Rig Veda · Mandala 4 · Sukta 51
Rig Veda 4.51 — Dawn
Deity: Dawn. Rishi family (Mandala 4): Vamadeva Gautama and his lineage. This Sukta contains 11 verses presented below in Devanagari Sanskrit, IAST romanisation, and Ralph T. H. Griffith's English translation. Click any verse to read a fuller explanation.
Verses
Rig Veda 4.51.1
इदम उ तयत पुरुतमम पुरस्ताज जयोतिस तमसो वयुनावद अस्थात | नूनं दिवो दुहितरो विभातीर गातुं कर्णवन्न उषसो जनाय
idam u tyat purutamam purastāj jyotis tamaso vayunāvad asthāt | nūnaṃ divo duhitaro vibhātīr ghātuṃ kṛṇavann uṣaso janāya
Rig Veda 4.51.2
अस्थुर उ चित्रा उषसः पुरस्तान मिता इव सवरवो ऽधवरेषु | वय ऊ वरजस्य तमसो दवारोछन्तीर अव्रञ छुचयः पावकाः
asthur u citrā uṣasaḥ purastān mitā iva svaravo 'dhvareṣu | vy ū vrajasya tamaso dvārochantīr avrañ chucayaḥ pāvakāḥ
The richly-coloured Dawns have mounted eastward, like pillars planted at our sacrifices, And, flushing far, splendid and purifying, unbarred the portals of the fold of darkness.
Rig Veda 4.51.3
उछन्तीर अद्य चितयन्त भोजान राधोदेयायोषसो मघोनीः | अचित्रे अन्तः पणयः ससन्त्व अबुध्यमानास तमसो विमध्ये
uchantīr adya citayanta bhojān rādhodeyāyoṣaso maghonīḥ | acitre antaḥ paṇayaḥ sasantv abudhyamānās tamaso vimadhye
Dispelling gloom this day the wealthy Mornings urge liberal givers to present their treasures. In the unlightened depth of darkness round them let niggard traffickers sleep unawakened.
Rig Veda 4.51.4
कुवित स देवीः सनयो नवो वा यामो बभूयाद उषसो वो अद्य | येना नवग्वे अङगिरे दशग्वे सप्तास्ये रेवती रेवद ऊष
kuvit sa devīḥ sanayo navo vā yāmo babhūyād uṣaso vo adya | yenā navaghve aṅghire daśaghve saptāsye revatī revad ūṣa
O Goddesses, is this your car, I ask you, ancient this day, or is it new, ye Mornings, Wherewith, rich Dawns, ye seek with wealth Navagva, Daśagva Aṅgira, the seven-toned singer?
Rig Veda 4.51.5
यूयं हि देवीर रतयुग्भिर अश्वैः परिप्रयाथ भुवनानि सद्यः | परबोधयन्तीर उषसः ससन्तं दविपाच चतुष्पाच चरथाय जीवम
yūyaṃ hi devīr ṛtayughbhir aśvaiḥ pariprayātha bhuvanāni sadyaḥ | prabodhayantīr uṣasaḥ sasantaṃ dvipāc catuṣpāc carathāya jīvam
With horses harnessed by eternal Order, Goddesses, swiftly round the worlds ye travel, Arousing from their rest, O Dawns, the sleeping, and all that lives, man, bird, and beast, to motion.
Rig Veda 4.51.6
कव सविद आसां कतमा पुराणी यया विधाना विदधुर रभूणाम | शुभं यच छुभ्रा उषसश चरन्ति न वि जञायन्ते सद्र्शीर अजुर्याः
kva svid āsāṃ katamā purāṇī yayā vidhānā vidadhur ṛbhūṇām | śubhaṃ yac chubhrā uṣasaś caranti na vi jñāyante sadṛśīr ajuryāḥ
Which among these is eldest, and where is she through whom they fixed the Ṛbhus' regulations? What time the splendid Dawns go forth for splendour, they are not known apart, alike, unwasting.
Rig Veda 4.51.7
ता घा ता भद्रा उषसः पुरासुर अभिष्टिद्युम्ना रतजातसत्याः | यास्व ईजानः शशमान उक्थै सतुवञ छंसन दरविणं सद्य आप
tā ghā tā bhadrā uṣasaḥ purāsur abhiṣṭidyumnā ṛtajātasatyāḥ | yāsv ījānaḥ śaśamāna ukthai stuvañ chaṃsan draviṇaṃ sadya āpa
Blest were these Dawns of old, shining with succour, true with the truth that springs from holy Order; With whom the toiling worshipper, by praises, hymning and lauding, soon attained to riches.
Rig Veda 4.51.8
ता आ चरन्ति समना पुरस्तात समानतः समना पप्रथानाः | रतस्य देवीः सदसो बुधाना गवां न सर्गा उषसो जरन्ते
tā ā caranti samanā purastāt samānataḥ samanā paprathānāḥ | ṛtasya devīḥ sadaso budhānā ghavāṃ na sarghā uṣaso jarante
Hither from eastward all at once they travel, from one place spreading in the selfsame manner. Awaking, from the seat of holy Order the Godlike Dawns come nigh like troops of cattle.
Rig Veda 4.51.9
ता इन नव एव समना समानीर अमीतवर्णा उषसश चरन्ति | गूहन्तीर अभ्वम असितं रुशद्भिः शुक्रास तनूभिः शुचयो रुचानाः
tā in nv eva samanā samānīr amītavarṇā uṣasaś caranti | ghūhantīr abhvam asitaṃ ruśadbhiḥ śukrās tanūbhiḥ śucayo rucānāḥ
Thus they go forth with undiminished colours, these Mornings similar, in self-same fashion, Concealing the gigantic might of darkness with radiant bodies bright and pure and shining.
Rig Veda 4.51.10
रयिं दिवो दुहितरो विभातीः परजावन्तं यछतास्मासु देवीः | सयोनाद आ वः परतिबुध्यमानाः सुवीर्यस्य पतयः सयाम
rayiṃ divo duhitaro vibhātīḥ prajāvantaṃ yachatāsmāsu devīḥ | syonād ā vaḥ pratibudhyamānāḥ suvīryasya patayaḥ syāma
O Goddesses, O Heaven's refulgent Daughters, bestow upon us wealth with store of children. As from our pleasant place of rest ye rouse us may we be masters of heroic vigour.
Rig Veda 4.51.11
तद वो दिवो दुहितरो विभातीर उप बरुव उषसो यज्ञकेतुः | वयं सयाम यशसो जनेषु तद दयौश च धत्ताम पर्थिवी च देवी
tad vo divo duhitaro vibhātīr upa bruva uṣaso yajñaketuḥ | vayaṃ syāma yaśaso janeṣu tad dyauś ca dhattām pṛthivī ca devī
Well-skilled in lore of sacrifice, ye Daughters of Heaven, refulgent Dawns, I thus address you. May we be glorious among the people. May Heaven vouchsafe us this, and Earth the Goddess,
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