Atharva Veda 9.9.6: Kanda 9, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 9, Mantra 6

Sukta 9

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

पाकः॑ पृच्छामि॒ मन॒सावि॑जानन् दे॒वाना॑मे॒ना निहि॑ता प॒दानि॑ । व॒त्से ब॒ष्कयेऽधि॑ स॒प्त तन्तू॒न् वि त॑त्निरे क॒वय॒ ओत॒वा उ॑

IAST Transliteration

pā́kaḥ pṛcchā́mi mánasā́vijānann devā́nām enā́ níhitā padā́ni | vatsé baṣkáye’ dhí saptá tantū́n ví tatnire kaváya ótavā́ u

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

As one unknowing, with my mind I ask of these—the gods’ hidden stations. Upon the calf, upon the strong bull, the Seven threads the seers, the weavers, have stretched forth.

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Word by Word

• पाकः: the wise/knower (lit. ‘the ripe/learned one’)
• पाकः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाक (प्रातिपदिक) / √पच् (पाक ‘पक्व/पाक’ अर्थे)

• पृच्छामि: I ask
• पृच्छामि: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ्

• मनसा: with (my) mind
• मनसा: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• अविजानन्: not knowing, unknowing
• अविजानन्: Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण ‘पाकः’)
• Type: Participle
• Root: √ज्ञा (वि + अव) → अविजानत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)

• एनानि: these
• एनानि: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• निहितानि: placed, deposited
• निहितानि: —
• Type: Participle
• Root: नि + √धा → निहित (भूतकृदन्त)

• पदानि: tracks/footprints; steps; (also) पद- ‘words/places’
• पदानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)

• वत्से: in/on the calf (vatse)
• वत्से: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)

• बष्कये: in/on the ‘baṣkaya’ (a specific object/being; AV lexeme)
• बष्कये: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: बष्कय (प्रातिपदिक; AV-विशिष्ट शब्द)

• अधि: upon, over
• अधि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण-भावे ‘upon/over’)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधि

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: —
• Type: Numeral
• Root: सप्त

• तन्तून्: threads, cords
• तन्तून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)

• वि: apart, forth (as preverb)
• वि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि

• तत्निरे: they stretched/spread
• तत्निरे: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तन् (वि +) → तत्निरे

• कवयः: the seers/poets
• कवयः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवि (प्रातिपदिक)

• ओतवाः: weaving/connecting; those who have woven (them)
• ओतवाः: Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ओतवन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘woven/connected’, from √वे/√उ ‘to weave’ via ओत)

• उ: indeed, and (emphatic particle)
• उ: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ

Attribution

Rishi: Brahmodya tradition

Devata: Kavis/Divine Order (ṛta) as woven structure; gods’ ‘padas’

Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like

Mantra Rasa

Primary: adbhuta

Secondary: shanta