Concordance of Ṛg Veda Samhitā with Upaniṣads

 The following table of concordance is an attempt to build a comparative list of equivalent concepts seen in the Ṛg Veda Samhitā and the Upaniṣads.

It is well-known that Hindu tradition considers the Veda Samhitās and Upaniṣads as forming integral parts of a single canon of orthodox scripture, the Veda. There must have been a really good reason for this. The reason is that the Veda is thoroughly consistent in its subject matter and fundamental metaphysics and philosophy, beginning with the Samhitās all the way through to the Upaniṣads. This internal consistency is acknowledged by traditional scholars and commentators such as Yāskācārya and Sāyaṇācārya. I shall demonstrate this consistency from the viewpoint of the latter’s Vedic commentary in another essay.

The present endeavor seeks to disprove the prevalent view amongst western Indologists, Sanskritists and so-called Vedic scholars, that there is a radical revolution of ideas and philosophies in the Upaniṣads in opposition to the Samhitās. For the better part of the last 200 years, under the influence of the unenlightened, pedestrian and agenda-based views of western Indologists, even those in the Hindu fold who are otherwise staunch traditionalists have ingested and succumbed to this ridiculously wrong assertion.

Even many eminent monks of the Ramakrishna Mission who project an image of being the custodians or representatives of authentic and native understanding of its own traditions, have fallen prey to such foreign and untenable views. You will find in many of the older translations of Upaniṣads published by Ramakrishna Math, in the introduction, such wrong views being propagated. According to such writings, the Upaniṣads supposedly represent a “revolt” against the older Vedic ritualism, led by Kṣatriyas against Brāhmaṇas.

The utter absurdity of the above view is evident from even a cursory look at the texts. If the Upaniṣads were revolts against the ritualistic “orthodoxy”, they wouldn’t even be included in the sacred Vedic canon. This is similar to saying that the Cārvāka writings were included in the Veda, when they indubitably ridiculed, criticized and denigrated the Vedic system in absolute terms. It is also patently untrue that Upaniṣads are a caste-based conflict between Kṣatriyas and Brāhmaṇas. Not only are the Upaniṣads strictly framed within the orthodox institution of yajña, all of the most crucial and important concepts and philosophy are taught by, and occur in discussions between, Brāhmaṇas. The very fact that some Kṣatriya teachers are included in the same texts shows that they are fully in conformance to the orthodoxy.

The Upaniṣads aim to change the perspective of the student from a superficial understanding of Vedic ritual to the deeper realization of the profound metaphysics that is expounded throughout the Vedic canon in different ways and at different levels of subtlety. This fact is also corroborated by the quoting of numerous Samhitā mantra verses verbatim and in toto. The Upaniṣads use the Samhitā mantras as authority to demonstrate that they are saying the same thing that has been said in different words in the mantras. Below, I have also included a table of direct Samhitā mantra quotes in the Upaniṣads. Overall, you will notice that the Samhitā mantras use more poetical, metaphorical, symbolical and esoteric language, while the Upaniṣads use more straightforward language.

 

