Commentary on the Rig Veda

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

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

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 ego-fed freelance.

Hymn 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.

HYMN 20

Now begins the second chapter of the first Eighth. This hymn, the third in the fifth section of the first Circle, beginning with ayam devāya, has eight Riks addressed to the Ribhus. The Rishi and the metre are as before.

The Ribhus are humans who have attained divinity by their askesis; they are the deities in this hymn. It is said that they are the sons of Sudhanvan Angirasa. Some say that they are solar rays. To us both are acceptable. The Truth, the Supreme Light, is denoted in the Veda by the Sun. Rays of this Sun, manifestations of the Consciousness descending on this field of Matter, gross and inert, uplift man who is in the gross body in which the consciousness has become inert. Thus these are the rays of the Sun. And these very Rịbhus become special powers of man by virtue of his development. And man becomes immortal by a divine birth, by a divine state effected by that special power. How then are they spoken of as sons of Sudhanvan? Dhanva is a field with no water, denoting inertness, sheer Matter. Just as the Hill is the place where Cows are hidden or denotes darkness that covers the Waters, similarly the arid land seen to be without sap, by the power of evolution, by accepting the divine rays descending, by absorbing the higher essence, acquires a splendour and blooms forth the glory of the Ribhus as Sudhanvan (fair arid land).

Thus there is coherence either way. Having, in all ways, attained to divinity by virtue of their action and knowledge, these work to help man to attain to divinity. And whatever acts they do they become divine acts only. The actions of the Ribhus are mentioned in symbolic language only. There are about a ten and more hymns in the Rik Samhita addressed to the Ribhus. Everywhere the language is the same, actions are the same, their fruit is the same. It is clear from a mere look on their face that without resort to the hidden symbolic meaning, it is not possible to explain in a straight manner those hymns that are like riddles. There is no doubt about it. We will demonstrate further on.

Ribhu, Vibhva, Vaja — these three are spoken of. The singular denotes their collectivity. And due to their association all are indicated by the word Ribhu, the eldest of them, one of the appellations. The speciality of each of the three is celebrated by the name itself. Ribhu, the eldest, builds by the intellect and by the activity forms conforming to the qualities of Immortality. Vibhva brings about its extension. Vaja effects the plenitude of the divine light and substance. These are called the carpenters, the artisans of immortality for man.

This is the first Rik.

1. ayam devāya janmane stomo viprebhirāsayā, akāri ratnadhatamah.
   ayam devāya janmane stomah viprebhih āsaya akari ratna’dhātamah.

ayam stomah this special laudation; viprebhih by the illumined; āsayā by the mouth, by the chief Prana (indicated by the word mouth); akāri is made; of what kind? ratnadhā tamaḥ bears enjoyments excellently; for what purpose? devāya for the God, the host of Ribhus; of what kind? janmane being born or born.

āsayā : third person singular of the word āsya; the termination ya is dropped and ā is substituted in its place.

janmane : Skandasvamin says that this termination man indicates present participle and is capable of indicating the past as well. Sayana has it as being born’. The Ribhus are gods born of the glory of the Truth-Light. This laudation is done by the illumined humans who have attained to their light and power, for the divine birth sought to be attained by the effectuation of the work of the Ribhus. And this is set in speech, by means of the chief Prana that is capable of gaining access to the heart of the gods. By that the laudation becomes patent. The purpose of this laudation is to establish in the inner being of man felicities of superb ecstasies, denoted by the term ratna, wealth. This is the import of the first Rik of the hymn. Now begins the narration of the fulfilment of the Ribhus in the share of the sacrifice and their doings.

Tr. For the divine host in birth is this laud of utmost felicities chanted by the mouth of the illumined.

This is the second Rik.

2. ya indrāya vacoyujā tatakṣurmanasă hari, śamibhiryajñamāśata.
   ye indrāya vacaḥ’yujā tatakṣuḥ manasā hari iti śamibhiḥ yajñam āśata.

ye which Ribhus; indrāya for Indra; vacoyujā speech-yoked (they are yoked by speech), well harnessed by the power of speech of the Ribhus; hari coursers of Indra; manasā by the mind; tataksuh carved out, procured, is the meaning; those Ribhus śamibhih (name of action) by making one bowl fourfold, etc.—being spoken of presently—; yajñam āśata (as to pervade. Imperfect tense is Vedic), attained the sacrifice, for enjoyment.

Humans, having attained divinity by their action, the Ribhus came to own a share in the sacrifice. It is to be noted that the fruit of sacrifice, the summit of all action, is the fulfilment of special divine Powers that exalt man. So endowed, the Ribhus, perform divine functions in order to uplift other humans who are ripe and competent and help Indra the King of the gods. Among these actions, this is the chief : to fashion in man the settled form of the steeds of Indra, the life-forces speeding the divine mind. In this action, their means is the truth-willed mind; the horses fashioned by it are well-yoked by speech itself and bring about the play of the pure divine mind. Other actions are spoken of in the subsequent Rik

Tr. They who by the mind fashioned steeds for Indra, yoked by speech, attained the sacrifice by their actions.

This is the third Rik.

3. takṣannāsatyābhyām parijmānam sukham ratham, taksan dhenum sabardughām.
   taksan nāsatyabhyām pari’jmānam su’kham ratham taksan dhenum sabah’dugham.

Those Ribhus nāsatyābhyām for the Ashvins, of the purpose of the Ashvins; sukham happy; ratham carriage of speedy movement; takşan fashioned (absence of ă in the Veda); what kind of carriage? parijmānam going on all siaes (form of aj to go with the prefix pari) and more; they sabardughām yielder of nectar; dhenum Cow; taksan fashioned.

sabar is a name for nectar, says Skandaswami; milk, says Sayana.

Two actions of the Ribhus viz., fashioning of the carriage for the Ashvins and of the nectar-yielding Cow are spoken of. The occupation of the Ashvins, physicians of the gods have been spoken of earlier. The Ashvins are the gods presiding over the Yoga-journey of man in other worlds, in other states, all over. Note that they favour the material man with longevity, health, youth, strength, fullness and the like; the vital man with capacity for activity and enjoyment; the mental man with the power of light abundant with joy. In every way, in all his being, they fill man with pure bliss and strength. And this is another act of theirs; fashioning the Cow. What does it mean? This Cow is the primal Light, Aditi. It is said elsewhere that the Ribhus remove the skin enclosing her and cleanse : ‘By your thinkings you have freed the Cow from the hide’ (4.36.4). And also it is said that this Cow is of the form of the Universe; ’who fashioned the Cow of all-form and all-impelling’ (4.33.8). And Mother Aditi alone can be the impeller of the universe and of the form of the universe, she who is the Infinite Consciousness. And her son it is who is the jiva, the soul of man. He is separated from his mother in consciousness. The cause is the enclosing skin. And that, it should be noted, is the product of Nature, becoming of ignorance. In brief, on its termination, these Ribhus effectuate in the human being the formation of the nectar-yielding Cow coming into her own functioning, of Aditi the Infinite Consciousness.

Tr. They fashioned for the Ashvins the happy car going on all sides, fashioned the Cow nectar-yielding.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. yuvānā pitarā punaḥ satyamantrā rjūyavaḥ ộbhavo viștyakrata.
   yuvānā pitarā punariti satya’mantrāḥ rjū’yavaḥ, ļbhavaḥ vișți akrata.

ṛbhavaḥ these gods presently in question; pitarā heaven and earth celebrated as the father and the mother, the old parents; punaḥ yuvānā again youthful; akrata made (Aorist of kṛ Atmanepada, substitution of a usual termination dropped; form is Vedic); by what means? vișți by spreading (this is the termination of instrumental case singular; so says Skandasvamin. This is the form of vișțr to pervade. viştayaḥ endowed with pervasion, says Sayana); what kind of Ribhus? satyamantrāḥ they whose mantras are true, so they say, or, according to Skandasvamin, of true speech; according to Sayana, unbelying potency of mantras; still better, they in whose mentations is the truth; again of what kind? rjūyavaḥ desiring straightness for themselves; the word rju here suggests the dominant quality, desirous of straightness, these become straight, hence in their thoughts or mantras mentated, there abides only truth, not untruth.

Another important action of the Ribhus is stated in this Rik. And that is bringing about the youthfulness of the old parents, almost worn out. The earth-special field of material consciousness denoted by the term physical—is the Mother. The heaven-special field of the predominantly pure mental consciousness—is the Father. The Ribhus remove the worn-out condition of both the parents who have been old for very long and bring about an energetic freshness in them. And glories of Truth like light and strength, the divine directness of the true thoughts of these gods who walk straight path, may help in this task.

Tr. The Ribhus rendered the parents young again by their pervading, the truth-thoughted, desirous of straightness.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. sam vo madāso agmatendreņa ca marutvatā, ādityebhișca rājabhiḥ.
   sam vaḥ ſadāsaḥ agmata indreņa ca marut-vatā, ādityebhiḥ ca rājabhiḥ.

O Ribhus, vaḥ yours; madāsaḥ the delight (delighted by them, hence the delights; the termination as is Vedic), soma juices; marutvatā by him accompanied by Maruts; indreņa ca by Indra and; rājabhiḥādityebhiḥ ca with the sons of Aditi, Varuna, etc.; samagmata meet (aorist of gam with prefix sam, Atmanepada; affix dropped, Vedic). Or it may be this way. The delights reach well to you along with Indra accompanied by the Maruts, also with the shining Adityas. These Ribhus obtain Soma, the essence of immortality and full of bliss, and bring it to the sacrifice of man. Along with them, the Maruts (powers of intelligence full of life-force), Indra (divine consciousness of the pure mind), kings like Varuna, etc. (glories of divine purification, etc.) come together. This is the sense.

Tr. Your Soma-juices join with Indra accompanied by Maruts, with the shining hosts of Adityas.

Thus ends the first group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. uta tyam camasam navam tvaşțurdevasya nișkſtam, akarta caturaḥ punah.
   uta tyam camasam navam tvaşțuḥ devasya nişkſtam akarta caturaḥ punariti.

uta and again; tvașțuh of Tvashtri who presides over the affair of fashioning the universe; devasya divine; navam new; nişkſtam fashioned; tyam that; camasam the drinking vessel holding Soma, the nectar-delight, (which is) one; punaḥ again; caturaḥ divided fourfold; akarta did. (The Ribhus, the subject, has to be understood.) navam : the form denoting the act of praise from nu.

akarta : did. Aorist of krjn, ta is substituted and affix dropped.

The form is Vedic. The gods in the sacrifice drink the nectarious juice of Soma from Chamasa, the drinking bowl of four arrays. In the beginning Tvashtri, the architect of the forms in the universe, gave man only one Chamasa; by himself it is now new-made, well fixed. That is the physical body, the holder of the waking consciousness. In it is the essence of all experience, denoted by the term Soma-juice offered to the gods for drink. Manifestations of the Light of Knowledge, the Ribhus marshall that one Chamasa of the material body fourfold. The provisions for such action are built from the planes of existence subtler and higher than the physical earth. Thus, here, the first vessel is the material body. When that itself is made fourfold, the other three come to be fashioned. They are the vital body, the mental body and the causal body-origin of all the three.

Tr. And new-made by God Tvashtri, the vessel they again fashioned fourfold.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. te no ratnāni dhattana trirā sāptāni sunvate, ekamekam suśastibhiḥ.
   te naḥratnāni dhattana triḥā sāptāni sunvate ekam’ekam suśastibhiḥ.

te Ye, O Ribhus, of the divine actions spoken of before; naḥour (connected with us); sunvate to the sacrificer; ratnāni enjoyable felicities dhattana establish (the substitute tana is Vedic); what are these felicities? triḥā thrice repeated; sāptāni multiples of seven categories formed resulting from seven numbers (sāpta is a multiple of seven. The à in sapta is Vedic. Here by multiple, the thing multiplied is denoted. Otherwise it will be in singular); tāni those felicities; ekamekam each one; susastibhiḥ with radiant expressings, that is to say well-extracted (establish).

By getting for man a happy fourfold body, the Ribhus render him fit for dwelling on the plane of Truth-Consciousness. When he is thus made perfect, they are able to establish in essence (or pithily) the Delight of the universal existence of seven principles like earth, etc. in each of the three—his body, life and mind-severally. Hence it is said, “establish the sevenfold felicities in each thrice’.

Tr. Ye, Ribhus, establish for our sacrificer the felicities of seven kinds, triply; each separately with perfect expressings.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. adhārayanta vahnayo’bhajanta sukṛtyayāsf¹

vahnayaḥ the bearers, Ribhus who manage the sacrifice to secure immortality and the like for man; sukſtyaya by means of the deed comprising the happy action of fashioning a single bowl into four, etc.; deveșu of the gods (locative for genetive); yajniyam due in sacrifice; bhāgam the portion to be distributed among the gods serverally according to injunction; adhārayanta you bore; abhajanta and apportioned.

When the human consciousness is ready, the Ribhus are able to sustain constant currents of Ananda. Hence they are able, by their fulfilling deed, to distribute and give to each of the gods manifested by the Sacrifice, the appropriate share replete with Ananda. That kind of distribution according to the share is the utmost requirement for the smooth performance and complete fruition of the sacrifice.

This is the purport.

Tr. The bearers by their happy deed bore and distributed the sacrificial share of the Gods.

Thus ends the second group in the Second Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 21

ihendrāgni, etc., is the fourth hymn, of six Riks, in the fifth Section. The Rishi and the metre are as before. The deities are Indra and Agni.

This is the first Rik.

1. ihendrāgni upahvaye tā yoritstomamuśmasi, tā somam somapätamā.
   iha indrāgni iti upahvaye tayoḥ it stomam uśmasi, tā somam soma’pātamā.

iha in this sacrifice in session; indrāgni Indra and Agni; upahvaye I call; tayorit Indra and Agni also; stomam laud; uśmasi we desire (vas to attract. mas is the termination in the Present and the suffix i on mas); tā they two; somapātamā Gods who drink Soma-juices exceedingly; somam the Soma poured out (may they drink).

Indra is stationed in the heaven, Agni on earth; the association of these parents of the universe-heaven and earth will be effected in the sacrifice by this pair of Deities satisfied of Soma.

Tr. Here I call Indra and Agni; we desire their praise alone; may they, superb drinkers of Soma, take the Soma.

This is the second Rik.

2. tā yajñeșu praśamsatendrāgni sumbhatā narah, tā gāyatreșu gāyata.
   tā yajñeșu pra samsata indrāgni iti sumbhata naraḥ tā gāyatreșu gāyata.

O naraḥ men; tā them; indrāgni both the Gods Indra and Agni; yajâneșu in the sacrifice; praśamsata laud superbly; sumbhata make them lustrous (sumbh in the sense of lustre. The lengthening of ta in the Samhita text is Vedic.); tā those Gods; gāyatreşu in the mantras cast in gayatri metre that are sung; gāyata laud by chanting.

Tr. O men, laud superbly the Gods Indra and Agni in the sacrifice, glorify them; chant their praise in Gayatris.

This is the third Rik.

3. tā mitrasya praśastaya indrăgni tā havāmahe, somapā somapitaye.
   tā mitrasya pra’śastaye indrāgni iti tā havāmahe, soma’pā soma’pitaye.

tā those;" indrāgni both the Gods Indra and Agni, joined together, paired; havāmahe we call; for what purpose? mitrasya praśastaye for the excellent fame of God Surya as Mitra the Friend who by eliminating inequalities brings about equal delight in the many limbed sacrifice; and again tā those; somapā Gods Indra and Agni who drink the Soma; somapitaye to drink Soma (we call).

When Indra and Agni come together satisfied of Soma, the fame spreads of Mitra who effects companionship, friendliness, etc.

Tr. We call them Indra and Agni for the fame of Mitra, the Soma-drinkers to drink the Soma.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. ugrā santā havāmaha upedam savanam sutam, indrāgni eha gacchatām.
   ugrā santā havāmahe upa idam savanam sutam indrāgni iti ā iha gacchatām.

sutam in which Soma is pressed out (like cows drunk, cows that have drunk the water, Brahmins eaten, Brahmins who have eaten the food. Similarly sacrifice pressed, that is in which Soma is pressed); idam this savanam sacrifice; upa to approach; ugrā the valiant; santā the Gods who are overpowering in the destruction of the haters of sacrifice; havāmahe we call; indrāgni Indra and Agni; iha to this our sacrifice; āgacchatam may they come.

Tr. We call to this libation in sacrifice the valiant ones; may Indra and Agni come hither.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. tā mahāntā sadaspati indrāgni rakṣa ubjatam, aprajāḥ santvatriņaḥ.
   tā mahāntā sadaspati iti indrāgni iti rakṣaḥ ubjatam aprajāḥ santu atriņaḥ.

tā those (presently concerned); mahāntā great; sadaspati guardians of the house of the sacrifice- the body of the sacrificer with all its inner and outer being; indrägni you, Indra and Agni; rakṣaḥ fiends (singular to denote collectivity); ubjatam kill (ubj act of killing); atriņaḥ devourers of us (ad to eat), demons; aprajāḥ progenyless; santu may they become bereft of virility.

sådaspati : The s of sadas, the uninflected part, does not become ș in the compound-Vedic.

Tr. Indra and Agni, you great lords of the House, kill the fiends; issueless be the devourers.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. tena satyena jāgȚtamadhi pracetune pade, indrāgni sarma yacchatam.
   tena satyena jāgrtam adhi pra’cetune pade indrāgni iti śarma yacchatam.

O indrāgni Indra and Agni; tena denoted by the word that; satyena by the eternal law, by following which we sacrifice to the Gods, or wait on you; jāgrtam be awake, be winkless in our matters; where? adhi above; pracetune supremely instilling consciousness; pade in the station, the station celebrated by Mantras like ’in the Supreme beyond’, ’Immortality in the Heaven is his triple quarters’, ‘The highest step of Vishnu’, is this very pracetanam padam (station supremely instilling consciousness); (cit to be conscious, here causal belongs to the unadi class with the termination una); those you, śarma refuge, divine home; yacchatam give (to us).

The flaming will is the glory of Agni, the luminous consciousness is that of Indra. The state to be attained by means of both of them together and awake is our settled refuge. This certainty is posited.

Tr. Indra and Agni, by the truth be awake in the station above instilling supremely the consciousness, give us refuge.

Thus ends the third group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 22

prātar yujā, etc. begins the fifth hymn, of twenty one Riks, in the fifth Section. The Rishi and the metre are as before. The particular deities will become clear then and there in the course of the commentary.

This is the first Rik.

1. prātaryujā vi bodhayāśvināvehå gacchatām, asya somasya pitaye.
   prātaḥyujā vi bodhaya aśviñau à iha gacchatām asya somasya pitaye.

In this hymn the first four Riks are devoted to the Ashvins. prātaryujā conjoined in the morning at the beginning of the sacrifice (at the morning libation, in the external sense), come together (joined in the morning, prātar yunjāte, therefore prātaryujau); aśvinau Ashvin Gods; vibodhaya awake them; this direction is to oneself; thus too says Skandasvamin. This is to oneself only because of the direction of the inner self; or of Agni as he is the hotr; awakened, both of them iha to the sacrifice; āgacchatam may they come; why? asya of this pressed out; somasya pitaye to drink the Soma.

The Ashvins spoken of before are familiar to us.

Tr. Awake the Ashvins who join at morn; may they come hither to drink the Soma.

This is the second Rik.

2. yā surathā rathitamobhā devā divisprśā, asvinā tā havāmahe.
   yā su’rathā rathitamā ubhā devā divi’sprśā aśvinā tā hayāmahe.

yā which; ubhā both; devā Gods; aśvinā Ashvins; surathā of auspicious car, they whose car is auspicious; rathitamā superbly charioted; divisprśā having their touch in the heavens (the compound is aluk) they are palpable in the heavens, that is to say, dwellers in heaven; tā them; havāmahe we call.

The letter à in dual found in yā, etc. is Vedic.

Tr. We call the Ashvins, of auspicious car, superbly charioted, the Gods who reach the heavens.

This is the third Rik.

3. yā vām kaśā madhumatyasvinā sūnrtavati, tayā yājñam mimikșatam.
   yā vām kaśā madhumati aśvinā sūnștāvati tayā yājñam mimikșatam.

aśvinā O Ashvins; vām your; madhumati sweet; sūnſtāvati and of happy truth; kaśā (name of speech); yā the speech that is; tayā by that speech capable of impelling the steeds; yajñam this present sacrifice; mimikșatam moisten (form of mihi to sprinkle).

It is to be remembered that Usha, daughter of Heaven, is the spouse of the Ashvins and that Goddess Usha has been described by terms denoting form and nature like of happy birth, full of truth, full of lustre, etc. The optional sense given to kaśā by Sayana favours the meaning ’speech’. The meaning of the Mantra is : Moisten this sacrifice, make this drip with delight by speech that is full of sweetness, of happy truth and hence full of savour.

The whip by which the horse is goaded, kaśā, with which to beat the horse, is well-known. Here even speech has that capacity, hence, kaśā is read in the sense of speech. Here the purport of the ritualist commentary may be noted for a comparative study of the thoughtful (reader). kaśā the horsewhip is watery (madhumati), is it not? How? It is soaked with the perspiration that flows from the horse in speed. If it be asked how is the horsewhip of happy truth, it is said : the sound that ensues from a rapid whipping of the horse, the shout that is made by the rider while thrashing the horse, are both dear to the sacrificer. How? Because both the report of the thrashing and the shouting are causes of rapid advance.

Tr. O Ashvins, your speech sweet and of happy truth, with that moisten the sacrifice.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. nahi vämasti dūrake yatrā rathena gacchathaḥ aśvinā somino grham.
   nahi vām asti dūrake yatra rathena gacchathaḥ asvinā sominaḥ grham.

aśvinā O Ashvins; yatra in which sacrifice, towards the house of sacrifice; rathena by car of rapid speed; vām you; gacchathaḥ go; that sominaḥ grham home of the sacrificer with Soma; dūrake far; nahi asti is indeed not.

With rapid speed nothing is far even for a moment. Then how can the house of the sacrificer with Soma, the physical body which is the pedestal of the life-body, etc. be far?

Tr. O Ashvins, as you go thither in car, the home of the sacrificer with Soma is not far indeed.

Now follow four Riks to God Savitri. This is the first of them, fifth in the hymn.

5. hiraṇyapāņimūtaye savitāramupahvaye, sa cettā devatā padam.
   hiranya’pāņim ūtaye savitāram upa hvaye saḥ cettā devatā padam.

hiranyapāņim of golden hands; savitāram Surya the creator; ūtaye for increase; upahvaye I call; saḥ cettă he becomes the knower or he causes to be known (causal sense implied); he devatā the All-God, becomes the deity treated by all the Vedas; he padam becomes the goal to be attained.

Savitr the Sun is the golden Person, he is himself the knower, himself the deity, himself the goal to be reached—this is affirmed. Note that hands, feet, arms, etc. denote the rays. It is the perception of the Rishis and time-long settled doctrine that the golden form of Savitr, the Person Highest, the God of all Gods can be realised directly.

Tr. I call Savitr, the golden-armed, for increase; he is the knower, the God, the goal.

Thus ends the fourth group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik in the hymn.

6. apām napātamavase savitāramupa stuhi, tasya vratānyuśmasi.
   apām napātam avase savitāram upa stuhi tasya vratāni uśmasi.

It must be noted that Riks like “Waters alone were all this at the beginning”, the state before the creation of the universe is sought to be described in terms of a quick movement providing the basic material for the universe. Though Savitr has really no birth as such, his being the child of the Waters is spoken of in the context of the creation of the universe.

Even as in man the sacrificer, Agni is the child of the forces of strength, light, etc. forming the equipment for creation which are symbolised by the term waters, so too Savitr is born the offspring subsequently. The word napāt means son, also son’s son. Thus is Savitr spoken of as the son of the Waters both in the macrocosm and the mircrocosm. In the gross view, the sun comes to birth by rising from the ocean in the morning, hence Savitr is the son of the waters.

apām napātam savitāram God Savitr, son of the waters; avase for thy increase; upastuhi approach and adore with praise; this is the direction of the inner being; tasya of Savitr; vratāni deeds (eternal); uśmasi we long for.

Tr. Praise close Savitr, son of the Waters, for increase; we long for his deeds.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. vibhaktāram havāmahe vasościtrasya rādhasaḥ, savitāram nṛcakşasam.
   vibhaktāram havāmahe vasoḥ citrasya rādhasaḥ savitāram nr’cakşasam.

citrasya of many kinds; rādhasaḥ of treasure of all accomplishments (rādh, sādh to accomplish); vasoḥ of wealth (the substance providing dwelling in the luminous world); vibhaktāram who apportions and gives; savitāram the God who creates; havāmahe we call; of what kind? nșcakşasam seer of men, he who sees men is the seer of men, him (cakştakes the termination as).

Though both vasu and rādha mean wealth, their distinction is to be noted. It has been mentioned earlier in ‘citram rādhaḥ ’(varied wealth)’, ’vibhu prabhu’ (pervading, mastering).

Tr. We call the distributor of the varied store of wealth, Savitr the seer of men.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. sakhāya ă ni si data savitā stomyo nu naḥ, dātā rādhāmsi sumbhati.
   sakhāyaḥ ā ni sidata savitā stomyaḥ nu naḥ dātā rādhāmsi sumbhati.

O sakhāyaḥ address to the friends engaged in the common inner sacrifice; ā hitherward; nişidata sit, wait upon the adorable God; savitā God Savitr; naḥ our; nu soon; stomyaḥ deserves our hymn of affirmation; saḥ he; dātā giver of the wealth causing dwelling in the divine world, of treasure that gives all fulfilment; rādhāmsi wealth of the kind spoken of; śumbhati lights up, brings to light, shows it available to us.

śumbhati to shine, to be lustrous; causal is implied. Some commentators say sumbhati means gives.

Tr. O comrades, sit around in adoration, Savitr is soon to be lauded; the giver manifests the treasures.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. agne. patnirihāvaha devānāmuśatirupa, tvaşțāram somapitaye.
   agne patniḥ iha ā vaha devānām uśatiḥ upa tvaștāram soma’pitaye.

agne O Flame; devānām of Indra and the like; patniḥ Indrani and others; iha in this sacrifice; upa near; āvaha bring; of what kind? uśatiḥ desiring the offering of the sacrificer (vas to attract, present participle, feminine); likewise tvaştāram Tvastri the divine architect (bring near); for what purpose? somapitaye to drink Soma.

We have spoken before regarding female deities. The wife is the doer, the executor of the work of God the lord who causes it to be done.

Tr. O Agni, bring hither the spouses of the Gods, desiring; and Tvastri, to the drink of Soma.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. ā gnā agna ihāvase hotrām yaviştha bhāratim, varutrim dhişaņām vaha.
    ā gnāḥ agne iha avase hotrăm yaviştha bhāratim varutrim dhişanām vaha.

agne O Agni; avase for increase, for our growth; gnāḥ spouses of the Gods; iha in this sacrifice; āvaha fetch; yaviştha 0 most youthful, capable, of bringing; hotrām speech, being the speech of call; likewise bharatim the light of Bharata, the Sun; bring the Truth-Light endowed with the vastness and brilliance of the wide light of Truth; varutrim covers, who shines enveloping all; dhişaņām conscious (Bharati, do bring).

We have discussed about Bharati earlier in the Apri hymn and elsewhere. She is the truth-lustre of the Vast Light, the foundation of Revelation and Inspiration, Ila and Sarasvati. Here by mentioning Hotra, Varutri, Dhisana (call of speech, envelopper, consciousness) the forces that indicate her power and form, a concord equally applying to these with Bharati is demonstrated. Thus by not mentioning the governed word it helps to lay stress on and explain the import. But Sayana thinks that hotrā is spouse of Agni carrying out the Homa, Bharati spouse of Aditya, Varutri Dhisana is Sarasvati.

Tr. Agni, bring to this sacrifice for increase the spouses of the Gods, O youthful one, speech of call and Bharati, pervasive and conscious.

Thus ends the fifth group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the eleventh Rik in the hymn.

11. abhi no deviravasā mahaḥ śarmaņā nrpatnih, acchinnapatrāḥ sacantām.
    abhi naḥ deviḥ avasā mahaḥ śarmaņā nr’patnih acchinna’patrāḥ sacantām.

deviḥ Goddesses, spouses of the Gods treated in this, gnāḥ; naḥ us; avasā with increase; mahaḥ with great (mah in worship, as is substituted in instrumental singular); sarmaņā and with happiness; abhisacantām may they favour turned towards us; of what kind? nrpatniḥ spouses, powers of the Gods; acchinnapatrāḥ whose wings are unclipped—there is no severance of the wings with which these course in the sky; of tireless carriage, says Skandasvamin; may they favour us with increase and great happiness, is the purport.

Tr. May the Goddesses, spouses of the Gods, favour us with increase and great happiness, their wings unclipped.

This is the twelfth Rik.

