Mantra 57
Sukta 1
यो माभिच्छायमत्येषि मां चाग्निं चान्तरा। तस्य वृश्चामि ते मूलं न च्छायां करवोऽपरम्
yó mā́bhicchāyám atyéṣi mā́m cā́gním cā́ntarā́ | tásya vṛścāmi te mū́laṃ ná cchāyā́ṃ karavó’param ||
Whoso with baleful shadow would overpass me, and would come between me and Agni,—his very root do I hew away; nor shall I suffer that shadow to be made again.
यो मां दुष्टच्छायया अत्येति, मां चाग्निं चान्तरा प्रविशति,—तस्य मूलमेव वृश्चामि; न च तां छायां पुनः कर्तुं ददामि।
Rishi: Traditionally Atharvanic/Angirasa attribution for Sūrya-cycle material in AV 13 (specific r̥ṣi varies by anukramaṇī tradition).
Devata: Agni (as protector) and the apotropaic force of the mantra against the ‘shadow’ attacker.
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable; requires padic verification against edition).
{"primary_rasa":"raudra","secondary_rasa":"vira","emotional_arc":"Threat recognized → wrathful decisive severing → firm prevention.","listener_experience":"A surge of protective anger and strong boundaries; sense of ‘cord cut.’","intensity":7}