CHAPTER II
The Many.
WHEN Ishvara shines out on Prakriti and makes it fall into shapes, the first Forms that appear are those of the त्रिमूर्तिः Trimurtih , the three Aspects of Ishvara, manifested to cause a ब्रह्माण्डं Brahmandam, literally an Egg of Brahma, a universe, or orderly system of worlds.
The aspect of Ishvara in which He creates the worlds is named Brahma! ; ब्रह्मा is the Creator. The aspect of Ishvara in which He preserves, takes care of, and maintains the worlds is named Vishnu; विष्णु is the Preserver. The aspect of Ishvara in which He dissolves the worlds, when they are worn out and of no further use, is named Shiva, or Mahadeva ; महेश is the Dissolver of the worlds. These are the first manifestations of Ishvara, His Supreme Forms, His three Aspects, or Faces. The One, the Saguna Brahman, or the Supreme Ishvara, appears as Three.
Brahma, the Creator, shapes matter into seven तत्त्वानि Tattvani, Elements, as they have been called.* Different Names are given to the first two ; we may use the names महततत्व Mahat-Buddhi, Pure Reason, and अहंकार Ahamkara, Egoism, the principle of separation, breaking up matter into tiny particles, called atoms. (*The western Chemist uses the word in the different sense, but the old meaning is the one we are concerned with .)
Then come the remaining five Tattvas : आकाश Akasha, Ether ; वायु Vayu, Air ; अग्नि Agni, Fire ; जल Apa, Water ; पृथ्वी Prithivi, Earth. This is called the creation of the *भूतादि Bhutadi, Elements, and out of these all things are partly made.
There is more of Tamo-guna than of Rajo-guna and of Sattva-guna showing itself in these elements, and so the things composed chiefly of them are dull and inert ; the inner life, the जीव Jiva, cannot show its powers, for the coat of matter is so thick and heavy.
Next after the Elements, the ten Indriyas are created ; these were at first only ideas in the mind of Brahma, and later were clothed in the Elements ; they are the five centres of the senses ज्ञानेन्द्रियाँ : smell, taste, sight, touch, hearing, the organs of which are the nose, tongue, eyes, skin and ears ; and the five centres of action कर्मेन्द्रियाँ , the organs of which are hands, feet, and those of speech, generation and excretion. There is more of Rajo-guna than of Tamo-guna and of Sattva-guna shewing itself in these Indriyas, so they are very active, and the inner life, the Jiva, can show more of its powers in them.
After the Indriyas, Brahma ब्रह्मा created in His mind the Devas who are connected with the senses, and also मनः Manah, the mind, which is sometimes called the sixth Indriya, when the first five are spoken of, and the eleventh, when the ten are taken : because it draws into itself and arranges and thinks over all the sensations collected by the indriyas from the outer world. There is more of Sattva-guna than of Tamo-guna and of Rajo-guna showing itself in these Deities and Manah.
The student must remember that these gunas are never separated, but one guna may be more dominant than another in any particular being. When Tamo-guna dominates, the being is called tamasik ; when Rajo-guna dominates, the being is called rajasik ; when Sattva-guna dominates, the being is called sattvik.All things may be divided under these three heads of sattvik, rajasik, and tamasik.*(* See भगवद गीता , अध्याय xiv, xvii and xviii.)
Brahma next created in His mind the hosts of Devas, who carry out, administer the laws of Ishvara, and see to the proper management of all the worlds. Ishvara is the King, the One Lord, and the Devas are His ministers, like the ministers and officials of an earthly king. The students must never confuse the Devas with the supreme Ishvara, with ब्राह्मण Brahman. They are His higher officials for the Brahmanda ब्रह्मानन्द , as we men are His lower officials for this one particular world.
The Devas, sometimes called सुरा Suras, see that each man gets what he has earned by his karma.* (* Karma is explained in Chapter IV.) They give success and failure in worldly things, according to what a man deserves ; they help men in many ways, when men try to serve them, and much of the bad weather and sickness and famine and other national troubles come from men entirely neglecting the duties they owe to the Devas.
