Mantra 1

Sukta 28

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अरिष्टक्षयणम्। ऋचा कपोतं नुदत प्रणोदमिषं मदन्तः परि गां नयामः । संलोभयन्तो दुरिता पदानि हित्वा न ऊर्जं प्र पदात् पथिष्ठः

IAST Transliteration

ṛcā́ kapótaṁ nudata práṇoda míṣaṁ mádantaḥ pári gā́ṁ nayāmaḥ | saṁlobháyanto duritā́ padā́ni hitvā́ na ūrjáṁ prá padāt pathíṣṭhaḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

With a verse thrust ye the Pigeon forth—drive him away: with bait, exulting, we will lead him round unto the open ground; enticing him, let him leave behind the evil tracks, and step forth from our nourishment by the best of paths.

Word by Word

• ऋचा: with a ṛc (hymn/verse)
• ऋचा: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋच् (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक ‘ऋच्/ऋचा’ = ऋग्वाणी) अथवा ‘ऋचा’ (इन्स्ट्रु. एक.)

• कपोतम्: the pigeon/dove
• कपोतम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपोत (प्रातिपदिक)

• नुदत: push away; drive off
• नुदत: (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नुद् (धातु)

• प्रणोद: drive forth; expel
• प्रणोद: (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नुद् (धातु) → ‘प्रणोद’ (आज्ञार्थ-रूप/वेदिक रूप) अथवा ‘प्रणुद’ का संहितारूप

• मिषम्: food; prey; bait
• मिषम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिष (प्रातिपदिक; ‘मिष’ = भोजन/आहार, prey) अथवा ‘मिष्’ (धातु) से भाव

• मदन्तः: rejoicing; exhilarated
• मदन्तः: कर्तृ (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद् (धातु) → वर्तमान कृदन्त ‘मदन्त्’

• परि: around; about
• परि: (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• गाम्: the cow
• गाम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो/गाव् (प्रातिपदिक ‘गो’)

• नयामः: we lead; we bring
• नयामः: (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)

• संलोभयन्तः: enticing; luring
• संलोभयन्तः: कर्तृ (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-लुभ् (धातु) → णिच् ‘संलोभय’ + शतृ

• दुरितानि: evils; misfortunes
• दुरितानि: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुरित (प्रातिपदिक)

• पदानि: tracks; steps; paths
• पदानि: कर्म (द्वितीय-सम्बन्ध; ‘पदानि’ = tracks/steps)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)

• हित्वा: having abandoned; leaving
• हित्वा: (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु) → क्त्वा-प्रत्यय

• नः: for us / of us
• नः: सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (contextual)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)

• ऊर्जम्: strength; nourishment
• ऊर्जम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्ज् (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)

• प्र: forth; forward
• प्र: (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• पदात्: from the step/track; from the footing
• पदात्: अपादान
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्/पदा (प्रातिपदिक ‘पद’/‘पदा’)

• पथिष्ठः: standing on the path; most on-the-path (surest)
• पथिष्ठः: कर्तृ (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पथि-स्थ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पथि’ + ‘स्थ’ = path-standing) अथवा ‘पथिष्ठ’ (विशेषण)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (arishta-kṣayaṇa complex)

Devata: Primarily the operative mantra-force (ṛc) and the household’s Śānti/Ūrj; adversary is the omen and attached durita

Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like (AV irregular)

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"vira","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_arc":"From alertness to decisive removal, ending in calm assurance of an auspicious exit.","listener_experience":"Empowered, practical confidence—‘we know what to do’.","intensity":6}