Atharva Veda 4.18.1: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 18, Mantra 1

Sukta 18

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अपामार्गः। स॒मं ज्योतिः॒ सूर्ये॒णाह्ना॒ रात्री॑ स॒मावती॑ । कृ॒णोमि॑ स॒त्यमू॒तये॑ऽर॒साः स॑न्तु॒ कृत्व॑रीः

IAST Transliteration

apāmārgáḥ | samáṃ jyótiḥ sū́ryeṇā́hnā rā́trī samā́vatī | kṛṇómi satyám ūtáye ’rasā́ḥ santu kṛ́tvarīḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Apāmārga! I make the light equal with the Sun; with Day I make Night a thing of even balance. I work the Truth for succour: sapless, void of savour, be the workers of the witchcraft.

Translation

अपामार्गः। समं ज्योतिः सूर्येणाह्ना रात्री समावती। कृणोमि सत्यमूतयेऽरसाः सन्तु कृत्वरीः॥

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Word by Word

• अपामार्गः: Apāmārga plant (Achyranthes aspera), the agent (charm/herb)
• अपामार्गः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपामार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)

• समम्: equally, in the same measure
• समम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective (used adverbially)
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)

• ज्योतिः: light, radiance
• ज्योतिः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• सूर्येण: with/by the Sun
• सूर्येण: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• अह्ना: with/by day
• अह्ना: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• रात्री: night
• रात्री: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)

• समावती: equally endowed/paired (with day), matching
• समावती: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समावत्/समावती (प्रातिपदिक)

• कृणोमि: I make, I effect
• कृणोमि: Kartā
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)

• सत्यम्: truth; what is true/real
• सत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• ऊतये: for help, for aid/protection
• ऊतये: Sampradāna
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊति (प्रातिपदिक)

• अरसाः: tasteless; sapless; without essence (i.e., weakened)
• अरसाः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरस (प्रातिपदिक)

• सन्तु: let them be
• सन्तु: Kartā
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)

• कृत्वरीः: (female) doers/agents; harmful workers (witchcraft/hostile forces)
• कृत्वरीः: Karma
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: कृत्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (often transmitted under Atharvan/Angiras rubric for kṛtyā-hymns; specific r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī).

Devata: Apāmārga (as personified herb) with solar/daylight powers as auxiliaries.

Chandas: Mixed; predominantly Anuṣṭubh-like cadence with Atharvanic irregularities.

Mantra Rasa

Primary: raudra

Secondary: vira