Rig Veda 7.76.3: Mandala 7, Sukta 76, Mantra 3
Sukta 7.76
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shringara (love) and Shanta (peace)
तानीदहानि बहुलान्यासन्या प्राचीनमुदिता सूर्यस्य । यतः परि जार इवाचरन्त्युषो ददृक्षे न पुनर्यतीव ॥
tā́nīd áhāni bahulā́ny āsan yā́ prācī́nam úd itā́ sū́ryasya | yatáḥ pári jārá iva ā́caranty uṣó dadṛkṣé ná púnar yatī́va ||
ນັ້ນແມ່ນຫຼາຍວັນທີ່ນາງໄດ້ຂຶ້ນໃນທິດຕາເວັນອອກພ້ອມກັບດວງຕາເວັນ; ຈາກນັ້ນ ພະອາຮຸດເຄື່ອນໄຫວຮອບຮອບຄືກັບຄູ່ຮັກຜູ້ສະແຫວກຫາ, ຖືກເຫັນຊ້ຳແລ້ວຊ້ຳອີກ, ແຕ່ບໍ່ເຄີຍກັບມາຄືກັບສິ່ງທີ່ໄດ້ຜ່ານໄປແລ້ວ.
Word by Word
- तानि
- those (things/days)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इद्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपातः (अवधारणार्थ/एव-अर्थ)Root इद् (निपात)
- अहानि
- daysNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- बहुलानि
- many, abundantAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनम् (अहानि-विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
- आसन्
- wereVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root अस् (धातु)
- या
- which (she/that)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (उषस्-सम्बन्धि) अथवा नपुंसकलिङ्गे बहुवचनस्य (तानि) सह सम्बन्धःRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्राचीनम्
- eastward, forward (toward the east)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (गमन/दिशा-विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot प्राचीन (प्रातिपदिक) < प्र + अञ्च्
- उदिता
- risenParticiple (Adjective)कृदन्तः (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (उषसः विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot उद्-इ (धातु) → उदित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- सूर्यस्य
- of the SunNounपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Root सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- यतः
- from where, whenceIndeclinable (relative adverb)यतः = यस्मात् (अपादानार्थे अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः)Role ApādānaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- aroundIndeclinableउपसर्गः/अव्ययम्Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- जारः
- a lover, wooerNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot जार (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- likeIndeclinableउपमानार्थ-निपातःRoot इव (निपात)
- आचरन्ति
- they move about, they go aroundVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root आ-चर् (धातु)
- उषः
- O DawnNoun (vocative)स्त्रीलिङ्गे सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Root उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ददृक्षे
- has appeared to sight / is seenVerbलिट्/परिपूर्ण-रूपेण आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (वेदिके प्रयोगे ‘ददृक्षे’ = ‘ददर्श/दिदृक्षते’ भावः)Root दृश् (धातु) → ददृक्ष् (इच्छार्थ/देशिदेरिवेटिव; desiderative)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधःRoot न (निपात)
- पुनः
- againIndeclinableकाल/पुनरावृत्त्यर्थ-अव्ययम्Root पुनः (अव्यय)
- यती
- going, departingNoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (उषसः विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot यती (प्रातिपदिक) < यत्/या (गमन) अथवा यतिन्-सम्बद्धः; यहाँ ‘going one’
- इव
- as if, likeIndeclinableउपमानार्थ-निपातःRoot इव (निपात)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरसन): तानीदहा॑नि → तानि + इद् + अहानि
- बहु॒लान्या॑स॒न् → बहुलानि + आसन् (स्वर-सन्धिः: -नि + आ-)
- प्रा॒चीन॒मुदि॑ता → प्राचीनम् + उदिता (म् + उ → म् उ, परसवर्ण/अनुस्वार-प्रवृत्ति सम्भव)
- सूर्य॑स्य (स्वतन्त्रम्)
- यत॒: परि॑ (स्वतन्त्रम्)
- जा॒र इ॑वा॒चर॒न्ति → जारः + इव + आचरन्ति (विसर्ग-लोपः: -ः + इव → -र् इव)
- उषो॑ ददृ॒क्षे → उषः + ददृक्षे (विसर्ग-लोपः: -ः + द-)
- न पुन॑र्य॒तीव॑ → न + पुनः + यती + इव (ः + य → र्य; इव → ’व’ संधि-रूपेण)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Many indeed were the days when she rose in the east with the Sun. From there Dawn moves around like a lover roaming; she is seen again and again, yet never returns as the same that has gone before.
Inner meaning
The repeated dawns symbolize iterative awakenings in sādhanā: illumination returns, but each time with a new nuance—consciousness advances by progressive difference, not mere repetition. Rising ‘with the Sun’ indicates union of dawn-illumination (Uṣas) with the higher truth-light (Sūrya). The lover-image (jāra iva) suggests the soul’s longing and the intimate pursuit of the Beloved—Dawn circles the being, seeking openings. ‘Not returning as the same’ points to evolutionary time: each awakening reorganizes the nature uniquely; yesterday’s light cannot be mechanically reproduced.
Universal truth
Growth is rhythmic and recurrent, yet never identical; each new day offers a distinct possibility of awakening. Longing and fidelity to the quest allow illumination to revisit and deepen progressively.
Themes
Cyclic dawn, Renewal of consciousness, Eros as spiritual seeking
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇi)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.76.1, RV 7.75.7, RV 1.113.8 (Uṣas never repeats—parallel idea, thematic)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s dawn vision often blends cosmic recurrence with psychological progress: the daily dawn becomes a map of the seeker’s repeated yet advancing illuminations.
