Transcriber’s Notes
Inconsistent punctuation has been silently corrected.
Obvious misspellings have been silently corrected, and the following
corrections made to the text. Other spelling and hyphenation variations
have not been modified.
Pages 30 & 31 - Headings referred to “CHAPTER”, but all other
sections are simply numbered. Format of these section headings
was modified to match the rest of the chapters.
Page 201 - Chapter XVIII heading “Ascertainment of the Example Or
Major Proposition” added to match table of contents.
Page 353 - Chapter XXVI heading “Meeting the Siddhas” added to
match table of contents.
Page 403 - Section number changed from III to II, to match table
of contents.
The spelling of Sanskrit words are normalized to some extent, including
correct/addition of accents where necessary. Note that the author uses
á, í, ú to indicate long vowels. This notation has not been changed.
The LPP edition (1999) which has been scanned for this ebook, is of
poor quality, and in some cases text was missing. Where possible, the
missing/unclear text has been supplied from another edition, which has
the same typographical basis (both editions are photographical reprints
of the same source, or perhaps one is a copy of the other): Bharatiya
Publishing House, Delhi 1978.
A third edition, Parimal Publications, Delhi 1998, which is based on an
OCR scanning of the same typographical basis, has also been consulted.
The term “Gloss.” or “Glossary” probably refers to the extensive
classical commentary to Yoga Vásishtha by Ananda Bodhendra Saraswati
(only available in Sanskrit).
Angle brackets <...> have been used by the transcriber to indicate
light editing of the text to insert missing words.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE
YOGA-VÁSISHTHA-MAHÁRÁMÁYANA.
VOL. I
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROSPECTUS.
Plato advised the Athenians to betake themselves to the study of
Mathematics, in order to evade the pestilence incident to the
international war which was raging in Greece; so it is the intention
of this publication, to exhort our countrymen to the investigation
of Metaphysics, in order to escape the contagion of Politics and
_quasi_ politics, which has been spreading far and wide over this
devoted land.
V. L. M.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE
YOGA-VÁSISHTHA MAHÁRÁMÁYANA
OF
VÁLMÍKI
in 4 vols. in 7 pts.
(Bound in 4.)
Vol. 1
Containing
The Vairagya, Mumukshu, Prakaranas and
The Utpatti Khanda to Chapter L.
_Translated from the original Sanskrit_
_By_
VIHARI-LALA MITRA
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PREFACE.
In this age of the cultivation of universal learning and its
investigation into the deep recesses of the dead languages of antiquity,
when the literati of both continents are so sedulously employed in
exploring the rich and almost inexhaustible mines of the ancient
literature of this country, it has given an impetus to the philanthropy
of our wise and benign Government to the institution of a searching
enquiry into the sacred language of this land. And when the restoration
of the long lost works of its venerable sages and authors through the
instrumentality of the greatest bibliomaniac savants and linguists in
the several Presidencies,[1] has led the literary Asiatic Societies of
the East and West to the publication of the rarest and most valuable
Sanskrit Manuscripts, it cannot be deemed preposterous in me to presume,
to lay before the Public a work of no less merit and sanctity than any
hitherto published.
The Yoga Vasishtha is the earliest work on Yoga or Speculative and
Abstruse philosophy delivered by the venerable Vedic sage Vasishtha
to his royal pupil Ráma; the victor of Rávana, and hero of the first
Epic Rámáyana, and written in the language of Válmiki, the prime bard
in pure Sanskrit, the author of that popular Epic, and Homer of India.
It embodies in itself the _Loci Communes_ or common places relating
to the science of Ontology, the knowledge of _Sat_—Real Entity, and
_Asat_—Unreal Non-entity; the principles of Psychology or doctrines
of the Passions and Feelings; the speculations of Metaphysics in
dwelling upon our cognition, volition and other faculties of the Mind
(ज्ञान, ज्ञेय, ज्ञाता, इच्छा, द्वेषादि) and the tenets, of Ethics and practical morality
(धर्म्म कर्म्म). Besides there are a great many precepts on Theology, and the
nature of the Divinity (आत्मानात्म विवेक), and discourses on Spirituality and
Theosophy (जीवात्मा परमात्मा ज्ञान); all delivered in the form of Plato’s Dialogues
between the sages, and tending to the main enquiry concerning the true
felicity, final beatitude or _Summum bonum_ (परम निःश्रेयस्) of all true
philosophy.
These topics have singly and jointly contributed to the structure of
several separate Systems of Science and Philosophy in succeeding ages,
and have formed the subjects of study both with the juvenile and senile
classes of people in former and present times, and I may say, almost
among all nations in all countries throughout the civilized world.
* * * * *
It is felt at present to be a matter of the highest importance by the
native community at large, to repress the growing ardour of our youth in
political polemics and practical tactics, that are equally pernicious to
and destructive of the felicity of their temporal and future lives, by a
revival of the humble instructions of their peaceful preceptors of old,
and reclaiming them to the simple mode of life led by their forefathers,
from the perverted course now gaining ground among them under the
influence of Western refinement. Outward peace (शान्ति) with
internal tranquility (चित्त प्रशान्ति) is the teaching of our Sastras, and
these united with contentment (सन्तोष) and indifference to
worldly pleasures (वैराग्य), were believed according to the tenets
of Yoga doctrines, to form the perfect man,—a character which the Aryans
have invariably preserved amidst the revolutions of ages and empires. It
is the degeneracy of the rising generation, however, owing to their
adoption of foreign habits and manners from an utter ignorance of their
own moral code, which the publication of the present work is intended to
obviate.
From the description of the Hindu mind given by Max Müller; in his
History of the Ancient Literature of India (p. 18) it will appear, that
the esoteric faith of the Aryan Indian is of that realistic cast as the
Platonic, whose theory of ontology viewed all existence, even that of
the celestial bodies, with their movements among the _precepta_ of
sense, and marked them among the unreal phantoms (मिथ्या दृष्टि) or vain
mirage, (मरीचिका) as the Hindu calls them, that are interesting in
appearance but useless to observe. They may be the best of all
_precepta_, but fall very short of that perfection, which the mental eye
contemplates in its meditation-yoga. The Hindu Yogi views the visible
world exactly in the same light as Plato has represented it in the
simile commencing the seventh book of his Republic. He compares mankind
to prisoners in a cave, chained in one particular attitude, so as to
behold only an ever varying multiplicity of shadows, projected through
the opening of the cave upon the wall before them, by certain unseen
realities behind. The philosopher alone, who by training or inspiration
is enabled to turn his face from these visions, and contemplate with his
mind, that can see at-once the unchangeable reality amidst these
transient shadows.
The first record that we have of Vasishtha is, that he was the author of
the 7th _Mandala_ of the Rig Veda (Ashtaka v. 15-118). He is next
mentioned as _Purohita_ or joint minister with Viswámitra to king
Sudása, and to have a violent contest with his rival for the
(पौरोहित्य) or ministerial office (Müll. Hist. S. Lit. page 486,
Web. Id. p. 38). He is said to have accompanied the army of Sudása, when
that king is said to have conquered the ten invading chiefs who had
crossed over the river Parushni—(Hydroates or Ravi) to his dominions
(Müll. Id. p. 486). Viswámitra accompanied Sudása himself beyond
Vipása,—Hyphasis or Beah and Satadru—Hisaudras-Sutlej (Max Müller,
Ancient Sanscrit literature page 486). These events are recorded to have
occurred prior to Vasishtha’s composition of the _Mandala_ which passes
under his name and in which they are recorded. (Müll. Id. p. 486).
The enmity and implacable hatred of the two families of Vasishthas and
Viswámitras for generations, form subjects prominent throughout the
Vedic antiquity, and preserved in the tradition of ages (Müll. Id. p.
486, Web. Id. p. 37). Another cause of it was that, Harischandra, King
of Ayodhyá, was cursed by Vasishtha, whereupon he made Viswámitra his
priest to the annoyance of Vasishtha, although the office of Bráhmana
was held by him (Müller Id. page 408 Web. pp. 31-37). In the Bráhmana
period we find Vasishtha forming a family title for the whole Vasishtha
race still continuing as a _Gotra_ name, and that these Vasishthas
continued as hereditary _Gurus_ and _purohitas_ to the kings of the
solar race from generation to generation under the same title. The
Vasishthas were always the Brahmanas or High priests in every ceremony,
which could not be held by other Bráhmanas according to the Sáta patha
Bráhmana (Müll. Id. page 92); and particularly the Indra ceremony had
always to be performed by a Vasishtha, because it was revealed to their
ancestor the sage Vasishtha only (Web. Ind. Lit. p. 123); and as the
_Sátapatha Bráhmana-Taittiriya Sanhitá_ mentions it.
ऋषयो वा इन्द्रं प्रत्यक्षं नापश्यन् । तं वशिष्ठः प्रत्यक्षमपश्यत् ।
सोऽब्रवीत् ब्रह्माणं ते वक्ष्यामि । यथात्वत् पुरोहिताः प्रजाः प्रजनिष्यन्ते ।
“The Rishis do not see Indra clearly, but Vasishtha saw him. Indra said,
I will tell you, O Bráhman, so that all men who are born, will have a
Vasishtha for his Purohita” (Max Müll. Anc. Sans. Lit. p. 92. Web. Id.
p. 123). This will show that the Sloka works, which are attributed to
Vasishtha, Yájnavalkya or any other Vedic Rishi, could not be the
composition of the old Rishis, but of some one of their posterity;
though they might have been propounded by the eldest sages, and then put
to writing by oral communication or successive tradition by a distant
descendant or disciple of the primitive Rishis. Thus we see the
_Dráhyáyana Sutras_ of the Sama Veda is also called the Vasishtha
Sutras, from the author’s family name of Vasishtha (Web. Id. p. 79). The
_ásvaláyana Grihya Sutra_ assigns some other works to Vasishtha, viz.,
the Vasishtha _pragáthá_, probably Vashishtha Hymni of Bopp; the
_Pavamánya_, _Kshudra sukta_, _Mahásukta_ &c. written in the vedic
style. There are two other works attributed to Vasishtha, the Vasishtha
Sanhitá on Astronomy (Web. Id. p. 258) and the Vasishtha Smriti on Law
(Web. Id. p. 320), which from their compositions in Sanscrit slokas,
could not be the language or work of the Vedic Rishi, but of some one
late member of that family. Thus our work of Yoga Vasishtha has no claim
or pretension to its being the composition of the Vedic sage; but as one
propounded by the sage, and written by Válmiki in his modern Sanskrit.
Here the question is whether Vasishtha the preceptor of Ráma, was the
Vedic Vasishtha or one of his descendants, I must leave for others to
determine.
Again in the later _Áranyaka_ period we have an account of a theologian
Vasishtha given in the _Árshikopanishad_, as holding a dialogue on the
nature of _átmá_ or soul between the sages, Viswámitra, Jamadagni,
Bharadwája, Gautama and himself; when Vasishtha appealing to the opinion
of Kapila obtained their assent (Weber Id. p. 162). This appears very
probably to be the theological author of our yoga, and eminent above his
contemporaries in his knowledge of the Kapila yoga sástra which was then
current, from this sage’s having been a contemporary with king Sagara, a
predecessor of Rama.
In the latest Sútra period we find a passage in the
_Grihya-Sútra-parisishta_, about the distinctive mark of the Vasishtha
Family from those of the other _parishads_ or classes of the priesthood.
It says;
दक्षिणकपर्दोवशिष्ठाः आत्रेयास्त्रिकपद्दिनः ।
आङ्गिरसः पञ्चचूडाः मुण्डाभृगवः शिखिनोऽन्ये ॥
“The Vasishthas wear a braid (lock of hair) on the right side, the
Átreyas wear three braids, the Angiras have five braids, the Bhrigus
are bald, and all others have a single crest,” (Müller Id. p. 53). The
Karma pradípa says, “the Vasishthas exclude meat from their sacrifice;
वसिष्ठोक्तविधिः कृत्स्नो द्रष्टव्यात्र निरामिषः ।” (Müller A. S. Lit. p. 54), and the colour
of their dress was white (Id. p. 483). Many Vasishthas are named in
different works as; वशिष्ठ चेकितायनः, वशिष्ठ आरिहणीयः, वशिष्ठ मैत्रावरणिः,
वशिष्ठः राणायणः, वशिष्ठ लाठ्यायनः, वशिष्ठ द्राह्यायनः, वशिष्ठकौण्डिन्यः, वशिष्ठइन्द्रप्रमदः, वशिष्ठः आभरद्बसुः,
and some others, bearing no other connection with our author, than that
of their having been members of the same family (Müller’s A. S. Lit. p.
44).
Without dilating any longer with further accounts relating to the sage
Vasishtha of which many more might be gathered from various sastras, I
shall add in the conclusion the following notice which is taken of this
work by Professor Monier Williams in his work on Indian Wisdom p. 370.
“There is,” says he, “a remarkable work called Vasishtha Rámáyana or
Yoga Vásishtha or Vasishtha Mahárámáyana in the form of an exhortation,
with illustrative narratives addressed by Vasishtha to his pupil the
youthful Ráma, on the best means of attaining true happiness, and
considered to have been composed as an appendage to the Rámáyana by
Válmiki himself. There is another work of the same nature called the
Adhyátma Rámáyana which is attributed to Vyása, and treat of the moral
and theological subjects connected with the life and acts of that great
hero of Indian history. Many other works are extant in the vernacular
dialects having the same theme for their subject which it is needless to
notice in this place.”
Vasishtha, known as the wisest of sages, like Solomon the wisest of men,
and Aurelius the wisest of emperors, puts forth in the first part and in
the mouth of Ráma the great question of the vanity of the world, which
is shown synthetically to a great length from the state of all living
existences, the instinct, inclinations, and passions of men, the nature
of their aims and objects, with some discussions about destiny,
necessity, activity and the state of the soul and spirit. The second
part embraces various directions for the union of the individual with
the universal Abstract Existence—the Supreme Spirit—the subjective and
the objective truth—and the common topics of all speculative philosophy.
Thus says Milton; “The end of learning is to know God.”
So the Persian adage, “Akhiral ilm buad ilmi Khodá.”
Such also the Sanskrit, “Sávidyá tan matir yayá.”
And the sruti says, “Yad jnátwá náparan jnánam.”
_i. e._ “It is that which being known, there is nothing else required to
be known.”
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Dr. Rajendra Lala Mitra in Bengal, Benares and Orissa; Dr. Buhler in
Guzrat; Dr. Kielhorn in the Central Provinces; Dr. Burnell and other
Collectors of Sanskrit manuscripts in the Presidencies of Bombay,
Madras and Oudh, whose notices and catalogues have highly contributed
to bring the hidden treasures of the literature of this country to
light.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTENTS
OF
THE FIRST VOLUME.
PROLEGOMENA.
PROL. PAGE.
1. The Yoga Philosophy ” 1
2. The Om Tat Sat ” 34
VAIRÁGYA KHANDA.
BOOK I.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION. Page
SECTION I.
Divine Adoration 1
SECTION II.
Narrative of Sutíkshna 1
SECTION III.
Anecdote of Kárunya 2
SECTION IV.
Story of Suruchi 3
SECTION V.
Account of Arishtanemi 3
SECTION VI.
History of Ráma 6
CHAPTER II.
Reason of writing the Rámáyana 8
SECTION I
Persons entitled to its Perusal 8
SECTION II.
Brahmá’s Behest 9
SECTION III.
Inquiry of Bharadwája 10
CHAPTER III.
Válmíki’s Admonition 12
SECTION I.
On True Knowledge 12
SECTION II.
Early History of Ráma 13
SECTION III.
Ráma’s Pilgrimage 15
CHAPTER IV.
Ráma’s Return from Pilgrimage 17
CHAPTER V.
Of Ráma’s Self-Dejection and its Cause 19
CHAPTER VI.
Advent of Viswámitra to the Royal Court 21
SECTION II.
Address of King-Dasaratha 24
CHAPTER VII.
Viswámitra’s Request for Ráma 26
CHAPTER VIII.
Dasaratha’s Reply to Viswámitra 29
CHAPTER IX.
Viswámitra’s Wrath and his Enraged
Speech 33
CHAPTER X.
Melancholy of Ráma 36
CHAPTER XI.
Consolation of Ráma 41
CHAPTER XII.
Ráma’s Reply 45
CHAPTER XIII.
Vituperation of Riches 48
CHAPTER XIV.
Depreciation of Human Life 50
CHAPTER XV.
Obloquy of Egoism 53
CHAPTER XVI.
The Ungovernableness of the Mind 56
CHAPTER XVII.
On Cupidity 59
CHAPTER XVIII.
Obloquy of the Body 64
CHAPTER XIX.
Blemishes of Boyhood 70
CHAPTER XX.
Vituperation of Youth 73
CHAPTER XXI.
Vituperation of Women 77
CHAPTER XXII.
Obloquy of Old Age 81
CHAPTER XXIII.
Vicissitudes of Times 85
CHAPTER XXIV.
Ravages of Time 90
CHAPTER XXV.
Sports of Death 91
CHAPTER XXVI.
The Acts of Destiny 95
CHAPTER XXVII.
Vanity of the World 100
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Mutability of the World 105
CHAPTER XXIX.
Unreliableness of Worldly Things 109
CHAPTER XXX.
Self-Disparagement 112
CHAPTER XXXI.
Queries of Ráma 115
CHAPTER XXXII.
Praises of Ráma’s Speech 118
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Association of Aerial and Earthly Beings 121
BOOK II.
MUMUKSHU KHANDA.
CHAPTER I. PAGE
Liberation of Sukadeva 127
CHAPTER II.
Speech of Viswámitra 132
CHAPTER III.
On the Repeated Creations of the World 135
CHAPTER IV.
Praise Of Acts and Exertions 139
CHAPTER V.
Necessity of Activity 142
CHAPTER VI.
Refutation of Fatalism 145
CHAPTER VII.
On the Necessity of Activity 150
CHAPTER VIII.
Invalidation of Destiny 154
CHAPTER IX.
Investigation of Acts 157
CHAPTER X.
Descension of Knowledge 161
CHAPTER XI.
On the qualifications of the Inquirer
and Lecturer 166
CHAPTER XII.
Greatness of True Knowledge 173
CHAPTER XIII.
On Peace and Tranquility of mind 176
CHAPTER XIV.
On the Ascertainment of an argument 184
CHAPTER XV.
On Contentment 189
CHAPTER XVI.
On Good Conduct 191
CHAPTER XVII.
On the Contents of the Work 195
CHAPTER XVIII.
Ascertainment of the Example or Major
Proposition 201
CHAPTER XIX.
Ascertainment of True Evidence 208
CHAPTER XX.
On Good Conduct 212
BOOK III.
UTPATTI KHANDA.
EVOLUTION OF THE WORLD.
CHAPTER I.
CAUSES OF BONDAGE TO IT.
SECTION I. Page
Exordium 215
SECTION II.
Worldly Bondage 216
SECTION III.
Phases of The Spirit 216
SECTION IV.
Nature of Bondage 218
CHAPTER II.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRST CAUSE.
SECTION I.
Narrative of the Air-born and Aeriform
Bráhman 223
SECTION II.
State of the Soul 224
CHAPTER III.
Causes of Bondage in the Body 229
CHAPTER IV.
SECTION I.
Description of the Night-Fall 234
SECTION II.
Nature of the Mind 237
SECTION III.
Kaivalya or Mental Abstraction 239
CHAPTER V.
On the Original Cause 243
CHAPTER VI.
Admonition for attempt of Liberation 246
CHAPTER VII.
Recognition of the Nihility of the
Phenomenal World 249
CHAPTER VIII.
Nature of good Sástras 255
CHAPTER IX.
On the Supreme cause of All 257
CHAPTER X.
Description of the Chaotic State 266
CHAPTER XI.
Spiritual View of Creation 273
CHAPTER XII.
The Idealistic Theo-Cosmogony of Vedánta 277
CHAPTER XIII.
On the Production of the Self-Born 281
CHAPTER XIV.
Establishment of Brahma 288
CHAPTER XV.
Story of the Temple and its Prince 299
CHAPTER XVI.
Joy and Grief of the Princess 303
CHAPTER XVII.
Story of the Doubtful Realm or Reverie
of Lílá 309
SECTION I.
Description of the Court House and the
Cortes 313
CHAPTER XVIII.
Exposure of the Errors of this World 315
CHAPTER XIX.
Story of a Former Vasishtha and his Wife 319
CHAPTER XX.
SECTION I
The Moral of the Tale of Lílá 322
SECTION II.
State of The Human Soul after Death 325
CHAPTER XXI.
Guide to Peace 328
CHAPTER XXII.
Practice of Wisdom or Wisdom in Practice 336
SECTION I.
Abandonment of Desires 336
SECTION II.
On the Practice of Yoga 338
CHAPTER XXIII.
The Aerial Journey of Spiritual Bodies 340
CHAPTER XXIV.
The Aerial Journey (continued) 342
SECTION II.
Description of the Heavens 343
CHAPTER XXV.
Description of the Earth 349
CHAPTER XXVI.
Meeting the Siddhas 353
CHAPTER XXVII.
Past lives of Lílá 359
CHAPTER XXVIII.
SECTION I.
Exposition of Lílá’s Vision 365
SECTION II.
Description of the Mountainous
Habitation 366
CHAPTER XXIX.
Account of the Previous Life of Lílá 372
CHAPTER XXX.
Description of the Mundane Egg 378
CHAPTER XXXI.
SECTION I.
Alighting of the Ladies on Earth 382
SECTION II.
Sight of a Battle Array in Earth and Air 383
CHAPTER XXXII.
Onset of the War 386
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Commingled Fighting 389
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Description of the Battle 392
CHAPTER XXXV.
Description of the Battlefield 398
CHAPTER XXXVI.
SECTION I.
Collision of Equal Arms and Armigerents 401
SECTION II.
Catalogue of the Forces 403
CHAPTER XXXVII.
Catalogue of the Forces (continued) 408
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Cessation of the War 414
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Description of The Battle Field Infested
by
Nocturnal Fiends 420
CHAPTER XL.
Reflections on Human Life and Mind 423
CHAPTER XLI.
Discrimination of Error 431
CHAPTER XLII.
Philosophy of Dreaming 438
CHAPTER XLIII.
Burning of the City 442
CHAPTER XLIV.
Spiritual Interpretation of the Vision 448
CHAPTER XLV.
Theism consisting in True Knowledge 454
CHAPTER XLVI.
Onslaught of Vidūratha 457
CHAPTER XLVII.
Encounter of Sindhu and Vidūratha 461
CHAPTER XLVIII.
Description of Daivástras or
Supernatural Weapons 465
CHAPTER XLIX.
Description of other kinds of Weapons 473
CHAPTER L.
Death of Vidūratha 477
Conclusion 482
Genealogy 485
THE YOGA PHILOSOPHY.
The Yoga or contemplative philosophy of the Hindus, is rich, exuberant,
grand and sublime, in as much as it comprehends within its ample sphere
and deep recesses of meditation, all that is of the greatest value, best
interest and highest importance to mankind, as physical, moral,
intellectual and spiritual beings—a knowledge of the cosmos—of the
physical and intellectual worlds.
It is rich in the almost exhaustless treasure of works existing on the
subject in the sacred and vernacular languages of the country both of
ancient and modern times. It is exuberant in the profusion of erudition
and prolixity of ingenuity displayed in the Yoga philosophy of
Patanjali, commensurate with the extraordinary calibre of the author in
his commentary of the Mahábháshya on Pánini (Müller’s A. S. Lit. p.
235). Its grandeur is exhibited in the abstract and abstruse reflections
and investigations of philosophers in the intellectual and spiritual
worlds as far as human penetration has been able to reach. And its
sublimity is manifested in its aspiring disquisition into the nature of
the human and divine souls, which it aims to unite with the one
self-same and all pervading spirit.
It has employed the minds of gods, sages, and saints, and even those of
heroes and monarchs, to the exaltation of their natures above the rest
of mankind, and elevation of their dignities to the rank of gods, as
nothing less than a godly nature can approach and approximate that of
the All-perfect Divinity. So says Plato in his Phaedras; “To contemplate
these things is the privilege of the gods, and to do so is also the
aspiration of the immortal soul of man generally; though only in a few
cases is such aspiration realized.”
The principal gods Brahmá and Siva are represented as Yogis, the chief
sages Vyása, Válmiki, Vasishtha and Yájnavalkya were propounders of Yoga
systems; the saints one and all were adepts in Yoga; the heroes Ráma and
Krishna were initiated in it, and the kings Dasaratha and Janaka and
their fellow prince Buddha were both practitioners and preceptors of
Yoga. Mohammed held his nightly communions with God and his angels, and
Jesus often went over the hills—there to pray and contemplate. Socrates
had his demon to communicate with, and in fact every man has his genius
with whom he communes on all matters. All this is Yoga, and so is all
knowledge derived by intuition, inspiration and revelation, said to be
the result of Yoga.
II. SCIENCES CONNECTED WITH YOGA
The yoga philosophy, while it treats of a variety of subjects, is
necessarily a congeries of many sciences in itself. It is the Hindu form
of metaphysical argument for the existence of the ‘One Eternal’—the
Platonic “Reality.” It is ontology in as much as it teaches _a priori_
the being of God. It is psychology in its treatment of the doctrine of
feelings and passions, and it is morality in teaching us to keep them
under control as brutal propensities, for the sake of securing our final
emancipation and ultimate restoration into the spirit of spirits. Thus
it partakes of the nature of many sciences in treating of the particular
subject of divinity.
The Yoga in its widest sense of the application of the mind to any
subject is both practical, called _kriyá Yoga_, as also theoretical,
known as _Jnána Yoga_; and includes in itself the two processes of
synthesis and analysis alike, in its combination (_Yoga_) of things
together, and discrimination (_Viveka_) of one from the other, in its
inquiry into the nature of things (_Vastuvichára_), and investigation of
their abstract essence called _Satyánusandhánná_. It uses both the _a
priori_ (_púrvavat_) and _a posteriori_ (_paravat_) arguments to prove
the existence of the world from its Maker and the _vice versa_, as
indicated in the two aphorisms of induction and deduction _Yatová imani_
and _Janmadyasya yatah &c._ It views both subjectively and objectively
the one self in many and the many in one unto which all is to return, by
the two mysterious formulas of _So ham_ and _tat twam &c._
It is the reunion of detached souls with the Supreme that is the chief
object of the Yoga philosophy to effect by the aforesaid processes and
other means, which we propose fully to elucidate in the following pages;
and there is no soul we think so very reprobate, that will feel
disinclined to take a deep interest in them, in order to effect its
reunion with the main source of its being and the only fountain of all
blessings. On the contrary we are led to believe from the revival of the
yoga-cult with the spiritualists and theosophists of the present day
under the teachings of Madame Blavatsky and the lectures of Col. Olcott,
that the Indian public are beginning to appreciate the efficacy of Yoga
meditation, and its practice gaining ground among the pious and educated
men in this country.
Notwithstanding the various significations of Yoga and the different
lights in which it is viewed by several schools, as we shall see
afterwards, it is most commonly understood in the sense of the esoteric
faith of the Hindus, and the occult adoration of God by spiritual
meditation. This is considered on all hands as the only means of one’s
ultimate liberation from the general doom of birth and death and the
miseries of this world, and the surest way towards the final absorption
of one’s-self in the Supreme,—the highest state of perfection and the
_Summum bonum_ of the Hindu. The subject of Yoga Vasishtha is no other
than the effecting of that union of the human with the Divine Soul,
amidst all the trials and tribulations of life.
III. THE YOGA OF ENGLISH WRITERS.
The yoga considered merely as a mode or system of meditation is
variously described by European authors, as we shall see below.
Monier Williams says “According to Patanjali—the founder of the system,
the word yoga is interpreted to mean the act of “fixing or concentration
of the mind in abstract meditation”. Its aim is to teach the means by
which the human soul may attain complete union with the Supreme Soul,
and of effecting the complete fusion of the individual with the
universal spirit even in the body”, Indian Wisdom p. 102.
Weber speaking of the yoga of the Atharvan Upanishads says; “It is the
absorption in _átman_, the stages of this absorption and the external
means of attaining it.” Again says he; “The yoga in the sense of union
with the Supreme Being, is absorption therein by means of meditation. It
occurs first in the latter Upanishads, especially the tenth book of the
Taittiríya and the Katha Upanishads, where the very doctrine is itself
enunciated”, Hist. Ind Lit p. 153-171.
Müllins in his prize essay on Vedanta says, the Sankhya yoga is the
union of the body and mind, p. 183. In its Vedantic view, it is the
joining of the individual with the Supreme Spirit by holy communion of
the one with the other through intermediate grades, whereby the limited
soul may be led to approach its unlimited fountain and lose itself in
the same.
IV. YOGA-CHARACTERISTIC OF THE HINDUS.
Max Müller characterises the Hindu as naturally disposed to _Yoga_ or a
contemplative turn of his mind for his final beatitude in the next life,
amidst all his cares, concerns and callings in this world, which he
looks upon with indifference as the transient shadows of passing clouds,
that serve but to dim for a moment but never shut out from his view the
full blaze of his luminous futurity. This description is so exactly
graphic of the Hindu mind, that we can not with-hold giving it entire as
a mirror of the Hindu mind to our readers on account of the scarcity of
the work in this country.
“The Hindu” says he “enters the world as a stranger; all his thoughts
are directed to another world, he takes no part even where he is driven
to act, and even when he sacrifices his life, it is but to be delivered
from it.” Again “They shut their eyes to this world of outward seeming
activity, to open them full on the world of thought and rest. Their life
was a yearning for eternity; their activity was a struggle to return to
that divine essence from which this life seemed to have severed them.
Believing as they did in a really existing and eternal Being _to
ontos-onton_ they could not believe in the existence of this passing
world.”
“If the one existed, the other could only seem to exist; if they lived
in the one they could not live in the other. Their existence on earth
was to them a problem, their eternal life a certainty. The highest
object of their religion was to restore that bond by which their own
self (_átman_) was linked to the eternal self (_paramátman_); to recover
that unity which had been clouded and obscured by the magical illusions
of reality, by the so-called _Máyá_ of creation.”
