Rig Veda 7.75.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 75, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.75
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
महे नो अद्य सुविताय बोध्युषो महे सौभगाय प्र यन्धि । चित्रं रयिं यशसं धेह्यस्मे देवि मर्तेषु मानुषि श्रवस्युम् ॥
mahé no adyá suvitā́ya bodhy uṣo mahé sáubhagāya prá yandhi | citráṃ rayíṃ yaśásaṃ dhehy asmée devi márteṣu mā́nuṣi śravasyúm ||
ହେ ଉଷା, ଆଜି ଆମ ପାଇଁ ସୁବିତ (ସୁଗମ ଗତି/ସଦ୍ଗତି) ପାଇଁ ଜାଗ୍ରତ ହେଅ; ମହା ସୌଭାଗ୍ୟ ଦିଗକୁ ଆମକୁ ଆଗେଇ ନେଇଯାଅ। ହେ ଦେବୀ, ଆମ ଭିତରେ ଚିତ୍ର ରୟି—ପ୍ରଭାମୟ, ଯଶସ୍ବୀ ଧନ—ସ୍ଥାପନ କର; ମର୍ତ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ, ମାନୁଷ କ୍ଷେତ୍ରରେ, ଆମକୁ ଶ୍ରବସ୍ୟୁକ—ଉଚ୍ଚ ଶ୍ରବଣ/ପ୍ରେରିତ ଯଶର ସାଧକ—କର।
Word by Word
- म॒हे
- for the great (good), for greatnessAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे/स्त्रीलिङ्गे दत्तिवचनम् एकवचनम् (महते) — वैदिक रूप ‘महे’Role SampradānaRoot महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- for us / ourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचनम् (enclitic) — ‘our/for us’Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अ॒द्य
- today, nowIndeclinableकालवाचक अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अद्य (अव्यय)
- सु॑वि॒ताय॑
- for good fortune / good guidanceNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot सुवित (प्रातिपदिक) < सु-√विद्/विद् (हित/लाभार्थ ‘good finding, good fortune’)
- बो॒ध्यु
- awake! be aware!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ) मध्यमपुरुष एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् — वैदिक रूप ‘बोध्यु’ (= बोधि)Role Kartā (आह्वान/आज्ञा) / क्रियापदRoot √बुध् (बोधने)
- उषः
- O DawnNoun (vocative)स्त्रीलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम् (उषः < उषस्)Role SambodhanaRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- म॒हे
- for great (benefit)Adjectiveचतुर्थी एकवचनम् (महते) — वैदिक ‘महे’Role SampradānaRoot महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सौभ॑गाय॒
- for prosperity / good luckNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot सौभग (प्रातिपदिक) < सु-भग (‘good fortune, prosperity’)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गः (direction/intensifier)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- य॑न्धि
- grant! bestow!Verbलोट् मध्यमपुरुष एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् — वैदिक ‘यन्धि’ (= यच्छ/देहि ‘grant!’)Role Karma (आज्ञा-क्रिया) / क्रियापदRoot √यम् (यच्छने/नियमे) — caus./intensive sense in Vedic ‘grant, bestow’
- चि॒त्रम्
- bright, splendidAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (रयिम् विशेषयति)Role KarmaRoot चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- र॒यिम्
- wealth, treasureNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot रयि (प्रातिपदिक)
- य॒शसम्
- fame-bringing, gloriousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (रयिम् विशेषयति)Role KarmaRoot यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- धेहि
- place, bestowVerbलोट् मध्यमपुरुष एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role Karma (आज्ञा-क्रिया) / क्रियापदRoot √धा (धारणे/स्थापने)
- अ॒स्मे
- for us / on usPronounसप्तमी/चतुर्थी द्विवचन/बहुवचन? — वैदिक स्थिररूप ‘अस्मे’ = अस्मासु/अस्मभ्यम् (context: ‘upon/for us’)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- देवि
- O goddessNoun (vocative)स्त्रीलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role SambodhanaRoot देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- मर्तेषु
- among mortalsNounपुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot मर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
- मानुषि
- O (one) friendly to humans / O human(-kind) oneAdjective/Noun (vocative/locative form in Vedic usage)स्त्रीलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम् (उषसः/देव्याः विशेषणम्: ‘O human(-friendly) one’) — वैदिक रूप ‘मानुषि’Role SambodhanaRoot मानुषी (प्रातिपदिक) < मनु (descendant of Manu; human)
- श्रवस्युम्
- fame-bringing / glory-seeking (gift)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (रयिम् विशेषयति/फलम्)Role KarmaRoot श्रवस्यु (प्रातिपदिक) < श्रवस् (‘fame’) + -यु (‘seeking/bringing’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): म॒हे | नः | अ॒द्य | सु॑वि॒ताय॑ | बो॒ध्यु | उषः | म॒हे | सौभ॑गाय॒ | प्र | य॑न्धि | चि॒त्रम् | र॒यिम् | य॒शसम् | धेहि | अ॒स्मे | देवि॒ | मर्ते॑षु | मानुषि | श्रव॒स्युम् || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) बो॒ध्यु + उषः → बो॒ध्युषो॑ (उ-आदि संधि; य्-आगम) । (2) देवि + मर्तेषु → देवि॒ मर्ते॑षु (पदसन्धि नहीं, केवल संहिता-पाठ में संयोग) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A prayer to Dawn (Uṣas) to awaken today for our welfare, lead us forward to great good fortune, and place in us a bright, fame-bearing wealth among mortals—making us worthy of higher hearing and renown.
