The Ṛgveda Samhitā is the fount of all religious, spiritual and philosophical systems that originated in India. It contains the seeds of all subsequent developments. And yet, it is misunderstood even by people who claim to be Vedic scholars or experts in Hinduism.
I have seen two categories of views on the Veda Samhitās. The first view is that of western Indologists and academics who, since the time of Max Muller, see the mantras as nothing but primitive and childish prayers to gods asking for material benefits, without any higher spiritual content. This category sees a gradual "development" or "progress" in maturity from the Samhitās to the Upaniṣads, which are the sole containers of philosophy, metaphysics and higher subtle thought. In fact, this category is of the opinion that the Upaniṣads represent a revolt against the prevalent Vedic religion represented by the so-called ritualistic Samhitās and Brāhmaṇas and the institution of yajña. Many, and probably the vast majority of, modern-day thinkers, scholars and laypeople are of the same view.
The second view is that of some Indian scholars such as Aurobindo, Dayanand Sarasvati, and their followers and admirers. According to this category, the Samhitās contain knowledge encrypted in symbols that has been ignored by tradition. And this category goes to extreme lengths trying to attribute strange new-age psychological interpretations to the deities. In effect, this category tries to force-fit their ideas into the Samhitā texts, and the result is a strange, highly concocted, artificial and unusable meaning of the mantras. According to this category, the Samhitās alone contain the original, uncorrupted philosophy of the Vedas, and the Upaniṣads are deviations and corruptions.
I find that both the above categories are equally incorrect, simplistic and inadequate explanations of the complex Vedic corpus. Even a cursory glance at the Samhitās, Brāhmaṇas, Āraṇyakas and Upaniṣads shows the common thread running through all of them. That is why tradition has grouped these together under the term Veda. The above two categories of incorrect views result from the arrogance and presumption that they themselves have better knowledge of the Vedas than the tradition of thousands of years, whose adherents solely dedicated their entire lives to the study and analysis of the Vedas. I shall write a future article on the concordance between the Samhitās and Upaniṣads.
I had previously shown the deep spiritual and metaphysical meanings of Agni in the Ṛgveda (here, here and here). I had also shown (here) that the traditional commentary of Sāyaṇācārya recognizes appropriately the spiritual symbolism present in the mantras.
Here, I shall provide another example of the spiritual knowledge present in the Ṛgveda Samhitā, and its recognition in the traditional commentary of Sāyaṇācārya.
The present sūktam is Ṛgveda 6.9, whose ṛṣi is Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya and devatā is Agni Vaiśvānara.
To me, this hymn is quintessentially Vedāntic in its vocabulary and expression. It is surprisingly "modern" in its candid expression of the internal process of self-realization, and yet, it is undoubtedly one of the most ancient Vedic hymns, as also its author is a very ancient seer in the Vedic lineage. This again proves to me that the entire Vedic corpus contains the same metaphysics throughout. I shall present Sāyaṇa's commentary where the mantra appears to be cryptic or where it has multiple meanings, and hence his commentary shows the traditional understanding of the spiritual meaning of the mantra.
अहश्च कृष्णमहरर्जुनं च वि वर्तेते रजसी वेद्याभिः ।
वैश्वानरो जायमानो न राजावातिरज्ज्योतिषाग्निस्तमांसि ॥१॥
ahaśca kṛṣṇamahararjunaṃ ca vi vartete rajasī vedyābhiḥ |
vaiśvānaro jāyamāno na rājāvātirajjyotiṣāgnistamāṃsi ||
"The dark day (i.e. night) and the bright day (i.e. day) which enliven all creatures keep turning around by means of well-known signs. Vaiśvānara, being born like a king, dispells darkness with his light."
Sāyaṇa: "... रजसी स्वस्वभासा सर्वं जगद्रञ्जयन्तौ .... यद्वा रजसी द्यावापृथिव्यौ । ... एतच्च वैश्वानराग्नेराज्ञया ... । " -- "rajasī means the pair which illuminate or enliven everything by their brilliance. The other meaning of rajasī is the earth and heaven. ... All this comes from the will of Agni Vaiśvānara."
नाहं तन्तुं न विजानाम्योतुं न यं वयन्ति समरेऽतमानाः ।
कस्य स्वित्पुत्र इह वक्त्वानि परो वदात्यवरेण पित्रा ॥२॥
nāhaṃ tantuṃ na vijānāmyotuṃ na yaṃ vayanti samare'tamānāḥ |
kasya svitputra iha vaktvāni paro vadātyavareṇa pitrā ||
"I do not know the warp (tantu) nor do I know the woof (otu) nor that which they weave in the gathering. Whose son shall here talk about the subject, through his father who was recent?"
