Rig Veda 7.79.3: Mandala 7, Sukta 79, Mantra 3
Sukta 7.79
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अभूदुषा इन्द्रतमा मघोन्यजीजनत्सुविताय श्रवांसि । वि दिवो देवी दुहिता दधात्यङ्गिरस्तमा सुकृते वसूनि ॥
ábhūd uṣā́ índra-tamā maghónī ájījanat suvitā́ya śrávāṃsi | ví divó devī́ duhitā́ dadhāty áṅgiras-tamā su-kṛté vásūni ||
Uṣā (Bình minh) đã hiện hữu, hùng lực bậc nhất như Indra, là đấng hào phóng; nàng đã sinh ra śrávas—danh tiếng/lời tán tụng rực sáng—cho cuộc đi tới tốt lành (suvitāya). Nữ thần, Con gái của Trời, phân phát rộng rãi của báu cho người làm thiện nghiệp—nàng, kẻ giống Aṅgiras (Aṅgiras) nhất, trong việc nhóm lên ngọn lửa nội tại.
Word by Word
- अभूत्
- became; aroseVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्र. 3, एकवचनRoot भू (धातु)
- उषाः
- Uṣas (Dawn)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रतमा
- most Indra-like; most powerfulAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (उषाः-विशेषण)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root इन्द्र + तम (प्रातिपदिक; तमत्-प्रत्यय)
- मघोनी
- bountiful; generousAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (उषाः-विशेषण)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root मघोनी (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दानवती/समृद्धा’)
- अजीजनत्
- generated; producedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्र. 3, एकवचनRoot जन् (धातु) [णिच् causative: जनयति]
- सुविताय
- for good passage/success; for welfareNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सुवित (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रवांसि
- fames; glorious renownsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart; forth; widelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (विभाग/विस्तारार्थ)Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- दिवः
- of heaven; of the skyNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक: दिव्/द्यौस्)
- देवी
- the goddessNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुहिता
- daughterNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अप्पोज़िशन)Root दुहितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- दधाति
- places; bestowsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्र. 3, एकवचनRoot धा (धातु)
- अङ्गिरस्तमा
- most Aṅgiras-like (best among the Aṅgirases)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (देवी/उषाः-विशेषण)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root अङ्गिरस् + तम (प्रातिपदिक; तमत्-प्रत्यय)
- सुकृते
- to the well-doer; for good deed/meritNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सुकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसूनि
- goods; richesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: अभू॑दु॒षा → अभूत् + उषाः (त् + उ → दु, then written as द्)
- म॒घोन्यजी॑जनत् → मघोनी + अजीजनत् (ई + अ → य + अ)
- द॑धा॒त्यङ्गि॑रस्तमा → दधाति + अङ्गिरस्तमा (इ + अ → य). Other words are already padic or require no further splitting here
The meaning
Outer meaning
Dawn has come, most powerful like Indra, bountiful; she has generated glorious hearings for a good journey. The Goddess, Daughter of Heaven, widely bestows treasures for the doer of the good work—most Angiras-like.
Inner meaning
Uṣas arrives not as a passive light but as an Indra-force: a power that conquers obscurity and increases inner riches. She generates śravāṃsi—inner ‘hearings’: receptivity to truth, inspired audition of the mantra and intuition that guides the journey (suvitāya). As Divó duhitā she mediates higher mind into the embodied being, distributing vāsūni (treasures) to the sukṛt (one who does the true work of transformation). ‘Angiras-like’ signals her kinship with the flame-kindlers: dawn awakens Agni in the heart and releases hidden illuminations.
Universal truth
Illumination is effective when it increases receptivity to truth and rewards sincere inner work with real capacities—clarity, guidance, and spiritual wealth.
Themes
Dawn as victory-power, Revelation and right journey, Treasures for the right worker
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha (probable)
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.18 (Indra-Vasiṣṭha context), RV 7.76-7.80 (Uṣas)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha hymns frequently join Uṣas with Indra/Angiras motifs: illumination that conquers and releases hidden riches through inner yajña.
Significance
The seer emphasizes that dawn’s gift is not merely light but the capacity to ‘hear’ truth and to receive treasures proportionate to sincerity of inner work.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas
- Epithets
- indratamā (Indra-like), maghonī (bountiful), divo duhitā (daughter of heaven), aṅgirastamā (Angiras-like)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Aṅgirases, Sūrya
Cosmic role
She inaugurates the day and mediates heaven’s powers into the earthly field, enabling right progress.
Inner power
Victorious illumination that increases receptivity (śravaṇa) and kindles the inner fire for the good worker.
In ritual
Where it is used
Morning hymn of praise seeking auspicious progress and inner riches.