The Devas are a vast multitude, divided under their five Rulers, Indra, Yayu, Agni, Varuna and Kubera. Indra has to do with the ether ; Vayu with the air ; Agni with the fire : Varuna with the water ; Kubera with the earth. The Devas under each have different names, as we see in the Puranas and the Itihasa. The student may have read, for instance, how Bhima fought with the Yakshas, who were the servants of Kubera. In these Devas the Rajo-guna dominates ; Manu says that their " nature is action."
The Asuras, the enemies of the Devas, embody the resistance, or inertia, of Matter, and in them Tamo-guna is predominant.Brahma then created in His mind minerals, plants, animals and men, thus completing the picture of the worlds wherein the unfolding of the powers of the Jiva what is now called Evolution was to take place. In Sanskrit this world-evolution, or world-process, is called संसारः Samsarah, and it is compared to a wheel, constantly turning, on which all Jivas are bound.
Thus Brahma completed His share of the great task of a universe, but the forms needed, to be clothed in physical matter, to be made active beings ; this was the work of Vishnu, the All-pervader, the Maintainer and Preserver of the worlds. He breathed His Life into all these forms, and, as a Purana says, became प्राणा Prana in all forms and gave them consciousness. Then all the ब्रह्माण्ड Brahmanda became full of life and consciousness."
But even this was not enough, when man came upon the scene. Two Aspects of Ishvara had given Their Life, but the third Aspect remained, the One who dissolves forms and thus liberates the Jivas, calling them to union and bliss. The life of Mahadeva must be poured out to complete the triple Jiva of man, that he might be the perfect reflexion of the triple Ishvara. This was done, and the human Jiva began his long evolution, having already passed through, evolved through, the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms in previous kalpas.
A very beautiful description of the evolution through A plants and animals to men, until " in man आत्मा Atma is manifest," and " by the mortal he desires the immortal," may be read by elder students in the Aitareyaranyaka* and will be found in the Advanced Text-Book.
The special manifestations of Vishnu, called Avataras, must not be forgotten. The word means One who descends, from tri passing over, the prefix "ava" giving the significance of descending. It is applied to Divine manifestations of a peculiar kind, in which the Deity incarnates in some form to bring about some special result. When things are going badly with the world, and special help is needed to keep the world on the road of right evolution, then Vishnu comes down in some appropriate form, and puts things right.
Ten of His Avataras are regarded as more important than the others, and are often spoken of as "the Ten" Avataras.: -
1. मत्स्य Matsya, the fish. Vaivasvata Manu once saw a little fish gasping for water , and put it into a bowl ; it grew and He placed it in larger pot ; then again in a larger, and then in a tank, a pondr a river, the sea, and ever the Fish grew and filled its receptacle. Then the Manu knew that this Fish was connected with His own life-work, and when the time came for Him to save the seeds of life from a great flood, He entered a ship with the Rishis and the necessary life- seeds, the great Fish appeared, and drew the vessel to the world where lay the Manu's Work. With the coming of the Fish began the great evolution of animal life in the world.
2. कूर्म Kurma, the Tortoise. As the tortoise, Vishnu, supported the whirling mountain, which churned the great sea of matter, that it might give forth the necessary forms. The Tortoise is the type of the next great step in evolution.
3. वराह Varaha, the Boar. The earth was sunk below the waters, and Vishnu raised it up, giving, in the Boar, the type of the great mammalian kingdom which was to flourish on the dry land. Modern Science recognises these three great stages of evolution, each marked in Hinduism by an Avatara.
4. नरसिंह अवतार Narasimha, the Man-Lion. This was the Avatara that came to free the earth from the tyranny of the Daityas. Into this race a child, Prahlada, was born, who from earliest childhood was devoted to Vishnu, despite the threats and the cruelties of his Diatya father. Over and over again the father tried to slay the son, but ever Vishnu intervened to save him ; at last He burst from a pillar in the form of a Man- Lion, and slew the Daitya King.
