Rig Veda 7.81.3: Mandala 7, Sukta 81, Mantra 3
Sukta 7.81
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
प्रति त्वा दुहितर्दिव उषो जीरा अभुत्स्महि । या वहसि पुरु स्पार्हं वनन्वति रत्नं न दाशुषे मयः ॥
práti tvā duhitár diva uṣo jīrā́ abhutsmahi | yā́ váhasi purú spā́rhaṃ vananvatí rátnam ná dāśúṣe máyaḥ ||
हे उषा, तुम आसमान की बेटी हो। हम तुम्हारे पास जल्दी-जल्दी आते हैं। तुम जो लाती हो वो बहुत अच्छा लगता है, जैसे कोई खज़ाना मिल जाए। जो लोग भगवान को अपना सब कुछ समझ के मानते हैं, उनके लिए यह खुशी लाती हो।
Word by Word
- प्रति
- towards, in response toIndeclinableRoot प्रति (upasarga/avyaya)
- त्वा
- you (object)Pronounaccusative, singularRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (2nd pers. pronoun)
- दुहितः
- O daughterNounvocative, singular, feminineRole SambodhanaRoot दुहितृ (prātipadika)
- दिवः
- of heaven/skyNoungenitive, singular, feminineRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot दिव्/द्यौ (prātipadika: दिव्/द्यौ ‘sky’)
- उषः
- O Uṣas (Dawn)Nounvocative, singular, feminineRole SambodhanaRoot उषस् (prātipadika)
- जीराः
- swift/quick (ones)Adjectivenominative, plural, masculine (used substantively)Role KartāRoot जीर (adj. prātipadika)
- अभुत्स्महि
- we have become / we have come to beVerbaorist (root-aorist), 1st person plural, parasmaipada; with preverb अ- (here as augment)Role KriyāRoot भू (dhātu)
- या
- who (she)Pronounnominative, singular, feminineRole Kartā (of relative clause) / sambandha to UṣasRoot यद् (relative pronoun)
- वहसि
- you carryVerbpresent, 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole KriyāRoot वह् (dhātu)
- पुरु
- much, manyIndeclinable (quantifier) / Adjective(used as modifier)Root पुरु (indeclinable/adjectival stem)
- स्पार्हम्
- desirable, covetedAdjectiveaccusative, singular, neuterRole Karma (qualifier) / viśeṣaṇa of रत्नम्Root स्पार्ह (adj. prātipadika)
- वनन्वति
- winning/bringing gain; seeking to winAdjective (participle)nominative, singular, feminine (agreeing with या = Uṣas)Role Kartā (as qualifier of subject) / viśeṣaṇaRoot वनन्वत् (present participial stem from √वन्/वन् ‘to win, desire, seek’)
- रत्नम्
- treasure, giftNounaccusative, singular, neuterRole KarmaRoot रत्न (prātipadika)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableRoot न (particle)
- दाशुषे
- to the giver/worshipper (the one who offers)Noun/Adjective (participle used substantively)dative, singular, masculineRole SampradānaRoot दाश्वांस् (perfect participle from √दाश् ‘to give, worship, offer’)
- मयः
- delight, joy, refreshmentNounaccusative, singular, neuter (Vedic: also used as nom./acc. neut.)Role Karma (apposition/qualifier to रत्नम्) / phalaRoot मयस् (prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi resolution): प्रति | त्वा | दुहितः | दिवः | उषः | जीराः | अभुत्स्महि । या | वहसि | पुरु | स्पार्हम् | वनन्वति | रत्नम् | न | दाशुषे | मयः । Notable: (1) अभुत्स्महि = अ- (augment) + भूत् (aorist of √भू) + स्महि (1pl ending), with internal sandhi t+s → त्स
- (2) दुहितर्दिवः in saṃhitā shows r-sandhi: दुहितः + दिवः → दुहितर्दिवः
- (3) दाशुषे is dative sg. of the perfect participle दाश्वांस् (Vedic stem दाशुष्-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
We turn toward Dawn, Daughter of Heaven, becoming swift in our seeking; she bears abundant, desirable joy like a treasure to the giver (the one who offers).
Inner meaning
Uṣas is the inward awakening light. The sādhaka becomes jīrāḥ—quick, ardent, “ripe” in aspiration—turning the whole being toward illumination. Dawn carries mayas (delight/refreshment) as a ratna (treasure of consciousness) to the dāśuṣ (the self-giving practitioner), because inner light increases where there is surrender and offering of the ego into the inner yajña.
Universal truth
When aspiration is swift and sincere, illumination naturally brings delight and nourishment; the inner gifts come most to the one who gives themselves.
Themes
reciprocity of offering and gift, treasure as inner delight, aspiration quickened
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Brahmarṣi lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.81 (Uṣas hymn), RV 7.82 (Indra-Varuṇa), RV 7.86 (Varuṇa: confession and release), RV 7.88 (higher vision and the seer’s ascent)
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 7 is the Vasiṣṭha family book; hymns often emphasize ṛta, right guidance, and the descent of luminous powers into the human journey.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s voice is that of disciplined aspiration aligned to ṛta: not merely praising dawn, but invoking the psychological dawn that makes the inner sacrifice effective and fruitful.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Epithets
- duhitā divaḥ (Daughter of Heaven), devī (Goddess), ucchantī (she who rises)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Agni, Aśvins, Savitṛ
Cosmic role
She opens the day, reveals forms, sets beings in motion, and makes the world ‘see’—the cosmic revealer.
