Atharva Veda 12.4.4: Kanda 12, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 4, Mantra 4

Sukta 4

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

वि॒लो॒हि॒तो अ॑धि॒ष्ठाना॑च्छ॒क्नो वि॑न्दति॒ गोप॑तिम्। तथा॑ व॒शायाः॒ संवि॑द्यं दुरद॒भ्ना ह्यु॑१च्यसे॑

Sanskrit recitationAtharva Veda 12.4.4

IAST Transliteration

vilohitó adhiṣṭhānā́c chaknó vindati gopátim | tathā́ vaśā́yāḥ sáṃvidyaṃ duradabhnā́ hí ucyáse

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

The Red One, from his seat of power, being able, wins him who is lord of cattle. Even so, the compact of Vāśā—thou art, in truth, proclaimed hard to assail.

Translation

Der Rote, von seinem Sitz der Macht aus, vermag es und gewinnt den Herrn des Viehs. Ebenso ist das Bündnis der Vāśā: wahrlich, du wirst als schwer anzugreifen, als unbezwinglich verkündet.

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Word by Word

• विलोहितः: the reddish one (red-coloured)
• विलोहितः: कर्तृ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विलोहित (प्रातिपदिक; वि-लोहित)

• अधिष्ठानात्: from the seat/standing-place
• अधिष्ठानात्: अपादान
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिष्ठान (प्रातिपदिक)

• शक्नो: being able, capable
• शक्नो: कर्तृ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक् (धातु) → शक्नु (शक्नु-प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-आधार; ‘able’)

• विन्दति: finds, obtains
• विन्दति: (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (विन्दति) धातु

• गोपतिम्: the lord/guardian of cattle
• गोपतिम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपति (प्रातिपदिक; गो+पति)

• तथा: so, thus
• तथा: (सम्बन्ध/उपपद-निर्देशक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)

• वशायाः: of the vashā-cow (a cow/animal so called)
• वशायाः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वशा (प्रातिपदिक)

• संविद्यम्: the one to be recognized/identified; the recognizable (one)
• संविद्यम्: कर्म
• Type: Participle (verbal adjective)
• Root: सम्+विद् (धातु) → संविद्य (कृदन्त) / ‘to be found/recognized’

• दुरदभ्नाः: hard to harm, inviolable
• दुरदभ्नाः: कर्तृ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरदभ्न (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्+अदभ्न ‘hard to injure/overpower’)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)

• उच्यसे: you are called/said
• उच्यसे: (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (उच्यते) धातु

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic/anonymous (hymn-level attribution varies)

Devata: Vilohita / Vāśā as personified hostile powers (or the spell itself as addressed entity)

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (probable)

Mantra Rasa

Primary: vira

Secondary: raudra