Atharva Veda 9.2.18: Kanda 9, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 18

Sukta 2

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

यथा॑ दे॒वा असु॑रा॒न् प्राणु॑दन्त॒ यथेन्द्रो॒ दस्यू॑नध॒मं तमो॑ बबा॒धे। तथा॒ त्वं का॑म॒ मम॒ ये स॒पत्ना॒स्तान॒स्माल्लो॒कात् णु॑दस्व दू॒रम्

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 9.2.18

IAST Transliteration

yáthā devā́ ásurān prā́ṇudanta yáthéndro dasyū́n ádhamam támo babā́dhe | táthā tváṁ kā́ma máma yé sapátnās tā́n asmā́l lokā́t ṇudasva dū́ram

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

As the Gods drave forth the Asuras, as Indra smote the Dasyus into nethermost darkness, so, O Kāma, drive thou far away from this world those rivals of mine.

Translation

जैसे देवताओं ने असुरों को भगाया, जैसे इंद्र ने दुश्त्रों को अंधेरे में मारा, वैसे ही काम देव, मेरे दुश्मनों को इस दुनिया से बहुत दूर भगा दे।

The meaning

What it says

By the yathā…tathā (as…so…) formula, the speaker transfers the gods’ expulsion of Asuras and Indra’s driving of Dasyus into “nethermost darkness” onto the present social conflict: Kāma is invoked to push the speaker’s rivals far away from “this world.”

The inner meaning

Rivals (sapatna) are also inner antagonists—envy, compulsive comparison, intrusive desire, and fear of being displaced. The mantra externalizes these pressures and recruits a sovereign force (Kāma as compelling will/desire) to restore psychic boundaries and agency.

The truth in it

Human conflict is often resolved by aligning personal intention with a larger archetypal order: when will (kāma) is disciplined and ritually directed, it can remove obstructive forces and re-establish rightful place.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Abhicarika (Expulsion/Overpowering of rivals)

Its aim

To overpower and expel rivals by explicit analogical transfer from Indra’s conquest.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

Pada patha

यथा । देवाः । असुरान् । प्र-ाणुदन्त । यथा । इन्द्रः । दस्यून् । अधमम् । तमः । बबाधे । तथा । त्वम् । काम । मम । ये । स-पत्नाः । तान् । अस्मात् । लोकात् । णुदस्व । दूरम् ।

यथा

just asas; in the manner that (explicit simile/analogy marker)Indeclinableसम्बन्ध/उपमानार्थ अव्यय (यथा = as, just as)Role Adhikaraṇa (तुलनासम्बन्धे) / अव्यय-सम्बन्धRoot यथा

देवाः

the godsthe gods; victorious ritual orderNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot देव

असुरान्

the AsurasAsuras; adversarial powersNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot असुर

प्राणुदन्

drove away, thrust forthVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot प्र + √नुद्

यथा

just asas; likewise asIndeclinableउपमानार्थ अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (तुलनासम्बन्धे) / अव्यय-सम्बन्धRoot यथा

इन्द्रः

IndraIndra; archetypal conquerorNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot इन्द्र

दस्यून्

the Dasyus (hostile foes)Dasyus; hostile outsiders/enemiesNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot दस्यु

अधमम्

lowest, most baselowest; nethermostAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (तमस्-विशेषणम्)Role Karma (विशेषणरूपेण)Root अधम

तमः

darknessdarkness; obliteration/underworldNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तमस्

बबाधे

has smitten/overcomesmote, thrust down, overpowered; drove into subjectionVerbलिट् (perfect), आत्मनेपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √बाध्

तथा

so, in the same wayso; in that same way (ritual transfer)Indeclinableतुलनार्थ/प्रकारार्थ अव्यय (so, in that way)Role Adhikaraṇa (प्रकारे) / अव्यय-सम्बन्धRoot तथा

त्वम्

youthou; Kāma addressedPronounउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद्

काम

O Kāma (Desire)Kāma; compelling powerNoun (vocative use) / Addressपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (हे काम)Role सम्बोधनRoot काम

मम

of me, mymy; of mePronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अस्मद्

ये

whowho; thosePronoun (relative)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (उपवाक्ये)Root यद्

सपत्नाः

rivals, adversariesrivals; competitorsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (ये…सपत्नाः)Root सपत्न

तान्

those (them)them; those rivalsPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot तद्

अस्मात्

from thisfrom this; from herePronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (अस्मद्-प्रयोगः न; इदम्-प्रयोगः)Role ApādānaRoot इदम्

लोकात्

world, realmworld; this domainNounपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot लोक

णुदस्व

drive away!drive away; expelVerbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; वैदिक-रूपेण णु-आदेशःRole क्रियाRoot √नुद्

दूरम्

far awayfar; at a distanceIndeclinable (adverbial accusative) / Noun used adverbiallyद्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणम्Role Adhikaraṇa (देशे) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot दूर

Sandhi Notes

• यथा | देवाः | असुरान् | प्राणुदन् | यथा | इन्द्रः | दस्यून् | अधमम् | तमः | बबाधे | तथा | त्वम् | काम | मम | ये | सपत्नाः | तान् | अस्मात् | लोकात् | णुदस्व | दूरम् ।
• 1) देवा असुरान् → देवाः असुरान् (विसर्ग-सन्धि)।
• 2) यथेन्द्रः → यथा इन्द्रः (अ + इ = ए)।
• 3) दस्यू॑नधमं → दस्यून् अधमम् (न् + अ)।
• 4) तमो बबाधे → तमः बबाधे (विसर्ग-रूपान्तर/पदपाठे तमः)।
• 5) सपत्नास्तानस्माल्लोकात् → सपत्नाः तान् अस्मात् लोकात् (विसर्ग/न्-सन्धि; अस्मात् + लोकात् में द्वित्व-लोप/समासिक उच्चारण से अस्माल्लोकात्)।
• 6) णुदस्व वैदिक-प्रयोगः: नुद् धातोः लोट् मध्यम-एकवचन
• न्-कारस्य ण्-आदेशः (वैदिक/प्रातिशाख्य-परम्परा)।

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic/Angirasa tradition (variable)

Devata

Kāma (with Indra/Devas as exemplars)

Chandas

Anuṣṭubh-type (Atharvanic mixed)

Rasa

Raudra and Vira

Sayana's Commentary

The Seer

The Deity

The Metre

The Rite

In the Home

Substances

Healing Context

Magic Charm Layer

Symbols in this Mantra

Yogic Application

Chanting Notes

Practical Application

Scholarly Questions