DEVIS IN VEDAS Mystical Secrets of Vedas !"#$%&'(")(*#+',-.(/"#"'0%+1'+$()-,/%2"-3((+#(4%5,1 6'*5.(")(7+8(4%5+$(9/:0-*#%%(1;3',(*1+#8('0+1()-,/%2"-3 By Vasu Murthy
Introduction: ed or revealed texts. "ese texts are considered to have been revealed to the druShTa or the vedic seers who have spiri- Vedas have been considered by many scholars in the East and tual advancement to receive these special revelations. "us, West to be polytheistic representing multitude of gods of na- each Vedic mantra has the name of the Rishi who was the ture. Vedas are also considered to be Karma KaanDa (por- !rst to receive the revelation. "is concept is accepted by tion of the scriptures that emphasizes rituals for lower level all Vedantic schools of thought. "is shows that Vedas and bene!ts such as attaining Heaven, getting a son etc.). Upanishads have been received by Rishis in higher states of Vedas are supposed to contain hymns to various gods that consciousness. "e nature of the revelations to the seers or represent nature such as Varuna (Ocean or waters), Surya rishis at these states of consciousness must necessarily point (Sun ) etc. So, Vedas are supposed to represent pantheistic to high spiritual truths. animism form of worship. Upanishads have been consid- ered to contain deep philosophical thinking that talks about Traditional Interpretation of Veda according to monotheistic Brahman and deep philosophical concepts. SrI Saayanaacharya: "is separation of Vedas and Upanishads into two separate Sayana Bhashya is considered to be one of the most impor- categories does not do full justice to the contiguous philo- tant commentaries of Vedas. Historically SrI SayanAcharya sophical thought that is present in both of them. has been placed in the fourteenth century in the Vijayanagara kingdom under the King Bukka and his successor Harihara In this article, we explore another viewpoint of how Vedas II. His commentary on the Vedas is considered to be one of and Upanishads are part of the mystical tradition that speaks the most important commentaries of the Vedas. His com- about the highest spiritual truths and have a unitary mono- mentary on the Vedas provides the traditional interpretation theistic framework. We will also show how they are part of of the Vedas and is based on the karma kaanda or poorva the contiguous mystical Indian philosophical thought. In meemamsaka perspective of the vedas. this view, popular interpretation that Vedas that the Vedic mantras represent hymns to various gods is a super!cial or Example of traditional interpretation of the lower level view point. "ere is an inner or mystical view of Agni sUkta: the Vedas where all the hymns are prayers to a Single God or universal Godhead. Initially Yaska, the author of Nirukta Let us take the !rst verse of the Rigveda, in praise of Agni. (etymological compendium) tried to give an etymological agnimeeLe purohitaM yaj~jñasya devaM RutvijaM | approach to Vedas. "is approach was largely unsuccess- hotaaraM ratnadhaatamaM || Rugveda 1.001.01 ful because the Mystical unitary framework to Vedas had !"#$%&%'()*+,%-.%)/0*1%2+3%4%53%+6)7%2+8"17%9%2+: largely disappeared by that time. "is approach was later 8С½J¡¡66¡L¡¡J¡R¡]](BV¡½4 reintroduced by SrImadhvAcharya (1238-1317CE) in his Rig Bhashya and a later saint in his lineage SrI Raghavendra Note: According to Vedic grammar, the Letter “Le” in agni- Swamiji ( 1595-1671 CE ) in his commentary (Mantrartha meeLe is a compound consonent that should be pronounced Manjari) on Rig Bhashya. More recently this viewpoint has in between “L” and “D” in Sanskirit. been expounded by SrI Aurobindo in his early works on Ve- Here is a very brief summary of the Commentary by SrI das and by his student, SrI Kapali Sastry. SAyanAcharya . "e full commentary is too big to be in- We will use this framework to study some examples of of cluded here. Ambhrunee sUkta and how the concept of Devi can be pre- I glorify (praise- do stuti) a god named Agni, who is a high sented in this framework. priest of sacri!ce (Purohita), who is divine, who presents Authorless Concept (apaurusheyatva) of Vedas: oblations to gods and is the possessor of great wealth. All of Vedas and Upanishads are considered to be unauthor- Commentary goes into the details of each of the words in