12. ihendrānimupa hvaye varuņānīm svastaye, agnāyim somapītaye.
    iha indrānim upa hvaye varuņānim svastaye agnāyim soma’pitaye.

iha in this sacrifice; svastaye for the weal; indrānim spouse of Indra; varuņānim spouse of Varuna; agnāyim spouse of Agni; upahvaye I call; why? somapitaye to drink the Soma; verily, by their drinking of the Soma is effected the weal of the sacrificer; hence ’for the weal’.

Tr. Here I call for weal, spouse of Indra, spouse of Varuna, spouse of Agni, to drink the Soma.

This is the thirteenth Rik.

13. mahi dyauḥ přthivi ca na imam yajñam mimikșatam, pipṛtānno bharimabhiḥ.
    mahi dyauḥ prthivi ca naḥ imam yajñam mimikșatām pipṛtām naḥ bhari’mabhiḥ.

Heaven and Earth are the deities of this and the next Rik

mahi the Vast (elision of the word at is Vedic, feminine of the word mahat); dyauḥ the deity of the heaven-world; prthivi ca and the deity of the Earth; naḥ our; imam yajñam this sacrifice; mimikșatām may they desire to bedew (the form of mih in the sense of sprinkle); bharimabhiḥ with feeds, nourishments (termination iman on the root bhr); naḥ us; pipſtām fill (Imperative form of the root pr to fill; the i in the repetitive form is Vedic).

May both Heaven and Earth make us soaked with happiness, full of delight with the sap of their own essence, may they fill us with their nourishing feeds.

Tr. May the vast Heaven and Earth bedew this our sacrifice; may they fill us with nourishments.

This is the fourteenth Rik.

14. tayoridghſtavatpayo viprā rihanti dhitibhiḥ, gandharvasya dhruve pade.
    tayoḥ it ghịtaʼvat payaḥ viprāḥ rihanti dhitibhiḥ gandharvasya dhruve pade.

tayorit of Heaven and Earth alone; ghrtavat lustrous; payaḥ essential sap; viprāḥ the wise; dhitibhiḥ with faculties of consciousness capable of bearing; rihanti lick, taste (ra for la is Vedic); the gross, matter-located earth-consciousness is indicated by the term prthivi, Earth; the subtler mind-located divine consciousness is indicated by dyauḥ, Heaven; the essence, the immortal sap of both is lustrous ‘ghṛtavat payaḥ; the wise taste it with their special faculties of consciousness; but then, where do they ‘lick’ that sap? gandharvasya of Gandharva; dhruve stable; pade in the station; Sayana says : the place of the Gandharva is the mid-region, the sky; in the sky are the Heaven and Earth; and related to them is the ghee-like water which the wise taste. Yaska holds thus : the ray of the sun of great happiness is called ’go’ cow; who bears that Soma, is the Gandharva; by his delightfulness he is famed at times as the moon. “Here verily in the home of the moon, (the wise) knew the secret name of the ray-cow of the Fashioner Sun” (1.84.15). This will be mentioned later on. That is why more detail is not desired here. But this must be understood here : in the station of Soma where the luminous Truth-ray shines constantly (vide 1.154.5 the fount of sweetness in the highest step of Vishnu), “the wise sip the lustrous sap’, partake of shining immortal sap.

Tr. The wise sip the lustrous sap of them with their faculties of thought in the stable station of Soma.

This is the fifteenth Rik.

15. syonā pṛthivi bhavānſkṣarā niveśani, yacchā naḥ śarma saprathaḥ.
    syonā pṛthivi bhava anſkṣarā ni’veśani yaccha naḥ śarma sa’prathaḥ.

The deity of this is Prithivi, Earth. pṛthivi O Earth; you syonā happy (syonam means happiness); anrkṣarā without thorn (;kṣara is thorn); niveśani dwelling, bhava be a fit dwelling place to us; that is, be a happy dwelling bereft of enemies; naḥ our; saprathaḥ wide (pratha to propagate, termination as); sarma refuge; yaccha give.

Tr. O Earth, be a happy and thornless dwelling; give us wide refuge.

Thus ends the sixth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

Now follow six Riks to Vishnu. .

This is the sixteenth Rik in this hymn.

16. ato devă avantu no yato vişnurvicakrame, prthivyāḥ sapta dhāmabhiḥ.
    ataḥ devāḥ avantu naḥ yataḥ vişnuḥ vi’cakrame prthivyāḥ sapta dhāma’bhih.

The highest Sun, Vishnu the supreme Lord is referred to.

ataḥ (indeclinable from etat) from here; it should be taken in the sense of that; for, that, tat, and which, yat, have a constant relation and the word yataḥ is mentioned later in the Rik; devāḥ the gods, Indra and others; naḥ us;avantu may they increase; yataḥ from which place, vişnuḥ (the termination nu on viş to pervade) the pervading God; prthivyāḥ (genetive denoting relation) of the earth; sapta seven (interchange of case); dhāmabhiḥ through stations; vicakrame superbly placed his steps, ’overstrode’ is the meaning.

The store of Light, from which station Vishnu extended and strode over the seven places of the earth is also the station of the gods who have that one fount. May they, severally manifest according to the difference in function, give us the progress in their keeping—this is the prayer.²

Tr. Thence may the gods increase us whence Vishnu strode the seven regions of the earth.

This is the seventeenth Rik.

17. idam vişnurvicakrame tredhā ni dadhe padam samülhamasya pāmsure.
    idam vişnuḥ vi cakrame tredhā ni dadhe padam sam’ūlham asya pamsure.

idam all this universe; vişnuḥ Pervader, the supreme God; vicakrame has strode; he says how he strode; tredhā in three ways, on earth, in mid-region and in the heaven-world; padam nidadhe he placed the foot; what took place by that? asya of Vishnu; pāmsure in the region having the dust of his feet (raḥ denotes possessive sense); samülham firmly established was all this (Past Participle of vaḥ with sam, change of semi-vowel to vowel); tredhā from the word tri, the suffix edhā.

Tr. This Vishnu strode, thrice he placed his foot; in the dust of his feet was all firmly established.

This is the eighteenth Rik.

18. triņi padā vi cakrame vişnurgopā adābhyaḥ, ato dharmāņi dhārayan.
    triņi padā vi cakrame vişnuḥ gopāḥadābhyaḥ ataḥ dharmāņi dhārayan.

gopāḥ protector of the whole world; adābhyaḥ not subduable, unassailable; vişnuḥ Vishnu; trīņi padā three steps; vicakrame superbly strode; whence? ataḥ from here, the earth; doing what? dharmāņi laws, actions to be upheld in all this universe; dhā rayan upholding (he strode).

Here the substratum of the triple world is the earth, hence by stepping from here he guards the eternal laws to be upheld in the triple world.

Tr. Vishnu, guardian, inviolable, strode three steps from here upholding the Laws.

This is the nineteenth Rik.

19. vişnoḥ karmāņi paśyata yato vratāni paspase, indrasya yujyaḥ sakhā.
    viṣnoḥ karmāņi paśyata yataḥ vratāni paspase indrasya yujyaḥ sakhā.

The address is to co-practitioners. vişnoḥ Vishnu’s; karmāņi deeds of valour; paśyata behold; yataḥ by these deeds of striding the three worlds, (he, Vishnu) vratāni deeds for sustaining the three worlds, forming the restraints and injunctions; paspaśe touched, that is made patent (spas meaning touch, Perfect); the eternal laws for the activities of the world are hidden, touched by the action of Vishnu’s valour they are made manifest; he indrasya of Indra the sovereign of the triple world; leader of action; yujyaḥ to be yoked (yaḥ on yuj, no guņa as weak termination); sakhā having equal communication.

Tr. Behold the deeds of Vishnu by which the Laws are patent; comrade, be yoked to Indra.

This is the twentieth Rik.

20. tad vişnoḥ paramam padam sadā pasyanti sūrayaḥ, divīva cakșurătatam.
    tad vişnoḥ paramam padam sadā pasyanti sūrayaḥ divi’iva cakṣuḥ ā’tatam.

sūrayaḥ the wise; vişnoḥ Vishnu’s; tat denoted by the term tat; paramam supreme; padam step; sadā always, without break in time; pasyanti behold; he cites an illustration; deviva as in the sky; ātatam spread wide; cakṣuḥ eye. The wise always behold that supreme step of Vishnu, firm, set like the eye in the high skies, pervading everywhere, perceivable by all. Vide Introduction IV.

Tr. The wise always behold that supreme step of Vishnu, like an eye extended in heaven.

This is the twenty-first Rik.

21. tadviprāso vipanyavo jāgļvāmsaḥ samindhate, vişnoryatparamam padam.
    tad viprāsaḥ vipanyavaḥ jāgr’vāmsaḥ sam indhate, vişnoủ yat paramam padam.

viprāsaḥ the wise, the illumined; vipanyavaḥ especial laudators (pan in the sense of praise, belongs to uņādi class and so the suffix yu); jāgļvāmsaḥ (jāgr in the sense of removal of sleep, Perfect participle) sleepless, always winkless (becoming); yat what is said before; vişnoḥ paramam padam the supreme step of Vishnu; tat that celebrated; samindhate they light up well.

The supreme step ever lit becomes lighted up again in the illumined seers who realise it, ever winkless and awake; their ceaseless manifestation of it is itself re-lighting; hence it is said they light it well (samindhate). Such Riks of patent lofty import are at times the bases and form the seeds of sentences like ’that is said by the Rishis’, ’that is well said by the Rik’, of the Rishis of the Upanishad.

Tr. The illumined seers, superb chanters, awake, light well that supreme step of Vishnu.

Thus ends the seventh Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 23

Sixth in the fifth Section, tivrä, etc. is a hymn of twenty-four Riks. The Rishi is Medhatithi himself. The deities are Vayu, etc. as will become clear in the commentary. Here twenty-one Riks are in gāyatri metre, the variation in metres among the rest is to be noted in the commentary.

This is the first Rik of the hymn.

1. tivrāḥ somāsa ā gahyāsirvantaḥ sută ime, vāyo tān prasthitān piba.
   tivrāḥ somāsaḥ ā gahi āśiḥvantaḥ sutāḥ ime vāyo iti tān pra’sthitān piba.

Vayu is the deity. vāyo O Life of the world, life specially embodied in the sacrificer, tivrāḥ sharp, that is tending to move ceaselessly with speed (tij to sharpen, suffix ra lengthening of ti and ja become vaḥ); ime somāsaḥ these soma-juices; sutāḥ are pressed out; they āś îrvantaḥ are mixed with curds and grains (explained in 1.5.5.); ägahi come to receive them; prasthitān set to flow; these soma-juices set out to occupy and fill the entire body of the sacrificer, inner and outer; tān piba drink them.

It is only by Vayu’s acceptance of the soma-juice that the body holding the weight of delight becomes a vessel for the play of the action of subsequent deities.

Tr. These fine soma-juices mixed with curd and grain are pressed out; come, O Vayu, drink them ready.

This is the second Rik.

2. ubhā devā divisprsendravāyü havämahe, asya somasya pitaye.
   ubhā devā divi’spráā indravāyū iti havāmahe asya somasya pitaye.

divispṛśā touching the heaven (termination i used in hrid and dyu; aluk compound in seventh case), dwelling in the heaven-world; ubha both; deva gods; indravāyū Indra the deity presiding over the Mind and Vayu over the Life; havāmahe we call; for what purpose? asya somasya pitaye the meaning is clear—to drink this Soma.

Though Vayu belongs to the Mid-region, he is lauded as of the heaven because of association with Indra. First Vayu and now Indra and Vayu are called to drink the Soma. Varuna and Mitra will be referred to now. The inner purport of all this has been discussed earlier in the second Hymn of the first Section, by Madhucchandas. So also what was said in the third Section regarding Marutvan is to be borne in mind in the Mantras that are being commented upon.

Tr. We call both gods who touch the heaven, Indra and Vayu, to drink this Soma.

This is the third Rik.

3. indravāyū manojuvā viprā havanta ūtaye, sahasrākṣā dhiyaspati.
   indravāyū iti manaḥ’juvā viprāḥ havante ūtaye sahasra’aksā dhiyaḥ pati iti.

manojuvā mind-speeded, with a movement like the mind’s (juv denotes movement); indravāya both the gods, Indra and Vayu; viprāḥ the illumined ones; ūtaye for increase; havante call; of what kind are they? sahasrākṣā they who have a thousand eyes, much-seeing; by association with the thousand-eyed; dhiyah of the upbearing intelligence; pati protectors -here too association with Indra is the cause.

Tr. Indra and Vayu, swift as mind, the illumined call for increase; the thousand-eyed, lords of Intelligence.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. mitram vayam havāmahe varuņam somapitaye, jajñānā pūtadakṣasā.
   mitram vayam havāmahe varuņam soma’pitaye jajñānā pūta’dakṣasā.

vayam sacrificers; somapitaye for drinking the Soma; mitram varuņam both Mitra and Varuna; havāmahe we call; of what kind are they? jajñānā being born, taking birth in the sacrifice; pūtadakṣasā pure in skilled discernment (these two words are explained before).

Tr. To drink Soma we call Mitra and Varuna, taking birth, pure in discernment.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. ṛtena yāvṛtāvrdhāvṛtasya jyotişaspati, tā mitrāvaruņā huve.
   ṛtena yau ṛtā’vşdhau ṛtasya jyotişah pati iti tā mitrāvarunā huve.

yau who; ṛtena by truth (of their own); ṛtāvṛdhau increase the truth in the sacrifice; ṛtasya of the truth; jyotişaḥ of the light of the Supreme bṛhat); pati protectors; tā them; mitrāvaruņā Mitra and Varuna; huve I call.

Mitra and Varuna have been considered before.

Tr. We call Mitra and Varuna who increase truth by truth, protectors of the Truth-Light. Thus ends the eighth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik in the hymn.

6. varunaḥ prāvitā bhuvanmitro viśvābhirūtibhiḥ, karatām naḥ surădhasaḥ.
   varuṇaḥ pra’avitā bhuvat mitraḥ viśvābhiḥ ūti’bhiḥ karatām naḥ su’rādhasaḥ.

varuṇaḥ God Varuna; our prāvitā superb increaser; bhuvat may become (Vedic Present); mitraḥ and God Mitra; viśvābhiḥ with all; ūtibhiḥ with prosperities, may he be the increaser; and both, nah us; surādhasaḥ of auspicious wealth; karatām make.

Tr. May Varuna become the superb increaser and Varuna with all prosperities, may they make us of auspicious wealth.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. marutvantam havāmaha indramā somapitaye, sajūrgaạena tmpatu.
   marutvantam havāmahe indram ā soma’pitaye sa’jūḥ ganena třmpatu.

Indra with the Maruts is the deity of these three Riks.

marutvantam superb amongst the host of Maruts, (he has the Maruts, vat suffix for possessive); indram Indra; somapitaye to drink the Soma; ā havāmahe we call; this Indra gaṇena with the host of Maruts; sajūḥ with uniform satisfaction; tṛmpatu may he be sated (trp, tſmp to sate, Imperative).

sajūḥ : jus in the sense of satisfaction with suffix. Prefix sa to denote equality, Bahuvrihi compound. The natural accent of the first word affected by the acute accent of the latter.

What was said of Indra with the host of Maruts in the hymn of Madhucchandas is to be recollected.

Tr. We call Indra with the host of Maruts to drink the Soma; may he of uniform satisfaction with the host be sated.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. indrajyeșthā marudgaņā devāsaḥ pūṣarātayaḥ, viśve mama srutā havam.
   indra’jyeșthāḥ marut’gaņāḥ’devāsaḥ pūşa’rātayaḥ viſve mama śruta havam.

indrajyeșthāḥ they of whom Indra is the eldest; marudgaņāḥ companies of Maruts as hosts; pūşa rātayaḥ the god who nourishes is Pushan, they to whom Pushan is the giver; (when by the prowess of God Pushan the sacrificer is nourished, the host of Maruts become manifest, hence he is called the giver, rātih); viśve even all; devāsaḥ O gods; mama havam my call; śruta hearken. (Vedic lengthening in the Samhita text. Imperative second person plural. Suffix a. Rest is Vedic.)

Tr. Hosts of Maruts with Indra as the eldest, Gods in the giving of Pushan, you all hearken to my call.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. hata vſtram sudānava indreņa sahasă yujā, mā no duhśamsa isata.
   hata vſtram su’dānavaḥ indreņa sahasā yujā mā naḥ duḥ’samsah iśata.

sudānavaḥ O auspicious givers (dānu like bhānu belongs to Unadi class, so nu) ; hosts of Maruts; sahasa forceful (possessive sense is implied); yuja yoked (yuj to join, suffix); indreņa with Indra; vſtram Titan of this name; hata destroy (Imperative of han, second person plural); duḥsamsaħ ill-will, any whatsoever; naḥ towards us; mā iśata may not be the master (is to rule. Imperfect for Aorist in the Veda; absense of a because of use with mā).

Tr. Along with forceful Indra, O auspicious givers, destroy Vritra; may not ill-will master us.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. visvān devān havāmahe marutaḥ somapitaye, ugrā hi prínimātaraḥ.
    viśvān devān havāmahe marutaḥ soma’pitaye urgrāḥ hi prśni’mātaraḥ.

marutaḥ named Maruts; visvān devān these hosts; somapītaye to drink Soma; havāmahe we call; and those Maruts, ugrāḥ of fiery strength; prșnimataraḥ they whose mother is the Cow of variegated hue, sons of Prishni; hi in the sense of well-known.

It is to be kept in mind that though they are powers of mental energies illumined by the force of Indra’s valour, the Maruts are primarily born of life-force, increasers of nerve-strengths, who have arrived on the field of Mind; this has been discussed before. Their mother is the Cow of variegated hue, called Prishni. Now the symbolic meaning becomes clear. Field for the play of manifestation of the Life-Force, delivering the inheld mental energies, extended in the infinite spaces of the Mid-region as Aditi, capable of multiple manifestation, this Power of living beings, the Mother of Maruts is Prishni, the Cow of variegated hues.

Tr. We call Maruts, all the Gods, to drink the soma; forceful are they with Prishni for their mother. Thus ends the ninth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the eleventh Rik.

11. jayatāmiva tanyaturmarutāmeti dhrşņuyā, yacchubham yāthanā naraḥ.
    jayatām’iva tanyatuḥ marutām eti dhrsnuyā yat śubham yāthana naraḥ.

naraḥ O leaders, Maruts; yat when; śubham to the beautiful or luminous station; yāthana you attain (thana is substituted. Present of yā to go, the form is second person plural); then marutām your; tanyatuḥ the word that spreads (tan to spread, suffix, yatu) jayatāmiva like that of the conquering heroes;

dhṛṣnuyā : being bold; eti. i goes forth. dhrşnuyā; ni dhrs to be bold, suffix nu First person singular, ya is substituted. The journey of the Maruts to the auspicious is hero-voiced.

Tr. Leaders, when you go to the Auspicious, the voice of you Maruts goes forth loud like the conqueror’s.

This is the twelfth Rik.

12. haskārādvidyutasparyato jātā avantu naḥ, maruto mộlayantu nāḥ.
    haskārāt vi’dyutaḥ pari ataḥ jātāh avantu naḥ marụtaḥ mrlayantu naḥ.

haskārāt from the laughing luminous i.e., laughter here means lighting or illumination (the suffix on has then a on kļ to do); vidyutaḥ from especial revealing; ataḥ from this mid-region; pari everywhere; jātāḥ born; marutaḥ gods; naḥ us; avantu may increase; they naḥ us; mộlayantu enhappy.

Tr. May the Maruts, manifest everywhere from the revealing illuminations in the Mid-region, increase us, enhappy us.

This is the thirteenth Rik.

13. ā pūşañcitrabarhişamāghrne dharuņam divaḥ, ājā naștam yathā pašum.
    ā pūşan citra’barhişam āghrne dharuņam divaḥ ā aja naștam yathā pašum.

Now these are three Riks to Pushan. God Pushan is one of the Adityas. His function will be clearly elaborated in the hymn sampūşan, etc. of Ghora Kanva to Pushan; hence we do not go into detail here.

pūşan O Pushan; āghrne luminous from all sides (ghrniḥ as the ray is well known; or light in the sense of lūminous); citrabarhişam he whose seat is of variegated hue of multiple splendour; divaḥ of the heaven-world, that is of the gods dwelling there; dharuņam upbearer, Soma, the nectarian essence, Soma, being the food of the gods, is their sustainer; 1.2.10 (40) [1.5.23 ā ā aja attain or bring (causal is implied. By the repetition of the preposition, what is said is repeated, aj is a root meaning movement); he cites an illustration -yathā naștam paśum just as the herdsman searches for, finds and brings the animal like goat which is lost to sight, so O Pushan, look for the hidden Soma and bring; this is the sense. By this is declared the ability of Pushan to bring the Soma; further on will be told that he attains to the Soma kept concealed and accomplishes.

Tr. O luminous Pushan, fetch the sustainer of heaven, of many-hued seat, like a lost animal.

This is the fourteenth Rik.

14. pūṣā rājānamāghrņirapagūlham guhāhitam, avindaccitrabarhişam.
    pūṣā rājānam āghrņiḥ apaʼgūļham guhā hitam avindat citra’barhişam.

āghrņiḥ luminous (commented already); pūsā God Pushan; apagūļham most hidden (guḥ to enclose, past participle); guhā in the cave, in the secret place difficult of access; hitam laid by the coverers, titans; rājānam Soma; avindat he attained; of what kind? citrabarhișam commented upon already.

Tr. Luminous Pushan found the most hidden Soma of many-hued seat laid in the cave.

This is the fifteenth Rik.

15. uto sa mahyamindubhiḥ șațyuktān anuseșidhat, gobhiryavam na carkrșat.
    uto iti saḥmahyam indu’bhiḥșat yuktān anu’seșidhat gobhiḥ yavam na carkrșat.

uto and also (uta from u, substitute same as u); saḥ Pushan; mahyam for the sacrificer; indubhiḥ (und to moisten, already said) with the Soma juices; yuktan united; șaț the six, excluding the earth from the seven stations, earth, etc. it becomes six-the glories of the six stationed above in me the sacrificer on earth; anuseșidhat effecting in due order (the root șidh meaning movement with prefix anu; reduplication. This is not a verb, but present participle, num is prohibited) he is; illustration : na in simile, just as the plougher; gobhiḥ with bulls; yavam for grain (the word yava denotes by indication grain); carkrșat ploughs again and again, even so.

carkrșt : krs to drag with a plough, reduplication, Vedic present, the sense is present.

This is the greatness of Pushan; he brings the Soma nectar—the food of the Gods-stolen and concealed by the dark enemies of the Gods, nourishes the sacrificer, attains again and again to the glories of the upper worlds, full of Soma, plane by plane and renders him full of Soma.

Tr. And he brings unto me in order the Soma-filled Six just as the plougher with the bulls for grain.

Thus ends the tenth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixteenth Rik in this hymn.

16. ambayo yantyadhvabhirjāmayo adhvariyatām, přñcatirmadhunā payaḥ.
    ambayaḥ yanti adhva’bhiḥ jāmayaḥ adhvari’yatām pſñcatiḥmadhunā payah.

From now till the end of the hymn, the Riks are devoted to the deities āpaḥ, Waters-excepting the half Rik payasvān agne in the 23rd and the last one.

adhvarīyatām of us desiring the sacrifice; ambayaḥ mothers, motherly Waters (the word ambi means ambā, mother); adhvabhiḥ by the ordained paths; yanti go; similarly, jāmayaḥ sisterly Waters (also go); what do they do? madhună with the sweet, delightful sap; payaḥ milk of the cow i.e., (by indication) the cluster of the rays of knowledge; prâcatiḥ mixing (interchange of case, prc to come into contact, present participle feminine).

Full of delight, born of the same womb, currents of power, and these motherly ones indicated by ap, Waters, flow towards the sacrificer by the ordained paths and come filling the consciousness with the sap of delight.

Tr. The Mothers and the sisters go by the ordained paths to those who seek the sacrifice, mingling the milk of Knowledge with the honey of Delight.

This is the seventeenth Rik.

17. amūryā upa sūrye yābhirvā sūryaḥ saha, tā no hinvantvadhvaram.
    amūḥ yāḥ upa sūrye yābhiḥ vā sūryaḥ saha tāḥ naḥ hinvantu adhvaram.

yāḥ amūḥ which waters; sūrye in the luminous sun, impeller of all; upa are stationed near; yābhiḥ vā and by which waters (or for which); saha along with; süryaḥ the sun is; tāḥ those waters; naḥ our; adhvaram sacrifice; hinvantu may they increase (hi in the sense of going or increase). hinvantu means let them please—says Sayana. What has been said earlier on svarvatiḥ apaḥ is to be kept in mind.

Tr. The waters that are near the sun or along with which is the sun, may they increase our sacrifice.

This is the eighteenth Rik.

18. apo devīrupa hvaye yatra gāvah pibanti naḥ, sindhubhyaḥ kartvam haviḥ.
    apaḥ devīḥ upa hvaye yatra gāvaḥ pibanti naḥ sindhu’bhyaḥ kartvam haviḥ.

apaḥ the strong powers as characterised by us; deviḥ Goddesses; upahvaye I call; yatra in which Waters; naḥ our; gāvaḥ rays of knowledge; pibanti take the sap; and by that, full of strength, they grow (them I call); sindhubhyaḥ from these flowings having taken the essence; haviḥ substance of offering; kartvam is to be made (by us).

kartvam : tva on kṛ in the sense of ’to be done’.

Tr. Waters, Goddesses, I call in whom our Cows drink; from the streams the oblation is to be made.

This is the nineteenth Rik.

19. apsva’ntaramặtamapsu bheșajamapamuta praśastaye, devā bhavata vājinaḥ.
    ap’su antaḥ amſtam ap’su bheșajam apām uta pra’śastaye devāḥ bhavata vājinaḥ.

If the beginning letter of the Rik is the twelfth letter of the first foot, it is pura ușnik, say the knowers of the prosody. The metre of this Rik is pura ușnik.

apsu in the Waters described before; antaḥ in their essential core; amſtam the deathless eternal substance is there; apsu so too in the waters; bheșajam the substance that cures all disease is there; uta and further; apām of such divine powers; prasastaye for the laudation; devāḥ O ye Gods; vājinaḥ full of plenitude; bhavata become.

All the Gods, bountiful and full, must be, must come for partaking of the Waters containing nectar, curing all distress. The Waters are praiseworthy since accepted by the bounteous gods, they make them contented. If there be deficiency in the fullness of the gods who partake, the greatness of the Waters may not be entirely understood—this is the purport. Therefore, it is said, ’Become full of plenitude for the praise of the Waters.’ Here Waters are to be taken symbolically. Some with medical knowledge say that even earthly water has these qualities and they it is that are lauded in the Veda in metaphorical language. May be or may not. We are neutral here. The main sense, however, is as we have said; this is to be understood.

Tr. Nectar is in the Waters, the healing balm is in the Waters; to give them praise, O Gods, become full of plenitude.

This is the twentieth Rik.

20. apsu me somo abravidantarviśvāni bheșajā, agnim ca viſvasambhuvamāpasca visvabheșajih.
    ap’su me somaḥ abravit antaḥ viſvāni bheșajā agnim ca viſvaʼsambhuvam āpaḥ ca viſva’ bheșajih.

This is of anușțubh metre. The Rishi, inner sacrificer, speaks. apsu in the waters described; antaḥ within; viśvāni all; bheșajā medicines curing all ills, there are; me to me; somaḥ the God of delight; abravit counselled; so too agnim ca God Agni also; viſvasambhuvam who minds the happiness of all creatures of the universe—he spoke (adjective used predicatively); āpaśca the Powers mentioned; visvabheșajih themselves medicines of all (ills).

visvasambhuvam : causal is implied in bhav; then suffix.

visvabheșajiḥ : they in whom are all the medicines. Always feminine; belongs to the group of nine, kevala, etc.; interchange of second case.

’Waters are medicines to all’ is a separate sentence.

Tr. Soma has said to me : all medicines are in the Waters, and Agni is the weal-giver of all and the Waters are medicines to all.

Thus ends the eleventh Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the twenty-first Rik.

21. āpaḥ prņita bheșajam varūtham tanve’mama, jyokca sūryam dựse.
    āpaḥ prnita bheșajam varūtham tanve mama jyok ca sūryam dựse.

āpaḥ O Waters; mama tanve for my body; varūtham halo-like, like an enclosing armour of protection; bheśajam medicine removing all ill; prņita fill; and also jyok long; süryam supreme Light; dụse ca to see (fill with medicine).

It is not earthly medicine for the protection of the body that is meant. In medical treatment, the taking of medicine is primary, hence the request is for serving the medicine alone. The medicine which gives strength for a long vision of the Sun is not worldly. It is clear that what is spoken of is a medicine of the Waters with glory divine, attainable by the inner sacrificer.

Tr. O Waters, fill with medicine, as armour for my body; and for long vision of the Sun.

This is the twenty-second Rik.

