Kavi is Brahmā̍s son, born of his mental conception. In Mahābhārata, the eight sons of Kavi are referred to as Vāruṇa. Each of these eight sons of Kavi are referred to as ̍prajāpati̍.  Uśanā is one of them. This Uśanā is also known as Śukrācārya.

In Ṛgveda, the name of Uśanā comes several times, and in almost all places, he is referred to as the son of Kavi, i.e, as ̍Kāvya Uśanā̍.
*ā gā ājaduśanā kāvyaḥ
*yaṃ te kāvya uśanā mandinaṃ dādvṛtrahanam
*uśanā kāvyastvā ni hotāramasādayat

In another mantra, Kāvya Uśanā is clearly referred to as a sage. It is said that sage Uśanā is a person with great wisdom, he is calm and– ṛṣirvipra pura etā
janānāmribhurdhīra uśanā kāvyena.
In all the sūkta(s) we have the name of Uśanā, he is referred to as a sage who gives support to Indra. It is said in a Ṛk manyra, — “O sage, when your power, strenghthened by the power of Uśanā, became sharper, that power could penetrate the heaven and earth–
takṣadyatta uśanā sahasā saho vi
rodasī majmanā vādhate śavaḥ.

In the mantra, immediately after his one, it is said that Uśanā is worshipped along with Indra–
mandiṣṭ yat uśane kāvye sacnā indraḥ.

In one Ṛk mantra it is clearly said, that the famous weapon called vajra was given to Indra by Uśanā.
yaṃ te kāvya uśanā mandinaṃ dād
vṛtrahanaṃ pāryaṃ tatakṣa vajram.

Another important aspect of Uśanā is his wisdom and knowledge. In one mantra, exclaiming his own divine attributes, Indra saya– “I am Manu, I am Sūrya, I am also Uśanā, behold me–
ahaṃ kaviruśanā paśyatā mā.

The meaning of ̍kavi̍ is all-knowing, all-seeing: as in Īśopaniṣad– “kavirmaīṣī”. Kavi also means an ̍intelligent̍, ̍wise̍, or ̍learned̍ person– as in Bhagavadgītā– even the learned people get illusioned regarding the determination of karma and vikarma–

kavayo̍pyatra mohitāḥ.

Again, kavi means the composer of verse. Uśanā̍s entitlement as ̍kavi̍, as hailed in the Ṛk mantra(s), cover all these meanings. In one Ṛk mantra it is found that Somadeva, uttering verses like Uśanā, is describing the birth of gods–

prakāvyaṃ uśāneva vruvāṇo/

devo devānāṃ janimā vivakti.

In terms of poetry, gods are following hum– so he is of course wise and a poet, too, and it is perhaps due to his learned nature, it is uttered in Bhagavadgītā, by God Himself– kavināmuśanā kaviḥ– I am Uśanā among poets. In Kāvyamīmāṃsā by Rājaśekhara, one thing is mentioned, regarding the  way Uśanā Sukrācārya came to be known as ̍Kavi̍. Once Brahmā gave Kāvyapuruṣa to goddess Sarasvatī as her son. Having this son, an embodiment of meaning of utterences, of goddess Sarasvatī was very happy. Bt she said to the child– “Don̍t behave like a talkative man. Behave as if you are a little child”. Saying this, she went to take a bath in Ākāśagaṅgā.

The Kāvyapuruṣa was behaving like a little child. At that time, sage Uśanā, after collecting wood for yajña, came there and found the child left under the sun. By that time, the sun has changed position, and the heat was directly striking the child. The sage took pity on the baby, and took him to his hermitage. Very soon, that Kavyapuruṣa, in the shape of a child, charged his mind with a poetic sensibility, and he uttered a beautiful verse– “Poets always milk the cow of words, but  goddess Sarasvati  is like that divine cow, whose milking is never exhausted. She is always full of beautiful utterances. Let her abide in our hearts–

hṛdi naḥ sannidhattāṃ sannidhattāṃ sā sūktidhenuḥ sarasvatī.

