Mantra 5
Sukta 18
Sanskrit (Devanagari)
अह्ना प्रत्यङ् व्रात्यो रात्र्या प्राङ् नमो व्रात्याय
IAST Transliteration
áhnā pratyáṅ vrātyó rā́tryā prā́ṅ námo vrā́tyāya
English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)
By day the Vrātya is turned backward; by night he is turned forward. Reverence be to the Vrātya.
Word by Word
अह्नाby day / in the daytime
अह्ना:
करण
TypeNoun
Rootअहन्- (प्रातिपदिक ‘दिन’)
प्रत्यङ्westward; turned back (towards the west)
प्रत्यङ्:
Adhikaraṇa
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रति + अञ्च् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रयोग ‘प्रत्यञ्च्’)
व्रात्यःthe Vrātya (ascetic/outsider figure)
व्रात्यः:
Kartā
TypeNoun
Rootव्रात्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
रात्र्याby night / in the nighttime
रात्र्या:
करण
TypeNoun
Rootरात्रि- (प्रातिपदिक)
प्राङ्eastward; facing forward (towards the east)
प्राङ्:
Adhikaraṇa
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्र + अञ्च् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रयोग ‘प्राञ्च्’)
नमःobeisance; salutation
नमः:
Kartā
TypeNoun
Rootनमस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
व्रात्यायto/for the Vrātya
व्रात्याय:
Sampradāna
TypeNoun
Rootव्रात्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
Attribution
Rishi: Traditionally associated with Vrātya-speculation in AV 15 (exact r̥ṣi assignment varies by anukramaṇī tradition).
Devata: Vrātya (personified liminal sacral power).
Chandas: Mixed/irregular (AV 15 often exhibits non-RV metrical behavior; this line is formulaic rather than strictly metrical).
Mantra Rasa
{"primary_rasa":"bhayankara","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_arc":"Acknowledges danger/uncanny reversal, resolves into calm through namas.","listener_experience":"Awe and caution, then reassurance.","intensity":5}