DEVI MAHOTSAVAM 2013 25 DEVIS IN VEDAS Mystical Secrets of Vedas detail giving their root words and the usage in other places in A'Y¡V¡½ÇV¡½4¡ S¡J¡¿N¡4"¡R¡M¡¦MJ¡.Ñ0С½N¡¤M¡[¡J¡¿$ the scriptures. We can see that this interpretation says that this verse refers to god Agni. Other verses in Rigveda refers !at which all Vedas ponder . Similar sentiment is described /01&!%#B&'%&*/&!;'&#&20/&'/01-5'C' to Mitra, varuna and other devas. also in Bhagavad Gita>$$ D#&:&/&1:E"&'=@>=@$!"#$%&"'("!"%)*'+,-."#!"'!"#/"#'0'1"2"!"345"' Disadvantages of the traditional interpretation I alone is known by all vedas. of Rigveda: !is mystical view point goes further and says that all words, !"#$%&'()%)*+',$)+%#&-&#%'%)*+$.'/.$%"'%$0)12#('$3*+.).%.$*4$ all sounds in vedas in all languages also represent God. SrI "/5+.$%*$2'&)*6.$1*(.$*4$+'%6$81+)$9:)&#$1*(;7$<'&6+'$ Aitareyopanishad states this clearly, 9='%#&$1*(;$#%3>$$$?"),#$%").$)+%#&-&#%'%)*+$"'.$.*5#$5#'+)+1$ sarvA ruchaH sarve vedAH sarve ghOshA ekaiva vyAh- '+($&#,#2'+3#$)+$%"#$@+()'+$%"#*,*1/$7$)%$(*#.$+*%$(*$A6.%)3#$ rutiH prANa eva || Aitereyopanishad 2.2.2 %*$%"#$1&'+($.3"#5#$*4$$6+'6%"*&#($%#B%.$%"'%$'&#$3*1+)C#($ D/$ %"#$ 0).").$ $ 4&*5$ '$ ")1"$ .%'%)*+$ *4$ 3*+.3)*6.+#..>$!").$ '$0$$>(?@$$A('$0$1>(0$12$A('$0$1>(B$$CD$$(((;
H%"#&$.%'%#5#+%.$%"'%$.6--*&%$%"#$.'5#$-*)+%$*4$2)#=$'&#J$ We can see from above that many vedic statements them- %&*/0'/01$;'-&"'(&1&.'&&2&6&6"!'8'7&<5(&6!%#&1'=>?>=@' selves say that Vedas refer to one God and all Vedas describe one God. If we couple this with the self-validity , (svatah
26 DEVI MAHOTSAVAM 2013 DEVIS IN VEDAS Mystical Secrets of Vedas pramanya) of the Vedas that all Vedantic schools agree on, “I glorify the universal Godhead, who is worshipped "rst, then everybody should agree with the unitary mon-theistic who is without defects and full of all auspicious attributes, framework of the Vedas. one who is full of knowledge, one who is indweller of all be- ings, one who is looking a$er the well being of the world Mystical Interpretation of Agni sUkta: from the beginning of time, one who is full of e!ulgence and We will now see the mystical interpretation of same Agni bliss, one who is present in all Ritviks (priests) who are per- sUkta that we had seen before. forming homas, one who gives blessings of various forms of wealth to those who perform yagnas.” !_WYƯMDP܀DJQLPƯGHSXURKLWDۨ\DMxDV\DGHYDۨ KRWƗUDۨUDWQDGKƗWDPDP__5LJ9HGD We can see that this is a much more expansive, mystical and soaring interpretation of the "rst verse of Rigveda. All verses Here the words referring to agni are interpreted in a di!er- in Rigveda can be interpreted like this. #us we can see that ent way. SrI madhvAcharya gives several meanings to word this mystical interpretation of vedas is at the same level of Agni. We will give only couple of them here due to space meaning as Upanishads. So, both Vedas and Upanishads rep- constraints. resent ultimate spiritual truths at the same grand spiritual !"#$%&'()*+(&",&-.$/(*.(,&$.(01.$%,.23+&4$%5&67 scale. 368$90"$10"'$*863$3.$2(&2!*863$.(&/'0$&,&%&8"&$ HYƗ"EKLSRRM\DWƗDP!"#$%"&'"()"*&!+","$"-&./""01"2"34+"5"","6 #e traditional interpretation of the "rst sUkta praising god Agni is still valid. It is just that it becomes a secondary inter- pretation of the sUkta and the primary interpretation refers Word Agni means one who is worshipped "rst. Another to the Universal Godhead. #us, all the richas in Rig Veda etymological root word from nirutki shastra from SrI vyAsa and mantras in other Vedas can be interpreted to have multi- maharshi says root word for Agni for agraNi. #is also ple levels of meanings, sometimes disparate and other times means that one who is worshipped "rst. one building over the other. In a deeper level, all these reve- :5"5$3.$&602(5"$52,%04083+&4$%5&6368$90"$10"'$*863;$$<527 lations point to one Source, one Sat. At the level of cosmolog- 25"$=&>$?!@$$36$!&6.A"32$%5&6.$2(&2$065$1(0$3.$132(0B2$&6,$ ical enquiry, the rishis declare the Vedas and all knowledge '595+2.C$9B44$09$&B.D3+30B.$&22"3/B25.C$$/5,06'$&44$/5368.;$<527 came from Parame Vyoman – the Supreme Space, the cradle 25"$=8&>$$?$"@$%5&6.$E6&6&$0"$A60145'85;$$<5225"$8&$%5&6.$ of Gods, from where the Word arises. #us, a plethora of in- /(&8&)&6$3.$9B44$09$A60145'85;$<5225"$=63>$?7%"$$@$$%5&6.$1(0$ terpretations do not cancel each other but provide a mosaic +062"04.$5)5",2(368$/,$/5368$36'15445"$09$&44$/5368.;$$$!0C$ of experiential perspectives that allows facets of One Truth 10"'$*863$%5&6.