Welcome Dr Bala
I just sent a brief in general and shall come back a little later
in depth wrt Rig vedam Thank you KR IRS 3924 4924
On Tue, 3 Sept 2024 at 20:27, 'Bala N. Aiyer' via KeralaIyers <
[email protected]> wrote:
> Very good article on Rig Veda.
> The "Soma Drink" popularly explained as alcohol by the Western authors is
> explained as a brown liquid drink made from dried tender leaves fron
> bushes. There is a Sloka in Rig Vega explaining this - but I forgot the
> reference. If you can get this to me, that I will appreciate. Perhaps they
> are referring to Himalayan Tea - that kept them awake to do their studies
> and research. There is no alcoholic drink that will keep you awake.
>
> With kind regards & best wishes,
>
> Bala N. Aiyer
>
>
> On Tuesday, September 3, 2024 at 08:05:04 PM CDT, Madras Sivaraman <
> [email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> An excellent analysis.But in the first part there is ecstasy over Soma and
> those who composed the rig veda seem to have enjoyed soma drink to the
> full.Agni and vayu again are pictured well with soma.
> REGARDS
>
> On Wed, 4 Sept, 2024, 06:21 Rajaram Krishnamurthy, <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> RIG VEDIC SOCIETY PART 4 3924 4924
>
> Most of our popular gods of today have their origin in the Rig-Veda. It
> would be interesting to trace the origin of a few of our popular gods.
>
> When I say gods, I am not referring to God the Supreme principle, the
> substratum of all existence but to the gods who represent different
> aspects, powers and glory of the God. Each Vedic god has a distinct power
> and personality, but he or she also carries the presence of the Supreme,
> “That one.” TAT
>
> The *puranas* tried to convey the esoteric truths of the Veda in a
> popular manner. In the process *Puranas* elevated some Vedic gods by
> endowing them with virtues, which they loved to see; while at the same time
> they relegated some other Vedic gods to secondary status. I am not sure why
> the exercise of weeding out many and glorifying a few deities became
> necessary. I am clueless. For example, in B G Krishna says demi gods
> Chapter 7: Knowledge of the AbsoluteTEXT 23 antavat tu phalam tesam *tad
> b*havaty alpa-medhasam Men of small intelligence worship the *demigods*,
> and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods
> go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My
> supreme planet.
>
> For instance, Bŗihaspathi, Brahmaņaspathi and Brahma were the three
> major gods of Rig-Veda; a large number of *riks *are in honor of these
> gods. In the Rig-Veda, Brahmaņaspathi/Bŗihaspathi is god of a very high
> order. There are over one hundred *riks* in praise of these two deities,
> giving a picture of their powers and personalities. However, the statuses
> of these Vedic Gods underwent a huge change in the *Puranas*; when new
> set of gods that emerged by the permutation and combination of their own
> (Vedic gods) powers replaced them. The new gods took over and the old gods
> were virtually forgotten.
>
> *Ganapathi:*
>
> The elephant-faced god Gaņapathi emerged out of some aspects of the Vedic
> god Brahmaņaspati. Ganapathi is therefore evoked by the Vedic rik
> associated with Brahmaņaspati (*Jestha rajam brahmanaam Brahmanaspathi*…).
> The word Gaņapathi means the lord of *gaņas* or hosts. In the Rig-Veda,
> the *gaņās *or hosts of Bŗihaspathi/Brahmaņaspathi are the chants, the
> *riks *and the *stomas*, the words of praise (RV. 4.50). They have little
> to do with the lower vital levels. However, in the *purāņas*, the hosts (
> *gaņas*) are the beings of the vital world and Gaņapathi is their lord.
> Ganapathi thus initially appeared on the scene as a *tāntrik *god of a
> lower order.
