Asya vāmasya Sūkta - Rig Veda 1.164
Rig Veda 1.164.41
गौरीर्मिमाय सलिलानि तक्षत्येकपदी द्विपदी सा चतुष्पदी । अष्टापदी नवपदी बभूवुषी सहस्राक्षरा परमे व्योमन् ॥
gaurīr mimāya salilāni takṣaty ekapadī dvipadī sā catuṣpadī | aṣṭāpadī navapadī babhūvuṣī sahasrākṣarā parame vyoman ||
English translation:
The buffalo-cow [=Speech] has bellowed, fashioning oceans. One-footed and two-footed, she is four-footed, having become eight-footed and nine-footed: she has a thousand syllables in the highest heaven.
My interpretation
Some say that one-footed, two-footed, etc, indicate different categories of sounds, while some say they represent different categories of formation of words/grammar, etc, some others categorised them into different sounds in the journey from Muladhara to Sahasrara.
I am inclined to think as follows:
- salilam may indicate primordial undivided ENERGY, but may not indicate waters or ocean of waters,
- the rishi might be saying that the cow - ADITI might have spread-(takṣatī́)- the undivided ENERGY (salilam)- starting with
a) one point - Ekapadī (One-Footed),
b) 2 directions - Dvipadā (Two-Footed),
c) 4 directions - Catuṣpadā (Four-Footed),
d) 8 and 9 directions - Aṣṭāpadī & Navapadī (Eight and Nine-Footed):
e) and finally in all directions of the Universe - Sahasrákṣarā (Thousand-Syllabled) - Paramé Vyòman.”.
====
Rig Veda 1.164.42
तस्याः समुद्रा अधि वि क्षरन्ति तेन जीवन्ति प्रदिशश्चतस्रः । ततः क्षरत्यक्षरं तद्विश्वमुप जीवति ॥
tasyāḥ samudrā adhi vi kṣaranti
tena jīvanti pradiśaś catasraḥ | tataḥ kṣaraty akṣaraṃ tad viśvam upa jīvati ||
English translation:
Seas flow everywhere from her: by that the four directions live, from that the syllable flows, upon that does everything live.
My interpretation
This Rik is also about ADITI, an inexhaustible ENERGY, upon which the entire manifested universe (tád víśvam) depends for its life and sustenance."
===
Rig Veda 1.164.43
शकमयं धूममारादपश्यं विषूवता पर एनावरेण । उक्षाणं पृश्निमपचन्त वीरास्तानि धर्माणि प्रथमान्यासन् ॥
śakamayaṃ dhūmam ārād
apaśyaṃ viṣūvatā para enāvareṇa | ukṣāṇam pṛśnim apacanta vīrās tāni dharmāṇi
prathamāny āsan ||
English translation:
At the midpoint, beyond this nearer (fire), I saw dung-smoke from afar. Heroes cooked the dappled bullock. These were the first foundations (of the rite).
My interpretation
Ukṣā́ṇaṃ Pṛ́śnim Pacana - cooking spotted bull.
My opinion is that Indra, the illuminated MIND, is called vṛṣabha(Bull) Rig Veda 8.45.22 - indicating virile strength of MIND. As Ukṣa also means Bull, cooking a Ukṣā́ṇaṃ Pṛ́śnim - spotted bull, may indicate heroes (vīrā) or men with courage to proceed in spirituality subjecting their own MIND, hitherto accustomed to move in varied directions, to intense heat or tapas (apacanta) and stabilising their spiritual practices.
From the intense tapas or austerities, the earlier materialistic tendencies were got burned and smoke is ejected.
Hence, there was no cooking of physical bull here.
====
Rig Veda 1.164.44
त्रयः केशिन ऋतुथा वि चक्षते संवत्सरे वपत एक एषाम् । विश्वमेको अभि चष्टे शचीभिर्ध्राजिरेकस्य ददृशे न रूपम् ॥
trayaḥ keśina ṛtuthā vi cakṣate
saṃvatsare vapata eka eṣām | viśvam eko abhi caṣṭe śacībhir dhrājir ekasya dadṛśe
na rūpam ||
English translation:
Three long-haired ones gaze out in succession: in a year one [=Agni] of them shears away (the land) for himself; another [=the Sun] gazes upon everything with his powers; the rush of another [=Wind] is visible, but not his form.
My interpretation
The rishi is reiterating and expanding the concept presented at Rig Veda 1.164.1.
