Mantra 4

Sukta 14

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

पुनः कृत्यां कृत्याकृते हस्तगृह्य परा णय । समक्षमस्मा आ धेहि यथा कृत्याकृतं हनत्

IAST Transliteration

púnaḥ kṛtyā́ṃ kṛtyā́kṛte hastagṛ́hya párā naya | samakṣám asmai ā́ dhehi yáthā kṛtyā́kṛtaṃ hánat

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Back to the Kṛtyā-maker lead thou the Kṛtyā, having seized it in the hand; set it upon him, face to face, that it may smite the worker of the Kṛtyā.

Word by Word

पुनःagain, back

कृत्याम्the witchcraft/evil spell

कृत्याthe witchcraft (itself)

अकृतेin/at the innocent (one), in the unoffending

हस्तगृह्यhaving seized by the hand

पराaway, forth

णयlead (you)!

समक्षम्in front, before (him)

अस्मैto him

आtowards, unto

धेहिplace, set (it)!

यथाso that, in such a way that

कृत्याthe witchcraft

अकृतम्the innocent (person), the unoffending one

हनत्strike, smite, harm

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic seer (per Anukramaṇī tradition for AV 5.14)

Devata: Kṛtyā (as manipulable force) and Oṣadhi (implied instrument)

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"vira","secondary_rasa":"raudra","emotional_arc":"From recovery of control (grasp) to bold confrontation (face-to-face) to punitive recoil (smite).","listener_experience":"Empowerment and courage; a sense of ‘I can hold this and move it away.’","intensity":8}