Rig Veda 4.13.4 — Mandala 4, Sukta 13, Mantra 4
Sukta 4.13
Rishi: Vāmadeva Gautama
Devata: Sūrya (and/or Savitṛ as solar power); the verse centers on solar rays driving out darkness
Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable, based on book 4 style and verse cadence)
Samhita Patha (Devanagari)
वहिष्ठेभिर्विहरन्यासि तन्तुमवव्ययन्नसितं देव वस्म । दविध्वतो रश्मयः सूर्यस्य चर्मेवावाधुस्तमो अप्स्वन्तः ॥
Transliteration
vahiṣṭhébhir vi-háran yāsi tántum ava-vyáyan ásitaṃ deva vásma | davídhvato raśmáyaḥ sū́ryasya cármevāvā́dhus támo apsv àntaḥ ||
Translation
With the most puissant bearers you move forth, weaving downward the thread; O luminous Power, you cast off the black covering. The rays of the Sun, striking and cleaving, have driven the darkness down, as a hide is stripped away, into the inner waters.
Word by Word
वहि॑ष्ठेभिःwith the most powerful/most bearing (means)
वहि॑ष्ठेभिः:
करण
TypeAdjective
Rootवहिष्ठ (वह् ‘to carry’ + -इष्ठ superl.)
वि॒हर॑न्moving about / ranging
वि॒हर॑न्:
कर्तृ
TypeVerb (participle)
Root√हृ (हर्) ‘to take/carry’ (vi- + √हृ) → विहरन्त्
असिthou art
असि:
कर्तृ
TypeVerb
Root√अस् ‘to be’
तन्तुम्the thread / filament
तन्तुम्:
कर्म
TypeNoun
Rootतन्तु
अव॒व्यय॑न्weaving down / weaving
अव॒व्यय॑न्:
कर्तृ
TypeVerb (participle)
Root√वी (वय्/वे) ‘to weave’ (ava- + √वी) → अवव्ययन्त्
असि॑तम्dark, black
असि॑तम्:
कर्म
TypeAdjective
Rootअसित
देवO god
देव:
सम्बोधन
TypeNoun (vocative)
Rootदेव
वस्मa covering/veil
वस्म:
कर्म
TypeNoun
Rootवस्मन्/वस्म (Vedic) ‘covering/garment; ash/dust’ (context: covering)
दवि॑ध्वतःof (him/it) shaking/brandishing
दवि॑ध्वतः:
सम्बन्ध
TypeVerb (participle)
Root√धू (धुनोति) ‘to shake’ with vi- → विदिध्वत् (intensive/iterative) ‘shaking violently’
र॒श्मयःthe rays
र॒श्मयः:
कर्तृ
TypeNoun
Rootरश्मि
सूर्यस्य॑of the Sun
सूर्यस्य॑:
सम्बन्ध
TypeNoun
Rootसूर्य
चर्मa hide, skin
चर्म:
उपमान/कर्म
TypeNoun
Rootचर्मन्
इवlike, as
इव:
—
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
आवा॑धुःthey covered/warded off
आवा॑धुः:
कर्तृ
TypeVerb
Root√वध्/√वृध् (Vedic) ‘to cover/ward off; to smite’ with ā- → आवाधुः
तमःdarkness
तमः:
कर्म
TypeNoun
Rootतमस्
अ॒प्सुin the waters
अ॒प्सु:
अधिकरण
TypeNoun
Rootअप् (pl. ‘waters’)
अन्तःwithin, inside
अन्तः:
अधिकरण (भाव)
TypeIndeclinable (adverb)
Rootअन्तर्/अन्तः
Ritual Application
Philosophical Concepts
Vedic Cosmology
Natural Symbolism
Academic Analysis
Cross References
Yogic Application
Chanting Notes
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