Rig Veda 2.31.5: Mandala 2, Sukta 31, Mantra 5
Sukta 2.31
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Uṣas-Naktā
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उत त्ये देवी सुभगे मिथूदृशोषासानक्ता जगतामपीजुवा । स्तुषे यद्वां पृथिवि नव्यसा वचः स्थातुश्च वयस्त्रिवया उपस्तिरे ॥
utá tyé devī́ subhágē mithū-dṛ́śo uṣásā-náktā jágatām api-júvā | stuṣé yád vāṃ pṛthivi návyasā vácas sthātúś ca váyas trí-vayā upa-stíre ||
और वो दो देवियाँ भी हैं, उषा और रात्रि। दोनों खुश नसीब हैं और दोनों एक ही चीज़ देखती हैं। यह दोनों दुनिया को आगे बढ़ाती हैं। मैं तुम्हारी तारीफ करता हूँ। हे धरती, जब नया शब्द आता है, तब स्थिरता और उड़ने वाली शक्तियाँ तीन तरह की ज़िंदगी के लिए बिस्तर बिछा देती हैं।
Word by Word
- उत
- and, alsoIndeclinableconj./particleRoot उत
- त्ये
- those twoPronoun (demonstrative)masc. nom. dualRole KartāRoot तद्
- देवी
- (the) two goddessesNounfem. nom. dualRole Kartā (apposition)Root देवी (देव-)
- सुभगे
- fortunate, auspiciousAdjectivefem. nom. dualRole Kartā (apposition)Root सुभग
- मिथूदृशौ
- mutually-seeing, facing each otherAdjectivefem. nom. dualRole Kartā (apposition)Root मिथूदृश्
- उषासा
- Dawn (as a pair)Nounfem. nom. dual (Vedic dual form)Role Kartā (apposition)Root उषस्
- नक्ता
- Night (as a pair)Nounfem. nom. dual (Vedic dual form)Role Kartā (apposition)Root नक्त्
- जगताम्
- of the moving beings / of the worldNounneut. gen. pl.Role Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot जगत्
- अपि
- towards, alsoIndeclinableparticle/preverbRoot अपि
- जुवा
- swiftAdjectivefem. nom. dualRole Kartā (apposition)Root जु
- स्तुषे
- I praiseVerbpresent, ātmanepada, 1st person singularRoot स्तु
- यत्
- that which; whenRelative pronounneut. acc. sg. (used adverbially: ‘when/that’)Role Karma (of स्तुषे) / sambandhaRoot यद्
- वाम्
- to/for you two; of you twoPronoungen./dat. dual (enclitic)Role Sampradāna (of praise) / sambandhaRoot युष्मद्
- पृथिवि
- O EarthNoun (vocative)fem. voc. sg.Role SambोधनRoot पृथिवी
- नव्यसा
- with a new (hymn)Adjectiveneut. instr. sg.Role KaraṇaRoot नव्य
- वचः
- speech, hymnNounneut. acc. sg.Role Karma (of स्तुषे)Root वचस्
- स्थातुः
- of the standing one / of what standsNoun (agent/abstract)masc./neut. gen. sg.Role Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot स्था (स्थातृ/स्थातु)
- च
- andIndeclinableconjunctionRoot च
- वयः
- vigor, life, strengthNounneut. nom./acc. sg.Role (coord.) Karma / or subject per constr.Root वयस्
- त्रिवया
- with threefold strengthAdjectiveneut. instr. sg.Role KaraṇaRoot त्रिवय
- उपस्तिरे
- they two have spread/laid down (as a covering)Verbperfect (Vedic), ātmanepada, 3rd person dualRoot उप-स्तृ
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved: मिथू॒दृशो॒षासा॒नक्ता॒ → मिथूदृशौ + उषासा + नक्ता (dual nominatives in apposition)
- जग॑तामपी॒जुवा॑ → जगताम् + अपि + जुवा
- यद्वां॑ → यत् + वाम्
- पृथिवि॒ नव्य॑सा॒ वच॑: → पृथिवि + नव्यसा + वचः
- स्था॒तुश्च॒ → स्थातुः + च
- वय॒स्त्रिव॑या → वयः + त्रिवया
The meaning
Outer meaning
Praise to the two fortunate goddesses, Dawn and Night, who drive forward all that moves. With a newer word, Earth is addressed: the standing and the winged beings of the threefold life spread as a bed/foundation for her.
