Ahi-nirvlayini

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> The Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad gives the example of Ahi-nirvlayini, a cast

> off snakeskin. If anyone knows more about this or has the verse reference,

> please inform me.

 

The only verse I have found in Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad which sounds similar

to what you are citing is chapter 3 second brahmana text 11. The phrase

ahi-nirvlayini does not appear in this sloka. The verse describes the

departure of a liberated soul from his body. In his purport B.P Yati

Maharaja writes:

 

"When the liberated man's senses are cognitioned with spiritual potency, the

senses remain with the unfettered soul. It is only the body that drops down

like the outer skin of a snake. His spiritualised senses ever function in

rendering unalloyed devotional service to the Supreme God."

 

The word "ahi" is mentioned in Padma Purana Srsti Khanda. Therein an account

is given of how Lord Brahma during his creative work created certain beings

in darkness. Texts 3.99-101 describe:

 

These deformed beings desiring to eat Brahma ran to him. Those who said,

"protect him" became known as raksasas and others who said, "Lets eat him",

became known as yaksas. Becoming afraid some of the hairs on Brahma's head

fell off and then again came back onto his head. Those hairs are known as

serpents (sarpa) on account of their creeping (sarpana), and snakes (ahi) on

account of their having fallen (hinatva).

 

John Dowson in his "Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion"

quotes our not-so-favorite scholar HH Wilson: "Ahi is a serpent another name

for which is Vritra. He is the Vedic demon of drought.