Mantra 17
Sukta 4
प्र या जिगाति खर्गलेव नक्तमप द्रुहुस्तन्वं१गूहमाना । वव्रमनन्तमव सा पदीष्ट ग्रावाणो घ्नन्तु रक्षस उपब्दैः
prá yā́ jigā́ti khargaléva náktam ápa druhús tanvàṃ gū́hamānā | vavrám anantám áva sā́ padīṣṭa grā́vāṇo ghnantu rákṣasa upabdáiḥ ||
Forth goes she, like a prowling beast, by night—hiding the injurer’s body as she skulks. Into the cave, the boundless lair, may she go down and be entrapped: let the stones smite the Rākṣasas with resounding blows.
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (Rakṣohā hymn; seer attribution varies by anukramaṇī)
Devata: Indra/Maruts as demon-smiters (implicit in the sequence), and the apotropaic power of sound and stones
Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable; hymn section commonly in triṣṭubh—verify against pada-count in critical edition)
{"primary_rasa":"bhayankara","secondary_rasa":"raudra","emotional_arc":"Night fear and stealth → pursuit and cornering → loud punitive closure.","listener_experience":"Chills at the imagery, then relief through decisive, noisy protection.","intensity":8}