Magic of Proportions Shrikant Soman
Methods of Making Vedic Altar Shrikant Vasudeo
The fire altars symbolized the universe and thee were three types of altars representing the earth, the space and the sky. The altar for theeart was drawn as circular whereas the sky (or heaven) was drawn as square. The geometric problems of circulature of a square and that of squaring a circle are a result of equating the earth and the sky altars.
The fire altars were surrounded by 360 enclosing stones, of these 21 were around the earth altar, 78 around the space altar and 261 around the sky altar. In other words, the earth, the space, and the sky are symbolically assigned number 21, 78 and 261. Considering the earth / cosmos dichotomy, the two numbers are 21 and 339 since cosmos includes the space and the sky…..
These altars were built in five layers, of a thousand bricks of specified shapes. The construction of these altars required the solution to several geometric and algebraic problems.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Desire - the Dynamic Motive Force of Life
Desire – the Dynamic Motive Force of Life
---- Shrikant Vasudeo
We have been flooded with preachings of gurus and scriptures of practically all the religions of the world that ‘desire’ is the enemy of Man and in order to reach God, Liberation, Nirvana, Happiness etc we must cut off ‘desire’ from our mind.
On the other hand, we all know that it is practically impossible to live without desire. It is like living without air, water or food. It is like the car without fuel. This so called religious ordain to abstain from desire contrasted with the real world fact of desire being the principle driving force of man has created a guilt feeling in man. It has made the problem of life more complicated. We feel hopelessly entangled in the net of samsara full of desires with no light at the end of the tunnel.
In this background, it will be both interesting as well as illumining to learn the importance given to desire in Veda. It has boldly proclaimed desire as the dynamism inherent in the whole creation. Desire is put very high on the celestial pedestal by declaring that it is the ‘first seed of mind’. In a way, it is the happy and divine origin of our samsara.
The First Seed of Mind
Manaso retah Atharva Veda XIX, 52
All free translation
1 In the beginning was Desire,
the first seed of mind.
O desire, twin of Desire,
grant wealth to me !
There is original Desire. From this Desire, the desire is borne in man. Therefore the original celestial Desire and the desire in Man is termed as the twin sisters. It is implored to grant wealth. Thus desire is treated as the engine of prosperity.
2 Powerful, unshakable,
shining, companionable,
formidable victor,
grant power to me !
Having asked wealth, not we ask power from this first seed of mind. It is spoken as powerful, firm, glittering, victorious warrior friend.
3 He who traversed a very long distance
to fulfill the pledge
in response to the eternal call
was attended by the regions,
By means of Desire
they generated light.
This hymn has occult meaning in it when it speaks of the ‘regions’. Desire is instrumental in generating light. What it means is that this world is not run mechanically by the Creator. It is a joyful play. Desire was the original motive force for generating light. The region refers to all the levels of our existence and is not limited to the material world.
4 From Desire springs desire,
leaps from Heart to heart,
The mind of my people,
let that mind be mine !
The eternal desire is the mother of the desire in man. When it first originated in the Heart of the eternal, the heart of man resonated with it. The mind of people got this resonance.
5 Now prosper, Desire,
the desires of our hearts,
that we may succeed,
Accept this oblation !
Prosperity and success is prayed from Desire of the Eternal. It means that Desire is treated like a holy source of prosperity. It is equated with God.
We should note that while eulogizing the Desire in human life while terming it as the first seed of mind, a motive force for all our actions, we should not fall into the trap of getting ‘dragged’ by it. We should be Masters of desire. The desire is not abolished, as is the popular conception, but it is mastered. It is like the man riding on the stallion fully in control of it. Stallion is the desire. However, when we are not able to control the horse, we fell down and get dragged by the horse. The same horse can take us faster to our destination or it can cause us to fall and cause injury.
---- Shrikant Vasudeo
We have been flooded with preachings of gurus and scriptures of practically all the religions of the world that ‘desire’ is the enemy of Man and in order to reach God, Liberation, Nirvana, Happiness etc we must cut off ‘desire’ from our mind.
On the other hand, we all know that it is practically impossible to live without desire. It is like living without air, water or food. It is like the car without fuel. This so called religious ordain to abstain from desire contrasted with the real world fact of desire being the principle driving force of man has created a guilt feeling in man. It has made the problem of life more complicated. We feel hopelessly entangled in the net of samsara full of desires with no light at the end of the tunnel.
In this background, it will be both interesting as well as illumining to learn the importance given to desire in Veda. It has boldly proclaimed desire as the dynamism inherent in the whole creation. Desire is put very high on the celestial pedestal by declaring that it is the ‘first seed of mind’. In a way, it is the happy and divine origin of our samsara.
