As Lord of the Universe, Sri Krishna became wedded to the eightfold
energies of Prakriti, His eight principal wives, so that he might
influence, through them, individuals formed by these divisions of
Prakritis. These energies are: --
1. _Rukmini_ or Mula Prakriti, Buddhi.
2. _Jamba-vati_ or Mahat, Universal mind.
3. _Satya-bhama_ or Ahankara.
4. _Kalindi_ or Akasa-Tanmattra, sound, Akasa.
5. _Mitra Vinda_ or Vayu-Tanmatra, Touch, Air.
6. _Satya_ or _Nagnajiti_, Agni-Tanmatra, Form, Fire.
7. _Bhadra_, Ap-Tanmatra, Taste, Water.
8. _Lakshana_, Kshiti-Tanmatra, smell, Earth.
The Energies of Prakriti have a double tendency, one of lower
transformation, of materialisation, of descent and another of higher
transformation, of spiritualisation, of ascent. Sri Krishna, by His
Avatarship, attracted to Himself the higher tendency of all the energies
of Prakriti. This is how he was wedded to all the aspects of Prakriti.
Rukmini is the spiritual energy of Mula Prakriti. Read the talk between
Krishna and Rukmini (X. 80).
The legend of the Syamantaka jewel is a mysterious one. It was the gift
of the Sun-God. It used to produce gold every day.
The Hiranya-Garbha Purusha of Vedic Upasana has its seat inside the
Sun-God. "The Purusha inside Aditya." This Purusha is the Adhi-daiva of
Bhagavat Gita, as explained by Sankaracharya. All the Devas proceed from
_Him_. He is the one Deva, also called Prana. (Vide Yajnavalkya's answer
to Sakala Brihat Aranyaka Upanishad III. 9.) Hiranya is gold.
Hiranya-garbha is that which has gold in its womb. The Syamantaka jewel
gave protection against diseases, accidents, and other dangers. These
are all the results of Hiranya-garbha Upasana. Syamantaka represents
Hiranyagarbha Upasana.
Sri Krishna wanted that this Upasana should be replaced by the Upasana
of Ishvara.
The jewel was lost. It was carried away by some religious movement,
represented as a lion.
Jamba-vat snatched it from the Lion. Jambavat, the bear king, was one of
the chief allies of Sugriva. He was the oldest in years and the wisest
in counsel.
"When Vamana stepped over the three Lokas, I made a respectful circuit
round Him." Ramayana Kishkindha Kanda. Chap. 64-15.
"When Vamana became an Avatara I moved round the earth twenty one times.
I threw plants into the Sea which yielded Amrita by churning. Now I am
old." Ramayana Kishkindha Kanda Chap. 65-32.
While Rama was about to ascend to heaven he addressed the old Jambavat,
as a son of Brahma, and asked him to stay behind till the approach of
Kali -- Uttara Kanda. Chap. 121-34.
Jambavat represents a very old religious movement, which was out of date
even in Rama's time.
Hiranyagarbha Upasana became old and a thing of the past. But however
hoary it might be with years, it was holy with the traditions of the
Vedas and though Krishna had no direct hand in its disappearance, people
thought the disappearance was the outcome of His Avatarship. To save His
reputation, Krishna restored the jewel from Jambavat, but it could not
long remain in the hands of Satrajit. Vedic Upasana did survive. But it
survived only in Vedic Sandhya and Gayatri, which were represented by
Akrura.
Krishna was wedded to Jambavati, the spiritual energy of Mahat.
Satya-bhama is the spiritual energy of Ahankara. She holds the Vina,
with the seven notes of differentiation. The Vedas proceed from these
notes and also all departments of knowledge, Satyabhama is the goddess
of learning.
There is not much to say about the five other principal wives.
The last of these wives, Lakshana, represents the spiritual energy of
earth. Coming down to earth, we proceed to Naraka, son of Earth. The
word Naraka literally means Hell, hence gross materiality. We have found
that the Purana writers place Naraka below the Patalas. Sixteen thousand
girls representing all earthly and material energies had been snatched
away by Naraka. They all became wedded to Sri Krishna.
_Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha._
The following correspondences were given by Kapila to his mother
Devahuti. (III. 26 ).
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_Upasya_ _Adhibhuta_ _Adhyatma_ _Adhideva_
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Vasudeva Mahat Chitta Kshetrajna
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Sankarsana Ahankara Ahankara Rudra
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Aniruddha Manas Manas The Moon god
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Pradyumna Buddhi Buddhi Brahma
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_Chitta_ is transparent, without transformation, and calm, even as the
first state of water. III. 26. XXI.
"Transparent" -- capable of of receiving the image Bhagavat.
