RIG VEDA DEITIES 2
Rajaram Krishnamurthy
1:35 (Savitr at Night)
Rig Veda 1.35.1
ह्वयाम्यग्निं प्रथमं स्वस्तये/ ह्वयामि मित्रावरुणाविहावसे । ह्वयामि रात्रीं जगतो निवेशनीं /ह्वयामि देवं सवितारमूतये ॥
hvayāmy
agnim prathamaṃ svastaye hvayāmi mitrāvaruṇāv ihāvase | hvayāmi rātrīṃ jagato
niveśanīṃ hvayāmi devaṃ savitāram ūtaye ||
“Invoke Agni first, for protection: I invoke for protection, Mitra and Varuṇa; invoke Night, who brings rest to the world; invoke the divine Savitā for my preservation.”
I call first to Agni for well-being; I call Mitra and Varuna here to help. I call on Night that gives rest to all that moves; I call on the god Savitr; for aid.
When he turns through the dark dust and gives rest to the immortal and the mortal, the god Savitr who watches all creatures comes with his golden chariot.
The god goes forward; he goes upward; he who is worshipped goes with his two bright bay horses. The god Savitr comes from the far distance, driving away all evils.
The god Savitr, who is worshipped, mounts his high chariot that is covered with pearls, painted with all colours, fastened with golden pins; shining brightly, he puts on his vital power for the dark dusts.
The black horses with white feet have looked at the people, pulling the chariot with the golden shafts in front. All tribes, all worlds rest always in the lap of the divine Savitr.
There are three skies: two are the lap of Savitr, and the last is the one that controls men, in the world of Yaraa. Immortal things rest on him like a chariot wheel on a lynch-pin. Let him who understands this proclaim it here.
The eagle has looked over the middle realms of space; he is the Asura who leads well and is spoken of in secret. Where is the sun now? Who knows ? To what sky has his ray stretched?
He has looked upon the eight peaks of the earth, and on the three plains a league wide, and the seven rivers. The golden-eyed Savitr has come, bringing to the worshipper the treasures that he longs for.
Golden-handed Savitr moves busily between the two, between sky and earth. He drives away disease and bids the sun approach; he reaches to the sky through the dark dust.
Let the merciful and helpful Asura, the good leader with golden hands, come towards us. Routing the demons and sorcerers, the god to whom we sing has taken his place against the evening.
On your ancient paths, Savitr, that are dustless and well made in the middle realm of space, on those paths that are good to go on come to us today, and protect us, and speak a blessing on us, O god.
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Varuna-Mitra and the Truth THE CONCEPT OF MITRA VARUNA
KR: Rig veda mandala one opening 1st chapter is on AGNI; 2nd chapter first 4 verses is on VAYU. The rishi MADHUCHCHANDA VAISWAMITRA denoting the chhandas also as sweet-flowing. (Madhu-chandas) . 5,6 and 7 we discuss below:
Rig Veda 1.2.5
vāyav indraś ca cetathaḥ sutānāṃ vājinīvasū | tāv ā yātam upa dravat ||
“Indra and Vāyu, abiding in the sacrificial rite, you are aware of these libations; come both (then) quickly hither.”
Details:
Ṛṣi (sage/seer): madhucchandāḥ vaiśvāmitraḥ [madhucchandas vaiśvāmitra];
Devatā (deity/subject-matter): indravāyūḥ ;
वायो॒ इति॑ । इन्द्रः॑ । च॒ । चे॒त॒थः॒ । सु॒ताना॑म् । वा॒जि॒नी॒व॒सू॒ इति॑ वाजिनीऽवसू । तौ । आ । या॒त॒म् । उप॑ । द्र॒वत् ॥
If the idea of the Truth that we have found in the very opening hymn (RV 1 2 5) of the Veda really carries in itself the contents we have supposed and amounts to the conception of a supramental consciousness which is the condition of the state of immortality or beatitude and if this be the leading conception of the Vedic Rishis, we are bound to find it recurring throughout the hymns as a center for other and dependent psychological realizations. In the very next Suktam,[below R V 1 2 6 ,7 and 8] the second hymn of Madhuch-chhandas addressed to Indra and Vayu, we find another passage full of clear and this time quite invincible psychological suggestions in which the idea of the ṛtam is insisted upon with an even greater force than in the hymn to Agni. The passage comprises the last three Riks of the Sukta.
Mitraṁ huve pūtadakṣam, varuṇaṁ
ca riśādasam,
dhiyaṁ ghṛtācīṁ sādhantā. 6
Ṛtena mitrāvaruṇā, ṛtāvṛdhā ṛtaspṛśā,
kratuṁ bṛhantam āśāthe.7
Kavī no mitrāvaruṇā, tuvijātā urukṣayā,
dakṣaṁ dadhāte apasam. 9 (R V 1 6 ,7
& 9 )
Rig Veda 1.2.6
“Vāyu and Indra, come to the rite of the sacrificer, for thus, men, will completion be speedily (attained) by the ceremony.”
Devatā (deity/subject-matter): indravāyūḥ ;
वायो॒ इति॑ । इन्द्रः॑ । च॒ । सु॒न्व॒तः । आ । या॒त॒म् । उप॑ । निः॒ऽकृ॒तम् । म॒क्षु । इ॒त्था । धि॒या । न॒रा॒ ॥
Rig Veda 1.2.7
mitraṃ huve pūtadakṣaṃ varuṇaṃ ca riśādasam | dhiyaṃ ghṛtācīṃ sādhantā ||
“I invoke Mitra, of pure vigour, and Varuṇa, the devourer of foes; the joint accomplishers of the act bestowing water (on the earth).”
Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya
Mitra = the Sun;
Varuṇa = the regent of the waters; both are among the twelve Ādityas; Mitra presides over day, Varuṇa presides over night; dhiyam ghṛtācīm sādhantā: dhi, an act; ghṛtācīm, water-shedding
Rig Veda 1.2.8
1 2 3 [rtam 3 times]
ṛtena mitrāvaruṇāv ṛtāvṛdhāv ṛtaspṛśā | kratum bṛhantam āśāthe ||
“Mitra and Varuṇa, augmenters of water, dispensers of water, you connect this perfect rite with its true (reward).”
Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya
Ṛtāvṛdhau: ṛta = tue or truth; it also signifies water and sacrifice].
Devatā (deity/subject-matter): mitrāvaruṇau ;
ऋ॒तेन॑ । मि॒त्रा॒व॒रु॒णौ॒ । ऋ॒ता॒ऽवृ॒धौ॒ [rta]। ऋ॒त॒ऽस्पृ॒शा॒ । क्रतु॑म् । बृ॒हन्त॑म् । आ॒शा॒थे॒ इति॑ ॥8
Rig Veda 1.2.9
kavī no mitrāvaruṇā tuvijātā urukṣayā | dakṣaṃ dadhāte apasam ||
“Sapient Mitra and Varuṇa, prosper our sacrifice and increase our strength; you are born for the benefit of many, you are the refuge of multitudes.”
क॒वी इति॑ । नः॒ । मि॒त्रावरु॑णा । तु॒वि॒ऽजा॒तौ । उ॒रु॒ऽक्षया॑ । दक्ष॑म् । द॒धा॒ते॒ इति॑ । अ॒पस॑म् ॥
In the first Rik of this passage we have the word dakṣa usually explained by Sayana as strength, but capable of a psychological significance, the important word ghṛta [1 2 7] in the adjectival form ghṛtācī [1 2 7] and the remarkable phrase dhiyaṁ ghṛtācīm. [R V 1 2 7] The verse may be translated literally “I invoke Mitra of purified strength (or, purified discernment) and Varuna destroyer of our foes perfecting (or accomplishing) a bright understanding.”[R V 1 2 7]
In the second Rik [R V 1 2 8] we have ṛtam thrice repeated and the words bṛhat and kratu, to both of which we have attached a considerable importance in the psychological interpretation of the Veda. Kratu here may mean either work of sacrifice or effective power. In favour of the former sense we have a similar passage in the Veda in which Varuna and Mitra are said to attain to or enjoy by the Truth a mighty sacrifice, yajñaṁ bṛhantam āśāthe. But this parallel is not conclusive; for while in one expression it is the sacrifice itself that is spoken of, in the other it may be the power or strength which effects the sacrifice. The verse may be translated, literally, “By Truth Mitra and Varuna, truth-increasing, truth-touching, enjoy (or, attain) a mighty work” or “a vast (effective) power.”
Finally in the third Rik [R V 1 2 9] we have again dakṣa; we have the word kavi, seer, already associated by Madhuchchhandas with kratu, work or will; we have the idea of the Truth, and we have the expression urukṣaya, where uru wide or vast, may be an equivalent of bṛhat, the vast, which is used to describe the world or plane of the Truth-Consciousness, the “own home” of Agni. I translate the verse, literally, “For us Mitra and Varuna, seers, multiply-born, wide-housed, uphold the strength (or, discernment) that does the work.”