Sāyaṇa: "वैश्वानरस्य महत्त्वमाख्यास्यन्नृषिस्तदर्थं यज्ञं वस्त्रात्मकतया रूपयन् तस्य दुर्ज्ञानत्वमनया प्रतिपादयतीति यज्ञवादिनो मन्यन्ते । पटं यज्ञलक्षणं देवयजने सततं चेष्टमानाः ऋत्विजः तन्तूनोतूंश्च संतन्वन्ति । वस्त्ररूपेण निष्पादयन्तीत्यर्थः । इह अस्मिन् लोके कस्य स्वित् कस्य खलु पुत्रः मनुष्यः वक्तव्यानि परस्तादमुष्मिन् लोके वर्तमानो यः सुर्यः तस्य पित्रा अवस्तादस्मिन् लोके वर्तमानेन वैश्वानराग्निनानुशिष्टः सन् वदेत्? न कश्चिदपि प्रवदितुं शक्नोतीत्यर्थः । रूपकतया जगत्सृष्टेर्दुर्ज्ञानत्वमनया प्रतिपादयतीत्यात्मविदो मन्यन्ते । तन्तून् तन्तुस्थानानि वियदादीन्यपञ्चीकृतानि भूतानि न विजानामि । ओतून् पञ्चीकृतानि स्थूलान्योतुस्थानीयान्यपि वियदादीनि न विजानामि । न च तत्कार्यं पटस्थानीयं प्रपञ्चं विजानामि यं प्रपञ्चं सततं चेष्टमानाः संसारिणो वयन्ति उत्पादयन्ति । तेषां भोगार्थमीश्वरः सृजतीति कर्तृत्वमुपचर्यते । इहास्मिन्विषये परस्ताद्बुद्धेरविषये वक्तव्यानीमान्यवरेण अर्वाचीनेन सृष्ट्युत्तरकालमुत्पन्नेन पित्रा स्वजनकेनानुशिष्टः सन् कस्य खलु पुत्रः वदेत् । स्वोत्पत्तेः प्राचीनं वृत्तान्तमजानानः कश्चिदपि न वदेदित्यर्थः ।"
"According to the school of ritualistic interpretation, the ṛṣi is trying to describe the greatness of Vaiśvānara through the symbolism of the yajña as a fabric, and expresses the difficulty of knowing it. The ever-active priests weave the warp and woof of this fabric. The ṛṣi is giving an analogy of the sun in heaven as the son, and Agni Vaiśvānara on earth as the father, and asks, which human can talk about these deep topics having been instructed by his father? The meaning is that nobody can. According to the school of metaphysics or spiritual interpretation, this is a symbolism for the universe whose creation is a mystery and cannot be known. The warp symbolizes the undifferentiated subtle elements, and the woof symbolizes the differentiated gross elements. The creatures living in the universe are constantly weaving this fabric by their activities. Or this fabric has been woven by the creator for the enjoyment of the creatures. So being here (in this universe), to talk about things that are beyond the intellect, nobody who has been instructed by their human father (whose birth is recent compared to the universe), can talk about these things. Having not understood the ancient source of their origin, nobody can talk about these mysteries."
स इत्तन्तुं स विजानात्योतुं स वक्त्वान्यृतुथा वदाति ।
य ईं चिकेतदमृतस्य गोपा अवश्चरन्परो अन्येन पश्यन् ॥३॥
sa ittantuṃ sa vijānātyotuṃ sa vaktvānyṛtuthā vadāti |
ya īṃ ciketadamṛtasya gopā avaścaranparo anyena paśyan ||
"He knows the warp and the woof, and he speaks the truths from time to time. He who sees all this, is the protector of immortality, and he roams below, while seeing through another above."
Sāyaṇa: "यद्यपि उक्तेन प्रकारेण दुर्ज्ञानानि तथाप्येतानि वैश्वानरोऽग्निः जानाति वदति चेत्यनया प्रतिपादयति । स एव वैश्वानरोऽग्निः तन्तुस्थानीयानि गायत्र्यादीनि छन्दांसि स्तुतशस्त्राणि तथा ओतुस्थानीयानि यजूंष्याध्वर्यवाणि च कर्माणि वि जानाति । ऋतुथा काले काले तत्तदनुष्ठानसमये वक्तव्यानि वदेत् । अवस्तात् भूलोके पार्थिवाग्निरूपेण संचरन् परस्ताद्दिवि सूर्यात्मना सर्वं जगत् प्रकाशयन् इमानि परिदृश्यमानानि सर्वाणि भूतानि जानाति । यद्वा । स एव तन्तुं तन्तुस्थानीयानि सूक्ष्मभूतानि विजानाति नान्यः कश्चित् । तथौतुमोतुस्थानीयानि स्थूलभूतानि च स एव विजानाति । स एव वक्तव्यान्युपदेष्टव्यानि काले काले यदा यदा विद्यासंप्रदायोच्छेदस्तदा तदा वदेत् । कोऽसौ यो विजानीयाद्वदेच्चेत्यत आह । यो वैश्वानरो विश्वनरात्मकः परमात्मामृतत्वस्य विमोक्षणस्य गोपा रक्षिता अवस्तात् संसारदशायां चरन् अन्तःकरणोपेतः जीवात्मभावेन संचरन् परस्तादविद्याया ऊर्ध्वं वर्तमानेनान्येनोक्तविलक्षणेन निरुपाधिकेन सच्चिदादिलक्षणेन रूपेण पश्यन् सर्वं जगत्प्रकाशयन् इमानि जानाति । तथा च परमात्मानं प्रकृत्य श्रूयते -- ’तमेव भान्तमनुभाति सर्वं तस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति’ (श्वेउ ६।१४)"
"(Ritualistic interpretation): These mysteries are known to Agni Vaiśvānara. He alone, Agni Vaiśvānara, knows the warp symbolizing the various chandases and the woof symbolizing the ritualistic works of the Yajus. He speaks from time to time as in during the regular times of performance of the rituals. He moves on the earth in the form of the terrestrial fire while seeing all creatures in the form of the sun giving light to the entire universe. Or else:
(Spiritual/metaphysical interpretation): He alone, Agni Vaiśvānara, knows the warp symbolizing the subtle elements and the woof symbolizing the gross elements. He alone speaks the secret teaching from time to time when the lineage of knowledge is broken among humans. Who is this who knows and shall speak? He who is known as Vaiśvānara, who is present in all living creatures, the Paramātman, the protector of immortality, i.e. Mokṣa. He moves in the world as the Jīvātman conjoined with the mind, and sees the universe through the higher form, beyond Avidyā, and defined as Saccidānanda without attributes. This form illuminates the entire universe. Hence it is said in the Śruti: "Everything shines because He shines, by His light everything is lit up" (Śvet. Up. 6.14)"
अयं होता प्रथमः पश्यतेममिदं ज्योतिरमृतं मर्त्येषु ।
अयं स जज्ञे ध्रुव आ निषत्तोऽमर्त्यस्तन्वा३ वर्धमानः ॥४॥
ayaṃ hotā prathamaḥ paśyatemamidaṃ jyotiramṛtaṃ martyeṣu |
ayaṃ sa jajñe dhruva ā niṣatto'martyastanvā3 vardhamānaḥ ||
"He is the first invoker, see Him, this immortal light within mortals. He is born firm and he is omnipresent (i.e. present everywhere), and being immortal he grows through a body."