22. idamāpaḥ pra vahata yatkim ca duritam mayi, yadvāhamabhidudroha yadvā sepa utānṛtam.
    idam āpaḥ pra vahata yat kim ca duḥ’itam mayi yat vă aham abhi’dudroha yat vā sepe uta anṛtam.

The metre is anușțubh.

āpaḥ O Waters; mayi yat kim ca duritam whatever sin there be in me (remaining unknown to me or done by me in ignorance); vā or; yat aham abhidudroha whatever betrayal I have done or desired to strike; yat vā sepe or what I have cursed in passion; uta anţtam or falsehood I have spoken; idam all that; pravahata take away fully; by your flowing wash away our sin of every kind—this is the prayer of the sacrificer Rishi.

Tr. O Waters, take away what evil there be in me or what betrayal or cursing or falsehood be.

This is the twenty-third Rik.

23. apo adyānvacārişam rasena samagasmahi, payasvānagna ā gahi tam mā sam srja varcasā.
    āpaḥ adya anu acārişam rasena sam agasmahi payasvān agne à gahi tam mā sam srja varcasā.

The metre is anușțubh. Waters are the deities of the first half and Agni of the second.

āpaḥ Waters (interchange of accusative case); adya · now; anvacārișam following or without interruption, I have attained (car in the sense of movement); Skandasvamin says : the greatness of Waters that is, is manifested; the commentator cites : ’It is to be remembered that whatever deity one speaks intensely of, in that deity one experiences the sense of becoming itself. Therefore he attains the state of becoming itself. It is all right, what is the result of this attainment? He says : rasena with the essence of Waters; samagasmahi we have united (gam with prefix sam Atmanepada; Aorist; the dropping of nasal and other elisions Vedic); and now, agne payasvān O Agni, thou full of cows, the rays of Wisdom; āgahi come; and coming tam mām such me; varcasă with the brilliance; samsrja join.

Lord Agni, having experienced identity with the essence of Waters, I am fit for the fulfilment of union with the brilliance of thy making.

Tr. I have now attained the Waters, we have become one with their essence; O Agni, rich with rays of Wisdom, come and with thy splendour join me.

This is the twenty-fourth Rik.

24. sam māgne varcasā srja sam prajayā samāyuşā, vidyurme asya devā indro vidyātsaha rşibhiḥ.
    sam mā agne varcasā srja sam pra’jayā sam āyușā vidyuḥ me asya devāḥ indraḥ vidyāt saha rșibhiḥ.

agne O Agni; mă me; varcasă with brilliance; samsrja join; prajayā sam with progeny join; āyuşā sam with life join; note that the splendour is divine brilliance, progeny is the succession of the knowledge of the inner sacrifice, life is living for God; asya me of me the sacrificer, the desired state or wealth prayed for and bestowable; devāḥ gods generally; vidyuḥ they know, may the gods know our needs; knowing they will surely bestow—this is the idea; having said gods in a general way, it is said indro vidyāt saha rşibhiḥ, may Indra know with the Rishis. This is said to emphasise the speciality. The Rishis are the cooperators with Indra for the uplift of mankind, men only who have attained to godhood or else, Godseers who are presiding over mankind. It is like saying Brahmanas have come, Visishtha also is come.

Tr. Join me, O Agni with splendour, with progeny, with life; may the Gods know of me thus, may Indra know along with the Rishis.

Thus ends the twelfth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

THUS ENDS THE FIFTH SECTION OF THE FIRST CIRCLE.

HYMN 24

These are seven hymns in the sixth Section, by Shunashepa, son of Ajigarta. Of these the first kasya, etc., is of fifteen Riks. The metre of the first two Riks is tristup. Of the three Riks to Savitr, abhitvā, etc. it is gāyatri; of the rest it is trișțup only. As nothing is definitely said, the deity of the first is said to be Prajapati himself. Of the second Agni; of next three, Savitr; of the rest Varuna.

This is the first Rik of the hymn.

1. kasya nūnam katamasyāmṛtānām manāmahe cāru devasya nama, ko no mahyā aditaye punardāt pitaram ca dṛśeyam mătaram ca.
   kasya nūnam katamasya amṛtānām manāmahe cāru devasya nāma kaḥ naḥ mahyai aditaye punaḥ dāt pitaram ca drseyam mātaram ca.

amṛtānām among the gods; katamasya of which kind (the suffix tama on the word kim to query the genre amongst the several); kasya devasya cāru of which God the auspicious; nāma means for bowing -name of laud in mantra; manāmahe may we utter (man the act of worship, used for contemplating, knowing or meditating. The a is Vedic. It is said ‘uttering’ because of significance); nūnam in doubt; kaḥ which God; naḥ us; mahyai to the great; aditaye to the Infinite creator of the Universe, the mother of even the gods; punaḥ again; dāt may give (aorist for conditional in the Veda. Absence of a); by which, pitaram ca mātaram ca drseyam I may see the father and the mother. Heaven is the father, Earth the mother.

Finding himself bound in cords, Rishi Shuna-shepa asks which God shall I call by name for release, who can deliver me again to Aditi, by which giving I may behold the Mother and Father. I am born of Infinite Mother of the Universe; hence re-giving to her is proper. This is understood from the mention ‘again’. The consciousness that is predominantly of pure mind is Heaven, the Father; the consciousness that extends and is wake in the physical world, is Earth, the Mother. By regaining Aditi, the Mother of the Universe, the Infinite in form, it will be possible to gain the sight of both of them together, or the knowledge of their natural relation.

Tr. Which auspicious Name of God among the Immortals shall we call? Who is he that will restore us to the mighty Aditi that I may behold the Father and the Mother?

This is the second Rik.

2. agnervayam prathamasyāmộtānām manāmahe căru devasya nāma, sa no mahyā aditaye punardāt pitaram ca dịśeyam mātaram ca.
   agneḥ vayam prathamasya amặtānām manāmahe cāru devasya nāma saḥ naḥ mahyai aditaye punaḥ dāt pitaram ca dụśeyam mātaram ca.

Of Agni the first among the immortals—this is the connection. The rest as before. It is Agni who is born first in us. The manifestation of the other gods is thereafter. The Rishi has obtained the knowledge—for the fulfilment of the wish-that Agni is to be approached by teaching of the Guru or his command or the Grace of Prajapati.

Tr. We utter the auspicious name of Agni, the first among the Immortals; he shall render us again to Aditi the mighty, that I may behold the Father and the Mother.

This is the third Rik.

3. abhi tvā deva savitarišānam vāryāņām, sadāvan bhāgamimahe.
   abhi tvā deva savitaḥ iśānam vāryāņām sada avan bhāgam imahe.

Now, by the Grace of Agni he approaches Savitr the laudable, by the three Riks.

sadā avan O ever protected (present participle); savitaḥ deva God Savitr; vāryāņām of the excellent things to be chosen; iśānam lord; tvā towards thee; bhāgam portion appropriate to us or fit for us, the divine portion; abhi imahe we seek everywhere.

It is to be noted that the prayer for the divine portion such as ‘Bearing the portions of God’, ‘may we live the span of life allotted by the Gods’, is the ancient Vedic way. And this portion is not merely of life-span, health and wealth. Though it is indeed capable of giving life-span, etc., still, this divine portion is in fact in the hands of God. When it is desired by those who are not competent therefor or the unripe, it gives room to reproach or hindrance; otherwise it is laudable, desirable, hate cannot touch it from anywhere—this becomes clear in the next Rik.

Tr. O God Savitr, ever-guarded, lord of the precious, we seek from you all round our portion.

This is fourth Rik.

4. yaściddhi ta ittha bhagaḥ śašamānaḥ pură nidaḥ, adveşo hastayordadhe.
   yaḥ cit hi te itthā bhagaḥ śašamānaḥ purā nidaḥ adveṣaḥ hastayoḥ dadhe.

cit hi these words are for metrical exigency; O Savitr, yaḥ bhagaḥ which portion to be shared; adveşah that in which there is no hate, such one; nidaḥ of cavil; purā before (explained in the Rik uta bruvantu no nidaḥ 1.4.5.); itthā devoid of inconsistency (term for truth); śaśamānaḥ lauded (the nominative termination in accusative); te thine; hastayoḥ in hands; dadhe laid; (that part we desire-this is the link with the previous Rik-because of the mention of the word yat, the word tat has to be inferred).

The portion has been described already. This is the sense : This divine portion when sought for or obtained by the unfit or the immature is open to cavil by the jealous who hate the welfare of others—human or non-human; beyond the reach of such criticism above the range of such cavil and hence above hate, devoid of inconsistency, lauded, this portion is laid in the hands of Savitr. That portion we pray for.

Tr. The share, free from hate, beyond cavil, as is true, lauded, laid in thy hands.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. bhagabhaktasya te vayamudasema tavāvasă, mūrdhānam rāya â’rabhe.
   bhaga’bhaktasya te vayam ut asema tava avasa mürdhānam rāyaḥ à’rabhe.

O Savitr; te thine; vayam Rishis, or those like me—says Rishi Shunashepa; tava by thy doing; avasā by our increase; udasema may we attain above (as to pervade; a by transmutation) increased by thee, may we reach above; why? bhagabhaktasya resorted to by the God Bhaga, by thee Savitr in the form of the share; rāyaḥ of the wealth (note that this wealth of Savitr is a divine wealth); mūrdhānam the highest step, excellence; ārabhe to begin to enjoy. (Termination é for infinitive of purpose).

Tr. May we of Thine, increased, attain high to enjoy the excellence of the wealth partaken by Bhaga.

Thus ends the thirteenth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik in the hymn.

6. nahi te kșatram na saho na manyum vayașcanāmi patayanta āpuḥ, nemā āpo animişam carantirna ye vātasya praminantyabhvam.
   nahi te kșatram na sahaḥ na manyum vayaḥ cana ami iti patayantaḥ āpuḥ na imāḥ āpaḥ ani’mişam carantiḥ na ye vātasya praʼminanti abhvam.

From now on up to the end of the hymn follow Riks addressed to Varuna. He lauds Varuna by the grace of Savitr, the all-impeller. He describes the greatness of the unsubduable might of Varuna.

O God Varuna! ami the visible in the world; patayantaḥ soaring in the skies (tenth conjugation present participle); vayaścana even the birds; te thine; kșatram brave might; nahi āpuḥ do not attain; so sahaḥ have not attained the strength of endurance; manyum have not attained either the rush of fury; animişam ceaselessly; carantiḥ going, flowing; imāḥ apaḥ these rivers (have not attained); ye and which; vātasya the stormy velocities of the ever- moving wind; they also abhvam thy powerful might (abhva means might); na praminanti do not affect (minj to inflict pain; root of the 9th conjugation). Thy powerful might exceeds whatever is distinguished in the world by its speed or strength.

Tr. The soaring birds approach not thy valorous strength; nor do they attain the strength of endurance nor thy rush of fury. Neither do these waters flowing incessant, nor the speeds of wind affect thy might.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. abudhne rājā varuņo vanasyordhvam stūpam dadate pūtadakṣaḥ, nicināḥ sthurupari budhna eşāmasme antarnihitāḥ ketavaḥ syuḥ.
   abudhne rājā varunaḥ vanasya urdhvam stūpam dadate pūta’dakṣaḥ nicināh sthuḥ upari budhnaḥ eșām asme iti antaḥ nihitāḥ ketavaḥ syuriti syuḥ.

abudhne in the sky without prop, that which has no base; rājā the resplendent lord; pūtadakṣaḥ of pure understanding, skill and strength; vanasya of delightful enjoyable light-radiance; stūpam mass; ūrdhvam in the above region; dadate holds aloft; so also the rays of the mass of delight stationed above; nicināḥ downwards; sthuḥ stand; eșām of these rays; budhnaḥ base, support; upari is above; hence these ketavaḥ rays of knowledge, above-based, downward- looking, flowing towards us; asme in us; antaḥ within us; nihitāḥ set established; syuḥ are, or may they be—is the hope of the seer.

dadate : 3rd conjugation. In the Veda 1st conjugation.

nicināḥ : substitution ina on the form of anc with prefix ni.

sthuḥ : aorist. Absence of a is Vedic, in the sense of present.

asme : substitution é in locative sense.

The word vana means, according to the root—sense and by usage, desirable delight applied to plant, water, light, etc., to be explained according to the context.

stūpa is undoubtedly mass. By significance it is to be taken as mass of light. And this mass of light with its above is borne by Varuna who pervades all but himself stands above, by the son of Aditi of Truth-Light. “The mass of Light of this character is full of consciousness, whence spread the ‘rays’ of knowledge. These radiances are life-giving; that is why they face downward, they come towards the earth, towards us, the beings of earth. And hence they are set within ourselves.

Tr. Varuna of hallowed understanding, skill and strength, shining in the baselsss firmament; holds aloft a mass of life-giving radiance, the rays of which stream downwards with their base above. May these rays sink deep and set within us.

This is eighth Rik.

8. urum hi rājā varuņaścakāra sūryāya panthamanvetavā u, apade pādā pratidhātave’karutāpavaktā hṛdayāvidhaścit.
   urum hi rājā varuṇaḥ cakāra sūryāya panthām anu ’etavai ūm iti apade pădā prati’dhātave akaḥ uta apa’vaktā hrdaya’vidhaḥ cit.

Though the solar Person of Truth-Light is only one and celebrated as Lord Aditya, the Sun-God, yet, due to the difference in function, there is the distinction of the personalities of Surya, Mitra, Varuna, Bhaga bringing forth the varied glory of the manifestation of his special features. This must be borne in mind. Thus the relevance is to be noted first that Varuna prepares the way for the Surya.

hi well-known; rājā lord; varuṇaḥ the God who stands enclosing all; sūryāya for Savitr the impeller of all; anvetavai u for going in order; urum wide; pantham the way (Vedic); cakāra prepares (Perfect for Present); apade in the untrodden, that is in inaccessible place; pādā steps; pratidhātave to place; akaḥ prepares the way (anvetavai, pratidhatave : here terminations tavai, tave, to denote the infinitive of purpose); uta and again; hṛdayavidhaścit he who assails the heart, even of such a one; apavaktā refuter, is Varuna.

This is the purport.

The heart is the dwelling place of the inner self of man. Even that is struck by the evil enemy with the strength of darkness obstructing light. And Varuna, supremely sacred, of pure discernment and the like, repels this foe of light opposing the spread of the rays of the Sun of consciousness. Not merely does he effect an ordered way for the entry of the all-sustaining Sun but also into the unlit regions of the human by preparing the great path.

Tr. The regal Varuna prepares the spacious pathway for the Sun to follow; in the untrodden he prepares for the treads of his feet. And he is also the repeller of whatever afflicts the heart.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. śatam te rājan bhișajaḥ sahasramurvi gabhirā sumatişte astu, bādhasva dūre nirņtim parācaiḥ kṛtam cidenaḥ pra mumugdhyasmat.
   śatam te rājan bhișajaḥ sahasram urvī gabhira su’matiḥ te astu bādhasva dūre nih’ṛtim parācaiḥ kṛtam cit enaḥ pra mumugdhi asmat.

rājan O Sovereign, lord Varuna; te thy; bhișajaḥ physicians (denoting the means for curing the suffering of the afflicted, in the keeping of Varuna); śatam are many; sahasram are extremely plentiful; hence regarding us te thy; sumatiḥ auspicious thought of grace; urvi extended; gabhira and profound; astu be; nirtim the deity of evil or of death; parācaiḥ by retreats, that is by making him turn back; dūre bādhasva put far and remove; krtam done by us; enaḥ cit even sin; asmat for us; pramumugdhi free superbly.

mumugdhi muclſ to release, 3rd conjugation is Vedic; dhi for hi is Vedic.

Nirriti is the universal deity of death active in the world-movement, root of all evil; sin is what is done knowingly or unknowingly contrary to the law of Truth, action physical or mental or verbal. Elimination of both is possible by the grace of Varuna. He is capable in every way to effect the purification.

Tr. Innumerable are thy healers, O Lord, a hundred, a thousand; may thy gracious thought flow wide and deep towards us. Turn away and remove far from us Nirriti, the Demon of Sin and Death; liberate from us even the sin we may have committed.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. ami ya ļkṣā nihitāsa uccā naktam dadựśre kuhaciddiveyuḥ, adabdhāni varuṇasya vratāni vicākaśaccandramā naktameti.
    ami iti ye řkṣāḥ ni’hitāsaḥ uccā naktam dadřśre kuha cit divā iuyh adabdhāni varuṇasya vratāni vi’cākaśat candramāḥ naktam eti.

Though it is only the activities of the gods in the spiritual realm that are primarily regarded by the Rishi, still the authority of the gods in the movement of the universe is unshakable; without it the existence of the cosmos is impossible. This is the purport of the seers of the Mantras. In this Rik the Rishi praises the laudable Varuna, the Lord presiding over the law of Truth, as not only effecting our purification but as ordering the all-sustaining activities in the cosmos in accord with the Truth.

ye ami these patent; ľkṣāḥ stars; uccă nihitāsaḥ set high, established above; naktam at night; dadráre are seen (substitution of re in Perfect, Passive; in the Present sense); they kuhacit whereto; divā during the daytime; iyuḥ go (Perfect for Present), varuṇasya vratāni laws of Varuna; adabdhāni unafflicted, unobstructed, undeflected; hence only candramāḥ the moon; vicākaśat shining superbly; naktam at night; eti goes, sets out. Due to the overlordship of Varuna in this universe, the stars are not seen during day in the light of the sun; the moon lights up the night; the stars are held in the heights. Thus the regulations of Nature are but the play of the Truth- Light of Aditya as Varuna.

Tr. Wither do they go by day, these constellations set high above and seen by night? Undeflected are the workings of Varuna and so does the moon move on resplendent by night.

Thus ends the fourteenth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the eleventh Rik.

11. tatt vā yāmi brahmaņā vandamānastadāśāste yajamāno havirbhiḥ, aheļamano varuņeha bodhyurusamsa mā na āyuḥ pra moșih.
    tat tvä yāmi brahmaņā vandamānaḥ tat à śāste yajamānaḥ haviḥ’bhih aheļamānaḥ varuņa iha bodhi uru’samsa mä naḥ āyuḥ pra moșih.

urusamsa O widely lauded (uru means extension, samsa means praise); varuņa Varuna; tvā thee; brahmaņā with mantra; vandamānaḥ lauding; tat the supreme denoted by the term that; yāmi I implore (yāmi the act of imploring—Skandasvamin); tat the same supreme state; yajamānaḥ the inner sacrificer; havirbhiḥ with objects of offerings āśāste prays; iha in our work; aheļamānaḥ undisdainful to us (hedſ to disrespect), that is giving consideration; bodhi take heed of our prayer (budh to comprehend, imperative hi for s; the rest is Vedic); naḥ our; āyuh life-span; mā pramoșih do not rob; let there be no diminution of the proper life-span (muş to rob. Aorist in the sense imperative).

This is to be borne in mind. Taking away of life is itself the stealth of life-span; sacred is the life consecrated to God. If not robbed but well- protected, it fulfills itself.

Old commentators have it as ’that’ life. ’That itself is the ‘night’, etc., is spoken of ahead. Considering that, the supreme state would be better.

Tr. Widely lauded Varuna, I implore thee with prayer adoring, that Supreme which is craved for by the worshipper with his offerings. Undisdainful understand; pray, do not let our life-span be robbed.

This is the twelfth Rik.

12. tadinnaktam taddivā mahyamahustadayam keto hrda à vicaște, sunaḥsepo yamahvadgļbhitaḥ so asmān rājā varuņo mumoktu.

tad it naktam tat divā mahyam āhuḥ tat ayam ketaḥ hrdaḥ à vi caște sunahsepaḥ yam ahvat grbhitaḥ saḥ asmān rājā varunaḥ mumoktu.

tadit that itself; naktam night; tat divā also the day i.e., that itself constantly becomes day and night; or that itself, constantly mahyam āhuḥ the Rishis speak of, the teacher has instructed me about; I am not content only by what is told by others, I myself have direct knowledge of it; hrdaḥ born of the heart; ayam this; this is the indication of what is directly perceived; ketaḥ special knowledge; tat that itself; āvicaște specially illumines from all sides; grbhitaḥ held, confined captive; sunahśepaḥ he names objectively himself in the third person; yam ahvat whom he called (aorist of hveñj substitution of a for cli and elision of ā); saḥ (in Samhita, the natural form is kept at the end of a foot; so saḥ is natural form) rājā varunaḥ Lord Varuna; asmān mumoktu may he release us from the bondage. (In the Veda, in most cases, the conjugational sign is of the 3rd conjugation.)

Tr. That itself becomes the night; that becomes the day as well; this they tell me. This too the knowledge of the heart illumines; May he whom the fettered Shunashepa invoked, the Lord Varuna sets us free.

This is the thirteenth Rik.

13. śunaḥśepo hyahvadgrbhitastrişvādityam drupadeșu baddhaḥ, avainam rājā varuṇaḥ sasṛjyādvidvān adabdho vimumoktu pāśān.
    śunaḥśepaḥ hi ahvat grbhitaḥ trișu ādityam dru’padeșu baddhaḥ ava enam rājā varuṇaḥ sasrjyāt vidvān adabdhaḥ vi mumoktu pāśān.

gṛbhitaḥ held (captive); trișu in three, three-fold; drupadeșu in places of the tree; baddhaḥ tied; śunaḥśepaḥ Rishi Shunashepa; ādityam Varuna, son of Aditi; ahvat invoked; hi hence, therefore, vidvān knowing the means of release; rājā the lord; adabdhaḥ of irresistible power; varuṇaḥ Varuna; enam this Shunashepa; avasasrjyāt may he release free (srj to release, benedictive mood to denote prayer; interchange to 3rd conjugational sign); he describes the mode of release; pāśān the special ropes that tie; vimumoktu cut asunder and release; when the snares are cut and set free, the release of the bound person is effected.

drupadeșu : druḥ, tree, born of the earth-by this is indicated all living mass of the earth. Denoted by the term Matter, it gives rise—by evolution—to many subtle instruments of action, means for knowledge. According to their principles, they are classified triply, quadruply, or quintuply. Generally, the threefold is evident in dealings of actual experience. And that is of Matter, Life and Mind. These are the three places in the Tree. In these three, body, life and mind, is formulated the Ray of Happiness, held and bound. So the Rishi prays to Varuna for release. Though Shunashepa is the name of the Rishi, its meaning is to be noted. suna is happiness, sepa is ray. What has been said elsewhere about such significant names of the Rishi is to be kept in mind.

Tr. Held and bound to the tree in three spots, Shunahshepa invoked the son of Aditi. And may he, Lord Varuna who knows and is irresistible, deliver him; may he let loose his bonds.

This is the fourteenth Rik.

14. ava te heļo varuņa namobhirava yajñebhirimahe havirbhiḥ, kṣayanasmabhyamasura pracetā rājannenāmsi śiśrathaḥ kṛtāni.
    ava te heļaḥ varuņa namobhiḥ ava yajñebhiḥ imahe havih’bhih kşayan asmabhyam asura praceta iti pra’cetaḥ rājan enāmsi siśrathaḥ kṛtāni.

varuņa O Lord Varuna; te thy; heļaḥ disregard-regarding us—(heļ to disregard, hence noun-form), anger is the appropriate meaning thinks Sayana; namobhiḥ by obeissances; avemahe we avert (ing to move-dropping of conjugational affix); yajñebhiḥ by sacrifices; havirbhiḥ by offerings, pressings of Soma and other offerings, we avert; kşayan dwelling in us (kși to dwell, present participle); pracetaḥ O supreme knower; asura mighty, (asu life-forces; ra has possessive sense); asmabhyam for us; enāmsi sins; śiśrathah slacken, make them loose; which? kṛtāni done by us.

śiśrathaḥ : sratha in weakness, 10th group; aorist is Vedic reduplication.

Tr. Varuna, we avert thy disregard by homages, sacrifices and offerings. Dwelling in us, O Supreme knower and powerful One, loosen for us (the bonds of) our sins.

This is the fifteenth Rik.

15. uduttamam varuņa pāśamasmadavādhamam vi madhyamam srathāya, athā vayamāditya vrate tavānāgaso aditaye syāma.
    ut uttamam varuņa pāśam asmat ava adhamam vi madhyamam śrathaya, atha vayam āditya vrate tava anāgasah aditaye syāma.

Varuņa, O Varuna; uttamam the highest, the topmost; pāśam bond; asmat from us; ut śrathaya pull and loosen; similarly madhyamam the middle bond; vi śrathaya separate and loosen; atha then; āditya O son of Aditi; vayam we Shunahshepas, delightful Rays of knowledge become human; tava vrate in thy divine action; anāgasaḥ faultless, sinless; aditaye for the Mother of Gods, the infinite field of the Self; bhavema may we be.

Tr. Varuna, pray loosen from us the bond above; loosen the bond below; loosen the bond between; for then we, son of Aditi, live for Aditi faultless in thy law.

This release from the hold of bondages may be the mystery unveiled in the untying of all the knots spoken of in the Upanishads. It is the considered conclusion of the practising Vedantins that the knots are knots of ignorance, bonds of the three-fold body like the gross etc. There is no doubt whatsoever that the triple bondage corresponds to the three knots famous in Tantra Yoga under the names of Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra. Here in fact—it must be noted- the triple bondage obstructs the entry and spread of the Truth-Light in the threefold being of mind, life and body. Release from it is possible by the grace of God Varuna.³

Thus ends the fifteenth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 25

Beginning with yaccid is the second hymn of twenty-one Riks in the sixth Section, of Shunashepa in Gayatri metre. The deity is Varuna.

This is the first Rik.

1. yacciddhi te viſo yathā pra deva varuņa vratam minimasi dyavidyavi.
   yat cit hi te viśaḥ yathā pra deva varuņa vratam minimasi dyavi’dyavi.

deva O God; varuņa Varuna; viso yathā as men, as common men; yaccit if whatever; te thy; vratam code set on the path of Truth, according to the Divine Law, thy action; dyavidyavi day and day; praminimasi hurt by mistake, transgression itself is hurt, if it be hurt by us (min to hurt, 9th conj. mas becoming masi is Vedic)—that also is to be forgiven; this purport becomes clear in the next Rik.

Tr. O God, Varuna, whatever code of thine we, as common men, hurt day after day.

This is the second Rik.

2. mā no vadhāya hatnave jihiļānasya riradhaḥ, mā hrņānasya manyave.
   mā naḥ vadhāya hatnave jihiļānasya riradhaḥ mā hộņānasya manyave.

jihiļānasya of thee having no consideration (had no consideration, according to Sayana); hatnave of the killer, dative in the sense of genitive, of thee, genitive in the possessive sense; vadhāya for the striking; naḥ us; mā rīradhaḥ do not subject; hrnānasya of thee who art angry; manyave for anger, ’do not subject us’ is the connection.

Varuna shows no consideration to those who transgress the divine law as described before. This disregard of Varuna makes for their destruction. May thou not make us objects of such disregard, is the prayer. That disregard consummates in anger. Therefore may we not become targets of that anger of thine who art getting angry is the prayer.

jihilānasya : hedľ to show disregard, perfect participle; reduplication, e becomes i , etc. - Vedic.

hatnave : the termination nu for kļ and han. This has been explained when krtnu occurred.

riridhaḥ: rādh to accomplish, aorist, elision of a on account of the particle mā.

hrnānasya : hrnih denotes the act of anger, present participle.

Tr. Subject us not the striking of thine, the killer showing no consideration, not to the wrath of thine, irate.

This is the third Rik.

3. vi mrļīkaya te mano rathiraśvam na sanditam, girbhirvaruņa simahi.
   vi mrļīkāya te manaḥ rathiḥ aśvam na sam’ditam giḥ’bhiḥ varuņa simahi.

varuņa O Varuna; mrļikāya to enhappy, to bring about the relief arising out of forgiveness of fault, termination ika of the root mrd; te thine; manaḥ mind; girbhiḥ with our praises; visimahi we bind specially, vin to bind, i is vedic, also substitution of Atmanepada; illustration thereto; rathiḥ the master of the chariot, i denotes possession; san sandatim ready; aśvam na like the horse (do to cut asunder, with the prefix sam; because of the prefix, the root means binding well); just as the charioteer harnesses the horse that is ready to the chariot, we bind thy mind with praises. Bound by the cords of devotion, the Lord becomes gracious—this ancient belief is to be noted here.

Tr. For getting relief, O Varuna, we bind your mind excellently with our praises like the charioteer, the ready horse.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. parā hi me vimanyavaḥ patanti vasyaişğaye, vayo na vasatirupa.
   parā hi me vi’manyavaḥ patanti vasyah’işğaye vayaḥ na vasatiḥ upa.

Addressed to Varuna, say the ancients; it can be self-addressed also. me my; vimanyavaḥ varied thinkings, all mental movements that is to say; parā patanti spread very far and high; hi for metrical exigency; vasya işğaye for the attainment of wealth (to attain the possessor of wealth; is on vasu to denote possessive, elision of i, then ya in the terminations, Vedic); the wealth, it must he noted, is divine and supreme; he gives an illustration; vayaḥ birds; vasatiḥ upa na just as they fly towards their own dwellings, similarly my mind-movements soar far in order to reach the abode of Varuna, the divine treasure.

