Mantra 23

Sukta 2

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

मृत्युरीशे द्विपदां मृत्युरीशे चतुष्पदाम्। तस्मात् त्वां मृत्योर्गोपतेरुद् भरामि स मा बिभेः

IAST Transliteration

mṛtyúḥ ī́śe dvipádāṃ mṛtyúḥ ī́śe catúṣpadām | tásmāt tvāṃ mṛtyór gṓpater úd bharāmi sá mā bibhēḥ

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Death ruleth over bipeds; Death ruleth over quadrupeds. Therefore from Death, the keeper, do I bear thee forth: fear thou not.

Word by Word

मृत्युःDeath

ईशेrules / has power over

द्विपदाम्of the two-footed (beings)

मृत्युःDeath

ईशेrules / has power over

चतुष्पदाम्of the four-footed (beings)

तस्मात्therefore / from that (reason)

त्वाम्you

मृत्योःof Death

गोपतेःof the protector/lord (guardian)

उद्up, out (as preverb)

भरामिI bear / I carry (forth)

सःhe

माdo not

बिभेःshould fear / may you fear

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (Āyusya hymn-cycle).

Devata: Mṛtyu (as adversary); implicitly the saving power of brahman/mantra.

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (common in apotropaic extraction formulas).

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhayankara","emotional_arc":"From stark acknowledgment of Death’s rule → decisive rescue → calm fearlessness.","listener_experience":"A sobering realism followed by immediate relief and containment; the closing command functions like a lull/anchor.","intensity":7}