Rig Veda 1.2.8: Mandala 1, Sukta 2, Mantra 8

Sukta 1.2

Rishi: Madhucchandas Vaiśvāmitra (traditional attribution for RV 1.1–1.11)

Devata: Mitra-Varuṇa (dual deities of Ṛta, sovereignty, harmony, and moral-cosmic law)

Chandas: Gāyatrī (3 pādas of 8 syllables)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

ऋतेन मित्रावरुणावृतावृधावृतस्पृशा । क्रतुं बृहन्तमाशाथे ॥

Transliteration

ṛténa mitrā́varuṇāv ṛtā́vṛdhāv ṛtáspṛśā | kratúṃ bṛhántam āśā́the ||

Translation

By the power of the Ṛta (the Truth-Order), Mitra and Varuṇa—growers of the Ṛta, touchers of the Ṛta—grant us the vast and luminous will of right action (kratu), so that our inner being moves in harmony with the Truth-Consciousness.

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Word by Word

• ऋतेन: by/with ṛta (truth, cosmic order)
• ऋतेन: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत (प्रातिपदिक) < √ऋ (गत्यर्थ) / ऋत- ‘cosmic order, truth’

• मित्रा: Mitra (the god), (as one of the two)
• मित्रा: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun (proper/deity)
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक) ‘Mitra’

• वरुणा: Varuṇa (the god), (as one of the two)
• वरुणा: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun (proper/deity)
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक) ‘Varuṇa’

• ऋतावृधा: (you) two who grow/are strengthened by ṛta
• ऋतावृधा: कर्तृ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋतावृध (प्रातिपदिक; समास: ऋत + आवृध ‘growing/strengthened by ṛta’)

• ऋतस्पृशा: (you) two who touch/attain ṛta
• ऋतस्पृशा: कर्तृ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋतस्पृश (प्रातिपदिक; समास: ऋत + स्पृश ‘touching’)

• क्रतुम्: resolve/wise purpose (as object)
• क्रतुम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक) ‘resolve, power of will, intelligence; ritual power’

• बृहन्तम्: great
• बृहन्तम्: कर्म
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बृहन्त् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘great, lofty’

• आशाथे: you two attain/reach
• आशाथे: (क्रिया) —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अश् (अश्नुते/अश्नोति) ‘to reach, attain’ + आ- (उपसर्ग)