Rig Veda 10.81.4: Mandala 10, Sukta 81, Mantra 4

Sukta 10.81

Rishi: Viśvakarman hymn tradition (to be confirmed).

Devata: Viśvakarman (implicit via cosmogonic questioning)

Chandas: Trishtubh (likely; needs verification)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

किं स्विद्वनं क उ स वृक्ष आस यतो द्यावापृथिवी निष्टतक्षुः । मनीषिणो मनसा पृच्छतेदु तद्यदध्यतिष्ठद्भुवनानि धारयन् ॥

Recitation with translationRig Veda 10.81.4

Transliteration

kíṃ svíd vánaṃ ká u sá vṛ́kṣa āsá yáto dyā́vā-pṛthivī́ níṣ tatakṣúḥ | manī́ṣiṇo mánasā pṛcchate dú tád yad adhyátiṣṭhad bhúvanāni dhāráyan ||

Translation

Was war das Holz, und was war der Baum, aus dem sie Himmel und Erde zimmerten? Die Einsichtigen fragen im Geist nach diesem Geheimnis: Was war es, das über allen Welten stand und sie trug?

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Word by Word

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (प्रश्न-सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) अथवा अव्यय-रूप

• स्वित्: indeed? / I wonder
• स्वित्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वित् (निपात) < PIE *swe-? (प्रश्न/संशय-प्रयोग)

• वनम्: wood; forest (timber)
• वनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)

• कः: who? / what (which one)?
• कः: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क (प्रश्न-सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• उ: indeed; then
• उ: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ (निपात)

• सः: that (one)
• सः: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• वृक्षः: tree
• वृक्षः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)

• आस: was
• आस: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु) ‘to be’

• यतः: from which; whence
• यतः: Apādāna
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध-प्रातिपदिक)

• द्यावा: heaven (as one of the pair)
• द्यावा: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्याव् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘sky’

• पृथिवी: earth
• पृथिवी: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)

• निः: out; forth
• निः: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निस्/निः (उपसर्ग)

• ततक्षुः: they fashioned; they hewed
• ततक्षुः: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: तक्ष् (धातु) ‘to fashion, hew’

• मनीषिणः: the wise (ones)
• मनीषिणः: Kartā
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: मनीषिन् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘wise, thoughtful’

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

• पृच्छते: asks
• पृच्छते: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्/पृच्छ् (धातु) ‘to ask’

• इदु: indeed; just
• इदु: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदु (निपात; इव/एव-बलक)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• अध्यतिष्ठत्: stood over; presided
• अध्यतिष्ठत्: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) ‘to stand’ + अधि- (उपसर्ग)

• भुवनानि: the worlds; beings/realms
• भुवनानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन (प्रातिपदिक) < भू ‘to be’

• धारयन्: supporting; holding
• धारयन्: Kartā
• Type: Verb (participle)
• Root: धृ (धातु) ‘to hold, support’