This is not a mere metaphorical simile that thoughts soar like the birds. That the movements of the mind taking place in the sky-region is perceivable by the eye of the yoga is testified to by yogins and the moderns.

Tr. My thoughts soar far high to attain to the wealth like birds to their dwellings.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. kadā kșatrasriyam naramā varuņam karāmahe, mrļikāyorucakşasam.
   kadā kșatra’sriyam naram ā varuņam, karāmahe mrļikāya uru’cakşasam.

mrļikāya for the relief attained on the forgive ness for wrongs; kadā at what time; kșatrasriyam the refuge of the valours of the hero; naram the leader God; urucakşasam seeing wide; varur am ā karāmahe can we turn towards us; the root kṛ by substitution is Parasmaipada.

Tr. When can we turn towards us for relief God Varuna, the leader, wide-seeing?

Thus ends the sixteenth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. taditsamānamāśāte venantā na pra yucchataḥ, dhịtavratāya dāśușe.
   tat it samānam āśāte iti venantā na pra yucchataḥ dhịta’vratāya dāśușe.

dhịtavratāya for him who upholds the divine code by mind, body and life; dāśușe for the sacrificer who has given himself to the gods according to their share-for his attainment of the objective; venantā desiring (vena in the sense of agreeable) Mitra and Varuna; tat it the Truth-Light denoted by the term ‘That’; samānam in common or equally; āśāte pervade (aś to pervade; perfect; Vedic usage); na prayucchataḥ do not commit mistake (yucch in the sense of mistake).

They never disregard the sacrificer so described, who upholds the law; on the other hand, they desire his attainment of the objective, they pervade it. This is the purport. The supreme Truth-Light denoted by the term “That’ is to be seen at times mentioned clearly, at times not so clearly in this Samhita. This has been considered elsewhere by us, in the Introduction, with illustrations from the Mantras.⁴

Tr. For the giver who upholds the law, they both desiring pervade That (Truth-Light) equally, they do not fail.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. vedā you vinām padamantarikșeņa patatām, veda nāvaḥ samudriyaḥ.
   veda yaḥ vīnām padam antarikșeņa patatām veda nāvaḥ samudriyaḥ.

antarikșeņa by the path of the skies; patatām going; vinām birds; padam station; yaḥ which Varuna; veda knows; samudriyaḥ Varuna who is stationed in the sea; nāvaḥ the boat (station of); veda knows-he sat, vide Rik 10 ahead, or “may he release our bonds” according to the old commentators.

The intended purport is that all that is unknown to us or difficult of understanding, is easily known to Varuna. In that case, if it be said that the station of the birds, the nest, being indeed known even to the common men, even as the station of the boat is known to the boatman, how can be stated that Varuna knows this station difficult to know? then : that the activities of the mind are compared to birds, before, is to be recalled. Here it has to be known that by the ellipsis of an object, its possessor is mentioned.

Thought-movements are denoted by the birds. The supreme station to be attained by all movements is difficult for us to know, but it is known to Varuna. Similarly the life-journey is indicated by the boat. The sea is the measureless lufinite Existence : dwelling there, Lord Varuna knows everything.

Tr. Who knows the station of the birds that fly through the skies, dweller in the sea who knows the station of the boat.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. veda māso dhịtavrato dvādaśa prajāvataḥ, vedā ya upajāyate.
   veda māsah dhịta’vrataḥ dvādaśa prajāvataḥ veda yaḥ upa’jāyate.

Which God, dhịtavrataḥ upholder of his law, firm in his duty; prajāvataḥ of the being that is born; jan to manifest with the prefix pra; dvādaśa twelve, two and ten-compounded dually; māsaḥ months; mās used in the place of the word māsa; veda knows; and who yaḥ which month; upajāyate is in excess, that also; veda knows; the rest of the sentence as before.

The extra month is the one lunar month additional to the solar month. “The thirteenth extra month that comes at the approach of the year,” says Sayana. This becomes a subject for investigation by astrologers, the occurrence of an extra lunar month in relation to the solar measure. Here too what is spoken of is not merely Varuna’s knowledge of time; that is known to the human astrologer too. What then is intended to be conveyed? All movement, in the microcosm as well as in the macrocosm, goes on—within or without—according to a time schedule. That mystery of the course of Time is known to Varuna, the upholder of Law, the all-controller. This is the purport.

Tr. The upholder of Law, knows the twelve months of the one that is born; he knows the additional.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. veda vātasya vartanimurorrşvasya bịhatah, vedā ye adhyāsate.
   veda vātasya vartanim uroh rşvasya bịhataḥ veda ye adhi’āsate.

uroḥ of the spread-out; rşvasya of the best; bịhataḥ of the great, by power and also by proportions, of the large that is to say; vātasya of the wind, life of the world; vartanim path; who veda knows; ye which Gods; adhi above; āsate are seated, them, too which Varuna veda knows; rest of the sentence as before.

ṛṣva means handsome, says Sayana; great, says Skandasvamin. In words like rşva’vīraḥ, rşva’ojāḥ ṛṣva in the sense of great appears to be more appropriate. Hence we have explained it as the best.

Tr. Who knows the path of the Wind, the extensive, the best and the great, who knows them who are seated above.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. nişasāda dhṛtavrato varuṇaḥ pastyā’svā, sāmrājyāya sukratuh.
    ni sasāda dhrta’vratah varuṇaḥ pastyāsu ā sām’rājyāya su’kratuḥ.

dhṛtavrataḥ upholder of the divine law; varuṇaḥ God Varuna; pastyāsu in the divine dwellings; (pastya is a name for house, in people according to Sayana); ā pervading all sides; nişasāda is seated; why? sāmrājyāya for the quality of the sovereign, for conduct of sovereignty; of what kind? sukratuḥ accomplished doer or fully conscious-an accomplished, wise and firm power of will is needed for the conduct of universal sovereignty. That is why this adjective.

Tr. Upholder of Law, Varuna, takes his seat all over in the divine dwellings firm in will, for the conduct of suzerainty.

Thus ends the seventeenth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the eleventh Rik.

11. ato viśvānyadbhutā cikitvān abhi paśyati, kṛtāni yā ca kartvā.
    ataḥ visvāni adbhutā cikitvān abhi paśyati kṛtāni yā ca kartvā.

ataḥ from here—above, seated in the ‘dwellings’ in order to rule; cikitvān knower (the subject Varuna to be understood); visvāni all; adbhutāni marvels; abhi paśyati beholds from all sides; yāni kṛtāni the wonders that have been; yā ca and those; kartvā wonders that are to be done—all these he sees well.

kartvā : participle of kṛ in the sense of ’to be done’.

cikitvān : kita in the sense of knowledge, perfect participle.

But Sayana thinks : who has known from Varuna here, the wise one who beholds the wonders; it seems the word cikitvān means some wise man!

Tr. From here, knowing, he beholds from all sides all the wonders, that are and that are to be done.

This is the twelfth Rik.

12. sa no viſvāhā sukraturădityaḥ sapathā karat, pra ņa āyūmși tărişat.
    saḥ naḥ viśvāhā su’kratuḥ ādityaḥ su’pathā karat pra naḥ āyūmși tārişat.

saḥ he (in the context); sukratuḥ perfect doer; ādityaḥ Varuna, son of Aditi; viśvāhā— residual form in the sense of on all days, always; naḥ us; supathā endowed with auspicious path; karat may he do; Vedic present of kr; Sayana says ’endowed with has to be understood; may he lead all our days on the auspicious path, not merely by and large always, but each day may he turn well-led—this is appropriate; naḥ our; āyūmși lives; pratārişat increase, may we be endowed with long life by the grace of Varuna; tỊ with the prefix pra means ’to increase’. ’

Tr. May he, Aditya, the perfect doer, lead all our days into auspicious paths; may he prolong our lives.

This is the thirteenth Rik.

13. bibhraddrāpim hiraṇyayam varuņo vasta nirņijam, pari spaśo ni ședire.
    bibhrat drāpim hiraṇyayam varuṇaḥ vasta nih’nijam pari spaśaḥ ni ședire.

hiraṇyayam the golden (in Veda, elision of ma in maya); drāpim cuirass; bibhrat wearing; varuṇaḥ Aditya; nirņijam pure form of his; vasta covers (vas to cover, imperfect. Omission of a in the sense of Present); spaśaḥ the rays touching the golden mail, indicators; pari on all sides of Varuna clad in the golden mail; niședire seated (spaś to touch, noun form) the root meaning is to clarify, to afford an analytical vision. That is why spaśa is generally taken as secret spies. The gross version is that the spies of King Varuna, seated all around him, tell him the wrongs committed by men for due punishment. But in fact, like the secret emissaries of a king, they are the rays or divine emanations that are seated to indicate the truth covered with the golden lid. The passage in the Isha Upanishad, hiraạmayena pātreņa with golden lid, is to be recollected here.

Tr. Wearing the golden mail, Varuna covers his pure own form; the rays are seated all around.

This is the fourteenth Rik.

14. na yam dipsanti dipsavo na druhvāņo janānām, na devamabhimātayaḥ.
    na yam dipsanti dipsavaḥ na druvhāṇaḥ janānām, na devam abhimātayaḥ.

dipsavaḥ wanting to strike, the titans (the termination u on the desiderative of the root dambh to strike, to deceive or to subjugate); yam devam na dipsanti which God they do not strike—as Varuna is beyond the realm of the titans, those enemies of the Gods are not able to hurt or deceive him; hence knowing the futility of such intention, or knowing the in- accessibility of Varuna the Supreme, they do not seek to kill him; not those alone, but janānām of men; druvhāṇaḥ harmers also (druḥ to strike, Participle) enemies of humans, the demons or particular beings; na do not; which devam God strike; abhimātayaḥ even sins; abhimati is the well-known term in the .scriptures for sin; they do not touch Varuna.

Tr. Which God the hurters do not hurt, nor the enemies of men nor the sins.

This is the fifteenth Rik.

15. uta yo mănușeșvā yaśascakre asāmyā, asmākamudareșvā.
    uta yaḥ manușeșu å yaśaḥ cakre asāmi ā asmākam udareșu ā.

uta and again, yaḥ Varuna; mānușeșu among all men; yaśaḥ established glory, greatness or honour; ā everywhere; cakre has done; and doing so, he à everywhere; asāmi made complete, nothing wanting; he not merely established it generally in mankind but asmākam especially in us Rishis; udareșu in the bodies, by a part of the bodies, the body is indicated; ā did—this is the relation.

The Varuna who has established the human race, that Lord has also established ’glory’ or greatness in the bodies of the Rishis-this is the superb import of the Mantra. The ritualist commentary based upon the word udara (belly) in the Mantra leads to the lowering of this meaning. Sayana has it that yaśaḥ is food obtained by the grace of Varuna to fill the belly. In that case, voicing forth by the seer of the Mantra in this despicable manner the dissatisfaction over filling the belly in the midst of Riks of profound meaning leads to bathos. If critics cast an aspersion that the Rishis had no shame or its awareness, how can it be unjustified? Following the principle of sample inspection employed in testing a grain to find whether the whole pot of rice is cooked, we have shown here that even for the purposes of the ritualistic explanation such low drawing of purport is not necessary.

Tr. And he who accomplished glory in mankind everywhere in all-round fulfilment, accomplished as well in our bodies. Thus ends the eighteenth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixteenth Rik.

16. parā me yanti dhitayo gāvo na gavyūtiranu, icchantirurucakşasam.
    parā me yanti dhitayaḥ gāvaḥ na gavyūtiḥ anu icchantiņ uru’cakşasam.

urucakşasam of wide eye, seer of the universe, Varuna; icchantiņ desiring to attain; me mine; dhitayaḥ thoughts; parā yanti go far-note that this very thing was said in the Mantra ’parā hi me vimanyavaḥ (far reaching are my thinkings); illustration : gāvo na just as cows; gavyūtiḥ anu go towards their stalls.

gavyūtiḥ : where the cows congregate. The substitution ava is Vedic.

Note the comment on the Rik usrā ivá svasarāņi (like kine to their stalls) 1.3.8.

Tr. Yearning for the wide-eyed one, my thoughts go far like cows to their stalls.

This is the seventeenth Rik.

17. sam nu vocāvahai punaryato me madhvābhrtam, hoteva kşadase priyam.
    sam nu vocāvahai punaḥ yataḥ me madhu ā’bhịtam, hotā’iva kșadase priyam.

yataḥ since; me by me; interchange of case; madhu Soma-honey; ābhịtam brought, secured; and thou priyam that honey; hoteva like the performer of sacrifice for the sacrificer; kşadase eatest as per thy share (kșadati ‘making into piecés’ is the sense, used in the sense of allotting; therefore we say the intention is partaking as per share); therefore, nu soon; punaḥ samvocāvahai again converse as we attain mutual dialogue.

I have brought the honey; contented you have accepted it; henceforth let the inner dealings between us both proceed. This is the speech reflecting the confidence of Rishi Shunashepha in God Varuna.

vocāvahai : Aorist in the Veda in the sense of Imperative. The termination ai as suitable to Imperative. The rest is Vedic.

Tr. Some-honey I have brought and you partake that cherished as the Invoker in sacrifice Let us again converse.

This is the eighteenth Rik.

18. darśam nu visvadarśatam darbam rathamadhi kşami, etā juşata me giraḥ.
    darśam nu visva’darśatam darśam ratham adhi kșami etāḥ jușata me giraḥ.

višvadarśatam he whose sight is the universe, Varuna; (termination atac on drs); darśam nu I have beheld indeed (aorist of drś absence of a); adhi above; kşami on earth (absense of à Vedic), in the mid-region above; ratham the vehicle of Varuna; darśam I have beheld; etāh me giraḥ these my lauds; juşata accepted lovingly, he Varuna (Imperfect of juş, absence of a) on earth itself I beheld the vision of Varuna in car in the mid-region, and my lauds were accepted by him. This is the purport.

Tr. On earth I beheld Varuna the all-regarding in his car above; he accepted my lauds.

This is the nineteenth Rik.

19. imam me varuņa śrudhi havamadyā ca mrļaya, tvāmavasyurā cake.
    imam me varuņa śrudhi havam adya ca mrļaya tvām avasyuḥ à cake.

varuņa O Varuna; me my; imam havam this call; śrudhi listen (i is lengthened in the Samhita text; elision of conjugation sign is Vedic) and also, adya ca now or on this day; mrlaya enhappy; avasyuḥ seeking protection (the affix ya on avas termination u is Vedic); tvām thee God; ā facing thee; towards thee; cake I have cried (kai gai to make noise, Vedic form in Perfect).

Tr. Lisen to this call of mine, O Varuna, this day be gracious; I have cried to thee seeking protection.

This is the twentieth Rik.

20. tvam viſvasya medhira divasca gmaśca rājasi, sa yāmani prati śruidhi.
    tvam viſvasya medhira divaḥ ca gmaḥ ca rājasi saḥ yāmani prati srudhi.

medhira O wise Varuna; tvam thou; visvasya of all universe; divasca of the heavenly world; gmasca of the earth-world (for) gmā name of earth; elision of ā is Vedic; rājasi thou shinest, thou art the king of all; saḥ such thou; yāmani in thy voyage; pratisrudhi hearken, respond to my call, king of the universe, thou goest everywhere.

Tr. Wise one, thou art the resplendent of all, the earth and heaven; in thy voyage do thou respond.

This is the twenty-first Rik.

21. uduttamam mumugļhi no vi pāśam madhyamam cộta, avādhamāni jīvase.
    ut ut’tamam mumugdhi naḥvi pāśam madhyamam cộta ava adhamāni jivase.

The purport of this Rik is to be found in the commentary of the Rik, uduttamam varuņa pāśam. (1.24.15).

O Varuna,naḥ our; uttamam upper knot in the head preventing glory of the heaven-world; pāśam bond of that form; unmumugdhi pull out and free (muclſ to release, 3rd conj. Vedic); madyamam the bond of the middle knot obstructing the flow of the great purified life-force of the mid-world; vicſta loosen and destroy (cști to hurt or to tie, 6th conj.); adhamāni bonds below that are ties of earth, basic knots that obstruct the action of the higher splendour; avacrta pluck them up and destroy; why? jivase for our divine living.

jivase : the termination ase in place of tum is Vedic.

Tr. Release our upper bond, loosen the middle, untie those below for our living.

Thus ends the nineteenth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 26

This is the hymn to Agni, of ten Riks, third in the sixth Section.

This is the first Rik.

1. vasişvā hi miyedhya vastrāņ yūrjām pate, semam no adhvaram yaja.
   vasişva hi miyedhya vastrāņi ūrjām pate saḥ imam naḥ adhvaram yaja.

miyedhya worthy of sacrifice, (miye in the place of me is the Vedic substitution of iya); ūrjām pate protector of strengths (ūrja in the sense of strength and life. The noun form to denote quality of the roots like bhraj, ürk is 1st pers singular); vastrāņi robes; vasişva put on (vas to cover, the i in imperative is Vedic); lustres are the robes of Agni; hence it means become aflame; hi for purposes of metre; saḥ naḥ imam adhavaram yaja has been commented upon in 1.14.11.

Tr. O worthy of sacrifice, guardian of powers, wear the robes and manage this our sacrifice.

This is the second Rik.

2. ni no hotā vareņyaḥ sadā yaviştha manmabhiḥ, agne divitmatā vacah.
   ni naḥ hotā varenyaḥ adā yaviştha manma’bhiḥ. agne divitmatā vacaḥ.

sadā always; yaviştha youthful, efficient in what is to be done for the sacrificer; this adjective is to denote the nourishing of Agni who is born in the sacrifice and increases day by day; varenyaḥ choiceworthy, the best; manmabhiḥ endowed with wise wise thoughts; agne O Agni; naḥ our; hotā becoming our priest of call; ni be seated (ni is connected with the appropriate action of sitting); then he speaks in inducement of the seating of Agni; divitmatā brilliant (the appendage of ta when matup is affixed to the word divi is Vedic); vacaḥ with words (the disappearance of the affix in third case singular) endeared by our bright laud, sit.

Tr. Ever youthful, the best, with wise thoughts, O Agni, be our priest of call and sit with our flaming word.

This is the third Rik.

3. ā hi șmā sūnave pitāpiryajatyāpaye, sakhā sakhye varenyah.
   ā hi șma sūnave pitā āpiủ yajati āpaye sakhā sakhye varenyaḥ.

sma for metrical purposes; ă related to the action of sacrifice; he well-known; sūnave for the son; pitā father; āyajati sacrifices in all ways-when the son is the sacrificer, his father conducts the sacrifice, in affection, as if he himself were the sacrificer; similarly āpaye for the kinsman; āpiḥ kinsman; sakhye for friend; varenyah the best; sakhā friend, sacrifices Thus for me, thou lord art like the father, kinsman, friend, therefore, sacrifice—this is the prayer.

Tr. Indeed the father sacrifices for his son, the kinsman for kinsman, the best friend for friend.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. ā no barhi riśādaso varuņo mitro aryamā, sidantu manușo’yathā.
   ā naḥ barhiḥ riśādasaḥ varuṇaḥ mitraḥ aryamā sidantu manush yathā.

O Agni, called and impelled by thee, may the gods, riśādasaḥ swallowers of hurters; mitraḥ varunaḥ aryamā ca Mitra, Varuna and Aryaman; naḥ our; barhiḥ the seat spread over the inner altar; āsidantu come and sit upon; like whom? manușo yathā like men, that is, may the gods become directly perceivable and dealable.

manuṣaḥ is men, says Skandasvamin; of Prajapati, says Sayana—had not the gods come to the sacrifice of Prajapati! He explains that Manu is Prajapati and just as the gods came to his sacrifice, may they come here also.

Tr. May the destroyers of hurters, Mitra, Varuna and Aryaman, come and sit upon our altarseat, like men.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. pūrvya hotarasya no mandasva sakhyasya ca, imā ușu śrudi giraḥ.
   pūrvya hotaḥ asya naḥ mandasva sakhyasya ca imāḥ ūm iti su śrudhi giraḥ.

pūrvya born before all of us; hotaḥO Agni; naḥ our; asya of the sacrifice; sakhyasya ca and for the achievement of friendship possible by thy grace; mandasva be pleased; u and again; imāḥ these; giraḥ lauds; su well, with patience; śrudhi listen.

Tr. Ancient priest of call, be pleased of our sacrifice and friendship; and listen well to these lauds.

Thus ends the twentieth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. yacciddhi śasvatā tanā devamdevam yajāmahe, tve iddhūyate haviḥ.
   yat cit hi śasvatā tanā devam’devam yajāmahe tve iti it hūyate haviḥ.

O Agni, yacciddhi although; sasvatā eternally, incessatly; tanā by the sacrifice spread out; devam devam host of many gods (duplication for repetition); yajāmahe we sacrifice; even so, haviḥ our substance of offering; tve it, ri offered in you alone.

Sacrifice to Indra and other gods is effected only through the medium of Agni.

tanā; tan to spread; with nominal base tana is the nominative case singular.

tve : substitution of e in the locative singular of the word yușmat.

Tr. Whatever we incessantly offer by sacrifice to God and God, that oblation is offered in thee only.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. priyo no astu vispatirhotā mandro varenyaḥ, priyāḥ svagnayo vayam.
   priyaḥ naḥ astu viſpatiḥ hotā mandraḥ varenyaḥ priyāḥ su’agnayaḥ vayam.

vispatiḥ lord of the peoples, their guardian; hotā priest of call; mandraḥ delighted; varenyaḥ worthy of choice, Agni; naḥ our; priyaḥ dear; astu be, may he be always dear; vayam we too of him; priyāḥ dear; svagnayaḥ they of whom is the auspicious Agni, endowed with auspicious Agni, may be.

Tr. May the lord of peoples, priest of call, delighted, worthy of choice be dear to us; may we, endowed with auspicious Agni, be dear to him.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. svagnayo hi vāryam devāso dadhire ca naḥ, svagnayo manāmahe.
   su’agnayaḥ hi vāryam devāsaḥ dadhire ca naḥ su’agnayaḥ manāmahe.

svagnayaḥ with auspicious Agni, devāsaḥ ca the gods (and); naḥ for us; vāryam choice (a divine, enjoyable object in the form of delight); hi because; dadhire borne, therefore we too; svagnayaḥ with auspicious Agni, manāmahe laud. (manyati in the sense of worship, 1st conj. by transmutation.)

It is only by the grace of the gods along with Agni who bear for us choice, divine enjoyments like strength, that we with Agni are able to laud, think or know—this is the purport.

Tr. Along with auspicious Agni the gods have borne for us the cherished; and with auspicious Agni we laud.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. athā na ubhayeșāmamặta martyānām, mithaḥ santu prasastayaḥ.
   atha naḥ ubhayeșām amṛta martyānām mithaḥ santu pra’śastayaḥ.

atha thus as said before, after our attainment of the riches of contemplation as a result of getting endowed with auspicious agni; amſta O Agni immortal; martyānām naḥ of us mortals; ubhayeşām of thee immortal and us mortals; mithaḥ mutual; prasastayaḥ praises, secret words in confidence; santu be.

Note that direct dealings of the Rishis with the gods is common

Tr. And, O immortal, may intimate words be mutual to both, to you and us mortals.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. viśvebhiragne agnibhirimam yajñamidam vacaḥ, cano dhāḥ sahaso yaho.
    viśvebhiḥ agne agni’bhiḥ imam yajñam idam vacaḥ canaḥ dhāḥ sahasaḥ yaho iti.

sahaḥ of strength; yaho son (yahu is among the synonyms of son); agne lord viśvebhiḥ with all (plurality Vedic); agnibhiḥ other special fires of thee—though he is one, he becomes manifold due to difference in station; imam yajñam this our sacrifice; idam vacaḥ this our laud, accepting; canaḥ happiness (canaḥ food, also the thing to be enjoyed; the sense of the root is also happiness—commented in 1.3.1.); dhāḥ hold (aorist in the sense of imperative, absence of a). Accepting our sacrifice and praise, bearing happiness thyself, establish it in us.

Tr. O son of strength, Agni, with all fires accept this sacrifice, this laud, found happiness.

Thus ends the twenty-first Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 27

Beginning with aśvam na tvā is the hymn of thirteen Riks; fourth in the sixth Section. The Rishi, etc., are as before. The metre of all the thirteen is triştup, the deities are the All-Gods.

This is the first Rik.

1. asvam na tvā vāravantam vandadhyā agnim namobhiḥ, samrājantamadhvarāņām.
   aśvam na tvā vāra’vantam vandadhyai agnim namaḥ’bhiḥ sam’rājantam adhvarāņām.

vāravantam tailed (ra for la as belonging to kapila group) aśvam na like steed; tvā thee; agnim Agni; namobhiḥ with obeisances (by the usage of plural number, an obeisance which is denoted by the word surrender, a bowing down with all the instruments of the being, has to be understood); vandadhyai we begin to bow (adhyai is affixed in the sense of tum); of what kind? adhvarāņām of the sacrifices; samrājantam sovereign ruler (rajati has the sense of sovereignty).

The flames of Agni are themselves the tails, just as the tailed horse removes insects, flies, etc., with its tail, so does Agni with his flames of divine powers remove the hurting enemies of God, destroyers of sacrifice, in the journey of sacrifice. The word adhvara here means the pilgrim-sacrifice.

Tr. With obeisances we bow to thee, Agni, tailed like the steed, sovereign ruler of sacrifices.

This is the second Rik.

2. sa ghā naḥ sūnuḥ śavasā pṛthupragāmā suśevaḥ, midhvän asmākam babhūvāt.
   sa gha naḥ sūnuḥ śavasā pṛthu’pragāmā su’sevaḥ midhyān asmākam babhūyāt.

saḥ gha the same Agni; naḥ our; sūnuḥ son, having obtained birth in us; savasā with his own luminous strength; prțhupragāmā of superb extensive gait (one who has superb extensive gait; the a in pragāmā is Vedic); suśevaḥ of felicitous happiness; asmākam midhvān our showerer, of the light, power, etc., needed for the divine state to be attained; bhabhūyāt may be (the substitution of Potential in the place of the Vedic Perfect of bhu):

Tr. May he himself, our son, superbly farstriding with his luminous strength, of felicitous happiness, be the showerer for us.

This is the third Rik.

3. sa no dūraccāsācca ni martyādaghāyoḥ, pāhi sadamidviśvāyuḥ.
   saḥ naḥ dūrat ca āsāt ca ni martyāt agha’yoḥ pāhi sadam it visva’āyuḥ.

O Agni, visvāyuḥ all life in the universe is thine alone (the word à yu has the same meaning as the word āyuş; or the elision of șis Vedic. In the same way aghāyoh also has to be understood. Sayana explains in a different way); such thou dūrācca even far; āsācca even near; aghayoḥ from the sin-loving, the sinful; martyāt from man; sadamit always indeed; nipāhi protect well; naḥ us.

āsāt : word for proximity.

sadam : synonym of sadā, always.

Tr. All-life, protect us always from the sinful man, afar and near.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. imamū șu tvamasmākam sanim gāyatram navyāmsam, agne deveșu pra vocaḥ.
   imam ūm iti su tvam asmākam sanim gāyatram navyāmsam agne deveșu pra vocaḥ.

agne O God Agni; imam this commenced today; sanim ūșu the gift also, the self-giving in the form of sacrifice that is being performed by us (ūșu lengthening in the Samhita text, ș for s); navyāmsam new-fresh (affix iyas on the word nava; elision of i is Vedic); gāyatram word of praise set in Gayatri metre, that too; deveșu in front of the gods; tvam pra vocaḥ thou speak well.

vocaḥ : In the Veda Aorist in the sense of imperative to denote prayer.

Tr. O Agni, this our giving, and too our fresh laud in Gayatri, do though announce to the gods.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. ā no bhaja parameșvā vājeșu madhyameșu, śikṣā vasvo antamasya.
   ā naḥ bhaja parameșu ā vājeșu madhyameşu śikṣa vasvaḥ antamasya.

O Agni, parameșu above, in the highest of the heaven-worlds; vājeșu in the opulence of lustre, power and the like; naḥ ā bhaja make us attain, according to Sayana; make us sharers, is the purport; the sense of the root bhaj has to be noted; similarly, madhyameșu in those of the mid-regions; antamasya in the riches of the earth-world most close-make us participate; and also vasvaḥ riches of the three worlds; śikṣa impart or make us conscious; siks to impart learning; causal is implied here.

Tr. Make us participate in the riches of the highest, of the middle, of the near; impart the riches.

