Atharva Veda 4.16.3 — Kanda 4, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 16, Mantra 3

Sukta 16

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

उ॒तेयं भूमि॒र्वरु॑णस्य॒ राज्ञ॑ उ॒तासौ द्यौर्बृ॑ह॒ती दू॒रेअ॑न्ता । उ॒तो स॑मु॒द्रौ वरु॑णस्य कु॒क्षी उ॒तास्मिन्नल्प॑ उद॒के निली॑नः

IAST Transliteration

utéyáṃ bhū́mir váruṇasya rā́jña utā́sau dyáur bṛhatī́ dūré-antā́ | utó u samudráu váruṇasya kukṣī́ utā́smínn álpe udaké nilī́naḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

And this Earth is of Varuṇa the King; and yonder Heaven, the mighty, whose bounds are far away. And the two Oceans are Varuṇa’s bellies; and in this scant water also he lieth hidden.

Translation

ఈ భూమి రాజైన వరుణునిదే; దూరమైన సరిహద్దులు గల ఆ మహత్తర ద్యౌ (స్వర్గం) కూడా అతనిదే. రెండు సముద్రాలు వరుణుని ఉదరాలు; ఈ స్వల్ప జలంలో కూడా అతడు దాగి నిమగ్నమై ఉన్నాడు.

Word by Word

• उत: and; also
• उत: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्

• भूमिः: earth
• भूमिः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि

• वरुणस्य: of Varuṇa
• वरुणस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: वरुण

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्

• उत: and also
• उत: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत

• असौ: that (yonder)
• असौ: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (प्रातिपदिक: अदस्)

• द्यौः: sky; heaven
• द्यौः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्यौ (द्याव्)

• बृहती: vast; lofty
• बृहती: Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बृहती

• दूरे: far away
• दूरे: —
• Type: Adverb (indeclinable use of loc.)
• Root: दूर

• अन्ता: the two ends; boundaries
• अन्ता: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त

• उत: and also
• उत: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत

• समुद्रौ: the two seas/oceans
• समुद्रौ: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र

• वरुणस्य: of Varuṇa
• वरुणस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: वरुण

• कुक्षी: the two bellies/wombs; cavities
• कुक्षी: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुक्षि

• उत: and also
• उत: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (अस्मद्-प्रत्ययान्त निर्देश)

• अल्पे: small; little
• अल्पे: Adhikaraṇa (विशेषणरूपेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प

• उदके: in the water
• उदके: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक

• निलीनः: hidden; lying concealed
• निलीनः: Kartā (अध्याहृत-कर्तृविशेषणम्)
• Type: Participle (Adjective)
• Root: नि-ली (धातु: ली/श्ली ‘to cling, to lie, to hide’), कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक: निलीन

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (hymn to Varuṇa; specific ṛṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī)

Devata: Varuṇa (as king, lord of waters and ṛta)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (predominant cadence; to be verified by pada count in recensional analysis)

Mantra Rasa

Primary: adbhuta

Secondary: bhayankara