Treasures of the Past

Welcome to the 18^th issue of Treasures of the Past.

Why yagnas?

In this issue let us try to understand the purpose of yagnas. We are aware in the phenomenal world, there is a lot of exchange of emotions primarily related to the mind, through various mediums. A gesture by one is understood by another. And that evokes a response! For instance giving a bouquet of flowers conveys various emotions. Though these interpretations may differ due to cultural and geographical differences etc, the method of adopting a medium to express emotions is clearly understood.

Similarly when we want to send a message of greetings to someone staying far away then we get in touch with a mail order company and pay the amount to get an appropriate gift delivered to the other person at the appropriate time. Otherwise we send a card that conveys a message. These acts are not questioned on rational ground because they have become part of our society. Just imagine the money that is paid to the mail order company never reaches the recipient but its notional value in the form of a gift does! The person to whom the money is paid is not the same as the one who delivers the gift, and in fact that person has not seen or heard of the sender!

There is another instance where a gesture is not meant for any specific person but for those who would eventually happen to observe the gesture and respond. For example, a ship or an aircraft in distress, with a hope that it would be picked up and responded, sends a SOS. Nowadays astronomers send out similar radio signals into the space in the faint hope that they would be picked up by extra terrestrials and would get a response! Similarly Vedic rituals are designed to evoke a response from forces of nature that are beyond the perception of our sense organs. Through experience of great seers, the rituals have evolved; even today, knowingly or unknowingly we shape new structures of gestures that are recognized around the world! Cutting a ribbon to inaugurate new premises is followed world over! Similarly placing flowers at mausoleums is a gesture too. So it is a matter of faith and diligent follow up that results in the desired output being achieved.

Various religions follow these rituals. Though they may or may not ascribe to idol worship! These have been followed over centuries and might have shed some of their original parts and acquired some new forms too. But in essence they retain their central purpose.

We saw how the rituals have come to stay and what the ultimate objective of these rituals is. Now let us delve deeper into philosophy and see whether these rituals have any significance. In reality they do not have any such significance. Seemingly contradictory statement! Yes it is. Since the mind forms the basis of all these rituals, they hold good, only for those who have not stilled the mind! Confusing? Let us be clear, as long as the awareness of doer ship is present, these rituals help the individual in turning his mind away from mundane aspects of the phenomenal world towards inner self. But once the mind identifies itself with the inner self and abides, then it looses its identity, then all the related works performed are irrelevant from the point of view of the inner self! If the mind is not tamed, and upon the death of the individual, the physical body ceases but the astral body continues with the impressions accumulated! That suffers the pangs. So the real solution lies in taming the mind right here and now!

Since in the stilled mind, the attribute called “emotion”, ceases to exist, this state is called equipoise or samata. Paramacharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam gave an example to explain this, that is, when a big bunch of twigs are tied together with a string, it is difficult to loosen the pack, In order to loosen its grip, cutting off the string is not the right solution. But how this can be achieved? By more tightly wrapping another string around the bunch, the previous string becomes loose and can easily be removed. Similarly the mind is tied with desire for various objects., but the mind will have to be coxed to unwind on its own! By forcing the mind to do deeds that are spiritually oriented, the original siege of desires gradually leave on their own, and in the course of time even these deeds fall off and help in mind loosing its very identity! Once the mind looses its identity, forces of nature that we mentioned earlier no longer remain outside the purview of Self but comes within its purview through total identification with Brahman. 

When discussing about this it would be apt to touch upon a fact that deals with Mind per se. What is Mind? Does it have a separate form? Is it different from the inner self? As we have talked about loosing its identity, is it none other than the inner self? It is like the water or its forms being present in the world. The ocean is connected with various forms of water that is present on this earth albeit indirectly. But at the same time a stream cannot be called the ocean! Like wise Brahman is limitless, but the mind or its refined forms are limited!  

Yajur Veda Samhita

Kanda 1 Anuvaka 9.

Viniyogas 1 to 25.

 Adade!

 Hey Sphaya, the knife I take thee into my hands. 

Indrasya bhahurasi dakshina: shasrabhrshti: satatejaa vaayurasitigmatejaa:

By uttering this verse the sacrificer takes up the knife called “sphaya”. He addresses it thus, ”thou art the one who kills thousands of enemies and art with hundreds luminous rays, thou art the right hand of Indra,the divine mind, thou art also the wind, the vital airs, who makes the Agni shine well.

