Rig Veda 4.23.8: Mandala 4, Sukta 23, Mantra 8

Sukta 4.23

Rishi: Vāmadeva Gautama (traditional attribution for RV 4.23)

Devata: Ṛta / Satya principle (impersonal divine law), with implied Indraic force of truth-utterance

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable; verse-level verification needed)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

ऋतस्य हि शुरुधः सन्ति पूर्वीॠतस्य धीतिर्वृजिनानि हन्ति । ऋतस्य श्लोको बधिरा ततर्द कर्णा बुधानः शुचमान आयोः ॥

Recitation with translationRig Veda 4.23.8

Transliteration

ṛtásya hí śuru-dháḥ sánti pūrvī́ḥ | ṛtásya dhītír vṛjinā́ni hanti | ṛtásya ślókō badhirā́ tatarda kárṇā budhānā́ḥ śucámāna āyóḥ ||

Translation

Car au ṛta appartiennent les antiques forteresses; la pensée du ṛta abat les torsions. La parole du ṛta transperce la surdité; éveillant les oreilles, elle purifie dans l’endurance de fer de la force vitale.

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Word by Word

• ऋतस्य: of ṛta (cosmic order / truth)
• ऋतस्य: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत (प्रातिपदिक) < √ऋ (गतौ/ऋ- ‘to go, to fit’; ‘cosmic order, truth’)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (निपात)

• शुरुधः: defences / strongholds
• शुरुधः: कर्तृ (of ‘सन्ति’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुरुध् (प्रातिपदिक; RV) (सम्भवतः ‘शु-’ + √रुध् ‘to obstruct/hold back’ → ‘barrier/defence/stronghold’)

• सन्ति: are
• सन्ति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (भू-सत्तायाम्)

• पूर्वीः: many/ancient, former
• पूर्वीः: विशेषण (of ‘शुरुधः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)

• ऋतस्य: of ṛta
• ऋतस्य: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)

• धीतिḥ: thought, insight, prayerful vision
• धीतिḥ: कर्तृ (of ‘हन्ति’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धीति (प्रातिपदिक) < √धी (धी- ‘to think, perceive’)

• वृजिनानि: crookednesses, sins, harms
• वृजिनानि: कर्म (of ‘हन्ति’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृजिन (प्रातिपदिक)

• हन्ति: strikes down, destroys
• हन्ति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (हिंसायाम्)

• ऋतस्य: of ṛta
• ऋतस्य: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)

• श्लोकः: proclamation, hymn, fame
• श्लोकः: कर्तृ (of ‘ततर्द’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्लोक (प्रातिपदिक) < √श्रु/√श्लोक? (RV ‘fame/renown, proclamation, hymn-utterance’)

• बधिराः: the deaf (ones)
• बधिराः: कर्म (of ‘ततर्द’)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: बधिर (प्रातिपदिक)

• ततर्द: has pierced/overcome
• ततर्द: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तृद्/√तर्द् (भेदन-आघातयोः ‘to pierce, thrust, overcome’)

• कर्णाः: ears
• कर्णाः: कर्म (of implied ‘(कर्णान्) …’) / object with participle
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)

• बुधानः: awakening, becoming aware
• बुधानः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (agent described as ‘awakening/understanding’)
• Type: Participle (Adjective) / Kṛdanta
• Root: बुधान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < √बुध् (अवबोधने)

• शुचमानः: shining, purifying
• शुचमानः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Participle (Adjective) / Kṛdanta
• Root: शुचमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < √शुच् (दीप्तौ/शोचने ‘to shine, be bright/pure’)

• आयोः: of life, of lifetime
• आयोः: सम्बन्ध/अधिकारण (contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयु (प्रातिपदिक)