Rig Veda 6.64.2: Mandala 6, Sukta 64, Mantra 2
Sukta 6.64
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja tradition
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shringara (love)
भद्रा ददृक्ष उर्विया वि भास्युत्ते शोचिर्भानवो द्यामपप्तन् । आविर्वक्षः कृणुषे शुम्भमानोषो देवि रोचमाना महोभिः ॥
bhadrā́ dadr̥kṣe urviyā́ ví bhāsy útte śocír bhānávō dyā́m apaptan | āvír vákṣaḥ kr̥ṇuṣe śúmbhamānóṣo devi rócamānā máhobhiḥ ||
Usha devi bahut badi hai, dikh bhi rahi hai aur chamak bhi rahi hai. Uski roshni aasmaan tak jaati hai. Woh khud ko saaf dikh rahi hai, jaise koi apne aap ko sajata ho. Yeh devi bahut taakatwali hai aur chamak ke aati hai.
Word by Word
- भद्राः
- auspicious, graciousAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (उषसः विशेषणम्)Root भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- ददृक्षे
- I have appeared/come into view; I have shown myselfVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्ष), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)Root √दृश् (दर्शन) → ददृक्ष् (इच्छार्थ/आकाङ्क्षार्थ-रूप, परोक्ष/आत्मनेपद)
- उर्वियाः
- of the wide (expanse)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (सम्बन्ध-षष्ठी)Root उर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, forth, widelyIndeclinableउपसर्गःRole Kriyā-viśeṣaṇaRoot वि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- भासि
- you shineVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role KriyāRoot √भा (दीप्तौ)
- उत
- and, alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय/अधिकरणार्थ-निपातःRole Sambandha/connectorRoot उत (निपात)
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (सम्बन्ध-षष्ठी)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शोचिः
- flame, radianceNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (अपपतन्-क्रियायाः)Root शोचिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- भानवः
- beams, raysNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (अपपतन्-क्रियायाः; शोचिः सह समुच्चितम्)Root भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
- द्याम्
- the heaven, the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपपतन्
- they flew down/away, fell uponVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role KriyāRoot √पत् (गतौ) + अप (उपसर्ग)
- आविः
- openly, manifestlyIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role Kriyā-viśeṣaṇaRoot आविस् (अव्यय)
- वक्षः
- breast, chestNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृणुषे
- you make, you renderVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role KriyāRoot √कृ (करणे)
- शुम्भमानः
- adorning oneself; shining forthParticiple (Adjective)वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शानच्), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (उषसः/देवि-सम्बोधनस्य विशेषणवत्)Role Kartā-viśeṣaṇaRoot √शुभ्/शुम्भ् (दीप्तौ/अलङ्कारे) → शुम्भमान (वर्तमानकृदन्त)
- उषः
- O DawnNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role SambodhanaRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवि
- O goddessNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role SambodhanaRoot देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- रोचमानाः
- shining, gleamingParticiple (Adjective)वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शानच्), स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (उषसः विशेषणम्)Role Kartā-viśeṣaṇaRoot √रुच् (दीप्तौ) → रोचमान (वर्तमानकृदन्त)
- महोभिः
- with great powers/mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot महस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): भद्राः | ददृक्षे | उर्वियाः | वि | भासि | उत | ते | शोचिः | भानवः | द्याम् | अपपतन् || आविः | वक्षः | कृणुषे | शुम्भमानः | उषः | देवि | रोचमानाः | महोभिः || 1) भासि+उत+ते → भास्युत्ते (यण्-सन्धि: इ+उ → यु; तथा त्+त् → त्त्)
- 2) शोचिः+भानवः → शोचिर्भानवः (विसर्ग/रुत्व-परिवर्तनः: ः + भ → र् + भ)
- 3) आविः+वक्षः → आविर्वक्षः (विसर्गः + व → र् + व)
- 4) शुम्भमानः+उषः → शुम्भमानोषः (अः + उ → ओ; गुण/सवर्णदीर्घ-सन्धि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Auspicious Dawn is seen shining widely; her flame and rays leap to the sky. She reveals her breast, self-adorned; O luminous goddess Uṣas, shining with great powers.
