Rig Veda 7.76.1: Mandala 7, Sukta 76, Mantra 1
Sukta 7.76
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Uṣas with Savitṛ/Viśvānara in supportive roles
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
उदु ज्योतिरमृतं विश्वजन्यं विश्वानरः सविता देवो अश्रेत् । क्रत्वा देवानामजनिष्ट चक्षुराविरकर्भुवनं विश्वमुषाः ॥
úd u jyótiḥ amṛ́taṃ viśvá-janyaṃ viśvā́naraḥ savitā́ devó aśret | kratvā́ devā́nām ajaniṣṭa cákṣur āvír akar bhúvanaṃ víśvam uṣā́ḥ ||
Telah terbit cahaya abadi, lahir untuk semua; dewa Savitṛ, Api Sejagat (Vaiśvānara), telah membentangkannya. Dengan kehendak para dewa, Sang Mata pun lahir; Uṣas (Fajar) menzahirkan seluruh alam yang menjadi.
Word by Word
- उद्
- up, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (अव्यय)Root उद् (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- उ
- indeed, verilyIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root उ (निपात)
- ज्योतिः
- light, radianceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KarmaRoot ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमृतम्
- immortal, deathlessAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (विशेषणम् ज्योतिषः)Role KarmaRoot अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वजन्यम्
- belonging to all people/creatures; universalAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (विशेषणम् ज्योतिषः)Role KarmaRoot विश्वजन्य (प्रातिपदिक; विश्व + जन्य)
- विश्वानरः
- Vaiśvānara (the All-men/Universal one; Agni-epithet)Noun (proper/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot विश्वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
- सविता
- Savitar (the Impeller/Sun)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (समनाधिकरणम् विश्वानरः)Root सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवः
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (समनाधिकरणम्)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्रेत्
- rose up/advanced; came forth (lit. ‘resorted/attained’)Verbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot श्रि (धातु; √श्रि ‘to lean on, rest on; to resort/attain’)
- क्रत्वा
- by (his) will/power, by resolveNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवानाम्
- of the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचनRole SambandhaRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अजनिष्ट
- was born; aroseVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), आत्मनेपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot जन् (धातु; √जन् ‘to be born, arise, produce’)
- चक्षुः
- eye; sightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (समनाधिकरणम्/विधेय-नाम)Root चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आविः
- manifest, openlyIndeclinableअव्ययRoot आविस् (अव्यय)
- अकर्भुवन्
- they madeVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRoot कृ (धातु; √कृ ‘to make, do’)
- भुवनम्
- the world; the realm of beingsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot भुवन (प्रातिपदिक; from √भू)
- विश्वम्
- all, entireAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (विशेषणम् भुवनम्)Role KarmaRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- उषाः
- Uṣas (Dawn)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: उद् उ ज्योतिः अमृतम् विश्वजन्यम् विश्वानरः सविता देवः अश्रेत् । क्रत्वा देवानाम् अजनिष्ट चक्षुः । आविः अकर्भुवन् भुवनम् विश्वम् उषाः ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) उदु = उद् + उ (निपात-संयोग)
- (2) ज्योतिरमृतम् = ज्योतिः + अमृतम् (विसर्ग-लोपः, र्-आदेशः)
- (3) देवोऽश्रेत् = देवः + अश्रेत् (विसर्गः ओ-आदेशः, अवग्रहः)
- (4) चक्षुरााविरकर्भुवन् = चक्षुः + आविः (विसर्ग-लोपः, र्-आदेशः) + अकर्भुवन् (सन्धि-समासः/पदसंयोगः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The immortal light, born for all, has risen upward; Savitṛ, the god, the Universal Fire (Viśvānara), has extended it. By the gods’ will the Eye has been born; Dawn has made the whole world manifest.
