Mantra 3
Sukta 8
अमूनश्वत्थ निः शृणीहि खादामून् खदिराजिरम्। ताजद्भङ्ग इव भजन्तां हन्त्वेनान् वधको वधैः
amū́n aśvattha níḥ śṛṇīhi khā́dā́mū́n khadirájiram | tājád-bhaṅgá iva bhajantāṃ hántv enān vadhakó vadháiḥ ||
O Aśvattha, rend forth yonder men; devour yonder men, O swift Khādira. Like the snapping of a lash let them be shattered: let the slayer smite them with his smitings.
Rishi: Atharvanic/Angiras attribution (varies by anukramaṇī).
Devata: Aśvattha and Khādira as personified plant-powers; secondarily Indra as slayer-force.
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh
{"primary_rasa":"raudra","secondary_rasa":"vira","emotional_arc":"Escalation from commands to trees → simile of snapping shatter → final authorization of the slayer.","listener_experience":"Adrenalized, forceful; sense of relentless pressure.","intensity":9}