Atharva Veda 4.18.2: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 18, Mantra 2

Sukta 18

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

यो दे॑वाः कृ॒त्यां कृ॒त्वा हरा॒दवि॑दुषो गृ॒हम्। व॒त्सो धा॒रुरि॑व मा॒तरं॒ तं प्र॒त्यगुप॑ पद्यताम्

Sanskrit recitationAtharva Veda 4.18.2

IAST Transliteration

yó devāḥ kṛtyā́ṃ kṛtvā́ harā́d avidúṣo gṛhám | vatsó dhā́rur iva mātáraṃ táṃ pratyág úpa padyatām ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Whoso, O Gods, hath framed the witchcraft, stealing upon the house of him that knew it not—like a calf that clings and hastens to its mother, let it go back and step upon that man.

Translation

Quien, oh dioses, habiendo hecho la kṛtyā (hechicería), se deslizó hacia la casa de quien no lo sabía — como un ternero que se aferra y se apresura hacia su madre, que ella regrese y pise a ese hombre.

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Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)

• कृत्याम्: a sorcery/witchcraft (harmful rite)
• कृत्याम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्या (प्रातिपदिक)

• कृत्वा: having done/made
• कृत्वा: (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)

• हरात्: from the harā (a place/den; lair)
• हरात्: Apādāna
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)

• अविदुषः: of the ignorant/unwitting (man)
• अविदुषः: (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक) < विद्वस् ‘knowing’ with negation अ-

• गृहम्: house
• गृहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)

• वत्सः: a calf
• वत्सः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)

• धारुः: a suckling (young one)
• धारुः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारु (प्रातिपदिक)

• इव: like/as
• इव: (सम्बन्ध/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)

• तम्: him/that one
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• प्रति: towards/against
• प्रति: (दिशा/प्रत्यभिमुखता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• अगु: indeed/just (particle)
• अगु: (निपातः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अगु

• उप: near, up to
• उप: (दिशा/सामीप्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप

• पद्यताम्: let him go/step; let him approach
• पद्यताम्: (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पद् (धातु)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic transmission (anukramaṇī-dependent).

Devata: Devas as enforcers; kṛtyā as the operative object to be reversed.

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-like.

Mantra Rasa

Primary: raudra

Secondary: bhayankara