Mantra 26

Sukta 3

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

धाता मा निरृत्या दक्षिणाया दिशः पातु बाहुच्युता पृथिवी द्यामिवोपरि । लोककृतः पथिकृतो यजामहे ये देवानां हुतभागा इह स्थ

IAST Transliteration

dhā́tā mā nírṛtyā dákṣiṇāyā diśáḥ pātu bāhucyútā pṛthivī́ dyā́m iva úpari | lokakṛ́taḥ pathikṛ́to yajāmahe yé devā́nāṃ hutábhāgā ihá sthá ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

May Dhātṛ guard me from Nirṛti, from the southern quarter; and Earth, slipped from my arm, be over me as it were the Sky. The world-ordainers, the path-ordainers—those who have their portion of oblation among the Gods—we worship: here may they stand.

Translation

Que Dhātṛ me protège de Nirṛti, du côté du Sud ; et que la Terre, glissée de mon bras, soit au-dessus de moi comme le Ciel. Les ordonnateurs du monde, les ordonnateurs des voies — ceux qui, parmi les Dieux, ont leur part de l’offrande — nous les honorons : qu’ils se tiennent ici.

Word by Word

धाताDhātṛ (the Creator/Ordainer)

माnot / do not

निरृत्याःfrom Nirṛti (goddess of destruction/misfortune)

दक्षिणायाःof the southern

दिशःdirection (quarter)

पातुmay (he) protect

बाहुच्युताfallen from the arm / slipping from the arm

पृथिवीthe Earth

द्याम्the heaven/sky

इवlike / as

उपरिabove

लोककृतःworld-makers / creators of the worlds

पथिकृतःpath-makers / makers of the paths

यजामहेwe worship / we sacrifice

येwho (those who)

देवानाम्of the gods

हुतभागाःhaving a share of the oblation / oblation-sharers

इहhere

स्थyou are / you stand (are present)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (AV 18 corpus)

Devata: Dhātṛ; anti-Nirṛti protection; cosmic guardians (lokakṛt/pathikṛt)

Chandas: Mixed/irregular

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhayankara","emotional_arc":"From threat (Nirṛti/south) to steadied safety via Dhātṛ and installed guardians.","listener_experience":"A sense of being enclosed and oriented; fear is named and then neutralized by order.","intensity":6}