Rig Veda 8.101.16 — Mandala 8, Sukta 101, Mantra 16
Sukta 8.101
Rishi: Kāṇva tradition (probable for RV 8.101; exact seer not provided in input)
Devata: Vāc / Aditi-Go (the divine Cow as Word-Knowledge power)
Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable; verification needed)
Samhita Patha (Devanagari)
वचोविदं वाचमुदीरयन्तीं विश्वाभिर्धीभिरुपतिष्ठमानाम् । देवीं देवेभ्यः पर्येयुषीं गामा मावृक्त मर्त्यो दभ्रचेताः ॥
Transliteration
vacovídaṃ vā́cam udīráyantīṃ víśvābhir dhībhír upatíṣṭhamānām | devī́ṃ devébhyaḥ páry eyúṣīṃ gā́m ā́ mā́vṛkta mártyo dabhra-cetāḥ ||
Translation
Die Kuh, die das Wort kennt, die das Wort erhebt, die mit allen Einsichten nahe dasteht — die Göttin, die unter den Göttern umhergeht: kein enggesinnter Sterblicher soll ihr schaden noch sie von uns abwenden.
Word by Word
वचोविदम्the word-knowing (knower of speech)
वचोविदम्:
कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण ‘गाम्’ विशेषयति)
TypeAdjective
Rootवचो-विद् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वाच्’ + ‘विद्’ = ‘वाच्-विद्’)
वाचम्speech, voice
वाचम्:
कर्म
TypeNoun
Rootवाच् (स्त्री.)
उदीरयन्तीम्raising/uttering (it), setting (it) forth
उदीरयन्तीम्:
कर्मणि विशेषणम् (वाचम् विशेषयति)
TypeVerb (participle)
Rootउद्-ईरय् (ईरयति; √ईर्/ईरय् ‘to set in motion, raise, utter’)
विश्वाभिःwith all
विश्वाभिः:
करण (धीभिः सह)
TypeAdjective (used substantively)
Rootविश्व (सर्व)
धीभिःwith thoughts/insights, with devotions
धीभिः:
करण
TypeNoun
Rootधी (स्त्री.)
उपतिष्ठमानाम्approaching, attending upon
उपतिष्ठमानाम्:
कर्मणि विशेषणम् (वाचम्/गाम् प्रति ‘approaching/attending’)
TypeVerb (participle)
Rootउप-स्था (तिष्ठते; √स्था ‘to stand, attend’)
देवीम्the goddess
देवीम्:
कर्म (गाम्/वाचम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)
TypeNoun
Rootदेवी (स्त्री.)
देवेभ्यःto/for the gods
देवेभ्यः:
सम्प्रदान
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (पुं.)
परिaround, forth (as preverb)
परि:
—
TypeIndeclinable (preverb)
Rootपरि
एयुषीम्having gone, having come forth
एयुषीम्:
कर्मणि विशेषणम् (देवीम्/गाम् प्रति)
TypeVerb (participle)
Rootइ (√इ ‘to go’) → एयुष् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
गाम्the cow (also: the ray/voice as ‘go’)
गाम्:
कर्म
TypeNoun
Rootगो (स्त्री.)
माdo not
मा:
—
TypeIndeclinable (prohibitive particle)
Rootमा
आवृक्तturn away/ward off (do not repel)
आवृक्त:
क्रिया (कर्तृ: मर्त्यः)
TypeVerb
Rootआ-वृज्/वृञ्ज् (√वृज् ‘to turn away, avert, remove’; Vedic aorist)
मर्त्यःa mortal
मर्त्यः:
कर्तृ
TypeNoun
Rootमर्त्य (पुं.)
दभ्रचेताःof scant understanding, small-minded
दभ्रचेताः:
कर्तृ-विशेषणम् (मर्त्यस्य)
TypeAdjective
Rootदभ्र-चेतस् (बहुव्रीहि; दभ्र ‘small, scant’ + चेतस् ‘mind’)
Ritual Application
Philosophical Concepts
Vedic Cosmology
Natural Symbolism
Academic Analysis
Cross References
Yogic Application
Chanting Notes
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