Rig Veda 4.3.11 — Mandala 4, Sukta 3, Mantra 11

Sukta 4.3

Rishi: Vāmadeva Gautama (attributed for RV 4.3)

Devata: Agni (with associated powers: Angirases, Uṣas, Svar as results/fields of action)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable for RV 4.3; verse-length and cadence consistent)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

ऋतेनाद्रिं व्यसन्भिदन्तः समङ्गिरसो नवन्त गोभिः । शुनं नरः परि षदन्नुषासमाविः स्वरभवज्जाते अग्नौ ॥

Transliteration

ṛténá adríṃ ví asan bhidántaḥ sámaṅgirasaḥ navanta gó-bhiḥ | śunáṃ nárāḥ pári ṣadan uṣásam āvíḥ svàr abhavat jāté agnáu ||

Translation

By the power of Ṛta they cleft the rock asunder; the Angirases together pressed forward with the rays of Light. The strong ones sat around the Dawn in a happy wideness; and the luminous Heaven (Svar) became manifest when Agni was born within.

Word by Word

• ऋतेन: by/with ṛta (cosmic order, truth)
• ऋतेन: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत (प्रातिपदिक) / √ऋ (ऋ-गतौ, ‘to go/fit’, semantic base of ṛta) रूपेण ‘ऋत’

• अद्रिम्: the rock, mountain
• अद्रिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक)

• व्यसन: they split asunder / they cleft
• व्यसन: (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (अस्-भुवि/अस्-गतौ) + वि- (उपसर्ग); injunctive/aorist stem ‘व्यस्-’

• भिदन्तः: splitting, cleaving
• भिदन्तः: Kartā
• Type: Verb (participle)
• Root: √भिद् (भिद्-विदारणे)

• सम्: together, completely
• सम्: (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• अङ्गिरसः: the Aṅgirases (Aṅgiras seers)
• अङ्गिरसः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गिरस् (प्रातिपदिक; ऋषिगण/देवयजक-समूह)

• नवन्त: they praised / they celebrated
• नवन्त: (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नु/नव् (वेदिक; ‘to praise/celebrate’—स्तुतौ)

• गोभिः: with cows; with cattle (as wealth/offerings)
• गोभिः: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)

• शुनम्: well, auspiciously
• शुनम्: (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शुनम् (अव्यय; ‘well, prosperously, happily’)

• नरः: the men, heroes
• नरः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)

• परि: around
• परि: (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• षदन्: sitting, taking their seats
• षदन्: Kartā
• Type: Verb (participle)
• Root: √सद् (सद्-आसने/उपवेशने)

• उषासम्: Uṣas (Dawn)
• उषासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• आविः: manifest, openly
• आविः: (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आविस्/आविः (अव्यय)

• स्वः: the light; heaven
• स्वः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्/स्वः (प्रातिपदिक; ‘light, heaven’)

• अभवत्: came to be, appeared
• अभवत्: (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (भू-सत्तायाम्) + अभि- (उपसर्ग)

• जाते: when born; in the born (state)
• जाते: Adhikaraṇa (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective/Participle
• Root: √जन् (जन्-प्रादुर्भावे) → जात (कृदन्त)

• अग्नौ: in Agni; in the fire (Agni)
• अग्नौ: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)