Thus ends the twenty-second Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. vibhaktāsi citrabhāno sindhorūrmă upāka ā, sadyo dāśușe kşarasi.
   vi’bhaktā asi citrabhāno iti citra’bhāno sindhoḥ ūrmau upāke ā sadyaḥ dāśușe kșarasi.

citrabhāno O Agni of variegated rays; vibhaktā asi thou doest distribute; and dāśușe to the giver; sadyaḥ without delay; kșarasi flowest thyself; illustration–ā in the sense of simile; just as sindhoh of the rivers,; upāke near; ūrmau when there is the wave, the flow denoted by the wave; even as the river itself flows out to fill canals and such tanks, thou flowest towards the sacrificer to fill according to his share.

Tr. O one of varied rays, thou art the distributor; thou flowest forth with to the giver like the tide of the river to environs.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. yamagne pitsu martyamavā vājeșu yañjunāh, sa yantā sasvatiriṣaḥ.
   yam agne prt’su martyam avāḥ vājeșu yam junāḥ saḥ yantā sasvatīḥ işaḥ.

agne O Agni : yam martyam prtsu the man whom in the armies—in the battle denoted by them- (substitution of prt for the word prtanā); avāh thou doest protect (interchange of ā to a in āvah or the appearance of a in Vedic present); yam him whom; vājeșu in the opulences of lustre, strength, etc., to be secured; junāḥ thou doest urge (ju the sutra root, 9th conjugation, Imperfect 2nd person singular, absence of a); saḥ he; śśvatiḥ though plentiful; işaḥ impulses, swift impulsions; yantā he is able to control.

He who is protected by the warding off of danger and urged to acquire wealth, by the divine Grace of Agni, is not the subject of his own impulses, is not swept off by the speed of the thousand-fold impulsions; but protected in the battle by God, impelled by God to opulences, he becomes self-controlled.

Tr. O Agni, the man who thou protectest in the armies, whom thou urgest to the opulences, he is able to control impulsions plentiful.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. nakirasya sahantya paryetā kayasya cit, vājo asti śrávāyyaḥ.
   nakiḥ asya sahantya pari’etā kayasya cit vājaḥ asti śravāyyaḥ.

sahantya O resister, Agni who overcomest the enemies; asya of him who resorts to thee; kayasya cit of any person whatsoever; paryetā invader; nakiḥ there is none; why? of him śravāyyah well-heard, famous; vājaḥ all-opulence; asti is; hence there is no invasion from anywhere.

kayasya : the appendage of ya is Vedic.

Tr. O overcomer, of such a person, whoever, there is no overpowerer; his is the famed opulence.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. sa vājam viſvacarşaņirarvadbhirastu tarutā, viprebhirastu sanitā.
   sa vājam viſva’carṣaṇiḥ arvatbhiḥ astu tarutā viprebhiḥ astu sanitā.

visvacarṣaṇiḥ seer of all; saḥ Agni; arvadbhiḥ with horses (that the horse is a symbol of speeding Life-force is to be kept in mind); vājam opulence; tarutā ferries, reaches to attain; astu may he be; viprebhiḥ through the wise ones, these endowed with luminous consciousness; sanitā enjoyer; astu may he be.

May lord Agni, stationed in the sacrificer, win the plentitude of light, strength and the like by the conquering infusions of divine life-force and enjoy the plenitude so described by means of luminous knowings. This is the subtle purport.

Tr. May the All-Seer attain for us the plentitude with the steeds; may he be the enjoyer with the illumined knowings.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. jarābodha tadvividdhi viševise yajñiyāya, stomam rudrāya dụsīkam.
    jarā’bhoda tat vividdhi više’vise yajñiyāya stomam rudrāya dụsīkam.

Jarābodha he who becomes aware by lauds, aware with inner light, Agni—or addressed to one- self; tat that place; vividdhi enter (hi on the root vis in Imperative. In the Veda 3rd conjugation is well- known); by the mention of the term that, the term which is to be inferred ahead; were viſevise for the weal of all peoples (Dative case to denote purpose); yajñiyāya becoming in the sacrifice or worthy of sacrifice; rudrāya for Agni of severe strength; dľsīkam visible (the affix ika for ani and drsî) directly perceptible; stomam laud—that the sacrifice does.

Taking jarā bodhaḥ as Agni, it is commented upon; but to take it as addressing one’s inner self would be more fitting. Here the significance of the term tat, that, is to be noted. In which luminous inner house of sacrifice the sacrificer hymns Agni with direct perception—not to Agni in absentia—as the extrovert average man does—, and by which is obtained the Grace of Agni effecting the weal of the whole mankind, that place—the sacrificial house of the gods—do thou enter. This is the purport.

Tr. Awake by laud, enter there where is the laud direct to be formidable Agni, becoming in sacrifice, for the good of all peoples.

Thus ends the twenty-third Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the eleventh Rik.

11. sa no mahān animāno dhūmaketuḥ puruścandraḥ, dhiye vājāya hinvatu.
    saḥ naḥ mahān ani’mānaḥ dhūmaʼketuḥ puru’candraḥ dhiye vājāya hinvatu.

saḥ Agni; naḥ us; dhiye for the sustaining superb understanding; vājāya and for the opulent strength; hinvatu may impel; of what kind is he? mahān great in prowess; animānaḥ he who has no limit, limitless; dhūmaketuḥ he whose banner is smoke—the external physical Agni; the smoke is the tremor, akin to the movement of the water vapour caused by the speed of strength or force; one who has this ketu, knowledge, is dhūmaketuḥ, that is to say, Agni is known by this kind of vibrating feeling of strength and speed; puruścandraḥ many-splendoured; he is many, as well as splendour; puru is the name of the many, candraḥ is the pleasing light or spendour; the ś in the middle of puru and candra is according to the formation of such compounds occuring in the Mantras.

Tr. May Agni great, unlimited, smoke- bannered, of manifold delights, impel us to understanding and plenitude.

This is the twelfth Rik.

12. sa revān iva vispatirdaivyaḥ ketuḥ śṛuņotu naḥ, ukthairagnibſhadbhānuḥ.
    saḥ revān’iva vispatiḥ daivyaḥ ketuḥ śṛunotu naḥ ukthaiḥ agniḥ bịhat’bhānuḥ.

saḥ agniḥ naḥ that Agni us who applicate; śruņotu may he hear; like whom? revan iva like the wealthy man, just as the wealthy master hears the submissions of the needy and does what is desired, similarly (ray become re in Veda and the affix vat to denote possession); Agni of what kind? vispatiḥ guardian of the peoples; daivyaḥ ketuh banner of the gods, messenger of the gods-daivya belonging to the gods, ketuḥ form derived from kita to know; ukthaiḥ by our lauds; bịhadbhānuḥ of large rays, he whose radiances are large; by the lauds, the radiances of Agni grow mighty in us—this is the point to be noted.

Tr. May he Agni hear us, like the affluent, guardian of the people, banner of the gods, wide- rayed by the lauds.

This is the thirteenth Rik.

13. namo mahadhbhyo namo arbhakebhyo namo yuvabhyo nama āśinebhyaḥ; yajāma devān yadi saknavāma mā jyāyasaḥ śamsamā vřkși devāḥ.
    namaḥ mahat’bhyaḥ namaḥ arbhakebhyaḥ namaḥ yuva’bhyaḥ namaḥ āśinebhyaḥ yajáma devān yadi saknavāma mā jyāyasaḥ samsam ā vrkși devāḥ.

mahadbhyaḥ to the great in experience; namaḥ salutation; arbhakebhyaḥ to the infants in age; namaḥ salutation; yuvabhyaḥ to the young; namaḥ salutation : āśinebhyaḥ to those extended in age, the olde (aś to extend, the affix ina belonging to uņādi class); namah salutation; salutation to these four kinds of living beings or gods; as the Supreme God exists in all, the salutation is made to the All-God; yadi saknavāma if we are capable; devān all gods; yajāma we worship, adore with sacrifice; devāḥ O gods; jyāyasaḥ of the oldest of all, of the eldest Supreme God; ā samsam all pervading praise, laud; mă vrkși may I not cut asunder.

vṛkși : é-vraśru to cut; by transmutation Atmanepada first person singular; absence of a due to usage with mā.

In this Rik worship is spoken of threefold e.g., salutation, sacrifice, praise. By words like mahadbhyaḥ it is better to take humans alone as signified, because the gods are remembered separately as the various peoples are limbs of the One Person endowed with limbs.

All that has been said before in the context of Purusha Medha is to be recollected.

Tr. Salutation to the great, salutation to the infants, salutation to the old; if capable, may we worship the gods; O gods, may I not cut asunder the pervading praise of the Supreme.

Thus ends the twenty-fourth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eight.

HYMN 28

Fifth in the sixth Section, is the hymn of nine Riks beginning with yatra grāvā. The Rishi is as before. The first six are anuştubh in metre, the rest in gāyatri. Of the first four, Indra is the deity; of others it will be clear in the course of the commentary.

1. yatra grāvā prthubudhna ürdhvo bhavati sotave, ulūkhalasutānāmavedvindra jalgulaḥ.
   yatra grāvā prthu’budhnaḥ urdhvaḥ bhavati sotave ulūkhala’ sutānām ava it ūm iti indra jalgulaḥ.

Words like stone, mortar, extract-container, etc. denoting the utensils in sacrifice, used in this hymn would appear at first sight to be of utmost help to the solely ritualist interpretation. But if the meaning of the hymn is examined, by making the external sacrificial ritual a pretext, profound secrets of the Vedic yoga are seen hidden in the symbols of sacrificial implements. Before showing that, we shall give meaning to the terms in the Mantras, following the thought of the old commentary.

yatra in which ritual (in the external or the inner, sacrifice); sotave to press out; grāvā stone for pressing; prthubudhnaḥ broadbased; ürdhvaḥ reaching high-above, high placed, says the ancients; bhavati is; in that ritual, indra O Indra; ulūkhala sutānām those poured out by the mortar (genetive in the sense of accusative) or the juice collected in one place; ava it jalgulaḥ the preposition ava is the synonym for below?, it in the sense of certainty, jalgulaḥ drink; avet recognising that it is thine, drink, says Sayana. Divine, high above, Indra, come here below and drink, the Soma pressed out by the earthly mortar, say we.

jalgulaḥ : gala to eat; the frequentative affix ya is dropped. Vedic Present 2nd person singular. The penultimate vowel becomes u. Rest is Vedic.

Tr. There where the broad-based stone is high above to press, O Indra, drink with eagerness the pourings of the mortar.

This is the second Rik

2. yatra dvāviva jaghanā’dhişavanyā kṛtā ulūkhalasutānāmavedvindra jalgulaḥ
   yatra dvau’iva jaghanā adhi’savanyā krtā ulūkhala’sutānām ava it um iti indra jalgulaḥ.

yatra in which ritual; adhişavaṇyā in which Soma is poured out, the platters for pouring in (șuñ to pour out with prefix adhi; from that abstract noun; the affix ya is Vedic); dvāviva jaghanā like two hips; kṛtā are laid (ā in Veda) simile of hips to denote that the ever associated platters for pouring are broad and two; the rest ulūkhala, etc. is explained.

Tr. There where the two platters, like two hips, are laid, O Indra, drink with eagerness the effusions of the mortar.

This is the third Rik.

3. yatra nāryapacyavamupacyavam ca sikșate, ulūkhalasutānāmavedvindra jalgulaḥ.
   yatra nāri apa’cyavam upa’cyavam ca śikṣate ulūkhala’sutānām ava it ūm iti indra jalgulaḥ.

yatra in which sacrifice; nārī wife of the human sacrificer or the divine Purusha-his Shakti; apa- cyavam egress; upacyavam ca and ingress, coming in; śikṣate learns, habituates herself, understands by practice; the rest as before.

apacyavam : form of cyun to go with prefix ара.

śikṣate : siks in the sense of acquiring knowledge; in the outer sacrifice, the wife of the sacrificer goes out of the sacrificial hall, comes back to it again—this is the purport intended by the terms apacyava and upacyava, says Sayana.

Tr. Where the woman learns the egress and the ingress, O Indra, drink with eagerness the effusions of the mortar.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. yatra manthām vibadhnate rasminyamitavā iva, ulūkhalasutānāmavedvindra jalgulaḥ.
   yatra manthām vi’badhnate raśmin yamita- vai’iva ulūkhala’ sutānām ava it ūm iti indra jalgulaḥ.

yatra in which rite; manthăm the churning staff (word is mathin; ntha in the accusative is Vedic), ‘instrument to churn the infusion’ says Sayana; vibadhnate they tie; illustration thereto : rasmin reins; yamitavai iva to control, like (yam to stop; the termination tavai for tum); just as they tighten the reins to control the horse, similarly they specially tie the churning staff with ropes; in the outer ritual, the churning staff is the rod for churning curds; the churning staff, the stone, the mortar, etc. in the context of the inner sacrifice, will be discussed at the end of the hymn.

Tr. Where, they fasten the churning staff with a rope as with reins to control (the horse), O Indra, drink with eagerness the effusions of the mortar.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. yacciddhi tvam grhegrha ulūkhalaka yujyase, iha dyumattamam vada jayatāmiva dundubhiḥ.
   yat cit hi tvam gļhe’gļhe ulūkhalaka yujyase iha dyumat’tamam vada jayatām’iva dundubhiḥ.

The four Riks devoted to ’Indra, are over. According to the Vedic terminology, the ulukhala being mentioned, they say that this and the Sixth Rik have the ulūkhala for their deity. The nature of ulūkhala, etc. in the inner sacrifice will be considered further on. We first give the meaning of the mantras without contradicting the ritualistic sense.

ulūkhalaka O mortar; yacchiddhi even though; tvam you; gļhe gặhe in house and house you are yoked, still; iha in this ritual; dyumattamam exceedingly luminous; vada make resplendent sound; illustration thereto; jayatāmiva dundubhiḥ like the victory cry of the conquering heroes sounded by special musical instruments like the drum you make a resplendent sound.

Tr. O mortar, even though you are set in every house, here, give forth your resplendent sound, like the drum of the victor.

Thus ends the twentyfifth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. uta sma te vanaspate văto vivātyagramit, atho indrāya pātave sunu somamulūkhala.
   uta sma te vanaspate vātaḥ vivāti agram it atho iti indrāya pātave sunu somam ulūkhala.

uta and again; vanaspate ulūkhala Vanaspati, tree is the material, Ulukhala, mortar is its modification; word of cause to denote the effect; te your; agramit in the front itself; vātaḥ wind; vivāti sma blows fast indeed. “By the speed of the strokes of the pestle, the wind blows,” says Sayana; atho thereafter; indrāya for Indra; pātave to drink, for his drinking; somam sunu press the Soma.

Tr. O lord of the forest, the wind blows fast in front of you, O mortar, for Indra that he may drink, press forth the Soma-juice.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. āyaji vājaśātamā tā hyu’ecā vijarbhrtaḥ. hari ivāndhāmsi bapsatā.
   āyaji ityā’yaji yāja’sātamā tā hi uccă vi’jarbhịtaḥ hari iveti hari’iva andhāmsi bapsata.

Neither in this nor in the eighth Rik is the word musala, pestle, mentioned. Here āyaji and further on vanaspati being in dual, the mortar and the pestle are referred to—so it is said. We will discuss the purport later; here we state only the meaning of the terms.

āyaji all over in the sacrifice (the termination i in the instrumental sense of yaj); vājasātamā what gives strength in opulence, exceedingly powerful; tā hi those indeed; uccā loudly; vijarbhrtaḥ sport again and again (the root har with the prefix vi, frequentative ya is dropped; duplication); illustration thereto : andhāmsi foods; bapsatā eating; hari iva like steeds of Indra.

bapsatā : bhas to eat, Present Participle 3rd conj.; prohibition of n on account of non-repetition; hence āyaji, etc. is taken to be in masculine. This coheres with the vanaspati further on.

Tr. Implements of sacrifice, best of strength- giver, sport high on like the two bay horses munching noisily.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. tā no adya vanaspati rşvāvrşvebhiḥ sotſbhiḥ, indrāya madhumatsutam.
   tā naḥ adya vanaspati iti rşvau rşvebhiḥ sotſbhiḥ indrāya madhu’mat sutam.

adya now; vanaspati, lords of the forest; rşvau (name for greatness) best; tā you both; rşvebhiḥ with the great; sotſbhiḥ pressors; indrāya for Indra; madhumat naḥ our soma substance; sutam press out (sun to press, elision conjugational sign is Vedic).

Vanaspati are the mortar and pestle, say the commentators. But the term pestle is not mentioned; the platters for pressing out are two and are made of wood; so may they not be meant?

Tr. O Lords of the forest, mighty with the mighty pressors, press out today the most sweet Soma juice for Indra’s drink.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. ucciștam camvorbhara somam pavitra ā srja, ni dhehi goradhi tvaci.
   ut sistam camvoh bhara somam pavitre ā srja ni dhehi goh adhi tvaci.

The address is best taken to oneself; there is no diminution in the ritualistic meaning.

camvoḥ of the chamasa bowls—they being mentioned in dual, they mean platters for pressing out; śişğam what remains after pressing out; somam Soma; udbhara salvage, collect (bha for hr and graḥ); collecting, pavitre in the filter for purifying; asrja bring and put; having poured goḥ adhi tvaci on the base of cow-hide; ni dhehi set.

Tr. What remains, hold in the two chamasa vessels, pour the Soma on the filter and set the residue on the cow-hide.

We shall now by way of discussion only deal with the purport of the hymn. The thought has been deliberated upon substantially and can be seen elsewhere.⁵

With the stone above, the thunderbolt of Indra, endowed with executive power impregnated with the light of knowledge, remover of the many coverings, striker of inert solid and liquid elements obstructing the flow of the Soma juice which is the delight hidden in the human mind-life-body, the achiever of the plasticity of the wooden elements like matter which are the basis of the hidden Soma juices processed by its own blows—thus with the initiator of the flow of the sap of delight is the pressing of Soma effected. To denote all this it is first said in the first Rik "in which inner sacrifice the stone widebased is above”.

When the inner sacrifice is in progress, there are other equipments symbolised by the two platters for the extraction.

In the second Rik are stated : only when these two are there in the place of platters (for extraction) representing the powers of knowledge and action as the twin mind and life in the body, inseparably joined, engaged in one task, for the extraction of the essence of all experience of the sacrificer, the sap is pressed out in his body represented by the mortar; by the simile of the hips are indicated that these platters for extraction are paired like the heaven and earth; and life and mind represented by these two are inseparable and well-harmonised.

As the inner sacrifice proceeds, the power pervading the whole being of. man the sacrificer, natural characteristic like the light to the sun, inseparable, supervises wide awake for the effectuation of the sap in the body denoted by the mortar, its double movement of ascent and descent.

Thus the coming from above, the descent denoted by the term upacyava; the going up from the base of the body, the mode of movement denoted by the term apacyava; and the knowledge to gain control over both is being acquired by the Shakti, Power of man, denoted by the term nāri who learns the esoteric science in the inner body. This is stated in the third.

Just as in the outer sacrifice, they fasten the churning rod in the infusion for the firmness of the vessel, similarly in the inner sacrifice, the spinal chord is made like the Mandara hill in the churning of the nectar, by, special divine Power, the causes leading to the pressings of Soma, in order to establish an almost stunning stillness in the body for holding the sap of the Soma of delight that is being pressed out by the special play of the power of knowledge and action arising from the association of mind and life. This is stated in the fourth.

Thus having stated in this quartette of. Riks, the implements and the actions aiding the pressing of the sap of pure delight extracted from the body, the Rishi prays ’Lord Indra, do thou accept such Soma.’

Then in the next four Riks, the seer celebrates the ritual of pressing the Soma-juice. The two platters in which the Soma is squeezed are the two platters of extraction; they being wooden are referred to by the word vanaspati. Here first, in the two Riks, it is the body-denoted by the word ulūkhala (mortar) that is lauded. The body is the foundation of life and mind denoted by the two platters of extraction. That too is vanaspati because it is a product of evolution of bulbs and roots and fruits. Even though ‘in house and house’ the body of each man is yoked, still that body is special in which Soma is pressed out; hence let there be the cry of victory, O body, though you are inert, you bring to birth Soma, you have acquired knowledge. This is chanted in the fifth Rik.

Your powerful, executive, life is spurred to action in front, therefore press out Soma, release the essence of all experience, hidden in you, immersed in your deepest, dense regions of obscurity which is to be given to the gods. This is proclaimed in the sixth Rik.

In the seventh are compared with the horses of Indra, life and mind in the body, the vanaspati, loudly exultant, full of strength, endowed with the power of enjoyment.

Along with special powers, great, endowed with high status, causing the effusion of Soma, you both press the honey-sweet Soma for the acceptance of Indra—thus are addressed in the eighth, life and mind denoted by the term vanaspati.

In the last, the ninth, is stated : let the Soma juice be deposited for Indra in the pure body, the perfect vessel, denoted by the term wooden jar.

Here must be kept in mind what was said as to what is to be done before the depositing of the pressed out juice in the jar of the body.

The residual Soma in the platters of life and mind which are like the bowl, is taken and poured into the pure place above the body for purification and spread on the cow-hide of physical matter which is the protective covering—cow denoting the ray of light of consciousness; and this sap so purified and cultured should be deposited in the material body denoted by the term wooden jar. This is what is said.

Thus ends the twenty-sixth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth. ⁶

HYMN 29

Beginning with yacciddhi satya sompā, is the sixth hymn of Shunasshepa, with seven Riks, in the sixth Section. The metre is pancti, diety, Indra.

This is the first Rik.

1. yacciddhi satya sompă anāśastā iva smasi, ā tū na indra samsaya goșvasveșu śubhrișu sahasreșu tuvīmagha.
   yat cit hi satya soma’pāḥ anāśastāḥ’iva smasi ā tu naḥ indra samsaya goșu aśveșu śubhrișu sahasreșu tuvi’magha.

somapāḥ O drinker of Soma; satya truth- formed; yacciddhi even though we; anāśastā iva like those not celebrated, not excellent; smasi are; still tuvimagha O much-treasured (by much is to be understood variety, the treasure is divine); indra Indra; thou goșu in the wealth caused in the form of rays of consciousness; asveșu among the life- energies endowed with the power of enjoyment and action; and also śubhrișu in the auspicious producing weal; sahasreșu of a thousand kind, caused in the well-being; naḥ us; āśamsaya make us celebrated, excellent.

anāśastāḥ : sams to praise, past participle termination.

smasi : mas ending in i.

tuh lengthened in the Rik.

Termination ri on the root śubh.

Tr. O drinker of Soma, Truth, even though we are as if common, opulent Indra, make us special among cow-rays, steed-forces, and thousandfold auspiciousness.

This is the second Rik.

2. siprinvājānām pate sacīvastava damsanā, ā tū na indra samsaya goșvasveșu śubhrişu sahasreșu tuvīmagha.
   siprin vājānām pate saci’vaḥ tava damsanā ā tu naḥ indra samsaya goșu aśveșu śubhrişu sahasreșu tuvi’magha.

śiprin O well-endowed with jaw—the word sipra denotes jaw; by sipra the face is indicated; sacivaḥ strong one, śacī force, name of the deed. In Veda vaḥ denotes possession : vājānām pate guardian of opulences; tava damsanā thy action or vision is all- capable; hence make us celebrated (in the next line); the rest is as before.

damsanā : damsi for both deed and vision. As it is indicated in feminine it is vāk, says Skandasvamin.

Tr. O auspicious-faced, strong one, lord of opulences, all-capable is thy action; opulent Indra, make us special among cow-rays, steed-forces, and thousand-fold auspiciousness.

This is the third Rik.

3. ni şvāpayā mithūdţśā sastāmabudhyamāne ā tū na indra samsaya goșvasveșu śubhrișu sahasreșu tuvimagha.
   ni svāpaya mithū’dịśā sastām abudhyamāne iti ā tu naḥ indra samsaya goșu aśveşu śubhrișu sahasreșu tuvi’magha.

Note the covert words used here : mithūdịśā, gardabham, kundrņācyā, vṛkadāśvam.

mithūdrśa standing as mutually, reciprocally dependent pair like day and night; darkness and light; nişvāpaya make well asleep; and they abudhyamāne without awakening; sastām may go to sleep; the rest as before.

mithūdţśā : mithu is the Vedic form of mithuna, couple. Dual of the noun form of dṛs.

sastām : sas to sleep, Imperative Vedic root.

In the verse, ‘Those goddesses of auspicious enjoyment, seem mutually dependent, dawn and night’ (2.31.5), the mantra clearly says day and night regarding each other by turns. In this Rik, the seer prays that all dualities may become inactive, with the intention that he may not become subject to the dualities of day and night, sleep and waking, etc.

Tr. Make them asleep, the dualities, let them sleep without waking; opulent Indra, make us special among cow-rays, steed-forces, and thousandfold auspiciousness.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. sasantu tyā arătayo bodhantu sūra rātayaḥ, ā tū na indra samsaya goșvasveșu śubhrişu sahasreșu tuvīmagha.
   sasantu tyāḥ arātayaḥ bodhantu šūra rātayaḥ ā tu nah indra samsaya goșu aśveșu śubhrişu sahasreșu tuvi’magha.

tyāḥ those unseen, existing though not seen by us; arātayaḥ not giving, powers that do not sacrifice, those that are opposed to sacrifice—human or non- human—; sasantu may they become asleep, that is become inactive; śūra O Brave one; rātayaḥ those that give, the opposite ones, hence helpful; bodhantu may awake, let them be set in action for our benefit. Rest as before.

Tr. Brave one, may those non-givers be asleep; may those that give be awake; O opulent Indra, make us special among cow-rays, steed-forces, and thousandfold auspiciousness.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. samindra gardabham mịņa nuvantam pāpayāmuyā, ā tu na indra samsaya goșvasveșu śubhrișu sahasreșu tuvīmagha.
   sam indra gardabham mịņa nuvantam pāpayā amuyā ā tu naḥ indra samsaya goșu aśveșu śubhrișu sahasreșu tuvi’magha.

indra O Indra; amuyā with this heard; pāpayā shot with falsehood, without coherence within and without, hence harsh, discordant speech; nuvantam praising thee; gardabham dunce like an ass, bearing the burden of our words of praise, helplessly, inert in gait, useless or contrary or clumsy, with a mind and form too lowly common; sammộņa destroy thoroughly.

mṛņa in the sense of hurt 6th conjugation.

Tr. Destroy this ass, O Indra, who praises thee with this discordant speech; opulent Indra, make us special among cow-rays, steed-forces, and thousandfold auspiciousness.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. patati kundrnācyā dūram vato vanādadhi, ā tū na indra samsaya goșvasveșu śubhrișu sahasreșu tuvīmagha.
   patati kundrņācyā dūram vātaḥ vanāt adhi ā tu nah indra samsaya goșu aśveșu śubhrișu sahasreșu tuvi’magha.

vātaḥ wind unfavourable to us; kundrņācyä with poison-seed, it is a kind of wild reptile; vanāt adhi beyond the forest or above; dūram patati may it fall far; the rest as before.

kundrņācyā means with crooked gait, says Sayana. kud to burn, then noun form kundanam; the a of da becomes r in the Veda. It goes to kundrņam and so kundrņāci says Sayana.

This is the purport of the Rik. kundrņāci is a covert word, like gardabha in the previous Rik. This is a wild reptile of the lizard family. Her appearance in a home is an ill omen, it is said. This word kundrņāci indicates some special wicked force bringing evil. It means let all wind that is unfavourable to us go to its natural habitation, the forest, along with the forest creature kundrņāci.

Tr. May the wind with the wild reptile fall far on the forest; opulent Indra, make us special among cow-rays, steed-forces, and thousandfold auspiciousness.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. sarvam parikrosam jahi jambhayā krkadāsvam, ā tū na indra samsaya goșu aśveșu śubhrișu sahasreșu tuvīmagha.
   sarvam pari’krosam jahi jambhaya kļkadāśvam ā tu nah indra samsaya goșu aśveșu śubhrișu sahasreșu tuvi’magha.

sarvam of all kinds; parikrośam who shouts everywhere, special hostile force (kruś to call, parikrosa noun form, calling all around) jahi destroy (Imperative to han; jahi is substituted); křkadāśvam kļka is harm, he does it in share to men, especially to those who sacrifice to the gods, such kind of being; jambhaya destroy; the rest as before.

krka : krn to harm; affix ka.

jambhaya : jambh to destroy, 10th conjugation.

Tr. Destroy every kind of pandemonium, slay him who does harm; opulent Indra, make us special among cow-rays, steed-forces, and thousandfold auspiciousness.

Thus ends the twenty-seventh Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 30

The seventh Hymn of 22 Riks in the sixth Section, beginning with ā va, is of Shunasshepa, in gāyatri metre. The eleventh Rik asmākam, etc., is in pādanicrt gāyatri; the sixteenth, śasvat indra is in triştup; the first sixteen are to Indra, the next three for Ashvins, the rest of the three for Deity Ushas.

This is the first Rik.

1. ā à va indram krivim yathā vājayantaḥ śatakratum, mamhiștham sinca indubhiḥ.
   ā vah indram krivim yathā vāja’yantaḥ śatakratum mamhiștham since indubhiḥ.

