Atharva Veda 4.28.2: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 28, Mantra 2

Sukta 28

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

ययो॑रभ्यभ्व॒ उ॒त यद् दू॒रे चि॒द् यौ वि॑दि॒तावि॑षु॒भृता॒मसि॑ष्ठौ । याव॒स्येशा॑थे द्वि॒पदो॒ यौ चतु॑ष्पद॒स्तौ नो॑ मुञ्चत॒मंह॑सः

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 4.28.2

IAST Transliteration

yáyor abhyabhvá utá yád dūré cid yáu viditā́viṣubhṛtā́m ásiṣṭhau | yā́v asyéśāthe dvipádo yáu catúṣpadas táu no muñcatam áṁhasaḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Ye twain who are assailing powers, and even that which is far away; ye twain, well-known among the missile-bearers, most sword-like: ye who have lordship over this man’s two-footed and his four-footed (folk), do ye release us from distress.

Translation

Вы двое, что поражаете враждебную силу — и даже то, что далеко; вы двое, известные среди несущих метательные оружия, острейшие, как меч: вы, что владычествуете над двуногими и четвероногими этого человека, — освободите нас от беды (aṃhas).

The meaning

What it says

A paired protective power, famed among missile-bearers and ‘most sword-like,’ that strikes assailants even at a distance and rules over a man’s two-footed and four-footed dependents—may the two release us from aṃhas.

The inner meaning

The psyche calls on a ‘dual guard’—discernment and force, or vigilance and boundary—capable of countering remote threats (rumor, envy, hidden hostility) and stabilizing one’s social/animal life (community and livelihood).

The truth in it

Protection must cover both near and far: harms can be visible or remote, direct or insinuated; effective guardianship is vigilant, swift, and comprehensive over one’s responsibilities.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Abhicarika / Rakṣoghna (counter-sorcery; demon- and witchcraft-expelling)

Its aim

To obtain release from aṁhas (harm/pollution/distress) affecting the sacrificer’s people and cattle, including harms operating at a distance (remote witchcraft/hostile attack).

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Word by Word

Pada patha

ययोः । अभ्यभ्वः । उत । यत् । दूरे । चित् । यौ । विदितौ । इषु-भृताम् । असि-ष्ठौ । यौ । अस्य । ईशाथे । द्वि-पदः । यौ । चतुः-पदः । तौ । नः । मुञ्चतम् । अंहसः

ययोः

of which twoof which two (dual gen.); of you two (the invoked pair)Pronounषष्ठी, द्विवचन (पुं/नपुं)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

अभ्यभ्वः

overpowering, prevailingoverpowering, assailing; (as) smiters of hostile forcesAdjectiveप्रथमा, एकवचन, पुं (यौ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot अभि-√भू (धातु) → अभ्यभ्व (कृदन्त/विशेषण)

उत

and alsoand also; moreover (emphatic connective)Indeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot उत

यत्

that whichwhat(ever); that which (relative)Pronounप्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकRole सम्बन्ध/उद्देश्य (relative)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

दूरे

far awayfar away; at a distance (even if remote)Adverbial (from noun)सप्तमी, एकवचन, नपुंसक (अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः)Role अधिकरणRoot दूर (प्रातिपदिक)

चित्

eveneven; indeed (intensifier)Indeclinableनिपात (अपि-अर्थे)Root चित्

यौ

who (the two)who two (nom. dual); you twoPronounप्रथमा, द्विवचन, पुंRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

विदितौ

knownknown, recognized; famed (as effective protectors)Adjective/Participleप्रथमा, द्विवचन, पुंRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot √विद् (ज्ञाने) → विदित (कृदन्त)

इषुभृताम्

of the arrow-bearersof arrow-bearers; of those who carry missiles (i.e., warriors/hostile shooters; also demonic ‘dart’-casters)Noun (agent-noun) / Adjectiveषष्ठी, बहुवचन, पुंRole सम्बन्धRoot इषु-भृत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘arrow-bearing’)

असिष्ठौ

most steadfast / unerring (the two)most sword-like; best with the sword (pre-eminent cutters/smiters)Adjectiveप्रथमा, द्विवचन, पुंRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot अ-सिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘not slack/most unerring/most firm’)

यौ

who (the two)who two; you twoPronounप्रथमा, द्विवचन, पुंRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

अस्य

of thisof this (person/household); here (our case)Pronounषष्ठी, एकवचन, नपुंसक/पुंRole सम्बन्धRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

ईशाथे

you two rule / have poweryou two rule, have mastery over; are lords of (protective sovereignty)Verbलट्, मध्यम? (न), प्रथमा, द्विवचन, आत्मनेपदRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root √ईश् (ऐश्वर्ये/शासने)

द्विपदः

the two-footed (beings)two-footed beings; humans (and human-like creatures)Nounद्वितीया, बहुवचन, पुंRole कर्मRoot द्वि-पद (प्रातिपदिक)

यौ

who (the two)who two; you twoPronounप्रथमा, द्विवचन, पुंRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

चतुष्पदः

the four-footed (beings)Nounद्वितीया, बहुवचन, पुंRole कर्मRoot चतुर्-पद (प्रातिपदिक)

तौ

those twothose two; you two (resumptive)Pronounप्रथमा, द्विवचन, पुंRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

नः

for us / of usus; our (enclitic pronoun)Pronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदान (beneficiary) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

मुञ्चतम्

release (you two)!release, set free (imperative dual); loosen (from bonds of evil)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √मुच् (मोचने)

अंहसः

from distress/sinfrom distress, sin, pollution, harm; from the constricting ‘evil’ (apotropaic sense)Nounपञ्चमी, एकवचन, नपुंसकRole अपादानRoot अंहस् (प्रातिपदिक)

Sandhi Notes

• ययोः अभ्यभ्वः उत यत् दूरे चित् यौ विदितौ इषुभृताम् असिष्ठौ । यौ अस्य ईशाथे द्विपदः यौ चतुष्पदः तौ नः मुञ्चतम् अंहसः । मुख्य-सन्धयः:
• (1) ययो॑रभ्यभ्वः = ययोः + अभ्यभ्वः (विसर्ग-लोपः, र्-आदेशः)
• (2) दू॒रे चि॒द् = दूरे + चित् (निपातः; पदान्त-द्/त् उच्चारण-भेदः)
• (3) विदितावि॑षु॒भृता॒मसि॑ष्ठौ = विदितौ + इषुभृताम् + असिष्ठौ (औ + इ → आव्/आवि-प्रयोगः; पदसन्धि-समाससदृश-संयोगः)
• (4) याव॒स्येशा॑थे = यौ + अस्य + ईशाथे (औ + अ → आव्/या-प्रयोगः; अस्य + ईशाथे में यण्/स्वर-सन्धि)
• (5) चतु॑ष्पद॒स्तौ = चतुष्पदः + तौ (विसर्ग-लोपः)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Atharvanic tradition (hymn-seer not securely fixed across recensions)

Devata

A protective dual divinity (often interpreted as the Aśvins or a paired guardian-power in Atharvanic usage)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh-like cadence (Atharvanic mixed/irregular triṣṭubh tendencies in this hymn)

Rasa

Vira and Bhayankara

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