Rig Veda 1.113.10: Mandala 1, Sukta 113, Mantra 10
Sukta 1.113
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
कियात्या यत्समया भवाति या व्यूषुर्याश्च नूनं व्युच्छान् । अनु पूर्वाः कृपते वावशाना प्रदीध्याना जोषमन्याभिरेति ॥
kiyā́tyā yát samáyā bhávāti yā́ vyū́ṣur yā́ś ca nūnáṁ vyucchā́n | ánu pū́rvāḥ kṛpate vāvaśānā́ pradī́dhyānā jóṣam anyā́bhir eti ||
इसका टाइम कितना लंबा है? जो सुबहें पहले आई थी और जो अब आ रही है, उनका हिसाब क्या है? वो पीछली सुबहों के साथ चलती है। चमकती हुई आगे बढ़ती है और दूसरों के साथ मिलकर चलती है।
Word by Word
- कियात्या
- by how much / to what extentAdjective/Pronoun-likeस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम् (instrumental sg.)Role करण (प्रमाण/परिमाण-करण)Root कियाति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘कितनी/किस परिमाण तक’)
- यत्
- that which / whatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (rel. ‘that/what’)Role कर्म (यत् = ‘that which’ as object of भवान्ति/भवति)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- समया
- at the proper time / by the appointed timeNounपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम् (instrumental sg.)Role करण (समयेन = ‘in due time/at the appointed time’)Root समय (प्रातिपदिक)
- भवाति
- comes to be / happensVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √भू (भवति)
- या
- she whoPronounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्Role कर्ता (उषस्/प्रभात-रूपा ‘या’)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- व्यूषुः
- have dawned / shone forthVerbलुङ्/परोक्स-प्रायः वैदिक-भूतकालः, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root √वस्/√उष् (व्यूष् ‘to dawn, shine forth’; perfect-like aorist/preterite form in Vedic)
- याः
- those (f.) whoPronounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्ताRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root च
- नूनम्
- now / indeedIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root नूनम्
- व्युच्छान्
- dawning / shining forthVerb (participle)वर्तमान-कृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (or acc. pl. depending on construal)Role कर्ता (as ‘those dawning’) / विशेषणRoot √उच्छ् (उच्छति ‘to shine forth, dawn’), with vi-
- अनु
- after / followingIndeclinable (preverb)अव्ययम्Root अनु
- पूर्वाः
- the former (dawns)Adjective (substantivized)स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्ताRoot पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृपते
- falls into order / follows (in succession)Verbलट्, आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (collective sense) अथवा बहुवचनार्थेRoot √कॢप्/√कृप् (वैदिक ‘to be in order/fit, follow in succession’; here ‘arrange themselves/come in sequence’)
- वावशाना
- eager / desirousParticipleस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (agreeing with उषस् understood)Role कर्ता-विशेषणRoot √वश् (वाशयति/वशति; ‘to desire, wish’), reduplicated intens./desiderative-like participial stem in Vedic
- प्रदीध्याना
- shining brightly / kindlingParticipleस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (middle participle, -आना)Role कर्ता-विशेषणRoot √ध्यै (to think/meditate/shine; with प्र-; Vedic: ‘shining forth, kindling’)
- जोषम्
- delight / favorNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot जोष (प्रातिपदिक; ‘pleasure, enjoyment, welcome’)
- अन्याभिः
- with the others (dawns)Adjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचनम्Role करण (सहकारि-करण: ‘with the others’)Root अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- एति
- goes / comesVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √इ (to go)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved padaccheda: कियात्या | यत् | समया | भवाति | या | व्यूषुः | याः | च | नूनम् | व्युच्छान् | अनु | पूर्वाः | कृपते | वावशाना | प्रदीध्याना | जोषम् | अन्याभिः | एति । Notable: याश्च → याः + च
- व्यूषुर्याश्च → व्यूषुः + याः + च (visarga before y in saṃhitā)
- नूनं व्युच्छान् kept as separate padas
- other junctions are simple vowel coalescences per saṃhitā
The meaning
Outer meaning
What is the measure of her season—of dawns that have dawned and those now dawning? She moves in sympathy with the earlier ones; shining, she goes with the others seeking glad consent.
Inner meaning
The seeker wonders at the rhythm and measure of recurring illuminations—past awakenings and the present arising. Dawn is not isolated; each new illumination is linked to previous realizations and advances with the collective movement of powers in us. She seeks ‘joṣa’—a glad assent—meaning the harmonious consent of our faculties and of the divine powers to sustain the next step of transformation.
Universal truth
Awakening comes by cycles and continuity: each illumination inherits from the past, joins the present movement, and aims at harmony. Progress is secured not by force alone but by glad consent—an inner agreement of all parts to the truth.
Themes
Measured recurrence, Yearning toward manifestation, Continuity with the past, Consent of powers
The seer
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 1.113, RV 1.112, RV 1.114
Family tradition
Āṅgirasa hymns often portray a progressive unveiling: light comes in sequences and must be integrated by consent of the powers (devas) and instruments (human nature).
Significance
This verse is a phenomenology of practice: it notices timing, recurrence, and integration. Kutsa points to a key yogic criterion—‘joṣa’—the inner gladness/consent that indicates the illumination has been received harmoniously, not merely forced.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Epithets
- vāvashānā (yearning), pradīdhyānā (shining)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Agni, Mitra-Varuṇa (ṛta/time order)
Cosmic role
She maintains the lawful succession of days and measures time by her recurring arrivals.