5. वामन अवतार Vamana, the Dwarf. At last He came as man, to aid the evolution of the human race, and gained from Bali the right to all He could cover, in three steps ; one step covered the earth, and thus He won for man the field of his evolution.
6. परशुराम Parashurama, Rama of the Axe. This Avatara came to punish such of the Kshttriyas as were oppressing the people, and to teach bad rulers the danger of using power to tyrannise, instead of to help.
7. श्रीराम Rama, usually called Ranaachandra, the eon of Dasharatha. He, with His three brothers, came as the ideal Kshattriya, the model King, and He serves as an example of a perfect human life. An obedient and loving son, a tender husband, an affectionate brother, a gallant warrior, a wise ruler, a diligent protector of His people, He is emphatically The Perfect Man. His splendid story is told in Valmiki's Rdmayanam, and the lovely version of Tulsi Das is known in every northern Indian home.
8. श्री कृष्ण Krishna, the manifestation of Divine Love and Wisdom, worshipped by myriads with intense devotion. As the marvellous child of Vraja and Vrindavana, as the friend of Arjuna, as the speaker of the भगवद गीता, as the wise counsellor of the Pandavas, as the adored of Bhishma what Indian boy does not know His story? He is the central Figure of the Mahabhartam and His Life is traced in several Puranas.
9. भगवान बुद्ध Buddha, the gentle prince who gave up throne and luxury to become a travelling mendicant, Teacher of the Truth. He is known as Shakyamuni, as Gautama, as Siddhartha, and is the founder of a mighty faith, followed by millions of the human race. In him Vishnu teaches vast multitudes of non -Aryan peoples.
10. कल्कि अवतार Kalki the Avatara who shall close the Kali Yuga, and whose coming is yet in the future. When He comes, the Satya Yuga, will return to earth, a new cycle will begin. The development and perfection of the human type is indicated by these Avataras.
===============
पश्यामि देवांस्तव देव देहे
सर्वांस्तथा भूतविशेषसङ्घान्।
ब्रह्माणमीशं कमलासनस्थ
मृषींश्च सर्वानुरगांश्च दिव्यान्।।11.15।।
रुद्रादित्या वसवो ये च साध्या
विश्वेऽश्िवनौ मरुतश्चोष्मपाश्च।
गन्धर्वयक्षासुरसिद्धसङ्घा
वीक्षन्ते त्वां विस्मिताश्चैव सर्वे।।11.22।।
Within Thy Form, God, the Gods I see , All grades of being with distinctive marks ; Brahma the Lord, upon His lotus-throne, The Rishis all, and Serpents, the Divine.
अर्जुन बोले -- हे देव ! मैं आपके शरीर में सम्पूर्ण देवताओं को, प्राणियों के विशेष-विशेष समुदायों को कमलासन पर बैठे हुए ब्रह्माजी को, शङ्करजी को, सम्पूर्ण ऋषियों को और सम्पूर्ण दिव्य सर्पों को देख रहा हूँ।
A Rudras, Vasus, Sadhyas and Adityas, Vishvas, the Ashvins, Maruts, Ushmapas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Siddhas, Asuras, In wondering multitudes beholding Thee.''
