Volume 4

SIDDHANJANA-1

COLLECTED WORKS OF T. V. Kapali Sastry

COLLECTED WORKS OF T. V. Kapali Sastry

VOLUME FOUR

RIG VEDA BHASHYA:

SIDDHĀNJANA – I

DIPTI PUBLICATIONS
SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM
PONDICHERRY (INDIA)
PIN CODE - 605 002

1983

Price: Rs. 100/-

PRINTED IN INDIA
AT AMRA PRESS
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T. V. KAPALI SASTRY

FOREWORD

This Commentary on the Rig Veda of which the First Ashtaka is now published starts with the Bhumikā – a long introduction in which the line of esoteric interpretation as shown by Sri Aurobindo is expounded. A summarised version of the same in English was published some time ago. In this Foreword I should like to explain how I happened to undertake this sacred task. In the Translator’s Preface to my Tamil rendering of the Hymns to the Mystic Fire I made a statement the substance of which I give below.

In the nineties of the last century when, according to the family custom, I was being taught the chanting of the Veda - Sāma gāna with the Rik-texts, I had a vague idea, a strong belief characteristic of old style orthodoxy that Veda means Veda-Purusha, it is God as Veda, eternal, the sound-body of God. Beyond this I did not think and could not. When a few years later, I grew in knowledge of Sanskrit just enough to read and understand the simple and lucid commentary of Sayana, I was curious to know at least the meaning of those Riks which I had already got by heart. When I turned to the pages of Sayana-bhashya I did not find any difficulty in understanding the word-for-word meaning given therein, but in some places I vaguely thought there was something more than what was written there, but I was not able to go further, what little I could sense was that it was dark to me and the darkness was visible; in effect my eyes could not see. A few years after-wards it was the late Vasishtha Ganapati Muni - Kavyakanta Ganapati Sastri whom we adored and addressed as Nayana, be-loved father - who in a way first opened my eyes. It was he who since 1907 - 1908 took me as his own and guided me in many branches of Sanskrit study and laid in me the foundations for spiritual life which in later years grew to claim me in its entirety. It was in 1910 that he favoured me with instructions regarding the Deities of the Rig Veda and depth of thought in the Vedic hymns.

But from 1914, ever since the Arya began to appear I have closely followed Sri Aurobindo’s approach to the study of the Rig Veda and whole-heartedly, with sufficient reasons, accepted it. It is not that I rejected Vasishtha Muni’s method in order to accept Sri Aurobindo’s. There was no occasion or room for following the former. For while it is a fact that he took up stray hymns on occasions, explained them, taught us to appreciate the grandeur, beauty and wealth of ideas in the hymns, he did not write a commentary on even an anuvāka or a small portion of the Rig Veda. Nor did he work out a method of interpretation. There was indeed enough of original thinking and inspired talks he gave us in plenty. One remarkable fact is this: both Sri Aurobindo and Sri Vasishtha Muni came to extraordinary conclusions about the Vedic Gods and Vedic Secret independently without the one knowing the other. Their methods are not identical, their views are not the same, though both regard the Veda in supreme esteem as a Scripture of secret Wisdom. The latter closed his earthly career without committing to writing the results of his Vedic studies. Since I have made reference to these Vedic studies of Vasishtha Muni in some of my Sanskrit works including his biography and commentaries on his poems, since I am also closely associated with the Teachings of Sri Aurobindo and in particular am commentator on the Rig Veda along his lines, there is likely to be a misconception. To make the position clear is the relevancy for this personal note.

Nearly ten years ago some friends here asked me to give word-for-word meaning in simple Sanskrit for Rig Veda hymns so that they could be rendered easily in Hindi afterwards. I thought it could be done, but thought also that it would not be acceptable to scholars in the absence of necessary explanations, grammatical notes, justification for departure where necessary from old commentaries or modern opinion. So I placed the matter before Sri Aurobindo with my submission that I would undertake the task only if he would be pleased to go through what I write. This he graciously agreed to do and added that I could write the commentary keeping close to his line of interpretation and using the clues he has provided to unveil the symbolic imagery for arriving at the inner meaning that is the secret of the Veda.

With his blessings, then, I started the work. As it was proceeding, I placed it before him in convenient parts for perusal at his pleasure. This commentary has received his general approval and the benefit of his occasional suggestions and remarks that have enabled it to keep more and more close to the spirit of his interpretation. But I am fully responsible for all that is written in the commentary, including details, regarding the fixing of meanings for certain words which lend themselves to different interpretations. I have generally taken Sayana for my model, in regard to word-for-word meaning, grammar, accent, etc., though necessarily there is departure in regard to the drift of the hymns and in some places, the construction of sentences. I have not mentioned the viniyoga, the application and use of the Mantra in particular rites; for that would be necessary if the present work were to explain the symbolic character of the Vedic rites. But that is beyond the scope of this commentary.

I had thought of recording and comparing the opinions of other commentators as far as available and at one time thought of making references to the opinions of modern scholars, especially of the West, who have made no mean contribution to Vedic studies, with the help of Comparative Philology with all its shortcomings, particularly in regard to the fixing of the meaning of words. But after deliberation and consultation in proper quarters, I found it advisable to confine myself to what I had to say positively, in view of the purpose of the commentary which is to expound the inner sense and not to encumber the work with the views of other authorities, and increasing it in bulk involving enormous labour that might entail the risk of not completing the printing even of the First Ashtaka.

As the commentary was progressing, the thought occurred to me that in the absence of a background to proceed with the modern scholar and the old type Pandit, both alike would be at a loss to follow the meanings and explanations given in the commentary. Therefore the Bhumikā was written explaining the position and examining it in the light of scriptural texts ranging from the Vedas down to the Puranas.

Thus the first hundred pages of the book were separately taken out from the printed formes and sent out to Pandits and scholars for opinion. The response was generous, almost unanimous and encouraging. If there was a note of hesitancy anywhere in the opinions, it was this: can all the hymns or the majority be shown to bear out the esoteric sense? This is certainly a genuine doubt, revealing at the same time a certain openness to accept the esoteric interpretation if the hymns are systematically shown to contain the sense we plead for.

This commentary, it is hoped, answers to the demands of the discerning mind.

T. V. KAPALI SASTRY
Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry.

Dedicated Το Sri Aurobindo
In Adoration and Gratitude

EDITOR’S NOTE

This Volume and the next (4 & 5) cover the author’s Commentary on the Rig Veda (First Ashtaka), entitled Siddhānjana.

The present volume contains the Bhūmika, Introduction, followed by the text and the commentary (Suktas 1 - 19). The Rig Veda Samhita with the Commentary Siddhānjana, (Part I, -Suktas 1 - 32) was first published in 1950. This was subsequently reprinted, along with an English translation, in 1976.

Part II, Suktas 33 - 121 (text and commentary) was issued in 1951.

The Bhumika (Text, English translation and Notes) was separately published first in 1952.

CONTENTS

Pages

1. RIG-BHASHYA BHUMIKA (SANSKRIT Text)

2. BHUMIKA VISHAYANUKRAMANIKA

3. INTRODUCTION TO RIG-BHASHYA (ENGLISH TRANSLATION)

4. CONSPECTUS OF THE INTRODUCTION

5. NOTES

6. RIG-VEDA SAMHITA (SANSKRIT Text) SUKTAS 1-19

7. RiG-VEDA SAMHITA (ENGLISH TRANSLATION) SUKTAS 1-19

RIG VEDA SAMHITA

BHUMIKA

(INTRODUCTION TO SIDDHĀNJANA, COMMENTARY ON THE RIG VEDA)

PUBLISHER’S SPECIAL

NOTE THIS title Special Note is warranted by my doing the translator’s duty. Let me explain. Ever since the author’s Rig Veda Bhashya (First Ashtaka) was published, now two years ago, there has been a persistent demand for an English rendering of the work. Academic circles and others who are interested in this approach to the subject but are not sufficiently conversant with the Sanskrit language, have asked for at least the Bhumika – Introduction to the Commentary Siddhañjana – to be made available in English, since it comprises the main thesis of the Esoteric Interpretation of the Veda. However, due to preoccupations the author was not minded to consider the proposal. The nature of the Sanskrit work made it difficult for anyone else to undertake the task. The dexterity with which modern thought and ideas are woven into the texture of this ancient language, the harmonisation achieved between the present methods of research and the traditional mode of approach and what is more, the felicity of expression in the original prose and verse – these and other unique features of the work call for an equally singular proficiency in both the languages and mastery over the subject on the path of the translator. Only the author could do justice to the work.

In the meantime when he was conducting informal classes on the subject, before the publication of the Bhashya I used to note down the substance of the talks and it occurred to me that with the help of these notes I could myself break the ice. Besides, a dozen years of close study and life with him had sufficiently attuned my mind to his characteristic vibrations in more fields than one. Otherwise, I was of course, painfully conscious of the inadequacy of my equipment for the purpose; yet if I had the temerity to commence and persist in the undertaking, it was because I could see no other way for the work to appear in English; I was sure that however pitiful and bare the effort might turn out to be, Sastriji would not allow it to go waste. And so it happened. As he saw the translation when I had covered considerable portion, he, as usual with him, expressed satisfaction and encouraged me to proceed. When the draft was somehow completed, he applied himself to it and revised it thoroughly - some portions were revised by him as many as three times –, recast it in many places and after a labour far exceeding what he would have had to put in normally, he gave the present version. I am naturally gratified to find that my intrepid venture did not end in a blind alley; for, with all its restrictive handicaps the first draft provided the groundwork for the author’s edifice which the present translation assuredly is.

The translation keeps close to the original but without violence to the idiom of the language in which the rendering is made. Doubtless, it will enable the reader whose knowledge of Sanskrit is insufficient, to follow the text line by line; and it will be also of substantial help to those who have a working knowledge of Sanskrit, for deepening their knowledge of the language and broadening their acquaintance with the technique, Paribhasha, in works of this kind. The author has added Notes of explanation at the end of the book which would be helpful particularly to readers not familiar with the Indian background.

I should like to take this occasion to record our grateful appreciation of the warmth and generosity with which the elite of learning and culture, including Indian scholars specialised in Vedic studies as well as Pundits of the front rank renowned for Vedic learning, have welcomed and acclaimed the publication of the work. Their opinions (Sanskrit and English) have been collected and issued in a separate brochure. The striking unanimity of welcome has more than justified our faith in the intrinsic power of this core of the national heritage and in the living sense of responsibility on the part of the custodians thereof.

This is not to say that the Thesis of Esoteric Interpretation of the Rig Veda has been accepted in toto by the world of scholars and Pundits without exception all over the country and elsewhere. The author is under no delusion that such a thing is ever possible in these cases, especially when its acceptance involves the rejection of cherished notions that have dominated for centuries the indigenous Pundit on the one hand and on the other hand the modern scholar for over a century. All that is meant is when a front rank specialist, scholar or Pundit welcomes and accepts the proposition that the Rig Veda is a document of esoteric wisdom kept under the seal of symbolism of the Mystics, that is more than enough for the present to begin with; for it rings the death-knell of obscurantist obstruction to that extent among sections of Pundits, as well as a sort of superstitious pertinacity that is fashionable among certain circles of modern scholarship.

But the ungrudging tribute and response from the general reader as well as from the learned specialist to this work do not blind the author to the existence of some learned people who do not like to be disturbed in their walk along the trodden track. An instance may be cited here. A Pundit of recognised merit wrote to the author eulogising his critical acumen, versatility, distinct manner of his prose-writing etc., but he was aggrieved at the position accorded to the Brahmanas and laid bare his aversion for this work. Well, this is the position with Pundit at least in some quarters. No amount of authority, reasoning, internal evidence, no persuasive words of understanding leading to the path of light and free air can convince one who is determined not to move, to change, to be convinced.

Another matter of minor importance has to be mentioned here, necessarily because it pertains to the author’s way of raising objections and answering them in the thesis. An eminent linguist and scholar specialist in Vedic studies whose welcome and acclamation of this Vedic work has gone a long way to influence others of similar persuasion and in fact have made themselves felt by the learned in general, let slip a light remark, in the course of a long letter reviewing the first hundred pages of the Siddhanjana Bhashya, that the objections raised and answered by the author were largely imaginary. But this is not correct. Perhaps the author could have prevented room for such misapprehension if he had chosen to reveal the identity of the person whose book contains these objections’. The reason for not mentioning the name of the work is found at the end of this book (Vide Notes 18 & 19). Now it is necessary – and no harm will be done – that the source of the objections is mentioned in order to show that they are not fancied by the author.

In fact the author came across the following passage in the early twenties when the Indian Philosophy by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan first appeared and he made a note of it. A few years ago, when the Rig Veda Bhashya began to be written, the relevant passage was utilised. It is found, unchanged, in the latest (Indian) Edition of the book :

“Mr. Aurobindo Ghosh, the great Indian scholar-mystic, is of opinion that the Vedas are replete with suggestions of secret doctrines and mystic philosophies. He looks upon the gods of the hymns as symbols of the psychological functions. Surya signifies intelligence, Agni will, and Soma feeling. The Veda to him is a mystery religion corresponding to the Orphic and Eleusinian creeds of ancient Greece. “The hypothesis I propose is that the Rig Veda is.... principles’ (Arya Vol. I. p. 60). When we find that this view is opposed not only to the modern views of European scholars but also to the traditional interpretations of Sayana and the systems of Purva-Mimamsa, the authority on Vedic interpretation, we must hesitate to follow the lead of Mr. Aurobindo Ghosh, however ingenious his point of view may be. It is not likely that the whole progress of Indian thought has been a steady falling away from the highest spiritual paths of the Vedic hymns. It is more in accordance with what is known of the general nature of human development, and easier to concede that later religions and philosophies arose out of the crude suggestions and elementary moral ideas and spiritual aspirations of the early mind, than that they were a degradation of an original perfection” (Indian Philosophy by S. Radhakrishnan, Vol. I, pp. 69-70).

The publication of this small Volume of translation it is hoped, would stimulate interest in Vedic studies on the lines of the Esoteric Interpretation. Also, certainly it would enlighten, justify and strengthen the ancient faith in the Veda as the undying scripture of Mystic Wisdom and Divine Knowledge.
23-10-1952 M. P. PANDIT

प्रथमः खण्डः

जयति श्रीजुषामेको भुवनानामधीश्वरः ।
पुरुषाणामशेषाणामात्मा यस्तमसः परः ।।
जयत्युत्तमशब्दार्थः शब्दमूर्तिधरः पुमान् ।
निःश्वासेन सृजन्विश्वं प्राणवान् तपसा प्रभुः ।।
तदृचां जयति व्योम स्थानं परममक्षरम् ।
यतो विसृष्टं भुवनं सार्थकं परमेष्ठिना ।।
६

वरेण्यं वरणीयानां वेदगुप्तार्थवेदिनाम् ।
भावं भावं महाभागमरविन्दपदं महः ।।
तत्सम्मतमसम्बाधमबोधैः कर्मबन्धनैः।
कुर्मो गूढार्थबोधाय वेदमर्मविभेदनम् ।।
१०

वेदानां ऋग्यजुःसाम्नां साङ्गानां विवृतिः क्वचित् ।
कृता पूर्वैः पुराणानां गाथाभिरुपबृहिता ।।
१२

धर्मानाहुर्वेदमूलान् सामयाचारिकानपि ।
तदेव मतमेकेषां प्राचामाचारशासिनाम् ।।
दिव्यज्ञानतपोनिष्ठा-निधीन् वेदान् विदुर्बुधाः ।
एके क्रियाकलापानामालवालं प्रचक्षते ।।
तदत्र समयाचार्याः सर्वे भारतभूजुषः ।
काण्डद्वयात्मकं वेदं धर्ममूलं च मेनिरे ।।
आधारः कर्मणां काण्डं पूर्वं ज्ञानस्य तूत्तरम् ।
कीर्त्यते पूर्वतन्त्रस्य ब्राह्मणान्युपजीवनम् ।
तथोपनिषदो मूलं परज्ञानस्य चक्षते ।।
२१

ऋचो यजूंषि वा मन्त्राः प्रयोगसमवायिनः ।
क्रियासु विनियोगार्था यागार्था इति निर्णयः ।
तस्मादङ्गत्वमापन्ना मन्त्राः कर्मसु निश्चिताः ।।
२४

प्रसादनाय देवानामन्तरङ्गस्य शुद्धये ।
इष्टप्राप्तेरनिष्टस्य निवृत्तेरपि सिद्धये ।।
जपादिषु प्रयुज्यन्ते पावना इति यद्यपि।
तथाऽपि कर्म परमं मन्त्रास्तस्योपसर्जनम् ।।
मन्त्रब्राह्मणयोस्तस्माद् वेदांख्या धर्मशास्त्रतः ।
सूत्रकारैः समाख्याता कर्मधर्मपरैः पुरा ।।
३०

एतादृशं पुरस्कृत्य समयं साम्प्रदायिकम् ।
व्याख्यानं वेदमन्त्राणामकार्षुर्भागशः क्वचित् ।।
याजुषाणां तु मन्त्राणामुव्वटश्च महीधरः ।
ऋचामन्य तथा स्कन्दस्वामी वेङ्कटमाधवः ।।
सब्राह्मणानां सम्पूर्णाः संहितानां सविस्तरम् ।
व्याख्याश्चतसृणां चक्रे सुधीः सायणमाधवः ।।
यस्यैव भाष्यं सर्वत्र प्राप्तप्रसरणं परम् ।
बुधैराद्रियते प्राच्यैरपि पाश्चात्यपण्डितैः ।।
३८

नव्याः पश्चिमभूखण्डे वेदबाह्या अपि स्वयम् ।
नवाभ्युदयसम्पन्नाः सर्वतो ज्ञानमीप्सवः ।।
कौतुकाद् भारतीयानां विमृशन्तः पुराकथाः ।
प्राच्यपाण्डित्यसाहाय्याद् वेदान् केचन लेभिरे।
यथाप्रतीच्यसंस्कारं चक्रुर्वेदार्थनिर्णयम् ।।
४३

सायणोऽभवदेतेषां सुमहानुपकारकः ।
समादृत्याशयान् तस्य स्वेषां यावदपेक्षितम् ।।
एते वेदोक्तदेवानां मन्त्राणामपि सर्वशः ।
निरणषुः स्वरूपाणि तथा मन्त्रदृशां मतम् ।।
४७

प्राप्तं परिश्रमादेषां वैदुष्यस्याविशेषतः ।
समासेनोच्यते ज्ञेयमेतन्नव्यविचारिणाम् ।।
एक एव परो वेदः स ऋग्वेदः पुरातनः ।
ऋषयो मन्त्रकाव्यस्य कर्तारः कवयः स्मृताः ।।
सूक्तात्मकानि काव्यानि न्यबध्नन् यज्ञकर्मणे ।
मरुत्पर्जन्यभूताग्नि-भानवोऽन्याश्च देवताः ।।
ऋषिभिः प्राकृतैर्भीत्या प्रायः प्रीत्या च सन्नुताः ।
निसर्गसिद्धा अन्येऽपि भूतात्मानो जडा अपि।
देवाः प्रकल्पिताश्चान्ये स्तूयन्ते चेतना इव ।
रागिभिर्दृषिभिः पूर्वैः प्राकृतैरेव मानवैः ।
देवा अभिष्टुताः सूक्तै नाभीष्टार्थसिद्धये ।।
५८

यज्ञकर्मकलापेषु चीयमानेषु कालतः ।
यजुषामपि मन्त्राणां ब्राह्मणानां च कल्पना ।।
अयमूह्यश्च भूतार्थः ऋग्भ्योऽर्वाक्कालभाषया ।।
६१

अतीन्द्रियार्थविज्ञानं आत्मज्ञानमथापि वा।
यदि सूक्तेषु दृश्यत तदकिञ्चित्करं भवेत् ।।
दशमे मण्डले ज्ञान-प्रशंसा दृश्यते स्फुटम् ।
भवत्यन्यत्र वेदे चेत् तदर्वाचीनसम्भवम् ।।
इदं तु सर्वथां ज्ञेयं ऋषयः प्राकृता जनाः ।
ज्ञानस्यारण्यकग्रन्थाः शरणं न तु संहिताः ।
तस्मान्मन्त्रेषु न ज्ञानं न रहस्यं न वा तपः ।।
जडानां भूततन्मात्र-देवानां वा नभस्सदाम् ।
सृष्टानां ऋषिभिः सोम-मदवैभवतोऽपि वा ।।
अदृश्यानां च दृश्यानां असतां वा सतामिव ।
स्तुतयः परिदृश्यन्ते प्रणीतास्तु पृथग्जनैः ।।
७२

एतादृशैरभिप्रायैः पाश्चात्येभ्यः समाहृतः ।
आक्रान्ता बहवोऽस्मासु बुद्धिमन्तोऽपि भारते।
अनुयान्ति नवं मार्ग नव्यविद्यावशंगताः ।

¹

अविमर्शनपाण्डित्यैः प्राचीनैरपि नादृताः ।।
७६

एवं स्थितेऽत्र भगवानरविन्दो विदां वरः ।
अप्रतीक्षितमध्वानमपश्यत् तपसि स्थितः ।।
प्रकाशमभवत्तस्य रहस्यं वेदगूहितम् ।
मन्त्रार्थमार्गणायास्य न कदाऽप्यभवन्मतिः ।।
तथाऽपि योगनिष्ठायां तिष्ठतोऽन्तरचक्षुषः ।
प्रत्यक्षतां गताः ख्याता वेदे काश्चन देवताः ।।
तदाप्रभृति वेदार्थ-विचारेऽभिरुचिः स्थिता।
वेदे रहस्यं विज्ञाय किञ्चिद्वा ज्ञापयन्मुनिः ।।
ऋचां ऋषीणां देवानां तत्त्वानि गहनान्यपि।
यथादृष्ठं समाचख्यौ जिज्ञासूनां प्रबुद्धये ॥
दर्शनान्मतिमुत्पन्नां निर्विकल्पां महामनाः ।
प्रत्यायनार्थमन्येषां युक्तिभिः प्रत्यपादयत् ।।
तद्दर्शनमुपाश्रित्य तदुक्तीः परिभाव्य च ।
ऐतिह्यमपि चावेक्ष्य सम्प्रदायान् पुरातनान् ।।
अपि प्राचीनतन्त्राणां सुदूरपरिशीलनः ।
रहस्यं वेदभाषायां भिद्यतेऽत्र चिरन्तनम् ।।
९२

ब्राह्मणेष्वपि मन्त्रेषु तथा चोपनिषत्स्वपि ।
नैरुक्तेष्वपि वाक्येषु प्राक्तनेष्वितरेष्वपि ।।
पुराणेष्वितिहासेषु तथा शास्त्रान्तरेष्वपि ।
वेदे रहस्यमस्तीति भावः सर्वत्र दृश्यते ।।
९६

ऋक्संहितायां तत्रादौ गोप्यं द्रष्टव्यमुल्बणम् ।
तत्तु भाषाविशेषेण सङ्केतात्मतया स्थितम् ।।
सङ्केतार्थे तु विज्ञाते गच्छेद् गोप्यं प्रकाशताम् ।
ऋषिदृष्टिषु मन्त्रेषु तस्योद्घाटनसाधनम् ।
अस्ति चेच्चक्षुरस्माकं लभ्यते निर्विकल्पतः ।।
निरूपिते तद्रहस्य मन्त्रान् मन्त्रदृशः प्रति ।
पलायिता स्याद् दुर्भ्रान्तिरधिकृत्यापि देवताः ।।
यच्चिरन्तनमार्षं च तदस्मन्मतमिष्यते।
मन्त्रो मूलं ततः शाखा ब्राह्मणोपनिषत्ततिः ।।
१०५

मधुच्छन्दःप्रभृतयः सूरयो मन्त्रर्शिनः ।
येषां चक्षुष्मतां प्राचां देवाः प्रत्यक्षतां गताः ।।
१०७

न पाण्डित्यप्रकर्षेण चमत्कारेण वा गिराम् ।
काव्यशोभरता एते सूक्तकाव्यानि निर्ममुः ।।
अन्तरद्भुतशक्तीनां समुल्लासादनर्गलम् ।
सम्प्रसादाच्च देवानां श्रवणादीक्षणादपि ।
मन्त्राह्वयं स्वयं ब्रह्म साक्षाच्चक्रुर्महर्षयः ।।
श्रुत्या च दृष्टिसम्पत्त्या दिव्यया वाऽथ सूक्ष्मया।
सिद्धया देवताभक्त्या मन्त्रान् प्रापुस्तपोधनाः ।।
तस्मादेतानि सूक्तानि गीयन्ते मन्त्रदृष्टयः ।
अन्तर्दर्शनसम्पन्ना ऋषयः कवयः श्रुताः ।।
देवास्तु बहवः स्तुत्याः पृथङनामानि बिभ्रतः ।
एक एव परो देवः सूर्यात्मा परमः पुमान् ।।
यस्यैव बहुधावृत्तिर्नानादेवात्मतास्थितिः ।
सत्यं बहूनि नामानि परस्यैकस्य देवताः ।
शक्तयो मूर्तयोऽप्यता नामान्येव न केवलम् ।।
तस्मादेकः परो नाना-मूर्तिनामस्वरूपभृत् ।।
पृथक्त्वेऽप्यपृथग्भूतं देवताभ्यः परं महः ।
मुखतो देवताभेदः पृष्ठतः सर्वदेवताः ।।
एकैकोऽपि ततो देवो व्यापारस्य विशेषतः ।
पृथङमूर्तः पृथङनामा सर्वदेवमयः परः ।।
भवत्यङ्गिन एकस्य बहून्यङ्गानि वा यथा ।
भिन्नप्रवृत्तयो देवाः परस्य ज्योतिषस्तथा ।।
सन्नुता ऋषिभिस्तस्मात् पृथक्छन्दसि देवताः ।
न केवलं नामभिदा व्यक्तिवृत्तिभिदा अपि ।
विज्ञेयाः परमस्यैता एकस्यैवेह देवताः ।।
१३१

आभ्यन्तरे वा बाह्य वा विश्वस्मिन् बहुभूमिके।
नियुक्ता अधिकारेषु बहवो लोकपालकाः ।।
अधीनं देवतास्वेव जगदन्तर्वहिस्तथा ।
इदं रहस्यं विदितं पूर्वेषां मन्त्रदर्शिनाम् ।।
१३५

तस्मात्प्राणेन मानसा गात्रेणापि महर्षयः ।
सर्वात्मना च यजनं देवेभ्यो निरवर्तयन् ।।
अन्तर्यागसमर्थानां विरलानां महात्मनाम् ।
गोप्यान्यप्रभवो वेत्तुं पामारास्तु सहस्रशः ।।
देवान् बाह्येन यागेनाराधयन् मन्त्रपूर्वकम् ।
मन्त्रस्तु भाषाविच्छित्या द्विधाऽप्यभवदर्पकम् ।।
ऋषिदृष्टस्य मन्त्रस्य देवस्याराधितस्य च ।
यज्ञस्य यजमानस्य होनादेश्च फलस्य च।
स्वरूपं पुरतः स्पष्टं विचारेऽत्र भविष्यति । ।।
१४४

सोऽयमस्माकं पक्षः सङग्रह-श्लोकरादौ सङक्षेपेणोपन्यस्तः । तमिमं यावदपेक्षं विस्तरशस्तत्र तत्र पुरस्तादुपपादयिष्यामः। सेयं वेदगुप्तार्थगामिनी श्रीमदरविन्दपादैः प्रदर्शिता। सैवेयमस्यां प्रवर्तमानायां ऋग्भाष्य-भूमिकाया-मवलम्ब्यते, येन निष्कण्टका स्यादनुसतव्या सरणिर्मन्त्रार्थमीमांसकानाम् । तदिह प्रथमं तावद्विपक्षोद्धारः कार्यः। को नामायं विपक्षः कुतः प्ररोहो वा, यस्योद्धारः प्रतिज्ञायते ? तमेव साम्प्रतं विमृशाम नाम ।।

पाश्चात्य-पण्डितैर्यथावसरं प्राच्यपाण्डित्य-साहाय्यमुपादाय-साहाय्यमुपादाय वेदानधिकृत्य केचन प्रत्ययाः किल विक्षिप्ताः। प्राधान्येन तानेवोपाश्रित्य भारताभिजनानां बहवो नव्यविद्या-प्रपञ्चसञ्चारिणः प्रज्ञावादान् प्रभाषन्ते तथा चाहुः--पश्चिम-भूखण्डे यावज्जीवं वेदविद्या-विचारिणः प्रमुखाः पण्डिता एवं किल निरणैषु-र्वेदानुद्दिश्य-ऋग्वेदसूक्तेभ्यः प्राकृतानामार्याणां शैशव-दशा विस्पष्टा भवति । तेषां प्रार्थनानि सूक्तात्मकानि बालानामिव विनोदनिर्भर-निर्व्याज-वचनानि दरीदृश्यन्ते। यद्यप्यपरिष्कृता बालिशावस्था च तेषां समयधर्म-व्यवस्था, तथाऽपि प्राकृतदश एकेश्वर-वाद एवैषां मतमिति वक्तव्यम् । अस्मद्भारतीयेषु पुनरुज्जीवन-समयाचार्याः राममोहनो दयानन्दस्वामिनोऽपि केश्वरवादमेव वैदिकं समय-मभिप्रयन्ति स्म। एवमेषां मतं पाश्चात्यवैदिकसिद्धान्तेन सङ्गच्छते। यद्यपि, पाश्चात्यानामभिप्रायेषु विप्रतिपत्तयो लक्ष्यन्ते, तथाऽपि तत्र सुलभं संवादं अत एव विरोधपरिहारं पश्यामः । तथा चैक आहुः-- ’ऋग्वेद-कविभिः प्राकृतैर्यज्ञार्थं सूक्तानि प्रणीतानि इति, कर्मविधि-पारम्य बद्ध-श्रद्धा एते यथाजाता इति’, अन्ये पुनः वेदे वर्ण्यमानाः देवता-कथाः रूपकदृष्टान्तादिभिः गौण्या वृत्त्या वा जगन्निसर्ग-व्यापारान् वर्णयन्तीत्याहुः। सुप्रसिद्धः सायणो वेदभाष्यकारस्तत्र व्याख्याने वृत्रवधादि-वर्णनं प्रकृतिकार्य-विलसितं सूर्योदय-वर्षकर्मादिकं प्रदर्शयति । इदं च सङ्गच्छते पाश्चात्य-पण्डितानामभिमतेनाभिप्रायेण। अक्किालिक-ब्राह्मण-ग्रन्थानुरोधेन ऋगर्थान् विवृणोति सायणः। एवं विविधोक्तीनामवकाशो लभ्यते वेदे। एवमापाततो दृश्यमानानां विप्रतिपत्तीनां मूलम् न केवलं ग्रहीतृजन-बुद्धिस्थं, परं तु विविधाशयाधिकरणं वेदग्रन्थ एवेति ग्राह्यम् । उच्चावचाभिप्राय-गभितस्तथाविधः सूक्तानां सन्दर्भ ऋक्संहितायां लक्ष्यते ।।

एवं प्राज्ञ-कोटिमारूढानां नव्यानां वैदिकेतिहास-मार्गणपराणां मतमाश्रित्य स्थितानां भारतीयाभिजनानामग्रसरः कोऽपि विख्यात-वैदुष्य आह-’वेदरहस्य-वादी विबुधः श्रीमान् अरविन्दः यदाह वेदे रहस्यमस्तीति तन्नादरणीयम् । अत्यन्तप्राचीन-यवनेष्वपि रहस्यवेदिन आसन्, तथा वेदर्षयोऽपीत्याह, तदसत् । कुतः ? नव्यविद्या-विमर्शविरुद्धं हि तत् । वैदिकेतिहास-मन्त्रार्थ-देवतास्वरूपादि-विचारे यावज्जीवं कृत-परिश्रमाणां पाश्चात्य-पण्डितानां तन्नाभिमतं स्यात् । कथं नु खलु तत्तादृशमहाशयोल्लङघनजङघालो भवितुमर्हत्यरविन्दीयो वेदरहस्य-वादः ? यथाकथञ्चिदङ्गीकृते वेदगूढार्थ-सिद्धान्ते, न केवलं पूर्वोक्तानां वाणी तिरस्कृता स्यात्, अस्मत्प्रमाणभूत-सायणसम्प्रदाय-व्याख्याविरोधोऽप्यापद्यत। किञ्च, वेदार्थ-विचारे प्रमाण-भूतस्य मीमांसक-सिद्धान्तस्यापि रहस्यार्थ-वाद: परिपन्थी भवति । तस्मादेष नूतनो वादः श्रीमतोऽरविन्दस्य दुरापास्तः स्यात्, आपात-रमणीयश्चतुरो लक्ष्यमाणोऽपि न परीक्षणक्षम-कोटिं प्रवेष्टुमीष्टे। अथ यदि कोऽपि चिरन्तन-आर्षाभिमान-प्रेरणया ऋग्वेदर्षयो महान्तो गुप्तविद्या-सम्पन्ना इति प्रतीयात्, सोऽनृतमेव सेवितवान् भवेत्, अभूतार्थे अतथ्य-कल्पने रमतां नाम। यदि पुन-दर्षयस्तादृशीमध्यात्ममहोन्नति देवताप्रसाद-सम्पत्ति वा अलप्स्यन्त, कथं तर्हि तल्लक्षणानि कान्यपि उत्तरत्र ग्रन्थेषु सम्प्रदायेषु वा नोपालप्स्यन्त ? अपि च भूखण्डवासिनामितरेषां प्राकृत-वर्गाणाम् इतिहास-संशोधनादिदं किलावगम्यते, यत् क्रमशः सर्वेषाम् अभिवृद्धिः, न पुनः पुरातनानामादिम-दशायामेव महोन्नतिः समपद्यत, ततः परं क्रमेणाधोगमनमिति। तस्मात्परं सत्यं अध्यात्म-रहस्यं सर्वं वैदिक-प्राकृतदशामतिक्रम्य परिणत-धियामौपनिषदर्षीणां वाक्येष्वेव द्रष्टव्यम् । ऋग्वेदसंहितायां तु क्वचित्तद्वीजं लक्षितमपि तदल्पं अकिञ्चित्करं अर्वाचीनं अस्थानसन्दृब्धं वेति बोध्यम् । एवं सर्वथा अनुपपन्नो वेदरहस्यार्थ-सिद्धान्तो निरसनीयः’।

एष सारांशो विपक्षस्य। एवं कथयतां अधुनातनपाश्चात्य विद्यासंस्कार-पारम्यवादिनानां उद्घोष उपेक्षां न क्षमते। यदि एतादृशं वचनं अबुद्धादश्रुताद्वा निर्गतं स्यात्, किमपि वदति वैधेय इत्यलक्षयित्वा न्यक्कारार्हमिदं नास्मद्-दृष्टिपथमारोढुमर्हतीति मन्येमहि। अत्र तु प्रकृतः पुरुषो बहुश्रुतः, पाश्चात्याभिज्ञ-संघेषु विश्रुतमस्य कूलङ्कर्ष पाण्डित्यं, सर्वजनीना अस्य विविधजनमनःसमावर्जन-धुरन्धरा सरस्वती। यद्यपि पूर्वोक्तभङ्गी आलम्ब्य भाषमाणोऽयं न स्वयं वेदविद्याविमर्शी, नापि वेदार्थविज्ञंमन्यः, तथाऽपि नांस्य वांचोयुक्तेरवीर्यता फलह्रासापत्तिर्वा। यतो न हि सर्वः सर्व जानातीति न्यायन सत्य-जिज्ञासया भूतार्थान्वेषणश्रद्धया पाश्चात्याननुगच्छन् तत्र वेदविचार-भूमिषु प्रामाणिकवाणी-माश्रयते, वेदार्थविचार-चतुरधियां वैशिष्ट्य-विख्यातिमुद्वहतां पश्चिम -भूखण्ड-पण्डितानां मतं स्वयं स्वीकृत्य अन्यांश्च तथा ग्राहयतीति नात्र दोषं पश्यामः । दोषस्त्वन्यविधो भवति, यस्यैव परीक्षामुपक्रमामहे। अवश्या फलवती च भवेदिह दोष-निरीक्षा। यतोऽसौ प्राज्ञो यन्मन्यते वेदानधिकृत्य, तत् प्रायशः सर्वेषां नव्यमार्ग अवलम्ब्य वेदाविचार-प्रसक्तानां भारतीयानामधुनातनं मतम् । तदिह प्रधानमल्ल-निबर्हण-न्यायोऽवलम्ब्यते, अस्यवोक्ति प्रतिनिधीकृत्य पाण्डित्यपल्लव-ग्राहितां उत्सार्थ निर्मत्सर-दृष्टीनां वेदरहस्य-जिज्ञासाय प्रकल्पतां नाम सैषा तद्दोषपरीक्षा॥

तत्र वेदगूढार्थ-वादे सारतस्त्रयः किल दोषा उद्भाविताः। तत्र आद्यःपाश्चात्ये तिहासविदां निर्णयः अस्मदीय-वेदगुप्तार्थ-सिद्धान्तस्य प्रत्यर्थी इति । द्वितीयः सायणीयसम्प्रदाय-वेदव्याख्या-प्रत्यवस्थानम् । तृतीयः मीमांसकसिद्धान्तस्य प्रतिद्वन्द्वी भवत्यस्मत्पक्ष इति । तदत्र क्रमश इमान् निर्धूलितान् विधाय एकैकशः सारांशग्राहं निस्सारयिष्यामः ।।

तत्र प्रथमं तावद्यदुक्तं, सर्वत्र भूमण्डले बहूनां मानुष-वर्गाणां इतिहास-संशोधनेन, यदवगम्यते, तस्य विरुद्धमिदं कथनं यदृग्वेदर्षिकालात्प्रभृति क्रमशः अधःपतनमेव भारतीय-मानववर्गस्य, मानवानां व्यष्टेरिव समष्टेरपि क्रमाभि-वृद्धेरिति, अनेदं वक्तव्यम् । अस्मदुक्ति अन्यथा सम्भाव्य प्राज्ञेनेयं चतुरोक्ति-रुपस्थाप्यते। न वयं वेदर्षयः सर्वेऽपि तत्समकालिकाः सामान्या जनाश्च सर्वतोमुखी समृद्धिमध्यात्ममधिलोकं च सम्पादयाञ्चक्रुरित्यवोचाम। अस्मदुक्तिरन्या, प्रति-पक्षिणाऽन्यथाग्रहणादारोपितोक्तिरन्या। मन्त्र-द्रष्टार ऋषयोऽध्यात्म-निष्ठा अतीन्द्रिय-गोचरान् मार्गान् तपोबलेनाधिगम्य बहुधाऽऽभ्यन्तराभिवृद्धि प्रापुः, बहु-रहस्यविदस्ते गोप्यानि गूढ-भाषया मन्त्र-दृष्टिषु निचिक्षिपुरिति ब्रूमहे। अनेन सर्वे जनाः पूर्वं महोन्नति प्राप्ता इति न मन्यामहे, न हि तथोक्तम् । न वा वेदर्षयः सर्वविधं ज्ञानं समग्रं अधिजग्मुरित्यभिहितमस्माभिः ।।

इदं त्ववधेयम् । तदादिमं ऋग्वेद-युगं योगविदां अध्यण्डमधिपिण्डं च देवताव्यापारस्वरूप-बोधवतां गोप्याध्व-दशिनां महर्षीणां युगम् । न तावतोक्तेन सर्वेऽपि जनास्तदानीन्तनाः आभ्यन्तर-गोप्य-मार्गविदो नैष्ठिकाः सर्वथा दिव्यसत्त्व-सम्पन्ना इति वक्तुं युक्तम्। नैवं ऋषिदृष्टानां रहस्यानां देवतासाक्षात्कार-पद्यानां अन्येषां वा तपोनिष्ठा-लभ्यानां सत्यानां अभिज्ञोऽभूत् सर्वोपि तत्सम-कालिको लोक इत्युक्तं स्यात्। साम्प्रतं अस्मत्कालिकं एक निदर्शनं उदाहरामः । विश्वजनीनमेतद् यदद्यतने युगे भौतिकप्रकृति-विज्ञानस्यैव साम्राज्यमिति। बहु-रहस्यान्तर्वत्नी चेयं प्रकृतिरनुदिनमनुमुहूर्तमचिन्त्यान्यद्भुतानि आविर्भावयतीति प्रत्यक्षं पश्यामः । तादृशे बुद्धि-प्रधानेऽस्मिन् काले कति वा बुद्धिमद्वर्याः ? न खल बहवः, विरला एवेति वक्तव्यम् । विरलानामपि तेषां बुद्धिमतां कति वा सन्ति प्रकृतिविज्ञानधाटीं अनुगम्य तद्गोप्यानि साक्षादधिगन्तुं अधिकारिणः ? तादृशाधि-कारिणां मध्ये कति वा पुनः प्रभवन्ति प्रवेष्टुं भौतिकप्रकृतिगूढव्यापारविधि-प्रपञ्चम्, यस्मात् अणुगर्भसुप्ताः पृथुलब्रह्माण्डशक्तिविसराः प्रबोध्य विप्रमोक्ष्यन्ते ? विरला अत्यन्तविरला अङगुलि-पारिगणनीया एवेति वक्तव्यम् ।।

यस्मिन् कस्मिंश्चिद्युगे किमप्यस्तु प्रबलाधिकार-स्वरूपम्, भवतु तत् अध्यात्म-विद्याद्यधिभूतविज्ञानान्तं धी-विलसितं, साम्राज्यशासन-विक्रमसचिवं बाहुबलं वा, द्रव्योत्पादन-विभजन-विनिमयाद्यर्थनयानुशिष्टं वाणिज्य-वैभवं वा, समुदायजीवन-व्यवस्थापन-क्रियादाक्ष्यं वा, सर्वदा तत् परिमितसङख्याकैर्मनुष्यभरैव स्वयं आविर्भूय सर्वं समुदायमनुशास्तीति नेदमास्पदं विचिकित्सायाः। तस्मात्, ज्ञानबलैश्वर्य-क्रियादाक्ष्यादीनामन्यतमेनैकेन वा नैकेन वा जनसामान्यसमुदाये विनीयमाने, नेतारः सत्त्ववृद्धाः अत्यल्पगणना एवेत्यवधार्यम् ।।

एवमेव वेदर्षीणां अध्यात्मविद्या-रहस्यज्ञानादिकं नाभूत् सर्वजनसाधारणं अपि तु जन-सामान्यस्य बहिर्यागाद्यनुष्ठान-द्वारा देवताराधनसामग्री सम्पादिता। तस्मात् सर्वेऽपि जना वेद-कालिका अध्यात्ममहोन्नति गुप्त-विद्याध्वनश्च अधि-जग्मुरिति नैतत्तथ्यं अस्मदुक्तिष्वारोपितं भवति। अपरं च वेदकालिक-विज्ञान-महोन्नतेरधः पतनपद्यायां प्रादुर्भूतानि दार्शनिकशास्त्राणीति न कदाऽप्यवोचाम । वेदविज्ञानाधिगम-पद्धतिरन्या, दार्शनिक-शास्त्र-विचारसरणिरन्या। आद्या साक्षा-दर्शनश्रवण-जन्या, बाह्य-साधन-रशिक्षिता सहजबोध-विशेषा, अपरा तु बुद्धि-बलात् प्रत्यक्षानुमानादि-प्रयुक्ताभिस्तर्क-युक्तिभिः साधितैः विचारैलब्धा निश्चय-विशेषात्मिका सिद्धान्तभावना। उभयोरपि मार्गयोः युगयोरिव बृहदन्तरं वर्तते । न हि अध्यात्मानुभूतिः कामपि तत्त्वकल्पना-विचार-जन्यां बुद्धिमाश्रित्य सम्भवति, नापि सा शरीरयात्रासाधनोपचय-वैभवद्रव्यसमृद्धयादिकं अपेक्षते। न वा गुप्त-विद्या-वैचक्षण्यं बाह्य-बुद्धयुत्कर्षायत्तं भवति। यां वयं इतिहासविन्मतानुरोधेन प्राकृतदशां मन्यामहे तस्यामेव बहवः पुरातनाः अधुनातनानां आश्चर्यजनकानि गहनानि प्रकृतेस्तत्वान्यवजग्मुरिति ज्ञायते। न ह्यन्तश्चक्षुरधुनातनत्वायत्तम् ।।

ननु अध्यात्म-समृद्धिर्वेदर्षीणां वस्तुतश्चेदासीत् तत्कथं न तल्लक्षणं तदुत्तर-युगेषु लक्षणीयतया. विसृष्टमिति चेद् ब्रूमः। वेदर्षिप्रभाव-लक्षणानि उत्तरत्र दृश्यन्ते न वेति, दृष्टानि चेत् केन प्रकारेणेति च, प्रचलत्यस्मिन् विचारे पुरस्तात् प्राधान्येन प्रसक्तो भविष्यति। अत्र त्विदं वक्तव्यम् । वेदयुगभाषा-बुद्धिविलासः बहुतरां विपरिणति प्राप्त इति प्रत्यक्षमिदं उत्तरकालिक-ग्रन्थावलोकनेन। यद्यपि महदन्तरं वेद-युगस्य ब्राह्मणारण्यक-कालस्य चाभवत् तथाऽपि वैदिकं ऐतिह्यं देवतादि-रहस्यं वा ब्राह्यणेष्वारण्यकेषु च किञ्चिद्वा रक्षितं रिरक्षिषितं इत्यद्भुत-मेवेदं पश्यामः । आस्तां तावदेतत्, ननु कथं पुनः तादृशं पावनं पुरातनं वैदिकं युगं अकृतार्थमेव नष्टमिति चेन्नैतच्चोद्यम् । प्राचीन-यवनेषु रहस्यवेदिनां युगमिव, वेदर्षीणां युगमप्यस्तमितम् । यः कोऽपि भवतु अदर्शन-प्रकारः, सर्वथा कालस्य पर्यय एवेति वक्तव्यम् । प्राचीन-यवनादिषु रहस्यवेत्तृ-युगं आसीदिति प्रतियन्ति ऐतिहासिकाः। तदत्ययादधुना नैवासीत्तादृशं युगमिति न कोऽप्याह । एवं वैदिक-युगात्यय नासीदाएं रहस्य-युगमिति शक्यं वदितुम् । अथवा सम्भावयामस्तावदिदं, यत् साम्प्रतिकी भुवनोत्तरप्रकृतिविज्ञानविद्या-विजृम्भिता मानव-जातीया सभ्यता संस्कृतिर्वा केनाप्युत्पातेन प्रायः प्रध्वंसमापादिता भवेत्, भूमण्डल-विध्वंसावहेन घोरास्त्रविसर्जनधुरीणेन अणुगर्भ-भेदनेन वेति । कथमस्मदुत्तरकालिकै वासीत् प्रकृतिविज्ञान-साम्राज्यधुरन्धरं युगमिति वक्तुं शक्यम् ?

रन्ध्र-बहुलोऽयं पाश्चात्यैतिहासिकानां वादः, यत्पुरातनेषु युगेषु सर्वत्र मानुषाणामतिबालिशा बुद्धिरिति। स्याद्वा, प्राकृत-भूतसर्गादौ अत्यन्तमपरिपक्वा यथाजातावस्था मानुषवर्गस्य । न तु सा प्राचीनयवनादिषु वेदर्षिषु वा अर्पणीया भवति। तावान् दृश्यते तेषु परिपाकः, यावता महर्षीणां मन्त्र-दृष्टिषु धी-प्रसादः अन्तर्द ष्टिश्रवणादिगोप्यसम्पत्ति-सचिवः प्रकाशो भवति चक्षुष्मताम् ।।

इदं चेह स्मारयामः यदरविन्द आचार्य आह-" भारतवर्षे, अन्यत्र भू-खण्डेष्विव, मनुष्य-सामान्यस्य अभिवृद्धिरतिमन्द-क्रमा, विरलानां केषाञ्चिदेव अध्यात्म-सम्पद् रहस्यविद्या-कौशलं च सिद्धे अभूताम् । अत्र प्रथमं अन्तर्द ष्टि-प्रधानं वैदिक-युगमागतम्। तत्त्वकल्पनाविचारजन्य-धीविशेष-प्रधानं शास्त्रीय-युगं ततः परमनुगतम् । वैदिके युगे ऋषीणां अन्तर्दर्शनमेव मुख्यं साधनं, शास्त्रीये तु प्रत्यक्षादिप्रमाणैर्विचारः साधनम् यत् साक्षात्-माधन-जन्येन अन्तरेण केनापि साधितं महर्षिभिः, तदेव विचार-बुद्धयादि-द्वारेण साधयितुं प्रवृत्ताः तत्परं योगाध्वानः । एवं कालान्तरेषु उत्तरत्र अन्तःकरणेन प्राणेन शरीरेणापि क्वचित् तं परमं पुरुषार्थ साधयितुं उद्यताः अर्वाचीनाः (वेदयुगापेक्षया) पन्थानः । एवं तान्त्रिक-साधनानि राजयोग-हठयोगादयश्चेति बोध्यम्। न चैतानि वैदिक-गुप्तमार्गादधःपतन-क्रमेण यदृच्छ्या वा समुद्भूतानि साधनानि, किं तु वैदि-कादैतिह्याद्रूढं परमप्रयोजनमुद्दिश्य, स्वतन्त्रतया अन्तःकरणादिशोधनरुपायः प्रवृत्ता-नीति ग्राह्यम् । इदमेव भारतीयमध्यात्मचरित्रम् । यत्र प्रथमं वेद-युगे अध्यात्म-शिखरं प्राप्ता प्रज्ञा ततः परं पदे पदे कालान्तरेषु अन्तःकरण-प्राणादीन्य-वराण्यङ्गानि उद्धृत्य यावदाविष्कृतां प्रज्ञां उत्तमसिद्धिशृङ्गमुन्नेतुं प्रतिष्ठन्ते” इति ।।

कथं पुनः पाश्चात्येषु प्राज्ञा ऋजु-मार्गमिच्छन्तोऽपि बहवृचार्ष-समयस्य प्राकृतावस्थां निश्चिन्वन्तीति चेदस्त्यत्र कारणम् । भूमण्डले मानवजन्मिनः प्रादुर्भावः कतिपयसहस्र-वार्षिक: न तु बहुशतयुगकालिक इति कञ्चन काल्पनिक पाश्चात्यं ऐतिहासिक-सिद्धान्तमवलम्ब्य वेदर्षीणां कालं निरणेषुः । अत एव द्वित्रः सहस्रवर्षेः परिमितशतव; आर्यजनोदयाभ्यदयादिकथास्तैः परिसमापिताः। इयं च पूर्व-कथा तेषाम् । भूगोलेतिहास-गवेषणारम्भे शैशवावस्थायां तथाविधा मतिरासीत्तेषाम् । साम्प्रतं वर्धमाने चेतिहास-विज्ञाने तादृशी प्रतीतिः प्रायेण विपर्यस्ता। अपरं च, भौतिकविज्ञानाभ्युदय-समये लोकायतिक-सिद्धान्ते पाश्चात्य-बुध-मण्डले साम्राज्य शासति, वेदार्थविचारद्वारेण पूर्वेषां भारत-भूजुषां साङघिक-समयधर्मादि-व्यवस्था जिज्ञासन्ते स्म । तत्र नानामानुष-वर्गाणां पुरावृत्त-समयधर्म-भाषा-तत्त्वादि-पर्यालोचनया यावद्विदितं उपादाय यावदभिमतं भावनाबल-साहाय्येन च भारतीय-वेदेतिहासधर्म-व्यवस्थामकल्पयन्। तथा सति तेषां संस्कारे सामर्थ्य च, नेदमाश्चर्यं यदभिहितं तैर्वेदर्षयः प्रायेण पामरा पृथग्जना वा, तेषां कवित्वानि बालभाव-सुलभानि, तेषां देवताः प्रकृतिव्यापारावेक्षण-विस्मयसम्भावनादि-सञ्जाता-श्चेत्यादि। वेदविचारप्रारम्भे तल्लब्धा सामग्री न पुष्कलेति तथ्यम् । मानुष-प्रादुर्भावाभिवृद्धि-सङघनय-धर्मस्थापनादिषु तेषामुक्तपूर्वं मतमधुना भूयिष्ठभागशो गतरसं च। तस्माद्वेदानधिकृत्य सावधानं पुनर्विचारः करणीय इति तथ्यान्येषण-पराणां धीरुत्साहश्चात्यन्तमपेक्षितावित्यलं विस्तरेण ।।

तावता भवतु विसर्जनं तावत् पश्चिमखण्ड-पाण्डित्यविलसितस्य। तदनु-सारिणां भारतीयानां नव्यसंस्कारोपस्कृतधियां वेदार्थ-विचारसरणिरद्यापि सारतो न परिवृत्तेति चेन्नेदमपलपितं स्यात्। यद्यपि बहवोऽस्मासु मेधाविनः प्रतिभा-शालिनः ऋजुमार्ग-गामिनः विविध-विद्याप्रस्थानेषु प्राच्येषु प्रतीच्येषु वा पुरातनेषु नूतनेषु वा व्यवसायिनो जेजीयन्ते, तथाऽपि वेदविद्या-विचारे तथाविधाः सन्तीति नालं स्मो वदितुम् । सन्तोऽपि विरलाः पाश्चात्यपुराण-सिद्धान्तेषु पूर्वोक्तविधेषु बद्धश्रद्धाः चालयन्ति परिश्रमं, यस्य फलितेषु तु न लक्ष्यते वैशिष्टयम्। अथ सन्ति चेद्विशेषाः ते च विषय-विस्तरेष्वप्रधान-तथ्योपलब्धिषु वा दृश्यन्ते । सारांशेषु तु सैव पाश्चात्यानां दृष्टिः, तैः प्रकल्पित एवाध्वा, तैर्विभाक्ति एव वेदर्षि-धर्मसमय-सिद्धान्तः, तेभ्यः समुद्भूतमैतिह्यमेव शिष्ट-सम्मतम्। इदं सर्व-मवलम्ब्य वेदमन्त्र-पद-पदार्थ-चरित्रविचारः क्रियतेऽस्मदीयैर्नव्यैः विद्वद्भिः। तैः प्रतिपादिताः बर्बरप्राया एव वेदर्षयः, प्राकृतेषु अग्नि-वाय्वादित्य-पर्जन्यादिषु देवताभिमान-जडबुद्धयः, शिशुजनता-कल्पनाकल्पानि कवित्वानि। अहरहरुदयत्यप्य-रुणे अहरहराश्चर्य-चकिता उषोदर्शने, रात्रिस्मरण-मात्रेण साध्वसावेशः तेषा-मृषीणाम् । एवमादयोऽभिप्रायाः सामान्यनाद्यापि न जहति वेदविचार-प्रवृत्तिम् । अत्रैकं निदर्शनं उदाहरामः । अयं च अधुना शिष्टाचारप्राप्तः सम्प्रदायः सञ्जातः, यत् सर्वैरपि नव्य-मार्गेण वेदार्थ-विचारे क्रियमाणे वेदकवित्वस्य रामणीयकं कीर्तनीयमिति। तत्रापि उषस्यसूक्तानि पाश्चात्यैः दर्शितपूर्वाण्यपि श्रेयोविषये शतशोऽपि वक्तव्यमिति उदाहृतानि भवन्ति। सन्त्येव बहूनि सूक्तानि काव्य-शोभाबहानि वेदे, तत्रापि विशेषतः उषस्यसूक्तेषु। नात्र विवदामहे। परं तु तथा वर्ण्यमानानां चारुकविता-सूक्तानां तैः प्रतिपाद्यमानं तदभिमतं तात्पर्य क्वचित् सायणभाष्यानुरोधनसाधितं तथाविध-सङ्कीर्तनानुगुणं समुत्कर्षं नावहति, प्रत्युत, ते च कवयः बालिशबुद्धयः, सर्वसाधारण-व्यतिकरेषु लब्धाल्पतुष्टयः, क्वचिदुन्मत्त-प्रलापालङकृतवदना इति च निरूपयेदित्यसंशयम् ।।

“अतारिष्म तमसः पारमस्य” (१-६२-६) ऋषौ राहूगणे गोतम एवं कृतज्ञतया सम्मदेन च देवतास्तवमातन्वति, एषां वेदार्थ-विमशिनामा-विष्कार-नये केवलमभिधा-वृत्त्यैव भावो ग्राह्यः, न पुनस्तमसस्पारस्य तरणेन अज्ञानस्यान्तो लक्ष्यते, व्यतीतायां रात्रौ अहरहःसुप्तोत्थानमेव कीर्त्यते। ऋषिपदेन विश्रुतानामेषां तपस्विनां सन्तमसान्धा रात्रिः प्रतिभय-जननी किल भूतप्रेतपिशाच-भूयिष्ठा। अन्यदस्ति चित्रम् । ऋषिषु यजनायो-पविष्टेषु, उदित एव सूर्ये पुनरुदयाय प्रार्थयन्ते। एषां प्रार्थनाबलेन वेदपारायणमहिम्नैव सूर्यः उदेत्य दिवमारूढ इति तेषां प्रत्ययः किल ! स्यान्नाम तादृशो जन-सामान्यस्याप्यचिन्त्यो मूढ-विश्वासः, किं ते नाज्ञासिषुरिदं यद्रात्रेरपाये प्रभातं तच्च परिणतं दिनं, दिनस्यान्ते रात्नरागम इति ? नाविदितं तेषामिति शक्यं वदितुम्, “न दैव्यानि प्रमिनती व्रतानि ऋतस्य पन्थामन्वेति साधु” (१-१२४-२, ३) एवमादिमन्त्रदृष्टिषु जाग्रतीषु । एवञ्जातीयकान्यसङ्गतजल्पितानि मन्त्र-द्रष्टुष्वारोपितानि भवन्ति पाश्चात्यवैदुष्य-विनीतानां नव्यभारतीय-वेदविद्याविचारिणां मन्त्रार्थग्रहण-सरणि चेदनुगच्छेम ।।

अथ यदि वयं वेद-मन्त्रान् मन्त्र-दशिनो महर्षीश्चाधिकृत्य बहोः कालादागतं चिरन्तनमैतिचं अविस्मरन्तो विवेक-सनाथया विचार-दृष्ट्या वेदान् पश्येम, सद्य: प्रध्वंसो भवेद् भ्रमस्य, वेदसूक्तानि न बालकल्पनादेश्यानि बालिश-कवित्वानीति स्पष्टतामीयुः, मन्त्र-द्रष्टारः ‘सत्यश्रुतः’ कवय इति च। यदि च श्रीमदरविन्द-चरणैः प्रदर्शितमध्वानं प्रविशेम, द्वेधा भवति लाभ इति ध्रुवम् । मन्त्रेष्वारो-पितानि अनुपपत्ति-प्रचुराणि प्रलपितानि पलायितानि स्युः। दुरवगाहानि दुनिर्णे-यानि बहूनि स्थलानि मन्त्रेषु सुगमानि भवेयुः। अयं व्यतिरेकतो लाभः, अन्वय-तस्तु अयम्। मन्त्र-दर्शिनामध्यात्मसमुन्नतिः, सूक्त-मन्त्रेषु निक्षिप्तं गहनं तत्त्वं, देवतानां स्वरूपं, इत्यादीन्यधिकृत्य लभ्यते ज्ञानम् । उपनिषत्सु क्वचिल्लक्ष्यमाणाः दुरवगमांशाः स्पष्टा भवन्ति । अन्ते चेदम्, पुराणेतिहास-तन्त्रशास्त्रादीनां वेद-मूलत्व-कीर्तनं, वेद-सारांशोपब्रह्मणमेव मुख्यं प्रयोजनं इति च उद्घोषयन्ति तत्तद्ग्रन्थ-प्रमाणवाक्यान्युपपन्नानीति निश्चयश्च लभ्यते। तस्मादसन्मूलानां बहुधा अनृतप्राय-कल्पनाविद्धानां पाश्चात्यमतावलम्बि-वेदवादानां निरासो न्याय्यः। वेद-विचारे यावज्जीवं कृत-विद्यानां सिद्धान्तस्य मूलतो विरोधादरविन्दपादीयो वेद-गुप्तार्थवाद उपेक्षा-क्षम इति वादः प्रत्युक्तः ।।

अथ द्वितीय आक्षेपो विचार्य समाधीयते । सायणीयसम्प्रदाय-व्याख्या-विरोधात् परिहरणीयो वेद-रहस्यवाद इति ह्युक्तम् । किमियं अनादेः कालादागतं कमपि सम्प्रदायमवलम्ब्य मन्त्राणां सायणीयव्याख्या प्रवृत्ता, उत, व्याख्याता सायण आचार्यः स्वयमेव वेदभाष्यविरचनेन मन्त्रार्थविचार-सम्प्रदायं नव्यं नवीकृतं वा प्रारेभे? सम्प्रदायपद-श्रवणादुद्गतो भवत्ययं प्रश्नः। यतो मन्त्रव्याख्यानेष्वयं व्याख्याता वेदानां कर्मपरत्वं उद्घोषयतां सम्प्रदायमवलम्बते प्रायशः। क्वचित् पौराणिकं ऐतिहासिकं वेदान्त-शास्त्रीयमन्यं वा सम्प्रदायमाश्रयते। मन्त्र-व्याख्यानेन वेदानां कर्मैकपरत्वं निरूपयितुं परिकरबन्धः कृतः सायणेने ति निर्विवादम् । तस्माद्यत्र आरादपि कर्मसम्पर्कराहित्यं ज्ञानमोक्षाक्षरप्रशंसा च दृश्यते, तत्र कर्म-परत्व-वादिनां प्रयोजनाभावमालक्ष्य तदनुरोधेन अर्थ-विवृति साध्नोति। यत्र पूर्वैर्यास्कादिभिः ज्ञान-प्रशंसापरं किमपि सूक्तमुदाहृतं तत् परिहर्तुमक्षमः तादृश-मन्त्राणां अस्फुटार्थेषु स्वरसत्वाभावमुपदिशन् स्फुटेषु शब्दार्थेषु गत्यन्तर-विरहाद् अध्यात्म-परतया व्याख्याय कथञ्चित् कृतकृत्यो निर्गच्छति। अत्रेदं दृष्टान्तेन प्रदर्शयामः, सर्वेषां वेदानां आम्नायपदवाच्यानां यज्ञादि-कर्मैव प्रयोजनम् । ये च न क्रियास्तेि निरर्थका इति प्रतिपादयति जैमिनेराचार्यस्य आम्नायस्य क्रियार्थ-त्वात् आनर्थक्यं अतदर्थानाम् . . इति सूत्रम्। ज्ञान-मोक्षाक्षरप्रशंसा-विश्रुता-नामपि मन्त्राणां कर्मसु विनियोगमामनन्ति सूत्रकाराः। तथा च सुप्रसिद्धस्य दैर्घतमसस्य ‘अस्य वामस्य’ इति सूक्तस्य विनियोग उक्तः । वैश्वदेवशस्त्रे वैश्वदेवं निविद्धानं द्विप्रतीकम्। तत्र ‘अस्य वामस्ये’ त्यादिकं एकचत्वारिंशदृचं प्रथमं प्रतीकम्” इति सूत्रितम् । कर्मप्रधाने सायणीयभाष्ये अस्य सूक्तस्य प्रथमर्ची व्याख्यानस्यान्ते एता: पङक्ती: पश्यामः । एवं उत्तरत्रापि अध्यात्म-परतया योजयितुं शक्यम् । तथाऽपि स्वरसत्वाभावात् ग्रन्थविस्तर-भयाच्य न लिख्यते। यत्र ’द्वा सुपर्णा’ इत्यादौ स्फुटमाध्यामिको ह्यर्थः प्रतीयते तत्र प्रतिपादयामः। अयं मन्त्रो यास्केन व्याख्यातः (नि. ४-२६)" इति । ’अस्य वामस्य’ इत्यस्या ऋच: अध्यात्म-परता अस्फुटार्था किल, ’द्वा सुपर्णा’ इत्यादिस्तु अन्यथा शरणं नास्तीति अध्यात्म-परतयैव व्याख्यायते। ऋक्षु कर्म-परतयैव व्याख्यातव्यासु एतादृशाध्यात्मिकार्थो न स्वरसतां आवहतीत्यभिप्रायः सायणीयः स्पष्टः। एवमादिषु स्थलेषु वेदान्तिनां तत्रापि अद्वैत्येकदेशिनां साम्प्र-दायिकं मतमवलब्य व्याचष्टे, क्वचित् पुराण-कथाः क्वचित् पुरावृत्तान्यवलम्ब्य च। एवं बहुशः कृतेन प्रयासेनापि वैदिककर्मपारम्यवादिनां वेदवाद-रतानां पक्षः न समग्रतः समवलम्ब्यते। निजोक्तिषु पूर्वापरविरोधानलक्षयन् पूर्वतन्त्र-सिद्धान्त-विरोधं चादर्शयन्नपश्यन् वा मन्त्राणां ऐतिहासिक-पक्षाश्रयणेन करोति व्याख्यानम् । कथं वेदमन्त्रवर्ण-नित्यत्व-स्थापनपरेषु जैमिनीयेषु सूत्रेषु जाग्रत्सु गौणी वृत्ति-मनाश्रित्य पुरावृत्तपक्षः शक्योऽबलम्बितुम् ? सायणस्तु राजर्षिवृत्तानि युद्ध-कथा अन्यानि च पुरावृत्तानि मन्त्रेष्वङ्गीकृत्यैव तात्पर्यमाचष्टे। विश्रुताश्च वासिष्ठ-वैश्वामित्रमण्डलीय-शपथाभिशाप-सूक्त!ऽत्र निदर्शनम्। अथवा शतशः स्थलेषु दृश्यमानेषु स्थालीपुलाक-न्यायेन एकां सायणभाष्यपङक्ति उदाहरामः। “अवोचाम रहूगणाः अग्नये मधुमद्वचः। द्युम्नेरभि प्रणोनुमः (१-७८-५) ॥ अस्या ऋचो व्याख्याने सायण आह-" ऋषिः कृतं स्तोत्रं अनया उपसंहरति । रहूगणस्य पुत्राः वयं गोतमाः” इति। अत्र वेदापौरुषेयत्ववाद-पक्षोच्छेदः कृतः। अयमेव व्याख्याता वेदनित्यता-सिद्धान्तिनां पूर्वतन्त्राचार्याणां मतमभिमान्य वेदार्थस्य प्रकाशिका व्याख्यां निबद्धवान् ।।

तदिह परीक्षितव्यम्। को वा सम्प्रदायः सायणेनावलम्बितः ? संकीर्ण एवेति वक्तव्यम्। सायणाद्वहोः कालात्प्रागेव कर्मपारम्यवादिनां सम्प्रदायो विदितचर इति नात्र संशयः। परं तु अन्येऽपि वेदार्थविचार-सम्प्रदाया अत्यन्त-प्राचीना आसन्निति सन्देहगन्धोऽपि न भवति। यास्केन उल्लिखिताः सन्ति बहवः पक्षाः। अधिभूताधि-दैवताध्यात्मवादिनः, ऐतिहासिकाः, याज्ञिकाः नैरुक्ता-श्चेत्येवमादयः। अधियज्ञ-अधिदैवत-अध्यात्मांख्यं त्रिविधं ज्ञानं वेदाल्लभ्यत इति यास्क-निरुक्तादवगम्यते। न केवलं यज्ञ-परमेव भवति मन्त्राणां व्याख्यानमिति मन्यते यास्कः। सप्रमाणमेतं पुरस्ताद् उपपादयिष्यामः। इदममत्रावधेयम् । निरुक्त-बृहद्देवतादिग्रन्थान् अवलोक्यैव सायणीयं वेदभाष्यं विरचितम् इति निर्विवादम् । निरुक्तकारमुदाहरता भाष्यकृता नातपस्काय मन्त्र-रहस्यं देवतारहस्यं वा प्रत्यक्षं भवतीति यास्कोक्तं न लक्षितं, नोल्लिखितं, कर्मपरव्याख्यानाय तदङ्गीकारो नापेक्षित इति विशदं भवति। तस्मात् सायणीयवेदभाष्येण अध्यात्म-देवतातत्त्वादिरहस्यानां निक्षेपो वेद इति चिरन्तनमैतिचं तिरस्कृतम्। सायण-भाष्यादेवोद्गतो नूतनः सम्प्रदायः, येन ऋचः सर्वाश्च यज्ञकमक-परा इति प्रत्ययः सर्वजनीनः सञ्जातः। यद्यपि यज्ञपरत्व-वादो मन्त्राणां ब्राह्मणेभ्यः समुद्भूतः, तथाऽपि अध्यात्म-रहस्यादिपरतया मन्त्राणां ग्रहणं आसीत्पुरेति विश्वासो विदित-चरः प्राचां विदुषाम् अत एव मन्त्राणां वेदपुरुषात्मतया पावनत्व-वीर्यवत्त्व-पूजनीयत्वादिकमैतिह्यं पुरातन-भारताभिजनेषु पुराणे तिहासेषु साक्षात्कृत-पर-तत्त्वानां महामनसां निबन्धेषु निरूढमभवत्। प्राक् सायणीय-वेदभाष्यात् न केनापि वेदानां सम्पूर्ण व्याख्यानं प्रणीतम्। प्रणीतमिति न श्रूयते, सर्वथा नोपलभ्यते। यत्र क्वचिन्निबद्धमपि, भागशः उपलभ्यते, भागश एव निबद्धं वा स्यात्। चतसृणां सब्राह्मणारण्यकानां वेदसंहितानां व्याख्यानं ब्रह्माण्ड-प्रयासेनाबध्य कर्मैक-परतां वेदानां समर्थयामास व्याख्याता सायणाचार्यः। तस्मादस्य चतुर्वेद-भाष्यं समस्तपण्डितमण्डलमावर्जयतीति नात्र चित्रम् । किं तु सायणीयः सम्प्रदाय एक एव चिरन्तनो वेदार्थविचार-सम्प्रदाय इतीदं अपलपितं प्रतिपक्षधूर्वहेणेत्यलम् ।।

अथ जघन्योऽयं तृतीय आक्षेपः। यद्वेदार्थ-विचारे प्रामाणिकानां पूर्व-मीमांसकानां सिद्धान्तस्य विरुद्धत्वादनादरणीयो वेदगुप्तार्थ-पक्ष इति। क्यमादि-वेदसंहितासूक्त-तात्पर्यावगाहे प्रवृत्ताः, तस्मात् मन्त्रार्थविचारोऽत्र विषयोऽस्माकम्, न ब्राह्मण-वाक्यार्थविचारः यत्र तु पूर्वतन्त्र-विचक्षणाः प्रामाणिका भवन्तु नाम । ब्राह्मणानि मन्त्रार्थ-विवरणानि तत्र तत्र यज्ञोपयोगीनि भवन्तीति हेतोरेव सायण: प्रथमं ब्राह्मणं व्याख्याय ततः परं तदनुसारेण ऋचां व्याख्यानमारेभे। आह च भाष्यारम्भ--" ब्राह्मणस्य मन्त्रव्याख्यानोपयोगित्वात् आदौ ब्राह्मणं आरण्य-काण्डसहितं व्याख्यातम्, अथ तत्र तत्र ब्राह्मणोदाहरणेन मन्त्रात्मक: संहिताग्रन्थो व्याख्यातव्यः” इति। तदत्र अस्मत्सिद्धान्तः सायणीयसम्प्रदाय-विरुद्धः इति वादः सुबोधः। मीमांसकास्तु न क्वापि मन्त्र-संहितानां व्याख्यां चक्रुरिति श्रूयते, वाऽस्त्यवसरः। ब्राह्मण-वाक्यान्यादाय तदनुसारीणि स्मृतिवाक्यानि वा क्वचि-दालोच्य वाक्यार्थ-निष्कर्षाय समीचीनः पन्थाः परिकल्पितो मीमांसकैः। तेषां धर्म-जिज्ञासा मुख्या, न मन्त्रार्थमीमांसा। अत एव न कश्चिदपि पूर्वतन्त्राचार्यैः वेदसंहिता व्याक्याता, व्याचिख्यासिता वा। सूत्रकारो जैमिनिर्न प्रवृत्तो मन्त्रार्थ-मीमांसायाम्। न वा शबरस्वामी तद्भाष्यकारः। नापि भट्टपादाः। किमु वक्तव्यं अर्वाचीनैर्मीमांसकैर्न चिन्तितमिति। उत्तरत्र प्रसक्तौ मीमांसक-सिद्धान्त-मधिकृत्यास्ति वक्तव्यमित्येतावतैव विरमामः । धर्म-मीमांसकानां मन्त्रार्थ-मीमांसायां आदरोऽधिकारो वा शशविषाणसोदरतां भजत इत्यत्र संक्षेपः ।परिहृतोऽविचारित-रमणीयः कनिष्ठ आक्षेपः ।।

अथ सायणीयभाष्यगत-गुणदोषस्मरणपुरस्सरं वेदार्थविचार-प्रवृत्तानां सायणो न केवलमत्यन्तमुपयुक्तः, अपि त्वनिवार्य एवेत्युपपाद्य सिद्धान्तपक्षमाचक्ष्महे । भरतखण्डगत-नानाविषयवास्तव्य-विद्वन्मण्डलीपाण्डित्यनिर्मथितं वेदार्थसारमुपादाय वेदान् व्याचरव्यौ सायणः। महानयमुपकार उत्तरकालिक-वेदविद्या-विचारिणां इत्यसंशयम्। पदपाठ-सहितानां संहितास्थ-मन्त्राणां व्याख्यानावसरे बहवोऽनर्घा विषया उल्लिख्यन्ते-प्राचीन-प्रमाण-ग्रन्थवाक्यानां उदाहरणं, विविधान्यैतिहानि, निघण्टुः, सूक्तमन्त्र-पदत-त्समुदायानां अर्थः, क्वचिदर्थान्तराणां सम्भवः, ऋचां छन्दोव्याकरणस्वरप्रक्रिया-इत्येवमादिषु सायणीय-भाष्यानुगृहीतेषु सत्स्वेव, तत्परं तात्पर्यं-गुणदोष-विचारस्यावकाशः सम्भवति । अर्थ-विचार-शून्यैरपि वैदिक-रध्ययनपारायणपरैः पदपाठ-युक्ताः संहिताः कण्ठस्थाः कृत्वा न चेदरक्षिष्यन्त सायण-भाष्यस्यैव नाभविष्यदवकाशः। एवमेव सायणीय-भाष्यं न चेद् अभविष्यत्, अन्धकारबन्धुरो दुरवगाह एवाभविष्यत् वेदशब्द-समुदायोऽस्माकम्, वेदगुप्तार्थ-पक्ष-परीक्षाऽपि दुर्घटाऽभविष्यत्। तस्मात् प्रशंसनीयः कृतज्ञतया प्रयोजन-गरिमा सामान्यतः मन्त्रपदपाठ-शब्दरूपावतार-वाक्यान्वयप्रसंगेष्वित्यलं विस्तरेण। परं तु याज्ञिक-पारम्यं द्रढयितुं प्रवृत्तेऽस्मिन् व्याख्याने छिद्र-बहुलः स्वप्रयोजनस्यापि अनावश्यक: अनृजुः पन्थाः स्फुटास्फुट-रहस्थार्थमन्त्रेषु कर्म-परतया व्याख्यानाय अवलम्बित इति पुरस्तात्तत्र तत्र मन्त्रार्थ-विचारेषु स्पष्टीभविष्यति। अयमप्य-किञ्चित्करो लोप: सायणीय-भगीरथप्रयत्नसाधित-वेदमन्त्रतात्पर्यापेक्षया। कीदृशं मन्त्र-तात्पर्यं साधितम् ? सर्वेषां मन्त्राणां प्राधान्येन कर्मसु विनियोज्यत्वं अर्थात् कर्माङ्गत्वं अत एव कर्मैकपरत्वं साधितम्। अथ किं फलितम् ? वेदानधिकृत्य यत्पुरातनमैतिह्यं तदसत् वेदपावनतायाः प्रतिष्ठेव निर्मूलिता, अध्यात्मतत्त्व-देवतास्वरूपसाक्षात्कारादि-बहुरहस्यनिक्षेपो वेदराशिरिति विश्वजनीन-विश्वासस्य निराधारता। निगमागम-पुराणेतिहासोद्धोषिता वेदमूलकातिगहन-तपोज्ञाननिष्ठा-रहस्यादिकथा सर्वाऽपि ब्रह्माण्ड-परिमाणकल्पा काल्पनिकी केवलं गाथा। अध्यात्मनिःश्रेयसादिकं द्रष्टव्यम्, तत्तु वेदान्ताख्यासु उपनिषत्सु। मन्त्रात्मके मूल-वेदे कर्मसाधनमेव लक्षणीयम्, येन विविधं धनं बलं प्रजाः पशवः गवा-श्वादयः पुष्टि: तुष्टि: हिरण्यं भृत्याः विजयः अरातेर्वधः तद्धनहरणं प्रतिस्पर्धिनां निन्दकानां विनष्टि:-एवमादि-फलावाप्तिः सिद्धयति । एतादृशफल-प्राप्त्युपायभूतो यागो वेदे विधीयत इति सायणीय-मन्त्रव्याख्या-बलाबलम्बनेन नव्याः प्राचीनर्षीणां पृथग्जनतां निर्णेतुं प्रवृत्ता इति कथमिदं अन्याय्यं भवितुमर्हति ? यद्यपि स्वल्पशः सायणेनाङ्गीकृता अध्यात्मतत्त्व-सत्ता मन्त्रेषु, यद्यपि तस्य महर्षिषु पूज्यताबुद्धिः, देवतासु अस्तित्व-प्रत्ययः, मन्त्रेषु पावनत्व-वीर्यवत्वादिविश्वासश्चासन् तथापि प्रतीच्याः वेदबाह्यास्तदनुयायिनो नव्याः भारतीयाश्च, भारतीयाश्च, सायणो व्याख्याता स्वीयकालिक-मूढविश्वासभागस्वामीति पूर्वोक्त-परप्रत्ययनेयताविशिष्ट-मनीषारूप-स्तस्यापराधः क्षन्तव्य इति औदार्यं प्रदर्शयन्तीति नेदमाश्चर्यम् । तेन हि महा-नुपकारः कृतः सम्पूर्णवेदव्याख्यानदानेन। यतो यावदपेक्षं स्वकल्पना-सिद्धान्तस्य सामग्री सम्पादिता। परं तु पशुप्रायजीवन-सुख-भोगैश्वर्यं-प्रसक्तानि अहङ्कार-ममकारमूलक-ईषणपोषणादिमहाफलानि याज्ञिककर्माण्येव वेदतात्पर्यहृदयमिति सहस्राधिक-सूक्ते अयुताधिक-मन्त्रे ब्रह्मकोशे निर्लज्जं निर्विचारं निर्भयं च प्रतिपादयन्त्यैवैके पूर्वेषाम् । तथा सति, तेषां मतं पूर्वतन्त्र-सिद्धान्तं वा ईश्वरगीता " सर्वैश्च वेदैरहमेव वेद्यः वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम्” इति वेद-पारम्यमुद्घोषयन्त्यपि ईदृशान् वेदवादरतानविपश्चितो निन्दतीति किमत्र चित्रम् ?

अथास्मत्पक्षस्सारत उपन्यस्यते। ऋग्वेद एवात्र विचार-विषयः। अन्येषां वेदानां स्थानं अन्यत्र विचिन्त्यते। मन्त्राणां रहस्यार्थो वर्तते। स एव वेदसूक्तानां वैदिक-यजनस्य च आन्तरः परमार्थश्च भवति। अनेन सायण-प्रतिपादितो वेदानां बाह्यार्थोऽस्माकमभिमत इति प्रतीतं भवति, सायण-व्याख्या क्वचित्पदस्य वाक्यस्य ऋचो वा स्वीयकर्मपरता-साधनायापि नोपयुक्ता भवतु, नावश्या वा भवतु, कतिपयेषु स्थलेषु तेन निष्पीडिता अर्था असङ्गता वा भवन्तु। तथाविधानि स्थलानि यथावसरं दर्शयिष्यामः। परं तु इदं सर्वमस्माकमुपेक्ष्यम् । विस्तरश-स्तत्र तत्र अर्थानुपपत्तयो दृश्यमाना अपि समासेन बहिर्याग-तदनुरुद्ध-देवतादिपक्ष समर्थकं तदीयं मन्त्र-व्याख्यानमतमभ्युपगच्छामः । मन्त्राणां आन्तरार्थस्तु गुप्तः, यस्य बाह्यार्थः कञ्चुकवदवतिष्ठते। आरण्यकसंहितानां ब्राह्मणानां युगादत्यन्तप्राचीनं मन्त्रद्रष्टणां युगम् । तेषां गहनतत्त्वविदां गूढ-भाषया गोपितानां गोप्यानां कोश ऋग्वेदः। तेषां ऋक्सूक्तानां समुदायमेव ऋग्वेद-संहितामाचक्ष्महे। तानि पुनः सूक्तानि नास्मत्परिचितानीव कवित्वानीति बोध्यम्। प्रत्युत, साक्षात्कृत-धर्माणां ऋषीणां श्रवणाद्दर्शनाच्च निर्गता ऋचो मन्त्र-दृष्टय इति चिरन्तनं व्यपदेशं भजन्ते। प्रादुर्भावप्रभावतः शब्दतोऽर्थतः नाद-परिष्पन्दविशेषतश्च मन्त्राणां वीर्य-वत्त्वं दृष्टफलकत्वं च सुप्रसिद्धे। ऋषेमन्त्र-द्रष्टुरन्येषां च पुरुषार्थसाधनाय अलौकिकोपाय-भूतो मन्त्र इति प्राचामाचार्याणां मतं अस्मदभिमतम् । एषां मन्त्राणां द्वावौं भवतः इति प्रागुक्तम्। तत्र अन्तरर्थ आन्तरङगिक आध्यात्मिको वा परमार्थ-सत्यः। इदं च रहस्यमृषीणां विदितं, तच्छिष्याणां च, ये च गुरुभ्यो महर्षिम्यो दीक्षां लब्ध्वा अन्तरङ्गशोधनसाधनादिभिः अन्तर्यजनाय शिक्षिताः, देवेभ्यः स्वीयं सर्वस्वं समर्प्य तैः प्रतिपदत्तमादाय आध्यात्माभ्युन्नत्या अधिलोकाधि-दैवतसम्पत्ति प्रापुः ॥

अन्योऽर्थो बाह्यः स्थूलश्च जनसामान्योपयोगायावस्थितः, देवताराधनार्थ-मनुष्ठीयमानेषु यागेषु प्रयोजनवान् भवति। एवं अर्थ-द्वयवान् प्रयुक्तः शब्दो मन्त्रेषु। स चोपाय आवश्यकोऽभूत्, येन वेदरहस्यज्ञानादिकं अनधिकारिभ्यो रक्षितम् । अपक्वः संस्कार-शून्यः साधारणो जनः अज्ञानाद् दुर्विनियोगाद्वा विपत्ति-शरव्यतां मा गमदिति रहस्यार्थस्तस्मात् संवृत्य गोपितः । कथं नु खलु अपरिपक्वं दुर्बलं जनसामान्यं अध्यात्म-निर्व्यवसायं आत्मार्थ-जीवनाय देवार्थशरीर-यात्रायै वा साधिकारं भवेत् ?

एवं अर्थद्वयवच्छब्द-प्रयोगव्यवस्था विचारपूर्वकं साधिताऽपि अनायासेन स्वभावतो निष्पादितेति बोध्यम्। विचारपूर्विका प्रयोग-व्यवस्थेति चेत् कथं स्वभावतः श्रम-विरहं साधिता स्यादिति वक्तुं युक्तमिति विरोध-शङ्का मा भूत् । अत्र आदिकालिकभाषा-स्वरूपोदयोपचयान् विमृशेम। यद्यपि चतुष्टयी शब्दानां प्रवृत्तिरिति महाभाष्य-वाक्यानुसारेण जाति-क्रिया-गुणद्रव्येषु वा जातौ वा शब्दः सङ्केतितो भवति, तथाऽपि आदि-काले मानुषाणां भाषा न यदृच्छया सङ्केत-मूला अर्थ-प्रत्यायिकाऽभूदिति मन्तव्यम् । च सङ्केतः नियतशब्दार्थ-सम्बन्धरूपः ईश्वरेच्छेत्येके। अस्य शब्दस्य अयमेव नियतोऽर्थः इत्यस्य सारांशाभिप्रायः ।

यद्यपि शब्दार्थ-सम्बन्धो नियत इति व्यवहारः-सिद्धः सर्वसम्मतोऽङ्गीकर्तव्यः, तथाऽपि महाजनैः तेषां प्रमुखैर्वा सम्भूय अस्य शब्दस्य अयमर्थ इति सङ्केतो निर्णीतो बहोः कालादागतः इति नोपपन्नम्। वृद्धपरम्परागतः सङ्केत ईश्वरेच्छा वा भवतु, महाजन-निर्णीतो वा भवतु, उभयथाऽप्यनुपपत्तिर्द श्यते निरङकुशस्य यदृच्छा-निर्णयस्य नियुक्तिकस्यासम्भवात् । नियतस्य शब्दार्थ-सम्बन्धस्य रूढत्वादेव सङ्केत-सिद्धिर्द्रष्टव्या। सास्नालाङगूलखुर-ककुद-विषाणार्थरूपे गोशब्दः सङ्केत्यते । अस्मिन्नर्थे इदं गोपदं प्रयोक्तव्यमिति न केनापि नियमो विहितः, यदनुसारेण सिद्धः सङ्केत इति शक्यं वदितुम् । रूढत्वात् सिद्धः सङ्केत इत्यत्र न कस्यापि स्यादाक्षेपः। कथं पुनर्नियतेष्वर्येषु रूढाः शब्दा इति न्याय्यः प्रश्नः। रूढिर्नाम नियता प्रसिद्धिः। क्षुण्णे वर्त्मन्यभ्यासबलात् प्रसिद्धौ सत्यां, नियतत्वं प्रयोग-बाहुल्यादनन्तरं भवतीति बोध्यम् ।।

कथं तर्हि नियतः प्रयोग-विशेषः लब्ध-प्रचारो भवति, किं वा मूलं निर्दिष्टस्य नियत-प्रयोगस्य ? अस्योत्तरं शब्दमूल-स्वरूपज्ञानायत्तं वक्तव्यम् । बाह्याभ्यन्तरेन्द्रियार्थाद्यनुभवानां शारीराग्निवायुसंयोगजनिर्माथेन नाडीप्रत्युद्वोधस्या-विष्कृतिरेव मानुषी वाक् श्रोत्र-ग्राह्या अर्थोद्वोधाय प्रभवति। आदौ पुरायुगेषु मानुषी भाषा न सङ्केत-पदं आरूढा। सामान्य-जनानां बहिर्भुवन-प्रत्यक्षानुभवानां तथा महर्षीणां आभ्यन्तरसाक्षात्कार-दर्शनश्रवणाद्यनुभवानां च शारीरकनाडी-प्रत्युद्वोधस्य कण्ठ-ध्वन्यात्मना निर्गमनमेव पुराकालिक-मानुष्यकभाषितमिति ग्राह्यम् । बहिरन्तर्वा कस्मिन्नप्यर्थेऽनुभूते, तद्ग्राहिण्या हृदयस्थया बुद्धया (अप्राकृतानां) केवलनाडीमयान्तःशरीरस्थया कयाऽपि प्रज्ञया (प्राकृतानां वा), प्रेरिता प्रति-बोधाविष्कृतिः अकारादि-वर्णात्मिका वागिति कीर्त्यते । नानन्तर-कालेष्विव अस्मिन्नर्थे अयं शब्दो वर्तत इति बुद्धिस्थः संकेतः परिनिष्पन्न आद्येषु युगेषु । प्राणिनां यथा जायते अस्ति” इत्यादिषड्भाव-विकारो लोक-सिद्धः, तथा भाषायाश्च उद्भवाभ्युदयादिषु प्रवृत्तेषु शब्दार्थसम्बन्धनियमजन्या रूढिः सिद्धा भवति। सूक्ष्मविचार-सापेक्षोऽयं विषयः भाषातत्त्वविदां सुगमः। अन्यत्रास्माभिः "स्फोटसिद्धिप्रकाशे” विचार्यत इत्यत्र यावदवश्यं सारांशमेव ब्रूमहे। वेद-युगे प्राणवीर्य-सम्पन्नः शब्दः धात्वार्थमजहत् स्वजाति-गुणादिकं प्रत्याययन् एव प्रवृत्तः । एकस्मिन्नर्थे बहवः शब्दाः एकस्य शब्दस्य बहवोऽर्थाश्च पदानां यौगिकत्वादेव प्रयोग-वशात् परिनिष्ठिताः। अस्मादेव हेतोर्धातूनां बह्वर्थत्वं भणन्ति । “संयोगो विप्रयोगश्च साहचर्यं विरोधिता...प्रकरणम् इत्यादिभिर्वाचकत्वे नियन्त्रिते व्यवहार-सौकर्य सम्पादितम्, अस्यालङ्कारिक-शासनस्य मूलं वेदे द्वष्टव्यम् । यद्यपि वैदिक-पदानां प्रयोगवशात् काचन रूढिश्च निष्पन्ना, तथाऽपि यौगिकत्वं न केवलं न व्याहतम्, किं तु तदेव शब्दस्य प्राणवदवस्थितम् । अपरं च, गत्यर्थादिषु धातुषु शतशो वर्तमानेषु वस्तुतः गति-विशेषादिष्वर्थेष्वेव ते वर्तन्ते । यथा वा सम्प्रति संस्कृतभाषायां व्यवहारे “ब्राह्मणं भोजय, गां चारय” इति वक्तव्य, चरण-भोजने समान-धात्वर्थे इति कृत्वा ‘ब्राह्मणं चारय गां भोजय’ इति अविशेषेण न प्रयुज्महे, एवं विशेषतः पदप्रयोग-वैशिष्टयं द्रष्टव्यम् । वैदिक-पदानां समानधात्वर्थानां सूक्ष्मो भेदः प्रायेण विनष्ट: इत्यद्धा। तथा बहुस्थलकुशलपरीक्षणेन यावल्लब्धानि ग्राह्याणि। एवं व्यवहारसौलभ्य-सम्पादिकां काञ्चन रूढिं प्राप्तान्यपि वैदिकानि पदानि प्राधान्येन यौगिकान्ये वेति अत्र भवति रहस्यांशः। अग्नीन्द्रादीनि पदानि देवता-विशेषेषु रूढान्यपि बहुषु स्थलेषु गुण-वाचकानीव प्रयुज्यन्ते। ’अङ्गिरस्तमा’ ‘इन्द्रतमा’ इत्यादयः इन्द्रतमा’ इत्यादयः शब्दाः पदानां यौगिकत्वं द्योतयन्ति। यानि संज्ञा-पदानि रूढानि, तान्यपि गुणवैशिष्ट्यं व्यञ्ज-यन्ति। एतादृशी वेदभाषा-दशैव अनन्तर-कालेषु संस्कृतभाषायाः श्लेष-बाहुल्याय अकल्पिष्ट । वेदे अयत्नसिद्धः क्वचिद् द्वयर्थो बह्वर्थो वा प्रायः शब्दः। संस्कृत-भाषायां तु प्रायो बुद्धिपूर्वकं निष्पाद्यन्ते श्लिष्टाः शब्दाः। एवं ऋग्वेदसंहिता-भाषाया आद्या दशा ऋचां द्वयर्थता-समर्थनाय अनुकूलाऽभूदिति बोध्यम् ।।

सैषा किल तेषां ऋषीणां ऋग्भाषायाः प्रक्रिया, यथा मन्त्राणां अन्त-बहिश्चार्थः शक्योऽभवदुपपादयितुम् । यथा स्थूलो बाह्यश्चार्थः प्राकृतान् पदार्थान् आवेदयति, तथा आन्तरः सूक्ष्मोऽर्थः आन्तरङ्गिकान् आध्यात्मिकान् प्रकृति-गतोत्तमांश-सम्बद्धान् गूढ-भावान् लक्षयति। यतो बाह्या सर्वाऽपि सत्ता आन्तर-सत्तायाः सङ्केत-भूतेति प्राचां आसीद् दृष्टिरिति पूर्वोक्तमवधेयम् । नेयं केवल वेदर्षीणामेव बहिर्भुवने संकेत-बुद्धिः आसीत्, अपि तु अन्यत्रापि भूमण्डले मानुष्य-कस्य आदिमायां दशायां परिदृश्यमाने स्थूले जगति संकेतदृष्टिरासीद् इत्यव-गन्तव्यम्। यदि पुरावृत्तसंशोधन-मतबलेन पर्यालोचयेम तदा निस्संशयमिद-मवगतं स्यात् । अधुनातन-विज्ञानाभ्युदयावस्थापेक्षया अपक्वा प्राकृत-दशा भवतु नाम सा आद्यानां मानुषाणां, भवन्तु वा ते यथाजातावस्थायां निष्ठिताः, भवन्तु वा पुनस्ते वाणिज्य-व्यवसायादिवार्तं प्राप्ता अप्राप्ता वा-इदं तु सर्वत्र तेषु पश्यामः। तस्यां आदिमावस्थायां मानवस्य संघस्य गाढा दैवचिन्ता, सामयिके धर्मे भावना-बलं अतुल्यं, देवतास्तिक्य-व्यापारेषु कश्चन अशिक्षितः सहज-बोधः भावनावैशाल्य-सनाथं अन्तस्संवेदनं वा परिदृश्यते । यदा काल-परिपाकवशान्मानुष्यके तर्क-निविष्टा मतिः विचारशीलता धी-व्यवसायश्च पदं लभन्ते, तदा बौद्धं व्यक्तिस्वातन्त्र्ययुगं प्रवर्तते, निवर्तते च अन्तस्संवेदन-अशिक्षितबोधभावना-प्रधानं साङ्केतिकं युगम्। तच्च निवृत्तमाद्यं प्राकृतं वा युगं साङ्केतिकं ब्रूमः। यतः समस्तं बाह्यं भुवनं पृथक् कृत्स्नशश्च अन्तरस्य प्रपञ्चस्य सङ्केत-भूतं विलोकितम् । नेह सङ्केत-पदं शास्त्रमर्यादानुसारेण शब्दार्थ-साक्षात्सम्बन्धरूप-वृत्तिपदवेदनीयं ईश्वरेच्छा-परं वा प्रयुज्यते। सामान्यार्थे लोक-व्यवहारसिद्ध प्रायशो गौण्या वृत्त्या लभ्य लक्ष्यलक्षण-सम्बन्धे प्रयुज्यते। यथा आयुर्घ तमित्यादौ घृतं बल्यमिति विवक्षा पूर्वेषाम्, तथा अश्वादयः बलादीनां लक्षका भवन्तीति संकेतार्थ-विवरण स्पष्टीभविष्यति। तस्मात् आदि-पुरुषाणां सर्वाणि वस्तूनि सर्वं च जगत् (सव तेषामाचाराः सामायिक-धर्मः, सामुदायिकोत्सवाश्च) सङ्केत-भूतानीत्युक्तेरययमाशयः । यो यः पदार्थः स्थूल-रूपतया बहिरवस्थितः तस्य तस्य सदृशः प्रतिरूपकोऽन्तरर्थो वर्तते, यस्यैव सूक्ष्मस्य बाह्यं स्थूलं सङ्केतपदवाच्यं ब्रूमः। संकेतार्थ-निर्णयस्तु भूयो वैदिक-पदानां यौगिकत्वादेव लभ्यते। क्वचिद् गौण्या वृत्त्या, क्वचिन्मन्त्रेषु मन्त्रकृतां देवतादिदर्शनविधा-निवर्णनाद् अवगतबिम्बविशेषैश्चेत्यलम् । सङ्कत-व्यवस्था अधिकृत्य पुरस्ताद् द्वितीय-खण्डे विचार: प्रसंक्ष्यते ॥

बहिः सर्वमन्तरर्थस्य सङ्केत-भूतमित्युक्तम्। तस्माद् बहिर्यागोऽपि सङ्केतो भवति अन्तर्यजनस्य । तर्हि प्रथमं यागस्य सङ्केतार्थं प्रतिपाद्य ततः परं सांकेतिक-समयानुसारेण के वा लोकाः स्वरूपाणि देवानां व्यापाराश्च इत्यादीनि विचार-यामः । चत्वारो भवन्ति यागस्य मुख्यांशाः यजमानः, ऋत्विजः, द्रव्य-त्यागः, फलानि यजनस्य चेति। तत्र यजमानो यजनाय प्रवृत्तः मूर्तिमान् जीव आत्मा। ऋत्विजो याज्ञिकानि कर्माणि यथास्थानं यथाकालं निर्वहन्तो यज्ञस्य प्रारम्भात् समाप्ति यावत् यजमानं उपकुर्वन्ति । ऋतौ काले यजन्ते यष्टारः इत्यवयवार्थ उपपद्यते। होत्रध्वर्युद्गातृब्रह्माख्याः चत्वार एषां गणाः सोम-यागे। एकैकस्मिन् चत्वार ऋत्विजस्तस्मात् ते षोडश भवन्ति सर्वेऽप्याहृत्य। अस्य विस्तरस्य इह अनुपयोगात्तेषां प्रधानत्विङनाम्नां पदार्थोल्लेखन-द्वारेण तद्व्यापारान् गूढार्थ-पक्षे व्याहरिष्यामः । चतुर्णा गणानामाद्यो होतृगणः । ऋचः शंसति होता। ऋग्भिराह्वानं देवानां अनेन निर्वर्त्यते। तस्मादाह्वाता होतेत्यनर्थान्तरम् । दैवीं वाचं आवि-एकुर्वाणानां ऋचा उच्चारणात् देवानुपस्थापयति सः । अन्तर्यजने सुगमोऽयं भावः । तादृशो होता देव एव न मानुषः पुरोहितः। देवमेव यथार्थं पुरोहितं मन्यन्ते ब्राह्मणानि। त्रीन् भूरादि-लोकान् पुरोधातन् अग्निवाय्वादित्यान् पुरोहितांश्च याज्ञिकाः पठन्ति। तथा च ऐतरेयिणः समामनन्ति-“यो ह वै त्रीन् पुरोहितान् त्रीन् पुरोधातन् वेद स ब्राह्मणः पुरोहितः” (ऐ. ब्रा. ८-२७), देवानामेव वस्तुतः पौरोहित्यमिति यो जानाति तस्यैव मानुषस्य पौरोहित्याधिकार इति भावः । एवं कर्मतन्त्र-परेषु ब्राह्मणेषु तत्र तत्र ज्ञानैकगम्यानि रहस्यानि निक्षिप्ता-नीति निदर्शनमात्रमत्र प्रसक्तिवशात् सूचितम् । अत एव अग्नि “पुरोहितं देवं ऋत्विजं होतारम्” गायति आदि-वेदस्यादिमा माधुच्छन्दसी मन्त्र-दृष्टिः। स ह्यग्निर्देवानां दूतः मर्येष्वमर्त्य इति शतकृत्वो वेदे गीतः ।।

अध्वर्युद्वितीयः यजुर्वेदाधारः, स हि यजुभिर्याजयति यज्ञतन्त्रानुसारेणान्यान् ऋत्विजो नयति, यजन-क्रियानिर्वाही क्रिया-दक्षः तदधीनमेव सर्वथा यज्ञनिर्वर्तनम् । अयमपि देवो मातरिश्वा वायुर्येन जगत्प्राणेन सर्व-क्रियाणां सम्भवः । अन्तरर्थः सुगमः प्राणदेव-परः, सर्वदेवताकार्यानुकूलक्रियां अन्तर्यजने साधयत्यन्तरध्वर्युर्वायुः । यद्यपि अध्वर-शब्दो यज्ञ-पर्यायत्वेन प्रसिद्धः, तथाऽपि अवयार्थमजहत् अध्वानं राति दत्ते इति यात्रा-रूपतयाऽध्वरो वर्ण्यते वेदे। तथाविधमध्वरं गच्छति कामयते वा अध्वर्युः क्रिया-दक्षः। सर्वेषु देवेषु ऋत्विग्रूपेष्वयमेव अध्वरपद-वाच्ययात्रायां सर्वकार्य-निर्वाहकः ।।

उद्गाता--साम गायति । अयं देवान् आनन्दयति साम्नां गानेन। गूढार्थ-पक्षे, अयं आदित्यो देवः उद्गीथेन सर्वदेव-प्रीणनेन गानेन स्वरन् यजमानस्य विविध-संकटापायदोषादीन् निवारयन् तं स्वस्थं विधाय समुन्नयत्यमृतं सत्य आनन्दम् । अन्ते ब्रह्मा-स साक्षी सर्वस्यापि यज्ञकर्म-कलापस्य, ददात्यनुज्ञां कर्मणां प्रवर्तने, यथाकालं अनुज्ञाक्षरं उच्चरति स्थाने, न स्थानाच्चलति, मौनमास्थाय आकर्मपरिसमाप्ति मन्त्रतन्त्र-क्रियालोपन्यूनातिरिक्तेभ्यो रक्षति याज्ञिकं कर्मेति ब्रह्मात्विज्यसंक्षेपः। आन्तरस्तु भावः सुघटः। निरावरणः स्पष्टश्च सङ्केतार्थः । अयं च देवो मन्त्राणां अभिमानी, मन्त्राश्च वेदे ब्रह्माणीति प्रसिद्धिः । अत एव ब्रह्मणस्पतिर्मन्त्राधिदेवता। छन्दसां मन्त्राणां मूलप्रकृतिः प्रणवः अनुज्ञाक्षरपद-वेदनीयः ओंकारपदवाच्यः स एव सर्वमन्त्रप्रादुर्भाव-मूलस्थानभूतां आद्यां वाचं आविष्करोति । तस्मात्तदायत्त-समस्तदैवतमन्त्राधिदेवता ब्रह्मणस्पतिरेव आदौ अन्ते च सर्वत्र परमेण मौनेन यजमानस्यान्तर्यजनं एकेन अक्षरेणानुगृह्णातीत्यव-गन्तव्यम् ।।

अथ द्रव्याण्यपि संकेत-भूतानि ग्राह्याणि। यथा ऋत्विङनामनिर्वचनादिभिः तेषामन्तर्यजने देवतादि-संकेतार्थो ज्ञायते, तथा कर्मणि देवेभ्योऽर्ण्यमाणानि द्रव्याणि यजमान-स्वभूतानि घृतादीन्यपि संकेतात्मकानि अवयवार्थानुगमाद् अन्वेतव्यानि । गौः इति धेनुः रश्मि-नाम च भवति। तस्माद् गव्यं कान्तिमत् प्रकाशं ज्ञानलक्षणं बोध्यम् । गव्यघृत-हविरादय एवमेव देवार्थं दीयमानाः यजमान-स्वभूताः ग्राह्याः । ऊष्म-दीप्त्यर्थात्समान-धातोनिष्पन्नानि घृत-धर्म-घृणि-पदानि । घृतम् प्रसाद-रूपः प्रकाशः। दाने अदने च वर्तते जुहोतिर्धातुः। यद्दीयते यजमानेन देवेभ्यः, यच्च देवानां आस्यभूतेन मर्येष्वस्मासु प्रथमजेनाम]न अग्निना अद्यते, तद्धविः स हवः । एवमन्यानि द्रव्याणि बाह्यानि यजमानोपार्जित-ज्ञान-क्रिया-सुख-भोग-साधनानां संकेत-भूतानि देवेभ्यो दीयन्ते ।

एवं फलान्यपि सङ्केतार्थ-वेदनीयानि भवन्ति। कर्म-फलात्मक: गवाश्वलाभः शश्वत् कीर्त्यते। गौः प्रकाश-लक्षणं ज्ञानं, अश्वश्च बलोपलक्षणं क्रियाशक्ति सामर्थ्य सङ्केतयतः। अन्यानि वैदिकपदानि सङ्केतार्थेषु वर्तन्ते। यज्ञः सर्वोऽपि साङ्गः सङ्केतार्थेषु ग्राह्य इत्यावेदयितुं उक्तान्युदाहरणान्यलम्। सूक्तमन्त्रस्थ-पदानां यौगिकत्वं चैतन्मतं पोषयतीत्यवधेयम् । अन्यानि कानिचित्पदानि अन्तःकरण सम्बन्धीन्येव प्रथन्ते। कर्म-परतया मन्त्राणां व्याख्याने बहुत्र बाह्य-स्थूलार्थोप-पत्तिर्दुर्घटा। अन्तरर्थे तु सर्वत्र सुतरां उपपत्तिरिति पुरस्तादन्यत्रोदाहरष्यिामः ।।

वेदसङ्केतार्थ-पक्षोपन्यासः समासेन अधियज्ञं समाप्तः । अथाधिलोकं पश्यामः । तत्र प्रथमं त्रयो लोकाः भूर्भुवस्सुवरिति व्याहृतित्रयेणाभिहिताः। भूरिति पृथ्वी भुव इत्यन्तरिक्षम्, सुव इति द्यौः स्वर्गापरपर्याया। तदूर्ध्वं मह इति चतुर्थी व्याहृति बृहद्दिवमामनन्ति । ततः परमपि जन-तपः-सत्याख्यास्तिस्रो व्याहृतीरकृतक-लोकत्रयाभिधायिनीः कीर्तयन्ति । यद्यपि वेदे सप्ततत्त्वात्मकं सत्त्वं सद्वस्तु वा, सप्ततत्त्वात्मिका ब्रह्माण्ड-व्यवस्थेति सप्तधा सत्तां चित्ति शक्ति चिच्छक्ति वा लोकान् लोकाध्यक्षान् वा सप्त-सानवः सप्त-सिन्धवः सप्त-स्वसारः सप्त-रश्मय: सप्तर्षय इत्यामनन्ति, तथाऽपि प्रथमं भूरादि-व्याहृतित्रयलक्षितं लोकत्रयं तत्सम्ब-धिनीर्देवताश्च शश्वत् कीर्तयन्ति । यतस्त्रय इमे लोकाः पृथिव्यादय एव प्राधान्य-नास्माकं सम्बन्धिनः, ऊर्ध्वलोकापेक्षया सन्निकृष्टाश्च भवन्ति। इदं च त्रैलोक्यं अपरार्धमिति व्यपदेशं भजते। अत एव नेदिष्ठं भुवोऽधिष्ठातारं अग्नि भूयस्य ऋचः स्तुवन्ति। सर्वेषामस्य त्रैलोक्यस्य देवानां राजानमिन्द्रं भूयिष्ठा ऋचः कीर्तयन्ति। एतेभ्यो लोकेभ्यो देवेभ्यश्च परस्तात् परमे परार्धे भ्राजमानः सूर्य एक एव सर्वेषां देवानां लोकानां च देवः वेदे प्रतिपादितः, यमधिगन्तुं सर्वाणि तपांसि तप्यन्ते, यज्ञाश्च इज्यन्ते। तत्तादृशं भगवन्तं सवितारं स्तुवन्त्य ऋचः स्वल्प-सङख्याका एव भवन्ति। अस्मदीय-त्रैलोक्यदेवा एव प्राधान्येन यज्ञभाग-स्वामिनो भवन्ति ॥

आर्षोऽयं त्रैलोक्य-विभागः भूमिरन्तरिक्षं द्यौरिति । इदं च बाह्यं भुवनत्रयं तत्सदृशस्य अन्तरस्य त्रिकस्य सङकेत-भूतं अवगन्तव्यम्। तत्र भूरित्ययं लोकः भौतिक इन्द्रियार्थः अन्नमयाख्यस्थूलजाग्रत्प्रज्ञाविशेषभूमेः सङकेतो भवति। बहि-र्भुवनानपेक्षस्य स्वतन्त्रतयाऽवस्थितस्य शुद्धमनस्तत्त्व-प्रधानस्य प्रज्ञा-विशेषस्य द्यौः सङ्केतो भवति। उभयोावापृथिव्योः उभयोावापृथिव्योः मध्यवर्ती उभयोरन्नमय-मनोमयप्रज्ञा-विशेषयोः सन्धि-भूतः, प्राणः प्रज्ञाभितशक्तिविशेषः भुव इत्यन्तरिक्षेण सङ्केतितो भवति। एवं अन्न-प्राणमनस्तत्त्वानां विलिसितान्येव अध्यण्डं अधिपिण्डं च भूर्भुवस्सुवरिति व्याहृतित्रय-प्रतिपादितं त्रैलोक्यं इति लोकसङ्केत-सारव्याहार इत्यलम् ॥

अथ देवानधिकृत्य, विश्वस्यां प्रकृतौ अस्मास्वन्तर्वा बहिर्ब्रह्माण्डे वा यानि शक्ति-विलसितानि सृष्ट्यादिकार्य-निर्वाहीणि लक्ष्यन्ते तानि सर्वाणि देवानां वर्तनानि भवन्ति। अर्थात् देवास्सर्गे शक्ति-विशेषा इत्युक्तं भवति। स्थूल-पक्ष इन्द्रः पर्जन्यात्मा देव:, मरुतो सूर्यस्तेजः-पिण्डमण्डलात्मा, उषः, अरुणोदय-स्वरूपिणी, अग्निरूष्म-तेजस्तत्त्वात्मको भूतेषु पञ्चसु तृतीय इति सामान्य-प्रत्ययः। अन्येषामपि देवानां स्वरूपाणि सन्दिग्धा-न्यपि क्वचित् कीर्त्यन्ते। यथा मित्रावरुणयोरहोरात्रात्मकत्वम् । अन्तरर्थ-स्वीकारे त्वेतेषां देवानां अध्यात्मवृत्तिविशेषप्रेरण-पोषण-प्रकाशनादयो व्यापारास्तत्तन्नाम-निर्वचनादवगन्तव्याः। अपि च तत्र तत्र सूक्तेषूल्लिखितानां तत्तवृत्तान्वाख्यानानां रूपकदृष्टान्तात्मकतया लाक्षणिके वर्णने परीक्षिते, तेषां यथार्थ-स्वरूपव्यापाराः स्पष्टाः स्युः। देवाः सर्वेऽपि परस्यैकस्य देवस्य नामानीति निर्विवादम्। अपि तु न ते केवलं नामानि, शक्तयो मूर्तयश्च भवन्ति परमस्य देवस्य। अग्निर्नाम जड-धियः सामान्य-जनस्य केवलं भूताग्निः, तेजस्तत्त्वात्मकं धर्म-धर्मं प्राकृतं द्रव्य स्यात् । अथवा याज्ञिकाग्निः अमानुषः पुरुषः कश्चन यजमानस्याभीष्टदायिनां एकः, यस्यानुग्रहाद् गावः, अश्वाः, प्रजाः, अन्नं, यशः, कान्ता कनकं एवमन्यानि च भोग्यानि लभ्यन्ते। अन्तर्यजन-दीक्षितस्य गूढार्थ-वेदिनस्तु अग्नेर्नामनिर्वचनानु-सारेण दीप्तिशक्त्यात्मिका देवतेति विदितं भवति। देवानां प्रथमोऽयमस्मासु प्रबुद्धः। तस्य व्यक्ति-स्वरूपं मन्त्र-वर्णेभ्योऽवगम्यते। सोऽग्रे तिष्ठन् नयत्यस्मान पुरस्तात् पुरोहितः। स दूतो देवानां येन पुरो गच्छता अध्वगामिना वयं देवान् यथास्थानमधिगच्छेम। स मुखं देवानाम् । मुखमेव प्रथमं दृश्यते अन्यानि पुनः परस्यैकस्याङ्गभूतानि देवतानि परस्तात् स्थितानि। तस्मादग्निमुखेनैव विश्वदैवत-सम्प्राप्तिर्भवति। स आस्यं भवति देवानां अस्माभिरर्यमाणं सर्वं तेन मुखेन देवाः स्वीकुर्वते। स कविक्रतुरस्मासु हृदये। साध्यवसाय-प्रज्ञारूपोऽयं हृदि स्थितोऽस्मासु स साक्षात् सर्वदैवत-प्रतिनिधिः हृद्गुहायां निहितः । यदा सुप्तोत्थितो ज्वलत्यूर्ध्व-रेताः तदा यजमानस्य कर्तव्यभार स्वयं परिगृह्य तस्य सर्वस्वं देवेभ्यो दीयमानं यथाभागं देवान् प्रापयति । इदं चावधेयम् । सर्वं अध्यण्डं अधिपिण्डं वा देवता-यत्तम्, देवता-स्वाम्यम्। अस्मासु प्रत्येकं सङ्कीर्णं च वर्तमान मनः-प्राण-अन्नाद्यास्तदवान्तर-भेदाश्चांशाः ब्रह्माण्डोपादानाः ब्रह्माण्डान्तर्भूताः ब्रह्माण्डाधि-कारिकेषु देवेष्वथीना इति स्मर्तव्यम्। तस्माद्यजमानेनार्ण्यमाणं सर्वं ज्ञान-क्रियादाक्ष्य-भोगसाधनादिकं वस्तुतो देव-स्वतयैव देवेभ्यो दीयते, यन्न कोऽप्यंशः यजमानस्य वस्तुतः स्वीयो भवति, विश्वस्यापि देवस्वत्वात्। तस्मादन्ते यजमानः स्वात्मानं एव अर्पयति। ब्राह्मणान्यपि क्वचिद्यूपं यजमानं आहुः। आलभ्यः पशुरपि यजमान-प्रत्याम्नाय इत्यामनन्ति। यजनेन सर्वाभ्यो देवताभ्य आत्मानमेव निष्क्रीणीते यजमान इत्येवमर्थानि वाक्यानि ब्राह्मणेषु द्रष्टव्यानि। तथा चाहु-रैतरेयिण: “यजमानो वै यूपः । यजमानः प्रस्तरः। अग्निर्वै देवयोनिः। सोऽग्ने-वयोन्या आहुतिभ्यः सम्भूय, हिरण्यशरीरः ऊर्ध्वः स्वर्ग लोकमेष्यति” (२-६-३)। कौषीतकिनश्चामनन्ति “अग्नीषोमयोर्वा एव आस्यमापद्यते यो दीक्षते तद्य-दुपवसथे अग्नीषोमीयं पशुमालभते आत्मनिष्क्रयणो हैवास्य तेन आत्मानं निष्क्रीया-नृणो भूत्वाऽथ यजते” (१०-३) इति। तथैव ऐतरेय-ब्राह्मणेऽपि “सर्वाभ्यो वा एष देवताभ्य आत्मानमालभते यो दीक्षते, अग्निः सर्वाः देवताः। स यदग्नीषो-मीयं पशुमालभते सर्वाभ्य एव देवताभ्यः यजमानः आत्मानं निष्क्रीणीते (२-६-३) इति पठ्यते॥

स एषोऽग्निविश्वेषां देवानां दूतो यथास्वं यज्ञभागान् गृह्णतां मुखं भवति । स यजमाने प्रथमं प्राप्त-जन्मा यज्ञे पुरोहितोऽग्रणीः, सर्वेश्वरस्य सनातन-कुमारः कामो हृच्छयः सर्वभूतानां ज्वलन्नूचं आरोहत्यारोहयति च यजमानम् । एवमिन्द्रो मित्रो वरुणः सोमोऽश्विनौ मरुत ऋभवः अन्ये च देवा यथास्थानं यथाधिकारं स्वानि कार्याणि निर्वहन्ति सवितुः परस्यैकस्य देवस्य, यस्यैतानि दैवतानि बहूनि नामानि व्यक्तान्यङ्ग-भूतानि मूर्तान्यमूर्तस्य । इह कानिचिदेषां निदर्शनार्थमुदाहरामः यदि हृदि कवि-क्रतुरस्मास्वग्निः सप्त-जिह्वः सप्त-धामाधिगामी मर्येष्वमर्त्यः सतत-गमनशील: अतिथिः अस्माद् भूधाम्नः प्रस्थाय दिवमारोहति, दिवस्पति-रिन्द्रोऽपि बृहद्बलं देवानां दिव्यमनोमयाधिराजः विद्युद्भिरवरोहन अभीष्ट-जीवनदान: पर्जन्यात्मना वर्षन् वृषा जीवन-प्रकाशावरण-प्रतिबन्धान् वृत्रादीनसुरान् निहत्य आवृतानि बन्धितानि च सत्यानि निरावरणानि निर्मुक्तानि विधाय परं सत्यं भगवन्तं सूर्यं साक्षात्कारयति ।।

सोमो रसादिदेवता अमृतस्यानन्दस्य अधिष्ठाता। सर्गे सर्वेषामपि भूतानां यः सारांशः रसः आनन्दमयः तं अमृतमादाय देवाः अमृतत्वं भजन्ते। तस्माद् अमृतान्धसां देवानां आहाराय स्वीयं सर्वज्ञान-क्रियाबल-भोगसाधनं सारांशं सोम-पद-सङ्केतितं रसं यजमानः सुनोत्यर्पयति। तच्चामृतमानन्दं सोमपद-वाच्यं अन्नं भवति देवानाम् । अन्नादस्तु सर्वदेवास्य-भूतोऽग्निरिति बोध्यम् । एवमुपपद्यते च ब्राह्मणम्- सोमो वा अन्नं अग्निरन्नाद’ इति । “अग्निः सर्वा देवताः सोमः सर्वा देवताः" इत्येवंजातीयकस्य वाक्यस्यापि तात्पर्य गूढार्थपक्षे सुगमम् । एव-मन्येऽपि देवाः। वरुणः सर्वावरणो विभुः समग्रपावनता-विधायकः पापापनोदनः मित्रः प्रेम-सौहार्दभरितया भ्राजमानया शक्त्या बाह्याभ्यन्तरानुभव-प्रेरणक्रियादि-वृत्तीनां संवादस्य निष्पादयिता, सम्मदस्य विधाता देवः । अन्यानि च तत्र तत्र यथावसरं देवानां स्वरूपाणि विचारयिष्यामः । न केवलं पुमांसो देवाः स्त्रियश्च देव्यो गीयन्ते वेदे। अग्नीन्द्र-वरुणादीनां शक्तयः अग्नायी इन्द्राणी वरुणा-नीत्यादयो देव्यः। स्वतन्त्रतया स्त्री-देवताश्च काश्चन गीयन्ते। यथा वा, अदितिः अखण्ड-स्वरूपिणी सर्वभूतप्रकृतिर्माता देवानां आद्या देवी। इळा मही सरस्वती सरमा इत्याद्याश्च लक्षणीयाः। पुंसां स्त्रीणां च देवतानामेष विशेषः अवधेयः । कार्याणां कारयितारश्चोदयितारो वा पुमांसो देवाः । कार्याणां निर्वाहिकाः स्त्रीदेवता इति सङग्रहः ।।

तदत्र अधियज्ञं अधिलोकं अधिदैवतं च सङ्केत-मर्यादावलम्बिनं वेद-गुप्तार्थसिद्धान्तं सङक्षेपेण व्याहार्म। यदिदमत्यल्पं दिङभात्रप्रदर्शनमेव भवति, तदपि न्यूनं स्याद्यदीह सारतो वा नोदाहरेम मुख्यानि वाक्यानि श्रीचरणानां वेदरहस्यार्थ-दर्शिनां इति तानि इमान्यनूदितानि भवन्ति –

अथ क इह वेदार्थ-सारांश: गुप्तार्थ-दर्शनाल्लभ्यते? उच्यते। अयं प्रथमो मुख्यश्च भवति। सत्यस्यामृतस्य ज्योतिषोऽधिगमायोद्यम एव मुख्योद्देशः, यस्यानु-रोधेनैव सर्वै वेदार्था उपलभ्यन्ते। अस्त्येकं सत्यं, तत् प्रत्यक्षभूतात् जगदात्मक-सत्यात् गहनतरं परतरम् । अस्त्येकं ज्योतिः, तच्च मानुषज्ञान-प्रकाशान्महीयो वरीयश्च असामान्याद् अमानुषाद् दर्शनश्रवण-विशेषाल्लभ्यम् । अस्ति च अमृतं, तदुद्दिश्यमानुषो जीव उद्गच्छेत् । तत्सम्प्राप्तये अध्वानं प्रविशेम, ऋतस्यामृतस्य सम्पर्क साधयेम। सत्ये नव्यं जन्म सम्प्राप्य वर्धमानाः सन्तः सत्यलोकं आत्मना अधिरुह्य तत्र जीवेम। तादृशी सिद्धरेव मर्त्यत्वादमृतत्वप्राप्तिः परदैवत-सायुज्यं च भवति ।।

अथ द्वितीयो गुप्त-वेदिनां सिद्धान्तः । अनृतस्य भूरेः सम्मिश्रणादिदं जगद् अवरं सत्यम् । अन्यदस्ति परं सत्यं ऋतस्य सदनं ’सत्यं ऋतं बृहत्’ इति मन्त्र-वर्णोपदिष्टम्। तत्र सत्यज्ञानं ’ऋतचित् इति कीर्यते। अन्ये च सन्ति लोकाः। परमो लोकस्तु सत्यज्योतिर्लोकः। अयमेव स्वराख्यः बृहद् द्यौरित्याम्नायते । तस्मादन्वेष्टव्यो बृहद्दिवः पन्था ।।

अथायं तृतीयः सिद्धान्त-सारः। लोक-यात्रायामस्माकं जीवितं देवासुरयो-युद्ध-रङ्गम्। देवाश्च सत्यस्य ज्योतिषोऽमृतस्य विभवाः, असुरास्तु तद्विरोधिनः तमसो विभवाः । इमे वृत्र-वल-पणिदस्यवः, तेषां राजानश्च भवन्ति । प्रकाशावर-काणां एतेषां अन्धकार-विभवानां विनाशाय साहाय्यं देवानां अपेक्षितव्यमस्माकम् । अन्तर्यजने मन्त्रवीर्यसम्पन्नया वाचा देवानामागमनं प्रार्थयमहि। तेभ्यः समर्पणीय-मस्मदीयं अर्पयित्वा तैः प्रतिदीयमानं सर्वं स्वीकृत्य गन्तव्यं धामाधिरोढुं शक्ताः साधिकाराः स्याम ॥

अन्ते चेदं वेदर्षीणामुत्तमं रहस्यम्। सर्वरहस्य-शिखरायमाणं ’एकं सत्’ तदेकम्’ इतीदमेवोत्तर-कालेषु औपनिषदर्षिभिर्मुख्यलक्ष्यतया विवृत्य विस्पष्ट-मुपदिष्टम् ॥

अयं गुप्तार्थ-वेदसारः भगवदरविन्दश्रीचरणैः प्रदर्शितां मन्त्रार्थविवरणपद्धति वृण्वतां उपयोगायात्र प्रतिपादितः । अयं अन? मार्गदर्शी स्यात् तेषां, ये च न पश्यन्त्युपपत्ति सायणीयवेदार्थनिर्णयप्रवचनेषु, ये वा न तृप्ति लभन्ते स्वकपोल-कल्पनासम्मिश्रपाश्चात्यपाण्डित्य-निर्णीत-वेदोक्तमन्त्रार्थ-देवतास्वरूपादि-सिद्धान्तेषु । ये पुनः सायण-साहाय्येनैव रहस्यार्थं सूक्तानां जिज्ञासन्ते, अध्यात्मदेवतादि-रहस्य-निक्षेप सङ्केत-रूपाच्छादितमधिगन्तुमध्वानं गवेषयन्ति, तेषां दिग्दर्शनाया-त्यन्तमुपयुक्तो भूयादयं सङक्षेप इति शिवम् ।।

अथ द्वितीयः खण्डः

आधुनिकनव्यविद्याविचार-संस्कारायत्तपूर्वपक्षाक्षेपसमाध्युपन्यासमुखेन वेद-रहस्यार्थ-सिद्धान्तपक्षः समासेन प्रत्यपादि प्रथमे खण्डे। स्वपक्षस्य परीक्षा चिरन्तनभारतीय-पाण्डित्यदृष्ट्या प्रवर्तते। अत्र ऋग्वेदादि-ब्राह्मणोपनिषदन्ताः श्रुति-ग्रन्थाः निरुक्त-बृहद्देवतादीन्यन्यानि प्रमाणग्रन्थवचनानि धर्ममीमांसकानां उक्तयश्च कियदूरं वेदरहस्यसिद्धान्तं पोषयन्तीति निरीक्ष्यते। तत्र प्रथमं तावत् केचन प्रश्ना उद्गच्छन्ति। तेषां सविमर्श-प्रतिवचनद्वारेण ऋग्वेदसङ्केत-पदार्थसमालम्बं गूढार्थमन्त्र-सिद्धान्तं निरूपयिष्यामः ।।

कथमयं चतुर्णां वेदानां सतां ऋग्वेद एव विचारायादीयते? किं पाश्चात्यः उक्त-विधया युष्माकमपि अयमेक एव प्रमाण-भूतो वेदः ? न चेत् कथम् ? किं धर्ममीमांसा-पक्षस्याधार एवासाधुः? तथा कथमसौ मीमांसक-सिद्धान्तों बहोः कालाल्लब्धप्रतिष्ठः? किमत्यन्तपुरातनत्वादेव मन्त्राणां माननीयत्वं पावनता-प्रतीतिर्वा ? को वा मुख्यो विषय ऋगर्थ-मीमांसया साध्यते ? बहुविधा हि मन्त्राः प्राचीनः निरुक्तकारादिभिः अङ्गीक्रियन्ते, कथं तहि सर्वाऽपि मन्त्रसंहिता अध्यात्माधिदैवतादि-रहस्य-विद्या-निधानभूतेत्युच्यते ? अथ चेत् सङ्केतपदार्थ-ग्रहणेन आपाततः उच्चावचाभिप्रायाणां मन्त्राणां वस्तुतो रहस्य-प्रकाशनेन विरोध-परिहारो भवतीत्युच्येत, के ते सङ्केताः, कथं न ते स्वकपोल-कल्पिताः अस्ति, किं तथाविधसङ्केतगूढार्थव्याख्यानमार्गस्याधारो वेदे ? सन्तु तावदृचः। वैदिकं समय-धर्म वैदिकं यजनं वैदिकं मन्त्रं च अधिकृत्य वैदिक-ग्रन्थेषु रहस्यार्थ-प्रतिपादकानि सन्ति वा प्रमाण-वचनानि ? किं वा यथार्थ-स्वरूपं देवानाम् ? अस्मत्परिचिताधुनातन-तत्त्वसिद्धान्तापेक्षया को वा भवति तत्त्व-निर्णयो वेदर्षीणाम्? अपि नव्यं पाश्चात्यं पन्थानमवलम्ब्य वेदार्थविमर्श-प्रवृत्तानां प्रशंसनीयविद्वच्चरितानां भारतीयानां परिश्रमः सर्वोऽपि विफलो वक्तव्यः ? अपि नासीद्वेदर्षीणामस्माकं चान्तरे दीर्घ-युगे कोऽप्युद्यमो वेद-मन्त्राणां गोप्यं प्रवेष्टुम् ? त इमे प्रश्नाः सावधानं विचार्य प्रत्युक्ताः सङ्केत-रहस्यार्थ-सिद्धान्तं द्रढयेयुरिति अनयोद्वितीय-तृतीय-खण्डयोः विचारयिष्यामः ।।

ऋग्वेदः

तथ्यमिदं यच्चतस्रः संहिता वेदानामिति। कथं तर्हि वेदानां त्रयीत्वं उपपद्यते? मन्त्राणां त्रित्वं. मन्त्रसमदायरूप-संहितानां के चतप्तवम। वा मन्त्राः ? अयं मन्त्रः अयं नेति निर्णायकं लक्षणं कैश्चिदुक्तप्रायमपि प्रायिकमेव स्यात्। स एव मन्त्र: ‘यमृषयस्त्रयीविदो विदुः ऋच: सामानि यजूंषि’ इति । ये अभियुक्तैर्मन्त्रा नोच्यन्ते न ते मन्त्रा इति शबरस्वामी। अभियुक्तानां वागेव प्रमाणं मन्त्रत्व-परिज्ञाने इति सारांशः। मन्त्राणां ऋग्यजुस्साम्नां स्वरूपाणि सूत्रितानि जैमिनिना ’तेषां ऋग् यत्रार्थवशेन पादव्यवस्था। गीतिषु सामाख्या, शेषे यजुःशब्दः’ (२. १-३५-३६-३७), इदं पर्यवसन्नम्। ऋचो मन्त्राः छन्दो-बद्धाः, ऋचो गेयाः सामानि, शिष्टाः गद्यरूपाः मन्त्रा: यजूंषीति त्रिधा वेद-व्यवस्थितेर्वेदत्रयं त्रयीशब्द-वाच्यतां भजते। ऋचां समुदायः ऋग्वेदसंहिता, यजुषां यजुस्संहिता साम्नां च सामवेद-संहितेति व्यवहारः। चतुर्थी अथर्व-वेदसंहिता अन्या च वर्तते। तत्र ऋचो यजूंषि च वर्तन्ते। ऋक्संहिता-पठिता ऋचो बह्वयो दृश्यन्ते। तथा यजूंष्यपि क्वचित् साहितिकानि, ये च मन्त्राः त्रय्यामाम्नातास्तेषां यज्ञोपयोगित्वं सिद्धम् । केवलाथर्वणिकानां मन्त्राणां पुरुषार्थ-साधकानि प्रयोजनान्तराणि कीर्त्यन्ते । तावता न वेदमन्त्रत्वहानिः। यतः चदुर्थी संहिताऽपि वेद-संहितैव भवति। अस्यां भूयिष्ठा ऋचः ऋग्वेदस्था इत्युक्तम् । तथा यजुर्वेदेऽपि क्वचित्। तस्माद् ऋक्संहितायां व्याख्यातायां अथर्वसंहितास्था-नामृचामपि ताप] उक्तं भवति । अवशिष्टानां आथर्वणिक-मन्त्राणां व्याख्यानाय नावसरः, यज्ञानुपयोगित्वात्, यज्ञस्य अस्मस्सिद्धान्तानुसारेण सङ्केत-रूपत्वाच्च । याज्ञिक्यां त्रय्यामेवाभिनिवेशोऽत्रास्माकम् । यद्यपि ऋग्वेदीय-संवैतरहस्यं अथर्व-मन्त्राणामप्यर्पकं भवेत्, तथाऽपि नेह स विचारोऽपेक्ष्यते। सामवेदसंहितास्था-ऋचः प्रायः सर्वा अपि ऋक्संहितास्था इति सामवेदः पृथङ न विचार्यते । अवशिष्टं यजुः । यदि यजुर्वेदोऽत्र न विचार्यते, तस्यास्ति कारणम् । अस्मदुद्द शस्य यजुर्वेद-विचारात् सम्भाव्यं फलं सन्दिग्धम् । उद्दिष्टो विषयस्तु ऋषीणां सङ्केत-पदार्थव्यवस्था-प्रकाशनम्, तद्द्वारेण मन्त्ररहस्यार्थ-विवरणम्, देवतानां तत्त्वं, मानुषस्य प्राप्तव्यतया अस्मत्पूर्वैर्महर्षिभिनिर्दिष्टं लक्ष्यम्। सर्वमेतदृङमन्त्रभाषा-स्वरूप-परिशीलनात्सुलभं भवति। यजुर्वेदीयभाषासङ्कतादयो न सर्वत्र समानाः सुगाहा वा भवन्ति । अन्यदस्ति कष्टं यजुर्विचारे। तैत्तिरीयाणां कृष्ण-यजुर्वेदः मन्त्र-ब्राह्मणात्मकः, अस्माकं तु केवल-मन्त्रार्थस्य विचारः प्रवर्तते । न तु उपनिषदा रहितस्य सहितस्य वा ब्राह्मणस्य। यजुर्वेदे तु कर्मोपयोगिभिर्ब्राह्मणैः युक्ताः पठ्यन्ते मन्त्राः। अन्या ऋगादिसंहिता इव नेयं तैत्तिरीयाणां मन्त्राणामेव संहिता। मन्त्रब्राह्मणानां समुदायोऽपि संहिताव्यपदेशं भजते ।

ब्राह्मणानि कर्म-परतया मन्त्राणां विवरणाय प्रवर्तन्त इति न विवादः । यद्यपि तेषां विवरण-प्रकारोऽपि सङ्केतार्थमेव स्पष्टं विद्योतयति, तथाऽपि याज्ञिक-कर्मसु विनियोगायैव सन्ति मन्त्रा इति तेषां मतमिति विशदं भवेच्चिन्तकानाम् । अत एव सायणः ब्राह्मणान्याश्रित्य मन्त्रार्थ-विवरणं चकार। तथा सति मन्त्र-ब्राह्मणात्मके कृष्ण-यजुर्वेदे अस्मदीयविचारस्य मन्त्रार्थ-परस्य नास्त्यवकाशः । ब्राह्मणानि हि मन्त्राणां कर्मोपयोगितां एव निरूपयन्ति, न मन्त्रगुप्तार्थान्। अन्यदस्ति चित्रम्, यदि स्मरेम याज्ञवल्क्यचरितम् । तदिदं समासेनोच्यते। स हि गुरोर्वैशम्पायना-दधीतं यजुर्वेदं गुरवे प्रत्यर्पितवान् । प्रत्यर्प्यमाणो वेदस्तित्तिरि-रूपतया निर्गतः । ततस्स तपस्तेपे। वाजि-रूपतया भगवानादित्यः प्रसन्नस्तस्मै शुद्धमन्त्रात्मकं ब्राह्मणै-रसम्मिश्रं शुक्लं यजुर्वेदं ददौ। ततस्स वाजसनेय-संहिता विश्रुता। विस्तर-भयादियं कथा नेहोच्यते, विष्णुपुराणे सविस्तरा द्रष्टव्या (३-५)। याज्ञिक-पक्षप्रोद्वलक-ब्राह्मणानां वेदसंहितासु स्थानं न स्यात् इत्याशयो याज्ञवल्क्यस्येति मन्यामहे। याज्ञिकेषु कर्मसु मन्त्राणां विनियोगाय ब्राह्मणानि सन्तु नाम, किं तु पृथक् सन्तु यथान्यशाखीय-ब्राह्मणानि तत्तन्मन्त्रसंहिताभ्यः पृथगेव वर्तन्ते। यदि कर्मपरं ब्राह्मणं कृष्ण-यजुस्संहितायां स्थानं अलभत, ब्रह्मपरोपनिषदपि कुतो न संहितायां स्थानमियादिति स्पर्धमानेव ईशावास्याख्या एकैव संहितोपनिषत् शुक्ल-यजुस्संहितायां पदं भेजे। एवं एकेषां पूर्वेषां मन्त्र-संहितायां ब्राह्मणस्यान्तर्भावो न युक्त इत्यासीन्मतिरित्युपपन्न ऊहः । तैत्तिरीय-संहितायां ब्राह्मणान्तर्भावस्य फलितं दूरप्रसरमभूत् । येनोत्तरकालिकभारतीयसमयधर्म-व्यवस्थायां मन्त्र-ब्राह्मणात्मको वेद इति सौत्रसिद्धान्तः प्रतिष्ठां प्रापत्। अत्रैव बीजं द्रष्टव्यं अनन्तर-कालेषु फलितस्य कर्मपारम्य-सिद्धान्तस्य, यदनुसारेण कर्मज्ञानकाण्डात्मको वेदः, कर्म-काण्ड: सब्राह्मणो वेदमन्त्र-संहिताग्रन्थः, ज्ञानकाण्ड उपनिषदिति सर्वेषां सूत्र-काराणां तदनन्तराणामाचार्याणां चाङ्गीकार इति निर्विवादम् ।।

एवं हि पाश्चात्यास्तदनुसारिण इव वयमपि यजुर्वेदस्य प्रामाण्यं न गणयाम इति मा भूच्छङ्का। यजूंष्यपि मन्त्राः, नैव न्यक्कुर्मो वेदं बढचं याजुषं आथर्वणिकं वा। तर्हि कुतो न यजुषो मन्त्र-भागो वा विचार्यत इति चेदुच्यते। अस्मदुद्दे शस्योपायभूतो न स विचार । न तावता यजुर्मन्त्राणां वेदत्वमस्माभिर्न लक्ष्यते। यथा अस्मत्पूर्वैः वैदिकैः शैवाद्यागमिकैरपि रुद्राध्यायादि-मन्त्रभागा जप-पारायणादिषु उपयुक्ता दृष्टचराः भवन्ति, तथा अस्माकमपि मन्त्र-भागेषु पावनत्वपूज्यत्वादि-दृष्टिधूवेत्यसंशयम् । अत्र विश्रुताः पञ्चाक्षराष्टाक्षरादयो मन्त्रा याजुषा एवेति स्मार्यम् ।।

अथ बढचानां संहितव विषयो विचारस्य। न तावता वेदशाखान्तराणा-मवरं प्रामाण्यम् । किं तु अस्माकं अपेक्षिता सर्वा सामग्री ऋग्वेदादेव लभ्यते, यत्र शब्द-स्वरूपं अन्यन्त-प्राचीनम्, न च दुर्गमा आर्षसङ्केतपदार्थ-व्यवस्था, ऋषीणामध्यात्मज्ञानबलसम्पत्तिश्च न दुर्ग्रहा, देवानां तत्त्वं च विवेक-ग्राह्यम् । अन्यदति मुख्य कारणम् । यजुर्वेदो यज्ञार्थः प्रसिद्धः, अत एव तं अध्वर्युशाखा-माहुः। यज्ञार्थं ऋचां प्राधान्यं याजुषा एवामनन्ति-“ यद्वै यज्ञस्य साम्ना, यजुषा क्रियते शिथिलं तद् यदृचा तद् दृढम्” इति (२-५-१०)। इदं चेह द्रष्टव्यम् । ऋग्भिस्सह यजूंषि सामानि च यज्ञार्थं वर्तन्ते। ऋग्वेदात्परं यजुर्वेद इत्याधुनिक ऐतिहासिकं मतं असत् । ऋक्संहितायामेव यजुषां साम्नां चोल्लेखोऽवधेयः। त्रयों विना नास्ति यज्ञः। त्रय्यां एकं वा विहाय न कोऽपि यागोऽनुष्ठातुं शक्यः, अवियोज्या सा यज्ञे । बहिर्यागे त्रय्या उपयोगो वर्तते, तथा तत्प्रयोक्तृणां स्थानानि च भवन्ति । अन्तर्यागेऽपि त्रय्याः स्थानं अस्ति। इदं च सम्प्रत्याचक्ष्महे। सर्वथा स्मृतावुपस्थाप्यं त्विदम् यन्न केवलं तैत्तिरीय-संहिता सर्वाण्याध्वर्यवाणि ब्राह्मणानि यज्ञाधिकार-विचारे यज्ञकर्मदेवता-फलादिरहस्येषु ऋचां प्राधान्यमभिज्ञाय ’तदृ-चाऽभ्युक्तम्’ इति शतशो घोषयन्ति। किमु वक्तव्यं ज्ञान कलक्ष्या उपनिषद ऋचां प्राधान्यं ज्ञानाधिकारे प्रशंसन्तीति। “तदुक्तमृषिणा, तदेष श्लोकः, अत्रैते मन्त्रा भवन्ति, एतदधिविधाय ऋषिरवोचत्, तदेषाऽभ्युक्ता" एवमादीनि वचनानि प्रत्यक्षं मन्त्रदृष्टीनां ऋचां पारम्यं प्रशंसन्तीति दिक् ।।

अथ त्रयीपद-वाच्यस्य ऋग्यजुस्सामाख्य-वेदत्रयस्य सङ्केतार्थोऽन्तर्यंजने व्याख्यायते। ’अस्य महतो भूतस्य ब्रह्मणो निःश्वसितं’ वेदा इति श्रूयते। ऐतरेयशतपथादि-ब्राह्मणेभ्यः इदमवगम्यते यद् भूर्भुवःस्वराख्यव्याहृतित्रयलक्षित-त्रैलोक्यस्याध्यक्षरग्नि-वाय्वादित्यैः क्रमशः ऋग्यजुःसाम्नां प्रादुर्भावः सम्पादित इति। किं विवक्षितम् ? प्रथमे खण्डे यज्ञस्य सङ्केतार्थ-विवरणप्रसङ्गे होत्रादय ऋत्विजो देवा इत्युक्तम्, अत्र त्रय्या देवानां वृत्तयः प्रतिपाद्यन्ते। अग्निर्होता देवानामाह्वाता, स वाचोऽधिदेवता सर्वासामृचां तस्यां वाच्युपसंहारः यया देवानां प्रभावः कीर्त्यते, तत्त्वानि प्रकाश्यन्ते, उज्ज्वलन्त्या यया देवानामालयः स्वर्लोको-ऽधिगम्यते। आदित्यः साम्नामाधिपत्यं वहति, स उच्चैर्गायति, सत्य-सम्मद-लय-विधायकैर्गानैर्नादस्पन्दैर्यजमानमुन्नीय देवेषु मध्ये विराजयति। उभयोः द्यावा-पृथिव्योस्तदध्यक्षयोरग्नि-सूर्ययोरन्तरे अन्तरिक्षपतिर्वायुः क्रियाध्यक्षो यजुभिर्यजन-कार्यं साघ्नोति । स एवाध्वर्युः देवानाम् । अत्र एव यजुषां प्राधान्यं याज्ञे कर्मणि ऋग्भिः प्राज्ञाभिर्वाग्भिः अर्चनं विधीयते, सामभिर्यजमानः परं स्वरं उद्गीथाख्यं भजनीय-सम्मदपदं उन्नीयते, यजुभिः कर्मणा यजनं निर्वर्त्यते--तत्तदृत्विग्रूपैर्देवैरिति सङग्रहः। एवं तिस्रो देवताः अग्निर्वायुरादित्य इति, याश्च होता अध्वर्युरुद्गाता इति क्रमशः ऋग्यजुस्साम्नां प्रयोक्त्र्योऽन्तर्यजने। अयमेव परमार्थो यज्ञः सङ्केतात्म-तया बाह्ययज्ञे रहोविद्यानधिकारिणां उपयोगाय पूर्वमहर्षिभिर्व्यवस्थापित इति बोध्यम् ॥

धर्ममीमांसा

मन्त्र-ब्राह्मणयोर्वेद-नामधेयं, न केवलं मन्त्राः वेद-व्यपदेशं भजेरन् इति ब्रुवाणाः पूर्व-मीमांसकाः वेदरहस्यार्थ-मतं नाभिमन्येरन् । तेषामस्माकं च दक्षि-णोत्तरवदन्तरं द्रष्टव्यम्। यानि तत्त्वान्युपाश्रित्य गूढार्थसङ्केत-पक्षोऽस्माकं ध्रियते तेषां परिपन्थी तदीयः सिद्धान्तः। वयं मन्त्राणां प्राधान्यं आश्रयामहे, ब्राह्मणानां तु कर्मोपयोगित्वं अभ्युपगच्छामः। मन्त्र-संहितैव वेदशब्दमुख्यार्थ इति वयम्। मन्त्रार्थविचारद्वारेण वेदरहस्य-निरूपणमस्मल्लक्ष्यम् । मीमांसकास्तु ब्राह्मणवाक्यार्थ-विचारिणः, यद्यपीह नास्माकं प्रवृत्तिस्तत्सिद्धान्तविस्तर-परीक्षायां, तथाऽपि तेषां मूलभूत-धर्मजिज्ञासामधिकृत्य त्वस्ति किञ्चिद्विमृष्टव्यम् । वेदोऽखिलो धर्म-मूलमिति न्यायतो धर्म-जिज्ञासायां प्रवृत्तास्ते वेदविचारं कुर्वन्ति । वेदानां धर्म-मूलत्वोक्तौ नास्ति विवादः। धर्मशब्दार्थस्तु कुत्र पर्यवस्यतीत्येव चिन्त्यम् । सामयाचारिक धर्ममेव मनसि निधाय वेदस्य कर्मपरता-पक्षमेव परमं सिद्धान्तं मन्यन्ते। अयं च तेषां वाद:-वेदादेव धर्मस्य ज्ञानं, स च परमो धर्मः यज्ञ-स्वरूपो वेदे प्रतिपादितः । यजमानेन देवार्थं द्रव्यत्यागः क्रियते, सर्वस्वमपि दीयते विश्वजितीव। कर्मणा स्वर्ग-फलं प्राप्नोति यजमानः। अपूर्वं फल-दातृ, तच्च किमप्यदृष्टं कर्मजन्य-फलदायकमित्याद्याहुः। अलमेतावता अस्माकं धर्मविषयकचर्चायाः। मीमांसकानां कैश्चिद् अतिचित्र-वादैः सह न विद्यते कोऽपि नः सम्बन्धः। स्वर्गमुद्दिश्य तेषां अभिप्रायः, तथा देवानधिकृत्या पि, मन्त्र-स्वरूपम्, वेद-वर्णानां नित्यत्वम्, शरीरस्थः कोऽपि जीवो देह-व्यतिरिक्तो गत्यन्तर-विरहाद् अभ्युपगन्तव्यः जगतो जीवानां वा ईश्वर-निरपेक्षता, जगत आत्यन्तिक-स्वतन्त्रसत्तायायार्थ्यादि निदर्शनं भवति निरङकुशवादवैचित्र्याः॥

अथ पश्यामस्तावत्, को नामायं धर्मः यस्य ज्ञानं वेदादेव लभ्यते ? याज्ञिकं कर्मैव परमो धर्मो वेदैरुपदिष्ट इति चेत् स न सर्वेषामविशेषेण पुरुषाणां सर्वेषु युगेषु उपयुक्तो भवत्यभूद्वा। एकत्र कोणे भूमण्डलस्य कतिपयमानुष-वर्गीयाणामेव उपयोज्य इति स्पष्टम् । एवं तथाविध-यज्ञकर्मात्मको धर्मः सामया-चारिक एव, न सार्वलौकिकः, न सनातनो वेति प्रत्यक्षम् । एतादृशं धर्म-स्वरूपमेव सूत्रकारैनिर्णीतम्। तैहि ब्राह्मणानि उपादाय सामुदायिकवैदिक-यजनोत्सवादीनां व्यवस्थापन-काम्यया वेद-विधीन् निश्चित्य वेदो विधिश्चोदनेति सिद्धान्तितम् । अतः परमस्मात् श्रौत-रूपाद् धर्मात् स्मार्त-गृह्यादयः सामयाचारिका राज-धर्मादयश्च चातुर्वर्ष्यादि-सामुदायिकवृत्ति-व्यवस्थायै अकल्पन्तेति वेद-मूलता धर्मस्य न्याय्या भवतु नाम। तथा हि पूर्वेषां सङघे समष्टर्व्यष्टश्च धर्मास्तित्व-प्रत्ययो विश्वतोमुखो निष्पन्न इति प्रशंसाभाजनमेवैतत् । परं तु मन्त्रब्राह्मणयोर्वेद-नामधेयमिति कृत्वा आद्या व्यवस्था उत्तर-कालेषु बहुसंकटदशा-प्रसवित्री समजा-यतेति नात्र संशयः। स चादिमः सूत्रकार-कृतो व्यतिक्रमो नाभिज्ञातः, न शोधितः। स हि व्यतिक्रम एव, येन कर्मसु विनियोगार्था एव मन्त्राः, मन्त्राणां कर्म-परतया व्याख्यानं एव साधु नान्यथेति प्रत्ययो वेदार्थ-विचारिणां हृदयेषु पदं लेभे। इदानीमिदं विशदं भवेत् यत् सतीषु ऋग्वेदादि-संहितातु तैत्तिरीय-संहितायामेकस्यामेव ब्राह्मणानामन्तर्भावः अभवदनर्थकर इति। परमस्य वैदिक-धर्मस्य यज्ञस्य रहस्यार्थः एवमुपरक्तः । क्रमशः श्रौतधर्मस्य बाह्ययज्ञात् नान्यत्रो-पपत्तिरिति स्थिति: सम्पादिता। अत एव कालक्रमेण प्रादुर्भूताः आचार्य-पुरुषाः सर्वेऽपि श्रुति काण्डद्वयात्मिकामभ्युपगम्य मन्त्र-संहितानां कर्म-काण्डान्तर्गतत्व-मभिमान्य उपनिषदामेव ज्ञान-काण्डत्वं चाख्यापयन् ।।

अथ याज्ञिकं कर्म स्थूलसङ्केत-रूपतया पृथक् स्थापयित्वा अन्तरर्थो यज्ञस्य चेत् निरीक्ष्यते, तदा तस्य सार्वलौकित्वं स्पष्टतां गच्छेत् । परः स्रष्टा सर्वस्य जगतः पुरुषः स्वमात्मानं अर्पयित्वा यज्ञधर्मेण सृष्टि व्यधत्तेत्यस्य तत्त्वमपि सुबोधं भवेत्। अतोऽन्या का वा विवक्षा पुरुषसूक्त-मन्त्राणाम् ? यद्यपि पुरुष-सूक्त-भाषा अन्यसूक्त-तारतम्यापेक्षया प्रायेण सुगमा अत एव स्पष्टार्था च भवति, तथाऽपि नेदं एकाकि सूक्तं सहस्राधिक-सूक्तायां दाशतय्यां, यत्र यज्ञेन परम-धर्मेण सृष्टिविधीयत इत्याशयो लक्ष्यते। इदं च शतशो बढचानामाम्नायेषु पश्याम:--ऋषिर्यदा देवेभ्यः स्वात्मीयं किमपि ददाति, स वेद तावता त्यागेन तावन्तं मत्यशिमुज्झित्वा अमर्त्यांशमादत्त इति । देवा हि तस्य यजमानस्य अर्पणाङ्गीकारेण स्वयं यावदवकाशं तं स्वीकृत्य तत्र प्रादुर्भवन्ति। यज्ञेन मर्त्यः अमर्त्यतां व्रजति चेत् जगद्व्यापाराय सृष्टौ प्रथमं जन्म प्राप्तानां अमर्त्यानामपि म] द्वितीयं जन्म भवति। इदमन्योन्य-परिवर्तनमेव यज्ञस्य यथार्थं स्वरूपम् । अनेनैव सृष्टि: सर्वत्र निर्वाह्यते। अस्मिन् विनिमय-धर्मे यज्ञ-रहस्यं प्रतिष्टितम् । येन दानादानरूपेण इतरेतर-व्यवहारेण व्यष्टि-समष्टयोः ब्रह्माण्डपिण्डाण्डयो: जीवदेवयोः ऐहिकामुष्मिकयोः वा सम्बन्धो घ्रियते, वृत्तयश्चाल्यन्ते, स्थितिरेव सिध्यति। सखायस्त्वा ववृमहे” इति ऋषिषु सख्येन देवतां सम्बोधयत्सु, उभयेषामन्योन्य-सम्प्रवेशरूपः साक्षात्सम्बन्धः कश्चन प्रवृत्त इति ज्ञायेत। चिरन्तनमिदमार्षं यज्ञ-तत्त्वं कालेन गलता धूलि-धूसरैः कर्मपारम्य-वादैराच्छादितं शोचनीय-दशं परामृश्य तत् शुभ्रमुज्जीवितं विवृतं विधातुमुद्यता हरि-गीता। सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः । अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वं एष वोऽस्त्विष्ट-कामधुक् ॥ देवान् भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः । परम्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ ।” (३-१०-११) इति हि गीयते ।।

एवं स्थिते, केचन विवदेरन्नेवम्-उत्तर-कालेषु अध्यात्मतत्त्वसिद्धान्ताभ्यु-दयानुसारेण यज्ञस्यैवंविधं सूक्ष्म व्याख्यानमाविष्कृतम्, भगवद्गीतासु प्रतिपादितो यज्ञ-तत्त्वार्थो न वस्तुतो वदिके यज्ञ उपपद्यत इति। नैवं मन्तव्यम्। तथ्यमिदं यद्विविधानां दार्शनिक-सिद्धान्तानां वेदान्तेषु समन्वयं समर्थयति वेदान्तसार-भूता भगवद्गीता। एवंविधनानासिद्धान्तसामरस्य-सम्पादनाय अपेक्षिता गाढा प्रज्ञा, प्रसन्नो विवेकः, दृढः सत्य-ग्रहः, आर्जवं च तत्त्वप्रतिपादन गीतासु भासन्त इत्यद्धा। यद्यत्र प्रतिपादितं यज्ञस्वरूपं न वस्तुतो वेदोक्त-यज्ञतत्त्वमित्युच्येत, तदा गीतासु मृषावादं तत्त्वाग्रहणं वा आरोपितवन्तः तथाविधमन्याय्यं साहसं आस्थातुं को वा सन्नद्धः स्यादृजुधीः ? यद्यपि सर्वत्र सामरस्यपरायणो गीतोपदेशः, तथाऽपि दूषणीयेऽर्थे न माध्यस्थ्यमवलम्बते। दूष्यान् दूषयति पोषयति च पोष्यान्। कर्मणो नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः पुष्पितां वाचं अविपश्चितो वदन्तीति निन्दति (२-४२), कर्मबद्धश्रद्धानां वेदरहस्य-प्रवेशानधिकारिणां अज्ञानां न बुद्धि-भेदं जनये दित्युपदिशति (३-२६), मन्त्र-दृष्टीनियति, सर्वेषां वेदानां सर्वेश्वरपदप्राप्तिरेव मुख्योपदेश इति साधयति (१५-१५) । अपि च, न केवलं मोक्ष-परं गीता-शास्त्रमेवं यज्ञतत्त्वं विवृणोतीति मन्तव्यम् । समयाचार-कर्मविधान-परेषु धर्म-शास्त्रेष्वपि वैदिक-कर्मणां ज्ञानरहस्यगभितत्वं प्रतिपाद्यमानं पश्यामः । मनुस्मृतौ “वेदाभ्यास” इत्यारभ्य “वैदिके कर्मयोगे तु सर्वाण्येतान्यशेषतः । अन्तर्भवन्ति क्रमशः तस्मिन् तस्मिन् क्रियाविधौ”।। (१२. ८३-८७) इत्युक्तम् । कर्मणां योगसाधन-संकेतभूतत्वमेव विवक्षितमिति क: सन्देहः? गीताप्रयुक्तः कर्मयोग-शब्द एव स्मृतौ प्रयुक्तः। स्मृति-गीतयोः पौर्वापर्यविचारो नावश्यकोऽत्र । बाह्यानि कर्माणि आभ्यन्तरस्य साधनस्य कञ्चुकानीव स्थितानीत्युभयोराशय इत्येतावदसन्दिग्धम् ।।

एवं वैदिकस्य कर्मात्मकस्य यागस्यान्तरर्थः सर्वत्र पुरातनग्रन्थेषु ब्राह्मणेषु पुराणेषु महाभारते च प्रथित इति का नाम विचिकित्सा ? यदा तु कर्म-पराः ब्राह्मणानां वेदे परमं स्थानं तेषां मुख्य-वेदत्वं विश्वस्य तादृशं मतमतिष्ठिपन् तदा आरब्धः कर्मात्मको यज्ञ एव परो धर्म उपदिष्टो वेद इति वादः । येनात्यन्त-तिरोधानं वेदयज्ञरहस्यस्यापादितम् । मन्त्राणां कर्मैक-प्रयोजनत्वं अर्थशून्य-पौरोहित्या-धीनत्वं च फलितम्। पूर्व-मीमांसकैर्भगीरथ-प्रयासेन मन्त्रब्राह्मणात्मकस्य कर्म-परतायां प्रतिष्ठापितायां, समयाचार्य-पुरुषैरर्वाचीनैरपि उपनिषत्स्वेव ज्ञानाधिकार इत्यभ्युपगतः। अयं च परीक्ष्य प्रागुक्तः। यद्यपि शास्त्रीयेषु व्यवहारेषु यज्ञकर्म-पारम्यमेव वेदे प्रतिपादितमिति ब्रवीति, दिष्ट्या न कोऽपि मीमांसकः कर्मणा परमः पुरुषार्थः साधयितुं शक्य इति तृप्यति। अत एव कर्मपारम्यवादिनः शास्त्रत एव पूर्व-मीमांसकाः श्रद्धया तु वेदान्तिन आस्तिकाश्च भवन्ति। एवं द्वैधीभाव-जन्यं विरोधं गीतोपदिष्ट-निष्कामकर्मसिद्धान्ताश्रयणेन परिहरन्ति । बाढम्, परं तु शुद्धः पूर्वतन्त्रसिद्धान्तस्तु, धर्मात्परतरं नास्ति, स च धर्मो यज्ञः, तस्य ज्ञानं वेदाल्लभ्यते, तस्याचरणात् स्वर्गप्राप्ति-रूपं फलमवाप्यते, क: कुत्र किमर्थो वा ईश्वरः परमात्मा वा, कर्मस्तुति-परा एवोषनिषदः विधिशेषा इत्येव ब्रूयात् ।।

अथेदं वक्तव्यम् । पूर्वतन्त्र-विदां सूक्ष्मविचार-विवादवैदग्ध्यं सर्वपण्डित-मण्डलीसम्मानितमिति नात्युक्तिः। अयुक्तेषु क्लिष्टेषु वा स्थलेषु तेषां स्वपक्ष-समर्थन-धोरणी चतुरतरेति निर्विवादम् । वेदवाक्यपदवर्ण-नित्यतासिद्धान्तः तेषां सुप्रसिद्धः। तत्र वेदनित्यत्वस्थापनप्रसक्तौ, अकाराद्याः सर्वेऽपि वर्णा नित्या इति प्रतिपादयन्ति। तथा सति, वेदे पुरावृत्त-विषयाणां सृष्टवस्तुव्यक्तिविशेषनिर्देशक-संज्ञावाचकानां नास्त्यवकाशः। अपि तु प्रत्यक्षं बहुशो वर्तन्ते संज्ञापदानि, तथा वृत्तान्तान्वाख्यानानि। कथं तादृशेषु स्थलेषु नित्यत्वं वेदानामुपपद्यत इति चेदुपपद्यत एव गौण्या वृत्त्या तात्पर्यग्रहणादित्याहुः । बबरः प्रावाहणि-रकामयत” इत्यादौ प्राग्बबरजन्मनो नायं ग्रन्थो भूत-पूर्वस्तस्मादनित्यता वेदस्येति चेत् न बबरपदं संज्ञा-पदमित्युच्यते शबरस्वामिना। आह चैवम्-“ यः प्रवाहयति। स प्रावाहणिः बबर इति शब्दानुकृतिः, तेन यो नित्यः अर्थस्तमेवैतौ शब्दौ वदिष्यतः’ , (जै.सू.भा. १-१-३१) । शब्दानुकृतेः संज्ञा-शब्दः भ्रम इति व्याख्यातम् । वृत्तान्तान्वाख्यान-प्रसङ्ग भाष्यकार-विवरण-चातुरी निरीक्षामहै। ’प्रजापतिरात्मानो वपामुदक्खिदत्’ इत्यामनन्ति तैत्तिरीयाः (२-१-१)। अत्र भाष्यपङक्तिः-"प्रजापतिरात्मनो वपामुदक्खिददिति . . . नित्यः कश्चिदर्थः प्रजापतिः स्यात् वायुराकाश आदित्यो वा। स आत्मनो वपामुदक्खिददिति वृष्टि वायुं रश्मि वा। तामग्नौ प्रागृह्णात् वैद्युते आचिषे लौकिके वा। ततोऽज इत्यन्नं बीजं वीरुद्वा। तमालभ्य तमुपयुज्य प्रजाः पशून प्राप्नोतीति गौणाः शब्दाः (२-१-१०)। इदं च निदर्शनं भवति मीमांसकानां सूक्ष्मविचार-कौशलस्य। यतो वेदनित्यता-समर्थनक्लेशे समुपस्थिते, गौणी वृत्तिमाश्रित्य पुरा-वृत्तं काल्पनिकी गाथां वा चातुर्येण नित्यार्थ-परतया व्याख्याय कृत-कृत्यतां भजन्ते। इदं त्वत्र चित्रम् । रूपक-दृष्टान्तावलम्बनेन अन्वाख्यानानां सङ्केतरूपतामेव गौण्या वृत्त्या प्रतिपाद-यन्ति। वेदगुप्तार्थ-सिद्धान्तेऽपि वेद-पदानां यौगिकत्व-प्राधान्येन सङ्केतार्थनिरूपणे गौणी वृत्तिराश्रीयते। एष तुभयोविशेषः । पूर्वस्तु बाह्यः स्थूलः कर्मप्रतिपादन-परः सङ्केतार्थः अपरस्तु आन्तरः सूक्ष्मः गुप्तविद्यासाधन-परः सङ्केतार्थः। ब्रह्माण्ड-निर्माण-प्रायेण प्रयासेन “पर्वतो रन्ध्रितः मूषको लब्धः इति लोकोक्तेः दृष्टान्त-भूतमरसं फलं सम्पादितं पूर्वतन्त्रविद्वद्भिरिति सङग्रहः ।।

पूर्वमीमांसक-सिद्धान्तमधिकृत्य इदमवश्य-वक्तव्यमासीत् । यन्नव्यविद्या संस्कारसम्पन्नः प्राज्ञैरपि मीमांसकानां मन्त्रार्थ-विचारप्रामाणिकता विश्वस्यते, ते हि पूर्वतन्त्र-सिद्धान्तमूलमज्ञात्वैव वेदे नास्ति रहस्यं सङ्केतार्थो वेति स्वयं प्रति-यन्ति, अन्यानपि प्रत्याय्य अपथं प्रापयन्ति। तस्मादिदं बोध्यम्। यदि वेदो नाम प्राधान्येन ब्राह्मणं, मन्त्र-सहितं ब्राह्मणं भवति, तदा तदायत्त-श्रौतसूत्र-धर्मशास्त्रा-दीन्युपजीव्य प्रवृत्ता पूर्वमीमांसैव वेद-विचारे प्रमाणं स्यात् । यदि पुनर्वेदो नाम प्राधान्येन मन्त्र-दृष्टय ऋचो यजूंषि वा यत्प्रभावा एव ज्ञानकर्मपर-विवरणग्रन्थेषु सारण्यक-ब्राह्मणेषु दृश्यन्ते, तदा मन्त्रात्मक-वेदार्थविचारे पूर्व-मीमांसा नैव प्रमाणं भवितुमर्हति। अध्यात्म-विचारदूरा सैषा ब्राह्मणार्थ-मीमांसा ईश्वरसाक्षात्कार-साधनादिरहस्यविद्यास्तित्व-संस्कारशून्या सार्वलौकिकपरम-पुरुषार्थ-चिन्तादविष्ठा वेदरहस्यार्थ-परीक्षायां कथं प्रामाणिकी वाणीमास्थातुं अधिकुरुताम् ?

