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 ॥
Transliteration
mṛtyóḥ padáṃ yópayantaḥ yádáita drā́ghīya ā́yuḥ prataráṃ dádhānāḥ | āpyā́yamānāḥ prajā́yā dhánena śuddhā́ḥ pūtā́ bhavata yajñiyā́saḥ ||
Translation
मृत्योः पदं योपयन्तो यदैत द्राघीय आयुः प्रतरं दधानाः । आप्यायमानाः प्रजया धनेन शुद्धाः पूता भवत यज्ञियासः ॥
Word by Word
मृत्योःof death
मृत्योः:
सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु- (प्रातिपदिक) < √मृ (मरणे)
पदम्footstep; track; place
पदम्:
कर्म (object)
TypeNoun
Rootपद- (प्रातिपदिक) < √पद्/√पद् (गत्यर्थ)
योपयन्तःhiding; concealing
योपयन्तः:
कर्तृ (agent)
TypeVerb (participle)
Root√युप्/√युप् (गोपने/निवारणे) → योपयति (णिच्)
यत्when; that
यत्:
सम्बन्ध (clausal link)
TypeIndeclinable/Pronoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
एतthis
एत:
विशेषण/सम्बन्ध (deictic reference)
TypePronoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
द्राघीयःlonger
द्राघीयः:
विशेषण
TypeAdjective
Rootद्राघीयस्- (तुलनात्मक-प्रातिपदिक) < द्राघ- ‘long’
आयुःlife; lifespan
आयुः:
कर्म (object, ‘placing/establishing’)
TypeNoun
Rootआयुस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
प्रतरम्further; more forward; better
प्रतरम्:
क्रियाविशेषण (manner/degree)
TypeAdverbial adjective
Rootप्रतर- (तुलनात्मक-प्रातिपदिक) < प्र-तॄ/तर् (पूर्व/अधिक-भाव)
दधानाःplacing; establishing
दधानाः:
कर्तृ (agent)
TypeVerb (participle)
Root√धा (धारणे/स्थापने) → दधाति
आप्यायमानाःgrowing strong; thriving
आप्यायमानाः:
कर्तृ
TypeVerb (participle)
Root√प्या/√प्याय् (वृद्धौ/पुष्टौ) → आप्यायते (आ-उपसर्ग)
प्रजयाwith offspring
प्रजया:
करण (means/with)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रजा- (प्रातिपदिक) < प्र-√जन् (जनने)
धनेनwith wealth
धनेन:
करण (means/with)
TypeNoun
Rootधन- (प्रातिपदिक)
शुद्धाःpurified
शुद्धाः:
विशेषण (of the addressed persons)
TypeAdjective
Rootशुद्ध- (कृदन्त/विशेषण) < √शुध् (शौचे) / √पू (शोधने) (परम्परया ‘purified’)
पूताःcleansed; purified
पूताः:
विशेषण
TypeAdjective (past participle)
Rootपूत- (भूतकृदन्त) < √पू (पवने/शोधने)
भवतbe; become
भवत:
क्रिया (injunction to the addressees)
TypeVerb
Root√भू (भवने) → भवति
यज्ञियासःmore worthy of sacrifice; most fit for worship
यज्ञियासः:
सम्बोधन/विशेषण (addressed group)
TypeAdjective (comparative/augmentative in Vedic usage)
Rootयज्ञिय- (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) < यज्ञ-
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