(This is pretty straightforward, and it is quite clear from Sāyaṇa's commentary).
ध्रुवं ज्योतिर्निहितं दृशये कं मनो जविष्ठं पतयत्स्वन्तः ।
विश्वे देवाः समनसः सकेताः एकं क्रतुमभि वि यन्ति साधु ॥५॥
dhruvaṃ jyotirnihitaṃ dṛśaye kaṃ mano javiṣṭhaṃ patayatsvantaḥ |
viśve devāḥ samanasaḥ saketāḥ ekaṃ kratumabhi vi yanti sādhu ||
"This firm light, that is bliss, that is subtler than the mind, is hidden within the senses (or creatures). All the deities, with one intention and one intelligence, surround Him, the doer of deeds."
Sāyaṇa: "ध्रुवं निश्चलं मनसः तस्मादपि जविष्ठं अतिशयेन वेगवत् ईदृशं वैश्वानराख्यं ज्योतिः पतयत्सु गच्छत्सु जङ्गमेषु प्राणिषु अन्तः मध्ये निहितं प्रजापतिना स्थापितम् । किमर्थम् । दर्शनार्थम् । किं च सर्वे देवाः समानमनस्काः समानप्रज्ञाश्च सन्तः एकं मुख्यं गन्तारं वा क्रतुं कर्मणां कर्तारं सम्यक् आभिमुख्येन विविधं प्राप्नुवन्ति सेवन्त इत्यर्थः । यद्वा । पतयत्सु गच्छत्सु प्राणिष्वन्तर्मध्ये हृदये मनो जविष्ठं मनसोऽप्यतिशयेन वेगयुक्तं ध्रुवं निश्चलं निर्विकल्पम् । तथा च वाजसनेयकं -- "अनेजदेकं मनसो जवीयः" (वा सं ४०।४) इति । ज्योतिर्ब्रह्म चैतन्यं निहितम् । न केनचित् स्थापितम् । "यो वेद निहितं गुहायां परमे व्योमन्" (तै आ ८।१) इति हि श्रूयते । किमर्थम् । दृशये दर्शनार्थम् । ज्ञानेन हि सर्वं जानन्ति । दीव्यन्तीति देवा इन्द्रियाणि । विश्वे सर्वे देवाः सर्वाणीन्द्रियाणि चक्षुराद्याः समनसो मनसा सह वर्तमानाः सकेताः सतेजस्काः सन्त एकमद्वितीयं क्रतुं सृष्ट्यादीनां कर्मणां कर्तारं विश्वनरात्मकं परमात्मानमभिलक्ष्य साधु सम्यक् वि यन्ति विविधं गच्छन्ति । देवा एव वेममभि वि यन्ति । आभिमुख्येन विविधमुपयन्ति । उपासत इत्यर्थः । तथा च श्रूयते -- "तद्देवा ज्योतिषां ज्योतिरायुर्होपासतेऽमृतम्" (बृ उ ४/४/१६) इति ।"
"(Adhibhūtam/adhidaivatam) The firm light called Vaiśvānara, which is subtler than the mind, is placed within the creatures by Prajāpati for the sake of the vision. And all the gods with common mind and common consciousness serve this one doer of actions. Or else:
(Adhyātmam) Within the creatures, i.e. in the heart, there is hidden a firm and independent light that is subtler than the mind. As the Vājasaneyi text says: "The unmoving one that is faster than the mind" (Iśa. Up. 4). The light is Brahman consciousness. It is not established by anyone, i.e. it is there by its own nature. As the Śruti says: "Whoever knows this that is hidden in the heart in the highest space" (Tai. Up. 2.1). The purpose of this light is to have the vision, because by this vision one knows everything. The senses are called Devas because they shine or because they go forth. So the senses along with the mind approach this One Doer from various directions. This Doer is the Vaiśvānara, the omnipresent Paramātman, who does various deeds such as creation, etc. Or the Devas worship Vaiśvānara. As it is said in the Śruti: "The Devas worship the Light of lights, the Immortal." (Br. Up. 4.4.16)."