It will at once be evident that we have in this passage of the second hymn precisely the same order of ideas and many of the same expressions as those on which we founded ourselves in the first Sukta. But the application is different and the conceptions of the purified discernment, the richly-bright understanding, dhiyaṁ ghṛtācīm, and the action of the Truth in the work of the sacrifice, apas, introduce certain fresh precisions which throw further light on the central ideas of the Rishis.
The word dakṣa, which alone in this passage admits of some real doubt as to its sense, is usually rendered by Sayana strength. It comes from a root which, like most of its congeners, e.g. daś, diś, dah suggested originally as one of its characteristic significances an aggressive pressure and hence any form of injury, but especially dividing, cutting, crushing or sometimes burning. Many of the words for strength had originally this idea of a force for injury, the aggressive strength of the fighter and slayer, the kind of force most highly prized by primitive man making a place for himself by violence on the earth he had come to inherit. We see this connection in the ordinary Sanskrit word for strength, balam, which is of the same family as the Greek ballo, I strike, and belos, a weapon. The sense, strength, for dakṣa has the same origin. Thus, the root vid, which means in Sanskrit to find or know, signifies in Greek and Latin to see. Dṛś, to see, meant originally to rend, tear apart, separate; paś, to see, has a similar origin. We have three almost identical roots which are very instructive in this respect,—pis, to hurt, injure, be strong; piṣ, to hurt, injure, be strong, crush, pound; and piś, to form, shape, organise, be reduced to the constituent parts,—all these senses betraying the original idea of separation, division, cutting apart,—with derivatives, piśāca, a devil, and piśuna, which means on one side harsh, cruel, wicked, treacherous, slanderous, all from the idea of injury, and at the same time “indicatory, manifesting, displaying, making clear” from the other sense of distinction. So kri to injure, divide, scatter appears in Greek krino, I sift, choose, judge, determine. Dakṣa has a similar history. It is kin to the root daś which in Latin gives us doceo, I teach, and in Greek dokeo, I think, judge, reckon, and dokazo, I observe, am of opinion. So also we have the kindred root diś meaning to point out or teach, Greek deiknumi. Almost identical with dakṣa itself is the Greek doxa, opinion, judgment, and dexios, clever, dexterous, right-hand. In Sanskrit the root dakṣ means to hurt, kill and also to be competent, able, the adjective dakṣa means clever, skilful, competent, fit, careful, attentive; dakṣiṇa means clever, skilful, right-hand, like dexios, and the noun dakṣa means, besides strength and also wickedness from the sense of hurting, mental ability or fitness like other words of the family. We may compare also the word daśā in the sense of mind, understanding. All this evidence taken together seems to indicate clearly enough that dakṣa must have meant at one time discernment, judgment, discriminative thought-power and that its sense of mental capacity is derived from this sense of mental division and not by transference of the idea of physical strength to power of mind.
We have therefore three possible senses for dakṣa in the Veda, strength generally, mental power or especially the power of judgment, discernment. Dakṣa is continually associated with kratu; the Rishis aspire to them together, dakṣāya kratve, which may mean simply, “capacity and effective power” or “will and discernment”. Continually we find the word occurring in passages where the whole context relates to mental activities. Finally, we have the goddess Dakshina who may well be a female form of Daksha, himself a god and afterwards in the Purana one of the Prajapati, the original progenitors, —we have Dakshina associated with the manifestation of knowledge and sometimes almost identified with Usha, the divine Dawn, who is the bringer of illumination. I shall suggest that Dakshina like the more famous Ila, Saraswati and Sarama, is one of four goddesses, representing the four faculties of the ṛtam or Truth-Consciousness, —Ila representing truth-vision or revelation, Saraswati truth-audition, inspiration, the divine word, Sarama intuition, Dakshina the separative intuitional discrimination. Dakṣa then will mean this discrimination whether as mental judgment on the mind-plane or as intuitional discernment on the plane of the Ritam.
The three Riks with which we are dealing occur as the closing passage of a hymn of which the first three verses are addressed to Vayu [KR R V 1 2 1,2 &3] alone and the next three to Indra and Vayu [R V 1 2 4 &5] . Indra in the psychological interpretation of the hymns represents, as we shall see, Mind-Power. The word for the sense-faculties, indriya, is drived from his name. His special realm is Swar, a word which means sun or luminous, being akin to sūra and sūrya, the sun, and is used to indicate the third of the Vedic vyāhṛtis and the third of the Vedic worlds corresponding to the principle of the pure or unobscured Mind. Surya represents the illumination of the ṛtam rising upon the mind; Swar is that plane of mental consciousness which directly receives the illumination. Vayu on the other hand is always associated with the Prana or Life-Energy which contributes to the system all the ensemble of those nervous activities that in man are the support of the mental energies governed by Indra. Their combination constitutes the normal mentality of man. These two gods are invited in the hymn to come and partake together of the Soma-wine. This wine of Soma represents, as we have abundant proof in the Veda and especially in the ninth book, a collection of more than a hundred hymns addressed to the deity Soma, the intoxication of the Ananda, the divine delight of being, inflowing upon the mind from the supramental consciousness through the ṛtam or Truth. If we accept these interpretations, we can easily translate the hymn into its psychological significance.
Indra and Vayu awaken in consciousness (cetathaḥ) to the flowing of the Soma-wine; that is to say, the mind-power and life-power working together in human mentality are to awaken to the inflowing of this Ananda, this Amrita, this delight and immortality from above. They receive them into the full plenitude of the mental and nervous energies, cetathaḥ sutānāṁ vājinīvasū. The Ananda thus received constitutes a new action preparing immortal consciousness in the mortal and Indra and Vayu are bidden to come and swiftly perfect these new workings by the participation of the thought, ā yātam upa niṣkṛtaṁ makṣu…dhiyā. For dhī is the thought-power, intellect or understanding. It is intermediate between the normal mentality represented by the combination of Indra and Vayu and the ṛtam or Truth-Consciousness.
It is at this point that Varuna and Mitra intervene and our passage begins. Without the psychological clue the connection between the first part of the hymn and the close is not very clear, nor the relation between the couple Varuna-Mitra and the couple Indra-Vayu. With that clue both connections become obvious; indeed they depend upon each other. For the earlier part of the hymn has for its subject the preparation first of the vital forces represented by Vayu who is alone invoked in the three opening Riks, then of the mentality represented by the couple Indra-Vayu for the activities of the Truth-Consciousness in the human being; the close has for its subject the working of the Truth on the mentality so as to perfect the intellect and to enlarge the actions. Varuna and Mitra are two of the four gods who represent this working of the Truth in the human mind and temperament.
In the style of the Veda when there is a transition of this kind from one movement of thought to another developing out of it, the link of connection is often indicated by the repetition in the new movement of an important word which has already occurred in the close of the movement that precedes. This principle of suggestion by echo, as one may term it, pervades the hymns and is a mannerism common to all the Rishis. The connecting word here is dhī, thought or intellect. Dhī differs from the more general word, mati, which means mentality or mental action generally and which indicates sometimes thought, sometimes feeling, sometimes the whole mental state. Dhī is the thought-mind or intellect; as understanding it holds all that comes to it, defines everything and puts it into the right place,3 or often dhī indicates the activity of the intellect, particular thought or thoughts. It is by the thought that Indra and Vayu have been called upon to perfect the nervous mentality, niṣkṛtaṁ…dhiyā. But this instrument, thought, has itself to be perfected, enriched, clarified before the mind can become capable of free communication with the Truth-Consciousness. Therefore, Varuna and Mitra, Powers of the Truth, are invoked “accomplishing a richly luminous thought”, dhiyaṁ ghṛtācīṁ sādhantā.
This is the first occurrence in the Veda of the word ghṛta, in a modified adjectival form, and it is significant that it should occur as an epithet of the Vedic word for the intellect, dhī. In other passages also we find it continually in connection with the words manas, manīṣā or in a context where some activity of thought is indicated. The root ghṛ conveys the idea of a strong brightness or heat such as that of fire or the summer sun. It means also to sprinkle or anoint, Greek chrio. It is capable of being used to signify any liquid, but especially a bright, thick liquid. It is the ambiguity of these two possible senses of which the Vedic Rishis took advantage to indicate by the word outwardly the clarified butter in the sacrifice, inwardly a rich and bright state or activity of the brain-power, medhā, as basis and substance of illuminated thought. By dhiyaṁ ghṛtācīm is meant, therefore, the intellect full of a rich and bright mental activity.
