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 ॥
Transliteration
haṃsáḥ śucíṣad vásur antárikṣasad dhótā vediṣád átithir duroṇasát | nṛṣád varasád ṛtasád vyòmasad abjā́ gojā́ ṛtajā́ ādrijā́ ṛtám ||
Translation
天鹅——栖于清净者；光辉者安坐于中界；祭司安坐于祭坛；宾客安坐于家室。安坐于人中，安坐于至上，安坐于真理（ṛta），安坐于广大苍穹；生于诸水，生于诸光线，生于ṛta，生于岩石——他即是ṛta本身。
Word by Word
हंसःthe Swan (Agni/Sūrya as hamsa)
हंसः:
कर्तृ
TypeNoun
Rootहंस
शुचि-षत्sitting in the pure (realm)
शुचि-षत्:
कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective (compound)
Rootशुचि + सद् (धातु: सद् ‘सीदति/आस्ते’)
वसुःthe good one; the beneficent (Vasu)
वसुः:
कर्तृ
TypeNoun
Rootवसु
अन्तरिक्ष-षत्sitting in mid-air / the atmosphere
अन्तरिक्ष-षत्:
कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective (compound)
Rootअन्तरिक्ष + सद् (धातु: सद्)
होताthe Hotṛ-priest; invoker
होता:
कर्तृ
TypeNoun
Rootहोतृ (यज्-धातु-निष्पन्नः ‘होतृ’)
वेदि-षत्sitting on the altar
वेदि-षत्:
कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective (compound)
Rootवेदी + सद् (धातु: सद्)
अतिथि-षत्sitting as a guest
अतिथि-षत्:
कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective (compound)
Rootअतिथि + सद् (धातु: सद्)
दुरोण-षत्dwelling in the house/home
दुरोण-षत्:
कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective (compound)
Rootदुरोण (गृह/सदन) + सद् (धातु: सद्)
नृ-षत्sitting among men
नृ-षत्:
कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective (compound)
Rootनृ + सद् (धातु: सद्)
वर-षत्sitting in the best (place)
वर-षत्:
कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective (compound)
Rootवर (श्रेष्ठ/उत्तम) + सद् (धातु: सद्)
ऋत-षत्abiding in ṛta (cosmic order)
ऋत-षत्:
कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective (compound)
Rootऋत + सद् (धातु: सद्)
व्योम-षत्sitting in the sky
व्योम-षत्:
कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective (compound)
Rootव्योमन् + सद् (धातु: सद्)
अब्जाःwater-born ones / born from waters
अब्जाः:
कर्तृ (समुच्चित-विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective/Noun
Rootअब्ज (अप् + ज ‘water-born’)
गोजाःcow-born; born from cows
गोजाः:
कर्तृ (समुच्चित-विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective/Noun
Rootगोज (गो + ज ‘cow-born’)
ऋतजाःborn of ṛta
ऋतजाः:
कर्तृ (समुच्चित-विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective/Noun
Rootऋतज (ऋत + ज ‘ṛta-born’)
अद्रिजाःstone-born / mountain-born
अद्रिजाः:
कर्तृ (समुच्चित-विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective/Noun
Rootअद्रिज (अद्रि ‘stone/mountain’ + ज) অথবা अद्रि ‘pressing-stone’ + ज
ऋतम्ṛta; truth/cosmic order
ऋतम्:
कर्म
TypeNoun
Rootऋत
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.