Rig Veda 3.55.7: Mandala 3, Sukta 55, Mantra 7

Sukta 3.55

Rishi: Viśvāmitra Gāthina (traditional attribution for Mandala 3; hymn 3.55 commonly placed under Viśvāmitra’s family)

Devata: Deva-collective / One sovereign Power behind the gods (refrain: ‘mahad devānām asuratvam ekam’)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (likely; 3.55 is predominantly triṣṭubh in this section)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

द्विमाता होता विदथेषु सम्राळन्वग्रं चरति क्षेति बुध्नः । प्र रण्यानि रण्यवाचो भरन्ते महद्देवानामसुरत्वमेकम् ॥

Transliteration

dvi-mātā hotā vidatheṣu sam-rāḷ anv agraṁ cárati kṣéti budhnáḥ | prá raṇyā́ni raṇya-vā́co bharante mahád devānām asura-tvám ékam ||

Translation

The Seer-Will, twofold in its motherhood, stands as the invoking priest in our assemblies; as the sovereign it moves following the leading edge, and it dwells in the deep foundation. Forth they bring delightful treasures and words that carry delight: one is the vast lordship (asuratva) of the gods.

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Word by Word

• द्वि-माता: the two-mothered one (having two mothers)
• द्वि-माता: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: द्वि + मातृ

• होता: the Hotṛ-priest (invoker)
• होता: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun (agent)
• Root: √हु (जुहोति) → होतृ

• विदथेषु: in the assemblies/ritual sessions
• विदथेषु: अधिकरण
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदथ

• सम्राट्: (as) sovereign/overlord
• सम्राट्: कर्तृ (apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + राजन्

• अनु: along, after
• अनु: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु

• अग्रम्: the front, the foremost point
• अग्रम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्र

• चरति: moves, goes
• चरति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर्

• क्षेति: dwells, abides
• क्षेति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षि (क्षेति) / √क्षि ‘to dwell’

• बुध्नः: the foundation, the base (the ‘bottom’)
• बुध्नः: कर्तृ (apposition/epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध्न

• प्र: forth, forward
• प्र: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र

• रण्यानि: delightful things (lovely [gifts/words])
• रण्यानि: कर्म
• Type: Adjective (substantivized)
• Root: रण्य

• रण्य-वाचः: they of delightful speech
• रण्य-वाचः: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: रण्य + वाच्

• भरन्ते: they bring, they bear
• भरन्ते: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भृ

• महत्: great
• महत्: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव

• असुरत्वम्: asura-hood; lordly power
• असुरत्वम्: कर्तृ/कर्म (as the ‘one’ great power/essence)
• Type: Noun (abstract)
• Root: असुरत्व (असुर + त्व)

• एकम्: one, single
• एकम्: —
• Type: Adjective (numeral)
• Root: एक