Ṛg Veda Samhitā	Upaniṣads
RV 3.26.7 अग्निरस्मि जन्मना जातवेदाः घृतं मे चक्षुरमृतं म आसन् । अर्कस्त्रिधातू रजसो विमानो अजस्रो घर्मो हविरस्मि नाम ॥ “I am Agni, omniscient by birth, Light is my eye and Immortality is my mouth. I am the three-fold Light that measures the universe. I am both immortal energy and matter.”	Bṛ. Up. 1.4.10 ब्रह्म वा इदमग्र आसीत्तदात्मानमेवावेदहं ब्रह्मास्मीति । तस्मात्तत्सर्वमभवत् ... । तदिदमप्येतर्हि य एवं वेदाहं ब्रह्मास्मीति स सर्वं भवति ...। “Brahman was indeed all this in the beginning. It knew only Itself as “I am Brahman”. Hence It became everything… Hence even today, whosoever knows “I am Brahman” becomes everything.”
RV 8.19.25 यदग्ने मर्त्यस्त्वं स्यामहं मित्रमहो अमर्त्यः “O Agni! May I, a mortal, become You, Immortal, O Best Friend!”	Chān. Up. 6.8.7 स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि “He is the Self, and You are That”
RV 10.5.7 असच्च सच्च परमे व्योमन्दक्षस्य जन्मन्नदितेरुपस्थे । अग्निर्ह नः प्रथमजा ऋतस्य पूर्व आयुनि वृषभश्च धेनुः ॥ “Both non-existence and existence in the highest realm, Daksha’s birth from Aditi’s womb, Agni is for us the first form of the universe, and in an earlier state, he is both Bull and Cow.”   RV 10.129.1 नासदासीन्नो सदासीत्तदानीं “There was neither non-existence nor existence in that state”   RV 10.129.2 न मृत्युरासीदमृतं न तर्हि “There was neither death nor immortality”	Tait. Up. 2.6 सच्च त्यच्चाभवत् निरुक्तं चानिरुक्तं च निलयनं चानिलयनं च विज्ञानं चाविज्ञानं च सत्यं चानृतं च सत्यमभवत् यदिदं किंच । “He became both existence and non-existence, both explicit and implicit, both hospitable and inhospitable, both knowledge and ignorance, both real and unreal, he became the Reality of all.”   Bṛ. Up. 2.3.1 द्वे वाव ब्रह्मणो रूपे मूर्तं चैवामूर्तं च मर्त्यं चामृतं च स्थितं च यच्च सच्च त्यच्च । “Two indeed are Brahman’s forms – gross and subtle, mortal and immortal, stationary and fluid, existence and non-existence.”
RV 3.55.7 अन्वग्रं चरति क्षेति बुध्नः “He moves ahead while staying still as foundation”	Īśā. Up. 5 तदेजति तन्नैजति “It moves and it moves not”
RV 6.9.5 ध्रुवं ज्योतिर्निहितं दृशये कं मनो जविष्ठं पतयत्स्वन्तः । विश्वे देवाः समनसः सकेता एकं क्रतुमभिवियन्ति साधु ॥ “A firm Light is hidden within the senses (or the creatures), for the sake of vision. It is the source of bliss, and it is subtler than the mind. All the deities (or senses) with a single mind and single knowledge move towards the one center of ultimate knowledge.”   RV 6.9.4 … पश्यतेममिदं ज्योतिरमृतं मर्त्येषु … “… Look at Him! This Immortal Light within the mortals…”	Īśā. Up. 6 अनेजदेको मनसो जवीयो “The one unmoving, faster (or subtler) than the mind.”   Kaṭha Up. 1.2.20 आत्माऽस्य जन्तोर्निहितो गुहायां “The Self is hidden within the creature”   Tait. Up. 2.1 यो वेद निहितं गुहायां परमे व्योमन् “He who knows the (Self) hidden inside the supreme space (or highest realm)”   Bṛ. Up. 4.4.16 तद्देवा ज्योतिषां ज्योतिरायुर्होपासतेऽमृतम् “The deities worship that Light of Lights, the Life, the Immortal”   Kaṭha Up. 2.1.13 अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषो ज्योतिरिवाधूमकः “The thumb-sized Person, like a smokeless Light”
RV 6.9.6 वि मे कर्णा पतयतो वि चक्षुर्वीदं ज्योतिर्हृदय आहितं यत् । वि मे मनश्चरति दूरआधीः किं स्विद् वक्ष्यामि किमु नू मनिष्ये ॥ “My ears fly forth, my eyes fly forth seeking this Light that is spread wide within the heart. My mind wanders far in search, what shall I speak of, and what shall I think of?”	Kena Up. 3 न तत्र चक्षुर्गच्छति न वाग्गच्छति नो मनः “The eye does not go there, nor speech nor the mind”     Tait. Up. 2.9 यतो वाचो निवर्तन्ते अप्राप्य मनसा सह “From which speech and mind return back, not having reached”   Kaṭha Up. 2.3.12 नैव वाचा न मनसा प्राप्तुं शक्यो न चक्षुषा “Neither by speech nor by the mind nor by sight, is he attainable”
RV 6.9.7 विश्वे देवा अनमस्यन्भियानास्त्वामग्ने तमसि तस्थिवांसम् । वैश्वानरोऽवतूतये नोऽमर्त्योऽवतूतये नः ॥ “All the deities bowed down in fear of you, O Agni, when you were sitting in the darkness. May the Universal Person protect us, may the Immortal One protect us.”	Tait. Up. 2.8 भीषास्माद्वातः पवते भीषोदेति सूर्यः भीषास्मादग्निश्चेन्द्रश्च मृत्युर्धावति पंचम इति । “Out of fear of him, the wind blows, out of fear the sun rises, out of fear Agni and Indra, and Death, the fifth, go about doing their work”
RV 1.164.4 अस्थन्वन्तं यदनस्था बिभर्ति “The boneless one (i.e. without physical form) supports the one with bones (i.e. a physical form)	Kaṭha Up. 1.2.22 अशरीरं शरीरेष्वनवस्थेष्ववस्थितं “The one without a body is present within bodies, the permanent presence within impermanent states”
RV 10.72.2 असतः सदजायत “From non-existence was born existence”	Tait. Up. 2.7 असद्वा इदमग्र आसीत् ततो सदजायत “Non-existence was indeed all this in the beginning, from it existence was born”

