Verses 1, 2, 3
ए॒ता उ॒ त्या उ॒षसः॑ के॒तुम॑क्रत॒ पूर्वे॒ अर्धे॒ रज॑सो भा॒नुमं॑जते । नि॒ष्कृ॒ण्वा॒ना आयु॑धानीव धृ॒ष्णवः॒ प्रति॒ गावोऽरु॑षीर्यंति मा॒तरः॑ ॥
etā́ u tyā́ uṣásaḥ ketúmakrata pū́rve árdhe rájaso bhānúmañjate ǀ niṣkṛṇvānā́ ā́yudhānīva dhṛṣṇávaḥ práti gā́vó’ruṣīryanti mātáraḥ ǁ
उद॑पप्तन्नरु॒णा भा॒नवो॒ वृथा॑ स्वा॒युजो॒ अरु॑षी॒र्गा अ॑युक्षत । अक्र॑न्नु॒षासो॑ व॒युना॑नि पू॒र्वथा॒ रुशं॑तं भा॒नुमरु॑षीरशिश्रयुः ॥
údapaptannaruṇā́ bhānávo vṛ́thā svāyújo áruṣīrgā́ ayukṣata ǀ ákrannuṣā́so vayúnāni pūrváthā rúśantam bhānúmáruṣīraśiśrayuḥ ǁ
अर्चं॑ति॒ नारी॑र॒पसो॒ न वि॒ष्टिभिः॑ समा॒नेन॒ योज॑ने॒ना प॑रा॒वतः॑ । इषं॒ वहं॑तीः सु॒कृते॑ सु॒दान॑वे॒ विश्वेदह॒ यज॑मानाय सुन्व॒ते ॥
árcanti nā́rīrapáso ná viṣṭíbhiḥ samānéna yójanenā́ parāvátaḥ ǀ íṣam váhantīḥ sukṛ́te sudā́nave víśvédáha yájamānāya sunvaté ǁ
As the night recedes, the luminous forms of Uṣas (Dawn) make their appearance in the eastern half of the cosmic expanse, flashing their brilliance like fearless warriors sharpening their weapons. They come rushing forward like reddish-brown mother cows, eager to bestow light and nourishment upon the mortal world. The Ṛṣi captures the vibrant, dynamic movement of the dawn light as a divine host that naturally aligns with the rhythm of the cosmos. In the second and third verses, the imagery shifts to the spontaneous awakening of divine laws. The reddish rays yoke themselves effortlessly, restoring order to the universe just as they have done since ancient times. These radiant powers of dawn sing out like devoted laborers, traversing distant paths to bring sustaining energy (iṣam) to the sincere practitioner and the generous sacrificer who presses the sacred Soma juice. The dawn is not merely a physical phenomenon, but a conscious, benevolent agent of cosmic renewal.
Verse 1: Behold, those dawns have set their banner in the eastern half of the firmament, glowing with brilliant light; like fearless warriors sharpening their weapons, the reddish mother-cows of dawn come rushing forward.
Verse 2: The ruddy beams leaped up spontaneously, yoking their self-harnessed red cows of light; the dawns re-established the ancient laws of creation, clothing the luminous splendor in red.
Verse 3: Like industrious women, they sing their chants through purposeful toil, coming from afar along a shared path, bearing nourishment every single day to the one who performs noble deeds and presses the Soma.
Sāyaṇa interprets 'āyudhānīva' as weapons of war, while Sri Aurobindo and spiritual commentators see it as a metaphor for the sharp, piercing psychological rays of illumination that shatter the armor of ignorance.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| उषसः | uṣasaḥ | dawns, rays of dawn |
| केतुम् | ketum | banner, sign, light |
| आयुधानि | āyudhāni | weapons |
| अरुषीः | aruṣīḥ | reddish, ruddy cows |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अरुणाः | aruṇāḥ | reddish, ruddy |
| भानवः | bhānavaḥ | beams of light |
| वयुनानि | vayunāni | paths, patterns, ordinances |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| नारीः | nārīḥ | women, divine female powers |
| अपसः | apasaḥ | active, working |
| इषम् | iṣam | refreshment, nourishment, vigor |
Picture a host of brave women polishing shining armor at the edge of daybreak, marching forward with milk-laden cows to feed the hungry world.