Varuna and Mitra who accomplish or perfect this state of the intellect, are distinguished by two several epithets. Mitra is pūtadakṣa, possessed of a purified judgment; Varuna is riśādas, he destroys all hurters or enemies. In the Veda there are no merely ornamental epithets. Every word is meant to tell, to add something to the sense and bear a strict relation to the thought of the sentence in which it occurs. There are two obstacles which prevent the intellect from being a perfect and luminous mirror of the Truth-Consciousness; first, impurity of the discernment or discriminative faculty which leads to confusion of the Truth, secondly the many causes or influences which interfere with the growth of the Truth by limiting its full application or by breaking up the connections and harmony of the thoughts that express it and which thus bring about poverty and falsification of its contents. Just as the Gods in the Veda represent universal powers descended from the Truth-Consciousness which build up the harmony of the worlds and in man his progressive perfection, so the influences that work against these objects are represented by hostile agencies, Dasyus and Vritras, who seek to break up, to limit, to withhold and deny. Varuna in the Veda is always characterised as a power of wideness and purity; when, therefore, he is present in man as a conscious force of the Truth, all that limits and hurts the nature by introducing into it fault, sin and evil is destroyed by contact with him. He is riśādas, destroyer of the enemy, of all that seek to injure the growth. Mitra, a power like Varuna of the Light and Truth, especially represents Love, Joy and Harmony, the foundations of Mayas, the Vedic beatitude. Working with the purity of Varuna and imparting that purity to the discernment, he enables it to get rid of all discords and confusions and establish the right working of the strong and luminous intellect.
This progress enables the Truth-Consciousness, the ṛtam, to work in the human mentality. With the ṛtam as the agency, ṛtena, increasing the action of the Truth in man, ṛtāvṛdhā, touching or reaching the Truth, enabling, that is to say, the mental consciousness to come into successful contact with and possession of the Truth-Consciousness, ṛtaspṛśā, Mitra and Varuna are able to enjoy the use of a vast effective will-power, kratuṁ bṛhantam āśāthe. For it is the Will that is the chief effective agent of the inner sacrifice, but a Will that is in harmony with the Truth, guided therefore by a purified discernment. The Will as it enters more and more into the wideness of the Truth-Consciousness becomes itself wide and vast, free from limitation in its view and of hampering impediments in its effectivity. It works urau anibdāhe, in the wideness where there is no obstacle or wall of limitation.
Thus, the two requisites on which the Vedic Rishis always insist are secured, Light and Power, the Light of the Truth working in the knowledge, dhiyaṁ ghṛtācīm, the Power of the Truth working in the effective and enlightened Will, kratuṁ bṛhantam. As a result Varuna and Mitra are shown to us in the closing verse of the hymn working in the full sense of their Truth, kavī tuvijātā urukṣayā. Kavi, we have seen, means possessed of the Truth-Consciousness and using its faculties of vision, inspiration, intuition, discrimination. Tuvijātā is “multiply born”, for tuvi, meaning originally strength or force, is used like the French word “force” in the sense of many. But by the birth of the gods is meant always in the Veda their manifestation; thus tuvijātā signifies “manifested multiply”, in many forms and activities. Urukṣayā means dwelling in the wideness, an idea which occurs frequently in the hymns; uru is equivalent to bṛhat, the Vast, and indicates the infinite freedom of the Truth-Consciousness. Thus we have as the result of increasing activities of the ṛtam the manifestation in the human being of the Powers of wideness and purity, of joy and harmony, a manifestation rich in forms, seated in the wideness of the ṛtam and using the faculties of the supramental consciousness.
This manifestation of the Powers of the Truth upholds or confirms the discernment while it does the work, dakṣaṁ dadhāte apasam. The discernment, now purified and supported, works in the sense of the Truth as a power of the Truth and accomplishes the perfection of the activities of Indra and Vayu by freeing the thoughts and the will from all defect and confusion in their working and results.
To confirm the interpretation, we have put on the terms of this passage we may quote a Rik from the tenth Sukta of the fourth Mandala.
Adhā hyagne krator bhadrasya dakṣasya sādhoḥ,
rathīr ṛtasya bṛhato babhūtha. (IV.10.2)
“Then indeed, O Agni, thou becomest the charioteer of the happy will, the perfecting discernment, the Truth that is the Vast.”
We have here the same idea as in the first hymn of the first Mandala, the effective will that is the nature of the Truth-Consciousness, kavikratuḥ, and works out therefore in a state of beatitude the good, bhadram. We have in the phrase dakṣasya sādhoḥ at once a variant and explanation of the last phrase of the second hymn, dakṣam apasam, the discernment perfecting and accomplishing the inner work in man. We have the vast Truth as the consummation of these two activities of power and knowledge, Will and Discernment, kratu and dakṣa. Always the hymns of the Veda confirm each other by this reproduction of the same terms and ideas and the same relation of ideas. This would not be possible unless they were based on a coherent doctrine with a precise significance for standing terms such as kavi, kratu, dakṣa, bhadram, ṛtam, etc. The internal evidence of the Riks themselves establishes that this significance is psychological, as otherwise the terms lose their fixed value, their precise sense, necessary connection, and their constant recurrence in relation to each other has to be regarded as fortuitous and void of reason or purpose.
We see then that in the second hymn we find again the same governing ideas as in the first. All is based on the central Vedic conception of the Supramental or Truth-Consciousness towards which the progressively perfected mentality of the human being labours as towards a consummation and a goal. In the first hymn this is merely stated as the aim of the sacrifice and the characteristic work of Agni. The second hymn indicates the preliminary work of preparation, by Indra and Vayu, by Mitra and Varuna, of the ordinary mentality of man through the force of the Ananda and the increasing growth of the Truth.
We shall find that the whole of the Rig-veda is practically a constant variation on this double theme, the preparation of the human being in mind and body and the fulfilment of the godhead or immortality in him by his attainment and development of the Truth and the Beatitude.
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Both the divinties Mitra and Varuṇa ware important Gods who perform important actions. Mitra is the deity of friendship, love and harmony, whereas Varuṇa is the Lord of the Divine Law and also the punisher. Basically these two symbolically represent Law and Harmony (divine) together.
The very first hymn of Mitra and Varuṇa describe them as giver of happiness and also say that their divinity should not be resisted and we should accept it.
प्र सु ज्येष्ठं॑ निचि॒राभ्यां॑ बृ॒हन्नमो॑ ह॒व्यं म॒तिं भ॑रता मृळ॒यद्भ्यां॒ स्वादि॑ष्ठं मृळ॒यद्भ्या॑म् । ता स॒म्राजा॑ घृ॒तासु॑ती य॒ज्ञेय॑ज्ञ॒ उप॑स्तुता ।अथै॑नोः क्ष॒त्रं न कुत॑श्च॒नाधृषे॑ देव॒त्वं नू चि॑दा॒धृषे॑ ॥ १.१३६.०१
To the ancient Deities (Mitra and Varuṇa), bring offerings and thoughts along with vast surrender. They confer happiness on those offering the sweer Sōma. To them, the all-ruler, the streams of lights are released, they are glorified in Yajña and Yajña. Their might cannot be violated in any way. Thier divinity is not to be resisted. ~ Ṛg Véda Saṃhitā, Maṇḍala 1, 136th Sūktam. As per 1.151, those who desire knowledge invoke Mitra and Varuṇa. Both Mitra and Varuṇa bring the gifts (i.e fruits) of the Yajña to the performer.
आ वां॑ भूषन्क्षि॒तयो॒ जन्म॒ रोद॑स्योः प्र॒वाच्यं॑ वृषणा॒ दक्ष॑से म॒हे । यदी॑मृ॒ताय॒ भर॑थो॒ यदर्व॑ते॒ प्र होत्र॑या॒ शिम्या॑ वीथो अध्व॒रम् ॥ १.१५१.०३
People praise your birth from the heaven anf earth. Your greatness, discrimination and might have to be declared. You bring (the gifts) of truth to the worshiper, after accepting his offering of works in the pilgrim Yajña for advent. ~ Ṛg Véda Saṃhitā, Maṇḍala 1, 151st Sūktam. These two great deities are revealed in the Yajña at the very beginning and are always full of joy.
यु॒वां य॒ज्ञैः प्र॑थ॒मा गोभि॑रञ्जत॒ ऋता॑वाना॒ मन॑सो॒ न प्रयु॑क्तिषु । भर॑न्ति वां॒ मन्म॑ना सं॒यता॒ गिरोऽदृ॑प्यता॒ मन॑सा रे॒वदा॑शाथे ॥ १.१५१.०८
O possessors of truth, you two are revealed first in the Yajña by the rays of knwoledge and by the appiled dorce of mind as it were. The hymns united with the thoughts carry you. They reach you, who are humble, with a mind full of joy. ~ Ṛg Véda Saṃhitā, Maṇḍala 1, 151st Sūktam. They slew the evil Triraśri and Caturaśri.
ए॒तच्च॒न त्वो॒ वि चि॑केतदेषां स॒त्यो मन्त्रः॑ कविश॒स्त ऋघा॑वान् । त्रि॒रश्रिं॑ हन्ति॒ चतु॑रश्रिरु॒ग्रो दे॑व॒निदो॒ ह प्र॑थ॒मा अ॑जूर्यन् ॥ १.१५२.०२
They who have the truth of Mantrās, who are proclaimed by seer and who destroy foes, awake to the knowledge of your joy. They kill Triraśri and Caturaśri and are fierce. The haters of Gods, powerful in the beginning, always decay. ~ Ṛg Véda Saṃhitā, Maṇḍala 1, 152nd Sūktam. These two uphold the heaven and nourish the earth and heaven.