>
> Ganesha emerged as a distinct deity in clearly recognizable form in the
> fourth and the fifth centuries during the Gupta period. His popularity rose
> quickly. The son of Shiva and Parvati; Ganesha with an elephantine
> countenance, a curved trunk, pair of big ears and a pot-bellied body of a
> human is now the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He
> is the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. Ganesha also became
> one of the five prime Hindu deities (Surya, Vishnu, Shiva and Durga being
> the other four) worshipped in the *panchayatana puja*. A new tradition
> called *Ganapathya *thereafter came into existence. With the spread
> Indian trade to the Far- East, by around the tenth century, Ganesha a
> favorite with the traders and merchants reached the shores of Bali, Java,
> Cambodia, Malaya, Thailand and other islands.
>
> Ganesha appears in Jainism too. A fifteenth century Jain text provides
> procedures for the installation of Ganapati images. Images of Ganesha
> appear in the Jain temples of Rajasthan and Gujarat; the earliest of which
> is dated around eighth century.
>
> In Buddhism, Ganesha appears not only in the form of the Buddhist god
> Vināyaka, but also as a Hindu demon form with the same name (Vināyaka). As
> the Buddhist god Vināyaka, he is the dancing N ṛ tta Ganapati. Ganesha
> traveled to other countries along with Buddhism. In northern China, the
> earliest known stone statue of Ganesha carries an inscription dated 531 CE.
> In Japan, the Ganesha cult was first mentioned in 806 CE.
>
> *Brahma:*
>
> The concept of Brahma as the creator in the *purāņa *is derived from the
> Brahmaņaspati/Bŗhaspati of the Rig Veda where they are the creators through
> the power of the Word. *Puranas* however denied Brahma proper worship.
>
> Between these two stages, Brahma is associated with the power to give a
> verbal identity to a thought. He is the creator and gives form to the
> formless. He represents Word. That word reaches sublime heights and becomes
> an intelligent tool for communication when it is associated with
> intellectual purity and excellence of *Vac*– the speech.
>
> *Vac (Sarasvathi).*
>
> How the Vedic goddess Vac (speech) transformed into Sarasvathi the Puranic
> goddess of learning, wisdom, culture and intellect; is very interesting.
>
> In Rig Veda, Vac is the goddess associated with speech, a concept of
> central importance to the Vedas. Vac, the speech gives a sensible
> expression to ideas by use of words and is the medium of exchange of
> knowledge. She gives intelligence to those who love her. She is the power
> of the rishis. “*She is the mysterious presence that enables one to hear,
> see, grasp and then express in words the true nature of things. She is the
> prompter of and vehicle of expression for visionary perception, and as such
> she is intimately associated with the rishis and the rituals that express
> or capture the truths of their visions*.” (Rig Veda).
>
> In a passage of the Rig Veda, Vac is praised as a divine being. Vac is
> omnipotent, moves amongst divine beings, and carries the great gods, Mitra,
> Varuna, Indra and Agni, within itself. “*All gods live from Vac, also all
> demigods, animals and people. Vac is the eternal being; it is the
> first-born of the eternal law, mother of the Vedas and navel of immortality*.”
> The reason, the Vedic rishis paid such glowing tributes to Vac was perhaps
> because they attached great importance to intelligent communication through
> speech and to its purity.
>
> In the later parts of the Rig Veda, Brahman (one of the three distinct
> voices in the Soma sacrifices) is associated with word without which speech
> is not possible. Brahma (word) and Vac (speech) are partners working
> towards good communication, spread of knowledge and for the fulfillment of
> the devotees’ aspirations. If word is flower, speech is the garland. If Vac
> is the weapons, it is Brahman that sharpens them. In Rig Veda the
> Vac-Brahman relation is a “growing partnership” (RV 10.120.5, and 9.97.34)
>
> In the early Rig Veda, Sarasvathi is the river vital to their life and
> existence. Sarasvathi is described as *‘nadinam shuci*; sacred and pure
> among rivers. It was, however, in Krishna Yajurveda, that Vac (speech
> personified, the vehicle of knowledge) for the first time is called
> Sarasvathi. The Aitreya Aranyaka calls her mother of Vedas. From here on,
> the association of Vac with Sarasvathi gets thicker.