“It scarcely entered their mind to doubt or to affirm the immortality of
the soul (_pretya-bháva_). Not only their religion and literature, but
their very language reminded them daily of that relation between the
real and seeming world.” (Hist A. S. Lit. p. 18). In the view of Max
Müller as quoted above, the Hindu mind would seem to be of that
realistic cast as the Platonic, whose theory of Ontology viewed all
existence as mere phantoms and _precepta_ of sense, and very short of
that perfection, which the mind realizes in its meditation or _Yoga_
reveries.
The Hindu Yogi views the visible world exactly in the same light as we
have said before, that Plato has represented it in the simile commencing
the seventh book of his Republic. “He compares mankind to prisoners in a
cave, chained in one particular attitude, so as to behold only an
ever-varying multiplicity of shadows, projected through the opening of
the cave upon the wall before them, by some unseen realities behind. The
philosopher alone, who by training or inspiration, is enabled to turn
his face from these visions, and contemplate with his mind, that can at
once see the unchangeable reality amidst these transient shadows”, Baine
on Realism pp. 6 and 7.
V. VARIOUS SIGNIFICATIONS OF YOGA.
The Váchaspati lexicon gives us about fifty different meanings of the
word _Yoga_, according to the several branches of art or science to
which it appertains, and the multifarious affairs of life in which the
word is used either singly or in composition with others. We shall give
some of them below, in order to prevent our mistaking any one of these
senses for the special signification which the term is made to bear in
our system of _Yoga_ meditation.
The word _Yoga_ from the root “_jung_” (Lat.) _Jungere_ means the joining
of any two things or numbers together. Amara Kosha gives five different
meanings of it as, संयोगे मेलने ध्याने धारने उपायेच; the other Koshas give five
others, _viz._, भैषज्ये देह स्थैर्ये कर्म्मकौशले विश्वासघातकेच ।
1. In Arithmetic it is अङ्क योग or addition, and योग बिभाग is addition
and subtraction. 2. In Astronomy the conjunction of planets and stars
ग्रहनक्षत्रादि संयोगः 3. In Grammar it is the joining of letters and words
सन्धिः समासः । 4. In Nyáya it means the power of the parts taken
together अबयब शक्तिः, तर्क दीपिका । 5. In Mímánsa it is defined to be
the force conveyed by the united members of a sentence.
In contemplative philosophy it means; 1. According to Pátanjali,—the
suppression of mental functions चित्तवृत्ति निरोधः । 2. The Buddhists mean by
it—the abstraction of the mind from all objects. सर्ब्बबिषयेभ्यः चित्तनिबृत्ति निरोधः ।
3. The Vedanta meaning of it is—जीबात्मा परमात्मनोरैक्यं the union of the human
soul with the Supreme spirit. 4. Its meaning in the _Yoga_ system is
nearly the same, _i. e._, the joining of the vital spirit with the
soul; संयोगं योगमित्याहुर्ज्जीबमात्मनोरिति । 5. Every process of meditation is called also as
Yoga. योगाङ्ग योग उच्यते ।
Others again use it in senses adapted to their own views and subjects;
such as the Vaiseshika philosophy uses it to mean, the fixing of the
attention to only one subject by abstracting it from all others
आत्मनो व्यावृत्त मनसः संयोगो योग उच्यते । 2. The Rámánuja sect define it as the seeking of one’s
particular Deity स्वस्व देवतानु सन्धानमिति रामानुजाः ।
In this sense all sectarian cults are accounted as so many kinds of
Yogas by their respective votaries. 3. According to some Buddhists it is
the seeking of one’s object of desire अप्राप्तस्यार्थस्य प्राप्तये पर्यानुयोगः । 4. And with
others, it is a search after every desirable object. 5. In Rhetoric it
means the union of lovers कामुक कामिनी सम्मेलनं ।
In Medicine it means the compounding of drugs under which head there are
many works that are at first sight mistaken for Yoga philosophy. Again
there are many compound words with _Yoga_ which mean only “a treatise”
on those subjects, such as, works on wisdom, on Acts, on Faith &c., are
called ज्ञान योग, क्रिया योग, भक्त्ति योग इत्यादि । .
Moreover the words _Yoga_ and _Viyoga_ are used to express the two
processes of synthesis and analysis both in the abstract and practical
sciences for the combination and disjoining of ideas and things.
VI. THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF YOGA.
The constituent parts and progressive steps of Yoga, are composed of a
series of bodily, mental and spiritual practices, the proper exercise of
which conduces to the making of a perfect man, as a moral, intellectual
and spiritual being, to be united to his Maker in the present and future
worlds. These are called the eight stages of _Yoga_ (अष्टाङ्ग योग), of which
some are external (बहिरङ्ग) and others internal (अन्तरङ्गानि). The external ones
are:
_1st._ _Yama_ (यम); Forbearance or restraint of passions, feelings &c.,
including the best moral rules in all religions.
_2nd._ _Niyama_ (नियम ); Particular rules and vows for the observance of
the _Yogi_.
_3rd._ _Asana_ (आसन); sedate position of the body to help deep
meditation.
_4th._ Pránáyáma (प्राणायाम); Suppression and suspension of breath.
_5th._ Pratyáhára (प्रत्याहार), Restraint or control of senses and organs.
Among the internal practices are reckoned the following; _viz._;
_6th._ _Dhyána_ (ध्यान); Inward contemplation and meditation.
_7th._ _Dháraná_ (धारणा); Steadiness of the mind in study.
_8th._ _Samádhi_ (समाधि), Trance, the last stage of _Yoga_.
These again comprise some other acts under each of them, such as;
I. _Yama_ (समयम) Restraint includes five acts under it;
_1st._ _Ahimsá_ (अहिंसा); Universal innocence or hurting no animal
creature.
_2nd._ _Asteyam_ (अस्तेयं); Avoidance of theft or stealth.
_3rd._ _Satyam_ (सत्यं); Observance of truth.
_4th._ _Brahmacharyam_ (ब्रह्मचर्यं); consisting in purity and chastity.
_5th._ _Aparigraha_ (अपरिग्रह); Disinterestedness.
II. _Niyama_ (नियम पञ्चधा); Moral rules consisting of five-fold acts. _Viz._;
_1st._ _Saucham_ (शौचं); Personal cleanliness.
_2nd._ _Santosha_ (सन्तोषः); contentment.
_3rd._ _Tapas_ (तपस्); Devotion including self denial and self
mortification.
_4th._ _Sádhyáya_ (साध्याय); knowledge of all nature.
_5th._ _Pranidhána_ (ईश्वर प्रनिधानं); Adoration of God.
III. _Asana_ (आसन); Different modes of postures, tranquil posture
(पद्मासन) &c.
IV. _Pránáyáma_ (प्राणायामः); Rules of Respiration, three sorts,
viz.;
_1st._ _Rechaka_ (रेचकं); Expiration or Exhalation.
_2nd._ _Púraka_ (पूरकं); Inspiration or Inhalation.
_3rd._ _Kumbhaka_ (कुम्भकं अष्टधा); Suppression of breathing, eight ways.
V. _Pratyáhára_ (प्रत्याहारः इन्द्रिय निग्रहः) Restraining the senses from their
gratifications in many ways.
VI. _Dhyána_ (ध्यान चित्तनिरोधः); Abstract contemplation, apart from the testimonies
of:—
1. Pratyaxa (प्रत्यक्ष); Perceptions.
2. Pramána (प्रमाणं); Apprehensions.
3. Anumána (अनुमान); Inference.
4. Sabda (शब्दः); Verbal testimony.
VII. _Dháraná_ (धारणा); Retentiveness.
VIII. _Samádhi_ (समाधि); Absorption in meditation, in two ways;
1. _Savikalpa_ (सबिकल्पः); With retention of self volition.
2. _Nirvikalpa_ (निर्बिकल्पः); _With loss of volition._
The Upáyas (उपायाः); Or the means spoken of before are;
1. _Uposhana_ (उपोषणं); Abstinence.
2. _Mitásana_ (मिताशनं); Temperance.
3. _Ásrama_ (आश्रमः); Sheltered abodes.
4. _Visráma_ (बिश्रामः) Rest and repose from labor.
5. _Avarodha_ (अबरोधः); Self confinement in closets.
6. _Asanam_ (अशनं); _Subsistence on light food._
Beside these there are many vices called _Apáyas_ or _dóshas_
(अपायादोषाः) which are obstacles to meditation, and which we omit on
account of their prolixity.
VII. NATURE OF THE SOUL.
Now as the end and aim of _Yoga_ is the emancipation of the Soul, it is
necessary to give some account of the nature of the soul (_átmatatwa_)
as far as it was known to the sages of India, and formed the primary
subject of inquiry with the wise men of every country according to the
sayings; “_Gnothe seauton_,”
“_Nosce teipsum_,” “Know thyself”, “_Khodra bedan_,” and Arabic
“_Taalam Nafsaka_,” आत्मानु सन्धीयताम् &c.
“The word Atman,” says Max Müller, “which in the Veda occurs as often as
“_twan_,” meant life, particularly animal life” (Vide Rig Veda I. 63, 8.)
_Atmá_ in the sense of _self_ occurs also in the Rig Veda (I. 162. 20),
in the passage मात्वा-तपत् प्रिय आत्मापियन्तं. It is also found to be used
in the higher sense of soul in the verse सूर्य्यो आत्मा जगतस्तष्टूषश्च “The sun is the
soul of all that moves and rests (R. I. 115. 1). The highest soul is
called _paramátman_ (परमात्मा) of which all other souls partake, from
which all reality in this created world emanates, and into which every
thing will return.”
_Atman_ originally meant air as the Greek _atmos_, Gothic _ahma_, Zend
_tmánam_, Sanscrit त्मानं and आत्मानं, Cuniform _adam_, Persian _dam_,
whence we derive Sans. अहं Hindi हम् Uria and Prakrit अमू and Bengali
आमि, मुइ &c. The Greek and Latin _ego_ and German _ich_ are all derived
from the same source. The Romance _je_ and Hindi _ji_ are corruptions
of Sanskrit जीब meaning life and spirit. Again the Páli अत्ता and the
Prakrit आप्पा is from the Sanscrit आत्मा, which is आप् in Hindi, आपन
in Bengali and अप्पन in Uria &c. The Persian “_man_” is evidently the
_Sátman_ by elision of the initial syllable.
These meanings of _átman_ = the self and _ego_ form the basis of the
knowledge of the Divine soul both of the Hindu as of any other people,
who from the consciousness of their own selves rise to that of the
Supreme. Thus says Max Müller on the subject, “A Hindu speaking of
himself आत्मन् spoke also, though unconsciously of the soul of the
universe परमात्मन्, and to know himself, was to him to know both his
own self and the Universal soul, or to know himself in the Divine self.”
We give below the different lights in which the Divine soul was viewed
by the different schools of Hindu philosophy, and adopted accordingly in
their respective modes of Yoga meditation. The Upanishads called it
Brahma of eternal and infinite wisdom नित्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं ब्रह्म ।
The Vedantists;—A Being full of intelligence and blissfulness
सच्चिदानन्द स्वरूपं ।
The Sánkaras;—A continued consciousness of one self. सनित्योपलब्धि स्वरूपोऽहमात्मा ।
The doctrine of Descartes and Malebranche.
The Materialists—convert the soul to all material forms देहमात्रमिति प्रकृत्यः ।
The Lokáyatas—take the body with intelligence to be the soul;
चैतन्यबिशिष्टः देहमात्मां ।
The Chárvákas—call the organs and sensations as soul; इन्द्रियान्येबात्मेति ।
Do. Another sect—take the cognitive faculties as such; चेतनान्यात्मेत्यपरे चार्ब्बाकाः ।
Do. Others—Understand the mind as soul मनो एबात्मेत्यन्ये ।
Do. Others—call the vital breath as soul प्राण एबात्मा ।
Do. Others—understand the son as soul पुत्र एबात्मा ।
The Digambaras—say, the complete human body is the soul देहपरिमानमात्मा ।
The Mádhyamikas—take the vacuum for their soul शून्यमेबात्मेति ।
The Yogácháris—understand the soul to be a transient flash of knowledge
in the spirit in meditation. क्षणं विज्ञाणं ।
The Sautrántas—call it a short inferior knowledge. ज्ञानाकारानुमेय क्षणिक बाह्यार्थः ।
The Vaibháshikas—take it to be a momentary perception क्षणिक बाह्यार्थमिति वैभाषिकाः ।
The Jainas—take their preceptor to be their soul अध्यापक आत्मा इति जैनाः ।
The Logicians—A bodiless active and passive agency देहाद्यतिरिक्त्त संसारी कर्त्ता भोक्त्तेति ।
The Naiyáyikas—understand the spirit to be self manifest प्रकाश्य इति नैयायिकाः ।
The Sánkhyas,—call the spirit to be passive, not active भोक्त्तेब नकर्त्तेति सांख्या ।
The Yogis—call Him a separate omnipotent Being अस्ति तद्ब्यतिरिक्त ईश्वरः सर्ब्बज्ञः सर्ब्बशक्तिरिति ।
The Saivas,—designate the spirit as knowledge itself अनुक्षेत्रज्ञादि पद बेदनीय इति शैबाः ।
The Mayávádis,—style Brahma as the soul ब्रह्मैबात्मेति मायाबादिनः ।
The Vaiseshikas,—acknowledge two souls—the Vital and Supreme
जीबात्मा परमात्मा च प्रत्यक्ष एब ।
The Nyayá says—because the soul is immortal there is a future state
आत्म नित्यत्वे प्रेत्यभाबसिद्धः ।
And thus there are many other _theories_ about the nature of the soul.
The Atmávádis—spiritualists, consider the existence of the body as
unnecessary to the existence of the soul.
VIII. FINAL EMANCIPATION OR BEATITUDE.
The object of _Yoga_, as already said, being the emancipation of the
soul from the miseries of the world, and its attainment to a state of
highest felicity, it is to be seen what this state of felicity is, which
it is the concern of every man to know, and which the _Yogi_ takes so
much pains to acquire. The Vedantic Yogi, as it is well known, aims at
nothing less than in his absorption in the Supreme Spirit and loosing
himself in infinite bliss. But it is not so with others, who are averse
to loose the sense of their personal identity, and look forward to a
state of self existence either in this life or next, in which they shall
be perfectly happy. The Yogis of India have various states of this bliss
which they aim at according to the faith to which they belong, as we
shall show below.
The Vedantic Yogi has two states of bliss in view; _viz._; the one
_inferior_ which is attained in this life by means of knowledge
तत्रामरः जीबन्मुक्ति लक्षणं तत्वज्ञानान्तरमेव, and the other _superior_, obtainable after many
births of gradual advancement to perfection परं निःश्रेयसं क्रमेण भबति ।
The Chárvákas say, that it is either independence or death that is
bliss. स्वातन्त्र्यं मृत्युर्ब्बा मोक्षः ।
The Mádhyamikas say; it is extinction of self that is called liberation
आत्मोच्छेदो मोक्षः ।
The Vijnáni philosophers—have it to be clear and elevated understanding
निर्मलज्ञानोदयः ।
The Arhatas have it in deliverance from all veil and covering
आबरण बिमुक्तिर्मुक्तिः ।
The Máyávádis say, that it is removal of the error of one’s
separate existence as a particle of the Supreme spirit
ब्रह्मांशिकजीबस्य मिथ्याज्ञान निबृत्तिः ।
The Rámánujas called it to be the knowledge of Vásudeva as cause of all,
बासुदेब ज्ञानं ।
The Mádhyamikas have it for the perfect bliss enjoyed by Vishnu
बिष्णोरानन्दं ।
The Ballabhis expect it in sporting with Krishna in heaven
कृष्णेण सह गोलके लीलानुभाबः ।
The Pásupatas and Máheswaras place it in the possession of all dignity
परमैश्वर्य्यं ।
The Kápálikas place it in the fond embraces of Hara and Durga
हरपार्ब्बत्यालिङ्गनं ।
The Pratyabhijnánis call it to be the perfection of the soul.
पूर्णात्मालाभः ।
The Raseswara Vádis have it in the health of body produced by mercury
पारदेन देहस्थैर्य्यं ।
The Vaisesikas seek it in the extinction of all kinds of pain
दुःखः निबृत्तिरिति कणादादयः ।
The Mimánsakas view their happiness in heavenly bliss
स्वर्गादि सुख भोगः ।
The Sarvajnas say that, it is the continued feeling of highest felicity
नित्य निरतिशय सुखबोधः ।
The Pánini philologers find it in the powers of speech
ब्रह्म रूपाया बाण्या दर्शनं ।
The Sánkhyas find it in the union of force with matter
प्रकृतौ पुरुषस्याबस्थानं ।
The Udásína Atheists have it as consisting in the ignoring of self
identity अहंङ्कर निबृत्तिः ।
The Pátanjalas view it in the unconnected unity of the soul
पुरुषस्य निर्लेप कैबल्यं ।
The Persian Sufis call it _ázádigi_ or unattachment of the soul to any
worldly object.
IX. ORIGIN OF YOGA IN THE VEDAS.
[Sidenote: Not in the Vedic Period.]
The origin of yoga meditation is placed at a period comparatively less
ancient than the earliest Sanhita or hymnic period of vedic history,
when the Rishis followed the elementary worship of the physical
forces, or the Brahmanic age when they were employed in the ceremonial
observances.
[Sidenote: Some _Traces_ of it.]
There are however some traces of abstract contemplation “dhyána yoga”
to be occasionally met with in the early Vedas, where the Rishis are
mentioned to have indulged themselves in such reveries. Thus in the
Rig Veda—129. 4. सतो वन्धुमसति निरविन्दन् हृदि प्रतीष्य कवयो मनीषा ।
“The poets discovered in their heart, through meditation, the bond of
the existing in the non-existing.” M. Müller. A. S. Lit. (p. 19.)
[Sidenote: The Gáyatrí Meditation.]
We have it explicitly mentioned in the Gáyatrí hymn of the Rig Veda,
which is daily recited by every Brahman, and wherein its author
Viswámitra “meditated on the glory of the Lord for the illumination of
his understanding” भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि । But this bespeaks a development of
intellectual meditation “_jnana yoga_” only, and not spiritual as there
is no prayer for (मुक्ति) liberation.
[Sidenote: Áranyaka Period.]
It was in the third or Áranyaka period, that the yoga came in vogue
with the second class of the Atharva Upanishads, presenting certain
phases in its successive stages, as we find in the following analysis
of them given by Professor Weber in his History of Ancient Sanskrit
Literature. This class of works, he says, is chiefly made up of
subjects relating to _yoga_, as consisting in divine meditation and
giving up all earthly connections. (Ibid p. 163).
[Sidenote: Yoga Upanishads.]
To this class belong the Jábála, Katha—sruti, Bhallavi, Samvartasruti,
Sannyása, Hansa and Paramhansa Upanishads, Srimaddatta, the Mándukya
and Tarkopanishads, and a few others, (Ibid. p. 164). It will exceed
our bounds to give an account of the mode of _yoga_ treated in these
treatises, which however may be easily gathered by the reader from a
reference to the Fifty two Upanishads lately published in this city.
[Sidenote: Their different modes of yoga.]
Beside the above, we find mention of yoga and the various modes of
conducting it in some other Upanishads, as given below by the same
author and analyst. The Kathopanishad or Kathavallí of the Atharva
Veda, treats of the first principles of Deistic Yoga. Ibid. p. 158.
The Garbhopanishad speaks of the Sánkhya and Pátanjali yoga systems as
the means of knowing Náráyana. (Ibid. p. 160). The Brahmaopanishad,
says Weber, belongs more properly to the yoga Upanishads spoken of
before. (Ibid. p. 161).
The Nirálambopanishad exhibits essentially the yoga stand point
according to Dr. Rajendra Lala Mitra (Notices of S. Mss. II 95. Weber’s
Id. p. 162). The yoga tatwa and yoga sikhá belong to yoga also, and
depict the majesty of _Átmá_. (Ibid. p. 165).
Among the Sectarian Upanishads will be found the Náráyanopanishad,
which is of special significance in relation to the Sánkhya and Yoga
doctrines (Ibid. p. 166).
[Sidenote: Sánkhya and Pátanjala Yogas.]
It is plain from the recurrence of the word Sánkhya in the later
Upanishads of the Taittiríya and Atharva vedas and in the Nirukta and
Bhagavad Gítá, that the Sánkhya Yoga was long known to the ancients,
and the Pátanjala was a further development of it. (Ibid. p. 137).
[Sidenote: Yoga Yájnavalkya.]
Along with or prior to Pátanjali comes the Yoga Sástra of Yogi
Yájnavalkya, the leading authority of the Sátapatha Bráhmana, who is
also regarded as a main originator of the yoga doctrine in his later
writings. (Ibid. p. 237). Yájnavalkya speaks of his obtaining the Yoga
Sástra from the sun, ज्ञेयञ्चारण्यकमहं यदादित्यादबाप्तबान । योगशास्त्रञ्च मत् प्रोक्तं ज्ञेयं योगमभीप्सता ॥
“He who wishes to attain yoga must know the Áranyaka which I have
received from the sun, and the Yoga sástra which I have taught.”
X. RISE OF THE HERETICAL YOGAS.
[Sidenote: The Buddhist and Jain Yogas.]
Beside the Orthodox yoga systems of the Upanishads, we have the
Heterodox Yoga Sastras of the Buddhists and Jains completely concordant
with those of Yájnavalkya in the Brihad áranyaka and Atharvan
Upanishads, (Weber’s Id. p. 285).
[Sidenote: The concordance with the Vedantic.]
The points of coincidence of the vedánta yoga with those of Buddhism
and Jainism, consist in as much as both of them inculcate the doctrine
of the interminable metempsychosis of the human soul, as a consequence
of bodily acts, previous to its state of final absorption or utter
annihilation, according to the difference in their respective views. Or
to explain it more clearly they say that, “The state of humanity in its
present, past and future lives, is the necessary result of its own acts
“Karma” in previous births.”
[Sidenote: The weal or woe of mankind.]
That misery or happiness in this life is the unavoidable sequence of
conduct in former states of existence, and that our present actions
will determine our states to come; that is, their weal or woe depending
solely on the merit or demerit of acts. It is, therefore, one’s
cessation from action by confining himself to holy meditation, that
secures to him his final absorption in the supreme according to the
one; and by his nescience of himself that ensures his utter extinction
according to the other.
[Sidenote: The Puránic yoga.]
In the Puránic period we get ample accounts of _yoga_ and _yogis_. The
Kurma purana gives a string of names of yoga teachers. The practice of
_yoga_ is frequently alluded to in the Vana parva of Mahábhárata. The
observances of yoga are detailed at considerable length and strenuously
enjoined in the Udyoga parva of the said epic. Besides in modern times
we have accounts of yogis in the Sakuntala of Kálidása (VII. 175) and
in the Mádhava Málati of Bhava-bhúti (act V.). The Rámayana gives an
account of a Súdra yogi, and the Bhágavatgítá treats also of yoga as
necessary to be practiced (chap. VI. V. 13).
[Sidenote: The Tántrika yoga.]
The Tantras or cabalistic works of modern times are all and every one
of them no other than yoga sastras, containing directions and formulas
for the adoration of innumerable deities for the purpose of their
votaries’ attainment of consummation “_Yoga Siddhi_” through them. It
is the Tántrika yoga which is chiefly current in Bengal, though the old
forms may be in use in other parts of the country. It is reckoned with
the heretical systems, because the processes and practices of its yoga
are mostly at variance with the spiritual yoga of old. It has invented
many _múdras_ or masonic signs, monograms and mysterious symbols, which
are wholly unintelligible to the yogis of the old school, and has the
carnal rites of the _pancha-makára_ for immediate consummation which a
spiritualist will feel ashamed to learn (See Wilson. H. Religion).
[Sidenote: The Hatha Yoga.]
This system, which as its name implies consists of the forced
contortions of the body in order to subdue the hardy boors to
quiescence, is rather a training of the body than a mental or spiritual
discipline of a moral and intelligent being for the benefit of the
rational soul. The votaries of this system are mostly of a vagrant and
mendicant order, and subject to the slander of foreigners, though they
command veneration over the ignorant multitude.
[Sidenote: The Sectarian yogas.]
The modern sectarians in upper Hindustan, namely the followers of
Rámánuja, Gorakhnáth, Nának, Kabir and others, possess their respective
modes of yoga, written in the dialects of Hindi, for their practice in
the _maths_ or monasteries peculiar to their different orders.
[Sidenote: Yoga an indigene of India.]
_Lux-ab-oriens._ “Light from the east:” and India has given more light
to the west than it has derived from that quarter. We see India in
Greece in many things, but not Greece in India in any. And when we see
a correspondence of the Asiatic with the European, we have more reason
to suppose its introduction to the west by its travellers to the east,
since the days of Alexander the Great, than the Indians’ importation
of any thing from Europe, by crossing the seas which they had neither
the means nor privilege to do by the laws of their country. Whatever,
therefore, the Indian has is the indigenous growth of the land, or else
they would be as refined as the productions of Europe are generally
found to be.
[Sidenote: Its European forms &c.]
Professor Monier Williams speaking of the yoga philosophy says; “The
votaries of animal magnetism, clairvoyance and so called spiritualism,
will find most of their theories represented or far outdone by
corresponding notions existing in the _yoga_ system for more than two
thousand years ago.” In speaking of the Vedanta he declares; “The
philosophy of the Sufis, alleged to be developed out of the Koran,
appears to be a kind of pantheism very similar to that of the Vedanta.”
He has next shewn the correspondence of its doctrines with those of
Plato. Again he says about the Sánkhya; “It may not be altogether
unworthy of the attention of Darwinians” (Ind. Wisdom).
[Sidenote: The yoga &c. in Greece.]
The Dialectic Nyáya in the opinion of Sir William Jones expressed in
his Discourse on Hindu philosophy, was taken up by the followers of
Alexander and communicated by them to Aristotle: and that Pythagoras
derived his doctrine of Metempsychosis from the Hindu _yoga_ in his
travels through India. His philosophy was of a contemplative cast from
the sensible to the immaterial Intelligibles.
[Sidenote: The Gnostic yoga.]
Weber says; “The most flourishing epoch of the Sánkhya-yoga, belongs
most probably to the first centuries of our eras, the influence it
exercised upon the development of gnosticism in Asia Minor being
unmistakable; while further both through that channel and afterwards
directly also, it had an important influence upon the growth of
Sophi-philosophy” (See Lassen I. A. K. & Gildemeister, Scrip.
Arab. de rebus indicis loci et opuscula.)
[Sidenote: Yoga among Moslems.]
It was at the beginning of the 11th century that Albiruni translated
Pátanjali’s work (Yoga-Sútra) into Arabic, and it would appear the
Sánkhya Sútras also; though the information we have of the contents of
these works, do not harmonize with the sanskrit originals. (Reinaud
Journal Asiatique and H. M. Elliot Mahomedan History of India. Weber’s
Ind. Lit. p. 239).
[Sidenote: Buddhistic Yoga in Europe.]
The Gnostic doctrines derived especially from Buddhistic missions
through Persia and Punjab, were spread over Europe, and embraced and
cultivated particularly by Basilides, Valentinian, and Bardesanes as
well as Manes.
[Sidenote: Manechian Doctrines.]
It is, however, a question as to the amount of influence to be ascribed
to Indian philosophy generally, in shaping these gnostic doctrines of
Manes in particular, was a most important one, as has been shown by
Lassen III. 415. Beal. I. R. A. S. II. 424. Web. Ind. Lit. p. 309.
[Sidenote: Buddhist and Sánkhya yogas.]
It must be remembered that Buddhism and its yoga are but offshoots of
Sánkhya yoga, and sprung from the same place the _Kapila Vástu_.
XII. DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF YOGA.
[Sidenote: Varieties of yoga.]
The Yoga system will be found, what Monier Williams says of Hinduism
at large, “to present its spiritual and material aspects, its esoteric
and exoteric, its subjective and objective, its pure and impure sides
to the observer.” “It is,” he says, “at once vulgarly pantheistic,
severely monotheistic, grossly polytheistic and coldly atheistic. It
has a side for the practical and another for the devotional and another
for the speculative.” Again says he; “Those, who rest in ceremonial
observances, find it all satisfying; those, who deny the efficacy of
works and make faith the one thing needful, need not wander from its
pale; those, who delight in meditating on the nature of God and man,
the relation of matter and spirit, the mystery of separate existence
and the origin of evil, may here indulge their love of speculation.”
(Introduction to Indian Wisdom p. xxvii.)
We shall treat of these _seriatim_, by way of notes to or
interpretation of the above, as applying to the different modes of yoga
practised by these several orders of sectarians.
[Sidenote: 1. Spiritual yoga. अध्यात्म योगः । ]
That the earliest form of _yoga_ was purely spiritual, is evident from
the Upanishads, the Vedánta doctrines of Vyása and all works on the
knowledge of the _soul_ (adhyátma Vidyá). “All the early Upanishads”,
says Weber, “teach the doctrine of _atmá_-spirit, and the later ones
deal with yoga meditation to attain complete union with _átmá_ or the
Supreme Spirit.” Web. Ind. Lit. p. 156. “The _átmá_ soul or self and
the supreme spirit (paramátmá) of which all other souls partake, is the
spiritual object of meditation (yoga).” Max Müller’s A. S. Lit. p. 20.
Yajnavalkya says; आत्माबारे द्रष्टब्य ओतब्य मन्तब्य निदिध्यासितब्यः ।
“The Divine Spirit is to be seen, heard, perceived and meditated
upon &c.” If we see, hear, perceive and know Him, then this whole
universe is known to us. A. S. Lit. p. 23. Again, “Whosoever looks for
Brahmahood elsewhere than in the Divine Spirit, should be abandoned.
Whosoever looks for _Kshatra_ power elsewhere than in the Divine
Spirit, should be abandoned. This Brahmahood, this Kshatra power,
this world, these gods, these beings, this universe, all is Divine
Spirit.” Ibid. The meaning of the last passage is evidently that, the
spirit of God pervades the whole, and not that these are God; for
that would be pantheism and materialism; whereas the Sruti says that,
“God is to be worshipped in spirit and not in any material object.”
