The Rig Veda's Sixth Sukta (Part 1): Anu, Guha, Shiva & the Endless Circle

A few weeks back, my husband and I were shopping at our favorite Indian market -- something we do once a month or so to restock the larder. While we were perusing the frozen-food cases on the final aisle, an elderly Indian gentleman stopped his cart behind us. "Do you like Indian food?" he asked in a friendly, lightly accented voice. "Do you not find it too spicy?"

"I don't like it too spicy." I turned round to face him. "And, to be honest, my mouth likes it more than my stomach."

He laughed, revealing a gap of missing teeth. "I have the same problem, now that I'm older."

I'm not sure how the conversation steered its way from indigestion to God, but it did -- and very quickly. The gentleman and I chatted for several minutes, while my saintly spouse herded other customers around us. We were well into our intense discussion before I got the feeling my new friend didn't understand some of my references to Hinduism.

"Are you not Hindu?" I inquired, brow furrowed.

"I'm Muslim," he sheepishly replied. "But I was raised Catholic, and I'm very open-minded."

"Oh," I said. "I don't know much about Islam -- and I haven't read the Qu'ran ... yet. But I do believe in my heart it was divinely revealed to Muhammed."

"I happen to have a copy of the Qur'an in my car -- in English," he said, brightening. "If you'd like to read it, I would be happy to go out and get it."

"I'd like that." I was truly interested, but also concerned about the frozen food thawing in my cart. "But maybe we ought to finish our shopping. And, if we chance to meet again before we leave, I'll take you up on your very kind offer."

We did meet again -- in the checkout line. He made sure of it. And he gave me not one, but two copies of the Holy Qur'an. One abridged and the other more complete. Aware our meeting was no accident, I started the abridged version that night. As I read the introduction by Wahiduddin Khan, one of the translators, two things stood out. The first is that (according to Mr. Khan) the Divine Reality explained in the Quran pre-exists in man at the subconscious level. And, as explained in my last post, the storage container for those subconscious memories is the Golden Egg or Hiranyagarbha -- the water-palanquin bearing Vishnu/Ishvara through the black waters or Kala Paani of the split-off Ego Mind.

Wahihudden Khan, an honorific "Maulana" who dropped his body in 2021, was an Indian Islamic scholar, peace activist, and prolific author. Listed in "the 500 Most Influential Muslims" in the world, he founded the Centre for Peace and Spirituality. 

"The message of the Quran is not, therefore, something which is alien to man," Mr. Khan wrote. "It is in fact a verbal expression of that same Divine Reality which is in consonance with man's own nature and with which he is already familiar. The Quran explains this by saying that those born in later times were all initially born at the time of the creation of Adam and, at that time, God had directly addressed all these human souls."

As explained in my much-earlier post on Genesis, Adam originally meant "red" in Hebrew. So, the opening chapters of the Qur'an and Bible are allegorical accounts of God implementing His Great Plan to bring the scattered sparks of the Red Ray back to their original state of "at-one-ment."

Rightly understood, the level of Self-knowing from which we perceptually descended into material unreality IS the Golden Egg housing the Soul's memories of God and Heaven.

The second thing that stood out was this astute observation by the late Mr. Khan: "The Quran does not follow the pattern of the traditional didactic book. In fact, when the average reader picks up the Quran, it appears to him to be a collection of fragmentary statements. Apparently this feeling is not unreal. But this arrangement of the Quran is not due to any shortcoming, but is rather in conformance with the Quranic plan of retaining its original form in order to fulfill its purpose of conveying the message of truth to the reader who may, in his forays into the scriptures, read only one page, one verse or one line at a time."

This statement hooked my interest because I've noticed the same "repetitive pattern" in both the Course and the Rig Veda. Mr. Khan is right. The repetitions ARE intentional. Rightly perceived, they are "foils" for the Ego Mind, which employs various sneaky tactics to prevent us from learning the At-one-ment curriculum. And one of those tricks is convincing us that spot-reading the theoretical teachings of our chosen spiritual path is as good as reading and studying those teachings, chapter and verse.

Reason would tell us otherwise, but the Voice of Reason and the Voice of Deception never occupy the same mental space simultaneously. The presence of one invariably keeps the other at bay.

On that clanging note, let's turn to the true subject of today's discussion: the Rig Veda's sixth Sukta -- another allegedly addressed to King Indra and the (non-existent) Maruts (as per Ralph T. H. Griffith). It is, in fact, more about Shiva, "the auspicious one" who goes by many names. As usual, we'll tackle the narrative teaching (not hymn or poem) line by line, word by word, and/or syllable by syllable, as necessary.

In transliterated Sanskrit, the opening line of Rv 1.6 reads: yuñjanti bradhnam aruṣaṃ carantam pari tasthuṣaḥ rocante rocanā divi. According to my external research and internal guidance, those words translate approximately as follows:

Yoke together in the presence of the Holy Treasures of the Red Ray to obtain knowledge of the endless circle of True Forgiveness shining within the luminous sphere of celestial order.

My word-for-word definitions:

yunj-anti = yoke together in the presence of
bra-dhnam = the Holy Treasures
arusam = of the red ray
car-antam = to obtain knowledge of the endless
pari = circle
tasthu-sah = of True Forgiveness
rocante = shining within
rocana = the luminous sphere
divi = of celestial order

Quite the opening salvo, wouldn't you say? And uncannily like the Course in language. "Holy Treasures," "the endless circle," and "the Sphere of Celestial Order" are all phrases used by Jesus. Let's start with the "endless circle," which Course-Jesus also calls the Golden Circle, the Holy Circle, the Circle of Purity, the Circle of Atonement, and the Circle of Creation. He also says, at one point, that the circle to which he refers is the Real World we perceive through Christ's Vision. Twice in the Text, he uses the particular phrase "endless circle" -- but only once in reference to the circle mentioned herein. Because it sets the tone for what this Vedic teaching actually communicates, I've quoted his explanation below:

Beyond the body that you interposed between you and your brother, and shining in the golden light that reaches it from the bright, endless circle that extends forever, is your holy relationship, beloved of God Himself. How still it rests, in time and yet beyond, immortal yet on earth. How great the power that lies in it. Time waits upon its will, and earth will be as it would have it be. Here is no separate will, nor the desire that anything be separate. ⁶Its will has no exceptions, and what it wills is true. Every illusion brought to its forgiveness is gently overlooked and disappears. For at its center Christ has been reborn, to light His home with vision that overlooks the world. Would you not have this holy home be yours as well? No misery is here, but only joy.

All you need do to dwell in quiet here with Christ is share His vision. Quickly and gladly is His vision given anyone who is but willing to see his brother sinless. And no one can remain beyond this willingness, if you would be released entirely from all effects of sin. Would you have partial forgiveness for yourself? Can you reach Heaven while a single sin still tempts you to remain in misery? Heaven is the home of perfect purity, and God created it for you. Look on your holy brother, sinless as yourself, and let him lead you there.

