Rig Veda 7.75.5: Mandala 7, Sukta 75, Mantra 5
Sukta 7.75
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
वाजिनीवती सूर्यस्य योषा चित्रामघा राय ईशे वसूनाम् । ऋषिष्टुता जरयन्ती मघोन्युषा उच्छति वह्निभिर्गृणाना ॥
vājínīvatī sū́ryasya yóṣā citrā́-maghā rāyá ī́śe vásūnām | ṛ́ṣi-stutā jarayántī maghónī uṣā́ ucchati váhni-bhir gṛṇānā́ ||
Posiadająca siłę, młoda oblubienica Słońca, bogata w różnorodne dary, ona rządzi pełnią. Chwalona przez wieszczów, odnawiając wiek, hojna Jutrzenka wschodzi, śpiewana przez płomienne energie aspiracji.
Word by Word
- वाजिनीवती
- possessing steeds/strength; rich in prize-winning powerAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot वाजिनीवत् (प्रातिपदिक; वाजिन् + -वत्)
- सूर्यस्य
- of the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- योषा
- the young woman/maiden (Dawn)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot योषा (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्रामघा
- of brilliant bounty; splendidly generousAdjective (epithet)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root चित्रामघा (प्रातिपदिक; चित्र + मघा)
- रायः
- of wealthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: रायः = रायेः)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root राय्/रायि (प्रातिपदिक ‘wealth’)
- ईशे
- rules, has masteryVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot ईश् (धातु)
- वसूनाम्
- of goods/treasuresNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋषिष्टुता
- praised by seersAdjective (kṛdanta epithet)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root ऋषि-स्तुत (कृदन्त/समास; स्तु ‘to praise’ → स्तुत ‘praised’)
- जरयन्ती
- wearing away (the darkness), making (it) witherVerb-participleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण/सहक्रिया)Root जरय् (धातु; ‘to make old, wear down’)
- मघोनी
- the bountiful one, generous ladyNoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root मघोनी (प्रातिपदिक; मघवन्-स्त्री)
- उषाः
- DawnNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वैदिक विसर्गान्त रूप)Role कर्तृRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उच्छति
- shines forth, dawnsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot उद्-√श्वि/श्वि (वैदिक ‘to shine, dawn’; परस्मैपद)
- वह्निभिः
- with (their) hymning priests / bearers (of praise)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- गृणाना
- praising, singing (hymns)Verb-participleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root गृ (धातु ‘to sing/praise’) → गृणान (कृदन्त)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): वाजिनीवती | सूर्यस्य | योषा | चित्रामघा | रायः | ईशे | वसूनाम् || ऋषिष्टुता | जरयन्ती | मघोनी | उषाः | उच्छति | वह्निभिः | गृणाना || 1) ‘राय ईशे’ = ‘रायः ईशे’ (विसर्ग-लोपः पदान्ते स्वरादौ)
- 2) ‘वह्निभिर्गृणाना’ = ‘वह्निभिः गृणाना’ (विसर्गः + ग् → र्-आदेशः/रेफः; वैदिक संधि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Possessed of force, the young bride of the Sun, rich in varied gifts, she rules over riches. Praised by seers, renewing the age, the bountiful Dawn rises, sung by the flame-tongued chanters.
Inner meaning
Uṣas is ‘vājinīvatī’—full of vāja: force, victorious energy, capacity. As ‘Sūryasya yoṣā’ she is the companion/bride of the Sun: illumination prepares and harmonizes the field so the solar truth (Sūrya as greater knowledge) can manifest. ‘Citrā-maghā’ indicates manifold gifts: diverse powers of light distributed according to need. She ‘rules the plenitudes’ (rāya īśe vasūnām): the inner wealth of energies, faculties, and harmonies. Praised by seers (ṛṣiṣṭutā), she ‘jarayantī’—makes old things age, renews the cycle: dawn dissolves stale formations, refreshing consciousness. She rises ‘gṛṇānā vahnibhiḥ’: by the vahnīs, flame-tongued powers—aspirations, will-forces, and inspired speech—she is evoked and increased in the being.
Universal truth
Illumination is not passive light but a force that renews life, dissolves the stale, and distributes the right powers. When aspiration and inspired speech call the light, it rises and governs our inner riches.
Themes
abundance, sovereignty-of-light, renewal, aspiration-fire
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.75, RV 7.76, RV 7.33, RV 7.18
Family tradition
Seer-poet whose hymns often show collaboration of illumination (Uṣas) and truth-knowledge (Sūrya) through aspiration (vahni/Agni).
Significance
Stresses the dynamic aspect of dawn: a forceful renewal invoked by seer-aspiration, preparing the sun of truth in consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Epithets
- वाजिनीवती (vājinīvatī), चित्रमघा (citrāmaghā), मघोनी (maghonī), सूर्यस्य योषा (sūryasya yoṣā)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Agni/Vahni, Aśvins
Cosmic role
She rises before the Sun, opening the world, renewing time, distributing boons and setting beings to their right energies.
Inner power
Energetic illumination that renews the vital and mental, governs inner wealth, and responds to aspiration and mantra.
In ritual
Where it is used
Morning praise of Uṣas linked to Sūrya; suitable at start of day’s rites/works; sung by hotṛ-style recitation.
