June Topic: MAyA in the Vedas: The power and the glory

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Namaste All,

 

It has been said that 'he who knows only a single

culture knows no culture, he who knows only one

language knows no language.' We are bound by the

limits of an intellect shaped by our individual

contexts. Moksha demands that we seek ways to break

down what Wordsworth called the 'prison-house forming

around the growing boy'.

This posting is intended to help those of us who have

become enmeshed in urbanised cultures to connect with

the vision of the Rgvedic poets.

 

Context of the poets; the power and the glory:

 

Yehudi Menuhin, in his autobiography, wrote that we in

the West live a ‘capsuled existence’; we eat capsuled

food, live in capsules, are given capsuled education

and participate in capsuled religion. For many of us

our contemporary context is that of being enclosed,

capsuled, cut off from the immediacy of power behind

the physical manifestations around us and too

frequently from the inspirational powers of our own

inner creativity. We know how to flick a switch to

fill a room with light but we rarely seek the

mechanism for a similar event in the mind. This arises

from a deluded sense of ‘being in control’ of our

environment or, at least, our striving to control the

events of our daily lives and careers, even though the

word ‘career’ is also applied to a horse out of

control.

Not for many of us is the exposure to the full force

of the natural elements as we survive from day to day

in our ‘capsules’ with their illusory, protecting

structures. For some of us there may be periods of

exposure to the raging seas that support our fragile

boats, to the terrifying tempests that tear at our

homes while we breathe the air, to the fire of the sun

that gives us light and warmth but destroys as well

when its lightning bolts strike, or to the noble earth

which may support us as we cling to a rock-face and

yet devours our homes when it opens up.

In the Vedic times, as indeed for many others in our

present times, the awareness of these apparently

conflicting outer forces was immediate and

awe-inspiring.

This hymn in praise to VAyu uses a dust-storm to

illustrate the might of this ‘Holy and earliest born.’

vaátasya nú mahimaánaM ráthasya rujánn eti stanáyann

asya ghóSa |

divispR'g yaaty aruNaáni kRNvánn utó eti pRthivyaá

reNúm ásyan ||

 

‘O the Wind's chariot, O its power and glory!

Crashing it goes and hath a voice of thunder.

It makes the regions red and touches heaven, and as it

moves the dust of earth is scattered.’ RgVeda 4.58.6

 

Power. This is a key word for us in this study.

Power is to be observed manifesting in the glory and

awe-inspiring qualities of the natural world. To

understand and be part of that power would seem to be

a sensible aim for the human being. So the Vedic mind

reaches out beyond the practical task of harnessing

the power of the wind to propel ships or water to help

grow crops. The human intellect wants to reach out

further than the immediate needs to understand and, if

possible, harness the source of that power. By

‘harness’ I mean to draw that power to a focus in the

‘outer space and inner spaces.’ This intellect then

takes the extraordinary step of examining itself to

find that source of power. The following hymn clearly

links the inner river of inspiration, powerfully

sweeping away ignorance, with the immense power of the

physical river named Sarasvati:

 

‘sarasvati devanido ni barhaya prajAM vishvasya

bRsayasya mAyinaH |

uta kSitibhyo.avanIravindo viSamebhyo asravo

vAjinIvati ||

pra No devI sarasvatI vAjebhirvAjinIvatI |

dhInAmavitryavatu ||

yastvA devi sarasvatyupabrUte dhane hite |

indraM na vRtratUrye ||

tvaM devi sarasvatyavA vAjeSu vAjini |

radA pUSeva naHsanim ||

uta syA naH sarasvatI ghorA hiraNyavartaniH |

vRtraghnI vaSTi suSTutim ||

yasyA ananto ahrutastveSashcariSNurarNavaH |

amashcarati roruvat||

 

‘May the divine Sarasvati, rich in her wealth, protect

us well,

Furthering all our thoughts with might.

Whoso, divine Sarasvati, invokes thee where the prize

is set,

Like Indra when he smites the foe.

Aid us, divine Sarasvad, thou who art strong in wealth

and power

Like Pusan, give us opulence.

Yea, this divine Sarasvati, terrible with her golden

path,

Foe-slayer, claims our eulogy.

Whose limitless unbroken flood, swift-moving with a

rapid rush,

Comes onward with tempestuous roar.’ RV VI.68.4-8

 

The natural elements, such as water, are the true

powers that are instituted to govern by a transcendent

will which manifests as the controlling power of Rta,

not the men and women who are raised to government

where they quickly become encapsuled in another layer

of social conditioning. In Vedic times, the best of

the kings and other leaders knew their place in the

larger scheme of things, for the limitations of their

power were all too evident in the vast environment

that could so easily switch from nourishing friend to

destructive enemy.

 

‘Who lauds him (Indra), satisfies him, pays him

worship? E'en the rich noble still hath found him

mighty.

With power, as when one moves his feet alternate, he

makes the last precede, the foremost follow.’ RV

6.47.15

 

Intuited knowledge comes as a flash bringing with it

delight and beauty, it is an impulse to praise not

that which is ‘other’ but that which is all-pervading,

ever-present, that One, Tad Ekam.

‘Some floods unite themselves and others join them;

the sounding rivers fill one common storehouse.

On every side the bright Floods have encompassed the

bright resplendent Offspring of the Waters.’ RV

II.35.3

 

When trying to work with the intellect alone then the

imagery of this hymn will give one meaning; by

allowing the sunburst of inspiration, intuited in the

heart, there will arise a flash that will fill that

meaning with new wonders. The heart and intellect must

work in harmony, a harmony which is their natural

condition for they emerge from a single centre.

So we continue this study, prostrating at the feet of

the great Rishis from long ago, who may speak to us

now through their mantras manifesting the divine will

and order they perceived with their special vision.

‘Eager for spoil my flow of speech I utter: may the

Flood’s Child accept my songs with favour.

Will not the rapid Son of Waters make them lovely, for

it is he who shall enjoy them.

To him let us address the song well-fashioned from the

heart. Shall he not understand it?

The friendly Son of Waters, by the greatness of

Godhead hath produced all things existing.’ RV

II.35.1-2

 

 

 

‘From this Supreme Self are all these, indeed,

breathed forth.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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‘From this Supreme Self are all these, indeed, breathed forth.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

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