Mantra 13

Sukta 3

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

परा शृणीहि तपसा यातुधानान् पराग्ने रक्षो हरसा शृणीहि । परार्चिषा मूरदेवान्छृणीहि परासुतृपः शोशुचतः शृणीहि

IAST Transliteration

párā śṛṇīhi tápasā yātudhā́nān párāgne rákṣo hárasā śṛṇīhi | párā́rcíṣā mū́radevāñ chṛṇīhi párā́sutṛ́paḥ śóśucataḥ śṛṇīhi

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Smite thou away, with burning ardour, the Yātudhānas; smite thou away, O Agni, the Rákṣas with thy fierce heat. With thy flame smite thou away the Mūra-devas; smite thou away the life-devouring, the blazing ones.

Word by Word

पराaway, forth (as a preverb: ‘away!’)

शृणीहिcrush/destroy!

तपसाwith heat/ascetic power

यातुधानान्the sorcerers/demons (yātudhānas)

पराaway

अग्नेO Agni

रक्षःthe demon/evil spirit (rakṣas)

हरसाwith flame/heat, with fiery force

शृणीहिcrush/destroy!

पराaway

अर्चिषाwith (your) flame

मूरदेवान्the mūradevas (hostile/false divine beings)

शृणीहिcrush/destroy!

पराaway

असुतृपःthose unsated for life(-breath); life-devouring (demons)

शोशुचतःburning, blazing (ones)

शृणीहिcrush/destroy!

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (hymn to Agni as demon-slayer; r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī traditions)

Devata: Agni (rakṣohā), with hostile beings as targets (yātudhāna, rákṣas, mūra-deva)

Chandas: Predominantly Triṣṭubh-like cadence (mixed/irregular in Atharvanic transmission)

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"raudra","secondary_rasa":"vira","emotional_arc":"From threat-recognition to forceful expulsion and dominance.","listener_experience":"Courage, heat, and strong protective resolve; a sense of clearing.","intensity":8}