Ushas (Vedic Sanskrit: , , nominative singular उषास्) is a Vedic goddess of dawn in Hinduism. She repeatedly appears in the Rigvedic hymns, states David Kinsley, where she is "consistently identified with dawn, revealing herself with the daily coming of light to the world, driving away oppressive darkness, chasing away evil demons, rousing all life, setting all things in motion, sending everyone off to do their duties". She is on par with other major male Vedic deities. Some analysts describe several of the hymns dedicated to her in the Vedas as the most beautiful. Her sister is "Nisha" or Ratri, the deity of night.

Uṣás is an s-stem, i.e. the genitive case is ', whereby it connotes "dawn goddess" in Indo-European languages. Ushas is related to the Proto-Indo-European goddess . Her cognates in other Indo-European pantheons include the Greek goddess Eos, the Roman goddess Aurora, the Lithuanian goddess Aušrinė, and the English goddess Ēostre (OE: ēastre), whose name is probably the root of the modern English word "Easter."

Description

Ushas is the prominent goddess of dawn in the Vedas. She is depicted as the one who imbues life to all beings, as the "life of all life" and "breath of all breaths", according to Jones and Ryan.

Rigveda

Ushas is mentioned in numerous hymns of the Rigveda. She is thanked for and petitioned for driving away darkness in hymns 7.78, 6.64 and 10.172; bringer of light urged by Surya in hymn 3.61, and the chaser of evil demons in hymn 8.47. and 7.75, and participating in daily restoration of order and fighting chaotic forces that threaten the world in hymn 1.113. Aditya and one who goes about her ways closely with deities Savitri and Surya.

In RV 6.64.1-2 (trans. Jamison), Ushas is invoked as follows:

Vedic:

<poem>

1. úd u śriyá uṣáso rócamānā ásthur apā́ṃ nórmáyo rúśantaḥ

kr̥ṇóti víśvā supáthā sugā́ny ábhūd u vásvī dákṣiṇā maghónī

2. bhadrā́ dadr̥kṣa urviyā́ ví bhāsy út te śocír bhānávo dyā́m apaptan

āvír vákṣaḥ kr̥ṇuṣe śumbʰámānóṣo devi rócamānā máhobhiḥ

</poem>

English translation:

<poem>

1. The shining Dawns have arisen for splendor, glistening like the waves of the waters.

She makes all pathways, all passages easy to travel. She has appeared— the good priestly gift, the bounteous one.

2. Auspicious, you have become visible; you radiate widely. Your flare, your radiant beams have flown up to heaven.

You reveal your breast as you go in beauty, goddess Dawn, shining with all your might.

</poem>

In the "family books" of the Rig Veda (e.g. RV 6.64.5), Ushas is the divine daughter&mdash;a ' &mdash;of Dyaus Pita ("Sky Father").

<poem>

5. Convey (it)—you who as the unsurpassable one with your oxen convey the boon at your pleasure, Dawn,

you who are a goddess, o Daughter of Heaven. Become worthy to be seen with your munificence at the early invocation!

Ushas is regionally worshipped during the festival of Chhath Puja, in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (India), and in Nepal.

See also

  • Aušra, Lithuanian goddess of dawn
  • Chhaya
  • Ēostre
  • Ratri
  • Surya
  • Marici (Buddhism)
  • Saranyu
  • Shani
  • Disani
  • Ame-no-Uzume

References

Bibliography