Rig Veda 1.38.8: Mandala 1, Sukta 38, Mantra 8
Sukta 1.38
Rishi: Ghoṣā Kāksīvatī (traditional)
Devata: Maruts (storm-host; lightning and rain as their expressions)
Chandas: Triṣṭubh/Jagatī (likely; confirmation needed)
Samhita Patha (Devanagari)
वाश्रेव विद्युन्मिमाति वत्सं न माता सिषक्ति । यदेषां वृष्टिरसर्जि ॥
Transliteration
vāśréva vidyún mimāti vatsáṃ na mātā́ siṣakti | yád eṣāṃ vṛṣṭír ásarji ||
Translation
Wie ein Brüllen misst der Blitz seine Schläge ab; wie eine Mutter ihr Kalb an sich drückt, so haftet und sammelt sich ihre Kraft — wenn ihr Regen freigesetzt wird, wird das Leben im Innern in schützende Umarmung genommen.
Word by Word
वा॒श्रेव॑like a bleating (one) / like a cry
वा॒श्रेव॑:
Karaṇa/Upamā (उपमान-निर्देश: ‘like a …’)
TypeIndeclinable (comparative particle with nominal base)
Rootवा॒श्रा (प्रातिपदिक; इव = अव्यय) → वा॒श्रā- + इव
वि॒द्युन्मि॑मातिthe lightning measures out / flashes (lit. ‘measures’)
वि॒द्युन्मि॑माति:
Kartā (विद्युৎ) + क्रिया
TypeVerb with nominal subject
Root√मा (माने/मितौ ‘to measure’); विद्युৎ- (प्रातिपदिक) + मिमाति
व॒त्संthe calf
व॒त्सं:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवत्स- (प्रातिपदिक)
नlike / as
न:
—
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (निपात)
मा॒ताthe mother (cow)
मा॒ता:
Kartā
TypeNoun
Rootमातृ- (प्रातिपदिक)
सि॑षक्तिclings to / attaches (herself)
सि॑षक्ति:
क्रिया (कर्तृ-क्रिया: माता … सिषक्ति)
TypeVerb
Root√सञ्ज्/सज् (सक्तौ ‘to cling/attach’); reduplicated present: सिषक्ति
यत्when / that which
यत्:
Adhikaraṇa/Hetu (सम्बन्धसूचक: ‘when/that’)
TypePronoun (relative)
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
एषाम्of them
एषाम्:
Sambandha (genitive: ‘of them’)
TypePronoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
वृ॒ष्टिःthe rain / rainfall
वृ॒ष्टिः:
Kartā
TypeNoun
Rootवृष्टि- (प्रातिपदिक; from √वृष् ‘to rain’)
अस॑र्जिwas released / poured forth
अस॑र्जि:
क्रिया (वृष्टिः … असर्जि)
TypeVerb
Root√सृज् (सर्जने ‘to let go, discharge’)
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
Not sure where to start?
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.