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Hymn 28: Life, mind and body;
the yogic symbolism
Rishi: Shunashepaĥ Ajīgarti
MANTRA (1.28.1): HUMAN BODY AS A
MORTAR
The broad-based stone
Is placed high above for pressing
the Soma;
There, O Indra, drink the pourings
of mortar with eagerness.
yatra grāvā pŗthubudhna
where, stone, wide,
ūrdhvo
bhavati sotave;
based, high, is ,to press out,
ulūkhala sutānām aved indra
jalgulaĥ.
mortar, pressed, below, Indra,
drink.
Details:
In the traditional
anukramaņika, this sūkta is addressed to the
deities ulūkhalamusala, i.e., pestle and mortar, whereas
there is no mention of musala or pestle in the text. In
the ritual both the pestle and mortar used in pressing the Soma
herb are made of wood. However this hymn begins with the word
"grāva' or stone. Hence the rişhi of this hymn is
hinting at an esoteric interpretation and not the traditional
interpretation of pestle and mortar.
Since S and other
commentators interpret this hymn as dealing with the extraction
of Soma, we will first briefly describe the extraction of Soma
juice from the herb in a ritual. There are three steps. First
the Soma is struck with stone, then the crushed Soma is pressed
between two platters to extract the Soma juice; then the Soma
juice is purified using a strainer or filter. Finally it is
offered to the devās either using fire or water. Note
Soma is not extracted in the mortar; it is done only between the
two platters. Again the phrase pŗthubudhna broad-based is
completely inappropriate in a ritual context. There are similar
discrepencies in all the nine riks for a ritualistic
interpretation.
The second half of the first four
riks, “O Indra drink with eagerness the pourings of the
mortar,'' suggests a need for a symbolic interpretation. The
stone in this verse refers to Indra's weapon vajra,
and the adjective, "high above', is appropriate for it. The
mortar, ulūkhala, occurring in the first four riks
means the human body which presses out the Soma or bliss or
ānanda whenever action is done. The purport is: Indra, as
well as the vajra, is high above, in the world dyu
or svar. He is called upon to come down and drink the
Soma dripping from the mortar or the subtle body of the seeker.
Note grāvaņa
occurs in other hymns such as (10.94) with the same
interpretation as above. More details are in the note at the end
of this hymn.
MANTRA (1.28.2): MIND AND LIFE,
THE TWO PLATTERS
The two platters are placed closely like two hips.
O Indra, drink with eagerness the effusions
of the
body (mortar).
yatra dvāviva jaghana
adhişhavaņya kŗtā;
where, like two, hips, the
platters, are laid,
ulūkhala sutānām aved
indra
jalgulaĥ.
same as before.
Details:
The two platters are symbols of
heaven and earth. They symbolise the mind and life in the body
or knowledge and activity. These two together receive the
rasa or Soma given by the mortar of the material body and
offer it to the Gods.
MANTRA (1.28.3): PATHS OF ASCENT
AND DESCENT
Where the woman (power of soul)
learns the paths of the ascent and descent of the yogic forces;
There, O Indra, drink with
eagerness the profusion (the delight) from the mortar (subtle
body).
yatra nāri apachyavam
upachyava m cha shikşhate;
where, woman, down-path, up-path,
and, learns,
ulūkhala sutānām aved indra
jalgulaĥ.
same as before.
Details:
nāri,
the woman, stands for the conscious power of the soul, nara.
This power watches the yogic process of the force getting down
from above, upachyava, and the force of the being going
up or above, apachyava. Thus the divine force is
distributed allover. The soul of the sacrificer, the woman, here
learns, shikşhate, the secret of the yogic action. This
secret is fulfilled in pressing out the juice, the delight of
all experience, to be offered to the great God Indra.
MANTRA (1.28.4): CHURNING OF THE
BODY
Where they fasten the churning
staff with a rope as one controls (the horse) with reins,
O Indra, drink with
eagerness the effusions of mortar.
yatra manthām vibadhnate
rashmīn yamitavā iva ;
where, the churning staff, tie,
reins, to control, like,
ulūkhala sutānām aved indra
jalgulaĥ.