Inner meaning
Aurobindonian key: the ‘immortal light’ is supramental/inner light (amṛta jyotiḥ) emerging into the human field. Savitṛ (the impeller) and Viśvānara (the universal fire-consciousness) spread this light through the being. ‘The Eye’ (cakṣuḥ) is the awakened seeing—inner vision/discernment born by divine will (kratvā devānām). Uṣas makes manifest the entire ‘world of becoming’ (bhuvanaṃ viśvam): all parts of the nature become visible, organized, and capable of transformation under illumination.
Universal truth
When the higher light rises, it is not private: it is ‘for all’—a universal principle of awakening. True seeing is born from alignment with the divine will, and it reveals the whole field of life for conscious growth.
Themes
birth-of-vision, universal-illumination, manifestation, truth-consciousness
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇi lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.76.2, RV 7.76.3, RV 7.77.1
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 7 often coordinates multiple deities as one movement of consciousness: Savitṛ’s impulsion + Agni/Viśvānara’s fire + Uṣas’s revelation.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha frames dawn as a cosmopsychic event: illumination is the birth of the ‘Eye’ and the manifestation of the whole becoming—an archetype of yogic awakening.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas (with Savitṛ/Viśvānara as supportive powers)
- Epithets
- uṣāḥ (Dawn), savitā devaḥ (divine impeller), viśvānaraḥ (universal fire)
- Related deities
- Agni, Sūrya, Indra
Cosmic role
Uṣas reveals; Savitṛ impels; Viśvānara sustains the universal flame that carries the light through all worlds.
Inner power
A coordinated ascent: impulsion (Savitṛ) + inner fire (Viśvānara/Agni) + revelation (Uṣas) births the seeing consciousness (cakṣuḥ).
In ritual
Where it is used
Dawn/Savitṛ invocations around morning pressing and general morning recitation; also suitable as a ‘light’ mantra at the start of rites.
उदु॒ ज्योति॑र॒मृतं॑ वि॒श्वज॑न्यं वि॒श्वान॑रः सवि॒ता दे॒वो अ॑श्रेत् । क्रत्वा॑ दे॒वाना॑मजनिष्ट॒ चक्षु॑रा॒विर॑क॒र्भुव॑नं॒ विश्व॑मु॒षाः ॥
उत् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । ज्योतिः॑ । अ॒मृत॑म् । वि॒श्वऽज॑न्यम् । वि॒श्वान॑रः । स॒वि॒ता । दे॒वः । अ॒श्रे॒त् । क्रत्वा॑ । दे॒वाना॑म् । अ॒ज॒नि॒ष्ट॒ । चक्षुः॑ । आ॒विः । अ॒कः॒ । भुव॑नम् । विश्व॑म् । उ॒षाः ॥
ut | oṃ iti | jyotiḥ | amṛtam | viśva-janyam | viśvānaraḥ | savitā | devaḥ | aśret | kratvā | devānām | ajaniṣṭa | cakṣuḥ | āviḥ | akaḥ | bhuvanam | viśvam | uṣāḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables; expansive opening (ud u jyotiḥ) then declarative unfoldment.
Rising, opening rhythm; strong ‘ud u’ lift; broad, world-revealing cadence.
Induces an upward inner movement and a sense of revelation; good for meditation on ‘light rising’.
- ज्योतिः अमृतम् (jyotiḥ amṛtam)
- Literal: immortal light. Symbolic: deathless consciousness-light; higher illumination
- विश्वजन्यम् (viśvajanyam)
- Literal: born for all. Symbolic: universalizable awakening; not limited to ego
- सविता (savitā)
- Literal: Savitṛ, impeller. Symbolic: divine impulsion that sets inner movements in right motion
- विश्वानरः (viśvānaraḥ)
- Literal: universal man/fire. Symbolic: universal fire-consciousness; Agni as pervasive inner flame
- क्रत्वा (kratvā)
- Literal: by will, purposeful power. Symbolic: divine intention shaping realization
- चक्षुः (cakṣuḥ)
- Literal: eye. Symbolic: inner vision; truth-seeing faculty
- आविः (āviḥ)
- Literal: manifest, visible. Symbolic: bringing subconscious/hidden parts into conscious light
- भुवनम् विश्वम् (bhuvanaṃ viśvam)
- Literal: the whole world/planes of becoming. Symbolic: the totality of one’s nature—mind, life, body—revealed for transformation
Morning illumination verse: aligns dawn with Savitṛ’s impulsion and the birth of ‘cakṣus’ (inner sight); suitable for dawn and Savitṛ-related recitations
At dawn or just before sunrise.
