Mantra 26
Sukta 3
धाता मा निरृत्या दक्षिणाया दिशः पातु बाहुच्युता पृथिवी द्यामिवोपरि । लोककृतः पथिकृतो यजामहे ये देवानां हुतभागा इह स्थ
dhā́tā mā nírṛtyā dákṣiṇāyā diśáḥ pātu bāhucyútā pṛthivī́ dyā́m iva úpari | lokakṛ́taḥ pathikṛ́to yajāmahe yé devā́nāṃ hutábhāgā ihá sthá ||
May Dhātṛ guard me from Nirṛti, from the southern quarter; and Earth, slipped from my arm, be over me as it were the Sky. The world-ordainers, the path-ordainers—those who have their portion of oblation among the Gods—we worship: here may they stand.
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (AV 18 corpus)
Devata: Dhātṛ; anti-Nirṛti protection; cosmic guardians (lokakṛt/pathikṛt)
Chandas: Mixed/irregular
{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhayankara","emotional_arc":"From threat (Nirṛti/south) to steadied safety via Dhātṛ and installed guardians.","listener_experience":"A sense of being enclosed and oriented; fear is named and then neutralized by order.","intensity":6}