Atharva Veda 9.9.6: Kanda 9, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 9, Mantra 6

Sukta 9

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

पाकः॑ पृच्छामि॒ मन॒सावि॑जानन् दे॒वाना॑मे॒ना निहि॑ता प॒दानि॑ । व॒त्से ब॒ष्कयेऽधि॑ स॒प्त तन्तू॒न् वि त॑त्निरे क॒वय॒ ओत॒वा उ॑

IAST Transliteration

pā́kaḥ pṛcchā́mi mánasā́vijānann devā́nām enā́ níhitā padā́ni | vatsé baṣkáye’ dhí saptá tantū́n ví tatnire kaváya ótavā́ u

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

As one unknowing, with my mind I ask of these—the gods’ hidden stations. Upon the calf, upon the strong bull, the Seven threads the seers, the weavers, have stretched forth.

Translation

Als Unwissender frage ich mit meinem Geist nach diesen – den verborgenen Stätten der Götter. Auf dem Kalb, auf dem starken Stier, haben die Seher, die Weber, die sieben Fäden ausgespannt und ausgebreitet.

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Word by Word

• पाकः: the wise/knower (lit. ‘the ripe/learned one’)
• पाकः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाक (प्रातिपदिक) / √पच् (पाक ‘पक्व/पाक’ अर्थे)

• पृच्छामि: I ask
• पृच्छामि: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ्

• मनसा: with (my) mind
• मनसा: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• अविजानन्: not knowing, unknowing
• अविजानन्: Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण ‘पाकः’)
• Type: Participle
• Root: √ज्ञा (वि + अव) → अविजानत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)

• एनानि: these
• एनानि: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• निहितानि: placed, deposited
• निहितानि: —
• Type: Participle
• Root: नि + √धा → निहित (भूतकृदन्त)

• पदानि: tracks/footprints; steps; (also) पद- ‘words/places’
• पदानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)

• वत्से: in/on the calf (vatse)
• वत्से: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)

• बष्कये: in/on the ‘baṣkaya’ (a specific object/being; AV lexeme)
• बष्कये: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: बष्कय (प्रातिपदिक; AV-विशिष्ट शब्द)

• अधि: upon, over
• अधि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण-भावे ‘upon/over’)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधि

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: —
• Type: Numeral
• Root: सप्त

• तन्तून्: threads, cords
• तन्तून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)

• वि: apart, forth (as preverb)
• वि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि

• तत्निरे: they stretched/spread
• तत्निरे: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तन् (वि +) → तत्निरे

• कवयः: the seers/poets
• कवयः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवि (प्रातिपदिक)

• ओतवाः: weaving/connecting; those who have woven (them)
• ओतवाः: Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ओतवन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘woven/connected’, from √वे/√उ ‘to weave’ via ओत)

• उ: indeed, and (emphatic particle)
• उ: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ

Attribution

Rishi: Brahmodya tradition

Devata: Kavis/Divine Order (ṛta) as woven structure; gods’ ‘padas’

Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like

Mantra Rasa

Primary: adbhuta

Secondary: shanta