The quantum electrodynamic description of circularly and linearly polarized, single mode radiation exciting atomic transitions in a hyperfine manifold is extended to the more general case of elliptic polarization. Calculations for the sodium D2 line are tested by observing the line polarization of the resonance flourescence scattered perpendicular to the plane containing laser and atomic beams as a function of the laser polarization. Very good agreement between the calculations and the measurements is achieved. It is demonstrated that predetermined populations and substate coherences can be engineered by optically pumping the transition with the appropriately polarized radiation.