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Pūşhan is one of the Ādityās. He nourishes both the yajamāna
and the Earth. Though the home of all the Gods is high above,
ūrdhvam āyatanam, yet their main station or field of action
differs. Thus the abode of Indra, Lord of the Divine Mind,
is the Mind Station, Svar. Agni is stationed on Earth. The
Maruts belong to the mid-region, the Life-world. Similarly the
other Gods preside over their respective places and carry on their
activities. Pūşhan belongs to the third station; still his station
is taken as the Earth because he is the lord of mother Earth,
supports and nourishes her. When he nourishes by his Āditya power
the outer Earth-field, physical Matter, and the inner physical
consciousness and is himself nourished and manifest, then comes
Uşha, the Deity of the Dawn of higher Consciousness. And
when the Ashvins espouse Uşha, he adopts these
health-givers who effect increasing nourishment as parents
(10.85.14). Nourished thus, Pūşhan Āditya showers the
bounty of Indra and becomes his brother (6.55.5). Ultimately he
becomes the brother of Earth and the space (divided into quarters)
(6.58.4).
Even after the slaying of Vŗtra, the demons or Panis
obstruct the path of the sacrificer, steal or cover the knowledge
(cows); other haters of the Gods harass the devotee in his upward
course, directly or indirectly, by robbing him of his wealth-Rays,
veiling the path, showing wrong directions etc. It is here that
the work of Pūşhan is specially seen. The traffickings of the
Paņi and the like do not affect God Pūşhan. He is the
lord of the Paths pathaspati. He does not lose cattle.
Pūşhan aids in the effort of the sacrificer to reach the
sun-world, even while living (6.53.3, 6.53.5, 6.56.5).
Pūşhan nourishes the sacrificer as well as the Earth. He is the
progeny of Āditya as Indra who showers the wealth of knowledge,
light, strength; elder to Uşha, he protects the Earth;
brother of Indra, master of the route of the sacrificer, he
guards the path, searches out the sacrificer, urges his effort
(10.17.3).
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