This verse is allegorical and will have to be understood carefully. Here the knife is symbolic representation of intellect! We all know whenever we refer to it we say “sharp intellect” even in English usage. Hundred of rays refers to the knowledge and when it is referred to as the right hand of Indra, it refers to the divine mind will require discerning intellect as a tool to win over enemies that is all that is opposed to knowledge that is ignorance.

Prtvi devayajanyoshadhyaastemoolam maahisi sham |

Hey earth! Thou art the place of worship of the Devas. I shall not cut the roots of grass and bushes that are imbedded in you.

Here the sadak disassociates himself from the material conscious plane, wherein he assures that the entire human race will not be inducted into the process of self enquiry! Thereby destabilizing the very base of material consciousness.

Upahato araru: prtivyai |

For the sake of earth (earthly consciousness), only the sheath is being removed from the grass, bush and not the root .

Vrjam gachcha gosthanam |

Hey dust (He! Trna mahita paamso) attain the destination that is the origin of knowledge.

Residual knowledge is assigned to its origin for later evaluation and is not allowed to confuse the intellect.

Varshatu te dyau:

Hey Vedika! Let it rain so that thou art drenched.

This means that “let the knowledge descend like rain and envelop the whole being”.

Badhana deva savita: paramasyam paraavati satena paasauryo asmaandveshti yam cha vayam dvishtishmastamato maamauk |

Hey Divine consciousness, (Indra) tie down those who are opposed to our efforts, and those who are kept in abeyance, do not let them go! By uttering this mantra the dust that accompanied the dharba grass is cast away.

Apahato ruru: prthivyaidevayajanyai |

Vrjam gachcha gosthanam |

Varshatu te dyau |

Baghana deva savita: paramasyam|

Paravati satena paasauryosmaandveshti yam cha vayam dvishmastamato mamauk ||

All these mantras are recited while casting away the dust.

Upahato ruru: prthivya adevayajana |

Vrjam gachcha gosthanam

Varshatu te dyau:

All these mantas are uttered while cutting the dharba grass.

Badhana deva savita: paramasyam paraavati satena paasauryausmandveshti yam cha vayam dvishmastamato maamauk |

This verse also is recited to cast away the dust.

Araruste divam maskaan |

Hey “utkara’ the dust bin, the dust that reached you, shall not access the divine domain, the dust known  as the “arau:” is only the sheath or gross physical consciousness or the firm conviction that the phenomenal world is the ultimate truth. Uttering these three times signifies the clouded consciousness or misapprehension is cast away effectively on all the three planes of consciousness.

Vasavastvaa parigrhnantu gaayatrena  chandasaa |

rudraasstvaa parigrhnantu traishtubena chandasaa |

adityaastvaa parigrhnantu jagatena chandasaa ||

Hey vede! The yagna bhoomi! Let thou be received and accepted by “Vasus” the multifaceted indweller of every form, through Gayatri chandas. Let Rudras accept thee through “trstub” chandas. Let the Aaditya the resplendent knowledge accept thee, through “jagati” chandas. Uttering these, those who sacrifice draw three lines on the ground with a knife signifying that the physical consciousness has been won over from the undivine asuras and the knife represents the chandas. Prelude to this is the story that the Asuras captured the earth in its entirety and devas got a small portion of land for yagna on request! Earth represents the body, only with this physical frame any effort towards apprehending the divine can be taken up.

Devasya savitu: save krnvanti vedhasa: |

It is for the sake of Divine the Antaryami and upon his ordaining the seekers do this sacrifice!

While constructing the yagna vatika the avahaniya is considered as the head and the rest as the body.

This verse is called parithyaga bhava because it attributes every action in favour of divine.

Rtamasyrta sadanamasyrta srirasi |

Hey Vetike thou art truthful and embody true deeds, and art the possessor of true wealth.

Dha asi svadha asyurviichasivasvii chaasi pura krrasya visrupo virashsin |

Hey Vedike! The altar of sacrifice or the physical consciousness with its other associated planes such as vital etc. support our effort before the emergence of other undivine forces of gross physical consciousness.

Thou art also linked to the previous physical consciousness that existed before this ascent, thou art the beholder of wealth of knowledge.”Swadha” means ones own.