Inner meaning
The awakening Light is ‘seen’ when consciousness becomes sufficiently quiet and receptive. Her ‘flame’ (śociḥ) is the inner fire of revelation; her ‘rays’ (bhānavaḥ) are discriminating illuminations that rise toward the higher mind (dyām). ‘Revealing the breast’ is the unveiling of the heart-plane of the luminous Mother-power—her nurturing truth and beauty—self-adorned because the light carries its own authority and delight, not borrowed from outer circumstances.
Universal truth
True illumination expands the field of awareness, elevates thought toward higher truth, and opens the heart’s hidden radiance; it arrives with an inherent beauty and power that needs no external validation.
Themes
Dawn-hymn, Light-overcoming-darkness, Epiphany/manifestation, Nature-praise (innerized)
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja (Bārhaspatya)
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 6.61 (Sarasvatī: inspiration as a river of truth), RV 6.62-6.63 (Aśvins/Uṣas cluster)
Family tradition
Bharadvāja hymns frequently link light with wideness (uru) and upward ascent (dyu), indicating a yogic psychology of expansion and elevation.
Significance
The seer’s vision emphasizes that illumination is not only cognitive (rays to heaven) but also affective-spiritual (heart revealed), integral to transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas (Dawn)
- Epithets
- bhadrā (auspicious), devī (goddess), rocamānā (luminous), śumbhamānā (self-adorned)
- Related deities
- Agni (śociḥ affinity), Sūrya (heavenward rays), Bṛhaspati (revelatory word)
Cosmic role
She spreads light across the worlds, sends rays upward, and reveals the concealed splendour of life.
Inner power
Expansive illumination that simultaneously uplifts thought to higher truth and opens the heart’s radiance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Morning invocation/praise of Uṣas; auspicious opening for rites and journeys.
भ॒द्रा द॑दृक्ष उर्वि॒या वि भा॒स्युत्ते॑ शो॒चिर्भा॒नवो॒ द्याम॑पप्तन् । आ॒विर्वक्ष॑: कृणुषे शु॒म्भमा॒नोषो॑ देवि॒ रोच॑माना॒ महो॑भिः ॥
भ॒द्रा । द॒दृ॒क्षे॒ । उ॒र्वि॒या । वि । भा॒सि॒ । उत् । ते॒ । शो॒चिः । भा॒नवः॑ । द्याम् । अ॒प॒प्त॒न् । आ॒विः । वक्षः॑ । कृ॒णु॒षे॒ । शु॒म्भमा॑ना । उषः॑ । दे॒वि॒ । रोच॑माना । महः॑ऽभिः ॥
bhadrā | dadṛkṣe | urviyā | vi | bhāsi | ut | te | śociḥ | bhānavaḥ | dyām | apaptan | āviḥ | vakṣaḥ | kṛṇuṣe | śumbhamānā | uṣaḥ | devi | rocamānā | mahaḥ-bhiḥ
44
4 x ~11 syllables; energetic caesura often after 4–5 syllables typical of Triṣṭubh.
Ascending, leaping rhythm echoing ‘apaptan’ (leapt up).
Stimulates uplift and wideness; can produce a felt ‘rise’ in attention from heart to brow.
- bhadrā
- Literal: auspicious, gracious. Symbolic: benign power of awakening that brings harmony, not disturbance
- urviyā
- Literal: widely, in vastness. Symbolic: widening of consciousness beyond narrow ego-limits
- śociḥ
- Literal: flame, blaze. Symbolic: inner revelatory fire; luminous intensity of insight
- bhānavaḥ
- Literal: rays, beams. Symbolic: multiple lines of knowledge; clarified perceptions
- dyām
- Literal: heaven/sky. Symbolic: higher mind, luminous plane of truth-thought
- āvir vakṣaḥ
- Literal: make the breast manifest. Symbolic: opening of the heart-centre to the Mother-light; disclosure of inner sweetness and courage
- śumbhamānā
- Literal: self-adorned, beautifying oneself. Symbolic: light’s self-manifesting perfection; spontaneous harmony
- mahobhiḥ
- Literal: by greatnesses/powers. Symbolic: greater consciousness-forces (mahas) acting in the being
Recitation in dawn-context praises; broadly applicable to prātaḥ-savana atmosphere (invocation of awakening light), not uniquely tied to a single named iṣṭi in the verse itself
At first light; also before beginning important undertakings to invite bhadra (auspiciousness).
