Guest guest Posted June 29, 2004 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 Namaste all, I will post something tomorrow to conclude properly but this must be the last main posting as July is nearly here. There can, of course, be no conclusion to something so embedded in the Vedas. So the following is merely a signpost for further enquiry. Ken Knight We began with RV.X.177 which is dedicated to mAyAbheda and have taken from that the possibility that in the Rgvedic Samhita context, mAyA is to do with the power of division. This is a neutral power unaffected by the intentions of the gods, demons and men that are superimposed upon that power. Each of them hear the 'dadada' of thunder differently in accordance with their function in whole, harmonious system of things. As long as we ‘see’ difference without understanding the essential, neutral power behind it, then we will be caught up with the action, ahamkAra, and qualify the action as good or bad, nice or nasty. Our personal decision to label events and things with 'I like' and 'I don't like'....our main activity it would seem.......is our delusion and nothing to do with mAyA. The demons can appear to halt the processes of nature and change their appearance at will by using that same power of the gods to perform their deceptions …mAyA and mAyinaH. And in return the gods use that same power to overcome the demons. RV. I.51. 4-5 tvám apaám apidhaánaavRNor ápaádhaarayaH párvate daánumad vásu | vRtráM yád indra shávasaávadhiir áhim aád ít suúryaM divy aárohayo dRshé || ‘Thou hast unclosed the prisons of the waters; thou hast in the mountain seized the treasure rich in gifts. When thou hadst slain with might the dragon Vrtra, thou, Indra, didst raise the Sun in heaven for all to see.’ tvám maayaábhir ápa maayíno .adhamaH svadhaábhir yé ádhi shúptaav ájuhvata tvám pípror nRmaNaH praárujaH púraH prá RjíshvaanaM dasyuhátyeSv aavitha ‘With wondrous might thou blewest enchanter fiends away, with powers celestial those who called on thee in jest. Thou, hero-hearted, hast broken down Pipru's forts, and helped Rjisvan when the Dasyus were struck dead.’ RV I.11.7 maayaábhir indra maayínaM tváM shúSNam ávaatiraH | vidúS Te tásya médhiraas téSaaM shrávaaMsy út tira || ‘The wily Susna, Indra! thou o'er-threwest with thy wondrous powers. The wise beheld this deed of thine: now go beyond their eulogies.’ I.32.4 yád indraáhan prathamajaám áhiinaam aán maayínaam áminaaH prótá maayaáH | aát suúryaM janáyan dyaám uSaásaM taadiítnaa shátruM ná kílaa vivitse || ‘When, Indra, thou hadst slain the dragon's firstborn, and overcome the charms of the enchanters, Then, giving life to Sun and Dawn and Heaven, thou foundest not one foe to stand against thee.’ V.30.6 túbhyéd eté marútaH sushévaa árcanty arkáM sunvánty ándhaH | áhim ohaanám apá aasháyaanam prá maayaábhir maayínaM sakSad índraH || ‘These blissful Maruts sing their psalm to praise thee, and pour to thee libation of the Soma. Indra with wondrous powers subdued the Dragon, the guileful lurker who beset the waters.’ It is by concentrating upon the negative superimposition, the deceptive games of the demons on mAyA, that later writers, and western translators, come up with ‘illusion’ as the meaning of mAyA. But this is not the emphasis in the Rgveda. As a neutral power, bringing about division but transcending division itself, nothing can be spoken or written about it. It could be described as anirvacaniya….now where have I heard that word before?....to use later language. It does not matter how great the power of the mAyinaH appears to be, nor how great the cleverness and insight of the wise, dhIrah; none can overcome the supreme will of Tad Ekam which manifests through Rta. RV X .73.5 mándamaana Rtaád ádhi prajaáyai sákhibhir índra iSirébhir ártham | aábhir hí maayaá úpa dásyum aágaan míhaH prá tamraá avapat támaaMsi || ‘Glad, for the race that rests on holy Order, with friends who hasten to their goal, hath Indra With these his magic powers assailed the Dasyu: he cast away the gloomy mists, the darkness.’ RV III.56.1 ná taá minanti maayíno ná dhiíraa vrataá devaánaam prathamaá dhruvaáNi | ná ródasii adrúhaa vedyaábhir ná párvataa nináme tasthivaáMsaH || ‘Not men of magic skill, not men of wisdom impair the Gods' first steadfast ordinances. Ne'er may the earth and heaven which know not malice, nor the fixed hills, be bowed by sage devices.’ It would seem to be that the misuse of that power, mAyA, can appear to bring about a de-stabilisation of the universal harmony of Rta while the use of that same power re-establishes that harmony. But in Reality, nothing can alter that which is established by Rta for it transcends any such alteration. It is an appearance only and that appearance is the power of mAyA, the neutral power of division, which is fulfilling the impulse of the Supreme Power, the will towards diversity while the transcendent unity is neither added to nor diminished. AS we heard in an earlier posting: RV.II.35 1-3 úpem asRkSi vaajayúr vacasyaáM cáno dadhiita naadyó gíro me | apaáM nápaad aashuhémaa kuvít sá supéshasas karati jóSiSad dhí || ‘Eager for spoil my flow of speech I utter: may the Floods' Child accept my songs with favour. Will not the rapid Son of Waters make them lovely, for he it is who shall enjoy them?’ imáM sv àsmai hRdá aá sútaSTam mántraM vocema kuvíd asya védat | apaáM nápaad asuryàsya mahnaá víshvaany aryó bhúvanaa jajaana || ‘To him let us address the song well-fashioned, forth from the heart. Shall he not understand it' The friendly Son of Waters by the greatness of Godhead hath produced all things existing.’ sám anyaá yánty úpa yanty anyaáH samaanám uurváM nadyàH pRNanti | tám uu shúciM shúcayo diidivaáMsam apaáM nápaatam pári tasthur aápaH || ‘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.’ ‘From this Supreme Self are all these, indeed, breathed forth.’ ===== ‘From this Supreme Self are all these, indeed, breathed forth.’ New and Improved Mail - Send 10MB messages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2004 Report Share Posted June 30, 2004 Dear Ken, As a relative newcomer to the list, can I thank you for what you have written and the wisdom / insights you have shared. You have certainly awakened a sense of 'wonder' and enthusiasm in me, particularly to discover more about the Rig Veda. Your enthusiasm is contagious. Many thanks and best wishes, Peter ken knight [anirvacaniya] 29 June 2004 22:10 advaitin June topic: mAyA in the vedas: serpents: last one Namaste all, I will post something tomorrow to conclude properly but this must be the last main posting as July is nearly here. There can, of course, be no conclusion to something so embedded in the Vedas. So the following is merely a signpost for further enquiry. Ken Knight <snip> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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