Mantra 17
Sukta 5
Sanskrit (Devanagari)
तस्माद् वै ब्राह्मणानां गौर्दुराधर्षा विजानता
IAST Transliteration
tasmā́d vái brāhmaṇā́nāṃ gáur durā́dharṣā vijānatā́
English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)
Therefore, verily, the Brahmins’ cow is not to be assailed—so should the man of understanding know.
Translation
C’est pourquoi, en vérité, la vache des brahmanes est inattaquable, qu’on ne doit pas assaillir — ainsi doit le savoir l’homme avisé.
Word by Word
तस्मात्therefore; from that
तस्मात्:
Apādāna
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
वैindeed; surely
वै:
—
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (निपात)
ब्राह्मणानाम्of the Brahmins
ब्राह्मणानाम्:
Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
गौःthe cow
गौः:
Kartā (subject) / Adhikaraṇa of predication
TypeNoun
Rootगो (प्रातिपदिक)
दुराधर्षाhard to assail; inviolable
दुराधर्षा:
Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa
TypeAdjective
Rootदुराधर्ष (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्-उपसर्ग + √धृष् ‘धर्षणे/अभिभवे’ से निष्पन्न विशेषण)
विजानताby/for the one who knows; knowing
विजानता:
Karaṇa (instrument/agentive instrumental: ‘by/for one who knows’)
TypeAdjective
Rootवि + √ज्ञा (जानने) → ‘विजानत्’ (वर्तमान कृदन्त, शतृ)
Attribution
Rishi: Atharvanic/Angirasa milieu (hymn-level tradition).
Devata: Go (cow) as protected sacral property; implicit Brahman (authority).
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-like (gnomic).
Mantra Rasa
{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"vira","emotional_arc":"From calm assertion to firm moral resolve.","listener_experience":"A sense of taboo and clarity—‘this line must not be crossed.’","intensity":4}