Atharva Veda 4.40.1: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 4, Sukta 40, Mantra 1

Sukta 40

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

शत्रुनाशनम्। ये पु॒रस्ता॒ज्जुह्व॑ति जातवेदः॒ प्राच्या॑ दि॒शोऽभि॒दास॑न्त्य॒स्मान्। अ॒ग्निमृ॒त्वा ते परा॑ञ्चो व्यथन्तां प्र॒त्यगे॑नान् प्रतिस॒रेण॑ हन्मि

Sanskrit recitationAtharva Veda 4.40.1

IAST Transliteration

śatrunā́śanam | yé purástāj juhváti jātavēdo prā́cyā diśó ’bhidā́santy asmā́n | agním ṛtvā́ té parā́ñco vyathantāṁ pratyagéna pratisarḗṇa hanmi

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

For the slaying of foes. Whoso from the forepart offer, O Jātavedas—who from the eastern quarter assail us: taking Agni in due order, let them be turned away and tremble; with the counter-turning, with the counter-charm, I smite them down.

Translation

敵を滅するために。前方から供犠する者どもよ、ジャータヴェーダス（Jātavedas）よ――東の方角から我らを襲う者どもよ。正しい次第によりアグニ（Agni）を取り、彼らを背き去らせ、震えさせよ。反転の術、対抗の呪（プラティサラ）をもって、我は彼らを打ち倒す。

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Word by Word

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: कर्तृ
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)

• पुरस्तात्: in front; from the east/before
• पुरस्तात्: अधिकरण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस् (prātipadika)

• जुह्वति: they offer (into fire)
• जुह्वति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)

• जातवेदः: O Jātavedas (Agni)
• जातवेदः: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: जातवेदस् (प्रातिपदिक; अग्निनाम)

• प्राच्या: eastern
• प्राच्या: कर्म
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राच् (प्रातिपदिक)

• दिशः: direction (quarter)
• दिशः: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)

• अभि: towards; against
• अभि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• दासन्ति: they harm/assail
• दासन्ति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: दस्/दंश् (धातु; वैदिक प्रयोगः ‘दासति’ = ‘हानि/उपद्रव करोति’)

• अस्मान्: us
• अस्मान्: कर्म
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)

• अग्निम्: Agni (fire)
• अग्निम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)

• ऋत्वा: having gone/approached (having moved)
• ऋत्वा: —
• Type: Gerund
• Root: ऋ (धातु) + क्त्वा

• ते: they (those)
• ते: कर्तृ
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)

• पराञ्चः: turned away; facing away
• पराञ्चः: कर्तृ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराञ्च् (प्रातिपदिक)

• व्यथन्ताम्: let them be distressed/tremble
• व्यथन्ताम्: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यथ् (धातु)

• प्रत्यगेनान्: with a counter-facing/returning (force); by a repelling (means)
• प्रत्यगेनान्: करण
• Type: Adjective (instrumental form used adverbially)
• Root: प्रत्यग् (प्रातिपदिक) + एन (करण-प्रत्यय; वैदिक)

• प्रतिसरेण: with the protective amulet/charm
• प्रतिसरेण: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिसर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘प्रतिसर’ = ताबीज/रक्षासूत्र/प्रतिरोधक-उपाय)

• हन्मि: I strike/kill
• हन्मि: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (not specified in excerpt)

Devata: Agni Jātavedas (as counter-sorcery agent)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like (requires metrical confirmation)

Mantra Rasa

Primary: raudra

Secondary: vira