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Mantra 1

Sukta 24

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

शत्रुनाशनम्। शेरभक शेरभ पुनर्वो यन्तु यातवः पुनर्हेतिः किमीदिनः । यस्य स्थ तमत्त यो वः प्राहैत् तमत्त स्वा मांसान्यत्त

IAST Transliteration

śatrunāśanam | śérabhaka śérabha púnar vo yantu yātávaḥ púnar hetíḥ kímīdinaḥ | yásya sthá tám atta yó vaḥ práhait tám atta svā́ māṁsā́ny atta |

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Enemy-destruction. O Śerabhaka, O Śerabha! Back unto you let the sorcerers return; back the missile, (back) the Kīmīdin injurers. Whose ye are, him devour; who hath sent you forth, him devour; devour his own flesh.

Word by Word

शत्रुनाशनम्(this) enemy-destroying (charm/act)

शेरभकO śerabhaka (name of a being/agent; obscure)

शेरभO śerabha (name/epithet; obscure)

पुनःagain, back

वःof you / your

यन्तुlet (them) go/return

यातवःthe yātus (demons/evil beings)

पुनःagain, back

हेतिःthe missile/weapon (harmful impulse)

किमीदिनःthe kīmīdins (noxious beings/biters; harmful agents)

यस्यwhose

स्थyou are

तम्him/that one

अत्तeat (you all)! / devour!

यःwho

वःto you

प्राहैट्struck/abandoned (you) (reading uncertain)

तम्him/that one

अत्तeat/devour!

स्वाown, your own

मांसानिflesh (pieces of flesh)

अत्तeat/devour!

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic/Angirasa tradition (specific r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī; commonly treated as Atharvanic counter-sorcery material).

Devata: Apotropaic devouring power (personified as śerabha/śerabhaka) and the targeted hostile agencies (yātus, kīmīdins, heti).

Chandas: Predominantly Anuṣṭubh-like cadence (Atharvanic pragmatic verse; exact metrical scan uncertain due to textual irregularities and vocatives).

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"raudra","secondary_rasa":"vira","emotional_arc":"Declaration of intent → command of reversal → punitive consumption → final sealing.","listener_experience":"Protective ferocity and relief; sense of being defended by a fierce guardian-force.","intensity":9}