(ACIM, T-22.II.12:1–13:7)

Jesus also uses the specific phrase "sphere of celestial order" only once. With regard to this mysterious "sphere," he says:

I inspire all miracles, which are really intercessions. They intercede for your holiness and make your perceptions holy. By placing you beyond the physical laws they raise you into the sphere of celestial order. In this order you ARE perfect. (ACIM, T-1.I.32:1-4)  

As I understand it, the "sphere of celestial order" refers to the right-hand side of the Dharmachakra or Wheel of Earthly Existence, rather than Heaven-proper. The Upper World governed by the Trinity powers, that two-part "sphere" houses the endless circle and the Golden Egg or Hiranyagarbha -- the storehouse of the Holy Treasures of the Red Ray. Those treasures constitute the Soul's unconscious memories of Divine Reality. And those memories are the "miracles" the Holy Spirit holds in trust for us. Elsewhere in the Course, Jesus explains that miracles reverse the order of our unconscious "storehouses." By this, he means that the miracle moves the ego's "chitta storehouse," which is usually on top, to the rear, and the Soul's "miracle storehouse," which is usually underneath, to the fore for a few moments. This helpful little shuffle allow us to glimpse the spiritual purpose behind what's happening -- rather than the insane and upsetting way the Ego Mind would have us interpret the situation.

In Chapter 14 of the Text, Jesus discusses the Circle of Atonement at length. I suggest you click through and give it a read, because it provides very useful information to sincere truth-seekers.

Let's move on to the Sukta's second line, which reads: yuñjanty asya kāmyā harī vipakṣasā rathe śoṇā dhṛṣṇū nṛvāhasā ketum. For those keeping track, the word "ketum" belongs here, rather than at the start of the next line (as per Max Muller). When correctly configured, the line translates as follows:

Yoke together in the ultimate resting place rendering Hari (the sound of the Greater Light), coming from the Holy Instant -- the chariot of the bay horse supporting the strength arising from the peace and joy of the Great Rays (or Lamps of God). 

My word-for-word definitions and syllable breaks (for the skeptical linguists out there):

yunj-anty = yoke together in the ultimate
asya = resting place
kamya = rendering
hari = Hari, the one who removes obstacles
iti = arising from
vipa-ksasa = the instant of insight (the Holy Instant)
rathe = the vehicle or chariot
sona = of the bay horses
dhrsnu = supporting or maintaining the strength
iti = arising from
nrva-hasa = the peace and joy
ketum = of the lamps of God

Let's start with the word-name "Hari," which is generally associated with Lord Vishnu in modern-day Hinduism. And that's correct, for the most part. But Hari -- the "remover of obstacles" -- also refers to the Voice for God or Om vibration, the tonal frequency of universal holiness the Holy Spirit (Vishnu-Krishna) transmits to dissolve the unreal thoughts and beliefs blocking our awareness of God's indwelling presence. That "Hari" translates literally as "the sound of the Greater Light" supports this contention. And so does this Vedic teaching, which says Hari arises from the Holy Instant when we yoke our minds together in the Holy Resting Place. Even more interestingly, this verse equates the Holy Instant with the (fourth) chariot of the bay horse(s) seen by the prophet Zechariah -- the horse or horses "that go everywhere," according to the Angel of the Presence.

And, here again, the Rig Veda helps us solve another longstanding Biblical mystery. The bay horses "that go everywhere" convey the holiness Jesus speaks of so frequently in the Course. That holiness can only be perceived through Christ's Vision, as he tells us below:

Yet while you wish to stay in hell, how could you be the savior of the Son of God? How would you know his holiness while you see him apart from yours? For holiness is seen through holy eyes that look upon the innocence within, and thus expect to see it everywhere. And so they call it forth in everyone they look upon, that he may be what they expect of him. This is the savior’s vision; that he see his innocence in all he looks upon, and see his own salvation everywhere. He holds no concept of himself between his calm and open eyes and what he sees. He brings the light to what he looks upon, that he may see it as it really is. (ACIM, T-31.VII.11:1-7)

Christ's Vision, he tells us elsewhere in the Course, can only be achieved through God's strength. The two, in fact, go hand-in-hand. And the Sanskrit word "sona," like the Hebrew word "amot" -- the word translated as "bay" in the Old Testament -- can mean "of a strong reddish-brown color" or simply "strong." And that certainly correlates with the description herein of the bay horses "supporting the strength" arising from the peace and joy of the Great Rays -- the mysterious "ketu" mentioned many times in the Vedas.

All of this brings to mind Workbook Lesson 42: God is my strength. Vision is His gift, wherein Course-Jesus says:

The idea for today combines two very powerful thoughts, both of major importance. It also sets forth a cause-and-effect relationship that explains why you cannot fail in your efforts to achieve the goal of the course. You will see because it is the Will of God. It is His strength, not your own, that gives you power. And it is His gift, rather than your own, that offers vision to you.

God is indeed your strength, and what He gives is truly given. This means that you can receive it any time and anywhere, wherever you are, and in whatever circumstance you find yourself [like the bay horses that "go everywhere"]. Your passage through time and space is not at random. You cannot but be in the right place at the right time. Such is the strength of God. Such are His gifts.

(ACIM, W-42.1:1–2:6)

Let's move on to the next verse (Rv. 1.6.3), in which the rishis affirm everything Jesus and I just explained. The line reads: kṛṇvan aketave peśo maryā apeśase sam uṣadbhir ajāyathāḥ anu. Based on my painstaking research, the verse translates approximately as follows:

Act to extend Shiva's Vision to help the Son of God, the beloved of God, to escape Shesha by coming together wholly in the enlightening ocean of the Supreme Self, in accordance with Anu (the three-part Name of God or Trinity of the Name).

My definitions: 

kr-nvan = acting to extend
aket-ave =  Shiva's vision = Christ's Vision or Miraculous Perception (in Course terms) 
peso (pes-sa) = to help the Son of God
marya = the beloved of God
ape-sase = to escape Shesha
sam = together
usadbhir = in the enlightening ocean of
aja-yathah = the Supreme Self, in accordance with
Anu = the three-part Name of God and/or Trinity of the Name

This one was a real beast to work out, mainly because the true definitions of eight of the nine Sanskrit words occurring herein are totally lost on Vedic scholars. "Apesase," for example, is said to mean "shapeless," when it is, in fact, a compound of "ape" (to escape) and "sase" -- a Vedic cipher for Shesha, the multi-headed snake serving as Vishnu's water-palanquin in the image below.

Vishnu, as Narayana, afloat on the "enlightening ocean of the Supreme Self" on a raft or water-palanquin formed by Shesha -- the divine companion and supporter of Vishnu.

We'll talk more about Shesha in a bit, because he rears his many heads again in interesting ways. For now, let me point out that the usual definition of "marya" as "man" or "human beings" is an ego-veiled interpretation of the word's true meaning. Perceived through Shiva's Vision, all human beings are "the beloved of God" -- as Course-Jesus explained so eloquently in the excerpt above. We don't see that, however, while still wearing Brahma's blinders. We only see each other's holiness through "aketave" -- the Vedic equivalent of Christ's Vision, spiritual sight, holy vision, and/or True Perception (in Course lingo). Restoring this vision to us is the Holy Spirit's primary mission, as Course-Jesus explains below:

To open the eyes of the blind is the Holy Spirit’s mission, for He knows that they have not lost their vision, but merely sleep. He would awaken them from the sleep of forgetting to the remembering of God. Christ’s eyes are open, and He will look upon whatever you see with love if you accept His vision as yours. The Holy Spirit keeps the vision of Christ for every Son of God who sleeps. In His sight the Son of God is perfect, and He longs to share His vision with you. He will show you the real world because God gave you Heaven. Through Him your Father calls His Son to remember. The awakening of His Son begins with his investment in the real world, and by this he will learn to re-invest in himself. For reality is one with the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit blesses the real world in Their Name. (ACIM, T-12.VI.4:2-10)

Still unclear about the meaning of "Christ's Vision"? Well, as luck would have it, I'm reviewing Lesson 158 (Today I learn to give as I receive) today. And in that lesson, Jesus spells out precisely what he means in the following two passages:

Christ’s vision has one law. It does not look upon a body, and mistake it for the Son whom God created. It beholds a light beyond the body; an idea beyond what can be touched, a purity undimmed by errors, pitiful mistakes, and fearful thoughts of guilt from dreams of sin. It sees no separation. And it looks on everyone, on every circumstance, all happenings and all events, without the slightest fading of the light it sees.