अधा॑रयतं पृथि॒वीमु॒त द्यां मित्र॑राजाना वरुणा॒ महो॑भिः । व॒र्धय॑त॒मोष॑धीः॒ पिन्व॑तं॒ गा अव॑ वृ॒ष्टिं सृ॑जतं जीरदानू ॥ ५.०६२.०३
O Kings Mitra and Varuṇa, by your greatness, you uphold the earth and heaven. You increase the growths of earth. You increase the shinning herds of heaven, You pur forth the rain of its waters, O swift in Strength. ~ Ṛg Véda Saṃhitā, Maṇḍala 5, 62nd Sūktam. Both of them are upholders of the Truth (Cosmic order).
ऋत॑स्य गोपा॒वधि॑ तिष्ठथो॒ रथं॒ सत्य॑धर्माणा पर॒मे व्यो॑मनि । यमत्र॑ मित्रावरु॒णाव॑थो यु॒वं तस्मै॑ वृ॒ष्टिर्मधु॑मत्पिन्वते दि॒वः ॥ ५.०६३.०१
Gaurdians of Truth, you ascend your car. The law of the Truth is yours in your Supreme station. He whom here cherish you, O Mitra and Varuṇa, for him increase the rain of heaven, full of honey. ~ Ṛg Véda Saṃhitā, Maṇḍala 5, 63rd Sūktam. The arms of Varuṇa and Mitra encompass the Suvar Loka.
वरु॑णं वो रि॒शाद॑समृ॒चा मि॒त्रं ह॑वामहे । परि॑ व्र॒जेव॑ बा॒ह्वोर्ज॑ग॒न्वांसा॒ स्व॑र्णरम् ॥ ५.०६४.०१
We call you by thw word of illumination, O Mitra, O Varuṇa, destroyer of the foes. Their arms encompass the world of Light, as if casr around the stalls of the shinning herds. ~ Rg Véda Saṃhitā, Maṇḍala 5, 64th Sūktam. They are the all-rulers i.e. rule over everybody.
प्र वो॑ मि॒त्राय॑ गायत॒ वरु॑णाय वि॒पा गि॒रा । महि॑क्षत्रावृ॒तं बृ॒हत् ॥ ५.०६८.०१
All-rulers are they, and homes of clarit, yes, both of them, Mitra and Varuṇa are Gods, manifested by the word in the Gods. ~ Ṛg Véda Saṃhitā, Maṇḍala 5, 68th Sūktam. They noursih our thoughts.
विश्व॑स्य॒ हि प्र॑चेतसा॒ वरु॑ण॒ मित्र॒ राज॑थः । ई॒शा॒ना पि॑प्यतं॒ धियः॑ ॥ ५.०७१.०२
You are wise thinkes. O Varuṇa, O Mitra, you govern every human. You are the rulers, nourish our thoughts. ~ Ṛg Véda Saṃhitā, Maṇḍala 5, 71st Sūktam. These are just few of the divine hymns which glorify them.
ŌṂ NAMŌ BHAGAVATE RUDRĀYA
What does it mean in the Rig Veda when they say Indra or other deities like Rudra are "self-born" or "unborn"? How should we interpret this in the context of Vedic beliefs about divinity?
Good question. Let us see some such mentions in the Rigveda -
Agni, the Photon.
“Agni, accept with joy, be glad in this our prayer, joy-giver, self-sustained, strong, born of Holy Law!”
Meaning - Agni is Photon. Photons are generally considered to be self-sustaining, stable entities while traveling through a vacuum. They are fundamental quanta born of the electromagnetic field, requiring no external energy source to maintain their existence or propagation once created. Photons are ‘force carriers’ – strong!
Maruts, the Radiation winds.
Surrounding, as it were, self-born, self-powerful, they spring
Maruts, the Radiation winds.
Surrounding, as it were, self-born, self-powerful, they spring to life the shakers-down of food and light. Who shine self-luminous with ornaments and swords, with breastplates, armlets, and with wreaths, arrayed on chariots and with bows.
The Maruts are Hindu deities representing storm winds, often described as a troop of 49 or more divine warriors, sons of Rudra and Prishni. They act as companions to Indra, the god of thunderstorms, and are associated with rain, lightning, and intense speed. They are said to move in troops of seven. Pressure acts equally on all surfaces in a system. The unit of pressure is kg/cms2 or lb/inch2. So, the troop of 7x7 winds is 49 winds!
Maruts are radiation winds. Products of interaction between Ultra high-intensity Lasers [Rudra] and Quarks [Prishni, the cow]. The interaction between high-intensity lasers and quarks can produce radiation, which can behave as a "wind" of particles and photons.
Rigveda frequently praises the cow and characterizes her milk in highly positive, almost divine terms. It describes cow milk as shining, bright, and pure, often equating it with a "golden" essence that nourishes.
Radiation winds (and associated jets) near a black hole are considered self-generating and self-sustaining to a large extent. The ‘Maruts’ of the Rigveda. They are the ‘movers and shakers’ of the earth meaning that radiation winds penetrate and shake the dust in the accretion disk around a Black hole, mixing and heating them up.
Indra, the Electric force.
He, self-reliant, mighty and triumphant, brought low the dear head of the wicked Dāsa. Even as he mounted up they all adorned him: self-luminous he travels clothed in splendour. This laud of the self-radiant wise Aditya shall be supreme o’er all that is in greatness.
For thou art, Manyu [Indra], of surpassing vigour, fierce, queller of the foe, and self-existent. With whom, the Eager Ones, going their ordered course, he comes from heaven Self-bright, auspicious, strong to guard. With hymns of praise we sing him who is throned as Lord over these fearless tribes, the Self-resplendent One. He rules the great self-luminous fold of cattle, and all the doors of light hath he thrown open.
Rudra, the high-intensity Lasers.
To Rudra bring these songs, whose bow is firm and strong, the self-dependent God with swiftly-flying shafts. “Hither we call for aid the wise, the wanderer, impetuous Rudra, perfecter of sacrifice.”
Rigveda uses this adjective ‘impetuous’ in three places for Rudra. Impetuous means spontaneous and quickly. Same in science given above – instantaneous.
Another one – “self-dependant” meaning ‘self – generating’?
Lasing Process: The actual process that occurs during the production of a beam of laser light is known as lasing process. The action which generates the laser light takes place within a few attoseconds. This process occurs so rapidly that it appears to be instantaneous now we discuss step by step the excitation and stimulation process in the laser.
Soma, the Plasma.
He, Pavamana, self-produced, speeds onward sharpening his horns: He glitters through the firmament.
Electromagnetic (EM) fields are considered self-creating or self-sustaining in the context of propagating electromagnetic waves. While an initial charge or current is needed to generate an EM wave, once it is created, the changing electric field induces a magnetic field, and the changing magnetic field induces an electric field, allowing the wave to propagate through vacuum without needing a constant source.
This is what Rigveda means by “self-born”, “un-born”, “self-created”! Not the “Swayambhu” in the Puranas.
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Why are the deities Mitra, Varuna and Aryaman together?
Mitra means friendly. A friend is a positive person, isn’t it? Mitra is Proton. Positively charged particle.
How do the Rishis know Protons have positive charge?
“Mitra, the Holy, hath been pressed for troubled times, neighing like an impatient horse amid the herd”
Imagine a herd of horses in a cramped shed with hardly sufficient space. Won’t the horses start neighing due to lack of space for movement?
This is what happens inside a nucleus! Nucleus is a tiny place where Proton share the space with the same number of Neutrons. Protons are positively charged meaning they repel each other! But the space inside the Nucleus is tiny. So, they are in a situation similar to the horses. What a beautiful analogy by the Rishis.
Varuna means the ‘coverer”! ‘Vr’ is ‘to cover’. Cover what? Varuna covers the three Loka-s! Varuna resides in the heaven. Varuna is the god of clouds.
From the above descriptions, Varuna can be easily identified as Electron! Electrons cover the atom. The space where Electrons are called Electron cloud. RV has divided atoms into three spaces, Loka-s. Nucleus is Prithvi, earth. Electron shells are Dyau, heaven. The intermediate space between Prithvi and Dyau is Antariksha. These are the three Loka-s.
Aryama is naturally the last one of the three, Neutron. There are no separate hymns for Aryaman in RV. Maybe the Rishis thought not to compose any, because Aryama is chargeless, neutral. Neutrons are not affected by electromagnetic forces. However, they are equally important like Protons and Electrons.
So, we now know why the three Devas are always together.