$F63)5".&4$G0'$1(0$3.$9B44$09$&B.D3+30B.$ to co-exist. &22"3/B25.C$065$132(0B2$&6,$'595+2.C$065$1(0$3.$9B44$09$A60147 5'85C$065$1(0$3.$36'15445"$&6'$+062"0445"$09$&44$/5368.;$$!0C$ Mystical Interpretation of Vedas according to SrI /,$B.368$63"BA2&$.(&&.2"&$?.+"3D2B"5$09$52,%04083+&4$%5&67 Aurobindo and SrI Kapaali Shastry 368.@$065$852.$&$106'5"9B4$%,.23+&4$%5&6368$90"$10"'$*863; SrI Aurobindo and SrI Kapaali shastry continued this tradi- tion of mystical interpretation of the Vedas in the 20th centu- Etymological meaning of word purohitam is obtained by ry. SrI Aurobindo speaks about this in his book “#e secret splitting the word. Word Hitam means welfare or wellbeing. of the Veda” as “#us there emerged in my mind, revealing Word puro means from the beginning of time. Word puro- itself as it were out of the ancient verses, a Veda which was hitam means one who is looking a$er the well being of the throughout the scripture of a great and antique religion al- world from the beginning of time. Word purohita when it ready equipped with a profound psychological discipline, - a used for priests carries the same meaning on a small scale. scripture not confused in thought or primitive in its sub- Purohita or priest works for the well being of the family or stance, not a medley of heterogeneous or barbarous elements, the community whom he is serving. So nirukta shastra or but one, complete and self-conscious in its purpose and in its etymological meaning provides an expansive meaning for purport, veiled indeed by its cover, sometimes think, some- the word purohitam. times transparent, of another and material sense, but never So, combining all Etymological meanings for this verse, we losing sight even for single moment of its high spiritual aim get the following meaning for the "rst verse. and tendency”. He goes in this book to provide mystical ex- planations for many concepts of Rigveda.
DEVI MAHOTSAVAM 2013 27 DEVIS IN VEDAS Mystical Secrets of Vedas
SrI Kapali Shastry was one of the foremost Vedic scholars will see di$erent interpretations of this sUkta. of the 20th century and a disciple of SrI Aurobindo. He has written an independent commentary in Sanskrit on RigVeda AmbhruNee sUkta from a Tantric perspective: called RigbhAshya Bhoomkia in the !rst half of the last cen- Tantra school sees this sUkta corresponding to ParA Shakti tury based on the key provided by SrI Aurobindo. He says or Devi. "is school considers this sUkta as the Vedic source in his Rig-Bhashya Bhumika “"is is what we arrive at fol- for Durga Saptashati. "is sUkta is also called Vak Ambhru- lowing the exegesis (critical explanation /interpretation of a Ni . Words Vak and AmbhruNee denote ParA Shakti. "is scripture) of hymns by MadhvAcharya: "e meaning of the is a short sUkta of 8 Riks (verses). Let us take couple of Riks Riks as related to the soul (spiritual) and the meaning as re- from this sUkta to see the contents of this sUkta. Here ParA lated to the gods (Agni , varuna etc) are to be brought togeth- shakti proclaims her powers and her standing among gods. er. "e meaning as related to the soul in the inner import…. All the Riks describe the power of ParA shakti. "is must be noted: it is the ancient tradition that the mean- !"!#$%&'%()"*%+!,&)"*,-"!%./0!"!/.'*10!*%&1!$ ing of the hymns is preeminently spiritual and concerned +*,"+!'(+!*23 with the Supreme God and that mere ritualistic meaning is of an inferior order and the tradition pointing to the secret !"!#$/*1%.+!%&45)".$)*)".%/0!/0!"!/*#'.67(($ in the Veda has been con!rmed with due appropriateness in !"!/!,"+*75)".$33833 these works –Rig BhAshya of SrI MadhvAcharya and Man- trartha Manjari of SrI Raghavendra swamiji.” SrI Kapali Sas- !"#$%&'()*+,-,./,0*+,/1,2,34,"$3,,5'64,7&6,%5-,8,')-,79: try has also written ““vEdAnAm adhyAtma paratA na asti it !"#$%*3,;,,-,&<,,)+,,%5=,+,,34,.34,"$*3,#',>?,@%!"$3,*8,?,,)+,,%::A:: kO nAma brootE madhva bhAshyEshu jAgratsu” “How can anybody say that there is no adhyatma in the Vedas, when "is Rik says that “I walk with vasus and Rudras, with ad- he aware of mAdhva bhAshya?” "is shows the esteem SrI ityas and with all gods of the world. Kapali shastry has the in#uence of SrImadhvAcharya’s com- mentary on Vedas and how it is reintroduced the concept of I hold alo% (support) mitra , varuna, and others like indra, mono-theistic framework on the Vedas. agni and ashwini twins”.
