{"id":236,"date":"2013-07-13T01:26:48","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:26:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=236"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:26:48","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:26:48","slug":"32-the-first-rik-of-the-rig-veda-vol-11-hymns-to-the-mystic-fire-volume-11","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/01-sabcl\/11-hymns-to-the-mystic-fire-volume-11\/32-the-first-rik-of-the-rig-veda-vol-11-hymns-to-the-mystic-fire-volume-11","title":{"rendered":"-32_The First Rik of the Rig – Veda.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n

\nSUPPLEMENT<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nThe<\/i> following notes and studies found
\namong Sri Aurobindo’s early manuscripts, evidently unrevised, are printed here
\nfor their intrinsic value. <\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\nThe First Rik of the Rig-veda<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nM<\/b><\/font>adhuchchhandas Vaishwamitra’s Hymn
\nto Agni written in the Gayatri metre in which the first verse runs
\nin the devabhāṣā<\/i>,<\/font><\/p>\n

\n \n<\/p>\n

\n
\n    <\/font>
\n<\/i>
\nAgnimīḷe purohitam yaj\u00f1̣asya devamṛtvijam,
\n           
\nhotāram ratnadhātamam.<\/i><\/font> <\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nand in English,<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n"Agni I adore, who stands before the Lord, the god who
\nseeth Truth, the warrior, strong disposer of delight."<\/font><\/p>\n

