© Richard Randall

Caribbean

Sundries

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Ushas

Ushas (उषः ™ṣas-), Sanskrit for "dawn", is a Vedic deity. She is the chief goddess (sometimes imagined as several goddesses, Dawns) exalted in the Rig Veda. She is portrayed as a beautifully adorned, sexually attractive young woman riding in a chariot.

Twenty out of 1028 hymns in the Rig Veda are dedicated to Dawn: Book 7 has seven hymns, books 4–6 have two hymns each, and the younger books 1 and 10 have six and one respectively.

E. g. RV 6.64.1-2 (trans. Griffith):

1. The radiant Dawns have risen up for glory, in their white splendour like the waves of waters.

She maketh paths all easy, fair to travel, and, rich, hath shown herself benign and friendly.

2. We see that thou art good: far shines thy lustre; thy beams, thy splendours have flown up to heaven.

Decking thyself, thou makest bare thy bosom, shining in majesty, thou Goddess Morning.

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