Mantra 1 vs. Mantra 44
|
Region/realm |
Rik 1: |
Rik 44 |
Divinity |
|
The Heaven and above |
The Eldest Brother who is all-pervading (Asya vāmasya palitasya hotuḥ). |
The Second Brother who completely illuminates and surveys the entire universe (Viśvam eko abhí caṣṭe śácībhiḥ). |
Sūrya (Pure Consciousness The unblinking universal Guardian (Gopā). |
|
The Middle Space (Antarikṣa/mid-space) |
The Second Brother who is the mid-space devourer/consumer (Tasyo bhrātā madhyamo asty aśnaḥ). |
The Third Brother whose swift, rushing sweep is felt, but his inner form remains completely invisible (Dhrā́jir ékasya dadṛśe ná rūpám). |
Vāyu / Indra |
|
The Earth level |
The Third Brother whose back is drenched in oil/clarified butter (Ghṛta-pṛṣṭho dvitīyaḥ). |
The First Brother who eliminates the basic vices in a spiritual aspirant (Saṃvatsaré vapate éka eṣām). |
Agni riding the pointed triangle fire of the Gāyatrī. The purifier of character density. |
======
Rig Veda 1.164.45
चत्वारि वाक्परिमिता पदानि तानि विदुर्ब्राह्मणा ये मनीषिणः । गुहा त्रीणि निहिता नेङ्गयन्ति तुरीयं वाचो मनुष्या वदन्ति ॥
catvāri vāk parimitā padāni
tāni vidur brāhmaṇā ye manīṣiṇaḥ | guhā trīṇi nihitā neṅgayanti turīyaṃ vāco
manuṣyā vadanti ||
English translation:
Speech is measured in four feet [/quarters]. Brahmins of inspired thinking know these. They do not set in motion the three that are imprinted in secret; the sons of Manu speak the fourth (foot/quarter) of speech
My interpretation
The rishi is saying that though there are 4 types of speeches exist in the nature, human beings with materialistic tendencies (Catuṣpadā) can understand and speak the last type of speech, the SELF REALISED or rishis can understand all the 4 types of Speeches , including the 3 types of speeches that remain concealed to ordinary people.
- "Cosmic Speech (vā́k) is measured out (párimitā) into four distinct layers, stages, or steps (catvā́ri padā́ni)..."
- those four dimensions are fully known, experienced, and traced only by the truly wise, enlightened Seers (brāhmaṇā́ḥ yé manīṣíṇaḥ) who possess mastery over their own minds."
- "Three of these four stages (trī́ṇi) remain completely hidden, deposited deep inside the secret cave (gúhā níhitā), and they never move, flicker, or fluctuate (ná iṅgayanti)...
- while human beings (manuṣyā́ḥ) speak and communicate using only the fourth, outermost layer (turī́yam)."
=====
Rig Veda 1.164.46
इन्द्रं मित्रं वरुणमग्निमाहुरथो दिव्यः स सुपर्णो गरुत्मान् । एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्त्यग्निं यमं मातरिश्वानमाहुः ॥
indram mitraṃ varuṇam agnim
āhur atho divyaḥ sa suparṇo garutmān | ekaṃ sad viprā bahudhā vadanty agniṃ
yamam mātariśvānam āhuḥ ||
English translation:
They say it is Indra, Mitra, Varuṇa, and Agni, and also it is the winged, well-feathered Garutmān (bird) of heaven [=the Sun]. Though it is One, inspired poets speak of it in many ways. They say it is Agni, Yama, and Mātariśvan.
My interpretation
a) Rik 46 is the Declaration of Absolute Spiritual Freedom in pursuing spiritual practice. Rishi Dirghatamas reveals that the ultimate destination of the spiritual journey is the realization of absolute Unity. Whether ONE calls it the AGNI, Varuna, Indra, etc, Reality is a single, unbroken, and unperishing continuum of pure Consciousness (Ṛta).
b) In Rig Veda 2.1.1 also, AGNI was stated as BRAHMAN and in the subsequent Riks of Rig Veda 2.1, AGNI was equated with INDRA/VISHNU/RUDRA/ADITI /SARASWATI, etc, - indicating that all these names are epithets of the same formless ENERGY/BRAHMAN.
