Ushas

Ushas · ushas, “the dawn”

Antariksha has other meanings too: see all meanings of Antariksha. Ushā has other meanings too: see all meanings of Ushā.

Ushas is the Dawn as a devatā. The Brahma Purāṇa names her among the powers who adorned the yajña of Daksha, and among the devatās who receive the bali (food offering) of the householder. She is not Ushā the wife of Sūrya, nor Ushā the daughter of Bāṇa.

At Daksha’s yajña

Brahmā tells Nārada that the yajña Daksha began, sponsored by Brahmā and the devas and guarded by Vasishṭha and the ṛshis and by Indra, the Ādityas and the Vasus, was adorned with the Vedas, Ṛk, Yajus and Sāman, and with the utterances of “Svāhā”. All round it stood Śraddhā, Pushṭi, Tushṭi, Śānti, Lajjā, Sarasvatī, Bhūmi, Dyau, Śarvarī, Kshānti, Ushas the Dawn, Āśā, Jayā, Mati and others. It was this yajña that Vīrabhadra and the bhūtas who came with Mahādeva destroyed, because Daksha had slighted Bhagavān Śiva and not invited him.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 39

In the householder’s bali

In the rule of sadācāra that Vyāsa teaches the munis, the bali on the north side is offered to Brahmā, Antariksha, Sūrya, the Viśvedevas, the Viśvabhūtas, Ushas and Bhūtapati.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 221

Sources

• Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 221; Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 39