Asya vāmasya Sūkta - Rig Veda 1.164
Part.4
अपश्यं गोपामनिपद्यमानमा च परा च पथिभिश्चरन्तम् । स सध्रीचीः स विषूचीर्वसान आ वरीवर्ति भुवनेष्वन्तः ॥
apaśyaṃ gopām anipadyamānam
ā ca parā ca pathibhiś carantam | sa sadhrīcīḥ sa viṣūcīr vasāna ā varīvarti
bhuvaneṣv antaḥ ||
I saw the herdsman who never settles down, roaming here and afar along his paths. Clothing himself in those that converge and diverge, he moves back and forth among living beings
My interpretation
The rishi is further narrating the mental status of the awakened soul with respect to the BRAHMAN, who controls everything (ápaśyaṁ gopā́m), and pervaded in everything and every being-sá sadhṛ́cīḥ sá viṣū́cīr vásāna ā́ varīvarti bhúvaneṣv antár.
The awakened ONE can identify the BRAHMAN as moving in different entities - sometimes here and sometimes there - ā́ ca párā ca pathíbhiś cárantam.
In a nutshell, the awakened soul finds the BRAHMAN everywhere.
This can be related to Rig Veda 2.1.1, which states about AGNI, as follows;
“You are born from the waters (adbhyaḥ), you are born from the stones (aśmanaḥ), you are born from the forests (vanebhyaḥ), and you are born from the tender herbs (oṣadhībhyaḥ). You, Sovereign of men, are born pure in everything!"
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Rig Veda 1.164.32
य ईं चकार न सो अस्य वेद य ईं ददर्श हिरुगिन्नु तस्मात् । स मातुर्योना परिवीतो अन्तर्बहुप्रजा निॠतिमा विवेश ॥
ya īṃ cakāra na so asya veda ya īṃ dadarśa hirug in nu tasmāt | sa mātur yonā parivīto antar bahuprajā nirṛtim ā viveśa ||
English translation:
He who created him does not know him. He is far away from him who has seen him. He is surrounded within the womb of his mother. Having many offspring, he has entered into destruction
My interpretation
a) I am of the opinion that the rishi is hinting about the BRAHMAN - the formless ENERGY - whose actions can be seen, but not its origin, as in Rig Veda 6.16.35 - गर्भे मातुः पितुष्पिता विदिद्युतानो अक्षरे । सीदन्नृतस्य योनिमा ॥
b) The Brahman is the ultimate projector (Cakāra). He creates this entire grand tapestry of the three worlds. Yet, the creation cannot trace the creator. The eyes see the physical form, the ears hear the sound, but because Brahman is the Ultimate Subject, it remains permanently hidden (hiruk) from ordinary sensory tracking.
c) When connected to Garbhe mātuḥ pituṣpitā in Rig Veda 6.16.35, the phrase sa mātur yonā parivīto antar (enwrapped deep inside the womb of the mother) becomes clearer.
d) BRAHMAN willingly enters and wraps Himself (parivītaḥ) inside the heavy womb of physical matter to manifest as life. To the unawakened eye, it looks like BRAHMAN is born out of nature. But the seer who is Vicetan (विचेतन्) realizes the ultimate inversion: Consciousness preceded matter. The "Son" sitting in the womb is actually the primordial architect who gave birth to the very laws that created the womb.
e) Bahuprajaḥ: Brahman doesn't just create one thing; He projects Himself out into every single entity in the universe. He becomes the waters, the stones, the forests, and the tender herbs, as in Rig Veda 2.1.1.
f) Nirṛti - Nir + Ṛtam (निरृतम्)— that which is devoid of Ṛta
g) nirṛtim ā viveśa - BRAHMAN deliberately enters into the realm of Nir-Ṛtam —the dark, unaligned, and decaying material matrix, and multiplies into billions of living forms—remaining completely untouched, friction-free, and deathless. It patiently waits for the individual mind to become perfectly focused and disciplined (Śiṅkte), look past the outer mask of the womb, and collapse its identity straight back into the unblinking, primordial hub of Ṛta.