(c) In Rig Veda 2.1, Yama and Garútmān were not mentioned, though this Rik mentions them. Thus, this Rik is an example to show that Mandala 1 was composed at a later date to Mandala 2.
=====
Rig Veda 1.164.47
कृष्णं नियानं हरयः सुपर्णा अपो वसाना दिवमुत्पतन्ति । त आववृत्रन्त्सदनादृतस्यादिद्घृतेन पृथिवी व्युद्यते ॥
kṛṣṇaṃ niyānaṃ harayaḥ
suparṇā apo vasānā divam ut patanti | ta āvavṛtran sadanād ṛtasyād id ghṛtena pṛthivī
vy udyate ||
English translation:
Along the dark course, tawny well-feathered (birds) [=flames], clothing themselves in the waters, fly up toward heaven. These have returned here (as rain) from the seat of truth [=heaven]. Only then is the earth moistened with ghee.
My interpretation
Rik 47 can be co-related to Rig Veda 4.26, wherein a falcon was mentioned as travelling upwards and bringing SOMA from Heaven to Manu.
Rishi Dirghatamas tracks the unbroken circular economy of the soul's ascent and the descent of grace.
======
Rig Veda 1.164.48
द्वादश प्रधयश्चक्रमेकं त्रीणि नभ्यानि क उ तच्चिकेत । तस्मिन्त्साकं त्रिशता न शङ्कवोऽर्पिताः षष्टिर्न चलाचलासः ॥
dvādaśa pradhayaś cakram
ekaṃ trīṇi nabhyāni ka u tac ciketa | tasmin sākaṃ triśatā na śaṅkavo 'rpitāḥ ṣaṣṭir
na calācalāsaḥ ||
English translation:
The chariot-wheel (of the Sun) is one, its wheel-segments are twelve, its wheel-naves are three: who understands this? They [=the days] that wander on and on are fitted together on that, like three hundred pegs, like sixty (more).
My interpretation
(a) The cosmic wheel is said to be SINGLE indicating Rtam
(b) its major outer sections or fellies are twelve – We can link the 12 sections to 12 forms as mentioned in Rig Veda 1.164.12 -- dvādaśākṛtiṃ
(c)Three hubs may indicate 3 realms/regions, as mentioned in Rig Veda 1.164.1
(d) The 360 pegs (śaṅkávaḥ) are not merely as literal calendar days, but are 360 radiant rays of light (raśmiḥ) blasting outward in all directions from the central hub of Ṛtam (Aditi).
e) tásmin... arpitā́ḥ... ná calācalā́saḥ - :"Upon this wheel, these 360 pegs are fixed, moving dynamically yet remaining completely unshakeable". As Rays of Radiance spread in all directions, they represent the living, breathing energy of the Akṣara (BRAHMAN).
=====
Rig Veda 1.164.49
यस्ते स्तनः शशयो यो मयोभूर्येन विश्वा पुष्यसि वार्याणि । यो रत्नधा वसुविद्यः सुदत्रः सरस्वति तमिह धातवे कः ॥
yas te stanaḥ śaśayo yo
mayobhūr yena viśvā puṣyasi vāryāṇi | yo ratnadhā vasuvid yaḥ sudatraḥ
sarasvati tam iha dhātave kaḥ ||
English translation:
Your breast, which is ever full, which is joy itself, by which you make all desirable things prosper, which confers treasure and finds wealth, which brings good gifts—o Sarasvatī, you prepare that to suckle us here.
My interpretation
This is about nourishment of the spiritual seeker by Devi Sarasvatī through her breast, which is inexhaustible in milk.
In Rig Veda 1.164.17 Saraswatī, in Antarikṣa, pulls the individual by leg and pushes to the above realm. In Rig Veda 1.164.27, the DIVINE COW, Aditi approaches the calf (the spiritually awakened individual) with Hiṅ - हिङ् sound. In this Rig Veda 1.164.49, the COW was transformed into a woman- Saraswatī and feeding its spiritual baby (Vatsa - calf), with DIVINE nourishment, through her breast.