 

Direct quotes:

 

 

Ṛg Veda Samhitā	Upaniṣads
RV 4.26.1 अहं मनुरभवं सूर्यश्चाहं कक्षीवान् ऋषिरस्मि विप्रः। अहं कुत्समार्जुनेयं न्यृञ्जेऽहं कविरुशना पश्यता मा ॥ “I was Manu and the Sun. I am the wise Kakṣīvān Ṛṣi. I nurture the white bolt of lightning (or the Ṛṣi Kutsa). I am the ancient Kavi Uśanā. O people, look at me! (i.e. you can also become enlightened like me).”	Bṛ. Up. 1.4.10 तद्धैतत्पश्यन्नृषिर्वामदेवः प्रतिपेदे अहं मनुरभवं सूर्यश्चेति “Having realized this truth, the Ṛṣi Vāmadeva declared “I was Manu and the Sun” …”
RV 4.27.1 गर्भे नु सन्नन्वेषामवेदमहं देवानां जनिमानि विश्वा । शतं मा पुर आयसीररक्षन्नधः श्येनो जवसा निरदीयम् ॥ “While still in the womb, I knew of all the forms of all the deities. A hundred iron forts held me down, but I escaped swiftly like a hawk.”	Ait. Up. 2.5 तदुक्तमृषिणा गर्भे नु … जवसा निरदीयम् ॥ “(this same truth) is said by the Ṛṣi: “While still in the womb … swiftly like a hawk.” …”
RV 1.116.12 तद्वां नरा सनये दंस उग्रमाविष्कृणोमि तन्यतुर्न वृष्टिम् । दध्यङ् ह यन्मध्वाथर्वणो वामश्वस्य शीर्ष्णा प्रयदीमुवाच ॥ “That fierce deed of yours (Aśvins) I shall declare, just as a cloud reveals rain. The secret Madhu knowledge that Dadhyaṅ Ātharvaṇa taught you through a horse’s head.”   RV 1.117.22 आथर्वणायाश्विना दधीचेऽश्व्यं शिरः प्रत्यैरयतम् । स वां मधु प्रवोचदृतायन् त्वाष्ट्रं यद्दस्रावपिकक्ष्यं वाम् ॥ “O Aśvins, you installed a horse’s head on Dadhyaṅ Ātharvaṇa. He then taught you the secret Madhu knowledge of Tvaṣṭā.”	Bṛ. Up. 2.5.16 इदं वै तन्मधु दध्यङ्ङाथर्वणोऽश्विभ्यामुवाच तदेतदृषिः पश्यन्नवोचत् । तद्वां नरा … प्रयदीमुवाचेति । “This verily is that secret Madhu knowledge that Dadhyaṅ Ātharvaṇa taught the Aśvins. Having witnessed that, a Ṛṣi declared this mantra: “That fierce deed…” …”   Bṛ. Up. 2.5.17 इदं वै तन्मधु दध्यङ्ङाथर्वणोऽश्विभ्यामुवाच तदेतदृषिः पश्यन्नवोच । आथर्वणायाश्विना … वामिति । “This verily is that secret Madhu knowledge that Dadhyaṅ Ātharvaṇa taught the Aśvins. Having witnessed that, a Ṛṣi declared this mantra: “O Aśvins…” …”
RV 8.6.30 आदित्प्रत्नस्य रेतसो ज्योतिष्पश्यन्ति वासरम् । परो यदिध्यते दिवा ॥ “They see the enveloping Supreme Light of the Ancient Seed everywhere, which shines in heaven.”   RV 1.50.10 उद्वयं तमसस्परि ज्योतिष्पश्यन्त उत्तरं । देवं देवत्रा सूर्यमगन्म ज्योतिरुत्तमम् ॥ “May we overcome the darkness and see the light. May we, the godward, reach the god Sūrya’s supreme light.”	Chān. Up. 3.17.6-7 तद्धैतद् घोर आङ्गिरसः कृष्णाय देवकीपुत्रायोक्त्वोवाचापिपास एव स बभूव सोऽन्तवेलायामेतत्त्रयं प्रतिपद्येताक्षितमस्यच्युतमसि प्राणसंशितमसीति तत्रैते द्वे ऋचौ भवतः। आदित्प्रत्नस्य रेतस उद्वयं तमसस्परि ज्योतिष्पश्यन्त उत्तरं स्वः पश्यन्त उत्तरं देवं देवत्रा सूर्यमगन्म ज्योतिरुत्तममिति ज्योतिरुत्तममिति। “That verily is what Ghora Āṅgirasa taught Kṛṣṇa Devakīputra, who became free from thirst. At the last moment of life, one should chant these three: “You are endless, you are faultless, you are protected by Prāṇa”. In regards to this, there are two Ṛk mantras: (RV 8.6.30) (RV 1.50.10)”
RV 1.189.1 अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान् विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान्। युयोध्यस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो भूयिष्ठां ते नमउक्तिं विधेम ॥ “O Agni, lead us on the right path as you O Lord are omniscient. Destroy this stubborn sin from us, we bow to you profusely.”	Īśā. Up. 18