The First Seed of Mind
Manaso retah Atharva Veda XIX, 52
All free translation
1 In the beginning was Desire,
the first seed of mind.
O desire, twin of Desire,
grant wealth to me !
There is original Desire. From this Desire, the desire is borne in man. Therefore the original celestial Desire and the desire in Man is termed as the twin sisters. It is implored to grant wealth. Thus desire is treated as the engine of prosperity.
2 Powerful, unshakable,
shining, companionable,
formidable victor,
grant power to me !
Having asked wealth, not we ask power from this first seed of mind. It is spoken as powerful, firm, glittering, victorious warrior friend.
3 He who traversed a very long distance
to fulfill the pledge
in response to the eternal call
was attended by the regions,
By means of Desire
they generated light.
This hymn has occult meaning in it when it speaks of the ‘regions’. Desire is instrumental in generating light. What it means is that this world is not run mechanically by the Creator. It is a joyful play. Desire was the original motive force for generating light. The region refers to all the levels of our existence and is not limited to the material world.
4 From Desire springs desire,
leaps from Heart to heart,
The mind of my people,
let that mind be mine !
The eternal desire is the mother of the desire in man. When it first originated in the Heart of the eternal, the heart of man resonated with it. The mind of people got this resonance.
5 Now prosper, Desire,
the desires of our hearts,
that we may succeed,
Accept this oblation !
Prosperity and success is prayed from Desire of the Eternal. It means that Desire is treated like a holy source of prosperity. It is equated with God.
We should note that while eulogizing the Desire in human life while terming it as the first seed of mind, a motive force for all our actions, we should not fall into the trap of getting ‘dragged’ by it. We should be Masters of desire. The desire is not abolished, as is the popular conception, but it is mastered. It is like the man riding on the stallion fully in control of it. Stallion is the desire. However, when we are not able to control the horse, we fell down and get dragged by the horse. The same horse can take us faster to our destination or it can cause us to fall and cause injury.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Vedic Gems - Time is NOW !
Vedic Gems 11th May 2008
Time is NOW
Nabho Na Rupam Jarima Minati Pura Tasya Abhishasteradhihi II
Rig Veda, 1.71.10
As a Form is made dim by the mist, likewise the ageing process diminishes us. Let us therefore arrive to the Truth before we age
(free translation)
In our daily routine life, most of our time is spent in a mechanical non-aware way. We get sucked up in our daily life. The net value addition to our life mission is nil or very minimal. However, we get older every passing day. By the time we realise that there is no real meaning to our life, we are already old. Very little can be done when we are old. We lose a very important opportunity of our life to progress in our spiritual path.
We need to take a P A U S E from our daily routine life. Do introspection. Have a realistic ‘stock taking’ of our priorities, achievements, goals, engagements, needs, value system and the understanding our mission in this life. The time is N O W. It is our life. There is no point in giving excuses for getting ‘stuck’ in the rut. To whom are we pleading ? There is nobody there. There is no benefit from being ‘defensive’ or apologetic about our life. We need to A C T. Make necessary C O R R E C T I O N S in our path. We may have to take some HARD DECISIONS.
This is NOT a call towards practicing any religion or spirituality. This is not a call to be pious, make prayers, attend temples and churches, read scriptures, do charity, perform austerity etc. This is a call to our INNERSELF which is getting suffocated in our ROUTINE life. The TRUTH spoken of is not related to any GOD or GURU. It is the truth of our inner being. The very purpose of our birth on this beautiful planet is to realise and experience this inner truth.
The time is now.
Time is NOW
Nabho Na Rupam Jarima Minati Pura Tasya Abhishasteradhihi II
Rig Veda, 1.71.10
As a Form is made dim by the mist, likewise the ageing process diminishes us. Let us therefore arrive to the Truth before we age
(free translation)
In our daily routine life, most of our time is spent in a mechanical non-aware way. We get sucked up in our daily life. The net value addition to our life mission is nil or very minimal. However, we get older every passing day. By the time we realise that there is no real meaning to our life, we are already old. Very little can be done when we are old. We lose a very important opportunity of our life to progress in our spiritual path.
We need to take a P A U S E from our daily routine life. Do introspection. Have a realistic ‘stock taking’ of our priorities, achievements, goals, engagements, needs, value system and the understanding our mission in this life. The time is N O W. It is our life. There is no point in giving excuses for getting ‘stuck’ in the rut. To whom are we pleading ? There is nobody there. There is no benefit from being ‘defensive’ or apologetic about our life. We need to A C T. Make necessary C O R R E C T I O N S in our path. We may have to take some HARD DECISIONS.
