Mantra 23

Sukta 4

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

य एवं विदुषेऽदत्त्वाथान्येभ्यो ददद् वशाम्। दुर्गा तस्मा अधिष्ठाने पृथिवी सहदेवता

IAST Transliteration

yá eváṁ vidúṣe ’dáttvā́ ’thā́nyébhyo dádad vaśā́m | durgā́ tásmā adhiṣṭhā́ne pṛthivī́ sahádevatā́ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Whoso, though knowing thus, hath not bestowed (the vāśā) upon the wise, but giveth the barren cow unto others—perilous for him, in his very station, is Earth, with the Gods for her confederates.

Translation

Quiconque, le sachant, ne donne pas la vāśā au sage, mais offre à d’autres une vache stérile — pour lui, en son propre lieu, la Terre devient périlleuse; les dieux sont ses alliés.

Word by Word

यःwho (he who)

एवम्thus, in this manner

विदुषेto the knower, to the learned one

अदत्त्वाnot having given

अथthen, and then

अन्येभ्यःto others

ददत्giving

वशाम्a cow (vashā; a kind of cow)

दुर्गाhard to pass, difficult (perilous)

तस्मैto him

अधिष्ठानेin/at the seat, in the abode

पृथिवीthe Earth

सहदेवताhaving the gods along with her / accompanied by deities

Attribution

Rishi: Traditionally connected with Nārada and the Atharvanic seer-complex of Book 12 (earth/dharma materials).

Devata: Pṛthivī (Earth), with ‘the Gods’ as co-agents (sahadevatā).

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (predominant in didactic/ethical Atharvanic verses; exact metrical scan may show minor Atharvanic irregularity).

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"bhayankara","secondary_rasa":"raudra","emotional_arc":"From moral clarity (‘knowing thus’) to fear-inducing consequence (Earth becomes perilous).","listener_experience":"A sober warning; deterrent fear that steers toward correct action.","intensity":7}