रुद्रगण, आदित्य, वसु और साध्यगण, विश्वेदेव तथा दो अश्विनीकुमार, मरुद्गण और उष्मपा, गन्धर्व, यक्ष, असुर और सिद्धों के समुदाय हैं, वे सभी चकित होकर आपको देख रहे हैं।
God has many names -
ॐ इन्द्रं मित्रं वरुणमग्निमाहुरथो दिव्य: स सुपर्णो गरुत्मान्।
एकं सद् विप्रा बहुधा वदंत्यग्नि यमं मातरिश्वानमाहु: || ऋग्वेद १/१६४/४६ ||
[अन्वय: –इन्द्रं मित्रं वरुणम् अग्निम् आहु: | अथ उ स: दिव्य: सुपर्ण: गरुत्मान् |एकं सत् विप्रा: बहुधा वदन्ति, अग्निं यमं मातरिश्वानम् आहु: ||]
अन्वयार्थ:- जिस सत्ता की ओर साधारण लोगों का ध्यान नहीं है, उस सत्ता को ही/विप्रा: = अपने को विशेषरूप से ज्ञान से परिपूर्ण करने वाले (वि+प्रा) लोग/ एकं सत् = उस अद्वितीय (पूर्ण स्वतंत्र) सत्ता को ही/बहुधा =भिन्न-भिन्न नामों से/वदन्ति =कहते हैं/इन्द्रं= उस सत्ता को ही ‘परमैश्वर्यशाली’/मित्रं = सबके प्रति स्नेहमय/वरुणम् = श्रेष्ठ/अग्निम् = सबसे उग्र स्थान में स्थित (अग्रणी)/आहु:= कहते हैं |/ अथ उ = और निश्चय से/ स:=वे प्रभु ही, वह सत्ता ही/ दिव्य:= सब ज्योतिर्मय पदार्थों में दीप्त होनेवाले हैं/ पर्ण:=पालनादि उत्तम कर्म करने वाले हैं/ गरुत्मान् = ब्रह्माण्ड शकट का महान् भार उठाने वाले हैं/ उस अद्वितीय सत्ता को ही/अग्निं = आगे ले चलने वाला/यमं = सर्वनियन्ता , सब का नियमन करने वाला/ मातरिश्वानम् = अंतरिक्ष में सर्वत्र व्याप्त (मातरि अन्तरिक्षे श्वयति) / आहु: = कहते हैं |
इस मंत्र का देवता “सूर्य” है, अर्थात् जो सब जगत् का उत्पादक है, प्रेरक है एवं स्वयं सदा प्रकाशमान हुआ-हुआ अन्य सबको प्रकाशित करने वाला है उसको इन्द्र, वरुण,अग्नि कहते हैं | वह दिव्य, सुपर्ण और गरुत्मान् कहलाता है | ज्ञानीजन उस एक, अद्वितीय विद्यमान तत्त्व को बहुत प्रकार से कहते हैं, बहु विध नामों से स्मरण करते हैं | वे उसको अग्नि,यम और मातरिश्वा भी कहते हैं |
ज्ञानी विद्वान् उस अद्वितीय सर्वजगत् के उत्पादक, प्रेरक एवं प्रकाशक सत्य तत्त्व –ब्रह्म तत्त्व को अनेक गुणों के कारण अनेक नामों से स्मरण करते हैं | जैसे परमैश्वर्य वाला होने से वह इंद्र है, जगत सम्राट , ह्रदय सम्राट है |
वह सबसे स्नेह करने वाला , सबको पापों से पृथक कर हित से लगाने वाला होने से मित्र , सबसे प्रीति करने योग्य है | वह सर्व श्रेष्ठ होने से और सबके लिए वरण करने योग्य होने से वरुण है | प्रकाशस्वरुप,ज्ञानस्वरूप, सबका अग्रणी – आगे ले जाने वाला होने से अग्नि है |
तेजोमय होने से दिव्य है | सुन्दर अर्थात् उत्तम रूप से पालन करने और पूर्ण करने वाला होने से वह सुपर्ण है | गुरु-महान आत्मा अर्थात् परमात्मा होने से गरुत्मान है | ज्ञानवान होने से, अग्रणी होने से वह अग्नि है | सबका नियन्ता होने से वह यम है | वह अंतरिक्ष में विचरने वाली वायु के समान सर्वव्यापक एवं सर्वधार होने से मातरिश्वा है | ऐसे ही और भी परमेश्वर के अनेक नाम हैं जिनसे उपासक उसका स्मरण कर अपने जीवन को ऊपर उठाते और आगे बढ़ाते रहते हैं |
"Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, they call himr and He is the radiant golden-feathered Garutman, Of Him who is one, Sages speak as manifold, they call Him Agni , Yama , Matrishva .
