Rig Veda 7.76.7: Mandala 7, Sukta 76, Mantra 7
Sukta 7.76
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
एषा नेत्री राधसः सूनृतानामुषा उच्छन्ती रिभ्यते वसिष्ठैः । दीर्घश्रुतं रयिमस्मे दधाना यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥
eṣā́ netrī́ rā́dhasaḥ sūnṛ́tānām uṣā́ ucchántī ribhyate vásiṣṭhaiḥ | dīrghá-śrútaṃ rayím asmè dádhānā yūyáṃ pāta svastíbhíḥ sádā naḥ ||
Yeh savera dhan aur sachchi baatein laane wali hai. Yeh uthti hai aur Vashishth rishi log iski stuti karte hain. Yeh hamare liye badi badai wala dhan laati hai. Tum hamesha hamari acche se raksha karo.
Word by Word
- एषा
- this (she)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (वाक्य-विषयः) / विशेष्यः (उषाः)Root एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → एषा
- नेत्री
- leader, guideNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (उषसः विशेषणम्—‘leader/guide’)Root नी (धातु) → नेत्री (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, ‘नेतृ’ स्त्री)
- राधसः
- of bounty, of generosityNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (नेत्री—‘of bounty’)Root राधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूनृतानाम्
- of true/pleasant utterancesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (राधसः—‘of true/pleasant words’)Root सूनृता (प्रातिपदिक)
- उषाः
- Dawn (Uṣas)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उच्छन्ती
- rising, shining forthParticiple (Verbal adjective)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमानकालिक-कर्तरिRole कर्तृ-विशेषणम् (उषाः—‘rising/brightening’)Root वस्/उष्? (वैदिक) + उद्-√छद्/√छि? → उच्छन्ती (वर्तमान-कृदन्त, स्त्री)
- रिभ्यते
- bestirs herself, is activeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रिया (उषाः)Root रभ्/रिभ् (वैदिक धातु; ‘to strive/press on, be active’) → रिभ्यते
- वसिष्ठैः
- by/with the VasiṣṭhasNoun (Proper) / Adjective used as nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करण (स्तुत्या/सह—‘by/with the Vasiṣṭhas’)Root वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; ऋषिनाम)
- दीर्घश्रुतम्
- far-famed, long-renownedAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (रयिम् विशेषयति)Role कर्म-विशेषणम्Root दीर्घ-श्रुत (समास-प्रातिपदिक; दीर्घ + श्रुत < √श्रु)
- रयिम्
- wealth, treasureNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (दधाना)Root रयि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मे
- to us, for usPronounसप्तमी (वैदिक-प्रयोगे दत्तिवत्), बहुवचन; ‘for us/to us’Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दधाना
- bestowing, placingParticiple (Verbal adjective)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमानकालिक-कर्तरिRole कर्तृ-विशेषणम् (उषाः—‘placing/bestowing’)Root √धा (धातु) → दधाना (वर्तमान-कृदन्त, स्त्री)
- यूयम्
- you (all)Pronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (आज्ञार्थे)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पात
- protect!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √पा (धातु ‘to protect’) → पात
- स्वस्तिभिः
- with well-being, with blessingsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करण (येन प्रकारेण—‘with blessings/welfare’)Root स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदा
- alwaysIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot सदा (अव्यय)
- नः
- usPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; अत्र ‘us’ (रक्षणस्य कर्म)Role कर्म (पात)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: सूनृतानामु॒षा → सूनृतानाम् उषाः
- उ॒षा उ॒च्छन्ती॑ → उषाः उच्छन्ती
- रिभ्यत॒॒ वसि॑ष्ठैः → रिभ्यते वसिष्ठैः (पदपाठानुसारं)
- र॒यिम॒स्मे → रयिम् अस्मे
- स्व॒स्तिभि॒: सदा॑ → स्वस्तिभिः सदा. Accent marks in the source are retained on the surface text but not re-applied per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
This Dawn, leader of riches and of luminous true utterances, rising, is praised by the Vasiṣṭhas. Bringing us wealth of far-reaching renown—may you protect us always with your well-being harmonies.
Inner meaning
Uṣas leads both rādhas (substance/boons) and sūnṛtā (luminous true speech). As she rises, the Vasiṣṭha powers hymn her so that speech itself becomes a carrier of light. The ‘wealth of far-reaching hearing’ (dīrghaśruta rayi) is not mere fame; it is enduring receptivity and transmission—consciousness that can hear far (intuition) and be heard far (mantric effectiveness). The closing ‘yūyam’ hints that Dawn comes with her harmonizing forces (svasti-bhiḥ): a host of well-being powers guarding the seeker.
Universal truth
When awakening governs speech, speech becomes truth-bearing and protective; the best “wealth” is enduring receptivity to higher guidance and a life harmonized by well-being.
Themes
Benediction, Truth-speech, Spiritual wealth, Protection
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.76, RV 7.77, RV 7.88 (Varuṇa truth/law; family context)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭhas are renowned for hymns where truth-speech (satya/sūnṛtā) is a power that creates and protects.
Significance
This verse highlights the Vasiṣṭha emphasis on sūnṛtā—speech as luminous truth-force—and svasti—harmonized well-being as a spiritual protection.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Epithets
- Netrī rādhasaḥ (leader of riches), Netrī sūnṛtānām (leader of true utterances), Ucchantī (rising)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (speech), Bṛhaspati (mantra power), Mitra (harmony), Aśvins (well-being helpers)
Cosmic role
She brings the prosperity of the day and the right speech that sustains human and divine order.
