Rig Veda 7.81.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 81, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.81
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उच्छन्ती या कृणोषि मंहना महि प्रख्यै देवि स्वर्दृशे । तस्यास्ते रत्नभाज ईमहे वयं स्याम मातुर्न सूनवः ॥
ucchántī yā́ kṛṇóṣi maṃhánā mahí pra-khyái devi svàr-dṛśé | tásyās te ratna-bhā́ja īmahe vayáṃ syā́ma mātúr ná sū́naváḥ ||
देवी उषा, जब तुम उगती हो तो तुम्हारा बड़ा काम होता है। तुम रोशनी दिखाती हो, सब साफ साफ दिखने लगता है। तुम्हारी यह खज़ाना हम भी चाहते हैं। हम माँ के बच्चे जैसे बन जाएँ, माँ जो हमें रोशनी देती है।
Word by Word
- उच्छन्ती
- rising, shining (she who rises)Adjective/Participleस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वर्तमान सक्रिय कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्यय)Role Kartā (कर्तृ-विशेषणम्) / विषयःRoot उद्-√शि (शयति/शेते) → उच्छन्ती (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- या
- whoPronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (कर्तृ) / सम्बन्ध-प्रवर्तिकाRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- कृणोषि
- you make, you doVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)Root √कृ (करोति)
- मंहना
- by bounty, by generosityNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (करणे)Role Karaṇa (करण)Root मंहन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दान/उदारता/समृद्धि’)
- महि
- greatly, mightilyIndeclinableअव्ययRole Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)Root महि (अव्यय; ‘महत्त्वे/प्रशंसायाम्’)
- प्रख्यै
- to make manifest, to proclaimVerbal noun (Infinitive)तुमर्थे अव्ययीभाव-प्रायः; दातृ-रूपेण ‘-ए’ (वैदिक infinitive)Role Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)Root प्र-√ख्या (ख्यायते/ख्याति) → प्रख्यै (तुमुन्/तव्यत्-न; दातिवत् infinitive)
- देवि
- O goddessNoun (Vocative)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)Root देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वः-दृशे
- for the sight/vision of heaven (for heavenly seeing)Noun (compound)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन (दत्त्यर्थे)Role Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान) / प्रयोजन-सम्बन्धRoot स्वः (स्वर्) + √दृश् → दृश् (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-आधार) ; समासः
- तस्याः
- of herPronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- रत्न-भाजः
- sharers of treasure, partakers of richesNoun/Adjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (कर्तृ) / वयम्-विशेषणम्Root रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + √भज् → भाज (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक ‘भागी/भजमान’); समासः
- ईमहे
- we seek, we imploreVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)Root √ईम्/√इ (वैदिक: ईमहे ‘we seek/implore’)
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (कर्तृ)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- स्याम
- may I/we beVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन (वैदिक प्रयोगः; सामूहिक-वाक्ये)Role Kriyā (आशीर्वाद/इच्छा)Root √अस् (भवति) → स्याम्
- मातुः
- of the motherNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)Root मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableअव्यय (उपमा/सादृश्ये)Role Upamāna-nirdeśa (उपमान-सूचक)Root न (अव्यय)
- सूनवः
- sonsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā/Predicative (विधेय-नाम)Root सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: उच्छन्ती | या | कृणोषि | मंहना | महि | प्रख्यै | देवि | स्वः-दृशे || तस्याः | ते | रत्न-भाजः | ईमहे | वयम् | स्याम | मातुः | न | सूनवः || 1) स्वर्दृशे = स्वः + दृशे (समास/सन्धि; visarga before द्)
- 2) रत्नभाजः = रत्न + भाजः (समास)
- 3) तस्यास्ते = तस्याः + ते (विसर्ग-लोप/सन्धि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When you rise, O Goddess, by your generous greatness you make the luminous world clearly seen; of that treasure of yours we seek to be sharers, that we may be like children of a mother.
Inner meaning
As Uṣas ascends, she performs the inner act of prakhyā—clear manifestation to the seeing consciousness (svar-dṛś). Her ‘generous greatness’ (maṃhanā mahi) is the wideness of illumination that makes the supramental/solar realm perceptible. The seekers pray to become ratnabhājaḥ—participants in the inner riches—so that they may live as ‘children of the Mother’: sustained, educated, and formed by the luminous Power rather than by ignorance.
Universal truth
True awakening is not merely insight but a maternal nourishment: light that forms the being, making us heirs to a higher life.
Themes
vision of Svar, participation in treasure, mother-child relation to the divine, generosity of illumination
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.81.1-6 (Uṣas), RV 7.87 (Varuṇa and ṛta)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha hymns often join devotion with a precise psychological request: not only ‘light’, but the capacity to see and embody it in ordered life (ṛta).
Significance
The seer frames dawn as a divine pedagogy: illumination that mothers the soul into a new birth of consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Epithets
- devī (Goddess), ucchantī (rising one)
- Related deities
- Savitṛ, Sūrya, Sarasvatī (as inspired speech/clarity), Aditi (as the vast Mother)
Cosmic role
She reveals the world each day and sets the rhythms of activity; she is the opener of vision.
