VEDANGA JYOTISHA

 Mantra Shastra 2

 

The Worlds (Loka)

This earth, which is the object of the physical senses and of the knowledge

based thereon, is but one of fourteen worlds or regions placed "above" and

"below" it, of which (as the sutra says) knowledge may be obtained by meditation

on the solar "nerve" (nada) sushumna in the merudanda. On this nadi six of the

upper worlds are threaded, the seventh and highest overhanging it in the

Sahasrara Padma, the thousand-petalled lotus. The sphere of earth (Bhurloka),

with its continents, their mountains and rivers, and with its oceans, is the

seventh or lowest of the upper worlds. Beneath it are the Hells and Nether

Worlds, the names of which are given below. Above the terrestrial sphere is

Bhuvarloka, or the atmospheric sphere known as the antariksha, extending "from

the earth to the sun," in which the Siddhas and other celestial beings

(devayoni) of the upper air dwell. "From the sun to the pole star" dhruva) is

svarloka, or the heavenly sphere. Heaven (svarga) is that which delights the

mind, as hell (naraka) is that which gives it pain. In the former is the abode

of the Deva and the blest.

These three spheres are the region of the consequences of work, and are termed

transitory as compared with the three highest spheres, and the fourth, which is

of a mixed character. When the jiva has received his reward he is reborn again

on earth. For it is not good action, but the knowledge of the atma which

procures Liberation (moksha). Above Svarloka is Maharloka, and above it the

three ascending regions known as the janarloka, tapoloka, and satyaloka, each

inhabited by various forms of celestial intelligence of higher and higher

degree. Below the earth (Bhuh) and above the nether worlds are the Hells

(commencing with Avichi), and of which, according to popular theology, there are

thirty-four, though it is elsewhere said there are as many hells as there are

offences for which particular punishments are meted out. Of these, six are known

as the great at hells. Hinduism, however, even when popular, knows nothing of a

hell of eternal torment. To it nothing is eternal but the Brahman. Issuing from

the Hells the jiva is again reborn to make its future. Below the Hells are the

seven nether worlds, Sutala, Vitala, Talatala, Mahatala, Rasatala, Atala, and

Patala, where, according to the Puranas, dwell the Naga serpent divinities,

brilliant with jewels, and where, too, the lovely daughters of the Daityas and

Danavas wander, fascinating even the most austere. Yet below Patala is the form

of Vishnu proceeding from the dark quality (tamogunah), known as the Sesha

serpent or Ananta, bearing the entire world as a diadem, attended by his Shakti

Varuni, his own embodied radiance.

Inhabitants of the Worlds

The worlds are inhabited by countless grades of beings, ranging from the highest

Devas (of whom there are many classes and degrees) to the lowest animal life.

The scale of beings runs from the shining manifestations of Spirit to those in

which it is so veiled that it would seem almost to have disappeared in its

material covering. There is but one Light, one Spirit, whose manifestations are

many. A flame enclosed in a clear glass loses but little of its brilliancy. If

we substitute for the glass, paper, or some other more opaque yet transparent

substance, the light is dimmer. A covering of metal may be so dense as to

exclude from sight the rays of light which yet burns within with an equal

brilliancy. As a fact, all such veiling forms are maya. They are none the less

true for those who live in and are themselves part of the mayik world. Deva, or

"heavenly and shining one" – for spirit is light and self-manifestation – is

applicable to those descending yet high manifestations of the Brahman, such as

the seven Shivas, including the Trinity (trimurtti), Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra.

Devi, again, is the title of the Supreme Mother Herself, and is again applied to

the manifold forms assumed by the one only Maya, such as Kali, Sarasvati,

Lakshmi, Gauri, Gayatri, Sandhya, and others. In the sense also in which it is

said, "Verily, in the beginning there was the Brahman. It created the Devas,"

the latter term also includes lofty intelligencies belonging to the created

world intermediate between Ishvara (Himself a Purusha) and man, who in the

person of the Brahmana is known as Earth-deva (bhudeva). These spirits are of

varying degrees. For there are no breaks in the creation which represents an

apparent descent of the Brahman in gradually lowered forms. Throughout these

forms play the divine currents of pravritti and nivritti, the latter drawing to

Itself that which the former has sent forth.