RV 1.164.20 द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते। तयोरन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्नन्नन्यो अभिचाकशीति ॥ “Two birds of beautiful feathers, very attached to each other, best friends, sit on the same tree. Of them, one eats a tasty fruit, and the other watches silently without eating.”	Muṇḍ. Up. 3.1.1 Śvet. Up. 4.6
RV 3.29.2 अरण्योर्निहितो जातवेदाः गर्भइव सुधितो गर्भिणीषु। दिवेदिव ईड्यो जागृवद्भिर्हविष्मद्भिर्मनुष्येभिरग्निः ॥ “The Omniscient One (Jātavedā) is well-hidden in wood (or bodies) just as an embryo is well-hidden in the womb of the pregnant. Agni is to be worshipped everyday by the awakened (i.e. enlightened), offering human beings.”	Kaṭha Up. 2.1.8 अरण्योर्निहितो जातवेदाः गर्भइव सुभृतो गर्भिणीषु। दिवेदिव ईड्यो जागृवद्भिर्हविष्मद्भिर्मनुष्येभिरग्निः ॥ (Same except सुधितो “hidden” changed to सुभृतो “protected”)
RV 4.40.5 हंसः शुचिषद्वसुरन्तरिक्षसद्धोता वेदिषदतिथिर्दुरोणसत्। नृषद्वरसदृतसद्व्योमसदब्जा गोजा ऋतजा अद्रिजा ऋतम् ॥ “The Swan is present in water, in the atmosphere, is the main priest, present in the altar, the guest, present in the house, present in humans, in deities, in the dynamism of the universe, in space. He is born from water, from light, from truth, from mountains. He is the truth.”	Kaṭha Up. 2.2.2
RV 1.164.12 पञ्चपादं पितरं द्वादशाकृतिं दिव अाहुः परे अर्धे पुरीषिणम्। अथेमे अन्य उपरे विचक्षणं सप्तचक्रे षडर आहुरर्पितम् ॥ “The Father of five feet and twelve forms is said to be showering down from heaven. Others say of him as having a chariot of seven wheels each of which have six spokes.”	Praśna Up. 1.11
RV 5.81.1 युञ्जते मन उत युञ्जते धियो विप्रा विप्रस्य बृहतो विपश्चितः। वि होत्रा दधे वयुनाविदेक इन्मही देवस्य सवितुः परिष्टुतिः॥ “The wise humans join their mind and intellect with the Great Wise Omniscient. He, the omniscient, alone knows the activities of all. This is the great praise of the god Savitā.	Śvet. Up. 2.4
RV 10.81.3 विश्वतश्चक्षुरुत विश्वतो मुखो विश्वतो बाहुरुत विश्वतस्पात्। सं बाहुभ्यां धमति सं पतत्रैः द्यावाभूमी जनयन्देव एकः ॥ “His eyes are everywhere, his face (or mouth) is everywhere, his arms are everywhere, his feet are everywhere. With his arms and wings he blows (like melting a metal) and manufactures the earth and heaven.”	Śvet. Up. 3.3
RV 10.90.1 सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात्। स भूमिं विश्वतो वृत्वात्यतिष्ठद्दशाङ्गुलम् ॥ “The Universal Person has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes and a thousand feet. He envelops the earth all around but stays above it by a measure of ten fingers (or cubits).”	Śvet. Up. 3.14
RV 10.90.2 पुरुष एवेदं सर्वं यद्भूतं यच्च भव्यम्। उतामृतत्वस्येशानः यदन्नेनाति रोहति ॥ “The Universal Person is indeed all this, whatever was, and whatever will be. He is the Lord of Immortality, and he grows by food (or matter).”	Śvet. Up. 3.15
RV 1.164.39 ऋचो अक्षरे परमे व्योमन्यस्मिन्देवा अधि विश्वे निषेदुः। यस्तन्न वेद किमृचा करिष्यति य इत्तद्विदुस्त इमे समासते ॥ “The Ṛk mantras are present in the imperishable highest realm in which all the deities reside. One who does not know this, what use are the mantras to him. Those who know that, they imbibe the (meaning of the) mantras.”	Śvet. Up. 4.8

