Rig Veda 4.40.5: Mandala 4, Sukta 40, Mantra 5

Sukta 4.40

Rishi: Vāmadeva Gautama

Devata: A highly symbolic formulation; often interpreted as a cosmic principle (associated with Dadhikrāvan/solar-soul-bird imagery in this hymn-context)

Chandas: Triṣṭubh (probable)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

हंसः शुचिषद्वसुरन्तरिक्षसद्धोता वेदिषदतिथिर्दुरोणसत् । नृषद्वरसदृतसद्व्योमसदब्जा गोजा ऋतजा अद्रिजा ऋतम् ॥

Sanskrit recitationRig Veda 4.40.5

Transliteration

haṃsáḥ śucíṣad vásur antárikṣasad dhótā vediṣád átithir duroṇasát | nṛṣád varasád ṛtasád vyòmasad abjā́ gojā́ ṛtajā́ ādrijā́ ṛtám ||

Translation

The Swan—dwelling in the pure— a radiant one seated in the mid-world; the Priest seated on the altar, the Guest seated in the home. Seated in man, seated in the highest, seated in the Truth, seated in the vast; born of the Waters, born of the Rays, born of Ṛta, born of the Rock—he is Ṛta itself.

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Word by Word

• हंसः: the Swan (Agni/Sūrya as hamsa)
• हंसः: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस

• शुचि-षत्: sitting in the pure (realm)
• शुचि-षत्: कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective (compound)
• Root: शुचि + सद् (धातु: सद् ‘सीदति/आस्ते’)

• वसुः: the good one; the beneficent (Vasu)
• वसुः: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु

• अन्तरिक्ष-षत्: sitting in mid-air / the atmosphere
• अन्तरिक्ष-षत्: कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective (compound)
• Root: अन्तरिक्ष + सद् (धातु: सद्)

• होता: the Hotṛ-priest; invoker
• होता: कर्तृ
• Type: Noun
• Root: होतृ (यज्-धातु-निष्पन्नः ‘होतृ’)

• वेदि-षत्: sitting on the altar
• वेदि-षत्: कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective (compound)
• Root: वेदी + सद् (धातु: सद्)

• अतिथि-षत्: sitting as a guest
• अतिथि-षत्: कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective (compound)
• Root: अतिथि + सद् (धातु: सद्)

• दुरोण-षत्: dwelling in the house/home
• दुरोण-षत्: कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective (compound)
• Root: दुरोण (गृह/सदन) + सद् (धातु: सद्)

• नृ-षत्: sitting among men
• नृ-षत्: कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective (compound)
• Root: नृ + सद् (धातु: सद्)

• वर-षत्: sitting in the best (place)
• वर-षत्: कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective (compound)
• Root: वर (श्रेष्ठ/उत्तम) + सद् (धातु: सद्)

• ऋत-षत्: abiding in ṛta (cosmic order)
• ऋत-षत्: कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective (compound)
• Root: ऋत + सद् (धातु: सद्)

• व्योम-षत्: sitting in the sky
• व्योम-षत्: कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective (compound)
• Root: व्योमन् + सद् (धातु: सद्)

• अब्जाः: water-born ones / born from waters
• अब्जाः: कर्तृ (समुच्चित-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective/Noun
• Root: अब्ज (अप् + ज ‘water-born’)

• गोजाः: cow-born; born from cows
• गोजाः: कर्तृ (समुच्चित-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective/Noun
• Root: गोज (गो + ज ‘cow-born’)

• ऋतजाः: born of ṛta
• ऋतजाः: कर्तृ (समुच्चित-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective/Noun
• Root: ऋतज (ऋत + ज ‘ṛta-born’)

• अद्रिजाः: stone-born / mountain-born
• अद्रिजाः: कर्तृ (समुच्चित-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective/Noun
• Root: अद्रिज (अद्रि ‘stone/mountain’ + ज) অথবা अद्रि ‘pressing-stone’ + ज

• ऋतम्: ṛta; truth/cosmic order
• ऋतम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत