Verses 1, 2
पृ॒थू रथो॒ दक्षि॑णाया अयो॒ज्यैनं॑ दे॒वासो॑ अ॒मृता॑सो अस्थुः । कृ॒ष्णादुद॑स्थाद॒र्या॒३॒॑ विहा॑या॒श्चिकि॑त्संती॒ मानु॑षाय॒ क्षया॑य ॥
pṛthū́ rátho dákṣiṇāyā ayojyáinam devā́so amṛ́tāso asthuḥ ǀ kṛṣṇā́dúdasthādaryā́ víhāyāścíkitsantī mā́nuṣāya kṣáyāya ǁ
पूर्वा॒ विश्व॑स्मा॒द्भुव॑नादबोधि॒ जयं॑ती॒ वाजं॑ बृह॒ती सनु॑त्री । उ॒च्चा व्य॑ख्यद्युव॒तिः पु॑न॒र्भूरोषा अ॑गन्प्रथ॒मा पू॒र्वहू॑तौ ॥
pū́rvā víśvasmādbhúvanādabodhi jáyantī vā́jam bṛhatī́ sánutrī ǀ uccā́ vyákhyadyuvatíḥ punarbhū́róṣā́ aganprathamā́ pūrváhūtau ǁ
As the night begins to yield, the vast chariot of Ushas (the Dawn) is harnessed, and the immortal devas take their places to witness the magnificent transition. Emerging from the deep womb of the darkness, she who is wide-striding comes forth to awaken mortal existence and secure the dwelling places of humanity. She is not merely a passing meteorological phenomenon; she is described as the ancient yet eternally youthful conqueror, the bounteous one who shines from on high and arrives first in every primordial invocation. In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi paints a vivid picture of cosmic order (Ṛta) in motion. The darkness is not destroyed with violence, but rather coaxed aside by the radiant intelligence of Ushas, who brings wealth, light, and spiritual clarity to human consciousness. She is the eternal 'Punar-bhū'—she who becomes new again and again—reminding the seeker that every dawn represents an opportunity for spiritual rebirth and the renewal of sacred striving.
Verse 1: The broad chariot of Dakṣiṇā is yoked, and upon it the immortal gods have taken their places; emerging from the darkness, the far-striding, wakeful goddess has risen for the dwelling of mankind.
Verse 2: Ancient before all worlds she has awakened, conquering, bounteous, vast, and victorious; shining from on high, the ever-youthful, self-renewing Dawn arrives first in the early invocation.
Sāyaṇa interprets 'Dakṣiṇā' primarily as the sacrificial gift accompanying rituals, while Sri Aurobindo and psychological commentators view Ushas and Dakṣiṇā as symbols of the intuitive faculty of illumination and spiritual abundance rising from the subconscious night.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पृथू रथः | pṛthū rathaḥ | broad chariot |
| दक्षिणायाः | dakṣiṇāyāḥ | of the bountiful gift / sacrificial fee |
| अमृतासः | amṛtāsaḥ | the immortals |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पूर्वा | pūrvā | first, ancient |
| युवतिः | yuvatiḥ | maiden, youthful |
| पुनर्भूः | punaḥbhūḥ | becoming new again, regenerating |
Picture a magnificent golden chariot bursting through a wall of heavy black velvet curtains, pulled by invisible horses of pure light, announcing a fresh beginning for the world.
Verses 3, 4, 5
यद॒द्य भा॒गं वि॒भजा॑सि॒ नृभ्य॒ उषो॑ देवि मर्त्य॒त्रा सु॑जाते । दे॒वो नो॒ अत्र॑ सवि॒ता दमू॑ना॒ अना॑गसो वोचति॒ सूर्या॑य ॥
yádadyá bhāgám vibhájāsi nṛ́bhya úṣo devi martyatrā́ sujāte ǀ devó no átra savitā́ dámūnā ánāgaso vocati sū́ryāya ǁ
गृ॒हंगृ॑हमह॒ना या॒त्यच्छा॑ दि॒वेदि॑वे॒ अधि॒ नामा॒ दधा॑ना । सिषा॑संती द्योत॒ना शश्व॒दागा॒दग्र॑मग्र॒मिद्भ॑जते॒ वसू॑नां ॥
gṛháṃgṛhamahanā́ yātyácchā divédive ádhi nā́mā dádhānā ǀ síṣāsantī dyotanā́ śáśvadā́gādágramagramídbhajate vásūnām ǁ
भग॑स्य॒ स्वसा॒ वरु॑णस्य जा॒मिरुषः॑ सूनृते प्रथ॒मा ज॑रस्व । प॒श्चा स द॑घ्या॒ यो अ॒घस्य॑ धा॒ता जये॑म॒ तं दक्षि॑णया॒ रथे॑न ॥
bhágasya svásā váruṇasya jāmírúṣaḥ sūnṛte prathamā́ jarasva ǀ paścā́ sá daghyā yó aghásya dhātā́ jáyema tám dákṣiṇayā ráthena ǁ
Ushas does not merely shine in the distant sky; she visits every single household, entering each home day after day as if she were a familiar, luminous guest. She bears names of distinction and distributes her radiant shares among mortals. When she arrives, the friendly god Savitṛ (the divine impeller) stands ready to declare humanity blameless and guide them toward Sūrya, the supreme light of truth. The Ṛṣi connects Ushas intimately with Bhaga and Varuṇa—cosmic guardians of grace and divine law. She is the sister of Bhaga and the kindred spirit of Varuṇa. Those who harbor falsehood or obstruct the divine flow are left behind, while those who align with her righteous movement attain victory. The imagery shifts from grand cosmic horizons to the intimate hearth, showing how the highest universal order penetrates daily domestic and spiritual life.
Verse 3: When today, O well-born divine Ushas, you distribute your share among mortals, may Savitṛ, the home-loving divine impeller, declare us blameless before Sūrya.
Verse 4: From house to house she goes, shining day after day, bearing her name; seeking to bestow gifts, the radiant one arrives unceasingly, taking the foremost place among treasures.
Verse 5: Sister of Bhaga, kindred of Varuṇa, O expressive Dawn, shine forth first! May he who is the sustainer of falsehood fall behind, and may we win through the chariot of Dakṣiṇā.
Traditional commentators take 'aghasya dhātā' literally as the one who performs harmful deeds or creates sin, whereas esoteric readings interpret it as the dark inertia and falsehood that naturally recedes when the inner light awakens.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| भागम् | bhāgam | share, portion |
| सुजाते | sujāte | O well-born one |
| दमूनाः | damūnāḥ | fond of the house, familiar |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| गृहंगृहम् | gṛhaṃgṛham | house to house |
| सिषासंती | siṣāsantī | desiring to bestow or win gifts |
| द्योतना | dyotanā | the shining one |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| भगस्य स्वसा | bhagasya svasā | sister of Bhaga (Lord of fortune) |
| जामिः | jāmiḥ | kinswoman, relative |
| अघस्य धाता | aghasya dhātā | holder/creator of evil or harm |
Imagine a glowing, benevolent queen walking through every room of a village house at dawn, leaving precious gems on every hearth.
Verses 6, 7, 8, 9
उदी॑रतां सू॒नृता॒ उत्पुरं॑धी॒रुद॒ग्नयः॑ शुशुचा॒नासो॑ अस्थुः । स्पा॒र्हा वसू॑नि॒ तम॒साप॑गूळ्हा॒विष्कृ॑ण्वंत्यु॒षसो॑ विभा॒तीः ॥
údīratām sūnṛ́tā útpúraṃdhīrúdagnáyaḥ śuśucānā́so asthuḥ ǀ spārhā́ vásūni támasā́pagūḷhāvíṣkṛṇvantyuṣáso vibhātī́ḥ ǁ
अपा॒न्यदेत्य॒भ्य१॒॑न्यदे॑ति॒ विषु॑रूपे॒ अह॑नी॒ सं च॑रेते । प॒रि॒क्षितो॒स्तमो॑ अ॒न्या गुहा॑क॒रद्यौ॑दु॒षाः शोशु॑चता॒ रथे॑न ॥
ápānyádétyabhyányádeti víṣurūpe áhanī sám carete ǀ parikṣítostámo anyā́ gúhākarádyauduṣā́ḥ śóśucatā ráthena ǁ
स॒दृशी॑र॒द्य स॒दृशी॒रिदु॒ श्वो दी॒र्घं स॑चंते॒ वरु॑णस्य॒ धाम॑ । अ॒न॒व॒द्यास्त्रिं॒शतं॒ योज॑ना॒न्येकै॑का॒ क्रतुं॒ परि॑ यंति स॒द्यः ॥
sadṛ́śīradyá sadṛ́śīrídu śvó dīrghám sacante váruṇasya dhā́ma ǀ anavadyā́striṃśátam yójanānyékaikā krátum pári yanti sadyáḥ ǁ
जा॒न॒त्यह्नः॑ प्रथ॒मस्य॒ नाम॑ शु॒क्रा कृ॒ष्णाद॑जनिष्ट श्विती॒ची । ऋ॒तस्य॒ योषा॒ न मि॑नाति॒ धामाह॑रहर्निष्कृ॒तमा॒चरं॑ती ॥
jānatyáhnaḥ prathamásya nā́ma śukrā́ kṛṣṇā́dajaniṣṭa śvitīcī́ ǀ ṛtásya yóṣā ná mināti dhā́mā́haraharniṣkṛtámācárantī ǁ
With the appearance of Ushas, streams of prayer and inspiration rise upward, fires ignite on the altars, and treasures previously hidden by the dark cloak of night are suddenly revealed. Day and night are portrayed as two sisters with distinct forms who move in perpetual succession—one departing as the other approaches, wrapping the surrounding gloom into secret caves while the shining Dawn illuminates the path. Verse 8 introduces a marvelous geometric and cosmic scale: the dawns follow each other with identical grace day after day, spanning thirty yojanas across Varuṇa’s vast domain. Yet each single dawn immediately fulfills its unique sacred mandate. She is the maiden of Ṛta (Cosmic Truth), white and luminous, born out of the dark matrix, knowing the first name of the day and never violating the eternal law.
Verse 6: Let prayers arise, let wise thoughts rise, let burning fires leap up! The shining dawns reveal the desirable treasures that were hidden by darkness.
Verse 7: One goes away, the other comes near; the two days of contrasting forms move together. One places darkness into hidden caves, while Dawn shines forth with her radiant chariot.
Verse 8: Looking alike today and looking alike tomorrow, they traverse the long domain of Varuṇa. Blameless, spanning thirty yojanas, each single one instantly fulfills her sacred mission.
Verse 9: Knowing the name of the first day, the white and shining one is born from the dark. The maiden of Ṛta never violates her divine law, performing her appointed task day after day.
Sāyaṇa explains the 'thirty yojanas' as the thirty parts or divisions related to lunar-solar months and stellar houses, while mystical interpreters see it as the multidimensional planes of consciousness traversed by spiritual light.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सूनृताः | sūnṛtāḥ | joyful words, truth-utterances |
| शुशुचानासः | śuśucānāsaḥ | shining, blazing fires |
| अपगूळ्हा | apagūḷhā | hidden away |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| विषुरूपे अहनी | viṣurūpe ahanī | two days/halves of diverse forms (Night and Day) |
| परिक्षितोः तमः | parikṣitoḥ tamaḥ | encompassing darkness |
| गुहा अकः | guhā akaḥ | made it into a hiding place / cave |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सदृशीः | sadṛśīḥ | similar, looking alike |
| त्रिंशतम् योजनानि | triṃśatam yojanāni | thirty yojanas (spatial measure of expanse) |
| क्रतुम् | kratum | will, ritual power, purpose |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| श्वितीची | śvitīcī | whitening, bright |
| ऋतस्य योषा | ṛtasya yoṣā | maiden of cosmic truth (Ṛta) |
| निष्कृतम् आचरन्ती | niṣkṛtam ācarantī | performing her prepared task / returning to her resting place |
Picture two royal sisters passing a golden baton back and forth across a cosmic racetrack, where every handoff triggers a burst of sunlight and unfolding wisdom.
