Mantra 18
Sukta 3
ग्राहिं पाप्मानमति तां अयाम तमो व्यऽस्य प्र वदासि वल्गु। वानस्पत्य उद्यतो मा जिहिंसीर्मा तण्डुलं वि शरीर्देवयन्तम्
grāhíṃ pāpmā́nam áti tā́m ayāma támo ví ’sya prá vadāsi valgú | vānaspatyá údyato mā́ jihīṃsīr mā́ taṇḍuláṃ ví śarīr devayántam ||
The grasping Evil—beyond it have we driven that away; the darkness thou scatterest, and utterest forth what is fair. O Forest-born, uplifted, harm thou not; shatter not the rice-grain, nor the god-seeking worshipper.
الشرُّ القابض—قد طردناه متجاوزين إيّاه؛ أنت تُبدِّد الظلام وتُفصِح عمّا هو جميل. يا واناتسبتيا (المولود من الغابة)، يا مرفوعًا، لا تُؤذِ؛ لا تُحطِّم حبّة الأرز، ولا (تُؤذِ) العابدَ الطالبَ للآلهة.
Rishi: Traditionally associated with Atharvanic seers (Angiras/Atharvan complex) for AV 12.3; verse-level attribution not fixed in all traditions
Devata: Vānaspatya (vegetal/wooden implement personified) and the apotropaic power of Brahman (mantra)
Chandas: Jagatī-like cadence (mixed/irregular in AV prose-verse style)
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