Description of Goddess Ushas

Chapter One Section USAS "As the personification of one of the most radiant phenomena of nature, Ushas is very appropriately represented as a woman, the dady Dawn. She is characterised by feminine charm. She appears in the east in delicate feminine beauty. " 991 The striking images with which the Ravedic poets describe Ushas, the goddess of the dawn, have left the naturalistic representation in something like its original state. She is the girl who 'uncovers her breast' to the fatal blow, drives away the darkness and is eternally young. She travels in a luminous chariot. She is found in association with the sun, whose wife or lover she is, with night, whose sister she is, and with Agni as the fire of the morning oblation. She is the daughter of the sky, and the Brahmanas deal with the theme of her incest with her father Prajapati. Hillebrandt believes that she represents more particularly the dawn of the new year. A reference may be noted in connection with the iconographical evidence of Ushas 1 2 86 At Bhaja (Marshall 1st century B.C., others 3rd - 2nd c B.C.), a pillar has been found with a lotus-capital surrounded by addorsed sphinx-like creatures, with bovine bodies and female lusts. It depicts a royal personage driving a four-horsed chariot accompanied by two women. The female rider in the inner angle is clearly provided with some kind of stirrups, H.D. Griswold, "The Religion of the Raveda", Oxford University Press, London, New York, etc., 1923, p. 244. Louis Renou, "Vedic India", tr. by Philip Spratt, Calcutta 1957, p. 67.

22 of which this appears to be the earliest known instance in the world. The chariot is being driven across the backs of very grossly proportioned nude female demons who seem to be floating downwards in the air. It denotes the God Surya with his two wives Usa and Pratyasa driving through the sky and dispelling the powers of darkness. frw It may be said that Usa stands for dawn, while Pratyusa for dusk. One ushers the sun in, the other signifies its setting. She dispels the darkness with her rays and power, and illumines the whole of mankind? She stands on a chariot for the sake of radiating her lustre all around 5 She illumines the percep tible world like the sun. She comes everyday to illumine the world? and does it even before the sun rises. 6 3 A.K. Coomaraswamy, "History of Indian and Indonesian Art," Dover 1965 (Hierseman, 1927), p. 25. 4 Rigveda I: 49:4, I : 48:9, I : 92:4, 5, 12, 6 & 11, I ; 113:4, 7, 13 and 18, 14, 5, 8, 15, 17 & 19, I : 122:2, I; 123:4, 2, 6, 9, and 12, I ; 124:5, 6, 1 & 8, III : 61 : 4 & 5, IV: 1:13, S 8014 & 5, V : 792 & 3, V 179:10, IV: 1413, IV : 52:6, VII : 76:1, IV 5119, IV : 52:7, V: IV 1 39:1, IV : 51:2 & 3, VI : 65:1, VII : 79:2, VII 80:1, VII: 77:3, VII: 79:1 & 2, VI : 64:3, VI : 65:2 & 6, VII : 41:7, VII : 104:23, VII : 7617, VII : 77:1, VII : 7812 & 3, VII 1 80:1 & 2, VII : 72:4, VII 1 7511 & 7, VII, 8011, VII 81:1, X 172:4, X : 127:7, Atharva-veda XIX: 1211.. Rigveda I : 9219, I : 124:6, I ; 113:1, I: 113:19, I : 123;2 & 9, I : 124:5, I : 113:14, III: 6117, IV : 51:1, 4 & 6, V 1 8013, : IV : 51:10, V.: 4511, V : 4812, IV : 52:6, V : 8012, III : 6114, IV : 5113, IV: 5215, VI : 6412, VII : 75:1, VIII 173:16, VII : 8111, VII : 78:1, VIII: 51, VII 7515, VII ; 79:2, VII : 8011, VII: 76:3, X : 172:1, X : 61:4. Rigveda I 124:8, I : 124:1, III # 61:2, IV : 51:10, IV : 1:16. Rigveda I : 123:4. 6 7 8 Rigveda I 123:12, V : 7912 & 3, V : 80:2.

sun 10 It is her duty to shine, and she shines near the sun, 11 23 and with the sun's rays ¹) and she goes towards the sun for attaining 12 the proper illumination. She shines from the edge of heaven and earth, and she also shines in the upper region when the night wears 14 15 out. She takes resort to the brilliance in the upper sky, and she 16 appears brilliant with her lustre in the morning. She is radiant 17 18 with dew, and she possesses various kinds of lustre. She produces 19 21 20 her own brilliance, and supports it, too. She combines the radiance of Mitra and Varuna. and she make her greatness manifest with her 22 lustre. She comes to be known by all from the splendour she derives 23 from heaven. The living creatures come to know of her advent from 24 her light: 9 Rigveda V : 45:2. 10 Rigveda VII : 77:1, VII 1 8012. 11 Rigveda I : 124:1 & 8, I : 122:2, III : 61:2, IV: 51:10, IV : 1116, VII : 7712. 12 Rigveda I : 12417, Taittiriya-samhita IV : 3:11. 27 13 Rigveda III : 61:4. 14 Rigveda IV : 52:1, VI : 64:2, VII : 78:1, VII : 101:13, X : 35:5. 15 Rigveda III 1 61:5, IV : 1:17. 16 Rigveda I : 12417, Taittiriya-samhita IV : 3:11. 17 52222222 Rigveda V : 5918. 18 Rigveda V : 59:8, V ; 79:1 & 4. 19 20 21 Rigveda III : 61:4, X : 55:4, Taittiriya-samhita IV : 3:11. Rigveda IV : 2:19, V : 45:2, VII : 77:3, VII : 77:2. Rigveda III : 61:7. Rigveda VII : 75:1, VII : 7715.. 23 Rigveda III : 6116. 24 Rigveda VII : 79:4, VII : 7814, VII : 81:1, IV : 5116, IV : 52:1.

