A Grammatical Account of अ स म [ऋग वद स हत (1.1.1)] A Grammatical Account of Agni Sūktam [ṛgveda saṁhitā (1.1.1)]

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1 A Grammatical Account of अ स म [ऋगवद स हत (1.1.1)] A Grammatical Account of Agni Sūktam [ṛgveda saṁhitā (1.1.1)] र मक जन म Rāmakṛṣṇa Janasvāmi 17-Jun-08 ऋ ष मध व मऽ छ ग यऽ दवत अ ṛṣiḥ madhucchandā vaiśvāmitraḥ chandaḥ gāyatrī devatā agniḥ Introduction: As with our previous works, we hope that the present work is useful to readers who would like to carryout their own interpretation of various classical and vedic sanskrit texts. Agni Suktam is the first hymn in the oldest of the vedas, the Rig Veda and is addressed to Agni, the fire-god, who is considered a cosmic power, who protects and guides human beings towards perfection. In what follows, we have included the original Sanskrit text along with the transliterated text for each Rig Vedic hymn. Svarita, Anudatta and Udatta marks are also shown in the original Sanskrit hymns to facilitate proper pronuciation and recitation. Sandhi dissected versions should be of immense help before an interpretation of various words is undertaken. As opposed to classical Sanskrit, Vedic sanskrit is somewhat less structured and a careful reader will find not infrequent violation of grammatical rules in the texts. Still, the grammar works of Macdonnel [3] and Whitney [5] should be paticularly useful in interpreting vedic texts in a meaningful way. Mantra 1: अ म ळ पर ह त यजञ दवम ज म ह त र र ध त मम १ a gnimī ḻe puṟohi taṁ ya jñasya de vamṛtvija m hotā raṁ ratnaḏhāta mam 1 स वमह--अ म ईड पर हतम यजञ दवम ऋ ज ह त र र ध तम sandhi vigraha--agnim īḍe purohitam yajñasya devam ṛtvijaṁ hotāraṁ ratnadhātamaṁ अ म = Fire God (acc. sg. of अ, m.) ईड = I glorify (1st. sg. pr. of root ईड, 2A= to praise, to glorify) पर हतम = high priest, one who is first appointed [acc. sg. of cpd. पर (first) + हत (

2 appointed, ppp. of root ध, 3P)] यजञ = of sacrifice (gen. sg. of यजञ, m.) दवम = the divine (acc. sg. of दव, m. ) ऋ ज = ministrant, priest (acc. sg. of ऋ ज, m.) ह त र = an offerer (acc. sg. of ह त, m.) र ध तमम = holder of greatest jewels [acc. sg. of cpd. र न म (gen. pl. of र म, n. ) + ध (m. holder) + तम (marker of superlative degree)] Translation: I glorify Agni, the high priest of sacrifice, the divine, the ministrant, who is the offerer and possessor of greatest wealth. Mantra 2: अ पव भ ष भर नत न त स दव एह व कष त २ a gniḥ pūrve bhiṟṛṣi bhiṟīḍyo nūta nairuṯa sa de vā eha va kṣati 2 स वमह--आ पव भ ऋ ष भ ई नतन उत स दव न इह वकष त sandhi vigraha--āgniḥ pūrvebhiḥ ṛṣibhiḥ īḍyaḥ nūtanaiḥ uta saḥ devān iha vakṣati अ = Fire God (nom. sg. of अ, m.) पव भ = by ancient (instr. pl. of pronoun पव र) ऋ ष भ = by sages (instr pl. of ऋ ष, m.) नतन = by new (instr. pl. of नतन, n.) ई = worthy to be praised (nom. sg. of pot. part. of root ईड, 2A = to praise) उत = and, also (ind.) स = he, that (nom. sg. of तद ) दव न = Gods (acc. sg. of दव, m.) इह = here in time, place or direction (ind.) वकष त = he accumulates (3rd. sg. pr. of root वकष, 1P = to accumulate) Translation: May that Agni, who is worthy to be praised by ancient and modern sages,

