Atharva Veda 18.3.23: Kanda 18, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 3, Mantra 23

Sukta 3

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

आ यू॒थेव॑ क्षु॒मति॑ प॒श्वो अ॑ख्यद् दे॒वानां॒ जनि॒मान्त्यु॒ग्रः । मर्ता॑सश्चिदु॒र्वशी॑रकृप्रन् वृ॒धे चि॑द॒र्य उप॑रस्या॒योः

IAST Transliteration

ā́ yū́theva kṣumáti paśvó ákhyad devā́nāṃ jánimāni tú ugráḥ | mártāsaś cid urváśīr akṛpran vṛ́dhe cid aryá úparasyā́yoḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Forth, like a herd in might, there came to sight the births of gods—so mighty was it. Even mortals fashioned Urvaśīs, yea, for increase—even the Arya, of higher Āyu’s line.

Translation

Maju, laksana kawanan yang gagah; kelahiran-kelahiran para dewa pun tampak—demikian perkasa ia. Bahkan insan fana pun membentuk Urvaśī-Urvaśī, ya, demi pertambahan—bahkan sang Ārya, dari susur galur Āyu yang lebih tinggi.

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Word by Word

• आ: towards; forth (preverb)
• आ: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (upasarga)

• यूथा: a herd; flock
• यूथा: Adhikaraṇa (उपमान-निर्देश) / —
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूथ (प्रातिपदिक)

• इव: like; as
• इव: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• क्षुमति: abounding in nourishment/strength; thriving
• क्षुमति: Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण कर्तृपदस्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुमत् (प्रातिपदिक)

• पश्वः: of cattle; of the beast
• पश्वः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)

• अख्यत्: he/it proclaimed; made known; appeared
• अख्यत्: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ख्यै (धातु)

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)

• जनिमानि: births; origins; begettings
• जनिमानि: Karma (अख्यत्—किं? जनिमानि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• अन्ति: near; in the presence of
• अन्ति: Adhikaraṇa (देश/निकटता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्ति

• उग्रः: mighty; fierce; powerful
• उग्रः: Kartā (कर्तृपदस्य विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• मर्तासः: mortals; men
• मर्तासः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त (प्रातिपदिक)

• चित्: even; indeed
• चित्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित्

• उर्वशीः: Urvashīs (Apsarases); heavenly nymphs
• उर्वशीः: Karma (अकृप्रन्—काः?)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वशी (प्रातिपदिक)

• अकृप्रन्: they made; they fashioned
• अकृप्रन्: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)

• वृधे: for growth; for the increaser
• वृधे: Sampradāna (हित/प्रयोजन—‘for growth/for the increaser’)
• Type: Noun (abstract) / Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: वृध् (धातु) / वृध (प्रातिपदिक)

• चित्: even; indeed
• चित्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित्

• अर्यः: the Arya; noble man; patron
• अर्यः: Kartā (उप-आ-याः इत्यस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• उपरस्य: of the upper/over; of the higher one
• उपरस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपर (प्रातिपदिक)

• आयोः: of the goer/approacher; of the one who comes
• आयोः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Verb-derived form (kṛdanta used as noun)
• Root: या (धातु) (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक: आयु/आयु- ‘going/approach’)

Attribution

Rishi: Pitṛ-associated seers (implicit; verse in pitṛ hymn sequence)

Devata: Pitṛs with mythic/cosmic referents (divine births; Urvaśī motif)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable)

Mantra Rasa

Primary: adbhuta

Secondary: shringara