Rig Veda 2.42.3 — Mandala 2, Sukta 42, Mantra 3

Sukta 2.42

Rishi: Gṛtsamada (traditionally for much of Maṇḍala 2; hymn addressed to Śakuni/omens)

Devata: Śakuni/Śakunta (auspicious bird-omen as a guiding sign); protective invocation against theft/evil speech

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable; requires full hymn metrical verification)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

अव क्रन्द दक्षिणतो गृहाणां सुमङ्गलो भद्रवादी शकुन्ते । मा नः स्तेन ईशत माघशंसो बृहद्वदेम विदथे सुवीराः ॥

Transliteration

áva kranda dakṣiṇató gṛhā́ṇāṃ sumaṅgaló bhadravādī́ śakunte | mā́ naḥ stená ī́śata mā́ aghaśáṃso bṛhád vadema vidáthe suvī́rāḥ ||

Translation

Cry out for us from the right side of our dwelling, O bird of omen, auspicious and a speaker of the good. Let no thief-mastering force rule over us; let no evil-voiced power prevail. May we utter the Vast (Bṛhat) in the sacred assembly and become rich in heroic energies.

Word by Word

• अव: down; forth (as a preverb)
• अव: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अव (upasarga) अव-

• क्रन्द: cry out; call
• क्रन्द: Kartā (addressed subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रन्द्

• दक्षिणतः: from the right (side)
• दक्षिणतः: Adhikaraṇa (direction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिण (prātipadika)

• गृहाणाम्: of the houses; of the dwellings
• गृहाणाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (prātipadika)

• सुमङ्गलः: very auspicious
• सुमङ्गलः: Kartā (apposition to the addressed bird)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-मङ्गल (prātipadika)

• भद्रवादी: speaking good (words); of auspicious speech
• भद्रवादी: Kartā (apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भद्र-वाच् (prātipadika; bahuvrīhi/karmadhāraya sense)

• शकुन्ते: O bird (omen-bird)
• शकुन्ते: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुन्त (prātipadika)

• मा: do not
• मा: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (prohibitive particle)

• नः: us; our
• नः: Sampradāna/Anukūlya (affected party)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्

• स्तेनः: a thief
• स्तेनः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेन (prātipadika)

• ईशत: may (he) have power over; may (he) rule
• ईशत: Kartā
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईश्

• माघशंसः: one who proclaims/boasts of gifts (i.e., a braggart/boaster); (here) an ill-wisher
• माघशंसः: Kartā (in apposition to ‘स्तेनः’)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: माघ-शंस (prātipadika; bahuvrīhi)

• बृहद्वदेम: let us speak greatly; let us utter lofty (words)
• बृहद्वदेम: Kartā (speaker group)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (with preverb/compound bृहद्-)

• विदथे: in the rite; in the ceremonial gathering
• विदथे: Adhikaraṇa (locus: ritual assembly)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदथ (prātipadika)

• सुवीराः: having good heroes/sons; rich in brave men
• सुवीराः: Kartā (predicate adjective of ‘we’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-वीर (prātipadika)