वि मे कर्णा पतयतो वि चक्षुर्वी३दं ज्योतिर्हृदय आहितं यत् ।
वि मे मनश्चरति दूरआधीः किं स्विद् वक्ष्यामि किमु नू मनिष्ये ॥६॥
vi me karṇā patayato vi cakṣurvī3daṃ jyotirhṛdaya āhitaṃ yat |
vi me manaścarati dūraādhīḥ kiṃ svid vakṣyāmi kimu nū maniṣye ||
"My ears fly forth, and my eyes fly forth striving to see this Light hidden within the heart. My mind wanders far in search of it, what shall I speak of, and what shall I think?"
(This verse almost appears modern in its candid description of the internal processes when the sage is in rapture of his vision of the Light, when he has lost himself in the One Consciousness, such that he is beyond speech and thought. The last phrase "किं स्विद् वक्ष्यामि किमु नू मनिष्ये - kim svid vakṣyāmi kimu nū maniṣye" is an exact paraphrase of "यतो वाचो निवर्तन्ते अप्राप्य मनसा सह - yato vāco nivartante aprāpya manasā saha", "From which speech and mind turn back, not having reached" of Taittirīya Upaniṣad.)
Sāyaṇa: "वैश्वानरं श्रोतुकामस्य मम कर्णौ वि पतयतः विविधं गच्छतः । श्रोतव्यानां तदीयगुणानां बहुत्वात् । तथा वैश्वानरं दिदृक्षमाणस्य मम चक्षुः इन्द्रियं वि पतयति विविधं गच्छति । द्रष्टव्यानां तदीयरूपाणां बहुत्वात् । तथा ज्योतिः प्रकाशकं हृदये हृदयपुण्डरीके आहितं निहितं यत् बुद्ध्याख्यं तत्त्वं इदमपि वि पतयति विविधं गच्छति वैश्वानरात्मानं ज्ञातुम् । अपि च दूरआधीः । दूरे विप्रकृष्टे विषय आधीराध्यानं यस्य तादृशम् । मे मदीयं मनः च वि चरति विविधं प्रवर्तते । एवमहमहमिकया सर्वेष्विन्द्रियेषु प्रवृत्तेषु किं स्वित् अहं वैश्वानरस्य रूपमिति वक्ष्यामि । किमु नु किमु खलु संप्रति मनिष्ये मनसा प्रपत्स्ये । वैश्वानरस्य गुणानामनन्तत्वात् मन्दप्रज्ञेन मया ज्ञातुं न शक्यत इत्यर्थः ।"
"Desirous of hearing Vaiśvānara, my ears go forth in different directions due to His infinite qualities to be heard. Desirous of seeing Him, my sight goes forth due to the infinite forms to be seen. The light established in the heart also strives to know the Vaiśvānara Ātman. Thus with all the senses striving to know Him, and since they fail, what can I say and what can I think about it? (i.e. He is beyond the senses, but I have already found Him as the immortal light within my heart)."
विश्वे देवा अनमस्यन् भियानास्त्वामग्ने तमसि तस्थिवांसम् ।
वैश्वानरोऽवतूतये नोऽमर्त्योऽवतूतये नः ॥७॥
viśve devā anamasyan bhiyānāstvāmagne tamasi tasthivāṃsam |
vaiśvānaro'vatūtaye no'martyo'vatūtaye naḥ ||
"All the gods bowed down in fear in front of you, Agni, when you were hidden in the darkness. May Vaiśvānara protect us, may the Immortal One protect us."
This verse is quite clear and needs no explanation. However, there is a deep metaphysics associated with the "Agni hidden in the darkness", which I have discussed in detail in my Agni: Part 3 article.
Showing posts with label Agni in Rig Veda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Agni in Rig Veda. Show all posts
Saturday, April 18, 2020
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Agni -- Part 3: Divine Darkness, or Light within the Darkness, or Divine Death, or Death before Life
If you are reading this before the articles "Agni - Part 1 and Part 2", it is strongly recommended that you read them first as they will prepare the way for ideas discussed here.
I must once again express my gratitude and reverence to Ananda K. Coomaraswamy (AKC), one of the pioneers of Perennial Philosophy, who was a true Vedic sage - a rishi - in his comprehensive and integral, but at the same time deep and genuine, understanding of Vedic metaphysics. I also continue his use of 'metaphysics' in preference to 'philosophy' or 'spirituality', as the former term accurately describes the system of ideas, concepts and teachings of the Vedic literature and deep enlightenment regarding the "non-physical" or "beyond-physical", i.e. "meta-physical" state that should result from the triple action of ṥravaṇa, manana, nididhyāsana (learning, pondering and meditating) that is the famous classic path of Vedanta. Truly, there is no difference between what has been called "Rig Veda, etc.", i.e. the "Karma Kāṇḍa" and the "Upanishads", i.e. the "Jñāna Kāṇḍa" except the age of the language and turn of phrase. But then, there is the real difference that the older Rig Veda uses much more complex symbolism than the younger Upanishad. The trick to unraveling symbolism is that the same symbol can stand for many things at many levels.
