I first drafted this post back in February, after taking a few weeks off from blogging. Why did I take a break? Mainly because I felt no compulsion to carry on. In hindsight, I can see that my lack of motivation was tied to my reluctance to continue translating the Rig Veda. Who am I, after all, to take on such an assignment? In the world's estimation, I am utterly unqualified, having no formal training in Sanskrit, Vedic studies, or Hindu philosophy.
And yet, as Jesus often reminds me in moments of doubt, those professing expertise in these areas have led us all astray for centuries, so perhaps a different form of "expertise" is needed at this point in the dream of time and space.
During my hiatus from blogging, I continued my daily Golden Circle meetings and also prayed for guidance by invoking the miracle-readiness prayer from the Course: "Tell me what you would have me do, and only that do I will to do."
The answers I requested came not in words or signs, but more subtly. Whenever I sat down at the computer to write new material or rework archival posts unrelated to the Rig Veda, I floundered. My mind just spun until I finally gave up.
This went on, as I said, for several weeks, which was frustrating, to say the least. When I'm not blogging, I feel somewhat rudderless -- even when I meditate several times in a 24-hour period. During my unrestful vacation from blogging, I wrestled within myself. Was the Holy Spirit compelling me, strange as it seemed, to translate the Rig Veda? Was it, in fact, my special assignment in the Atonement Plan to shine new light on that ancient text?
As I prayed for clarity, I began to see that it might indeed be God's Will that I continue this work. I also sensed that it was precisely my lack of ego-defined "expertise" that made me so right for the job. Simply stated, I have no prejudicial assumptions or cherished false beliefs to overcome where the Vedas are concerned. I am, you might say, a pure channel when it comes to Hinduism in general and the Rig Veda in particular. I also seem to understand the Course's teachings at a higher level than most people promoting the path in this phase of the dream. And that seems key in ways that aren't easy to explain.
Despite all this, I still harbored doubts. Then, while reading the Course, I came across this "answer" in Workbook Lesson 186: Salvation of the world depends on me:
Let us not fight our function. We did not establish it. It is not our idea. The means are given us by which it will be perfectly accomplished. All that we are asked to do is to accept our part in genuine humility and not deny with self-deceiving arrogance that we are worthy. What is given us to do we have the strength to do. Our minds are suited perfectly to take the part assigned to us by One Who knows us well.
Yes, but. As on-point as this message seemed to be, I remained unconvinced. So, I sat down and meditated a good long while. And when I was deep enough, I asked again if doing this work was indeed God's Will. The little voice that sometimes speaks to me answered thusly: "Just as the Course came into the world to correct erroneous Christian beliefs, retranslating the Rig Veda will help do the same for Hinduism."
"Yes, but," I again replied, "I'm not Hindu."
"Aren't you?" my inner guide coyly inquired. "Aren't you, in fact, everything? Aren't you, in actuality, the Christ? And doesn't that make you as much a Hindu, Christian, and everything else as anybody else?"
"Well, yes," I reluctantly agreed, "when you put it that way ...."
The voice then added reassuringly, "Don't worry about getting through the whole Samhita. Just concentrate for now on translating the first Mandala -- and see how it goes."
That didn't sound so bad -- until I discovered the first Mandala contains 190 Suktas! And at 65, that's a pretty tall order. So, I'd better get on with it -- and see what I can learn and teach from the third Rik, which (as per Max Muller) reads as follows in transliterated Sanskrit:
aśvinā yajvarīr iṣo dravatpāṇī śubhas patī | purubhujā canasyatam ||
aśvinā purudaṃsasā narā śavīrayā dhiyā | dhiṣṇyā vanataṃ giraḥ ||
dasrā yuvākavaḥ sutā nāsatyā vṛktabarhiṣaḥ | ā yātaṃ rudravartanī ||
indrā yāhi citrabhāno sutā ime tvāyavaḥ | aṇvībhis tanā pūtāsaḥ ||
indrā yāhi dhiyeṣito viprajūtaḥ sutāvataḥ | upa brahmāṇi vāghataḥ ||
indrā yāhi tūtujāna upa brahmāṇi harivaḥ | sute dadhiṣva naś canaḥ ||
omāsaś carṣaṇīdhṛto viśve devāsa ā gata | dāśvāṃso dāśuṣaḥ sutam ||
viśve devāso apturaḥ sutam ā ganta tūrṇayaḥ | usrā iva svasarāṇi ||
viśve devāso asridha ehimāyāso adruhaḥ | medhaṃ juṣanta vahnayaḥ ||
pāvakā naḥ sarasvatī vājebhir vājinīvatī | yajñaṃ vaṣṭu dhiyāvasuḥ ||
codayitrī sūnṛtānāṃ cetantī sumatīnām | yajñaṃ dadhe sarasvatī ||
maho arṇaḥ sarasvatī pra cetayati ketunā | dhiyo viśvā vi rājati ||
Before I walk you through my seat-of-the-pants translation process, let's fix in our minds (for frame-of-reference purposes) what the 19th-Century Oxford "orientalists" H. H. Wilson and Ralph T. H. Griffith came up with. We'll start with Wilson, who offers the following result:
Aśvins, cherishers of pious acts, long-armed, accept with outstretched hands the sacrificial viands
Aśvins, abounding in mighty acts, guides (of devotion), endowed with fortitude, listen with unaverted minds to our praises
Aśvins, destroyers of foes, exempt from untruth, leaders in the van of heroes, come to the mixed libations sprinkled on the lopped sacred grass.
