Rig Veda 4.40.2: Mandala 4, Sukta 40, Mantra 2

Sukta 4.40

Rishi: Vāmadeva Gautama

Devata: Dadhikrāvan

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

सत्वा भरिषो गविषो दुवन्यसच्छ्रवस्यादिष उषसस्तुरण्यसत् । सत्यो द्रवो द्रवरः पतंगरो दधिक्रावेषमूर्जं स्वर्जनत् ॥

Transliteration

satvā́ bhariṣó gaviṣó duvanyásac chravasyā́d íṣa uṣásas turaṇyásat | satyó dravó dravarás pataṅgaró dadhikrā́vā íṣam ūrjáṃ svàr janat ||

Translation

A being of strength, bringing plenitude, seeking the luminous cattle (rays), he wins the desired fame; he is the impulsion of the Dawns, swift in movement. True in his running, a runner among runners, a winged-flier, Dadhikrāvan generates in us the nourishment and the force and the inner heaven-light.

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Word by Word

• सत्वा: the strong one; the vigorous (steed/hero)
• सत्वा: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्वन् (प्रातिपदिक; < √अस् ‘to be’ → सत् ‘being’)

• भरिषः: the bearer; carrier
• भरिषः: Kartā (apposition to सत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरिष् (प्रातिपदिक; < √भृ ‘to bear, carry’)

• गविषः: seeker of cows (booty)
• गविषः: Kartā (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गविष् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘desire for cows/spoil’; < गो + √इष् ‘to seek’)

• दुवन्यसत्: he assailed/pressed
• दुवन्यसत्: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दु (दुनोति/दुवति ‘to hurt, press, assail’) + य-प्रत्यय (दुवन्य-)

• अच्छ्रवस्यात्: towards/for glory (from/for the sake of fame)
• अच्छ्रवस्यात्: Apādāna (goal/source nuance with motion/effort) / Adhikaraṇa (directional)
• Type: Indeclinable + Noun
• Root: अच्छ (अव्यय ‘towards’) + श्रवस्य (प्रातिपदिक ‘fame, glory’; < श्रवस्)

• इषः: refreshments; invigorating powers
• इषः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष् (प्रातिपदिक ‘refreshment, strength, food’; < √इष् ‘to invigorate’)

• उषसः: of Dawn
• उषसः: Sambandha (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उषस् (प्रातिपदिक ‘dawn’)

• तुरण्यसत्: he sped on / he rushed
• तुरण्यसत्: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तुर्/√तॄ (Vedic ‘to hasten, overcome’) → तुरण्य- (adj. ‘swift, impetuous’)

• सत्यः: true; faithful
• सत्यः: Kartā (apposition/epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक ‘true’; < सत्)

• द्रवः: the runner; the running one
• द्रवः: Kartā (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव (प्रातिपदिक ‘running, course, speed’; < √द्रु/√द्रव् ‘to run’)

• द्रवरः: the swift runner
• द्रवरः: Kartā (apposition)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: द्रवर (प्रातिपदिक ‘swift, runner’; < √द्रु/√द्रव्)

• पतंगरः: the winged one; the flyer
• पतंगरः: Kartā (apposition)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: पतंगर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘flying/moving one’, esp. ‘bird/winged’; < पतंग)

• दधिक्रावेषम्: Dadhikrāvan’s impetuous rush (his onset)
• दधिक्रावेषम्: Karma
• Type: Compound Noun
• Root: दधिक्रावन् (प्रातिपदिक; name of the divine steed) + एष (प्रातिपदिक ‘impulse, rush’; < √इष्)

• ऊर्जम्: strength; nourishment
• ऊर्जम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्ज् (प्रातिपदिक ‘strength, nourishment’)

• स्वः: heaven; the light-world
• स्वः: Adhikaraṇa (goal/direction) / Karma (as object with √जन् in causative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable (Vedic nominal adverb)
• Root: स्वर्/स्वः (अव्यय/नाम ‘heaven, light’)

• अजनत्: he generated; he brought forth
• अजनत्: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (to be born, produce) — causative nuance in Vedic context ‘to generate, bring forth’