Rig Veda 1.87.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 87, Mantra 1

Sukta 1.87

Rishi: Gautama Rāhūgaṇa (traditional for RV 1.87)

Devata: Marutaḥ

Chandas: Jagatī (probable; RV 1.87 shows Jagatī/Triṣṭubh mixture, opening often Jagatī-like length)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

प्रत्वक्षसः प्रतवसो विरप्शिनोऽनानता अविथुरा ऋजीषिणः । जुष्टतमासो नृतमासो अञ्जिभिर्व्यानज्रे के चिदुस्रा इव स्तृभिः ॥

Transliteration

prátvakṣasaḥ prátavaso virapśíno'nā́natā avíthurā ṛjīṣíṇaḥ | júṣṭatamāso nṛ́tamāso añjíbhir vyā́najre ké cid usrā́ iva stṛ́bhiḥ ||

Translation

En avant par la force, en avant par la puissance, aux vastes œuvres et sans pli, inébranlables, allant droit; les plus aimés, les plus virils — certains d’entre vous se sont déployés par leurs splendeurs, tels de claires aurores par leurs rayons.

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Word by Word

• प्रत्वक्षसः: strong-bodied, vigorous
• प्रत्वक्षसः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-त्वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक; त्वक्षस् < √त्वक्ष् ‘to be strong/firm, to fashion’)

• प्रतवसः: very mighty
• प्रतवसः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-तवस् (प्रातिपदिक; तवस् ‘strength, might’)

• विरप्शिनः: swift/skillful (in action)
• विरप्शिनः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-रप्शिन् (प्रातिपदिक; रप्शिन् ‘active/skillful, swift-handed’)

• अनानताः: unbent, unbowed
• अनानताः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्-आनत (कृदन्त; न-आनत ‘not bent’; from √नम् ‘to bend’ with neg. अ-)

• अविथुराः: unshaken, steadfast
• अविथुराः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-वि-थुर (प्रातिपदिक; थुर ‘shaking, unsteady’ with neg. अ-)

• ऋजीषिणः: straight-weaponed / spear-bearing
• ऋजीषिणः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋजीषिन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘with straight/bright spear/weapon’; RV epithet, connected with ऋजि ‘straight’)

• जुष्टतमासः: most pleasing, most favored
• जुष्टतमासः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जुष्टतम (कृदन्त/विशेषण; जुष्ट ‘pleasing, favored’ < √जुष् ‘to enjoy, favor’ + तमप्)

• नृततमासः: most heroic / most manly
• नृततमासः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृततम (प्रातिपदिक; नृत ‘dance/heroic play’ + तमप्; RV: ‘most manly/most heroic’)

• अञ्जिभिः: with adornments/ointments
• अञ्जिभिः: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ointment/paint; adornment’; related to √अञ्ज् ‘to anoint’)

• व्यानज्रे: they have adorned/anointed
• व्यानज्रे: Kartā
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-आ-√नज् (धातु ‘to smear/anoint, to adorn’; RV)

• के: some (who)
• के: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• चित्: indeed, even
• चित्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित् (निपात)

• उस्राः: ruddy ones / (like) cows
• उस्राः: Kartā
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: उसर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘dawn-colored; ruddy’; also ‘cows’ in RV usage)

• इव: like, as
• इव: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (उपमा-अव्यय)

• स्तृभिः: with coverings/layers (spreads)
• स्तृभिः: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘layer/covering; spread’; RV)