Mantra 1

Sukta 109

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

राष्ट्रभृतः। इदमुग्राय बभ्रवे नमो यो अक्षेषु तनूवशी। घृतेन कलिं शिक्षामि स नो मृडातीदृशे

IAST Transliteration

rāṣṭrabhṛ́taḥ | idám ugrā́ya babhráve námo yó ákṣeṣu tanūvaśī́ | ghṛténa kálíṃ śíkṣāmi sá no mṛḍātī́dṛśe ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Upholders of the realm. This obeisance is to the formidable Babhru, who among the dice is master over men’s very persons. With ghee I discipline Kali: may he be gracious unto us in such a case.

Word by Word

• राष्ट्रभृतः: (those who are) supporters/bearers of the realm
• राष्ट्रभृतः: Kartā (स्तुत्य-कर्तारः/विशेषण-समूहः)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: राष्ट्र- (प्रातिपदिक) + √भृ (भरणे) → भृत् (कृदन्त)

• इदम्: this (act/utterance)
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• उग्राय: to the fierce one
• उग्राय: Sampradāna
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र- (प्रातिपदिक)

• बभ्रवे: to Babhru (the tawny/brown one; an epithet/name)
• बभ्रवे: Sampradāna
• Type: Noun (proper/epithet)
• Root: बभ्रु- (प्रातिपदिक; देवता-नाम)

• नमः: obeisance, homage
• नमः: Karma (नमस्कार-रूपकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस्- (प्रातिपदिक)

• यः: who
• यः: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun (relative)
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• अक्षेषु: among the dice (in dice-play)
• अक्षेषु: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अक्ष’ = पासा/द्यूत-गोटी)

• तनूवशी: having power over the body/self-controlled (lit. body-master)
• तनूवशी: Kartā (यः … तनूवशी)
• Type: Adjective/Noun (epithet)
• Root: तनूवशी- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘तनू’ + ‘वश’)

• घृतेन: with ghee
• घृतेन: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत- (प्रातिपदिक)

• कलिम्: the ‘Kali’ throw/side (worst cast in dice)
• कलिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि- (प्रातिपदिक; द्यूत-परिभाषा)

• शिक्षामि: I train/discipline; I set right
• शिक्षामि: (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शिक्ष् (शिक्षायाम्/अभ्यासे)

• सः: he
• सः: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• नः: to us / our
• नः: Sampradāna (to us) / or Possessor (our) (संदर्भानुसार)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• मृडाति: is gracious; shows mercy
• मृडाति: (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मृड् (सुखायाम्/अनुग्रहे)

• ईदृशे: to one such as this (of this kind)
• ईदृशे: Sampradāna (beneficiary: ‘to such a one’)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: ईदृश- (प्रातिपदिक)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (varies)

Devata: Babhru (dice-power) and Kali (personified losing throw/misfortune)

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh tendency (requires metrical verification)

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhayankara","emotional_arc":"Acknowledges formidable power → asserts disciplined control → seeks gracious outcome.","listener_experience":"Sobriety and steadiness; a calming check on risky excitement.","intensity":5}