Mantra 8
Sukta 19
तद् वै राष्ट्रमा स्रवति नावं भिन्नामिवोदकम्। ब्रह्माणं यत्र हिंसन्ति तद् राष्ट्रं हन्ति दुच्छुना
tád vái rāṣṭrám ā́ sravati nā́vaṃ bhinnā́m ivódakám | bráhmāṇaṃ yátra híṃsanti tád rāṣṭráṃ hánti duḥchúnā ||
Verily that realm runneth out and away, as water from a boat that is cloven. Where men do violence unto the Brahman, that realm—by evil ill-luck—he smiteth down.
Rishi: Traditionally Atharvanic/Angirasa attribution for this political-ethical hymn (to be verified against Anukramaṇī for AVŚ 5.19)
Devata: Brahman (sacral power) and the moral order sustaining the rāṣṭra; duḥchunā as baneful counter-force
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (predominant in AV political/ethical stanzas; to be confirmed by metrical count)
{"primary_rasa":"bhayankara","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_arc":"Alarm at leakage → clear causal warning → sober pacification through restraint","listener_experience":"A chilling clarity: protect the moral center or everything drains","intensity":7}