"Without transformation" -- without indolence and distraction.
_Sridhara_
Chitta is the abode of Bhagavat, _i.e._ Bhagavat is perceived by Chitta.
III. 26. XX.
Differences cause many-sidedness and distraction.
Ahankara Tatva brings differences into manifestation.
Beyond the plane of Ahankara Tatva, is the plane of Mahat.
Mahat literally means big, great, universal.
It is the plane of universal manifestation.
The mind is universal on this plane. As soon as the One Purusha wished
to be many, Prakriti gave rise to the Mahat transformation and Mahat
took up the wish to be many. It was one, but it had the potency of
becoming many. The whole universe that was to manifest itself was
mirrored in Mahat, and was the subject matter of one thought, the
thought of one who had the universe for his body. During the period of
creation, Mahat soon transformed itself into Ahankara, the Tatva of
differences. Ahankara gave rise to different bodies, different minds and
different faculties; individuals appeared and they started on separate
lines of manifestation and of evolution.
On their homeward journey, individuals again reach the plane of Mahat,
when they rise above all differences, lose all sense of personality and
carry their experiences to the plane of the Universe. Their thoughts
then become thoughts of the Universe, guided by one feeling, that of
compassion for those that remain behind. There is no thought of self, no
distraction, no impurity, it is all calm and tranquil; such a mind is
called _Chitta_ by Kapila. This Chitta is the abode of peace, the abode
of Bhagavat.
Bhagavat, when reflected on Chitta, is VASUDEVA. He is the Purusha
seated on Ananta.
SANKARSANA is Bhagavat as reflected on Ahankara. He is called Ananta or
endless, as there is no end of individuals. He is Bhagavat as manifested
in every individual and may be called, in one sense, the Purusha of
Individual souls. Balarama is said to be an incarnation of Sankarshana.
As individuals proceed in their course of life journeys, they become
crystallised into separate entities, with a strong sense of personality.
The inner self, the real self, runs the risk of becoming swallowed up by
the outer self, the Upadhi of individuality. The point is reached, when
individuals are to be drawn back to their homes, their real selves.
Therefore Balarama used the plough to draw in others. This is a process
of destruction. The material nature is gradually destroyed in us.
Therefore Balarama is also called an incarnation of Rudra or Siva
according to Vaishnava texts. He is Rudra Himself. The fire from the
mouth of Sankarshana burns the Triloki at Pralaya. Sankarshana literally
means "he who draws in completely." The process of Pralaya has already
set in. The whole process of spiritual ascent is a process of material
Pralaya. According to some therefore, Vishnu and Siva united to form
Harihara, at the time of the Great Churning, when this process first set
in. When individuals throw off their material garb, or when, by Pralayic
force, their material cover is forcibly removed, they become fit to be
gathered together and to become merged at Pralaya in the One.
PRADYUMNA is the wish of Bhagavat, as imprinted on the course of
universal evolution. He is the wish of God. When the one wished to be
many, He represented that wish and gave the entire turn to the course of
evolution, that it might adopt itself to that wish. Individuals
multiplied. Desires became many and all actions became Sakama. Pradyumna
was then called Kamadeva, the God of Love, or desire.
When the course of descent was arrested, Kamadeva was destroyed by fire
from the forehead of Siva. He appeared again, but this time he appeared
as the son of Krishna. The wish of his father now was to be one again,
for He had already become many, as many as the Karma of the previous
Kalpa would allow. And Pradyumna had to impress this wish upon
individuals generally, so that the ascent of matter to spirit might be
universal.
According to Kapila, Pradyumna is reflected on Buddhi. Buddhi is defined
by him as that faculty by which objects are perceived. Doubt, false
understanding, true understanding, memory and sleep, these are the
indications of that faculty. (III. 26. XXVIII, XXIX).
ANIRUDDHA is the son of Pradyumna. According to Kapila, he is reflected
on Manas, the faculty of Sankalpa and Vikalpa. Sankalpa in Sankhya
terminology is the first or general idea of a thing.
Vikalpa is the idea of the peculiarity of a thing. Thus when I cast a
passing glance at a man, I know nothing of him except that he is a man.
But when I look at him carefully, I know his peculiarities and can
differentiate him from others.
The first idea is the idea of a thing in its primity or dawn.
The second idea is the idea of its peculiarities. It is the second idea
which gives rise to likes and dislikes.
In the course of ascent, we must carry general ideas. We must rise from
particulars to generals. The mind will thus be freed from the burden of
personal and material thoughts.
Aniruddha became wedded to Usha or Dawn. He is Bhagavat as perceived by
Manas.
*END OF THE TENTH SKANDHA.*