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1:50 (The Sun, Surya)
Rig Veda 1.50.1
“His coursers bear on high the divine all-knowing Sun, that he may be seen by all (the worlds).”
Devatā (deity/subject-matter): sūryaḥ ;
उत् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । त्यम् । जा॒तऽवे॑दसम् । दे॒वम् । व॒ह॒न्ति॒ । के॒तवः॑ । दृ॒शे । विश्वा॑य । सूर्य॑म् ॥
Rig Veda 1.50.2
“(At the approach) of the all-illuminating Sun, the constellations depart with the night, like thieves.”
Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya
Nakṣatrāṇi = lunar asterims or stars, in genitive ral, which are abodes of the gods or the visible forms of pious person ns after death: devagṛha vai nakṣatrāṇi, the constellations are verily the abodes of the gods; yo vā iha yajate amum. lokam. nakṣate = he who performs worship here obtains the next world; sukṛtam. vā etāni jyotiṃṣi yan nakṣatrāṇi = those constellations are the luminaries of those who practise religious acts, i.e. those who by attending to religious duties in this world attain svarga, are beheld in the form of constellations: iha loke karmānuṣṭhāya yi svargam prāpnuvanti te nakṣatrarūpeṇa dṛṣyante
अप॑ । त्ये । ता॒यवः॑ । य॒था॒ । नक्ष॑त्रा । य॒न्ति॒ । अ॒क्तुऽभिः॑ । सूरा॑य । वि॒श्वऽच॑क्षसे ॥Rig Veda 1.50.3
अदृश्रमस्य केतवो वि रश्मयो जनाँ अनु । भ्राजन्तो अग्नयो यथा ॥
adṛśram asya ketavo vi raśmayo janām̐ anu | bhrājanto agnayo yathā ||
“His illuminating rays behold men in succession, like blazing fires.”
Rig Veda 1.50.4
त॒रणि॑र्वि॒श्वद॑र्शतो ज्योति॒ष्कृद॑सि सूर्य । विश्व॒मा भा॑सि रोच॒नम् ॥
taraṇir viśvadarśato jyotiṣkṛd asi sūrya | viśvam ā bhāsi rocanam ||
“You, Sūrya, outstrip all in speed; you are visible to all; you are the source of light; you shine throughout the entire firmament.”
Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya
Smṛti states that the sun moves 2,202 yojanas in a half a winkle of the eye; Jyotiṣkṛt = giving light to all things, even to the moon and the plural nets, by night; for, they are of a watery substance from which the rays of the sun are reflected (like a mirror in a door-way reflecting sun's rays, to light up a chamber); metaphysical explanation: sun is the supreme spirit, who enables all beings to pass over the ocean of existence, who is beheld by all desiring final emancipation, who authors true light, and who illuminates everything through the light of the mind
Rig Veda 1.50.5
प्रत्यङ्देवानां विशः प्रत्यङ्ङुदेषि मानुषान् । प्रत्यङ्विश्वं स्वर्दृशे ॥
pratyaṅ devānāṃ viśaḥ pratyaṅṅ ud eṣi mānuṣān | pratyaṅ viśvaṃ svar dṛśe ||
“You rise in the presence of the Maruts, you rise in the presence of mankind, and so as to be seen in the presence of the whole (region) of heaven.”
Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya
Prayam devānām viśaḥ = before the men or people of the gods, i.e. the Maruts (who are elsewhere designated: maruto vai devānām viśaḥ)
Rig Veda 1.50.6
येना पावक चक्षसा भुरण्यन्तं जनाँ अनु । त्वं वरुण पश्यसि ॥
yenā pāvaka cakṣasā bhuraṇyantaṃ janām̐ anu | tvaṃ varuṇa paśyasi ||
“With that light with which you, the purifier and defender from evil, look upon this creature-bearing world.” {KR WORD IN SANSKRIT HERE USED IS “VARUNA FOR CREATURE -BEARING-WORLD”,SO VARUNA NAD MITRA ARE ALLEGORICAL AS OTHER SPACE OBJECTS NAMES USED}
Rig Veda 1.50.10
उद्वयं तमसस्परि ज्योतिष्पश्यन्त उत्तरम् । देवं देवत्रा सूर्यमगन्म ज्योतिरुत्तमम् ॥
ud vayaṃ tamasas pari jyotiṣ paśyanta uttaram | devaṃ devatrā sūryam aganma jyotir uttamam ||
“Beholding the up-springing light above the darkness, we approach the divine Sun among the gods, the excellent light.”
Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya
An allusion to the spiritual sun: darkness connotes sin; approach to the sun is a reunion with the supreme spirit; aganma jyotiruttamam, we go to the best light, i.e. we become one with the spiritual light, sāyujyam gacchāmaḥ; tam yathā yathopāsate tad eva bhavati, he (the worshipper) becomes identical with that which he worships
His brilliant banners draw upwards the god who knows all creatures, so that everyone may see the sun. The constellations, along with the nights, steal away like thieves, making way for the sun who gazes on everyone. The rays that are his banners have become visible from the distance, shining over mankind like blazing fires. Crossing space, you are the maker of light, seen by everyone, O sun. You illumine the whole, wide realm of space. You rise up facing all the groups of gods, facing mankind, facing everyone, so that they can see the sunlight. He is the eye with which, O Purifying Varuna, you look upon the busy one’ among men. You cross heaven and the vast realm of space, O sun, measuring days by nights, looking upon the generations. Seven bay mares carry you in the chariot, O sun god with hair of flame, gazing from afar. The sun has yoked the seven splendid daughters of the chariot; he goes with them, who yoke themselves. We have come up out of darkness, seeing the higher light around us, going to the sun, the god among gods, the highest light. As you rise today, O sun, you who are honoured as a friend, climbing to the highest sky, make me free of heartache and yellow pallor. Let us place my yellow pallor among parrots and thrushes, or let us place my yellow pallor among other yellow birds in yellow trees. This Aditya s has risen with all his dominating force, hurling my hateful enemy down into my hands. Let me not fall into my enemy’s hands!
2:12 (Who is Indra?)
Rig Veda 1.51.1
अभि त्यं मेषं पुरुहूतमृग्मियमिन्द्रं गीर्भिर्मदता वस्वो अर्णवम् । यस्य द्यावो न विचरन्ति मानुषा भुजे मंहिष्ठमभि विप्रमर्चत ॥ [INDRA AS RAIN]
abhi tyam meṣam puruhūtam ṛgmiyam indraṃ gīrbhir madatā vasvo arṇavam | yasya dyāvo na vicaranti mānuṣā bhuje maṃhiṣṭham abhi vipram arcata ||
“Anime with praises that ram, (Indra), who is adored by many, who is gratified by hymns, and is an ocean of wealth; whose good deeds spread abroad for the benefit of mankind, like the rays of light; worship the powerful and wise Indra, for the enjoyment of prosperity.”
Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya
Tyam. meṣam: Indra assumed the form of a ram and came to a sacrifice performed by Medhātithi and drank Soma, so a legend;
Meṣa = victor over foes. Another legend is that Aṅgiras worshipped to get a son who would resemble Indra; Indra himself became his son whose name was Savya
The god who had insight the moment he was born, the first who protected the gods with his power of thought, before whose hot breath the two world-halves tremble at the greatness of his manly powers – he, my people, is Indra.
He who made fast the tottering earth, who made still the quaking mountains, who measured out and extended the expanse of the air, who propped up the sky – he, my people, is Indra.
He who killed the serpent and loosed the seven rivers, who drove out the cows that had been pent up by Vala, who gave birth to fire between two stones, the winner of booty in combats -he, my people, is Indra.
He by whom all these changes were rung, who drove the race of Dins down into obscurity, who took away the flourishing wealth of the enemy as a winning gambler takes the stake – he, my people, is Indra.
He about whom they ask, `Where is he?’, or they say of him, the terrible one, ‘He does not exist’, he who diminishes the flourishing wealth of the enemy as gambling does – believe in him! He, my people, is Indra.
He who encourages the weary and the sick, and the poor priest who is in need, who helps the man who harnesses the stones to press Soma, he who has lips fine for drinking – he, my people, is Indra.
He under whose command are horses and cows and villages and all chariots, who gave birth to the sun and the dawn and led out the waters, he, my people, is Indra.
He who is invoked by both of two armies, enemies locked in combat, on this side and that side, he who is even invoked separately by each of two men standing on the very same chariot, he, my people, is Indra.
He without whom people do not conquer, he whom they call on for help when they are fighting, who became the image of everything who shakes the unshakeable – he, my people, is Indra.
He who killed with his weapon all those who had committed a great sin, even when they did not know it, he who does not pardon the arrogant man for his arrogance, who is the slayer of the Dasyus, he, my people, is Indra.
He who in the fortieth autumn discovered Bambara living in the mountains, who killed the violent serpent, the Dinu, as he lay there, he, my people, is Indra.
He, the mighty bull who with his seven reins let loose the seven rivers to flow, who with his thunderbolt in his hand hurled down Rauhina as he was climbing up to the sky, he, my people, is Indra.
