाश’ से) अथवा √क्षि ‘क्षय’ + युच्/अन प्रत्यय
असिyou are
असि:
(सम्बन्धक क्रिया; कर्ता = त्वम्)
TypeVerb
Root√अस् (भू/सत्तायाम्)
पिशाचचातनम्a Piśāca-expeller / Piśāca-destroying charm
पिशाचचातनम्:
कर्म (दाः के साथ दातव्य-वस्तु)
TypeNoun
Rootपिशाच- (प्रातिपदिक) + चातन- (प्रातिपदिक; √चत्/चात् ‘नाश/प्रेरण/भग्न’—‘चातयति’ परम्परा)
मेto me / for me
मे:
सम्प्रदान (दाः के साथ ‘मम/मह्यम्’ = to me)
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
दाःgive (grant)
दाः:
(सम्बन्धक क्रिया; कर्ता = त्वम्; कर्म = पिशाचचातनम्)
TypeVerb
Root√दा (दाने)
स्वाहाsvāhā (hail; offering-formula)
स्वाहा:
(मन्त्र-निपात; यज्ञ/आहुति-सूचक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootस्वाहा (निपात/उद्गार)
Attribution
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (exact r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī; commonly Atharvan/Angiras-type for rakṣoghna material)
Devata: Mantra/Charm as personified apotropaic power; functionally directed against Piśācas
Chandas: Mixed/short formulaic; effectively treated as a brief anuṣṭubh-like utterance in ritual use
Mantra Rasa
{"primary_rasa":"bhayankara","secondary_rasa":"raudra","emotional_arc":"From fear of the unseen to forceful purification and relief.","listener_experience":"A strong sense of cleansing; fear replaced by guarded confidence.","intensity":8}