Inner meaning
Uṣas is the recurring spiritual illumination that stirs the seeker from inertia. The rishi asks that this awakening become an effective inner “right-going” (suvitāya): a straight progress of the consciousness. Dawn is invoked not merely to appear, but to guide (pra yandhi) the being forward into a greater felicity—an inner prosperity of harmony, clarity, and right force. The “luminous wealth” (citraṃ rayim) is the abundance of light, capacities, and right energies that support sādhanā; “fame-bearing” (yaśasam) becomes the soul’s radiance and recognized truth-force in the human field. “Śravasyu” is the state of one who seeks and receives the higher śravas—intuitive hearing/inspiration—so that the human mind becomes a fit instrument for revealed knowledge.
Universal truth
True progress begins with awakening: an illumination that not only reveals but leads. When consciousness aligns with the right path, inner wealth arises—clarity, strength, and meaningful influence—transforming ordinary life into a field for inspired truth.
Themes
prayer-for-progress, spiritual-wealth, awakening, human-transformation
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.75.1, RV 7.76, RV 7.77, RV 7.18, RV 7.33
Family tradition
Saptarṣi; traditional purohita-line of the Bharatas/Tr̥tsus; hymns often integrate ethical-psychological ascent with ṛta.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s Uṣas hymns emphasize illumination as guidance: the Light is not decorative but directive, establishing right movement (ṛta-suvitā) in the human journey.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Epithets
- देवि (devī), दर्शता (darśatā) implied: fair-seeing, चित्रा (citrā) implied: luminous
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Agni, Indra, Aśvins
Cosmic role
She brings the ordered emergence of day, revealing forms and setting beings to their works; she opens the path for Sūrya and the gods’ activity.
Inner power
The power of awakening that turns the mind toward truth and forward movement; she discloses the next step and installs luminous resources in the seeker.
In ritual
Where it is used
Morning pressing/recitation in dawn rites; general dawn praise in soma and agnihotra contexts (by usage-pattern of Uṣas hymns).
म॒हे नो॑ अ॒द्य सु॑वि॒ताय॑ बो॒ध्युषो॑ म॒हे सौभ॑गाय॒ प्र य॑न्धि । चि॒त्रं र॒यिं य॒शसं॑ धेह्य॒स्मे देवि॒ मर्ते॑षु मानुषि श्रव॒स्युम् ॥
म॒हे । नः॒ । अ॒द्य । सु॒वि॒ताय॑ । बो॒धि॒ । उषः॑ । म॒हे । सौभ॑गाय । प्र । य॒न्धि॒ । चि॒त्रम् । र॒यिम् । य॒शस॑म् । धे॒हि॒ । अ॒स्मे इति॑ । देवि॑ । मर्ते॑षु । मा॒नु॒षि॒ । श्र॒व॒स्युम् ॥
mahe | naḥ | adya | suvitāya | bodhi | uṣaḥ | mahe | saubhagāya | pra | yandhi | citram | rayim | yaśasam | dhehi | asme iti | devi | marteṣu | mānuṣi | śravasyum
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, expansive cadence suited to invocation and guidance
Builds a sense of ascent and momentum; supports an inner ‘leading forward’ feeling (pra-yandhi) rather than repose.