आत्मा आत्मन्येबोपासितव्यः ।
[Sidenote: 2. The Materialistic yoga. सांख्य बा प्राकृतिक योगः ।]
The materialistic side of the yoga, or what is called the _Prákritika_
yoga, was propounded at first in the _Sánkhya yoga_ system, and thence
taken up in the Puránas and _Tantras_, which set up a primeval matter
as the basis of the universe, and the _purusha_ or animal soul as
evolved out of it, and subsisting in matter. Weber’s Ind. Lit. p. 235.
[Sidenote: Of Matter—Prakriti.]
Here, the _avyakta_—matter is reckoned as prior to the _purusha_ or
animal soul; whereas in the Vedánta the _purusha_ or primeval soul is
considered as prior to the _avyakta_-matter. The Sánkhya, therefore,
recognizes the adoration of matter as its yoga, and its founder Kapila
was a yogi of this kind. Later materialists meditate on the material
principles and agencies as the causes of all, as in the Vidyanmoda
Taranginí; प्रकृतिस्तेमहत्तत्वं सम्बर्द्धयतुसर्ब्बदा ।
[Sidenote: Of Spirit—Purusha.]
These agencies were first viewed as concentrated in a male form, as
in the persons of Buddha, Jina and Siva, as described in the Kumára
Sambhava आत्मानमात्मन्यबलोकदन्तः; and when in the female figure of _Prakriti_ or
nature personified, otherwise called _Saktirupá_ or the personification
of energy, as in the Devi máhátmya; या देबी सर्ब्बभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता
&c. They were afterwards viewed in the five elements _panchabhúta_,
which formed the elemental worship of the ancients, either singly or
conjointly as in the _pancha-bháutiká upásaná_, described in the _Sarva
darsana sangraha_.
[Sidenote: Nature worship in eight forms.]
The materialistic or nature worship was at last diversified into eight
forms called _ashta múrti_, consisting of earth, water, fire, air,
sky, sun, moon, and the sacrificial priest, which were believed to be
so many forms of God _Ísa_, and forming the objects of his meditation
also. The eight forms are summed up in the lines; जलं सूर्य्योमहीबह्णिः बायुराकाशमेबच ।
दीक्षितोब्राह्मणः सोमः इत्यष्टौ तनवः स्मृताः । or as it is more commonly read in
Bengal, क्षितिर्जलं तथा तेजो वायुराकाशमेव च । याज्ञिकार्कस्तथा चन्द्रो मूर्तिरष्टौहरस्यच । That they were
forms of Ísa is thus expressed by Kálidása in the Raghu-vansa;
अवेहि मां किङ्करमष्ट मूर्तेः । कुम्भोद्भबो नाम निकुम्भमित्रं; and that they were meditated upon
by him as expressed by the same in his Kumára Sambhava;
तत्राग्निमाधाय समित् समिद्धं । स्वमेब मूर्त्यन्तरमष्ट मूर्तिः ॥
The prologue to the Sakuntalá will at once prove this great poet to have
been a materialist of this kind; thus;
या सृष्टिः स्रष्टु राद्या बहति बिधि हुतं या हबिर्याचहोत्री ।
ये द्वेकालं बिधत्तः श्रुतिबिषयगुणा यास्थिताब्याप्यविश्वमं ॥
या माहुः प्रकृतिरिति यया प्रणिनः प्रणबन्तः ।
प्रसन्नस्तनुभिरबतु बस्ताभिरष्टाभिरीशः ॥
“Water the first work of the creator, and Fire which receives the
oblations ordained by law &c. &c. May Ísa, the God of Nature, apparent
in these forms, bless and sustain you.”
Besides all this the Sivites of the present day, are found to be
votaries of this materialistic faith in their daily adoration of the
eight forms of Siva in the following formula of their ritual;
१ सर्ब्बाय क्षिति मूर्त्तिये नमः । २ भबाय जल मूर्त्तिये नमः ।
३ रुद्र ।य अग्नि मूर्त्तिये नमः । ४ उग्राय बायु मूर्त्तिये नमः ।
५ भीमाय आकाश मूर्त्तिये नमः । ६ पशुपतये यजमान मूर्त्तिये नमः ।
७ महादेबाय सोम मूर्त्तिये नमः । ८ ईशानाय सूर्य मूर्त्तिये नमः ॥
Both the Sánkhya and Saiva materialism are deprecated in orthodox works
as atheistic and heretical, like the impious doctrines of the modern
positivists and materialists of Europe, on account of their disbelief in
the existence of a personal and spiritual God. Thus says, Kumárila;
सांख्ययोग पाञ्चरात्न पाशुपत शाख्य निर्ग्रन्थपरिगृहीत धर्म्माधर्म्म निवन्धनानि (Max Müller’s A. S. Lit. p. 78.)
[Sidenote: 3. The Esoteric “_Jnána yoga_.”]
It is the occult and mystic meditation of the Divinity, practised by
religious recluses after their retirement from the world in the deep
recesses of forests, according to the teachings of the Áranyakas of the
Vedas. In this sense it is called “_Alaukika_” or recluse, as opposed
to the “_laukika_” or the popular form. It is as well practicable in
domestic circles by those that are qualified to practise the “_Jnána
yoga_” (ज्ञानयोग) or transcendental speculation at their leisure.
Of the former kind were the Rishis Súka deva, Yájnavalkya and others,
and of the latter sort were the royal personages Janaka and other kings
and the sages Vasistha, Vyása and many more of the “_munis_.”
[Sidenote: 4. The Exoteric _Rája yoga_.]
This is the “_laukika_” or popular form of devotion practised chiefly
by the outward formulae—_vahirangas_ of yoga, with observance of the
customary rites and duties of religion. The former kind called _Vidyá_
(विद्या) and the latter _Avidyá_ (अविद्या), are enjoined
to be performed together in the Veda, which says: यत्तद्वेदोभयं सह &c. The
Bhagavadgitá says to the same effect, नकर्मणामनारम्भ्यनैष्कर्म्मं पुरुषोश्नुते.
The yoga Vásishtha inculcates the same doctrine in conformity with the
Sruti which says: अन्धतमम्प्रबिशन्ति येउबिद्यायांरताः । ततोभूयएबतेतमो ये उअबिद्यायांरताः ।
[Sidenote: 5. The Subjective or _Hansa yoga_.]
The _hansa_ or _paramahansa_ yoga is the subjective form, which
consists in the perception of one’s identity with that of the supreme
being, whereby men are elevated above life and death. (Weber’s Ind.
Lit. p. 157.) The formula of meditation is “_soham_, _hansah_”
(सोऽहं हंसः) I am He, _Ego sum Is_, and the Arabic “_Anal Haq_”;
wherein the Ego is identified with the _absolute_.
[Sidenote: 6. The objective word _Tattwamasi_.]
The objective side of yoga is clearly seen in its formula of _tat twam
asi_—“thou art He.” Here “thou” the object of cognition—a _non ego_, is
made the absolute subjective (Weber. Ind. Lit. p. 162). This formula
is reduced to one word _tatwam_ तत्वं denoting “truth,” which
contained in viewing every thing as Himself, or having subordinated all
cosmical speculations to the objective method.
[Sidenote: 7. The Pure yoga-Suddha Brahmacharyam.]
The pure Yoga has two meanings viz.; the holy and unmixed forms
of it. The former was practised by the celibate Brahmacháris and
Brahmachárinis of yore, and is now in practice with the Kánphutta
_yogis_ and _yoginis_ of Katiyawar in Guzerat and Bombay. Its unmixed
form is found among the _Brahmavádis_ and _Vádinis_, who practise
the pure contemplative yoga of Vedánta without any intermixture of
sectarian forms. It corresponds with the philosophical mysticism of
saint Bernard, and the mystic devotion of the Sufis of Persia. (See Sir
Wm. Jones. On the Mystic Poetry of the Hindus, Persians and Greeks.)
[Sidenote: 8. The Impure or _Bhanda yoga_.]
The impure yoga in both its significations of unholiness and
intermixture, is now largely in vogue with the followers of the
_tantras_, the worshippers of Siva and Sakti, the modern Gosavis of
Deccan, the Bullabhácháris of Brindaban, the Gosains, Bhairavis and
Vaishnava sects in India, the Aghoris of Hindustan, and the Kartábhajás
and _Nerá-neris_ of Bengal.
[Sidenote: 9. The Pantheistic or _Visvátmá yoga_.]
This is well known from the pantheistic doctrines of Vedánta, to
consist in the meditation of every thing in God and God in every thing;
“_Sarvam khalvidam Brahama_” सर्ब्बं खल्विदं ब्रह्म । एतद्धैतत; and that such contemplation
alone leads to immortality. भूतेषु भूतेषु बिचिन्त्य धीरः प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भबन्ति । It corresponds
with the pantheism of Persian Sufis and those of Spinoza and Tindal in
the west. Even Sadi says; “_Hamán nestand unche hasti tui_,” there is
nothing else but thyself. So in Urdu, _Jo kuch hai ohi hai nahin aur
kuchh_.
[Sidenote: 10. The Monotheistic or _Adwaita Brahma yoga._]
It consists in the meditation of the creed ओं एकमेवबाद्बितीयं of the
Brahmans, like the “Wahed Ho” of Moslems, and that God is one of
Unitarian Christians. The monotheistic yoga is embodied in the
Svetáswatara and other Upanishads (Weber p. 252 a). As for severe
monotheism the Mosaic and Moslem religions are unparalleled, whose
tenet it is “_la sharik laho_” one without a partner; and, “Thou shalt
have no other God but Me.”
[Sidenote: 11. The Dualistic or _Dwaita yoga_.]
The dualistic yoga originated with Patanjali, substituting his
_Isvara_ for the _Purusha_ of Sánkhya, and taking the _Prakriti_ as
his associate. “From these,” says Weber, “the doctrine seems to rest
substantially upon a dualism of the _Purusha_ male and _avyakta_ or
Prakriti—the female.” This has also given birth to the dualistic faith
of the _androgyne_ divinity—the Protogonus of the Greek mythology,
the _ardhanáriswara_ of Manu, the undivided Adam of the scriptures,
the Hara-Gauri and Umá-Maheswara of the Hindu Sáktas. But there is
another dualism of two male duties joined in one person of _Hari-hara_
or _Hara-hari_; whose worshippers are called _dwaita-vádis_, and among
whom the famous grammarian Vopadeva ranks the foremost.
[Sidenote: 12. The Trialistic or _Traita-yoga_.]
The doctrines of the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, and that
of the Platonic triad and Christian Holy Trinity are well known to
inculcate the worship and meditation of the three persons in one, so
that in adoring one of them, a man unknowingly worships all the three
together.
[Sidenote: 13. The Polytheistic yoga or _Sarva Devopásana_.]
This consists of the adoration of a plurality of deities in the
mythology by every Hindu, though every one has a special divinity
of whom he is the votary for his particular meditation. The later
upanishads have promulgated the worship of several forms of Vishnu and
Siva (Web. I. Lit. p. 161); and the _Tantras_ have given the _dhyánas_
or forms of meditation of a vast member of deities in their various
forms and images (Ibid. p. 236).
[Sidenote: 14. The Atheistic or _Niríswara_ yoga.]
The Atheistic yoga is found in the _niriswara_ or hylo-theistic system
of Kapila, who transmitted his faith “in nothing” to the Buddhists and
Jains, who having no God to adore, worship themselves, in sedate and
silent meditation. (Monier Williams, Hindu Wisdom p. 97).
[Sidenote: 15. The Theistic or _Ástikya yoga_.]
The Theistic yoga system of Patanjala: otherwise called the _seswara_
yoga, was ingrafted on the old atheistic system of Sánkhya with
a belief in the Iswara. It is this system to which the name yoga
specially belongs. (Weber’s Ind. Lit. pp. 238 and 252).
[Sidenote: 16. The Practical _Yoga Sádhana_.]
“The yoga system,” says Weber, “developed itself in course of time in
outward practices of penance and mortifications, whereby absorption
in the Supreme Being was sought to be obtained. We discover its early
traces in the Epics and specially in the Atharva upanishads.” (Ind.
Lit. p. 239). The practical _yoga Sádhana_ is now practised by every
devotee in the service of his respective divinity.
[Sidenote: 17. The devotional or _Sannyása yoga_.]
The devotional side of the yoga is noticed in the instance of Janaka
in the Mahábhárata, and of Yájnavalkhya in the Brihadáranyaka in the
practice of their devotions in domestic life. These examples may have
given a powerful impetus to the yogis in the succeeding ages, to the
practice of secluded yoga in ascetism and abandonment of the world, and
its concerns called Sannyása as in the case of Chaitanya and others.
[Sidenote: 18. The Speculative _Dhyána yoga_.]
It had its rise in the first or earliest class of Upanishads, when the
minds of the Rishis were employed in speculations about their future
state and immortality, and about the nature and attributes of the
Supreme Being.
[Sidenote: 19. The Ceremonial or _Kriyá yoga_.]
This commenced with the second class or medieval upanishads, which
gave the means and stages, whereby men may even in this world attain
complete union with the Átma (Web. I. Lit. p. 156). The yogáchara
of Manu relates to the daily ceremonies of house-keepers, and the
Kriyá yoga of the Puránas treats about pilgrimages and pious acts of
religion.
[Sidenote: 20. The Pseudo or _Bhákta yoga_.]
The pure yoga being perverted by the mimicry of false pretenders to
sanctity and holiness, have assumed all those degenerate forms which
are commonly to be seen in the mendicant Fakirs, strolling about with
mock shows to earn a livelihood from the imposed vulgar. These being
the most conspicuous have infused a wrong notion of yoga into the minds
of foreigners.
[Sidenote: 21. The _Bhakti_ yoga.]
The Bhakti yoga first appears in the Swetáswatara Upanishad where the
Bhakti element of faith shoots forth to light (Web. Ind. Lit. pp. 252
and 238). It indicates acquaintance with the corresponding doctrine of
Christianity. The Bhágavad Gítá lays special stress upon faith in the
Supreme Being. It is the united opinion of the majority of European
scholars, that the Hindu _Bhakti_ is derived from the faith (_fides_)
of Christian Theology. It has taken the place of श्रद्धा or belief among
all sects, and has been introduced of late in the Brahma Samájas with
other Vaishnava practices.
The other topics of Prof. Monier Williams being irrelevant to our
subject, are left out from being treated in the present dissertation.
XIII. THE CONSUMMATION OF YOGA (SIDDHI).
[Sidenote: 22. By assimilation to the object.]
The Yogi by continually meditating on the perfections of the All
Perfect Being, becomes eventually a perfect being himself, just as a
man that devotes his sole attention to the acquisition a particular
science, attains in time not only to a perfection in it, but becomes as
it were identified with that science. Or to use a natural phenomenon
in the metamorphoses of insects, the transformation of the cockroach
to the conchfly, by its constant dread of the latter when caught by
it, and the cameleon’s changing its colour for those of the objects
about it, serve well to elucidate the Brahmahood ब्रह्मभूयः of the
contemplative yogi.
But to illustrate this point more clearly we will cite the argument of
Plotinus of the Neo-Platonic school, to prove the elevation of the
meditative yogi to the perfection of the Being he meditates upon. He
says, “Man is a finite being, how can he comprehend the Infinite? But
as soon as he comprehends the Infinite, he is infinite himself: that is
to say; he is no longer himself, no longer that finite being having a
consciousness of his own separate existence; but is lost in and becomes
one with the Infinite.”
[Sidenote: By identification with _the object_.]
Here says Mr. Lewes, “If I attain to a knowledge of the Infinite, it
is not by my reason which is finite, but by some higher faculty which
identifies itself with its object. Hence the identity of subject and
object, of the thought and the thing thought of ज्ञाताज्ञानयोरैक्यं is the
only possible ground of knowledge. Knowledge and Being are identical,
and to know more is to be more”. But says Plotinus; “If knowledge is
the same as the thing known, the finite as finite, can never know the
Infinite, because he cannot be Infinite”. Hist. Phil. I. p. 391.
[Sidenote: By meditation of Divine attributes.]
Therefore the yogi takes himself as his preliminary step, to the
meditations of some particular attribute or perfection of the deity,
to which he is assimilated in thought, which is called his state of
lower perfection; until he is prepared by his highest degree of ecstacy
to lose the sense of his own personality, and become absorbed in the
Infinite Intelligence called his ultimate consummation or _Samádhi_,
which makes him one with the Infinite, and unites the knower and the
known together; ज्ञाताज्ञेययोरैक्यं ।
[Sidenote: The Sufi Perfection.]
The perfection of the _yogi_ bears a striking resemblance with
_maarfat_ of the Sufis of Persia, and it is described at length by
Al-Gazzali, a famous sophist, of which we have an English translation
given by G. K. Lewes in his History of Philosophy. (Vol. II. p. 55).
“From the very first the Sufis have such astonishing revelations, that
they are enabled, while waking, to see visions of angels and the souls
of prophets; they hear their voices and receive their favours.”
[Sidenote: Ultimate consummation]
“Afterwards a transport exalts them beyond the mere perception of
forms, to a degree which exceeds all expression, and concerning
which one cannot speak without employing a language that would sound
blasphemous. In fact some have gone so far as to imagine themselves
amalgamated with God, others identified with Him, and others to be
associated with Him.” These states are called स्वारुप्य, सायुज्य &c., in
Hindu yoga as we shall presently see.
XIV. THE DIFFERENT DEGREES OF PERFECTION.
[Sidenote: The Eight perfections. अष्ट सिद्धिः । ]
“The supernatural faculties” says Wilson, “are acquired in various
degrees according to the greater or lesser perfection of the adept.”
H. Rel. p. 131. These perfections are commonly enumerated as eight in
number (अष्ट सिद्धिः ।), and are said to be acquired by the particular
mode in which the devotee concentrates himself in the Divine spirit or
contemplates it within himself.
[Sidenote: 1. Microcosm or _Animá_.]
The specific property of the minuteness of the soul or universal
spirit, that it is minuter than the minutest (अण रणीयान्). By
thinking himself as such, the yogi by a single expiration of air, makes
his whole body assume a lank and lean appearance, and penetrates his
soul into all bodies.
[Sidenote: 2. Macrocosm or _Mahimá_.]
This also is a special quality of the soul that it fills the
body, and extends through all space and encloses it within itself
(महतो महीयान्); by thinking so, the yogi by a mere respiration of air
makes his body round and turgid as a frog, and comprehends the universe
in himself.
[Sidenote: 3. Lightness or _Laghimá_.]
From thinking on the lightness of the soul, the yogi produces a
diminution of his specific gravity by swallowing large draughts of air,
and thereby keeps himself in an aerial posture both on sea and land.
This the Sruti says as (लघोर्लघीयान्).
[Sidenote: 4. Gravity or _Garimá_.]
This practice is opposed to the above, and it is by the same process
of swallowing great draughts of air, and compressing them within the
system, that the yogi acquires an increase of his specific gravity
or _garimá_ (गुरोगरीयान्). Krishna is said to have assumed his बिश्बम्भर मूर्त्ति
in this way, which preponderated all weights in the opposite scale.
[Sidenote: 5. Success or _Prápti_.]
This is the obtaining of desired objects and supernatural powers as
by inspiration from above. The yogi in a state of trance acquires the
power of predicting future events, of understanding unknown languages,
of curing divers diseases, of hearing distant sounds, of divining
unexpressed thoughts of others, of seeing distant objects, or smelling
mystical fragrant odours, and of understanding the language of beasts
and birds. Hence the prophets all dived into futurity, the oracles
declared future events, Jina understood _pasubháshá_, and Christ healed
diseases and infirmities. So also Sanjaya saw the battles waged at
Kurukshetra from the palace of king Dhritaráshtra.
[Sidenote: 6. Overgain—_PraKámya_]
Prakámya is obtaining more than one’s expectations, and consists in the
power of casting the old skin and maintaining a youth-like appearance
for an unusual period of time, as it is recorded of king Yayáti (Japhet
or Jyápati); and of Alcibiades who maintained an unfading youth to his
last. By some writers it is defined to be the property of entering
into the system of another person; as it is related of Sankaráchárya’s
entering the dead body of prince Amaru in the Sankara Vijaya.
[Sidenote: 7. Subjection _Vasitwam_.]
This is the power of taming living creatures and bringing them under
control. It is defined also to be the restraint of passions and
emotions as रागादि बशित्वं, and likewise the bringing of
men and women under subjection. This made Orpheus tame the wild animals
and stop the course of rivers by the music of his lyre, and gave
Pythagoras (who derived it from India) the power of subduing a furious
bear by the influence of his will or word, as also of preventing an
ox from eating his beans, and stopping an eagle in its flight. It
was by this that Prospero subdued the elements and aerial spirits
with his magic wand, and Draupadi and Mahommed obtained the powers of
stopping the courses of the sun and moon. The Magis of Persia are said
to have derived their magical powers from the Máyis of India who first
cultivated the magical art.
[Sidenote: 8. Dominion or _Ishitwam_.]
It is the obtaining of universal dominion either in this life or next
by means of yoga, as it is recorded of Rávana, Mándhátá and others in
the traditions. It is also said to be the attainment of divine powers,
when the yogi finds himself in a blaze of light.
XV. THE STATE OF A PERFECT YOGI.
[Sidenote: Authority of H. H. Wilson]
When the mystic union is effected, he (the yogi) can make himself
lighter than the lightest substance, and heavier than the heaviest; can
become as vast or as minute as he pleases; can traverse all space, can
animate any dead body by transferring his spirit into it from his own
frame. He can render himself invisible, can attain all objects, become
equally acquainted with the present, past and future, and is finally
united with Siva, and consequently exempted from being born again upon
earth. (See Wilson’s Hindu Religion p. 131).
[Sidenote: Ditto of Plato.]
We find the same doctrine in Plato’s Phaedrus where Socrates delivers
a highly poetical effusion respecting the partial intercourse or the
human soul with eternal intellectual _Realia_. He says moreover that,
all objects which are invisible can be apprehended only by cogitation
(yoga); and that none but philosophers (yogis), and a few of them
can attain such mental energy during this life (जीबन्मुक्ति); nor
even they fully and perfectly in the present state. But they will
attain it fully after death; if their lives have been passed in sober
philosophical training (ध्यानज्ञान). And that all souls enjoyed it
before birth, before junction with the body, which are forgotten during
childhood, but recalled in the way of reminiscence by association.
The revival of the divine elements is an inspiration of the nature of
madness (trance or ecstasy of the yoga). The soul becoming insensible
to ordinary pursuits, contracts a passionate tendency to the universal.
(Baine on Realism. pp. 6 and 7).
[Sidenote: Authority of Plotinus.]
“It is ecstasy the faculty by which the soul divests itself of its
personality. In this state the soul becomes loosened from its material
prison, separated from individual consciousness, and becomes absorbed
in the Infinite Intelligence from which it emanated. In this ecstasy it
contemplates real existence; and identifies itself with that which it
contemplates.” (Lewes. Hist. of Philosophy Vol. I. p. 389).
XVI. CRITICISM ON YOGA PRACTICE.
[Sidenote: Disbelief in yoga.]
Notwithstanding all that we have said and the authorities we have
cited in the preceding article on the efficacy of yoga, we find some
scholars in Europe and many educated men in this country, are disposed
to discredit the efficiency of yoga to effect supernatural results or
to be good for any thing. We shall state some of these objections which
will be found to bear their own refutation on the grounds of their
misrepresentation and self-contradiction.
[Sidenote: Its painful practices.]
Professor Monier Williams says that, “yoga system appears, in fact,
to be a mere contrivance of getting rid of all thought, or at least
of concentrating the mind with the utmost intensity upon nothing in
particular. It is a strange compound of mental and bodily exercises
consisting of unnatural restraint, forced and painful postures,
twistings and contortions of the limbs, suppression of breath and
utter absence of mind”. (Indian wisdom p. 103) (so also Wilson’s Hindu
Religion p. 132).
[Sidenote: Its questionable Features.]
He then starts the question, “How is it that faith in a false system
can operate with sufficient force upon the Hindu, to impel him to
submit voluntarily to almost incredible restraints, mortifications of
the flesh and physical tortures? How is it that an amount of physical
endurance may be exhibited by an apparently weakly and emaciated
Asiatic, which would be impossible to a European, the climate and diet
in one case tending to debilitate and in the other to invigorate?”
(Ibid p. 104).
[Sidenote: Their Illegitimacy.]
Professor Monier’s statement of the existence of the aforesaid self
mortifications and voluntary contortions of the limbs of the yogis for
two thousand years or since the invention of yoga philosophy, is open
to refutation on the ground of there being no mention of them in the
old systems of yoga inculcated either in the Vedánta or Patanjali’s
philosophy, or even in the yoga Vásishtha, as it is evident from the
practices and processes of yoga we have already given before. Those
processes are seen to be simply moral restraints, and no physical
torture of any kind, and such moral restraints must be acknowledged
on all hands, to be indispensable to the concentration of the mind
on any subject of far less importance than the contemplation of the
inscrutable nature of the Divinity.
[Sidenote: Abuses of Hatha yoga.]
The abuses he speaks of must be those of the arduous practices of
the Hatha yoga, which have been in vogue with pseudo yogis of the
later times, from their superstitious belief in bodily tortures as
their best penance and only means, (as the author himself avows), “of
their fancied attainment of extraordinary sanctity and supernatural
powers.” (Ibid). But such practices as have degenerated to deceptive
tricks in this country, and are carried on by the cheating and cheated
fools under the false name of yoga, present their counterparts also
in the trickeries of the fanatics and fakirs under every form of
faith on earth, without affecting the true religion or creating any
misconception of the yoga doctrine.
[Sidenote: Sacrifice of the spirit.]
In vindication of our spiritual yoga we have to say that it is no
exoteric religion, and requires no bodily mortification or sacrifice
in any shape whatever, as it is the usual practice of all forms of
religion among mankind. The yoga is the speculative training of the
human soul, and concerns the castigation of the spirit and not the
mortification of flesh. It has nothing to do with the body which is of
this earth, and which we have to leave here behind us.
[Sidenote: Sacrifice of the Body.]
The universal doom of death pronounced on the original guilt of man, is
not to be averted by physical death or any deadly torture of the body,
as it is commonly believed by the bulk of mankind, to consist in bodily
mortifications and sacrifices; but in the contrition and penitence
of the spirit, and sacrifice of the soul as the only sin-offering
for the atonement of our original and actual transgressions. The
_Purusha medha_ sacrifice of the Veda which is misunderstood for
the offering of a _male-being_, a man, a horse, a bull or a he-goat
or male of any animal, meant originally the sacrifice of the human
soul, or self-immolation of the _purusha_ or embodied intelligence
to the Supreme Spirit, by means of its concentration into the same
through the instrumentality of yoga abstraction. Dr. K. M. Banerjia’s
interpretation of the _Purusha medha_ as typical of the crucifixion of
Christ, is more conformable with his Christian view of the mysticism,
than the spiritual sense of _self-sacrifice_, in which it is generally
understood by the speculative Yogi and the philosophical Vedantist.
THE OM TAT SAT.
[Sidenote: 1. Preamble of Om tat sat.]
After consideration of Yoga the title of our work, and all its
component parts tending to the exercise of meditation, together with an
investigation into the nature of _Átman_ or soul, as the agent of the
act of meditating and procuring its salvation, we are led by a natural
and coherent train of thought to an inquiry into the nature of that
grand object of our holy and profound meditation, which is the only
means of our emancipation, and which is presented at once to our view
in the exordium of the work in the mystical characters of _Om Tat Sat =
On Id Est_.
[Sidenote: 2. Ambiguity of the word _Om_.]
The word _Om_ forming the initial of the said epigraph standing
prominent at the top of the opening page of the work, and being more
than a multinymous term and ambiguous in its acceptations, requires
to be treated at some length, in order to discover the hidden
meaning lying buried under that mystic emblem of the grand arcanum
of Brahmanical and Universal religion, from amidst a variety of
significations which are heaped upon it in the sacred writings and holy
speculations of the early sages of India.
THE SRUTI SAYS:—
[Sidenote: 3. In the beginning was the word _Om_.]
ॐमित्येवमग्रमासीत् । प्रथम मोङ्कारात्मकमासीत् । तस्माच्च निःसृताः सर्ब्बे, प्रलीयन्ते तत्रवै । So saith the
Holy scripture:—
“In the beginning was the word, the _word_ was with God, and the _word_
was God. All this was made by him, and without him was not anything
made, that was made and” St. John 1.1-3.
[Sidenote: Om, the light of the world.]
And again says the Sruti दीप्यतोँ ज्योतिः । तत्तेजोऽनेनैवोमित्येव तदुद्बुध्न्यति । मैत्री उप ७ ।११
“That _Om_ shone forth as light, but they received it not, and hid it in
darkness.” So the Scripture:—
“That was the light of the world, and the light shone upon the world,
but the world knew it not &c.” St. John, Ch 1, V. 5. 9. 10.
[Sidenote: 5. Its Revelation to mankind.]
Again says the Scripture:—“God sent one to bear witness of the
light, that all men through him might believe.” Id 1.7. So Brahmá
the god revealed its meaning to his first begotten son _Atharvan_,
and Atharvan, the Prajápati, gave instruction on the subject to
_Pippaláda_, _Sanatkumára_ and _Angira_ (Weber A. S. L., p. 164).
Again _Angiras_, who communicated it to _Saunaka_, had obtained it from
Bharadvája Satyaváha, and the latter again from _Ángira_, the pupil of
_Atharvan_, to whom it was revealed by _Brahmá_ himself (Weber A. S.
L., p. 158).
[Sidenote: 6. Works on its Disquisition.]
Hence it is the _Atharva Sikhá Upanishad_ in which the investigation of
the sacred word _Om_ is principally conducted apart from those of the
_Mándukya_, _Maitrí_ and _Táraka_ Upanishads. (Web. Id., p. 164). These
together with their Bháshyas by Sankara, the Kárikás of _Gaudapáda_,
and the commentaries of _Ánandagiri_ on them, are chiefly devoted to
the scrutiny of the sacred syllable, beside the partial disquisition
of every other Upanishad and theological work into the hidden sense of
this mystic word. Weber points out the Saunaka and Pranava Upanishads
among the number (A. S. L., p. 165).
