Rig Veda 4.1.15: Mandala 4, Sukta 1, Mantra 15

Sukta 4.1

Rishi: Vāmadeva Gautama

Devata: Agni (as power that enables the opening through divine speech)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

ते गव्यता मनसा दृध्रमुब्धं गा येमानं परि षन्तमद्रिम् । दृळ्हं नरो वचसा दैव्येन व्रजं गोमन्तमुशिजो वि वव्रुः ॥

Transliteration

té gavyatā́ mánasā dṛdhrám ubdháṃ gā́ yémānaṃ pári ṣántam ádrim | dṛḷháṃ náro vácasā daivyéna vrajáṃ gó-mantam uśíjo ví vavrúḥ ||

Translation

They, desiring the Rays, with the mind encompassed the firm, obstructing stone that held the lights. The seekers by the divine word broke open the strong enclosure; the ardent ones uncovered the pen full of luminous herds.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• ते: they (those men)
• ते: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• गव्यता: with desire for cattle / in quest of cows
• गव्यता: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun (abstract)
• Root: गव्यत्/गव्यता (गो-सम्बन्धी इच्छा/अन्वेषण; प्रातिपदिक)

• मनसा: with (their) mind
• मनसा: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• दृध्रम्: firm, strong
• दृध्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृध्र (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; दृढ-भाव)

• उब्धम्: compacted, massed (together)
• उब्धम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective (past participial)
• Root: उब्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √उभ्/उन्ध्? ‘to press/heap up, make compact’—RV-archaic)

• गाः: cows
• गाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)

• ये: who
• ये: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun (relative)
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• ईमानम्: moving, going (about)
• ईमानम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईमान (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; ‘going/setting in motion’, RV)

• परि: around
• परि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• षन्तम्: sitting, lying (there)
• षन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Participle (present)
• Root: √सद् (सीदति) → सन्त्/षन्त् (वर्तमान कृदन्त; RV sandhi/phonetics)

• अद्रिम्: the rock, stone (obstacle)
• अद्रिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक)

• दृळ्हम्: firm, hard
• दृळ्हम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृळ्ह/दृढ (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; RV form)

• नरः: men, heroes
• नरः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)

• वचसा: with speech/word
• वचसा: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• दैव्येन: divine
• दैव्येन: Karaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैव्य (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; देव-सम्बन्धी)

• व्रजम्: enclosure, pen, fold
• व्रजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रज (प्रातिपदिक)

• गोमन्तम्: rich in cows
• गोमन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोमन्त् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)

• उशिजः: the eager ones (Uśij-s)
• उशिजः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: उशिज् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘eager/zealous ones’, often of priests/Angirases)

• वि: apart, asunder, forth
• वि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

• वव्रुः: they opened/uncovered (it)
• वव्रुः: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृ (वृणोति/वृणुते; ‘to cover/enclose’ → ‘to open/uncover’ in vi- + redupl. perfect RV)