Rig Veda 10.44.6: Mandala 10, Sukta 44, Mantra 6

Sukta 10.44

Devata: Indra hymn-context; verse shifts to exemplum of pioneers vs. unfit (didactic within the hymn)

Chandas: Trishtubh (probable; needs metrical confirmation)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

पृथक्प्रायन्प्रथमा देवहूतयोऽकृण्वत श्रवस्यानि दुष्टरा । न ये शेकुर्यज्ञियां नावमारुहमीर्मैव ते न्यविशन्त केपयः ॥

Sanskrit recitationRig Veda 10.44.6

Transliteration

pṛthák prā́yan prathamā́ devá-hūtayo 'kṛṇvata śravasyā́ni duṣṭárā | ná ye śékury yajñíyāṃ nā́vam ā́ruham ī́rmā́iva te ny àviśanta képayāḥ ||

Translation

Separately they went forth—the first who were called by the gods—and they accomplished deeds of glory hard to pass. But those who could not mount the sacrificial boat, those weak in impulse, sank down and entered the flood below.

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Word by Word

• पृथक्: separately, apart
• पृथक्: Adhikaraṇa (रीत्या/प्रकारेण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)

• प्रायन्: they went forth
• प्रायन्: Kriyā (गमनक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (इ/या गतौ) + प्र-

• प्रथमा: first
• प्रथमा: Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)

• देवहूतयः: the god-invocations / calls to the gods
• देवहूतयः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-हूति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘देव’ + ‘हूति’ < √ह्वा/√हू ‘आह्वाने/हवने’)

• अकृण्वत: they made, they fashioned
• अकृण्वत: Kriyā (करणक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (करणे)

• श्रवस्यानि: glories, fame-winning deeds
• श्रवस्यानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवस्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘श्रवस्’ यशः/कीर्तिः + -य)

• दुष्टराः: hard to surpass / difficult to overcome
• दुष्टराः: Karma (विशेषणरूपेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्टर (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्- + √तॄ ‘तरति’ → ‘hard to cross/overcome’)

• न: not
• न: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-अव्यय)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Kartā (शेकुः इत्यस्य)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• शेकुः: were able
• शेकुः: Kriyā (शक्तिक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शक् (शक्तौ)

• यज्ञियम्: sacrificial, worthy of worship
• यज्ञियम्: Karma (विशेषणरूपेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज्ञिय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘fit for sacrifice/worship’)

• नावम्: boat, ship
• नावम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नौ/नाव् (प्रातिपदिक)

• आरुहम्: to mount, to board
• आरुहम्: Prayojana (उद्देश्य/अर्थे)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रुह् (आरोहे) + आ-

• ईर्मैव: just the rush/impulse itself
• ईर्मैव: Kartā/Hetu (वाक्ये ‘just the onset/impulse’ इत्यर्थे)
• Type: Noun+Particle
• Root: ईर्म (प्रातिपदिक; ‘impulse/drive, onset’; RV-विशेष) + एव (अव्यय)

• ते: they
• ते: Kartā (अविशन्त इत्यस्य)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• नि: down, into
• नि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• अविशन्त: they entered, they sank into
• अविशन्त: Kriyā (प्रवेशक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विश् (प्रवेशने) + अव-

• केपयः: the Kepayas (trembling ones / hostile beings)
• केपयः: Kartā (अविशन्त इत्यस्य; अथवा ‘ते’ कर्ता, ‘केपयः’ अपपद/सम्बोधन-सम्बन्धः—पाठभेदानुसारम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केपय (प्रातिपदिक; RV-विशेष, ‘tremblers/agitators’, ‘monsters/demons’ इत्यर्थे व्याख्येयम्)