[Sidenote: 7. Mode of our Investigation.]
We shall proceed in this prolegomena first to investigate into the
orthographical character and structure of this syllable, and then to
inquire into the designations and etymological synonyms or the word,
with the lexical meanings that we can get of them, and lastly to treat
of the many mystical interpretations which this single word is made to
bear as a common emblem of them.
II. ORTHOGRAPHY OF OM.
[Sidenote: 1. The letter ॐकारः]
Firstly: Om with respect, to its name and utterance is called
Onkára, that is, the nasal _On_ in combination with the adjunct kára
(signifying a sound) and meaning the letter _On_. For all sounds
whether vocal (स्वरबर्ण) or sonant (व्यञ्जन), nasal (सानुनासिक) or
not-nasal (निरनुनासिक), articulate (ब्यक्तस्फुट) or onomatopoeia
(अब्यक्तास्फुट), are denominated letters; as the letters _a_ &c.
(अकारादि) are called vowels, the letters Ka &c. (ककारादि) consonants;
so the nasals _Án_, _in_ (आं इँ) &c., as also the inarticulate ones
(फङ्कार) &c., are all letters; but the Onkára is the root of all; thus
ॐकारेण सर्ब्बबाक् सस्तणोति । माण्डुक्योपनिषद् । Manu calls it a letter in the
passage:—“This one letter is the emblem of the Most High”. II.83.
_Vide_ Dr. Mitra’s Ch’hánd Up, p. 4.
[Sidenote: 2. A conjunct Letter युक्ताक्षरः]
But here a question is raised as to whether a conjunct vowel
or consonant may with propriety be styled a single
letter or not. To this says Dr. R. L. Mitra in a foot-note to his
translation of the _Ch’hándogya_ Upanishad that—“It is true that this
emblem conveys two sounds, that of _O_ and _m_, nevertheless it is
held to be one letter in the above sense; and we meet with instances
even in the ancient and modern languages of Europe that can justify
such privileges, such as _xi_ and _psi_, reckoned single letters in
Greek, and Q. W. X. in English and others.” (Ch 1. Sec. 1. p. 4). So
is _lámálif_ in Persian &c. The Sanskrit conjunct _ksha_ (क्ष) is
considered a single consonant, when they say, ककारादि क्षकारान्तं ब्यञ्जनं परिकीर्त्तितं ।
[Sidenote: 3. The Syllable Om ओमक्षरं ।]
It is also like every other single or conjoint letter of the alphabet
(युक्तायुक्त बर्ण) termed an _akshara_ (अक्षर) or syllable, which forms
either a word by itself when standing alone, or part of a word followed
by an adjunct as ॐ, ॐकार, ओमक्षर &c.; where the first is a word of one
syllable or monosyllabic term एकाक्षर, and the others as dissyllabic
and trisyllabic words (द्ब्यक्षर, त्र्यक्षर शब्द), according as they are
uttered by the help of one or more articulations of the voice. _Om
akshara_ apart from its other signification of the _Imperishable_ and
the like, and its symbolism of the Supreme Spirit, is also used in the
sense of a syllable in the original writings and their translations.
Thus says the _Kathopanishad_; एतद्ध्येबाक्षरंब्रह्म एतद्ध्येबाक्षरंपरं । एतद्ध्येबाक्षरं ज्ञात्वा ब्रह्मलोकेमहीयते ।
* * * * *
Manu says:—“That which passeth not away is declared to be the syllable
om, thence called _akshara_.” He calls it also a triliteral
monosyllable. II. 84. So says Mon. Wm: “_Om_ is a most sacred
monosyllable significant of the Supreme Being.” (Indian Wisdom p. 103
note 1).
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 4. The character Om ॐकार ।]
_Omkára_ likewise indicates the written character _Om_, because the
suffix _Kára_ like _Ákára_ is used to signify its written form or
sign (आकार चिह्न), and in this sense the Bengali ও,
corresponds with Greek character w _omega_ the inverted ও,
or the _Omikron_ = English O, and Oao Persian, and likens to the
Sanskrit _bindu_ O, which is but another name of _Om_ (ओंकारः ब्रह्मबिन्दुः).
But the ও is formed by the union of two dots or cyphers (O
bindu) like Greek Omega of two omicrons and the English w of two u’s.
So says the Gáyatrí Tantra, ॐकारो ब्रह्म बिन्दुर्बिन्दुद्वय बिनिर्म्मतः । अधोर्द्ध बिन्दुरित्यादि । And again:
समनुः परमाराध्या संयुक्ता ब्रह्म बिन्दुना. “It is the union of two circlets, one
being the symbol of one’s own divinity and the other that of Brahma.”
This character by itself is regarded with high veneration as an emblem
of the Infinite, independent of its meaning or utterance, and is marked
on the forehead of every devotee in the form of a spot or crescent.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 5. The Symbol ॐ बिन्दुः । ]
The symbolical _Om_ is represented by four cyphers as placed over
one another अधोर्द्धबिन्दु चतुष्टयं, and each designated by a different name
in the aforesaid Tantra, and supposed to form the cavities of the
heart and mouth of Brahm, चतुर्वर्ग प्रदा बिद्या चतुर्बिन्द्वात्मिकासदा । आद्यन्ते प्रणवंदत्वा
गायत्रीं प्रजपेद्दिज । बामाधर्म्म प्रदा बिन्दुर्ज्येष्ठा अर्थ प्रदा तथा । रौद्रीकाम प्रदाबिन्दुः श्रीबिन्दुः मोक्षदायिनी ॥ महेश्वर
बदनं बिन्दुः श्रीबिष्णोः हृदयंतथा ॥ मोक्षदाताच श्रीबिन्दुः चतुर्बिन्दु बिनिर्णयः ॥ These _bindus_ or
cyphers are differently named in the Vedánta, as we shall shortly
come to see under the denominations of _omkára_. (No. IV).
[Sidenote: 6. Symbolized as Jagannátha.]
The best representation of _Om_ is the image of the god Jagannátha,
which is said to be an incarnation of the mystic syllable
प्रणबाबतार, or made in the form of _Om_, and not in that of Buddha,
as some of our antiquarians have erroneously supposed it to be. There
is a learned dissertation on the subject of Jagannátha’s representation
of _Onkára_ to be found in one of the early articles of the Asiatic
Society’s Researches, where the reader will get much more light on this
mysterious subject.
[Sidenote: 7. Comparison of _om_ and _on_.]
It will further be found on comparison that ॐ bears not
only a great resemblance to the Greek _on_ written as ȣ with
the nasal above the O, but their perfect agreement with each other
in sense will leave no ground of suspecting their identity with one
another, as it will be fully treated of afterwards.
III. THE ORTHEOPY OR ANALYSIS OF _Om_.
[Sidenote: 1. A Monad.]
We have already seen that the circular form of the letter O in _Om_,
called a _bindu_ dot or cypher, was used like a geometrical point
to denote a monad without parts, and represent the Supreme Being
subsisting as the central point of the great circle of Universe,
and filling the infinity of its circumference with his own life and
light. The Vedas and the early theology of the Upanishads invariably
understood the _Om_ as synonymous with _One_, and expressive of the
unity of the God-head; as in the motto ओमेकमेबाद्वितीयं ब्रह्म । ओमेकामेवैतत् । of
the Vedantists, corresponding with the monotheistic creed of Christians
and Mahomedans “God is one” and “without an equal” “_Wahed Ho la Sharik
laho_” “The unity of the God-head is the dictum of the Koran and
Vedánta.” (Mon. Wm’s. Hindu Wisd. p. XLI. 1).
The Manduka and similar Upanishads describe the majesty of the one.
(Weber, p. 161). “That _one_ breathed breathless by itself” &c. Max
Müller’s A. S. Lit. p. 560.
[Sidenote: 2. Om a Duad.]
Formerly the letter _O_ of _om_, _on_, and _One_ was considered a pure
and simple sound, and made to represent a monad or Unity; but in course
of time and with the progress of language it was found out to be a
compound letter (सन्ध्यक्षर), formed by the union of a + u = o (अ + उ =
ओ), and two _o’s_ in w omega or two _u’s_ in w. (See. S. Gr. & Baine’s
grs). Then the perfect figure of the great circle was considered to be
composed of two semicircles which the _w_ = उ was made to represent.
This gave rise to the conception of a duality in the divine person,
and hence grew the theory of the male and female पुरुष प्रकृति in the
original androgyne of the _Sankhya_ and _Hara Gauri_ (हर गौरी and उमा
महेश्वर) of the Tantra. Hence it is said; अनइत्यक्षरं ब्रह्म शब्द
प्रकृति कुण्डली । अनन्यं हिबिनाब्रह्मनास्ति कुत्रापि सुन्दरि । इति गायत्री तन्त्रं ।
The syllable ov = on is a word for Brahma (God), and the other cypher
represents nature (the world). There is no Brahma, but ov = ॐ or ओम् ।
The dualism of Sankhya yoga is too well known to require an explanation.
[Sidenote: 3. Om a Triad.]
At a later period and posterior to the dualistic doctrines of the
aforesaid Tantra and Pátanjala yoga systems, the _Om_ branched out into
a Triad by the union of the nasal letter _m_ or _n_ with the उ or w,
and forming the conjoined character ॐ and wn in Sanskrit and Greek.
Henceforward _Onkára_ is regarded as a triliteral word composed of
_a_+_u_+_m_ to represent a triplicate deity. Thus says Monier Williams:—
“_Om_ is supposed to be composed of three letters _A_, _U_, _M_, which
form a most sacred monosyllable (एकाक्षर), significant of the Supreme
Being as developing himself in the Triad of gods, Brahmá, Vishnu and
Siva” (Indian Wisdom p. 103 note I). So we have in Manu II. 83 and 84:—
अकारञ्चाप्युकारञ्च मकारञ्च प्रजापतिः ।
बेवदत्रयाग्निरुदहत भूर्भुबः स्वरितीति ॥
अकारो विष्णुरुद्दिष्टः उकारस्तु महेश्वरः ।
मकारउच्यते ब्रह्मा प्रणबेन त्रयोमतः ॥
So also the Bhagavad Gitá. VIII. 13.
Here the two halves of the circle उ comprise Vishnu and Siva as joined
in the bipartite body of _Hari Hara alias_ Hara Hari, adored by the
dualists called द्वैतवादिनः, or more fully as हरिहराद्वैतवादिनः and Brahmá the god
of Manu, is placed in the circlet above the great circle of his created
world. We need but hint to our readers in this place, to observe how
the original word _Om_ or Ov and One developed itself into the existing
faith of trinity. The Tántrica Sivites however place their god Siva
in the upper semicirclet formed by म = m the initial of Maheswara
(महेश्वर), and say:—
ॐकारपूर्ब्बमुद्धृत्य ब्रह्मबिष्णुशिबात्मकं ।
अधोबिन्दु ब्रह्मबिष्णुरुर्द्धबिन्दु शिबात्मकं ॥
This is more reasonable to believe from both the letter _m’s_ and its
god Siva’s amalgamation with the early Aryan duality to form the present
faith of triality at a much later period.
[Sidenote: 4. Om the Tetrad.]
We next see a further progress of _Om_ in its development from the
triliteral to a quadriliteral form, by its assumption of a crescent or
half circlet (कुण्डली) according to the Tantra, or a half _Mátrá_
(अर्द्ध मात्रा) of the Vedánta. The Tantra says तदूर्द्ध कुण्डलीकारा शक्तिः ।
The Maitrí Upanishad mentions only of the three _Mátrás_ of _Om_
(Ch. vi Sec. 3).
“But the Mundak Upanishad” says Weber, “refers to the half _Mátrá_
(mora), to which the word _Om_ here appearing in its full glory, is
entitled in addition to its three _Mátrás_ (morae) a. u. m. This is
evidently a later addition by some one who did not like to miss the
mention of the subject in the Atharvana Upanishad in which it occurs.”
p. 160. Again says he—“The Mándukya Upanishad which treats of the three
and half _Mátrás_ of the word _Om_, is to be looked upon as the real
Mándukya, all the rest is the work of the _Gaudapáda_, whose pupil
_Govinda_ was the teacher of Sankaráchárya about the seventh century A.
D.”
[Sidenote: 5. Om the Pentad.]
We find next a quinquiliteral figure of _Om_ in its component parts of
the three mátrás, m, and the _bindu_ or चन्द्र बिन्दु the fifth.
[Sidenote: 6. Om the Hexad.]
And then again with a sextuple or Hexaliteral _Om_ composed of the
sixth member of _Náda_ (नाद) over and above the aforesaid five parts.
[Sidenote: 7. Om the Heptad.]
The septuple Om is described in the Ramatápaniya upanishad as
consisting of अ, उ, म, नाद, बिन्दु, शक्ति and नम । Weber’s A. S. Lit. p. 312.
[Sidenote: 8. Om the Octad.]
This consists of the aforesaid seven parts, which together with Sánti
called in Persian Sákat complete the number, Weber. Id. p. 315.
IV. THE DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS OF OM.
[Sidenote: 1. The Initial of the Veda.]
The _om_ is denominated the heading of the Veda (बेदशिरः) as the
Gáyatrí hymn is termed to be its parent (बेदमाता). It stands
at the top (शिरस्) of every book (मण्डल), chapter
(अष्टक), and hymn (ऋच्) of every Veda either alone
by itself or two or three _oms_ put together, as ओमग्निमीले _on
ignem aiede_ of the Rigveda, ॐ त्रिसप्ता _On triseptem_ &c. of the
Atharvan; again ॐ ॐ ॐ ऋग्वेदाय स्वाहा _on_ I salute thee O Rigveda &c.
It is hence used at the head (शिरस्) of every book on any branch of
knowledge (बिद्या) which is a paronym of and derived from the same root
(बिद् Video) with Veda (बेद्). The Tantra calls it as the heading of
the Gáyatrí which begins with the syllable;
तसेतन्महा गुह्यं गायत्र्याः शीर्षमुच्यते ।
ॐ भूर्भुबः स्वरित्यादिः । गायत्रीतन्त्रं ॥
[Sidenote: 2. The sacred Syllable. पूर्णाक्षरं]
It is called the sacred syllable because it is used in sacred
writings and in the sacred Vedic and Sanskrit languages only, and
never in the popular vernacular tongues, which are known as unsacred
and impure (असंस्कृतं). Moreover it is used in sacerdotal functions
of the sacerdotal class (संस्कारेसंस्कृतात्मनां ) or regenerate
classes of men, and never by the impure Súdra on pain of damnation
(ॐकारोच्चारणाद्धोमात् श्रुद्रोहिनरकंब्रजेत्), unless he is sacrified
by investiture of the sacred or sacrificial thread, (यज्ञोपवीतं). Thus
says the Sástra; श्रुद्रोऽपि अधीकारीस्यात् यज्ञसूत्रप्रदानतः । गायत्री तन्त्रं, ४र्थ पटलः ।
The sacredness of the word _Om_, as the expression for the eternal
position of things, is specially emphasised in the Katha Upanishad
(Weber. p. 158).
[Sidenote: 3. The Holy syllable पबित्रं]
It is held as the most holy syllable being an appellation of the Most
High, and must not be uttered in unholiness even by the holy orders of
men: so says the Katha Up;—“This is the most holy syllable, this the
supreme syllable, whosoever knoweth this syllable getteth whatever he
desireth.” (Cowell’s Maitrí Upanishad. Ch. VI. S. 4) note.
[Sidenote: 4. The Mystic Syllable गुह्यं]
This is styled the mystic syllable because the most recondite and
abstruse doctrines of Brahmanical theism are hidden under its
symbolical garb, and form the foundation of those wonderful structures
of the mystic poetry and philosophy of nations, which have been
beautifully illustrated by Sir W. Jones in his “Mystic Poetry of the
Hindus, Persians, and Greeks.” It was this mysticism which invited
a Pythagoras of old to India. Manu says;—“He knows the Veda, who
distinctly knows the mystic sense of this word.” Chap XI. 266.
These senses are recommended to be deeply studied by the Upanishads
themselves, saying;—“The _om_ is a subject of deep study” (Web. p. 163),
and forms of itself “as another triple Veda.” (Manu XI. 265). It is
enjoined to be carefully kept in secrecy by the Tantras and Smritis.
तत्त्वमेतन्महा गुह्यं गायत्र्याः कुक्षिरुच्यते ।
तदेन्महामन्त्रं गोप्यं गोप्यं हि यत्नतः ॥
[Sidenote: 5. The Mysterious syllable गूढ़ाक्षर]
_Om_ again as a symbol of the eternal position of things प्रकृतिः कुण्डालाकारा,
presents to us a mysterious round of the mystic dance of myriads of
spheres, emitting an inaudible sound reaching beyond its utmost limit
to the unknown One who sitteth above the circumference of its visible
horizon; or as the sacred writer expresses it; “He that sitteth on the
circle of the earth.” Isaiah. Chap. X. 1. The Tantra speaks of its
encompassing the world; ब्यापकत्वादि तत्त्वाच बिन्दुस्तेनैब कथ्यते, अनुस्वारस्वरूपासा
बिन्दुरुपाचिदाकृतिः । गायत्रीतन्त्रं ।
[Sidenote: 6. The sphere of sound नादबिन्दुः]
That _om_ contains within it the whole sphere of sounds (नाद)
is beautifully illustrated in twenty slokas or stanzas in an Upanishad
of that name the नादबिन्दूपनिषद् । (Weber, p. 165). It shows how the
eternal sound _om_ emitted by _Brahma_ pervaded throughout the
Universe, and the manner in which all other sounds are propelled by
continual vibrations of air like curves upon the surface of water
(बीचितरङ्गन्यायेन) to the auditory of the other. The _Vindu_ is a _Mudrá_
in Tantra ब्यपकत्त्वाद्बिन्दुमुक्तं । कुण्डलिनी स्वार सर्ब्ब ब्यापिनी । Compare the Pythagorean music
of the spheres.
[Sidenote: 7. The Focus of light तेजो बिन्दुः ।]
The _Tejovindu Upanishad_ describes _Om_ as the source and focus of
light in fourteen slokas, and the empyrean above it as the abode of
pure ineffable light (परं ज्योतिः) of God that illumines the other
spheres. (Web. p. 165). This light is viewed in the orb of the sun and
in fire by their worshippers. Compare Milton’s hymn to light; “Hail
holy light” &c.
[Sidenote: 8. The spot of immortality अमृत बिन्दुः]
Again _Om_ is termed the reservoir of immortality or endless life in
the Amritavindu Upanishad which describes it in thirty stanzas, to be
the eternal fountain of the infinity of lives that fills all animated
nature, and is drawn back to it. Its circumference extends to the
regions of light and life, and beyond it is the region of death and
darkness. “In this word there is light and life” (John 1)
ॐज्योतिश्च प्राणश्च । इति तत्र ६ । ४ see Weber’s A. S. Lit. pp. 69, 154, 165.
[Sidenote: 9. The centre of Meditation ध्यान बिन्दुः]
Therefore _Om_ is called the centre of meditation in the _Dhyánavindu
Upanishad_ of twenty one stanzas, which direct the concentration of our
thoughts to that centre for the attainment of perpetual light and life
which flow from it. (Weber p. 165). The Tantra takes a चक्र or मुद्रा and
the Buddhist a chink in the wall to fix the sight in meditation.
[Sidenote: 10. The Position of Brahma ब्रह्म बिन्दुः]
And lastly _Om_ is styled the receptacle of the great God, whose
essence fills, pervades, and encompasses the whole orbit of the
Universe, as it is described in twenty two slokas of the Brahma
Vindu-Upanishad. It is called Brahma Mudrá in the Tantra. (Weber, p.
p. 99, 158, 165).
V. ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD _Om_.
[Sidenote: 1. Etymology of the _Om_. ॐ शब्द]
Having thus far seen the mysterious nature of the letter and syllable
_Om_ in its Orthography, we shall now consider it as a word, and see
that not a less but much greater mystery is attached to its etymology
than has been hitherto thought of by any, and which will be found upon
examination to be more inscrutable in its nature than the mysteries of
Eleusis and the inexplicable hieroglyphics of the Egyptian priests.
[Sidenote: 2. Its symbolism of Brahmanism तद्ब्रह्मण्य ।]
These secret and sacred treasures of Brahmanic enigmas and symbols,
have been carefully preserved by the Brahmahood in their cabalistic
writings of the Tantras, which serve to be a secure safeguard of
their religion amidst the ravages of foreigners in their liberty and
literature, and require to be diligently searched into for a thorough
mastery of these mysticisms.
[Sidenote: 3. Its derivation तदुत्पत्तिः]
_Om_ is denominated a word (शब्द) in the Veda and other sacred
scriptures, and explained as a noun also (संज्ञा) in the Nirukta
and other lexicons. It is derived in the Koshas from the root _aba_
or _ava_ to protect, or save (रक्षणे) with the _Unadi_ suffix
मन् an anomalous formation into _om_ to denote “protection.”
Dr. Mitra too derives it from the radical अब “to preserve”
with the suffix मन to denote the Most High according to Manu
and Gítá. (Translation of Ch’hándogya Up. p. 4).
[Sidenote: 4. Its Primary sense धात्वर्थः]
Apart from the symbolical significations of _Om_ (of which there
are several as we shall come to notice afterwards), its primary and
literal sense would make us give different interpretations of it
according to the derivation of the term both in its verbal and nominal
forms. अव as a verb in the imperative mood means “save”
as मातरब, त्रातरब, दबऽब &c. in the _Mugdhabodha_, corresponding with the
expressions, _Ave Maria_, salve salvator, salve Deus, save O God &c.
[Sidenote: 5. Its Nominal sense ब्युत्पत्यर्थ]
But _aba_ to protect or preserve gives us the nominal (कृदन्त)
forms of aba, ába, ábu, and ábuka (अब, आब, आबु, आबुक), meaning a father
or preserver in the Prákrit Speech of Sanskrit dramas, and these are
found to agree in both respects of sound and sense with the words
_áb_, _ábá_, _ábu_, _ábuka_, _abi_ as _ábuka_ &c. in Hebrew, Chaldee,
Syriac and Arabic languages. This gives us the original meaning of अब
of which ॐ is a derivative form, and shows the close affinity which the
Aryan root bears to the Semitic, both in its sound and signification of
“Father” (पाता and पिता) applied to the Great God.
[Sidenote: 6. The word Om ॐ शब्दः ।]
But our question being _Om_ and not the root अब, we ought to
know to what part of speech it belongs and what sense we are to give of
it here. It is said to be a word indicative of auspiciousness when used
at the beginning; (आदौ ॐ शब्द प्रयोगो माङ्गलिकः). But whether as a verb or noun or any
other part of speech, we know nothing of, and we are utterly at a loss
what word to substitute for it in its translation. This is the reason
why the word _Om_, is used by itself in the translations of Sanskrit
works by Europeans and our countrymen also for want of a proper term,
as it is seen in the English versions of Vedas and Upanishads.
[Sidenote: 7. An aptot noun अब्यय शब्दः ।]
_Om_ is enlisted as an indeclinable word in grammar having no
inflection of its own in gender, number, case or person, and
agreeing with all words in its unchanged state, as in the examples:—
ओमीश्वर, ॐ दुर्गा, ॐ ब्रह्मन्, ॐ देबेभ्यो जुहोमि, ओमुपेत्वा ऊर्जेत्वा &c. It is included in
the (स्वरादिगण) as an aptot noun, and with indeclinable particles
(निपातन), as an adverb, conjunction and interjection also with various
significations.
[Sidenote: 8. The initial _Om_ आद्योमार्थः ।]
The anomalous and multinymous particle _Om_ was first discovered by Ram
Mohun Roy to be no other than the participal noun _on_=_being_ which as
Max Müller says is _to on ontws_ the Being of Beings A. S. Lit. pp.
321 _et passim._ The Latin _ens_ and the French _on_ as _t’on_, bear
close affinity to On and ॐ both in their sound and sense.
[Sidenote: 9. The Final _Om_ अन्त्योमार्थ ।]
Dr. Rájendra Lála Mitra has in one of his works pointed out the Vedic
_Om_, to correspond with the Hebrew “Amen,” and this will be found so
true of the final _Om_ of Brahmanical prayers, that its corresponding
word _Amin_ invariably forms the last word of every prayer in Arabic,
Persian and all other Mahomedan and Semitic languages. Thus it is to
be seen how intimately are both of these grand families of mankind
connected with each other in the main point of their different creeds.
VI. LEXICAL MEANINGS OF _Om_.
[Sidenote: Adverbial Meanings. आभिधानिक निपातनार्थः ।]
After the etymological and philological interpretations that we have
been given of the word _Om_, it is worthwhileto attend to its meanings
given in the current lexicons for the information of the majority, with
whom the evidence of the history of philology is of little weight and
value. Táranáth’s Sanskrit dictionary (वाचस्पत्याभिधान) presents us with
following adverbial meanings of the word.
[Sidenote: 1. An Inceptive Particle. आरम्भार्थकः ।]
The Medinikosha says he, expounds it as an inchoative particle
(आरम्भार्थक शब्द) to mean the beginning of a thing (उपक्रम), and
we find it accordingly used in the form of a proemial monogram at
the exordium of a book or Vedic hymn, sacred rite or lecture, in the
Sanhitas, Bráhmanas and Upanishads according to the passage quoted by
Táránátha in his dictionary;तस्मादोमित्युदाहृत्य कृता बेदवादिनाम । यज्ञाद्याक्रिया
शास्त्रोक्ताः सततं सम्प्रबर्त्तिते ॥ It answers the अथ of the Purána and the
words _now_ and _then_ in English as in the passage of the Kathavalli;
ॐ उशन् हवै बाजश्रबस इत्यादि ।
It is synonymous with beginning (आदि) in the Ch’hándogya
Upanishad, whereupon the poet has well said.
आसीत् महीक्षितामाद्यः प्रणवश्छन्दसा मिब । रघुवंशः । १ सर्गः ।
[Sidenote: 2. Illustrations of Ditto तदुदाहरणानि ।]
Krishna (under the conception of the identity of his soul with that of
the Divine), speaks of himself in the Bhágavadgítá that, he was the
letter _a_ of the alphabet, and the _Om_ of words (वर्णानामकारोऽहं शब्दानाञ्चोङ्कारः).
This is shown in the latest English translation of the work to be a
doctrine derived from Christianity and corresponds with the passage
“I am Alpha &c.” in the book of Revelations (Ch. I. V. 8). There is a
similar passage in the Koran which says “He (God) is the first; _Ho al
awl_ corresponding with the Greek” _Ho esten arche_; and this passage
and sometimes its initial Ὁ (Gr.) and our ॐ, is used by Moslems at the
top and commencement of their books and other writings. Again like
_Alpha_ of the holy Scripture we find the use of Alif upon the head of
all writings in Urdu, Persian, Arabic and Hebrew in daily practice.
Hence it is hard to say who is the borrower, though every one will
boast itself to be the lender. (_Vide_ Weber’s paper on the Rám Tap Up.
pp. 276, and 360).
[Sidenote: 3. An Initiatory Particle मङ्गलार्थ ।]
The Kosha adds the sense of auspiciousness and prosperity
(मङ्गलेशुभे) to the above, and this as we have already observed
forms like the names of gods, the initiatory vocable of meritorious
undertakings (आदाबोम शब्दः माङ्गलिकः). “_Om_” says the Ch’hándogya, “is also
prosperity” (I, 8.) To this the scholiast Sankara says; “the letter
_Om_ is called prosperity, because it is possessed of the property and
attribute of prosperity. The prosperous alone can pass the word _Om_”
(Chh. up. Ch. 1, p. 8).
Its use is not confined to the sacred and antiquated language of Vedic
writing and the liturgy, but is to be met with in the classic Sanskrit
of ancient bards and modern poets. Thus we have in the Rámáyana of our
author (रामायण ५ ।८१ ।११ । प्राज्यस्वर्विजयोङ्कारश्चक्रे). In this sense we discover a curious affinity of
the Aryan _Om_ with the Semitic _Áman_ _Amán_ and _Aiman_, as in the
Persian phrase _Aiman buád_ corresponding with ॐ or शुभं भूयात् ।
[Sidenote: 4. Gratulatory, Particle नमस्कारार्थः ।]
The word has been rendered in our translation by the salutatory
term “Hail”, from a supposed similarity of its meaning with that of
_namo_ नमस् which is used by women and Súdras in lieu of the
sacred _Om_ in their salutations to gods and superior beings, owing
to the denunciation pronounced upon their utterance of the sacred
syllable (स्त्रीशूद्रयोः प्रणवं नेच्छन्ति). We find its use in the same sense in Dr.
Roer’s Translation of the Aitareya Upanishad, where it is rendered
by “salutation to the Supreme Soul” and by “adoration” in Cowell’s
version of the Maitrí Upanishad. We are however at a loss of authority
to warrant our adoption of _namo_ as a synonym of _Om_. We meet with
instances of the use of _Om_ and _namo_ together to mean salutation,
as, ॐन्नमः शिबाय and शिबायोँ न्नमः in the Mugdhabodha, where _namo_,
expresses obeisance and governs शिबाय in the dative, and not
_Om_ which has no governing power.
[Sidenote: 5. Invocatory particle सम्बोधनार्थ ।]
_Om_ in the sense of invocation is an absolute monoptot like भोः,
भगो, अघो, अहो &c., without the power of governing the following
word, as ॐ नारायणा, and its double use as ॐ हरिः ॐ in the Aitareya
Upanishad (1); so भो रक्ष, भगोरक्ष in the Mugdhabodha; but नमो and its
synonyms स्वाहा, स्वाघा, बषट्, श्रौषट govern the dative as नमो हरये,
स्वाहाग्नये, स्वघा पित्रे, &c. The invocatory _Om_ is synonymous with
the interjections O, ओ, अहो, हो and all other single vowels whether
nasal or not (सानुनासिकनिरणुनासिकाः), all of which are ungoverning
particles in this sense.
