Mantra 1

Sukta 23

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

शत्रुनिवारणम्। नक्तंजातास्योषधे रामे कृष्णे असिक्नि च । इदं रजनि रजय किलासं पलितं च यत्

IAST Transliteration

náktam-jātā́sy òṣadhe rā́me kṛ́ṣṇe ásikni ca | idáṃ rajani rajaya kilā́saṃ palitáṃ ca yát ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Night-born art thou, O Herb—O dark one, black one, yea, black-hued besides. This, O Night, do thou make dark again: the kílāsa, and the grayness—whatsoever it be.

Word by Word

• नक्तंजातासि: You are the night-born (herb).
• नक्तंजातासि: Kartā (नक्तंजाता) + क्रियापद
• Type: Noun+Verb
• Root: नक्तंजाता (प्रातिपदिक) + अस् (धातु)

• ओषधे: O herb!
• ओषधे: (सम्बोधन) संबोधन-सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओषधि (प्रातिपदिक)

• रामे: O dark/black (one)!
• रामे: (सम्बोधन) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)

• कृष्णे: O black (one)!
• कृष्णे: (सम्बोधन) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)

• असिक्नि: O Asiknī / O dark one!
• असिक्नि: (सम्बोधन) विशेषण/नाम
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: असिक्नी (प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• रजनि: O night (dark one)!
• रजनि: (सम्बोधन) संबोधन-सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजनी (प्रातिपदिक)

• रजय: dye / darken / make black
• रजय: क्रियापद
• Type: Verb
• Root: रञ्ज् (धातु)

• किलासम्: white leprosy / skin-whitening disease
• किलासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: किलास (प्रातिपदिक)

• पलितम्: grey/whiteness (grey hair/white discoloration)
• पलितम्: Karma (समुच्चित)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: पलित (प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• यत्: whatever (there is)
• यत्: Karma (अन्वय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Pronoun/Relative
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (often transmitted without a single named ṛṣi for minor healing charms; assigned in some indices to Atharvan/Angiras lineages).

Devata: Oṣadhi (the herb) and Rājanī/Night (personified night-power).

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (4 pādas of 8 syllables; typical of Atharvanic healing charms).

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"adbhuta","emotional_arc":"From concern over whitening → invocation of deep night-power → calm confidence in restoration.","listener_experience":"Cooling reassurance; sense of being gently covered and re-integrated.","intensity":4}