Rig Veda 1.49.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 49, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.49
- Rishi
- Praskaṇva Kāṇva
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
सुपेशसं सुखं रथं यमध्यस्था उषस्त्वम् । तेना सुश्रवसं जनं प्रावाद्य दुहितर्दिवः ॥
supéśasaṃ sukháṃ ráthaṃ yám adhyásthā uṣas tvám | ténā suśrávasaṃ jánam práva adyá duhitar divaḥ ||
हे उषः, यं सुपेशसं सुखं रथम् अधिष्ठासि, तेन अद्य अस्माकं जनं सुश्रवसं सत्यकीर्तिं च प्रावादय। हे दिवो दुहितः, अस्मान् पालयित्वा अग्रे नय।
Word by Word
- सुपेशसम्
- well-adorned, beautifulAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (रथम् इति कर्मपदस्य विशेषणम्)Root सु- + पेशस् (प्रातिपदिक) < √पिश्/पेश् (अलङ्कारे/रूपे) (व्युत्पत्त्यर्थ)
- सुखम्
- comfortable, pleasantAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (रथम् इति कर्मपदस्य विशेषणम्)Root सु- + ख (प्रातिपदिक) (सुख)
- रथम्
- chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- यम्
- which (that)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बन्ध-प्रत्ययः)Role कर्म (रथम् प्रति अन्वयः)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अध्यस्थाः
- you mounted, you sat uponVerbलुङ् (आगमयुक्त-आorist), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (वेदिक-रूपम्)Role क्रिया (कर्तृ = त्वम्) ; कर्म = रथम्Root अधि-√स्था (स्थाने)
- उषः
- O Uṣas (Dawn)Noun (vocative)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तेन
- with that (thereby)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुश्रवसम्
- of good fame, renownedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (जनम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (जनम् इति कर्मपदस्य विशेषणम्)Root सु- + श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक) < √श्रु (श्रवणे) (व्युत्पत्त्यर्थ)
- जनम्
- people, folkNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियायाः अर्थवृद्धिः)Root प्र (उपसर्ग)
- अवाद्य
- having spoken forth, having proclaimedVerbal indeclinable (gerund)ल्यप् (क्त्वा-अर्थे) अव्ययम्; ‘प्र’ उपसर्गयुक्तम्Role पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (मुख्यक्रियायाः पूर्वम्) / क्रियाविशेषणम्Root प्र-√वद् (वचने) → (अ)वाद्य (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्ययः)
- दुहितः
- O daughterNoun (vocative)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (वेदिक-सम्बोधन-रूपम्)Role सम्बोधनRoot दुहितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवः
- of heaven, of the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (दुहितः इत्यस्य षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)Root द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रहः): सुपेशसम् | सुखम् | रथम् | यम् | अध्यस्थाः | उषः | त्वम् | तेन | सुश्रवसम् | जनम् | प्र | अवाद्य | दुहितः | दिवः । 1) ‘रथं यम्’ इत्यत्र अनुस्वार/अन्त्य-व्यञ्जन-सन्धिः न विशेषः
- ‘रथम्’ + ‘यम्’ इति पदसीमा। 2) ‘यमध्यस्थाः’ = ‘यम्’ + ‘अध्यस्थाः’ (अ + अ संयोगः पदसंहितायाम्)। 3) ‘प्रावा॒द्य’ = ‘प्र’ + ‘अवाद्य’ (उपसर्ग-संयोगः; संहितायां दीर्घ/प्रगृह्य-प्रभावः पाठभेदानुसारः)। 4) ‘दुहितर्दिवः’ = ‘दुहितः’ + ‘दिवः’ (विसर्ग-लोप/रकारादेशः: -ः + द् → र्, पदसंहितायाम्)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
On the well-formed, happy chariot which you mount, O Dawn, by that bring forward today the human being into good hearing and true renown; O daughter of Heaven, protect and lead us onward.
Inner meaning
Uṣas rides a ‘supeśasa sukha ratha’—a beautifully ordered and bliss-bearing movement of illumination. By that movement she is asked to bring the human being (janam) forward into ‘suśravas’—right hearing: receptivity to truth, the capacity to listen inwardly and receive guidance—and into true renown: the soul’s recognized clarity and right standing in the cosmic order. As ‘duhitā divaḥ’ she protects the journey and leads the being onward in its evolution.
Universal truth
When awakening moves in harmony and joy, it trains us in right receptivity; protection is not mere defense but guidance into a truer name—our authentic being and action.
Themes
Vehicle of dawn-force, Guidance and protection, Progress into right hearing
The seer
- Rishi
- Praskaṇva Kāṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 1.49.1-3, RV 1.48
Family tradition
Kāṇva seers often stress ‘ratha’ imagery as an inner vehicle—disciplined motion of forces guided by light.
Significance
This verse highlights the transformation of receptivity (‘hearing’)—a key yogic faculty—showing dawn as the educator of the inner sense.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Epithets
- Duhitā Divah (Daughter of Heaven), Supeśasā (well-formed), Sukharathā (rider of a happy chariot)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Sarasvatī (as inspiration/hearing), Agni
Cosmic role
Carries the day forward on an ordered vehicle; protects beings and sets them on a path of right receptivity.