Even the sky and the earth bow low before him, and the mountains are terrified of his hot breath; he who is Sown as the Soma-drinker, with the thunderbolt in his hand, with the thunderbolt in his palm, he, my people, is Indra.
He who helps with his favour the one who presses and the one who cooks, the praiser and the preparer, he for whom prayer is nourishment, for whom Soma is the special gift, he, my people, is Indra.
You who furiously, grasp the prize for the one who presses and the one who cooks, you are truly real. Let us be dear to you, Indra, all our days, and let us speak as men of power in the sacrificial gathering.
Rig Veda 2.12.1
यो जात एव प्रथमो मनस्वान्देवो देवान्क्रतुना पर्यभूषत् । यस्य शुष्माद्रोदसी अभ्यसेतां नृम्णस्य मह्ना स जनास इन्द्रः ॥
yo jāta eva prathamo manasvān devo devān kratunā paryabhūṣat | yasya śuṣmād rodasī abhyasetāṃ nṛmṇasya mahnā sa janāsa indraḥ ||
“He, who as soon as born, is the first (of the deities); who has done honour to the gods by his exploits; he, at whose might heaven and earth are alarmed, and (who is known) by the greatness of his strength, he, men, is Indra.”
Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya
Who has done honour to the gods by his exploits: who has preserved or protected them, or has surpassed them: prayarakṣad atyakrāmad iti vā (Nirukta 10.10); Atharvaveda 20.34; he, men, is Indra: sa janāsa Indra = janā, he asurāḥ; the legend: Gṛtsamada,by his devotions, acquired a form as vast as that of Indra, visible at once in heaven, in the firmament, and on earth; the two asuras, Dhuni and Cumuri [Bṛhaddevatā 4.66-67), mistaking him, therefore, for Indra, were proceeding to attack him, when he arrested their advance by repearing this hymn, intimating that he was not Indra; another legend: when Indra and the gods were present at a sacrifice celebrated by Vainya, Gṛtsamada was one of the officiating priests; the asuras came to the spot to kill Indra, who, assuming the likeness of Gṛtsamada, went away without question; when the assembly broke up, and Gṛtsamada went out, the asuras, who had been lying in wait, considered him to be Indra, and were about to fall upon him, when he diverted from their purpose by reciting this hymn, showing that Indra was a different person n; another legend: Indra came alone to the sacrifice of Gṛtsamada, and being, as before away laid by the asuras, asumed the person n of the ṛṣi and coming forth, returned to svarga; after waiting sometime, the asuras entered the chamber of sacrifice, and laid hold of Gṛtasamads, conceving that Indra had assumed his person n until they were person aded of their mistake by the repetition of the entire sūkta (Mahābhārata)
Rig Veda 2.12.8
यं क्रन्दसी संयती विह्वयेते परेऽवर उभया अमित्राः । समानं चिद्रथमातस्थिवांसा नाना हवेते स जनास इन्द्रः ॥
yaṃ krandasī saṃyatī vihvayete pare 'vara ubhayā amitrāḥ | samānaṃ cid ratham ātasthivāṃsā nānā havete sa janāsa indraḥ ||
Whom (two hosts), calling and mutually encountering, call upon; whom both adversaries, high and low, (appeal to); whom two (charioteers), standing in the same car, severally invoke; he, men, is Indra.”
Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya
Whom (two hosts): yam krandasī sanyatī vihvayete = whom, crying aloud, encountering (two), invoke; the substantive is supplied: rodasī, heaven and earth; or, dve sene, two armies; whom (two charioteers): here also a substantive is supplied: rathinau, two charioteers; or Agni and Indra
2:38 (Savitr at Sunset)
This god Savitr, the driver,1 has risen up many times to goad us on – this is his work. Now he apportions to the gods the jewel, and to those who offer the oblation he gives a share in happiness.
So that all will obey him, the god with broad hands stands upright and stretches out his two arms before him. Even the waters obey his command; even the wind stops in its orbit.
Even the one who travels with swift horses now unharnesses them; he has stopped even the wanderer from going on. He has put an end to the voracious hunger even of those who eat serpents. Night has come by Savitr’s command.
She who weaves has rolled up again what was stretched out. The skilful worker has laid down the work half-completed. He stirs and stands up; he has set apart the different times. With his thoughts gathered, the god Savitr has come.
He who lives in a house goes off into various dwellings, all his life. The glow of fire springs up and spreads out. The mother gives her son the best portion, because of the longing that Savitr has stirred up in him
He who went away because he wished to get something has now come back; the desire of all who wander turns to home. All of them, leaving their work uncompleted, have followed the command of the divine Savitr.
Those whose portion you decreed to be water are in the waters; the hunters spread out over the dry land. The trees belong to the birds; no one transgresses these commands of this god Savitr.
Varuna goes to the watery womb that he loves best, after rushing about restlessly from one blink of the eye to the next. Every bird and beast goes to his nest or pen; Savitr has dispersed each creature to its proper resting-place.
He whose law is not broken by Indra, nor by Varuna or Mitra, nor by Aryaman or Rudra, nor even by the forces of evil – that god Savitr I call upon for happiness, bowing low.
Stirring up Good Luck and Thought and Abundance – and may Praise-of-Men, the husband of goddesses, help us – when blessings come and riches pile up let us be dear to the god Savitr.
From the sky, from the waters, from the earth let there come to us that bounty that we long for and that you give, that brings happiness to those who praise and to your friend,” the singer whose praises reach far, O Savitr.
8.30 (To All the Gods)
Rig Veda 8.30.1
नहि वो अस्त्यर्भको देवासो न कुमारकः । विश्वे सतोमहान्त इत् ॥
nahi vo asty arbhako devāso na kumārakaḥ | viśve satomahānta it ||
“There is no one among you, gods, who is an infant or a youth; you verily are all of mature existence.”
Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya
Allof mature existence: sato mahāntaḥ = sarvasmād vidyamānāt pṛthivyām api ye mahāntas tesatomahānta iti ucyante, liṭ, greather than all that is
Not one of you, gods, is small, not one a little child; all of you are truly great.
Rig Veda 8.30.4
ये दे॑वास इ॒ह स्थन॒ विश्वे॑ वैश्वान॒रा उ॒त । अ॒स्मभ्यं॒ शर्म॑ स॒प्रथो॒ गवेऽश्वा॑य यच्छत ॥ ye devāsa iha sthana viśve vaiśvānarā uta | asmabhyaṃ śarma sapratho gave 'śvāya yacchata ||
“Gods, who are here present, all to whom this full sacrifice is offered, bestow upon us, upon our cattleand horses, happiness far renowned.”
Therefore you are worthy of praise and of sacrifice, you thirty-three gods of Manu, arrogant and powerful.
Protect us, help us and speak for us; do not lead u into the distance far away from the path of our father Manu.
You gods who are all here and who belong to all men, give far-reaching shelter to us and to our cows and horses.
8:79 (The Restless Soma)
Rig Veda 8.79.9
अव यत्स्वे सधस्थे देवानां दुर्मतीरीक्षे । राजन्नप द्विषः सेध मीढ्वो अप स्रिधः सेध ॥ava yat sve sadhasthe devānāṃ durmatīr īkṣe | rājann apa dviṣaḥ sedha mīḍhvo apa sridhaḥ sedha ||“When in my house I watch against the enemies of the gods, then, O kind, drive away those who hateus-- O showerer of blessings, drive away those who would harm us.”
Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya
Showerer of blessings: mīḍhvaḥ = effuserof the Soma, somarasya sektā; or, phalasya sektā; or, kāmānām sektā
This restless Soma – you try to grab him but he breaks away and overpowers everything. He is a sage and a seer inspired by poetry. He covers the naked and heals all who are sick. The blind man sees; the lame man steps forth. Soma, you are a broad defence against those who hate us, both enemies we have made ourselves and those made by others. Through your knowledge and skills, rushing forward you drive out of the sky and the earth the evil deed of the enemy. Let those who seek find what they seek: let them receive the treasure given by the generous and stop the greedy from getting what they want. Let him find what was lost before; let him push forward the man of truth. Let him stretch out the lifespan that has not yet crossed its span. Be kind and merciful to us, Soma; be good to our heart, without confusing our powers in your whirlwind. King Soma, do not enrage us; do not terrify us; do not wound our heart with dazzling light. Give help, when you see the evil plans of the gods in your own house. Generous king, keep away hatreds, keep away failures.
WHO IS SOMA? NOT PLANT NOT MOON THOUGH IN PLACES THESE MEANING ARE ALSO ADOPTED UNDER AYURVEDIC AND ASTROLOGY NOT AS A LIQUOR AS ATTRIBUTED BY THE WEST BUT ABSORPTION OF KNOWLEDGE THE VID THE VEDA.
