June topic: mAyA in the vedas: serpents: nice,nasty or neutral?

[Guest guest]

Namaste all,

A bit more for the filing cabinet.

 

Ken Knight

 

Serpents: nice,nasty or neutral?

 

The later development and translations of the word

mAyA as delusion and deceit is not dominant in the

Rgveda. I would suggest that this imposition comes

from Sayana’s commentary where he uses the word

‘kapaTa’, deception, as a meaning of mAyA.

How we understand the ‘covering’ or ‘veiling’ aspect

of mAyA depends upon whether we like ‘snakes’ or not.

When we are deluded by the superimposition, adhyAsa,

of the snake on the rope, do we run towards it and

stroke it because we like snakes or do we run away?

Neither action is appropriate as there is no snake.

We may see the world as an awful place from which we

wish to escape as soon as possible or we may love it

so much that we wish to be born again and again.

 

No one could accuse the Maruts of being demons and yet

we find them being described as ahimAyAH., serpents’

powers, because they ‘robe themselves in the height of

heaven’ as clouds which may cover the sun but also

produce wealth-giving rain:

RV.X.63.4

nRcákSaso ánimiSanto arháNaa bRhád devaáso amRtatvám

aanashuH

jyotiírathaa áhimaayaa ánaagaso divó varSmaáNaM vasate

svastáye

 

‘Looking on men, ne'er slumbering, they (Maruts) by

their deserts attained as gods to lofty immortality.

Borne on refulgent cars, sinless (anAgaso), with

serpents' powers (ahimAyA), they robe them, for our

welfare, in the height of heaven.’

 

The word ahimAyAH , with the prefix 'ahi' meaning

serpent, very much demonstrates the essential thesis

of mAyA being the appearance of many different forms

or colours and patterns, like a snake, but some may

want it to be interpreted in the negative sense of the

alleged guile of the snake. However, it may also

refer to the wisdom and skillful artistry of the

snake. There is room for the exegete to use whichever

meaning suits best the exegete’s intention. We must

always be careful not to attribute evil or good to a

neutral power but only to its usage, as has been

mentioned several times already.

 

The intention of the poet is made clear in this

particular hymn by the addition of the word anAgaso,

sinless, so there can be no negative meaning in this

context.

 

That mAyA is a necessary function in the universe

perceived by the seers is explained by the second of

the following stanzas which gives it the role of

guardian: RV. V.63.6-7

 

vaácaM sú mitraavaruNaav íraavatiim parjányash citraáM

vadati tvíSiimatiim |

abhraá vasata marútaH sú maayáyaa dyaáM varSayatam

aruNaám arepásam ||

 

‘Refreshing is your voice, O Mitra-Varuna: Parjanya

sendeth out a wondrous mighty voice.

With magic power the Maruts clothe them with the

clouds. Ye Two cause Heaven to rain, the red, the

spotless One.’

 

dhármaNaa mitraavaruNaa vipashcitaa vrataá rakSethe

ásurasya maayáyaa |

Rténa víshvam bhúvanaM ví raajathaH suúryam aá dhattho

diví cítryaM rátham ||

 

‘Wise, with your Law and through the Asura's magic

power (mAyA) ye guard the ordinances, Mitra-Varuna.

Ye by eternal Order govern all the world. Ye set the

Sun in heaven as a refulgent car.’

 

The link here with Rta, the eternal law holding the

universe in order, places mAyA at the first steps in

the emanation of Tad Ekam. (Notice also that in this

stanza we have both dharma and Rta being used. Any

comment on this?)

This link is further illustrated by an earlier verse

in the same hymn, RV. V.63.4:

 

maayaá vaam mitraavaruNaa diví shritaá suúryo jyótish

carati citrám aáyudham |

tám abhréNa vRSTyaá guuhatho diví párjanya drapsaá

mádhumanta iirate ||

 

‘Your magic, Mitra-Varuna, resteth (is fixed) in the

heaven (the Father), The Sun, the wondrous weapon,

cometh forth as light.

Ye hide him in the sky with cloud and flood of rain,

and water-drops, Parjanya! full of sweetness flow. ‘

 

The words diví shritA have the meaning of being fixed

(‘resteth’ in the Griffith translation) in the Father

with the latter being but a name for the primal

authority.

 

Verse 6 above begins vaácaM sú mitraavaruNaav

íraavatiim, ‘refreshing is your voice’, a simple

example of sound being central to the poet’s vision.

However, there may be more subtle intentions here in

relating the ‘voice’ with the ‘flow of sweetness’ in

verse 4. The subtle feeling of love may be far sweeter

than the words we use to express it until we can learn

to craft our speech artistically.

This connection between fine, well crafted or

revealed speech and the quality of refreshing

‘sweetness’ is made in many of the world’s ancient

societies. Psalm 119 of the Old Testament is, I would

suggest, a Vedic hymn in style from beginning to end

and encapsulates much that we have discussed.

This is something that the Rbhus understood. Through

their own beautiful singing they crafted the chariot.

As do those who hear the sweetness and beauty of the

Word and sing it for the benefit of all.

RV. IX.10 6-9

ápa dvaáraa matiinaám pratnaá RNvanti kaarávaH |

vR'SNo hárasa aayávaH ||

samiiciinaása aasate hótaaraH saptájaamayaH |

padám ékasya píprataH ||

naábhaa naábhiM na aá dade cákSush cit suúrye sácaa |

kavér ápatyam aá duhe ||

abhí priyaá divás padám adhvaryúbhir gúhaa hitám |

suúraH pashyati cákSasaa ||

 

‘The singing-men (kAravaH) of ancient time open the

doors of sacred songs,-

Men, for the mighty to accept.

Combined in close society sit the seven priests, the

brother-hood,

Filling the station of the One.

He gives us kinship with the Gods, and with the Sun

unites our eye:

The Sage's offspring hath appeared.

The Sun with his dear eye beholds that quarter of the

heavens which priests

Have placed within the sacred cell.’

 

What Griffiths translates as ‘the sacred cell’ is

‘guhA’, that is the hidden place, the secret place;

the depths of the heart maybe.

 

 

‘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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