 

The philosophical idea of varṇa (not "caste") in Upaniṣad and Veda

First, let us look at the following passages of Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.4:

ब्रह्म वा इदमग्र आसीदेकमेव तदेकं सन्न व्यभवत् । तच्छ्रेयोरूपमत्यसृजत क्षत्रं यान्येतानि देवत्रा क्षत्राणीन्द्रो वरुणः सोमो रुद्रः पर्जन्यो यमो मृत्युरीशान इति । तस्मात्क्षत्रात्परं नास्ति तस्माद् ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियमधस्तादुपास्ते राजसूये क्षत्र एव तद्यशो दधाति सैषा क्षत्रस्य योनिर्यद् ब्रह्म । तस्माद्यद्यपि राजा परमतां गच्छति ब्रह्मैवान्तत उपनिश्रयति स्वां योनिं य उ एनं हिनस्ति स्वां स योनिमृच्छति स पापीयान् भवति यथा श्रेयांसं हिंसित्वा । ११

“Brahman alone was indeed all this in the beginning. It being alone did not prosper. Hence it created a better form than itself, called Kṣatra. These are the deities who are Kṣatra — Indra, Varuṇa, Soma, Rudra, Parjanya, Yama, Mṛtyu and Īśāna. Hence, there is nothing higher than the Kṣatra, and that is why the Brāhmaṇa worships the Kṣatriya from below in the Rājasūya — he bestows that glory on the Kṣatriya only. The Brahman is the origin of the Kṣatra. Hence, even though the king is raised to superiority, in the end he seeks refuge in his origin, the Brahman. He who harms him, he harms his own origin and becomes sinful just as by harming one’s elder.”

