Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are the three aspects of the Second Purusha.
Brahma brings into manifestation the Prajapatis, and the Prajapatis
bring into manifestation the individuals and life forms. The other
Prajapatis mostly represent the principles that enter into the
constitution of life-forms, while Daksha represents the combination of
principles forming a life unit.
Daksha had sixteen daughters -- thirteen he gave in marriage to Dharma,
one to Agni, one to the Pitris and one to Siva.
Agni or the god of Fire is the Rupa or form-giving Deva. Fire is used in
sacrifice, because it changes the form of things offered and makes them
acceptable to the gods by change of form.
If Agni represents Rupa Devas or Devas with forms, Dharma might
represent Arupa Devas or Devas without forms.
The Pitris, of whom four classes are only mentioned (Agnishvatvas,
Barhishads, Saumyas and Ajyapas), are also divided into two classes, --
one with fire and one without fire.
The attendants of Siva were dwellers of the astral or Bhuvar plane.
For the sake of convenient reference we shall call the dwellers of
Svarga Loka Devas and the dwellers of Bhuvar Loka, Astrals. The
different classes of Devas and Astrals are described in the 20th.
chapter of the 4th. Skandha. The Devas and Astrals were brought into
manifestation by Daksha, whose position in creation was next to that of
Brahma. Therefore all stood up to receive him at the sacrifice except
Brahma.
Siva first appeared as Kumara Nila Lohita or Rudra. And all beings
thereafter got the potentiality of dissolution, phenomenal change, death
and decay. But in the first stage of life process, phenomenal change,
decay or dissolution was not in requisition, as Monads went on in their
downward journey, not by dissolution, but by evolution. They remained
what they were, and they acquired in addition a more material form. As
the material form became prominent the Deva form and the astral form
became suppressed.
Consciousness in Deva form manifests itself as mind, in the astral form
as animal desire and sense perception. In the mineral form it can hardly
shew itself.
Siva works out the decay and dissolution of mineral matter, so that the
astral element may once more assert itself and there may be sense
perception in the mineral metamorphosed into the vegetable. The process
is carried further in the animal kingdom, and the animals get a
constitution in which Kama or animal desire can manifest itself. The
animals evolve themselves by death. Death frees them from the trammels
of one set of experience, and carries them onwards till the human body
is reached.
The work of dissolution proceeds in various ways. Our sleep is partial
dissolution. It is brought on by the astral attendants of Siva.
Dissolution is caused by Tamas. Tamas begets inaction, and inaction
causes death and decay. There is no phenomenal change without
dissolution, death or decay.
There are so many material tendencies in us that they require rejection.
Siva gives us the power of rejection, as Vishnu, the power of
preservation -- preservation of all that is good in us. Death makes the
man, where moral teachings fail, The Consort of Siva is the Energy
through Whom He guides the life process of Monads or Jivas. In the first
stage of life process She is called Sati or the Lasting. For the body of
the Jiva was lasting during the period of evolution. But Her mission was
to act on the Monad itself, to cause the material tendency in it by
means of Tamas.
In the second stage, She is the Energy of dissolution, death and
phenomenal change. In the third stage, she is over and above that the
Energy of rejection (of all that is evil in us.) She is the kind mother,
who has been nourishing all Jivas in their course of evolution.
When the Mineral form was reached by the primal elemental Jiva, the
creative process had done its work and the process of dissolution was to
assert itself. There was to be a revolution in the life process. Sati
gave up her own nature and became re-born in another character in the
Mineral Kingdom. The creative process was materially changed. Daksha
lost his original head, and he acquired the head of a goat. The goat
symbolises sexual connection. All this happened during the reign of
Prachina-Barhis. The Prachetas brothers were his sons. Daksha reappeared
as the son of the Prachetas brothers.
The Adityas or gods of preservation who formed Daksha were Pushava and
Bhaga. They were the preserving deities of the first stage of life
process. When the next stage came in, they lost their activity. This
explains the breaking of teeth and the uprooting of eyes of two of the
Adityas. The subjoined Table of correspondences taken from the 11th.
Chapter of the Twelfth Skandha shews that Pushana and Bhaga correspond
to the months of Pausha (December) and Magha (January) when the rays of
the sun are the least powerful. These Adityas preserve Jivas in their
downward course. Pushana was a favorite god of the Aryan shepherd.
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NO MONTH ADITYA RISHI YAKSHA RAKSHAS NAGA GANDHARVA APSARAS
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1. Chaitra Dhatri Pulastya Rathravit Heti. Vasuki. Tumburu. Kritusthali.
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2. Baisaka Aryaman Pulaha Athaujas. Praheti. Kachnira Narada Punjikasthali.
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3. Jyaistha Mitra. Atri Rathasvana Paurusheya Takshaka Haha. Menaka.
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4. Asarha Varuna. Vasistha. Chitrasvana Sahajayna Sukra. Huhu. Rambha.
(Sahajanya)
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5. Sravana Indra. Angiras. Sroti. Varya Elaptara Visvavasu Pramlocha.
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6. Bhadra Vivasvat Bhrigu. Asarana. Vyaghra. Sankhahala Ugrasena. Anumlocha.
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7. Magha Pushan. Gautama. Suruchi. Vata. Dhanjaya. Sushena. Ghritachi.
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8. Falguna Parjanya Bharadhvaja Ritu. Vorcha. Airavatra Visva. Senajit.
(Savitri)
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9. Agrahayana Ansu. Kasyapa. Ritusena. Vidyatsatru Mahasankha Ritusena. Urvasi.
(Vidhatri)
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10. Pausha. Bhaga. Kratu. Urna. Sphurja. Karkotaka. Arishtanemi Purvachitti
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11. Asvina Tvastri. Jamadagni. Satajit. Brahmapeta. Kambala. Dhritarashtra Tilottama.
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12. Kartika Vishnu. Visvamitra. Satyajit. Makhapeta. Asvatara. Suryyavarcha. Rambha.
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