Atharva Veda 9.3.17 — Kanda 9, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 3, Mantra 17

Sukta 3

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

तृणै॒रावृ॑ता पल॒दान् वसा॑ना॒ रात्री॑व॒ शाला॒ जग॑तो नि॒वेश॑नी । मि॒ता पृ॑थि॒व्यां ति॑ष्ठसि ह॒स्तिनी॑व प॒द्वती॑

IAST Transliteration

tṛṇáir ā́vṛtā paladā́n vásānā rā́trīva śā́lā jágato nivéśanī | mitā́ pṛthivyā́ṃ tíṣṭhasi hastínīva padvátī ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Covered with grasses, wearing her side-boards, like Night, O Hall, a lodging-place for all that moves; measured on Earth thou standest, firm-footed as a she-elephant.

Translation

గడ్డితో ఆవరించబడి, పక్క పలకలు (పలదాన్) ధరించినదానివి; రాత్రిలాగా, ఓ శాలా, జగత్తులో కదిలే సమస్తానికి నివాసస్థానం. భూమిపై కొలిచి నీవు నిలిచివున్నావు; హస్తినిలాగా దృఢపాదములతో.

Word by Word

• तृणैः: with grasses, by means of grass
• तृणैः: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण

• आवृता: covered, wrapped
• आवृता: Kartā (as predicate of the subject)
• Type: Adjective (past passive participle)
• Root: आ-√वृ (वृञ् आवरणे) / आवृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• पलदान्: straw-mats / thatch-bundles (coverings)
• पलदान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पलद (प्रातिपदिक)

• वसानā: wearing, putting on
• वसानā: Kartā (as predicate of the subject)
• Type: Adjective/Participle
• Root: √वस् (वसँ आच्छादने) / वसत्- (वर्तमान कृदन्त)

• रात्री: night
• रात्री: Kartā (in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि

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

• शाला: hut, hall, shelter
• शाला: Kartā (apposition/simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाला

• जगतः: of the world / of what moves
• जगतः: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्

• निवेशनी: dwelling-place, lodging, resting-place
• निवेशनी: Kartā (predicate/apposition)
• Type: Noun (agent/instrument noun)
• Root: नि-√विश् (विशँ प्रवेशने) / निवेशनी (प्रातिपदिक)

• मिता: measured, bounded
• मिता: Kartā (as predicate of the subject)
• Type: Adjective (past passive participle)
• Root: √मा (मा॒ माने/मितौ) / मित (कृदन्त)

• पृथिव्याम्: on/in the earth
• पृथिव्याम्: अधिकरण
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी

• तिष्ठसि: you stand, you remain
• तिष्ठसि: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (ष्ठा गतिनिवृत्तौ) → तिष्ठ

• हस्तिनी: a female elephant
• हस्तिनी: Kartā (in simile)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: हस्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक) → हस्तिनी

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

• पद्वती: having feet/steps; footed (firm-footed)
• पद्वती: Kartā (predicate of the subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्वत् (प्रातिपदिक) → पद्वती

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (house/hall hymn)

Devata: Śālā; protective Night imagery secondarily

Chandas: Mixed/Anuṣṭubh-like domestic cadence (as transmitted in AV śālā-hymn)

Mantra Rasa

Primary: shanta

Secondary: adbhuta