This can be taught; and must be taught by all who would achieve it. It requires but the recognition that the world can not give anything that faintly can compare with this in value; nor set up a goal that does not merely disappear when this has been perceived. And this you give today: See no one as a body. Greet him as the Son of God he is, acknowledging that he is one with you in holiness.

(ACIM, W-158.7:1–8:4)

Working out the intended meaning of "peso" (or "pesah" in some versions of this Rik) also proved challenging. According to the Sanskrit dictionaries, "peso" isn't a word, while "pesa(h)" means form, decoration, or ornament. Those definitions didn't work, so I kept searching. Eventually, I discovered that "peso" was actually Vedic shorthand for "pessa," which can mean "to serve" or "to help."

Another elusive word was "ajayatha," which could have been "ajaya-tha" or "ajay-atha." Since "aja" is an oft-used Sanskrit term for the Supreme Self, I figured "ajayatha" was probably a marriage of "aja" and "yatha," meaning "the Supreme Self in accordance with." And that felt right, given that the Supreme Spirit does indeed restore us to rightmindedness in accordance with or through the agency of "Anu" -- the Trinity of the Name (as this verse explains).

The ego-educated "experts" tell us "anu" has many meanings, including "atom," "molecule," "subordinate," "the individual soul," and "spiritual union." None of those definitions are, in fact, even remotely accurate. An Akkadian word meaning "sky" or "heaven," Anu is described in Rv 8.7 as "tri-tasya" -- the three-part Name of God. (Not that anyone would know that without reading this blog.) In my earlier series on Rv. 8.7, I speculated about the meaning of the three letters, A-N-U. I now better understand that those letters represent the "Trinity of the Name" -- the three "aspect powers" of the Name of God working in unison in the celestial sphere (the Upper World or top three planes of consciousness) to restore the Truth of our Being.

A is for Agni, the Fire of God's presence within the Temple (the Father aspect)

N is for Narayana, the presence of the Christ Self and/or the Vishwapurusha (the Son aspect)

U is for the Om, the illusion-dissolving call, song, or Cosmic Breath preserving and protecting the wholeness and holiness of God's eternal and perfect Creation (the Holy Spirit aspect)

Those three "aspect" powers dwell together inside the sphere of celestial order -- the firmament forming the "body" of Anu, the Holy Trinity of the Atonement or Second Covenant.
 

Let's move on to the next verse, which should read: ād aha svadhām anu punar garbhatvam erire dadhānā nāma yajñiyam vīḻu cid ārujatnubhir guhā cid indra vahnibhiḥ avinda usriyā. Max Muller split this verse into two metered lines, when it's actually one long stanza, broken by a semi-colon. By my calculations, Rv 1.6.4 should read as follows:

Strive to awaken the soul-wind of Anu to return to the womb (or egg) of the Higher Self, the cistern of love bestowing the treasures of the Name sustaining the knowledge firmly fixed in the thoughts not diseased by fear; Heart-Cave thoughts King Indra conveys in the likeness of the One full of life-giving light.

My definitions:

ad = Strive
aha = to awaken
svadham = the soul-wind of
anu = Anu
punar = to return to
garbha-tvam = the womb (or egg) of the Christ Self
eri-re = the cistern of love
dadhana = bestowing the treasures of
nama = the Name
ya-jniyam = sustaining the knowledge or wisdom
vilu = firmly fixed in
cid = the thoughts
arujatnu-bhir = not diseased by fear 
guha = heart-cave
cid = thoughts
indra = King Indra
vah-nibhih = conveys in the likeness of
avin-da = the One full of life-giving
usriya = light

There's a lot to unpack in this lengthy verse, so bear with me. Let's start with the word "svadham," which can have various meanings. The whole word is commonly used in Hinduism to describe ritual offerings made to departed ancestors. In the Puranic lore, Swadha is one of Agni's two wives. The word can also mean "soul wind," a reference to Vayu, the Cosmic Breath or Ruach of God -- the "U" aspect of the ANU Trinity. So, the rishis affirm herein what Course-Jesus also says (in slightly different language): We must hear (and be sufficiently healed by) the Om before we can return to the Golden Egg that is both the womb of the Christ Self and the "cistern of love." If I understand all this correctly, that "egg," "womb," and/or "cistern" also is the golden storehouse or "bank" containing the Soul's unconscious memories -- the miracles we "withdraw" to correct our perceptual errors. 

It took awhile to work out that "erire" meant "cistern of love." But I'm glad I took the time, because that "erire" is the very same "cistern" mentioned in the Old Testament books of Proverbs (5:15), Jeremiah (2:13 and 36:16), and Ecclesiastes (12:6).

In Proverbs 5, we are told:

Drink water from your own cistern,

flowing water from your own well.

Should your springs be scattered abroad,

streams of water in the streets?

Let them be for yourself alone,

and not for strangers with you.

Let your fountain be blessed,

and rejoice in the wife of your youth,

a lovely deer, a graceful doe.

Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight;

be intoxicated, always in her love.

The words "wife," "doe," and "breasts" in this verse felt wrong to me, so I did a little back-to-the-source etymological research. Here's what I learned: The Hebrew word translated herein as "wife" was ishshah, a compound of "ish" and "shah." "Ish" has come to mean "man" or "husband," but originally meant "strength," while "shah" initially referred to seeing, beholding, mental focus, or vision. The word ishshah first appears in Genesis, in reference to Eve, who (as I've explained) wasn't an actual woman or wife any more than Adam was an actual man. Eve represented the Spirit or Breath of God (the soul-wind or Ruach) within Adam, the Divine Spark of the Red Ray within human beings.

The word translated as "youth" actually means "earlier or previous state," and the line rendered as "lovely deer, a graceful doe" is a complete Anglican botch-job. The Hebrew word changed to "lovely" was ahab, which describes not loveliness, but divine or brotherly love; the word translated as "deer" was ayeleth, which (like re'em) probably means gazelle -- the "grace-full" vahana or vehicle of Vayu; and the words rendered as "graceful doe" more accurately translate as "the grace to ascend or spiritually profit."

This brings us to the word translated by the Anglican priests as "breasts." According to Strong's, the word was dad (in transliterated Hebrew), which translates as "breast" or "bosom" in the symbolic sense of providing nourishment; or -- in this case -- the Soul-sustaining "milk" of Higher Knowledge. The Hebrew word for the physical female breast is shad, not dad. And, according to some speculators, the vowel-less word transliterated as dad should have been dod, meaning "love" or "beloved." I'm inclined to agree, given how corrupted the KJV translation of these two lines proved to be.

So, the section of Proverbs 5 reading "Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love" (which makes no sense spiritually) should read more along these lines:

Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the strength and vision of your previous state of divine brotherly love gently conveying the grace to ascend; love to slake the thirst in the season of error [our time on earth], perpetually in the covenant of love.

Let's move on, because we still need to talk about "Guha," the "Heart-Cave" or "Cave of the Heart" -- a phrase unknown to me hitherto. Curious to know if Heart-Cave was "a thing," I looked it up and was elated to learn it's not only "a thing" -- it's a vital concept in Hindu philosophy discussed not only in the Rig Veda (as we now know), but also in the Puranas, the Upanishads, and the Anu Gita. Like the better-known Bhagavad Gita (the Song of God), the lesser-known Anu Gita (the Song of Anu) is part of the Mahabharata epic.

The Wikipedia article discussing the Anu Gita erroneously defines "anu" as "subordinate to," implying the Anu Gita is less important than the Bhagavad Gita. A quick read of the Wikipedia overview suggests that the Anu Gita is to the Bhagavad Gita what the Course's Workbook and Manual for Teachers is to the theoretical Text. Yes, they are "secondary" or "supplemental" to the main body of the teachings, but no less important. As I understand it, the Anu Gita explains how to apply, day to day, the philosophical ideas presented by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita.

Okay, so ... what exactly is the Heart-Cave or Cave of the Heart? Based on my research and experience, "Guha" refers to the innermost-uppermost dwelling-place of the "Aja" -- the true, divine, and eternal "Living Being," "Universal Soul," or "unembodied Holy Self" facilitating remembrance of our Oneness and Sameness with God. In meditation, it is inside this Heart-Cave that we experience the radiant presence of God and Christ, eternally united in the cause-and-effect relationship King Indra -- God's regent in the dream -- preserves and protects. And by the miracle-power of that all-inclusive Presence and/or "covenant," we are guided back "home" to Heaven.

Because this concept is so incredibly important, let's look again at what the Vedic scribes say in this verse regarding the Heart-Cave.

Endeavor to awaken the soul-wind of Anu to return to the womb (or egg) of the Christ Self, the cistern of love bestowing the treasures of the Name sustaining the knowledge firmly fixed in the thoughts not diseased by fear; Heart-Cave thoughts King Indra conveys in the likeness of the One full of life-giving light.

Stated in slightly plainer language, we must hear the Living Water before we can return to the Hiranyagarbha, the bridge or passageway back to the Heart-Cave. That spiritual "egg" or "womb" also is the symbolic "cistern" discussed in the Bible -- the storage tank or wellspring of Divine Love bestowing the Holy Treasures of "the Name." And that three-part Name (Anu) "sustains the knowledge firmly fixed in the thoughts not diseased by fear." The pure thoughts of the God Mind, they mean, uncontaminated by the Ego Mind's insanity. And the vehicle for those thoughts in the dream is King Indra, God's "regent" on earth.

In this beautiful illustration, Jesus points to the Guha or Heart-Cave, and also shows us how it feels "energetically" to enter that sacred space.

Before we move on, let me point out that Course-Jesus never uses the phrase "Heart-Cave" (or even the word "cave"); he does, however, use the expression "Heart of God" several times in a remarkably similar context. Below are several examples:

On this side of the bridge to timelessness you understand nothing. But as you step lightly across it, upheld BY timelessness, you are directed straight to the Heart of God. At its center, and only there, you are safe forever, because you are complete forever. There is no veil the Love of God in us together cannot lift. The way to truth is open. Follow it with me. (ACIM, T-16.IV.13:6-11)

Perhaps you think that different kinds of love are possible. Perhaps you think there is a kind of love for this, a kind for that; a way of loving one, another way of loving still another. Love is one. It has no separate parts and no degrees; no kinds nor levels, no divergencies and no distinctions. It is like itself, unchanged throughout. It never alters with a person or a circumstance. It is the Heart of God, and also of His Son. (ACIM, W-127.1:1-7)

Thanks be to you, the holy Son of God. For as you were created, you contain all things within your Self. And you are still as God created you. Nor can you dim the light of your perfection. In your heart the Heart of God is laid. He holds you dear, because you are Himself. All gratitude belongs to you, because of what you are. (ACIM, W-197.8:1-7)

We are the holy messengers of God who speak for Him, and carrying His Word to everyone whom He has sent to us, we learn that it is written on our hearts. And thus our minds are changed about the aim for which we came, and which we seek to serve. We bring glad tidings to the Son of God, who thought he suffered. Now is he redeemed. And as he sees the gate of Heaven stand open before him, he will enter in and disappear into the Heart of God. (ACIM, W-pII.14.5:1-5)

Holy are you, eternal, free and whole, at peace forever in the Heart of God. Where is the world, and where is sorrow now?

Is this your judgment on yourself, teacher of God? Do you believe that this is wholly true? No; not yet, not yet. But this is still your goal; why you are here. It is your function to prepare yourself to hear this Judgment and to recognize that it is true. One instant of complete belief in this, and you will go beyond belief to Certainty. One instant out of time can bring time’s end. Judge not, for you but judge yourself, and thus delay this Final Judgment. What is your judgment of the world, teacher of God? Have you yet learned to stand aside and hear the Voice of Judgment in yourself? Or do you still attempt to take His role from Him? Learn to be quiet, for His Voice is heard in stillness. And His Judgment comes to all who stand aside in quiet listening, and wait for Him.(ACIM, M-15.1:11–2:13)

Everything he says suggests the Heart of God is our final destination -- the final "leg" on our journey back to Heaven or Knowledge.

Before we move on to the next verse, I want to share one more excerpt from the Course. In this passage, Jesus doesn't use the specific expression "the Heart of God," but he does use language highly resonant with the Vedic verse under discussion:

Today we ask of God the gift He has most carefully preserved within our hearts, waiting to be acknowledged. This the gift by which God leans to us and lifts us up, taking salvation’s final step Himself. All steps but this we learn, instructed by His Voice. But finally He comes Himself, and takes us in His Arms and sweeps away the cobwebs of our sleep. His gift of grace is more than just an answer. It restores all memories the sleeping mind forgot; all certainty of what Love’s meaning is. (ACIM, W-168.3:1-6)

Let's now proceed to Rv 1.6.5, which Muller designated as 1.6.6 after erroneously breaking 1.6.4 into two separate verses. In transliterated Sanskrit, the verse should read: devayanto yathāmatim acchā vidadvasuṃ giraḥ mahām anūṣata śrutam indrena. Those words translate roughly as follows:

The journey to the divine realm of Brahman, which varies according to intellectual capacity, clears the veil of deception blocking awareness of the Vasu, the voices singing the greater truth of Anu heard in the supreme eternal song of joy.

My definitions: 

devayant-o = the journey to the divine realm of Brahman
yathamatim = which varies "according to intelligence" -- i.e., our perception of God
accha = clears the veil of deception blocking
vidad-vasum = awareness of or knowing the Vasu
girah = the voices singing
maham = the greater
anu-sata = Anu-truth 
srutam = heard
ind-rena = in the supreme eternal song of joy

This verse communicates a veritable boatload of useful information -- when insightfully translated. Unlike Muller (and most others), I combined "yatha" and "matim" into one word after being "nudged" by my inner-guide to do so. Subsequently, I learned that "yathamati" is indeed a philosophical concept in Hinduism. Basically, the term refers to the subjective views of the divine we humans construct for ourselves through our individual intellects, perceptions, and beliefs. The Sanskrit word "yathamati" literally translates as "according to their intelligence."

In the Course, Jesus similarly explains that the journey back to Heaven is highly individualized because our capacities to understand divine ideas also is highly individualized. Presumably, that's why thousands of forms of the Holy Spirit's curriculum are required to get us all back to the bridge, door, or egg.

