June 14, 2017 archive

Maitreya Maharishi continued, “Brahma created Purāṇās and Itihāsas, which are also known as the fifth Veda, from all his faces put together. Then from his eastern face he created the sacrificial ritual (yāga) known as śodaśiukta. From his southern face, the yāgas Agniśṭoma and Āgniścayana emerged. From his western face Atirātra yaga and Āptoryāma yāgas emerged. From his northern face Gosava and Vājpeya yāgas manifested.

Thereafter in the same order he created the four legs of righteousness (dharma) viz., knowledge (vidya), charity (dāna), penance (tapas) and truthfulness (satya) from his 4 faces. He created the four stages of life viz., Brahmacharya, grihasta, vānaprasta and sanyasa along with their corresponding duties.

The duties pertaining to Brahmacharya (celibate) stage of life are as follows:

After the completion of the sacred thread ceremony, the boy should perform Sāvitram Vrata for 3 days. For a period of a year thereafter he should abide by the Prājapatya vrata. Until the completion of his Vedic studies he should undertake the Brahma vrata and throughout his life he should undertake the Brihat vrata. These four duties pertain to the Brahmacharya stage of life.

The rules pertaining to Grihasta (householder) stage of life are:

Vārta, sancaya, śālīna and śilonca are the four duties that should be adhered. Agriculture and other activities pertaining to earning livelihood are known as Vārta. The tools and methodologies connected to the Yagna, yāga and other rituals and earning livelihood through storage of grains etc. is known as Sancaya. Surviving without begging or seeking anything from any other being is known as śālina. Picking the grains that would have fallen to the ground during harvest and collecting the waste grains that have fallen to the ground in granaries or warehouses and surviving purely on such grains is known as śīlonca.

The rules pertaining to vānaprastha stage of life are:

Vaikhānasa, vālakhilya, audumbarah and phenapah are the classifications with the vānaprasthas. Vaikhānasas are those who consume the food that grows on uncultivated lands. Vālakhilyas give away the old stock of foodgrains as soon as they get the newer supplies. Those who obtain their foodgrains only from that direction which they face when they wake up in the morning and remain content with it are known as Audumbaras. Those who live only on fruits that have fallen on their own are known as Phenapah.

The rules pertaining to sanyasa (renunciate) stage of life are:

Kuṭicaka, bahudaka, hamsa and paramahamsa are the four classifications within this. He who lives in a fixed place and who diligently follows the renunciate rules laid down is Kuṭicaka. He performs actions only as much as needed and focuses exclusively on the path of knowledge is known as bahudaka. He who is totally dedicated towards acquiring supreme knowledge is known as hamsa.  A highly knowledgeable being is known as paramahamsa.

Previously, from the eastern face of Brahma emerged the knowledge that leads towards liberation i.e. Self-knowledge known as Anvīkshiki Vidya. From the southern face emerged the Trayī vidya, which explains about actions and the resultant fruits including the fruits of heaven. From his western face the knowledge called Vārta which is the knowledge of agriculture and trading. From his northern face the knowledge of kingly administration manifested.

The mystical invocations known as Bhuh, Bhuvah, Suvah also emerged. The Pranava or OM-kara manifested from the heart-space of Lord Brahma. From the hairs on his body the Ushnik chandas (vedic meter), from his skin the Gayatri chandas, from his muscles the trishṭup chandas and from his nerves anusṭhup chandas emerged.

From his bones Jagati chandas, from his bone-marrow Pankti chandas and from his life-force (prana) Brhati chandas manifested. His soul transformed into the vowels (swara) and body into consonants (vyanjana) of the alphabets.

The alphabets śa, ṣa, sa, ha which are known as ūśma varna transformed into his indriyas (10 senses). Ya, ra, la, va which are known as antastha varna became his strength (balam). From his pleasurable activities emerged the seven notes of music i.e. shadja, rishabha, gandhara, madhyama, panchama, dhaivata and nishada.

This Lord is both manifest and unmanifest form of the sound. Sound passes through four different stages of transformation. He is the sound that has manifests externally in the form of the vaikhari. This is the audible sound. In his unmanifested form he is the stages of Para, Pasyanti and Madhyama vak (the inner transformations which precede the external audible manifestation). Lord Brahma however is beyond manifested and unmanifested sound.

Through his innumerable energies he manifests in innumerable forms. Seated in the intellect he illumines in the form of the universe.

After creating sound Brahma discarded the earlier body which had lustful desires and accepted another body. He now firmly decided to expand the creation. Although Marichi and his other sons were supremely capable, they did not help in expanding the creation. Brahma realized this.

He thought within himself, “Aha! What a wonder! I have been trying endlessly to create and expand this creation. Even then this creation does not multiply. Destiny does not favour me. This is a fact. It is undoubtedly true.”

He now prayed to the Lord to shower His benevolent grace upon him. At that time his body split into two. Simultaneously a male and a female form emerged from him. ‘Ka’ is the symbolic representation for Lord Brahma. As these two forms emerged from his body, they are jointly known as ‘Kāyam’.

The man was Swāyambhuva Manu. He became the emperor of the entire universe. The woman was Shatarupa. She was the wife of Swayambhuva Manu. From then on, through this husband-wife relationship the population has been expanding.

The couple Swāyambhuva Manu and Shatarupa had five children. Priyavrata and Uttānapada were his sons. Ākuti, Devahuti and Prasuti were his daughters. Swāyambhuva Manu offered his daughter ākuti to Maharishi Ruci Prajapati in marriage. Devahuti was given in marriage to Kardama Prajāpati and Prasuti was given to Daksha Prajapati.

Through the offspring born to these holy couples, population increased in this creation.

With this the twelfth chapter of the third canto comes to an end.

