Rig Veda 1.92.7: Mandala 1, Sukta 92, Mantra 7
Sukta 1.92
- Rishi
- Gotamas
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
भास्वती नेत्री सूनृतानां दिवः स्तवे दुहिता गोतमेभिः । प्रजावतो नृवतो अश्वबुध्यानुषो गोअग्राँ उप मासि वाजान् ॥
bhā́svatī netrī́ sūnṛ́tānāṃ diváḥ stāve duhitā́ gótamebhiḥ | prajā́vato nṛváto áśvabudhyān uṣo gṓ-agrān úpa māsi vā́jān ||
นางผู้สว่างไสวเป็นผู้นำแห่งถ้อยคำสัตย์ (sūnṛtā); ธิดาแห่งฟ้าถูกสรรเสริญโดยเหล่าโคตมะ (Gotama). โอ อุษัส (รุ่งอรุณ) จงเข้ามาใกล้พร้อมความอุดม—นำฝูงโคแห่งแสง (go) มาเป็นอันดับแรก และปลุกพลังม้า (aśva-budhyā) แห่งเรี่ยวแรง—เพื่อผู้มีบุตรมากและมีเดชวีรชน ให้ได้วาชะ (vāja) คือชัยและพลังบำรุง.
Word by Word
- भास्वती
- shining, radiantAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (स्तुत्य-देवता उषस् का विशेषण)Root भास्वत् (प्रातिपदिक; √भास् ‘दीप्तौ’)
- नेत्री
- leader, guideNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (उषस्)Root नेतृ (प्रातिपदिक; √नी ‘नेतौ’)
- सूनृतानाम्
- of good/true speeches (kindly words)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (नेत्री—कस्य? सूनृतानाम्)Root सूनृता (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवः
- of heaven, of the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (दुहिता—कस्य? दिवः)Root दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तवे
- is praised / is to be praisedVerbलट् (वेदे प्रायः वर्तमान/आशीर्लिङ्ग-सदृश प्रयोग), आत्मनेपद, 3 एकवचनRole Kriyā (मुख्य क्रिया)Root √स्तु ‘स्तुतौ’
- दुहिता
- daughterNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (स्तवे—कः? दुहिता)Root दुहितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- गोतमेभिः
- by the Gotamas (Gautama seers)Noun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole Karaṇa (स्तुति-करणम्: गोतमैः)Root गोतम (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रजावतः
- of the one possessing offspringAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (…बुध्यान्—कस्य? प्रजावतः)Root प्रजावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नृवतः
- of the manly one / rich in menAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (…बुध्यान्—कस्य? नृवतः)Root नृवत् (प्रातिपदिक; नृ ‘पुरुष’)
- अश्वबुध्यान्
- having horses at the base; horse-founded (i.e., horse-drawn/horse-based)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole Karma (उप मासि—कान्? अश्वबुध्यान् … वाजान्)Root अश्वबुध्य (प्रातिपदिक; अश्व + बुध्य ‘तल/आधार’)
- अनुषः
- after (each) dawn; in successionIndeclinable (prepositional adverb)अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa/क्रियाविशेषण (क्रमेण/अनुगतः)Root अनु + उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- गोअग्रान्
- having cows in front; cow-leadingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole Karma (उप मासि—कान्? …)Root गोअग्र (प्रातिपदिक; गो + अग्र)
- उप
- towards, nearIndeclinable (preverb)अव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्ग (मासि इत्यस्य)Root उप
- मासि
- you come / you approachVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, 2 एकवचनRole Kriyā (सम्बोधन-प्रयोगः: उषः प्रति)Root √मा ‘माने/मितौ’ (वेदे ‘आगच्छति/उपयाति’ इत्यर्थे)
- वाजान्
- prizes, gains, strengthsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole Karma (उप मासि—कान्? वाजान्)Root वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): भास्वती | नेत्री | सूनृतानाम् | दिवः | स्तवे | दुहिता | गोतमेभिः || प्रजावतः | नृवतः | अश्वबुध्यान् | अनुषः | गो-अग्रान् | उप | मासि | वाजान् । मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) गोअग्राँ उप → गो-अग्रान् उप (अन्त्य ‘न्’ + उ- आरम्भ; पदपाठे गोअग्रान्)
- (2) अश्वबुध्या-अनुषो → अश्वबुध्यान् अनुषः (द्वितीया बहु ‘-ान्’ + अनुषः; संहितायां दीर्घ/यण्-प्रभावः)
- (3) दिवः स्तवे: विसर्गः परे स्त- इति
The meaning
Outer meaning
Luminous, the leader of true inspirations, the Daughter of Heaven is praised by the Gotamas. O Dawn, come near with plenitudes—light-cattle first—awakening horse-force energies, for those rich in offspring and heroic power.