>
> Sarasvathi is invoked with Ida and Bharathi. The three, Ida, Bharathi and
> Sarasvathi are manifestation of the Agni (*Yajnuagni*) and are
> *tri_Sarasvathi*. The goddess Sarasvathi is also the destroyer of Vrta
> and other demons that stand for darkness (*Utasya nah Sarasvati ghora
> Hiranyavartanih / Vrtraghni vasti sustuition*).
>
> As the might of the river Sarasvathi tended to decline, its importance
> also lessened during the latter parts of the Vedas. Its virtues of glory,
> purity and importance gradually shifted to the next most important thing in
> their life — speech, excellence in use of words and its purity. Emphasis
> shifted from the river to the Goddess With the passage of time,
> Sarasvathi’s association with the river gradually diminished. The virtues
> of Vac and the Saraswati (the river) merged into one divinity- Sarasvathi;
> and she was recognized and worshipped as goddess of purity, speech,
> learning, wisdom, culture and intellect. The Rig Vedic goddess Vac thus
> emerged and shined gloriously as Vac-devi, Vedamatha, Vani, Sharada, Pusti,
> Vagishvari, Veenapani , Bharathi and Sarasvathi.
>
> The association of the intellect and purity (Vac, Sarasvathi) with the
> word (Brahma) acquired a physical representation in the Puranas.
>
> *Vishnu:*
>
> (the pervader) Vishnu initially had a lower position to that of Indra. He
> is the younger brother of Indra. In the Rig-Veda Vishnu is described as
> living and wandering on the mountains. He is one of the celestial gods and
> one of the *Adithyas*. He resembles Surya and has rays in his appearance.
>
> He later evolved into the most signifificant God and Godhead. The ‘*Vishnu
> Sukta*‘ of the Rig Veda (1.154) mentions the famous three strides of
> Vishnu. It said that the first and second of Vishnu’s strides (those
> encompassing the earth and air) were visible and the third was in the
> heights of heaven (sky). The second mantra of the ‘*Vishnu Sukta*‘ says
> that within the three vast strides of Vishnu all the various regions of the
> universe live in peace.
>
> Yaskacharya, in his *Nirukta*, defines Vishnu as ‘*Vishnu vishateh*; one
> who enters everywhere’, and ‘*yad vishito bhavati tad vishnurbhavati;* that
> which is free from fetters and bondages is Vishnu.’ Vishnu is also
> characterized, as ‘*veveshti vyapnoti vishvam yah;* the one who covers
> the whole universe, or is omnipresent. In other words, Vishnu became the
> omnipresent dimension of the supreme Lord.
>
> With the advent of the golden age of the puranas in the Gupta period, the
> transformation of Vishnu into a supreme Godhead was complete. The virtues
> and glory of the Vedic Indra and Surya were transferred to puranic Vishnu.
> At the same time, the Indra was demoted to a demigod, stripped of his power
> and glory. Indra’s status in puranas is pathetic and he is flawed by envy,
> greed and other human failings. How sad!
>
> In this process, Vishnu, in place of Indra, became the lord of the
> universe. The attributes and titles that once applied to Indra were now
> employed to describe Vishnu. Now, Vishnu (not Indra) is the omniscient and
> omnipresent Godhead; he is ‘*ashrutkarna*; whose ears hear all things;
> and “*Svayambhuva*” meaning ‘Self-existent’ or ‘Self manifested’
>
> The Bhagavata Purana states that Yajna (Indra) took incarnation as
> Svayambhuva Manu. That Indra was Vishnu (as *Svayambhuva*). Vishnu in
> turn becomes Dhanvantri the divine healer, Prithu the King and the Rishis
> such as Kapila. His later Avatars are celebrated in various Puranas. On his
> association with Narayana, he is The Supreme Lord of the universe.
