Mantra 3
Sukta 118
यस्मा ऋणं यस्य जायामुपैमि यं याचमानो अभ्यैमि देवाः । ते वाचं वादिषुर्मोत्तरां मद्देवपत्नी अप्सरसावधीतम्
yásmā́ ṛṇáṃ yásya jāyā́m upáimi yáṃ yā́camāno abhýàimi devā́ḥ | té vā́caṃ vādiṣúr móttarā́ṃ mád devápatnīr apsárasā́vadhītam ||
To whom I owe the debt, whose wife I draw near unto; whom, as a suppliant, I approach—O Gods! They have uttered speech, a higher speech for me: the God-wives, the Apsaras, have established it.
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (Anukramaṇī attribution for this cluster is typically Atharvan/Angiras-associated; verify per Śaunaka Anukramaṇī).
Devata: Vāc (effective speech) with divine witnesses; subsidiary: Devapatnīs, Apsaras
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; confirm by pada count in critical edition)
{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"shringara","emotional_arc":"Anxious approach → divine witnessing → uplift into ‘higher speech’ with grace.","listener_experience":"Calming of fear; emergence of poise and persuasive charm.","intensity":5}