RIGVEDA

  Mandala I: Sukta 92

 

(I) 

Lo! These Dawns bringing forth knowledge (consciousness): in the eastern hemisphere they spread out light; like assail­ants with sharpened weapons, the gleaming Mothers move forward. 

(2)

 

Easily they rise up, the glowing rays; they yoke the lumi­nous herds and yoke them perfectly. As of yore the Dawns give forms to the perception, the bright rays merge in. the blazing Sun. 

(3)

 

As toilers giving the lead, with their illuminations equally yoked, they shine from beyond. They bring all impulsion and all daylight to the sacrificer who is a perfect doer of the work, a perfect donor and a perfect distiller of wine (divine drink). 

(4)

 

As a dancer decorates her limbs, as a cow displays her milk­-heavy udder, Dawn creates for the world the Light and opens out the darkness, even as a herd does its shelter-stall. 

(5)

 

Lo, her shining flame is before us: it is there spreading wide, holding back the mass of darkness. The Daughter of Heaven displays in our knowings the solar rays as though her own limbs and then merges in the glory of the Sun. 

(6)

 

We have crossed over to the other shore of this Darkness. Dawn breaks out and creates all manifested form. She smiles as with the beauty of poetic rhythm. She shines out with her perfect face. She unveils herself and brings to us a happy mind. 

(7)

 

Luminous she leads forth the blissful truths. Daughter of Heaven she is hymned by the most enlightened: O Dawn, bestow upon us all the plenitudes of progeny and the hero-power and the lifeforce-consciousness and the herd with the front of light.

 

(8)

 

O Dawn, may I enjoy that wealth full of glory and perfect hero-strength and the great host of servitors and the wakeful vital force. Thou bringest forth the plenitude, O Goddess of perfect enjoyment; thou shinest with the hearing perfect in action. Vast is that wealth of thine.

 

(9)

 

The Goddess looks forward to all the worlds and backward too her eye shines widely. She awakens all creatures and makes them move forward. And for all minds she has found their utterance. 

(10)

 

She takes birth again and again and shines with the same beauty of hue as of old. She, the Goddess, like a cutter slays the morrow of creatures and diminishes the life-span of aging mortals. 

(11)

 

Widely disclosing the ends of heaven She awakes and sends her sister far away from her. She shortens the human cycles - woman-like she shines wide with the eye of her Beloved. 

(12)

 

Lo! The luminous Goddess of Delight spreading out like a herd of kine! Like a river She extends herself wide over low lands. She never impairs the Divine Works, she awakes and becomes visible with the rays of the Sun. 

(13)

 

Bearing the plenitudes, O Dawn, bring to us that brilliant richness by which we shall sustain (found) our begetting and our progeny.

 

(14)

 

O Dawn, break forth for us here today with thy light and energy and lustre and joy and the blissful Truth.

 

(15)

 

O Dawn, Goddess of Plenitude, yoke the luminous life-forces and bring to us all the felicities (perfect enjoyings). 

 

(16)

 

O Aswins, you are luminous workers, of golden hue and of one mind. Turn your moving chariots downward towards our habitations.

 

(17)

 

Thus have you together created this lustrous hymn from heaven for the people. O Aswins, do you both bring to us the vital energy.

 

(18)

 

May the wakers in the Dawn bring here for drinking the soma-wine the twin-gods who create delight, who do the work and follow the golden path.