Mantra 1
Sukta 124
Sanskrit (Devanagari)
कया नश्चित्र आ भुवदूती सदावृधः सखा । कया शचिष्ठया वृता
IAST Transliteration
káyā naś citrá ā́ bhuvad ūtī́ sadā́vṛdhaḥ sakhā́ | káyā śácīṣṭhayā vṛtā́ ||
English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)
By what means shall the wondrous Friend, ever waxing, become for us a help? By what most potent might, when chosen, shall he come to our side?
Word by Word
कयाby which? (by what means?)
कया:
करण
TypePronoun/Interrogative adjective
Rootक (किम्-प्रातिपदिक) + या (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
नःof us / our
नः:
सम्बन्ध
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
चित्रःthe bright/variegated one (i.e., a splendid one)
चित्रः:
कर्तृ
TypeAdjective (used substantively)
Rootचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
आtowards, hither; (as preverb) ‘forth/unto’
आ:
—
TypeIndeclinable (preverb/particle)
Rootआ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
भुवत्may (it) become / may (it) come
भुवत्:
—
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
ऊतिःhelp, aid, protection
ऊतिः:
कर्तृ
TypeNoun
Rootऊति (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक; √अव्/√उ ‘to help, protect’ से ‘help/protection’)
सदाalways
सदा:
अधिकरण (काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसदा (अव्यय)
वृधःgrowing, increasing; ever-strengthening
वृधः:
कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective
Rootवृध (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वर्धमान/वर्धक’)
सखाfriend
सखा:
कर्तृ
TypeNoun
Rootसखि (प्रातिपदिक)
कयाby which?
कया:
करण
TypePronoun/Interrogative adjective
Rootक (किम्-प्रातिपदिक) + या (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
शचिष्ठयाby the most powerful/most skillful (aid/means)
शचिष्ठया:
करण
TypeAdjective
Rootशचिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; शची ‘power/skill’ से सुपरलेटिव् ‘most powerful/most skillful’)
वृताchosen / selected
वृता:
—
TypeParticiple (past passive) used adjectivally
Root√वृ (वृणोति ‘to choose’) → वृता (कृदन्त)
Attribution
Rishi: RV source attribution (Indra hymn tradition).
Devata: Indra (implied by śacī and sakhā usage in RV context).
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (common for such compact interrogative stanzas; AV 20 preserves RV meter).
Mantra Rasa
{"primary_rasa":"vira","secondary_rasa":"adbhuta","emotional_arc":"From questioning uncertainty → sharpening into decisive potency-seeking.","listener_experience":"Energized curiosity turning into resolve.","intensity":6}