Sukta 81
Sukta 7.81
Vasiṣṭha
Uṣas
Gāyatrī (likely; RV 7.81 often in gāyatrī-like trimeter)
वसिष्ठाचे हे लघु उषः-सूक्त उषेच्या तात्काळ प्रकटण्याचे स्तवन करते: ती “आपल्या डोळ्यांसमोर” येते, जलांना आणि दृष्टीचा विस्तार उघडते, आणि रात्रीच्या अंधाराला प्रकाशमय सुव्यवस्थेत रूपांतरित करते. तिच्या कृपामय उदयाने तेजस्वी जगाचे स्पष्ट दर्शन, तिच्या “निधी”तील (समृद्धी, बळ, कीर्ती) वाटा, तसेच वाकडेपणा, अपयश आणि अंतर्गत अडथळे यांचे निरसन मिळो, अशी कवीची प्रार्थना आहे.
Mantras
Mantra 1
प्रत्यु अदर्श्यायत्युच्छन्ती दुहिता दिवः । अपो महि व्ययति चक्षसे तमो ज्योतिष्कृणोति सूनरी ॥
ती आपल्या समोर प्रकट झाली आहे—येता येता, उगवत उगवत—दिवः दुहिता, स्वर्गाची कन्या. दर्शनासाठी ती महि आपः—महान जलांना—विस्तारते; आणि सूनरी—दीप्त प्रेरिका—तमाला ज्योतीत रूपांतरित करते.
Mantra 2
उदुस्रियाः सृजते सूर्यः सचाँ उद्यन्नक्षत्रमर्चिवत् । तवेदुषो व्युषि सूर्यस्य च सं भक्तेन गमेमहि ॥
उदय पावणारा सूर्य प्रकाशरूपी तेजस्वी धेनू सोडतो आणि नक्षत्रांची अर्चिमय दीप्तीही प्रकट करतो. पण हे उषा, तुझ्या व्युष्टि-प्रकाशाने आणि सूर्याच्या पूर्ण उदयाने आम्ही आमच्या नियत वाट्याबरोबर (भक्त) एकत्र पुढे जाऊ दे.
Mantra 3
प्रति त्वा दुहितर्दिव उषो जीरा अभुत्स्महि । या वहसि पुरु स्पार्हं वनन्वति रत्नं न दाशुषे मयः ॥
हे दिवः-दुहिता उषा, तुझ्याकडे आम्ही आकांक्षेत वेगवान झालो आहोत. कारण तू दाशुष (दानकर्ता/यजमान)—जो अर्पण करतो—त्याच्यासाठी पुष्कळ स्पृहणीय आनंद, जणू रत्नासारखा, वहन करतेस.
Mantra 4
उच्छन्ती या कृणोषि मंहना महि प्रख्यै देवि स्वर्दृशे । तस्यास्ते रत्नभाज ईमहे वयं स्याम मातुर्न सूनवः ॥
हे देवी, तू उच्छन्ती (उदय पावणारी) होताना आपल्या उदार महत्तेने स्वः (स्वर्गीय प्रकाश) याचे स्पष्ट दर्शन सिद्ध करतेस. त्या तुझ्या रत्नाचे आम्ही भागीदार व्हावे; आम्ही मातृन सूनवः—मातेचे पुत्र—तिच्या प्रकाश-पोषणात जन्मलेले असे व्हावे.
Mantra 5
तच्चित्रं राध आ भरोषो यद्दीर्घश्रुत्तमम् । यत्ते दिवो दुहितर्मर्तभोजनं तद्रास्व भुनजामहै ॥
हे उषा! दीर्घकाळ सर्वाधिक श्रुत-कीर्तित असे ते अद्भुत राधस् (समृद्धि) आमच्याकडे आण. हे दिवो-दुहितर (द्युलोकाची कन्या)! तुझे जे मर्त्य-भोजन (मनुष्यांसाठी पोषण) आहे, तेच आम्हांस दे; जेणेकरून आम्ही ते भोगून त्याने पुष्ट होऊ.