>
> *Rudra:*
>
> In Rig Veda, Rudra is one of the intermediate level gods (*antariksha
> devata*) and is celebrated in three or four hymns and described as a
> fierce, armed with bow and arrows. He is endowed with strong arms, lustrous
> body and flowing golden hair. He is not purely benefic like other Rig Vedic
> gods, but he is not malevolent either. He punishes and at the same time
> rescues his devotees from trouble. He is the Shiva the auspicious one.
>
> In Puranas, he becomes one of the Trinity and is the destroyer. He is the
> Lord of the universe, the cosmic dancer, the Supreme yogi and master of all
> yogis.
>
> Vedic Rishi Vamadeva merges into to become one of five faces of Lord Shiva
> and the aspect of *Vama *or “preserver” associated with the element of
> water.
>
> He is at his benevolent best when his consort Uma accompanies him. He is
> *Sowmya* (*sa uma*)
>
> ***
>
> “The Indian mythology was (is) not a static affair, neither was it a
> luxury. It was linked with the vital spiritual urges and needs of the
> people, who projected their most haunting dreams, hopes and cravings into
> their mythys.The changes were not wrought overnight nor was it easily. From
> the earliest times, the pantheon is the product of a continual clash and
> friction, not only with gods of other ethnic groups, but among those of
> various clans and families of the Indian society. Each family seems to have
> had its preferences for its own set of gods. Those gods who could represent
> larger segments of life and experiences, who could mobilize greater
> strength and significance, and later, who could annex other gods by virtue
> of their greater potentialities grew, while others faded out.
>
> The very fact of the gods changing — growing or diminishing in
> significance — is a proof of the continual influx of new ideas and a
> creative conflict with existing ideas.
>
> …..In this period of transition, popular sectarian gods were gradually
> replacing the older Vedic gods. This new approach to the gods remodeled
> their characters. The gods which adopted themselves best to the changing
> needs of times survived. One way they did was by shedding their Vedic
> characteristics which were rather unsuitable. And, another was by aligning
> with tutelary gods that were already being worshipped.
>
> Only those gods could adapt themselves who had been ‘minor’ in Rig-Veda,
> who did not have a detailed profile, i.e. those whose personalities were
> rather sketchy and suggestive, and could be filled and enriched with
> suitable traits. Gods like Asvins whose characters , functions and
> achievements had been too vividly described in Rig Veda to afford
> introduction of new traits were found unsuitable and quietly dropped by the
> Purana (epic) literature. On the other hand, gods who were too
> transparently the personification of natural phenomena could not be
> transformed into popular powerful gods. Thus, Agni, Vayu, Mitra, Varuna,
> Parjanya, Surya, Soma, Savitr and Ushas had to give place to the new gods.
> Similarly, gods whose profile was too dim and had little potential for
> growth just faded out: E.g. Pushan, Bhaga, Aryaman, Daksha, Amsha, Dayus,
> and Vivastvat etc.
>
> Only those Vedic gods whose characters were not explicitly known, and who
> offered significant traits to be developed into rich and complex mythology
> survived and flourished. For instance; Vishnu and Rudra were minor gods,
> but their profile indicated traits which could be expanded and enriched
> veraciously. Let’s take the case of Vishnu; he had the nucleus of ‘
> *tri-pada-vikrama’* the collasal figure of measuring the universe with
> his three enormous strides; his solar nature; lustrous body; his friendship
> with Indra; vague references to his unparallel valor;– all these were
> excellent material for developing him into concrete mythological supreme
> god…From Indra he imbibed the demon-killing valor; from Surya and Savitr
> the brilliance and sheen associated with gold; from Mitra the kindly ,
> compassionate and benevolent attitudes towards all existence; and , from
> Bhaga the fortune bestowing generosity. From solar gods in general he
> inherited associations with *Devayana;* and consequently his roles as a
> savior……The component Vedic gods disappear one after another, after
> bequeathing their virtues to their successor. They last only so long as
> their living trait remains relevant to the spiritual needs or material
> aspirations of the society. “
>
> K RAJARAM IRS 3024 4924
>
>
>
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