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Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (anukramaṇī-dependent).
Devata: Dundubhi (personified drum) allied with Indra
Chandas: Jagatī/triṣṭubh-like mixed cadence (edition-dependent).
Is mantra mein dundubhi yani war-drum ko ek jeevant shakti banaya ja raha hai. Yeh drum Indra ke saath mil kar dushmanon ko darrane ka kaam karti hai. Iski awaaz aasman mein goonjti hai aur door ke shatruon ka hosh uda deti hai. Mantra kehta hai ki yeh drum buri nishaniyon ko bhaga deti hai. Apne sena ke logon mein himmat bhar deti hai. Rathon mein ladne wale yoddha isse jeet pakadte hain.
Mantra 1
दुन्दुभिः। उप॑ श्वासय पृथि॒वीमु॒त द्यां पु॑रु॒त्रा ते॑ वन्वतां॒ विष्ठि॑तं जग॑त्। स दु॑न्दुभे स॒जूरिन्द्रे॑ण दे॒वैर्दू॒राद् दवी॑यो॒ अप॑ सेध॒ शत्रू॑न्
Dhol bajao aur aasmaan zameen ko jaga do. Saari duniya hil jaaye, sab jagah awaaz fail jaaye. He dhol, tu Indra aur deviyon ke saath mil ke dushman ko door bhaga de. Kitna bhi door ho, unko wahan se hata de.
Mantra 2
आ क्र॑न्दय॒ बल॒मोजो॑ न॒ आ धा॑ अ॒भि ष्ट॑न दुरि॒ता बाध॑मानः । अप॑ सेध दुन्दुभे दु॒च्छुना॑मि॒त इन्द्र॑स्य मु॒ष्टिर॑सि वी॒डय॑स्व
Hey dhol, zor se baj aur awaaz nikaal. Humein taakat de aur himmat de. Buri cheezon pe gussail kar, unhe bhaga de. Tu bura naseeb ko door kar. Tu Indra ki muthi hai, apni taakat dikha.
Mantra 3
प्रामूं ज॑या॒भी॒३मे ज॑यन्तु केतु॒मद् दु॑न्दुभिर्वा॑वदीतु । समश्व॑पर्णाः पतन्तु नो॒ नरो॒ऽस्माक॑मिन्द्र र॒थिनो॑ जयन्तु
Aage badh aur jeet le. Yahan ke log bhi jeet lein. Jhanda wala dhol zor se bajta rahe. Humare log ek saath tooten, ghode ki tarah tez. Hey Indra, humare rath wale log jeet lein.
Because its sound is viewed as an active power: a living, breath-like force that can frighten enemies, remove ill-omens, and carry Indra’s martial energy into the human battlefield.
It is a metaphor of embodiment: the drum becomes Indra’s striking power in sonic form—its thunder functions like a divine blow that drives away durita and hostile forces.
Primarily for battle-protection and victory (rakṣoghna/paustika). It also has a ‘healing’ edge only in the sense of removing durita—misfortune and harmful influences—from the patron’s side.
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