3 gather the Gods here. Mantra 3: अ न र यम वत प ष मव दव द व यशस व रव मम ३ a gninā ra yima śnavaṯ poṣa me va di vedi ve ya śasaṁ vīṟava ttamam 3 स वमह--अ न र यम अ वत प षम एव दव दव यशसम व रव म sandhi vigraha--agninā rayim aśnavat poṣam eva divedive yaśasam vīravattamaṁ अ न = by Agni (instr. sg. of अ, m.) र यम = property, treasure (acc. sg. of र य, m.) अ वत = obtains, gets (3p. sg. subj. of root अश, 5P = to get) प षम = growth, increase (acc. sg. of प ष, m.) एव = very (ind.) दव दव = day by day (loc. sg. of दव, n.) यशस = fame (acc. sg. of यशस, n.) व रव म = abounding in men/horses or in progeny [acc. sg. of cpd. व रवत (m. having sons) + superlative तम] Translation: Through Agni, one gets lot of wealth that increases day by day. One gets fame and the best progeny. Mantra 4: अ य यजञम र व त प रभर स स इ वष ग त ४ agne yaṁ ya jñama dhvaṟaṁ vi śvata ḥ pariḇhūrasi sa idde veṣu gacchati 4 स वमह--अ य यजञम र व त प रभ अ स स इत दवष ग त sandhi vigraha--agne yaṁ yajñamadhvaraṁ viśvataḥ paribhūḥ asi saḥ it deveṣu gacchati अ = O Agni (voc. sg. of अ, m.)

4 य = which (acc. sg. of य, m.) यजञम = sacrifice (acc. sg. of यजञ, m.) अ र = not injuring (acc. sg. of अ र, m.) व त = on all sides (ind.) प रभ = surrounding, pervading (nom. sg. of प रभ, m.) अ स = you are (2nd. sg. pr. of root अस, 2P = to be) स = that (acc. sg. of pronoun तद ) इद = indeed, assuredly (ind., similar meaning as एव) दवष = in gods (loc. pl. of दव, m.) ग त = reaches (3rd sg. pr. of root गम, 1P = to go) Translation: O Agni, you are surrounding the non-violent sacrifice on all sides, that which indeed reaches (in) the gods. Mantra 5: अ ह त क वब त स ऽ व म दव दव भर ग मत ५ a gnirhotā ka vikra tuḥ saṯyaścitra śra vastamaḥ de vo de vebhiṟāga mat 5 स वमह--अ ह त क वबत स चऽ व म दव दव भ आगमत sandhi vigraha--agniḥ hotā kavikratuḥ satyaḥ citraśravastamaḥ devaḥ devebhiḥ āgamat अ = Fire (nom sg. of अ, m.) ह त = sacrificer/priest (nom. sg. of ह त, m.) क वबत = one who possesses immense wisdom [nom. sg. of cpd. क वम + बत ] स = true (nom. sg. of स, m.) चऽ व म = one who has most distinguished fame [nom. sg. Kd. cpd. चऽ (n. distinguished) + वस (m. fame) + तम (superlative sign)] दव = god (nom. sg. of दव, m.) दव भ = with the gods (instr. pl. of दव, m.)

5 आगमत = may he come (3p. sg. subj. Aor. of root आगम, 1P = to come) Translation: May Agni, the sacrificer, one who possesses immense wisdom, he who is true, has most distinguished fame, is divine, come hither with the gods. Mantra 6: यद द शष म भ क र स तव त म र ६ yada ṅga dā śuṣe tvamagne bhaḏraṁ ka ri ṣyasi tave tatsaṯyama ṅgiraḥ 6 स वमह--यत अ द शष म अ भ क र स तव इत तत स म अ र sandhi vigraha--yat aṅga dāśuṣe tvam agne bhadraṁ kariṣyasi tava it tat satyam aṅgiraḥ यत = which (acc. sg. of यत, n.) अ = things, possessions (acc. sg. of अ, n.) द शष = you bestow (2nd sg. pr. of root द श, 8A = to bestow, to give) म = you (nom. sg. of pronoun य त) अ = O Agni (voc. sg. of अ, m.) भ = fortune (nom. sg. of भ म, n.) क र स = you will do (2nd. sg. per. fut. of root क, 8U = to do) तव = your (gen. sg. of pronoun य त) इत = indeed (ind.) तत = that (acc. sg. of तद, n.) स म = truth, essence (nom. sg. of स म, n.) अ रस = O Angiras, Epithet of Agni (also of Devas in general) Translation: O Agni, whatever good you will do and whatever possessions you bestow (upon the worshipper), that, O Angiras, is indeed your essence. Mantra 7: उप दव द व द ष व धय वयम नम भर र एम स ७ upa tvāgne di vedi ve doṣā vastardhi yā va yam namo bhara nta ema si 7