Inner meaning
Uṣas is invoked as netrī—leader—of sūnṛtā: true, right, inspired utterance (truthful intuition becoming speech). She is praised by the Gotamas as the guiding illumination that leads the inner sacrifice. The request for vājān (plenitudes, powers of accomplishment) “with cows in front” (go-agrān) asks first for rays of knowledge before any other gain; knowledge leads and the rest follows. ‘Aśvabudhyān’ points to energies that awaken and become intelligent in their action—vital forces yoked to light. ‘Prajāvat’ and ‘nṛvat’ are inner increases: fruitful creation of new formations and heroic will-power in works.
Universal truth
When light leads inspiration, speech becomes truthful and action becomes effective. Knowledge-first is the law: illumination must precede and govern energy.
Themes
Lineage praise (Gotamas), Truth-speech, Approach of plenitude, Awakening energies (horses)
The seer
- Rishi
- Gotamas (Gautama family)
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.92.5, Rig Veda 1.92.8, Rig Veda 1.92.9
Family tradition
A family of seers emphasizing truth-speech (sūnṛtā), illumination, and the increase of inner wealth through ordered awakening.
Significance
By naming themselves (gotamebhiḥ), the seers place their lineage as a channel of dawn-illumination: a tradition where inspired truth-word and luminous guidance are central.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Epithets
- bhāsvatī (luminous), netrī (leader), divo duhitā (Daughter of Heaven)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (lord of inspired word), Sarasvatī (inspiration/flow), Indra (illumined mind-force), Aśvins (awakening helpers)
Cosmic role
She leads beings into the day, awakens life, and brings the first order of perception.
Inner power
Guides true inspiration into speech and organizes gains so that knowledge leads energy and accomplishment.
In ritual
Where it is used
Morning praise (stave) to Uṣas as part of dawn hymn sequences.
भास्व॑ती ने॒त्री सू॒नृता॑नां दि॒वः स्त॑वे दुहि॒ता गोत॑मेभिः । प्र॒जाव॑तो नृ॒वतो॒ अश्व॑बुध्या॒नुषो॒ गोअ॑ग्राँ॒ उप॑ मासि॒ वाजा॑न् ॥
भास्व॑ती । ने॒त्री । सू॒नृता॑नाम् । दि॒वः । स्त॒वे॒ । दु॒हि॒ता । गोत॑मेभिः । प्र॒जाऽव॑तः । नृ॒ऽवतः॑ । अश्व॑ऽबुध्यान् । उषः॑ । गोऽअ॑ग्रान् । उप॑ । मा॒सि॒ । वाजा॑न् ॥
bhāsvatī | netrī | sūnṛtānām | divaḥ | stave | duhitā | gotamebhiḥ | prajāvataḥ | nṛ-vataḥ | aśva-budhyān | uṣaḥ | go--agrān | upa | māsi | vājān
44
4 × ~11
Commanding and invitational; the second half has a ‘drawing near’ cadence.
Elicits guided strength—clarity that becomes dynamic and fruitful.