\nSo the Rig-veda begins with an invocation to Agni, with the
\nadoration of the pure, mighty and brilliant God. "Agni (he who
\nexcels and is mighty)," cries the Seer, "him I adore." Why Agni
\nbefore all the other gods? Because it is he that stands before
\nYajna, the Divine Master of things; because he is the god whose
\nburning eyes can gaze straight at Truth, at the satyam<\/i>, the vij\u00f1ānam<\/i>, which is the Seer’s own aim and desire and on which all
\nVeda is based; because he is the warrior who wars down and removes all the crooked attractions of ignorance and limitation (asmajjuhurāṇam
\nenaḥ<\/i>) that stand persistently in the way of the Yogin; because as the
\nvehicle of Tapas, the pure divine superconscious energy which flows from the
\nconcealed higher hemisphere of existence, (avyakta parā<\/i>rdha), he more than any
\ndevelops and arranges Ananda, the divine delight. This is the
\nsignification of the verse.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nWho is this Yajna and what is this Agni? Yajna, the Master
\nof the Universe, is the universal living Intelligence who possesses <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 <\/font>439<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nand controls His world; Yajna is God. Agni also is a living intelligence that has gone forth, is
\nsṛṣṭa <\/i>from that Personality to do
\nHis work and represent His power; Agni is a God. The material
\nsense sees neither God nor gods, neither Yajna nor Agni; it sees
\nonly the elements and the formations of the elements, material
\nappearances and the movements in or of those appearances. It
\ndoes not see Agni, it sees a fire; it does not see God, it sees the
\nearth green and the sun flaming in heaven and is aware of the
\nwind that blows and the waters that roll. So too it sees the body
\nor appearance of a man, not the man himself; it sees the look
\nor the gesture, but of the thought behind look or gesture it is not
\naware. Yet the man exists in the body and thought exists in the
\nlook or the gesture. So too Agni exists in the fire and God exists
\nin the world. They also live outside of as well as in the fire and
\noutside of as well as in the world.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nHow do they live in the fire or in the world ? As the man lives
\nin his body and as thought lives in the look or the gesture. The
\nbody is not the man in himself and the gesture is not the thought
\nin itself; it is only the man in manifestation or the thought in
\nmanifestation. So too the fire is not Agni in himself but Agni
\nin manifestation and the world is not God in Himself but God
\nin manifestation. The man is not manifested only by his body,
\nbut also and much more perfectly by his work and action.
\nThought is not manifested only by look and gesture, but also and
\nmuch more perfectly by action and speech. So too, Agni is not
\nmanifested only by fire, but also and much more perfectly by all
\nworkings in the world, \u2014 subtle as well as gross material, \u2014of the principle of heat and brilliance and force; God is not
\nmanifested only by this material world, but also and much
\nmore perfectly by all movements and harmonies of the
\naction of consciousness supporting and informing material
\nappearances.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nWhat then is Yajna in Himself and what is Agni in himself?
\nYajna is Being, Awareness and Bliss; He is Sat with Chit and
\nAnanda, because Chit and Ananda are inevitable in Sat. When
\nin His Being, Awareness and Bliss He conceals Guna or quality,
\nHe is nirguṇa sat<\/i>, impersonal being with Awareness and Bliss
\neither gathered up in Himself and passive, they nivṛtta<\/i>. He also <\/font> <\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 440<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nnivṛtta <\/i>or working as a detached activity in His impersonal existence, they
\npravṛtta<\/i>, He nivṛtta<\/i>. Then He should not be called
\nYajna, because He is then aware of himself as the Watcher and
\nnot as the Lord of activity. But when in His being, He manifests
\nGuna or quality He is saguṇa sat<\/i>, personal being. Even then He
\nmay be nivṛtta<\/i>, not related to His active awareness and bliss except as a Watcher of its detached activity; but He may also by His
\nShakti enter into their activity and possess and inform His universe (praviśya<\/i>,
\nadhiṣṭhita<\/i>), He pravṛtta<\/i>, they pravṛtta<\/i>. It is then
\nthat He knows Himself as the Lord and is properly called Yajna.
\nNot only is He called Yajna, but all action is called Yajna, and
\nYoga, by which alone the process of any action is possible, is
\nalso called Yajna. The material sacrifice of action is only one
\nform of Yajna which, when man began to grow again material,
\ntook first a primary and then a unique importance and for the
\nman of men stood for all action and all Yajna. But the Lord is
\nthe master of all our actions; for Him they are, to Him they are
\ndevoted, with or without knowledge (avidhipūrvakam<\/i>) we are
\nalways offering our works to their Creator. Every action is, 
\ntherefore, an offering to Him and the world is the altar of our
\nlife-long session of sacrifice. In this world-wide Karmakanda
\nthe mantras of the Veda are the teachers of right action {ṛtam<\/i>) and it is therefore that the Veda speaks of Him as Yajna and not
\nby another name.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThis Yajna, who is the Saguna Sat, does not do works Himself, (that is by Sat), but He works in Himself, in Sat by His
\npower of Chit, \u2014 by His Awareness. It is because He becomes
\naware of things in Himself by some process of Chit that things
\nare created, brought out, that is to say, brought from His all-containing non-manifest Being into His manifest Self. Power
\nand awareness, Chit and Shakti are one, and though we speak
\nfor convenience’ sake of the Power of Chit, and call it Chich-chhakti, yet the expression should really be understood not as
\nthe Power of Chit, but Chit that is Power. All awareness is power
\nand all power conceals awareness. When Chit that is Power begins to work, then She manifests Herself as kinetic force, Tapas,
\nand makes it the basis of all activity. For, because all power is
\nChit subjectively, therefore all power is objectively attended with <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 441<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nlight; but there are different kinds of light, because there are
\ndifferent manifestations of Chit. Seven rays have cast out this
\napparent world from the Eternal Luminousness which dwells
\nlike a Sun of ultimate being beyond its final annihilation, āditya-vat tamasaḥ parastāt<\/i>, and by these seven rays in their subjectivity
\nthe subjective world and by these seven rays in their objectivity
\nthe phenomenal world is manifested. Sat, Chit, Ananda, Vijnana, Manas, Prana, Annam are the sevenfold subjectivity of the
\nJyotirmaya Brahman. Prakasha, Agni, Vidyut, Jyoti, Tejas,
\nDosha and Chhaya are His sevenfold objectivity. Agni is the
\nMaster of the vehicle of Tapas. What is this vehicle of Tapas of
\nwhich Agni is the master? It is fiery light. Agni is the light of
\nTapas, its vehicle and continent. The Master is known by the
\nname of his kingdom. Strength, heat, brilliance, purity, mastery
\nof knowledge and impartiality are his attributes. He is Yajna
\nmanifest as the Master of the light of Tapas, through whom all
\nkinetic energy of consciousness, thought, feeling or action is
\nmanifested in this world which Yajna has made out of His own
\nbeing. It is for this reason that he is said to stand before Yajna.
\nHe or Vidyut or Surya full of him is the blaze of light in which
\nthe Yogins see God with the divine vision. He is the instrument
\nof that universal activity in which Yajna at once reveals and
\nconceals His being.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAgni is a god \u2014 He is of the Devas, the shining ones, the
\nMasters of light \u2014 the great cosmic gamesters, the lesser lords
\nof the Lila, of which Yajna is the Maheshwara, our Almighty
\nLord. He is fire and unbound or binds himself only in play. He
\nis inherently pure and he is not touched nor soiled by the impurities on which he feeds. He enjoys the play of good and evil and
\nleads, raises or forces the evil towards goodness. He burns in
\norder to purify. He destroys in order to save. When the body of
\nthe Sadhaka is burned up with the heat of the Tapas, it is Agni that
\nis roaring and devouring and burning up in him the impurity and
\nthe obstructions. He is a dreadful, mighty, blissful, merciless
\nand loving God, the kind and fierce helper of all who take refuge
\nin his friendship.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nKnowledge was born to Agni with his birth \u2014 therefore he
\nis called Jatavedas.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 442<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nANALYSIS<\/span><\/font>
\n<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nअग्निम् <\/font>
\n(<\/font>agnim<\/i><\/font>)<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAgni is a Devata, one of the most brilliant and powerful of
\nthe masters of the intelligent mind. Man, according to Vedic
\npsychology, consists of seven principles, in which the Atman
\ncases itself, \u2014annam<\/i>, gross matter; prāṇa<\/i>, vital energy;
\nmanas<\/i>, intelligent mind;
\nvij\u00f1ānam<\/i>, ideal mind; ānanda<\/i>, pure or essential bliss;
\ncit<\/i>, pure
\nor essential awareness; sat<\/i>, pure or essential being. In the present stage of
\nour evolution ordinary humanity has developed annam, prāṇa <\/i>and manas
\n<\/i>for habitual use; and well-developed men are able to use with power the
\nvij\u00f1ānam <\/i>acting
\nnot in its own habitation, <\/font>
\nस्वे दमे <\/font>
\n(sve dame<\/i>), nor in its own rūpa<\/i>, but vij\u00f1ānam
\n<\/i>in the mind and as reasoning faculty, buddhi<\/i>; extraordinary men are able to aid the action of manas and
\nbuddhi <\/i>proper by the
\nvij\u00f1ānam <\/i>acting in the intelligent mind indeed and
\nso out of its proper sphere, but in its own form as ideal consciousness \u2014 the combination
\nof mānasika <\/i>and vaij\u00f1ānika <\/i>action making
\nwhat is called genius, pratibhānam<\/i>, a reflection or luminous response in the mind to higher ideation; the Yogin goes beyond
\nto the vij\u00f1ānam <\/i>itself or, if he is one of the greatest Rishis, like
\nYajnavalkya, to the ānanda<\/i>. None in ordinary times go beyond the ānanda
\n<\/i>in the waking state, for the cit <\/i>and sat <\/i>are only attainable in
\nsuṣupti<\/i>, because only the first five sheaths or
\npa\u00f1cakoṣas <\/i>are yet sufficiently developed to be visible except to the men of
\nthe Satya Yuga and even by them the two others are not perfectly
\nseen. From the vij\u00f1ānam <\/i>to the annam <\/i>is the aparārdha <\/i>or lower
\npart of Existence where Vidya is dominated by Avidya; from the ānanda <\/i>to the
\nsat <\/i>is the
\nparārdha <\/i>or higher half in which
\nAvidya is dominated by Vidya and there is no ignorance, pain
\nor limitation.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nIn man as he is at present developed, the
\nintelligent mind is the most important psychological faculty and it is with a
\nview to the development of the intelligent mind to its highest purity and
\ncapacity that the hymns of the Veda are written. In this mind there are
\nsuccessively the following principles; sūkṣma anna<\/i>, refinement of the gross
\nanna <\/i>out of which the physical part of
\nthe manaḥkoṣa <\/i>or sūkṣma deha <\/i>is made; sūkṣma prāṇa<\/i>, the<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 443<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nvital energy in the mind which acts in the
\nnāḍis <\/i>or nervous system of the sūkṣma deha <\/i>and which is the agent of desire;
\ncitta<\/i> or
\nreceptive consciousness, which receives all the impressions from
\nwithout and within by tāmasika<\/i> reaction, but, being tāmasika<\/i>, does
\nnot make them evident to the sāttvika <\/i>consciousness or intelligent
\nawareness which we call knowledge, so that we remember with
\nthe citta <\/i>everything noticed or unnoticed, but that knowledge is
\nuseless for our life owing to its lying enveloped in tamas<\/i>; hṛt <\/i>or
\nthe rājasika <\/i>reaction to impressions which we call feeling or emotion, or, when it is habitual, character;
\nmanas <\/i>or active definite
\nsensational consciousness rendering impressions of all kinds into
\npercept or concept by a sāttvika <\/i>reaction called intelligence or
\nthought which men share with the animals; buddhi <\/i>or rational, imaginative
\nand intellectually mnemonic faculty, observing, retaining, comparing, reasoning,
\ncomprehending, combining and creating, the amalgam of which functions we call
\nintellect; mānas ānanda <\/i>or the pure bliss of existence manifesting
\nthrough the impure mind, body and prāna <\/i>impurely, i.e. mixed with pain
\nof various kinds, but in itself pure, because disinterested, ahaituka<\/i>;
\nmānas tapas <\/i>or the pure will-power acting towards knowledge, feeling and
\ndeed, impurely through the impure mind, body and prāna<\/i>, i.e. mixed with weakness, dull inertia and ignorance
\nor error; but in itself pure because ahaituka<\/i>, disinterested,
\nwithout any ulterior purpose or preference that can interfere with
\ntruth of thought, act and emotion; ahaituka sat <\/i>or pure realisation of existence, operating through the impure organs as
\nahankāra <\/i>and bheda<\/i>, egoism and limitation, but in itself pure and
\naware of unity in difference, because disinterested, not attached to
\nany particular form or name in manifestation; and finally, Atma
\nor Self seated in mind. This Atman is Sat and Asat, positive
\nand negative, sadbrahman <\/i>and Shunyam Brahma; both positive
\nand negative are contained in the saḥ <\/i>or Vasudeva and tat <\/i>or
\nParabrahman, and saḥ<\/i> and tat <\/i>are both the same. The buddhi <\/i>again is divided into understanding (medhā<\/i>), which merely uses
\nthe knowledge given by sensation and, like manas<\/i>, citta<\/i>, hṛt
\n<\/i>and prāna<\/i>, is adhiīna<\/i>, aniśa<\/i>, subject to sensation; reason or
\nbuddhi <\/i>proper, (smrti <\/i>or dhī<\/i>, also called
\npraj\u00f1ā<\/i>), which is superior to sensation and contradicts it in the divided light of a higher knowledge; <\/font> <\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 444<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nand direct j\u00f1ānam<\/i>, satyam <\/i>or
\nsattvam <\/i>which is itself that
\nlight of higher knowledge. All these faculties have their own devatās<\/i>, one or many, each with his
\ngaṇas <\/i>or subordinate ministers. The jīva <\/i>or spirit using these faculties is called the
\nhansa<\/i>, he who flies or evolves upward; when he leaves the lower and
\nrises to the saccidānanda <\/i>in the mind, using sat-cit <\/i>and ānanda
\n<\/i>only, and reposing in the sadātman <\/i>or in Vasudeva, then he is
\ncalled the Parabrahma, one who has gone or evolved to the
\nhighest in that stage of evolution. This is the fundamental knowledge underlying the Veda, the loss of which, aided by the corruption of the Nirukta, has led to the present confusion and
\ndegradation of its meaning.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nChandra is the devata of the smṛti <\/i>or
\npraj\u00f1ā<\/i>; Surya of the satyam<\/i>; Indra of the understanding and manas<\/i>; Vayu of the
\nsūkṣma
\nprāṇa<\/i>; Mitra, Varuna, Aryama and Bhaga are the four
\nmasters of the emotional mind or character; Brihaspati of the sahaituka cit
\n<\/i>or Tapas of knowledge; Brahma of the sahaituka
\nsat<\/i>; Agni of the sahaituka tapas <\/i>etc. This is only an indication.
\nThe various characteristics and energies of the gods are best developed by an examination of the Veda itself. The Gods strive to
\nfunction perfectly for the Lord or Yajna, the Isha, Master of the ādhāra <\/i>or sevenfold medium of manifestation; the Titans or
\nDaityas, equally divine, try to upset this perfect functioning.
\nTheir office is to disturb that which is established in order to push man below
\nor give him an opportunity of rising higher by breaking that which was good and harmonious in itself but imperfect,
\nand in any case to render him dissatisfied with anything short of
\nperfection and drive him continually to the Infinite, either by the uttama gati
\n<\/i>to Vasudeva or, if he will not have that, by the adhama gati <\/i>to Prakriti. The Vedic Aryans sought to overcome
\nthe Daityas or Dasyus by the aid of the gods; afterwards the gods
\nhad themselves to be overcome in order that man might reach
\nhis goal.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAgni in the sphere of material energies is the master of
\ntejas<\/i>, the third and central material principle in the five known to
\nVedic science. Tejas itself is of seven kinds, chāyā <\/i>or negative
\nluminosity which is the principle of annakoṣa<\/i>; twilight or doṣa<\/i>, the basis of the
\nprānakoṣa <\/i>being tejas <\/i>modified by chāyā<\/i>; tejas<\/i><\/font> 
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 445<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nproper or simple clarity and effulgence, dry light, which is the
\nbasis of the manaḥkoṣa; jyotis <\/i>or solar light, brilliance which is
\nthe basis of the vij\u00f1ānakoṣa<\/i>; Agni or fiery light, which is the basis
\nof the citkoṣa; vidyut<\/i> or electrical illumination which is the basis
\nof the ānandakoṣa<\/i>; and prakāśa <\/i>which is the basis of the satkoṣa<\/i>. Each of the seven has its own appropriate energy; for the energy
\nis the essential reality and the light only a characteristic accompaniment of the energy. Of all these Agni is the greatest in the
\nworld, greater even than vidyut <\/i>\u2014 although the God of the Vaidyuta energy is Vishnu himself who is the Lord of the Ananda,
\nthe vaidyuto mānavaḥ<\/i>, Electrical Man, of the Upanishads. In
\nthe vij\u00f1āna<\/i>, Surya as well as Vishnu, is greater than Agni, but
\nhere he and Vishnu both work under the dominant energy of
\nAgni and for the satisfaction of Indra, \u2014 Vishnu in the Upanishads being younger than Indra, \u2014 Upendra. Translated into
\nthe language of physics, this means that Agni, commanding as
\nhe does heat and cold, is the fundamental active energy behind
\nall phenomenon of light and heat; the Sun is merely a reservoir
\nof light and heat, the peculiar luminous blaze of the sun being
\nonly one form of tejas <\/i>and what we call sunlight is composed of
\nthe static energy of prakāśa <\/i>or essential light which is the basis
\nof the satkos<\/i>̣a<\/i>, the electrical energy or vaidyutam<\/i>, and the
\ntejas <\/i>of Agni modified by the nature of Surya and determining all
\nother forms of light. The prakāśa <\/i>and vaidyutam <\/i>can only become active when they enter into Agni and work under the conditions of his being and Agni himself is the supplier of Surya; he
\ncreates jyotis<\/i>, he creates tejas<\/i>, he creates, negatively, chāyā<\/i>. Right
\nor wrong, this is the physics of the Veda. Translated into the language of psychology, it means that in the intelligent mind, which
\nnow predominates, neither j\u00f1ānam <\/i>nor ananda <\/i>can be fully developed, though essentially superior to mind; not even Soma, the
\nrational buddhi<\/i>, can really govern; but it is Indra full of Soma,
\nthe understanding based on the senses and strengthened by the buddhi<\/i>, who is supreme and for whose satisfaction Soma, Surya,
\nAgni and even the supreme Vishnu work. The reason on which
\nman prides himself, is merely a link in evolution from the manas <\/i>to the
\nvij\u00f1ānam <\/i>and must serve either the senses or the ideal cognition; if it has to work for itself it only leads to universal agnosticism, <\/font> <\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 446<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nphilosophic doubt and the arrest of all knowledge. It
\nmust not be thought that the Veda uses these names merely as
\npersonifications of psychological and physical forces; it regards
\nthese gods as realities standing behind the psychological and
\nphysical operations, since no energy can conduct itself, but all
\nneed some conscious centre or centres from or through which
\nthey proceed. A doubt will naturally arise, how Vishnu, the
\nsupreme Lord, can be the Upendra of the Vedas. The answer is
\nthat, whatever energy is of supreme importance at a particular
\nstage of the evolution, is taken up by Vishnu-Virat as his especial
\ncare. We have seen that the Ananda is now highest in the developed evolution. Vishnu is therefore now pre-eminently the Lord
\nof the Ananda and when he comes down into the material world
\nhe stands in the Sun as the supreme electrical force involved in
\nAgni and evolving out of him, which is the physical counterpart
\nof Ananda and without which no action in the world can proceed.
\nHe is not inferior, he only subordinates himself, pretending to
\nserve, while really by service he commands. But upendratva <\/i>is not the highest plane of Vishnu’s manifestation, the
\nparam
\ndhāma<\/i>; rather it is a special function here of the lowest dhāma<\/i>. Upendratva
\n<\/i>is not viṣṇutva <\/i>but only one of its workings.<\/font> <\/p>\n

\nAgni, therefore, is master of tejas<\/i>, especially fiery
\ntejas<\/i>, and
\nthe agent of the sahaituka tapas <\/i>in the mind. In the language of
\nmodern psychology, this sahaituka tapas <\/i>is Will in action, \u2014 not
\ndesire, but Will embracing desire and exceeding it. It is not even
\nchoice, wish or intention. Will, in the Vedic idea, is essentially
\nknowledge taking the form of force. Agni, therefore, is purely
\nmental force, necessary to all concentration. Once we perceive
\nthis Vedic conception, we realise the immense importance of Agni
\nand are in a position to understand the hymn we are studying. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe word Agni is formed from the root <\/font>
\n अग्<\/font>(ag<\/i>) with the
\nnominal addition <\/font>
\nनि <\/font>(ni<\/i>). The root <\/font>
\nअग्<\/font> (ag<\/i>) is itself a derivative
\nroot from the primitive <\/font>
\nअ<\/font> (a<\/i>), meaning "to be", of which traces 
\nare found in many languages. The <\/font>
\nग्<\/font> (g<\/i>) gives an idea of force
\nand <\/font>
\nअग् <\/font>
\n(ag<\/i>), therefore, means to exist in force, pre-eminently \u2014
\nto be splendid, strong, excellent and Agni means mighty, supreme, splendid, forceful, bright. We find the same root in the
\nGreek agathos<\/i>, good, meaning originally, strong, noble, brave; <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 447<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nagan,<\/i> excessively; agō,<\/i> I
\nlead; Latin ago, age; aglaos<\/i> (Gr.), bright,
\nthe names, Agis, Agamemnōn,<\/i> and in the Sanskrit <\/font>
\n अग्र   <\/font>
\n(agra<\/i>), <\/font>
\nअगस्ति<\/font> (agasti<\/i>).<\/i> It is interchangeable with its brother root <\/font>
\nअज् <\/font>
\n(aj<\/i>), from
\nwhich some of the meanings of agō<\/i> (Gr.) are derived. It seems
\nalso to have meant to love, from the idea of embracing, cf. Greek agapē,<\/i> but in this sense the old Sanskrit preferred <\/font>
\nअङ्
\n<\/font>(ang<\/i>).<\/i>
\nFor
\nthe connection between the two roots, <\/font>
\nअग्, अङग् <\/font>
\n(ag, ang),<\/i> cf. <\/font>
\nअङगति <\/font>
\n(angati<\/i>),<\/i> in the sense of fire, <\/font>
\nअङगिरा:<\/font>(angirāh<\/i>),<\/i> as a name of
\nAgni,
\n<\/font>
\nअङगार:<\/font>(angāraḥ),<\/i> a live coal.<\/font> <\/font> <\/p>\n