As soon as this extraordinary śloka was uttered, it was also announced that recitation of this verse composed by Uśanā will make one meritorious. From this time, Uśanā Śukrācārya came to be hailed by scholars as ̍Kavi̍ —

In the Vedic phase, we have seen that the glory of wisdom and learnedness, associated with the name of Uśanā Kāvya, has led to a transformation of his entitlement in Yajurveda. In Ṛgveda, Agni has been hailed as the messenger of the gods

Mentioning this, it is said in Kṛṣṇayajurvedīya Taittirīya Saṃhitā, that just as Agni is the messenger of gods, Uśanā is the messenger of the Asura(s)–
agnirdevānāṃ dūta āsīd uśanā kāvyo̍surāṇām
Agni is also the priest of the gods–
agnimīḍe purohitaṃ yajñasya devaṃ ṛtvijam.
Perhaps as a parallel to Agni̍s priesthood, Uśanā is referred to as the priest of Kāvya Uśanā–
uśanā vai kāvyo̍surāṇāṃ purohita āsīt.

In Śāṃkhāyana Śrautasūtra, too, the name of Kāvya Uśanā has been mentioned as the priest of the Asura(s).

In Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa or Purāṇa, Kāvya Uśanā is known as Śukrācārya from the very beginning. His four sons are known as Auśanasa. Here Uśanā and Śukrācārya have been identified as one–
asurāṇāmupādhyayaḥ śukrastṛṣisuto̍bhavat
khyātāścauśanasaḥ putrāścatvāro̍surayājakāḥ.

In the battle between gods and the Asura(s), seeing that the gods have accepted Vṛhaspati as their priest, the Asura(s) accepted Uśanā as theirs–

pourohitye ca yājyārthe kāvyaṃ tusanaśaṃ pare

In the legend of kaca and Devayānī, drinking liquor was forbidden to Brāhmaṇa(s), according to the rule laid down by Uśanā.

In Mahābhārata-Purāṇa, the most important identity of Uśanā is that he is a great learned person, especially in political knowledge and diplomacy. In critical matters of political science, the opinion of Uśanā has been held in high esteem in the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya. Speaking about political diplomacy, Yudhiṣṭhira initially makes some ironical remark about ̍women̍s intellect̍. But while giving examples, he has brought in the instances of such dissembling Asura(s) as Śamvarā, Namuci, Vali and Kumbhīnasi, and also the reference to the political wisdom of Vṛhaspati, guru of the gods and Uśanā, guru of the Asura(s)–
uśanā veda yacchāṃnyacca veda vṛhaspatiḥ.

The way Uśana was learned in politics– this has been used almost like an idiom in several places in Mahābhārata. to express the notion that Bhīṣma, grandside of the Kuru clan, knows well the politics of their own side and also that of the opponents, it is said in one place of Ādiparva– What Uśanā knows, he also knows. Again in Śāntiparva while explaining Rājadharma, it is said that Bhīṣma knows the explanation of all the science of politics belomging to the knowledge of Uśanā–
uśanā veda yacchāstraṃ surāsuragururdvijaḥ
tacca sarvaṃ savaiyākhyaṃ prāptavān kurusattamaḥ.

Uśanā belonged to such a high level of wisdom that the wholistic knowledge of political science and ethics was imparted to him through Citraśikhaṇḍī. This Citraśikhaṇḍī is Saptarṣi– Marīci, Atri, Aṅgirā, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vaśiṣṭha. Mahābhārata says, Manu̍s Dharmaśāstra along with the sayings of Saptarṣi will be reiterated by Uśanā and Vṛhaspati, but they will present it in their own way–
uśanā vṛhaspatiścaiva yadotpannau bhaviṣyataḥ
tadā pravakṣyataḥ śāstraṃyusmanmatibhirudhṛtam.

Let us mention some famous advices, which have passed in the name of Uśanā, in Mahābhārata. In one of the advices, where Bhīṣma is praising the kings who are active and enthusiastic, he cites Uśanā– just as a snake devours a mouse hiding inside a hole, so two types of people get consumed by the earth. One of these types is ̍aviroddhā’ king, that is, a king who never goes into conflict with anybody.