24 She smiles with sublime splendour, apparently a reference to the beauty of the dawn, and appears lovely due to her special 25 brilliance. She makes her beautiful presence more prominent with 26 her splendour, and it overshadows the splendour of the stars and 27 also of the darkness) 28 0 She makes known whatever is unknown, and makes everything 29 manifest with her brilliance. She enlightens various professions 30 and reveals living creatures with her radiance. She illumines the 31 sun, and her chariot. good journey for people, and also illumines the wealth they gain. She shines as a grace to living beings, and grants them lustre. ariot 32 She illumines the paths for the sake of the 33 35 36 34 25 Rigveda I : 92; 6 & 11, I : 113:4, I : 123:9, I: 123: 10 & 11, I # 123:12, I : 113:13, I : 123:6, I : 12318, I : 123:11, + III : 61: 5 & 6, IV : 51 : 1 & 2, 79 : 2, 4, 9 & 10, III : 61 : 5, I : 124:3, I ; 124:5, I': 113:9, I : 92:14, I : 113:2, III : 61:1, II : 31:5, III : 20:1, III : 30:13, IV: 1:17, IV: 2:19, IV: 14:1 & 3, IV : 5:13, IV 51 4, 5, 6, 10 & 11, IV : 52 : 2 & 6, V : III: 30: 13, IV: 51 : 2 & 9, V ; 80 ; 1 & 3, IV : 52: 7, VI : 64: 1 & 3, VII : 77 : 4, VI : 47 : 5, VII : 77 : 2, VIII : 5:1, VIII : 47 : 14, VIII : 69 : 2, VIII : 73 : 16, VII : 75 : 6, VII : 97 : 3, VII : 78 : 3, 4 & 5, VII : 81 : 1, VII : 75:3, VIII : 101:13, VII: 75:7, VII : 76:6, VI : 6414, VII : 76:2, VII : 79:1, VII : 76:6, VIII : 101:13, X : 55:4, X : 35:3, X : 70:6, X : 35:5, Maitrayani-samhita II : 13:74, IV: 14:52, Taittiriya-samhita I : 4 : 33, IV : 3:11, Vajasaney-samhita XXI: 17, Atharva-veda X : 8:30, Taittiriya-brahmana II : 2:3:1, II : 3:1:2. 77; Rigveda VI : 64 : 2, VII: 7911, VII : 77 ; 2, VIII; 101:13. 26 N N 27 Rigveda VI : 65 : 1. 28 Rigveda I : 92:11, I : 113:15 & 19. Contd.

30 31 29 Rigveda I : 123, 8 & 11, VII 1 79 3, I # 124 # 3. Rigveda I : 113 5 & 6, VII : 77 # 3. ; Rigveda I # 92 ; 5 & 12, I : 113 : 5, III : 61 : 3. 32 Rigveda I 12 VIII : 511, 7 & 11, I: 124 : 3, V : 80:1, VII: 78:1, VI : 6412, VIII : 101:13. 33 Rigveda V : 80:1, 2 & 3, VI: 64 : 1 & 4. 34 Rigveda V : 79 : 1. 35 36 25 Rigveda I : 1242, V, 5918, VII : 47:7, VII : 75:1, VII: 7715, VII : 79:1, VII : 75*2, Atharva-veda III: 16:7. Rigveda VII : 78:3, VII : 7912. :

26 37 She brings considerable good luck to her devotees, and she also grants them immense and fortunate wealth? She gives 38 39 precious wealth to the worshipper who pays her homage. She grants 40 wealth to the brahmin-singer who praises her, and she is beseeched to bring the god Bhaga, a procurer of riches to her devotees. 41 She is approached to seize her worshippers' enemies' wealth 42 and she abounds in gold .3 43 44 She is bountiful, and gives to her worshippers cows and horses in charity. She gives food to the devotee, obviously by 45 46 impelling them to go out at dawn and till the land and tend the cattle, both of which occupations create food. She is invoked to grant them the clarified butter. She grants speech and enlighten 48 47 ment to the worshipper, and with her advent, the speech and brains 49 of the people attain their peak. 37 Rigveda I: 48.9, I : 113 : 9 & 12, V: 8016, IV: 51:7, 38 VI : 64:2, VII : 7616, X : 11:3, III : 20:1, VII : 77:4, VII: 81:3, VII : 8013, Maitrayani-samhita II : 13:74, IV : 14:52, Taittiriya-brahmana II : 2:8:9, II : 3:1:2. Rigveda I : 124:10, 12 & 13, I : 113:4, 15 & 20, I': 92:12, I : 113:7, I : 9218, I : 113:17, I : 4812 & B, V 1 7913, 4, 6 & 7, IV : 51:10, IV : 55:9, V : 80 : 3 & 6, II : 31:5, III : 61: 1 & 4, IV : 14:3, IV: 51: 3 & 4, IV : 52:3, : VI 64:4, 5 & 6, VI: 65 : 3 & VIII : 24:28. VII: 77 : 5 & 6, 4, VII : 75 : 2 & 5, VII: 78: 1 & 4, VII: 79 1 3 & 4, VI : 64 : 1, VI : 65; 6, VII: 81 ; 3, X : 70 : 6, ✓ * I 172 : 10. 39 Rigveda V : 8016. 40 Rigveda VI : 65 # 4. Contd.

