Atharva Veda 13.3.23: Kanda 13, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 3, Mantra 23
Sukta 3
त्वम॑ग्ने॒ क्रतु॑भिः के॒तुभि॑र्हि॒तो॒३र्कः समि॑द्ध॒ उद॑रोचथा दि॒वि। किम॒भ्याऽर्चन् म॒रुतः॒ पृश्नि॑मातरो॒ यद् रोहि॑त॒मज॑नयन्त दे॒वास्तस्य॑ दे॒वस्य॑। क्रु॒द्धस्यै॒तदागो॒ य ए॒वं वि॒द्वांसं॑ ब्राह्म॒णं जि॒नाति॑ । उद् वे॑पय रोहित॒ प्र क्षि॑णीहि ब्रह्म॒ज्यस्य॒ प्रति॑ मुञ्च॒ पाशा॑न्
tvám agne kratúbhis ketúbhir hitó ’rkáḥ samíddha úd arócathā diví | kím abhy-à́rcan marútaḥ pṛ́śnimātaro yád rohítam ájanayanta devā́s tásya devásya | kruddhásyáitád ā́go yá eváṃ vidvā́ṃsaṃ brāhmaṇáṃ jinā́ti | úd vepaya rohita prá kṣiṇīhi brahmajyásya práti muñca pā́śān ||
Thou, Agni, set with powers and radiant signs, a flame well-kindled, hast shone forth in heaven. Wherefore did the Maruts, Pṛśni’s sons, hymn on, when the Gods brought Rohita to birth—of that God? This is the offence against the wrathful One: whoso, thus knowing, injureth a learned Brahman. Up—make him tremble, O Rohita; waste him away: in requital loose forth the nooses upon the Brahma-hurter.
Du, Agni, durch Kräfte (krátu) und leuchtende Zeichen (ketú) gefestigt — eine wohlentfachte Flamme — hast im Himmel aufgestrahlt. Warum sangen die Maruts, die Söhne der Pṛśni, weiter, als die Götter Rohita zur Geburt brachten — jenes Gottes? Dies ist die Schuld gegen den Zornigen: wer, so wissend, einen gelehrten Brahmanen verletzt. Lass ihn erzittern, o Rohita; zehre ihn aus; zur Vergeltung löse die Schlingen gegen den Brahmanen-Schädiger (brahma-jya).
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (specific r̥ṣi per anukramaṇī not supplied here)
Devata: Agni; Maruts (contextual); Rohita (operative)
Chandas: Mixed/irregular; extended line with refrain
Primary: raudra
Secondary: bhayankara
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