मन्त्रः

ऋचो मन्त्राश्छन्दोबद्धा ऋषीणां दृष्टयो भवन्ति। यमर्थमाध्याय यदर्थं शरीर-यात्रामचालयन् ऋषयः, यं च निजानुयायिनां उत्तरकालिकानां च निःश्रेय-साय लक्ष्यत्वेन प्रत्यपादयन्, सोऽर्थः तत् प्रयोजनं तल्लक्ष्यं च ऋक्सूक्तसंहिता-ग्रन्थात् शक्यानि अवगन्तुम् । इमाश्च कवितापद-वाच्याः सन्तु नाम, अपि तु नेमाः कविताः अस्मत्-परिचितसाहित्य-सन्दर्भविशेषा इति मन्तव्यम् । न वा ते कवयः सर्वजनीनाः सर्वेषु देशेषु कालेषु अद्यापि दृश्यमाना इव काव्य-निर्मातारः इति युक्तं मन्तुम् । नेदमैतिह्यमात्रम्। चर्म-चक्षुरगोचरान् लोकान् लोकाध्यक्षान् देवान् तत्सम्बन्धिनः सूक्ष्मान् धर्मान् कुशाग्रधी-गम्यानि सत्यानि च सूक्तेषु गर्भितानि मन्त्र-वर्णा एव बोधयन्ति। मर्यादाविशेष-निबद्धान् सूक्ष्मानिमान् लोकान् तद्देवांश्च साक्षादधिगन्तुं मानवः शरीरस्थ एव पारयेद् यदि गुप्तमध्वानं प्रवेष्टु-मधिकारः सम्पाद्यतानने त्यार्षोऽयं- रहस्य-सम्प्रदायः। ऋच इमाश्च मन्त्र-दृष्टयः कीर्त्यन्ते। ऋषि मन्त्र-द्रष्टारमाहुः। ऋषिर्न केवलं पश्यति, शृणोत्यपि। दृष्टमर्थं सत्यमाविष्कर्तुमपेक्षितं शब्दमप्यधिगच्छति। तस्मादृषिरतीन्द्रियार्थ-दर्शी कविपद वाच्यो भवति वेदे। सः क्रान्त-दर्शी कविः श्रोताऽपि सत्यस्य। तस्मात् कवयः सत्यश्रुतः” इति प्रसिद्धिवेदे। नेदमृषेर्दर्शनं श्रवणं वा लोक-सामान्यं भवति । ऋषरेषा दृष्टिरसाधारणी तथा श्रुतिरपि, याभ्यां प्रकाशिता कविताप्यसाधारणी। रमणीयार्थप्रतिपादकशब्दगुम्फितरसभावभरित-वीर्यवत्तमायाः सर्वोत्कृष्टाया अपि कवितायाः विलक्षणा मन्त्र-कविता। अत एव न युक्तं वेदसूक्त-काव्यानां रसोत्तर-साहित्य-कविता-कोटावारोपणम् । अन्यादृशोत्कर्षा वेदसूक्तकवितेत्यस्यास्ति कारणम्। स च उत्कर्षः सूक्तानां मन्त्रात्मकत्वे प्रतिष्ठितः। विशिष्टा मन्त्रस्य शक्तिः । भवतु मन्त्रार्थो नातिगरीयान् अस्मदृष्टः, भवतु मन्त्र-शब्दोऽपि नात्यन्त-काव्य-शोभावहः ,भवतु व्यञ्जितो भावो नातिगाढः। माऽस्तु परिस्फुटा छन्दोवाचक-भङ्गी। तथाऽपि शक्तेर्न हानिः मन्त्रस्य। सेयं श्रद्धा वेदर्षिकालादारभ्य अद्यावधि भारतीय-आस्तिकजन-हृदयेषु लब्ध-प्रतिष्ठेति नेह सन्देह-गन्धोऽपि विद्यते। मन्त्र-मधिकृत्येदमैतिचं उत्तर-कालेषु आचार्यपुरुषैः तदनुयायिभिश्च रक्षितम् । तावती श्रद्धा मन्त्र-महिमनि रूढमूला यावत्या मन्त्रस्यार्थ-विचारो नावश्यकः, यतो मन्त्र-शक्तिविजृम्भणं मन्त्रतात्पर्य-ग्रहणाधीनं न भवतीत्यपि मन्यन्ते चैके। सर्व-पुरुषार्थसिद्धेरलौकिक उपायो मन्त्र इति बहोः कालादागतमिदं आर्षं मतम् । तथा चाहुः--" इष्टप्राप्त्यनिष्टपरिहारयोरलौकिक उपायो वेदः” इति। अत्र वेद-शब्देन मन्त्र एव मुख्यो बोध्यः। कुत एवं मन्त्रमहिमा वर्ण्यते? वेदर्षिभि-रध्यात्मविद्यैक-निरतैरपि गुप्त-विद्यासु रहस्यतन्त्रेषु विचक्षणश्चास्थितम्। अन्त-रङ्गीयैरुपायैः बाह्यार्थाः साधयितुं शक्या इति तेषां मतम्। सह धी-वृत्त्या शब्दस्तथा प्रयोगयोग्यः यथा सकलविधाः पुरुषार्थाः साधिताः स्युरिति सिद्धान्त-स्तेषाम् । अत एव प्रायः सर्वेऽपि मन्त्रा याज्ञिके विनियोगे प्रथमाना अपि बहवः यज्ञादन्यत्र फलावाप्तये प्रयुज्यन्ते। एवं मन्त्राणां माहात्म्यं न केवलं चिरन्तनत्वे प्रतिष्ठितम् । किं तु ऋषि-दृष्टत्वे शक्तिमत्त्वे चेत्यवगन्तव्यम् । अपरं च, मन्त्राणां पावनत्व-वीर्यवत्त्वादि-धर्मास्तेषां नादसत्त्वात्मक-देवताशरीरभूतत्वादित्याहु-रेके। एवमपि स्यान्नाम। वस्तुतस्तु महिमा मन्त्रस्य तत्प्रादुर्भावप्रकारायत्त इति मन्त्र-वर्णेभ्य एवावगम्यते। ऋचां स्थानं अक्षराख्यं परमं व्योम यत्र विश्वेषां देवानां आवासः, यस्तन्न जानाति तस्य ऋचा कार्यं न भवतीत्येवमर्थका दीर्घ-तमसो मन्त्र-दृष्टिर्भवति--" ऋचो अक्षरे परमे व्योमन् यस्मिन् देवा अधि विश्वे निषेदुः। यस्तन्न वेद किमुचा करिष्यति य इत् तद् विदुस्त इमे समासते’ (१-१६४-३६)। तस्मिन्नेव सूक्तेऽन्यत्रेयमृग्भवति--" चत्वारि वाक् परिमिता पदानि तानि विदुर्ब्राह्मणा ये मनीषिणः। गुहा त्रीणि निहिता नेङ्गयन्ति तुरीयं वाचो मनुष्या वदन्ति” (१-१६४-४५)। गहनार्थोऽयं मन्त्रः। मन्त्र-द्रष्टा कविः हृदयाख्यमन्तस्समुद्रमवगाह्य तुरीयाख्यं धाम देवानां साक्षात्कृत्य दृष्टान् सत्यार्थान् आद्यां वाचमुपादाय श्रुतैः शब्दैः आविष्करोति। तस्मादुत्तमपदादक्षरात् प्रस्थाय आगच्छन्त्यास्तस्या वाचः चत्वारि स्थानानि भवन्ति। तत्र त्रीणि धामानि रहस्यानि गुहानिहातानि मानुष-श्रवणस्यागोचराणि तस्याश्चतुर्थी अवतरण-भूरेव मानुषी वाक्। चत्वार्यपि वाग्धामानि ऋषरन्तरङ्ग-दीक्षितस्य मनीषिणः विदितानि, नान्यस्य। एवं मन्त्रस्य द्रष्टारः कवयः सत्य-श्रुतः मन्त्रान् न कल्पयामासुः, किं तु अद्राक्षुः इति प्रसिद्धिः। ऋचां वाचां मूलस्थान-भूतस्य देवतानामायतनस्य परमस्य व्योम्नः अकृतकत्वात् ततः प्रादुर्भूत-वेदमन्त्रवर्णेषु नित्यत्वं उपचर्यते। मन्त्रदर्शिन ऋषेर्जन्मनः प्राक् मृतेः परं च सिद्धमेव परमं व्योम। तस्मान्न तन्मन्त्रद्रष्टर्यधीनं भवति, मन्त्रदर्शनं तु तस्मिन्नधीनं बोध्यम्। यद्यपि मन्त्र-शब्दार्थाववियोज्यौ परमाकाशे सिद्धौ भवतः, तत्प्रादुर्भावस्तु ऋष्यधिकार-सम्पत्ति-सापेक्षो बोध्यः। अत एव ऋक्संहितायां शश्वदृषेमन्त्र-कृत्त्वमुल्लिखितं दृश्यते-"ऋषेमन्त्रकृतां स्तोमैः” (६-११४-२) “हृदा यत्तष्टान् मन्त्रानशंसन्” (१-६७-२) इत्येवंजातीयकैः मन्त्र-वर्णैः स्पष्टं कृतकत्वे मन्त्राणां अवगम्यमाने, कथं नित्यो वेद इति मा भूच्छङ्का। प्रागुक्त-विधया ऋचां मूल-भूतामाद्यां वाचं परमव्योम-संस्थामधिकृत्य सा नित्येत्याह मन्त्र-वर्णः । सर्वस्यापि वेदस्य नित्यत्वं परमव्योम-प्रभवत्वात् कीर्तितम् । “ तस्मै नूनमभिद्यवे वाचा विरूप नित्यया। वृष्णे चोदस्व सुष्टुतिम् ।।” (८-७५-६), इति ऋचो व्याख्याने सायण-भाष्यमपि एवमुपपद्यते । " नित्यया उत्पत्तिरहितया वाचा मन्त्ररूपया” इति सायणः। अस्मदुक्तरीत्या नानुपपत्तिर्वेदनित्यत्व-ऋषिकर्त कत्वयोः। अत एव महाभाष्यकारः, ‘तेन प्रोक्तम्’ (४-३-१०१) इति पाणिनीयसूत्र-व्याख्याप्रसङ्गे “प्रोक्तग्रहणमनर्थकम्” इत्यारभ्य अन्ते ब्रूते--“छन्दोर्थं तीदं वक्तव्यम् । न हि छन्दांसि क्रियन्ते नित्यानि छन्दांसि। छन्दोर्थमिति चेत् तुल्यम् । ननु चोक्तम् नहि छन्दांसि क्रियन्ते नित्यानि छन्दांसीति । यद्यप्यों नित्यः या त्वसौ वर्णानुपूर्वी सा अनित्या। तद्भेदाच्चैतद् भवति"। अत्र कैयटस्य टीका ‘तभेदादानुपूर्वीभेदात्’ ’प्रपूर्वो वचि: प्रकाशने अध्यापनरूपे वा’ अत्र वर्णानामानुपूर्वी न नित्या इति वेदशब्दार्थ-नित्यत्वमभ्युपगच्छन् भगवान् पतञ्जलिः पदवर्णवाक्यबन्धव्यवस्था-नित्यतां नाङ्गीचकार। सा च व्यवस्था प्रकाशनरूपा ऋषिकर्त का। एवं वेदानां कृतकत्वाकृतकत्वयोरुपपत्तिर्द्रष्टव्या। सर्वथा ऋचामसाधारण-कवित्वरूपं मन्त्रत्वं उदाहृतैर्विरूपदीर्घतमसोर्मन्त्रवर्णैः सुगमं भवति। परं शतशः उदाहरणानि वाचो महिमानुवर्णनपराणि ऋक्संहितायां द्रष्टव्यानि, विस्तरभयाद् इह नोल्लिख्यन्ते ।।

सम्प्रति ऋचां बाह्यार्थः सायण-भाष्यादवगम्यते। रहस्यार्थस्तु सङ्केत-पदार्थायत्त इति प्रागुक्तः । दुरवगमो मन्त्रार्थ इति निरुक्तकारोऽप्याह । तपःस्थितानां ऋषीणां ब्रह्मपद-वाच्यो मन्त्रः प्रत्यक्षोऽभवत् नान्यथेति यास्कस्याभिप्रायः । तथा चाह–’तदेनान् तपस्यमानान् ब्रह्म स्वयंभु अभ्यनार्षत् तदृषयोऽभवन् तदृषीणां ऋषित्वम्’ (२-११)। मन्त्रार्थो दुरूह इत्यन्यत्राह--" तस्यास्तपसा पारमीप्सि-तव्यम्” (१३-१३) इति। वेदर्थाधिगमाय तपस ऋते नास्ति शरणम् तपो-निष्ठस्यमन्त्रः प्रत्यक्षो भवतीति च यास्क-मतं इति विशदं भवति । अस्मदुक्त-मन्त्र-प्रादुर्भावतन्नित्यत्व-कृतकत्वानि न केवलं मन्त्र-वर्गनिर्णीतानि, किं तु निरुक्त-कारेणापि समर्थितानि भवन्ति। यास्कोक्तीरेव समर्थयति बृहद्देवता। प्रत्यक्षमनृषेरस्ति मन्त्रम्’ (नपुंसकमार्षम् ) इत्याह (८-१२६), ऋषेर्दर्शनसामर्थ्य, त्रय्याः प्रयोजनम्, सम्यगनुष्ठितानां कर्मणां फलमित्येवमादयो बृहद्देवतायां प्रतिपादिताः वेदरहस्यार्थ-पक्षं पोषयन्तीति न संशयः । अत्रेमे श्लोका उदाहार्या:-’न ऋग्भाष्यभूमिका—

७. १३० “योगेन दाक्ष्येण दमेन बुद्धया बाहुश्रुत्येन तपसा नियोगः ।
उपास्यास्ताः कृत्स्नशो देवताया ऋचो ह यो वेद स वेद देवान् ।।
१३१ मन्त्राणां देवताविद् यः प्रयुङक्ते कर्म कर्हिचित् ।
जुषन्ते देवतास्तस्य हवि देवताविदः ।।
१३२ अविज्ञानप्रदिष्टं हि हविर्ने हेत दैवतम् ।
तस्मान्मनसि संयम्य देवतां जुहुयाद्धविः ।।
१३३ स्वाध्यायमपि योऽधीते मन्त्रदैवतविच्छुचिः ।
स सत्रसदिव स्वर्गे सत्रसद्भिरपीड्यते ।।

अथेदमवधारणीयम् । यद्यपि वेद-मन्त्रस्य पवित्रत्व-शक्तिमत्त्वादिकं मन्त्रदृष्टः गूढार्थभूत-आध्यात्मिकादि-तत्त्वमूलकमेव भवति, तथाऽपि बाह्यार्थपक्षेऽपि यज्ञा-दन्यत्रोपयोगाय कल्पते। इदमेव मूलं भवति तस्य ऐतिह्यस्य, येन अलौकिके-नोपायेन लौकिका अर्था अपि साध्यन्त इति रूढा प्रतीतिः । इदमेव मूलं शौनकीय-ऋग्विधानादिग्रन्थस्य, यत्र विविधपुरुषार्थ-साधनोपयोगित्वेन कल्पाः प्रोक्ताः । इदमपि तथ्यं यद्यास्केनोच्यते-“ उच्चावचैरभिप्रायः ऋषीणां मन्त्रदृष्टयो भवन्ति" इति। तदेव बृहद्देवताप्याह । ‘अर्थेप्सवः खल्वृषयः छन्दोभिर्देवताः पुरा। अभ्यधा-वन्निति च्छन्दोमध्ये त्वाहुमहर्षयः’ (८-१३७) इति । यद्येवं लौकिकार्थानुद्दिश्यापि मन्त्राः प्रवृत्ताः, कथं तर्हि परम-पावनो वेदः अध्यात्मनिष्ठाविशेष-रहस्यानां निक्षेप इत्युच्यत इति चेन्नेहासङ्गतिः। प्रागेवोक्तं गूढार्थ एव परमार्थो वेदानां स्थूलार्थस्तु कर्मसु प्रयोजनवान् पुरुषार्थ-साधनेषु वेति। यद्यप्यापातत ऋषीणां अभिप्रायेषु उच्चावाचत्वं स्पष्टमेव भवति, तथाऽप्यन्तरर्थ-विमर्श शपथाभिशाप-निन्दा-प्रशंसादीनां आध्यात्मिक-निष्ठाचरित्र-सम्बन्धित्वमवदातं भवेत्। स्थूल-विचारिणां पाश्चात्यानुयायिनां वा पक्षे ऋषीणां वैमत्यमेवोपस्थितमिति नात्र चित्रम् । यद्यपि न वयं सर्वेऽपि मन्त्र-द्रष्टारः सम-कालिकाः समान-निष्ठादशाः मन्त्रान् अदर्शन्निति ब्रूमहे, तथाऽपीदं तथ्यं प्रतिपादयामः। ऋषयः सर्वेऽपि समानमेव सङ्केतपदार्थ-समुदायं समानमेव बाह्याभ्यन्तर-यागं समानमेव भूरादिलोक-संस्थानं समानमेव देवता-तत्त्वं समानमेव परमं पुरुषार्थं च विज्ञाय स्वनिष्ठादशा-विशेषापेक्षितार्थ-साधनाय देवान् अयजन्निति सङ्केतरूप-गूढार्थ-तत्त्वान्वेषणपराणां प्राज्ञानां अयं समीचीनः पन्थाः परिस्फुटो भवेदिति दिक् ।।

ऋचः प्रमाणं वेदरहम्ये

अथ तां रहस्य-भाषामधिकृत्य विचार्यते, यत्र गोपितो भवति मन्त्रार्थः । तच्च रहस्यं सङ्केत-रूपेण केन वाऽप्याकारेण तथाऽऽच्छादितं यथा स्थूल-धियां सङ्केतार्थोपस्थिति-शङ्काऽपि न जायते, यत् सङ्केतशब्दाः बाह्यार्थाभिधायकाः सुतरां उपपन्ना एव प्रायो लक्ष्यन्ते। सङ्केताश्च याग-सम्बन्धिनः लौकिकाः पदार्थाः ब्रह्माण्डप्रकृति-विलासितानि वा भवन्ति । अथवा कश्चन मूढधीः मन्त्र-प्रतिपादिता अग्न्यादयो देवाः केऽप्यमानुषाः पुरुषा भूताग्नि-वाय्वादित्य-मरुत्-पर्जन्यादिवेषेण प्रत्यक्ष-दृश्येनावस्थिता इति वा प्रतीयात् । तदिह प्रथमं किं तद्रहस्यं भाषितं वेदे द्रष्टव्यम् ? यदि वेद एव रहस्यवागुल्लिखितेति निश्चयो लभ्यते, ततः परं कथं तद्गोपनं साधितमिति सङ्केत-पदार्थ-व्यवस्थां परीक्षामहै ।।

तपोनिष्ठानामृषीणां देवताभिः सह व्यवहारे तदर्थ-प्रकाशन च रहस्यभाषा व्यवस्थापितेति निर्णेतुं प्रमाणमस्ति चेत् तत् प्रथमं मन्त्रदृष्टिष्वेव स्यात्, ऋषि-वाक्येषु एव द्रष्टव्यम् । ऋग्वेद-संहितायां रहस्यपदार्थ-प्रसङ्गेषु किमुद्दिश्य रहस्यार्थ-परं पदं प्रयुज्यत इति विचार्यमाणे, कोऽप्यसुरो देवो वा किमपि स्थानं कोऽपि लोको वा तिरोहितो न दृश्यत इति वक्तव्य अन्तर्हित-गूढरहस्य-अदृश्याद्यपर-पर्याय-निण्यपदं प्रयुज्यते। क्वचिद्देवतासान्निध्यसम्पादिकां वाचं निर्दिश्य प्रयुज्यमानं "नाम" अपि हृदि गुहायां गूढमन्तर्हितं रहस्यं इति वा कीर्त्यते। वेदितव्यानि ज्ञानानि स्तोत्र-पराणि वचांसि च निण्यपदार्थभूत-रहस्यानीत्युच्यते। निरुक्त-पठितानां षण्णां अन्तहितनाम्नामेकं निण्य-पदम्। इदं च प्रसङ्ग-वशात् गोपितं अन्तहितं तिरोहितं अदृश्यं रहस्यं इति प्रायः समानार्थेषु वेदे प्रयुक्तमीक्षितव्यम् । इदं च पदं सम्प्रति परीक्ष्य वेदर्षयः स्वप्रयुक्त-भाषायां किमपि रहस्यं निक्षिप्य बहिर्मुख-मतिभ्योऽपक्वेभ्यश्च गोपायाञ्चक्रुरिति निरूपयिष्यामः। इदं चात्र नः सुदैवम्, यत् सन्दर्भ-वशात् सविमर्शमविमर्श वा इच्छानुसारेण वेदपदानां अर्थान् व्याचक्षाणः सायणः निण्य-पदस्य एक-रीत्या अन्तर्हितं अदर्शनं गतं वेत्यर्थं व्याचष्टे। निण्य-पदार्थं साधु व्याकुर्वन्नपि प्रसक्त-वाक्य-तात्पर्य स्वोद्देशस्या-नपेक्षितमपि यथेच्छं प्रतिपादयतीति प्रथमं दर्शयिष्यामः। निण्यपद-प्रयोगस्थलषु एकत्र अन्यथा व्याख्यासीत् । तथा व्याख्याने प्रमाणं न दत्तम्, नापि प्रयोजनम् । प्रमाणं दत्तं चेत् तत्प्रमाण-वचनं अन्यथा गृहीतम् । “निण्यम्” निर्णामधेयमित्याह । हिरण्यस्तूपस्य ऐन्द्रेषु सूक्तेषु इयं ऋग्भवति-"अतिष्ठन्तीनामनिवेशनानां काष्ठानां मध्ये निहितं शरीरम् । वृत्रस्य निण्यं विचरन्त्यापः दीर्घ तम आशय-दिन्द्रशत्रुः” (१-३२-१०)। अत्र स्थूलोऽर्थः सायणीय-पदप्रयोगानुपयुज्य दीयते । अतिष्ठन्तीनां स्थिति-रहितानां अनिवेशनानां उपवेशन-रहितानां (प्रवहणस्वभाव-त्वात्) काष्ठानां अपां मध्ये निहितं निक्षिप्तं वृत्रस्य निण्यं निर्णामधेयं शरीरं आपः विचरन्ति विशेषेण पर्याक्रम्य प्रवहन्ति । इन्द्रशत्रुः वृत्रः (जलमध्ये प्रक्षिप्ते सति) दीर्घ तमः दीर्घनिद्रात्मकं मरणं यथा भवति तथा आशयत् सर्वतः पतितवान् । अत्र अप्सु मग्नत्वेन गूढत्वात् तदीयं नाम न केनापि ज्ञायते । तस्मान् निण्यं निर्णामधेयमिति सायणीयं विवरणम् । का नाम विवक्षा? पश्याम-स्तावत्। इन्द्रो वृत्रं जघान, तस्य देह-पाते तमः शरीरं तस्य दीर्घनिद्रामवाप। तददृश्यमभवत् । गाढमध: पतने उपरि निरन्तरं अपां प्रवाहे, तच्छरीरमन्तर्हितम् अत्र अदृश्यमभवदित्युक्तौ ऐतिहासिक-पक्षस्य आधिभौतिकपक्षस्य वा का हानिः ? मेघेषु इन्द्रायुधेनाहतेषु तत्र बन्धिता आपो निर्मुक्ता भवन्ति। तासामावरक वृत्र-शरीरमधः पतति, उपर्याप: प्रवहन्ति, तस्मादन्तर्हितमदृश्यं एव तच्छरीरम् । कुतस्तर्हि नाम-शून्यमित्यभिप्रैति स्म सायणः ? सरलेनैव पथा अर्थ-सामञ्जस्ये सिद्धे “गूढत्वात् तस्य नाम न केनापि ज्ञायते” इति कुतोऽयं द्राविड-प्राणायामः ? न वा निण्यपदस्य निर्णामधेय-पर्यायत्वं निघण्टु-पठितम् । यास्क एनामृचं उदा-हार्षीत्, तत्र “निण्यं निर्णामम्” इत्याह। निर्णाम-पदार्थः दुर्गाचार्य-व्याख्यानाद् अवगम्यते "येनासौ नीचैर्नमति” तं प्रदेशं विचरन्तीति दुर्गः। नीचैर्नमनेन गन्तव्यं निम्नं स्थलं निण्यमिति विवरणं अनुस्वारान्तस्य “निर्णाम” इति पदस्य युक्तं भवति। नामधेयार्थे तु “निर्णाम” इति नकारान्त-नपुंसकलिङ्गं स्यात्, न तु निर्णामं इति अनुस्वारान्तम्। तस्मादत्र यास्कमेवं भ्रमादुदाजहार सायणः । एवं व्याख्याय कथं निर्णामधेयोऽभूद् वृत्र इति चेत् सोऽत्यन्तं तथा मृतः यथा तस्य नामापि स्मृतिपथादपगतं किल ! एवं स्वपक्षस्यानपेक्षितमपि क्लिष्टं व्याख्यानं शतशो दृश्यते सायण-भाष्य इत्यलं विस्तरेण ।।

निण्यं अन्तहितमित्यसन्दिग्धम्। सर्वत्र सायणः निघण्टुपठितार्थमेव स्वीकृत्य यास्कं च प्रायश उदाहरति। अन्तहित-पदार्थः गूढ-रहस्याद्यपर-पर्यायो बोध्यः । कौत्सस्य अग्नि-सूक्तस्य व्याख्याने ’निण्यं’ रहस्यं ‘अन्तहितं’ इत्येवाह--"क इमं वो निण्यं आ चिकेत वत्सो मातृजनयत स्वधाभिः” (१-६५-४)। ऋषिः पृच्छति, युष्मासु को वा रहस्यमग्नि जानाति यो वत्सः स्वधापदवाच्य-स्वधारण-सामर्थ्यधर्मैः मातरजनयदिति। एवं न केवलं असुरे वृत्रे अन्तहिते निण्य-पदं प्रयुक्तम्, अपि तु अप्सु वनेषु वा गूढमग्निमावेदयितुमपि प्रयुज्यते। क्वचित् किमपि स्थानं कमपि लोकं वा गूढं अभिधातुं निण्यपदं प्रयुक्तम्। काश्यपः सोमं सम्बोधयति-“तव त्ये सोम पवमान निण्ये विश्वे देवास्त्रय एकादशास: " (६-६२-४) । अत्र रहस्यं स्थानं सोमस्योल्लिखितं यत्र त्रयस्त्रिशद्देवाः स्वधाभिस्तं मृजन्तीति मन्त्रस्य उत्तरार्धे पठ्यते। जीव आत्माऽपि अन्तर्हित उक्तः। अत्र दीर्घतमसो मन्त्र-दृष्टिर्भवति--" न वि जानामि यदि वेदमस्मि निण्यः सन्नद्धो मनसा चरामि” (१-१६४-३७)। वसिष्ठ-मण्डल शाखासहस्रात्मतया विततं तद्रहस्यं ’निण्यं’ हार्द-साक्षात्कारैः सत्य-दर्शनैरुपायैरधिगम्यत इत्युक्तम् । “त इन्निण्यं हृदयस्य प्रकेतैः सहस्रवल्शमभिसञ्चरन्ति” (७-३३-६)। वसिष्ठः मारुते सूक्ते मरुतां रूपवाहनादीनि साश्चर्यं पश्यन् धीर एव इमानि (निण्यानि) रहस्यानि जानाति इत्याह--"एतानि धीरो निण्या चिकेत पृश्निर्यदूधो मही जभार" (७-५६-४)। पुनश्चान्यत्र वसिष्ठः मित्रावरुणौ सम्बोध्य प्राह--’अस्माकं रहस्यानि स्तोत्राणि युवयोविदितानि" इति। ’न वां निण्यानि अचिते अभूवन्’ (७-६१-५)। “निण्यानि रहस्यान्यपि स्तोत्राणि" इति सायणः। यन्न प्रत्यक्षं गूढ उद्देश्यपूर्वकं गोपितं रहस्यं वा तदभिधातुं निण्यपदं प्रयुक्तं वेदे इति निदर्शनायोक्तान्युदाहरणानि पर्याप्तानि । वृषणा" इत्यस्या ऋचः (७-६१-५) तात्पर्ये परीक्षिते, रहस्यं मन्त्रार्थं विजानन्ति देवाः यन्न किमपि तेषां दृष्ट रपवारयितुं शक्यं, यच्च रहस्यं जन-सामान्याद् बहिर्मुख-बुद्धेः रक्षणाय आच्छादितं इति तात्पर्यं स्पष्टं भवति। अरविन्द-श्रीचरणैः वामदेव-सूक्तस्तथा “निण्या वचांसि” इति वाक् निस्संशयं वेदभाषारहस्य-मुद्वाट्यतीति निरूपितम्। सेयं मन्त्र-दृष्टि: भवति वामदेवस्य--"एता विश्वा विदुष वेधो नीथानि अग्ने निण्या वचांसि। निवचना कवये काव्यानि अशंसिषं मतिभिविप्र उक्थैः" (४-३-१६)। सायणीय-विवरणार्थानि पदान्युपयुज्य अस्यार्थोऽत्र समस्यते। वेध विधातः हे अग्ने, विदुषे कवये (तुभ्यं) नीथानि (फलप्रापकाणि, सुप्रणीतानि वा) “निण्या” गूढानि निवचनानि नितरां वक्तव्यानि काव्यानि कविभिः क्रान्तशिभिः मेधाविभिः कृतानि “एता विश्वा वचांसि” एतानि सर्वाणि वाक्याणि “मतिभिः उक्थैः” मननीयैः स्तोत्रैः शस्त्रैश्च (सहितः) विप्रः प्राज्ञोऽहं अशंसिषं अवोचं, तानि सेवस्व। अन्यश्च मन्त्र इह वामदेवस्योदाहार्यः। तत्र इन्द्रेण क्रियमाणं सोम-पानं रहसि निर्वर्त्यत इति दृष्टान्तोदाहरणेन प्रतिपाद्यते, यथा ऋषिः वेदितव्यानर्थान् रहसि साधयति, तथा सोममन्यैरविदितमेव रहसि पिबतीन्द्रः इति। “कविन निण्यं विदथानि साधन् वृषा यत् सेकं विपिपानो अर्चात्” (४-१६-३) । ।

निण्य-पदं रहस्यार्थं सोदाहरणं व्याख्यातं, येन वेद-भाषायां रहस्यं ऋषिभिः निक्षिप्तमित्यसन्दिग्धमवगतं भवति । तच्च रहस्यं क्वचिद्देवता क्वचिदसुरः अन्यत्र ज्ञानं सत्यं कमप्यर्थमुद्दिश्य भवतीति न विस्मार्यम् । ऋक्संहितायां अन्यानि च पदानि रहस्यार्थद्योतकानि प्रयुज्यन्ते। अत्र द्वित्राण्युदाहरणानि दीयन्ते, यतोऽपि वेद-मन्त्रेषु रहस्यं निक्षिप्तमिति ज्ञायत। गुहा-गुह्य-अपीच्यानि क्वचित् प्रतीच्यं अपि रहस्यार्थे प्रयुज्यन्ते। स्वगुण-क्रियाद्योतकः उपयोगविशेषायत्तैः उक्थ-शस्त्र-स्तोम-गीर-वाग्-वाणीब्रह्म-मन्त्रादिपदैः ऋग् व्यवढियत इति विदित-चरमेवैतत् । अपि तु सन्ति मन्त्राः यत्र गूढभाषा-कलितां स्तोत्र-वाचमावेदयितुं नाम-पदं प्रयुज्यन्ते । “नाम” इत्यभिधानवाचकं नामधेयमित्यत्र न विवाद: वेदे देवतायाः नाम न केवलं अन्याभ्यो देवताभ्यो व्यावर्त्य कामपि देवता-व्यक्ति निर्देष्टुं प्रयुज्यते, किं तु प्रकृतं देवताव्यक्तिविशेषं विज्ञापयितुं सन्निधापयितुं वा या शक्तिरपेक्षिता भवति तां बिभर्ति तन्नाम। यतः तद्देवेभ्यो नमनाय साधनं भवति ततस्तन्नामेत्युच्यते। नमनसाधनं नामेति सायणीय-व्याख्यानेऽपि दृश्यते। तस्मान्नाम-पदं देवताराधन-साधनभूतं सर्वाङ्गप्रणामं आविष्कुर्वन्तं मन्त्र-दृष्टिरूपं स्तवं लक्षयतीति ग्राह्यम् । "नम उक्ति विधेम" इत्यादावपि देवतां प्रति सर्वथा प्रह्वत्वं अनहङकृतेर्देवात्मभावं सम्पिपादयिषोभक्तस्यार्जेयम् । तस्मात् नमन-साधनं ’नाम’ स्तोत्रपर्यायतया वेदे प्रयुज्यमानं ऋग्भ्य एवावगम्यते । तत्रापि तच्च नाम क्वचित् गुहायां निहितं गूढं रहस्यमिति वर्ण्यते। क्वचि-दपीच्यशब्दविशिष्टं नाम-पदं प्रयुक्तम् । अपीच्यं निण्यमिव अन्तर्हितनामैव भवति । नैकेषु मन्त्रेषु रहस्यं नाम रहस्यं स्तोत्रं वा अपीच्यनामप्रयोगेणावेदितं लक्ष्यते । गृत्समदस्य मन्त्रदृष्टिर्भवति--" तदस्यानीकं उत चारु नाम अपीच्यं वर्धते नप्तु-रपाम्” (२-३५-११)। अपां वत्सस्य शोभनं मुखं रहस्यं नाम अन्तहितं स्तवात्मकं नाम च वर्धते इति भावः। स्थूलपक्षे यः कोऽप्यस्तु नामशब्दार्थः, सोऽपीच्यपदार्थ-विशिष्ट इति तु असन्दिग्धं भवति। नाभाक ऋषिः वरुणं स्तौति-“यो धर्ता भुवनानां य उस्राणां अपीच्या वेद नामानि गुह्या। स कविः काव्या पुरु रूपं द्यौरिव पुष्यति नभन्तामन्यके समे" (८-४१-५)। अत्र इमानि पदान्यवधेयानि--’ अपीच्या नामानि गुह्या कविः काव्या’ इति। इंदं च तात्पर्य लक्षणीयम् । यो वरुणः सर्वेषां भुवनानां धारकः देवाधिष्ठानभूत-रश्मि-समूहोपलक्षित-ज्ञानप्रकाशानां रहस्यानि गुहा-हितानि नामानि (स्त्रोत्राणि वा) जानाति, स कविः क्रान्त-दर्शी काव्यानि कवि-कर्माणि पुष्यति, यथा द्यौः पुरु-रूपं पोषयतीति संक्षेपार्थः ।।

अस्मिन्नेव सूक्ते--" स समुद्रो अपीच्यस्तुरो द्यामिव रोहति” (८-४१-८) इति अन्तर्हितो रहस्य-समुद्रो वरुण इत्युक्तम् । कविर्भार्गव ऋषिः मातापित्रोः रहस्यं नाम पुत्रो धारयतीत्याह--" ऋतस्य जिह्वा . दधाति पुत्रः पित्रो-रपीच्यं नाम (६-७५-२) सदा ते नाम स्वयशो विवक्मि” (७-२२-५) इति वासिष्ठमन्त्र-व्याख्याने “तव नाम स्तोत्रं सदा सदैव ब्रवीमि " इति सायणः । पुनश्च मा अमर्त्यस्य ते भूरि नाम मनामहे। विप्रासो जातवेदसः (८-११-५) । ’भूरि नाम मनामहे’ विस्तृतं स्तोत्रं जानीम इति सायणः ।।

बहवः सन्ति मन्त्र-वर्णाः संहितायाम्, यत्र नाम-पदं देवताव्यक्तिविशेष प्रति विज्ञापनाय प्रयुज्यते, ऋचं स्तोत्र-वाचं द्योतयितुं चोपयुज्यते। द्विधाऽपि तद्रहस्यं अन्तहितं गहनं वेत्यर्थे वर्तते। कदाचित् प्रतीच्य-पदमपि तिरोहित-रहस्य-गोपिता-द्यर्थे व्यवहृतं पश्यामः। परं तु आभिमुख्य अन्तर्मुखत्वे वा लोक इव वेदेऽपि भूयः प्रयुक्तं भवति। अन्तर्मुखत्वार्थे प्रत्यगात्मादिः प्रयोगोऽद्यापि वर्तते। प्रत्यङमुख-पराङमुख-शब्दौ अन्तर्मुख-बहिर्मुख-वाचकौ विदितचरौ। उपन्यस्तमिदं सर्व वेदभाषायां रहस्यमस्तीति बढचसंहिताप्रमाणपूर्वक निरूपयितुं पर्याप्तं भवेद्विचार-रसिकानां जिज्ञासूनाम् ॥

अथ तद्रहस्यं परीक्ष्यते। तत् कीदृशं, केनाच्छादनेन अन्तरर्थभूतं तत् संव्रियते? प्रागुक्तं सङ्केत-पदार्थरूपं तदावरणमित्याचक्ष्महे। यद्यपि अन्तरर्थः परमार्थो गोप्य-विद्याप्रवृत्तानां अध्यात्म-निष्ठानां विदित उपयुक्तश्च भवति, बाह्योऽर्थः सङ्केत-रूप: स्थूलः कर्म-पराणामुपयुक्तश्चेत्युक्तं, तथाऽपि बाह्योऽर्थः सर्वत्र सङ्केतरूपेणैव साध्यत इति नियमो न भवति। सङ्केत-निरपेक्षमेव बाह्या-भ्यन्तरार्थ-द्वयं मन्त्राणामने कत्र निष्पन्नं भवति। तत्र मुख्यं साधनं कतिपय-पदानां द्वयर्थता बह्वर्थता वा प्रसिद्धा वेदे। अत्रे मान्युदाहरणानि भवन्ति--’धी:’ इदं च पदं लोके वेदे च बुद्धि-वाचकं प्रसिद्धम्। धी-शब्दः कर्मार्थेऽपि गृह्यते वेदे। तस्मादन्तरर्थे सर्वत्र ज्ञानवृत्ति-विशेषतयैव व्याख्यायते। बाह्य तु धियः कर्माणीति व्याचक्षते, न तु सर्वत्रेति नियमः। केतुरिति प्रज्ञापकोऽन्तर्ज्ञानविलासविशेष: गूढार्थपक्षे, बाह्य-पक्षे तु केतूनां धात्वर्थानुगमेन प्रज्ञापकत्वे प्रोक्तेऽपि अत्यन्त-स्थूलतया रश्मिभिः प्रकाश-दानात् तेषां प्रत्यक्षं जगत् प्रति प्रज्ञापकत्वाच्च केतवो रश्मय उच्यन्ते। अनापि न नियमः, नैक: केतु-पदार्थः कर्मपर-व्याख्यातणाम् । ’श्रवः’ इदं च शृणोति धात्वर्थ-सम्बन्धिनां श्रुति-श्रोत्र-श्रवणादीनामेकं पदम् । अन्तःश्रवणं दिव्यं वा देवतानुग्रहान्निष्ठांविशेष-लब्धाद् ज्ञान-बलावेशाद्वा सिद्धं श्रवणं इति रहस्यसम्प्रदायार्थः। स्थूल-पक्षे कीर्तिरिति स्यात् न्यायतः, कीर्तेः सर्वत्र श्रूयमाणत्वात्। क्वचिदन्नमपि व्याचष्टे सायणः, पुनरिहापि नास्ति नियमः । ऋतु:’ प्रज्ञा, अध्यवसायात्मकं प्राज्ञमिच्छा-बलं वा सर्वत्र अन्तरर्थ-प्रतिपत्तौ। स्थूल-पक्षे तु न नियमः। क्वचित् प्रज्ञा क्वचित् याज्ञिकं कर्म, अन्यत् किमपि वेच्छानुसारेण व्याहरति सायणः । ’ऋतम्’ रहस्याधिगमे प्रधानतममिदं पदं, अन्तहितानां वेदार्थानां अधिगमाय प्रथमं द्वारमिति वक्तव्यम् । सत्यं आविर्भूतं सत्यं वा तद्धर्मो वा ऋत-पदेनोच्यते, नान्यथा गूढार्थप्रकाशनपद्धतौ। स्थूल-पक्षे क्वचित् ऋतमुदकं भवति, यज्ञो भवति, अन्यत्र अन्यत् किमपि भवति, किं वा न भवेन्निरङकुश-कर्मपरता-प्रतिपादनोत्साहसमीरिते सायणीये भाष्ये? एवमन्यानि पदान्यपि सङ्केत-रूपं विनैव बाह्याभ्यन्तरार्थसाधकानि वर्तमानानि यथावसरं ऋचां व्याख्यानेषु प्रसज्यन्त इति नेह विस्तर इष्यते। इमदत्रावधेयम् । इदमेव महद्वलं अन्तरर्थविवरणसरणेः, यद् ऋतादि-पदानां एकैकस्यापि एकरूपतया नियमेनार्थ-ग्रहणात् सर्वत्र गूढार्थानुसारेण तात्पर्य-सङ्गतिः सुलभा लक्ष्यते। स्थूलपक्ष-रीत्या तु बहुषु स्थलेषु न केवलं भावदारिद्रयं किं तु तात्पर्यमसङ्गतं च भवतीति पुरस्ताद्व्याख्याने दिङमात्रं वा प्रदर्शयिष्यामः ।।

अथ सङकेताः । ऋतादिपदान्यसङकेत-पदान्यपि अन्तरर्थ-साधनान्युपपादितानि । अन्यानि पदानि सङकेत-रूपाणि गवाश्व-घृतादीनि वर्तन्ते। एषामेकैकमपि आन्तरस्य प्रपञ्चस्य सत्यस्य भावस्य पदार्थस्य वा बाह्यं सङकेत-रूपं ज्ञेयं भवति। अत्र उदाहरणानि भवन्ति । ‘गौः’ इति विशिष्टं आद्यं पदम् । यद्यपि लोक इव वेदेऽपि गोपदं रश्मिः, वाक् चतुष्पाद्विशेषः इत्याद्यर्थेषु वर्तते, तथाऽपि गूढार्थ-पक्षे किरणोपलक्षित-अन्तःप्रकाशार्थे प्रयुज्यते। तस्य सङकेतः गौरिति चतुष्पाद्वाह्ये ग्राह्यः । यद्यपि गो-पदस्य श्लिष्टतया द्वयर्थः सिध्येत्, तथाऽपि सङकेतरूपंव गौाह्या, गोपर्याय-धेन्वादीनां गोविकार-दुग्ध-घृतादीनां च सङकेत-रूपतया मन्त्र-वर्णेषु प्रयोग-बाहुल्यात्। तादृशस्थलेषु सङकेतं उज्झित्वा तात्पर्यान्वेषणे लाभस्तु असत्यः शोचनीयश्च भवेत्। मन्त्र-द्रष्टार ऋषयः असम्बद्ध-प्रलापिन उन्मत्ता इति वा सिध्येत् । ’अश्वः’ बलस्य सङकेतः, अद्यतने युगेऽपि नव्यानां व्यवहारे इयदश्व-बलमिति बलप्रमाण-गणनायां आहुः । इदं च बलसङकेत-भूतत्वं अश्वस्य चिरन्तन-मिति स्मार्यम्। ’आपः’ जीवनरसः तच्छक्ति-विशेषाणां सृष्टिकार्य-स्थितानां विश्वमूलतत्त्व-शक्तीनां च सङकेतः । ’नद्यः’ ’सिन्धवः’ सर्जनपोषण-शक्तीनाम् । ’समुद्रः’ अखण्डसत्त्व-स्वरूपं, यस्मादुदेति सूर्यात्मा सत्यः। ‘पर्वतः’ पर्ववान् सानुमान् सृष्टस्य भूम्यादेर्जगतः बहु-प्रस्थस्य उपर्युपरि सानव इवावस्थितस्य सङकेतः । ‘गुहा’ रहस्य-स्थानस्य, सर्वभूत-मूलस्थान-भूतस्य हृदयस्य सङकेतः । इमानि बहिरुपस्थितानि वस्तुरूपाणि वेद-कविभिः स्वोद्दिष्टानर्थान् आविष्कर्तुं निरायासेनोपयुक्तानीति सावधानावलोकने स्पष्टं भवेत्। अकृत्रिम-धियां आदि-कवीनाम् अन्तरङ्गेषु समुद्रादीनामखण्डसत्त्व-स्वरूपादिभिः पदं कृतमिति नात्र चित्रम् । तथा च, अपरिमेयत्व-गांभीर्यादिरखण्डद्रव्य-समृद्धिर्वा समुद्रस्य, निरन्तर-वहनाप्यायनादिशीलता सिन्धूनाम्, जीवनाधारता वा अपां एवमन्येषामभितः सतां चराणां स्थिराणां वा गुणक्रिया-विशेषाः सर्गस्य मूल-तत्त्वानि सूक्ष्मगहन-प्रदेषुशे विगाह्य अन्तरे प्रकृतौ देवताकार्यविलसितानि पश्यतामृषीणाम् स्वानुभव-सदृशाः सङकेता अभूवन्। परदैवतं प्रति यात्रायां वेद-कवेः दर्शन-प्राप्तानाम् सत्यार्थानां सूक्ष्माणां असाधारणभावानां आविष्करणाय स्थूलानि सरित्समुद्र-गवाश्वप्रभृतीनि निसर्ग-सिद्धानि बिम्बानि अप्रयास-प्रवृत्तान्यासन् । तथा मन्त्रवाग्भिगूढार्थाना-माविष्करणं ऋषेः स्वोपयोगाय अन्येषां तादृशाध्वचराणामनुचराणां वा प्रयोज-नायाकल्पिष्ट। इदं च सङकेत-बिम्बानां परमं प्रयोजनम् । तानि हि स्वभावैरिष्टा-र्थान् प्रतिपाद्य विवरणमन्तरेण गाढं संस्कारमात्मनि द्रष्टरि विदधते। उत्तर-युगेषु बुद्धिप्रधानेषु साहित्याभ्युदये भ्राजमानेऽपि बिम्बैः विना प्रायो भावा-विष्कारो न घटतेऽद्यापि। तत्रापि गुणक्रियाविशेषधर्मारोपणेन रूप्य-रूपकभावं प्रतिपाद्य इष्टमर्थं बोधयन्ति कवयः। वेदे तु सङकेतरूपग्रहणेन रूप्ये रूपक-धर्मारोपस्य नास्त्यवसरः। पर्वतबिम्बप्रदर्शनमात्रेण अचलत्व-जीवनप्रवाहप्रभवत्व-बहुप्रस्थाधिरोहसानुमत्त्व-उत्तुङ्गत्वादयः अनभिहिता एव साक्षादुपस्थिता प्रभवन्ति हृदयं प्रवेष्टुम्। अपरं चेदं बोध्यम्। वेदनात्मकाद् भावादनुभव-विशेषाद्वा धीवृत्त्यात्मकं ज्ञानं (बौद्धेऽस्मदीये युग इव) न पृथक्कृतं वैदिके युगे, यत्र वेदनं बुद्धिः उभे अपि सुसंगते निरन्तरे चाभूताम्। यानि सत्यानि अवगन्तुं बुद्धिः प्रवर्तते, तानि स्वरूपावस्थितानि घनानि अनुभव-वेद्यानि भवन्ति, न पुनस्तानि केवलं वृत्त्यात्मकतया गृह्यन्ते। तस्माम् सत्यं घनं सर्वदा स्वरूपावस्थितं अनुभवैक-वेद्यं धीवृत्तिभावनाविषयभूतं च भवति । यच्च सत्यमस्माकं प्रत्यक्षं भवति, भावना-गोचरं वा, तद्वस्तुतः स्वरूपावस्थितं ज्ञेयं, तस्य बाह्य-तलमेव नः प्रत्यक्ष भवति, तस्य भावनाऽपि छायेव विदूरा मानसी वृत्तिः। यत्किमपि सत्यं प्रति आद्यानामृषीणाम् बुद्धिस्थवृत्तेः हार्द-भावस्य च सांगत्यात् भावानुभव-धीवृत्त्यो-द्वैधीभावव्यवहारस्य नासीत्प्राबल्यम्। ऋषिभिः प्रयुक्ताः सङकेताः युगपदनुभवधी-वृत्त्योर्गोचराः समपद्यन्तेति संक्षेपार्थः ।।

अथ नैक-विधाः सङकेताः। प्रत्यक्षे स्थूले जगति स्थितानां पर्वतादीनां सङकेतोपयोगित्वमुक्तम् । एषां सर्वेषां समान-वर्गता ज्ञेया। प्रायशोऽयमेव सङकेत-वर्ग: मन्त्र-दृष्टिषूपयुक्तः प्रागस्माभिः व्याख्यातः , येनावगतेन गूढार्थप्रवेश-पद्या सुगमा भवेत्। अन्य-विधाश्च सन्ति सङकेताः ये च न भवन्ति बाह्य-जगत्सम्बन्धिनः, किं तु ऋषिभिः चर्यमाणे रहस्याध्वनि लब्धाश्चार्थाः ज्ञान-चक्षुर्दष्ट: लोकान्तर-सम्बन्धिभिः बिम्बैः भाषा-स्थानीयरावेद्यन्ते। स्थूलात् जाग्रत्प्रपञ्चादुपरिष्टात् स्थितानां विपुलतरप्रज्ञाशक्ति-विलासक्षेत्रभुवां सम्बन्धिनो गहनार्थाः स्वयं ऋषि-दृष्टः बिम्ब-विशेषेराविर्भवन्ति। तस्मात् तादृशानां रूपाणामेवार्थाभिधायकत्वं सिद्धम्। तथा-विधानि रहस्यानि ऋषेश्चक्षुषः, प्रत्यक्षाणि भवन्ति। एतद्वर्गीयाः सङकेताः देवताविशेष-वर्ण-वाहन-आकृतिव्यापारादि-वर्णनपराः मन्त्रेषु लक्ष्यन्त इति बोध्यम् ।।

पुरा-युगेषु प्राचीन-मानुषवर्गेषु देवताराधन-पद्धतिः सर्वथा सङकेतरूपसमृद्धेति नास्ति संशयः। अद्यापि केचन बिन्दु-त्रिकोण-षट्कोणमण्डलादयो यन्त्रपदवाच्याः तान्त्रिकाः सङकेताः रहस्यार्थाः पूज्यन्ते अन्य पुनः पुराणागमप्रसिद्धाः त्रिशूल-शङ्ख-चक्र-गरुड-वृषादयः अद्यापि उपयुक्ता: सुप्रसिद्धाः, एतेषां सङकेतानां क्वचित् पुराणेषु विवरणं लक्ष्यते। तान्त्रिक-मूर्त्यादीनां सङकेतार्थस्तत्र तत्र व्यक्तमव्यक्तं वा सूच्यते। ईदृशां सङकेतानां पूर्वोक्तवैदिक-सङकेतानां च आधारतः प्रयोजनतश्च भेदो वर्तत इत्यवधेयम्। अस्य विषयस्य अत्रानुपयोगाद्विस्तर-भिया च एतावतैव विरम्यते। सर्वथा वेदसूक्तार्थ-विचारे सङकेतरूपार्थ-ग्रहणं न्याय्यं सुतरामुपपन्नमित्यलं बहुनोक्तेन ॥

अथ तृतीयः खण्डः

वेद-रहस्यमधिकृत्य प्रतिपत्तव्योऽस्मत्पक्ष: सविस्तरमुपन्यस्तः। गूढार्थविवृतौ सङकेतरूप-पदार्थानां स्थानं सप्रमाणमुपपादितम् । वसिष्ठवामदेवादीनां मन्त्रदृष्ट्य एवांद्यं प्रधानं प्रमाणं वेदगूढार्थ-सिद्धान्तस्येति निरूपितम्। इतः परं वेदमन्त्र-वर्णेभ्योऽन्यत्र वेदगुप्तार्थसिद्धान्तं गूढमगूढ वा सूचयन्ति प्रोद्वलयन्ति वा प्रमाणान्य-स्मिन् खण्डे परीक्षेमहि। अत्र प्रथमं तावत् नैरुक्तानां मतमावेदयतो यास्कस्य कान्यपि वचनानि निरीक्षितव्यानि भवन्ति, प्रसङ्गतस्तस्याशयाः क्वचिदुल्लिखिता पूर्वम् । अत्र तस्याभिप्रायान् सामान्यतो देवान् मन्त्रान् ऋषीन् मन्त्रार्थ-विवरणं चाधिकृन्य सारतो व्याचक्ष्महे। वेदार्थावगमाय मुख्यमङ्गं निरुक्तमिति प्रसिद्धम् । निरुक्तं च निर्वचनं वैदिक-पदानां इति बोध्यम् । कानि तानि वैदिक-पदानि भवन्ति एषां निर्वचनाय प्रवृत्तो यास्क इति चेदुच्यते। छन्दोभ्यः समाहृतानि स्वाध्यायात्परमार्थ-विचारायोपयुक्तानि निघण्टुपद-वेदनीयानि चिरन्तनसम्प्रदाया ध्ययन-क्रमागतान्येव निर्वचन-विषयभूतानीति ज्ञेयम् । अत एव समाम्नायः समाम्नातः स ’व्याख्यातव्यः’ इति पदानां आम्नानात् समाहारं द्योतयितुं समाम्नाय-पदेनोपक्रान्तं निरुक्तम्। पद-समुदायो निघण्टुः पद-निर्वचनं निरुक्त-मित्युभयोर्विशेषो बोध्यः। तस्मान्नाम-लिङ्गानुशासनस्यामरसिंह इव न यास्को निघण्टुकारः, किं तु निरुक्त-कार इत्यवधेयम्। तत्रापि बहूनां पूर्वेषां निरुक्त-काराणां मतं आश्रित्य तदुक्तीरुल्लिखन् यथामति व्यरचयनिरुक्तग्रन्थम् । यद्यपि नैरुक्त-पक्षः प्रायः स्थूलो बहिर्मुख इत्यसंशयं, तथाऽपि यास्कोक्तिषु केचनांशाः संलक्ष्यन्ते, ये च भवेयुः अवधानभाजनं वेदरहस्य-जिज्ञासूनाम् । यद्यपि यास्कोक्तानि पदानां निर्वचनानि सर्वत्र उपपन्नानीति न शक्यं वदितुं, यद्यपि बहुषु स्थलेषु तन्निर्वचनानि निरङकुशकल्पना-साधितान्ये वेति वाच्यं, तथाऽपि तत्प्रतिपादित वेदपदानां यौगिकत्वं नैरुक्त-मतं गूढार्थचिन्तकानाममूल्यं रहस्योद्घाटन-द्वारं भवति । वेदपद-यौगिकत्व-प्रतिपादक नरुक्त-पक्षमवलम्ब्य वैदिक-धर्मस्य पुनरुद्धाराय दयानन्द-स्वामिभिः प्रवृत्तमिति स्मार्यम् । वेदगुप्तार्थ-विचारे वैदिक-पदानां यौगिकत्वं मुख्य आधार-स्तम्भ इत्ययं प्रथमोऽशोऽवधेयः। अन्यश्च भवति। वेदे वृत्तान्तान्वाख्याने देवतानां बन्धुत्वादि-वादे वा, न मुख्योऽर्थो ग्राह्यः। गौणी वृत्तिरेवाश्रयणीयेति नैरुक्तः पक्षः। इदं च गौणार्थाश्रयणमवश्यमभिमतं च अस्माकं वेदरहस्यार्थ-प्रकाशने। परं तु तात्पर्योपपादन सूक्ष्मोऽन्तरर्थो गृह्यतेऽस्माभिः, न तु बाह्यः स्थूलश्च नरुक्तैरिव। मीमांसकानामपि स्व-मतानुसारेण गौणाः शब्दा इति प्रसङ्गवशादुदाहृतं पूर्वं, इह तत् स्मार्यम् । ’स्वसुर्जारः शृणोतु नः’ (ऋग्वेद-६-५५-५) इत्यत्र व्याख्यान यास्क आह--" उषसमस्य स्वसारमाह साहचर्या-द्रसहरणाद्वा” (नि. ३-१६) अन्यत्र इन्द्रशत्रुर्व त्र इति वदन् आह-“तत् को वृत्रः ? मेघ इति नैरुक्ताः, त्वाष्ट्रोऽसुर इत्यै तिहासिकाः। अपां च ज्योतिषश्च मिश्रीभाव-कर्मणो वर्ष-कर्म जायते। तत्र उपमार्थेन युद्ध-वर्णा भवन्ति” (२-१६)। यद्यपि बाह्यः स्थूल एव भावः परिगृह्यते निरुक्त-कारेण, तथाऽपि वेदार्थ-विचारे गौणार्थाश्रयणस्याभिज्ञाः पूर्वे श्रुतर्षय इत्ययमंशोऽस्माकं मार्गदर्शीत्यनर्घमिदं तत्त्वम्॥

एवं स्थूलमर्थ मन्त्राणां ब्रुवाणोऽपि दुरूहो दैवत-निर्णयः, दुरूहो वेदार्थबोध इति मन्त्र-वर्णानुदाहरन् दृष्टान्तेन प्रतिपादयति “शाकपूणिः सङकल्पयाञ्चक्रे सर्वा देवता जानामीति। तस्मै देवतोभय-लिङ्गा प्रादुर्बभूव। तां न जज्ञे। तां पप्रच्छ विविदिषाणि त्वेति। सास्मा एतामृचादिदेशैषा मद्देवतेति" इति (नि. २-८) । अत्र यास्केनोदाहृता ऋक्-‘य ईं चकार’ इति दीर्घतमसः अस्यवांमीय-सूक्तस्था (१-१६४-३२) बहु प्रजाः कृच्छ्रमापद्यत इति परिव्राजकाः, वर्ष-कर्मेति नैरुक्ताः" इति ऋचो विवरणमारभ्य पक्षान्तर-गतं परिव्राजकीयं तात्पर्य-मुल्लिखन् नैरुक्तं स्थूलमेव पक्षमुदाहरति। कर्मपर-व्याख्यानाचार्यः सायणोऽपि अस्यवामीय-सूक्तं सर्वं अध्यात्म-परतया व्याख्येयमिति अभ्युपगच्छन् इमां ऋच-मात्मवादि-मतानुसारेण व्याख्यातवान् । यत्किमपि वा भवतु अस्या ऋचस्तात्पर्य, यास्कोक्तित इदमवगम्यते यद् देवता-स्वरूपावगमो दुर्लभः, देवता-प्रसादादेव सम्पाद्यः। शाकपूणेः प्रत्यक्षतां गतायामपि देवतायां, सा स्वरूपं न व्यवारीत्, एवं किल सा प्रोवाच--" देवताः सर्वाश्च जिज्ञासितवानसि, अहमेव सर्वदेवता, मम यथार्थं स्वरूपं ‘य ईं चकार’ इत्यस्यामृचि प्रतिपादितम् । त्वं मन्त्रवर्णपद-निर्वचनप्रवीणोऽसि, तस्मादेतस्या ऋचः सकाशान्मामवेत्यावधारय" इति। दुरूहो वेदार्थबोध इत्युक्तं इतश्च रहस्यमस्ति वेद इति स्पष्टम् ।।

तथैव यास्को वेदार्थ-निर्णयोपयोगाय बहूनां तदानींतन-पक्षान्तराणां प्रामाणि-कानां वादानखण्डयन्नुदाहरति। याज्ञिकाः, पूर्वे याज्ञिकाः, एके नैरुक्ताः नैदानाः, , परिव्राजकाः, ऐतिहासिका इत्येवमादीन् पक्षान् तत्र तत्र शंसति। अतो बहु-प्रकारो मन्त्रार्थ-व्याहारस्तत्र अध्यात्मादि-गूढार्थपक्षश्च विस्मृत-प्राय एव यास्क-निरुक्त-प्रणयनसमय इति गम्यते। यद्यप्येवं तथाऽपि ऋषीणां ऋषित्वमधिकृत्य मन्त्रप्रादुर्भाव-प्रकारं च “तदेनान् ’तदेनान् तपस्यमानान् ब्रह्म-स्वयम्भु अभ्यनार्षत्’ इत्यवोचन्निरुक्त-कारः। अन्यत्र मन्त्रार्थ-दुरूहत्वं प्रतिपादयन् द्वे ऋचौ उदाहरति—" उत त्वः पश्यन्न ददर्श वाचं उत त्वः शृण्वन्न शृणोत्य नाम् । उतो त्वस्मै तन्वं विसस्र जाये व पत्य उशती सुवासाः” (१०-७१-४)। ’उत त्वं सख्ये स्थिर-पीतमाहुः नैनं हिन्वन्त्यपि वाजिनेषु। अधेन्वा चरति माययैष वाचं शुश्रुवां अफलामपुष्पाम् ।।

(१०-७१-५) । अत्र आद्ययर्चा मन्त्रार्थावगत्यै यत्नः कार्यः, अर्थावबोधशून्यः स्वाध्यायवान् स्थूलमेव मन्त्रार्थं पश्यन्नपि अन्ध इव भवति, तथा मन्त्रशब्दं शृण्वन्नपि मन्त्रशक्ति-प्रबोधनाक्षमः बधिर इव भवति। यस्तु विज्ञः दृष्टिश्रुति-सम्पन्नः मन्त्ररहस्यं साक्षात्कर्तुमधिकारी भवति, तस्मै ऋगात्मिका वाक् स्वयंप्रकाशा भवति, यथा जाया पत्ये स्वं वपुरर्पयति तथेति उपमयाः प्रतिपादयति। एवमर्थावगतिरवश्या, न चेत् ‘स्थाणुरयं भारहर’ इति अनर्थज्ञो निन्दास्पदं भवतीति उपपादयति। अन्ययर्चा इदमवगम्यते। अस्याः दुर्गाचार्य-व्याख्यानमनुसृत्य पदार्थान् अभिधाय तात्पर्य प्रदर्शयामः। ’उत त्वं सख्ये स्थिरपीतमाहुः’ इति। उत त्वं एकमपि सख्ये देव-सख्ये देवानां समान-ख्यानतायां देवसायुज्य इत्यर्थः। “यां यां देवतां निराह तस्यास्तस्यास्ताद्भाव्यमनुभवति’ इति उत्तरत्राह यास्कः। तदत्र अनुसन्धेयम् । कमिति आहुः ? स्थिर-पीतं इति । अप्रच्यवन-धर्माणं विज्ञातार्थं इत्यर्थः। क एवमाह ? इयमेव वाक् ऋक्संज्ञिका। ’नैनं हिन्वन्त्यपि वाजिनेषु’ एवं वागर्थज्ञं बलवत्स्वपि वाग्-ज्ञेयेष्वर्थेषु, दुर्जेयेषु दुरवघटनीयेषु समुद्रपिहित-रत्नसन्निभेषु देवतापरिज्ञानादिषु व्याकर्तव्येषु अन्ये अनुगन्तुं न शक्नुवन्ति। उत्तरेणार्धर्चेन अविद्वान् निन्द्यते। एष : अविद्वान् अधेन्वा मायया चरति, अस्मै एषा वाग्धेनुः कामान् न दुग्ध। यः अफलां अपुष्पां वाचं अन्य भ्यः सकाशात् श्रुतवान्, अध्ययनादृते नास्ति किमपि मृग्यमिति शब्द-मात्रं श्रुत्वा दृढग्रहेणावस्थितो भवति, तस्य अपुष्पा अफला च वाग्भवति ।।

अत्र यास्क: “याज्ञ-दैवते पुष्प-फले याज्ञ-दैवते पुष्प-फले देवताध्यात्मे वा” इत्याह। अत्र निरुक्त-व्याख्यातार आहुः-- यज्ञे भवं ज्ञानं, यानं, देवतासु भवं दैवतम् । आत्मन्यधि यद्वर्तते तदध्यात्मम् । यज्ञ-परिज्ञानं देवता-परिज्ञानं आत्म-परिज्ञानं च। एतदेव समस्त-वेदप्रतिपाद्यम्। तत्र यद्यभ्युदय-लक्षणो धर्मोऽभिप्रेयते तदा दैव-तार्थत्वाद्याज्ञं दैवतं फलम्। फलार्थं हि पुष्पं भवति पूर्वम् यदि पुननिःश्रेयस-लक्षणो धर्मोऽभिप्रेयते, तदोभे याज्ञ-दैवते पुष्पत्वमेव बिभृतः । दैवते हि तदर्थत्वा-द्याज्ञमन्तर्भूतमेवेति दैवतं पुष्पं अध्यात्मं फलम्’ ।।

सर्वथा त्रिविधं परिज्ञानं अधियज्ञ-अधिदैवत-अध्यात्माख्यं मन्त्रवर्णेभ्यो लब्धव्यं इति यास्को मन्यते। अविस्पष्टार्थाश्च मन्त्रा इति चेन्नेष स्थाणोरपराधो यदेनमन्धो न पश्यतीत्याह। अन्यश्च स्व-कालिकमैतिचं स्मरति निरुक्त-कारः । ऋषयः साक्षात्कृत-धर्माण: अवरेभ्योऽसाक्षात्कृत-धर्मभ्यः उपदेशेन मन्त्रान् सम्प्रादु-रिति। उपदेशेनेत्याह। अत्र वेदरहस्य-निर्देशकं कमपि चिरन्तनं गूढसम्प्रदाय-मेवाभिप्रैतीति ज्ञायते। अत एव तस्यास्तपसा पारमीप्सितव्यमिति व्याहरति ग्रन्थस्यान्ते। इतश्चास्ति रहस्यं वेद इति असन्दिग्धम् ।।

अथ मन्त्र-रहस्य इव देवता-रहस्येऽपि श्रद्धा यास्कस्येति प्रागुदाहृताभिः तदुक्तिभिः अवगतं भवति। अन्ते च देवता अधिकृत्य तदुक्तयो वेद-गुप्तार्थ-सिद्धान्तस्यानुकूल्य-सम्पादिका इत्यवधेयम् । तथा चाह--" माहाभाग्याद्देवताया एक आत्मा बहुधा स्तूयते, एकस्यात्मनोऽन्ये देवाः प्रत्यङ्गानि भवन्ति। इतरेतर-जन्मानो भवन्तीतरेतर-प्रकृतयः कर्म-जन्मान आत्म-जन्मान आत्मैवैषां रथो भवति, आत्मा अश्वाः, आत्मा आयुधं, आत्मेषवः, आत्मा सर्वं देवस्य देवस्य” इति (७-४)। एवं यास्कः पक्षान्तराणि प्रामाणिकत्वेन यथावसरमुदाहरन्नपि मन्त्रेभ्य-स्त्रिविधपरिज्ञानं प्रतिपाद्य अध्यात्मपक्ष-पारम्यं अभ्युपगच्छतीत्यवधेयम्। इदं च प्रोद्वलयति वेदरहस्यार्थ-सिद्धान्तम् ।।

अथ च साध्वेवेदं यत्प्रामाणिकतया शंसति पूर्वेषां नैरुक्तेतरपक्षाणां वा वचनानि यास्कः, तथाऽपि नासौ सतृणाभ्यवहारी। यत्र माननीयेष्वपि पूर्वेषां वचनेषु असाधु पश्यति, तत्र निःशकं दोषं दर्शयति । अत्रैकमिदं निदर्शनं भवति--"वनेन वायो न्यधायि" (ऋ-१०-२६-१) अस्यामृचि ‘वायः’ इति एकं पदं द्विधा कृतं पदपाठ-कारेण तदसाध्विति आह--"वेति च य इति च चकार शाकल्यः। उदात्तं त्वेवमाख्यातं अभविष्यत्, असुसमाप्तश्चार्थः (नि. ६-२८) इति। ऋक्संहिता-पदपाठकारः शाकल्यः। यद्यप्येवं वेद-पदपाठकारेऽपि दोष-दर्शनं प्रयुज्यते, तथाऽपि विशृङ्खलत्वं नेष्यते, यन्मन्त्राणां परमं प्रामाण्यमभिमन्यते परं तु यथा मन्त्रान् प्रमाणदृष्ट्या पश्यति, तथा ब्राह्मणानि तत्र तत्रोदाहरन्नपि नाद्रियते। तथा च दैवतकाण्डे वैश्वानर-प्रस्तावे “बहुभक्ति-वादीनि हि ब्राह्म-णानि भवन्ति इत्याह (नि. ७-२४)। भक्तिर्नाम गुण-कल्पना येन केनचित् गुणेन ब्राह्मणं सर्वं सर्वथा ब्रवीति तत्र तत्त्वमन्वेष्यमेव भवतीति यास्क-व्याख्या-तारः। तस्मात् सविचारमेव पूर्वेषां वचनानि परीक्ष्य परिग्राह्याणीत्येवमर्थकानि निरुक्तकारवाक्यानि स्मर्तव्यान्यस्माकं वेदरहस्यार्थ-विवरणप्रसङ्ग। इयानुपकारको ऽस्माकं यास्क इति प्रदर्शितम् । इतश्चास्ति रहस्यं वेदे मागितव्यं, प्रकाशयितव्यम् ।।

बहूनां ब्राह्मण-वचनानां चाटुकार-वचनत्वेनाप्रामाण्यं यथा यास्क: पश्यति तथा शौनकीय-बृहद्देवता यास्कोक्तिषु दोषं दर्शयति --" पदमेकं समादाय द्विधा कृत्वा निरुक्तवान् । पुरुषादपदं यास्को वृक्षे वृक्ष इति त्वृचि ॥” इत्यादिभिः । (बृहद्दे वता-२.१११-११६)। यास्क इव बृहद्देवताऽपि मन्त्रार्थविवरणे मत-भेदानाह। तत्राप्यात्मवादि-पक्षमुदाहरति । निदर्शनाय पञ्चजन-चर्चा अत्रोदाहरामः-(७. ६७-७२)

शालामुख्यः प्रणीतश्च पुत्रो गृहपतेश्च सः ।
उत्तरो दक्षिणश्चाग्निरेते पञ्चजनाः स्मृताः ।।

मनुष्याः पितरो देवा गन्धर्वोरगराक्षसाः ।
गन्धर्वाः पितरो देवा असुरा यक्ष-राक्षसाः ।।

यास्कोपमन्यवावेतान् आहतुः पञ्च वै जनान् ।
निषाद-पञ्चमान् वर्णान् मन्यते शाकटायनः ।।

ऋत्विजो यजमानश्च शाकपूणिस्तु मन्यते ।
होताध्वर्युस्तथोद्गाता ब्रह्मा चेति वदन्ति तान् ।।

चक्षुः श्रोत्रं मनो वाक् च प्राणश्चेत्यात्मवादिनः ।
गन्धर्वाप्सरसो देवा मनुष्याः पितरस्तथा ।।

सर्पाश्च ब्राह्मणे चैव श्रूयन्ते तिरेयके ।
ये चान्ये पृथिवीजाता देवाश्चान्येऽथ यज्ञियाः ।।

एवं षड्भिः श्लोकः पञ्चजनशब्दतात्पर्य-विकल्पानुपन्यस्यति । अनेन निरुक्तबृहद्देवतादिभ्यः पूर्वं अध्यात्मादि-रहस्यवादिनां मन्त्रार्थविवरणं पक्षान्तर-विवरणेभ्यो विभिन्नं विदितचरमिति गम्यते। इतश्चास्ति वेदे रहस्य, यस्याधिगमः सङ्केतगुप्तार्थ-पक्षावलम्बनेन सिद्धो भवतीति वयम् ।।

प्रागुक्तं ब्राह्मणान्येव यज्ञस्य सङ्केत-रूपतां प्रतिपादयन्तीति। इतश्च वेदे रहस्यं अस्तीति प्रत्ययो ब्राह्मणेषु स्पष्टं दृश्यते। न चेत् “यजमानो वै यूपः" इत्याद्याः सङ्कताः नाभविष्यन्। अत्र दीक्षिष्यमाणस्य यजमानस्य अञ्जनेन समर्धनं ततः प्राचीनवंशप्रवेशनं चाधिकृत्य शरीरस्थस्यैव दीक्षितस्य यजमानस्य नव्यजन्मसम्पत्तिः भवति इत्येवमर्थकानि वाक्यानि ब्राह्मणान्याहुः। तथा च ऐतरेयिणः “पुनर्वा एतं ऋत्विजो गर्भं कुर्वन्ति यं दीक्षयन्त्यद्भिरभिषिञ्चन्ति" इति प्रकृत्य “शुद्धमेवैनं तत्पूतं दीक्षयन्ति दीक्षित-विमितं प्रपादयन्ति। योनिर्वा एषा दीक्षितस्य यद्दीक्षित-विमितं योनिमेवैनं तत्स्व प्रपादयन्ति” (१-३) इत्या-मनन्ति । दीक्षित-विमितमित्यत्र प्राचीनवंशप्रवेशन स्वकीय-योनिप्रवेश इति सायण-भाष्यम् । अन्यत्र “आहुतिभ्यः सम्भूय हिरण्यशरीरः स्वर्गं गच्छति’ इत्युक्तम् । अग्निरेव देवयोनिरिति च। अन्यच्चेदं प्रसक्ति-वशादुदाहर्तव्यम्। याज्ञिकपक्ष-परमाधारभूतानि ब्राह्मणान्येव अध्यात्मादि-रहस्यविज्ञानं विना नैव सिध्यति देवता-सायुज्यं स्वर्गारोहो वेत्युपदिशन्ति। तथा च शतपथब्राह्मणम् --" तदेष श्लोको भवति । विद्यया तदारोहन्ति यत्र कामाः परागताः। न तत्र दक्षिणा यान्ति नाविद्वांसस्तपस्विन इति न हैव तं लोकं दक्षिणाभिर्न तपसाऽनेवंविद् अश्नुत एवंविदां हैव स लोक: (१०. ५. ४-२)। प्रथितेषु कर्मकाण्ड-ग्रन्थे-वैवमध्यात्मविद्या-रहस्यानि तत्र तत्र घोषयत्सु, किमु वक्तव्यं ज्ञानकाण्डमुद्रया प्रथिता आरण्यकोपनिषदः वैदिकाध्वरस्य परमार्थं अन्तर्यजनपरमेव व्याचक्षत इति ? “तस्यैवं विदुषो यज्ञस्यात्मा यजमानः श्रद्धा पत्नी शरीरमिध्मं” इत्या-दीन्यारण्यक-वचनान्यत्र द्रष्टव्यानि भवन्ति ।।

अथ चेदं वक्तव्यमुपनिषद्-ग्रन्थानधिकृत्य। यद्यपि औपनिषदर्षयस्तपोनिष्ठाः सत्य-जिज्ञासया ब्रह्मावगतये स्वतन्त्रतया प्रवृत्ता इति निरूढः प्रत्ययः प्रायो न्याय्य इति अभ्युपगच्छामः, तथाऽपि मन्त्र-वर्णा अध्यात्मविद्यादि-रहस्यगभिता इति विदितं तेषाम् । अत एव स्वीयानि दर्शनानि तदाधारेण प्रतिपादितानि तत्त्वानि तत्र तत्र ऋग्भिः, पुरातनर्षि-दृष्टिभिः दृढीकुर्वन्ति। तदृचाऽभ्युक्तम्’ ’तदुक्त-मृषिणा’ इत्यादीनामौपनिषद-वाक्यानामिदमेव तात्पर्यम्। क्वचिदुपनिषदुपदिष्टा-नामर्थानां साक्षादृङ-मूलकत्वं स्पष्टं लक्ष्यते। वेदरहस्य-दशिभिररविन्द-श्रीचरण-रत्रकं निदर्शनं दर्शितम्। तदिदमाचक्ष्महे-“हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण’ इत्यादीनां ईशावास्योपनिषत्-पङक्तीनां ’ऋतेन ऋतं अपिहितं’ (ऋग्वेद-५-६२-१) इति आत्रेयस्य श्रुतविदो मन्त्र-दृष्टश्च समानोऽर्थ इत्यत्रोपपाद्यते। प्रथमं ऋचं पदपाठ-क्रमेणोदाहृत्य व्याख्यास्यामः। ततः परं उपनिषद्वाक्येन ऋगर्थ-सङ्गति प्रदर्श-यिष्यामः-

ऋतेन ऋतं अपिहितं ध्रुवं वां सूर्यस्य यत्र विमुचन्ति अश्वान्। दश शता सह तस्थुः तदेकं देवानां श्रेष्ठं वपुषां अपश्यम् ।। पदार्थ विवरणम्-सूर्यस्य’ सर्व-प्रेरकस्य परमस्य देवस्य सवितुरिति यावत्। ’ऋतं’ स्वरूप-भूतं ऋतेन’ विश्वात्मकतयाऽवस्थितेन अपरार्धपदवाच्य-त्रैलोक्यरूपेण अवरेण सत्येन ‘अपिहितं’ आच्छादितं अपश्यं इति सम्बन्धः ’यत्र’ यस्मिन् परमे सत्ये ’वां’ युवयोः मित्रावरुणयोः स्थानं ’ध्रुवं’ स्थिरं नित्यं वा भवति तदित्यर्थः, यत्र ’अश्वान् विमुचन्ति’ किरणान् व्यूहीकृत्य व्यवस्थापयन्ति । यत्र च ’दश-शता’ सहस्र-संख्याकाः रश्मयः, सह तस्थुः सम्भूय एकत्र स्थिताः। ‘देवानां वपुषां श्रेष्ठं तद् एकम्’ देवता-तनुबन्धानां वपुष्मतां देवानां वा वरेण्यं कल्याण-तमं रूपं विश्वाध्यक्षं विश्वातीतं च ’तत्’ ऋषिषु प्रसिद्धं तत्पद-वाच्यं ’एकम्’ अद्वितीयं जाज्वल्यमानं दुर्दर्श सत्य-स्वरूपं अपश्यं इति --" परमं सत्यम्। सम्बन्धः॥

अत्रेदमवधेयम्-- वां’ युवाभ्यां स्थितं इति सायणः । ‘वां’ युवयोः स्थानमिति वयम् । उभयथाऽपि अध्याहार इष्यते। मित्रावरुणयोः स्थानं सूर्य-मण्डलमित्यपि निर्विवादम्। ’ऋतेन’ उदकेन आच्छादितं ’ऋतं’ सूर्यबिम्बं ऋषिरहमपश्यमिति ब्रूत इति सायणः। परमे व्योमनि अक्षरपादवाच्ये चिद्-घने भ्राजमानं सूर्यपद-सङ्केतितं तत्पद-वाच्यं अद्वितीयं परं सत्यं वरेण्यं भर्ग:’ ’तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्’ ’सर्वधातमम् श्रेष्ठम्’ इति मन्त्रदृष्टिषु महितं ज्योति-रपश्यमित्याह ऋषिरिति वयम्। ’अश्वाः’ दश शतानि रश्मय इति सायणः अभिमतमेवेदमस्माकम् । परं तु सूर्याश्वान् मन्देहादिभिरसुरैः निरुद्धान् स्तोतारः स्तुतिभिविमोचयन्तीति गाथा-वादस्तात्पर्यमाह सायणः। रश्मिपदोपलक्षित-सत्य-ज्योतिष्प्रभाणां व्यूहनं समूहनं च विमोचन-सहस्थान-आख्यानाद् अवगन्तव्ये इति वयम् । ’देवानां वपुषां’ इत्यत्र वपुष्मतां इति मत्वर्थ-लक्षणा सायणस्य अपि अभिमता। ’ऋतेन ऋतम्’ इत्यत्र कथमिदं ऋतद्वयमुच्यते ? ब्रूमः । ऋत-सत्य-पदयोरविशेषेण लोके प्रयोगः वेदेऽपि क्वचिद् दृश्यते । वस्तुतस्तु विशेषो ग्राह्यः । यद् ध्रुवं परं सत्स्वरूपं तत् सत्यपदवाच्यं भवति। यत् प्रत्यक्षं सत्यादाविष्कृतं सत्यानुरुद्धं सत्यानुरोधेन प्राप्तसत्ताकं सत्य-प्रतिनिधीभूतं वा तद् ऋतपदवाच्यं भवति। अस्यामृचि ऋत-पदं सत्यपरमेव व्याख्यातम्। उभयमपि ऋतं सत्यमेव भवति। एकं परं सत्यं परार्ध-गतं परमव्योमशब्दव्यवहार्यं ध्रुवम्। तच्च सत्यं अवरेण सत्येन अपरार्ध-गतेन अपिहितमित्युक्तम् । अत्र मेघ एव पिधानं भवति सूर्यस्य, तदपाये सूर्यमपश्यदृषिरिति सायणः। मेघापाय सूर्य-दर्शनस्य ऋषित्वं नापेक्षितं, सामान्यचक्षुष्मत्त्वमेवेष्यते। एवंविध-व्याख्यानबलादेव साधवो वेदर्षयः सर्वसाधारण-सूर्यदर्शनेऽपि किमपि विचित्रं पश्यन्तो मुह्यन्ति देवानां प्रिया इति आधुनिक-प्रवादश्चेत्, किमत्र चित्रम् ?

ऋतस्य सृष्टि-गतेन अवरेण सत्येन इतः परस्तात् स्थितं उत्तमं ध्रुवं सत्यं आवृतं, अस्य अपावरणे तस्य परस्य साक्षात्कार इति स्पष्ट एव भवति भावः। मित्रा-वरुणयोः स्थानं सूर्य-मण्डलं इति स्थूल व्याख्यानं सायणस्य। उभयोः सत्य-रक्षकत्वं सत्य-धर्मत्वं परमव्योमवर्तित्वं च उद्घोषयन्ति मन्त्रवर्णाः । गोपावधि तिष्ठथो रथं सत्यधर्माणा परमे व्योमनि’ (ऋग्वेद-५-६३-१) इत्येवं-जातीयकर्मन्त्रमित्रा-वरुणयोनित्य-सत्यसूर्यात्मत्वं अवगन्तव्यम् । ऋतेनेति ऋगियं व्याख्याता। सायणीया व्याख्या-धोरणी किञ्चित् प्रदर्शिता अस्मदीया च । ऋचोऽस्यास्तात्पर्यमवबुध्य औपनिषदर्षिः अगूढया भाषया स्पष्टमाह-हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम् । तत् त्वं पूषन्नपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये ।। पूषन्नेकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य व्यूह रश्मीन् समूह तेजो यत्ते रूपं कल्याणतमं तत् ते पश्यामि । योऽसाबसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमस्मि ॥’ इतीशोपनिषद्वाक्यपङक्तयः । बढ्च-मन्त्रेण उपनिषन्मन्त्रस्य सङ्गतिरिह दर्शयिष्यते ।

ऋतेन’ (अवरेण ) वेदे, ’हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण’ उपनिषदि। अवरत्वेन पिधायकत्वेऽपि सत्यत्वात् भास्वर-हिरण्मयत्वं पिधानपात्रस्यत्यवधेयम् ।।

’ऋतं अपिहितम्’ वेदे, ‘सत्यस्य मुखं अपिहितम्’ उपनिषदि ‘वपुषां श्रेष्ठं’ वेदे, ’कल्याण-तमं रूपं’ उपनिषदि । तच्च तेजः परं ज्योतिरस्मात् परस्ताद् ध्रुवं ज्ञेयम् ।।

’तद् एकम्’ वेदे, ’सोऽहमस्मि’ उपनिषदि ।।

’दश शता’ रश्मय इति वेदे, (सायणोऽपि तथा व्याचष्टे) ’रश्मीन् इत्युपनिषदि विस्पष्टमुक्तम् । ’विमुचन्ति’ वेदे, ‘व्यूह’ इत्युपनिषदि ‘सह तस्थुः वेदे, ’समूह’ इत्युपनिषदि। चिद्घनसत्य-ज्योतिर्मयः परमः पुरुषः सूर्यशब्द-सङ्कतितः सर्वदा वेदे, प्रायशस्तथैवोपनिषत्स्वपीति बोद्धव्यम्। तदलमिदमेकं निदर्शनं इदानीम् । एतादृशानि अन्यानि च निदर्शनानि सन्ति, यैरुपनिषत्सु प्रतिपादितानां तत्त्वानां ऋग्वेद-मन्त्रः साक्षात्सम्बन्धः शक्यो निरूपयितुम् । वेद-मन्त्रानधिकृत्य कर्मपर-व्याख्यातुर्याज्ञिक-धौरेयस्य सायणस्य यादृशं ज्ञानं तद्व्या-ख्याने लक्ष्यते, तादृशादपि सूक्ष्मतरं महीयो यथार्थं च ज्ञानं उपनिषत्तत्त्व-दर्शिन ऋषेर्लक्ष्यत इति स्पष्टम्। किमु वक्तव्यं अधुनातन-पाश्चात्यपण्डितानां तदनु-सारिणां वा ज्ञानात् विशेषतः प्रशस्यतरं च ज्ञानमौपनिषदर्षीणां इति ?

इतश्चास्ति रहस्यं वेद इत्यसन्दिग्धम् ।।

अथ पुराणान्यपि वेद-प्रशंसापराणि सर्वाणि वेदार्थस्योपबृहणानि इति । ’इतिहास-पुराणाभ्यां वेदं समुपबृहयेत्’ ’पुराणं नष्ट-शाखस्य वेदार्थस्योप-बृहणम्’ ’आख्यानं कथितं भूप पुराणं वेद-सम्मितम्’ इत्येवं-जातीयकर्महा-भारत-पुराणेतिहास-वाक्यैरवगम्यते। वेदेषु श्रूयमाणानां वृत्तान्तान्वाख्यानानां गूढार्थमेव स्पष्टमाह महाभारतम् । क्वचिदाख्यानस्य वैदिकस्य गूढार्थो विस्पष्टो लक्ष्यते महाभारते। पूर्वेभ्य ऋषिभ्यः यथा-श्रुतं वृत्रवध-रहस्यं युधिष्ठिराय व्यासः प्राह। इमाश्च पङक्तयोऽश्वमेध-पर्वणि लक्ष्यन्ते--(अ. ११ श्लो. ७-२०) ’ततो वृत्रं शरीरस्थं जघान भरतर्षभ। शतक्रतुरदृश्येन वज्रणेतीह नः श्रुतम् ।। तत्रैव ‘इदं धर्म्य रहस्यं च शक्रेणोक्तं महर्षिषु। ऋषिभिश्च मम प्रोक्तं तन्निबोध जनाधिप ।’ इति। वज्रं विवेक इति व्याख्याता नीलकण्ठः, तम एव वृत्र इति चाह-’रथन्तरेण साम्ना तं वसिष्ठः प्रत्यबोधयत्।’ (श्लो १९-)। रथं मायाख्यं विग्रहं तरतीति रथन्तर-पदार्थं व्याचष्ट नीलकण्ठः। रथन्तरेण साम्ना वसिष्ठः प्रत्यबोधयदित्युक्तम् । यः को वा भवतु रथस्य सङ्केतार्थः । स नेह विचार्यते। सङ्केत एवेति तु यन्मन्यते व्याख्याता तदेवावधेयम्। महा-भारतमपि इदं सर्वं वृत्र-चरितं रहस्यमित्याह। तदपि लक्षणीयम् । अन्यत्रानु-शासन-पर्वणि (अ. ८४ श्लो. ४७-४८) मेषादीनां सङ्केतार्थत्वं प्रतिपाद्यते--’अजोऽग्निवरुणो मेषः सूर्योऽश्व इति दर्शनम् । कुञ्जराश्च मृगा नागा महिषा-श्चासुरा इति ॥ कुक्कुटाश्च वराहाश्च राक्षसा भृगुनन्दन।’ इत्येवंव्यक्तीनि वाक्यानि वेदगुप्तार्थसङ्केतरहस्यावगतये महाभारतकार-कृतपरिश्रमस्य फल-भूता-नीत्यलं परमुक्तेन ॥

अध्यात्मविद्यादि-रहस्यमस्ति वेद इति सप्रमाणमैतिह्यं निरूपितम्। सारतः स्थाली-पुलाकन्यायेन पुराणेतिहासेभ्यः निरुक्तादि-ग्रन्थेभ्यस्तथा आरण्यक-सहित-ब्राह्मणेभ्यः मन्त्र-वर्णेभ्यश्च प्रमाण-प्रपञ्चः प्रदर्शितः। अत्रान्यो मुख्यः प्रश्न: परीक्षामपेक्षमाणोऽवशिष्यते। वेदर्षिभ्यः परं अस्माकं प्राक् च अन्तरे द्राघीयसि काले अपि न कोऽपि वेदरहस्यविज्ञः रहस्याविष्काराय वेद-व्याख्यानं न्यबध्नात् ? सरलमस्योत्तरं वचो भवति। तथाविधं गुप्तार्थ-प्रकाशकं व्याख्यानं न दृश्यत इत्यसंशयम्। तावता नैवास्ति रहस्यं, अस्ति चेत् तद्विवरणं वर्तेत वेति नैवं चोद्यम् । सायणात्पूर्वं सम्पूर्ण वेद-व्याख्यानं नैव अलक्षीति हेतोः वेदानां कर्म-परत्वमैतिह्यं नैवासीदिति को वा ब्रूयात् ? एवं वेदरहस्य-विवरणमध्यात्म-परं व्याख्यानं नाभूदिति हेतोः रहस्यार्थपरमैतिचं नासीदिति न वक्तुं युक्तम्। अपि तु, रहस्यार्थपरव्याख्यानस्य प्रातिकूल्यं कर्मपारम्य-प्रसिद्धौ द्रष्टव्यम् । अत्र सायण-व्याख्यानैकप्रत्ययनेय-बुद्धितैव वेदगुप्तार्थ-विचारप्रतिकूलत्यवगन्तव्यम् । रहस्यार्थ-पक्षे चिरन्तने विस्मृतेऽपि तन्निर्देशकं ऐतिह्यं तु जाग्रदसन्दिग्धमिति प्रमाण-पूर्वक प्राक् प्रदर्शितम्। तन्न पुनर्वक्तव्यम्। एवमपि न कोऽप्यासीद्वेदानामध्यात्मपरत्व-पक्षस्योज्जीवनाय प्रवृत्त इति न शक्यं वदितुं आचार्यमध्व-ग्रन्थेषु जाग्रत्सु, यत् सायणात् किञ्चित्पूर्वं आनन्दतीर्थ आचार्य ऋङमन्त्र-तात्पर्य-परिग्रहस्य प्रकारोप-प्रदर्शनाय ऋक्संहितायाः प्रथममण्डलीयानि चत्वारिंशत्सूक्तानि व्याचख्यौ । वैदिक-धर्माचरणे कर्मानुष्ठानस्यावश्यकतया कर्मपर-व्याख्यानं मन्त्राणां साध्विति, कर्मकरणमेव मन्त्राणां मुख्यं तात्पर्यमिति मतमसाध्विति च मध्व आचार्यो मन्यते। मन्त्राणामध्यात्मपरोऽर्थो मुख्यः, सर्वेषां वेदानां विष्णुपदप्राप्तिरूपपरम-पुरुषार्थे तात्पर्यमिति च प्रतिपादयति आचार्यः । लघु-विस्तरं माध्वमृग्भाष्यम् । विरलान् मध्वसम्प्रदायपण्डितानन्तरा प्रायशो वेद-विचारिणामविदितमेव तादृशं असमग्रमपि अस्त्येव वेद-भाष्यमिति। तदनुसारिणा महानुभावेन श्रीराघवेन्द्र-स्वामिना योगीन्द्रेण आचार्यस्य भाष्यमनुसृत्याशयान् विशदयन्ती मन्त्रार्थमञ्जरी नाम व्याख्या निबद्धा। अग्न्यादिदेवता-परतया तदन्तर्गतपरदेवताभूत-विष्णुपरतया अध्यात्मपरतया च ऋचो व्याख्येयाः किल । यद्यपि तदुक्त-त्रिविधार्थप्रकार-परीक्षाय न वयं प्रवृत्ताः स्मः, तथाऽपि कथमर्थ-त्रयं ऋचां सिध्यति अस्मिन्नर्था-विष्कार-नय इति समासतो ब्रूमः । आवश्यक-स्थलेषु मन्त्रार्थमञ्जरी-वाक्यान्येव उद्धृत्योदाहरिष्यामः –

" द्विविधा मग्न्यादि-शब्दाः। नीरसंवलित-क्षीरवत्, अय:पिण्ड-समारूढ-वह्निवच्च। अग्न्यादि-जीवचिता संवलितं यद् भगवच्चिद्रूपं विशिष्टं सपिण्डम् तद्वाचिनः केचित्। केवलशुद्ध-चिद्वाचिनः केचित् । शुद्ध-चिद्वाचिनोऽपि क्वचित् भगवच्चिद्वाचिनो जीव-चिद्वाचिनश्च इति द्वेधा। तत्राद्याः ‘अग्निमीळे’ इत्यादौ प्रसिद्धाग्न्यादि-देवं विष्णुं च परममुख्य-मुख्यवृत्तिभ्यां, ’गङ्गायां मीनघोषौ’ इत्यत्र मुख्यामुख्य-वृत्तिभ्यां प्रवाहतीर-रूपार्थद्वयं गङ्गा-पदमिव, ’राजा कुवलयोल्लासी इत्यादौ रूढि-योगाभ्यां कुमुदभूवलयरूपार्थद्वयं कुवलय-पदमिव युगपदेव व्युत्पत्ति-मतः प्रत्याययन्ति ।” एवं ऋक्सूक्तमन्त्राणां कर्मसु विनियोगार्थं मन्त्रप्रतिपादिता-ग्न्यादिदेवतापरं अग्न्यायधिष्ठानभूत-विष्ण्वाख्य-परदैवतपरं च तात्पर्यं परिग्राह्यमिति श्रुतिस्मृति-पुराणेतिहास-वचनरुपपादितम् । एवं सति, विष्ण्वर्थत्वेन एवालं, किं अग्न्यादिदेवता-परत्वेनापीति चेन्नेत्याह- तेषु तेषु पदार्थेषु रूढिरङ्गीकृता यतः । प्रयोजन-बहुत्वेन तस्य तस्याविरोधतः । उपदेशादिसामर्थ्याद्विष्णौ शक्तिश्च गृह्यते। इत्यत्र अग्न्यादि-देवतास्वरूपसिद्धयादिबहुप्रयोजनाय तत्तद्देवतार्थकस्य आवश्यकत्वोक्तेः, निगम-निघण्टुव्याकरणादि-सिद्धव्युत्पत्ति-लभ्याग्न्यादि-देवतार्थ-कत्वस्य त्यागायोगाच्च।’ एवं अग्न्यादि-देवतायां मुख्यत्वं परम-देवे विष्णौ परम-मुख्यत्वं च प्रतिपादयत्याचार्यः, आह च-" न चैवमुभयत्र तात्पर्ये तात्पर्यभेदात् तन्निबन्धन-वाक्यभेदः शङक्यः। महातात्पर्यार्थस्यै कत्वात्। ’सर्वोत्कर्षे देवदेवस्य विष्णोर्महातात्पर्यं नैव चान्यत्र सत्यम् । अवान्तरं तत्परत्वं तदन्यत् सर्वागमानां पुरुषार्थस्ततोऽतः’ इति पैङ्गि-श्रुतिमुदाहृत्य पुराणवाक्यैश्च प्रोद्वलयत्येवम्--सर्वज्ञं सर्व-कर्तारं नारायणमनामयम् । सर्वोत्तमं ज्ञापयन्ति महातात्पर्यमत्र हि। सर्वेषामपि वेदानामितिहास-पुराणयोः । प्रमाणानां च सर्वेषां तदर्थं चान्यदुच्यते। इति। तस्मान्महातात्पर्यअवान्तर-तात्पर्यभेदेन अनेकार्थकत्वमुपपाद्य अग्निवाय्वादि-सूक्तानां अग्न्यादिदेवतापरं तद्दधिष्ठान-विष्णुपरमात्मपरं अन्तरर्थं अध्यात्मपरं च त्रेधा मन्त्रा व्याख्येया इति मन्त्रार्थविवरण-प्रकारश्च चत्वारिंशत्सूक्तैर्व्याख्यातैः निरूपितः । अग्न्यादि-सूक्तैर्भगवदुपासकानां अग्न्याद्यधिष्ठानेषु एव भगवतोऽनुस्मत-व्यत्वं अभिव्यज्यमानत्वं प्राप्यत्वं इति निमित्त-त्रयेण इदं अग्नि-सूक्तं इदं वायु-सूक्तमिति देवताभेद-सूक्तव्यवस्थोपपत्तिरवगन्तव्या। अथ ऋग्व्याख्याप्रकारप्रदर्श-नाय मन्त्रार्थमञ्जरी-वाक्यान्युपयुज्य ‘अग्निमीळे’ इति ऋचोऽर्थं सङक्षेपेणो-दाहराम:—

’अग्निमीळे’ इति आग्नेयं सूक्तम् । अस्य ऋषिः मधुच्छन्दाः । विनियोगो विष्णुप्रीति-द्वारा मोक्षे, अवान्तर-विनियोगः कर्मणि। अत्र विस्तर-भयाद् व्याकरण-प्रक्रिया-विस्तरान् प्रायशोऽनुक्त्वा सारत एव राघवेन्द्रस्वामिभिः प्रतिपादितानन् आचक्ष्महे-’अग्नि’ अग्रे भवं प्रथमपूज्यं प्रथम-प्रवर्तकं वा अग्नि-नामकं विष्णुं तदधिष्ठानं प्रसिद्धाग्नि वा ’ईळे’ स्तौमि। अग्निविशेषणान्येवं व्याख्यायन्ते। पुरोहितम्’ अनादितः सर्वप्राणिनामनुकूलं ’यज्ञस्य ऋत्विजम्’ जातावेकवचनं, यज्ञानां ज्योतिष्टोमादीनां कर्त तया ऋत्विङनामकेषु अध्वर्युहोतृ-उद्गातृ-प्रभृतिषु नियामकतया स्थिततया ‘तदधीनत्वात् तदर्थवत्’ इत्युक्त-न्यायेन ऋत्विङनामकं, ’होतारम्’ होतृनियामकतया विशिष्य तत्र सान्निध्यात् तदधीनत्व-न्यायेनैव होतृ-नामकं ऋत्विजं होतारं। कुरुपाण्डव-न्यायेन सामान्य-विशेष-भावादपुनरुक्तिः । ’रत्नधातमम्’ रमेः औणादिक-क्न-प्रत्यय ‘लशक्वतद्धिते’ इति ककार-लोपे अनुदात्तोपदेशवनतितनोत्यादीनामनुनासिकलोपो झलि ङिति’ इति धातोर्मकार-लोपे ’रत्न’ इति रूपत्वात् रत्नं सुखं धत्ते इति रत्न-धाः अतिशयन रत्नधातं रत्न-धातमम् । ‘देवम्’ स्तुत्यर्थाद् दीव्यतेनिष्पन्नत्वात् स्तुत्यम् । गुणानां निरवाधिकत्वं विष्णौ, तदधिष्ठाने अग्नौ तु यथा-योग्यम् । एवमग्रेऽपि ।।

अध्यात्म-परत्वे त्वयमर्थः । ’पुरोहितम्’ सर्वानुकूलम् । यज्ञस्य ज्ञानयज्ञस्य ’ऋत्विजम्’ ऋन्विग्भूतेन्द्रियामिमानि-नियामकतया तत्र स्थितत्वेन ऋत्विङ-नामकम् । ‘होतारम्’ इन्द्रियाख्याग्निषु विषयलक्षणहविषां दातारं, विषयभोग-प्रदम् । ’अग्नि’ अङ्गं शरीरं नयति प्रेरयति--सर्वशरीर-प्रवर्तकम्। ’ईळे’ इति सम्बन्धः। अत्र अध्यात्म सर्वत्र मोक्षसाधको यः कश्चिद्यजमानो ज्ञेयः। शिष्टं प्राग्वव्याख्येयम् ॥

श्रीमन्मध्वाचार्य-ऋगर्थविवरणानुसारेणेदं पर्यवसन्नम् । अध्यात्म अधिदैवतं च मन्त्राणां तात्पर्य योजनीयम्। अध्यात्ममन्तरर्थः। आधिदैवतपरत्वे यज्ञ-परत्व-मन्तर्गतम् । अतश्च कर्मस्ववान्तर-विनियोगो मन्त्राणामुपपद्यते मुख्य-वृत्त्या । आधिदैवत-परत्वे पुनः परममुख्यवृत्त्या परमदैवतभूतविष्णौ महातात्पर्यमवगन्तव्यम् । एवमपि यास्कोक्तानि त्रीणि यज्ञ-देवता-आत्मपरिज्ञानानि वेदाल्लभ्यानीति द्वैता-चार्यप्रतिपादितेन मन्त्राणां अर्थ-त्रयेण सामान्यतः सङ्गच्छते। सर्वथा मन्त्राणां कर्मसु विनियोगः अवान्तर-प्रयोजनमात्रम्। तदनुरोधेनैव वेद! व्याख्येयाः । अध्यात्मपरव्याख्याने याज्ञदैवत-कर्मपरव्याख्यानेऽपि महा-तात्पर्य विष्णावेव पर्य-वस्यति इति श्रुति-स्मृति-पुराण-इतिहासेभ्यः सप्रमाणं सयुक्तिकं उपपादयामास पदवाक्य-प्रमाणज्ञ आर्षचक्षुःसम्पन्न आनन्दतीर्थ आचार्यः। इदमस्माभिरवधेयम् । ऋचां अध्यात्म-परदेवता-परत्वस्य प्राधान्यं केवलकर्म-परत्वस्य जघन्यत्वं च चिरन्तनार्ष-सम्प्रदायसिद्धं वेदरहस्य-निर्देशक ऐतिह्यं मध्वऋग्भाष्य मन्त्रार्थ-मञ्जर्यां च सोपपत्तिकं दृढीकृतम्। इतश्चास्ति रहस्यं वेदे, यद्वेदगुप्ताथ-पक्षा-श्रयणेन भेत्तुं शक्यमित्यलं विस्तरेण ।।

अथास्य रहस्यार्थ-पक्षस्य स्वीकारे नव्यपाण्डित्य-सम्पन्नानां इदानींतनानां पाश्चात्य-पद्यां प्रविश्य वेद-विचाराय प्रवृत्तानां परिश्रमः सर्वोऽपि विफल एवेति वक्तव्यमिति चेन्ने ति ब्रूमः। स्थूलं बाह्यार्थमाश्रित्य प्रवर्तमानस्य तेषां विचारस्य फलितं यदि समीचीनं न्याय्यं च भवेत्, तदा वेदमन्त्र-दर्शिनां देश-काल-स्थिति-स्वरूपादि-निर्णयाय प्रभवेदिति न तत्परिश्रमोऽन्तरर्थमाश्रित्य प्रवृत्तस्यास्मदीय-गुप्तार्थ-सिद्धान्तस्य प्रतिकूल इति मन्यामहे । यतो मन्त्राणां बाह्यार्थ-स्थूलतात्पर्य-सत्तामभिज्ञायैव प्रवर्तते सङ्केत-गुप्तार्थपक्षः। बाह्यार्थ एक एव मन्त्राणामिति वादे तु प्रत्यवतिष्ठामहे। इदं च सविस्तरं प्रागेव प्रपञ्चितमिति न पुनरिहोच्यते । तस्मात् प्रायः तटस्था वयं बाह्यार्थ आश्रित्य प्रवृत्तस्य परिश्रमस्य। प्राचीन-वेदर्षि-देशकालदशा-विशेषनिर्णयाय वा ऐतिहासिकवृत्तान्त-द्योतनाय वा बाह्य-पक्षं ऋजु-व्याख्यानमुपयुक्तं भवेदित्यसंशयम् । तथा च, तिलकमहाशय-निर्दिष्ट: ऋषीणां उत्तर-ध्रुवमण्डलवासः तत्कालो वा निर्णतुं शक्यः स्यात्, परम-शिवमहोदयोत्प्रेक्षितः अहि-वृत्र-स्वरूपनिर्णयो वा ।।

अथ वैदिकदेवतास्वरूप-निर्णयायत्तं वैदिकसमय-धर्ममधिकृत्य पाश्चात्य-विद्वत्सु विप्रतिपत्तयो लक्ष्यन्ते। वेदर्षयो बहू न् देवानाराधयामासुस्तस्मान्नाना-देवतोपास्तिपरा वेदर्षय इत्ये के। एकैकस्यामपि देवतायामुपासनसमये पारम्य-बुद्धिरासीदुपासकानां ऋषीणामिति तात्कालिकोपास्य-देवताविशेषपारम्यवादिन ऋषय इत्यपरे। केवलं नामभेद एव देवताभेदः, एक एव परो देव इति वेदर्षय एकेश्वर-वादिन इत्यन्ये। विश्वस्मिन् पाञ्चभौतिके जगति तत्र तत्र पदार्थेषु अभिमानि-देवताबुद्धिरासीदृषीणाम्, अत एव द्यावा-पृथिव्यौ अग्निर्वायुरादित्यः पर्जन्यो मरुत इत्येवमादयः सृष्ट्य एव देवता-धिया स्तूयन्ते, तस्मात् प्रकृति पूजका: प्रकृतिसार्वात्म्य-देवतावादिनो वेदर्षय इति केचन। एवमद्यतन-मेधाविनो वेदविमर्शका बहुधा विप्रतिपन्नाः संलक्ष्यन्ते। अत्रेदं ब्रूमः । एषां विविधानां वादानां प्रत्येकनामाधारो न विद्यत इति नोपपद्यते वदितुम् । मूलपुरुषा वेदर्षयो नैवं-विधानां मतानां अभिज्ञा इति स्मर्तव्यम्। यथा औपनिषदर्षयोऽवर-कालिक-द्वैताद्वैतविशिष्टाद्वैतादि-सिद्धान्तवादेभ्यो दविष्ठाः स्वीयानि दर्शनानि साक्षात्-कृतानि तत्त्वानि यथादृष्टं यथाश्रुतं वा प्रत्यपादयन्, तथा मन्त्र-द्रष्टार ऋषयो विशेषतोऽस्मत्कालिकैकेश्वरवादादिभ्यो दविष्ठतमा यथादृष्टं यथाश्रुतं मन्त्राना-विष्कृत्य यथावसरं देवताराधनतत्पराः पर-दैवतमाराधयामासुरित्यसंशयम् । तस्मा-ज्जगज्जीवेश्वरानधिकृत्य वेदर्षीणां मतं मतानि वा यदि परीक्षितुं प्रवर्तेमहि, तदा नैवोपसंहारः स्याद्वादानाम्। यथा वा औपनिषदसिद्धान्तमधिकृत्यावर-कालिकानां आचार्याणां तदनुसारिणां च द्वैताद्वैतादि-वादविशेषाः अद्यापि अधि तिष्ठन्ति पण्डित-लोक-विवादपाण्डित्यभद्रपीठं, तथैव स्याद्वेदानधिकृत्य ईदृशो वादः । अत्रेदं कारणं भवति। न्यायवैशेषिकादि-दार्शनिक-चिन्तकानां तत्त्व-निर्णयो लक्षण-प्रमाण-परीक्षायत्त इति निर्विवादम्। पूर्वेषामृषीणां तत्रापि वेदर्षीणामाद्यानां विलक्षणस्तत्त्वावगति-पन्थाः । तस्मात् तपोनिष्ठानां तेषां ईदृक्षया परीक्षया नाभवत् कार्यम् । यतस्तेषां साक्षात्साधनं दर्शनं श्रवणं च गुरुपरम्पराप्राप्त-दीक्षाबलात्सिद्धमभवत् । मन्त्र-वर्णानां ऋजुतात्पर्य-ग्रहणे बक्ष्यमाणाः सर्वेऽपि अर्था अवभासेरन्नित्यसंशयम् ।।

एक एव परो देवः बहुदेवात्मकतया बहूनि नामानि बिभ्रदवतिष्ठत इति मन्त्रवर्णेभ्यः सिद्धं भवति। बह्वीनां देवतानां पृथगात्मतयाऽवस्थानादेव तत्त-देवतालिङ्ग-द्वारा अमुक-दैवत्यं अमुकसूक्तं इति निर्णीयत इति हेतोः देवता-नानात्वं मन्त्र-वर्णैरेवावगम्यत इत्यसंशयम् । ऋषि-दृष्टौ एकैकोऽपि देवः परम एव नान्यः परस्माद् देवादित्यपि बहुभिः सूक्तैरुपपादयितुं शक्यम् । अध्यण्डमधि-पिण्ड वा विश्व-व्यापारेऽधिकृतानां नानादेवानां इतरेतर-प्रकृतित्वं इतरेतरजन्मत्वं वा मन्त्र-दशिभिर्दष्टं, दर्शितं चेति सूक्त-पाठेभ्योऽवबुध्यते। एक एव महानात्मा सूर्यपद-वाच्यः, यस्यैव मूर्तिभेदाः व्यक्तिविशेषा अङ्ग-प्रत्यङ्ग-भूताः तत्तगुण-क्रियोचितानि नामानि बिभ्रतो देवाः प्रतिपादिता वेदेष्विति आदिवेद-संहितायां तत्र तत्र स्पष्टमवगम्यते। तस्मादस्माकं परमं प्रयोजनं वेदाल्लब्धव्यं चेत्, तत्तन्मन्त्र-दृष्टयो यथासन्दर्भमार्ष-सम्प्रदायमवलम्ब्य शब्दतोऽर्थतश्च परमप्रमाण-बुद्धया परिग्राह्याः। यद्यपि पूर्वोक्तानां बहूनां मन्त्र-प्रतिपादितानां मतानां नास्तीतरेतर-विरोधः, तथाऽपि तेषां सामरस्य-प्रतिपादनाय नैवावश्यकी परीक्षेति ब्रूमः। का वा क्षतिर्यदि विरोध-परिहारः सामरस्य-प्रतिपादनं वा न प्रवर्तेत ? अयं ब्रह्म-कोशः, भक्त्या ज्ञानेन तपसा उपगम्याराधनीयः। नायं सूत्रग्रन्थ-तद्भाष्य-जातीयको ग्रन्थ इव पूर्वपक्षसिद्धान्त-युक्तिप्रतियुक्तिवाद-युद्धक्षेत्रं भवति । अत्यन्तपुरातनार्षदर्शन-शेवधिरयं बढचानां अध्यात्मविद्या-देवतातत्त्वादि-बहुरहस्य-रत्नानामन? निक्षेपः। असाधारण-साधन-सम्पादितानां अतीन्द्रियाणां अर्थानां चर्मचक्षुरगोचराणां विपुलानां लोकानां तद्गतानां आधिकारिक-पुरुषाणां तच्छक्तीनां स्वतः शक्ति-भूतानां व्यक्तीनां रहस्यानि अधिगम्य रहस्याध्वनि योगनिष्ठामास्थाय अधिगतवतां नः पूर्वेषां वसिष्ठ-वामदेवादीनां दिव्य-दर्शनश्रवणात्मकस्य अनितर-सामान्यस्य साक्षात्कारस्य वाङमयावतारोऽयं वेदग्रन्थः, कानि वा अन्यान्यन्तनिहितानि अस्यामत्यन्त-चिरन्तन्यां दाशतय्यां संहितायां, को वेद ? ’तस्यास्तपसा पारमीप्सितव्यम्, तस्यास्तपसा पारमीप्सितव्यम् ॥

अथ चतुर्थः खण्डः

अथ देवता-मीमांसायां वक्तव्यमिदमवशिष्यते –

तथाविधाः सन्ति मन्त्रा बहुत्र दाशतय्यां संहितायां, येषां गूढार्थ-विवरण-मन्तरेण तात्पर्यं न सङ्गच्छते बाह्यपक्षावलम्बनेऽसामञ्जस्यमेवापद्यते। अन्यच्चेदं अवधेयम् । यद्यपि नव्याः पाश्चात्यविचार-मार्गानुसारिणः सायणीय-बाह्यार्थ-पद्धतिमेवाश्रयन्ते, तथाऽपि देवता अधिकृन्य ते भारतीयप्राचीन-सम्प्रदायानुसारिणं सायणं न सर्वथाऽनुयान्ति। देवता-विषये स एव विशेषः। अस्मदीयाः पूर्वे देवानां तत्तल्लोकाध्यक्षत्वं तत्तत्तत्त्वाभिमानित्वं वाऽभिप्रयन्ति स्म। सूर्ये स्तूयमाने तन्मण्डलाध्यक्षस्तन्मण्डलान्तर्वर्ती वा पुरुषः स्तुतो भवति। एवं अग्न्यादीनां स्तुतावपि अग्न्याद्यभिमानि-देवतास्तुतिः कृता भवति। नव्यास्त्वत्र प्रत्यवतिष्ठन्ते । अग्निवाय्विन्द्र-सूर्यादीनां दृश्यब्रह्माण्डगत-पदार्थ-रूपत्वमानं अङ्गीकृत्य तत्र अधिष्ठा-नाभिमानाध्यक्षतादीन् उद्धृत्य निराकार्षुः । अत्रेदं कारणं भवति । प्राकृतावस्थानां वेद-कवीनां केवल-कल्पना सा, यया जड-वस्तुषु देवतात्वारोपणं साधितमिति तेषां मतम् । गूढार्थ-सिद्धान्तिनो वयं तु बाह्यपदार्थानां सङ्केत-रूपत्वं पश्यन्तोऽपि पृथिव्यादीनां अग्न्याद्यधिष्ठानत्वं अभ्युपगच्छामः अन्तर्बहिश्च देवानामधिकारं पश्यतो गूढार्थ-सिद्धान्तस्य अर्थाविष्कार-नये सर्वत्र अन्तरर्थस्य प्राधान्यं बोध्यम् ।।

अथ मन्त्र-वर्णानामुदाहरणेनेदं प्रतिपादयामः--यच्चेतना एव देवा अन्त-दृष्टि-गोचरा इति। बाह्यार्थ-पक्षावलम्बनेन तथोपपत्तिर्दुर्घटा। प्रधानदेवतानां इन्द्रादीनां अप्रधानत्वेन परिगणितानामपि मरुदादीनां च प्रस्तावेषु स्थूलार्थ-पक्षे पर्यवसन्नोऽर्थी न सङ्गत इति प्रदर्शयिष्यामः--’तद्विष्णोः परमं पदं सदा पश्यन्ति सूरयः। दिवीव चक्षुराततम् ॥ (१-२२-२०)। अस्मिन्मन्त्रे प्रतिपादितो देवो विष्णुः सूर्य इति व्याचक्षते। बाढम् । सूर्य एवायं विष्णुः, किं तु नासौ लौकिको भवितुमर्हति। कुतः? यत् प्रत्यहं सञ्चारे नभोमध्यं तेनाधिगतं भवति तदेव परमं पदं भवतीति वक्तव्यम्। तच्च सूरयः सर्वदा पश्यन्तीति आह। कथं खमध्यं सर्वदा सूर्य-मण्डलाधिष्ठितं भवेत्, यच्च सूरीणामेव गोचरं स्यात् ? लौकिकं चेत् सूर्याक्रान्तं पदं तद् असूरि-जनस्यापि गोचरं स्यात्, कुतः सूरिजन-गोचरमिति वक्तव्यम् ? अलौकिकोऽतीन्द्रियार्थः सूरि-जनसाक्षाद्दर्शनविषय इति असंशयम्। न चेत् काल्पनिकमिदं असम्बद्धप्रलपितं भवेत् यत् सूरयः सदा खमध्यं सूर्याक्रान्तं पश्यन्तीति। अलौकिकत्वादेव तद् धाम श्रेष्ठं दिवि समन्तात् ततं चक्षुरिव सदा पश्यन्ति सूरय इत्युक्तम् ।।

एवं जातीयकमन्यं मन्त्रं निरीक्षामहे--उद् वयं तमसस् परि ज्योतिष्पश्यन्त उत्तरम् । देवं देवत्रा सूर्यं अगन्म ज्योतिरुत्तमम् ।। (१-५-१०)। अस्यायमर्थ:-’वयं तमसः अन्धकारात् पाप्मनः परि उपरि उत् उद्गम्य उत्तरं उद्गततरं उत्कृष्टतरं वा ज्योतिः पश्यन्तः सन्तः देवत्र देवेषु देवानां मध्ये देवं द्योतमानं सूर्य उत्तमं ज्योतिः अगन्म प्राप्नुयाम ।’ अयं सामान्यार्थो मन्त्रस्य। तमः-शब्देन पाप्मा कथित इति ब्राह्मण-वाक्योदाहरणेन सायणो व्याचष्टे । तहि नायं लौकिक: सूर्यः । सायुज्यमेव उक्तमृषिणा प्रस्कण्वेनेति तुरीयपाद-व्याख्याने सायण एवाह। अस्यामृचि स्पष्टमुक्तं अतीन्द्रियार्थ-सूर्यपदवाच्यं उत्तमं ज्योतिः। यथा कथञ्चिद् व्याख्यातेनाप्यनेन मन्त्रेण बाह्यो लौकिक: सूर्यो न निर्दिष्ट इति स्पष्टम् ।।

बाह्याः सूर्यादयो भावा एव देवता इति वादो नोपपद्यत इति प्रदर्शयितुं सूर्यात्मक-विष्णुदेवताकमेकं ज्योतिःस्वरूप-सूर्यदेवताकमन्यं च मन्त्रं उदाहार्म । अथेन्द्रदेवताका ऋचः कतिचन परीक्षामहे। इन्द्र: किल त्रिलोकाधिकारिकाणां देवानां राजा मेघ-मण्डलादूर्ध्वं तिष्ठन् वृत्रपदवाच्यं मेघं वज्रेण हत्वा विसृजत्यप इति वदन्ति । यद्यपि एवंविधान् अभिप्रायान् समर्थयितुं तत्र तत्र प्रकरणात् पृथक्कृता मन्त्रा अवकाशं दद्युः, तथाऽपि बहुत्र नोपपद्यन्ते। अन्तरर्थानुसारेण तु सर्वत्र सामञ्जस्यं परिस्फुटं भवति-’दूरे तन्नाम गुह्यं पराचैर्यत् त्वा भीते अह्वयेतां वयोः’--(१०-५५-१) । अत्र ऋषिरिन्द्रं सम्बोध्य प्राह--’तद्रहस्यं ते नाम दूरे वर्तते, येनैव साधनेन द्यौश्च पृथिवी च त्वां आह्वयत’ इति । ‘महत तन्नाम गुह्यं पुरुस्पृग् येन भूतं जनयो येन भव्यम् ।’ (१०-५५-२)। ’तद् रहस्यं नाम महद् भवति, यस्मै स्पृहयन्ति लोकाः, येनैव साधनेन सर्वं जातं त्वं अजनयः, जनितव्यं च जनयति त्वं इन्द्रः’ इति स्पष्टार्थो मन्त्रः। आत्रेय-मण्डलस्थं एक मन्त्रं पश्याम:--’अवाचचक्षं पदमस्य सस्वः उग्रं निधातुरन्वाय-मिच्छन्। अपृच्छमन्यान् उत ते म आहुः इन्द्रं नरो बुबुधाना अशम ॥’ (५-३०-२) ऋषेः बभ्रोरियं मन्त्र-दृष्टिः । अयं भाव:--’तस्येन्द्रस्य दृढं रहस्यं धाम अहं अद्राक्षम् । नितरां धातारं प्रतिष्ठापकं तं कामयमानोऽहं तत्पदं अधिगतवानस्मि । कथम् ? प्रथमं अहं अन्यान् बुधान् अपृच्छम् । तैरेवं उक्तोऽस्मि, नेतारो वयं प्रबोधवन्तः सन्तः तं इन्द्रं प्राप्नुयाम’ इति। पुनश्च तदेव रहस्य, पूर्वोदाहृत-मन्त्रयोः रहस्यं नाम, अत्र तु धाम। किं तत् पदं नाम वा अभ्र-मण्डलात् किञ्चिदधिकं वोज़ वा वर्तते? मन्त्रवर्णः स्पष्टमाह प्रबोधे सति इन्द्रकामस्य इन्द्राधिगमो भवतीति । इन्द्रमत्र ‘निधातारं’ नितरां धारकमाह। किमयं काल्प-निको देवः क्वाप्याकाशे वर्तते ? किमत्र ‘बुबुधानाः’ इति प्रयोगन ऋषीणां साधारण-स्वापोत्थानमेव निर्दिष्टम् ?

अथ मरुतोऽधिकृत्य, ते चण्ड-वाता एव भवन्तु । यद्यपि मरुत्वत इन्द्रस्य भ्रातर इमे नेन्द्र इव प्रधान-देवता भवन्ति, यद्यपि विशेषतो बाह्यव्यापारा एव लक्ष्यन्ते, अत एव बाह्यार्थपक्ष-प्रोद्वलकाः-तन्मन्त्रा इत्यसंशयं स्थूल-दृष्ट्या, तथाऽपि तेषां अन्तर्व्यापारवत्त्वं पाप्मनो रक्षणं, अन्यथा गूढ-स्वरूपत्वं इत्यादीनि मन्त्रेथ्यो ऽवगम्यन्ते। अघेभ्यो रक्षार्थं अगस्त्यो मरुतः प्रार्थयते ’अघाद्रक्षत’ इति। यदि मरुतो बहिर्व्यापारा ऋषेः स्तवेन प्रसाद्यन्ते, ऋषेरावासस्थानानि अन्यानि द्रव्याणि च प्रचण्ड-मारुताघातेभ्यो रक्षितानि भवन्तु । कथं तेषां चेतन-व्यापारा पाप-नाशिनी शक्तिरन्तर्व त्तिः सम्भवेत्, यदि ते जडा: केवलं बाह्य-भावाः स्युः ? वसिष्ठस्यह मन्त्र-दृष्टिमवधत्त--’ इहेह वः स्वतवसः कवयः सूर्यत्वचः। यज्ञं मरुत आवृणे ।।’ (७-५६-११)। ऋषिराह--" भोः मरुतो देवा यूयं ’स्वतवसः’ स्व-बलेन वृद्धाः ‘कवयः’ क्रान्त-दर्शिनः ‘सूर्यत्वचः ’ सूर्य-प्रभव युष्माकं आवरकं रक्षक चर्म, तादृशेभ्यो युष्मभ्यं अहमिहैवाधुना यजनं कल्पयामि” इति। कथं इमे क्रान्त-दशिनः अत एव चेतनावन्तः केवलं बाह्य-भावाश्चण्ड-मारुता जडा भवितुं अर्हन्ति ? ’एतानि धीरो निण्या चिकेत’ (७-५६-४) इति द्वितीय-खण्डे प्रागुदाहृतेन मन्त्रेणाऽपि सूक्ष्म-दशिनो धीरस्य ऋषेरेव मरुतां रहस्यानि विदितानि भवन्तीति सिद्धम् ।।

अथ सोमः । अयं च लता-विशेषः बाह्यो भाव इत्यसंशयम्। अत्रापि याज्ञिक: सङ्केत-रूप एवायं अन्तरर्थ-गम्यस्य चिदानन्द-क्षरणस्वभावस्य देवस्येति क्वचिद्विशदं भवति मन्त्रेषु। बाह्य-पक्षे तु बहुत्र मन्त्रा असंगतार्था एव भवन्ति । आयुर्वेदे कल्पौषधित्वेन ख्यातः सोमः। सोमपान-मदोन्मत्ताः कवयो यथेच्छं सोम-वैभवं गायन्तीति निरंकुशं कल्पयन्ति नव्याः कल्पना-चतुरा :। सोमस्य चतुर्विंशति-भेदा: कथिताः सुश्रुत-संहितायां चिकित्सा-स्थाने (अ. २६)। तत्र न क्वापि तस्य मद-प्रभावो वर्णितः। विचित्रमिदं यदृषयः पानमद-लिप्सया बहुशतसंख्याकै-मन्त्रैः सोमं तुष्टुवुरिति, वस्तुतस्तु लतायाः केवलसङ्केत-रूपतामात्रम् । अन्तरर्थेनैव सर्वत्र सोम-मन्त्राणां सामञ्जस्यं लक्ष्यते--’विश्वा धामानि विश्वचक्ष ऋभ्वसः प्रभोस्ते सतः परि यन्ति केतवः। व्यानशिः पवसे सोमधर्मभिः पतिविश्वस्य भुवनस्य राजसि’ (६-८६-५) । कथमयं मन्त्रो सोमलता-परत्वेन व्याख्यातुं शक्यः ? स्वयं विचार्यतां मतिमद्भिः, अयमस्यार्थ:--विश्वचक्षः सर्वार्थ-दर्शिन् ! सोम, प्रभोः परिवृढस्य सतः ते तव ऋभ्वसः महान्तो द्रष्टारः केतवः प्रज्ञापकाः रश्मयः विश्वा सर्वाणि धामानि तेजः-स्थानानि देव-शरीराणि परियन्ति परितो गच्छन्ति प्रकाशयन्तीत्यर्थः। हे सोम, व्यानशिः व्यापनशीलस्त्वं धर्मभिर्धारकैः रसपदवाच्य-आनन्दनिष्यन्दैः पवसे क्षरसि। विश्वस्य भुवनस्य पतिः स्वामी त्वं राजसि ईश्वरो भवसि इत्ययमर्थः सायण-भाष्यानुसारेणैव प्राप्तो भवति । एतावतोक्तेनापि यदि सोमविषये सन्देहो न व्यपेतो भवेत्, अन्यो मन्त्रः संशय-च्छेदको दशम-मण्डलस्थो जागर्ति- सोमं मन्यते पपिवान् यत् सम्पिषन्त्योषधिम् । सोमं यं ब्रह्माणो विदुः न तस्याश्नाति कश्चन ।।’ (१०-८५-३)। अस्मिन् मन्त्रे वस्तुतः सोम-स्वरूपस्य निर्णयः कृतः। सामान्यतः सर्वोऽपि सोमलता-पेषणेन रसमादाय पानं कुरुते, यं वस्तु-तत्त्वज्ञाः तात्त्विकं सोमं विदुः तस्य भोक्ता दुर्लभ इति ह्यस्य ऋचोऽभिप्रायः ।।

अथोषसमधिकृत्य। उषः प्रभात-कालो बाह्य-पक्षे साध्वेव कथ्यते। किं तु तस्याः तत्त्वं अन्तरर्थ-गम्यं, नात्र सन्देहः। उत्तमं ज्योतिरिति वेद-प्रतिपादितस्य सत्यस्य सूर्यस्य साक्षात्कारात्मकाद् उदयात् प्राक् तस्य पुरस्सरा देवी सौरी प्रभा आविर्भवति। अत एव तां ’ऋतावरी’ ’सूनृता’ इति वर्णयन्ति मन्त्राः ऋतस्य रश्मि अनुयच्छमाना भद्रं भद्रं ऋतुमस्मांसु धेहि’ (१-१२३-१३) इत्यत्र सत्यस्याध्वानमनुगच्छन्ती उषसं ऋषि: कल्याणतमं दृढप्रज्ञा-बलं याचते। कथं प्रभात-कालस्येदृशं सामर्थ्य सम्भवति ? एवं अन्येऽपि देवाः मित्रो वरुणोऽश्वि-नावित्यादयः स्थूल-पक्षानुसारेण अनिर्णीत-बाह्यभावा अपि अन्तरर्थानुसारेण विस्पष्टदेवभावा इति तत्तन्मन्त्र-तात्पर्यावगाहने सुगमं भवति ।।

अथेदं निरीक्षणीयम् । एकस्यैव परस्य देवस्य सर्वे देवा बहूनि नामानि अङ्गानि व्यक्तयश्चेति प्रागुक्तम् । किमयमाशयः मन्त्र-वर्णेभ्य एव सिध्यति, उत, औपनिषद-तत्त्वविदां अक्किालिकानां व्याख्यान-बलादिति संशयः। अत्र नव्या ऋग्वेदे प्रायशो नानांदेवतावाद एव सर्वत्र, उपनिषत्स्वेव सत्यं एकमेवाद्वितीयं ब्रह्म प्रतिपादितम् । यद्यपि क्वचित् एकदेवस्वरूपज्ञानं ऋषीणां लक्ष्यते, तथाऽपि तदर्वाचीन-मन्त्रेषु विशेषतः दशमे मण्डले’ इत्याहुः । अत्र ब्रूमः। नेदं तथ्यम् । बहुभ्यो मण्डलेभ्यो मन्त्रान् उदाहरामः यत्र अग्निरिन्द्रोऽन्यो वा देवः साक्षात्तदेक-स्वरूपभावेन स्तूयते ऋग्वेदे। तदेकं, एकं सत्, उत्तमं ज्योतिरिति च सूर्य-पदवाच्यं परमं सत्यं श्रूयते, यस्यैव व्यापार-भेदात् व्यक्ति-नामभिभिन्ना देवा इति च ज्ञायते। अत्र प्रथमं तावद् बहुधोदाहृतः प्रसिद्धो दैर्घतमसो मन्त्रवर्णो भवति । ’इन्द्रं मित्रं’ इत्यारभ्य ‘एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति’ (१-१६४-४६) इति तृतीये पादे सारं प्रदर्शयति मन्त्रदृष्टिः ।।

वैश्वामित्र मण्डले द्वाविंशत्यूच एकस्मिन् सूक्ते--’ महद् देवानां असुरत्वं एकम्’ (३-५५) इति सर्वास्वापि ऋक्षु आवृत्त्या पठितम् । असुरत्वं प्रबलं महदैश्वर्यं एक इत्युक्तम्। अन्यत्र (३-५४-८) ’विश्वेदेते’ इति मन्त्रे ‘विश्वं एक चरन् पतत्रि विषुणं वि जातम्’ इति तुरीयः पादः । अस्या ऋचोऽयमर्थ:--द्यावापृथिव्यौ सर्वाणि जातानि विविक्तानि कृत्वा धारयते, सर्वान् देवान् बिभ्राणे अपि भार-श्रमाद्वयथां न प्राप्नुतः। यत् चराचरात्मकं विश्वमीष्ट तदेव चरं भवति पतत्रि भवति नाना-रूपतया जातं च भवति इति । अथः वामदेव्य मण्डले ’वपुषामिदेकम्’ (४-७-६) इति प्रयुक्तम् । पुनश्च ‘वपुषामपश्यम्’ इति पञ्चमे मण्डलेऽपि मन्त्रो दृश्यते (५-६२-१) । स च प्रागुदाहृतो व्याख्यातश्च तृतीय-खण्डे । ’ध्रुवं ज्योतिर्निहितं दृशये कं मनो जविष्ठं पतयत्स्वन्तः। विश्वे देवाः समनसः सकेताः एकं क्रतुं अभिवियन्ति साधु’ (६-६-५)। अयं आग्नेयो मंत्रः, अत्रापि ध्रुवं अमृतं ज्योतिः अन्तनिहितं दर्शनाय, तमेकं क्रतुं प्रति सर्वे देवाः स्वैः पथिभिः साधु यान्तीति कथितम्। वासिष्ठे मण्डले (७-३३-१०) ’विद्युतो ज्योतिः’ इति मन्त्रे ’तत्ते जन्मोतैकं अगस्त्यो यत्त्वा आजभार’ इति गीतम् । दशमे मण्डले (१०-८२-२) ’यत्र सप्त ऋषीन् पर एकमाहुः’ इति स्पष्ट-मुक्तम् । तत्रैव सूक्ते (ऋक् ६) ’अजस्य नाभावध्येकमर्पितं यस्मिन् विश्वानि भुवनानि तस्थुः’ इति मंत्र-वर्णः। जन्मरहितस्य तस्यैकस्य नाभौ सर्वे लोकाः प्रतिष्ठिता इत्युक्तं, ‘सुपर्णं विप्राः कवयो वचोभिः एकं सन्तं बहुधा कल्पयन्ति (१०-११४-५) एवं तदेकं परं सत्यमेव देवो देवानां ऋक्संहितायां गूढमगूढं वा स्तूयत इति प्रदर्शयितुं बहुभ्यो मण्डलेभ्यः मन्त्रा उदाहृताः, न केवलं दशम-मण्डलात्। इदं च तत्त्वं मनसि निधाय यदि न केवलं आग्नेयसूक्तानि इन्द्र-सोमादि-सूक्तानि च पश्यमार्थ-विचांराय, तदा असन्दिग्धं भवेदिदं यत्तदेकं सदेव सर्वेऽपि देवाः येषामेकैकोऽपि स्वसदृशं साहाय्यं विनियुज्य यजमानं नरं तदेकं परं ज्योतिरमृतं सत्यं प्रापयतीति ।।

अत्र काश्चन ऋच उदाहरिष्यामः, याभिस्तदेकमेव परं ज्योति: बहु-देवताकारभृद् वर्ण्यते---’येषामों न सप्रथो नाम त्वेषां शश्वतामेकमिद्भुजे । वयो न पित्र्यं सहः ।।’(८-२०-१३)। ऋषिः सोभरिः काण्वः मरुतो देवान् अधिकृत्याह। अयं भावः। तेषां मरुतां एक नाम भ्राजमानं समुद्रवत् पृथुलं बहूनां भोगाय पित्यं बलमिव भवतीति। अनेन मरुतामेकाधारत्वं बहूनां देवानां यजमानानां वस्तु-जातस्य वा उपकारकत्वं च द्योतिते। वालखिल्यसूक्ते (८-५८-२) ’एक वा इदं वि बभूव सर्वम् ।। इति स्पष्टम् । ‘अयमस्मि जरितः पश्य ऋतस्य एकमासीनं हर्यतस्य पृष्ठे’ (८-१००-३,४,५) । ऋषि नेम इन्द्रास्तित्वे जातशङ्ख इन्द्र आह--’ अहमस्मि स्तोतः, पश्य मम महिम्ना विश्वानि जातानि अतिक्रम्य स्थितोऽस्मि, ऋतस्योपगन्तारो मां वर्धयन्ति, ऋतं कामयमानाः समारुह्य मामुपयन्ति, अहं तु एक आसीनोऽस्मि नाकपृष्ठे’ इति। ‘ते हिन्विरे अरुणं जेन्यं वस्वेकं पुत्रं तिसृणाम् । ते धामान्यमृता मानां अदब्धा अभिचक्षते ॥’ (८-१०१-६)। अत्र देवानां व्यापार-महिम्ना यजमाने जातं महद्धनं एकमेव ज्योतिः तिसृणां मातृणां पुत्रत्वेन कीर्तितम् । ‘स सप्तधीति-भिहितः नद्यो अजिन्वदद्रुहः। या एकमक्षि वावृधुः ।।’ (६-६-४)। भूरादि-सप्तलोकधाम-गताभिः धी-शक्तिभिर्धारितः स ( सोमः) तेजोवाहिनीरप्रीणयत् । ताश्च नद्यः ‘एक अक्षि’ विश्वकचक्षुःशब्द-वाच्यं सर्वार्थ-दर्शि ज्योतिः अवर्धयन् इति भावः । ‘महन्महत्या असुरत्वमेकम्’ (१०-५५-४) इदं च ‘महद्देवानां असुरत्वमेकम्’ इति प्रागुदाहृत-वाक्यप्रायम् ।।

एवं देवानां एक-मूलत्वं एकात्मत्वं एक-लक्ष्यत्वं च मन्त्रवर्णै रेव ग्राह्याणि भवन्ति। तेषां पृथक्त्वं तु नामतो व्यापारतो व्यक्तितश्चेत्यवधेयम् । अत एव तेषां लिङ्गानि मन्त्रेभ्य एवावगम्य पूर्वैरुक्तानि ॥ आयुध-वाहन-वर्णादयोऽपि लक्षयन्ति देवता-विशेषान् । ’बभ्रुरेक’ इति प्रागाथमण्डलीय-सूक्तात् (८-२६) तत्त्वमिदमवगम्यते। वाहनान्यधिकृत्य निरुक्त-निघण्टौ (१-१५) ’हरी इन्द्रस्य इत्यारभ्य ’नियुतो वायोः’ इत्यन्तं पठ्यते एवमपि देवता-लिङ्गानि मन्त्र-वर्णेष्वेव लक्ष्यन्ते ।।

अथेदं वक्तव्यम् । यद्यपि सर्वेषां देवानां कर्माणि ऊर्ध्व-मूलानि परस्मा-द्धाम्नः प्रारभन्त इत्यसंशयं, तथाऽपि तेषां प्राधान्यं साक्षात्साहाय्यं आरा-दुपकारकत्वं वा यजमानस्य अध्वरपद-वाच्येन अन्तर्यागमार्गेण दिवमारोहतः यात्रा-दशायत्तमिति वक्तव्यम् । विश्वमेव ह्यन्तर्बहिर्वा देवतानां अधिकार-क्षेत्रम् । तस्मात्तासां कर्तव्यानि ऊर्ध्व-मूलाद् आपृथिव्याः प्रवृत्तानि प्रसरन्ति, तत्र तत्र सोपानपद-विशेषेषु यावदपेक्षं विभिद्यन्ते। यद्यपि एककस्मिन् धामनि मध्यमार्ग तदधिष्ठानदेवतायाः प्राधान्य नाधिकारः, तथाऽपि सा एकमेव मुखं परमस्य देव-देवस्य। अन्याश्च देवतास्तस्याः पश्चात् परस्ताद्वा व्यापृतास्तत्साहाय्येऽवतिष्ठन्ते। इदमेव तत्त्वमाधारो भवति मन्त्र-दृशामृषीणां देवतास्तवेषु, यत्र बह्वीषु देवतासु स्तूयमानास्वपि एककामपि सर्व-देवतात्मभावेन प्रकरण-बलात् पृथक्त्वेन च उपतिष्ठते स्तोता यजमानः। ऋषेमन्त्र-द्रष्टुरिमे देवाः सत्याः, न तु काल्पनिका इति किमु वक्तव्यम् ?