41 Rigveda VII : 41 # 6 42 Rigveda VII: 77 : 4. 43 Vajasaney-samhita XXIX : 6, Maitrayani-samhita III : 16:22. 44 27 - 46 47 : Rigveda I : 48 : 1 & 8, I ; 113: 18, I ; 123: 12, III : 61 : 1, V : 79 : 6 & IV : 52: 4, V : 8011, V: 79 : 10, VII : 7713, VIII : 9:17, VII : 81 : 4 & 6, VII : 77:2, VII : 75:5, X: 172: 2, X : 127 : 7. Rigveda I : 123 ; 12, I : 92 : 14, I: 113 : 18, I : 48:1, VII : 41:7, Atharva-veda III: 16:7, Rigveda VII: 7518, VII: 76:6, VII : 80:3, VI : 64: 5, VII : 77 : 3 & 5. Rigveda I # 123 1 2 & 3, IV : 55 ; 9, V : 516, V i 79 : 8, 1% VIII : 24:28, VII : 75:5, VI : 65:3, VII: 77 # 5, VIII : 47 : 16, VII 1.79 : 3. VII : 76 $ 6, Taittiriya-brahmana I: 1:1:1, II : 3 # 12 : 2. Atharva-veda III # 1617, Taittiriya-samhita IV : 3:11, Taittiriya-brahmana II : 21819, II: 3:1:2. 48 Rigveda I : 124 i 2 & 5, VII - 79:5, VII & 77 : 2, VII: 78 # 1, † TE I : 4 : 33, Rigveda I : 9219, III : 6111, IV : 1 : 16, IV : 14:3, IV : 5214, V: 8014, X: 113, X : 172:2, Taittiriya-samhita IV # 3:11. 49 Rigveda I : 124 : 2,

+ 28 50 She gives progeny to her devotees, and bestows heroic sons 51 on them. With her blessings, her devotees gain virility and 52 53 54 55 56 fatherhood. She gives happiness, vigour, fame, long life, and 57 the juice of soma to the devotee. To her worshippers, she makes $8 59 the world habitable, and she is beseeched to grant them the day. With her grace, her worshippers become her favourites, as sons to 60 their mothers. With her grace, people attain the desired fruits 61 of their labour. 63 She fashions the pot in which the oblation is cooked 62 she makes various desired articles for the sacrifice manifest, ³ and she engages herself in the rite of offering oblations, etc. 64 She discriminates between the various sacrificial items for example, oblations, etc., and she is invoked to enjoy the oblations 65 offered by her worshippers at the sacrificer 66 She is beseeched to 67 protect the oblations offered by the devotee too. sa 50 Rigveda IV : 51:10, VI : 65 : 3 & 6, VII; 75: 2 , Taittiriya-samhita IV: 3:11. 51 1 Rigveda V : 79 : 6, VII : 75:8, VII: 7616, VII : 80:3. 52 Rigveda VII: 78:3, Taittiriya-samhita II : 3:12:2. 53 Rigveda I : 113:12, IV : 51:10, VII : 75:2, VIII: 47:16, VII: 81:3, IV: 14:3, IV. : 51: 5 & 8, V.; 80:2. 54 55 Rigveda IV : 51:1, 5 & 10, VI : 65; 3, VII : 47:16, VII : 7715, VII: 8116. Rigveda II : 31:5, IV : 51:11, V # 79:3, 6 & 7, VI : 65:3, : 1 1 VI 64:1, VII : 77:5, VII : 81:6, VIII: 47:16, VII : 7515, VII : 7616, VII, 7813, VII 1 8012, VIII : 101:13. Contd. ...

29 ** 56 Rigveda VII : 77 % 5. 57 : i Rigveda VI : 65 3, VIII: 47: 16, VII: 77 : 5. 58 Rigveda VII : 78 : 5. 59 Atharva-veda XIX : 50 : 7, Rigveda VII Rigveda VII : 77, 2, Taittiriya-brahmana II: 289, II # 3:1:2. Taittiriya-brahmana∙II 8 60 Rigveda VII # 81 : 61 Rigveda I : 113 $ 7, I 1 48:8, I 1 123 I : 123 : 3, 10 & 12, IV : 5117, IV : 39:1, VII : 7913. Taittiriya-brahmana II : 3:13. 62 63 Rigveda I : 123: 6, I : 123 #9, VII : 8012. 64 Rigveda I : 92 : 13. 65 Rigveda I # 123 : 6. 66 Rigveda III : 61:4. 67 Rigveda IV : 52:6. $

: 30 68 69 She is invoked along with the fathers to the sacrifice, and she becomes worshipped in the first invocation in the morning. She arrives at the place of the sacrifice for the sake of her 70 worshippers She yields herself to the sacrifice as badhikravan 71 to the bright place. She is paid homage to by the devotees for 72 the sake of the successful completion of the sacrifice. She Y 73 makes the sacrifice and the sacrificial five manifest, and she 76 74 is held to be the abode of sacrifice! She supports the radiant 75 and golden (coloured) sacrificial fire, and she possesses many of the characteristics of Angiras. She carries out the perfor 77. mance of the Agnihotra and other sacrifices, and she also impels 78 79 men to perform them. She is endowed with all the minor rituals, and she is looked upon as the maker or creator of the sacrificial 80 water. She supports the favourite sacrifice of the gods, and does 82 not injure the sacrificial place of the gods? she does not violate the vows relating to gods for example, Agnihotra, etc. 83 She invokes the entire living world 84 and impels men in 85 their own respective fields of work. She grants men vigour 86 and knowledge, and she also inspires them to be friendly and 68 Rigveda V : 47 : 1. 79 Rigveda VII : 41:7, VII : 75:7. 69 Rigveda VI : 64 : 5. 80 Rigveda V : 5 : 6. 70 Rigveda VII : 4116, X : 70:6. -81 Rigveda I : 113 # 12. " 71 -82 Atharva-veda III : 1616. Rigveda I : 123 $ 9.. , 83 72 Taittiriya-brahmana II : 2:8:9, II : 311 12. Rigveda I : 124 : 2. 73 Rigveda VII : 80: 2, Taittiriya-brahmana II : 31: 12. 74 Rigveda IV : 5118, IV : 5212. 84 Rigveda I : 48:5, I : 113:4.& 8 75 Rigveda IV : 2; 19. : 76 Rigveda VII : 79 ± 3. 77 Rigveda III : 32:8, III : 61 : 4. 78 Rigveda I : 92:12, I : 113:5, 9 & 12, I 86 Rigveda 1996112,45²²+51.10. 85 II : 31:5, VII : 77:1, VII: 79:1, VII: 75:1, VII : 81:3,VII : 80:2, VII:81 # 124:1, Rigveda I:12412, I:9219, I: 113:5 8 & 12. T.02.7