Verses 4, 5, 6
अधि॒ पेशां॑सि वपते नृ॒तूरि॒वापो॑र्णुते॒ वक्ष॑ उ॒स्रेव॒ बर्ज॑हं । ज्योति॒र्विश्व॑स्मै॒ भुव॑नाय कृण्व॒ती गावो॒ न व्र॒जं व्यु१॒॑षा आ॑व॒र्तमः॑ ॥
ádhi péśāṃsi vapate nṛtū́rivā́porṇute vákṣa usréva bárjaham ǀ jyótirvíśvasmai bhúvanāya kṛṇvatī́ gā́vo ná vrajám vyúṣā́ āvartámaḥ ǁ
प्रत्य॒र्ची रुश॑दस्या अदर्शि॒ वि ति॑ष्ठते॒ बाध॑ते कृ॒ष्णमभ्वं॑ । स्वरुं॒ न पेशो॑ वि॒दथे॑ष्वं॒जञ्चि॒त्रं दि॒वो दु॑हि॒ता भा॒नुम॑श्रेत् ॥
prátyarcī́ rúśadasyā adarśi ví tiṣṭhate bā́dhate kṛṣṇámábhvam ǀ svárum ná péśo vidátheṣvañjáñcitrám divó duhitā́ bhānúmaśret ǁ
अता॑रिष्म॒ तम॑सस्पा॒रम॒स्योषा उ॒च्छंती॑ व॒युना॑ कृणोति । श्रि॒ये छंदो॒ न स्म॑यते विभा॒ती सु॒प्रती॑का सौमन॒साया॑जीगः ॥
átāriṣma támasaspārámasyóṣā́ ucchántī vayúnā kṛṇoti ǀ śriyé chándo ná smayate vibhātī́ suprátīkā saumanasā́yājīgaḥ ǁ
Uṣas adorns herself with shimmering garments like a graceful dancer, uncovering her bosom like a radiant cow exposing its udder. She generates divine light for the entire universe, opening the dark pen of the night just as a herdsman releases his cattle from a closed enclosure. The visual majesty of the dawn is breathtaking—she is both a celestial dancer and a cosmic liberator. As her brilliant front shines forth, she banishes the black, monstrous depths of darkness. Like a carved pillar or an ornament adorned in sacrificial gatherings, the daughter of heaven attains her highest illumination. The Ṛṣi rejoices, declaring that humanity has successfully crossed to the other shore of darkness, brought safely across by the renewing power of the dawn.
Verse 4: She puts on ornaments like a dancing girl, and uncovers her bosom like a luminous cow; creating light for the entire world, Uṣas opens up the darkness just like cows released from their pen.
Verse 5: Her gleaming front is seen, spreading wide and driving away the black, monstrous darkness; like a beautifully carved sacrificial pillar, the daughter of heaven has attained her brilliant light.
Verse 6: We have crossed over to the other shore of this darkness! Uṣas shines forth, creating right paths; smiling gracefully in her beauty like a poetic meter, she awakens us for joyful benevolence.
The term 'abhvam' is understood by traditional commentators as a great, terrifying mass of darkness or physical gloom, while esoteric thinkers view it as the subconscient void of human consciousness.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पेशांसि | peśāṃsi | ornaments, embroidered forms |
| नृतूः | nṛtūḥ | dancer |
| व्रजम् | vrajam | enclosure, pen for cattle |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| रुशत् | ruśat | bright, shining, white |
| अभ्वम् | abhvam | monstrous, formless deep, darkness |
| दुहिता | duhitā | daughter |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अतारिष्म | atāriṣma | we have crossed over |
| छन्दः | chandaḥ | poetic meter, sacred rhythm, desire |
| अजीगः | ajīgaḥ | she has awakened |
Imagine a magnificent dancer stepping onto a starlit stage, throwing off a black velvet cloak to reveal a dress woven entirely of gold and light.
