Rigveda 1.164.45
Rigveda · Mandala 1, Sukta 164 · Verse 1.164.45
Vedic Classification
Sanskrit Original
च॒त्वारि॒ वाक्परि॑मिता प॒दानि॒ तानि॑ विदुर्ब्राह्म॒णा ये म॑नी॒षिणः॑ । गुहा॒ त्रीणि॒ निहि॑ता॒ नेङ्ग॑यन्ति तु॒रीयं॑ वा॒चो म॑नु॒ष्या॑ वदन्ति
catvāri vākparimitā padāni tāni vidurbrāhmaṇā ye manīṣiṇaḥ guhā trīṇi nihitā neṅgayanti turīyaṃ vāco manuṣyā vadanti
Four measures of speech are the foot-steps; the seers (Brahmanas, wise) know them. Three caves are set; humans speak the fourth, the transcendent word.
Four are the definite grades of spech; those Brahmaṇas who are wise know them; three, deposited in secret, indicate no meaning; men speak the fourth grade of speech.
Speech hath been measured out in four divisions, the Brahmans who have understanding know them. Three kept in close concealment cause no motion; of speech, men speak only the fourth division.