\n

\nईळे <\/font>
\n(īḷe<\/i>)<\/font>
\n<\/font> <\/p>\n

The root like all simple Sanskrit roots
\nhas two forms <\/font>
\nईळ् <\/font>
\n(iḷ<\/i>) and <\/font>
\nईळ् <\/font>
\n(īḷ).<\/i> The original root was <\/font>
\nइल् <\/font>
\n(il)<\/i> to love,
\nembrace,
\nflatter, praise, adore; the cerebral <\/font>
\nळ् <\/font>(\/) is a later form, \u2014 a dialectical peculiarity belonging to some of the dominant races of the Dwapara Yuga, which established itself for a time but could not
\nhold its own and either resolved itself back into <\/font>
\nल् <\/font>(Ị)<\/i> or was
\nfarther transformed into the soft cerebral <\/font>
\nड् <\/font>
\n(ḍ)<\/i> with which it
\nwas interchangeable. So we have the form <\/font>
\nईड् <\/font>
\n(īḍ)<\/i> in precisely
\nthe same sense. There is no idea necessarily involved of adoration to a superior, the dominant ideas being love, praise and
\ndesire. The meaning here is not "praise" or "worship", but
\n"desire", "yearn for".<\/font>
\n<\/font> <\/p>\n

 \n<\/p>\n

\nपुरोहितम् <\/font>
\n(purohitam)<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

The words are two and not one. The
\nsense of "priest, purohita", put on the compound word in the later
\nceremonial interpretation of the Veda, is entirely absent in this hymn. The word
\n<\/font>
\nपुर: <\/font>
\n(puraḥ)<\/i> was originally the genitive of <\/font>
\nपुर्
\n<\/font>(pur)<\/i> used adverbially. <\/font>
\nपुर् <\/font>
\n(pur)<\/i> meant door, gate, front, wall; afterwards, house or
\ncity; cf. the Greek pulē,<\/i> a gate, pulos,<\/i> a walled city or fort,
\npolis,
\n<\/i>a city; so in front. <\/font>
\nहितम् <\/font>
\n(hitam) is<\/i> the participial adjective
\nfrom the root <\/font>
\nहि <\/font>
\n(hi)<\/i> in the sense of to cast down, throw down,
\nplant, place, which appears in Greek as cheō,<\/i> I pour; <\/font>
\nहया:<\/font>(hayāḥ),
\n<\/i><\/font>पुरोहितम् <\/font>
\n(purohitam)<\/i> means therefore set or planted before. <\/font> <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nयज्ञस्य <\/font>
\n(yaj\u00f1asya)<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe word <\/font>
\nयज्ञ <\/font>
\n(yaj\u00f1a)<\/i> is of supreme importance in the Veda.<\/font>
\n<\/font> \n\t\t<\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 448<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nIn the ceremonial interpretation <\/font>
\nयज्ञ <\/font>
\n(yaj\u00f1a<\/i>) is always understood
\nas sacrifice and no other conception admitted. The Veda cannot
\nbe understood as the source of all Indian spirituality and divine
\nknowledge, if this materialistic interpretation is accepted. In
\nreality <\/font>
\nयज्ञ <\/font>
\n(yaj\u00f1a<\/i>) is the name of the supreme Lord Vishnu himself;<\/font> 
\nit also means <\/font>
\nधर्म <\/font>
\n(dharma<\/i>) or <\/font>
\nयोग <\/font>
\n(yoga<\/i>) and by a later preference
\nof meaning it came to signify sacrifice, because sacrifice in the
\nlater Dwapara Yuga became the one dharma and yoga which
\ndominated and more and more tended to replace all others. It
\nis necessary to recover the proper meaning of this important word
\nby Nirukta, and, in order to do it, to lay down briefly the
\nprinciple of Nirukta.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe Sanskrit language is the devabhāṣā
\n<\/i>or original language
\nspoken by men in Uttara Meru at the beginning of the Manwantara; but in its purity it is not the Sanskrit of the Dwapara or
\nthe Kali, it is the language of the Satya Yuga based on the true
\nand perfect relation of vāk <\/i>and artha<\/i>. Everyone of its vowels and
\nconsonants has a particular and inalienable force which exists
\nby the nature of things and not by development or human choice;<\/font> 
\nthese are the fundamental sounds which lie at the basis of the
\nTantric bījamantras <\/i>and constitute the efficacy of the mantra
\nitself. Every vowel and every consonant in the original language
\nhad certain primary meanings which arose out of this essential
\nShakti or force and were the basis of other derivative meanings.
\nBy combination with the vowels, the consonants, and, without
\nany combination, the vowels themselves formed a number of primary roots, out of which secondary roots were developed by the
\naddition of other consonants. All words were formed from these
\nroots, simple words by the addition again of pure or mixed vowel
\nand consonant terminations with or without modification of the
\nroot and more complex words by the principle of composition.
\nThis language increasingly corrupted in sense and sound becomes
\nthe later Sanskrit of the Treta, Dwapara and Kali Yuga, being
\nsometimes partly purified and again corrupted and again partly
\npurified so that it never loses all apparent relation to its original
\nform and structure. Every other language, however remote, is
\na corruption formed by detrition and perversion of the original
\nlanguage into a Prakrit or the Prakrit of a Prakrit and so on to<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 449<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nincreasing stages of impurity. The superior purity of the Indian
\nlanguage is the reason of its being called the Sanskrit and not
\ngiven any local name, its basis being universal and eternal; and it
\nis always a rediscovery of the Sanskrit tongue as the primary
\nlanguage that prepares first for a true understanding of human
\nlanguage and, secondly, for a fresh purification of Sanskrit
\nitself.<\/font> <\/p>\n

