Rig Veda 4.57.8: Mandala 4, Sukta 57, Mantra 8

Sukta 4.57

Rishi: Vāmadeva Gautama (attributed for Mandala 4; hymn 4.57 traditionally linked with agricultural/Śunāsīrā context)

Devata: Śunāsīrā (with Parjanya invoked within the verse)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (11-syllable pādas; typical of RV 4th maṇḍala hymns; this verse conforms to triṣṭubh cadence)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

शुनं नः फाला वि कृषन्तु भूमिं शुनं कीनाशा अभि यन्तु वाहैः । शुनं पर्जन्यो मधुना पयोभिः शुनासीरा शुनमस्मासु धत्तम् ॥

Sanskrit recitationRig Veda 4.57.8

Transliteration

śunáṃ naḥ phālā́ ví kṛṣantu bhū́miṃ śunáṃ kīnā́śā abhí yantu vāháīḥ | śunáṃ párjanyo mádhunā páyo-bhiḥ śúnāsīrā śunám asmā́su dhattam ||

Translation

May the ploughshares carve open our field in a happy, auspicious movement; may the tillers come toward the work with their yoked energies. May Parjanya (the Rain-Power) pour sweetness with his nourishing streams; O Śunā and Sīrā, place this auspiciousness within us.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• शुनम्: well, auspiciously
• शुनम्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शुनम् (प्रातिपदिक; अव्यय) < PIE *su- ‘well’

• नः: of us / for us
• नः: सम्बन्ध (possessive/genitival)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• फालाः: ploughshares
• फालाः: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun
• Root: फाल (प्रातिपदिक)

• वि: apart, asunder; forth
• वि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• कृषन्तु: may (they) plough
• कृषन्तु: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृष् (धातु) ‘to plough, draw furrows’

• भूमिम्: the earth/ground
• भूमिम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)

• शुनम्: well, auspiciously
• शुनम्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शुनम् (अव्यय)

• कीनाशाः: ploughmen, husbandmen
• कीनाशाः: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीनाश (प्रातिपदिक)

• अभि: towards, unto
• अभि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• यन्तु: may (they) go/come
• यन्तु: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) ‘to go’

• वाहैः: with draught(-animals)/teams
• वाहैः: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाह (प्रातिपदिक) ‘draught-animal/vehicle’

• शुनम्: well, auspiciously
• शुनम्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शुनम् (अव्यय)

• पर्जन्यः: Parjanya (rain-god)
• पर्जन्यः: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्जन्य (प्रातिपदिक; देवता-नाम)

• मधुना: with sweetness / with honey
• मधुना: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)

• पयोभिः: with milky juices / with waters
• पयोभिः: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• शुनासीरा: O Śunā and Sīrā (paired deities of ploughing/fertility)
• शुनासीरा: सम्बोधन/कर्तृ (प्रार्थनायाम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुनासीरा (द्वन्द्व-समास; देवता-नाम) = शुन + सीरा

• शुनम्: well, auspiciously
• शुनम्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शुनम् (अव्यय)

• अस्मासु: in us / among us
• अस्मासु: अधिकरण
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• धत्तम्: place/bestow (you two)
• धत्तम्: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु) ‘to place, put, bestow’