Inner power
She coordinates cycles of awakening and seeks harmony among the faculties so illumination becomes stable and fruitful.
In ritual
Where it is used
Reflective verse on the measured recurrence (samaya) of dawns; supports meditative timing and right season (kāla) in ritual and inner practice.
किया॒त्या यत्स॒मया॒ भवा॑ति॒ या व्यू॒षुर्याश्च॑ नू॒नं व्यु॒च्छान् । अनु॒ पूर्वा॑: कृपते वावशा॒ना प्र॒दीध्या॑ना॒ जोष॑म॒न्याभि॑रेति ॥
किय॑ति । आ । यत् । स॒मया॑ । भवा॑ति । याः । वि॒ऽऊ॒षुः । याः । च॒ । नू॒नम् । वि॒ऽउ॒च्छान् । अनु॑ । पूर्वाः॑ । कृ॒प॒ते॒ । वा॒व॒शा॒ना । प्र॒ऽदीध्या॑ना । जोष॑म् । अ॒न्याभिः॑ । ए॒ति॒ ॥
kiyati | ā | yat | samayā | bhavāti | yāḥ | vi-ūṣuḥ | yāḥ | ca | nūnam | vi-ucchān | anu | pūrvāḥ | kṛpate | vāvaśānā | pra-dīdhyānā | joṣam | anyābhiḥ | eti
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4×11
Reflective yet forward; interrogative opening followed by flowing continuity
Induces contemplative attention to inner timing; then restores confidence in onward movement.
- samayā
- Literal: season, appointed time. Symbolic: Rhythm/measure of spiritual cycles; timing in sādhanā
- vyūṣuḥ / vyucchān
- Literal: have dawned / are dawning. Symbolic: Past and present illuminations; stages of awakening
- anu pūrvāḥ
- Literal: following the former ones. Symbolic: Continuity with earlier realizations; building on prior openings
- vāvashānā
- Literal: yearning, desiring. Symbolic: Aspiration of illumination to manifest fully in the seeker
- pradīdhyānā
- Literal: shining forth intensely. Symbolic: Active radiance of consciousness; clarified mind
- joṣam
- Literal: pleased consent, enjoyment. Symbolic: Glad assent and harmonization of inner powers
Reflective verse on the measured recurrence (samaya) of dawns; supports meditative timing and right season (kāla) in ritual and inner practice.
At dawn in reflective praise; suitable when contemplating cycles, discipline, and continuity in practice.
Recitation to align with the rhythm of day and the rhythm of inner progress.
Use when practice feels uneven: chant to accept cyclicity, then recommit gently to the next step.
samaya ‘proper time/season’ from sam- ‘together’ + aya ‘going’ (or time-course): the fitting convergence in ṛta. vāvashāna from √vaś ‘wish, desire’ = aspiration in the cosmic power itself. pradī́dhyānā suggests blazing/shining (intensive of √dhī/√didh), indicating Dawn’s self-luminous emergence. joṣa ‘glad acceptance’ often marks harmonious assent between powers; psychologically, the consenting alignment of faculties to the arriving light.
kāla as rhythmic order (samaya), continuity of manifestation (anu pūrvāḥ), harmony/consent (joṣa)
Dawns as ordered succession; the question of ‘measure’ points to the lawfulness of manifestation.
True illumination integrates across time; it is confirmed by harmony (joṣa) rather than passing excitement.
Cyclic renewal; manifestation proceeds by repeated emergence of light.
Yoga of transformation: stages recur until integrated; time is an instrument of consciousness.
dawn
The cadence of repeated awakenings; maturation through cycles; integration with the ‘others’—supporting powers and faculties.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The innumerable succession of dawns measured by an unseen season-law: each new Dawn follows the earlier ones and joins the others. Inner myth: awakenings in consciousness come in rhythms; the seeker learns timing (samaya) and the necessity of harmony (joṣa) among inner powers for the light to establish itself.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The recurrent motion verb √i ‘go’ and the emphasis on temporal sequence (pūrvāḥ… anyābhiḥ) reflect archaic IE poetic structuring around procession and recurrence. The intensive formations (vāvashāna, pradīdhyānā) are characteristically Vedic, preserving older expressive morphology for heightened action/state.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi contemplates Dawn not as a random event but as a measured power acting in continuity. The human relation is learning right timing and cooperation: by seeking ‘joṣa’—glad assent—one aligns inner faculties with the arriving illumination, allowing the new dawn to join the lineage of prior awakenings.
Contemplate the ‘measure’ of your awakenings: observe recurring patterns without judgment; invite harmony (joṣa).
equal breathing (sama-vṛtti) 4-4 or 6-6 for 3 minutes
Reflective sattva; patient continuity
Journal one line after chanting: ‘What dawned before? What is dawning now?’ Then choose one supportive habit that helps the next dawn arrive with glad consent rather than compulsion.
Standard Vedic accentuation; opening interrogative benefits from a slight lift on the question phrase while keeping udātta placement intact.
Pause lightly after the first pāda question; let subsequent padas flow as one continuity.
kiyātyā: keep long ā; palatal ty, vyūṣuḥ: long ū; ṣ retroflex, kṛpate: clear ṛ, joṣam: long o; ṣ retroflex
Softly wondering at first, then luminous and even
3
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