And the second type refers to those Brāhmaṇ(s), who always remain confined to their native places, do not venture out. If one goes to a foreign land, one̍s brahminical virtues and knowledge get tested, so some Brāhmaṇa(s) stick to their own village. Uśanā do not like such brāhmaṇa(s). He thinks, if the kings do not venture to expand their kingdom, and if the brāhmaṇa(s) refuse to undertake the hardships of living outside their familiar circle–
dvāvimau grasate bhūmiḥ sarpo vilaśyāniva
rājānañcāviroddhāraṃ brāhmaṇñcāpravāsinam.

Another aspect of Uśanā̍s character is his keen orientation to rationalism. He says, scriptures should be respected only if they speak of proper knowledge. Scriptures that do not maintain a reasonable basis, become futile ultimately– this was uttered only by Uśanā–
anayā hatamevedamiti śāstramapārthakam
daiteyānuśanā prāha saṃśayacchedanaṃ purā.

Uśanā gave another advice to Prahlāda. He said, if a boy, for amusement, tells someone ̍there is honey in that well̍, and believing that one enters that well, covered by grasses, and dies. Enemies are like that grass-covered well– those who believe in the true or false words of enemies, get destroyed. Enmity is such a thing which goes on for generations, and yet does not end. There will always be people who would speak a lot and add fuel to hostility again and again, and there will also be people who will believe in those words and keep the flame of enmity ever-burning–
ye vairiṇaḥ śraddhadhate satye satyetare̍pi vā
vadhyante śraddhadhānāstu madhu śuṣkatṛnairyathā.

In Mahābhārata, there is a story of how Kāvya Uśanā came to be known as Śukra or Śukrācārya. Yudhiṣṭhira asked: ̍Why did Kāvya Uśanā always did things favourable to the Asura(s), and did not think of doing good to the gods? How did he become Sukra and why was it so that he could not travel through the sky.  Taking for granted the matter of Uśanā̍s being on the side of Asura(s), Bhīṣma  started talking about the way Uśanā became Śukra. Uśanā was a great sage, highly accomplished in yoga. Once, using his yogic power, he entered into the body of Kuvera, lord of wealth, and took all his riches away. Kuvera, being sad, went to God Śiva and complained, “Uśanā made me inert through his yogic powers, took all my riches away and fled.” Śiva became angry with Uśanā, and taking his trident, beckoned him. Uśanā did not try to escape, he rather assumed the form of knowledge, and perched on the top of Śiva̍s trident itself. Śiva twisted the trident in order to catch Uśanā, and he came down to the mid-point of the trident. Then Mahādeva caught him and devoured him. Uśanā resided inside his belly.

In that condition, that is, with Uśanā in his belly, Mahādeva started his tapasyā, sitting still inside water. After he got up from his ascetic practices, he found that Uśanā had also enjoyed the fruits of his asceticism, being indirectly associated with it, and his ascetic achievements have increased–
tatsaṃyogenavṛddhiñcāpyaśat sa tu śakaraḥ.

Uśanā, empowerd with more yogic virtues, and also rich in terms of wealth, started roaming across the world.

When Śiva-Mahādeva again started meditating, Uśanā, being anxious, entered into the belly of Śiva. From inside the belly of Mahādeva, Uśanā uttered hymns in his praise, and wanted to get out of his belly. He fervently requested him, again and again.

Mahādeva then closed all the entraces to his body, and said to Uśanā– “You can free yourself by getting away through my phallus.” Uśanā got away through that phallus-path, and in this way, became Śukra. Since śukra(male genital fluid) can never go upward, so Uśanā-Śukra can never take an upward course and travel through the sky. Now, after getting out as the genital fluid of Mahādeva, beagn to shine in the glory of Śiva. Śiva, considering the previous offence committed by Uśanā, raised his trident in order to kill him, but goddess Pārvatī stopped her husband. Seeing her kindness, Uśanā wished to be accepted as her son. Pārvatī said, “This man has requested me to consider him as my son, so you cannot kill him. He has come out of the belly of God, he caanot be destroyed.” Hearing this, Śiva let Uśanā go. But it is since this time, that Uśanā came to be known as Śukra.