This is NOT a call towards practicing any religion or spirituality. This is not a call to be pious, make prayers, attend temples and churches, read scriptures, do charity, perform austerity etc. This is a call to our INNERSELF which is getting suffocated in our ROUTINE life. The TRUTH spoken of is not related to any GOD or GURU. It is the truth of our inner being. The very purpose of our birth on this beautiful planet is to realise and experience this inner truth.
The time is now.
Vedic Gems - Joy of Life
Vedic Gems 11th May 2008
Joy of Life
Aa Vartanim Madhuna Jinvathaspatho drutim Vahethe madhumantamashvina
Rig Veda, 4.45.3
With thy honey you gladden the movements and its paths; full of honey, O Ashwins, is the skin that your bear
(free translation)
Is our life a drab, dull, monotonous living full of hard work, duties, obligations, austerities, uncertainties, vulnerabilities ? The joy in our life is always some fleeting moments ‘grabbed’ from outside situations. More importantly, does the holy, pious, religious life denote lack of joyous moments ? The above verse from Rigveda is in answer to this question.
Ashwins are the Lords of Bliss. They bring the ‘DELIGHT OF LIFE’ for us on earth. The joy which they bring is given the metaphor of honey. Like honey, they bring the sweet joy of our journey towards immortality. And this joy is not some fleeting moments, but never-ending flow of honey. Their container of honey never gets exhausted.
We are able to enjoy this honey on our journey when clean the inner altar, put Agni in front and in full awareness and in divine light make our progress. This is the pure joy. It is Bliss.
Iiyate Vishwam Anu Swadhaya Chetathaspathah I
Rig Veda, 4.45.6
By force of Nature’s own laws , you (Ashwins) move consciously along all paths.
(free translation)
The lords of bliss are not only confined to our highest summit of our mind far away from our so called ‘ordinary’ world activities. The highest pinnacle of our mind is only the starting point for Lords of Bliss. As we integrate and harmonise all our activities from different parts of our being into the light of our inner and higher Soul, as we cleanse our alter and put Agni in front, as we move along many sided activities of our life, the JOY OF LIFE, the Honey is poured in it. Our everyday life then becomes full of joy. All parts of our being enjoy our journey on the path to immortality. Every aspect of our life, even the most trivial aspect, is full of joy.
Pra Vamavochmashwina dhyamdha rathah swashvo ajaro yo asti I
Yen sadyah pari rajamsi yatho havishmantam tarani bhojamacha II
Rig Veda, 4.45.7
I have declared, O Ashwins, holding the Thought in me, your chariot that is undecaying and drawn by perfect steeds; your chariot by which you move at once over all the worlds towards the enjoyment rich in offerings that makes through the goal.
(free translation)
This chariot of Ashwins, the Lords of Bliss, does not decay with the passage of time. It is ever fresh and healthy. It is drawn by perfect seeds in the form of fully developed powers of life. This chariot of the Lords of Bliss moves over all the ranges of the being of man. We enjoy life at every level of our existence. Soma is purified and distilled wine. It is a metaphor for pure joy. This joy is purified of all the toxic emotions.
In this joyful way, as cleared by the Lords of Bliss, the man moves rapidly towards his life mission. Life becomes a journey full of bliss. Thus the man is rewarded by double bonus – he gets enjoyments on the way and he reaches his goal accurately and faster !
Joy of Life
Aa Vartanim Madhuna Jinvathaspatho drutim Vahethe madhumantamashvina
Rig Veda, 4.45.3
With thy honey you gladden the movements and its paths; full of honey, O Ashwins, is the skin that your bear
(free translation)
Is our life a drab, dull, monotonous living full of hard work, duties, obligations, austerities, uncertainties, vulnerabilities ? The joy in our life is always some fleeting moments ‘grabbed’ from outside situations. More importantly, does the holy, pious, religious life denote lack of joyous moments ? The above verse from Rigveda is in answer to this question.
Ashwins are the Lords of Bliss. They bring the ‘DELIGHT OF LIFE’ for us on earth. The joy which they bring is given the metaphor of honey. Like honey, they bring the sweet joy of our journey towards immortality. And this joy is not some fleeting moments, but never-ending flow of honey. Their container of honey never gets exhausted.
We are able to enjoy this honey on our journey when clean the inner altar, put Agni in front and in full awareness and in divine light make our progress. This is the pure joy. It is Bliss.
Iiyate Vishwam Anu Swadhaya Chetathaspathah I
Rig Veda, 4.45.6
By force of Nature’s own laws , you (Ashwins) move consciously along all paths.
