Mantra 7

Sukta 96

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

यदि क्षितायुर्यदि वा परेतो यदि मृत्योरन्तिकं नीऽत एव। तमा हरामि निरृतेरुपस्थादस्पार्शमेनं शतशारदाय

IAST Transliteration

yádi kṣitā́yur yádi vā parétó yádi mṛtyór ántikaṃ nī́ta evá | tám ā́ harāmi nírṛter upásthād aspā́rśam enaṃ śatáśāradāya

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

If his life be wasted, if he be as one departed, if verily he be led nigh unto Death—him do I bring back from Nirṛti’s lap, making him untouched, for a hundred autumns.

Translation

यदि उसका आयु क्षीण हो गया हो, यदि वह मानो परलोक को चला गया हो, यदि वह सचमुच मृत्यु के निकट ले जाया गया हो—तो उसे मैं निरृति की गोद से वापस ले आता हूँ; उसे अछूता (अस्पर्श) बनाकर, सौ शरदों तक (सौ वर्षों तक) के लिए।

Word by Word

यदिif

क्षितायुः(he) whose lifespan is diminished

यदिif

वाor

परेतःgone beyond; departed (as good as dead)

यदिif

मृत्योःof death

अन्तिकम्near; into proximity

नीतः(having been) led

एवindeed; just

तम्him

आtowards; back (preverb)

हरामिI take away; I bring back

निरृतेःof Nirṛti (goddess of destruction/misfortune)

उपस्थात्from the lap/seat (i.e., from the grasp)

अस्पार्शम्untouched; uncontacted

एनम्this one; him

शतशारदायfor a hundred autumns (years)

Attribution

Rishi: AV 20 RV-derived; r̥ṣi attribution uncertain without anukramaṇī cross-check.

Devata: Nirṛti/Mṛtyu as adversarial powers; implicit healer-power of the mantra and officiant

Chandas: RV-style; likely Triṣṭubh (verification pending).

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"adbhuta","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_arc":"From dread and liminality (near Death) to wonder and relief (retrieval; inviolability; long life).","listener_experience":"A sense of being ‘pulled back’ and re-anchored; family experiences reassurance and renewed agency.","intensity":8}