Mantra 11

Sukta 2

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अति द्रव श्वानौ सारमेयौ चतुरक्षौ शबलौ साधुना पथा। अधा पितॄन्त्सुविदत्रां अपीहि यमेन ये सधमादं मदन्ति

IAST Transliteration

áti drava śvā́nau sārameyáu caturákṣau śabálau sādhúnā pathā́ | ádha pitṝ́nt suvidátrān ápīhi yaména yé sadhámādaṃ mádanti

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Haste past the two Dogs, Saramā’s brood, the four-eyed, the brindled, by the goodly path. Then go thou forth unto the Fathers, easy to be found, with Yama—unto them who in the common feast rejoice.

Word by Word

अतिbeyond; over; away

द्रवrun!; hasten!

श्वानौthe two dogs

सारमेयौthe two offspring of Saramā (Saramā’s dogs)

चतुरक्षौfour-eyed

शबलौspotted; variegated

साधुनाby the good/right

पथाby the path; along the way

अधाthen; thereafter

पितॄन्the Fathers; ancestors

सुविदत्रान्well-found/clearly found; readily discoverable

अपिalso; moreover

इहिgo!; come!

यमेनwith Yama

येwho

सधमादम्the common feast; shared revel

मदन्तिthey rejoice; are exhilarated

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic funeral tradition (AV 18)

Devata: Yama (and his two dogs as subsidiary agents); Pitṛs as destination

Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhayankara","emotional_arc":"From urgency and dread (guard-dogs) to reassurance and belonging (Pitṛ-feast).","listener_experience":"A guided crossing: fear is named, then surpassed; the end-point is communal warmth.","intensity":6}