Rig Veda 8.1.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 1, Mantra 2

Sukta 8.1

Rishi: Kaṇva (probable for 8.1; flagged)

Devata: Indra

Chandas: Gāyatrī or mixed (flagged as uncertain for this specific verse)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

अवक्रक्षिणं वृषभं यथाजुरं गां न चर्षणीसहम् । विद्वेषणं संवननोभयंकरं मंहिष्ठमुभयाविनम् ॥

Sanskrit recitationRig Veda 8.1.2

Transliteration

avakrakṣíṇaṃ vṛṣabháṃ yathā́júraṃ gā́m ná carṣaṇī-sáham | vidvéṣaṇaṃ saṃvánano-bhayaṃkaráṃ maṃhíṣṭham ubhayā́vinam ||

Translation

Indra is the Bull who drives down the hostile pressure, untiring in his rush, overpowering like a strong beast among the peoples. He dissolves enmities, he compels union, he can bring fear to both sides, yet he is the most bountiful—holding and fulfilling both powers in us when we turn to him.

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Word by Word

• अवक्रक्षिणम्: croaking/roaring (loud-voiced)
• अवक्रक्षिणम्: कर्म (स्तुत्य-देवता/इन्द्रम् प्रति विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव-क्रक्षि (√क्रक्ष्/क्रक्ष् ‘to croak/cry out’, with preverb अव-) / प्रातिपदिक: अवक्रक्षिन्

• वृषभम्: bull (strong one)
• वृषभम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)

• यथाजुरम्: as (one) unaging/unyielding
• यथाजुरम्: कर्म (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + अजुर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘unaging/unyielding’)

• गाम्: cow
• गाम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)

• न: like/as
• न: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)

• चर्षणीसहम्: overpowering men/peoples
• चर्षणीसहम्: कर्म (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर्षणी (प्रातिपदिक ‘men/peoples’) + सह (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त ‘able to overcome/endure’) → समास: चर्षणी-सह

• विद्वेषणम्: hostile; hate-causing/foe-fighting
• विद्वेषणम्: कर्म (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-√द्विष् (द्वेष ‘to hate’) → कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक: विद्वेषण

• संवनन-उभयंकऱम्: uniting, making both sides (favourable)
• संवनन-उभयंकऱम्: कर्म (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√वन्/√वन् (to win/bring together) → संवणन/संवनन (प्रातिपदिक ‘uniting/bringing together’) + उभयंकऱ (प्रातिपदिक ‘making both (sides)’)

• मंहिष्ठम्: most bountiful
• मंहिष्ठम्: कर्म (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मंह (प्रातिपदिक ‘bounty/abundance’) + इष्ठ (तमप्-प्रत्यय; superlative)

• उभयाविनम्: helping both (sides); favourable to both
• उभयाविनम्: कर्म (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभय (प्रातिपदिक ‘both’) + आविन् (प्रातिपदिक ‘helping/favouring’, from √अव् ‘to help/protect’) → उभय-आविन्