Mantra 18
Sukta 2
Sanskrit (Devanagari)
श्यावाश्वं कृष्णमसितं मृणन्तं भीमं रथं केशिनः पादयन्तम्। पूर्वे प्रतीमो नमो अस्त्वस्मै
IAST Transliteration
śyāvā́śvaṃ kṛṣṇám asitáṃ mṛṇántaṃ bhīmáṃ ráthaṃ keśínaḥ pādayántam | pū́rve pratī́maḥ námo astv asmai
English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)
His dark-horsed, black, sable chariot—crushing, dreadful—of the Long-haired, that makes men fall beneath it: as men of old we meet it; be homage unto him.
Word by Word
श्यावाश्वम्the dark-horsed (one)
श्यावाश्वम्:
कर्म
TypeNoun (compound)
Rootश्यावाश्व (प्रातिपदिक; श्याव- ‘dark’ + अश्व ‘horse’)
कृष्णम्black
कृष्णम्:
कर्म
TypeAdjective
Rootकृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
असितम्dark, swarthy
असितम्:
कर्म
TypeAdjective
Rootअसित (प्रातिपदिक)
मृणन्तम्crushing, destroying
मृणन्तम्:
कर्म
TypeVerb (present participle)
Rootमृ (धातु; ‘to crush, destroy’)
भीमम्terrible, fearsome
भीमम्:
कर्म
TypeAdjective
Rootभीम (प्रातिपदिक)
रथम्chariot
रथम्:
कर्म
TypeNoun
Rootरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
केशिनःof the long-haired one (Keśin)
केशिनः:
सम्बन्ध (genitive)
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootकेशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
पादयन्तम्driving/impelling (it)
पादयन्तम्:
कर्म
TypeVerb (causative present participle)
Rootपद् (धातु) → causative पादयति (‘to make go/drive, set in motion’)
पूर्वेthe former/ancient (ones)
पूर्वे:
कर्तृ
TypeAdjective used substantively
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
प्रतीमःwe approach / we go toward
प्रतीमः:
क्रिया (कर्तृ = वयम्)
TypeVerb
Rootप्रति + इ (धातु; ‘to go toward’) → प्रतीम (वैदिक 1pl pres.)
नमःobeisance, homage
नमः:
कर्तृ (अस्तु-क्रियायाः)
TypeNoun (indeclinable-like in usage)
Rootनमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
अस्तुlet there be
अस्तु:
क्रिया
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु; ‘to be’)
अस्मैto him / for him
अस्मै:
सम्प्रदान
TypePronoun
Rootअयम्/इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → अस्मै
Attribution
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition
Devata: Rudra/Keśin
Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like
Mantra Rasa
{"primary_rasa":"bhayankara","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_arc":"From dread at the crushing chariot to composure through ritual homage.","listener_experience":"Awe and alertness, then relief as fear is placed under sacred order.","intensity":7}