Rig Veda Sukta 81
Mandala 7Sukta 816 Mantras

Sukta 81

Sukta 7.81

Rishi

Vasiṣṭha

Devata

Uṣas

Chandas

Gāyatrī (likely; RV 7.81 often in gāyatrī-like trimeter)

Ce bref hymne à Uṣas, composé par Vasiṣṭha, célèbre l’épiphanie immédiate de l’Aurore : elle vient « sous nos yeux », déploie les eaux et élargit le champ de la vision, transformant l’obscurité nocturne en ordre lumineux. Le poète demande que son lever bienveillant accorde une perception claire du monde rayonnant, une part de ses « trésors » (prospérité, force, renommée) et l’élimination de la tortuosité, de l’échec et des entraves intérieures.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 7.81

Mantras

Mantra 1

प्रत्यु अदर्श्यायत्युच्छन्ती दुहिता दिवः । अपो महि व्ययति चक्षसे तमो ज्योतिष्कृणोति सूनरी ॥

Elle nous est apparue, s’avançant et se levant — la Fille du Ciel. Elle déploie les grandes eaux pour la vision et change les ténèbres en lumière, l’inspiratrice lumineuse.

Mantra 2

उदुस्रियाः सृजते सूर्यः सचाँ उद्यन्नक्षत्रमर्चिवत् । तवेदुषो व्युषि सूर्यस्य च सं भक्तेन गमेमहि ॥

S’élevant, Sūrya libère les troupeaux rayonnants de lumière et l’éclat étoilé ; mais c’est par ton aube, ô Uṣas, et par la pleine émergence de Sūrya, que nous puissions avancer ensemble vers la part qui nous est assignée.

Mantra 3

प्रति त्वा दुहितर्दिव उषो जीरा अभुत्स्महि । या वहसि पुरु स्पार्हं वनन्वति रत्नं न दाशुषे मयः ॥

Vers toi, ô Uṣas, Fille du Ciel, nous nous tournons, devenus prompts dans notre élan ; car tu portes une joie abondante et désirable — tel un trésor — pour celui qui donne, pour l’offrant.

Mantra 4

उच्छन्ती या कृणोषि मंहना महि प्रख्यै देवि स्वर्दृशे । तस्यास्ते रत्नभाज ईमहे वयं स्याम मातुर्न सूनवः ॥

Ô Déesse, lorsque tu t’élèves, par ta grandeur généreuse tu accomplis la claire vision du monde lumineux ; à ce trésor qui est tien nous voulons avoir part, afin d’être comme des fils de la Mère — nourris de sa lumière.

Mantra 5

तच्चित्रं राध आ भरोषो यद्दीर्घश्रुत्तमम् । यत्ते दिवो दुहितर्मर्तभोजनं तद्रास्व भुनजामहै ॥

Apporte-nous cette merveilleuse plénitude, ô Uṣas, la plus célébrée par la longue renommée; quel que soit ton aliment pour les mortels, ô Fille du Ciel—donne-le, afin que nous en partagions et que nous en croissions.

Mantra 6

श्रवः सूरिभ्यो अमृतं वसुत्वनं वाजाँ अस्मभ्यं गोमतः । चोदयित्री मघोनः सूनृतावत्युषा उच्छदप स्रिधः ॥

Accorde aux Sūri (sages) la gloire immortelle et l’état d’opulente prospérité; et pour nous apporte les gains victorieux, les vāja, pleins de rayons de lumière, avec les vaches. Ô stimulatrice des généreux, dotée de la lumineuse Sūnṛtā—ô Uṣas, lève-toi, resplendis, et chasse les tortuosités et les défaillances.

Inside Sukta 81

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Dawn appears directly before the sacrificers—Heaven’s Daughter arriving and rising, transforming night into light and expanding the waters/space for sight.

  2. Development

    Her rising is linked to generous greatness: she enables clear perception of the radiant realm and is approached as a Mother whose ‘children’ seek nurture, wealth, and rightful share.