अभू॑दु॒षा इन्द्र॑तमा म॒घोन्यजी॑जनत्सुवि॒ताय॒ श्रवां॑सि । वि दि॒वो दे॒वी दु॑हि॒ता द॑धा॒त्यङ्गि॑रस्तमा सु॒कृते॒ वसू॑नि ॥
अभू॑त् । उ॒षाः । इन्द्र॑ऽतमा । म॒घोनी॑ । अजी॑जनत् । सु॒वि॒ताय॑ । श्रवां॑सि । वि । दि॒वः । दे॒वी । दु॒हि॒ता । द॒धा॒ति॒ । अङ्गि॑रःऽतमा । सु॒ऽकृते॑ । वसू॑नि ॥
abhūt | uṣāḥ | indra-tamā | maghonī | ajījanat | suvitāya | śravāṃsi | vi | divaḥ | devī | duhitā | dadhāti | aṅgiraḥ-tamā | su-kṛte | vasūni
44
4×11 (approx.)
Strong, affirming; suited to epithets and bestowal language.
Builds confidence and devotion; supports receptivity and the sense of being inwardly ‘endowed’.
- इन्द्रतमा (indratamā)
- Literal: most Indra-like. Symbolic: illumination with conquering power; victorious clarity
- मघोनी (maghonī)
- Literal: bountiful. Symbolic: giver of inner wealth—strength, joy, insight
- श्रवांसि (śravāṃsi)
- Literal: hearings, glories heard. Symbolic: inspired receptivity; mantra-hearing; intuitive guidance
- सुविताय (suvitāya)
- Literal: for good going. Symbolic: right journey of the soul; auspicious progress
- दिवो दुहिता (divo duhitā)
- Literal: Daughter of Heaven. Symbolic: descent of higher consciousness into human nature
- वसूनी (vasūni)
- Literal: treasures. Symbolic: spiritual riches: powers, peace, wideness, knowledge
- सुकृते (sukṛte)
- Literal: to the doer of good work. Symbolic: one aligned to yajña as inner offering and growth
- अङ्गिरस्तमा (aṅgirastamā)
- Literal: most Angiras-like. Symbolic: kindler of inner fire; opener of hidden light
Morning hymn emphasizing victorious dawn and distribution of treasures to the sūkṛta (right worker); supports ethical-spiritual framing of sacrifice (general).
At dawn; also before undertaking a journey or significant work (suvitāya).
Recitation as invocation for guidance (‘hearings’) and right fruition of effort.
Before meditation/study: ask for ‘śravāṃsi’—the capacity to truly receive and retain insight.
: Indra as archetype of victorious force; Dawn described as ‘Indra-like’ indicates her conquering power over darkness. from √śru ‘hear’: in Vedic, ‘śrávāṃsi’ can be fame and also inner ‘things heard’—revelations; psychologically, inspired receptions enabling su-viti (good passage). linked to fire-priestly seers; Dawn ‘Angiras-like’ because she kindles and brings forth the light/Agni in the seeker.
suviti (good passage) as right movement in ṛta, śravas as revelation/hearing, reward of sūkṛta (right action) with inner treasures
Suvitā is the path of ṛta—right progress established by dawn.
Śravāṃsi as truth-reception—inner audition of satya.
Descent from heaven (divaḥ) into earthly life via dawn; distribution of powers to the worker.
Yoga of works (inner yajña) aligned with illumination—Aurobindonian ‘psychicized’ karma-yoga.
dawn
Arising of illumination with conquering force; descent of higher mind; kindling of inner fire; gifts as capacities.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Dawn as conqueror and giver: she is ‘Indra-like’ (victory over darkness) and ‘Angiras-like’ (fire-kindling revelatory power), generating śravas for right passage and distributing treasures to the sūkṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru ‘hear’ continues PIE *ḱlew- ‘hear, be famed’ (cf. Greek kléos ‘fame’, English loud via related developments). The verse exploits the double sense: what is ‘heard’ inwardly becomes ‘fame’/radiance outwardly—revelation turning into realized power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi frames Dawn as a power that rewards right action (sūkṛta) with inner riches and revelations. The reciprocity is moral-psychological: alignment with the good work invites the goddess’s distribution of vasu (essential treasures) and śravas (inspired hearing).
Cultivate ‘inner hearing’ (śravaṇa): sit as if listening to a subtler truth behind thoughts.
Viśuddha (inner hearing/mantra) and Ājñā
Slow inhalation with mental ‘listening’ on the pause; exhale releasing noise; 12 cycles.
Receptive, inspired, guided—intuition begins to lead mind.
After chanting, keep 2–3 minutes of silence: notice what in you is ‘bountifully awakened’—a new clarity, a right impulse, or a quiet directive. Offer one concrete act as sukṛt (good work) that day.
Standard RV svara; keep epithets clearly articulated (indratamā, maghonī).
Emphasize índratamā́, maghónī, śravā́ṃsi, suvitā́ya, divó duhitā́, aṅgirástatamā́.
indratamā: clear cluster -ndr-; do not drop d., śravāṃsi: nasal ṃ before s; keep long ā., aṅgirastamā: velar nasal ṅ in aṅ-; crisp g.
warm, confident, devotional; slightly fuller volume on epithets.
3
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