Deva, jiva and jara (inorganic matter) are, in their real, as opposed to their

phenomenal and illusory, being, the one Brahman, which appears thus to be other

than Itself through its connection with the upadhi or limiting conditions with

which ignorance (avidya) invests it. Therefore all beings which are the object

of worship are each of them but the Brahman seen through the veil of avidya.

Though the worshippers of Devas may not know it, their worship is in reality the

worship of the Brahman, and hence the Mahanirvana Tantra says that, "as all

streams flow to the ocean, so the worship given to any Deva is received by the

Brahman." On the other hand, those who, knowing this, worship the Devas, do so

as manifestations of the Brahman, and thus worship It mediately. The sun, the

most glorious symbol in the physical world, is the mayik vesture of Her who is

"clothed with the sun."

In the lower ranks of the celestial hierarchy are the Devayonis, some of whom

are mentioned in the opening verses of the first chapter of the text. The Devas

are of two classes: "unborn" (ajata) – that is, those which have not, and those

which have (sadhya) evolved from humanity as in the case of King Nahusha, who

became Indra. Opposed to the divine hosts are the Asura, Danava, Daitya,

Rakshasa, who, with other spirits, represent the tamasik or demonic element in

creation. All Devas, from the highest downwards, are subordinate to both time

and karma. So it is said, "Salutation to Karma, over which not even Vidhi

(Brahma) prevails" (Namastat karmmabhyovidhirapi na yebhyah prabhavati). The

rendering of the term "Deva" by "God" has led to a misapprehension of Hindu

thought. The use of the term "angel" may also mislead, for though the world of

Devas has in some respects analogy to the angelic choirs, the Christian

conception of these Beings, their origin and functions, does not include, but in

fact excludes, other ideas connoted by the Sanskrit term.

The pitris, or "Fathers," are a creation (according to some) separate from the

predecessors of humanity, and are, according to others, the lunar ancestry who

are addressed in prayer with the Devas. From Brahma, who is known as the

"Grandfather" Pita Maha of the human race, issued Marichi, Atri, and others, his

"mental sons": the Agnishvattvah, Saumnyah, Havishmantah, Ushmapah, and other

classes of Pitris, numbering, according to the Markandeya Purana, thirty-one.

Tarpanam, or oblation, is daily offered to these pitris. The term is also

applied to the human ancestors of the worshipper generally up to the seventh

generation to whom in shraddha (the obsequial rites) pinda and water are offered

with the mantra "svadha."

The Rishi are seers who know, and by their knowledge are the makers of shastra

and "see" all mantras. The word comes from the root rish Rishati-prapnoti

sarvvang mantrang jnanena pashyati sangsaraparangva, etc. The seven great Rishi

or saptarshi of the first manvantara are Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu,

Pulastya, and Vashishtha. In other manvantara there are other sapta-rshi. In the

present manvantara the seven are Kashyapa Atri, Vashishtha, Vishvamitra,

Gautama, Jamadagni, Bharadvaja. To the Rishi the Vedas were revealed. Vyasa

taught the Rigveda so revealed to Paila, the Yajurveda to Vaishampayana, the

Samaveda to Jaimini, Atharvaveda to Samantu, and Itihasa and Purana to Suta. The

three chief classes of Rishi are the Brah-marshi, born of the mind of Brahma,

the Devarshi of lower rank, and Rajarshi or Kings who became Rishis through

their knowledge and austerities, such as Janaka, Ritaparna, etc. Thc Shrutarshi

are makers of Shastras, as Sushruta. The Kandarshi are of the Karmakanda, such

as Jaimini.