Soma and Ananda
Soma is first of all part of a great universal symbolism. Soma pervades the outer world as water in its various forms on the earth and in the sky, as the sap of plants, the vital fluids in animals, the Moon, and even the waters (vibratory field) of space. Soma exists inside ourselves as a psychological principle of feeling, love and inspiration, including as our creativity that we manifest in diverse forms.
2 Yet beyond this, Soma is a spiritual principle, an aspect of the infinite and a key to immortality. In the state of meditation, the brain and mind naturally secrete a special type of Soma or nectar of peace and contentment, which reflects this spiritual Soma. Ultimately Soma is the bliss of all existence, the Ananda through which the universe is created and into which it must return. It is this Soma or Ananda that is the prima materia or ultimate substance behind the entire world.
3 To understand Soma, we must understand Agni, the fire, light or energy principle, which is its counterpart. In Vedic thought, the twin principles of Agni and Soma are behind all workings in the universe on all levels. On an outer level, they refer to the great elements of fire and water, but their inner symbolism goes much deeper. Such a twofold division of reality takes many forms like Purusha and Prakriti, Vishnu and Lakshmi, and Shiva and Shakti. Indeed, Lord Shiva, the supreme Godhead, is said to be Agni-Somatmakam or both Agni and Soma in nature. His right side is Agni in nature–fiery, harsh or masculine. His left side is Soma in nature– watery, gentle or feminine. These are the basis of his two manifestations as fierce (ghora or Agni) and gentle (saumya or Soma). {SIVA IS SOMA-SUNDARAM}
4 Agni as fire represents light (Jyoti) in the broadest sense, which includes the light of perception and the light of consciousness, not simply light as a material principle. Soma as water (Apas) is the medium on which light can be reflected, which is ultimately a quality of light itself. In this regard Soma is not only water, but the mind and ultimately, the reflective power of consciousness itself.
5 Soma as a cosmic power is not simply watery in its nature. It has an oily quality that can nourish and sustain fire. It has been compared to ghee (ghrita) in texture. All objects that we see are like fuel for the flame of our awareness. Soma also has a sweet quality and has been compared to honey (madhu). All that we see is like a flower, from which the honey of bliss can be extracted. These properties that can sustain light and provide joy pervade all of space. Great yogis can access them with their subtle bodies (the linga or fire body) and move at will through all the worlds, finding nourishment and delight in all that they perceive.
6 Soma is the delight which is the counterpart of light. On the deepest level, Agni is the fire of consciousness (Chidagni) that is reflected in the Soma or water of bliss. In this regard Agni and Soma are ultimately the same, two complementary aspects of Brahman.
7 The highest Soma is the delight inherent in existence itself (Brahman), not simply the pleasure produced by contact with external objects. Soma is the ‘pure delight’ that we are truly seeking in all that we pursue, not mere temporary pleasure that wears away the senses and is only its reflection. Any happiness that is based upon contact with an external object must be fleeting and must eventually end in pain. This higher ‘objectless’ joy or self-delight can only be perceived by an internal consciousness beyond the fluctuations of the mind, by the unwavering flame of awareness. We can achieve that through taking the state of the witness (sakshi-bhava), which provides the joy of perception and avoids the pain of involvement. As long as we rely on external contacts to gain our Soma or happiness, we cannot escape from the wheel of sorrow.
8 We are all seeking some form of happiness in life. We all want lasting bliss. This seeking of Soma is inherent in the soul, which is ever seeking to return to its origin in God. Similarly, we are always extracting some form of Soma out of our life experience. This essence or rasa is ultimately delight. That is why the Upanishads refer to the Self as rasa (raso vai sah).
9 The Self is said to be the fluidity of water, the heat of fire, the power of the wind to move, the power of the earth to hold and the power of space to pervade. It is the unique quality or special essence, what is the highest and best in all things. This unique essence is Soma. We discover the Self by going to the essence of our own nature. The Self is the eye of the eye, the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind. It is the truth of truth. This extraction of the essence from all that we know is extracting the Soma that is hidden in all things. This extraction process occurs in the purification filter (pavitra) of the heart, by the light of which we can discern the heart or core of all things.
10 Relative to the Yoga of Knowledge (Jnana Yoga), Agni is the seer and Soma is the seen. [DRIG AND DRISHTI] Seeing has a fiery quality and works through light. The seen is the field illumined by light and is actually only light or consciousness reflected externally. Our very power of seeing is a power of fire while all that we see is potentially fuel for it. If our seeing is clear then it can disclose the Soma or Ananda hidden in all that we see. The fire of seeing is able to ripen, cook or bring out the essence of all that we observe. The key to the alchemy of Jnana (Self-knowledge) is that whatever we look at with full attention, with a fully energized Agni or fire of awareness, will yield Soma or delight, not as an external enjoyment but as the very bliss of the Self.
11 When we look at things directly, without division, their essence comes forth, which is Ananda. This is the state of Samadhi, which is the flowing of Soma at an inner level. The unity of Agni and Soma is the unity of the perceiver and the perceived. When we learn to look at our inner self wholly and fully, through the practice of Self-inquiry, then the delight inherent in the Self must come forth as the ultimate Soma or self-delight.
12 The five sheaths or koshas are a common yogic teaching going back to the Taittiriya Upanishad. Each of these five levels of our nature has its own form of Agni or fire, which is its essential energy. Each has its equivalent form of Soma, which is its main fuel. Agni is the eater or enjoyer, while Soma is the food or substance enjoyed.
At the physical level (Annamaya kosha), the digestive fire (Jathargni) is the Agni, and the food and drink we take in through the mouth is the Soma. Higher physical forms of Soma include special rejuvenating foods, beverages and herbs that can revitalize the body, brain and nervous system.
At the pranic or vital level (Pranamaya kosha), Pranagni or the vital fire is the Agni and our vital enjoyments of exercise and activity are the Soma. Higher Pranic forms of Soma including Pranayama practices that can revitalize our internal Pranas and balance their energies towards transformation.
At the level of the outer or sensory mind (Manomaya kosha), the mental fire (Manasika Agni) is the Agni and our various sensory enjoyments are the Soma. Higher mental forms of Soma include mantra, visualizations and meditations that bring in a higher level of experience into the mind.
At the level of the inner or discriminating mind (Vijnanamaya Kosha), the Buddhi or discriminating intelligence is the Agni and the various principles, beliefs, ideas or dharmas that we pursue in life are the Soma. Special types of Soma for the higher mind include formless meditations on truth, unity, bliss and harmony.
At the level of the soul (Jiva or Anandamaya kosha), our inner consciousness (Chitta) is the Agni, and our entire life experiences and memories are the Soma. Special types of Soma for it include the practice of Self-inquiry in which we digest our life-experiences, burning up our Samskaras (internal karmic tendencies) and turn them into pure awareness.
In this way, the soul or Jiva takes in substances, impressions and ideas from the external world and extracts the nectar of Ananda from them, just as a bee gathers pollen from various flowers and turns them into honey. The ultimate result is the essence (rasa) of our experience that becomes the Ananda or Soma Kosha, in which our karmas and samskaras are held. Those who have cultivated the fire of awareness are able to turn all their experience, including that of sorrow, into Soma or Ananda. This takes them beyond the field of all the Koshas.
13 In the practice of Yoga, Agni is the fiery Kundalini force that dwells in the root or earth chakra below. It is the power of aspiration that rises from below and ascends to the heavens above. Soma is the watery nectar that dwells in the crown or head chakra. It is the power of Divine grace that descends from above. As Agni rises, Soma descends. The oily drops of Soma provide the fuel for Agni to aid in its upward movement.
14 The Yoga tradition teaches us that the crown chakra is the region of the Moon or Soma (Chandra Kanda), just as the lower three chakras are the region of fire (Agni-Kanda). Soma, according to the Vedas, flows in a thousand streams. These are the thousand currents of the crown chakra, the Sahasrara or thousand petalled lotus. Physiologically, Agni relates to the solar plexus, while Soma relates to the soft palate in the head, the source of saliva and other secretions in the head. Balancing these two energy centers is an important Yoga practice.
15 Agni is the striving of the soul upward towards the divine, while Soma represents the descending Divine grace. Agni represents our will or aspiration to the truth, while Soma represents what inspires us and the goal that we seek. That is why Agni or fire is represented by an upward facing triangle, while water or Soma is represented by a triangle that faces downward.
16 Agni represents Jnana Yoga or the Yoga of Knowledge, which proceeds through the heat and friction of introspection and self-inquiry. This is the main upward movement of the soul. Similarly, Soma represents Bhakti Yoga or the Yoga of Devotion, which proceeds through the flow of surrender. This is the main descending movement of grace.
17 Self-inquiry (Jnana Yoga) is the best, simplest and most direct method for cultivating our inner fire and reaching the supreme light. Surrender to God or devotion (Bhakti Yoga) is the best, simplest and most direct method for opening up to the flow of grace and reaching the highest delight.
