Atharva Veda 9.10.9 — Kanda 9, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 10, Mantra 9

Sukta 10

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

वि॒धुं द॑द्रा॒णं स॑लि॒लस्य॑ पृ॒ष्ठे युवा॑नं॒ सन्तं॑ पलि॒तो ज॑गार । दे॒वस्य॑ पश्य॒ काव्यं॑ महि॒त्वाद्य म॒मार॒ स ह्यः समा॑न

IAST Transliteration

vidhúṃ dadrā́ṇaṃ salilásya pṛṣṭhé yúvānaṃ sántaṃ palitó jagāra | devásya páśya kā́vyaṃ mahitvā́dyá mamā́ra sá hyáḥ samā́na

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

The Vidhú, running on the back of the waters—young though being— the gray-haired one hath roused. Behold the god’s poetic craft by his greatness: today he hath died, who yesterday was the same.

Translation

Den Vidhú, der über den Rücken der Wasser dahinstürmt — jung, obgleich er ist — hat der Grauhaarige erweckt. Schau die dichterische Kunst des Gottes, aus seiner Größe hervorgehend: Heute ist der gestorben, der gestern derselbe war.

Word by Word

• विधुम्: the shaker/driver (or: the moon), as object
• विधुम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधु (प्रातिपदिक; √विध्/√धू ‘कम्पने/धुनने’ से निष्पन्न) अथवा ‘विधु’ (चन्द्र)

• दद्राणम्: running/impetuous
• दद्राणम्: कर्म
• Type: Participle
• Root: √द्रा (द्राण/दद्राण = ‘द्रुतगमन/वेग’ अर्थे)

• सलिलस्य: of the water, of the flood
• सलिलस्य: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)

• पृष्ठे: on the back/surface
• पृष्ठे: अधिकारण
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)

• युवानम्: the young one
• युवानम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: युवन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• सन्तम्: being, existing
• सन्तम्: कर्म
• Type: Participle
• Root: √अस् (सत्/सन्त्)

• पलितः: the grey(-haired) one; the ancient
• पलितः: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: पलित (प्रातिपदिक)

• जगार: sang/uttered
• जगार: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गॄ/√गृ (गिरति/जगार = परिपूर्ण-भूत ‘said/sang’)

• देवस्य: of the god
• देवस्य: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)

• पश्य: see! behold!
• पश्य: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (दृश्-अर्थे)

• काव्यम्: poetic/wise work; inspired art
• काव्यम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: काव्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• महित्वात्: from/owing to greatness
• महित्वात्: अपादान (हेतु/कारण) अथवा कारण-पञ्चमी
• Type: Noun
• Root: महित्व (प्रातिपदिक; महत् से भाव)

• द्यः: heaven, the sky
• द्यः: कर्तृ/विषय
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्यौ/द्यु (प्रातिपदिक)

• ममार: died/has died
• ममार: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मृ (मरणे)

• सः: he/that one
• सः: कर्तृ/विषय
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• ह्यः: yesterday
• ह्यः: अधिकारण (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह्यस् (अव्यय)

• समानः: the same, identical
• समानः: कर्तृ/विषय
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समान (प्रातिपदिक)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (anukramaṇī-dependent)

Devata: A divine cyclic principle (often read cosmologically; identification varies: lunar/solar/time-force)

Chandas: Requires metrical verification

Mantra Rasa

Primary: adbhuta

Secondary: karuna