Rig Veda 1.122.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 122, Mantra 2

Sukta 1.122

Devata: Uṣas–Naktā (Dawn and Night)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

पत्नीव पूर्वहूतिं वावृधध्या उषासानक्ता पुरुधा विदाने । स्तरीर्नात्कं व्युतं वसाना सूर्यस्य श्रिया सुदृशी हिरण्यैः ॥

Transliteration

patnī́va pūrváhūtiṁ vāvṛdhádhyai uṣásā́naktā purudhā́ vidā́ne | starī́r nā́tkaṁ vyùtaṁ vásānā sū́ryasya śriyā́ sudṛ́śī híraṇyaiḥ ||

Translation

Like a wife who enlarges the first-called delight, Dawn and Night, knowing in many ways, grow the ancient invocation. Wearing the wide-spread robe, beautiful to behold with the splendour of the Sun, they shine with golden forms—opening for us the ordered alternation that educates the soul.

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Word by Word

• पत्नीवत्: like a wife; as (a devoted) wife
• पत्नीवत्: Adhikaraṇa (उपमान/रीतिवाचकः)
• Type: Adjective/Adverbial
• Root: पत्नीवत् (पत्नी + -वत्)

• पूर्वहूतिम्: the earlier/foremost invocation (ancient call)
• पूर्वहूतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्वहूति (पूर्व + हूति < √हू ‘to call/invoke’)

• वावृधध्या: may I strengthen/increase
• वावृधध्या: Kartā (अहं—वक्ता/ऋषिः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृध् (वर्धने)

• उषासा: Dawn (and)
• उषासा: Karma (वावृधध्या इत्यस्य—यौ स्तूयेताम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उषस्

• नक्ता: Night (together with Dawn)
• नक्ता: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्त्/नक्तम् (नक्त-)

• पुरुधा: in many ways; variously
• पुरुधा: Adhikaraṇa (प्रकार/विधिवाचकः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरुधा

• विदाने: knowing; wise; discerning
• विदाने: Kartā (उषासा-नक्ता—कर्तृभावेन)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: विदान (√विद् ‘to know’ → ‘knowing/wise’)

• स्तरीः: spreading; covering
• स्तरीः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तरी (स्तॄ/स्तृ ‘to spread/strewn’ related; ‘covering/spreading’)

• नात्कम्: the darkness; the night-cover
• नात्कम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नात्क (नक्त/नक्तम्-संबद्धः; ‘darkness/covering’)

• व्यूतम्: spread out; extended
• व्यूतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective/Participle
• Root: व्यूत (वि + √वे/√उ ‘to weave/spread apart’ → ‘spread out/extended’)

• वसानाः: wearing; clothing themselves
• वसानाः: Kartā
• Type: Participle
• Root: √वस् (आच्छादने) → वसान (शानच्)

• सूर्यस्य: of the Sun
• सूर्यस्य: Sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य

• श्रिया: with splendor/beauty
• श्रिया: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री

• सुदृशी: fair to see; beautiful
• सुदृशी: Kartā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदृश् (सु + √दृश्)

• हिरण्यैः: with golden (ornaments/rays)
• हिरण्यैः: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य