Indra, apprehended by the understanding and appreciated by the wise, approach and accept the prayers of the priest as he offers the libation. Fleet Indra with the tawny coursers, come hither to the prayer (of the priest), and in this libation accept our (proffered) food.
Universal Gods, protectors and supporters of men, bestowers (of rewards) come to the libation of the worshipper.
May the swift-moving universal Gods, the shedders of rain, come to the libation, as the solar rays come diligently to the days.
May the universal Gods, who are exempt from decay, omniscient, devoid of malice, and bearers of (riches), accept the sacrifice.
May Sarasvatī, the purifier, the bestower of food, the recompenser of worship with wealth, be attracted by our offered viands to our rite.
Sarasvatī, the inspirer of those who delight in truth, the instrumental uctress of the right-minded, has accepted our sacrifice.
Sarasvatī, makes manifest by her acts a mighty river, and (in her own form) enlightens all understandings.
And here's what Griffith made of the same ancient verbiage:
Ye Aśvins, rich in wondrous deeds, ye heroes worthy of our praise, Accept our songs with mighty thought. Accept the sacrificial food.
Nāsatyas, wonder-workers, yours are these libations with clipt grass: Come ye whose paths are red with flame.
O Indra marvellously bright, come, these libations long for thee, Thus by fine fingers purified. Urged by the holy singer, sped by song, come, Indra, to the prayers, Of the libation-pouring priest.
Approach, O Indra, hasten thee, Lord of Bay Horses, to the prayers. In our libation take delight.
Ye Viśvedevas, who protect, reward, and cherish men, approach Your worshipper's drink-offering.
Ye Viśvedevas, swift at work, come hither quickly to the draught, as milch-kine hasten to their stalls.
The Viśvedevas, changing shape like serpents, fearless, void of guile, Bearers, accept the sacred draught.
Wealthy in spoil, enriched with hymns, may bright Sarasvatī desire, with eager love, our sacrifice. Inciter of all pleasant songs, inspirer of all gracious thought, Sarasvatī accept our rite.
Sarasvatī, the mighty flood, —she with her light illuminates. She brightens every pious thought.
Let's now go through the third Sukta line by line, word by word, and/or syllable by syllable, as needed. The first word is aśvinā, which both Wilson and Griffith translate as the proper name of the twin gods supposedly being addressed. But is that right? -- or does aśvinā have an entirely different and much more elucidating meaning?
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| The Ashvins or Aswins, as commonly depicted in Hindu iconography. |
According to the online dictionaries I consulted, aśvinā can mean "pervading," "the distance traveled in a day by a horse," "horseman," "rider," and/or "the seventh month in the lunar calendar." So, what the rishis are really talking about here are the metaphorical horses seen and described by the Biblical prophets Zechariah and John the Elder. Those horses are, in fact, thought-forces or "shaktis" sent forth by the four Living Beings to help us overcome the false beliefs and faulty denials blocking our spiritual vision. And it is, in fact, the chief Anti-Christ himself who transformed these four "Shaktis of Enlightenment" into "apocalyptical" forces of destruction to be feared and avoided.
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| The four "Horsemen of the Apocalypse" as typically depicted in Christian art. |
Like the first two Suktas, the third is a teaching rather than a hymn of praise. By my calculations, the opening line translates more or less as follows:
The Horses of God strengthen the thoughts setting in motion the Vishwapurusha's streaming song bringing forth the rays of the Bridegroom's everlasting arms reaching out to everything belonging to God.
aśvin-ā (the Horses of God) yajvarir (strengthen the thoughts setting in motion) iṣo (the Vishwapurusha or Holy Spirit's) dravat-pani (streaming song or water) subhas (bringing forth the rays) pati (of the Bridegroom's) puru-bhuja (everlasting arms) canasyatam (reaching out to everything belonging to God)
Beautifully stated, isn't it? And yes, we WILL discuss the four horsemen in more depth before we're through. For now, though, let's focus on the everlasting arms mentioned herein, as well as in the Bible and the Course. In the Bible, the arms are described as follows in Deuteronomy 33:27-28:
The eternal God is thy refuge; and underneath are the everlasting arms: And he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; And shall say, 'Destroy them.' Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: The fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; Also his heavens shall drop down dew.
Actually, this is pretty profound, as well as prophetic. Here's what it means: God is our eternal refuge in the heavenly sphere, and down below (in the dream) we are supported by the everlasting arms of the Vishwapurusha, which will thrust out the Ego Mind by teaching us to destroy the alien thought system we manifested in fear and rebellion. Israel -- the truth-seeking Sons of God in the dream -- will then dwell in safety "alone." They will, in other words, live in the Holy Relationship within their minds at the fountain or wellspring, where they will be at peace until God lifts them out of the dream. That "the heavens shall drop down dew" means, more or less, that the Holy Spirit will continue to rain down Living Water on the earthly desert until the last dreamer awakens. And, in case you doubt me, Course-Jesus says pretty much the same thing below:
The holy relationship reflects the true relationship the Son of God has with his Father in reality. The Holy Spirit rests within it in the certainty it will endure forever. Its firm foundation is eternally upheld by truth, and love shines on it with the gentle smile and tender blessing it offers to its own. Here the unholy instant is exchanged in gladness for the holy one of safe return. Here is the way to true relationships held gently open, through which you and your brother walk together, leaving the body thankfully behind and resting in the Everlasting Arms. Love’s Arms are open to receive you, and give you peace forever. (ACIM, T-20.VI.10:1-6)
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| The monumental statue of "Christ the Redeemer" in Brazil symbolizes the everlasting arms of God's Love, reaching out to receive us and carry us home. For our redemption, in other words, God's Perfect Love divided into the twin Great Rays of Peace and Joy. |
The Horses of God bring forward awareness of the reality of Nara, the radiant current illuminating the wellspring of God's Voice.
asvina (the Horses of God) puru-damsasa (bring forward awareness of the reality of) nara (Nara, the Red Ray of Peace) savi-raya (the radiant current) dhiya (enlightening or illuminating) vana-tam (the fountain or wellspring of God's) girah (Voice).
The word "purudamsa" is generally written off as a epithet for the Asvins, but the word actually tells us the horsemen bring forward ("puru") awareness of the reality ("damasa") of Nara, the eternal spirit, holy lamp, and/or Red Ray of Peace "enlightening" or "illuminating" the wellspring of God's Voice. And that Voice emanates from Narayana, the Water Ray of Joy.
If you are doing the Course, be aware that it is these two Great Rays to which Jesus refers whenever he mentions God's gifts of Peace and Joy, as he does quite often. In Workbook Lesson 107: I seek but what belongs to me in truth, he says the following about these two radiant beams of Perfect Love:
Today’s idea continues with the thought that joy and peace are not but idle dreams. They are your right, because of what you are. They come to you from God, Who cannot fail to give you what He wills. Yet must there be a place made ready to receive His gifts. They are not welcomed gladly by a mind that has instead received the gifts it made where His belong, as substitutes for them. (ACIM, W-104.1:1-5)
And it is "bringing forward awareness of the reality of Nara" that Course-Jesus stridently encourages in Workbook Lesson 185 (I want the peace of God). Bringing forward that Red Ray of Peace is, in fact, the only purpose of earthly life, as Jesus makes clear in Workbook Lesson 205 (a review of Lesson 185), in which he provides the following prayer to help with that all-important task:
The peace of God is everything I want. The peace of God is my one goal; the aim of all my living here, the end I seek, my purpose and my function and my life, while I abide where I am not at home. (ACIM, W-205.1:2-3)
Let's move on to the Rik's third line, which reads: dasrā yuvākavaḥ sutā nāsatyā vṛktabarhiṣaḥ ā yātaṃ rudravartanī. My research and guidance suggests those words translate thusly:
To perceive this radiant driver of the eternal Word of God conveying the holy sound of the song of Satya (Divine Truth or Reality), subdue the thoughts injuring the Supreme Self abiding in Rudra.
das-ra (to perceive this radiant) yu-vak-a-vah (driver of the eternal word of God conveying) suta (the holy sound) nasatya (of the song of Satya or Divine Truth) vr (subdue) kta (the thoughts) barh (injuring) isah (the Supreme Self) Rudra-vartani (abiding in Rudra)
Who is Rudra? Good question, because the Rig Veda doesn't make his identity all that clear (at this point in our journey, leastwise). He is referred to elsewhere as "the mightiest of the mighty," so, we can presume Rudra also represents the deific force described by the Vedic scribes as "the Mighty One." Based on several factors, I believe Lord Rudra personifies the Solar Logos, Spiritual Sun, and/or first Red Ray of Creation occupying the chariot-throne on the Seventh Plane of Consciousness. That the name "Rudra" (rud-ra) translates as "red radiance" or "red ray" bears this out.
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| The image above depicts Rudra blessing the Living Water that is the Om/Aum vibration and/or Song of Heaven, as it flows downward into the Temple of the Vishwapurusha. In his thoughts, Lord Shiva -- Christ the redeemer -- looms large. At his back stand Rama (the Soul-Mind) and the monkey-faced god, Hanuman or Maruti. |
Let's move on to the Sukta's fourth line, which reads: indrā yāhi citrabhāno sutā ime tvāyavaḥ aṇvībhis tanā pūtāsaḥ. By my calculations, those words translate along these lines:
The Supreme Eternal Power of that radiance extends to impel the Bright One (Chitra or Chitra-gupa) to resound the answer to the call, the holy song of the Purusha -- the one in two parts restoring the Soul-Mind to Wholeness, purified of chaos, disorder, and the dark side of human nature.
Ind-ra [the supreme power (ind) of that radiance (ra)] yahi (shelters) citra-bhan-o (the Bright One resounding the "o" = the answer to the call) suta (the holy sound) ime (of the Purusha) tva-v-avah (the one in two parts restoring) anvi-bhis (the soul-mind) tana (to Wholeness) pu-tasah = pu-dasah [purified or cleansed (pu) of chaos, disorder, and the dark side of human nature (dasah)].
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| Chitra-gupa, as depicted in Hinduism |
In Hinduism, Chitra or Chitra-gupa is the keeper of "the Record" -- the register of our thoughts identified as the Agrasandhani in the Puranic lore. Basically, he's the deva who, like Santa Claus, "knows when you are sleeping; knows when you're awake; and knows if you've been bad or good." He's also the one who determines -- based on our spiritual progress and accumulated "debts" at the end of each incarnation -- our grade-level placement in our next earthly life.