The Muni, who may be a Rishi, is a sage. Muni is so called on account of his

mananam (mananat muniruchyate). Mananam is that thought, investigation, and

discussion which marks the independent thinking mind. First there is shravanam

listening; then mananam, which is the thinking or understanding, discussion

upon, and testing of what is heard as opposed to the mere acceptance on trust of

the lower intelligence. There two are followed by nididhyasanam, which is

attention and profound meditation on the conclusions (siddhanta) drawn from what

is so heard and reasoned upon. As the Mahabharata says, "The Veda differ, and so

do the Smriti. No one is a muni who has no independent opinion of his own (nasau

muniryasya matang na bhinnam).

The human being is called jiva – that is, the embodied Atma possessed by egoism

and of the notion that it directs the puryashtaka, namely, the five organs of

action (karmendriya), the five organs of perception (jnanendriya), the fourfold

antahkarana or mental self (Manas, Buddhi, Ahangkara, Chitta), the five vital

airs (Prana), the five elements, Kama (desire), Karma (action and its results),

and Avidya (illusion). When these false notions are destroyed, the embodiment is

destroyed, and the wearer of the mayik garment attains nirvana. When the jiva is

absorbed in Brahman, there is no longer any jiva remaining as such.

Varna

Ordinarily there are four chief divisions or castes (varna) of Hindu society –

viz.: Brahmana (priesthood; teaching); Kshattriya (warrior); Vaishya (merchant);

Shudra (servile) – said to have sprung respectively from the mouth, arm, thigh,

and foot of Brahma. A man of the first three classes becomes an investiture,

during the upanayana ceremony of the sacred thread, twice-born (dvija). It is

said that by birth one is shudra, by sangskara (upanayana), dvija (twice-born);

by study of the Vedas one attains the state of a vipra; and that he who has

knowledge of the Brahman is a Brahmana. The present Tantra, however, speaks of a

fifth or hybrid class (samanya), resulting from intermixture between the others.

It is a peculiarity of Tantra that its worship is largely free of Vaidik

exclusiveness, whether based on caste, sex, or otherwise. As the Gautamiya

Tantra says, "The Tantra is for all men, of whatever caste, and for all women"

(Sarvvavarnadhikaraschcha narinang yogya eva cha).

Ashrama

The four stages, conditions, or periods in the life of a Brahman are: First,

that of the chaste student, or brahmachari; second, the period of secular life

as a married householder, or grihastha; third, that of the recluse, or

vanaprastha, when there is retirement from the world; and lastly, that of the

beggar, or bhikshu, who begs his single daily meal, and meditates upon the

Supreme Spirit to which he is about to return. For the Kshattriya there are the

first three Ashramas; for the Vaishya, the first two; and for the Shudra, the

grihastha Ashrama only. This Tantra states that in the Kali age there are only

two Ashrama. The second garhasthya and the last bhikshuka or avadhuta. Neither

the conditions of life, nor the character, capacity, and powers of the people of

this age allow of the first and third. The two ashramas prescribed for the Kali

age are open to all castes indiscriminately.

There are, it is now commonly said, two main divisions of avadhuta – namely,

Shaivavadhuta and Brahmavadhuta – of each of which there are, again, three

divisions. Of the first class the divisions are firstly Shaivavadhuta, who is

apurna (imperfect). Though an ascetic, he is also a householder and like Shiva.

Hence his name. The second is the wandering stage of the Shaiva (or the

parivrajaka), who has now left the world, and passes his time doing puja, japa,

etc., visiting the tirtha and pitha, or places of pilgrimage. In this stage,

which, though higher, is still imperfect, the avadhuta is competent for ordinary

sadhana with a shakti. The third is the perfect stage of a Shaiva. Wearing only

the kaupina, he renounces all things and all rites, though within certain limits

he may practise some yoga, and is permitted to meet the request of a woman who

makes it of him. Of the second class the three divisions are, firstly, the

Brahma-vadhuta, who, like the Shaivavadhuta, is imperfect (apurna) and a

householder. He is not permitted, however, to have a Shaiva Shakti, and is

restricted to sviya-shakti. The second-class Brahma-parivrajaka is similar to

the Shaiva of the same class, except that ordinarily he is not permitted to have

anything to do with any woman, though he may, under the guidance of his Guru,

practise yoga accompanied by Shakti. The third or highest class – Hangsavadhuta

– is similar to the third Shaiva degree, except that he must under no

circumstances touch a woman or metals, nor may he practise any rites or keep any

observances.

Correspondence Between Macrocosm and Microcosm

The universe consists of a Mahabrahmanda, or grand Kosmos, and of numerous

Brihatbrahmanda, or macrocosms evolved from it. As is said by the Nirvana

Tantra, all which is in the first is in the second. In the latter are heavenly

bodies and beings, which are microcosms reflecting on a minor scale the greater

worlds which evolve them. "As above, so below." This mystical maxim of the West

is stated in the Vishvasara Tantra as follows: "What is here is elsewhere; what

is not here is nowhere" (yadihasti tadanyatra yannehasti natatkvachit). The

macrocosm has its meru, or vertebral column, extending from top to bottom. There

are fourteen regions descending from Satyaloka, the highest. These are the seven

upper and the seven nether worlds (vide ante). The meru of the human body is the

spinal column, and within it are the chakra, in which the worlds are said to

dwell. In the words of the Shaktananda-Tarangini, they are pindamadhyesthita.

Satya has been said to be in the sahasrara, and Tapah, Janah, Mahah, Svah,

Bhuvah, Bhuh in the ajna, vishuddha, anahata, manipura, svadishthana, and

muladhara lotuses respectively. Below muladhara and in the joints, sides, anus,

and organs of generation are the nether worlds. The bones near the spinal column

are the kula-parvata. Such are the correspondences as to earth. Then as to

water. The nadi are the rivers. The seven substances of the body (dhatu) are the

seven islands. Sweat, tears, and the like are the oceans. Fire exists in the

muladhara, sushumna, navel, and elsewhere. As the worlds are supported by the

pravahana and other vayu ("airs"), so is the body supported by the ten vayu

prana, etc. There is the same akasha (ether) in both. The witness within is the

purusha without, for the personal soul of the microcosm corresponds to the

cosmic soul (hiranyagarbha) in the macrocosm.

The Ages

The passage of time within a maha-yoga influences for the worse man and the

world in which he lives. This passage is marked by the four ages (yuga), called

Satya, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali-yuga, the last being that in which it is

generally supposed the world now is. The yuga is a fraction of a kalpa, or day

of Brahma of 4,320,000 human years. The kalpa is divided into fourteen

manvantara, which are again subdivided into seventy-one maha.-yuga; the length

of each of which is 4,320,000 human years. The maha-yuga (great age) is itself

composed of four yuga (ages) – (a) Satya, (b) Treta, (c) Dvapara, (d) Kali.

Official science teaches that man appeared on the earth in an imperfect state,

from which he has since been gradually, though continually, raising himself.

Such teaching is, however, in conflict with the traditions of all peoples – Jew,

Babylonian, Egyptian, Hindu, Greek, Roman, and Christian – which speak of an age

when man was both innocent and happy. From this state of primal perfection he

fell, continuing his descent until such time as the great Avatara, Christ and

others, descended to save his race and enable it to regain the righteous path.

The Garden of Eden is the emblem of the paradisiacal body of man. There man was

one with Nature. He was himself paradise, a privileged enclosure in a garden of

delight – gan be Eden. Et eruditus est Moyse omni sapientia Ægyptiorum. The

Satya Yuga is, according to Hindu belief, the Golden Age of righteousness, free

of sin, marked by longevity, physical strength, beauty, and stature. "There were

giants in those days" whose moral, mental, and physical strength enabled them to

undergo long brahmacharyya (continence) and tapas (austerities). Longevity

permitted lengthy spiritual exercises. Life then depended on the marrow, and

lasted a lakh of years, men dying when they willed. Their stature was 21 cubits.

