Shukla Yajur Veda — Adhyaya 23, Mantra 57
Rishi: Prājāpatya/anonymous (catechism style; later tradition may ascribe to ritual seers)
Devata: Yajña (as a totality) / Prajāpati (as its hidden unity)
Chandas: Triṣṭubh (by cadence and length; common for interrogative-catechism hymns)
Samhita Patha (Devanagari)
कत्य॑स्य वि॒ष्ठाः कत्य॒क्षरा॑णि॒ कति॒ होमा॑सः कति॒धा समि॑द्धः । य॒ज्ञस्य॑ त्वा वि॒दथा॑ पृच्छ॒मत्र॒ कति॒ होता॑र ऋतु॒शो य॑जन्ति
Transliteration
katy asya viṣṭhā́ḥ katy ákṣarāṇi katí homā́saḥ katidhā́ samíd-dhaḥ | yajñásya tvā vidáthā pṛcchā́m atra katí hotā́ra ṛtuśó yajanti
Translation
তার কতগুলি ‘বিষ্ঠা’ (আধার/স্থান) আছে, কতগুলি ‘অক্ষর’ আছে? কতগুলি ‘হোম’ আছে, আর কত প্রকারে সে সমিদ্ধ (প্রজ্বালিত) হয়? যজ্ঞের বিধানসম্বন্ধে আমি তোমাকে এখানে জিজ্ঞাসা করি—ঋতুক্রমে কতজন হোতৃ (Hotṛ) যজন করেন?
Padapatha (Word Analysis)
कति । अस्य । विष्ठाः । कति । अक्षराणि । कति । होमासः । कति-धा । समिद्धः । यज्ञस्य । त्वा । विदथा । पृच्छामि । अत्र । कति । होतारः । ऋतु-शः । यजन्ति
Word by Word
कत्यस्यof how many / of what number
कत्यस्य:
सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकति (प्रश्नसर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अस्य (षष्ठी एकवचन सर्वनाम-प्रत्यय) → कत्यस्य (वैदिक संधि)
विष्ठाः(are) how many ‘vिष्ठāḥ’ (stations/steps/portions)
विष्ठाः:
Kartā (प्रश्नवाक्ये विषयः)
TypeNoun
Rootविष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विष्ठा’)
कतिhow many
कति:
विशेषण-प्रश्न (quantifier)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकति (प्रश्नसर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
अक्षराणिsyllables/imperishable units
अक्षराणि:
Kartā (प्रश्नवाक्ये विषयः)
TypeNoun
Rootअक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
कतिhow many
कति:
विशेषण-प्रश्न
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकति (प्रश्नसर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
होमासःoblations / acts of offering
होमासः:
Kartā (प्रश्नवाक्ये विषयः)
TypeNoun
Rootहोम (प्रातिपदिक)
कतिhow many
कति:
विशेषण-प्रश्न
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकति (प्रश्नसर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
धाin what way / in how many ways
धा:
Adhikaraṇa (manner/way)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootधा (अव्यय; ‘प्रकारेण/विधया’)
समिद्धःkindled / well-lit
समिद्धः:
Kartā/विषय-विशेषण (of the subject implied, e.g., अग्निः/यज्ञः)
TypeAdjective
Rootसम्-इध् (धातु) → समिद्ध (कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय)
यज्ञस्यof the sacrifice
यज्ञस्य:
सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootयज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
त्वाyou
त्वा:
Karma (object of ‘पृच्छामि’)
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम) → त्वा
विदथाrites / ceremonial sessions
विदथा:
Karma/Adhikaraṇa (as ‘rites/assemblies’ about which one asks)
TypeNoun
Rootविदथ (प्रातिपदिक)
पृच्छामिI ask
पृच्छामि:
क्रिया
TypeVerb
Rootप्रच्छ् (धातु) → पृच्छामि
अत्रhere
अत्र:
Adhikaraṇa (location/context)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र (अव्यय)
कतिhow many
कति:
विशेषण-प्रश्न
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकति (प्रश्नसर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
होतारःHotṛ-priests / invokers
होतारः:
Kartā (of ‘यजन्ति’)
TypeNoun
Rootहोतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
ऋतुशःin due seasonal order
ऋतुशः:
Adhikaraṇa (manner/order)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootऋतुशस् (अव्यय; ‘ऋतून् अनुसृत्य’)
यजन्तिthey worship / they perform sacrifice
यजन्ति:
क्रिया
TypeVerb
Rootयज् (धातु) → यजन्ति
Entities Mentioned
Y
YajñaP
PrajāpatiA
AgniH
Hotṛ (ṛtvij as function)Ritual Context
Viniyoga (Ritual Application)
Commentary Summary
Philosophical Concepts
Vedic Cosmology
Academic Analysis
Cross References
Yogic Application
Chanting Notes