Treasures of the Past
Welcome to the 11th issue of Treasures of the Past. In this issue we shall take up the Soma yagna after discussing the concluding verses of Darsapoornamasa yagna.
Verse 15. Oh! Agni! The Maruths( representative God heads of all forces of nature) made you once, heart broken, you entered with the broken heart into thunder bolt! Thus we bring the tree that has been hit by a thunder bolt to the yagna.
Some times due to sudden force impacting a person, vairagya is born! This is indirectly pointed out here. The physical frame may withstand the sudden change in the consciousness or may not. This is the reason why the yogic practices are suggested to tone up the body too to receive and retain the change in the consciousness. The famous maxim in our scriptures state that Our body is the best instrument to conduct Dharmic life. It says “ Sariram kalu Dharma Sadhanam”.
Verse 16. Prajapathi found that it was his own body that was the centre of the earth, and a lotus flower that raises up among the deep waters, having its root firmly established below.
The Nrsimhatapaniya Upanishad in Poorva Tapaniya , in chapter Jagat srushte Prajapatikamamoolatvam it is mentioned that Brahma finds himself in the midst of a lotus flower and he is all alone, he is taken aback by his loneliness. He is totally bewildered and confused! At that time he hears an asariri without body or voice that directed him to contemplate within and realize the truth and then go about creating the world! This also symbolizes the consciousness evolving out of an inconscient mass!
Verse 17. Oh! Jatavedas or Agni thou art present in every body. Thou art brought to the yagna in the form of wood, and seven types earth. Grant us the intuitive intellect and search the Eternal truth on our behalf.
This verse comes out clean without much of camouflage and puts rather bluntly.
The following sketch is the layout of the fire altars established during the yagna.
Soma Yagna Kanda 1 - Anuvaka 1.
Viniyogas: 1 to 8
Ishe tva For the sake of impelling force that advances. Here Agni is addressed, Agni as we know is the divine will, this will power has to surge forward and impel the consciousness to expand and make progress.
Urjetva: For that force, this gives strength, and facilitates consciousness to dwell at higher plane.
Vayava:stopayava:sta Oh! Consciousness thou art externalized in the waking state and turned inward in deep sleep.
Devo va:savita prarpayatu sreshtamaya karmane Oh! Consciousness, thou art directed by Eternal knowledge towards the works or deeds of all indriyas, intellect and manas. Here it means that what ever that has been ordained will have to be done. But in an “Ego less state of consciousness” they have to be performed.
Aapyaayadhva maghniya deva bhagamurjasvati: payasvati: prajavati: ranami va ayakshama mava: stena ersata ma a dhasa?. sa:
Oh! Agni, Let the heavenly waters flow. Let them be strong powerful, invigorating, intelligent, and full of vital spirit, let them be in plenty, let them not be afflicted by sickness, and not be extinguished. In this verse heavenly water refers to higher knowledge, leading to divine consciousness. The “sickness” is referring to the distractions towards non divine forces of nature. Now the meaning of the entire verse becomes easier to comprehend.
Rudrasya heti: parivo vrnaktu. Let Rudra not disturb with his weapon. Rudra is a God head, twelve in number governing the forces of nature and also responsible for execution of the nature’s law of what you sow you reap. So He is commonly depicted with bow and arrows and other weapons for executing punishments for misdeeds.
Druva asmin gopathou syat pahvi: Let you be firmly established in this seeker! And proceed in the right path. This verse uses a word Druva. This means being firm. “Gopathou” means in the right path. “Go” means literally cow, light, knowledge in the Vedic texts.
Yajamanasya pasun pahi Let the cows of the Yajamana be protected. Yajamana means the householder for whom the yagna is being performed, pasu here means the knowledge in its plentitude. The prayer is for the protection of knowledge acquired thus far.
Kanda 1 Anuvaka 2
Viniyogas 1 to 19.
Yagyasya goshadasi Oh! Agni, May you be firmly established among our knowledge.
Pratyushta?raksha: pratyushta arataya: All undivine forces were destroyed for protection, all undivine forces have failed.
Preyamagadhvishana barhiraccha manunakrta svadhaya vitashtata avahanti kavaya: purastadrevebyo jushtamiha varhirasade That which is endowed with intellect, sharpened by the knowledge provided by the creator, the divine will provide us the seat of contemplation that is sacred. Holy seers come forth! This Agni the divine will proceeds towards the east. Uttering this mantra the dharba grass is spread as a seat. The significance of Darbha grass is that it signifies the consciousness being temporarily detached from earthly plane and directed towards higher realms. Agni proceeding to the east is, the divine will getting oriented towards eternal knowledge.
Devanam parishutamasi varsha vrdhamasi Hey! Darbha grass, for Devas thou has collected the scattered concentration and impelled it forward, thou art the vow taken towards realization.
Deva barhirmatva anvan matiryak Oh! Darbha grass, I shall not cut across you in such a way that makes reversal of consciousness impossible. Uttering the same mantra this grass grown in the river side is cut horizontally and not vertically. Because if cut vertically the plant will not grow once again. Similarly consciousness is only temporarily detached from the earthly plane and directed towards the higher realms, and not permanently!
Parva te radhyasam Oh! Consciousness I proceed to cut you off from outbound nature, at your base, Mooladhara that connects the two planes!
Acchetta te risham Oh! Darbha, though I detach from the earthly plane, I am in contact with you, and connected to you. Though the consciousness is turned inwards it remains connected to the physical plane, not thoroughly separated.
Prtivya: samprcha: pahi Oh! Higher consciousness, behold this darbha and not let it come into contact with gross physical.
Deva barhi: satavalasam viroha Oh! Agni the Divine will grow afresh in me in plentitude, as the entire physical nature has to be turned into divine nature.
Sahasravalasa vivaya?ruhema Let me grow in plentitude.
Prtivya: samprcha: pahi Oh! Darbha thou art the essence of physical consciousness being the representative of Agni.
Susambhrta tva sambarami Oh! Darbha I gather thee.
Indranyai samnahanam I collect thee in order to attain the Divine mind. Here it is referred to as Indrani.
Pushate granthim granthatu Let the resplendent consciousness fasten you firmly, Oh! Darbha.
Sate ma a a sthat Let this bond not wither away.
Indrasya tva bahubyamudhyacche Oh! Darbha, the representative of divine will I impel thee with the help of Indra, Divine mind
BrhaspatermudhnIharami Let me lift you up with the help of Brhaspati the intellect.
Urvantarikshamanvihi Rise up Oh! Agni Divine will as the antariksha the intermediate consciousness is vast and
spread out.
Devam gamamasi Oh! Darbha, thou art capable of attaining the divine consciousness.
With this let me conclude this issue and meet you again in the next issue.