O Gods! vah you, or belonging to your, interchange of number; indram vājayantaḥ to Indra, desiring wealth, seeking opulence, we; indubhiḥ with Soma juices; ā since sprinkle, soak, satisfy (interchange of number); of what kind; satakratum of many deeds; again of what kind; mamhistham manifold (mahi growth; the suffix iştha in Veda on the word mamhitr); illustration; krivim yathā, krivi is well; as in the world they fill a well with water brought through a big channel, so filling Indra with Soma-juices, we become plentiful; potential sense ‘may be become’ is appropriate.

Tr. Seeking abundance, we fill in, like a well, with Soma-juices your Indra of hundred deeds, manifold.

This is the second Rik.

2. satam vā yaḥ śucinām sahasram vā samāśiram, edu nimnam na rīyate.
   śatam vā yaḥ śucinām sahasram vă sam’āśiram ā it ūm iti nimnam na rīyate.

yaḥ which Indra; sucinām pure Soma-juices; śatam vā hundred in the sense of many; samāśiram Soma-juices with a proper mixing material named āśira; sahasram vā or exceedingly much; edu having come indeed; nimnam na like waters to a lowly place; riyate attains effortlessly (that Indra-this is the proper connection with the previous Rik).

The mystic sense of Soma-juices with curd and cereal has been spoken of before; Indra, capable of taking even limitless Soma, comes effortlessly like waters to a low place. This is the sense.

riñ to flow; root belonging to div class. In all mantras when used, the sense of effortless gait to be taken; so does Sayana hold; the root is not merely in the sense of attaining.

Tr. Who, like waters to a low spot, comes effortlessly to hundred Soma-juices purified, or thousand, well-mixed.

This is the third Rik.

3. sam yanmadāya suşmiņa enā hyasyodare, samudro na vyaco dadhe.
   sam yat madāya suşmine enā hi asya udare samudraḥ na vyacaḥ dadhe.

yat the hundred purified Soma-juices or thousand mixed juices, spoken of earlier; śușmine for the strong, Indra; madāya for the rapture; sam gets collected; enā hi by the plénitude of those very Soma-juices; asya of this Indra; udare in the belly; vyacaḥ extension vyac to pervade, (noun form); dadhe is held; illustration thereto; samudro na like the sea; just as the sea is a mass of water, extended in water, becomes the holder of waters without limit, so is Indra’s belly for the Soma-juices.

This coheres with the meaning of the first and second Riks; it says that the belly of Indra is a huge receptacle of Soma; ‘which belly drinks superbly the Soma, like the sea it swells’—in this Rik also similar sense is to be noted.

Tr. Which gets collected for the rapture of the strong Indra and which itself extends in his belly and is held, like the sea.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. ayamu te samatasi kapota iva garbhadhim, vacastacchinna ohase.
   ayam ūm iti te sam atasi kapotaḥ’iva garbha’dhim vacaḥ tat cit naḥ ohase.

ayam u and this Soma that is being offered by us; te to thee, for thee; and which Soma sam atasi thou attainest well and constantly; illustration thereto; kapota iva like the pigeon (a particular kind of bird); garbhadhim going to the pregnant she- pigeon, thou goest to the Soma; tat cit for that reason also; naḥ our; vacaḥ speech, hymn; ohase attainest, hearest with delight.

The root uhir in the sense of inflicting has also the sense of getting and begging.

garbhadhiḥ : in her foetus is borne.

Desiring Soma, Indra partakes again and again like the pigeon which visits his mate but on returning becomes again avid of enjoyment; in this illustration of the pigeon there is a special feature to be noted. Though animals as a rule do not mate with pregnant ones, still the pigeon growing day by day, desires even the pregnant mate for enjoyment. That is why Hari says : ‘The pigeon eats only a particle of hard stone; but day after day he becomes passionate, what is the cause, speak.’ There is another old verse : ‘With throat choked with warbling sound and with eyes rolling, the pigeon returns and desiring enjoyment kisses his beloved.’ By stating that Indra’s desire for Soma is of that kind, Indra’s special attachment to the person engaged in the secret sacrifice of Soma, to whom Indra is the Lord, is patent.

Tr. This is Thine. Thou attainest continuously like the pigeon his pregnant mate; for the same, thou comest to our laud.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. stotram rādhānām pate girvāho vīra yasya te vibhūtirastu sūnţtā.
   stotram rādhānām pate girvāhaḥ vīra yasya te vi’bhūtiḥ astu sūnộtā.

rādhānām of treasures divine of various kinds; pate lord; girvāhaḥ borne by words of praise capable of manifesting thee (noun form of vah); vīra hero; te thine (genetive in the sense of accusative); stotram praise pertaining to thee; yasya by whom it is made sūnṛtā happy, true speech; vibhūtiḥ glory; astu may be.

If happy and true speech becomes great glory, it is because of one whose speech is self-fulfilling, prayer becomes meaningful. In the world, the word sūnţta is famous as the true and the pleasing word but in the Veda it means what we have said.

Tr. Lord of treasures, borne by words of prayer, hero, glory be the auspicious and true speech of the one whose is thy praise. Thus ends the twenty-eighth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. ürdhvastişthā na ūtaye’sminvāje satakrato, samanyesu bravāvahai.
   ūrdhvaḥ tiştha naḥ ūtaye asmin vāje satakrato iti sata’krato sam anyeșu bravāvahai.

śatakrato O doer of hundred deeds; asmin in this commencing; vāje for the prosperity to be attained; naḥ our; ūtaye for increase; ürdhvaḥ tiștha stand aloft, by that will be effectuated our going upwards, our high state; after that anyeșu in things to be pondered over; sam coming together; bravāvahai we, thou and I shall converse.

It shows how such relation of inner interchange between the Gods and the Rishis is common.

Tr. Doer of hundred deeds, stand aloft for our increase in this prosperity; in others too let us together converse.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. yogeỹoge tavastaram vājevāje havämahe, sakhāyaḥ indramūtaye.
   yoge’yoge tavaḥ’taram vāje’vāje havāmahe sakhāyaḥ indram ūtaye.

yoge yoge in every case of fulfillment of desire; vājevāje and in every case of prosperity when occasioned; sakhāyaḥ friends that we are; indram God Indra; ūtaye for our increase; havāmahe we call; what kind of Indra, tavastaram exceedingly strong. The possessive suffix vin on the word tavas; elision is Vedic.

Tr. In every fulfillment, in every prosperity, we as friends call for our increase Indra the most mighty.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. ā ghā gamadyadi śravatsahasrinibhirūtibhiḥ. vājebhirupa no havam.
   ā gha gamat yadi śravat sahasrinibhiḥ ūti’bhiḥ. vājebhiḥ upa naḥ havam.

gha to complete the metre, it is elongated in the Samhita text; he, Indra yadi śravat if he would hear; what? nah havam our invocation, call; upa ā gamat will surely come near us, (śravat, gamat both Vedic Present in the sense of the conditional tense); how will he come? sahasrinibhiḥ ūtibhiḥ with many increases, with things that bring them; so also vājebhiḥ with prosperities, he will come with them.

Instrumental to denote the manner of coming.

Tr. If he hears our call, he will come to us with thousandfold increase and prosperities.

9. anu pratnasyaukaso huve tuvipratim naram yam te pūrvam pitä huve.
   anu pratnasya okasaḥ huve tuvi’pratim naram yam te pūrvam pitā huve.

pratnasya ancient; okasaḥ from home; tuvipratim he who comes towards the many who are engaged in the inner sacrifice i.e. coming to favour them; naram the Person, mighty Indra; anu huve I call in order; yam te whom thee (interchange of case); pitā our father; pūrvam huve had called; father denotes the ancestral Rishis.

huve : the root is hven. The absence of dual number Vedic.

tuvipratim-pratiḥ like in pratinidhi representative pratidāna return gift; used as abstract noun; just as bhimasena is shortened to bhima.

te : by change of case, it means thee. Indra; this has been explained; it coheres with the address to Indra further on. Or the Rishi addresses himself, saying ’whom thy father called’.

Tr. I call in order the hero who from the ancient comes fronting the many, Thee whom the father called before.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. tam tvā vayam viśvavārā śāsmahe puruhūta, sakhe vaso jaritſbhyḥ.
    tam tvā vayam viſva’vāra ā śāsmahe puru’hūta. sakhe vaso iti jaritr’bhyaḥ.

Viśvavāra all-cherished; puruhūta called by many; sakhe of equal communication, our comrade; vaso wealth; tam one with aforesaid qualities; tvām thee Indra ; vayam we thy friends; jaritṛbhyaḥ for those that praise, for honouring them; āśāsmahe we beseach.

Tr. Cherished by all, invoked by many, O comrade, treasure, to thee we pray for the singers of thy praise. Thus ends the twenty-ninth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the eleventh Rik.

11. asmākam šiprininām somapāḥ somopāvnām, sakhe vajrintsakhinām.
    asmākam siprininām soma’pāḥ soma’pāvnām sakhe vajrin sakhinām.

somapāḥ O drinker of Soma; asmākam genetive in the sense of relation, of those who are connected with us; siprinīnām of the lovely jawed-denotes face- this is the show his handsome look in the act of drinking; in ‘by the jaws of the jawed-ones’ (10.101.5) the word siprin is used in the sense of well- formed jaw; somapāvnām of the drinkers of Soma; sakhinām of gods who are dear as friends; sakhe beloved; vajrin with thunderbolt, we resort to thee, praise, pray for thy grace—so runs the rest of the sentence.

According to Sayana : may the host of cows of our friends thrive by thy grace.

Tr. O Soma-drinker, beloved of our handsome- faced Soma-drinkers seeking friendship, thunder-armed.

This is the twelfth Rik.

12. tathā tadastu somapāḥ sakhe vajrintathā kļņu, yathā ta uśmasīșțaye.
    tathā tat astu soma’pāḥ sakhe vajrin tathā krņu yathā te uśmasi iṣtaye.

somapāḥ O drinker of Soma; sakhe dear as friend; vajrin thunder-armed; yathā by which way; te thy; işğaye for sacrifice (noun-form y yaj); uśmasi we desire—vas to attract; masi on the termination it; tathā in that way; tat astu may that sacrifice be; tathā kļņu make it thatwise.

Tr. Drinker of Soma, friend, thunder-armed, let the sacrifice for thee be as we desire, do thou so.

This is the thirteenth Rik.

13. revatirnaḥ sadhamāda indre santu iuvivājāḥ, kṣumanto yābhirmadema.
    revatiḥ, naḥ sadha’māde indre santu tuvi’vājāḥ kṣumantah yābhiḥ madema.

tuvivājāḥ full of many strengths; revatiḥ wealthy (rayi is divine riches-Possessive after vowel change in the word rayi; second case in the sense of the first); santu may they be; who are these wealthy ones? The noun that is qualified is not mentioned in the Rik. Praises, says Skandasvamin; cows says Sayana; may be cows, but they are not animals; they can only be divine powers or riches, creators of the wealthy of rays of consciousness, endowed with plenty of varied strength; such riches sadhamāde joying with us; indre in Indra; nah may be ours—this is the connection; (sadhamādaḥ together enjoys, 10th conjugation; in the Veda sadha is used for saha together); When Lord Indra rejoices with us, let our wealth be divine powers or cows of the said kind; yābhiḥ with which (spoken of before) we; kşumantaḥ with provisions plentiful; madema we shall rejoice; the word kşu generally means food in Sayana’s commentary, at times praise, fame; in one place he comments ‘kṣumati in the wealthy’; thus the meaning of heap or store or treasure generally coheres everywhere.

Tr. May they, wealthy and of varied strengths, be ours when Indra joys with us, by which provisioned we may rejoice.

This is the fourteenth Rik.

14. ä gha tvāvāntmanāptaḥ stotřbhyo dhrşņa viyānaḥ, rnorakṣanna cakryoḥ.
    ā gha tvā’vān tmanā āptaḥ stotſbhyaḥ dhrşņo iti iyānaḥ rņoḥ akşam na cakryoḥ.

dhṛṣņo O daring one, hero with strength; thou tvāvān art like thyself (termination Vedic); tmanā thou by thyself (elision of ă in Veda); āptaḥ to be trusted; being so, iyānaḥ besought; stotſbhyaḥ for favouring those that pray, desired strength; ā ļņoḥ having brought thou scatterest; illustration thereto : cakryoḥ of the wheels of the car; akşam na like the axle. Just as the ’carriage becomes firm-knit for movement by the casting of the axle, thou that art trustworthy becomest like thyself and favourest the singers with strength. Without that superhuman strength, the chanters cannot move on their own. Of that kind of strength, compared to the casting of the axle, laid in the singers, thou alone, thy like alone; is the master. Elsewhere is a mantra that says : He whom thou favourest, thou makest like thyself. That is to be noted. “O Indra, what shining power, with what thought-force dost thou make men like thyself.’ (10.29.4) Hence the chanter fashioned like Indra, becomes strong by Indra alone, not by his own effort. This substance of the Rik agrees with the subsequent Rik. Deliberation on the meaning of the two Riks is not given in the older commentaries; if done, the sense appears dry and pathetic : ‘tvāvān, another special deity’‘rņoḥ interchange of person’this older explanation is not accepted by us.

iyānaḥ : the form is of imahe meaning to beseach; perfect participle of i to go.

ṛņoḥ : the root of the tana class; absence of a in aorist. Or perhaps imperfect in the sense of present.

cakryoh : the word cakra terminating in a here in the Veda ends in i.

Tr. Bold one, thou like thyself, trusted, besought, bringest and givest to the chanters; like the axle of the wheels of the car.

This is the fifteenth Rik.

15. ā yadduvaḥ śatakratavā kāmam jaritļņām, rņorakșanna sacībhiḥ.
    ā yat duvaḥ śatakrato iti satakrato ā kāmam jaritrņām rņoḥ akşam na sacībhiḥ.

śatakrato Indra of hundred deeds; jaritļņām of the singers; yat duvaḥ the effort and labour; that ā of them; kāmam desire; ā rņoủ thou thyself castest; as the upasarga ā is repeated it has to be connected twice with the verb rņoḥ, the usage twice is to denote respect; the labour of those who chant the praises and their desire for the object to be attained—both of these become the means for the fulfilment. That too is bestowed on the singers by Indra himself. The aspiration which is the means for the objective of attaining the divinity and the effort equal to it come by the grace of Indra alone-he being the lord and the effector; illustration thereto; sacībhiḥ with the strengths effecting it; akşam na just as the axle is cast between the wheels of car; here too the purpose of the illustration, as in the former one, is to be noted. Just as movement of the car-wheels is not possible without the axle, similarly the course of the chanter is not possible without effort and aspiration. Here the seer addresses Indra himself ārņoḥ; not any other deity like Indra, as Sayana comments in the earlier Rik. The relation between these Riks is to be noted.

Tr. One of hundred activities, thou dost bestow on thy praisers, the effort and the aspiration, just as they cast the axle with strengths.

Thus ends the thirtieth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixteenth Rik.

16. sasvadindraḥ popruthadbhirjigāya nāna- dadbhiḥ śāśvasadbhirdhanāni, sa no hiraṇyaratham damsanāvāntsa naḥ sanitā sanaye sa no’dāt.
    sasvat indraḥ popruthat’bhiḥ jigāya nānadatbhiḥ śāśvasat’bhiḥ dhanāni saḥ naḥ hiranya’ratham damsanā’vān sāḥ naḥ sanitā sanaye saḥ naḥ adāt.

śaśvat always; indraḥ king of the gods; dhanāni the divine riches of light, joy and the like to be attained by us; jigāya won (for us); by what means? by means of the powers of enjoyment and action, horses indicating the life-force sustaining the world; though the horse is not mentioned by the word, still it is denoted by three adjectives; they are : popruthadbhiḥ becoming capable again and again (prothſ to be adequate; adequacy again is the sense of capability, present participle of reduplicated stem); nānadadbhiḥ uttering again the sound expressing satisfaction, neighing (nad is the root, like before on the reduplicated stem); śāśvasadbhiḥ breathing again and again, panting after the toil of achievement; saḥ thus conquering with the horses, Indra; damsanāvān active (damsaḥ work, damsaḥ is again damsanā); sanitā donor; naḥ to us; sanaye for benefit; hiraṇyaratham the car golden, luminous; adāt gave. Indeed the Rishis aspiring for God reach the divine home by means of the luminous vehicle given by God.

Tr. With self renewing, neighing, panting horses, Indra always won riches. Dynamic, donor, he hath given us the golden car for our benefit.

Now there are three Riks to the Ashvins; of them the first, seventeenth in the hymn, is this.

17. āśvināvaśvāvatyeșā yātam savirayā, gomaddasrā hiraṇyavat.
    ā aśvinau aśvaʼvatyā işā yātam savīrayā go’mat dasrā hiraṇyaʼvat.

dasrāu O achievers (already explained); aśvinau Ashvins; aśvāvatyā with horses—that horse is a symbol of life-force is to be kept in mind (lengthening is Vedic); savirayā with sparkling strength; işā with rapid impulsion; āyātam come; gomat rich with the rays of knowledge; hiraṇyavat full of lustre—be your coming.

Tr. Come, O Ashvins, achievers, with impulsion full in steed and strength; rayful and golden be it. Second in the three, eighteenth in the hymn is this Rik.

18. samānayojano hi vām ratho dasſāvamartyaḥ, samudre aśvineyate.
    samāna’yojanaḥ hi vām rathaḥ dasrau amartyaḥ samudre aśvinā îyate.

dasrau O achievers; asvinau Ashvins; vām your; samānayojanaḥ of like harnessing of horse; rathaḥ chariot; as both of you ascend the same chariot, it is yoked for both at once; amartyaḥ indestructible, becomes immortal by nature; hi because it is thus without destruction; samudre in the partless vast sky seen in the mid-region; iyate goes.

Tr. O Ashvins, achievers, your chariot, yoked alike for you both, immortal, moves in the vast.

Third in the three, nineteenth in the hymn is this Rik.

19. nya’ghnyasya mūrdhani cakram rathasya yemathuḥ, pari dyāmanyadiyate.
    ni aghnyasya mūrdhani cakram rathasya yemathuḥ pari dyām anyat iyate.

O Ashvins, aghnyasya of the hill; mūrdhani on the summit; rathasya of the chariot; cakram one wheel; niyemathuḥ you placed firm; anyat the other wheel; dyām the heaven; pari around; īyate goes.

aghnyaḥ : cow, say some; Prajapati Aditya, says Skandasvamin; not to be stuck, hill, because of firmness, says Sayana. Here it should be taken as hill, because so it coheres in purport. One wheel of the chariot of the Ashvins is in a high place on earth, the other in heavens. The Chariot itself, it is to be noted, is a symbolic word denoting special, regulated movement. Of this one wheel is kept on the summit of the hill, the other goes round the heavens or towards the heavens. (pari denotes action, should be taken as prati ’towards’ says Skandasvamin.)

This is the secret import to be noted. One wheel of the Ashvins is placed on the summit of the plane of physical consciousness, the peak of the ripened consciousness of man; on the peak of such a hill, verily, is first welcomed the ray of the dawn of knowledge. There does Goddess Usha, daughter of Heaven, bride of the honeyed Ashvins, ride the luminous chariot of the Ashvins and ascend the heaven, where the other wheel of the chariot goes to the divine station. What has been said elesewhere regarding the activity of the Ashvins must be kept in mind (1.3.3.) The movement of the Ashvins in the heaven and on earth, ‘on the summit of the hill’; this becomes clear in another Rik : ’which stations the Ashvins hold in the streams of heaven, in the herbs and in men; they rest on the summits of the hill’ (7.70.3). The chariot of the Ashvins is luminous, ‘come Ashvins in the car of the solar skin’ (8.8.2); ’gold-seated, gold-reined, touching the heaven’ (luminous cover) (8.5.28); note that gold, sun, light denote relation with the Truth. “Your chariot born of truth, urged from the hill (3.58.8) There is also mention in plural of Usha along with the Ashvins riding the chariot : ’Blessed those ancient Dawns, luminous with plenty, true born of truth (4.51.7.)

Tr. On the summit of the hill you placed firm the wheel of the chariot; the other wheel goes around the heaven.

Now three Riks to Usha. Of these this is the first, twentieth in the hymn.

20. kasta uṣaḥ kadhapriye bhuje marto amartye, kam nakșase vibhāvari.
    kah te ușaḥ kadha’priye bhuje martaḥ amartye kam nakșase vibhā’vari.

kadhapriye O lover of praises (kath to arrange in sentences; dha for tha is Vedic, similarly the shortening of ā); uşaḥ called by the word Ushas; the daughter of Heaven, the divine radiance that graces before the rise of the Sun of the supreme light of Truth, heralding his advent, she is the Deity Usha; she is now addressed; amartye O deathless one- because hers is the eternal truth; kaḥ martaḥ which mortal; te bhuje for enjoyment of thee (bhuje, like formation in sampat, bhuk, for him) is capable; vibhāvari O, endowed with excellent light (the possessive sense of suffix vanip on bha with prefix vi; for na, ra is substituted); kam what kind of man; nakşase thou attainest (nakș to go at). He asks what kind of person becomes competent to receive the grace of Ushas of features described; by which question is suggested the prayer : “O Goddess, make me competent”. The ancient Rishis obtained the grace of the gods by hearty lauds. Here it is not the ordinary hour of dawn that is praised; thạt becomes patent to all living beings, every day. There no special capacity is called for in man, possession of eyesight is enough. If it be said that the commencement of daily activities of men at the time of dawn is only meant by enjoyment of Ushas, then the whole world of living beings unimpaired in body, limb and senses would be capable of enjoying Ushas (and indeed it does). None except the insane, no man right in his senses, would address the time of the dawn and ask, “O Goddess, O luminous one, who can enjoy thee?” The seer of the Mantra is not deluded, nor a common person.

Tr. Lover of praises, O Ushas, deathless one, which mortal is fit to enjoy thee; O luminous one, whom dost thou attain?

This is the second in the group of three, twenty- first in the hymn.

21. vayam hi te amanmahyāntādā parākāt, aśve na citre aruși.
    vayam hi te amanmahi ā antāt ā parākāt asve na citre aruși.

aruși shining one! citre of varied hue; aśve na standing like a horse (this simile is to denote enjoyment, speed etc.); O Dawn, vayam we singers of they praise, humans; te thee (interchange of case); ā parākāt from beyond, starting from afar; ā antāt till near or else far or near; amanmahi we meditate upon; even from far thou art in our thoughts, not while near only (man to know, 4th conjugation; vedic form); hi to make sure; na in the third foot has the sense of expressing a simile; in Sayana’s commentary, it is connected as “not thought of” in the first quarter; we are not able to know-in this negative sense is na explained; this kind of association is not proper.

Tr. Shining, variegated in hue, standing like a steed, O dawn, far or near, we meditate upon thee.

This is the third of the three, the twenty-second Rik in the hymn.

22. tvam tyebhirāgahi vājebhirduhitardivaḥ, asme rayim ni dhāraya.
    tvam tyebhiḥ ā gahi vājebhiḥ duhitaḥ divaḥ asme iti rayim ni dhāraya.

divah of the heaven, of the Father of all this, stationed above; duhitaḥ O daughter, O dawn; tyebhiḥ with these shining; vājebhiḥ plenties, with the divine opulences; tvam thou; ā gahi come; asme in us (e is substituted for the locative); rayim wealth, divine riches; ni dhāraya found well, establish.

Tr. Daughter of Heaven, come with those divine riches, found well in us the divine wealth.

Thus ends the thirty first group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

Thus ends the sixth Section in the first Circle.

HYMN 31

In the seventh Section, there are five hymns. There, the first hymn tvamagne prathama etc. is of eighteen Riks dedicated to Agni. The Rishi is Hiranyastupa Angirasa. The eighth, sixteenth and eighteenth Riks are in the Trishtubh metre, the rest are in Jagati.

This is the first Rik.

1. tvamagne prathamo añgirā rșirdevo devānāma- bhavaḥ śivaḥ sakhā tava vrate kavayo vidmanāpaso’jāyanta maruto bhrājadrsțayaḥ.
   tvam agne prathamaḥangirāh rşiḥdevaḥ devānām abhavaḥ śivaḥ sakhā tava vrate kavayaḥ vidmanā’ apasaḥ ajāyanta marutaḥ bhrājat’ ſștayaḥ.

O agne Agni, tvam thou prathamaḥ the first angirāḥ named Angira, the originator of all Angiras rșiḥ seer, devaḥ thyself God devānām of all the gods śivaḥ auspicious sakhā companion abhavaḥ becomest, Imperfect in the sense of Present. tava vrate in thy deed, by reason of the act performed by thee marutaḥ gods indicated as maruts ajāyanta were born or are born. Of what kind? kavayaḥ seers vidma- nāpasaḥ they whose apāmsi acts are vidmanāni conscious, according to Sayana, Maruts of knowledgeable action. ’Whose acts are by knowledge’ is appropriate (vid to know, the suffix mak makes it vidma then instrumental vidmanā, Aluk compound) bhrājadrştayaḥ They who have shining weapons, that is luminous-armed. Interchange of participle in bhrājat. It is said that Agni is the first born of the Angiras and by the greatness of his deeds the Maruts of the said characteristics were born. Discussion about Angiras is done in detail elsewhere. By that the truth about Angiras will become clear.

Tr. O Agni, thou art the first Angiras, seer, god, the auspicious companion of gods. By thy deed were born the Maruts, of shining arms, the seers acting by knowledge.

This is the second Rik.

2. tvamagne prathamo añgirastamaḥ kavirdevānām pari bhūșasi vratam vibhurviśvasmai bhuvanāya medhiro dvimātā śayuḥ katidhā cidāyave.
   tvam agne prathamaḥ angirah’tamaḥ kavir devānām pari bhūşasi vratam vi’bhuḥ viſvasmai bhnvanā ya medhiraḥ dvi’mātā sayuḥ katidhā cit à yave.

O agne Agni, tvam thou prathamaḥ first angirastamaḥ superbly Angiras, that is excellent amongst the Angiras. It is to be noted that though the usage of the word angiras is fixed by convention as the name of a person, its employment with the termination tama to denote quality reminds one of its derivative significance. kaviḥ being the seer of the objects beyond the ken of the senses devānām of the other gods vratam deed pari bhūşasi adorn alround. Again thou viſvasmai for all bhuvanā ya the world to bless it vibhuḥ become special or in many ways (the termination u on the root bhū with the prefix vi) medhiraḥ possessed of wisdom dvimātā measurer, constructor of the two worlds, that is, Agni establishes in the sacrificer a vast knowledge denoted by the word consciousness, of dual form, of heaven and of earth. If we split as one whose mothers are heaven and earth, Agni is born at the communion of the two consciousness; of the two sacrificial fagots, araņi say the ritualists. Such thou art āyave for man katidhā cit in how many ways śayuḥ lie, dwell in men? The meaning is, as many as there are men, so many are thy modes in them. śayuḥ-siñn to sleep; on this the termination u. āyave- termination u on i to go.

Tr. O Agni, thou art the first, the superb Angiras, seer; thou adornest alround the deed of gods. Variously manifesting for all the world, wise thou measurest the two. In how many ways, thou dwellest in man!

This is the third Rik.

3. tvamagne prathamo mātariśvana āvirbhava sukratūyā vivasvate arejetām rodasi hotṛvūrye’saghnor bhāramayajo maho vaso.
   tvam agne prathamaḥ mātariśvane āviḥ bhava sukratu’yā vivasvate arejetām rodasi iti hotỉ’vurye asaghnoh bhāram ayajaḥ mahaḥ vaso iti.

O agne Agni, tvam thou mātariśvane for Vayu prathamaḥ important. Before the play of the glory of Vayu in the sacrificer, the manifestation of Agni, the seer-will is necessary. Therefore, Agni is important for Vayu. vivasvate for the sacrificer doing service (as per Sayana) in order to bless him sukratuyā being endowed with desire for good action āvirbhava become manifest. Or else it is appropriate to say ‘manifest vivasvate for one shining by the desire for good action hotịvūrye in the rite chosen by the sacrificial caller, when the sacrifice is begun, which has to be chosen by Agni who becomes the sacrificial caller rodasi heaven and earth, the higher divine consciousness, the lower earthly consciousness, both denoted by them arejetām trembled. It is to be noted that the tremor is in the sense of denoting the initial play in the sacrificer of the two consciousness benumbed and seemingly sleeping when Agni is elected as the sacrificial caller. Such is the greatness of Agni, the caller, bhāram the burden of managing the sacrifice asaghnoủ thou endured. O vaso becoming the riches for all the world, mahaḥ the great gods ayajaḥ thou hast worshipped in sacrifice. mātari- śvane—The sky is māta the cause of measurement, the midregion, there he breathes. The word mātari- śvan is derived with the termination an as in svan, ukșan; sukratuyā—one who desires good actions for oneself. Termination à in noun form, feminine. vivasvate-vivas in the sense of shining or doing service. hotȚvūrye is chosen by the caller u is Vedic. asaghnoḥ-şagh to injure, here the meaning is endure. mahaḥ elision of at in mahataḥ-Vedic.