स नैव व्यभवत्स विशमसृजत यान्येतानि देवजातानि गणश आख्यायन्ते वसवो रुद्रा आदित्या विश्वेदेवा मरुत इति । १२

“He still did not prosper. He created the Viṭ (i.e. Vaiśya). These are the Viṭ deities — the ones enumerated in groups — Vasus, Rudras, Ādityas, Viśvedevas and Maruts.”

स नैव व्यभवत्स शौद्रं वर्णमसृजत पूषणमियं वै पूषेयं हीदं सर्वं पुष्यति यदिदं किंच । १३

“He still did not prosper. He created the Śūdra varṇa. The deity who is Śūdra is Pūṣan. This earth is indeed Pūṣan, because she nourishes everything that exists.”

तदेतद् ब्रह्म क्षत्रं विट् शूद्रस्तदग्निनैव देवेषु ब्रह्माभवत् ब्राह्मणो मनुष्येषु क्षत्रियेण क्षत्रियो वैश्येन वैश्यः शूद्रेण शूद्रः …. । १५

“This then is the Brahman, Kṣatra, Viṭ and Śūdra. Brahman became Agni among the deities, and among humans it became the Brāhmaṇa. Similarly, from the Kṣatra deities came the human Kṣatriya, from the Vaiśya came the Vaiśya, and from the Śūdra came the Śūdra.”

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We must first understand the objective of the Vedic texts, the Brāhmaṇas and Āraṇyakas. Technically, there are no traditionally separate texts called Upaniṣads because these are extracts from the Samhitās, Brāhmaṇas or Āraṇyakas.

So these prose texts aim at providing integrative philosophical explanations for fundamental questions of human existence. While the Brāhmaṇa texts do this in the context of elaborating the rituals of yajña and the mystical symbolism of each ritual, the Āraṇyaka texts take a step further and abstract the philosophical explanations further.

The above quoted passages demonstrate the typical style of this integrative philosophical explanation. The overall theme of the section 1.4 is to discuss the sole existence of the ultimate spiritual reality called Brahman and the creation of the universe and its various aspects. Hence, the same metaphysical Brahman is conflated with post-creation physical categories such as the human Brāhmaṇa. This is an example of expressing the identities and equivalencies between the physical and metaphysical realms. As is understandable, when crossing the boundary from metaphysical to physical, we cross from pure unconditional truth to conditioned human constructs.

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The first point to note carefully is the use of the neuter “It” and “Brahman” in the first paragraph. This refers to the primeval state of the undifferentiated ultimate non-dual existence of Brahman in and of itself, prior to creation of a duality. In this state, obviously everything is the same Brahman without distinction and discrimination. This is the state that is the goal of spiritual aspirants. Looking at it from another point of view, the state of Brahman is also the reversal of creation, where all the dualities merge back into the non-dual state.

Hence, our tradition makes no distinction between enlightened persons (Jñānis) of different births or “castes”. Once a person becomes a Jñāni, he/she is beyond physical constructs, and joins the metaphysical non-duality. Our history is filled with people of various “high and low” births who attained the same unquestionable spiritual status. This is also supported by authority. The previous passage in this same text says that whoever realizes the truth “I am Brahman” surely becomes Brahman without distinction. Also, Śaṅkarācārya says in his Brahma-sūtra-bhāṣyam, “ज्ञाने सर्वेषामधिकारः jñāne sarveṣāmadhikāraḥ” — “Everyone is entitled to knowledge”.