Verses 7, 8, 9
भास्व॑ती ने॒त्री सू॒नृता॑नां दि॒वः स्त॑वे दुहि॒ता गोत॑मेभिः । प्र॒जाव॑तो नृ॒वतो॒ अश्व॑बुध्या॒नुषो॒ गोअ॑ग्राँ॒ उप॑ मासि॒ वाजा॑न् ॥
bhā́svatī netrī́ sūnṛ́tānām diváḥ stave duhitā́ gótamebhiḥ ǀ prajā́vato nṛváto áśvabudhyānúṣo góagrām̐ úpa māsi vā́jān ǁ
उष॒स्तम॑श्यां य॒शसं॑ सु॒वीरं॑ दा॒सप्र॑वर्गं र॒यिमश्व॑बुध्यं । सु॒दंस॑सा॒ श्रव॑सा॒ या वि॒भासि॒ वाज॑प्रसूता सुभगे बृ॒हंतं॑ ॥
úṣastámaśyām yaśásam suvī́ram dāsápravargam rayímáśvabudhyam ǀ sudáṃsasā śrávasā yā́ vibhā́si vā́japrasūtā subhage bṛhántam ǁ
विश्वा॑नि दे॒वी भुव॑नाभि॒चक्ष्या॑ प्रती॒ची चक्षु॑रुर्वि॒या वि भा॑ति । विश्वं॑ जी॒वं च॒रसे॑ बो॒धयं॑ती॒ विश्व॑स्य॒ वाच॑मविदन्मना॒योः ॥
víśvāni devī́ bhúvanābhicákṣyā pratīcī́ cákṣururviyā́ ví bhāti ǀ víśvam jīvám caráse bodháyantī víśvasya vā́camavidanmanāyóḥ ǁ
Praised by the Gotamas, the shining daughter of heaven leads forth sweet utterances and truths. She measures out vast treasures endowed with progeny, valiant heroes, and horses, leading the charge with cattle at the forefront of her gifts. The Ṛṣi fervently prays to attain this radiant wealth—firmly grounded in spiritual vigor and dynamic action. As the divine dawn looks upon all created worlds, she faces inward toward human hearts, shining broadly and awakening every living creature to its daily toil. She even captures the deep, inner voice of humanity's yearning soul. The boundary between the outer sky and the inner psychology of the worshipper dissolves completely.
Verse 7: Radiant leader of sweet truths, the daughter of heaven is praised by the Gotamas; O Uṣas, measure out for us bountiful blessings accompanied by progeny, heroes, horses, and cattle at the lead.
Verse 8: O Uṣas, may I attain that glorious, heroic wealth, rich in brave men, free from destructive flaws, and rich in horses; do you who shine with mighty deeds and are impelled by vigor, bring us vast abundance.
Verse 9: Gazing upon all created worlds, the divine goddess faces us and shines widely; awakening every living being to its activity, she has found the inner voice of the yearning mortal.
Sāyaṇa explains 'dāsapravargam' as one who breaks or scatters the wicked (dāsas), whereas mystical interpretations link 'dāsa' to the dark, bound energies within that must be conquered by light.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सूनृतानाम् | sūnṛtānām | of joyful truths, pleasant words |
| गोतमेभिः | gotamebhiḥ | by the Gotama family of seers |
| वाजान् | vājān | prizes, vigor, wealth |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| सुवीरम् | suvīram | rich in heroes or vital energies |
| दासप्रवर्गम् | dāsapravargam | subduer of enemies or hostile forces |
| बृहंतम् | bṛhantam | vast, immense, great |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| प्रतीची | pratīcī | facing toward, turned toward us |
| बोधयन्ती | bodhayantī | awakening |
| मनायोः | manāyoḥ | of the desiring/yearning mortal |
Think of a royal queen standing on a palace balcony at sunrise, distributing precious jewels and cattle to every hardworking citizen who calls her name.
