Atharva Veda 18.2.56: Kanda 18, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 56

Sukta 2

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

इ॒मौ यु॑नज्मि ते॒ वह्नी॒ असु॑नीताय॒ वोढ॑वे । ताभ्यां॑ य॒मस्य॒ साद॑नं॒ समि॑ती॒श्चाव॑ गच्छतात्

Sanskrit recitationAtharva Veda 18.2.56

IAST Transliteration

imáu yúnajmi te váhnī asunī́tāya vóḍhave | tā́bhyāṃ yámasya sā́danam samitī́ś cā́va gacchatāt

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

These two bearers I yoke for thee, for the leading forth of the soul, to bear thee onward. By those twain let him go down unto Yama’s dwelling, and unto the assemblies.

Translation

Diese beiden Träger spanne ich dir an — zur Führung der Seele, um dich weiterzutragen. Durch diese beiden möge er hinabgehen zur Wohnstatt Yamas und zu den Versammlungen.

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Word by Word

• इमौ: these two
• इमौ: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• युनज्मि: I yoke / I harness
• युनज्मि: Kartā
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (युजे/युजिर् योगे)

• ते: for you / of you
• ते: Sampradāna
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• वह्नी: the two bearers/drawers (draft-animals)
• वह्नी: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)

• असुनीताय: for the leading of the life-breath (for reviving/bringing to life)
• असुनीताय: Sampradāna
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: असु-नीति (प्रातिपदिक; असु + √नी ‘to lead’ → ‘leading of life-breath’)

• वोढवे: for the conveyer/driver (to carry)
• वोढवे: Sampradāna
• Type: Noun (agent, kṛdanta)
• Root: वोढृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वह् ‘to carry’ → वोढृ ‘carrier’)

• ताभ्याम्: with/by those two
• ताभ्याम्: Karaṇa
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• यमस्य: of Yama
• यमस्य: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)

• सादनम्: abode/seat
• सादनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सादन (प्रातिपदिक; √सद् ‘to sit’ → ‘seat/abode’)

• समितीः: assemblies/meetings
• समितीः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: समिति (प्रातिपदिक)

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

• अव: down/away
• अव: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अव (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• गच्छतात्: let the two go / may they go
• गच्छतात्: Kartā
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (गच्छ्)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic funerary tradition (AV 18)

Devata: Yama; the ‘two Vahnī’ as conveyers

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-like (two pādas with compact cadence; AV metrical practice variable)

Mantra Rasa

Primary: shanta

Secondary: adbhuta