आत्मैव देवताः सर्वाः सर्वं आत्मन्यवस्थितम् ।
आत्मा हि जनयत्येषां कर्मयोगं शरीरिणाम्। मनुस्मृति १२/११९
"All the Gods (are) even the Self : all rests on the Self. "
आत्मा अर्थात् परमेश्वर ही सब व्यवहार के पूर्वोक्त देवताओं को रचनेंवाला, और जिसमें सब जगत स्थित है, वही सब मनुष्यों का उपास्य -देव तथा सब जीवों को पाप-पुण्य के फलों का देने वाला है ।
एतं एके वदन्त्यग्निं मनुं अन्ये प्रजापतिम् ।
इन्द्रं एके परे प्राणं अपरे ब्रह्म शाश्वतम्।। मनुस्मृति १२/ १२३
"Some call Him Agni, others Manu, (others) Prajapati, some Indra. others Life -Breath, others the eternal Brahman."
इस परमात्मा (12/122) को कोई ’अग्नि’, कोई प्रजापति परमात्मा को ’मनु’ कोई ’इन्द्र’, कोई ’प्राण’, दूसरे कोई शाश्वत ’ब्रह्म’ कहते हैं । ’स्वप्रकाश होने से अग्नि’, विज्ञानस्वरूप होने से ’मनु’ , सबका पालन करने और परमैश्वर्यवान होने से इन्द्र, सबका जीवनभूत होने से प्राण और निरन्तर व्यापक होने से परमेश्वर का नाम ब्रह्म है।
तदेतत् सत्यं यथा सुदीप्तात् पावकाद् विस्फुलिङ्गाः
सहस्रशः प्रभवन्ते सरूपाः।
तथाक्षराद् विविधाः सोम्य भावाः
प्रजायन्ते तत्र चैवापि यन्ति ॥ मुण्डकोपनिष -२/१/१
"As from a blazing fire sparks, all similar to each other, spring forth in thousands so from the Indestructible, beloved, various types of being are born, and they also return thither
हे सौम्य! यह है 'वह' पदार्थों का 'सत्यतत्त्व' जिस प्रकार सुदीप्त अग्नि से सहस्रों स्फुर्लिंग उत्पन्न होते हैं तथा वे सभी अग्नि के समान रूप वाले होते हैं, उसी प्रकार अक्षर-तत्त्व से अनेकानेक भावों का (सम्भूतियों का) उद्भव होता है तथा उसी में वे सब चले जाते हैं।
एतस्माज्जायते प्राणो मनः सर्वेन्द्रियाणि च।
खं वायुर्ज्योतिरापः पृथिवी विश्वस्य धारिणी ॥ मुण्डकोपनिषद २/१/३
इसी 'परमात्म-तत्त्व' से प्राण, मन तथा समस्त इन्द्रियों का जन्म होता है; तथा आकाश, वायु, अग्नि, जल तथा सभी को धारण करने वाली पृथ्वी का भी जन्म होता है।
तस्माच्च देवा बहुधा संप्रसूताः साध्या मनुष्याः पशवो वयांसि।
प्राणापानौ व्रीहियवौ तपश्च श्रद्ध सत्यं ब्रह्मचर्यं विधिश्च ॥ मुंडकपनिषद २/१/७
"From That are born Breath, Mind, and all the Senses, Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth, the support of all. "From that in various ways are born, the Gods,Sadhyas, Men, Beast, Birds.
तथा 'उसी' से अनेकानेक देवगण उत्पन्न हुए हैं, उसी से साधुगण, मनुष्य तथा पशु-पक्षी उत्पन्न हुए हैं, प्राण तथा अपान वायु, धान तथा जौ (अन्न), तप, श्रद्धा, सत्य, ब्रह्मचर्य तथा विधि-विधानों का प्रादुर्भाव 'उसी' से हुआ है।
सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च।
प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च।।14.17।
"From Sattva wisdom is born, and also greed from Rajah ; negligence and delusion are of Tamah, and also unwisdom.
सत्त्वगुण से ज्ञान उत्पन्न होता है। रजोगुण से लोभ तथा तमोगुण से प्रमाद, मोह और अज्ञान उत्पन्न होता है।।
ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः।
जघन्यगुणवृत्तिस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः।।14.18।।
"They rise upwards who are settled in Sattva ; the Rajasic dwell in the midmost place. The Tamasic go downwards, enveloped in the vilest qualities."
