Mantra 21

Sukta 4

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

इन्द्रो यातूनामभवत् पराशरो हविर्मथीनामभ्या३विवासताम्। अभीदु शक्रः परशुर्यथा वनं पात्रेव भिन्दन्त्सत एतु रक्षसः

IAST Transliteration

índro yātū́nām abhavat parāśaró havírmathīnām abhyā́vivāsatām | abhī́du śakráḥ paraśúr yáthā vánam pā́treva bhindán satá etu rákṣasaḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Indra hath become the expeller of the yātu-powers, of those who, drawing near, would churn and mar the oblation. Thereon the Mighty One—an axe as it were to a forest—cleaving like vessels, let the present Rākṣas depart away.

Word by Word

इन्द्रःIndra

यातूनाम्of sorcerers/demons (yātus)

अभवत्became/was

पराशरःthe expeller/one who drives away (epithet: ‘Parāśara’)

हविर्मथीनाम्of the oblation-stirrers/pressers (haviḥ-mathins)

अभ्याविवासताम्may they be made to withdraw/leave; may they be driven away

अभीदुindeed, straightway, against (them)

शक्रःthe Mighty one (Śakra/Indra)

परशुःan axe

यथाas, just as

वनम्a forest/wood

पात्राwith a vessel/cup (as an instrument)

इवlike

भिन्दन्splitting, cleaving

सतःof the existent/true (one)

एतुlet (it) go/come forth

रक्षसःthe demon/evil spirit (Rākṣas)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition

Devata: Indra (explicit)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable; verify)

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"vira","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_arc":"From threat to firm clearing to calm banishment.","listener_experience":"A sense of ritual cleanliness and restored authority.","intensity":7}