Atharva Veda 15.12.5: Kanda 15, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 12, Mantra 5

Sukta 12

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

प्र पि॑तृ॒याणं॒ पन्थां॑ जानाति॒ प्र दे॑व॒यान॑म्

Sanskrit recitationAtharva Veda 15.12.5

IAST Transliteration

prá pitṛyā́ṇaṃ pánthāṃ jānāti prá devayā́nam

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Forth he discerneth the Path that leadeth to the Fathers; forth also the Path that leadeth to the Gods.

Translation

प्र पितृयाणं पन्थां जानाति; प्र देवयानम्।

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Word by Word

• प्र: forth; forward
• प्र: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र (upasarga)

• पितृयाणम्: the path/way of the Fathers (ancestral way)
• पितृयाणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृयाण (prātipadika: पितृ + यान)

• पन्थाम्: path; road
• पन्थाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन्/पन्था (prātipadika)

• जानाति: knows; recognizes
• जानाति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (jñā)

• प्र: forth; forward
• प्र: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र (upasarga)

• देवयानम्: the path/way of the gods (divine way)
• देवयानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवयान (prātipadika: देव + यान)

Attribution

Rishi: Traditionally connected with Vrātya-speculation in AV 15 (often treated as Atharvanic/anonymous in later indexing).

Devata: Vidyā / the Two Paths (pitṛyāṇa, devayāna) as doctrinal powers rather than a single deity.

Chandas: Mixed/prose-like Atharvanic style (AV 15 often departs from strict RV meters).

Mantra Rasa

Primary: shanta

Secondary: adbhuta