Rig Veda 3.56.3 — Mandala 3, Sukta 56, Mantra 3

Sukta 3.56

Rishi: Viśvāmitra Gāthina (family attribution for Maṇḍala 3)

Devata: A triple-aspect sovereign Bull-power (often interpretable as a solar/ṛta lord or creative Indra-like force in unitive form)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

त्रिपाजस्यो वृषभो विश्वरूप उत त्र्युधा पुरुध प्रजावान् । त्र्यनीकः पत्यते माहिनावान्त्स रेतोधा वृषभः शश्वतीनाम् ॥

Transliteration

tri-pā́jasyo vṛṣabhó viśvarū́pa utá tri-udhā́ purudhá prajā́vān | tri-anī́kaḥ patyate mā́hināvān sá reto-dhā́ vṛṣabháḥ śáśvatīnām ||

Translation

The Bull of triple splendour, all-formed, and triple-wise in many ways, full of births; triple-faced he rules, mighty in greatness. That Bull, the holder of the seed, is lord of the eternities.

Word by Word

• त्रिपाजस्यः: threefold-strong / having three strengths
• त्रिपाजस्यः: Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण कर्तृपदस्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिपाजस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• वृषभः: the bull (mighty one)
• वृषभः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)

• विश्वरूपः: all-formed, of every form
• विश्वरूपः: Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)

• उत: and also
• उत: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत (निपात)

• त्र्युधा: in three ways
• त्र्युधा: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रि + उधा (अव्ययीभाव)

• पुरुध: in many ways, manifoldly
• पुरुध: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरुधा/पुरुध् (अव्यय, वैदिक)

• प्रजावान्: possessing offspring, fruitful
• प्रजावान्: Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रजा + वत् (प्रजावत् प्रातिपदिक)

• त्र्यनीकः: three-faced / three-fronted
• त्र्यनीकः: Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्र्यनीक (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + अनीक)

• पत्यते: he rushes/soars
• पत्यते: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु; ‘to fly/fall’ → ‘to rush/soar’), आत्मनेपद

• माहिनावान्: endowed with greatness/might
• माहिनावान्: Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माहिनावत् (प्रातिपदिक; महिमन्/माहिना ‘might’ + वत्)

• सः: he
• सः: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• रेतोधाः: seed-placing, bestower of seed
• रेतोधाः: Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)
• Type: Noun (agentive) / Adjective
• Root: रेतोधा (प्रातिपदिक; रेतस् + धा ‘placing/holding’)

• वृषभः: the bull, the strong one
• वृषभः: Kartā (पुनरुक्त-उपपत्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)

• शश्वतीनाम्: of the everlasting (ones), of the continual (streams/hosts)
• शश्वतीनाम्: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively) / Noun
• Root: शश्वती (प्रातिपदिक; शश्वत् ‘ever, continual’ → स्त्री)