Translations of Rig Veda Suktas 33-121 by M.P. Pandit

HYMN 48

Rishi: PRASKANVA Deity: USHAS

1. Ushas, daughter of Heaven, dawn on us with prosperity; luminous One, dawn with great glory; bountiful Goddess, dawn with wealth.

2. Givers of all wealth have arrived in profusion to lighten us, with powers and intelligences. Ushas, speak to me happy truths, impel for us the affluence of the wealthy.

3. The divine Ushas hath dawned and dawns again, impeller of the cars that are yoked at her coming, even as those keen to hear (the Word) hold to the Ocean.

Desirous of hearing the divinely inspired Word, the Rishis hold to the Waters of the Infinite; so holding they qualify for the art of Inspiration in order to attain the desired ends. Similarly the cars are expectant of the arrival of Ushas.

4. O Ushas, at thy coming, Kanva, premier of the Kanvas, proclaims the famous names of the wise who impel their minds to render offerings (to the Gods).

Kanva, the most wise, the best among those who have attained divinity, knowing the art of offering, proclaims at the break of the dawn the names celebrated for offerings. Hearing them, the sacrificer fired with the spirit of offering becomes ready for action. The glory of this praise at dawn is such that it renders fruitful the impulse to offer among the sacrificers.

5. Ushas arrives tending all; she leads like a good matron, ends the unwanted (darkness), stirs up the footed, flies the winged.

That at dawn, creatures waking up from sleep turn to their tasks, birds fly, is the outer meaning. The inner sense is: at the dawn of the divine knowledge, the motion of the inner sacrificer gains speed and though he stays here on earth, his upward movement to the other worlds fructifies.

6. She who impels the active and the aspiring, gladdens with her rays, stays not. O opulent One, at thy rising, the soaring birds rest not.

In the exterr.al sense it is the birds. In the inner, it is the seekings for Knowledge that soar upwards.

7. She has harnessed her hundred cars. From beyond the station of the rising of the sun, auspicious Ushas advances with her cars towards men.

8. The entire world prostrates for her sight. Fulfilling leader, she manifests the truth-light of the sun. Opulent daughter of Heaven, she puts away the malevolents and the suckers.

9. Shine around with thy delightful lustre, O Ushas, daughter of Heaven, bringing to us the ample felicities of the sunlit days, beam forth.

10. Happy leader, thou dawnest, for the breath and life of all rests in thee. Lustrous One, come to us in thy large car. O thou of variegated wealth, listen to our call.

11. O Ushas, accept thou the plenitude which is cherished among men. Accepting, reach to the rites the accomplished offerers who bear thy grace and laud thee.

Usha accepts the plenitude offered by the Yajamana and leads him to the heavenward path (sacrifice).

12. Ushas, bring all the Gods from the firmament to drink the Soma. Ushas, such as thou art, do thou establish in us the plenitude of intelligences and powers and hero-might lauded in hymns.

13. May Ushas whose auspicious lustres are seen resplendent all around grant us the treasure, cherished by all, fair of form, easy of access.

14. Mighty One, the celebrated seers of old invoked thee for their protection, their increase; O Ushas, opulent and bright of lustre, voice thy acceptance of our lauds.

15. O Ushas, thou openest the twin doors of Heaven with thy light; do thou give us a divine home, inviolable, wide. Goddess, give us in plenty the impulsions of luminous intelligence.

Doors: in the external sense they are doors extending from quarter to quarter, enveloped in darkness. In the inner context, they are outer and the inner doors of Heaven, opened by Ushas, the Dawn.

16. O Ushas, bring to us wealth thai is abundant and variegated in form. Bring us to the seeing speech. Mighty One, bring us to the all-conquering Light. Bring us, prosperous One, to the plenitudes.