सत्त्वगुण में स्थित पुरुष उच्च (लोकों को) जाते हैं; राजस पुरुष मध्य (मनुष्य लोक) में रहते हैं और तमोगुण की अत्यन्त हीन प्रवृत्तियों में स्थित तामस लोग अधोगति को प्राप्त होते हैं।।
सत्त्वं सुखे सञ्जयति रजः कर्मणि भारत।
ज्ञानमावृत्य तु तमः प्रमादे सञ्जयत्युत।।14.9।।
"Sattva attacheth to bliss, Rajah to action, O Bharata. Tamah, verily, having shrouded wisdom, attacheth on the contrary, to heedlessness.
हे भरतवंशोद्भव अर्जुन ! सत्त्वगुण सुखमें और रजोगुण कर्ममें लगाकर मनुष्यपर विजय करता है तथा तमोगुण ज्ञानको ढककर एवं प्रमादमें भी लगाकर मनुष्यपर विजंय करता है।
रजस्तमश्चाभिभूय सत्त्वं भवति भारत।
रजः सत्त्वं तमश्चैव तमः सत्त्वं रजस्तथा।।14.10।।
(Now) Sattva prevaileth, having overpowered Rajah and Tamah, Bharata ; (now) Rajah (having overpowered) Tamas and Sattva, (now) Tamas, (having overpowered) Rajah and Sattva.
हे भारत ! कभी रज और तम को अभिभूत (दबा) करके सत्त्वगुण की वृद्धि होती है, कभी रज और सत्त्व को दबाकर तमोगुण की वृद्धि होती है, तो कभी तम और सत्त्व को अभिभूत कर रजोगुण की वृद्धि होती है।।
सर्वद्वारेषु देहेऽस्मिन्प्रकाश उपजायते।
ज्ञानं यदा तदा विद्याद्विवृद्धं सत्त्वमित्युत।।14.11।।
"When the wisdom-light streameth forth from all the gates of the body, then it may be known that Sattva is increasing.
जब इस मनुष्यशरीरमें सब द्वारों-(इन्द्रियों और अन्तःकरण-) में प्रकाश (स्वच्छता) और ज्ञान (विवेक) प्रकट हो जाता है, तब जानना चाहिये कि सत्त्वगुण बढ़ा हुआ है।
लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा।
रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ।।14.12।।
"Greed, outgoing energy, undertaking of actions, restlessness, desire these are born of the increase of Rajah, best of the Bharatas.
हे भरतवंशमें श्रेष्ठ अर्जुन ! रजोगुणके बढ़नेपर लोभ, प्रवृत्ति, कर्मोंका आरम्भ, अशान्ति और स्पृहा -- ये वृत्तियाँ पैदा होती हैं।
अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च।
तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन।।14.13।।
"Darkness, stagnation and heedlessness, and also delusion these are born of the increase of Tamah, joy of the Kurus."
हे कुरुनन्दन ! तमोगुणके बढ़नेपर अप्रकाश, अप्रवृत्ति, प्रमाद और मोह -- ये वृत्तियाँ भी पैदा होती हैं।
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत।
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदाऽऽत्मानं सृजाम्यहम्।।4.7।।
परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्।
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय संभवामि युगे युगे।।4.8।।
"When dharma decays, when adharma is exalted then I Myself come forth;For the protection of the good, for the destruction of evil-doers, for firmly establishing dharma, I am born from age to age."
हे भरतवंशी अर्जुन! जब-जब धर्मकी हानि और अधर्मकी वृद्धि होती है, तब-तब ही मैं अपने-आपको साकाररूपसे प्रकट करता हूँ। साधुओं-(भक्तों-) की रक्षा करनेके लिये, पापकर्म करनेवालोंका विनाश करनेके लिये और धर्मकी भलीभाँति स्थापना करनेके लिये मैं युग-युगमें प्रकट हुआ करता हूँ।
====================0===============
कोई टिप्पणी नहीं:
एक टिप्पणी भेजें