अथेदमवधातव्यम्। अन्तर्यजने चलति, यजमानस्य तत्तत्पदमधिष्ठातु-रग्न्यादेर्देवस्य च सम्बन्धोऽभिनिष्पद्यते। स च पिता-पुत्रसखित्वादिरूपो बहुविधो लक्ष्यते वेदे। अन्यच्च इदं चित्रं, यद् यो देवः पालक: पिता पूज्यो भवति, स एव यजमाने जायमानः पुत्रो भवतीति। अत एव सर्वेऽपि देवाः ब्रह्माण्डेऽधि-काराय प्राप्तप्रथमजन्मानः यजमाने द्वितीयं जन्म लभन्ते। तस्माद् द्विजन्मानो देवा इति संगच्छते। कथं कुतो वा यजमाने देवानां द्वितीयं जन्म? उच्यते। दिवः परस्तात् परस्माद् धाम्नः प्रस्थितस्य विश्वस्य मूर्धा द्यौः शिखर-भूता भवति, तदारभ्य पृथिव्यां पादभूतायां विरमतीव विश्व-सृष्ठिः। एवं द्यावा-पृथिव्योरन्तराले पर्वतशिखर-पादयोरन्तर इव बहूनि पदानि गिरि-प्रस्थवदव-तिष्ठन्ते। तदधिष्ठान-देवैः परिपक्वे यजमाने स्वीय-वैभवाधानपूर्वकं तदुद्धाराय स्वीयं जन्म लभ्यते। एषां मुख्यः प्रथमजोऽग्निर्भवति । तस्मात्तस्यैव स्वरूपाधिकार-विचारः क्रियते। तथा कृते अन्येषां देवानां तत्त्वमपि सुगमं स्यात् । तत्र यथापूर्वं मन्त्र-वर्णाधारेणैव निर्वाहः भवति ।।

कोऽयमग्नि-देवः यः प्रबोध्य ऋषिभिरीड्यते? नायं नूनं भौतिको भवितुमर्हति, पञ्चसु भूतेषु तृतीयस्य तस्य जडत्वात्, तेजस्तत्त्वाभिमानित्वेऽपि बाह्य-सङ्केतमात्रत्वाच्च। नापि स बहिर्यज्ञकर्मणि अरणि-निर्मथितो वा भवितु-मर्हति, यं देवं विना अमृतानां देवानां सम्मदो न विद्यते। ’न ऋते त्वां अमृता मादयन्ते’ इति हि मन्त्र-दृष्टिः। देवोऽयमग्निः- कविक्रतुः’, क्रान्तदर्शिनः प्रज्ञा अस्येति बहुशो गीयते वेदेषु । अस्मिन् सर्वयज्ञ-रहस्यज्ञानं निहितं, अस्मिन् सर्वेऽपि रमन्ते अमर्त्यां इत्येवमर्थको मन्त्र-राशिर्जेजीयते दाशतय्यां संहितायाम् । स मुखं भवति देवानां, आस्यं च भवति। स हि सर्वं यजमानेनार्पितं हविः देवान् प्रापयति। स एव देवानामग्रे तिष्ठन् प्रभुखो यजमानमुपगच्छति हवि-रादानाय । हविरर्पणानि प्रणतीश्च स्वीकृत्य देवानास्वादयति, प्रीणयति । तस्मात्स दूतो देवानाम् । तद्द्वारेणैव मोऽमत्र्यैः सह व्यवहर्तुं प्रभवति। स नेता ’नर’ उच्यते। होता च यज्ञस्य ऋत्विक् । स निर्वहन् यज्ञ-विधिं देवानांह्वयति यज-मानकृत-द्रव्यत्यागपरिग्रहाय। स एव तस्मात्सर्वेषामाद्यो देवानां मत्यै जनितुम् । इदं च प्रागुक्तं द्वितीयं तस्य जन्म। स ’ऋतुः’ दैवी दृढप्रज्ञा-शक्तिः मानुषे ‘एवमेतत्, नान्यथा’ इति अध्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिर्भवति। तादृशः ‘क्रतुः’ यदा अरण्योर्निर्मथनांद्याज्ञिकाग्निरिव द्यावा-पृथिव्योविश्वस्य पित्रोरनुग्रह-योगात् मर्त्यस्य हृदय-वेद्यां प्रादुर्भूतो भवति, तदा सुप्तोत्थित इव यजमान-स्वात्मार्प-णान्यादाय पदे पदे दिवमारोहति। सोऽयमग्निः हृदयस्थ-दैवज्वालो भवति, यस्य स्वं वास-स्थानं बृहती द्यौः, यश्च मर्येष्वमो जायते। जातश्च स सप्तभिः स्वसृभिः पोषितो भवति। सप्तमातृ-स्तनन्धयं तं आपः सप्त-सिन्धवः समादृत्य पुष्णन्तीति वर्ण्यते। इदं च सप्तकं भूरादि-सत्यलोकान्ताः सप्तभूमिका-गताः सप्त-तत्त्वान्मिकाः शक्तय इति ग्राह्यम्। सप्ततत्त्वात्मक-सप्तभूमिका-ज्ञानशक्ति-वैभवानि अस्मिन्नग्नाववस्थितानीति बोध्यम् । अत एवानेन हविराद्यर्पणेषु उपात्तेषु सप्तापि धामानि तद्भाग-हराणि भवन्तीति द्योतयितुं सप्ताचिस्सप्त-जिह्वादिः अग्नि-पर्यायशब्दः प्रयुज्यते। तथा यजमान-दानेषु सप्तभूमिकाः प्रापितेषु, तत्र यजमानस्य धामानि सिद्धानि भवन्ति, तदीय-देवानाममानां जन्मापि मर्ये यजमाने सम्भवति।

बहुव्यपदेश-भागग्निर्वेदे गीतो गुहापद-वाच्ये रहसि हृदये निहितः किल । अग्निधर्म-बोधकानि कानिचिन्नामानि ख्यापयतो मन्त्र-वर्णान् साभिप्रायानुदाहृत्य कथं अग्निरेव स्कन्दः कुमार इति पुराणेषु प्रथितोऽभवदिति निरूपयिष्यामः । अनादेः कालादृषीणां अयं दृढः प्रत्ययः, यदग्निर्नाम सत्यो देवः, न काल्पनिकः नापि केवलं भौतिको याज्ञिको वा, किं तु देवोऽयममयों मत्र्येष्विति। भृगृपद-वाच्याः सत्य-सौर-प्रभाशक्तय ऋषित्वं प्राप्ताः दिबोऽग्निमाहृत्य मानुषे निधि-भूतं मित्रमिव न्यधुरित्याहुः। किमर्थम् ? मानुषस्य दिव्यजन्म-लाभायति गायन्ति । तथा च राहूगणः ‘दधुष्ट्वा भृगवो मानुषेषु. मित्रं न शेवं दिव्याय जन्मने’ (१-५८-४)। ईदृश्य ऋचो बह्वयो दृश्यन्ते, यासां तात्पर्यं न संगच्छेत यदि वयं ऋषीणां कमपि रहस्यं अन्तर्विश्वं विदितमिति नाभ्युपगच्छेम। ‘इम नो यज्ञममृतेषु धेहि इमा हव्या जातवेदो जुषस्व’ (३-२१-१) । ’भोः अग्ने सर्वेषां जातानां वेदितः! त्वमिमं अस्मदीयं यज्ञं अमृतेषु देवेषु धेहि, इमानि हव्यानि तत्रार्पयितुमर्हसि’, इति प्रार्थयते यजमान ऋषिः। ’अयं कविरकविषु प्रचेता मर्येष्वग्निरमृतो निधायि’ (७-४-४) । अयमग्निः क्रान्त-दर्शी ‘अकविषु अतथा-भूतेषु दृष्टिहीनेषु मर्येषु अयममृतो न्यधायि इति स्फुटार्थो वसिष्ठस्य मन्त्रः। ’महानसि अध्वरस्य प्रकेतः, .न ऋते त्वदमृता मादयन्ते’ (७-११-१)। स्वर्गाध्व-प्रयाणात्मकं यज्ञं अधिकृत्य प्रकृष्ट-ज्ञानोपेतः अग्निः । तस्मादृते देवानां सम्मदो न विद्यत इति वसिष्ठः पुनरत्र ब्रूते। ‘अग्नि सूनुं सहसो जातवेदसं. .द्विता योऽभूदमृतो मर्येषु ’(८-७१-११)। स्वयं दिव्योऽपि अत्र मर्येषु अमर्त्य इति द्विधा-भूत इत्युक्तम् । अपश्यमस्य महतो महित्वं अमर्त्यस्य मासु विक्षु’ (१०-७६-१)। अग्नेः अमर्त्यस्य महतो महिमानं मर्येषु अहमद्राक्षमिति सौचीकस्य मन्त्र-दृटेस्तात्पर्यम्। अत्रिमण्डले स्पष्टार्थ एष मन्त्रो भवति–’अग्निर्देवेषु राजति अग्निर्मर्तेष्वाविशन् । अग्नि! हव्यवाहनः अग्नि धीभिः सपर्यत ॥’ (५-२५-४) इति । तत्रैव मण्डले (सू. ११ ऋ. २) ’यज्ञस्य केतुं’ इति मन्त्रे, यज्ञविषयक-प्रज्ञाविशेषः अग्निः, होता इन्द्रेणान्यैश्च देवैः सह एक रथं अध्यासीनो बहिरेतीति कथितम् । ’यो मर्येष्वमृत ऋतावा’ (१-७७-१) इति राहूगणस्य, ‘विश्वायुर्यो अमृतो मर्येषु’ (६-४-२) स मर्येष्वमृत प्रचेताः’ (६-५-५) ’उप वो गीभिरमृतं विवासत’ (६-१५-६) इति भारद्वाजस्य च मन्त्र-वर्णाः मत्र्येष्वमृतमग्निमुद्घोषयन्ति ।।

एवममोऽग्निरस्ति चेदस्मासु, स वर्तेतैव कुत्राप्यस्मासु गूढे स्थाने। तच्च हृत्पदवाच्यं रहस्यमन्तरमाहुर्मन्त्र-द्रष्टारः। तदेव गुहा-पदेन व्यवह्रियते। अग्नेरावासः सा गुहा बहुषु मन्त्रेष्वाम्नायते। तदत्र पराशर-विश्वामित्र-वामदेवानां सूक्तेभ्यः सङक्षेपतो मन्त्रभागान् उल्लिखामः –

पश्वा न तायुं गुहा चतन्तं नमो युजानं नमो वहन्तम्’ (१-६५-१) हस्ते दधानो नृम्णा विश्वान्यमे देवान् धाद् गुहा निषीदन् । विदन्तीमत्र नरो धियं धा हृदा यत्तष्टान् मन्त्रानशंसन्’ (१-६७-२), ’विश्वायुरग्ने गुहा गुहं गाः’ (१-६७-३), ‘य ई चिकेत गुहा भवन्तम्’ (१-६७-४), चित्रं सन्तं गुहा हितम्’ (४-७-६), ’गुहा चरन्तं सखिभिः शिवेभिः’ (३-१-६), एव-मादयो मन्त्र-वर्णा अग्नेर्गुहावासं रहस्यं अन्तर्निहितं हृदयमुदीरयन्ति ।।

अथ सप्त-तत्त्वात्मकं विश्वं अस्मिन्नमर्येऽग्नौ निहितं इति सर्वथा सप्तक-सम्बन्धित्वेन अयं वर्ण्यते। सत्वं बलं ज्योतिः आनन्द इति सर्वाणि सप्तधा भवन्तीति गीयते, अत एवाग्नेः सप्तक-सम्बन्धित्वं बहुधोक्तम्---‘आ यस्मिन् सप्तरश्मयस्तता यज्ञस्य नेतरि’ (२-५-२), ’दमे दमे सप्त रत्ना दधानोऽग्निर्होता निषसाद यजीयान्’ (५-१-५) ’इदं मे अग्ने कियते पावकामिनते गुरुं भारं न मन्म। वृहद् दधाथ धृषता गम्भीरं या पृष्ठं प्रयसा सप्तधातु ॥’ (४-५-६) । सप्तभूमिका-भारं दुर्भरं वोढुं न शक्तोस्मि, अतः पावक, भोः। इमं च चिन्ता-भारं मह्यं मा दाः इति सारांशः । सप्त स्वसृररुषोर्वावशानो विद्वान् मध्व उज्जभारा दृशे कम्।’ (१०-५-५) इति त्रितः। अन्यत्र--सप्त धामानि परियन्नमर्त्य’ इति (१०-१२२-३)। ‘सप्त ऋषयः प्रतिहिताः शरीरे’ इति शुक्ल-यजुर्वेदीयं मन्त्रं यास्केनोदाहृतं च स्मारयामः। तस्मात् सप्त गिरयः सप्त सिन्धवः, सप्त ऋषयः, सप्त स्वसारः, सप्त धामानि इति सर्वत्र सप्तकं श्रूयते । इदं च प्रागुक्त-प्रकारेण सप्त-तत्त्वान्मिकां विश्व-सत्तामधिकृत्य तद्गत-ज्ञानशक्ति-तेजोविशेषयुक्तं भूमिका-परम्पराणां तदाधिकारिक-देवतानां वा वा यथा-सम्भवं द्योतकमिति बोध्यम् ॥

अथ अग्निस्वरूप-विचारे मुख्य-प्रसक्त्या अपां स्वरूपं विचारयितव्यम् । का इमा आपः सिन्धवो वा, याः सप्त-विधा उद्घोष्यन्ते वेद-मन्त्रेषु? ता ऋतस्य धाराः परस्याश्चित: प्रवाहाः, परचित्तेजोवाहिन्यः । इमाश्च तदावरकस्य वृत्रासुरस्य वज्रण हत्या देवराजेन इन्द्रेण विसृज्य निर्मुच्यन्त इति बाह्याः । पार्थिव-चैतन्ये ऋतधारा-प्रवेशं यः प्रतिरुणद्धि तस्यासुरस्य बाह्यः सङ्केतो वृत्रशब्दवाच्यो मेघ इत्यवधेयम्। वसिष्ठ-वामदेव-सूक्तेभ्यः तत्रापि विशेषतः ’समुद्रज्येष्ठाः’ (७-४६) ’समुद्रादूर्म (४-५८) इत्याभ्यां स्फुटमिदमवगम्यते, यदखण्डसत्य-स्वरूपस्य रूपकं बिम्बमेव समुद्रः, आप एव ऋचतिद्धाराः, सिन्धवः सप्त-विश्वभूमिका-सप्तकगत-सर्जनधारणतेजोवाहिन्यः शक्तयश्चेति । इदं च सङ्केत रहस्यं वैश्वामित्रस्य आद्यस्य आग्नेय-सूक्तस्य तात्पर्य-विचारादसन्दिग्धमवधार्यते तदत्र समासतः प्रधान-विषयान् आवेदयामः ।।

अग्निमदर्शन्नप्सु देवाः। तस्मिन् सप्त बलिष्ठाः (यह्वीः) पुष्टि प्राप्ताः । स च मोदवान् अभवत् । जन्मना श्वेतः संवर्धनेन रक्तः (अरुषः) अरुणो वा। ताः अश्वाः तं नव-प्रसूतं शिशुं अभिजग्मुः (अभ्यारु:)। ज्योतिर्वसानः अप्सु परितो वसन् अन्यूनानि विपुलानि वैभवानि स स्वयं अकल्पयत् .. यौवना देव्यस्तमेकं गर्भं दधिरे। ताश्च सप्तवाण्यः। प्रकाशमानधी-सारमूले मधुनः प्रवाहेषु विश्व-रूपेषु तस्य वपुर्विततमभवत् । अत्र धान्यो नद्यः (धेनवः) स्वयं पोषिका अवर्तन्त । साधोस्तस्य देवस्य द्वे च मातरौ विशाले भूत्वा सुसङ्गते संवृत्त। जन्मना स पितुः सत्त्वसमृद्धिं अवेदीत्। स स्वीया धारा व्यसृजत्, स्वीया विपुलाः सरितश्च। स्वयमेक: बह्वीनां वर्धमानानां मातृणां स्तनन्धयो भूत्वा समवर्धत। ऋते बृहति अवियोज्याभिः स्वसृभिः (जामिभिः) तस्मै परिकल्पितं वासं स स्वीचकार । अपारे स्वीये रहसि स्थाने वसन्तं तं अमृतं दुदुहुस्ताः । अयं वैश्वामित्र-सूक्तैकदेशस्य सारांशः ।।

अथ मन्त्रस्थ-पदानि तत्र तत्रोपयुज्य सङ्केतार्थ-विवरणं करिष्यामः । इमाश्च सप्त (नद्यः) आपः सत्या दिव्याश्च भवन्ति। उच्चैर्धाम्नस्ता अग्निमानेषु-रत्र प्रतिष्ठापयितुम् । स चाग्निदिव्यं रहस्यं वस्तु, पृथिव्यां ओषधीषु निहितः, अरणि-भूतयोः द्यावा-पृथिव्योः घर्षणादाविर्भावयितव्यः। अतो द्यावा-पृथिव्योः शिशुरुच्यते, शुद्धसत्त्व-मनःप्रधाना धु-स्थाना चिदेव द्यौरुच्यते। पार्थिव-मनः प्रज्ञाप्रधाना जागरित-स्थाना चित् तु पृथिवीति सङ्केतिता। उभयोापार-बलात् प्रयासतो मर्त्यः तद्रहस्यं बस्तु अग्न्याख्यं निष्पादयेत् । दिव्यास्वप्सु तु स सुदर्शः, बलेन ज्ञानेन भोगेन च युक्तः सुगमः सुखेन जातो भवति । शुभ्रः क्रियया वर्धमानोऽरुणो जायते। जातमात्राय तस्मै देवाः प्रादुस्तेजो बल वपुश्च। सप्त महत्यो (धेनाः) नद्यस्तं वर्धयन्ति। धेनुशब्द-वाच्याः सिन्धवोऽत्र अश्वा इति अभिवणिताः । अत्रेदं कारणं भवति । धेनु-पर्यायो गौः ज्ञानात्मिकायाः शक्तेः सङ्केतो वेदे। अश्वस्तु क्रियात्मिकायाः शक्तेः। अश्वोऽत्र प्राणगता कार्यकारक-शक्तिः। अग्नेराधाने जनने च अप्स्वरूपा धेनवः प्राणात्मकतां भजन्ते। स च प्राणः प्राणिति, करोति, कामयते, भुनक्ति च। अग्निरेव प्रथमं पार्थिवो धर्मात्मको भूत्वा, ततः परं प्राणो भवति, अन्ते च स्वर्योऽग्निश्च । एवं सप्तविधा आप ऊर्ध्वमेत्य शुद्धसत्व-मनःप्रधाना (यह्वीः) दिव्या भवन्ति । उत्तम प्रज्ञानं सत्यमेव तासां उद्भव-स्थानम् । तस्मादेव ता: प्रवहन्ति। सप्त वाचस्तु (सप्त वाणीः) सर्वेश्वरस्य देवस्य विसृष्टि-रूपा आविष्कार-शक्तय इति ग्राह्यम् । सर्वेषां वस्तूनां पिता प्रभुः पुमान्, स तेषां रहस्योद्भव-धामनि गूढः स्थितः । तच्च उत्तमं चित्पदम् । अग्निः सखिभिर्देवैः सप्तभिरद्भिश्च सह तत्पद-मारोहति। स चाग्नेः स्वर्गारोहः अस्मासु मर्येषु यजमानेषु पृथिवीशब्द-लक्षितां जागरित-स्थानां प्रज्ञां अजहदेव निर्वय॑ते। अग्निस्तेन स्वर्गारोहेण सर्व-वस्तूनां पितुः समृद्धस्य मधुनो मूलमधिगम्य तानि मधून्यावर्जयन् वर्षत्यस्मत्प्राणेषु। स स्वयं गर्भं दधानः पुत्रो जायते। अत एव स नित्यः कुमारः, शुक्र ज्योतिः, शुभ्रः पुमान्, एक आत्मा वैश्वानरात्मना मानवे मयेऽमर्त्यः सिद्धो भवति। कवि-क्रतुः, दिव्यः शिशुः, (देव-कुमारः) तस्येह जन्म तस्य पोषः, अद्भिः संवर्धनं, नद्य एव आपः, धेनवः ता एव पुनरश्वाः इत्यादयः सङ्केत-रहस्यार्थान् अन्तरेण तात्पर्य-सङ्गत्या नोपपत्ति क्षमन्ते। यदि सङ्केत-गोप्यमन्तरा कमप्यर्थमेषां निर्णतुं प्रयतेमहि, असम्भावित-कल्पनैव सिध्येत्, न चेदुन्मत्त-प्रलापित्वं मन्त्रद्रष्टृष्वारो-पितवन्तः स्याम। ईदृशाः सङ्केताः स्वयमेव विवृत-गूढार्थाः स्पष्टं लक्ष्यन्तेऽन्यत्रापि सूक्तेषु । ‘समुद्रार्मि’ रित्यारभ्य ‘तमश्याम मधुमन्तं तमूर्मिम्’ इत्यन्तं वामदेव-सूक्तं प्रस्फुटं वेद-रहस्यं लक्षयतीति क: सन्देहः ? अथ च ’घृतस्य नाम गुह्यं यदस्ति’, ’जिह्वा देवानां अमृतस्य नाभिः’, ’एतां अर्षन्ति हृद्यात् समुद्रात्, घृतस्य धारा. . . . . . सरितो न धेना अन्तर्हृदा मनसा पूयमानाः’, ’अग्नि योषाः कल्याण्यः स्मयमानासो अग्निम्’, ’धामन् ते विश्वं भुवनमधिश्रितम्’, अन्तःसमुद्रे हृद्यन्तरायुषि इत्यादि वाक्यवाक्यैकदेशेभ्यः इदं स्फुटमवगम्यते, यद् घृतं मधु धेनुः आपः योषाः हृत् अन्तः समुद्रः-इत्यादयः शब्दाः स्वीयान् महतो रहस्यार्थान् स्वयमेव विवृण्वत इति। ईदृशानां साङ्केतिकानां रूपाणां कानिचित्पुराणेषु स्पष्टमवशिष्टानि लक्ष्यन्ते । क्षीरसागरवासी अनन्त-शयनो विष्णुरित्युक्ते, नायमनन्तः नायमनन्तः कोऽपि प्राकृतः सर्पः, न वा क्षीरं च मधुरं पार्थिवं गव्यं, नापि समुद्रो दुग्ध-वारां राशिः। सर्व-व्यापी विष्णुः परिच्छेदशून्ये अनन्ते सद्भावे आनन्दमये नित्य वस्तुनि अवतिष्ठत इति सङ्केतार्थः। ननु पुराणानां कर्तारः पुरोहिता जड-बुद्धयः सूर्यचन्द्रोपराग-तत्त्वस्यापि अनभिज्ञाः कथं गहनानि तत्त्वानि जानीयुः ? साधारणपार्थिव-सर्प-क्षीरसागरानेव ते ब्रुवते, वयमेव सङ्केतार्थं कल्पयाम इति चेत्, नाऽवश्यकी कल्पनाऽस्माभिः कार्या । त एव लाक्षणिकैः शब्दैः सङ्केत-कल्पनां मुद्रयित्वा गहनानि तत्त्वानि सार्वलौकिक-दर्शनाय ख्यापयामासुः। ते च शब्दाः, व्यापको ’विष्णुः’ शेष-सर्पः ’अनन्तः आनन्दमयं मधुरं क्षीरं’ नित्याखण्द-सत्स्वरूपः ‘समुद्रः’ इति बोध्याः ।।

अथ यो वेदेऽग्निः कुमारः कीर्त्यते, स पुराणेषु अग्निजः स्कन्द इति कथ्यते। पुराणेषु कुमारकथा-प्रस्तावे ये विषयाः स्मर्यन्ते, ते सङ्केतभाषावेषान्तरै-दे श्रूयन्ते। यद्यपि कथा-विस्तरेषु तत्र तत्र पुराणानि विप्रतिपद्यन्ते, तथाऽपि सर्वाणि पुराणानि कुमार-तत्त्वमधिकृत्य प्राधान्येन एककण्ठानि भवन्ति। महा-भारतावलोकने निस्संशयं इदं भवति, यद्वन-पर्वणि आङगिरसोपाख्याने स्कन्दोत्पत्ति-विवरणे लक्ष्यमाणा विषया वेदेभ्य एवोद्धृत्य प्रोक्ता इति। भाषा-भेदेऽपि क्वचिद्वैदिकान् शब्दान् प्रायशो वेदप्रतिपादितानेवार्थानाविष्करोति महाभारत-संहिता। परस्मात्स्व-धाम्नः पितुरागतः पुत्रोऽग्निः कुमारो वर्ण्यते वेदे, महा-देवात्स्कन्नं तेजः स्कन्दः सुब्रह्मण्यः कुमारो भारते पुराणे च। ओषधीषु जातो वेदे, शरवणे पुराणे, अप्सु संवधितो वेदे, गङ्गायां पुराणे । धेनुभिः संवर्धनं वेदे, कृत्तिकाभिः क्षीरदानं पुराणे। आपो गावोऽश्वा वा मातरः स्वसारो वा सप्त वेदे, पुराण तु षडेव मातरः एकां परमपद-भूमिकां मातरं वर्जयित्वा ।।

अथ च महाभारते इन्द्रो मानस-शैले तिष्ठन्नग्नरागमनं प्रतिपालयति स्मेति पठ्यते। ‘स शैलं मानसं गत्वा ध्यायन्नर्थमिमं भृशम् (वनपर्व अ. २२२), धेनवो नद्यो मातरः अग्नेर्धात्य इति च पठ्यते--"एता नद्यस्तु धिष्ण्यानां मातरो याः प्रकीर्तिताः" (अ. २२१ श्लो.-२६)। एवं स्कन्दोत्पत्ति-कथायां विचार्यमाणायां वैदिकी सङ्केत-भाषा पुराणकथाया मूलं भवतीत्यसंशयम् । स्कन्द एवाग्निरिति संशय-च्छेदकं वाक्यं वेदाधारकं ब्रूते महाभारत-संहिता। अद्भुत-नामकोऽग्निर्यो वेदे वर्णितः स एव स्कन्द इति स्पष्टमाह-’अद्भुतस्य तु माहात्म्यं यथा वेदेषु कीर्तितम्’ इति (वनपर्व-२२१-३०)। तथा अग्नयो बहवः प्रोक्ता आङ्गिरसोपाख्याने। तत्र अद्भुतोऽग्निर्वेदे वर्णितः किल। यदि वेदे अग्निरद्भुतपदेन व्यवहृतो दृश्येत, तदा महाभारतकारो वेदसूक्तार्थ-ज्ञानबलात् पुराणप्रकारक-कथायां अद्भुताख्यस्याग्नेः स्कन्दस्य इतिवृत्तं निवेशितवानिति शक्यं वदितुम् । परं तु, यथा अग्निः पुरोहितो यज्ञस्य, होता, मुखं दूतो वा देवानां सेनानीः सप्तजिह्व इति कीर्त्यते, न तथा अद्भुत-पदं अग्निलिङ्गत्वेन प्रख्यातं भवति । तस्मादत्र विचारो भवति। ऋग्वेदे पञ्चविंशत्यधिकेषु स्थलषु अद्भुत-पदं प्रयुक्तं दृश्यते, अन्यत्र चतुर्षु समासान्तर्गतं भवति, यथा ‘अद्भुतैनसः’ इति । अत्र प्रथमं अद्भुतपदार्थ-निर्णयः कार्यः। अदभुतं लौकिकसंस्कृतभाषायामिव वेदेऽपि आश्चर्य-पर्यायो भवतीति निर्विवादम्। ’महत्’ इत्यर्थेऽपि बहुत्र प्रयुज्यते तथा सायणीया व्याख्या च भवति। विश्वातीतं परं सत्यं महत्पद-वाच्यं वेदे, ’महद्देवानामसुरत्वमेकम्’ इत्यादौ। तदेव ‘महत्’ ’अद्भुतं’ आश्चर्यं भवति । इदमेव प्रतिबिम्बितं आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति इत्युपनिषद्वाक्य । उपनिषत्सु ब्रह्म पदमपि बृहते(तोरर्थानुगमात् महत्पर्यायो भवति। ’महतो महीयान्’ इत्यौपनिषदः पुरुषश्च श्रूयते। परं ज्योतिः पितैव कुमारो जात इति वेदे, अद्भुत-संज्ञोऽग्नि-गीयते-’न भूतं अद्भुतं’ इति नैरुक्तं निरङकुशं निर्वचनं क्वचिदवलम्ब्य व्याचक्षाणोऽपि सायणः प्रायशः ‘आश्चर्यं’ ’महत्’ इत्येव व्याचष्टे । अत्र प्रथम समासान्तर्गतं अद्भुत-पदं विमृश्य, ततः परं तत्पदं अग्नि-परत्वेन प्रयुज्यमानं परीक्षिष्यामहे॥

’अद्भुतैनसः’ इति मरुतां विशेषणत्वेन सकृत्, आदित्यानां च सकृत्, एवं द्विः प्रयोगो दृश्यत ऋक्संहितायाम् । अद्भुतं न भूतं एनः पापं येषु ते मरुत इति सायणो मन्यते । नैतदृजु भवति । अद्भुतानि एनांसि येषु त इति उपपन्न-तरम् । कुतः ? मरुतश्चण्ड-कर्माणः प्रथिता वेदे। चण्ड-कर्माणः पापा इति लोके साधारणोऽभिप्रायः। मरुतां कर्माणि चण्डान्यपि न साधारणानि तस्मादद्भुतानी-त्याशयेन अद्भुत-पापा इत्युक्तम् । अस्मासु मानुषेष्विव तेषु पापं न विद्यत इति फलितोऽर्थः। अत्र अद्भुतं आश्चर्यमिति ग्रहणेन सायणीय-तात्पर्य सिध्यति, स्वच्छन्द-निर्वचनस्य अनपेक्षता भाव-पुष्टरक्षतिश्चेति अवधेयम् । प्रायः सर्वत्र अद्भुत इत्यग्नेर्व्यपदेश इति निरूपणाय सर्वाणि ऋग्वेदीय-प्रयोगस्थलानि परीक्षि-तव्यानि यत्र कुत्रापि अन्य-दैवत्ये सौम्य ऐन्द्रे वा मन्त्रे तत् पदं प्रयुक्तं दृश्यत, तत्रापि अग्निगुण-बोधकानि विशेषणानि प्रयुज्यन्ते । तच्च पुरस्तात् प्रदर्शयिष्यामः । केवलं आश्चर्यार्थ प्रयुक्तानि स्थलानि वर्जयित्वा देवतापरत्वेन निर्विष्टानि एव निरीक्षामहे ॥

’न नूनमस्ति नो श्वः कस्तद्वेद यदद्भुतम्’ (१-१७०-१) । अत्र परं वस्तु निर्दिष्टम्--’ स हि ऋतु: स मर्यः स साधुमित्रो न भूदद्भुतस्य रथी:’ (१-७७-३)। अत्र अद्भुतस्य महतो भूतस्य सारथिरग्निरित्युक्तम् । ‘सदसस्पति-मद्भुतं प्रियमिन्द्रस्य’ (१-१८-६) इन्द्रस्य प्रियः किल अग्निरद्भुतः ‘शुचिः पावको अद्भुतः मध्वा यज्ञं मिमिक्षति’ (१-१४२-३)। अग्निमद्भुतं गायति दीर्घतमाः। ’देवो देवानामसि मित्रो अद्भुतः’ (१-६४-१३) अत्राप्यग्निरद्भुतः । ’विशां राजानमद्भुतं अध्यक्षं धर्मणामिमम् । अग्निमीळे स उ श्रवत् (८-४३-२४)। अग्निरद्भुतः स्पष्टः । त्वं नो अग्ने अद्भुत ऋत्वा दक्षस्य मंहना’ (५-१०-२)। ’त्वं हि सत्यो अद्भुतो दाता वाजस्य गोमतः’ (५-२३-२) । अग्निरेवाद्भुतः सम्बोध्यते-’द्रुन्नः सर्पिरासुतिः प्रत्नो होता वरेण्यः। सहसस्पुत्रो अद्भुतः’ (२-७-६) अग्निरेवान देवता। व्यस्तभ्नाद्रोदसी मित्रो अद्भुतः (६-७-३) अग्निरेव निर्दिष्टः। ’स त्वं सुप्रीतो वीतहव्ये अद्भुत’ (६-१५-२) अनेरेव सम्बोधनम् । स्तोता यत्ते अनुव्रत उक्थानि ऋतुथा दधे। शुचिः पावक उच्यत सा अद्भुतः ॥’ (८-१३-१६) अय एन्द्रा मन्त्रः । अत्राप अग्नि-धर्मवत्त्वेन स्तुता देवता। शुचिः पावकः, अद्भुत इत्यग्नि-विशेषणानि प्रयुक्तानि भवन्ति। ’त्वं राजेव सुव्रतो गिरः सोमा विवेशिथ। पुनानो वह्ने अद्भुत ॥’ (६-२०-५) अत्र सोमो देवता, सम्बोधने ‘वढे’ ‘अद्भुत’ इति प्रयुक्तम् । शास इत्था महानसि अमित्रखादो अद्भुतः’ (१०-१५२-१) अत्र सकृदेव अग्निलिङगवर्ज इन्द्रः अद्भुत इति स्तुतः। ’यो अस्मै हव्यैर्घ तवद्भिरविधत् . उरुचक्रिरद्भुतः’ (२-२३-४) । ब्रह्मणस्परिरत्र देवः, सकृदेव अदृभुत-विशेषणमस्य लक्ष्यते। सकृत् मित्रावरुणौ अद्भुतौ (५-६६-४) इत्युक्तम् । सकृत् समासन्तर्गतं अद्भुतपदं मित्रावरुण-परं भवति-’अद्भुतक्रतू’ (५-७०-४) इति । तथा सकृत् अद्भुतक्रतुम्’ (८-२३-८) इति अग्नि-परम् । ‘अद्भुतैनसां’ (५-८७-७) इति मरुतां विशेषणं प्राग् विचारितं स्मार्यम् । ’अस्ति देवा. . . .आदित्या अद्भुतैनस ’ (८-६७-७) इति अन्यत्र भवति ।।

ऋग्वेदे अद्भुतपद-प्रयोगस्थलानि सर्वाणि परीक्षितानि। साधारण्येन केवलं आश्चर्यार्थे प्रयुक्तानि नेह दर्शितानि, प्रयोजनाभावात्। सर्वत्र अग्नेर्वैशिष्ट्यं अद्भुतपद-द्योतितं भवति। कदाचिदत्र दर्शितप्रकारेण अन्यदेवता-विशेषणत्वेन दृष्टमिति तथ्यम् । न तावता ह्रासापत्तिरद्भुतपद-विशेषितस्य अग्नेर्वैशिष्टयस्य। परस्य ज्योतिषः अग्नि-रूपेण अवस्थितस्यैव अद्भुत-शब्देन व्यवहारो वेद इति निरूपितम् । एकस्यैव परस्य देवस्य बहुदेवताकारत्वात् क्वचिदन्योऽपि देव इन्द्रः सोमो वा अद्भुतविशेषणेन प्रतिपद्यते। अग्निरेव सर्वा देवता इत्यपि गीयते। यथा वैश्वानरीय-सूक्तेषु क्वचित् सूर्य एव प्रतिपाद्यमानेऽपि वैश्वानर-पदं अग्निमेव लक्षयति, तथा अद्भुतपदं अन्यदेवता-विशेषणतया कदाचित्प्रयुक्तमपि अग्निमेव विशिष्टतया ख्यापयतीत्यवधार्यम् ।।

’अद्भुतस्याग्नेर्माहात्म्यं वेदेषु परिकीर्तितम्’ आख्यातुं प्रतिज्ञाय महा-भारतकारः स्कन्दोत्पत्ति-वृत्तान्तं कथा-रूपेणोपपादयामास। इदं च वेदमूलत्वं कुमार-तत्त्वस्य वैश्वामित्राग्नि-सूक्तार्थ-विचारादुदाहृताभ्य ऋग्भ्यश्च विस्पष्टं भवति। यद्यपि स्कन्दकथा-सारांशः पुराणेषु महाभारत-संहितायां च उभयत्रक एव भवति, तथाऽपि वैयासिकी संहिता भाषया भावेन च वेद-भाषायाः सङ्केत-रूपत्वनिरूपणे बहुतरामुपयुक्तेति तामेवोदाहार्म। एवं वृत्रवधादि-पुराणकथानां च वेद-मूलत्वं बोध्यम् । अत्र तु अग्निस्वरूपविचार एव प्रसक्तः, तदनुप्रसक्त्या पौराणिकस्कन्दकथा-मूलपरीक्षणेन वेदभाषायाः सङ्केत-रूपत्वं दृढीकृतम् ।।

स एष ऋचां राशिः, ब्रह्म-कोशो व्याख्यास्यते। गूढार्थप्राधान्येऽपि कर्मो-पयोगितया व्यवस्थितानां ऋचा पदार्थ-विचारे गवाश्वादीनि साङ्केतिक-पदानि अपरिहार्यैव अन्तरर्थानुसारि-तात्पर्यपरिग्रहे व्यवसाय: कार्यः। अग्न्यादीनि देवता-नामानि तत्तद्गुण-बोधकर्वाचकैर्व्याख्यातुं शक्यान्यपि संज्ञापदानीव पद-परिवृत्ति न सहन्त इति बोध्यम् । अग्न्यादि-देवानां क्वचिद्वाह्य-प्रपञ्चे भौतिकाग्न्यादि-रूपेणावस्थानं केवलं साङ्केतिकमिति मन्तव्यम्। देवतानां स्वरूपाणि तु दिव्य-नाभ्यन्तरेण वोन्मीलितेन चक्षुषा ग्राह्याणि। एकैकोऽपि देवः अद्वितीयस्य परस्य देवस्य अङ्गं गुणः शक्तिविशेषो वा इत्युक्तौ अग्न्यादिः देवः न केवलं शक्तिर्गुण एव वा अङ्गं वा भवति, किं तु स्वयं गुणी शक्तः, व्यक्तिर्वेति बोध्यम् । समस्तेऽपि ऋग्वेदे एक-रूपा सङ्केत -व्यवस्था। यद्यपि ऋषीणां मन्त्र-दृष्टिषु क्वचिद्भाव-पुष्टिरधिका क्वचिद् गाढा सरला वा वाक्य-गतिः, शब्दार्थ-माधुर्य-गाम्भीर्यादौ साम्यं वा न लक्ष्येत, क्वचित्सङ्केत-गूढार्थबाहुल्यं वा दृश्येत, तथाऽपि सर्वेषां मन्त्र-द्रष्टृणां एकमेव परमं लक्ष्यं एकमेव रहस्यं, एक एव सङ्केत-सम्प्रदायः। अत एव रहस्यार्थपरिज्ञानमक्लिष्टं भवति। एक-रीत्यैव ह्यत्र साङ्के-तिक-शब्दार्थपरिग्रहो भवति। सङ्केतव्यवस्थापरिज्ञानं वेद-रहस्यावगाहनस्य द्वारं भवतीति माधुच्छन्दसेभ्यः सूक्तेभ्य ऋक्संहितयामादिमेभ्य एवावगम्यते। ‘अग्नि-मीळे’ सूक्तमेव वेद-रहस्याधिगमाय प्रथम-सोपानतया संहितायां प्रारम्भे संहिता-कारैनिवेशितमिव लक्ष्यते। इदं च मन्त्रार्थ-विचारावसरे सुगम स्यादिति असंशयम्। ’अग्निमीळे’ सूक्तजपस्य सर्ववेद-पारायणफलं प्राहुः प्राञ्चः। सर्ववेद-रहस्यज्ञानबोधं अत्र द्रष्टव्यमित्याशयेन तथा फल-श्रुतिरिति बोध्यम् ।।

अथ ऋग्वेद-संहितायाः द्विप्रकारको विभागो भवति। अष्टकानि, अध्यायाः, वर्गाः, मन्त्राश्चेति एको विभागः अयं चाध्ययनोपयोगी। मण्डलानि, अनुवाकाः, सूक्तानि ऋचश्चेत्यपरो विभागः अनुष्ठानोपयोगी। अनुष्ठानमपि द्विविधम् । कर्मानुष्ठानं, जपाद्यनुष्ठानं चेति । मन्त्राणां कर्मभिः सम्बन्धं विनियोगमाहुर्याज्ञिकाः। तथा विशेष-विनियोगो मन्त्राणां तत्तत्क्रतौ सूत्रकारेण प्रदर्शितः कर्मपराणामुप-युक्तो भवति। कृत्स्नस्यापि वेदस्य स्वाध्याये जपे ध्याने च सामान्य-विनियोगो बोध्यः। अयमेव वेद-रहस्यार्थपराणामस्माकमपेक्षणीयः । तां तां देवतां साक्षात्कर्तुं मन्त्रार्थानुसन्धान-बलभूयसि जपध्यान-पारायणात्मके अनुष्ठाने सूक्त-मन्त्राणां सामान्य-विनियोगो द्रष्टव्यः । मन्त्राक्षराणामनितरसामान्य-प्रभावत्वेऽपि अर्थानु-सन्धानमन्तरा भस्मन्यनग्नावाज्य-होमवत् पर्यवस्यत् स्वाध्यायः। अत एव अर्थ-विचारवर्ज स्वाध्यायी ‘स्थाणुरयं भारहर’ इति निन्दास्पदमभूत् पूर्वेषाम् । कर्मपारम्य-पक्षप्रमुखा आश्वलायनप्रभृतयः सूत्रकारा अपि वेदाध्यायिना अन्तर्मुखेन एकाग्र-मनसा भाव्यमित्यभिप्रायेणैवमाहुः--’ यत् स्वाध्यायमधीते स ब्रह्मयज्ञः द्यावा-पृथिव्योः सन्धिमीक्षमाणः सम्मील्य वा यथा वा युक्तमात्मानं मन्येत तथा युक्तोऽधीयीत स्वाध्यायम्’ इति। तस्मात् ’स्वाध्यायोऽध्यतव्य’ इति ब्रह्म-यज्ञादौ शब्द-प्राधान्येऽपि अनुष्ठानं अर्थानुसन्धानपूर्वकमेव फलवदिति सिद्धम् । सोऽयं मन्त्रार्थ-विचारो देवतास्वरूपादि-रहस्यविज्ञानसम्पत्तये जिज्ञासूनां कर्मबद्ध-श्रद्धानामप्युपकारकः स्यादित्याशंसामहे ।।

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श्रीभगवद्वासिष्ठगणपतिमुनि-प्रवरान्तेवासिनः
पूर्णयोगाचार्य-श्रीमदरविन्दभगवत्पादानुध्यातस्य भारद्वाजस्य
विश्वेश्वरसूनोः कपालिनः कृतिषु वेदगुप्तार्थसिद्धाञ्जनस्य
ऋक्संहिताभाष्यस्य भूमिका समाप्ता

भूमिका-विषयानुक्रमणिका

प्रथमः खण्डः (पुट १-२६)

पुट विषय

१-५ भूमिकास्थ-विषयप्रतिपादनार्थाः संग्रह-श्लोकाः ।।

१-२ ग्रन्थारम्भ जय-वादः सर्वेश्वरस्य तमसःपरस्तादेकस्य आत्मनः, तस्यैव शब्द-मूर्तिधरस्योत्तमस्य पुरुषस्य, तस्यैव पुनर्वेदमूलस्य ऋचां धाम्नः परम-व्योम्नश्चेति एवं त्रेधा जयवादेन नमस्काराक्षेपः। वेदरहस्य-प्रदर्शिन आचार्य-श्रीमद्अरविन्द-पद-महसोऽनुस्मृतिपूर्वकं वेदमर्म-विभेदनार्थक-ग्रन्थकरणप्रतिज्ञा ।।

वेद-प्रतिपादित-विषयानधिकृत्य मतभेदोपन्यासः, सामयाचारिकैः प्रतिपन्न-काण्डद्वयात्मिका वेद-व्यवस्था, व्याख्यातृणां सायणमाधवा-चार्यस्य आदरातिशयः ।।

२-३ नव्यानां भारतीयेतिहासान्वेषिणां पाश्चात्यानां वेदार्थ-निर्णयाय प्रवृत्तानां सायणीयं भाष्यं महानाधारः। वेदान् ऋषीन् तत्समया-चारादीन् अधिकृत्य तेषां मतम् ।।

३-५ अत्र अरविन्द-श्रीचरणानां वेदरहस्यार्थ-दर्शनम्-तच्च गोप्यं भाषा-विशेषण सङ्केतात्मतया स्थितम्-ऋषि-मन्त्र-देवतायजनफलानां यथार्थ-स्वरूपोपन्यासः ॥

६-७ गूढार्थ-पक्षमस्मदीयं अस्वीकार्यमित्ये केषां अधुनातनानां आक्षेपोपन्यासः ।।

७-८ विपक्षोक्तिसारांश-विमर्शनारम्भः । विमतोद्भावितास्रयो दोषाः, आक्षेप-हेतवः ।।

८-१० मानुषवर्गीय-इतिहाससंशोधनात् पाश्चात्य-पण्डितैः साधितस्य ऐति-हासिक-सिद्धान्तस्य विरुद्धोऽस्मदीय-गूढार्थसिद्धान्त इति प्रथम आक्षेपः । तस्य सविचारं प्रत्युत्तरम् श्रीमदरविन्दपादैः प्रतिपादितस्य भारतीय-आध्यात्मिकेतिहासतत्त्वस्य उदाहरणम् ।।

१०-१२ कथं ऋजु-मार्गमिच्छन्तोऽपि प्राज्ञाः पाश्चात्या ऋग्वेद-ऋषीणां प्राकृतावस्थां निश्चिन्वन्तीति विचारः। तदनुयायिनां भारताभि-जनानां पाश्चात्य-क्षुण्ण-वर्त्मनि एतावताऽपि कालेन व्यामोहो न न्याय्यः । प्राचीनार्षरहस्य-जिज्ञासया गूढार्थविवरण-पक्ष-परीक्षायां प्रवृत्तिरावश्यकी धीमतां तेषाम्, न चेद् दुर्विपाकः एव भवेत् तद्विमर्श-वैदुष्यस्येति मन्त्रतात्पर्योदाहरणपूर्वकं कथनम् ।।

१३-१४ द्वितीयाक्षेपोपन्यास:--सायणीयसम्प्रदाय-भाष्यस्य विरुद्धो वेदरहस्य-वादः इत्युक्त विमर्शनम् । त्रिविधं परिज्ञानं इति यास्कोक्तिमुदाहृत्य सायणीये व्याख्याने दृश्यमानं असामञ्जस्यादिकं निरीक्षितम् ।।

१५ पूर्वमीमांसक-सिद्धान्तविरोधी वेद-रहस्यार्थवाद इति तृतीयो जघन्य आक्षेपः--तस्योपन्यास-परिहारौ ।।

१५ सायण-भाष्यस्य अपरिहार्यत्वं वेदार्थ-विचारे इति प्रतिपादनम् । गुणदोष-स्मरणपूर्वकं भाष्यस्य प्रशंसा ।।

१६ कमैकपरत्व-पक्ष तु दोषः, गीता-वाक्यस्य न्याय्यता च ।।

१६-१७ स्वपक्षोपन्यास:--ऋग्वेदोऽत्र विचार-विषय:-बहिरा अन्तरर्थाश्चेति द्वयर्था मन्त्राः ।।

१७-१९ अर्थद्वयवच्छब्द-प्रयोगव्यवस्था, भाषा-स्वरूपम्, शब्दानां प्रवृत्तिः, शब्दः प्राधान्येन यौगिकः, शब्दार्थ-सङ्कतस्वरूपम् ।।

१९-२० अस्माभिरत्र विशिष्टऽर्थे सङ्केतपद-प्रयोगः, आयुर्घ तमित्यादाविव अश्वादीनां बलादि-लक्षकत्वं प्रतिपाद्य, बाह्योऽर्थः अन्तरर्थस्य सङ्केत-भूत इति प्रतिपादनम् ।।

२०-२२ बहिर्यागोऽपि सङ्केत-भूतोऽन्तर्यजनस्य । ऋत्विग्-यजमानयजनतत्फलानां स्वरूप-विचारः। होत्रादीनां ऋत्विजां घृतादिद्रव्याणां गवाश्वादि-फलानां च अन्तरर्थोपपादनम् ।।

२२ भूरादि-सप्तव्याहृत्युपन्यासः। तत्र भूमिरन्तरिक्षं द्यौरिति त्रैलोक्य-विभाग आर्ष इति प्रतिपाद्य, आन्तरस्य त्रिकस्य सङ्केतभूतं बाह्य त्रिकमिति प्रतिपादनम् ।।

२३-२४ ब्रह्माण्डाधिकारिकाणां देवानां तत्त्वं (स्थूल-पक्षे बाह्ये, आन्तरे सूक्ष्म-पक्षे च) उपन्यस्तम्। अग्निस्वरूप-वर्णनम्-तथा इन्द्रादीनां स्वरूपस्य विवरणम् ॥

२४-२५ सोमादीनां तत्त्वम् ।।

२५-२६ रहस्यार्थदशि-श्रीचरणानां वाक्यानुवादेन प्रथम-खण्डोपसंहारः ।।

द्वितीयः खण्डः (२७-४५)

२७ "आधुनिक-नव्यविद्याविचार-संस्कारायत्त-विपक्षाक्षेप-समाध्युपन्यासमुखंन वेदगूढार्थ-सिद्धान्तपक्षः प्रतिपादितः प्रथमे खण्डे । अत्र स्व-पक्षस्य परीक्षा चिरन्तनभारतीय-पाण्डित्यदृष्ट्या प्रवर्तत” इति प्रतिज्ञा ।।

२७ कुत ऋग्वेद एव विचार्यते ?

२७ -२८ ऋग्वेदः ।।

२८-२९ ब्राह्मणानां उद्देशः, कृष्णयजुः-संहिता, याज्ञवल्क्यस्य नाभिमत संहितायां ब्राह्मणान्तर्भावः ।।

२९-३० ऋग्वेदमात्र-विचारस्यावश्यकता।।

३१ त्रयीपदार्थ-विचारपूर्वकं त्रयी-देवानां ऋत्विग्भूतानां अग्न्यादीना-मुल्लेखनं, तेन, अन्तर्यजनार्थोपपादनम् ।।

३१ धर्म-मीमांसा ।।

३१-३२ धर्म-स्वरूपम् । यज्ञो बाह्यः एकदेशीयः, गीतोक्त-लक्षणो यागः सार्व-लौकिकः॥

३३-३४ गीतोपदेशात्प्राक् परं च प्रमाण-ग्रन्थेभ्यः यागस्य रहस्यार्थपरत्वं उपपादितम् ॥

३४-३५ “पूर्व-तन्त्रविदां सूक्ष्मविचार-विवादवैदग्ध्यं सर्वपण्डितमण्डली-सम्मा-नितमिति नात्युक्तिः’ इति प्रारभ्य ‘बबरः प्रावाहणिः’ इत्यादौ मीमांसकैः गौणवृत्त्याश्रयणं साधु, अपि तु तेषां प्रह्माण्डनिर्माणप्रायेण प्रयासेन ’पर्वतो रन्ध्रितः मूषको लब्धः’ इति लोकोक्तेः निदर्शन-भूतं अल्पमरसं वा फलं सप्पादितमिति निरूपणम् ।।

३५-३७ मन्त्रः, तत्स्वरूपं तत्प्रतिपादितो विषयः, तत्प्रयोजनानि-तदुत्पत्त्यनुत्पत्ति विचार:—वेदस्य नित्यत्व-कृतकत्वयोविरोध-परिहारः, पातञ्जलमहा-भाष्य-पङक्त्यर्थविमर्शः

३७-३८ तपस ऋते दुरवगाहो मन्त्र इति प्रमाणपूर्वकं उपपादनम् । निरुक्त-बृहद्देवता-काराणां वचनोदाहरणम्। श्रद्धया ज्ञानपूर्वकमनुष्ठितस्यैव कर्मणः फलम्, नान्यथेत्युपपादनम् ।।

३८ बाह्य-पक्षे, उच्चावचैरभिप्राय: ऋषीणां मन्त्र-दृष्टयो भवन्तीत्युक्ति-युक्ताऽपि, नैव अन्तरर्थ-बाधिका भवतीति प्रतिपादनम् ।।

३८-३९ ऋचः प्रमाणं वेदरहस्य-विषये-- :।।

३९-४० तपोनिष्ठानां ऋषीणां देवताभिः सह व्यवहारे तदर्थ-प्रकाशने च रहस्यभाषा व्यवस्थापितेति निर्णयाय मन्त्र-दृष्टिष्वेव प्रमाणं द्रष्टव्यं इति प्रारभ्य ऋग्वेद-संहितायां रहस्यपदार्थ-प्रसक्तिपरीक्षा-पुरस्सर ’निण्य’ पदार्थ-प्रतिपादनम् ।।

४०-४१ सर्वाणि निण्यपद-प्रयोगस्थलानि परीक्ष्य ऋचामुदाहरणेन वेदभाषायां

४१-४३ ’निण्यं’ रहस्यं प्रतिपादितम् । गुहा, अपीच्यं, प्रतीच्यं इत्यादीनि रहस्यपदार्थत्वेन स्तोत्रपर्याय-नामपदविशेषणतया प्रयुक्तानीति मन्त्रो-दाहरणपूर्वकं प्रदर्शितम् ।।

४३ कैनोपायेन रहस्यमाच्छादितमिति प्रश्नमुत्थाप्य, बाह्याभ्यन्तरार्थ-द्वयवता शब्देन घृतादिना, सङ्केत-रूपेण गवाश्वादिना चेति निरूपणम् ॥

४३ ऋतु-केतु-क्रतु-घृतादिपदानां अर्थ-निर्णयः एक-रीत्या सर्वत्र तेषां अर्थावगतिः गूढार्थ-पक्षानुसारस्य सौलभ्यमावहतीति प्रतिपादनम् ।।

४४-४५ वेदे सङ्केत-रूपाणां प्रयोगस्य निदान-विचारपूर्वकं सङ्केतार्थ-समालम्बः वेद-गुप्तार्थ-सिद्धान्त इति प्रतिपादनम् ।।

४५ नेकविधानां सङ्केतानां स्वरूपोल्लेखनम् ।।

तृतीयः खण्डः (४६-५८)

४६ वसिष्ठ-वामदेवादीनां मन्त्र-दृष्टय एव वेदगूढार्थ-सिद्धान्तस्य प्रधानं प्रमाणमिति द्वितीये खण्डे निरूपितम् । मन्त्र-वर्णेभ्योऽन्यत्र वेदगूढार्थ सिद्धान्तं सूचयन्ति प्रोद्वलयन्ति वा प्रमाणानि प्रदर्शितानि। तत्र प्रथमं वैदिक-पदानां यौगिकत्वं प्रतिपादयतो यास्कस्य ऋषिमन्त्र-देवतादीन्यधिकृत्या भिप्राया उपन्यस्ताः ।।

४६-४७ गौण-वृत्त्याश्रयणमवश्यमिति यास्कीयाशयस्य विचारः, तत्फलं च। दुरूहो वेदार्थ-बोधः तथा दैवत-निर्णयश्चेति तदीय-मतम्, तस्य विमर्शः। वेदार्थ-निर्णयोपयोगाय तदानींतन-पक्षान्तरीयवादोदाहरणेन बहु-प्रकारो मन्त्रार्थ-व्यवहार आसीदेकदेति कथनम् ।।

४८ मन्त्रार्थ-दुरूहत्वप्रतिपादनाय यास्कोदाहृत-ऋग्द्वयम् । तस्य व्याख्यानम् । तेन त्रिविधं वेदार्थ-परिज्ञानंयास्काभिमतमित्युपपादनम् ।।

४८-४९ उपदेशेन साक्षात्कृत-धर्माण ऋषयोऽवरेभ्यः पुरा मन्त्रान् सम्प्रादुरिति यास्कोक्ति-निरीक्षणम् । स्थूलमर्थं व्याचक्षाणोऽपि यास्को मन्त्रार्थ-विचारे अध्यात्मपक्ष-पारम्यमभ्युपगच्छतीत्युपपादनम् ।।

४९ नासौ सतृणाभ्यवहारी न वा विशृंखल इति यास्कमधिकृत्य निरूप्य वेदे रहस्यमस्तीति तस्यासीन्मतिरिति प्रतिपादनम् ।।

५० पञ्चजन-चर्चायां बृहद्देवता-श्लोकोदाहरणेन निरुक्तकारवद् बृहद्देवता ऽपि अध्यात्मादि-रहस्यमस्ति वेद इत्याहेति कथनम् ।।

५०-५१ ब्राह्मणान्यपि ’यजमानो वै यूपः’ इत्यादि-वाक्यैः यज्ञस्य सङ्केतरूपतां प्रतिपादयन्तीति स्मारयित्वा, ऐतरेय-शतपथब्राह्मण-वाक्योदाहरणेन कर्मकाण्ड-ग्रन्थेष्वपि वेदरहस्य-प्रतिपत्तिरसन्दिग्धेति स्वमत-दृढीकरणम् । उपनिषत्सु ‘तदृचाऽभ्युक्तम्’ इत्यादिवाक्यस्य तात्पर्य-विचारः। क्वचिन्मन्त्रवर्ण-मूलकानि उपनिषद्वाक्यानीति प्रतिपादनाय निदर्शनं दत्तम् ।।

५१-५३ ’हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण’ इत्यादीशावास्योपनिषत्पङक्तीनां ’ऋतेन ऋतमपिहितम्’ इति पञ्चममण्डलीय-मन्त्रदृष्टश्च समानोऽर्थ इति व्याख्यानपूर्वकं उपपादनम् । इतश्च वेदे रहस्यमस्तीति निरूपितम् ।।

५३-५४ महाभारतमपि वेदगुप्तार्थ-सङ्केतरहस्यमतं प्रोद्वलयतीति प्रमाणं दत्तम् ।।

५४-५७ सायण-भाष्यात् प्रागपि आचार्य-श्रीमदानन्दतीर्थीयं चत्वारिंशत्सूक्त-भाष्यं परमपुरुषार्थभूत-विष्णुपदप्राप्तिरूप-वेदप्रयोजनप्रतिपादकं आसी-दित्युपन्यस्तम् । ’द्विविधा ह्यग्न्यादिशब्दाः’ इत्यारभ्य मन्त्रार्थमञ्जरी-वाक्यान्युदाहृत्य श्रीमद्-राघवेन्द्रस्वामिनां ’अग्निमीळे’ सूक्त-व्याख्यानं प्रकारोपप्रदर्शनाय दत्तम् ।।

५७-५८ वैदिक-समयधर्मादि-विषयेषु पाश्चात्यानां मत-भेदानुपन्यस्य अस्माक-मुपादेयं सारमुक्त्वा, ‘तपसा पारमीप्सितव्यम्’ इत्युपसंहारः ।।

चतुर्थः खण्डः (५६--७४)

५९ देवता-मीमांसा तत्र पाश्चात्य-विदुषां प्राच्य-विदुषां गूढार्थसिद्धान्तिनां च मत-विवेकः। अन्तर्बहिश्च देवानामधिकारं पश्यतो गूढार्थ-सिद्धान्तस्य अर्थाविष्कार-नये सर्वत्र अन्तरर्थस्य प्राधान्यं प्रतिपाद्य, चेतना एव देवा न जडा इति बहुदैवतमन्त्रवर्णोदाहरणेन निरूपणम् ।

५९-६० स्थूलार्थ-पक्षे पर्यवसन्नोऽर्थः सर्वत्र नीपपद्यत इति निरूपणाय सौरमन्त्रार्थ-विचारः ।।

६०-६१ ऐन्द्र-मन्त्रोदाहरणम् ।।

६१-६२ मरुतः सोमं चाधिकृत्य अन्तरर्थोपपत्तिः, बाह्यार्थासंगतिश्च ।।

६२-६३ उषसमधिकृत्य विचारः। एकस्यैव परस्य देवस्य सर्वे देवाः नामानि इत्यादि तत्त्वं बहुभ्यो मण्डलेभ्यो मन्त्रोदाहरणेन प्रतिपादितम् ।।

६३-६४ एकं सदेव सर्वेऽपि देवाः, येषामेकैकोऽपि स्वसदृशं साहाय्यं विनियुज्य यजमानं तदेकं परं ज्योतिरमृतं प्रापयतीति प्रतिपादनाय बहुदैवत्य-मन्त्रोदाहरणम् । अथ देवानामेक-मूलत्वं एकात्मत्वं एक-लक्ष्यत्वं चेति उपन्यस्य, तेषां पृथक्त्वं नामतो व्यापारतो व्यक्तितश्चेति प्रतिपादनम् ॥

६५ देवानां द्वि-जन्मत्वोपपादनम् ।।

६५-७२ अग्निस्वरूप-विचारः ।।

६५-६७ सप्तक-पदार्थः, अग्नर्व्यपदेशाः, गुहा हितः’ मन्त्र-वर्णोदाहरणेन तात्पर्य-कथनम्, ’मर्येष्वमर्त्यः, अमृतः’ मन्त्रोदाहरणेन सारांश-कथनम्, अग्नेः हृदयान्तर्निवासः-मन्त्रोदाहरणम्, पराशर-विश्वामित्र-वामदेवानां वाग्भिः प्रमाणीकरणम् ।।

६७ अग्नः सप्तक-सम्बन्धित्वोपपादनम् ।।

६८-६९ वैश्वामित्रस्य आग्नेय-सूक्तस्य विमर्श-द्वारा अबादीनां सङ्केतरूपस्य दृढीकरणम् ॥

७०-७२ यो वेदेऽग्निः कुमारः कीर्तितः स एवाग्निज स्कन्दः पुराणे, अद्-भुताख्योऽग्निः महाभारते, इत्युपपादनाय ऋक्संहितायां अद्भुतपद-प्रयोगस्थलानि परीक्ष्य, अग्निरेवाद्भुतो वेदे इति निरूपितम् ।।

७२ प्रसक्तस्याग्निस्वरूप-विचारस्य अनुप्रसक्त्या पौराणिकस्कन्दकथा मूल-परीक्षणेन वेद-भाषायाः सङ्केतरूप-गूढार्थत्वं दृढीकृतम् ।।

७२-७४ गूढार्थ-प्राधान्येऽपि कर्मोपयोगितया व्यवस्थितानां ऋचा पदार्थ-विचारे गवाश्वादीनि साङ्केतिक-पदानि अपरिहार्यैव अन्तरर्थानुसारि-तात्पर्यपरिग्रहे व्यवसाय: कार्य इत्युपपाद्य, अयं रहस्यार्थ-विचारो जिज्ञासूनां कर्मबद्ध-श्रद्धानामप्युपकारक: स्यादित्याशंसयोपसंहारः ।।

INTRODUCTION TO RIG BHASHYA

SECTION ONE

VICTORY to the Sole Lord of the worlds that have come to light, to Him, the Self of all souls, to Him who is beyond Darkness.

Victory to the Person who is denoted by the word supreme, who wears the Sound-form for body and creates the universe by exhalation and who lives with tapas for his life-breath”.

Victory to the unmoving Ether Supernal, the abode of Riks, whence the creation is released with purpose by the Creator3. (1-6)

Fixing the thought again and again on that Splendour of great parts that is stationed in Sri Aurobindo, the most excellent among the eligibles who are the knowers of the secret sense of the Vedas, we explore the intricacies of the Veda for the understanding of the esoteric sense, in accordance with the Light (of Wisdom that is Sri Aurobindo) unaffected by the bonds of Ritual without under- standing4 (7-10)

Through the legends of the Puranas, men of old have enlarged upon and expounded in parts these Vedas, consisting of Riks, Yajus and Samans along with their limbs. (11-12)

That dharmas, even the socio-religious customs, are rooted in the Vedas is the view of a section of the ancient regulators of social conventions.

The Wise know that the Vedas are the treasures of divine knowledge and austere discipline and Faith, while some say they are the feeder-basin of the whole body of ceremonial rites?.

Hence did all the great Teachers of religion in this land of Bharata look upon the Vedas as two-sectioned and as the basis of Dharma.

It is declared that the support of the Works i.e. Rites, karma; is the earlier portion, that of jnāna, Knowledge, the latter section. The Brahmanas are the feeders of the Purva Tantra (called Purva Mimamsa of the ritualistic school) even as the Upanishads are of the higher Knowledge - jnāna. (called Uttara Mimamsa) 8 (13-21)

The Mantras - ?ṛks or yajus are intertwined with their application (or, the applications of the Mantras are inherent in them) and are meant for use in ritual; they are for purposes of sacrifice; this has been the verdict. Consequently the Mantras came to be treated definitely as limbs of the Vedic rites’. (22-24)

Even though for the propitiation of the Gods, for the purification of the inner being, for the attainment of the desired ends and the accomplishment of averting the undesirable, they (Mantras)

are used, sacred as they are, in japa and the like; yet Ritual is the main thing and Mantras its subsidiaries. 10

Hence, according to the Dharma Shastra, the designation Veda applies conjointly to the Mantra and the Brahmana, as proclaimed by Sutra-karas11 of yore to whom Karma, ritual was the main Dharma (religion or religious law) that mattered. (25-30)

Having before them conventional religion as traditionally handed down such as this, they commented upon the Mantras of the Vedas in parts:12

Uvvata and Mahidhara commented upon the Mantras of Yajus while others like Skandaswami and Venkata Madhava on the Riks. 13

And the erudite Sayana Madhava, prepared complete commentaries, with details, of all the four Samhitas along with their Brahmanas.

It is his Bhashya that has gained wide currency everywhere and is esteemed by the learned in the East as well as by scholars of the West. (31-38)

Some moderns of the Western world (lit. hemisphere) endowed with a new rising (and prosperous) vigour eager for knowledge from all sources, though themselves outside the pale of Vedic religion, searching for the ancient stories of Indians, out of curiosity, got admitted into the Vedas with the help of indigenous Pundits and in accordance with the cultural impressions of the West (they) determined the meaning of the Vedas. (39-41)

To these, Sayana was of very great help. Supporting his views wherever it suited them, they gave their verdict upon the character and substance of the Mantras and the Gods spoken of in the Veda as also on the thought of the seers of the Mantras. (42–47)

What the new investigators succeeded in getting by dint of their scholarship, that in a general way, we shall give in brief.

The supreme Veda is one only; that is the ancient Rig Veda. The Rishis are remembered as the poets who composed the Mantra-poetry.

They composed hymns for purposes of sacrificial rites. The Storm, the Rain, the Fire elemental, the Sun and other Gods are propitiated (lit. praised) by these primitive Rishis, usually out of awe and out of love as well. Other Gods there are some Gods evident in Nature, some even inanimate such as the elements, others who are created fancifully and praised as living ones.

The Gods are propitiated, by means of hymns, for the attainment of the many objects of desire by these primitive ancients, men with likes and dislikes. (48–59)

With the growth of the series of sacrificial rites in time, there came to be fabricated the Mantras of Yajus as also the Brahmanas; this fact can be inferred from their language of a later time as compared with that of the Riks. (60–61)

If there is found in these Hymns Knowledge of the Transcendent or Knowledge of the Self, that surely matters little.

If it be urged that eulogy of Knowledge is clearly noticeable in the tenth Mandala and also found elsewhere in the Veda, (they would say) that is but of recent origin.

But, all the same this must be understood: the Rishis are primeval folk; it is the Aranyakas and not the Samhitas that are resorts of jnāna; therefore in the Mantras there is neither jnāna nor any secret nor austerities.

Prayers are found, addressed by primitive men, the Rishis, to the Gods who are created by the exuberance of the Soma-intoxication, the Gods who are inanimate objects, the Gods of the elements in Nature or Gods dwelling in the skies, visible and invisible or non-existent as if they were really existent. (62–72)

Many among us intelligent as they are, were seized with such views as these, imported from the West and follow the new way of the votaries of modern learning -- the views that naturally receive no support even from the old uncritical learning14 in India). (73-76)

As this stood thus, the revered Sri Aurobindo, eminent among the learned, (while) occupied with severe austerities, came upon a new path quite unexpectedly.15

The secret that lay hidden in the Veda stood revealed to him though his mind was never given to the search of the meaning of the Mantras;

Yet certain well-known Deities of the Veda came to be seen by him when he was absorbed in Yoga with his eye turned within.

Since then, (he came to have) an abiding interest in the inquiry into the meaning of the Vedas. Having found the secret of the Veda and revealing at least some little of it, the great Sage spoke out truths, even though impenetrable, regarding the Riks, the Rishis and the Gods for the enlightenment of enquiring minds, in accordance with his vision.

And the indubitable knowledge born of direct perception, the high-minded one conveyed to others with appropriate reasonings to carry conviction.

With this his Perception for basis, having pondered over his words and considered the traditional knowledge and ancient usages and with the help of deep pursuits of the Shastras of yore we break the seal over the ages-old secret embedded in the language of the Vedas. (77-92)

In the Brahmanas, the Mantras and likewise in the Upanishads, in the passages of the Niruktas and in other ancient works, in the Puranas, the historical legends and in other Shastras as well —everywhere the idea is evident that there is a secret in the Veda.16 (93–96)

That secret is manifestly to be found in the Rik Samhita; and that (secret) through a speciality of language is (kept) in symbolic form. With the knowledge of the meaning of the symbol, what is hidden comes to light.

Have we but the eye, the means for unlocking (the hidden secret) is assuredly found in the Mantras, the perception of the Rishis.

Once the mystery of the Mantras and the seers of the Mantras is solved, the misconception (lit. evil delusion regarding the Gods also will melt away.

What is ancient and for long held to be the (position of the Rishis, that, indeed, is ours also. It is this that the Mantra is the root, the series of Brahmanas and Upanishads are its branches. (97–105)

The sages, Madhuchchhandas and others, are seers of the Mantra; the Gods were present to the

Not by superior scholarship, nor by artifice of speech did these lovers of poetic charm compose hymnal poems.

By the free opening up (lit. unhampered breaking forth) of the wondrous powers within, by audition as well as perception did the great sages come face to face with Brahman, called the Mantra.

These Rishis, with Tapas for wealth, obtained the Mantras by means of a subtle or divine audition and perception they were endowed with and a perfect devotion to the Gods.

Hence these hymns are acclaimed as Mantra-perceptions and the Rishis gifted with the inner vision known as the Poets.

The Gods are indeed many, bearing distinct names (of the One), objects of laudation. The highest God is One, the supreme Purusha as the Sun; it is his manifold function that is the state of the One as many Gods.

True, many are the names to the One Supreme; but they are not mere names; they are Gods, Powers and Personalities of the One. Therefore it is the One Supreme that wears different names and forms and personalities.

The Supreme Light is distinct and yet not separate from the Gods; the distinctness among the Gods obtains only in the front; behind each are All the Gods.

The Supreme who is All the Gods becomes distinctly formed and distinctly designated as each God by reason of the speciality of the function.

Like many limbs of one who is bodied, the Gods are different functionings of the Supreme Light.

Hence, these Gods are extolled separately in the hymns, they must be understood as Gods distinct not merely in name, but separate in personality and function as well of the One Supreme. (108-131)

In this universe of many planes (lit. steps within and without, many are the guardians of the world entrusted with authority.17

The world, inner and outer, is under the control of the Gods; this secret was known to the ancient seers of the Mantra. (132–135)

Therefore did the great sages perform their self-offering (sacrifice, worship to the Gods, with their life, with their mind and body, with all their being.

The mass of men (base or low) in their thousands unable to grasp the mysteries of these great few who were competent for the Inner Sacrifice, worshipped the Gods with the outer sacrifice with the Mantras; and the Mantra was applicable either way in a double manner) on account of the special turn of the Vedic speech.

The Mantra perceived by the Rishis, the God who was worshipped, the Sacrifice, the sacrificer, the priests and the Fruit (of the Sacrifice) the true character of these will become clear in the discussion (of the subject) that follows. (136-144)

Our thesis has been stated briefly, in concise verses, at the commencement of the work. We shall expound it in detail as much as necessary in due course. This is the line leading to the esoteric meaning of the Vedas, brought to light by the revered Sri Aurobindo. The same line is adopted in the ensuing Introduction to the Commentary by which investigation into the meaning of the Mantras would find clear passage free of sources of vexation. But first the opposition needs to be cleared. And what is this opposition that we propose to eliminate? Whence has it sprouted ? That is the question we shall presently consider.

Scholars from the West with the help of indigenous scholarship wherever necessary, have cast abroad certain notions regarding the Vedas. And chiefly depending on these scholars of the West), many students of modern learning from the educated classes in India trumpet learnedly; they say: eminent savants in the West, lifelong students of Vedic learning, have arrived at these conclusions on the Vedas: the childhood of the primitive Aryans is evident from the Hymns of the Rig Veda. Their hymnal prayers are like the profuse babblings of infants (lit. like children’s plain words of excessive amusement). Even though their socio-religious life is marked by this unsophisticated and unripe state, yet a primitive kind of monotheism is their faith. Even among Indians, leaders of the revivalist movements like Ram Mohan Roy and Swami Dayananda held monotheism to be the creed of the religion. And this view of theirs concurs with the conclusions of Western scholarship. Even though among the Western scholars themselves there is conflict of opinions, yet agreement is easy and hence, as we see, reconciliation possible. So, some among them say: the hymns were the compositions of the primitive poets of the Rig Veda for purposes of sacrifice; they were barbarians tied in faith to the supremacy of ceremonial rites. Others hold that the narratives of the Gods described in the Veda are accounts of cosmogony in metaphor, parable and allegory. Sayana, the famous commentator on the Vedas, in his commentary, in dealing with the killing of Vritra etc., shows them to be phenomena of Nature — the sunrise, the downpour of rains and so on. This concurs with the view acceptable to Western scholars. Sayana explains the Riks closely following the Brahmanas of a later age. Thus there is room for a variety of views in the Veda. The basis for these differing views apparent at first sight is not merely in the minds of the investigators, but it must be understood that it is there in the Veda itself. In the Rig Veda Samhita the hymnal composition looks pregnant with ideas that are uneven.

Thus an eminent Indian of renowned scholarship, 18prominent among moderns who have adopted the views of western scholarship in its researches into Vedic history, says: scholar and exponent of the esoteric theory of the Veda, Sri Aurobindo holds that there is a secret in the Veda; we cannot accept it. He says that the Vedic Rishis are similar to the mystics who are to be found even among the very ancient Greeks. But this is not true. Why? It is opposed to the findings of modern scholarship. It cannot be accepted by Western scholars whose lifelong labours in the field of research in Vedic history, the meaning of the Mantras, nature of deities etc. do not support it. How can the esoteric theory of Sri Aurobindo hope to look down upon and challenge such high authorities ? Even if this theory of the secret in the Veda were to be somehow accepted, it is not merely the verdict of these great authorities that would be set aside; it would also be opposed to the traditional interpretation of Sayana, accepted as our authority, Also, this theory is against the doctrine of the Mimamsakas which is the authority on Vedic interpretation. Hence this novel argument of Sri Aurobindo, though attractive and ingenious on the face of it, has to be discarded; it merits no consideration. If, however, any one, out of sentiment for the ancient Rishis, were to hold that these great Rishis of the Veda possessed mystic wisdom, it would be nothing but serving untruth. Of course one is free to luxuriate in fanciful imagination. If the Vedic Rishis had attained at all such a high spiritual summit and received the affluence of the grace of the Gods, how is it that no evidence of it whatever could be found in later works or traditions? Further, studies in the history of other primitive races inhabiting the earth point to this one conclusion: progress in general is gradual. It is not that the ancients attained to great heights in their primitive stage itself and this was followed by successive degradations. Therefore the great truth, all spiritual wisdom (lit. secret) is to be found only in the utterances of the Rishis of the Upanishads, men with more mature minds, well above the primitive Vedic stage. Possibly, some seeds of it may be seen in places in the Rig Veda Samhita; but that is trifle, and largely inconsequent, belongs to a later age and out of place. The esoteric theory of the Veda is thus wholly inappropriate and deserves to be rejected.

Such is the purport of the opposite viewpoint. Pronouncements of this view by Indian scholars propagating modern Western learning and culture cannot be lightly set aside. If these were the words of a simpleton or an uncultured mind, we could overlook them holding that they issue from an ignoramus and do not merit our notice. The personage in question is well-known, his challenging scholarship is famous among the western educated classes, his superb eloquence holds captive the attention of varied concourse of the lay and learned. Even though he speaks out (views on the Veda) in the manner stated above he is not a scholar of the Vedas, nor does he claim himself to be one; yet, his argument does not lack vigour or fall short of its target. After all every one does not know everything; and eager for knowledge of truth, probing into facts with interest, he follows the Western scholars and accepts their word as authoritative in the field of Vedic studies. And having accepted the verdict of these savants noted for their brilliance in the specialised field of Vedic research, there is nothing wrong if he makes others follow the same view. The fault is of another kind and it is this we set out to examine. To appraise the fault is both necessary and fruitful. For these views are generally shared by all those Indians who follow the modern way in their Vedic studies. To meet the champion wrestler 19 is tantamount to meeting the rest of his class, is the Sanskrit saying and on this analogy, we shall take his pronouncement as representative and deal with it accordingly. To submit all superficial scholarliness (in regard to the Vedas) to withering scrutiny and to promote interest in the secret knowledge of the Vedas on the part of the unbiased is the object of this examination of this faulty argument.

Indeed, these are in brief the three objections raised against the theory of the esoteric Wisdom of the Veda. First: the verdict of the Western scholarship is opposed to our conclusions on the secret meaning of the Veda. Second: it is contrary to the traditional interpretation of Sayana. Third: our position is directly against that of the Doctrine of the Mimamsakas. Let us meet each of these objections, shorn of verbiage, in the main.

First, it is said in objection: to say that there has been a steady falling away of Indian society from the Rig Vedic times is contrary to what is seen everywhere in historical studies of other societies on the globe, namely, as with the individual, so with the collectivity also, human progress is gradual. Here we have to point out: the learned exponent has misunderstood our words and proceeded to construct a clever argument. We have not said that all the Vedic Rishis and the common people of the time had attained an all-round prosperity — spiritual and material. What we have said is different and what the opponent attributes to us, due to misunderstanding, is quite another. We say: the Rishis, the seers of the Mantra, devoted to a life of the spirit, discovered certain lines of development beyond the range of sensory perception by means of their strength of discipline and achieved a many-sided inner progress; and in possession of these many secrets, they cast these truths in veiled language in the mantra-perceptions. This is not to say that all men originally reached great heights; we have not thought so, nor said so. Nor have we said that the Rishis of the Veda had obtained a complete knowledge of every kind.

It must be noted that the age of the Rig Veda is the original epoch of great sages who knew the technique of Yoga, who had grasped the truths of the character and activity of the Gods, in their macrocosmic and microcosmic functions, and had discovered the Mystic Path. This is not to say that all men in that age knew the inner secret path, that they were all disciplined votaries of the secret path and endowed in every way with a divine strength. It could not mean that all the populace of the time had the knowledge of truths seen by the seers, of the secrets of the paths of God-realisation and other verities attainable by austere discipline. Now, let us take an illustration from our own times. It is universally accepted that ours is an age of the empire of Physical Science. We see before our eyes how this Physical Nature, pregnant with myriad mysteries, brings out daily and hourly unimaginable wonders. In such an age of intellectual supremacy how many are eminently intellectual ? Certainly not many, they are a few, it must be admitted. And even among those few intellectuals how many are competent to follow the strides of Physical Science and understand intimately her mysteries ? Or again, how many of these competent are able to enter the secret world of the laws and processes of Physical Nature whence awakened, are released vast dimensions of energy lying asleep in the womb of the atom? Few, very few, we must say, they could be counted on fingers.

In any age, whatever the dominating principle of power be, whether it is spiritual wisdom or the sway of the Intellect culminating in scientific culture, or empire-building political skill and military strength, or economic prosperity in accordance with the science of production, distribution and regulation or deployment of labour for the organisation of collective life, undoubtedly always it works itself out through just a few human centres and through them rules the collectivity. It follows that whatever the guiding principle of Society, Knowledge, Power, Wealth or Labour (lit. cleverness in action) — any one or more of these — leaders of vigour and substance are always numerically the few.20

Thus it was that the spiritual wisdom and occult knowledge of the Rishis of the Veda was not common to the generality of men; to the common people the means of religious worship (worship of the Gods) was provided in the ceremonies of external sacrifices and similar rites. Therefore, to attribute to our statement the meaning that all the people of the Vedic times reached the high summits of the Spirit and treaded the mystic path is not correct, not true. Nor have we said at any time that the Systems of Philosophy were products in the downward course from the high levels of the Vedic Wisdom. The path of Vedic knowledge i.e. the way of obtaining knowledge in the Vedic age was different; the mode of thought used to get knowledge in the philosophical Systems is another. The former is intuition, rising direct from revelation and inspiration, untutored by external means; the other is the speculative conclusion on the strength of intellect in the form of certain sense of certainty obtained by deliberations with the help of reasoning based upon perception, inference etc. Between these two methods the difference is as great as between the two ages. Spiritual experience does not proceed from Reason based on metaphysical thought; nor does it depend upon material prosperity and opulence of riches needed for bodily life. Neither does proficiency in occult knowledge depend on high development of the outward intellect. We see that in the very stage which we call primitive, following the conclusions of the historians, many ancients had known profound truths of Nature which strike the moderns with wonder. Insight does not depend upon modernity.

Indeed, it may be asked: if the Vedic Rishis had really attained such a spiritual progress then how is it that no noticeable impress of it was left on the succeeding ages? We reply: we will come to this context further in the course of this study, to consider whether the marks of the splendour of the Vedic Rishis are seen or not seen on their posterity and if seen, in what way. But this much must be said here. It is clear from a perusal of the literature of the ages that followed that the language and mentality of the Vedic age under-went a great change. And it is indeed a miracle that, in spite of the great gulf between the period of the Vedas and that of the Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads, something of the Vedic tradition and the secret of deities etc. was preserved or sought to be preserved in the Brahmanas and the Aranyakas. It may be urged: be that as it may, but how is it that such a holy ancient age as the Vedic is lost without issue (lit. without fulfilling its purpose) ? This is no valid objection. Like the age of the Mystics among the ancient Greeks, the age of the Vedic Rishis also came to an end. Whatever be the mode of the setting, it has to be stated that it is entirely the run of time. Historians hold that there was an age of the Mystics among the ancient Greeks and others. And because it is now no more, no one could say that there was no such age at all. In the same manner it cannot be said on the passing of the Vedic age that there never was an age of the Mystics, the Rishis. Or, let us suppose the present human civilisation or culture distinguished by the highly developed Science of Physical Nature, practically perishes as a consequence of some catastrophe in Nature or by a cataclysm brought about by an explosion in the womb of the atom releasing world-wrecking weapons of destruction. Would it be right for future generations to say that here was no age at all of culture of Physical Science?

It is a proposition teeming with vulnerable points that Western historians advance (when they hold) that human mind everywhere in the primitive ages, is silly and childish. Possibly in the early beginnings of human life in creation, the state of man was extremely rudimentary, young and unripe. But that does not apply to those like the ancient Greeks or the sages of the Vedas. So much is their maturity that the felicities of the mind along with the mystic riches of inner revelation, inspiration etc. are manifest in the mantra-perceptions of these great Rishis and this is clear to those who have eyes to see.

Let us here recall what Sri Aurobindo has said (in this connection): In India, as elsewhere on the continents of earth, the progress of the common humanity has been very slow; spiritual achievement and proficiency in occult knowledge, were confined to only a few. Thus first came the Age of the Vedas, essentially intuitive in character. The Age of the Intellect and Philosophy, proceedings on metaphysical thought, followed thereafter. In the Vedic age the main means of the Rishis was the inner sight; but in the age of philosophers the means was investigation based on the criteria of perception etc. What was achieved by the great Rishis through inner means got by direct discipline, was sought to be reached, by the disciplines (yogic paths) that followed, through the means of the reflective (or ratiocinative) intellect. Similarly in still later ages the same supreme Truth was sought to be realised through the emotional being, the life (prāņa), and even through the physical body at times, by later processes (later relative to the Vedic age).

The Sadhanas of the Tantriks, Raja Yoga, Hatha Yoga etc. are to be understood in this light. It is to be noted that these disciplines (processes) were not the products of the downward course away from the Mystic Path of the Vedas or of accident. They were processes that set out to achieve the supreme Purpose set by the Vedic tradition, independently, by means of the emotional and other purificatory means. This is the spiritual history of India; they (the Sadhanas) attempt, repeatedly, in different ages to uplift the emotional part, the life and the other lower parts of the being and raise each degree of consciousness already evolved to the high summit of the spirit originally attained in the age of the Veda.

But then, it may be asked, how is it that Western scholars, even though desirous of straightforward line (of approach) have come to decisions ascribing a primitive condition to the religious institution of Rig Vedic sages? Indeed, there is reason for it. They fixed the age of the Vedic Rishis based on the conjecture of certain Western historians that the advent of human society on earth dates back to a few thousands of years and not to many hundreds of ages. Hence they have finished their accounts of the rise and growth etc. of the Aryan peoples measured in terms of two or three thousand years or in limited hundreds of years. But this is their old story. Such was their belief at the time when researches into Earth’s history were in their beginnings and infancy. But today with the growth of knowledge of history, that kind of belief has generally undergone change. Again it was at the time when Physical Science was coming into its own and Materialism held sway over the intellectuals of the West that they desired to know of the social customs and ideas of ancient Indians through an eqnuiry into the meaning of the Vedas. And they constructed accounts of the history and society of Vedic India, through a consideration of the history of various human aggregates and their religious institutions and comparative philology and drawing upon their own conjectures to the necessary extent. Such being their innate culture and competence, it is not surprising that they should say: the Rishis of the Veda are generally common or primitive people, their poetry childish and their Gods products of imagination and wonder on seeing the operation of Nature. It is true, however, that the basis of materials available to them at the commencement of their study of the Vedas was not adequate. Their conclusions referred to earlier, regarding the rise, growth, social customs and laws of human society are now stale and for the most part without sub-stance (lit. sap). Therefore, suffice it to say, a fresh and exhaustive enquiry into the Vedas is called for and it, doubtless, demands every bit of labour of thought and active interest on the part of the seekers of knowledge.

Let us leave the effusions (lit. lustre or play) of Western scholar-ship at that. It would not be a mis-statement to say that the method of Vedic study of their Indian followers trained in the new tradition, is not yet materially different. There are certainly many amongst us, who are brilliant, endowed with genius, scholars who would walk in the straightforward path, engaged in various fields of knowledge, eastern and western, old and new; yet we cannot say there are such in the line of Vedic research. Even the few that are to be found, carry on their labours with firm belief in the aforesaid outmoded conclusions of Western scholars, with no striking results.

If there be any notable results they are in matters of detail and in the discovery of facts of subsidiary importance. Essentially it is the same Western outlook, the very path fashioned by them, the very same conjectural conclusions regarding the social custom and religion of the Vedic Rishis; and it is the same convention that has started from them that has won a place of honour (or respectability). Leaning on all this, our modern scholars undertake their study of the Vedic Mantras, the word, its meaning and the history of the Veda. And as decisively taught by them (scholars of the West), the Vedic Rishis are mostly barbaric, gross minds ascribing divinity to Nature, elements of Fire, Wind, Rain and others; their poetry is product of almost childish imagination. These Rishis are struck with wonder every day at the sight of the dawn, though the Sun rises everyday; at the very thought of the night these Rishis are overcome with fear. Such are the ideas generally associated with Vedic research even today. We shall illustrate by means of an example. It has now become a respectable convention with all scholars who adopt the modern method for investigation into the meaning of the Vedas to extol the beauty of Vedic poetry. And there too, the hymns to Ushas, though cited before by Western scholars, are again and again quoted by them with the idea that matters of felicity bear repetition. Though there are many hymns in the Veda of poetic excellence, the hymns to Ushas are specially so. We do not dispute the statement. But the sense of the pretty hymns thus described as given by these scholars, in consonance with Sayana’s commentary in places, is not commensurate with and does not add to that adulation. On the other hand it verily esta-blishes that these poets are immature minds, delighting fast in every day happenings and at times with their face adorned with the babblings of imbeciles.

When Rishi Rahugana Gotama lauds the deity in gratitude and joyous exultation, "We have crossed over to the other shore of darkness” (RV.1.92.6), according to the line of interpretation of the Vedic scholars, the meaning is to be taken literally; by the crossing of the shore of darkness, it is not the end of ignorance that is meant but only the daily awakening, at the passing of the night, that is sung. The all-pervasive dark night, peopled with ghosts, spirits and piśācas indeed struck terror into these tapasvins celebrated as Rishis. And there is another curiosity. Sitting down for the sacrifice, the Rishis pray for sunrise again when the sun has already arisen! Verily they believed that the sun rose and ascended the skies, by the strength of their prayers and the potency of the Vedic chanting. Such an ignorant belief, unthinkable even among the common folk, may perhaps be conceded; but could it be that they did not know that dawn follows the passing of the night, it grows into the day and with end of the day there follows the night? It is hardly possible to say they did not especially in the face of such Riks as: “The actions of the Gods undeviating”. “It (dawn) follows well the path of the Truth” (1.124.2,3). Such are the incoherent prattles that would be imputed to the seers of the Riks if we were to follow modern Indian Vedic scholars, trained in the Western traditions of scholarship, in their mode of understanding the Mantras.

However, if we look into the Vedas with discrimination and deliberative thought keeping in mind the ancient tradition, that has come down the ages, regarding the Mantras of the Veda and great Rishis, seers of the Riks, the mist (lit. delusion) would instantly clear; it would be manifest that the Vedic hymns are not babbling poetry of childish fancy and that the seers of the Mantras are poets who hear the truth, satyaśrutaḥ. If we follow the line shown by Sri Aurobindo, there is surely a double advantage. The incongruent prattle foisted on the Mantras vanishes. And difficulties and ambiguities in many of the Mantras are resolved. This is a negative gain. And positively it is this: we gain in knowledge of the spiritual eminence of the Seers, the mystic vision embedded in the hymns, the true character of the Gods. Certain unintelligible portions found in the Upanishads become clear. And lastly, we find justification for the authoritative statements made in the respective texts that the Vedas are the root of the Puranas, historical legends, Tantras and other scriptures and the elaboration of the substance of the Vedas their main function. Thus the conclusions regarding the Vedas, following from the viewpoint of Westernscholars, vitiated by false conjectures and without basis are to be rightly rejected. The argument that Sri Aurobindo’s mystic interpretation of the Vedas cannot be allowed to stand as it is opposed to the conclusions of lifelong scholars of Vedic study has now been met.

Then we shall consider and answer the second objection. It is held that the esoteric interpretation is to be rejected as it is against the traditional interpretation of Sayana. Is it that Sayana’s com-mentary on the Mantras starts on the basis of some tradition handed down from beginningless time? Or is it that Sayana himself, by means of his commentary on the Vedas, commenced a new or a renovated tradition for the study of the Mantras? The question arises from the mention of the term tradition. For this commentator maintains in his exegesis of the Mantras, mostly the tradition which proclaims the ritualistic purpose of the Vedas. At times he upholds the Puranic, Aitihäsik, Vedantic or other Sastraic tradition. It is not to be denied that Sayana girded up his loins to establish the ritualistic purpose of the Vedas, through his commentary on the Mantras. Hence wherever there is a total absence of ritualistic association and there is evident only the laudation of Jnāna, Know-ledge, Mokşa, Liberation, and the Akşara, Immutable, he sees its inutility to the ritualists and proceeds to explain accordingly. Wherever any hymn is quoted by Yaska and other earlier authors in praise of Jnāna, being unable to get over it, Sayana comments on such Mantras pointing to the absence of inherent flavour (for purposes of ritual) in such Mantras without plain and clear meaning; but where the meaning of words is plain (and clear) he explains, helplessly, in the spiritual context and escapes (from the situation) somehow discharging his obligation (as commentator). We shall illustrate this by taking up an example of the teacher Jaimini’s Sutras: “The purpose of the Veda being ritualistic, words which do not have that significance are useless.” This clearly lays down that the only purpose of the Vedas — known by the hallowed term Scripture — is that of Ritual; those that do not pertain to that (ritualistic action) are worthless. The Sutrakaras (authors of the aphorisms) prescribe application in rituals even for Mantras famous for their eulogy of Jnāna, Mokșa and the Akşara. This is laid down the application in ritual) of the famous hymn asya vāmasya of Diaghatamas (RV.I.164): "In the Mahavrata rite in the hymn of praise to the All-Gods, the recitation of nivid Mantras has two parts. There the 41 Riks beginning with asya vāmasya form the first part.” In the pre-eminently ritualistic commentary of Sayana on the first Rik of this hymn we find at the close the following lines: “Thus it is possible to interpret in the spiritual sense in other places also. Yet we do not write of it for want of inherent flavour and fear of swelling the volume. Wherever the spiritual meaning is clear e.g. in the Rik dvā suparņā, we shall mention it. This Mantra is commented upon by Yaska (Nirukta 4.26).” The spiritual import of the Rik asya vāmasya is, of course, not obviously clear, but Riks like dvā suparņā, are perforce explained in the spiritual sense, as there is no other way. That such a spiritual meaning does not add to the coherence (lit. innate essence) of Riks which are to be commented upon in the ritualistic sense alone, is clearly Sayana’s opinion. In such places he explains drawing upon the Vedantic tradition -- and that too of a section of the Adwaitins, -- at times upon the Puranic legends and on occasions historical incidents. Thus with all his labour, Sayana does not wholly hold himself to the position of the ritualistic Vedist. He comments from the view-point of the historical tradition, unmindful of the inconsistencies in his own statements, not showing or perhaps not mindful of its contradiction to the doctrine of the Purva Mimamsa. How is it possible — in the face of the Sutras of Jaimini purporting to establish the eternality of the letters of the Vedic Mantra — to lean on the support of historical occurrences (apparent in the Vedas) without resorting to the figurative or secondary sense ? But Sayana elucidates their purport accepting narratives of the royal sages (or kings and Rishis), battles and other historical happenings in the Mantras. The Riks of the well-known hymn of the curse and counter-curse of Vishwamitra-cum-Vasishtha are an instance to the point. Or from hundreds of instances we shall quote just one line of Sayana’s commentary following the sthālipulākanyāya 21 Commenting on the Rik, “We sons of Rahugana have uttered the word of sweetness to Agni: we offer to him our obeisances with radiant prayers” (1.78.5), Sayana says: “The Rishi concludes his laudation by means of this Rik; we Gotamas, sons of Rahugana etc.” Here the doctrine of the non-human origin of the Vedas is certainly struck at the roots. And this very commentator has given us a commentary expounding the meaning of the Veda accepting the position of the exponents of the Purva Mimamsa doctrine who hold fast to the eternality of the Vedas!

Let us then examine what is the tradition that Sayana stands upon. It is indeed a jumble of traditions. There is no doubt that the ritualistic tradition was there current for a long time before Sayana himself. But there is no shadow of doubt that there were other very ancient traditions regarding the interpretations of the Veda.

Yaska has referred to a number of viewpoints e.g. naturalistic interpreters, those that sought knowledge as related to the Gods, advocates of spiritual knowledge, historians, ritualists, etymologists and others. We learn from the Nirukta of Yaska that knowledge of three kinds is obtained from the Vedas viz. knowledge of sacrifice, of Gods and the spiritual knowledge. Yaska holds that the meaning of the Mantras is not ritualistic alone. We shall establish this (point) later on with due authority. This much is to be noted here. It cannot be gainsaid that the Veda Bhashya of Sayana has been written definitely after looking into works like the Nirukta and the Brihad Devata. Though this commentator refers to the Niruktakara (Yaska), he does not note, does not make mention of Yaska’s observation that the secret of the Mantra or that of the deities does not reveal itself to one who is devoid of spiritual austerities; acceptance (and mentioning) of such statement is not necessary for the ritualistic commentary — this is clear. Thus Sayana’s Veda Bhashya eclipsed the ancient tradition that the Veda is the treasure con-taining the secrets of the Gods and spiritual truths etc. Sayana Bhashya itself gave rise to the new tradition (that all the Riks pertain to sacrifice and ritual); and this has resulted in the universal belief that all Riks are meant for ritual action. Though the ritualistic theory regarding the Mantras arose from the Brahmanas, ancient scholars were well aware that there had been for long the spiritual and mystic interpretation of the Mantras. That is how the tradition of sanctity, potency, adoration etc. of the Mantra spoken of as a Person the Veda Puruşa came to be established among the cultured classes of ancient India, in the Puranas and histories, in the writings of great souls who had realised the higher Truth. None before Sayana has given a complete commentary on the Vedas. No such writing is heard of, at any rate none is found. Even if there was any written, it is found only in parts; or perhaps it was done only in part. Sayana justified (lit. supported) the ritualistic purpose (tradition) of the Vedas by laying out his commentary, with gigantic labour, on all the four Samhitas of the Vedas along with their Brahmanas and Aranyakas. No wonder, hence, his commentary on the four Vedas has a compelling influence over the entire world of scholars. But, for the exponent of the opposite view to say that this tradition of Sayana is the only ancient tradition for the inter-pretation of the Veda, is to belie facts. This is enough (for the second objection).

And last, we come to the third and puerile objection viz. the esoteric theory of the Veda is to be rejected as it is opposed to the doctrine of the Mimamsakas — the standard authority on the study of the Vedas. We have set out to study the purport of the hymns of the Rig Veda Samhita; hence our subject is enqniry into the meaning of the Mantras, not of the passages of Brahmanas where specialists in the Purva Mimamsa may well be the authority. It is because the explanations of the Mantras given in the Brahmanas are helpful for ritual that Sayana first commented upon the Brahmanas and then commenced to explain the Mantras accordingly. He observes at the beginning of the Bhashya: Because of its usefulness in commenting upon the Mantras, we have first commented upon the Brahmana along with the Aranyaka section; so that the Samhita consisting of the Mantras can be explained then and there with citations from the Brahmanas.” Now the statement is easily understandable that our conclusion is opposed to the Sayanic tradition. But nowhere do we hear that the Mimamsakas wrote commentaries on the Mantra Samhita, nor is there any need for it. Taking passages from the Brahmanas and the apposite ones from the Smritis, the Mimamsakas have hewn excellent path for determining the meaning of these passages. Their main object is study of Dharma, not enquiry into the meaning of the Mantras. That is why the Veda Samhita has not been commented upon or sought to be so done, by any of the teachers of the Purva Mimamsa. Jaimini, the author of the Mimamsa Sutras, has not made any study of the interpretation of the Mantras, nor has Shabaraswami his commentator nor Bhatta Kumarila, not to speak of later Mimamsakas who have not paid thought to it. We leave this at that here since we shall have occasion later to say something about the doctrine of Mimamsakas. Suffice it to say that the regard or competency of the Mimamsakas (whose field is to enquire into Dharma) for entry into the study of the Mantras is akin to hare’s horn22 (corresponding to mare’s nest). This answers to the last objection, ill-conceived, though attractive.

Before proceeding to present our thesis we would draw attention to the merits and demertis of Sayana’s Bhashya and to the fact that to students of the Vedas Sayana is not merely very useful but indispensable. Sayana commented upon the Vedas drawing upon the cream churned out from the scholarship of various groups of erudites from many countries of the Indian continent, for getting at the essence of the Vedic import. Undoubtedly this has been of great service to all students of the Vedic knowledge in subsequent times. Many are the invaluable topics dealt with in the course of this commentary on the Mantras of the Samhitas along with their Pada Pātha — citations from ancient texts of authority, various traditional accounts, lexicons, meaning of the words and Mantras of the hymns (severally and collectively), at times the possibility of other meaning, metre, grammar, accent, and etymological derivation of the words of the Mantras. It is because all these are happily there in the Bhashya of Sayana that any enquiry into its import, its merits and defects is at all possible. Sayana’s Bhashya itself could not have been there, were it not for the fact that the Samhitas along with the Pada Pāțha were committed to memory and thus preserved by votaries of the Vedic learning and chanting, even though they may have been ignorant of its import. Even so, but for the Bhashya of Sayana our entire Vedic literature would have been an impenetrable mass of darkness and even the scrutiny of the inner meaning of the Vedas hardly possible. Hence, suffice it to say that its superb usefulness deserves to be admired with gratitude for its general helpfulness in considering the Mantras, Pada Pāțha, derivations of word-forms, syntax of sentences. But the line adopted in this commentary set to establish firmly the supremacy of sacrificial rites, for explaining, from the ritualistic standpoint, Mantras whose secret sense is apparent, or veiled, is highly vulnerable, not straight, unnecessary even for its own purpose. This will be clear now and again in the course of our consideration of the meaning of the Mantras. Even this is a negligible blemish compared with the achievement of Sayana’s herculean labour23 (lit. Bhagiratha’s effort) in giving the import of the Veda Mantras. And what is the nature of that import? It is that all the Mantras are primarily meant to be used in ritual; that is to say, it is their sub-servience to ritual, therefore the supremacy of ritual that is established. And the result? The ancient tradition regarding the Vedas is false, the very basis of the sanctity of the Veda is uprooted, and the universal faith in the Vedas as the repository of many truths, spiritual austerities and mystical knowledge, about the character and realisation of Gods is rendered usless. All the message (lit. story or account) proclaimed by the Nigamas (Vedas), Agamas (Tantra), Puranas and legendary history that the most mystic and divine knowledge and occult disciplines are rooted in the Veda becomes a colossal myth (lit. fanciful song). What promotes spiritual welfare not to be looked for here; that is to be found in the Upanishads known as the Vedanta. In the Veda proper consisting of Mantras, it is the aid to ritual that is to be noted, by which is attained the fruit of various kinds of wealth, strength, progeny, animals, cows and horses and others, nourishment, contentment, gold, servants, victory, elimination of the enemy and capture of his treasure, destruction of rivals that cavil, and the like. And if modern scholars, on the strength of the commentary of Mantras by Sayana, hold that the sacrifice yielding such fruits is laid down in the Vedas and proceed to adjudge (lit. decide) the ancient Rishis to be primitive unrefined men, how can it be said to be unfair? Sayana concedes, to a limited extent, the presence of spiritual truth in the Mantras, he has reverence for the great sages, positive belief in the existence of deities and in the sacredness and potency of the Mantras. Even though this is a fact, yet, the Western scholars — themselves outside the pale of the Vedic creed — and their loyal disciples among modern Indians show magnanimity in forgiving Sayana, the commentator, for the grievous error that his intelli-gence was characteristically led by trust in (the ideas or words of) others aforesaid (Yaska etc.); for after all he shared the superstitious beliefs of his age. And this is no wonder. For Sayana in giving a complete commentary on the Vedas has rendered a great service. They have drawn from it as much material as they would for their own conjectural theories. However, some of the ancients maintain, without any embarrassment, thought or hesitation (fear) that the heart of the message (import of the Vedas contained in that vast collection of more than a thousand hymns and ten thousand Mantras is simply sacrificial ritual culminating in the fruit of happiness, enjoyment, and wealth, intense life of the senses (lit. animal life), egoistic and selfish propulsion and advancement (lit. desire and nourishment). Such being their view, the doctrine of the Purva Mimamsa, it is no wonder that its ignorant adherents are censured in the Bhagavad-Gita even though it proclaims the glory of the supremacy of the Veda:

It is I who am to be known by all the Vedas,

I who am the creator of the Vedanta and myself the knower of the Vedas.

Now we will state our position in brief. The subject of our enquiry here is the Rig Veda. The place of other Vedas is considered elsewhere. The Mantras have a secret meaning. And it is this alone that is the inner and supreme meaning of the Vedic hymns and the Vedic sacrifice. It follows that the meaning given by Sayana is accepted by us as the exoteric sense. It may be that his explanation of a term, or a line or Rik is not useful even for his own purpose nor necessary; it may also be that the meanings forced out in some places are incoherent. We shall point out such instances as occasion arises. But all this we would ignore. Even though, in details, there are inconsistencies in the meanings given, we accept his interpretation on the whole as giving the exoteric side of the Vedic worship and deities etc. in accordance with it. The inner meaning of the Mantras is hidden while the outer sense stands as its cloak. The age of the seers of the Mantras is far anterior to that of the Brahmanas along with the Aranyakas. The Rig Veda is a treasury that contains secrets of these knowers of mystic knowledge, concealed in veiled speech. And it is only the collection of these hymns of Riks that we term the Rig Veda Samhita. Again it must be noted that these hymns are not poetical compositions of the kind familiar to us. On the other hand, these Riks bear the ages-old designation mantra-perceptions vouchsafed in revelation and inspiration to the Rishis who had direct perception of Dharma. The Mantras are reputed to be fruitful, endowed with power because of the splendid source of their coming to light (lit. glory of their manifestation) as word and meaning and because of the characteristic vibration in (their) resonance. We accept what the teachers of old have held viz. that the Mantra is an uncommon means for the seer of the Mantra and for others, to attain the purposes of life. We said earlier that the meaning of these Mantras is twofold. The inner which is the psychological or spiritual, is in reality the true meaning. This secret was known to the Rishis and to their disciples who were initiated by the great Rishis and instructed in the inner sacrifice through disciplines of inner purification etc. Consecrating all of themselves to the Gods and receiving their gifts in return, by their progression into the summits of the spirit they obtained the riches (of knowledge) that pertain to the worlds and those that relate to the Gods.

The other meaning, gross and external, is for the sake of common men, useful in ceremonial sacrifices performed to propitiate the Gods. Thus the word used in the Mantras has a double meaning. And this device was a necessity for preserving the secret knowledge etc. in the Veda from the unfit. The secret meaning was guarded under veil in order to save the unripe, raw and common men from dangers of ignorance or misuse. How else, indeed, can the immature, weak and common people without spiritual endeavour be fit for the life of the soul and for the journey of bodily life dedicated to the Gods ?

It must be, however, noted that though the use of words with double meaning was deliberate it was effortless and natural. It is no contradiction to say that this deliberate arrangement of the use of words was achieved naturally and without effort. There need be no doubt in this regard. Here let us look into the form, origin and growth of language of primeval times. Even though according to Patanjali, the author of Mahabhashya, words are taken to have a fourfold currency and consequently the word is understood to refer to the jāti, class, kriyā, action, guna, quality and dravya, substance or only jāti, class, yet it should be noted that human speech in the ancient times was not arbitrarily conventional in driving home the meaning. Some hold that this convention of a particular fixed relation between the word and its meaning is the will of God. This view says in effect: of this word this alone is the fixed meaning. That the relation between word and meaning is fixed is a fact of everyday experience, universally accepted and hence to be admitted; still it cannot be said that the elders or their leaders together decided that such shall be the meaning of such a word and the convention thus made has come down the ages. Whether the ages-old convention is taken as the will of God or the decision of elders, the unreasonableness is obvious either way, as sanketa, relation between word and meaning cannot be a matter of unbridled and arbitrary choice. It is only by usage that the convention of fixed relation of word-meaning gets established. The word go, cow, signifies by convention, the object in the form of the lap, tail, hoof, hump and horn. Nobody has made any such rule that the word go must be used in this particular sense -- a rule according to which it would be possible to say, the convention is established. There could be no objection whatever to the statement that convention is established by usage. It is a legitimate question to ask; how did words come to be established by usage in particular senses? Rūdhi means constant and settled usage. When the trodden track comes to be known by sheer habit, a fixity of relation must be understood to be the same as abundance of usage.

How then does a fixed particular use get currency and what is the basis of this fixed use? The answer to this question depends on a knowledge of the original nature of human speech (lit. words). Human speech is the expression of nervous response to the experience of objects of outward senses as well as of subtle (inner) senses through the friction (lit. churning) generated by the contact of the fire-principle and vital air in the body; this speech is received by the auditory organ giving rise to an understanding of the meaning. In the beginning, in the olden times, human speech was not conventional. Originally human speech was simply the vibratory response of the nervous being, articulating itself in vocal sound, to the perceptual and objective experiences in the case of uncultivated men and to the inner, intimate vision, audition and other experiences in that of the great sages. Whenever any experience is undergone, be it internal or external, the receiving intelligence — in the heart, in the case of refined men, in the case of the unregenerate, of purely nervous being, induces a responsive manifestation which gets formulated in letters like a ă etc. constituting human speech. Unlike in the later ages, there was no intellectual convention in those early ages that such a word has such a meaning. Like the sixfold modification 24 of a creature in coming to birth, living etc. which is a fact of universal acceptance, the convention arising from a definite word-sense relation gets established in the course of the birth and growth etc. of language. Linguistic scholars would easily follow this subtle reasoning. We shall state here in brief relevant portions of what we have said elsewhere while expounding the doctrine of Sphota. In the Vedic age the word was full of vital vigour and in gaining currency conveyed its characteristic class, quality etc., yet all the while retaining its root meaning. The many words having the same meaning, and one word having several meanings depending on the context of the use of the word are accomplished facts because of the derivative significance of words. Hence they speak of the multi-significance of roots. Practical convenience is secured when the meaning of words is restricted by reference to ’conjunction, disjunction, association, opposition, context etc’.25 as laid down in the regulating laws of Rhetoric — a dictum whose origin is to be traced to the Veda. Even though a certain convention came to apply to Vedic words by reason of their usage, still their derivative significance was not only not suppressed, but itself has stood as life-principle of the word. Again, while there are hundreds of roots in the sense of movement, in fact each signifies its characteristic quality (of movement). For instance, in current Sanskrit usage we say: "Feed the Brahmin, graze the cow”, and do not say indiscriminately “Graze the Brahmin, feed the cow”, under the plea that both car and bhuj, graze and feed, have the same root-significance. There is thus a particularity in the use of words. It is true that the subtlety of difference among Vedic words having the ame root-significance is almost lost. We have to dis-cover such terms by a careful examination of many places (where they occur) i.e. by a diligent extensive enquiry, as much as we could get them. The element of secret lies in the fact that Vedic words are primarily derivative though they have acquired a certain conventional sense which makes (linguistic) transaction easy. Though terms like Agni, Indra indicate particular Gods by convention, they are used in many places as adjectives to denote their qualities. Expressions like angirastama, most Angiras, indratama most Indra, denote the derivative nature of words. Even those which are appellative by convention, indicate qualitative speciality. And it is such a state in the development) of Vedic language that led in later ages to the profusion of double-entendre in Sanskrit language. Generally words in the Veda carry, effortlessly, double or multifold meaning. But in Sanskrit language words in pun are used, as a rule, with deliberateness. Thus it must be understood that it was the original state of the language of the Rik Samhita that was favourable to the double interpretation of the Riks.

Such is the mode of the language of Riks used by the Rishis by which it was found possible to convey the inner as well as the outer meaning of the Mantras. As the gross and external sense denotes material objects (lit. objects in Nature), the inner and subtle meaning points to the inner objects, psychological, spiritual and those related to the secret elements in the higher Nature (i.e. Nature in her higher and sublime parts). We recall what we mentioned earlier that to the ancients the entire outer Existence was symbolic of the inner Existence. The outer universe was regarded with this symbolic mentality not by the Vedic Rishis alone, but elsewhere also on earth wherever human society was in its early beginnings. If we consider (this question) on the strength of researches into the antiquity (of human groups and the views of investigators into the prehistoric past) then that would make this clear beyond a shadow of doubt. Compared to the scientific civilisation of today, the state of these early peoples might well be immature and primitive; they may have been in a rudimentary state of development; they may or they may not have attained prosperity in dealings commercial or economic, but among them all there is one thing we note: in that early stage of human society the spiritual preoccupation is deep; there is a matchless strength of imagination in socio-religious convention or law; and in matters pertaining to Gods and their functionings there is seen an untutored innate awakening (an intuitive grasp) or an inner feeling companioned by a wide imagination. When, with the passage of time, the logical intellect, deliberation and the labouring of the intelligence come to the front in man, then begins the intellectual and individualistic age; then begins the retreat (lit. retirement) of the Symbolic age dominated by inner feeling and intuitive imagination. And this first or primitive age that withdrew is what we call the Symbolic age, where the entire external universe, individually and collectively, was regarded as symbolic of the inner universe. Here the term sanketa is not used in the usual śāstraic sense of vrti, the power of words, or in the sense of God’s will ordaining the actual relation of word and meaning. It is used in the common popular sense current in life, in the sense of the relation between indication and the indicated, a relation that is generally cognised by a secondary sense, gauņi vrtti. Just as when the ancients say ’life is ghee’, they mean that ghee is nourishing, similarly horses etc. indicate strength and the life. That will become clear in our elucidation of symbolic significance. Thus when it is said that to the ancients all objects, the whole of the world their customs, their social conduct and communal festivals) were symbols, what is meant is this: for every object that stands without in gross form there is a corresponding inner truth; and it is of this latter that the external gross form is called the sanketa, symbol. The symbolic significance, however, is largely arrived at by dint of the derivative significance of the Vedic words - at times through figurative speech and on occasions through the specific imagery got (lit. known from a close observation of the manner of the Deity’s vision by the Rishis (Mantra-poets) in the Mantras. We shall have occasion to deal with the system of symbolism in the forthcoming second section in more detail.

It has been stated that all that is external is symbolic of the internal. Therefore the outer sacrifice also becomes the symbol of the inner sacrifice. We shall first state the symbolic significance of the sacrifice and then enquire into the nature of the many worlds, the character and functions of the Gods etc. according to the established system of symbolism. The main features of the Sacrifice are four: the Yajamana, Sacrificer, Ritviks, the officiating priests, the offering of wealth and the fruits of the sacrifice. Of these, the Yajamana is the individual living soul with personality engaged in the sacrifice. The Ritviks carry out the sacrificial functions in the right place at the right time and help the Yajamana throughout from the beginning to the end of the sacrifice. The meaning of its component parts is apt signifying as it does the sacrificers (yaşțāraḥ means worshippers also) who worship, yaj, in due season, ṛtu. There are four orders or groups of these Ritviks in the Soma Yaga (wor-ship) viz. Hotr, Adhvaryu, Udgatr, and Brahma. Each of these groups has four Ritviks and hence they all total up sixteen. As there is no use here for this detail regarding them (the officiating priests) we shall proceed to elucidate the function of the main Ritviks, in the inner sense by mentioning the significance of the terms (lit. word-meaning) applied to them. The Hotr group is the first of the four. The Hota recites the Riks. The summoning of the Gods by means of the Riks is accomplished by him. Hence the Hota is the same as Summoner, āhvātā. By uttering the Riks which manifest the divine Word, he brings to proximity the presence of the Gods. The import is clear in the inner sacrifice. Such a Hota (summoner) is no human priest, but a Divine (priest). The Brahmanas consider the Divine Being himself to be the real priest, purohita, placed in front. The Yajnikas speak of the three worlds, Earth, Sky and Heaven, as the supporters in front, and of Agni, Vayu and Aditya as the Purohitas (priests) placed in front. So do the followers of Aitareya school hold: “He who knows the three Purohitas and three Purodhās (those who are placed and those who place in front), that Brahmana is the Purohita." (A.Br.8.27). The purport being that only he who realises that the function of the Purohita is really of the Gods, is fit to be a Purohita. Incidentally this serves also just to illustrate the fact that such profound truths are scattered here and there in ritualistic texts like the Brahmanas; that is why Agni is lauded as ’the divine Ritvik, Hota in the front’ in the first Rik of the Rig Veda of which Madhuchchhandas is the Seer. And it is this Agni who is sung hundreds of times in the Veda as the Messenger of the Gods, the Immortal in the mortals.

The second is the Adhvaryu, taking his stand on the Yajurveda. He sees to the performance of the Yajna by means of the Yajus, leads the other Ritviks in accordance with the Manual of Yajna and it is on him, the active and chief functionary, that the entire performance of sacrifice rests. He too is God, Matarishwan — Vayu who as the life-breath of the world makes all activities possible. The inner significance is easy to follow. It bears on the Life-God. Vayu, the Adhvaryu, executes in the inner sacrifice all action favourable to the activity of the Gods. Though the word adhvara has come to mean sacrifice, Yajna, yet in the Veda following the meaning of its component parts - adhvānam rāti, gives the path --- adhvara, is described as journey or pilgrimage. And the deligent Adhvaryu is he who desires or takes to such an adhvara, journey. Among all the Gods in the form of Ritviks, it is he who carries out all the action in the journey - signified by the term Adhvara.

The Udgata chants the Saman. He delights the Gods by chanting the Saman. In the inner sense, he is God Aditya who reverebrates with his chant of music by the Udgitha (lit. song lofty) pleasing to all the Gods, averts the many dangers, harms and lapses from the Yajamana, makes him self-restored and leads him on to Immortality, Truth, Ananda. The last is Brahma. He is the witness of the entire sacrificial ceremony, gives his sanction for the commencement of the ritual, gives the word of assent, OM (O yes) at the appropriate moment and place, moves not from his seat and always silent he guards the sacrifice, to the very end of its ceremony, against every sin of omission or commission, of deficiency or excess of Mantra and action in the ritual. Such in brief is the function of the Ritvik Brahma. The inner sense is obvious; the symbolic meaning is unveiled and clear. He is the God of the Mantras and in the Veda the Mantra is known as Brahma. Hence Brahmanaspati is the deity presiding over the Mantra. The causal material of all metrical Mantra is praṇava, known by the syllable OM, the word of assent.

That manifests the original Word which is the source of all Mantra. So it is Brahmanaspati, the deity presiding over the Mantras of all Deities which depend upon the aforesaid Pranava, that sanctions in supreme silence the inner Yajna of the Yajamana by a single syllable, at the beginning, at the end, all throughout.

Now the substances (of offerings) also are to be understood as symbolic. Just as the derivation of the names of Ritviks gives us their symbolic meaning of Gods etc. in the inner Yajna, so also substances that are offered to the Gods in the ritual, even things like ghee belonging to the Yajamana are symbolic and they are to be so grasped following the meaning of the component parts of the terms. The term go means both cow and ray. Hence gavya, yield of the cow, stands for brilliant light indicating knowledge. Gavya, ghṛta, clarified butter, havis, offering and the like are thus to be taken as offerings to the Gods which intimately belong to the Yajamana. Ghrta, clarified butter, gharma, heat, ghrni, ray - all these terms are derived from common roots meaning heat, brilliance. Ghịta is the brilliance of an inner grace. The verb juhoti signifies both giving and eating. What is given by the Yajamana to the Gods and eaten by Agni, the mouth of the Gods, the first-born, Immortal among the mortals, that is havis, offering, that is havaḥ, invocation. The other substances offered to the Gods are also outwardly sym-bolic of knowledge, action, happiness and enjoyment along with their means acquired by the Yajamana.

Similarly fruits (of the offering) also are to be known in their symbolic sense. Cows and horses are constantly hymned as fruits of sacrifice. The cow symbolises Illumination in the form of Light and the horse, a designation of Strength (symbolises) the capacity or power of active Force. There are other Vedic terms used in the symbolic sense. The illustrations we have given are enough to bring home that the entire Yajna, with all its limbs, is to be under-stood in the symbolic sense. And be it noted, this is supported by the derivative significance of words of the Vedic hymns. There are some other words which apparently are only psychological terms. The gross external meaning hardly fits in with the ritualistic interpretation of the Mantras in many places. But the words are consistently applicable throughout in their esoteric sense, as we shall show further on.

This in brief is the Vedic symbolism concerning the Yajna. We shall proceed to the system of the worlds in the symbolism. First there are the worlds denoted by the three vyāhịtis, Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ and Suvaḥ. Bhūḥ is the earth, Bhuvaḥ is the mid-region (antariksa) and Suvaḥ, otherwise called Svarga, is the heaven (dyauḥ). Beyond that is regarded the fourth vyāhrti -- the vast world of Light, Mahas. And still higher there are three vyährtis, Jana, Tapas, and Satya signifying the three uncreate worlds. Though the Veda refers to the seven-principles of Existence or whatever Substance exists, the seven principles of Cosmic order, the sevenfold Existence, Consciousness, Force or Consciousness-Force, worlds or guardians of the worlds, the seven hills, seven rivers, seven sisters, seven rays and seven Rishis, still it constantly speaks of the first three worlds denoted by the triple vyāhrti, Bhūḥ etc., and their Gods. And that is so because the three worlds, earth etc., are what concern us primarily, nearer to us relatively speaking, in view of the higher worlds. And this triple world is termed as the aparārdha, lower half. That is why more Riks are devoted to Agni who is the nearest and who presides over the Earth. And most Riks laud Indra the Lord of all the Gods of this triple world. Beyond these worlds and their Gods, effulgent in the supreme parardha, upper half, is the Surya, Sun - celebrated in the Vedas as the One God of all the Gods and of all the worlds; to attain him is all tapas (austerity) undertaken, all sacrifice offered. Yet Riks devoted to such a God, Lord Savitr, are but few in number. It is only the Gods of our triple world that are the main hosts in the Sacrifice.

This division of the triple world, the Earth, the Mid-region and the Heaven, comes down from the perception of the Rishis. And this outer triple world, it must be noted, is symbolic of its corresponding inner triple. This world — Bhūḥ earth, of the physical senses, is the symbol of the plane of the gross physical consciousness in the waking state known as annamaya. Dyauḥ, Heaven, is the symbol of the consciousness where is dominant the Pure Mind with an existence of its own independent of the outer world. In between the aforesaid) Heaven and Earth, the mid-region antarikșa called Bhuvaḥ symbolises Prāņa, the principle of Life-force pregnant with consciousness linking the physical with the mental Consciousness (i.e. Matter and Mind, Earth and Heaven). Thus the three worlds, denoted by the triple vyāhrti of Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ and Suvaḥ, are the manifestations of the principles of matter, life and mind in the macrocosm and the microcosm. Such in brief is the statement in essence of the symbolism of the world-order.

Now about the Gods. The many kinds of play of forces observed in Nature, whether within ourselves or without in the Cosmos executing the functions like creation etc. are all the workings of the Gods. In other words the Gods are special Powers in creation. On the exoteric side, Indra is the God of rain, his companions Maruts, the storm-gods of the Wind, Surya the solar orb, Ushas the Dawn and Agni the third element of heat and light among the five elements. So runs the common belief. There are other Gods also whose forms are spoken of though they are dubious, for instance, the identification of Mitra and Varuna as Day and Night. But on the esoteric side, the functions of these Gods which are spiritual in character e.g. special urge, nourishment, enlightenment etc. can be followed from the derivations of their appellations. Also when we examine the many legends narrated then and there in the Hymns in their figurative and allegorical and secondary meaning, their real nature and functions will become clear to us. That all the Gods are names of the one Supreme God, is not open to dispute. But they are not mere names, they are powers and personalities of the Supreme God. To the common ignorant mind Agni may mean simply the elemental fire, the physical substance of light and heat in nature. Or, he is the sacrificial fire, a superhuman personage, one of the benefactors of the Yajamana, in whose favour lie the objects of enjoyment like cows, horses, progeny, food, fame, women, gold and the rest. But to the initiate of the inner sacrifice, aware of the esoteric sense, the name Agni carries with it the derivative significance of brilliance and force. He is the first among the Gods to be awakened in us. His personality is known to us from the hymns. He is the purohita, who staying in front leads us ahead. He is the messenger of the Gods going ahead along the path, by him the esoteric sense, the name Agni carries with it the derivative significance of brilliance and force. He is the first among the Gods to be awakened in us. His personality is known to us from the hymns. He is the purohita, who staying in front leads us ahead. He is the messenger of the Gods going ahead along the path, by him we can arrive at the Gods in their respective stations. He is the face of the Gods; and it is the face that is seen first: the other deities, limbs of the supreme One, stand behind. Hence it is through Agni that the ’all-gods’ are reached. He is the mouth of the Gods and the Gods accept all our offerings through this mouth. He is the seeing Divine Will in the heart. He stands there as the Intelligence with resolute Will (characterised by certitude). Lodged in the cave of the heart, he is the direct delegate of all the Gods. When awakened from sleep, the Flame shoots upwards, he takes upon himself all the burden of whatever is to be done by the Yajamana and reaches to the Gods their respective shares of all that is offered to them. This is to be noted: all that is - macrocosmic or microcosmic - is under the control of the Gods, belongs to the Gods. All that exists in us, separately and intermingled — Mind, Life, Matter (body) including any combination of their elements with their causal material provided by the Cosmos and included in it, are under the control of the Gods who are the Cosmic Powers, the Functionaries. Hence all that is offered by the Yajamana — know-ledge, skill in works, means of enjoyment etc. — is really offered to the Gods, as belonging to them, for no part whatever belongs in fact to the Yajamana, the whole universe itself being the property of the Gods. Thus in the end the Yajamana offers his own self. The Brahmanas also speak of the Yajamana, at times, as the yūpa, sacrificial post. Even the animal to be sacrificed is referred to as substitute for the Yajamana. There are passages to be found in the Brahmanas which state the Yajamana redeems his own self by the sacrifice to all the Gods. Thus say the Aitareyins: "The Yajamana is the yūpa. He is the stone or rock. Agni is the womb of the Gods. Born of the offerings made through Agni, the womb of the Gods, the Yajamana with body of gold rises upwards to the world of Heaven.” (Ait.Br. 2.6.3) The Kaushitakins also say: "He who sacrifices attains the mouth of Agni and Soma; sacrificing, on the fasting day, the animal for Agni and Soma, he redeems his self. Thus redeeming himself, free from obligation, he carries on the sacrifice.” (10.3) Similarly reads the Aitareya Brahmana: “He who sacrifices, offers himself to all the Gods; Agni is all the Gods.” (2.6.3)

Such is Agni, the messenger of all the Gods, the mouth through which they partake of their shares in the offerings at the Sacrifice. At first, finding his birth in the Yajamana and placed in the van-guard of the sacrifice — the leader, the eternal Son (Kumara) of the supreme Lord, the Flame of aspiration that rises in the heart of all creatures, he the Agni flames upward and thither leads the Yajamana. So do Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Soma, Ashvins, Maruts, Ribhus and the other Gods duly carry out their respective functions in place according to the authority vested in them of the One supreme God, Savitr; of Him these Gods are many names and are like limbs distinct and clear, personalities of the Impersonal. We shall take up some of these by way of illustration. If Agni as the Divine Will in the heart, seven-tongued, having authority over the seven stations, Immortal among the mortals, ever-moving, the Guest, starting from our earth-plane ascends the Heaven, Indra the Lord of the heaven, mighty Power of the Gods, presiding over the divine Mind, descends with his lightnings, showers the sumptuously life-giving rains, destroys, as the Hero, the Asuras like Vritra that cover and obstruct all life and light, unveils and releases truths that are covered and imprisoned and causes the realisation (lit. direct perception) of the Sun, the Lord of the Supreme Truth.

Soma is the Deity presiding over Rasa, the essential delight, the Lord of Immortal Beatitude. The Gods betake themselves to the sap of delight that is the essential element of all beings in creation the nectar by which they attain immortality. That is why the Yajamana extracts the rasa and offers it to the Gods whose food is amýta, nectar, the essence, the rasa of all his knowledge, dynamism and vitality, indicated by the term Soma. And this immortal delight known as Soma becomes the food of the Gods. The eater of the food, be it noted, is of course the Agni, the mouth of all the Gods. Thus it is said, appropriately, in the Brahmanas: “Soma is the food, Agni is the eater of the food.” The kind of passages such as “Agni is all the Gods, Soma is all the Gods”, is clear in its import when read in the esoteric sense. Similarly the other Gods. Varuna as the all-pervading Lord is disposer of complete purity and removes all sin. Mitra is the God of Felicity who by his luminous power of love and companionship brings about harmony among all impulsions and activities and experiences, inner and outer. There are other Gods and we shall consider their characteristics in appropriate places. The Gods are not only male ones; there are female goddesses also celebrated in the Veda. The Shaktis, Powers of Agni, Indra, Varuna and others are the goddesses Agnayi, Indrani, Varunani etc. Besides there are lauded some who are Female deities in their own right. For instance there is Aditi the Infinite, Creatrix of all beings, Mother of the Gods, the Prime Goddess. Also to be noted are Goddesses, Ila, Mahi, Sarasvati, Sarama and others. The distinction between the Male and Female deities lies in this that the former actuate (cause to act), impel and get the work done while the latter execute the works.

We have so far dwelt in brief on the esoteric theme of the Vedas based on Symbolism, as applied to the sacrifice, the system of the worlds and the Gods. Even this too brief a sketch, hardly more than a pointer in the direction, cannot be complete without quoting even though in substance a few cardinal passages from Sri Aurobindo, the seer of the secret of the Veda. Here are the statements (in translation from Sanskrit):

What then is the substance of the Veda as yielded by the esoteric interpretation ?

This is the first, the central teaching: the central aim, with which accords all the rest in the Veda, is the seeking after the attainment of the Truth, Immortality, Light. There is a Truth higher and deeper than the truth of the outer existence, there is a Light greater and higher than the light of human understanding which comes by extraordinary and transhuman sight, hearing. There is an Immortality towards which the human soul has to rise. We have to find our way to that and get into touch with that Truth and Immortality. We have to be new-born into the truth, to grow in it, to ascend in spirit into the World of Truth and live in it. Such a realisation alone is to pass from mortality to Immortality, to unite with the supreme God-head.

Here is the second doctrine of the Mystics: there is an inferior truth of this world because it is mixed with much falsehood. There is another higher truth, the Home of Truth — "The Truth, the Right, the Vast” as described (taught) in the Mantras. True know-ledge there is termed ṛta-cit, Truth-Consciousness. And there are other worlds. But the highest is the World of Truth and Light. This is the World celebrated as the Svar, the Great Heaven. We have to find the path therefore to this Great Heaven.

And this is the substance of the third Doctrine:

In the world-journey our life is a battle-field of the Devas and the Asuras; the Gods are the powers of Truth, Light and Immortality and the Asuras, the powers of the opposing Darkness. These are Vritra, Vala, the Panis, the Dasyus and their kings. We have to call in the aid of the Gods to destroy these powers of Darkness who cover the Light. We have to invoke the Gods in the inner sacrifice by the Voice potent with the power of the Mantra. To them offering of whatever is ours is made; receiving all that is given by them in return, we shall be enabled and competent to ascend the path of the goal.

Finally, this is the supreme secret of the Vedic Rishis: at the summit of all the mystic teaching is “The One Reality’, ’That One’ which later became the central goal of the Rishis of the Upanishads, taught with explanation in detail.

This in essence is the central thought of the Veda in its esoteric sense, presented here for the benefit of those who choose to follow the line of interpretation of Mantras methodised by Sri Aurobindo. It is an invaluable guide to those who fail to find satisfaction in Sayana’s explanations and fixing of meaning of the Mantras or to those who are not satisfied with the fanciful theories regarding the import of the Vedic Mantras and the character of its Gods pro-pounded with a good deal of conjectural mixture by western scholarship. And again, for those who desire to get at the inner meaning of hymns with Sayana’s aid itself and seek the road that leads to the riches of occult and spiritual truths covered under symbolic imagery, it is hoped this summary will prove of utmost use as a signpost for direction.

SECTION TWO

In the foregoing Section we have stated in brief the thesis of the Esoteric Interpretation of the Veda while considering and meeting the objections of the other side represented by (and under the influence of modern thought and new schools of research and scholarship. We will see how far the thesis of the secret in the Veda is strengthened by scriptures of Sruti (revealed authority) beginning with the Rig Veda, and covering the Brahmanas and Upanishads, the Nirukta, Brihad Devata and other standard works and the pronouncements of the Dharma Mimamsakas. Some questions arise forthwith: and in answering them with due deliberation we shall examine and buttress the thesis of the esoteric import of the Mantras based on the symbolic significance of words in the Rig Veda.

How is it that the Rig Veda alone of the four Vedas is taken up for enquiry? Does it imply that for you also it is the only true Veda as it is indeed so esteemed by western scholars? If not, how not? Is the whole basis of Dharma Mimamsa wrong? Then how are we to account for the longstanding stronghold of the Doctrine of the Mimamsakas? Is the understanding that the Mantras are holy and command reverence due to their hoary antiquity alone ? And what is the main subject-matter that is arrived at by scrutinising the meanings of the Riks? Surely there are many kinds of Mantras according to the ancients like Niruktakaras (etymologists); if so, how can it be said that the whole body of the hymnal texts is a store of mystic knowledge including knowledge of the Gods, spiritual and occult? If it is maintained that by grasping the symbolic meaning of words, the heterogeneous character of the Mantras apparent on the surface is dissolved with the unveiling of their real secret, then what are those symbols? How are they not mere conjectures? Is there basis for such a line of esoteric interpretation in the Veda itself? Rig Vedic hymns apart, is there elsewhere in Vedic literature any authority for attaching the symbolic sense to the Vedic conventional religion, Vedic sacrifice and the Vedic hymns? And what is the real character of Gods ? What is the religion and philosophy of the Vedic Rishis in modern terms with which we are familiar? Are we to condemn as futile all the labours of modern Indian scholars of note (worthy of praise) engaged in the study and research of the Vedas along modern western lines? Again, in the long period between the Vedic Rishis and ourselves has there been no attempt at all to probe into the secret of the Vedic hymns? We shall discuss these questions in full and answer them, for by so doing the thesis of the esoteric interpretation will be confirmed. To this purpose we shall devote the second and the third Sections.

THE RIG VEDA

It is a fact that there are four Samhitas (collections) of the Vedas. How is it then that the Triad of the Vedas is spoken? The triple classification relates to the Mantras while the fourfold to the Samhitas, the collections of the Mantras. What are the Mantras ? There must be some distinguishing characteristic which determines what is a Mantra and what is not (or, which decides the point definitely, ’this is Mantra, this is not’). Though some have generally defined the Mantra, it is quite general (not absolute and strict definition). That is a Mantra “which the Rishis, knowers of the Triad, know to be Riks, Samans and Yajus.” Shabaraswami holds that those that are not pronounced to be Mantras by acknowledged authority are no Mantras. The purport is that the word of those of recognised merit alone is the deciding authority in the appraisal of the Mantras. The character of the Mantras — Riks, Yajus, Samans — as stated in Jaimini’s aphorisms is: "That is a Rik where the line (a foot in the metrical verse) is regulated by the sense; that set to music is Saman, the rest are Yajus.” (II.1.35, 36, 37.) This is the substance. The Mantras in metrical forms are Riks, Riks chan-ted are Samans and the rest of the Mantras in prose are Yajus. This is the threefold classification following which the Vedas are spoken of as trayi, triad. It is common knowledge that the collection of Riks is the Rig Veda Samhita, that of Yajus the Yajus Samhita that of the Saman the Sama Veda Samhita. There is another, the fourth the Atharva Veda Samhita which contains Riks and Yajus. Many of the Riks of the Rik Samhita are to be found in the Atharva Veda Samhita. Similarly some of the Yajus also are found in the fourth Samhita. The Mantras that are hallowed by inclusion in the Vedic triad are admittedly applicable in the Sacrifice. But those Mantras which are to be found only in the Atharva Veda are reputed to promote the ends of man and to be meant for other purposes. But on that account they do not lose the character of the Veda, as the Fourth Samhita also is a Veda Samhita. We said that most of the Riks therein are from the Rig Veda and a few from the Yajur Veda. Hence if the Rik Samhita is commented upon, the substance of the Riks in the Atharva Veda also is given out. And there is no purpose in explaining the remaining Riks in the Atharva Samhita in as much as they are of no utility in sacrifice, the sacrifice according to our exposition being a Symbol. We are here concerned only with the Trayi (triad) that is connected with the Sacrifice. The mystic symbolism of the Rig Veda may apply to the Mantras of the Atharva, but we do not need to consider it here. The Sama Veda is not considered separately for the reason that almost all the Riks in the collection are of the Rik Samhita. The Yajus alone remains. And if we do not take it up for consideration there is good reason for it. An enquiry into the Yajurveda has an uncertain value for our purpose. Our purpose is to unveil the symbolism employed by the Rishis and thereby to elucidate the inner meaning of the Mantras, the real character of the Gods and the goal of man as envisaged by the forefathers of the race. All this is easier to grasp from a scrutiny of the language of the Rik Mantras. The symbolism and language of the Yajurveda are not always uniform or easy of understanding. There is another difficulty in taking up the Yajus. The Black Yajurveda of the Taittiriya school consists of both the Mantras and Brahmanas whereas our enquiry relates to Mantras alone and not to the Brahmanas with or without the Upanishads. In the Yajurveda the Mantras are read along with the Brahmanas that are useful (for application) in rituals. This Samhita of the Taittiriyas is not a collection of Mantras alone, unlike the Rik Samhita etc. Even a collection of Mantras and Brahmanas goes under the name of Samhita.

It is a matter of no dispute whatever that the Brahmanas set out to explain the Mantras with their ritualistic slant. Even though their mode of interpretation brings out clearly the symbolic meaning of the Mantras, it will be evident to thinking minds that the Brahmanas hold the Mantras to be solely for purposes of ritual in the Sacrifice. That is why Sayana wrote his commentary on the Mantras taking the Brahmanas for his basis. Hence our enquiry for ascertaining the meaning of the Mantras has no place for enquiry into that of the Black Yajurveda which consists of Mantras and Brahmanas. The Brahmanas show only the ritualistic use of the Mantras and not the meaning hidden in them. There is another interesting fact if we but recall the story of Yajnavalkya. This we shall state in brief. He returned to his Guru Vaishampayana the Yajurveda that he had learnt from him. While being returned the Veda came out of him in the shape of tittiri birds. Then he undertook penance, and pleased with ii, God Aditya appeared in the form of a Horse (vāji) and revealed to him the Shukla (white) Yajurveda consisting purely of Mantras, without the Brahmanas. Hence it is known as the Vajasaneyi Samhita. The (full) story is not given here for want of space; it is be found in the Vishnu Purana in detail (3.5). We presume that it was Yajnavalkya’s view that the Brahmanas which support (or invigorate the ritualistic side shall not be included in the body of the Veda Samhita. The Brahmanas may remain separate even as the Brahmanas of other branches stay separate from their corresponding Mantra Samhitas. If the Krishna Yajus Samhita includes in it the Brahmana which is avowedly for ritual acts, karma, the Shukla Yajus Samhita, as if in rivalry, incorporates in it the Ishavasya Upanishad, the only Upanishad of a Veda Samhita which avowedly treats of Brahman. Thus the surmise is reasonable that some of the ancients did not consider it proper to include Brahmanas in the Mantra Samhitas. The inclusion of the Brahmana in the Taittiriya Samhita had far-reaching consequences: it led to confirm and establish in the socio-religious system of later-day India, the doctrine of the Sutra literature, that the Veda consists of both the Mantras and the Brahmanas. Herein is to be found the seeds of the later doctrine of the supremacy of the ritual, according to which the Veda consists of both the Karma and Jnana Kandas, the Karma Kanda comprising the Brahmanas and the Mantra Samhita and the Jnana Kanda being the Upanishad - a position which was accepted by all the Sutrakaras (authors of Dharma Sutras) and the Acharyas of later times.

It is not that we subscribe to the views of the western scholars who do not recognise the scriptural authority of the Yajurveda. The Yajus too are Mantras; we do not disregard the Veda, be it Rik or Yajus or Atharva. The reason why our enquiry does not extend to the Mantras of the Yajus branch is that it is of no avail for our purpose. But on that account we do not consider the Yajur Mantras as no Veda at all. On the other hand we do recognise — our view is firm and unshaky - the purifying and sacred character of the Mantra portions as did the Agamikas before us (Vaidic, Shaivic etc.), who incorporated in their system of Japa, Parayana etc. Mantras of Rudra Adhyaya and other sections, witness for instance the famous Panchakshara (five-syllabled) and the Ashtakshara (eight-syllabled) Mantras which are from the Yajus.

Now the field of our enquiry is the Samhita of the Riks. To say this is not to deprecate the scriptural value of other branches of the Veda. All the material needed for us is obtained only from the Rig Veda. Here the language is antique; the systematic symbolism of the Rishis is not difficult to grasp; their spiritual knowledge and strength are easy of access; and the true character of the Gods is within the reach of discriminating knowledge. There is another important reason. Yajus is the Veda for the act of sacrifice, that is why it is called adhvaryu-sakhả (the vedic branch of the adhvaryu priests). The adherents of the Yajus themselves admit the primacy of the Riks in the case of sacrifice and say: "Whatever is achieved, in the Sacrifice, by Yajus and Saman is loose; what is done by the Rik is firm, strong” (Taitt. Sam. 6.5.10). Again, this is to be noted. Along with Riks, there are the Yajus and Samans for the sacrifice. The modern view of the historian that the Yajurveda came later than the Rig Veda is not correct. In the Rik Samhita itself there is mention of the Yajus and the Samans. There is no Yajna without the trayi, triad of Rik, Yajus and Saman. It is not possible to per-form the Sacrifice leaving any one of the three; they are inseparable in the sacrifice. In the outer sacrifice the triad has its use and the users have their place. The triad has its place in the inner sacrifice as well. We shall presently make it clear. It must be borne in mind that the pre-eminence of the Riks (Rig Veda) in considering the province of sacrifice, the sacrificial act, the Gods, the fruit and other secrets, is proclaimed not only by the Taittiriya Samhita but by all the Brahmanas of the Adhvaryu Shakha when they declare a hundred times: "It is so affirmed by the Rik.” It need hardly be added that the Upanishads with their sole object of knowledge laud the pre-eminence of the Riks in matters relating to knowledge. Phrases such as "so it is said by the Rishi”, “this is the verse", “there are the Mantras in this connection", "thus said the Rishi about this", "so it is laid down", directly underline the supremacy of the Riks of the seers of the Mantras.

The triad of the Rik, Yajus and Sama Vedas has a symbolic meaning in the inner sacrifice and this is explained now. We hear of the Vedas as the "exhalation of this great Being, Brahman". We learn from Brahmanas like the Aitareya and the Shatapatha that the Rik, Yajus and Saman are the respective manifestations of the Gods Agni, Vayu and Aditya presiding over the three worlds denoted by the triple vyāhrti of bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ and svar. What is the intention ? We said in the first Section while dealing with the symbolic significance of the Yajna, that Ritviks like Hota and others are Gods; here the functionings of the Gods of the three Vedas are affirmed. Agni is the vicar who invokes the Gods; he is the lord of vāk, speech; all Riks are included in that vāk, by that vāk the glory of the Gods is sung and their truths are brought to light; by that vāk flaming forth the abode of the Gods, Heaven, svar, is reached. Aditya presides over the Saman, he chants loud and leads the Yajamana triumphantly among the Gods by means of sweet harmonies of the music lulling him into the rhythmic ecstasy of the bliss of Truth. In between the Earth with its presiding Agni and the Heaven with its Aditya, is Vayu presiding over the mid-region, the Master of all activity who executes the work of sacrifice by means of the Yajus. He is himself the Adhvaryu, Priest of the Gods. That accounts for the importance of Yajus in the sacrificial rite. By the Riks, the words of Conscious Voice, the worship is effected; by Saman the Yajamana is lifted up to the delightful, ecstatic higher melodies, to the lofty note known as Udgitha; and by the Yajus the Yajna, worship by action, is carried out. All this is done by the Gods as the respective Ritviks, Priests. These are the three Gods, Agni, Vayu and Aditya who as Hota, Adhvaryu and Udgata respectively use the Rik, Yajus and Saman in the inner sacrifice. And it must be understood that this is the true sacrifice which is established symbolically in the exoteric worship by the ancient Rishis for the practice of those who are not competent for the mystic knowledge.

DHARMA MIMAMSA

The Purva Mimamsakas, holding as they do that the name Veda applies to both the Mantras and the Brahmanas and not to the Mantras alone, would not subscribe to our thesis of the estoeric interpretation of the Veda. Their position and ours are poles apart. Their conclusions are diametrically opposed to the basic principles that govern our approach to the symbolic and secret meaning of the Veda. We rely on the primary importance of the Mantras, but we concede to the Brahmanas their role of the ritualistic purpose. Thus the word Veda primarily signifies the Mantra Samhita. It is our aim to arrive at the secret of the Veda by enquiring into the meaning of the Riks. The enquiry of the Mimamsakas however is made into the meaning of the Brahmana passages. And though we are not concerned with any detailed examination of the doctrine, still there is something to be considered about the fundamental principle with which they start viz. enquiry into the knowledge of Dharma. Desiring to acquire this knowledge they proceed to enquire into the Vedas on the principle — legitimate in itself — that all Veda is the basis of Dharma. There is no dispute about the Veda being the basis of Dharma. It is the connotation of the word Dharma that is to be considered. They identify it with the socio-religious convention of their times and hold Vedic ritualism to be the supreme Vedic doctrine. This is their argument: the knowledge of Dharma is obtained from the Veda and this Supreme Dharma is enshrined in the Veda as the Sacrifice. The Yajamana offers to the Gods his wealth, and even all that he has as is done in the Vishvajit Yaga. By this Karma the Yajamana reaps the fruit of Heaven. The donor of the fruit is an unseen power, apūrva, something that gives the fruits generated by the work. We need not further discuss this subject of Dharma nor concern ourselves with some of the most fantastic doctrines of the Mimamsakas. Their views on the Heaven, the Gods, the character of the Mantra, eternality of the Veda, the unavoidable necessity of assuming a soul in the body but different from it, the absence of any necessity of God to the world and to the beings, the downright and absolute realism of the world as a matter-of-fact etc. are testimony to the unbridled nature of their doctrines.

What precisely is this Dharma whose knowledge is got from the Veda alone? If it is the ceremonial sacrifice that is really the truth of the supreme Dharma revealed by the Vedas, then it was never applied and is never applicable to all peoples in all ages but was confined to a corner of the globe peopled necessarily by a portion of mankind. Such a Dharma of sacrificial ritual, then, applies obviously to a particular period; it is not universal or eternal. It is this character of Dharma that has been determined by the Dharma-Shastrakaras. Drawing upon the Brahmanas for their support, for their congregational sessions and community of reli-gious worship, they systematised the ways and means of establishing this Dharma and called them the command of the Veda, vidhi, injunction, codanā26. From this Shrauta Dharma rose many Dharmas like smārta and grhya, which served the purpose of a standing consti-tution for social polity, religion, and statecraft. And in this sense the Veda can indeed be the basis of all Dharma. It is certainly edifying that in the old society there was a universal understanding in regard to Dharma, both individually and collectively. But there is no doubt whatever that the original arrangement based on the inclusion of both the Mantra and Brahmana in the signification of the Veda, led to much difficulty in later times. The original error of the Sutrakaras was neither recognised nor rectified. All the same it is an error by which the belief gained ground among the enquirers into the meaning of the Veda that the Mantras are for the sole purpose of application in the ritual, and they are to be interpreted in the ritualistic and no other sense. We could now see how the inclusion of the Brahmans in the Taittiriya Samhita alone, in spite of the fact that there are other Samhitas (without the Brahmanas) like the Rig Veda, led to unfortunate consequences. The true and inner meaning of the Yajna which is the real great Dharma gradually came to be eclipsed inevitably by the outer sacrifice of the Shrauta Dharma. That is how all the Acharyas (leaders of spiritual and philosophical thought) that came in the course of ages, had to reckon with the conception of Veda as having two Kandas (Sections), and the Mantra Samhitas being incorporated in the Karma Kanda, they came to recognise only the Upanishads as the Jnana Kanda.

But once we look into the inner meaning of Yajna, keeping separately the outer sacrifice as symbolic, then its universal character becomes plain; the fact becomes quite apparent that, that is the truth of the Eternal creative Spirit, the Yajna Dharma, the Law of Sacrifice, by which the Purusha offered the substance of his own being for the world-creation. For what else is the meaning of the Mantras of the Purusha Sukta ? Though the language of the Purusha Sukta is, relatively to other hymns, generally easier and clearer in meaning, still it is not a solitary instance in the Rik Samhita (the Book of ten divisions of more than a thousand hymns, which gives us the idea of creation by the supreme Law (Truth) of Sacrifice. We see it a hundred times in the hymnal text of the Rig Veda: when the Rishi offers to the Gods something of himself, he knows that he is leaving behind the human, the mortal in him to that extent and assumes (receives) the immortal element correspondingly. By accepting his offering the Gods accept the Yajamana himself to that extent and manifest themselves in him. If by the sacrifice the mortal becomes the immortal, the Gods who are first born in creation as cosmic Powers, also take their second birth in man (dvijanmānaḥ). This mutual exchange is the secret of Yajna, by which creation everywhere subsists (lit. is maintained). The secret of Yajna lies in this Law of Interchange, of give - and take, which upholds the mutual relation of spiritual commerce between the individual and the collectivity, the macrocosm and the microcosm, the soul and the Gods or the here and the hereafter, keeps all activity going and sustains all existence. When the Deity is addressed by the Rishis in comradeship, “We invoke thee our friend”, there is commenced, we must note, a direct intimate relation of mutual entry between both. This ancient truth of Yajna, encrusted with the passage of time, got laid low under the doctrines of the ritualists. And the Gita sets out to recover it from this miserable state and make of it a luminuous truth no longer under veil. It proclaims:

“Together with Yajna, the Lord of creatures created creatures and spoke of old, ‘by this shall you bring forth (fruits of offspring), let this be the cow of plenty, the milker of your desires. By this foster the Gods and let the Gods foster you; fostering each other you shall attain to the supreme good,’’ (III. 10–11)

Such being the case, it might be urged; the significance of the Yajna as expounded in the Gita does not really apply to the Vedic sacrifice; such a subtle meaning came to be read into the Yajna in later times with the development (lit. rise) of spiritual and philosophical thought. But this is not to be thought of so. It is true that the Bhagavad Gita, the epitome of the Vedanta, effects a reconciliation of many philosophical systems with Vedanta. And in so doing, it undoubtedly reveals all the deep wisdom, happy discrimination, firm grasp of the truth and straightforward adherence to it, required to reconcile and harmonise so many kinds of philosophy. To say that the character of Yajna as stated in the Gita is not in fact the Vedic meaning of Yajna is tantamount to attributing to the scripture (Gita) falsehood or wrong understand-ing — an utterly unjust and reckless position that no right thinking mind would take up. Though the teaching of the Gita is directed towards a reconciliation (or harmonisation) throughout, yet it is not neutral in matters that are blameworthy; it condemns what deserves to be condemned and supports what is to be supported. It censures the Vedists who are unwise and simply repeat the flowery speech that there is nothing else besides sacrifice, ritual (11. 42). It says that people who believe only in Karma, work, who are not qualified to enter into the mystery of the Veda, men who are ignorant, are not to be disturbed in their ignorance (III. 26). It holds the Mantras in reverence and maintains that the central message of all the Vedas is the attainment of the supreme Lord (XV. 15). Besides, it is not to be supposed that only a text like the Gita aiming at liberation, Moksha, explains the truth of the Yajna in this way. We find that even in later Dharma Shastras devoted to works and rituals, socio-religious conventions, the idea of a secret knowledge embedded in the Vedic rituals is expounded. A passage in Manu Smriti beginning with "Study of the Veda" says: "All these (rites) are included and totally implied in the Vedic Karma Yoga - each in its corresponding ritual” (12. 83–87). That this refers to the character of rituals as symbols of yogic discipline, is clear beyond a shadow of doubt. The text uses the term Karma Yoga (for Vedic rituals) exactly in the manner of the Gita. We need not go here into the question whether the Gita is earlier than the Smriti text or vice versa. What is doubtless clear and unequivocal is this much that both point to the fact that the outer rituals stand as cloaks of the inner discipline — Sadhana.

Is there any doubt that the inner meaning of the Vedic works of sacrifice is brought to light in ancient works, the Brahmanas, Puranas and the Mahabharata ? It is only when the ritualists established for the Brahmanas a supreme place in the Veda and believed them to be the main Veda that the doctrine of works in the form of the Vedic sacrifice as the supreme Dharma laid down in the Veda began to take root. This brought about the thorough screening of the secret of the Vedic sacrifice; the Mantras, in the hands of the unthinking priestcraft, remained solely for purposes of ritual. With the establishment, after great labours, of the ritualistic character of the Mantras and Brahmanas by the Purva Mimamsakas, the Acharyas of later ages — even the comparatively recent ones came to hold that the authority of knowledge was to be found in the Upanishads alone. We have examined and stated this before. Though for purposes of dialectical professions Vedic sacrifice is said to be the sole Vedic creed, fortunately no Mimamsaka contents himself with believing that the supreme purpose of life could be achieved by ritual. So, these exponents of the ritualistic creed were Mimamsakas for dialectical professions, but Vedantins in faith, believers in God. And they reconcile this contradiction resulting from the bisection (of creed) by resort to the doctrine (philosophy) of action without attachment, enunciated in the Gita. Still, the orthodox Mimamsakas will only maintain that there is nothing higher than Dharma, and that Dharma lies in Yajna; the know-ledge of Yajna is obtained from the Veda and from its performance results the attainment of Heaven; the question of God or the Supreme Soul does not arise at all and the Upanishads do but extol the Vedic Rite and are only vidhi-seșa, subsidiary to Brah-manas (Vedic commands).

Then, it is no exaggeration to say that all groups of Pundits look upon with esteem the skill in debate with subtle reasonings of the Mimamsakas. They are ingenious in explaining inconvenient difficult texts for maintaining the position - this is not disputed. That the Vedas are eternal, every sentence and every word and every syllable, is their well-known doctrine. In establishing the eternality of the Veda they maintain that even letters beginning with a are all eternal. If that be so there could be in the Veda no mention of historical happenings and proper names as also narratives of incidents. If it be asked how the uncreated character of the Veda could be maintained in such contexts, the Mimamsakas reply that it can be, since the meaning is grasped through its secondary (figurative) sense. In a passage like "Babara Pravahani (son of Pravahana) desired”, if it be pointed out that this work could not be anterior to the birth of Babara, and hence the Veda is not eternal, Shabaraswami replies that the word Babara is not a proper name at all. He says: "He who makes (something) flow, yaḥ pravāhayati, is prāvāhani; Babara is an onomatopoeic word. Therefore both these words denote an eternal object.” (Shabara Bhashya I.I.31). He comments that the onomatopoeic word has been mistaken to be a proper name. To turn to the ingenuity of the commentator in explaining occurrences: there is a passage in the Taittiriya Samhita which states: Prajapati the Creator drew out his omentum (II.1.1.). The commentary reads: Prajapati must be some eternal object, wind; sky or sun. He drew out his own ome-ntum which is the rains, wind or the rays. He threw it in fire which is lightning or earthly fire. Out of it arose the goat, that is the food, seed or creeper. Obtaining it and using it men get possession of cattle. All these are figurative words (11.1.10). This is an instance of skill in subtle reasoning of the Mimamsaka; this is how when confronted with difficulty in justifying the eternality of the Veda, they resort to the argument of secondary (figurative meaning and cleverly explain an occurrence, historical or fanciful, in such a way as would fit in with their position that the Vedas are eternal — thus they discharge their task. But here is an astonishing fact. By means of this figurative sense, resorting to metaphor and allegory, they establish but the symbolic nature of occurrences. In the thesis of the esoteric meaning of the Vedas also, the secondary sense, based mainly on the derivative significance of the Vedic words, is resorted to for establishing the symbolic meaning. But there is this difference between the two; the former is the gross external symbolic meaning leading to the establishment of ritualism; the later is the inner, subtler, symbolic sense leading to the achievement of occult knowledge. Suffice it to say that after all their enormous labours of cosmic magnitude the Mimamsakas have only brought out the proverbial mouse of the mountain’s labour as the fruit devoid of juice.

We have had to say this much regarding the Purva Mimamsaka doctrine as even scholars of modern education believe in the authority of the Mimamsakas for explaining the Mantras. Not knowing the very basis of the Mimamsaka Doctrine, they not merely themselves believe that there is no esoteric or symbolic meaning in the Veda, but make others also share the view and lead them astray. Therefore this must be borne in mind. If the Veda means pre-eminently the Brahmanas, Brahmanas along with the Mantras, then the Purva Mimamsa which lives, so to say, on the Shrauta Sutras and Dharma Sastras (themselves offshoots of 9 130 Rig-Bhashya Bhumika--Section Two the Brahmanas) is the authority for enquiry into the Vedas. If on the other hand the Veda means, primarily, the Mantra-perceptions, Riks or Yajus, whose glory is reflected in the Brahmanas along with the Aranyakas — treatises dealing with Ritual and Knowledge, then surely the Purva Mimamsa is no authority on the interpretation of the Veda consisting mainly of Mantras. Such being the system of enquiry into the meaning of the Brahmanas, a system far from the spirit of enquiry into matters of spiritual concern, devoid of cultivation for the practical means and realisation of God, remotest from the very thought of the universally accepted supreme object of life — how can it be competent to assume the voice of authority in any examination of the import that is the secret of the Veda ?

THE MANTRA

The Riks then are the Mantra-perceptions of the Rishis cast in metrical mould. The object (or meaning) on which the Rishis meditated, the purpose for which they led the bodily life. the goal they fixed (and established) as the aim for the well-being (Beatitude) of their followers and posterity, that object (meaning), that purpose, that aim can be understood from the text of the Rig Vedic hymns. They may be what are called poetical compositions but they are certainly not the kind of literary compositions we are familiar with. Nor is it right to look upon these poets as composers such as are quite common everywhere in all ages and countries, even in our own day. This is no mere tradition. The Riks themselves proclaim that the Hymns are packed with truths perceivable only by the subtle intellect, related to subtler worlds (not visible to the outer eye), the presiding Gods and their subtle laws. It is a mystic tradition that if one acquires competence for entry into the occult path, he could have direct access even while living in the body, to these subtler worlds organised in a hierarchic order and their Gods. These Mantras are renowned as the seeings — mantra-drști, and the Rishi is the seer of the Mantra. The Rishi not merely sees; he also hears. He finds too the right word to express the truth he has perceived. Therefore the Rishi in the Veda is known as the Kavi, the seer of what transcends the senses (understanding). This seer of the beyond is also the hearer of the truth; therefore that the Poet-seers are truth-hearers, kavayaḥ satya-śrutaḥ is famous in the Veda. This seeing and hearing of the Rishis is not of the ordinary kind. The eye and ear of the Rishi are of an uncommon kind and so is the poetry manifested through them. The hymnal poetry is unusual, different from other poetry - even from the most superb specimen full of power, of delectable sense and delightful phrase and aesthetic appeal. It is not permissible, for this reason, to class Vedic hymns with poetry of a literary and aesthetic kind. There is reason for the special excellence of the hymnal poetry which lies in its Mantra character. The power of the Mantra is special. The meaning of the Mantra may not be very high to our ordinary view the language of the Mantra may not be of a very high splendour, the idea suggested may not be very deep and its metrical diction may not be strikingly rhythmic27. Still the power of the Mantra does not suffer. That this faith in the power of the Mantra) has taken deep roots in the Indian peoples, God-believing and orthodox, from the Vedic times to our own days, is a fact that admits of no doubt whatever. This tradition of the Mantras was guarded by later teachers and their followers. Such is the established faith in the greatness of the Mantra-power that some even consider that there is no necessity of enquiring into the meaning of the Mantra since the manifestation of its potency is not dependent on the understanding of its import. It is an ancient belief that the Mantra is an extra-ordinary means of achieving all the ends of life. It is said that the “Veda is an uncommon means of realising what is desired and warding off what is undesirable”. Here the word Veda signifies primarily the Mantra. Why is the greatness of the Mantra described thus ? The Vedic Rishis, though mainly devoted to spiritual discipline, were also well versed in the practice of occult knowledge and secret sciences. They believed that outer results could be produced by inner means and that thought and word could be so used as to bring about realisations of every kind. That is why while most of the Mantras are used for sacrificial purposes, there are many that are used, for the attainment of (other) results not connected with Yajna (lit. outside Yajna). Thus it is that the Mantras are sacred not because of their mere antiquity but of their intrinsic power and also of their being the seeings of the Rishi. Again some hold that the sacredness and power of the Mantras is due to their sound-substance being the body of the Gods. This too is possible. But the real greatness of the Mantra lies, as we learn from the Mantras themselves, in the mode of its coming to expression. There is a Rik of Dirghatamas declaring that the abode of the Mantra is the supreme Ether known as Akshara, unmoving, where dwell all the Gods; and for him who knows this not, the Riks have no use. Here is the Rik: "The Riks abide in the Immutable, supreme Ether where are seated all the Gods; what can he do with the Rik who knows not that? Those who know that are indeed here assembled.” (1.164.39) There is this another Rik in the same hymn: "The voice, vāk: is measured out in four steps; the Brahmanas that are wise know them. Three of them concealed in the profound secrecy cause no movement; the fourth step is what men call the human speech." (1.164.45) The import of this Rik is profound. The Kavi, the seer of the Mantra, delves deep into the inner ocean of the heart, has direct perception of the Home of the Gods, the Fourth Plane and expresses the truths he sees in the words of inspiration that are heard, on the acquisition of the primal Word. Thus there are four stations or steps of the vāk, Speech, that sets out from the supreme station of the Unmoving. Of these, three stations are concealed in the secrecies, secret, not audible to the human ear and the fourth one, in its descent, is the human speech. All the four stages of Speech are known to the Rishi, one who has control of mind, who is consecreated in the secret and inmost parts of his being, not to any other. Thus is it famous that Mantras were not made but were seen by the Kavi, the Seer, the satyaśrut. And because the paramam vyoma, supreme ether, the abode of the Gods and the original source of the Speech of the Riks, is not a creation of any-one, the Veda Mantras manifested out of it are also by courtesy identified with it, said to be eternal. The paramam vyoma has been there before the appearance and after the disappearance of the Rishi, the seer of the Mantra. It does not depend (for its existence) on the seer; on the other hand, the perception of the Mantra is possible because of it. The Mantra-word and its inalienable meaning are there in the sublime spaces of Ether, self-existent but their manifestation depends upon the achievement and competence of the Rishi. That is how we see frequent mention made in the Rik Samhita of the Rishi as the author of the Mantra e.g. “O Seer, by the lauds of the hymn-composers.” (IX. 114.2) “They chanted the Mantras carved out of the heart” (1. 67.2). When such Riks clearly bring out the nature of Mantras as being created, how, it may be asked, can the Veda be said to be eternal, uncreated ? The Rik quoted above refers to the original, basic vāk, word, of the Mantra abiding in the paramam vyoma, when it speaks of it as eternal. The entire Veda came to be understood as eternal on account of its origin in the paramam vyoma. Even Sayana’s commentary on the Rik (VIII. 64.6) is thus intelligible. For he says: “By Vak, is meant speech in the form of Mantra, which is eternal that is to say, not produced.” In this view, as explained by us, there is no contradic-tion (inconsistency) between the eternality of the Veda and the authorship of the Rishi. That is why Patanjali, author of the Mahabhashya, while explaining the Sutra (IV. 3.101) of Panini begins by saying: “The word prokta (uttered) (in the sutra) is pur-poseless” and says in the end: “Then for the Chhandas (Veda) this is to be stated. Chhandamsi, Vedic passages, are not made, eternal are they. If it is said for the sake of Chhandas, it will be proper. .But it was argued that Chhandamsi are not created, they are eternal. (If it is argued thus, the reply is:) Though the meaning is eternal, the order of the letters is not eternal. This then is the mean-ing of the Mantra. The Mantras are not created, they are eternal. Because of that difference, this question arises.” On this Kaiyata’s note: "That difference means difference in the due order of letters”, ’Vac with preposition pra means bringing to light or publishing, or teaching.’ Here Patanjali accepted the eternality of the word and idea contained in the Veda but not of the arrangement and order of syllables, words and sentences. That arrangement of words (to manifest the Mantra) is of the Rishi’s making 28 for the purposes of making the Veda known. Thus that the Vedas are both created and uncreated is compatible. That the Riks are poetry of an extra-ordinary kind wherein lies their Mantra-character, is evidenced by the hymns of Dirghatamas and Virupa above referred to. There are hundreds of such instances in the Rik Samhita which describe the glory of Speech but they are not mentioned here for fear of swelling the subject with details.

Now the outer meaning of the Riks can be understood from Sayana’s commentary. But the secret sense, as stated earlier, is dependent on the meaning of the symbols. Yaska, the author of the Nirukta, also says the meaning of the Mantra is difficult to grasp. According to him the Mantra called ’Brahman’ revealed itself to the Rishis in Tapas, not in any other way. He states: “It (Mantra) Brahman the self-born came to the Rishis who were doing Tapas, therefore they became the Rishis, in that lies the Rishihood of the Rishis." (II. 11) Elsewhere he observes that the purport of the Mantra is difficult to know. "The shore (of Knowledge) of the Mantras has to be reached by Tapas” (XIII.13). It is clear that in the view of Yaska there is no other means except Tapas to understand the meaning of the Veda and that Mantra reveals itself to the Rishi stationed in Tapas. What we have said regarding the manifestation of the Mantras, its eternality and its being a creation — all these are decisively substantiated not only by the Mantras themselves, but justified by Yaska also. The Brihad Devata support-ing Yaska, says: "The Mantra is not perceptible to one who is not a Rishi” (VIII. 129). The treatment in the Brihad Devata of topics like the Rishi’s capacity for seeing, the purpose of the triad, the efficacy of the rituals properly performed, goes without doubt to reinforce the position of the esoteric significance of the Veda. These are the dicta:

"He knows the Gods who knows the Riks. They are to be approached through Yoga with self-control and skill, under-standing, general knowledge and above all tapasyā,” (VII. 130)

“The Gods accept the offering of the sacrificer who knows the Deity of the Mantra but not of him who knows not the Deity." (131)

"The Deity does not accept (lit. long for) the libation offered in ignorance. Therefore the libation is to be offered to the Deity with self-control in the mind." (132)

“He is like a God worthy of praise in heaven even by the Gods, who is pure and studies the Veda with knowledge of the Gods and the Mantra." (133)

It is to be noted that though the sacredness and power of the Vedic Mantra lies in its inner and spiritual meaning of the revealed word, it lends itself — even in the outer sense to uses other than sacrificial. This is the basis of the traditional belief that common objects in life also can be achieved by uncommon means. This is also the basis of works like Rig Vidhāna of Shaunaka that deal with the use of the hymns for the fulfilment of varied objects in life. Yaska refers to this truth when he says: "The Mantras of the Rishis are uneven, high and low, in their ideas." The Brihad Devata also says as much: "Desiring the attainment of objects the Rishis of yore hied towards the deities with the Mantras, so say the great seers themselves in the Veda” (VIII. 137). If thus there are also Mantras which aim at the achievement of worldly objects, it may be asked, how could the Veda be described as the highly sacred store of spiritual disciplines and secrets ? There is no inconsistency whatever. We have made it clear heretofore that the inner meaning alone is the supreme truth of the Vedas and that the external, gross sense is of use for purposes of sacrifice or fulfilment of objects in life. Looked at on the surface there is a manifest unevenness in the ideas of the Rishis. Yet on scrutiny of the inner meaning, it will become clear that the swearing, curse, censure, praise and the rest are related to the history of spiritual discipline in the inner life). It is no wonder that to those who look only at the outer garb or who follow the western scholars the Rishis present a picture of simple idiocy. We do not say that all the seers lived at the same time, led the same identical inner life and perceived the Mantras. But this is the truth we maintain: the same symbolic sense of the words, the sacrifice - both inner and outer, — the cosmology of the worlds, the truth of the Gods, the supreme object in life — all these formed one common knowledge which the Rishis drew upon for worship-ping (communing with) the Gods and to achieve the end by means needed for and suited to the particular state of inner development (individually). This should be clear to all diligent students of the symbolic and esoteric meaning of the Veda.

THE SECRET OF THE VEDA INTERNAL EVIDENCE

Now begins our enquiry regarding the secret speech (of the Rishi) in which is concealed the meaning of the Mantra. That secret is so veiled by a symbol or image that to a superficial mind the truth (or idea) that is symbolised does not arouse the suspicion of its very presence, while the symbolic words in their outer significance appear quite in their place. The symbols refer to the sacrifice, objects of the world or the play of natural forces in the Cosmos. Or to an ignorant mind, deities like Agni mentioned in the Mantras may appear to be some superhuman persons perceptible to the eye in the guise of Fire, Wind, Sun, Storm, Rain, etc. Let us first see if the Veda speaks at all of a secret speech. For if we are certain that there is mention of secret speech in the Veda itself then we can turn to examine the system of symbolism and see how the secret was guarded.

If there be authority to hold that there is a secret speech systematised and used in the inner transaction of the Rishis, engaged in Tapasya, with the Gods and for the expression of the same, it should be in the Mantras themselves, it should be looked for in the words of the Rishis. When we consider words of the Rig Veda which are used to denote whatever is hidden or secret and enquire what these words point at, we find that to signify an asura or a god, a place or a world, as being concealed, invisible, the word ninya, synonymous with what is concealed, inwardly kept, secret and invisible, is used. At times, the name, the voice of appeal invoking the presence of a God is spoken of as a secret, concealed or inwardly kept, guarded in the cave, in the heart, hrt. Knowledge that is to be acquired and words of praise are referred to by the word ninya, secret. Ninyam is one of the half-a-dozen words given by Yaska as synonymous to what is concealed. We have to note how according to contexts this word is used to denote what is guarded, inwardly kept, concealed, invisible, secret. We shall examine the use of this word and proceed to show that the Vedic Rishis laid some secret in the speech used by them and guarded it from the outward minds and the unregenerate. Fortunately for us, Sayana who usually explains words arbitrarily with or without elaboration according to the context, is consistent in giving the word ninyam the same meaning "lost to appearance” or “gone out of sight”. We shall first show how though he gives the word ninyam its correct meaning and though the purport of the passage in question is not needed for his purpose, he makes out quite a different sense of it just as he likes. In a place he has commented upon the word ninyam differently, without giving any authority therefor or utility thereof. If authority is given then it has been wrongly interpreted. For instance, he says, ninyam is nirņāmadheyam, nameless. The following is a Rik from Hiranyastupa’s hymn to Indra: “With his body passed over by the ceaseless and flowing waters and lost to sight, Vritra, the enemy of Indra passed into long Darkness, tamas.’ (I. 32.10) Its gross meaning following Sayana’s word-explanations is as follows: the body of Vritra without name (i.e. without any mark) thrown amidst waters that are ceaselessly (not stationary) moving and ever aflow (without resting place), is submerged under the coursing waters. Thus thrown into the waters, Vritra, the enemy of Indra fell down and lay there for the long sleep which is death. Here due to his being submerged in water and being thus concealed, his name is not known by anybody. Hence, Sayana explains, ninyam is nameless. Let us see what is the drift. Indra struck down Vritra and in falling down his body of Tamas (darkness) sunk into long sleep. It ceased to be visible. Fallen deep below and with the cease-less flowing of waters above, his body was lost to sight. Does it detract in any way from the legendary or naturalistic interpretation if Sayana were to say ’disappeared’? When the clouds are struck by the weapon of Indra, the waters held captive within, are released. The body of Vritra covering them falls dead, goes deep below while the waters flow over it; thus the body is really concealed or lost to sight. Why then does Sayana interpret it as ’nameless’? Why this roundabout interpretation: ’His name is not known by any-body by reason of his concealment, especially when a consistent meaning is obtained by a straight approach? The Nighantu does not mention ’namelessness as a sense of the term ninyam. Yaska cited this Rik, there he says ninyam is nirņāmam. The meaning of this word nirņāmam is given by Durgacharya the commentator as ’the place where one bends low’ — they move in such a place, says Durga. The low place where one has to go bending low is ninyam; this meaning fits in with the word nirņāmam ending in anusvāra. If it were to mean a name, nāmadheya, then it should have been a neuter ending in nakāra, nirņāma, and not ending in anusvāra, nirņāmam. Thus Sayana quotes from Yaska under a misapprehension. Following his explanation, if it is asked how did Vritra become nameless, Sayana replies: Vritra was so thoroughly dead that his very name was forgotten totally. Instances of such complicated explanations, unnecessary even for his purpose, are to be found in hundreds in his commentary.

Ninyam is without doubt antarhitam, concealed, not visible, secret. Everywhere Sayana accepts the meaning given in the Nighantu and usually quotes from Yaska. The word antarhita is synonymous with what is concealed, secret etc. Commenting on Kutsa’s Hymn to Agni, “Who among you knows this secret one? The child by the law of his own being brought forth the Mothers" (1.95.4). Sayana explains the word ninyam correctly as secret, concealed. The Rishi asks: Who among you knows the secret Agni, that child who generated the Mothers by the truths of the Law of his own being (for that is what is meant by the term svadhā). Thus ninyam is used not merely in the case of Vritra Asura’s disappearance but also to denote Agni hidden in waters or the forest. At times, ninyam is used to refer to a place or world that is hidden, secret. Kashyapa addresses God Soma: "All the Gods, O flowing Soma, the thrice-eleven are lodged in thy secret abode.” (IX. 92.4). This is the secret place where, states the latter half of the Rik, thirty-three Gods cleanse him (Soma) by the laws of their being. The soul, jiva, is also des-cribed as secret. Thus, says Dirghatamas: "I know not if I am this: a mystery, ninyam, am I, and bound, I move about with the mind.” (I. 164.37). In the hyms of the Vasishthas, the intuitions of the heart or direct perceptions are mentioned as the means by which one walks towards the Secret, ninyam, which spreads in thousand branches. "They alone by the heart’s intuitions walk towards the Secret that spreads in thousand branches”. (VII. 33.9). In his hymns to the Maruts, Vasishtha, seeing with wonder the forms, vehicles etc. of the Maruts, exclaims that only a seer knows these secrets, niņyāni : “These secrets the sage knows — what the dappled cow, Prishni, in her mighty udder bore” (VII. 56.4). Again, in addressing Mitra and Varuna, he says, "Our secret words of praise are known to you”. “The secret words ninyani cannot be concealed from your knowledge” (VII. 61.5). "Even secret words of praise" says Sayana explaining ninyāni. These instances should suffice to show that in the Veda, the term ninyam is used in the sense of what is not apparent or visible, anything mysterious, knowingly con-cealed or secret. When we look into the Rik of Vasishtha just quoted, its purport is clear: the secret words of praise, the Mantras, are known to the Gods since nothing can be concealed from their sight; and this secret is veiled for guarding it from the generality of men who are outward-minded. Sri Aurobindo has shown how Vamadeva’s phrase ninyāvacāmsi establishes beyond doubt the secret character of the language of the Veda. Here is the said Rik of Vamadeva: “Oh Agni, Disposer, to thee who knowest these secret words, fructuous, I have uttered, I have sung, enlightened, with thoughts and prayers" (IV. 3.16). We shall give the meaning here following Sayana’s commentary. vedhah disposer, agne O Agni, viduşe kavaye, to thee who knowest, nithāni, fructuous or well intonated (inspired), ninyā secret, nivacanāni, to be uttered fully, kāvyāni, words, kavibhiḥ, by seers that are wise kytāni are made. etā visvā vacāmsi all these words, matibhiḥ ukthaiḥ, along with enlightened prayers and thoughts, viprah, the wise ones, avocam have sung, tāni sevasva accept them. Another Rik of Vamadeva may be here instanced. Here the fact that Indra’s drinking of Soma is accomplished in secret is cited by an illustrative instance: Indra drinks the Soma in secret, without others knowing it just as the Rishi dis-covers in secret the truths or things to be known. “Like the seer discovering truths in secret (ninyam), Indra drinks the Soma.....” (IV. 16.3).

From this enquiry into the word ninyam, signifying secret, with relevant illustrations, it is quite clear beyond a shadow of doubt that the Rishis laid some secret in the language of the Veda. It must not be forgotten that this secret may pertain at times to a God, at times to a hostile power, elsewhere to knowledge, truth or some object. There are other words, in the Rik Samhita, which are also used to convey the sense of secret. We shall give two or three illustrations which would also show that there is a secret cast in the Mantras of the Veda. They are the words, guhā, guhya, apicya and in some cases praticya. We know that the Riks bear different appellations signifying their particular quality and form of activity, and depending upon their own use, like uktha, sastra, stoma, gir, vāk vāņi, brahman, mantra, etc. But there are Mantras where the word nāma is used to denote words of praise couched in secret speech. Nāma undoubtedly means name. But the name of a deity in the Veda is not merely a means to distinguish it from other deities and indicate the particular one. On the other hand, the Name carries with it the necessary power to convey the special character of the deity-personality in question or to invoke its presence. It is called nāma because it is the means by which one bows down (namanāya sādhanam) to the Gods. namana-sādhanam, even according to Sayana, is nāma. nāma therefore, denotes the word of praise in the form of Mantra which is a means for invoking the Gods, and for expressing one’s entire submission in person. "We would dispose the speech of submission”: in such places also what is to be noted is humility before the Deity in every way and freedom from egoism on the part of the Rishi, the devotee aspiring to acquire the state of identity with the Deity.

Thus we see from the Riks themselves how nāma, the means of bowing, is used in the sense of prayer, words of praise. There also the nāma is described at times as lodged in the cave, concealed, secret. At times it is used in association with the qualifying word apicya, which also like ninyam means secret, covered. There are not a few Riks in which the secret name or secret word of praise is denoted by apicyam nama. Gritsamada hymns: “They increase the charming face and the secret name (nama apicyam) of him, the Child of Waters" (II. 35.11). The purport of the Rik is that the pleasing face of the Child of Waters and his secret name i.e. words of his praise which are concealed, are increasing. But in the gross sense, whatever be the meaning of nāma, its being qualified by apicya is a fact that leaves no room for doubt. Nābhāka, the seer, praises Varuna: "He who is the supporter of the worlds, who knows the names of the Rays, mysterious, (apicya nāmāni) hidden in the cave, he is the seer poet, he nourishes the poet-wisdoms as Heaven does the mani-fold form” (VIII. 41.5). The following terms are to be noted: apicyā nāmāni, guhyā kaviḥ kavyā; so also its purport. Varuna who sustains all the worlds and knows the secret Names (or words of praise) concealed in the cave of the lights of Knowledge indicated by the pen or rays, the seat of the Gods, he is the seer-poet nourishing the poet-wisdoms in the manner of the Heaven nourishing the multifold form. This in sum is the meaning. In the same hymn there is the Rik, "He is the concealed, mysterious (apicyā) ocean, mounts the heaven swift....." (VIII. 41.8). Thus it is stated that Varuna is the inwardly placed secret Ocean. Here Bhargava Kavi, the Rishi says that the Son upholds the secret name of the Father and the Mother. “The flame of Truth pours forth. ...the Son upholds the secret name (apicyam näma) of the Parents” (IX. 75.2). Com-menting on Vasistha’s Rik, “Thy name, I ever chant” (VII. 22.5), Sayana says: "Your name, words of praise, I ever utter". Again explaining the Rik, "The wide Name of thee the Immortal Jatavedas (knower of all births) we mortals, illumined know" (VIII. 11.5), Sayana interprets bhūri nāma manāmahe (we know the wide name) to mean "We know the wide stotra, words of praise".

There are numerous Riks in the Samhita where nāma is a word of appeal to the particular personality of the Godhead and also used to denoce the Mantra, the word of adoration. In both the senses it is spoken of as secret, concealed or mysterious. Occasionally we find the word pratici used in the sense of veiled, secret, hidden. But in the Veda, as in current usage, pratici is frequently used to mean ’confronting’, ’turned inwards’. This word in the sense of ’turned inwards’ is used even today, as in the case pratyag-ātmā, the inner self. pratyan-mukha and parān-mukha, are common terms meaning ’face turned inward and outward’. What has been shown is enough to convince inquiring minds with a spirit of refined deliberation, with proof from the Samhita, that there is a secret in the Vedic speech.

Let us examine this secret. What is the nature of the secret and by what veil is it covered and kept concealed ? The veil lies in the symbolic meaning, stated earlier. We said the inner meaning is the true sense which is known and made use of by those on the occult and spiritual Path; the outer, symbolic and gross is useful to the ritualists. Still, it is not a restrictive rule that in all places the outer meaning is obtained in the symbolic form. There are many Riks where the double sense — outer and inner is conveyed without resort to any symbolism. The chief device for this is the well-known use of certain words, in the Veda, in their double or multiple sense. Here are some instances to the point: the word dhiḥ commonly means ’thought both in the Veda and in usage. But in the Veda it is used also in the sense of ’work’. Hence in the context of the inner meaning, it is always understood to mean ‘thought’ mode of knowledge; in the outer, dhiyaḥ is taken as ’works’, not always as an invariable rule. The word ketu means a play of inner knowledge that illumines, in the esoteric context; but in the outer sense, though it can mean illumination, following the root significance, still ketu is ray in as much as the rays give light in a most palpable manner and makes known (perceptible) the objective world.