वा॒जिनी॑वती॒ सूर्य॑स्य॒ योषा॑ चि॒त्राम॑घा रा॒य ई॑शे॒ वसू॑नाम् । ऋषि॑ष्टुता ज॒रय॑न्ती म॒घोन्यु॒षा उ॑च्छति॒ वह्नि॑भिर्गृणा॒ना ॥
वा॒जिनी॑ऽवती । सूर्य॑स्य । योषा॑ । चि॒त्रऽम॑घा । रा॒यः । ई॒शे॒ । वसू॑नाम् । ऋषि॑ऽस्तुता । ज॒रय॑न्ती । म॒घोनी॑ । उ॒षाः । उ॒च्छ॒ति॒ । वह्नि॑ऽभिः । गृ॒णा॒ना ॥
vājinī-vatī | sūryasya | yoṣā | citra-maghā | rāyaḥ | īśe | vasūnām | ṛṣi-stutā | jarayantī | maghonī | uṣāḥ | ucchati | vahni-bhiḥ | gṛṇānā
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4 x ~11 syllables
Vigorous, rising cadence; celebratory praise with energetic lift
Invokes vitality and renewal; encourages aspiration to rise with the dawn-force.
- वाजिनीवती (vājinīvatī)
- Literal: possessing vāja (strength/prize). Symbolic: Force of progress; energetic illumination
- सूर्यस्य योषा (sūryasya yoṣā)
- Literal: the Sun’s young woman/bride. Symbolic: Dawn as mediator to solar truth; preparation for higher knowledge
- चित्रमघा (citrā-maghā)
- Literal: having varied gifts. Symbolic: Many-sided bestowal of light-powers
- रायः / वसूनाम् (rāyaḥ/vasūnām)
- Literal: riches/treasures. Symbolic: Inner plenitudes: energies, faculties, harmonies
- ऋषिष्टुता (ṛṣiṣṭutā)
- Literal: praised by seers. Symbolic: Confirmed by inner vision; invoked by mantra-consciousness
- जरयन्ती (jarayantī)
- Literal: making old, wearing away. Symbolic: Dissolving old patterns; renewing consciousness
- वह्नि (vahni)
- Literal: fire, bearer; flame-tongued singer. Symbolic: Aspiration and will-forces that carry the offering upward; inspired utterance
Dawn praise at the opening of rites; supports the invocation of abundance (vasu/rayi) as inner plenitude
Dawn to sunrise transition
Stotra-like praise to invite boons and renewal; supports consecration of energies.
Use when lethargic or stuck in old patterns; chant to ‘renew the age’ in oneself and reclaim force for action.
vāja: from √vaj/√vāj ‘be strong, drive’ → ‘plenitude of force’, not merely ‘prize/food’. īśe from √īś ‘to own, be master’. maghá ‘gift, bounty’ → maghonī ‘bountiful’. vahní in RV is ‘carrier’ and ‘flame/priestly force’; psychologically: the upward-bearing energies that convey aspiration.
vāja (plenitude of force), vasu (essential riches), renewal/ripening (jarayantī)
Dawn renews time and sets right rhythms; she is a daily re-establishment of ṛta.
As Sun’s bride, she prepares the field for satya as luminous knowledge.
Renewal through light: the old is worn away, the new day is born.
Integral symbolism: collaboration of illumination (Uṣas) and truth (Sūrya) through aspiration (vahni).
dawn
A forceful awakening that refreshes energies and prepares higher knowledge to manifest.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Dawn as Sun’s bride and mistress of riches: she mediates the solar truth into the human world, ruling ‘vasu’ and ‘rayi’. The rising is accompanied by vahnis—inner carriers—suggesting sacrifice/aspiration as the means of receiving her boons.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √īś ‘rule’ is an Indo-Iranian development but fits an IE pattern of sovereignty verbs; √gṛ ‘sing’ belongs to inherited poetic diction (cf. broader IE praise-poetry). The relational myth ‘Dawn + Sun’ parallels IE dawn-sun pairing motifs.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s song (gṛṇānā) and the vahni-forces ‘carry’ the offering of praise; Dawn reciprocates by governing and releasing the plenitudes (vasu/rayi) into the seeker’s life—abundance as spiritual capacity.
Awaken vāja (inner force) through the dawn-light; offer old patterns to be ‘aged out’ (jarayantī).
Maṇipūra (force/drive) supported by Ājñā (illumination)
Kapalabhāti (gentle, 30–60 strokes) or brisk exhale practice, then settle into calm chanting.
Energized clarity; luminous enthusiasm
Chant, then choose one concrete action aligned with truth; let the dawn-force govern the day’s ‘vasūni’ (resources, time, attention).
Not fully determinable from provided text alone; keep triṣṭubh momentum with crisp consonants to express vāja.
Avoid swallowing clusters: vājinīvatī | sūryasya yoṣā || Keep ‘ṛṣiṣṭutā’ distinct from ‘jarayantī’.
vājinīvatī: vā-ji-nī-va-tī, citrāmaghā: ci-trā-ma-ghā (aspirate gh), īśe: ī-śe (long ī), ṛṣiṣṭutā: ṛ-ṣi-ṣṭu-tā (ṣṭ), vahnibhiḥ: vah-ni-bhiḥ (clear h + n)
Bright, slightly forceful, uplifting
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