At the outset, I would like to emphasize my shortcomings in comparison to the genius of AKC in his energetic synthesis of different verses of the Rig Veda and Upanishads. Although every essay of his has countless gems of interconnected deductions, the following essays in particular contain material that is pertinent to my present endeavor:
1. A New Approach to the Vedas
2. The Darker Side of Dawn
3. Angel and Titan: An Essay in Vedic Ontology
4. The Vedic doctrine of 'Silence'
5. The Tantric doctrine of divine biunity
6. Kha and other words denoting 'zero' in connection with the Indian metaphysics of space
7. On the one and only transmigrant
8. Vedic 'Monotheism'
9. Vedic Exemplarism
I shall proceed to list key ideas and concepts in as logical an order as I can think of, with references from the Rig Veda and other texts that AKC has used and also a few more that are obviously in context. The overarching goal is to show by interconnecting the texts, that the rishis of the Rig Veda had fathomed the deepest secret, the deepest and most profound truth about the nature of reality. They had experienced the ultimate, irreducible state of "enlightening darkness" which level of oxymoron is the only way to describe that supreme, absolute, irreducible state of Existence-Knowledge.
1. Agni and other "Gods of Light/Heaven" are in fact "dark" in their origin. Their original state, i.e. before creation and manifestation of the universe is described.
Pañcaviṁśa Brāhmaṇa 25.15.4: सर्प्या: वा आदित्याः sarpyāḥ vā ādityāḥ The Gods are really serpents.
AKC reiterates that the descriptions of Gods prior to "coming into the light" is ophidian (serpent-like). This should not connote any vicious, terrifying or repulsive images that one may have of real-world snakes. The deep significance of the intricate symbol of serpent is noteworthy.
The long and unsegmented body of the serpent symbolizes the totality of all Being or Existence in its undifferentiated state. In fact, the most prominent myth in the Rig Veda is that of Indra cutting up the serpent Vritra into pieces that become parts of the universe. However, the myth that precedes this shows Indra and Vritra as best friends before creation of the universe. Therefore, antecedent to separation of things in creation, all Existence was in the form of a serpent, so to speak.
2. Agni is in fact explicitly described as a serpent, or with actions of a serpent.
Gotama Rāhūgaṇa (RV 1.79.1): अहि: धुनिः ahiḥ dhuniḥ A raging serpent
Aitareya Brāhmaṇa 3.36: एष ह वा अहिर्बुध्न्यो यदग्निर्गार्हपत्य: eṣa ha vā ahirbudhnyo yad agnir gārhapatyaḥ This Agni Gārhapatyaḥ (i.e. the foundational fire) is truly the serpent of the deep.
Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 7.3.2.14: अद्भ्य उपोदासृप्तं पुष्करपर्णे adbhya upodāsṛptaṁ puṣkaraparṇe He had crept out of the waters onto a lotus leaf.
In the last reference, Agni is likened to a serpent slithering out from the water onto a lotus leaf. This description is loaded with several related doctrines. The lotus (puṣkara) is the symbol of an individual manifested world. As Agni is the First Manifested Principle (i.e. "God") in any world (prathamajā ṛtasya), it is consistent with other references linking Agni to the lotus (for example, RV 6.16.13: Atharvan churned Agni from the Lotus, from Viśva's head).
3. Agni is 'endless' or 'infinite' before manifestation or creation
The last reference tells us Agni was a slithering unsegmented Being until he crept up onto a lotus leaf, at which point, he is in a world that he created by virtue of his creeping up onto it. Before that, he is said to have no hands or feet. This is significant as the foot is a discrete mode of motion. A foot needs a solid distinct "ground" upon which to move in finite, discrete, measured "quanta". However, slithering needs no "ground" as it is a continuous, non-discrete motion that is non-differentiated or "unmeasured". Thus, the foot is the symbol for a distinct manifestation or a created world. Hence, the footless serpent is the symbol for the state prior to creation, prior to distinct entities.
Vāmadeva Gautama (RV 4.1.7): अनन्ते अन्तः परिवीत आगात् anante antaḥ parivīta āgāt Enveloped in the infinite, may he come to us.
Vāmadeva Gautama (RV 4.1.11): स जायत... बुध्ने रजसः अस्य योनौ ... अपादशीर्षा गुहमानो अन्ता sa jāyata... budhne rajasaḥ asya yonau... apādaśīrṣā guhamāno antā He is born in the depths of space (or waters - compare Ahi Budhnya, serpent of the deep, above) in his own womb... Without feet and without a head, he conceals his ends.
'Conceals his ends' essentially means infinite. Here again, the image of a serpent with its tail in its mouth comes to mind, such that the Being is continuous, unsegmented (without intervals or gaps), full of infinite potentialities prior to manifestation.
Because Agni is infinite, he is never exhausted after emptying out all the potentialities to manifest the universe. This is corroborated by Viśvāmitra Gāthina (RV 3.26.9): "शतधारमुत्समक्षीयमाणं śatadhāram utsam akṣīyamāṇam - He is an inexhaustible fountain of a hundred streams."
4. Agni dwells in the Darkness prior to creation
The idea of Agni, the exemplar of worldly light, dwelling in darkness is very paradoxical and strange at first. However, this reveals the highest conception of the Vedic sages which they symbolized as Agni. Perhaps we might get a better understanding by looking at the instances in the Rig Veda:
Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya (RV 6.9.7): विश्वे देवा अनमस्यन् भियानाः त्वामग्ने तमसि तस्थिवांसम् viśve devā anamasyan bhiyānāḥ tvām agne tamasi tasthivāṁsam - All the Gods bowed in fear to you, Agni, when you dwelt in the Darkness.