======
Rig Veda 1.164.50
यज्ञेन यज्ञमयजन्त देवास्तानि धर्माणि प्रथमान्यासन् । ते ह नाकं महिमानः सचन्त यत्र पूर्वे साध्याः सन्ति देवाः ॥
yajñena yajñam ayajanta
devās tāni dharmāṇi prathamāny āsan | te ha nākam mahimānaḥ sacanta yatra pūrve
sādhyāḥ santi devāḥ ||
English translation:
With the sacrifice the gods performed the sacrifice: these were the first foundations. These, its greatnesses, followed to heaven’s vault, where the ancient Sādhyas and the gods are.
a) yajñéna yajñám ayajanta devā́ḥ: "By means of the spiritual practice (yajñéna), the shining Divinities (devā́ḥ) offered this spiritual practice unto the Supreme Sacrifice Itself (yajñám ayajanta).
b) tā́ni dhármāṇi prathamā́ny āsan: "...and these absolute internal operations and alignments constituted the very first, primordial Laws of Cosmic Order (dhármāṇi prathamā́ni).
c) té ha nā́kaṃ mahimā́naḥ sacanta: "These newly awakened, majestic souls, fully possessed of cosmic majesty (té mahimā́naḥ), directly attain and fuse into the friction-free, sorrowless vault of Heaven (nā́kam sacanta)..."
d) yátra pū́rve sādhiyā́ḥ sánti devā́ḥ: "...where the ancient, primordial realizers and perfected cosmic forces (pū́rve sādhiyā́ḥ devā́ḥ) abide in perpetual illumination."
---
The rishi gāthina viśvāmitra briefly mentions about धर्माणि सनता (Dharma that is Sanātana or ancient or Sanātana Dharma) in Rig Veda 3.3.1.
It is not about some religious rituals or systems to be followed by Hindus, but they represent the ancient laid down methods of rishis/divinities, ie., following TRUTH, asteya, aparigraha, in spiritual practice.
It appears to me that the rishi Dirghatamas fully explained what धर्माणि सनता are in this Sūkta - Rig Veda 1.164, consisting of 52 Riks, with mentioning of first, primordial Laws of Cosmic Order (dhármāṇi prathamā́ni), in this Rik 50.
====
Rig Veda 1.164.51
समानमेतदुदकमुच्चैत्यव चाहभिः । भूमिं पर्जन्या जिन्वन्ति दिवं जिन्वन्त्यग्नयः ॥
samānam etad udakam uc
caity ava cāhabhiḥ | bhūmim parjanyā jinvanti divaṃ jinvanty agnayaḥ ||
English translation:
This water remains the same: it goes up and down throughout the days. Thunderstorms vivify the earth, and fires vivify heaven.
My interpretation
समानमेतदुदकमुच्चैत्यव चाहभिः (samānám etád udakám úc ca éti áva ca áhabhiḥ): "The self-same, eternal liquid current of life-force (samānám etád udakám) rises upward (út ca éti) and cascades downward (áva ca), day after day, through the cycles of time (áhabhiḥ)." –
This statement of rishi might be referring to the following situation.
Many spiritual aspirants might have been performing tapas/austerities and their spiritual progress may reach the culmination point. While the all-pervading ADITI observes (samānám etád udakám), the tapas/austerities of the awakened souls, which rise upwards in 7 chakra system, prompts the BRAHMAN to fly (út ca éti) and bring down (áva ca) the SOMA to the awakened souls, as in Rig Veda 4.26 (falcon flying upwards to the Heaven and coming down with the SOMA).
======
Rig Veda 1.164.52
दिव्यं सुपर्णं वायसं बृहन्तमपां गर्भं दर्शतमोषधीनाम् । अभीपतो वृष्टिभिस्तर्पयन्तं सरस्वन्तमवसे जोहवीमि ॥
divyaṃ suparṇaṃ vāyasam bṛhantam
apāṃ garbhaṃ darśatam oṣadhīnām | abhīpato vṛṣṭibhis tarpayantaṃ sarasvantam
avase johavīmi ||
English translation:
The heavenly well-feathered, lofty bird, child of the waters, and beautiful (child) of the plants, the one bringing satisfaction by the rains from what is bounded by waters: Sarasvant!—him do I call upon again and again for help
My interpretation
The rishi was explaining the interpretation that I had followed.
The formless Brahman dynamically crystallizes as the Divyáṃ Supárṇám Vāyasám—the mighty, swift-flying, beautiful-winged Celestial Sun-Bird / Falcon.
abhīpató vṛṣṭíbhis tarpáyantam: "...who continuously satiates, gladdens, and satisfies the worlds (tarpáyantam) with his torrential downpour of rain.
Here, rain may indicate the grace of or experiencing the BLISS of the BRAHMAN.
Concluded.
