Rig Veda 4.12.5: Mandala 4, Sukta 12, Mantra 5

Sukta 4.12

Rishi: Vāmadeva Gautama

Devata: Agni

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

महश्चिदग्न एनसो अभीक ऊर्वाद्देवानामुत मर्त्यानाम् । मा ते सखायः सदमिद्रिषाम यच्छा तोकाय तनयाय शं योः ॥

Transliteration

maháś cid agne énaso abhī́ka ūrvā́d devā́nām utá mártyānām | mā́ te sakhā́yaḥ sádham íd riṣāma yácchā tokā́ya tánayāya śáṃ yóḥ ||

Translation

Even from the great nearness of sin, O Agni—from the wide field where gods and mortals move—let us not, though companions of thee, suffer harm. Bestow for our child and our offspring peace and a glad well-being.

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Word by Word

• महत्: great, very (even great)
• महत्: विशेषण (एनसः) / कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) < PIE *megʰ-

• चित्: even, indeed
• चित्: सम्बन्ध-निपात (emphatic)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित् (निपात) < √चित् (to notice) (etym.)

• अग्ने: O Agni
• अग्ने: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) < √अग्/अञ्ज् (etym. debated)

• एनसः: of sin, of guilt
• एनसः: सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of sin/offence’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एनस् (प्रातिपदिक) < √अन्/अश् (harm) (etym.)

• अभीके: in proximity, at close range
• अभीके: अधिकारण (locative: ‘in/at close quarters’)
• Type: Adjective (used adverbially/locatively)
• Root: अभीक (प्रातिपदिक) < अभि + √अञ्च्/ईक् (near/face) (etym.)

• ऊर्वात्: from the womb (source), from the seat
• ऊर्वात्: अपादान (ablative: ‘from the womb/seat’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्वा (प्रातिपदिक) < √ऊरु/उर्व् (wide) (etym.)

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) < √दिव् (shine)

• उत: and, also
• उत: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत (निपात)

• मर्त्यानाम्: of mortals
• मर्त्यानाम्: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक) < √मृ (to die)

• मा: do not
• मा: वाक्य-निषेध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (निषेध-निपात)

• ते: your
• ते: सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘your’)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• सखायः: friends, companions
• सखायः: कर्तृ (of the verb ‘रिषाम’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखा (प्रातिपदिक)

• सदम्: always
• सदम्: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदम् (अव्यय/निपात) < सद् (sit) (etym.)

• इत्: indeed, just
• इत्: सम्बन्ध-निपात (emphatic)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्/इद् (निपात)

• रिषाम: may (they) harm/injure
• रिषाम: क्रिया (predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रिष् (to harm, injure)

• यच्छ: grant, bestow
• यच्छ: क्रिया (addressed to Agni)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यम् (to give, grant; to extend) — Vedic imperative stem यच्छ-

• तोकाय: for (our) child, offspring
• तोकाय: सम्प्रदान (dative: ‘for the child/offspring’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोक (प्रातिपदिक)

• तनयाय: for (our) son/progeny
• तनयाय: सम्प्रदान
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय (प्रातिपदिक) < √तन् (to stretch, beget)

• शम्: welfare, well-being
• शम्: कर्म-विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शम् (अव्यय) < √शम् (to be calm/benefit)

• योः: and prosperity/comfort (the pair: welfare & well-being)
• योः: क्रियाविशेषण (beneficence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: योस्/योः (अव्यय-द्वन्द्व) < यौ (two) (traditional: ‘शं-योः’ fixed collocation)