[Sidenote: 6. A Laudatory particle प्रणबः ।]
_Om_ is usually termed as _pranava_ प्रणबः or praise or word of praise,
from the root _nu_ (प्र + नु + अप) to laud, and in this sense it
might mean the glorification of Te Deum. Thus “_Om_ is the _pranava_
or initial word of the Rigveda priests, and it is termed the Udgítha
(उद्गीथः) of Sáma Veda choristers सामगा who chaunt it”. (छन्दोग्यउपनिषद् १ । ३).
But it is made to signify the object of the verb, or the Being that is
lauded (यंनौति); and in this sense it means, “The Purusha or spirit who
is unaffected by works, affections &c., and having the appellation
of Pranava” (see Monier Williams’ Wisdom of the Hindus p. 103), so
says Gaudapáda in his Káriká. In the former sense, Pranava corresponds
with _halleluyas_ and _hosannas_ of Christians, and _hamd o Salaut_ of
Moslems, which are deemed sacred by their votaries. The Káriká has the
following stanzas on it:—प्रणबोह्यपरं ब्रह्म प्रणबश्च परः स्मृतः । प्रणबं हीश्वरं बिद्यात् सर्ब्बस्य हृदि संस्थितः ॥
युञ्जीतप्रणवे चेतः प्रणवे ब्रह्मनिर्भयं । प्रणवे नित्ययुक्तस्यनभयं बिद्यते क्वचित ॥
[Sidenote: 7. A Permissive Particle अनुमत्यर्थः ।]
It is used in a permissive sense both in Vedic and classic Sanskrit,
and expressed in English by the words “on” “go on” and the like. We
have an instance of it in the Mágha Kávya, in the passage:
ओमित्युक्तबतोथशार्ङ्गिनः इतिब्याहृत्यबाचंनमः ।
[Sidenote: (_a._) An Injunctive अनुज्ञार्थः ।]
“Verily this is an injunctive term (अनुज्ञाक्षरं), signifying
injunction, order, and whatever is enjoined, and ultimately the letter
_Om_.” (Ch’hándogya Upanishad). The scholium (भाष्य) explains it by
saying that, “Whatever is enjoined by the learned or wealthy regarding
learning and wealth, it is done by saying “Om”.” (Ibid I. 8. p. 8.)
[Sidenote: 8. A Particle of assent अङ्गीकारः ।]
It bears also the sense of assent and consent (अङ्गीकारश्वीकारौ)
meaning “ay” “aye” “yea” and “yes”, and in Bengali and Vernaculars हाँ
and हुं. So says Sankaráchárya:—“Whatever is assented to by the learned
and wealthy, it is done by saying “_Om_”.” Thus in the Vedic tradition;
Yájnavalkya having been asked by Sákalya as to how many gods there
were, said; “Thirty-three.” Sákalya assented by saying “Om.” Among
modern writings, the Sáhitya Darpana cites the following instance of
_Om_ being used in this sense:—भ्रातर्द्विरेफ भवता भ्रमता समन्तात् ।
प्राणाधिका प्रियतमा ममबीक्षिता किं । ब्रुतेकिमोमित्यादि ।
[Sidenote: 9. A Particle of Repulse. अपाकृतिः ।]
It is used as the interjectional particle हुँकार expressive of
repelling or driving off another from one like “Avaunt” in English.
We meet with an instance of its use in this sense in the Vetála
Panchavinsati of Lassen (VI.) Thus, कृतोङ्कार बेतालेत्यादि ।
[Sidenote: 10. Do. of Ratifying. दृढीकरणे ।]
It occurs in the sense of confirmation at the end of hymns and prayers
in the Vedic writings, and corresponds with the words “Amen” and “Amin”
at the conclusion of Christian and Moslem sermons and prayers as we
have said long before. We have a verse of Hafiz to this effect, where
he says _bishnow O Ámin bogo_ _i. e._ “Hear and say amen.” There are
many instances of it in the Upanishads, such as शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः
ओं हरिः ओं, and so in the Gáyatrí hymn which begins and ends with _Om_,
agreeably to the precept which says; आद्यन्ते प्रणबं दत्त्वा गायत्रीं
प्रजपेद्द्विजः । चतुर्बर्ग प्रदा बिद्या चतुर्बिद्यात्मिका सदा । गायत्री तन्त्रं ।
VII. THE NOMINAL MEANINGS OF _Om_.
[Sidenote: 1. Nominal Meanings of _Om_. संज्ञार्थः ।]
Besides the meanings already given of _Om_ as a particle, there are
many other nominal significations attached to it as a significant noun
or rather symbol to express certain attributes belonging to the nature
of the Deity, that bear little or no connection with the etymology of
the word.
[Sidenote: 2. _Om_ the Creator जगत् स्रष्ठा ।]
_Om_ is used to denote the creative power of God in Sankara’s scholium.
This sense is had from the primordial word _logos_ the ov
= _be_ or _fiat_ भुयात् _buad_ uttered by God in his creation of
the world, as we have in the scripture. “And god said, “Let there be”
and there was”. Latin _Fiat-et-fit_; and Arabic _Kom fa Kána_.
[Sidenote: 3. Om is _God_ ईश्वरः भिधानं ।]
Pátanjala takes it as denotative of God himself तस्येश्वर वाचकतेति पातञ्जलः;
and others as a denotation of the Supreme God ॐ परमेश्वरेच । एतद्ध्येबाक्षरं
परं । इति कठः । तारानाथ वाचस्पत्याभिधानं ।
[Sidenote: 4. Om is Brahma. ब्रह्म । ]
_Om_ is the verbal symbol of Brahma signifying the Universal spirit ॐ
ब्रह्मणि च । ब्रह्मणः नामबिशेषः तारानाथः so says the Katha Upanishad एतद्ध्येबाक्षरं ब्रह्म । This
meaning is obtained from ॐ = om signifying _being_ or existence, and
referring to the totality of existence expressed by the word Brahma
(formed of बृह + मन) _universal pervasion_.
[Sidenote: 5. Greatness of Brahma ब्रह्मत्वं बृहत्वञ्च ।]
Om is used also to denote the vast magnitude of Brahma (ब्रह्मत्वं बाबृहत्वं)
in the Maitrí Upanishad, which says “_Om_ is the greatness of Brahman,
says one who continually meditates thereon.” (See Cowell’s Translation
of Id. IV. 4. p. 253). This idea is naturally suggested by the
infinity of the Universe pervaded and encompassed by the spirit of
God. सर्ब्बं बिन्दु गतं ह्यैतत् ब्रह्माण्डञ्चापिकोटिशः । गायत्री तन्त्रं । The Ch’hándogya Upanishad speaks of
the greatness and effects of _Om_ (I. 9). To this the scholium raises
the question, what are its greatness and effects? Then answers it by
saying;—“by the greatness of _Om_ is implied the existence of priests,
the institutions of sacrifices &c. &c. Therefore is its greatness.”
[Sidenote: 6. Om is the way to Brahma ब्रह्मज्ञानोपायः ।]
“_Om_,” says the Mándukya Upanishad, “is the means (symbol) leading
to Brahma,” as a hieroglyphic character to its significate. Here says
the commentator Ánandagiri (p.336.) ओङ्कारो ब्रह्म वुद्ध्योपास्य मानो ब्रह्म प्रतिपत्युपायो
भबतीति । आनन्दगिरि टीका । “It is known in all the Vedántas as the best
means towards the accomplishment of one’s adoration.” (Ch’hándogya
Upanishad p. 5 note.)
[Sidenote: 7. Immutable & Imperishable ॐ अक्षरः ।]
It is immutable, undecayable, imperishable, indestructible and immortal
(अक्षरं). Thus in the Mándukya; ओमित्येतदक्षरमिदं बिकार रहितमित्यादि । The circle of O is
considered the most perfect of all geometrical figures, as it was held
by the Pythagoreans to be the best symbol to represent the perfections
of the Supreme Being. It is the sign of divine immutability from the
fact of every other figure changing its shape by its constant rotation
round the centre and becoming a spheroid which is no more susceptible
of change. Such is the changeable nature of all things until they
become one with the Divinity.
[Sidenote: Om Knowable. ज्ञेयं ।]
_Om_ the symbol of God is said to be the knowable, because every part
of its circumference is equidistant from the central observer. So is
God said to be knowable (ज्ञेय) in Yoga philosophy for his
knowableness to every one by means of meditation. Hence the Yoga system
is called gnosticism contrary to the unknowableness of agnosticism.
[Sidenote: 8. Eternity नित्यं ।]
_Om_ is called eternal (नित्यं), because its circular form
is the representation of eternity, having neither its beginning nor
end (अनाद्यनन्तं): so it is the symbol of infinity, the circle
being described by an infinite line. Thus Gaudapáda;
अपूर्व्वोऽनन्तरोऽनन्तः नपरः प्रणबाब्यय । इति माण्डुक्य कारिकायां । १६ ।
[Sidenote: 9. The First and Last.]
Again Om is said to be the first and last of all things, because, says
Táránátha, every thing proceeds from its centre as its source, and
returns to that centre as its reservoir. तस्मान्निःसृताः सर्व्वेप्रलीयन्त तत्रबै । वाचस्पत्याभिधानं;
or that every thing like the line of the circle meets at the same
point from where it is drawn and stretched. Moreover Om as has been
already said, is used both as the initial and final word of Mantras and
prayers, so it is understood to be the beginning and end of all motions
and utterances. In these senses it answers the _Alpha_ and _Omega_ of
the Revelation, and the _initium_ and _finem_—_Hoal awl Hoal ákher_ of
the Koran.
[Sidenote: 10. The First, Last and Midst. आद्यन्त मध्यं ।]
But _Om_ is declared again to be the first, last and midst of things,
from its being uttered in the beginning, middle and end of prayers
and recitals of sacred hymns according to the ordinance which says
that, _Om_ is to be repeated thrice at every recital in the beginning,
middle and end:—प्रशस्तं ब्राह्मणे नित्यं प्रणवत्रय संयुतं । मध्येच प्रणवं गुप्तंचाकारानुमं
प्रिये । इति गायत्री तन्त्रं । This rule is said to bear reference
to the triple state of the progression of mortal beings,—their
evolution, sustentation and dissolution. यतोबाइमानि भूतानि जायन्ते येन
जातानि । जीबन्ति यत् प्रयन्त्यभिसम्बिशन्ति तद्ब्र्ह्मेति ॥ The triple utterance of _Om_ has given
rise to the triplicate invocation of Hari, आदाबन्तेच मध्येच हरिः सर्ब्बत्र गीयते,
and with what Milton has expressed in his glorious hymn in the Paradise
Lost.
“Him first, Him last, Him midst, and without end.”
The reverend Gaudapáda enjoins the same ordinance in his versified
commentary or Káriká to the Mándukya Upanishad, where he says (verse
27):—सर्ब्बस्य प्रणबो ह्यादिर्मध्यमान्तस्तथैबच । एवं हि प्रणवं ज्ञात्वा ब्यश्नुते तदनन्तरं ।
VIII. APPLICATION OF _Om_
IN THE VEDAS AND VEDANTA.
[Sidenote: 1. Pranava = Adorable.]
“O venerable, let me enter thee (viz. the word Om)—the sheath of
Brahmá, swáhá. O venerable do thou enter me, swáhá. O venerable, I
shall be purified by thee.” (Taittiríya Up. IV. 3).
[Sidenote: 2. The Burden of song.]
“Om, the hymns of the Sáma Sing, _Om_, Som, the hymns proclaim.”
[Sidenote: 3. Commanding and assenting.]
“By Om, the Adhwarju gives his reply:—By Om the Brahmá commands;—By Om
he gives his orders for the burnt offering” (Ibid VIII. Anuvák).
[Sidenote: 4. Beginning.]
“_Om_, says the Bráhman, when he commences to read the Veda.” (Ibid).
[Sidenote: 5. Om is Multinymous.]
“Om is Brahman, it is immortal, it is light, it is truthful, and a
portion of holy light.”
“It is the sun, the truthful, the Yajur, devotion, fire, wind and air.”
“It is the moon, strength, immortality, and the means of attaining
Brahma” (Maitrí Upanishad VI. 35.) ॐ ब्रह्म अमृतं ज्योतिस्तेज सोहंश मात्रं ।
आदित्य मध्ये उदुत्वा मयूखे भबतः । ॐकारानुज्ञापणात् ॥ एतत् सवित् सत्यधर्म्म एतद्यजुरेतत्तयः एतदग्निरेतद्वायुरेतदापः ।
एतच्चन्द्रमा एतच्छुक्रमेतदमृतमेतद्ब्रह्म बिषयं ॥
[Sidenote: 6. It is all significant.]
But apart from all the particular objects to which this word is
severally applied, _Om_ is found from its general sense of “a being”
at large, to be significant of “all things,” as its archetype Brahman
is made to stand for universal existence both collectively as well as
singly (_in toto et per singulatim_), as it is said in the Mándukya
Upanishad, ओमित्येतदक्षरमिदं सर्ब्बं तस्योपव्याख्यानं भूतं भविष्यदिति सर्ब्बमोङ्कार एव,
यच्चान्यत् त्रिकालातीतं तदप्योङ्कार एव ॥
[Sidenote: 7. Om includes all things.]
“Om” says the Sruti, “is immortal.” Its explanation is “this all”;
what was, what is, and what will be, all is verily the word “Om”; and
every thing else which is beyond the three-fold time is also verily the
word “Om.” For this all (represented by “Om”) is Brahma, and Brahma is
“all.” (Mándukya Upanishad Bháshya verse 1 and 2). ओमिति ब्रह्मएबेदमोङ्कारः
सर्ब्बमित्यादिश्रुतिभ्यः । अभिधानस्यचोङ्कारव्यतिरेकादोङ्कार एबेदं सर्ब्बं ।
[Sidenote: 8. Scholium on the above.]
According to Sankara’s explanation the rendering would be as
follows:—“Om” this sound (or immortal) is this “All,” and its
explanation is “what was, what is, and will be, all is verily the word
“Om”.” (Sankara’s Bháshya of the above). Ánandagiri’s explanation is to
the same purport; thus says he:—
सर्ब्बास्पदत्वादोङ्कारस्य ब्रह्मणश्च तथात्वादेक लक्षणत्वादन्यत्वासिद्धेरोङ्कार प्रतिपत्ति ब्रह्म प्रतिपत्तिरेबेति ॥
IX. THEOLOGY OF OM IN THE MONADS OF MONOTHEISTIC CREEDS.
[Sidenote: 1. Monads or Unities. एकार्थकः ।]
We have seen that _Om_ expresses all things (Sarvamonkára), by virtue
of the word like its kindred Greek and Latin _on_ and _ens_ (B.
_haon_), signifying “a being” by synecdoche (_laxaná_) of a part for
the whole. And this is done of all things whether concrete or discrete
and taken either singly or by groups of two or more things together; as
it is said—“_Ekasadvisastrisas_” &c., _i. e._ _Singulatim_, _dualiter_,
_pluraliter_ &c. We shall first come to see the monads expressed by
_Om_ and leave it to the reader to discover the relation which the
significates may bear to the symbol, or rest satisfied with the idea of
their being meaningless or arbitrary.
[Sidenote: 2. Om is speech or voice बाक् ।]
Om, says the Sruti is Sarvávák “all voice and speech”; and we shall
come to see below that it is applied alike to denote both human and
brute speech, and words belonging to all the different parts of speech.
[Sidenote: 3. Om is sound and word शब्द ।]
“All things are united with words which express them, and all words
are contained in the mystical syllable _Om_, (ओङ्कार शब्द म ।त्रं). _Om_,
pervades all sounds; he rises above all objects which are expressed by
sounds, who repeats this sound _Om_” (Ch’hándogya II.23.) (Maitrí p.
253).
[Sidenote: 4. Om is Brahman ॐ शब्द ब्रह्म ।]
“_Om_ is Brahman called sound (_sabda_). By means of _Om_ rising above
all things, a man merges in the Supreme called Para Brahma.” “Om is
the emblem of the Most High.” (Ch’hándogya p. 4. Manu II. 83. Bhágavad
Gítá). So says the Maitrí Upanishad (VI. 22) शब्द ब्रह्मणि निष्णातः परं ब्रह्माधिगच्छति । ६ ।२२
[Sidenote: 5. Om is Fire and its splendour ओमग्निश्च तेजश्च ।]
“Om was splendour and fire at first. By this syllable _Om_ the
splendour germinates, it shoots upward, it expands, and becomes the
vehicle of divine worship. The splendour germinates in the form of the
mystic syllable _Om_, as a seed germinates; _i. e._ It is manifested as
the primeval form of the Veda, it next shoots upward as the internal
sound _Om_ itself.” Maitrí Up. VII. 11. तेजो प्रथममोङ्कारात्मकमासीत् ।
तत्तेजोऽनेनैबोमित्येब तदुद्बुध्यति । मैत्री उप ७ ।११ । Fire was the first object of adoration
of the Rigveda and of the fire worshippers of India and Persia. It is
believed to be the _arche_ or beginning of all things according to
Heraclitus.
[Sidenote: 6. Om is light. ॐ ज्योतिः ।]
“Om is light and manifest as light, the sleepless, deathless and
sorrowless light.” Again; “_Om_ is light which shines in yonder sun,
and in the moon, fire, and lightning” (Maitrí Upanishad VI. 25.). So
says the Bhágavad Gítá, “That splendour which abiding in the sun
illumines the whole world, which abides in the moon and in fire, that
splendour know to be mine” (XV. 12.) Light was the first work of
creation and the “first born” of Heaven. God said “_Lux fiat et lux
fit_.”—“Let there be light and there was light.”
दीप्यतोम् ज्योतिः । प्रकाशणाज्ज्योतिः । प्रणबाख्य प्रणेतारमरूपो बिगतनिद्रो बिजरो बिमृत्युर्बिशोको भबतीत्येबं ह्याह । मैत्री उप
६ ।२५ तथा । यदमुस्मिन्नादित्येऽथंसोमोऽग्नौ विद्युति बिभात्यथखल्वेनं दृष्ट्वा मृतत्वं गच्छतीत्याह । ६ ।२५ ।
[Sidenote: 7. _Om_ is Lightening. बिद्युज्ज्योतिः ।]
“The Veda is called lightening, since the moment when it is uttered (as
Om), it enlightens every incorporated being; therefore by the syllable
_Om_ let a man adore the infinite splendour of Brahman” (Maitrí
Upanishad VII. 11.) यस्मादुच्चरितमात्र एब सर्ब्बं शरीरं बिद्योतयति ।
तस्मादोमित्यनेनैता उपासीतापरिमितं तेजः । मैत्री उप ७ ।११ ।
[Sidenote: 8. Om is the Brahman light. ॐ ब्रह्म ज्योति ।]
“The syllable _Om_ is the Brahman light or pure intelligence, veiled
behind the fire and breath, and manifested itself at first as the
one undivided sound _Om_.” Thus the Maitrí Upanishad Tíká (VII. 11).
यस्मात् प्रणबात्मकमिदं ब्रह्मासीत् तस्मादोमित्यनेनैतत् ब्रह्म तेजो उपासीत् । मैत्री ७ ।११ ।
[Sidenote: 9. _Om_ is Water. ओमापः ।]
“Om shines in the waters” (Maitrí Upanishad VI. 35). आपो ज्योतिरसोऽमृतं
ब्रह्मभूर्भुबःस्वरोम् । मैत्री ६ ।३५ । दीप्यतोमापः । ओङ्कारोऽनुज्ञापनादाप्यायनादापः । इति तट्टीका । Water is said
to be the first work of God (आप एबमसजादौ ।) “and the Spirit of God
floated on the surface of the waters” hence called नारायणः (Genesis
and Manu). Thales found water to be the origin of all things.
[Sidenote: 10. _Om_ is Flavour &c. रसोबैतत् ।]
“Om is _Rasa_, moisture, flavour, taste, relish and love (Maitrí Up.
VI. 35). The goodness of God is flavour, a man having attained flavour,
becomes possessed of joy” (Taittiríya Up II. 7.)ॐ रसोबैतत् । रसः कर्म्म
परिपाक निवृत्तत्वात् आदित्यस्य रसतं? सर्ब्ब कर्म्म फलाश्रय इत्यर्थः । By flavour _rasa_ they mean
love also and love is believed to be the formative power according to
Empedocles.
[Sidenote: 11. Om is Ambrosia. ओममृतं मधु ।]
“_Om_ is ambrosia the food of gods. (Gr. _He ambrosia est setos
theon_). It is also honey and all sweet.” So the Sruti;
अमृतं देबानामोदन हेतुत्वात् । मैत्री उप ६ ।३५ । असौबामधु । छान्दोग्यं तैत्तिरीयञ्च । १ ।७ ।
[Sidenote: 12. Om Udgítha. ओमुद्गीथः ।]
“_Om_, this letter the Udgítha, should be adored, Om is chaunted.”
(Ch’hándogya I. 1).
“The Udgítha of Sáma Veda, corresponds with the _pranava_ of the Rig
Veda.” (Cowel’s Mait VI. 3).
“The Udgítha is the principle part of the Sáma verse, and sung by
Udgátri priests.”
“It is chaunted (Udgíyate), and is therefore called Udgítha and is a
_Karmángávayava_ or part of the liturgy.”
“What is Udgítha, that is Om; what is Om, that is Udgítha.” (Maitrí.
Ch’chándogya).
[Sidenote: 13. _Om_ is breath. ॐ स्वासः ।]
“Om called the Udgítha is breath,” (Ch’hándogya Upanishad p. 12).
[Sidenote: 14. _Om_ is sun. आदित्य ।]
“The sun is _Om_, _Om_ is Udgítha, the sun is Udgítha, he is _Om_.”
(Maitrí IV. 4).
“The splendour of Brahman is yonder sun, and it too is the splendour of
Om.” (Ibid). यद्ब्र्हम ज्योतिः यज्ज्योतिः सआदित्यः । यत् सबितृतदादित्यः । मैत्री उप ।
[Sidenote: 15. Om the soul. ओमात्मेति ।]
“The soul is looked upon as _Om_.” (Ch’hándogya Upanishad. p. 12). “For
this all represented by _Om_ is Brahma. This soul is Brahma.” (Mándukya
V. 2). ॐकार एब आत्म स्वरूपमेब । तस्यैतस्य परापर ब्रह्मरूपस्याक्षरस्योपब्याख्यानं ।
[Sidenote: 16. Om the Supreme spirit. ॐ परमात्मा ।]
“_Om_ is the most appropriate name for the Supreme Spirit
_paramátman_.” (Ch’hándogya I. 1). “The Universal soul is the totality
of individual souls.” (समष्टि ब्यष्टि).
[Sidenote: 17. Om is Mind. ओं मनस् ।]
“Om is mind _manas_, the self consciousness or _ahankára_ of the
Sánkhya.” (Ibid p. 3).
[Sidenote: 18. Om is Body. ॐ कायः ।]
“_Om_ is corporeal.” (Ch’hándogya p. 3).
[Sidenote: 19. Om is Adorable ओमुपास्यं ।]
“The letter Om is eulogised for its adorableness, and is an inducement
to its worship.” (Ch’hándogya I. 9. p. 8).
[Sidenote: 20. Om a Vehicle ॐ रथः ।]
“_Om_ is the vehicle of the worship and knowledge of the superior and
inferior Brahma.” (Maitrí Up. 260).
[Sidenote: 21. Om is a Raft. ॐमुड़ुपः ।]
“_Om_ is a raft of Brahman to cross over the torrents of the world.”
(Swetáswatara II. 8. p. 53).
[Sidenote: 22. Om an arrow. ॐ शरः ।]
“The body is the bow, _Om_ is the arrow, with which one pierces the
mark Brahma through darkness.” धनुच्छरीरमोमित्येतच्छरः । शिखास्य मनस्तमो लक्षणं
भित्वात्मानमागच्छतीति ।
[Sidenote: 23. Om a Bridge. ॐ सेतुः ।]
And so _Om_ is used to represent many other single objects. (Maitrí Up.
p. 271).
It is represented as a bridge in the Atharva Veda (VI. 10 and VIII. 4).
X. DUADS OR DUPLES OF THE BIPARTITE OM IN DUALISTIC THEORIES.
[Sidenote: Duads. Om a couple. ॐ मिथुनं ।]
“_Om_ unites couples together and gratifies the wish of the adorer.”
(Ch’hándogya I. 6). Again “couples being incorporated with the letter
_Om_, establish the all-gratifying power and attribute of Om.”
(Sankara’s Scholium to Ch’hándogya).
[Sidenote: 1. The Couple Udgítha & Pranava. उद्गीथप्रणबौ ।]
_Om_ combines the _Udgítha_ of the Sáma with the _pranava_ of the Rig
Veda, the first couple; and therefore speech (Vák) and breath (prána)
the sources of the Rik and Sáma, the second couple; and lastly the said
two Vedas themselves as the third couple. (Ch’hándogya I. 1-8), and
consequently the Hotri and Udgátri priests the fourth couple.
[Sidenote: 2. Brahma and Para Brahma. परापर ब्रह्म ।]
_Om_ is the superior and inferior Brahma conjointly. The superior or
_Para Brahma_ is the one eternal and infinite God; and the inferior
or _Apara Brahmá_ is the finite God:—the demiurge of Plato, and the
_Prajápati_ and Indra of Vedanta theology. The Aitareya reckons the
pentad of the five elementary bodies, under the latter category. (V.
3). Kálidása speaks of this as the _pancha mahá bhúta samádhi_ in the
first book of his Raghu Vansa.
[Sidenote: 3. The two pronunciations. स्वर द्वयं ।]
“_Om_ is pronounced as _svarati_ in the Rigveda and Svara in the Yajur
Veda.” (Ch’hándogya IV. 4. Manu XI. 265).
[Sidenote: 4. The Human & Divine Souls. जीबात्मा परमात्मा ।]
“_Om_ is átman or soul. Two souls are said to enter the body; the
individual and the undivided or universal soul.” (Ait. III. 1). “Two
birds (the supreme and individual souls) dwell upon the same tree of
the body.” (Svetásvatara Upanishad).
[Sidenote: 5. The Soul and Matter. प्रकृतीश्वरौ ।]
“_Om_ is both spirit and matter,” viewed as the same thing in the
materialistic light of the Sánkhya, and dualistic view of others.
Spinoza defines them both as the “_Substantia cogitans, et substantia
extensa, una eademque est substantia, quae jam sub hoc, jam sub illo
attributo_ comprehenditur.” (Ethics. 1 Pr. 7 schol).
[Sidenote: 6. The Male and Female. प्रकृति पुरुषौ ।]
“_Om Strípum_ the divine male and female”; the original androgyne or
bisex being combined in the person of the first human being, Brahmá or
Adam, and called the _Prakriti-purusha_ or _pradhána_ &c., in the Yoga
and Puranic Systems. So says Manu also (I, 32). “The power became half
male half female or nature active and passive, and divided itself in
twain.” (Ibid).
[Sidenote: 7. The cause and effect. कार्य कारणं ।]
“_Om_ implies the two states of mundane existence, _viz_, the cause
dynamic and the effect energy. The effect also is two fold, the gross
and subtile.” (स्थूल सूक्ष्मञ्च).
[Sidenote: 8. The Two Elements. स्थूल सूक्ष्मौ ।]
The subtile elements (सूक्ष्मतन्मात्रं) and the gross elements
(स्थूलभौतिकं) forming the Sthúla or gross body and the _linga Saríra_
or subtile body,—the two component parts of all living bodies.
[Sidenote: 9. Knowledge & Ignorance. बिद्या बिद्ये ।]
The two states of the soul, knowledge and ignorance (बिद्या अबिद्या)
and the two states of knowledge; namely that which is known (बिज्ञात),
and what is unknown (अबिज्ञात), corresponding with two others—the
(ब्यक्ताब्यक्त) the manifest and unmanifest.
[Sidenote: 10. The two states of Life. कर्म्म तथा ज्ञानकाण्डं ।]
Knowledge and action or Jnána and Karman,—theory and practice, are the
two inseparable conditions of life; the one leading to the other, which
is the result of the former, and according to others its cause, in the
celebrated dispute ज्ञान जन्य कर्म्म अथबा कर्म्मजं ज्ञानं between theorists and
practitioners.
[Sidenote: 11. Other Pairs.]
In this way many other pairs are joined together forming as they were
the two halves of the great circle of _Om_, and whether diametrically
or obversely opposed or attached to each other, they form together, the
same circle of which each of them is but an imperfect part or half.
[Sidenote: 12. Geometry of _Om_.]
[Sidenote: 13. Logical Use of _Om_.]
Hence we see the mystery of the cypher of _Om_ to be no less wonderful
and efficacious in the investigation of theological truths, than the
great instrument of Euclid’s compass in the bisection and measurement
of geometrical dimensions. And as the circle is latterly found to be
made use of in the demonstration of propositions in Logic, how much
must we wonder to reflect on the use and application of the sacred
instrument of _Om_ by the ancient Rishis of India, to all things of
the physical, intellectual and spiritual world (_Sarvamonkára eva_) as
their common measure.
[Sidenote: 14. Dualism overthrown द्वतोच्छेदः]
Having thus observed the deficiency of dualities and the imperfection
of dualistic theories, by the instrumentality of _Om_, and the
application of its cypher of unity to them, to make up that unity
which is essential to the true knowledge of God, whose nature is a
perfect unity and without divisibility (Ekamevádwitía), the sages next
proceeded to the investigation of trialities and pluralities of tri-une
doctrines and so forth, which had been gaining ground even in those
early stages of society, by the application of the same test of the
unity of _Om_ to them, till at last all these partitions are lost in
the cypher of One indivisible whole.
[Sidenote: 15. The Metrical Sense of _Om_.]
_Om_ in the sense of a compass or metrical instrument, is derived from
O the cypher, letter or circle, and _ma_ to measure, meaning the circle
of measurement.
