Rig Veda 7.38.5: Mandala 7, Sukta 38, Mantra 5

Sukta 7.38

Rishi: Vasiṣṭha (Vasiṣṭhas, Mandala 7 family book)

Devata: Viśve Devāḥ with specific mention of Ahi Budhnya and Varūtrī (protective power)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable for RV 7.38; verse-length and cadence consistent)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

अभि ये मिथो वनुषः सपन्ते रातिं दिवो रातिषाचः पृथिव्याः । अहिर्बुध्न्य उत नः शृणोतु वरूत्र्येकधेनुभिर्नि पातु ॥

Sanskrit recitationRig Veda 7.38.5

Transliteration

abhí yé mithó vanúṣaḥ sápante rātíṃ divó rāti-sā́caḥ pṛthivyā́ḥ | áhīr budhnyà utá naḥ śṛṇotu varū́try éka-dhenubhir ní pātu ||

Translation

Que se acerquen a nosotros esos poderes que, esforzándose unos con otros, avanzan hacia el don — compañeros del dar del Cielo y de la Tierra. Que Ahi Budhnya, la Serpiente del fundamento profundo, nos escuche; y que Varūtrī nos proteja, de un solo fluir, con sus vacas lecheras de abundancia.

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Word by Word

• अभि: towards, against, upon
• अभि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• मिथः: mutually, with one another
• मिथः: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मिथस् (अव्यय)

• वनुषः: rivals, opponents
• वनुषः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनुष् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वनुष्’ = प्रतिद्वन्द्वी/शत्रु/प्रतिपक्ष)

• सपन्ते: they pursue/assail
• सपन्ते: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: सप् (धातु; ‘to follow/seek after, to assail’—Vedic)

• रातिम्: gift, bounty
• रातिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राति (स्त्री-प्रातिपदिक; ‘gift, bounty’)

• दिवः: of heaven/sky
• दिवः: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौः (प्रातिपदिक)

• रातिषाचः: winning/obtaining gifts
• रातिषाचः: Kartā (ये …)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राति-षाच् (समास; ‘gift-seeking/attaining’)

• पृथिव्याः: of the earth
• पृथिव्याः: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (स्त्री-प्रातिपदिक)

• अहिर्बुध्न्यः: Ahi Budhnya (the serpent of the deep)
• अहिर्बुध्न्यः: Kartā (शृणोतु) / सम्बोधनार्थ-उल्लेख
• Type: Proper Noun
• Root: अहि-बुध्न्य (समास; देवता-नाम)

• उत: and also
• उत: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत (अव्यय)

• नः: to us / of us
• नः: Sampradāna (श्रवणस्य) / सम्बन्ध
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)

• शृणोतु: let him hear
• शृणोतु: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)

• वरूत्री: protective shelter, protection
• वरूत्री: Kartā (नि पातु) / साधनभाव
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरूत्री (स्त्री-प्रातिपदिक; ‘protection, shelter’)

• एकधेनुभिः: with onefold streams/milch-cows (i.e., with unified means)
• एकधेनुभिः: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun (instrumental phrase)
• Root: एक-धेनु (समास; ‘having one stream/milk-cow’ → ‘with uniform/onefold milch-cows/streams’)

• नि: down, fully
• नि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• पातु: let (it/he) protect
• पातु: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु; ‘to protect’)