Rig Veda 7.77.5: Mandala 7, Sukta 77, Mantra 5
Sukta 7.77
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अस्मे श्रेष्ठेभिर्भानुभिर्वि भाह्युषो देवि प्रतिरन्ती न आयुः । इषं च नो दधती विश्ववारे गोमदश्वावद्रथवच्च राधः ॥
asme śreṣṭhebhiḥ bhānubhir ví bhāhy uṣo devi pratirántī na ā́yuḥ | íṣaṃ ca no dádhatī viśva-vāre gomád aśvā́vad rathávat ca rā́dhaḥ ||
われらのうちに、最もすぐれた光線によって輝き出でよ、曙光の女神よ。われらの生命の息（āyus）を、途切れることなく前進させよ。正しい増大の衝き（iṣ）をわれらに授ける者、あらゆる望ましき富をもつ者よ、われらのうちに満ち足りた恵み（rādhas）を据えよ――牛のごとき光（go-mat）、馬のごとき力（aśva-vat）、車のごとき進み（ratha-vat）を備えたものを。
Word by Word
- अस्मे
- among us / for usPronounसर्वनाम; सप्तमी/चतुर्थी? बहुवचन (वैदिके ‘अस्मे’ = अस्मासु/अस्मभ्यः; अत्र अधिकरणे ‘अस्मासु’ = ‘हमारे बीच/हमारे लिए’)Role अधिकारणRoot अस्मद्
- श्रेष्ठेभिः
- with the bestAdjectiveपुं./नपुं.; तृतीया बहुवचनRole करणRoot श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; √श्रि/श्रय् ‘to lean, excel’ से तुलनात्मक-श्रेष्ठ)
- भानुभिः
- with rays / beamsNounपुं.; तृतीया बहुवचनRole करणRoot भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, forth, widelyIndeclinableउपसर्गःRoot वि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- भाहि
- shine forthVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot √भा (भा दीप्तौ)
- उषो
- O Uṣas (Dawn)Noun (vocative)स्त्री.; सम्बोधन एकवचन (वैदिक voc. ‘उषो’)Role सम्बोधनRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवि
- O goddessNoun (vocative)स्त्री.; सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रतिरन्ती
- delighting (towards us) / being graciousParticipleवर्तमान सक्रिय कृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्री. प्रथमा एकवचन; उषसः विशेषणम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root प्रति-√रम् (रम् क्रीडायाम्/रमणे) → ‘प्रतिरमन्ती’ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक) = ‘हमारा/हमारे’Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- आयुः
- life, lifespanNounनपुं.; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्म (भाहि इत्यस्य—‘हमारा आयुः’ प्रकाशित/वर्धितम्) / विषयRoot आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इषम्
- nourishment, refreshmentNounस्त्री.; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इष्/इषा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘refreshment, nourishment’)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयRoot च
- नः
- to usPronounचतुर्थी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक) = ‘अस्मभ्यः’Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्
- दधती
- bestowing, placingParticipleवर्तमान सक्रिय कृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्री. प्रथमा एकवचन; उषसः विशेषणम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root √धा (धा धारणे/दाने)
- विश्ववारे
- O all-lovely / all-bountiful oneAdjective (vocative)स्त्री.; सम्बोधन एकवचन; उषसः विशेषणम्Role सम्बोधनRoot विश्व-वार (प्रातिपदिक; ‘all-precious/desired by all’)
- गोमत्
- rich in cowsAdjectiveनपुं.; द्वितीया एकवचन (राधः विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (राधः-विशेषण)Root गोमत् (प्रातिपदिक; गो + मतुप्)
- अश्वावत्
- rich in horsesAdjectiveनपुं.; द्वितीया एकवचन (राधः विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (राधः-विशेषण)Root अश्वावत् (प्रातिपदिक; अश्व + मतुप्)
- रथवत्
- rich in chariotsAdjectiveनपुं.; द्वितीया एकवचन (राधः विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (राधः-विशेषण)Root रथवत् (प्रातिपदिक; रथ + मतुप्)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयRoot च
- राधः
- bounty, wealthNounनपुं.; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot राधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अस्मे | श्रेष्ठेभिः | भानुभिः | वि | भाहि | उषो | देवि | प्रतिरन्ती | नः | आयुः || इषम् | च | नः | दधती | विश्ववारे | गोमत् | अश्वावत् | रथवत् | च | राधः || 1) ‘भानुभिर्वि’ = भानुभिः + वि (विसर्ग/र्-सन्धि: इः + वि → इर्वि)
- 2) ‘भाह्युषो’ = भाहि + उषो (इ + उ → यु; यण्-सन्धि)
- 3) ‘रन्ती न’ = रन्ती + नः (पदसीमा; नः एन्क्लिटिक)
- 4) ‘वारे गोमत्’ = वारे + गोमत् (पदसीमा; कोई विशेष सन्धि नहीं)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Shine in us with your most excellent beams, O Dawn, O Goddess, and make our life-force advance unbroken. Bringing us nourishment/impulsion, O you of all desirable riches, grant us plenitude: with cows, with horses, with chariots as wealth.
