Atharva Veda 5.18.1: Kanda 5, Anuvaka 2, Sukta 18, Mantra 1

Sukta 18

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

ब्रह्मरावी नैतां ते॑ दे॒वा अ॑ददु॒स्तुभ्यं॑ नृपते॒ अत्त॑वे । मा ब्रा॑ह्म॒णस्य॑ राजन्य॒ गां जि॑घत्सो अना॒द्याम्

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 5.18.1

IAST Transliteration

bráhma-rāvī náitāṃ te devā́ adaduḥ túbhyaṃ nṛ́pate áttave | mā́ brāhmaṇásya rājanya gā́ṃ jíghatso anā́dyām

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Brahman-proclaiming is the voice: the Gods gave not this unto thee, O Lord of men, for eating. O royal man, crave not to devour the Brahman’s cow—she is not for food.

Translation

เสียงผู้ประกาศพราหมณ์กล่าวว่า: เหล่าเทพมิได้ประทานสิ่งนี้แก่ท่าน โอ้เจ้าแห่งชน เพื่อการกิน. โอ้ผู้เป็นกษัตริย์ อย่าปรารถนาจะกลืนกินโคของพราหมณ์ (Brahman)—นางมิใช่อาหาร.

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Word by Word

• ब्रह्मरावी: O ‘Brahma-roaring’ (one who roars/utters brahman; an epithet)
• ब्रह्मरावी: सम्बोधन/विशेषण (नृपतेः)
• Type: Noun (epithet)
• Root: ब्रह्मराविन् (प्रातिपदिक) < ब्रह्मन् + राविन्

• न: not
• न: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)

• एताम्: this (one)
• एताम्: कर्म (अददुः)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• ते: to you
• ते: सम्प्रदान (अददुः)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: कर्ता (अददुः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)

• अददुः: gave
• अददुः: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: सम्प्रदान (अददुः)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• नृपते: O lord of men, O king
• नृपते: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)

• अत्तवे: for eating, to eat
• अत्तवे: प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य (अददुः-क्रियायाः)
• Type: Verb (infinitive)
• Root: अद् (भक्षणे) → अत्तु (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) / infinitive in -तवे

• मा: do not
• मा: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (निषेध-निपात; prohibitive)

• ब्राह्मणस्य: of a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणस्य: सम्बन्ध (गाम्-विशेषणम्: ‘of a Brahmin’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)

• राजन्य: O Kṣatriya, O royal man
• राजन्य: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun (vocative)
• Root: राजन्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• गाम्: a cow
• गाम्: कर्म (जिघत्सोः/हन्तुम्-इच्छतः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)

• जिघत्सो: wishing to kill, intent on slaughtering
• जिघत्सो: कर्ता-विशेषण (यः हन्तुम् इच्छति)
• Type: Adjective/Participle (desiderative)
• Root: हन् (हिंसायाम्) → जिघत्सु (desiderative adjective/participle)

• अनाद्याम्: not to be eaten, inedible (taboo for eating)
• अनाद्याम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाद्य (प्रातिपदिक) = अ- + आद्य (‘to be eaten’/‘edible’)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic seer tradition (hymn-level attribution varies)

Devata: Brahman (sacral law) / Devāḥ as witnesses

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh

Mantra Rasa

Primary: shanta

Secondary: vira