Atharva Veda 18.4.32 - Kanda 18, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 4, Mantra 32

Atharva Veda 18.4.32: Kanda 18, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 4, Mantra 32

Sukta 4

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

धा॒ना धे॒नुर॑भवद् व॒त्सो अ॑स्यास्ति॒लोऽभवत्। तां वै य॒मस्य॒ राज्ये॒ अक्षि॑ता॒मुप॑ जीवति

Sanskrit recitationAtharva Veda 18.4.32

IAST Transliteration

dhānā́ dhenúr abhavad vatsó asyās tiló ’bhavat | tā́ṁ váí yámasya rā́jye ákṣitām úpa jīvati ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Parched grain became a Cow, and sesame of her became the Calf. By her, in Yama’s kingdom, verily he liveth on—on her that wasteth not.

Translation

Geröstetes Korn wurde zur Kuh, und Sesam von ihr wurde zum Kalb. Durch sie lebt er wahrlich im Reich Yamas weiter — durch sie, die nicht schwindet.

Word by Word

धा॒नाgrain; corn (as subject)

धे॒नुःa cow

अभवत्became

वत्सःa calf

अस्याःof her

तिलःsesame

अभवत्became

ताम्her; that (one)

वैindeed

यमस्यof Yama

राज्येin the realm/kingdom

अक्षिताम्imperishable; undecaying

उपnear; up to (as preverb)

जीवतिlives; survives

Attribution

Rishi: Pitṛmedha tradition (Atharvanic ancestral seers)

Devata: Pitṛs/Yama; the offering-substance personified as sustaining ‘cow’

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh

Mantra Rasa

Primary: shanta

Secondary: karuna

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