The concept of the Vasu is less clear. As I understand it, Vasu is an umbrella term for eight holy powers, celestial beings, or "Bright Ones" working as a team to wake us up. According to the legends, these eight celestial beings initially served King Indra before moving under the auspices of Lord Vishnu. And that makes sense, given that Vishnu-Narayana-Krishna (the Vishwapurusha) took over for Indra (in the Hindu model) after Jesus activated the Atonement Plan. In the Hindu legends and texts, the specific identities of these eight powers vary widely.

So, who are the Vasu and what do they do?

Are they the eight sacred serpents known as the Ashta-Nagas?

Are they the eight "aspects" of Lakshmi known as the Ashta-Lakshmi?

Are they the Holy Spirit and his/her Seven Graces?

Are they the Ogdoad of ancient Egypt?

Let's explore the last question first. The Ogdoad (the Eightfold) was the term assigned to the eight chief deific powers worshipped by the ancient Egyptian Cult of Amen. The Ogdoad were also much discussed by Valentinus, the author of the early Christian "Gospel of Truth," as well as other so-called "gnostic" teachers and scribes. More interesting still, "the Eight" are not only mentioned, but also praised by Jesus in the passages from "The Acts of John" describing the Round Dance of the Cross.

As I see it, the Round or Circle Dance of the Cross was a ritualized re-enactment either of the Golden Circle ritual or the Soul's circular journey (if not both), which Jesus demonstrated to his disciples the night before his arrest. In the narrative provided in "The Acts of John," Jesus told his disciples to join hands in a circle, with him at the center. As they danced around him, he called out praises and riddle-like statements, to which his disciples responded (as instructed) with cries of "Amen."

In the ancient Egyptian cult, Amen, Amon, or Amun (meaning "the hidden one") was revered as the Lord of All and King of "the Eight." Centered in the ancient city of Hermapolis, the Cult of Amen was most popular and powerful during the New Kingdom period (c. 1570 - 1069 BCE). But the cult and its temples were long gone and forgotten by the time Jesus and his family settled in Hermapolis after their "flight into Egypt." And it was there, I believe, that Jesus 1) spent the "lost years" of his youth unaccounted for in the Bible and 2) met and wed his childhood friend, Miriam (whom he affectionately called "Magdala" -- the tower in Aramaic).

Knowing all this raises some interesting questions. Did Jesus know about Amen and "the Eight" because he grew up in Hermapolis? Did he learn about the Vasu while studying yoga in India during his 20s? Or did he know about this octet of Holy Powers because he enjoyed the True Perception of a Christ-Realized Soul?

I vote for the third option -- but all three are certainly possible. And there's a fourth option as well, which is this: As a Christ-Realized Soul, trained yogi, and Jewish rabbi, Jesus had illuminated understanding of the visions described by the Hebrew prophets.

What do those visions have to do with the Vasu? We'll get to that in a minute.

For now, let's return to the Ogdoad, because clues to the true identities of the Vasu can perhaps be found in the ancient ruins of Hermapolis. Historians tell us the Ogdoad were arranged in four male-female pairs. The four pairs (and what they represent) are 1) Naunet and Nu (the Cosmic Ocean and the Sky above the Ocean), 2) Heh and Huehet (the Vital Breath and Timelessness), 3) Kek and Kauket (Night and Day), and 4) Amun and Amunet (the Supreme Self and Everlasting Life).

In the Hindu pantheon, those same eight powers take the form of Sarasvati and Varuna (the Cosmic Ocean and the Sky above), Vayu and Vishnu (the Vital Breath and Timelessness), Soma and Agni (Day and Night), and Indra and Dhanvantari, the keeper of the Amrita (the Supreme Self and Everlasting Life).

Dhanvantari, the "physician-god," who emerged from the churning of the Ocean of Milk holding the pot containing Amrita, the elixir of immortal life. In the Hindu mythology, Indra sent Dhanvantari to earth to teach Ayurveda to humans. Based on the symbolism, Dhanvantari probably represents Jesus.

Look carefully at the relief carving above of Anu from ancient Sumer, which was part of Mesopotamia. Note that he has four wings, holds two tridents, wears a studded ring around his body, and stands on a bull -- the Bull of Heaven, according to the myths.

The image below depicts the Egyptian god Nu, whose name means "sky" according to some sources and "the watery one," according to others. He also is called Nun, "the inert one." In the Cult of Amen, Nu was revered as the first of all the gods and the creator of Divine Reality. He also was associated with the Cosmic Ocean, which pre-dated material creation. Worshippers of Nu also believed he could destroy existence and return everything to its original state. In the iconography of the day, he was almost always depicted as a blue-skinned man, rising from the Cosmic Ocean. His palm-frond staff and hair-ornament represent (when rightly perceived) eternal life, the triumph of light over darkness, and the long-awaited homecoming of the prodigal son.

Note the similarities among the iconographic depictions of Anu, Nu, and Lord Shiva. Like Nu, Shiva is called "the destroyer." Also like Nu, what Shiva destroys isn't "creation." It's the maya we manifest through the Ego Mind by projecting our wrong-minded judgments, valuations, and desires outward, onto objects and people.

The Hindu deity least like Nu-Anu physically -- but most alike in description and function -- is Varuna, the God of the Sky and Lord of the Waters. Typically, Varuna is pictured riding a Makara -- a strange sort of creature that's most often depicted as half animal and half fish. The word "makara" supposedly means "sea creature," but I suspect it's a compound of "maka" (infinite) and "ra" (radiance). Ergo, Varuna's "special salvation power" is the everlasting light, which Course-Jesus calls "the Light of the World." In the image below, Varuna (noteworthily) holds a large cobra.

Let's now look a little closer at the Anu of Mesopotamia. According to Digital Maps of the Ancient World -- a pretty interesting website -- Anu reigned supreme as the ultimate cosmic authority. "Envisioned as a majestic figure draped in shimmering robes and seated upon a celestial throne," the website reports, "he embodied the vastness and mystery of the heavens. Though distant from worldly concerns, Anu held the paramount position in the pantheon, fathering deities and setting the celestial machinery in motion. His enigmatic presence, a blend of regal power and unknowable secrets, left unanswered questions about his true role in the divine drama."

This description makes Anu sound like the Mesopotamian equivalent of King Indra; but I see shades of Rudra in the description -- right down to "the unanswered questions about his role in the divine drama." Rudra, the "mightiest of the mighty," whose name means "Red Ray," represents the divine creative force of Agape operating at full power in the celestial realm. From that position of supreme authority, Rudra watches over and directs the powers carrying out God's Will in the earthly realm. The greatest of those powers is King Indra, the "regent" of God's Will and Authority on earth. The second greatest is Shiva or Sadashiva, Rudra's "gentler aspect" (of grace), doing God's Will in the world as "the destroyer" of ego-induced madness.

Let's now compare the two images below. The first one depicts Rudra, looking down from Heaven, with Shiva foremost in his mind. The second depicts Lord Varuna offering "pooja" to Lord Shiva.

 

In both images, the "offering" being made to Lord Shiva is the Om vibration -- the "glue" that holds Holy Creation together in Wholeness -- as evidenced by the emblem on the black "lingam" before both figures. That "lingam" -- known as the Shiva Lingam or Shivling -- is as highly revered in Hinduism as it is misunderstood. It does not represent, as commonly espoused, male energy or the role of the phallus in creation, because "male" and "female" are ego-manufactured concepts, and the phallus -- or any other body-part -- plays no role whatsoever in divine creation. Phallus-consciousness is, in fact, a serious obstacle to awakening, as any rightminded yogi will tell you.

