Rig Veda 6.64.1: Mandala 6, Sukta 64, Mantra 1
Sukta 6.64
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
उदु श्रिय उषसो रोचमाना अस्थुरपां नोर्मयो रुशन्तः । कृणोति विश्वा सुपथा सुगान्यभूदु वस्वी दक्षिणा मघोनी ॥
údu śríya uṣáso rócamānā asthúr apā́ṃ no ū́rmayo rúśantaḥ | kṛṇóti víśvā su-pathā́ su-gā́ny abhū́du vasvī́ dákṣiṇā maghónī ||
ഉഷസ്സുകൾ തങ്ങളുടെ ശ്രീയിൽ ഉയർന്നു പ്രകാശിക്കുന്നു, ജലത്തിന്റെ ദീപ്ത തരംഗങ്ങളെപ്പോലെ തിളങ്ങി; അവർ എല്ലാ പാതകളെയും സുപഥം, സുഗമം ആക്കുന്നു. ദക്ഷിണാ—വസ്വീ, മഘോണീ—സമൃദ്ധ ദാനമായി ഉദ്ഭവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു, ആത്മാവ് ഋതത്തിന്റെ സന്മാർഗത്തിൽ മുന്നേറുവാൻ.
Word by Word
- उदु
- up, forth (indeed)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (उद् = ‘up/out’; उ = emphatic particle)Root उद् (upasarga) + उ (particle) → उदु
- श्रिये
- for splendor/beautyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचन (दत्तिव) — ‘श्रिये’Role SampradānaRoot श्री (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- उषसः
- the DawnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (वैदिक: -अः = -आस्) — ‘उषसः’Role KartāRoot उषस् (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- रोचमानाः
- shining, becoming brightParticiple (Adjective)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), आत्मनेपदी; स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (उषसः के विशेषणरूपेण)Root √रुच् (दीप्तौ) → रोचमान (वर्तमान कृदन्त, आत्मनेपद)
- अस्थुः
- stood forth / have arisenVerbलुङ्/अोरिस्ट; परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष बहुवचनRoot √स्था (तिष्ठति) — वैदिक परस्मैपद परिपूर्ण/अोरिस्ट रूप
- अपाम्
- of the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive) / Adhikaraṇa (sense: ‘of/among the waters’)Root अप् (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- ourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (enclitic) — ‘our’Role SambandhaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- ऊर्मयः
- wavesNounपुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (उषसः के सह-अप्पोजिशन/उपमानरूपेण)Root ऊर्मि (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- रुशन्तः
- gleaming, ruddy-shiningParticiple (Adjective)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); पुल्लिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (ऊर्मयः के विशेषणरूपेण)Root √रुश्/√रुश् (दीप्तौ; ‘to shine, be ruddy’) → रुशन्त (वर्तमान कृदन्त, परस्मैपद)
- कृणोति
- makes, fashionsVerbलट्; परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष एकवचनRoot √कृ (करणे)
- विश्वा
- allAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (or प्रथमा/द्वितीया नपुं. बहु. समानरूप) — ‘all (things/ways)’Role KarmaRoot विश्व (सर्व/समस्त)
- सुपथा
- good pathsAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (agreeing with ‘विश्वा’)Role Karma (विशेषण) / Karma-viśeṣaṇaRoot सु- + पथ (पुं. प्रातिपदिक) → सुपथ
- सुगानि
- good passages/waysNoun/Adjective (substantivized)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (agreeing with ‘विश्वा’)Role KarmaRoot सु- + ग (गमन/मार्ग; प्रातिपदिक ‘ग’/‘गान’ in RV usage) → सुगानि
- अभूत्
- became, has becomeVerbलुङ् (aorist); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष एकवचनRoot √भू (भवति)
- उ
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableemphatic particleRoot उ (निपात)
- वस्वी
- wealthy, bounteousAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā-viśeṣaṇa (दक्षिणा के विशेषण)Root वसु (धन/समृद्धि) → वस्विन्/वस्वी (स्त्री. विशेषण)
- दक्षिणा
- the Dakṣiṇā (sacrificial gift/fee)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (अभूत् का कर्ता) / Predicate nominativeRoot दक्षिणा (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- मघोनी
- generous, gift-bestowingAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (दक्षिणा के विशेषण)Role Kartā-viśeṣaṇaRoot मघोनी (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक; ‘bountiful, giver of gifts’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): उदु = उद् + उ (up/out + emphatic particle)
- श्रिय उषसः → श्रिये उषसः (dative sg. of श्री; RV often shows sandhi contraction)
- नोर्मयः → नः ऊर्मयः (enclitic gen. ‘our’ + ऊर्मयः)
- सुगान्यभूदु → सुगानि अभूत् उ (final -i + initial a-; and particle उ after verb)
- Accent marks in the Saṃhitā text are retained on the surface but do not change the lexical segmentation above
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Dawns rise in splendour, shining like bright waves of water. They make all paths easy and auspicious to travel. Abundant Dakṣiṇā (the rich gift) comes into being, bountiful and generous.