Mantra 6
श्रवः सूरिभ्यो अमृतं वसुत्वनं वाजाँ अस्मभ्यं गोमतः । चोदयित्री मघोनः सूनृतावत्युषा उच्छदप स्रिधः ॥
सूरी (ऋषि/ज्ञानी) यांना अमृतासारखे श्रवस् (यश) आणि वसुत्वन (समृद्धि-स्थिती) दे; आणि आम्हालाही गोमत् (प्रकाश-किरणांनी युक्त) वाज (बलवान् विजय-लाभ) प्रदान कर. मघवंतांना प्रेरणा देणारी, सूनृता (उज्ज्वल सत्य-वाणी)युक्त उषा! तू उदित हो आणि वक्रता व अपयश (स्रिधः) दूर कर.
Inside Sukta 81
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Dawn appears directly before the sacrificers—Heaven’s Daughter arriving and rising, transforming night into light and expanding the waters/space for sight.
- Development
Her rising is linked to generous greatness: she enables clear perception of the radiant realm and is approached as a Mother whose ‘children’ seek nurture, wealth, and rightful share.
- Climax
The hymn’s petition intensifies: grant immortal fame and rich plenitude to the seers, and strong winnings to the worshippers—Uṣas as the impelling power of prosperity and truth.
- Where it settles
It ends with a cleansing command: let Dawn shine forth and drive away crookedness and failure, leaving the day established in clarity and auspicious momentum.
The deity: Uṣas
- In the VedaUṣas is the “Daughter of Heaven” who rises in beauty and power, unveiling the world for sight, setting the waters and paths in motion, and making darkness yield to light. She is praised as generous, truth-bearing (sūnṛtāvatī), and an awakener who rouses beings to activity.
- Cosmic functionShe inaugurates the daily order (ṛta) by opening the sky’s radiance, releasing movement and life, and re-establishing visibility, direction, and time’s rhythm.
- Inner significanceUṣas symbolizes the awakening of consciousness—clarity after confusion, truthful speech after distortion, and the fresh beginning in which insight, energy, and right orientation arise.
The seer
- VasiṣṭhaVasiṣṭha gotra (Āditya/solar-affiliated seer-family; Maṇḍala 7 tradition) · Principal seer of the Vasiṣṭha family book (Maṇḍala 7), renowned for hymns of spiritual clarity and for his role as a paradigmatic brahmarṣi connected with royal priesthood and the ordering power of mantra.
Famous verses
divo duhitā (Daughter of Heaven)
mātur na sūnavaḥ (like children of a mother)
tamo jyotiṣ kṛṇoti (makes darkness into light)
Attributes of the deity
- Daughter of Heaven (divo duhitā)
- Light-maker who dispels darkness
- Revealer of vision and pathways
- Generous bestower of wealth, strength, and fame
- Impeller/awakener (codayitrī)
- Associated with sūnṛtā (truthful, luminous speech)
Also by this seer
- Major authorship/association with Rig Veda Maṇḍala 7 (many sūktas)
- Hymns to Agni, Indra, Varuṇa–Mitra, and other deities within the Vasiṣṭha corpus
- Later Vedic-Itihāsa tradition remembers Vasiṣṭha as a foundational teacher of dharma and ritual knowledge (smṛti/epic reception)
The rite, step by step
- Rise before sunrise; maintain purity and silence; orient to the east
- Kindle or tend the household/altar fire (Agni) and prepare the space
- Recite RV 7.81 as Uṣas becomes visible, focusing on the transition from darkness to light
- Make offerings while requesting ‘clear seeing’ (svar-dṛś) and a share in Uṣas’ treasures
- Conclude with a protective petition: removal of crookedness, obstacles, and failures; then proceed to the day’s main rites/work
Offerings
- Ghee (ājya) into Agni
- Milk or curds (payas/dadhi) where customary
- Simple oblations and water libations as supportive acts
Frequently Asked Questions
Uṣas is Dawn, praised as the “Daughter of Heaven” who arrives each morning, reveals the world for sight, and replaces darkness with light.
It asks for clear perception of the radiant world, a share in Dawn’s treasures (prosperity and strength), and “immortal fame,” along with the removal of obstacles and failure.
At dawn—before and during sunrise—because the hymn is built around the lived moment of light appearing and the mind awakening into clarity.
Ask anything about Sukta 81 of the Rig Veda
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.