Here also there is no rule as such, the term does not have only one meaning for the ritualistic commentators. śravas is one of the terms deriving from the root śru meaning ’to hear’e.g. Śtuti, audition, śrotra, ear, Śravana hearing etc. In the system of esoteric sense it means an inner audience or one of divine character, or an inspired hearing in the wake of divine grace or strength of knowledge following a strenuous discipline. In the grosser sense it is taken to mean fame and legitimately; for fame is heard everywhere. Sayana explains it, at times, as food; but here also there is no definite rule, kratu, in the inner sense always stands for wisdom in action or will with wisdom; but there is no such restraint in the outer meaning. Sayana interprets it at times as wisdom, at others as sacrificial ritual and elsewhere as something else as he pleases. ștam is a most important word in grasping the esoteric sense of the Riks, it is the first door of entry into the inner significance of the Veda. In the mystic interpretation, ṛtam is consistently Truth, manifested Truth, or Right, the Law of Truth; it has no other meaning. But in the external sense ṛtam is at times water, at times sacrifice, something else else-where; indeed in Sayana’s Bhashya there is no knowing what it may not mean to his unbridled ardour for interpreting everything ritual-wise. Since there are many other terms which make meaning in the outer and the inner sense without being symbolic, there is no need to dwell upon them here. They will come by in course of explaining the Riks. But this much must be noted. The strength of the esoteric interpretation lies in this: by giving the same meaning consistently to words like ṛtam, the Riks are found to yield coherent meaning in the inner sense. But in the gross interpretation -- as we shall show later in the commentary — there is not merely poverty of sense but even an incoherence in meaning.

Then, the Symbols: we have shown how words like ṛtam, even though they are not symbolic, lead to the inner meaning. There are other terms like go, cow, aśva, horse, ghṛta, clarified butter etc. which are symbols. Each of these is the perceptible outer image or symbol of a truth, an idea or an object of the inner world. Here are examples. To take up first the celebrated term go, cow. Though go, in the Veda as in ordinary usage, means variously ray, speech, the particular quadruped etc., in the esoteric sense it is used to denote the inner illumination signified by rays. The quadruped cow is its outer symbol. Though the two meanings can be arrived at from the double-meaning of the term go, still it is to be taken as a symbol in as much as cow and its synonyms dhenu etc. and the products of cow, milk, clarified butter and others are all frequently mentioned in the Riks in the symbolic sense. To ignore the symbolic character in following the sense in such places lands one into false and un-enviable positions. The seers, the Rishis, would appear to be intoxicated and incoherent babblers. aśva, horse, is the symbol of strength, life-force; even today we moderns speak of horse-power in quanti-tative measurement of power. It must be borne in mind that this signification of power by the symbol horse is of ancient origin. āpaḥ, waters, symbolise the sap of life, the powers of life and the energies of Cosmic principles active in creation. The rivers, nadyaḥ, sindhavaḥ, stand for creative and nourishing forces, the ocean, samudra, for the infinite substance out of which emerges the Sun of Truth. The Hill, parvata, with its plateaus and its summit is the image of the manifested existence (of the earth and other worlds of creation with its several tiers, one above the other like so many plateaus. The cave, guhā, is the symbol of the secret spot, of the heart which is the basic centre of all beings. When we look, with sufficient deliberation, it would be clear how naturally these external forms of objects are used by the Vedic Seer-poets to convey the meanings intended by them. It is not to be wondered at that the being of these original poets of unartificial minds was impressed by the infinite substance and form of the ocean etc. So also the immensity, grandeur or the exuberance of infinite substance of the ocean, the ceaseless flowing and spreading of the rivers, the life-sustaining principle of water and similar particularities of quality and function of other objects around — moving and unmoving — corresponded to and imaged29 the personal realisation of the Rishis who delving into the subtle and profound depths were occupied with exploring the workings of the Godhead in the inner nature. Physical objects like the river, ocean, cow, horse and the like came to be spontaneous and natural images, to the Vedic poet, for giving expression to the truths, the subtle and uncommon ideas that greeted him in the course of his journey to the supreme God-head. It is thus that the expression given by the Rishis to secret truths, in the words of the Mantra, came to be of practical value to the Rishi himself as well as to his followers or to those that trod the same Path. This is the supreme use of the symbols that they convey the intended sense with a naturalness and leave the impress (of the truths that are contained in them on the onlooker without the aid of elaboration. Even in later ages of the Intellect and the classical literature — for that matter even today — a full expression of ideas is not generally possible without the aid of images. The poets con-vey their ideas by means of the figure, by resort to metaphor following the superimposition of qualities and functions of one over the other. In the Veda, however, due to the grasp of symbols there is no necessity to attribute the nature of the imposing object to that which is imposed upon. The very sight of the image of hill evokes in the being spontaneously a sense of immobility, of the base of all flowing (waters of) life, of the many rising plateaus of the hill of existence and its towering height. And then it is to be noted that unlike in our age of the Reason, feeling or experience was not separate from understanding in the age of the Veda; there feeling and understanding, heart and mind, went together in happy communion. The truths that are sought after by the intellect are there in concrete form capable of being seized by direct feeling, experience; they are not grasped only in their abstractness. Hence there the concrete truth clothed in its own form is always palpable to experience as well as knowable by the cognising intellect. In fact every truth has a form, it is substantial whether it be concrete to our experience or abstract to our understanding. What we call concrete is only its surface exterior (superficial presentation) and its abstractness is nothing but a distant shadow of the mind. With those ancient seers the movements of the heart and the mind converged on the truth in a happy communion and hence there was no effective duality of feeling and experience on the one hand and thought on the other. To put it in brief, the symbols used by the Rishis were concrete at once to their experience and to their understanding.

Now the symbols are not of one kind. The use of symbols of the mountain and the like, found in the physical universe, has been already described. They are all of one class. And mostly it is this order of symbols, described by us earlier, that is used in the Riks and an understanding of which makes it easy to follow the line of esoteric interpretation. There are other kinds of images which do not belong to the external world. They are images from a different order of existence seen with the eye of knowledge by the Rishis; these images take the place of language and are used to express the truths attained in the course of their walk in the mystic path. Subtle truths of the planes of the larger consciousness overtopping this gross world of our waking state manifest themselves through these images seen by the Rishi. Therefore such images speak for them-selves. Such mysteries come to be directly perceived by the Rishi. To this group of symbols belong some of the colours, vehicles, forms and movements of particular Gods, mentioned in the Mantras.

It is certain that in the early human societies of the bygone ages, the religious rites and worship were profusely rich in symbols. Even today certain Tantric symbols like the point, triangle, sex-angle, circle and others, known as yantras - diagrams with mystical meaning, are worshipped. Again there are the trident, conch, disc, eagle, bull etc. famous in the Puranas and the Agamas, which are used and well known even now; these symbols are at times explained in the Puranas. The symbolic meaning of the Tantric figures is suggested here and there covertly or overtly. It must be noted that there is a distinction between symbols of this kind and the symbols in the Veda, mentioned earlier, by reason of their different basis and purpose. We do not go into the subject further for reasons of space and also want of relevance to our purpose. Suffice it to say that for an enquiry into the meaning of the Vedas a grasp of the symbolism employed is proper and legitimately called for.

SECTION THREE

Our position regarding the secret of the Veda has been stated elaborately. The role of symbolic objects in unveiling the secret meaning has been substantiated with due support from authorities. It has been shown how Riks of seers like Vasishtha and Vamadeva are themselves the leading witnesses (lit. direct authority) for the secret sense of the Veda. Henceforth, we shall examine, in this connection, authorities other than the Mantras of the Veda, which point to or uphold the mystic doctrine of the Veda, covertly or overtly. First to be considered are some passages from Yaska conveying the views of the Nairuktas; some of these have been referred to in relevant places before. We will now state in brief his views generally on the Gods, Mantras, Rishis and the interpretation of the Mantras. It is well known that the Nirukta is a limb of primary importance for understanding the meaning of the Veda. The Nirukta gives the derivation of the Vedic words. What are the Vedic words whose derivation Yaska has set out to give? They are words drawn from the Vedic Mantra, useful for enquiring into the meaning of the Veda after it was learnt by heart, handed down by ages-old tradition for chanting and study — words to be under-stood by the designation of Nighantu words. That is why, in order to show that the Nirukta is a collection of words that are sacred samāmnāya - the work begins with the word samāmnāya; "The samāmnāya (Nighantu) has been cited and now it is to be explained.” The distinction between the Nighantu which is a collection of words and the Nirukta which gives their derivation is be noted. Thus Yaska is no lexicographer like Amarasimha of nāmalingānu-śāsana, but an etymologist. Even so, basing himself on the views of the many former etymologists and quoting their words, Yaska wrote his work according to his light. Even though it is doubtless that the etymological interpretation is generally gross and extrovert, yet there are in Yaska’s utterances certain elements which would repay attention to students of the secret sense of the Veda. Even though it is not possible to admit as correct and proper, derivations of words as given by Yaska, even though his derivations in many places, it must be admitted, are arbitrary and fantastic, yet the derivative significance of Vedic words expounded by him as the view of the Nirukta school is invaluable for investigators into the esoteric meaning and is the door that opens on the secret (of the Veda). That the Vedic words have derivative significance is a creed with the Niruktakaras and Swami Dayananda took his stand upon their position in his endeavour to revive the Vedic Dharma. The derivative significance of words in the Veda is the chief ground on which our enquiry into the esoteric interpretation proceeds. This is the first point to be noted; the other is that narratives, legends and accounts of relationships among deities etc. are not to be taken literally, in the primary sense of words; the Nairuktas hold these things are to be understood in their secondary figurative sense. This resort to the secondary or figurative significance of words by the Nairuktakaras is both necessary and acceptable for the presentation of our theme also. Only, be it noted, in arriving at the purport we take the subtler and inner sense, and not the outer gross one like the Nairuktas. Attention may be drawn to the fact that the Mimamsakas also interpret words in the figurative sense, in their own way this has been illustrated earlier in the course of our presentation. Commenting on the passage, “May the lover of his own sister listen to us” (RV. VI. 55.5), Yaska observes, "Dawn is said to be his sister on account of the invariable association or of his taking in the rasa water" (Nirukta III. 16). Elsewhere, speaking of Vritra as the enemy of Indra he says: “Who is the Vritra ? The Nairuktas say it is a cloud, the mythologists hold he is an Asura, son of Twashtri. Out of the collusion of waters and light results the rain. The battles there are in similes (i.e. allegorical).” (11.16) Though the meaning derived by Yaska is the outer gross sense, yet, the fact that the śrutarșis, 30 the Rishis who came after the Vedic seers knew very well to resort to the figurative use of words in considering the meaning of the Veda is a pointer of utmost value to us (in our study of the Vedas).

Though he gives, in this manner, the naturalistic interpretation of the Mantras, Yaska points out with illustrations from Riks how there is a mystery about the Gods, a mystery about the import of the Veda. “Shakapuni decided ’Let me come to know all the Gods’. Before him appeared a deity of both the signs. He could not know it. He spoke to it ‘May I know thee’. It revealed to him this Rik saying "This is the Rik of which I am the deity’". (Nir. II.8) In this context the Rik cited by Yaska is ya im cakāra (RV.I. 164.32) from Dirghatamas’s hymn asya vāmasya. Yaska observes: "The Parivrajakas say that the many peoples came to grief, the Nairuktas explain it as raining”, and goes on while stating the purport of the explanation of the Parivrajakas, to give the gross meaning of the Nairuktas. Even Sayana the teacher-commentator of ritualistic school states that this Sukta (I. 164) of Dirghatamas is to be ex-plained entirely in the spiritual sense and has commented upon this Rik from the spiritual standpoint. Whatever be the import of this Rik, we gather this much from Yaska’s statements: it is difficult to grasp the truth of the Gods; one can do it only by the favour of the devatā, the Deity. Even when the Deity presented itself before Shakapuni, it did not reveal its own form. Indeed it said to him: “You have desired to know all the deities. I am myself the all-deity; My true form is revealed there in the Rik ya im cakāra: You are proficient in finding the derivative meaning of the letters and words of Mantras; know me, then, from this Rik and be assured.” That the meaning of the Veda is difficult to follow has been stated (with proofs). From this also it is clear that there is a secret in the Veda.

Again, for arriving at the import of the Vedas, Yaska quotes, without refuting them, the views of the many authorities of the times, of other schools of interpreters. He speaks, now and again, of the Yajnikas, the ritualists, the purve yājnikāḥ, ancient ritualists, Nairuktas, the etymologists, Naidanas, the grammarians, Parivrajakas, wandering ascetics, Aitihasikas, mythologists and others. We understand from all this that the interpretation of the hymns was of diverse kinds and that at the time when Yaska’s Nirukta was prepared, the spiritual and occult interpretation was almost forgotten. In spite of it, speaking about the seerhood of the Rishis and the mode in which the Mantra came to be seen, the author of the Nirukta says: "Brahman (Mantra) the self-born appeared face to face to the Rishis who were active with their austere disciplines, tapas, askesis.” Elsewhere speaking of the mystery of the Mantras, he quotes two Riks: "Otherwise seeing he sees not, hearing he follows not. But to him (to the qualified) she (Vak in the form of speech) reveals her form even as a loving well-dressed wife disrobes herself to her husband.” (X. 71.4) “Even one man in friendship (with the Riks) they call drunk deep and steady (in the meaning of the speech, the Rik); others do not follow him in the valorous deeds (of plunging into the meaning). Another (unable to drink the milk of the word) moves with it (the Vedic cow) as with one that gives no milk; to him the Word is a tree without flower or fruit." (X.71.5). The earlier Rik purports to say: an effort is necessary to follow the meaning of the Mantra; one who repeats it without understanding its meaning—though seeing only its gross meaning—is as if blind; similarly one who is not so able to be awakened to the power of the Mantra, though he hears the word of the Mantra, is as if deaf. But to him (the knower) who is gifted with the sight and the hearing and is competent to seize directly the secret of the Mantra, the speech in the form of the Riks becomes self-luminous (reveals itself) like a wife — to use a simile – delivering the body to her lord. Thus the Rik points out that it is imperative to understand the true meaning; otherwise not knowing the meaning one is liable to be censured as but a post bearing a load of weight. What follows from the other Rik is this. We shall follow the commentary of Durgacharya in giving the word-meanings and then come to the purport of it. uta tvam, though alone, sakhye, for the friendship of the Gods i.e. for common status with the Gods. Yaska observes later, whichever the deity mentioned, he becomes one with that; this should be borne in mind here. What do they call such a one ? sthirapitam, one who falls not from the Law, one who knows the meaning. Who says thus? It is this Speech in the form of the Rik. enam, him who knows the meaning of the speech, vājineșu, api, even in the formidable things that can be known only by vāk speech, in things difficult to know and difficult to fathom like the gems covered in the ocean, in things like the knowledge of deities etc., na hinvanthi, others cannot follow. The other half of the Rik censures him who does not know the true meaning. (suśruvān, he who has heard from others, aphalāṁ, apuspāṁ vācań, speech that is fruitless and without blossom.) Such an ignorant one, adhenvā māyayā carati, walks in delusion of the cow of speech. The cow does not yield him the milk of his desire. He has heard the speech without flower and fruit from others and on hearing hears only the word, remains obstinately in the belief that there is nothing else to be sought after besides routine repetition of words. To such a one the speech naturally bears no bloom nor fruit.

Here Yaska observes: "pājnic is the flower and the daivic the fruit or the daivic the flower the adhyātmic the fruit." Commentators on this passage say: knowledge related to the yajna is the yājnika, that related to the Gods is the daivatam; knowledge related to the self is the adhyātmam. They are knowledge of the sacrifice, knowlege of the Gods and knowledge of the self. This is what is taught in all Veda. If the Dharma promoting material prosperity (i.e. the Yajna which achieves it) is resorted to, then the knowledge of the Gods is the fruit of it. The former becomes the flower, the latter the fruit. If on the other hand Dharma leading to the higher welfare is desired, then both the yājnic and the daivic become the flower; the daivic containing in itself the yājnic becomes the flower and the adhyātmic the fruit."

Yaska holds that the knowledge to be attained from the Mantra is threefold – knowledge of the yajna, knowledge of the Gods and knowledge of the self. If it be said that the Mantras are not clear in their meaning, he replies that it is no fault of the post if the blind does not see (i.e. if a blind man knocks against a post). He also keeps in mind the tradition of his times that the Rishis who had realised the Truth handed down the Mantras by way of initiation to the lesser men who had yet to reach the Truth. Initiation, upadeśa, is the term he uses. Here he clearly refers to some ancient mystic tradition pointing to some secret in the Veda. That is why he says, at the end of the work, that its shore is to be reached by means of tapas. From this again it is clear beyond doubt that there is a secret in the Veda.

From his utterances cited above it will be seen that Yaska believed in the mystery of the Gods even as he did in the mystery of the Mantras. Finally, it should be noted that his statements regarding the Gods strengthen the doctrine of the mystic character of the Gods. He observes: "The one Self of the Deity is praised variously due to its greatness: of this one Self the other Gods are several limbs. The Gods are characterised by a mutuality of birth and mutuality of nature; born of works, born of the Atman, their carriage is the Atman itself, Atman their horses, Atman their weapon, Atman their arrows, indeed the Atman is everything of the Gods.” Thus it is seen how Yaska, though faithfully presenting the different schools of interpretations affirms the threefold knowledge from the hymn and drives at the supremacy of the spiritual interpretation. This goes to strengthen the position of the Esoteric Interpretation.

It is to his credit that Yaska is very faithful in stating the views of the earlier Nairuktas or other schools; still he is not an indiscriminate believer (lit. one who eats the food with grass). Where he sees anything wrong in the views of the ancient authorities, however eminent they may be, he points out the flaw unhesitatingly. Here is an example: stating that it was wrong of Shakalya, the author of the Pada Patha of the Rik Samhita, to have split the word vayaḥ into two in the Rik (X. 29.1) vāne na vāyo nyadhāyi, Yaska observes: “Shakalya makes it read va and yaḥ. In that case the verb (nyadhāyi) would have been accented; and the meaning also would not be complete.” (Nirukta VI. 28) 31. As noted earlier, Shakalya is the author of the Pada Patha for the Rik Samhita. But though Yaska thus points out faults even in the author of the Pada Patha of the Veda, he is not unrestrained or reckless; he respects the supreme authority of the Mantras. But though he looks upon the Mantras as authoritative, he does not regard the Brahmanas, which he quotes, in the same manner. Thus in the section on Gods, while on the subject of Vaishvanara, he says: "The Brahmanas proceed on the assumption of many qualities or aspects” (Nirukta VII. 24). The commentators explain that Bhakti is an assumption of qualities by which the Brahmanas speak of everything in every way, and hence the truth therein is to be searched out. We have to remember, in the course of our study of the esoteric meaning of the Veda, such passages from Yaska pointing to the necessity of accepting statements of the ancients only after deliberation. We have shown how far Yaska is helpful to us (for our purpose). It is clear from this that there is a secret in the Veda which is to be sought out and brought to light.

The Brihad Devata of Shaunaka points out errors in Yaska even as the latter sees flaws in many of the passages in the Brahmanas on account of their preference for sweet speech. For instance: “He (Yaska) gives the derivation after splitting up a word into two. He speaks of the term puruşadā in this way in the Rik uṛkṣe vrkse." (Br. D. II. 111-16). Like Yaska, the Brihad Devata also speaks of the variety of views on the interpretation of the hymns and testifies to the existence of the spiritual interpretation. We may cite the topic of the five peoples, pañca janāḥ, for example:

“Some say the five peoples are the Five Fires - Shalamukhya, Pranita, son of Grihapati, the Northern and the Southern Agnis; others say they are Men, Fathers, Gods, Gandharvas, Uraga-Rakshasas, or following Yaska, they are Gandharvas, Fathers, Gods, Asuras, Yaksha-Rakshasas. Shakatayana thinks they are the four Varnas and the fifth the nişāda. Shakapuni says they are the Ritviks (officiating priests) five in number — Hota, Adhvaryu, Udgata, Brahma and the Sacrificer Yajamana. But the Atmavadins (who are for the inner meaning of the Vedas) hold that they are the Sight, the Audience, the Mind, the Voice and the Life. The Aitareya Brahmana speaks of Gandharva-apsaras, Gods, Men, Fathers and Serpents. Other Yajnikas refer to other creatures of the earth and the Gods” (Br. D. VII. 67-72).

Thus in six verses it speaks of the different views as to what is meant by the term pañca janāḥ. Hence we learn from works like the Nirukta and the Brihad Devata that there was current an interpretation of the spiritual and mystic school of thought as distinct from other modes of interpretation. We conclude thence that there is a secret in the Veda which can be arrived at by following the symbolic and the esoteric meaning.

It was stated earlier that the Brahmanas themselves substantiate the symbolic character of the yajna, sacrifice. Thus the Brahmanas bear clear testimony to the existence of a secret in the Veda. Otherwise symbols like: "The Yajamana is the sacrificial post" could not have come to be. Here the Brahmanas speak of the enriching or increasing of the Yajamana, sacrificer, who is to be consecrated by the anointment and his entry into the sacred chamber called prācina vaṁśa, in the sacrificial Hall (a hut where the supporting beams are turned eastwards) and proceed to declare that such a consecrated Yajamana obtains the opulence of new birth while living here in the body. To this effect passages are to be found in the Brahmanas. The Aitareya Brahmanas states: "The Ritviks make him an embryo whom they consecrate and sprinkle with water”, and proceeds to say thereon: "Him alone pure and purified (by the act of consecration) they consecrate (finally) and lead him to the hall of the consecrated. This, verily, is the source (or womb) of the consecrated, for, indeed they lead him to his own source (or womb) which is (symbolised by) the dikṣita-vimitam, the hall of the consecrated.” (1.3) Sayana explains dikșita-vimita etc. by stating that entry into the sacred hut in the sacrificial hall means entering into one’s own source. Elsewhere it is said: “Born of oblations, gold-bodied, he goes to heaven.” It is also said that Agni himself is the womb of the Gods. There is another matter that may be cited in this context. The Brahmanas which are the supreme basis of the ritualistic school themselves counsel that union with the Gods or attainment of heaven is not possible without spiritual knowledge. Thus the Shatapatha Brahmana declares: “This is the verse. By knowledge they ascend there where desires are left behind. There the gifts do not reach, nor those who are austere but have no knowledge; thus one does not attain to that world by means of gifts and austerities who does not know in the aforesaid manner; but that world is meant only for those who know in the aforesaid manner” (X. 5.4-16). Is it necessary to add that even when the avowedly ritualistic texts like the Brahmanas pro-claim in places about the spiritual and occult truths, scriptures like Aranyakas and Upanishads known as Jnana Kanda — Knowledge Section — explain the supreme meaning of the Vedic sacrifice only in terms of the inner sacrifice? Passages like: "To him who knows this, the Yajamana is the self of the Yajna, Faith the wife and the fuel the body” are to be found elsewhere in the Aranyakas.

Then this must be stated regarding the Texts of the Upanisahds. Even though we admit as fairly reasonable the idea that the Rishis of the Upanishads, men given to askesis, set out independently for the knowledge of Brahman, actuated by the spirit of enquiry into the Truth, yet, it must be noted they knew that the hymns were pregnant with the secrets of spiritual knowledge etc. That is why they repeatedly confirm their own perceptions, and conclusions based upon them, by reference to the Mantras of the ancient Rishis (by drawing upon the Mantras of the ancient Rishis for authority). This is the import of phrases like: "That has been said by the Rik”, “That is said by the Rishi" etc. At times it is clearly notable that certain instructions given in the Upanishads have their basis directly in a Rik. Sri Aurobindo, revealer of the Secret of the Veda, has cited an instance to the point, which we shall presently quote. He has shown how the passage from the Isha Upanishad, hiranmayena patreņa, ’By the golden lid..." and the Rik of the Seer Shrutavit of the Atri House, ¡tena apihitam, "The Truth is concealed by the Truth..." are identical in meaning. We shall first give the Rik in the order of the Pada Patha and explain; then we shall proceed to show that the meaning of the Rik fits in with that of the Upani-shadic passage. ṛtena ṛtam apihitam dhruvam vām süryasya yatra vimucanti aśvān daśa śatā saha tasthuḥ tadekam devānām śreştham vapușām apaśyam.

"There is a Truth covered by a Truth, where your place is secure, where they unyoke the horses of the Sun; the ten hundreds stood together, where was That one, I saw the greatest of the embodied gods” (Rv. V. 62.1)²

Word meaning with explanation: sūryasya, of the supreme God Savitr who activates all, ștam, the supreme Truth in its own Form, žtena, by the truth in the form of the universe standing as the three worlds denoted by the term lower half, apihitam, concealed, apaśyam, I have seen, yatra, in which Supreme Truth, vām, of you both, mitrā varuņayoḥ, Mitra and Varuna, the place is dhruwam, secure or eternal; where aśvān vimucanti, they mass the rays and marshall them. And where daśa-Satā, the ten hundred Rays, stood together in one place. devānām vapuşām Śrestham tad ekam, of those that had attained the form of the gods or of the embodied gods, the excellent, most auspicious Form, presiding over, yet above the Cosmos, known to the Rishis famously as That, without compeer, dazzling, brilliant, the Form of Truth, have I seen.

Here it is to be noted: Sayana explains vām in the third case as the subject of the impersonal voice; we read it as your place, seat, vām yuvayoḥ, sixth case. Either way there is ellipsis. That the seat of Mitra and Varuna is the World of the Sun is not disputed. Sayana says, rtena is "by water, and ștam is the solar orb. I, the Rishi, have seen the sun covered by the water.” On the other hand we say: it means the Rishi says he had beheld the Light celebrated in the Hymns as varenyam bhargaḥ the excellent Effulgence, tad vişņoḥ paramam padam, that highest step of Vishnu, sarvadhātamam Śrestham, the excellent all-sustainer, the One supreme Truth known by the : terms tat, That, shining in that High Ether, the pure, the intense and substantial Consciousness — known as akşara, the Immobile, the Truth whose symbol is the Sun.

To Sayana, aśvāh, means ten hundreds of rays. To us also this is acceptable. But Sayana goes on to explain the purport by drawing upon legends which speak of the horses of Surya imprisoned by Asuras called Mandeha and others, being released by the prayers of the invokers. We would suggest that the mention of release and dwelling together indicate the massing and marshalling of the brilliances of the Light of Truth denoted by the word Ray. We accept too the figurative (metaphorical) meaning ‘of the embodied gods’ given by Sayana to devānāṁ vapușmatāṁ. If it be asked what are two ſtams spoken of in ṛtena ṛtam, we would point out: the current use of the terms Rita and Satya to mean one and the same thing is also to be found at times in the Veda. But really there is a distinction between the two. The world Satya signifies that which is the eternal, the supreme, Existence in its own form Sat. Ritam signifies that which is evident or perceptible, manifested out of the Satya, what has come to be in accordance with Satya or that which re-presents the Satya. In this Rik the word Rita has been explained in terms of Satya. Both the Ritams are indeed Satya. One is the supreme Satya, Truth, the Eternal of the Upper Half known as the supreme Ether. That Truth is here said to be covered by an inferior truth of the lower half. Sayana explains the passage to mean that the cloud covers the Sun and the Rishi saw the Sun on the exit of the cloud. Now, one need not be a Rishi to be able to see the sun when the cloud has passed; anyone with ordinary eyes can do that! No wonder the moderns, on the strength of such explanations, speak lightly of the Rishis of the Veda as simpletons, idiots who see a great wonder even in the everyday sight of the sun and go into ecstasies over it!

The import is clear: the highest eternal Truth standing over, beyond, is covered by the inferior truth of this creation and when this cover is removed, one comes face to face with that higher Truth. Sayana’s gross interpretation has it that the dwelling place of Mitra and Varuna is the Sun. The hymns laud both of them as the guardians of the Truth, whose Law is the Truth and whose dwelling also is the paramam wyoma, the supreme ether. With the Truth as your Law, you stand in your carriage in the supreme. Ether, protecting the Truth” (Rv. V. 63.1). This and similar Riks convey the identity between (the two) Mitra and Varuna on the one hand and the Surya that is the Truth on the other. In explaining this Rik, we have indicated somewhat, the trend of thought in Sayana’s commentary as also our own. Grasping the import of this Rik the Rishi of the Upanishad says in plain uncovered language: “The face of Truth is covered with a brilliant golden lid; that do thou remove, O Fosterer, for the law of the Truth, for sight. O Fosterer, O sole Seer, O ordainer, O illumining Sun, O power of the Father of creatures, marshal thy rays, draw together thy light; the Lustre which is thy most blessed form of all, that in Thee I behold. The purusha there and there, He am I.” (Tr. by Sri Aurobindo). These are the lines of the passage in the Isha Upanishad. We shall show how this Mantra of the Upanishad fits in with that of the Rig Veda.

In the Veda it is by the inferior truth: in the Upanishad, by the golden lid. Though, by reason of its inferiority, it acts as a covering, still it is essentially the Truth and hence the covering lid is described as brilliant gold, Truth (is) concealed in the Veda; the face of the truth is concealed in the Upanishad. In the Veda, it is the greatest of the embodied, in the Upanishad, the most blessed form. It refers to the eternal supreme Light beyond.

In the Veda, it is That one; in the Upanishad, He am I.

In the Veda, it is ten hundreds (of rays) — Sayana too explains it to be so; the Upanishad plainly says, rays. Released, in the Veda; marshal, in the Upanishad. In the Veda, they stood together; the Upanishad says draw together. Always in the Veda the Supreme Person of intense Consciousness, Truth and Light is symbolished by the Sun; so also generally in the Upanishads. This one illustration is enough to show the direct connection of the truths (we come across) in the Upanishads with the Mantras of the Rig Veda. It should be evident that the knowledge of the Rishi of the Upanishad is more subtle and more grand and true (self-justifying) than that as noticed in the commentary of the champion of the ritualists, Sayana. Needless to add that the knowledge of the Rishis of the Upanishad was especially superior to that of the modern scholars or their followers.

This again shows beyond doubt that there is a secret in the Veda.

The Puranas, also, it is stated, lauding the Vedas as they do, are really amplifications of the meaning of the Vedas. This is conveyed by passages from the Mahabharata, Puranas and narratives, some of which we may cite, e.g. “The Veda is to be amplified by means of legends and Puranas”. “The Puranas elaborate upon the lost branches of the Veda"; "This ancient story is told, O King, adapted from the Vedas (or conformable to the Vedas)” etc. The Mahabharata really gives in plain language what is concealed in the legends and happenings recorded in the Vedas. At times certain Vedic legends are seen to reveal their true meaning in the Mahabharata. Vyasa narrates to Yudhishthira the true significance of the legend of Vritra as he learnt it from the ancient sages. These lines are to be found in the Ashwamedha Parva (XI. 7-20): "Then did Indra, O monarch of the Bharatas, slay Vritra who dwells in the body, with his invincible thunderbolt, thus have we heard.” Also, “This issue of Dharma, a secret was declared to the great Rishis by Indra and by the Rishis it was told to me: hearken to it, O King.” The commentator Nilakantha explains vajra as viveka, knowledge born of discrimination, and Vritra as darkness itself. Or again in (verse 19): “Vasishtha awakened him with the sāman called rathantara”, Nilakantha explaining the meaning of the term rathantara, says, that which surmounts, tarati, the ratha, i.e. the body known as Maya. By means of rathantara sāman Vasishtha awakened him, it is stated. This is the purport. Whatever be the symbolic meaning of the word ratha — we do not enter into the question here — it is enough to note that the commentator holds it to be a symbol. The Mahabharata also says that the whole legend of Vritra is a secret; that too must be noted. Elsewhere in the Anushasana Parva the symbolic significance of ram etc. is found to be stated (Ch. 84.47–48): "The goat is the symbolic form of Agni, the ram that of Varuna, the horse that of the sun; elephants, deer, serpents, buffaloes are Asuras; cocks and pigs are Rakshasas, O Darling of the Bhrigus.” We need not add that passages like these that are cited are the results of attempts made by the author of the Maha-bharata to discover the hidden meaning and significance of symbols of the Veda.

We have dwelt with the recorded tradition that there is a secret, a spiritual wisdom, in the Veda. We have summoned re-presentative evidence from the Puranas, historic legends, Brah-manas along with the Aranyakas, Nirukta and other works and the hymns themselves to authenticate our findings. There remains one important question meriting scrutiny. Has there been none in the period that has elapsed between ourselves and the Rishis of the Veda — and the period was so long — who knew the secret in the Veda and wrote a commentary to bring out the secret? The answer is simple: there is no doubt that no such commentary, expanding the secret, is in evidence. But on that account it can hardly be argued that there is no secret at all and that if there be one, there would follow in the matter of course, its expression as well. Can it be sustained, for instance, that there was no tradition of Vedic ritualism for the simple reason that we do not see any complete commentary on the Vedas prior to Sayana ? In the same manner it does not follow that there was no tradition of the Vedic secret since there has been no commentary working out the spiritual interpretation. On the other hand, one has to recognise the dis-advantage suffered by the esoteric interpretation due to the fame of the ritualistic supremacy. Also, be it noted, for the enquiring mind to be solely guided by faith in the commentary of Sayana is a handicap for any investigation into the hidden meaning of the Veda. We have shown, earlier, with authentic evidence, how in spite of the ancient school of mystic interpretation being forgotten, there has been and continues to be a tradition - living and un-equivocal — pointing to its existence. It need not be repeated here. However, in the face of the works of Madhwacharya, no one can assert that there was no attempt at all to resuscitate the spiritual interpretation of the Vedas. For a little before Sayana, Acharya Ananda Tirtha wrote a commentary on the first forty Suktas of the First Mandala of the Rik Samhita to illustrate how the meaning of the Riks is to be grasped. He holds that in as much as performance of rituals is a necessary part of the practice of the Vedic Dharma, a ritualistic interpretation of the hymns is justifiable, but it is wrong to say that the fundamental message of the hymns is observance of ritual. He maintains, on the other hand, that the spiritual interpretation gives the central meaning of the Mantras and that all the Vedas point to the supreme object of life which is to attain the sublime status at the feet of Vishnu. Madhwacharya’s Bhashya is small in volume. Barring a few Pundits in the Madhwa tradition, most of the students of the Veda are hardly aware that there is such a Veda-Bhashya, though incomplete. His follower, the great Yogi of majestic lustre, Raghavendra Swami, wrote the work Manträrtha-Manjari, following the Bhashya of the teacher and amplifying the points therein. The Riks are indeed to be explained with reference to Agni etc. as deities and to Vishnu as the supreme Deity dwelling in them, and also in the spiritual sense. Though we do not propose to examine the bases of the three ways in which the Riks are to be understood, we shall state in brief how in this mode of interpretation the three meanings are derived from the Riks. Where necessary we shall quote passages taken from the Mantrārtha-Manjari itself.

“Of two kinds are the words Agni and others, like milk that is mixed with water (which is one kind) and on the other hand) like fire (heat) that pervasively occupies an iron ball. Some words denote the form of the Lord’s consciousness with corporeal frame, mingled with and qualified by the consciousness of Agni and other souls. Some words denote pure consciousness. Words denoting pure consciousness also are of two kinds viz. the consciousness of the Lord and the consciousness of the soul. Of these the first kind is to be seen in the Mantra agnim ile where Agni denotes the well-known God Agni by (direct) expressive power of the word as also Vishnu by the supremely expressive power of the same word. (These two meanings are simultaneously understood by the proficient); as in the case of ’in the Ganga there are fish and the hamlet of herdsmen,’ by the expressive and the not-expressive (indicative) powers of the word, Ganga, the two meanings, flood and bank, are conveyed at the same time; or, ’The moon rejoices in the blue lotus’, ’The king delights in the earth’32 - here the conventional usage and the derivative significance give the two meanings simultaneously". In this way, the purport of the Mantra of the Rig Vedic hymns must be grasped as referring to Agni expounded in the Mantra for application in the rites, as well as to the supreme God-head named Vishnu presiding over Agni etc. The reasonablenesss (of this line of grasping the purport) is shown with the support of the scriptural texts, Shruti, Smriti, Purana and Itihasa. Such being the case, it may be asked: the meaning as referring to Vishnu alone is enough; why should there be the meaning as referring to God Agni and others ? The answer is, No, it is necessary; because “the conventional meaning of words related to particular things has been established and accepted and the purpose is manifested and without contradiction (to the supreme meaning Vishnu) 33. And because of the support of instruction in the scriptures) the word has power to express Vishnu also. In this context (it must be noted) that the Deity meaning is necessary, because its use is great (plentiful) such as the realisation of the exact nature of the Devata. Agni, etc. And there is the statement of the necessity of the meaning as applied to Devata also because of the impropriety of abandoning Devata meaning of Agni etc. obtained from the Vedic texts, Vedic lexicon, Grammar, yielding the derivation and finished form (of the words Agni etc.)" In this manner, the Acharya establishes the expressive meaning as applied to the Deity, Agni, and the supremely expressive meaning as applied to the supreme God Vishnu. Further he says: “Nor need it be doubted that because the purport of the two being different, there must be difference in the sentence that proclaims it, because the supreme purport is only one (there is no difference in the sentence)”. “The supreme purport is the truth applied to Vishnu, the excellent among all, God of Gods, and not to anything or any one else. Whatever is subsidiary is different from that, but has also that (Vishnu) for its importance etc. Therefore the object of human life according to all the Scriptures is He (the Vishnu)”. Quoting this passage from the Paingi Shruti, he reinforces it with passages from the Puranas: "All authorities reveal the Knower of all, the Doer of all, the Best among all, Narayana, devoid of ill-health. Here indeed is the supreme purport. All the Vedas, the Itihasa, the Purana, all the criteria of knowledge, are all for him; for this purpose something else is stated.” Therefore by the division of the supreme purport and the subsidiary purport more than one meaning was propounded. It was also shown that the hymns of Agni, Vayu, etc., refer to Agni, Vayu etc., and to the supreme Vishnu, the highest Self presiding over the deities, as well as to the inner meaning which is the spiritual meaning. Thus in a threefold manner the Mantras are to be commented upon and with this idea the Acharya pointed out the method of expounding the meaning of the Mantras by commenting on the (first) forty hymns (of the Rig Veda). The worshippers of the Lord by means of the hymn to Agni etc. could worship, constantly meditate upon, manifest and attain the Lord in the centres (seats of Agni etc.) and by this triple instrumentation (lit. of meditation on the Lord, of His being manifested, of his being attainable), the arrangement of the hymns addressed to various deities such as "This is Agni hymn’, ’This is Vayu hymn’, is quite appropriate, it must be so understood. Then, for the purpose of showing the manner of commenting on the Riks, we shall use the words of Manträrtha-Mañjari and give the meaning of the agnim ile Rik in brief:-

Beginning with agnim ile is the hymn to Agni. Madhuchchandas is the Rishi. Its application is for the purpose of obtaining Moksha - release of the soul — through devotion to Vishnu, secondarily it is used in ritual. To gain space we shall here mostly refrain from giving the grammar and connected details and state the substantial meaning expounded by Sri Raghavendra Swami; agnim, he who is in front, agre bhavam, the first to be adored or the prime activiser, Vishnu under the name of Agni or the famous Agni who is the abode of Vishnu, ile I adore. Adjectives governing Agni are explained as follows: purohitam, he who is helpful to all creatures from beginning-less time; yajñasya ļtvijam (singular in the sense of class), he who being the doer of jyotişthoma and other sacrifices, ordains the high priest, the Ritviks known as adhvaryu, hot;, udgatetc. as the restrain-ing agent, and so known as Ritvik himself, following the principle “one becomes that which is under one’s control”; hotāram he who controls the hot;, is specially present in him and thus following the above-mentioned principle, known as hotr himself; there is no redundancy here in the mention of the Ritvik and then of Hotr. The analogy of Kurus and Pandavas, the general followed by the particular, is to be remembered in this connection. ratnadhātamañ root ram with unadi suffix kna of which k is dropped according to the Sutra of Panini laśakvataddhite (138) and ṁ in the root also is dropped by the rule of Panini (VI. 4.37). Thus we get the form ratna. ratna means felicity and ratnadhā is one who holds felicity in utmost abundance. devam, the root div signifies praise and hence devam means praiseworthy. These qualities mentioned are bound-less in Vishnu and in Agni as his abode they are there in appro-priate proportions. Similarly in regard to the rest.

In its spiritual sense this is the meaning: purohitam, helpful to all; yajnasya of the knowledge-sacrifice, įtvijam, staying as the controller (with self-regard for them) of the senses that are the Ritviks, he is named Ritwik. hotārań, he who delivers the oblation of sense-objects into the fire of the senses i.e. who gives sense-delight agnim, he who leads the anga, body, i.e. the activiser of the whole body; ile I adore, is the connection in the sentence. In this spiritual interpretation the Yajamana, sacrificer, is understood to be any one who is striving for liberation, Moksha. The rest is to be ex-plained as stated already.

This is what we arrive at following the exegesis of the hymns by Madhwacharya: the meaning of the Riks as related to the soul (spiritual) and the meaning as related to the Gods are to be brought together. The meaning relating to the soul is the inner import; the meaning relating to the Gods contains in itself the sacrificial meaning. Thus following the direct meaning, the Mantras do have a secondary application in rituals. However, in giving the most direct meaning as related to the Gods, the Mantras refer predominantly to the Supreme Lord Vishnu himself. Thus the three kinds of knowledge obtained from the Veda i.e. the know-ledge relating to the sacrifice, to the Gods and to the self, spoken of by Yaska, generally agree with the three meanings of Mantras as maintained by the teacher of Dualistic Vedanta. In any case, the use of the Mantras in ritual is only of secondary significance. The Riks of the Veda are to be explained accordingly. Endowed with a knowledge of word (vyākaraṇa) and sentence (mimāmsa) and criterion of knowledge, pramāņa i.e. nyāya, and gifted with the eye of the seer, the Acharya Anandatirtha established with skill and support from the Shrutis, Smritis, Puranas and legends that what-ever be the mode of interpretation, spiritual, sacrificial or what pertains to the Gods, their fundamental import points to Vishnu alone. This must be noted: it is the ancient tradition that the meaning of the hymns is preeminently spiritual and concerned with the Supreme God and that mere ritualistic meaning is of an inferior order and the tradition pointing to the secret in the Veda has been confirmed with due appropriateness in these works — Rg-Bhāsya of Madhwacharya and the Mantrārtha Mañjari. Suffice it to note that these too confirm there is a secret in the Veda which can be unsealed by having recourse to the esoteric interpretation.

It may be asked then whether the labours of modern scholars, who have followed the line of western learning in their study of the Vedas, are not all rendered in vain if the estoeric interpretation is accepted. We reply in the negative. If the conclusions of their study based on the outer meaning of the hymns are consistent and legiti-mate then they would prove useful in deciding upon the place, time, conditions, natural character of the Vedic Rishis; we would not treat them as opposed to our thesis of the esoteric interpretation based on the inner meaning of the hymns. For the line of symbolic and mystic interpretation proceeds on the recognition of the outer and gross meaning of the hymns. We take exception only to the claim that the outer is the only meaning of the hymns. We have dealt with this before and it is not necessary to repeat it here. So we are generally indifferent for our purpose) to the labours based on the external sense of the Riks. It is not to be denied that such an interpretation done in a straight manner, could be helpful for drawing conclusions on the environment, age and other conditions of the ancient society of the Rishis or to unearth their history and record. Similarly it may be possible to fix upon, following Mr. Tilak, the Arctic Home of the Vedic Rishis or their Age, or following Mr. Paramasiva Iyer, to fix upon the identity of Ahi and Vritra. The Western scholars differ among themselves regarding the nature and form of the Vedic deities and the social conditions and laws of the society of that age. Some say that the Rishis of the Veda are polytheists because they worshipped many Gods. Others point out that the Rishis regarded each deity, at the moment of its worship, as the supreme one and hence ascribed supremacy to the deity whom they were engaged in worshipping at the hour. Still others there are who state that the difference among the deities is only in name and that there is really only one supreme God to the Rishis who are monotheists. According to some, the Rishis regarded in the different objects in the material universe the presence of the respective presiding deities; that is why even creations, like Heaven, Earth, Fire, Wind, Sun, Rain are worshipped as Deities and hence the Rishis are nature-worshippers, pantheists. Such are the various bewilderments of modern scholars enquiring into the Vedas. We would state this much: it is not that basis is lacking for any of these theories. What is to be borne in the mind is that the original seers of the Veda were not conversant with such theories. Just as the Rishis of the Upanishads far removed from the later philosophies of Dwaita (Dualism), Adwaita (Monism) and Vishishtadwaita (Qualified Monism) simply stated their own realisations, the truths as they saw or heard directly, the seers of the Mantras, even farther removed from monistic and other philosophies of our day, gave the Mantras as perceived and heard by them and duly engaged in the invocation of the Gods, they waited in adoration upon the supreme Godhead. Hence there will be no end of theories if we were to begin examining the view or views of the Rishis of the Veda regarding the world, soul and God. Such arguments about the Vedas will be akin to the debates of the laterday Acharyas and their followers regarding the Doctrine of the Upanishads, akin to the dialectical debates among the Dwaita and other schools which to this day adorn the throne in the world of Pundits noted for debating skill. The reason for it is their Systems of philosophy Nyaya, Vaisheshika etc. are undoubtedly governed by the rule of definition, lakṣaṇa, criterion, pramāņa, examination, paţikṣā, in the ascertainment of Truth. The line of approach (to Truth) of the early Rishis and there too of the Vedic seers was different. Such standards as these had no place with seekers engaged in Tapas, like the Rishis. Their own realisation, perception and audition were obtained by the strength of the initiation received from the hierarchic line of the Guru. A straight reading of the Mantras would, without doubt, confirm all the facts that we shall presently state.

It is clear from the hymns that there is only one Supreme Godhead who is himself so many Gods and bears as many names. The manifold character of the Godhead is known from the hymns themselves; it is because the deities stand as so many distinct beings that by following their respective characteristics, particular hymns can be determined to be devoted to the particular deities. It is also possible to show from many of these hymns that to the Rishis each God is the Supreme Himself and none other. We also learn from the hymns that the mutuality of nature and mutuality of birth of the various Gods who are charged with Cosmic functions, whether in the microcosm or the macrocosm, are perceived and revealed by the Rishis. Passages from the Rig Veda point unmistakably, again and again, to the One Great Soul — signified by Surya, whose forms and personalities, parts and limbs are the many Gods assuming the appellations appropriate to their character and function the Gods mentioned in the Vedas. Hence if we are to achieve our supreme object with the help of the Veda, it is necessary that the Riks are accepted as the authentic speech and studied, both word and meaning, following the tradition of the Rishis, according to the context. Even though there is no mutual conflict among the many aforesaid theories drawn from the hymns, yet we do not think any effort is called for towards their reconciliation. What does it matter, indeed, if there be no elimination of difference or a reconciliation among them? This treasury of Mantras is to be approached with devotion, knowledge, tapas, and adored.

This is no work like a Sutra treatise with exegesis and similar writings which are a battlefield for pros and cons, argument and counter-argument. The Mantras of the Rig Veda are in fact a veritable treasure of the recorded) revelations vouchsafed to the most ancient Rishis. Here is a priceless trove of gems of truths of the Spirit, of the Gods and many of an occult character. The Veda is a literary record of uncommon realisations, of divine revelation and inspiration, of our forefathers, Vasishtha, Vamadeva and others who in the course of their inner discipline - Yoga - got at many truths in the mystic path, truths beyond the grasp of the sense but attainable by extraordinary means of self-discipline, truths of the vaster worlds of existence beyond the ken of the physical eye, truths of the Gods who are the functionaries in those worlds, their Powers Shaktis, as also those who are Shaktis in their own right. And who knows what other secrets lie embedded in this most ancient collection of Hymns — the Rig Veda! “By Tapas is its shore to be reached, indeed, by Tapas is its shore to be reached.”

SECTION FOUR

WE have still to say this much concerning the subject of the Deities in the Veda.

Such are the Mantras in the Rik Samhita in many places that they hardly make any consistent meaning unless interpreted in the inner sense; read in the gross external sense there is only incoherence. The other point to be noted is that though the moderns, following the Western line of research, adopt Sayana’s method of interpretation in the outer sense, they do not adhere to him always, particularly when he follows the ancient Indian tradition regarding the Deities. This is a feature to be noted regarding the Gods. Our ancients believed that the Gods presided over their respective worlds or over their principles with self-regard for them. When they praise the Surya, the Sun God, it is the Person who presides over the solar body or who dwells in it that is adored. Similarly praise of Agni and others means the praise of Deities presiding over Fire etc. But the moderns would oppose this position. They accepted only the physical forms, in external Nature, of Agni, Vayu, Indra, Surya and others but rejected the presiding, indwelling and self-regarding aspects (of Agni, Surya and others). This is the reason: in their opinion, the primitive poets of the Veda were indulging in their fancy when they ascribed divinity to physical objects. We, however, adherents of the esoteric interpretation, accept the truth of Agni presiding over Earth and so on even while recognising the symbolic character of exterior objects. In the exposition of the hymns according to the esoteric interpretation, the authority of the Gods is seen both in the outer as well as in the inner aspect; still primary importance is attached to the inner significance. We shall now substantiate what we have said by a few examples from the Riks. It is said that to the inner vision the Gods are conscious beings. Such a statement makes no meaning in the context of the outer sense.

We shall show how inappropriate is the meaning yielded by the grosser interpretation even in case of deities like the Maruts who are considered to be minor relatively to the major Gods like Indra. The Rik says: “The wise always see the highest step, the supreme abode of Vishnu like an eye extended in heaven" (1.22.20). God Vishnu mentioned in the Rik is explained to be the sun. So far so good. This Vishnu is Surya, indeed, but not the sun in the physical universe. Why? For otherwise, the highest step would be the meridian in the sky reached by the sun in his daily round; and the Rishi says that the wise see him always. Now how can the solar orb be found always at the meridian in the sky? and that too visible only to the wise ? If it were just the physical sun, the meridian reached by him would be visible to the others also who are not wise; why should it be said that it is visible to the wise? There can be no doubt whatever that it is something uncommon, beyond the physical senses, a matter pertaining to the direct realisation of the Wise. Otherwise, to say that the Wise always see the sun in the meridian of the sky would be utterly fanciful and incoherent babble. It is because of its uncommon character that the Supreme abode is said to be always seen by the Wise like an eye fully extended in the heaven.

To take another instance of the kind: Seer Praskanva says: “Beholding the loftier light that springs up above the Darkness we have come to the Sun, the God among Gods, the most excellent (loftiest) light” (1.50.10). And here is the meaning: vayam we, tamasaḥ from darkness, from sin, pari above, springing up, ut uttaram risen and excellent, jyotiḥ light, paśyantaḥ beholding, devatra among Gods, devam shining, sūryam the sun, uttamam jyotiḥ the excellent light, aganma we have attained. This is the common meaning. Sayana quotes from the Brahmanas in explaining that the word tamas signifies sin. In that case, the Sun cannot be the sun of the physical world. Sayana himself, commenting on the fourth quarter, says that seer Praskanva speaks of conscious union, sāyujyam with the Sun. In this Rik, then, there is an unmistakable mention of the supreme Light that transcends the senses and signified by the word Surya, Sun. It is also to be noted that here in this Mantra, whatever the interpretation, the Sun referred to is not simply the physical sun of our system, and this is clear.

We have instanced two Riks — one devoted to Vishnu as Surya, the Sun and the other to the Sun-God as the highest Light -to show the theory that the Sun and the other Gods are really nothing but phenomena of Nature, holds no water. Now we shall take up some Riks in praise of Indra. It is held that Indra, the king of the Gods ruling over the triple world, stands above the region of the clouds, deals with his thunderbolt, a death-blow to the cloud known as Vritra and releases the waters. There are certainly Riks which, when torn from the context go to support such views; but they do not, in most places, cohere in sense. But if we follow the inner sense, a happy harmony of sense leaps to the eye. For instance, in the Rik, “Far is that Name secret by which worlds in fear called to thee, with faces downcast, for strength" (X. 55.1). Here address. ing Indra, the Rishi says: Far is that secret Name of thee by which the Heaven and the Earth called to thee. Or the following Rik: “Great is that secret Name longed for by many by which thou madest what was and what shall be.” The import is clear. “The secret name is Great, the name that is aspired to by the worlds and is at once the means by which you created all that has been and shall create all that is to be.” To take up another Rik from the Atreya Mandala: “His strong and secret abode I have seen; desiring him who founds, I got at (his abode), I asked of others, they said, ’being men of leading, awakened, let us attain to Indra," (V. 30.2). The seer of this Mantra is Rishi Babhru and this is its import: “I have seen the firm and secret abode of Indra. Desiring him who establishes (founds) thoroughly I attained his station. How? First I asked other wise persons. They told me, ’Leaders that we are, being awakened, we shall attain to Indra’.” It is again the same secret; the secret in the two Mantras mentioned above is the name, here it is the abode. And where is this abode or name little above the region of the clouds or higher than that? The Rik is unequivocal in stating that the attainment to Indra comes to him who is awakened and longs for Indra. Here Indra is described as the nidhātā, he who founds thoroughly. Is he any fanciful God living somewhere in the sky? Does the word bubudhāna, awakening, signify simply the waking from ordinary sleep on the part of the Rishis?

Now, about Maruts. Let us concede they are storm-gods. Even though the Maruts, brothers of Indra, the leader of the storm-gods, may not be the leading deities like Indra, even though their external functions are generally noted and therefore the Mantras devoted to them substantiate doubtless the external interpretation to gross sight, yet the Mantras do reveal the inner functionings of the Maruts, the protection they give from sin and their veiled forms etc. Rishi Agastya prays to the Maruts to be saved from sin — aghāt rakṣata. If the Rishi appeases the Maruts — the material phenomena, the a storms — by his praise, his dwelling places and other possessions may be rendered safe from the attack of furious storms. But if they be simply the natural phenomena how is it possible for them to be instinct with conscious activity and inner functioning that eliminates sin ? Here is a Rik of Vasishtha: "Here, here, ye of self-grown strength, seers with skin of Sun’s splendour, O Maruts, dedicate to you this sacrifice” (VII. 59.11). The Rishi says: ’Oh you Maruts, you gods are svatavasaḥ, grown of your own strength, kavayaḥ, seers, sūrya-tvacaḥ, the splendour of the Sun itself is your covering and protective skin; to you, such as these, I dedicate today the sacrifice.’ Now how could these seers those who look beyond the past and present and as such endowed with consciousness, be mere natural phenomena of storms, entities without consciousness? From the Rik quoted earlier (Section II), “He is a sage, the illu-mined thinker, dhira, who knows these mysteries whom the mighty Prishni bore in her udder” (VII. 56.4), it should be clear that the mysteries of the Maruts can be known only by the enlightened sages with the subtle sight.

Now about Soma. There is no doubt whatever that the particular creeper of this name is simply the outer form. It is also clear from certain Riks that it is a symbolic plant in the sacrifice, standing for the God of the current of conscious delight in the inner context. Read in the outer sense, most of the Riks hardly make coherent meaning. Soma is mentioned among the kalpa-osādhis, elixirs for longevity etc. in the Ayurveda. Modern imaginative minds in their flights of fancy assume that the seers intoxicated with the Soma drink, go on to laud the glory of Soma. Twenty-four varieties of Soma plant are mentioned in the section on Chikitsa Sthana of the Sushruta Samhita (Ch. 29). But nowhere there is the intoxicating property eulogised. It is indeed astonishing that the Rishis desiring the intoxication of the drink should have praised Soma by means of hundreds of Riks, while in fact the creeper was only a symbolic form. It is only in the inner sense that the Soma Mantras make coherent sense; in the Rik, "O thou, all-seeing, the illumining rays of thee who art the lord encompass all the abodes; Soma with thy natural powers thou pervadest (the all) and flowest, thou art the King and lord of the whole world.” (IX. 85.6) How is it possible to explain the Rik if Soma is just a creeper ? Let the thoughtful reader answer. This is the meaning of the Rik: viśvacakṣan, all- seeing! Soma, O Soma, prabhoḥ of one who has mastery, te thy, ļbhvasaḥ vast seeing, ketavaḥ illumining rays, vi śvā all, dhāmāni abodes or lights, the abodes of Gods, pariyanti encompass, illumine. O Soma, vyāna śiḥ, Thou who pervadest, dharmabhiḥ with the powers that hold and sustain, with the drippings of Ananda known as Rasa, pavase thou flowest. viſvasya bhuvanasya, of the whole world, patiḥ the lord, rājasi thou art the king. We arrive at this meaning following the commentary of Sayana himself. If what has been said is not enough to dispel doubts on the subject of Soma, there is another Rik in the tenth Mandala which should set all doubt at rest; “When they crush the herb, one thinks that he has drunk the Soma; but no one ever tastes him whom the Brahmanas know to be the Soma” (X. 85.3). This Rik decides the real nature of Soma. It declares that commonly all drink the juice obtained by squeezing the Soma creeper, but rare is he who partakes of what is known as the real Soma to the wise - this is the purport of the Rik.

Then Ushas: Ushas is rightly identified with Dawn in the ordinary outward interpretation; but its truth is to be found only in the inner sense; there is no doubt whatever. The goddess of solar radiance manifests herself in advance before the rise of the Sun, which symbolises the rise or the beginning of the realisation of the Sun of Truth hymned in Vedas as the supernal Light. That is why the Riks describe her as ṛtavāri full of Truth, sūnytā, speaking sweet the word of Truth. "Following the course of the Ray of Truth, bestow on us happy, happy knowledge-will” (I. 123.13). Addressing in these terms, the Rishi prays to Ushas following the course of the Truth for the Gift to him of the firm and most felicitous knowledge-will. How can the physical dawn make such a gift? Similarly other Gods like Mitra, Varuna, Ashvins and others whose identities are uncertain in the external interpretation, reveal themselves in a penetrating study of the purport of their respective Mantras, as well-defined Gods in the context of the inner sense.

There is another question to be looked into. We have said before that the Gods are Names, limbs and personalities of the One Supreme Godhead. A doubt may arise whether the hymns them-selves support this conclusion or whether it is based on exegesis of later-day exponents of the Upanishadic teachings. The moderns hold: all over the Rig Veda the Gods are spoken of as many, it is only in the Upanishad that the One Truth, Brahman the One-without-a-second, is established. Even if the Rishis appear to know at times, the One Supreme Godhead, that is only in later Mantras, particularly in the tenth Mandala. We would reply: that is not a fact. Mantras can be cited from many Mandalas in the Rig Veda wherein Agni or Indra or any other God is adored as the direct and immediate form of that One. That One, the One Existent, the Supreme Light — thus is known the Supreme Truth designated by the term Surya, and we learn that it is on account of the multiplicity of its functions that there are so many Gods different in personality and Name. First there is the oft-quoted famous Rik of Dirghatamas beginning with ’Indra and Mitra’ ......"The One Existent the illumined ones call variously, ekaṁ sat viprāh bahudhā vadanti” (I. 164.46). The essence of the matter is given out in this third line of the Mantra.

In a hymn of twenty-two Riks of the Vaishwamitra Mandala (RV. III. 55) each Rik ends with the words, ’mahad devānām asurat-vam ekam’, the Great (powerful) Might of the Gods is One (the Great One). asuratva, the might, the great treasure of the Gods is spoken of as One. Elsewhere, (III. 54.8), the Rik reads: "...The All One has become what moves, what flies, all that is manifold.” This is the fourth line of the Rik. The purport of the Rik is: the Heaven and Earth bring into creation all beings and sustain them distinctly and separately; and even though they bear all the Gods they are not wearied of the load. That is so because that which is the moving and the unmoving, that which desires the creation, itself becomes what moves, what flies and what comes to be in manifold form. In the hymns of Vamadeva, we find the expression vapușā-midekaṁ (IV. 7.9) — the One of the embodied (Gods). Again in the Fifth Mandala we find the Rik: vapuşām apaśyam (V. 62.1) — that One, the greatest of the embodied Gods, I saw. The verse has been explained in the Third Section already. Or another Rik: "An immortal Light set inward for seeing, a swiftest mind within in men that walk on the way. All the Gods with a single mind, a common Intuition, move aright in their divergent paths toward the One Will.” (VI. 9.5) In this Rik (addressed to Agni) also mention is made of the Immortal, firmly set, Light, set within for seeing of the One Will towards which all the Gods move in their respective ways. Vasishtha says: "That One, thy birth, was there when Agastya brought Thee here" (V. 111.33.10). Again, in the last Book, it is plainly stated: “Where they regard the only one beyond the seven Rishis” (X. 82.2). In the same hymn (Rik. 6): "In the navel of the unborn the One was placed and there in that One all the worlds abide" (X. 82.6). All the worlds are set within the navel of the One without birth. Again (in X. 114.5): "The One existent, beauti-ful of plumage, the illumined seers by their words formulate in many ways (or forms).” We have given enough instances from many Mandalas, not only from the tenth, to show how That One, the one Supreme Truth, God of the Gods, is lauded in the Rig Veda, covertly or openly. A study of the hymns to Indra, Soma and other Gods — not only to Agni — bearing this truth in mind would convince that the One Existent is all the Gods, each of whom renders in his own way help to man the sacrificer, and leads him to that supreme One, the Light, the Immortal Truth.

We shall take up a few Riks describing that One, the Supreme Light, as the many Gods. In addressing the Marut Gods, Rishi Kanva Sobhari says: “Whose Name, resplendent, One alone, widely extended like a sea, for the joy of many like the enduring strength of ancestral heritage” (VII. 20.13). The Rik purports to say that the One Name of the Maruts, resplendent and wide-extended like the ocean, is there for the enjoyment of many, like an ancestral heritage. This also shows the one basis of the Maruts, and the helpfulness of the many Gods to the sacrificers or to the Creation. In the Valakhilya Hymns (VIII. 58.2), we find it plainly stated: “That One has become all this”. Verses 4 and 5 in VIII.100 read: ’O singer, look, here I...the One seated on the summit of Heaven.’ Here Indra addresses seer Nema who is overcome with doubt regarding the existence of Indra: ’O singer, I am, I, by my greatness, surpass all that is born, the followers of Truth increase me the espousers of Truth ascend and approach me, but I, the One, am seated on the summit of Heaven.’ Another hymn reads: “The one son born of the three, the conquering, ruddy treasure, they send, the Immortals unassailed look over the happy places (planes) of mortals” (VIII. 101.6). Here, the Light, born in the Yajamana as the great gift of the workings of the Gods, the one Light is described as the offspring of the three mothers. "Held by the seven thought-powers he pleases the unharming rivers who increase the One Eye." (IX. 9.4) He (Soma), held by the thought-powers of the seven planes of existence, delighted the streams of consciousness ; and these rivers nourished the all-seeing flame known as the One Eye of the Universe. “The Might of the great Deva is the great one” (X. 55.4) -- these words echo the verse quoted earlier, mahad devānāṁ asuratvam ekaṁ, the powerful Might of the Gods is the Great One.

Thus the Mantras themselves reveal the common origin, common self and common object of the Gods. The differentiation among the Gods is the differentiation of Name, function and per-sonality. That is why the ancients comprehended the characteristic marks of the Gods from the Mantras and described them. Even the weapons, vehicles and hues indicate the particular deities. This truth is known from the 29th hymn of the Eighth Book. The vehicles are dealt with in the Nirukta-Nighantu (1.15). Similarly the characteristic marks of the deities are to be found in the hymns themselves.

We have to state this much: though it is undoubtedly true that the activities of the Gods have their roots above and start from the plane Beyond, yet it is a fact to be noted that their importance, direct help or distinct benevolence depends upon the state of pro-gress of the Yajamana in the inner path upwards to the heaven, in the journey signified by the term adhvara, sacrifice. The Universe itself, inner and outer, is the field of activity for the Gods. Even though their functions are spread out over the whole field from the Foundation above to the Earth below, they vary from step to step according to needs. Though particular stations in the Path are presided over by and form the special sphere of a particular Deity, still that Deity is but one facet of the Supreme Godhead. The other deities stand behind or above that Deity supporting it in its functioning. It is this truth that is at the basis of the hymns of the Seers where the Yajamana, though lauding many Gods, yet approaches each one as the All-God and according to the context as the distinct one for the purpose at hand. Need it be added that to the Seer, these Gods are realities, not fanciful?

And this is to be noted: as the inner sacrifice proceeds, the Yajamana comes into relation with Agni and other Gods presiding over their respective places. This relation is seen in the Veda to be of many kinds — of father and son, of friendship etc. Another interesting feature is that the very God who is the protector, the father, the adored, is born in the Yajamana as the son. That is how all the Gods who are born first in the Cosmos for its governance obtain a second birth in the Yajamana. Hence it is meet that the Gods are called dvi-janmānaḥ, the twice-born. How and whence does the second birth of the Gods take place in the Yajamana ? Here is the answer. The Heaven is the head of the creation which has set out from the Supreme’s Home Beyond the heaven; the Earth is the feet and the lower terminus of the Cosmic creation. Between the Heaven and the Earth, as between the summit and the base of a mountain, there are many steps like the plateaus of a mountain. As the Yajamana ripens in his realisations the Gods presiding over these stations take birth in him, by first pouring into him their own riches for his uplift. The chief among these is Agni, the first born. Hence we shall enquire into his nature and function. For when that is done, it will be easy to follow the truth of the other Gods. Our enquiry shall proceed in this matter on the basis of the Mantras themselves.

Who is this Agni, the God who is awakened and adored by the Rishis ? Surely it cannot be the elemental fire, the third among the five elements being inanimate; and because though Agni may be the Deity with self-regard for the principle of heat, it is only the external symbol. The God without whom “the immortals are not happy", cannot be the fire produced from the araņis, tinders, in the external ceremonial rite. "The immortals rejoice not without thee", says the Rik. He is frequently lauded in the Vedas as the God who is the Seer-Will, one whose knowledge is that of the Seer into the Beyond. Many are the celebrated Riks in the Rik Samhita describ-ing him as the repository of the mysteries of Sacrifice, as one in whom all the immortals rejoice. He is the face as well as the mouth of the Gods He conveys to the Gods all that is offered by the Yaja-mana, sacrificer. A leader in front of the Gods, he approaches the Yajamana to accept the oblation (offering). Accepting the oblation, offerings and adorations, he causes the Gods to relish, he pleases them. Therefore he is the messenger of the Gods. It is through him alone that the mortal can commune with the immortals. He is the leader, the nara, the priest, ștvik, hotā, of the sacrifice. Executing the sacrifice he calls upon the Gods to accept the offerings of things made by the Yajamana. Thus he is the first of all the Gods to be born in man: this is the second birth to which we have referred before. He is the kratu, Will, the Knowledge-Will of the Divine in man functioning as the intelligent Will with the determination “This is so, not otherwise”. And when like the sacrificial fire pro-duced by the friction of tinders, araņis, such a Will (the Divine Will) is awakened in the altar of the heart of man by the grace of the Universal Father Heaven and Mother Earth, he rises as one arisen from sleep, and grows heavenward step by step, by fed the self-offerings of the sacrificer. This is Agni, the divine Flame in the heart, whose original home is the great Heaven but who is born in man, immortal in the mortal. At his birth he is fostered by the seven sisters. He is described as the Child of the Seven Mothers who is nourished and supported by the Waters, the seven Rivers. These are figures, it must be understood, of the energies of the seven Cosmic principles, governing the seven planes of existence. Thus the ener-gies of Knowledge and Power on the seven planes of existence, governed by their seven principles, it must be grasped, are there contained in Agni. And that is why when offerings like cooked rice etc. are made they reach all the seven planes of being, their shares of it severally; it is to signify this fact that Agni is said to have seven flames, seven tongues. Thus when the offerings of the Yaja-mana are reached to the seven planes of his being, they are severally ready to receive him on their respective levels and birth of the immortal Gods of these planes in the Yajamana, the mortal, is rendered possible.

Many are the names by which Agni is addressed in the Veda. He is described as lodged in the secret heart denoted by the word guhā, cave. We shall illustrate and explain some of the Riks con-veying (containing) descriptive attributes which throw light on the character and function of Agni and show how Agni himself came to be the celebrated Skanda Kumara of the Puranas. From the very beginning of time the Rishis have had a firm conviction that Agni is the Divine Truth (in truth the God himself), not fanciful, not merely physical or sacrificial, but the God immortal in the mortals. The solar powers of the sublime Truth having attained Rishihood and typified by the Bhrigus are said to have brought down, from the heaven, and placed Agni in men like a lovely (friendly) treasure. For what purpose? For man to attain the divine birth — so they sing. Says Rahugana: “The Bhrigus placed thee, Agni, in the men... blissful friend for the Divine birth" (I. 58.4). There are a number of Riks of this kind and they would make no coherent meaning if we do not accept that the Rishis had known at least some truths of the inner universe. "This our sacrifice, o knower of all births, set among Immortals, he pleased to accept our offerings” (III. 21.1). The Sacrificer, the Rishi prays: O Agni, thou knower of all that is born, do thou set our sacrifice among Gods, the Immortals; be pleased to convey these offerings to them. “This seer-poet, kavi, intensely Conscious, the Immortal in the mortals, is established among the unseeing, akavi” (VII. 4.4). This Mantra of Vasishtha clearly says that this Agni, the seer into the beyond, is established among akavis, the unseeing, who are not kavis the sightless, the Immortal among the mortals. Or, “Thou art great, the supreme Intuition of the pilgrim-sacrifice, without thee the Immortals are not joyous” (VII. 11.1). Here Vasistha again says that Agni is endowed with a supreme knowledge regarding the Sacrifice which is really a journey on the Path to the Heaven and without him the Gods rejoice not. "To Agni, knower of all births, Son of Force (for the gift of desirable things) who becomes twofold, the Immortal in the mortals, (the most delightful in the People") (VIII. 71.11). He is said to be twofold because though divine in himself he is the Immortal among the mortals. "I saw the greatness of this great Immortal in the mortals that are the peoples” (X. 79.1). This Rik of seer Sowchika says: I have seen among the mortals the greatness of the Great Immortal Agni. There is a clear Rik in the hymns of the Atris: “Agni shines out in the Gods. Agni enters into the mortals; Agni is the carrier of our offering. Serve Agni with all your thoughts”. (V. 25.4). In the same Mandala (11.2) it is said that Agni, the supreme Intuition of the Sacrifice, the representative Priest, seated in the same chariot, along with Indra and other Gods, comes to the seat made up of the pile of sacred grass. "He who in mortals Immortal possessed of the Truth” of Rahugana (I. 77.1). “The Universal Life, the Immortal in mortals” (VI. 4.2), “He Immortal among the mortals, a mind of Knowledge” (VI. 5.5), “Approach and set the Immortal with your words” (VI. 15.6) – these Riks of Bharadwaja celebrate Agni as the Immortal among the mortals.

If, then, the Immortal Agni is there in us, he must be some-where hidden in some secret place. The seer calls this secret inner place, the heart, hrt, indicated by the figures of the cave, guha. This cave, the dwelling-place of Agni is hymned in numerous Riks. Here are excerpts from the hymns of Parashara, Vishvamitra and Vamadeva.

"He hides himself like a thief with the cow of Vision in the secret cavern. He takes to himself our adoration and thither he carries it" (I. 65.1).³

“Seated in the cave holding all strengths in his arms, Agni bears all the gods in his Power. Leaders of men, upholders of intelligence, attain to him there in the cavern chanting the words carved out of the heart" (I. 67.2). “O Fire, thou art Universal life, enter into the secrecies of secrecies” (I. 67.3).⁴

“He who has perceived Him when He is in the secret cave" (I. 67.4).⁵

“Abiding in the secret cave and rich with many lights" (IV. 7.6).

“Moving in the cave with felicitous sisters" (III. 1.9).

Riks of this kind declare the cave, the secret heart, as the dwelling-place of Agni.

Agni is always associated with the septette because the seven principles of Existence are set in this Immortal Being; power, light, bliss are all described as being sevenfold in principle and hence Agni’s connection with the sevenfold principle is mentioned in various contexts.

“The seven rays are extended in this leader of sacrifice” (II. 5.2).

“In house and house founding the seven ecstasies the Fire took its session as a priest of the Call strong for sacrifice” (V. 1.5).⁶

“For me, how so small, impart not the heavy burden of this thought, О purifying Fire, uphold with violence this vast, profound and mighty sevenfold plane” (IV. 5.6).

The unbearable burden of the seven Planes is beyond me to hold. Hence, O Agni, give me not this heavy burden of thought. This is the purport. Trita sings:

"He, Agni, Knower of Honey, desiring the seven Sisters, flushing red, raised them, for seeing blissfully” (X. 5.5). ⁷

Or elsewhere,

“The Immortal going about the seven abodes" (X. 122.3). We would also recall a passage from the Shukla Yajur Veda quoted by Yaska: "In this body are established the seven Rishis.” Thus everywhere we hear of septettes, seven hills, seven rivers, seven Rishis, seven sisters, seven stations or places. As explained earlier, these are figures of the gradations of Planes of the sevenfold (seven-principled) Existence with their corresponding Knowledge, Power, Light or the presiding deities and must be so understood according to the context.

Now in our enquiry into the character of Agni we must consider the nature of these Waters because of the important context. What are these Waters or Rivers that are sung as sevenfold in the hymns of the Veda ? They are the streams of the Truth, floods of the Higher Consciousness, carrying the radiances of the Superconscient. According to the school of outward (naturalistic) interpretation they are released by Indra, the lord of the Gods, by slaying with his thunderbolt the demon Vritra, their coverer. But, it is to be noted, the Asura who obstructs the entry of the Truth-power into the Earth-consciousness has for his outer symbol the cloud named Vritra. The hymns of Vasishtha, Vamadeva, especially VII. 49 and IV. 58 make it clear that the ocean is the image of the Infinite and Eternal Existence, the waters are the flowing streams of Conscious-ness and the seven rivers are the powers rich with radiance that create and sustain the Existence in all its seven planes. This symbolic truth would get clear beyond doubt from a study of the import of the first hymn of Vishvamitra to Agni. We shall state in brief the main points in the hymn.

The Gods beheld Agni (in the Waters). The seven mighty ones increased in him. He became full of felicity. White in birth, he is ruddy or pink when he has grown. They loved and laboured about him, the Mares around the new-born child. Wearing light as his robe all about the life of the waters, he formed in himself glories vast and without any deficiency... Here the eternal and ever-young goddesses from one womb held the one child; they are the seven Words. Spread out were masses of him in universal forms in the womb of clarity, in the flowings of the sweetnesses; here the fostering rivers (cows) themselves stood nourishing. The two mothers of this accomplishing God became vast and harmonised. He discovered at his birth the source of abundance of his Father and he loosed forth wide his streams and wide his rivers. One, he fed upon his many mothers in their increasing. In the Vast Truth he accepted the home made for him by the undivided Sisters... From him dwelling in his vast secret seat within the shoreless Vast they milked out immortality.

This is the substance in part of the hymn of Vishvamitra.

We shall explain the symbolic meaning, using the words of the Riks then and there. These seven (rivers) are the sevenfold Divine Waters of Truth. The Divine waters brought Agni from the High above to set him here. This Agni, a divine secret, is set in plants on the earth; he is to be manifested by the pressure (friction) of the two tinders of Heaven and Earth. Hence he is called the child of the Heaven and Earth; and the consciousness of the Pure Mind of Heaven is itself called the dyauḥ. The waking consciousness of the physical mind is symbolised by the Earth. And it is by the strength of the interaction of these two that man has to achieve with effort that secret thing called - Agni. In the Divine Waters he is found visible, easily born in all his strength, knowledge and enjoyment and easily approached. White in birth he grows ruddy in his action when he increases. At his very birth the Gods give him splendour, force and body. The seven great rivers (Cows) nourish him. The rivers usually named dhenavaḥ, fostering Cows, are here described as Horses. This is the reason: in the Veda the Cow (termed dhenu) is the symbol of the power of knowledge, while the Horse is the symbol of force of action. Here Horse is the dynamic force of Life, the dhenavaḥ, Waters labouring over Agni on earth, in his birth (and sustained) become the waters of the vital dynamis. And this Prana -- the life-force- breathes, acts, desires, and enjoys. Agni himself begins first as the material heat, then becomes life-force, Prana and in the end becomes heavenly Fire. The sevenfold waters thus rise upwards and become the Pure luminous Mind, the Mighty Ones of Heaven. They all take their rise and flow from the highest, the One Truth-Consciousness. The seven Words are the fundamental creative expressions of the Supreme Lord. The Father of all things is the Lord and Male; he is hidden in the secret source of things; that is the supreme (plane of) consciousness. Agni with his com-panion-gods and with the sevenfold waters ascends to that plane. This ascent to Heaven by Agni in us, mortals, the Sacrificers, is effected without leaving the existence which is the field of the waking state indicated by the term Earth. By this ascent Agni finds the source of the honeyed plenty of the Father of things and collecting them pours them out into our lives. He bears and himself becomes the Son. That is why he is the eternal Youth — Kumara, pure Light, pure Male, Immortal in the mortals, is perfected as the one Soul in man revealed in its universality. The Seer-Will, the Divine child, the Son of God — his birth here, growth, nourishment by the Waters, the rivers that are Waters, the Cows, they again are the Mares — all these do not make coherent sense unless read in their secret symbolic meaning. To construe these without admitting the symbolic imagery would involve us in utter fanciful imagination or lead us to impute incoherent prattles to the seers of the Mantras. Such symbols with their inner meaning unveiled of their own accord, are to be seen in other hymns also. Can there be doubt that Vamadeva’s hymn (IV. 58) brings into the open the secret of the Veda ? From passages such as, “The name of ghỉta that is secret”, “Tongue of the Gods, navel of immortality”, “These ...from heart-ocean”, “Streams of clarity, ghrta...rivers like cows purified by the Mind in the inner Heart", "Auspicious maidens... Agni”, “Thy Home the entire universe...” and “In the inner Ocean, in the life-span in the Heart" etc., we see beyond doubt that ghrta, honey, Cow, Waters, Maidens, Heart, inner Ocean, etc. reveal their great symbolic significances of their own accord. Some of these symbolic images are clearly seen to be preserved in the Puranas. When Vishnu is said to sleep on the folds of the snake Ananta upon the ocean of sweet milk, Ananta is clearly seen to be not the common serpent, nor the milk the material sweet milk, nor, the ocean an expanse of the milky liquid. The symbolic meaning is that the All-pervading Vishnu rests on the coils of the Infinite in the blissful ocean of Eternal Existence. It may be said that the authors of the Puranas were priests, gross minds who knew not even the truth of the solar and lunar eclipse; how could they be in the know of profound verities? They mean only the usual physical serpent and material ocean of real milk and it is we who read into them the symbolic meaning. We would point out that there is no necessity for us to imagine so. These poets themselves have imprinted the symbolic thought by means of figures and words and made known impenetrable truths for the benefit of all. Note, those words are: Vishnu means all-pervading, the serpent Sesha is Ananta, infinite, sweet milk a symbol of Bliss and the Ocean, immensity of the Eternal Existence.

The Agni who is lauded in the Vedas as the Son, Kumara, is the same who in Purana is called Skanda, the Child of Agni. All the circumstances mentioned in the Puranic accounts of the Kumara narrative are to be seen in the symbolic language of the Veda. Though the Puranas differ in many places in details of narrative, still all of them give essentially the same account of the story and truth of Kumara. A perusal of the Mahabharata would remove all doubt whatever and show how the details in the descrip-tion of the birth of Skanda given in the narrative of Angiras in Vanaparva are in fact bodily taken from the Vedas. In spite of the difference in language, the Mahabharata uses at times the very Vedic words and brings out generally the significances found in the Veda. In the Veda it is Kumara, the Child of Agni who has arrived from his own Home of his father, from the Beyond; in the Mahabharata and the Purana it is the effulgence spilt from Maha-deva, the Skanda, Subrahmanya, the Kumara. In the Veda he is born in the plants, in the Puranas he is born in the wood of śara weeds; fostered by the Cows (in the Vedas), in the Purana he is given milk by (the fostering Lights of) Krittikas. The Veda mentions Seven Cows or Mares, mothers or sisters. The Purana does only six mothers leaving one mother, the Highest plane of being.

In the Mahabharata is the reading that Indra stands on the summit of the Manasa Hill waiting for the arrival of Agni. — "going to the Manasa Hill and contemplating deeply upon this subject” (Vanaparva 222). It is also mentioned that the Cows, Rivers are the fostering mothers of Agni. “These rivers are renowned as the Mothers of the abodes of Fire" (221.26).

Thus when we look closely into the narrative of the birth of Skanda we do find without doubt that the symbolic imagery of the Vedas is at the basis of the Puranic account. The Mahabharata makes its clear beyond question, in a line based on the Vedas, that Skanda is Agni himself. It says unambiguously that the Agni, Wonderful, adbhuta, described in the Veda is Skanda himself: "The greatness of adbhuta as sung in the Vedas. (I shall tell you)” (221.30). Many are the Agnis spoken of in the legend of the Angirasas. And of these, Agni the Wonderful, adbhuta, is indeed described in the Veda. If Agni is called adbhuta in the Vedas then it is possible to say that the author of the Mahabharata, on the strength of the knowledge of the meaning of the Vedic Hymn has placed the account of Skanda, who is the same as Agni called adbhuta, in the story after the manner of the Puranas. But the name adbhuta is not known to be a signification of Agni just as we know Agni as Purohita — placed in front at the sacrifice, or Hota, priest of the Call, or the mouth or messenger of the Gods, the Commander, the seven-tongued etc. Hence this our enquiry. The term adbhuta is seen to be used more than twenty-five times in the Rig Veda, in four other places it is part of a compound word e.g. adbhutainasaḥ. Let us first determine the connection of the term adbhuta. adbhuta in the Veda as in classical Sanskrit, undeniably means wonderful. But it is also used in the sense of mahat, the great, according to Sayana’s com-mentary also. And it is this great supreme that becomes the adbhuta, the wonderful. The same figure is reflected in the line of the Upa-nishad: "As the Wonderful does one behold it.” In the Upanishads the word Brahman following the root significance byh to grow, comes, to mean the Great, Mahat; the Purusha in the Upanishad is thus described as mahato mahiyān, greater than the Great. In lauding Agni as adbhuta, the Vedic hymn says the Supreme Light, the Father himself has become the son, Kumara. Though at times Sayana follows the extravagant word derivation of the Nirukta in explaining adbhuta as what never was (na bhūta abhūta adbhuta), usually, he explains it as wonderful, great. Let us first consider the word adbhuta as part of a compound and then take up the word itself as used to denote Agni.

The word adbhuta-enasaḥ occurs in the Rig Veda twice, once as an adjective of the Maruts and once that of the Adityas. Sayana explains it as the Maruts in whom there is no sin, na bhūtam enah pāpam eșu ye marutaḥ. This is hardly straight. To take it as those whose sins are wonderful is more appropriate. Why? The Maruts are known in the Veda as violent in their action and in the common mind violence is sin (lit. doers of violence are sinful). But the actions of the Maruts though they are violent are not of the ordinary kind; they are wonderful. It is to denote this that adbhuta-pāpāḥ is used. The purport is that there is no sin for them as there is for mortals like us. Be it noted that the import of Sayana’s explanation is well arrived at by taking adbhuta to mean the wonderful; there is no need for arbitrary derivation, nor is there injurty to the enrichment of the import. All the occasions where the appellation adbhuta for Agni is used in the Rig Veda are to be examined to show that the word is generally used as an epithet of Agni. Even if in places it is found to be used in reference to other deities e.g. Soma or Indra, still it is to be noted that attributes signifying Agni are used there. We shall show this later on. We shall leave aside contexts where the word is used merely in the sense of wonderful and take up only those where it is applied only to the Godhead, Devata.

"It is not now, nor is it tomorrow. Who knoweth that which is Supreme and Wonderful.”* (I. 170.1) Here the Supreme is pointed out.

“He is the Will, he is the strength, he is the effector of perfection, even as Mitra he becomes the charioteer of the Supreme”* (1.77.3). Here Agni is described as the charioteer of the Wonderful the Great Being (Supreme Being), “The Lord of the assembly, the Wonderful, the lovable friend of Indra” (I. 18.6). Agni the Wonderful is indeed dear to Indra.

“The bright, the purifying, the Wonderful, sprinkles the sacrificer with honey" (I. 142.3) — thus Dirghatamas lauds Agni.

“God among Gods. Thou art friend, the Wonderful” (I. 94.13). Here also Agni is the adbhuta, wonderful.

"The King of the peoples, the Wonderful, this Agni who presides over the Laws, I adore: may he give ear” (VIII. 43.24). It is clear that Agni is the adbhuta.

“O Flame, Thou Supreme and Wonderful, it is thou who by force becomest in us the greatness of these discerning powers”* (V. 10.2).

“Thou art the true in being, the Transcendent and Wonderful who gives to man the luminous plenitude”* (V. 23.2). Here it is Agni the Wonderful that is addressed.

“This is the eater of the Tree for whom is poured the running butter of the Light; this is the desirable, the ancient priest of the Call, the Wonderful, the Son of Force”* (II. 7.6). Here the deity is none other than Agni.

"The Wonderful, the Friend propped up Earth and Heaven”* (VI. 8.3). It is again Agni that is signified.

“And now, O Wonderful, well pleased in him who has cast to thee the offering"* (VI. 15.2); it is Agni that is addressed. “When the worshipper following the Law and in season holds to his words of prayer he (Indra) is called the Bright, the Purifier, the Wonderful” (VIII. 13.9). This is a Mantra addressed to Indra. Here also the deity is lauded with attributes of Agni, Bright, Purifier, Wonderful these attributes that are used here are those of Agni.

"O Soma, like a king of auspicious deeds, thou enterest the hymns of praise, purifier, bearer. O Wonderful (or Mighty)” (IX. 20.5). Here, the deity is Soma. In the invocation "O Vahni (the bearer)” “Wonderful” are used.

"A mighty Ruler art Thou; Destroyer of enemies, Wonderful” (X. 152.1). Here, only once, is Indra spoken of as wonderful, but without any attributes of Agni.

“Whoever serves him with offerings rich in clarity (lit. ghrta, clarified butter)... widely active, adbhuta, Wonderful” (II. 26.4). The deity is Brahmanaspati; only once is this attribute wonderful used of him. Only once in V. 66.4 are Mitra and Varuna spoken of as wonderful. Again once in V. 70.4 adbkuta as part of a compound word refers to Mitra and Varuna: adbhutakratū. Similarly as part of a compound adbhutakratum it applies to Agni (VIII. 23.8). We have already referred to the adjective adbhuta-enasam, applying to the Maruts. There is another place (VIII. 61.7) asti devāḥ etc.: “The Gods, Sons of Aditi, ādityāḥ adbhuta enasaḥ, cf Wonderful sin.”

We have examined all the places in the Rig Veda where the word adbhuta occurs. We have not taken up instances when it is used in the common sense of wonder for the reason that it is not relevant to our purpose. Everywhere the term adbhuta denotes the speciality of Agni. It is true, as has been pointed out, that at times it is used referring to other deities. That however does not detract from the speciality of Agni as distinctively qualified by the word adbhuta. We thus see that in the Veda adbhuta denotes the Higher Light in the form of Agni. Since the Supreme One is also the many Gods, the word udbhuta may well apply at times to other Gods like Indra and Soma. Agni himself is lauded as all the Gods. Though the word adbhuta is found in places to be applied as an adjective to other deities, it mainly indicates Agni just as in the Vaishvanara Hymns, though the Surya, Sun, is referred to at times it is Agni who is specifically made known by the term Vaishvanara.

Setting out to describe "the greatness of Agni, the adbhuta, celebrated in the Vedas”, the Mahabharata narrates the account of the birth of Skanda in the form of a story. This Vedic origin of the legend of Kumara becomes clear on a reading of the Riks already quoted irom Vishvamitra’s Hymn to Agni. We have drawn upon the Mahabharata because though the essential element in the story of Skanda is the same in the Mahabharata and the Puranas, still the former is more helpful in establishing the symbolic character of the Vedic language, by reason of its language and its idea. Similar is the Vedic origin of Puranic stories of Vritra etc., to be understood. Here, however, our subject is confined to Agni, his character, and by a study of the Puranic story of Skanda and its basis, we have confirmed the symbolic character of the language of the Veda.

Such is the mass of Riks, the treasury of Mantras that is to be commented upon. Though their inner sense is predominant, the Riks are so formed as to serve the purpose of ritual also and in our attempt to grasp their import following the inner sense we must make the resolve not to avoid the symbolic terms like cow, horse etc. It must be noted that though the names of Gods viz. Agni, can be explained in terms signifying their respective characteristics, still they cannot be treated as mere names which can bear substitution of synonymous words. Existence of Gods like Agni in the external universe in the form of physical fire etc., it must be noted, is merely symbolic. The true form and character of the deities are to be perceived by the divine or inwardly open eye. To say that each God is a limb, quality or power of the One Supreme Godhead (One without-a-second) is not to mean that a God like Agni is only a power, quality, or limb; he is himself the one with quality, with power or the personality. All over the Rig Veda the symbolism is one. It may be that in these hymns of the seers, at times the richness of ideas is more in abundance, the diction at times more profound or simple, at times direct, word and meaning may vary in their sweetness and profundity -- at times there may be profusion of symbols and esoteric meaning; yet to all the seers there is but one aim, one secret, only one system of symbolism. That is why there is no difficulty in getting at a knowledge of the secret meaning. The symbolic meaning is arrived at in a uniform method. We learn from the very opening hymns of Madhuchchandas in the Rig Veda that a knowledge of their symbolism is the door for entering into the secret of the Veda. It looks as if the first hymn to Agni is placed there at the commencement to serve as the first step towards an understanding of the Secret of the Veda. This will be intelligible, no doubt, in the course of investigation into the meaning of the Mantras. The ancients speak of the japa, the inaudible repetition, of the first hymn as holding in itself the fruit of the study of the entire Veda. The point of this eulogy (of fruits) is that the seed of the entire knowledge of the secret of the Veda is to be found in this hymn.

The Rig Veda is subdivided in two ways. One is into astaka (one-eighth part), adhyāya (chapter), varga (group) and rik (Mantra). This classification is useful for study, to get by heart. The other division into mandala (circles), anuvāka (section), and sūkta (hymn) is useful for purposes of practice. Practice also is of two kinds: the observance of karma rites, and observance of japa. inaudible repetition, and allied practices. The ritualists, yājinikas, call the connection of Mantras with the ritual viniyoga, application. The sūtra-kāra, the author of the aphorisms lays down the special viniyoga of the Mantras in the particular acts of ritual and this is of great service to the votaries of Vedic rites. However, it must be noted that the entire Veda has a general viniyoga, application, for purposes of one’s own study, japa and meditation. And this is the most needed for us to whom the secret sense of the Veda is most important. The Mantras of the hymn have their general use in practice that aims at a realisation of the particular deities, practice that is charged with the strength of meditation on the meaning and idea-force of the Mantras and takes the form of Japa, deliberation, constant poring over etc. The words of the Mantras have a potency of an uncommon kind, true; but a mere reading of them without putting oneself en rapport with the meaning is as wasteful as pouring oblations of clarified butter in the ashes without fire. That is why a student who did not know the meaning was derisively referred to by the ancients as a "post bearing a load”. Even leading exponents of ritualists (lit. of the cult of the supremacy of Vedic rites), authors of aphorisms like Ashvalayana say that the student of Veda has to turn inwards with a one-pointed mind. With this idea in mind, they state: "Study of the Veda is indeed brahma-yajna, the worship of the Veda (Brahman is the Veda Mantra Yajna is worship). One should take to the study of the Veda with as much selfgathering as one would bring to bear (while) gazing at the meeting-place of Heaven and Earth i.e. horizon, or with closed eyes. Thus though in the study of the Veda i.e. worship of the Veda, the word is primarily important, yet it is perfectly clear that the practice is fruitful only when the meaning of the text is thought of and meditated upon. May this enquiry into the meaning of the hymns be of help to all who aspire for the riches of mystic knowledge of the deities etc. and at the same time are in their faith wedded to the creed of Rituals,34 is our hope and prayer.

Thus ends the Introduction to the Commentary on the Rik-Samhitā entitled Siddhāñjana, the Mystic Collyrium, for the hidden meaning of the Veda, among the works of Kapāli Bhāradvāja, son of Viſvešvara, blessed by the Revered Sri Aurobindo, the Teacher of Integral Yoga, and a pupil of the Revered Vāsistha Ganapati Muni blessed by the Revered Maharși Ramaņa.

SECTION ONE (PAGES 83–117)

(Pages 83-88)

Topics of the Introduction in summary verses.

(Pages 83-84)

At the commencement of the work utterance of Victory to the Sole Self, who is the Lord of All beyond the Darkness, to Him as the Supreme Person who wears the embodiment of word-sound, again to the self-same source of the Veda, the abode of the Riks, the supernal Ether — thus the meaning of utterance of Victory thrice draws to itself the sense of salutation. Beginning with meditation on the Light of the feet or the abode of the Revered Sri Aurobindo, the revealer of the secret of the Veda, the writing of the work with the avowed object of opening the secret of the Veda is proposed. Different views of the contents of the Veda stated. The arrangement and division of the Vedas into two sections, kändas, accepted by those belonging to the conventional socio-religious institutions stated. Great regard for Acharya Sayana Madhava among the commentators mentioned.

(Pages 84-85)

Sayana’s commentary is the great basis for the moderns’ search for the history (of ancient India), for Westerners who embark upon the task of determining the meaning of the Vedas; their views regarding the Vedas, the Rishis, their socio-religious laws and institutions.

(Pages 85–88)

Here, Sri Aurobindo’s perception of the secret of the Veda. That secret is in the form of symbols through the peculiarity of the Language. Then mention is made of the real nature of the Rishi, the Mantra the Deity the Sacrifice and the Fruit (of sacrifice).

(Pages 88–90)

Introduction to the statement of objection raised by some moderns against our proposition of the Esoteric Interpretation of the Veda as not to be accepted.

(Pages 90–91)

Commencement of the criticism of the essential elements in the statements of the adversary. The three faults alleged by the opponent and reasons for the objection.

(Pages 91–94)

That the esoteric interpretation is opposed to the conclusions of historians arrived at by western scholars on the strength of researches into the history of mankind is the first objection. Answer to it with deliberation. The statement of Sri Aurobindo on the truth of the spiritual history of India cited.

(Pages 94–97)

How western scholars though desirous of straight-forward course decide with certitude the primitive or barbaric condition of the Vedic Rishis is considered. Even at this length of time the infatuation of the Indian followers of western scholars in their trodden track is not reasonable. It is necessary for these talented sons of India to enter into an examination of the thesis of Esoteric Interpretation with a desire for knowledge of the secrets of the ancient sages; otherwise, their critical learning will bear bitter fruit -- all this is mentioned with the strength of citations of Mantras and their purport.

(Pages 97-100)

Statement of the second objection. Criticism of the statement that the thesis of the Secret of the Veda is opposed to the traditional Commentary of Sayana. Citing the statement of Yaska about the threefold knowledge, the inconsistency in the Commentary of Sayana is noticed.

(Page 101)

That the Secret of the Veda theory is opposed to the conclusions of the Purva-Mimamsakas is the third and the last objection stated and answered.

(Pages 101-103)

The indispensability of Sayana-Bhashya for Vedic study is stated: its merits and faults mentioned and appreciation of the commentary.

(Page 103)

The fault lies in upholding the ritualistic aspect exclusively; the reasonableness of the Gita’s passage (condemning the Vedists).

(Page 104)

Statement of our own thesis; Rig Veda is the subject for consideration. The Mantras have a twofold meaning, the outer and the inner.

(Pages 104-108)

The system of usage of words with double meaning, nature of the language; the employment of words; the chiefly derivative nature of words, the nature of word-meaning and symbols.

(Pages 108-109)

Our use of the sanketa in a special sense here; after showing that ’Horse and others indicate ‘sirength’ etc. as in the instance of ’clarified butter is life’, the outer meaning being symbolic of the inner is expounded.

(Pages 109-111)

Outer sacrifice also is symbolic of the inner sacrifice. Consideration of the nature of Ritvik priest, sacrificer, sacrifice and its fruits. The expounding of the inner meaning of Hota and other Ritviks, clarified butter and other substances. Cow, Horse and other fruits (of sacrifice).

(Pages 112-113)

Mention of the seven vyährtis, Bhūh and others; of them Earth, the Mid-region of sky and Heaven form the threefold division of the worlds in the system of the Rishis; and this triple world is the outer symbol of the inner triple — all this is explained.

(Pages 113-115)

The true nature of the Gods who are the agents functioning in Conspectus-Rig-Bhashya Bhumika 191 the Universe, or the Cosmic powers (in the gross outer existence and in the subtle inner) is stated. The nature of Agni explained; similarly of Indra and others. (Pages 115-116) The true character of Soma and others.

(Pages 116–117)

Conclusion of the first Section with the translated passage of Sri Aurobindo, the seer of the secret meaning of the Veda).

SECTION TWO (Pages 118–145)

(Page 118)

In the first Section the thesis of the esoteric interpretation of the Veda was stated while considering and meeting the objections raised against it by the opponent on the strength of modern thought and research and scholarship. Here, examination of our position in the light of ancient indigenous learning is promised.

(Pages 118-119)

Why is Rig Veda taken up for consideration ?

(Pages 119–120)

On the Rig Veda.

(Pages 120-121)

The aim of the Brahmanas; the collection of the Black Yajur; the inclusion of Brahmanas in the Samhitas not acceptable to Yajnavalkya.

(Pages 121-123)

The necessity for enquiry into the Rig Veda alone. Explanation of the meaning of Trayi, mention of Agni and other Gods of the Trayi who are also the Priests; their appropriate meaning in the inner sacrifice explained.

(Pages 123-124)

Investigation into Dharma.

(Pages 124-127)

The nature of Dharma — sacrifice external applies only to a narrow and limited circle; the sacrifice as described in the Gita is universal.

(Pages 127–128)

Before and after the Gita’s teaching, that there has been the secret sense of the sacrifice is established by resort to authoritative texts.

(Pages 128–130)

Beginning with the statement. ’It is no exaggeration to say that all groups of Pundits look upon with esteem the skill in debate with subtle reasoning of the Mimamsakas’, it is demonstrated that the herculean labour of the Mimamsakas has produced the proverbial mouse of the mountain in labour even though their recourse to the secondary (figurative) meaning in the case of ’Babara prāvāhani’ etc. is sound, indeed.

(Pages 130–133)

Consideration of the subject of Mantra, its nature, the subject-matter, its purposes, “it is created, yet uncreate" -- the disposal of contradiction in the statement that the Veda is eternal, and yet it is composed; deliberation on the lines of Patanjali’s Mahabhashya in this connection.

(Pages 133-134)

That the Mantra is impenetrable without austere discipline, tapas is shown with the support of authorities; citation of the passages from the Nirukta and Brihad Devata. Ritual act bears fruit only when it is done with faith and knowledge, not otherwise — this is stated with appropriate reasons.

(Pages 134-135)

Even though the statement of uneven ideas in the mantras of the Rishis in the external sense is quite correct, it is shown that it does not affect the inner meaning.

(Page 136)

Riks themselves are the authority for "The secret of the Veda”.

(Pages 136-137)

The Rishis occupied with austere disciplines in their communion with the Gods employed the secret speech for revealing their meanings; in order to determine this, authority is to be found in the Mantras themselves. Beginning with this statement the exposition of the meaning of the word ninya is given on the basis of a thorough examination of words in the context of the sense of secret occurring in the Rig Veda.

(Pages 137-139)

All the contexts where ninya is used are examined, Riks are cited and that ninyam is secret in the Vedic language is established.

(Pages 139–141)

guhā, apicya, praticya — these words are used as adjectives in the sense of secret qualifying Nämä as a synonym of prayer — stotra this is shown with citations of Mantras.

(Pages 141-142)

Raising the question what was the means by which the secret was covered, it is shown convincingly that it is done by the words of double meaning like ghỉta, as well as by the symbols of Cow, Horse etc. ſta, kratu, ketu, ghṛta, and similar words taken invariably in the same sense wherever they occur make it easy to follow the secret meaning this is expounded.

(Pages 142–144)

The reason for the usage of symbols in the Veda considered and the theory of the mystic interpretation of the Veda propounded.

(Pages 144-145)

Mention of the various classes of symbols.

SECTION THREE (Pages 146-165)

(Page 146)

In the Second Section it was proved that the Mantras of Vashistha, Vamadeva and others are the inain authority for the theory of esoteric interpretation of the Veda; authorities from the Mantras that support or hint at the theory of the secret sense of the Veda were given; also were mentioned the views of Yaska to whom Vedic words have derivative significance, on the Rishis, the Mantras, the Gods etc.

(Pages 147-148)

Consideration of Yaska’s view that the secondary or figurative meaning must be resorted to; and its result; his view that the meaning of the Veda is difficult to penetrate, even so to determine the nature of the Gods; deliberation on this topic. And the statement at one time there was a manifold way of interpreting the Mantras is made after mentioning the many schools for the purpose of determining the meaning of the Veda.

(Pages 148–150)

Two Riks cited by Yaska to show that the meaning of the Mantras is difficult to get at; explanation of the quoted Riks. That threefold is the knowledge to be gained from the Veda is the view of Yaska this is shown.

(Pages 150-151)

That the Rishis who had direct knowledge of Dharma gave the Mantra to others of lesser type through initiation is Yaska’s statement which is noticed. Even though Yaska gives the gross meaning, he holds the spiritual meaning to be the best — this is shown. Yaska was neither an indiscriminate believer nor a freelance. That he believed in the Secret of the Veda is shown with proofs.

(Pages 151-153)

The Statement that the Brihad Devata also like Yaska believes in the Secret of the Veda is made after citing the verses that consider the subject of the Five Peoples, pañca janāḥ. A reminder that the Brahmanas also expound the symbolism of Sacrifice and confirmation of our position about the Secret of the Veda by quoting passages from the ritualistic texts - Aitareya and Shatapatha Brahmanas.

(Page 153)

The purport of the sentence "That is stated by the Rik” etc. in the Upanishads, is considered. In some places the passages of the Upanishads are directly traceable to the Mantras — to show this illustration is given.

(Pages 153–156)

The lines beginning with "The golden lid" etc. of the Isha Upanishad and the Rik įtena ştam apihitam of the Fifth Mandala (RV) both have the same meaning - this is shown along with explanations. That there is Secret in the Veda is again established.

(Page 157)

Authority is given to show that the Mahabharata supports the view that there is Secret in the Veda.

(Pages 158-162)

Even before Sayana’s commentary there was the commentary of Acharya Anandatirtha for the first forty Suktas establishing the purpose of the Veda to be the attainment of Vishnu’s abode (or feet) that is the sublime object of life; mentioning this the passages from Raghavendra Swami’s Mantrartha-Manjari are quoted to show the manner of commenting on the agniſ ile Rik beginning with the statement “Of two kinds are words Agni etc.”

(Pages 162–165)

The views of Westerners on the conventional laws and Vedic religion mentioned and conclusion of the Section with the statement of our position, with the dictum "The shore of that Knowledge is to be reached by tapas."

SECTION FOUR (PAGES 166-187)

(Pages 166-167)

Enquiry into the nature of the Deity, devatā — on this question the varying views of scholars of the West and the East and ourselves are distinctly stated. The system of esoteric interpretation which admits the governance by the Gods of the inner as well as the outer existence attaches greater importance to the inner meaning everywhere. And the statement "Gods are conscious beings, not inanimate things or forces" is confirmed by the examination of a number of relevant Riks addressed to many Gods. To show that the gross interpretation does not fit in with contexts in all places, the Mantras of Surya are considered.

(Pages 167-168)

Citation of Indra-Mantras.

(Pages 168–170)

Regarding the Maruts and Soma; the inner meaning fits in, the outer does not.

(Pages 170-173)

Uşā considered. Mantras cited from many Mandalas to establish the truth that the Gods are various names of the One Supreme Godhead.

(Page 173)

One Existent is all the Gods of whom each one according to his position uses his influence, helps the sacrificer and leads him to the One Supreme Light Immortal — to show this many Mantras are cited. The One source, the One Self, the One goal of all the Gods mentioned at the same time their distinctness due to difference in personality and function and name are reiterated.

(Page 174)

That the Devas are twice-born is explained.

(Pages 174–175)

The nature of Agni considered.

(Pages 175–177)

The septuple principle explained; appellations of Agni, ’placed in secrecy’ explained with the help of Mantras cited: "Immortal in the mortal, undying,” essentials mentioned with citations of Mantras; Agni resides within the heart — mantras cited — authenticated by the words of Parashara, Vishvamitra and Vamadeva.

(Page 178)

The septuple principle as related to Agni explained.

(Pages 178–180)

Confirming of Waters and others to be symbols, on a close consideration of the Agni Hymn of Vishvamitra.

(Pages 181-184)

Agni Kumara in the Veda is Agni-born Skanda in the Purana, and in the Mahabharata the Agni named Adbhuta; in order to prove this wherever adbhuta occurs in the Rig Veda it is noted and examined and that Agni is Adbhuta is proved.

(Page 185)

The topic of the Puranic story of Skanda arising from the context of consideration of Agni’s nature is examined and the secret of symbolic meaning of the Vedic language is confirmed.

(Pages 185-187)

The importance of the inner and secret meaning notwithstanding, the Riks are so formed as to be useful for rituals; hence in considering the meaning of Riks the symbolic terms like Cow, Horse need not be avoided in getting at the purport according to the inner interpretation — to this effect effort must be directed. This Esoteric Interpretation will be also helpful to the enquiring minds who have faith in the ritual with this hope the Introduction concludes.

NOTES

(Page 83) 1. The utterance of victory, jayavāda, in the first verse extends in its full import to or draws to itself Salutation, namaskāra, to the Deity who is the Self of all souls. This kind of drawing to itself another meaning is called ākṣepa.

“The worlds that have come to light means the worlds that are manifested. The idea is that the worlds that are created are all manifestations only and they do not come to light from nothing. Thus the Godhead is proclaimed to be the Lord of all creation, the sole Self of all souls and as such He is saluted in the beginning of the work.

Note — paraḥ is used to denote that He transcends the Creation; he is beyond and above, yet retains relation of the creator and the created

(Page 83) 2. He who is the Trancendent mentioned in the first verse is saluted here as the Supreme Person in his creative poise which is expressly stated here, though implied in the substance of the first verse. As the Creator he assumes the form of the primordial Sound, nāda, the Creative Logos. The śabda is his body; his Life-breath is Tapas which is Consciousness as Force. To show that the tapas (as explained) is inherent in him an anthropomorphic figure is pressed into service on the strength of scriptural authority that he exhales and the worlds are created. Creation is the natural, effortless outcome of that poise of the Lord, prabhu.

Uttama-sabda-artha is the adjective of pumān. The very meaning of the word uttama is He, Supreme Person. In Sanskrit the first person ’I’ is called uttama purușa as against madhyama and prathama which are equivalent to the second and the third persons respectively. The uttama puruşa, the ’I’ is what it is, lives in fact, because of some stable support from within the core of this support being the Person within, the Supreme seated in the heart of all beings, the deeper truth of the individual whose figure on the surface is the ego that is at play in the mind, life and body.

(Page 83) 3. The Lord is lauded in his creative poise of Extension, as the paramam vyoma. It is this sublime ākāśa, the subtle etherial Extension spread over and beyond the Creation, the universe, that the ancient Rishis regarded with esteem as the Home of the Mantras that were revealed to them. From this level of the heights of Being Creation also proceeds. Thus the worlds and the word-rhythms -the Mantras — rise from the same source, the Supernal Ether.

Creation is purposive, sārthakam. It has been created deliberately by parameșțhin (i.e. hiranyagarbha) which term means he who stands, tişthati, with his feet firm in the Supreme above, parame.

Note that the Rig Vedic hymn X. 129, has bearing on the verse here. Parāmeşthin is at once the seer of the hymn and Hiranya garbha. Note also that visąsți. release, is the word used by the Rig Vedic seer to denote creation. It also implies that Creation is under the con.rol of the Over-seer. adhyakşa, in whom the Cause, material and efficient, preexists.

(Page 83) 4. Arauinda-padam mahaḥ: pada means abode as well as the foot. In the latter sense salutation is obviously meant. In the former sense the idea is that the splendour of great parts is embodied in the personality of this seer of the Vedic Secret. This Splendour has great parts i.e. many aspects suggesting the multiple personality of the seer whose field of action and thought embraces many spheres. Mahas is significantly used. It is the name of the fourth vyāhrti explained in the book on Page 112 and corresponds to the Supermind of Sri Aurobindo.

Abodhaiḥ karmabandhanaiḥ: bonds of ritual without understanding. Rituals become meaningless when separated from the knowledge of which they are supposed to be outward acts, spontaneous expressions. On this subject of Rituals performed with faith and knowledge, see further Note at the end of the Notes.

(Page 83) 5. Sānga Veda, Veda with limbs. There are six limbs, subsidiary works, a study of which is indispensable for a complete study of the Vedas. They are (1) Sikṣā, the science and art of correct articulation and pronunciation of letters and words with accents. (2) Vyākaraņa, grammar. (3) Chandas, prosody dealing with metres. (4) Nirukia, etymological derivation of Vedic words. (5) Jyotişa, astronomy, for the regulation of sacrificial rituals according to the Vedic calendars preserved in the memory of the ancient Vedists. (6) Kalpa, process and rules for ceremonial Vedic rites.

Note - it is conceded that the Puranas enlarged upon and expounded the truths embedded in the Vedas, though only in parts. Mostly the legends have served to encrust the core of the truth beyond recognition. "The soul is lost to sight in the opulence of the colours and the heavy folds of the costumes."

(Page 83) 6. According to some authorities, the origins of social customs are to be traced to the Veda. The implication is that these should remain unchanged for all time since the Vedas are eternal.

(Page 83) 7. The Wise know (they not merely say) the Vedas to be the repository of Divine Knowledge which is Illumination obtained through faculties of a higher order, Inspiration, Intuition; besides they are records of Tapas and faith on the part of the seekers to reach the Divine. ālavāla, feeder basin: significantly used, for in such a trench the sustaining waters do not flow; it remains stagnant. This is amply borne out by history.

(Page 83) 8. Purva Tantra is another name for Purva Mimamsa while the Vedanta is called the Uttara Mimamsa. The two Mimamsas are two separate Shastras according to Acharya Shankara, while others hold that they are the former and latter parts of one Shastra.

(Page 84) 9. It is held that the Mantras are invariably associated with the Rituals because they are in existence for no other purpose. They are for prayoga, application, hence in practice they are assigned a position of subservience to Karma, ritual.

(Page 84) 10. The efficient use of the Mantras for purposes other than the ritual is admitted on all hands even by the votaries of Rituals e.g. the Rig Vidhāna of Shaunaka.

(Page 84) 11. For the first time only in the Sutra literature one finds it solemnly stated that the name Veda is given to Mantra and, Brahamana.

(Page 84) 12. There have been undoubtedly many commentaries whose names alone are known to us; their works are nowhere available now. The commentaries of some of them are found only in parts. The rest are either lost or not written at all. Some modern scholars mention the names of about 27 Bhashyakaras for all the Vedas of which 16 names are those of the commentators on the Rig Veda and the 17th is Swami Dayananda Saraswati.

(Page 84) 13. Uvvata is said to have commented on the Rig Veda, his Bhashya on the Shukla Yajur Veda is available in print, as is that of Mahidhara. Skandaswami and Venkata Madhava — their commentaries on the Rig Veda are being brought out in Madras and Trivandrum. There is another complete commentary of Narayana on the Rig Veda but not yet available in print.

(Page 84) 14. “The uncritical learning" does not apply to the whole class of Pundits, for in modern times, the Pundit does not escape the influence of critical scholarship; besides, there are Pundits nowadays whose innate tendency emboldens them to look ahead and freely and overlook conservatism for its own sake.

(Page 84) 15. “Came upon new path quite unexpectedly”. A passage from the Arya (Vol. I, P. 277) of Sri Aurobindo explains in clear terms how he came upon the Veda. Let him speak: “My first contact with Vedic thought came indirectly while pursuing certain lines of self-development in the way of Indian Yoga, which, without my knowing it, were spontaneously converging towards the ancient and now unfrequented paths followed by our forefathers. At this time there began to arise in my mind an arrangement of symbolic names attached to certain psychological experiences which had begun to regularise themselves; and among them there came the figures of three female energies, Ila, Saraswati, Sarama, representing severally three out of the four faculties of the intuitive reason, revelation, inspiration and intuition. Two of these names were not well known to me as names of Vedic goddesses, but were connected rather with the current Hindu religion or with old Puranic legend, Saraswati, goddess of learning and Ila, mother of the Lunar dynasty. But Sarama was familiar enough. I was unable, however, to establish any connection between the figure that rose in my mind and the Vedic hound of heaven, who was associated in my memory with the Argive Helen and represented only an image of the physical Dawn entering in its pursuit of the vanished herds of Light into the cave of the Powers of darkness. When once the clue is found, the clue of the physical Light imaging the subjective, it is easy to see that the hound of heaven may be the intuition entering into the dark caverns of the subconscious mind to prepare the delivery and outflashing of the bright illuminations of knowledge which have there been imprisoned. But the clue was wanting and I was obliged to suppose an identity of name without any identity of the symbol.”

(Page 86) 16. In the body of the work i.e. the Bhūmikā, texts from works mentioned are quoted to show that they do proclaim that there is Secret in the Veda.

(Page 87) 17. Bhūmikā is the term used here to denote plane. The conception of Plane looks on the face of it modern. But in fact the seers of the Rig Veda used the figure of plateaus as in “They climbed from plateau to plateau” or from "peak to peak”, sānoḥ sānum āruhat. In modern language we use the term plane to show the levels of Being and states of consciousness with its grades, gross, subtle etc. The plane conception is absolutely necessary to grasp the method and teachings of the Vedic Mystics.

(Page 89) 18. Since we are dealing with ideas that are afloat in the atmosphere of educated India’s leaning towards conjectures of modern scholars mistaking them for gospel truth, the name of the Indian is not mentioned; it is unnecessary for our purpose.

(Page 90) 19. "To meet the champion wrestler” may imply that he is the foremost among the scholars — which is not the case. He represents most effectively the opposition and raises all possible objections in a spirit of keen aralytical dissection. His critical acumen exhausts the possible opposition in a brief compass. It is for this reason he is chosen by us as representing the stumbling block in the way of Mystic Interpretation being accepted by thinking minds.

(Page 92) 20. Note - Knowledge, Power, Wealth, Service are the four factors that have each in its turn predominantly influenced the human aggregate everywhere in a descending order from a historical point of view. The last, represented by the proletariate is now having its turn.

(Page 99) 21. Sthāli-pulaka Nyāya: one comes to the conclusion that the whole quantity of rice in the pot is well cooked on finding a single grain of rice well cooked. Similarly one example is given to show that the Vedic poets were the human authors of the revealed poetry of inspiration that is the mantra.

(Page 101) 22. Hare’s horn, it is true, has its parallel in the "Mare’s nest". But there is difference here; for the former is absolutely non-existent, while in the latter there is the element of illusion, as it is a discovery which turns out to be a hoax. So “Mare’s nest” corresponds to the ’waters in the mirage’, mrgatışņā-jalam.

(Page 102) 23. Bhagiratha’s effort corresponds to Herculean labour. By severe austerities Bhagiratha achieved the almost impossible task of bringing down Ganga from the high regions of the heavenly sky and with its waters washed the ashes of his forefathers, Sagara etc. By his tremendous effort Hercules also brought the river Alpheus to cleanse the Augean stables.

(Page 106) 24. Sixfold change. According to ancient teacher Vārsyāyaņi mentioned by Yaska, every creature undergoes a sixfold change called sadbhāvavikara. They are (1) jāyate, is born, (2) asti, is (3) vardhate, grows (4) vipariņamate, ripens (for the worse), (5) apak-șiyate, decays, (6) vinaśyate, perishes. But these six stages are not in current usage now and are included in the broad classification of creation, preservation and destruction.

(Page 107) 25. Kavya-prākā ša, the standard work on Rhetoric, states that the expressive power of a word which may have many significations is restricted by certain factors such as (1) Conjunction i.e. presence of contact, samyoga, (2) Disjunction i.e. absence of contact, viprayoga, (3) Constant association, sāhacarya and Contradiction, virodhitā, (4) Purpose, artha, (5) Context, prakaraņa, (6) Specific sign, linga, (7) Proximity, sannidhi, (8) Power to produce an effect, sāmarthyam, (9) Propriety, auciti, (10) Place, deśa, (11) Time, kāla, (12) Gender, vyakti and (13) Accent, svara.

(Page 125) 26. Codanā : definition of Dharma is given in the second aphorism of Jaimini stating: “Injunction is the indicatory sign of, Dharma". This is a literal rendering of the Sanskrit codanālakšano dharmaḥ. The exegetic passages of Shabara, Kumarila and others on the Sutra quoted above mean in effect that the Vedic injunction is the only reliable means of knowing Dharma which, as has been stated in the text of the Bhumika, has its root in the Veda, Vedo’-khilo dharmamūlam.

(Page 131) 27. All this is stated to lay stress on the peculiar character of the Mantra, the revelatory origin of the word-rhythm proceeding from the Infinite and caught by the disciplined audition of the Rishi. It is not that there is no poetical charm or other qualities that we associate with Poetry. On the other hand there is sublime poetry in the Rig Veda — sublime even when judged from modern standards. What is true of poetry in a general way is pre-eminently true in the case of Mantra poetry. It must be borne in mind that to know the thought-content of a poem is not the same as to allow the soul and substance of poetry to invade and possess the sense and feeling and thought in the core of one’s being in communion with the spirit of Poetry. Of the untranslatable elements in poetry, especially in the Mantra poetry, the word-rhythm and the word-order stand prominently as the two wings of the soaring soul of poetic sound. Nevertheless, to the composer of the Vedic hymn it was only a help, a means for his progress and a help for others. The act of expression was just a means, not an aim. That is why pursuit of aesthetic grace or beauty or richness does not act as an incentive to the Rishi for varying the consecrated form which was an accepted principle among the Mystics of the Rig Veda. On this point Sri Aurobindo’s view is noteworthy. He explains the apparent monotony in many places which even lesser minds could easily vary or break by simple or artful devices or common poetical conceits. "Only out of the sameness of experience and out of the impersonality of knowledge, there arise a fixed body of conceptions constantly repeated and a fixed symbolic language which was the inevitable form of these conceptions... We have at any rate the same notions repeated from hymn to hymn with the same constant terms and figures and frequently in the same phrases with an entire indifference to search for poetical originality or any demand for novelty of thought and freshness of language. ..... The mystic poets do not vary the consecrated form which has become for them a sort of divine algebra transmitting the eternal formulae of the knowledge to the continuous succession of initiates. “The hymns possess indeed a finished metrical form, a constant subtlety and skill in their technique, great variations of style and poetical personality – they are not the work of rude, barbarous and primitive craftsmen. ..... They differ in temperament and personality; some are inclined to a more rich, subtle and profound use of Vedic symbolism; others give voice to their spiritual experience in a barer and simpler dictum...’.... There are risings and fallings in the same hymn. . . . . . Some hymns are plain and almost modern in their language; others baffile us at first by their semblance of antique obscurity. But these differences take nothing from the unity of spiritual experience. In the deep and mystic style of Dirgha-tamas as in the melodious lucidity of Medhatithi, in the puissant and energetic hyms of Viswamitra as in Vasishtha’s even harmonies we have the same firm foundation of knowledge and the same scrupulous adherence to the sacred conventions of the Initiates." (Sri Aurobindo)

(Page 133) 28. The apparent contradiction between the two statements that the Vedas are eternal and that the Mantras are composed by Rishis is explained in the text. But the real character of the Mantra is explained in the Note No. 27 above.

(Page 143) 29. As regards the images and symbols the main thing to be noted is that there is a world of symbols that are perceived when the vision centre opens upon them. These symbols may be certain figures, images, colours etc., each representing a truth of that plane communicated to the seer of the vision. These symbols in fact are vehicles of expression like language, natural to that world.

(Page 147) 30. In the post-Vedic age the Rishis were classified into several types; they are generally three, and often seven viz. Devarshi, Brahmarshi, Rajarshi, Paramarshi, Srutarshi and Kandarshi. They denote the rank or the class of Rishis according to the real character of their Rishihood. Srutarși is a Rishi of lesser rank who becomes a Rishi after hearing the Veda (both word and meaning) from a Rishi who was a seer. Yaska is called a śrutarși by his commentator. But it is doubtful if he received initiation from a Rishi who was a seer. In any case he is generally accepted as a śrutarși by tradition.

(Page 151) 31. The Rik referred to by Yaska is the first verse of the 29th hymn in the last Book. But Sayana in his commentary while mentioning Yaska’s objection to the Pada Patha ignores it in his exposition of the verse.

(Page 159) 32. Rājākuvalaya-ullāsi: here there is double entendre (parono-masia). When kuvalaya means waterlily or blue lotus, instantly that rājā means moon arises in the mind of one who has a sound knowledge of Sanskrit. When it means the earth, naturally rājā means king. This will be clear to a learned mind.

(Page 159 33. Vịtti is the power of the word to express an idea. It is of three kinds according to Rhetoricians viz. (1) abhidhā or mukhyā vrtti, the primary or original meaning that directly refers to the object, (2) laksana, indirect meaning that is indicated and (3) vyañjanā vrtti meaning conveyed by suggestion, dhvani. According to Madhvacharya the supremely primary meaning of the Name of a God in the Veda is the supreme Being Vishnu; hence he calls it parama-mukhyavrtti.

(Page 187) 34. The Rishis considered the Mantras as not merely a mask in the exoteric sense, but regarded them as words of power, powerful even for external things. So in the Vedic times the priest who was also the teacher and a seer knew the power and sense of the sacred words that were repeated and conducted the service effectively. Later, the function of the priest became a routine matter, even purohits of repute performed the rites with a very imperfect knowledge; The old balance between the inner knowledge and the outer ritual — the synthesis — was disturbed. The material aspect of the Vedic worship grew like a thick crust over the inner knowledge. The power began to disappear out of the symbolic ritual. The light departed and only a lifeless outward form with a belief in its mysterious efficacy to support it remained. Therefore of rituals are performed with a strong faith in the original intention and a knowledge of the external rite as a ceremonial and active expression of the inner truth, they are powerful and effective. That is why the Gita advises abstinence from disturbing the faith in outward rites, karma, and also encourages the performance of rites, karma in accordance with Shastraic injunction as a discipline and corrective to the egfed freelance.

पदपाठसहिता सभाष्या

आदिमे शतर्चिनां मण्डले चतुर्विशत्यनुवाकाः । तत्र आद्यानुवाकत्रयस्य अन्तिमं द्वादशं सूक्तमन्तरा वैश्वामित्रो मधुच्छन्दा ऋषिः । द्वादशस्य सूक्तस्य तु माधुच्छन्दसो जेता । ’अग्निमीळे’ इत्यारभ्य ’गायन्ति त्वा’ इत्यतः प्राक् सूक्तनवकं गायत्रीच्छन्दस्कं, सूक्तत्रयात्मकस्य प्रथमानुवाकस्य आदिमं अग्निदेवताकं ’अग्निमीळे’ इति नवर्च सूक्तम् । तत्र नवानामृचामियं प्रथमा भवति-

ॐ अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवमृत्विजम् । होतारं रत्नधातमम् ॥१॥
अग्निं ईळे पुर:ऽहितं यज्ञस्य देवम् ऋत्विजम् । होतारम् रत्नऽधातमम् ॥

अग्निं अग्निनामकं (देव) ईळे अध्येषणीयत्वेन स्तौमि। कीदृशम् ? पुरोहितं पुरस्तात् निहित कार्यनिर्वाहाय, पुनः कीदृशम् ? यज्ञस्य देवं ऋत्विज देवतासम्भावनार्थ अनुष्ठीयमानस्य यागस्य निर्वर्तने यो देव एव ऋत्विग्भूतः तम् । पुनश्च कीदृशम् ? होतारम् ह्वातारं सामर्थ्याद्देवानाम् । पुनरपि कथंभूतम् ? रत्नधातमम् रमणीयानां रतीनां अतिशयेन धारकम् ।

अग्निपदं बहुधा निळवते नैरुक्ताः। तेषां निर्वचनानां परीक्षणे स्पष्टमिदमव-गम्यते, यत् ब्राह्मणवाक्यबलात्कयाचिद्विधया अग्निखरूपमाकलय्य निर्वचनानि विकल्पतो दत्तानीति । ’स वा एषोऽग्रे देवतानामजायत तस्मादग्निर्नाम’ इत्यादि ब्राह्मणवाक्यानि ’अग्रणी:’ इत्यादि निर्वचनस्य मूलमिति ज्ञायते । वैयाकरणपक्षे अङ्गतेांतोनिष्पन्नं अग्निपदम् । ’अङ्गेलोपश्च’ इत्युणादिसूत्रमुदाहरन्ति । अङ्गति गच्छति ऊवं, हविः स्वर्ग नेतुमिति वा व्युत्पत्तिमाचक्षते । प्राचीन-आर्य-भाषाशाखीयानां अग्न्यर्थकधातूनां परीक्षणे बलवद्दीप्तिमद्गतिरवयवार्थो भवति । एवं च सङ्गच्छन्ते अग्निधर्मप्रतिपादका: शब्दा इति बोध्यम् ।

ईळे-स्तौमीति सायणः, याचामीति यास्क: । धातूनां बह्वर्थत्वे न विवाद: । ईळतिर्याच्ञाकर्मा अध्यषणाकर्मा पूजाकर्मा वेति यास्क: । अग्निस्वरूप-तदधिकार-तन्निवाहापेक्षया अध्येषणाकर्मेत्युपपन्नतमम् । अध्येषणा अधिका एषणा प्रेरणा भवति । पूज्यस्य पुरोहितस्य अग्नेर्देवस्य वा सत्कारपूर्वकं कर्तव्यविशेषेषु नियोजनं अध्येषणेति उच्यते। ईळे अध्येषे ।

पुरोहितम्-यजनकर्म-निर्वाहाय यजमानस्य पुरस्तादग्रे निहितः अग्नि: । अत एव तं ऋषिरन्ताँगे, यजमानो बहिर्यागे अध्येषते। एवं चोपपद्यते ईतिरध्ये-षणार्थः । पुरोहितम् - ’पुर एनं दधते’ इत्याम्नायश्च सङ्गच्छते । ’यज्ञस्य पुरोहितम् ’ ’होतारं देवम् ऋत्विजम्’ ’रत्नधातमम्’ इति व्याख्यातॄणामन्वय: नावश्यक: न च समीचीन इति द्रष्टव्यम् । पादश: अन्वयस्य सम्भवे सति, पादान्तरस्थपदैः पादान्तरस्थपदानां योजना न ऋज्वी । तस्माद् ’यज्ञस्य देव ऋत्विज’ इति पादो व्याख्यातः ॥

होतारम्-स्वयं देव: सन् अन्यान् यज्ञे समुपस्थितान् कर्तृ आह्वयति । एवं आह्वानप्रभुरग्निः ॥

रत्नधातमम्-रमेर्धातो: औणा दिक-क-प्रत्ययान्तं रत्नपदमिति सर्वेषामभिमतम् । ’रत्न सुखं धत्त इति रत्नधा अतिशयेन रत्नधास्तम् इति मन्त्रार्थमञ्जरीनिवचन अन्त-गिपराणां न: सम्मतम् । अन्तर्यजने प्रवृत्तस्य ऋषेयजमानस्य अर्पणानां फलभूताः रत्नपदवाच्या या रतय: तासां धारक: प्रतिष्ठापकः अग्निरेव भवती-त्यन्तरर्थ:। बहिर्यागात् नान्यदस्तीति वा दिनां पक्षे, रत्नं धनं यागफलभूतं गवाश्वादिकं तस्यातिशयेन दाता अग्निः तं, इति ॥

इदं च ऋचस्तात्पर्य भवति-’यो यज्ञस्य निर्वोढा अग्रणी: पुरोहितः, यश्च काले कर्तव्यस्य यज्ञस्य कतो कारयिता च ऋत्विग्भूतो देवः, यो देवान् यज्ञे सन्निधापयितुं प्रभवन् तेषामाह्वाता, य: पुनर्यजमाने प्रहातिशयानां आधायक: तमग्निं अध्येषणीयं अभिकाङ्क्षामि’ इति ।

अग्निः पूर्वेभिर्ऋषिभिरीड्यो नूतनैरुत । स दे॒वाँ एह वक्षति ॥ २॥
अग्निः पूर्वेभिः ऋषिभिः ईड्य: नूतनैः उत । सःदे॒वान् आ इह वक्षति ॥

अग्निः पूर्वोक्त: पुरोहितत्वादियोग्यताविशिष्ट: देवः, पूर्वभिः पुरातनै: ऋषिभिः मन्त्रद्रष्टुभिः भृग्वङ्गिरःप्रभृतिभिः ईड्यः स्तुत्यः पूज्य: अभिकाङ्क्षणीय इति यावत् , नूतनैः उत नवैः ऋषिभिरपि ईड्य: । सः य एवमीड्य उक्तः स देवः देवान् इतरान् इन्द्रादीन् , इह अस्मिन् यज्ञ आवक्षति आवहति । अस्मिन् जगतीति वा इति स्कन्दस्वामी । द्युस्थानान् देवान् पृथिवी स्थान-मान यति पृथिवी स्थानोऽग्निरिति भावः। अन्तर्यजने अन्तर्यजने सुगमो भावः । अशक्यः कालनिर्णय: पूर्वेषां अङ्गिरःप्रभृतीनाम् । मधुच्छन्दा इव तत्समकालिकाः सूक्तकृत ऋषयोऽन्ये च आसन् इति गम्यते ’नूतनैरुत’ इत्युक्ते: । अतिचिरन्तना दृष्टफलका रूढमूला च अग्नेरुपास्तिः इत्याचारबलं च द्योत्यते ।

अग्निना रयिमश्नवत् पोषमेव दिवे दिवे । यशसं वीरवत्तमम् ॥३॥
अग्निना रयिम् अश्नवत् पोषम् एव दिवे दिवे । यशसं वीरवत्तमम् ॥

अग्निना देवेन निमित्तभूतेन रयिम् धनं किमप्यान्तरं न केवलं बाह्यं अश्नवत् प्राप्नोति यजमान: । कीदृशम् रयिम् ? दिवे दिवे अनुदिनं पोषमेव पोषोपेतमेव पुष्यमाणं न कदाऽपि क्षीयमाणम् । पुनः कीदृशम् ? यशसम् यशो युक्तं वैभवसम्पन्नम् । वीरवत्तमम् अतिशयेन वीरबलोपेतं च रयिं अश्नवदिति सम्बन्धः॥

अत्र पोषशब्दस्य घञन्तत्वाद्रयिविशेषणत्वेन न ग्राह्यमित्येकेषामाक्षेपः । पोषं पुष्टिं रयिं (धनं) च ’अश्नवत्’ इत्याहुः । एवं चेत् समुच्चयार्थकश्चकारोऽध्याहार्यः । ’पोषमेव’ इत्यत्र एवकारस्य प्रयोजनं अलक्षितं स्यात् । ’पोषं’ ’यशसं’ इत्युभयमपि मत्वर्थलक्षणया रयिविशेषणमिति बोध्यम् । एतादृशः प्रयोगः साधारणो वेदे । ‘वपुषामिदेकम्’ (४. ७. ९.), ‘वपुषामपश्यम्’ (५. ६२. १.) इत्यादिस्थलेषु वपुषां वपुष्मतां देवानां इति मत्वर्थलक्षणया व्याचक्षते पदार्थ व्याख्यातारः । साध्वेतत् । एवमिहापि लक्षणाश्रयणं साधु । वैभवद्योतनाय ’यशसं’ इति रयिविशेषणम् । ’अश्नवत्’ इति लेटि रूपं, तस्माल्लोडर्थो वक्तव्य इत्येके नव्याः । लडर्थ एवोपपन्नतरः, पूर्वेषां व्याख्यातॄणामभिमतश्च ।

पूर्वोक्तलक्षणेन देवानामाह्वात्रा अग्निना तत्प्रसादमहिम्ना वैभवशालिनी वीर्यातिशयसम्पन्नां रयिपदवाच्यां अन्तस्समृद्धि प्राप्नोति यजमान इति भावः ।

अग्ने यं यज्ञमध्वरं विश्वतः परिभूरसि। स इद्देवेषु गच्छति ॥४॥
अग्ने यं यज्ञं अध्वरम् विश्वतः परिऽभूः असि । सः इत् देवेषु गच्छति ॥

अग्ने त्वं यं अध्वरं अध्वगमनशीलं यज्ञं यागं विश्वतः सर्वतः परिभूः परिवृत्य भवन् असि स इत् स एव यज्ञः देवेषु देवानां मध्ये गच्छति गन्तव्यं स्थानम् ।

अध्वरो हिंसारहित इति कर्मपराणां व्याख्यासरणिः । ’न हिंस्यात्सर्वभूतानि’ इति धर्मशास्त्रस्य अपवाद: पश्वालम्भो यज्ञे। ततोऽत्र हिंसा न दोषायेत्युप-पादयितुं न ध्वरो हिंसा अस्मिन्निति अध्वरपदं निष्पादयन्ति बाह्यार्थपक्षीयाः । यज्ञः पुरुषाकारतया वय॑ते वेदें। स च द्रव्यत्यागापरपर्याय: सर्वस्वापणरूपो यजमानस्यान्तराविर्भूय प्रतिष्ठत ऊर्ध्व खर्लोकं प्रति देवानधिगन्तुम् । तस्मात् स प्रयाणं करोति, अध्वानं राति ददाति यजमानस्योवंगत्यै । तथाविधस्य यज्ञस्य यात्रायां सर्वत: पापेभ्यो राक्षसादिभ्यो रक्षणं अग्नेरेव सम्भवति । तस्माद् यो यज्ञोऽग्निना परिरक्षितः स एव देवान् प्राप्नोतीत्युक्तम् ।।

अग्निर्होता कविक्रतुः सत्यश्चित्रश्रवस्तमः। देवो देवेभिरागमत् ॥५॥
अग्निः होता कविऽक्रतुः सत्यः चित्रश्रवःऽतमः। देवः देवेभिः आ गमत् ॥

अग्निः खयं देवः देवेभिः अन्यैर्देवैः सह आगमत् आगच्छतु। अग्नेः चत्वारि विशेषणानि । होता आह्वाता देवानाम्, कविक्रतुः कविर्मेधाविनाम् , कान्तदर्शी अतीन्द्रियार्थदर्शी कविरिति वेदे। एवमेव सायणव्याख्या बहुत्र । क्रतु: प्रज्ञा कर्म वा यथासन्दर्भ व्याख्यायते कर्मठैः । कर्मकरणसामर्थ्यवत् अध्यवसायात्मकं प्राज्ञं बलं निष्प्रकम्पसङ्कल्पो वा क्रतुरिति ज्ञेयम् । एवं कविक्रतुः अतीन्द्रियार्थदर्शी प्राज्ञसङ्कल्प इच्छाबलं वेति वेद्यम् । सत्यः दर्शने प्राज्ञकर्मणि खरूपतोऽपि सत्यः अनृतैरभिघात: सम्पर्को वा नास्त्यस्य, अतो न व्यभिचरति दर्शनादिकर्तव्येषु । चित्रश्रवस्तमः श्रव इति कीर्तिनाम, तथा बाह्यार्थपक्षे ग्रहणं नासाधु । श्रव:-श्रवणश्रुतिशब्दाः शृणोतेर्निष्पन्नाः समानमेवार्थ स्मारयन्ति। सर्वतः श्रूयमाणत्वा-देव श्रवः कीर्तिरुच्यते । तस्मादत्र चित्रं अद्भुतं विविधं चायनीयं वा, श्रवः श्रवणं अस्य अग्नेरतिशयेनास्तीति पदार्थ: । अतीन्द्रियार्थविचित्रश्रवणशाली भगवानग्निः खयं श्रुतिमान् उपासकं अद्भुताः श्रुती: श्रावयितुं प्रभुरिति बोध्यम् ॥

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे प्रथमो वर्ग: ।।

यदुङ्ग दाशुषे त्वमग्ने भद्रं करिष्यसि । तवेत्तत्सत्यमङ्गिरः ॥६॥
यत् अङ्ग दाशुषे त्वं अग्ने भद्रं करिष्यसि । तव इत् तत् सत्य अङ्गिरः॥

अङ्ग! अग्ने! हे अग्ने दाशुषे दत्तवते यजमानाय त्वं यद् भद्रं कल्याणं करिष्यसि तवेत् तवैव तत् सत्यं हे अङ्गिरः एतन्नामक अग्ने ॥

अत्रायं सायणीयोऽभिप्रायो भवति, हविर्दत्तवते यजमानाय पशुप्रजादिरूपं धनं अग्निर्ददाति। तदेव कल्याणं भद्रशब्देनोक्तम् । तथा लब्धेन धनेन साधनेन पुनरग्निं यजते यजमानः। तस्मादग्नेरेव तत् ’तवेत्तत्’ । सत्यं न विसंवादोऽत्र । रमणीयार्थे ऽस्मिन् मन्त्रे अग्नेः सत्यं किमपि खच्छमुक्तं लक्ष्यते, व्याख्यातृभिर्महाननर्थ: कृतः । ’दाशुषे’ दत्तवते ’यद्भद्रं करिष्यसि’ ’तत्सत्यं’ तवैव ‘तवेत्’ इति साधीयान् ऋजु : अन्वयः। तहिं अयमाशयः। अग्निना यजमानाय करिष्यमाणं भद्रं अग्नेरेव सत्यम् । किं तद्भद्रं यदग्नेरेव सत्यं उच्यते ? प्रजाः पशवो वित्तं गृहा इतीदं सर्व भद्रमिति ब्राह्मणवाक्यबलेन प्रतिपादयन्ति । भवतु प्रजापश्वादि कल्याणम् । मास्तु विवादः। - ऋग्वेदे भद्रपदं सत्यसम्बन्धि किमपि विशिष्टं कल्याणं द्योतयतीति न संशयः। ’विश्वानि देव सवितर्दुरितानि परा सुव । यद्भद्रं तन्न आसुव ।’ ’परा दुष्वप्न्यं सुव’ (५. ८२. ४, ५) इत्यादौ दुःष्वप्न्यदुरितप्रतिद्वन्द्वित्वेन भद्रपदं प्रयुज्यते । अनृतज्ञानजन्यदुर्गतानामन्तकं भद्रपदवाच्यं कल्याणमेव अग्नेः सत्यमिति तात्पर्यपरिग्रहे, पूर्वस्यां ऋचि अग्ने: सत्यविशेषणं, अत्र तथाविधं भद्रं अग्नेरेव सत्यं इति प्रतिपादनं च उपपद्यते । तस्मान्नेह कल्याणसामान्यं विवक्षितम् । अनृतप्रज्ञापरिपन्थिकल्याणं सत्यं अग्नेरेव तत्त्वं खभावो वेति बोध्यम् सर्वथा भद्रपदं अशुभ-अनृतज्ञानजन्य-दुरितप्रति-द्वन्द्वित्वेन प्रयुज्यते वेदे । दुःस्वप्ननसूक्ताच्च इदमवगम्यते, यत्र पापदेवताया नितेविरोधितया ’भद्रं वरं वृणते’ (१०. १६४.) इत्यादि गीयते। ये भद्रं दूषयन्ति ते निळतेरन्तिके क्षिप्यन्त इत्यर्थको मन्त्रश्च अन्यत्र श्रूयते-ये वा भद्रं दूषयन्ति खधामिः । अहये तान् प्रददातु सोमः आ वा दधातु निक्रतेरुपस्थे ।’ (७. १०४. ९.) अपि च, अग्नेः स्वावासभूत-ऋतपदवाच्यस्य बृहत: सत्यस्य विशेषणतया, मनस: क्रतोश्च प्राप्यत्वेन च ’भद्र कीर्त्यते । ’भद्रं मनः कृणुष्व (४. १९. २०.) ’भद्रं नो अपि वातय मनो दक्षमुतक्रतुम्’ (१०. २५. १.) ’आ भन्दिष्टस्य सुमतिं चिकिद्धि बृहत्ते अग्ने महि शर्म भद्रम् (५. १. १०.)- इत्येवं-जातीयको मन्त्रवर्ण: कल्याणपर्यायत्वेऽपि भद्रस्य वैशिष्ट व्यं द्योतयतीत्यवधार्यम् । आङ्गिरसस्य कुत्सस्य मन्त्रदृष्टिरपि ’यदङ्ग दाशुषे’ इत्यस्या ऋचोऽस्माभिरुक्तमर्थ दृढीकरोति। सेयं भवति- ’तत्ते भद्रं यत्समिद्धः स्वे दमे सोमाहुता जरसे मृळयत्तमः । दधासि रत्नं द्रविणं च दाशुषेऽग्ने सख्ये मारिषामा वयं तव (१. ९४. १४.)। पुरस्तात् ’राजन्त’ इति मन्त्रस्य अर्थावगाहने स्मरणीयेयं कुत्सस्य ऋक् ॥ ।

उप त्वाग्ने दिवे दिवे दोषावस्तर्धिया वयम्। नमो भरन्त एमसि ॥ ७ ॥
उपत्वा अग्ने दिवेऽदिवे दोषाऽवस्तः धिया वयम् । नमःभरन्तः आ इमसि ॥

हे अग्ने त्वा त्वां दिवे दिवे प्रत्यहं दोषावस्तः नक्तं-दिवं वयं धिया धारणसमर्थया बुद्धया नमः प्रणतिं भरन्तः बिभ्रतः सन्तः उपेमसि उपगच्छामः उपास्मह इत्यर्थः। अत्रैके ’दोषावस्ता’ रात्रेराच्छादक: खप्रकाशेन अग्निः, तस्य सम्बोधनं ’दोषावस्तः’ इत्याहुः। वस्तुतस्तु दोषा रात्रिवाची तेन तमो लक्ष्यते, वस्तः दिनवाची तेन प्रकाशो लक्ष्यते । तमसि प्रकाशे वा सर्वाखवस्थासु प्रत्यहम-विरतं त्वामुपास्मह इति भावः । ’एवं नमो भरन्तो वयम्’ इत्युपपद्यते । प्रणतिभारधारणसामर्थ्य धियो वर्तते । तस्माद्धयानदृढा धीरेवात्र साधनं अनुदिनमविच्छेदं अन्तःप्रकाशे अप्रकाशे वा सर्वासु दशाखग्न्युपास्तेरिति बोध्यम् ॥

राजन्तमध्वराणां गोपामुतस्य दीदिविम्। वर्धमान स्वे दमे ॥ ८ ॥
राजन्तम् अध्वराणां गोपाम् ऋतस्य दीदिविम्। वर्धमानम् खे दमे ॥

पूर्वमन्त्रे अग्ने त्वां उपेम इत्युक्तम् । अत्र कीदृशं त्वामिति पादत्रयस्थविशेषणत्रयेणाह-अध्वराणाम् राजन्तम् अध्वरपदवाच्यानां यज्ञानां ईशानम् । ऋतस्य दीदिविम् गोपाम् सत्यस्य दीप्यमानं रक्षकम् । स्खे दमे वर्धमानम् स्वीये गृहे वृद्धिमाप्नुवन्तम् ॥

पादशोऽन्वयसम्भवे ’अध्वराणां गोपाम्’ इति योजना न युक्ता । ’ऋतस्य गोपाः’ स च ’दी दिवि:’, ’स्वे दमे’ वधते, इत्यस्य तात्पर्य पर्यालोचनीयम् । अत्रैव सूक्ते ‘सत्य:’ ’तवेत् तत् सत्यम्’ इति द्विरग्ने: सत्यधर्मत्वं प्रतिपादितम् । अस्यामृचि सत्यस्य रक्षिता इति तस्य खगृहे वर्धन मिति चोच्यते । किं अग्ने: स्वीयं गृहं भवितुमर्हति सत्यादन्यत्र ? ’सत्यं ऋतं बृहत् एव अग्नेरावासगृहं भवति । तच्च सत्यं परं धाम यजमानेन प्राप्यं, यज्ञस्तत्र साधनम् । निर्वोढा तु ‘कविक्रतुः’ ’सत्यः’ ’सत्यधर्मा सत्यरक्षक: सत्यावासभू: अग्निरेव भवति । ’यजा नो मित्रावरुणा यजा देवान् ऋतं बृहत् । अग्ने यक्षि स्वं दमम् । (१. ७५. ५.) ऋषिर्गोतमो राहूगणः अग्निं प्रार्थयते-’अस्मदर्थ मित्रावरुणौ यज, अन्यान् देवान् यज, ऋतं बृहत् स्वं दमं यज’ इति । अनया स्पष्ट भवति न केवलमग्नेयजमानार्थ यज्ञनिर्वाहित्वं, किं तु ऋतं बृहत्’ अग्ने: स्वीयं गृहं, तदेव परमं यष्टव्यमिति च। ‘गोपा ऋतस्य दी दिहि स्वे दमे’ (३. १०. २.) इत्यत्रापि श्रूयते ।

कर्मपरव्याख्यानेन कदर्थीकृतो गम्भीरार्थोऽयं मन्त्रः । यज्ञशालां अग्ने: ’स्वं दमं आहुः’। तत्र हविर्भोजनेन ‘वर्धमानं’ अग्निं सायं प्रातरुपासतेऽग्निहोत्रिणः !

