Rig Veda 7.41.7: Mandala 7, Sukta 41, Mantra 7
Sukta 7.41
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अश्वावतीर्गोमतीर्न उषासो वीरवतीः सदमुच्छन्तु भद्राः । घृतं दुहाना विश्वतः प्रपीता यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥
áśvāvatīr gómātīr na uṣā́so vī́ravatīḥ sádám ucchantu bhadrā́ḥ | ghṛtáṃ dúhānā viśvátáḥ prápītā yūyáṃ pāta svastí-bhiḥ sádā naḥ ||
ຂໍໃຫ້ລໍາແສຕາມາເຖິກພວກເຮົາສະເຫມີ, ເປັນສິນລະມົນ - ຮັ່ງມີດ້ວຍພະລັງອັນໄວ, ຮັ່ງມີດ້ວຍລັດສະຫມົນແສຕາ, ຮັ່ງມີດ້ວຍພະລັງວິລະຊົນ. ໂດຍການຮີດຄວາມສຸກອັນຈະແຈ້ງ, ເຕັມໄປທຸກດ້ານ, ຂໍໃຫ້ທ່ານປົກປ້ອງພວກເຮົາສະເຫມີດ້ວຍສະພາບອັນດີ.
Word by Word
- अश्वावतीः
- having horses, rich in horsesAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ-पदस्य) / कर्ताRoot अश्वावत् (अश्व + -वत्)
- गोमतीः
- having cows, rich in cattleAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ-पदस्य) / कर्ताRoot गोमत् (गो + -मत्)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘our/for us’)Root अस्मद्
- उषासः
- the DawnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot उषस्
- वीरवतीः
- having heroes/men, rich in heroesAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole विशेषण (उषासः) / कर्ताRoot वीरवत् (वीर + -वत्)
- सदम्
- always, continuallyIndeclinableअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)Role क्रियाविशेषणRoot सदम्
- उच्छन्तु
- let (them) rise/shineVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot उद्-√शि (शयने/प्रकाशने; Vedic: ‘to rise, shine’)
- भद्राः
- auspicious, graciousAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole विशेषण (उषासः) / कर्ताRoot भद्र
- घृतम्
- ghee, clarified butterNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (दुहाना-क्रियायाः)Root घृत
- दुहाना
- milking, yieldingVerbal adjective (participle)वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (उषासः-समन्वयः)Role कर्तृ (उषासः) सह क्रियाविशेषणभावःRoot √दुह् (दोहने) + शानच्
- विश्वतः
- from every side, on all sidesIndeclinableअव्यय (दिक्/परिमाणवाचक)Role क्रियाविशेषणRoot विश्वतस्
- प्रपीता
- having drunk forth / well-drunk (i.e., refreshed, imbibing)Verbal adjective (past participle)क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (उषासः-समन्वयः)Role विशेषण (उषासः)Root प्र-√पा (पाने) + क्त (पीत) [Vedic form: प्रपीत-]
- यूयम्
- you (pl.)Pronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- पात
- protect!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √पा (रक्षणे) [Vedic: ‘protect’]
- स्वस्तिभिः
- with well-being, with blessingsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot स्वस्ति
- सदा
- alwaysIndeclinableअव्यय (कालवाचक)Role क्रियाविशेषणRoot सदा
- नः
- usPronounद्वितीया/चतुर्थी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचन (प्रयोगे ‘us’)Role कर्म (पात) / सम्प्रदान (protect for us)Root अस्मद्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): अश्वावतीः | गोमतीः | नः | उषासः | वीरवतीः | सदम् | उच्छन्तु | भद्राः || घृतम् | दुहाना | विश्वतः | प्रपीता | यूयम् | पात | स्वस्तिभिः | सदा | नः || 1) ‘गोमतीर्न’ = गोमतीः + नः (विसर्ग-लोपः, रकारादेशः: -तीः + नः → -तीर्नः)
- 2) ‘वीरवतीः सदम्’ संधिः न विशेषः (दीर्घान्त + स-)
- 3) ‘सदमुच्छन्तु’ = सदम् + उच्छन्तु (म् + उ → मु)
- 4) ‘भद्राः । घृतम्’ पदान्तविरामः
- 5) ‘स्वस्तिभिः सदा’ विसर्गः न, केवलं पदसन्धिः साधारणः
The meaning
Outer meaning
May the Dawns always rise for us, auspicious—rich in horses, cows, and heroes. Milking ghee, filled from every side, may you always protect us with well-being.
Inner meaning
Uṣas are invoked as constant awakenings bringing threefold riches: aśvāvatī (swift energies for action), gomatī (rays of knowledge/illumination), vīravatī (heroic powers—courage and victorious capacities). They ‘milk ghṛta’: not mere butter, but clarified delight—refined luminous substance of consciousness that nourishes the inner life. ‘Viśvataḥ prapītāḥ’ suggests the dawn-forces are filled from all planes—mind, life, body—bringing integral well-being (svasti) and protection through harmony.
Universal truth
A life of steady awakening yields energy, knowledge, and courage together. True well-being is protected by recurring illumination that continually refines experience into clarified joy.
Themes
Dawn as inner awakening, Illumination-energy-heroism triad (go/aśva/vīra), Nourishing essence (ghṛta) as clarified delight
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vāsiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 7.41.6, Rig Veda 7.42.1
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s Uṣas invocations often seek stable, repeated illumination that supports an integral life—knowledge, force, and victory held in harmony.
Significance
The seer asks not for a single flash of light but for ‘sadam’ (always): a disciplined continuity of awakening that safeguards the journey.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Epithets
- bhadrāḥ (auspicious), aśvāvatīḥ (rich in energies), gomatīḥ (rich in rays), vīravatīḥ (rich in heroic powers)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Savitar, Aditi, Agni (kindled by dawn)
Cosmic role
She opens the gates of manifestation each day, unveiling forms and paths, bringing the right conditions for growth.
