Rig Veda 1.123.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 123, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.123
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
पूर्वा विश्वस्माद्भुवनादबोधि जयन्ती वाजं बृहती सनुत्री । उच्चा व्यख्यद्युवतिः पुनर्भूरोषा अगन्प्रथमा पूर्वहूतौ ॥
pū́rvā víśvasmād bhúvanād abódhi jáyantī vā́jaṃ bṛhatī́ sánutrī | uccā́ vy àkhyad yuvatíḥ punar-bhū́r óṣā́ agan prathamā́ pū́rva-hūtau ||
Als Erste ist sie aus der ganzen Welt des Seins erwacht, den vāja — die Fülle der Kraft — gewinnend, die Große, die voranführt. Hoch offenbart sie sich — die Junge, immer wieder neu werdend. Uṣas ist gekommen, die Erste, auf den zuvor angerufenen Ruf.
Word by Word
- पूर्वा
- the former/earlier (one)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण ‘उषाः’ इत्यस्य)Root पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) < *पुर्/प्र (पूर्वत्व)
- विश्वस्मात्
- from the whole (universe)Adjective/Pronoun-like (universal)नपुंसकलिङ्ग (भुवन-सम्बन्धे), पञ्चमी, एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- भुवनात्
- from the world/beingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot भुवन (प्रातिपदिक; √भू ‘to be’ से)
- अबोधि
- awoke/has awakenedVerbलुङ् (अorist), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया) —Root √बुध् (बोधने)
- जयन्ती
- conquering, victoriousParticiple/Adjectiveवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण ‘उषाः’)Root √जि (जयने) → जयन्त् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजम्
- prize; strength; (winning) bootyNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
- बृहती
- lofty, greatAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण ‘उषाः’)Root बृहती (प्रातिपदिक; √बृह् ‘to grow’ से)
- सनुत्री
- the one moving along/over (the heights); guiding onwardNoun/Adjective (epithet)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण ‘उषाः’)Root सनुत्री (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सनु’/‘सनुत्र’ ‘along/through, from above’)
- उच्चा
- high(ly), aloftIndeclinable (adverb)अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)Root उच्च (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, forth (intensifier)Indeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गRoot वि (उपसर्ग)
- अख्यत्
- appeared; shone forth; was seenVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया) —Root √ख्या (प्रख्याने/दर्शने)
- युवतिः
- the young woman (Dawn)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot युवति (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुनर्भूः
- ever-returning; born againNoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण ‘उषाः’)Root पुनर्भू (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पुनः’ + √भू)
- उषाः
- DawnNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अगन्
- went; cameVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया) —Root √गम् (गत्यर्थे)
- प्रथमा
- firstAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण ‘उषाः’)Root प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
- पूर्वहूतौ
- at the earlier invocation; in the first call (of praise/ritual)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot पूर्वहूति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पूर्व’ + हूति ‘invocation/call’ < √ह्वा/√हू)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ: विश्वस्माद्भुवनादबोधि = विश्वस्मात् + भुवनात् + अबोधि (त् + भ → द्भ; त् + अ → दा/द्-अ संधि-रूपेण ‘द’ प्रकट)
- उच्चा व्यख्यत् = उच्चा + वि + अख्यत् (उपसर्ग ‘वि’ पृथक्)
- पुनर्भूरोषा = पुनर्भूः + उषाः (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + उ → रो)
- अगन्प्रथमा = अगन् + प्रथमा (न् + प् → न्प्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
First she has awakened from the whole world of being, winning the plenitude of force, vast and ever-leading. High she reveals herself—the young one, ever renewed. Uṣas has come first to the earlier-invoked call.
Inner meaning
Uṣas is the first awakening power in the cycle of consciousness: she rises from ‘the whole world of being’—even from the hidden layers—and brings victory of vāja (plenitude of force/achievement). She is bṛhatī (vast) and sanutrī (ever-leading/ever-conducting onward): illumination does not merely reveal, it leads evolution forward. ‘High she reveals herself’ indicates ascent to higher mind and beyond; ‘young, ever renewed’ shows that awakening is perennial—each day, each stage, the light returns with fresh power. She comes to the ‘earlier-invoked call’: aspiration that has been repeatedly offered is answered by the descent of illumination.
Universal truth
Illumination is the first and recurring gift: it awakens from all layers of existence, brings strength to progress, and responds to sustained aspiration with ever-renewed clarity.
Themes
Uṣas epiphany, renewal, victory of light, revelation
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 1.123.1, RV 1.113
Family tradition
Dawn-seer lineage focusing on repeated awakening and the progressive leading of consciousness (sanutrī).
Significance
The seer articulates a law of sādhanā: aspiration (hūta) answered by illumination that is both vast (bṛhatī) and evolutionary (sanutrī).
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas (Dawn)
- Epithets
- pūrvā (the first), bṛhatī (the vast), yuvatiḥ punarbhūḥ (ever-young, ever-renewed)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Agni, Aśvins, Sarasvatī
Cosmic role
Bringer of morning; awakener of beings; revealer of paths; initiator of right activity.