Verses 10, 11, 12
पुनः॑पुन॒र्जाय॑माना पुरा॒णी स॑मा॒नं वर्ण॑म॒भि शुंभ॑माना । श्व॒घ्नीव॑ कृ॒त्नुर्विज॑ आमिना॒ना मर्त॑स्य दे॒वी ज॒रयं॒त्यायुः॑ ॥
púnaḥpunarjā́yamānā purāṇī́ samānám várṇamabhí śúmbhamānā ǀ śvaghnī́va kṛtnúrvíja āminānā́ mártasya devī́ jaráyantyā́yuḥ ǁ
व्यू॒र्ण्व॒ती दि॒वो अंताँ॑ अबो॒ध्यप॒ स्वसा॑रं सनु॒तर्यु॑योति । प्र॒मि॒न॒ती म॑नु॒ष्या॑ यु॒गानि॒ योषा॑ जा॒रस्य॒ चक्ष॑सा॒ वि भा॑ति ॥
vyūrṇvatī́ divó ántām̐ abodhyápa svásāram sanutáryuyoti ǀ praminatī́ manuṣyā́ yugā́ni yóṣā jārásya cákṣasā ví bhāti ǁ
प॒शून्न चि॒त्रा सु॒भगा॑ प्रथा॒ना सिंधु॒र्न क्षोद॑ उर्वि॒या व्य॑श्वैत् । अमि॑नती॒ दैव्या॑नि व्र॒तानि॒ सूर्य॑स्य चेति र॒श्मिभि॑र्दृशा॒ना ॥
paśū́nná citrā́ subhágā prathānā́ síndhurná kṣóda urviyā́ vyáśvait ǀ áminatī dáivyāni vratā́ni sū́ryasya ceti raśmíbhirdṛśānā́ ǁ
Uṣas is ancient yet born again and again, donning the exact same radiant color day after day. Like a clever gambler rolling dice or a thief stripping away belongings, this goddess steadily wears away the lifespan of mortal man. She is the embodiment of endless cyclic time, reminding humanity of its transient place in the vast cosmic theater. Unveiling the ends of the heaven, she awakens and pushes her sister (Night) away into seclusion. Though she continuously breaks and renews the generations of mankind, she remains ever-youthful, shining brightly by the gaze of her lover, the Sun. She spreads wide like a rushing river of milk, never violating the eternal, divine laws (vratāni) of the cosmos.
Verse 10: Born again and again though ancient, putting on the same color, the divine goddess wears away the life of mortal man like a skilled gambler who strips away stakes.
Verse 11: Unveiling the ends of heaven, she has awakened; she pushes her sister far away into hiding. Breaking the generations of men, the young maiden shines by the eye of her lover.
Verse 12: Like cattle, manifold, auspicious, and spreading wide, she rushed forth across the broad earth like a river's flood; never violating divine laws, she is seen by the rays of the sun.
The imagery of the 'gambler' (śvaghni) is a striking metaphor used by Ṛṣis to illustrate how Time quietly and relentlessly takes away our mortal days, a theme deeply integrated into Vedic philosophical introspection.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| पुराणी | purāṇī | ancient, primordial |
| श्वघ्नीव | śvaghnīva | like a gambler |
| जरयन्ती | jarayantī | aging, wearing out |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| स्वसारम् | svasāram | sister (i.e., Night) |
| प्रमिनती | praminatī | diminishing, passing through generations |
| जारस्य | jārasya | of the lover (the Sun) |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| प्रथाना | prathānā | spreading, extending |
| सिन्धुः | sindhuḥ | river, stream |
| अमिनती | aminatī | not violating, uninjured |
Picture an hourglass where the golden sand (representing days and nights) steadily slips through the middle, measured by a glowing celestial clock.
