Atharva Veda 18.4.12: Kanda 18, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 4, Mantra 12

Sukta 4

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

शम॒ग्नयः॒ समि॑द्धा॒ आ र॑भन्तां प्राजाप॒त्यं मेध्यं॑ जा॒तवे॑दसः । शृ॒तं कृ॒ण्वन्त॑ इ॒ह माव॑ चिक्षिपन्

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 18.4.12

IAST Transliteration

śám agnáyaḥ samíddhā́ ā́ rabhantāṃ prājāpatyáṃ médhyaṃ jātávedasaḥ | śrítam kṛṇvántá ihá mā́va cikṣipan ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

With welfare, let the kindled Fires lay hold—O Jātavedases—of what is Prajāpatian, sacrificially pure; making it here well-supported, let them not cast it down.

Translation

जली हुई अग्नियाँ अच्छे से पकड़ लें यह सब। यह प्रजापति का काम है और बिल्कुल साफ है। इसको यहाँ अच्छा रखें, गिरने मत दें।

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Word by Word

• शम्: auspiciously; in peace
• शम्: Karaṇa (भाव-उपपद; ‘कल्याणेन/शान्त्या’)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक ‘शम्’ = कल्याण/शान्ति)

• अग्नयः: the fires (Agni-s)
• अग्नयः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)

• समिद्धाः: kindled; well-lit
• समिद्धाः: Kartā (अग्नयः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective (participle)
• Root: सम्-इध् (धातु) → समिद्ध (कृदन्त, भूतकृत्/क्त)

• आ: towards; forth (prefix)
• आ: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• रभन्ताम्: let them undertake; let them take up
• रभन्ताम्: — (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रभ् (धातु) [आ-रभ्]

• प्राजापत्यम्: (that which is) Prajāpati’s; belonging to Prajāpati
• प्राजापत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: प्राजापत्य (प्रातिपदिक; प्रजापतेः सम्बन्धि)

• मेध्यम्: fit for sacrifice; pure
• मेध्यम्: Karma (प्राजापत्यम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेध्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• जातवेदसः: Jātavedas (all-knowing fires/Agni-s)
• जातवेदसः: Kartā (अग्नयः इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Noun (epithet)
• Root: जातवेदस् (प्रातिपदिक; अग्नि-विशेषण)

• शृतम्: the cooked/boiled (offering)
• शृतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective/Participle (used as noun)
• Root: श्रु/श्रव् (धातु ‘श्रु’ = पचने/शरणे?; वैदिके ‘शृ’/‘श्रु’ → शृत ‘उष्णीकृत/पक्व’)

• कृण्वन्तः: making; preparing
• कृण्वन्तः: Kartā (जातवेदसः/अग्नयः इत्यस्य)
• Type: Participle
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृण्वत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त, शतृ)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (देश/अवसर)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)

• मा: do not
• मा: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (निषेध-अव्यय)

• अव: down; away (prefix)
• अव: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अव (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• चिक्षिपन्: let them not throw down; let them not cast away
• चिक्षिपन्: — (निषेध-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb (injunctive/aorist form used with prohibitive mā)
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु) [अव-क्षिप्]

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic funerary tradition (specific attribution varies by edition for AV 18.4).

Devata: Agni(s), especially Jātavedas in pluralized form

Chandas: Mixed/expanded; likely Triṣṭubh-family (verify in critical edition)

Mantra Rasa

Primary: shanta