XI. TRIADS OR TRIPLES OR TRIPARTITE OM IN TRINITARIAN SYSTEMS.
[Sidenote: 1. Triads or Triples of _Om_ त्रिमूर्त्ति ।]
“But when considered as a triliteral word consisting of a, u, _m_,
(अ, उ, म), _Om_ implies, the three Vedas, the three states of human
nature; the three divisions of the Universe; the three deities,
agents of the three states of things—the creation, preservation and
destruction; or properly speaking; the three principle attributes
of the Supreme Being. In this sense it implies in fact the Universe
controlled by the Supreme Being.” Rám Mohun Roy.
[Sidenote: 2. Their External Manifestations. ब्याहृतिः ।]
The idea of the trisection of the circle of _Om_ followed that of its
bisection, together with that of the three fold division of Divine
nature, much earlier in the minds of the Aryans of India, than the
three sectors of the circle were unfolded by Euclid, and the mystery
of the tri-une nature of the Divinity was discovered by the divine
Plato, or that of the three persons in the God-head was revealed by the
Gospel. But not content with this discovery, the ancient sages applied
this triplicate division of _Om_ to many other things as the three
fold manifestations of the _One_ Deity represented by the triliteral
and trilateral figure of _Om_, and fell to their adoration, until they
were recalled to the worship of the invisible unity of _Om_ by the
Vedánta doctrines. We shall now see these triples called the Vyáhritís
(व्याहृति) or three fold manifestations in their order.
[Sidenote: 1. The 3 Vedas. त्रयो बिद्या बेदत्रयः ।]
Om represents the three Vedas by its three letters, _viz_; the Rik,
Yajur and Sáman, consisting of the Hymns, Ceremonies and Psalms.
The first like the hymns of Hesiod and Orpheus, the second like the
Levitican laws, and the third resembling the Psalms of David, all of
which are said to be of Divine origin.
[Sidenote: 2. The 3 States. ॐ गुणत्रयं ।]
These have no apposite terms in English, and are variously rendered
to express the states of quietism, action and passion or excess of a
feeling, leading to error.
[Sidenote: 3. The 3 Worlds. ॐ भूर्भुबः स्वर् ।]
The earth, sky and heavens, called the three great evolutions
(महा ब्याहृति) of _Om_. But those were afterwards subdivided into
twenty one (3×7) each named as Om (ॐ त्रिसप्तं) as in the beginning
of Atharva Sanhitá ॐ त्रिसप्ता ये परियन्ति बिश्वाः—“The Universe composed of thrice seven
worlds.”
[Sidenote: 4. The 3 states of things. श्रवस्थात्रयं ।]
[Sidenote: 5. The 3 Agencies Personified त्रि मूर्त्ति ।]
These are the creation, preservation, and destruction of all things
(सृष्टि, स्थिति, प्रलय), or as philosophically called their evolution,
sustentation and dissolution (उत्पत्ति, स्थिति, ध्वंस), and their agents,
_Brahmá_ the creator, _Vishnu_, the preserver, and _Siva_ the destroyer
of each and all, corresponding with Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto, and
Osiris, Horus and Typhon (ब्रहमाबिष्ण्वीशाः). But this trinity is refuted
by the Vedántic doctrine of unity, which repudiates a secondary cause.
(सृष्टि स्थिति लयादीनां नान्य कर्त्ता द्वितीयकं). The Maitrí Upanishad makes mention of many more triads
which were glorified with the aforesaid hallowed epithet _Om_ (VI. 5.)
_Viz._ the following:—
[Sidenote: 1. The Trisex Divinity.]
_Om_ composed of the three genders, masculine, feminine and neuter
(स्त्रीपुन्नपुं). But the Vedánta refutes the generic distinctions of
the One unknown (नपण्डनपुमान् शक्तिः).
[Sidenote: 2. The 3 Elemental forms.]
The fire, wind and sun, (सूर्य्याग्नि बायु), the three powerful
manifestations of the Deity each of which had its votaries in the early
fire, wind and sun worshippers of India.
[Sidenote: 3. The 3 Agencies as above.]
The creation, preservation and destruction of things in the forms of
Brahmá, Vishnu and Siva as said above.
[Sidenote: 4. The 3 Fires. अग्नित्रयः ।]
_Om_ the three sacrificial fires called the दक्षिणा, गार्हपत्य and
आह्वनीयाग्न्यः, which were continually preserved in families.
[Sidenote: 5. The 3 Vedas. त्रयोबिद्या ।]
_Om_ the triple learning contained in the Rik, Yajur and Sáman, which
were identified with God for their being his words.
[Sidenote: 6. The 3 Intelligences.]
The three Intellectual faculties consisting of the Mind, Intellect or
Reason, and the conscious soul.
[Sidenote: 7. The 3 Times. त्रिकाल ।]
Present, past and future composing the circle of the eternity of _Om_
(कालत्रयं).
[Sidenote: 8. The 3 Aliments. अन्न ब्रह्म ।]
Food and water and moon. The water and food are eulogised as _Om_ in
Bhrigu Valli as अन्न ब्रह्म, and the moon is reckoned as such for its
containing the ambrosial beverage of the gods.
[Sidenote: 9. The Mental Powers. मनोवृत्तिः ।]
The three intellectual faculties, the mind, intellect and consciousness
as the spiritual manifestations of the Invisible Spirit.
[Sidenote: 10. The three Vital Airs. प्राणादि ।]
Those of respiration, circulation and secretion called प्राणामान समाणाः
the respiratory breath or air and others: there are two others which
with these three will be found among the pentads (पञ्चप्राणाः).
[Sidenote: 11. The three feet of God. त्रिपादाः ।]
These are the different hypostases of God or rather of the Divine
soul in its three states of universality, individuality and external
appearances, each of which is subdivided into three states.
[Sidenote: 12. The 3 Totals.]
The Sútrátmá, Taijana and Hiranyágarbha (universal soul)
(सूत्रात्मा तैजन हिरण्यगर्भः); The three emanations of infinite Intelligence from the
Unity of God.
[Sidenote: 13. The three Specials.]
The Visva, Taijasha, and Prajná (Individual Souls) (विश्व तैजस प्रज्ञा). The
three emanations of finite souls from Divine Intelligence.
[Sidenote: 14. The three externals.]
The Vaiswánara, Visvarúpa and Virát the three manifest and visible
forms; (बैश्वानर बिश्वरूप बिराट्). Hence the nature of God is a triplicate
threefold unity or the thrice three hypostases of the One Being.
[Sidenote: 15. The three Forms of Devotion.]
The three forms of our devotion and Communion with God, that he is
praised, worshipped and ascribed with attributes.
[Sidenote: 16. The Triple man.]
His body—the bow, his mind—the arrow, and his soul—the aim. (Mándukya
II. 4. p. 159).
[Sidenote: 17. The 3 States of the Soul.]
Of waking, dreaming and sound sleep of the soul. (जाग्रत् स्वप्न सुसुप्ति).
[Sidenote: 18. The 3 Humours of the Body.]
The bile, phlegm and choler or flatulence (वात पित्त कफ) are the
preservatives of the body and life.
[Sidenote: 19. Three Matrás. त्रिमात्रा ।]
The three _moræ_ or vowels, the long, short and prolated.
(ह्रस्व दीर्घ प्लूत त्रिमात्रा).
[Sidenote: 20. Three Accents. त्रिस्वरः ।]
The acute, grave and circumflex. उदात्तानुदात्त स्वरितः.
[Sidenote: 21. Three Utterances of speech. बाणि ।]
Human speech consisting of letters, words and sentences treated of in
Orthography, Etymology and Syntax. (ध्वणिः पश्यन्ति मध्यमा बैस्वरी).
[Sidenote: 22. Three Pronunciations स्फूर्तिः ।]
Distinct, indistinct and half distinct. (Anquetil). (स्फुट अस्फुट अर्द्धस्फुट).
[Sidenote: 23. Do. of Three Vedas.]
The _Swaratí_ of Rik, the _Swara_ of Yajus, and _Swánvatí_ of Sáma.
(स्वरती स्वर स्वानबत्यः).
[Sidenote: 24. The 3 Letters.]
Of Om _viz._ a, u, m, agree with the first, second and third word of
every triad, _i.e._, each to each.
[Sidenote: 25. The 3 Merits.]
Of the meditation of the three letters of _Om_ described at length in
the Upanishads.
XII. THE TETRADS OR QUADRUPLES OF OM.
[Sidenote: I. Tetrads of Om.]
We have next to consider the tetrads or quadruple divinities in the
quadrants or four fold divisions of the circle of _Om_ consisting of
its four letters a, u, or crescent of _Om_, and the circlet of entire
Om styled Chandravindu as given by Professor Monier Williams from the
Nirukta of yaska. (Indian Wisdom p. 169).
[Sidenote: II. In sciences.]
1. The Om of orthographers consisting of the four stages of speech;
namely, ध्वनि पश्यन्ती मध्यमा and बैस्वरी ।
2. Of Grammarians; the four parts of speech, nouns, verbs, prepositions
and particles.
3. Of Ritualists; The hymns, liturgical precepts, Bráhmanas and ordinary
language.
4. Of philologers or Sábdikas; the speech of serpents, beasts, birds and
vernaculars.
5. Of Etymologists; The Rik, Yajur and Sáma Vedas and current language.
6. Of Spiritualists; The language of beasts, wild animals, musical
instruments and soul.
7. Of Manu (IV. 126). The Pranava and the three Vyahrtis. (ॐ भूर्भ्रुवः स्वर्).
8. Of Manu (IV. 124). The Rik sacred to the gods, the Yajur relating to
mankind and the Sáma concerning the manes, and its sound.
9. Of _Smártas_; The four stages;—of students, householders, mendicants
and ascetics.
10. Of Puránas. The four Ages;—_Satya_, _Tretá_, _Dwápara_ and _Kali_.
The four castes &c.
[Sidenote: III. In Divinity]
_A_ for _ápta_ or _Vyápta_—pervading all worlds, represents the divine
hypostasis of Viswa.
[Sidenote: 1. The 4 Conditions of Brahma.]
_U_—for _Utkarshat_, _i. e._, more elevated than _A_; as the _Taijas_
than _Visva_. (तैजस).
M—for _mána_ or measure, as the _prajná_ like a _prastha_ measures the
above two. (प्रज्ञा).
_Om_—_i. e._, the entire and without parts, is the fourth and perfect
condition of Brahma. (ब्रह्म).
[Sidenote: 2. The 4 states of the Soul.]
_Á_ for the waking (Jágrat) state, when the soul is subject to gross
senses.
_U_—for the _swapna_ or dreaming state, when the soul is withdrawn from
visible objects.
M—the _susupta_ or sound sleeping state, in which the soul is
unconscious of itself.
_Om_—the absolute and perfect state of the soul viewing all in itself.
[Sidenote: 3. The 4 Manifestations of God.]
A—is external manifestation of the Universal soul in objects.
_U_—Internal manifestation perceived in the operations of the soul in
dream.
M—unmanifested existence; or the self consciousness of the soul.
Om—Unmanifest state of the soul, unmodified and inactive state.
[Sidenote: 4. The 4 Titles of the soul.]
A—_Viswa_ or _Vaiswánara_ who abides manifest in the waking state.
U—_Taijasa_; abiding in dreams and knowing all without objects.
M—_Prajná_, the perfect wise abiding in deep sleep.
_Om_—Absolute Brahma called _Turíya_ which is perfect and all knowing.
[Sidenote: The Four fold Tetrads:]
I.
A—_Áptah_, pervading.
U—_Utkarsha_, Exalted.
M—_Mána_, Measure.
Om—_Brahma_, Absolute.
II.
_Jágrat_, Waking.
_Swapna_, Dreaming.
_Susupti_, Sleeping.
_Sthira_, Calm.
III.
A—_Vyakta_, external state.
U—_Antar_, internal state.
M—_Avyakta_, unmanifested.
_Om Ananta_, Infinity.
IV.
_Viswa_, the visible world.
_Taijasa_, the thinking soul.
_Pragná_, Consciousness.
_Turíya_, Omniscience.
XIII. THE PENTADS &C., OF _Om_.
[Sidenote: The Pentads of Om.]
The quintuples of om are composed of five letters or divisions of the
symbolical circle, standing for so many different things each of which
forms a part of the whole, and is called an _Om_. The five parts are,
A, U, M, O and the _náda_—the nasal half circle above.
[Sidenote: 1. The Five Vital Airs. पञ्च प्राणाः ।]
Respiration, flatulence, circulation, pulsation and assimilation,
commonly known by the names of _Prána_, _Apána_, _Vyána_, _Udána_ and
_Samána_.
[Sidenote: 2. The Five Caverns. पञ्च कोषाः ।]
_Pancha koshas_ or sheaths of the soul, folding one over the other
“like the coats of an onion”. 1. The sheath of the intellect. 2. The
sheath of the mind. 3. The sheath of breathing. 4. The subtle and
corporeal bodies. 5. The sheath of Supreme bliss, not admitted by
all. (बिज्ञानमय, मनोमय, प्राणमय, अन्नमय, आनन्दमय कोषाः ।)
[Sidenote: 3. The Five Internal organs, senses and their objects.
पञ्च ज्ञानेन्द्रियाणि ।]
The ear, eye, skin, nose and tongue, of hearing, sight, feeling, smell
and taste. Their five objects—sound, colour, touch, savour and smell.
(श्रोत्रत्वक् चक्षु जिह्व घ्राणानि तथा शब्द स्पर्षरूप रसगन्धानि ।)
[Sidenote: 4. The Five external Do. पञ्च कर्म्मेन्द्रियानि ।]
The voice, hands, feet, the organs of generation and secretion are
organs of action. बाक्पाणि पाद पायूपस्थानि बहिरिन्द्रियाणि । पूर्ब्बोक्तानि अन्तर बा बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि ।
[Sidenote: 5. The Five Elements. पञ्च भूतानि ।]
Earth, air, fire, water and ether. क्षित्यप् तेजो मरुद्व्योम पञ्च महाभूतानि ।
[Sidenote: 6. The Five classes of Ignorance.]
1. Obscurity (तमस्), 2. Illusion(मोह), 3. Extreme illusion(महामोहः),
4. Gloom (तमिस्र), 5. Utter gloom (अन्ध तमसः).
[Sidenote: 1. The six letters of Hexads or sextuples.]
The sextuples of _Om_ are composed of _a_, _u_, _o_, _m_, the _Vindu_,
cypher, and the _náda_; and according to another account, the _Ardha
mátrá_ of Om is the fourth and the _Vindu_ and _náda_ the fifth and
sixth _aksharas_. (Weber’s Ráma Tapaníya p. p. 292, & 312. Cowell’s
Maitrí Up. p. 271).
[Sidenote: 2. The 6 Organs.]
The five organs of sense; _viz_ the nose, tongue, the eye, ear, skin
and the mind. (Gotama Sutra I. 1, 12). But according to others the mind
is not reckoned an organ.
[Sidenote: 3. Other Sextuples]
The six seasons (षडृतवः), the six flavours (षड्रसाः), the six musical
modes (षड्रागः), the six Vedángas; but I never met a passage of their
being preceded by _Om_.
[Sidenote: 1. The Heptads or Septuples.]
The Septuples are formed by a, u, o, m, _Vindu_, _náda_ and _Sánta_ or
ultimate silence, and these are used to symbolise the pantheistic form
of the god Viráj, in the following description of him given by Sankara.
[Sidenote: 2. The 7 Parts of Viráj Body.]
“His head—the heavens; his eye—the sun; his breath—the wind; his
center—the ether; his urine—the water; his feet—the earth; his mouth
the fire.” Anquetil gives the five senses, the mind and intellect as
his seven members. (Weber’s Indian Studien. Vol. II. p. 107).
[Sidenote: 3. The Other Heptads.]
According to other accounts there is a sevenfold septuples included
in the figure Om comprising the Universe. The first _trisaptaka_ or
triplex septuple comprises the seven spheres of heaven, the seven
pátálas or infernal regions, and the seven _Bhuvanas_ of earth. The
second _trisapta_ consists of the _sapta dwípas_ or seven continents
of the earth, the seven oceans, and the seven planets; and lastly the
_sapta swara_ or the seven notes emitted by the planetary motions.
[Sidenote: The Octads or octuples.]
The octuples consist of the aforesaid seven parts and the _sákti_
or word _namo_ added to them at the end, and are used as symbols of
Viráj for the five vital airs, or the five organs of action and those
of intellect _i. e._ the mind, intellect and self consciousness or
_chítta_.
[Sidenote: The Nonads.]
These are nine cavities of the body नबद्वारगृह the abode of Brahma.
[Sidenote: The _Decads_.]
These are the ten internal and external organs (पञ्चकर्म्मेन्द्रिय
and पञ्चबुद्धीन्द्रिय) of the body—the seats of Brahma.
XIV. PHILOSOPHY OF THE NUMERICAL GROUPS CONTAINED
UNDER THE MYSTIC SYLLABLE OM.
[Sidenote: 1. Inquiry into the numerical groups.]
After the lengthy account we have given of the various classes of words
contained under the different numbers and divisions and subdivisions
of the mysterious letter _Om_, it must be asked by the inquisitive
reader, what do these clusters of concrete and abstract terms which are
numerically jumbled together under the unintelligible character _Om_
serve to mean, and of what use are they to the contemplative Yogi in
his meditation on the attributes of his Maker by that symbol?
[Sidenote: 2 (_a_). Enlargement of the understanding.]
In answer to this query we are bound to repeat the definition of yoga,
that it is the process of joining the ideas in the mind, and practicing
the limited powers of the understanding to rise by degrees from their
grasping the ideas of unities or single objects at a time, to the
comprehension of dualities and pluralities for the enlargement of the
intellect, till at last the mind is fraught with a clear and distinct
idea of every thing in the universe comprised under the several groups
or generalizations of particulars.
[Sidenote: 2 (_b_). Their Pantheistic view.]
And also as we have more than once mentioned in the preceding articles,
that God is _aham bahushyám_—one in many, _to on to pan_ of the Greeks,
or the _unity_ divided into and containing an _Infinity_ of parts; so
His symbol the holy Om is one circle and emblem of infinity, which for
the sake of our conception and convenience is viewed in its Finite
parts of monads &c., and their ever increasing multiples by all other
numbers. But the monad like the prime number one whether multiplied or
divided by any number in arithmetic, remains still the same simple one.
Thus (1 × 2 = 2 × 1); (and 1/2 = 1 ÷ 2, or 1/2 = 1 × 1/2). This is the
root of the pantheistic doctrine of the Vedánta. सर्ब्बं खल्विदं ब्रह्म This
One is all: and the whole being taken from the whole the remainder is
whole. पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेबाबशिष्यते ।
[Sidenote: 3. The Numerical Philosophy.]
It was the oldest _Sánkhya_ or numerical school of philosophy in
India, like the ancient Ionian school of Greece, that first made a
classification of all objects in nature under certain co-ordinate
groups for our contemplation of them under those classes; which its
later development of the _yoga_ system has converted to the objects
of our meditation as same with or pervaded by the Deity; or in other
words, has recommended the meditation of nature’s God in nature itself
as in Natural Theology. It was the Tantra worship of later ages that
divided the symbol of unity and infinity of the divine _om_ into a
decad of parts, as it is the custom of mathematicians to divide the
great circle of infinity into 360 degrees, though it might be divided
into an infinity of parts.
[Sidenote: 4. The Sánkhya and Pythagorean.]
The Sánkhya system of evolution which is closely allied to that of the
Darwinian, views the monad as the elementary _protozoa_, which combined
with other monads make up the duads, triads &c. we have mentioned
before, and all which are resolvable to the primary monad. Om is always
‘one’ thing; nothing can destroy that numerical existence, combine the
thing in every possible variety of ways, and it still remains ‘_one_.’
It cannot be less than _one_, it cannot be more. As (2 = 1 + 1 = II &
3 = 1 + 1 + 1 = III). Resolve it into its minutest particles, and each
particle is _one_. As (½, ⅓, ¼ &c.). One is the only absolute
number; all others are but relations to it. The Infinite therefore
must be one, and if you take infinity and the infinitesimals from
the infinite, there remains also the same infinity; according to the
Vedánta paradox पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदुच्यते । and all modes of existence
are but finite aspects of the Infinite.
[Sidenote: 5. Different aspects of the soul.]
The soul being a self moved monad, is one, whether it connects itself
with two or with three; in other words the essence remains the same
whatever its manifestations may be. The one soul may have two aspects,
Intelligence and Passion, as in brutes; or it may have three aspects,
as in man &c. For more of this see Lewes’ History of Philosophy (Vol. I
p. 33 and p. 34).
[Sidenote: 6. Query concerning Nature Worship.]
There rises another question of some importance in this place as, what
has the Yogi or worshipper of God to do with the objects presented to
him in the different groups under the partitions of _Om_, when his
business is solely to meditate on the nature and attributes of the
Deity?
[Sidenote: 7. Spiritual Worship.]
To this it may be answered that, the Hindu Yogi or meditative sage is
enjoined to meditate on the Supreme Spirit in Spirit, “_átmá átmanyeva
chintayet_”. (आत्मा आत्मन्येबचिन्तयेत्). He does not adore any visible object,
but contemplates his creator with all his attributes as displayed in
creation, which he sums up abstractedly in his own spirit and mind.
There can be no contemplation of the inscrutable and incomprehensible
nature of God apart from the light we derive from the abstract
meditation of all sensible and intellectual natures. “Observe every
thing in thyself and so shalt thou behold the Supreme.”
सर्ब्बमात्मगतं पश्यतेनात्मानं परिपश्यसि ।
[Sidenote: 8. Self knowledge. What?]
The old rule of self knowledge आत्मतत्त्व or know thyself
आत्मानं जानीहि, which was believed to constitute highest wisdom, and
which has given rise to different interpretations in various schools
of philosophy, does not mean the knowledge of one’s state and nature
to be sufficient for him; but that of his soul which makes him truly
great. The wise Socrates looked inwards, and there discovered the moral
and psychological truths the world has derived from him. His pupil the
divine Plato looked within him, and there found the eternal ideas of
which sense awakened reminiscence.
[Sidenote: 9. Knowledge of the Soul.]
The Hindu Yogi too looks inward and views within the circle of his
cranium symbolized as _Om_, his soul seated as a ray and figure of the
Divinity, and encompassed by the abstract ideas of all things whose
impressions he has received by sense and mind. He then learns to
distinguish by his discriminative power called the _átmánátma viveka_,
(आत्मानात्मविवेक) the soul of the Universe from all the representations
which it presents to his mind.
[Sidenote: 10. Of one in Many.]
The Platonic system had also a sort of classification in which the
search for One in Many and Many in One, together with the detection
of the One in the Many was the constant aim, consult for further
information on this head in Lewes’ History of Philosophy. (Vol. 1. p.
237 and p. 405).
XV. THE UNITARIAN FORMULA ॐ तत् सत् ONE THAT IS.
[Sidenote: 1. Om the one.]
From all our investigation into the origin, rise, and extent of meaning
of the word _Om_ in its orthography, etymology and theology, it is
evident that the Indo-Aryan mind was early infused with the idea of an
absolute _Om_ corresponding with the Greek _On_ and _ôn_, and _En_ and
also _Aeon_ of the Gnostics, Latin _Ens_, _Unum_ and Entity, Romance
_On_ and _un_, and _one_ in English, whose unity was the source of all
diversity in the plurality of creation, agreeably to the text _aham
bahu Syám_ = _Ego multus sim_ of the Sruti.
[Sidenote: 2. The Universal soul, = Vìswátman.]
It was at first known as _one_ and then as the _self_ or soul by the
silent and innate intuition of the intellect, as it is declared in the
Mandukya Upanishad II. 2, 5. तमेबैकंजानथआत्मानमन्यावाचो, बिमुञ्चथअमृतस्यैब सेतुः ।
मण्डूकं २ । २१५ ।
Max Müller says (A. S. Lit. p. 23 and p. 322): “The Átman was next
conceived as the Spirit = air, _átmá_ and _anime_.” “That one breathed
breathless by itself: other than it nothing since has been.” Thus says
the Sruti (Müller p. 560). “This one Átman (atmos) fills, animates and
pervades the whole”; as the poet sings “spreads unspent” throughout the
infinity of worlds:
“Which are but parts of one undivided whole
whose body nature is, and God the soul.” (Pope).
एकमेवाद्वितीयं ब्रह्म । रूपं रूपं प्रतिरूपं विभाति ॥
[Sidenote: 3. Called as _Tat_ = that]
The inherent one of all ones “_to on ontwn_,” the unit of unities, the
Ens of entities, the soul of the world “Viswátman” was yet without a
name, nor did they know how to call him, than by the designation of
_tat_ = “that,” which they say is expressive of the idea of Brahma
तदिति ब्रह्मणोऽभिधानमुदाहृतं । Because says Váchaspati, the nature of the one _Om_,
was unknown even to the learned बिदुषां परोक्षत्वाच्च तच्छब्दो ब्रह्मणो नाम; and therefore it was
specified by the demonstrative pronoun _that_ “_tat_,” which sometimes
preceded the एक as तदेकं &c. (Greek _to on_). The
necessity of pronouncing _Om_ with _tat sat_ in the beginning of every
Vedic rite, is strictly enjoined in Bhágavad-Gítá. ॐ तत्सदिति निर्द्देशो
ब्रह्मनस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः । ब्राह्मणश्चैब बेदाश्च यज्ञाश्चबिहिताः पुरा । बैदिके कर्म्मणि तेषां प्रथमतो निर्द्देशः । इति तां बाचस्पतिः ।
[Sidenote: 4. The Impersonal and Personal God.]
The word “_tat_” in the neuter gender, was used for the one self, which
as an element or material cause, had evolved all things out of its
immaterial essence, and expressed an impersonal God, which the creed of
the early philosophers had established in the Vedas. It was at a much
later period that the belief of a personal God, is said to have been
introduced by the sage Sándilya in the Ch’hándogya and Swetásvatara
Upanishads, where the self आत्मा is used in the masculine
gender, and the masculine pronoun _Sa_ and _tam_ (Greek “_ho and ton_,”
Lat “_is_”), was substituted for _tat_ (Greek _to_ Lat _id_) in the
subjective _mantra_ सोऽहं हंस; but in the objective mantra it is
neuter as तत्त्वमसि ।
[Sidenote: 5. Of the Bráhma Somája]
The Bráhma Samáj has preserved both the formula of the Impersonal God
(ॐ तत् सत्) as their motto, as well as addressed their prayers to
the personal God by use of the masculine pronoun _sa_ and _tam_ instead
of _tat_. Thus in the opening hymn of Ram Mohun Roy’s Prayer Book
तमेकं शरण्यं तमेकं बरेण्यं तमेकं जगत् कारणं विश्वरूपं । तमेकं जगत् कर्त्तृपातृ प्रहर्तृ तमेकं विश्वरूपं निर्बिकल्पं भजामि ।
So in Devendra Natha Thákur’s hymn तमेकं स्मरामो तमेकंभजामो । This
is in accordance to the creed of all civilized nations to apply the
masculine pronoun to the Deity. The Koran has “ho=he” in its formulas
of “_Ho’lahad_” “_Ho’lghani_” _&c._, and so also the _ho_ of the Bible.
_Tat_ like _On_ is sometimes used alone and by itself for God, at the
opening of books and chapters, and upon the tops of pages with the Sat
following it as तत् सत्.
[Sidenote: 6. Ditto in the Feminine Gender.]
But those who have heard the preachings of Keshub Chandra Sen, may
well remember his exclamations as तुमि पिता तुमि माता, तुमि पुरुष तुमि प्रकृति, in
imitation of the Roman idolatrous philosopher’s acclamation to God,
“tu pater, tu mater, tu mas, tu femme” &c., in Cudworth’s Intellectual
System. There is no masculine or feminine representative of the pronoun
_tat_ or any other pronoun in the vernaculars, where they are all of
the common gender, hence तिनि, उनि, ओ, से &c., used for _tat_ by the
Heathen Hindus, are applied alike to their gods and goddesses, while
the Sanskrit _sah_ = ho in Greek, Arabic and Hebrew designates the
masculine Deity only. Mahommed says in the Koran, “ye are ashamed of
your female children, but not of assigning female attributes to the
Deity.”
[Sidenote: 7. Ditto in the Neuter Gender.]
The following passages will serve to show the early creed of the
impersonal God, from the application of the neuter pronoun _tat_ to him
in the Mándukya Upanishad. (11. 2)
तदेतदक्षरं ब्रह्मसप्राणस्तदबाङ्गनः ।
तदेतत् सत्यं तदमृतं तद्वोद्धव्यं सौम्यबिद्धि ॥
तदेतत् सर्ब्बाश्रयः आयम्य तद्भाब गतेन चेतसा ।
लक्ष्यं तदेबाक्षरं सौम्य बिद्धि ॥
तद्विज्ञानेन परिपश्यन्ति धीराः ।
आनन्द रूपममृतं यद्बिभाति ॥
तत् शुभ्रं तद् ज्योतिषां ज्योतिस्तदात्मबिदो बिदुः ।
तमेवभान्तमनुभाति सर्ब्बं, तस्य भाषा सर्ब्बमिदम्बिभाति ॥
Meaning:—“The sun, moon and stars what are they? But a glimpse of light
caught from That (_Tat_).” &c.
XVI. ONTOLOGY OF THE SELF EXISTENT
_Sat_ = BEING.
[Sidenote: Philology of Sat.]
1. The last word of the formular motto of Vedánta is _sat_, which
derived from the root _asa_, Lat. _esse_—to be, makes the present
participle _Sat_ and means a being, like the Latin _ens_ and Greek
_On_, the participial noun of _eimi_ meaning a being. Thus the
knowledge of _sat_ which is _Satyam_ = reality, is the doctrine of
_On_—the real being, which as said before is _to on onton_—the being of
beings and prime cause of all existences, and forms the main subject
of Ontology. This primary and fundamental truth of the existence of a
first cause, led the Rishi _a priori_ to deduce all other existences
from it by the text अहं वहुस्यां _Ego in multis et pluribus_—the one
in many: or in other words, when the Bráhman believes in but one real
being in the Universe, he believes also that this being constitutes the
Universe. (M.W. Indian Wisdom p. 36).
[Sidenote: 2. Etymology of Sat.]