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Rig Veda 1.164.33
द्यौर्मे पिता जनिता नाभिरत्र बन्धुर्मे माता पृथिवी महीयम् । उत्तानयोश्चम्वोर्योनिरन्तरत्रा पिता दुहितुर्गर्भमाधात् ॥
dyaur me pitā janitā nābhir
atra bandhur me mātā pṛthivī mahīyam | uttānayoś camvor yonir antar atrā pitā
duhitur garbham ādhāt ||
English translation:
[The Sun:] My father, my progenitor, is Heaven; here is my navel. My mother, this great Earth, is my relation. My womb is within the two open cups [=Heaven and Earth]. Here my father placed the child [=the Sun] of his daughter [=Dawn].”
My interpretation
अत्रा पिता दुहितुर्गर्भमाधात् - The Father Seeding the Daughter
Uṣā/Dawn is called daughter of Heaven - duhitar divaḥ (Rig Veda 1.48.1).
Uṣā is a "hazy," soft, yet pristine light., is followed by the DIVINE ILLUMINATION (BRAHMAN or father).
When the MIND of the spiritual seeker has been ploughed violently by Rudra (BRAHMAN) and purified, Uṣā appears first - indicating purification of MIND. It is then the Rudra/BRAHMAN plants the DIVINE SEED(s) of spiritual guidance, which will grow and finally resulting in Illumination. This can be related to Rudra carrying medicinal herbs (DIVINE SEEDS) - haste bibhrad bheṣajā - Rig Veda 1.114.5. –
Rudra/BRAHMAN implanting these DIVINE SEED(s) of spiritual guidance directly into the newly cleared Uṣā/dawn-womb of spiritual seeker’s mind is what the rishi Dīrghatamas is narrated as duhitur garbham ādhāt.
Hence, there is no unholy incest between father and daughter, mentioned by the rishi in this Rik.
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Rig Veda 1.164.34
पृच्छामि त्वा परमन्तं पृथिव्याः पृच्छामि यत्र भुवनस्य नाभिः । पृच्छामि त्वा वृष्णो अश्वस्य रेतः पृच्छामि वाचः परमं व्योम ॥
pṛcchāmi tvā param antam pṛthivyāḥ pṛcchāmi yatra bhuvanasya nābhiḥ | pṛcchāmi tvā vṛṣṇo aśvasya retaḥ pṛcchāmi vācaḥ paramaṃ vyoma ||
English translation:
I ask you about the farthest end of the earth. I ask where is the navel of the living world. I ask you about the seed of the bull(-like) horse. I ask about the highest heaven of speech.
My interpretation
The rishi Dīrghatamas is putting before the readers the above questions, to ponder over. He is providing answer to those questions in the next Rik.
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Rig Veda 1.164.35
इयं वेदिः परो अन्तः पृथिव्या अयं यज्ञो भुवनस्य नाभिः । अयं सोमो वृष्णो अश्वस्य रेतो ब्रह्मायं वाचः परमं व्योम ॥
iyaṃ vediḥ paro antaḥ pṛthivyā
ayaṃ yajño bhuvanasya nābhiḥ | ayaṃ somo vṛṣṇo aśvasya reto brahmāyaṃ vācaḥ
paramaṃ vyoma ||
English translation:
This altar here is the farthest end of the earth. This sacrifice here is the navel of the living world. This soma here is the seed of the bull(-like) horse. This formulator here is the highest heaven of speech.
My interpretation
Rishi Dirghatamas answers the four questions. The word Ayám (This/Here) is used four times, indicating that the answers do not lie outside, but inside the living, awakened soul, the Āryan.
a) The Altar is the Limit (Iyaṃ Vediḥ): The three moral fuel-sticks (Satya, Astēya, Aparigraha) form the basis of ONE’s spiritual practice/altar, transforming ONE from animalistic tendencies (Catuṣpadā) to DIVINE tendencies (dvipadā).
b) The Sacrifice is the Navel (Ayaṃ Yajño): Yajña may not indicate sacrifice. It can be an activity related to spirituality. Hence, Yajña in this context can be the spiritual practice done, on the foundation of Satya, astēya and aparigraha, to be co-related to rishi’s statement - Gāyatrī meter has three fuel-sticks -in Rig Veda 1.164.25.
c) Soma is the Horse's Seed (Ayaṃ Somo): SOMA is the spiritual BLISS that can be experienced by a spiritual practice at the culmination of practice. Hence, SOMA shall be considered as the seed, through which the spiritual experience is expanded into 3 worlds and universal oneness can be experienced.
d) The Brahma is the Highest Heaven of speech (Brahmāyaṃ): BRAHMAN is the highest point and the only point, within whom the individual’s MIND, pranic energies get merged.