Verses 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
उष॒स्तच्चि॒त्रमा भ॑रा॒स्मभ्यं॑ वाजिनीवति । येन॑ तो॒कं च॒ तन॑यं च॒ धाम॑हे ॥
úṣastáccitrámā́ bharāsmábhyam vājinīvati ǀ yéna tokám ca tánayam ca dhā́mahe ǁ
उषो॑ अ॒द्येह गो॑म॒त्यश्वा॑वति विभावरि । रे॒वद॒स्मे व्यु॑च्छ सूनृतावति ॥
úṣo adyéhá gomatyáśvāvati vibhāvari ǀ revádasmé vyúccha sūnṛtāvati ǁ
यु॒क्ष्वा हि वा॑जिनीव॒त्यश्वाँ॑ अ॒द्यारु॒णाँ उ॑षः । अथा॑ नो॒ विश्वा॒ सौभ॑गा॒न्या व॑ह ॥
yukṣvā́ hí vājinīvatyáśvām̐ adyā́ruṇā́m̐ uṣaḥ ǀ áthā no víśvā sáubhagānyā́ vaha ǁ
अश्वि॑ना व॒र्तिर॒स्मदा गोम॑द्दस्रा॒ हिर॑ण्यवत् । अ॒र्वाग्रथं॒ सम॑नसा॒ नि य॑च्छतं ॥
áśvinā vartírasmádā́ gómaddasrā híraṇyavat ǀ arvā́grátham sámanasā ní yacchatam ǁ
यावि॒त्था श्लोक॒मा दि॒वो ज्योति॒र्जना॑य च॒क्रथुः॑ । आ न॒ ऊर्जं॑ वहतमश्विना यु॒वं ॥
yā́vitthā́ ślókamā́ divó jyótirjánāya cakráthuḥ ǀ ā́ na ū́rjam vahatamaśvinā yuvám ǁ
एह दे॒वा म॑यो॒भुवा॑ द॒स्रा हिर॑ण्यवर्तनी । उ॒ष॒र्बुधो॑ वहंतु॒ सोम॑पीतये ॥
éhá devā́ mayobhúvā dasrā́ híraṇyavartanī ǀ uṣarbúdho vahantu sómapītaye ǁ
The Ṛṣi turns into a direct supplicant, crying out to Uṣas as the 'bountiful mother of riches' to bring wondrous treasures so that they may secure both children and descendants. He pleads for her to shine upon them today with abundant cows, horses, and joyful truths, yoking her ruddy horses to bring all forms of auspiciousness. In the closing verses, the prayer naturally extends to the Aśvins—the divine twins of healing and light who travel right behind the dawn. The Ṛṣi invites the golden-pathed, bliss-bringing Aśvins to turn their chariot toward the ritual ground. Accompanied by those who wake with the dawn, the twin physicians are called to partake of the Soma draft and flood the sacrificer's life with ultimate vigor.
Verse 13: O Dawn, rich in bounty, bring hither that wonderful treasure unto us, by which we may sustain both son and grandson.
Verse 14: O Uṣas, rich in cows, rich in horses, radiant and full of joyful words, shine forth abundantly upon us here today!
Verse 15: Yoke indeed your ruddy horses today, O Dawn rich in bounty, and bring unto us all forms of auspicious fortune.
Verse 16: O Aśvins, wonder-workers, bring your chariot rich in cattle and gold toward us from afar, and with one mind guide it down right here.
Verse 17: You who have thus made known your glorious praise and divine light from heaven unto mortals, bestow upon us your sustaining energy, O Aśvins!
Verse 18: Come hither, O divine, bliss-bringing wonder-workers of golden paths; let those who wake with the dawn bring you forward for the drinking of Soma!
Sāyaṇa seamlessly bridges the transition from Uṣas to the Aśvins by highlighting how the morning deities naturally succeed one another in the ritual schedule of the morning sacrifice.
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| वाजिनीवति | vājinīvati | rich in vigor, horses, or bounty |
| तोकम् | tokam | child, offspring |
| तनयम् | tanayam | descendant, progeny |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| विभावरि | vibhāvari | radiant, shining one |
| रेवत् | revat | abundantly, richly |
| व्युच्छ | vyuccha | shine forth, clear away |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| युक्ष्व | yukṣva | yoke |
| अरुणान् | aruṇān | reddish, ruddy |
| सौभगानि | saubhagāni | auspices, fortunes, blessings |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| अश्विना | aśvinā | the two horsemen, Aśvins |
| दस्रा | dasrā | wonder-workers, miraculous healers |
| हिरण्यवत् | hiraṇyavat | rich in gold |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| श्लोकम् | ślokam | praise, call, song of fame |
| चक्रथुः | cakrathuḥ | you two have made/done |
| ऊर्जम् | ūrjam | strength, sap, vigor |
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| मयभुवा | mayaḥbhuvā | bringing joy or healing delight |
| हिरण्यवर्तनी | hiraṇyavartanī | having golden paths |
| उषर्बुधः | uṣarbudhaḥ | waking at dawn |
Visualize a golden chariot driven by twin physicians rushing down a sunbeam right to your doorstep, bringing baskets of gold, healing herbs, and fresh milk.