- भास्वती (bhāsvatī)
- Literal: luminous. Symbolic: radiant consciousness that guides
- नेत्री (netrī)
- Literal: leader, guide. Symbolic: the guiding power of illumination in the inner journey
- सूनृतानाम् (sūnṛtānām)
- Literal: of true utterances. Symbolic: truth-inspired speech; intuitive right word
- गोअग्रान् (go-agrān)
- Literal: with cows in front. Symbolic: with rays of knowledge leading the gains
- अश्वबुध्यान् (aśvabudhyān)
- Literal: awakening the horses. Symbolic: vital energies awakened and made conscious/intelligent
- वाजान् (vājān)
- Literal: prizes, plenitudes. Symbolic: powers of accomplishment; effective capacities in life and yoga
- प्रजावतः (prajāvataḥ)
- Literal: possessing offspring. Symbolic: fruitful creative formations; new inner births
- नृवतः (nṛvataḥ)
- Literal: possessing men/heroic power. Symbolic: heroic will, courageous force in works
Family hymn of the Gotamas; dawn praise to secure spiritual ‘offspring’ (creative powers), heroic force, and vāja (plenitude) for the sacrificer
At dawn, especially when beginning collective recitation or teaching (truth-word emphasis).
Praise + invitation (upa māsi) for plenitudes; orienting gains toward knowledge-first.
For students/creators: chant before writing, speaking, teaching—invoking sūnṛtā (true word) and energized clarity.
sūnṛtā (su- + nṛtā from √nṛ/√nar in the sense of ‘vital force/utterance’ in Vedic usage) denotes ‘true, well-formed inspired speech’—speech aligned with satya/ṛta. netrī from √nī ‘lead’ (PIE *neiH- ‘lead’): Dawn as guide. vāja from √vaj/√vāj ‘be strong, speed, invigorate’: hence ‘plenitude of force’, not merely ‘food/prize’. aśva ‘horse’ symbolizes dynamic energies; ‘awakening horses’ = arousing life-forces to carry the progress.
sūnṛtā (truth-speaking aligned with ṛta), guidance (nī) as inner leading, vāja as plenitude of force
Uṣas as netrī leads the movement of beings according to ṛta; ‘go-first’ indicates right order of manifestation.
Sūnṛtā is satya in expression—truth taking form as right word.
Birth of inspired speech and fruitful formations at the coming of light.
Mantric psychology: word (vāc) as formative power when aligned with illumination.
dawn
Rays of knowledge leading; vital energies awakened and yoked; inspired truth-word guiding works.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Uṣas as the Heaven-born guide who leads true speech and brings plenitudes with ‘cows in front’ and awakened ‘horses’: the mythic procession of light (go) and force (aśva) into the sacrificer’s life.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- netrī from √nī ‘lead’ reflects PIE *neiH- (cf. Latin nītor ‘lean/strive’ is not direct; better: English nigh is unrelated; but ‘lead’ roots are widely preserved; Sanskrit naya- ‘leading’). The dawn-daughter-of-heaven formula aligns with inherited IE sky/dawn relations.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Gotamas praise Uṣas as netrī of sūnṛtā: by right utterance they invite her approach (upa). The exchange is explicit: hymn-praise establishes a channel for her gifts—creative increase (prajā), heroic will (nṛ), and vāja (plenitude of force).
Let illumination lead: visualize rays (go) moving first, then energies (aśva) awakening behind them in orderly formation.
Viśuddha (truth-word) and Maṇipūra (empowered action).
Inhale on ‘bhāsvatī netrī’, exhale on ‘upa māsi vājān’; feel guidance on inhale, effective offering on exhale.
Guided dynamism—clear, courageous, fruitful.
Before important speech/action: chant once; pause; speak only what feels aligned with the inner light (sūnṛtā test: truthful, benevolent, exact).
Preserve udātta on ‘bhā́svatī’, ‘nétrī’, ‘diváḥ’, ‘uṣó’, ‘vājā́n’; keep svarita slides clean at word junctions.
Emphasize the invitational call ‘upa māsi vājān’ with a slightly stronger cadence while keeping Vedic accent rules intact.
sūnṛtānām: long ū; retroflex ṛ; dental t, gotamebhiḥ: aspirate bh; final ḥ audible, goagrān: pronounce as go-a-grān (clear hiatus), aśvabudhyān: ‘śva’ cluster crisp; long ān
Bright and leading, with confident projection.
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