He says later that these di$erent interpretations of Vedas "is shows the power of Para-shakti that She is seen being need not be reconciled. "ey can co-exist. Finally he sum- co-equal or controlling or cause of the functions/roles of marizes the nature of the Vedas as “"e mantras of Rig Veda various gods. In fact, a later shaiva tantra thought borrows are in fact a veritable treasure of the (recorded) revelations from this in declaring there is no shiva without Shakti. vouchsafed to the ancient Rishis. Here is a priceless trove of Let us look at the last sUkta. gems of truths of the spirit, of the Gods and many of an oc- !"!/(+!$+.1!$*+!$9%!+./0!%!)".4!!$)"&+!7!!7*$+*,"+!!$3 cult character… Vashishta, Vamadeva and others who in the course of their inner discipline- Yoga – got at many truths 9!%5$'(+!!$9!%!$+*7!!$9%&1"*+0!*+!!+!1(($/!"*7!!$ in the mystic path, truths beyond the grasp of the sense but ,!#)!)":+!$33;33 attainable by extraordinary means of self-disciplene… who !"$3,)-,%-,,6,%B-,%C,D-,,34,2+,,<,,%+,0-,?,,5?,%5-,8,,%: knows what other secrets lie embedded in this most ancient collection of hymns – the Rig Veda ! “By Tapas alone it shore C,2,)%')-,,%C,2%5-,?,,%C,D0*E,-4,7-,,-,6,@%3,5"$?,,%/,#=,+,F-,%::G:: is to be reached, indeed, by Tapas is its shore to be reached”. Tantra school’s interpretation says that “like the winds, I We have shown that there is a mystical interpretation of Ve- blow vehemently, myself commencing all the worlds, far be- das, particularly Rig Veda that has been developed to some yond the heavens. I have become so vast by my largeness”. extent by SrI madhvAchArya. It is not well known to every- "e author would like to bring to the attention of the readers body who studies Indian philosophy, but is there for people to the appendix of Devi Mahatmyam called Rahasya thray- who are interested in this aspect. am ("ree Secret Esoterics). In this, the primordial Mother, AmbhruNee sUkta according various interpretations original Nature Force, moola prakriti is called trigunamayii (beholding three gunaas) mahaalakshmii. Later She enables AmbhruNee sUkta is one of the most important sUktas on the manifestation of other shaktis from Herself. Devi in Rigveda. "is is the tenth Mandala of Rigveda. We
28 DEVI MAHOTSAVAM 2013 DEVIS IN VEDAS Mystical Secrets of Vedas
“sarvasya aadhyaa mahaalaksmiihi triguNaa parameshvarii ent from the tantra school interpretation. / lakshya aalakshya svaroopaa saa roopyaa kritsnam vyavas- !"!/(+!$+.1!$*+!$9%!+./0!%!)".4!!$)"&+!7!!7*$+*,"+!!$3 thitaa - Mahaalakshmii beholding three gunaas alone is the original causative reason for all. She alone is established 9!%5$'(+!!$9!%!$+*7!!$9%&1"*+0!*+!!+!1(($/!"*7!!$ by !lling in seen and unseen universes “. So, there is an in- ,!#)!)":+!$33;33 terpretation of Devi mahatmyam that shows Para Shakti as maha lakshmi. "is is some what similar to the interpreta- !-.8&23&&(&#C3&#D&E3&&8+&7%&&>&&#%&53&*&&'*&#'3&:&&#< tion of the sUkta in the next section. D&7&2#023&&#D&7#'3&*&&#D&E5$F&3+&93&&3&(&A#8&'-.*&&"?&%&G3&#<
DEVI MAHOTSAVAM 2013 29