Mantra 22

Sukta 8

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

दिशश्चतस्रोऽश्वतर्यो देवरथस्य पुरोडाशाः शफा अन्तरिक्षमुद्धिः । द्यावापृथिवी पक्षसी ऋतवोऽभीशवोऽन्तर्देशाः किंकरा वाक् परिरथ्यम्

IAST Transliteration

díśaś cátasro ’śvataŕyo devaráthasya puroḍā́śāḥ śaphā́ antárikṣam uddhíḥ | dyā́vā-pṛthivī́ pákṣasī ṛtávo ’bhī́śavo ’ntardeśā́ḥ kíṃkarā vā́k párirathyam

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

The four Quarters are the mule-mares; of the God’s chariot the sacrificial cakes are its provender; its hoofs are the Mid-air’s up-heaving. Heaven and Earth are its two wings; the Seasons are its reins; the intermediate regions its attendants; Speech is its circling-course about the car.

Word by Word

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक: दिशा)

• चतस्रः: four
• चतस्रः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective (numeral)
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)

• अश्वतर्यः: she-mules / mule(-mares)
• अश्वतर्यः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वतरि (प्रातिपदिक)

• देवरथस्य: of Devaratha (the divine chariot)
• देवरथस्य: Sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun (proper/epithet)
• Root: देवरथ (प्रातिपदिक)

• पुरोडाशाः: puroḍāśa-offerings (sacrificial cakes)
• पुरोडाशाः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरोडाश (प्रातिपदिक)

• शफाः: hoofs
• शफाः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: शफ (प्रातिपदिक)

• अन्तरिक्षम्: the mid-air / atmosphere
• अन्तरिक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)

• उद्धिः: uplift / raising up
• उद्धिः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्-धा (धातु: √धा) / प्रातिपदिक: उद्धि

• द्यावापृथिवी: Heaven-and-Earth
• द्यावापृथिवी: Kartā
• Type: Noun (dual compound)
• Root: द्यावापृथिवी (द्वन्द्व-प्रातिपदिक: द्यौ + पृथिवी)

• पक्षसी: two wings
• पक्षसी: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)

• ऋतवः: seasons
• ऋतवः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक)

• अभीशवः: reins
• अभीशवः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभीशु (प्रातिपदिक)

• अन्तर्देशाः: intermediate regions / inner spaces
• अन्तर्देशाः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर्देश (प्रातिपदिक)

• किंकराः: servants / attendants
• किंकराः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंकर (प्रातिपदिक)

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)

• परिरथ्यम्: (as) the chariot-circuit / chariot-encircling (thing)
• परिरथ्यम्: Kartā
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: परि-रथ्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘that which is around/pertaining to the chariot’)

Attribution

Rishi: Traditionally connected with Virāj-speculation (Atharvanic/Angirasa milieu; specific r̥ṣi assignment depends on anukramaṇī for AVŚ 8.8).

Devata: Virāj / Vāk / cosmic ratha (composite devatā)

Chandas: Mixed/prose-like triṣṭubh-jagatī tendency in AV cosmological passages (to be confirmed against pada-metrical count in the edition used).

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"adbhuta","secondary_rasa":"vira","emotional_arc":"Wonder at cosmic construction → confidence of command.","listener_experience":"Awe, then a sense of being seated in a vast, well-steered vehicle.","intensity":6}