स नः पितेव सूनवेऽग्ने सूपायनो भव । सचस्वा नः स्वस्तये ॥९॥
सः नः पिताऽइव सूनवे अग्ने सुऽउपायनः भव । सचस्व नः स्वस्तये ॥

अग्ने स त्वं सूनवे पुत्राय पितेव जनक इव नः अस्माकं सूपायन: सुखेन उपायनं समीपगमनं यस्य सः सुप्रापो भव । नः अस्मान् स्वस्तये कल्याणाय सचस्व सेवस्व, अस्मासु सक्तो भव, अस्मासु समवेतो भवेति यावत् ॥

व्याख्यातं माधुच्छन्दसमाग्नेयं सूक्तम् । दाशतय्यां अत्र प्रथमसूत एव वेदरहस्यं किञ्चिद्विस्पष्टं द्योतितम् । तथा व्याख्याने यावदपेक्षं सझेपतो मन्त्रपरमार्थपद्धतिः प्रदर्शिता, यद्यपि याज्ञिकपक्षानुसारेण सूक्तेऽस्मिन् कासाश्चि-दृचां यथाकथञ्चिदर्थाविष्कारः शक्यो भवति, तथाऽपि न सर्वत्र ऋजुर्भवति पन्थाः कर्मपरतया व्याख्यानाय । ’कविक्रतुः’ ’सत्यः’ ’चित्रश्रवस्तमः’ ’धिया नमो भरन्तः’ ’स्वे दमे (ऋते बृहति) वर्धमानम्’ इत्यादिस्थलेषु महता क्लेशेन जघन्योऽर्थ: सम्पादितः कर्मठव्याख्याने । ’यदङ्ग दाशुषे’ इति मन्त्रस्य व्याख्याने साधितस्य तात्पर्यस्योपहसनीयता परां काष्ठा गता। ऋज्वर्थस्तु, खात्मीयं ’खात्मानमेव वा योऽग्नयेऽर्पयति, तस्मै अनृतज्ञानतजन्यदुःखान्तकर भद्रपदवाच्यं कल्याणं करोत्यग्निः । यदिदं भद्रं तत् सत्यं अग्निनिष्ठमेव’ इति ।

एवं ऋजुना वेदरहस्यमुद्घाटयता द्वारेण सूक्तमन्त्रार्थोपपत्तिर्द्रष्टव्या । देवोऽग्निरेव पुरोहित ऋत्विग्भूतश्च यजमानस्य यज्ञनिर्वाहार्थमध्येष्यते प्रथमे मन्त्रे । सा चाग्नेरध्येषणारूपोपास्तिन नूतना मधुच्छन्दसाऽवलम्बिता, किं तु बहो: कालादृषिपरम्परागता, यया देवानां प्रमुखोऽग्निरितरान् देवानावहति इति द्वितीये प्रतिपादितम् । अग्नेः प्रसादालब्धा सम्पद् न लौकिकीव क्षयमयाभिमृष्टा, किं तु उत्तरोत्तराभिवृद्धिशालिनी इति तृतीये। न केवलं असहायेन पुरुषकारेण साधितो यज्ञो देवान् गच्छति, किं तु अग्निना सर्वथा पापेभ्यो रक्षोभ्योऽभिरक्षितं यजनमेव देवान् प्राप्नोतीति चतुर्थे । दृष्टि श्रुतिसम्पन्नः प्राज्ञदृढसङ्कल्पोऽग्निर्देवानां सहाय इति पञ्चमे । अनृतपरिपन्थि-सत्यज्ञानात्मक-भद्रप्रदत्वं अग्नेस्तत्वं इति षष्ठे । प्रत्यहं सर्वास्ववस्थासु ध्यानदृढा: प्रणतिभरोपेता ऋषयोऽग्निमुपासत इति सप्तमे । तस्याग्नेःऋतं (सत्यं बृहत् ) स्वीयं धाम, स यजमानाय तत्र वर्धते । तद् रक्षतीति अष्टमे। एवंविधमग्निं साक्षात्कृतं साक्षात्कर्तुं वा महता विस्रम्भेण ऋषिः “पिता तनुजन्मनीव सक्तः सन् नः सुगमो भव" इति प्रार्थनां करोति नवमे ।

नैतादृशोऽग्निर्बहिः सङ्केतमात्रतयाऽवस्थितो याज्ञिको भवितुमर्हति । केवलं भौतिकतेजस्तन्मात्राधिदैवतम्। किं तु अस्माभिः प्रदर्शितप्रभावः सूक्तप्रति-पादितलक्षणः सत्य एवायं भगवान् भद्रात्मा न: ‘कविक्रतु:’ ईडितोऽस्मिन् प्रथमे सूक्ते। तदिदं वेदरहस्यरसास्वादरसनाभूतं आग्नेयं, यतश्चेदं सूक्तसहस्राधिकवेद-पाठप्रत्याम्नायत्वेन लघुब्रह्मयज्ञ इति प्रतिपिपादयिषया “ ’अग्निमीळे’ जपेत् सूक्तं पापघ्नं श्रीकरं च यत् । पारायणफलं तस्य वेदानां चैव सर्वशः” इत्याहु: पूर्वे । अग्निष्टोम इति विख्याते सोमयागे प्रातरनुवाके सोमाभिषवात् प्रागिदं होत्रा शस्यते ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे द्वितीयो वर्ग:
इति प्रथमं सूक्तम्

अथ द्वितीयं सूक्तम्

अथ प्रथमानुवाकस्य द्वितीयं सूक्तं नवर्च तृचत्रयात्मकं भवति । द्वादशर्च तृतीयं सूक्तम्, तत्र चत्वारस्तृचाः। इदं तृचसप्तकं प्रउगाख्यं शस्त्रं प्रातःसवने होत्रा वैश्वदेवग्रहणादूर्ध्व शंसनीयम् । अत्र प्रथमस्य तृचस्य वायुर्देवता, द्वितीयस्य इन्द्रो वायुश्च, तृतीयस्य मित्रो वरुणश्च भवन्ति ।

वायव्ये तृचे प्रथमामृचमाह—

वायवायाहि दर्शतेमे सोमा अरङ्कताः। तेषां पाहि श्रुधी हवम् ॥१॥
वायो इतिआ याहि दर्शत इमे सोमाः अरम्ऽकृताः। तेषां पाहि श्रुधि हवम् ॥

वायो जगत्प्राण, दर्शत दर्शनीय आयाहि आगच्छ । इमे (अस्माभि-निवेदिताः) सोमाः निष्पीडिताः सोमसवाः अरङ्कृताः अलङ्कृताः सम्यक् साधिताः सिद्धा इति यावत् । तेषां तान् (द्वितीयार्थे षष्ठी) पाहि पिब । हवं ह्वानं अस्मदाह्वानं श्रुधि शृणु ॥

सुबोधा अत्र पदार्थाः। अरबृताः, पर्याप्त्यर्थो भूषणार्थो वा अलं-शब्दः, संस्कृता इति तात्पर्यम् । अग्निस्तवनात्परं वायु प्रार्थयते सोमपानाय । वायुश्च जगत्प्राणः, अत एव शारीरः प्राणोऽपि भवन् बिभर्ति नाडीचक्रव्यवस्थाम् । तस्मादाधारोऽयं मानवे मनोमयव्यापारस्य। तर्हि कोऽसौ सोमः यस्याभिषवानां पानाय वायुराहूयते ? ब्रूमः । ऋतचित्पदवाच्य-सत्यज्ञानभुवः क्षरन् यो दिव्यः सदानन्दरसो मनोमयभुवि प्रवहति, स हि सोमपदवाच्यो वेदे व्यवढ़ियते । लताविशेषः सोमस्तु बाह्यः सङ्केतो याज्ञे कर्मणि। पुरस्ताद् अस्य तृचस्य व्याख्या-नान्ते तत्त्वमिदं प्रपञ्चयिष्यते ॥

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

वार्थ उक्थेभिर्जरन्ते । वाय उक्थेभिर्जरन्ते त्वामच्छा जरितारः। सुतसोमा अहुर्विदः ॥२॥
वायो इति उक्थेभिः जरन्ते त्वाम् अच्छ जरितारः सुतऽसोमाः अहःऽविदः॥

वायो प्राणदेव, त्वां अच्छ त्वां अभिलक्ष्य जरितारः स्तोतारः [त्वत्कामाः] उक्थेभिः स्तोत्रवचनैः [त्वदाविष्कारकैः] जरन्ते स्तुवन्ति । कीदृशास्ते ? सुतसोमाः सोमाभिषवं कृतवन्तः, पुनः कीदृशाः ? अहर्विदः अहश्शब्दलक्षितं प्रकाशं विदितवन्तो दृष्टवन्त इत्यर्थः ।।

अत्रेदमवधेयम् । यद्यपि ’रेभः कार्जरिता’ इत्यादीनि स्तोतनामानि पठितानि निघण्टौ, तथाऽपि एकैकमपि स्तोतुः किमपि वैशिष्टयं द्योतयति । वेदे जारशब्द इव जरितृपदमपि गूढं प्रेमाणं गमयति, अत एव स्तोतारः त्वत्कामा इति व्याख्यातम् । एवं वेदे वाचः सर्जनसामर्थ्य आविष्कारकत्वं वा प्रसिद्धम् । अत एव वचेनिष्पन्नस्य ’उक्थ’ शब्दस्य, त्वदाविष्कारकैः स्तोत्रवचनैः इति व्याख्यानं उपपन्नम् ॥

तृतीयामृचमाह—

वायो तव प्रपञ्चती धेना जिगाति दाशुषे। उरुची सोमपीतये ॥३॥
वायो इति तव प्रऽपृञ्चती धेना जिगाति दाशुषे उरूची सोमऽपीतये ॥

तत्र प्रीणनं वायो! प्रपृश्चती प्रकर्षेण सम्पर्क कुर्वती (पूरयित्रीत्यर्थः) तव धेना वागुपलक्षिता रसनाधारा सोमपीतये सोमपानाय उरूची (सती) विस्तार प्राप्नुवन्ती दाशुषे यजमानाय जिगाति गच्छति वहतीत्यर्थः ।।

धेना वाङ्नामसु पठितम् । तथा सर्वत्र ऋक्षु सायणीयं व्याख्यानम् । धेना ’धारा’ इति सर्वत्रास्माभिर्व्याख्यायते । अत्रेदं कारणं भवति । प्रायश ऋग्वेदे नद्यः धेनव इति क्वचिदुपमया क्वचिदभेदाध्यवसायेन वय॑ते । पोषणं वा साधर्म्य भवति । अत एव सायणः धेना प्रीणयित्री वाक् इति क्वचित् , प्रीणयित्री नदी इति क्वचित् , प्रीणयित्री योषिद् इत्यन्यत्र व्याचष्टे । यथा पयस्विन्यो धेनवः प्रीणयित्र्यो नद्यः भवन्ति, तथा धेनाऽपि प्रीणयित्री धारा भवति । वाचो धारारूपत्वं सायणव्याख्यायामप्यङ्गीकृतं भवति । ’एकं गर्भ दधिरे सप्त वाणी:’ (३-१-६.) ’सप्तवाणी: नद्यः’ इत्याह । वाग्वाहिनी सरस्वती प्रथिता वेदे । ’सरस्वती देवतारूपेण नदीरूपेण च वर्तते, देवतारूपा स्तुता। अधुनाऽनया नदीरूपां स्तौति’ इति ’इयं शुष्मेभिः’ (६-६१-२) इति मन्त्रव्याख्या-नारम्भे सरस्वत्या द्विरूपत्वकल्पनया सायणीयः क्लेशः स्पष्टो भवति । एवमेव तृतीयसूक्ते ’महो अर्णः’ इति अन्तिमर्ची व्याख्यानेऽपि। तदिह वाक्पयित्वेन निघण्टुपठितमपि धेनापदं धारात्वं न जहातीति बोध्यम् ।

’सम्यक्स्रवन्ति सरितो न धेनाः’ (४. ५८. ६.), ’व्यस्य धारा असृजद् वि घेनाः’ (३. १. ९.) इत्यादिषु स्थलेषु विस्पष्टा भवेदस्मदुक्ता युक्तिः । तहिं धेना धारेत्येवालं स्यात् , कुतो ’वागुपलक्षितरसनाधारा’ इत्युक्तमिति चेत्, ब्रूमः । अस्यामृचि वायो: धारा सोमपानाय यजमानकृते वहतीत्युक्तम् । वाचा (वचनेन) पानस्यासम्भवात् लक्षणाश्रयणेन रसनामयत्वविशिष्टधारा प्रोक्ता । तस्माद्वि-वरणार्थोऽयं न केवलपदार्थः धेनापदस्य । प्रीणयित्री पोषयित्रीति वा केवलावयवार्थः । सा धारा चेत् सङ्गच्छते, धारकत्वात् । एवं हि उरूचीति विशेषणं उपपद्यते । सोमरसादानाय सङ्कोचं उज्झित्वा विपुला भवति धारा। प्रपृञ्चतीति धेनाविशेषण-मप्युपपन्नम्। अभिषुते सोमे दातरि यजमाने च धारायाः सम्पर्कप्रकर्ष उक्तः । वायोः प्राणदेवस्य धारा यजमाने सर्वोत्कृष्ट स्पर्श विदधती, अत एव स्वयं पूरयित्री यथेष्टं सोमाभिषवं ग्रहीतुं प्रभवति ॥

अत्र बाह्यार्थपरा एवमाहुः--’हे यजमान ! त्वया दत्तं सोमं पास्यामि’ इति वायु: ब्रूत इति। एवं ’धेना वाक्’ इति मुख्यार्थपरिग्रहः सायणीयः । तदनुसारेण वाग्विशेषणद्वयं व्याख्यातम् । ’प्रपृश्चती’ वाक् सोमगुणवर्णनपरा किल । ’उरूची’ वाक् तु बहून् यजमानान् वर्णयितुं गच्छतीति चाहुः। स्कन्दस्वामी तु धेनापदस्य मुख्यार्थबाधात् वाचा लक्षिता जिह्वेतिं अब्रुवन्नपि ’धेना’ ’जिह्वा’ इत्याह ।

अन्तरर्थपरेऽस्मिन् व्याख्याने त्विदं विचारयितव्यम्-कोऽसौ सोमः ? यस्याभिषुतस्य स्वीकाराय वायु: सम्प्रार्थित: स्वीयां धारां विवृतां कुर्वन् यजमानार्थ गच्छति। ऋतचिद्भुवः पवमानो रसापरपर्याय आनन्दो मनोमयं क्षेत्रं आविश्य प्रवहतीत्यवोचाम पूर्वम् । कथ तर्हि तादृशं सोमं यजमानः सुनुते, वायवेऽर्पयितुं वा प्रभवति? तथ्यमेव इदं यत् सोम ऊर्ध्व विश्वातीत-सत्यचिदानन्दरस: स्वयंप्रकाशो मनोमयभुवमवतीर्य प्राधान्येन मनोमयधामाधिराजायेन्द्राय क्षरतीति । ’अपाम सोमं अमृता अभूम’ ’रसो वै स:’ ’को ह्येवान्यात् कः प्राण्यात् यदेष आकाश आनन्दो न स्यात्’ इत्यादिवाक्यैः प्रतिपादित: सोम एव अध्यण्डमधिपिण्डं च बहुसोपानपदे विश्वसर्ग उपाध्यनुरोधेन प्राप्नोत्याविर्भावम् । तद्यथा दिव्यं सत्यं ज्योतिरिहापि तमसि पार्थिवे लोके सर्वत्र निलीनं सत् परिणामवशात् क्वचिद् व्यक्त भवति, तथा सोमोऽपि सर्वत्र निगूढः पृथिव्यां पृथिवीरहेषु इन्द्रियार्थेषु इन्द्रियार्थानु-भूतिषु च सारांशभूत-रसात्मकतयाऽवस्थितो भवति। स एष रसात्मा बहिः सोम-लतया सङ्केतितो निष्पीडय संस्कृतो देवेभ्यो दीयते। इन्द्रियार्थानुभवेषु य: सुखमयो रसो लसति तं निष्कृष्य तत्र स्वीयतां स्वार्थतां च सन्त्यज्य देवेभ्य: समर्पयति सोमयाजी देवभक्तोऽन्तर्यजने । अयं च रसोऽमृतं अन्नं भवति देवानाम् , येनामृतान्धसो यजमाने देवा अमृताः पुष्टिं लभन्ते । देवेभ्य:, अग्नये, वायवे, इन्द्राय वा ’स्वाहा इदं न मम’ इति आहुतिवाच इदमेव तात्पर्य बोध्यम् । सोमस्वरूपं समासेन प्रतिपादितम् ॥

अथ सोमाभिषवसंस्काराहुतिनिहाय दिवमारुरुक्षो: भूस्थस्य यजमानस्य शारीरकनाडीचक्र शुद्ध प्राणबलसमृद्धं स्यात्। तस्मात् प्रथमं वायोरनुग्रहोऽभ्यर्थनीयः । तत्रापि न केवलं प्राणदेवताया वायोरनुग्रहेण इन्द्रियानुभूतीनां परिष्कारः प्रसन्नता वा निष्पाद्यते मनोमयाधिदेवतायाः प्रसादमन्तरेण । अत एवेन्द्रं वायु च प्रार्थयते द्वितीयेन तृचेन । शरीरे प्राणमनसो: साधुर्व्यापारो वाय्विन्द्राभ्यां निरुह्यत इति बोध्यम् । यद्यपि, ऋतचित्प्रकाशात्मनः सूर्यस्य उदयभूमिरिव स्वर्भूमिः शुद्धसत्त्वमनः प्रधाना इन्द्रस्य विशिष्ट धाम भवति, तथाऽपि बहुभूमिकस्य मनस: स एव देवता । इन्द्रियात्मकस्यापि मनसः स एवेश्वरः । इन्द्रशब्दान्निष्पन्नं हि इन्द्रियपदम् । सर्वेन्द्रियाणां आद्यं गुप्तमिन्द्रियं मन इत्यपि शक्यं वदितुम् । ’मनः षष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि’ इत्यपि स्मयते। ’इन्द्रियमिन्द्रलिङ्गं इन्द्रदृष्टं इन्द्रसृष्टं इन्द्रजुष्टं इन्द्रदत्तं इति वा’ इति पाणिनिः (५. २. ९३.)। अत्र लिङ्गं दृष्टं इत्यादीनां विकल्प उक्तः, "अत्र बा-शब्द: प्रत्येकमभिसम्बध्यमानः विकल्पानां स्वातन्त्र्यं दर्शयति’ इति वृत्तिकारोक्तं स्मरणीयम् । एवं सर्वेन्द्रियसार्वभौमस्येन्द्रस्य साहाय्यमन्तरेण वायुर्यथाभाग सोममादातुं न प्रभवेदित्यार्पोऽयं आशय: । मनोबलवर्ज प्राणवृत्तिर्न साध्वीति सर्वेषां अनुभवसिद्धम् । एवं हि, अत्र द्वितीयतृचस्य विनियोगे ऐन्द्रवायवग्रहे त्रयो भागा वायोरिन्द्रस्यैको भागः ’तुरीयभागिन्द्रोऽभवत् त्रिभाग्वायु:’ (ऐ. ब्रा. अ. ९, खं. १) इति ऐतरेयिणः समामनन्ति । वायोरिन्द्रः सारथिरित्यप्युक्तं ब्राह्मणे ’नियुत्वा इन्द्रसारथिः। एतेन इन्द्रानुग्राह्यमनोबलस्य नेतृत्वरूपं उपकारकत्वं शारीरकनाडीगतप्राणबलस्य सोमभागभूयस्त्वं च द्योतिते ॥

द्वितीयतृचे ऐन्द्रवायवे प्रथमां ऋचमाह—

इन्द्रवायू इमे सुता उपप्रयोमरागतम्। इन्दवो वामुशन्ति हि ॥४॥
इन्द्रवायू इति इमे सुताः उप प्रयःऽभिः आ गतम् । इन्दवः वाम् उशन्ति हि ॥

हे इन्द्रवायू ! इमे सोमाः सुताः अभिषुताः। प्रयोभिः प्रीणयितृभिः (वस्तुभिः सह) उपागतम् उपागच्छतम् । हि यस्माद् इन्दवः क्लेदनकरा: (सुखप्रदाः सोमाः) वां युवां [इन्द्र वायु च] उशन्ति कामयन्ते ॥

’प्रयो मिः अन्नैः अस्मभ्यं दातव्यैः सह’ इति सायणः । प्रय: प्रीणयित प्रीञ्धातोर्निष्पन्नत्वात् । यत् प्रीणयति यजमानं तत् प्रय: । अत एव इन्द्र-वायुगतानि यानि कानि वा भवन्तु ’प्रयांसि’ प्रीणयितृणि वस्तूनि वैभवानि वा, तैः सह उपागच्छतम् इति अस्माभियाख्यातम् ॥

ऐन्द्रवायवे तृचे द्वितीयामृचमाह—

वायविन्द्रश्च चेतथः सुतानां वाजिनीवसू। तावायातमुपवत् ॥ ५॥
वायो इति इन्द्रः च चेतथः सुताना वाजिनीवसू इति वाजिनीऽवसू तौ आ यातम् उप द्रुवत् ॥

हे वायो त्वं इन्द्रश्च उभावपि सुतानाम् अभिषुतान् सोमान् [द्वितीयार्थे षष्ठी] चेतथ: जानीथः । वाजिनीवसू सत्त्वसमृद्धिसम्पन्नौ तौ युवां द्रवत् क्षिप्र उपायातम् उपागच्छतम् ॥

वाजिनीवसू—वाजिनी यागक्रियासन्ततिः तत्र वसत: इन्द्र-वायू इति कर्मठव्याख्यानम् । अन्नं, बलं, युद्धं, वेगः इति बहुधा वाजपदार्थः कथ्यते सायणेन । अत्र वाजोऽन्नं, तद् अस्यां हविस्सन्ततावस्ति इति वाजिनी, तत्र वसत इत्युक्तम् । अस्मदीयो वाजपदार्थस्तु सर्वत्र एकरूपः, समृद्धिः पूर्णता वा यत्र बलस्य अन्नादेर्वा अन्तर्भावेऽङ्गीकारक्षमेऽपि सङ्केतरूपत्वं ग्राह्यम् । वसुपदं धनवाचकं सर्वत्र सत्त्वं द्रव्यं इति गृह्यतेऽस्माभिः । वाजस्येव वसोरपि नैकोऽर्थः सायणीयः ॥

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे तृतीयो वर्ग:

ऐन्द्रवायवे तृचे तृतीयामृचमाह—

वायविन्द्रश्च सुन्वत आयातमुप निष्कृतम् । मश्वित्था धिया नरा ॥६॥
वायो इति इन्द्रः च सुन्वतः आ यातम् उप निःऽकृतम् मक्षु इत्था धिया नरा ॥

वायो इन्द्रश्च उभौ युवां सुन्वतः सोमाभिषवं कुर्वत: [यजमानस्य निष्कृतम् निश्शेषेण साधितं (युष्मदर्थ देयं वस्तु उद्दिश्य) मक्षु शीघ्रं इत्था इत्थं [अस्मदान-परिग्रहक्षमया सिद्धया] सत्यया वा धिया बुद्धया (धारणात्मिकया प्रज्ञया) युक्तौ उपायातम् उपागच्छतम् । नरा नरौ नेतारौ हे देवौ इति सम्बोधनम् ॥

इत्था-इत्थं सत्यमिति वा यथासम्भवं अर्थो ग्राह्यः । उभयथाऽपि वेदे प्रयोगदर्शनात् । निष्कृतं-संस्कृतं सोमं इत्याह सायणः । वेद्याख्यप्रदेशमिति स्कन्दखामी । निश्शेषेण सम्पादित किमपि सोमाभिषवफलितमिति वयम् । इदं चास्य तृचस्य तात्पर्यपर्यालोचनया स्पष्टं भवेदिति ब्रूम: समासत इन्द्र-वायुप्रसादवैभवम् ॥

प्रथमं सोमाः सुताः इन्द्रं वायुं च कामयन्ते, तस्मात्, तत: प्रवहन्तं सोमरस चेततो: तयोरागतयो: वाय्विन्द्रयोः क्षिप्रं तल्लाभः प्रार्थितः। प्राणमनसो-रधीश्वरौ हि वाग्विन्द्रौ। अनेन सोमपदवाच्य अमृतानन्दरस: ऊर्ध्वदेशात्प्रवहन प्राणबलपूरिते नाडीचक्रे सत्त्वसमृद्ध मनसि च लब्धान्तरो भवतीत्युक्तम् । अत एव समृद्धिसम्पदं द्योतयितुं वाजिनीवसू इत्युक्तम् । अथ तस्मिन् रसे प्राण-मनसोः पवमाने सति कोऽपि अपूर्वो व्यापारः फलितो भवति, यस्मात् मर्ये अमृतचिद्विलास: प्रारभते । इदं च फलितं कर्म निश्शेषेण सम्पादित ’निष्कृतम्’ इत्युक्तम् । अस्य कर्मणः सम्पूरणे वाय्विन्द्राभ्यां भागहराभ्यां भाव्यम् । तस्मात् तन्निर्वर्तनार्थया सिद्धया धिया युक्तौ उभावपि आगमनार्थ प्रार्थितौ । धी: बुद्धिरिति सामान्येनावो चाम । वस्तुतस्तु तस्याः स्थानं इन्द्रियात्मनो युक्तायुक्तविचारशीलस्य वा मनस ऊर्ध्व ’ऋतचित:’ अधस्ताच, एवमुभयोमध्यमिति बोध्यम् । अत्रैव प्रथमं धीपदं प्रयुक्तम् । अस्य प्रयोजन तृतीयतृचार्थविचारे विशदं स्यात् ॥

तृतीयतृचे मैत्रावरुणे प्रथमामृचमाह—

मित्रं हुवे पूतदक्षं वरुणं च रिशादसम्। धियं घृताची साधन्ता ॥७॥
मित्रम् हुवे पूतऽदक्षम् वरुणं च रिशादसम् धियम् घृताचीम् साधन्ता ॥

पूतदक्षम् पवित्रं धीकौशलं यस्य तं मित्रं हुवे आह्वयामि रिशादसम् हिंसकानां अत्तारं भक्षकं (विनाशनमित्यर्थः) वरुणं च [हुवे आह्वयामि] कथंभूती तौ मित्रावरुणौ ? घृताचीम् घृतं दीप्ति अञ्चति प्राप्नोतीति घृताची तां दीप्तां धियं धारणावतीं बुद्धिं साधन्ता साधयन्तौ निष्पादयन्तौ ॥

दक्षपदं सर्वत्र बलार्थे वर्तते, तथैव सायणो व्याचष्टे । अपि तु बहुप्रयोगस्थल-परिशोधनेन धीकौशलरूपं बलमिति वक्तव्यम् । बलस्य वैविध्यमङ्गीकृत्य साध्व-साधुसत्यासत्यादि-विवेचनपरां तत्त्वनिर्णायिकां प्रज्ञां दक्षपदवाच्यां ब्रूमः । एव धीकौशलं इति सामान्येन दक्षपदार्थो दत्तः। महीधरो ज्ञानेन्द्रियकौशलं दक्षपदार्थमाह । अन्ये पुनर्नव्याश्च अत्र विप्रतिपन्नाः । पुरस्तात् पुनर्विचार-यिष्यामः अस्य सूक्तस्य अन्तिमर्ची व्याख्यानावसरे ॥

अत एव घृताचीम्-धीविशेषणम् । जिघर्तिर्जुहोत्यादिः क्षरणे दीप्तौ च । ’जिधर्म्यग्निं हविषा घृतेन’ इत्यादिः दीप्त्यर्थे मन्त्रवर्णेषु प्रयोगो लक्षणीयः । दीप्तां अत एव प्रकाशमानां धियं इति विशेषणं उपपद्यते। क्षरणे प्रस्रवणे च वर्तते । घृतं सर्पिर्वाचकं लोके। वेदे तु ’दीप्तिमत्’ घृतम् । ऋक्संहितायां अत्रैव प्रथम ’घृताची’ इति घृतपदं धीविशेषणतया प्रयुक्तम् । इदं च वेदरहस्यार्थोद्धाटन-प्रधानानां सङ्केतपदानां एकम् , कवि-क्रतु-भद्र-दक्ष-ऋतादिपदानीव यौगिकत्व-मजहत् सर्वत्र नियतेऽर्थे प्रयुक्त मन्त्रेषु । अस्य तृचस्य तात्पर्य पुरस्तात् पर्यालोचयामः ॥

मैत्रावरुणे तृचे द्वितीयामृचमाह—

ऋतेन मित्रावरुणावृतावृधावृतस्पृशा। क्रतुं बृहन्तमाशाथे ॥८॥
ऋतेन मित्रावरुणौ ऋतऽवृधौ ऋतऽस्पृशा क्रतुम् बृहन्तम् आशाथे ॥

ऋतेन सत्येन [सत्येनैव साधनेन] हे मित्रावरुणौ मित्रो वरुणश्च [उभौ युवा] बृहन्तम् महान्तं ऋतुम् प्राज्ञं दृढसङ्कल्पं [कर्मसाधकं इच्छाबलमित्यर्थः] आशाथे आनशाथे [व्याप्तवन्तौ, प्राप्तौ उपभोगायेत्यर्थः] कीदृशौ मित्रावरुणौ ? ऋतावृधौ ऋतस्य सत्यस्य वर्धयितारौ, पुन: कौ ? ऋतस्पृशा ऋतं सत्य स्पृशन्तौ ॥

ऋतं सत्यं सत्यधर्मो वा भवति सर्वत्र वेदे । वेदगूढार्थाविष्कारायोपयुक्तानां पदानां इदमाद्यं वक्तव्यम् । ऋतं यजमाने वर्धयन्तौ मित्रावरुणौ ’ऋतावृधौ’ । स्वभावतः सिद्धस्तयो: सत्यस्पर्शः ’ऋतस्पृशौ’। तथा सत्यवर्धनकर्मणः सत्यमेव साधनं भवति तयोः । अत एव करणे तृतीया प्रयुक्ता ’ऋतेन’। तादृशव्यापारस्य तयोः प्राज्ञकर्मणि स्यादध्यवसायः । अत एव ’क्रतुं आशाथे’ इत्युक्तम् । बहिः, क्रतुर्यज्ञ इति प्रसिद्धम् । तर्हि बाह्येऽर्थे, अन्नबहुलं महान्तं ’बृहन्तम्’ अङ्गैश्चोपाङ्गैश्च अतिप्रौढं यज्ञं भोक्तुं यज्ञदेशं प्राप्तौ यज्ञभुजौ मित्रावरुणौ इति तात्पर्य प्राहुः । अस्मत्पक्षे तु, अन्तर्यजने समारब्धे, कविक्रतौ समिद्धे भगवत्यन्तवलने, प्रसादितयोरिन्द्रवाय्वोरनुग्रहबलात् सोमाभिषवसामर्थ्य प्राप्ते च मनस्सारथौ मुख्यप्राणे, मित्रावरुणौ उक्तगुणविशिष्टौ ऋतवर्धनौ विपुलं विशाल वा ऋतवद् बृहद्भूतं कतुपदवाच्यं कर्मसाधकं अध्यवसायबलं प्राप्तौ भुजात इति ग्राह्यम् ॥

मैत्रावरुणे तृचे तृतीयामृचमाह—

कवी नो मित्रावरुणा तुविजाता उरुक्षया। दक्षं दधाते अपसम् ॥९॥
कवी इति नः मित्रावरुणा तुविऽजातौ उरुऽक्षया । दक्षम् दधाते इति अपसम्॥

कवी मेधाविनौ (अतीन्द्रियार्थदर्शिनौ) तुविजाती बहुषु बहुधा वा प्राप्तजन्मानौ उरुक्षया उरुक्षयौ विशालनिवासौ (एवंभूतौ) मित्रावरुणा मित्रावरुणौ देवौ नः अस्माकं अपसम् कर्मवत् (कर्मसाधकं, क्रियानिष्पादकमिति यावत्) दक्षम् विवेचनात्मकं धीकौशलं दधाते धारयेते ॥

कवी-नेदं मेधाविसामान्यवाचकं वेदे, दृष्टिसम्पत्तिं द्योतयति । क्रान्तदर्शी, अतीन्द्रियार्थदर्शीति वा व्याख्यातम् । तुविजाती-तुविपदं वेदे बलवाचकम् । बलं सेनार्थे यथा बहुत्वं द्योतयति तथा तुविपदमपि बह्वर्थकम् । बहुनामसु पठितं च । बहूनामुपकारकत्वाद् बहुधा जात इति सायणव्याख्या। यजमाने देवाः स्वरूपतो व्यापारतश्च बहुशः स्वात्मानमाविष्कुर्वन्ति तेषामाविष्कार एव तेषां जन्म, तस्माद बहुधा जात इति वयम् । उरु बहुनामसु पठितमिति हेतो: ’उरुक्षया’ बहुनिवासौ इति सायणः । उरु विस्तृतं अत एव विशालं विपुलं वा वेदे। तस्माद् वितते बृहति निवासो ऽनयोरिति ग्राह्यम् । ’दक्षं बलं ’अपस’ कर्म च दधाते मित्रावरुणाविति चकाराध्या-हारेणोभयं च समुच्चितं सायणव्याख्याने। नावसरोऽध्याहारस्य । ’अपसम्’ इति दक्षविशेषणम् । न चेदिदं विशेषणमभविष्यत् अपि त्विह सत्त्ववाचि, तदा आद्युदात्तं अपठिष्यत । नेदमाद्युदात्तम् । ननु विशेषणं चेत् विशेष्यनिघ्नं वाच्यलिङ्गं स्यात् , अपश्शब्दस्तु न तथेति चेत्, मत्वर्थलक्षणया व्याख्यातपूर्व ’रयिं यशसं’ इत्यादिकमिव ’अपस्वि दक्षम्’ इति बोध्यम् । अन्यथा च अपश्शब्दो वेदे वाच्यलिङ्गतया प्रयुज्यत इत्यवधेयम् । अपि च वेदे सत्त्वनामान्यपि यौगिकार्थप्राबल्यं व्यञ्जयितुं गुणवाचकत्वं दधते । ’गोतमः’ ’अङ्गिरस्तमः’ ’इन्द्रतम:’ ’अपस्तमा’ इत्यादिः प्रयोगः साधारणो वेदे।

’अयं देवानामपसामपस्तम:’ (१-१६०-४) अप इति कर्मनाम । तेन तद्वान् लक्ष्यते। कर्मवतां मध्ये प्रकृष्टकर्मा इति सा. व्या. । ’अपसामपस्तमा’ (६-६१-१३) वेगवतीनां वेगवत्तमा-सा. व्या.। (१०-७५-७) कर्मवतीनां मध्ये वेगाख्यकर्मवती-सा. व्या.। (१०-५३-९) शोभनकर्मवतां मध्ये अतिशयेन शोभनकर्मी। (१०-११५-२) अपस्वितमः कर्मवत्तमः मत्वर्थो लुप्तः-सा. व्या. ।

दक्षम्-प्राग्व्याख्यातम् । फलवत्कर्मसाधकं दक्षपदवाच्य-विवेचनात्मकधी-कौशलं दधाते मित्रावरुणौ। प्राक् पूतदक्षपदार्थ-प्रतिपादनावसरे दक्षपदं सामान्येन बलनामसु पठितमपि तस्य धीवैशिष्टयमुपपादितम् । अस्यामृचि मित्रावरुणौ सुसङ्गतौ क्रियाकौशलविशिष्टं विवेचनात्मकज्ञानकौशलं धारयमाणावित्युक्तम् । अनेन युक्तयोमित्रावरुणयो: आयत्तं किमपि कर्मविशिष्टं ज्ञानमित्युक्तं भवति । ’पूतदक्षं मित्रं ’रिशादस’ वरुणं इति उक्तेश्च प्रकारान्तरेणेदमुक्तं ग्राह्यम् । किमिदं कर्म ज्ञानं वा ? को नाम मित्रावरुणौ ? का वा तयो: प्रसक्तिः ? ब्रूम:—

सूक्तेऽस्मिन् प्रथमस्य तृचस्य सोमाभिषवे प्राणसन्नाहो विषयः, यदर्थ वायुरेक एव पृथक् स्तुतः । ततः परं यजमाने मानव ऋतचिद्विलासाय मनोमयभू–परिष्कारः प्रस्तुतः, यदर्थ धिया युक्तौ इन्द्र-वायू आगमनाय प्रार्थितौ । अस्य सूक्तान्ततृचस्य विषयस्तु, ऋतम्य व्यापारो मनोमयसत्त्वे साधनीय इति; येन धी: सम्यक् साधिता स्यात् कर्म च विपुलं भवेत् । एतत्कृते मित्रावरुणावाहूतौ । इमौ च, मित्रो वरुणोऽर्यमा भग इति चतुर्णा एकसदनानां (१-१३६-२) व्यूहभूतानां मध्ये प्रसिद्धौ द्वन्द्वभूतौ । तादृशीं प्रदीप्तां धियं साधयितुं प्रभू इमौ ’घृताची धियं साधन्ता’ इति प्रथममुक्तम् ।

अत्रेदमवयेयम् । सूक्तमन्त्रेष्वियं ऋषीणां शैली लक्ष्यते, यत् कमपि विषयं प्रतिपाद्य अन्यस्य क्रमणे पूर्वोक्तं किमपि मुख्य पदं पुन: प्रयुज्य उत्तरत्र तदनुरणनेन साधनेन पूर्वोत्तरयो: सम्बन्धं व्यञ्जयन्ति मन्त्रकृतः । एवं कथितपदस्य पुन: कथनं सप्रयोजनं भवति । प्राय: सर्वेषामृषीणां समाना रीतिरियम् । इह धीपदं बन्धकं उभयोः । ’धिया नरा’ ’धियं साधन्ता’ इति पुनः प्रयुक्तमवधार्यम् ।

अथ धीपदं विचार्यम् । यद्यपि मतिर्बुद्धिवाचको धीपर्यायो वा भवति साधारणव्यवहारे, तथाऽपि वेदे मतेर्षियश्च भेदो बोध्यः। मतिर्मननं सामान्य-बुद्धिर्मनसो वृत्तिरवस्था वा भवति, रोषावेगादिभावमपि क्वचित् प्रतिपादयति मन्युशब्दवत् । धीस्तु धारणावती प्रज्ञा, धिया धीवृत्तिश्च आक्षिप्यते । सह आगमनाय इन्द्र-वायू पूर्व प्रार्थितौ । अधुना तु, ऋतचित्सम्पर्क-तद्वयवहाराय सा धीः साधिता समृद्धा प्रदीप्ता च विधातव्या। तत्कृते मित्रावरुणौ स्तुत्या आहूतौ । उक्तलक्षणे धीक्षेत्रे ऋतचितेापारस्य विशुद्धप्रतिफलनस्य वा प्रतिबन्धकद्वयं वर्तते । तत्रैकं ऋतानृतसाध्वसाधुविवेचनमालिन्यम् , येन सत्यसम्बन्धिव्याकुलतापत्ति: । अन्यत्तु, बहूनि कारणानि सम्भूय धियः सत्यसम्बद्धमभ्युदयं प्रतिरुध्य धीवृत्तीनां परस्पर साधुयोगविघातकं वैषम्यमापाद्य धियो दारिद्यं तद्गतवृत्तीनां वैतथ्यं च विदधते । अतः सकलविधकलुषध्वंसिनः सर्वमावृत्य तिष्ठतो वरुणस्य प्रसादात्पारिशुद्धय सिद्धिर्भवति । स कतचितिशत्तया-स्मना मानुषे वर्तमानोऽस्मदभिवृद्धिं विघातयतः सर्वान् विरोधिन: पापान अन्तयति । अतो ’रिशादसं’ वरुणं इत्युक्तम् । वरुण इव मित्रश्च ऋतज्योति: शक्त्यात्मना वरुणसाधितनैर्मल्यविभवेन साधुयोग-सौख्य-सौहार्द-साम्यादिव्यवस्था धियः सम्पादयन् मानुषे ऋतानन्दविधानाय प्रभवति । ।।

एवं युक्तौ देवावुभौ ऋतेन साधनेन ऋतं वर्धयन्तौ मानुषे ऋतसम्पर्क धत्तः । बृहन्त ऋतुमस्मासु भुआते। ’बृहन्’ महान् विततो विपुलो वा भूमा, ’ऋतुः’ अमोघोऽध्यवसायः कर्मभाक् । स ह्यावश्यको भवति प्राप्तव्यसिद्धये। ज्योतिः शक्तिश्चेति द्वयमिदं अपेक्षणीयं भवति वेदर्षीणामन्तर्यजने। ऋतस्य ज्योतिव्यापाराद् धीदीप्ता भवति (घृताचीम्) । ऋतस्य शक्तिव्यापाराद् अध्यवसायोऽविफलो बृहन् भवति [क्रतुं बृहन्तम् ] । ऋतस्य विभवेषु खयमाविष्कुर्वत्सु कर्मवती कर्मणि प्रवृत्ता विवेचनात्मिका धी: स्थिरीकृता धारिता भवति [दक्षं दधाते अपसम्] । पूता विवेचिका निर्णायिका वा धीः ऋतानुरोधेन कर्मणि प्रवर्तते, ऋतस्य शक्तिविशेष: सआयते, इन्द्रवायुविहितं कर्म सम्यक् साधयति । तस्मात् ’क्रतो:’ ’धिय’श्च मालिन्यव्याकुलतादेविमोक्ष: । इममर्थ अन्यत्र बहूनि मैत्रावरुणसूक्तानि समर्थयन्ति । विस्तरभिया नोदाह्रियन्ते । ’मित्रं वयं हवामहे वरुणं सोमपीतये । जज्ञाना पूतदक्षसा। ऋतेन यावृतावृधा ऋतस्य ज्योतिषस्पती। ता मित्रावरुणा हुवे’ इति निदर्शनमेकं मेधातिथेः (१. २३. ४-५) ।।

इदं च बोध्यम् । ऋतप्राप्तिनिःश्रेयसलाभश्च यज्ञस्य फलम्. तच्च, अग्नेविशिष्टं साध्यं कर्मेति प्रथमे अग्निसूक्ते सूक्ष्मशः सूचितम् । द्वितीये सूक्ते. सोमाभिषवे वाग्विन्द्राभ्यां साधनीयं पूर्वाङ्गं कर्म, ततः परं मित्रावरुणयो: कार्यम् , येन ऋतवर्धनेन पवमानानन्दबलेन द्वारा च मानुषस्य साधारण-मनोमयसत्त्वसन्नाहनं च प्रतिपादितानि ।

ऋग्वेदे सर्वत्र ऋषीणामन्तर्यागे द्विधा प्रयत्न: क्रियमाणो लक्ष्यते । तत्रैकः, मानुषस्य शरीरे मनसि च परिपाकः, येन प्राप्तव्यमुद्दिश्य तयोः सन्नाहनं भवति । अन्यस्तु, ऋतस्य सोमपदवाच्य-तदानन्दस्य चाधिगमः, येन मानुषे अमृतखरूपस्य परदैवतस्य कार्यपरिपूरणं भवति ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे चतुर्थो वर्ग:

प्रथमानुवाकस्य तृतीयं द्वादशचं सूक्तम् , तत्र चत्वारस्तृचाः। प्रउगशस्त्रस्य देवताः प्रागुक्ताः। अश्विनेत्यादिः प्रथमस्तृच आश्विनः ।।

अश्विना यज्वरीरिषो द्रवत्पाणी शुभस्पती। पुरुभुजा चनस्यतम् ॥१॥
अश्विना यज्वरीः इषः द्रवत्पाणी इति द्रवत्ऽपाणी शुभः पती इति पुरुऽभुजा चनस्यतम् ॥

अश्विना हे अश्विनौ यज्वरी: यागनिष्पादिकाः इप: प्रेरणात्मिकाः शक्ती: चनस्यतम् भुआथाम् । अश्विनोस्त्रीणि विशेषणानि । द्रवत्पाणी क्षिप्रगपादौ शुभस्पती शुभस्य पालको पुरुभुजा बहूपभोक्तारौ ॥

इषः-अन्नानि [ प्रायशः कर्मठव्याख्यानम् ] तथा चनः अन्नं इति च । तदनुसारि द्रवत्पाण्यादीनां तात्पर्यम् । प्रेरणार्थाद् धातोरपि निष्पन्नत्वात् प्रेरणवेगार्थे परिग्राह्यः ।

चनस्यतम्-अन्नमपि भोग्यं भवति, तस्मादन्तरर्थे चन: भोग्यं, इच्छतम् उपभुजाथां इति ग्राह्यम् ।

द्रवत्पाणी-औचित्यात् पाण्युपलक्षितः पादो बोध्य: । अन्यत्र (२. ३१. २) ’पाण्युपलक्षितैः पादैः’ इति सायणोऽप्याह ।

शुभस्पती-दीप्तौ भोगक्षमे शोभार्थे शुभे च वर्तते शुभधातु: । अत्र द्वितीयोऽर्थ उपपन्नः ’पुरुभुजा’ ’चनस्यतम्’ इति पदद्वयेऽपि भोगार्थकशब्दश्रवणात् ।।

सामान्येनायं मन्त्रार्थो भवति-द्रुतगतिको भोगाधीश्वरौ बहुभोगसमर्थों अश्वाधिरूढौ देवावश्विनौ सम्बोधितौ, ताभ्यां यजननिष्पत्ति-निमित्तभूता: प्रेरयित्री: यागसम्बन्धिनी: शक्तीराक्रम्य अधिष्ठाय वा सामोदं भाव्यम्-इति । विशेष: पुरस्ताद् विचार्यते तृचस्यान्ते ।।

अश्विना पुरुदंससा नरा शवीरया धिया। धिष्ण्या वनतं गिरः ॥२॥
अश्विना पुरुऽदंससा नरा शवीरया धिया धिष्ण्या वनतम् गिरः ॥

अश्विना हे अश्विनौ अश्वारूढौ कीदृशौ ? पुरुदंससा बहुकर्माणौ [बहुविधक्रियानिष्पादकौ] नरा नरौ नेतारौ पुरुषौ [बलिनौ देवौ] युवां गिर: वाचः [अस्मदीयाः स्तोत्रवाचः] वनतम् सम्भजतम् [ तासु रमध्वम् ] । धिष्ण्या हे धारयितारौ [धियां सन्तौ] तयोः कया निमित्तभूतया गिरां सम्भजनं स्यात ? शवीरया धिया स्फुरद्बलभूयस्या धारणात्मिकया बुद्धया ॥

पुरुदंससा-आश्चर्यभूतविविधकर्माणौ इत्येके व्याख्यातार: । पुरु बहु, दंसः कर्म, एतावन्निर्विवादम् । आश्चर्यभूतेति विशेषणोपादानं व्याख्यानमात्रम् , न पदार्थः। नात्र दोषः ॥

नरा-नृपदं बलवाचकं वेदे। यथा नृम्णम् । नृणां नृतमः । बलवत्वादेव नरो नेतार इति व्याख्यानं साधु स्यात् । नराः पुरुषाः मानुषा देवाश्च वेदे । स्त्री-देवतास्तु गणाः ।।

शवीरया-बहुधा निर्वचनमाहुः । शव इति स्फुरद्वलम् , तस्माद ईरन्प्रत्ययः। धियो विशेषणं अस्मदभिमतम् ।।

धिष्ण्या-अत्रापि बहूनि निर्वचनानि। धिषणा विष्णा तत्र भवौ धिष्ण्यो इति चेत् ’शवीर या धिया’ इत्यनेन स्यादर्थसङ्गतिः ।।

अयं साधारणोऽर्थ:--हे अश्वारूढौ विविधकार्यसाधको बलवन्तौ देवौ धियां ध्रियमाणौ धारयितारौ, युवां स्फुरद्वलसाधनीय-अप्रतिहतप्रसरया बुद्धया अस्मदीय-स्तोत्रवाक्षु मोदध्वम् इति ।।

दस्रा युवाकवः सुता नासत्या वृक्तबर्हिषः। आ यातं रुद्रवर्तनी ॥३॥
दस्रा युवाकवः सुताः नासत्या वृक्तऽबर्हिषः आ यातम् रुद्रवर्तनी इति रुद्रऽवर्तनी॥

दस्रा कर्मनिष्पादको नासत्या द्रुतगमनशीलौ हे अश्विनौ वृक्तबर्हिषः वृक्तं वर्जितं (अनुपयुक्तै: वर्जनीयैरपावनैर्वा वस्तुभिरिति शेष:) बर्हि: आस्तीर्ण येन तस्य यजमानस्य मम युवाकवः बलिनः सोमाः सुताः। हे रुद्रवर्तनी रुद्रः गतिवेगेन भीषणः वर्तनिः मार्गः ययोस्तौ युवां आयातम् आगच्छतम् ।।

दसा—उपक्षयार्थाद दस्यतेर्धातो: क्वचिद् , दर्शनार्थाद् दशनार्थाद्वा दंसतेर्दस्थतेर्वा क्वचिद् दस-दस्मपदयोनिष्पत्ति आह सायणः । तस्माद् दर्शनीयोपक्षपयित्राद्यर्थः नैकः प्रोक्तः । अपरोक्तार्थे गृहीतं दस्रपदं दंसवत् कर्मसम्बन्धित्वं द्योतयेत् । यथा ’पुरुदंससा’ इत्यत्र कमैव प्रतिपादितम् , न तु उपक्षय-दर्शनीयादिकम् । तथेहापि । तस्माद् दसौ कर्मणां निष्पादको इति वयम् ।।

युवाकव:—युवां कामयन्ते, मिश्रणार्थाद् यौतेनिष्पन्नत्वात् मिश्रणं कामयन्ते, इति चान्यत्र सायणः । ’युवावते यौवनवता बलिना’ इति (३. ६२. १.) सायणव्याख्या । अत्रापि युवशब्दलक्षितं वीर्य, तच्छालिन: सोमा ग्राह्याः । नासत्या--न असत्यौ सत्यौ एवेति पूर्वे । इदं न साधु लक्ष्यते । वेदे देवतानाम्नामेकैकमपि तत्तद्देवताधर्म-गुणस्वरूपान्यतमबोधकं भवति । अश्विनो: नासत्याविति नयूद्वयेन सत्यत्वदृढीकरणे किं प्रयोजनम् ? तथा मित्रावरुणादीनां ऋतसम्बन्धो वैशिष्टयं द्योतयति तथा अश्विनोन । नासत्यशब्दोऽश्विनो रेव नाम । तस्मात् किमपि वैशिष्टयप्रतिपादकं स्यात् । तच्च नसतेर्गत्यान्निरुक्तं भवति । ’द्रवत्पाणी’ ’रुद्रवर्तनी’ अश्विनौ अश्वारूढी द्रुतगतिप्रसिद्धौ । तस्माद्युक्तमस्मदुक्तं निर्वचनम् ।

वृक्तबर्हिष:—अग्निं परितः (वेद्यां सोमार्थ वा) छिन्नमूलानां दर्भाणां आस्तरणं कृतम् । तस्माद येषां सोमानां बर्हि: आस्तीर्ण वृक्तं मूलवर्जितं ते सुताः (सोमाः) इति प्रथमाबहुवचनम् इति सायणप्रभृतयः । षष्ठयेकवचनान्तं अध्याहृतस्य यजमानस्य विशेषणमुक्तमस्माभिः । एवं स्थूलार्थस्य कर्मोपयोगिनो न क्षतिः । अन्तरर्थे बर्हिः यजने देवानामागमनस्थानसन्नहनम् ।।

रुद्रवर्तनी—’रुद्रस्येव मार्गो ययोस्तौ’ इति प्राश्चः। रक्तवर्णे द्वे अश्विनीनक्षत्रे इति नव्यानामेकेषां कल्पना। गतिवेगस्य भीषणत्वात् मार्गो रुद्रोऽनयोरिति वयम् ।।

कर्मनिर्वर्तनपटू द्रुतगमनौ वेगभीषणमार्गों हे अश्विनौ ! वेद्यां आसनं सिद्धं कृतं मया, इमे वीर्यशालिन: सोमा अभिषुताः, तान् उपभोक्तुं आगच्छतम् इति ऋषिब्रूते ।।

अथास्य तृचस्य तात्पर्यावगाहने अश्विनावधिकृत्येदं वक्तव्यम् । काऽपि भवतु तयो: कथा पुराणेषु प्रथिता, तावुद्दिश्य नव्यैः कृता नक्षत्रात्मकत्वकल्पना मिथ्या सत्या वा भवतु, प्राच्यया पाश्चात्यया वा आश्विनस्वरूपनिर्णायिकया स्थूलदृष्टया नास्ति कार्यमस्माकम् । अन्तरर्थविधामवलम्ब्य अश्विनोस्तत्त्वं प्रतिपित्सूनां नो बाह्यार्थपक्षीयाभिप्रायपरीक्षाया नावसरः। अथेदमश्विनोविवरणं भवति—

अश्विनौ यमौ अश्वारूढौ । अश्वो बलोपलक्षकः, विशेषत: प्राणबल प्राणानुगृहीतनाडीबलं प्राणमेव वा लक्षयत्यश्वः । तस्मादश्वः क्रियाशक्तिनिष्पादकस्य प्राणस्य प्राणबलस्य वा सङ्केतो भवति । यद्यपि सर्वेषां देवानां ऋतसम्बन्धित्वादिः सामान्यधर्मो लक्ष्यते, तथाऽप्यनयोवैशिष्टयं सर्वेषां आश्विनसूक्तानां परीक्षणेनाव-गम्यते। भोगशक्तिभूयिष्ठी, सौम्यं मधु पिबन्ती, तदिच्छन्ती, आरोग्यं रोगिणे यच्छन्तौ भिषजौ इति बहुषु मन्त्रेषु वणितौ। विशेषत: पक्षिवत् , तथा मनोवच्च वेगवन्तौ । रौद्रोऽनयो रथवेगः । उषा सूर्यदुहिता रथं तयोरारुह्य याति प्रिया तयोर्योषा । यद्यपि मय:-पदवाच्य-परमसुखस्य भावयित्रोस्तयो: क्रियाभोग-निष्पादनमेव प्रधानं कर्म, तथाऽपि ऋतशक्तिविशेषाविमौ मतिमत्तमकर्माणौ अखण्डसत्त्वलक्षक-समुद्रसमुत्थौ ऋतसत्त्वं ऋतबलं चाधिजग्मुषा धीबलविशेषेण परमजीवन-सम्मद-सम्पत्तीनां मनोमयतां सम्पाद्य दधाते, महते कर्मणे यद अपेक्षितं प्रेरणबलं तद् विधत्तः, येन ज्योतिष्मता तमसस्पारं तारयतो नरं यजमानम् । इमौ नरं मतिभुवः सर्वा अतिक्रम्य खयं नावा तारयत इत्येवमर्थकानि सूक्तानि द्रष्टव्यानि ।।

निदर्शनाय मन्त्रभागाः केचन स्वल्पश इह भवन्ति—

’मनोजवसा वृषणा मदच्युता...अवसे पूर्वीभिः पुरुभोजसा’ (८-२२-१६.) ’आ नो अश्वावदश्विना वर्तिर्यासिष्टं मधुपातमा नरा’ (८-२२-१७) युवमत्यस्याव-नक्षथो...खसा यद् वां विश्वगूर्ती भराति । वाजाये? मधुपाविषे च ।’ (१-१८०-२) ’मध्वः पिबन्ता उषसः सचेथे’ (१-१८०-१) ’अधि श्रिये दुहिता सूर्यस्य रथं तस्थौ पुरुभुजा शतोतिम्’ (६-६३-५) ’युवोरुषा अनुश्रियं परिज्मनोरुपाचरत् । ऋता वनथो अक्तुभिः ।’ (१-४६-१४) ’यदन्तरिक्षे पतथ: पुरुभुजा’ (८-१०-६) ’उत त्या दैव्या भिषजा शं न: करतो अश्विना’ (८-१८-८) ’उभा हि दस्रा भिषजा मयोभुवोभा दक्षस्य वचसो बभूवथुः’ (८-८६-१) ’एषो उषा अपूर्व्या व्युच्छति प्रिया दिवः। स्तुषे वामश्विना बृहत् ॥’ (१-४६-१) ’या दस्रा सिन्धुमातरा मनोतरा रयीणाम् । धिया देवा वसुविदा ॥’ (१-४६-२) ’या न: पीपरदश्विना ज्योतिष्मती तमस्तिरः तामस्मे रासाथामिषम् ॥’ (१-४६-६) ’आ नो नावा मतीनां यातं पाराय गन्तवे। युञ्जाथामश्विना रथम् ॥ (१-४६-७) एतादृशैः शतशो दृश्यमानैरन्यैश्च मन्त्रैविचारितैराश्विन तत्त्वं अस्माभिरक्तविघं सुगमं युक्तं च भवेदित्यसशयम् ॥

अत्र अश्विने तृचे, बहुभोगभृतौ आशुगतिकौ अश्विनौ यजननिष्पादिनीः प्रेरण-शक्तीरुपभोक्तुं प्रार्थितौ (यज्वरीरिषः)। इमाश्च सोममदवैभवजा इति बोध्यम् । तथा च हेतुरुक्तः । चिते: अभिनवरूपाविष्कारसमर्था वाचः [गिरः] उद्गताः, यजनक्षेत्रं च सिद्धं कृतम् (वृक्तबर्हिषः), वीर्यवत्तमाः सोमाश्चाभिषुताः (युवाकवः सुताः), तस्माद् अश्विनोगिरां सम्भज नायागमनमवश्यम् । कार्यसाधकधौरेयाभ्यां ताभ्यां धियां गिरः स्थापयित्वा तासां तद्रूपतामापाद्य तत्स्वीकारः साधनीयः [धिष्ण्या धिया वनतं गिरः] । कार्यसाधकौ तौ सोमाभिषवबलप्रेरितेन रौद्रवेगेन निष्कण्टकमार्गों आगच्छेताम् (रुद्रवर्तनी)। अश्वाधिरूढाभ्यामाभ्यां प्रदेयं तु सर्वथा बलं, वीर्यम् ।। याज्ञिक शक्तिभोगे हि रतिस्तयोः। तदिदं तयो: साधनीयम्-वाक् सत्त्वसमृद्ध-धीखरूपसात्कर्तव्या, कर्मण: कार्यनिष्पादकत्वं सम्पाद्यम् , प्रयाणे क्षिप्रगमनं निर्वर्तनीयम् , क्रियादक्षता आशुता इतीदं द्वयं अश्विनो: शक्तयुल्लासाल्लभ्यम् ।

एवं आध्यात्मिकार्थानुसारेण ऋषीणां भाषासु सर्वत्र अर्थसाङ्गत्यम् , प्रसादनिर्भरः, अभिप्रायाणामेकरूपता च स्पष्टं लक्ष्यन्ते । बाह्यार्थव्याख्यास्तु, वेदो गहनतमज्ञानगर्भित इति नाभिमन्यन्ते, चिरन्तनं गूढार्थ विवरणपरं सम्प्रदाय ऐतिह्यं वा न लक्षयन्ति, अत एव असङ्गतार्थान् ब्रुवते, विविधाशयव्याकुल-व्यामोहपरिभूत-मन्त्रार्थ-विवरणधोरणीमवलब्य परमार्षपथात् पतिताः पण्डितानपि पातयन्ति व्यामोह्य ।।

द्वितीयमिव सोमयागे विनियुक्तमिदं तृतीयं सूक्तं आध्यात्मिकभावभूयिष्ठम् । द्वितीयसूक्तीयान्तिमतृच इव अत्राप्यन्तिमे सारस्वते तृचे, ऋतस्य प्राप्तिः, ऋतचिते: अधिगम एव यज्ञस्य फलमिति स्पष्टतरं लक्ष्यते । द्वितीयसूक्त इवेहापि प्राणबलात्मिकाः प्राणशक्तयो देवता: प्रार्थ्यन्ते। तत्राहृतो वायु:, येन प्राणभृतो-प्राणबलविशेषाः सम्भृत्योपकल्प्यन्ते । इह तु, अश्विनावाहूती, याभ्यामश्वाः प्राणशक्तयोऽधिरुह्योपयुज्यन्ते। द्वितीये वाय्वनुग्रहात् प्राणव्यापाराद् ऋषिः मनोमयभुवं साधयितुं प्रवृत्तः । इहापि आश्विनबलादिन्द्रवलावाप्तये प्रवर्तते । एवं सर्वत्र वेदे देवताव्यवस्था, भाषाव्यवस्था, अर्थसाम्यं, इति सर्व एकरीतिकं समञ्जसं सूपपादं च भवति ऋजु पश्यतां चिन्तकानाम् ।।

ऐन्द्रे तृचे प्रथमामाह—

इन्द्रा याहि चित्रभानो सुता इमे त्वायवः। अण्वीमिस्तना पृतासः॥४॥
इन्द्र आ याहि चित्रभानो इति चित्रऽभानो सुताः इमे त्वाऽयवः अण्वीभिः तना पूतासः ॥

हे इन्द्र चित्रभानो बहुविधरश्मे (बहुप्रकारक-प्रभासमृद्धेत्यर्थः) आयाहि आगच्छ । सुताः अभिषुताः, इमे सोमाः त्वायवः त्वां कामयमानाः (त्वत्कामा वर्तन्ते) एते सोमाः अण्वीमिः अङ्गुलीभिः इति व्याख्यातारः (सूक्ष्माभिः शक्तिभिः)। तना विस्तृत्य पूतासः शुद्धाः कृता इत्यर्थः ।

’अण्वीभिः, तना’ इति पदद्वयमेवात्र विचारयितव्यम् । इन्द्रपदार्थों यास्कोदाहृतनिर्वचनबाहुल्यात् अव्यवस्थितविकल्पत्वाच्च न विचार्यते । इन्द्रमधिकृत्य सारत: प्रागुक्तम् । चित्रपदार्थविवरणे व्याख्यानभेदोऽप्यकिञ्चित्करः । ’अण्वी सूक्ष्मा’ ’तना विस्तृतेन’ इति सायणव्याख्यानं, अन्यत्र ’एष धिया याति अण्व्या’ (९-१-७) ’यच्चिद्धि शश्वता तना’ (१-२६-६) इत्यादिस्थलेषु द्रष्टव्यम् । ’तना दशापवित्रम्’ इति च सायणोऽन्यत्र ब्रूते । इह स्कन्दस्वामी तमेवार्थमाह । अण्व्य: अङ्गुलय इति निघण्टुबलात् सर्वे व्याख्यातार आहुः । अयं तेषामाशय:-ऋत्विज: सोमरसशोधनं कुर्वन्ति । तत्र एकं साधनं हस्तः अङ्गुलीभिः (अण्वीभिः) लक्षित:, अन्यत्तु विशोधनी भवति । तद् दशापवित्रं तनापदेनोक्तम् । हस्तेन दशापवित्रमादाय शोधिताः सोमाः पूता इति भाव: ।

अत्र याथार्य सविमर्श ग्राह्यम् । आश्विनानुग्रहसम्पत्तेः परं ऐन्द्र प्रसादमभि-कासति सूक्तद्रष्टा। प्राणबलसमृद्धः शुद्धसत्त्वमनोमयं ऐन्द्रमनुग्रहं याचत इत्युक्तं भवति । अभिषुताः सोमाः इन्द्रं कामयन्ते । प्राणाश्वबलवेग-प्रचोदितानां सम्मदभरप्रसराणां यथायथं साधुकर्मणे शुद्धसत्त्व-धीराज्यप्रवेशलाभः आवश्यकः, तदर्थ इन्द्रः शस्यते। अशोधितानां सोमाभिषवानां आमोदरसक्षरणरूपाणां कथं इन्द्रभोग्यता युक्ता स्यात् ? अत: सूक्ष्माभिः धीशक्तिभिः (अण्वीभिः) बहिः प्रज्ञाधारे शरीरे वितत्या च (तना) शोधिताः (पूतास:) इत्युक्तम् । ननु, अणु-तन्निष्पन्न-अण्व्यादिपदानि सूक्ष्मवाचकानि भवन्तु, कथं सूक्ष्मता घिय एवोच्यत इति चेत् , मन्त्रवर्ण एव प्रत्युत्तरमाह, सायणोऽप्यवश इव गत्यन्तराभावात् ’अण्वी घी:’ इत्यभ्युपगम्य व्याचष्टे । तथा हि ’तममृक्षन्त वाजिनमुपस्थे अदितेरधि । विप्रासो अण्व्या धिया’ (९-२६-१)। अत्र सायणीयव्याख्यायां इदं दृश्यते-तं वाजिनं अश्वं अश्ववदाशुव्याप्तं (समृद्धं सोमं इति वक्तव्यम्) अदितेरुपस्थे अमृक्षन्त शोधितवन्तः। के? विप्रास: मेधाविनः। केन साधनेन ? अण्व्या अङ्गुल्या धिया प्रज्ञया स्तुत्या वा, अथवा सूक्ष्मया घिया अङ्गुल्येति विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव:-इति । एष विक्रान्तः सोमः सूक्ष्मया धिया द्वारा सम्यडू निष्पादितं ऐन्द्रं द्युस्थान गच्छतीत्येवमर्थकस्य मन्त्रस्य (९-१५-१) अघटनघटनापटीयसी सायणव्याख्या ब्रूते ’एष सोमः अङ्गुल्याऽभिषुतो चिया कर्मणा इन्द्रस्य निष्कृतं स्थानं दिवं प्रतिगच्छति ।... अङ्गुल्याऽभिषूयमाणः सन् होमद्वारा अग्निनिष्पीडनद्वारा पात्रं वा गच्छति’ इति! मन्त्रवर्णस्तु विस्पष्टमाह-’धियमिच्छन् देवानां अमृतानां निवासस्थान बृहत् (ऋतं सत्यं) प्रतिगच्छति, न तु पानपात्रं चमसं प्रति सोम:’-इति ’एष पुरु घियायते बृहते देवतातये। यत्रामृतास आसते’ (९-१५-२) ॥

अन्ये च मन्त्राः सन्ति नवममण्डले, यत्र अङ्गुल्यर्थकः अण्वी शब्दः, कर्मार्थे धीशब्दो वा नोपपद्यते, विस्तरभिया नोदाहरामः । अथ चेद् अण्वीभिः अङ्गुलीभिरेव भाव्यं, तर्हि ता न मानुष्यः, किं तु दिवो दुहितु: सूर्याया अश्विनो: प्रियाया इति वक्तव्यम् । नेयमस्माकं कल्पना । अत्रोपपत्तिं प्रदर्शयामः । यमर्थ मनसि निधाय ऋषिर्मधुच्छन्दाः ’अण्वी भिस्तना पूतासः’ इत्याह सूक्ष्मशः गूढं वा गूढार्थमन्त्रदर्शी, तमेव स्वयं नवममण्डले, प्रथमसूक्ते विस्पष्टमाह (९-१-६-७) । अत्र ’सूर्यस्य दुहिता’ ’अण्वी:’ ’दश स्वसारः’ ’योषणः’ ठुलो के तार्ये सोम गृह्णन्तीति प्रत्यक्षवचनानि लक्षणीयानि भवन्ति । सोममधिकृत्यालमेतावताऽत्र । तृचस्य प्रथम!ऽर्थोऽस्माभिरुक्त उपपादित: । अथावशिष्टं ऋग्द्वयं सुगमार्थ भवति ।

ऐन्द्रे तृचे द्वितीयामृचमाह—

इन्द्रा याहि धियेषितो विप्रजूतः सुतावतः : उप ब्रह्माणि वाघतः ॥५॥
इन्द्र आ याहि धिया इषितः विप्रऽजूतः सुतऽवतः उप ब्रह्माणि वाघतः॥

हे इन्द्र धिया प्रज्ञया [धारणात्मिकया] इषितः प्रेरित:, विप्रजूतः विप्रेण मेधाविना प्रदीप्तध्यानेन जूत: प्रेरित: (पुरो गन्तुमुद्योजित इत्यर्थः)। एवंभूत: त्वं आयाहि आगच्छ । किमर्थम् ? सुतवतः सोमं अभिषुतवत: (मम) वाघतः स्तोतु: [आत्मार्थध्यानानि वाचा आविष्कर्तुमिच्छतो मम] ब्रह्माणि मन्त्रात्मकानि स्तोत्राणि उप उपैतुम् ॥

प्रथमं अभिषुताः सोमाः इन्द्रं कामयन्त इत्युक्तम् । तत इन्द्रः सोम सुतवत आत्मार्थध्यानानि वाग्भिराविष्कृत्य स्तोतु: मन्त्रानङ्गीकर्तुं स्तूयतेऽस्यामृचि । अथ प्रदीप्तया धिया तबलेनोपेतः भ्राजमानैरश्वैर्युक्त इन्द्रस्तान् ऋमन्त्रानुपगच्छति । तमृषिः प्रार्थयते सुते सोमरसे सम्मदभरं धतुं धारयितुं चेति तृतीयस्यामृचि प्रोच्यते ॥

ऐन्द्रे तृचे तृतीयामृचमाह—

इन्द्रा याहि तूतुजान उप ब्रह्माणि हरिवः। सुते दधिष्व नश्वनः ॥६॥
इन्द्र आ याहि तूतुजानः उप ब्रह्माणि हरिऽवः सुते दुधिष्व नः चनः ॥

हे इन्द्र, हरिवः अश्वयुक्त, तू तुजानः अत्यन्तं त्वरमाणः सन् [अश्वयुक्तत्वात् ब्रह्माणि मन्त्रात्मकानि स्तोत्राणि उप उपैतुं आयाहि आगच्छ । सुते सोमे नः अस्मदर्थ चनः सुखं सम्मदं वा दधिष्व धारय ।।

पूर्व सोमाभिषवेण साधिते आनन्दक्षरणे, अश्विभ्यां प्राणमयसत्त्वे प्राणावधृते नाडीचक्रे च यो मदो वीर्यवान् कृत: स्थापितश्च, सोऽधुना इन्द्राधीन: कर्तव्य:, येन स शुभधी-दीप्ते दुस्थाने पदं लब्ध्वा चितेनं च्युत: स्यात् । तस्मादिन्द्रं प्रज्ञायां आनन्दधृत्यै प्रार्थितवानृषिः ‘सुते दधिष्व नश्चनः’ इति ॥

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे पञ्चमो वर्ग:

तृतीये वैश्वदेवतृचे प्रथमामृचमाह—

ओमासश्चर्षणीधृतो विश्वेदेवास आ गत । दाश्वांसो दाशुषः सुतम् ॥७॥
ओमासः चर्षणिऽधृतः विश्वे देवासः आ गत दाश्वांसः दाशुषः सुतम् ॥

हे विश्वेदेवासः एतत्संज्ञकाः सर्वे देवाः, आगत आगच्छत। कीदृशास्ते? ओमास: अवितारः [वर्धयितारः] पुनः कीदृशाः ? चर्षणिधृतः चर्षणीनां नराणां धारयितारः [चर्षणयः कृष्टय इव कर्मोद्युक्ताः, न केवलं मनुष्या इति बोध्यम्] पुनः कीदृशाः ? दाशुषः दत्तवतो यजमानस्य सुतम् अभिषुतं सोमं दाश्वांसः यथाभागं विभज्य दातारः ॥

ओमास:-अवते(तोनिष्पन्नः शब्द इति निर्विवादम् । धातूनां बर्थत्वाद् वर्धने च अव-धातुर्वर्तते। यद्यपीदं पदं सकृदेव प्रयुक्तं ऋक्संहितायां, तथाऽपि ’ओमानं’ ’ऊमासः’ ’ऊमाः’ इत्यादयः शब्दा: प्रयुक्ता दृश्यन्ते । सायणस्तु प्रायश: रक्षणार्थोऽवधातुरिति क्वचित् अर्थान्तरमप्याह । तथा च ’ओमानं सुखविशेष’ (१-३४-६) इत्याह । धात्वर्थमब्रुवन्नेव ’ऊमास: अवितारः’ (१-१६६-३) इत्याह । अन्यत्र ’ऊमाः’ ऊमसंज्ञकाः पितरः (३-६-८) इति च। प्राचीन-आर्यभाषाशाखीय-अवादिधात्वर्थपरीक्षणाद अवतिः वर्धने पोषणे वा वर्तत इति शक्यं निर्णेतुम् । एवमेव अव-धातो-रूठिपरे ’ऊतिः’ वर्धनं वृद्धिः इति क्तिन्प्रत्ययान्तं पदम् ॥

’चर्षणयः’ मनुष्यनामसु पठितमिति हेतोर्मनुष्यसामान्यार्थे न ग्राह्यम् । पञ्चविंशतिनामसु एकमिदम् । कारः कीरिः कृष्टयः चर्षणयः-इत्यादीनि तत्र तत्र पठितान्यपि अविशेषेण न कदाऽपि ग्राह्याणि ॥

दाश्वांस:-दारी दान इत्यस्मानिष्पन्नम् । अत्रापि विशेषो बोध्यः । तत्तद्युक्तभागानुसारेण विभजनपूर्वकं दानमिति धात्वर्थो बोध्यः ।

वैश्वदेवतृचे द्वितीयामृचमाह—

तूर्णयःउस्रा इव तूर्णयः उना इव स्खसराणि ।।
विश्वे देवास: अप्ऽतुरः सुतम् आ गन्त तूर्णयः उस्राःऽ इव खसराणि ॥

हे विश्वेदेवासः विश्वेदेवाः सुतम् अस्मदीयं सोमं प्रति आगन्त आगच्छत । कीदृशाः ? अतुरः अपः तुतुरति, लुगूविकरणी त्वरयन्तीति अतुरः वृष्टिप्रदा: (वृष्टिदिव्यानामभीष्टानामिति बोध्यम् )। पुनः कीदृशाः? तूर्णयः त्वरमाणाः अत्रोपमामाह-खसराणि गोष्ठानि उस्राः इव गाव इव। उस्राः रश्मयः स्वसराणि स्वावासस्थानानि अहानि यथेति केचन व्याख्यातारः ।

असुरः-वृष्टिप्रदाः। सर्वेऽपि देवाः वर्षितारः एव तेजो-बल-भोगादीनां, उदकस्यैव वर्षितारो देवा इति कथा शैशवी कल्पनोपहास्यतां याति । अपां तारयितारः, ’अन्तर्णीतण्यर्थस्य तरतरतुरः’ इति स्कन्दस्वामी। अर्थद्वयेऽपि अपां साङ्केतिकमर्थ गृह्णीयात् । तेन ऋचस्तात्पर्य सुगमं भवति । तृचस्यान्ते प्रदर्शयिष्यामः । ’उस्राः’-गोनाम रश्मिनाम च। एवं द्वयर्थशब्दप्रयोगः साधारणो वेदे। तत्रापि उपमायां ईदृशा प्रयोगेण उपमानोपमेययोरभेदाध्यवसायद्वारा उपमेयार्थस्य उपमान-पदार्थः सङ्केतरूपबाह्यभाव इति व्यक्तो भवति । तथा स्वसराणि-अहानि स्वयं सरति आदित्यः एषु, स्व: सूर्यः इमानि सारयतीत्यादि निर्वचनमाहुः । विश्रान्तिसुखप्रदानि स्वसराणि गृहाणि (गोष्ठानि) अहानि वा भवन्तु ॥

आगन्तेति मध्यमपुरुषश्रुतिसामर्थ्याद् ’विश्वेदेवासः,’ इत्यत्र आमन्त्रित-प्रथमान्ततया व्याख्यातम् । तथा तद्विशेषणे च। एवं तृतीयतचेऽपि आमन्त्रिता विश्वदेवा इति बोध्यम् । एवं ऋग्द्वये श्रुतेन आमन्त्रणेन सङ्गच्छेत ॥

वैश्वदेवतृचे तृतीयामृचमाह—

विश्वेदेवासो अस्निध एहिमायासो अद्रुहः। मेधं जुषन्त वह्नयः ॥९॥
विश्वे देवासः अनिधः पहिऽमायासः अद्रुहः मेधम् जुषन्त वह्नयः॥

विश्वेदेवासः हे विश्वेदेवाः मेधं यज्ञं (मदीयं सोमसर्व) जुषन्त सेवध्वम् (व्यत्ययेन प्रथमपुरुषबहुवचनान्तम्) । कीदृशाः ? अनिघः क्षतिरहिताः [न केनापि क्षपयितुं शक्या इत्यर्थः] । पुनः कीदृशाः ? अद्रुहः द्रोहरहिताः [यजमानाय न द्रुह्यन्ति, स्वयं अक्षय्याः आश्रितानां भक्तानां न क्षथमापादयन्ति, प्रतिकूलं नाचरन्ति, तान् न वश्चयन्तीत्यर्थः]। पुनः कीदृशाः ? पहिमायासः आङ् समन्तात् ईहि: ईहमाना माया प्रज्ञा येषां ते [सर्वतोगतिक-प्रज्ञाविशेष-सम्पन्ना इत्यर्थः] । पुनः कीदृशाः? वह्नयः वोढारः [भर्तारः, अस्मदीय-यज्ञस्य धारकाः सन्तः तं भजन्तु भवन्त इत्यर्थः] ॥

असिध:-सिधिः क्षये शोषणे वा इति व्याख्यातारः। न कुतोऽप्यभिघात एषामिति विवक्षा । एहिमायासः-सकृदेव प्रयुक्तं इदं वेदे । अप्सु प्रविष्टं सौचीकमग्निं ’एहि मा यासी:’ इति विश्वेदेवा अवोचन् , तदनुकरणहेतुकोऽयं विश्वेषां देवानां व्यपदेश ‘एहिमायासः’ इति सायणस्य वापक्षव्याख्या। सर्वतो व्याप्तप्रज्ञाः इति साधुरर्थः सायणीयः। अद्रुहः-व्याख्यातम् । मेघम्- मेध्यते सङ्गम्यते देवैरिति मेधं हविराह सायणः । यज्ञ इति वक्तव्यम् । ’अस्मदीयं यज्ञ’ इति स्कन्दस्वामी, तथा अन्ये च । क इमे विश्वेदेवाः ? एतत्संज्ञकाः देवताविशेषा इत्येके, यथा शाकपूणिः । सर्वपर्यायो विश्वशब्दः, तस्मात् सर्वदैवतसमष्टिरिति यास्कमतम् । अपरोक्तमेव साधीयो दृश्यते, यतो वैश्वदेव-सूक्तमन्त्रेषु प्रयुक्तानि विशेषणानि प्रतिपादिता अर्थाश्च सर्वदेवसमुदायार्थ-संवाद बिभतीत्यसंशयम् । तदस्मिन् तृचे सर्वदैवतसाधारणगुणाः कीर्तिताः। तर्हि एषां शंसनस्य कोऽवसरः ? उच्यते। यदश्विभ्यां इन्द्रेण च साधितं तदेव दिव्यं कर्म विश्वैर्देवैः उक्तानुक्तैर्शाताज्ञातैर्वा परदैवत-विभूतिभूतैः सम्भूय धारयितव्यम् , ततः पूरयितव्यम् । अत एव सर्वदेवसमष्टेः प्रसादः प्रार्थ्यते ।

अस्य तृचस्य तत्र तत्र कृतैः पदार्थविवरणैरेषां वीश्वेषां देवानां विशेषणानि आवश्यकस्थलेषु व्याख्यातानि। ’अस्तुरः’ इत्यस्य अपां त्वरयितारः तारयितारो वेति व्याख्याय द्विधाऽपि सम्भवः साधीयान् अभ्युपगतश्च । समुद्रः-नदी-इत्यादिशब्दाः सङ्केतरूपाः, तस्मादापश्च सङ्केतार्थः प्रागुक्तः। भूमिकायां सविचार इदं सर्वमावेदितं स्मार्यम् । तदेवं मानुषे जने यजमाने अन्तर्यांगपरायणे, आश्विनव्यापारात् प्राणसत्त्वे साघिते, ऐन्द्रकर्मणो धीसत्त्वे च निष्पादिते, सोमाभिषवपदलक्षित-आनन्दवर्षे च मन:-प्राण-शरीरेषु प्रवृत्ते, विश्वेदेवा आमन्त्रितास्तं सवमाविश्य धारयमाणाः यजनपरिपूर्तये प्रभवन्तीति बोध्यम् ।

अथान्तिमे तृचे, अश्विनोरिन्द्रस्य विश्वेषां देवानां च प्राणबुद्धिनिष्पादनस्य पर्यवसानं ऋतचितिप्राप्तौ इति, ऋतचितिसम्पत्तिरेव यज्ञस्योद्देशः प्राप्तव्यं फलितमिति च असन्दिग्धं विस्पष्टं लक्ष्यते ।

अन्तिमे सारस्वते तृचे प्रथमामाह—

पावका नः सरस्वती वाजेभिर्वाजिनीवती । यक्षं वष्टु धियावसुः॥ १० ॥
पावका नः सरस्वती वाजेभिः वाजिनीऽवती। यज्ञं वष्टु धियाऽवसुः॥

सरस्वती वाग्देवी नः यज्ञम् अस्मदीयं यजनं वष्टु कामयताम् । कीदृशी? पावका शोधयित्री अपि च वाजेभिः वाजिनीवती समृद्धिभिः बहुलविधया समृद्धया युक्ता । पुनः कीदृशी? धियावसुः धिया द्रव्यवती ।।

पावका-पुनातेः, पापापनोदिनीत्यर्थः। पापं दुरितम्, भद्रपदव्याख्याने तत्स्वरूपं अशुभं अनृतमेवेति वेदर्षीणां मतं प्रतिपादितम् । अनृतप्रध्वंसात्पापापनये शोधनं साधितं भवति । वक्ष्यति च अनृतनाशाय ’सूनृतानां चोदयित्री’ इति । वाजेभिः वाजिनीवती-ऐन्द्रवायवतृचव्याख्याने ’वाजिनीवसू’ पदार्थप्रसक्ती वाजशब्दो विचारितः । धियावसुः-अलुक्समास: छान्दस:। ’वसु’ सर्वत्र द्रव्यं, सत्त्वं, इति व्याख्यायत इति प्रागुक्तम् । प्रज्ञावृत्तिभिः सत्त्वसमृद्धेत्यर्थः ।

सारस्वते तृचे द्वितीयामृचमाह—

चोदयित्री सूनृतानां चेतन्ती सुमतीनाम् । यज्ञ दधे सरस्वती ॥ ११ ॥
चोदयित्री सुनृतानाम् चेतन्ती सुऽमतीनाम् य॒ज्ञम् दुधे सरस्वती ॥

सरस्वती सेयं वाग्देवी यज्ञ (इमं) दधे धारयते। कीदृशी? सूनृतानाम् शुभानां सत्यानां चोदयित्री प्रेरयित्री। सुमतीनाम् शोभनानां मतीनां मनो-वृत्तीनां हादभावानां वा चेतन्ती चेतयन्ती प्रज्ञापयन्ती।

सूनृतानाम्-प्रियसत्या वाक् सूनृतेति लोके प्रसिद्धिः । तथाऽपि अत्र वेदे सूपपदस्य शोभनार्थ एवोपपन्नः । सुमतीनाम्-अत्रापि कल्याणमतीनामिति बोध्यम् । दधे-लडर्थ एव साधीयान् , छान्दसः। नेह भूतार्थविवक्षा ।

तृतीयामृचमाह—

महो अर्णः सरस्वती प्र चेतयति केतुना । धियो विश्वा वि राजति ॥१२॥
महः अर्णः सरस्वती प्र चेतयति केतुना धियः विश्वाः वि राजति ॥

सरस्वती वाग्देवी (पूर्वऋग्द्वयप्रतिपादिता) केतुना प्रज्ञापकेन (दर्शनकर्मणा) महो अर्णः महान्तं प्रवाहं समुद्रं वा [कतस्य बृहती प्रवृत्ति इति बोध्यम् ] प्रचेतयति प्रकर्षेण ज्ञापयति [प्रज्ञायां सुप्तमिव स्थितं ऋतप्रवृत्तिरूपं अर्ण:-पदवाच्यं प्रवाहं उत्याप्य प्रबोधयति] । अपि च विश्वाः धियः विराजति समस्ता धीवृत्तीश्च प्रदीपयति ॥

अस्यामृचि ’केतुना’ कर्मणेति सायणः, कर्मणा प्रज्ञया वेति यास्कः । वेदरहस्योद्घाटन-साधनभूतानां ऋत-क्रतु-श्रवः-प्रभृतीनां एकमिदं केतुपदम् । दर्शनात्मकः सहजावबोध: केतुरिति सर्वत्र ग्राह्यम् । स्थूलार्थपक्षीयानां नये क्रतु-वाज-ऋतादीनामिव केतोरपि बहवोऽर्थाः। नास्ति नियमः । अस्मदुक्तेऽर्थे नियतः केतुशब्दः सर्वत्र मन्त्रवर्णेषु घटत इत्यवधेयम् । स्थूलार्थानुसारेण अस्यामृचि नदी सरस्वती स्तुता। पूर्व ऋचोर्द्वयोः वाग्देवी विग्रहवतीति च प्राहुः कर्मठसम्प्रदायिनः । नावश्यकी परीक्षा तेषां विवक्षायाः। यत् किं वा भवतु तात्पर्य तन्मते, तन्मन्त्रद्रष्टरि महर्षों मधुच्छन्दसि भावदारिद्यं आरोपयतीत्यसंशयम् । प्रथमं विग्रहवती भूत्वा, तत: नदीरूपा संवृत्ता किल! कुतोऽयं ऋषिदृष्टौ हठाद् वेषान्तरपरिग्रहस्तस्याः सरस्वत्याः ? कारणं नोक्तम् । फलं तु देवो जानाति ।

अथ चेदवगच्छामः स्वरूपं सरस्वत्याः, आद्यं ऋग्द्वयमस्मिन् तृचे विस्पष्टार्थ प्रसन्नं भवेदित्यसंशयम् । महीति स्तूयमानया भारत्या इळया च सह सरस्वती गीयते वेदे। ’इळा सरस्ती मही’ इति तिसो देवीरधिकृत्य व्याख्यानावसरे तासां विवेकः पुरस्तात् प्रपञ्चयिष्यते। ऋतचिते : शक्तिविशेषा सत्यश्रुतिप्रचोदिनी दिव्यावेशवाणी सरस्वतीति कीर्त्यते। सत्यावेशादनृतप्रध्वंसो भवति । अनृतं हि सर्वतोमुखपापरूपतां धत्ते, अनृतात्पापं नातिरिच्यत इति पुरातनमार्ष मतम् । अनृतप्रेरणयैव असाधु; दुष्टः सुखाद्यनुभव:, असाधुः सङ्कल्पः, असाधु च कर्म, मानुषं जन्म आविश्य वशयन्ति। तस्माद् अनृतमायु: सर्वथा जन्मन: प्रभृति नः प्रबाधते, येन सर्वाणि न: कर्माणि कायिकानि मानसिकानि वा अनृतसात्कृतान्यन्धि-तानि भवन्ति । तदत्र चिकित्साया नास्ति शरणं ऋताहते। तच्च ऋतं, ज्योतिषा वाचा वा रूपेण उभयथा च अवतरत्याविशत्याविर्भवतीति दर्शनं महर्षीणामाद्यानाम् । येन धियः परिवर्तनं साध्यते, जगता सह अस्मान् प्रति नूतनो विवेकश्च सआयते । ऋतमयी धीः दृष्टिं ऋतमयीं विधत्ते, ऋतदृष्टया नः सत्यरूपता निष्पादिता स्यात् । यत: प्रयासवर्ज स्वभावतः सत्याः हार्दभावा: सत्याः सङ्कल्पाः सत्यानि च कर्माणि निरर्गलं प्रवहेयुः ।

अधुना तृचतात्पर्य सुगमं स्यात् । प्रथमं ’धियावसुः’ ’पावका’ सरस्वती पापापनोदाय पारिशुद्धव्यं विदधाना यज्ञकामा धीसमृद्धा प्रसीदति । ततः मानुषस्य सर्वकर्मसमर्पणरूपं यज्ञं परिपाल्य धारयते, येन ऋतानुरोधेन मर्त्यस्य कर्माणि ज्ञानानि वाचो भावाश्च प्रवर्तेरन् (सूनृतानां चोदयन्ती, सुमतीनां चेतन्ती) । अन्ते च सा भगवती वर्षति प्रवाहयति स्वीयेन दर्शनकर्मणा ऋतचिद्दीप्ती: ’अपः’ प्रेरयन्ती मानुषे यजमाने, सर्वाश्च धीप्रवृत्ती: सत्यज्योतिषा प्रज्वलयति (धियो विश्वा विराजति) चेति सारांशः ।

तदिदं व्याख्यातं तृतीयं सूक्तम् । तत्र विशेषतश्चतुर्थतृचप्रतिपादितो विषयः प्रागुक्तमर्थ समस्तं दृढीकृत्योजवलयन् बाह्यस्य कर्मणः, यजमानस्य अन्तःकरण-परिपाकदशाविशेषस्य च सम्बन्धं प्रद्योतयतीति स्पष्टम् । ’महो अर्ण’ इति प्रायशोऽगूढया सङ्केतभाषया महान्तं ऋतचितिप्रवाहं प्रबोधयन्त्याः सरस्वत्या दर्शनकर्मवैभवप्रस्तावेन वेदरहस्यं नात्यन्तं अविभेद्यतया गोपितम्, अपि तु मधुच्छन्दसैव महर्षिणा किञ्चिद्वा रहस्यप्रकाशकैः पदैः प्रयुक्तैरुपदर्शितमिति गम्यते।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे षष्ठो वर्ग:
इति प्रथमे मण्डले प्रथमोऽनुवाक:

अथ द्वितीयेऽनुवाके चतुस्सूक्तात्मके ’सुरूपकृत्नुम्’ इति प्रथमं सूक्तम् । प्राग्वद् ऋषिश्छन्दश्च, इन्द्रो देवता। तत्र प्रथमामृचमाह—

सुरूपकृत्युमूतये सुयामिव गोदुहे। जुहमसि द्यविद्यवि ॥ १ ॥
सुरूपऽकुलुम् कृतये सुयाम्ऽश्व गोऽदुहे । जुट्टमसि विऽयधि ॥

सुरूपकृत्नुम् सुरूपाणां साधूनां सिद्धानां वा रूपाणां कृत्नुम् कर्तारम् ऊतये वृद्धये द्यविद्यवि अहरहः जुहूमसि जुहुमः, आह्वयामः । आह्वानकर्मणि दृष्टान्तमाह-गोदुहे गां दोग्धि गोधुक् तस्मै सुदुघामिव सुष्टु दोग्ध्रीं पयस्विनीमिव ।

सुरूपकृत्नुम्--कृत्नुः कर्ता, शिल्पीति भट्टोजीदीक्षितानां उणादिसूत्रवृत्ति-मुचितां पश्यामः । अत्रेन्द्रः कर्ता, शिल्पी साधूनां सिद्धानां वा धोवृत्तिरूपाणां कर्मरूपाणां वा । हत्नुः, दर्नुः, जिगत्नुरित्येते औणादीकक्नु-प्रत्ययान्ताः । ऋक्संहितायां सकृदेवात्र प्रयुक्तमिदं पदम् । ऊतये--अवतेर्धातोरूतिरिति निर्विवादम् । यद्यपि क्वचिद्रक्षणार्थोऽप्युपपद्येत, तथाऽपि वर्धनार्थः प्रायः सर्वत्र सङ्गतः स्यादिति ’ओमासः’ इति शब्दस्यार्थविचारे प्रतिपादितम् ।

सुदुघामिव--सुष्ठु दोग्धि सुदुघा तामिव । गोदुहे--’गोः दोग्धा तस्मै’ इति वयमपि पूर्वे व्याख्यातार इव ब्रूमः । अत्र नव्याः केचन विप्रतिपद्यन्ते । अत्र दृष्टान्तदान्तिकपर्यांलोचना कार्या। जुहूमसि--वयते: लडुत्तमपुरुषबहुवचने छन्दसि शपः लुः। द्यविद्यवि-निघण्टुपठितमेव पदम् , प्रतिदिनमित्यर्थः ।

अत्रेन्द्रः सुरूपकृत्नुः सुदुघया पयस्विन्योपमीयते। ’ऊतये’ इन्द्र आहूयते, गोदोहनाय सुदुघा आहूयत इत्यर्थो वक्तव्य इत्याहुः । एवं भावविबन्ताद् गोधुक्पदात् चतुर्थी ’गोदुहे’ इति ग्रहणे उपमायां लोपो न भवेदित्याशयः । इयं च युक्तिरापाततः साध्वी लक्ष्यते, कि तु न लक्षयति विवक्षा मन्त्रद्रष्टुः, दृष्टान्तप्रतिपादितं भावं वा। भवतु लुप्तोपमा, सर्वसाधारणी सा वेदे। ’गोदुहे’ गोदोहन क्रियार्थमिति चेत्, गोर्दोग्धा कः ? दोहनमात्रेण कथं ’ऊतिः’ भवति ? भवतु ’ऊतिः’ रक्षैव, मास्तु ’वृद्धिः’ इति अस्मदुक्तार्था । कस्य भोग्यं भवति दुग्धम् , येन ’ऊतिः’ सम्पाद्या ? इदं सर्वमनालोच्य उपमां पूर्णा निरूपयितुं कृत: प्रयासो निस्सारो भवति । आहाता यजमानः स्तोतैव दोग्धा, दुग्धं फलं तस्यैव भोग्यं ’ऊतये’ भवति । अन्यत्रापि मन्त्रवर्णेषु स्तोता गोधुक् सुदुघा त्विन्द्र इति च गीयते। यथा वा ’आ त्वद्य सबटुंघां हुवे...... इन्द्रं धेनुं सुदुघां’ (८. १. १०.)। ’आ त्वा गीर्भिर्महामुरुं हुवे गामिव भोजसे । इन्द्र सोमस्य पीतये’ (८. ५४. ३.) । प्रथमचि इन्द्रधेन्वोरभेदाध्यवसायः कृतः। द्वितीयर्चि इन्द्र उपमीयते गवा । अन्यामृचमुदाहरामः, यत्र स्तोता आह्वातैव दोग्धा स्पष्टमुक्तः–’दोहेन गामुपशिक्ष सखायं प्रबोधय जरितर्जारमिन्द्रम्’ (१०. ४२. २.) । अत्र ’जरितः’ स्तोतः इति सम्बोधनम् । तस्यैव दोहनकर्मणा साधनेन गूढकामं (जारं) इन्द्रं वशं नेतुं (उपशिक्ष) प्रयासः कार्य इत्युक्तः । आह्वातृभिः स्तोतृभिरेव दोग्धृभिर्भाव्यमिति संशयच्छेदकोऽन्यो मन्त्रो वालखिल्यसूक्ते भवति । इदं उत्तरार्धम्--’तं त्वा वयं सुदुघामिव गोदुहो जुहूमसि श्रवस्यवः’ इति (वाल-सू. ४. क्र. ४.) । अत्र ’वयं इत्यस्य विशेषणं ’गोदुहः’ इति प्रथमाबहुवचनान्तम् । एवं ’गोदुहे’ भावक्विप-प्रत्ययान्ताद्वा इति संशय: छिन्नः ।

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

उप नः सवना गहि सोमस्य सोमपाः पिब। गोदा इद्रेवतो मदः॥२॥
उप नः सवना आ गहि सोमस्य सोमपाः पिब । गोऽदाः इत् । रेवतः मदः ॥

हे सोमपाः सोमपायिन् (इन्द्र) नः अस्माकं सवना सवनानि, यज्ञान उपागहि उपागच्छ (अस्मदीयसोमाभिषवं प्रति समीपमेहि)। सोमस्य पिब सोमं पिब । [तथा सोमपानेन] रेवतः ऋद्धिमतः [तव] मदः हर्षः गोदाः इत् गोप्रद एव, ज्ञानरश्मिप्रद एवेत्यर्थः ।

यजमानेन सुते सोमे धीसाम्राज्यधुरन्धरेण इन्द्रेण परिगृह्य पीते सति, सोमरसजन्यहर्षातिशयेन पोषितो धीराज्यस्वामी प्रज्ञारश्मीन् वर्षति सोमसुते यजमानायेति अन्तर्यागपरा अर्थपुष्टिर्भवति । मदमत्तः श्रीमान् यथा गोदानं गोकामेभ्यः करोति, तथा इन्द्रः अग्निष्टोमाख्ये बाह्ये कर्मणि सोमवल्लीं यथाविधि निष्पीड्य रसमादाय संस्कृत्य स्वस्मै [इन्द्राय] ददते यजमानाय पुष्कलाश्चतुष्पदो गा अनुगृह्णातीति परिहासवर्ज गम्भीरं व्याचक्षते कर्मठाः ।

तृतीयामृचमाह...

अथा ते अन्तमानां विद्याम सुमतीनाम् । मा नो अति ख्य आ गहि ॥ ३॥
अथ ते अन्तमानाम् विद्याम सुऽमतीनाम् मा नः अति ख्यः आ गहि ॥

अथ अनन्तरं [सोमपानाल्लब्धेन हर्षातिशयेन गोपदलक्षितज्ञानरश्मीनामस्मभ्यं वितरणात् परमित्यर्थः] इन्द्र ! ते तव अन्तमानाम् अन्तिकतमानां आत्यन्ति-कीनां सुमतीनाम् शोभन बुद्धीनां, साधुचिन्तनानां किञ्चिद्वा विद्याम जानीयाम [देवस्येन्द्रस्य सर्वाणि चिन्तनानि ज्ञातुं कथं प्रभवेज्जीवो यजमान: ? तस्मादेकदेशं वेति व्याख्यातम् । अन्यथाऽपि द्वितीयार्थे षष्ठी, ’सोमस्य पिब’ इतिवदुपपद्यते । नः अस्मान् अति मा ख्यः अतिक्रम्य मा दर्शय (स्वात्मानमिति शेष:) आ गहि आगच्छ।

’अति मा ख्यः’ इत्यत्र अन्तर्भावित-ण्यर्थो बोध्यः । अस्मान् अतीत्य मा ख्यापयात्मानमिति पदार्थः । अस्मान् मातिक्रमीरिति भावः । ’यावदस्माकं दर्शनसामर्थ्य तावदेव प्रकाशयात्मानम् । परिच्छिन्नामस्मच्छक्तिमतीत्य स्वात्मानं प्रकाशयसि चेत्, द्रष्टुं न शक्नुमः । अथ च मा भूरगोचरः, आगच्छ’ इति तात्पर्यम् ।

अत्र सायणीयव्याख्यानसारंश एवं भवति–इन्द्र! तव सोमपानानन्तरं अन्तिकतमानां शोभनप्रज्ञानां पुरुषाणां मध्ये वयं स्थित्वा त्वां जानीयाम । त्वमपि अस्मानतिक्रम्य अन्येषां त्वत्स्वरूपं मा प्रकथय, अस्मानेवागच्छ’ इति। ’पुरुषाणां मध्ये वयं स्थित्वा’ इति व्याहारो निर्मूलाधारः। ’अन्येषां त्वत्स्वरूपं मा प्रकथय, अस्मानेव आगच्छ’ इत्यस्य न केवलं अयुक्तता, मन्त्रद्रष्टषु मात्सर्यमप्यारोपितम् । एवंविधं व्याख्यानमेव मूलं सायणे नव्यानामविश्वासस्य ।

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

परेहि विग्रमस्तृतमिन्द्र पृच्छा विपश्चितम् । यस्ते सखिभ्य आ वरम् ॥४॥
परा इहि विग्रम् अस्तृतम् इन्द्रम् पृछ विपःऽचितम् यः ते सखिभ्यः आ वरम् ॥

ऋषिरन्तर्यागे प्रवर्तमानमन्यं सखायं ब्रूते । अथवा स्कन्दस्वामिनोक्तप्रकारेण आत्मन एवान्तरात्मनः प्रैषः। परेहि परागच्छ। इन्द्रं पृच्छ। कीदृशम् ? विनम् अस्तृतम् विपश्चितम् इति त्रीणि विशेषणानि इन्द्रस्य, क्रमेण ’वेगिनं अहिंसित सम्यग्दर्शनप्राशं’ इत्यर्थकानि । य इन्द्रः ते तव सखिभ्यः समानोद्योगेभ्यः सुहृद्भ्यः वरम् श्रेष्ठं [कल्याणं] आ आहार्षीदित्यर्थः ।

परेहि—परा अतीत्य, अतिदूरं, इहि गच्छ। अतिदूरं गतोऽपि स इन्द्र एव प्रष्टव्यः प्राप्तव्यलब्धि तदुपायं वा । कुतो दूरगमनमवश्यम् ? स ’विगः’ वेगवान् पुष्टिबाहुल्यात् स वेगगमनशील: । अयमर्थः सङ्गच्छते ’मा नो अति ख्यः’ इति पूर्वोक्तेन वाक्येन । विग्रपदं मेधाविनामसु पठितमिति ’विपश्चितम्’ इति विशेषणान्तरे वर्तमानेऽपि अनर्थकां पुनरुक्तिमलक्षयन् विगं ’मेधाविनं’ इति व्याचष्टे सायणः । केचन विग्रमिन्द्रविशेषणं विपश्चितं स्तोतृविशेषणं चाहुः । विग्रशब्द: वेगशब्द इव विजतेश्चलनार्थाद् धातोनिष्पन्नो वेगार्थद्योतक इति ग्राह्यम् ।

अस्तृतम्—अहिंसितं, अपराजितं प्रतिकूलैरसुरैः वृत्रादिभिरित्यर्थः । विपश्चितम्-अन्तर्यागे काः प्रतिकूलाः शक्तयः काश्चानुकूला इति विशिष्य पश्यन्ती प्रज्ञा इन्द्रस्य वर्तते, तस्मात् स जानाति बलीयान् शात्रवशक्तीविजेतुम् । तथाकर्तु प्रभुः अन्येभ्यः समानेभ्यो युक्तेभ्यः (सखिभ्यः) श्रेष्ठं (वरं) व्यधत्त, विदधाति च, तस्मात् स एव उपगन्तव्यः, उपगम्य प्रष्टव्यश्च ।।

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

उत ब्रुवन्तु नो निदो निरन्यतश्चिदारत। दधाना इन्द्र इदुवः ॥५॥
उत वन्तु नः निदः नि: अन्यत: चित् आरत दधानाः इन्द्रे इत् दुवः ॥

उत अपि च नः अस्माकं निदः निरोधकाः ब्रुवन्तु भणन्तु (एवं वक्ष्यमाणप्रकारेण) । अन्यतः चित् अन्येषु क्षेत्रेष्वपि निरारत (इतो निर्गत्य) अरणं कुरुत प्रयास कुरुत। कीदृशाः सन्तः ? इन्द्र इत् इन्द्र एव दुवः (युष्मदीयां) परिचर्या दधानाः धारयमाणाः ।

निदः-निन्दका इति पूर्वे व्याख्यातारः । बन्धनं निरोधनं वा धात्वर्थः । निन्दायामपि क्वचिद्वर्तते, उपपन्नश्च । यथा वृत्रादयः प्रकाशावरकास्तद्विभूतयश्च देवद्विषो यज्ञविघातका भवन्ति, तथा अन्येऽपि अन्तर्यागप्रवृत्तस्य पुरुषस्य देवराजमिन्द्रं प्रेप्सो: निरोद्धारो भवन्ति । त एव ’निदः’ इत्युच्यन्ते । णिदिधातु: बन्धनार्थे अन्यत्र अपि प्रयुक्तो भवति । ’निदितम्’ ’निदानम्’ ’निदातारम्’ इत्येतानि बन्धनार्थानि मन्त्रेषु दृश्यन्ते । ’उदुनियाणामसृजन्निदानम्’ (६. ३२. २.)। निदानं बन्धनं बोध्यम् । ’वलस्य भृत्यैः पणिभिरपहृतानां गवां निदान बन्धनं उदसृजत् अमोचयत्’ इति सायणः । ’चरन् वत्सो रुशन्निह निदातारं न विन्दते’ (८. ६१. ५)। निदातारं निरोधकम् इति सायण एव । ’शुनश्चिच्छेपं निदितं सहस्राङ्पादमुश्चः’ । निदितं नितरां बद्धमित्येव व्याख्याता ।

अस्य सूक्तस्य तात्पर्य पर्यालोचनायां ’निदो’ निरोद्धारः, न त्विह निन्दका इति विस्पष्ट भवेत् । अस्यामृचि अस्माकं प्रतिकूला निरोद्धार एव उत्तरोत्तर-प्रयाणाय नः सम्मतिं ब्रुवन्त्वित्युक्तम् । अस्मदनुकूला अपि अस्मान् भाग्य-शालिनः कर्मवीराः कार्यसाधका इति ब्रुवन्तु, ’उत नः सुभगान्’ इति उत्तरत्र ऋचि प्राह, तस्मादुभयो ऋचो: तात्पर्य सम्बन्धोऽवधेयः ।

आरत-अरतिः अरणं अरिः अर्य: आर्य: इत्यादयः शब्दाः, प्रयास-परिश्रम-निरन्तरोद्योग-कर्षणाद्यर्थे वेदे प्रयुक्ता ज्ञेयाः । अत एव ’आय:’ अनलसः, नित्योद्यमी, देवाराधनकर्मणि देवशत्रुभिः सह योद्धा, मानुषभुवं दिव्यसम्पत्फलिनी विधातुं कृषि न जहाति नित्यं कर्षक:- इत्याद्यर्थे प्रयुक्तो ग्राह्यः ।

दुवः-सामान्यं कर्म, परिचर्या वा॥

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे सप्तमो वर्ग:

षष्ठीमृचमाह—

उत नः सुभगाँ अरिर्वोचेयुर्दस्म कृष्टयः। स्यामेदिन्द्रस्य शर्मणि ॥ ६॥
उत नः सुऽभगान् अरिः वोचेयुः दस्म कृष्टयः स्याम इत् इन्द्रस्य शर्मणि ॥

उत अपि च [न केवलमस्मत्प्रतिकूला ’निदः’, अनुकूला अपि वक्ष्यमाणरीत्या ब्रुवन्त्वित्याह ’उत’ इति निपातः] अरिः कृष्टयः (अस्मदर्थ) योद्धारः, कर्म कुर्वन्तः [अरिरिति वचनव्यत्ययः सं-अरणशीला आर्या देवार्थ योद्धारः, कृष्टयः कर्षणशीला: फलावाप्तये] नः अस्मान् सुभगान् धन्यान् कृतार्थान् वोचेयुः उच्यासुः। (किञ्च) हे दस्म कर्मनिष्पादक, इन्द्रस्य शर्मणि सुखे स्याम भवेम इत् पादपूरणे, [अथवा इन्द्रस्यैव प्रसादालभ्ये तदानन्दे ध्रियेमहि इति अवधारणार्थे वा ’इत्’ इति वोचेयुरिति सम्बन्ध:] ॥

पदार्थकथन एव तात्पर्यमाविष्कृतम् । ऋचोऽस्याः पूर्वस्याश्च सम्बन्ध: प्रागुक्तः । दस-दसादिवत् दस्मपदमपि कर्मनिष्पादनं प्रतिपादयतीति बोद्धव्यम् । ’अरि: कृष्टयः’ स्युर्नाम आर्यमानुषवर्गीयाः अन्तर्यागप्रवर्तनसाधनानुकूलाः । वस्तुतस्तु, अतीन्द्रियभूस्था देवताशक्तिभेदाः दिव्यविभूतिविशेषाः मानुषं यज्ञेन साधनेन दिवमारुरुक्षु आरोहन्तं च उपकुर्वन्तः, तब भातर इव सखाय इव तद्युक्ताः [जामयः सखायः युजः] तं तारयन्ति तेन स्वयं च तृप्यन्ति सम्प्राप्ता ऐन्द्र शर्म । यज्ञाध्वनि पुरुषं निरुद्धवतां परिच्छिन्नवतां वा वैरिणां [निदः] अतिक्रमणे सहायभूता ’अरिः कृष्टयः’ अधुना तेन साधितकर्मणा (दम्म) पुरुषेण कृतार्थेन सह इन्द्रानन्दपरायणा भवेयुरिति युक्तमेवेदम् ॥

अनयोद्वयो ऋचोः परस्परसम्बन्धज्ञापकं वाक्यद्वयं च निरीक्षणीयम् । ऐन्द्रं कर्म कुरुत, सर्वकर्मभारमिन्द्रे निवेश्य विभृत (दधाना इन्द्र इदुवः) इति पूर्वर्चि प्रोक्तम् । अत्र इन्द्रस्यैव शर्मणि ध्रियेम (स्यामेदिन्द्रस्य शर्मणि) इति तथाविधस्य कर्मणः फलं च द्योतितम् ।।

’आरत’ इत्युक्तवा तदेवानुरणितं अरणार्थकधातुनिष्पन्न-अरिपदप्रयोगेन । पूर्वोत्तरसम्बन्धध्वननायेदृशी रीतिरवलम्बिता मन्त्रदर्शिभिरिति पुन: स्मारयामः ।।

सप्तमीमृचमाह—

एमाशुमाशवे भर यज्ञश्रिय नुमादनम् । पतयन्मन्यत्सखम् ॥ ७ ॥
आ ईम् आशुम् आशवे भर यज्ञऽश्रियम् नृऽमादनम् पतयत् मन्दयत्ऽसखम् ॥

आशवे [वेगोपलक्षिताय तीव्रायेति वक्तव्यम् ] इन्द्राय ईम् [एनम् इदमर्थोऽयं निपात:] आशुम् सोमम् आ भर आहर। कीदृशं सोमम् ? यज्ञश्रियम् यज्ञवैभवभूतम् (यज्ञं श्रयति, यज्ञश्रीः तं इत्येके)। पुन: कीदृशम् ? नृमादनम् नृणां मादनं मदकरम् , (मनुष्यो देवश्च नर उच्यते वेदे) पुनश्च मन्दयत्सखं पतयत् मन्दयत्सखं इन्द्रं पतयत् पतयन्तं गमयन्तं पुरतो वहन्तम् ।

पतयत्-द्वितीयाविभक्तिलोप: छान्दस:, सर्वेऽपि व्याख्यातारः सोमविशे-षणत्वेन गृह्णन्ति, कथञ्चित् रूपं निष्पादयन्ति । मन्दयत्सखम्-’पतयत्’ इति सकर्मकधातोः शतृप्रत्ययान्तस्य क्रियार्थकस्य कर्मपदं भवति । यजमानान् मन्दयति हर्षयति इन्द्रः, तस्मिन् सखिभूतः सोम इति सायणो मन्यते, अन्ये व्याख्यातारः अन्यथा व्याकुर्वते, नव्याश्च किमपि विभावयन्ति, यः को वा भवत्वर्थः ’पतयन्मन्दयत्सखम्’ इत्यत्र व्याकरणोपपादनं छान्दसत्वाश्रयणेनैव साध्यम् । तदिह मन्दयन् हर्षयन् सखा (इन्द्रः) तम् ‘पतयत्’ सोममिति वयम् । य: को वा भवतु इन्द्रस्य सखा, सोम इति सायणः । अत्रानुपपत्तिर्भवति, तन्निरीक्षा नावश्यकी। यजमान ऋषिरन्तस्सोमयाजी इन्द्रसख एवेति वयम् । अयमर्थ: सूक्तेऽस्मिन्नन्याभिग्भिः सङ्खच्छते। व्याख्यानान्तपरीक्षया नास्ति प्रयोजन-मित्यलमेतावता।

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

अस्य पीत्वा शतक्रतो घनो वृत्राणामभवः। प्रावो वाजेषु वाजिनम् ॥ ८॥
अस्य पीत्वा शतक्रतो इति शतऽक्रतो घनः वृत्राणाम् अभवः प्र आव: पाजेषु वाजिनम् ॥

हे शतक्रतो शतकर्मन् (शतं बहुनाम, क्रतु: कर्म प्रज्ञा वा, औचित्यादत्र कर्मार्थो ग्राह्यः) अस्य सोमं (द्वितीयार्थे षष्ठी, सोमसम्बन्धिनं अंशं इति शेषषष्ठी वा युक्ता) पीत्वा, वृत्राणाम् आवरकाणां (वृत्रनामकासुर-तद्विभूतिभूतानां शत्रूणाम् ) घनः अभवः हन्ता भवसि [लङो लडर्थः छन्दसि, इह युक्तश्च] । वाजेषु समृद्धिषु वाजिनम् समृद्धिमन्तम् प्रावः प्रकर्षेण रक्षसि ।

अत्र वृत्राद्यसुराणां तत्त्वं समासत: सूक्तान्ते निवेदयामः । वाजपदार्थः प्राग विचारित:, सर्वत्र समृद्धिः पूर्णता वेति ’वाजिनीवसू’, ’वाजेभिर्वाजिनीवती’ इत्यादौ व्याख्याने प्रदर्शितम् । प्र-आव:-अत्र रक्षणार्थोऽव-धातुः, वृत्रं हत्वा वाजिनं इन्द्रो रक्षतीत्यौचित्यात् । ’प्राव:’ ’अभवः’ इति लङा भूतार्थो न विवक्षितः । यदा सोमं पिबति शतक्रतुः, तदा वृत्रं हन्तुं प्रभुः, वाजिनं रक्षितुं चेति विवक्षा । तस्मात् सार्वकालिकं तत्त्वमुक्तम् । तत्र लडर्थो युक्तः ।

नवमीमृचमाह—

तं त्वा वाजेषु वाजिन वाजयामः शतक्रतो। धनानामिन्द्र सातये ॥९॥
तम् त्वा वाजेषु वाजिनम् वाजयामः शतक्रतो इति शतऽक्रतो धनानाम् इन्द्र सातये ॥

वाजेषु समृद्धिषु वाजिनम् समृद्धम् (सन्तं) तं त्वा तथाविधं त्वां, हे इन्द्र शतक्रतो बहुकर्मन् वाजयामः पुनः समर्धयामः । किमर्थम् ? धनानां सातये लब्धानां दिव्यधनानां अन्तस्सम्पदां उपभोगाय। सातिः न केवलं प्राप्तिः, प्राप्तस्य रक्षणमपि, तस्माद्भोगायेत्युक्तम् ॥

वाजशब्दार्थ बहुधा ब्रूते सायण इत्यवोचाम । एकत्रैव स्थले विविधमर्थमेकस्य पदस्योक्तवा भ्रमयति चिन्तकान् इति तु नोक्तम् । अतीतायाभूचि ’वाजेषु वाजिनम्’ इत्यत्र ’सङ्ग्रामेषु सङ्ग्रामवन्तम्’ इत्याह । अस्यामृचि ’वाजेषु वाजिनं वाजयामः’ इत्यस्य अर्थ: ’युद्धेषु बलवन्तम् (त्वां) अन्नवन्तं कुर्मः’ इत्याह । ’वाजिनं सङ्ग्रामवन्तम्’ ’वाजिनं बलवन्तम्’ इत्येकत्रैव पदमेकं द्विधा व्याख्यातम् । अपरं च वाजं अन्नम् , वाजं बलम् , वाजं युद्धम् , इत्येकस्यैव पदस्य एकत्रैवचिं त्रयोऽर्थाः दत्ताः। मृग्य एव व्यवस्थागन्धः ॥

दशमीमृचमाह—

यो रायो३ऽवनिर्महान्त्सुपारः सुन्वतः सखा । तस्मा इन्द्राय गायत ॥१०॥
यः रायः अवनिः महान् सुऽपारः सुन्वतः सखा तस्मै इन्द्राय गायत ॥

यः [इन्द्रः] रायः धनस्य (दिव्यस्यान्तरस्य) अवनिः आश्रय आधार इत्यर्थः (पृथ्वीनाम, सर्वेषां भूतजातानां आश्रयो हि पृथिवी)। महान् बृहन् [अत एवाश्रयत्वं उपपद्यते] बलेनापि महान् , अत एव सुपार: सुष्टु पारयति [सुरक्षितं प्रापयति देवभक्तं पुरुषं प्राप्तव्यं स्थानम् ] । स्थानम् ] । सुन्वतः सखा सोमयाजिन: सखा (च) भवति, तस्मै इन्द्राय तस्येन्द्रस्यार्थाय (तादर्थ्य चतुर्थी) गायत स्तुतिं कुरुत (मन्त्रैरिति शेष:)। अस्यामृचि स्पष्टमुक्तं ’सुन्वतः सखा’ इन्द्र इति । ’मन्दयत्सख’ इन्द्र एवेत्युपपद्यतेऽस्मदुक्तिः ।।

व्याख्यातं ’सुरूपकृत्नुम्’ इति सूक्तम् । अस्य कर्मसु विनियोगो याज्ञिकैरानातः। तेन विचारितेनास्माकमल्पं प्रयोजनम् । तस्मात् सूक्ततात्पर्य-मन्तरर्थानुसार्येव सुतरामुपपद्यत इति संवेपेण तन्निरीक्ष्यते। अन्तर्बहिर्वा सर्वथा सोमयागे विनियोगोऽस्येति तु बोध्यम् । इहान्तांगे चलति, कमपि दशाविशेष प्राप्तस्य ऋषेमधुच्छन्दस ऐन्द्री स्तुतिः भवति । का सा दशा यत्र किमपीन्द्राल्लभ्यं ऋषेरवश्यं भवति ? किं वा तत् प्राप्तव्यम् , यदर्थमभ्यर्थना क्रियते सोमयाजिना महर्षिणा ? पश्यामस्तावत् ॥

सुतः संस्कृतः सोमो देवानामन्नं भवति । देवास्तं यथाभागं भुजानास्तन्मदेन बलिनो मानुषे स्वयं वर्धन्ते, तेन तमपि वर्धयन्ति, सर्वोत्कृष्टानुभूतीनां तमधिकारिणं च विदधते । ये चास्वार्थपरा भूत्वा स्वीयमानन्दं सर्वानुभूतीनां सारं सोमपदलक्षितं रसं ’देवेभ्य इदं न मम’ इति न प्रयच्छन्ति प्रत्युत विषयभोगरताः स्वार्थपरा नीचैर्जीविनश्च भवन्ति, न खलु ते देवानामाराधकाः किं तु पणिनामकानामसुराणा-मुपासकाः भवन्ति । पणयो हि स्वामिन इन्द्रियार्थचैतन्यस्य, यस्य सर्वशः परिच्छिन्नवृत्तेर्व्यापारेषु वणिज इव ते व्यवहरन्ति । न हि ते सुन्वते सोमं, नार्पयन्ति संस्कृतं सोमाभिषवं, नापि मन्त्रानुच्चारयन्ति । एतैरेव पणिभिरपहृत्य समुज्वलचैतन्यरश्मयः (रोचमानाः सूर्यस्य गाव:) गुहायां गूहिता भवन्ति । सा च गुहा, गूढमस्मासु वर्तमानं जागरितप्रज्ञायाः प्रागवस्थितं अप्रबुद्धचैतन्यं वासनाना-मधिकरणं बोध्यम् । न केवलमेवं लक्षितायां गुहायां गाः प्रच्छादयन्ति पणयः, अद्रिशब्दलक्षिते घनीभूते अन्धतमसेऽन्नमये जडे वस्तुन्यपि । अपि च ते स्वीयमध्वानमनुगम्य चोरिता गाश्च गवेषयन्ती उज्ज्वलसहजावबोधरूपिणी सरमाख्यां देवशुनीमपि वशयन्ति, भंशयितुं प्रयतन्ते ॥

त इमे पणयोऽधुना सोमसवनिवर्तनादतिक्रान्ताः । ऋषेर्यज्ञाभ्युदये प्रवर्तमाने ते वृत्राश्च (वृत्रस्तद्विभूतयश्च) समतीताः, पैरस्माकं पूर्णाः शक्तय: क्रियावैभवानि च आवृत्य प्रतिबध्यन्ते। तथा वलश्च पृष्ठतः कृत: येन ज्योतिर्वलयितं अस्मत्तो-ऽवरुध्यते । एवं प्रमुखेष्वसुरेषु यज्ञवैरिषु अतिक्रान्तेष्वपि, मार्गे पुनरन्येऽवतिष्ठन्ते ये परिच्छेदनियामकाः बन्धका (निदः) निन्दका वा भवन्ति । यद्यप्येते न पणिवृत्रवलादय इव ज्ञानक्रियाशक्तिप्रसारप्रतिकूला भवन्ति, तथाऽपि अभिवृद्धावृषे-रुत्तरोत्तरपदक्रमणे तं निरुन्धन्ति । तस्य ज्ञानशक्तिक्रियालोपन्यूनातिरिक्ततादीन् दोषान् प्रकाश्य ’इतो न गन्तव्यम् , गन्तुमधिकारसम्पादनात् प्राङ्नानुजानीमो-ऽनन्तरगमनम्’ इति प्रत्यवतिष्ठन्ते ।

तदस्मिन् सूक्ते सेयं दशा प्रस्तुता, यस्यामृषिर्दिव्यप्रकाशाभिवर्धनायेन्द्रमाह्वयति, येन निरोधक तद्धेतुभूतन्यूनतादिदोषाणां निवारणं भवेत् । इन्द्रो हि प्रभुस्त्रैलोक्याधि-कारिकाणां देवानाम् , विश्वमनस्तत्त्वाभिमानी, दिव्यो मनोमयः सम्राट् । तत्प्रसादात् तद्वैभवस्य उज्जवलप्रज्ञात्मकस्य मनसो विलासनमस्मासु सम्पादयि-तव्यम् । येनेन्द्रियार्थेषणादिभिर्विकृति प्रापितस्य अनृतप्रज्ञाविमोहितस्य मनस: सङ्कोचाद्विस्तृतिः बन्धनात् विमोचनम् प्रकाशलेशात् प्रकाशभूमा च निष्पोरन् ।

ऐन्द्री शुभ्रोजवलप्रज्ञा हि सुरूपाः साध्वी(वृत्ती: साधुरूपाणि कर्माणि वा साधयितुं प्रभवेत् , येनानुदिनवर्धनं स्यादिति ’सुरूपकृत्नुमूतये’ महर्षिराह्वयति प्रथमस्यां क्रचि । दिव्यप्रकाशा प्रज्ञा अभिषुतेन सोमेन भुक्तन पोषिता हर्षभरिता स्वीयान् रश्मीनभिवर्षतीत्युक्तं (गोदा इद्रेवतो मदः) द्वितीयस्याम् । तथा चित्तेजोविशेषलाभे दैव्याः प्रज्ञाया आत्यन्तिकीर्वृत्तीर्वेदितुं यद्यपि प्रभवामः, तथाऽपि प्रभातिशयोदयाद् दुनिरीक्ष्योऽतिगोचरो वा मा भूद् भगवानिन्द्र इति तृतीयस्याम् । अथान्तरात्मानं अन्यं वा सखायमुपासकं प्राह-’इन्द्र एव प्रष्टव्यः, स वेगेन बलवानपि प्रतिकूलाननुकूलांश्च पश्यति प्राज्ञचक्षुः, ददाति च श्रेष्ठं पदं, दत्तवांश्च नः सखिभ्यः’ इति चतुर्थ्यांम् । अस्माकं अनन्तरप्रतिपत्तिं निरोद्धार एव अनुजानन्तु, भणन्तु च-’यूयमधिकारिणोऽधुना, अन्यतोऽपि गत्वा इन्द्रकर्माणः सन्त: परिश्रमं कुरुत’ इति पञ्चम्याम् । अस्मदनुकूलाः कार्यसहकारिणो देवकार्यनिरताश्च ’ऋषे, साधु साधितं कर्म त्वया, अस्य फलं ऐन्द्रं महत् सुखम् , तत्रैव स्यामेति ब्रुवन्तु’ इति षष्ठयाम् । शिष्टाश्च ऋचो यावत्सूक्तसमाप्ति इन्द्रमहिमानुवर्णनपरा इन्द्रप्रार्थनात्मिकाश्च प्रागविवृतरीत्या मन्त्रार्थपरिज्ञानाद् विस्पष्ट बोध्याः ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे अष्टमो वर्ग:
द्वितीयानुवाके प्रथमं सूक्तं समाप्तम्

द्वितीयानुवाके आ त्विति दशर्च द्वितीयं सूक्तम् । ऋषिच्छन्दोदेवताः पूर्ववत् ॥

आ त्वेता नि षीदुतेन्द्रमभि प्र गायत । सखायः स्तोमवाहसः॥१॥
आ तु आ इत नि सीदत इन्द्रम् अभि प्र गायत सखायः स्तोमऽवाहसः॥

आ आ इत आगच्छत (उपसभ्यिासात् तद्युक्तस्याख्यातस्याभ्यास:, अवश्यमागन्तव्यमित्यर्थक:) तु (पादपूरणः, क्षिप्रार्थको निपातो वा) निषीदत उपविशत इन्द्रम् अभिप्रगायत इन्द्रमभिमुखीभूय प्रकर्षेण गायत। हे सखायः सुहृदः (समानकर्मणि प्रवृत्ताः) कीदृशास्ते? स्तोमवाहसः स्तोमान् प्रापयितारः [इन्द्रं प्रति] ॥

अत्र ऋत्विज आमन्त्रिता इन्द्रस्तवनायेति कर्मपरं व्याख्यानमुपपद्यते द्विधाऽपि तात्पर्य प्रायशः सम्भवति मन्त्राणामित्युक्तमेवास्माभिः । परं तु अन्तरर्थस्य प्राधान्यं सर्वत्र, बाह्यार्थस्य विसंवादो नैकत्रेति च स्मरणीयम् । अत्र ’स्तोमवाहसः’ इति सखीनां आमन्त्रितानां विशेषणं साकूतं बोध्यम् । अन्तर्यागे, ’सखाय इमे युजः जामयः’ अतिमानुषभूचरा: देवकार्यधुरंधराः अस्माकं स्तोमान् इन्द्रं प्रति प्रापयितुं प्रभवन्ति । न तु केवलं स्तोतार इमे, अपि तु स्तोत्रवाचोऽस्मन्निर्गता हार्दवाणीर्वा नयन्ति स्तुतिविषयीभूतमिन्द्रम् । ’अरिः कृष्टय:’ प्रागुक्ता अप्येवंभूताः सुहृदो ज्ञेयाः ॥

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

पुरूतम पुरूणामीशान वार्याणाम् । इन्द्रं सोमे सचा सुते ॥२॥
पुरुऽतमम् पुरुणाम् ईशानम् वार्याणाम् इन्द्रम् सोमे सचा सुते ॥

कचोऽस्याः पूर्वयों एकवाक्यत्वात् ’प्रगायत’ इति अन्वय: ॥

सचा सह [सखिभिः यजमानेन सह ऋत्विग्भिर्वा सम्भूय] सोमे सुते अभिषुते इन्द्रम् अभिप्रगायतेति सम्बन्धः । कीदृशमिन्द्रम् ? पुरुतमम् अतिशयेन बहुल: [बहुधा भवन् प्रभूत इत्यर्थः] तम् । पुनः कीदृशम् ? पुरूणाम् वार्याणाम् ईशानम् बहूनां वरणीयानां (वराणाम्) स्वामिनम् ॥

पुरुतमम्-अत्र व्याख्यातारो विविधं व्याचक्षते । ’पुरून् बहून् [ शत्रून् ] तमयति गुपयति’ इति सायणः । शत्रुनाशन इति विशेषणमिहेन्द्रस्यायुक्तम् , वरदानशौण्ड इति स्तुतिप्रसक्तेः । ’अतिशयेन प्रभूतम्’ इति पदमिदं व्याख्यात-मन्यत्र सायणेन, इहापि तद्युक्तम् । ’यः पावकः पुरुतमः पुरूणि पृथून्यग्निरनुयाति भर्वन्’ (६-६-२) ॥

तृतीयाचमाह—

स घा नो योग आ भुव॒त्स राये स पुरन्ध्याम् । गमद्वाजेभिरा स नः॥३॥
स: घ नः योगे आ भुवत् सः राये सः पुरम् ऽध्याम् गमत् वाजेभिः आ सः नः ॥

घ पादपूरणः । अवधारणार्थो निपातोऽयमित्येके । तर्हि चतुर्धा प्रयुक्तेन तच्छब्देनास्य सम्बन्धः। सः इन्द्रः प्रागुक्तगुणविशिष्टः नः अस्माकं योगे अप्राप्तस्य लाभे विषये आ भुवत् अभिमुखं यथा तथा भवतु [सन्निहितो भूत्वा अलब्धं पुरुषार्थ लम्भयत्वित्यर्थ:] स: राये धनाय दिव्यसम्पदर्थ स ’आ भुवत्’ इति सम्बन्धः । सः पुरन्ध्याम् बह्वयां प्रज्ञायां [बहुविधायां बुद्धौ, आ भुवत्] सः वाजेभिः समृद्धिभिः (सर्वविधाभिः) नः अस्मान् आ गमत् आगच्छतु । वाजेभिरित्यत्र सहयोगलक्षणा तृतीया ॥

बहुविधपूर्णताविशिष्टः इन्द्रः सान्निध्येन अलब्धलाभ-लब्धसम्पद्रक्षण-बहुलप्रज्ञाः साधयत्विति प्रार्थना ॥

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

यस्य संस्थे न वृण्वते हरी समत्सु शत्रवः । तस्मा इन्द्राय गायत ॥४॥
यस्य सम्ऽस्थे न वृण्वते हरी इति समत्ऽमुं शत्रवः तस्मै इन्द्राय गायत॥

यस्य इन्द्रस्य संस्थे संस्थाने हरी अश्वौ द्वौ (द्वितीया) समत्सु सङ्ग्रामेषु शत्रवः शातयितारो वैरिणः न वृण्वते न वारयन्ति तस्मै इन्द्राय तस्येन्द्रस्य सन्तर्पणार्थम् गायत स्तुती: कुरुत ।

संस्थे-धात्वर्थानुसारेण ’संस्थाने’ इत्युक्तम् । इन्द्रस्य आवासस्थाने, समागमस्थाने वा शत्रवः हरिनामको इन्द्राश्वौ वारयितुं न प्रभवन्ति, तयोरप्रतिहत-वीर्यत्वात् ॥ ’हरी इन्द्रस्य’ इति निघण्टुपठितं इन्द्राश्वयो म प्रसिद्धम् । हरिः हरितवर्ण इत्याचक्षते प्रायशो व्याख्यातारः। हर्य गति-कान्त्योरिति धातो: हरिपदनिष्पत्तौ कान्त्यर्थसिद्धिः सुगमा भवति । हर्यश्वः, हरिकेशः, हरिवर्पसम् , हरिघायसम् इत्यादिप्रयोगे कमनीयत्वं भास्वरत्वं वा द्योतितं भवति । इन्द्रस्य प्रकाशमयस्य वाही ’हरी’ हरितवर्णावपि कान्तिमन्तौ। इन्द्रसंस्थाने तयोः प्रभां देवशत्रवः न ’वृण्वते’, नाच्छादयन्ति न आवृण्वन्ति, तयोः प्रसारं न प्रतिरुन्वन्ति । ’संस्थे रथे संयुक्तौ हरी’ इति सायणव्याख्या । अन्यत्र विविधमेवं सायणीयं संस्थपदव्याख्यानं भवति-’संस्थाने आसादने’ (५-१-८) ’स्थाने युद्ध’ (८-२१-११) ’संस्थानभूते यज्ञे’ (८-२७-१५) ’सङ्ग्रामे’ (८-३२-११)। अत्रेदं द्रष्टव्यम् । सर्वत्र संस्थानं स्थानं वा संस्थपदार्थमुक्त्वा तत: स्वसम्भावितप्रकरण-वशात् सङ्ग्रामो यज्ञो वा विवरणार्थ : कथितः । गूढार्थे अन्तर्दर्शनशक्तिविशेष-सङ्केतभूतौ हरी इन्द्रस्य ।

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

सुतपाने सुता इमे शुचयो यन्ति वीतये। सोमासो दध्याशिरः ॥ ५॥
सुतऽपाने सुताः इमे शुचयः यन्ति वीतये सोमासः दधिऽआशिरः॥

इमे सुताः सम्पादिताः सोमासः सोमाः सुतपान्ने सुतस्य अभिषुतस्य सोमस्य पान्ने पात्रे इन्द्राय यन्ति गच्छन्ति । किमर्थम् ? वीतये तदीयव्याप्तये (यजमाने इन्द्रस्य जन्मने, व्याप्तये, आगतये वा इत्यर्थः वेतेर्धातोर्गति-व्यात्याद्यर्थ-त्वात् । अन्तर्यागे देवानां वीति म यजमानमुद्दिश्य आगतिः, तत्र व्याप्तिः, जन्म वा भवति) कोदृशाः सोमाः ? शुचयः दीप्ताः [संस्कृताः शोधिता अत एव दीप्ताः, शुच दीप्तौ इति धात्वर्थानुगमो बोध्यः]। पुनः कीदृशाः ? दध्याशिरः दधिमिश्राः [आपूर्वकात् हिंसात् शृणातेर्निष्पन्नं, आशृणाति आशी: इति रेफान्तं पदम् । दोषविघातकं इत्यर्थः । दधि आशीः येषां ते दध्याशिरः इति सायणीय-व्याख्यानुसारत: शब्दार्थः] ।

व्याशिरः सोमाः प्रसिद्धाः श्रौतकर्मसु, गवाशिरः दध्याशिरः यवाशिर इति क्रमशः पयो-दधि-यवमिश्राः सोमा उच्यन्ते । अधिश्रयणसाधनभूतानि त्रीणि द्रव्याणि । श्रयणं च मिश्रणम् । अत्र सङ्केतार्थो लक्षणीयः । पयसा तत्प्रकृतिभूता गावो रश्मय: प्रज्ञाप्रकाशा लक्ष्यन्ते। तत्परिणामेन दध्ना धारणात्मिका सूक्ष्मा बुद्धिः, यवैः घनीभूत-बाह्यप्रज्ञा स्थूला बुद्धिश्च । एवं गवादिद्रव्यत्रय-सङ्केतितेषु प्रज्ञाप्रकाश-सूक्ष्मबुद्धिस्थूलप्रज्ञासत्त्वेषु सोमैः सह मिश्रणाय सिद्धेषु सत्स्वेव गवादिभिरधिश्रिताः सम्मदरसवाहिनः सोमाः पूताः तत्तद्देवताभ्योऽप्यन्ते, ताभिश्चादीयन्ते, भुज्यन्ते। तथा रसग्रहणेन देवानां मानुषे यजमाने वृद्धिरित्यादि स्पष्टं पूर्वोक्तं सर्व स्मार्यम् ।।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे नवमो वर्ग:

अथ षष्ठीमृचमाह—

त्वं सुतस्य पीतये सद्यो वृद्धो अजायथाः। इन्द्र ज्यैष्ठ्याय सुक्रतो ॥६॥
त्वम् सुतस्य पीतये सद्यः वृद्धः अजायथाः इन्द्र इन्द्र ज्यैष्ठ्याय सुक्रतो इति सुऽक्रतो ॥

हे इन्द्र त्वम् सुतस्य अभिषुतस्य सोमस्य पीतये पानाय सद्यः तस्मिन्नेव समये वृद्धः शरीरेण वीर्येण च वृद्धि प्राप्तः अजायथाः जायसे, भवसि । किमर्थम् ? ज्यैष्ठ्याय ज्येष्ठानां प्रवृद्धानां श्रेष्ठानां वा कर्मणे, हे सुक्रतो शोभनकर्मन् ! ॥

इन्द्रः सोमं पीत्वा तत्प्रभावेण सद्यो वृद्धो भवति । अत एव प्रवृद्धवीर्यस्य तस्य श्रेष्ठकर्म युक्तम् । उपपन्नं च सुक्रतो इति सम्बोधनम् । ’पीतये’ इत्यत्र तृतीयार्थे चतुर्थी इति स्कन्दस्वामिनो व्याख्या समीचीनं तात्पर्यमुपपादयति । चेदेवम् , ’सद्यः’ इत्यस्य स्वरसता विहता शोषिता स्यात् । कर्मपरव्याख्याने तु ’तस्मिन्नेवाहनि’ इत्याहुः। ’गुणवचनब्राह्मणादिभ्यः कर्मणि च’ इति सूत्रानु-सारेण ज्यैष्ठयं कर्म अत्र उपपन्नं ग्राह्यम् , ’वृद्धो अजायथाः’ इत्युक्ते: पुनर्येष्ठ-भावो न विवक्षितः।

सप्तमीमृचमाह—

आ त्वा विशन्त्वाशवः सोमास इन्द्र गिर्वणः । शं ते सन्तु प्रचेतसे ॥ ७ ॥
आ त्वा विशन्तु आशवः सोमासः इन्द्र गिर्वणः शम् ते सन्तु प्रऽचेतसे ॥

हे इन्द्र गिर्वणः गीर्भिः स्तुतिभिः वननीय सम्भजनीय, त्वा त्वां आशवः व्यापनशीला: सोमासः सोमाः आविशन्तु प्रविशन्तु। ते तव प्रचेतसे प्रकृष्टज्ञानाय (ते सोमाः) शम् शान्तिसुखरूपाः सन्तु भवन्तु ।

पूर्वस्यामृचि पीताः सोमाः इन्द्रस्य श्रेष्ठकर्मणे प्रभवन्ति, अत्र तु इन्द्रं समन्तात् प्रविष्टास्ते तस्य श्रेष्ठज्ञानायेत्युक्तम् ।

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

त्वां स्तोमा अवीवृधन्त्वामुक्था शतक्रतो। त्वां वर्धन्तु नो गिरः ॥ ८॥
त्वाम् स्तोमाः अवीवृधन् त्वाम् उक्था शतक्रतो इति शतऽक्रतो त्वाम् वर्धन्तु नः गिरः॥

शतक्रतो शतकर्मन् इन्द्र [ शतं बह्वर्थकम् ] त्वाम् स्तोमाः सामरूपाणि स्तोत्राणि इत्यर्थः। अवीवृधन् वर्षितवन्तः । तया त्वाम् उक्था उक्थानि शस्त्राणि ऋग्भिः शंसनानीत्यर्थः । अवीवृधन् । त्वाम् नः अस्माकं गिरः स्तोत्रवाचः वर्धन्तु वर्धयन्तु [णि-लोपः छान्दसः, तथा परस्मैपदं च] ।

स्तोत्रेण मन्त्रात्मकेन देवानां यजमाने (उपासके) अभिवृद्धिरिति शतश उद्घोषयन्ति वेदाः। कर्मपरव्याख्याने मेघमण्डलादुपर्येव मध्यमस्थानस्येन्द्रस्य वृद्धिर्वक्तव्या । फलं तु अपां वृष्टिः ! ॥

नवमीमृचमाह—

अक्षितोतिः सनेमिं वाजमिन्द्रः सहस्रिणम् । यस्मिन्विश्वानि पौंस्या ॥९॥
अक्षितऽऊतिः सनेत् इमम् वाजम् इन्द्रः सहस्रिणम् यस्मिन् विश्वानि पौंस्या ॥

अक्षितोतिः अक्षिता अक्षीणा ऊतिः वृद्धिः यस्य स इन्द्रः इमम् अस्माभिः अर्यमाणं सहस्रिणम् सहस्रयुक्तं वाजम् (सोमात्मकं) समृद्धिविशेष सनेत् सम्भजेत् । यस्मिन् वाजे विश्वानि समस्तानि पौंस्या पुंस्त्वानि पुंसः कर्माणि कर्मोपलक्षितानि बलानि वर्तन्त इत्यर्थः ।।

अक्षितोति:-अहिंसितरक्षण इति सा० व्याख्या । क्षि क्षये इत्यकर्मको धातुः, तस्मान्नपुंसके भावे क्तः। एवं क्षितं इति रूपम् । न विद्यते क्षितं क्षयः अत्रेति अक्षिता ऊतिः वृद्धिः यस्येति विग्रहः । इन्द्रस्य वृद्धिः प्रस्तुता स्मार्या । तस्मादूतिः वृद्धिरेवात्र न तु रक्षा । तस्येन्द्रस्य वृद्धर्न क्षयो भवति । सहस्रिणम्-वाजविशेषणम् । बहुविधबलगुणसम्पन्नः समृद्धिवाचको वाज: इह सोमात्मको भवति । सोऽप्य॑माण इन्द्रस्वीकारक्षमो भवति । तेन शतक्रतोरिन्द्रस्य विश्वेषां कर्मणां निर्वाहः स्यात् । ’यस्मिन्’ इन्द्रे ’विश्वानि पौंस्या’ इति एके प्राहुः । उभयथाऽपि सम्भवं पश्यामः । यस्मिन् ‘वाजे’ समृद्धौ सोमरसात्मिकायां विश्वानि ’पौंस्या’ बलानि प्रादुर्भवन्ति । यस्मिन् इन्द्रे विश्वानि कर्माणि आयत्तानि इति च समञ्जसम् ।

दशमीमृचमाह—

मा नो मर्ता अभि द्रुहन् तनूनामिन्द्र गिर्वणः। ईशानो यवया वधम् ॥१०॥
मा नः मर्ताः अभि द्रुहुन् तनूनाम् इन्द्र गिर्वणः ईशानः यवय वधम् ॥

गिर्वणः स्तुतिभिर्वननीय देव हे इन्द्र मर्ताः मनुष्याः नः अस्माकं तनूनाम् शरीराणां मा अभि द्रुहन् द्रोहं मा कार्युः। ईशानः ईश्वरः त्वं वधम् नाशं यवय पृथक्कुरु ॥

मरणधर्मभ्यो विरोधिभ्यः विपत्तिाभूदस्मदीयानां देहानाम् । शरीरगतं ’वधं’ अपि पृथक्कतुं समर्थ ईश्वरस्त्वम् । अयमृगर्थः। अत्रेदं रहस्यमवधेयम् । तच्च तृतीयपादे निक्षिप्तम् । यौतिः पृथग्भावे तस्माणिचि ‘यवय’ (पृथक्कुरु) इति रूपम् । शरीरस्य नश्वरता इह वधापरपर्याय-हिंसया लक्षिता ।

शरीराद्वधं पृथक्कर्तुमिन्द्र एव प्रभुरित्युक्तम् । सदसतो: अमरण-मरणधर्मयोः मिश्रितयोराश्रयभूतादेहात् मृत्युलक्षणभूतं सर्व वधं, वधस्य आपादयितारं वा, मानुषममानुषं वा पृथक्कृत्य अपसारयितुमीश्वर इन्द्रोऽत्र प्रार्थितः ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे दशमो वर्ग:
इति प्रथमाध्याये द्वितीयानुवाके द्वितीयं सूक्तम्

द्वितीयानुवाकस्य तृतीयं ’युअन्ति’ इति दशर्च सूक्तम् । ऋषिच्छन्दोदैवतानि पूर्ववदवगन्तव्यानि। अस्मिन् सूक्ते ’आ दह’ इत्येतां चतुर्थीमारभ्य षडचो मारुत्यः । तासु मध्ये ’वीळुचित्’ ’इन्द्रेण’ इत्येते द्वे ऋचौ मारुत्यौ सत्यौ ऐन्द्यावपि भवतः । इदं सर्वमनुक्रमणिकोक्तमुदाहृतं सायणभाष्ये । परमार्थपरेऽस्मिन् व्याख्याने कर्मसु विनियोगः सविस्तरं नोदाहियते । आवश्यकस्थलेषु ईषन्मात्रं सूच्यते ॥

तत्र प्रथमामृचमाह—

युञ्जति नमरुषं चरन्तं परि तस्थुषः। रोचन्ते रोचना दिवि ॥१॥
युञ्जन्ति ब्रनम् अरुषं चरन्तम् परि तस्थुषः रोचन्ते रोचना दिवि ॥

बध्नम् महान्तं अरुषम् आरोचमानम् चरन्तम् गच्छन्तं (न तु तिष्ठन्तम्) परि तस्थुषः परित: तस्थिवांसः स्थिताः युञ्जन्ति सम्बन्धयन्ति । दिवि द्युलोके रोचना रोचनानि ज्योतींषि रोचन्ते दीप्तानि भवन्तीत्यर्थः ॥

प्रथमं केवलपदार्थो दत्तः । तात्पांनुनारेण पदार्थो दास्यते । ततः प्राक्, ईषन्मात्र पूर्वेषां व्याख्या पालोचनीया, येन वक्ष्यमाणस्य तात्पर्यस्योपपत्ति: सुगमा स्यात् । बन्न:-इदं पदं महन्नामसु पठितम् । ब्रनं महान्तमिति पदार्थमनुतवा आदित्यं इति सावणव्याख्या। सर्वत्र सामान्यतः पदार्घ उक्तवैव सन्दर्भमनुसृत्य तात्पर्यमाविष्करोति, अान्तरं वा ब्रवीति सायणः । यथा वा-’वनस्य महतोऽने:’ (३-७-५) ’नं महान्तं वभुं अवम् (७-४४-३) ’अघि बन्नस्य विस्तृतस्य (अश्मनः) उपरि (८-४-१३) ’उद्यद् अन्नस्य विष्टपं महत् (आदित्यत्य) न्यानम् (८-५८-७) ’बन्नो यामः, महान् रय:’ (१०-२०-९) । अन्तिमोदाहरणे याम इति विशेष्यं मन्त्र एव पठितम् । अत्र युञ्जन्तीति अत्यामृ चि अन्यत्र क्वचिच्च आदित्यपपांयतया बन्नपदं गृहीतं सायणीयव्याख्यायाम् । । ’ब्रघ्नमादित्यं अरुषमग्निं चरन्तं वायुम् इति ब्राह्मणवाक्यवलेन तथा कृतम् । अनुक्रमणिकायामयं ऐन्द्रो मन्त्र इत्युक्तम् । तहिं कथमनेन ब्राह्मणवाक्यं सङ्गच्छेत? इन्द्र एव आदित्याग्निवायुरूपेणावस्थित इत्युपपादितम् ।

ब्रनम्-विकल्पबहुला व्युत्पत्तिः ’वन्ये ब्रधिबुधी च’ इत्युणादिसूत्रेण नक्प्रत्यय: बन्चेबघिरादेशश्चेत्येके ।

अरुषम्-हिंसा द् रुषबातोनिष्पन्नं अहिंसकम् अग्निमित्याचष्टे सावणः । बहुषु स्थलेषु आरोचमानमित्येव भवत्यन्य व्याख्या। आपूर्वकाद् दौत्यर्थकाद् रुशतेनिष्पादयति स्कन्दस्वामी, आङो ह्रस्वत्वं शकारस्य षञ्च भवत: । अरुषपदस्य आरोचमानत्वं प्रायः सर्वत्र सर्वेऽपि व्याख्यातारोऽभ्युपगच्छन्ति ।।

तत्युषः-विभक्तिव्यत्ययेन तस्थिवांस इति प्रथमावहुवचनान्तं पदं सायण-व्याख्यानुसारतः । युक्तमेतत् ॥

अघ अर्थविचारः समासतः क्रियते । युञ्जन्ति युगयुगन्धरयोजनेन रचं युक्तं सुसम्वद्धं कुर्वन्ति । न च रथो विशालो रोचमानञ्च भवति । सामथ्यात् ’चरन्तं’ रयम् । परितोऽवस्थिताः नित्यसूरयस्तत्र स्थिराः चरन्तं रधं सन्नद्धं कुर्वन्ति । तथा रघसन्नाहे क्रियमाणे सति धुलोके ज्योतिर्मयानि ऊर्ध्वस्थानानि भुवनानि वा रोचमानानि लक्ष्यन्ते । अन्तरांनुसारेण तात्पर्य पुरस्ताद् वक्ष्यते ॥

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

युञ्जन्त्यस्य काम्या हरी विपक्षसा रथे। शोणा धृष्ण नुवाहसा ॥२॥
युञ्जन्ति अस्य काम्या हरी इति विऽपक्षसा रथे शोणा धृष्णू धृष्ण इति नृऽवाहसा ॥

अस्य हरी अस्येन्द्रस्य अश्वौ (कर्म) रथे ब्रन्नादिगुणविशिष्टे पूर्वोक्ते रघे युञ्जन्ति योजयन्ति रघयुक्तौ विदधते । के ? पूर्वोक्ताः परित: स्थिताः (नित्यसूरयो द्युन्यानाः)। कीडझौ हरी ? काम्या कमनीयौ कामयितन्यौ वा । अन्यानि हर्यो विशेषणानि चत्वारि भवन्ति । विपक्षसा विपन्नौ वामवामेतरभेदेन विभिन्नौ रघपक्षौ ययोस्ती, रघस्य पार्श्वद्वये युक्तावित्यर्थः। शोणा रक्तवर्णी, धृष्णू घृष्टी, नृवाहसा नरं नेतृत्वबलान्यं देवं वहन्ती, [नृपदं देवं मानुषं वा पुरुष अभिवत्ते इदं बलोपलक्षणम् ] ।।

प्रथमत्वामृचि विशालस्य रोचिष्मत इन्द्ररथस्य सन्नाहः प्रोक्तः । अस्यां तु कमनीययोधृष्टयोबलवाहयोरिन्द्राश्चयो रघयोग उक्तः । उभयत्रापि कार्यनिर्वाह: पर्यवस्थितैः स्थिरैदिविषद्भिः सूरिभिर्मवति । एवं पूर्वाने साघिते, इन्द्र एवाविर्मवतीति तृतीयस्यां उच्यते । स किं कुर्वन् प्रादुर्भवति ? ।।

तृतीयामृचमाह—

केतु कृण्वन्न केतवे पेशो मर्या अपेशसे। समुपद्भिरजायथाः ॥३॥
केतुम् कृण्वन् अकेतवे पेश: मर्याः अपेशसे सम् उपत्ऽभिः अजायथाः॥

हे मर्याः हे मर्य बलाझ्य, त्वं अकेतवे अविद्यमानप्रज्ञानाय तादयें चीं केतुम् प्रज्ञानं कृण्वन् कुर्वन् अपेशसे अविद्यमानरूपाय पेशः स्पं (कृण्वन् ) सम् सम्भूव उपद्भिः प्रज्ञानप्रभातरश्मिभिः अजायथाः जातोऽसि प्रज्ञामयानां दैवतांशु-भूतानां सङ्गतानां सहायानां उदयेन त्वं प्रादुरभरित्यर्थः ।।

मर्य:-बलार्यकाः शब्दाः प्रायदो हितार्थक्यातृभ्यो निष्पन्ना भवन्ति । दक्षपदं बलार्थे दंशते: दंसतेः दसयतेर्वेत्याहुः । शत्रूणां मारयितृत्वात् मर्य: बलवान् । ’स हि क्रतु: स मर्य:’ (१-७७-३) इत्यत्र सायणव्याख्याऽपि इममर्थ समर्थयति । अन्यत्र च शतशो मर्यपदं बलद्योतकं प्रयुक्तं लक्षणीयम् । अत्र ’मर्य’ इति इन्द्रसम्बोधनम् । रथे सन्नद्धे तत्र अश्वयोर्योगे च साधिते प्रज्ञामयदैवतांशुभिः सम्भूयोदिते, इन्द्रः प्रादुर्भूत: । स प्रसन्नो ऋषेदृष्टिगोचरोऽभवदित्यर्थः। तां च दृष्टिं स एव ऋषये ददाति । अत एव ’केतुं कृण्वन्’ इत्याह । केतु: अन्तर्बोधाज्जायमानं प्रज्ञाचक्षुः । एवं इन्द्रप्रसादलब्धं प्राज्ञं अन्तश्चक्षुर्नालं स्थैर्येण दिव्यदर्शनेऽवस्थातुम् । तादृशस्य दिव्यदर्शनकर्मणः किमप्यधिकरणं अपेक्षित भवति । तत्तु नेदं पार्थिव शरीरं भवितुमर्हति । यथा वाह्यचक्षुष आधारो बाह्यो देहः, तथा आन्तरस्य प्रज्ञाचक्षुषोऽपि तद्युक्तं शरीरं नियताय आश्रयणाय अवश्यं भवति। तच्च सामान्यतो मानुषे जने पार्थिवदेहे जडीभूतप्रज्ञे मिश्रित मग्नं निलीनं अत एव अनभिव्यक्तं भवति । तदेव रूपपदलक्षितं सूक्ष्मं दिव्य-दृष्टियोग्यं शरीरं अभिव्यक्तं कुर्वन् प्रकाशाऽभवदिन्द्र इत्यर्थः ।

अथेदमवधातव्यम् । रथो गतिविशेष: दिव्य: विस्तृतो रोचमानश्च भवति । तमधितिष्ठतीन्द्रः। तद्युक्ती हरी अपि दीप्तौ अश्वौ विशेषतो बलवाहिनौ । ऋक्संहितायां इन्द्राश्वगुणवर्णनपरैर्वचनैः हर्यो: स्वरूपं सामान्यतोऽवगन्तुं शक्यम् । इमौ अन्तर्दर्शनशक्तिविशेषौ दिव्यौ प्रज्ञाविभवौ इति बोध्यम् । ’स्तवा हरी सूर्यस्य केतू’ (२-११-६) ’केता’ ’द्युक्षा’ इत्यपि इन्द्राश्वौ वर्येते। इमौ प्रथमं ऋषेर्दि-वागात्मना मन्त्रेण युक्तौ भूत्वा तत: परं इन्द्राधिष्ठानभूते रथे युक्ती अत एव बहुषु मन्त्रवर्णेषु ब्रह्मयुजौ हरी इन्द्रस्य गीतौ। ’आ तिष्ठ वृत्रहन् रथं युक्ता ते ब्रह्मणा हरी’ (१-८४-३) ’ब्रह्मणा ते ब्रह्ययुजा युनज्मि हरी सखाया’ (३-३५-४) ’एहि हरी ब्रह्मयुजा शग्मा वक्षत: सखायम् । गीर्भि: श्रुतं गिर्वणसम् (८-२-२७) ॥’ एवमन्येऽपि भवन्ति मन्त्रवर्णाः, यैन केवलं इन्द्राश्वस्वरूपं गूढमगूढं च प्रतिपाद्यते, किंतु इन्द्राश्वप्रसादद्वारा दिव्यदृष्टयादि-सम्पत्तये महर्षीणां ब्रह्मपदवाच्यमन्त्रात्मा हार्दवागेव साधनमभूदिति अवगम्यते । भवतः ।

अथेन्द्रप्रादुर्भावात्परं तत्कार्यस्य मरुतां साहाय्यमपेक्षितं भवति । मरुतश्च चण्डवेगानां दीप्तानां धीवृत्तीनां दिव्यगतिविधायिनो देवविशेषाः । दिव्यमनस्साम्राज्य इन्द्रस्येति प्रागस्माभिः प्रतिपादितं स्मार्यम् । तत्र परिपक्वस्य ऋषेप्रवेशात् तद्वत्तीनां तत्र पुनर्जन्म भवति। इदं च मानुषे व्यष्टौ मरुतां द्वितीयं जन्म । प्रथमं तु सर्वेषां देवानामिव सृष्टौ समष्टौ स्वाधिकाराय भवति । इदं च मरुतां पुनर्जन्म इन्द्रजन्मन: परं भवति । अत एव इन्द्रज्येष्ठा मरुद्गणा इति प्रसिद्धिर्वेदे । इममेवार्थमाह ऋक् चतुर्थी । एवं पूर्वेषां मतमनुसृत्य मरुतां जन्मेत्युक्तम् । वस्तुतस्तु देवकामानां ऋषीणामेव दिव्यत्वप्राप्तये पुनर्जन्म तत् ।।

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

आदह स्वधामनु पुनर्गर्भत्वमेरिरे। दधाना नाम यज्ञियम् ॥ ४॥
आत् अह स्वधाम् अनु पुनः गर्भऽत्वम् आऽईरिरे दधानाः नाम यज्ञियम् ॥

आदह अनन्तरमेव (आत् इत्यानन्तर्ये अह इत्यवधारणे च निपातौ)। खधाम् अनु स्वधापदवाच्य-स्वीयधारणधर्मानुसारेण पुनः गर्भत्वम् पुनर्जनिष्य-माणशिशुभावम् एरिरे प्रापुः । के ? सामर्थ्यात् देवकामा ऋषयः। कीदृशाः ? यशियम् यज्ञार्ह नाम अभिधानं (देवताव्यक्तिबोधकं संज्ञात्मक) दधानाः धारयमाणाः ॥

स्वधाम्-स्वं दधाति धारयते, स्वभावधारणसमर्थी शक्तिः, ताम् । स्वभाव सर्वस्यापि विविधस्य सतः यो धारयते पोषयति वा स धर्म: स्वधापदवाच्यो भवति वेदे। एरिरे-आङ्पूर्वकस्य ईर गतौ इति धातो: लिटि रूपम् ।

इन्द्रप्रादुर्भावानन्तरमेव मरुतां जन्म । तच्च कथं पुनर्जन्मेति प्रागुक्तम् । इह तेषां स्वधारणसामर्थ्यरूप-धर्मानुसारि जन्मेत्युक्तम् ’स्वधामनु’ । तत्र तथाविधपुनर्जन्मलाभविषये स्वार्थतावर्ज देवार्थ क्रियमाणस्य अर्पणरूपस्य यज्ञाख्यस्य कर्मणः यद्युक्तं देवताप्रतिबोधकं रहस्यं पावनं’ नाम भवति, तस्य धारणं साधनं भवति ’दधाना नाम यज्ञियम्’ ।।

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

वीलु चिदारुजमुभिर्गुहा चिदिन्द्र वह्निभिः। अविन्द उस्रिया अनु ॥५॥
वील चित् आरुजत्नुभिः गुहा चित् इन्द्र वह्निऽभिः अविन्दः उस्रियाः अनु ॥

हे इन्द्र ! वीळुचित् दृढमपि (पर्वतादिस्थानम्) आरुजत्नुभिः भाद्भिः गुहाचित् गुहायामपि (गुप्तिस्थानेऽपि) वह्निभिः वोदृभिः (त्वां वोढुं समर्थ: लब्ध-दिव्यजन्मभिः सहायभूतैः) उस्रियाः गाः अनु अनुगम्य अविन्दः अलब्धाः ।।

वीलु–बीलयते: संस्तम्भनार्यान्निष्पन्नं बलनामसु पठितम् । आरुजनुभि:-हज भङ्गे इत्यन्मात् आपूर्वकाद् धातो: औणादिक-तनु-प्रत्यये परे तृतीया-बहुवचनान्तं पदम् । गुहा गुहा नमम्याडाददाः । उलियाः उस्राः कान्त्वाद् बटेनिप्पन्नाः (पन्ध न:), वननेरिति नायणीयम् । प्रज्ञानरश्मयो गाव उस्रियाः प्रोक्ताः ।।

ज्योतिईदां पूर्वोक्तमन्त्रार्यानुनारेण अतिमानुषभुवि पुनर्जन्मलाभे पणिभि-रपहतानां पर्वतगुहायां न्यापितानां गवां अधिगमाय इन्द्रनाहाव्ये प्रवृत्तिरुक्ता । तेषां पर्वतद दलक्षितन्य घनीभूतप्रज्ञन्य जडन्य भजने नामर्य, तत्र अन्धकारवन्धुरं गुहापदवाच्यं रहन्यन्यानं प्रविय, तत्रेन्द्र-नद्विभूतीर्वोढुं शक्तिञ्च प्रोक्ते। ईदृश: प्रभाव: कयं नमभवत् तेषामिति चेत् , इन्द्रााधिकारे गर्भसम्भवाद् देवकामास्ते कतंश्चमधिकृत्य इन्द्रप्रसादलभ्यं दिव्यावेदश्रवणं प्रतिपालयन्त उपतस्थिरे, अतोऽचमेषां विभव इति उत्तरत्र वक्ष्यते ।।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे एकादयो वर्ग:

देवयन्तो यथा मतिमच्छा विदद्वसुं गिरः। महामनूषत श्रुतम् ॥ ६ ॥
देवऽयन्तः यथा मतिम् अच्छ विदत्ऽवसुम् गिरः महाम् अनूषत श्रुतम् ॥

देवयन्तः देवकामा ऋषय: महाम् महान्तं श्रुतम् दिव्यावेश अतिगोचरं इन्द्रं अनूषत न्तृतवन्तः [ दिव्यवाणीश्रवणलाभात् ] । तत्र दृष्टान्तमाह । गिरः गृणन्त: स्तोतारः विदद्वसुम् वेदयतुं वेदयद्धनं मतिम् मन्तारं इन्हें अच्छ अभिमुखं यथा न्तुवन्ति (अनूषत) वसुलाभात्तघेति ॥

देवयन्तः-देवानान्मन इच्छन्तः, क्यच् । मतिम्-मतिशब्दो बुद्धिपरोऽपि उपचारादिन्द्रे बोद्धरि वर्तते। एवं गिरः न्तृतय: न्तोतृषूपचर्यते ।।

विदद्वसृम्—विदन्ति वेदयन्ति अन्तभ वितण्यर्थः ज्ञापयन्ति लम्भवन्ति वा ’मतिम् इन्द्रमात्मानं वसूनि धनानि वन्य तम् । वसु धनं ऐश्वर्य भवति । तत्त्व ज्ञानमयत्वाद् इन्द्रं ज्ञापयितुं साम मस्तीति तात्पर्यम् । अनूषत-णू स्तवने इति धातो: लुङि प्रथमपुरुषबहुवचनम् . गुणाभावः छान्दनः, तथा आत्मनेपदं च ।।

अयं मन्त्राों भवति-यथा स्तोतारः स्ववैभवप्रापकदिव्यधनयुक्तं इन्हें स्तुतिभि: उपतिष्ठन्ते, तथा प्रत्यग्रजन्मानो ज्योतिर्दशिन इन्द्रकामा इन्द्रात् श्रुति लभमानास्तं दिव्यावशवाणीश्रवणगोचरमुपासत इति। अघ प्राधान्येन प्राणपद-मचितिष्ठतां क्रियाशक्तिपराणामपि ऐन्द्रतेजोक्लदीपितानां येषां मरुतां साहाय्य-मत्वन्तमुपयुक्तमभूत् पर्वतभजनादौ, तेषामधुना समुदायेन गणरूपतया स्तृतिर्भवति ।

सप्तमीमृचमाह—

इन्द्रेण सं हि दृक्षसे सञ्जम्मानो अबिभ्युषा । मन्दू समानवर्चसा ॥ ७ ॥
इन्द्रेण सम् हि दृक्षसे सम्ऽजग्मानः अबिभ्युपा । मन्दू इति समानऽवर्चसा ॥

हे मरुद्गण ! त्वं इन्द्रेण सजग्मानः सङ्गच्छमान: संवादसम्पन्नो युक्त इति यावत् , सन्दक्षसे हि सम्यग् दृश्यसे । कीडशेन्द्रेण ? अविभ्युषा भयवर्जितेन । युवां इन्द्रो मरुद्गणश्च मन्दू मुदितौ समानवर्चसा तृल्यदीप्ती [भवधः] ॥

दृक्षसे-लिङर्थे प्रार्थनायां लेट् इति सायणीयम् । ’दृश्यसे’ इति कर्मणि लडेव स्कन्दस्वामीये। युक्तमेतत् , प्रत्यक्षकृतो ह्ययम् । मन्दू-मन्दतेमोंदनार्थत्येदं रूपम् ॥ सजग्मानः-सम्पूर्वाद्गम: लिट: कानच् । अविभ्युषा-विभेते: वसुः, अन्यत् छान्दमम् ।।

एवं इन्द्रेण सङ्गतस्य तत्तुल्यतेजसो मुदितस्य मरुद्गणस्य सन्दर्शनात् सम्प्राप्तद्युतिविशेष ऋषिर्यज्ञकारी बलवडचमुच्चारयतीति वक्ष्यते ।।

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

अनवद्यैरभियुभिर्मुखः सहस्वदति। गणैरिन्द्रस्य काम्यैः ॥ ८ ॥
अनवद्यैः अभिद्युऽभिः मुखः सहस्वत् अर्चति गणैः इन्द्रस्य काम्यैः ॥

मखः यज्ञकारी (तत् करोति तदाचष्टे, मखपति यज्ञं करोति) अर्चति स्तौति कचमुच्चारयति । कथम् ? सहस्वत् बलवत् वीर्यवद्यया भवति तथा (अर्चति) कीदृशः सन् ? गणैः मरुद्गणैः उपेत: (प्रसादात्तेषामावेशाद्वा तैर्युक्त इत्यर्थः) कीदृशैर्गणैः ? अनवद्यैः दोषरहितैः शुभैरित्यर्थः (धोवृत्तीनां दिव्य-भावमापन्नानां अत एव लब्धपुनर्जन्मनां दिव्यमनोमयसम्राज इन्द्रस्य साहाय्ये वर्तमानानां मरुतां निष्कलङ्कत्वमुपपन्नम् ) । पुन: अभिद्युभिः अभितः (मखं यज्ञकारिणं) प्राप्ता द्युलक्षिता द्युतिः येषां तैः । पुनश्च, इन्द्रस्य काम्यैः इन्द्रस्य स्पृहणीयैः, प्रियैरित्यर्थः ।।

अर्थाविष्कार एव विशिष्टशब्दनिर्वचनं दत्तम् , तेन तात्पर्यबोधाय द्वारं च कृतम् ॥

ऋषिर्यजमानः स्वीयामर्चनविधां मरुदणसहितेन्द्रप्रसादलब्धां विस्रम्भेण गायन् , सर्वतोऽपि इन्द्रसान्निध्यं प्रार्थयत उत्तरे मन्त्रे ॥

नवमीमृचमाह—

अतः परिज्मन्नाहि दिवो वा रोचनादधि । समस्मिन्नुजते गिरः ॥९॥
अतः परिज्मन् आ गहि दिवः वा रोचनात् अधि सम् अस्मिन् ऋञ्जते गिरः ॥

परिज्मन् परितो गामिन् [सर्वव्यापिन् इत्यर्थः, परि-उपसर्गस्य अज-धातोः रूपम् , मनिन्प्रत्यय:] हे इन्द्र ! अतः अस्मान्मध्यमादन्तरिक्षस्थानात् आगहि आगच्छ दिवो वा द्युलोकाद्वा, रोचनादधि रोचमानात् दीप्तात् ततोऽप्यूज़लोकाद्वा आगच्छ (सर्वत्र व्यापकत्वात् , तत्तत्स्थानविभवसम्पन्नस्य इन्द्रस्य आगमनं ऋषेर्दिव्याभ्युदयपोषकं भवति)। अस्मिन् मदीये अन्तर्यजने कर्मणि, [अयं मधुच्छन्दाः] गिरः स्तुतीः मन्त्रवाच इत्यर्थः, समृञ्जते प्रसाधयति, उजवलाः करोति ॥

प्राधान्येनास्मिन् ऐन्द्रे सूक्ते, विस्पष्टा इन्द्रस्तुतिरन्ते भवति ।।

दशमीमृचमाह–

इतो वा सातिमीमहे दिवो वा पार्थिवादधि । इन्द्र महो वा रजसः ॥१०॥
इतः वा सातिम् ईमहे दिवः वा पार्थिवात् अधि । इन्द्रम् महः वा रजसः॥

इतो वा अस्माकं सन्निहितात् पृथिवीम्थानाद्वा सातिम् लब्धि सम्भजनीयं प्राप्तव्यमित्यर्थः। ईमहे प्रार्थयामहे । न च प्राप्तव्य इन्द्र एव भवति। इन्द्रम प्राप्तव्यतया ईहामहे । तस्य त्रैलोक्याधिराज्यत्वात् इतो वा स प्राप्यो भवति । पार्थिवादधि दिवो वा पृथिवीसम्बन्धिनो द्युलोकाद्वा, महो रजसो वा महतो-ऽन्तरिक्षलोकाद्वा तं प्राप्तव्यमिन्द्रमीहामहे ।

व्याख्यातं युञ्जन्तीति सूक्तम् । अनुक्रमणिकोक्तप्रकारेण ऐन्द्रमारुतऋचौ द्वे मारुत्यश्चतस्रश्च ऐन्द्यश्चतस्रञ्च व्याख्याताः । दार्चेऽस्मिन् ऋचां पूर्वो तर सम्बन्धः प्रदर्शितः । रहस्यगर्भितमिदं स्थूलपक्षव्याख्यातॄणामाविष्कारनये शुष्कभावं संवृत्तम् । नेष्यते तत्तात्पर्य परीक्षा । अस्ति त्वस्माकमिह वक्तव्यम् ॥

बह्वस्ति रहस्यमस्मिन् गाडं कामतो निक्षिप्तमृषिणेति वक्तव्यम् । इदं च प्रबलं निदर्शनं भवति प्रागस्माभिभूमिकायां आर्ष रहस्यमधिकृत्य प्रतिपादितस्यार्थस्य । ’इदं च रहस्यं ऋषीणां विदितं, तच्छिष्याणां च। ये च गुरुभ्यो महर्षिभ्यो दीक्षा लब्ध्वा अन्तरङ्गशोधनसाधनादिभिः अन्तर्यजनाय शिक्षिताः ।’ इत्यादि ह्युक्तम् । अत्र गवाश्वकेत्वादिपदानि साङ्केतिकानि द्वयर्थानि वा पदानि परिचितान्यस्माकमधुना न कष्टप्रदानि भवन्ति। तथाऽपि रहस्यं सूक्ते स्पष्टुं विचारपूर्वकं निहितमिति वक्तुं वाक्यान्येवालम् ॥

प्रथमस्यामृचि ’युञ्जन्ती’त्याह । के? कर्तृपदं नोक्तम् । ’परि’ ’तस्थिवांसः’ इति विभक्तिव्यत्ययेन गृहीतमपि विशेषणमेव तत् , विशेष्यस्य स्वरूपमनुक्तवा शिष्यशिक्षार्थ अन्तर्याजिनो बोधाय वा विसृष्टम् । ’चरन्तम्’ अत्रापि कम् ? इति नोक्तम् । द्वितीयस्यामपि कर्तृपदमध्याहृतं तत्तु सुलभं प्रथमर्गपेक्षया। तृतीयस्यां, ’उषद्भिः’ कैः इन्द्रजन्म? नोक्तम् । चतुर्सा, के ’पुनर्गर्भत्वमेरिरे’? पञ्चम्यां ’आरुजनुभिः’ वह्निभिः कैः इन्द्रस्य गोलाभः ? षष्ठया, के ’देवयन्त:’ देवकामाः महान्तं श्रुतं नुतवन्त: ? सप्तम्यां, कः सम्बोध्यते इन्द्रेण सह सन्दृश्यमानः, तेन ’समानवर्चा:’ ? अष्टम्यामपि कण्ठतो नोक्तं ’इन्द्रस्य काम्या गणाः’ के? इति । नवम्यां, ’परिज्मन्’ इति कस्यामन्त्रणम् ? दशम्यामेव स्पष्टमुक्तमिन्द्रं ’ईमहे’ इति ।

अस्य सर्वस्योत्तरं वचनं उद्देशपूर्वकमेवान्तर्निधाय गोपितं वाक्यविदैव साक्षात्कृतधर्मणा महर्षिणा मधुच्छन्दसेति ब्रूमहे । एवमपि तत्र तत्र ऋक्षु स्पष्टान्यस्पष्टानि वा लिङ्गानि क्षिप्तानि । तेषां परीक्षणेन प्राचीनैः कृतं दैवतनिर्णय आधारीकृत्य बृहद्देवतानुक्रमणिकादयः प्रवृत्ताः । बहुषु स्थलेषु पूर्वेषामेव देवतनिर्णये मतभेदः सन्देहो विवादश्च दृश्यन्ते। इदं च पर्यालोचनीयम् । आद्यानां मन्त्रद्रष्टुणां तदपेक्षया अर्वाचीनानां श्रौतकल्पादिसूत्रकाराणां च युगान्तरकालभेद एव कारणं भवति देवतादिविषयकविचिकित्सायाः । प्राधान्ये-नान्तर्यागसम्बन्धिनो हि मन्त्राः। तेषां बहिर्यागोपयोगाय भावमाविष्कर्तुमुद्यताः, तत्राप्यर्वाचीनाः मन्त्रप्रतिपादितदेवता अत्यन्तस्थूलदृष्टया निरणैषुरिति नात्र चित्रम् । अत एव सामान्येन मन्त्रार्थविचारे विशेषतोऽन्तर्यांगानुरोधेन क्रियमाणे, मन्त्रार्थस्य कात्यायनादिभिरुक्ताया देवतायाश्च उभयो लक्ष्यते संवाद: । अस्मिन्नेव ’युअन्ति’ इति सूक्ते ’देवयन्तः’ इत्यादिमन्त्रेषु विस्पष्टं विसंवादो भवति । यद्यपि यावत् शक्यं यथासम्भवं अनुक्रमणिकाकारमेव देवताप्रतिपादनविषयेऽनुसरामः, क्वचित् स्पष्टं अयुक्तस्थलेषु विप्रतिपन्नाः स्मः । तरमादरविन्दश्रीचरणानामाशयमवलम्ब्य अन्तरर्थपरेऽस्मिन् विवरणे ’देवयन्तः’ इति मन्त्रे मरुतो देवता इति नाङ्गीकृताः । तथा ’अत: परिज्मन्’ इत्यत्र न मरुद्गण आमन्त्रित: । अन्यत् सर्व व्याख्यायामुक्तम् ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे द्वादशो वर्ग:

द्वितीयेऽनुवाके चतुर्थ ’इन्द्र’ इत्यादिकं दशर्च सूक्तम् । ऋषिच्छन्दोदेवताः पूर्ववत् ।

तत्र प्रथमामृचमाह—

इन्दुमिद्गाथिनो बृहदिन्द्रमर्केभिरविणः। इन्द्रं वाणीरनूषत ॥१॥
इन्द्रम् इत् गाथिनः बृहत् इन्द्रम् अर्केभिः अर्किणः। इन्द्रम् वाणी: अनूषत ॥

गाथिनः सामगायिन: [गाथा एषां सन्ति, गायतेर्गाथा] इन्द्रम् इत् इन्द्रमेव बृहत् बृहता सामा [’त्वामिद्धि हवामहे’ इति प्रसिद्धेन बृहत्सामा] अनूषत स्तुतवन्तः। अर्किणः ऋग्भिः स्तोतारो होतारः अर्केभिः अझै: ऋग्रूपैमन्त्रैः इन्द्र एव ’अनूषत’ । इन्द्रम् वाणीः वाचः अवशिष्टाः सर्वाः यजूंषीत्यर्थः, विभक्ति-व्यत्ययेन यजुर्भिः सामर्थ्यांदध्वर्यवः इन्द्रमेव ’अनूषत’ ।

ऋक्संहितायामवैव प्रथमं ऋग्यजुस्सामात्मिका वयी, तस्या उपयोक्तारः क्रमशो होतध्वयूँगातार इति सूचितम् ।

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

इन्द्र इद्धर्योः सचा संमिश्ल आ वचोयुजा । इन्द्रो वजी हिरण्ययः ॥२॥
इन्द्रः इत् होः सचा सम्ऽमिश्लः आ वच:ऽयुजा इन्द्रः वज्री हिरण्ययः॥

इन्द्रः इत् इन्द्र एव होः अश्वयोः, अश्वाभ्यामिति तृतीयार्थे । सह आ आगच्छति। कीदृशः ? संमिश्लः संमिश्रः लकारश्छान्दसः। सर्वेषां वस्तूनां सम्यमिश्रयिता योजयितेति यावत् । कीदृशोर्हो: ? वचोयुजा वचोयुजोः वचोयुग्भ्यां । सुविनीतौ अश्वौ स्वामिन इन्द्रस्य वचनमात्रेण स्वयं युज्येते, इति स्थूल व्याख्यानं पूर्वेषाम् । अस्माकं तु न चतुष्पात्पशुरश्वः, तत्रापि विशेषतो ’इन्द्रस्य हरी’ प्रति किमु वक्तव्यम् दीप्तिविशिष्टप्राणबलसङ्केताविति ? तस्मात् वचोयुजा ’ब्रह्मयुजा’ इति ग्राह्यम् । ’युञ्जन्त्यस्य काम्या हरी’ इत्यस्या ऋचो व्याख्यानमवधेयम् । पुनः कीदृगिन्द्रः ? इन्द्रो वज्री वज्रोपेतः हिरण्ययः हिरण्मयः स्वर्णप्रभोजवल इत्यर्थः ।

मिश्रणम् मिश्रः, समीचीनो मिश्रो यस्य सः संमिश्रः । इन्द्र आगच्छति। स हरिद्वयसहितः सर्ववस्तुसम्यक्संयोजनकारी, तस्याश्वौ ब्रह्मपदवाच्य-मन्त्रवाग्युक्तौ । वृतभिदा वज्रेणोपेत: हिरण्योजवल आगत्य किं करोति ?

