Mantra 16

Sukta 10

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अपाङ् प्राङेति स्वधया गृभीतोऽमर्त्यो मर्त्येना सयोनिः । ता शश्वन्ता विषूचीना वियन्ता न्य१न्यं चिक्युर्न नि चिक्युरन्यम्

IAST Transliteration

apā́ṅ prā́ṅ eti svadháyā gṛbhītó ’mártyo mártyenā́ sayóniḥ | tā́ śáśvantā viṣūcī́nā viyántā ní ’nyáṃ cikyúr ná ní cikyur anyám ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Backward and forward he moveth, seized by Svadhā: the Immortal, by the mortal, of one common womb. Those twain, enduring ever, diverging and parting, have known the one the other; yet the other they have not known.

Translation

يتحرّك إلى الوراء وإلى الأمام، ممسوكًا بـ«سفَدها» (Svadhā)؛ الخالدُ ممسوكٌ بالفاني، من رحمٍ واحدٍ مشترك. هذان الاثنان، الدائمان أبدًا، يتباعدان ويفترقان؛ قد عرف كلٌّ منهما الآخر، غير أنّ أحدهما لم يعرف الآخر.

Word by Word

अपाङ्turned away/backward

प्राङ्turned forward

एतिgoes, moves

स्वधयाby (its) own power / by svadhā

गृभीतःseized, grasped

अमर्त्यःthe immortal (one)

मर्त्येनby a mortal

सयोनिःof the same womb/origin; sharing the same source

ताःthose (f.)

शश्वन्ताeverlasting, continual

विषूचीनाgoing apart; diverging in different directions

वियन्ताmoving forth/apart; going

निdown, into; (prefix)

अन्यम्another (one)

चिक्युःthey perceived/recognized

नnot

निdown/into; (prefix)

चिक्युःthey perceived

अन्यम्another (one)

Attribution

Rishi: Traditionally associated with Atharvanic seers; in this speculative section often treated as Brahman/ṛṣi of brahmavidyā (edition-dependent).

Devata: Brahman / Vāc (implicit), or the cosmic principle expressed as the dyad.

Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like cadence (as transmitted; metrical classification varies in AV scholia for this hymn).

Mantra Rasa

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