Inner power
Spiritual awakening: fresh illumination that renews perception, increases force (vāja), and leads progress onward.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dawn praise at the commencement of daily rites
पूर्वा॒ विश्व॑स्मा॒द्भुव॑नादबोधि॒ जय॑न्ती॒ वाजं॑ बृह॒ती सनु॑त्री । उ॒च्चा व्य॑ख्यद्युव॒तिः पु॑न॒र्भूरोषा अ॑गन्प्रथ॒मा पू॒र्वहू॑तौ ॥
पूर्वा॑ । विश्व॑स्मात् । भुव॑नात् । अ॒बो॒धि॒ । जय॑न्ती । वाज॑म् । बृ॒ह॒ती । सनु॑त्री । उ॒च्चा । वि । अ॒ख्य॒त् । यु॒व॒तिः । पु॒नः॒ऽभूः । आ । उ॒षाः । अ॒ग॒न् । प्र॒थ॒मा । पू॒र्वऽहू॑तौ ॥
pūrvā | viśvasmāt | bhuvanāt | abodhi | jayantī | vājam | bṛhatī | sanutrī | uccā | vi | akhyat | yuvatiḥ | punaḥ-bhūḥ | ā | uṣāḥ | agan | prathamā | pūrva-hūtau
44
4 × ~11 syllables (approx.)
Rising and expansive; repeated long vowels support the sense of vastness and renewal.
Elicits uplift and freshness; stabilizes a forward-leading mood rather than mere quietude.
- पूर्वा (pūrvā)
- Literal: first, former. Symbolic: primordial awakening; the initiatory light in any progress
- विश्वस्माद् भुवनात् (viśvasmād bhuvanāt)
- Literal: from the entire world/existence. Symbolic: from all planes of the being, including hidden and subconscient layers
- अबोधि (abodhi)
- Literal: has awakened. Symbolic: awakening of consciousness; arousal of inner sight
- वाजम् (vājam)
- Literal: prize, strength, plenitude. Symbolic: plenitude of force/achievement-power for the journey
- बृहती (bṛhatī)
- Literal: vast. Symbolic: expansive consciousness that breaks limitation
- सनुत्री (sanutrī)
- Literal: leading onward, continuous. Symbolic: the guiding light that conducts progress step by step
- उच्चा व्यख्यत् (uccā vy akhyat)
- Literal: high she has shown herself. Symbolic: revelation from higher planes; uplift of perception
- युवतिः पुनर्भूः (yuvatiḥ punarbhūḥ)
- Literal: young, again-becoming. Symbolic: ever-fresh illumination; perpetual renewal of awakening
- पूर्वहूतौ (pūrvahūtau)
- Literal: at the earlier invocation. Symbolic: response to sustained aspiration and repeated call
Prātaḥ (morning) recitation; awakening of consciousness before offerings; supports the psychological ‘firstness’ of illumination.
Pre-sunrise to sunrise; at the start of recitation/offerings.
Invocation of Uṣas to awaken, lead, and grant vāja (effective strength).
Use at the start of meditation or learning: to awaken clarity, renew motivation, and invoke steady progress.
√budh ‘awake’ marks the key dawn-psychology. punaḥ-bhū ‘become again’ expresses cyclic renewal. vāja again as forceful plenitude (√vaj). The diction blends cosmic dawn with inner awakening.
awakening (budh), renewal (punaḥ-bhū), vāja as victorious fullness
Uṣas re-establishes ṛta by bringing the first discernible order of the day and guiding right movement.
Revelation ‘high’ indicates truth descending from higher planes into mind.
Perpetual renewal: each dawn re-enacts creation—light emerging and leading life onward.
Vedic evolutionary symbolism: illumination as the leader of becoming (punarbhūḥ).
dawn
Dawn = awakening insight; height = higher mind; renewal = continuous rebirth of consciousness; vāja = effective spiritual strength.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The epiphany of Dawn as the first awakener: she rises from the totality of being and ‘wins vāja’, the force of victorious plenitude—mythically the daily conquest of darkness, psychologically the recurring emergence of truth-consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √budh (PIE *bʰewdʰ-) ‘wake/notice’ (cf. English ‘bid’ is different; but ‘be aware’ family is related via Germanic *beudan? tenuous; the clearest is Indo-Iranian continuity). √ji ‘win’ and √gam ‘go/come’ are archaic IE staples; cyclic ‘again-becoming’ is a common IE poetic theme.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi’s prior call (pū́rva-hūtau) is met by Dawn’s arrival; the relationship is responsive: aspiration and invocation prepare a channel, and Uṣas answers by revealing herself ‘on high’ as discernible illumination.
Invoke the ‘first light’ that leads onward—make illumination the guide of the day and practice.
Ajna (revelation) with Sahasrara (descent of higher light)
Brisk-energetic but controlled: 12 cycles of 4–4 breathing, then chant to ride the awakened momentum.
Awakened clarity with forward-leading will; a luminous readiness to act from insight.
At dawn, chant standing or seated upright; after chanting, set one clear intention aligned with truth (ṛta), then act immediately on a small step—honoring Uṣas as sanutrī (the leader onward).
Svara not provided; keep a rising feel through each pāda, especially on uccā and prathamā.
Let ‘pūrvā… abodhi’ be calm and steady; brighten on ‘jayantī vājam’; lift on ‘uccā’; conclude with clear emphasis on ‘uṣā agan prathamā’.
abodhi: avoid ‘abo-dhi’ separation; smooth, bṛhatī: retroflex ṛ; long ī, punarbhūḥ: clear bhūḥ (long ū + visarga)
Bright, clear, lightly energized—like speaking into early morning air.
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