तृतीयामृचमाह—

इन्द्रो दीर्घाय चक्षस आ सूर्य रोहयढिवि। वि गोभिरद्रिमैरयत् ॥३॥
इन्द्रः दीर्घाय चक्षसे आ सूर्यम् रोहयत् दिवि वि गोभिः अदिम् ऐरयत् ॥

इन्द्रः दीर्घाय दूरगामिने शाश्वताय प्रौढाय वा चक्षसे दर्शनाय सूर्य (सर्वस्यापि जगतः) प्रेरकम् , सूर्यसङ्केतितं ऋतज्योतिरित्यर्थः । दिवि चुलोके आरोहयत् आरोपितवान् । म इन्द्रः गोभिः स्वीयैः रश्मिभिः अद्रिम् अदिशब्द-लक्षितं तमोमयं जडं जगत् व्यैरयत विभिन्नं यथा तथा ऐर यत् , व्यभेत्सीदित्यर्थः ।

चक्षम-दर्शनार्थात् चक्षेः, सर्वधातुभ्योऽसुन् । ऐरयत्-ईर गतौ ण्यन्तात् लुङ्ग । सूर्यम्-पू प्रेरणे, सुवति प्रेर यति. धात्वादे: षस्य मः, सर्वस्यापि प्रेरक: सूर्य: प्रसिद्धः, कधं तं प्रेरयतीन्द्रः ? यद्यपि देवास्सर्वेऽपि ज्योतिर्मया ऋतजाः ऋतनदः, तथाऽपि तत्र ज्येष्ठ इन्द्रः, ऋतज्योतिम्तु माक्षात्सूर्यात्मकं सूर्यवाच्यं भवति । तस्माद् यदा इन्द्रः स्वीयैदिव्यैः प्रज्ञारश्मिभिस्तमस्सर्व व्यपोहति, तदा ऋतज्योतिष: मन्ततदानं मम्भवति । अत एव दीर्घाय चक्षसे, वि--ऐरयत्’ ’वितत्य रश्मिभिः सूर्य यथा दिवि सर्वदा दर्शनक्षमं तथा उच्च स्थान प्रापयदित्युक्तम् । ’सदा पश्यन्ति सूर य: दिवीव चक्षुराततम्’ इत्युत्तरत्र मन्त्रोऽप्येवं नङ्गच्छते । इन्द्रमधिकृत्य प्रथमानुवाके द्वितीयसूक्तव्याख्याने समाख्यातमिति नेह विस्तर इप्यते ।

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

इन्दु वाजेपु नोऽव सहस्रप्रधनेषु च। उग्र उग्राभिरूतिभिः ॥ ४॥
च इन्द्र वाजेषु नः अब सहस्रऽप्रधनेषु च उग्रः उग्राभिः ऊतिभिः ॥

हे इन्द्र, उग्र अप्रधृप्य उग्राभिः अप्रष्याभिः ऊतिभिः रक्षाभिः वाजेषु ममृद्धिपु, [अस्माभिरधिगतासु, इतः परं प्राप्यमानास्वपि] नः अस्मान् अव रक्ष, यथा देवशत्रुभ्यो भीतिर्न भवति तथेति भावः । सहस्रप्रधनेषु च अत्यधिक-प्रकृष्टधनेषु लब्बेष्वपि नोऽव । ज्ञानवलादीन्यव प्रकृष्टानि धनानि अन्तर्याजिना-मृषीणाम् ।

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

इन्द्रं वयं महाधन इन्दुमभै हवामहे । युजं वृत्रेषु वज्रिणम् ॥५॥
इन्द्रम् वयम् महाऽधने इन्द्रम् अर्भे हवामहे युजम् वृत्रेषु वज्रिणम् ॥

वयं देवार्थ आत्मानं समर्पयन्तोऽनुष्टातारः इन्द्रं महाधने महत्यैश्वर्ये लब्धे लब्धव्ये वा, निमित्तसप्तमी। अर्मे तथा अल्पेऽपि इन्द्रम् हवामहे आह्वयामः । न केवलं सम्पत्तौ विपत्खपि तमेवाश्रयामह इति तृतीयपादेनोच्यते। वृत्रेषु बहुधा आवरकेषु शत्रुष्वसुरेषु प्राप्तेषु युजम् युक्तम् , अस्मासु कृतयोगं सहकारिणम् वज्रिणम् वृत्रवधसाधनेन वज्रेणायुधेनोपेतं इन्द्रमेवाह्वयामः । ’हवामह’ इत्याह्वानं च सर्वथा समाश्रयणम् ।।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे त्रयोदशो वर्ग:

अथ ’इन्द्रमिद्गाथिन’ इति सूक्ते षष्ठीमृचमाह—

स नो वृषन्नमुं चरुं सत्रादावन्नपावृधि। अस्मभ्यमप्रतिष्कुतः ॥ ६॥
सः नः वृषन् अमुम् चरुम् सत्राऽदावन अप वृधि । अस्मभ्यम् अप्रतिऽस्कुतः॥

सः तथाभूतस्त्वम् नः अस्मदर्थ हे वृषन् वर्षितः सर्वस्याप्यभीष्टस्य, हे सत्रादावन सत्रा सह युगपत् दावन् दात: ज्ञानेश्वर्यतेजोबलादे:, अमुम् पुरतो दृश्यमानम् चरुम् चरन्तं मेघं सततपरिचलत्प्राणमनोवृत्त्यात्मनाऽवस्थितं चित् तेजोबलाद्यावरकम् अप वृधि अपावृणु, उद्घाट्य प्रकाशय स्वात्मानम् , अस्मभ्यं अस्मदर्थ अप्रतिष्कुतः अप्रतिशब्दितः, दानशौण्डस्त्वं न कदापि ’न दास्यामि’ इति न: प्रतिवचनं ददासीत्यर्थः । अथवा त्वत्क्रियाविघातोपलक्षणं प्रतिवचनं न कुतोऽपि भवतीत्यर्थः। एवंविधं सायणीयं व्याख्यानम् । वस्तुतस्तु न केनापि छादयितुं शक्य इति वक्तव्यम् । स्कुञ् आवरणे इति नाविकरणी धातु: । प्रतिपूर्वकात्तस्मात् क्तः। ततो नञ् समास: । आवरकं चरुं अपावृणु, निरा-च्छादनो नित्यप्रकाशो भव नः इत्यर्थ: । ’ अस्कुनात् शरवृष्टिभिः’ बाणवर्षे: छादितवान् इत्यादिः प्रयोगः अद्यापि द्रष्टव्यः ।।

चरुम्-मेघनाम, पात्रेऽपि वर्तते क्वचित् । चरतेनिष्पन्नं, तस्मादुपपन्न-मन्तरर्थपरं व्याख्यानम् । सत्रादावन्-सत्रा सहार्थे, दवा दातरि, छान्दसं रूपम् । वृधिवृञ् वरणे, लोटि मध्यमपुरुषे धिरादेशः, छान्दसः ।।

सप्तमीमृचमाह—

तुओतु य उत्तरे स्तोमा इन्द्रस्य वज्रिणः। न विधे अस्य सुष्टुतिम् ॥ ७॥ ।
तुओऽतुले ये उत्ऽतरे स्तोमाः इन्द्रस्य वज्रिणः। न विन्धे अस्य सुऽस्तुतिम्।।

तुओ-तुजे प्रतिप्रेरणम् [तुजतिः यज्ञे वा दाने वेति पूर्वे, बलादानयोरपि वर्तते, त्वरयति प्रेरयतीत्यर्थेऽपि क्वचित् सा०. व्या०.। तस्मात् प्रेरणबलं, तदादानं वेति वयम् ] ये उत्तरे उत्कृष्टतराः स्तोमाः स्तोत्राणि मदीयानि प्रवर्तन्ते, तैः अस्य मम सन्निहितस्य वज्रिणः महापराक्रमद्योतकवज्रयुक्तस्य इन्द्रस्य सुष्टुतिम् सुष्ठु पर्याप्तां स्तुतिं न विन्धे न विन्दामि, न लभे ।

यदा यदा प्रेरणानि मामाविश्य स्तावयन्ति तदा तदा उक्तरोत्तराः श्रेष्ठाः स्तुती: करोम्येव । तथाऽपि वज्रबाहोरिन्द्रस्य वर्णने नालमिमाः स्तुतय इति मे मतिः इति भावः । विन्धे-विद्ल-लाभे दस्य व्यत्ययेन ध: छान्दस: ॥

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

वृषा युथेव वसगः कृष्टीरियोजसा। ईशानो अप्रतिष्कुतः ॥ ८ ॥
वृषा यथाऽइव वंसगः कृष्टीः इयर्ति ओजसा ईशानः अप्रतिऽस्कुतः ॥

वृषा इन्द्रः वर्षिता दिव्यानां कामानां कृष्टीः कर्षणपदलक्षितनित्योद्यम-शीलान् आर्यान् मनुष्यान् ओजसा वीर्यवत्तमेन खानुग्रहबलेन इयति प्राप्नोति, प्रेरयतीत्यर्थः । तत्र दृष्टान्तः । वंसगः यः वंसं वननीयं यथा तथा गच्छति, सः वननीयगतिः वृषा वृषभः यूथेव गोयूथानीव । यथा गवां यूथानि प्रविष्ट: बलिष्ठो बलीवर्दः तान् प्रेरयति तथा स चेन्द्रः ईशानः ईश्वरः, अप्रतिष्कुतः न केनापि छादयितुं शक्य:, अत एव नित्यप्रकाशः । अन्यत् प्रागुक्तम् ॥

नवमीमृचमाह—

य एकश्चर्षणीनां वसूनामिरज्यति। इन्दुः पञ्च क्षितीनाम् ॥ ९॥
यः एकः चर्षणीनाम् वसूनाम् इरज्यति । इन्द्रः पञ्च क्षितीनाम् ॥

यः इन्द्रः एकः समान: खयमेक एव चर्षणीनां चर्षण-कर्षण-अरणादि-प्रागुक्तलक्षणानां मनुष्याणां इरज्यति ईष्टे, ईश्वरो भवति, तथा वसूनां विविधानां धनानामपि इरज्यति ईश्वरो भवति, स इन्द्रः पश्च पञ्चानां, विभक्तिव्यत्यय: । क्षितीनाम् निवासस्थानानां ईश्वर इति शेषः ।।

चर्षणीनाम्-न केवलं मनुष्यसामान्यपरं ग्राह्यम् । यौगिकार्थानुसारेण ’आर्य: कृष्टिः’ इत्यादिवग्राह्यः । इरज्यति-ऐश्वर्यकर्मा । ’पञ्च क्षितीनाम्’ इत्यत्र पञ्चजनानां इति सायणीयम् । सर्वत्र पञ्चजनाः निषादपश्चमा इति व्याख्या । स्थूलपक्षानुसारेण अपि सन्दिग्धमिदम् । उपन्यस्तोऽयं विषयो भूमिकायाम् । क्षियतेर्निवासार्थस्य रूपं क्षितिः । क्षितयो निवासस्थानानि पृथिव्यादीनि पञ्च इत: पृथिवीमारभ्य उत्तरोत्तरं ऊर्ध्व सृष्टौ परिकल्पितानि भवन्ति। एवं त्रिलोकसंस्थानं, सप्तलोकसंस्थानं क्वचित् चतुर्व्याहृतिप्रतिपादितचतुर्लोक संस्थान चामनन्ति। यथा पृथिव्यस्तिस्र इति वेदे प्रतिपादिताः त्रैलोक्यसम्बन्धिनीः पृथुला भूमीरभिदधते, यत्रेयं नः पृथिवी स्थूला भूमिः प्रथमा भवति, तथा पञ्च क्षितयोऽपि पञ्च वासभूमय: यत्रेयं क्षितिर्नः प्रथमेति बोध्यम् ।। ।

दशमीमृचमाह—

इन्द्रं वो विश्वतस्परि हवामहे जनेभ्यः। अस्माकमस्तु केवलः ॥ १० ॥
इन्द्रम् वः विश्वतः परि हवामहे जनेभ्यः अस्माकम् अस्तु केवलः॥

भो यजमानाः, देवतानुग्रहसम्पादनप्रवृत्तान् प्रति सम्बोधनम्। वः युष्मदर्थ विश्वतः सर्वेभ्यः जनेभ्यः जातेभ्यः मनुष्येभ्यः प्राप्तजन्मभ्यो लोकेभ्योऽपि परि उपरि अवस्थितं इन्द्रम् हवामहे आहयाम: । स इन्द्रः अस्माकम् सर्वेषामनुष्ठातॄणां केवलः असाधारणः, अद्वितीयाराध्यः अनन्योपास्तिविषयभूतः अस्तु भवतु । इतरेभ्योऽप्यधिकमनुग्रहमस्माकं करोत्विति व्याख्यानमयुक्तम् । न तद्भक्ति-लक्षणम् । अल्पमनस्कता मधुच्छन्दसि महर्षावारोपिता भवति ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे चतुर्दशो वर्ग:
इति प्रथमे मण्डले द्वितीयोऽनुवाक:

तृतीयोऽनुवाकः चतुस्सूक्तात्मकः, तत्र प्रथमं ’एन्द्र सानसिम्’ इति दशर्च सूक्तम् । ऋषिच्छन्दोदेवताः पूर्ववत् ।। तत्र प्रथमामृचमाह—

एन्द्र सानसिं रयिं सजित्वानं सदासहम्। वषिष्टमूतये भर ॥१॥
आ इन्द्र सानसिम् रयिम् सऽजित्वानम् सदाऽसहम् वर्षिष्ठम् ऊतये भर ॥

हे इन्द्र ऊतये अस्मदभिवृद्धये रयिं धनं आभर आहर। नेदं साधारणं धनमिति ज्ञापयन्ति रयिविशेषणानि इमानि भवन्ति। सानसिम् सभ्भजनीयं (षणधातो: असिप्रत्ययनिपातः)। सजित्वानम् समानजयशीलं (समानस्य सभाव: जयते: वनिप्) सदासहम् सदा साहयितारं अभिभवप्रापकं शत्रूणामिति शेषः । वेर्षिष्ठम् प्रवृद्धं (वृद्धशब्दस्य वर्षादेशः, तत इष्ठन् ) । अत्र तेजोबलरूपं प्रार्थ्यते तत्तु सर्वस्यापि श्रेयस्कामस्य सम्भजनीयम् । प्रबलशत्रभिः तेजोबलविरोधिभिः समानं युद्ध्वा तान् जेतुं शीलं अस्य तेजोबलरूपस्य धनस्य, अत: ’सजित्वानम् रयिम्’। शत्रुजयपरिचयवान् ‘रयिः’ न तु अशिक्षित:, अतः ’वर्षिष्ठं रयिम्’ ।।

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

नि येन मुष्टिहत्यया नि वृत्रा रुणधामहै। त्वोतासो न्यर्वता ॥२॥
नि येन मुष्टिऽहत्यया नि वृत्रा कृणधामहै त्वाऽऊतासः नि अर्वता ॥

येन पूर्वोक्तलक्षणेन धनेन दिव्यतेजोबलेन वृत्रा आवरकतमोघनान् असुरान् शत्रून् नि नितरां मुष्टिहत्यया मुष्टिभिः प्रहरणेन निरुणधामहै निरुद्धान् करवाम वयम् । कीदृशो वयम् ? त्वोतासः त्वया रक्षिताः [ त्वद् इत्यत्र दकारलोपः छान्दसः, ऊतास: अवनिष्ठायां इडभावः, अन्यत् छान्दसम् ] पुनः कीदृशा वयम् ? नि नितरां अवता अश्वेन तल्लक्षितेन प्राणवलेन युक्ताः इति सहयोगलक्षणा तृतीया ॥

तृतीयामृचमाह—

इन्द्र त्वोतास आ वयं व घना ददीमहि। जयेम संयुधि स्पृधः ॥ ३॥
इन्द्र त्वाऽऊतासः आ वयं वजं घना दीमहि जयेम सम् युधि स्पृधः ॥

हे इन्द्र त्वोतासः त्वद्रक्षिताः वयम् वज्रम् दिव्यमायुधं घनीभूत-अरिष्ट-अनृतज्ञानादिभेदकं घना घनत्वेन, तृतीयाविभक्तिः भावप्रधानम् आददीमहि लभेमहि, युधि युद्धे स्पृधः स्पर्धमानान् शत्रून् सञ्जयेम सम्यग्जितवन्त: स्याम । वज्रम्-वज व्रज गती, रन्-प्रत्ययो निपात्यते। घना-वज्रविशेषणतया गृहीतं सायणीये। तत्रापि अस्मदीयतात्पर्यस्य न क्षतिः ॥

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

वयं शूरेभिरस्तृभिरिन्द्र त्वया युजा वयम् । सासह्याम पृतन्यतः॥४॥
वयम् शूरेभिः अस्तृऽभिः इन्द्रं त्वया युजा वयम् । ससह्याम पृतन्यतः ॥

हे इन्द्र वयं त्वदाराधका अन्तर्वांगानुष्ठायिन: शूरेभिः शूरैः शौर्ययुक्तैः अस्तृभिः दूरादेव आयुधप्रक्षेपणशीलै: (असु-क्षेपणे, तृन् ताच्छील्ये) शत्रुभिः सह युद्धे जेतारः स्यामेति शेषः। केचन देवद्विषो यागशत्रवः क्वापि निलीय दूराद्वा अस्त्राणि प्रयुञ्जते तान् प्रति इदमुक्तम् । कीदृशो वयं एवं जेतारो भवाम इति चेत् युजा त्वया युञ्जता युक्तेनास्मन्नित्यसहायेनेत्युक्तम् । तथाभूता वयं पृतन्यतः सेनामिच्छतः, सम्मुखीनं युद्धं कर्तुमिच्छतः शत्रूनपि ससह्याम अतिशयेन साहयेम अभिभवेम ॥

पृतन्यतः-पृतनामात्मन इच्छत:-क्यच् , आकारलोप: लट: शतरि, द्वितीयाबहुवचनान्तं रूपम् ॥

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

महाँ इन्द्रः परश्च नु महित्वमस्तु वज्रिणे। द्यौर्न प्रथिना शवः॥ ५॥
महान् इन्द्रः परः च नु महिऽत्वम् अस्तु वज्रिणे द्यौः न प्रथिना शवः ॥

महान् बृहत्स्वरूपः इन्द्रः परश्च उत्कृष्टोऽपि भवति । न केवलं स्वरूपेण बृहन्नयं, प्रभावेण सर्वोत्कृष्टश्च । नु पादपूरणः (बह्वर्थोऽयं निपातः) वज्रिणे वज्रयुक्ताय इन्द्राय महित्वम् महत्त्वं परत्वं च पूर्वोक्तं द्विविधं गुरुत्वं अस्तु भवतु । इदं च भक्तेन ऋषिणा भगवते कृतं मङ्गलाशासनम् । तस्मादुपपन्नमिदं स्वभाव-सिद्धमहत्त्वादिविशिष्टस्येन्द्रस्य स्तोत्रे। अद्यापि गुरुदेवाद्याराधने मङ्गलाशासन-सम्प्रदाय: जयवादो लौकिक इव सुप्रसिद्धः । द्यौन द्युलोक इव प्रथिना पृथुलत्वेन वैपुल्येन शवः दीप्तं बलं अस्येति शेषः, अस्तु जयत्विति वा अध्याहारः ॥

प्रथिना-प्रथिना, मकारलोपछान्दसः ।।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे पञ्चदशो वर्ग:

अथास्मिन् सूक्ते षष्ठीमृचमाह—

समोहे वा य आशंत नरस्तोकस्य सनितौ। विप्रासो वा धियायवः ॥६॥
सम्ऽओहे वा ये आशत नरः तोकस्य सनितौ विप्रासः वा धियाऽयवः ॥

ये नरः पुरुषाः समोहे सङ्ग्रामे, देववैरिभिः सहेति बोध्यम् । तोकस्य अपत्यस्य सनितौ वा लाभे वा आशत प्राप्तवन्तः, (अश् व्याप्तौ लुङि छान्दसं रूपम् ,) ये पुरुषा इन्द्रमाश्रयन्ते ते लभन्त इति शेषः । वा अथवा धियायवः प्रज्ञाकामाः विप्रासः विप्राः मेधाविन: ये इन्द्रं ’आशत,’ तेऽपि लभन्त इत्यर्थः । नरः पुरुषा देवा मनुष्या वा बलिन:। देवानां अपत्यलाभस्तु मनुष्ये स्वांशप्रादु-र्भावः । मनुष्याणामपि स्वान्तरे दैवतजन्मैव तोकपदवाच्यमपत्यं भवति । उभयथाऽपि अपत्यलाभप्रतिरोधकैर्विरोधिभिर्योद्धव्यमवश्यं भवति । अत: ’समोहे सङ्ग्रामे’ इति निघण्टुपठितमभ्युपगम्य व्याख्यातम् ।।

सप्तमीमृचमाह—

यः कुक्षिः सोमपातमः समुद्र इव पिन्वते । उर्वीरापो न काकुदः ॥ ७ ॥
यः कुक्षिः सोमऽपातमः समुद्रऽइव पिन्वते उर्वी: आप न काकुदः ॥

अस्येन्द्रस्य यः कुक्षिः उदरदेशः सोमपातमः अतिशयेन सोमरसस्य पाता, स समुद्र इव पिन्वते वर्धते, यथा समुद्रः अक्षयो गभीरो विपुलश्च भवति, सर्वसिन्धु-समागमेन विशेषत: पोषवान् लक्ष्यते, तथा इन्द्रकुक्षिः सर्वलोकरस-भूयिष्ठ: न कदाऽपि शुष्यति, सदा सिक्त आर्द्र एव भवति ’पिवि सेचने’ इति धातो: पिन्वति नुमागमः, औचित्यात् वर्धते इति पूर्वैर्व्याख्यातम् । इन्द्रकुक्षे-नित्यबृहत्त्वसोमसिक्तत्वबोधनाय उपमान्तरमाह-उर्वीरापो न काकुदः इति । ककुत् उच्छित: प्रदेशः शिखरभूत: ’अग्निर्मूर्धा दिवः ककुत्’ इत्याद्यवधेयम् । स च धुलोकः तत्सम्बन्धिन्यः काकुद: उर्वीः बृहत्यः आपो न आपः जलानीव, दिव्या आप इव बृहत्त्वं स्वभावसिद्धरसार्द्रत्वं च धत्ते कुक्षिरिति भावः । अत्र पूर्वे प्राहुः-’काकुत् जिह्वा’ इति निघण्टुपाठमालम्ब्य जिह्वासम्बन्धमास्योदकं यथा न कदा-चिदपि शुष्यति तथेन्द्रस्य कुक्षि: सोमपूरितो न शुष्यतीति ।।

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

एवा ह्यस्य सूनृता विरप्शी गोमती मही। पक्का शाखा न दाशुषे ॥ ८ ॥
एव हि अस्य सूनृता विऽरप्शी गोऽमती मही पक्का शाखा न दाशुषे ॥

एव हि एवं खलु वक्ष्यमाणप्रकारेण अस्य इन्द्रस्य सूनृता वाक् (प्रिय-सत्येति सामान्यवाद:) वस्तुतस्तु कल्याणी सत्या वाक् सम्पद्यत इति शेषः । ’चोदयित्री सूनृतानाम्’ इति मन्त्रस्य व्याख्याने प्रतिपादितम् । का सा सूनृता? मही भारतीति प्रसिद्धा इळासरस्वत्योः सहचरी ऋतज्योतिषो बृहत्त्वद्योतिनी, न केवलं महतीत्यर्थः, न विशेषणं कि तु विशेष्यम् , ’इळा सरस्वती मही’ इति भारतीपर्यायत्वात् । पुन: कीदृश्येषा मही इन्द्रसम्बन्धिनी सम्पन्ना भवति ? विरप्शी वैपुल्यवाहिनी महन्नामैतदिति बहुषु मन्त्रेषु सायणव्याख्या । विविधरपणशीला विविधोपचारवादिनीत्यादि दृश्यते। पुनश्च सा गोमती अंशुमती प्रज्ञाकिरणवती। अत्रोपमामाह-पक्का पक्वफला शाखा दाशुषे न यजमानाय यथा। पक्वफलगुच्छसम्पन्ना शाखा भोग्या यथा यजमानाय सन्तृप्तये भवति तथा इन्द्रकृते उक्तगुणसम्पन्ना भारती भवतीति भावः ॥

नवमीमृचमाह—

एवा हि ते विभूतय ऊतय इन्द्र मावते । सद्यश्चित्सन्ति दाशुषे ॥९॥
एव हि ते विऽभूतयः ऊतयः इन्द्र माऽवते सद्यः चित् सन्ति दाशुषे ॥

हे इन्द्र ! एव हि एवं महीपदवाच्यभारतीसमाश्रितः खलु त्वम् । ते तव विभूतयः विभवा ऐश्वर्यविशेषाः मावते मत्सदृशाय मद्विधायेत्यर्थः (अस्मच्छब्दात् छन्दसि वतुप) दाशुषे यजमानाय सद्यश्चित् सपद्येव ऊतयः सन्ति अस्मदभिवर्ध-नानि भवन्ति । अन्यथाऽपि व्याख्येयम् । अन्यथाऽपि व्याख्येयम्। ’एव हि’ एवं वक्ष्यमाणरीत्या खलु । ’ते विभूतयो मावते दाशुषे सद्यश्चित् ऊतयः सन्ति’ इति ।

दशमीमृचमाह—

एवा हास्य काम्या स्तोम उक्थं च शंस्या । इन्द्राय सोमपीतये ॥ १० ॥
एव हि अस्य काम्या स्तोमः उक्थम् च शंस्या इन्द्राय सोमपीतये ॥

एव हि एवं खलु अस्मदनुष्ठानप्रकारेणेत्यर्थः । अस्य इन्द्रस्य काम्या कामनायोग्ये स्पृहणीये प्रिये इत्यर्थः, स्तोमः उक्थम् च सामगानात्मकं ऋग्रूपं च शंस्या शंसनीये। किमर्थम् ? इन्द्राय इन्द्रार्थम् , सोमपीतये तदीयसोम-पानाय तदीयसोमस्वीकारः सर्वशिवङ्करः यजमानस्यपेस्तेजोबलवृद्धि-दैवतापत्य-लाभादये प्रभवति इति सूक्तमन्त्रार्थपर्यालोचनया दृढं भवेदित्यसंशयम् ।।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे षोडशो वर्ग:

तृतीयेऽनुवाके द्वितीयं ’इन्द्रेहि’ इत्यादिकं दशर्च सूक्तम् ऋषिच्छन्दोदेवताः पूर्ववत् ॥

तत्र प्रथमामृचमाह—

इन्द्रेहि मत्स्यन्धसो विश्वेभिः सोमपर्वभिः। महाँ अभिष्टिरोजसा ॥१॥
इन्द्र आ इहि मत्सि अन्धसः विश्वेभिः सोमपर्वऽभिः महान् अभिष्टिः ओजसा॥

हे इन्द्र एहि आगच्छ । अन्धसः अन्नैः सोमात्मकर्नोग्यैः (व्यत्ययेन तृतीया) मत्सि माद्य हृष्टो भव। विश्वेभिः सर्वैः सोमपर्वभिः सोममयानि रसभरितानि पर्वाणि अङ्गानि अवयवसन्धयो वा येषां तै: देवैः सह आगत्य सोमैः स्वीकृतैः प्रहृष्टो भवेत्यर्थः । ततः ओजसा स्पष्टेन बलेन महान् प्रभूतस्त्वं अभिष्टिः अभिगन्ता शत्रूणां भवसि । ओजसा-व्यक्तीभावार्थात् आर्जनार्थीद्वा उब्जतेर्धातो: ओजतेर्वा । अभिष्टि:--अभिपूर्वकात् इष-धातोः । इष्टिरिति भाव-प्रधानं पदं, तेन भविता लक्ष्यते। सोमपर्वभिः सोमरसपूर्णै: ’अन्धसः’ अन्नैरिति पूर्वेषां व्याख्या। पर्व पूरणे इति धात्वर्थानुसारेणेदं समर्थयन्ति । ’पर्व’ अङ्गं, तेन शरीरं, अवयवसन्धिश्च, द्विधाऽपि वेदे प्रयुक्तम् । तथा सायणव्याख्या च (१-६१-१२, ४-१९-९, ७-१०३-५, १०-१६३-६.) ।।

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

पो एमेनं सृजता सुते मन्दिमिन्द्राय मन्दिने । चर्कि विश्वानि चक्रये ॥२॥
आ ईम् एनम् सृजत सुते मन्दिं इन्द्राय मन्दिने चक्रिम् विश्वानि चक्रये॥

अन्तर्यागे प्रवृत्तान् सखीन् सम्बोधयति । ईम् पादपूरणाय । सुते अभिषुते अभिषवे समाप्ते निष्पीडिते रसे संस्कृते सति, एनम् मन्दिम् मोदमानं सोमं रसात्मानं इन्द्राय आसृजत अतिसृजत, अभ्युन्नयनार्थ दत्त । कीदृशम् मन्दिम् ? चक्रिम् साधुकार्यकरणशीलम् (करोतेरभ्यासः, किन् ताच्छील्ये, अन्यच्छान्दसम् ) कीदृशे इन्द्राय ? मन्दिने मोदहेतवे, मोदमानाय वा। पुनः कीहशे? विश्वानि चक्रये विश्वेषां कार्याणां । अन्तर्याजिना स्वानुभूति-रसार्पणेन स्वाभ्युन्नतये स्वस्मिन् स्रष्टव्यानि सर्वाणि समोद इन्द्रः स्रष्टा सानोति ।।

तृतीयामृचमाह—

मत्सा सुशिप्र मन्दिभिः स्तोमेभिर्विश्वचर्षणे । सचेषु सवनेष्वा ॥ ३ ॥
मत्स्व सुऽशिप्र मन्दिऽभिः स्तोमेभिः विश्वऽचर्षणे सचा एषु सवनेषु आ॥

सुशिप्र शोभनहनो, सुनस, वा (शिप्रं हनुसा वा) सुमुखेति दर्शनीयत्वं द्योतितं, मुखैकदेशेन मुखं लक्षितम् । विश्वचर्षणे (पश्यतिकर्माऽयं निघण्टुपठितः) विश्वदृष्टे, इन्द्र! मत्स्व मोदस्व, कान्तो भव वा, कैः ? मन्दिभिः स्तोमेभिः मोद-हेतभिः, कान्तिहेतुभिर्वा, अस्मदीयैः स्तोत्रैः । अथ च सचा सह त्वदीयैः विभूतिभूतैरन्यैर्देवैर्वा, इति शेषः, एषु सवनेषु अस्मदीयेषु यज्ञेषु देवाराधनेषु, आ आगत्य सन्निहितो भव । भो: विश्वदर्शिन् ! अस्माकं मदकरैः स्तोत्रैः हर्षित: कमनीयवदन: सन् अस्मदीयदेवताराधनकर्मसु अन्तर्यागेषु सन्निधिं कुरु, इति भावः ॥

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

असृग्रमिन्द्र ते गिरः प्रति त्वामुदहासत । अजोषा वृषभं पतिम् ॥४॥
असृग्रम् इन्द्र ते गिरः प्रति त्वाम् उत् अहासत अजोषाः वृषभम् पतिम् ॥

हे इन्द्र! ते तुभ्यं गिरः स्तुतीः असृग्रम् असृजं, सृष्टवानस्मि । (जकारस्य गकारः छान्दसः रुडागमश्च) ताश्च गिरः त्वां प्रति उदहासत स्वासिनं त्वां प्रति ऊर्ध्व गताः (ओहाङ् गतौ, लुङ्, छान्दसम्) अजोषाः सेवितवानसि, ताः स्तुती: (जुषी प्रीति-सेवनयोः, लङ् छान्दसम्)। कीदृशं त्वां गिरः उद्गत्य प्राप्नुवन् ? वृषभम् वर्षितारम् , पुनः कीदृशम् ? पतिम् पातारं रक्षकम् ।

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

सञ्चोदय चित्रमर्वाग्राध इन्द्र वरेण्यम्। असदित्ते विभु प्रभु ॥५॥
सम् चोदय चित्रम् अर्वाक् राधः इन्द्र वरेण्यम् असत् इत् ते विऽभु प्रऽभु॥

हे इन्द्र ! चित्रम् विविधम् वरेण्यम् श्रेष्ठं राधः धनम् अर्वाकू अस्मदभिमुखं सञ्चोदय सम्यक् प्रेरय। नेदं लौकिकं पश्वादि धनं, इन्द्रस्यैवेदमिति तत्स्वरूपं तृतीयचरणेनाह-ते तव इदं ’राधः’ असत् इत् अस्त्येव, अस भुवि, (छन्दसि लेट्) कीदृशम् तत् ? विभु विततं भवति, अपि च प्रभु प्रकर्षण भवति। प्रभुत्वं एकत्र संहत्य स्थित्वा राजमानत्वं ईशितृत्वरूपं ऐश्वर्यम् । विभुत्वं तु वितत्य व्यापकतया विभूतिभूतत्वं ऐश्वर्यम् । एवं द्विविधमपि ’राधः’ ऐश्वर्यमिन्द्रस्य, तदीश्वरप्रेरणया विना नेषदपि प्राप्यम् । अन्यत्सर्व धीमद्भिरूह्यम् ॥

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे सप्तदशो वर्ग:

अथास्मिन् सूक्ते षष्ठीमृचमाह—

अस्मान्त्सु तत्र चोदयेन्द्र राये रभवतः। तुविद्युम्न यशस्खतः ॥ ६॥
अस्मान् सु तत्र चोदय इन्द्र राये रभस्वत: तुविऽद्युम्न यशस्वतः ॥

हे इन्द्र तुविद्यम्न बहुद्युते चित्रभानो इत्यर्थः (तुवि बहुनाम, द्युम्नं द्युतिः) अस्मान् तव स्तावकान् तत्र यत्र ’विभु प्रभु राध:’ वर्तते तत्र सु सुष्टु चोदय प्रेरय । किमर्थम् ? राये धनाय पूर्वोक्तलक्षणाय । कीहशे? रभस्वतः (चतुर्थ्यर्थे षष्ठयेकवचनम् ) तीव्रवेगाय (रभ राभस्ये, तीव्रवेगेन उद्योगवते इत्यर्थः)। पुनः यशस्वतः विश्रुताय चतुर्थ्यर्थे षष्ठी। पूर्वस्यामृचि तत्र तव धाग्नि स्थितं विभु प्रभु धनं अस्मदर्थ प्रेरय ‘सञ्चोदय’ इत्युक्तम् । अस्यां ऋचि तस्मा एव धनाय अस्मान् प्रेरय ’सुचोदय’ इत्युक्तम् । तच्च दिव्यं धनं ऊर्ध्व वर्तते, तस्मिन्नस्माकं इह लब्धव्ये स्वामिन इन्द्रस्य प्रेरणमवश्यं भवति । तेन तदस्मदर्थमिह आगच्छेत् । अस्माभिरपि तत्र गन्तव्यम् । तत्रापि इन्द्र-प्रेरणया विना गमनशक्तिर्न सिद्धयति । उभयथाऽपि गत्यागती स्याताम् । ऊर्ध्व-स्थस्य धनस्येहागमनम् , इतश्चास्माकमूर्ध्वगमनं उभयं च इन्द्रकृतप्रेरणासाध्यम् । प्रेर्यमाणस्य ’रायः’ रभसा गतिसामर्थ्य, तस्य विश्रुतत्वं च द्योतयितुं ’रभस्वतः’ ’यशस्वतः’ इति विशेषणद्वयम् । नेमे ’अस्मान्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणे। स्तोतारः स्वयमेव ’वयं यशस्विनः सरभसं प्रार्थयामहे, अतः प्रेरय ते धनम्’ इति आविष्कृतं व्याख्यानमसमञ्जसम् । तस्य ऐन्द्रस्य धनस्य स्वरूपमुत्तरत्रापि वक्ष्यते ॥

सप्तमीमृचमाह—

सं गोमदिन्द्र वाजवदस्मे पृथु श्रवो बृहत् । विश्वायुर्वैयक्षितम् ॥ ७॥
सम् गोऽमत् इन्द्र वाजऽवत् अस्मे इति पृथु श्रवः बृहत् विश्वऽआयुः धेहि अक्षितम् ॥

हे इन्द्र ! अस्मे अस्मभ्यं सन्धेहि सन्धानं कुरु अविच्छिन्नं यथा तथा सम्बन्धय पूर्वोक्तं रायं इति शेषः। तस्य ‘राधसः’ धनस्य विशेषणानि भवन्ति । गोमत् प्रज्ञांशुमत् वाजवत् समृद्धिमत् । अन्यच्च सन्धेहि पृथु पृथुलं विस्तीर्ण श्रवः दिव्यावेशश्रवणम् बृहत् प्रभावेण महत् च अपि च अक्षितम् क्षयरहितं विश्वायुः विश्वायुष्यं विश्वजीवितं सन्धेहि । यजमानव्यष्टौ विश्वायुष्ट्वं धातव्यमिति प्रार्थना। अत्र ’श्रवः’ धनमिति कृत्वा तद्विशेषणानि गोमदादीनि गृहीतानि स्थूलव्याख्यानेषु ॥

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

अस्मे धेहि श्रवो बृहद्द्युम्नं सहस्रसातमम्। इन्द्र ता रथिनीरिषः ॥८॥
अस्मे इति धेहि श्रवः बृहत् द्युम्नं सहस्रऽसातमम् इन्द्रं ताः रथिनीः इषः ॥

हे इन्द्र अस्मे अस्मभ्यं बृहत् महत् श्रवः श्रवणं दिव्यावेशप्रेरितं धेहि धारय, देहीत्यर्थः। सहस्रसातमम् अतिशयेन सहस्रसङ्ख्यालक्षित-बाहुल्य-सम्भक्तबह्वर्थसम्भजनसमर्थमित्यर्थः, द्युम्नम् प्रकाशं तेजो वा घेहि। रथिनीः रथः आसामस्तीति रथिन्य: ताः, (रथो रहते:) शीघ्रगमना इत्यर्थः इषः प्रेरणाः धेहि । ताः याः पूर्व प्रार्थिताः ‘सञ्चोदय, सुचोदय’ इति । अत्र इष: अन्नानि कर्मठानां, तदनुसारेण विशेषणस्य बहुरथोपेता इति व्याख्या ।

नवमीमृचमाह—

वसोरिन्, वसुपति गीर्भिर्गुणन्त ऋग्मियम्। होम गन्तारमूतये ॥९॥
वसोः इन्द्रम् वसुऽपतिम् गी:ऽभि गृणन्तः ऋग्मियम् होम गन्तारम् ऊतये॥

वसोः वसुनः (यावल्लब्धं अन्तर्घनस्य) ऊतये वृद्धये इन्द्रम् होम वयं आह्वयामः ह्वेजू स्पर्चायां गमने चेत्यस्य रूपम् , लट् छान्दसम् । वयं किं कुर्वन्तः? गीर्भिणन्तः स्तुतिभिः स्तुवन्तः । कीदृशमिन्द्रम् ? वसुपतिम् वसूनां धनानां पतिं पालकम् , पुनश्च, ऋग्मियम् ऋचां मातारं (कचो मिमीत इति ऋग्मी: तमिति सायणव्याख्या)। अर्चना कक् तद्वन्तं (स्तुतियोग्यमिति स्कन्दस्वामीयम् ) पुनः कीदृशम् ? गन्तारम् यजमानं तदीयं यजनं वा गन्तुं शीलमस्येति गन्ता, तम् । अत्र ’वसोः वसुपतिम् ’ अन्वयं उपपादयति स्कन्दस्वामी। प्रकृष्टो वीणायामिति प्रवीणशब्दव्युत्पत्तौ सिद्धायामपि वीणायां प्रवीण इति प्रयोगो दृश्यते, एवं वसोर्वसुपतिरिति ।।

दशमीचमाह—

सुतेसुते न्योकसे बृहबृहत एडरिः। इन्द्राय शूषमर्चति ॥ १० ॥
सुतेऽसुते निऽओकसे बृहत् बृहते आ इत् अरिः इन्द्राय शूषम् अर्चति ॥

सुतेसुते यत्र यत्र अभिषुतः सोमः तत्र तत्रेत्यर्थः, इन्द्राय सोमपायिने अरिः स्वामी यजमानः (इयर्ति गच्छति कर्तव्यमित्यरिरित्याहुः, अरणशीलोऽरिरर्य: इत्यादि प्रागुक्तम् ) शूषम् बलम् (इन्द्रसम्बन्धि) अचंति स्तौति । कीदृशं शूषम् ? बृहत् महत् । कीडशे इन्द्राय ? न्योकसे नियतं ओक: स्थानं यस्य तस्मै नियतवासस्थानाय बृहते महते (स्वरूपतः प्रभावतश्चेति बोध्यम् ) । इन्द्रस्य नियतं दिव्यं धाम स्वर्लोकः, तत्स्वरूपं प्रायुक्त अवधातव्यम् । आकारः इच्छब्दश्च पादपूरणी॥

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमेऽष्टादशो वर्ग:

तृतीयेऽनुवाके तृतीयं ’गायन्ति’ इति द्वादशर्च सूक्तम् । अनुष्टुप् -छन्दस्कम् । ऋषिदेवते पूर्ववत् ॥

गायन्ति त्वा गायत्रिणोऽर्चन्त्यमणिः । ब्रह्माणस्त्वा शतक्रत उद्वंशमिव येमिरे ॥१॥
गायन्ति त्वा गायत्रिणः अर्चन्ति अर्कम् अर्किण: ब्रह्माणः त्वा शतक्रतो इति शतऽतो उत् वंशम्ऽइव येमिरे ॥

हे शतक्रतो शतसङ्ख्यालक्षितबहुप्राज्ञकर्मन् , त्वा त्वां गायत्रिणः स्तोतारः गायन्ति साममिः स्तुवन्ति, अर्किण: ऋग्भिमन्त्रैः अर्चन्तः, अर्कम् अर्चनीयं त्वां अर्चन्ति स्तुवन्ति। ब्रह्माणः स्वयं साक्षात्कृत-ब्रह्मपदवाच्यमन्त्राः मन्त्रदर्शिनः त्वा त्वां उद्येमिरे उद्गत्य प्राप्नुवन्ति । तत्र दृष्टान्त:-वंशमिव यथा वंश वंशनिर्मितं सोपानपथमारोहन्ति तथा, वंशः वेणु: प्रकृतिः तद्विकारः आरोहण-साधनभूत: सोपानपथोऽपि प्रकृत्या वंशेन प्रतिपाद्यते। अयं च प्रयोगः साधारणो वेदे। ’गोभिः श्रीणीतमत्सरम्’ (९-४६-४) अत्र ’गोभिः गोविकारैः पयोभिः सोमं संस्कुरुत’ इति सायणीयम् । इन्द्रमेव सानुमन्तं बृहन्तं शिखरिणमिव आरोहन्ति पदे पदे क्रमश इति भावः । अयमर्थः स्पष्टं समर्थितो भवति ’यत् सानो: सानुम्’ इति मन्त्रवर्णेनेति न सन्देहः । ’यथा वंशाग्रे नृत्यन्तः शिल्पिनः प्रौढं वंशं उन्नतं कुर्वन्ति, यथा वा सन्मार्गवर्तिनः स्वकीयं कुलं उन्नतं कुर्वन्ति तद्वत्’ इति पूर्वव्याख्या। अर्थसङ्गतिम॑ग्या ॥

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

यत्सानोः सानुमारुहृद्भूर्यस्पष्ट कर्ध्वम् । तदिन्द्रो अर्थ चेतति यूथेन वृष्णिरेजति ॥२॥
यत् सानोः सानुम् आ अरुहत् भूरि अस्पष्ट कर्वम्। तत् इन्द्रः अर्थम् चेतति यूथेन वृष्णिः एजति ॥

यत् यदा सानोः एक स्मात् पर्वतसंविभागात् सानुम् अन्यं उपरिष्टात् स्थितं पर्वतप्रस्थं आरुहत् आरोहति ऋषिरन्तर्यजनाध्वगामीति शेषः (लडर्थे लडू) भूरि प्रभूतं कवंम् कर्तव्यं (कर्मनाम) आरोहणकर्मसाध्यं अस्पष्ट अस्पशत स्पृष्टवान् (स्पश स्पर्शने, लङ्ग लडथै) आरोहणीयं अवशिष्टं प्रभूतमिति स्पष्टं भवती-त्यर्थः। तत् तदा इन्द्रः अर्थम् आरोहणलक्ष्यभूतं प्रयोजनं उच्चैर्चामेत्यर्थः, चेतत्ति चेतयति (अन्तर्भावितण्यर्थः) संज्ञपयति प्रकाशयतीति यावत् । वृष्णिः वर्षिता स इन्द्रः यूथेन गणेन, स्वीयविभूतिभूतदैवतगणेन सहेत्यर्थः (मरुद्गणेनेति सायणीयम् ) एजति कम्पते, ईषच्चलति ऋषेरिन्द्रकामस्यानुग्रहाय तदभिमुखं तद्वाचः श्रोतुं प्रवर्तत इत्यर्थः । अनयोरुभयो ऋचोरात्यन्तिक: सम्बन्ध: अन्तर्यागपरेऽर्थे स्पष्टो भवति, तथा च व्याख्यातम् । विस्तर भिया नातोऽपि विवृतिः क्रियते। क्रमनियमानुसारेण ऊर्ध्वगतौ शरीरिणा पुरुषेण लभ्यमानायां, उत्तरोत्तराधिरोहे प्रभूतं प्राप्तव्यमिति स्पष्टं भवति । तादृश्यां दशायां देवराज इन्द्रः सगण ’एजति’ भक्तं गम्यं समग्रं स्वर्धाम नेतुम् । एवं साधनरहस्यं किञ्चित् प्रदर्य ऋषिरिन्द्रं आसूक्तसमाप्ति स्तौति ।।

तृतीयामृचमाह—

युक्ष्व युक्ष्वा हि केशिना हरी वृषणा कक्ष्यप्रा। । अथा न इन्द्र सोमपा गिरामुपश्रुतिं चर ॥३॥
हि केशिना हरी इति वृषणा कक्ष्य ऽप्रा अथ नः इन्द्र सोमऽपाः गिराम् उपऽश्रुतिं चर ॥

हे सोमपाः सोमस्य पातः, इन्द्र! हरी त्वदीयावश्वौ युक्ष्व हि संयोजय (छान्दसः श्नम्लोपः)। कीदृशौ हरी ? केशिना केशिनी, प्रशस्ताः स्कन्धप्रदेशे लम्बमाना: केशाः अनयोः । पुनः कीदृशौ ? वृषणा वर्षितारौ स्वीयेन ओजसा सेक्तारौ। पुनः कीदृशौ ? कक्ष्यप्रा पुष्टाङ्गो (कक्ष्या उदरबन्धनरज्जुः तस्याः पूरकौ, अत: शरीरपुष्टिं द्योतयितुमिदं विशेषणम् ) अथ एवं अश्वयोगसन्नाहादनन्तरं नः अस्माकं गिराम् स्तुतीनां उपश्रुतिम् श्रुतेः समीपं चर आगच्छ, यावति देशे नः स्तुतयः त्वदीयश्रवणगोचराः भवन्ति तावन्तं देशं प्राप्नुहीत्यर्थः । प्राणबलसङ्केतोऽस्माकं परिचितः । इन्द्रों विशेषत: कान्तिमत्त्वं स्मार्यम् । ’केशिनौ’ केशै: मशकमक्षिकादय: तामस्यः शक्तयो विधूयन्ते । ’वृषणौ’ अन्त-जिन ओजसो वर्धयितारौ । ’कक्ष्यप्रा’ पुष्टौ सन्तौ आयासवर्ज देवराजं वहत: यजमानानुग्रहाय । अत्र तात्पर्यग्रहणपद्धतिः सूचिता। अन्यत् स्पष्टं भवेन्मति-अश्वः मताम् ॥

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

एहि स्तोमा अभि स्वराभि गृणीह्या रुव । ब्रह्म च नो वसो सचेन्द्र यज्ञं च वर्धय ॥४॥
आ इहि स्तोमान् अभि स्वर अभि गृणीहि आ रुव ब्रह्म च नः वसो इति सचा इन्द्र यज्ञं च वर्धय ॥

हे इन्द्र एहि आगच्छ। स्तोमान् अस्मदीयानि स्तोत्राणि अभिस्वर अभिमुखीभूय ॐ इति अनुज्ञाक्षरं शब्दय, ’ओमित्यनुज्ञाक्षरं’ ’ओमिति स्वरन्नुदेति’ इति छन्दोगाः (स्वरतिर्न शब्दसामान्यार्थकः, तत्र वैशिष्ट्यं बोध्यम् । ओमिति स्वरात्मकं शब्दं कुर्वित्यर्थः) एवमनुज्ञानात्परं अभिगृणीहि आरुव अभितः गुणीहि, सर्वतः शब्दय (हेतुमत्कर्तृतया उभयत्रापि इन्द्रस्य कर्तृत्वं इति स्कन्द-स्वामीयं उपपन्नतरं, त्वमेव स्तावय उच्चारयेत्यर्थः)। वसो वसुभूत, सर्वस्यापि प्राप्तव्यत्वेन धनभूत, (अन्तर्गौतमत्वर्थे) धनवन् , (शतपथे वसिष्ठ इति वसुशब्दः प्रशस्यनामेति च स्कन्दस्वामी) नः अस्माकं ब्रह्म च मन्त्रं च यज्ञं च सचा सह वर्धय वृद्धि प्रापय। मन्त्रात्मकं ब्रह्म ज्ञानसम्पाद्यं ज्ञानसम्पादकं च भवति । । यज्ञो यजनम् , तच्च योगयुक्तकर्मानुष्ठानेन सम्पाद्यं तस्य सम्पादकं च भवति। इद-मुभयं भक्तस्येन्द्रानुग्रहलभ्यम् । तस्माद्वर्धय इति प्रार्थना ।।

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

उक्थमिन्द्राय शंस्यं वर्धनं पुरुनिष्षिधे । शुक्रो यथा सुतेषु णो रारणत् स॒ख्येषु च ॥५॥
उक्थम् इन्द्राय शंस्यम वर्धनम् पुरुनिःऽसिधे शक्रः यथा सुतेषु नः सरणत् सख्येषु च ॥

इन्द्राय उक्थम् ऋग्रूपं शस्त्राख्यं स्तोत्रम् शंस्यम् शंसनीयम् । कीदृशं उक्थम् ? वर्धनम् सामर्थ्यात् इन्द्रस्य, उपास्या स्तुता देवता उपासके वर्धते । कीदृशायेन्द्राय ? पुरुनिष्षिधे पुरूणां शत्रूणां निषेधकाय निवारकायेत्यर्थः (निरुप-सर्गस्य निशब्दार्थः, षिध गत्याम् , क्विप्)। केन प्रकारेण शंस्यम् ? यथा पुत्रेषु पिता, सख्येषु विषये सखा वा रमते तथेत्याह । शक्रः शक्त इन्द्रः (शक्नोते:) नः अस्मदर्थ सुतेषु पुत्रेषु, सख्येषु च सखित्वेषु च यथा रारणत् रमेत तथा शंस्यम् । (रारणत् , रमेर्भािवः मस्य णः छान्दस: लेट्) ॥

षष्ठीमृचमाह—

तमित्सखित्व ईमहे तं राये तं सुवीर्ये । स शुक्र उत नः शकदिन्द्रो वसु दयमानः ॥६॥
तम् इत् सखित्वे ईमहे तम् ग़ये तम् सुऽवीर्ये स शुक्रः उत नः शकत् इन्द्रः वसुदयमानः॥

तमित् तमेवेन्द्रं सखित्वे सख्ये (निमित्तसप्तमी) ईमहे प्रार्थयामहे । तम् राये धनार्थ ’ईमहे’। तम् सुवीर्ये शोभनाय सामर्थ्याय च (निमित्तसप्तमी) ’ईमहे’। उत अपि च सः शक्रः शक्तः इन्द्रः वसु धनं दिव्यं श्रेष्ठं नः अस्मभ्यं दयमानः वितरन् शकत् शक्नोति शक्तो भवति ।।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे एकोनविंशो वर्ग:

सप्तमीमृचमाह—

सुविवृतं सुनिरजमिन्द्र त्वादातमिद्यशः । गवामप वजं वृधि कृणुष्व राधो अद्रिवः॥७॥
सुऽविवृतम् सुनिःऽअजम् इन्द्र त्वाऽदातम् इत् यशः गवाम् अप वजम् वृधि कृणुष्व राधः अद्रिवः॥

हे इन्द्र यशः त्वदीयं वैभवं (प्रभावप्रसारशालिव्यापकत्वमेव यशः) सुविवृतं सुष्ठु अनावृतं, प्रकटमित्यर्थः । सुनिरजम् सुखेनानायासेन निर्गन्तुं शक्यम् , निष्प्रतिबन्धविसारक्षममित्यर्थः, सुनिष्पूर्वकस्य गत्यर्थस्य अज-धातो: खलि रूपम् । त्वादातम् इत् त्वया शोधितमेव (दैप शोधने कर्मणि क्तः) वृत्रतद्विभूतिभूतास्त्वद्वैभवविघातका अपसारिताः । तेन शोधनेन निष्प्रतिरोधं त्वद्यशो-ऽस्मान् परितो विलसतीति भावः । अतः परं इन्द्रस्यैव कार्यमाह। हे अद्रिवः पर्वतलक्षितवज्रोपेत अदिरस्येति मतुप् छान्दसम् , गावो यत्र गूढा आसन् स पर्वत: अधुना तव वशं गतः, तस्मात् पर्वतवन् पर्वतस्वामिन् इति युक्तमामन्त्रणम् (पर्वतो जडस्य सङ्केतः स्मार्यः)। गवां व्रजम् प्रज्ञानरश्मीनां आवासस्थानम् अपवृधि उद्घाटितद्वारं कुरु । राधः वृद्धिरूपं सिद्धिरूपं वा धनं कृणुष्व कुरु सम्पादये-त्यर्थः। राध्यते: राघ्नोतेर्वा राधः । त्वद्वैभवं अस्मान् परितो लब्धप्रसरं ज्योतिः शत्रूणामपगमेन त्वयैव स्वच्छं कृतमधुना । तदस्मभ्यं दिव्यचिद्रश्मीन् तद्धामः द्वारमुद्धाट्य विसर्जय, एवं सिद्धिं न: सम्पादयेति समस्तार्थ:। स्थूल-व्याख्यानेषु ’यशः अन्नं’ इति कृत्वा कथमपि तात्पर्यमाविष्कृतम् ।।

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

न हि त्वा रोदसी उभे ऋघायमाणमिन्यतः। जेपः स्वर्वतीरपः सङ्गा अस्मभ्यं धूनुहि ॥ ८॥
न हि त्वा रोदसी इति उभे इति ऋयायमाणम् इन्वत: जेप: स्व:ऽवती: अपः सम् गाः अस्मभ्यम् धूनुहि ॥

हे इन्द्र! रोदसी द्यौः पृथिवी उभे अपि ऋघायमाणम् उग्रतया अवतिष्ठ-मानं त्वा त्वां न हि इन्वतः न व्याप्नुतः, त्वां धतुं न शक्नत इत्यर्थः (नेत्यर्थे ’नहि’ इति निपात:)। त्वं स्वर्वती: स्वरादित्यः स्वर्लोको वा तद्वत्यः ज्योतिष्मत्यः ताः अपः अप्छब्द सङ्केतिताः ब्रह्माण्डधारणपोषणात्मिका: ज्योतिर्वाहिनीः शक्ती: जेष: जयसि (जयते: लेटू छान्दसं, जयेरित्याशासनम् । तात्त्विकी सार्वकालिक-जयक्रिया, अतो लडथै)। अतो लडथै)। चिज्योतिरावरकवृत्ररूपतमोद्रिभेदनात् उक्तलक्षणानां अपां जयः बोध्यः। अत आह-अस्मभ्यं गाः प्रज्ञानमरीचीः सन्धूनुहि प्रेरय । ऋघायमाणम्-अत्र शत्रुहिंसां कुर्वन्तमिति व्याख्यातारः। ’नृन् हन्तीति नृहा, नकारलोपः, हकारस्य घकारः, एवं ऋघा ततः अभूततद्भावे लोहितादि-डाज्भ्यः क्यः । तस्मादात्मनेपदम् , लट: शानचू’ इति सायणीया व्युत्पत्तिः ।।

नवमीमृचमाह—

आश्रुत्कर्ण श्रुधी हव नू चिदधिष्व मे गिरः। इन्द्र स्तोममिमं मम कृष्वा युजश्चिदन्तरम् ॥ ९ ॥
आश्रुत्ऽकर्ण श्रुधि हवम् नु चित् ढधिष्व मे गिर: इन्द्र स्तोमम् इमम् मम कृष्व युज: चित् अन्तरम् ॥

आशुत्कर्ण आ सर्वतः शृणुत इति आश्रुतौ (क्विप्) तौ कौँ यस्य तादृश, इन्द्र मे मम हवम् आह्वानं श्रुधि शृणु नु क्षिप्रम् । शीघ्रश्रवणशालिनौ कर्णी तीव्रौ, न मन्दौ, तस्मात् क्षिप्रमाकर्णनं प्रार्थ्यते । गिर; चित् स्तुतीरपि दधिष्व धत्स्व (दधाते: छान्दसम् ) चित्ते धारयेत्यर्थः । युजः युञ्जत: त्वयि युक्तस्य सख्यु: मम इमं स्तोमम् स्तोत्रं अन्तरम् चित् अत्यासन्नमपि कृष्व कुरु [अन्ततरं समीपम् । अत एव ’आसन्नं’ इति सायणीयम् । अर्थात् प्रियं हृद्यमिति बोध्यम् । तरप-तमपो: तकारलोपः छान्दस: ’अन्तमानाम्’ इति प्रयोगेऽपि द्रष्टव्य:] आह्वानस्य श्रवणम् , गिरां चित्ते धारणम् , स्तोमस्य हृद्यत्वेन स्वीकरणम् , इति पदत्रयवान् क्रमः ऋषे: स्तवप्रकारगतः, तदनुरोधेन इन्द्रस्य तत्स्वीकारगतश्चेति लक्षणीयम् ।।

दशमीमृचमाह—

विद्मा हि त्वा वृषन्तम वाजेषु हवनश्रुतम् । वृषन्तमस्य हूमह ऊतिं सहनुसातमाम् ॥ १० ॥
विद्म हि त्वा वृषन्ऽतमम् वाजेषु वन॒ऽश्रुतम् वृषन्ऽतमस्य हूमहे ऊतिम् सहस्रऽसातमाम् ॥

हे इन्द्र, त्वा त्वां वृषन्तमम् अतिशयेन वर्षितारं दिव्यानामभीष्टानाम् । वाजेषु समृद्धिषु निमित्तभूतासु हवनश्रुतम् आह्वानस्य श्रोतारम् (विधेयविशेषणे द्वे अपि) विद्म विद्मः (मसो मादेशः)। हि यस्मादेवं जानीमः तस्मात् वृषन्तमस्य अतिशयेन वर्षितुस्तव ऊतिम् त्वत्कर्तृकां वृद्धि हूमहे आह्वयामः । कीदृशीमूतिम् ? सहस्रसातमाम् अतिशयेन सहस्रस्य दात्रीम् । सहस्रं बहुविधस्य ऐश्वर्यस्य द्योतकम् ॥

एकादशीमृचमाह—

आ तू न इन्द्र कौशिक मन्दसानः सुतं पिब । नव्य॒मायुः प्र सू तिर कृधी सहस्रसामृषिम् ॥ ११ ॥
आ तु नः इन्द्र कौशिक मन्दसानः सुतम् पिब नव्यम् आयुः प्र सु तिर कृधि सहस्रऽसाम् ऋषिम् ॥

ऐषिरथेः कुशिकस्य प्रार्थनानुरोधेन इन्द्र एव तत्पुत्रो विश्वामित्रो जात इति वृत्तान्तमुदाहृत्य ’कौशिक’ इति अस्यामृचि इन्द्रस्य सम्बोधनमुपपादयन्ति व्याख्यातारः। ऋग्वेदे बहुषु सूक्तेषु उपासक ऋषिरुपास्यमानं देवं स्वनाम्ना-ऽभिधत्ते । अत्र कारणमिदं भवति । उपासके मानुषे उपास्यस्य दैवतस्य जन्मलाभात् स्वनाम्ना ऋषिर्व्यवहरति साक्षात्कृतं तदैवतम् । स्वात्मरूपतया दैवतं पश्यतीत्युक्तम् भवति । अन्यच्च, ऋषे: स्वनाम्ना गोत्रनाम्ना वा देवतायां अभि-हितायां, ऋषौ देवतायां च अवयवार्थ उपपद्यते। गोतम-जमदग्नि-भरद्वाजादयोऽत्र निदर्शनम् । अस्मिन् , कुशिकस्य गोत्रापत्यं कौशिको मधुच्छन्दाः। कोशादृषेः शारीरकोशाद्भवति, ब्रह्माण्डकोशे वा भवतीति कौशिकः (भवार्थे ठक्) । अथ ऋगर्थ: स्पष्टो भवति । हे इन्द्र कौशिक नः अस्मदर्थ आ आगच्छ । तु पादपूरणः। कीदृशः सन् ? मन्दसानः (मन्दतेः असानचू ) मोदमानः । आगत्य सुतम् अभिषुतं सोमं पिब । नव्यमू स्तुत्यं उत्कृष्टं नवं नूतनं वा आयुः जीवितं अस्म-दीयमिति शेषः। प्रसुतिर प्रकर्षेण सुष्ठु वर्धय (तरतेयंत्यय इति सायणीयम् )। अपि च सहस्रसाम् सहस्रस्य संभक्तारं ऋषिमू अतीन्द्रियार्थदर्शिनं कृधि कुरु । अतीन्द्रियदर्शने सिद्धे विभवसहस्रप्राप्तेः सम्भव इति तथाविधमृषित्वं मे सम्पादये-त्युक्तम् ॥

द्वादशीमृचमाह—

परि त्वा गिर्वणो गिर इमा भवन्तु विश्वतः । वृद्धायुमनु वृद्धयो जुष्टा भवन्तु जुष्टयः ॥ १२ ॥
परि त्वा गिर्वणः गिर: इमा: भवन्तु विश्वत: वृद्धऽआयुमू अनु वृद्धय: जुष्टाः भवन्तु जुष्टयः॥

हे गिर्वणः गीर्भिर्वननीय स्तोत्रभागित्यर्थः, विश्वतः सर्वथा, सर्वांसु अवस्थासु सर्वेष्वाराधनेषु, इमाः मदीयाः गिरः स्तुतयः त्वा परि त्वां परितः भवन्तु प्राप्नुवन्तु। कीदृश्यो गिर: ? वृद्धायुम् अनु (अस्मासु) प्रवृद्धजीवितं (त्वां) अनुसृत्य वृद्धयः वर्धमानाः, जुष्टाः सेविताः, त्वया प्रीत्या स्वीकृता इत्यर्थः, जुष्टयः प्रीतिहेतवः भवन्तु (त्वत्प्रीतिरेवास्माकं प्रीतिहेतुरिति हृदयम् ) ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे विंशो वर्ग: ।

अथ ’इन्द्रं विश्वा’ इत्यनुष्टुप्छन्दस्कं अष्टर्च सूक्तम् । अस्य जेता मधु-च्छन्दसः पुत्र ऋषिः, इन्द्र एव देवता । तत्र प्रथमामृचमाह—

इन्द्रं विश्वा अवीवृधन्त्समुद्रव्यचसं गिरः रथीतमं रथीनां वाजानां सत्पतिं पतिम् ॥१॥
इन्द्रम् विश्वाः अवीवृधन् समुद्रऽव्यचसम् गिरः रथिऽतमम् रथिनाम् वाजानाम् सत्ऽपतिम् पतिम् ॥

विश्वाः समस्ताः गिरः स्तुतयः इन्द्रम् अवीवृधन् वर्धितवत्यः, स्तूयमानो देवः स्तोतरि आधारे वर्धते। कीदृशम् ? समुद्रव्यचसम् समुद्रवद् व्याप्तवन्तम् , अन्तरिक्षवत् सर्वव्यापिनम् इति साधीयानर्थः, अन्तरिक्षपर्यायत्वात् समुद्रस्य (व्याप्त्यर्थाद्वयचेरसुन्) । पुन: रथिनाम् रथयुक्तानां मध्ये रथितमम् अतिशयेन रथिनम् वेगार्थाद्रहतेः रथः प्रागुक्तः, इदं च विशेषणं सर्व-व्यापक आकाश इव न केवलं निश्चलः, सर्वत्र शीघ्रगामीति प्रतिपादनार्थम्। पुनश्च वाजानां पतिम् बहुविधानां समृद्धीनां पालकं ईश्वरम् , अपि च सत्पतिम् सतां प्राप्तसत्ताकानां सर्वेषामपि सृष्टानां पालकं, ईश्वरम् ।

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

सख्ये त इन्द्र वाजिनो मा मेम शवसस्पते । त्वामुभि प्र णोनुमो जेतारमपराजितम् ॥२॥
सख्ये ते इन्द्र वाजिनः मा भेम शवस: पते त्वाम् अभि प्र नोनुमः जेतारम् अपराऽजितम् ॥

हे शवस: पते दीप्तिमद्बलस्य स्वामिन् इन्द्र! ते तव सख्ये सखित्वे वर्तमानाः वाजिनः समृद्धिमन्तः वयम् मा मेम मा भैष्म (च्लेर्लोपादि छान्दसम् ) शत्रुभ्यो भीता मा भूमेत्यर्थः । त्वाम् अभिप्रणोनुमः सर्वतः प्रकर्षण स्तुमः । कीदृशं त्वाम् ? जेतारम् सर्वत्र जयशीलम् । अपराजितम् पराजयरहितम् । अत्र ऋषिभक्तः स्वनाम्ना भगवन्तं स्तौति । तत्र युक्तिः प्रागुक्ता अवधेया ।

तृतीयामृचमाह—

पूर्वीरिन्द्रस्य रा॒तयो न वि दस्यन्त्यूतयः। यदी वाजस्य गोमतः स्तोतृभ्यो मंहते मघम् ॥३॥
पूर्वीः इन्द्रस्य रातयः न वि दस्यन्ति ऊतयः यदि वाजस्य गोऽमतः स्तोतृऽभ्य: मंहते मघम् ॥

इन्द्रस्य रातयः दानानि रातिर्दानकर्मा, पूर्वीः बह्वयः बहूनि तस्यानुग्रह-कार्याणि दानानीत्यर्थः । अथवा पूर्वीश्चिरन्तन्यो रातयः, स्वभावसिद्धा-स्तस्येत्यर्थः । तस्मात् स इन्द्रः स्तोतृभ्यः भक्तेभ्यः गोमतः प्रज्ञानकिरण-सम्पन्नस्य वाजस्य समृद्धिवाचिनो धनस्य सम्बन्धिनं अंशभूतं मघम् धनं मंहते ददाति यदि, ऊतयः तस्य वृद्धयो नित्याः न विदस्यन्ति नोपक्षीयन्ते। इन्द्रस्य अगण्यानां ऐश्वर्याणां नित्यवर्धनानां नित्यदानैरपि नास्ति क्षयः। ऐश्वर्यस्य धनस्य स्वरूपं गोमद्वाजशब्दप्रयोगेणोक्तम् ।

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

पुरां भिन्दुर्युवा कविरमितौजा अजायत । इन्द्रो विश्वस्य॒ कर्मणो धर्ता वज्री पुरुष्टुतः ॥४॥
पुराम भिन्दुः युवा कविः अमितऽओजाः अजायत इन्द्रः विश्वस्य कर्मणः धर्ता वज्री पुरुऽस्तुतः॥

अयं इन्द्रः अजायत समपद्यत । किंप्रभाव:, किंगुणविशिष्टः ? पुरां भिन्दुः असुरवासपुराणां भेदकः । भिदेर्भेदनार्थाद्धातोभिन्दुः तेन दुर्भेद्यानि दुर्गवन्ति पुराणि, तेषां भेदनीयत्वाक्षेपात् तानि देवद्विषां सम्बन्धीनीति च द्योतितम् । युवा यौवनसम्पन्नः औद्धत्यं असुरपुरध्वंसायावश्यम् , यौवनेन तल्लक्षितम् । कविः द्रष्टा सर्वान्तरदर्शी, गूढानामसुरदुर्गवासस्थानानां दर्शने समर्थः। अमितौजाः अमितं प्रभूतं ओजो बलमस्य । विश्वस्य कर्मणः धर्ता धारयिता, तेनैव धार्यन्ते सर्वाणि अस्मदन्तर्यजनानि। वज्री वज्रयुक्तः तमोवृत्रादिशत्रुभेदनाय । पुरुष्टुतः बहुभिः बहुषु कार्येषु वा स्तुतः स्तुत्या आश्रित: ।

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

त्वं वलस्य॒ गोमतोऽपावरद्रिवो बिलम् । त्वां देवा अबिभ्युषस्तुज्यमानास आविषुः ॥ ५॥
त्वम् वलस्य गोऽमतः अप अव: अद्विऽवः बिलम् त्वाम् दे॒वाः अबिभ्युषः तुज्यमानासः आविषुः॥

स्वर्वतीर्गा: अपहृत्य पर्वतगुहायां क्वापि अन्धतमसे जडोपलक्षणे निहितवान् असुरो वलो वृत्रबन्धुः। पिहितद्वारं ताद्वैलं अभियां देवानां साहय्येन उद्घाट्य, तास्सौरीः ऐन्द्रीर्वा गा विमोच्य पुनर्लब्धवान् । जडांशभूयिष्ठे देहे तामसेषु छिद्रेषु चिज्योतिर्मरीचयो गोपिता: दिव्यज्योतिश्शत्रूगां एकेनासुरेण वलयित्रा शक्तिविशेषेण। ऋतचित्तेजोबलभासिना चेतसा साधनेन तदध्यक्षेण स्वर्धामा इन्द्रेण गूढं घनं छिद्रं प्रविश्य उक्तस्वरूपाः गावो निस्सारिताः । इदं च वृत्तान्तान्वाख्यानस्य तत्त्वं सङ्कपत उक्तम् । सुरूपकृत्नुमिति सूक्तस्य व्याख्याऽप्यत्रावधेया। अद्रिवः हे वज्रिन् ! त्वम् गोमतः गोयुक्तस्य वलस्य उक्तलक्षणस्य बिलम् छिद्रं अपावः अपावृणो: वृञ्-वरणे लङ् छान्दसम् , देवाः त्वत्सहायाः मरुत इति व्याख्या-तारः ब्राह्मणमुदाहरन्ति, अबिभ्युषः अबिभिवांस: प्रथमार्थे द्वितीया, अभीताः शत्रोरित्यर्थः, तुज्यमानासः क्षिप्रनामैतत् , त्वरमाणा इति स्कन्दस्वामी। त्वाम् आविषुः आविविशुः (लिट् विशेः, अभ्यासाभावः छान्दस: शकारस्य षश्च) ।

षष्ठीमृचमाह—

तवाहं शूर रातिभिः प्रत्यायं सिन्धुमावदन् । उपातिष्ठन्त गिर्वणो विदुष्टे तस्य कारवः ॥ ६॥
तव अहं शूर रातिऽभिः प्रति आयम् सिन्धुम् आऽवदन् उप अतष्ठन्त गिर्वणः विदुः ते तस्य कारवः॥

गिर्वणः स्तुतिभिः सम्भजनीय! शूर शौर्योपेत इन्द्र तव रातिभिः अनुग्रहलक्षणैः दानैः सिन्धुम् स्यन्दमानं सिन्धुवत् प्रवहन्तं त्वां, सोममित्येके व्याख्यातारः अहं प्रत्यायम् प्रत्यागमं त्वत्सन्निधिमहमागतवानस्मीत्यर्थः। आयम् , इण गतो लङ्क। किं कुर्वन् ? आ वदन् सर्वत: उच्चारयन् ख्यापयन्नित्यर्थ:, तव महिमानमिति शेषः । शूरस्य तव प्रसादाल्लब्धैः तेजो-बल-पराक्रमैरेव सर्वत्र कृतवानस्मि योगयात्राम् । अस्मदीयान-प्राण-मनोगतसोमरसशोषणैरसुरैरशोषित: सन् सिन्धुवन्नित्यरसप्रवाहं त्वां प्राप्तवानस्मीति भावः । ’शूर’ ’सिन्धुम्’ इति प्रयोगस्य प्रयोजनं बोध्यम् । ’मायाभिः’ इत्युत्तरर्चा सम्बन्धोऽस्या ग्राह्यः। तदिदं ते माहात्म्यं यद् विशुद्धबुद्धयो यज्ञशालिनो वा त्वामुपतिष्ठन्ते। मन्त्रकृतामृषीणां तत्ते विदितमिति चेत्युत्तरार्धेनाह । गिर्वणः गीर्भिर्वननीय हे इन्द्र, मेधाविनो यज्ञवन्तो वा उपातिष्ठन्त उपतिष्ठन्ते स्तुतिभिस्त्वामिति शेषः । तस्य ताहशस्य ते तव महिमानं कारवः कर्तारः स्तोत्राणाम् विदुः जानन्ति ।

सप्तमीमृचमाह—

मायाभिरिन्द्र मायिन त्वं शुष्णमवातिरः। विदुष्टे तस्य॒ मेधिग़स्तेषां श्रवांस्युक्तिर ॥ ७ ॥
मायाभिः इन्द्र मायिनं त्वम् शुष्णम् अव अतिरः विदुः ते तस्य मेधिराः तेषां श्रवांसि उत् तिर ॥

इन्द्र त्वम् मायाभिः तव प्रज्ञाभि: कापट्य गवेषणदर्शनविध्वंसनकुशलाभि: विविधाभिरित्यर्थः मायिनम् विविधकपटप्रज्ञोपेतं शुष्णम् एतन्नामकं असुरं अवातिर: हतवानसि अवतिरतिर्वधकर्मेति स्कन्दस्वामी, अधस्तात् कृतवान् इत्युपपन्नः पदार्थः । मेधिरा: मेधाविन ऋषय: तस्य ते तादृशस्तव महिमानं विदुः जानन्ति । तेषां ऋषीणां श्रवांसि श्रवणानि दिव्यानि उत्तिर वर्धय, उत्कृष्टानि कुरु। वृत्रबन्धुर्वल इव तज्जातीयकोऽसुरः शुष्णः शोषयिता रसानां [भूतानां इत्येके] । अन्यत्प्रारव्याख्यातं ’सिन्धुम्’ इति प्रसक्तो। ’विदुष्टे तस्य’ इति आवृत्ति: ’मेधिराः’ ’कारवः’ इति श्रवणं च उभयोचो: सम्बन्धं द्योतयेताम् ॥

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

इन्द्रमीशानमोजसाभि स्तोमा अनूषत । सहस्रं यस्य रातय उत वा सन्ति भूयसीः॥ ८॥
इन्द्रम् ईशानम् ओजसा अभि स्तोमा:अनूषत सहस्रम् यस्य रातयः उत वा सन्ति भूयसीः॥

ओजसा बलेन ईशानम् विश्वस्य नियामकं ईश्वरं (ईष्टे इत्यस्मात् शानच् )। इन्द्रं स्तोमाः स्तोतारः अभ्यनूषत अभिमुखं स्तुवन्ति, लडथै लुङ् । यस्य इन्द्रस्य रातयः दानानि सहस्रम् बहुसङ्खयोपलक्षणमिदम् , सन्ति, उत वा अपि वा भूयसी: भूयस्य: विभक्तिव्यत्यय:, बहुतराः सन्ति भवन्ति ।

सूक्तेऽस्मिन् ऋचा पदार्थकथन एव सामान्यतस्तत्र तत्र तात्पर्यमाविष्कृत-मिति नेह विस्तर इष्यते। मधुच्छन्दस एवेदमपि सूक्तं न तत्पुत्रस्येति प्राहुरेके। तथा आनन्दतीर्थ-आचार्यो मन्यते। ऋषिर्जेतैव भवतु मा वा। तात्पर्यावगतो ऋाषेनिर्णय अधिकृत्य मतभेदोऽकिञ्चित्करः, विशेषतो गतिसामान्यात् । माधु-च्छन्दसानि सूक्तानि एकादश दाशतय्यामाद्यानि व्याख्यातानि । अग्नीन्द्रादि-देवतानां तत्त्वं भूमिकायां प्रतिपादितमवधृत्य एषां सूक्तानां अवलोकने गूढार्थपद्धति-विंशदा भवेदित्यसंशयम् ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे एकविंशो वर्ग:
इति तृतीयोऽनुवाकः

अथ चतुर्थोऽनुवाकः । तत्र षट्सूक्तानि । ऋषिर्मेधातिथि: कण्वपुत्रः । आद्यं अग्निं दूतमिति द्वादशर्च आग्नेयं गायत्रं सूक्तम् । तत्र प्रथमामृचमाह—

अग्नि दूतं वृणीमहे होतारं विश्ववेदसम् । होतारं विश्ववेदसम् । अस्य य॒ज्ञस्य सुक्रतुम् ॥१॥
अग्नि दूतं वृणीमहे होतारम् विश्वऽवेदसम् अस्य य॒ज्ञस्य सुऽक्रतुम् ॥

अग्निम् वृणीमहे अभ्यर्थयामहे इति स्कन्दस्वामी। अस्मदर्थ देवान् प्रति दूतत्वे अध्येषामहे इत्युपपन्नतरम् । कीदृशम् ? दूतम् सामर्थ्याद्विधेयविशेषणं ग्राह्यम् । पुनः कीदृशम् ? होतारम् आह्वातारम् । पुनश्च विश्ववेदसम् विश्वस्य वेत्तारम् । अस्य प्रवर्तमानस्य यज्ञस्य सुक्रतुम् शोभनकर्माणम् । कर्मणि प्रज्ञायां च वर्तते ऋतुशब्दः । अत्र विश्वज्ञानसम्पन्नमिति विशेषणमन्यत् प्रयुक्तमवधेयम् । तस्मात् कर्मेति ग्रहणमुपपद्यते ।

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

अग्निमग्नि हवीमभिः सदा हवन्त विश्पतिम् । हव्यवाहं पुरुप्रियम् ॥२॥
अग्निम्ऽअग्निम् हवीमऽभिः सदा हवन्त विश्पतिम् हव्यऽवाहम् पुरु-ऽप्रियम्

अग्निमग्निम् वीप्सायां द्विर्भावः, अग्निमेव सर्वत्र यजमाना ऋषयः हवीमभिः आह्वानमन्त्रैः, हे-धातो: मनिन् छान्दसम् । सदा हवन्त आह्वयन्ति, लडर्थे लङ् छान्दसम् । कीदृशम् ? विश्पतिम् प्रजानां पालकम् । हव्यवाहम् यजमानेन समय॑माणानां हव्यानां देवान् प्रति वोढारं प्रापकमित्यर्थः । पुरुप्रियम् पुरूणां बहूनां प्रियम्। अन्तर्यजने हविरादीनि घनद्रव्याणि शरीरसम्बन्धीनि अंशत: साकल्येन च अर्पणीयानि ग्राह्याणि। येनार्पणेन देवाधीनं क्रियते शरीरम् । अन्यत् सर्व सुगम अन्तरर्थे ।

अग्ने दे॒वाँ इहा वह जज्ञानो वृक्तबहिषे । असि होता न ईड्यः ॥ ३॥
अग्ने दे॒वान् इह आ वह जज्ञानः वृक्तऽबर्हिषे असि होता नः ईड्य:॥

हे अग्ने त्वं जज्ञान: जायमानः, अन्तर्यजमाने मयि प्रादुर्भवन्नित्यर्थः, जने: लिटि कानच् , जानातेर्वा इति स्कन्दस्वामी। वृक्तवहिषे वृक्तं आस्तीर्ण बहिर्येन तस्मै यजमानाय देवान् इह अत्रेदं मम यजनं आवह आनय । नः अस्माकं ईड्यः अध्येषणीयत्वेन स्तुत्यः त्वं होता आह्वाता देवानां असि ।

वृक्तबर्हिषे-व्याख्यातम् , अन्तर्यजने देवानामागमने आसनसन्नाह इत्यादि प्रागुक्तम् ’दम्रा युवाकवः’ इति मन्त्रस्य विचारे । ।

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

ताँ उशतो वि बोधय॒ यदग्ने यासि दृत्यम् । देवैरा सत्सि बर्हिषि ॥४॥
तान् उशतः वि बोधय॒ यत् अग्ने यासि दूत्यम् देवैः आ सत्सि बर्हिषि ॥

हे अग्ने यत् यस्मात्कारणात् , येषां यान् प्रति वा दूत्यं दूतकर्म यासि गच्छसि वहसीत्यर्थः, तस्मात् , तान् उशतः कामयमानान् यज्ञमिति शेषः, देवान् विबोधय प्रबुद्धान् कुरु। विबोध्य च तै: देवैः सह बर्हिषि उचिते सिद्ध च अस्मिन्नासने आसत्सि आसीदसि, आसीदेत्यर्थः, सीदतेर्लट् छान्दसम् ।

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

घृताहवन दीदिवः प्रति म रिषतो दह। अग्ने त्वं रक्षखिनः ॥५॥
घृतऽआहवन दीदिऽवः प्रति स्म रिषतः वह अग्ने त्वम् रक्षस्विनः॥

हे अग्ने घृताहवन घृतेनाहूयमान, दीप्तया धिया आहूयतेऽग्निरन्तर्यजने, ’धियं घृताचीम्’ इत्यत्र घृतं व्याख्यातम् । दीदिवः द्योतमान, द्योतनार्थाद दीव्यते: लिट: वसुन् , अन्यत् छान्दसम् । प्रति प्रतिकूलमाचरतो रिषतः शत्रून् हिंसार्थाद् रिषतेः शतृ। त्वं दह स्म भस्मीकुरु । स्मेति पादपूरणो वा । कीदृशान् रिषतः ? रक्षस्विनः रक्षोयुक्तान् , रक्षरशब्दान्मतुबर्थे विनिः ।

षष्ठीमृचमाह—

अग्निनाग्निः समिध्यते कविर्गृहपतिर्युवा। हव्य॒वाडू जुह्वास्यः ॥६॥
अग्निना अग्निः सम् इध्यते कविः गृहऽपतिः युवा हव्यऽवाट् जुहुऽआस्यः॥

अग्निः आहवनीय:, अन्तर्यजननिर्वाहार्थ आह्वातव्यः कृतचिद्धामा दिव्यः । अग्निना यजमानतपोबलादन्तर्निमथ्येनाग्निना समिध्यते सम्यग्दीप्यते [तपो ब्रह्म, तपसा विजिज्ञासस्वेतिवत् अग्निना अग्निः सम्पाद्यः । अलसस्य स दुर्लभः, ऋषेरायंस्य कृष्टेरग्निहोत्रं स्वभावसिद्धं सहजं कर्म]। कीडशोऽग्निः ? कविः अती-न्द्रियदर्शी। गृहपतिः अग्नये भगवते सर्वथा यजमानेन आत्मसमर्पणे क्रियमाणे, तस्य गृहस्य वासस्थानस्य स्वामी भवत्यग्निः, गृहस्य पालकः । युवा स नित्य-यौवनः, हव्यवाट् हव्यानां वोढा [व्याख्यातम् ], जुह्वास्यः जुहूरास्यं मुखमस्य, जिह्वा ज्वाला भवति । अग्ने: सैव मुखम् (जुहोतेर्जुहू:) ’जुहूभिजिह्वाभिः’ साय-णीयम् (१-५८-४) ’उत्तानं ऊर्ध्वः अधयत् जुहूभिः’ (५-१-३)।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे द्वाविंशो वर्ग:

अथास्मिन् सप्तमीमृचमाह—

कविमग्निमुप स्तुहि सत्यधर्माणमध्वरे । देवममीवचातनम् ॥ ७ ॥
कविम् अग्निम् उप स्तुहि सत्यऽधर्माणम् अध्वरे दे॒वम् अमीवऽचातनम्॥

अग्निम् उप उपेत्य स्तुहि स्तुतिं कुरु। सखायमन्तर्याजिनं अन्तरात्मानं एव वा आमन्त्र्य ऋषेर्वचनम्। कीदृशम् ? कविम् द्रष्टारमतीन्द्रियार्थानां अध्वरे अनुष्ठाने दिव्यपथस्य दातरि यज्ञे, सत्यधर्माणम् सत्यं ऋतमेव धर्मो यस्य तम् (विस्तरभिया न व्याख्यायते, इदं त्ववधेयम् । सत्यधर्म एव परमं श्रेयः यदर्थमेव ऋषीणां सर्वाण्यनुष्ठानानि प्रवर्तन्ते। उपनिषदि ’सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये’ इत्युक्तिश्चानु-सन्धेया)। देवम् दीप्तिमन्तम् । अमीवचातनम् अमीवानां हिंसकानां रोगाणां वा चातनं नाशयितारं, (अम रोगे इत्यस्मात् ईंडागमो वन् प्रत्ययश्च ।) चते याचने इत्यस्य णिचि रूपमित्याहुः । किं तु ’चातयते नाशयति’ इति सायणीयम् । ’अयं वृत: चातयते’ (४-१७-९) अन्यत्रापि एवमेव ।

अष्ठमीमृचमाह—

यस्त्वामग्ने हविष्पति तं देव सर्यति । तस्य स्म प्राविता भव ॥ ८॥
यः त्वाम् अग्ने हविःऽपतिः दूतम् देव सर्यति तस्य स्म प्रऽअवता भव ॥

हे अग्ने देव यः हविष्पतिः हविष: स्वामी यजमानः । हविरग्नये अर्पण-योग्यं द्रव्यम् । सङ्केतः प्राग्विवृतः। दूतम् देवानां अस्मदर्थमिति शेषः, त्वाम् सपर्यति परिचरति तस्य हविरपणं कुर्वतो यजमानस्य त्वम् प्राविता प्रकर्षण वर्धयिता भव स्म असीत्यर्थः, ’स्म’ पादपूरणो वा

नवमीमृचमाहू—

यो अग्नि देववीतये हविष्माँ आविवासति । तस्मै पावक मृळय ॥९॥
य: अग्निम् देवऽवीतये हविष्मान् आऽविवासति तस्मै पावक मृळय ॥

यः हविष्मान् हवियुक्तः यजमान: देववीतये देवानां वीतिरागमनं यस्मिन् यज्ञे तस्मै (बहुव्रीहिः, तस्माद्विशेषणमध्याहार्यस्य यज्ञस्य) अग्निम् आविवासति परिचरति (अन्तर्भावितण्यर्थः, गत्यर्थो वातिर्धातु: तस्मात् सन् , आगमयितुं इच्छतीति धात्वर्थः, तादृशीच्छैव परिचर्यायां पर्यवस्यतीति हेतो: निघण्टौ तथा पठितम् )। तस्मै यजमानाय हे पावक शोधक अग्ने मृळय सुखं कुरु । यज्ञ प्रति देवानां ’वीतिः’ यजमाने तेषां प्रादुर्भाव एव भवति । पुनातेः पावको रूढिरग्नौ । अर्पणद्रव्यस्य हविषः स्वरूपं प्रागुक्तम् ।

दशमीमृचमाह—

स नः पावक दीदिवोऽग्ने दे॒वाँ इहा वह । उप यज्ञं हविश्च नः ॥१०॥
सः नः पावक दीढिऽव: अग्ने देवान् इह आ वह उप यज्ञम् हविः च नः॥

हे पावक शोधयितः, दीदिवः दीप्तिमन् , अग्ने सः त्वं नः अस्मभ्यं तादर्थे चतुर्थी, देवान् इह अत्र अस्मदीययजनस्थाने आवह आहर । अस्माकं यज्ञम् यजनम् हविश्व उप समीपं तेषां, प्रापयेत्यर्थः ।

एकादशीचमाह—

स नः स्तवान आ भर गायत्रेण नवीयसा। रयिं वीरवतीमिषम् ॥ ११ ॥
सः नः स्तवानः आ भर गायत्रेण नवीयसा रयिम् वीरऽवतीम् इषम् ॥

सः त्वम् नवीयसा नवतरेण गायत्रेण स्तोत्रेण गायत्र्या इदं गायत्रम् तेन स्तवानः स्तूयमानः नः अस्मदर्थ आभर आहर सम्पादयेत्यर्थः । आहरणीयं आह। रयिम् धनम् वीरवतीम् वीर्योपेतां इषम् प्रेरयित्री शक्तिं च । ’इषं अन्नं’ इति स्थूल: पक्षः। सूक्ष्मे तु सर्वत्र प्रेरणबलं, एषणाशक्तिरिति वा बोध्यम् । केवलं प्रेरणा निर्बलाऽपि स्यात् , अत एव वीरवतीति विशेषणम् । वीरशब्देन वीर्य लक्षितं ग्राह्यम् । रयिर्धनं अन्तर्याजिनः प्राधान्येन दिव्यं धनमेव भवति । (स्तवानः ष्टुबू स्तुतौ कर्मणि शानचू छान्दसं रूपम्) ’नवीयसा गायत्रेण’ पूर्वकै-रप्यसम्पादितमिदं गायत्रं सृक्तमिति सायणः । अन्यैरकृतपूर्वेण इति स्कन्द-स्वामी।

द्वादशीमृचमाह—

अग्ने शुक्रेण शोचिषा विश्वाभिर्देवहूतिभिः। इम स्तोमं जुषस्व नः ॥ १२ ॥
अग्ने शुक्रेण शोचिषा विश्वाभिः दे॒वहूतिऽभिः इमम् स्तोमम् जुषस्व नः ॥

हे अग्ने शुक्रेण शुभ्रेण शोचिषा रोचिषा विश्वाभिः सर्वाभिः देवहूतिभिः देवाहानसाधनभूताभिः स्तुतिभिश्च युक्तः, (बहुव्रीहिः, देवानां हृतय: यासु ता: स्तुतयः) नः अस्माकं इमम् स्तोमम् जुषस्व सेवस्व ॥

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे त्रयोविंशो वर्ग:

व्याख्यातं काण्वस्य मेधातिथेराद्यं आग्नेयं सूक्तम् । अथ तस्यैव द्वितीयं गायत्रं द्वादशर्च आप्री-संज्ञकं सूक्तमारभ्यते। तत्र प्रत्यूचं प्रतिपाद्यमाना द्वादश देवता इति अनुक्रमणिका। अग्निरेक एव द्वादशविभागभूतदेवतात्मकतया स्तूयत इति हेतोराग्नेयेषु सूक्तेषु मध्ये पट्यत इदमाप्रीसूक्तम् । अग्नीषोमीयं पशुं विधाय तत्र एकादश प्रयाजान् विपत्ते ’आप्रीभिराप्रीणाति’ इति ऐतरेयिण: समामनन्ति । प्रयाजदेवतानां याज्याः (स्तुतय:) प्रीतिहेतुत्वात् आप्रीशब्देनोच्यन्ते । एवं कर्मसु विनियोगः स्पष्टः स्थूलपक्षे, तथा मन्त्राणामर्थोऽपि सुखेन योजनीयतां लभते। सूक्ष्मार्थ एव विचारणीयः । कथं अग्निराधातव्यो यजमाने ? कीदृशं यजमानस्वरूपम् ? कीदृशोऽग्नेापारः ? इतीमानि अधिकृत्य तत्त्वे दृढं गृहीते आप्रीमन्त्रार्थानां रहस्यं अनायासेन स्पष्टं भवेदित्यसंशयम्। मन:-प्राण-शरीरात्मकस्य त्रिकस्योपयोक्ता उपभोक्ता अधिष्ठाता योऽन्तरे स्फुरन्नात्मा भवति स जीवो यजमानः पुरुष उच्यते। परिपाकवशात्तस्य दिव्यसम्पदे दिव्यजन्मने देवतानुग्रह-सम्पादनाय प्रवृत्तौ जातायाम्, तस्य हृद्ता काङ्क्षा तीव्रा भवति । सा च भक्ति-परवशया धिया तपोबलेन वा उभयथाऽपि वा विशेषतो ज्वलिता भवति। एवं देवकामस्य जीवस्य ज्वलितायां काङ्क्षायां, स्वयमेवेश्वरो द्रष्टा दर्शयिता च सर्वस्य, ’कविः’ कर्ता कारयिता च कर्तव्यस्य ’क्रतुः’ प्रादुर्भवति । अत एव ’अग्निनाग्निः समिध्यते’ इति मन्त्रदृष्टिः । तथा तस्याग्नेयजमाने जन्मनः परं क्रमेण स एव यजमानस्य सर्व भारं वहन् कार्य साधयति । स होता पुरोहित: सत्य: सत्यवर्मा गृहपतिः इत्यादीनां विशेषणानां प्रयोजनमधुना सुगमं भवेत् । स जातो वर्ध-यितव्य:, ज्वलयितव्य: अस्मदीयैः स्तोत्रैयानैः कर्मभिश्च । स एव न: कर्तव्येषु अध्येषणीय:। सर्वथा स प्रीणनीय:। प्रीते तस्मिन् , तस्योद्योगे सति तद्विभूति-भूतानि दैवतान्यन्यानि आविर्भूय स्वीयाः सम्पदो यजमानं प्रापयन्ति । ता एव देवता: आप्रियः अस्मिन् सूक्ते प्रतिपादिताः। सर्वाश्च ता अग्निसम्पद एवेति ग्राह्याः। प्रीज् प्रीणने इति धातो: आप्रीशब्दनिर्वचनं प्राहुः, तर्हि आप्रिय: स्तुतय इति युक्तम् । पृ-पालनपूरणयोरिति धातोश्च निष्पाद्यः शब्दः, तर्हि देवता: आप्रियः आपूरयित्र्य: यजमानस्येति शेषः । यजमानं इमाः स्वात्मना पूरयन्ति अग्निविभूतय इत्यर्थः । ’स विद्वाँ आ च पिप्रय:’ (२-६-८) स त्वं विद्वान् विशेषाभिज्ञः सन् आ च सर्वतोऽस्मान् ‘पूरय’ कामैः इति सायणव्याख्या लक्षणीया ।

तदस्मिन् सूक्ते इध्मापरनामकसमिधाद्याः आप्रिय: यजमाने लब्धजन्मनोऽग्नेः वर्धमानस्य दशाविशेषान् प्राप्नुवतः पूर्णाविष्कारायोपकरणभूताः काश्चन विभूति-विशेषा मूर्तिविशेषाश्च प्रतिपादिता भवन्ति । अथ च इदमवधातव्यम् । आप्री-सूक्तेषु सर्वत्र सर्वाश्च प्रधानदेवताः यज्ञे सान्निध्यं कर्तुं स्तूयन्ते। अग्निमुखेन ता आहूयन्ते। अतोऽग्निमुखा देवा भवन्तीति अग्निदेवत्यमाप्रीसूक्तमित्याहुः । यद्यपि परदैवतस्य मूर्तय एव सर्वांश्च देवताः, तथाऽपि व्यापारभेदो व्यक्तिभेदश्च बोध्यौ। ऋचां व्याख्याने तत्सर्व यावदपेक्षितं प्रदर्शयिष्यामः ।

तत्र प्रथमामृचमाह—

सुसमिद्धो न आ वह दे॒वाँ अग्ने हविष्मते । होत: पावक यक्षि च ॥१॥
सुऽसमिद्धः नः आ वह देवान् अग्ने हविष्मते होतरिति पावक यक्षि च ॥

हे अग्ने सुसमिद्धः शोभनत्व-विशिष्टः सम्यग्दीप्तः त्वं नः मह्यम् (वचन-व्यत्ययेन बहुवचनमुक्तम् ) हविष्मते हविर्युक्ताय यजमानाय देवान् आवह आनय। हे होतः आह्वात:, पावक शोधक, यक्षि च यज च। सुसमिद्धः-सम् इति सम्यगर्थे इन्धनक्रियाविशेषणम् , तस्मात् समिद्धः गतिसमासः, सुशब्दः शोभन-वाची तस्मात् कर्मधारयः। यक्षि-यजेति लोटि मध्यमपुरुषैकवचनम् । सुसमिद्ध-शब्देन इध्मनामकोऽग्निः सूचित इत्याहुः। प्रादुर्भूतस्य प्रथमं अल्पाकारस्य ज्वालावर्धनं स्तोत्रध्यानकर्मानुष्ठानैः समित्सङ्केतितैः सम्पद्यते । अत्र ’अग्ने’ इति तत्संवर्धनोपकरणभूतसमिधः सम्बोधनं अवधेयम् । अन्यत् प्रागुक्तम् ।

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

मधुमन्तं तनूनपाद्यज्ञं देवेषु नः कवे । अद्या कृणुहि वीतये ॥२॥
मधुऽमन्तम् तनूऽनपात् यज्ञं देवेषु नः कवे अद्य कृणुहि वीतये ॥

हे अग्ने, तनूनपात् एतत्संज्ञक, कवे द्रष्टः, सर्वार्थदर्शिन् , अद्य न: अस्माकं अस्मदीयं मधुमन्तम् रसवन्तमुपभोगक्षममित्यर्थः यज्ञ इमं सर्व देवेषु देवानां मध्ये तत्समीपमित्यर्थः कृणुहि कुरु, नय । किमर्थम् ? वीतये आगतये तेषामिति शेषः । इमं यज्ञं निवेदय देवानाम् , येन ते च आगताः स्युः । अग्निरेव तनूनपात् प्रोक्तः । शरीरे प्रादुर्भूतोऽग्निरस्माभिः प्राग्व्याख्यातलक्षण-स्तनूनपात् । ऊर्जानपात्, अपां नपात् इत्यादौ यथा शक्तेर्जातोऽग्निरुच्यते, तथा यजमानस्य तन्वां जातः पुत्रः ।

अत्र तृतीयामृचमाह—

नराशंसमिह प्रियमुस्मिन्य॒ज्ञ उप ह्वये । मधुजि हविष्कृतम् ॥३॥
नराशंसम् इह प्रियम् अस्मिन् यज्ञे उप ह्वये मधुऽजिह्वम् हवि:ऽकृतम् ॥

नराशंसम् एतन्नामकमग्निं इह अस्मिन् यज्ञे अस्मदीयेऽत्र प्रवर्तमाने यजने उपह्वये आह्वयामि । कीदृशम् ? प्रियम् प्रीणनशीलं, देवानां प्रीतिं जनयति, यजमानस्यापि प्रीतिहेतुरग्निः । मधुजिह्नं मधुरवाचम् , जिह्वया वाग्लक्ष्यते । हविष्कृतम् हविष: कर्तारम् , हविषि य आस्वाद्यो रसः तस्य ग्रहणे समर्था जिह्वा तस्याग्नेः, हविरन्नमपि अग्निनैव पक्वं भवति, तस्माद्विशेषणद्वयमिदं उपपद्यते स्थूले बाह्ये कर्मणि। अन्तरर्थे तु देवाह्वानसमर्था मधुरभाषिणीव ज्वाला दिव्यमध्वान-मूर्ध्व गत्वा देवानधिगम्य आकर्षति, यजमानेनार्पणीयं देवाह्वानसाधनं हविरपि कविक्रतुना अग्निनैव साधितं भवति, यजमानप्रयाससाध्यं हव्यं अग्निनैव भगवता सफलं क्रियते । एवमुपपद्यते विशेषणद्वयम् । नराशंस इत्यग्निरेवोक्तोऽस्यामृचि । नराणां देवानां शंस इति व्युत्पत्तिः। देवानां शंसनेन देवकामं यजमानमुत्तेजय-त्यग्निः ।

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

अग्ने सुखतमे रथे देवाँ ईळित आ वह । अस होता मनुर्हितः॥४॥
अग्ने सुखऽतमे रथे देवान ईळित: आ वह असि होता मनुःऽहितः ॥

हे अग्ने, ईळित: इटू-शब्दाभिधेयोऽग्निः आप्रीषु प्रतिपादितानामेक: ईळितशब्देनोक्त इत्याहुः । यद्यपि अस्य शब्दस्य सामान्यार्थः स्तुतोऽस्माभिरिति भवति, तथाऽपि अस्माभिः काक्षितः, कर्तव्ये देवकार्येऽस्मिन् यजने सत्कारपूर्वकं नियोजित इति भवति । अत एव अध्येषित इति प्राग्वद् ग्राह्यम् । तथाभूतस्त्वं सुखतमे अत्यन्तसुखहेतौ रथे शीघ्रगतिके याने देवान् उपवेश्य, आवह आनय। सुखतमेन रथेन आवहनसाधनेनेति, तृतीयार्थे सप्तमी । तथा देवानां आनयनं अग्ने: कार्यम् । अत आह । त्वं होता आह्वाता असि आह्वानं तव धर्मः । किं च मनुर्हितः मनुना मन्त्रेण अस्माभिः हित: दृढं निहितः स्थापित: । ’मन ज्ञाने मन्यत इति भनुः छान्दस: सु इत्यादेशः तस्य रुत्वम् । मन्त्रा ज्ञात्रा यजमानेन हित इति विग्रहः । मन्त्रेण ब्रह्मपदवाच्येन हादवाग्विभवेन स्थापितोऽग्निर्यजन-निर्वाहायेत्यपि बोध्यम् । अद्यापि मनुशब्दः तन्त्रशास्त्रेषु मन्त्रपयितया प्रसिद्धः । अत्र ईळितः साक्षादग्निरेवेति स्पष्टम् ।

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

स्तुणीत बहिरानुषग्घृतपृष्ठं मनीषिणः। यत्रामृतस्य चक्षणम् ॥ ५॥
स्तृणीत बर्हिः आनुषक् घृतऽपृष्ठम् मनीषिणः यत्र अमृतस्य चक्षणम् ॥

हे मनीषिणः बुद्धिमन्तः सखायः, बर्हिः दर्भ (अन्तरे देवानामासनं बर्हिषा सङ्केतितं बोध्यम् )। स्तृणीत आस्तीर्ण कुरुत, वेदेरुपरिभागं आच्छादयत, अन्तर्वेद्यामासनं सुखं सिद्धं कुरुत। अन्यत्रापि वेद्यां बर्हिः सुखासनं भवतु देवा-नामिति द्योतयितुं ऊर्णाकम्बलवन्मृद्वित्युक्तं ’ऊर्णाम्रदाः’ (५-५-४)। कीदृशं बर्हिः ? आनुषक् आ समन्तादनुक्रमेण अनुषजति, परस्परसम्बद्धं सुसङ्गत-मित्यर्थः। घृतपृष्ठम् घृतशब्दवाच्यदीप्तियुक्तं पृष्ठं उपरिभागोऽस्य बहिर्वाच्यस्या-यत्र बर्हिषि अमृतस्य मरणरहितस्य नित्यस्य देवानां आगतौ तदासन-रूपतयाऽप्यवस्थितस्याग्ने:, चक्षणम् दर्शनं भवति । अमृतचक्षुःस्थानं भवति अन्तर्वेद्यां आसनमित्युक्तम् ॥ सनस्य । ।

षष्ठीमृचमाह—

वि श्रयन्तामृतावृधो द्वारो देवीरसश्चतः। अद्या नूनं च यष्टवे ॥६॥
वि श्रयन्ताम् ऋतऽवृधः द्वारः दे॒वीः असश्चतः अद्य नूनम् च यष्टवे ॥

यज्ञ ऊर्ध्व गच्छतीति प्रसिद्धिर्वेदे। अन्यत्रापि आप्रीसूक्तेषु यज्ञमूवं कुरुतेति प्रार्थना श्रूयते। तेन यजमानस्यैवोर्ध्वगतिः। ऊर्ध्वगमनाय द्वाराणि विवृतानि भवेयुः। अयज्वनः पुरुषस्य तानि पिहितानि भवन्ति । ततो यजमानस्तेषां ऊर्ध्वगतिद्वाराणां उद्घाटनाय दैवीः शक्तीः प्रार्थयते । देवीः द्योतमानाः द्वार: यज्ञगतिद्वाराणीत्यर्थः विश्रयन्ताम् विवृता भवन्तु। कीदृश्यो द्वारः ? ऋतवृधः ऋतस्य सत्यस्य वर्धयित्र्य:, असश्चत: सश्चतिः सङ्गकर्मा असक्ताः कवाटबन्धने, सुखोद्धाटना इत्यर्थः । किमर्थम् ? अद्य इदानीं नूनम् च अवश्यं यष्टवे यष्टुम् यज्ञायेत्यर्थः।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे चतुर्विंशो वर्ग:

सप्तमीमृचमाह—

नक्तोषासा सुपेशसास्मिन् यज्ञ उप ह्वये। इदं नो बहिरासदे ॥७॥
नक्तोषासा सुऽपेशसा अस्मिन् यज्ञे उप ह्वये इदम् नः बर्हिः आऽसदे ॥

नक्तशब्द उषश्शब्दश्च रात्रि प्रभातं च अभिदधाते। रात्रिशब्देन अस्माकं साधारणी मानुषी प्रज्ञा, उषोलक्षितेन अह्ना दैवी प्रज्ञा च सङ्केतिते। दिने प्रकाशमानं सर्व रात्रिगर्भे वर्तते। दैवप्रज्ञायां प्रकाशमानं सर्व मानुषप्रज्ञागर्भे वर्तते। पर्यायेण वर्तमाने उभे अपि प्रज्ञे यशेऽस्मिन् आह्वयामीति मन्त्रार्थः ।

नक्तोषसा नक्तं च उषाश्च नक्तोषसा, आकारश्छान्दस: (द्वितीयाद्विवचनम् ) अस्मिन् यज्ञे उपह्वये आह्वयामि । कीदृश्यौ ? सुपेशसा शोभनरूपयुक्ते विविच्य ग्राह्ये शुभप्रदे च। किमर्थम् ? नः अस्माकं अस्माभिः आस्तीर्ण साधितं इदं बहिः आसदे आसत्तुं प्राप्तुमित्यर्थः। आङ्-पूर्वकात् सीदतेः भावे क्विप, प्रादिसमास:, आसत् तस्मै आसदे। ’विद्यां चाविद्यां च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह’ इत्याद्युपनिषद्वाक्यानां ईदृशी मन्त्रदृष्टिमूलमिति धीमद्भिरूह्यम् ॥

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

ता सुजिह्वा उप ये होतारा दैव्या कवी। यज्ञं नो यक्षताम॒मम् ॥ ८॥
ता सुऽज़िौ उप हये होतारा दैव्या कवी इति यज्ञं न: यक्षताम् इमम् ॥

ता तौ (आकार छान्दसः) सुजिह्रौ शोभनवाचौ, जिह्वया आह्वात्री वाग् लक्ष्यते । दैव्या दैव्यौ देवसम्बन्धिनौ होतारा होतारौ आह्वातारो, अत एव अग्निमूर्तिविशेषौ कवी अतीन्द्रियदर्शिनौ उपह्वये आह्वयामि । नः अस्माकं इम यज्ञं तौ यक्षतां यजताम् [लोटि प्रथमपुरुषद्विवचनं छान्दसम् ] ।

नवमीमृचमाह—

इळा सरस्वती मही तस्रो देवीर्मयोभुवः । बहि:सीदन्त्व॒स्रिधः ॥९॥
इळा सरस्वती मही ति॒िस्रः दे॒वीः मयःऽभुवः बर्हिः सीढन्तु अनिधः ॥

’तिस्रो देवीः’ इति अन्यत्रापि आप्रीसूक्तेषु श्रूयमाणत्वात् तिसृणामासां साह-चर्यश्रवणाच्च तासामेका भारतीति प्रसिद्धेश्च अत्र ’मही’ भारतीति न सन्देहः । इळा एतदाख्या सरस्वती एतन्नाम्नी मही महती भारती इति तिस्रः देवी: दिव्याः शक्तिमूर्तय: । बर्हिः सिद्धमासनमिति बोध्यम् । सीदन्तु प्राप्नुवन्तु। कीदृश्य:? मयोभुवः मय: सुखनाम, तस्य सुखस्य अन्तर्भावितण्यर्थात् ’भुवः’ भावयित्र्यः । पुनः कीदृश्य:? अनिधः अहिंसिताः अबाधिताः, अथवा शोषणरहिताः, सिधेः शोषणार्थो हिंसार्थश्च भवतः । इळा ज्ञानदृष्टिदेवी शक्तिः, इति सारतोऽव-गन्तव्यम् ।⁸

दशमीमृचमाह—

इह त्वष्टारमग्रियं विश्वरूपमुप हये । अस्माकमस्तु केवलः ॥ १० ॥
इह त्वष्टारम् अग्रियम् विश्वऽरूपम् उप ह्वये अस्माकम् अस्तु केवलः ॥

इह अत्र यजने त्वष्टारम् एतन्नामकं सर्वेषां रूपाणां तक्षाणं देवम् उपह्वये आह्वयामि। कीदृशम् ? अग्रियम् श्रेष्ठम् सर्वदेवात्मकस्य ईश्वरस्यैव त्वष्टभूत-त्वात् यजमाने नवनवदिव्यरूपाणां आविष्कारायेति बोध्यम् । विश्वरूपम् विश्वानि सर्वाणि रूपाणि यस्य तम् , न केवलं स विश्वेषां रूपाणां साधु निष्पादक: स एव भवति विश्वरूपसामग्री। स: अस्माकम् केवलः अनन्याराधनविषयभूत: अस्तु भवतु। अत्र त्वष्टा ’अस्माकमस्तु केवल:’ इति मधुच्छन्दसा स्तुत इन्द्रः ’सुरूपकृत्नुः’ इव लक्ष्यते। यद्यपि अग्नेरेव मूर्तिविशेष एष इति व्याख्यातारः प्राहुः, देवदेवस्यैकत्वेऽपि देवानां पृथगात्मकत्वाभ्युपगमात् द्युस्थानोऽयं ऐन्द्रो देवः, इन्द्रकार्यनिर्वाही, तदात्मकतयाऽवस्थितः सर्वेश्वर इति वक्तव्यम् , विशेषत: केवलशब्दश्रवणात् ।

एकादशीमृचमाह—

अव सृजा वनस्पते देव देवेभ्यो हविः। प्र दातुरस्तु चेतनम् ॥ ११ ॥
अव सृज़ वनस्पते देव देवेभ्य: हविः प्र दातुः अस्तु चेतनम् ॥

हे वनस्पते सोम, देव! त्वं देवोऽसि, तस्मात् देवेभ्यः इन्द्रादिभ्य: हवि: अस्मदीयं रसवदर्पितम् अवसृज समर्पय। प्रदातुः तथा देवेभ्य: स्वीयं सर्वानुभूतिसारात्मकं दैवतस्वीकरणक्षम संस्कृतं हव्यं ददते यजमानाय, चेतनं अस्तु संज्ञानं भवतु। चिती संज्ञान इति धात्वर्थांनुगमो बोध्यः। साक्षात्सम्पर्क-रूपं ज्ञानं संज्ञानं, दैवत-तदावासघामविषयकं ज्ञानं अस्माभिः सम्यक् स्पृष्टं लब्धं च भवत्विति भावः।

सोमस्य ओषधीशत्वं रसमयत्वं, अत एव आनन्दमयत्वं च प्रसिद्धम् ।

द्वादशीमृचमाह—

स्वाहा यज्ञं कृणोतनेन्द्राय यज्वनो गृहे। तत्र देवाँ उप ह्वये ॥ १२ ॥
खाहा यज्ञम् कृणोतन इन्द्राय यज्वनः गृहे तत्र देवान् उप ह्वये ॥

समानप्रवृत्तिकान् सखीनाह-हे यजमानाः, इन्द्राय इन्द्रार्थम् यज्ञं स्वाहा सुहुतं कृणोतन कुरुत। हविःप्रदानवाची स्वाहाशब्दः देवतासन्तृप्तिकारिण: सुहुतस्य प्रतिपादको भवति । कुत्र? यज्वनो गृहे यजमानस्य निकेतने मन:-प्राणशरीरात्मक इति ग्राह्यम् । तत्र पूर्वोक्ते गृहे देवान् यष्टव्यान् उपह्वये आइयामि।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे पञ्चविंशो वर्ग:

अथ चतुर्थेऽनुवाके काण्वस्य मेधातिथेः तृतीयं द्वादशर्च सूक्तं गायत्रम् । अग्नयादिबहुदेवताकमिदं व्याख्याने स्पष्टं भवति ।

तत्र प्रथमामृचमाह—

ऐभिरग्ने दुवो गिरो विश्वेभिः सोमपीतये । देवेभिर्याहि यक्षि च ॥१॥
आ एभिः अग्ने दुवः गिरः विश्वेभिः सोमपीतये देवेभिः याहि यक्षि च ॥

हे अग्ने, एभिः विश्वेभिः देवेभिः सह, पूर्वनिर्दिष्टानां सर्वेषां देवानां परामर्श: ’एभिः’ इत्यनेन बोध्य:। आयाहि आगच्छ, यक्षि यज च (यजतेर्लोटि, छान्दस:) किमर्थम् ? सोमपीतये सोमपानाय। दुवः अस्मदीयपरिश्रमरूपं कर्म प्रति गिरः स्तुतीश्च प्रति आयाहीति सम्बन्धयितव्यः। अस्मदीयस्तुतिषु परि-श्रमेषु च य: सारांशो वर्तते तं रसभरितं सोमपदवाच्यं सम्मदं स्वीकतुं देवैः सहागत्य त्वमेव यजमानो भूत्वा यजेत्युक्तम् । ।

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

आ त्वा कण्वा अहूषत गृणन्ति विप्र ते धियः। देवेभिरग्न आ गहि ॥२॥
आ त्वा कण्वाः अषत गृणन्ति विप्र ते धियः देवेभिः अग्ने आ गहि ॥

आ अहूषतेति क्रियया सम्बन्धयितव्यः । हे अग्ने त्वा त्वां कण्वाः मेधाविनः (वयं कण्ववंशजा वा) आहूषत आह्वयन्ति (हृञ् धातोर्लुङ्-छान्दस:, लडर्थे)। हे विप्र विपश्चित् , किञ्च, ते तव धियः धारणात्मिकाः प्रज्ञावृत्ती: गृणन्ति स्तुवन्ति। देवेभिः देवैः सह आगहि आगच्छ । न साधारणाः किं तु विशिष्टाः प्राज्ञाः आह्वानसमर्थास्त्वामाह्वयन्ति, तदागच्छ देवैः सह ।

तृतीयाचमाह—

इन्द्रवायू बृहस्पतिं मित्राग्निं पूषणं भगम्। आदित्यान् मारुतं गणम् ॥३॥
इन्द्रवायू इति बृहस्पतिम् मित्रा अग्निम् पूषणम् भगम् आदित्यान् मारुतम् गणम्॥

अत्र द्वितीयानिर्देशात् तान् सर्वान् आह्वयामि सोमपीतये यैः सह अग्ने: आगमन प्रार्थितवानहमिति बोध्यम् । अथ देवानां नाम्ना निर्देशः । इन्द्रवायू इन्द्रं च वायुं च बृहस्पतिम् (पारस्करप्रभृतीनि च संज्ञायामिति सूत्रस्य वात्र्तिका-नुसारेण बृहत: तलोपः सुडागमश्च) । मित्रा मित्रावरुणौ, द्विवचनश्रवणं साहचर्याद्वरुणग्रहणार्थम् । अग्निम् पूषणम् भगम् आदित्यान् अदितिसम्भवान् मारुतं गणम् मरुद्गणम् - इमान् आह्वयामीति शेषः ।

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

प्र वो भ्रियन्त इन्दवो मत्सरा मादयिष्णवः । द्रुप्सा मध्वश्चमुषदः ॥ ४ ॥
प्र वः भ्रियन्ते॒ इन्दवः मत्सराः मादयिष्णवः द्रुप्साः मध्वः चमूऽसदः ॥

वः युष्माकमर्थाय तादर्थ्य चतुर्थो, प्रकृतानामिन्द्रादीनामर्थाय प्रभ्रियन्ते प्रकर्षण भृताः भवन्ति इत्यर्थः। के ? इन्दवः क्लेदनशीलाः सोमाः । कीदृशाः ? मत्सरा: तृप्तिकराः (मन्दतेः तृप्तिकर्मणः सरप्रत्यय:, कृसर-धूसरवत् ) मादयि-ष्णवः हर्षयितारः। पुन: के ते? द्रप्साः रसबिन्दवः । मध्वः मधुस्वादाः मधुरा इत्यर्थः (मध्व इति लिङ्गव्यत्यय: जसि गुणाभावश्च) चमूषदः शरीरात्मक-पात्रे सीदन्ति गच्छन्ति। चमू-चमसादिशब्दोपलक्षित-यजमानशरीरात्मकपात्रगताः सोमा इति भावः । देवेभ्य: समर्पणाय मन:-प्राण-शरीरात्मके पात्रे कणशः कणशः (द्रप्साः) सम्पाद्य भूयांसो भूत्वा सम्भृताः (प्रभियन्त) सुखाः ’इन्दवः’ तृप्तिकारिणः हर्षहेतवः सुताः सिद्धा भवन्तीत्यर्थः। द्रुधातोनिष्पन्नः द्रप्सशब्दः, ईरणचलनादौ वर्तमानः ध्वजपर्यायो भवति क्वचित् , यथा ’ऊर्ध्व भानुं सविता देवो अश्रेद्रप्सम्’ (४-१३-२) । प्रायशः अत्यन्तमल्पांशद्योतक-बिन्दु-स्फुलिङ्ग-ज्वालैकदेशाद्यर्थे प्रयुक्तो लक्ष्यते । अत्र द्रप्सशब्दः द्रवणशीलो द्रुतोत्पतनो वा बिन्दुरित्यर्थे गृहीत:। अत एव कणशः सम्भृता: सोमा इत्युक्तम् । चमू-चमसादिवाच्यं पात्रं अन्तर्यजने शरीरमिति पुरस्ताद् आर्भवसूक्तव्याख्यानावसरे प्रपञ्चयिष्यामः।

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

ईळते त्वामव॒स्यवः कण्वासो वृक्तबर्हिषः। हविष्मन्तो अरंकृतः॥ ५॥
ईळते त्वाम् अव॒स्यवः कण्वास: वृक्तऽबर्हिषः ह॒विष्मन्तः अम्ऽकृतः ॥

हे अग्ने त्वाम् ईळते अध्येषन्ते । के ? अवस्यवः वर्धनकामाः कण्वासः मेघाविनः, वयममी कण्वा इति वा। कीदृशाः ? वृक्तबर्हिषः स्तीर्णासनाः, देवेभ्य इति शेष: । हविष्मन्तः देवार्थ उपकल्पितहव्याः । अरंकृतः अलं पर्याप्तं कुर्वन्तीति उपपदसमासः । अन्यूनकारिण: समृद्धकर्माण इत्यर्थः ।

षष्ठीमृचमाह—

घृतपृष्ठा मनोयुज़ो ये त्वा वहन्ति वह्नयः । आ देवान्त्सोमपीतये ॥६॥
घृतऽपृष्टाः मनःऽयुज: ये त्वा वहन्ति वह्नयः आ देवान् सोमपीतये ॥

हे अग्ने घृतपृष्ठाः घृतं दीप्तं पृष्ठं बहिरङ्गं येषां ते दीप्तबाह्यशरीरभागा इत्यर्थः । मनोयुजः मनसा युज्यमानाश्च ये वह्नयः अश्वा: त्वा त्वां वहन्ति, तै: आनयन-साधना है: देवान् इन्द्रादीन् सोमपीतये सोमस्य पानाय आ आवह । यज-मानमनोयुक्तवं एषां अग्निवाहानां उक्तम् । ब्रह्मयुजौ इन्द्राश्वौ प्राग्व्याख्यातौ । उभयं अपि सजातीयमभिप्रायं द्योतयति ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे षड् विंशो वर्ग:

सप्तमीमृचमाह-तान्यजत्राँ ऋतावृधोऽग्ने पत्नीवतस्कृधि । मध्वः सुजिह्व पायय ॥ ७ ॥
तान् यजत्रान् ऋतऽवृधः अग्ने पत्नीऽवत: कृधि मध्वः सुऽजिह्व पायय ॥

हे अग्ने तान् इन्द्रादीन् यजत्रान् यजनीयान् ऋतवृधः ऋतस्य सत्यस्य वर्धयितॄन् देवान् पत्नीवत: पत्नीयुक्तान् कृधि कुरु । हे सुजिह्व शोभनवाग्युक्त, अग्ने, तान् देवान् मध्वः मधुरस्य सोमस्य भागं पायय पिबतेर्हेतुमण्णिचू ।

अत्रेदमवधेयम् । पुमांस इन्द्रादयो देवाः, तच्छक्तय इन्द्राण्यादयो देव्य: । अयं विषयो भूमिकायां आवेदितः । पुंसो देवस्य महिमा शक्तया देव्या प्रख्याप्यते देवप्रभावविसारो देव्या निरुह्यते। तस्मात् शक्तिं देवीं विना शक्तस्य देवस्याविष्कारो दुर्घटः । ऋतं यजमाने वर्धयतो यष्टव्यान् इन्द्रादीन् तत्कार्यनिर्वाहशक्तियुक्तान् विधेहीति तात्पर्यम् ॥

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

ये यजत्रा य ईड्यास्ते ते पिबन्तु जिह्वया। मधोरग्ने वषट्कृति ॥८॥
ये यजत्राः ये ईड्याः ते ते पिबन्तु जिह्वया मधोः अग्ने वषटूऽकृति ॥

हे अग्ने, ये यजत्राः यजनीयाः ये ईड्याः स्तुत्याः अध्येषणार्थमिति शेषः, ते देवाः ते तव त्वदीयया जिह्वया ज्वालारूपया वाचा मधोः मधुरस्य सोमस्य भागं पिबन्तु वषट्रकृति वषट्कारयुक्ते यज्ञे पिबन्त्विति सम्बन्धः । वषट्कृति-करोतेः भावे क्विप, वषडिति करणं यस्मिन् सः वषट् कृत् तस्मिन् वषट्कृति यज्ञे। स्वाहाकार इव वषट्कारः देवेभ्यः सम्प्रदाने प्रयुज्यते ।

नवमीमृचमाह—

आकीं सूर्यस्य रोचनाद्विश्वान्दे॒वाँ उपर्बुधः । विप्रो होतेह वक्षति॥९॥
आकीम् सूर्यस्य रोचनात् विश्वान् दे॒वान् उपःऽबुधः विप्रः होता होता इह वक्षति ॥

आकीम् आ इत्यर्थे निपातः योग्यक्रियया सम्बन्धयितव्य:। विप्रो मेघावी होता आह्वाता अग्निः सूर्यस्य सर्वप्रेरकस्य सर्वोत्तमस्य देवस्य रोचनात् दीप्तात् स्वर्धामः उषर्बुधः उषसि प्रबुध्यमानान् (सत्यज्योतिराविर्भावे आसन्ने देवाः यजमानस्य यजनमास्थातुं सिद्धा भवन्तीत्यर्थः) विश्वान् देवान् इह (आ) वक्षति आवहतु (वहेः प्रार्थनायां लिङर्थे लेट्) ।

दशमीमृचमाह—

विश्वेभिः सोम्यं मध्वग्न इन्द्रेण वायुना। पिबा मित्रस्य॒ धामभिः ॥१०॥
विश्वेभिः सोम्यम् मधु अग्ने इन्द्रेण वायुना । पिब मित्रस्य धामऽभिः॥

हे अग्ने विश्वेभिः सर्वैर्देवैः इन्द्रेण वायुना, मित्रस्य एतदाख्यस्य देवस्य धामभिः तेजोविशेषैः सह सोम्यं सोममयं मधु मधुरं आस्वादनीयं रसं पिब । सोमस्य विकारः सोम्यमिति मयट् ।।

एकादशीमृचमाह—

त्वं होता मनुहितोऽग्ने यज्ञेषु सीदसि । सेमं नो अध्वरं यज ॥ ११ ॥
त्वम् होता मनुःऽहितः अग्ने यज्ञेषु सीढसि स: इमम् नः अध्वरम् यज ॥

हे अग्ने त्वम् होता आह्वाता देवानाम् , मनुर्हितः मनुना मन्त्रेण मन्त्रा वा हितः स्थापित: यज्ञेषु सीदसि स्थितो भवसि । सः तादृक् त्वं न: इमम् अध्वरम् अस्मदीयमिमं यज्ञं प्राप्य यज यजनं निर्वह। सेमम्-संहितायां सोर्लोपे गुणः । मनुर्हितः प्राग्व्याख्यातम् ॥

द्वादशीमृचमाह—

युवा ह्यरुपी रथे हरितो देव रोहितः। ताभिर्देवाँ इहा वह ॥ १२ ॥
युक्ष्व हि अरुषीः रथे हरितः देव रोहितः ताभिः दे॒वान् इह आ वह ॥

देव, हे अग्ने रथे युक्ष्व योजय। का: ? त्वदीयाः रोहितः रोहिच्छब्दा-भिधेयाः बडवाः, कीदृशी: ? अरुषी: आरोचमानाः हरितः हरणसमर्थाश्च । ताभिः अश्वाभि: देवान् इह अस्मिन् यजने आवह आहर । अत्र पूर्वे व्याख्या-तारः स्थूलदृष्टया बाह्यार्थानुसारेणैवं प्राहु:-‘रोहितः’ अग्नेरश्वाः रोहिदाख्याः प्रसिद्धाः । ’अरुषी:’-गतिमती:, क्र-गतौ इति धातो: शब्दनिष्पत्तिः । ’हरितः’ हर्तुं अश्वारूढान् नेतुं समर्थी इति च। अत्रेदमवधेयम् । अश्वानां गतिमत्त्वे आरूढजनहरणसामर्थे वा न कस्यापि स्यात् सन्देहः । किं तु साभिप्रायविशेषणप्रयोग: मतिमत्पथं नावतरेत् , यदि गतिमत्त्वा दिकमेव विवक्षित-मित्यभ्युपगच्छेम । किं तहिँ ? विस्तरभिया किञ्चिदेव उपक्षिप्यते । अरुषपदेन आरोचमानं सांध्यरागं अरुणम् , हरिच्छब्देन हरिद्वर्ण कमनीयं ऐन्द्रम् , रोहि-च्छब्देन लोहितप्रभमाग्नेयं च वाहं वाहसमूह वा द्योतितवान् मन्त्रद्रष्टा । सर्वान् देवानानेतुं तत्तद्देवतायोग्यवाहशक्तिविशेषैर्युक्तानावह, भोः इति ॥

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे सप्तविंशो वर्ग:

चतुर्थे ऽनुवाक्रे काण्वस्य मेधातिथेश्चतुर्थ द्वादशर्च सूक्तं गायत्रम् । ऋतुस हिता इन्द्राद्या देवताः प्रतिपादिता इति सूक्तमिदं ऋतुदेवताकं ऋतव्यं इत्याहुः । लोके अहोरात्रमासादिभिः भिन्नभिन्नक्रियाफललक्षित: कालविभागैः महीरुहादि-मानवान्तानां तत्तद्योग्यपरिपाकविशेषाः सम्पाद्यमानाः संलक्ष्यन्ते, तथा अन्त-यंजनेऽपि देवतानामिन्द्राद्यानां तत्तद्युक्तकालविव्यनुसारेण सम्पाद्यमाना विलास-विशेषाः यजमाने पूर्णाहुतिपरे सम्पूर्णक्रतधामकामे,अत एव तदङ्गभूतबहुदैवतयोगनिष्ठे तत्तद्युक्तान् परिपाकान् विदधते। ऋतुशब्देनायमर्थो लक्षितः, यद्देवताभिः अस्म-दन्तनिरुह्यमानानां कर्मणां कालविधिः दैवतरहस्यभाक् यजमानपरिपाकदशानुसारीति, तस्मात् मन्त्रेषु व्याख्यास्यमानेषु ’ऋतुना’ सह इत्यत्र दिव्य समयानुसारेण इति ग्राह्यम् । विवरणमन्तरेण ऋतुशब्द: प्रयुज्यते मा भून्मन्त्रशोभाहानिरिति ॥

तत्र प्रथमामृचमाह—

इन्द्र सोमं पिब ऋतुना त्वा विशन्त्विन्दवः। मत्सरासस्तदोकसः॥१॥
इन्द्र सोमम् पिब ऋतुना आ त्वा विशन्तु इन्दवः मत्सरासः तत्ऽओकसः॥

हे इन्द्र ऋतुना उक्तलक्षणेन सह सोमम् पिब । इन्दवः सोमाः त्वा त्वां आविशन्तु सर्वतः प्रविशन्तु। कीदृशास्ते? मत्सरासः तृप्तिकराः तदोकसः तन्निवासाः (तच्छब्दवाच्य इन्द्रस्य कुक्षिः ओको येषां ते)। एवं ’यः कुक्षि: सोमपातमः’ (१-८-७) इति सङ्गच्छते ।

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

मरुतः पिबत ऋतुना पोत्नाद्यशं पुनीतन। यूयं हि ष्ठा सुदानवः ॥ २॥
मरुतः पिबत ऋतुना पोत्रात् य॒ज्ञम् पुनीतन यूयं हि स्थ सुऽदानवः ॥

हे सुदानवः शोभनदानाः हे मरुतः ऋतुना युष्मदीययोग्यकालानुसारेण पिबत सोममिति शेषः। कुतः ? पोत्रात् पोतुः पात्रात् (पुनातेः पोता, तस्येदं इत्यण , वृद्धव्यभावो वैकल्पिकश्छन्दसि)। यज्ञम् इमं पुनीतन पुनीत, शोधयत (छन्दसि तनादेशः)। हि यस्मात् यूयं स्थ भवथ पवने प्रसिद्धा इति शेषः । सुदानवः-दानुशब्दः दानवचनो दातृवचनो वा, प्रादिसमासः। पोतृनामक ऋत्विक अन्तर्यजने पविता शोधको देवताविशेषः । ऋत्विजः सर्वेऽपि देवा एव झुक्ताः । प्रथममेवोक्तमग्निमधिकृत्य ’यज्ञस्य देवमृत्विजं’ इति । पवितुस्तस्य पात्रात्सोम-ग्रहणाश्रयभूतात् पीता मरुतोऽपि पवितारः प्रसिद्धाः यज्ञं पूतं निर्दोषं विधातुं प्रभवन्ति । तथा तत्कर्तृकपारिशुद्धयदाने शोभनत्वमत्यन्तस्पृहणीयम् ’सुदानवः’ ।

तृतीयामृचमाह—

अभि यज्ञं गृणीहि नो नावो नेष्टः पिब ऋतुना । त्वं हि रत्नधा असि ॥३॥
अभि यज्ञं गृणीहि नः नाव: नेष्टरिति पिब ऋतुना त्वम् हि रत्नऽधाः असि॥

हे नाव: ग्नाः स्त्रियः अस्य सन्तीति नावान् तस्य सम्बोधनं नावन् , (व्यत्ययेन वः छान्दसः) पत्नीसमेत, हे नेष्टः, ’नेष्टा’ ऋत्विग्भूतो देवताविशेषः, णिजिर् शौचपोषणयोरित्यस्मान्निष्पन्नः । यदि पोता यज्ञं शोधयित्वा दोष-व्यतिरिक्तं विधत्ते, नेष्टा तं शुचिं शुभं अत एव शोभावहगुणान्वितं करोति अत्र देवशिल्पी त्वष्टा नेष्टरिति आमन्त्रित इत्यामनन्ति । तर्हि शुभत्वापादनरूप: परिष्कारः त्वाष्टकमैकदेश इत्यदोषः । उक्तलक्षणं स्वशक्तियुक्तं ऋत्विज देवमामन्त्र्य ऋषिराह-नः अस्माकं यज्ञम् अभिगृणीहि अभिष्टहि प्रशंसास्पदं कुरु । ऋतुना सह पिब सोमम् , हि यस्मात् त्वम् रत्नधाः असि (रत्नधाः व्याख्यातम् ) रतीनां धारकोऽसि, तस्मात् रत्यतिशयजनकं सोमं पिब ।

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

अग्ने देवाँ इहा वह सादा योनिषु त्रिषु । परि भूष पिब ऋतुना ॥४॥
अग्ने दे॒वान् इह आ वह सादय योनिषु त्रिषु परि भूष पिब ऋतुना ॥

हे अग्ने देवान् इह आवह (व्याख्यातः पादः)। आहूतान् देवान् सादय उपवेशय। कुत्र? त्रिषु योनिषु स्थानेषु सवनेषु परिभूष परितोऽलंकुरु, ऋतुना समयानुसारेण पिब। इदं सवनानां सदनानां वा त्रयस्य रहस्यं बोद्धव्यम् । अन्न-प्राण-मनोमयात्मकशरीरस्य यानि मूलभूतानि व्याहृतित्रयवाच्यपृथिव्यन्तरिक्ष-द्युलोकस्थानानि भवन्ति, तेषां तत्तद्विशिष्टवैभवस्थानानि मानवस्यान्तरे गुप्तानि किञ्चिद्वयक्तानि वा भवन्तीति बोध्यम् । आहिताग्नेस्त्वन्तयंजने इमानि त्रीणि देवसदनानि सन्नद्धानि भवन्ति, यान्यग्निपुरोहिताः देवा यष्टव्यत्वेन अलंकुर्वन्ति ।

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

ब्राह्मणादिन्द्र राधसः पिबा सोममृतूंरनु। तवेद्धि सख्यमस्तृतम् ॥५॥
ब्राह्मणात् इन्द्र राधसः पिब सोमम् ऋतून् अनु तव इत् हि सख्यम् अस्तृतम् ॥

हे इन्द्र ब्राह्मणात् ऋत्विग्विशेषो देवो ब्रह्मा ब्राह्मणाच्छंसीत्याहुः, तस्येदं ब्राह्मणं तस्मात् । राधसः सोमरसरूपवनाश्रयभूतात् स्थानात् (पात्रात् इति बाह्यपक्षे वक्तव्यम् , । पात्रशब्दव्याख्याऽवधेया)। ऋतून् अनु अनुसुत्य सोमम् पिब । तव इत् सख्यम् तव सखित्वमेव अस्तृतम् अबाधितम् । हि अवधारणे । देवकामस्य यजमानस्य अन्तरुन्मेषशालिनः सर्वस्वं देवेभ्योऽर्पयतः परदैवतनिष्ठ स्य विषये इन्द्र सख्यं नित्यमेव भवति ।

षष्ठीमृचमाह—

युवं दक्षं धृतव्रत मित्रावरुण दृळभम्। ऋतुना यज्ञमाशाथे ॥६॥
युवम् दक्षम् धृव्रता मित्रावरुणा दुःऽदभम् ऋतुना य॒ज्ञम् आशा इति॥

हे धृतवता धृतव्रतौ ऋतानुरोधेन विहितानां कर्मणां धारयितारी मित्रावरुणा मित्रो वरुणश्च (संहितायां उभयत्र च ह्रस्वश्छान्दस:) युवम् युवां उभौ दक्षम् विवेचनपरं (व्याख्यातम् ) दुर्दभम् दुर्दहं दुःखेन दग्धुं शक्यम् , अन्यैः, विनाशयितुं अशक्यमित्यर्थः, यज्ञम् ऋतुना योग्यकालानुसारेण आशाथे व्याप्नुतः भोक्तुमिति शेषः । दूळभम् -दुःपूर्वकाहहतेः खल, दुरित्यत्र दूरिति दीर्घश्छान्दसः, तथा रेफस्य लोपः, दकारस्य डकारो हस्य भश्च ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे अष्टाविंशो वर्ग:

अथास्मिन् सूक्ते सप्तमीमृचमाह—

द्रविणोदा द्रविणसो ग्रावहस्तासो अध्वरे। यज्ञेषु देवमीळते ॥ ७ ॥
द्रविण:ऽदाः द्रविणसः ग्रावऽहस्तासः अध्वरे यज्ञेषु दे॒वम् ईळते ॥

यो द्रविणोदाः द्रविणप्रद: तं देवम् अग्निं ईळते अध्येष्यत्वेन स्तुवन्ति ऋत्विज इति शेषः। कुत्र? अध्वरे यज्ञसामान्ये यज्ञेषु यज्ञविशेषेषु। प्रकृति-भूतोऽध्वरः अग्निष्टोमः, तद्विकृतयः उक्थादय इति बाह्यपक्षानुसारिणः । अन्तर्यजने तु सामान्येन परदैवताय स्वात्मीयतात्यागपूर्वकं यजमानकृतस्वात्मार्पणम् , विशेषेण स्वीयसर्वस्वभूताङ्गप्रत्यङ्गसमर्पणं परदैवतायैव तदङ्गभूतनानादेवतायजन-द्वारेण चेति प्रकृति-विकृतिसारांशो बोध्यः। ते च ऋत्विजः द्रविणसः द्रविणा-र्थिनः ग्रावहस्तासः सोमाभिषवसाधनभूताः ग्रावाणः पाषाणा: हस्तेषु येषां ते । यजमानार्थ ऋत्विजो देवा एव द्रविणार्थिनः सोमाभिषवाय सन्नद्धाः सन्त: अग्नि द्रविणदायिनं सत्कारपूर्वकं ईरयन्तीत्यर्थः। द्रविणम् धनं वा बलं वा भवतु । तद्दिव्यं वस्तु द्रव्यं भवति। यजमानकृते स्वयमग्निरेव तदद्रविणं गवेषयति साधयति चेति मन्त्रवर्णेभ्योऽवगम्यते। तस्मादग्निद्रविणस्युरपि भवति । न केवलं द्रविणोदाः । अत्र अन्ये देवाः ऋत्विग्भूता यजमानकृते द्रविणार्थिनो भवन्तीति बोध्यम्। द्रुदक्षिभ्यामिनन् , द्रविणं ददाति द्रविणोदाः, पूर्वपदस्य सकारश्छान्दसः । उत्तरपदात् ’सु’ आदेशोऽपि छान्दसः। द्रविणस:-द्रविणमात्मन इच्छन्तीति द्रविणस्यवः, द्रविणस्यतेः छान्दसत्वात् क्विप। द्रविणेच्छव इत्यवयवार्थः ।

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

द्रविणोदा ददातु नो वसूनि यानि शृविरे। देवेषु ता वनामहे ॥ ८ ॥
विणःऽदाः ददातु नः वसूनि यानि शृण्व॒िरे देवेषु ता वनामहे ॥

द्रविणोदाः एतन्नामको देवोऽग्निः नः अस्मभ्यं ददातु प्रयच्छतु । कानि? वसूनि द्रविणानि यानि शृण्विरे श्रूयन्ते (छन्दसि लट: लिट्, अन्यच्छान्दसम् ) यानि दिव्यानि वसूनि विश्रुतानि भवन्ति, देवरहस्यवेदिनां ऋषीणां विदितानि ता तानि देवेषु निमित्तभूतेषु वनामहे सम्भजामहे, देवार्थ देवेषु मध्ये भुज्मः । न स्वार्थपरा वयं सोमयाजिनः, अपि तु देवार्थपराः, अत: देवेष्वेव नो वसूपभोगः ।

नवमीमृचमाह—

विशोदाः पिपीपति जुहोत प्र च तिष्ठत। नेष्ट्रातुभिरिष्यत ॥९॥
विशऽदाः पिपीपति जुहोत प्र च तिष्ठत नेष्ट्रात् ऋतुऽभिः इष्यत ॥

द्रविणोदः देवः ऋतुभिः सह परिपाकविधि-विभवसम्पन्न-समयानुसारेणे-त्यर्थः, पिपीपति पिपासति (छान्दसम् ) सोममिति शेषः। कस्मात् ? नेष्ट्रात् नेष्टुसम्बन्धिन: पात्रात् (प्रागुक्तं द्रष्टव्यम् )। तस्मात् जुहोत हवनं कुरुत, प्रतिष्ठत च तदीयं स्थानं प्रति प्रस्थानं कुरुत। इष्यत तमुद्दिश्य एषणं कुरुत श्यनविकरणिनः इषधातो: न केवला गतिरर्थः, प्रेरणबलसम्पन्ना गतिरिति बोध्यम् । जुहोत-लोटू, मध्यमबहुवचनं छान्दसम् ॥

दशमीमृचमाह—

यत्त्वा तुरीयमृतुभिर्द्रविणोदो यजामहे। अध स्मा नो ददिर्भव ॥ १० ॥
यत् त्वा तुरीयम् ऋतुभिः द्रविण:ऽदः यजामहे अध स्म न: ददिः भव ॥

हे द्रविणोदः भगवन् , यत् यस्मात् ऋतुभिः त्वदीयदिव्यवेलानुसारेण तुरीयम् चतुर्णा पूरणं त्वा त्वाम् यजामहे अध तस्मात् कारणात् नः अस्मभ्यं ददिः दाता द्रविणस्येति शेष:, भव । स्म पादपूरणः । ददिः किप्रत्ययः, लिडूवद्-भावाद् द्विवचनादि, आतो लोपश्च । अत्रेदमवधातव्यम् । पूर्व द्रविणोदाः स्थान-त्रयापेक्षया त्रिः स्तुतः। अधुना चतुर्थवारं व्याहृतित्रयप्रतिपादित-त्रिलोकस्थाना-न्यतीत्य वर्तमानं तुरीयं सर्वोत्कृष्टं दिव्यं द्रविणं सम्पादयितुं तत्रस्थो द्रविणोदाः तुरीयस्थान: प्रार्थ्यते। चतुर्थवारं यजामह इति यजनक्रियाविशेषणतया तुरीय-पादग्रहणेऽपि समानमेव भवति तात्पर्यम् ।

एकादशीमृचमाह—

अश्विना पिबतं मधु दीद्यग्नी शुचिव्रता । ऋतुना यशवाहसा ॥ ११ ॥
अश्विना पिबतम् मधु दीद्यग्नी इति दीदिऽअग्नी शुचिता ऋतुना यज्ञ-ऽवाहसा॥

हे अश्विना अश्विनौ, ऋतुना दिव्यसमयानुसारेण मधु मधुरं सोमं पिबतम्। कीदृशौ ? दीद्यग्नी दीदिः दीप्तः अग्निः ययोस्तौ (दिवु धातोरभ्यास: छन्दसि रूपम् ) ’अश्विनौ वै देवानां भिषजावश्विनावध्वर्दू धर्म सम्भरतः’ इति ऐतरेय-ब्राह्मणं अश्विनो: अग्निमन्थनमुपपादयति । ऋक्संहितायामन्यत्र (१०-२४-४) ऋषिणा विमदेन ’ईळिती’ अश्विनौ परस्पर सङ्गतौ अग्निं निर्मथितवन्तौ-इत्वर्थको मन्त्रवर्णश्च भवति। अन्तरर्थानुसारेण तात्पर्य योजने रसवान् भवति ’दीद्यग्नी’ इति मन्त्रस्थशब्दार्थः । अश्विनोव्यापारः प्रथमानुवाके प्रतिपादित: । ’दीद्यग्नी’ इति सकृदेव प्रयुक्तं ऋक्संहितायाम् । अन्यत्र वालखिल्यसूक्तेषु सकृत् । उभयत्र च अश्विनोविशेषणम् । शुचिव्रता शुद्धकर्माणौ यज्ञवाहसा यज्ञस्य प्रापयितारो॥

द्वादशीमृचमाह—

गार्हपत्येन सन्त्य ऋतुना यज्ञनीरसि। दे॒वान् देवय॒ते यज ॥ १२ ॥
गाहऽपत्येन सन्त्य ऋतुना यजऽनी: असि देवान् देवऽयते यज ।

गार्हपत्येन गृहपतित्वेन हेतुना सन्त्य सनने दाने भव (षणु दाने भवेत् छन्दसीति यत् , अन्यच्च छान्दसम् ) हे अग्ने ऋतुना ऋत्वनुसारेण यज्ञनीः यज्ञस्य प्रापयिता असि भवसि । देवयते देवकामाय यजमानाय देवान् यज। अग्नि: यजमानाय स्वयं गार्हपत्यं वहन् दानाधिकारी भवति, तस्मात् यजमानस्यार्थाय स एव देवान् यष्टुं प्रभवति । सन्त्य इत्यत्र सनने भवः साधुर्वा स्यात् । भवश्चेत् यजमानेन कृते स्वार्थत्यागरूपे दाने इति ग्राह्यम् । साधुश्चेत् दाता सोऽग्निरिति स्पष्टम् ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे एकोन त्रिंशो वर्ग: ।

चतुर्थेऽनुवाके आ त्वा वहन्त्विति पञ्चमं नवचं सूक्तम् । ऋषिच्छन्दसी पूर्ववत् । इन्द्रो देवता।

तत्र प्रथमामृचमाह—

आ त्वा वहन्तु हरयो वृषणं सोमपीतये। इन्द्र त्वा सूरचक्षसः॥१॥
आ त्वा वहन्तु हरयः वृषणम् सोमऽपीतये इन्द्र त्वा सूरऽचक्षसः ॥

हे इन्द्र वृषणम् वर्षितारं त्वा त्वां हरयः अश्वाः त्वदीयाः सोमपीतये सोमपानाय आवहन्तु आनयन्तु। त्वा त्वां सूरचक्षसः सूरवत् चक्षो दर्शनं येषां ते सूर्य तुल्यदृष्टय इत्यर्थः (चक्षेरसुन् छन्दसि)। ते हरयः आवहन्त्विति सम्वन्धः । त्वा इति द्विरावृत्तिरादरार्थी, अचर्चभेदाच्च । इन्द्रस्य हरीणां दर्शनानि सूर्यस्येव दूरगामीनि दीप्तानि च भवन्ति। सूर्यदर्शिनस्ते हरय इत्येकेषां व्याख्याने-ऽप्यदोषः। सूरचक्षस ऋत्विज इति सायणीयम् । तर्हि न तैर्मानुषैर्भाव्यम् । ये च यज्ञशालामलङ्कुर्वाणाः यथाविधि वेदपाठिनः यज्ञकर्मपरिसमाप्तौ स्वकर्मपरि-श्रमानुरोधेन यथोक्तदक्षिणालाभसन्तुष्टाः निवर्तन्ते, न ते सूरचक्षसः। अथेमे च ऋत्विजो देवाश्चेत् , तेषां न तत् कर्तव्यम् । इन्द्रस्य वोढारो हरयः, न ऋत्विजः, सर्वान् देवान् आवहन्नग्निः गीयते । इन्द्रश्च सर्वैर्देवैरागच्छतीति च श्रूयते । क्व श्रूयते देवा ऋत्विग्भूता इन्द्रं आवहन्तीति ? ’सूरचक्षसो’ देवाः स्यु:, देवत्वं प्राप्ता ऋषयः स्यु: । इह तु न सा प्रसक्तिः । हरय एव प्रसक्ताः उत्तरत्रापि सूक्तेऽस्मिन् हरिप्रशंसैव प्रकृतेत्यसंशयम् । नैतद्युक्तं यत् सूरचक्षस ऋत्विज इन्द्रावहनाय आहूयन्त इति। ।

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

इमा धाना घृतस्नुवो हरी इहोप वक्षतः। इन्द्रं सुखतमे रथे ॥२॥
इमाः धानाः घृतऽस्नुवः हरी इति इह उप वक्षतः इन्द्रम् सुखऽतमे रथे॥

इमाः पुरोवर्तिन्यः घृतसाधिताः अत एव घृतस्नुवः घृतं स्नुवन्ति प्रस्रा-वयन्तीति घृतस्नुवः ताः धानाः भृष्टयवतण्डुलरूपाः उद्दिश्य, हरी इन्द्रस्याश्वौ इह यजनकर्मणि इन्द्रम् सुखतमे रथे अवस्थाप्य उपवक्षतः वेदिसमीपे वहताम् , प्रार्थनायां लिङर्थे लोडर्थे वा लेटू । घृतेन यवतण्डुलानां भर्जनेन साधु साधिता: धानाः घृतं स्रावयन्ति । ता इमाः हर्यो: प्रोत्साहनार्थाः । यज्ञे हो: ऋजीषं भागो धानाश्च इति स्कन्दस्वामी। बहिर्यागपरस्य तात्पर्यस्यास्य जीवभूतो धानाशब्द: भृष्टयवतण्डुलेषु रूढः । यागोपयोगार्थानि द्रव्याणि घृतपयोदधिप्रभृतीनि सङ्केतभूतानीति अस्माभिः प्रतिपादितं अत्रावधातव्यम् , यवतण्डुलतद्विकारधाना-पुरोडाशादयः अन्नमयशरीरसम्बन्धलक्षकाः । यद्यपि धानं धानी धानाः इति त्रीण्यपि धारणार्थस्य दधाते: रूपाणि, रूढिभेदात् धानं धानी वा आधारपात्रं आसनं अभिधत्ते, न तथा धानाः । तथाऽपि तासां शरीरधारकत्वं, बुद्धिगतदीप्तिवाचक-घृतस्राविणीत्वं च अवयवार्थबलात् सङ्केतार्थबलात् घृतस्नुव इति विशेषणोपादानाच्च बोध्ये। बहिर्यागे हो ज्या धानाः । अन्तर्यागे हो: प्रदीप्तप्राणबलयोर्नोग्या: अन्नमयशरीरगतधारणाशक्तिविशेषाः । ऋक्संहितायां प्रायश: सर्वत्र इन्द्रायैव धानाः पच्यन्त इति श्रूयते। याज्ञिकग्रन्थेष्वेव हर्यो गो धाना उक्ताः । तत्रापि अन्तरर्थ उपपादितः। इन्द्रायैव धाना इति निर्णायका मन्त्रवर्णा बहवो भवन्ति । इन्द्र-स्वीका- ’घृतस्नुवो धानाः’ तु अन्नमयशरीरोपहितदीप्तिभरित-धीवृत्तिविशेषा इति ग्राह्यम् । तादृशीर्धानाः दिव्यप्रकाशमनोधामस्वामिनः इन्द्रस्य स्वीकार्या भवन्ति । प्रत्यहं ईदृशी: ’धानाः’ परस्परं सुसङ्गता इन्द्रमुद्दिश्य ऋषिनिवेदयन् ’भुक्ष्व’ इति प्रार्थयते ’दिवे दिवे सदृशी: अद्धि धानाः’ (३-३५-३) इति । अन्यत्र ’य इन्द्राय सुनवत् सोममद्य पचात् पक्ती: उत भृजाति धाना:’ (४-२४-७)। यागद्रव्याणां सङ्केतात्मकत्वे विचार्यमाणे, दधि-धानादिशब्दानामवयवार्थो गूढार्थ-द्वारमुद्घाटयेदिति बोध्यम् । उद्देशपूर्वकं धानादिद्रव्याणि सङ्केतरूपतया स्थापयित्वा अन्तर्यांगार्था: मन्त्रवर्णाः प्रवृत्ता इति प्रदर्शयितुं धानाशब्दप्रस्तावेऽत्र किञ्चिद्विस्तृत विवरणम् ।

तृतीयामृचमाह—

इन्द्रं प्रातर्हवामह इन्द्र प्रय॒त्यध्वरे। इन्द्रं सोमस्य पीतये ॥३॥
इन्द्रम् प्रात: हवामहे इन्द्रम् प्रऽयति अध्वरे इन्द्रम् सोमस्य पीतये ।

इन्द्रम् प्रातः सवनारम्भे हवामहे आह्वयामः। अध्वरे यज्ञे प्रयति प्रवृत्ते चलति सति इन्द्रम् हवामहे इति सम्बन्ध: । इन्द्रम् सोमस्य पीतये पानाय हवामहे । अस्माकं सर्वांनुभूतिरसः सोमशब्दलक्षितः इन्द्रायाय॑ते, तस्मात् सवने प्रक्रान्ते प्रवृत्ते समाप्ते च इन्द्राह्वानमेव नः सर्वदा साधनं शरणं चेति भावः ।

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

उप नः सुतमा गहि हरिभिरिन्द्र केशिभिः। सुते हि त्वा हवामहे ॥४॥
उप नः सुतम् आ गहि हरिऽभिः इन्द्र केशिऽभिः सुते हि त्वा हवामहे ॥

हे इन्द्र, नः अस्माकं सुतम् सोमं प्रति उपागहि समीपमागच्छ। कैः वोदृभिः ? केशिभिः हरिभिः प्रलम्बकेसरैरश्वैः। हि यस्मात् सुते सोमे अभि-षुते (निमित्तसप्तमी) त्वा त्वां हवामहे आह्वयामः, तस्मात् ’उपागहि’ इति सम्बन्धः । केशिभिरिति हरिविशेषणस्य प्रयोजनं प्रागुक्तम् ।

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

सेमं नः स्तोममा गृह्यपेदं सवनं सुतम् । गोरो न तृषितः पिब ॥५॥
स: इमम् नः स्तोमम् आ गृहि उप इदम् सवनम् सुतम् गौरः न तृषितः पिब॥

सः इमं इति संहितायां सुलोपः। सः त्वं नः अस्माकं इमं स्तोमम् स्तवं आगहि आगच्छ, आकर्ण्य अङ्गीकुर्विंत्यर्थः । सुतम् अभिषुतसोमं इदम् सवनम् यजनं उप उपेहि। उपेत्य तृषितः गौरो न तीव्रपिपासुः गौरमृग इव पिब सोममिति शेषः ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे त्रिंशो वर्ग:

षष्ठीमृचमाह—

इमे सोमास इन्दवः सुतासो अधि बर्हिषि । ताँ इन्द्र सहसे पिब ॥६॥
इमे सोमासः इन्दवः सुतासः अधि बर्हिषि तान् इन्द्र सहसे पिब ॥

इमे सोमासः सोमाः इन्दवः (उन्दी क्लेदने इत्यस्य रूपम् ) क्लेदनयुक्ताः आर्द्राः सुखकरा इत्यर्थः । बर्हिषि अन्तरे वेद्यां आसने अधि उपरि सुतासः अभिषुताः अवस्थिताः। तान् तथा त्वत्पानाय संस्कृतान् अंशबाहुल्यलक्षकपात्र-भेदेषु अवस्थितान् सोमान् हे इन्द्र सहसे बलार्थ पिब । अत्र ’अधि’ आधिक्येन ’सुतासः’, ’बर्हिषि’ यज्ञे इति सायणः । ’अघि बर्हिषि’ इत्यत्र अस्मदुक्तार्थो न क्षपयति स्थूलपक्षीयं आशयम् , बहिश्शब्दस्य कर्मणि दर्भे रूढेः । ’अधि’ उपरि ’बर्हिषि’ इत्येव स्कन्दस्वामी ।।

सप्तमीचमाह—

अयं ते स्तोमो अग्रियो हृदिस्पृगस्तु शन्तमः। अथा सोमं सुतं पिब ॥ ७ ॥
अयं ते स्तोमः अग्रियः हृढिऽस्पृक् अस्तु शम्ऽतमः अथ सोमम् सुतम् पिब॥

हे इन्द्र, अयम् अस्मदीय: स्तोमः स्तोत्रविशेष: अग्रियः श्रेष्ठः ते तव हृदिस्पृकू हृदि स्पृशतीति हृदिस्पृक् (तत्पुरुषे कृति बहुलमित्यलुक्) हृदयङ्गमः शन्तमः सुखतमः अस्तु भवतु । अथ हृदयस्पृशः अत्यन्तसुखप्रदस्य अस्य स्तोत्र-विशेषस्य अङ्गीकारात् परं सुतम् अभिषुतं सोमम् पिब ॥

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

विश्वमित्सवनं सुतमिन्द्रो मदाय गच्छति । वृत्रहा सोमपीतये ॥८॥
विश्वम् इत् सवनम् सुतम् इन्द्रः मदाय गच्छति वृत्रऽहा सोमऽपीतये ॥

वृत्रहा सर्वावरकतमश्शरीरस्य ज्योतिर्विज्ञान शक्तिसंहतिशत्रोरसुरस्य वृत्रस्य घातक इन्द्रः सुतम् सुतसोमम् सोमाभिषवयुक्तमिति यावत् विश्वम् इत् सर्वमपि सवनम् यजनम् सोमपीतये सोमपानाय मदाय तजन्यसम्मदाय आनन्दाय इत्यर्थः गच्छति प्राप्नोति । यत्र यत्र सोमेन देवयजनं चलति तत्र सर्वत्र तदङ्गी-काराय सिद्धो भवन्निन्द्रः सन्निहितो भवति ।

नवमीमृचमाह—

सेमं नः काममा पृगु गोभिरश्वैः शतक्रतो। स्तवाम त्वा स्वाध्यः ॥९॥
स: इमम् नः कामम् आ पृणु गोभिः अश्वैः शतक्रतो इतिशतऽक्रतोस्तवाम त्वा सुऽआध्यः॥

हे शतक्रतो बहुकर्मन् बहुप्रज्ञ वा, सः तादृशस्त्वं न: अस्माकं इमं कामम् अभीप्सितमर्थ आपृण आपूरय (पृण प्रीणने, इत्यस्य रूपम् )। गोभिः अश्वैः च सह काममापृणेति सम्बन्धः। वयं स्वाध्यः सुष्ठु आध्यानपराः सन्तः त्वा त्वाम् स्तवाम। सु-आडू-पूर्वकस्य ध्यै चिन्तायामित्यस्य स्वाधीः इति प्रथमैक-वचनान्तं रूपम् । स्वाध्य इति बहुवचनम् । गाव: अश्वाश्च चतुष्पादः पशव: प्रेप्सिता इति स्थूलार्थपराणां मतम् । गोशब्दलक्षिताः प्रज्ञांशवः, अश्वशब्द-लक्षिता भोगसामर्थ्य सम्पन्नाः क्रियाशक्तिमूलभूतप्राणबलवाहिन इति सर्वत्रामिमत-मस्माकम् ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे कत्रिंशो वर्ग:

चतुर्थेऽनुवाक़े इन्द्रावरुणयोरित्यादिकं षष्ठं नवर्च सूक्तम् । इन्द्रावरुण-देवताकम् । ऋषिच्छन्दसी पूर्ववत् । युवाकु हीत्यादिके द्वे ऋचौ पादनिचून्नामक-च्छन्दोयुक्ते इत्ययं विशेषः ।

तत्र प्रथमामृचमाह—

इन्द्रावरुणयोहं सम्राज़ोरव आ वृणे। ता नो मृळात ईदृशे ॥१॥
इन्द्रावरुणयोः अहम् सम्ऽराजोः अवः आ वृणे ता नः मुळात: ईदृशे ॥