Personally, I think Chitra-gupa is more than just a record-keeper, because his name also means "hidden picture" or "rich in secrets." Moreover, he's associated with the mysterious "blue pearl" -- the spiritual moon inside the Golden Circle with the bright star in the center. That ethereal "blue moon," I'm fairly certain, represents the Sixth Plane of Christ-Consciousness. Based on all these factors, my gut tells me Chitra-gupa represents what Course-Jesus calls "the face of Christ." Jesus mentions "the face of Christ" many times in the Course -- too many times to quote all his references. So, I picked the one below, which tends to support my theory that this is indeed what Chitra-gupa represents:
This is the purpose given you. Think not that your forgiveness of your brother serves but you two alone. For the whole new world rests in the hands of every two who enter here to rest. And as they rest, the face of Christ shines on them and they remember the laws of God, forgetting all the rest and yearning only to have His laws perfectly fulfilled in them and all their brothers. Think you when this has been achieved that you will rest without them? You could no more leave one of them outside than I could leave you, and forget part of myself. (ACIM, T-20.IV.7:1-6)
Let's proceed to the Sukta's fifth line, which reads: Indrā yāhi dhiyeṣito viprajūtaḥ sutāvataḥ upa brahmāṇi vāghataḥ. In my estimation, those words translate more or less as follows:
That Supreme Radiance extends to impel the Soul-Mind to extend the two driving the seven-fold holy sound of God's Voice nearer to Brahmani and away from body identification.
Indra (that supreme radiance) yahi (extends to impel) dhi-yes-ito [the soul-mind (dhiyes) to extend (ito)] viprajutah [the two (vi) driving (praju) the seven-fold (tah)] suta-vatah (holy sound of God's Voice) upa (nearer to) Brahmani (Brahmani) vaghatah [and away from (va) body-identification (ghatah)]
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| In current Hindu ideology, Brahmani is correctly identified as a form of Sarasvati -- and incorrectly identified as one of the Sapta Matrikas -- the seven auspicious mothers oft-mentioned in the Vedas. Said to be an aspect of Adi Shakti (the Spirit of Grace), Brahmani also is associated, rightly or wrongly, with the Rajas Guna -- the "mode of being" focused on human passions and bodily "doing." As such, she is wrongly identified as the "shakti" of Brahma, the creator of the world of bodies and action. In actuality, Brahmani and/or Sarasvati, if indeed the two are the same, represent the Great Ocean or Ocean of Milk (as we will learn in a later verse of this Sukta). She is, therefore, God's answer to or cure for the Rajas mode of being, as this verse makes clear. |
That Supreme Eternal Radiance extends to impel persons of activity (those accumulating karmic debt in the Record) to move nearer to Brahmani to be fit to convey the holiness granting knowledge of one's own Higher Self or Soul.
Like I said, Brahmani isn't Brahma's "shakti"; she's the Ocean of Milk, Brahma's antithesis.Indra (That supreme eternal radiance) vahi (extends to impel) tutujana (persons of activity) upa (to move nearer to) Brahmani (Brahmani) havivah (to be fit to convey) sute (the holiines) dadhisva [granting (da) knowledge of (dhi) one's own Higher Self or Soul (sva)]
Galloping onward, the Sukta's restored seventh line -- naś canaḥ omāsaś carṣaṇīdhṛto viśve devāsa ā gata dāśvāṃso dāśuṣaḥ sutam -- translates along these lines:
Uniting to sound the Wholeness touching the wheel at the heart of the cosmos protecting the authority of God, proceeding from the white horseman of Soma, bestows vital spiritual energy on the Sonship.
Nas (Uniting) ca-nah (to sound the Wholeness) omasas (touching) carsanidhrto (the wheel at the heart) visve (of the cosmos) de-vasa (protecting the authority) a (of God) gata (proceeding from) dasvam-so (the white horse or horseman of Soma) da-su-sah (bestows vital spiritual energy) sutam (on the Sonship)
Let's begin with the wheel at the heart of the cosmos -- a concept that, like the Golden Egg, can be found in scriptural texts universally. If you'd like to know more, there's a reasonably comprehensive explanation of "the wheel" on the website for the Theosophy Memorial Trust. I can't, of course, be sure that carsanidhrto actually translates as "the wheel at the heart," but I'm confident I'm on the right track. In the Course, Jesus never uses the word "wheel" -- not even once, oddly enough. He does, however, mention the "circle of brightness" incorporating the Real World. And what he says about this circle resonates strongly with this ancient Vedic verse. So, I've shared a goodly chunk of that explanation below:
This world of light, this circle of brightness is the real world, where guilt meets with forgiveness. Here the world outside is seen anew, without the shadow of guilt upon it. Here are you forgiven, for here you have forgiven everyone. Here is the new perception, where everything is bright and shining with innocence, washed in the waters of forgiveness, and cleansed of every evil thought you laid upon it. Here there is no attack upon the Son of God, and you are welcome. Here is your innocence, waiting to clothe you and protect you, and make you ready for the final step in the journey inward. Here are the dark and heavy garments of guilt laid by, and gently replaced by purity and love.
Yet even forgiveness is not the end. Forgiveness does make lovely, but it does not create. It is the source of healing, but it is the messenger of love and not its Source. Here you are led, that God Himself can take the final step unhindered, for here does nothing interfere with love, letting it be itself. A step beyond this holy place of forgiveness, a step still further inward but the one you cannot take, transports you to something completely different. Here is the Source of light; nothing perceived, forgiven nor transformed. But merely known.