To this age belong the Avatara or incarnations of Vishnu, Matsya, Kurma, Varaha,

Nri-singha, and Vamana. Its duration is computed to be 4,800 Divine years,

which, when multiplied by 360 (a year of the Devas being equal to 360 human

years) are the equivalent of 1,728,000 of the years of man. (b) The second age,

or Treta (three-fourth) Yuga, is that in which righteousness (dharmma) decreased

by one-fourth. The duration was 3,600 Divine years, or 1,296,000 human years.

Longevity, strength, and stature decreased. Life was in the bone, and lasted

10,000 years. Man’s stature was 14 cubits. Of sin there appeared one-quarter,

and of virtue there remained three-quarters. Men were still attached to pious

and charitable acts, penances, sacrifice, and pilgrimage, of which the chief was

that to Naimisharanya. In this period appeared the avatars of Vishnu as

Parashurama and Rama. (c) The third, or Dvapara (one-half) Yuga, is that in

which righteousness decreased by one-half, and the duration of which was 2,400

Divine, or 864,000 human, years. A further decrease in longevity and strength,

and increase of weakness and disease, mark this age. Life which lasted 1,000

years was centred in the blood. Stature was 7 cubits. Sin and virtue were of

equal force. Men became restless, and, though eager to acquire knowledge, were

deceitful, and followed both good and useful pursuits. The principal place of

pilgrimage was Kurukshetra. To this age belongs (according to Vyasa,

Anushtubhacharya and Jiya-deva) the avatara of Vishnu as Bala-rama, the elder

brother of Krishna, who, according to other accounts, takes his place. In the

sandhya, or intervening period of 1,000 years between this and the next yuga the

Tantra was revealed, as it will be revealed at the dawn of every Kali-yuga. (d)

Kali-yuga is the alleged present age, in which righteousness exists to the

extent of one-fourth only, the duration of which is 1,200 Divine,or 432,000

human, years. According to some, this age commenced in 3120 B.C. on the date of

Vishnu’s return to heaven after the eighth incarnation. This is the periodwhich,

according to the Puranas and Tantras, is characterized by the prevalence of

viciousness, weakness, disease, and the general decline of all that is good.

Humanlife, which lasts at most 120, or, as some say, 100, years,is dependent on

food. Stature is 3½ cubits. The chief pilgrimage is now to the Ganges. In this

age has appeared the Buddha Avatara. The last, or Kalki Avatara,the Destroyer of

sin, has yet to come. It is He who will destroy iniquity and restore the age of

righteousness.The Kalki Purana speaks of Him as One whose body is blue like that

of the rain-charged cloud, who with sword in hand rides, as does the rider of

the Apocalypse, a white horse swift as the wind, the Cherisher of the people,

Destroyer of the race of the Kali-yuga, the Source of true religion. And

Jayadeva, in his Ode to the Incarnations,addresses Him thus: "For the

destruction of all the impure thou drawest thy cimeter like a blazing comet. O

how tremendous! Oh, Keshava, assuming the body of Kalki! Be victorious. O Hari,

Lord of the Universe!" With the Satya-yuga a new maha-yaga will commence, and

the ages will continue to revolve with their rising and descending races until

the close of the kalpa or day of Brahma.. Then a night of dissolution (pralaya)

of equal duration follows, the Lord reposing in yoga-nidra (yoga sleep in

pralaya) on the Serpent Shesha, the Endless One, till day break, when the

universe is created anew and the next kalpa follows.

The Scriptures of the Ages

Each of these Ages has its appropriate Shastra or Scripture, designed to meet

the characteristics and needs of the men who live in them The Hindu Shastra are

classed into: (1) Shruti, which commonly includes the four Veda. (Rik, Yajuh,

Sama, Atharva, and the Upanishads), the doctrine of which is philosophically

exposed in the Vedanta-Darshana. (2) Smriti, such as the Dharma-Shastra of Manu