Adaadaaya prtiviim jiiradaanuryaamairayajnchandramasi svadhabhistaam dhiiraaso anudrusya yajante |

The dheeras (those who have apprehended Brahman) established this earth, which was obtained form inconscient forces of nature through Chandra’s radiance representing the mind. Seekers face that earth and do all their sacrifices.

The explanation given in the earlier issue for the same Anuvaka too holds good. Only certain portions are little elaborate.

Aithareya Upanishad

Chapter 2

2.1.1

puruse ha va ayamadito garbho bhavati
yadetadretah tad etad sarvebhyo '...gebhyastejah
sambhutamatmanyevatmanam vibharti
tad yada striyam sinchati-athaitadjanayati
tadasya prathamam janma

Purusha, enters the its gross form through repeated births in the form of an embryo. In the previous birth it left its form with unfulfilled desires, now through the semen of male, bonding with that of a women (another manifested form of himself) in the womb during ovulation. This is called the first birth (of the present cycle). This verse emphasizes the sustained activity of multiplicity. The “Purusha” who bears the pure divine within endowed with This potentiality to replicate sustains perpetuity. Recall the fourth verse of Chapter 1 that states water enters “retas” ensuring the continuity of procreative process!

2.1.2

tat striya atmabhuyam gacchati
yatha svamangam tatha
tasmadenam na hinasti
sasyaitamatmanamatra gatam bhavayati

“Retas” having been shed into the womb of women, does not hurt and he nurtures his self, so embedded into her! Modern technology of cloning so vividly spelt here! The verse states that she nourishes as she nourishes her won limb!

2.1.3

sa bhavayitri bhavayitavya bhavati
tam stri garbham vibharti
so 'gra eva kumaram janmano 'gre adhibhavayati
sa yat kumaram janmano 'gre 'dhibhavayaryarmanameva
tad bhavayatyesam lokanam santatya
evam santata hime lokastadasya dvitiyam janma

The one who nourishes, the mother will have to be nourished. The wife of the manifested self bears the embryo and the father yet another manifested self protects his won manifestation the child after birth! This process of protection is for continuity of manifestation. The physical birth of the child is called the second birth! First birth being, the formation of embryo. 

2.1.4

so 'syayamatma punyebhyah karmabhyah pratidhiyate
athasyayamitara atma krtakrtyah
vayogatah praiti sa itah prayanneva punarjayate
tadasya tritiyam janma

The son having been born substitutes the role of his father, capable of sustaining the manifestation as his father did, is also endowed with the pure spark of the Divine within himself. He is capable of rediscovering his origin that is eternal! and is capable of pursuing his swadharma. The earlier manifested form the father or the mother sheds its mortal coil and proceeds to take another birth, and this is called the third birth!   

2.1.5

taduktamrisninah-garbhe nu sannanvesa
mavedamaham devanam janimani visva
satam ma pura ayasiraraksannadhah
syeno javasa niradiyamiti
garbha eva etat-shayano vamadeva-evamvuvaca

2.1.6

sa evam vidvanasmah sarira-bhedadurdhvam
utcramya-musmin svarge loke sarvan
kamanaptva-amrtahsamabhavat samabhavat

A sadak having known his real identity with eternal consciousness does not suffer the pangs of death while shedding his mortal coil. This is due to his knowledge of manifestation and he abides in that supreme consciousness and enjoys the state of bliss, a state of immortality. This state is  attained through the knowledge of eternal unity and unchanging nature of Brahman that supports all manifestation and other related activities.

3.1.1

ko 'yamatmeti vayamupasmahe
katarah satma yena va rupam pasyati
yena ca sabdam srinoti
yena va gandhanajighrati
yena va vacam vyakaroti
yena va svadu casvaduca vijanati

This verse spell out the primary objective of a sadak who is attempting to rediscover this identity with the eternal self by turning his attention within! And begins with a question “what is it that we worship as Self?” 

“Is it that we see?” or that which we hear with? Smell, speak, taste?

These questions are essential as they are primary steps of self enquiry that serve as stepping stones of change of consciousness. The journey begins from gross material consciousness dominated by the physical world and the vital world that are governed by instincts and emotions towards divine consciousness.

Only through sustained contemplation one begins to unravel the mystery of expanding consciousness.

