Rig Veda 1.134.4: Mandala 1, Sukta 134, Mantra 4
Sukta 1.134
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Vāyu
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
तुभ्यमुषासः शुचयः परावति भद्रा वस्त्रा तन्वते दंसु रश्मिषु चित्रा नव्येषु रश्मिषु । तुभ्यं धेनुः सबर्दुघा विश्वा वसूनि दोहते । अजनयो मरुतो वक्षणाभ्यो दिव आ वक्षणाभ्यः ॥
túbhyam uṣā́saḥ śúcayaḥ parā́vati bhadrā́ vástrā tanvate dáṃsu raśmíṣu citrā́ návyeṣu raśmíṣu | túbhyaṃ dhénuḥ sabardúghā víśvā vásūni dohate | ájanayo marúto vakṣáṇābhyo divá ā́ vakṣáṇābhyaḥ ||
เพื่อท่าน รุ่งอรุณผู้บริสุทธิ์ (Uṣas) จากแดนกว้างไกล ทออาภรณ์อันเป็นมงคลในหมู่รัศมี—ในรัศมีอันวิจิตรและใหม่เสมอ. เพื่อท่าน แม่โคผู้ให้น้ำนมอุดม (ผู้รีดได้ไม่ขาด) รีดทรัพย์สมบัติ (vásu) ทั้งปวงออกมา. ท่านยังให้มารุต (Maruts) บังเกิด จากทรวงอกแห่งฟ้า จากทรวงอกแห่งความกว้างอันสว่างไสว.
Word by Word
- तुभ्यम्
- to youPronounपुं/नपुं (सर्वनाम), चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उषासः
- the DawnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शुचयः
- bright, pureAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (उषासः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
- परावतिः
- from afarNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (वैदिक-रूपम्)Role अपादानRoot परावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- भद्राणि
- auspiciousAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (वस्त्राणि इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वस्त्राणि
- garmentsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- तन्वते
- they spread/extendVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot तन् (धातु)
- दंसु
- O wondrous oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot दंसु (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक विशेषण)
- रश्मिषु
- in the raysNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot रश्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्राः
- variegated, splendidAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (उषासः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- नव्येषु
- in the newAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन (रश्मिषु इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role अधिकरणRoot नव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- रश्मिषु
- in the raysNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot रश्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
- तुभ्यम्
- to youPronounचतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धेनुः
- the milch-cowNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- सबर्दुघा
- yielding milk abundantlyAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (धेनुः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot सबर्दुघा (प्रातिपदिक; समास/वैदिक विशेषण)
- विश्वानि
- allAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (वसूनि इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसूनि
- goods, richesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- दोहते
- she milks/yieldsVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot दुह् (धातु)
- अजनयः
- you generatedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, मध्यम, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot जन् (धातु) + अ (सन्/णिच् causative base: जनय-)
- मरुतः
- the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वक्षणाभ्यः
- from the wombs/flanksNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, बहुवचनRole अपादानRoot वक्षणा (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवः
- of heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक: दिव्)
- आ
- forth, untoIndeclinableउपसर्गः (गत्यर्थ/आगमनार्थ)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वक्षणाभ्यः
- from the wombs/flanksNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, बहुवचनRole अपादानRoot वक्षणा (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (मुख्य): तुभ्यम् | उषासः | शुचयः | परावतिः | भद्राणि | वस्त्राणि | तन्वते | दंसु | रश्मिषु | चित्राः | नव्येषु | रश्मिषु | तुभ्यम् | धेनुः | सबर्दुघा | विश्वानि | वसूनि | दोहते | अजनयः | मरुतः | वक्षणाभ्यः | दिवः | आ | वक्षणाभ्यः । 1) तुभ्य॑मु॒षास॒: → तुभ्यम् + उषासः (म् + उ → म् उ; संहितायां अनुनासिक-संयोगः)
- 2) उ॒षास॒: शुच॑यः → उषासः + शुचयः (विसर्गः + श्; वैदिक-संहितायां विसर्ग-प्रयोगः)
- 3) परा॒वति॑ → परावतिः (सप्तमी-एकवचन वैदिक-रूप)
- 4) वस्त्रा॑ → वस्त्राणि (पदपाठे बहुवचन-रूप; संहितायां दीर्घ/स्वर-परिवर्तनं)
- 5) तुभ्यं॑ → तुभ्यम् (पदपाठे -म्)
- 6) दिव आ → दिवः + आ (ः + आ; संहितायां विसर्ग-लोप/परिवर्तन-प्रवृत्तिः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
For Vāyu, the pure Dawns from afar weave bright garments in the rays, ever-new. For him the abundant milking Cow yields all treasures. He brings forth the Maruts from the breasts of heaven.