18 The practice of meditation should always strive to be a dual cultivation of both Agni and Soma, with both deepening perception and joy. A balanced practice should address both Agni and Soma aspects of the practice. Cultivating Agni means cultivating the flame of our awareness, concentration, perception and discrimination. It means increasing the power of the mind to inquire, perceive, penetrate and transform.
19 In this regard there is a helpful metaphor: The mind is like a wick. Knowledge (Jnana) is like the flame, but Devotion (Bhakti) is the oil (ghee). Without the oil to sustain the flame, it will merely burn up the wick. So too, a mind that does not have that flow of grace or devotion, can be burned up or dried out by the flame of knowledge. We should must remember to keep our Soma flowing.
This note highlights three intriguing references to Soma in the Rigveda:
1. Mortals do not taste Soma. RV 10.85.3, 4 which suggest that Brahmana and those who dwell on earth do NOT partake of Soma. Similar refrain occurs in Atharva Veda. Hillebrandt and Oldenburg suggest that Soma is a metahpor for the sun or moon.
2. माक्षिक, the fly, betrays Soma. RV 1.119.9 There is a pun on the word माक्षिक which also signifies 'pyrites' (secondary ores).
3. Reference to Soma in the dual and plural RV 9.66.2,3,5 refer to Soma in dual, or plural (re-inforcing the allegorical nature of the descriptions.
The Vedic texts and translations are given below.
I suggest that these three references point to the allegorical nature of Soma in the Rigveda. Soma is NOT a metaphor for the sun or moon but metaphor for metalwork, working with माक्षिक 'pyrites'. "The mineral pyrite, or iron pyrite, is an iron sulfide with the chemical formula FeS2....Pyrite is usually found associated with other sulfides or oxides in quartz veins, sedimentary rock, and metamorphic rock, as well as in coal beds."
Rig Veda 10.85.3
सोमं॑ मन्यते पपि॒वान्यत्स॑म्पिं॒षन्त्योष॑धिम् । सोमं॒ यं ब्र॒ह्माणो॑ वि॒दुर्न तस्या॑श्नाति॒ कश्च॒न ॥
somam manyate papivān yat sampiṃṣanty oṣadhim | somaṃ yam brahmāṇo vidur na tasyāśnāti kaś cana ||
“He who has drunk thinks that the herb which men crush is the Soma; (but) that which theBrāhmaṇas know to be Soma,, of that no one partakes. {i.e., no one partakes of it unless he has sacrificed; ifthe Soma be taken as the moon, 'no one' will mean 'no one but the gods'].
Rig Veda 10.85.4
आच्छद्विधानैर्गुपितो बार्हतैः सोम रक्षितः । ग्राव्णामिच्छृण्वन्तिष्ठसि न ते अश्नाति पार्थिवः ॥
ācchadvidhānair gupito bārhataiḥ soma rakṣitaḥ | grāvṇām ic chṛṇvan tiṣṭhasi na te aśnāti pārthivaḥ ||
“Concealed by means of coverings, protected by the Bārhats, O Soma, you abide listening to thegrinding-stones; no terrestrial being partakes of you.”
Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya
Bārhats: the guardians of the Soma, Svāna, Bhrāja,Āṅghārya etc.: Taittirīya Saṃhitā 6.1.10.5
ONE WHO ATTAINED THE BRAHMAM IS SOMA DRUNK VIZ KNOWLEDGE PERSON. ORDY MORTALS DO NOT HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE WHICH IS SOMA; THUS, SOMA IS WELL DEFDINED NOTAS DEFINED BY THE WEST.
10:9 (The Waters of Life)
Waters, you are the ones who bring us the life force. Help us to find nourishment so that we may look upon great joy. Let us share in the most delicious sap that you have, as if you were loving mothers. Let us go straight to the house of the one for whom you waters give us life and give us birth. For our well-being let the goddesses be an aid to us, the waters be for us to drink. Let them cause well-being and health to flow over us. Mistresses of all the things of all the things that are chosen, rulers over all peoples, the waters are the ones I beg for a cure. Soma has told me that within the waters are all cures and Agni who is salutary to all. Waters, yield your cure as an armour for my body, so that I may see the sun for a long time. Waters, carry far away all of this that has gone bad in me, either what I have done in malicious deceit or whatever lie I have sworn to. I have sought the waters today; we have joined with their sap. O Agni full of moisture, come and flood me with splendour.
10:151 (Faith)
With faith the fire is kindled; with faith the oblation is offered up. With speech I testify faith upon the head of happiness. Faith, make this that I have said dear to the man who gives, dear to the man who wishes to give, dear, O faith, among the lavish sacrificers. As the gods established faith among the formidable Asuras, so establish what we have said among lavish sacrificers. The gods who sacrifice and are guarded by Vayu honour faith; with heartfelt intent they honour faith. And with faith they find wealth. We call to faith at morning, to faith near midday, to faith when the sun sinks down. Faith, establish faith in us.
10:810-82 (The All-Maker – Visvakarman)
The Sage, our Father, who took his place as priest of the oblation and offered all these worlds as oblation, see king riches through prayer, he entered those who were to come later, concealing those who went before. What was the base, what sort of raw matter was there, and precisely how was it done, when the All-Maker, casting his eye on all, created the earth and revealed the sky in its glory? With eyes on all sides and mouths on all sides, with arms on all sides and feet on all sides, the One God created the sky and the earth fanning them with his arms. What was the wood and what was the tree from which they carved the sky and the earth? You deep thinkers, ask yourselves in your own hearts, what base did he stand on when he set up the worlds? Those forms of yours that are highest, those that are lowest, and those that are in the middle, O All-Maker, help your friends to recognize them in the oblation. You who follow your own laws, sacrifice your body yourself, making it grow great. All-Maker, grown great through the oblation, sacrifice the earth and sky yourself. Let other men go astray all around; let us have a rich and generous patron. The All-Maker, the lord of sacred speech, swift as thought—we will call to him today to help us in the contest. Let him who is the maker of good things and is gentle to everyone rejoice in all our invocations and help us.
10:82
The Father of the Eye, who is wise in his heart, created as butter these two worlds that bent low. As soon as their ends had been made fast in the east, at the moment sky and earth moved far apart. The All-Maker is vast in mind and vast in strength. He is the one who forms, who sets in order, and who is the highest image. Their prayers together with the drink they have offered give them joy there where, they say, the One dwells beyond the seven sages. Our Father, who created and set in order and knows all forms, all worlds, who alone gave names to the gods, he is the one to whom all other creatures come to ask questions. To him the ancient sages together sacrificed riches, like the throngs of singers who together made these things that have been created, when the realm of light was still immersed in the realm without light. That which is beyond the sky and beyond this earth, beyond the gods and the Asuras —what was that first embryo that the waters received, where all the gods together saw it? He was the one whom the waters received as the first embryo, when all the gods came together. On the navel of the Unborn was set the One on whom all creatures rest. You cannot find him who created these creatures; another has come between you. Those who recite the hymns are glutted with the pleasures of life; they wander about wrapped up in mist and stammering nonsense.
10:58 (A Spell to Turn Back the Departing Spirit)
If your spirit has gone to Yama the son of Vivasvan far away, we turn it back to you here to dwell and to live. If your spirit has gone to the sky or to the earth far away, we turn it back to you here to dwell and to live. If your spirit has gone to the four-cornered earth far away, we turn it back to you here to dwell and to live. If your spirit has gone to the four quarters of the sky far away, we turn it back to you here to dwell and to live. If your spirit has gone to the billowy ocean far away, we turn it back to you here to dwell and to live. If your spirit has gone to the flowing streams of light far away, we turn it back to you here to dwell and to live. If your spirit has gone to the waters, or to the plants, fara away, we turn it back to you here to dwell and to live. If your spirit has gone to the sun, or to the dawns far away, we turn it back to you here to dwell and to live. If your spirit has gone to the high mountains far away, we turn it back to you here to dwell and to live. If your spirit has gone to this whole moving universe far away, we turn it back to you to dwell and to live. If your spirit has gone to distances beyond the beyond, far away, we turn it back to you to dwell and to live. If your spirit has gone to what has been and what is to be, far away, we turn it back to you to dwell and to live.
10:146 (Lost in the Forest)
Spirit of the forest, spirit of the forest, who seems to melt away, how is it that you do not ask about a village? Doesn’t a kind of fear grasp you? When the Chichika bird takes up the refrain from the droning cricket, the spirit of the forest is like a hunter startling the game with his noisy beaters. The spirit of the forest at evening: You think you see cows grazing; you think you see a house; you think a cart is rumbling. Whoever stays in the forest at evening imagines: Someone is calling his cow; someone else is cutting wood; someone is crying out. The spirit of the forest does not kill—not if no one else approaches. She eats sweet fruit and lies down wherever she pleases. Mother of wild beasts, untilled by a plough but full of food, sweet-smelling of perfume and balm—to her, the spirit of the forest, I offer my praise.
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K RAJARAM IRS 14526