MEDITATION, DEVI AND UPANISHADIC KNOWLEDGE IN RIGVEDA
Conventional
western and westernized wisdom wrongly regard Rigveda as being merely a
collection of prayers to nature-gods for material benefits. My translation
suggests that the Rigveda is shot through with concern for Union or Yoga with
the divine. It deals with different aspects of meditation. There are references
to self-realisation or liberation, and sometimes to moksha. Of course, these
words are not used in their modern form. This may be the reason why these
references are missed out in existing translations.
In this
post, I am discussing one verse in the 23rd hymn of Rigveda, which
refers to meditation, Devi and also reveals Upanishadic knowledge. As part of
the discussion, I will also bring in references to verses 1.010.01 and
1.007.02, which seem to confirm the correctness of my translation.
The verse
under discussion refers to meditation as सं,
and
to Devi as ग्ना (= ग्ने) and जया.
The
verse reads:
सं माग्ने वर्चसा सृज सं प्रजया समायुषा | विद्युमे अस्य देवा इन्द्रो विद्यात्सह ऋषिभिः ||(1.023.24)
The verse has four parts
that bear a close look.
1. सं
माग्ने वर्चसा सृज : Meditation (सं) on goddess of
knowledge (मा-ग्ने) creates brilliance (वर्चसा सृज). The goddess is referred to as ग्ना, and knowledge as मा. Meditating on her creates brilliance.
2. सं
प्रजया समायुषा : Meditation on
Durga (सं प्र-जया) bestows a
perfect duration of life (सम्-आयुषा). Durga is
referred to here as जया. This can only
mean a reference to her puranic exploits in defeating asuras.
3. विद्युमे
अस्य देवा : In the light of ‘I’ is God (विद्यु-मे अस्य देवा). The word used for self
is मे . Macdonell translates
this word to mean ‘aham’ or ‘I’. This translation reveals that this phrase: विद्युमे अस्य देवा gives the essence of Upanishadic knowledge. It
says that in the light of self, we can see the supreme spirit or divinity. This
same thing is emphasized by Bhagwan Satya Sai Baba: “Liberation is attained
when the Soul shines in its own divinity”.[1]
4. इन्द्रो
विद्यात्सह ऋषिभिः : With the state of spiritual knowledge upheld or
promoted by Indra, vanquishes (इन्द्रो
विद्यात्-सह) Rishi the delusion (ऋषि - भिः). इन्द्रो is interpreted here as being an abbreviation of इन्द्रोत, which means “upheld or promoted by Indra”. विद्यात्
is
taken as an abbreviation of विद्यात्व, which mean
state or idea of विद्या, which in turn
means spiritual knowledge.
The statement इन्द्रो विद्यात्सह ऋषिभिः has two aspects.
First, it implies that the effort to illuminate ‘I’
(विद्यु-मे) is based on the state of spiritual knowledge promoted by Indra (इन्द्रो विद्यात्). Thus, Indra promoted
the spiritual knowledge of Yoga. This is in line with the statements of
Vaisvamitra which said that Indra had promoted yoga (इन्द्र इद्धयो,[2] इन्द्रो वज्री
हिरण्ययः,[3] 1.007.2). It also confirms the verse of Vaisvamitra that says that: ब्रह्माणस्त्वा शतक्रत उद्वंशमिव येमिरे, i.e. he had acquired the breath of Brahman riding on the backbone as it
were of Indra, and established and acquired Union or yoga (1.010.01).
Second, the full phrase says : इन्द्रो विद्यात्-सह ऋषि – भिः. That is with the state of spiritual knowledge promoted by Indra,
vanquishes Rishi delusion. The vanquishing of delusion is called liberation or
self realization: Bhagvan Satya Sai Baba says:.. Liberation is the condition of
one who has shed delusion.[4] Hence the use of the word
Rishi (ऋषि) in this phrase, to
denote one who has shed delusion or attained liberation.
Putting 3 and 4 together, the second line of the verse:
विद्युमे अस्य देवा इन्द्रो विद्यात्सह ऋषिभिः
Is a full statement of the Upanishadic Truth. It says: In the light of self
shines divinity, with the spiritual knowledge upheld or promoted by Indra, the
Rishi vanquishes delusion.
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