This course will lead to knowledge, but knowledge itself is still beyond the scope of our curriculum. Nor is there any need for us to try to speak of what must forever lie beyond words. We need remember only that whoever attains the real world, beyond which learning cannot go, will go beyond it, but in a different way. Where learning ends there God begins, for learning ends before Him Who is complete where He begins, and where there IS no end. It is not for us to dwell on what cannot be attained. There is too much to learn. The readiness for knowledge still must be attained.
Love is not learned. Its meaning lies within itself. And learning ends when you have recognized all it is NOT. That is the interference; that is what needs to be undone. Love is not learned, because there never was a time in which you knew it not. Learning is useless in the Presence of your Creator, Whose acknowledgment of you and yours of Him so far transcend all learning that everything you learned is meaningless, replaced forever by the knowledge of love and its one meaning.
Your relationship with your brother has been uprooted from the world of shadows, and its unholy purpose has been safely brought through the barriers of guilt, washed with forgiveness, and set shining and firmly rooted in the world of light. From there it calls to you to follow the course it took, lifted high above the darkness and gently placed before the gates of Heaven. The holy instant in which you and your brother were united is but the messenger of love, sent from beyond forgiveness to remind you of all that lies beyond it. Yet it is through forgiveness that it will be remembered.
And when the memory of God has come to you in the holy place of forgiveness you will remember nothing else, and memory will be as useless as learning, for your only purpose will be creating. Yet this you cannot know until every perception has been cleansed and purified, and finally removed forever. Forgiveness removes only the untrue, lifting the shadows from the world and carrying it, safe and sure within its gentleness, to the bright world of new and clean perception. There is your purpose NOW. And it is there that peace awaits you.
Let's turn now to "the white horseman of Soma" -- if indeed my translation of "davam-so" has merit. It seems probable, given the earlier mentions of the Asvina. In the Holy Bible, that same SYMBOLIC horse is seen and described by both Zechariah and John the Elder, the author of the Book of Revelation. So, let's see what each can tell us about this horse or horseman. Not coincidentally, the references to the white horse appear in chapter six of both biblical books.
In Chapter 6 of the Old Testament Book Zechariah, we are told the following:
And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.
In the first chariot, were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.
Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, "What are these, my lord?"
And the angel answered and said unto me, "These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth."
From this uncorrected account we learn that 1) the horses represent the "four spirits of the heavens before the throne"; 2) the white horses occupy the third chariot; 3) the white horses follow the black horses into the north country; and 4) the white horses "quieted the spirit" or "gave rest to the Souls" in the north country.The black horses, which are therein, go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country. And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, "Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth." So they walked to and fro through the earth.
Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, "Behold, these [the white horses] that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country."
And when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
And I perceived a lamb open the first seal of a signet ring, also listening as a thunder-voice came out from among the four Living Creatures to say, "Come and look, and envision brightly, a horse, and to be the Self seated upon the same, and to have the bow (a symbol representing the covenant of the Holy Relationship between God and His Creations) and the encircling glory, and to give them to go forth and be strong and to overcome."
Miles apart, actually. And I hope I'm making my point about foolishly investing faith in or defending unilluminated translations and/or fear-shaded interpretations of scriptural texts and symbols. The Holy Spirit NEVER seeks to frighten us, because scaring us is antithetical to his mission.
Let's proceed to the second verse, which reads as follows in the King James Bible:
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, "Come and see." And there went out another horse that was red: and (power) was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
And when [the lamb] opened the second seal of the signet ring, I heard the second Living Creature say to come and to look and to go out on another horse, fire-colored, and to give to the Self to be seated thereupon to receive rest away from the earth, for the purpose of offering forgiveness ("sphazo," in Greek) in reciprocal relationship to give to the Self the Great Word of God ("machiara," in Greek).
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, "Come and see." And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, "A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine."
And when he opened the third seal of the signet ring, I heard the third Living Creature say, "Come and look and behold a black horse, and the Self seated thereupon to have a yoke in hand. And I heard a voice from the midst of the four Living Creatures say, "A quart of wheat for a denarius; three quarts of barley for a denarius; and to do wrong not the least oil and wine."
Unsure what that last bit means, I did some digging. All I was able to ascertain, unfortunately, was that a quart of wheat amounted to the quantity needed to make enough "daily bread" to feed one person, while a denarius was a small Roman coin equivalent to the average daily wage in the First Century CE. Three quarts of less-costly barley, on the other hand, would feed one person for three days or three people for one day. My gut tells me the reference to oil and wine has to do with the atonement. My gut also tells me that this whole message might be another way of saying, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's; and render unto God what is God's," but I can't quite connect the dots.
And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, "Come and see." And I looked, and beheld a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Oh, how the Evil One delights in twisting things to terrify his servants on earth. What the verse actually imparts isn't the least bit frightening. When more sensitively translated, the verse reads more along these lines:
And when he opened the fourth seal of the signet ring, I heard the voice of the fourth Living Creature say to come and to look and be aware and to behold a pale horse, and the Self-Identity to be seated was higher than the self separated from God, and the underworld (Lower World) that followed after. And the authority was given unto the Self upon the fourth earth to end the association with weapons of war and judgment, of hunger and famine, and of death (both spiritual and physical), and (to end) subjugation to the wicked beast (the Ego Mind) of the physical earth.
