Rig Veda 8.55.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 55, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.55
Rishi: Kāṇva / Kāṇvāyana (uncertain from excerpt)
Devata: Indra (hymnic context), with imagery of luminous supporting powers
Chandas: Not securely determinable from excerpt alone
Samhita Patha (Devanagari)
शतं श्वेतास उक्षणो दिवि तारो न रोचन्ते । मह्ना दिवं न तस्तभुः ॥
Transliteration
śatáṃ śvetā́sa ukṣáṇo diví tā́ro ná rocante | mahnā́ diváṃ ná tastabhuḥ ||
Translation
A hundred bright bulls shine in heaven like stars; by greatness they uphold the heaven itself—so stands the wide field of consciousness supported by the powers of light.
Word by Word
शतम्a hundred
शतम्:
विशेषण (उक्षणः इति विशेष्यस्य)
TypeNoun (numeral)
Rootशत (प्रातिपदिक)
श्वेतासःwhite, bright
श्वेतासः:
विशेषण (उक्षणः)
TypeAdjective
Rootश्वेत (प्रातिपदिक)
उक्षणःbulls (strong ones)
उक्षणः:
कर्तृ (रोचन्ते, तस्तभुः इत्ययोः)
TypeNoun
Rootउक्षन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘bull’)
दिविin heaven, in the sky
दिवि:
अधिकरण
TypeNoun
Rootदिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
तारःstars
तारः:
उपमान (न-उपमा; रोचन्ते इत्यस्य)
TypeNoun
Rootतार (प्रातिपदिक)
नlike, as
न:
सम्बन्ध/उपमान-निर्देशक
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
रोचन्तेthey shine
रोचन्ते:
क्रिया (कर्तृ: उक्षणः)
TypeVerb
Rootरुच् (दीप्तौ)
मह्नाby (their) might
मह्ना:
करण
TypeNoun
Rootमघन्/मह्न् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘might, greatness’)
दिवम्the heaven, the sky
दिवम्:
कर्म (तस्तभुः)
TypeNoun
Rootदिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
नlike, as
न:
उपमान-निर्देशक
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
तस्तभुःthey have propped up / upheld
तस्तभुः:
क्रिया (कर्तृ: उक्षणः)
TypeVerb
Rootस्तभ् (स्तम्भे ‘to prop, support’)
Ritual Application
Philosophical Concepts
Vedic Cosmology
Natural Symbolism
Academic Analysis
Cross References
Yogic Application
Chanting Notes
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
Not sure where to start?
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.