Mantra 1
Sukta 26
दिक्षु आत्मरक्षा। ये३स्यां स्थ प्राच्यां दिशि हेतयो नाम देवास्तेषां वो अग्निरिषवः । ते नो मृडत ते नोऽधि ब्रूत तेभ्यो वो नमस्तेभ्यो वः स्वाहा
yé ’syā́m stha prā́cyāṃ diśí hetáyo nā́ma devā́s téṣāṃ vo agnír íṣavaḥ | té no mṛḍata té no ’dhí brūta tébhyo vo námas tébhyo vaḥ svā́hā ||
Ye who are stationed in this eastern quarter—gods called the Impellers—of you those arrows are Agni. Be gracious unto us; speak ye in authority over us. To you be reverence; to you be svāhā.
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (often treated as anonymous/collective for dik-rakṣā hymns in later indexing)
Devata: Deities of the eastern quarter called Hetayaḥ; Agni as their missile-force
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-like cadence (refrain-driven; close to anuṣṭubh in practical recitation)
{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"adbhuta","emotional_arc":"From formal address to reassurance (graciousness) to sealing alliance (namas/svāhā).","listener_experience":"Calm orientation; sense of being ‘covered’ by guardians at the eastern boundary.","intensity":4}