Mantra 8

Sukta 10

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अवायन्तां पक्षिणो ये वयांस्यन्तरिक्षे दिवि ये चरन्ति । श्वापदो मक्षिकाः सं रभन्तामामादो गृध्राः कुणपे रदन्ताम्

IAST Transliteration

avā́yantāṃ pakṣíṇo yé vayā́ṃsy antárikṣe diví yé cáranti | śvā́pado mákṣikāḥ sáṃ rabhantām āmā́do gṛ́dhrāḥ kúṇape radantām ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Let the birds descend—those fliers that roam in mid-air, those that move in the sky. Let the wild dog-footed beasts and the flies seize it wholly; let the raw-devouring vultures gnaw upon the carrion.

Translation

अंतरिक्षात, द्युलोक/आकाशात विचरणारे—उडणारे पक्षी खाली उतरून येवोत. श्वापद (कुत्र्यापायांचे रानटी पशू) आणि माशा हे सर्वस्वी पकडोत; आमाद (कच्चे भक्षण करणारे) गृध्र (गिधाडे) या कुणप (शव/मांस)ावर दात रोवून कुरतडोत.

Word by Word

अवायन्ताम्let (them) go down/away; let them depart

पक्षिणःbirds

येwho/which

वयांसिbirds; winged creatures

अन्तरिक्षेin the mid-air/atmosphere

दिविin heaven/in the sky

येwho

चरन्तिmove about; roam

श्वापदःwild beasts; predators

मक्षिकाःflies

सम्together; completely

रभन्ताम्let them seize/lay hold

आमादःraw-eaters; flesh-eaters

गृध्राःvultures

कुणपेin/on a carcass

रदन्ताम्let them gnaw/bite

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic/Angirasic tradition (hymn-level attribution; verse-specific r̥ṣi not explicit here)

Devata: Scavenger-agents as commanded forces; implicitly the ‘banishing’ power of mantra

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable; requires padic syllable verification against a metrical edition)

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"bibhatsa","secondary_rasa":"raudra","emotional_arc":"Disgust and harsh expulsion → grim certainty of dissolution.","listener_experience":"A cathartic ‘throwing out’ of impurity; visceral aversion used as protective power.","intensity":9}