Inner power
She governs expression and receptivity: awakening that makes speech truthful and life harmonious (svasti).
In ritual
Where it is used
Dawn hymn concluding with svasti-prayer; suitable as a protective morning recitation.
ए॒षा ने॒त्री राध॑सः सू॒नृता॑नामु॒षा उ॒च्छन्ती॑ रिभ्यत॒॒ वसि॑ष्ठैः । दी॒र्घ॒श्रुतं॑ र॒यिम॒स्मे दधा॑ना यू॒यं पा॑त स्व॒स्तिभि॒: सदा॑ नः ॥
ए॒षा । ने॒त्री । राध॑सः । सू॒नृता॑नाम् । उ॒षाः । उ॒च्छन्ती॑ । रि॒भ्य॒ते॒ । वसि॑ष्ठैः । दी॒र्घ॒ऽश्रुत॑म् । र॒यिम् । अ॒स्मे इति॑ । दधा॑ना । यू॒यम् । पा॒त॒ । स्व॒स्तिऽभिः॑ । सदा॑ । नः॒ ॥
eṣā | netrī | rādhasaḥ | sūnṛtānām | uṣāḥ | ucchantī | ribhyate | vasiṣṭhaiḥ | dīrgha-śrutam | rayim | asme iti | dadhānā | yūyam | pāta | svasti-bhiḥ | sadā | naḥ
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Praise-to-blessing movement: first half descriptive, second half protective prayer.
Transitions from uplifted admiration to a settled sense of protection and well-being.
- राधसः (rādhasaḥ)
- Literal: riches, boons. Symbolic: substance of realization; effective inner resources
- सूनृतानाम् (sūnṛtānām)
- Literal: of true pleasant utterances. Symbolic: luminous truth-speech; mantra-born right expression
- उच्छन्ती (ucchantī)
- Literal: rising. Symbolic: ascending illumination in consciousness
- रिभ्यते (ribhyate)
- Literal: is praised/hymned. Symbolic: the soul’s response that strengthens the dawning power
- दीर्घश्रुतम् (dīrghaśrutam)
- Literal: far-heard/long-renowned. Symbolic: wide receptivity and lasting mantric impact; intuition and transmission
- स्वस्तिभिः (svastibhiḥ)
- Literal: with well-beings/benedictions. Symbolic: harmonizing forces that keep the being safe and rightly tuned
Closing benediction: dawn-hymn culminating in protection (svasti) and the establishment of rayi (plenitude) in the practitioners.
At dawn; before travel, study, or any undertaking needing harmony and protection.
Stuti followed by āśīḥ (benediction) invoking svasti.
Use as a ‘morning protection’ chant: align speech with truth and invoke harmonizing well-being for the day.
sūnṛtā: su- 'good' + nṛtā (connected with 'right/true expression' in Vedic diction) denotes speech that is harmonious, true, and effective—psychologically the right formulation of inner truth. rayí: not mere material wealth; in RV often 'store of plenitude' that supports the being. svastí: su- 'good' + asti 'being' (< √as) = 'good-being', a state of harmonious existence.
svasti (good-being), sūnṛtā (truth-speech), rādhās/rayi (grace and plenitude)
Implicit: true utterance supports ṛta; harmony is a sign of right order.
Strong via sūnṛtā: truth that is luminous and beneficent.
Dawn as the guiding matrix from which right speech and prosperity arise.
Mantra-śakti emphasis: speech as a creative and protective force (Aurobindo/Kashyap style).
dawn
Awakening that makes the mind receptive (‘long-hearing’) and the speech truthful; harmonizing forces stabilize the day’s movements.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Dawn as the guide of both bounty and true utterance: she leads not only light but the right word (sūnṛtā), and she installs rayi within the human being—mythically the descent of plenitude with the sunrise.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- svastí (su + asti) is a transparent formation around √as 'to be', paralleling IE benediction formulas built on 'good' + 'being'. The compositional morphology preserves archaic IE word-formation strategies.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s hymn (ribh-) draws down two gifts: inner wealth (rayi) and right speech (sūnṛtā). In return, the devatā is asked to stabilize the gained state as lasting well-being (svasti) and protection.
Refine speech into sūnṛtā: truthful, luminous, beneficent expression; cultivate deep receptivity (dīrghaśruta).
Viśuddha (throat)
Bhrāmarī (5 rounds) to purify speech vibration, then chant.
Sattvic harmony; protective coherence of mind and speech.
After chanting, observe the next 10 spoken sentences: keep them true, needed, kind, and clear. End with a brief silent wish of svasti for all directions.
Keep first two pādas slightly rising (praise), last two more settling (prayer). Use traditional udātta emphasis on key nouns (uṣāḥ, rayim, svastibhiḥ).
Pause after vasiṣṭhaiḥ; then deliver the blessing portion with steadier, softer force.
(sūnṛtānām): long ū; vocalic ṛ; avoid ‘sunrit’., (dīrghaśrutam): conjunct śr pronounced ‘shru’, not ‘sru’., (svastibhiḥ): ‘sv’ cluster clean; final ḥ lightly aspirated., (ribhyate): ‘bh’ aspirated.
Gentle, protective, resonant in throat and chest.
3
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
