Atharva Veda 12.3.9: Kanda 12, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 3, Mantra 9

Sukta 3

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

प्र॒तीची॑ दि॒शामि॒यमिद् वरं॒ यस्यां॒ सोमो॑ अधि॒पा मृ॑डि॒ता च॑ । तस्यां॑ श्रयेथां सु॒कृतः॑ सचेथा॒मधा॑ प॒क्वान्मि॑थुना॒ सं भ॑वाथः

IAST Transliteration

pratī́cī diśā́m iyám íd váraṃ yásyāṃ sómo adhipā́ mṛḍitā́ ca | tásyāṃ śráyethāṃ sukṛ́taḥ sacéthām ádha pakvā́n mithunā́ sáṃ bhavāthaḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

This western quarter of the regions is verily the choicest, wherein Soma is overlord and the gracious one besides. In that quarter take ye your station, ye of good deed; be ye in fellowship: then from the cooked offering become ye twain conjoined.

Translation

Diese westliche Himmelsgegend der Räume ist wahrlich die erlesenste: dort ist Soma der Herr, und auch der Gnädige (Mṛḍitā). In jener Gegend nehmt euren Stand, ihr guten Wirkens; seid in Gemeinschaft: dann werdet ihr zwei aus der gekochten Opfergabe (pakvá) vereint.

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Word by Word

• प्रतीची: western (facing west)
• प्रतीची: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतीच् (प्रति+अञ्च्) प्रातिपदिक

• दिशाम्: of the directions
• दिशाम्: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक: दिशा)

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• इद्: indeed, just
• इद्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इद् (निपात/अव्यय)

• वरम्: best, excellent
• वरम्: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)

• यस्याम्: in which
• यस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• सोमः: Soma
• सोमः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)

• अधिपाः: overlord, ruler
• अधिपाः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)

• मृडिता: merciful, gracious
• मृडिता: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृड् (धातु) → मृडित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• च: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)

• तस्याम्: in that (direction)
• तस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• श्रयेथाम्: may you two resort/seek refuge
• श्रयेथाम्: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रि (धातु)

• सुकृतः: well-doing, virtuous
• सुकृतः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-कृत (प्रातिपदिक)

• सचेथाम्: may you two be together/associate
• सचेथाम्: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: सच् (धातु; ‘सचते’ = सह गच्छति/सह भवति)

• अधा: then, thereafter
• अधा: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधा (निपात)

• पक्वान्: from the ripe (ones), from the mature
• पक्वान्: Apādāna
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पक्व (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √पच्)

• मिथुना: paired, as a couple
• मिथुना: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मिथुन (प्रातिपदिक)

• सम्: together, completely
• सम्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• भवाथः: may you two become / be
• भवाथः: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)

Attribution

Rishi: As per AV 12.3 ancestral/directional liturgy (variable anukramaṇī attributions).

Devata: Soma (as adhipa) with a ‘mṛḍitā’ gracious/healing power (often read as a benevolent divine aspect).

Chandas: Mixed; triṣṭubh/jagatī tendency.

Mantra Rasa

Primary: shringara

Secondary: shanta