31 benevolent 87 At her advent, all men who are engaged in mercantile 88 activities eagerly ply their own trades. She awakens men to a new life on a new day, and she makes everything appear as if it were 89 90 92 born again A reference may be noted in this connection. 91 She awakens her daughter Bhumi, and she encourages gods to work. She awakens the Asvins for the sake of hearing the song of praise 93 94 95 of her worshippers. She awakens birds and makes them fly." on her arrival, all animals (covered by darkness) become active, 96 and during that time only birds and men can speak. 97 98 99 She protects men, and subjugates their enemies. She is beseeched to put down the wrath of an envious person. She is 100 approached to ever protect her devotees with well-being, and with her grace the evil dreams vanish from their minds 101 We can see a world which had poor lighting facilities, so that the dark night created nightmares for many and some were tormented by evil dreams at night. At dawn they felt released from their nightmares and Hence this grateful praise, she kills the ages like Treta, dreams. L 87 Rigveda I : 92:6. 88 Rigveda I : 124:12, I ; 113:16, VII ↑ 77:3, VII : 79:5. 89 Rigveda I : 113:4 & 8, I : 12319, 10 & 12. 90 The Orphic hymn No. 78 to Eos (the Greek goddess of Dawn) addresses the dawn as she 'who leads to mortals the light-bringing day, bright-shining Eos --- through whom the race of mortal men rejoice', 11.2-6 --- "Pritchand Texts", p. 383. 91 Rigveda V 1 47:1. 92 Rigveda I : 113:9. 93 Rigveda VIII : 9:17. 94 Rigveda I: 48: 5 & 6, I : 50:3, I : 113:12, VI 64: 6, VI : 65:1. Conta.

+ 95 Rigveda I : 50: in 3, I : 92:7, I : 113 : 4 & 12, VII : 79 : 4. 95 # Rigveda I-50:3, 1: 9217, I | 11316 & 12, VII 1 7914. 96 Rigveda VII: 77 2. 97 Rigveda I # 123 #3, VI: 52: 52:4. 98 Rigveda I : 113 # 12, I 4818, I : 12212, IV : 5214, VII : 7714, VII 1 8116. 99 Rigveda X 1 35:4. 100 Atharva-veda III : 16 101 Atharva-veda XVI 6:2. 7 xing 32

33 to = 102 103 Krta, etc., and she makes the worlds good. 104 She is invoked destroy J A 105 the sins committed by her worshippers. She is approached to make the extensive pasture-lands free, from danger for her devotees. 106 She does not injure the powerful abode of Aditya, and is regarded "as the guardian of the divine order 107 She protects everything 108 like, a good housewife, and she is looked upon, as the guardian of the living world. 109 110 111 She is the mother of the rays, and also of fire. She is $ ← $ the mother of the seven intellectuals for example, Vamadeva and other 112 six Angirases. At dawn the mind returns to its conscious level, the intellect is refreshed after a night's sleep, new thought and ideas are generated. Hence this association of Usas with intellect and intellectuals. She is regarded as the mother and creator of 113 ☑ 114 the gods, and she is also looked upon as the mother of the cows. She is both the wife and beloved of the sun, and she is the lady ☐ 116 117 of the seasons too. She is the daughter of the sky, and also of the luminous Aditya 118 She is the daughter of Indra 119 or of Prajapati 120 102 Rigveda I: 92:11. 103 Rigveda VI 1-6411. 104 Rigveda X : 35 : 3, & 4. 105 Rigveda VII : 77 : 4. 106. Rigveda I : 12319. 107 Rigveda I : 113:12. bo 108 Rigveda I: 48:5. 109 Rigveda IV: 51:9, V: 8014. 110 Rigveda V: 45:2, IV # 52: 3 & 3. 111 4 Rigveda MI: 17:3. 112 Rigveda IV: 215, VII: 4117,; X: 172:4, RB II : 21819. 7 " 3 Contd. ...

113 Rigveda I : 11319, V: 47:1. 114 Rigveda I : 12 : 5, IV : 52:2, VII, 77 1 2. M 115 Rigveda I : 123; 10, V i 44 : 7, VI 44123, VII : 75:5, Taittiriya-samhita IV : 3 # 11. | 116 Taittiriya-samhita IV : 3 : 11.. 117 Rigveda I : 113:7, I : 124:3, I : 12415, IV # 51:11, IV : 5211, IV : 30 8 & 9, IV; 51: 10, V : 79 1 2 & 3, V : 7918, V 1 47:1, VI : 64 : 4 & 5, VI, 65 ; 1 & 6, VI : 67 : 2, VIII : 47 14 & 15, VII : 75 : 4, VII : 7716, $ VII : 78:4, VII : 7913, VII 1 81:1, 3 & 4, X # 90s 6, Taittiriya-brahmana II : 3+1:2. 118 Rigveda IV 1 52:1, IV : 51:1, V°: 79:2, V # 80 ; 5 IS Taittiriya-samhita I : 8:21. 119 Rigveda III : 32:8, VIII; 69:2, Maitrayani-samhita III # 6:7. 120 Rigveda X 1 61 : 6 & 7. : 34

