Mantra 8

Sukta 18

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

जिह्वा ज्या भवति कुल्मलं वाङ्नाडीका दन्तास्तपसाभिदिग्धाः । ते भिर्ब्रह्मा विध्यति देवपीयून् हृद्बलैर्धनुर्भिर्देवजूतैः

IAST Transliteration

jihvā́ jyā́ bhávati kúlmalaṁ vā́ṅ nā́ḍīkā dantā́s tápasā́bhidígdḥāḥ | táir bhír brahmā́ vídhyati devapīyū́n hṛ́dbalair dhánurbhir devájūtaiḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

The tongue becometh bowstring; the sheath is formed; Speech is the tube, the teeth are arrows, whetted and anointed with ardour. With these shafts the Brahman pierceth the god-portion’s spoilers, with heart-made strengths, with bows by Gods impelled.

Word by Word

• जिह्वा: the tongue
• जिह्वा: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)

• ज्या: (as) a bowstring
• ज्या: कर्तृ/विधेय (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्या (प्रातिपदिक)

• भवति: becomes
• भवति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू

• कुल्मलम्: a swelling; a lump (tumor-like)
• कुल्मलम्: कर्म/विधेय (संदर्भानुसार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल्मल (प्रातिपदिक)

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)

• नाडीका: a tube/channel; (vein-like) duct
• नाडीका: विधेय (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाडीका (प्रातिपदिक)

• दन्ताः: teeth
• दन्ताः: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त (प्रातिपदिक)

• तपसा: by heat/ascetic power
• तपसा: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• अभिदिग्धाः: smeared/daubed over; anointed
• अभिदिग्धाः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective/Participle
• Root: अभि-√दिह् (दिह्) → दिग्ध (कृदन्त)

• ते: they
• ते: कर्तृ
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)

• भिः: with the ‘bhis’ (piercing/terrifying powers; lit. with fears/with piercers)
• भिः: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: भि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘भि’ = भय/भेदन-शक्ति; here as instrumental plural)

• ब्रह्मा: the Brahman-priest; the sacred power
• ब्रह्मा: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• विध्यति: pierces
• विध्यति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्यध्

• देवपीयून्: those who drink the gods’ (draught); god-drinkers (demons/hostile beings)
• देवपीयून्: कर्म
• Type: Noun/Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: देव-पीयू (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास)

• हृद्बलैः: with heart-strengths; with strength from the heart
• हृद्बलैः: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद्-बल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)

• धनुर्भिः: with bows
• धनुर्भिः: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• देवजूतैः: impelled by the gods; god-driven
• देवजूतैः: करण-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव-जूत (प्रातिपदिक; समास, ‘जूत’ = प्रेरित/प्रयुक्त)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic/Angirasa milieu (exact r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī traditions for AV 5.18)

Devata: Brahman (mantra-power) as operative force; implicitly Indra/Devas as impellers (devajūta)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like cadence (Atharvanic mixed meter; not strictly uniform)

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"raudra","secondary_rasa":"vira","emotional_arc":"From crafted readiness (assembling the weapon) to decisive strike against spoilers.","listener_experience":"Empowerment and fierce protection; a sense that disciplined speech can cut through obstruction.","intensity":8}