Mantra 21
Sukta 2
Sanskrit (Devanagari)
अहश्च रात्री च परिष्कन्दौ मनो विपथम्
IAST Transliteration
áhaś ca rā́trī ca pariṣkandáu máno vipátham
English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)
Day and Night are the two encircling assailants; the mind (is prone to) the wrong path.
Word by Word
अहःday
अहः:
Kartā (समुच्चितः) / वा कर्म (सन्दर्भानुसार)
TypeNoun
Rootअहन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
चand
च:
—
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
रात्रीnight
रात्री:
Kartā (समुच्चितः) / वा कर्म (सन्दर्भानुसार)
TypeNoun
Rootरात्रि-/रात्री- (प्रातिपदिक)
चand
च:
—
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
परिष्कन्दौthe two roaming/leaping ones (i.e., Day and Night)
परिष्कन्दौ:
Kartā
TypeNoun (agentive) / Adjective
Rootपरि-√स्कन्द् (धातु) → परिष्कन्द- (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; ‘one who leaps/roams around’)
मनःmind
मनः:
Karma (यस्य गमनं/प्रवृत्तिः) / वा Kartā (सन्दर्भानुसार)
TypeNoun
Rootमनस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
विपथम्wrong path, bypath
विपथम्:
Karma (गन्तव्यः/प्राप्यः पथः) / Adhikaraṇa (मार्ग-रूपेण, सन्दर्भानुसार)
TypeNoun
Rootवि-पथ- (प्रातिपदिक)
Attribution
Rishi: As in AV 15.2 catalogue tradition (variable).
Devata: Ahaḥ and Rātrī (Day and Night) as paired powers; secondary focus on Manas (mind).
Chandas: Truncated/elliptical; catalogue-style.
Mantra Rasa
{"primary_rasa":"bhayankara","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_arc":"Alarm → steadiness.","listener_experience":"Sobering clarity; then calm resolve to stay on track.","intensity":6}