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Rig Veda 1.185.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 185, Mantra 1

Sukta 1.185

Rishi: Traditionally attributed to an early seer of the Dyāvā-Pṛthivī (Heaven-and-Earth) cycle in RV 1.185 (exact rishi varies by tradition; not supplied in input)
Devata: Ahanī (Day and Night) / cosmic duality; implicitly Rodasī order
Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable; verify by metrical scan)
Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

कतरा पूर्वा कतरापरायोः कथा जाते कवयः को वि वेद । विश्वं त्मना बिभृतो यद्ध नाम वि वर्तेते अहनी चक्रियेव ॥

Sanskrit recitationRig Veda 1.185.1
Transliteration

katarā́ pū́rvā katarā́ aparā́yoḥ kathā́ jāte kaváyaḥ kó ví veda | víśvaṃ tmanā́ bibhṛtó yád dha nā́ma ví vartete áhanī cakriyéva ||

Translation

Which of the two is first and which is later—how were they born, and who among the seers truly knows? Bearing the whole by their own self-power, Day and Night turn apart like a wheel set in motion.

Word by Word
क॒त॒राwhich (of the two)?
क॒त॒रा:
Kartā
TypePronoun/Adjective (interrogative)
Rootकतर (प्रातिपदिक)
पूर्वा॑former, earlier
पूर्वा॑:
Kartā
TypeAdjective
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
क॒त॒राwhich (of the two)?
क॒त॒रा:
Kartā
TypePronoun/Adjective (interrogative)
Rootकतर (प्रातिपदिक)
अपरा॒other, later
अपरा॒:
Kartā
TypeAdjective
Rootअपर (प्रातिपदिक)
अयोःof these two
अयोः:
Adhikaraṇa
TypePronoun (demonstrative)
Rootइदम्/एतद्-प्रत्ययान्त द्वि-सम्बन्ध (अयम्/इयम् इत्यस्य वैदिक-रूप)
क॒थाhow?
क॒था:
Adhikaraṇa
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथा (अव्यय)
जा॒ते(the two) having been born, born
जा॒ते:
Kartā
TypeParticiple/Adjective
Root√जन् (जायते) → जात (कृदन्त)
क॑वयःseers, sages
क॑वयः:
Kartā
TypeNoun
Rootकवि (प्रातिपदिक)
कःwho?
कः:
Kartā
TypePronoun (interrogative)
Rootकिम् (प्रातिपदिक)
विapart, distinctly
वि:
—
TypeIndeclinable (preverb)
Rootवि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
वेदknows
वेद:
—
TypeVerb
Root√विद् (वेद)
विश्वम्the whole (all)
विश्वम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective used substantively
Rootविश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
त्मना॑by/with their own self, of themselves
त्मना॑:
Karaṇa
TypeNoun (instrumental of manner/agency)
Rootत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक ‘स्व’/‘आत्म’ अर्थ)
बिभृतःbearing, supporting
बिभृतः:
Kartā
TypeParticiple
Root√भृ (बिभर्ति) → बिभृत् (कृदन्त, वर्तमान कृदन्त)
यत्that which
यत्:
Karma
TypeRelative pronoun
Rootयद् (सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय)
हindeed
ह:
—
TypeIndeclinable
Rootह (निपात)
नामtruly, namely
नाम:
—
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाम (निपात)
विapart, in turn
वि:
—
TypeIndeclinable (preverb)
Rootवि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
वर्तेते(the two) turn, proceed
वर्तेते:
—
TypeVerb
Root√वृत् (वर्तते)
अहनीday and night (the two days)
अहनी:
Kartā
TypeNoun
Rootअहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
चand
च:
—
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
चक्रियेवlike a wheel
चक्रियेव:
Adhikaraṇa
TypeNoun + Indeclinable
Rootचक्रि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘चक्रिन्/चक्रि’ = wheel) + इव (उपमा-अव्यय)
Ritual Application
Philosophical Concepts
Vedic Cosmology
Natural Symbolism
Academic Analysis
Cross References
Yogic Application
Chanting Notes
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