Atharva Veda 4.18.3 — Kanda 4, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 18, Mantra 3

Sukta 18

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अ॒मा कृ॒त्वा पा॒प्मानं॒ यस्तेना॒न्यं जिघां॑सति । अश्मा॑न॒स्तस्यां॑ द॒ग्धायां॑ बहु॒लाः फट् क॑रिक्रति

IAST Transliteration

ámā kṛtvā́ pāpmā́naṃ yás ténā́nyáṃ jighā́ṃsati | áśmānas tasyā́ṃ dagdhā́yāṃ bahulā́ḥ pháṭ karikrati ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

He who at home hath wrought the Evil, and therewith would fain slay another—when that witchwork is burnt, then many stones cry 'Phaṭ!' and shatter it with clamour.

Translation

Celui qui, chez lui, a accompli le pāpman (le mal) et, par là, voudrait tuer un autre—quand cette œuvre de sorcellerie est brûlée, alors bien des pierres crient «Phaṭ !» et la brisent dans le fracas.

Word by Word

• अमा: at home; in the house
• अमा: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अमा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) / अम् (धातु, ‘समीपे’ इत्यर्थे) (निरुक्त्यनुसार)

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

• पाप्मानम्: evil; sin; harmfulness
• पाप्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)

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

• तेन: by/with that
• तेन: Karaṇa
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• अन्यम्: another (person)
• अन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• जिघांसति: wishes/intends to kill
• जिघांसति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) (इच्छार्थे सन्-प्रत्ययः: जिघांस-)

• अश्मानः: stones
• अश्मानः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• अङ्गानि: limbs; body-parts
• अङ्गानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)

• दग्धायाम्: when (they are) burnt; in the burnt (state)
• दग्धायाम्: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Participle/Adjective
• Root: दह् (धातु) → दग्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• बहुलाः: many; abundant
• बहुलाः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)

• फट्: phaṭ! (spell-exclamation for striking/repelling)
• फट्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: फट् (निपात/मन्त्र-बीज)

• करिक्रति: makes a rattling/crackling sound; clatters (as stones)
• करिक्रति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) (आवृत्त्यर्थे/ध्वन्यर्थे विशेष-प्रयोगः; ‘करि-’ इति ध्वन्यनुकरण/प्रत्यय-युक्त रूपम्)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic transmission (anukramaṇī-dependent).

Devata: Counter-forces: fire as purifier; stones as crushing agents; the mantra itself as weapon.

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-like.

Mantra Rasa

Primary: raudra

Secondary: vira