Inner power
Awakening illumination that renews perception, refines delight (ghṛta), and protects the being through harmony (svasti).
In ritual
Where it is used
Morning Uṣas praise; used to secure auspiciousness and protection for the rite and the day.
अश्वा॑वती॒र्गोम॑तीर्न उ॒षासो॑ वी॒रव॑ती॒: सद॑मुच्छन्तु भ॒द्राः । घृ॒तं दुहा॑ना वि॒श्वत॒: प्रपी॑ता यू॒यं पा॑त स्व॒स्तिभि॒: सदा॑ नः ॥
अश्व॑ऽवतीः । गोऽम॑तीः । नः॒ । उ॒षसः॑ । वी॒रऽव॑तीः । सद॑म् । उ॒च्छ॒न्तु॒ । भ॒द्राः । घृ॒तम् । दुहा॑नाः । वि॒श्वतः॑ । प्रऽपी॑ताः । यू॒यम् । पा॒त॒ । स्व॒स्तिऽभिः॑ । सदा॑ । नः॒ ॥
aśva-vatīḥ | go--matīḥ | naḥ | uṣasaḥ | vīra-vatīḥ | sadam | ucchantu | bhadrāḥ | ghṛtam | duhānāḥ | viśvataḥ | pra-pītāḥ | yūyam | pāta | svasti-bhiḥ | sadā | naḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Expansive and benedictive; repeated qualifiers (aśvāvatīḥ/gomatīḥ/vīravatīḥ) create a rolling fullness.
Generates a protective, nourishing atmosphere; stabilizes optimism and steadiness.
- उषासः (uṣāsaḥ)
- Literal: dawns. Symbolic: recurring awakenings/illumination
- अश्वावतीः (aśvāvatīḥ)
- Literal: rich in horses. Symbolic: abounding in swift vital energies and powers of action
- गोमतीः (gomatīḥ)
- Literal: rich in cows. Symbolic: rich in rays of light/knowledge (go = illuminations)
- वीरवतीः (vīravatīḥ)
- Literal: rich in heroes. Symbolic: full of courageous, conquering soul-forces
- घृतम् (ghṛtam)
- Literal: ghee/clarified butter. Symbolic: clarified delight and luminous essence that feeds the sacrifice
- स्वस्तिभिः (svastibhiḥ)
- Literal: with well-beings/auspicious states. Symbolic: harmonious integrality—peace, health, right circumstance
Morning liturgy and protective svasti formulas; supports the dawn-offering atmosphere and well-being petitions.
At sunrise or at the start of daily recitation/meditation.
Stuti (praise) and āśīḥ (blessing) asking for continual rising of dawn-powers and svasti.
A daily ‘inner sunrise’ chant for resilience: invoke energy (aśva), clarity (go), courage (vīra), and well-being (svasti).
svasti: su- 'good' + asti 'being' (√as) → 'good-being', well-being; a foundational Vedic formula for protection. ghṛta: beyond ritual butter, connected to brightness/clarity; inner sense as 'clarified delight/essence' that nourishes the gods and the seeker. duh- 'milk' expresses extraction of essence; psychologically, drawing delight and clarity from the luminous dawn-energies. gomat/aśvavat/vīravat: -vat possessives marking abundance of illumination, energy, and heroic capacity.
Svasti (good-being) as protection, Integral fullness (viśvataḥ) of the illuminated state, Transformation through repeated awakenings (sadam/sadā)
Dawn’s regular rising is a primary symbol of ṛta—order that supports evolution.
Illumination reveals what is, enabling truthful action and protection from confusion.
Renewal: each dawn recreates the world, pouring clarified delight into forms.
Vedantic-Anandic line (Aurobindo): ghṛta as luminous delight-substance; dawn as progressive revelation.
dawn
Rising dawn = awakening; milking = drawing nourishment from higher light; ghṛta = refined joy; svasti = integrated harmony.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'Dawns as a host of beneficent mothers' mythologem: Uṣas rises repeatedly, bringing horses/cows/heroes—i.e., energy, illumination, and effective powers. The milking of ghṛta depicts the Dawns yielding the clarified essence that sustains the inner sacrifice and protects with svasti.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- svasti is a transparent inherited compound: *su- 'good' (PIE *h₁su-) + 'being' (√as, PIE *h₁es-). √duh 'milk' has IE parallels in the pastoral lexicon, and the possessive -vat is an old morphological strategy with wide IE analogues.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks the Dawns not merely to appear but to rise 'always' as a stable rhythm of awakening, giving the triple abundance of light, force, and heroic capacity. In exchange, the Dawns protect the community with svasti—states of good-being that preserve and consolidate the gained illumination.
Contemplate a daily inner dawn that brings (1) energy, (2) knowledge-rays, (3) courage; rest in a protective field of svasti.
anāhata (well-being/protection) with support to ājñā (illumination)
slow exhale chanting; brief silent inhale imagining dawn light filling the chest
settled brightness; gentle protection
After chanting, sit 2 minutes: feel ‘ghṛta’ as a soft golden warmth spreading through the system, clarifying emotions and thoughts.
Vedic tri-svara; exact udatta positions depend on a svara-marked text.
Let the three epithets (aśvāvatīḥ/gomatīḥ/vīravatīḥ) be clearly separated and equally emphasized.
(aśvā): palatal ś, not ‘s’, (gomatīḥ): long īḥ at end, (ghṛtaṃ): aspirated gh; retroflex ṛ, (svastibhiḥ): keep ‘sv’ cluster crisp
soft, nourishing, protective
3
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