Inner meaning
The prayer is explicitly inward: ‘shine in us’—let the best rays establish a luminous mind. ‘Life-force advance unbroken’ asks for continuity of growth without relapse into night (inertia). ‘Iṣ’ is the right impulsion, the divine push of increase and right enjoyment. ‘Viśvavāre’ indicates the Dawn holds all desirable powers—integral richness. The triple boon is symbolic: go-mat = rays/knowledges; aśva-vat = vital energies disciplined for action; ratha-vat = dynamic movement of progress (organized force that carries the being forward).
Universal truth
Spiritual progress must be integral: clarity (knowledge), energy (will), and effective movement (organized action) together, sustained by a continuous life-advance.
Themes
Uṣas-awakening, Light-over-Darkness, Inner prosperity (rādhas), Psychological symbolism of cows/horses/chariots
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.76.5 (Uṣas and boons), RV 7.77.6 (rayi in us)
Family tradition
Characteristic Vasiṣṭha integrality: light (bhānu) must enter ‘asme’ (in us) and then manifest as sustained āyuḥ (life-advance) and concrete powers (go/aśva/ratha).
Significance
This is a quintessential inner-sacrifice formula: invoke illumination, secure continuity, then receive a threefold empowerment—knowledge, energy, and effective progress.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Epithets
- devī, viśvavāre (all-desirable), giver of iṣ and rādhas
- Related deities
- Agni (will that executes), Indra (illumined mind-force), Sarasvatī (inspired flow, speech)
Cosmic role
She brings the day’s energies and prosperities; she is the distributor of boons that enable works.
Inner power
Illumining guidance that sustains life-growth and grants integral capacities: insight, force, and executive movement.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dawn praise for prosperity and successful works; compatible with household morning recitation and śrauta morning sessions as stuti (general).
अ॒स्मे श्रेष्ठे॑भिर्भा॒नुभि॒र्वि भा॒ह्युषो॑ देवि प्रति॒रन्ती॑ न॒ आयु॑: । इषं॑ च नो॒ दध॑ती विश्ववारे॒ गोम॒दश्वा॑व॒द्रथ॑वच्च॒ राध॑: ॥
अ॒स्मे इति॑ । श्रेष्ठे॑भिः । भा॒नुऽभिः । वि । भा॒हि॒ । उषः॑ । दे॒वि॒ । प्र॒ऽति॒रन्ती॑ । नः॒ । आयुः॑ । इष॑म् । च॒ । नः॒ । दध॑ती । वि॒श्व॒ऽवा॒रे॒ । गोऽम॑त् । अश्व॑ऽवत् । रथ॑ऽवत् । च॒ । राधः॑ ॥
asme iti | śreṣṭhebhiḥ | bhānu-bhiḥ | vi | bhāhi | uṣaḥ | devi | pra-tirantī | naḥ | āyuḥ | iṣam | ca | naḥ | dadhatī | viśva-vāre | go--mat | aśva-vat | ratha-vat | ca | rādhaḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Expansive and beneficent; a steady onward push mirroring ‘pratirantī’ (unbroken advance).
Builds confidence and continuity; the triple cadence (gomad/aśvāvad/rathavac) feels like successive empowerments.
- bhānubhiḥ śreṣṭhebhih
- Literal: with the best beams. Symbolic: highest illuminations; refined discriminative light
- asme vi bhāhi
- Literal: shine forth in us. Symbolic: inner descent of light into mind-heart-life
- pratirantī na āyuḥ
- Literal: making our life advance unbroken. Symbolic: continuous growth of being; prevention of lapses/relapses
- iṣam
- Literal: refreshment/impulsion. Symbolic: right impulsion of increase; divine push in life-force
- viśvavāre
- Literal: having all desirable (treasures). Symbolic: integral richness of consciousness-powers
- gomat
- Literal: possessing cows. Symbolic: possessing rays of knowledge/illumination
- aśvāvat
- Literal: possessing horses. Symbolic: possessing vital energies and forces of action
- rathavat
- Literal: possessing chariots. Symbolic: organized dynamic progress; moving power that carries realization into works
- rādhaḥ
- Literal: boon, grace, wealth. Symbolic: effective divine help and accomplished prosperity of being
Morning recitation connected with the Uṣas/Prātaḥ-savana atmosphere; used as awakening and illumination hymn within soma-day context (general prayoga; not uniquely tied to a single named iṣṭi in the provided data).