Significance
This verse articulates a key yogic law: experiences recur, but authentic growth is not mechanical repetition; each dawn is a new formation of light.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Epithets
- prācī (eastern-rising), sūryasya sahā (with the Sun—implicit union), paryācarantī (wandering around)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Savitṛ
Cosmic role
Daily renewal; companion of the Sun; awakener of beings and revealer of forms.
Inner power
Rhythmic return of illumination that searches the nature and brings ever-new formations of clarity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dawn hymn reflection within Uṣas sequences; suitable for contemplative recitation on the nature of days and renewal.
तानीदहा॑नि बहु॒लान्या॑स॒न्या प्रा॒चीन॒मुदि॑ता॒ सूर्य॑स्य । यत॒: परि॑ जा॒र इ॑वा॒चर॒न्त्युषो॑ ददृ॒क्षे न पुन॑र्य॒तीव॑ ॥
तानि॑ । इत् । अहा॑नि । ब॒हु॒लानि॑ । आ॒स॒न् । या । प्रा॒चीन॑म् । उत्ऽइ॑ता॒ । सूर्य॑स्य । यतः॑ । परि॑ । जा॒रःऽइ॑व । आ॒ऽचर॒न्ती । उषः॑ । द॒दृ॒क्षे । न । पुनः॑ । य॒तीऽइ॑व ॥
tāni | it | ahāni | bahulāni | āsan | yā | prācīnam | ut-itā | sūryasya | yataḥ | pari | jāraḥ-iva | ācarantī | uṣaḥ | dadṛkṣe | na | punaḥ | yatī-iva
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4 × ~11 syllables; flowing simile in pāda 3; reflective close in pāda 4.
Gentle, circling cadence; less ‘breakthrough,’ more contemplative recurrence.
Encourages patient perseverance; helps the mind accept cyclicity without stagnation.
- अहानि बहुलानि (ahāni bahulāni)
- Literal: many days. Symbolic: many cycles/iterations of practice and growth
- प्राचीनम् (prācīnam)
- Literal: eastern. Symbolic: the forward direction of consciousness; the rising plane of illumination
- उदिता सूर्यस्य (uditā sūryasya)
- Literal: risen with the Sun. Symbolic: illumination joined to truth-light; awakening aligned with higher knowledge
- परि … आचरन्ती (pari… ācarantī)
- Literal: moving around, roaming. Symbolic: light exploring the nature, touching multiple parts for transformation
- जारः इव (jāra iva)
- Literal: like a lover. Symbolic: the soul’s yearning; intimate pursuit of the Divine
- ददृक्षे (dadṛkṣe)
- Literal: is seen/appears. Symbolic: recurring experiences of clarity and opening
- न पुनर्यतीव (na punar yatīva)
- Literal: not again like one who returns (the same). Symbolic: non-repetition: each realization is new; progressive evolution of consciousness
Morning praise supporting the prātaḥ-savana mood; contemplative reinforcement of renewal and right orientation (east/fore).
At dawn, especially when reflecting on continuity of practice over time.
Praise and contemplation; aligning one’s day with renewed aspiration.
Use when motivation fluctuates: remember that dawn returns, but today’s opening can be new—resume practice without comparing to yesterday.
prācī́na 'eastern' from prati/ācī 'toward the east' (directional semantics map to 'fore' of consciousness). jārá 'lover' (from √jar/√jṛ 'to desire/seek' in RV poetic usage) functions as an image of yearning movement toward the beloved (light/truth). The contrast 'seen repeatedly' vs. 'not returning the same' encodes renewal-with-irreversibility: each dawn is a fresh formation of consciousness.
time and renewal, becoming (non-repetition), desire as a mover toward light
Ṛta expresses as the regular return of dawn; yet within order there is creative variation—ever-new manifestation.
Rising ‘with the Sun’ indicates truth-light as the stable base of renewal.
Renewal as continuous creation: the world is re-manifested each dawn in a fresh formation.
Evolutionary spirituality (Integral): repetition as rhythm of ascent, not circular stagnation.
Dawn
East=forward ascent; sun=truth-consciousness; dawn=awakening; roaming=illumination exploring layers of the being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Dawn as the ever-renewing seeker: Uṣas circles like a lover (jārá iva), repeatedly appearing with Sūrya, yet each appearance is unprecedented—an archetype of perpetual re-birth of light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The temporal framing with ahāni 'days' (PIE *h₂eh₁- 'day' in IE day-terms) and the motion verb √car 'to move' (broad IE cognacy in movement roots) combine to encode cyclical time as structured motion—central to IE poetics of dawn.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer witnesses Dawn as a teacher of inner time: she grants repeated opportunities for awakening, but demands progress—no return to an earlier state. The relationship is pedagogical: Uṣas initiates fresh beginnings while preventing regression.
Practice ‘ever-new dawn’: after chanting, recall one repeated pattern in sādhanā and invite a fresh approach today; watch for a new nuance of light rather than repeating yesterday’s method mechanically.
Anāhata (lover-longing) supporting Ājñā (new seeing)
Soft heart-centered breathing: inhale ‘uṣo’; exhale ‘dadṛkṣe’; 12 cycles, then silent gratitude.
Gentle aspiration with calm continuity; non-attachment to past experiences.
Measure progress by sincerity and freshness, not by reproducing peak states. Let dawn ‘wander’—allow light to touch different parts of life each day.
Maintain smooth svarita transitions to match the circling imagery; exact accent marks depend on the recitational tradition and are not fully specified here.
Soften the delivery in the simile ‘jāra ivācarantī’; keep the final negation ‘na punar…’ clear and contemplative.
(prācīnam): long ā, long ī, (uditā): clear dental d, (sūryasya): long ū; ‘ry’ conjunct, (ācarantī): roll ‘r’ lightly; long ī, (dadṛkṣe): retroflex ṣ + kṣ cluster; articulate carefully
Soft, reflective, with a gentle lilt; avoid force.
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