Inner power
Creates a harmonious, joyful movement of progress; awakens the faculty of inner hearing and right guidance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dawn praise used in morning recitation; supportive of beginning journeys, study, and hearing/learning contexts.
सु॒पेश॑सं सु॒खं रथं॒ यम॒ध्यस्था॑ उष॒स्त्वम् । तेना॑ सु॒श्रव॑सं॒ जनं॒ प्रावा॒द्य दु॑हितर्दिवः ॥
सु॒ऽपेश॑सम् । सु॒खम् । रथ॑म् । यम् । अ॒धि॒ऽअस्थाः॑ । उ॒षः॒ । त्वम् । तेन॑ । सु॒ऽश्रव॑सम् । जन॑म् । प्र । अ॒व॒ । अ॒द्य । दु॒हि॒तः॒ । दि॒वः॒ ॥
su-peśasam | sukham | ratham | yam | adhi-asthāḥ | uṣaḥ | tvam | tena | su-śravasam | janam | pra | ava | adya | duhitaḥ | divaḥ
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3 pādas of ~8 syllables
Balanced and lyrical; suitable for ‘ratha’ (measured movement).
Instills rhythmic steadiness and a pleasant uplift; supports cultivating receptivity and guidance.
- supeśasam
- Literal: well-formed, beautiful. Symbolic: right order and proportion in consciousness
- sukham
- Literal: happy, pleasant, easy. Symbolic: ease of the soul when aligned with truth; unobstructed movement
- ratham
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: vehicle of progress; organized dynamic of practice
- suśravasam
- Literal: good hearing, good fame. Symbolic: inner listening to truth; luminous reputation as authenticity of being
- janam
- Literal: people/human being. Symbolic: the embodied personality to be led forward by the soul-light
- prāvādya / prāva
- Literal: protect, lead forth. Symbolic: guidance and guardianship of the illumined movement
- duhitar divaḥ
- Literal: daughter of heaven. Symbolic: illumination born of higher consciousness, guiding the lower
Morning invocation: asks Dawn to carry/protect the sacrificer toward auspicious receptivity (śravas) and right progress.
At dawn; before learning, teaching, or any activity requiring attentive listening and right guidance.
Invocation for protection and for awakening ‘good hearing’ (suśravas).
Chant before study/meetings: set intention to listen well, speak truthfully, and move forward with ease.
peśas ‘form/ornament’ indicates shaped manifestation; su- intensifies as ‘well/right’. sukha ‘easy-going’ (su + kha ‘good axle-hole/space’) → smooth movement; psychologically unobstructed progress. ratha as vehicle (√ṛ ‘to go/move’ in traditional etymological field) → dynamic carriage of force. adhi-√sthā ‘to stand upon/mount’ → taking seat of control. śravas from √śru ‘to hear’ → not only fame but capacity to receive true inspiration; ‘good hearing’ as inner obedience to the truth. duhitar ‘daughter’ (mythic kinship) marks derivation of dawn from dyu/div (luminous heaven).
Right formation (su-peśas), Harmonious movement (sukha), Śravas as receptivity to truth
The chariot is the ordered movement of ṛta; dawn aligns the human journey to cosmic rhythm.
‘True renown’ is not egoic fame but the soul’s truthful standing—action that can be affirmed by the light.
Guided evolution: the daughter of heaven leads the human toward higher possibilities daily.
Integral Vedic yoga: illumination organizes movement and refines faculties (hearing/receptivity) for transformation.
dawn
Chariot = disciplined progress; dawn = awakening; heaven = higher mind/source; hearing = inner receptivity channel.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Dawn rides her chariot and leads humans forward: the mythic chariot-epiphany becomes an inner image of the divine force taking the seat of guidance and moving the human nature toward receptivity and right renown (śravas as true hearing).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- duhitar ‘daughter’ reflects PIE *dʰugh₂tēr (cf. Gk. thugátēr, Eng. daughter), showing inherited kinship terminology used for cosmic relations (Dawn as ‘daughter of Heaven’), a typical Indo-European mythopoetic structure.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi entrusts leadership to Uṣas: she mounts the vehicle (assumes mastery) and is asked to ‘carry forward and protect’ the human being. The exchange is guidance-for-invocation: the hymn calls; the goddess conducts the journey.
Feel the ‘chariot’ as your breath-body-mind system; let dawn-light take the reins; cultivate inner listening.
viśuddha (hearing/speech purification) and ājñā (guidance)
Nadi-śodhana (gentle) for 5 cycles, then chant once; feel ‘sukha’ ease in the channels.
Attentive calm; guided clarity.
Practice ‘inner hearing’: after chanting, sit 2 minutes in silence, listening for the most sattvic next step; act on it simply.
Gāyatrī cadence; keep pitch steps clear on accented syllables; do not over-lengthen short vowels.
Let ‘supeśasaṃ sukhaṃ rathaṃ’ be smooth and even; brighten on ‘duhitar divaḥ’.
supeśasam: ś as palatal; keep e longish by quality, not length, adhyasthā: aspirate th; long ā at end, suśravasam: śr cluster clear; avoid ‘susravas’, prāvādya: distinguish v from b; long ā, duhitar: dental t; short i
Softly luminous, steady, protective.
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