Sukta 49
Sukta 1.49
Praskaṇva Kāṇva (Kāṇva lineage)
Uṣas (Dawn)
Gāyatrī (probable for RV 1.49; verse-level metrical confirmation recommended)
हे संक्षिप्त उषस्-सूक्त प्रभातदेवीला आवाहन करते की ती तेजस्वी उंच लोकांतून आपल्या मंगलमय शक्तींनी युक्त होऊन यावी, जागृती, व्यवस्था आणि जीवनाच्या योग्य लयी घेऊन यावी. तिच्या किरणांनी सर्व तेजस्वी विश्व उजळते आणि सर्व प्राणी—पंखधारी, द्विपद व चतुष्पद—ऋत (विश्वसत्य) यानुसार हालचालीत प्रवृत्त होतात, असे यात चित्रित केले आहे. शेवटी काण्व ऋषी प्रेरित वाणीने तिला स्पष्टपणे हाक देतात आणि सत्य संपत्ती व अंतःकरणातील निर्मळ स्पष्टता यांची याचना करतात.
Mantras
Mantra 1
उषो भद्रेभिरा गहि दिवश्चिद्रोचनादधि । वहन्त्वरुणप्सव उप त्वा सोमिनो गृहम् ॥
हे उषा, शुभ शक्तींनी युक्त होऊन ये—स्वर्गाच्या प्रकाशमय लोकातूनही. अरुण-दीप्त तेजधारा तुला आमच्या सोम-यजकाच्या गृहाजवळ वाहून आणोत.
Mantra 2
सुपेशसं सुखं रथं यमध्यस्था उषस्त्वम् । तेना सुश्रवसं जनं प्रावाद्य दुहितर्दिवः ॥
हे उषा, तू ज्या सुगठित, सुखद रथावर आरूढ होतेस—त्याच रथाने आज सु-श्रव (सद्श्रवण/सत्कीर्ती) लाभलेला जन पुढे ने. हे दिवः-दुहिता, आमचे रक्षण कर आणि आम्हाला अग्रसर कर.
Mantra 3
वयश्चित्ते पतत्रिणो द्विपच्चतुष्पदर्जुनि । उषः प्रारन्नृतूँरनु दिवो अन्तेभ्यस्परि ॥
हे तेजस्वी उषा, तुझे पंखधारी जीव—द्विपद आणि चतुष्पद—हेही निघून जातात; ऋताच्या क्रमाने, स्वर्गाच्या दूर सीमांच्या भोवती परिक्रमा करीत.
Mantra 4
व्युच्छन्ती हि रश्मिभिर्विश्वमाभासि रोचनम् । तां त्वामुषर्वसूयवो गीर्भिः कण्वा अहूषत ॥
कारण तू किरणांसह उगवून प्रस्फुटित होतेस आणि सर्व तेजस्वी जगाला प्रकाशमान करतेस. म्हणून सत्य-समृद्धीचे साधक कण्वांनी, हे उषा, आपल्या प्रेरित स्तुतिवाणींनी (गीर्भिः) तुला हाक दिली आहे.
Inside Sukta 49
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
An invitation to Uṣas to come from the luminous heaven with auspicious powers (bhadrebhiḥ).
- Development
Dawn’s arrival is portrayed as a universal activation: creatures and life-movements proceed according to ṛta, spanning the boundaries of heaven.
- Climax
Her decisive act of illumination—rising with rays and lighting up the entire shining realm (viśvam rocanam).
- Where it settles
The Kāṇvas, seekers of true wealth, formally call her with inspired words, sealing the hymn as a successful invocation.
The deity: Uṣas
- In the VedaUṣas is the radiant, ever-renewing Dawn who rises with beams (raśmi), revealing the rocaná (shining world) and setting beings in motion. She is invoked as auspicious (bhadrā) and as one whose coming is borne by ruddy energies (aruṇapsavaḥ).
- Cosmic functionShe marks the daily re-beginning of time, disperses darkness, unveils the world for activity and sacrifice, and aligns life with ṛta by establishing the proper rhythms of day and season.
- Inner significanceThe awakening of consciousness: clarity after obscurity, the stirring of aspiration, and the return of inner order—where thoughts, senses, and life-forces begin to move in harmony with truth.
The seer
- Praskaṇva KāṇvaKāṇva (Kaṇva-gotra) · A prominent seer within the Kāṇva family sequence of Mandala 1, especially known for concise, luminous invocations to Uṣas that link dawn’s light with ṛta (cosmic order) and awakening of all creatures.
Famous verses
उषो भद्रेभिरा गहि दिवश्चिद्रोचनादधि । वहन्त्वरुणप्सव उप त्वा सोमिनो गृहम् ॥वयश्चित्ते पतत्रिणो द्विपच्चतुष्पदर्जुनि । उषः प्रारन्नृतूँरनु दिवो अन्तेभ्यस्परि ॥व्युच्छन्ती हि रश्मिभिर्विश्वमाभासि रोचनम् । तां त्वामुषर्वसूयवो गीर्भिः कण्वा अहूषत ॥Attributes of the deity
- Radiant and auspicious
- Bringer of illumination (rocaná)
- Sets all beings in motion
- Aligned with ṛta (cosmic order)
- Ruddy-hued, ray-bearing
- Invoked by inspired speech (gīr) and soma-seekers
Also by this seer
- Associated with the Kāṇva corpus in Rigveda Mandala 1 (a cluster of hymns to Uṣas and allied deities).
- Part of the broader Kāṇva tradition that contributes many early Mandala 1 hymns emphasizing poetic invocation (gīr) and ritual immediacy.
The rite, step by step
- Perform morning purification and orient to the eastern light.
- Kindle/maintain the sacred fire (Agni) and prepare the ritual space.
- Recite the sukta as an āvāhana (invocation), visualizing Uṣas rising with rays and revealing the rocaná.
- Mentally offer praise (gīr) and request alignment with ṛta—right timing, right movement, right conduct.
- Conclude with a brief silent contemplation of illumination spreading through the worlds and within the practitioner.
Offerings
- Soma libation (where Soma rite is performed)
- Ghee/clarified butter into Agni
- Water oblation (arghya) or simple reverential offering in non-Soma settings
- Verbal offering of hymns (gīr), i.e., praise as oblation
Frequently Asked Questions
Uṣas is the Dawn, praised as a radiant, auspicious power who reveals the shining world and begins the day’s rightful movement and activity.
As Dawn rises, she brings light and order: all beings awaken and move according to ṛta (cosmic truth), and the seers call her with inspired words for true prosperity and clarity.
It is best recited at dawn, especially in a morning ritual setting, to invoke auspicious awakening, mental brightness, and right timing for work, prayer, and sacrifice.
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