Same as before.
Details:
In the external rite, the Soma
juice is churned by a churning staff and rope so that it is
mixed with milk, curds or corn, yava. Even today the
butter is churned out from the curds in this way in some houses
in India. In the inner sacrifice, the spinal cord in the human
body is made like a churning rod and it helps in the preparation
of Soma.
The body is to be controlled so
that it can hold the Soma of delight pressed out. Thus the first
four riks mention the implements and the actions ending
in the extraction of the pure delight from the subtle body of
the sacrificer, the mortar.
As noted
earlier the pestle is not mentioned indicating that mortar and
pestle cannot be the usual implements used in rituals.
MANTRA (1.28.5): THE MORTAR AND
THE VICTORY SOUND
O mortar, even though you are set
in every house,
Here, give forth the resplendent
sound, like the drum of a victor.
yachchidhdi tvam gŗhe gŗha
ulūkhalaka yujyase;
even though, you, in house, house,
O mortar, (you are) yoked,
iha dyumat tamam vada jayatām
iva
dundubhiĥ.
here, luminous , superb, make
sound, victory, like, drum.
Details:
This and the next four riks
celebrate the ritual of pressing the Soma juice. Again the
mortar is the body.
The purport is: O body, though you
are inert, you bring to birth the Soma. Let there be a
cry of victory since you have acquired knowledge.
In the
ritualist interpretation, the phrase,” resplendent sound like
that of a victor'' has no meaning. Where is the victory? In the
esoteric sense, the sound of victory is appropriate in view of
the great action namely the release of the Soma or delight.
MANTRA (1.28.6): THE LIFE IS
SPURRED TO ACTION
O lord of the forest, the wind
blows fast in front of you;
O mortar, press forth the Soma for
Indra so that he may drink,
uta sma te vanaspate vāto
vivāti
agram it;
again, ., your, lord of the forest,
wind, blows , in the front, .,
atho indrāya pātave sunu
somam
ulūkhala.
then, for Indra, to drink, press,
the Soma, mortar.
Details:
Human body is called as
vanaspati, lord of the woods, since the products of the
forest like bulbs, roots, fruits, etc., maintain the body.
The purport is: your powerful,
executive, life is spurred to action in front; Vāyu denotes the
executive aspect of life and he blows fast. Therefore press out
or release the Soma, the essence of all experience, hidden in
the dense regions of the body.
vivāti + sma:
(wind) blows fast indeed.
MANTRA (1.28.7): THE LIFE AND
MIND, THE TWO STEEDS
All over the sacrifice, the life
and mind in the body, exceedingly powerful, sport again and
again like
The two horses of Indra
eating the foods (noisily).
āyajī vājasā tamā tā hy
uchchā
vijarbhŗtaĥ;
all over in the sacrifice,
powerful, exceedingly, those, indeed, loudly, sport again and
again,
harī iva andhāmsi
bapsatā.
horses, like, foods, eating.
Details:
Note that which sports again and
again is not mentioned explicitly. In particular, pestle is not
mentioned. Here it refers to the vanaspati, the life and
mind in the body.
The two are compared to the horses
to Indra. They are exultant and are endowed with the
power of enjoyment.
MANTRA (1.28.8): PRESSERS OF
SOMA
O lords of the forest, O mighty
ones, into the mighty pressers,
Press out the most sweet Soma for
Indra.
tā no adya vanaspatī ŗşhvau
ŗşhvebhiĥ sotŗbhiĥ;
you both , our, now, lords of the
forest , best, with the great , pressers,
indrāya madhumat sutam .
for Indra, sweet substance (Soma),
press out.
Details:
Again life and mind are referred to
as Vanaspatī, lords of the forest in plural. The life and
mind in the body are endowed with high strength. They are called
upon to press the Soma for acceptance by Indra.
