Atharva Veda 4.28.2: Kanda 4, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 28, Mantra 2

Sukta 28

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

ययो॑रभ्यभ्व॒ उ॒त यद् दू॒रे चि॒द् यौ वि॑दि॒तावि॑षु॒भृता॒मसि॑ष्ठौ । याव॒स्येशा॑थे द्वि॒पदो॒ यौ चतु॑ष्पद॒स्तौ नो॑ मुञ्चत॒मंह॑सः

Sanskrit recitationAtharva Veda 4.28.2

IAST Transliteration

yáyor abhyabhvá utá yád dūré cid yáu viditā́viṣubhṛtā́m ásiṣṭhau | yā́v asyéśāthe dvipádo yáu catúṣpadas táu no muñcatam áṁhasaḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Ye twain who are assailing powers, and even that which is far away; ye twain, well-known among the missile-bearers, most sword-like: ye who have lordship over this man’s two-footed and his four-footed (folk), do ye release us from distress.

Translation

汝二位，能攻逼强敌，亦能及于遥远之处；汝二位，在持投射之器者中著名，最为锋利如剑。汝二位主宰此人之两足者与四足者；愿汝二位解脱我等离诸苦厄与罪咎（aṃhas）。

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Word by Word

• ययोः: of which two
• ययोः: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• अभ्यभ्वः: overpowering, prevailing
• अभ्यभ्वः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-√भू (धातु) → अभ्यभ्व (कृदन्त/विशेषण)

• उत: and also
• उत: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत

• यत्: that which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध/उद्देश्य (relative)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• दूरे: far away
• दूरे: अधिकरण
• Type: Adverbial (from noun)
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)

• चित्: even
• चित्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित्

• यौ: who (the two)
• यौ: कर्तृ
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• विदितौ: known
• विदितौ: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective/Participle
• Root: √विद् (ज्ञाने) → विदित (कृदन्त)

• इषुभृताम्: of the arrow-bearers
• इषुभृताम्: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun (agent-noun) / Adjective
• Root: इषु-भृत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘arrow-bearing’)

• असिष्ठौ: most steadfast / unerring (the two)
• असिष्ठौ: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-सिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘not slack/most unerring/most firm’)

• यौ: who (the two)
• यौ: कर्तृ
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• ईशाथे: you two rule / have power
• ईशाथे: कर्तृ (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ईश् (ऐश्वर्ये/शासने)

• द्विपदः: the two-footed (beings)
• द्विपदः: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि-पद (प्रातिपदिक)

• यौ: who (the two)
• यौ: कर्तृ
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• चतुष्पदः: the four-footed (beings)
• चतुष्पदः: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्-पद (प्रातिपदिक)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: कर्तृ
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• नः: for us / of us
• नः: सम्प्रदान (beneficiary) / सम्बन्ध
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• मुञ्चतम्: release (you two)!
• मुञ्चतम्: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (मोचने)

• अंहसः: from distress/sin
• अंहसः: अपादान
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंहस् (प्रातिपदिक)

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (hymn-seer not securely fixed across recensions)

Devata: A protective dual divinity (often interpreted as the Aśvins or a paired guardian-power in Atharvanic usage)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like cadence (Atharvanic mixed/irregular triṣṭubh tendencies in this hymn)

Mantra Rasa

Primary: vira

Secondary: bhayankara