Mantra 10

Sukta 2

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

आर्तिरवर्तिर्निरृतिः कुतो नु पुरुषेऽमतिः । राद्धिः समृद्धिरव्यृद्धिर्मतिरुदितयः कुतः

IAST Transliteration

ārtír ávartir nírṛtiḥ kúto nu puruṣé ’mátiḥ | rā́ddhiḥ sámṛddhir ávyṛddhir matír úditayaḥ kútaḥ

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Distress and ill-course, Destruction—whence, pray, are these in the Person, and folly? Success and full prosperity, and non-prospering; thought and its uprisings—whence are they?

Word by Word

• आर्तिः: distress, affliction
• आर्तिः: Kartā (प्रश्नवाक्ये विषयः) / Adhikaraṇa (विषय-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्ति- (प्रातिपदिक; √ऋ (ऋच्छति/अर्) + -ति (भाववाचक))

• अवर्तिः: non-return/cessation; lack of turning back
• अवर्तिः: Kartā (विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवर्ति- (प्रातिपदिक; a- + वर्ति- (√वृत्/वर्त् ‘to turn/roll, exist’))

• निरृतिः: Nirṛti; destruction, misfortune
• निरृतिः: Kartā (विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरृति- (प्रातिपदिक; निर्- + ऋति- (√ऋ) )

• कुतः: from where? whence?
• कुतः: Apādāna (प्रश्नः—‘कस्मात्/कुतः’)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतस् (प्रश्नाव्यय)

• नु: indeed; then (interrogative particle)
• नु: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (निपात)

• पुरुषे: in a person
• पुरुषे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण—‘पुरुषे’ = in a man/person)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष- (प्रातिपदिक)

• अमतिः: folly, lack of sense
• अमतिः: Kartā (विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमति- (प्रातिपदिक; a- + मति- (√मन् ‘to think’))

• राद्धिः: success, accomplishment
• राद्धिः: Kartā (विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राद्धि- (प्रातिपदिक; √राध् ‘to succeed, prosper’ + -ि) अथवा राध् > राद्धि

• समृद्धिः: prosperity, full increase
• समृद्धिः: Kartā (विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समृद्धि- (प्रातिपदिक; सम्- + ऋद्धि- (√ऋध्/वृध् ‘to grow, prosper’))

• अव्यृद्धिः: non-growth; lack of increase
• अव्यृद्धिः: Kartā (विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यृद्धि- (प्रातिपदिक; a- + व्यृद्धि- (वि- + √ऋध्/वृध्))

• मतिः: thought, intention, understanding
• मतिः: Kartā (विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति- (प्रातिपदिक; √मन् ‘to think’ + -ति)

• उदितयः: risings, upsurges; manifestations
• उदितयः: Kartā (विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदिति- (प्रातिपदिक; उद्- + इति/इति- (√इ ‘to go/come forth’) ; ‘उदित’ भाव)

• कुतः: from where?
• कुतः: Apādāna (प्रश्नः—whence?)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतस् (प्रश्नाव्यय)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic speculative seer (hymn-level attribution varies)

Devata: Nirṛti (as adversary) and abstract powers of prosperity (Rāddhi/Samṛddhi); overarching: Kaḥ/Prajāpati as source-question implied

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-like (scansion-dependent)

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhayankara","emotional_arc":"Begins with threat (Nirṛti) and turns toward confidence in increase; ends in steady inquiry rather than panic.","listener_experience":"Sobering recognition of decline-forces, followed by reassurance that growth-forces can be invoked.","intensity":6}