Inner meaning
When the life-force is aligned to the divine movement, illuminations (Uṣas) arise from the ‘far wideness’ (parāvati)—a higher plane—and clothe the consciousness with luminous formations (vastrā) woven of rays (raśmi). The ‘Cow’ is not cattle but the radiant source of knowledge: the illumined consciousness that yields ‘all treasures’—powers, insights, and harmonies. From the ‘breasts of heaven’ Vāyu brings forth the Maruts: dynamic thought-forces and storm-powers that shatter inertia and clear the paths for the Light; psychologically, they are vigorous energies of transformation born from the higher mind’s abundance.
Universal truth
As breath and life-energy become instruments of the spirit, illumination repeatedly renews itself; knowledge begins to ‘milk’ its riches, and transformative forces are born to overcome resistance.
Themes
Uṣas imagery, Cow as knowledge/light, Marut generation, Abundance and nourishment
The seer
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.134.1, RV 1.134.2, RV 1.134.3, RV 1.134.5, RV 1.134.6
Family tradition
Gautama vision often links illumination (Uṣas), rays (raśmi), and dynamic forces (Maruts) as stages of inner awakening.
Significance
The seer presents a complete inner ecology: higher illumination descends, knowledge yields its riches, and transformative energies are born—an integral sequence of awakening rather than a single experience.
The deity
- Devata
- Vāyu
- Epithets
- receiver of dawn-forces, lord of movement between planes
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Maruts, Dyāvā-Pṛthivī, Soma
Cosmic role
Mediator who links the far heaven with the near earth; sustains dawns and brings forth storm-forces (Maruts) in the mid-region.
Inner power
Prāṇa as the channel through which higher light becomes embodied and through which transformative energies are released.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma rite and dawn-linked invocations; supportive of Vāyu’s approach and the manifestation of light-forces.
तुभ्य॑मु॒षास॒: शुच॑यः परा॒वति॑ भ॒द्रा वस्त्रा॑ तन्वते॒ दंसु॑ र॒श्मिषु॑ चि॒त्रा नव्ये॑षु र॒श्मिषु॑ । तुभ्यं॑ धे॒नुः स॑ब॒र्दुघा॒ विश्वा॒ वसू॑नि दोहते । अज॑नयो म॒रुतो॑ व॒क्षणा॑भ्यो दि॒व आ व॒क्षणा॑भ्यः ॥
तुभ्य॑म् । उ॒षसः॑ । शुच॑यः । प॒रा॒वति॑ । भ॒द्रा । वस्त्रा॑ । त॒न्व॒ते॒ । दम्ऽसु॑ । र॒श्मिषु॑ । चि॒त्रा । नव्ये॑षु । र॒श्मिषु॑ । तुभ्य॑म् । धे॒नुः । स॒बः॒ऽदुघा॑ । विश्वा॑ । वसू॑नि । दो॒ह॒ते॒ । अज॑नयः । म॒रुतः॑ । व॒क्षणा॑भ्यः । दि॒वः । आ । व॒क्षणा॑भ्यः ॥
tubhyam | uṣasaḥ | śucayaḥ | parāvati | bhadrā | vastrā | tanvate | dam-su | raśmi ṣu | citrā | navyeṣu | raśmiṣu | tubhyam | dhenuḥ | sabaḥ-dughā | viśvā | vasūni | dohate | ajanayaḥ | marutaḥ | vakṣaṇābhyaḥ | divaḥ | ā | vakṣaṇābhyaḥ
48
4×12 (approx.).
Luminous, descriptive sweep; the repeated ‘raśmiṣu… raśmiṣu’ gives a shimmering refrain-like effect.
Creates a felt sense of radiance spreading and renewing; supports visualization of dawn and rays in meditation.