\nThis particular root <\/font>
\n यज् <\/font>
\n(yaj<\/i>) from which<\/font> यज्ञ <\/font>
\n(yaj\u00f1a<\/i>) is formed
\nis a secondary root on the base of the consonant <\/font>
\nय् <\/font>(y<\/i>), the Gunas
\nof which are strength and tenderness applied to action, motion,
\nformation and contact. The primary roots are <\/font>
\nय<\/font>(ya<\/i>), <\/font>
\nयि <\/font>(yi<\/i>)
\nand <\/font>यु <\/font>
\n(yu) with their lengthened forms <\/font>
\nया <\/font>(yā<\/i>), <\/font>
\nयी <\/font>(yī<\/i>) and <\/font>
\nयू <\/font>(yū<\/i>)
\n\u2014the original devabhāṣā <\/i>recognising only three pure vowels,
\nthe rest being either modified or mixed vowels. The primary
\nroot of <\/font>
\nयज् <\/font>
\n(yaj<\/i>) is <\/font>
\nय <\/font>(ya<\/i>) which means essentially to go quietly
\nand persistently, to act or apply oneself quietly and with force
\nand persistence, to master (knowledge or anything or person)
\nby steady application, to come or bring into contact with gently
\nor lovingly and effectively, to form or express clearly etc. The first
\nsense appears, with its colour rubbed out, in the lengthened form
\n<\/font>
\nया <\/font>
\n(yā<\/i>), in <\/font>
\nयक्ष्<\/font>(yakṣ<\/i>), in one of the meanings of <\/font>
\nयम् <\/font>
\n(yam<\/i>) etc.; the second in <\/font>
\nयत् <\/font>
\n(yat<\/i>) and <\/font>
\nयश् <\/font>
\n(yaś<\/i>), the third in <\/font>
\nयज् <\/font>
\n(yaj<\/i>), <\/font>
\nयम् <\/font>
\n(yam<\/i>)
\nand <\/font>
\nयन्त्र् <\/font>
\n(yantr<\/i>); the fourth in <\/font>
\nयज् <\/font>
\n(yaj<\/i>) and <\/font>
\nयाच् <\/font>
\n(yāc<\/i>) which is
\noriginally a causal of <\/font>
\nयच् <\/font>
\n(yac<\/i>) to give, now lost except in certain
\nconjugational forms of <\/font>
\nयम् <\/font>
\n(yam<\/i>), the fifth in one of the meanings
\nof <\/font>
\nयम् <\/font>
\n(yam<\/i>) to show, etc. Besides <\/font>
\nयच्
\n<\/font>(yac<\/i>), there are other lost
\nroots <\/font>
\nयल् <\/font>
\n(yal<\/i>) to seek after, love, desire (Greek iallō<\/i>), <\/font>
\nयश् <\/font>
\n(yaś<\/i>)
\nwith a similar meaning, from which we have <\/font>
\nयश:<\/font> (yaśaḥ<\/i>) which
\nwas originally an adjective meaning lovely, charming, and a
\nnoun meaning sometimes an object of love or pursuit, sometimes
\nbeauty, ambition, fame etc., or love itself, favour, partiality.
\nThis is a brief example of the method followed by the original
\ntongue as it can now be observed with its distinctions and shades
\nconfused and the colours of the words expunged.<\/font> <\/p>\n

\nIn the root <\/font>
\nयज् <\/font>
\n(yaj<\/i>) the force of the consonant <\/font>
\nज् <\/font>
\n(j<\/i>) determines the meaning. Its essential nature is swiftness, decisiveness,
\nrapid brilliance, and restlessness. It has therefore a frequentative
\nand intensive force. It means to love habitually and fervently,<\/font> <\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 450<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nso to worship, to adore. It means to give freely, wholly or continuously; from these shades comes the meaning of sacrifice. It
\nmeans to master thoroughly, habitually, with a continual repetition of the act of mastery; the word <\/font>
\nयत् <\/font>
\n(yat<\/i>)
\nmeans endeavour, but <\/font>
\n यज् <\/font>
\n (yaj<\/i>) can never have meant endeavour, it is too decisive
\nand triumphant and must imply possession or mastery, action
\nsense of its result. It means therefore to rule, govern, order,
\npossess. That is why <\/font>
\nयज्ञ <\/font>
\n(yaj\u00f1a<\/i>) is Vishnu, in the sense of the
\nAlmighty Ruler, the Master of man’s action, body, thought,
\nthe supreme Lord ruling from the higher faculty in man, the parārdha <\/i>or Sachchidananda. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nयज्ञ <\/font>
\n(yaj\u00f1a<\/i>) is formed by the addition of <\/font>
\nन <\/font>(na<\/i>), a nominal
\nsuffix which has the sense of action. It may be adjectival or nominal. It may convey the actor, the instrument, the manner or
\nthe sufferer of the action. <\/font>
\nयज्ञ:<\/font> (yaj\u00f1aḥ<\/i>) therefore came to mean,
\nhe who rules, the governor or master; loving, adoring, also he
\nwho is loved; the means of mastery and so Yoga, in its processes,
\nnot in its realisations; the manner of mastery and so dharma, a
\nrule of action or self-government; adoration or an act of worship, though this sense was usually kept for <\/font>
\nयजु:<\/font>(yajuḥ<\/i>), giving,
\noffering, sacrifice. As the name of Vishnu it meant, predominantly, the Master who directs, compels and governs; but the
\nidea of the Lover and Beloved, the Giver and the object of all
\nactions, ritual and worship of all Karma also entered into it
\nin the associations of the worshipper and sometimes became
\nprominent.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe Vishnu Purana tells us that Vishnu in the Satya Yuga
\nincarnates as Yajna, in the Treta as the conqueror and king, in
\nthe Dwapara as Vyasa, the compiler, codifier and law-giver. It
\nis not meant that He incarnates as sacrifice. The Satya Yuga is
\nthe age of human perfection when a harmonious order is established, the perfect or
\ncatuṣpād
\ndharma <\/i>whose maintenance depends on the full and universal possession of Yoga or direct relation to God and that again on the continual presence of incarnate Vishnu as the Adored, the Master and centre of Dharma
\nand Yoga. The catuṣpād dharma <\/i>is the perfect harmony of the four Dharmas, Brahmanyam, Kshatram, Vaishyam and Shaudram;<\/font> 
\nfor this reason separate castes do not exist in the Satya Yuga. In<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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\n\u2013 451<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nthe Treta the Brahmanyam begins to fail, but remains as a subordinate force to help the Kshatram which then governs humanity. Mankind is maintained no longer by
\nvīryam <\/i>or Tapas easily
\nsustained by inherent brahmaj\u00f1āanam<\/i>, but by vīryam <\/i>or Tapas sustaining the
\nbrahmaj\u00f1āanam <\/i>with some difficulty and preventing
\nits collapse. Vishnu .incarnates as the Kshatriya, the incarnate
\ncentre of vīryam <\/i>and Tapas. In the Dwapara, the Brahmanyam
\nfarther fails and turns into mere knowledge or intellectuality,
\nthe Kshatram becomes a subordinate force supporting the
\nVaishyam which has its turn of supremacy. The main qualities
\nof the Vaishya are kauśalam<\/i>, order and method, and therefore
\nthe Dwapara is the age of codification, ritual, Shastra, external
\nappliances to maintain the failing internal spirituality; dānam<\/i>,
\nand therefore hospitality, liberality, the sacrifice and dakṣinā <\/i>begin to swallow up other Dharmas \u2014 it is the Yuga
\nYaj\u00f1iya<\/i>, \u2014
\nthe age of sacrifice; bhoga<\/i>, and therefore the Veda is used for procuring enjoyment, in this world and the next,
\nbhogaiśvaryagatim
\nprati<\/i>. Vishnu incarnates as the law-giver, ritualist and śāstrakāra <\/i>to preserve the knowledge and practice of the Dharma by the aid
\nof the intellect and abhyāsa<\/i>, customary practice based on intellectual knowledge. In the Kali all breaks down except love and
\nservice, the Dharma of the Shudra by which humanity is maintained and from time to time purified; for the
\nj\u00f1āam <\/i>breaks
\ndown and is replaced by worldly, practical reason, the vīryam <\/i>breaks down and is replaced by lazy mechanical appliances for
\ngetting things done lifelessly with the least trouble, dāna<\/i>, yaj\u00f1a <\/i>and
\nśastra <\/i>break down and are replaced by calculated liberality,
\nempty ritual and tamasic social forms and etiquette. Love is
\nbrought in by the Avatars to break down these dead forms in
\norder that the world may be rejuvenated and a new order and a
\nnew Satya Yuga emerge, when the Lord will again incarnate
\nas Yajna, the supreme Vishnu in full manifestation of the catuṣpāda dharma<\/i>, knowledge, power, enjoyment and love.<\/font> <\/p>\n