35 121 and she is also said to be the child of the holy order. 122 She is Ratri 123 the sister of Aditya and Varuna. She is the sister of Ratri* and she is considered as a friend of the Aeving too 124 She makes Indra grow and prosper, and with the help of the anustubh metre, she creates the senses for Indra, and also instils 125 speech and vigour into him. During the nights, she stays awake 126 milking the samnayya and aair for him. She is beseeched to 127 The purify for Indra the flowing soma with the eternal sieve morning oblation of soma is the freshest and the plant itself is at its freshest then. Hence this invocation for purifying the soma for Indra, the prime drinker of soma. She is praised by her devotees 208 and also by the fathers!29 130 She sings all kinds of praises, and she is beseeched to enjoy 131 the songs of praise of her worshippers. 3. At her advent, the eulogising Vasisthas praise her with samans or the songs of 132 praise. 121 Taittiriya-samhita IV : 3:11. 122 Rigveda I : 12315. 123 Rigveda I # 124:8, TV : 52:1, X : 17214. 124 Rigveda IV | 52 | 2 & 3. 125 Taittiriya-brahmana II : 21612. 126 Taittiriya-brahmana II : 2:8:11. 127 128 129 Taittiriya-brahmana I : 8:21. Rigveda I : 124:13, I : 113:19,19, I ; 123:12, IV : 3019, III : 20:1, IV : 1:16, V : 516, IV 1 5118, IV : 52:1, 2 & 4 III : 6111, V : 80; 1 & 3, V : 7914, VII : 77': 4 & 5, VII 1 75:7, VII : 8113, VII : 8013, Maitrayani-samhita II : 13174, IV: 14:52. Rigveda V: 47:1. 130 Rigveda I # 113:19, V : 79:1. 131 Rigveda YII.: 61:1. 132 Rigveda VII 1 7616.

36 She is sometimes imagined as a cow. She is invoked to give milk to her devotees every season; she is rich in milk and she 133 grants it to them". 134 She is beautiful. elegant, fair 138 136 and charming 137 She is a 139 woman bedecked with ornaments. She wears a fine garment. and she is sometimes depicted as dressed in white 140 She is large, 141 and she has a beautiful body. She makes her own body prominent, and she reveals her hidden beauty completely 143 on completing her bath, she gets up from raised bath in front of her worshippers for everyone to view her fully 144 she is red in colour 14 and she 146 142 sometimes appears to be dark too. She is decorated with various a ·Colourt and the different. 147 colours' of her teeth and other parts of her body are blue,' L 148 yellow, etc. She has eternity in the sense that she appears 149 with the same form and colour on all the days. She is a young 151 150 maiden, and she is not subject to old age, evidently each dawn appears as fresh as ever, therefore Usas is seen as ever young, ever untouched by age. 133 Taittiriya-samhita IV: 3:11, Taittiriya-brahmana II : 21819, II : 3:1:2. 134 Rigveda III : 61:1, IV: 1413, V 18012, V 1 516, VII : 7714, VIII : 24:28, VII : 75:5, VII : 77:3. 135 Rigveda I : 123:10. 136 Rigveda VI : 64:1. 137 Taittiriya-samhita IV 1 3:11. 138 Rigveda V: 80:5, VII: 7713, Taittiriya-brahmana II : 2:8:1, II : 2:6:3, 1 Maitrayani-samhita III : 16:22. 139 Rigveda I: 113:14, I ; 122:2, I ; 124: 3 & 7. 140 Rigveda IV : 5116, V 1 8013, 4 & 57 113, 2 & 7, II: 123:9. h " 141 Rigveda V.: 516, V ; 80:5, I : 124:6, I : 123; 10 & 11, I : 92:6. Rigveda V : 8014, I : 123:11. 142 143 Rigveda I : 124:7, I ; 123:11, V : 80:6. Contd.

145 144 Rigveda V : 80 : 5. KV IV: 1:16, IV: 14:3, V : 80 : 1. 146 Rigveda I : 113:14, I: 124 # 7. # 147 Rigveda IV: 51:9, V 8 XXIX # 6. 148 Rigveda I : 124 : 7. 149 Rigveda I : 92:10, I ; 113:13, I ; 123:2, III': 61:2, : Atharva-veda X : 8 130, Maitrayani-samhita II ; 3: 74, IV: 14:52, Taittiriya-brahmana II : 3:1:2, II : 2 6 $ 3. # I: X : 150 Rigveda III : 61:1, I : 123 10, x 70 : 6, ☎8 IV: 3:11. 151 Rigveda IV : 5116, Taittiriya-samhita IV : 3:11. 37

A reference may be noted in connection with her physical description : 38 d sukti In the Ushas-(Rigveda: 80.5-6), two imageries occur, the meaning of which in relation to their social and cultural associations, does not seem to be quite clear. One such imagery is that of a bathing woman who stands erect : Isa Subhra na tanvo vidana urdhiveva snati drsye no asthat' ^(Rigveda V 1 80.5) ('Exhibiting her person like a well-attired female, she stands before our eyes, (gracefully) inclining like (a woma n who has been) bathing). Pischel takes the word subhra in the sense of 'belle', bright or rather a courtesan (a) the moift freshness which accompanies a bath, and (b) the discovery of the beauty of form, which is a little concealed by the apparel, but which is revealed fully either by the disrobed body at bath or as the wet garment clings to the flesh, and takes on the lines of the body. This physical basis refers to the. morning dew and the moist atmosphere at dawn. The phrase tanvo vidana, treated independently, can be a predicative epithet. The bathing imagery would suggest : Vidana is translated, variously asrajnapayanti' (sayana), 'finding' (Peterson), 'discovering' (Oldenberg) and 'bestowing' (V.G. Paranjpe). Whatever the meaning, the imagery is of a fair girl, (a) whose beauty of the limbs comes to the gaze, (b) whose charm appears to be ever new. This description can be very naturally appreciated in relation to the splendour and beauty of Ushas, or, alternatively, tanvo vidana may in poetic fancy, be interpreted as 'bestowing' a person on herself that is, assuming a concrete personality, a beautiful shape.

39 Linking the epithets tanvo vidana and snati, we get the picture of a beautiful young girl, who is perfectly at home in her bath, and who suddenly becomes conscious of the beauty of her limbs. In this discovery of her own person's beauty, she stands up (urdhva) in bath to admire it. The other imagery is expressed by nirinite apsah' (V.80,6). It is several times repeated in the descriptions of Usas as having her breast, like a cow-yielding her udder' (1.92.4), as 'a fair bride decked out by her mother' (1.123.1), as 'a brotherless girl coming towards men' (1.124.7), as 'displaying her body' (V.80.4), or 'like a well-attired wife longing for her husband and surrendering her body' (X.71.4).. In all these passages, it is not possible to associate the 'uncovering of the breast or the body' with any undesirable emotion. The revealing of the bosom refers only to the manifestation of the sun's morning splendour. light, and her veil and it had to be lifted to reveal the fuller wr beauty to the view (cf. Sakuntala) 152 153 The garment of Ushas is She has a golden chariot, and she moves around in a chariot which is easy to yoke, and looks good. powerful, wide, and has 157 154 155 156 158 many forms. She was yoked at one time to a hundred chariots}" 152 G.K. Bhat, "About an imagery in the Usas-sukta" Marathwada. University Journal, Vol. III, No.2, Feb. 1963, pp. 19-25. 153 Rigveda III : 61:2, I : 113:14, VI : 652, VII: 7814. 154 Rigveda IV: 14:3, I 4:9:2, VI : 6414, VI : 65:1. 155 Rigveda V 9012. 156 Rigveda I : 123 ; 1, VI : 6414, VI : 65:1. 157 Rigveda VII : 7516.

40 159 and they are impelled by her in the morning, presumably because the dawn light spreads very fast over the entire expanse of the sky. Hence she appears to be riding a fast chariot, or a hundred chariots as a rhetorical expression for this very idea. Her chariot is said to be yoked to food; 160 again because at dawn men get up and go about their various pursuits aimed at 161 producing food, and it is accompanied by a large banner. The horses of her chariot are strong, red-coloured and can be easily guided or controlled 162 They carry her easily to her destination, 163 on and they form a brilliant, team. On seeing the horses endowed with red rays, it can be ascertained that Ushas is coming. It is seen 164 sometimes that the non-perishing cows of red colour are yoked to 165 her chariot. 167 166 She possesses speed, and she is credited with brilliant 169 170 deeds. She is great 16 high-born desirable pious, extensive 172 173 174 175 177 pure. powerful, prolific, unprecedented 17 and ancient Ushas, indeed is ancient as she has been appearing every morning from the beginning of time. She has been cleansed by the mothers 178 and she also purifies everything 179 This makes more sense when we remember that the dawn radiates in light over a sleeping world enveloped in the unrelieved darkness of the ancient times. 159 Rigveda I : 48:3. 160 Rigveda VII : 7814. 161 Maitrayani-samhita II : 13.74, IV : 14:52. 162 Rigveda III : 6112, I : 113:14, VI: 65:2, VII: 7814, 163 164 I # 123:12, VII: 41:7. Rigveda VII # 7814. Rigveda I: 124:11, VI 64:3, VII : 77:3, VII : 75:3, VIII : 101:13, VI : 64: 2 & 5, VII • 7616, Aitareya-brahmana (Rigveda) IV : 219. Contd.

shi 165 266 167 168 169 Rigveda V : 80:3, I : 124:11, KB (Rigveda) XI:6, Aitareya-brahmana (Rigveda) II: 2:18. Rigveda I : 48, 5 & 6, I ; 123:2, V 8012. Rigveda I # 9218, III : 6114. Rigveda I : 113:19, III : 61:7, IV : 1413, V : 516, V : 6012, V : 47:1, IV: 51:8, VIII : 9217, VII: 8114, Atharva-veda III : 16:7, Taittiriya-brahmana II : 3:112. Rigveda I : 12313, V : 79:1, VII : 7616, VII:6, X : 172:4. 170 # € Rigveda I 123:12, III : 20:1, VII = 77:4, VII: 81:3, VII : 8013, MB II : 13:74, IV : 14:52. > 171 Rigveda III : 61:6, IV : 51:7, V : B 0:1 VIII : 93:16, X # 172:2. 172 Rigveda IV : 5118, V : 80:2, VI : 6483, Atharva-veda X 16:30, VII : 77 ; 2 & 3. 173 Taittiriya-brahmana II : 21613. 174 Rigveda V : 79 1 3, VII : 75:7, VI : 64:4. VI 175 Maitrayani-samhita II : 13:74, IV : 10:52. 176 Suv II # 4:B. 177 Rigveda III ; 61:1, Atharva-veda X : 8:30. 178 Rigveda I ; 123:11. 179 Rigveda IV: 51:2. 41

42 180 She always utters the pleasant truths, and she is regarded 181 as a good leader of the people, possibly because with the dawn men begin their days work; so she would naturally appear to lead 182 men. Svetya is another of her names; She is a part of Bhumi 183 mixed with salt and water, and she is regarded as the goddess of 184 the sixth prayaja. One notices that in the age of the Brahmanas when sacrifices were multiplying, Usas had to be connected with some part or other of the sacrificial ritual in order to retain her position in the pantheon whereas most of the Samhita hymns dwell on her beauty and her personality as the dawn, in this Brahmanical age those characteristics were hardly adequate to ensure her a secure position; hence she is now associated with part of the sacrifice itself. The prayajas are the introductory verses hence quite suitable for the dawn deity who introduces the day. She is the shining heaven 185 and she is said to arise from the darkness which is worse than Krsna black 186 She comes from 187 188 the fast atmosphere, and she rises in the east. She stays in 189 the lap of her parents for example, heaven and earth. 180 Rigveda I : 113:12, I ; 92:14, I : 113:4, III : 61:2, V : 8011, V : 55:9, V ; 79:1, VII : 81:6. 181 Rigveda I : 124:10, I : 48:8, II # 123:5, IV # 52 ; 1, VIII : 9:17, VII: 76:7, VII :81:1, VII: 7511. 182 Rigveda I : 113:2. 183 Taittiriya-brahmana I : 1:1:1, Taittiriya-brahmana II : 3;12:2. 184 Taittiriya-brahmana II : 216:3. Contd.