MANTRA (1. 28.9): YOGIC SECRET
Hold the remains in the chamasa
bowls; pour the Soma in the filter
And set the residue on the cow
hide, the physical frame of a human.
uchchhişhţam chamvor bhara
somam pavitra ā sŗja;
remains after pressing, chamasa
bowls, collect, Soma, in the filter,., pour,
nidhehi gor adhi
tvachi.
set, cow or ray of light, above,
hide.
Details:
I will copy
here the commentary of KS on this verse appearing in the CWKS,
Vol.1, pp.119.
“In the inner sacrifice, the
chamu or the chamasa is a bowl and the two bowls are
nothing but the cups of the vital body and the mental body which
were referred to by the symbolic platters, adhişhavaņīya,
which were used for the extraction of the essence of Soma,
rasa. But now, when the process is complete, they are
referred to as separated vessels or bowls to signify the yogic
secret that though life and mind function in the body as part of
it, they are really separate entities and are separated by the
yoga force for adjustment in the new set-up for the consummation
of the yoga. The juice of delight is taken up in the two bowls
of life and mind and is then poured into the kalasha
which is the material body. The residue of Soma, with
juice churned out, is kept in the hide of the cow, go tvachi,
which is the covering and protection of the Ray of Light in the
physical frame of man.''
Note: A natural question is whether
the interpretations offered by KS for the key words like
grāvā, stone, ulūkhala, mortar, adhişhavanīya,
platters, chamasa, bowls etc., have any basis in our
tradition? or are these only imaginations of KS?
The answer to this question is
considered in great detail by KS in CWKS, Vol.1, pp. 108-123, in
English and CWKS. Vol.5, pp. 63-73 in Sanskrit. We give below
only brief excerpts.
chamasa:
bowl: It occurs in the Bŗhadāraņyaka U. (2.2.3), “ a bowl
chamasa with its base, budhnaĥ, above, ūrdhva,
and the opening below.'' This passage is discussed in some
detail both by the Upanishad and the shatapatha brāhmaņa
whose last chapter is this Upanishad. The great commentator
Shankara states in his commentary of this verse, “what is this
chamasa with hole below and base above? It is the head
which is above like a chamasa bowl and the mouth is the
aperture below. In this bowl is placed the All-form. Just as
Soma is kept in the bowl, the Universe of the forms or the
All-form is set on the head''. [CWKS, Vol.1, p.120]
budhna:
foundation or base; KS quotes four or five references in RV
(4.2.5, 1.169.6, 10.47.3) where this word can be interpreted as
only foundation.
grāvā,
stone: KS quotes about ten references in RV where this word is
regarded as Indra's vajra which is the symbol for
the thunder voice of Indra. "Stone' voices with the sound
of singer's chant (1.83.6). It is called as a voiceful stone
laid on the altar (5.31.4), a variegated stone set in the midst
of heaven (5.47.3).
kalasha,
beaker: Vāmadevā hymn
(4.27.5) clearly states that the kalasha refers certainly
to the body. This verse is quoted in the Upanishads also;
prāņāgnihotra U., “sharīra yajňasya.....
droņokalashaĥ''. This refers to the yajňa or sacrifice of
the body and the anointing of the body with the rays of light.
These excerpts are sufficient for
establishing the fact that the ancient scriptures, Upanishads
and brāhmaņas, indicate the spiritual interpretation of
the Vedic hymns. Recall the famous passage in Bŗhad araņyaka
U. (4.2.2), that “the Gods like symbolic or indirect reference,
aparokşha priyaĥdevaĥ''.
The purport of the hymn is: Let the
Soma juice be deposited for Indra in the pure body, the
perfect vessel, denoted by the wooden jar. The pressed Soma
in the platters of life and mind, the two bowls, is taken,
poured into the bowls and poured into the pure place (pavitra)
above the body for purification. This sap so purified and
cultured should be deposited in the material body denoted by the
wooden jar. |