\nIt has been said that Vishnu in our present stage of evolution
\nis pre-eminently the Lord of Ananda, but he is also the sanmaya
\nbrahman <\/i>and the tapomaya<\/i>. It is as the sanmaya <\/i>that He is
\nYajna \u2014 Sat containing in it the Chit or Tapas and the Ananda.
\nIt must be remembered that while in the aparārdha <\/i>we envisage <\/font> <\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 452<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nBrahman through thought, feeling, action etc., in the
\nparārdha <\/i>we envisage him through essential realisation superior to thought,
\nfeeling and action. In the Ananda we realise essential delight;<\/font> 
\nin the Chit, essential energy, intelligence and will; in the Sat,
\nessential truth or be-ness. The Sat is therefore called the mahāsatyam <\/i>and
\nmahābrahman<\/i>, the highest truth in the manifestation,
\nout of which everything proceeds. It is by this mahāsatyam <\/i>\u2014
\ndistinguished from ordinary satyam <\/i>or kāraṇam <\/i>called objectively
\nmahat <\/i>and subjectively vij\u00f1āanam<\/i>, the fourth of the seven bhūmis<\/i>,
\n\u2014that Vishnu as Yajna supports the dharma and yoga in the
\nSatya Yuga. He is the sadbrahman<\/i> in manifestation. We shall
\nsee when we deal with the word <\/font>
\n  ॠत्विजम् <\/font>
\n(ṛtvijam<\/i>), in what sense
\nAgni stands before the Lord.<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nदेवम् <\/font>
\n(<\/font>devam<\/i><\/font>)<\/font><\/p>\n

\nA god \u2014 from the secondary root <\/font>
\nदिव् <\/font>
\n(div<\/i>) to flash, gleam,
\nvibrate, play. On the basis of the consonant <\/font>
\nद् <\/font>(d<\/i>) of which the
\nGunas are force, heavy violence, density, dense penetration,
\ndense movement, we get <\/font>
\nदा <\/font>(dā<\/i>) to cut, <\/font>
\nदि <\/font>(di<\/i>) to vibrate and <\/font>
\nदु <\/font>(du<\/i>) to trouble and from <\/font>
\nदि <\/font>
\n(di<\/i>) we get <\/font>
\nद्यु <\/font>
\n(dyu<\/i>) and <\/font>
\nदिव् <\/font>
\n(div<\/i>) or <\/font>
\nदीव् <\/font>
\n(dīv<\/i>) meaning to vibrate shiningly, gleam, scintillate or play.
\nThe Devas are those who play in light, \u2014 their proper home is in
\nthe vij\u00f1ānam<\/i>, <\/font>
\nमहर्लोक <\/font>
\n(maharloka<\/i>), kāraṇa jagat<\/i>, where matter is
\njyotirmaya <\/i>and all things luminous, <\/font>
\nस्वेन धाम्ना <\/font>
\n(svena dhāmnā<\/i>),
\nby their own inherent lustre, and where life is an ordered Lila or
\nplay. Therefore when the Bhagawata speaks of the power of
\nseeing the life of the Gods in Swarga, it calls that particular siddhi <\/font>
\nदेवक्रिडानुदर्शनम् <\/font>
\n(devakrīḍānudarśanam<\/i>), watching the sports of the
\ngods, because all life is to them a sport or Lila. The Gods,
\nhowever, dwell for us in the lower Swarloka, i.e., Chandraloka
\nof which the summit is Kailasa and the basis Swarga with
\nPitriloka just above Swarga. Nevertheless even there they
\nkeep their jyotirmaya <\/i>and līlāmaya <\/i>nature, their luminous
\nbodies and worlds of self-existent bliss free from death and<\/font> 
\ncare.<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nॠत्विजम् <\/font>
\n(ṛtvijam<\/i>)<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThis word is taken in the ceremonial interpretation of the<\/font>
\n <\/p>\n

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\n\u2013 453<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nVeda in the later sense of Ritwik, a sacrificial priest, and it is
\nexplained by separating as <\/font>
\nऋतु+ इज्
\n<\/font>(ṛtu<\/i>+ij<\/i>), one who sacrifices
\nseasonably. In reality, <\/font>
\nॠत्विज् <\/font>
\n(ṛtvij<\/i>) is a very old word compounded in ancient Sanskrit before the creation of the modern
\nrules of Sandhi, and is composed of <\/font>
\nऋत् <\/font>
\n(ṛt<\/i>), truth, and <\/font>
\nविज् <\/font>
\n(vij<\/i>),
\necstasy or ecstatic. It means one who has the ecstasy of the truth
\nor <\/font>
\nसत्यम् <\/font>
\n(satyam<\/i>).<\/font><\/p>\n

