Rig Veda 9.74.4: Mandala 9, Sukta 74, Mantra 4

Sukta 9.74

Rishi: Traditionally attributed to Soma-pavamāna seers of Mandala 9 (specific ṛṣi for 9.74 varies by Anukramaṇī recension)

Devata: Soma Pavamāna (Soma as the purifying, self-manifesting nectar of consciousness)

Chandas: Jagatī (probable for 9.74; confirmation depends on pada-count recension)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

आत्मन्वन्नभो दुह्यते घृतं पय ऋतस्य नाभिरमृतं वि जायते । समीचीनाः सुदानवः प्रीणन्ति तं नरो हितमव मेहन्ति पेरवः ॥

Sanskrit recitationRig Veda 9.74.4

Transliteration

ātmanván nabhó duhyate ghṛtáṃ páya ṛtásya nā́bhir amṛ́taṃ ví jāyate | samīcīnā́ḥ sudā́navaḥ prīṇanti táṃ náro hitám áva mehanti péravaḥ ||

Translation

From the self-possessed heaven the clarified richness is milked out—its luminous sweetness; from the navel of the Ṛta the immortal essence is born and spreads. Those who move in right accord, the good givers, delight in him; the men, placing him within, pour him down as a fostering rain.

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Word by Word

• आत्मन्वत्: possessed of self/strength; self-impelled
• आत्मन्वत्: विशेषण (of kartā/subject सोमः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् + वत् (prātipadika + possessive suffix)

• नभः: sky, firmament
• नभः: अधिकारण (locative sense in Vedic usage: ‘in/through the sky’; formally nom./acc.)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस् (prātipadika)

• दुह्यते: is milked; yields
• दुह्यते: क्रिया (passive/middle: ‘is milked / yields’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दुह् (to milk)

• घृतम्: ghee, clarified butter
• घृतम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (prātipadika)

• पयः: milk; nourishing sap
• पयः: कर्म (co-ordinate with घृतम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (prātipadika)

• ऋतस्य: of ṛta (cosmic order/truth)
• ऋतस्य: सम्बन्ध (genitive dependent on नाभिः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत (prātipadika)

• नाभिः: navel; hub; central source
• नाभिः: कर्तृ (as subject-noun: ‘the navel/source’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (prātipadika)

• अमृतम्: immortal (substance); ambrosia
• अमृतम्: कर्म/फल (that which is produced/comes forth)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: अमृत (prātipadika)

• वि: apart, forth, widely
• वि: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि (upasarga/avyaya)

• जायते: is born; arises
• जायते: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (to be born, arise)

• समीचीनाः: harmonious; well-directed; in due order
• समीचीनाः: विशेषण (of सुदानवः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समीचीन (prātipadika; ‘going/lying together, fitting, harmonious’)

• सुदानवः: the bountiful ones; generous givers
• सुदानवः: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: सु-दानु (prātipadika; ‘good-giving/munificent’)

• प्रीणन्ति: they gladden; they satisfy
• प्रीणन्ति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्री (to please, gladden, satisfy)

• तम्: him/that (Soma)
• तम्: कर्म
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (sarvanāman)

• नरः: men; heroes
• नरः: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (prātipadika)

• हितम्: set/placed; established; beneficial
• हितम्: विशेषण (of कर्म तम्)
• Type: Adjective (past participle)
• Root: हित (PPP of √धा ‘to place’; prātipadika)

• अव: down; forth
• अव: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अव (upasarga/avyaya)

• मेहन्ति: they pour down; they rain
• मेहन्ति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मिह्/√मेह् (Vedic: to pour, rain, shed)

• पेरवः: the pressing/active ones (pressers/agents)
• पेरवः: कर्तृ (co-ordinate with नरः, or apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पेरु/पेरव (prātipadika; Vedic epithet, often ‘swift/active ones’, used of pressing-stones/agents)