Mantra 1

Sukta 42

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

वाचमष्टापदीमहं नवस्रक्तिमृतस्पृशम्। इन्द्रात् परि तन्वं ममे

IAST Transliteration

vā́cam aṣṭā́padīm aháṃ návasraktim ṛtaspṛ́śam | índrāt pári tanvàṃ mame

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Speech—eight-footed, nine-garlanded, touching Order—this I encompass: from Indra I measure it round about my body.

Word by Word

• वाचम्: speech, utterance
• वाचम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक) / वाक्

• अष्टापदीम्: eight-footed / having eight steps
• अष्टापदीम्: कर्म
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टापद (प्रातिपदिक; अष्ट + पाद)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun (Pronoun)
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम)

• नवस्रक्तिम्: having nine garlands/strings (ninefold)
• नवस्रक्तिम्: कर्म
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवस्रक्ति (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक; नव + स्रक्ति) अथवा नवस्रक्तिन्- (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)

• ऋतस्पृशम्: touching/attaining ṛta (truth, cosmic order)
• ऋतस्पृशम्: कर्म
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋतस्पृश् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; ऋत + स्पृश् ‘touching’)

• इन्द्रात्: from Indra
• इन्द्रात्: अपादान
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)

• परि: around, from about; (with verbs) ‘forth/away, all around’
• परि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• तन्वम्: body, person
• तन्वम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनू (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)

• ममे: I measured out / I apportioned
• ममे: कर्तृ
• Type: Verb
• Root: मा (धातु ‘मिमीतॆ/ममे’ = ‘to measure’)

Attribution

Rishi: Ṛgvedic provenance (Vāc hymnic material); specific seer not supplied here.

Devata: Vāc / Indra (speech empowered by Indra)

Chandas: Likely Anuṣṭubh (requires verification).

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"vira","emotional_arc":"From deliberate measuring to settled protection; quiet courage emerges.","listener_experience":"Calm containment; steadier voice; reduced reactivity to others’ words.","intensity":6}