Atharva Veda 4.10.2: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 10, Mantra 2

Sukta 10

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

यो अ॑ग्र॒तो रो॑च॒नानां॑ समु॒द्रादधि॑ जज्ञि॒षे। श॒ङ्खेन॑ ह॒त्वा रक्षां॑स्य॒त्त्रिणो॒ वि ष॑हामहे

IAST Transliteration

yó agrató rócanānāṃ samudrā́d ádhi jajñiṣé | śáṅkhena hatvā́ rákṣāṃsy attríṇo ví ṣahāmahe ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Thou who wast born from the ocean, foremost of the shining regions—having with the Conch smitten down the Rakṣases, the devourers—we prevail and overcome them utterly.

Translation

Toi qui es né de l’océan, le premier des domaines resplendissants : après avoir, par la Conque, abattu les Rakṣasas, les dévoreurs, nous l’emportons sur eux et les surmontons entièrement.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Kartā (यः = कर्तृ-सम्बन्धः) अथवा विशेष्य-सम्बन्धः
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• अग्रतः: in front; at the fore
• अग्रतः: Adhikaraṇa (स्थान/दिशा) / क्रियाविशेषणम्
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) → अग्रतः (अव्यय)

• रोचनानाम्: of the shining lights/regions
• रोचनानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of the shining (regions/lights)’
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोचन (प्रातिपदिक; ‘रोच्’ धातोः)

• समुद्रात्: from the ocean
• समुद्रात्: Apādāna (अपादान) — ‘from (out of) the ocean’
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• अधि: from upon; over; above
• अधि: क्रियाविशेषणम् / सम्बन्ध-निर्देशकः
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• जज्ञिषे: you were born; you have arisen
• जज्ञिषे: क्रिया (कर्तरि) — ‘you have been born/you were born’
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (जनिँ प्रादुर्भावे) — परिपूर्ण-धातु ‘जज्ञि’ (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट-आधार)

• शङ्खेन: with a conch
• शङ्खेन: Karaṇa (करण) — ‘with/by a conch’
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)

• हत्वा: having slain; having struck down
• हत्वा: क्रियाविशेषणम् (पूर्वकर्म) — ‘having slain’
• Type: Verbal indeclinable (absolutive)
• Root: √हन् (हनँ हिंसायाम्) → हत्वा

• रक्षांसि: the rākṣasas; harmful spirits
• रक्षांसि: Karma (कर्म) — ‘the demons/evil spirits’
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• अत्त्रिणः: the devourers (harmful beings)
• अत्त्रिणः: Karma (कर्म) — (रक्षांसि … अत्त्रिणः) ‘the devourers’ (apposition)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: अत्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अद्’ धातोः ‘devourer’)

• वि: apart; asunder; thoroughly
• वि: क्रियाविशेषणम् (उपसर्गः) — intensifies/marks separation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• सहामहे: we overpower; we withstand
• सहामहे: क्रिया (कर्तरि) — ‘we overcome/endure’
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सह् (षहँ मर्षणे/बलवत्तया सहने) → सहामहे

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (per Anukramaṇī for śaṅkha-maṇi hymn)

Devata: Śaṅkha/Śaṅkha-maṇi; adversaries: rakṣas, attriṇaḥ

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (likely; confirm via Anukramaṇī)

Mantra Rasa

Primary: vira

Secondary: adbhuta