2. The noun _Sat_ in its verbal form is equivalent to _asti_,
corresponding with Lat. _est_, Gr. _esti_, Persic _ast_ and _hast_,
Bengali-áchhe, Uria achchhe &c. Eng. _is_, Ger. _Ist_ and the like. And
_tat sat_ together makes the Greek _to estin_, Lat. _Id est_ French _Il
est_ &c.; Arabic _alast_, Persic _ost_, and Hindi _Ohihae_. The Om _Tat
Sat_ is either an identic proposition, meaning the “Being that is” or a
definitive one, expressing _Om_ that (is) existent.
[Sidenote: 3. The Ontology of _Sat_ or Being.]
3. The Ch’hándogya Upanishad says; “In the beginning there was the mere
state of _sat_—being (_to on_)—the one only without a second.” Some
however say that, “in the beginning there was a state of _asat_—not
being; (_Lat. non est_, Gr. _to mi on_), the one without a second.
Hence out of a state of non-being would proceed a state of being. But
how can this be? How can _sat_ = being, proceed out of _asat_ not
being?” It is logically absurd by the well known maxim _Ex nihilo nihil
fit_ of Lucretius. “Hence in the beginning there was a mere state of
being (the _om_). One only without a second. (_om eka mevá
dvitíyam_ ओमेकमेवाद्वितीयं). He willed and became many” (Chánd. VI. 2. M.
W. Ind. Wisdom p. 41).
[Sidenote: 4. A Priori Argument of Vedánta.]
4. The Original text runs thus.
सदेवइदमग्र आसीत्, एकमेवाद्वितीयं ।
तदाह एकेआहुः असदेवइदमग्रमासीत् एकमेवाद्वितीयं ॥
तस्मादसतः सज्जायेत ।
कुतस्तुखलु स्यादिति । कथमसतः सज्जायेत इति ॥
तत्त्वेवइदमग्रआसीत्, एकमेवाद्वितीयं ॥
तदैक्षत वहुस्यां प्रजायेय ।
The above cited passage and numerous other texts of the Vedánta
such as the following, यतो वा इमानि भूतानि जायन्ते येन जातानि । and जन्माद्यस्ययतोऽन्वयात् &c.,
unanimously prove _a priori_ and by deductive reasoning that Brahma
is the primary cause from which all others are derived and deduced
by reason. This is called the _Púrva vat_ or _a priori_ reasoning in
the Nyaya philosophy, which is shewn to be the logical inference of
the effect from its cause. यत्रकारणेन कार्य्यमनुमीयते यथा मेघोन्नत्या
भविष्यतिबृष्टिरिति । वात्स्यायनः ।१ ।१ ।६ ।
[Sidenote: 5. Evidences of the First cause.]
5. The priori inference of a pre-existent cause is supported by
many other modes of reasoning as we shall state below. 1. By the
Cosmological reasoning of Humboldt, Leibnitz and others, it is evident
that some being was uncaused, or was of itself without a cause.
Therefore God is the first cause of all things. (Leibnitz). 2. By
the Anthropological reasoning founded on certain observed facts or
phenomena of human consciousness, its knowledge of the subjective
_ego_ and objective _non ego_ &c. 3. By the Ontological, we find the
existence in the mind of a clear and distinct idea of God, as a perfect
Being or _Ens_ or entity (sat) perfectly eminent. 4. Psychological
Intuitive reasoning shows us clearly that “we may form the idea of a
supremely perfect being of whom we have a conscious proof. And as in
the exercise of our intellect we become conscious of a subjective unity
underlying the external diversity, so by the unvarying revelations of
reason, we are led to recognize the existence of a Deity who, amidst
all the shifting phenomena of the universe remains one and Immutable.”
Vide Devendra Náth Tagore’s Ontology p. 14.
[Sidenote: 6. A Posteriori Argument.]
The Vedánta philosophy pursues also a course of inductive reasoning in
its aphorism of जन्माद्यस्ययतः । अस्यविश्वस्य जन्मादि यतः, rising from the creation
to its maker. This is the process of परबत् or _a posteriori_
reasoning of the Nyáya philosophy, in its inference of the cause
fire from its effect the smoke (पर्ब्बतोवन्हिमान् धुमात्), or of the major term
व्यपकाग्नि from the middle व्यप्यधूम । This is the physical
reasoning of modern inductive science, which infers from the facts of
existence an author of these facts. The Universe exists, therefore it
has a cause, which is prior to all other causes. There are some who
attempt to prove the posteriori परवत् argument of the Veda
from a different construction of the Gáyatri hymn, ascending from the
_Vyáhritis_ or creation of the worlds (भूर्भुवःस्वर्) to their creator
तत् सविता; but this mode of reasoning is not justified by others,
by reason of the initial Om = God.
[Sidenote: 7. Ambiguity of the word _Sat_.]
We shall now take notice of the other meanings which the lexicons
assign to _sat_, beside the being and entity of God परमार्थ सत्व we
have so long dwelt upon. It means the goodness and excellence of a
thing. साधुत्वप्रशस्तादिभिः सच्छब्दोऽपि । वाचस्पत्याभिदानं ॥
In this sense the phrase _Om tat sat_ would mean “God The Good”, which
is quite correct on all hands. In English the etymology of God is good,
and so the Sanskrit _sat_ means both God and good; thus also all systems
of philosophy predicate the attribute of goodness of the nature of God.
The Persian term _Khoda_ though so nearly allied to God and _sat_ in
sound, will be found to bear no affinity with either; but to owe its
derivation to the Sanskrit स्वदा (from स्वदत्तः) meaning self-produced;
_swa_ स्व being invariably rendered into _kha_ in Persian, as _swata_
स्वत _khod_, _swasri_ स्वसृ khwahir &c.
[Sidenote: 8. Another sense of _Sat_.]
_Sat_ appears moreover in the sense of sitting in composition with an
objective word preceding it, as _diri-shad_ a celestial, _sabhásat_
a courtier. It is from the root _sad_, Latin _sedo_—to sit, with the
suffix _kwip_. Thus we have in the Kathá Vallí: (V. 2.)
हंसः शुचिसद्वसुरन्तरीक्षः । सद्धेता वेदिषदतिथिर्द्दूरोन सत् ।
नृषद्वरसदृतसद्व्योमसद् । सद् अब्जा गोजा ऋतजा अद्रिजाऋतं बृहत् ।५ ।२ ।
“The Hansa, (God) sits above the heavens, it dwells in the atmosphere,
as invokers it dwells in temples, and as guests it is not afar from us.
It dwells in man, in truth, in the ether, in water, mountains &c. &c.”
XVII. THE CONCLUSIVE LESSON ON THE PRACTICE OF YOGA.
After our long and lengthy discussion on the subject of Yoga, and the
sacred and mysterious words wherewith it is conducted, our treatise will
be deemed incomplete until we set a form or praxis of the manner in
which it is to be conducted; and particularly by those who are fully
persuaded of its efficacy, and prepared for its practice, but are
prevented from it for want of proper guides to initiate them into it, or
deterred by the arduousness of the rites imposed upon them by false
Yogis, as to give up the exercise in disgust and hopelessness of their
possibility ever to master it.
We shall set to these a short lesson from the Upanishad with directions
from the Bhágavad Gítá, works which are believed to be of the highest
authority and sanctity by every Hindu, and which can never be suspected
of misleading any body; but on the other hand universally acknowledged
as the only luminaries amidst the intellectual gloom of superstition and
ignorance. The Kathopanishad says that the light of truth is to be
gained by yoga only योगीनां योगगम्यं, and the Bhágavad Gítá declares, that
knowledge, faith and practice are the only means of its attainment
ज्ञानकर्म च भक्तिश्च नोपायनास्ति कुत्रचित्. It directs all men of competence to betake themselves to
the acquisition of learning, and the incompetent to the practice of acts
thus: निर्ब्बिन्नानां ज्ञानयोगोऽन्वासिनामिहकर्म्मसु । तेष्यनिर्ब्बिण चित्तानां, कर्म्मयोगश्च कामिनां ॥
The Maitrí Upanishad gives the following directions for the practice of
yoga. “In the same way (is declared) the rule for the exercise of these
means (for the concentration of the mind). This concentration (yoga) has
six parts:—restraint of the breath (_pránáyáma_), restraint of the
senses (_pratyáhára_), meditation (_dhyána_), attention (_dháraná_);
self examination (_tarka_), and absorption (_samádhi_). When beholding
by this manner of contemplation, he beholds the golden coloured, the
doer, the lord, the spirit, Brahman, the cause; then the seer abandoning
his merits and sins, reduces every thing to unity in the Supreme
indestructible (soul). Thus says the Sruti;—As beasts and birds approach
not a blazing mountain, so faults never approach those who know
Brahman”. (18).
“It has been also said elsewhere when the sage, conditioned as _prána_,
has obtained the mastery over his mind, and left outside all the objects
of the senses, then let him remain void of all volition. Since the
individual soul called _prána_ springs from the _non-prána_ (Supreme
Intelligence); hence let the (apparent) _prána_ fix itself in the fourth
stage (of pure intelligence). Thus saith the Sruti;—“That which is
itself apart from intellect, which yet abides in the midst of intellect,
the inconceivable, the supremely secret, on this let him fix his
intellect (_chitta_); thus this subtle body having no object, is merged
(in the Supreme).” (19).
“It hath also been said elsewhere; there is yet a higher exercise of
attention (_dháraná_) for the sage; after pressing the end of his tongue
against his palate and restraining his voice, mind and breath, he
beholds Brahman by contemplation. When thus by the annihilation of the
mind, he beholds the self-manifesting soul, the less than the least, as
identified with the supreme soul, then having seen the soul thus
identified, he becomes divested of self. Being thus divested, he becomes
unlimited, destitute of material support, only an object of pure
thought. This is the great secret,—final emancipation. Thus saith the
Sruti;—By the serenity of the intellect he destroys all action, good or
bad; with serene soul, abiding in the Divine Soul, he enjoys undying
bliss.” (20).
“It hath been said also; the artery, called _sushumná_, which supplies
the passage for the vital air, rises upward (from the heart) and is
interrupted in the middle of the palate. By means of this artery,
conjoined with the _prána_ (brought under subjection), the mind merged
by contemplation into its object Brahman, and the repetition of the
mystic syllable _Om_, let him rise upwards turning the end of his tongue
on the palate, and uniting the senses (with the prána and mind) ]. Let
the absence of limitation contemplate itself (_i. e._ let him
contemplate on the unlimited Brahman). Then he attains freedom from all
organs; and becomes no longer capable of pain or pleasure. He gains
absolute unity.” Thus saith the Sruti:—
“First having mastered _prána_, then having fixed it on the palate,
having crossed the state of limitation, let him in the crown of his
head, merge (the soul) in the unlimited Brahman.” (21).
“Thus he may contemplate _Om_ as the sound and non-sound &c. (22 and
23). Then _Om_ as light, and all other significates of _Om_.” (24 &c.).
Those who may think the English version of the lesson on Yoga as not
very explicit, will do well to consult the subjoined text in the
original.
तथा तत् प्रयोगकल्पः । प्राणायामः प्रत्याहारोध्यानंधारणातर्कः समाधिः । षड्वर्गो इत्युच्यते ।—
अनेन यदा पश्यन् पश्यति रुक्भवर्णं कर्त्तारमीशं पुरुषं ब्रह्मयोनिं ।
तदाबिद्बान् पुण्य पापे विहाय परेऽव्यये सर्ब्बमेकी करोतीत्येबं ह्याह ।
यथा पर्ब्बत मादीप्त माश्रयन्ति मृगद्विजाः । तद्वद्ब्रह्मविदो दोषानाश्रयन्ति कदाचन ॥१८
अथान्यत्राप्युक्तं । यदावैवहिर्विद्वान् मनोनियम्य इन्द्रियार्थांश्च प्राणोनिवेशयित्वा
निःसङ्कल्पस्ततस्तिष्ठेत् । अप्राणादिह यस्मात् सम्भूतः प्राणसंज्ञको जीवस्तस्मात्
प्राणोवैतुर्याख्ये धारयेत् । अचित्तं चित्तमध्यस्तमचिन्त्यं गुह्यमुत्तममं ।
तत्र चित्तं निधायेत तच्च लिङ्गं निराश्रयं ॥
XVIII. SYMBOLICAL YOGA CULT OF MUDRÁ OR CHAKRA DIAGRAMS.
_Om_ the object of Yoga meditation, being already described in sections
IX. &c. of this article as symbolical of Divine nature, and its
different divisions as emblematical of the eternal attributes or
hypostases of the Self—same Unity, they are as shown before, represented
by the component letters of that mystic syllable, and meditated upon by
the mental arithmetic of the speculative theosophist, the vedántist and
yogi. But as the majority of people of grosser understandings are more
dependant on ocular and sensible symbolism than abstract idealism, the
Tantras have purposely contrived many a figure and diagram (_Mudrás_ and
_Chakras_) for their guidance, of which we will give a few below with
their geometrical names and notations.
It will appear from the diagrams described hereafter that _Om_ the
symbol of Brahman the Universal _Sat_ or existence, serves to show us as
a chart of the world, or representation of the cranium, everything
existing in the physical and intellectual world, which is expressed by
the word Om (ॐ शब्द सर्ब्बार्थ वाचकः), in its different divisions and partitions
for our meditation and contemplation. The pious and religious
spiritualist may employ them in Divine contemplation, but the majority
are at liberty to use them in the meditation of every other subject
which comes to be comprised within the compass of their thought, in the
groups of significations which the letters are said to convey. Hence the
Yoga of old, meant only an intense application of the mind to all
subjects of thought and knowledge. Thus the end of our Yoga philosophy
is not only the abstruse meditation of Divine attributes, but the mental
reflection of every thing besides.
XIX. MATHEMATICAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE DIAGRAMS OF OM.
[Sidenote: Correctness of the Diagrams.]
We have seen from the diagrams given in the following section, that the
Tántrika formulists have spared no pains to divide the great circle
of the Universe, filled by the omnipresence of Brahma and represented
by the figure _om_, into several parts for the purpose of meditating
His different hypostases, and contemplation o£ the various orders of
creation. We are now to inquire as to whether these several divisions
of a mathematical circle of 360 degrees are geometrically correct,
or mere arbitrary partitions made by ignorant priests for their own
amusement and deception of their proselytes.
[Sidenote: The Heptagon and Nonagon.]
Now for instance, the problem of inscribing a heptagon or a nonagon
in a circle will at once startle a student of Euclid as altogether
impossible, and identical with that which was celebrated among Greek
geometricians as the problem of the trisection of the angle. If treated
algebraically, it leads to a cubic equation with three real roots, the
arithmetical value of which can be found only approximately.
[Sidenote: The Lílávatí’s solution.]
The author of the Lílávatí has solved the problems, but given no
account of the way in which he got the numbers stated by him; if they
had been obtained by solution of the above mentioned equation, they
would probably have been more accurate than they are. He only lays down
an arbitrary rule, that the side of the heptagon is 52055/120000 of the
diameter, and that of the nonagon 41081/120000 of the same. Neither of
these is very far from the truth. The accurate value of the side of the
heptagon lies between 82/182 and 105/242. The side of the nonagon lies
between 13/38 and 105/307.
[Sidenote: Commentators on Lílávatí.]
Among the commentators on Lílávatí, Rámakrishna, Gangádhara, and
Ranganátha have not attempted any demonstration of the problems in
question, and have contented themselves with merely repeating the
figures contained in the text. Ganesa confesses that the proof of the
sides of the regular pentagon, heptagon and nonagon cannot be shown in
a manner similar to that of the triangle, square and octagon.
[Sidenote: The Pentagon.]
But this is untrue of the pentagon; its side can be geometrically found
as shown in Euclid Book IV. Prop 11; and the admission of Ganesa serves
only to prove, that he was unacquainted with the Sanskrit translation
of Euclid which contains a solution of this problem. Ganesa cannot
mean only that the side of the pentagon is incommensurable with the
diameter; for that is equally true of the triangle, square and octagon,
inscribed in a circle.
THE FIGURES.
OF OM (ON OR EN) OF HINDU ONTOLOGY.
I. Mudrá, Madawar, Sphere or Sphaira.
A Symbol of the Universe and Universalia.
A System of the Universal Religion.
ॐकार मुद्रा । अखण्डमण्डलाकारं व्याप्तयेनचराचर स्वरूपं ।
II. The circle O, An Emblem of infinity and Eternity.
A Type of the Catholic Theism of Hindus.
ॐकार वृत्तं । अनाद्यनन्तसनातन व्राह्मधर्म्मस्वरूपञ्च ।
III. The convexity of O. A Type of the Extramundane,
Unknowable and Absolute Supreme Brahma.
Significant of Agnoism and Agnosticism.
ॐवृत्तपरिधेःपरं । अपरिमेयाज्ञेयतुरीयपरव्रह्म स्वरूपं ।
IV. The concavity of O. Emblem of Intramundane
Immensity of knowable Nature and its God Brahma .
And Indicative of Gnosticism and Pantheism.
ॐकारबृत्तमध्यं । प्रज्ञेय निर्गुणब्रह्मतथाज्ञेयब्रह्माण्डस्वरूपं ।
V. The circle with the Central point or Monad.
A Symbol of the Definite and known world and its God.
And signifying the Monotheism of all nations.
ॐबृत्तं सविन्दुमध्यं । सगुणब्रह्मविन्दुब्रह्माण्डवीजमपर तैजस ब्रह्मस्वरूपं ।
1. The circle with the central A, अ Alif or Unit.
Emblematical of the unity of a Personal God.
And the Primary unity of all things in Nature.
And significant of unitarianity or _Advaita matam_.
ॐकार बृत्त केन्द्रस्थअकार सहितं । सोपाधिक एकमेवाद्वितीयमतरूपं ।
2. The two Semicircles of O. Symbolical of Duad or Duality .
In the dualism of Persons in the God-head as _Dvaitam_.
And the Duads of Co-ordinate Principles in Nature.
And signifying the Ditheism of all Dualistic creeds.
ॐ वृत्तार्द्धद्वयं । सोपाधिकेश्वरस्यभेदद्वयं । जीवव्रह्म पुम्प्रकृत्यादि दैतमतरूपं ।
3. The Trisected circle of _Om_. A symbol of the Triad or Trinity.
Indicative of a Triality of Persons in the God-head as _Traitam_.
And the co-ordinate Triples of the Principles in Nature.
And signifying the Tritheism of Trinitarianity.
त्रिभक्त वृत्तं । अउमयुक्तं । त्रिगुणात्मक व्रह्मादित्रिमूर्त्ति । व्याहृति त्रयादि । त्रैतमतरूपं ।
3. (_a_) The Tripartite circle. With the Inscribed Triangle
Euclid (IV. 2).
A symbol of the Holy Trinity (_Trimúrti_ on the three sides).
And the Triangular female emblem of God-mother in the midst.
And Indicating the Materialistic Trinitarianism of Hindus.
ॐ वृत्तान्तर्गत त्रिभुजं । अव्यक्तशक्ति वा प्रकृत्यात्मकत्रिमूर्त्तिरूपं । त्रैतं मतं ।
4. The Four Quadrants of the circle of _Om_ or a square.
Emblematical of the Tetrad of the Divinity.
And the co-ordinate Quadruples of Things.
And signifying the Quaternity of certain creeds.
ॐकारवृत्तपादाः । अउमविन्दुयुक्ताः । विश्वादितुरीय ब्रह्म । वा सप्रकृतित्रिमूर्त्तिरूपं ।
5. The Pentagon Inscribed in the circle. Denoting the Pentad.
The Angular Points A. B. C. D. & E. Meeting at the Centre O
(Euclid IV. 11).
Indicative of the Quintuple Hypostases of the Deity.
The Quintessence and the Five fold co-ordinates of Elementary
bodies.
ॐ वृत्तस्य पञ्चभुजं । अउमविन्दुनादयुक्तं । पञ्चकोश पञ्चप्राण पञ्चभूतमयं ।
6. The Hexagon in the Circle. Significant of the Hexad.
The Angular Points A.B.C.D.E.F. Meeting at the centre
(Euclid IV. 15).
Denotative of the sextuple Evolutions of the Monad O.
And Indicative of the Six Internal and External Organs of sense.
वृत्तस्य षड्भुजं । ॐ नमो षोढ़ारूपं । अउम॰ ৺नमषडिन्द्रिय षड्रस षडङ्गादिस्वरूपं ।
7. The Heptagon. Inscribed in the circle O. Indicates the Heptad.
The Angular Points A. B. C. D. E. F. G. Meeting at the centre O.
According to the Process of Lílávatí mentioned below.
Indicates the septuple Hypostases of Divine Essence, _viz_;
The Five External senses, mind and intellect. (Anquetil).
And the seven fold co-ordinate bodies in creation, _viz_;
the seven Worlds, seven Planets, seven Continents and Oceans.
ॐवृत्तस्य सप्तभुजं । अउम॰ ৺ नमःयुक्तं । प्रज्ञादि आत्मारूपं । सप्तभुवनमयविराजरूपं ।
सप्त ग्रह सप्त द्वीप सप्त समुद्रञ्च ।
8. The Octagon (A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H). Inscribed in the circle O.
By Bisection of the Quadrants (in Figure 4).
Indicative of the Octad or Octuple states of Spirit and Body.
_viz_, the five Vital airs or the five external or five
Internal senses with the Mind, Intellect and consciousness (Chittam).
All forms of the Spirit.
And the eight material forms of Earth &c., treated of in the Ashta
Múrti.
ॐ वृत्तस्याष्टभुजं । ॐ नमोयुक्तं अउओम॰ ৺ नमः । अष्ट बुद्धीन्द्रिय तथा ईश्वराष्टमूर्तिरूपं ।
9. The Nonagon A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I. Inscribed in the circle O.
By Trisection of the three sections of a Tripartite circle.
Symbolical of a _nonad_ or nine fold nature of the Deity.
And the nine doors or organs of Animal bodies.
ॐ वृत्तस्य नव भुजं । त्रिभुजस्यत्रिभक्तभुजत्रयं । ओन्नमो शान्ति युक्तं । अउओम॰ ৺ नमः शान्ति ।
आत्मनः नवधारूपाणि । तथाजीवदेहस्य नवद्वारानिच । आत्मनः नव रूपाणि यथा—
अ-जाग्रत् बैश्वानरः । उ-स्वप्नजतैजनः । म-सुसुप्त प्रज्ञा । ओ-तुरीयपरात्पर व्रह्म ।
৺ नाद समष्टि सूत्रात्मा । ॰ विन्दुव्यष्टि हिरण्य गर्भः । नमः स्थूलविश्वः । शक्ति विश्वरूपः ।
शान्तिविराजरूपं । सर्ब्बमोङ्कारस्य नव रेखभिः दर्शितं । यथा ॐ
10. The Decagon in a Circle. Emblematical of the Decad.
The Decagon A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J. By Bisection of the
Pentagon.
Significant of the Five Internal and five External Senses.
And the Ten Directions of space. All filled by Divine Spirit.
ॐवृत्तस्य दशभुजं । वृत्तस्य पञ्च भुजंद्विर्बिभक्तं । दशदिग्व्यापि ईश्वरात्माज्ञापकं ।
ॐन्नमः शक्तिःयुक्तं । यथा अ, उ, ओ, म, ৺, ॰, नमः, शान्तिः, ।
वा अ, उ, ओ, म, ৺, ॰, नमः शान्तिः, शान्तिः, शान्तिः ।
These figures might be multiplied _ad infinitum_, as there is no
limit of created things and the attributes of the Creator; but as
neither Infinity nor Immensity is comprehensible by the limited
understanding of man, the Yogi takes some definite ideas and
determinate objects for his meditation, as he is directed by the
Natural Religion of mankind.
NOTE TO FIGURE 7.
Solution of the Problem of inscribing a heptagon in a circle, or
dividing the circle into seven equal parts. According to Súryadása’s
commentary on Lílávatí. वृत्तान्तर्गत सप्तभुजाङ्कनं सूर्य्यदासमतं ।
“For the heptagon समवाहुक सप्तभुजः describe a circle, and an equilateral
heptagon in it, then a line being drawn between the भुजाग्ररेखा extremities
of any two sides—at pleasure, and three lines from the centre of the
circle वृत्तान्तर्गत केन्द्रं to the angles indicated by those extremities
भुजाग्रचिन्हित कोणं, an unequal quadrilateral विषम चतुर्भुजं is formed. The greater
sides and the least diagonal क्षुद्रतरकर्णं thereof are equal to the
semi-diameter व्यसार्द्धतुल्यं”. The value of the greater diagonal, which
is assumed arbitrarily, is the chord of the arc चापस्य पूर्णज्या encompassing
the two sides. Its arrow शरः being deduced in the manner before directed,
is the side of a small rectangular triangle एकजात्य त्रिभुजं ।
Thus the greater diagonal बृहत्तरकर्णं, being arbitrarily assumed to be
93,804, is the chord sought इष्टज्याः; its arrow found in the manner directed
is 22,579; this is the side, and half the base or chord जीवारूप भूम्यर्द्ध कोटि is
the upright 46,902; their squares are 509711241 and 21997604; the square
root of the sum of which is the side वर्गमूलं of the heptagon or
52,055 योगमूलं ।
These numbers are given from the copy of Súryadása’s commentary on the
Lílávatí in the library of the As. Society. There are two obvious errors
in them, probably of the copyist लिपिकर प्रमादः; _viz._ 22,579 should be
22.581, and 21997604 should be 2199797604.
NOTE TO FIG. 9.
To inscribe a nonagon in a circle, वृत्तान्तर्गत नवभुजं i. e., to divide it
into nine parts. “A circle being described as before, inscribe a
triangle वृत्तान्तर्गत त्रिभुजं in it. Thus the circle is divided into three
parts. Three equal chords समान पूर्णज्या being drawn in each of these
portions, a nonagon is thus inscribed in it वृत्तस्य नव भुजक्षेत्रं; and three
oblongs वृत्तस्य चतुर्भुज क्षेत्रं are formed within the same; of which the base is
equal to the side of the (inscribed) triangle भूमिवृत्तस्य त्रिभुजभुजतुल्यं । Then two
perpendiculars लम्बपातद्वयं being drawn in the oblong, it is divided
into three portions, the first and last of which are triangles
परपूर्ब्बांश त्रिभुजं; and the intermediate one is a tetragon. मध्यांश चतुर्भुजं ।
The base in each of them is a third part of the side of the inscribed
triangle त्रिभुजवाहोस्त्रितीयांशः(?). It is the upright (of a rectangular triangle)
जात्यत्रिभुजकोटि; the perpendicular is its side; and the square root of the
sum of their squares भुजकोटिवर्गयोगमूलं is the hypotenuse कर्णः,
and is the side of the nonagon नवभुजं.
“To find the perpendicular लम्बं, put an assumed chord कल्पितज्या equal
to half the chord पूर्णज्यार्द्धं of the (inscribed) tetragon; find its
arrow in the manner aforesaid, and subtract that from the arrow of the
chord तत्रिभुजस्यशर of the (inscribed) triangle, the remainder is
the perpendicular. लम्बपरिमाणं । Thus the perpendicular लम्बं comes out
21,989: it is the side of a rectangular triangle. The third part of the
inscribed एकजात्य त्रिभुजं triangle is 34,641: it is the upright. कोटि ।
The square root of the sum of their squares वर्गयोग मूलं is 41,031: and
is the side of the inscribed nonagon.” वृत्तस्यनवभुजं ।
[Illustration: THE OM TAT SAT.]
YOGA VÁSISHTHA.
BOOK I.
ON MORAL APATHY
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION.
SECTION I.
DIVINE ADORATION
_Hail The Eternal._
Om, salutation to the self-same Reality, from whom all beings proceed,
by whom they are manifest, upon whom they depend, and in whom they
become extinct (in the end).
2. He is the knower, the knowledge and all that is to be known. He is
the seer, the (act of) seeing, and all that is to be seen. He is the
actor, the cause and the effect: therefore salutation to Him (who is
all) knowledge himself.
3. Salutation to Him (who is) supreme bliss itself, from whom flow the
dews of delight (as water springs from a fountain) both in heaven and
earth, and who is the life of all.
SECTION II.
NARRATIVE OF SUTÍKSHNA.
4. One Sutíkshna, a Bráhmana, whose mind was full of doubts, went to
the hermitage of Agasti and asked the sage respectfully:—
5. Oh great sage! that art informed in all the ways and truths of
virtue, and knowest with certainty all the Sástras, I am in a great
doubt (about something) which I pray you will kindly remove.
6. Tell me whether a man’s acts or his knowledge or both of these, is
in your opinion, the cause of his emancipation.
7. Agasti replied:—
As the flight of birds in the air is effected by means of both their
wings, so the highest state of emancipation is attained through the
instrumentality of both knowledge and acts.
8. It is neither our acts nor knowledge alone that produces
emancipation, but both together are known as the means of it.
SECTION III.
ANECDOTE OF KÁRUNYA.
9. I will recite to you an instance on this subject from the old
traditions, relating a Bráhman named Kárunya, who was learned in the
Vedas in days of yore.
10. He was the son of Agnivesya and accomplished in the Vedas and all
their branches, and after finishing his studies at the preceptor’s,
returned to his own abode.
11. He remained a sceptic at home, holding his taciturnity and
inertness to acts: when his father Agnivesya saw his son so slack in
his duties, he upbraided him thus for his good.
12-13. Agnivesya said:—
Why my son do you not discharge your duties, tell me how can you
succeed (in anything) if you remain inactive, and tell me also the
reason of your cessation from acts.
14. Kárunya replied:—
The offering of daily oblations, and performance of morning and evening
devotions during life, are inculcated in the Veda and law as the
_active_ duties (of men).
15. But it is neither by acts or riches, nor by means of progeny, that
one obtains his liberation, it is solely by self-denial that Stoics
taste the ambrosia (of emancipation).
16. Tell me my father! which of these two ordinances is to be observed
by me? Doubtful of this I have become indifferent to acts.
17. Agasti said:—
Hear me my son, that Kárunya after saying so held his silence; when his
father seeing him thus, rejoined his speech.