Narayanaya namah

Keshavāya namah

Rudra obediently abided by the dictates of his father. He created innumerable progeny who were akin to him in appearance, strength and ferocious nature. In no time his valourous children, the Rudra-ganas began to swallow the entire universes. Brahma was worried and frightened seeing this situation and resolved that this problem had to be solved without any delay.

Immediately he called Rudra and said, “O Supreme amongst Devatas! With fiery flames that emanate from their eyes, your children are burning everything contained in all directions of this universe, including me. Enough of this creation. Now bring it to an end.

Instead now you focus on penance which will cause well-being of all living entities. May good befall you! With the power of penance you will be able to create as before.

Tapasaiva paraṁ jyotir bhagavantam adhokṣajam

Sarva-bhūta-guhāvāsam añjasā vindate pumān

 Srihari is that form of radiance which illumines everything. He is the inner witness who resides within the heart of every being. He cannot be found through any ascertained external proofs (pramāna). Only through penance the human being can experience Him as his inner Self (ātma). Now you undertake penance (tapas) seeking the well-being of all living entities”.

Rudra accepted the command of his father. He bowed at the feet of his father and went into the forest for penance. After Rudra’s departure Brahma began contemplating about continuing creation in accordance with the knowledge that he had obtained from Lord Srihari.

When he was thus contemplating about creation, 10 sons were born to him. They were Marichi, Atri, Angirasa, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrigu, Vashishta, Daksha and Narada.

Narada was born from the lap of Brahma. Daksha was born from the thumb, Vashishta was born from the life-force (prāṇa), Bhrigu was born from Brahma’s skin, Kratu was born from his hand.

Pulaha was born from Brahma’s navel, Pulastya was born from his ear, Angirasa was born from the mouth, Atri was born from his eyes while Marichi was born from his mind.

Thereafter from Brahma’s right breast Dharma-prajāpati (lord of righteousness) was born. The Supreme Lord Narayana was born as the son of dharma. Adharma (unrighteousness) was born from Brahma’s back. From Adharma the God of death, who could cause tremendous fear to all worlds, emerged.

From Brahma’s heart lust and desires (kāma) were born. Anger was born from his eyebrows. Greed was born from his lower lip. Power of speech (vāk) was born from his face.

From his organs of reproduction, ocean was born. Nivriti (evil) was born from his anus. This Nivrtiti is the residence for sins.

From Brahma’s shadow was born Kardama Prajapati, the husband of pious Devahuti. This entire universe was born out of Brahma’s body and mind”.

Maitreya Maharishi further continued, “O Vidura! Brahma was totally infatuated with the beauty of Goddess Saraswati. However she did not have any such feelings towards him.

Marichi and other saints noticed that their father’s mind was tilting towards unrighteousness. With the confidence that he would adhere to their advice, they approached Brahma and said, “O Father! None amongst the Brahmas who existed in earlier creations has ever committed such a deed. None of the Brahmas who will exist in future creations will attempt such a deed.

Although you are supremely capable, you are unable to control your lustful feelings. You now have lustful desires towards your own daughter. How strange this is! You are the father of all the universes. You are the one who bestows knowledge. Seeking their well-being, people in the creation adhere to your footsteps always. Through this deed of yours, even though you are the noblest person you will have to face dishonor.

Tasmai namo bhagavate ya idaṁ svena rociṣā

Ātma-sthaṁ vyañjayām āsa sa dharmaṁ pātum arhati

The Lord has, through His power of intent, externally projected this universe which inherently exists within Him. To such Supreme Lord we offer our obeisance. He alone is capable of protecting dharma”.

Hearing these words uttered by his sons, Brahma was ashamed. He instantaneously gave up his body. That body which had developed association with unrighteousness (adharma), now merged into the 4 directions (dik). This transformed into fog, dew and darkness.

After some period of time once when Brahma was pondering about continuing creation in a proper procedure as before, the 4 Vedas emerged from his four faces. Not only this! The four priestly duties (ritwika-karma) viz., hota, adhvaryu, udhgāta and Brahma, elaborate methodologies for performance of the four sacrificial duties such as yagna (Vaidika karma), the four sub-branches of the Vedas (Upa-Vedas), the scripture on ethics and morals (niti-shastra), the four feet (sections) of dharma, the four stages of life viz., Brahmacharya, Grihasta, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa and their corresponding  rules of righteousness also emerged”.

Vidura then questioned, “O tapo nidhi! O Supreme One! You have said that Brahma, the lord of all Prajapatis, created the 4 Vedas from his 4 faces. Which Veda emerged from which face? Kindly explain.”

Maitreya Maharishi replied, “From Brahma’s eastern face Rig-veda manifested. From his southern face Yajur veda was born. From the western face Sama veda and from his northern face Atharva veda manifested.

According to Vedic tradition, in a Yagna (sacrificial ritual) there are 4 priests viz., hota, adhvaryu, udgāta and Brahma. Each represents one Veda. Hota chants the hymns from the Rig-veda. These emerged from Brahma’s eastern face. Adhvaryu chants hymns from Yajur veda and follows the procedure laid in it. These emerged from Brahma’s southern face. Udgāta glorifies the Lord through Sāma veda which manifested from Brahma’s western face. The actual process of Yagna is overseen by the priest called Brahma. He also supervises the expiatory process for any mistakes. This knowledge emerged from Lord Brahma’s northern face.

Thereafter from Lord Brahma’s eastern face Ayurveda (knowledge of medicine) emerged. From His southern face Dhanurveda (knowledge of archery) emerged. From his western face Gandharva veda or knowledge of music manifested and from his northern face knowledge of architecture (shilpa Shastra) manifested”.

Nārāyaṇāya namah