Rig Veda 5.87.9 — Mandala 5, Sukta 87, Mantra 9

Sukta 5.87

Rishi: Atri Bhāuma (Atri’s lineage) (traditional ascription for RV 5.87)

Devata: Marutāḥ (the Maruts/Storm-powers as dynamic forces of Indra’s host)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable for RV 5.87; verse-length and cadence consistent)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

गन्ता नो यज्ञं यज्ञियाः सुशमि श्रोता हवमरक्ष एवयामरुत् । ज्येष्ठासो न पर्वतासो व्योमनि यूयं तस्य प्रचेतसः स्यात दुर्धर्तवो निदः ॥

Transliteration

gántā no yajñáṃ yajñiyāḥ suśámi śrótā hávam arákṣa évayā́marut | jyéṣṭhāso ná párvatāso vyómani yūyáṃ tásya pracetasaḥ syāta durdhártavo nidáḥ ||

Translation

Come to our sacrifice, O you worthy of the sacrifice; in the happy peace hear our call and guard it, O Maruts of the forward-leading movement. Like elder mountains in the wide heaven, you are the conscious ones of that (Truth); may you be hard to hold by the hostile cry—unassailable against the forces of denial.

Word by Word

• गन्ता: the goer; (he who) comes
• गन्ता: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun (agent noun)
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गन्तृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• नः: of us / our
• नः: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्

• यज्ञम्: sacrifice, ritual
• यज्ञम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)

• यज्ञियाः: the worship-worthy ones
• यज्ञियाः: कर्तृ
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: यज्ञिय (प्रातिपदिक; from यज्ञ)

• सुशमि: auspiciously; in well-being
• सुशमि: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु-शम् (अव्ययीभाव; ‘well/auspiciously’ + शम् ‘peace, welfare’)

• श्रोता: the hearer; one who listens
• श्रोता: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun (agent noun)
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रोतृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• हवम्: invocation, call
• हवम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: हव (प्रातिपदिक; ‘invocation, call’)

• अरक्षः: harmless; uninjuring
• अरक्षः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective (used predicatively)
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) → अ-रक्षस् (नञ्-तत्पुरुष; ‘non-harming/without injury’)

• एवयाम: swift/impelling (as an epithet)
• एवयाम: कर्म/सम्बोधन-सम्बन्ध (contextual epithet)
• Type: Adjective (epithet)
• Root: एवयाम (प्रातिपदिक; epithet, Vedic)

• मरुत्: O Marut
• मरुत्: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun (proper/common)
• Root: मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)

• ज्येष्ठासः: eldest; most eminent
• ज्येष्ठासः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)

• न: like; as
• न: उपमान-चिह्न
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)

• पर्वतासः: mountains
• पर्वतासः: कर्तृ (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)

• व्योमनि: in the sky; in the firmament
• व्योमनि: अधिकरण
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योमन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• यूयम्: you (pl.)
• यूयम्: कर्तृ
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्

• तस्य: of that; of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्

• प्रचेतसः: fore-knowing; wise, discerning
• प्रचेतसः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective/Noun
• Root: प्र-चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• स्यात: may be; might be
• स्यात: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)

• दुर्धर्तवः: hard to withstand; irresistible
• दुर्धर्तवः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्-धर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘hard to hold/withstand’)

• निदः: revilings; reproaches
• निदः: कर्तृ/हेतु (contextual: ‘revilings’ as opposing forces)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निद् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘reproach, reviling’)