HYMN CXXIV. Dawn: Rig Veda – Book 1 – Ralph T.H. Griffith, Translator

उषा उछन्ती समिधाने अग्ना उद्यन सूर्य उर्विया जयोतिरश्रेत |
देवो नो अत्र सविता नवर्थं परासावीद दविपत पर चतुष्पदित्यै ||

अमिनती दैव्यानि वरतानि परमिनती मनुष्या युगानि |
ईयुषीणामुपमा शश्वतीनामायतीनां परथमोषा वयद्यौत ||

एषा दिवो दुहिता परत्यदर्शि जयोतिर्वसाना समना पुरस्तात |
रतस्य पन्थामन्वेति साधु परजानतीव न दिशो मिनाति ||

उपो अदर्शि शुन्ध्युवो न वक्षो नोधा इवाविरक्र्त परियाणि |
अद्मसन न ससतो बोधयन्ती शश्वत्तमागात पुनरेयुषीणाम ||

पूर्वे अर्धे रजसो अप्त्यस्य गवां जनित्र्यक्र्त पर केतुम |
वयु परथते वितरं वरीय ओभा पर्णन्ती पित्रोरुपस्था ||

एवेदेषा पुरुतमा दर्शे कं नाजामिं न परि वर्णक्ति जामिम |
अरेपसा तन्वा शाशदाना नार्भादीषते न महोविभाती ||

अभ्रातेव पुंस एति परतीची गर्तारुगिव सनये धनानाम |
जायेय पत्य उशती सुवासा उषा हस्रेव नि रिणीते अप्सः ||

सवसा सवस्रे जयायस्यै योनिमारैगपैत्यस्याः परतिचक्ष्येव |
वयुछन्ती रश्मिभिः सूर्यस्याञ्ज्यङकते समनगा इवव्राः ||

आसां पूर्वासामहसु सवसॄणामपरा पूर्वामभ्येति पश्चात |
ताः परत्नवन नव्यसीर्नूनमस्मे रेवदुछन्तु सुदिना उषासः ||

पर बोधयोषः पर्णतो मघोन्यबुध्यमानाः पणयः ससन्तु |
रेवदुछ मघवद्भ्यो मघोनि रेवत सतोत्रे सून्र्ते जारयन्ती ||

अवेयमश्वैद युवतिः पुरस्ताद युङकते गवामरुणानामनीकम |
वि नूनमुछादसति पर केतुर्ग्र्हं-गर्हमुप तिष्ठाते अग्निः ||

उत ते वयश्चिद वसतेरपप्तन नरश्च ये पितुभाजो वयुष्टौ |
अमा सते वहसि भूरि वाममुषो देवि दाशुषे मर्त्याय ||

अस्तोढ्वं सतोम्या बरह्मणा मे.अवीव्र्धध्वमुशतीरुषासः |
युष्माकं देवीरवसा सनेम सहस्रिणं च शतिनं चवाजम ||

uṣā uchantī samidhāne aghnā udyan sūrya urviyā jyotiraśret |
devo no atra savitā nvarthaṃ prāsāvīd dvipat pra catuṣpadityai ||

aminatī daivyāni vratāni praminatī manuṣyā yughāni |
īyuṣīṇāmupamā śaśvatīnāmāyatīnāṃ prathamoṣā vyadyaut ||

eṣā divo duhitā pratyadarśi jyotirvasānā samanā purastāt |
ṛtasya panthāmanveti sādhu prajānatīva na diśo mināti ||

upo adarśi śundhyuvo na vakṣo nodhā ivāvirakṛta priyāṇi |
admasan na sasato bodhayantī śaśvattamāghāt punareyuṣīṇām ||

pūrve ardhe rajaso aptyasya ghavāṃ janitryakṛta pra ketum |
vyu prathate vitaraṃ varīya obhā pṛṇantī pitrorupasthā ||

evedeṣā purutamā dṛśe kaṃ nājāmiṃ na pari vṛṇakti jāmim |
arepasā tanvā śāśadānā nārbhādīṣate na mahovibhātī ||

abhrāteva puṃsa eti pratīcī ghartārughiva sanaye dhanānām |
jāyeya patya uśatī suvāsā uṣā hasreva ni riṇīte apsaḥ ||

svasā svasre jyāyasyai yonimāraighapaityasyāḥ praticakṣyeva |
vyuchantī raśmibhiḥ sūryasyāñjyaṅkte samanaghā ivavrāḥ ||