What Shiva's Lingam actually represents is the upward-pointing triangle of the Shaktona or six-pointed star. And what that star represents, in turn, is the Purusha energy underlying and gradually "penetrating" the Prakriti energy (the yoni) manifesting material unreality. The deeper the Purusha "phallus" penetrates our consciousness, the more the illusion fades, allowing us to see Divine Truth more and more clearly -- through the Spiritual Eye or Shiva's Vision. Shiva's Lingam opens the Spiritual Eye, in other words. And that's the reason 1) Shiva is so closely associated with the Spiritual Eye and 2) the Golden Triangle or Golden Pyramid representing the Shivling often has a single eye in the center.
 

The Golden Triangle symbolizes the three-part or three-sided mind-healing energy that is all of the following: 1) the Great Purusha, 2) the Trinity of the Name in the earthly realm, and 4) Shiva, the transcendent aspect of Brahman (which is grace).

Look again at the images above of Rudra and Varuna, taking note of the water in both -- evidence that the Om vibration is indeed the Living Water that "washes away the sins of the world" -- i.e., destroys wrongminded thought through "lustration" (removal through ablution). Those symbols also suggest that the Om originates with Rudra-Varuna, and then flows downward into the Temple to restore wholeness of mind.

All of this strongly suggests that Shiva is Rudra's arm in the world. That is to say, Shiva literally embodies the N and U aspects of the Trinity of the Name, operating inside the Temple through the power of grace. Proof of his role are the trident and bull closely associated with Shiva and Anu. Nandi -- the Bull of Heaven -- represents not "dharma" (as commonly supposed) but God's Will to end the dream, which we share as part of the Trinity. 

That Anu holds two tridents suggests there are, in fact, two trinities (as I've long suspected): the Trinity of Perfect Creation (the first covenant), consisting of Father, Son, and the Creative Force of Agape, and the Trinity of Atonement (the second covenant), consisting of the three-part Name of God ("the Name we share with God," in Course vernacular).

I could find nothing describing Anu's tridents, but they appear to be tipped with pomegranates -- a symbol of the Blood of Christ, as well as resurrection into eternal life. Comparatively, there is a great deal available about Shiva's "Trishul," only some of which agrees with what I know to be true. Typically, Shiva's Trishul is depicted as a three-pronged, lyre-shaped trident with a two-headed, hourglass-shaped drum fastened underneath (as shown below). The drum is called "Damaru," which translates as "giving or offering" (da) "in the desert or wilderness" (maru).

Shiva's Trishul, with the Damaru underneath.

The first thing we need to get straight is that Shiva's Trishul isn't a "weapon"; it's a symbol of the divine power and authority delegated to him by Rudra, through God's earthly regent, King Indra. As the transcendent power of Brahman, Shiva personifies the ego-dissolving force Course-Jesus calls "the Atonement" and which Christians call "saving grace." Additionally, Shiva is called "Aket," which translates as "God's Call." He's the source of the Call to Awaken, in other words.

According to the Agama Scriptures, Shiva has five faces, aspects, or powers, which take the form of Sadashiva. At another time, we'll explore what those five "faces" represent. If you're curious in the meantime, there's a pretty good overview on the website for Kaui's Hindu Monastery.

Rightly understood, Shiva is NOT the second power of the Trimuti, because there is no such "trinity." As explained in earlier posts, Brahma (the Ego Mind) invented the Trimuti, to take God's place as the "father-creator," as well as to position himself above Shiva and Vishnu in the "divine hierarchy" he contrived. And just so we're clear, Brahmanda -- Brahma's Egg -- is NOT the Cosmic Egg or Golden Womb. Brahmanda is the false and fearful "void" we entered (outwardly) when we projected our split-away dream-consciousness out of the Hiranyagarbha.

In a future post, we'll explore the concept of the Cosmic Egg in greater depth, because it's a fascinating and multi-layered subject deserving more space than I can give it here and now. Just be aware that the "embryo" inside the Golden Egg is the Soul. We enter the egg consciously when we fully "realize" that we are indeed Souls -- and that our Soul is the real "hero of the dream," rather than the ego-body "character" we formerly perceived as our "self" in Brahma's unreal human drama.

While inside the Golden Egg, we are twice reborn. We experience our first rebirth (the second coming of Christ) when we fully realize we are not individual Souls, but one unified "Living Being" with a shared purpose: healing the separation through psychic miracle-working and whatever else the Holy Spirit directs us to do. We experience our second rebirth when we fully realize that the Christ Mind and the God Mind are, in actuality, equal and inseparable partners in the cause-and-effect dynamic of Perfect Creation. When that second rebirth occurs, we move from the Golden Egg into the Heart-Cave or Heart of God.

And that's why Rv 1.6.3 says we must help each other "escape Shesha." To return to the Heart of God -- the Cosmic Ocean of Oneness -- we have to break free of the Golden Egg, which IS Shesha.

 

Okay, phew ... that was a lot to explain -- and we still have a long way to go. But let's break here and continue our discussion in a new post.

Shining New Light on the Rig Veda (Part 1): What are Vayu and Soma?

Now that we've established what the Hindu god "Agni" actually represents, let's proceed to the second Sukta of the Rig Veda -- a presumed "hymn" addressed to a deity called "Vayu." In Hinduism, "Vayu" (pictured above) is presumed to be the "god" or "deva" of wind and air. He is revered, therefore, as an elemental power of nature, more or less, not unlike "Agni," the presumed "god of fire." In actuality, "Agni" represents the Fire of God present in the Temple as the Spirit of Grace. "Agni" is, therefore, a modified form of the first Red Ray of Agape, which the God Mind sent forth or extended "in the beginning" to bring the Christ Mind and/or Son of God into "being." 

The graphic "fact sheet" above tells us, among other things, that "Vayu" was born from the breath of Vishwapurusha, guards the Northwest direction, fathered the "gods" Bhima and Hanuman, and rides an antelope vahana. Other sources report that "Vayu" also is 1) the divine messenger of the gods; 2) closely associated with Indra, the "king of the gods" in the Hindu pantheon; 3) the first to drink "the Soma"; and 4) the son of Lord Vishnu. When misidentified as a storm deity, "Vayu" also is said to be one of the Maruts. But, as my multi-post retranslation of Rv 8.7 demonstrates, the Sanskrit terms historically translated as "Maruts" do not, in fact, refer in any way to elemental storm gods.

Hanuman and Bhima, whose allegorical story is told in the Mahabharata epic.

With all that backstory out of the way, let's now explore what the Rig Veda actually reveals about "Vayu." We'll start our investigation, as always, by reviewing the second Sukta's original text in transliterated Sanskrit. According to 19th-century Oxford "orientalist" Max Muller, the Rik is composed of eight metered lines reading as follows:

vāyav ā yāhi darśateme somā araṃkṛtāḥ | teṣām pāhi śrudhī havam ||
vāyo tava prapṛñcatī dhenā jigāti dāśuṣe | urūcī somapītaye ||
indravāyū ime sutā upa prayobhir ā gatam | indavo vām uśanti hi ||
vāyav indraś ca cetathaḥ sutānāṃ vājinīvasū | tāv ā yātam upa dravat ||
vāyav indraś ca sunvata ā yātam upa niṣkṛtam | makṣv itthā dhiyā narā ||
mitraṃ huve pūtadakṣaṃ varuṇaṃ ca riśādasam | dhiyaṃ ghṛtācīṃ sādhantā ||
ṛtena mitrāvaruṇāv ṛtāvṛdhāv ṛtaspṛśā | kratum bṛhantam āśāthe ||
kavī no mitrāvaruṇā tuvijātā urukṣayā | dakṣaṃ dadhāte apasam ||

Let's now review how this alleged "hymn" or "poem" was translated by H. H. Wilson and Ralph T. H. Griffith, both of whom held the Boden Sanskrit Professorship at Queen's College, Oxford, during the 19th Century. As explained in my previous post, the Boden Professorship was funded by a former East India Company officer to help convert the native peoples of India to Anglican Christianity. The translation of the Rig Veda Samhita by Professors Wilson and Griffith were, therefore, agenda-driven to some extent. Keep that in mind as we go forward.

