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

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 4.18.1

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

اپامارگ! میں روشنی کو سورج کے برابر کرتا ہوں؛ دن کے ساتھ رات کو متوازن بناتا ہوں۔ میں مدد کے لیے سچ پر کام کرتا ہوں: جادو کرنے والے بے رس اور بے مزہ ہوں۔

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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