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
The original Greek account, meanwhile, reads closer to this:
And when [the lamb] opened the fifth seal of the signet ring, behold! under an altar, the Souls offering forgiveness ("sphazo," again) on account of the Word or Logos of God, and for the purpose of bearing witness to this state of existence, and to call down a great voice to speak until the despot, set apart from truth, chose not to judge or avenge his blood-fellows residing on the earth. And bright flowing robes were given to each to provide all-authority and command of the Self in order to bestow blessings and give rest yet a little while until their fellow disciples (in service to God) and their fellow servants and their brothers destined to kill achieved complete realization of the Self.
I'll stop there, because we've lost the thread of the horses, which appear to be the "shaktis" or "forces" of the four Living Beings -- the bearers of the chariot-throne of "the Fire of God's Presence" on the Seventh Plane. And this also tracks with what the Angel told and showed Zechariah.
Okay, so ... what have we learned from Revelations about the four horses (not "horsemen," actually)? The first thing we've learned is that the horses, whose riders represent our own Higher Self, come out when the seals are broken. Those seals, I'm fairly certain, represent the chakras, churches, or mansions -- so the horses of the Living Beings come forth when we clear the Ego Mind's "veils of deception" from our chakras. I wish the prophet had specified which Living Being sent forth which horse, but alas, he did not. So, we can only speculate. What I have worked out from what's written is this:
Root Chakra = a horse, seen brightly, of unspecified color (probably the grizzled horse that went south in Zechariah's vision)
Sacral Chakra = fire-colored horse
Solar-Plexus = black horse
Heart Chakra = pale horse
Let's assume that the pale horse of the fourth "seal" is "the white horse of Soma" described in the Rig Veda Sukta under discussion. This also tracks with what Zechariah saw and was told by the Angel; that is, that the white horse followed the black horse into the north country. My gut tells me that the black horse represents the inner-guru (given that Krishna is known as "the black one"), while the pale horse represents the Voice for God, Om vibration, or Living Water (which we begin to hear after entering the fourth chakra or "lunar mansion"). But that's purely conjecture at this point, so let's carry on and see what more we can learn about the mysterious "Asvina."
Let's return to the Rig Veda. oAccording to Max Muller, the Rv 1.3.8 reads: viśve-devāso apturaḥ sutam ā ganta tūrṇayaḥ usrā iva svasarāṇi. Based on my research and guidance, those words translate more or less thusly:
The universe protecting God's Authority sends down to the Sonship God's Grace, the courier of new purpose, in the manner of dawning light through the Breath or Voice (Vayu) of the Lesser Light (the Vishwapurusha or Soma).
The real bugger in this line was coming up with a suitable definition for "ganta." The word is similar to "ghanta," which means "temple bell," but that definition doesn't really work here. Figuratively, it sort of works, if we allow that a temple bell (like a church bell) calls the faithful to worship. So, "ghanta" might be a figurative reference to the Call to Return. Seeking a better result, I tried breaking the word as "ga-nta," "gan-ta," and even "g-anta." Still dissatisfied, I prayed for guidance. That's when I got the idea to join "ganta" with the solitary "a" preceding the word. Because that "a" wasn't working, either.
Lo and behold, "a-ganta" turned out to be a word! According to the Wisdom Library, "aganta" is a name for Shiva, the "Christ-the-redeemer" figure in Hinduism. According to Wikipedia, "aganta" derives from "agra," which means (among many other definitions) a specific type of alms given to Brahmins. And, as we now know, "alms" is scriptural "code" for the thought-offerings we give and receive in the Holy Meeting Place, while "Brahmin" (contrary to common belief) is a Vedic term for any truth-seeker advanced enough to hear the Om.
Interestingly, the type of alms to which "agra" refers are called "bhiksa" or "bhiksha" -- a term used in Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism to describe the practice undertaken by religious mendicants of "begging," as well as the FOOD given by those being asked for "alms."
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| A Buddhist monk (I think) receiving food in response to his request for "alms." |
If we view all of this symbolically (as we must), it makes perfect sense. In response to prayers to Shiva for "alms" -- the miracle of corrected perception -- devotees receive the spiritual sustenance of "aganta," "bhiska," or "grace" -- the Epiousion bread and/or Living Water through which we attain enlightenment. That "aganta" is a name for Shiva makes sense, too, since we request the "alms" of God's Grace by invoking the name of Shiva or Jesus Christ.
Let's turn again to the Lord's Prayer -- the example Jesus gave his disciples of the "correct" way to pray. If you're unfamiliar with this old standard, it begins thusly:
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom, come;Thy Will be done; on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Now, I haven't checked the accuracy of the whole New Testament translation of this prayer, but I do know that an actual loaf or supply of edible "daily bread" is NOT the form of "alms" Jesus advised his disciples to request "in the hallowed name of the Father." As explained in a previous post, the Greek word changed to "daily" by the Anglican translators was Epiousion, which means, more or less, "the sacred substance that hastens wisdom in the manner of dawning light."
Many Biblical scholars insist Epiousion's true meaning was lost to the sands of time, but that's not entirely true. The word's root is defined in the Secret Book of John -- one of the disciple-authored gospels rejected by the Catholic authorities who chose the New Testament canon. Not only was the Secret Book of John rejected by these men, it was condemned as "gnostic" and destroyed. Had it not been unearthed with other "lost" sacred texts in the Nag Hammadi desert in 1947, John's "secret book" would have indeed been lost forever, along with the true definition of the Greek word Epiousion.