(free translation)
The lords of bliss are not only confined to our highest summit of our mind far away from our so called ‘ordinary’ world activities. The highest pinnacle of our mind is only the starting point for Lords of Bliss. As we integrate and harmonise all our activities from different parts of our being into the light of our inner and higher Soul, as we cleanse our alter and put Agni in front, as we move along many sided activities of our life, the JOY OF LIFE, the Honey is poured in it. Our everyday life then becomes full of joy. All parts of our being enjoy our journey on the path to immortality. Every aspect of our life, even the most trivial aspect, is full of joy.
Pra Vamavochmashwina dhyamdha rathah swashvo ajaro yo asti I
Yen sadyah pari rajamsi yatho havishmantam tarani bhojamacha II
Rig Veda, 4.45.7
I have declared, O Ashwins, holding the Thought in me, your chariot that is undecaying and drawn by perfect steeds; your chariot by which you move at once over all the worlds towards the enjoyment rich in offerings that makes through the goal.
(free translation)
This chariot of Ashwins, the Lords of Bliss, does not decay with the passage of time. It is ever fresh and healthy. It is drawn by perfect seeds in the form of fully developed powers of life. This chariot of the Lords of Bliss moves over all the ranges of the being of man. We enjoy life at every level of our existence. Soma is purified and distilled wine. It is a metaphor for pure joy. This joy is purified of all the toxic emotions.
In this joyful way, as cleared by the Lords of Bliss, the man moves rapidly towards his life mission. Life becomes a journey full of bliss. Thus the man is rewarded by double bonus – he gets enjoyments on the way and he reaches his goal accurately and faster !
Vedic Gems - Divine Altar
Vedic Gems 11th May 2008
Divine Altar
Aram Krnvantu Vedim Samgrimindhtam Purah I
Tatramrutasys chetanam….. II
Rig Veda, 1.170.4
Let them make ready the altar, let them set Agni in blaze in front. It is there, the awaking of the consciousness to Immortality.
(free translation)
We need to do the cleansing of our psyche of all the impurities. All the feelings of hatred, anguish, jealousy, hurt feelings, depressions, anxiety and suspicion act like the ‘toxic waste’ in our inner earth. Most of our energy is being ‘consumed’ by these demons. Very little of our energy takes us upwards. The problem is not the shortage of energy. It is of the wastage in wrong channels. The rudder of our ship is in the hands of our emotional sub-personalities riding on variety of emotions as mentioned above. If we need to steer our ship to our life mission, we need to TAKE CHARGE. We need to clean the altar of our inner temple of soul. We need to restore the sanctity of our inner altar.
We need to make the Agni blaze in from of our life boat. Agni is the Divine Force of our life. When we clean the altar and put Agni in front then we truly awake our consciousness to immortality. All the impurities get burnt in Agni. He is the great purifier. We then realise our divine self – the God within us. Agni is the divine priest who initiates and conducts the Yagnya of our life. He is the great transforming agent. Our life becomes full of divine light.
It is not enough to have silent armchair meditation on divine. We need to ACT. Agni is FORCE OF OUR ACTION. He is the energy as well as the charioteer of our journey. We need to consciously, with full awareness and with purity of our inner altar, perform actions in our life. This is Yagna or our life. When we do this, Agni takes charge. He gets into the front of our chariot.
Divine Altar
Aram Krnvantu Vedim Samgrimindhtam Purah I
Tatramrutasys chetanam….. II
Rig Veda, 1.170.4
Let them make ready the altar, let them set Agni in blaze in front. It is there, the awaking of the consciousness to Immortality.
(free translation)
We need to do the cleansing of our psyche of all the impurities. All the feelings of hatred, anguish, jealousy, hurt feelings, depressions, anxiety and suspicion act like the ‘toxic waste’ in our inner earth. Most of our energy is being ‘consumed’ by these demons. Very little of our energy takes us upwards. The problem is not the shortage of energy. It is of the wastage in wrong channels. The rudder of our ship is in the hands of our emotional sub-personalities riding on variety of emotions as mentioned above. If we need to steer our ship to our life mission, we need to TAKE CHARGE. We need to clean the altar of our inner temple of soul. We need to restore the sanctity of our inner altar.
We need to make the Agni blaze in from of our life boat. Agni is the Divine Force of our life. When we clean the altar and put Agni in front then we truly awake our consciousness to immortality. All the impurities get burnt in Agni. He is the great purifier. We then realise our divine self – the God within us. Agni is the divine priest who initiates and conducts the Yagnya of our life. He is the great transforming agent. Our life becomes full of divine light.
It is not enough to have silent armchair meditation on divine. We need to ACT. Agni is FORCE OF OUR ACTION. He is the energy as well as the charioteer of our journey. We need to consciously, with full awareness and with purity of our inner altar, perform actions in our life. This is Yagna or our life. When we do this, Agni takes charge. He gets into the front of our chariot.
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