- उषस् (uṣas)
- Literal: Dawn. Symbolic: Spiritual illumination; the awakening of consciousness
- सुवित (suvitā)
- Literal: good going, right journey. Symbolic: Right progress of the inner being; straight movement in the Truth
- सौभग (saubhaga)
- Literal: good fortune, felicity. Symbolic: Harmony and blessedness that follows alignment with Truth
- चित्र (citra)
- Literal: bright, variegated, luminous. Symbolic: Illumined consciousness; manifold light-powers
- रयि (rayi)
- Literal: wealth, treasure. Symbolic: Inner riches: capacities, energies, supports for sādhanā
- यशस् (yaśas)
- Literal: fame, glory. Symbolic: Radiance and effective truth-force expressed in life
- श्रवस् / श्रवस्यु (śravas/śravasyu)
- Literal: hearing, renown / one who seeks renown. Symbolic: Higher hearing (inspiration, revelation); the seeker of intuitive knowledge
- मर्तेषु मानुषि (marteṣu mānuṣi)
- Literal: among mortals, in the human (field). Symbolic: In embodied life; the arena where illumination must be established
Dawn invocation for right progress and ‘rayi’; applicable to morning offerings and daily awakening discipline
At daybreak; before or as sunlight appears
Recitation to invite auspicious awakening, right activity, and prosperity; mental ‘opening’ before offerings.
Use at waking: chant to set intention for right progress, clarity, and inspired listening throughout the day.
suvitā́ya: su- ‘good’ + viti from √vid/√vī ‘to find, know, go’ (RV usage spans ‘right finding’ and ‘right going’). bodhi from √budh ‘awaken’ (PIE *bheudh- ‘be aware’). rayí from √rā ‘to give’/ray ‘wealth, abundance’—psychologically ‘plenitude of force and means’. śravas from √śru ‘hear’ (PIE *ḱlewos ‘fame/hearing’, cf. Greek kléos): inner sense ‘capacity to hear the inspired truth’.
suviti (right progress), saubhaga (felicity), śravas (inspired hearing/renown)
Uṣas awakens beings into their right action; ‘suvitā’ aligns movement with ṛta.
The ‘higher hearing’ (śravas) is truth received as inspiration, not mere opinion.
Daily re-creation: light re-establishes form, direction, and possibility in the human field.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral psychological reading (Aurobindo-Kashyap): gods as powers of consciousness.
dawn
The first opening of awareness that reveals the path, supplies inner resources, and turns life toward inspired truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Dawn as initiatrix of the journey: she awakens the seeker and ‘leads forward’ toward su-viti and saubhaga, granting rayi and śravas—inner wealth and inspired reception—so the mortal may participate in the luminous order.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- bodhi (√budh) reflects PIE *bheudh- (cf. English ‘bid’ in older sense ‘announce/command’ is not cognate; better: German ‘bieten’ not; but Sanskrit/Greek show awareness-root continuity). śravas corresponds to PIE *ḱléwos ‘fame’ (Greek kléos), showing inherited poetic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A direct petitionary reciprocity: the rishi asks Dawn to awaken and guide, and to ‘place’ luminous wealth within the human condition—implying the seeker’s openness and the goddess’s bestowal of inner capacities.
Invite inner dawn: ‘Awaken in me the right-going; lead me to felicity; establish luminous wealth (clarity, strength, inspiration).’
Ājñā (illumined mind) and Anāhata (felicity/harmony)
Gentle ujjāyī or nāḍī-śodhana for 6–12 rounds before chanting
Waking-to-witness transition; bright, receptive attention
Chant at first light; after each repetition, pause and listen inwardly for ‘śravas’—a quiet directive intuition for the day’s right step.
Not fully determinable from provided text alone; chant in a simple Rigvedic-style melodic contour preserving word accents (udātta prominence on marked syllables in a proper pada text).
Maintain clear pada boundaries: mahe | no | adya | suvitāya | bodhi | uṣo || Emphasize long vowels (ā, ī, ū) and aspirates (bh, dh).
uṣo: pronounce u-ṣo (retroflex ṣ), suvitāya: su-vi-tā-ya (clear v), citraṃ: ci-traṃ with nasal anusvāra, śravasyum: śra-va-syum (palatal ś; cluster -sy-), mānuṣi: mā-nu-ṣi (retroflex ṣ)
Bright, clear, slightly lifted tone as if ‘calling the light’
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