Wife of a brahmacārī!

 In Rig Veda 10.109, the Ṛṣi juhūrbrahmajāyā left a riddle related to SPIRITUAL struggle of an aspirant, which is, in brief, as follows:

Owing to an offence done against BRAHMAN by a spiritual seeker, his wife was taken away by the SOMA, the DIVINE ENERGY.  After carrying out proper expiation by the seeker, the SOMA restores the wife of the seeker, in the presence of all the DIVINITIES/GODS.  The SEVEN rishis and the ancestors of Humans said that the practitioner's wife takes him to a very high level.  The practitioner (brahmacārī), who lives and moves in Brahman, received the DIVINE ECSTASY.

The Rik-wise explanation is given below:

Rig Veda 10.109.1

te 'vadan prathamā brahmakilbiṣe 'kūpāraḥ salilo mātariśvā | vīḻuharās tapa ugro mayobhūr āpo devīḥ prathamajā ṛtena ||

English translation:

These were the first to speak at the offense against the Brahman: boundless Ocean, Mātariśvan, powerful ascetic Fervor, staunch in rage but joy itself, the divine Waters, first born by their power of truth

Rig Veda 10.109.2

somo rājā prathamo brahmajāyām punaḥ prāyacchad ahṛṇīyamānaḥ | anvartitā varuṇo mitra āsīd agnir hotā hastagṛhyā nināya ||

English translation:

Soma the king first gave back the Brahmin’s wife, without being angry.  Varuṇa as ally was her escort; Agni, the Hotar, having grasped (her) by the hand, led (her) here

Rig Veda 10.109.3

hastenaiva grāhya ādhir asyā brahmajāyeyam iti ced avocan | na dūtāya prahye tastha eṣā tathā rāṣṭraṃ gupitaṃ kṣatriyasya ||

English translation:

That lady is to be grasped only by her hand, just when they have announced: “Here is the Brahmin’s wife.” She was not meant for the messenger. Ever she is protected even like the kingdom of a king

Rig Veda 10.109.4

devā etasyām avadanta pūrve saptaṛṣayas tapase ye niṣeduḥ | bhīmā jāyā brāhmaṇasyopanītā durdhāṃ dadhāti parame vyoman ||

English translation:

The ancient gods and the seven seers, who settled down to ascetic fervor, conversed about her: “Fearsome is the wife of the Brahmin, when she is led close [/initiated]; she places what is difficult to place in the highest distant heaven.”

Rig Veda 10.109.5

brahmacārī carati veviṣad viṣaḥ sa devānām bhavaty ekam aṅgam | tena jāyām anv avindad bṛhaspatiḥ somena nītāṃ juhvaṃ na devāḥ ||

English translation:

One who lives and moves in Brahman (brahmacārī) enters into all the domains and becomes one limbed with all the Gods.  With him Bṛhaspati obtained his wife (formerly) brought him by Soma, as the gods receive an offering.

Rig Veda 10.109.6

punar vai devā adaduḥ punar manuṣyā uta | rājānaḥ satyaṃ kṛṇvānā brahmajāyām punar daduḥ ||

English translation:

The gods, verily, have given (her) back, and the sons of Manu (have given her) back; the kings [=Ādityas], also who create the Truth,  have given back the Brahmin’s wife.

Rig Veda 10.109.7

punardāya brahmajāyāṃ kṛtvī devair nikilbiṣam | ūrjam pṛthivyā bhaktvāyorugāyam upāsate ||

English translation:

Having given back the Brahmin’s wife, having made expiation of offense along with the gods, having shared in the nourishment of the earth, they reverently approach Divine-Sun.

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MY UNDERSTANDING

Rig Veda is all about spiritual ideas, narrated in an esoteric sense. 

1)    We have to remember that a wife is essential to a married man, to get his biological needs satisfied, apart from begetting children for continuing his lineage.

And, Sādhana (साधन) or prescribed spiritual practises are necessary for progressing spiritual journey and finally attaining WISDOM/SELF-REALISATION.

The rishis of Rig Veda used the word wife to mean esoterically, the prescribed spiritual practise or Sādhana (साधन), adopted by a spiritual seeker.  And, the word children indicate attaining WISDOM/SELF-REALISATION, the result of Sādhana (साधन).

2)   SOMA is nothing but WISDOM/SELF-REALISATION, the goal of every spiritual seeker.

3)    brahmacārī (ब्रह्मचारी), mentioned in Rig Veda 10.109.5 does not indicate any of the following prevalent ideas:

·     A celibate student under the care of a spiritual master (or)

·     an unmarried man or a man under a vow to remain unmarried (or)

·     one who abstains from sexual intercourse

brahmacārī indicates the One who lives and moves in Brahman or experiencing continuously the ETERNAL BLISS

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Hence, the esoteric meaning of the Rig Vedic Sūkta 10.109, as per my understanding, is as follows:

 

“Owing to wrong deeds committed by a SPIRITUAL SEEKER made him drift away from his Sādhana (साधन) or prescribed spiritual practises (his wife was taken away by the SOMA, the DIVINE ENERGY) .  After realising his mistake (carrying out proper expiation), the GOD/DIVINITY restored his Sādhana (साधन) or prescribed spiritual practises (SOMA restores the wife of the seeker),.  The SEVEN rishis and the ancestors of Humans said that his Sādhana (साधन) or prescribed spiritual practises (practitioner's wife) takes him to a very high level.  The practitioner becomes a brahmacārī, who lives and moves in Brahman, and thus, received the DIVINE ECSTASY”.

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The spiritual practitioners/writers of the subsequent generations might not have grasped the esoteric meaning of this Sūkta and thus, concocted a story in Puranas, depicting a Romantic relationship between Chandra, the moon God and Tara, the wife of Bṛhaspati.

We have to remember that SOMA became Chandra, the Moon god in Puranas and Wife in the above Rig Vedic Sūkta 10.109 became Tara, the wife of Bṛhaspati.

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The Puranic story is as follows:

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Story of Tara and Chandra

 

Tara was the wife of Brihaspati, the guru of Devas. One day, Chandra, the moon god visited Brihaspati. There he saw Tara and was captivated by her beauty. Chandra used Hypnosis on Tara.

 

Brihaspati was infuriated and demanded Chandra to return his wife. Chandra told Brihaspati that Tara was happy and satisfied with him. He enquired as to how an old man could be the husband of a young woman. This made Brihaspati more annoyed and he warned Chandra for battle. Indra and other Devas gathered to fight a war. 

 

Chandra was not ready to give Tara back and he took help from the Asuras and their preceptor, Sukra. The Devas were assisted by Shiva and his companions. Devas and Asura were about to fight a war, but Brahma, the creator god, stopped them and convinced Chandra to return Tara.

 

After some time, Brihaspati found out that Tara was pregnant and questioned her who the father of the child was. But Tara remained silent. After the boy was born, both Chandra and Brihaspati claimed to be his father. Tara revealed it was Chandra's son. The boy was named Budha.