Praise of the rising light; aligning the sacrificer with divine will (kratu).
Use as a short ‘illumination’ chant before study/meditation to awaken inner seeing (cakṣuḥ) and bring clarity to the whole day’s field.
jyótiḥ ‘light’ from √dyut/√jyut ‘shine’ (IE light lexicon). savitā from √sū/√su ‘impel’ (Savitṛ as impeller). cákṣus ‘eye’ from √cakṣ ‘see’ (PIE *kʷekʷ- / *sekʷ?; Vedic preserves a specialized ‘see’ root). krátu is ‘will, effective intention’—not mere ritual act but conscious power shaping manifestation.
amṛta (deathless light), kratu (divine will), cakṣus (inner eye/knowledge), viśvānara (universal fire)
The rising light makes ṛta perceptible: order becomes visible and actionable.
Truth manifests as sight: satya becomes cakṣuḥ—seeing as truth.
Creation as revelation: worlds become ‘āviḥ’ (manifest) when light rises.
Bridges Vedic revelation and Upanishadic light-doctrine; compatible with Integral Yoga’s ‘descent of light’ model.
Dawn / sunrise threshold
Sun/dawn = higher consciousness rising; fire = will-force carrying illumination; eye = awakened discernment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘birth of the Eye’: with the rising immortal light, Savitṛ/Viśvānara extends illumination and by divine kratu the ‘cakṣus’ (vision/knowledge) is born; Dawn manifests the world. Mythically: creation-as-visibility—being becomes knowable through the dawn of consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- amṛta is a transparent IE negated death-formation (*mer-). √jan ‘be born’ is PIE *genh₁- (Greek gígnomai, Latin gignō). The universal dawn/light complex parallels IE cosmogonic motifs where light enables order and cognition.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi contemplates Dawn not only as a phenomenon but as the operative power that births vision by divine intention (kratu). The implied exchange is illumination for receptivity: by aligning with Savitṛ’s impulsion and Dawn’s revealing, the seeker receives awakened sight (cakṣus).
Contemplate ‘ud u jyotiḥ’: feel a vertical ascent of light from heart to brow/crown; then rest as the ‘Eye’—silent seeing—letting the whole inner world become transparent.
Ājñā and Sahasrāra (inner seeing and higher light)
Inhale gently with ‘ud u’; exhale with ‘āvir’; 12 cycles, then silent witnessing.
From ordinary mind to luminous witness-consciousness; a sense of universal light.
After chanting, scan the ‘whole becoming’ (body-life-mind) without judgment; let light reveal, not suppress—transformation begins with āviḥ (making-visible).
Maintain clear udātta lift on opening ‘ud u’; keep svarita transitions smooth; exact accent marks require śākhā-specific notation beyond the provided text.
Give a gentle crescendo through pāda 1 (rise of light), steady authority in pāda 2 (Savitṛ/Viśvānara), and a revealing clarity in pādas 3–4 (‘cakṣuḥ… āvir’).
(amṛtaṃ): vocalic ṛ clean, not ‘arita’, (viśvajanyam): ‘śv’ conjunct; short a in -janyam, (viśvānaraḥ): long ā, (aśret): cluster ‘śr’ distinct, (ajaniṣṭa): retroflex ṣṭa
Bright, ascending, then steady luminous tone; avoid heaviness.
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