185 Rigveda I : 12413, III : 61:3, V : 47:1, VII: 78:2. 186 Rigveda I : 123:9. 187 188 Rigveda IV: 45:2, VI : 47:5, VII : 7511, VIII : 5:1. Rigveda V : 80:5, VII : 78:3. 189 Rigveda I : 12415. : : : 43

44 .. She turns round her appearances again and again, even though she is one, she makes five appearances in five seasons 190 Therefore she is sometimes conceived of in the plural for example, the Usases who are not afflicted by disease in five parts: sun!! are invoked to come to the people. She goes before the sun, 191 192 193 194 him 195 197 and also the other gods. She rises before the sun, and she She e follows the path of Aditya, and is not tortured by him. 196 united with him during the night. This answers the natural query in men's minds regarding the absence and invisibility of the 5 and dawn at night. $5 where as they at night ? they at night ? Why, like mortal couples they are united during the night, and at daybreak appear one after the other. virtuous She is seen wandering about like a virtuous woman near her husband (the sun) as a pious woman does not forsake even a corrupt husband, in the same way she also does not abandon her w alnwr husband even though he had been playing the lover to the night, even if she leaves her husband like a deviant, then also she does 198 not give him up completely. Again we see the reflection of human life on earth on the divine plans. The sun, Ushas husband is unfaithful to the wife, plays truant and enjoys the night. But Ushas the faithful and devoted wife never abandons her husband. 190 Taittiriya-brahmana I # 2:5:3. 191 Rigveda X # 3516. 192 Rigveda V 1 8012, VII : 8012. 193 Rigveda VII : 8012. 194 Rigveda V : 8172, Taittiriya-brahmana I : 21513. 195 Rigveda V 1 7919. 196 Rigveda V : 8014. 197 Rigveda VII : 65:1, X # 35*5.

45 This is a poetic vision of the fact that the dawn invariably precedes the sun every morning. She causes men to grow old, while she herself remains ever young; she cuts short the longevity of mortals 199 _ In this connection, one is reminded of the Greek myth of Tithonos and Eos (Aurora and Tithonus in Roman Mythology). Tithonos, Eos mortal lover grew old, while she remained fresh and young. il The Vedic scholars like Geldner, Dr. Bhawe and Dr. Mainkar have tried to discover the image of a Muse in the Rovedic hymns. Geldner while interpreting Rigveda IX.72.2, says that Usas is the genius of poetry and song. Dr. S.S. Bhawe has elaborated Geldner's view (of "The Conception of a Muse of Poetry in the Rigveda", JU B, XIX, 1950 (Part II ). Bg Dr. Mainkar while writing on the crvedic concept of Muse and the theory of Poetry says • The Rgvedic concept of the Muse of Poetry, therefore appears to have three elements in it, supplied by their concepts of Surya, Ushas and Sarasvati. It is only in the Dawn hymns, that we see Ushas as the Dawn hymns, that we see Ushas as the great inspirer of hymns. The fact that these suktas were placed in the earliest period of the Ravedic poetry by Max Miller and Keith is very significant. At this blossoming of the Rovedic poetry, the poets were trying to give lovely form to their songs and thoughts. It is very likely that they were invoking the Goddess of poetry for giving them inspiration. They saw in Usas their goddess of poetry. 199 Rigveda I & 92,10, VII, 75:5. B :

46 66 beautiful treasures to us and gives body and form to things hitherto unknown and infuses life into the things which appear ,200 lifeless to us. One can see the poet of the early days becoming charmed with the beauty of a fresh and lovely dawn and being inspired to compose new songs at dawn when his mind is fresh and responds poetically to nature's beauty all around. 7 A 1600 B.C. hymn to the most famous Sumero-Akkadian virgin goddess Ishtar reads very much like the Rigveda hymns to Ushas : 66 Praise the goddess, the most awesome of the goddesses / Let one revere the mistress of the peoples, the greatest of the Igigi / she is clothed with pleasure and love / she is laden with vitality, charm and voluptuousness / In lips she is sweet, life is in her mouth / At her appearance rejoicing becomes full / she is glorious) veils were thrown brilliant / At her glance there is created joy / Power, magnificence, 201 the protecting deity and guardian spirit. According to Max Miller, Aditi implying infinitude or immortality, is one of the oldest names of the dawn i.e, of that portion of the sky, whence every morning the light and life of the world flash forth. According to Brunnhofer, Usas, whose chariot was shattered by Indra (Rigveda IV.308) is Queen Semiramis of Babylon who had accomplishe a victorious campaign in the region of the Indus. According to Dumezil, Roman Mater Matuta is identical with Usas, it being possible to explain the rites connected with the 202 former by reference to the myths connected with the latter. 200 Vasant S. Patil, "Ushas > The Muse of the Rovedic Poetry, Journal of the Oriental Institute, M.S. University of Baroda, Vol. 26, No. 1, 1976, pp. 6-10. 201 202 Pritchard Texts, p. 383. R.N. Dandekar, "Vedic Religion and Mythology A survey of the work of some western scholars, " Journal of the University of Poon Humanities Section, No. 21, 1965, pp. 9-50.