Inner meaning
Uṣas and Naktā are twin powers with ‘one vision’: illumination and the supportive veil that allows assimilation. Dawn is the progressive awakening; Night is the inward, gestational rest that consolidates gains. Together they ‘drive’ the movement of consciousness forward. The ‘newer word’ (navyasā vacaḥ) is fresh mantra-vision—renewed formulation from living experience, not repetition. ‘Earth’ is the embodied nature that must receive and grow. The ‘standing’ (sthātuḥ) are stable structures—physical and established mental formations; the ‘winged’ (vayaḥ) are mobile life-thought energies. ‘Threefold life’ points to body–life–mind (or waking–dream–sleep as a triune field of experience). When these are rightly arranged, they become a ‘bed’—a prepared foundation—for the growth of embodied consciousness.
Universal truth
Illumination must be balanced with assimilation. Spiritual growth requires both awakening and rest, and a continual renewal of the word/insight so the embodied nature can safely expand.
Themes
Dawn-Night pair, Renewal of speech, Foundation for growth
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.27 (Ādityas and order), RV 1.113 (Uṣas, thematic parallel though different rishi), RV 7.75 (Uṣas, thematic parallel)
Family tradition
His hymns often interpret cosmic alternations (day/night) as a spiritual pedagogy—awakening and consolidation in the journey.
Significance
He frames the rhythm of progress: illumination must be grounded in the earth-nature through renewed speech and harmonised forces.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas–Naktā (Dawn and Night)
- Epithets
- subhage (fortunate), mithūdṛśā (one-visioned), apījuvā (impelling)
- Related deities
- Sūrya (as dawn’s source), Rātri (Night as goddess), Pṛthivī (Earth)
Cosmic role
Regulators of the diurnal rhythm; Dawn reveals and awakens, Night veils and restores; together they sustain the movement of beings.
Inner power
Uṣas brings insight, hope, and progressive clarity; Naktā brings inwardness, protection, assimilation, and depth—preventing burnout and dispersal.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dawn/Night praises in daily recitation; supportive in rites marking transitions (morning/evening).
उ॒त त्ये दे॒वी सु॒भगे॑ मिथू॒दृशो॒षासा॒नक्ता॒ जग॑तामपी॒जुवा॑ । स्तु॒षे यद्वां॑ पृथिवि॒ नव्य॑सा॒ वच॑: स्था॒तुश्च॒ वय॒स्त्रिव॑या उप॒स्तिरे॑ ॥
उ॒त । त्ये । दे॒वी इति॑ । सु॒भगे॒ इति॑ सु॒ऽभगे॑ । मिथु॒ऽदृशा॑ । उ॒षसा॒नक्ता॑ । जग॑ताम् । अ॒पि॒ऽजुवा॑ । स्तु॒षे । यत् । वा॒म् । पृ॒थि॒वि॒ । नव्य॑सा । वचः॑ । स्था॒तुः । च॒ । वयः॑ । त्रिऽव॑याः । उ॒प॒ऽस्तिरे॑ ॥
uta | tye | devī iti | subhageitisu-bhage | mithu-dṛśā | uṣasānaktā | jagatām | api-juvā | stuṣe | yat | vām | pṛthivi | navyasā | vacaḥ | sthātuḥ | ca | vayaḥ | tri-vayāḥ | upa-stire
44
4×11 (approx.)
Wave-like alternation—well-suited to the paired deity motif and the laying of a ‘bed’ (settling cadence).
Soothes and brightens simultaneously; encourages balanced practice—wakeful clarity with restful depth.