However, the subtle point to be noted is that once the physical categories of duality have been created, every category “owns” a mode of operation. Hence, in the created universe, jumping across modes of operation is resented by definition. To simplify terms, what I mean is that although everyone is entitled to knowledge, not all the various modes of gaining that knowledge are open to all classes of people. This is an unfortunate and inevitable paradox of the created universe. The end state of equality is respected, but the means of reaching that end state have restrictions. In our tradition, we see three stages of development:

1. In the beginning, when society was simple (i.e. symbolized by a new creation), everyone regardless of birth had equal entitlement over knowledge (Jñāna) and modes of operation (Karma). This is when everyone studied Veda and performed yajña.
2. As society proliferated, the entitlement over knowledge (Jñāna) was still equal but the different modes of operation (Karma) were now “owned” by different categories. This is when everyone still studied Veda, but not everyone could perform yajña.
3. As competition grew in society, there was increasing monopolization of both knowledge (Jñāna) and modes of operation (Karma). This is when not everyone could study the Veda nor perform yajña. This is also when alternative parallel systems that provided the same knowledge as the Veda (e.g. Epics and Purāṇas) came into existence. This restored the state back to the one where everyone is entitled to, and has access to, knowledge.

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The second point to note is that after creation of the duality of the universe, Brahman by its non-dual self is not adequate to operate in this duality. This might seem nonsensical as Brahman is everything and omnipotent. However, the non-dual Brahman “in-and-of-itself” exists in a completely different plane than the physical “dualized” universe. To give a sci-fi analogy, a creature from a three-dimensional world cannot operate in a two-dimensional world without modifications. Hence, Brahman needs to “dualize” itself into various modes and forms that correspond to the various aspects and elements of the physical universe. This is the reasoning behind the existence of, for example, five senses to correspond to the five media of perception.

The extrapolation of the non-dual Brahman into the four categories according to modes of operation (Karma) is as essential to the working of the universe as any other aspect.

This idea is evident in the above quoted passages, where the four categories are ascribed even to the deities. So it should be obvious and indisputable that the philosophy of the four varṇas is not based on denigration, oppression, disadvantaging or other development that is inevitable in real-world social group dynamics. Hence we observe that the text says that the Brahman did not prosper until all four varṇas had been created.

As a consequence of this “dualization”, please notice the text beginning to use the words “He” and “Brāhmaṇa” in place of “It” and “Brahman”.

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The third point to note is the ascription of the Brāhmaṇa as the source of the Kṣatriya even though the latter gets all the glory. This is easily understood philosophically. The Brāhmaṇa symbolizes all undifferentiated or non-specialized mental activity. As such all idealized aspects of the mind such as general decision-making, intellectualizing, conscience, uncompromised adherence to truth, etc. will be the starting point for actual physical implementation or action, which is symbolized by the Kṣatriya. As we see in the physical world, the film actor is the center of attention and fame, whereas the director works behind the camera.

This philosophy demonstrates a great symbiosis that was conceived and implemented by our ancients. The Brāhmaṇa cannot be undermined by the Kṣatriya, as the former is uncompromised idealization, whereas the latter is forever facing constraints that force compromise. The concept is that of ideal ideation and optimized implementation.

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The fourth point to note is the great spiritual and physical status of the Śūdra varṇa. Not only is the god Pūṣan called Śūdra and identified with Mother Earth who sustains all life, but the text says that the human Śūdras are descended from the divine Śūdra, just as the other human varṇas are descended from the divine varṇas.

So, all the varṇas are philosophically and theologically equal in status and dignity.

In this context, the criticism and denigration of the Ṛgvedic Puruṣa Sūktam (10.90) as defining a hierarchical “caste” structure, is extremely pedestrian, willfully ignorant and unenlightened. In particular, the origin of Śūdra varṇa from the feet of Puruṣa (10.90.12: padbhyām śūdrah) is followed by the origin of the Earth also from the feet of Puruṣa (10.90.14: padbhyām bhūmih). So if origin from feet is supposed to imply attributed inferiority, then should we consider the Earth on which we live, as inferior? And if so, inferior compared to what? Moreover, Puruṣa himself is introduced in the first verse as possessing a thousand heads and a thousand feet. So it seems that both the head and the feet are equally important characteristics of the Puruṣa.

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Now, as far as the social reality is concerned, there is no doubt that every idealized social system will degrade and deteriorate when it steps into human society, which is comprised of imperfect humans with their greed, fear, envy, lust and a host of other vices.




The historical system that was named “caste” is actually a combination of the philosophical categories of varṇa and the biological lineage of jāti.