Rig Veda (translation and commentary)

by H. H. Wilson | 1866 | 1,999,864 words | ISBN-10: 8171101380 | ISBN-13: 9788171101382

The Rig-Veda, English translation, including the commentary of Sayana and grammatical analysis. The hyms of the Rigveda Samhita represents some of the oldest and complex of Hindu Sanskrit literature. In ten books, these mantras form the core essence of rituals and ceremonies once widely performed throughout ancient India. This edition contains the...

Disclaimer: These are translations of Sanskrit texts and are not necessarily approved by everyone associated with the traditions connected to these texts. Consult the source and original scripture in case of doubt.

Rig Veda 1.22.16

Sanskrit text [Accents, Plain, Transliterated]:

अतो॑ दे॒वा अ॑वन्तु नो॒ यतो॒ विष्णु॑र्विचक्र॒मे । पृ॒थि॒व्याः स॒प्त धाम॑भिः ॥
अतो देवा अवन्तु नो यतो विष्णुर्विचक्रमे । पृथिव्याः सप्त धामभिः ॥
ato devā avantu no yato viṣṇur vicakrame | pṛthivyāḥ sapta dhāmabhiḥ ||

English translation:

“May the gods preserve us (from that portion) of the earth whence Viṣṇu (aided) by the seven metres, stepped.”

Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya

Viṣṇu = parameśvara, supreme ruler, one who pervades the world: viṣṇur-viṣaterva vyaśnoter-vā;

Vicakrame = stepped; vividhapādakramaṇam kṛtavān,  he made the goiing of various steps;  gods, headed by Viṣṇu subdued the invincible earth, using the seven metres of the Veda as their instrumental uments; an allusion to the Trivikrama avatāra where Viṣṇu traverses the three worlds in three steps; preserve us from the earth = the hindrance of the sin of those inhabiting the earth, bhūloke vartamānānām pāpanivāraṇam

Details:

Ṛṣi (sage/seer): medhātithiḥ kāṇvaḥ [medhātithi kāṇva];
Devatā (deity/subject-matter): viṣṇurdevo vā ;
Chandas (meter): gāyatrī;
Svara (tone/note): Swar;

Padapatha [Accents, Plain, Transliterated]:

अतः॑ । दे॒वाः । अ॒व॒न्तु॒ । नः॒ । यतः॑ । विष्णुः॑ । वि॒ऽच॒क्र॒मे । पृ॒थि॒व्याः । स॒प्त । धाम॑ऽभिः ॥
अतः । देवाः । अवन्तु । नः । यतः । विष्णुः । विचक्रमे । पृथिव्याः । सप्त । धामभिः ॥
ataḥ | devāḥ | avantu | naḥ | yataḥ | viṣṇuḥ | vi-cakrame | pṛthivyāḥ | sapta | dhāma-bhiḥ

Multi-layer Annotation of the Ṛgveda

[Rigveda 1.22.16 English analysis of grammar]

ato < atas

[adverb]

“now; therefore; then; from there; hence; consequently; then; hence; henceforth.”

devā < devāḥ < deva

[noun], nominative, plural, masculine

“Deva; Hindu deity; king; deity; Indra; deva [word]; God; Jina; Viśvedevās; mercury; natural phenomenon; gambling.”

avantu < av

[verb], plural, Present imperative

“support; help; prefer; prefer; like.”

no < naḥ < mad

[noun], accusative, plural

“I; mine.”

yato < yatas

[adverb]

“from which; whence; wherein.”

viṣṇur < viṣṇuḥ < viṣṇu

[noun], nominative, singular, masculine

“Vishnu; Krishna; Viṣṇu; Om; Shiva.”

vicakrame < vikram < √kram

[verb], singular, Perfect indicative

“act heroicly; stride.”

pṛthivyāḥ < pṛthivī

[noun], genitive, singular, feminine

“Earth; pṛthivī; floor; Earth; earth; pṛthivī [word]; land.”

sapta < saptan

[noun], accusative, singular, neuter

“seven; seventh.”

dhāmabhiḥ < dhāman

[noun], instrumental, plural, neuter

“domain; dwelling; law; appearance; light; race; agreement; color; location.”

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