Atharva Veda 4.2.8: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 8

Sukta 2

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

आपो॑ व॒त्सं ज॒नय॑न्ती॒र्गर्भ॒मग्रे॒ समै॑रयन्। तस्यो॒त जाय॑मान॒स्योल्ब॑ आसीद्धिर॒ण्ययः॒ कस्मै॑ दे॒वाय॑ ह॒विषा॑ विधेम

Sanskrit recitationAtharva Veda 4.2.8

IAST Transliteration

ā́po vatsáṃ janáyantīr gárbham ágre sám airayan | tásyotá jā́yamānasyólba āsīd hiraṇyáyaḥ kásmai devā́ya havíṣā vidhema ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

The Waters, bringing forth the calf, at first set the germ in motion. And of him, even as he was being born, the envelope was golden: unto what God shall we with oblation do worship?

Translation

Air, melahirkan anak lembu, mula-mula menggerakkan benih (garbha). Dan baginya, bahkan ketika ia sedang dilahirkan, selubungnya berwarna emas: kepada dewa manakah kita akan beribadah dengan persembahan (havis)?

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Word by Word

• आपः: waters
• आपः: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)

• वत्सम्: calf/offspring
• वत्सम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)

• जनयन्तीः: producing, generating
• जनयन्तीः: कर्तृ
• Type: Verb (present participle)
• Root: √जन् (जनने) → जनय (णिच्)

• गर्भम्: embryo, womb-offspring
• गर्भम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)

• अग्रे: in the beginning, at first
• अग्रे: अधिकरण
• Type: Noun (used adverbially)
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• सम्: together, completely (prefix)
• सम्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग)

• ऐरयन्: they set in motion, they impelled
• ऐरयन्: कर्तृ
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ईर्/इर् (गत्यर्थ/प्रेरणे) → ईरय (णिच्)

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)

• उत: and, also
• उत: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत (निपात)

• जातमानस्य: of the one being born
• जातमानस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective/Participle
• Root: √जन् (जनने) → जात (क्त)

• उल्बः: membrane, caul (afterbirth covering)
• उल्बः: कर्तृ/विषय (वाक्यविषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उल्ब (प्रातिपदिक)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (भुवि)

• हिरण्ययः: golden
• हिरण्ययः: विशेषण (उल्बस्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिरण्यय (प्रातिपदिक)

• कस्मै: to which (god)?
• कस्मै: सम्प्रदान
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम)

• देवाय: to the god
• देवाय: सम्प्रदान
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)

• हविषा: with oblation
• हविषा: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• विधेम: may we offer/perform (worship)
• विधेम: कर्तृ
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (धारणे) + वि-

Attribution

Rishi: Prajāpati/Hiraṇyagarbha hymn tradition (variable).

Devata: Āpaḥ and Hiraṇyagarbha/Prajāpati.

Chandas: Mixed; second hemistich Triṣṭubh-like, first more Jagatī/irregular in AV transmission.

Mantra Rasa

Primary: adbhuta

Secondary: shanta