Rig Veda 1.79.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 79, Mantra 1

Sukta 1.79

Rishi: Gotama (traditional attribution for RV 1.79 to Gotama Rāhūgaṇa in many indices)

Devata: Agni (depicted with dawn-like and wind-like dynamics)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (11-syllable quarters; hymn style shifts from gāyatrī of 1.78)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

हिरण्यकेशो रजसो विसारेऽहिर्धुनिर्वात इव ध्रजीमान् । शुचिभ्राजा उषसो नवेदा यशस्वतीरपस्युवो न सत्याः ॥

Transliteration

híraṇyakeśo rájaso visāré ’hír dhúnir vā́ta iva dhrájīmān | śúci-bhrājā uṣáso návedā yáśasvatīr apasyúvo ná satyā́ḥ ||

Translation

Golden-maned, spreading through the mid-world, like a serpent surging, like the wind in swift impetus—pure in shining—he is as dawns ever-new, glorious, true, and eager in the work: the fire of awakening moving through our being.

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Word by Word

• हिरण्यकेशः: golden-haired (one)
• हिरण्यकेशः: कर्तृ
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: हिरण्य-केश (प्रातिपदिक; समास)

• रजसः: of the mid-air/space (rajas)
• रजसः: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• विसारे: in the spreading/expanse
• विसारे: अधिकरण
• Type: Noun (action/result)
• Root: वि-√सृ (धातु) → विसार (कृदन्त/भाव) ; here loc. sg.

• अहिः: the serpent
• अहिः: कर्तृ (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहि (प्रातिपदिक)

• धुनिः: the roaring one / shaker
• धुनिः: कर्तृ (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धुनि (प्रातिपदिक; from √धू ‘to shake’)

• वातः: wind
• वातः: कर्तृ (upamāna in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वात (प्रातिपदिक; from √वा ‘to blow’)

• इव: like, as
• इव: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• ध्रजीमान्: swift/impetuous, rushing
• ध्रजीमान्: कर्तृ (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रजि-मान् (प्रातिपदिक; -मान् possessive)

• शुचिभ्राजाः: shining with pure radiance
• शुचिभ्राजाः: कर्तृ (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि-भ्राज (प्रातिपदिक; समास)

• उषसः: of Dawn
• उषसः: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• न: like
• न: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• वेदा: knows / has found out
• वेदा: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)

• यशस्वतीः: glorious, fame-bearing (fem. pl.)
• यशस्वतीः: कर्तृ (of implied verb)
• Type: Adjective (f.)
• Root: यशस्-वती (प्रातिपदिक; -वती possessive)

• अपस्युवः: active, eager for deeds
• अपस्युवः: कर्तृ (apposition)
• Type: Adjective (f. pl.)
• Root: अपस्-यु (प्रातिपदिक; desiderative/possessive ‘eager for work’)

• न: like
• न: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• सत्याः: true, real
• सत्याः: कर्तृ (predicate/epithet)
• Type: Adjective (f. pl.)
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)