Rig Veda 1.44.4: Mandala 1, Sukta 44, Mantra 4
Sukta 1.44
Rishi: Kaṇva (Kaṇva-praskaṇva lineage; attributed to the Kaṇvas for RV 1.44)
Devata: Agni (Jātavedas), as Hotṛ and divine messenger
Chandas: Triṣṭubh (11-syllable pādas; typical for RV 1.44)
Samhita Patha (Devanagari)
श्रेष्ठं यविष्ठमतिथिं स्वाहुतं जुष्टं जनाय दाशुषे । देवाँ अच्छा यातवे जातवेदसमग्निमीळे व्युष्टिषु ॥
Transliteration
śréṣṭhaṃ yáviṣṭham átithiṃ svā́hutaṃ júṣṭaṃ jánāya dāśúṣe | devā́m̐ ácchā yā́tave jā́tavedasam agním īḷe vyùṣṭiṣu ||
Translation
われはアグニ（Agni）を讃え呼ぶ――最上にして最も若き者、供物によりよく招かれた客（アティティ）、施与する民のために喜んで受け入れられる者。彼はジャータヴェーダス（Jātavedas）、神々をここへ導き来たらしめ得る者；われは重なる暁のうちに彼を招請する。
Word by Word
श्रेष्ठम्the best
श्रेष्ठम्:
Karma (विशेषणरूपेण ‘अतिथिम्’ विशेषयति)
TypeAdjective
Rootश्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; √श्रि/श्रय् ‘to lean on, excel’ > श्रेष्ठ ‘best’)
यविष्ठम्the youngest (most youthful)
यविष्ठम्:
Karma (अतिथिम् विशेषयति)
TypeAdjective
Rootयविष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; युव/यव ‘young’ + -इष्ठ superlative)
अतिथिम्the guest
अतिथिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
सु-आहुतम्well-invoked / well-offered
सु-आहुतम्:
Karma (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective (past passive participle)
Rootआहुत (कृदन्त; आ-√हु ‘to invoke, offer’ + क्त) with उपसर्ग सु-
जुष्टम्favored, pleasing
जुष्टम्:
Karma (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective (past passive participle)
Rootजुष्ट (कृदन्त; √जुष् ‘to enjoy, favor’ + क्त)
जनायfor the people / for the folk
जनाय:
Sampradāna
TypeNoun
Rootजन (प्रातिपदिक)
दाशुषेfor the giver / worshipper
दाशुषे:
Sampradāna
TypeNoun (agent) / Adjective
Rootदाशुष् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √दाश्/दश् ‘to give, worship’ (Vedic) + उष्/वस्-प्रत्यय; ‘giver, worshipper’)
देवान्the gods
देवान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
अच्छाtowards, hither
अच्छा:
(गत्यर्थे उपपद/दिशा-निर्देशः)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअच्छा (अव्यय)
यातवेto go/come
यातवे:
प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य (to go/come)
TypeVerb (infinitive)
Rootया (धातु √या ‘to go’) + तुमुन् (Vedic infinitive: यातवे)
जातवेदसम्Jātavedas (Agni, knower of births)
जातवेदसम्:
Karma (अग्निम् विशेषयति/समनाधिकरण)
TypeNoun (proper/epithet)
Rootजातवेदस् (प्रातिपदिक; जात ‘born’ + वेदस् ‘knowledge’; epithet of Agni)
अग्निम्Agni (fire-god)
अग्निम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
ईळेI praise / I invoke
ईळे:
(क्रिया) —
TypeVerb
Root√ईळ्/ईड् (Vedic; ‘to praise, invoke’)
वि-उष्टिषुin the dawns / at daybreaks
वि-उष्टिषु:
Adhikaraṇa
TypeNoun
Rootउष्टि (प्रातिपदिक; from √वस्/उष् ‘to shine/dawn’ > उषस्-related; ‘dawnings’) with उपसर्ग वि- (distributive/intensive)
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