Atharva Veda 9.2.18 — Kanda 9, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 18

Sukta 2

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

यथा॑ दे॒वा असु॑रा॒न् प्राणु॑दन्त॒ यथेन्द्रो॒ दस्यू॑नध॒मं तमो॑ बबा॒धे। तथा॒ त्वं का॑म॒ मम॒ ये स॒पत्ना॒स्तान॒स्माल्लो॒कात् णु॑दस्व दू॒रम्

IAST Transliteration

yáthā devā́ ásurān prā́ṇudanta yáthéndro dasyū́n ádhamam támo babā́dhe | táthā tváṁ kā́ma máma yé sapátnās tā́n asmā́l lokā́t ṇudasva dū́ram

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

As the Gods drave forth the Asuras, as Indra smote the Dasyus into nethermost darkness, so, O Kāma, drive thou far away from this world those rivals of mine.

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Adhikaraṇa (तुलनासम्बन्धे) / अव्यय-सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव

• असुरान्: the Asuras
• असुरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर

• प्राणुदन्: drove away, thrust forth
• प्राणुदन्: (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √नुद्

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Adhikaraṇa (तुलनासम्बन्धे) / अव्यय-सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र

• दस्यून्: the Dasyus (hostile foes)
• दस्यून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दस्यु

• अधमम्: lowest, most base
• अधमम्: Karma (विशेषणरूपेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधम

• तमः: darkness
• तमः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस्

• बबाधे: has smitten/overcome
• बबाधे: (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बाध्

• तथा: so, in the same way
• तथा: Adhikaraṇa (प्रकारे) / अव्यय-सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्

• काम: O Kāma (Desire)
• काम: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun (vocative use) / Address
• Root: काम

• मम: of me, my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्

• ये: who
• ये: Kartā (उपवाक्ये)
• Type: Pronoun (relative)
• Root: यद्

• सपत्नाः: rivals, adversaries
• सपत्नाः: Kartā (ये…सपत्नाः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सपत्न

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्

• अस्मात्: from this
• अस्मात्: Apādāna
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्

• लोकात्: world, realm
• लोकात्: Apādāna
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक

• णुदस्व: drive away!
• णुदस्व: (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नुद्

• दूरम्: far away
• दूरम्: Adhikaraṇa (देशे) / क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable (adverbial accusative) / Noun used adverbially
• Root: दूर

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic/Angirasa tradition (variable)

Devata: Kāma (with Indra/Devas as exemplars)

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-type (Atharvanic mixed)

Mantra Rasa

Primary: raudra

Secondary: vira