RV 10.51.5: एहि ... तमसि क्षेष्यग्ने सुगान्पथः कृणुहि देवयानान् वह हव्यानि सुमनस्यमानः ehi ... tamasi kṣeṣi agne ... sugān pathaḥ kṛṇuhi devayānān vaha havyāni sumanasyamānaḥ - Come ... you are dwelling in the darkness ... make our paths easy-faring and carry sacred offerings, being of good will to us.
RV 10.124.1: इमं ... यज्ञमेहि ... असो हव्यवाळुत नः पुरोगाः ज्योगेव दीर्घं तम आशयिष्ठाः imam yajñamehi aso havyavāḍuta naḥ purogāḥ jyogeva dīrgham tama āśayiṣṭhāḥ - Come to this sacrifice, O Life-eternal, carrier of sacred offering and our leader. You have stayed too long in darkness.
These verses show the fundamental doctrine in the form of myth, i.e. by the use of Gods as personalities pleading Agni to come out of the darkness and set the sacrifice "rolling" by creating paths and carrying offerings between the worlds, which in effect causes the worlds to be created.
There is a more profound metaphysical doctrine hidden in those descriptions of Agni dwelling in the darkness. As already pointed out, it is a paradox that the paragon of light should stay in darkness. This should give us the clue that physical light is not meant here. Agni is the pure self-consciousness and existence that is the foundation of all empirical experience. Agni is the pure "I" that is the final and ultimate irreducible state of singular existence-consciousness from which worlds are created and into which they dissolve. Such a state is characterized by complete absence of multiplicity of names and forms, which implies absence of the Light of Creation that exposes, differentiates and defines the forms and names that constitute the universe.
In contrast, this "Agni dwelling in darkness" is a "Dark Light". Compare this to Chandogya Upanishad 1.6, "The white light of the sun is 'sa' and the extremely dark blue black light is 'ama' and together they make 'saama'." So Vedic tradition symbolizes a dark light that is behind the white light of the sun. This 'Dark Light' is the 'Agni dwelling in darkness' which is a Silent Observer existing alone in inaction. The same concept is found in Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.3.6-7:
I must once again express my gratitude and reverence to Ananda K. Coomaraswamy (AKC), one of the pioneers of Perennial Philosophy, who was a true Vedic sage - a rishi - in his comprehensive and integral, but at the same time deep and genuine, understanding of Vedic metaphysics. I also continue his use of 'metaphysics' in preference to 'philosophy' or 'spirituality', as the former term accurately describes the system of ideas, concepts and teachings of the Vedic literature and deep enlightenment regarding the "non-physical" or "beyond-physical", i.e. "meta-physical" state that should result from the triple action of ṥravaṇa, manana, nididhyāsana (learning, pondering and meditating) that is the famous classic path of Vedanta. Truly, there is no difference between what has been called "Rig Veda, etc.", i.e. the "Karma Kāṇḍa" and the "Upanishads", i.e. the "Jñāna Kāṇḍa" except the age of the language and turn of phrase. But then, there is the real difference that the older Rig Veda uses much more complex symbolism than the younger Upanishad. The trick to unraveling symbolism is that the same symbol can stand for many things at many levels.
At the outset, I would like to emphasize my shortcomings in comparison to the genius of AKC in his energetic synthesis of different verses of the Rig Veda and Upanishads. Although every essay of his has countless gems of interconnected deductions, the following essays in particular contain material that is pertinent to my present endeavor:
1. A New Approach to the Vedas
2. The Darker Side of Dawn
3. Angel and Titan: An Essay in Vedic Ontology
4. The Vedic doctrine of 'Silence'
5. The Tantric doctrine of divine biunity
6. Kha and other words denoting 'zero' in connection with the Indian metaphysics of space
7. On the one and only transmigrant
8. Vedic 'Monotheism'
9. Vedic Exemplarism
I shall proceed to list key ideas and concepts in as logical an order as I can think of, with references from the Rig Veda and other texts that AKC has used and also a few more that are obviously in context. The overarching goal is to show by interconnecting the texts, that the rishis of the Rig Veda had fathomed the deepest secret, the deepest and most profound truth about the nature of reality. They had experienced the ultimate, irreducible state of "enlightening darkness" which level of oxymoron is the only way to describe that supreme, absolute, irreducible state of Existence-Knowledge.
1. Agni and other "Gods of Light/Heaven" are in fact "dark" in their origin. Their original state, i.e. before creation and manifestation of the universe is described.
Pañcaviṁśa Brāhmaṇa 25.15.4: सर्प्या: वा आदित्याः sarpyāḥ vā ādityāḥ The Gods are really serpents.
AKC reiterates that the descriptions of Gods prior to "coming into the light" is ophidian (serpent-like). This should not connote any vicious, terrifying or repulsive images that one may have of real-world snakes. The deep significance of the intricate symbol of serpent is noteworthy.
2. Agni is in fact explicitly described as a serpent, or with actions of a serpent.
Gotama Rāhūgaṇa (RV 1.79.1): अहि: धुनिः ahiḥ dhuniḥ A raging serpent
Aitareya Brāhmaṇa 3.36: एष ह वा अहिर्बुध्न्यो यदग्निर्गार्हपत्य: eṣa ha vā ahirbudhnyo yad agnir gārhapatyaḥ This Agni Gārhapatyaḥ (i.e. the foundational fire) is truly the serpent of the deep.
Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 7.3.2.14: अद्भ्य उपोदासृप्तं पुष्करपर्णे adbhya upodāsṛptaṁ puṣkaraparṇe He had crept out of the waters onto a lotus leaf.
In the last reference, Agni is likened to a serpent slithering out from the water onto a lotus leaf. This description is loaded with several related doctrines. The lotus (puṣkara) is the symbol of an individual manifested world. As Agni is the First Manifested Principle (i.e. "God") in any world (prathamajā ṛtasya), it is consistent with other references linking Agni to the lotus (for example, RV 6.16.13: Atharvan churned Agni from the Lotus, from Viśva's head).
3. Agni is 'endless' or 'infinite' before manifestation or creation
The last reference tells us Agni was a slithering unsegmented Being until he crept up onto a lotus leaf, at which point, he is in a world that he created by virtue of his creeping up onto it. Before that, he is said to have no hands or feet. This is significant as the foot is a discrete mode of motion. A foot needs a solid distinct "ground" upon which to move in finite, discrete, measured "quanta". However, slithering needs no "ground" as it is a continuous, non-discrete motion that is non-differentiated or "unmeasured". Thus, the foot is the symbol for a distinct manifestation or a created world. Hence, the footless serpent is the symbol for the state prior to creation, prior to distinct entities.
Vāmadeva Gautama (RV 4.1.7): अनन्ते अन्तः परिवीत आगात् anante antaḥ parivīta āgāt Enveloped in the infinite, may he come to us.
Vāmadeva Gautama (RV 4.1.11): स जायत... बुध्ने रजसः अस्य योनौ ... अपादशीर्षा गुहमानो अन्ता sa jāyata... budhne rajasaḥ asya yonau... apādaśīrṣā guhamāno antā He is born in the depths of space (or waters - compare Ahi Budhnya, serpent of the deep, above) in his own womb... Without feet and without a head, he conceals his ends.
'Conceals his ends' essentially means infinite. Here again, the image of a serpent with its tail in its mouth comes to mind, such that the Being is continuous, unsegmented (without intervals or gaps), full of infinite potentialities prior to manifestation.
4. Agni dwells in the Darkness prior to creation
The idea of Agni, the exemplar of worldly light, dwelling in darkness is very paradoxical and strange at first. However, this reveals the highest conception of the Vedic sages which they symbolized as Agni. Perhaps we might get a better understanding by looking at the instances in the Rig Veda:
Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya (RV 6.9.7): विश्वे देवा अनमस्यन् भियानाः त्वामग्ने तमसि तस्थिवांसम् viśve devā anamasyan bhiyānāḥ tvām agne tamasi tasthivāṁsam - All the Gods bowed in fear to you, Agni, when you dwelt in the Darkness.
RV 10.51.5: एहि ... तमसि क्षेष्यग्ने सुगान्पथः कृणुहि देवयानान् वह हव्यानि सुमनस्यमानः ehi ... tamasi kṣeṣi agne ... sugān pathaḥ kṛṇuhi devayānān vaha havyāni sumanasyamānaḥ - Come ... you are dwelling in the darkness ... make our paths easy-faring and carry sacred offerings, being of good will to us.
RV 10.124.1: इमं ... यज्ञमेहि ... असो हव्यवाळुत नः पुरोगाः ज्योगेव दीर्घं तम आशयिष्ठाः imam yajñamehi aso havyavāḍuta naḥ purogāḥ jyogeva dīrgham tama āśayiṣṭhāḥ - Come to this sacrifice, O Life-eternal, carrier of sacred offering and our leader. You have stayed too long in darkness.
These verses show the fundamental doctrine in the form of myth, i.e. by the use of Gods as personalities pleading Agni to come out of the darkness and set the sacrifice "rolling" by creating paths and carrying offerings between the worlds, which in effect causes the worlds to be created.
There is a more profound metaphysical doctrine hidden in those descriptions of Agni dwelling in the darkness. As already pointed out, it is a paradox that the paragon of light should stay in darkness. This should give us the clue that physical light is not meant here. Agni is the pure self-consciousness and existence that is the foundation of all empirical experience. Agni is the pure "I" that is the final and ultimate irreducible state of singular existence-consciousness from which worlds are created and into which they dissolve. Such a state is characterized by complete absence of multiplicity of names and forms, which implies absence of the Light of Creation that exposes, differentiates and defines the forms and names that constitute the universe.
In contrast, this "Agni dwelling in darkness" is a "Dark Light". Compare this to Chandogya Upanishad 1.6, "The white light of the sun is 'sa' and the extremely dark blue black light is 'ama' and together they make 'saama'." So Vedic tradition symbolizes a dark light that is behind the white light of the sun. This 'Dark Light' is the 'Agni dwelling in darkness' which is a Silent Observer existing alone in inaction. The same concept is found in Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.3.6-7:
अस्तमित आदित्ये याज्ञवल्क्य चन्द्रमस्यस्तमिते
शान्तेऽग्नौ शान्तायां वाचि किंज्योतिरेवायं पुरुष इत्यात्मैवास्य ज्योतिर्भवति …
। ६। कतम आत्मेति योऽयं विज्ञानमयः प्राणेषु हृद्यन्तर्ज्योतिः … । ७।
astamita āditye yājñavalkya candramasyastamite
śānte'gnau śāntāyāṃ vāci kiṃjyotirevāyaṃ puruṣa ityātmaivāsya jyotirbhavati … । 6। katama ātmeti yo'yaṃ vijñānamayaḥ prāṇeṣu hṛdyantarjyotiḥ … । 7।
When the sun has set, and the moon has set, and
the fire is extinguished and speech is silent, what light is available to man?