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Rig Veda 1.164.36
सप्तार्धगर्भा भुवनस्य रेतो विष्णोस्तिष्ठन्ति प्रदिशा विधर्मणि । ते धीतिभिर्मनसा ते विपश्चितः परिभुवः परि भवन्ति विश्वतः ॥
saptārdhagarbhā bhuvanasya
reto viṣṇos tiṣṭhanti pradiśā vidharmaṇi | te dhītibhir manasā te vipaścitaḥ paribhuvaḥ
pari bhavanti viśvataḥ ||
English translation:
The seven children of the (two world-) halves [=the Seven Seers], the seed of the living world, take their place by the direction of Viṣṇu in the spreading expanse. By their insights and their thought these encompassing perceivers of inspired words encompass (everything) everywhere.
My interpretation
a) The phrase Saptá Árdhagarbhāḥ (Seven Half-Embryos) may be referring to the 6 negative halves, Hiṃsā, Stēya, parigraha,aśauca, ālasya, asatya that can be considered as dormant or in half-embryo stage till these vices are overcome by the spiritual practitioner, + 1 concealed or dormant divinity, as mentioned in Rig Veda 1.164.15
b) When the spiritual practice is based on the three moral fuel-sticks (Rig Veda 1.164.35), and following ahiṃsā, astēya, aparigraha, śauca,tapas and satya, progress will be made and after experiencing BLISS, the DIVINE MIND will expand in 3 worlds, under the guidance of Viṣṇu, who is mentioned in Rig Veda, as covering the 3 worlds in 3 steps.
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Rig Veda 1.164.37
न वि जानामि यदिवेदमस्मि निण्यः संनद्धो मनसा चरामि । यदा मागन्प्रथमजा ऋतस्यादिद्वाचो अश्नुवे भागमस्याः ॥
na vi jānāmi yad ivedam
asmi niṇyaḥ saṃnaddho manasā carāmi | yadā māgan prathamajā ṛtasyād id vāco
aśnuve bhāgam asyāḥ ||
English translation:
I do not understand what sort of thing I am here: though bound, I roam about in secret by my thinking. When the first-born of truth [=Agni] has come to me, only then do I attain a share of this speech here.
My interpretation
A) niṇyáḥ sámnaddho mánasā carāmi: "...mysterious, secret, and hidden (niṇyáḥ), bound, shrouded, and fettered (sámnaddhaḥ) by my own moving mind (mánasā), I wander (carāmi).
The fetters of the Wandering Mind (Sámnaddho Mánasā) might be referring to, in my opinion, to the binding of the Mind by the materialistic tendencies or Pashas of Varuṇa (Rig Veda 1.24.13).
B) yadā́ mā́ ágan prathamajā́ ṛtásyad id vāco aśnuve bhāgam asyāḥ: "Only when the First-Born of the Ṛta/Cosmic Law (prathamajā́ ṛtásya) comes directly unto me”.
It is only when the spiritual seeker is relieved of the fetters of Varuṇa, then spiritual ascendence through 7 chakras happen, and the experience of the BRAHMAN happens, and spiritual wealth is accrued to ONE.
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Rig Veda 1.164.38
अपाङ्प्राङेति स्वधया गृभीतोऽमर्त्यो मर्त्येना सयोनिः । ता शश्वन्ता विषूचीना वियन्ता न्यन्यं चिक्युर्न नि चिक्युरन्यम् ॥
apāṅ prāṅ eti svadhayā gṛbhīto
'martyo martyenā sayoniḥ | tā śaśvantā viṣūcīnā viyantā ny anyaṃ cikyur na ni
cikyur anyam ||
English translation:
He goes inward and outward, controlled by his own will—he, the immortal one of the same womb as the mortal one. Those two are ever going apart in different directions. They observe the one; they do not observe the other
My interpretation
apā́ṅ prā́ṅ eti svadháyā gṛbhītáḥ ámartyaḥ - The Immortal One, though moving backward and forward, is held and guided entirely by His own inherent, self-sustaining power,
martyenā sayoniḥ - sharing the self-same womb and habitation (sayóniḥ) with the mortal body (mártyena)."
tā śaśvantā viṣūcīnā viyantā ny anyaṃ cikyur na ni cikyur anyam – It reiterates the same idea/concept that was mentioned in Rig Veda 1.164.20.
