Mantra 20

Sukta 8

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

तस्येदं वर्चस्तेजः प्राणमायुर्नि वेष्टयामीदमेनमधराञ्चं पादयामि

IAST Transliteration

tásya idáṃ várco téjaḥ prāṇám ā́yur ní veṣṭayāmi | idám enam adharā́ñcam pādayāmi

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

With this I enwrap his lustre, his fiery might, his breath, his life: with this I make him downward-turned; I press him down.

Translation

ਇਸ ਨਾਲ ਮੈਂ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਵਰਚਸ, ਤੇਜ, ਪ੍ਰਾਣ ਅਤੇ ਆਯੁ ਨੂੰ ਲਪੇਟ ਕੇ ਬੰਨ੍ਹਦਾ ਹਾਂ; ਇਸ ਨਾਲ ਮੈਂ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਅਧੋਮੁਖ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ; ਮੈਂ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਹੇਠਾਂ ਦਬਾ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹਾਂ।

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/its
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → तस्य (षष्ठी एकवचन)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्म (as object of ‘वेष्टयामि’)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• वर्चः: splendour, radiance
• वर्चः: कर्म (appositional object: ‘this splendour’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्चस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• तेजः: brilliance, energy
• तेजः: कर्म (appositional object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• प्राणम्: breath, vital force
• प्राणम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)

• आयुः: life, lifespan
• आयुः: कर्म (appositional object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• नि: down, in; (as preverb)
• नि: —
• Type: Indeclinable (Preverb)
• Root: नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• वेष्टयामि: I wrap/enclose
• वेष्टयामि: क्रिया (कर्तृ: अहम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वेष्ट् (वेेष्टने) + नि

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्म (object of ‘पादयामि’)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: कर्म (co-referential object)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्/इदम्-प्रत्ययात्मक सर्वनाम (एनद्-श्रृंखला) → एनम्

• अधराञ्चम्: downward-facing/turned downward
• अधराञ्चम्: कर्म (qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधर + अञ्च् (प्रातिपदिक: अधराञ्च- ‘नीचे की ओर मुख/गति वाला’)

• पादयामि: I cause (him) to go/step; I set/drive
• पादयामि: क्रिया (कर्तृ: अहम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पद्/√पाद् (प्रेरणार्थे causative) → पादयति; here 1sg

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (requires anukramaṇī verification for AVŚ 16.8).

Devata: Operative forces: varchas/tejas/prāṇa/āyus as manipulable ‘powers’; the rite’s brahman as agent.

Chandas: Mixed/Anuṣṭubh-prose cadence (needs metrical confirmation).

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"raudra","secondary_rasa":"bhayankara","emotional_arc":"Seizure → constriction → downward collapse.","listener_experience":"Compressed, coercive atmosphere; sense of a weight descending.","intensity":8}