Rig Veda 3.8.7: Mandala 3, Sukta 8, Mantra 7

Sukta 3.8

Rishi: Vasiṣṭha (traditional for RV 3.8)

Devata: Vanaspati / ritual implements as carriers of divine efficacy (instrumental devatā-sense)

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-like cadence is possible here; exact meter needs verification against pada count and accentual scansion

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

ये वृक्णासो अधि क्षमि निमितासो यतस्रुचः । ते नो व्यन्तु वार्यं देवत्रा क्षेत्रसाधसः ॥

Transliteration

yé vṛkṇā́so ádhi kṣámi nímitāso yatásrucaḥ | té no vyantu vā́ryaṃ devatrā́ kṣetrasā́dhasaḥ ||

Translation

凡被斫断而安置于大地之上者，执勺（sruc）而守其正者——愿他们在趋神之道上，为我们赢得最上之丰盈；他们是成就田域（kṣetra）之功者。

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Word by Word

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)

• वृक्णासः: cut off / hewn (down)
• वृक्णासः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective (participle)
• Root: वृक्ण (PPP of √व्रश्/√वृश् ‘to cut, hew’)

• अधि: upon, over
• अधि: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Indeclinable (preverb/preposition)
• Root: अधि

• क्षमि: on the earth / on the ground
• क्षमि: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षम् (स्त्री. ‘earth, ground’)

• निमितासः: measured out, laid out, fixed
• निमितासः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective (participle)
• Root: नि-√मा (to measure out, set, fix) → निमित (PPP)

• यतस्रुचः: having extended ladles / with outstretched ladles
• यतस्रुचः: Kartā
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: यत-स्रुच् (compound: यत ‘stretched/extended’ + स्रुच् ‘ladle’)

• ते: they
• ते: Kartā
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)

• नः: to us / for us
• नः: Sampradāna
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्

• व्यन्तु: let them waft/bring (to us)
• व्यन्तु: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√अन् (to breathe, blow; to waft) / Vedic: ‘to pervade, bring’

• वार्यम्: the desirable (boon/wealth)
• वार्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: वार्य (from वरी/√वृ ‘to choose’ → ‘choice, desirable’; also ‘water/wealth’ in Vedic usage)

• देवत्रा: among/with the gods; in a divine way
• देवत्रा: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Indeclinable (adverb)
• Root: देवत्रा

• क्षेत्रसाधसः: field-accomplishers; those who make the field succeed/prosper
• क्षेत्रसाधसः: Kartā
• Type: Adjective (compound)
• Root: क्षेत्र-साधस् (tatpuruṣa: क्षेत्र ‘field’ + साधस् ‘accomplishing, effecting’)