āsāṃ pūrvāsāmahasu svasṝṇāmaparā pūrvāmabhyeti paścāt |
tāḥ pratnavan navyasīrnūnamasme revaduchantu sudinā uṣāsaḥ ||

pra bodhayoṣaḥ pṛṇato maghonyabudhyamānāḥ paṇayaḥ sasantu |
revaducha maghavadbhyo maghoni revat stotre sūnṛte jārayantī ||

aveyamaśvaid yuvatiḥ purastād yuṅkte ghavāmaruṇānāmanīkam |
vi nūnamuchādasati pra keturghṛhaṃ-ghṛhamupa tiṣṭhāte aghniḥ ||

ut te vayaścid vasaterapaptan naraśca ye pitubhājo vyuṣṭau |
amā sate vahasi bhūri vāmamuṣo devi dāśuṣe martyāya ||

astoḍhvaṃ stomyā brahmaṇā me.avīvṛdhadhvamuśatīruṣāsaḥ |
yuṣmākaṃ devīravasā sanema sahasriṇaṃ ca śatinaṃ cavājam ||

English Translation

Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

1. THE Dawn refulgent when the fire is kindled, and the Sun rising, far diffuse their brightness.
Savitar, God, hath sent us forth to labour, each quadruped, each biped, to be active.

2 Not interrupting heavenly ordinances, although she minisheth human generations.
The last of endless morns that have departed, the first of those that come, Dawn brightly shineth.

3 There in the eastern region she, Heaven’s Daughter, arrayed in garments all of light, appeareth.
Truly she followeth the path of Order, nor faileth, knowing well, the heavenly quarters.

4 Near is she seen, as ’twere the Bright One’s bosom: she showeth sweet things like a new song-singer.
She cometh like a fly awaking sleepers, of all returning dames most true and constant.

5 There in the east half of the watery region the Mother of the Cows hath shown her ensign.
Wider and wider still she spreadeth onward, and filleth full the laps of both heir Parents.

6 She, verily, exceeding vast to look on debarreth from her light nor kin nor stranger.
Proud of her spotless form she, brightly shining, turneth not from the high nor from the humble.

7 She seeketh men, as she who hath no brother, mounting her car, as ’twere to gather riches.
Dawn, like a loving matron for her husband, smiling and well attired, unmasks her beauty.

8 The Sister quitteth, for the elder Sister, her place, and having looked on her departeth.
She decks her beauty, shining forth with sunbeams, like women trooping to the festal meeting.

9 To all these Sisters who ere now have vanished a later one each day in course succeedeth.
So, like the past, with days of happy fortune, may the new Dawns shine forth on us with riches.

10 Rouse up, O Wealthy One, the liberal givers; let niggard traffickers sleep on unwakened:
Shine richly, Wealthy One, on those who worship, richly, glad.
Dawn while wasting, on the singer.

11 This young Maid from the east hath shone upon us; she harnesseth her team of bright red oxen.
She will beam forth, the light will hasten hither, and Agni will be present in each dwelling.

12 As the birds fly forth from their resting places, so men with store of food rise at thy dawning.
Yea, to the liberal mortal who remaineth at home, O Goddess Dawn, much good thou bringest.

13 Praised through my prayer be ye who should be lauded. Ye have increased our wealth, ye Dawns who love us.
Goddesses, may we win by your good favour wealth to be told by hundreds and by thousands.