Description of Goddess Usasanakta

: USASANAKTA 59 The dual deity viz. Usasanakta i.e, Ushas together with Nakta are said to be the personification of day and night together The close connection between the night and dawn is further evidenced by the dual form of either Usas (usasau) or ahan (ahani) which has been taken to mean conjointly the night and the day or dawn. Thus, for example, in Rigveda I.188.6, they are referred to as Usasau, and they have been described as golden-coloured (suzukme) as having fair forms (supesasa) and as shining forth with their glorious beauty. The Night and Dawn are said to be worthy of praise, and both of them smile, though they are different in 2 form. 3 They are said to be lustrous women, and celestial maidens. They adorn themselves with bright ornaments and therefore look Reautiful. They are fair, young, winsome, huge and endowed with b L 9 various forms. 7 Similarly the dual form ahani also denotes the day and the night. In Rigveda I.12.37, it is said that ahani (night and day) have diverse hues; when the one, that is, the night departs, the other 1.e, the day arrives. Between the two, night envelops objects Taittiriya-brahmana II # 2:6:3. 2 Rigveda III.14.3, VII : 216, Atharva-veda V : 12:6, Taittiriya-brahmana II : 2:16:4. 3 Rigveda X 1 7016, Atharva-veda V : 12:6, Vajasaney-samhita 29.31, Maitrayani-samhita IV: 13:17. 4 Rigveda VII 1 2.6, Vajasaney-samhita 29.31, 28.29, Atharva-veda V : 12.6. n Rigveda X 110:6, Vajasaney-samhita 28.29, 12.2, 17.70, 29.31, Maitrayani-samhita II.7.94, III.2.1, IV. 13.7, Atharva-veda V.12.6, Taittiriya-brahmana II.2.6.4. 6 Rigveda X.110.6, Vajasaney-samhita 29.31. 7 Rigveda V.5.6. 8 Maitrayani-samhita IV. 13.17. 9 Maitrayani-samhita II.7.94, III : 211.

1 60 with her darkness, and the day shines forth and makes everything 10 clear. favour. In Rigveda IV.55.3. the unimpaired Ahani are beseeched for From Taittiriya-samhita V.1.10, 4; Maitrayani-samhita III.1.2, 14.11, KS 19.11, 12, 17 it appears that in the post-Rgvedic period too, the dvandva naktosasa also came to mean ahoratrau that is, 'day and night'. Mahidhara explains ahoratradhisthatryau devi, that is, "the goddess presiding over day and night". They grant wealth, beauty and resplendent ornaments to 11 the devotee. They are rich in horses and cattle 12 and are wealthy 13 They bestow longevity on the worshipper: 14. 16 They are beseeched to protect the worship of the devotee. They are prayed to free the worshipper from their curse, and one 17 of them drives away hatred and sin from them. 15 They arouse all living beings that is, each in her own way performs the same task 18 viz. create or constitute the continuous course of time within which all people have to live and work or 10 Rigveda I.136.4. 11 Vajasaney-samhita XXVIII : 15, Maitrayani-samhita IV: 13:17. 12 Rigveda VII 71.1. 13 Rigveda VII.2.6. 14 Atharva-veda XII.2.4.9. 15 Vajasaney-samhita XXVII : 17. 16 Atharva-veda XI.6.7. 17 Vajasaney-samhita : 28.15. 5 18 Rigveda II.31.5. 1

according to Geldner 61 The night drives the beings to their homes, while the 1999 morning brings them out of their houses. 20 They have given strength, game and power to Indra, and have brought him the brilliant light emanating from their breasts 21 22 by sacrifice, In Vajasaney-samhita 28.37, where they appear among a number of deities contributing to Indra's greatness, they are said to have strengthened this god by means of the anustubh metre. They help the devotees establish the sacrificial fire. Among the formulae to be used in performing the sautramani is, where the double deity, being brhati, sudughe and also rich in mutritive liquid (payasvati) is said to worship Indra. 25 24 23 26 They are invoked to nourish Agni combining together whatever belongs to themselves. They invoke Indra to the sacrifice. They invoke the gods to the well-established and well-endowed animal 28 sacrifice 27 They are requested to drink the soma-juice. W 19 "Die Nacht treibt die Wesen heim, der Morgen him aus" "Der Rig Vede ubersetzt", Vol. I, Cambridge, Mass, 1951, p. 315, n, 2. 20 Vajasaney-samhita XXI: 51, 28:37. 21 Vajasaney-samhita 21.52. 22 Maitrayani-samhita III.2.1. 23 vs 20.41. 24 of. also Maitrayani-samhita 3.11.1, 140.6, etc. 25 Satapatha-brahmana III.6.7.3. 26 Taittiriya-brahmana II : 2.6 2. 27 RB II : 3:6:1. 22 28 Rigveda II.31.5. :

: 62 A few references may be noted in connection with the role of Ushasanakta in sacrifice 1 - ana They are requested to sit on the barhis. on the barhis. It would appear to the author that this oft-repeated invitation is most appropriate to the poet's purpose if it figuratively conveys the meaning a 'be present at this sacrificial rite which is now being performed and which requires your presence; Dawn and Night must sit down in their proper place, and in their broad lap the gods must eagerly take a seat (Rigveda IX.5.6). The poet intends to say that they are invited to be with others, the objects. of worship. Dawn and Night must be the basis or form the sub-stratum, on which the gods are received for worship. The poet of the aprihymn Rigveda 11.3.6 emphasises what Night and Dawn have in common and do together : they are 'selt alters erwachsen'. (Geldner : sanata ... uksite), and 'perform their excellent works (sadhvapamsi) like two gay (female) weavers, who are united, weaving (until completion) the stretched warp that is, the embroidery (ornament) of the sacrifice (cf. Vajasaney-samhita XX # 41), "Das Bild der Buntweberin. Der Aufzug ist die Zeit das hinein gewebte Buntmuster das Opfer" (Geldner, op. cit, I, p. 280). So they weave the webs of the sacrifices which are perfomed continually. In Rigveda IX.5.61, the soma when clarifying itself is very desirous of Night and Dawn, just like a (male who is desirous of) two handsomen(women). 'Als Inbegriff der Zeit' (Geldner, op. cit., I, p. 200), they are also * mothers of order (reasya matara) - The phrase 'mothers of Rtailed H. huders, Varuna, Gottingen 1951-59, "p. 632£ to write I fu

63 'Schwerer ist zu sagen, in wiefern ... Nacht and Morgen 'Mutter des Rta' sein sollen ... Man wird daran denken, dass in ihrer unverbruchlichen Abwechslung ja ebenso wie etwa im Erscheinen der Usas das Walten der you komischen Wahrheit (Luder's view of rea) sich manifestiert- - wobelaber die Frage unbeantwortet bleiht, warum dann nicht 2 B. auch Ugas allein einmal als kutter des Rta bezeichnet wird'. If we take the expression as primarily referring to dawn and dusk as the right moments for sacrificing and remember that the sacrificial rites are a manifestation of Rta (cf. for example, Rigveda 1.71.3,105.4; II.30.1, where Savitar makes the Rta for Indra VII.21.5), we find less difficulty in understanding what is meant. In Rigveda V.41.7, it is said that Dawn and Night, bring the sacrifice to mortal men. In the original apri hymn (Atharva-veda V.12 = Rigveda X.110), contained in the Atharvaveda via. the peculiar text Atharva-veda V.27, Ushas and Nakta are in stanza eight besought 'to favour the sacrifice of those speaking which sets out (on its journey to heaven)'. Since a sacrifice is performed during a certain space of time, these divisions of time, Dawn and Night should not withhold their favour. Other texts (Vajasaney-samhita 27.17 cf. Hertel, Neujahrsopfer, p. 152.17 of. Hertel, Neujahrsopfer, p. 152 £; Taittiriya-samhita 4, 1, 8, 2, etc.) have instead 'Let Dawn and Night like heavenly maidens in his birthplace protect this sacrifice of ours The question may arise as to why Dawn and Night may belong to entities or the divinities to be propitiated. The only answer is that they were another 'requisite for a successful performance of the fire ritual. visite 729 29 Jan Gonda, "The Dual deities in the religion of the Veda,' North Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam, London, 1974, pp. 129-143. 1

64. In Rigveda V.41.7, the poet addresses the two youngest 30 (daughters) of Heaven that is, Dawn and Night who are like "Night two women who know everything. The poet represents : and morning as the sacrifice-regulated time.,,31 The adjective "youngest" (Luders, op. cit., p. 632%, n 5) in the fact that the stanza is addressed to finds its explanation the night and morning of a definite day, every present morning is the youngest. That they are said to know everything does not mean that they are 32 omniscient. In Rigveda X.36.1, they had an enumeration of gods. They are sometimes identified with two cows in the Rgveda, The identification with one cow does not only occur in Rigveda 1, 186.4, but also in Rigveda VII.26. This milk though flowing from the same udder, is different in colour. Geldner explaining Rigveda I.186.4 says: il i Night and morning are the milch-cows, the poet of the milkman, the common udder of Night and morning They are of one mind but are dissimilar in form. closely connected to each other and are adorable. 35 30 cE. Rigveda I.142.7, x 70.6. 34 233 etc. 3 They are 31 "Nacht und Morgen als die Opfer regelnde Zeit", Geldner, op. cit., I, p. 40. 32 33 34 of. R. Pettazzani, "The all-knowing god" London, 1986, p. 21. "Nacht und Morgen sind die Milchkuh, der Dichter des Melker, das gemeinsame Euter von Nacht and morgen ist die beiden gemeinsame Tagezeit (Morgen oder Abend, denn der Morgen schiliest in dieser Verbindung den ganzen Tagein). Dieses melkt der sanger, der in (Versmasser), d.h. rhythmischdichtet wie der Melker im Takt melket, op. cit., I, p. 267. EB III : 61713, Satapatha-brahmana IV 1 912131, Maitrayani-samhita II : 7194, III 2:1, Vajasaney-samhita XII 2, XVII : 70. 35 IV, 13.17, Atharva-veda V.12.6.

: 65 Ratri is the birth-place (yoni) of Usas. The dark one 37 1.e, Ratri gives place to the bright one i.e, Usas, Although they are dissimilar in their outward appearance, they have amicable and sisterly relations, and have mental accord. They never clash, nor do they tarry in the execution of their duties 38 In Atharva-veda XIX. 48.3, the poet prays to the mother Night to hand men over to Usas; Usas is prayed to give men over to the day, and the day is prayed to deliver men over to the shining Ratri. When her sister, the dawn, approaches, Ratri retires, and makes way for her. The journey of both sisters is the same, an endless, one; they travel one after another at the god's (Savitar's) advice. They do not infringe upon each other, they do not stop, they are b well fixed ("den richtigen Austand einhaltend," Geldner). It may be noted in connection with the distinction between Usas and Nakta : 66 Occasionally these goddesses are distinguished from one another with all possible clarity. The poet of Rigveda I.122.2 (Visve devah), though describing them as two wives and intending to magnify both of them on the occasion of the morning invocation, contrasts the sterility of one of them (night) clad in an uncommon (black) dress interwoven (with stars) with the other (Dawn), looking pretty with ornaments made of gold (namely) with sun's beauty (cf. Jan Gonda). 36 Rigveda I.113.3. i w w w w 39 • Rigveda I.113.21. Rigveda 1.113.3. Rigveda VII.71.1. 40 Rigveda X.127:3.

66 They are sweet, pleasant. 2014 divine 42 kind 3³ great 44 happy 45 46 and are supporting, comfortable and endowed with good heroes. They are holy and pour sweet dew, and are seated close to each other at their station clearly signifying the dawn following invariably after the night 47 mey are very pleased with their 48 49 devotees, and they know the true nature of things. Both are the children of heaven and in their wide lap all the gods recline 50 They played The dual deities of Ushas and Nakta were regarded by the Vedic Aryans as goddesses having the attributes of any other divinity. They were considered as capable of best owing boons on the people, and also of granting them protection. quite a big role in the sacrifice performed by the people. They were supposed to be another requisite for a successful completion of the fire ritual. They formed the sub-stratum on which the gods ware invoked for worship. They were quite important to Indra because they gave him brilliant light, power, strength and fame. They possessed almost all the physical features and personal characteristics as any other goddess. They possessed certain anthropomrphic features such as they were regarded as lustrous and beautiful young maidens, who adorned themselves with ornaments. They were looked upon as huge and were also thought to possess various forms. £ 20 It may be concluded from the above discussion that they were of no mean significance to the Vedic Aryans. 41 Maitrayani-samhita II.7.220. 45 Taittiriya-brahmana II: 2:6:1, II # 386:1. 42 Maitrayani-samhita II:12:41, IV: 13:17, 46 Atharva-veda XII 2.49. Vajasaney-samhita 28.37. 47 Vajasaney-samhita 29.31, 28.19. Atharva-veda V 12.6. 43 Vajasaney-samhita 28.15. 48 44 Rigveda V 11.2.6, Atharva-veda V 1 1216, 49 Taittiriya-brahmana II 2:6:1, II : 3:6:1. Vajasaney-samhita 28.15. Taittiriya-brahmana II:2:614. SO Rigveda X.70.6.