Inner meaning
Uṣas is the recurring spiritual illumination that rises within the seeker. The ‘waves of waters’ are the streaming movements of consciousness becoming luminous. As the light grows, the inner ways (supathāḥ) become clear—right discernment, right impulse, right progress. Dakṣiṇā is not merely a ritual fee but the soul’s ‘right-giving’—the spontaneous generosity of nature that offers itself to the Divine Work; from this comes inner wealth (vasvī) and the power to advance without distortion.
Universal truth
When illumination dawns in consciousness, life-paths become navigable; right action arises naturally from inner clarity, and true abundance is the capacity to give and align with the right movement.
Themes
Dawn-illumination, Opening of the path, Prosperity as right giving
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja (Bārhaspatya)
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 6.62 (Aśvins), RV 6.63 (Uṣas), RV 6.66 (Maruts), RV 6.75 (weapons/force imagery)
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 6 is predominantly the Bharadvāja family; their hymns often stress right guidance (ṛta), luminous intelligence, and the progressive opening of the path.
Significance
Bharadvāja’s line is associated with Bṛhaspati’s inspired word and the disciplined discovery of the ‘paths’ of the Truth; in Uṣas hymns this becomes the psychology of awakening and right-going progress.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas (Dawn)
- Epithets
- rocamānā (luminous), śrīmatī (glorious), svabhānū (self-luminous, implied across the hymn), subhagā (fortunate/auspicious, explicit in 6.64.3)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Agni, Aśvins, Indra, Sarasvatī
Cosmic role
She opens the day, reveals forms, sets beings in motion, and establishes auspicious pathways for works.
Inner power
The awakening Light that unveils the hidden, harmonizes the movements, and turns the nature toward right action and generous offering (dakṣiṇā).
In ritual
Where it is used
Dawn praise in the morning pressing/recitation context; also general Uṣas-stuti at daybreak.
उदु॑ श्रि॒य उ॒षसो॒ रोच॑माना॒ अस्थु॑र॒पां नोर्मयो॒ रुश॑न्तः । कृ॒णोति॒ विश्वा॑ सु॒पथा॑ सु॒गान्यभू॑दु॒ वस्वी॒ दक्षि॑णा म॒घोनी॑ ॥
उत् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । श्रि॒ये । उ॒षसः॑ । रोच॑मानाः । अस्थुः॑ । अ॒पाम् । न । ऊ॒र्मयः॑ । रुश॑न्तः । कृ॒णोति॑ । विश्वा॑ । सु॒ऽपथा॑ । सु॒ऽगानि॑ । अभू॑त् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । वस्वी॑ । दक्षि॑णा । म॒घोनी॑ ॥
ut | oṃ iti | śriye | uṣasaḥ | rocamānāḥ | asthuḥ | apām | na | ūrmayaḥ | ruśantaḥ | kṛṇoti | viśvā | su-pathā | su-gāni | abhūt | oṃ iti | vasvī | dakṣiṇā | maghonī
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each (Triṣṭubh norm; minor Vedic resolution possible)
Forward-driving, expansive, suited to proclamation and movement.
Creates a sense of rising and widening; supports an inner ‘upward surge’ matching the dawn’s ascent and the opening of the path.