Let's start with Wilson's translation of the second Rik, which reads thusly:

Vayu, plural asant to behold, approach; these libations are prepared for you drink of them; hear our invocation.

Vayu, your praisers praise you with holy praises having poured out Soma juice, and knowing the (fit) season.

Vayu, your approving speech comes to the giver (of the libation), and to many (others who invite you) to drink of the Soma juice.

Vayu, these libations are poured out (for you); come hither with food (for us); verily the drops (of the Soma, abiding in the sacrificial rite, you are aware of these libations; come both (then) quickly hither.

Vayu and Indra, come to the rite of the sacrificer, for thus, men, will completion be speedily (attained) by the ceremony.

I invoke Mitra, of pure vigour, and Varuna, the devourer of foes; the joint accomplishers of the act bestowing water (on the earth).

Mitra and Varuna, augmenters of water, dispensers of water, you connect this perfect rite with its true (reward).

Sapient Mitra and Varuna, prosper our sacrifice and increase our strength; you are born for the benefit of many, you are the refuge of multitudes.

Here now is Griffith's liberally stylized translation of the same verses:

BEAUTIFUL Vayu, come, for thee these Soma drops have been prepared:
Drink of them, hearken to our call.
Knowing the days, with Soma juice poured forth, the singers glorify
Thee, Vayu, with their hymns of praise.
Vayu, thy penetrating stream goes forth unto the worshipper,
Far-spreading for the Soma draught.
These, Indra-Vayu, have been shed; come for our offered dainties' sake:
The drops are yearning for you both.
Well do ye mark libations, ye Vayu and Indra, rich in spoil,
So come ye swiftly hitherward.
Vayu and Indra, come to what the Soma presser hath prepared:
Soon, Heroes, thus I make my prayer.
Mitra, of holy strength, I call, and foe-destroying Varuna.
Mitra and Varuna, through Law [of Giving and Receiving], lovers and cherishers of Law,
Have ye obtained your mighty power,
Our Sages, Mitra-Varuna, wide dominion, strong by birth,
Vouchsafe us strength that worketh well.

How accurate are these two translations? Not very, because (for starters) both of these professorial missionaries transcribe "vayu," "vaya," "vayo," and "vayav" as the proper name "Vayu," rather than as the descriptive terms they actually are. Did they commit this faux pas out of ignorance, artfulness, or respect for longstanding religious and cultural traditions in India? Considering their imperialist intentions, I'm guessing it wasn't the latter.

Rightly understood, "Vayu" is the Sanskrit equivalent of Ruach -- a Hebrew word often translated as "wind," but which more particularly describes the "breath," "mind," and/or "spirit" acting in the world on God's behalf to end the perceived separation. In the Hebrew Bible, the word Ruach appears 387 times, compared with (curiously) only twelve occurrences of "Vayu" in the Rig Veda.

Before we embark on today's sure-to-be illuminating main event, let's explore the real meaning of the word "Vayu" and its variations. When the Vedas were revealed to the rishis thousands of years ago, "vayu" was only linked with "wind" or "air" in the figurative sense of being an invisible force with visible effects. Having nothing to do with elemental wind or air, the word can be divided three ways. As "v-ayu," it means "divided Living Being" or "continuous consciousness in separate forms"; as "va-yu," it means "uniter of the divided"; and as "vay-u" the word means the sound, tone, or voice of "U" -- a stand-alone letter used fairly often in the Rig Veda to designate the Holy Name.

As with many Sanskrit words, all three variations of "vayu" communicate the same idea in slightly different ideational forms. Vayu is, in fact, the continuous consciousness of "the Christ" separated into bodies, the power that reunites that divided consciousness, and the sound or "wind" emanating from the Holy Name inside the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

When rendered as vay-a, the word translates slightly differently as "Voice for/of God," and when spelled "vayav" it means relating to or coming from that divine inner-voice.

All of this makes pretty clear that "Vayu" personifies the "wind" or "voice" coming from the Christ Self or Mind governing the Sixth or Ajna Plane of restored Christ-Consciousness, whereas "Agni" represents the "fire," "spirit," or "presence" of the God Self or Mind on the Seventh, Sahasrara, or restored-to-the-state-of-pure-grace plane of consciousness. Vayu is, however, only one of the names the Vedas assign to this ubiquitous "voice" or "wind." And that is probably the reason the name "Vayu" appears so infrequently in the Rig Veda compared to its Hebrew counterpart in the Old Testament.

With all that firmly in mind, let's now interpret afresh this ancient wisdom-teaching about "Vayu." But first, let me state for the record that the Rig Veda contains NOT "the sacred hymns of the Brahmans" (as historically presumed), but elevated teachings for anyone and everyone sincerely seeking Higher Truth. These narrative teachings are, in fact, remarkably similar in both substance, vocabulary, and intended audience to those presented by Jesus Christ in A Course in Miracles.

(As an aside, I'm convinced that the word "Sukta" doesn't actually mean "hymn." The word is a compound of "su" (holy or sacred) and "kta" -- a rather mysterious "suffix" I believe to mean "wisdom," "knowledge," or "thought." The linguists may profess that adding "kta" at the end of a word merely shifts it from present to past tense, but I don't buy it. Why not? Because that rule doesn't work in the cases of "sukta," "bhokta," and "nukta" -- three words appearing in the Rig Veda, but rarely translated correctly (owing partly to this erroneous rule).

Okay, so ... according to Sri Aurobindo's posthumous website, the first line of Rv 1.2 should read: vāyo iti ā yāhi darśata ime somāḥ aram-kṛtāḥ teṣām pāhi śrudhi havam. I'm inclined to agree, since that transliteration works much better than does Muller's "metered" contrivance.

With each hallowed word given its proper due, the first line of the second Rik should translate roughly as follows:

The sound of the answer to the call coming from God extends to impel the vision that dissolves object-form, bringing to an end reverence for the idea of doing. All the Sons (of God) are saved by hearing its utterings.

Individually, the word-definitions work out thusly:

vay-o (the sound of the answer) iti (coming from) a (God) ya-hi (extends to impel) darsa-te-me (the vision that dissolves object-form) so-mah (bringing to an end reverence for) aramb-kratah (the idea of doing). Tesam (All the sons of God) pahi (are saved) srudhi (by hearing) havam (its utterings)

Did I forget to mention that "o" means "the answer to a call" in Vedic Sanskrit shorthand? The stand-alone letter "o" can represent other "ideas" as well, such as the Name of the Creator (Brahman, not Brahma) and the Om vibration, which are, in effect, the SAME idea in different forms. Course-Jesus mentions many times "the Answer" to which this opening verse refers. At one point in the Text, he states point-blank: "The Holy Spirit is God’s Answer to the separation; the means by which the Atonement heals until the whole mind returns to creating."

