DITYA HRDAYAM - PART 9
natyea vai bhta tadeva sjati prabhu |
pyatyea tapatyea vartyea gabhastibhi || (22)
ea supteu jgarti bhteu parinihita |
ea evgnihotra ca phala caivgnihotrim || (23)
vedca kratavacaiva krtn phlameva ca |
yni ktyni lokeu sarva ea raviprabhu || (24)
Meaning:
22) natyea vai This (Brahmans minuscule form, the sun ) causes destruction;
bhta - entire living beings (universe); tadeva sjati (again) re-creates those beings;
prabhu - Brahman (contextually, the sun); pyatyea He drinks water (subtly
conveys the evaporation of water); tapatyea He causes heat; vartyea He causes
rain; gabhastibhi - rays of sun;
23) ea He; supteu during sleep; jgarti during active state; bhteu - entire living
beings (universe); parinihita - within (referring to the Soul within); ea He;
evgnihotra the sacrificial fire; ca phala - fruits accruing out of such oblations
(discussed in the next word); caiva agnihotrim - those who perform daily fire oblations
(they are known as nitya agnihotrin (as opposed to kmya or optional agnihotrin);
24) vedca also Vedas; kratavacaiva other types of fire oblations (generally called
homa, as prescribed in Vedas in karma kha); krtn - such sacrificial rites (in the
form of such sacrificial rites); phlameva ca fruits (benefits accruing) of such actions;
yni ktyni being the cause of all other actions; lokeu - all the fourteen worlds
(referring to fourteen types of worlds); sarva for everyone; ea ravi prabhu - sun is
the Lord.
Summary of verses 22, 23 and 24:
Verse 22 categorically says that what is referred in ditya Hdayam is the Self and not
merely the sun, a planet. The verse speaks about five primary acts of Brahman
creation, sustenance, destruction, annihilation and re-creation (or si, sthiti, sahra,
tirodhna and anugraha referred in Lalit Sahasranma 264 to 274). Though the verse
explicitly mentions only about destruction and re-creation, by making a reference to
water and heat, sustenance is subtly conveyed. In fact, the subtle conveyance of this
verse is being carried forward from the previous verse (21), where creation was
discussed. The verse says that all the acts of Brahman are done through knowledge,
which is conveyed here as the rays of the sun. Rig Veda (V.45) praises the sun thus.
....The rays of the approaching dawn are spread around the divine source of light,
scattering the clustered gloom, has risen and opened the doors of knowledge of men.
The sun of enlightenment spreads his light as splendour personified......May the sun
(referring to individual soul, the Self within, covered by my), the Lord {this verse of
ditya Hdayam addresses the sun as Lord (prabhu} of seven steeds (seven horses of
the suns chariot or seven colours of the sun VIBGYOR or the seven upper worlds
mentioned as seven vyhti-s or worlds Gayatri mantra - bhr, bhuvar,svar, mahar,
janar, tapar and satya loka-s)........ The sun has ascended above the shining oceans
......I offer to you for the sake of rain, an all bestowing worship.......May we , by this
worship pass safe beyond affliction and sin. Going by several such Vedic hymns, it can
be construed that what Agastya refers to is Praka form of Brahman (Self-illumination,
from which everything else shines).
Verse 23 explains about the Self, which (Brahman typically speaking is beyond gender;
hence all theUpaniad-s address Brahman as That) prevails in all the three stages of
normal consciousness such as awake, dream and deep sleep. Brahman as the Self
within prevails within the body (body is the temple and the Self within is the sanctum
sanctorum). This verse speaks both about the Self within and the universal Self. Selfrealization does not stop with realizing the Self within. After realization, one has to look
at the entire creation through the eyes of Brahman (Puruaskta says that Brahman
has infinite number of eyes). Without Universal realization, Self-realization is not
complete, though the latter precedes the former.
The above verse also dwells on fire (Agni) that is invoked during fire rituals, where
oblations are offered into the fire. If the intention of Agastya were to reveal about the
planet sun, there is no need for him to discuss about Agni here. Agni is the carrier of all
the oblations to the respective gods, who preside over different aspects of creation and
other four acts of Brahman. . Oblations are offered to fire, which is known as agnihotra.
As explained earlier, there are two types of agnihotra rituals. Every day, grains are
offered into the domestic fire and this is known as nitya agnihotra. The other one is
kmya or optional agnihotra, which is used while performing certain homa rituals, which
are not of daily nature. {Further reading: Darapramsa is one of the rauta rituals.
There are three main categories. The first is called ii or haviryaj in which the
oblations are of rice or barley. The second is animal sacrifice and the third is soma
ritual. In the first category there are five types of rituals and they are areagnydheya,
punardheya, agnihotra, darapramsa and cturmsya. Darapramsa is full and
new moon ceremonies incorporate recitations from two Veda-s, Rig and Yajur and
require the services of four priests. The full and new moon sacrifice
(darapramsa) is the paradigm of all the ii-s.}Ritual oblations are different from
Spiritual oblations. Spiritual oblations are made into the fire of Kualin, which remains
in our body right from birth to death. Impressions of indriya-s are offered as oblations
into the fire of Kualin. For every fire ritual, there is prhut, which signifies the end
of all oblations. In internal oblations, prhut is the mind and ego and they are offered
to the fire of Kualin. This type of internal homa is known as nitya agnihotra.
Verse 24 also dwells on oblations. Apart from referring to various fire rituals as
prescribed in karma kha of Vedas, the verse subtly conveys that Brahman remains
as a witness to all our actions. There are two types of yaja-s one is for universal
prosperity and happiness and another is self centric and is performed for personal
upliftment. This verse says that Brahman stands as a witness to both these types of
rituals. This also goes to prove that Brahman is described here and not sun as a planet.
Sun is drawn as an example. Upaniads often refer to misconceiving a rope for a snake.
What is the cause of this misconception? Obviously, it is our mind. Similarly, in ditya
Hdayam, though Brahman is the focal point of this sacred verse, we misconstrue it for
the planet sun. The verse also says that He is the cause of everything; in other words,
He is the cause of creation. Obviously, sun cannot be the cause of creation. If the sun is
the cause of creation, Kaha Upaniad would not have said In the presence of
Brahman, the sun does not shine, nor do the moon and stars, nor does lightning, let
alone this fire. When Brahman shines, everything follows. By Its light, all these are
lighted. Chndogya Upaniad (VIII.iii.4) also says, Then, this person, who is the
embodiment of happiness, emerging from the body and attaining the highest Light,
assumes his real nature. This is the Self. Bhadraayaka Upaniad (III.ix.10) also
says, Light is the mind and again in (IV.iv.6) it says upon that immortal Light of all
lights the gods meditate as longevity. This means that gods meditate on this Supreme
Light for their immortality.
Thus, to sum up these three verses, it is said that Brahman, who is in the form of
blinding Light is the cause of this universe and is Omnipresent. He remains as a witness
to all our actions. All other luminaries, including the sun draw their illuminating capacity
only from the Praka of Brahman, which alone is Self-illuminating and is also the
cause of this universe. Having created the universe, Brahman stands alone only as a
witness to all the actions and He neither directly nor indirectly causes any action in
anyone. The universal existence is due to Law of Karma, which is called as Law of the
Lord.