Tr. O Agni, thou art important for Vayu. Manifest for the shining one desiring good deeds. Heaven and earth trembled. In the elective sacrifice of the caller, thou endurest the burden. O wealth, thou worshipped the great ones.

This is the fourth Rik.

tvamagne manave dyāmavāśayaḥ purūravase sukṛte sukṛttaraḥ
śvātreņa yatpitrormucyase paryā tvā pūrvamanayannāparam punaḥ
tvam agne manave dyām avāśayaḥ purūravase su’krte sukṛt’taraḥ
śvātrena yat pitroḥ mucyase pari ā tvā purvam anayan ā aparam punariti.

O agne Agni, tvam thou manave for Manu, mentor, that is to bless the man who has attained the skill in thinking dyām heaven-world, that is divine station avāśayaḥ sounded, manifested, that is, thou hast proclaimed that the high divine station has to be attained and can be attained. Likewise sukſte for the doer of auspicious acts purūravase for purūravas who cries, makes noise much, for the man, in the form of the master of sacrifice who laments much to reach the high station sukřttaraḥ becoming superbly the doer of auspicious acts,—thou sounded the heaven is the connection. yat when pitrah of Heaven and earth denoted by araại, of the forces that are the particular consciousness in the higher and lower places śvātrena by quick churning pari mucyase art released on all sides; thou art born from the churning of force, then thus born tvām thou pūrvam in front ānayan having brought established in front. punah again, afterwards aparam behind ā brought. The sense if they first made the Ahavaniya fire, placed in front and then made the Garhapatya fire, the overlord of inner regions standing behind avāśayaḥ vāșr to sound. purūravase lengthening is imposed on the first word, ru to sound the termination as of uņādi class. sukſte kļî on sukarma, pāpa and others, then t.

Tr. O Agni, thou sounded the Heaven for the thinker, superb doer of good to the doer of good of much lament. Thou art released alround by quick churning of the parents. They brought thee in front and behind.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. tvamagne vrşabhaḥ puștivardhana udyatasruce bhavasi śravāyyaḥ
   ya āhutim pari vedā vașațkſti mekāyuragre visa āvivāsasi.
   tvam agne vrşabhaḥ puști’vardhanaḥ udyata’sruce bhavasi śravāyyaḥ
   yah ā’hutim pari veda vaşat’kştim eka’āyuḥ agre viśaḥ ā’vivāsasi.

O agne Agni, tvam thou vrşabhaḥ showerer of desired things pușțivardhanaḥ increaser of sacrificer’s nourishment udyatasruce for him who had lifted the vessel which pours the ghee, the sense is for the master of the sacrifice endowed with the equipment for the flow of illumination embedded in thought, for favouring him śravāyyaḥ fit to be praised, by calls in the form of Mantras is understood bhavasi becomest. yaḥ who, sacrificer āhutim the act of offering in fire which has for its purpose the main invocation pari around, on all sides veda knows, what kind of offering? vașațkrtim wherein the act of vașaț is prescribed, the speciality about the word vaşaț in offering to the gods is famous in Srauta rites; in accordance with that it is to be noted that in the inner sacrifice also, after the invocation made by the sacrificer when offering to the gods takes place the word vașațkāra is potent and gives the firmness. He says that whoever knows to fulfill by every means such offering with vașațkāra, Lord Agni makes him first possessed of light and afterwards through him others as well. Here by mention of the word yat, we have to infer tam, that is form of the word tat. ekāyuḥ one without a second āyuḥ a living person, O Agni thou art the sole man, the collective entity of all men. agre first him āvivāsasi makes him shine then viśaḥ other men, make them shine is the connection. Here the word yat in the thrid foot of the Rik can be taken as referring to Agni. Then this is the meaning : That Agni who from men pari veda gets on all sides the offering with vașațkāra, he is thou O Agni, the one person etc. as before. ekāyuḥ -we have to bear in mind what is said in the second Rik viz. ’how many ways to the man. Living severally Agni is said to be one person. ekāyuḥ is the main food according to Sayana, unbroken life, immortal says Venkata Madhava. Vayu himself is Ayuḥ the elision of va is Vedic, so Sayana gives an aliter. The, termination u on the guña taken by the root i to go. In the Veda, the word āyu is well-known to mean a living being generally and in particular a man, the word āyu is in neuter gender, the conventional meaning is life; derived from i to go. āvivāsati generally employed in the Veda in the sense of light. In some places the meaning ‘act of service’ fits in.

Tr. O Agni, thou art the showerer, increaser of nourishment, thou becomest praise-worthy to the one with luminous clarity of thought. The sole person, thou first maketh the one who knows to call on every side with vașaț possessed of light, then all other men.

Thus ends the thirty-second Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. tvamagne vrjinavartanim naram sakmanpiparși vidathe vicarşaņe yaḥ śūrasātā paritakmye dhane dabhrebhiếcit- samặtā hamsi bhūyasaḥ.
   tvam agne vrjina’vartanim naram sakman piparși vidathe vi’carşaņe yaḥ śūra’sātā pari’takmye dhane dabhrebhiḥ cit sam’ſtā hamsi bhūyasaḥ.

O vicarṣaṇe one of special vision, all-seer agne Agni tvam thou vrjinavartanim whose path is the crooked one, to be avoided, the traveller on the crooked path (affix ina on vrj, aniḥ on vịt) naram person sakman fit to be conjoined, united (şac to unite, the affix manin) vidathe in the place to be reached by knowledge. Elsewhere Sayana says vidatha are places to be known (VI.51.2.) (in the act, the sacrifice say the ritualists. The inner sacrifice also is said to be vidatha, a form of knowing. The affix atha on vid in the sense of knowledge) piparși make full or protect. The sense is thou takest thy devotee away from the crooked path, lead him to the divine place that has to be known, denoted by the word vidatha, protect and fulfill his desires. yaḥ thou śūrasātā where the valourous resort, to be got by the valourous persons paritakmye to be gone on all sides, to be got at by an alround effort (tak to go) dhane for the purpose of wealth, when the divine wealth to be got by the effort of those endowed with valour becomes the purpose for attainment; like ‘he kills the tiger for the purpose of hide.’ dabhrebhiḥ cit little by strength or by number, by thy devotees though inferior samſtā in the meet, the sense is when there is a test of strength of the inferiors with those superior in number and in strength (samſtiḥ—ļ to go with the prefix sam) bhūyasaḥ the superiors in number and strength hamsi killest. Thy grace on thy devotees is to such an extent that when the divine wealth has to be acquired by thy devotees, even though of inferior strength, by conquering and fighting with the obstructors, the foes of thy devotees though superior in every way get humiliated.

Tr. O Agni, all-seer, thou fulfillest the man on the crooked path with the united place of knowledge. For the wealth to be got at by effort by the volourous, in the meet with the inferiors, thou killest the superiors.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. tvam tamagne amṛtatva uttame martam dadhāsi śravase divedive yastātņşāņa ubhayāya janmane mayaḥ krņoși praya ă ca sūraye.
   tvam tam agne amſta’tve ut’tame martam dadhāsi sravase dive’dive yaḥ tatſşāņah ubhayāya janmane mayaḥ krņoși prayaḥ ä сa sūraye.

O agne Agni, tvam thou tam thy devotee of such a kind martam mortal man uttame in the excellent, amṛtatve law of immortality dadhāsi estalishest, that is thou establishest the man of mortal nature in the excellent station devoid of death. For what purpose? dive dive daily śravase for the wealth of hearing, that is, for hearing the divine inspirations. For food, say the ritualists. For getting food daily, it is necessary for a person to have place in high immortality! If it is said that śravase means for fame, for celebrity, then the ritualistic interpretation will not suffer. yah who, the sacrificer ubhayāya for two-fold janmane to get here itself at one place the two kinds of birth, human and divine tatrșāṇaḥ thirsts very much (âni trșā to thirst, Perfect participle) to him sūraye to the wise mayaḥ happiness prayaḥ ca and pleasure (explained already in prayobhih etc. 1.2.4) äkrņoși createst from all things. In the mortal birth itself thirst is expressed for a divine birth that is possible of accomplishment. That is why, here in ubhayāya janmane a divine birth after the passing away of a person is not wanted. ’For getting the bipeds and the quadrupeds’, say the ritualists.

Tr. O Agni, thou establishest for daily inspiration the mortal man in high immorality. Thou createst for him, the wise who thirsts for the two-fold lives, happiness and pleasure.

This is the eighth Rik

8. tvm no agne sanaye dhanānām yaśasam kārum kịnuhi stavānaḥ ṛdhyāma karmāpasā navena devair dyāvāpṛthivi prāvatam naḥ.
   tvam naḥ agne sanaye dhanānām yaśasam kārum krņuhi stavānaḥ. ṛdhyāma karma apasā navena devaih dyāvāprthivi iti pra avatam naḥ.

O agne Agni, tvam thou naḥ us, interchange of case, in the sense of ’me’, or the genitive case to indicate the relationship, our inner self (according to Skandaswami) yaśasam endowed with fame kārum author of lauds, that is, lauder krnuhi do. The sense is, make me or our inner self a glorious lauder. For what purpose? dhanānām sanaye for the gain of divine wealth. Of what kind art thou? stavānaḥ being lauded (termination ānac on stū rdhyāma may we attain prosperity by thy grace navena by new, not performed before apasā act naḥ karma this our worship devaih with other gods, O dyāvāpſthivi the deities Heaven and Earth prāvatam increase excellently.

Tr. O Agni, thou being lauded, make me famous lauder for gain of wealth. May we prosper by new acts. May Heaven and Earth with other gods increase well our deed.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. tvam no agne pitrorupastha ā devo deveșvanavadya jāgrviḥ tanūkņdbodhi pramatiśca kārave tvam kalyāņa vasu viſvamopiṣe.
   tvam naḥ agne pitroḥ upa’sthe ā devaḥ devașu anavadya jāgrviḥ. tanū’kſt bodhi pra’matiḥ ca kārave tvam kalyāņa vasu viúvam ā upiṣe.

anavadya unsullied Oagne Agni, deveșu amongst all the gods jāgrviḥ wakeful devāḥ god (jāgę end of sleep Noun form) tvam thou pitroḥ of the parents Heaven and Earth, of both the divine and earthly consciousness upasthe in the proximity (Form of sthā with prefix upa) ā seated, remaining naḥ of our tanūkſt maker of new body, here it is to be noted that Agni is capable of fashioning a new body, fit for divine birth, for the sacrificer. bodhi awake, grace itself is the awakening. kārave for the lauder pramatisca of excellent knowledge be. O kalyāna of auspicious form, tvam thou viś vam all vasu wealth opise sowest in the sacrificer (tu vap to extend the seed Perfect in the sense of Present, Vedic).

Tr. O Agni unsullied, the wakeful god amongst gods, seated near the parents awake, make our body. Be of excellent knowledge to the lauder. O Auspicious thou sowest (in the sacrificer) all wealth.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. tvamagne pramatistvam pitāsi nastvam vayaskſttava jāmayo vayam sam tvā rāyaḥ śatinaḥ sam sahasriņaḥ suviram yanti vratapāmadābhya.
    tvam agne pramatiḥ tvam pitā asi naḥ tvam vayah’krt tava jāmayaḥ vayam sam tvā rāyaḥ śatinaḥ sam sahasriņaḥ su’viram yanti vrata’pām adābhya.

O agne Agni, tvam thou pramatiḥ one of excellent knowledge naḥ our pitā’si protector vayaskrt he who makes the strength, physical and mental (The root veti of 2nd conjugation has many meanings like movement, extension etc. vayaḥ is also used in the sense of life; here Sayana’s commentary says giver of life, maker of foods by means of cooking, says Skandaswami) vayam we worshippers tava jāmayaḥ (are) thy relations. O adābhya unassailable by anybody, of irrefutable strength; tvā thou satinaḥ rāyah riches of hundred numbers samyanti attainest well, likewise sahasriņaḥ thousand riches attainest well, is the connection. Of what kind art thou? suvīram whose heroes are auspicious, that is endowed with auspicious valour, also vratapām him who protects the divine act.

Tr. O Agni, thou art of excellent knowledge, thou art our protector, bestower of strength. We are thy relations. O unassailable, riches in hundreds and in thousands reach thee of auspicious valour, the protector of the divine act. Thus ends the thirty third Group in the second Chapter - of the first Eighth.

This is the eleventh Rik.

11. tvāmagne prathamamāyumāyave devā akļņvannahuşasya viśpatim iļāmakſnvan manuşasya śāsanim pituryatputro- mamakasya jāyate.
    tvam agne prathamam ā yum āyave devāḥ akļņvan nahușasya vispatim iļām akļņvan manușasya śāsanim pituḥ yat putraḥ mamakasya jāyate.

O agne Agni, devah gods āyave for the man, dative in the sense of purpose. nahușasya of the man vispatim king prathamam important or first āyum man, the living being akļņvan did. yat when mamakasya of mine pituḥ of the protector, of the person in the heavenly station putrah his portion jāyate is manifest is man, then thou Agni alone manușasya of man sāsanim instructress iļām seeing word akşnvan did, doest in the sense of Present is appropriate. āyum from i to go-already said. nahușasya affix uşa on nah to tie. manuşasya—affix ușa on man to know. śāsanim it is instructed by her śāsani form in the instrumental sense. mamakasya- The form mamaka on the word asmat. Absence of lengthening.

In this Mantra, the words āyu, nahușa and manușa synonymous with manuşya man are of significance and help in the understanding of the purport. Although in this hymn names like yayāti and nahușa well-known in legendary lore are mentioned, although it is possible to take a superficial view that historical personages have been indicated, also although such hymns have been commented upon somehow by the ancients by citing Puranic stories and have become as though proofs to the lofty sense in Puranic stories, even then the purport becomes easy when the sense of Mantra is discussed understanding the derivating sense of the synonymous words like nahușa and manuşa. The gods employed in managing the affairs of the world, being manifestations of the Supreme Lord make Agni the first living being of Pranic strength of man endowed with Pranic strength or for his purpose. ’For āyu the first āyu’, if dative is in the sense of genitive, like prāṇaḥ of prāna living being of living being, Ayu of Ayu. Then they make him king of man who is endowed with mutual ties of friendship ’nahușasya viśpatim’. When the bond of friendship is forged between Agni and man, then he (Agni) himself becomes the leader and the lord. Here it has to be seen that in explaining the sense of the word nahușa Sayana’s has been used (1.122.8). When in man Agni, the son born from the portion of the Divine Father takes birth, they make that Agni himself the seeing word, ilā of the man of knowledge, manuşah. Agni himself becomes iļā of the man in whom knowledge has dawned. In the Apri hymn to distinguish between iļā and sarasvati, the strength of vision of iļā had been mentioned there. The iļā vāk is famous in the Veda. It has to be understood that it is the seeing word. mamakasya pituḥ—here one notices the personal relation and the special devotion of the Rishi in his dealing with the Divine Father, the Father of all the world himself, as his own Father.

Tr. O Agni, the gods made thee the first man of men, the king of men. When my father’s son is born, they made him the seeing word, the instructress of man

This is the twelfth Rik.

12. tvam no agne tava deva pāyubhir maghono rakṣa tanvasca vandya trātā tokasya tanaye gavāmasyanimeșam rakşamāṇastava vrate.
    tvam naḥ agne tava deva pāyu’bhiḥ maghonah rakṣa tanvaḥ ca vandya trātā tokasya tanaye gavām asi ani’meşam rakşamāṇaḥ tava vrate.

O vandya fit to be lauded agne deva god Agni, maghonaḥ magham is the name for wealth, possessed of wealth naḥ us tava thy pāyubhiḥ protections rakṣa protect, tanvasca bodies as well, related to us protect. (jas for sas in tanvaḥ) tava vrate in thy eternal act, thou, remaining in thy divine act that has to be done animeșam winkless, without break rakşamāṇaḥ protecting everything that has to be protected from enemies gavām of riches of rays of consciousness denoted by the word go, tokasya of the offspring tanaye of his son (locative in the sense of genitive), the particular progeny arising from him trātā asi protector becomest. Not merely the protection of divine wealth or physical protection is prayed for, in the divine acts of Agni, continuous extension of the cattle wealth that are the rays of consciousness is also protected. Thus the glory of God Agni is extolled.

Tr. O god Agni fit to be lauded, by thy protections guard our wealth and bodies. Continuously guarding in thy act thou art the protector of the rays of consciousness and their successive offsprings.

This is the thirteenth Rik.

13. tvamagne yajyave pāyurantaro’ nişangāya caturakṣa idhyase. yo rātahavyo’ vrkāya dhāyase kireścinmantram manasā vanoși tam.
    tvam agne yajyave pāyuḥ antaraḥ anişañgāya catuh’akṣaḥ idhyase yaḥ rāta’havyaḥ avrkāya dhāyase kireủ cit mantram manasā vanoși tam.

O agne Agni tvam thou yajyave for the purpose of the sacrificer, dative to denote purpose, affix yu on yaj, pāyuḥ protector (u on kļ vā pā and ji) antaraḥ intimate, the sense is very close protector of the sacrificer anişangāya for whom there is no intense company, for the purpose of that sacrificer, thou caturakṣaḥ one who has four eyes; in the triple worlds and the fourth station Agni has an eye on the sacrificer, being such idhyase shinest forth. The gross interpretation is that he is in flames in all the four quarters with the idea that the eyes of Agni in the form of flames and his gazes denoted by them fall in the four quarters. yah who, sacrificer rātahavyaḥ by whom oblations are given; to whom? avrkāya for the uninjuring (Noun form of vị to cut, affix ka) dhāyase for thou the nourisher (yu on the root dhā Vedic form) whosoever is the sacrificer like this kire” cit of himself the lauder (kirih name for lauder) tam relating to him mantram thine in the form of laud manasā by heart, that is, in secret vanoși entreat.

The laud in the form of Mantra of such a lauder-sacrificer is so dear so thee that thou thyself prayest for that.

Tr. O Agni, thou art the intimate protector of the unattached sacrificer, Four-eyed, thou flamest forth. Thou thyself entreatest in secret the Mantra- laud of the lauder who has made over the oblations to thee, the unhurting protector.

This is the fourteenth Rik.

14. tvamagna urusamsāya vāghate spārham yadreknaḥ paramam vanoși tat ādhrasya citpramatirucyase pitā pra pākam śāssi pra diśo vidușțaraḥ.
    tvam agne uru’samsāya vāghate spārham yat rekṇaḥ paramam vanoși tat ādhrasya cit pra’matiḥ ucyase pitā pra pākam śāssi pra dişaḥ viduḥ’taraḥ.

O agne Agni, tvam thou urusamsāya for the extensive lauder vāghate for the intelligent one, (It is listed amongst the names of Ritwiks as those managing the sacrifice) for him spārham desirable (relating to desire, this of desire, so affix an) paramam supreme yat reknah (ricir in the sense of purge, Vedic form with nu) wealth is there (it is clear that it is not worldly wealth as it is supreme) tat that wealth vanoși desirest. Thou desirest for the intelligent great lauder the supreme wealth so that he should attain it ādhrasya cit of the sacrificer, though weak, to be sustained in everything (dhrai to be satisfied, to instruct etc. is the root. The affix ka prefix ā) pramatiḥ of excellent knowledge pitā protector, thus ucyase thou art said, by the knowing ones is understood. pākam that which has to be cooked is pāka, the sense is one of immature knowledge. That is why a child is pāka, him praśāssi make instructed viduștaraḥ thou superbly learned ’(tara on the word vidvat, change of semivowel to vowel Vedic) diśaḥ all the directions pra superbly instruct on things to be learned from every-where, denoted by the term ’directions’.

Tr. O Agni, thou desirest for the intelligent great lauder that desirable supreme wealth. Thou art extolled as the protector of excellent knowledge for the weak sacrificer. Superbly knowing thou instructest the immature in all directions.

This is the fifteenth Rik.

15. tvamagne prayatadakșiņam naram varmeva syūtam pari päsi viſvataḥ svādukșadmā yo vasatau syonakrjjivayājam yajate sopamā divaḥ.
    tvam agne prayata’dakṣiṇam naram varma’iva syūtam pari pāsi viſvataḥ svādu’kșadmā yaḥ vasatau syona’krt jiva’yājam yajatë saḥ upa’mă divaḥ.

O agne Agni, tvam thou prayatadakșiņam by whom prayatā tied up (yam to tie up) is the dakșiņā the act of gift proceeding from discrimination of propriety and impropriety; gift is the abandoning of money in favour of a fit recipient and it is to be noted that the recipient is the representative of the deity. That is why it is said that a gift is sacred, pleasing to the deity; then such a one viſvatah from all pari pāsi protectest. An illustration is cited. varmeva syūtam like an armour sewn, made ready without any chink (siv to tie). As an armour protects a man’s body thou protectest that man from all things yaḥ who, the sacrificer svādukșadmā. The sense is that having tasty food he pleases the guest with tasty food. Agni is famous as the guest in the Veda. vasatau in one’s dwelling house (in the inner sacrifice one’s house is the body) syonakrt doer of happiness, to the guests is understood. ’Dormant happily like a guest pleasing this Mantra phrase elsewhere also has to be borne in mind (1.73.1) and who jīvayājam yajate the worship in the course of life (absence of ku is Vedic) throughout life performs the worship or jīvayāja means where the living beings are worshipped, that he performs saḥ the sacrificer divaḥ of the heaven-world upamā becomes neighbour, here itself becomes very close to heaven. upamā is the name for closeness. Sopamā elision of s in the Samhita text is for metrical exigency. upamā is upamānam illustration of Heaven is some people’s comment. Commentators in the external sense say that jīvayājam is sacrifice with animals, jiva.

Tr. O Agni, thou protectest the man who gifts properly like a sewn armour. The sacrificer who gives happiness to the guest in his place by giving tasty food, carries worship throughout life is close to heaven.

Thus ends the thirty fourth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixteenth Rik.

16. imāmagne saraņim mimrşo na imamadhvānam yamagāma dūrāt, āpih pitā pramatiḥ somyānām bhrmirasyrșikſnmartyānām.
    imām agne śaraņim mimrṣaḥ naḥ imam adhvānam yam agama dūrāt āpiḥ pitā pra’matiḥ somyānañ bhrmiḥ asi rși’kſt martyānām.

O agne Agni, naḥ ours imām this as going to be mentioned śaraạim injury (sſ to injure, belongs to the unādi class, affix ani) mimrşah pardon (mrs to endure, reflexive sense, aorist in the sense of imperative). Injury is the offence committed towards God Agni. Going far away from Lord Agni by going on the wrong path not caring for him is the offence meant, in the form of omission of the act. He says that dūrāt distant place yam imam adhvānam this path agāma we have gone, that is our act of offence as being far away from thee. It becomes clear in the later half of the Rik; it is a serious misdeed when thou art in all possible ways available being beneficial to us. Thou āpiḥ one who makes us attain, relative, that is fulfiller of our wants pitā protector just like a father pramatiḥ endowed with excellent knowledge somyānām of gods eligible for Soma, of the Soma- drinkers bhrmiḥ whirler, that is, mover. As Agni calls the gods and makes them present in the sacrifice, he is their mover asi art martyānām of men rșikặt thou art the maker of vision. Agni helps the gods eligible for Soma as well as the men. Agni is endowed with the quality of the relative etc. for men somyānām who follow the prescribed rules, says Sayana. bhrmiḥ bhram to be not stationery. Vowel for semivowel and then the affix i.

Tr. O Agni, as we have gone far from thee in the path, forgive this offence. Thou art our relative, protector of excellent knowledge, mover of the gods eligible for Soma and maker of seers of mortals.

This is the seventeenth Rik.

17. manușvadagne angirasvadañgiro yayātivatsadane pūrvavacchuce, accha yāhyā vahā daivyam janamāsādaya barhiși yakși ca priyam.
    manușvat agne angirasvat añgiraḥ yayāti’vat sadane pūrvaʼvat suce accha yāhi ā vaha daivyam janam ā sādaya barhişi yakși ca priyam.

O suce luminous añgiraḥ god of this name agne Agni, sadane in our sacrificial home (applicable to both inner and outer) accha in front the particle accha in place of abhi yāhi go. Here an illustration manușvat like of Manu or like Manu (in the genetive sense, or in the nominative case ‘tena tulyam kriyā cet vatiḥ’vat is used). This is the purport. Just as thou goest to the sacrificial house of the seer Manu, go over here as well or just as Manu, the god first amongst the thinking men goes to the sacrificial house like that go, is the sense. Likewise angirasvat like of the seer Angiras or like the god Angiras yayātivat like of seer Yayati or like the god Yayati who attained divinity pūrvavat like the ancients or like of the ancients, go is the connection. Then having gone to the sacrificial house daivyam born amongst the gods janam world āvaha bring, that is bring all the groups of gods. priyam him the dear barhiși in the spread seat āsādaya make him sit yakși ca worship, dropping of sap in the Imperative. Rest is Vedic. Here this has to be borne in mind . Manu, Yayati and Angirah, all the three are seers of Mantras. Though Yayati is famous as the king, born of Nahusa the Vedic index says that he is the seer of the triad of Riks sutāso madhumattamāh (RV.IX.101.4-6). Thus Agni is present in the sacrifice of the three seers illustrated—the vat has the genitive sense. Again, the three are gods also, or have become gods. Manu is the thinker the first god of men, Angirah is the god with the glory of Agni capable of movement. Yayati had become god. (The author of tatvabhodini says that whose yāti movement is everywhere like the speed of the chariot of Vayu; some moderns say that it is perhaps from the root yat to strive. We say that he by all means has the speed of movement, the glory of the deity and he strives). Thus all three are present in the sacrifice the vat has nominative sense.

Tr. O luminous Agni, Angiras, like Manu, Angiras, Yayati and the ancients, go in front of the house, bear the world of gods, seat the dear ones on the spread and worship.

This is the eighteenth Rik.

18. etenāgne brahmaņā vāvrdhasva sakti vā yatte cakrmà vidã vã uta pra ņeşyabhi vasyo asmāntasannaḥ srja sumatyä vājavatyā.
    etena agne brahmaņā vavrdhasva sakti vā yat te cakrma vidā vā uta pra neși abhi vasyaḥ asmän sam naḥ srja su’matyā vāja’vatyā.

O agne Agni, etena by our brahmaņā Mantra indicated by the laud vavřdhasva increase, grow (vrdh to increase reduplication. Lengthening in the Samhita text, because of repetition) sakti vā by capability (Lengthening in the instrumental case) or vidā vā by knowledge yat which te thy laud cakſma we did, by that Mantra is the connection with the earlier. It is said that whatever laud we did according to our capability, according to our knowledge grow by that. The gods that are lauded grow in the lauder. uta also asmān us the lauders who have resorted to thee abhi facing vasyaḥ welfare full of superb riches praņeși thou leadest, that is thou makest us attain excellently. (ni to reach, neși dropping of sap) nah us vājavatyā by plentiful sumatyā auspicious intelligence samsrja connect.

Tr. O Agni, whatever we did acçording to our capability or knowledge grow by that Mantra. Also thou hast sent towards us the weal full of riches. Make us united with auspicious intelligence full of plenitudes.

Thus ends the thirty fifth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

HYMN 32

The second hymn in the seventh section comprises fifteen Riks starting from indrasya nu viryāni. The Rishi is Angirasa Hiranyastupa, the metre is Trishtup and the deity is Indra.

This is the first Rik of the hymn.

1. indrasya nu vīryāṇi pra vocam yāni cakāra prathamāni vajri ahannahimanvapastatarda pra vakşaņā abhinatparvatānām.
   indrasya nu vīryāņi" pra vocam yāni cakāra prathamāni vajri ahan ahim anu apaḥ tatarda pra vakşaņāḥ abhinat parvatānām.

This and the hymn, etāyāma etc. both are of Hiranyastupa, dedicated to Indra. Here is mentioned the story of the killing of Vritra and there about Vritra, Navagvas and others. At the close of the two hymns, the purport of both will be told in brief. In this context we shall reflect on the secret behind the story of Vritra’s killing and on the true sense of Angiras. Therefore, without contradiction to the gross meaning, we shall mention here merely the word-meanings of the Mantras. The Rishi narrates the exploits of Indra-Indrasya of the king of gods vīryāni valourous deeds pravocam nu I just tell (nu denotes speed, say the commentators, elision of a in vocam, Aorist in the sense of Present) yāni which valourous deeds prathamāni important or not performed by anybody else earlier vajri Indra having the thunderbolt cakāra did. Three such deeds are mentioned. ahim cloud (ahiḥ also denotes Vritra, serpent. The termination i on han when prefixed by ā, ā becomes short) ahan struck; anu afterwards apaḥ the waters tatarda (he) injured. Making the water fall on the ground only is injury. (tard in the sense of causing injury) parvatānām relating to the mountains, rising from them vakşaņāḥ the rivers of flowing nature (vakṣaṇā from vah to flow; name of river) prabhinat (he) broke.