Inner power
Power of manifestation and discernment—turning vague aspiration into clear seeing (prakhyā) of the luminous realm.
In ritual
Where it is used
Morning stotra to Uṣas; used to invoke auspicious beginning and vision for the day’s rite.
उ॒च्छन्ती॒ या कृ॒णोषि॑ मं॒हना॑ महि प्र॒ख्यै दे॑वि॒ स्व॑र्दृ॒शे । तस्या॑स्ते रत्न॒भाज॑ ईमहे व॒यं स्याम॑ मा॒तुर्न सू॒नव॑: ॥
उ॒च्छन्ती॑ । या । कृ॒णोषि॑ । मं॒हना॑ । म॒हि॒ । प्र॒ऽख्यै । दे॒वि॒ । स्वः॑ । दृ॒शे । तस्याः॑ । ते॒ । र॒त्न॒ऽभाजः॑ । ई॒म॒हे॒ । व॒यम् । स्याम॑ । मा॒तुः । न । सू॒नवः॑ ॥
ucchantī | yā | kṛṇoṣi | maṃhanā | mahi | pra-khyai | devi | svaḥ | dṛśe | tasyāḥ | te | ratna-bhājaḥ | īmahe | vayam | syāma | mātuḥ | na | sūnavaḥ
24
3×8 (approx.)
Crisp, luminous, mantra-like compactness
Supports mental clarity and ‘clear seeing’; good for short repetitive japa at dawn.
- ucchantī
- Literal: rising, shining forth. Symbolic: the ascent of illumination in consciousness
- maṃhanā mahi
- Literal: by generous greatness. Symbolic: wideness and abundance of the higher light-force
- prakhyai
- Literal: to make manifest/clearly known. Symbolic: revelation; making the inner world intelligible and workable
- svaḥ-dṛśe
- Literal: for the seeing of svah (luminous world). Symbolic: vision of higher planes; solar consciousness
- ratnabhājaḥ
- Literal: sharers of treasure. Symbolic: those who partake of spiritual gains: light, joy, right power
- mātuḥ na sūnavaḥ
- Literal: like sons/children of the mother. Symbolic: living in the shelter and formation of the Divine Mother’s light
Verse for seeking participation (bhāga) in dawn’s treasure and the vision of Svar; apt for contemplative dawn recitation and for invoking clarity before offerings.
At sunrise / early morning; also at the start of study or contemplative practice
Praise and request for ‘svar-dṛś’—right seeing; sharing in the ‘ratna’
A ‘clarity intention’ mantra before work/study: invoke inner seeing and receptivity to higher guidance.
pra-khyā from √khyā ‘to be seen/known’ → ‘manifestation, clear showing’. svaḥ (Svar) from √svar/√sū ‘shine’ (luminous world). ratna-bhāj from √bhaj ‘share’ (PIE *bʰag- ‘apportion’). maṃhanā from √maṃh ‘to be liberal, bountiful’. The maternal imagery (mātṛ, sūnu) frames Dawn as nurturing principle of illumination.
Svar (luminous plane), bhāga/bhaj: rightful share, divine motherhood as nurturing illumination
Illumination makes ṛta visible—right timing, right measure, right direction.
Prakhyā: truth becomes explicit, not inferred; the mind becomes a truthful instrument.
Revelation as creation: the world becomes ‘real’ to us through light; likewise inner life is created by consciousness.
Yoga of illumination and formation; anticipates Upaniṣadic ‘light as knowledge’ and Shakti-as-Mother motifs.
sunrise
Emergence of higher perception; the ‘Mother’ is the nurturing consciousness that stabilizes insight into lived transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Dawn as the Mother who grants vision of Svar and shares her treasure with her ‘children’. The mythic motherhood expresses an inner law: illumination is not seized but received through belonging—becoming fit vessels (‘children’) of the light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhaj ‘share’ (ratna-bhāj) continues the IE apportionment root (*bʰag-), central to both social and sacral distribution. The verse encodes a PIE-style reciprocity and inheritance model: the ‘children’ inherit a portion of the mother’s treasure.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks for adoption into Dawn’s lineage of light: not merely gifts, but a stable status—being ‘like sons of the Mother’—so that the vision of Svar and the treasure become enduring endowments.
Meditate on ‘svar-dṛś’: allow the mind to become a field of clear seeing; invite the Motherly light to form your day.
ājñā (inner vision)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) for 7 rounds; mantra mentally during exhale
Quiet wakefulness; receptive clarity
After chanting, sit still and ‘look’ inward without effort. Let images/thoughts settle; notice a clearer background awareness. Offer the day to that light as a child to the Mother.
Follow udatta/anudatta/svarita from the recensional tradition; keep the gāyatrī swing even and bright.
Mark pāda breaks clearly; slight lift on udatta, gentle fall at pāda end; avoid rushing sandhi clusters.
ucchantī: ‘uc-chan-tī’ (double consonant clarity), kṛṇoṣi: retroflex ṇ; ‘kṛ-ṇo-ṣi’, svar-dṛśe: pronounce ‘svah’ as ‘svaḥ’ with visarga; dṛ = vocalic ṛ, sūnavaḥ: long ū; soft v
clear, steady, maternal warmth
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