\nऋत् <\/font>
\n(ṛt<\/i>) is an abstract noun formed from the root <\/font>
\nऋ <\/font>(ṛ<\/i>) whose
\nessential meaning was to vibrate, shake, dart, go straight; and its
\nderivate meanings to reach, acquire, or else attack, hurt, injure,
\nor to be erect, rise or raise; to shine; to think, realise truth, etc.
\nFrom the sense of going straight in the secondary verb <\/font>
\nऋज् <\/font>
\n(ṛj<\/i>)
\nwith its adjective <\/font>
\nऋजु <\/font>
\n(ṛju<\/i>), straight, cf. Latin rego<\/i>, rectus<\/i>; <\/font>
\nऋत <\/font>
\n(ṛta<\/i>)
\nstraight, right, true; <\/font>
\nऋतम् <\/font>
\n(ṛtam<\/i>), truth, right, established law or
\ncustom;\u2014<\/font>सत्यम् <\/font>
\n(satyam<\/i>) applied to the Supreme Brahman as the
\nsatyam <\/i>or mahākāraṇam<\/i>; \u2014<\/font>ऋतु <\/font>
\n(ṛtu<\/i>), rule, fixed order, fixed time
\nor season; <\/font>
\nऋषि <\/font>
\n(ṛṣi<\/i>), a thinker, direct seer of truth, cf. Latin
\nreor<\/i>, I think, ratio<\/i>, method, order, reason, proposition, etc. The
\nobsolete word <\/font>
\nऋत् <\/font>
\n(ṛt<\/i>) meant directness, truth, law, rule, thought,
\n<\/font>
\nसत्यम् <\/font>
\n(satyam<\/i>).<\/font><\/p>\n

\nविज् <\/font>
\n(vij<\/i>) is noun or adjective from the verb <\/font>
\nविज् <\/font>
\n(vij<\/i>) meaning
\nto shake, be troubled, excited, tremble, to be ecstatic, joyous, full
\nof rapture, felicity or ecstatic energy, cf. Latin vigeo <\/i>and vigor<\/i>,
\nfrom which comes the English vigour, <\/font>
\nऋत्विज् <\/font>
\n(ṛtvij<\/i>) is therefore
\none who is ecstatic with the fullness of the truth or <\/font>
\nसत्यम् <\/font>
\n(satyam<\/i>).
\nAgni, it has been pointed out, is the god of the Tapas or energy
\nat work disinterestedly on the intellectual plane, one of the
\nhigher gods working on the lower level in the service of the
\nlower deity Indra. He proceeds straight from the cit<\/i>, which, when
\nactive, is known as mahātapas <\/i>or cicchakti<\/i>, the energy of the
\nessential intelligence in the sadbrahman<\/i>, Yajna or Vishnu.
\nThe Shakti begins creation by ksobha <\/i>or ecstatic vibration in the
\ncalm sadātman <\/i>and this ecstatic vibration or <\/font>
\nविज् <\/font>
\n(vij<\/i>), <\/font>
\nवेग: <\/font>
\n(vegaḥ<\/i>), goes out as speed, force, heat, <\/font>
\nतप:<\/font>(tapaḥ<\/i>), or <\/font>
\nअग्नि <\/font>
\n(agni<\/i>),
\nthe basis of life and existence. This Tapas born of the cicchakti<\/i>,
\n(Shakti, Devi, Kali, Prakriti) is full of the ecstatic movement of
\nthe sat<\/i> or mahāsatyam <\/i>manifesting itself. For this reason Agni
\nis called <\/font>
\nऋत्विज् <\/font>
\n(ṛtvij<\/i>), vibrating ecstatic with the <\/font>
\nसत्यम्<\/font> (satyam<\/i>). <\/font> <\/p>\n

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\n

\nFor the same reason he is called <\/font>
\nजातवेदा: <\/font>
\n (jātavedāḥ<\/i>), he from
\nwhom the higher knowledge is born, because he holds in himself
\nthe Veda or satyam <\/i>and manifests it; Tapas is the basis of all
\nconcentration of Chit, awareness (the samyama <\/i>of Patanjali)
\nand it is by samyama<\/i> or concentration of awareness either on
\nthe object of the awareness (rājayoga<\/i>) or on itself (J\u00f1ānayoga <\/i>and
\nadhyātmayoga<\/i>) that satyam <\/i>and veda <\/i>become directly self-manifest and luminous to the Yogin. Without the
\nsamyama<\/i>
\nno Yoga is possible, no effective action of any kind is possible.
\nWhen Brahma turned his mind to creation, it was the cry of
\n"Tapas, Tapas" that was heard on the waters of the kāraṇa
\nsamudra<\/i> (mahākāraṇam <\/i>or sadbrahman<\/i>). The immense importance of Agni as the
\nṛtvij<\/i> to the Yogin, therefore, becomes manifest; and it is also clear why he is <\/font>
\nपुरोहितं यज्ञस्य <\/font>
\n (purohitam
\nyaj\u00f1asya<\/i>) for it is the Tapas which stands before the satyam<\/i>,
\nwhich we reach before we can get the Sat. It is the cicchakti <\/i>which takes us to the Sat, \u2014 the Devi, Shakti or Kali who brings
\nus to Brahman, to Vasudeva, and Agni, her especial agent for
\nTapas in the mind, is therefore a special intermediary between
\nus and Yajna, who, as has been seen, is Vishnu, Vasudeva or
\nBrahman, in the Sachchidananda or parārdha<\/i> on the intellectual
\nplane, which is all man in the average has yet reached. This is the
\nreason why Agni was so great a god to the Rishi. To mere sacrificers and ritualists he was great only as the god of fire indispensable in all their ritual, but to the Yogin he has a much greater
\nimportance, as great as that of Surya, the lord of illumination,
\nand Soma, the lord of Amrita. He was one of the most indispensable helpers in the processes which the Veda illumines and
\nassists.<\/font> <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nहोतारम् <\/font>
\n(hotāram<\/i>)<\/font><\/p>\n