  3. Climax

    The hymn’s petition intensifies: grant immortal fame and rich plenitude to the seers, and strong winnings to the worshippers—Uṣas as the impelling power of prosperity and truth.

  4. Where it settles

    It ends with a cleansing command: let Dawn shine forth and drive away crookedness and failure, leaving the day established in clarity and auspicious momentum.

The deity: Uṣas

  • In the VedaUṣas is the “Daughter of Heaven” who rises in beauty and power, unveiling the world for sight, setting the waters and paths in motion, and making darkness yield to light. She is praised as generous, truth-bearing (sūnṛtāvatī), and an awakener who rouses beings to activity.
  • Cosmic functionShe inaugurates the daily order (ṛta) by opening the sky’s radiance, releasing movement and life, and re-establishing visibility, direction, and time’s rhythm.
  • Inner significanceUṣas symbolizes the awakening of consciousness—clarity after confusion, truthful speech after distortion, and the fresh beginning in which insight, energy, and right orientation arise.

The seer

  • VasiṣṭhaVasiṣṭha gotra (Āditya/solar-affiliated seer-family; Maṇḍala 7 tradition) · Principal seer of the Vasiṣṭha family book (Maṇḍala 7), renowned for hymns of spiritual clarity and for his role as a paradigmatic brahmarṣi connected with royal priesthood and the ordering power of mantra.

Famous verses

divo duhitā (Daughter of Heaven)
Verse 7.81.1Programmatic opening: Uṣas’ epiphany and her core act—making darkness into light and enabling vision—sets the hymn’s theological and experiential center.Read verse 7.81.1 →
mātur na sūnavaḥ (like children of a mother)
Verse 7.81.4Defines the boon sought from Dawn: ‘clear seeing of the luminous world’ and a share in her treasures, with the intimate image of worshippers as children of the Mother.Read verse 7.81.4 →
tamo jyotiṣ kṛṇoti (makes darkness into light)
Verse 7.81.6Culminating request: immortal fame, wealth, and victorious force; Uṣas is invoked as codayitrī and sūnṛtāvatī who removes inner and outer distortions.Read verse 7.81.6 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Daughter of Heaven (divo duhitā)
  • Light-maker who dispels darkness
  • Revealer of vision and pathways
  • Generous bestower of wealth, strength, and fame
  • Impeller/awakener (codayitrī)
  • Associated with sūnṛtā (truthful, luminous speech)

Also by this seer

  • Major authorship/association with Rig Veda Maṇḍala 7 (many sūktas)
  • Hymns to Agni, Indra, Varuṇa–Mitra, and other deities within the Vasiṣṭha corpus
  • Later Vedic-Itihāsa tradition remembers Vasiṣṭha as a foundational teacher of dharma and ritual knowledge (smṛti/epic reception)

The rite, step by step

  • Rise before sunrise; maintain purity and silence; orient to the east
  • Kindle or tend the household/altar fire (Agni) and prepare the space
  • Recite RV 7.81 as Uṣas becomes visible, focusing on the transition from darkness to light
  • Make offerings while requesting ‘clear seeing’ (svar-dṛś) and a share in Uṣas’ treasures
  • Conclude with a protective petition: removal of crookedness, obstacles, and failures; then proceed to the day’s main rites/work

Offerings

  • Ghee (ājya) into Agni
  • Milk or curds (payas/dadhi) where customary
  • Simple oblations and water libations as supportive acts

Frequently Asked Questions

Uṣas is Dawn, praised as the “Daughter of Heaven” who arrives each morning, reveals the world for sight, and replaces darkness with light.

It asks for clear perception of the radiant world, a share in Dawn’s treasures (prosperity and strength), and “immortal fame,” along with the removal of obstacles and failure.

At dawn—before and during sunrise—because the hymn is built around the lived moment of light appearing and the mind awakening into clarity.

Ask anything about Sukta 81 of the Rig Veda

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