Rig Veda 10.18.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 18, Mantra 2

Sukta 10.18

Rishi: Traditionally ascribed within RV 10.18 to a Vasiṣṭha-associated lineage (Anukramaṇī attribution varies in secondary traditions); the hymn functions as a funeral/ancestral rite text rather than a single-deity praise.

Devata: Primarily Mṛtyu (Death) is addressed/handled; secondarily the sacrificial community is instructed toward purification and life-increase.

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (predominant in this section of 10.18).

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

मृत्योः पदं योपयन्तो यदैत द्राघीय आयुः प्रतरं दधानाः । आप्यायमानाः प्रजया धनेन शुद्धाः पूता भवत यज्ञियासः ॥

Recitation with translationRig Veda 10.18.2

Transliteration

mṛtyóḥ padáṃ yópayantaḥ yádáita drā́ghīya ā́yuḥ prataráṃ dádhānāḥ | āpyā́yamānāḥ prajā́yā dhánena śuddhā́ḥ pūtā́ bhavata yajñiyā́saḥ ||

Translation

Tendo ocultado o rastro da Morte e tendo-o ultrapassado, assumindo uma vida mais longa e um avançar mais adiante, crescei em plenitude — fortalecendo-vos (āpyāyamāna), pela descendência e pela riqueza. Tornai-vos purificados e clarificados, mais dignos do sacrifício (yajñiya).

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Word by Word

• मृत्योः: of death
• मृत्योः: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु- (प्रातिपदिक) < √मृ (मरणे)

• पदम्: footstep; track; place
• पदम्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद- (प्रातिपदिक) < √पद्/√पद् (गत्यर्थ)

• योपयन्तः: hiding; concealing
• योपयन्तः: कर्तृ (agent)
• Type: Verb (participle)
• Root: √युप्/√युप् (गोपने/निवारणे) → योपयति (णिच्)

• यत्: when; that
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (clausal link)
• Type: Indeclinable/Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• एत: this
• एत: विशेषण/सम्बन्ध (deictic reference)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• द्राघीयः: longer
• द्राघीयः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्राघीयस्- (तुलनात्मक-प्रातिपदिक) < द्राघ- ‘long’

• आयुः: life; lifespan
• आयुः: कर्म (object, ‘placing/establishing’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस्- (प्रातिपदिक)

• प्रतरम्: further; more forward; better
• प्रतरम्: क्रियाविशेषण (manner/degree)
• Type: Adverbial adjective
• Root: प्रतर- (तुलनात्मक-प्रातिपदिक) < प्र-तॄ/तर् (पूर्व/अधिक-भाव)

• दधानाः: placing; establishing
• दधानाः: कर्तृ (agent)
• Type: Verb (participle)
• Root: √धा (धारणे/स्थापने) → दधाति

• आप्यायमानाः: growing strong; thriving
• आप्यायमानाः: कर्तृ
• Type: Verb (participle)
• Root: √प्या/√प्याय् (वृद्धौ/पुष्टौ) → आप्यायते (आ-उपसर्ग)

• प्रजया: with offspring
• प्रजया: करण (means/with)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा- (प्रातिपदिक) < प्र-√जन् (जनने)

• धनेन: with wealth
• धनेन: करण (means/with)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन- (प्रातिपदिक)

• शुद्धाः: purified
• शुद्धाः: विशेषण (of the addressed persons)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध- (कृदन्त/विशेषण) < √शुध् (शौचे) / √पू (शोधने) (परम्परया ‘purified’)

• पूताः: cleansed; purified
• पूताः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective (past participle)
• Root: पूत- (भूतकृदन्त) < √पू (पवने/शोधने)

• भवत: be; become
• भवत: क्रिया (injunction to the addressees)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (भवने) → भवति

• यज्ञियासः: more worthy of sacrifice; most fit for worship
• यज्ञियासः: सम्बोधन/विशेषण (addressed group)
• Type: Adjective (comparative/augmentative in Vedic usage)
• Root: यज्ञिय- (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) < यज्ञ-