Verses 10, 11, 12, 13
क॒न्ये॑व त॒न्वा॒३॒॑ शाश॑दानाँ॒ एषि॑ देवि दे॒वमिय॑क्षमाणं । सं॒स्मय॑माना युव॒तिः पु॒रस्ता॑दा॒विर्वक्षां॑सि कृणुषे विभा॒ती ॥
kanyéva tanvā́ śā́śadānām̐ éṣi devi devámíyakṣamāṇam ǀ saṃsmáyamānā yuvatíḥ purástādāvírvákṣāṃsi kṛṇuṣe vibhātī́ ǁ
सु॒सं॒का॒शा मा॒तृमृ॑ष्टेव॒ योषा॒विस्त॒न्वं॑ कृणुषे दृ॒शे कं । भ॒द्रा त्वमु॑षो वित॒रं व्यु॑च्छ॒ न तत्ते॑ अ॒न्या उ॒षसो॑ नशंत ॥
susaṃkāśā́ mātṛ́mṛṣṭeva yóṣāvístanvám kṛṇuṣe dṛśé kám ǀ bhadrā́ tvámuṣo vitarám vyúccha ná tátte anyā́ uṣáso naśanta ǁ
अश्वा॑वती॒र्गोम॑तीर्वि॒श्ववा॑रा॒ यत॑माना र॒श्मिभिः॒ सूर्य॑स्य । परा॑ च॒ यंति॒ पुन॒रा च॑ यंति भ॒द्रा नाम॒ वह॑माना उ॒षासः॑ ॥
áśvāvatīrgómatīrviśvávārā yátamānā raśmíbhiḥ sū́ryasya ǀ párā ca yánti púnarā́ ca yanti bhadrā́ nā́ma váhamānā uṣā́saḥ ǁ
ऋ॒तस्य॑ र॒श्मिम॑नु॒यच्छ॑माना भ॒द्रंभ॑द्रं॒ क्रतु॑म॒स्मासु॑ धेहि । उषो॑ नो अ॒द्य सु॒हवा॒ व्यु॑च्छा॒स्मासु॒ रायो॑ म॒घव॑त्सु च स्युः ॥
ṛtásya raśmímanuyácchamānā bhadrámbhadram krátumasmā́su dhehi ǀ úṣo no adyá suhávā vyúcchāsmā́su rā́yo maghávatsu ca syuḥ ǁ
Ushas is now envisioned as a maiden adorned with beauty, smiling gently as she approaches the divine worshipper. Like a young bride or a daughter meticulously groomed by her mother, she unveils her bosom to the gaze of the world. Her presence is so peerless that no other dawn can ever truly match or supersede her unique majesty. The Sūkta culminates in a powerful benediction. Rich with horses, cattle, and all desirable boons, moving in harmony with the rays of Sūryā, these dawns cycle outward and return. The Ṛṣi concludes with a direct, heartfelt prayer: 'O Ushas, holding fast to the rein of Ṛta, establish in us every noble and beautiful inspiration. May you shine forth for us today as easily invoked, and may all spiritual and material wealth rest upon us and upon our generous patrons.'
Verse 10: Like a maiden with her body adorned, you approach the god who desires sacrifice. Smiling gently, O youthful goddess, shining forth in the east, you reveal your bosom.
Verse 11: Fair to behold, like a maiden groomed by her mother, you reveal your body for all to see. O auspicious Ushas, shine ever further forth; no other dawns can ever equal you.
Verse 12: Rich in horses, rich in cattle, encompassing all desirable things, moving in harmony with the rays of the sun, the auspicious dawns go forth and return again.
Verse 13: Holding fast to the rein of Ṛta, establish in us every noble and auspicious will. O Ushas, easily invoked, shine forth for us today, and may riches rest upon us and upon our generous patrons.
Commentators note that 'aśvāvatīr gomatīḥ' (rich in horses and cows) carries both literal agricultural wealth and deep Vedic symbolism, where horses represent vital life-energies and cows represent rays of divine illumination.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| कन्येव तन्वा | kanyā iva tanvā | like a maiden with her body |
| संसमयमाना | saṃsmayamānā | smiling gently |
| आविः वक्षांसि कृणुषे | āviḥ vakṣāṃsi kṛṇuṣe | make your chest/bosom visible |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सुसंकाशा | susaṃkāśā | fair to look upon |
| मातृमृष्टेव | mātṛmṛṣṭa iva | like one polished/groomed by a mother |
| भद्रा | bhadrā | auspicious, blessed |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अश्वावतीः गोमतीः | aśvāvatīr gomatīḥ | possessing horses and cows (symbols of energy and light) |
| विश्ववाराः | viśvavārāḥ | containing all desirable boons |
| पर ाच यन्ति | parā ca yanti | go away and return |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ऋतस्य रश्मिम् | ṛtasya raśmim | rein/ray of cosmic truth |
| भद्रंभद्रम् क्रतुम् | bhadrambhadram kratum | every auspicious will/purpose |
| मघवत्सु | maghavatsu | among the generous patrons/sacrificers |
Picture a radiant bride stepping out into a sunlit courtyard, holding golden reins that connect heaven and earth, showering blessings on everyone present.