अहम् सम्राजोः सम्यग्राजमानयोः इन्द्रावरुणयोः इन्द्रो वरुणश्च तयोः अवः वर्धनं मयीति शेषः, आवृणे प्रार्थये। ता तौ देवी ईदृशे एवंविधेऽस्मदीय-वरणे निमित्तभूते नः अस्मान् मृळातः सुखयतः। अवः-अवधातोरसुन् , रक्षणं वर्धनं वा भवति। उपासकस्य अन्तरे देवानां जन्म वर्धनं च अन्तर्यागफलांशभूते स्तः। मृळातः-मृड सुखने, प्रार्थनायां लिङर्थे लेटू । इन्द्रः स्वर्धामाऽपि दिव्येन मनसा धीसम्राड् भवति । वरुणस्तु ऋतसद्मा, ऋतवर्धनः, ऋतस्पृक् ज्योतिर्मय इति विशेषो ग्राह्यः । उभयोस्तत्त्वं प्रथमानुवाके प्रस्तुतम् ।

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

गन्तारा हि स्थोऽवसे हवं विप्रस्य मावतः। धारा चर्षणीनाम् ॥२॥
गन्तारा हि स्थः अवसे हवम् विप्रस्य माऽवतः धर्ताय चर्षणीनाम् ॥

हे इन्द्रावरुणौ, युवां अवसे अवितुं (अवतः तुमर्थे से) अन्तर्याजिनो वर्ध-नायेत्यर्थः, मावतः मद्विधस्य (वतुप-प्रकरणे छन्दसि सादृश्य उपसङ्ख्यानम् ) विप्रस्थ मेधाविनः हवम् आह्वानं गन्तारौ प्राप्तारौ स्थ: भवथः। कीदृशौ ? चर्षणीनाम् धारा सूक्ष्मं तत्त्वं देवतारहस्यं वा पश्यतां पुरुषाणां धारयितारौ । चर्षणिः पश्यतिकर्मा । द्रष्टृणां ऋषीणां योगक्षेमं बिभृतो देवाविन्द्रावरुणौ। ’चर्षणयः’, न मनुष्यसामान्यवाचकोऽवधेय: ।

तृतीयामृचमाह—

अनुकामं तर्पयेथामिन्द्रावरुण राय आ। ता वां नेदिष्ठमीमहे ॥३॥
अनुऽकामम् तर्पयेथाम् इन्द्रावरुणा राय: आ ता वाम् नेदिष्ठम् ईमहे ॥

हे इन्द्रावरुणा (सांहितिकः ह्रस्वः अकारः) इन्द्रो वरुणश्च उभौ युवां अनु-कामम् कामम् अनु कर्मप्रवचनीयः। अनुरिह यथापयित्वेन ग्रहीतुं शक्य इति सायणस्याभिमतम् , कामस्य पश्चादनुकाममिति च युक्तो विग्रहः। प्रथमोक्ते यथेष्ट-मित्यर्थः, द्वितीयोक्ते, स्तोमाकर्णन-सोमपानादिरूप-कामपूर्तेरनन्तरं इत्यर्थः । एवमेव मन्यते स्कन्दस्वामी-’सोमस्य च पश्चादनुकामं कामयित्वा तत्पानानन्तर-मित्यर्थः’ इति । उभयथाऽप्यस्मत्पक्षे इन्द्रावरुणयो: काम: गृह्यते । तस्मात् तयोर्यथाकामं कामपूर्तेः पश्चाद्वेति बोध्यम् । रायः (तृतीयार्थे षष्ठी) दिव्येन युवयोर्धनेन आतर्पयेथाम् सर्वतः अस्मान् तृप्तान् कुरुतम् । ता तौ वाम् युवाम् नेदिष्ठम् अतिशयेन सामीप्यं ईमहे याचामहे । युवयोरत्यन्तसन्निकर्ष युवां याचामहे इति याच्नार्थक क्रियायाः द्विकर्मकत्वं अभ्युपगम्य तात्पर्य ग्राह्यम् । अथवा तौ युवां नेदिष्ठं युष्मदीयं रायं ईमहे इति स्याद्वा भावः। पूर्वे व्याख्यातारः सर्वेऽपि ’नेदिष्ठम्’ इत्यस्य तात्पर्य विवरणे विप्रतिपद्यन्ते । ’युवाकु हि’ इति उक्तरस्यामृचि प्रार्थितस्य दिव्यस्य धनस्य प्रज्ञाबलसमृद्धिनिघे: ’नेदिष्ठस्य’ ’रायः’ गूढं प्रतिपादनं भवति। तत्संप्रत्यावेदयामः ।

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

⁹

हि यस्मात् शचीनाम् शक्तीनाम् युवाकु वीर्य, सुमतीनाम् साधु-धी-वृत्तीनां युवाकु वीर्य भूयाम भूयास्म (प्रार्थनायां लिङ् सकारलोपश्छान्दस:) । । तस्मात् इन्द्रावरुणौ ’नेदिष्ठं ईमहे’ इति पूर्वया सम्बन्धः । कीदृशां शचीनां सुमतीनां वा ? वाजदानाम् वाजं समृद्धिं ददतीति वाजदावानः (आतो मनिन्नित्या-दिना वनिप् , छान्दसम् ) समृद्धिप्रदानां शक्तीनां शोभनानां साध्वीनां वा प्रज्ञा-वृत्तीनां च वयं बलभूताः भूयास्म इत्यर्थः । समृद्धिप्रदानां शक्तीनां प्रज्ञावृत्तीनां च यद्वीयं भवति तद्वन्त: स्याम तदेव वा भवेम । तस्मान्नेदिष्ठमीमहे, येनेयं सिद्धि: स्यात् । प्रकारान्तरव्याख्यायां पूर्वयर्चा नास्ति सम्बन्धः। सेयं भवति-हि यस्मात् शचीनां युवाकु (वयं) सुमतीनां युवाकु (वयं) तस्मात् ’वाजदानां’ समृद्धि-प्रदानां देवानां मध्ये भूयास्मेति ॥

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

इन्द्रः सहस्रदानां वरुणः शंस्यानाम्। ऋतुर्भवत्युक्थ्यः ॥५॥
इन्द्रः सहस्रऽदानाम् वरुणः शंस्यानाम् ऋतुः भवति उक्थ्यः ॥

इन्द्रः सहस्रदानाम् सहस्रं बर्थकम् , विविधस्य बहो: ज्ञानबलादे: : दातॄणां क्रतुः दानेच्छाबलभूतः दानकारकः कर्तेति यावत् । वरुणः शंस्यानाम् स्तुत्यानां उक्थ्यः सर्वोत्कृष्टत्वेन स्तुत्य: भवति । उक्थ्य:-उक्थं शस्त्रं तत्र स्तुत्यत्वेन भवः, भवे छन्दसीति यत् ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे द्वात्रिंशो वर्ग:

षष्ठीमृचमाह—

तयोरिदवसा वयं सनेम नि च धीमहि। स्यादुत परेचनम् ॥ ६॥
तयोः इत् अवसा वयम् सनेम नि च धीमहि स्यात् उत प्रऽरेचनम् ॥

तयोः इत् सर्वदातृऋतुभूतस्य कर्तुरिन्द्रस्य सर्वोत्कृष्टत्वेन शंसनीयस्य वरुणस्य च उभयोः अवसा अस्मासु वर्धनेन वयम् दिव्यधनकामाः सनेम सम्भजेम, लब्धव्यं लभेमहि, लब्धं च निधीमहि च उपभुक्तावशिष्टं अमितत्वात् निधिवनिदध्मः उपभोगाय यावदपेक्षितं तावतोऽप्यधिकं वर्तते तद्धनं, तस्मात् तन्निक्षेपवद्रक्ष्यते। अपि च यावदस्माभिनिधातुं शक्यं, तदपि अतिरिच्य वर्तते तदित्याह-उत अपि च प्ररेचनमू प्रकर्षेण अतिरिक्तं स्यात्। तयोरिन्द्रावरुणयो-रस्मासु वर्धनेन यदिव्यं धनं लभ्यते तदपरिमितमित्यर्थः । इदं ’विभु प्रभु’ इति माधुच्छन्दसी मन्त्रदृष्टिः स्मर्तव्या। इहापि ’चित्राय राधसे’ उत्तरत्राह ।

सप्तमीमृचमाह—

इन्द्रावरुण वामहं हुवे चित्राय राधसे। अस्मान्त्सु जिग्युषस्कृतम्॥७॥
इन्द्रावरुणा वाम् अहम् हुवे चित्राय राधसे अस्मान सु जिग्युषः कृतम्॥

हे इन्द्रावरुणा हे इन्द्रावरुणौ (संहितायां ह्रस्वश्छान्दस:) वाम् युवामुभौ अहं हुवे आह्वयामि । किमर्थम् ? चित्राय विविधाय राधसे धनाय । इदं च विचित्रं दिव्यं धनं बोध्यम् । अस्मान् दिव्याय कर्मणे प्रवृत्तान् देवोपासकान् सुजिग्युषः सुष्ठु जयसम्पन्नान् कृतम् कुरुतम् । जिग्युष:-जि जये इति धातो: लिड्वगावे वसुन्। कृतम्-करोते: लोण्मध्यमद्विवचनम् , लड्वद्भावात् तमादेशः छान्दसः ॥

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

इन्द्रावरुण नू नु वां सिषासन्तीषु धीष्वा । अस्मभ्यं शर्म यच्छतम् ॥ ८ ॥
इन्द्रावरुणा नु नु वाम् सिसासन्तीपु धीषु आ अस्मम्यम् शर्म यच्छुतम् ॥

इन्द्रावरुणा साहितिकः ह्रस्वः, घीषु अस्मदीयासु वाम् युवां, सिषास-न्तीषु सनितुं सम्भक्तुं इच्छन्तीषु सतीषु (षण धातो: इच्छायां सन् , तत: शतरि ङीप्), अस्मभ्यम् शर्म सुखं आयच्छतम् सर्वतः दत्तम् । नु नु क्षिप्रम् द्विरावृत्तिरतिशयार्था । संहितायां पूर्वस्य दीर्घ छान्दसः ।

नवमीमृचमाह-प्र वामश्नोतु सुष्टुतिरिन्द्रावरुण यां हुवे । यामृधाथे सधस्तुतिम् ॥९॥
प्र वाम् अश्नोतु सुऽस्तुतिः इन्द्रावरुण याम् हुवे याम् ऋधाथे इति सधऽस्तुतिम् ॥

हे इन्द्रावरुणा इन्द्रावरूणौ, सुष्टुतिः मदीया शोभनेयं स्तुतिः वाम् युवां प्र-अश्नोतु प्राप्नोतु याम् सुष्टुतिं प्रति, यस्या अङ्गीकरणायेत्यर्थः, हुवे आह्वयामि युवाम् । याम् सधस्तुतिम् सहस्तुतिसम्पन्नां अन्तर्यजनक्रियां ऋधाथे युवां वर्धयेथे। सधस्तुतिम्। हकारस्य धकारव्यत्ययः, पूर्वपदप्रकृतिस्वरः, बहुव्रीहिः । तस्मात् , यस्यां इन्द्रावरुणसाहित्ययुक्ता स्तुतिर्वर्तते सा अन्तर्यजन-क्रिया इति व्याख्यातम् , सर्वथा अन्यपदार्थप्रधान: समासो भवति । सा च ऋक् सधस्तुतिरिति सायणस्याभिमतम् । ऋधाथे-ऋधु वृद्धौ, व्यत्ययेन लुग्विकरणम् । अन्तर्णीतणिजर्थत्वं च। तर्हि अर्धर्चस्येदं तात्पर्य भवति। यां ’सधस्तुति’ ऋचं अन्तर्यजनक्रियां वा युवां वर्धयेथे, सा युवां प्रकर्षेण व्याप्नोत्विति ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे त्रयस्त्रिशो वर्ग:

चतुर्थोऽनुवाकः समाप्तः

पञ्चमानुवाके षट् सूक्तानि । तत्राद्यं सोमानमित्यादिकं नवर्च सूक्तम् । ऋषि-च्छन्दसी पूर्ववत् । ब्रह्मणस्पत्याद्या देवता मन्त्रार्थप्रतिपादने तत्र तत्र स्पष्टाः स्यु:।

तत्र प्रथमामृचमाह—

सोमान स्वरणं कृणुहि ब्रह्मणस्पते। कक्षीवन्त य औशिजः ॥ १ ॥
सोमानं स्वरणं कृणुहि ब्रह्मणः पते कक्षीवन्तम् यः औशिजः ॥

ब्रह्मणस्पति म मन्त्राधिदेवता भवति । उत्तरत्र ’उत्तिष्ठ’ इति ब्राह्मण-स्पत्यसूक्तव्याख्यायां तदीयं तत्त्वं प्रपञ्चयिष्याम:। हे ब्रह्मणस्पते एतन्नामकदेव सोमानम् सोतारं मां (षुजू अभिषवे, सुनोतेर्मनिन् ) अभिषवस्य कर्तारमित्यर्थः स्वरणम् (स्वृशब्दोपतापयो:) प्रकाशनवन्तं कृणुहि कुरु। कक्षीवन्तम् ऋषिमिव इति अध्याहर्तव्यः। यः कक्षीवान् ऋषिः औशिज: उशिजः पुत्र: प्रसिद्ध आसीत् । इदं च पूर्वेषां व्याख्यानम् । इव-शब्दाध्याहारो नावश्यकः तं विनाऽपि तात्पर्य-ऐतिहासिक: कक्षीवान् ऋषि: बहुत्र ऋक्संहितायां प्रसिद्ध उपन्यस्तो भवति । अन्तरर्थपरे व्याख्याने उशिजः कक्षीवतश्च अवयवार्थानुगमेन तात्पर्य बोध्यम् । इमामृचं विवृण्वन् यास्कः ’कक्षीवान् कक्ष्यावान् औशिजः उशिजः पुत्रः । उशिग्वष्टे: कान्तिकर्मणः । अपि त्वयं मनुष्यकक्ष एवाभिप्रेतः स्यात्’ इत्याह । तर्हि उशिक् कान्तिमत् तेजो वा भवति, तस्य अपत्यं तैजसः कक्षीवान् रहस्यवान् परदैवतरहस्यसम्पन्न इति वाच्यम् , कक्षशब्दस्य गहनार्थे गोप्यार्थे वा प्रसिद्धः । इदं चावधेयम्-अत्र इवशब्दाध्याहारवर्ज आचार्यदुर्गव्याख्या भवति । ’अपि चैवमन्यथा स्यात्-योऽहं सोमानं सोता कक्षीवान् औशिजः, तमेवंगुणविशिष्टं मां प्रकाशनवन्तं कुरु हे ब्रह्मणस्पते’ इति। योऽहमौशिजः कान्तिजन्मा तैजस:, तं सोमानं सोतारं कक्षीवन्तं परमरहस्यविज्ञं मां स्वरणं प्रकाशनवन्तं देवेषु प्रख्यातं कृणुहि कुरु, ब्रह्मणस्पते-इत्युपपन्नतरम् ॥

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

यो रेवान् यो अमीवहा वसुवित्पुष्टिवर्धनः। स नः सिषक्तु यस्तुरः॥२॥
य: रेवान् यः अमीव॒ऽहा वसुऽवित् पुष्टिऽवर्धनः सः नः सिषक्तु य: तुरः॥

यः ब्रह्मणस्पति: रेवान् धनवान् यः च अमीवहा हिंसितृणां हन्ता, अमीवा व्याख्यातः (१-१२-७) वसुवित् वसुनः द्रव्यस्य लम्भयिता (अन्तर्भावित-ण्यर्थः) पुष्टिवर्धनः पुष्टेः वर्धयिता च भवति, यः तुरः वेगवान् च (तुर त्वरणे) सः नः अस्मान् सिषक्तु समवैतु (षच समवाये श्लुविकरणम् ) अस्माभिः सदा संयुक्तो भवतु। मन्त्रवाचामधिष्ठातुर्ब्रह्मणस्पते: धनवत्त्वादिगुणवैशिष्ट व्याभिवर्णनात् सर्वार्थसिद्धिर्मन्त्रैरिष्टप्राप्तिरनिष्टपरिहारश्च भवन्तीति आर्षसम्प्रदायविदां मतं सामा-न्यतः सूचितं बोध्यम् । विशेषतस्तु ब्रह्मणस्पतेः प्रसादाद गुप्तस्य सर्वस्यार्थस्या-विष्कारः, अप्राप्तस्य प्राप्तिः, प्राप्तस्य वर्धनेन रक्षणं, रहस्यस्य प्रकाशः इत्यादयो वाचो महिना सिद्धयन्तीति बोध्यम् । अत एव पूर्वस्यामृचि ’कक्षोवन्तं (मां) स्वरणं कृणुहि’ इति प्रार्थितम् । अस्यां ऋचि मन्त्रवाक्पतेर्देवस्य अन्तर्याजिना उपासकेन नित्यसंयोगः प्रार्थित:। तथा ’मा नः शंसः’ इत्युत्तरस्यां ’तादृशो मन्त्रपतेर्महिमा, येन कवचिनमन्तर्याजिनं यजनविघातिनामयज्वनां रक्षोगुण-विशिष्टानां मानुषाणां वा बलिष्ठाऽपि वाणी न प्रभवेत् स्प्रष्टुम्’ इत्याह ।

तृतीयामृचमाह—

मा नः शंसो अररुषो धूर्तिः प्रशृङ्मय॑स्य । रक्षा णो ब्रह्मणस्पते ॥३॥
मा न: शंस: अररुष: धूर्तिः प्रणकू मर्त्यस्य रक्ष नः ब्रह्मणः पते ॥

हे ब्रह्मणस्पते भगवन् , अररुषः अप्रयच्छतः, देवेभ्यो यो न ददाति तस्यायज्वन: देवधिक्कारमाचरतः शंसः शंसनं, ’आशंसा विनाशाद्यभिलाष’ इति स्कन्दस्वामी। तदाविष्कारकं वचनं नः अस्मान् मा प्रणकू मा सम्पृणक्तु । तथा मर्त्यस्य मरणशीलस्य मनुष्यस्य धूर्तिः हिंसा ‘मा प्रणक्’ इति सम्बन्धः । नः अस्मान् रक्ष पाहि । अररुष:-रातिर्दानार्थो धातु: छान्दसः, तस्य लिडूवद्भावे वसुन् , ’ररिवान्’ न ररिवान् , तस्य अदातुरित्यर्थः । प्रणक्-पृची सम्पर्के, नविकरणम् , लङस्तिप्, अन्यत् सर्व छान्दसम् । धूर्ति:-धुर्वी हिंसायाम् , क्तिचूप्रत्ययः ।

ऋचोऽस्याः प्रकारान्तरेण अन्वयं प्राहु:-अररुषो मर्त्यस्य धूर्तिः शंस: न: मा प्रणक् इति। अत्र धूर्ति: हिंसकः, शंसः वाग्विशेष इति सायणीयम् ॥

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

स घा वीरो न रिष्यति यमिन्द्रो ब्रह्मणस्पतिः। सोमो हिनोति मर्त्यम्॥४॥
स: घ वीर: न रिष्यति यम् इन्द्रः ब्रह्मणः पतिः सोमः हिनोति मर्त्यम् ॥

स: घ स एव पुमान् अन्तर्याजी वीर: वीर्योपेतः भवन् न रिष्यति न विनश्यति (रिष धातुर्हिसार्थकः, अत्र कर्मणि तिप् छान्दसम् , न हिंस्यत इत्यर्थः) यम् मर्त्यम् मनुष्यं ब्रह्मणस्पतिः देवः हिनोति त्वरयति (गतौ वृद्धौ च पठितो धातुः, तथाऽपि नायं गतिसामान्यमभिवत्ते) यं इन्द्रः हिनोति, तथा यं सोमः हिनोतीति सम्बन्धः । वैदिके यजनशब्दवाच्ये चिरन्तने योगे अनुदिनप्रवृद्धिः नित्य-मूर्ध्वगमनं च ऋतज्योतिःशब्दवाच्य-परदैवतसम्पल्लब्धि यावत् अवश्यं भवतः । तादृशी यात्रा अनलसस्य वीरस्य आर्यस्य नित्योद्यमस्य पुरुषस्यैव सिद्धयति । तत्रापि देवानां साहाय्यमपेक्ष्यते। तस्माद् देवराडिन्द्रः तस्य वाग्वीर्यमूलभूतो ब्रह्मणस्पतिः सम्मदबलभूत: सोमश्च उपासकं वीरं त्वरयन्तः प्रतिपादिताः ।

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

त्वं तं ब्रह्मणस्पते सोम इन्द्रश्च मर्त्यम्। दक्षिणा पात्वहसः॥५॥
त्वम् तम् ब्रह्मणः पते सोमः इन्द्रः च मय॑म् दक्षिणा पातु अंहसः ॥

प्रागुक्तास्तिस्रो देवता अत्रोक्ताः। दक्षिणा त्वधिका । सा च देवी साध्व-साधुसत्यासत्यविवेचनशीला सहजावबोधरूपिणी शक्तिः । ऋतज्योतिषः प्रादुर्भावात् प्रागुदयद्योतिन्या उषस: विभूतिभूतेति सूक्तान्तरचर्चया देवतान्तरसाहचर्यात् प्रकरण-वशाच्च निर्णेतुं शक्यम् । दक्षपदार्थ विचारे प्रागस्मदुक्तार्थाद् दक्ष-धातोनिष्पन्नः दक्षिणा-शब्दः । ’ दक्षिभ्यां इनन्’ ।

तम् मर्त्यम् उपासकं हे ब्रह्मणस्पते त्वम् अंहसः पापात् पाहि इति पुरुषव्यत्ययेन योजनीयम्। तथा सोमः पातु रक्षतु, इन्द्रश्च पातु दक्षिणा च पातु। अंहः पाप्मा, निर्ऋतिरित्यनर्थान्तरम् । अस्य दुरितस्य स्वरूपं अनृतम् , नित्यकल्याणपरिपन्थि भद्रपदार्थविचारे प्रतिपादितम् ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे चतुस्त्रिशो वर्ग:

षष्ठीमृचमाह—

सदस॒स्पति॒मद्भुतं प्रियमिन्द्रस्य॒ काम्यम् । सनि मेधामयासिषम् ॥ ६॥
सदसः पतिम् अद्भुतम् प्रियम् इन्द्रस्य काम्यम् स॒निम्मेधाम् अयासिषम्॥

इमाश्चतस्त्र ऋचो नराशंस इत्यन्ता: सदसस्पतिदेवताकाः। सदसस्पति-रग्निरेव भवति, तन्मुर्तिविशेषो वा । अत्र ’अद्भुतम्’ इति लिङ्गम्। प्रागुक्तम् । अन्ते ’नराशंस’ इति, स चाग्निरिति यास्कः। विचारितं चेदमाप्रीसूक्तप्रसक्तौ । सदसस्पतिम् एतन्नामकं देवं अयासिषम् प्रापम् (या प्रापणे, लुङ्) कीदृशम् ? अद्भुतम् महान्तम् , महन्नामैतत्, आश्चर्यकरमित्यदोषः। इन्द्रस्य प्रियम् प्रीतिहेतुं काम्यमू कामयितुं योग्यं सनिमू दातारं (षणु दाने) दानमेव वा, लाभस्वरूपमित्यर्थः, मेधामू मेधाभूतं धारणात्मकप्रज्ञास्वरूपमित्यर्थः । मेघां लब्धुं उक्तगुणविशिष्टं देवं अयासिषमिति सायणीयम् ॥

सप्तमीमृचमाह—

यस्मादृते न सिद्धयति यज्ञो विपश्चितश्चन । स धीनां योगमिन्वति ॥ ७ ॥
यस्मात् ऋते न सिद्धयति यज्ञः विप:ऽचितः चन सः धीनाम् योगम इन्वति ॥

यस्माद् ऋते येन सदसस्पतिना विना विपश्चितश्चन मेधाविनोऽपि प्रज्ञोज्वलस्यापीत्यर्थ: यज्ञः न सिद्धयति ऋषिः प्रज्ञाचक्षुरपि सदसस्पतेरग्नेरेव यजनतन्त्रं शिक्षते, तस्मात् तेन विना न यज्ञसिद्धिरित्युक्तम् । धीनामू बुद्धीनां, दिव्याध्वनि गच्छतः पुरुषस्य सम्भाविनीनां विसंवादिनीनां बुद्धीनामित्यर्थः, योगमू सम्बन्धम् परस्परसंवादरूपम् इन्वति प्राप्नोति तदर्थ यातीत्यर्थः (इविव्याप्ती, इदितः नुम् , शब्विकरणम् ) ।

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

आध्नोति हविष्कृति प्राञ्चं कृणीत्यध्वरम् । होत्रा देवेषु गच्छति ॥८॥
आत् ऋनोति हविःऽकृतिम् प्राश्चम् कृणोति अध्वरम् होता देवेषु गच्छति।।

आत् अनन्तरम् , सदसस्पतिना निरुह्यमानस्य ’धीनां योग’स्य सिद्धेः परं इत्यर्थः । स: देवः हविष्कृति हविषः कृतिः सम्पादनं यस्य तं अन्तर्यागपरं (पूर्वपदप्रकृतिस्वरो बहुव्रीहिः) ऋनोति वर्धयति (अन्तर्भावितण्यर्थः) अध्वरं (स्वरूपं प्रागुक्तम् ) यज्ञम् प्राश्चम् प्रकर्षेण गच्छन्तं प्रकृष्टगतिकमित्यर्थः (प्रपूर्व-कस्य अश्चतेर्गत्यर्थस्य रूपम् ) कृणोति करोति । ’होत्रा (वाङ्नाम) आह्वानी वाक् देवेषु मध्ये गच्छति तान् प्राप्नोतीत्यर्थः ।

नवमीमृचमाह—

नग़शंसं सुधृष्टममपश्यं सप्रथस्तमम् । द्विवो न सद्ममखसम् ॥९॥
नराशंसम् सुऽधृष्टमम् अपश्यम् सप्रथःऽतमम् दिवः न सद्मऽमखसम् ॥

नराशंसम् सदसस्पतिमूर्ति अग्निं अपश्यम् दृष्टवानस्मि-इति स्वीयं देवतासाक्षात्कारं ब्रूते। अग्निरेवायमिति स्कन्दस्वामीया पक्तिरियं भवति ’आसु चक्षु यज्ञसाधनहविष्कृतिसमर्थनाद्यग्निकर्मदर्शनात् तदैवत्याश्चतस्रश्चचः’ इति। कीदृश-मपश्यम् ? सुधृष्टमम् शोभनं घृष्णोतीति सुघृक् अतिशयेन सुधृक् तम् अत्यधिक-घाष्टर्ययुक्तं इत्यर्थः। सप्रथस्तमम् प्रख्याततमम् (सह प्रथसा वर्तत इति सप्रथः, सर्वघातुभ्यः असुन अतिशयेन तम्)। दिवः द्युलोकस्य (सम्बन्धिनम् ) सद्ममखसं न गृहयज्ञकारिणम् इव स्थितम् (मखो यज्ञः तत्करोति मखयति यज्ञकारी मखः, सद्मनि गृहे मखः, मखसो मखपर्यायः) स्वर्लोकगृहयाजी इव स्थितो नराशंसः, तमपश्यम् । ’सममखसं प्राप्ततेजस्कं, हकारस्य खकारव्यत्ययः’ इत्यभिप्रैति सायणः। ’अपठितमपि मखो महन्नाम, रेजते अग्ने पृथिवी मखेभ्य’ इत्युदाहृतं स्कन्दस्वामीये। देवानां समागमस्थानं यज्ञगृहं सद उच्यते। तच्च विशालं बहु-भूमिकं ऋषेरन्तर्याजिनः अन्तरं स्थानं भवति । तस्य पतिरग्निः स्वयं यज्ञभारं वहन् स्वर्लोकगृहस्थो यज्ञाकारीव व्यभासत इति ऋषिदृष्टिः । इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे पञ्चत्रिंशो वर्ग: पञ्चमेऽनुवाके द्वितीयं अग्निमारुतं प्रति त्यमिति नवचं सूक्तम् । ऋषिच्छन्दसी पूर्ववत्।

तव प्रथमामृचमाह—

प्रति त्यं चारुमध्वरं गोपीथाय॒ प्र हूयसे। मुरुद्भिरग्न आ गहि ॥१॥
प्रति त्यम् चारुम् अध्वरम् गोऽपीथाय प्र हूयसे मरुत्ऽभिः अग्न आ गहि

हे अग्ने त्य तं मयाऽनुष्ठीयमानमिमं चारुं स्पृहणीयं अङ्गवैकल्यरहितं अध्वरं यज्ञम् प्रति उद्दिश्येत्यर्थ: गोपीथाय गौः सोमरस: तस्य पीथसे पानाय प्रहूयसे प्रकर्षणाहूतोऽसि । अतः मरुद्भिः सह आगहि आगच्छ । त्यच्छब्दः सर्वनामतच्छब्दपर्याय: । बहिर्यागस्येव अन्तर्यागस्यापि अङ्गानां परस्परसम्बन्धः सुसङ्गतः स्यात् । तेन चारुः सुन्दरः स्यादध्वरः। गोशब्देन विकृतिर्गव्यं पयो भवति । सर्वस्यापि हविष: अन्नपदवाच्यभोज्यत्वसाम्यात् प्रधानभोज्यतया सोमस्य प्रसिद्धेश्च गौः सोमरस इति पूर्वैर्व्याख्यातम् । मरुतोऽधिकृत्य प्राक् किञ्चिदुक्तम् । पुरस्ताच्च प्रसक्तो वक्ष्यते । मरुतश्चण्डवेगाः प्राणमयधामान: ऐन्द्रज्योतिबल-दीपितानां धीवृत्तीनां दिव्यगतिविधायिनः प्रवातप्रायप्रेरणाः देवविशेषाः । अत एव धीप्रकाशद्योतकस्य गव्यस्य ग्रहणाय ’गोपीथाय’ तैः सह अग्नेरागमनं प्रार्थ्यंत इत्यलं विस्तरेण।

द्वितीयामृचमाह—

नहि देवो न मो महस्तव क्रतुं परः। महस्तव क्रतुं परः। मरुद्भिरग्न आ गहि ॥२॥
नहि देवः न मर्त्यः महः तव ऋतुम् पर: मुरुत्ऽभिः अग्ने आ गृहि ॥

हे अग्ने, महः महतः, (तलोपश्छान्दसः) तव ऋतुं प्रज्ञां अध्यवसायात्मकं क्रियाबलं वा उल्लङ्घय परः अन्य: देवः न हि न भवति खलु । तथा मर्त्यः न भवति । महतस्तव ऋतुमत्येतुं देवो वा मर्यो वा न प्रभुरित्यर्थः। मरुद्भिरित्यादि पूर्ववत् ।

तृतीयामृचमाह—

ये महो रजसो विदुर्विश्वे देवासो अद्रुहः। मुरुद्भिग्न आ गहि ॥३॥
ये महः रजसः विदुः विश्वे देवासः अद्रुहः मरुत्ऽभिः अग्ने आ गृहि ॥

हे अग्न, ये अद्रुहः अद्रोग्धारः, स्तोतारमाश्रितं ये न वञ्चयन्ति ते विश्वे देवासः सर्वे देवा: सप्तविधमरुद्गणाः महः महतः (तलोपः) रजसः लोकस्य (द्वितीयार्थे षष्ठी) महदन्तरिक्षं, रजश्शब्दो लोकवचनः अन्तरिक्षे प्रसिद्धः विदुः जानन्ति । मध्यमस्थानाः मध्यमं लोकं सर्व विदन्ति। तैः मरुद्भिरित्यादि पूर्ववत् ।

चतुर्थीमृचमाह—

य उग्रा अर्कमानृचुरनाधृष्टास ओजसा। मरुद्भिरग्न आ गहि ॥४॥
ये उग्राः अर्कम् आनृचुः अनाधृष्टासः ओजसा मुरुत्ऽभिः अग्ने आ गहि ॥

ये मरुतः उग्राः शूराः ओजसा बलेन परकीयेन अनाधृष्टास: अप्रघर्षिताः अनभिभूता इत्यर्थः, अर्क अर्चनं ऋगात्मकं स्तोत्रं आनृचुः अर्चन्ति (ऋच गति-पूजनयोः इत्यस्य रूपम् , गीतं गायन्तीतिवत् , लडथै लिट्)। अर्कम् उदकमिति सायणः, इन्द्रमिति स्कन्दस्वामी। उभयत्र श्रुत्युदाहरणेन समर्थितम् । स्तोत्रं वीर्यवत्तरं विधातुं सर्वसम्पद्वर्षिणमिन्द्रं प्रापयितुं अप्छब्दलक्षितदिव्यशक्तिवाहिनी: प्रेरयितुं वा प्रभवन्ति शूरा इन्द्रभातरो मरुतः। तै: मरुद्भिरित्यादि पूर्ववत् ।

पञ्चमीमृचमाह—

ये शुभ्रा घोरवर्पसः सुक्षत्रासो रिशादसः। मरुद्भिरग्न आ गृहि ॥५॥
ये शुभ्राः धोरऽवर्षसः सुऽक्षत्रास: रशादसः मुरुत्ऽभिः अग्ने आ गृहि ॥

ये शुभ्राः शोभनाः घोरवर्पस: भीषणरूपाः (वर्पः रूपनाम) सुक्षत्रासः सुबलाः रिशादस: हिंसितॄणां अत्तार: तैः मरुद्भिः पूर्ववत् । मरुतां घोररूपादि-मत्त्वेऽपि शोभनफ़लकर्मत्वद्योतनाय शुभत्वविशेषणं प्रयुक्तं लक्षणीयम् ।

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे षटू त्रिंशो वर्ग:

षष्ठीमृचमाह—

ये नाकस्याधि रोचने दिवि देवास आसते। मरुद्भिरग्न आ गहि ॥६॥
ये नाकस्य अधि रोचने ढिवि देवासः आसते। मरुत्ऽभिः अग्ने आ गहि॥

अपरार्धत्रिलोक्यां तृतीयं स्थानं नाक उच्यते । न अकं असुखं यस्मिन् स नाक इति नसमास इति कृत्वा विग्रहमाचक्षते। तस्य त्रिलोक्यामवस्थितस्य स्वर्गाख्यस्य नाकस्य अधि उपरि रोचने दीप्ते दिवि द्युलोकस्यैकदेशे स्थाने ’सप्तमे वायुस्थाने’ इति स्कन्दस्वामी (सप्त मारुतस्कन्धा: प्रोक्ताः) ये देवासः आसते तै: मरुद्भिः प्राग्वत् । मध्यमस्थानाः स्वभावतः प्राणमयप्रभावा अपि इन्द्रसम्बन्धित्वात् तदावासद्युलोकावधि ऐन्द्रेण विभवेन व्याप्रियन्ते । अत एवेमे ’स्वतवस: कवयः सूर्यत्वचः’ इत्यन्यत्र मन्त्रवर्णेषु वणिताः ।

सप्तमीमृचमाह—

य ईखयन्ति पर्वतान् तिरस्समुद्रमर्णवम् । मरुद्भिरग्न आ गहि ॥ ७ ॥
ये ईखयन्ति पर्वतान् तिरः समुद्रम् अर्णवम् मरुत्ऽभिः अग्ने आ गृहि ॥

ये देवाः मरुतः पर्वतान् अचलान् ईडयन्ति चालयन्ति अर्णवं उदकवन्तम् समुद्रं तिरः तिरस्कुर्वन्ति, अपारस्य समुद्रस्य तरणमेव तिरस्करणम् । तै: मरुद्भिरित्यादि पूर्ववत् ।

अत्र अचलानां पर्वतानां चालनं, दुस्तरस्य अपां राशेः समुद्रस्य तरणं च मरुतां प्रचण्डबलत्वमावेदयत आपाततः। निस्तरङ्गस्य समुद्रस्य तरङ्गाद्युत्पत्तये चालनं तिरस्कार इति व्याख्यातारः । अत्र गम्योऽर्थोऽस्माकं सङ्केतार्थस्मरणेन ग्राह्यो भवति। प्राणपराक्रमविसारिताः दिव्यधीवृत्तिशक्तिभूताः मरुतः । ते स्वान्तर्निहित-ज्ञानबलादिसत्त्वं पर्वतशब्दसङ्केतितं तमोघनं जडं शरीरं जडीभूतं स्थूलज्ञानं वा चालयन्ति। तेन ज्ञानबलादेर्विकासो भवति । सर्वशक्तिसम्पन्नस्य अनन्तसत्त्वस्य समुद्रशब्दलक्षितस्य अखण्डवस्तुनो दुस्तरस्य निश्चलस्य चालनेन तरङ्गभूतानां तदंशानां प्रादुर्भावः सम्पाद्यते । तत्तादृशचण्डविक्रमैमरुद्भिः सह अग्नेरागमनं प्रार्थ्यते। इंजयन्ति-उख-णख इत्यादौ ईंखिर्गत्यर्थः ।

अष्टमीमृचमाह—

आ ये तन्वन्ति रश्मिभिस्तिर: समुद्रमोजसा। मुरुद्भिरग्न आ गहि ॥८॥
आ ये तन्वन्ति रश्मिऽभिः तिर: समुद्रम् ओजसा मुरुत्ऽभिः अग्ने आ गहि ॥

ये देवाः रश्मिभिः प्रज्ञाविसारिभिः सौरैः किरणैः आतन्वन्ति व्याप्नुवन्ति (तनु विस्तारे) अनन्तं अन्तरिक्षं पूर्वोक्तलक्षणं समुद्रं वा, ओजसा स्वेन बलेन समुद्रम् [ उक्तम् ] तिरः तिरस्कुर्वन्ति, तरणमेव तिरस्कारः, इह आतानो वा व्याप्त्यर्थः। तैः, शिष्टं प्राग्वत् ।

नवमीमृचमाह—

अभि त्वा पूर्वपीतये सृजामि सोम्यं मधु। मरुद्भिरग्न आ गहि ॥ ९॥
अभि त्वा पूर्वऽपीतये सृजामि सोम्यम् मधु मरुत्ऽभिः अग्ने आ गृहि ॥

हे अग्ने, त्वा अभि त्वामभिलक्ष्य पूर्वपीतये पूर्वपानाय सोम्यं सोममयं [ सोममर्हति यत् ] मधु मधुरं रसं सृजामि उत्सृजामि । शिष्टं प्राग्वत् ॥

इति प्रथमस्य प्रथमे सप्तत्रिंशो वर्ग:

प्रथमाष्टके प्रथमोऽध्याय: सम्पूर्ण:

RIG VEDA SAMHITA - 1

THERE are twenty-four sections in the First Book of the Seer-hymnodists, satarcin. Barring the twelfth hymn at the end, the Rishi of the first three Sections is Madhucchandas of the line of Vishvamitra. The Rishi of the twelfth hymn is Jeta, son of Madhucchandas. The metre is Gayatri for the nine hymns commencing with agnim iļe up to gāyanti tvā. The first Section consists of three hymns. And the first hymn with nine Riks (stanzas) known as agnimiļe is devoted to the Deity Agni. And of the nine this is the first:

1. OM agnimile purohitam yajñasya devam ștvijam, hotāram ratnadhā tamam.
   agnim iſe puraḥ hitam yajñasya devam rtvijam, hotāram ratna’ dhātamam.

agnim the God called Agni; iḷe I laud in longing ; God of what kind ? purohitam placed in front for the performance of the work; and again of what kind ? yajñasya devam ștvijam the God who himself has become the stvik for the carrying out of the sacrifice that is being performed in celebration of the Godhead; and again of what kind ? hotāram who calls the Gods by virtue of his capacity; and still how-made ? ratnadhā tamam who bears in excelsis the felicities that are charming.

The Etymologists explain the term agni in many ways. This much is clear from a scrutiny of their derivations: alternate meanings are advanced by reckoning the form of Agni in some way or the other on the strength of the utterances of the Brahmanas. It is considered that sentences in the Brahmanas such as “Yea, this one was born before, agre, the Gods, hence he is agni by name", are the basis of meanings like agrariḥ (one who is the first).

According to the Grammarians, the word agni is derived from the root ang. They illustrate the Unādi Sūtra, ’angernalopasca’. angati, goes upward; goes up to carry the oblation to the heaven; this is a possible derivation. If the roots meaning agni in all the branch languages of the ancient Aryans be scrutinised, it yields the constituent meaning of movement, strong and luminous. Thus do cohere all the words signifying the nature of agni.

Iḷe : I laud, says Sayana ; I beseech, says Yaska. There is no dispute about the roots having multiple significance. iļate signifies, says Yaska, beseeching, adoring or worshipping. The act of adoration is the most apposite in view of the form of agni, his office and his management of it. adhyeşaņa – intense longing - means impulsion, aspiration. The longing adoration consists in the welcome and honoured induction in the special performance of the adorable Vicar or Agni, the God. iļe I aspire.

purohitam: Agni is placed in the front of the yajamāna, sacrificer, for the carrying out of the work of sacrifice. That is why he is waited upon by the Rishi in the inner sacrifice and by the Yajamana in the outer sacrifice. Thus is the sense of adhyeşana, longing adoration, apposite to iļe. This agrees also with the traditional derivation of purohita—he holds him in the front. It is to be noted that the order given by the commentators viz., yajñasya purohitam hotāram devam ștvijam ratna-dhā tamam, is neither necessary nor proper. When terms yield the meaning in the order in which they stand, it is not right to relate words in one place with words in another. That is why we have commented upon the phrase yajñasya devam ștvijam as it stands.

hotāram : himself a God, he summons the other Gods to be present at the sacrifice. Thus is Agni, the Lord of the call.

ratnadhā tamam: all accept the derivation of ratna as the word ending with the termination kna of the Unadis, applied on the root ram.

To us who are concerned with the inner sacrifice, the derivation given in the Mantrārtha-mañjari, what bears ratna (happiness) is ratnadhā, him who bears the happiness excellently atiśayena ratnadhāḥ tam, is acceptable. It means that Agni alone is the bearer, the founder of the felicities signified by the term ratna- which are the fruits of the offerings made by the Rishi, the Yajamana who is engaged in the inner Sacrifice. For those who swear that there is naught else beyond the outer sacrifice, it means Agni, the donor in excelsis of the ratna, the treasure, which, consisting of cows, horses, etc., is the fruit of the sacrifice.

And this is the purport of the Rik :

I aspire intensely for Agni the adorable, the leader and the Vicar who carries out the Sacrifice, the God who as the Ritvik does and gets done in due season the sacrifice to be performed, who being capable of bringing the presence of the Gods in the sacrifice is their summoner, and who, again, founds in the Yajamana the excellences of Felicity.

Tr. I adore Agni, the Vicar, the divine Ritvik of the sacrifice, the summoner who most bears the felicities.

2. agniḥ pūrvebhirrsibhiridyo nūtanairuta, sa devān cha vaksati.
   agniḥ pūrvebhiḥ rşibhiḥ idyaḥ nūtanaiḥ uta, saḥ devān ā iha vaksati.

agniḥ the God equipped with the capacity of the Vicar, etc. as mentioned before; pūrvebhiḥ by the ancient ; rsibhiḥ by the seers of the Mantras, Bhrigu, Angiras and the like; idyaḥ laudable, adorable, to be aspired to; nūtanaiḥ uta adorable even by the new seers ; saḥ the God who is thus spoken of as adorable; devān the rest of the Gods like Indra and others; iha in this sacrifice; āvaksati brings.

iha: Skandasvami has it, “or here, in this world”. The purport is that Agni, located on earth, brings the Gods located in heaven, to this location on earth. The meaning is clear in the inner sacrifice.

It is impossible to determine the age of the ancient personages like Angiras. The phrase nūtanairuta implies that there were other contemporary seers, creators of Suktas, like Madhucchandas. It also points to the weight of tradition of a sempiternal, fruitful and established discipline devoted to Agni.

Tr. The Agni adorable by the ancient seers is adorable too by the new, he brings here the Gods.

3. agninā rayimasnavat posameva divedive, yasasam viravattamam.
   agninā rayim asnavat poşam eva divedive, yasasam viravat’tamam.

agninā by the instrumentation of the God; rayim treasure, something inner, not merely outer; asnavat (the Yajamana) obtains ; what kind of treasure ? divedive day by day; posameva verily nourished, increasing, never decreasing; and again of what kind ? yasasam with fame, full of glory; viravattamam superbly endowed with hero-power; such is the treasure enjoyed.

Some object to the taking of the term poșa as adjective to rayi as it terminates with ghañj. They say it should be poşam, nourishment, and rayim treasure, that is aśnavat, enjoyed. If that be so, then the conjunctive word ca is to be taken as understood. Then the significance of the word eva in poșameva will have been ignored. Both poşam and yasasam are adjectives of rayi, used in the sense of possession (matvartha).

Such use is common in the Veda. In places like vapuşāmidekam (4.7.9.), vapuşāmapaśyam (5.62.1), the commentators interpret the meaning indicating matvartha as vapușām vapușmatām, possessed of bodies, devānām of the embodied Gods. That is correct. So also here, resort to indication is permissible. yasas is used as adjective of rayi to indicate the glory. Some moderns have it that aśnavat being in the form of leț (Vedic Present) should carry the sense of Imperative tense, loţ. The sense indicated by the Present tense (lat) is preferable and approved by the commentators of old.

The purport is: the Yajamana obtains the inner plenitude (denoted by the term rayi), superbly full of hero-strength and glorious, due to the power of the Grace of Agni who is the summoner of the Gods as described earlier.

Tr. By Agni one enjoys a treasure that increases day by day, glorious, most full of hero-power.

4. agne yam yajñamadhvaram visvataḥ paribhūrasi, sa iddeveşu gacchati
   agne yam yajñam adhvaram visvataḥ paribhūḥ asi, saḥ it deveșu gacchati.

agne thou; yam adhvaram which is moving on the path; yajñam sacrifice; visvataḥ on every side; paribhūḥ surrounding; asi art; sa it that sacrifice alone; deveșu among the Gods; gacchati goes to the destination.

The ritualistic commentators take the line that adhvara is "free from violence.” The immolation of the animal in the sacrifice is a transgression of the injunction of the Dharma Sastra, “Harm not any creature.’ To affirm that in this case there is no violence, those who interpret in the external sense explain the term adhvara as that in which there is no dhvara, violence. Now the sacrifice is described in the Veda as a Person. This one consisting in the giving away of substances, embodying a total self-sacrifice, manifesting in the being of the sacrificer, sets out to the world of Svar above in order to reach the Gods. Therefore he does the journey, adhvānam rāti, gives the path for the ascent of the sacrificer. And in such a pilgrim-sacrifice, protection from all evil, as Rakshasas and the like, from all sides, is obtained only from Agni. Hence it is said that only that sacrifice which is well-guarded by Agni reaches to the Gods.

Tr. O Agni! The pilgrim-sacrifice on every side of which thou art, that alone goes among the Gods.

5. agnirhotā kavikratuḥ satyascitra gravastamaḥ, devo devebhirāgamat.
   agniḥ hotā kavikratuḥ satyaḥ citrasravaḥ tamaḥ, devaḥ devebhiḥ ā gamat.

agniḥ himself; devaḥ a God; devebhiḥ along with other Gods; āgamat may he come; there are four adjectives to Agni; hotā summoner of the Gods; kavikratuḥ, kavi is the term for one with bright intellect; in the Veda kavi stands for one who sees the beyond, what is beyond the objects of the senses; so does Sayana comment upon it in many places; the term kratu is explained by the ritualists either as intelligence or act (ritualist) according to the context; kratu is the unshakable Will or a determined conscious-force capable of execution ; thus the term kavikratuḥ signifies a conscious will or will-force seeing the supra-sensible; satyaḥ true in seeing, in conscious action and also in self-form, without any touch with or defilement by falsehoods, hence undeviating in activities of seeing, etc.; citraśravastamaḥ, srava means fame and it is not incorrect to take it so in the external sense ; the words sravah, sravana, sruti derived from the root Śru recall the same meaning; because it is heard from all over, srava is taken to mean fame; hence here it means that the hearing, gravaḥ, of Agni is superbly (tama) citram, marvellous, manifoldly discernible.

The purport is that Lord Agni whose audition is varied and suprasensible, himself hearing, can make the seeker hear wonderful auditions.

Tr. Agni, the summoner, the Seer-Will, true and most full of richly varied listenings, may he come a God with the Gods.

Thus ends the first group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

6. padanga dāśușe tvamagne bhadram karişyasi, tavettatsatyamangiraḥ.
   yat anga dāśuşe tvam agne bhadram karişyasi, tava it tat satyam angiraḥ.

anga dear; agne O Agni; dā śuse to the Yajamana who gives; tvam thou; yat that; bhadram happy good; karişyasi shalt do; tavet thine alone; tat that; satyam truth; angiraḥ O Angira, Agni of this appellation.

According to Sayana this is the sense : Agni gives wealth in the form of animals, progeny and the like to the sacrificer who has given the oblation. That is the good expressed by the term bhadra. With the instrumentation of the wealth thus obtained the sacrificer sacrifices again to Agni. That is why it is Agni’s alone.

In truth there is no disputation here. But the commentators have done a great disservice to this Mantra laden with delightful meaning in which some truth of Agni is indicated in clear expression. dāśuse to the giver, yad bhadram karişyasi what happy good thou shalt do, tat satyam that truth is thine alone tavet—this is the right and direct order.

This then is the purport. The happy good that is going to be done for the Yajamana by Agni is the truth of Agni alone. And what is that happy good which is said to be the truth of Agni only? They assert, on the strength of the utterances in the Brāhmaṇa, that progeny, animals, money, house and so on are all the happy good, bhadram. May be, progeny, animals, etc. are the good. Let us not quarrel. But there is no doubt that in the Rig Veda, bhadra signifies good, something exalted connected with Truth. In cases like, “Savitr God, send far away all calamities, send us only what is good, bhadram” (5.82.5), “Drive the evil dream away” (5.82.4), the term bhadra is used in contradistinction to the evil that follows from evil dream. If the meaning is understood in the sense that the truth of Agni is verily the happy good that ends the misfortunes resulting from false knowledge, then the use of satya as adjective to Agni in the first Rik, and here in the present Rik) the statement that such a good is the truth of Agni only, stand justified. Hence it is not some common good that is intended. The truth which is the good that opposes the false consciousness is verily the principle of Agni, his nature. All over the Veda the word bhadra is used in the sense of opposing the misfortune born of evil and false knowledge. And this is clear from the hymn to dispel the evil dream in which bhadram varam vşrute (a happy boon do they elect), etc. is chanted in opposition to Nirṛti, the deity of Sin.

In another place there occurs a Mantra meaning that those who malign the good (bhadra) are thrown into the environs of Nirriti: «Those who soil the good by their natures, may Soma give them over to Ahi, or to the lap of Nirriti consign” (10.104.9). So also is bhadra lauded as relating to the own home of Agni, the Vast Truth denoted by the word sta; as the objective to be attained by the mind and the will. “Create for us a happy mind” (4.19.20), “Send us a happy mind, and deligent will” (10: 25.1), “Awake to the right-mindedness of man’s happiest state, vast and great and happy is thy house of refuge, O Agni” (5.1.10).

It is to be thus noted that even in yielding the meaning of good, such a word occurring in the Mantra, indicates the speciality of bhadram. Even the Rik of Kutsa Angira confirms our interpretation of this Rik, yadanga dāšuşe. It says : “This is thy happy grace, that kindled in thy own abode, invoked with Soma, thou soundest forth most benign; thou givest wealth and treasure to the giver. O Agni, in thy friendship may we not suffer harm” (1.94.14). This Rik of Kutsa is to be remembered in grasping the meaning of the Mantra ahead, rājantam, etc.

Tr. Agni, the happy good that thou shalt create for the per, is the Truth of Thee alone, O Angiras.

7. upa tvāgne divedive doşāvastardhiyā vayam, namo bharanta emasi.
   upa tvā agne dive’dive doşā vastaḥ dhiya vayam, namaḥ bharantaḥ ā imasi.

agne, O Agni; tvā to thee; divedive day by day; doşāvastaḥ night and day; vayam we; dhiya by the thought capable of bearing; namaḥ obeisance ; bharantaḥ carrying ; upemasi we come, wait upon.

Here some take doşāvastā as Agni who covers the night by his light and doşāvastaḥ as his vocative. Actually doşā means night and it denotes darkness; vastaḥ means day and denotes light. The purport is that whether in dark or in light, in all states, every day, we wait upon you ceaselessly. evam namo bharantaḥ vayam, ’thus bearing the obeisances, we’, is apposite. The intelligence is capable of bearing the burthen of the obeisance. It is thus to be understood that for one who seeks (waits upon) Agni, the one sādhanā (means) is the intelligence rooted in meditation, day by day, ceaselessly, in a state of inner illumination or no illumination -in a word, in all conditions.

Tr. To Thee, O Agni, day by day, in the night, and in the light, we approach carrying by our thought the obeisance.

8. rājantamadhvarā ņām gopāmộtasya didivim, vardhamānam sve dame.
   rājantam adhvarānām gopām ſtasya didivim, vardhamā nam sve dame.

In the previous Mantra it was said, "Agni, we approach Thee.” “ Thou” of what kind ? The seer describes in three adjectival phrases: adhvatārām rājantam the master of sacrifices denoted by the term adhvara, path. journey ; ſtasya di divim gopām luminous guardian of the Truth ; sve dame vardhamānam increasing in his own home.

It is not proper to take gopām with adhvarānām when the terms yield meaning as they stand. Thought has to be bestowed upon the meaning in stasya gopāḥ (guardian of Truth), sa ca di diviḥ (and he is shining), sve dame vardhate (increases in his own home). In this one hymn itself is affirmed twice the Truth-nature of Agni by the expression satyah (Rik 5) and tavet tat satyam (Rik 6). In this Rik he is described as the guardian of Truth and as increasing in his own home. What else but Truth could be the own Home of Agni? The Truth, the Right, the Vast, alone is the abode of Agni. And his Truth, the supreme station is to be attained by the Yajamana; sacrifice is the means therefor. The one who performs is the Seer-Will, the Truth, one whose nature is the Truth, who is the guardian of Truth and whose dwelling place is the Truth : he is only Agni. In the Rik (1.75.5), Rishi Rahugana, son of Gotama, prays to Agni: “Sacrifice to Mitra and Varuna for us ; sacrifice to the other Gods; sacrifice to the Truth, the Vast, the Own Home.” From this Rik it is clear that Agni’s office of carrying out the sacrifice is not for the sake of the Yajamana only, but that the Vast Truth which is the own home of Agni is the supreme object of sacrifice. We hear the same in 3.10.2 where it is said : "Shine out guardian of the Truth, in thy own home.”

Such is the profound Mantra which has been given a commonplace meaning by the ritualist interpretation which has it thus: “The hall of sacrifice is the own home of Agni; there is Agni, who increases by consuming the ghee offering worshipped morning and evening by the practicants of Agni-sacrifice.”

Tr. Who reignest over pilgrim-sacrifices, luminous guardian of the Truth, increasing in Thy own home.

9. sa naḥ piteva sūnave’gne sūpāvano bhava, sacasvā naḥ svastaye.
   saḥ naḥ pitā’iva sūnave agne su’upāyanaḥ bhava, sacasva naḥ svastaye.

agne Agni; sa tvam such as Thou art; sūnave to the son; piteva like a father; naḥ our; sūpā yanaḥ he who is easily approachable, easy of access; bhava be; naḥ our; svastaye for good ; sacasva serve, cling to us, be contained in us.

Tr. Therefore, be easy of access to us as a father upto his son, cling to us for our happy state.

We have commented upon this hymn of Madhucchandas on Agni. In this very first hymn of the Rig Veda of ten Books, is revealed the Secret of the Veda, with a certain clarity. While commenting upon it, we have shown briefly as far as necessary, the line of high thought in the Mantras. Though in the case of certain Riks in the hymn, a ritualistic meaning can be somehow extracted, the line is not clear and straight for a ritualistic interpretation throughout. In the ritualistic interpretation a common-place meaning is brought out after a great deal of difficulty in case of words like kavikratuḥ, satyaḥ, citraśravastamaḥ, dhiyā namo bharantaḥ, sve dame vardhamānam, etc. The meaning derived by them of the Mantra ’yadanga dāśuşe’ is ridiculous in the extreme. The direct meaning is : "To him who offers to Agni what he has or what he is himself, Agni effects the happy good-denoted by the term bhadra-which eliminates the false consciousness and the misery born out of it. And the truth that is this good is founded in Agni only."

This is the argument that runs through the Mantras of the hymn, as seen through this direct opening on the Secret of the Veda. Thus, Rik by Rik:

First: God Agni himself is waited upon as the Vicar, the Ritvik, for the carrying out of the sacrifice of the Yajamana.

Second: This discipline of adoration of Agni is not something new adopted by Madhucchandas but what has come down in the tradition of the Rishis from a long past and by which Agni, the foremost of the Gods, brings the other Gods.

Third: The wealth obtained by the grace of Agni is not tainted by fear of decay like the worldly variety, but given to increase more and more.

Fourth : It is not the sacrifice performed by human effort unaided that can reach to the Gods, but only the sacrifice which is guarded in every way from all evil spirits by Agni.

Fifth: Endowed with vision and audition, wise, firm of will, Agni is the helper of the Gods.

Sixth: The giving of the special good which lies in Truth-Consciousness as opposed to the False is the truth of Agni.

Seventh : Every day, in all conditions, firm in meditation, weighted with obeisances, the Rishis wait upon Agni.

Eighth: Truth (the Vast Truth) is the own Home of Agni; there he increases for the Yajamana. That he protects.

Ninth: To such Agni who is realised or in order to realise him, does the Rishi pray with great trust: "Cling unto us like a father to the son, be easy of access to us.’

Certainly an Agni of this kind cannot be only the sacrificial fire which is but an external symbol. Neither can he be only the deity presiding over the material principle of heat. The Agni adored in this first hymn, whose prowess has been brought out by us and whose features set forth in the hymn, is truly the Truth, the Lord auspicious, our Seer-Will.

This is the Agni hymn, which gives a foretaste of the essence of the Secret of the Veda and which, in the tradition of the study of the thousand-hymned Veda, is called the epitome of all Vedic study; and it is to emphasise this feature that the ancients say: “Repeat the sūkta agnimiļe, destroyer of sin, creator of prosperity; the fruit of the study of all the Vedas is obtained thereby."

In the famous Soma sacrifice’ known as agniştoma, this hymn is recited by the Hotṛ prior to the pouring of the Soma in the morning recitation. ¹²

Here ends the second group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 2

THE second hymn of the first Section consists of three sub-hymns of three Riks each, in all nine. The third hymn is of twelve Riks, with four sub-hymns of three Riks each. These seven sub-hymns constitute a special hymnal litany called prauga, to be chanted by the sacrificer in the morning libation after the reception of the All-Gods. The deity of the first sub-hymn (of three Riks) is Vayu; of the second Indra-Vayu; of the third Mitra-Varuna.

Here is the first Rik of the sub-hymn to Vayu:

1. vā yavāyāhi darśateme somā ararkſtaḥ, teşām pāhi Śrudhi havam.
   vāyo iti ā pāhi darśata ime somāḥ aram’kſtāḥ, teşām pāhi śrudhi havam.

vāyo life of the world; darśata handsome ; āyāhi come; ime these (offered by us) ; somāḥ flowings of Soma pressed out; arañkſtāḥ decorated, well-accomplished, ready ; teşām them (genitive in the sense of accusative); pāhi drink; havam call, our call, śrudhi hear.

The terms are easy to understand. ararkstāḥ: the word alam denotes enough or decoration; it means, cultured, purified. The sacrificer hymns to Vayu, after lauding Agni, to drink the Soma. And Vayu is the life of the world ; hence even as embodied prāņa, he supports the organisation of the nerve-channels and the Chakras. Hence he is the support of the activity of the mind in man. If so, who then is Soma for the drink of whose pressings Vayu is invited ? We reply : that sap of Delight of Existence, divine, which flows into the plane of the Mind from the plane of Truth-Knowledge signified by the terms şta-cit, Truth-Consciousness, is termed as Soma in the Veda. The particular creeper of that name (Soma) is the external symbol in the sacrificial rite. We shall dwell upon the truth of the matter later at the end of the commentary on this sub-hymn.

Tr. Come, O Life beautiful, these soma-pressings are made ready. Drink of them. Hear the call.

1. vāya ukthebhirjarante tvā macchā jaritāraḥ, sutasomā, aharvidaḥ.
   vayo iti ukthebhiḥ jarante tvām acchā jaritāraḥ suta’somāḥ ahaḥ’vidaḥ.

vāyo God of life; tvām acchā turning to thee; jaritāraḥ the singers (pining for thee); ukthebhiḥ by their lauds (manifesting thee) ; jarante they praise ; of what kind are they ? sutasomāḥ those who have pressed out the soma; again of what kind ? aharvidaḥ those who have known, i.e., seen the light indicated by the term ahaḥ, Day.

Here this is to be noted. Though in the Nighanțu various synonyms of stotra (praise) are given e.g., rebhaḥ, kāruḥ, jaritā, etc. yet each term stresses some special feature of the one who praises. In the Veda, like the term jāra, the term jaritṛ also points to clandestine love; hence we have commented upon the term as stotāraḥ pining for thee. Likewise in Veda, words are renowned for their power of creation or manifestation. So it is apposite to comment upon the word uktha (derived from vac) as praises which bring out, manifest thee.

Tr. O Life, thy lovers laud thee with words that express Thee. They have pressed the Soma, they have known the Day.

1. vāyo tava prapļñcati dhenā jigāti dāśușe, urūci somapitaye.
   vāyo iti tava pra’pļñcati dhenā jigāti dā sușe urūci soma’ pitaye.

vayo O Life; praprñcati touching superbly (that is to say, filling); tava thy; dhenā the stream, the flow of tongue indicated by speech; somapitaye for drinking the Soma; urūci expanding; dāśuse to the giver, Yajamana; jigāti goes, carries.

dhenā is among the synonyms of speech. So does Sayana explain in all the Riks. We explain it everywhere as dhārā, flow. Here is the reason. Generally in the Veda, rivers are described as dhenu, in some places in simile and in others as metaphor. The common feature there is pleasantness or nourishment. That is why Sayana comments upon dhenā in some places as speech that pleases, in some places as river that pleases, in others as woman that pleases. Just as cows full of milk become rivers that are pleasing, so too dhenā becomes a stream that is pleasing. The streaming of speech is accepted even in the commentary of Sayana. In “The seven speeches bore one seed” (3.1.6), he says, ’seven speeches, rivers.’ Sarasvati, the stream of speech is famous in the Veda. In beginning his commentary on the Mantra, iyam $ușmebhiḥ (6.61.2) as “Sarasvati is in the form of a deity and in the form of a river; as deity she has been lauded; now he lauds her in the form of river”, Sayana’s difficulty in the ascription of double form to Sarasvati is patent. Similarly in his commentary on the last Rik of the third Hymn, maho arṇaḥ. So it has to be understood that the word dhenā even though listed in the Nighanțu as a synonym of speech does not abandon its sense of flow.

Our line will be clear in passages such as, “Like rivers flow well the words (4.58.6), “He set his voice and stream in movement" (3.1.9). If it be said that dhenā may be stream enough, but why should it mean “flowing of the tongue which is indicated by speech”, we reply: it is said in this Rik that the stream of Vayu flows forth for the drinking of the Soma prepared by the Yajamana. Since speech itself cannot drink, by the process of indication, lakṣaṇā, what is spoken of is the special flowing of the tongue. Thus this is the expository meaning, not merely the word-meaning of the term dhenā. Pleasing or nourishing is only a part-meaning. If it is taken as dhārā, stream, then it fits in because of its sense of sustaining. Thus too is the adjective urūci, expanding, apposite. The flow giving up its contraction becomes expansive in order to take in the Soma juice. prapşñcati, encompassing fully, the adjective to dhenā, is also apposite. Here what is spoken of is the all-encompassing nature of the flow in the Soma that is pressed out and in the Yajamana who is giving. The stream of Vayu, the God of Life, effecting an excellent contact in the Yajamana and thus itself filling, is able to take the Soma libation to its content.

Those who follow the external meaning only say thus :

Vayu speaks: “O Yajamana, I shall drink the Soma given by you.” This taking of dhenā in the direct sense of speech, vāk, is after Sayana. Accordingly are the two adjectives explained. They say that the prapřñcati vāk means the speech that describes the virtues of Soma! And the urūci vāk is what goes forth to describe the many Yajamanas. On the other hand, Skandasvami holds that dhenā means jihvā, tongue, though he does not say that since the direct meaning of vāk is not feasible, it indicates jihvā, tongue.

But in our commentary following the inner sense, we have to consider: who is this Soma for the acceptance of whose libation Vayu is invoked and comes for the Yajamana throwing out his stream? We have said earlier that the pavamāna soma, the sap flowing from the worlds of șta-cit which is another name for Delight, ānanda, enters the worlds of the Mind and flows there. How then can such a Soma be pressed out by the Yajamana and be offered to Vayu ? True it is that the sap of the transcendent Saccidananda self-luminous, descends in the world of Mind and flows primarily for Indra, the lord of the Abode of Mind. It is the Soma spoken in sentences like, “We have drunk the Soma; we have become immortal”, “He is verily the Sap”, “Who indeed could labour to draw in the breath or who could have strength to breathe it out, if there were not that Bliss in the Ether?”, that becomes manifest in the many-tiered universal creation, suited to the conditions, in the microcosm and the macrocosm. Even as the divine Truth-Light concealed everywhere even in this obscure physical world becomes manifest in places by reason of evolution, so too Soma concealed everywhere stands as the sap that is the quintessence in the earth, in the growths of earth, in the objects of the senses, in the experiences of their objects. And it is he, the soul of rasa, that is externally symbolised by Soma creeper, that is ertracted, purified and offered to the Gods. In the inner sacrifice, the devotee of God, the sacrificer of Soma, extracts the flow of delight that runs in the experience of the sense-objects, divests it of his personal claims and enjoyments, and offers it to the Gods. This rasa becomes the food immortal of the Gods and thus do these eaters of the nectar, the Gods immortal, obtain nourishment in the sacrificer. This is the purport of words of invocation to the Gods Agni, Vayu or Indra viz., “ Svāhā ! This is not mine."

This in substance is the truth of Soma.

Tr. O Life, thy filling stream moves towards the giver, widening to drink the Soma.

To effect this purification and consecration of the Soma libation, the Yajamana on earth aspiring to ascend to the world of the Gods, needs to have his nervous system in the body purified and full of life-strength. That is why the Grace of Vayu (God of life) is to be sought first. Even then the purification or the culturing of the experiences of the senses is not effected by the Grace of Vayu, the Lord of life alone, without the grace of the God presiding over the Mind. That is why the Yajamana prays in the second sub-hymn to both Indra and Vayu. It is to be noted that wholesome activity of life and mind in the body is conducted by Vayu and Indra. Though the world of Svar like the rising place of the Sun, the Light of Truth-Consciousness, ṣta-cit, is primarily the realm of the Pure Mind, the special abode of Indra, still he is the deity of the Mind of many-planes. He is the lord of even the sense-mind. In fact the word indriya is derived from the word Indra. It is also possible to say that of all the indriyas, senses, the first secret sense is mind. We recall: “Mind, six indriyas”. Panini has it (5.2.93): “Indriya : sign of Indra, seen by Indra; created by Indra; enjoyed by Indra; or given by Indra.” Here are given options by linga, dịşta, etc. The commentator’s remark is to be kept in mind : “Here the word vā (or) governing each points to the freedom of each option.”

Thus the purport of the Seers is that without the help of Indra, the sovereign of all the senses, Vayu is not in a position to take his due share of the Soma. It is a matter of common experience that life-activity bereft of the power of the mind is not wholesome. It is thus that in the application of the second sub-hymn covering Indra and Vayu, the three parts are to Vayu and one to Indra: “Indra had the fourth part and Vayu three parts" (Ait. Br. 9.1), so proclaim the Aitareyins. In the Brahmana it is also said that Indra is the charioteer of Vayu: “With his steeds of yoking and Indra for charioteer.” This indicates the guiding quality of the power of mind open to the Grace of Indra, its service in beneficence and the consequent sharing of Soma in opulence by the life-force embodied in physical nervous organism.

And this is the first Rik in the second sub-hymn to Indra-Vayu :

4. indravā yū ime sutā upaprayobhirāgatam, indavo vāmus anti hi.
   indravāyū iti ime sutāḥ upa prayaḥ’bhiḥ ā gatam, indavaḥ vām uśanti hi.

indravā yū O Indra and Vayu ; ime these Soma juices; sutāḥ pressed out; prayobhiḥ with pleasing, satisfying (things); upāgatam come; hi for; indavaḥ moistening (gladdening soma juices) ; vām you both (Indra and Vayu); usanti desire.

“ prayobhiḥ, with foods to be given to us”, says Sayana. praya means what pleases, priņayitſ, as it is derived from root priñ. What pleases the Yaja-mana is prayaḥ. Hence our explanation : whatever may be the pleasing gifts--things or glories—that are in the giving of Indra and Vayu, may they come with them.

Tr. O Indra and Vayu, here are the pressings of Soma : come with your satisfying things : for the gladdeners desire you.

This is the second in the sub-hymn to Indra-Vayu:

5. vāyavindrasca cetathaḥ sutānām vājinivasū, tāvā yātamupadravat.
   vāyo iti indraḥ ca cetathaḥ sutānām vājinivasū iti vājini’vasū, tau āyātam upa dravat.

vāyo Othou Vayu ; indrasca and Indra; sutānām the soma-juices that are pressed out (genetive in the sense of accusative); cetathaḥ know; vājinivasū full of substance and plenitude ; tau you both; dravat speedily; upāyātam approach.

vājinivasū: the ritualistic explanation is that vājini is the series of sacrificial rituals and Indra-Vayu dwell, vasataḥ, in it. Sayana gives many meanings to vāja, food, strength, battle, speed, etc. Here he takes vāja to mean food, anna; what constitutes the series of oblations of this vāja is vājini ; and Indra-Vayu dwell in it. But our meaning of vāja is the same throughout. It is plenitude or fullness-though we can accept in this the inclusion of strength, food, etc., these have to be taken symbolically. We take the word vasu everywhere as a material substance denoting wealth. But for Sayana the word vasu—like vāja-does not have one meaning.

Tr. O Vayu, O Indra, become conscious of the pressing of Soma, O rich in plenitude, hither running approach.

Here ends the third group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

And this is the third Rik in the sub-hymn to Indra-Vayu:

6. vāyavindrasca sunvata āyātamupa nişkſtam, makşvi’tthā dhiyā narā.
   vāyo iti indraḥ ca sunvataḥ ā yātam upa niņ’kstam, makşu itthā dhiyā narā.

vāyo indrasca both of you, Vayu and Indra ; sunvataḥ of him who is pressing out (of the Yaja-mana); nişkſtam fully accomplished (regarding what is to be offered to you); makşu soon, quickly; itthā thus or with the right (ready to receive what we are to give) dhiyā with intelligence (consciousness to bear) joined; upāyātam do come; narā leaders, O you Gods,—vocative.

itthā : it is to be taken as thus or as right, truth, according to the aptness or context. For both the uses are seen in the Veda.

niskặtam: purified Soma, says Sayana. The spot called vedi, altar, says Skandasvami. We say it is some product of the pressing of Soma carried out in completion. This would be clear on a deliberation on the purport of this sub-hymn.

Tr. O Vayu and Indra, come to the perfected gift of the presser of Soma, soon with thought inclined, O Leaders!

Hence we proceed to speak in brief of the glory of the Grace of Indra and Vayu.

First, the Soma juices that are pressed out yearn for Indra and Vayu; hence their speedy acquisition is prayed for, when Vayu and Indra come knowing (the workings of the) flowing Soma. Vayu and Indra are the lords of life and mind. It means that the sap of immortal delight-denoted by the term Soma-flowing from the higher regions gets quarter in the nervous system full of life-strength, and in the mind full of sattva (enlightenment). vājini-vasū (full of plenitude and substance) is used to denote this plenitude and riches.

Some unusual activity ensues with the flow of this stream in the mind and life as a result of which there commences the play of the Consciousness of Immortality in the mortal. And it is this resultant action which is worked out fully that is said to be nişkſtam, fully accomplished. In the completion of this task there has to be the presence of Vayu and Indra who are co-partners in this. Hence they are prayed to, both of them, to come with a readiness of intelligence to accomplish the purpose. We have taken dhi in the general sense of buddhi. But in truth, its place is above the sense-mind, above the discriminating mind, but below the șta-cit, Truth-Consciousness; it is in between them. Here is the first use of dhi. The full use of it will be clear in the consideration of the purport of the third sub-hymn.

And this is the first Rik in the third sub-hymn to Mitra-Varuna :

7. mitram huve pūtadakşam varuņam ca risādasam, dhiyam ghștācim sādhantā.
   mitram huve pūta’dakşam varuņam ca risādasam, dhiyam ghṛtācim sādhantā.

pūtadakşam him whose skill of understanding is purified; mitram huve Mitra I call; risādasam who swallows, eats the hurters (that is who destroys them); varuram ca and Varuna (I call). How made are those both, Varuna and Mitra ? ghṛtācim, ghștāci is that which attains luminosity, ghệtam; that luminous dhiyam sustaining thought; sādhantā effecting.

The term dakṣa occurs everywhere in the sense of strength; so does Sayana explain it. Still a scrutiny of its uses in many places shows that the strength is the strength of skill in understanding. Accepting the manifoldness of strength, bala, we would say that the term dakṣa indicates an intelligence of discriminating between good and bad, true and untrue, and deciding upon the truth of things. Hence the word dakṣa is commonly taken to mean skill in intelligence. Mahidhara says it means skill of the sense of perception. Others, the moderns included, are confused. We shall consider this again while explaining the meaning of the last Rik of this hymn.

gḥṛtācim: adjective of dhī. The root ghṛ belonging to the 3rd conjugation is in the sense of flow as well as luminosity. Its use in the sense of luminousness is to be seen in mantras as “I make the Flame luminous with ghee-offering.” The adjective is apposite in the sense of luminous and hence bright, shining thought. It also occurs in the sense of flow. That is why ghṛta means commonly clarified butter. But in the Veda, ghṛta is luminous. Here alone for the first time in Rik Samhita is ghṛta in the form of ghṛtācī used as an adjective to dhī. This is one of the symbolic terms that are pre-eminent in the bringing out of the secret sense of the Veda; like the term kavi, kratu, bhadra, dakşa, şta, etc. it is used in its settled sense in the mantras, but never losing its derivative sense. We shall consider ahead the purport of this sub-hymn.

Tr. Mitra of purified understanding I call, and Varuna who destroys our hurters, together effecting a clear luminous thought.

Here is the second Rik in the sub-hymn to Mitra-Varuna :

8. ṛtena mitrāvaruņāvṛtāvsdhāvṛtāspṛśā, kratum bṛhantamāśāthe.
   ṛtena mitrāvarunau ṛtaʼvṛdhau ṛtaʼspṛśā kratum bṛhantam āśāthe.

ṛtena by the truth (by means of truth alone); mitrāvarunau O Mitra and Varuna (both of you); bịhantam vast; kratum conscious firm will (that is, will-power of effectuating action); āśāthe pervade (attain for enjoyment); of what kind are the Mitra-Varuna ? ſtāvşdhau increasers of the Truth; again of what kind ? ștaspşšā touching the Truth.

Rta is Truth or the Truth-Law everywhere in the Veda. This is indeed the first of the terms that are significant for bringing out the secret sense of the Veda. Mitra and Varuna are the increasers of ſta, ſtāvsdhau, those who increase the Truth in the Yajamana. They are those "whose touch is on the Truth”, ștaspěšā, because their contact with Truth is inherently present. And their one means of increasing the Truth is Truth alone. That is why the instrumental (ṛtena) is used in the sense of the instrument of action. Their will is engaged in the conscious performance of such activity. That is why it is said ’you pervade the will’ kratum āśāthe.

Externally, it is well known that kratu stands for sacrifice. And hence in the outer sense, they take the Rik to mean that Mitra and Varuna, enjoyers of the Yajna, who come to the place of the sacrifice, to enjoy the sacrifice, bịhantam, most developed in its limbs and sublimbs, and replete with food. But in our sense it is to be understood as follows: when the inner sacrifice is begun, when the inner flame of the seer-will is lit, and when the chief prāņa –charioteer of Mind-has obtained by the grace of the pleased Indra and Vayu, the capacity to press the soma, Mitra and Varuna, distinguished with the said qualities, increasers of Truth, attain to and enjoy the effectuating will-power abundant or large, vast by its truth, denoted by the term kratu.

Tr. By the Truth Mitra and Varura whose touch is on the Truth, and who increase the Truth, enjoy a vast will-power.

Here is the third Rik in the sub-hymn to Mitra-Varuna:

9. kavi no mitrā varuņā tuvijā tā urukṣayā, dakşam dadhāte apasam.
   kavi iti naḥ mitrāvarunā tuvi’jātau uru’kṣayā, dakşam dadhā te iti apasam.

kavi endowed with intellect (seers of the beyond-sense); tuvijā tau born in many or born variedly; urukṣayā broad-housed (thus become); mitrāvarunā Gods Mitra and Varuna; naḥ our; apasam active (effecting action, executive) ; dakşam discriminating skill of the intellect; dadhāte they uphold.

kavi—in the Veda it does not have the usual sense of one with intellect; it indicates wealth of vision. It is explained as seer of extended vision, seer of what transcends the senses.

tuvijātau—in the Veda the term tuvi denotes force. And as force in the sense of army indicates many, the word tuvi also means many. It is also one of the synonyms of bahu, many. Sayana comments upon it as born variously, in many ways, because of the service done to many. We explain it thus: the Gods manifest themselves in many ways in the Yajamana, in their own form or in their activities; this manifestation itself is their birth; hence they are born in many ways.

uru-because uru is among the synonyms of bahu, many, urukṣayā, says Sayana, means many-housed. In the Veda uru means spread-out and therefore broad, large. Hence it is to be taken that this dwelling is in the spread-out vast.

In the commentary of Sayana, ca (and) is taken to be understood and Mitra-Varuna are said to uphold both dakşam, strength and apasam act together. There is no necessity to take ca as understood. apasam is the adjective of dakşa. If it were not the adjective but a substantive by itself, then its first letter would have been unaccented. This is not a case of an unaccented first letter. If it be said that were it an adjective, then it would have qualified in gender the substantive but the term apa is not so, we point out that it should be taken as apasvi dakşam, in the sense of possessive indication in the manner of rayim yasasam, etc. explained before. Even otherwise it is to be noted that in the Veda the term apas is used, its gender depending upon what is predicated. Also in the Veda, even the names of substances bear qualitative significance to indicate the force of their derivative meaning e.g., gotamaḥ, angirastamaḥ, indratamaḥ, apastamā, etc. are common usages in the Veda.

In 1.160.4 (ayam devānām apasām apastamaḥ), apa means act; it indicates he who has the act. Sayana explains it as one with excellent action among the active. In 6.61.13 (apasāmapastamā), Sayana explains vegavatinām vegavattamā, the most speedy of the speedy. In 10.75.7 his commentary reads “among the active she is active in the form of speed." In 10.53.9, “among the doers of auspicious actions, one with the most auspicious action.” In 10.115.2, Sayana’s commentary: apasvitamaḥ, most efficient amongst the active. The possessive sense has been dropped.

dakşam – it has been commented upon before. Mitra-Varuna uphold the skill of discriminating intelligence-signified by the word dakşa-achieving fruitful action. It has been established earlier while dealing with the meaning of pūtadakşa, purified discernment, that though ordinarily the term dakṣa is included in the synonyms of strength, bala, it is a speciality of intelligence that is signified. In this Rik it is said that Mitra and Varuna well conjoined in harmony, bear the skill of knowledge of discrimination, characterised by skill in works. This means there is some special knowledge relating to works that is dependent on Mitra and Varuna in conjunction. This has to be taken as another way of saying of the passage: Mitra, the pūtadakşa, and Varuna the risādasa. What is this work or knowledge ? Who are these Mitra and Varuna? What is their relevance here? We explain :

The subject-matter of the first triad in this Hymn is the equipment of the vital Prana in the oblation of Soma; for that purpose Vayu alone is individually lauded. Thereafter comes the matter of the preparation of the mental plane for the play of ṣta-cit, Truth-Consciousness in man, the sacrificer; for that purpose are lauded Indra-Vayu to arrive, yoked with the intellect. The subject of the last triad, however, is the accomplishment of the activity of sta, Truth in the mental being by which the intellect shall be well cultured and the activity rendered ample. Mitra and Varuna are invoked for this purpose. And these two are the famous twins among the celebrated Four-group, Mitra, Varuna, Aryaman and Bhaga of common dwelling (1.136.2). These are capable of accomplishing such an illumined intelligence. This is declared first by the passage ghstācim dhiyam sādhantā.

Here this must be understood: we mark this style of the Rishis in the Mantras of the Hymns. After having stated something, in passing to another topic they repeat some keyword of the previous passage and by means of this echo in the next, the seers of the Mantras indicate the connection between the two the previous and the next. Thus does the repetition of a word already used become purposive. Generally this is the common style among all the seers. Here the term dhī connects the two; the repetition in dhiyā narā, dhiyam sādhantā is to be noted.

The term dhī is now to be considered. Even though in ordinary parlance, the term mati means buddhi or dhī still in the Veda there is a difference between mati and dhī. Mati means intellection, ordinary buddhi (intelligence) function of mind or its state; it even indicates at times, fury, frenzy, etc. like the term manyu, anger. But dhī is the consciousness that holds ; dhī also implies the operation of dhī. Indra-Vayu are prayed to previously to come with this dhī. Now that dhī is to be rendered accomplished, rich and luminous for the contact with the activity of sta-cit, Truth-Consciousness. For that purpose are Mitra-Varuna called by lauds. In the field of dhī so described, there are two obstructions to the activity of sta-cit or to its correct reflection. One of them is the obscuration of the discrimination between truth and falsehood, good and evil, as a result of which there ensues a perplexity regarding truth. The other, as a result of the combination of many causes, obstructs the elevation, well-knit by Truth, of dhī and brings about a disharmony which strikes at the well-coordinated activities of dhī and effects in consequence a poverty of dhī and futility of its operations. Here the accomplishment of the purification is brought about by the grace of Varuna, the destroyer of all evil and who stands covering All. Existent in man as the Power of sta-cit, he ends all the wicked opponents who strike at our progress. That is why Varuna is said to be risādasa. Like Varuna, Mitra in the form of the Power of Truth-Light, establishes the Ananda of ṛta in man by bringing about the state of harmony, happiness, benevolence and equality of dhī consequent to the establishment of the wealth of purity by Varuna.

Thus joined, the two deities increasing the Truth by means of the Truth, maintain in man the touch of the Truth. They enjoy in us the vast kratu. bịhan is great or widespread or large, the vast; kratuḥ is fruitful effort resorting to action. That is indispensable for the accomplishment of 1.1.4] (38) [1.1.2 the purpose. Both the Light and Power are wanted in the inner sacrifice of the seers of the Veda. The dhi-intelligence-gets illumined by the operation of the Light of the Truth (ghſtācim). The effort becomes fruitful and large by the operation of the Force of the Truth (kratum bshantam). In the course of the self-manifestation of the glories of the Truth, the discriminating intelligence engaged in activity becomes stabilised and steady (dakşam dadhāte apasam). This purified intelligence-discriminative or deciding-engages itself in action according to the Truth, a special power of the Truth is born and effects well the work decreed by Indra and Vayu. Thus is achieved the liberation of discerning action and intelligence from taint, confusion, etc. Many hymns to Mitra and Varuna elsewhere support the same purport. They are not illustrated here for want of space. Here is an instance from Medhatithi : “We invoke to drink the Soma, Mitra and Varuna; manifesting and with purified skill of understanding. Increasing the Truth by the Truth, Guards of the Light of Truth, Mitra and Varuna, I call.” (1.23.4,5.)

This is to be borne in mind. The fruit of Sacrifice is the attainment of Truth and gain of the supreme Beatitude. That this is the accomplishment special to Agni has been subtly indicated in the first hymn (to Agni). In the second are declared : the preliminary work to be done by Vayu and Indra in the pressing of the Soma libation; the work of Mitra and Varuna to follow, as a result of which is effected the equipment of the general mental being of man by means of the power of delight of Soma and by the increase of Truth.

Throughout the Rig Veda we see that the effort of the Seers in the inner sacrifice is twofold: one is the maturing in body and mind of man by means of which they get equipped for the object to be attained. The other is the attainment of Truth and its Delight which is indicated by the term Soma, by which the work of the Supreme Godhead in the form of Immortality in man is fulfilled.

Here ends the fourth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 3

This is the third hymn of the first Section, with four sub-hymns of three Riks each. The deities of prauga sastra are spoken of before. The first sub-hymn is of the Ashvins.

1. asvinā yajvaritişo dravatpāņi subhaspati, purubhujā canasyatam.
   asvinā yajvari ḥ işaḥ dravatpāņi iti dravať pāri subhaḥ pati iti puru’bhujā canasyatam.

asvinā O Ashvins, riders of the steed; yajvariḥ executors of the sacrifice ; işaḥ impelling energies ; canasyatam enjoy. There are three adjectives to the Ashvins. dravatpāņi swift-footed; $ubhaspati guar-dians of the auspicious; purubhujā abundant enjoyers.

Iṣaḥ: food (generally in the ritualistic interpretation); thus also, canaḥ, food. The meaning of dravatpāņi, etc. follows correspondingly. As the word is also derived from the root signifying impulsion, it is to be taken in the sense of speed of impulsion.

canasyatam: the food also is enjoyable ; hence in the inner sense, canaḥ is what is to be enjoyed. Desire, take to yourselves in enjoyment—is the purport.

dravatpāņi: for reasons of appositeness, the foot indicated by the hand has to be understood. Elsewhere (2.31.2) Sayana also says, “by the feet indicated by hands”.

śubhaspati : the root subh is current in the sense of shining, enjoyable, decorative, auspicious. Here the second meaning is apposite because of the note of enjoyment struck in both the terms purubhujā much enjoyers, canasyatam enjoy.

In the ordinary sense, the mantra means : Ashvins, the Gods, fast of movement, lords of enjoyment, capable of much enjoyment, riders on the horse, are addressed. They should with pleasure, pervade or preside over the energies relating to the sacrifice, the energies that impel and are the instruments for the execution of the sacrifice. We will elaborate in detail further on at the end of the sub-hymn.

Tr. O Riders of the steed, swift-footed, much-enjoying, lords of enjoyment, take delight in the energies of the sacrifice.

2. asvinā purudamsasā narā savirayā dhiyā, dhişnyā vanatam giraḥ.
   asvinā puru’damsasā narā savirayā dhiyā dhişnyā vanatam girah.

asvinā O Ashvins, Riders of the steed; of what kind ? purudamsasā of manifold action (doers of various action); narā men, leaders, males (strong gods) ; you giraḥ speech (our words of praise); vanatam enjoy (take delight in them); dhişnyā O upholders (being in the intellect); by what means can they take joy in the words ? savirayā dhiyā by means of sustaining thought abundantly throbbing with strength.

purudamsasā: some commentators have it as doers of varied action of wonder, puru is bahu plenty, damsaḥ is karma, action; this is indisputable. The adjectival addition of wonder is only a comment, not the word-meaning. It is not wrong, however.

narā: the word nļ in the Veda denotes strength e.g., nȚmņam strength, nļņām nstamaḥ, the strongest of the divine Powers. It would be right to explain that narā are leaders because of the strength. In the Veda, narāḥ means males, men and gods. The female deities are gaņāḥ.

śavirayā : it is derived in many ways. sava is vibrating strength, hence the termination ’iran’. As an adjective of dhi, intellect, it is acceptable to us.

dhiṣṇyā : here too there are many derivations. dhişaņā, dhişņā, is intellect; those who are in it are dhişnyau. If taken in this way, the meaning fits in with the expression savirayā dhiyā.

This is the general meaning: O riders of steed, who accomplish varied action, strong gods, holders in the intellect, take joy in our words of praise by thought of unobstructed sway, attainable by vibrating strength.

Tr. O Riders of the steed, male leaders effecting a manifold action, take joy of the words, O holders in the intellect, by a luminous energetic thought.

3. dasrā yuvākavaḥ sutā nāsatyā vşktabarhişaḥ, ā yā tam rudravartani.
   dastā yuvākavaḥ sutāḥ nāsatyā vşkta’barhişaḥ ā yā tam rudravartani iti rudra’vartani.

dasrā fulfillers of action; nā satyā O Ashvins of rapid movement; víktabarhişaḥ the seat of sacrifice emptied (of all that is useless, to be cast away and unholy) is piled up by me the sacrificer ; yuvākavah vigorous Soma-juices; sutāḥ are pressed out; rudravartani those whose course is fierce because of this speed of movement; do you āyātam come.

dasrā : Sayana explains the derivation of dasra and dasma from das in the sense of wasting, at times, at other times in the sense of appearance from the root dams or biting or stinging from the root damsya. Thus he gives not one but many e.g., handsome, destroying, etc. Taken in the context of what follows, the term dasra like damsa may indicate connection with action. Just as in purudamsasā it is action that is denoted, not wasting away or handsomeness, so too here. Hence we have dastau to mean accomplishers of action.

yuvākavaḥ: Sayana explains elsewhere: they desire you, desire the mixture, as the word is derived from the root yu meaning to mix. In 3.62.1, Sayana’s commentary reads: yuvāvate by the youthfully vigorous. Here also potency is indicated by the term yuva; the Soma-juices endowed with potency are to be taken.

nāsatyā : the older commentators have it as na asatyau, not untrue, that is, true. This does not appear to be correct. In the Veda, every one of the names of the gods conveys a particular principle, characteristic and form of that particular deity. What is the purpose in affirming the truth-nature of Ashvins by employing two negatives and describing them as nā satyau ? The relation with ṛta (Truth) of Mitra, Varuna, etc. indicates a special feature; but not so of the Ashvins. The term nāsatya is the appellation of the Ashvins alone. Hence it must establish something special to them. And that is derived from the root nas meaning movement. The swift-footed (dravat pāņi), violent-coursed (rudravartani) Ashvins are the riders on the steed, celebrated for their fleet-movement. Therefore our derivation is appropriate.

vṛktabarhişaḥ: the blades of darbha grass, shorn of roots, are spread around the Agni (on the altar or for Soma). Hence, say Sayana and others, it is the nominative plural, means the Soma-juices whose seat is spread over with rootless (sacred grass). We have said it is the genitive singular, adjective of the yajamana who is understood. This does not detract from the gross meaning relevant to ritual. In the inner sense barhi in sacrifice indicates the readying of the place for the arrival of the gods.

rudravartani: "they whose path is like that of Rudra,’ say the older ones. Some of the moderns fancy it to mean the two Ashvin-stars red of hue. We take it to mean their violent path, violent because of the fierceness of their speed of movement. O Ashvins, adepts in the execution of action, swift-moving, fierce-pathed in speed! The seat is made ready by me on the altar. These potent Soma-juices are pressed out; come to partake of them. So says the Rishi.

Tr. I have piled the seat of sacrifice, I have pressed out the vigorous Soma-juices; fulfillers of action, powers of the movement, come to them with your fierce speed on the path.

While delving into the purport of this sub-hymn, this needs to be said regarding the Ashvins. Whatever may be the legend prevalent about them in the Puranas, whether the theory of the moderns about the Ashvins being stars be true or false, we are not concerned with the gross interpretation (eastern or western) determining the truth of the Ashvins. For us who seek to establish the truth of the Ashvins based upon the esoteric interpretation, it serves no purpose to examine the opinions of those who follow the external sense. And this is our explanation of the Ashvins:

The Ashvins are twins, riders on the horse. The horse indicates strength, energy, especially life-force, nerve-force energised by Prana, the vital or Prana itself. Hence horse is the symbol of life-strength or the vital, that puts forth the executive force. Though all the gods have certain common features like relation with ṛta, Truth, etc. still the speciality of these Ashvins can be known by a study of all the hymns devoted to the Ashvins. They are described in many mantras as full of the capacity of enjoyment, drinkers of the honey of Soma, avid for that, donors of health to the sick, physicians, etc. Especially they have speed like the birds, like the mind. Fierce is the speed of their chariot. Usha, daughter of Surya, their beloved, goes riding in their chariot. Though of these begetters of the supreme beatitude denoted by the term mayas, the primary function is to effect action and enjoyment, still endowed with Truth-Force as they are, they are doers of action in superb thought. Rising from the ocean of Infinite Existence, they acquire and hold in the mentality the delight and treasures of life supreme by means of a special thought-power reaching out to Truth-Substance, Truth-Force; they effectuate the power of impulsion that is needed for great action, by which luminous power they ferry the human sacrificer across all obscurity. One may see in many hymns this purport that they cross the regions of mind and themselves ferry man across.

Here are a few extracts from the Mantras in illustration :

Rapid as thought, strong, speeding to the joy. Lords of plenty, with many aids for our protection (8.22.16).

Come to our dwelling, O Ashvins, rich in steeds, chief drinkers of Soma strong (8.22.17). You overtake the courser ... your sister conveys to you, O all-praised. I adore you, O drinkers of Soma, for wealth (1.180.2).

Drinkers of honey, you accompany the Dawn (1.180.1).

Much enjoyers, for glory, Surya’s daughter mounted your chariot manifoldly protected (6.63.5).

O Ashvins going round, Ushas follows your glory and arrives; enjoy the truths by the nights (1.46.14).

Whither you fly through the firmament, O much-enjoyers (8.10.6).

And may the Ashvins, the divine physicians, effect our weal (8.18.8).

You both, accomplishers, physicians, bringers of delight, you both won the praise of Daksha (8.86.1.).

Here shines forth for the first time Dawn, beloved of the shining world. I laud you O Ashvins in abundance (1.46.1.).

Accomplishers, sons of the Sea, Gods who mentalise the wealth beyond the mind, with thought that knows the true substance (1.46.2).

Give us, O Ashvins, the luminous impulsion that may carry us across the darkness (1.46.6).

O Ashvins, come with the boat to reach the shore beyond the thoughts; harness your car (1.46.7).

This truth of the Ashvins enunciated by us will be doubtless found easy of understanding and appropriate from a study of such mantras in their hundreds and others as well.

Thus in this sub-hymn, of the Ashvins, the Ashvins, holding much enjoyment, quick of movement, are prayed for to partake of the impelling energies that accomplish the sacrifice. And these, it is to be noted, are born of the exhilarating effect of Soma. And this is the reason. Words capable of manifesting fresh forms of the consciousness well up; the place of sacrifice is made ready; pressed out are the Soma-juices most potent; therefore it is necessary that the Ashvins come in order to enjoy the words (of praise). Pre-eminent in the accomplishment of action, the two Ashvins have to establish the words in the thought, give them a thought-form and then accept them. Fulfillers of action may they come unobstructed in path, in fierce speed, impelled by the force of the pressed-out Soma. These twin-riders of the steeds should by all means confer strength, vigour. Their delight is in the enjoyment of the power of the sacrifice. Thus these are to be effected by them; speech is to be made one in nature with thought abounding with the stuff of strength; activity rendered fruitful; movement turned fast in the journey ; deligence and speed in action which are attained by the play of the power of the Ashvins.

Thus in the spiritual interpretation these are quite obvious in the language of the Rishis: coherence of meaning, abundance of perspecuity and oneness of purport. But the external interpretations do not regard the Veda as pregnant with profound knowledge; do not take into account the longstanding tradition or school of interpretation in the esoteric sense; that is why they give incoherent meanings; they resort to a mode of explanation of the meaning of Mantras under the confusion and delusion of various preferences and themselves, fallen from the supreme path of the Seers, they delude and cause even scholars to stumble likewise.

Like the second hymn, this third one too-used in Soma sacrifice—is full of spiritual sense. As in the last sub hymn of the second hymn, in the last sub-hymn (to Sarasvati) here also, it is very clearly seen that the fruit of sacrifice is just this attainment of Truth, arrival at the Truth-consciousness. As in the second here also, it is deities of life-force full of life-power that are prayed to. There it is Vayu who is called, Vayu who collects and makes ready the steeds carrying life, special powers of life. But here are called the Ashvins who mount on the steeds of life-powers and harness them. In the second, the Rishi is engaged in realising the domain of Mind by means of the activity of life-force with the grace of Vayu; here also he sets out to attain the power of Indra by means of the strength of the Ashvins.

Thus for those who ponder and see straight, there is everywhere in the Veda an order of deities, an order of language, concord in meaning—in all, a uniformity in diction, propriety and cogency.

Here is the first Rik in the sub-hymn to Indra.

4. indrā yāhi citrabhāno sută ime tvāyavaḥ, anvibhis-tanā pūtāsaḥ.
   indra ā pāhi citrabhāno iti citra’bhāno sutāḥ ime tvā’yavaḥ anvi bhiḥ tanā pūtāsaḥ.

indra O Indra; citrabhāno of varied lustres (full of lustre of many kinds); āyāhi come; sutāḥ pressed out; ime these Soma-juices; tvāyavah desiring Thee (they are desirous of Thee); these Soma-juices, anvibhiḥ by fingers say the commentators, (by subtle powers); tanā being extended; pūtāḥ made pure.

anvibhiḥ tanā: these are the only two terms to be considered. The meaning of the word indra is not considered here due to the multitude of derivations given by Yaska and the indiscriminate alternatives. We have spoken earlier in substance regarding Indra. In explaining the term citra the difference in the comment also is of little import. Sayana explains: anvi, sūkşmā (subtle), tanā vistſtena (by extension).; his comment is to be seen elsewhere also (9.1.7) “He goes by subtle thought”; “ Even though by incessant spreading out” (1.26.6). Again in another place Sayana informs, tanā, dasāpavitram sieve or filter. Skandasvamin gives the same meaning here. All commentators say anvyaḥ are fingers, on the strength of the lexicon. Their purport is this: the Ritviks, priests do the purification of the Soma-juices. One of the means for the purpose—the hand—is indicated by fingers (anvibhiḥ); the other means is the filter. The term tanā means the sieve brought in hand and purified.

Here we should make a critical appraisal and get at the correct sense. The seer of the hymn desires the favour of Indra after obtaining the opulent grace of the Ashvins. From the plenitude of life-strength, he seeks the favour of Indra in the form of pure mentality. The Soma-juices that are poured out desire Indra. Entry into the domain of Pure Substance of Thought is indispensable, for the right action in the right place, of the delightful streams impelled by the speed and force of the steeds of life; hence Indra is prayed to. How could the Soma-juices-streams of sap of delight-that are poured be fit to be enjoyed by Indra if they are unpurified ? That is why it is said that they are purified (pūtāsaḥ) by subtle powers of Thought (anvibhiḥ) and by extension (tanā) in the outer physical consciousness. If it be said, well, let aņu and words derived from anu like anvi denote the subtle, how can subtlety be spoken only of thought, the words of the Mantra themselves say in reply and Sayana also helplessly, for want of any other course, explains taking it as anvi dhiḥ (subtle thought). So also in 9.26.1: “Men of intellect purified the steed in the lap of Aditi by subtle thought;” it is seen in Sayana’s commentary : tam that vājinam steed, fast-spread like the steed (that is to say, abundant Soma) aditerupasthe, in the lap of Aditi, amȚkşanta they purified. Who? viprāsaḥ those of intellect. By what means? anvyā by finger, dhiyā by intelligence or laud; or, by the finger of subtle thought-in the relation of the qualified and the qualifying adjective. Of the Mantra (9.15.1) which says that Soma thus spread out goes forth to the heaven of Indra well prepared, by means of subtle thought, the commentary of Sayana-superb in bringing about the impossible-says: This Soma, pressed out by the finger, goes forth to heaven, the place of Indra that is ready, by means of action, dhiyā, or being pressed out by the finger it goes to the vessel through the pressing of the Agni of Sacrifice. But the Mantra itself says clearly: Desiring Thought, he, Soma, goes to the Vast (Right, Truth), the abode of the immortal Gods; not to the vessel of drink, the bowl. “ Much-desiring thought he goes to the vast abode of the Gods, where dwell the immortals." (9.15.2.)

There are in the ninth Mandala other Mantras wherein the word anvi in the sense of finger, dhi in the sense of ritual-action, do not cohere; but we do not illustrate for fear of length. If at all anviḥ were only fingers, then it must be said that they are not of the human kind; but of Sūryā, the daughter of Heaven and the beloved of the Ashvins. This is not our fancy. We shall provide the proof. The very meaning which Rishi Madhucchandas, seer of the Mantra of secret purport, keeps in mind when he speaks of anvibhistanā pūtā saḥ, with a subtle or hidden intent, he himself makes clear in the first hymn of the ninth Mandala (9.1.6-7); here are seen direct terms:

sūryasya duhitā, daughter of Surya, anviḥ fingers, daśa svasāraḥ ten sisters, yoṣaṇaḥ brides in the world of heaven to be crossed seize the Soma.

This much is enough for the present regarding Soma. The meaning given by us of the first Rik of the sub-hymn is justified. The meaning of the remaining two Riks is easy of understanding.

Tr. Come, O Indra of varied lustres, these pure delights extended by subtle powers yearn for thee.

5. indrāyāhi dhiyeşito viprajūtaḥ sutāvataḥ, upa brahmãại vā ghatah.
   indra ā yāhi dhiyā işitaḥ vipra’jūtaḥ sutaʼvataḥ upa brahmāņi vāghataḥ.

indra, O Indra; dhiyā by the thought (capable of holding) ;; işitaḥ impelled ; viprajūtaḥ by the vipra, thinker, by the illumined thinker, jūtaḥ impelled (to go forward, that is to say); such one, you, āyāhi, come; why ? sutavataḥ of mine who has pressed out the Soma-juice; vāghataḥ of the lauder (of mine who wishes to express the soul-contem-plation); brahmāņi praises in the form of mantras; upa to attain.

First, it has been said that the Soma-juices pressed out, desire Indra. In this Rik Indra is lauded in order to manifest the soul-contemplation in speech, accept the mantras of the laudator who has pressed out the Soma. Thus impelled by the illumined thought, its force, with luminous steeds, Indra comes to those mantras of the Rishi. In the third Rik the Rishi prays to him to uphold and make others uphold Delight in the Soma-juice pressed out.

Tr. Come, O Indra, impelled by the Thought, driven forward by the illumined thinker, to my Soul-thoughts, I who have pressed out the Soma-juice and seek to express them in speech

6. indrā yāhi tūlujāna upa brahmāni harivaḥ, sute dadhişva nascanaḥ
   indra āyāhi tūtujānaḥ upa brahmāni hari ’vaḥ sute dadhişva naḥ canaḥ.

indra O Indra; harivaḥ along with steeds; tūtujānaḥ most speeding (because of the steeds) ; brahmāni praises in the form of mantras; upa to attain; āyāhi come; sute in the pressed out Soma; naḥ for us ; canaḥ happiness or delight; dadhisva hold firm.

Initially the flow of delight was effected by the pressing of Soma-juices; the exhilaration was energised and established by the Ashvins in the vital being and in the nervous system sustained by life-force ; now it is to be delivered to Indra so that attaining to the region of heaven luminous with bright Thought, it may not fall from the consciousness. That is why the Rishi has prayed to Indra to hold the delight in the consciousness, "hold firm for us the delight in the Soma-juice.”

Tr. Come, O Indra, lord of the horses, with a forceful speed to my soul-thoughts; hold firm for us the delight in the Soma-juice.

Here ends the fifth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

Here is the first Rik in the third sub-hymn to the All-Gods.

7. OmāsascarşanidhȚto visvedevāsa ā gata, dāśvāmso dā śuşaḥ sutam.
   Omāsaḥ carşani’dhịtaḥ vißve devāsaḥ ā gata dāśvāmsaḥ dāšuṣaḥ sutam.

visvedevāsaḥ O All-Gods, known by this appellation; āgata come; of what kind are they ? omāsaḥ fosterers (increasers); and further of what kind ? carşani dhịtaḥ upholders of men the doers (th is carşaņayaḥ like kļştayaḥ mean engaged in action, not simply men); again of what kind ? dāśuşaḥ of the sacrificer who has offered; sutam Soma that is pressed out; dāśvāmsaḥ who divide appropriately and give.

omāsaḥ: It is indisputable that the word derives from the root ava. Owing to the multiple meanings of the roots, the root ava means also to increase. Though this term is used only once in Rik Samhita, still words like omānam, ūmāsaḥ, ūmāḥ, are seen to be used. But Sayana generally takes the root ava in the sense of rakṣaṇa, protecting and at times differently also. Thus he says, “omānam, special happiness” (1.34.6). In 1.166.3, though not speaking of the root-meaning, he says, “ūmāsaḥ avitāraḥ”, fosterers. Elsewhere, he says, “ūmāḥ, Fathers designated by ūma”. (3.6.8.) It is possible by an examination of the root meanings in the sense of ava, foster, in the various branches of the ancient Aryan language, to determine that the root ava gives the meaning of increasing, or nourishing. In this way only, the root ava prefixed with u gives the word ending with ti: viz., ūtiḥ, increase, thriving.

carşaņayaḥ: It is not to be taken in the ordinary sense of man simply because it is included in the synonyms of man. It is one of the twenty-five synonyms. Though the terms kāruḥ, kiriḥ, krştayaḥ, carşanayaḥ, occur here and there, they are never to be taken without a special sense.

dāśvāmsaḥ: Derivation is from dāss in the sense of dāna, giving. Here too a speciality is to be noted. The root-meaning, it must be noted, indicates giving by distributing according to rightful shares.

Tr. Come, O All-Gods, fosterers, upholders of active men, you who apportion the Soma pressed out by the giver.

This is the second Rik in the sub-hymn to the All-Gods.

8. vişveaevāso apturaḥ sutamāganta tūrņayaḥ, usrā iva svasarāņi.
   visve devāsaḥ ap’turaḥ sutam ā ganta tūrņayaḥ usrāh’ iva svasarāņi.

vişvedevāsaḥ O All-Gods; sutam to our Soma that is pressed; āganta come. Of what kind ? apturaḥ who speed up the waters (apaḥ tuturati third conjugation) that is hasten them, givers of rain (rain, it is to be noted, of luminous likings); again of what kind ? tūrņayaḥ hastening; here he gives a simile, svasarāņi cowpens; usrāḥ like cows. Some commentators say, like usrāḥ rays svasarāni to their own dwelling places, days.

apturaḥ: givers of rain. All the Gods are indeed showerers of lustre, strength, enjoyments, etc. It is a childish notion, ridiculous fancy to say that the gods rain only water. They who lead across the waters; aptura from ’tara’ leading into, says Skandaswami. In both the meanings, it is the symbolic sense of water that is to be taken. That makes the purport of the Rik easy to understand. We will show it at the end of the sub-hymn.

usrāḥ: it is a name for cow, for ray. This kind of double entendre is usual in the Veda. There also, by use of such simile through identity between the standard comparison and the object of comparison, it is obvious that the meaning of the standard of comparison is the external sense in the form of symbol of the object compared.

Thus is explained svasarāņi: ahāni days in which the sun moves himself; svaḥ, sun, spreads these. svasara are those which give rest and happiness. Let them be houses (cow-pens) or days.

The term āganta gives the sense of the second personal and accordingly ‘visvedevā saņ’ has been commented as the first person vocative. So also in its adjective. Thus in the third sub-hymn also it is to be taken that the All-Gods are called. That will cohere with the implied invitation in those two Riks.

Tr. Come fast, O All-Gods, speeding up the waters unto our Soma that is pressed, like cows their place of rest and repose.

This is the third Rik in the sub-hymn to the All-Gods.

9. visvedevāso asridha ehimāyāso adruhaḥ, medham juşanta vahnayaḥ.
   visve devāsaḥ asridhaḥ ehi’māyāsaḥ, adruhaḥ medham juşanta vahnayah.

visvedevāsaḥ O All-Gods; medham sacrifice (my extraction of Soma); juşanta do you take delight in (by interchange, plural of the first person); of what kind ? asridhaḥ unexhausted (not exhaustible by any one); again of what kind ? adruhaḥ without treachery (they do not betray the Yajamana; themselves unexhaustible, they do not bring about the decay of those who take to them; they do not act contrarily, do not deceive them); again of what kind ? ehimāyāsaḥ those who have an all-round endeavouring intelligence (that is to say, endowed with intelligence capable of movement everywhere); again of what kind ? vahnayaḥ upbearers (upholders; bearing our Yajna, may you cleave to it).

asridhaḥ: commentators take sridhi in the sense of decay, drying; the purport is that there is no attack to them from anywhere.

ehimāyāsaḥ: this is used only once in the Veda. Sayana’s alternate comment is this—the All-Gods called the Sauchika Agni who had entered into the waters, “Come, do not go"; this appeal by the All-Gods is resonant in this appellation“ehimāyāsaḥ”. The meaning given by Sayana as those whose consciousness is spread everywhere is happy.

adruhaḥ: it is already explained.

medham: Sayana explains as the oblation which is joined to the Gods. It means sacrifice. Our Yajna, says Skandaswami; so also other commentators.

Tr. O All-Gods, you who are not assailed nor cause injury, free-moving in your forms of knowledge, cleave to my sacrifice as its upbearers.

Who are these All-Gods? Some like Shakapuni hold that they are special gods who are called thus. The term visva is in the sense of all, hence it means a collectivity of all the gods, in the opinion of Yaska. This latter seems to be better because the adjectives used in the mantras of hymns to the All-Gods and the meanings given undoubtedly carry the implied sense of the assembly of all the gods. In this sub-hymn also the qualities lauded are those which are common to all the gods. But then what is the occasion for their mention ? We reply: the divine work which has been readied by Ashvins and Indra is to be upborne collectively by all the gods, mentioned here or not mentioned, known or unknown, gods who are emanations of the supreme Godhead. Hence is sought the grace of the collectivity of all the gods.

The specialities of the All-Gods have been commented upon in appropriate places while explaining the meaning of terms as they occur in this sub-hymn. The term apturaḥ has been commented upon as speeders of waters or those who ferry across the waters and thus both the possible meanings have been arrived at. Terms like sea, river, etc. are symbolic; hence the symbolic meaning of apa has been said before. It may be remembered that all this has been fully deliberated upon in the Introduction. The purport is that when the human sacrificer sets on his inner sacrifice, the life-substance is prepared by the activity of the Ashvins, the mental substance is processed by the action of Indra, the flow of delight indicated by the extraction of Soma is set going in the mind, life and body, the All-Gods who are invited, enter the libation, upbear it and become capable of bringing about the fulfilment of the Sacrifice.

In the last sub-hymn it is clearly seen without ambiguity that the culmination of the processing of life and intellect by the Ashvins, Indra, All Gods is in the aitainment of the Truth-Consciousness and that the wealth of the Truth-Consciousness is the sole object of Yajna and its fruit to be attained. Here is the first Rik of the last sub.hymn to Sarasvati.

10. pāvakā naḥ sarasvati vāiebhirvājinivati, yajñam vastu dhiyāvasuḥ.
    pāvakā naḥ sarasvati vājebhiḥ vājinivati, yajñam vaşțu dhiyā’vasuḥ.

sarasvati Goddess of Speech; naḥ our; yajñam sacrifice; vaşļu may desire; of what kind ? pāvakā purifying; and also vājebhiḥ vājinivati with the varied plenty of plenitudes ; again of what kind ? dhiyā vasuḥ rich in substance by thought.

pāvakā: from the root pu, who eliminates the sin. It has been shown while commenting upon the term bhadra that to the Rishis of the Veda, Sin is evil ; its form is what is inauspicious, false. The purification is effected by eliminating the sin by the destruction of falsehood. For this destruction of falsehood, he will be saying ahead, “impeller of happy truths”.

vājebhiḥ vājinivati : the term vāja has been commented upon while discussing the meaning of the word vājinivasū in the sub-hymn to Indra-Vayu.

dhiyā vasuḥ: Aluk compound is Vedic. We have said earlier that vasu is everywhere explained as wealth, substance. It means rich in substance by thought-movements.

Tr. May purifying Sarasvati with all the plenitudes of her forms of plenty, rich in substance by the thoughts, desire our sacrifice.

This is the second Rik in the sub-hymn to Sarasvati.

11. codayitri sūnstānām cetanti sumatinām, yajñam dadhe sarasvati.
    codayatri sūnștānām cetanti su’matinām yajñam dadhe sarasvati.

sarasvati She, this Goddess of Speech; yajñam this sacrifice; dadhe upholds; what kind is she? sūnștānām of happy truths; codayitri impeller; sumatinām of happy thoughts, mind-movement or heart-movements ; cetanti awakener.

sūnstānām: it is well known that the speech that is both pleasant and true is sūnţta. Yet here in the Veda the meaning of happy (of the term su) is only appropriate.

sumatinām: here too, it is to be noted, it is of auspicious mentalisings. dadhe : present tense is better, Vedic. Past tense is not intended.

Tr. She, the impeller to happy truths, the awakener in consciousness to right mentalisings, Sarasvati, upholds the sacrifice.

This is the third Rik.

12. maho arṇaḥ sarasvati pra cetayati ketunā, dhiyo visvā vi rājati.
    mahaḥ arnaḥ sarasvati pra cetayati ketunā dhiyaḥ visvāḥ vi rājati.

sarasvati Goddess of Speech (subject of the two previous riks) ; ketunā by the perception (action of revelation); maho arṇaḥ the vast flood or sea (that is the vast course of Truth); pracetayati awakens superbly [She awakens and sets amove the flow denoted by the term arņa, the movement of Ritam (Truth) asleep as it were in the consciousness) and also visvaḥ all; dhiyaḥ thoughts; virājati illumines fully.

Tr. Sarasvati by the perception awakens in consciousness the great flood (the vast movement of Ritam) and illumines entirely all the thoughts.

In this Rik, the term ketunā is explained by Sayana as by act, by Yaska as by act or consciousness. ketu is one of the terms like rta, kratu, Srava, etc. which are keywords for the opening out of the secret of the Veda. Ketu is to be taken everywhere as a natural perception that reveals. In the way of those who take gross meanings, the word ketu also like kratu, vāja, sta, etc. has several meanings. It is not fixed. It is to be noted that the term ketu as fixed in the sense given by us fits in everywhere in the Mantras. According to the gross meaning what is lauded in this Rik is the river Sarasvati. The traditionalists of the ritualist line say that in the two previous Riks it is the goddess of speech embodied in form (that is lauded). It is not necessary to examine what they mean’to say. Whatever is the purport according to them, it attributes, undoubtedly, a poverty of sense to Rishi Madhucchandas, the seer of the Mantra. Taking form at first, she indeed gets transformed into a river! Why this sudden acceptance of a different guise by Sarasvati in the vision of the Rishi? No reason is given. God alone knows the result.

If we understand the true nature of Sarasvati, the first two Riks in this sub-hymn yield unambiguous clear meaning, without doubt. Sarasvati is lauded in the Veda along with Ila and Bharati (who is lauded also as Mahi). An understanding of them will be considered later on while commenting upon the three goddesses "Ila, Sarasvati, Mahi’. A special Power of the Truth-Consciousness urging truth-audition, a divinely inspired Word, is lauded as Sarasvati. Due to the influx of Truth, the falsehood is destroyed. It is an ancient doctrine of the Rishis that falsehood takes the form of all-sided sin, that there is no sin apart from falsehood. It is by the impulsion of falsehood alone that evil and wicked enjoyments, evil will, evil action enter into human life and subdue it. That is how falsehood afflicts us, our entire life from the very birth and all our action--bodily or mental are made over to falsehood and blinded. There is no antidote to it except the Truth. And this Truth says the Perception of the ancient Rishis-descends, enters, and manifests in the form of light or of speech or both. By that is effected the transformation of our intelligence and there is a fresh discrimination in our relations with the world. Truth-intelligence renders the vision Truthfull and by Truthvision shall be effected our Truth-nature. Thereby will flow, effortlessly, naturally, without obstructions, true movements of heart, true willings, and true actions.

Now it will be easy to follow the purport of the sub-hymn.

First is gratified Sarasvati, ’rich in substance by the thoughts’, purifying—who effects the purification for the elimination of sin, desirous of sacrifice and full of the plenitude of intelligence. Then she nourishes and upholds the sacrifice which is the form of the surrender of all activities of man, as a result of which all human actions, knowings, words, feelings, would follow in accord with the Truth (impeller to happy truths, awakener to right mentalisings). And at the end the divine She pours, floods, by means of her own revelation, the being of the human sacrificer impelling it with illumination of Truth-Consciousness, “waters” and illumines by the light of Truth all the mental movements (illumines all thoughts). This is the substance.

Thus is the third hymn explained. It is made clear here, especially in the discussion of the fourth sub-hymn, how it confirms and lights up all that was said earlier and shows the relation between the outer action of the Yajamana and the special state of development of his inner being. It is also observed that in this discussion of the glory of revelation and action of Sarasvati who impels the great flooding of Truth-Consciousness in a language symbolic but generally unveiled (maho arṇaḥ)-the secret of the Veda is not concealed in an absolutely unbreakable way but revealed by the Rishi Madhucchandas himself by the use of terms which somewhat reveal the secret. Thus ends the sixth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

Thus ends the first Section in the first Circle.

HYMN 4

Now in the second Section of four hymns, the first hymn begins with surūpakstnum. The Rishi and metre are as before, deity is Indra. Here is the first Rik

1. surūpakſtnumūtaye sudughāmiva goduhe, juhūmasi dyavidyavi.
   surū pa’kſtnum ūtaye sudughām’iva go’duhe, juhūmasi dyavi’dyavi.

surūpakstnum fashioner of good or perfect forms; ūtaye for increase ; dyavi dyavi day by day; juhūmasi we call; he gives an illustration in the matter of call; goduhe for one who milks the cow; sudughāmiva like a good yielder of milk.

surūpakſtnum: We see propriety in the uņādisātra vștti of Bhattoji Dikshita where the term kştnu is explained as doer, craftsman. Here Indra is the doer, the craftsman of good or perfect forms of thought or act. hatnu, dartnu, jigatnu-all belong to Unadi type and end with the termination “knu”. This term is used only here, once in the Rik Samhita.

ūtaye: It is indisputable that ūti comes from the root av. We have established by discussing the meaning of the term omāsa that though occasionally the significance of protection may fit in, yet the meaning of increase is appropriate in all places.

sudughāmiva: Like the cow that yields milk well. Like the older commentators we too say, for him who milks the cow. Here some of the moderns are perplexed. Here we must consider the illustration and the subject of illustration.

juhūmasi : Present tense third person plural of “ hve" (Vedic).

dyavi dyavi: The term is included in the Nighantu, means every day.

Here Indra is compared to the milch cow milked well. Indra is called for increase; the milch cow is called for milking; this should be the purport, they say. Their idea is that an elision in the simile will not be there if goduhe is taken as the fourth case of godhuk, formed as an abstract noun. This device looks good apparently, but it does not point to what the seer of the Mantra means to say, nor does it indicate what the illustration seeks to. Let us not worry about an elision in the simile-that is very common in the Veda. If it be said that goduhe means for the act of milking the cow, then who is the milker of the cow? How does the "increase" come about just by the milking ? Let the ūti mean only protection, not increase, as we have said. Who enjoys what is milked by which the ūti is to be obtained ? Without considering all this, to attempt to make of it a full simile is a useless effort. The caller, the yajamana, who lauds is himself the milker, the resultant milk serves for his enjoyment, “ for increase”. In other mantras also it is chanted that the lauder is the milker and the milch-cow is Indra e.g., “Today I call the yielder of milk. Indra the easily yielding milch-cow” (8.1.10); “With chants I call Thee, great and wide, like a cow for enjoyment, Indra to drink of the Soma” (8.54.3). Here in the first Rik there is an inseparate determination of Indra ’and cow. In the second, Indra is compared to the cow. Let us cite another Rik where the lauder, the caller himself is clearly spoken of as the milker : “Prevail upon thy friend, as upon a cow by milking, O singer wake up the secret lover, Indra” (10.42.2).

Here jaritā (secretly yearning) lauder, is the vocative. It is stated that by means of his act of milking, effort is to be made to bring the clandestine lover under control. There is another mantra in the Valakhilya hymns which cuts asunder the doubt by saying that the callers, the lauders must themselves be the milkers. This is the second half: “Like the milkers to the cow, we desirous of hearing, call Thee" (Vālakhilya 4.4). Here "milkers of cow” in the first person plural is adjective to "we". Thus the doubt that perhaps the word goduhe is derived as kvip in the abstract sense, is rooted out.

Tr. The fashioner of perfect forms, like a good yielder for the milker of the Herds, we call for increase from day to day.

This is the second Rik.

2. upa naḥ savanā gahi somasya somapāḥ piba, godā idrevato madaḥ.
   upa naḥ savanā ā gahi somasya soma’ pāḥ piba, go’dāḥ it revataḥ madaḥ.

somapāḥ O drinker of Soma (Indra); naḥ our; savanā pressings, sacrifices; upāgahi come near (approach to our pressing of Soma); somasya piba drink Soma; (by drinking Soma) revataḥ (of you) who have increased; madaḥ delight; godāh it indeed donor of cow, that is giver of the ray of Knowledge.

When Indra, the lord of the world of Intelligence, accepts and drinks the Soma pressed out by the yajamana, nourished by the excess of delight from the drink of Soma, the master of the realm of Intelligence showers the rays of consciousness on the yajamana who has pressed the Soma; such a rendering in the context of the inner sacrifice is meaningful. The ritualists quite seriously, without meaning to be funny, explain that just as an intoxicated man of riches gifts cows to those who desire them, so does Indra give away plenty of the quadruped cows to the sacrificer who presses the Soma creeper according to rites, extracts the juice, purifies it and offers to him in the external ritual called Agnishthoma.

Tr. Come to our Soma-offerings, O soma drinker, drink of the Soma wine; the rapture of thee grown gives indeed the Light.

This is the third Rik.

3. athā te antamānām vidyāma sumatinām, mā no ati khya ā gahi.
   atha te antamānām vidyāma su’matinām mā naḥ ati khyah ā gahi.

atha then (that is, after distributing to us the rays of knowledge, indicated by the term go, in the rapture following the drink of soma); Indra ! te of thy; antamānām innermost, intimate; sumatinām of happy intelligences, right thinkings, something at least ; vidyāma may we know ; (how can the jiva, the sacrificer come to know all the thinkings of God Indra ? That is why it is commented upon as at least some portion. Even otherwise the genitive is proper in the sense of the accusative, e.g., “drink of soma "); naḥ us; ati mā khyaḥ over-reaching do not show (thyself); ā gahi come.

The sense of causal is to be understood in the expression ati mā khyaḥ. The meaning is ‘do not show thyself going beyond us. The sense is ‘do not transcend us.’ "Reveal thyself only as far as our vision permits. Should you show yourself going beyond our limited capacity, we will not be able to see. Become not invisible, come.’’ This is the purport.

This is the substance of the commentary of Sayana concerning this Rik: Indra, after your drink of soma, we shall stand amidst men of intimate happy thoughts and know thee. Do not, thou too pass over us and reveal thy form to others; come to us alone.

This meaning of “We standing among men has no basis. And the sense of “Do not show thyself to others, come to us alone" is not only inappropriate but foists jealousy on the seers of the Mantra. Such explanations are basically responsible for the lack of reliance by moderns on Sayana.

Tr. Then may we know somewhat of thy innermost right thinkings. Show not beyond us. Come. This is the fourth Rik.

4. parehi vigramastſtamindram pịcchā vipascitam, yaste sakhibhya ā varam.
   parā ihi vigram aststam indram pịccha vipaḥ citam yaḥ te sakhibhyaḥā varam.

The Rishi addresses a colleague starting on an inner sacrifice. Or, according to Skandasvami, this is addressed to his own self.

parehi go beyond; indra Indra; psccha ask; of what kind? vigram astſtam vipascitam-these are three adjectives of Indra, meaning a speedy, harmed, of clear-seeing intelligence ; yaḥ which Indra ; te to thy; sakhibhyaḥ comrades in effort; varam highest (good) à has brought.

parehi : Cross far, go. Though fargone, it is Indra alone who is to be questioned regarding the object to be attained or its means. Why is it necessary to go far ? Because he is vigra, has speed; he has a tendency to go fast on account of rich nourishment. This meaning coheres with the earlier passage, “ do not show beyond us”. Disregarding the meaningless repetition involved in it, Sayana explains the term vigra as intelligent on the plea that vigra is among the synonyms of intelligent medhāvi, though there is the other adjective vipaścitam. Some say that vigra (speeding) is the adjective of Indra and vipascita of the lauder. The term vigra is to be taken, like the word vega, as derived from the root vij in the sense of movement, indicating speed.

astſtam: it means unharmed, unvanquished by the adverse titans like Vritra, etc.

vipascitam : Indra’s is the intelligence that discriminates and sees which forces are adverse and which favourable in the inner sacrifice; hence he the powerful knows how to overcome the enemy-forces. Capable of such action Indra did the highest good to other colleagues similarly engaged and he does it; hence he only is to be approached, approached and requested.

Tr. Come over, question Indra of the clear-seeing mind, the speedy, the unharmed, who to thy comrades has brought the highest good.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. uta bruvantu no nido niranyatascidārata, dadhānā indra idduvaḥ.
   utabruvantu naḥ nidaḥ nih anyataḥ citārata dauhānāḥ indre it duvaḥ.

uta and besides; naḥ to us; nidaḥ restrainers ; bruvantu may tell (what is going to be said afore); anyataḥ cit even in other fields; nirārata (going from here) make effort, strive; being of what kind ? indra it on Indra alone; duvaḥ (your) activity; dadhānāḥ reposing.

nidan revilers, according to the old commentators. The root-meaning is binding or obstructing. At times it has the sense of blame also and it is apposite too. Even as Vritra, etc. cover up the light and their emanations, haters of Gods, come to harm the Sacrifice, so also there are others who obstruct the person set out on the inner sacrifice in order to attain to Indra the lord of the gods. It is they who are called nidah. The root nid is used elsewhere too in the sense of binding. Terms like niditam, bound, nidānam bondage, nidātāram the binder-in the sense of binding are seen in the Mantras e.g., "He loosed the bond that held the rays (6.32.2): nidānam is to be understood as binding. Explains Sayana : He released the bonds of the cows stolen by the Panis, bearers of Vala. In, “Moving here the radiant calf finds none to fetter him” (8.61.5), Sayana himself explains nidātāram as obstructor. “Released Shunahshepa bound to the thousandfold post (sacrificial)”: the commentator explains niditam as bound firmly.

It will be clear on a consideration of the purport of the hymn that nidaḥ means obstructors, not revilers here. In this Rik, it is stated, let our opponents, the obstructors themselves speak their consent to our going onward and onward. In a subsequent hymn, “And us fortunates..” the seer says, may even those who are favourable to us command us as the fortunate, heroes of action, accomplishers of action. Hence the relation between the two Riks is to be understood when grasping the purport.

ārata : it is to be noted that words like arati, aranam, ariḥ, aryaḥ, āryah, are used in the Veda in the sense of effort, toil, ceaseless engagement, cultivation. Note that the word āryaḥ is used in the sense of slothless, everactive, fighter with the enemies of gods in the worship of the gods, one who does not stop cultivation of the human soil for the fruit of the divine wealth -- the eternal tiller.

duvaḥ: ordinary action or service.

Tr. And may the restrainers say to us : "Say forth and strive on even in other fields, reposing on Indra your activity.”

Thus ends the seventh group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. uta naḥ subhagān arirvoceyurdasma kļştayaḥ, syā medindrasya sarmaņi.
   uta naḥ su’bhagān ariḥ voceyuḥ dasma kļştayaḥ syāma it indrasya sarmari.

uta and also (not only the nidaḥ, restrainer but may even those favourable to us say in the aforesaid manner; uta, particle); ariḥ fighter (for us); kļştayaḥ doers of work (ari — interchange of word. Eminently capable of araña, fight, the Aryans fighting by the gods, kļştayaḥ doers of effort for obtaining the fruit); naḥ us; subhagān blessed, fulfilled; voceyuḥ may they say; (and also) dasma O achiever of action; indrasya of Indra ; sarmari in happiness; syāma may we abide; it to complete the stanza. (or it may be taken in the sense of absolute e.g., abide in the delight that can be attained by the grace of Indra alone.)

The purport is clear in the very course of giving the meaning of the words. The connection between this Rik and the previous one has been already spoken of.

It is to be noted that like the term damsa, dasra, etc. dasma also posits achievement of action.

ariḥ kṣştayaḥ: may indeed be of the class of Aryans among men, disposed to the discipline of the initiation of the inner sacrifice. In fact, however, they are different powers and emanations of the Divine stationed on the suprasensible world, who help man wanting to ascend and ascending to the heavens by means of sacrifice, engaged for him like his brother or friends (jāmayaḥ of same birth, sakhāyaḥ, yujaḥ, of same united effort), they ferry him across and by that they themselves are satisfied on attaining to the peace of Indra. It is indeed apposite that these “fighters and achievers” becoming helpers to overcome the enemies (nidaḥ) who obstruct and confine man in the path of sacrifice should now abide in the delight of Indra along with the man who has completed his action and fulfilled his objective.

The The two sentences reminding of the mutual concourse of these two Riks are to be noted. previous Rik says: do the action for Indra; bear it placing the entire burden of action on Indra. Here is indicated the fruit of such kind of action viz., let us abide in the peace of Indra himself. Having said ārata (in the previous Rik), the resonance is continued by the use of the term ari derived from the root having the sense of labour. Let us once again call to attention this style adopted by the seers of the Mantras to suggest the relation between the earlier and the subsequent.

Tr. And may the fighters, doers of the work, declare Us entirely blessed, O achiever ; may we abide in Indra’s Peace.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. emā śumāśave bhara bhara yajñasriyam nệmādanam, patayanmandayatsakham.
   ā im āśum āśave bhara yajña’sriyam nr’mādanam patayat mandayat sakhàm.

āśave to Indra (the intense-indicated by speed); im this (the particle in the sense of this); āśum Soma; ā bhara bring; what kind of Soma ? yajñasriyam the glory of the sacrifice (some hold it as that which resorts to yajña); again of what kind ? nȚmādanam intoxicating to the gods (both man and god are called nara in the Veda); and again, mandayat sakham giving joy to his friend, Indra; patayat ensoaring, making to go, carrying forward.

patayat: the elision of the accusative case is Vedic; all commentators take it as adjective to Soma and somehow derive the form.

mandayatsakham is the object of patayat, the present participle form of the transitive verb. Indra delights the sacrificers and in friendship with him is Soma, thinks Sayana. Other commentators explain differently, the moderns imagine something else. Whatever be the meaning, the passage patayan mandayatsakham can be grammatically justified only by taking it as Vedic usage. So we say Soma that carries the companion (Indra) who delights. Whoever be the companion of Indra, it is Soma, says Sayana. There is incoherence here; it is not necessary to examine it. We say that the sacrificer, the Rishi who offers the inner libation of Soma is himself the companion of Indra. This meaning fits in with other Riks in this hymn. We stop here as it is of no use to examine other commentaries.

Tr. Bring thou Soma to the Intense (Indra), the glory of the sacrifice, intoxicating to the gods, carrying forward Indra the friend who delights.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. asya pitvā satakrato ghano vſtrāņāmabhavaḥ, prāvo vājeșu vājinam.
   asya pitvā satakrato iti sataʼkrato ghanaḥ vstrāņām abhavaḥ pra āvaḥ vā jeņu vājinam.

satakrato Othou of hundred activities (sata stands for several, kratuḥ is act or consciousness; here it must be taken in the sense of act as it is appropriate); asya of Soma - Soma (genitive in the sense of accusative or perhaps the genitive denoting simple relationship, is appropriate in the sense of the portion relating to Soma); pitvā drinking; vstrānām of the coverers (the enemies, Asura Vritra by name, and his emanations); ghanaḥ destroyer; abhavaḥ becomest (the imperfect tense has the sense of present tense in the Veda and hence appropriate); vājeșu in the riches; vājinam he who is rich ; prāvaḥ protectest superbly.

We shall speak briefly of the truth of Vritra and like Asuras at the end of the hymn. The sense of the term vāja has been considered before; it has been shown that everywhere it means plenty or fullness e.g., vājinivasu, vājebhirvājinivati, rich in sub-stance, with the plenitude of all her forms of plenty.

pra āvaḥ: here the root ava is in the sense of protection: it is fitting that Indra protects the opulent after killing the Vritra. The past is not indicated in the imperfect tense forms of prāvaḥ and abhavaḥ. The sense intended is that when Indra drinks the Soma, then he is able to kill Vritra and to protect the rich. Hence it is an eternal truth. The present tense is appropriate.

Tr. When thou hast drunk of this, O thou of the hundred activities, thou becomest a slayer of the coverers and protectest the opulent in the opulences.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. tam tvā vājşu vājinam vājayāmaḥ satakrato; dhanānāmindra sātaye.
   tam tvā vājeșu vājinam vājayāmaḥ śatakrato iti sata’krato dhanānām indra sātaye.

vājeșu in the plenty ; vājinam plentiful; tam tvā thee of this kind; indra O Indra; satakrato doer of manifold action; vājayāmaḥ we increase again; why ? dhanānām of the attained divine riches, inner felicities; sātaye for the enjoyment; sāti is not merely attainment, but guarding of what is attained, hence for its enjoyment.

We have said that Sayana explains the word vāja in many ways; but we did not say that in one very place he gives different meanings and bewilders the thoughtful. In the last Rik he explained vājeșu vājinam as battleful in battles. In the present Rik he explains vājeșu vājinam vājayāmaḥ as the powerful in battles we make full of food. Thus in one hymn he explains the same word vājinam as full of battle and as full of strength. The other vāja is food; thus in one Rik itself, he gives to the same word three different meanings – food, strength, battle. Indeed one has to search for the trace of consistency.

Tr. Thus Thee rich in the riches we enrich again, O Indra, O thou of hundred activities, for the safe enjoyment of our havings.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. yo rāyo’vanirmahāntsupāraḥ sunvataḥ sakhā, tasmā indrāya gāyata.
    yaḥ tāyaḥ avaniḥ mahān su’pāraḥ sunvataḥ sakhā tasmai indrāya gāyata.

yaḥ who (Indra); rāyaḥ of wealth (divine, inner); avaniḥ continent support (name of the earth, since the earth is the continent of all the beings that have come to be); mahān vast (hence is fitting his being the continent); great in strength also, and that is how supāraḥ reaches safe (reaches the devotee of God well-protected to the goal to be aimed at); sunvataḥ and of him who presses the Soma becomes the sakhā companion; tasmai to that; indrāya Indra, for the benefit of this Indra (dative in the sense of ’for his sake ’) gāyata raise the chant (with mantras).

It is plainly stated in this Rik that Indra is the companion of the one who presses the libation. Our explanation of mandayat sakhaḥ, as Indra the friend who delights, stands vindicated.

Tr. He who in his vastness is a continent of bliss,– the friend of the Soma-giver and he carries him safely through to that Indra raise the chant.

We have commented upon the hymn, sūrupa-kſtnum. The ritualists have hallowed its use in the rites. It is of little use to us to enquire into that. Hence we briefly examine the purport of the hymn following the inner meaning as it coheres excellently that-wise. It is to be noted that whether in the outer or in the inner, the hymn is applied in the Soma sacrifice. When it is the inner sacrifice that is in progress, it is the praise of Indra by the Rishi who has reached a distinct stage. What is that stage in which it becomes necessary to obtain something from Indra ? What indeed is that object to be attained, for the sake of which the great Rishi, sacrificer of Soma, makes the entreaty ? Let us see.

The Soma that is pressed, purified, becomes the food of the Gods. Partaking of the Soma, according to their share, the Gods strong by its delight themselves increase in man and also increase him thereby and make him competent for the most excellent experiences. And those who becoming unselfish give not their own delight, the sap, the essence, of all experiences, denoted by the term Soma, to the Gods saying “for the Gods is this, not mine” but on the other hand, are selfish, addicted to the enjoyment of the senses and live a low life-they are not the worshippers of the Gods but adorers of the titans named Panis. The Panis are the lords of him whose consciousness is bound to sense-objects, and like traffickers they behave in dealings with him whose activities are confined in every way. They do not press the Soma, do not offer the purified libation of Soma, neither do they chant the mantras. It is by these very Panis that the luminous rays of consciousness (bright ray-cows of the Sun) are stolen and concealed in the cave. And that cave, it must be noted, is the unawakened consciousness, substratum of impressions, that is hidden in us prior to the awakened consciousness. It is not merely in the cave so denoted that the Panis conceal the cows but also in the dense darkness of inert matter in physical objects, signified by the word adri, hill. And also they tame, attempt to deflect even the hound of the Gods, Sarama by name-the form of luminous intuition-who follows their own path and seeks to discover the stolen COWS.

These Panis are now overtaken by the completion of the libation of Soma. They and Vritra (and the emanations of Vritra) who cover and obstruct our full powers and the glories of action are transcended by the ascent of the Rishi’s sacrifice that has begun. So also is put behind Vala who encircles the light blocking it from us. Even when the prominent titans, enemies of the sacrifice, are bypassed, there are others stationed on the path, those who restrain by limits, confine or censure. Though these do not like Pani, Vritra, Vala, etc., - oppose the spread of Power, Knowledge and Action, yet they impede the Rishi in his progress, in his ascent step by step. They bring to light the defects, like omissions, deficiencies and excesses of his power, knowledge and action and stand across saying: “You cannot go further. We shall not give the password to go ahead before you acquire the competency to advance.”

Thus in this hymn is mentioned that state of being in which the Rishi calls Indra for the increase of the divine light, Indra by whom the warding off of the obstructors, and the defects like deficiencies arising because of them is made possible. And Indra is the lord of the functionaries of the triple world, the gods, regarding himself as the Principle of universal Mind, Divine Sovereign, made of Mind. By his grace has to be acquired in us the sportive play of the mind in its form of luminous knowledge which is his glory. By this will result to the mind deformed due to pursuit of sense-objects and deluded by false knowledge, an expansiveness from constriction, a release from bondage and a vastness of light from a flicker of light.

The pure, bright knowledge coming from Indra is perfect form, is capable of effecting good mental movements or good actions by which day to day increase is possible ; hence does the Rishi call, in the first Rik, “the fashioner of perfect forms, for increase”.

Nourished and joyous by partaking the Soma that is pressed out, the knowledge of divine illumination showers its own rays ("the intoxication of the rapture gives indeed the Light”)-in the second.

And even though we would be able to know the intimate movements of the divine knowledge by reason of the attainment of the special lumination of the consciousness, still may not Lord Indra become beyond sense-perception and difficult of sight due to the advent of excessive lustre-in the third.

Then addressing his own inner self or another companion worshipper, he says, “Indra alone is to be asked though strong in speed, he of the wise eye, discerns the favourable and the unfavourable, gives the excellent place and has given to our companions”- this in the fourth.

Let the restrainers of our next attainment, themselves, assent and say, “You are now competent, go elsewhere also, entrusting the work to Indra, strive on ”- this in the fifth.

May those who are favourable to us, collaborators in the work, engage in the divine action say, “O seer, you have done the work well ; its fruit is the great felicity of Indra; let us be there itself”-this in the sixth.

The rest of the Riks till the end of the hymn devoted to the description of the glory of Indra and containing prayer to Indra are to be clearly grasped by an understanding of the meaning of the mantras following the line expounded earlier.

Thus ends the eighth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 5

The second hymn of ten Riks in the Section begins with ā tvā. The Rishi, the metre, the deity are as before.

1. ā tvetā ni șidatendramabhi pra gāyata, sakhāyaḥ stomavāhasaḥ.
   ā tu ā ita ni si data indram abhi pra gā yata sakhāyaḥ stoma’vāhasaḥ.

ā ā ita come (by the repetition of the preposition is meant the repetition of the verb joined with the preposition-means, come without fail’); tu (term to complete the measure or particle in the sense of quick); nişidata take seat; indram abhipra-gāvata chant superbly facing Indra; sakhā yaḥ O companions (engaged in like work); of what kind are they? stomavāhasaḥ those who reach the lauds (to Indra).

The ritualist explanation that the Ritviks are called to laud Indra coheres here. We have already said that generally the Mantras yield sense in both ways. But the inner meaning is primary everywhere; it must be remembered that the outer meaning is incoherent in many places. Here the significance of the adjective stomavāhasaḥ, of the companions who are called, is to be noted. In the inner sacrifice, ’friends, these, united, of same birth’ superhuman beings (on earth), yoked to the divine work, are capable of reaching our lauds to Indra. These are not merely singers; but lead our words of praise or the words that issue from our heart to their object - Indra. The companions referred to earlier in the passage ariḥ kṣştayaḥ, strivers, doers of action” are also of the same kind.

Tr. Come hither, be seated O companions, carriers of the lauds, chant forth to Indra.

This is the second Rik.

Both this Rik and the previous form one sentence; the term ’chant’ provides the connection.

2. purūtamam purūņāmiśānam vāryāņām, indram some sacā sute.
   puru’tamam purūņām iśānam vāryāņām indram some sacā sute.

saca with (with the companions or with the Ritviks along with the master of the sacrifice); some sute when the Soma libation is pressed ; indram laud Indra; Indra of what kind ? purutamam superbly abundant (that is, becoming manifold); purūņām of many; vāryānām of cherishable (boons); isānam lord.

purutamam : the commentators explain this in various ways — “who subdues, exhausts many (enemies)”—says Sayana. But the adjective of destroyer of enemies to Indra is inappropriate here in as much as the context is praise of Indra as the pre-eminent giver of boons. This term has been commented upon elsewhere by Sayana as manifoldly become; that is appropriate here also – “ the purifier Agni manifoldly become, who follows the many and the wide, even as he devours” (6.6.2).

Tr. To him superbly large, lord of many cherished bounties with Soma poured.

This is the third Rik.

3. sa ghā no yoga a bhuvatsa rāve sa purandhyām, gamadvājebhirā sa naḥ.
   saḥ gha naḥ yoge ā bhuvat saḥ rāye saḥ puram’dhyām gamat vājebhiḥ ā saḥ naḥ.

gha to complete the measure; or particle in the sense of emphasis, according to some; in that case it is connected with the word ’he’ used four times; saḥ Indra, distinguished by the qualities aforesaid; naḥ us; yoge in the unattained object to be gained; ā bhuvat let him be favourable (that is let him get proximate and make us gain the object of life that is yet unattained); saḥ (let) him (be favourable) ; rāye for the getting of the wealth, the divine riches; saḥ (let) him (be favourable); þurandhyām in the manifold knowledge (in the intellect of many kinds); saḥ he; vājebhiḥ with prosperities (of all kinds); naḥ to us; āgamat may come.

In the term vājebhiḥ it is the third case, in the sense of accompaniment.

May Indra full of varied plenitudes accomplish by his presence the gain of what is unattained, protection of the riches that are secured and abundant intelligences--this is the prayer.

Tr. May he be favourable to us in attaining the unattained, may he in riches, may he in abundant intelligences; may he come to us with plenitudes. This is the fourth Rik.

4. yasya samsthe na vrņvate hari samatsu satravaḥ, tasmā indrāya gāyata.
   yasya sam’sthe na vsņvate hari iti samatºsu satravaḥ tasmai indrāya gāyata.

yasya of Indra ; samsthe in the site; hari the two horses (accusative); samatsu in battles; satravaḥ the enemies who destroy; na vrņvate do not restrain ; tasmai indrāya for the pleasure of such Indra; gāyata chant.

samsthe: we said in the site’ following the sense of the word. The enemies cannot restrain the horses of Indra (hari by name) in his dwelling place or where he comes, as they are of irresistible strength. Hari is the famous name of the two horses of Indra - found in the Nighantu, (Lexicon), hari indrasya’. Usually commentators explain hariḥ as tawny in colour. In deriving the term hari from the root har in the sense of gait, lustre, it is easy to get the meaning of lustre. Charm or brightness is indicated in the use of words like haryaśvaḥ, having shining horses, harikesaḥ, of luminous hair, harivarpasam, of lustrous form, haridhāyasam, of bright foundation, etc. The carriers of luminous Indra, the hari, though of tawny colour are lustrous. In Indra’s site, the enemies of the gods do not enclose their radiance, do not cover, do not envelop, do not obstruct their spread. hari (horses) yoked to the standing car -- says Sayana’s commentary. Elsewhere, his explanation of the term samstha is various: samsthāne in the home (5.1.8); sthāne in battle (8.21.11); in the yajna that is the samsthāna (8.27.15); “in battle" (8.32.11). This is to be noted here. Stating every where neighbourhood or place to be the meaning of the term samstha, the meaning of battle or sacrifice is given as explanatory meaning according to the context of his fancy. In the inner sense the horses of Indra symbolise special Powers of inner Sight.

Tr. Chant to the Indra in whose site the enemies in battle do not restrain the two tawny horses (of Indra).

This is the fifth Rik.

5. sutapāvne sutā ime sucayo yanti vitaye, somāso dadhyā siraḥ.
   suta’pāvne sutāḥ ime fucayaḥ yanti vitaye somāsaḥ dadhi’āsiraḥ.

ime these; sutāḥ obtained; somāsaḥ Soma-juices; sutapāvne to Indra the recipient of the Soma pressing; yanti go. Why? vitaye for his pervasion (for the birth of Indra in the sacrificer, for his spread or for his advent; the root veti having the sense of movement, pervasion, etc. In the inner sacrifice, the movement of the gods means the coming towards the sacrificer, pervasion thereat or birth); of what kind are the Soma-juices ? sucayaḥ bright (purified, cleansed, hence bright); it is to be noted that the root suc has the sense of brightness); again of what kind ? dadhyā siraḥ mixed with curds (āśiḥ the word ending in r, meaning that which destroys, derived from sru with the perfix ā in the sense of afflicting i.e., destroying the blemish). The word-meaning from Sayana’s commentary e.g., dadhyā siraḥ, those whose fang (āśiḥ) is curds (dadhi).

Soma-juices of three mixings are well-known in the frauta ritual-gavāsiraḥ, mixed with milk, dadhyāśiraḥ, mixed with curds, yavā siraḥ, mixed with barley. The three substances form the means for dressing. Dressing is mixture. Here the symbolic meaning is to be noted. By milk is indicated its origin-the cows, the rays radiating knowledge; by its transformation, the curds, is indicated the sustaining subtle intellect; by the grains is indicated the dense external knowledge, the gross intelligence. Thus it is only when the luminous knowledge, subtle intellect and the gross knowledge-substance, indicated by the three substances of milk, etc., are ready to be assimilated with the Soma-juices that the flowings of the sap of delight dressed up with milk, etc., purified, are offered to the respective gods, accepted by them, enjoyed by them. By the intake of the sap thus, they grow in the human sacrificer-all this that has been stated before is to be kept in mind.

Tr. To the drinker of the Soma for his pervasion go these Soma-juices pressed out and purified, mixed with curds.

Thus ends the ninth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. tvam sutasya pitaye sadyo vặddho ajāyathāḥ, indra jyaişthyāya sukrato.
   tvam sutasya pitaye sadyaḥ vệddhaḥ ajāyathāḥ indra jyaişthyāya sukrato iti su’krato.

indra O Indra; tvam thou; sutasya of the soma pressed out; pitaye to drink; sadvaḥ at once; vsddhaḥ grown in body and in strength; ajāyathāḥ art born, becomest; why? jyaişthyāya for the pre-eminent or developed action ; sukrato O happy doer.

Drinking Soma Indra grows forthwith by its influence. Hence is apt preeminent work of him so increased in strength ; the vocative sukrato happy doer, is also appropriate. Skandasvamin’s comment taking the term pitaye in the dative as instrumental in sense, yields consistent purport. Otherwise the live significance of sadyaḥ would be marred and deadened. In the ritualist interpretation, however, they have it as “on the same day”. It is appropriate to take jyaişthyam as preeminent work in accordance with the Sutra which says that the abstract nouns formed from words of quality, Brahmana, etc. will indicate the work as well. As it is mentioned “become grown”, it is not intended again to say about the state of jyeștha, elder.

Tr. Indra, thou increasest at once by the drink of Soma pressed out, for work preeminent, O happy doer.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. ā tvā visantvāśavaḥ somāsa indra girvanaḥ, śam te santu pracetase.
   ā tvā visantu āśavaḥ somā saḥ indra girvaṇaḥ sam te santu pra’cetase.

indra O Indra; girvaṇaḥ adorable by lauds ; tvā thou; āśavaḥ pervading; somāsaḥ somas; āvisantu may enter; te thy; pracetase for (thy) superb knowledge (those Soma-juices) ; sam happy and tranquil; santu may become.

In the earlier Rik the Soma droughts make for Indra’s superb work; but here it is stated that entering Indra from all sides they make for superb knowledge.

Tr. Indra adorable by lauds, may the pervading Somas enter thee. May they be happy and peaceful for thy superb knowledge.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. tvām stomā avivsdhantvā mukthā satakrato, tvām vardhantu no giraḥ.
   tvām stomāḥ avivsdhan tvām ukthā satakrato ili sata’krato tvām vardhantu naḥ giraḥ.

satakrato O Indra of hundred deeds (hundred signifies many); tvām thee; stomāḥ Sama chants ; avivsdhan increased; likewise tvām thee; ukthāḥ lauds celebrating in Riks, increased ; tvām thee; naḥ our; giraḥ words of praise; vardhantu may increase. (Elision of causal is Vedic and so parasmaipada.)

The Vedas declare hundreds of times that the gods increase in the sacrificer (the worshipper) by the lauds in the form of mantras. In the interpretation of the ritualist, the increase of Indra of the midregion has to be above the belt of the clouds. The result is the downpour of waters.

Tr. Doer of hundred deeds, Sama chants have increased thee; and so the lauds of Riks. May our words of praise increase thee.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. akṣitotiḥ sanedimam vājamindraḥ sahasriņam, yasminviśvāni paumsyā.
   akṣita’ūtiḥ sanet imam vājam indraḥ sahasriņam yasmin viśvāni paumsyā.

akṣitotiḥ he whose growth is undiminishing ; indraḥ Indra; imam this (what is being offered by us); sahasriņam thousandfold ; vājam plenitude (of Soma); sanet may he enjoy ; yasmin in which plenitude ; visvāni all; paumsyā manlinesses, deeds of man, male energies denoted by such deeds, abide.

aksitotiḥ: whose protection does not hurt, according to Sayana. kşi in the sense of diminishing, intransitive root; from that past passive participle neuter, abstract noun--thus comes the form kşitam. The derivation is, he whose growth (ūti) is aksita, undiminished-where there is no diminution. The context, be it noted, is the growth of Indra. Hence ūti here is growth, not protection. There is no diminution in the increase of Indra.

sahasrinam: adjective of vāji. The term väja, endowed with varied strengths and qualities, denoting aſſluence here stands for Soma. This being offered becomes acceptable to Indra. By that is made possible the carrying out of the universal activities by Indra of the hundred deeds. Some have it as "in whom i.e., in Indra, all manlinesses are”. It is possible bothwise: “In which plenitude, vāje, of the Soma-juices, the universal manlinesses, paumsyāḥ, become manifest. Indra in whom all activities rest is also apt.

Tr. Indra whose increase is undiminishing, may he enjoy this thousandfold plenitude, he in whom abide all manlinesses.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. mā no martā abhi druhan lanūnāmindra girtanah, iśāno yavayā vadhum.
    mā naḥ martāḥ abhi druhan tanūnām indra girvanaḥ iśānaḥ yavaya vadham.

girvaṇaḥ God adorable by lauds; indra O Indra; martāḥ men; naḥ of our; tanūnām bodies; mā abhidruhan may not harm; iśānaḥ thou the Lord ; vadham destruction ; yavaya separate.

May not our bodies be endangered by the adversaries, spreading the principle of death. Thou art capable of even separating destruction from the body. This is the meaning of the Rik. This secret is to be noted. It is enclosed in the third foot of the Rik. The root yu is in the sense of separating, yavaya is the causal form. The transience of the body is here indicated by vadha, destructio which is another name for hurt or injury.

Indra alone is capable of separating destruction from the body. Indra is here lauded to separate and eliminate all destruction indicated by death or bringer of destruction, human or non-human, from the body which is the abode of the mingled being and nonbeing, immortality and mortality.

Tr. Indra adorable by chants may not men harm our bodies. Sovereign that thou art, separate all destruction.

Thus ends the tenth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

Thus ends the second hymn in the second Section of the first Circle.

HYMN 6

The third hymn in the second Section, beginning with yunjanti has ten Riks. The Rishi, metre and the deity are to be taken as before. In this hymn, the deities of six Riks from the fourth onwards beginning with ā daha, are Maruts. Of these, two Riks viļucit and indreņa, have Maruts as the deities as well as Indra. All this is mentioned in the commentary of Sayana, illustrated from the anukramarikā (Index). In this spiritual interpretation, we do not elaborate upon the application in ritual. It is just hinted at wherever necessary.

This is the first Rik.

1. yunjanti bradhnamaruşam carantam pari tasthușah, rocante rocanā divi.
   yunjanti bradhnam aruşam carantam pari tasthuşaḥ rocante rocanā divi.

bradhnam great; aruşam shining; carantam moving (not stationary); pari all round; tasthuşaḥ standing ; yunjanti yoke; divi in heaven; rocanā shining lights; rocante gleam.

First we have given only the word meaning. The meaning following the purport will be given. Before that it is necessary to consider a little the explanation of the earlier commentators so that the coherence of the purport to be given may be easily understood.

bradhnaḥ: this is among the synonyms of the term great. Instead of saying bradhna great, Sayana’s explanation has it as āditya, Sun. Everywhere generally, Sayana first gives the literal meaning and then goes on to expound the purport according to the context or gives another meaning. Thus for example, in bradhnasya mahato agneḥ, of the great Agni (3.7.5), bradhnam mahāntam babhrum asvam, the great tawny horse (7.44.3), adhi bradhnasya vistſtasya (asmanaḥ) upari, on the spread-out stone (8.4.13), udyad bradhnasya vistapam mahat (adityasya) sthānam, vast station of the Sun (8.58.7), bradhno yāmaḥ, mahān rathaḥ, large carriage, huge chariot (10.20.9). In the last illustration the term qualified yāma is there in the mantra itself. In this one Rik and elsewhere at times the term bradhna is related to Aditya in the commentary of Sayana. It is done on the strength of the line in the Brāhmaṇa, “the great Aditya, flaming Agni and moving Vayu”. In the anukramapikā this is said to be a mantra to Indra. Then how can the line from the Brāhmana fit in with this? It is held that it is Indra who is there in the form of Aditya, Agni and Vayu.

bradhnam: various are the alternates suggested for derivation. The na termination to the root bandhu by the sutra of Unadi; some say that bandh becomes bradh.

aruşam : derived from the root ruş meaning violence, it denotes non-violent Agni, says Sayana. But in several places his commentary has it as shining. Skandaswami derives from the root rus with the prefix ā, meaning to gleam; ā shortens to a and sa becomes şa. All commentators generally accept everywhere the sense of shining for the term arusa.

tasthuşaḥ: Following the commentary of Sayana the case is changed and the term is taken as nominative plural, tasthivāmsaḥ. It is apposite.

Let us consider the meaning in brief. By joining the yoke and the yoke-bearers, they make the chariot harnessed. And the chariot is large and shining. It is moving, signifying the chariot. The eternal ones of shining wisdom, fixed there, make ready the moving chariot. When the chariot is thus made ready, the lustrous high stations or worlds in the heaven are seen gleaming. The pur-port according to the inner sense will be given later.

Tr. They yoke the broad and shining car, they who stand around it as it moves ; the luminous lights (worlds) gleam in heaven.

This is the second Rik.

2. yunjantyasya kāmyā hari vipaksasā rathe, soņā dhsspū nsvāhasā.
   yunjanti asya kāmyā hari iti vi’ paksasā rathe sonā dhssnū iti ns’vāhasā.

asya his (Indra’s); hari horses (accusative); tathe to the chariot spoken of before, broad, etc; yunjanti they yoke, they join to the chariot; who? They who stand around as said before (the eternal ones of shining wisdom stationed in the heaven); of what kind are the horses? kāmyā charming or desirable ; there are four other adjectives ; vipaksasā of different sides, left and right-of the chariot, that are yoked on either side of the chariot ; sopā deep red; dhrşņū vehement; novāhasa carrying the God of leading power (the term ns denotes the male, divine or human; it indicates strength).

The first Rik spoke of harnessing the broad and shining car of Indra. This one speaks of the yoking to the car the charming, vehement, power-carrying horses of Indra. In both the action is done by those of shining wisdom constantly residing in heaven, standing around. When the foreground is thus ready, Indra himself manifests—this is said in the third. What does he do in manifesting?

Tr. They yoke his desirable bright horses that stand on either side to the car, deep-red, vehement, carrying the Power.

This is the third Rik.

3. ketum kļņvanna ketave peso maryā apeśase, samuşadbhirajāyathāh.
   ketum kļņvan aketave peśaḥ maryāḥ apeśase sam uşať bhiḥ ajāyathāḥ.

maryāḥ O strong one; thou aketave for him without knowledge (dative in the sense of ’for the sake of’) ketum knowledge kļņvan creating ; apeśase for him without form ; peśaḥ form (creating); sam gathering; uşadbhiḥ with the rays of the dawn of knowledge ; ajāyathāḥ are born. That is, thou art born with the collective rise of the aides, the divine rays of knowledge.

maryāḥ: words denoting strength are generally derived from roots meaning hurting. The term dakşa is taken in the sense of strength from dams, dams or damsay, so they say. Because he brings death to the enemies, he is the powerful, strong. In “He is the will, he is Strength" (1.77.3), Sayana’s comment also supports this meaning. It is to be noted that the term. marya to indicate strength has been used hundreds of times elsewhere. Here marya is the vocative to Indra. When the car is ready and the horses yoked to it, and the divine rays of knowledge rise together, Indra is manifest. The meaning is that pleased he became visible to the eye of the Rishi. He himself gives that vision to the Rishi. That is why it is said ketum kļņvan, making knowledge. ketu is the eye of knowledge born of inner understanding. This inner sight of knowledge obtained by the grace of Indra will not alone suffice to remain steadily in the divine vision. Some sort of receptacle is needed for such a divine revelation. But that cannot be this earthly body. Just as the outer body is the basis for the outer eye, so too for the inner eye of knowledge an appropriate body becomes necessary for its base. And that body is normally mixed, submerged, concealed, in the inert material consciousness in the physical body of man and hence unmanifest. It is that subtle body perceivable by the divine vision, indicated by the term rūpa that Indra manifests in coming to light—this is the meaning.

Tr. O strong one, making vision of knowledge for him who had it not, and form, for what had no form, thou art born with the rays of the dawn of knowledge.

This must be noted here; ratha is a special movement, divine, broad and bright. This is presided over by Indra. The horses yoked to it are also shining ones, especially vehicles of power. It is generally possible in the Rik Samhita to grasp the innate nature of the horses of Indra by the words describing their qualities. These are-be it noted-special powers of inner sight, divine manifestations of knowledge. Indra’s horses are also described in 2.11.6: “We laud thy steeds, intuitive rays of Surya”, “intuitive rays”, “dwellers in luminous heaven”. Both of these are first brought together by the mantra, the word proceeding from the heart of the Rishi and are then yoked to the car presided over by Indra. That is why Indra’s horses are lauded in many mantras as yoked by the Word: “Destroyer of Vritra, mount thy car, thy steeds are yoked by the Word” (1.84.3); “These friendly horses that are yoked by Word I harness by Word” (3.35.4); “Bring hither, O powerful, steeds yoked by the Word, our comrade, renowned by our chants, fond of chant” (8.2.27). There are other such mantras also by which not merely the innate nature of the steeds of Indra-covert or overt-is established, but it is also made known that the word from the heart of the Rishi, the mantra denoted by the term brahma, was the sole means to obtain the riches of divine sight and the like through the grace of the steeds of Indra.

Now after the appearance of Indra, the help of the Maruts is sought for in his work. The Maruts are particular gods who set a divine pace to the mental movements of fierce speed and brilliance. What is said before, that the illumined mind is the domain of Indra, is to be kept in mind. When the intellect of the perfected Rishi enters there, his faculties are reborn therein. This is the second birth of the Maruts in man, the individual. The first birth is like the other Gods in the collective creation for their own function. This rebirth of the Maruts follows the birth of Indra. That is why the legion of the Maruts are celebrated in the Veda as having Indra as the eldest.

