Atharva Veda 9.10.27: Kanda 9, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 10, Mantra 27

Sukta 10

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

च॒त्वारि॒ वाक् परि॑मिता प॒दानि॒ तानि॑ विदुर्ब्राह्म॒णा ये म॑नी॒षिणः॑ । गुहा॒ त्रीणि॒ निहि॑ता॒ नेङ्ग॑यन्ति तु॒रीयं॑ वा॒चो म॑नु॒ष्याऽवदन्ति

Sanskrit recitationAtharva Veda 9.10.27

IAST Transliteration

catvā́ri vāk pári-mitā padā́ni tā́ni vidur brāhmaṇā́ yé manīṣíṇaḥ | guhā́ trī́ṇi ní-hitā néṅgayanti turī́yaṃ vā́co manuṣyā́ avadanti ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Four are the measured stations of Speech: these the Brahmans know, the wise in thought. Three, laid away in secrecy, stir not; the fourth of Speech is that which men do utter.

Translation

วาจา (วาก) มีสี่ฐาน (ปทะ) อันถูกกำหนดวัดไว้; พราหมณ์ผู้มีปัญญาใคร่ครวญเท่านั้นรู้สิ่งเหล่านี้. สามฐานถูกซ่อนไว้ในถ้ำแห่งความลับ มิได้ไหวติง; ส่วนฐานที่สี่ของวาจา คือถ้อยคำที่มนุษย์เปล่งออกมา.

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Word by Word

• चत्वारि: four
• चत्वारि: Karma
• Type: Adjective (numeral)
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)

• परिमिता: measured/limited
• परिमिता: —
• Type: Adjective (past passive participle)
• Root: परि-√मा (माने) → परिमित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• पदानि: steps/words/quarters
• पदानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• विदुः: know
• विदुः: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (ज्ञाने)

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins/learned priests
• ब्राह्मणाः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)

• ये: who
• ये: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun (relative)
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• मनीषिणः: wise/insightful ones
• मनीषिणः: Kartā
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: मनीषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• गुहा: in a cave/secretly
• गुहा: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा (प्रातिपदिक)

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: Karma
• Type: Adjective (numeral)
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)

• निहितानि: placed/hidden
• निहितानि: —
• Type: Adjective (past passive participle)
• Root: नि-√धा (धारणे) → निहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

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

• इङ्गयन्ति: move/stir
• इङ्गयन्ति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इङ्ग्/इङ्गय् (चलने)

• तुरीयम्: the fourth
• तुरीयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective (ordinal)
• Root: तुरीय (क्रमवाचक-प्रातिपदिक)

• वाचः: of speech
• वाचः: Sambandha (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)

• मनुष्याः: humans
• मनुष्याः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• अवदन्ति: speak/utter
• अवदन्ति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√वद् (वचने)

Attribution

Rishi: Vāk-related seer tradition (often linked to Bṛhaspati/Brāhmaṇa lineages in later lists).

Devata: Vāk (Speech).

Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like.

Mantra Rasa

Primary: shanta

Secondary: adbhuta