Humans are deeply infatuated with the changing outer garments of the material world. They look at a person and see only their physical age, actions, and temporal identity (ny anyáṃ cikiyúḥ). They remain completely blind (Andhaḥ) to the silent, radiant, unmoving King of the cosmos pulsing quietly behind the physical mask (na ni cikiyur anyam).
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Rig Veda 1.164.39
ऋचो अक्षरे परमे व्योमन्यस्मिन्देवा अधि विश्वे निषेदुः । यस्तन्न वेद किमृचा करिष्यति य इत्तद्विदुस्त इमे समासते ॥
ṛco akṣare parame vyoman yasmin devā adhi viśve niṣeduḥ | yas tan na veda kim ṛcā kariṣyati ya it tad vidus ta ime sam āsate ||
English translation:
The syllable of the verse, upon which all the gods have settled, is in the highest heaven—he who does not know that (syllable), what will he accomplish by his verse? Only those who know it sit together here.
a) ṛ́co akṣáre paramé vyòman: "The sacred Vedic hymns (ṛ́caḥ) exist rooted in the Imperishable (akṣáre), within the highest spiritual sky (paramé vyòman)..."
In my opinion – the statement ṛ́co akṣáre - "The sacred Vedic hymns (ṛ́caḥ) exist rooted in the Imperishable (akṣáre), might be another way of saying that the veda emanated from the Imperishable (akṣáre), but not from the literary brains of scholars - apauruṣeya.
b) yas tan na veda kim ṛcā kariṣyati ya it tad vidus ta ime sam āsate :
He who does not know That (yáḥ tát ná véda)—what will he ever accomplish or achieve by the mere chanting of the hymns (kím ṛcā́ kariṣyati)?
"But those who truly experience and know That (yáḥ ít tát vidúḥ), they sit gathered together in absolute, permanent bliss (té samā́sate)."
- The Trap of Scholarism: This describes an intellectual scholar, who can recite all the thousands of verses perfectly, but remains trapped in the "four-footed" animal state (Catuṣpadā). If their character is unploughed—if they haven't gathered the three moral fuel-sticks (Satya, Asteya, Aparigraha) through Trikaraṇashuddhi—their chanting is just meaningless acoustic noise.
- They are still bound to the sacrificial post by the materialistic nooses of Varuṇa (Sámnaddho Mánasā).
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Rig Veda 1.164.40
सूयवसाद्भगवती हि भूया अथो वयं भगवन्तः स्याम । अद्धि तृणमघ्न्ये विश्वदानीं पिब शुद्धमुदकमाचरन्ती ॥
sūyavasād bhagavatī hi bhūyā atho vayam bhagavantaḥ syāma | addhi tṛṇam aghnye viśvadānīm piba śuddham udakam ācarantī ||
English translation:
Because you would become blessed, feeding upon good pasturage, so then we would also be blessed. Feed on grass always, o inviolable cow [=Speech]! Coming here, drink pure water!
My interpretation
The Cow is explicitly addressed as Aghnyā (अघ्न्या)—the one who is absolutely inviolable, sacred, and never-to-be-slain. Aghnyā is Mother Aditi (Infinite Consciousness / Parā Vāc). She is the structural grid that holds the universe together.
Aghnyā (अघ्न्या)—the one who is absolutely inviolable, sacred, and never-to-be-slain.
Varuna and Mitra and Aryaman are Adityas, sons of Aditi. They are called Ṛtajātā (born from Ṛta) in Rig Veda 7.66.13. Hence, Aditi is Ṛta.
The rishi is saying that ADITI should not be killed, not because it is cow or a DIVINITY that gives birth to everything. It is not about killing, but about deviating from the path of Ṛtam, which is known ADITI.
The rishi was saying that do not deviate from the path of Ṛtam - Aghnyā (अघ्न्या).
.......... to be continued in Part.5