47 In Rigveda X.123.5 & 7, Usas is represented as a young Apsaras, pursued by the Gandharva in the sky, a paramour (jara) called Vena, who is, of course, none but Aditya. She is represented as an apsaras probably on account of her beauty. A parallel of Ushas can be seen in Eos, the Greek goddess of dawn. Just as the Vedic Aryans looked upon Ushas as the goddess who brought them the light of day, so also the Greeks imagined Eos as the goddess who bestowed on them the first glimmer of day. As Ushas moved about in a chariot drawn by horses, in the same way Eos, too, rode on a chariot drawn by two horses. The Roman parallel of Ushas is Aurora, the Goddess of Dawn. 'A reference may be noted in connection with parallelism of Ushas with Eos and Aurora : U Her parallelism with Eos and Aurora is no proof of an Indo-European cult, the Teutonic Ostara and the Lettish Uhsing represent rather a worship of the young sun in the spring (Usas dance Rigveda X.29.2) may be compared to the dance of the sun on Easter day in German and slav. 203 Mythology, Von Schroeder, Arische, (PP) 51ff. One notices the similarity in the names, Usas and Uhsing. Another parallel of Ushas can be seen in the Slavonic Zorya or Zarya. The dawn in Slavonic Zorya or Zarya was also believed to a divinity. Aurora of the morning (Zorya Utrenyaya utre meaning 'morning') opened the gates of the celestial palace when the sun set forth on his daily journey across the heavens. Aurora of the evening Zorya Vechernyayavecher meaning 'evening') closes them again when the sun came home. 203 A. B. Keith, "The Religion and Philosophy of Vedas and Upanisads, Vol. I, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1925, p. 121.

48 The Rgvedic poets must have thought of genius (Pratibha). Ushas is frequently invoked as the inspirer of fair songs --- . sunrta Trayanti III. 61.2, VII.79.5. In VII.76.7 and I 92.7, she is depicted as a leader of joyous songs (netri sunrtanam). Elsewhere Vasistha is found praying to Ushas for bestowing on him lovely hymns (Rigveda VII.79.5). In Rigveda I.123.13, the poet invokes her to bestow on him gracious thoughts. All In Rigveda IV.51.5, and Rigveda VII.75.4, Ushas is described as travelling round the worlds swiftly. Her bright rays have spread in all directions, filling the mid-regions. In Rigveda III.61.4, Visvamitra says that the rich Dawn stretches to the ends of earth and heaven. She moves in a resplendent car (candraratha). this majestic description creates before our eyes a lovely and glorious images of the Goddess of Poetry (Pratibha). The creative poetic genius is exceedingly brilliant and embraces the whole of the universe for its theme. The miraculous achievement of the poetic genius is beautifully suggested in the Uaas hymns. In 1.123.6, the Vedic poet says 'the far-refulgent mornings make apparent the lovely treasures which the darkness covered. In the first mandala there occurs a re containing a metaphorical description : of Rigveda 1.63 that is, 'This (=sun) bestowing life where no life was and form, O men, where form was not, was born together, with the Dawns'. But it can be connected with the dawn, who instils consciousness into all creatures that were as if unconscious during night and also gives form to the formless. These lines suggest the miraculous power of the genius which lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the world and reveals

49 A myth of a later period attributes a special mission to the Zorya. 'There are in the sky', it says 'three little sisters', three little Zorya : she of the evening, Their duty is to she of midnight, and she of morning. guard a dog which is tied by an iron chain to the constellation of the Little Bear : when the chain breaks it will be the end of the world. The three little Zoryas are thus the great protectress 204 of the entire universe. The Vedic Aryans looked upon Usas as the personification of Dawn. To them it was she who destroyed the darkness and brought them the first glimmer of day. She also inspired them to perform their own duties. She gave the requisite energy to undertake various activities for example, sacrifices etc. She played a very important role in the lives of the people when they were mainly pastoral during the Ravedic period. She bestowed the day on them every morning, when they could take out their cattle for grazing on the pastures. The Rgvedic Aryans were primarily a pastoral people and naturally cows and bullocks were their most valued possession. These constituted their chief form of wealth and the only original daksina (sacrificial fee). They were aware of the dangers to which the grazing cattle were liable such as being lost, falling into pits, breaking limbs and being stolen. Therefore they prayed to Usas for making the pasture-lands free from any danger to their cattle. She granted them all that they desired for example, wealth, cattle (of Latin pecu = Sanskrit pasu), 204 "New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology", p. 285.

50 *** happiness, progeny, etc. and fulfilled all their wishes and aspirations too, She was also approached by them for horses, because they had to fight wars against their enemies (that is, natives) riding horse-drawn chariots. She gave them protection against their enemies, and relieved them of their sins too. In those ill-lighted nights fear of poachers and burglars was only too real. Therefore, at dawn the shepherds heaved a sigh of relief as they became free from the nocturnal threats for another day. Hence their Usas protected them. The dawn also reawakened pious thoughts and dark sinful thoughts would them be banished from men's hearts. Usas, therefore, freed them from sin. may also have been regarded as a goddess of fertility, because she was worshipped for progeny, and it was also held that with her advent the men's virility increased. She had certain anthropomorphic features as : she was considered as a young maiden, and was also thouught to be elegant, fair, beautiful and charming. She was said to have possessed a beautiful body which she held up for the view of her worshippers. She made her own body prominent and revealed her hidden beauty completely. It may be concluded She from the above statements that Ushas like any young woman was like any young woman was eager to exhibit herself and attract people towards her. In Usas are blended the pretty, subtle images of a beautiful young maiden, a good-looking and faithful wife and possibly an undercurrent of a charming young hussy who shamelessly exhibits her naked body to the world. The composite picture is one of

51. and freshness. The housewifely image endows her with traits of a benevolent mother, free with her bounty for her children. As an unaging youthful maiden who, however causes men to grow old because the dawn ushers in a new day, thus diminishing man's life-span she is cruel like the fowler woman who clips the 205 som wings of the bird the This trait of cruelty in a pretty young heartless woman remains buried in the collective unconscious echoes of which are found in many myths and poems (of Keats' La belle dame sans V menci)." She may be considered as one of the major goddesses of the Rovedie pantheon. Mi 205 Svaghniva krtnur vija apanana martalya devi jarayanti ayuh - Rigveda 1.92.10.