- उषसा-नक्ता (uṣāsā-naktā)
- Literal: Dawn and Night. Symbolic: Illumination and assimilative rest—twin powers of progressive awakening
- मिथूदृशा (mithūdṛśā)
- Literal: with one vision. Symbolic: Complementary unity: light and darkness working for a single aim
- अपिजुवा (apījuvā)
- Literal: driving forward/impelling. Symbolic: Forces that propel evolution of consciousness
- पृथिवि (pṛthivi)
- Literal: Earth. Symbolic: Embodied nature; the physical base that must be prepared to hold higher consciousness
- नव्यसा वचः (navyasā vacaḥ)
- Literal: newer word/speech. Symbolic: Fresh mantra-insight; living revelation renewing the practice
- स्थातुः (sthātuḥ)
- Literal: the standing. Symbolic: Stable formations: body, habits, established mind-structures
- वयः (vayaḥ)
- Literal: the winged. Symbolic: Mobile energies: thoughts, prāṇa currents, aspirations
- त्रिवयाः (trivayāḥ)
- Literal: threefold life. Symbolic: Body–life–mind (integral field) to be harmonised as a foundation
Temporal harmonization invocation; suitable where alternation of dawn/night symbolizes rhythmic discipline and renewal of speech (vāc) in rite and inner practice.
At dawn or dusk; also before beginning a new phase of work/practice.
Stuti to align with cosmic rhythm; inward offering of speech (vāc) as renewed intention.
Use at morning start (Uṣas) and evening closure (Naktā): morning for clarity, evening for assimilation and protection of gains.
uṣas- ‘dawn’ from √vas/√uṣ ‘to burn, shine’ (PIE *h₂ews- ‘dawn’). nakta- ‘night’ (PIE *nokʷt-). navyasa- comparative of nava ‘new’ (PIE *néwos). upa-stṛ from √stṛ ‘to spread, lay’ (PIE *ster- ‘spread’): here ‘laying a foundation’ for growth.
rhythm of revelation and concealment, renewal through ‘new word’ (navyasa vacas), triple life-force integration
Day-night alternation is ṛta’s visible pedagogy: revelation and concealment as one ordered process.
Satya appears as ‘newer word’—truth freshly expressed from experience.
Laying a foundation in earth for growth: manifestation requires a prepared base and rhythmic nurture.
Integral/psychological Veda: cosmic rhythms mirror stages of consciousness development.
dawn_and_dusk
Dawn = illumination; Night = assimilation/protection; Earth = embodiment; standing/winged = stability and mobility in the nature; stars/sun = guiding lights of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The twin goddesses Dawn and Night as the cosmic alternation that drives all movement. Mythically, their shared vision (mithū-dṛś) indicates complementarity that sustains evolution: concealment prepares, revelation manifests.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- uṣas and nakta preserve classic IE temporal deities (*h₂ews- and *nokʷt-). The verb √stṛ ‘spread’ is also a strong IE inheritance (*ster-), showing deep continuity in metaphors of ‘laying down’ a support.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s ‘new word’ is an act of renewal that invites Dawn-Night to re-establish the foundation of growth: stable being (sthātu) and winged energies (vayas) become ordered supports rather than scattered impulses.
Balance awakening with integration: receive dawn-light, then allow night-depth to assimilate; renew your inner ‘word’ daily.
Ajñā (illumination) with Anāhata (psychic rest/assimilation).
Morning: slightly energising ujjāyī for clarity; evening: lengthened exhale (1:2) for settling and integration.
Quietly luminous; a stable base with gentle upward movement.
At dawn: chant once, then sit facing inner light for 5 minutes. At night: chant once, then practice a body-scan to ‘lay the bed’—settle energies into the earth-base without losing aspiration.
Let the paired names ‘uṣāsā naktā’ be clearly articulated with proper accent; keep the cadence gentle to match śānta rasa.
Slightly soften at the end of each pāda; keep the middle pādas flowing to evoke ‘driving forward.’
uṣāsā: retroflex ṣ; long ā, naktā: clear kt cluster, mithūdṛśā: long ū; retroflex ṣ in dṛśā? (keep dṛ as conjunct), trivayā: clear tri-va-yā; avoid ‘tray’
Soft, luminous, soothing; stable pitch with gentle rise on key accents.
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