Sama Veda — Uttarārcika, Mantra 3
Agni as Hotṛ and guardian of the sacrifice
स हि पुरू चिदोजसा विरुक्मता दीद्यानो भवति द्रुहन्तरः परशुर्न द्रुहन्तरः वीडु चिद्यस्य समृतौ श्रुवद्वनेव यत्स्थिरम् निष्षहमाणो यमते नायते धन्वासहा नायते
sa hi purū cidojasā virukmatā dīdyāno bhavati druhantaraḥ paraśurna druhantaraḥ vīḍu cidyasya samṛtau śruvadvaneva yatsthiram niṣṣahamāṇo yamate nāyate dhanvāsahā nāyate
sa hi purū cid oja1sā virukmatā dī2dyāno bhavati druhantaraḥ paraśu3rnā druhantaraḥ vīḍu cidyasya samṛtau śruvadvaneva yatsthiram niṣṣahamāṇo yamate nāyate dhanvāsahā nāyate
诚然，他以威力——纵有众多（敌对者）——仍辉耀着金光般的灿烂，成为摧毁加害者者；如执斧者一般，斩灭加害者。即便在交锋中坚固者，也如林中之树般被钉定不动；他以压倒之势加以制御，使其不得近前——不得近前，纵凭弓矢之力亦不得近前。
saḥ | hi | purū | cit | ojasā | vi-rukmatā | dīdyānaḥ | bhavati | druhantaraḥ | paraśunā | druhantaraḥ | vīḍu | cit | yasya | samṛtau | śruvat-vanā | iva | yat | sthiram | niḥ-sahamāṇaḥ | yamate | na | āyate | dhanvā-sahā | na | āyate
Agneya Sāman (generic; precise tune requires śākhā-specific gāna mapping)
{ "prastava": "(stobha prelude establishing protective frame)", "udgitha": "sa hi purū cid ojasā ... bhavati druhantaraḥ", "pratihara": "paraśunā druhantaraḥ", "upadrava": "vīḍu cid yasya samṛtau ... yamate", "nidhana": "na āyate ... na āyate (final non-approach sealed)", "structure_notes": "The repeated ‘druhantaraḥ’ naturally supports call-response between udgātṛ and pratihartṛ; the double ‘na āyate’ functions as closing ‘banishment’ formula.", "singer_assignments": "Prastotṛ: prastāva; Udgātṛ: udgītha+upadrava; Pratihartṛ: pratihāra; all: nidhana on repeated ‘na āyate’." }
{ "gloss_summary": "‘Druhantara’ is Agni as remover of hostile impediments (rakṣas, śatrus, antarāyas) to the sacrifice; ‘paraśu’ is figurative—Agni’s sharp power that cuts obstacles; the ‘firm’ foe is immobilized like a tree; ‘na āyate’ indicates non-approach of obstruction.", "ritual_interpretation": "Used to secure the rite against interruption; aligns with protective functions of āhavanīya fire and stotra sound-field.", "theological_insight": "Agni’s brilliance is not decorative but functional: radiance itself is protective order (ṛta) that dissolves disorder.", "etymology_highlights": "druh- (to injure/plot) + antar (remove) → ‘one who removes injury’; paraśu as ‘cutter’ metaphor for tejas." }