- uṣasaḥ
- Literal: the Dawns. Symbolic: successive illumined states; spiritual awakening returning again and again
- śriye
- Literal: for glory/beauty/prosperity. Symbolic: inner splendour of the awakened consciousness; harmony and rightness
- rocamānāḥ
- Literal: shining, becoming luminous. Symbolic: consciousness increasing in clarity and revelation
- apām ūrmayaḥ
- Literal: waves of waters. Symbolic: wave-movements of the subtle being; flowing mind-life currents made bright
- supathā / sugāni
- Literal: good paths / easy goings. Symbolic: right inner routes of progress; unobstructed movement of sādhanā
- dakṣiṇā
- Literal: sacrificial gift/fee. Symbolic: right-giving faculty; consecrated offering of energies; grace of right distribution
- vasvī
- Literal: rich, abundant. Symbolic: plenitude of inner resources (light, force, joy) released by illumination
- maghonī
- Literal: bountiful, bestowing. Symbolic: power that increases the seeker’s inner wealth and capacity to act rightly
Morning recitation; Dawn hymn used to align the beginning of the rite/day with illumination; also supports the symbolism of dakṣiṇā (right giving) in sacrificial economy
At or before sunrise; at the beginning of rites to invite auspiciousness and right movement.
Recitation/chant to invoke illumination, clear the way, and sanctify giving/offerings.
Use at the start of the day or before work/meditation to ‘set the inner path’ and awaken the will to right offering (time, attention, effort).
uṣas from √vas/√uṣ ‘shine/burn’ (Vedic dawn-illumination). √ruc ‘shine’ → rocamānāḥ: progressive manifestation of light. su-pathā ‘good paths’ uses pathá (PIE *pent(h)₂- ‘path’, cf. Greek póntos ‘sea-path’ in semantic extension) indicating ordered passage. dakṣiṇā from dakṣa (skill/rightness) + feminine abstraction: both ritual gift and inner right-discerning power that ‘completes’ the sacrifice.
Awakening of consciousness (Uṣas), Right-going paths (su-pathā) as Ṛta-guidance, Dakṣiṇā as right discernment and perfecting gift
Uṣas ‘makes all paths good’—the restoration of ṛta in the movements of life and mind.
Light that makes the true form visible and enables right discernment.
Daily re-creation: the world is re-manifested through illumination; abundance (vasu) arises from alignment.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: progressive manifestation of higher consciousness in nature.
pre-sunrise to sunrise
unspecified
Illumination rises; subconscious currents (waters) become clear; the inner journey becomes navigable and rightly directed.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Dawn opens the paths’ mythologem: Uṣas rises shining like waves and makes all passages good. Innerly, illumination awakens and clears the ways of progress in the being; with that awakening, dakṣiṇā—the right giving/right discernment that perfects the work—becomes abundant.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The dawn-as-goddess motif is a major Indo-European inheritance (cf. Greek Ēōs, Latin Aurōra, Lithuanian Aušra). The verb √ruc ‘shine’ and the imagery of rising/standing (√sthā) are common archaic formulae. pathá continues the old IE ‘path’ lexeme, supporting the inherited poetic theme of the gods opening ways.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi beholds and affirms Uṣas as the power that makes progress possible—she does not merely appear; she ‘makes’ the right paths. The reciprocal economy is implicit: as light arises, right giving (dakṣiṇā) becomes plentiful—outerly as offering, innerly as the soul’s capacity to give itself to the truth and to act with right discernment.
Invite the ‘dawn’ of awareness: observe the first light of clarity in mind; offer the day’s energies as dakṣiṇā to the inner Divine.
Ājñā (clarity/vision) with support from Anāhata (generous offering)
Gentle ujjāyī or equal-ratio breathing (sama-vṛtti) for 6–12 cycles while visualizing a widening light.
Waking-to-witness transition; luminous calm with forward readiness.
At daybreak, sit facing east; repeat the mantra slowly, then silently affirm: ‘Let all my paths be right-going; let my giving be true.’ Notice one concrete ‘supathā’ action for the day.
Vedic tri-svara (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā; preserve udātta on marked syllables (e.g., udú, śríye, rócamānā).
Keep udātta as a clear lift; svarita as a controlled fall; avoid flattening the cadence across pādas.
Maintain retroflex ‘ṣ’ in uṣasaḥ, rocamānāḥ, Keep ‘ṛ’ crisp in śriye (śri-), kṛṇoti, Pronounce ‘dh’ aspirated in dakṣiṇā, Do not over-lengthen final visarga-less endings; keep Vedic sandhi fluid
Bright, rising tone in first half; settled, assuring tone in ‘kṛṇoti viśvā supathā…’.
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