Rig Veda 5.8.3 — Mandala 5, Sukta 8, Mantra 3

Sukta 5.8

Rishi: Vasiṣṭha (Vasiṣṭha-gotra tradition for much of Maṇḍala 5; hymn 5.8 is Agni-stuti in Vasiṣṭha style)

Devata: Agni

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable; standard for many Agni hymns in Maṇḍala 5; requires full hymn metrical scan for certainty)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

त्वामग्ने मानुषीरीळते विशो होत्राविदं विविचिं रत्नधातमम् । गुहा सन्तं सुभग विश्वदर्शतं तुविष्वणसं सुयजं घृतश्रियम् ॥

Transliteration

tvām agne mānuṣīr īḷate viśo hotrā-vidaṁ viviciṁ ratna-dhātamam | guhā santaṁ su-bhaga viśva-darśataṁ tuvi-svaṇasaṁ su-yajaṁ ghṛta-śriyam ||

Translation

Dich, o Agni, preisen die menschlichen Sippen – den Kenner des Hotra, den Unterscheider, den höchsten Spender der Schätze. Obgleich du verborgen in der Höhle weilst, o Begnadeter, bist du allsichtbare Erscheinung; mit machtvollem Klang führst du das Opfer gut, im Glanz des Ghee erstrahlend.

Word by Word

• त्वाम्: you (as object)
• त्वाम्: कर्म
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• अग्ने: O Agni
• अग्ने: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)

• मानुषीः: human (women/folk)
• मानुषीः: कर्तृ
• Type: Adjective (used substantively) / Noun
• Root: मानुषी (प्रातिपदिक; मानुष- < मनु)

• ईळते: praises / invokes
• ईळते: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईळ् (धातु) / Vedic īḷ (to praise, invoke)

• विशः: clans, peoples
• विशः: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश् (प्रातिपदिक)

• होत्राविदम्: knower of the priestly office / of invocation
• होत्राविदम्: कर्म
• Type: Adjective
• Root: होत्रा-विद् (समास; होत्रा + विद् ‘knowing’)

• विविचिम्: discerning, distinguishing
• विविचिम्: कर्म
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-विचि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘discriminating/choosing’, from √विच्/√विच् ‘to separate, discern’)

• रत्नधातमम्: most bestowing of treasures
• रत्नधातमम्: कर्म
• Type: Adjective (superlative)
• Root: रत्न-धा-तम (समास; रत्न + √धा ‘to place, bestow’ + तम)

• गुहा: in secret, hiddenly / in concealment
• गुहा: अधिकारण
• Type: Indeclinable (adverbial) / Noun in loc. sense
• Root: गुहा (प्रातिपदिक)

• सन्तम्: being, existing
• सन्तम्: कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण)
• Type: Participle
• Root: अस् (धातु) → सन्त् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)

• सुभग: O fortunate one
• सुभग: सम्बोधन
• Type: Adjective (vocative)
• Root: सु-भग (प्रातिपदिक; ‘well-portioned, fortunate’)

• विश्वदर्शतम्: visible to all / splendid for all to see
• विश्वदर्शतम्: कर्म
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व-दर्शत (समास; विश्व + दर्शत ‘visible, splendid’ < √दृश्)

• तुविष्वणसम्: mighty-sounding, loudly roaring
• तुविष्वणसम्: कर्म
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुवि-स्वनस (समास; तुवि ‘mighty’ + स्वनस ‘sounding/roaring’ < √स्वन्)

• सुयजम्: well-worshipped / good to sacrifice to
• सुयजम्: कर्म
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-यज (प्रातिपदिक; ‘easy/good to worship’ < √यज्)

• घृतश्रियम्: having ghee as splendour / shining with ghee
• घृतश्रियम्: कर्म
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घृत-श्री (समास; घृत ‘ghee’ + श्री ‘splendour, prosperity’)