6 र स वमह--उप अ दव दव द ष व र धय वय नम भर एम स sandhi vigraha--upa tvā agne divedive doṣāvastar dhiyā vayaṁ namaḥ bharantaḥ emasi उप = near (ind.) = thee (acc. sg. of pronoun य मत) द ष व = illuminer of darkness [voc. sg. of cpd. द षय (f. of darkness) + व (m. illuminer) ] धय = by thought (instr. sg. of ध, f.) वय = we all (nom. pl. of pronoun अ द ) नम = salutation, abeisance (nom. sg. of नम, m.) भर = while bearing (nom. pl. of भरत = pap. of root भ, 1P = to carry, to bear) एम स = we approach (1p. pl. pr. of अ + root ई = ए, 2P = to approach) Translation: O Agni, the illuminer (dispeller) of darkness, we approach near thee (thy vicinity) with thought (willingness), day by day, while bearing obeisance. Mantra 8: रज म रण ग प म त द द वम वधम न र दम ८ raja ntamadhvaṟaṇā ṁ go pāmṛṯasya dīdi vim vardha mānaṁ sve dame 8 स वमह--र ज म अ र ण म ग प म ऋत द द वम वधम न र दम sandhi vigraha--rājantam adhvarāṇām gopām ṛtasya dīdivim vardhamānaṁ sve dame र ज म = shining (acc. sg. of र जत = pap. of root र ज, 1P = to shine, to be illustrious) अ र ण म = of non-injuring sacrifices (gen. pl. of अ र, m.) ग प म = protector (acc. sg. of ग प, m.) ऋत = of order, of truth, of righteousness (gen. sg. of ऋत, m.) द द वम = bright, shining (acc. sg. of द द व, m.) वधम न र = increasing, growing (acc. sg. of वधम न, n.)

7 = in own (loc. sg. of ) दम = in house, in dwelling (loc. sg. of दम, m.) Translation: (We approach) Thee, the shining (the radiant), the protector of noninjuring sacrifices, growing in your own dwelling, the bright star of truth. Mantra 9: स न पतव सनवऽ सप यन भ व सच न य ९ sa na ḥ piṯeva sūṉave'gne sūpāyaṉo bha va sa ca svā naḥ sva staye 9 स वमह--स न पत इव सनव अ सपयन भव सच न य sandhi vigraha--sa naḥ pitā iva sūnave agne sūpayanaḥ bhava sacasvā naḥ svastaye स = emphatic particle न = to us (dat. pl. of pronoun अ द ) पत = father (nom. sg. of पत, m.) इव = like (ind.) सनव = to son (dat. sg. of सन, m.) सप यन = easily accessible, adj. भव = you be (2nd. sg. imp. of root भ, 1P) सच = you accompany (2nd. sg. imp. of root सच, 1A = to accompany, to be associated with) य = for well being (dat. sg. of, n.) Translation: O Agni, be easily accesible to us, like a father to his son. Accompany us for our well being. Glossary: A, Aatmanepada verb abl., ablative absol., absolutive acc., accusative adj., adjective adv., adverb aor., aorist

8 BV cpd.,bahuvriihi compound caus., causative DV cpd., Dvandva compound Dvg cpd., Dvigu compound dat., dative des., desiderative dl., dual esp., especially f., feminine abl., ablative fut., future tense gen., genetive gdv., gerundive or potential past participle imp., imperative mood imperf., imperfect tense ind., indeclinable indic., indicative ifc., in fine compositi inf., infinitive instr., instrumental interrog., interrogative irreg., irregular KD cpd., Karmadharaya compound lit., literally loc., locative m., masculine n., neuter nom., nominative P., Parasmaipada verb p. past tense per. fut., periphrastic future pap., past active participle ppp., past passive participle pl., plural pot., potential mood pr., present indicative sg., singular subj., subjunctive mood TP cpd., Tatpurusha compound UPP cpd., Upapada compound voc., vocative REFERENCES [1] R. Antoine, A Sanskrit Manual for High Schools, Pts. I and II, Calcutta, India: Xavier Publications, 1992.

9 [2] R. P. Goldman and S. J. Sutherland, Devavaanipraveshika: An Introduction to Sanskrit Language, Berkeley: Univ. California Press, [3] A. A. Macdonnell, A Vedic Grammar for Students, Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, [4] Sir Monier Monier-Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, [5] W. D. Whitney, Sanskrit Grammar, Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1924.