Verses 1, 2
मा नॊ महान्तमुत मा न अर्भकं मा न उक्षन्तमुत मा न उक्षितम् । मा नॊ वधीः पितरं मोत मातरं प्रिया मा नस्तनुवो रुद्र रीरिषः ॥
mā nō mahāntamuta mā na arbhakaṁ mā na ukṣantamuta mā na ukṣitam | mā nō vadhīḥ pitaraṁ mōta mātaraṁ priyā mā nastanuvō rudra rīriṣaḥ ||
मा नस्तोके तनये मा न आयुषि मा नो गोषु मा नो अश्वेषु रीरिषः । वीरान्मा नो रुद्र भामितो वधीर्हविष्मन्तः सदम त्वा हवामहे ॥
mā nastōkē tanayē mā na āyuṣi mā nō gōṣu mā nō aśvēṣu rīriṣaḥ | vīrānmā nō rudra bhāmitō vadhīrhaviṣmantaḥ sadama tvā havāmahē ||
In these foundational verses, the seeker approaches the divine power of Rudra with complete surrender and reverence. Recognizing that the forces of nature and existence can be both nurturing and fierce, the prayer asks for mercy upon every tier of society and lineage—from the youngest child to the eldest parent. The progression of the prayer covers human life, cattle, horses, and the vital spark of vitality itself. It highlights an ancient ecological and social worldview where the well-being of the individual is inextricably linked to the protection of the collective whole and its sustenance.
Verse 1: Protect all generations of our family and our physical bodies from harm, O Rudra.
Verse 2: Spare our progeny, life, and cattle, and do not strike us in anger.
Literally, these mantras are prayers to ward off premature death and natural calamities. Symbolically, according to commentators like Sāyaṇa, Rudra represents the inner purifier who removes ignorance and ego-driven suffering, thereby safeguarding our spiritual faculties (the 'children' and 'heroes' of the mind).
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| महान्तम् | mahāntam | the great ones / elders |
| अर्भकम् | arbhakam | the small ones / children |
| रुद्र | rudra | O remover of suffering / Rudra |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| तोके | tōkē | in offspring / children |
| आयुषि | āyuṣi | in life-span |
| हविष्मन्तः | haviṣmantaḥ | bearing oblations |
Remember this act as the universal shield prayer: spanning from elders and children (Mantra 1) to cattle, life, and heroes (Mantra 2).