3.1.2

yadetaddhrdayam manascaited sanjnanam vijnanam
prajnanam medha dristirdhritirmatirmanisa
jutih smritih samkalpah craturasuh kamo vasa iti
sarvanyevaitani prajnanasya namadheyani bhavanti

Is it the spiritual heart?( Here the physical organ is not mentioned because mind is mentioned next.),is it the knowledge, or pure conscious state called Pragjyana, or the intellect, or apprehension, abidance, perception through organs, process of thinking, mental suffering, memory, ascertainment, resolution, life activities, hankering, passion, and such others?

All these are its shades! But not that!

3.1.3

esha brahmaisha indra esha prajapatirete
sarve devemani ca panca mahabhutani prithivi vayurakasa
apo-joytim-shityetanimani ca ksudramisraniva bijani
itaranmi cetarani ca andajani ca jarujani
ca svedajanicodbhijjani ca asva gavah pusu
sa hastino yadkincedam prani jangamanca patatrica
yaccha sthavaram sarvam tat prajnanetram prajnane
pratisthitam prajnanetro lokah
prajna pratistha prajnanam brahma

This Supreme consciousness is known as Brahma, Indra, Prajapati, all lesser Gods, Fire, Elements, together with all small creatures, the seeds, and others and others, those born of eggs, born of wombs, born of moisture, born of earth, horses, cattle, humans, elephants, and whatever living creatures moving on feet, flying, the motionless. All these are one and existing in consciousness that is the same Brahman! (It is the Brahman that creates, sustains and finally dissolves).

Refer to Bagavat Gita Verse 4. Chapter 7.

bhumir apo ’nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me
bhinna prakritir astadha

Bagavat Gita Verse 5 Chapter 7.

apareyam itas tv anyam
prakritim viddhi me param
jiva-bhutam maha-baho
yayedam dharyate jaga

Bagavat Gita Verse 6 Chapter 7.

etad-yonini bhutani
sarvanity upadharaya
aham krtsnasya jagatah
prabhavah pralayas tatha

All the above verses clearly state that manifestaion takes place upon the unmanifested Brahman. The manifested part is created sustained and finally absorbed by Brahman itself. All are its own manifestation only.

Refer Mundakopanishad 1.7

Yathornan`abhi: srjate grhnate cha yatha prtivyamoshadhaya: sambhavanti |

Yatha sata: purushaat kesalom`ani tadha aksharat sambhavatiha visvam ||

As the spider spews out its saliva making thread and then absorbs it back, as plants grow upon earth, as hairs grow upon the body, the universe emerges from the imperishable!

This is the depiction of Para and Apara prakrti. The phenomenal universe manifests upon the unmanifest. Process of involution is highlighted by the example of spider’s web. The example of vegetation and the human hair are given to emphasise the perishable nature. The ever changing upon the unchanging!

3.1.4

sa etena prajnenatmana asman-lokadutcramya
amusmin svarge loke sarvan kamanaptva amrtah
samabhavat samabhavat aum

The sadhaka has apprehended Brahman by identifying himself with Supreme consciousness by ascending higher realms, having attained the resultant benefits in the heavens, had strived to go further not attaching much importance to these attainments, has no ego left. Understanding both the phenomenal universe as well as its unmanifested substratum the Brahman he has surpassed death and become immortal! Ohm!

A short life sketch of Sir John Woodroffee (1865 –1936)

 

He obtained his degree in law from the University College Oxford. He came to India and practiced law. He became advocate general of Bengal and later became Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court in 1915. He was appointed as the standing counsel of Government of India. He served as professor of Law at Calcutta University.

Soon after retirement he became a reader in Indian law at University of Oxford. Apart from his legal studies and profession he studied Hindu philosophy and attained scholarship in Sanskrit. His main contribution is his area of interest the Tantrik system of worship of sakthi the esoteric system. He translated nearly 20 original Sanskrit texts under a pseudonym Arthur Avalon.

His important work is “Serpent Power” on Sakthi worship and Sri Chakra. 

He has said:

"Ages before Lamarck and Darwin it was held in India that man has passed through 84 lakhs (8,400,000) of birth as plants, animals, as an "inferior species of man" and then as the ancestor of the developed type existing to-day. The theory was not, like modern doctrine of evolution, based wholly on observation and a scientific enquiry into fact but was a rather (as some other matters) an act of brilliant intuition in which observation may also have had some part." 

He said that “ In India there has been intellectual and spiritual freedom - the most valuable of all. The history of Europe on the contrary is marked by intolerance and abominable persecutions."