In John's Secret Book, the root-word Epinoia is defined as "light-filled conceptualization" -- a term synonymous with True or Miraculous Perception in the Course. Epinoia also is the name given the Holy Spirit in John's little book. Thus, when Jesus advised his disciples to pray to the Heavenly Father for Epiousion bread, he was instructing them to ask for the "alms" of aganta -- "the sacred substance that hastens wisdom in the manner of dawning light."
We've now reached the Sukta's ninth line, which reads (contrary to Max Muller's presumed breaks): viśve-devāso asridha ehimāyāso adruhaḥ medhaṃ juṣanta vahnayaḥ pavaka nah. And, when correctly translated, those words tell us, in beautiful language, both what Soma is and where he dwells.
The universe protecting God's Authority is the resting place of the all-pervading intelligence of Soma, the unseen force with visible results, the power of right-understanding, the wisdom of the infinite, and the vehicle for the purifying fires of Wholeness.
Visve-devaso = the universe protecting God's authority
asri-dha = is the resting place
ehimaya-so = of the all-pervading intelligence of Soma
adruhah = the unseen force with visible results
medham = the power of right-understanding
jusa-nta = the wisdom of the infinite
vahnayah = the vehicle for the
pavaka = purifying fire
nah = of Wholeness
The Sukta's tenth line is actually two sentences reading: Sarasvatī vājebhir vājinīvatī yajñaṃ vaṣṭu dhiyāvasuḥ codayitrī sūnṛtānāṃ. Cetantī sumatīnām yajñaṃ dadhe sarasvatī.
Sarasvati strengthens the energy of the Horses of Destiny extending higher understanding in the dwelling-place of the universal mind inspiring the movement of the sacred dance (of Shiva, the Purusha). To restore the consciousness arising from that Holy Mind, extend the knowledge given by Sarasvati.
Okay, wow. Lots to consider in this one. Let's start with Sarasvati, whose name is more likely a compound of "sara" (flow or substance) and "svati" (very beneficent) than of "saras" (pooling water) and "vati" (she who possesses), as commonly presumed. I believe this to be so because Svati is a character in the allegorical Hindu epics. She is, in fact, one of the wives of the Moon (Soma). Svati also is associated with Arcturus, the brightest star in the Bootes constellation of the northern hemisphere, as well as with the nakshatra or lunar mansion associated with Arcturus.sarasvati = Sarasvati
vajebhir = strengthens (vaj) the might or energy of (ebhir)
vaji-nivati = the horses of destiny
ya-jnam = extending higher understanding
vastu = in the dwelling-place of
dhiyavasuh = the universal mind
coda-yitri = inspiring or driving the movement
su-n(a)rtanam = of the holy dance (of Shiva, the Purusha)
cet-anti = to restore the consciousness arising from
su-matinam = the holy mind
ya-jnam = extend the thoughts
dadhe = given by
Sarasvati = Sarasvati
In the next verse, we learn EXACTLY what Sarasvati is and/or represents in the great, grand cosmic scheme. I won't preempt the Big Reveal, but I will say that she is NOT the goddess of wisdom, music, and higher learning, as most Hindus have been led to believe.
Another word we need to talk about is "vajinivati," which is typically interpreted as an epithet for Sarasvati meaning "thunderbolt," "powerful," or "possessed of substance of food." If you care to read Sri Aurobindo's justification for the latter definition, you will find it here, along with his flawed translation of this Sukta. Like most other would-be translators, his Holiness divides the word as "vajini" and "vati," which he then defines as "possessing plentitudes." Much as it pains me to find fault with His Nibs, the word carries far more weight when divided as "vaji" (horse) and "nivati" (destiny or fate). "Vaji" doesn't just mean "horse," however. In the Puranas, the word more specifically describes the horses yoked to the chariot of the moon -- to Soma's chariot, in other words. And this verse is supposed to be about the Asvina, so there we are.
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And now we come to Rv 1.3's concluding verse, which is typically translated as a prayer of invocation to Maa Sarasvati. This may indeed be the case, but I'm triple-checking everything to be sure I get this right. In transliterated Sanskrit, the verse reads: Maho arṇaḥ sarasvatī pra cetayati ketunā dhiyo viśvā virājati. Those powerful words translate as follows:
The Great Ocean, Sarasvati advances the protection, preservation, and nourishment of the Great Rays of Nara, the Lamps of God in the universe Viraja governs.
maho arnah = the Great Ocean, Cosmic Ocean, or Ocean of Milk
Sarasvati = Sarasvati
pra = advances
ce-tayati = the protection, preservation, and nourishment of
ketu-na = the Great Rays of Nara
dhiyo = the lamps (of God)
viswa = in the world or universe
viraja-ti = Viraja governs
Let's start with the Great Cosmic Ocean, a concept present in the creation mythology of many ancient civilizations. According to these remarkably similar stories, this Cosmic Ocean or Ocean of Milk (in Hinduism) existed before the earth -- or even the visible universe, the whole of which emerged from these "primordial waters" billions of years ago.
As explained in earlier posts, water symbolizes thought or mind in scriptural texts, because thought and/or mind is all that truly exists. So, the Great Ocean these myths describe is, in actuality, the part of God's Mind housing everything in Creation -- the Perfect and Eternal Thoughts of the True Creator or Causeless Cause -- and NOT the material illusion the Ego Mind projected outward to trick us into believing we were somewhere else, free to do as we please (with real effects).