At dawn; also at the start of study, travel, or major undertakings (symbolic ‘ratha’).
Invocation for illumination, continuity of life, and plenitude of powers.
Chant as a ‘start-the-day’ integrality practice: ask for insight (go), energy (aśva), and effective execution (ratha).
(bhānu) from √bhā ‘to shine’: rays as modes of consciousness. from √bhā (imperative) ‘shine forth’. analyzed as pra- + √ṛ/√ar ‘to move, fit, rise’ with participial sense ‘pressing forward, advancing’; conveys uninterrupted progression of life. / (iṣā) from √iṣ ‘to impel, to seek/drive’: inner impulsion for growth and right increase. (rādhas) from √rādh ‘to succeed, accomplish, grant’: fulfilled plenitude rather than mere material wealth. - in Vedic diction is multivalent: ‘cow’ and ‘ray/light’ (linked with illumination and recovered knowledge); (aśva) often marks force, speed, vital energy; (ratha) the harnessed vehicle = coordinated movement of powers.
Ṛta (right order as forward-moving harmony), Satyam (truth-light implied by go/rays), Bṛhat (wideness via vi- and expansive shining), inner growth/puṣṭi through iṣā
Right order is not momentary inspiration but continuity—āyuḥ advancing under dawn’s governance.
Best rays = higher truth-light that corrects and refines perception.
From light arises capacity: illumination manifests as powers and instruments for action.
Integral yoga reading: transformation requires knowledge-force-action triad (go-aśva-ratha).
dawn
Rays = insights; nourishment = right impetus; cow/horse/chariot = knowledge/energy/progress integrated in the being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Dawn’s epiphany as the bringer of light and increase: she ‘shines forth’ into the human field and establishes rādhas (plenitude). The triad gomad–aśvavat–rathavat encodes the classic recovery/arrival of luminous knowledge (cows), dynamic powers (horses), and ordered progress (chariot), i.e., the soul’s ascent by illumination.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhā ‘shine’ aligns with PIE *bʰeh₂- / *bʰā- ‘shine, appear’ (cf. Sanskrit bhā-, Greek phōs via related light vocabulary, Slavic *bělı ‘white’ as a semantic neighbor). The semantic field of ‘shine → appear → manifest’ supports the psychological reading: consciousness becomes visible/operative. √rādh ‘accomplish/grant’ reflects an inherited notion of ‘successful attainment’ (cf. Indo-Iranian parallels: Avestan rāδ- ‘to prosper/succeed’), reinforcing rādhas as achieved plenitude.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer addresses Uṣas as an active inner power: the exchange is not barter but collaboration—Uṣas is asked to enter ‘asme’ (within us), to propel life forward (āyuḥ pratirantī), and to ‘place’ (dadhatī) the divine riches as stable inner endowments. The human side offers receptivity and aspiration; the goddess responds by organizing illumination, force, and onward movement in accordance with Ṛta.
Receive the ‘best rays’ into the mind; affirm unbroken advance; then call three powers: insight, energy, execution.
ājñā (light) + maṇipūra (iṣ/drive) + mūlādhāra (stable continuity of āyuḥ)
Three-part breath intention: inhale ‘go’ (clarity), inhale ‘aśva’ (energy), exhale ‘ratha’ (directed movement into action).
Steady sattvic dynamism—quiet mind with effective force.
After chanting, write one clear insight (go), choose one energizing discipline (aśva), and commit to one concrete step (ratha) within the next hour—this embodies the mantra.
Follow Vedic accents; treat vocatives (uṣo devi) with clear lift; keep the triple list evenly balanced.
Sustain long vowels in uṣo, devi, āyuḥ; articulate the cadence on gomad-aśvāvad-rathavac.
bhānubhiḥ: bh voiced aspirate; long ā, pratirantī: clear retroflex ṛ; avoid ‘pratiranti’ shortening, āyuḥ: visarga lightly released, gomad: dental d; short o, aśvāvat: ś palatal; long ā, rathavac: v as soft ‘va’, not ‘w’
Warm, luminous, steady; avoid haste so ‘unbroken advance’ is felt in the rhythm.
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