\nHere is another word of great importance in the Veda. In
\nall existing interpretations of the Veda hotā<\/i> is interpreted as the
\npriest who offers the libation, <\/font>हवि:   <\/font>
\n (haviḥ<\/i>) as the libation and <\/font>
\nहु <\/font>
\n (hu<\/i>) in the sense of pouring the offering. So fixed is this notion
\nborn of the predomination through several millenniums of the
\nceremonial meanings attached to all the important words of the
\nVeda, that any other rendering would be deemed impossible.<\/font> 
\n <\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 455<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nBut in the original Veda <\/font>
\nहोता
\n<\/font>(hotā<\/i>) did not mean a sacrificial
\npriest, nor <\/font>हवि:<\/font> (haviḥ<\/i>) an offering. Agni may by a metaphorical
\nfigure be called a purohita <\/i>of the sacrifice though the figure will
\nnot have any very great Sanskritic exactness, but he can in no
\nsense be the one who pours the libation. He devours the libation,
\nhe does not offer or pour it. Hota, therefore, must have some
\nother signification which, without outraging fact and common-sense, can be applied to Agni.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe root <\/font>
\nहु <\/font>
\n(hu<\/i>), like the roots <\/font>
\nहा <\/font>
\n(hā<\/i>) and <\/font>
\nहि<\/font> (hi<\/i>), is based on
\nthe consonant <\/font>ह <\/font>
\n(h<\/i>), the essential Gunas of which are aggression,
\nviolent action, impetuosity, loud breathing and so challenge,
\nsummons etc. This verb <\/font>हु <\/font>
\n(hu<\/i>) originally like <\/font>
\nह्<\/font> (ha<\/i>), <\/font>
\nहा <\/font>
\n(hā<\/i>) and
\n<\/font>हि <\/font>
\n(hi<\/i>) meant to strike or throw down, attack, slay, the vowel
\n<\/font>उ <\/font>
\n(u<\/i>) adding a sense of pervasiveness which easily brought the
\nidea of battle. We find, therefore, that this root meant to attack,
\nfight, as in <\/font>आहव:<\/font> (āhavaḥ<\/i>), battle; to call, shout, summons, as in
\n<\/font>ह्वे <\/font>
\n(hve), originally <\/font>
\nहवे <\/font>
\n(have<\/i>) etc.; to throw, overthrow, destroy;<\/font> 
\nto throw, pour, offer. From the last sense it came to have its
\nmore modern meaning. The transference from the sense of
\nbattle to the sense of sacrifice is paralleled by the Greek word
\nmachē<\/i>, battle, which is certainly the same as the Sanskrit <\/font>
\nमख:<\/font>
\n(makhaḥ<\/i>), sacrifice. It must be remembered that the Yoga was to
\nthe old Aryans a battle between the Devas and Daityas, the gods
\nbeing the warriors who fought the Daityas for man and were
\nmade strong and victorious by the <\/font>क्रिया <\/font>
\n (kriyā<\/i>) or effective practices of Yoga; the Daityas being the Dasyus or enemies of Yajna
\nand Yoga. This will become clearer and clearer as we proceed.
\nThis view of life as well as Yoga, which is only the sublimation of
\nlife, as a struggle between the Devas and Daityas is one of the
\nmost fundamental ideas of Veda, Purana, Tantra and every practical system in Hinduism. Agni is
\npar excellence <\/i>the warrior
\nwhom the Daityas must dread, because he is full of the ahaituka
\ntapas<\/i>, against which, if properly used and supported by the Yajamana, the Yogin, no evil force can prevail. The
\nahaituka
\ntapas <\/i>destroys them all. It is the mighty, effective and fighting
\nforce which once called in prepares perfect siddhi <\/i>and an almost
\nomnipotent control over our nature and our surroundings. Even
\nwhen aśuddha<\/i>, impure, Tapas fights the enemy, tamas<\/i>, when <\/font> <\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 456<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nśuddha<\/i>, when the very action of Agni, it brings
\nvīryam<\/i>, it brings
\nj\u00f1ānam<\/i>, it brings ānanda<\/i>, it brings mukti<\/i>. <\/font>
\nहोतारम्  <\/font>
\n (hotāram<\/i>)
\nmeans therefore the warrior, the destroyer of the Daityas, agni jātavedas<\/i>; havis
\n<\/i>and hava <\/i>mean battle or strength in violent
\naction, <\/font>हु <\/font>
\n (hu<\/i>) to fight.<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nरत्नधातमम्
\n<\/font>(ratnadhātamam<\/i>)<\/font><\/p>\n

\nSuperlative of <\/font>
\nरत्नधा <\/font>
\n(ratnadhā<\/i>), joy-giving, the disposer of
\ndelight. We have the root <\/font>रत्<\/font> (rat<\/i>) as a derivative from the primary root <\/font>
\nर <\/font>
\n(ra<\/i>). Three roots <\/font>
\nर <\/font>
\n(ra<\/i>), <\/font>
\nरि <\/font>
\n(ri<\/i>), <\/font>
\nरु <\/font>
\n(ru<\/i>)
\nare themselves variations of the elemental śabda <\/i><\/font>
\nर् <\/font>
\n(r<\/i>), whose essential significance is tremulous continual vibration. <\/font>
\nर <\/font>
\n(ra<\/i>) means essentially
\nto vibrate, shake, quiver abroad, the vowel <\/font>
\nअ <\/font>
\n(a<\/i>) conveying
\nessentially absoluteness, wideness, want of limitation as opposed
\nto the vowel <\/font>इ <\/font>
\n(i<\/i>) which gives a sense of relation and direction to
\na given point. From this essential sense come the derivative
\nmeanings, to play, to shine; as in <\/font>रतम् <\/font>
\n(ratam<\/i>), <\/font>
\nरत्न <\/font>
\n(ratna<\/i>) a jewel,
\n<\/font>रति:<\/font> (ratiḥ<\/i>), <\/font>
\nरम् <\/font>
\n(ram<\/i>), <\/font>
\nरञज् <\/font>
\n(ra\u00f1j<\/i>), <\/font>
\nरजतम् <\/font>
\n(rajatam<\/i>) silver, <\/font>
\nरज:<\/font> 
\n(rajaḥ<\/i>) dust, <\/font>
\nरजनी <\/font>
\n(rajanī<\/i>), <\/font>
\nरात्रि
\n<\/font>(rātri<\/i>) night etc. From the former
\nmeaning there comes the sense, to please, delight, love, adore,
\netc., as in <\/font>रामा <\/font>
\n(rāmā<\/i>), <\/font>
\nराम: <\/font>
\n(rāmaḥ<\/i>), <\/font>
\nराध् <\/font>
\n(rādh<\/i>), <\/font>
\nरज् <\/font>
\n(raj<\/i>), <\/font>
\nरज:<\/font> (rajaḥ<\/i>),
\n<\/font>रजोगुण <\/font>
\n(rajoguṇa<\/i>), etc. The word <\/font>
\nरत्न <\/font>
\n(ratna<\/i>) in ancient Sanskrit
\nfrom the root <\/font>रत् <\/font>
\n(rat<\/i>), had two sets of senses, delight, Ananda,
\npleasure, play, sexual intercourse, a thing of delight, mistress,
\netc., and splendour, light, lustre, brilliance, a brilliant, a jewel,
\n\u2014 the modern sense. At first sight it would seem that lustre,
\nbrilliance is more appropriate to Agni, and it would apply well
\nto the warrior who destroys the darkness of the mind, but the
\ncentral idea of the hymn is not Agni as the master of light, \u2014
\nthat is Surya, \u2014 but as the master of force, Tapas, which is the
\nsource out of which comes delight. The three terms of the
\nparārdha <\/i>are sat<\/i>, cit<\/i>, and ānanda<\/i>. In sat cit <\/i>abides and emerges
\nfrom sat<\/i>. As soon as it emerges, it generates the energy of cicchakti
\n<\/i>which plays throughout the universe; this play, <\/font>
\nरत्न <\/font>
\n(ratna<\/i>), is ānanda <\/i>in cit <\/i>and it emerges from cit<\/i>. All Tapas therefore generates
\nānanda<\/i>, and the pure sahaituka tapas <\/i>generates
\npure sahaituka ānanda <\/i>which being universal, self-existent and by
\nits nature incapable of any admixture of sorrow, is the most<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 457<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nsure, wide and intense. Therefore Agni is most joy-giving, a
\ngreat disposer of delight. The word <\/font>धा<\/font> (dhā<\/i>) means to set,
\ncreate, give, arrange; here it is the old Aryan substantive expressing the agent and often used adjectivally.<\/font>
\n <\/p>\n

\nPage <\/font>
\n\u2013 458<\/font><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SUPPLEMENT   The following notes and studies found among Sri Aurobindo’s early manuscripts, evidently unrevised, are printed here for their intrinsic value.   The First…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-11-hymns-to-the-mystic-fire-volume-11","wpcat-7-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=236"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}