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The images above and below show two common Hindu depictions of the Ocean of Milk. The top one depicts Narayana -- Lord Vishnu, the Vishwapurusha -- afloat in the Great Ocean on a raft made of snakes. Riding with him is Brahma, who made the illusion of material reality Vishnu's raft -- the Golden Egg -- seems to float within. Running alongside are two of the many "demons" or "fearful thoughts" souring the Ocean of Brahman's Milk of Truth, as it were. |
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The image above illustrates the story of how Amrita -- the elixir of immortality -- came into being. Titled "The Churning of the Ocean of Milk" or Samudra Manthana in Sanskrit, the story is a told in the Vishnu Purana. What the allegory describes is pretty interesting -- and well worth discussing -- but I'll save that treat for another time. For now, I'm more concerned with the bomb the rishis drop in the verse under discussion. And that "bomb" is that Maa Sarasvati personifies the Great Ocean itself. And as that Great Ocean of Higher Thought, she preserves, protects, and nourishes the Great Rays or Lamps of God within the world or universe Viraja governs. |
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The images above and below illustrate the same idea, which is this: the Golden Egg or Body of Christ -- the Upper World or Firmament -- exists in a dimension of mind separate from and beneath Brahma's Egg of Samsara-Maya. We enter that Golden Egg or "Bridge of the Return" through the Temple, which is sandwiched between Brahma's Egg and the Hiranyagarbha. We enter the Hiranyabarbha through the Golden Circle, Circle of the Atonement, and/or Circle of Om, which we are made aware of after entering the fourth Lunar Mansion and/or Anahata Chakra. |
Okay, so ... we now have a better idea of what the Rig Veda's third Sukta actually communicates, which is a far cry from what we've been led to believe for centuries, if not millennia. We've learned a lot from this Sukta, including that the Asvina aren't twin horse-headed healers, as long presumed in Hindu mythology. Rather, they're the "horses" or right-minded thought-forces sent forth into the Temple by the four Living Beings and/or Throne-Bearers seen and described by the prophets Ezekiel, Zechariah, Mohammad, and John the Elder. And from their accounts, we can ascertain that those four Living Beings support the wheel at the heart of the universe, upon which rests the chariot-throne of the Greater Light, Spiritual Sun, or Logos. Underneath the throne-bearing wheel, the four Living Creatures stand upon gyroscopic wheels covered in eyes. And those all-seeing double-wheels, I suspect, represent the "horses," "Asvina," and/or "Vajinivati" mentioned herein and in both testaments of the Holy Bible.
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A Judeo-Christian representation of the chariot-throne of Elohim and the four Living Beings supporting that throne, based on descriptions in the Book of Ezekiel. |
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Note that Surya's chariot is depicted as a wheel, signifying the wheel at the heart of the universe. That wheel-mobile is driven by Aruna, the first red ray of dawn, whose two reins (the two driving the seven) represent the Blood and Water Rays. According to this verse (assuming my translations are correct), the horses pulling Surya's chariot represent the seven-fold holy sound of God's Voice, moving us nearer to Brahmani -- the Ocean of Holy Thought flowing down from the God Mind in Heaven, via the Christ Mind on the Sixth Plane. And I hope I don't have to point out the incredible similarities between this image and the one shown earlier of Ezekiel's vision. |
Those who hear the Living Water can attest that there is more than one "voice" singing to us. I, for one, can identify at least three different sounds. There are various humming tones, as well as a soft whistling sound. One day, while walking in my garden, I asked my inner-guru what it was I was hearing. He answer thusly in his still, small voice: "What you hear is the Cosmic Chorus, singing together in perfect harmony."
Pretty cool, right?
While searching the phrase "Cosmic Chorus" on the Net, I came across several songs and poems, most of them from the Theology and Church Triumphant sphere -- so I won't share them with you (because I still doubt the validity of those teachings). What I will share (and leave you with today) are two citations from the Course, in which Jesus uses the term "chorus" in the same context.
The first reads as follows in the standard edition:
This tiny spot of sin that stands between you and your brother still is holding back the happy opening of Heaven’s gate. How little is the hindrance that withholds the wealth of Heaven from you. And how great will be the joy in Heaven when you join the mighty chorus to the Love of God! (ACIM, T-26.IV.6:1-3)
And the second, in the form of a prayer from Jesus to God, reads thusly:
In joyous welcome is my hand outstretched to every brother who would join with me in reaching past temptation, and who looks with fixed determination toward the light that shines beyond in perfect constancy. Give me my own, for they belong to You. And can You fail in what is but Your Will? I give You thanks for what my brothers are. And as each one elects to join with me, the song of thanks from earth to Heaven grows from tiny scattered threads of melody to one inclusive chorus from a world redeemed from hell, and giving thanks to You.
And now we say “Amen.” For Christ has come to dwell in the abode You set for Him before time was, in calm eternity. The journey closes, ending at the place where it began. No trace of it remains. Not one illusion is accorded faith, and not one spot of darkness still remains to hide the face of Christ from anyone. Thy Will is done, complete and perfectly, and all creation recognizes You, and knows You as the only Source it has. Clear in Your likeness does the light shine forth from everything that lives and moves in You. For we have reached where all of us are one, and we are home, where You would have us be.
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