Rig Veda 4.2.18: Mandala 4, Sukta 2, Mantra 18

Sukta 4.2

Rishi: Vāmadeva Gautama

Devata: Agni (narrative of divine birth; ancillary mythic figures Urvaśī)

Chandas: Tr̥ṣṭubh (probable)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

आ यूथेव क्षुमति पश्वो अख्यद्देवानां यज्जनिमान्त्युग्र । मर्तानां चिदुर्वशीरकृप्रन्वृधे चिदर्य उपरस्यायोः ॥

Recitation with translationRig Veda 4.2.18

Transliteration

ā́ yū́theva kṣu-máti paśvó akhyad devā́nāṃ yáj jánimā́nty ùgra | mártānāṃ cid urváśīr akṛpran vṛdhé cid aryá úparasy āyóḥ ||

Translation

群れのごとく、豊かな生命の力は姿を現した—神々の猛き誕生が近づいたときに。死すべき者たちのためにも、ウルヴァシー（Urvaśī、広く輝く霊感）は形づくられた。増大のためにも、高貴なる者は、より高き生命の力を見いだした。

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Word by Word

• आ: towards, hither
• आ: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (upasarga) अथवा ā (avyaya)

• यूथेव: like a herd
• यूथेव: —
• Type: Indeclinable (simile phrase)
• Root: यूथ (prātipadika) + इव (avyaya)

• क्षुमति: in prosperity; in a thriving state
• क्षुमति: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुमत् (adj. prātipadika)

• पश्वः: of cattle
• पश्वः: Sambandha (genitival relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (prātipadika)

• अख्यत्: he/it perceived; he made known
• अख्यत्: Kriyā (finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ख्या (ख्यायते/आख्याति) ‘to see, perceive, proclaim’

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (genitival)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (prātipadika)

• यत्: what; that which
• यत्: Karma (of ‘अख्यत्’)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (relative pronoun)

• जनिम: birth; origin
• जनिम: Karma (apposition to यत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनि (prātipadika; from √जन्)

• अन्ति: near; in the presence of
• अन्ति: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्ति (avyaya)

• उग्र: O mighty one
• उग्र: Sambodhana
• Type: Adjective (vocative)
• Root: उग्र (adj. prātipadika)

• मर्तानाम्: of mortals
• मर्तानाम्: Sambandha (genitival)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त (prātipadika)

• चित्: even; indeed
• चित्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित् (avyaya)

• उर्वशीः: the Urvaśīs (nymphs); wide-shining ones
• उर्वशीः: Kartā (of ‘अकृप्रन्’)
• Type: Noun (proper/common)
• Root: उर्वशी (prātipadika)

• अकृप्रन्: they made ready; they prepared/arranged
• अकृप्रन्: Kriyā (finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृप्/कॢप् (Vedic) ‘to be fitting/ready; to arrange’ (aorist plural)

• वृधे: for increase; for growth
• वृधे: Sampradāna (purpose/beneficiary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृध् (prātipadika from √वृध् ‘to grow’) / वृध (noun ‘growth, increase’)

• चित्: even
• चित्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित् (avyaya)

• अर्यः: the Arya; the noble man
• अर्यः: Kartā (implicit with following relation; or topic noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्य (prātipadika)

• उपरस्यायोः: of/in the two upper regions; of the two heights
• उपरस्यायोः: Adhikaraṇa / Sambandha (contextual: ‘in/at’ or ‘of’ the two upper regions)
• Type: Adjective (dual gen./loc.)
• Root: उपर (prātipadika) + स्य (possessive/relational) → उपरस्य (adj.)