Tr. I just relate the exploits of Indra, which the bearer of thunderbolt mainly performed. He struck the cloud causing injury to the waters and cleft the flowing rivers of the mountains.

This is the second Rik.

2. ahannahim parvate sisriyāņam tvaştāsmai vajram svaryam tatakșa vāśrā iva dhenavaḥ syandamānā añjaḥ samudramava jagmurāpaḥ.
   ahan ahim parvate sisriyāṇam tvaştā asmai vajram svaryam tataksa vāśrāḥ’iva dhenavaḥ syandamānāḥ añjaḥ samudram ava jagmuḥ āpaḥ.

parvate in the mountain siśriyāṇam taken refuge,’hidden in the mountain’ is the sense (Participle of the Perfect of the root sriñ) ahim cloud ahan struck. With what instrument? asmai For this Indra tvașță carver, the Divine sculptor svaryam relating to svar. The sense is belonging to the luminous world of svar’. Well-impulsed, says Sayana vajram the weapon Vajra tatakşa formulated. By that Vajra of the luminous svar-world, carved out by tvaştā he struck the cloud. When the cloud was so cleft, syandamānāḥ flowing āpaḥ waters samudram to ocean anjaḥ by the straight path; this is adverb avajagmuḥ attained. An illustration is given. vāśrā iva just as with the lowing sound dhenavah the cows reach the calves, like that.

Tr. He struck the cloud hidden in the mountain. For him the divine sculptor fashioned a thunderbolt of luminous world. The flowing waters straight reached the ocean like lowing cows the calves.

This is the third Rik.

3. vrṣāyamāṇo vrnita somam trikadrukeșvapibatsutasya ā sāyakam maghavādatta vajramhannenam prathamajāmahinām.
   vṛṣa’yamāṇaḥ avrnita somam tri’kadrukeșu apibat sutasya ā sāyakam magha’vā adatta vajram ahan enam prathama’jām ahinām.

vṛṣāyamēņoủ acting like a bull, showerer, (In the padapātha the short a in vrşa is Vedic) somam soma-juice avrnita elected. trikadrukeșu The sacrificers say that the trikadrukas are the three days of infusion rites. By trikadruka are denoted the sacrifices of the names Jyotiḥ (light) Gauḥ (ray) and Ayuh (life). If so, most appropriate in the sense pertaining to inner sacrifice. In the triad of Jyotiḥ and others sutasya of the extracted soma, a portion apibat he drunk. Then maghavā rich with the drink of soma sāvakam the exterminator of foes (Noun form of so to exterminate) vajram Vajra ādatta he wielded. By that ahinām of the clouds prathamajām he first-born (The affix vit on jana and others. Then jā) enam him ahan struck. Or else enam interchange of case in the sense of instrumental; means by this Vajra.

Tr. Like one pouring he elected the soma-juice and drunk a portion in the three infusions. Opulent, he wielded the weapon Vajra and struck this first- born of clouds.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. yadindrāhan prathamajāmahināmān māyinamamināḥ prota māyāḥ ātsūryam janayandyāmuşāsam tāditnā satrum na kilā vivitse.
   yat indra ahan prathama’jām ahinām āt māyinam amināḥ pra uta māyāḥ āt sūryam janayan dyām uşāsam tādītnä śatrum na kila vivitse.

O indra Indra, yat when ahinām of clouds prathamajām the cloud first-born ahan had struck (Imperfect second person singular) āt afterwards māyinam of the fraudulent māyāh uta deceptive knowledge too prāmināḥ had destroyed (min to injure. In the Veda minati becomes short) āt after that süryam sun uşasam dawn dyām and the heavenly abode janayan illumining, by destroying the covering clouds, thou art. tādītnā at that time (interchange of letters in tadānim as it is of prşodara class) satrum enemy na vivitse kila thou had not got at. kila lengthening—for the particle also’. vivitse vidlr to get, Perfect.

Tr. O Indra, when thou struck the first-born of the clouds, thou also destroyed the deceptive knowledge of the fraudulent. Then illumining the sun, dawn and the heaven thou had not got at the enemy.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. ahanvrtram vrtrataram vyamsamindro vajreņa mahatā vadhena skandhāmsīva kulišenā vivrkņāhiḥ śayata upaprkpṛthivyāḥ.
   ahan vātram vrtra’taram vi’amsam indraḥ vajreņa mahatā vadhena skandhāmsi’iva kulisena vi’vrkņā ahiḥ śayate upa’ přk přthivyāḥ.

indraḥ Indra vrtrataram superb coverer of the world, vrtram the coverer Asura in the form of cloud vajreņa by the weapon Vajra mahatā by a mighty vadhena stroke (For han the noun form vadha) vyamsam so cut the arms as to cause loss of shoulders ahan struck. Such cutting is illustrated. kuliśena by axe vivrkņā specially cut skandhāmsi iva tree trunks fall on the ground, likewise, ahiḥ Vritra prthivyāḥ to the earth upaprk attached in proximity śayate sleeps. vivṛknā- vraśru to cut. Participle na; śayate- śayah after si absence of disappearance of affix.

Tr. Indra dealing a mighty blow struck the superb coverer Vritra with his thunderbolt cutting his shoulders. The vile one lay dormant close to the earth like tree trunks specially cut with axe.

Thus ends the thirty-sixth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the sixth Rik in the hymn.

6. ayoddheva durmada à hi juhve mahāvīram tuvibădhamrjīşam nātāridasya samrtim vadhānām sam rujānāḥ pipisa indrasatruḥ.
   ayoddhā’iva duḥ’madaḥā hi juhve mahā’viram tuvi’bādham rjīşam na atārīt asya sam’ſtim vadhānām sam rujānāḥ pipişe indra’śatruḥ.

ayoddhā-iva as one who has no combatant durmadaḥ having wicked pleasure because of haughtiness mahāvīram the great warrior tuvibādham the oppressor of plenty of enemies rjīşam the remover of foes indram Indra ā juhve hi (Vritra) challenged. asya of Indra’s vadhānām samſtim impact of blows nātārīt was unable to parry, that one of wicked pleasure. He indrasatruḥ having Indra as his foe, Vritra rujānāḥ the rivers sampipişe ground to a halt. Sayana says that because of the fall of Vritra’s body that covered all the worlds, the stones etc. there broke to pieces. “By rujānāḥ, are not the necks mentioned? He had ground portions of his own neck. The meaning is that he was powdered hit by the blows”. This is Skandaswamin. rjīşam The termination işan on arja and rja. “The left-over of the purified Soma is rjīşam, one who has that says Sayana. rujānāḥ ruj to break. Participle interchanged. pipișe pişlr to grind to powder. Perfect Tense by interchange.

Tr. Like one who has no combatant, he of evil joy challenged the great warrior, the oppressor of several, the remover. Having Indra as foe, he could not parry the impact of blows. He ground to a halt the rivers.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. apādahasto aprtanyadindramāsya vajramadhisānau jaghāna vrşņo vadhriḥ pratimānam bubhūșan purutrā vſtro aśayadvyastaḥ.
   apāt ahastaḥ apſtanyat indram ā asya vajram adhi sānau jaghāna vrşņaḥ vadhriḥ prati’mānam puru’trā vſtraḥ aśayat vi’astah.

apāt devoid of feet (The elision of the ending in the word pāda in Bahuvrihi compound is Vedic) ahastaḥ devoid of hands in this way his limbs cut in all manner, Vritra indram towards Indra aprtanyat desired encounter, did not leave the battle. asya of this Vritra sānau in the lofty place adhi above vajram Vajra, Indra ājaghāna threw in confrontation. An illustration is cited for the incapable Vritra desiring battle. vadhrih one whose testicles are castrated, that is bereft of masculinity vrsnah (vrș to sprinkle) of one skilled in sprinkling, that is possessed of masculinity pratimānam like form bubhūşan desiring to become; that is, like a eunuch desiring to become equal to a virile male; he vſtraḥ Vritra purutrā in many limbs (the termination trā in the sense of locative) vyastaḥ particularly thrown about, that is with limbs all shattered aśayat lay, fell on the ground (sin to sleep, interchange of Parasmaipada. Absence of disappearance of termination, in the Veda).

Tr. Bereft of feet and hands, he still desired encounter with Indra (who) struck him at the crown. Like a eunuch desiring to act virile, Vritra lay, his limbs shattered.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. nadam na bhinnamamuyā śayānam mano ruhāņa ati yantyāpaḥ. yāscidvrtro mahinā paryatișțhattāsāmahiḥ patsutaḥśirbabhūva.
   nadam na bhinnam amuyā śayānam manaḥ ruhāṇaḥ ati yanti āpaḥ yāh cit vſtraḥ mahinā pari’atișthat tā sām ahiḥ patsutah’śiḥ babhūva.

amuyā with these characteristics śayānam fallen Vritra āpaḥ waters ati yanti flow passing over. amuyā in this earth, says Sayana. Here is an illustration. bhinnam nadam na like a river that has broken the banks in many places; just as in rains waters overflow by breaking the river banks, in the same manner they flow over the dead Vritra. This is the meaning. Of what kind are the waters? mano ruhānāḥ mounting the minds of men (interchange of participle of the root ruh. The rest is Vedic). It is said that when the dead Vritra lay under the waters like this, the waters mount the mind. Elsewhere when we discuss the hidden sense, the purport has to be looked into. He says that Vritra lay fallen at the very feet of those waters whose coverer and therefore restrainer he was. vſtraḥ Vritra mahinā by his greatness yāḥ cit which very waters paryațișthat stood surrounding them ahiḥ Vritra tāsām those waters patsutaḥ śiḥ lying under the feet babhuva became (the substitution of pad for the word pādā; the appendage su is Vedic; indeclinable in the sense of locative, then the termination i on śay).

Tr. Like a river breaking the bank the waters flow over Vritra thus lying, mounting the mind. The serpent Vritra lay at the very feet of those whom he besieged with his might.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. nicāvayā abhavadvſtraputrendro asyā ava vadharjabhāra uttarā sūradhrah putra ăsiddānuḥ śaye sahavatsā na dhenuḥ.
   nicā’vayāḥ abhavat vſtra’putrā indraḥ asyāḥ ava vadhaḥ jabhāra ut’tarā sūḥ adharaḥ putraḥ āsīt dānuḥ saye sahā’vatsā na dhenuh.

vrtraputrā she whose son is Vritra, Vritra’s mother nicāvayāḥ she whose arms are down, vayāh name of a branch, as arms are in the position of branches, with arms hanging abhavat was. The sense is that when Vritra was struck, to prevent the blows on him she stood like that asyāḥ of Vritra’s mother ava below, over Vritra vadhaḥ Vajra the instrument of striking (substitution of vadha for han) jabhāra struck. (bha for hr and grah) then sūḥ one who gives birth (noun form) dānuḥ uttarā was standing above putraḥ the son Vritra adhraḥ was standing below. She too sahavatsā accompanied by the calf dhenurna like the cow saye lay asleep. What is this Puranic story? We have to seek the truth.

Tr. Vritra’s mother lowered her arms, Indra flung the striking weapon below her. The mother was above, the son below. She lay like a cow with the calf.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. atișthantināmaniveśanānām cășthānām madhye nihitam sariram vſtrosya ninyam vicarantyāpo dirgham tama āśayadindraśatruḥ.
    atișthantinām aniveśanānām cāșthānām madhye nihitam sariram vſtrasya ninyam vi caranti āpaḥ dirgham tamaḥ ā aśayat indra’satruḥ.

atișthantinām not standing, that is moving aniveśanānām niveśanānām, the place wherein enter (the people), devoid of that, bereft of habitation, flowing cāșthānām of the waters (cāsthāḥstand pervading. prşodara class) madhye in the middle nihitam placed sariram body. Whose? vſtrasya Vritra’s. How was it? niņyam hidden inside, concealed or unseen, that body immersed inside the waters (accusative) ā paḥ waters vicaranti specially trespass and flow. When Vritra’s body was thrown amidst the water like this, indraśatruḥ Vritra dirgham tamaḥ having attained death in the form of long sleep, as it would come about, in that manner āśayat fell on all counts.

Tr. Vritra’s body was deposited amidst the changing current of waters. The waters flow over the concealed. Vritra lay in prolonged sleep.

Thus ends the thirty-seventh Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the eleventh Rik.

11. dāsapatnirahigopā atişthanniruddhā āpaḥ panineva gāvaḥ apām bilamapihitam yadāsidvrtram jaghanvān apa tadvavāra.
    dāsa’patniḥ ahi’gopāḥ atişthan ni’ruddhāḥ āpaḥ paņinā’iva gāvaḥ apām bilam apihitam yat ăsit vrtram jaghanvān apa tat vavāra.

dāsapatniḥthose whose master is dāsaḥ (das to diminish) dāsa is one who causes dimunition, those waters whose master is Vritra, the suppressor of the universe ahigopāḥwhose protector is ahi, Vitra āpaḥ waters (gup to protect here protection becomes curtailment). niruddhāḥ atişthan stood fettered. Who, like? paņineva by an Asura of this name, the stealer of cows confined gāvaḥ cows, as they stood likewise yat which apām bilam the opening to the hiding place or the outlet for flow apihitam āsit was obstructed vrtram jaghanvān Indra who struck Vritra (Perfect participle of han) tat that aperture apavavāra uncovered, opened the gate for the flow of the waters.

Tr. The waters subdued by Vritra, constrained by him stood fettered like the cows confined by Pani. The striker of Vritra uncovered the closed aperture of the waters.

This is the twelfth Rik.

12. ašvyo vāro abhavastadinadra sľke yattvā pratyahandeva ekaḥ ajayo-gāh ajayaḥ śūra somamavāsrjaḥ sartave sapta sindhūn.
    aśvyaḥ vāraḥ abhavaḥ tat indra sľke yat tvā prati’ahan devaḥ ekaḥ ajayaḥ gāḥ ajayaḥ śūra somam ava asriaḥ sartave sapta sindhūn.

O indra Indra, yat when tvā thou srke in Vajra weapon (srkaḥ name of Vajra, termination uk on the root sr) pratyahan Vritra struck back tat then thou aśvyaḥ born in the horse, a limb of the horse vāraḥ tail (ra optional to la) like the horse’s tail warding off flies etc. undoer of Vritra abhavaḥ became. Then ekaḥ sole, without a second devaḥ god, thou gāḥ ajayaḥgot back the confined cows, O sūra endowed with valour somam Soma also ajayaḥ got back sapta sindhūn rivers of seven numbers, the flowing waters sartave to move in the form of floods avāsrjaḥ released, that is liberated. In this Rik, devaḥ ekaḥ means the luminous Vritra, without a second, skilled in all arms, say some. Here what is the connection between the killing of Vritra, acquisition of cows, gain of Soma and liberation of the seven rivers? Or what is intended to be conveyed in such episode? We shall see later.

Tr. O Indra, when he struck thee back on the thunderbolt, thou chased him away. God absolute, thou won the cows, won the some-juice, valourous one, thou released the seven rivers to flow.

This is the thirteenth Rik.

13. nāsmai vidyunna tanyatuḥ siṣedha na yām mihamakiraddhrādunim ca indrasca yadyuyudhāte ahiscotāparibhyo maghavā vi jigye.
    na asmai vi’dyut na tanyatuḥ sişedha na yām miham akirat hrādunim ca indraḥ ca yat yuyudhāte iti ahiḥ ca uta aparibhyaḥ magha’vā vijigye.

asmai to Indra, employed by Vritra towards Indra vidyut lightning na sişedha did not reach Indra. (șidh to go, Perfect) likewise tanyatuḥ the roar (yatu on tan) na did not reach. yām which miham rain (mih to sprinkle. That which sprinkles is mit, noun form) akirat threw, which hrādunim ca thunder clap as well employed, even that did not move, did not reach Indra. yat when indraśca Indra ahiḥ ca and Vritra, both yuyudhāte were engaged in battle, then lightning and others did not reach Indra—that is the connection with the previous line. uta and also maghavā Indra aparibhyaḥfrom the other deceitful tricks done by Vritra (The word apari means ’other’) vijigye superbly succeeded.

Tr. When Indra and Vritra fought with each other, neither the lightning, the roar, nor the rains sent nor the thunderclap got at Indra. And Indra surmounted others as well.

This is the fourteenth Rik.

14. aheryātāram kamapaśya indra hrdi yatte jaghnușo bhiragacchat nava ca yannavatim ca sravantiḥsyeno na bhito ataro rajāmsi.
    aheḥ yātāram kam apasyaḥ indra hțdi yat te jaghnuṣaḥ bhiḥ agacchat nava ca yat navatim ca sravantiḥ śyenaḥ na bhitaḥ ataraḥ rajāmsi.

A doubt arose in Indra who had struck Vritra whether Vritra was dead or not. Therefore from beyond, from far off country he crossed the rivers and traversed the worlds to make sure of Vritra’s slaying. Who else other than Indra will be the slayer of Vritra? they give this meaning. Some commentators say like this : ’It is for me to kill Vritra, let not he be killed by anybody else’ with this apprehension, quickly crossing the rivers Indra proceeded, desirous of killing. Some cite legends that fear entered into Indra that he had committed sin by killing Vritra. This meaning is not acceptable to us. O indra Indra jaghnuṣaḥhaving killed Vritra (Perfect Participle of han. Skandaswami says the desiderative jighāmsu is implied).

te thy hṛdi in mind yat if bhiḥ ‘have I killed him or not’, in this form an apprehension agacchat occurred, then aheḥ of Vritra yātāram confronter, that is to say, slayer, kam apaśyaḥ whom else thou saw, there is nobody. yat by which reason nava ca navatim ca numbering ninety nine sravantiḥ rivers rajāmsi worlds as well ataraḥ thou traversed; he should not be killed by others or when struck; did he die or not, thus bhitaḥ having apprehension, thou traversed is the connection. Who like? syeno na like a strong bird capable of flying distances (syeno syen to move, Particle ina).

Tr. Who else is the slayer of Vritra, thou hast seen, that in thy slayer’s mind a doubt arose and doubting, thou traversed the ninety nine rivers and worlds like a hawk. 1.2.38] (178) [1.7.32

This is the fifteenth Rik.

15. indro yāto’avasitasya rājā samasya ca śrngiņo vajrabāhuḥ sedu räjā kşayati carşaņināmarānna nemiḥ pari tā babhūva.
    indraḥ yātaḥ ava’sitasya rājā samasya ca śrñgiṇaḥ vajra’bāhuḥ saḥ it ūm iti rājā kşayati carşaninām arān na nemiḥ pari tā babhūva.

When Vritra was killed vajrabāhuḥ the Vajra- armed Indra yātaḥ of the going, mobile (yāt that which goes, present participle) avasitasya of the bound, immobile (şiñ to bind) samasya of the quiescent șộngiṇaḥ ca of the one endowed with haughtiness denoted by the horn in lieu of the weapon rājā king, he was; that is he was the sovereign of the mobile and the immobile, the quiescent and the forceful. The old commentary that śrăgi denotes buffalos, bulls and others is not apt as buffalos and others are included in the mobile. Here it has to be understood that mention is made of mobile and immobile as one pair and quiescent and horned as another pair. saḥit He, Indra himself (saḥthe elision of s in the Samhita text is Vedic). carşaņinām of men rājā king becoming kşayati ruler, (kşay denotes lordship) he tā all that have been aforesaid pari babhūva pervaded alround. Here is an illustration. nemiḥ the rim of the chariot wheel arān na like the spokes pivoted to the nave. Just as the rim on the circumference of the chariot wheel is round the spokes pivoted to the nave, Indra is around everything. This is the purport.

Tr. The Vajra-armed Indra is the king of the mobile and the immobile, the quiescent and the forceful. He as king rules over men and is around them all like the rim encircling the spokes.

Commented are the last two hymns in this second chapter of the first Eighth, of the Rishi Hiranyastupa. Of these one is dedicated to Agni and the other to Indra. In the commentary of the hymn to Agni, it was said that the discussion about Angiras would be done elsewhere. When commenting on the hymn to Indra, Vritra’s story was referred to, there also an explanation had not been given. Both these have to be discussed here, as the deeds of Angiras and the story of Vritra cited here and there in these Rik collections loosen the secret of the Rishis that is in the guise of stories found in this treasure of potent words. The Mantric letters with covert statements relate the story, pregnant with truth. Such mantras have to be approached for an understanding in the light of the covert statements. Without that, the purport arrived at either in the gross or in the subtle sense does not fit in. In explaining the meaning of the hymn ‘Yatra grāvā’ this has been delineated before, also submitted for consideration elsewhere in the Preface. Now, It us see what kind of description about the Angiras are there in the Mantric letters.

This word angira has been employed once as ending in a in locative singular viz. in the lines ’in the nine-cowed Angira, in the ten-cowed seven- mouthed (IV.51.4) the group of Angiras is mentioned as Angira. Again the word with the ending in a has been employed in the nominative singular viz. ’āt angirāḥ prathamam dadhire first the Angiras bore all around’. Here añgirāḥmeans añgirasaḥ, Angiras. In other places in the Veda and in the world the employment of the word ending in s only is well established. The constituent meaning of both the forms is the same. It has to be understood that like the words angāra and agni, the word angiras also is derived from the root ang. In the course of the commentary on the hymn agni miļe’ a brief statement was given about the etymology of the word agni. In the derivation of the four words, agni and others that are going to be mentioned these uņādi aphorisms have to be borne in mind :

‘angernalopasca’ - agnih; añgimadimandibhya āran-angāraḥ, ’añgater asiriruçãgamasca’-angirāh; ‘rjrendrā-grādayaḥ rannantāḥ’-agram. That is why in saying the constituent meaning of the word agni, on the strength of the statements in the Brahmana they say that agni is agraniḥ the forerunner. The Brahmanas regard without distinction agni angāra and āngiras viz. “They that were burning coals became Angira’. The etymologists say that one who was born in the burning coals is Angiras. Others also : ’angirāh perhaps because of proportion in limbs procured by Angiras seers, a form of Agni’.

About Angiras the Mantra-letters describe variously. They say that Agni is the first Angiras, Angiras are sons of Agni and Agni is Angiras, the son of Force. ’O Angiras, son of strength .... We adore Agni the offspring of energy’ (VIII.60.2) ‘O Agni, Angiras, Offspring of energy by what of thee’ (VIII.84.4) ’O Agni, the Angiras obtained thee, laid in the hidden cavern, reposing in every forest of delight. Churned he is born, the great strength. O Angiras, they call thee the son of strength’ (V.11.2). By such Mantras one gets to know clearly that the truth about Angiras is in every way connected with the variegated manifestation of Agni. Therefore it has to be taken that Angiras or the group of Angiras are endowed with all the renowned qualities of Agni viz. the role of purificator, possessor of illumination, sacrificial caller, seer-will etc. Just as the God Agni stands in the service of the gods, the ’sons of Heaven’ Angiras too do likewise.

If Angiras are the gods, how again these are sung as the renowned seers, the human fathers? They are indicated in two ways as gods and as men. We see appropriateness in both the cases. What was said in the course of discussion on the truth of Ribhus has, to be remembered here. The Angiras seers remaining men, got at the divine path by askesis and worship and attained to godhood. It is to be understood that these were formerly gods themselves having the glory of Agni and their station in the luminous swar, who take birth in the human seers and become illustrations like Atri, Bhrugu, Kutsa and others to demonstrate the attainment of divine nature. Here we shall point out first some Mantras which say that the Angias are our human fathers. “Our fathers by their words broke the strong and stub-born places, the Angiras seers shattered the mountain rock with their cry; they made in us a path to the Great Heaven, they discovered the Day and the sun-world and the intuitive ray and the shining herds” (1.71.2) “Here, our human fathers went forward on their way towards the Truth desiring to possess it” (IV.1.13). "Men, desiring laid open the strong pen full of Raycows by the divine word” (VI.1.15) Like these many are the Mantras which sing about the human seers, the forefathers who had attained the divine nature helping man, rendering assistance to gods as well.

Then these Angiras divine seers or gods themselves attain to the nature of Brihaspati or Brahmanaspati, are extolled as accomplishers of Indra’s work, likewise are lauded along with the Ashwins and the Maruts. Though the enumeration of the Angiras as seven is well-known, in lines like “this seven-headed thought, our father” (X.17.1) it would be clearly seen that they are spoken of as one form, in the form of Brihaspati. “One who is the breaker of the mountain, first-born, keeper of the Truth, Brihaspati, Angiras, bringer of the offerings" (V1.73.1). Here also the Angiras is Brihaspati. Elsewhere Indra is many times proclaimed that he with Angiras becomes the excellent Angiras; viz. "He became the superb Angiras with the Angiras, the bull with the bulls, the companion with the companions” (I.100.4) “Of universal form like the Maruts with the equalising säman”(X.78.5). “The youths, seers, masters of sacrifice, Maruts... come, leader even as the Angiras” (VI.49.11). In all, these the relationship of Angiras to Maruts too is said. Likewise in referring to Ushas, the daughter of Heaven, “Usha superbly Indra became full of plenitudes gave birth to inspirations for happy journeyings. The daughter of Heaven, the goddess superbly Angiras for good deeds fashions the riches” (VII.79.3). The context of the Angiras is inferred from many Mantras in the coming of dawn, in the gain of cows, in the breaking of mountain, in the victory of Indra etc. All these are related to only one incident. And that is the slaying of Vritra performed by Indra. It has to be understood that the four fruits of the slaying of Vritra are all simultaneous and interconnected. Though all of them have to be known by many Mantras, even so we shall cite a Mantra which proclaims the fruits simultaneously obtained of the breaking of Vritra, indicated by the term ‘mountain’. “O Indra, thou opened the waters wide, broke the hardness of the mountain. Thou became king of the world and of the men that see, together gave birth to the sun, heaven and dawn” (VI.30.5). This is the purport of the Mantra :40 Indra, thou released the waters covered by Vritra in such a way that it began flowing all around. How was this made possible? Thou broke the hard place of confinement of waters in the mountain. Therefore this resulted. Others also fructified sākam simultaneously. They are the births of the sun, dawn and heaven. It is to be noted that the release of cows is related in the Veda along with the dawn or the sun. “O Reducer of foes, praised by the Angiras, with the dawn, sun and Ray-cows thou destroyest the blind darkness” (1.62.5). Likewise one hears the mention of Angiras here and there in the Rik Samhita in connection with the assistance to Indra for slaying Vritra, with the regain of cows, with the appearance of dawn and with the birth of the sun. If the secret sense underlying the slaying of Vritra as an act of Indra is determined, the principal truth, quality and glory of the Angiras will burst into view of their own accord.

Therefore the story of Vritra has to be examined. By this, what is intended to be conveyed? Even in the external interpretation, the purport does not come about without resorting to subordinate sense. That is why Sabara says that words are subordinate. Yaska says the same thing : "the classes of battle are for the sake of simile... because of constant companionship one calls the dawn as his sister”. Brahmanas talk about the covert statements. “The secret word’ says the Rig Veda. We say that word is in the form of a symbol bringing to light the same secret sense.

Just as the important thing in the Vritra incident is the release of waters effected by the slaying of Vritra, likewise in the story of the Angiras the essential thing is only the release of cows, where Vala is important, Panis and other sons of darkness, the Asura warriors are the main persons. And these cows are not the four-footed animals nor the waters the physical water. The cows are rays, though outward, symbolise inner illumination and so have to be understood as the rays of Truth. And Truth is the Light Supreme denoted by the word ’Sun’ in the Vedạ. The waters that are besieged by Vritra, the darkness of ignorance are released after the slaying of Vritra. They are verily the streams of Truth. Delineated as ’streams of Truth’ ’seven rivers’ and in some places as "waters possessing the luminous svar”, these are the streams of the Truth-force that hold and sustain the universe comprising seven principles. The mountain is the cloud. The mountain of Vala is full of caverns where in the dark place, cows, the rays of consciousness are stolen and forcefully kept. It is sung in many places in the Veda that Brihaspati who is angirāh or āngirasa (offspring of Angiras), the seven-mouthed, breaks the mountain occupied by Vala with the Mantra-word effulgent with the potency of speech rising from the heart and makes the cows come out; similarly yujā yoked with Indra, with his assistance accomplishes the release of the waters (II.23.18). As we go along, in the course of the commentary we shall point out those important Riks which have to be commented upon only in the way of the secret sense and where interpretation in any other sense will not fit in. If in the Rik Samhita all places where the slaying of Vritra is mentioned and all places where the Angiras are mentioned are examined, doubtless, it will be reinforced that Vala, Vritra, Pani and other Asuras, waters, cows, mountain, etc. are the covert statements, mysterious sayings, ninyā vacāmsi secret words of the seers devoted to inner sacrifice. Enough here of more detail.

Thus ends the thirty eighth Group in the second Chapter of the first Eighth.

THUS ENDS THE SECOND CHAPTER IN THE FIRST EIGHTH

TRANSLATIONS OF RIG VEDA SUKTAS 33-121

Read now >>

Translations of Rig Veda Suktas 33-121 by M. P. Pandit