Sukta 28
दीर्घायुःप्राप्तिः। तुभ्यमेव जरिमन् वर्धतामयं मेममन्ये मृत्यवो हिंसिषुः शतं ये। मातेव पुत्रं प्रमना उपस्थे मित्र एनं मित्रियात् पात्वंहसः
túbhyam evá járiman vardhatām ayáṃ mé mam anyé mṛtyávo hiṃsiṣúḥ śatáṃ yé | mātéva putráṃ prámanā upásthe mitrá enaṃ mitríyāt pātv áṃhasaḥ
To thee, yea—to Age—let increase be given: let not the other Deaths, a hundred-fold, do hurt to this my man, to me. As a mother, kindly-minded, holds her son upon her lap, so may Mitra, by his friendly might, guard him from distress.
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (specific r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī tradition for this hymn).
Devata: Jariman (Old Age as auspicious longevity) and Mitra (protector through friendship/order).
Chandas: Mixed/Triṣṭubh-like cadence (edition-dependent; Atharvanic meters here often align with triṣṭubh/jagatī patterns rather than strict anuṣṭubh).
{"primary_rasa":"karuna","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_arc":"From vulnerability before ‘many deaths’ to tender protection and calm endurance.","listener_experience":"Feels cared for; grief/fear is met with holding and guarding.","intensity":5}