- उषासः शुचयः (uṣāsaḥ śucayaḥ)
- Literal: pure dawns. Symbolic: successive spiritual illuminations, clarities of awakening
- परावति (parāvati)
- Literal: from afar, from the far region. Symbolic: from the higher wideness/plane beyond the ordinary mind
- वस्त्र (vastra)
- Literal: garment. Symbolic: formed luminous state that ‘clothes’ consciousness (stabilized light)
- रश्मि (raśmi)
- Literal: ray, rein. Symbolic: rays of knowledge; also the guiding reins of consciousness
- धेनु (dhenu)
- Literal: cow. Symbolic: the Cow of Light: source of rays/knowledge that yields inner riches
- वसू (vasūni)
- Literal: treasures. Symbolic: spiritual riches—powers, peace, clarity, joy, right action
- मरुतः (marutaḥ)
- Literal: Maruts, storm-gods. Symbolic: dynamic forces of transformation; vigorous energies that clear obscurations
- दिवः वक्षणा (divaḥ vakṣaṇā)
- Literal: breasts of heaven. Symbolic: nourishing abundance of the higher consciousness (dyu)
Morning Soma context: links Vāyu with dawn and the birth of Marut forces; recited to align prāṇa with illumination and dynamic helpers
Near dawn or in sequences invoking atmospheric deities; also when emphasizing rays/illumination in the rite.
Praise (stuti) describing the deity’s cosmic supports—dawns, treasures, Maruts.
Morning contemplation: ‘weaving garments of rays’ as a guided visualization for stabilizing clarity; invoke ‘Cow of Light’ to open intuitive knowledge.
uṣas: PIE *h₂éusōs. tanvate: √tan ‘stretch, weave’ (PIE *ten- ‘stretch’). dhenu: ‘cow’ used symbolically for luminous yield; doháte from √duh ‘milk’ (PIE *dʰewgʰ- ‘produce, be useful’ > ‘milk’). marut: storm-gods; possibly from √mar ‘shine’/‘crush’ debated; in inner sense, dynamic powers of thought and life-force.
progressive revelation (ever-new rays), knowledge as ‘milk’ of the Cow, emanation of dynamic powers from the luminous plane
Ever-new rays suggest ṛta as a living order that renews manifestation through luminous law.
Pure dawns as truth-disclosing forces.
From the far wideness, light-forms are woven; treasures are ‘milked’; dynamic hosts are born—creation as progressive manifestation of consciousness.
Integral/psychological Veda: manifestation of higher planes into embodied experience through prāṇa.
dawn
Dawn = awakening illumination; rays = knowledge-lines; cow = luminous consciousness yielding insights; Maruts = transformative energies; heaven’s breasts = higher mind’s nourishment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Dawns weaving garments of light and the Cow yielding treasures: a mythologem of revelation and nourishment from the luminous plane, culminating in the birth of the Maruts—auxiliary powers of dynamic force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- uṣas (PIE dawn goddess) is a hallmark inheritance. √tan (stretch/weave) from PIE *ten- and √duh (milk) preserve archaic pastoral-sacral metaphors shared across Indo-European poetics: light ‘woven’ and wealth ‘milked’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi praises Vāyu as the one for whom dawn and abundance manifest—implying that when the life-force is rightly invoked, illumination (uṣas), nourishment (dhenu), and dynamic helpers (maruts) arise in the practitioner.
Receive dawn-illumination and let it ‘clothe’ the mind; open to intuitive ‘milking’ of knowledge; awaken transformative energies without agitation.
Ajna (illumination) with support from Anahata (breath-channel)
Silent breath with inner visualization: inhale—rays weave light around the mind; exhale—release obscurations; brief retention to ‘hold the garment’.
Luminous clarity with gentle power; readiness for purification.
Practice at daybreak: imagine ever-new rays forming a protective luminous robe; then ask inwardly for one ‘treasure’ (insight or strength) to be milked; end by invoking calm courage to face inner resistances (Marut-force).
Rigvedic accenting; keep ‘uṣāsaḥ śucayaḥ’ clean with proper vowel lengths; repeated ‘raśmiṣu’ can be lightly patterned without breaking svara rules.
Let the verse ‘shine’ by clarity rather than volume; slightly lengthen long vowels at pāda ends; maintain steady Jagatī gait.
uṣāsaḥ: retroflex ṣ; long ā, parāvati: long ā; clear v, raśmiṣu: ś (palatal) not ṣ; short i in -ṣu, sabardughā: articulate -rd- cluster; long ā at end, vakṣaṇābhyaḥ: retroflex ṣ; nasal ṇ
Clear, luminous, gently resonant; avoid harshness to preserve dawn-quality.
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