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We illustrate the spiritual interpretation by means of several
riks. In all of them, if we pay attention to every word in
them, the only meaningful explanation is the spiritual one. Rik (1.22.20) to Vişhņu
This verse is part of the subhymn to Vişhņu made of six verses,
(1.22.16) through (1.22.21), well-known as the shadvaişhņavam.
tad vişhņoĥ paramam padam sadā pashyanti sūrayaĥ, divīva
chakşhur ātatam.
Literal translation: The wise always see the highest
station paramam padam of Vişhņu like an eye extended in
heaven.
We have to explain Vişhņu and the phrase ‘supreme station’
paramam padam. God Vişhņu mentioned in the rik is
explained to be the sun. So for so good. This Vişhņu is Sūrya,
indeed, but not the sun in the physical universe. Why? For
otherwise, the highest step would be the meridian in the
sky reached by the sun in its daily round; and the rişhi
says that the wise see him always. Now how can the solar orb be
found always at the meridian in the sky? And that too visible only
to the wise? If it were just the physical sun, the meridian
reached by him would be visible to the others also who are not
wise; why should it be said that it is visible to the wise?
There can be no doubt whatever that it is something uncommon,
beyond the physical senses, a matter pertaining to the direct
realization of the Wise. Otherwise, to say that the wise always
see the sun in the meridian of the sky would be utterly fanciful
and incoherent babble. It is because of its uncommon character
that the Supreme Abode is said to be always seen by the Wise like
an eye fully extended in the heaven.
The rik (1.50.10) to Sūrya due to seer Praskaņva
udvayam tamasaspari jyotish pashyanta uttaram
devam devatra sūryamaganma jyotir uttamam.
This verse occurs in several veda samhitās and also
in Ch. U. (3.17.7)
The literal translation: Beholding the loftier Light that springs
up above the Darkness tamas we have come to the Sun, the
God among Gods, the most excellent (loftiest) Light.
The indologists explain this hymn as referring to the birth of sun
in the morning. This view holds no water in view of the adjectives
like loftier Light etc.
Sāyaņa quotes from the brāhmaņās in explaining that the
word tamas signifies sin. In that case, the Sun cannot be
the sun of the physical world. Sāyaņa himself, commenting on the
fourth quarter, says that seer Praskaņva speaks of conscious
union, sāyujyam with the Sun. In this rik, then,
there is an unmistakable mention of the supreme Light that
transcends the senses and is signified by the word Sūrya, Sun. It
is also to be noted that here in this mantra, whatever the
interpretation, the Sun referred to is not simply the physical sun
of our system, and this is clear.
We have instanced two riks-one devoted to Vişhņu as Sūrya,
the Sun and the other to the Sun-God as the highest Light-to show
the theory, that the Sun and the other Gods are really nothing but
phenomena of Nature, cannot be sustained.
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