The Self is indeed his light… Who is this Self? The one who is full of consciousness,
who is within the senses, the light within the heart…
In other words, this Self is the Light within
the Darkness, which is also the symbolism of Agni as seen in the afore-quoted verses.
This is the state of Brahman of the Upanishads. The famous Nāsadīya Sūktam (RV 10.129) confirms the same concept:
तम आसीत्तमसा गूळ्हमग्रे ... आनीदवातं स्वधया तदेकं तस्माद्धान्यन्न परः किञ्चनास tama āsīt tamasā gūḷham agre ... ānīd avātam svadhayā tadekam tasmāddha anyan na paraḥ kiñcanāsa In the beginning darkness was covered by darkness ... That One breathed without breath; other than That One there was nothing else.
The above Rig Veda verses depict the myth of creation where the "Gods" are eager for Agni to come out of the darkness, i.e. project the First Ray of Universal Light, which is also depicted in different myths. One of them is that Agni-Ahi Budhyna the Primordial Serpent crept up on a lotus leaf. Another one is Indra slaying the Primordial Serpent under the name Vritra and cutting him up into parts that become the universe (along with releasing the waters of life). The true meaning of the Vedic yajna is to realize the original unity of the Serpent, and ritually effect the conjoining of the parts of Agni or Prajapati to make him whole. This is the true meaning of Agnicayana. This inner meaning of the ritual was adopted by Upanishad sages to various degrees, for example, as the Inner Fire Ritual (āntaram agnihotram) to be effected intellectually to realize the Primordial Unity.
Thus, it has been shown that Vedic metaphysics has always been consistent in its essential doctrine, while only changing in language and idiom.
The continuity has been carried on into Puranic symbolism. The most conspicuous example of Vedic serpent symbolism is the mythology of Vishnu resting on the thousand-hooded serpent Ananta Shesha.
The name of the serpent is variously Ananta (Infinite), Shesha (Remnant), Adi Shesha (Primordial Remnant). So obviously this is the same infinite Vedic serpent Agni-Ahi Budhnya. Shesha is what remains after creation. But he is Ananta Shesha, i.e. Infinite Remnant, which is an overstatement of the concept that what is infinite is never emptied out.
Vishnu is the Supreme God of the universe, whereas Ananta is the Godhead, the source of the God. This may come as a little shock to devout Hindus. Vishnu emerges out of Ananta, and rests on Ananta as his foundation. Vishnu is manifested in the universe, "visible" and active as the universal consciousness. Ananta is unmanifested, "invisible" as the Silent Observer existing alone in inaction. Of course, in the end Vishnu and Ananta are one and the same.
तम आसीत्तमसा गूळ्हमग्रे ... आनीदवातं स्वधया तदेकं तस्माद्धान्यन्न परः किञ्चनास tama āsīt tamasā gūḷham agre ... ānīd avātam svadhayā tadekam tasmāddha anyan na paraḥ kiñcanāsa In the beginning darkness was covered by darkness ... That One breathed without breath; other than That One there was nothing else.
The above Rig Veda verses depict the myth of creation where the "Gods" are eager for Agni to come out of the darkness, i.e. project the First Ray of Universal Light, which is also depicted in different myths. One of them is that Agni-Ahi Budhyna the Primordial Serpent crept up on a lotus leaf. Another one is Indra slaying the Primordial Serpent under the name Vritra and cutting him up into parts that become the universe (along with releasing the waters of life). The true meaning of the Vedic yajna is to realize the original unity of the Serpent, and ritually effect the conjoining of the parts of Agni or Prajapati to make him whole. This is the true meaning of Agnicayana. This inner meaning of the ritual was adopted by Upanishad sages to various degrees, for example, as the Inner Fire Ritual (āntaram agnihotram) to be effected intellectually to realize the Primordial Unity.
Thus, it has been shown that Vedic metaphysics has always been consistent in its essential doctrine, while only changing in language and idiom.
The continuity has been carried on into Puranic symbolism. The most conspicuous example of Vedic serpent symbolism is the mythology of Vishnu resting on the thousand-hooded serpent Ananta Shesha.
The name of the serpent is variously Ananta (Infinite), Shesha (Remnant), Adi Shesha (Primordial Remnant). So obviously this is the same infinite Vedic serpent Agni-Ahi Budhnya. Shesha is what remains after creation. But he is Ananta Shesha, i.e. Infinite Remnant, which is an overstatement of the concept that what is infinite is never emptied out.
Vishnu is the Supreme God of the universe, whereas Ananta is the Godhead, the source of the God. This may come as a little shock to devout Hindus. Vishnu emerges out of Ananta, and rests on Ananta as his foundation. Vishnu is manifested in the universe, "visible" and active as the universal consciousness. Ananta is unmanifested, "invisible" as the Silent Observer existing alone in inaction. Of course, in the end Vishnu and Ananta are one and the same.
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