18. Agnivesya said:—
Hear me relate a narrative (to you) my son, and you having fully
considered its purport in your mind, may do as you may choose (best for
you).
SECTION IV.
STORY OF SURUCHI.
19. There was a damsel named Suruchi, the best of the _Apsará_ nymphs,
who was seated on the mountain peak of Himálaya, beset by peacocks
around.
20. Here Kinnaras inflamed by love sported with their mates, and the
fall of heavenly streams (Gangá and Yamuná), served to expurgate the
gravest sins (of men).
21. She beheld a messenger of Indra making his way through the sky; and
then this most fortunate and best of _Apsarás_, addressed him thus:
22. Suruchi said:—
O thou herald of gods, tell me kindly whence thou comest and whither
art thou destined at present.
SECTION V.
ACCOUNT OF ARISHTANEMI.
23. The divine Ariel replied:—Well hast thou asked Oh pretty browed
maid, and I will tell thee all as it is. Know, Arishtanemi the royal
sage, who has made over his realm to his son.
24. He has (now) with religious indifference (to the world), set out
to the forest for (practice of) asceticism, and is performing his
austerities on the _Gandha Mádana_ mountains.
25. I am now returning from there after discharge of my errand, and
repairing to Sakra’s (palace) to report the matter.
26. Suruchi said:—
Tell me, my Lord, what matter has taken place there. I am with
submission (much) inquisitive after it, nor shouldest thou cause me
(the pain of) anxiety.
27. The messenger replied:—
Hear me gentle maid, relate to thee in length (everything) as it has
occurred.
28. On hearing that the king was practising the utmost rigors of
asceticism in that forest, Indra, the lord of gods, desired me to take
this heavenly car and repair at once to the spot.
29. “Take this car,” said he, “bearing the (dancing) _Apsarás_ equipped
with all their musical instruments, and furnished with a band of
Gandharvas, Siddhas, Yakshas and Kinnaras.”
30. “Convey them,” said he, “with all their wired instruments, flutes
and drums to the auspices of the Sylvan mount of _Gandha Mádana_.
31. “There having placed the Prince Aristanemi in the vehicle, bring
him to the enjoyment of heavenly delight in this city of _Amarávati_
(the seat of immortals).”
32. The messenger added:—
Receiving this injunction of Indra and taking the car with all its
equipments, I proceeded to that mountain.
33. Having arrived at the mountain and advancing to the hermitage of
the king, I delivered to him the orders of the great Indra.
34. Hearing my words, Oh happy damsel! the king spoke to me with
reluctance and said: “I wish to ask thee something O messenger, which
(I hope) thou wilt deign to answer.
35. “Tell me what good and what evils there are in heaven, that knowing
them (beforehand), I may think of settling there as I may choose.”
36. I answered, saying:—
In heaven there is ample reward for merit, conferring perfect bliss (to
all); but it is the degree of meritoriousness that leads one to higher
heavens.
37. By moderate virtue, one is certainly entitled to a middle station,
and virtue of an inferior order, leads a person to a lower position (in
the heavens).
38. But one’s virtue is destroyed by his impatience at the excellence
of his betters, by his haughtiness to his equals, and by his joy at the
inferiority of others.
39. When one’s virtue is thus destroyed, he must enter the abode of
mortals. These and the like are the effects of merit and demerit (with
us) in heaven.
40. Hearing this, Oh good maiden, the king answered and said: “I
do not, Oh divine messenger! like the heaven that is of such like
conditions.
41. “I will henceforth practise the most austere form of devotion, and
abandon this my unhallowed human frame in the same way, as the snake
abandons his time-worn-skin (slough).
42. “Be thou pleased, Oh delegate of the gods! to return with thy
heavenly car to the presence of the great Indra whence thou comest, and
fare thee well.”
43. The celestial emissary resumed:—
Thus being bid, I went Oh goodly dame to the presence of Sakra to
report the matter. Who upon my rehearsal of the matter, was struck with
great wonder.
44. Then the great Indra again spoke to me with a sweet voice and said:
“Go you my herald again to that king, and take him to the hermitage of
Válmíki.
45. “He is well acquainted with every truth, tell him my errand for the
instruction of the dispassionate prince, saying:—
46. ‘Oh thou great sage! remonstrate with this prince who is humble and
dispassionate, and dislikes the enjoyments of heaven.
47. ‘So that this prince who is aggrieved at the miseries of the world,
may gradually come to attain his emancipation.’”
48. I then went and explained my mission to the royal hermit, took him
to the sage Válmíki (who had grown amidst the ant-hills), and to whom I
delivered great Indrá’s charge for the king’s practice (of the means)
for his final liberation.
49. Then the sage (named after the ant-hill in which he had grown),
welcomed the King with gentle inquiries regarding his welfare.
50. The prince replied:—
“Oh great _seer_, that art informed in all the truths of religion, and
art the greatest of them that know the knowable, thy very sight has
given me all that I desired, and therein is all my welfare.
51. “Great sire, I wish to learn from thee how I may escape the
miseries which arise from one’s connection with this world, and which
(I hope) thou wilt reveal to me without reserve.”
52. Válmíki said:—
Hear me Oh king! I will relate to you the entire Rámáyana, by the
hearing and understanding of which you will be saved even while in this
life.
SECTION VI.
HISTORY OF RÁMA.
53. Hear me Oh great and intelligent king, repeat to you the sacred
conversation which took place between Ráma and Vasishtha relating the
way to liberation, and which I well know from my knowledge (of human
nature).
54. The prince said:—
“O thou best of sages, tell me precisely who and what this Ráma was,
what was his bondage and how he got freed from it.”
55. Válmíki said:—
Hari was proscribed under an imprecation to take upon himself the form
of a prince, with an assumed ignorance as that of a man of little
understanding.
56. The prince said: “Tell me who was the author of that imprecation,
and how it could befal on Ráma, who was the personification of
consciousness and felicity, and the very image of wisdom.”
57. Válmíki replied: Sanat-kumára, who was devoid of desires, had been
residing at the abode of Brahmá, to which Vishnu, the Lord of the three
worlds, was a visitor from Vaikuntha.
58. The Lord God was welcomed by all the inhabitants of the
_Brahmaloka_ as well as by Brahmá himself, except by Sanat-kumára who
was thus beheld and addressed to by the god.
59. “Sanat-kumár, it is ignorance that makes thee forsake thy desires
for fear of regeneration (on earth), therefore must thou be born under
the name of _Sara-janmá_ to be troubled with desires.”
60. Sanat-kumára in return denounced Vishnu by saying:—“Even all
discerning as thou art, thou shalt have to sacrifice thine omniscience
for some time, and pass as an ignorant mortal (on earth).”
61. There was another anathema pronounced upon Vishnu by the sage
Bhrigu, who seeing his wife killed (by him), became incensed with anger
and said: “Vishnu thou shalt have also to be bereft of thy wife.”
62. He was again cursed by _Vrindá_ to be deprived of his wife, on
account of his beguiling her (in the form of her husband).
63. Again when the pregnant wife of Deva-datta was killed (with fear)
on seeing the man-lion figure of Vishnu;
64. The leonine Hari was denounced by the husband, who was sorely
afflicted at the loss of his consort, to be thus separated from his
wife also.
65. Thus denounced by Bhrigu, by Sanat-kumára, Deva-datta and Vrindá,
he was obliged (to be born in this earth) in the figure of a human
being.
66. I have thus explained to you the causes of all the imprecations
(which were passed on Vishnu), and will now relate to you all other
things which you shall have carefully to attend to.
CHAPTER II.
REASON OF WRITING THE RÁMÁYANA.
SECTION I.
PERSONS ENTITLED TO ITS PERUSAL.
Salutation to the Lord, the universal soul, shining manifest in heaven,
earth and the sky, and both within and without myself.
2. One convinced of his constraint (in this mortal world), and desiring
his liberation from it, and, who is neither wholly ignorant of, nor
quite conversant with divine knowledge, is entitled to (the perusal of)
this work.
3. The wise man, who having well considered the narrative (of
Ráma) as the first step, comes afterwards to think on the means of
liberation (as are expounded herein), he shall verily be exempt from
transmigration (of his soul).
4. Know, O destroyer of thy enemies! that I have first embodied the
history of Ráma in this Rámáyana (as the preparatory step to salvation).
5. And I have given the same to my attentive pupil the obedient and
intelligent Bharadwája, as the sea yields his gems to their seeker.
6. These historical preparatories were rehearsed by the learned
Bharadwája in the presence of Brahmá, seated in a certain forest of the
Sumeru Mountain.
7. Then the lord Brahmá, the great grandfather of the inhabitants (of
the three worlds), was so highly pleased with him that he addressed him
saying: “Oh my son! ask the best boon that thou wishest for.”
8. Bharadwája said:—“Oh thou lord, that art master of the past and
future times, grant me the desired boon of communicating to me the
means whereby people are liberated from their miseries.”
SECTION II.
BRAHMÁ’S BEHEST.
9. Brahmá said:—“Go ask diligently of thy preceptor Válmíki, to
complete the faultless Rámáyana that he has undertaken (to write).
10. “By the hearing of which men will get over their manifold errors,
in the same manner as they pass over the sea by the bridge built over
it by the great Ráma, who was fraught with all good qualities.”
11. Válmíki said:—Saying this to Bharadwája, the supreme maker of all
beings (Brahmá) accompanied him to my hermitage.
12. In right earnest was the god welcomed by me with the _argha_ and
offerings of water and the like, when the lord of truth spoke to me for
the good of all creatures.
13. Brahmá spake to me saying:—“Do not Oh sage! give up your
undertaking until its final completion. No pains ought to be spared to
make the history of Ráma as faultless as it ought to be.
14. “By this work of yours men will forthwith pass over this hazardous
world, in the same manner as one crosses the sea in a vessel.”
15. Again said the increate Brahmá to me:—“I come to tell this very
thing to you, that you complete the work for the benefit of mankind.”
16. Then Oh king, the God disappeared from my sacred hermitage in a
moment, just as the wave subsides in the water no sooner it has heaved
itself.
17. I was struck with wonder at the disappearance of that (deity), and
then being composed in my mind, I inquired of Bharadwája, saying:—
18. Tell me, Bharadwája, what Brahmá spoke (to me) in the hermitage; to
which he answered saying:—
19. “The God commanded you to complete the Rámáyana for the good of
men, and as a means of their crossing over the gulf of the world.”
SECTION III.
INQUIRY OF BHARADWÁJA.
20. “Now Sir”, said Bharadwája, “explain to me how the great minded
Ráma and Bhárata conducted themselves amidst the troubles of this world.
21. “Tell me also how did Satrughna, Lakshmana, and the renowned Sítá,
and all those who followed Ráma, as also the ministers and their highly
intelligent sons, conduct themselves (on earth).
22. “Tell me clearly how they escaped all its miseries, that I may do
the same with the rest of mankind: (for our salvation).”
23. Being thus respectfully addressed by Bharadwája, I was led, Oh
great King! to carry out the behest of my lord (Brahmá), and to narrate
the Rámáyana to him; saying:—
24. Hear my son Bharadwája, I will tell you all that you have asked,
and by the hearing of which you shall be enabled to cast away the dross
of errors (under which you labour).
25. You are wise and have to manage yourself in the manner of the
felicitous and lotus-eyed Ráma, with a mind free from (worldly)
attachments.
26. (Know that) Lakshmana, Bhárata, the great minded Satrughna,
Kausalyá, Sítá, Sumitrá as well as Dasaratha;—
27. With Kritástra and the two friends of Ráma, and Vasishtha and
Vámadeva, and the eight ministers of state as well as many others, had
reached the summit of knowledge (by this means).
28. Their names are Dhrishta, Jayanta, Bhása, Satya, Vijaya,
Vibíshanah, Sushena and Hanumána. And also Indrajíta (who had attained
his highest knowledge).
29. These were the eight ministers of Ráma, who are said to have been
equally dispassionate in their minds, and content with what was their
lot. They were great souls, and free in their lives.
30. Well my son, if you follow the manner in which these men observed
sacrificial rites, gave and received their offerings, and how they
lived and thought, you are at once freed from the turmoils (of life).
31. One fallen in this boundless ocean of the world, may enjoy (the
bliss of) liberation by the magnanimity of his soul. He shall not come
across grief or destitution, but remain ever satisfied by being freed
from the fever of anxiety.
CHAPTER III.
VÁLMÍKI’S ADMONITION.
SECTION I.
ON TRUE KNOWLEDGE.
Bharadwája said, O Bráhman! relate to me first about Ráma, and then
enlighten me by degrees with the conditions of attaining liberation in
this life, that I may be happy for ever.
2. Válmíki replied:—Know, holy Saint! all worldly conceptions to be
as erroneous as the various hues that taint the clear firmament. It is
better therefore to efface them in oblivion, rather than revive their
reminiscence (in repeated states of existence).
3. All visible objects are absolute negation; we have no idea of them
save from sensation. Inquire into these apprehensions, and you will
never find them as real.
4. It is possible here (on earth) to attain to this knowledge (of
worldly vanities) which is fully expounded herein: if you will listen
to it attentively, you shall get at the truth and not otherwise.
5. The conception of this world is a mistake, and though we actually
see it, it is never in existence. It appears in the same light, O
sinless saint, as the variegated colours in the sky.
6. The conviction of the non-existence of the objects of vision, leads
to efface their impressions from the mind. Thus perfected, there
springs in it the supreme and eternal bliss of self-extinction.
7. Otherwise there is no quietism to be had herein by men like
you, rolling in the depths of science for thousands of years and
unacquainted with the true knowledge.
8. Complete abandonment of desires, styled as the best state of
liberation, is the only pure step towards beatitude.
9. The absence of desires leads to the extinction of mental actions, in
the same manner as the absence of cold conduces to the dissolution of
small particles of ice.
10. Our desires which uphold our living bodies (and minds), bind us
fast as by strings to our bodily prison. These being loosened, the
inward soul is liberated (as a bird from its cage).
11. Desires are of two kinds, pure and impure. The impure ones are the
cause of transmigration, while the pure ones serve to destroy it.
12. An impure desire is of the form of a mist of ignorance, consisting
in the feeling of an obdurate egoism. This is said by the wise to be
the cause of birth (transmigration).
13. A pure desire is like a parched seed incapable to bring forth the
germ of transmigration, and only supports the present body (in its dry
rigidity).
14. The pure desires which are unattended with transmigration, reside
in the bodies of living-liberated men, like unmoving wheels (unable to
move them to action).
15. Those that have the pure desires are not liable to transmigration,
and are said to be knowing in all things that ought to be known. These
are called the living-liberated and are of superior intelligence.
16. I will explain to you how the high minded Ráma attained the state
of liberation in life, hear you this that old age and death may not
come upon you.
SECTION II.
EARLY HISTORY OF RÁMA.
17. Hear, Oh highly intelligent Bharadawája, the auspicious course and
conduct of Ráma’s life: whereby you shall be enabled to understand
everything at all times.
18. The lotus-eyed Ráma after coming out of his school, remained for
many days at home in his diversions, and without anything to fear.
19. In the course of time as he took the reins of the Government, (in
his hand), his people enjoyed all the bliss that absence of grief and
diseases could impart (to them).
20. At one time Ráma’s mind virtuous as he was, became anxious to see
the different places of pilgrimage, the cities and hermitages (that lay
about).
21. So Rághava with this view, approached his father’s feet, he touched
the nails (of his toes) as a swan lays hold on the buds of lotus.
22. “Oh my father”, he said, “my mind is desirous to see the different
places of pilgrimage, temples of gods, forests and abodes (of men).
23. “Grant me my lord this my petition, as there is no petitioner of
thine on earth whom didst thou ever dishonor.”
24. Thus solicited (by Ráma), the king consulted with Vasishtha, and
after much reflection granted him the first request he ever made.
25. On a day of lucky stars Ráma set out (on his journey) with his
two brothers (Lakshmana and Satrughna), having his body adorned
with auspicious marks, and (receiving the) benedictions which were
pronounced on him by the priests.
26. Accompanied also by a body of learned Bráhmans whom Vasishtha had
chosen on the occasion, and a select party of his associate princes;
27. He started from home towards his pilgrimage after he received the
benedictions and embraces of his mothers.
28. As he went out of his city, the citizens welcomed him with the
sounds of trumpets, while the bee-like fickle eyes of the city ladies
were fixed upon his lotus like face.
29. He was bestrewn with handfuls of fried paddy thrown over his body
by the beautiful hands of village-women, that made him appear like the
Himálaya covered over with snow.
30. He dismissed the Bráhmans with honor, and went on hearing the
benedictions of the people, and taking a full view of the landscape
around him until he proceeded towards the forest.
31. He went on distributing alms after making his holy ablutions and
performing his devotion and meditation, as he gradually passed the
limits of Kosala after starting from his palace.
SECTION III.
RÁMA’S PILGRIMAGE.
32. He went about seeing the many rivers and their banks, visiting the
shrines of gods, sacred forests and deserts far and remote from the
resorts of men, as also the hills, seas and their shores.
33. He saw the _Mandákiní_ bright as the moon, the _Kálindi_, clear
as the lotus, and also the following rivers, _Sarasvatí_, _Satadru_,
_Chandrabhágá_ and _Irávatí_.
34. Also _Vení_, _Krishnavení_, _Nirvindhyá_, _Saraju_, _Charmanvatí_,
_Vitastá_, _Vipásá_ and _Báhúdaká_.
35. He saw also the (holy places of) _Prayága_, the _Naimisha_, the
_Dharmaranya_, _Gyá_, _Varánasí_, _Srígiri_, _Kedára_ and _Pushkara_.
36. He saw the Mánasa and the northern Mánsaravara lakes, and many
fiery lakes and springs, the Báda, the Vindhyá range and the sea.
37. He saw the fiery pool of Jwálámukhí, the great shrine of
Jagannátha, the fountain of _Indradumna_ and many other reservoirs,
rivers and lakes.
38. He visited the shrine of _Kártikeya_ and the Gandak river of
_Sálagrámas_, and also the sixty four shrines sacred to Hari and Hara.
39. He saw various wonders, the coasts of the four seas, the _Vindhyá_
range, the groves of Hara, and the boundary hills and level lands.
40. He visited the places of the great _Rájarshis_ and the
_Brahmarshis_, and went wherever there was any auspicious sanctuary of
the gods and Bráhmans. 41. Thus they all honouring Ráma, travelled far
and wide in company with his two brothers, and traversed all the four
quarters on the surface of the earth.
42. Honoured by the gods, _Kinnaras_ and by men, and having seen all
the places on earth, the descendant of Raghu returned home, like Siva
when he returns to the _Sivaloka_.
CHAPTER IV.
RÁMA’S RETURN FROM PILGRIMAGE.
Ráma strewn over with handfuls of flowers by the citizens (surrounding
him) entered the palace, as when the beauteous Jayanta (son of Indra)
enters his celestial abode.
2. On his first arrival he bent himself in reverence before his father,
before Vasishtha, before his brothers, his friends, the Bráhmanas and
the elderly members of the family.
3. Repeatedly embraced as he was by friends, by his father, mothers and
by the Bráhmanas, the son of Raghu bowed down his head to them with joy.
4. The assembled people after their familiar conversation with Ráma
in the palace, strolled about on all sides highly delighted with his
speech, resembling the music of a flute.
5. Thus eight days were passed in festive mirth consequent to the
arrival of Ráma, and shouts of joy were sent forth by the elated
multitude.
6. Thenceforth Rághava continued to dwell happily at home, with
relating to his friends, the different customs and manners of the
countries (he visited) on all sides.
7. He rose early in the morning and performed his morning service
according to law. He then visited his father seated as Indra in his
Council.
8. He next passed a fourth part of the day in company with Vasishtha
and other sages, and was greatly edified by their conversations which
were full of instruction.
9. He used also to go out for sport under orders of his father; and
surrounded by a large number of troops, to forests full of (wild) boars
and buffaloes.
10. Then after returning home and performing his bath and other rites
with his friends, he took his meal with them, and passed the night in
company with his beloved companions.
11. In these and similar practices did he pass his days with his
brothers at his father’s house, after his return from the pilgrimage.
12. Oh sinless (Bharadwája), with his conduct becoming a prince, Ráma
passed his days with giving delight to the good men that surrounded
him, in the manner of the moon that gladdens mankind with his soothing
ambrosial beams.
CHAPTER V.
OF RÁMA’S SELF-DEJECTION AND ITS CAUSE.
Válmíki said:—
Afterwards Ráma attained the fifteenth year of his age, and so also
Satrughna and Lakshmana who followed Ráma (in birth), attained also the
same age.
2. Bhárata continued to dwell with joy at the house of his maternal
grandfather, and the king (Dasaratha) ruled the whole earth as usual.
3. The most wise king Dasaratha (now) consulted his ministers day after
day about the marriage of his sons.
4. But as Ráma remained at home since his return from pilgrimage, he
began to decay day by day as the translucent lake in autumn.
5. His blooming face with its out-stretched eyes, assumed by degrees a
paleness like that of the withering petals of the white lotus beset by
a swarm of bees.
6. He sat silent and motionless in the posture of his folded legs
(_Padmásana_), and remained absorbed in thought with his palm placed
under his cheek and neck.
7. Being emaciated in person, and growing thoughtful, sad and
distracted in his mind, he remained speechless as a mute picture in
painting.
8. On being repeatedly requested by the anxious inmates of the family
to perform his daily rites, he discharged them with a melancholy
countenance (literally—with his faded lotus-like face).
9. Seeing the accomplished Ráma—the mine of merits in such a plight,
all his brothers likewise were reduced to the same condition with him.
10. The king of the earth observing all his three sons thus dejected
and lean, gave way to anxiety together with all his queens.
11. Dasaratha asked Ráma repeatedly and in a gentle voice (to
tell him) what his anxiety was, and what was the cause of his
thoughtfulness; but he returned no answer to it.
12. Then being taken up in his father’s lap, the lotus-eyed Ráma
replied, that he had no anxiety whatever, and held his silence.
13. Afterwards the king Dasaratha asked Vasishtha, the best of speakers
and well informed in all matters, as to the cause why Ráma was so
sorrowful.
14. The sage Vasishtha thought over the matter (for a while), and then
said, “There is Oh king! a cause of Ráma’s sadness, but you need not be
anxious about it.
15. “Wise men, Oh king! never entertain the fluctuations of anger or
grief, or a lengthened delight from frivolous causes, just as the great
elements of the world do not change their states (of inertness) unless
it were for the sake of (some new) production.”
CHAPTER VI.
ADVENT OF VISWÁMITRA TO THE ROYAL COURT.
The king was thrown into sorrow and suspense at these words of the
prince of sages (Vasishtha); but kept his silence for sometime, and
waited (that time might work a change).
2. (Meanwhile) the queens of the palace, kept themselves watchful of
the movements of Ráma with anxious carefulness.
3. At this very time the famous Viswámitra, the great sage came to
visit the king of men at Ayodhyá.
4. The intelligent and wise seer had his sacrificial rites disturbed
by the _Rákshasas_, who were deceitfully powerful and giddy with their
strength.
5. It was for the security of his sacrifice that the sage waited on the
king, because he was unable to accomplish it in peace (by himself).
6. It was also for the purpose of their destruction, that the
illustrious Viswámitra, who was the gem of austere devotion had come to
the city of Ayodhyá.
7. Desirous of seeing the king, he spoke to the guards at the gate,
to report the arrival of Kausika the son of Gádhi to the king with
despatch.
8. On hearing these words, the guards were struck with fear in their
minds, and ran as they were bid to the palace of the king.
9. Coming to the Royal abode, the door-keepers informed the
chief-warder of the arrival of Viswámitra the royal sage.
10. The staff-bearer immediately proceeded to the presence of the king,
seated among the princes and chiefs (under him) in the Court house, and
gave his report saying:—
11. “Please your majestic, there is waiting at the door a mighty
personage of majestic appearance, bright as the morning sun, with his
pendant locks of hair (red and ruddy) as sunbeams.
12. “The brilliancy of his person has brightened the place from the
top-most flag down to the ground, and made the horses, men and armory
shine as with a golden hue.”
13. No sooner had the warder appeared (before the king), and with
hurried words announced the arrival of the sage Viswámitra:
14. Then the best of kings as he heard the herald say so, rose at
once from his throne of gold with all the ministers and chiefs that
surrounded him.
15. He walked immediately on foot with the staff of princes and chiefs
by whom he was held in honour and regard, and in company with Vasishtha
and Vámadeva.
16. He went to the spot where the great sage was waiting, and saw
Viswámitra the chief of sages standing at the gateway.
17. His priestly prowess joined with his military valour, made him
appear as the sun descended on earth on some account.
18. He was hoary with old age, rough-skinned by the practice of
austerities, and covered down to his shoulders by red-bright braids of
hair, resembling the evening clouds over topping a mountain brow.
19. He was mild looking and engaging in his appearance, but at the same
time as brilliant as the orb of the sun. He was neither assuming nor
repulsive, but possessed of an ineffable gravity and majesty in his
person.
20. He was attractive yet formidable (in his look), clear yet vast (in
his mind), deep and full (in knowledge), and shining (with his inward
light).
21. His life time had no limit, nor his mind any bound to it, nor had
age impaired his understanding. He held the ascetics pot in one hand,
that went (through life) as his only faithful companion.
22. The compassionateness of his mind, added to the sweet complacency
of his speech and looks, pleased the people as if they were actually
served with nectar drops, or sprinkled over with ambrosial dews.
23. His body decorated by the sacred thread, and his white prominent
eyebrows, made him appear as a wonder to the eyes of his beholders.
24. On seeing the sage, the lord of earth lowly bent himself at a
distance, and then bowed down to him (so low), that the ground was
decorated by the gems pendant upon his crown.
25. The sage also in his turn greeted the Lord of the earth on the spot
with sweet and kind words, like the sun greeting the lord of the gods.
26. Afterwards the assembled Bráhmans (of the court) headed by
Vasishtha, honoured him with their welcomes.
27. The king said:—We are as highly favoured, Oh holy sage! by thine
unexpected appearance and thy glorious sight, as a bed of lotuses at
the sight of the luminous sun.
28. Oh sage, I have felt at thine appearance the happiness which knows
no bounds, and which has no diminution in it.
29. This day we must be placed at the front rank of the fortunate, as
we have become the object of thine advent.
30. With these and similar conversations that went on among the princes
and the sages, they proceeded to the court-hall where they took their
respective seats.
31. The king finding the best of sages (Viswámitra) so very prosperous
in his devotion, felt some hesitation to offer him the _arghya_
(honorarium) himself with his cheerful countenance.
32. He (the sage) accepted the _arghya_ offered him by the king, and
hailed him during his act of turning round (the sage), according to the
rules of Sástra.
33. Thus honoured by the king, he with a cheerful countenance asked
the Lord of men about the good health (of himself and family), and the
fulness of his finance.
34. Then coming in contact with Vasishtha, the great sage saluted him
as he deserved with a smile, and asked him about his health (and of
those in his hermitage).
35. After their interview and exchange of due courtesies had lasted
for a while to the satisfaction of all in the royal assembly;
36. They both took their respective seats; when every one (in the
court) respectfully greeted the sage of exalted prowess.
37. After the sapient sage (Viswámitra) was seated, they made various
offerings of _pádya_, _arghya_ and kine to him.
38. Having honoured Viswámitra in due form, the lord of men
condescended to address him with a gladdest mind and in submissive
terms, with his palms folded over each other.
SECTION II.
ADDRESS OF KING DASARATHA.
39. He said, “Sir, your coming here is as grateful to me as the
obtaining of nectar by one, as a rainfall after a drought, and as the
gaining of sight by the blind.”
40. Again it is as delightful to me as the getting of a son by a
childless man in his beloved wife, and coming in possession of a
treasure in a dream.
41. Your advent is no less pleasing to me than one’s meeting with the
object of his wishes, the arrival of a friend, and the recovery of
thing that was given for lost.
42. It gives me the joy that is derived from the sight of a deceased
friend suddenly returning by the way of the sky. It is thus Oh Bráhman,
I welcome your visit to me.
43. Who is there that is not glad to live in the heaven (Brahma-loka)?
I feel myself as happy Oh sage! at your advent, and this I tell you
truly.
44. (Now tell me) what is your best pleasure, and what I may do for
you; O Vipra, that are the best of the virtuous, and most properly
deserving of my services.
45. Formerly had you been famed under the title of Rájarshi (or royal
sage); but since, made glorious by dint of your asceticism, you have
been promoted to the rank of a Brahmarshi (or Brahman sage). Wherefore
you are truly the object of my worship.
46. I am so glad at your sight that it soothes my inmost soul, in the
same manner as an ablution in Gangá’s stream cheers the mind.
47. Free as you are from fears and desires, from wrath and passions and
the feelings of pleasure, pain and disease, it is very wonderful, Oh
Bráhman, that you should have recourse to me (for anything).
48. I consider myself as situated at a holy sanctuary, and absolved
from all my sins, or as merged in the lunar sphere (by your presence),
Oh! best of the learned in the truths of the Vedas.
49. I understand your appearance as that of Brahmá himself before me,
and I confess myself, O sage! to be purified and favoured by your
advent.
50. I am indeed so gratified at your arrival, that I deem myself
fortunate in this birth, and that I have not lived in vain but led a
truly good life.
51. My heart cannot contain within itself, but overflows (with joy)
like the sea at the sight of the moon, since I beheld your person here
and made my respectful obeisance to you.
52. Whatever is your commission, and whatsoever may be the object, O
greatest of sages! which has brought you hither, know it as already
granted (by me); for your commands are always to be obeyed by me.
53. You need not hesitate to communicate to me your hest, O progeny of
Kausika, there is nothing, with me which is to be kept from you, if you
should ask for it.
54. You need not dubitate about my performance of the act. I tell it
solemnly that I will execute your behest to the last item, as I take
you in the light of a superior divinity.
55. Upon hearing these sweet words (of the king), which were pleasing
to the ears, and delivered with a humility worthy of one knowing
himself, the far famed and meritorious chief of the sages felt highly
gratified in himself.