Rig Veda 5.47.4: Mandala 5, Sukta 47, Mantra 4

Sukta 5.47

Rishi: Atri (Ātreya tradition)

Devata: Cosmic order/formation; ‘cows of light’ as luminous powers; implicit Dyāvā (heaven)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable; confirm in critical edition)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

चत्वार ईं बिभ्रति क्षेमयन्तो दश गर्भं चरसे धापयन्ते । त्रिधातवः परमा अस्य गावो दिवश्चरन्ति परि सद्यो अन्तान् ॥

Transliteration

catvā́ra īṃ bibhrati kṣéma-yanto dáśa gárbhaṃ cárase dhāpayante | tri-dhā́tavaḥ paramā́ asya gā́vo diváś caranti pári sadyó ántān ||

Translation

Four uphold it, bringing security; ten nurture the embryo for its moving life. Threefold are its supreme cows of light; they move through heaven, swiftly encompassing the boundaries—rays of knowledge circulating to complete the formation.

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Word by Word

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective/Numeral
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)

• ईम्: indeed; just; them (emphatic particle)
• ईम्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ईम् (निपात/अव्यय)

• बिभ्रति: they bear/carry
• बिभ्रति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भृ (भरणे)

• क्षेमयन्तः: seeking/bringing welfare; making secure
• क्षेमयन्तः: Kartā
• Type: Verb (participle)
• Root: क्षेमय (नामधातु/कारण-भावः from क्षेम ‘welfare, safety’)

• दश: ten
• दश: —
• Type: Adjective/Numeral
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)

• गर्भम्: embryo; womb; germ
• गर्भम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)

• चरसे: you move/wander
• चरसे: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (गत्यर्थे)

• धापयन्ते: they cause to be set/placed; they make (it) suckle/nourish (Vedic usage)
• धापयन्ते: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (धारणे/स्थापने) + णिच् (causative)

• त्रिधातवः: threefold in elements; having three strata
• त्रिधातवः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective/Noun
• Root: त्रि-धातु (समास; धातु ‘layer/element/constituent’)

• परमाः: highest; supreme
• परमाः: Viśeṣaṇa (of गावः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)

• अस्य: of this (one)
• अस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• गावः: cows; rays (Vedic)
• गावः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)

• दिवः: of heaven; of the sky
• दिवः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)

• चरन्ति: they move; they roam
• चरन्ति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (गत्यर्थे)

• परि: around
• परि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• सद्यः: immediately; at once
• सद्यः: Adverbial
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)

• अन्तान्: ends; boundaries
• अन्तान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)