Inner power
Awakening intelligence that dispels inertia, brings clarity, and releases delight (mayaḥ) as a support for right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Morning invocation to Uṣas in the prātaḥ-savana atmosphere; also suitable as a general dawn praise in soma-related sequences.
प्रति॑ त्वा दुहितर्दिव॒ उषो॑ जी॒रा अ॑भुत्स्महि । या वह॑सि पु॒रु स्पा॒र्हं व॑नन्वति॒ रत्नं॒ न दा॒शुषे॒ मय॑: ॥
प्रति॑ । त्वा॒ । दु॒हि॒तः॒ । दि॒वः॒ । उषः॑ । जी॒राः । अ॒भु॒त्स्म॒हि॒ । या । वह॑सि । पु॒रु । स्पा॒र्हम् । व॒न॒न्ऽव॒ति॒ । रत्न॑म् । न । दा॒शुषे॑ । मयः॑ ॥
prati | tvā | duhitaḥ | divaḥ | uṣaḥ | jīrāḥ | abhutsmahi | yā | vahasi | puru | spārham | vanan-vati | ratnam | na | dāśuṣe | mayaḥ
24
3 pādas of ~8 syllables each (gāyatrī cadence; exact saṃhitā-syllable count may vary by sandhi)
Quick, bright, forward-moving
Creates a feeling of alert ascent—supporting swift aspiration (jīrāḥ) and a clean turn toward inner light.
- prati
- Literal: toward, in response to. Symbolic: turning of consciousness; intentional orientation of the being
- duhitā divaḥ
- Literal: Daughter of Heaven. Symbolic: illumination born from the higher (divine) consciousness
- uṣas
- Literal: dawn. Symbolic: spiritual awakening; progressive illumination
- jīrāḥ
- Literal: swift, active; also ‘mature/ripe’. Symbolic: quickened aspiration; ripeness of the seeking will
- vahasi
- Literal: you carry/bear. Symbolic: the descent/bringing down of higher energies into mind-life-body
- puru spārham
- Literal: much, desirable. Symbolic: abundant higher possibilities; many luminous movements
- ratnam
- Literal: treasure, jewel. Symbolic: concentrated spiritual riches: light, joy, power, right discernment
- dāśuṣe
- Literal: to the giver/offerer. Symbolic: the surrendered being who offers works, breath, and thought
- mayaḥ
- Literal: delight, refreshment, beneficence. Symbolic: ananda-like sweetness that accompanies true illumination
Verse for cultivating the right attitude of offering (dāśuṣ) and receptivity to delight (mayas) at dawn.
At daybreak / early morning recitations; opening of a rite or beginning of daily discipline
Āhvāna (invocation) and stuti (praise) to bring auspicious energies and right beginning
Use at the start of meditation/day: a brief turning (prati) of the mind toward clarity, gratitude, and self-offering.
jīrá- ‘swift/awake’ from √jṛ/√jīr ‘to be quick, lively’. spārhá- ‘desirable’ (connected to longing/aspiration). √van ‘win’ gives vananvat- ‘winning’. dāśuṣ- ‘giver’ from √dāś ‘offer’ (ritual giving becomes inner self-offering). máyas ‘delight’ is a key Vedic term for a substantive joy-power, not mere emotion.
self-offering (dāśuṣ) as condition for receiving, ānanda-like delight (mayas), aspiration and swiftness (jīra)
Uṣas is a gatekeeper of ṛta: she establishes right movement by revealing the path and timing.
Truth becomes effective when the being turns toward it; illumination is not random but responsive to aspiration.
Daily re-creation: light re-manifests the world and renews the inner formation.
Proto-Vedāntic and yogic psychology (Aurobindonian reading): ascent/descent, offering, and illumination leading to delight.
dawn
The first emergence of higher awareness in the mind; the ‘treasure’ is the concentrated gain of the inner sacrifice—joy and clarity descending into the instruments.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Dawn as treasure-bearer: she carries the ‘ratna’ and ‘mayas’ for the one who gives. Mythically a goddess of gifts; psychologically, illumination brings delight and inner riches in proportion to the seeker’s self-offering.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhū ‘become’ (abhutsmahi) and √weh₂ ‘carry’ (√vah) are old IE. The gift-economy formula ‘to the giver she gives treasure’ parallels IE reciprocity ethics embedded in ritual speech.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions himself as dāśuṣ (offerer): the relationship is contractual in Ṛta—true giving (outer and inner) invites Dawn’s corresponding bestowal of delight and desirable powers.
‘Turning toward the dawn within’: offer the day’s thoughts into the inner fire and invite clarity with delight.
ājñā (clarity/seeing) and anāhata (joyful wideness)
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana 6–8 cycles, then natural breath with the mantra mentally on exhale
Waking-to-witness transition; luminous alertness
Begin seated at first light. Feel the mind pivot (prati) upward; make an inner offering (dāśuṣ). Receive the ‘treasure’ as quiet joy rather than excitement; let it organize the day’s will.
Vedic svaras as per śākhā tradition: observe udatta on marked syllables; svarita on following; anudatta as the unraised baseline (exact pattern requires pada-svara notation).
Keep the melodic rise on udatta syllables; do not over-lengthen sandhi; let each pāda end settle gently.
uṣo: pronounce ‘u-ṣo’ with retroflex ṣ, duhitar: ‘du-hi-tar’ (clear h, light dental t), spārham: long ā; ‘spār-ham’, dāśuṣe: long ā; ś = palatal ‘sh’
bright, clear, lightly aspirated; morning freshness
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