The fourth Rik deals with this very topic. We have thus spoken of the birth of the Maruts following the view of the ancients. Actually, however, it is the rebirth of the god-aspiring Rishis themselves for the attainment of divinity.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. ādaha svadhā manu punargarbhatvamerire, dadhānā nāma yajñiyam.
   āt aha svadhām anu punaḥ garbha’tvam ā’irire dadhānāḥ nāma yajñiyam.

ādaha afterwards alone (āt and aha, particles in the sense of afterwards and certainty, respectively); svadhām anu according to the law of self-holding (svadhā self-holding); punaḥ garbhatvam embryonic birth again; erire came to; who ? Rishis aspiring for the gods (by signification); of what kind? yaj ñiyam sacrificial; nāma Name (denoting the personality of the godhead, the particular designation); dadhānāḥ bearing.

svadhām: the power that is capable of holding one’s own nature. In the Veda the law that sustains or promotes the self-nature of all the various existences is denoted by the term svadhā.

erire: the form in perfect tense of the root ir denoting movement, prefixed by ā.

The birth of the Maruts is only after the manifestation of Indra.’ We have said earlier how it is the rebirth. Here it is stated that their birth is according to the law of their self-sustaining. And for this obtaining of the rebirth, the holding of the Name becomes the means-the secret, sacred God-signifying Name which is appropriate to the activity of Sacrifice in the form of consecration, selfless and done for the sake of God.

Tr. And after, according to their law of self-holding, they again came to embryonic birth bearing the sacrificial Name.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. viļu cidārujatnubhirguhā cidindra vahnibhiḥ, avinda usriyā anu.
   viļu cit ārujatnubhiḥ guhā cit indra vahni’bhiḥ avindaḥ usriyāḥ anu.

indra O Indra; viļucit though strong (places like mountain); ārujatnubhiḥ breakers; guhācit though in cave (in secret place); vahnibhiḥ bearers (with those of divine birth, helpers, capable of bearing Thee); usriyāḥ cows; anu following; avindaḥ has obtained.

viļuḥ: derived from viļayate in the sense of suppressing, it is among the synonyms of strength.

ārujatnubhiḥ: ruja in the sense of breaking prefixed by ā and having the termination ktnu of the auņādika class; the form is instrumental plural.

guhā : the substitute ā for the seventh case.

usriyāḥ: ustāḥ rays derived from vaști in the sense of lustre (ṣ becomes s). From vasati, says Sayana. The cows of the rays of knowledge are called usriyāḥ.

We are told of the activity of the seers of light, on obtaining a rebirth in the superhuman world as described in an earlier Mantra, in helping Indra to reach the cows stolen by the Panis and kept secure in the cave of the mountain. Also told are their capacity to break the material Inconscient signified by the term mountain (parvata) and the power to enter the hiding place obscure with darkness, denoted by the term cave (guhā) and bear Indra and his emanations therein. If it be asked how did they obtain such powers, it is narrated further on that being born under the governing influence of Indra, they seeking the Godhead, waited upon the divine Inspiration attainable, by the Grace of Indra, for the work to be done; and hence their greatness.

Tr. O Indra, by those who break even the strong places and who carry even to the secret places, thou hast traced and found the luminous cows. Thus ends the eleventh group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. devayanto yathā matimacchā vidadvasum giraḥ, mahāmanūşata śrutam.
   deva’vantaḥ yathā matim accha vidaťvasum giraḥ mahām anūşata frutām.

devayantaḥ seers desiring the Godhead; mahām great; srutam perceivable by the divine inspiration, Indra; anūşata have lauded (having heard the divine word). He gives, an illustration. giraḥ uttering, chanters; vidadvasum finding the riches; matim Indra the thinker; accha to his face; yathā as they praise on getting the wealth, even so.

devayantaḥ: desiring the gods for themselves.

matim: though the word has the meaning of intelligence, yet by courtesy it connotes Indra the knower. Thus do the words, praises, connote those who praise.

vidadvasum: one who has wealth, riches that know or make it known-the causal sense is included-indicate or procure ’Intelligence’, Indra to oneself. vasu means wealth, riches. And being of the nature of knowledge it has the capacity to signify Indra.

anūşata: from nū to praise, aorist first personal plural, absence of ’guna’ substitute is Vedic and so also the ātmanepada.

This is the meaning of the Mantra. As the chanters wait, with their lauds, upon Indra with his divine riches leading to his glories, so too the seers of light who have attained a fresh birth, lovers of Indra, acquiring the power of hearing from Indra worship him who is perceived by hearing the Divine Word of inspiration. Now follows the laud, in collectivity, of the Maruts, in the form of hosts, whose help was immensely useful in the breaking of mountain, etc.- the Maruts, who though principally presiding over the vital domains, are devoted to forceful action, ablaze with the strength and lustre of Indra.

Tr. The seekers of Godhead lauded the great God heard as the singers chant in front Indra finding the riches.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. indreņa sam hi díkşase sanjagmāno abibhyuşā, mandū samā navarcasa.
   indreņa sam hi dşkşase sam’jagmānaḥ abibhyuşā, mandū iti samāna’ varcasā.

O company of Maruts! You indrepa coming together with Indra, that is corresponding to him or adapted to him ; sandskşase hi art seen well; with Indra of what kind ? abibhyuşā without fear, you both-Indra and the host of Maruts; mandu rapturous; samānavarcasā equal in splendour (are).

dṛkṣase: Vedic present in the sense of imperative, according to Sayana. Present tense, passive form in the commentary of Skandasvamin. This is right, he is seen directly.

mandū: this form is derived from the root mand in the sense of pleasing.

abibhyuşā: perfect participle of bhi. The other is vaidic.

Tr. For you are seen with Indra, moving with the fearless God, rapturous are you both and equal in splendour.

Thus by the sight of the host of Maruts joined to Indra and equal in splendour with him, the Rishi receives a special light and preparing the sacrifice he chants the Rik with force. This is being said in the next.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. anavadyairabhidyubhirmakhaḥ sahasvadarcati, ganairindrasya kāmyaiḥ.
   anavadyaiḥ abhidyu’bhiḥ makhaḥ sahasvat arcati ganaiḥ indrasya kā myaiḥ.

makhaḥ the sacrificer (who does it, who spells out, -- does the sacrifice); arcayati lauds, utters the Rik; sahasvat forcefully, making it potent (lauds); being of what kind ? ganaiḥ accompanied by the host of Maruts (the meaning is that they are in their company either because of their grace or because of their possessing them), hosts of what kind ? anavadyaiḥ faultless, that is pure white (this spotlessness is becoming of the Maruts who are helping Indra the lord of the domain of the illumined mind, the mental energies that have become divinised and thus re-born), again abhidyubhiḥ those whose light, signified by the word dyu, is spread around the sacrificer; and again, indrasya kāmyaiḥ those desired by Indra, dear to him.

The derivation of the special terms has been given in the very exposition of the meaning, making it easy to follow the purport.

Tr. Accompanied by the desirable faultless hosts of Indra, whose light is all around, the sacrificer chants forcefully the Rik. Chanting confidently, his means of laudation obtained by the grace of Indra with the host of Maruts, the seer-sacrificer prays in the next Rik for the presence of Indra everywhere.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. ataḥ parijmannāgahi divo vā rocanādadhi, samasmințñjate giraḥ.
   ataḥ pari’jman ā gahi divaḥ vā rocanāt adhi sam asmin sñiate giraḥ.

parijman one who goes around,-the form is of the root aj with the preposition pari and termination manin-o all-pervading, is the meaning, O Indra, ataḥ to us from the midspace, the Antariksha, āgahi come; divo vā or from the heaven; rocanādadhi or from the luminous world still higher, come (as he is all-pervading, Indra’s advent with the glories of each station promotes the divine’s increase in the seer); asmin in this my inner sacrifice (this Madhucchandas); giraḥ praises, words of Mantra; samțñjate makes them accomplished, brighter.

Tr. Thence, O all-pervading, come or from the heaven or from the luminous world. Here he brightens the words.

In this hymn primarily devoted to Indra there follows at the end explicit praise of Indra.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. to mã sātimimahe dino Đã bārthioặdadhi ; indram maho vā rajasaḥ.
    itaḥ vā sālim imahe divaḥ vā pārthivāt adhi; indram mahaḥ vā rajasaḥ.

ito vā from the earth close to us or ; sātim what is to be obtained, enjoyed, attained; imahe we desire; what is to be attained is Indra himself; indram we desire Indra as to be attained. As he wields his supremacy over all the three worlds he is attainable either here, pārthivadadhi ; divo vā or from the earthly heaven; maho rajaso vā or from the great mid-world, we desire the Indra to be attained.

Tr. From here or from the earthly heavens or from the great mid-world we desire Indra for our getting.

We have commented upon the hymn commencing with Tunjanta. According to the Anukra-manikā, the Riks commented upon are two to Indra and Maruts, four to Maruts, and four to Indra. The sequential connection of the Riks in this hymn of ten Riks has been shown. This hymn pregnant with mystic import has turned out to be of dry meaning in the method of exposition according to the line of gross interpretation. We do not seek to examine that purport. But we have something to say here.

There is much secret here that has been deliberately placed deep by the seer. This illustrates powerfully what we stated earlier in the Introduction regarding the secret of the seers. We said: “This mystery was known to the Rishis and to their disciples who had obtained initiation from the great Rishis, their teachers, were instructed in the inner sacrifice by means of inner purification, etc.” Familiar words like cow, horse, ray, etc. symbolic or of double meaning rise no difficulty to us here. Even so the lines themselves are sufficient to speak out that the secret has been patently and deliberately placed in this hymn.

He says in the first Rik “They yoke”. Who? The subject is not mentioned. The terms ‘around’, ’standers’ though taken by change of cases are only adjectival: it is simply left to the understanding of the inner sacrificer or for educating the student, without stating the nature of the qualified. “Moving’: here too what? That is not mentioned. In the second Rik too the subject is left to be inferred, but it is easier than in the first. In the third with what ‘rays of knowledge of the Dawn’ is the birth of Indra ? That is not said. In the fourth who came ’to the embryonic birth?? In the fifth, by means of which ’breakers’, ‘carriers’ is the gain of cows by Indra ? In the sixth, who are those ’desirous of God’ who adored “the great one heard’? In the seventh, who is addressed ‘seen along with Indra’ ’of like splendour’? Even in the eighth, it is not said explicitly who are the ’hosts dear to Indra’. In the ninth who is invited, ’who goes everywhere? It is only in the tenth that it is said explicitly that ’we desire Indra.’

We would say that the answer to all this had been intentionally concealed and guarded by the great seer Madhucchandas of direct realisation, the knower of what to say. And yet hints have been scattered here and there in the Riks, covertly or overtly. It is by examining them and basing upon the conclusions arrived at by the ancients regarding the identity of the Gods, that works like Bșhad Devatā, Anukramarikā, etc. were started. In many places, even among the ancients, there is difference of opinion or doubt or controversy in fixing the identity of the Gods. This is to be pondered over. The time lag between different ages of the original seers of the Mantras and the later authors of the Aphorisms of Srauta and Kalpa is the very cause for the controversy on subjects like the Gods.

Primarily the Mantras relate to the inner sacrifice. It is no wonder that those who set out to expound the significance with a view to their use in the outer ritual, and that too the later ones, came to decide upon the Gods expounded in the Mantras from the most superficial viewpoint. That is why when we consider the meaning of the Mantras generally-especially in the context of the inner sacrifice—we see no congruity between the meaning of the Mantras and the Deity as stated by those like Katyayana. This incongruity becomes patent in this very hymn of ’yuñjanti’, in mantras like ’devayantaḥ’. Even though we follow, as far as we are able, to the extent possible, the author of the Anukramaņikā only in fixing the identity of the Gods, we openly dissent in inappropriate situations. Hence, in this explanation of the inner sense, following the interpretation of Sri Aurobindo, we do not accept the Maruts as the deities in the Mantra ’devayantaḥ’. Similarly in verse ‘ataḥ parijman’ it is not the host of Maruts that is called. All the rest has been said in the commentary.

Thus ends the twelfth Group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 7

The fourth hymn ’Indram’, etc. in the second Section has ten Riks. The Rishi, the metre, the deity are as before.

This is the first Rik.

1. indramidgāthino bshadindramarkebhirarkinaḥ, indram vāņiranūșata.
   indraṁ it gāthinaḥ bịhat indram arkebhiḥ arkinaḥ, indram vāṇiḥ anūşata.

gāthinaḥ the singers of Sama (those who have songs, gātha from gā); indram it Indra himself; bshat by means of the vast Sama (with the famous, vast saman "we send call to thee"); anūşataḥ have lauded; arkiñaḥ the chanters who laud with Riks; arkebhiḥ with mantras in the form of Riks have praised Indra alone; indram Indra; vāṇiḥ the rest of the verses, Yajus (by change of the case, with the Yajus) by signification the Adhvaryus have praised.

This is the first mention in the Rik Samhita of the triad of Rik, Yajus and Saman and of their users viz., Hotſ, Adhvaryu, Udgātſ respectively.

Tr. Indra the singers with the vast, Indra the chanters with the bright, Indra the words have glorified.

This is the second Rik.

2. indra iddharyoḥ sacā sammisla ā vacoyujā, indro vajri hiranyayaḥ.
   indraḥ it haryoḥ sacā sam’mislaḥ ā vacaḥ’yujā indraḥ vajri hiranyayaḥ.

indraḥ it Indra verily; haryoḥ of the steeds, with the steeds (in the instrumental sense); sacā along with ; à comes; of what kind ? sammislaḥ fused (the la for ra in sammisra is Vedic); he fuses all things well together; steeds of what kind ? vacoyujā of those who are yoked by word, with those yoked by word; the gross explanation of the ancients is that the well-trained horses get into harness at the mere word of their master, Indra; but ours is not the quadruped horse; and that especially when they are the ’bay steeds of Indra’, is it necessary to say that they signify brilliant life-power ? Hence vacoyujā is to be taken as yoked by mantra. The commentary on the Rik ’they yoke the desirable horses of him’, is to be kept in mind; again of what kind is Indra ? indro vajri Indra with the thunderbolt; hiranyayaḥ golden, bright with the gold light.

misranam, mixed; he whose mixture is good is sammisraħ. Indra comes. He is along with his two steeds; he puts all things together properly; his steeds are yoked by the word of Mantra denoted by the term brahma. What does he, golden-bright, do coming with the thunderbolt that has destroyed Vritra?

Tr. Indra himself comes, harmoniser, with his steeds yoked by the word; Indra the golden with his thunderbolt.

This is the third Rik.

3. indro dirghāya cakşasa ā sūryam rohayaddivi, vi gobhiradrimairayat.
   indraḥ dirghāva cakşase ā sūryam rohayat divi vi gobhiḥ adrim airayat.

indra Indra; dirghāya for the far-reaching or eternal or developed ; cakşase vision; sūrya the impeller (of even the whole world) i.e., the Truth-Light symbolised by the sun; divi in the heaven; ārohayat raised; he, Indra, gobhiḥ by his rays; adrim the obscure, insensate world signified by the word hill; vvairayat sped asunder, burst.

cakşase: cakṣa in the sense of vision-verbal derivative.

airayat: ir to go, Aorist causal.

sūryam: șū in the sense of impel, he impels; the beginning sa in the root becomes sa.

Surya is famous as the impeller of everything; how does Indra impel him ? Though all the gods are luminous, born of Truth, stationed in Truth, yet the eldest among them is Indra; but the Truth-Light is directly embodied in and denoted by the sun. Hence when Indra removes all darkness by means of his luminous rays of consciousness, then becomes possible the constant vision of the Truth-Light. Hence it is said that for the far-vision’, by means of rays spread out (vi-airayat), he reached the Sun to the meridian so that he can be seen always in the heaven. Even the Mantra to come later on “the wise ones always see him as an eye extended in heaven” coheres in this way. We do not dilate further on the subject of Indra as enough has been said in the course of the commentary on the second hymn of the first Section.

Tr. Indra for far vision raised the Sun in heaven; by his rays he burst the hill.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. indra vā jeņu no’va sahasrapradhaneșu ca, ugra ugrābhirūtibhiḥ.
   indra vājeşu naḥ ava sahasra’ pradhaneșu ca ugrah ugrābhiḥ ūtibhiḥ.

indra O Indra; ugra unassailable; ugrābhiḥ by unassailable; ūtibhiḥ protections; vāveșu in the opulences (attained by us, even those to be gained hereafter by us); nah us; ava protect (so that there is no fear from the enemies of the Gods) sahasra pradhaneșu ca even in the excessive excellent treasures that are attained (protect us). To the seers engaged in the inner sacrifice, it is Knowledge, Power, etc. that alone are the excellent treasures.

Tr. O Indra unassailable, guard us with unassailable protection in the opulence, even in the thousand fold excellent treasures.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. indram vayam mahādhana indramarbhe havā mahe, yujam vſtreșu vajriņam.
   indram vayam mahā’dhane indram arbhe havā mahe yujam vſtreșu vajriņam.

vayam (we) practitioners who offer themselves in order to attain to the Godhead; mahādhane for the sake of the great Wealth, attained or to be attained (locative in the sense of purpose); arbhe and even for the little (Wealth); indram Indra; havāmahe we call; in the third part it is stated that we resort to him not merely in prosperity but even in adversity ; vștreșu when enemy-asuras who cover manifoldly arrive; yujam who join, who joins us and helps ; vajriņam along with the thunderbolt, his weapon for killing Vritra — we call that very Indra.

havāmahe : call, taking refuge in every way.

Tr. We call Indra for afluence, great and little, who joins along with the thunderbolt when the Vritras arrive.

Thus ends the thirteenth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik in the hymn indramid-gāthinaḥ.

6. sa no vrşannamum carum satrā dāvannapāvşdhi, asmabhyamapratişkutaḥ.
   sah naḥ vşşan amum carum satrā dāvan apa vsdhi asmabhyam aprati’skutaḥ.

saḥ thou who art such; naḥ for us; O vịşan who showers even all that is desired ; O satrā dāvan, satrā, together, simultaneous donor of knowledge, wealth, light, strength, etc.; amum this that is seen in front; carum moving cloud, standing in the form of the constantly active movements of mind and life covering up the consciousness, light, strength, etc.; apa vşdhi disclose, unseal and reveal thyself; asmabhyam for us; apratişkutaḥ (acc. to Sayana) not unresponsive, generous donor that thou art thou wouldst never reply, ’I will not give”; or there arises no rejoinder from anywhere implying damage to thy work. Thus comments Sayana. But in fact it means impossible to be covered by anyone; skuñ in the sense of covering, root of the 9th conjugation ; past passive participle form with the preposition prati and then compounded for negation ; this is the meaning, unclose the coverer, the cloud ; uncovered constantly, be revealed to us. Use of words like askunāt saravşşțibhiḥ, covered by the shower of arrows, is to be seen even today.

carum: synonym for cloud, at times it stands for vessel also; derived from root cara, hence the explanation in the inner sense is appropriate.

satrā dāvan : satrā in the sense of together; davā for donor, Vedic form.

vşdhi : vșñ to cover. Imperative second person, the substitute dhi is Vedic.

Tr. Such as thou art, showerer, simultaneous donor, unclose for us this yonder cloud, for us, thou uncoverable.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. tuñjetuñje ya uttare stomā indrasya vajriņaḥ, na vindhe asya suşțutim.
   tuñje-tuñje ye uttare stomāḥ indrasya vajriņaḥ na vindhe asya su’stutim.

tuñje-tuñje at each impulsion (acc. to Sayana’s commentary, the ancients take tuñjati in the sense of sacrifice or gift ; it has also the sense of strength, receiving; at times also in the sense of speeds, impels; hence we take it as force of impulsion or receiving it into oneself); ye uttare increasingly superb; stomāh lauds that are mine pour forth ; by them asya his, who is proximate to me; vajrinaḥ who is with the thunderbolt denoting great valour; indrasya of Indra; suşțutim adequate praise ; na vindhe I do not find.

Every time the impulsions seize me and make me laud, I indeed laud superbly and more superbly. Even so I hold that these praises are not enough to describe the thunder-armed Indra. This is the sense.

vindhe : vidl; to find, get, da turning to dha is Vedic.

Tr. At each impulsion there are superb lauds; no adequate praise I find in them for this Indra the thunder-armed.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. vịșā pūtheva vamsagaḥ kṣştiriyartyojasā, išāno apratişkutaḥ.
   vịșā yūthā’iva vamsagaḥ kṛṣțiḥ iyarti ojasā iśānaḥ aprati’ skutaḥ.

vșşā Indra, showerer of divine desires; kļştiḥ the aryan men who constantly strive, indicated by the term ploughing; ojasā with the highly potent power of his Grace; iyarti get at, impels; in illustration ; vamsagaḥ who strides in a captivating manner; vȚşā Bull; yūtheva like the herds of kine. Just as entering the herd of kine the strong bull excites them, so does Indra; išānaḥ the lord; apratiskutaḥ the uncoverable and therefore eternally visible. The rest has been said before.

Tr. Just as the bull of charming stride excites the herds, Indra the sovereign, uncoverable, impels the strivers with his power.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. ya ekascarşaņinām vasūnāmirajyati, indraḥ panca kșitinām.
   yaḥ ekaḥ carşaņinām vasūnām irajyati, indraḥ panca kşitinām.

yaḥ the Indra who; ekaḥ the one, himself alone; carşaņinām men of aforesaid descriptions viz., labouring, ploughing, striving ; irajyati rules, becomes their sovereign; so also vasūnām ruler over varied wealth; indraḥ that Indra; panca of the five (change of case); kșitinām of dwellings, he is the lord.

carşaņinām this is not to be taken as applying only to men generally. According to the etymological meaning, it is to be understood like ārya, the striver, kļșți one who drags or ploughs.

irajyati : denotes the act of lordship.

panca kşitinām of Five Peoples says Sayana. Everywhere his explanation is the fifth people, the fifth being the outcastes. This is doubtful even according to the gross interpretation. This subject has been dwelt upon in the Introduction. The form kşiti is derived from the root kşi, in the sense of dwelling place. The kşitis are the five dwelling places, earth, etc. – beginning from the earth upwards, one above the other, provided in creation. Thus traditions make mention of organisation of three worlds, seven worlds, at times the system of four worlds based upon the four vyāhſtis. It is to be understood that just as the earths indicated as three in the Vedas denote the three vast domains corresponding to the triple world of which ours is the first, the gross earth, even so the five kşitis also are five dwelling places of which the first is our earth.

Tr. He who is the one sovereign over all strivers and wealths, Indra is the sovereign of the five worlds.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. indram vo visvataspari havāmahe janebhyaḥ, asmākamastu kevalaḥ.
    indram vaḥ visvataḥ pari havāmahe janebhyaḥ asmākam astu kevalah.

O sacrificers! The address is to those who are set out to obtain the grace of the Deities. vaḥ for you; viśvataḥ above all; janebhyaḥ from men that are born, also from worlds that have come to be; pari standing above; indram Indra; havāmahe we call; he Indra ; asmākam of us all the practitioners; kevalaḥ uncommon, adorable, second to none, exclusive object of worship; astu may he be. The explanation that he may be more gracious to us than to others is inappropriate. That is not the mark of devotion. That would impute littleness of mind to the great seer Madhucchandas.

Tr. We invoke for you Indra above all beings; may he be unique to us. Thus ends the fourteenth Group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

Thus ends the second Section in the first Circle.

HYMN 8

The third Section has four hymns. Of these the first beginning with endra sānasim has ten Riks. The Rishi, the metre and the Deity are as before.

This is the first Rik.

1. endra sānasim rayim sajitvānam sadā saham, varșişthamūtaye bhara.
   ā indra sānasim rayim sa’ jitvānam sadā’saham varșiştham ūtaye bhara.

indra O Indra; ūtaye for our increase; rayim wealth ; ābhara bring; and these are the adjectives of rayi to remind that it is not the ordinary wealth ; sānasim that is enjoyable (from root şan, particle with termination asi); sajitvānam uniformly conquering (derivative of ji to conquer with sa indicating samāna); sadā saham ever overpowering, that is bringing about the defeat of the enemies; varşiştham full-grown (varsa is the substitute for the word vsddha and then superlative). Here wealth in the form of light and strength is prayed for. And that is to be resorted to by all who desire the good. It is the characteristic of this wealth that is in the form of light and strength, to combat on equal terms the powerful enemies, opponents of light and strength and conquer them; hence wealth that is ’uniformly conquering’. The rayi wealth is familiar with the conquest over the enemy, not raw, hence the grown-up, mature wealth.

Tr. Indra, bring for our increase wealth that is delightful, uniformly conquering, ever overpowering, the full-grown.

This is the second Rik.

2. ni yena muşțihatyayā ni vſtrā runadhāmahai, tvotāso nyarvatā.
   ni yena muști’hatyayā ni vstrā runadhāmahai tvā’ūtā saḥ ni arvatā.

yena by which wealth of divine light and strength, with features described earlier; vștrā the enemies, the Asuras, the covering clouds of darkness; ni fully; muşțihatyayā by fist-blows; nirunadhāmahai we shall deter; we of what kind ? tvotāsaḥ guarded by you; (the dropping of da in tvad is Vedic; ūtāsaḥ — past participial termination of av without id. The rest is Vedic), and again of what kind ? ni fully; arvatā endowed with the steed i.e., the life-power indicated by it (instrumental denoting accompaniment).

Tr. By which we shall completely deter the foes with fist-blows, by thee guarded and well-powered with the steed.

This is the third Rik.

3. iñdra tvotā sa ā vayam vajram ghanā dadimahi, jayema samyudhi spşdhaḥ.
   indra tvā’ūtā saḥ ā vayam vajram ghanā dadimahi jayema sam yudhi sprdhaḥ.

indra O Indra; tvotā saḥ guarded by thee; vayam we; ’vajram the divine weapon that breaks the concretised ill-luck, false knowledge, etc.; ghanā concretely (instrumental case mainly for the abstract sense); ādadimahi may we obtain; yudhi in battle; sprdhaḥ the combating enemies; sañjayema may we conquer completely.

vajram: vaj, vraj to go. The termination ran is irregular.

ghana: in Sayana’s commentary it is taken as adjective of vajra. Even then it does not detract from the purport given by us.

Tr. O Indra, guarded by thee may we wield the thunderbolt heavily, may we conquer the combating foes in battle.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. vayam sūrebhirastbhirindra tvayā yujā vayam, sāsahyāma pştanytaḥ.
   vayam sūrebhiḥ ast;’bhih indra tvayā yujā vayam sasahyama pệtanyataḥ.

indra O Indra ; vayam we your adorers, practitioners of the inner sacrifice ; sūrebhiḥ with heroic; astſbhih enemies that throw missiles from afar (asu to throw tỉ to denote the tendency)–may we be victorious in battle with them; some haters of God, foes of the sacrifice, conceal themselves somewhere or from afar deliver the missiles- this has reference to them; of what kind are we who conquer thus? yujā tvayā joined by thee ever aiding; such ones, we, pştanyataḥ even the enemies desiring army, desiring to give battle direct; sasahyāma may we encounter, overpower superbly.

pṛtanyataḥ: desiring army for themselves. Dropping of ā in present participial form, accusative plural form.

Tr. O Indra, with thee may we conquer the brave missile-throwers desiring battle.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. mahān indraḥ parasca nu mahitvamastu vajrine, dyaurna prathinā savaḥ.
   mahān indraḥ paraḥ ca nu mahi’tvam astu vajrine dyauḥ na prathinā savaḥ.

mahān of mighty form; indraḥ Indra; parasca is also supreme; he is not mighty in form alone, but supreme in prowess also; nu additive for metrical purpose (this termination has many meanings); vajrine to Indra with the thunderbolt; mahitvam mightiness and supremeness, the twofold mastery stated earlier; astu be; this is the auspicious invocation for the Lord by the seer devotee ; hence it is apposite in the laud of Indra distinguished by his natural qualities of mightiness, etc.; even today the tradition of auspicious invocation in adoring the God or the Master is well known like the halleluja in the world; dyaurna like the world of heaven; prathinā by largeness, amplitude; savaḥ luminous power is his); let it be, or let it conquer-this is to be understood.

prathinā ; it is prathimnā, the ellipsis of ma being Vedic.

Tr. Indra is mighty, and supreme ; greatness be his, the thunder-armed. May his luminous force be as ample as the heaven.

Thus ends the fifteenth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. samohe vã ya asata narastokasya sanitau, cipräso mã dhiyāyavaḥ.
   sam’ohe vā ye āśata naraḥ tokasya sanitau viprāsaḥ vā dhiyā’ yavah.

ye naraḥ which men; samohe in battle (with the foes of the gods); tokasya of the progeny ; sanitau vā or for the getting ; āšata have attained (as to per-vade Aorist, Vedic form); that is, those persons who resort to Indra, obtain; vā or; dhiyāyavaḥ aspiring for knowledge; viprāsaḥ the wise ones, the intelligent (who resort to Indra) also obtain.

nara means males – divine or human strong ones. Getting of progeny for the gods in the manifestation of a part of themselves in man. Among men also, progeny - denoted by the term toka-is indeed the birth of the godhead in themselves. In both, combat with the opponents who obstruct the gain of the progeny is necessary. Hence samohe has been explained as sangrāme, in battle, following the reading in Nighantu, the lexicon.

Tr. Those heroes won in the progeny or in the battle, or the wise aspiring for knowledge.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. yaḥ kukșiḥ somapā tamaḥ samudra iva pinvate, urvirāpo na kākudaḥ.
   yah kukșiḥ soma’ pā tamaḥ samudra’iva pinvate urviḥ āpaḥ na kākudaḥ.

Of this Indra yaḥ which ; kukșiḥ, the belly; somapā tamaḥ drinker in plenty of the juice of soma, that; samudra iva like the sea; pinvate increases; as the sea is inexhaustible, deep and vast, is seen to be especially fed by the coming together of all the rivers, even so Indra’s belly full of the sap of all the worlds never dries up; it is always, moist, dripping. The root is piv to sprinkle, with the augment num, commented by the ancients as increase, for its appositeness; to bring home the constant enlargement and moistness of Indra’s belly due to Soma, another illustration is given: urvirāpo na kākudaḥ; kakut elevated place, summit e.g., "agni is the head, the cope of the heaven”. And this heaven, related to it are kākudaḥ; urviḥ largenesses; āpo na like waters. The sense is that his belly has a natural succulent freshness and wideness like the divine Waters. The ancients, basing upon the Nighantu derivation viz., kākut jihvā tongue, say: ’Just as the saliva in the tongue never dries up, the belly of Indra full of soma never dries.”

Tr. His belly superbly drinking the Soma, swells like the sea; like the wide Waters from the summits.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. evā hyasya sūnştā virapši gomati mahi, pakvā sākha na dāśuşe.
   eva hi asya sūnștā vi’rapši go’mati mahi pakvā sākhā na dāśuşe.

eva hi thus indeed, in the manner to be described ; asya of Indra; sūnștā speech (agreeably true, commonly speaking) but in fact, auspicious, true speech, is his; this has been established while commenting upon the Mantra, codayatri sūnstānam, impeller to happy truths; what is that speech ? mahi celebrated as Bharati, the co-stream of Ila and Sarasvati, indicating the vastness of the Light of Truth ; not merely great; it is not a qualifying adjective but the qualified-as in ’Ila, Sarasvati, Mahi (in the sense of Bharati); how else is this mahi associated with Indra evolved ? virapši flowing in exuberance; Sayana comments in many mantras taking it as a synonym of great; but here it is taken to be flowing variously, eloquent in courtesies., etc.; again is gomati ray-full, knowledge-rayed; he gives an illustration; pakvā of ripe fruit; sākhā branch ; dāśușe to the sacrificer; na like; as an enjoyable branch full of clusters of ripe fruits is pleasing to the sacrificer, so does Bharati full of the aforesaid qualities become to Indra.

Tr. So indeed is Mahi for Indra, full of rays, happy truth flowing abundantly, like the ripe branch for the giver of the sacrifices.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. evā hi te vibhūtaya ūtaya indra māvate, sadyascitsanti dāśușe.
   eva hi te vi?bhūtayaḥ ūtayaḥ indra mā’vate sadyaḥ cit santi dā šușe.

indra O Indra ; eva hi verily Thou such as art, along with Bharati denoted by Mahi; te Thine ; vibhūtayaḥ glories, special riches; māvate for those like myself (vat from the word asmat, Vedic); dāsușe to the sacriſicer; sadyascit at once; ūtayaḥ our increasers; santi become.

This can be explained differently also: eva hi indeed in the manner to be stated: thy glories are instant increasers to the sacrificers like me.

Tr. Verily, Indra, thou art such! Thy glories increase at once sacrificers like me (become at once increasers for sacrificers like me).

This is the tenth Rik.

10. evā hyasya kāmyā stoma uktham ca samsyā, indrāya somapitaye.
    eva hi asya kāmyā stomaḥ uktham ca samsyā indrāya soma’pitaye.

eva hi so indeed, according to our practice; asya Indra’s; kāmyā fit to be desired for, desirable, dear; stomaḥ lauds of affirmation, sāma; uktham ca words of illumination, sk; samsyā are to be sung ; why: indrāya for Indra; somapitaye for his drinking of the soma; his acceptance of soma, auspicious to all, promotes the growth of light, power and attainment of the divine progeny for the sacrificer, Rishi. This will become undoubtedly substantiated on a study of the meaning of the mantras of this hymn.

Tr. Thus indeed are to be sung for him the desirable chants and words, that Indra may drink the soma.

Thus ends the sixteenth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 9

In the third Section, the second hymn beginning with indrehi has ten Riks. The seer, metre and the Deity are as before.

1. indrehi matsyandhaso viśvebhiḥ somaparvabhiḥ, mahān abhiştirojasā.
   indra ā ihi matsi andhasaḥ visvebhiḥ somaparva’bhiḥ mahān abhiştiḥ ojasā.

indra O Indra, ehi come; andhasaḥ with foods constituted of soma enjoyable (instrumental case difference); matsi to be intoxicated and delighted; viśvebhiḥ by all; somaparvabhiḥ with those whose limbs or joints are full of soma sap-come with these gods and with them accepting the soma, be delighted; thence; ojasā with patent strength; mahān becoming mighty; abhiştiḥ you will over-come the foes.

ojasā from the root ubi or oj in the sense of the patently clear or accumulating.

abhiştiḥ from the root is with the prefix abhi; işti, a word in the abstract, denotes the future.

somaparvabhih: with full juice of soma; andhasaḥ with foods-this is the explanation of the ancients. They justify it following the root-meaning parva to fill. parva is limb, therefore body, joint of the limbs; it is used both ways in the Veda, e.g., Sayana’s commentary on 1.61.12; 4.19.9; 7.103.5; 10.163.6.

Tr. Come Indra with all the soma-limbed gods, be delighted with the foods, mighty with strength you will overcome.

This is the second Rik.

2. emenam spjatā sute mandimindrāya mandine, cakrim viśvāni cakraye.
   ā im enam spjata sute mandim indrāya mandine cakrim visvā ni cakraye.

He addresses his colleagues engaged in the inner sacrifice. im to complete the metrical step; sute when the libation is completed, the pressed out juice is purified; enam mandim this delightful juice; indraya for Indra ; assjata make over, give for ascension ; delightful of what kind ? cakrim capable of doing good action (kļ reduplicated. The affix kim to denote tendency; rest is Vedic); to Indra of what kind ? mandine the cause of delight or rejoicing visvāni cakraye to the doer of all actions. All that are to be created in himself by the inner sacrificer, for his ascent through the consecration of the essence of his experiences, are effected by Indra delighting, the creator.

Tr. When the libation is ready, pour out the delightful soma of good action for Indra, the delighting, doer of all actions.

This is the third Rik. .

3. matsvā susipra mandibhiḥ stomebhirvisvacarşaņe, sacaişu savaneşvā.
   matsva su’sipra mandi’bhiḥ stomebhiḥ visva’carşaņe sacă eșu savaneșu ā.

susipra fair of chin, or fair of nose (sipra means chin or nose); by a part of the face, the face is indicated, it means fair of face, indicating handsomeness ; visvacarşaņe (this is mentioned in the lexicon in the sense of seeing) seer of all, Indra; matsva delight thyself or become attractive; with what? mandibhiḥ with gladdening or attractive stomebhiḥ our lauds; and also sacā along with your emanations or other gods (this is to be taken in purport); eșu in these; savaneșu sacrifices, adorations to the Godhead; ā come and be present. O all-seeing, delighted by our gladdening lauds, being charming of face, give thy presence in our inner sacrifices in our acts of the adoration of the Godhead; this is the sense.

Tr. Fair of face, O All-seer, be delighted with the gladdening lauds. Be present in these sacrifices, accompanied.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. asṛgramindra te giraḥ prati tvā mudahā sata, ajosā vşsabham patim.
   asṛgram indra te giraḥ prati tvām ut ahā sata ajoșāḥ vşşabham patim.

indra O Indra ; te to thee; giraḥ songs; asr gram I have created (ga for ja is Vedic and augment ra); and these songs tvām prati towards thee dwelling in heaven ; udahā sata went upward (ohang in the sense of movement, aorist, Vedic); ajoșāḥ thou hast partaken of them, of those lauds (juş to be pleased, to partake, Imperfect, Vedic); of what kind art thou whom the songs reached upward and attained? orsabham showerer; again of what kind ? patim who guards, protects.

Tr. O Indra, I have created the songs for Thee. They went up to Thee, showerer and protector, and thou hast partaken of them.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. sañcodaya citramarvāgrādha indra varenvam, asaditte vibhu prabhu.
   sam codaya citram arvāk rādhaḥ indra varenyam asat it te vi’bhu pra’bhu.

indra O Indra; citram varied; vareņyam best; rādhaḥ wealth; arvāk towards us; sañcodaya impel well; this is not the worldly wealth e.g., cows, etc.; it is special to Indra; the third line describes its nature; te thine, this wealth; asat it it is indeed (as to be, Vedic present); what kind is it ? vibhu it is spread out and also prabhu is intense; intensity refers to the wealth, the form of lordship that shines eminently, concentrated at one place; but the spreading out means the wealth that is extended, glorious in its pervasion. Thus Indra’s wealth is of both kinds; it cannot be obtained-even a little of it-without the impulsion from the Lord. The rest is to be inferred by the intelligent.

Tr. Indra, impel towards us thy varied and superb wealth which is verily pervasive and intense.

Thus ends the seventeenth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik in the hymn.

6. asmāntsu tatra codayendra rā ye rabhasvataḥ, tuvidyumna yaśasvataḥ
   asmān su tatra codaya indra rā ye rabhasvataḥ tuvi’dyumna yaśasvataḥ.

indra O Indra; tuvidyumuna many-lustred, of picturesque splendour (tuvi is a synonym for many, dyumnam is lustre); asmān us, thy lauders; tatra there, where thy pervasive and masterly wealth obtains; su excellent; codaya impel; for what purpose ? rāve for the wealth with features stated earlier ; of what kind ? rabhasvatah (genitive sing. in the sense of dative) fast in speed (rabh in the sense of speed i.e., engaged with fast speed); again yasasvataḥ celebrated (genitive in the sense of dative).

In the earlier Rik it was stated "impel, sañco-daya, towards us the pervasive and masterly wealth obtaining in thy home’. In this Rik it is said impel sucodaya, us towards that very wealth. That luminous wealth is there on high; when it was to be obtained by us, it needs the stimulation of Indra, its master. Thereby it will come for our sake. We too have to get there. There too we can have no power to go without the implusion of Indra. Both ways there is going and coming. The coming down here of the wealth above and our going up from here, both are possible by the impulsion of Indra’s doing. The two adjectives, rabhasvataḥ and yasas-vataḥ are there to indicate the capacity for rapid movement and the celebrity of the ’wealth’so impelled. They are not adjectives of asmān, us. It is clumsy to explain it as the lauders themselves saying successful ones, we pray with intensity, so impel thy wealth’. The nature of that wealth of Indra will be spoken of later on also.

Tr. O many-lustred Indra, impel us well thereto for the wealth rapid in movement and celebrated.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. sam gomadindra vājavadasme psthu Śravo bịhat, viśvāyurdhehyakṣitam.
   sam go’mat indra vāja’vat asme iti pșthu Śravaḥ bịhat visva’āyuḥ dhehi akşitam.

indra O Indra; asme to us; sandhehi join, connect uninterruptedly, the wealth spoken of earlier ; there are adjectives to that wealth; gomat full of ray of knowledge; vājavat opulent; join also pěthu large extended, gravaḥ hearing of divine inspiration, bshat mighty in prowess; and aksitam undecaying ; visvāyuḥ life-span of all, life of all, connect with us. The prayer is for the establishment of universal life in the individual sacrificer. In the gross interpretation fravaḥ is taken as wealth and gomat, etc. are taken as its adjectives.

Tr. O Indra, join to us the luminous and opulent (wealth), the mighty hearing of divine inspiration, the unaecaying life of All.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. asme dhehi śravo bịhaddyumnam sahasrasā tamam, indra tā rathiniriṣaḥ.
   asme iti dhehi śravaḥ bịhat dyumnam sahasra’sātamam, indra tāḥ rathiniḥ işaḥ,

indra O Indra ; asme to us; bịhat mighty, ṣtavaḥ hearing caused by divine inspiration; dhehi bear, that is, give; sahasrasā tamam exceedingly capable of being enjoyed by many--many being indicated by the number thousand; dyumnam light or lustre; rathini” those with ratha, chariot, are rathini i.e., fast-moving ; işaḥ impulsions, give; tāḥ those prayed for earlier in the words : ’Impel well. Here the term isaḥ is taken by the ritualist as food and accordingly its adjective is explained as endowed with many chariots.

Tr. O Indra, give us the mighty hearing, the Light enjoyable by thousands, the impulsions fast-moving, aforesaid.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. vasorindram vasupatim girbhirgrnanta ?gmiyam, homa gantāramūtaye.
   vasoḥ indram vasu’ patim giḥ bhiḥ grņantaḥ rgmiyam homa gantāram ūtaye.

vasoḥ of treasures (the inner wealth to the extent obtained); ūteye for the increase; indram Indra; homa we call (the form derived from hve to challenge as well as to go; the present tense is Vedic); engaged in what ? girbhirgrnantaḥ praising with songs; Indra of what kind ? vasupatim the protector of treasures; and again, rgmiyam who measures the Rik (he who measures out the șk is rgmiḥ, according to Sayana); worship is Rik, with that (according to Skandaswami deserving of lauds); again of what kind ? gantāram he who is prone to the sacrificer or his sacrifice.

Skandaswami has the prose order as vasoḥ vasupatim; just as the word praviņa by itself means well-versed in the viņā (stringed instrument, there is the usage vināvām praviņa, likewise there is the use of vasoḥ vasupatih.

Tr. Praying with songs, we call Indra prone to us, for the increase of the treasures, the protector of wealth, who measures the Riks.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. sutesute nyokase bịhadbſhata edariḥ, indrāya sūşamarcati.
    sute’ sute ni’okase bșhat bịhate ā it ariḥ indrāya sūşam arcati.

sute sute wherever the soma is pressed out; indrāya for Indra who drinks the soma; ariḥ the sacrificer (he who goes, iyarti, towards what is to be done, that is who is striving -all this has been stated before) ; sūşam strength (related to Indra); arcati praises; what kind of strength ? bịhat mighty; to Indra of what kind ? nyokase to him whose dwelling is determined ; bịhate to the mighty (in form and by nature); the fixed luminous home of Indra is the world of Svar; its nature described before is to be recalled.

The alphabet ā and the word it are there for metrical exigencies.

Tr. Wherever there is soma libation for Indra, mighty, with fixed dwelling, the sacrificer lauds the mighty strength.

Thus ends the eighteenth Group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 10

Beginning with gāyanti, this is the third hymn--with twelve Riks-in Section three. The metre is anuştub, Rishi and Deity as before.

1. gāyanti tvā gāyatripoʻrcantyarkamarkiñaḥ, brahmānastvā satakrata udvamsamiva yemire.
   gāyanti tvā gāyatriņaḥ arcanti arkam arkinaḥ brahmānah tvā satakrato iti sata’krato ut vamsam’iva yemire.

satakrato O doer of many (indicated by the figure hundred) conscious actions; tvā thee; gāyatriņaḥ the singers; gāyanti hymn with samans; arkinaḥ adoring with the Rik mantras; arkam adorable thee; arcanti laud ; brahmāraḥ the seers of the mantras who have directly realised the mantra indicated by the term brahma; tvām thee; udyemire climb up and attain; an instance thereto: vamsamiva like the bamboo, as they ascend the stairway constructed of bamboo; vamsa is bamboo, the substance; its product, the stairway-means of ascension is also connoted by the bamboo, its substance. This is a common usage in the Veda. In "Mix the happy flowings with cows’ (9.46.4), Sayana explains: with cows, that is with the products of cows, the milk, soma is processed.’ The idea is that they ascend, step by step, Indra himself like a huge mountain with steps. The mantra yat sānoḥ sānum, from plateau to plateau, confirms this meaning clearly. The older interpretation is: just as the acrobats dancing at the top of the bamboo, raise the ripe bamboo high or just as those who tread the path of the good raise aloft their clan, even so. The coherence of meaning is to be searched for.

Tr. O Satakratu, the singers hymn thee, they who worship with Riks laud thee; the seers of the mantra rise and attain thee like the bamboo.

This is the second Rik.

2. yat sānoḥ sānumāruhadbhūryaspașța kartvam, tadindro artham cetati yüthena uṛṣnirejati.
   yat sānoḥ sānum ā aruhat bhūri aspașța kartvam tat indraḥ artham cetati pūthena vşşņiḥ ejati.

yat when; sānoh from one level of the hill; sānum another level, plateau situated higher ; āruhat climbs-the Rishi who travels on the path of the inner sacrifice (imperfect in the sense of the present tense); bhūri much; kartvam to be done (action) work of ascension; aspaşta he touched (spaś to touch, imperfect in the sense of the present tense); it became patent that there is much left yet to be climbed; tat then; indraḥ Indra; artham the object of the ascent, the purpose, the lofty home that is to say ; cetati awakens (causal is implied) makes conscious, manifest; and then vrsniḥ the showerer Indra; yūthena with the host, with the company of the gods who are his own emanations (the cohort of the Maruts according to Sayana); ejati he shakes, moves somewhat; that is he sets out towards the Rishi who desires him, to favour and to hear his words.

The intimate connection between these two Riks becomes clear in the context of the inner sacrifice and they have been commented upon as such. Further elaboration is not done for fear of length. When the embodied person gets to the upward path by following a gradual discipline, as he ascends higher and higher the much to be attained becomes clear. In that state Indra, the king of the gods, ’moves’, with his host to lead the devotee to the perfect destination of heaven. Having indicated a little secret of the sadhana, the Rishi praises Indra till the end of the hymn.

Tr. When he climbs from plateau to plateau, he contacts the much to be done. Then Indra manifests the objective, the showerer moves with his troop.

This is the third Rik.

3. yukşvā hi kesinā hari vrşaņā kakşyaprā, athā na indra somapā girāmupasrutim cara.
   yukṣva hi kesinā hari iti vſșaņā kakşya’prā atha naḥ indra soma’ pāḥ girām upa’srutim cara.

somapāḥ O drinker of soma; indra Indra ; hari thy pair of bay-steeds; yukṣva hi harness indeed (the elision of snam is Vedic); what kind of bay-steeds ? kesinā with manes, superb hair hanging in the region of the neck; again of what kind ? vịşanā who pour, who drench with their prowess; again of what kind? kaksyaprāḥ of developed limbs (kaksyā is the cord tied round the girth; they fill it; hence this adjective is to denote the plumpness of the body); atha then, after the marshalling of the yoked steeds ; naḥ our; girām of the lauds; upaśrutim within earshot; cara come, come within the ranges where our lauds become audible to thy ear. That the horse is the symbol of life-force is known to us. It is to be remembered that the steeds of Indra have a special brightness.

kesinau : by the mane are shaken off flies, mosquitoes, etc., the forces of inertia.

vṛşanau : who increase the strength of the inner sacrificer.

kakṣvaprā being well-nourished they carry the king of the Gods without fatigue to favour the sacrificer. The mode of grasping the meaning is indicated. The rest would be clear to the intelligent.

Tr. Indra, drinker of soma! yoke the bay steeds, maned, powerful, well-developed in limb; come within the earshot of our praises.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. ehi stomān abhi svarābhi grņihyā ruva, brahma ca no vaso sacendra yajñam ca vardhaya.
   ā ihi stomān abhi svara abhi grņihi ā ruva brahma ca naḥ vaso iti sacā yajñam ca vardhaya.

indra O Indra; ehi come ; stomān our praises; abhisvara face them and sound the word of approval Om; “Om is the word of approval, chanting Om he rises” say the followers of the Chandogya (svara does not mean the ordinary word, there is a speciality, it is to be noted it means sound of the chantful Om); thus after the approval, abhigrņihi āruva praise on all sides, sound everywhere (Skanda-swamin’s explanation that being a purposeful nominative, Indra is the subject in both the places, is more appropriate-you yourself chant, sound); vaso who art treasure, who art the treasure to be obtained by one and all (if possession is implied), wealthy one, (Skandaswamin explains the word vasiştha in Satapatha from vasu, as a superlative name); naḥ our ; brahma mantra; ca and; yajñam sacrifice; ca and ; sacā with; vardhaya make it increase.

The word of mantra is to be obtained by knowledge and is also the means of acquiring knowledge. Yajna is sacrifice; it is to be obtained by following the discipline of yoga and is also the means of acquiring that discipline. Both of these are attainable by the devotee by the grace of Indra. Therefore increase, is the prayer.

Tr. Come, Indra, sound thy approval of our praises; accept them on all sides. O treasure, increase our word of Mantra along with our sacrifice.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. ukthamindrāya samsyam vardhanam purunișşidhe, ś akro yathā suteșu ņo rāraṇat sakhyeșu ca.
   uktham indrāya samsyam vardhanam puruniḥ’sidhe sakrah yathā suteșu naḥ raranat sakyheșu ca.

indrāya to Indra; uktham the Rik called sastra ; samsyam is to be said; what kind of hymn ? vardhanam by signification increaser of Indra ; the deity to be adored increases in the practitioner when lauded; to Indra of what kind ? purunişşidhe to the annuller, dispeller of many enemies (the preposition niḥ has the meaning of ni, șid to go, kệt termination); how is it to be said ? even as the father delights in his children or a friend among his friends ; sakraḥ Indra the capable (from sak); naḥ in us; suteșu among sons; sakhyeşu and among friendships; yathā rāraṇat as he would sport; it is to be said as he would do so (rāraṇat, ram, reduplicated, ma becomes ņa, Vedic Present).

Tr. The Rik that increases is to be said to Indra the dispeller of many foes, that he, capable, may take delight in us as he would among sons and friendships.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. tamitsakhitva imahe tam rāye tam suvirye, sa sakra uta naḥ śakadindro vasu dayamānaḥ.
   tam it sakhi’tve imahe tam rāye tam su’virye sa ś akraḥ uta naḥ sakat indraḥ vašu dayamānāḥ.

tamit the very Indra ; sakhitve for friendship; (locative in the sense of purpose); imahe we seek; tam him; rāye for wealth (we seek); tam him; suvirye for auspicious capacity (locative in the sense of purpose) (we seek); uta and again; saḥ sakraḥ the mighty; indraḥ Indra; vasu treasure, divine and excellent; naḥ for us; dayamānaḥ spreading ; sakat becomes strong.

Tr. The very Indra we seek for friendship, for wealth, for auspicious capacity. And he, mighty Indra, becomes strong spreading wealth for us.

Thus ends the nineteenth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. suvivstam sunirajamindra tvādātamidyas aḥ, gavāmapa vrajam vşdhi kļrușva rādho adrivaḥ.
   su’vivịtam suniņajam indra tvā’dātam it yaśaḥ gavām apa vrajam vệdhi kļņușva rādhāḥ adri’vaḥ.

indra O Indra ; yaśaḥ thy glory (the pervasion spreading the prowess is just his yaśas); suvivịtam well unveiled, patent; sunirajam capable of coming out with ease, able to spread unobstructed (form derived from the root aj in the sense of movement with prepositions su and niḥ); tvādātam it cleansed by thee indeed (daip in the sense of cleaning, past passive participle used as predicate); Vritra and his powers who assail thy glory are dispelled; by that cleansing, thy glory shines around us unobstructed; this is the purport; hereafter he speaks of the action to be done by Indra himself; adrivaḥ O accompained by the thunderbolt denoted by the mountain, one who has the hill - Vedic possessive; the hill where the kine was concealed is now come under thy control, therefore it is meet that he is called as one with the hill, the master of the hill (the hill, be it remembered, is the symbol of the Inconscient); gavām of the rays of knowledge; vrajam dwelling place; apavşdhi open its doors; tādhaḥ wealth in the form of prosperity or of success; kļņușva make, acquire; rādha from rādh fourth or ninth conjugation.

The light that has spread around us is thy glory which is now cleansed by thyself with the elimination of the foes. Open the gates of their home and release for us the rays of the divine consciousness and thus get us fulfilment. This is the meaning in brief. In the gross interpretation yaśaḥ is taken as food and somehow a purport is brought out.

Tr. O Indra, thy glory is manifest well. Unobstructed in its movement it has been verily cleansed by thee. O master of the hill, open the gate of the home of the kine, get us wealth.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. na hi tvā rodasi ubhe rghāyamāņaminvataḥ, jeṣaḥ svarvatirapaḥ sangā asmabhyam dhūnuhi.
   na hi tvā rodasi iti ubhe iti rghāyamāṇam invataḥ jeṣaḥ svar’vatiḥ apaḥ sam gāḥ asmabhyam dhūnuhi.

O Indra ! rodasi heaven and earth, ubhe even both of them; rghāyamāņam standing formidable ; tvā thee; na hi invataḥ do not encompass, cannot hold (the particle nahi in the sense of negative); thou svarvatiḥ svar is sun of the sun-world, hence luminous ones of that world; apaḥ waters i.e., the powers flowing with light-symbolised by the word water-that sustain and nourish the universe; jeṣaḥ winnest (Vedic Present of jay, hope thou winnest; essentially, the act of conquest is at all times and so it is in the present tense) ; note that the conquest of waters of said features follows the breaking of the hill of Tamas in the form of Vritra covering the light of consciousness. Hence, he says, asmabhyam towards us; gāh the rays of Knowledge; sandhūnuhi impel.

ṛghāyamānam : the commentators say doing harm to the enemy: ’The killer of men is nshā, then na elides, ha changes to gha, so rgha; then the derivative to denote becoming what is not already there; then atmanepada, present participle – So runs Sayana’s derivation.

Tr. Indra, heaven and earth cannot encompass thee when formidable. Thou winnest the waters of Svar. Impel towards us the rays of knowledge.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. āśrutkarņa s rudhi havam nū ciddadhişva me giraḥ, indra stomamimam mama kşşvā yujaşcidantaram.
   aštut karņa srudhi havam nu cit dadhişva me giraḥ indra stomam imam mama kļşva yujaḥ cit antaram.

ā śrutkarna he whose ears listen from every-where; indra Indra; me my; havam call; śrudhi listen; nu soon; accustomed to quick hearing, his ears are sharp, not dull, hence quick hearing is prayed for; giraḥ cit even lauds; dadhisva bear (Vedic form) bear in mind; yujaḥ of the friend attached to thee; mama my; imam this; stomam laud; antaram cit even very close; kļşva make (antaram is near, hence ā sannam close, says Sayana; that is to say dear, cherished; the elision of ta, in the degrees of comparison tara and tama is Vedic; vide also the usage antamānām).

The hearing of the call, bearing of the praises in mind, accepting the laud as cherished - this is the process of three steps in the laud of the Rishi and its acceptance by Indra, it is to be noted, follows that process.

Tr. Hear my call, Indra of wide ears, hold also the praises, keep close too this laud of mine who am attached to thee.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. vidmā hi tvā vşşantamam vājeşu havanaśrutam, vrşantamasya hūmaha ūtim sahasrasā tamām.
    vidma hi tvā vşşan’ tamam vājeşu havana’srutam vşşan’tamasya hūmahe ūtim sahasra’sātamām.

indra O Indra; tvā thou; vȚşantamam showerer in plenty of divine wishes; vājeșu in opulences caused; havanaśrutam who hearest the call (both adjectives used predicatively); vidma we know (ma is substituted for maḥ); hi because we know this; vşşantamasya of thee who showerest plentifully; ūtim the increase by thee; hūmahe we call; what kind of increase? sahasrasātamām gives thousandfold in abundance; thousand indicates varied wealth.

Tr. O Indra, we know thee in opulences as the hearer of the call, as the superb Pourer. Hence we invoke the increase that gives thousandfold of the superb Pourer.

This is the eleventh Rik.

11. ā tū na indra kausika mandasānaḥ sutam piba, navyamāyuḥ pra sū tira kļdhi sahasrasāmpşim.
    ā tu naḥ indra kausika mandasānaḥ sutam piba navyam āyuḥ pra su tira kļdhi sahasra’sām rşim.

Citing the story that responding to the prayer of Kushika, son of Eshiratha Indra himself was born as his son, Vishvamitra, the commentators find it fit to take the word kausika in this Rik as vocative of Indra. In many of the hymns of the Rig Veda the Rishi, the adorer, calls the adored Deity by his own name. And this is the reason : as the adored Deity takes birth in the person who adores, the Rishi deals with that Deity, directly realised, by his own name. That is he looks upon the Deity as his own form. And again, when the Rishi calls the Deity by his own name or the name of his clan, it is the secondary meaning that is more apposite both to the Rishi and the Deity. Gotama, Jamadagni, Bharadwaja are the examples thereto. In the present case the son of the family of Kushika is Kaushika Madhucchandas. Kaushika is he who is born of the kośa, sheath of the Rishi, physical sheath or the universal sheath. Now the meaning of the Rik becomes clear.

indra O Indra; kauśika Kaushika; naḥ for us; ā come; lu for metrical exigency; being of what kind ? mandasānaḥ (the termination asānac on mand) delighting; having come, sutam piba drink the pressed out soma; navyam adorable, best, new or fresh; āyuḥ life (ours); prasutira increase superbly (according to Sayana, tar changed to tir) and also; sahasrasām enjoyer of thousand; rșim seer of the beyond the senses; krdhi do. When the sight of what is beyond the senses is achieved there comes the attainment of thousandfold riches; hence it is said get for me such seerhood.

Tr. Come for us, Indra, son of Kushika, delighting take the libation. Increase our new life, create the seer, enjoyer thousandfold.

This is the twelfth Rik.

12. pari tvā girvaro gira imā bhavantu visvataḥ, vsddhā vumanu vșddhayo juştā bhavantu juştayaḥ.
    pari tvā giovaſuḥ giraḥ imāḥ bhavantu visvataḥ vśddha’āyum anu vddhayaḥ juştāḥ bhavantu juştayaḥ.

girvaṇaḥ O adorable by songs, sharer of lauds; vişvataḥ in every way, in all states, in all adorations; imāḥ mine; giraḥ praises ; tvā pari around thee; bhavantu may attain; what kind of praises ? vsddhāyum of lengthened life (in us); anu following; vặddhayaḥ increasing; juştāḥ taken to, accepted by thee with love; juştayaḥ causes of love; bhavantu may they become (the secret is that thy love alone is the cause of our love).

Tr. Adorable by lauds, may my praises attain to thee on every side, in all states, increasingly following thee of lengthened life, may they, accepted with love, become the source of love.

Thus ends the twentieth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 11

Now the hymn beginning with indram visvā in anushtubh metre, has eight Riks. The seer is Jeta, son of Madhucchandas, Indra again is the deity.

This is the first Rik.

1. indram visvā avivſdhantsamudravyacasam giraḥ, rathi tamam rathinām vājānām satpatim patim.
   indram visvāḥ avivsdhan samudra’vyacasam giraḥ rathi’tamam rathinām vājānām sať patim patim.

viśvā ḥ all; giraḥ lauds; indram Indra; avivsdhan have increased; the deity, as he is lauded grows in him who lauds, the receptacle; of what kind is he? samudravyacasam pervading like the sea; better meaning would be all pervading like the sky, mid-region-samudra is used in the sense of the sky (derivation of vyac in the sense of pervading); again, rathinām in the midst of those with chariots; rathitamam superbly charioted; that ratha is derived from ramh in the sense of speed has already been mentioned; this adjective is to demonstrate that he is not inactive like the all-pervading sky but fast-going everywhere; and again vājānām patim of varied opulences, protector, lord; and also satpatim the protector, the lord of all existences, of all that are created.

Tr. All lauds have increased Indra, pervading like the sea, most charioted among those with chariots, the lord of riches, lord of all existences.

This is the second Rik.

2. sakhye ta indra vājino mā bhema savasaspate, tvāmabhi pra nonumo jetāramaparājitam.
   sakhye te indra vājinaḥ mā bhema savasaḥ pate tvām abhi pra nonumaḥ jetāram aparā’ jitam.

savasaḥ pate O Lord of luminous strength; indra Indra; te thine ; sakhye being in friendship; vājinaḥ prosperous we; mā bhema may not fear (elision of ai Vedic) may we not be afraid of foes; tvām thee; abhipraņonumaḥ laud excellently on every side; thee of what kind ? jetāram conqueror everywhere; aparājitam undefeated. Here the devotee, Rishi, praises the Lord in his own name. The technique explained earlier, is to be kept in mind.

Tr. Lord of luminous strength, Indra, opulent in thy friendship, may we not be afraid, we laud excellently from all sides thee who art conqueror, undefeated.

This is the third Rik.

3. pūrvirindrasya rātayo na vi dasyantyūtayaḥ, yadi vājasya gomataḥ stotȚbhyo mamhate magham.
   pūrviḥ indrasya rātayaḥ na vi dasyanti ūtayaḥ yadi vājasya go’mataḥ stot’bhyaḥ mamhate magham.

indrasya of Indra; rātayaḥ gifts (ra to give) ; þūrviḥ many; many are the gifts of his Grace; or else, ancient gifts, natural to him; therefore he, Indra, stotạbhyaḥ for the devotees; gomataḥ endowed with the rays of knowledge; vājasya of wealth denoting opulence, a part of it; magham treasure; mamhate gives; yadi if; ūtayaḥ his growths constant; na vidasyanti do not diminish. There is no diminution for the countless, ever-increasing riches of Indra inspite of daily gifts. The nature of the wealth is stated by the use of terms gomat luminous with knowledge and vāja riches.

Tr. Plentiful are the gifts of Indra. Even if he gives to his praise-singers the treasure of the wealth bright with knowledge, its growths diminish not.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. purām bhinduryuvā kaviramitaujā ajāyata, indro vis vasya karmaṇo dhartā vajri purușțutaḥ.
   purām bhinduḥ yuvā kaviḥ amita’ojāḥ ajāyata indraḥ viſvasya karmaṇaḥ dhartā vajri puru’stutaḥ.

indra this Indra ; ajāyata became; of what prowess ? distinguished by what quality? purām bhinduḥ breaker of the dwelling cities of the titans; bhindu from the root bhid to break, hence difficult to break, fortressed are the cities; considering that they are to be broken, it is indicated that they are connected with the foes of the gods ; yuvā endowed with youth—insolence is necessary for the destruction of the cities of the titans, that is indicated by youth; kaviḥ seer, seer of what is within all, capable of seeing of the concealed, inaccessible dwelling places of the titans; amitaujāḥ of immeasurable strength; visvasya karmaṇaḥ of universal action; dhartā sustainer; by him alone are sustained all the inner sacrifices in ourselves; vajri thunder-armed for the destruction of enemies like Tamas, darkness, Vritra, etc.; puruşțutaḥ praised or resorted to by praise, by many or in many actions.

Tr. Destroyer of cities, young, seer, unlimited in strength, sustainer of all action, thunder-armed, much-extolled Indra, came to be.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. tvam valasya gomato’pāvaradrivo bilam, tvām devā abibhyușastujyamānāsa āvişuḥ.
   tvam valasya go’mataḥ apa avaḥ adri’vaḥ bilam tvām devāḥ abibhyuşaḥ tujyamānāsaḥ āvişuḥ.

The titan Vala, kindred of Vritra, stole the cows of Light and lodged them in a mountain cave, somewhere in pitch darkness indicating the inconscient. Breaking open the closed door of the hole with the help of the fearless gods, he freed and secured again those cows of Sun (Light) or of Indra. The rays of the light of consciousness are concealed in the holes of inertia in the body pre-ponderantly obscure by a by a titan titan - one of the enemies of the divine light, by a special force which encircles. The cows of the said form are released by means of the mind bright with the light and strength of the Truth-Consciousness, by Indra presiding over it, heaven-homed, entering the concealed and dense hole. This in brief is the significance and explanation of the narrative. The commentary of the hymn surūpakſtnum is to be here borne in mind.

adrivaḥ O thunder-armed; tvam thou; gomataḥ valasya of Vala with cows; bilam cave (hole) ; apāvaḥ didst uncover (uş to cover, imperfect tense Vedic); devāḥ thy aides-Maruts, say the commentators citing the Brahmanas; abibhyuşaḥ fearless (accusative in the sense of nominative) fearless of the enemy; tujyamānāsaḥ means quick, speeding, says Skandaswamin ; tvām āviṣuḥ entered thee.

(Perfect tense of vis: the absence of reduplication is Vedic, sa becomes șa.)

Tr. O thunder-armed, thou thrust open the cave of Vala with the cows; fearless the gods came to thee speeding.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. tavāham sūra rā tibhiḥ pratyāyam sindhumāvadan, upā tişthanta girvaro viduște tasya kāravaḥ.
   tava aham sūra rāti bhiḥ prati āyam sindhum ā’vadan upa atişthanta girvanaḥ viduḥ te tasya kāravaḥ.

girvaṇaḥ adorable by lauds; šūra valorous Indra; tava rātibhiḥ by thy gifts indicative of grace; sindhum thee flowing like a river; Soma, say some commentators; aham pratyāyam I came to, I have come into thy presence; (āyam, imperfect tense of i to go) doing what ? ā vadan chanting, celebrating everywhere thy glory; indeed, I have everywhere carried on the Yoga-pilgrimage by the light, strength and valour obtained by thy grace, hero that thou art; I have attained to thee who art ever flowing with the eternal sap like the river, unscorched by the Asuras who dry up the soma essence in our body, life and mind -- this is the purport. Note the utility of the use of the terms, sūra, hero, sindhum, river; its connection with māyābhiḥ in the next rik is to be grasped; this is thy greatness that those of purified understanding or capable of sacrifice wait upon thee; the Rishis, creators of mantras, know this of thee - says the later half; adorable by words, O Indra, the wise or the sacrificing ones upātişthanta wait upon thee with lauds; tasya of such; te thy glory; kāravaḥ the makers of the lauds; viduḥ know.

Tr. Adorable by praises, hero, by thy bounties I come to thee who art flowing, proclaiming everywhere they wait upon thee, the makers of the lauds know thy glory.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. māyābhirindra māyinam tuam suşnamavātiraḥ, viduşțe tasya medhirāsteṣām śravāmsyuttira.
   māyābhiḥ indra māyinam tvam śuşnam ava atiraḥ viduḥ te tasya medhirāḥ teşām sravāmsi ut tira.

indra O Indra; tvam thou; māyābhiḥ by thy varied intelligences skilful in the search, finding and destruction of deceit; māyinam yariedly deceitful in intelligence; suşnam Asura of this name; avā tiraḥ hast slain (avatirati means the act of killing, says Skandaswamin); thou hast laid him low, is a fitting meaning; medhirāḥ the wise seers; tasya te glory of thee of this kind ; viduḥ they know; teşām of these Rishis; sravāmsi divine hearings; uttira increase, make them superb; like Vala related to Vritra, Shushna, an Asura of that kind, dries up the sap (of beings, say some). The rest has been explained while dealing with sindhum (river). The repetition of viduşte tasya, and the resonance of medhirāḥ, kāravaḥ, would show the connection between the two Riks.

Tr. Indra, thou hast slain with thy (superior) cunning the cunning Shushna. The wise Rishis know this of thee ; increase their hearings.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. indrami sānamojasābhi stomā anūşata, sahasram yasya rātaya uta vā santi bhūyasiḥ.
   indram iśānam ojasā abhi stomāḥ anūşata sahasram yasya rātayaḥ uta vā santi bhūyasiḥ.

ojasā with might; isānam ruler of the universe, lord (present participle of is to rule); indram Indra; stomāḥ the chanters; abhyanūşata praise face to face (aorist in the sense of present tense); yasya of which Indra; rātayaḥ gifts; sahasram thousand, indicating large number; santi are; uta va or; bhūyasiḥ abundant (change in case) are multifold.

Tr. The chanters praise Indra who rules by his might, direct, him whose gifts are plentiful or variedly abundant.

As the purport has been brought out generally while explaining the terms in this hymn, then and there, more elaboration is not intended. Some say that this hymn also is of Madhucchandas and not of his son. Acharya Anandatirtha thinks so. Let the Rishi be Jeta or not. For the understanding of the purport, the difference of opinion regarding the fixing of the seer is of no consequence, especially in view of the sameness of style. The eleven hymns of Maducchandas foremost in the Rik Samhita have been commented upon. Determining the essential principles of the gods Agni, Indra, etc., as postulated in the Introduction, if these hymns are considered, doubtless the line of esoteric exposition would be clear.

Thus ends the twenty-first group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

Thus ends the third Section in the first Circle.

HYMN 12

Now begins the Fourth Section. It has six hymns. The Rishi is Medhatithi, son of Kanva. The first one of twelve Riks beginning with agnim dūtam, in gāyatri metre, is devoted to Agni.

This is the first Rik.

1. agnim dūtam vrņimahe hotāram viſvavedasam, asya yajñasya sukratum.
   agnim dūtam všņimahe hotāram viśva’vedasam asya yajñasya su’kratum.

agnim Agni; vļņimahe we beseech, says Skan-daswamin; it is more apposite to take we wait upon Agni to be our messenger to the gods; of what kind ? dūtam messenger — by signification the adjective has to be taken-hotāram who calls; again visvavedasam knower of All; asya of this current; yajñasya sacrifice; sukratum the auspicious doer; the word kratu is current both in action and in intellect; note the other adjective used, endowed with the knowledge of all; hence it is more appropriate to take in the sense of action.

Tr. We wait upon Agni who knows All, as our messenger, our caller who performs well this our sacrifice.

This is the second Rik.

2. agnimagnim havimabhiḥ sadā havanta vispatim, havyavāham purupriyam.
   agnim’agnim havima’bhiḥ sadā havanta viſpatim havya’vāham puru’ priyam.

agnimagnim (repetition for stressing) Agni himself, everywhere the sacrificing Rishis; havimabhiḥ by hymns of call (the root is hve, the termination is Vedic); sadā always; havanta call (imperfect in the sense of present tense-Vedic); of what kind ? vis patim guardian of the peoples; havyavāham who carries, reaches to the gods the oblations that are being offered by the Yajamana; purupriyam loved of many. In the inner sacrifice, material substances like ghee-oblations, etc. relate in essence to the body, and are to be taken as part or complete offerings. By this offering, the body is made over to the gods. All the rest is easy to understand in the inner context.

Tr. They constantly invoke Agni by hymns of call, Agni, guardian of the people, carrier of the oblation, much beloved.

This is the third Rik.

3. agne devān ihā vaha jajñāno vặktabarhişe, asi hotā na idyaḥ.
   agne devān iha ā vaha jajñānah vrkta’barhişe asi hotā naḥ idyaḥ.

agne O Agni; thou jajñānaḥ being born, that is manifesting in me the inner sacrificer (participle termination on jan perfect tense or jñā, says Skandaswamin); vşktabarhișe to the sacrificer who has spread the seat of grass; devān gods; iha to this my sacrifice; āvaha bring; naḥ our; idyaḥ laudable in adoration; thou hotā summoner of the gods; asi art.

vṛktabarhișe-commented. The readying of the seat at the approach of the gods in the inner sacrifice, etc. have been spoken of while considering the Rik dasrā yuvā kavaḥ (1.3.3.).

Tr. Agni who art born, bring hither the gods for him who has spread the seat of grass; thou art our adored summoner.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. tān usato vi bodhaya yadagne yāsi dütyam, devairā satsi barhiși.
   tān usataḥ vi bodhaya yat agne yāsi dūtyam devaiḥ ā satsi barhiși.

agne O Agni; yat since; whose or for whom dūtyam embassy; yāsi goest, bearest, therefore; tān them; usataḥ the lovers of sacrifice, the gods; vibodhaya awaken; awakening them, with those devaiḥ gods; barhiși in this appropriate and perfect seat; āsatsi sittest, sit (present tense of sid, Vedic).

Tr. Since thou goest on embassy, O Agni, awaken the desirous gods; sit on the altar-seat with the gods.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. ghṛtāhavana didivaḥ prati ṣma rișato daha, agne tvam rakṣasvinah.
   ghṛta’āvahana didi’vaḥ prati sma rișataḥ daha agne tvam raksasvinah.

agne O Agni; ghṛtāhavana who art called by ghee-in the inner sacrifice, Agni is invoked by illumined thought (vide commentary on dhiyam ghștācim, 1.2.7, where ghṛta has been commented upon); didivaḥ luminous (derived from div to shine, perfect tense, the rest is Vedic); prati active contrarily; rișataḥ the foes (present participle of riṣ to torment); tvam daha sma burn them (or sma for metrical exigencies); foes of what kind? raksasvinaḥ demon-possessed (termination vin in the possessive sense upon the word rakṣa.)

Tr. Invoked by the ghee of luminous thought, O bright Agni, burn up the foes that are contrary and demoniac.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. agnināgniḥ samidhyate kavirgshapatiryuvā, havyavād juvhā syaḥ.
   agninā agnih sam idhyate kavi” gsha’patiḥ yuvā havya’vāt juhu’āsyaḥ.

agniḥ the Agni who is to be invoked, called for the accomplishment of the inner sacrifice, the radiant one of the home of Truth-Consciousness; agninā by the Agni who is churned within the sacrificer by his force of askesis; samidhyate is well enkindled; Agni is to be obtained by Agni in the manner of “Tapas is Brahman, seek to know it by Tapas’; he is difficult to get for the idle; the sacrifice to Agni comes naturally to the Aryan Rishi who is striving; Agni of what kind ? kaviḥ seer beyond the senses; gṛhapati lord of the house; when the sacrificer effects a total surrender of himself to Lord Agni by all means, Agni becomes the master of his dwelling, protector of his house ; yuvā eternally young; havyavāț carrier of the offerings (already explained) ; juhvāsyaḥ his tongue is his mouth, the tongue being the flame; for Agni that itself is the mouth ( juhu írom hu); flames that is tongues, says Sayana (1.58.4); he drank by his flames spreading above (5.1.3).

Tr. Agni is enkindled by Agni, Seer, lord of the house, youthful, carrier of the offering, the flame-tongue for his mouth.

Thus ends the twenty-second Group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the seventh Rik in this hymn.

7. kavimagnimupa stuhi satyadharmāṇamadhvare, devamamivacātanam.
   kavim agnim upa stuhi satya’dharmā ņam adhvare devam amiva’cā tanam.

agnim Agni; upa approach; stuhi praise; the Rishi calls and speaks to his comrade performing the inner sacrifice or to his own inner being ; Agni of what kind ? kavim seer of things beyond the senses; adhvare in the sacrifice that yields the divine path to the performer ; satyadharmāņam him whose law is the Truth, the Right alone; (more is not said in explanation for fear of length, but this is to be noted; the law of Truth alone is the supreme good; it is for that only that all the practices of the Rishi are gone through; the saying in the Upanishad ’for the law of Truth, for sight’ is to be pondered over in this connection); devam bright; amivacātanam the destroyer of those that afflict or of the diseases (termination va and i on am disease); they say it is the causal form of cat to beg, but Sayana says cātayate destroys in He destroys the coverers’ (4.17.9). Elsewhere also it is likewise.

Tr. Approach and laud Agni, Seer, of Truth-Law, bright in sacrifice, destroyer of afflictions.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. yastvāmagne havişpatirdūtam deva saparyati, tasya sma prāvitā bhava.
   yaḥ tvām agne haviḥ patiḥ dūtam deva saparyati tasya sma pra’avitā bhava.

agne O Agni ; deva god; yaḥ havispatiḥ the sacrificer who owns the oblation; the oblation is the substance fit to be offered to Agni; the symbolism has been explained before; dūtam the envoy to the gods, for our sake; tvām thee; saparyati worships, tasya of the sacrificer who offers the oblation; prāvitā increaser par excellence; bhava sma thou art; or sma is used for metrical exigencies.

Tr. O God, Agni, to the owner of oblation who worships thee the envoy, thou art the increaser in excelsis.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. yo agnim devavitaye havişmān āvivā sati, tasmai pāvaka mṛlaya.
   yaḥ agnim deva’vitaye havişmān ā’vivāsati tasmai pāvaka mṛļaya.

yaḥ he who; haviṣmān with oblation, the sacrificer; devavitaye to the sacrifice in which the gods arrive (bahuvrihi compound; so adjective of sacrifice’ understood); agnim Agni; āvivāsati attends on (the causal sense is implied, the root vā is in the sense of movement, hence the root meaning is he wishes to make him come, and such a desire itself culminates in attendance; therefore it is so explained in the Nighantu); tasmai to that sacrificer; pāvaka O purifier Agni; mīļaya make for happiness.

The viti (advent) of the gods to the sacrifice becomes verily for their manifestation in the sacrifices. (pāvaka from pu to purify, conventionally used for Agni.) The significance of havis, the substance of offering has been said before.

Tr. To the sacrificer with oblation who waits upon Agni in the sacrifice where the gods arrive, O purifier make for his happiness.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. sa naḥ pāvaka didivo’gne devān ihā vaha, upa yajñam havisca naḥ.
    saḥ naḥ pāvaka didi’vaḥ agne’ devān iha ā vaha upa vajñam haviḥ ca naḥ.

pāvaka O purifier; didivaḥ luminous one; agne Agni; saḥ that thou; naḥ for us (dative in the sense of ‘for the sake of’); devān gods; iha here to our place of sacrifice; āvaha bring; naḥ our; yajñam sacrifice; haviśca and offering; upa near to them, reach.

Tr. Purifier, luminous, O Agni such as thou art, bring the gods here, our sacrifice and offerings to their proximity.

This is the eleventh Rik.

11. sa naḥ stavāna ā bhara gāyatreņa naviyasā, rayim viravatimişam.
    saḥ naḥ stavānaḥ ā bhara gāyatreņa naviyasā rayim vira’vatim işam.

saḥ such thou; navivasā by very new; gāyatrena song of praise (made of gāyatri); stavānaḥ lauded; naḥ for us; ābhara bring, acquire; what is it that is to be brought? rayim treasure; viravatim with hero-strength; işam impelling power.

işam is food according to the gross meaning. But in the subtle it is always impelling strength, power of impulsion. Mere impulsion may be powerless too, hence the adjective viravati, with hero-strength. It is to be noted that by the word vira, vigour is indicated.

rayi, treasure, is primarily, for the inner sacrificer, divine treasure alone. (stavānaḥ present participle of stu to praise, Vedic form.) naviyasā gāyatrera – hymn of praise, not acquired even by the ancients, says Sayana. "Not composed by others before,’ says Skandasvamin.

Tr. So lauded by fresh stanzas of praise, do bring for us wealth, power of impulsion with hero-strength.

This is the twelfth Rik.

12. agne sukreņa sociņā visvābhirdevahūtibhiḥ, imam stomam jușasva naḥ.
    agne śukreņa socişā visvābhiḥ devahūti’bhiḥ imam stomam juşasva naḥ.

agne O Agni; sukreņa with pure sociņā with flame; visvābhiḥ with all devahūtibhiḥ with all lauds for the invocation of the gods (bahuvri hi compound, praises in which are the invocations of the gods); naḥ our; imam this; stomam word of affirmation; jușasva accept, take delight in.

Tr. O Agni with pure white flame, with all the lauds invoking the gods, take delight in this our word of affirmation.

Thus ends the twenty-third Group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 13

We have commented upon the first hymn of Medhatithi, son of Kanva, to Agni. Now begins the second hymn (in gāyatri) again, his, of twelve Riks, named āpri hymns. The Anukramaņikā (Index) has it that there are twelve deities, expounded in each of the Riks. This Apri Sukta is recited amongst the hymns to Agni because it is only Agni who is lauded in his twelve component godheads. Prescribing the victim for the Agniștoma sacrifice, eleven principal sacrificial ceremonies are enjoined in that connection; there he pleases them with Apri hymns, so proclaims the Aitareya school. The sacrificial lauds are mentioned as āpri for the reason that they please the deities of the ceremonies. Thus the application is patent in the grosser view, so also the meaning of the mantras is easily found to be coherent. Only the subtler sense has to be discussed. How is Agni to be established in the sacrificer? Of what kind is the form of the sacrificer ? Of what kind is the activity of Agni? If the truth of these is firmly grasped, doubtless the secret of the Apri mantras will be clear without difficulty. The self, atman, who gleams within, using, enjoying and presiding over the triad of mind, life and body, that jiva is the sacrificer, the Purusha. When he turns his activities, because of maturity, to acquire the grace of the gods for the divine riches and the divine birth, the aspiration in his heart becomes acute. It flames up specially as a result of thought completely overpowered by devotion or force of askesis or both. When the aspiration of the jiva desirous of Godhead is there aflame, the Lord himself becomes the seer and revealer of all-Seer’, Kavi’; the kratu, will, he who does, he who causes to be done what is to be done, becomes manifest. That is why the mantra-vision Agni is kindled by Agni’. And after this Agni takes birth in the sacrificer, gradually he himself takes over all the burden of the sacrificer and effects the work. He is the summoner, the priest in the front, the Truth, the Truth-lawed, the master of the house; the purpose of all these adjectives would now be easily understood. Once born, he is to be nourished, kindled by our lauds, meditations and works. He alone has to be adored in our works. By all means he has to be pleased. When he is pleased, when he is at work, other godheads emanating from him manifest themselves and reach to the sacrificer their own wealths. They are the āpri deities who are expounded in this hymn. All of them are to be taken as the wealth of Agni himself. The derivation of the word āpri is said to be from the root priñ to please; in that case the meaning of praises is appropriate. The word can be derived as well from the root p? meaning protection, filling up; in that case, the Apri deities are those who fill, who complete the sacrificer. That is to say, these powers of Agni fill the sacrificer with themselves. In “May he fill us from all sides, he who knows” (2.6.8), Sayana’s comment is to be noted : thou who knowest well, fill our wants from all sides.

In this hymn are narrated the Apris, the Samidhas otherwise known as Idhma and others, certain particular powers and personalities that are useful implements for the full manifestation of Agni who has taken birth in the sacrificer, is growing and is undergoing certain special states. This is to be kept in mind. Everywhere in the Apri hymns all the main deities are lauded in order to be present in the sacrifice. They are invoked through the mouth of Agni. Hence the gods are Agni-faced, that is why Apri hymns are said to have Agni for their deity. Though all the gods are only forms of the supreme Godhead, yet it is to be noted that their functions and personalities are distinct. We shall show all this in the course of commenting on the Riks, as far as necessary.

This is the first Rik.

1. susamiddho na ā vaha devān agne havişmate, hotaḥ pāvaka yakși ca.
   su’samiddhaḥ naḥ ā vaha devān agne havişmate hotariti pāvaka yakși ca.

agne O Agni; susamiddhaḥ thou well-kindled, beautiful; naḥ to me (plural is used by change in number); havişmate to the sacrificer with the offerings; devān gods; āvaha bring; hotaḥ O summoner; pāvaka purifier; yakşi ca and sacrifice.

susamiddhaḥ: sam means well, qualifies the act of kindling, so samiddha prepositional compound. The word su denotes auspiciousness and on that karmadhāraya compound.

yakşi: sacrifice, imperative second person singular.

It is said that by the term susamiddha it is Agni of the name idhma that is hinted at. The flame of Agni who is slender in size when born, is increased by praise, meditation, work, application, etc. indicated by fuel. Here it is to be noted that the call to Agni is addressed to the fuel which is instrumental for the increase of Agni. The rest has been said before.

Tr. O Agni, well-kindled, bear the gods to me who has the offerings, summoner! purifier! and sacrifice.

This is the second Rik.

2. madhumantam tanūnapādyajñam deveșu naḥ kave, adyā kṛņuhi vitaye.
   madhu’mantam tanū’napāt yajñam deveșu naḥ kave adya kṛņuhi vitaye.

O Agni! tanūnapāt of this appellation-son of the body; kave seer, seer of all objects ; adya now; naḥ our; madhumantam full of sap, cnjoyable ; yajñam this libation, deveșu amidst the gods, near them; kṛņuhi make, lead; for what purpose, vitaye for their advent.

Give word of this sacrifice to the gods so that they may come. Here by the term tanūnapāt, son of the body, it is Agni himself that is spoken of. Agni who is manifest in our body with the characteristics spoken of earlier is tanūnapāt. Just as in words like ürjonapāt, son of force, apām napāt, son of waters, it is Agni born of the power that is meant, so also he is born of the body of the sacrificer, his son.

Tr. O son of the body! O Seer! lead now our delightful sacrifice among the gods for their advent.

This is the third Rik.

3. narāśamsamiha priyamasminyajña upa hvaye, madhujihvam haviṣkṛtam.
   narā samsam iha priyam asmin yajñe upa hvaye madhu’ jihvam haviḥ’ kṛtam.

narāśamsam Agni of this name; iha asmin yajñe in our sacriſice in progress here; upahvaye I call hither; of what kind ? priyam the pleasing, Agni creates the delight of the gods, is also the cause of delight of the sacrificer; madhujihvam of honied speech, the tongue denotes speech; haviskſtam who creates the offering. The tongue of this Agni is capable of relishing the deliciousness in the offering; even food offering gets ready by Agni alone, hence these two adjectives are appropriate in the gross external ritual. In the inner sense, however, the flame, sweet-tongued as it were, is capable of calling the gods, goes to the luminous path above, reaches the gods and draws them down; even the offering to be made over by the sacrificer, the means of calling the gods is effected by the seer-will Agni himself, the offering made possible by the effort of the sacrilicer is rendered fruitful by Lord Agni alone. Thus the two adjectives are apposite. By narāśamsa Agni alone is meant in the Rik. The derivation is one who is the lauder of the leading gods. By praise of the gods, Agni incites the sacrificer yearning after the Godhead.

Tr. Him, the beloved, I call hither to this sacrifice-he who creates the offerings, possessed of the honied tongue.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. agne sukhatame rathe devān iļita ā vaha, asi hotā manurhitaḥ.
   agne sukha’tame rathe devān iļitaḥ ā vaha asi hotā manuḥ’hitaḥ

agne O Agni; iļitaḥ some say that Agni who is named by the term it is one of the deities expounded in the Apri hymns, the deity called by the term iļita. Though the common meaning of this word is, lauded by us, still it means that desired by us, he is respectfully employed in this sacrifice, the divine work to be done. Hence it is to be taken, as before, the adored. Such one thou sukhatame in the happiest; rathe car of rapid movement; devān seating the gods; āvaha bring. The locative is used in the sense of the instrumental- by the happiest car, the means to bring them. To so bring the gods is the function of Agni. Hence he says hotā summoner; asi thou art, to call is thy law; and also manurhitaḥ established firmly by us by the mantra. man is knowledge, manuḥ that which is known. The substitute su is Vedic. It becomes ru. The derivation is “established by him who knows, the sacrificer".

It is also to be understood that Agni has been established for the conduct of the sacrifice by the Mantra, denoted by the word brahma, arising from speech in the heart. Even today the word manu is well-known in the sense of mantra in the Tantra Sastras. Here it is patent that the adored one is Agni himself.

Tr. O Agni! thou who art adored, bring here the gods in thy happiest car. Thou art the summoner established by the Mantra.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. stṛnita barhirānuşagghſtaprstham mani șiņaḥ, yatrāmộtasya cakşaņam.
   stṛnita barhiḥ ānuşak ghșta’pıştham mani şiņaḥ yatra amſtasya caksanam.

manīṣinaḥ O wise comrades; barhiḥ the sacred grass (in the inner context the sacred grass indicates the seat of the gods) ; strnita spread out, cover the upper portion of the altar, make ready the happy seat on the inner altar. Elsewhere too it is said in 5.5.4-soft like blanket of wool - to indicate that the grass on the altar may become a happy seat for the gods. What kind of holy grass ? ānuşak fastened all round in an orderly manner, tied to each other and compact; ghſtaprşțham with surface luminous (word ghșta indicating brightness) of the seat denoted by the holy grass ; yatra where on the seat; amặtasya of the God eternal, without death, of Agni who abides as the seat on the arrival of the gods; cakşaņam there is vision. That is the inner seat on the altar becomes the station of the vision of immortality.

Tr. Wise comrades ! spread you the holy seat orderly and close-knit, luminous of surface, here is the vision of immortality.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. vi srayantāmstāvsdho dvāro devirasascataḥ, adyā nūnam ca yaşțave.
   vi frayantām staʼvşdhaḥ dvāraḥ deviḥ asaşcataḥ adya nūnam ca yaştave.

It is well known in the Veda that the Sacrifice goes upward. We hear elsewhere also, in the Apri Hymns, the prayer ‘make the sacrifice upward.’ By that is meant the upward movement of the sacriſicer himself. The doors get open for the upward going. They are closed to the man who docs not sacriſice. That is why the sacriſicer prays to the divine Powers for the opening of the doors of the upward journey.

deviḥ the luminous; dvāraḥ doors of the movement of Sacriſice; viśrayantām may they get open; doors of what kind ? stavşdhaḥ increasers of the Truth; asascataḥ, sascati means the sticking action, not stuck together in the frame, that is easy to open; for what purpose ? adya now; nūnam ca without fail; yaştave for the sacrifice.

Tr. May the Divine Doors, increasers of Truth, not stuck up, open now without fail for the sacrifice. Thus ends the twenty-fourth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. naktoșāsā supeśasāsmin yajña upa hvaye, idam no barhirāsade.
   naktoșāsā su’peśasā asmin yajñe upa hvaye idam naḥ barhiḥ ā’sade.

The words nakta and uśas denote night and dawn. The term Night indicates our normal consciousness and the Day denoted by uśas indicates the divine consciousness. All that is manifest in the Day is in the womb of the Night. All that is manifest in the Divine Consciousness is there in the womb of the human consciousness. In this sacrifice I call both the states of consciousness occurring alternately—this is the meaning of the Mantra.

naktoșāsā Night and Day (ākāra is Vedic ; dual of accusative); asmin yajñe in this sacriſice ; upahvaye I call; of what kind ? supeśasā beautiful of form, to be discerned separately, givers of the auspicious; why? naḥ by us spread out, prepared; idam this ; barhiḥ seat; āsade to arrive at.

Abstract compound of sid with prefix ā, for āsat i.e., āsade.

The intelligent would see how such kind of mantra perception bascs lines from the Upanishads like “He who knows That as both in one, the Knowledge and the Ignorance’.

Tr. I call in this sacrifice Night and Day, beautiful of form, to arrive to our Seal.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. tā sujihvā upa hvaye hotārā daivyā kavi, yajñam no yakşatāmimam.
   tā su’jihvau upa hvaye hotārā daivyā kavi iti yajñam naḥ yakşatām imam.

tā they two (ākāra Vedic); sujihvau of auspicious speech; the tongue indicates the speech that calls; daivyā divine, related to god; hotārā sacrificers, invokers, hence special personalities of Agni; kavi who see beyond the senses; upahvaye I call; naḥ our; imam this; yajñam sacrifice ; yakşatām let them conduct. Imperative first person dual-Vedic.

Tr. I call the two Invokers, of auspicious speech, divine, seers; may they conduct our sacrifice.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. iļā sarasvati mahi tisro devirmayobhuvaḥ, barhiḥ sidantvasridhaḥ.
   iļā sarasvati mahi tisraḥ deviḥ mayaḥ’bhuvaḥ barhiḥ sidantu asridhaḥ.

As the three goddesses are heard of elsewhere too in the Apri hymns, as the association of these three is known and as Bharati is celebrated as one of them, Mahi here is undoubtedly Bharati. iļā she of this name ; sarasvati of this appellation ; mahi the great, Bharati; tisraḥ deviḥ three goddesses, divine Powers, Personalities ; barhiḥ the seat made ready; sidantu may they arrive at; of what kind are they? mayobhuvaḥ maya is the term for happiness; generators – bhuvaḥ, implied causal-of that happiness; again of what kind ? asridhaḥ unharmed, unassailed or undrying (the root sridha has both meanings-drying up and harm).

It is to be noted that briefly put, Ila is the divine power of Revelation.¹³

Tr. May Ila, Sarasvati, Mahi, the three Goddesses of delight come to the seat, unharmed.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. iha tvaşțāramagriyam visvarūpamupa hvaye, asmākamastu kevalaḥ.
    iha tvaştāram agriyam visva’rūpam upa hvaye asmākam astu kevalaḥ.

iha here in the sacrifice; tvaştāram god of this name who fashions all forms; upahvaye I call; of what kind ? agriyam the highest ; the Lord who is all the God in himself the fashioner; hence the call is for manifesting new and ever new divine forms in the sacrificer; višvarūpam he whose are all the forms of the universe ; not only does he fashion well all forms but he himself is the material for all the forms; asmā kam kevalaḥ the sole object of our adoration; astu may he be.

The tvaṣtā here who is the sole to us’ looks like the surūpakṛtnu Indra lauded by Madhucchandas. Commentators say he is a special personality of Agni himself; yet - though the supreme Godhead is one, – since the gods assume separate individualisings this god of the heavenly region, deriving from Indra, affecting the work of Indra, identified with him, is the lord of all-especially as the word kevala, absolute, is used.

Tr. I call here Tvashtr, the excellent, the All-Form. May he be absolute to us.

This is the eleventh Rik.

11. ava sȚjā vanaspate deva devebhyo haviḥ, pra da lurastu cetanam.
    ava spja vanaspate deva devebhyaḥ haviḥ pradā tuḥ astu cetanam.

vanaspate O Soma; deva god thou art, hence devebhyaḥ for Indra and other gods; haviḥ our sapful oſſering; avasſja do thou make over ; pradātuḥ so also for the sacriſicer who gives the oblationessence of all experience-purified, fit to be accepted by the divinity; cetanam astu may there be knowledge. Soma’s lordship of the herbs, his being full of sap and so full of bliss, is well known.

The meaning is following the root sense citi samjñāne, samjñāna is direct contactual knowledge. The sense is that may we fully touch and have the knowledge of the divinity and its place of dwelling.

Tr. God Soma, present our oblation to the gods; may the giver have the knowledge.

This is the twelfth Rik.

12. svāhā yajñam kļņotanendrāya yajvano gļhe, tatra devān upa hvaye.
    svāhā yajñam kļņotana indrāya yajvanaḥ gļhe tatra devān upa hvaye.

The Rishi speaks to his colleagues. O sacrificers, indrāya for Indra; yajñam sacrifice; svāhā well offered; kļņotana make; denoting the giving of oblation, the word svāhā denotes good offering which is pleasing to the gods; where? yajvano gṛhe in the house of the sacrificer i.e., in his embodiment of mind, life and body; tatra in the aforesaid house; devān the gods to be sacrificed to; upahvaye I call.

Tr. Make the sacrifice well oblationed to Indra in the home of the sacrificer. Thither I call the gods.

Thus ends the twenty-fifth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 14

In the fourth Section, the third hymn of Medhatithi, son of Kanva, has twelve Riks in gāyatri. It will be clear in the commentary how it is addressed to many deities like Agni.

This is the first Rik.

1. aibhiragne duvo giro viśvebhiḥ somapitaye, devebhiryāhi yakși ca.
   ā ebhih agne duvaḥ giraḥ višvebhiḥ soma’pitaye devebhiḥ yāhi yakşi ca.

agne O Agni; ebhiḥ with these; visvebhiḥ all; devebhiḥ gods; by ebhiḥ all the gods specified before have to be deduced; āyāhi come; yakşi ca and sacrifice (imperative of yaj, Vedic); for what purpose ? somapi laye to drink the Soma; duvaḥ to the act of our endeavour; giraḥ to our lauds, come to them. Come with the gods to receive the delight which is denoted by the word Soma, full of sap, which is the essence of all our lauds and becoming thyself the sacrificer, conduct the sacrifice. That is the purport.

Tr. Agni, come with all these gods to our endeavour, to our lauds, to drink the Soma ; and sacrifice.

This is the second Rik.

2. ā tvā kanvā ahūşata grņanti vipra te dhiyaḥ, devebhiragna ā gahi.
   ā tvā kanvāḥ ahūșata grºanti vipra te dhiyaḥ derebhiḥ agne ā gahi.

ā to be joined with the verb ahūşata ; agne O Agni; tvā thee; kanvāḥ those of intelligence (or we of the Kanva clan); ahūșata call (aorist form of root hve, Vedic, in the sense of the present tense); vipra O illumined one; again, te thy; dhiyaḥ understandings-activities of thy consciousness capable of holding ; grņanti praise; devebhiḥ with the gods āgahi come. Not the ordinary ones, but the specially wise ones, capable of invoking, call thee, hence come with the gods.

Tr. Agni, men of intelligence call thee; O illumined one, they praise thy understandings ; come with the gods.

This is the third Rik.

3. indravāyū bịhaspatim mitrāgnim pūṣaṇam bhagam; ādityān mārutam garam.
   indravā vā iti bịhaspatim mitrā agnim pūṣaṇam bhagam ādityān mā rutam gaṇam.

By the specific mention of the accusative we are to understand it to mean: I call for drinking the soma all those gods with whom I have invoked Agni to come. Now the gods are indicated by names.

indravāyū Indra and Vayu ; bịhaspatim Brihaspati (according to the Vārtikā of the sutra pāraskara prabhștini ca sanjñāvām, the ta of bịhat is dropped and sa substituted); mitrā Mitra and Varuna (the dual is to indicate the inclusion of Varuna by reason of his association with Mitra); agnim Agni; pūṣaṇam Pushan; bhagam Bhaga; ādityān progeny of Aditi; mārutam gaṇam the host of Maruts; I call them.

Tr. I call Indra and Vayu, Brihaspati, Mitra and Varuna, Agni, Pushan, Bhaga, Adityas and the host of Maruts.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. pra vo bhriyanta indavo matsarā mādayişnavaḥ; drapsā madhvascamūşadaḥ.
   pra vaḥ bhriyante indavaḥ matsarāḥ mā dayişnavaḥ drapsāḥ madhvaḥ camū’ sadaḥ.

vaḥ for your sake (dative in the sense of " for the sake of’), for the sake of Indra and others in the present context; prabhriyante are carried excellently; which ? indavaḥ moistening soma juices; of what kind ? matsarāḥ satisfying (the termination sara on mand satisfy like kļsara, dhūsara); mādayişņavaḥ exhilarating; again what are they? drapsāḥ draught-drops; madhvaḥ sweet to taste, delicious (madhva, change in gender and absence of guņa); camūsadaḥ they rest in the vessel of the body.

The idea is that the somas are in vessel of the body of the sacrificer which is denoted by words like camū, camasa, etc. The juices gathered, drop by drop in the vessel of this mind-life-body of the sacrificer, become plenty and are collected for offering to the gods; these gladdeningly moist, satisfying and exhilarating pressings get ready.

The word drapsa derived from the root dru, in the sense of impulsion, movement, denotes at times the flag as in 4.13.2: High has the God Savita spread his lustre, the flag. But usually it is seen to be used in the sense of drop, spark, tip of flame denoting a minute portion. Hence the word drapsa is taken in the sense of a moving or fast flying drop. That is why it is said the somas are collected in driblets.

We will discuss later while commenting upon the hymn to Ribhus how the vessel denoted by camū, camasa, etc. indicates in the inner sacrifice, the body.

Tr. For you, are carried the juices, satisfying and exhilarating, draught drop, sweet of taste, settling in the body.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. iļate tvāmavasyavaḥ kanvāso vặktabarhişaḥ ; havişmanto aramkſtaḥ.
   iļate tvām avasyavaḥ kanvāsaḥ výkta’barhișaḥ havişmantaḥ aram’ kṛtaḥ.

O Agni, tvām thou ; iļate they adore; who? avasyavaḥ desirous of growth; kanvāsaḥ men of intelligence or we of the clan of Kanva; of what kind ? vşktabaxhişaḥ with seats spread out (for the gods); havişmantaḥ with oblations ready for the gods; aramkſtaḥ they make it adequate (upapada samāsa) who prepare without deficiency, of opulent doings.

Tr. We of the Kanva clan adore thee, desirous of growth, with seat spread out, oblations ready, fully adequate.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. ghṛtapṛṣthā manoyujo ye tvā vahanti vahnayaḥ; ā devāntsomapitaye.
   ghṛta’pṛṣthāh manaḥ yujaḥ ye tvā vahanti vahnayaḥ ā devān soma’ pitaye.

O Agni! ghṛtaprṣthāḥ they whose surface is luminous, whose outer bodies are luminous; manoyujaḥ yoked by the mind; ye vahnayaḥ which steeds; tvā vahanti bear thee; by these vehicles, means of bringing devān gods like Indra; somapitaye to drink soma; ā fetch.

That these steeds of Flame are yoked by the mind of the sacrificer has been said before. That two horses of Indra are yoked by Mantra has been explained earlier. Both indicate an idea of the same order.

Tr. The steeds, luminous on back, yoked by mind, which carry thee, by them do thou fetch the gods to drink the soma.

Thus ends the twenty-sixth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. tān vajatrān ștāvſdho’gne patnivataskļdhi ; madhvaḥ sujihva pāyaya.
   tān yajatrān ștā’vşdhaḥ agne patni’vataḥ kṣdhi madhvaḥ su’ jihva pāyaya.

agne O Agni; tān Indra and others; yajatrān to be sacrified to; ștāvşdhaḥ increasers of the Truth; patnivataḥ joined with their spouses ; kṛdhi make; O, sujihva of happy speech; Agni, those gods madhvaḥ portion of the sweet soma; pāvaya make them drink (causal of pā to drink).

Here this is to be noted. Gods like Indra, etc. are males. Their powers are goddesses Indrani, etc. This matter has been made known in the Introduction. The greatness of the male God is blazoned by his Shakti the Goddess; the manifestation of the glory of the God is carried on by the Goddess. Hence the manifestation of a God is difficult without the Goddess Shakti of which he is the holder-sakta. Join the gods who increase the Truth in the sacrificer, the gods who are sacrificed to, Indra, etc. with their Shaktis, powers that effectuate their work. This is the purport.

Tr. Join them to their spouses, O happy-speeched one, them who are to be sacrificed to, who increase the Truth, make them drink the portion of the sweet soma.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. ye yajatrā ya idyāste te pibantu jihvayā ; madhoragne vaṣatkṛti.
   ye yajatrāḥ ye idyāḥ te te pibantu jihvayā madhoḥ agne vaṣaťkṛti.

agne O Agni; ye yajatrāḥ those to be sacrificed to; ye idyāḥ those who are to be praised, lauded for adoration; te those gods; te with thy; jihvayā speech of the form of flame; madhoh portion of the sweet soma ; pibantu may drink; vașațkſti in the sacrifice characterised by the exclamation of vaşaț.

vaṣațkṛti : abstract noun of kar is kṛti ; in the sacrifice in which the act of vașat is there. Exclamation of vașaț like the exclamation of svāhā is used while making the offerings to the gods.

Tr. O Agni, may they who are to be sacrificed to, they who are to be adored, may they drink with thy speech of flame-form, the sweet soma in sacrifice with vaṣat.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. ākim süryasya rocanā dviśvāndevān uşarbudhaḥ; vipro hoteha vaksati.
   ākim sūryasya rocanāt visvān devān uşah’budhaḥ vipraḥ hotā iha vakșati.

ākim particle in the sense of ā, to be connected with the proper verb; vipraḥ the wise one; hotā summoner, Agni; sūryasya of the highest God, the Impeller of all; rocanāt from the shining realm of Svar; uşarbudhaḥ those who awake at dawn (when the manifesation of the Truth-Light is nearing all the gods get ready to be present at the sacrifice of the sacrificer); visvān devān all Gods; iha here; vakşati may bring. (Vedic present in the sense of benedictive tense of the root vah.)

Tr. May the Wise One, the Summoner, bring here all Gods awaking at dawn from the shining realm of the Sun.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. viśvebhiḥ somyam madhvagna indreņā vāyunā; pibā mitrasya dhāmabhiḥ.
    viśvebhiḥ somyam madhu agne indreņa vāyunā; piba mitrasya dhāma’bhiḥ.

agne O Agni; višvebhiḥ with all Gods; indreņa with Indra; vāyunā with Vayu; mitrasya of the God of this name; dhāmabhiḥ with especial lustres; somyam of soma; madhu sweet, pleasant juice; piba drink.

The termination of mayaț for ’made out of soma’

Tr. Agni! drink the sweet draught of soma along with all Gods, Indra, Vayu and lustres of Mitra.

This is the eleventh Rik.

11. tvam hotā manurhito’gne yajñeșu sidasi ; semam no adhvaram yaja.
    tvam hotā manuḥ hitaḥ agne yajñeșu sidasi saḥ imam naḥ adhvaram yaja.

agne O Agni; tvam thou; hotā summoner of the gods; manurhitaḥ established by Manu, the thinker (or by Mantra); yajñeşu in sacrifices; si dasi becomes stationed; saḥ such one thou; naḥ our; imam adhvaram coming to this sacrifice of ours; yaja conduct the sacrifice.

semam: in joining sa is dropped and guna operates.

manurhitaḥ has been explained before.

Tr. Established by Manu, O Agni, thou the summoner of the gods, abideth in our sacrifices ; conduct thou this our sacrifice.

This is the twelfth Rik.

12. yukşvā hyaruși rathe harito deva rohitaḥ; tābhirdevān ihā vaha.
    yukṣva hi arușiḥ rathe haritaḥ deva rohitaḥ tābhiḥ devān iha ā vaha.

deva O Agni; rathe to the car; yukṣva yoke ; what? your rohitaḥ steeds known by the term rohit ; of what kind; aruși” glistening; haritaḥ capable of carrying; tābhiḥ with those horses; devān gods; iha to this sacrifice; āvaha bring.

Here the old commentators see from the gross point of view, following the external sense, and say: rohitaḥ: Agni’s steeds named rohit are well-known; aruși speeding, word derived from ? in the sense of gati movement; haritaḥ able to carry those who mount the horses.

Here this is to be pondered upon. Nobody would doubt the speed of the horses or their capacity to carry the men that mount on them. If we were to take it that it is only speed and the like that are meant, then the purposeful use of the adjective would be lost sight of by the thinkers. What then ? For fear of length only a little is said here. By the term aruşa the seer points to the glistening red hue of the dawn; by the term harit the desirable yellow hue of Indra; by the term rohit the steed or steeds of Agni of crimson hue. Bring thou all the gods along with their respective, characteristic vehicular powers.

Tr. God, yoke to the car the glistening steeds of carriage, the Rohitas, by them bring here the gods.

Thus ends the twenty-seventh Group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 15

The fourth hymn, in the fourth Section, is by Medhatithi, son of Kanva. It consists of twelve Riks in gāyatri metre. This hymn is said to belong to the ṛtu, with the ṛtu for its Deity, as the gods mentioned are Indra and others along with ṛtu. Just as developments in the world, appropriate to each--from the tree to man-are seen effectuated according to divisions in time like day, night month, season, characterised by different activities and results, so also in the inner sacrifice, the special manifestations of Indra and other gods following the appropriate conditions of time, work out corresponding fruitions in the sacrificer who is bent upon total self-offering, aspiring for the plenary Home of Truth, and hence devoted to union with the many gods who are its limbs. The term ṛtu signifies the time-factor of the acts well-borne by the gods within us, a secret within the keeping of the gods, dependent upon the state of development of the sacrificer. Hence the word ṛtunā in the Mantras to be commented upon, is to be taken in the sense of according to the divine timing. The word ṛtu is being used without explanation in order not to mar the beauty of the Mantra.

This is the first Rik.

1. indra somam piba ṛtunā tvā visantvindavaḥ; matsarāsastadokasaḥ.
   indra somam piba ṛtunā ā tvā visantu inaavaḥ matsarāsaḥ tať okasaḥ.

indra O Indra; ṛtunā along with ṛtu as described; somam piba drink soma; indavaḥ the soma-juices; tvā thee; āvi’santu may they enter from all sides; of what kind are they? matsarā saḥ satisfying ; tadokasaḥ dwelling in it (they whose abode is in the belly of Indra denoted by the word tat); thus coheres the meaning of ’yaḥ kukşiḥ somapātamaḥ’ (his belly superbly drinking the soma) in Rv. 1.8.7.

Tr. Indra, drink the soma in season ; may the juices, satisfying and aboded in thee, flow to thee from all sides.

This is the second Rik.

2. marutaḥ pibata stunā potrā dyajñam punitana; yūyam hi șthā sudānavaḥ.
   marutaḥ pibata stunā potrāt yajñam punitana yāyam hi stha su’dānavaḥ.

sudānavaḥ O auspicious givers; marutaḥ O Maruts; stunā according to your proper timings; pibata drink (soma); from where? potrāt from the vessel of the purifier (potā from pu to purify, possessive form to denote this is his’, absence of lengthening is optional in Veda); yajñam this sacrifice; punitana purify, cleanse (the substitute tana, Vedic); hi because ; yāyam stha you are celebrated for purifying.

sudānavaḥ: the word dānu means giving or the giver, prepositional compound. The priest (Ritvik) by name Potr denotes in the inner sacrifice a special deity who purifies, cleanses. Indeed, all the Ritviks are said to be gods themselves. It has been said in the beginning itself regarding Agni, “the divine Ritvik of the sacrifice’. Drinking from this vessel of the Purifier, which acts as the receptacle to take soma, the Maruts also become the famous purifiers capable of making the sacrifice purified, faultless. 1.1.28] (187) [1.1.15 Thus they are su dānavaḥ, their auspiciousness in their act of conferring purification is most desirable.

Tr. Drink, O Maruts, auspicious givers, from the Purifier’s cup, in season; sanctify the sacrifice, you are well known for it.

This is the third Rik.

3. abhi yajñam grņihi no grāvo neșțaḥ piba stunā; tvam hi ratnadhā asi.
   abhi yajñam grņiși naș gnāvaḥ neşțariti piba ṛtunā tvam hi ratna’dhāḥ asi.

Ognāvaḥ he whose are the women (gnāḥ) is gnāvān, vocative is gnāvan (vaḥ by transmutation, Vedic), along with wife; O neştaḥ "neşta’ is the special deity who has become the Ritvik priest, (derived from the root nijir meaning to cleanse and nourish; if the potā purifies the sacrifice and makes it faultless, the neștā makes it clean, white and so endowed with the quality of splendour; it is said in authority here that the tvaştā, the architect of the gods, is invited as the neştā; in that case it is not wrong because embellishment in the form of bringing about pure whiteness is part of the work of tvaştā; calling the divine priest possessing this aforesaid quality, the Rishi proceeds to say; naḥ. our; yajñam sacrifice; abhigrņihi make it worthy of praise; stunā in season; piba drink the soma; hi because ; tvam thou; ratnadhāḥ asi art the bearer of ecstasies (ratnadhāḥ has been explained) therefore drink the soma which produces superb ecstasy.

Tr. O brightener, with thy spouse, make our sacrifice laudable; drink the soma in season; thou art the bearer of ecstasies.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. agne devān ihā vaha sādayā yonişu trișu; pari bhūsa piba ṛtunā.
   agne devān iha ā vaha sādaya yonișu trișu pari bhūşa piba ṛtunā.

agne O Agni; devān iha āvaha bring the gods hither; sādaya seat the invoked gods; where? trișu yonişu in the three places of libation ; paribhūșa adorn on all sides; ṛtunā in season; piba drink. This secret of the three libations or houses is to be understood.

The three principle of existence that base the triple body of matter-life-mind are stationed in the three worlds of pşthivi, Earth, antarikșa, Mid-region, dyuloka, Heaven, denoted by the three vyāhſtis. Their respective fields of special grandeur, their planes are there within man, concealed or partly manifest. In the inner sacrifice where one sets the Agni, these three abodes of the gods are made ready for the gods with Agni placed in their front to adorn as receivers of the sacrifice.

Tr. O Agni, bring the gods hither; seat them in the three places of libation and embellish all around. Drink in season.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. brāhmaṇādindra rādhasaḥ pibā somamệtūnranu; taveddhi sakhyamastṛtam.
   brāhmaṇāt indra rādhasaḥ piba somam ștūn anu tava it hi sakhyam astṛtam.

indra O Indra; brāhmaṇāt a special Ritvik (priest), God, Brahma bespeaks from Brahmana, they say; from that Brahma which is his; rādhasaḥ from the repository of wealth in the form of the soma-essence (in the external sense, from the vessel -vide comment on the term pātra, vessel) ; stūn anu following the season ; somam piba drink the soma; tava it sakhyam thy friendship alone; astſtam is unafflicted; hi used for emphasis. In the case of the sacrificer yearning for the Godhead, awake within, offering all oneself to the gods, steadily fixed on the supreme divinity, the friendship of of Indra is indeed constant.

Tr. O Indra, drink the soma in season from Brahma the fount of treasure. Thy friendship alone is unafflicted.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. yuvam dakşam dhịtavrata mitrāvaruņa dūļabham; Țtunā yajñamāśāthe.
   yuvam dakşam dhștavratā mitrāvarurā duh’dabham ṛtunā yajñam āśāthe iti.

dhṛtavrata O firm in your laws, who upbear the activities conforming to Truth; mitrāvaruņā Mitra and Varuna (in the Samhita text, the short ending in both the places is Vedic); yuvam of you both; dakşam power of discrimination (explained before); durdabham difficult to burn, that is to say impossible for others to destroy; yajñam sacrifice; ṛtuna in proper time ; āśāthe occupy (to enjoy).

dūlabham: derivative of the root daḥ with the prefix duḥ. duḥ lengthens to dūḥ in the Veda, so also the elision of r, da for da and bha for ha.

Tr. O Mitra and Varuna, who uphold the laws, your power of discrimination is unassailable. Occupy the sacrifice in season. Thus ends the twenty-eighth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. draviņodā draviņaso grāvahastāso adhvare; vajñeşu devami ļate.
   draviņaḥ dāḥ dravinasaḥ grāva’hastāsaḥ adhvare yajñeșu devam i ļate.

He who is dravinodāḥ bestower of treasure; him devam God Agni; iļate they laud in adoration (the Ritwiks); where ? adhvare in the general rite of sacrifice; yajñeșu in particular sacrifices; according to the followers of the external interpretation, the original natural sacrifice is the Agnishthoma and special forms of it are the Uktha and the like ; but in the context of the inner sacrifice, the common sacrifice is the general self-surrender by the Yajamana (sacrificer), the abandonment of his sense of self to the supreme Godhead; but special sacrifice is the particular offering of each and every part of all that is oneself to the supreme Deity through consecration to the various deities who are limbs of the Supreme Godhead. This essential difference between the common and the special sacrifices is to be noted; and these priests draviņasaḥ avid of treasure; grāvahastāsaḥ in whose hands are the mortars that are the means for the libation of the soma-juices. It is the gods themselves as priests desirous of treasure, ready for the libation of soma, that impel Agni, donor of treasure, with welcome for the sake of the sacrificer; the treasure may be of wealth or of strength; that divine substance is the treasure; it is learnt from the Mantras that God Agni himself seeks for and accomplishes this treasure for the sacrificer; therefore Agni is also the securer, not merely the donor, of the treasure. It is to be noted here that the other gods as priests become seekers of treasure for the sacrificer. The termination inan on drut and akși and so draviņa. One who gives treasure is draviņodaḥ, s in the former word is Vedic; substitution of su in the latter word is also Vedic. dravinasaḥ: form is Vedic ; those who desire the treasure for themselves are draviņasyavaḥ; the constituent meaning is those desiring the treasure.

Tr. Mortars in hand, the seekers of treasure laud adoringly in rite and in sacrifices the God, donor of treasure.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. draviņodā dadātu no vasūni yāni śļņvire; deveșu tā vanāmahe.
   dravinah’dāḥ dadātu naḥ vasūni yāni śprvire deveșu tā vanāmahe.

dravimodaḥ God Agni of this name; naḥ to us ; dadātu may he give; what ? vasūni riches; yāni śṛnvire which are renowned (Perfect tense for the Present, other things Vedic); the divine riches that are much heard of, known to the Rishis who are aware of the mysteries of the gods; tā those; deveșu among the gods who get them; vanā mahe we partake; we enjoy among the gods for the gods; we, soma-sacrificers, are not selfish, but seek for the gods; hence our enjoyment of wealth among the gods themselves.

Tr. May the donor of treasure give us the renowned riches which we shall partake among the gods.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. dravinodāh pipisati juhota pra ca tişthata; neștrādṛtubhirişyata.
   draviņaḥ’dāḥ pipisati juhota pra ca tişthata neșțrāt ļtu’bhiḥ işyata.

draviņodāḥ the God who gives the treasure; ṛtubhiḥ according to conditions of development and fullness of glory; pipisati desires to drink (Vedic) soma; from what ? neșțrāt from the bowl related to Neshtr—the priest of lustration (vide what has been said earlier); therefore juhota cast the offerings; pratişthata ca and set out towards his station ; işyata speed towards him; it is to be noted that the root is of the fourth conjugation; does not mean movement only, it is a movement full of impulsion.

juhota : imperative, second person plural is Vedic.

Tr. The giver of treasure desires to drink according to season from the bowl of the priest of lustration ; cast your offerings, set out and speed.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. yattvā turiyamṛtubhirdraviņodo yajāmahe, adha smā no dadirbhava.
    yat tvā turivam ṛtubhiḥ draviņah’daḥ yajāmahe adha sma naḥ dadiḥ bhava.

dravinodaḥ O Lord, giver of treasure; yat from whom stubhiḥ in accord with thy divine timing ; turiyam who completes the Four; tvà to thee; yajāmahe we sacrifice; adha for that reason; naḥ to us; dadiḥ the donor of treasure; bhava be; sma for metrical exigency.

dadiḥ terminates in i, like the form in Perfect tense, the first word is reduplicated and ā dropped.

Here this is to be borne in mind. The giver of treasure is first lauded thrice in respect to his three stations; now is lauded for the fourth time the giver of treasure in the fourth station in order to secure the divine treasure, the fourth (ultimate) and the highest of all, transcending the three stations denoted by the three vyāhſtis. If the word turiya is taken to qualify the act of sacrifice as we sacrifice for the fourth time’, even then the purport is the same.

Tr. O Lord, giver of treasure, as we sacrifice to thee, the ultimate, in thy seasons, be the giver to us.

This is the eleventh Rik.

11. asvinā pibatam madhu didyagni sucivratā, stunā yajñavāhasā.
    asvinā pibatam madhu didyagni iti didi’agni śucivratā ṛtunā yajña’vāhasā.

aś vinā O Ashwins; stunā according to the divine timing; madhu sweet Soma; pibatam drink; of what kind ? didyagni they whose is the blazing bowl (the root div is repeated, Vedic form); the passage in the Aitareya Brahmana, ’Ashwins, verily, the physicians of the Gods, the priest Ashwins provide the heat, establishes the churning of fire by the Ashwins; elsewhere in the Rik Samhita (10.24.4) there is the Mantra of Rishi Vimada which means the lauded Ashwins, mutually together, churned the Agni; if the purport is made according to the inner meaning, the word-sense of didyagni in the Mantra becomes delightful; the function of the Ashwins has been stated in the first Section, the term didyagni has been used only once in the Rik Samhita ; it is used elsewhere once in the Valakhilya Hymns; in both the places it qualifies the Ashwins ; sucivratā of pure action ; yajñavāhasā bringers of sacrifice.

Tr. Drink the honied Soma in season, O Ashwins of bright flame, pure-actioned, bringers of sacrifice.

This is the twelfth Rik.

12. gārhapatyena santya ṛtunā yajñanirasi, devān devayate yaja.
    gārha’ patyena santya stunā vajña’niḥ asi devān deva’yate yaja.

gārhapatyena by virtue of being the master of the house; santya be in sanana, gift (san to give, the termination ya in the sense of ’be’; other things Vedic) ; O Agni, stuna according to the divine season ; yajñani ḥ bringer of sacrifice; asi thou art; devayate for the sacrificer desiring gods; devān to the gods sacrifice.

Agni himself wields the mastery of the house for the sacrificer and becomes competent to give the gifts; therefore he alone is able to sacrifice to the gods for the sake of the sacrificer; in the term santya it may mean one who is in the gift or one who is good in the gift; if it is one who is in the gift, it is to be understood as in the gift, in the giving up of his things by the sacrificer; if it be good in the gift’, it is clear that it is Agni the giver.

Tr. As the house-master be the giver ; thou art the bringer of sacrifice in season ; sacrifice to the gods for him who desires the gods.

Thus ends the twenty-ninth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 16

ā tvā vahantu begins the fifth hymn (of nine Riks) in the fourth Section. The Rishi and the metre are as before. The deity is Indra.

This is the first Rik.

1. ā tvā vahantu harayo vşşanam somapitaye, indra tvā sūracakşasaḥ.
   ā tvā vahantu harayaḥ vșşaņam soma’pitaye indra tvā sūra’cakşasaḥ.

O indra Indra vsṣaṇam showerer; tvā thee; harayaḥ thy horses; somapitaye to drink the Soma; āvahantu may they bring; tvā thee ; sūracakşasaḥ those whose eye is like the sun, that is with vision like that of the sun (the termination as in cakşa is Vedic); may those horses bring : this is the connection. The double repetition of tvā is to denote respect, also because of the separate half-Rik. The sights of the horses of Indra, like that of the sun, are far-reaching and illumined. Some comment that they have the vision of the sun; that is not wrong either. Sayana says they are priests, Ritviks, of solar sight. In that case they cannot be human. The priests who adorn the sacrificial chamber, chant the Veda as prescribed and at the termination of the sacrificial ritual, receive the prescribed gifts as per their labours in the ceremony and return happy, are certainly not those who have vision like the sun. If then these are gods as priests, then this is not their function. The carriers of Indra are the steeds, not priests (Ritviks). Agni is lauded as one who brings all the gods. And it is known that Indra comes along with all the gods. Where is it heard that the gods becoming priests bring Indra ? The illumined seers’ may be Rishis who have attained Godhead. That is not relevant here. There is no doubt that it is the horses of Indra that are relevant here ; and later too in the hymn it is the laudation of the horses of Indra that is the subject-matter. It is not proper to say that priests with solar vision are called to bring Indra.

Tr. May the steeds bring thee, showerer, to drink the Soma; thee, O Indra, the luminous-eyed.

This is the second Rik.

2. imā dhānā ghṛtasnuvo hari ihopa vakşataḥ, indram sukhatame rathe.
   imāḥ dhānāḥ ghsta’ snuvaḥ hari iti iha upa vakşataḥ indram sukha’tame rathe.

imāḥ these in the front, prepared of ghee and hence; ghṛtasnuvaḥ dripping with ghee; towards those dhānāḥ parched barley and rice grains; hari steeds of Indra; iha in this sacrificial action; indram Indra; sukhatame rathe seating in the happiest car; upavakşataḥ may they bring near to the altar; Vedic present in the sense of prayer usually expressed by Benedictive or Imperative.

Being well fried in ghee, the parched barley and rice grains drip with the ghee. They are to enthuse the steeds. Skandasvamin has it that they are the share of the steeds, in the sacrifice, the residue of Soma and grains. In this purport according to the external sacrifice, its essential term dhānāḥ, grains, means customarily fried barley and rice. What we had stated earlier in this connection must be recollected here viz., substances used in sacrifice like ghee, milk, curds are symbolic; barley, rice and preparations from them like parched rice, ground rice, denote connection with the material body. Though dhānam, dhāni and dhānāḥ are, all three of them, forms of the root dadh to hold, by differentiation in usage, dhānam or dhāni means holding vessel or seat; but not so dhānāh. But still this sustaining of the body, the dripping of ghee meaning the brilliance of the intelligence, are to be understood by reason of their constituent significance, symbolic meaning and the use of the term ghặtasnuvaḥ as an adjective. In the outer sacrifice, dhānāḥ, grains are the eats of the horses. In the inner sacrifice they are special sustaining powers in the physical body enjoyable by luminous life-powers. Generally it is spoken of everywhere in the Rik Samhita that the dhānāḥ grains are cooked for Indra himself. It is only in works on ritual that the grains are said to be the share of the horses. Even then the inner significance is demonstrated. There are many Mantras that are conclusive that dhānāḥ, grains, are for Indra himself. It must be understood that the ’ghee-dripping grains to be received by Indra are special luminous powers of the intellect lodged in the material body. Such grains are fit to be received by Indra the master of the divinely illumined Mind-plane. Submitting to Indra, these grains, mutually well-combined, the Rishi prays daily · Eat’; ’Day by day eat the grains that are befitting’ (3.35.3). Elsewhere, ’He who presses Soma, this day, for Indra, cooks the brew and fries the grains’ (4.24.7). When the symbolic nature of the substances used in sacrifice is considered, the constituent significance of terms like milk, grain, etc. opens the door on the esoteric meaning. This somewhat detailed elucidation has been done while considering the term drānāḥ, grains, in order to show that the Mantras meant for the inner sacrifice deliberately set substances like grains as symbolic and proceed thereupon.

Tr. These are the grains dripping with ghee; here may the coursers bring Indra in his happiest car.

This is the third Rik.

3. indram prātarhavā maha indram prayatyadhvare, indram somasya pitaye.
   indram prātaḥ havāmahe indram pra’yati adhvare indram somasya pitaye.

indram Indra; prātaḥ at the commencement of the libation; havā mahe we call; adhvare in the sacrifice; prayati in progress ; indram Indra we call; indram Indra; somasya pitaye for the drinking of Soma we call.

The essence of all our experience, denoted by the term Soma, is offered to Indra; therefore when the libation is started, is in progress and ended, at all times to call Indra is our means and refuge. This is the idea.

Tr. Indra we call at morn, Indra when the sacrifice is on; Indra to drink the Soma.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. upa naḥ sutamā gahi haribhirindra kesibhiḥ, sute hi tvā havā mahe.
   upa naḥ sutam ā gahi hari’bhiḥ indra kesi bhiḥ sute hi tvā havā mahe.

O indra Indra; naḥ our; sutam to the Soma pressed out by us; upā gahi come close; by which carriers ? kesibhiḥ haribhih by long-maned coursers; hi because; sute as the Soma is pressed out (locative to denote cause); tvām thee; havāmahe we call, therefore come close.

The purpose of maned, adjective of hari (horses) has been said before.

Tr. Indra, come with thy long-maned coursers here to our Soma that is pressed out; we call thee as the Soma is pressed.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. semam naḥ stomamā gahyupedam savanam sutam, gauro na tṛşitaḥ piba.
   saḥ imam naḥ stomam ā gahi upa idam savanam sutam gauraḥ na tṛșitaḥ piba.

The visarga is dropped in the Samhita text in saḥ imam. saḥ thou; naḥ our; imam stomam this laud; āgahi come near, that is, listen and accept; sutam Soma that is pressed out; idam savanam this libation; upa come near; coming near, tṛṣitaḥ intensely thirsty; gauro na like the stag; piba drink the Soma.

Tr. Indra, come to this our laud, come near this libation that is pressed; drink like a stag that is thirsty.

Thus ends the thirtieth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth

This is the sixth Rik.

6. ime somāsa indavaḥ sutāso adhi barhiși, tān indra sahase piba.
   ime somā saḥ indavaḥ sutā sah adhi barhişi tān indra sahase piba.

ime somāsaḥ these Soma-juices; indavaḥ (formed from und to moisten) succulent, juicy, pleasant ; barhişi on the seat of the inner altar; adhi upon; sutāsaḥ are pressed, abide; tān the Soma-juices thus purified for thy drinking and kept in different vessels signifying their many parts; O indra, Indra; sahase for strength; piba drink.

Here adhi means in excess, pressed out, barhişi in sacrifice, says Sayana. The meaning given by us to adhi barhiși does not detract from the gross interpretation as the term barhi is current by usage in ritual in the sense of darbha, sacred grass. Skandaswamin also says: adhi, above the altar.

Tr. Pressed out on the altar are these succulent Soma-juices; drink them, Indra, for strength.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. ayam te stomo agriyo hțdisprgastu santamaḥ, athā somam sutam piba.
   ayam te stomaḥ agriyaḥ hrdi’sp;k astu sam’tamaḥ atha somam sutam piba.

O Indra, ayam our; stoma special laud; agriyaḥ excellent; te thine ; hșidispsk touching the heart (aluk samāsa as termination is retained frequently when derived from roots) heart-warming; santamaḥ most happy; astu may it be; atha after accepting this special laud, most happy and heart-touching; sutam pressed, somam piba drink the Soma.

Tr. May this hymn of affirmation, excellent, happy, touch thy heart; thou drink the Soma pressed out.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. visvamitsavanam sutamindro madāya gacchati, vstrahā somapitaye.
   visvam it savanam sutam indraḥ madāya gacchati vstra’hā soma’pitaye.

vṛtrahā slayer of Vritra, the titan embodied in an all-covering darkness, enemy of the collective forces of Light and Knowledge; indraḥ Indra; somam where is pressed out the Soma; viśvam it to all; savanam sacrifice; somapitaye to drink the Soma; madāya for the delight from taking it for bliss is the meaning; gacchati attains.

Wherever there takes place sacrifice to the Gods with Soma, there in all those places, is present Indra ready to accept it.

Tr. Indra, the slayer of Vritra, comes to every sacrifice where Soma is pressed out, to drink the Soma for delight.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. semam naḥ kāmamā pṛņa gobhirasvaiḥ satakrato stavā ma tvā svādhyaḥ.
   saḥ imam naḥ kāmam ā pṛņa gobhiḥ aśvaih śatakrato iti śata’krato stavāma tvā su’ādhyaḥ.

O satakrato many-actioned or multiply conscious; saḥ thou of that kind; naḥ our ; imam kāmam this desired object; āprņa fulfil (pṛn to please, this is the form); gobhiḥ aśvaiḥ with cows and horses—he fulfils our desire; we svādhyaḥ well-devoted to contemplation ; tvā thee; stavāma we praise.

dhyai to contemplate with the prefixes su and ā gives the form svādhiḥ in nominative singular; svādhya is the plural form.

According to the gross interpretation, the cows and the horses are the quadruped animals that are desired. We hold, everywhere, that the term go, cow, indicates rays of consciousness; the term aśva, horse, indicates carriers of life-strength originating energies of action, endowed with capacity for enjoyment.

Tr. O Indra of hundred deeds, fulfil this desire of ours with illumination and life-strength. Full of contemplation we laud thee.

Thus ends the thirty-first group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 17

This is the sixth hymn in the fourth Section, with nine Riks, beginning with indrāvaruņayoḥ. The deities are Indra and Varuna. The Rishi and the metre are as before. The speciality here is that the two Riks beginning with yuvāku hi are cast in the metre of name pādanicṛn.

This is the first Rik.

1. indrāvaruņayoraham samrăjorava ā vịne, tā no mṛļāta idṛse.
   indrāvarunayoḥ aham sam’rājoḥ avaḥ ā vrne tā naḥ mṛļātaḥ idṛse.

aham I; samrājoh of the resplendent; indrā-varuņayoḥ of Indra and of Varuna ; avaḥ increase-in me; āvṛne I pray for ; tā those two Gods ; idṛśe by reason of our seeking of this kind ; naḥ us; mpļātaḥ make happy.

ava: the termination as to the root av, in the sense of protection or increase. The birth of gods and their increase within the worshipper are among the fruits of the inner sacrifice.

mṛļātaḥ: mặd to please. Vedic Present in the sense of Benedictive to denote prayer.

Though stationed in Heaven, Indra is the monarch of Intelligence by his divine Mind. But Varuna is homed in Truth, increases the Truth, touches the Truth, full of Light; this characteristic of his is to be noted. The characteristics of both are dwelt upon in the first Section.

Tr. I seek the increase of the resplendent Indra and Varuna ; such, they make us happy.

This is the second Rik.

2. gantārā hi stho’vase havam viprasya māvataḥ, dhartārā carşaņinām.
   gantārā hi sthaḥ’avase havam viprasya mā’vataḥ dhartārā carşaninām.

O Indra and Varuna, you, avase to increase (se in the sense of infinitive of purpose on av) for the increase of those who perform the inner sacrifice; māvataḥ of those like me (in the topic on vatup, the supplement says that the usage in the Veda is for resemblance); viprasya of the illumined: seer; havam the call; gantārau who attain; sthaḥ be; of what kind ? carşaņinām dhartārā upholders of persons who see the subtle truth or the secret of the gods.

carṣaniḥ in the act of seeing. The gods, Indra and Varuna carry the weal of the seer Rishis. carṣanayaḥ is not to be taken to denote the common man.

Tr. Attain to the call of the illumined seer like me for increase, upholders of the seers of truth.

This is the third Rik.

3. anukāmam tarpayethāmindrāvarura rāya ā, tā vām nedişthamimahe.
   anu’kāmam tarpayethām indrāvaruņa rāyaḥ ā tā dām nediştham imahe.

O indrāvarunā Indra and Varuna (the short a is in the Samhita text); both of you, Indra and Varuna; anukā mam after desire—anu preposition governing a noun. Sayana holds that anu here can be taken in the sense of ’as much as’; anu kāmam can be properly split as after the desire. In the former case it means as much as desired; in the latter, it means after the fulfilment of the desire for hearing of the hymn of affirmation, for drinking the Soma, etc. This is precisely what Skandaswamin holds : after Soma, after its drink to satisfaction. In both the cases, it means in our context, the desire of Indra-Varuna ; that is, as much as desired by them or after the fulfilment of their desire; rāyaḥ (genetive in the sense of the instrumental) with your divine wealth; ātarpayethām make us completely sated; tā those; vām you; nediştham closest ; imahe we beg.

The purport is to be understood in the sense of we beg of you your closest proximity, by appreciating that verbs having the sense of begging have two objects. Or it may be, we beg of you the intimacies, your wealth. All the old commentators have conflicting views in explaining the term nediştham. In the next Rik, yuvāku hi, is expounded covertly the divine wealth that is prayed for. The storehouse of opulence of intelligence and strength, the wealth of intimacy nediștha rāyaḥ. We will presently apprise.

Tr. O Indra and Varuna, on satisfaction, with your wealth make us fulfilled; we seek your closest proximity.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. ¹⁴

yuvāku hi sacinām yuvāku su’ matinām bhūyāma vāja’dāvnām.

hi because ; sacinām of the powers; yuvāku virility; sumatinām of right thinkings; yuvāku virility ; bhūyāma may we become (Benedictive to denote prayer. The elision of s is Vedic); therefore ’we seek Indra and Varuna closest’ (in the previous Rik); of Powers or of right thinkings, of what kind ? vājadāvnām they who give dadati, plenitude vāja, is vājadāvānaḥ (termination vanip, Vedic). May we be the beings of strength of the Powers that give plenitude, of the auspicious or good activities of Intelligence, is the purport. Let us be possessed of or become the strength itself that belongs to the Powers that gift plenitude or to the activities of Intelligence. Therefore we desire them closest so that this may come to be. Commented upon otherwise, there is no connection with the previous Rik. This is that: because we are the strength of the Powers, because we are the strength of right thinkings, therefore may we be among the gods who gift the plenitude.

Tr. As the strength of the Powers, the strength of the right thinkings, may we be of the donors of plenitude.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. indraḥ sahasradāvnām varuṇaḥ samsyānām, kraturbhavatyukthyaḥ.
   indraḥ sahasra’dāvnām varuṇaḥ śamsyānām kratuḥ bhavati ukthya”.

indraḥ Indra; sahasradāvnām thousand indicates plenty, of the givers of various plenty of knowledge, strength and the like; kratuḥ who becomes the strong will to give, the maker of the gift or its author; varuṇaḥ Varuna; śamsyānām of the laudable; ukthyaḥ superbly laudable; bhavati becomes.

ukthyaḥ: uktham praise, there becoming as laudable; ya is Vedic in the sense of becoming.

Tr. Of the givers of plenty, Indra is the Will to give ; of the laudable, Varuna is the excellently laudable. Thus ends the thirty-second group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. tayoridavasā vayam sanema ni ca dhimahi, syāduta prarecanam.
   tayoḥ it avasā vayam sanema ni ca dhimahi syāt uta pra’recanam.

tayoḥ it of both, Indra the author who is the Will of all who give and Varuna the most excellently laudable ; avasā by their increase in us; vayam we avid of divine riches; sanema may we attain, obtain what is to be obtained ; and what is obtained nidhimahi ca let us lay by as store what remains after enjoyment as that is immense; that wealth is more than what is desired for enjoyment, hence it is guarded as safe deposit; further, it exceeds even what is possible for us to lay aside; in this sense he continues : uta and even; prarecanam superbly exceeding; syāt may it be. The purport is that the divine wealth that is obtained by the growth of the said Indra and Varuna in us is unlimited.

Remember here the Mantra of Maducchandas évibhu prabhu’ (Rv. 1.9.5.). Here too ‘citrāya rādhase’, for the variety of wealth, is spoken of in the next verse.

Tr. By their increase may we attain and store by; may it be superbly exceeding.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. indrāvaruņa vāmaham huve citrāya rādhase, asmāntsu jig yuşaskſtam.
   indrāvarunā vām aham huve citrāva rādhase asmān su jig yuşaḥ kṣtam.

O indrāvarunā Indra and Varura (the shortening in the Samhita text is Vedic); vām you both; aham huve I invoke; for what purpose ? citrāva for varied ; rādhas wealth; note that is a variegated wonderful divine wealth; asman us who are worshippers of God set on divine action ; sujig yuşaḥ endowed with perfect victory; kstam make.

jigyuṣaḥ: Perfect Participle of ji to conquer in the sense of Perfect. kstam : Imperative second person dual of kſ to do; the application tam as Present is Vedic.

Tr. O Indra and Varuna, I invoke you for the varied wealth; endow us with perfect victory.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. indrā varuna nū nu vām sişāsanti şu dhişvā asmabhyam sarma yacchatam.
   indrāvarurā nu nu vām siśāsanti şu dhișu ā asmabhyam sarma yacchatam.

indrāvarunā O Indra and Varuna (the shortening is in Samhita text); dhi şu in our thoughts; vām you; sisāsanti şu desirous to participate (Desiderative of the root şan, then present participle feminine); asmabhyam to us; sarma happiness; āyacchatam give on all sides; nu nu soon, repetition in the sense of exceedingly (the lengthening of the first nu in the Samhita text is Vedic).

Tr. Indra and Varuna, in our thoughts desirous to participate with you, give us happiness anon.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. pra vāmasnotu suşțutirindrāvaruņa yām huve, yāmsdhāthe sadhastutim.
   pra vām aśnotu suºstutiḥ indrāvaruna yām huve yām sdhāthe iti sadha’stutim.

indrāvaruņā O Indra and Varuna ; suştutiḥ this my auspicious laud; vam you; pra aśnotu may it attain ; yām for the acceptance of which happy laud; huve I call you; yām sadhastutim which rite of the inner sacrifice along with with laudation; şdhāthe may you increase.

sadhastutim : transmutation of ha into dha, Bahuvrihi compound with the natural accent on the first word. Therefore it is explained as the rite of the inner sacrifice wherein there is the laudation having the accompaniment of Indra and Varuna. In every way in the compound the sense other than that of its constituents is important. It is the Rik that is sadhastuti, holds Sayana.

ṛdhāte: ṛdh to increase ; transmutation in conjugation; the sense of causal is implied; in that case this is the purport of this half-Rik: that sadhastuti’ Rik or rite of inner sacrifice which you increase, may it attain to you superbly.

Tr. Indra and Varuna, may the happy laud attain to you for which I call, the laud of accompaniment you increase.

Thus ends the thirty-third group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 18

There are six hymns in the fifth Section. Of these the first beginning with somānam etc., has nine Riks. The Rishi and metre are as before. The deities are Brahmanaspati, etc. as will become clear in the explanation of the meaning of the Mantras.

This is the first Rik.

1. somānam svaraṇam kļņuhi brahmaṇaspate, kakșivantam ya ausijaḥ.
   somānam svararam kļņuhi brahmaṇaḥ pate kakşivantam yaḥ aušijaḥ.

The presiding deity of the Mantra is Brahmanaspati by name. We will expatiate upon the import of this deity later while commenting upon the hymn to Brahmanaspati commencing with uttiṣtha.

brahmanaspate O God of this name; somānam me who pours the libation (sun to press; on that termination manin), who prepares the drink that is pressed out; svaraṇam (svị to sound, to heat) come to light; kļņuhi make; kaksivantam the Rishi of this name, ’like him’, this is to be inferred; yaḥ the Rishi who; ausijaḥ was the celebrated son of Ushik.

This is the comment of the ancients. The inference of the word ’like’ is unnecessary as purport is possible even without it. The historical Rishi Kakshivan is well-known and alluded to in many places in the Rik Samhita. In the esoteric interpretation, the purport is to be understood following the constituent meaning of Ushik and Kakshivan. Explaining this Rik, Yaska says: kakșivān one with girth ; ausijaḥ son of Ushik, Ushik from vac, attractive glow. But this one may be intended as of human armpit. In that case usik means lustrous or lustre ; son of that is taijasa, the luminous; kakșivān secretful, that is to say who has the mystery of the supreme Godhead, as the word kakṣa is well-known to mean deep or hidden. This must be understood : Durga Acharya explains this without inferring the word iva. He says: ’It can be otherwise; Me who presses the Soma, Kakshivan son of Ushik, make me—so qualified—come in the light, O Brahmanaspati.’

This is better : I, Aushija, who am born of lustre, the lustrous, me, somānam who pours the libation, kakșivantam who knows the supreme, mystery ; svaraṇam manifested, well-known among the Gods; kļņuhi do make, O Brahmanaspati.

Tr. O Brahmanaspati, me the lustre-born who pours the libation, knows the supreme mystery, make me come in the light.

This is the second Rik.

2. yo revān yo amivahā vasuvitpușțivardhanaḥ, sa naḥ sişaktu yasturaḥ.
   yah revān yaḥ amiva’hā vasu’vit pușți’ vardhanaḥ saḥ naḥ sişaktu yah turah.

vaḥ that Brahmanaspati; revān opulent; yaḥ and who; amivahā destroyer of the injurious (amiva has been commented upon, 1:12:7); vasuvit who helps to attain wealth (causal sense implied); puşțivardhanaḥ increaser of nourishment; yaḥ turaḥ and who is speedy (tura to speed); saḥ he ; naḥ us; sişaktu may become unified (sac to unify; 3rd conjugation) let him be always joined to us.

Note that by describing the special qualities of wealthy, etc., of Brahmanaspati who presides over the Mantra-words, the view of those who know the tradition of the Rishis, that by the Mantras all objects are fulfilled,—attainment of the desirable and averting of the undesirable, is indicated generally. Particularly indicated is that by the grace of Brahmanaspati there comes the discovery of all hidden objects, attainment of what is unattained, protection of what is obtained by its increase, manifestation of what is concealed, etc.—all these are accomplished by the greatness of the word. That is why in the previous Rik it has has been prayed : ‘Make me, Kakshivan, come to light’. In this Rik is prayed for the constant unification of the practitioner of the inner sacrifice with the Godhead of the word of the Mantras. So too in the subsequent Rik mā naḥ śamsaḥ’, it is said : Such is the greatness of the Lord of the Mantra that the votary of the inner sacrifice, with Him as the armour, cannot be touched by the speech powerful though it may be, of those who harm the sacrifice or who do not perform the sacrifice, or men who are possessed of demoniac qualities.

Tr. May he the opulent, destroyer of the injurious, obtainer of wealth, increaser of nourishment, the quick, unify with us.

This is the third Rik.

3. mā naḥsamso ararușo dhūrtiḥ praṇangmartyasya, rakṣā no brahmaṇaspate.
   mā naḥ samsaḥ araruṣaḥ dhūrtih, praņak martyasya rakṣa naḥ brahmaṇaḥ pate.

brahmaņaşpate O Lord Brahmanaspati ; araruṣaḥ of him who gives not, he who does not give to the Gods, does not sacrifice, who insults the Gods; samsaḥ telling ’āśamsā expectation, wishing for calamity’ says Skandasvamin; the speech expressing it naḥ us; mā praņak may not touch; so too martyasya of mortal man; dhūrtiḥ injury (may it not touch); naḥ us; rakṣa protect.

araruṣaḥ: rātih Vedic root in the sense of giving, Perfect participle in the sense of Perfect of that root is rarivān; one who is no rarivān, that is to the non-giver.

praņak : prc to touch, come in contact, 7th Conjugation Imperfect form. Rest is Vedic.

dhūrtiḥ : the root dhurvi to injure. On that the termination ti. They explain this Rik in a different order : araruṣaḥ martyasya dhūrtiḥ śamsaḥ naḥ mā pranak, may not the afflicting curse of the mortal who does not give touch us. Here according to Sayana, dhūrtiḥ is what afflicts, samsaḥ is a special mode of speech.

Tr. O Brahmanaspati, let not the calumny by the un giver touch us, nor the injury by the mortal ; guard us.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. sa ghā viro na risyati yamindro brahmanaspatiḥ, somo hinoti martyam.
   sa ghā viraḥ na risyati yam indraḥ brahmaraḥ patiḥ somaḥ hinoti martyam.

saḥ gha only the man who performs the inner sacrifice; viraḥ endowed with heroism; na rişyati does not perish (the root ris has the sense of injury. Here the termination is Vedic; ‘not injured’ is the meaning); yam martyam which mortal; brahmanaspatiḥ God Brahmanaspati ; hinoti hastens (the root has the sense of going and of progress, still it does not denote ordinary movement); whom indraḥ Indra hastens; so also whom somaḥ Soma (hastens).

In the ancient Vedic Yoga denoted by the term sacrifice, progress day to day and constant ascent are indispensable till the attainment of the riches of the supreme Godhead signified by the Truth-Light. Such a journey becomes possible only for one who is not indolent, is a hero, a striver and ceaselessly engaged in effort. Even there the cooperation of the Gods is needed. Therefore are declared Indra, the Lord of the Gods, Brahmanaspati, the source of his speech of potency and Soma, the strength of delight, as hastening the hero-worshipper.

Tr. Only that hero does not perish, which mortal Brahmanaspati, Indra and Soma hasten.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. tvam tam brahmaṇaspate soma indrasca martyam, dakşiņā pātvamhasaḥ.
   tvam tam brahmanaḥ pate somaḥ indraḥ ca martyam dakṣinā pātu amhasaḥ.

The three deities spoken of before are mentioned here. Dakshina is additional. And she is the Goddess of intuitive power of discrimination between good and evil, truth and untruth. By investigation into other hymns, by association with other deities and by the contexts, it is possible to fix her as an emanation of Ushas, the Dawn, which presages the day-break before the appearance of the Truth-Light. The word dakșiņā is derived from the root dakṣa in the sense given by us before while discussing the meaning of the term dakşa. The termination inan is used in the case of dru and dakşa.

tam martyam that mortal, the worshipper; brahmaṇaspati O Brahmanaspati; tvam thou; amhasaḥ from sin protect; pātu has to be changed into pāhi to suit the second person ; likewise somah Soma; pātu may protect; indrasca and Indra protect; dakșiņā and Dakshina protect.

amhaḥ : sin, same thing as nirſti, evil . The form of this evil is falsehood; that it is the constant adversary of the good has been demonstrated while discussing the meaning of the term bhadra.

Tr. Mayest thou, O Brahmanaspati, and Soma and Indra and Dakshina ; protect that mortal from sin.

Thus ends the thirty-fourth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. sadasaspatimadbhutam priyamindrasya kāmyam, sanim medhāmayāsişam.
   sadasaḥ patim adbhutam priyam indrasya kāmyam sanim medhām ayā sişam.

These four Riks ending with narāṣāmsa are devoted to the Deity Sadasaspati. Sadasaspati is Agni himself, or a special form of his. Here ‘adbhuta’ (wonderful) is the indication (vide IV Section of the Introduction). Referring to the last Rik ’narāśamsa’, Yaska says it is Agni. This has been considered by us while on the Apri hymn (I.13).

sadasaspatim God of this appellation ; ayā sisam I have obtained (ya in the sense of attaining, Aorist); of what kind ? adbhutam mighty ; it is a name of greatness, not wrong to say, wonderful; indrasya priyam dear to Indra; kāmyam desirable; sanim giver (san to give) or gift itself, that is to say form of gain ; medhām intelligence, that is conscious in the form of understanding. According to Sayana : I attained to the God of the aforesaid qualities to secure intelligence.

Tr. I have attained to Sadasaspati, the mighty, dear to Indra, desirable, giver, the Intelligence.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. yasmādſte na siddhyati yajño vipascitaścana, sa dhinām yogaminvati.
   yasmāt ște na siddhyati yajñaḥ vipaḥ’citaḥ cana saḥ dhinām yogam invati.

yasmād ṛte without which Sadasaspati; vipaścitaś cana even of the Wise, illumined seer; yajñaḥ na siddhyati the sacrifice does not succeed; though the Rishi may be of illumined vision, he learns the technique of sacrifice from Agni Sadasaspati only, hence without him there can be no success in sacrifice; saḥ this God; dhinām of the thoughts, that is of the conflicting thoughts that would arise to the pilgrim of the holy path; yogam relation, mutually harmonious; invati he attains, that is, goes for it. (iv to pervade on it, 1st Conjugation.)

Tr. He without whom even the sacrifice of the Wise succeeds not, the God effects the harmony of thoughts.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. ādȚdhnoti havişkȚtim prāñcam kļņotyadhvaram, hotrā deveșu gacchati.
   āt ļdhnoti haviḥ kṣtim prāñcam kļņoti adhvaram hotrā deveșu gacchati.

āt after, after the fulfilment of the harmony of thoughts up-borne by Sadasaspati; that God havişkştim he who procures the acts of oblation, him who is engaged in the inner sacrifice (Bahu-vrihi compound, natural accent on the first word); şdhnoti increases (causal sense implied); adhvaram sacrifice (the truth of which has been spoken of earlier) ; prāñcam proceeding superbly, of excellent movement (form of año to move with the prefix pra); kļņoti does; hotrā (term for speech) the speech that invokes; deveșu among the Gods ; gacchati attains to them.

Tr After, he increases the sacrificer, speeds the sacrifice, speech attains to the Gods.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. narāśamsam sudhệstamamapaśyam, saprathastamam divo na sadmamakhasam.
   narā samsam su’dhșştamam apaśyam saprathaḥ tamam divaḥ na sadma’ makhasam.

Narāśamsam Agni in the form of Sadasaspati ; apaśyam I have beheld—he speaks of his direct vision of the God; that this is of Agni is clear from this line of Skandaswamin: "These four Riks are of this deity since in these four Riks, is seen the activity of Agni of carrying out the sacrifice, offering the oblation, managing it and the like.’ Of what kind have I seen ? sudh? rştamam well daring, sudhỉk exceedingly sudh;k, sudhșştama extremely daring; saprathastamam most celebrated (one who is accompanied by publicity is sapratha, then visarga, exceedingly sapratha, saprathastama); divaḥ of the heaven (related to it); sadmamakha-sam na standing like the household Priest (makha means sacrifice; he who does it, the performer of the sacrifice, makha sacrifice in sadma house; makhasa means makha) ; I have beheld narāśamsa who stood like the household Priest in the heaven.

sadmamakhasam attained luminosity, transmutation of ha into kha, says Sayana. ’Though not so stated makhaḥ is the name for greatness. O Agni, the earth shines with greatnesses ;’so illustrates Skandasvamin’s commentary.

The sacrificial hall where the Gods arrive is called sada home. That is the inner realm of the Rishi who does the sacrifice esoteric, a realm wide and many-planed. Agni the Lord of this home, carrying the load of the sacrificer shines like the performer of the sacrifice in the house-hold of heaven.

Tr. I have beheld Narasamsa, most daring, mos celebrated, like the Priest in the household of heaven.

Thus ends the thirty-fifth in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 19

In the fifth Section, the second Hymn beginning with prati tyam, addressed to Agni and Maruts, has nine Riks. The Rishi and metre are as before.

This is the first Rik.

1. prati tyam cārumadhvaram gopithāya pra hūyase, marudbhiragna ā gahi.

   prati tyam cārum adhvaram go’pithāya pra hūyase maruť bhiḥ agne ā gahi.

agne O Agni; tyam that which is being performed by me; cārum desirable, bereft of mal-formation; adhvaram prati towards the sacrifice; gopithāya gauḥ is the juice of Soma, for its drink; prahūyase thou art called ardently; hence marudbhih along with the Maruts; āgahi come.

The word tya has the same meaning as the pronoun tat.

As the external sacrifice, in the inner sacrifice too, the mutual relation among the parts must be harmonious. Thereby the sacrifice becomes beautiful. By the term go, the product of the cow, milk is meant. The ancients have explained gauh as Soma-juice because all oblation compares with the enjoyable denoted by the word anna and Soma is well-known as the chief of the enjoyables. Something has been said of the Màruts before. More will be said later in the due place. The Maruts are special deities, with impulsions common to the gusts of wind, fast in speed, belonging to the life-plane, who give a divine motion to the activities of intelligence illumined by the light and strength of Indra. That is why—suffice it to say-Agni is prayed to come with them for taking the milky yield denoting the light of the mind.

Tr. Agni, thou art ardently called to the desirable sacrifice to drink the Soma-juice ; come with the Maruts.

This is the second Rik.

2. nahi devo na martyo mahastava kratum paraḥ, marudbhiragna ā gahi.

   nahi devaḥ na martyaḥ mahaḥ tava kratum paraḥ marut bhiḥ agne ā gahi.

agne O Agni; mahaḥ mighty (elision of ta is Vedic); tava thine; kratum active will or power of action (transgressing it); paraḥ another; devaḥ God; na hi is not indeed; so also martyaḥ na there is no man; marudbhiḥ, etc. as before.

Tr. No God or man exceeds the will of Thee, the mighty, come with the Maruts.

This is the third Rik.

3. ye maho rajaso vidurvis ve devāso adruhaḥ, marud-bhiragna ā gahi.

   ye mahaḥ rajasaḥ viduḥ viśve devāsaḥ adruhaḥ maruť bhiḥ agne ā gahi.

agne O Agni; ye adruhaḥ they who do not deceive the praising dependent ; viśve devāḥ All Gods, the seven kinds of the host of Maruts mahaḥ of the great (elision of ta) ; rajasaḥ of the world (genetive in the sense of accusative) the great mid-world, the word rajas denoting world is well-known as the mid-region; viduḥknow; stationed in the mid-region they know the whole of the middle world; come with those Maruts (as before).

Tr. Agni, all Gods who do not let down, who know the great mid-world, with those Maruts come.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. ya ugrā arkamānscuranādhſșțāsa ojasā, marudbhiragna ā gahi.

   ye ugrāḥ arkam ānscuḥ anādhȚştā saḥ ojasā marutbhiḥ agne ā gahi.

ye Maruts; ugrāḥ brave; ojasā by the might of another; avadhșştāraḥ unassailed, unconquered ; arkam worship, laudation in Kik; ānscuh they worship; (the form is from șc to go, to worship, like ’they sing the song’. Perfect in the sense of Present); arka is water; says Sayana, it is Indra, says Skandasvamin; in both the places it is justified by examples from the Veda; brave Maruts, brothers of Indra, are able to make the laudation full of valour, to reach to Indra the showerer of all wealth or to impel the currents of divine Power denoted by the term waters; with those Maruts, etc. (as before).

Tr. The brave Maruts, unassailed by the might of others, who laud the laudation, with them come.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. ye śubhrā ghoravarpasaḥ sukșatrāso risādasaḥ, marudbhiragna ā gahi.

   ye śubhrāḥ ghora’varpasaḥ su’ ksatrāsaḥ rišādasaḥ marutbhiḥ agne ā gahi.

ye Maruts; śubhrāḥ radiant, ghoravarpasaḥ terrifying in form (varpa name for form); sukșatrāsaḥ mighty; riśādasaḥ devourers of the injurious ; with those Maruts, etc.

Note that even though the Maruts are awful in form, etc. the adjective subhra (bright) is used to denote this action of happy fruition.

Tr. The Maruts who are radiant, awful in form mighty and devourers of the foes, with them come.

Thus ends the twenty sixth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. ye nākasyādhi rocane divi devāsa äsate, marudbhiragna ā gahi.

   ye nākasya adhi rocane divi devāsaḥ ā sate, maruť bhih agne ā gahi.

The third station in the lower triple world is called the Heaven. This is the derivation; that in which there is no unhappiness, na akam ; thus they derive resorting to the compound of negation. Of that heaven-named in the triple world, nākasya adhi above; rocane in the shining; divi in a particular place in the luminous world, ’in the seventh, the station of Vayu’, says Skandasvamin (seven are the divisions of Maruts spoken of); ye devāḥ āsate the gods that are; with those Maruts (as before). Though the Maruts belong to the mid-region and are by nature Life-Powers, being connected with Indra they spread, by the glory of Indra, as far as the world Heaven, his abode That is how they are described in Mantras elsewhere ’strong in themselves, seers, sun-skinned”.

Tr. The Gods who are in the luminous world above the Heavens, with those Maruts, O Agni, come.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. ya inkhayanti parvatān tirassamudramarņavam, marudbhiragna ā gahi.

   ye inkhayanti parvatān tiraḥ samudram arņavam, maruť bhih agne ā gahi.

ye the gods, Maruts, parvatān unmoving mountains; inkhayanti move ; arņavam full of water; samudram tiraḥ scorn the ocean, crossing of the boundless ocean is itself the scorn; with those Maruts (as before).

Here, apparently, the moving of the immobile mountains and the crossing of the ocean of masses of waters difficult to cross indicate the mighty strength of the Maruts. Commentators have it that the scorn lies in causing the movement to set up waves, etc. in the waveless ocean. Here the purport to be noted can be grasped by us if we recall the symbolic meaning. The Maruts, extensions of the Life-force, become Powers of the luminous Intelligence. They set in movement the inert body heavy with tamas, or the gross knowledge gone inert, symbolised by the term mountain, in whose womb lies the being of knowledge, power, etc. That brings about the blossoming of knowledge, power, etc. By the movement of the whole being, unmoving and difficult to cross, potent with all powers, the infinite substances symbolised by the term ocean, the manifesation of its parts, its waves, is effected. Agni is prayed to come with Maruts of such mighty prowess.

inkhayanti : inkh among ukh, nakh means movement.

Tr. The Gods move the mountains and scorn the ocean of waters, with those Maruts, O Agni, come.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. ā ye tanvanti rasmibhistirah samudramojasā, marudbhiragna ā gahi.

   ā ye tanvanti rasmi’bhiḥ tiraḥ samudram ojasā marut bhiḥ agne ā gahi.

ye the gods; rasmibhih with solar rays spreading wisdom ; ā tanvanti extend (tanu in the sense of extension), over the infinite mid-region or the ocean as described earlier; ojasā by their own might ; samudram (mentioned already); tiraḥ scorn, crossing itself is to scorn, here perhaps extension, spreading ; with them, the rest as before.

Tr. The Gods who spread wide with their rays, scorn the ocean with their might, with those Maruts, O Agni, come.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. abhi tvā pūrvapitaye sșjāmi somyam madhu, marudbhiragna ā gahi.

   abhi tvā pūrva’pitaye spjāmi somyam madhu marut bhiḥ agne ā gahi.

agne, O Agni ; tvā abhi for the sake of thee; pūrvapitaye for the first quaff; somyam full of Soma (that which befits Soma); madhu sweet juice ; spjāmi I release; the rest as before.

Tr. O Agni, for thee, I pour the sweet juice Soma-full for the early quaff; come with the Maruts.

Thus ends the thirty-seventh group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

Thus ends the first Chapter in the first Eighth.