Sukta 20
पिशाचक्षयणम्। आ पश्यति प्रति पश्यति परा पश्यति पश्यति । दिवमन्तरिक्षमाद् भूमिं सर्वं तद् देवि पश्यति
piśācakṣáyaṇam | ā́ paśyati práti paśyati párā paśyati páśyati | dívaṃ antárikṣam ā́d bhū́miṃ sárvaṃ tád devi paśyati
A Piśāca-destroyer is she: she looketh hither, she looketh back in answer, she looketh forth afar—she looketh. From heaven, from mid-air, down unto earth, all that is, O Goddess, she beholdeth.
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (hymn to a deified oṣadhi)
Devata: Devī Oṣadhi (plant-goddess) as piśāca-destroyer
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-like cadence (prose-like repetitions within metrical frame)
{"primary_rasa":"bhayankara","secondary_rasa":"vira","emotional_arc":"Threat acknowledged (piśāca) → escalating surveillance → fearless mastery through omniscience.","listener_experience":"From unease to protected alertness; fear becomes contained and manageable.","intensity":7}