Recitation with offerings to Agni/Sūrya in broader morning liturgy; contemplative praise in domestic context.
A mantra for ‘opening the day’: recite when you need clarity plus heart-opening (before study, decisions, or creative work).
Key roots: √dṛś ‘see’ → (perf. mid., ‘has become visible’); √bhās ‘shine’ → (‘thou shinest’); √śuc/śoc ‘burn, be bright/pure’ → (‘flame, luminous ardour’); √bhā ‘shine’ → (‘rays’); √pat ‘fly’ → (‘flew up’); √kṛ ‘make’ → (‘thou makest’); √śubh ‘shine/beautify’ → (‘self-adorned’); √ruc ‘shine, be pleasing’ → (‘shining forth’). Semantic-psychological mapping: ‘rays’ (bhānavaḥ) as powers of illumination/knowledge; ‘breast’ (vakṣas) as the unveiled inner being opening to the light; ‘mah’ as the Vast/Great (bṛhat) supporting the dawning of truth-consciousness.
R̥ta (order through luminous unfolding), Bṛhat/Mahas (the Vast as support of manifestation), awakening/manifestation (āvirbhāva)
Dawn’s ordered return is a sign of ṛta; inwardly, it is the reliable possibility of re-awakening after obscuration.
Truth becomes visible; illumination is experiential, not merely conceptual.
Manifestation through light: the concealed ‘breast’ of the world becomes apparent when the divine light acts.
Integral/Vedāntic tendency: ascent to higher mind (dyām) with simultaneous heart-unveiling.
sunrise
unspecified
Rising insight and widening awareness; heart-lotus opening; thought lifted to higher luminous plane.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The epiphany of Uṣas: the Dawn as a goddess who manifests herself, sends forth rays that ‘fly to heaven’, and unveils the ‘breast’—a recurring mythic action where Light emerges from concealment and establishes the world-order. In inner terms, it is the arising of illumination in the human being: the powers of light ascend toward the higher consciousness (dyu), while the inner front (vakṣas) is uncovered for the work of truth.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Several lexemes preserve inherited IE ‘light/sky’ semantics: dyām (acc. of dyáuḥ) aligns with PIE *dyew- ‘sky, daylight’ (cf. Greek Zeus, Latin Iūpiter). √bhā/√bhās ‘shine’ reflects PIE *bʰeh₂-/*bʰā- type ‘shine’ complexes seen across Indo-Iranian (Avestan bā- ‘shine’). √dṛś ‘see’ corresponds to PIE *derk- ‘see’ (cf. Greek dérkomai). The verse’s repeated light-verbs (bhāsi, rocamānā) enact the semantic field of revelation/appearance typical of archaic IE poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer does not bargain but witnesses and affirms a reciprocal process: Uṣas reveals (dadr̥kṣe), spreads light (vi bhāsi), and makes the inner being manifest (āvir vakṣaḥ). The rishi’s role is to recognize and name the action of the deity—speech (hymn) becomes the human instrument that aligns with the goddess’s ‘great powers’ (mahobhiḥ). This is a cooperation: divine illumination descends/spreads, while human awareness rises with it (rays ‘fly to heaven’), establishing a shared movement toward Satyam-R̥tam-Bṛhat.
‘See’ the dawn within: hold attention at the heart, then let a warm light rise to the brow as rays ‘leap to heaven’.
Anāhata → Ājñā upward linkage
Inhale imagining rays rising (4–6 counts), exhale softening the chest (6–8 counts); 9 rounds.
Widened, uplifted awareness with gentle heart-revelation.
Chant once aloud, then repeat mentally while sensing the chest subtly ‘opening’. End with a silent pause, letting insight descend as calm guidance.
Tri-svara; emphasize udātta on bhadrā, vi bhāsi, śocir, rocamānā per pada tradition.
Let ‘ut te śocir bhānavo’ be slightly more lifted and तेजस्-like; keep final pāda broad and majestic.
Cluster in ‘dadṛkṣe’—keep ṛ clear, avoid ‘dadrikse’, Aspirate in ‘śocir’ lightly; do not add extra vowel, Maintain long ‘ā’ in dyām, In ‘mahobhiḥ’ keep ‘bh’ fully aspirated
Luminous, slightly elevated pitch; sustain vowels to suggest wideness (urviyā).
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