Okay, so ... when translated correctly, this little verse conveys unadulterated Satya -- the Absolute Truth of Spiritual Reality. As Course-Jesus explains, the Holy Spirit is God's Answer to our call to be saved from the error of trusting the Ego Mind. So, the Holy Spirit can't be the one the rishis call "Vayu," as I've long presumed. As Rv 1.2.2 clearly explains, Vayu is the SOUND emanating from the Answer or Holy Spirit. And, as our graphic fact-sheet further explains, that SOUND was born from the breath of the Vishwapurusha, "the universal Living Being."

As I understand the concept, the Vishwapurusha contains and ensouls all the "I Am" particles under the Ego Mind's evil sleeping-spell of "Vishwa" -- a Sanskrit term meaning "external-orientation," more or less. In the Course and the Bible, Jesus calls this "Living Being" the Body of Christ or simply "the Christ." And it is this "Living Being" or Vishwapurusha he compares to a vine throughout the New Testament.

Bible-Jesus makes his meaning especially clear in John 15:1-5, wherein he says: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me, ye can do nothing."

Stated another way, the Vishwapurusha is the "body" or "host" in which our Souls abide in the dream-universe. The Vishwapurusha also dwells in us, as the True Vine coiled within the "seed" waiting to awaken at the appointed time. But that "host-body" isn't a "body" in the ego's way of thinking. Rather, it's like a "polis" (in Greek) or "pura" (in Sanskrit) -- a walled city or stronghold in which like-minded individuals join together in the shared purpose of restoring the greater whole.

In the Course, Jesus says the following along these same lines:

The Christ in you inhabits not a body. Yet He is in you. And thus it must be that you are not within a body. What is within you cannot be outside. And it is certain that you cannot be apart from what is at the very center of your life. What gives you life cannot be housed in death. No more can you. Christ is within a frame of Holiness whose only purpose is that He may be made manifest to those who know Him not, that He may call to them to come to Him and see Him where they thought their bodies were. Then will their bodies melt away, that they may frame His Holiness in them.

No one who carries Christ in him can fail to recognize Him everywhere. Except in bodies. And as long as he believes he is in a body, where he thinks he is He cannot be. And so he carries Him unknowingly, and does not make Him manifest. And thus he does not recognize Him where He is. The son of man is not the risen Christ. Yet does the Son of God abide exactly where he is, and walks with him within his holiness, as plain to see as is his specialness set forth within his body.

The body needs no healing. But the mind that thinks it is a body is sick indeed! And it is here that Christ sets forth the remedy. His purpose folds the body in His light, and fills it with the Holiness that shines from Him. And nothing that the body says or does but makes Him manifest. To those who know Him not it carries Him in gentleness and love, to heal their minds. Such is the mission that your brother has for you. And such it must be that your mission is for him.

(ACIM, T-25.in.1:1–3:8)

The concept of the Vishwapurusha must be pretty important; otherwise, Jesus wouldn't have tried so hard and so often to explain the idea to his disciples (who still didn't get it). When, for example, at the Last Supper, he broke a loaf of bread into pieces and said, "This is my body; eat it in remembrance of me," he meant: "This loaf represents the whole Living Being, Vishwapurusha, or Christ Self to which you/we all belong. And through the spiritual nourishment I brought into the world, you will one day remember the communion, covenant, or Holy Relationship all of Creation shares in that glorious Wholeness of Being."

And, for the record, the bits of bread Jesus afterward passed around the table probably represented the "epiousion bread" he instructed his followers to request from God in Matthew 6:9-13, wherein he dictates the proper way to pray (via the Lord's Prayer or Our Father). I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but in case I haven't (or you missed it) the Anglicans wrong-mindedly changed the enigmatic Greek word epiousion to "daily" when they translated Matthew's narrative into English. Scholars still scratch their heads over Christ's intended meaning. But the word is, in fact, defined in the Secret Book of John as "that which makes spiritual transcendence desirable, understandable, and attainable."

This tells me, at least, that what Jesus called "epiousion bread" in Matthew's narrative is synonymous with the Living Water he mentions elsewhere in the New Testament gospels. Thus, "epiousion bread" and Living Water are interchangeable terms used by Bible-Jesus to describe the SOUND made by the Spirit of Grace to accomplish God's Will for our return to the Wholeness of Mind required for Perfect Creating.

Am I overexplaining again? Lol. 

Let's return to the Vishwapurusha, because the two images below illustrate the concept quite effectively. What both show is the Vishwapurusha or "Christ Mind of the At-one-ment" enclosed within a golden egg surrounded by a glowing "aura." That "aura" is, I'm reasonably sure, the Golden Circle and/or Circle of the Atonement much-discussed in the Course. That circle is, I further believe, the "gateway" through which we enter the first plane or "kingdom" of the Upper or Real World.

In Christian theology, Jesus Christ symbolizes the Vishwapurusha.

In Hindu theology, Lord Vishnu symbolizes the Vishwapurusha.

What these two images don't show are the "sparks," "seeds," or "soul-fragments" comprising the "corporate body" or Greater Universal Soul represented by the figure at the center of the egg. As particles of that Living Being, our Souls can NOT be tarnished by anything we do in the dream of earthly existence. Hard as that may be to accept, it is nevertheless TRUE. And our complete faith in that unsmirchable holy innocence is what ultimately frees us from the Wheel of Karma.

Our Souls may be as perfect as the Holy Spirit, but they are not eternal as individual beings. As particles of the Vishwapurusha, they are merely "devices" for learning the at-one-ment curriculum. In a very real sense, they are players moving their characters (our serial ego-body incarnations) through a virtual-reality training-simulator. The goal of the training is to make them/us the perfect co-creators the God Mind created the Christ Mind to be. The successful outcome of the training is guaranteed because 1) the dream-universe came and went in the single, miraculous instant Course-Jesus calls "the Holy Instant" and 2) whatever God wills is done to perfection the instant He wills it. Thus, we only seem to be in the world, going through hell, because we haven't yet chosen, of our own free will, to give up the game and go home.

You get that, right? If not, pay careful attention to what Course-Jesus says below:

Hear, then, the one answer of the Holy Spirit to all the questions the ego raises: You are a child of God, a priceless part of His Kingdom, which He created as part of Him. Nothing else exists and only this is real. You have chosen a sleep in which you have had bad dreams, but the sleep is not real and God calls you to awake. There will be nothing left of your dream when you hear Him, because you will awaken. Your dreams contain many of the ego’s symbols and they have confused you. Yet that was only because you were asleep and did not know. When you wake you will see the truth around you and in you, and you will no longer believe in dreams because they will have no reality for you. Yet the Kingdom and all that you have created there will have great reality for you, because they are beautiful and true. (ACIM, T-6.IV.6:1-8)

As explained more clearly in the Course than in the Bible, God created ONE Son, not many. That one Son isn't Jesus, the "son of man" the Romans crucified; that one Son is "the Christ" -- the all-encompassing Divine Being that IS Creation. That one Self in its natural state of spiritual WHOLENESS is the Great Purusha, Spiritual Sun, Greater Light, Shining One, and/or Logos underneath and hidden by the illusion of form. In the dream-simulator (inside the serpent's belly), the Souls belonging to that united Sonship or "Corporate Body of the Christ Self," but perceiving themselves as individuals for at-one-ment purposes, are known collectively in Hinduism as the Vishvedevas. And those Vishvedevas dwell together within the golden egg of the Vishwapurusha.

Or, to quote Course-Jesus again:

It should especially be noted that God has only ONE Son. If all His creations are His Sons, every one must be an integral part of the whole Sonship. The Sonship in its Oneness transcends the sum of its parts. However, this is obscured as long as any of its parts is missing. That is why the conflict cannot ultimately be resolved until all the parts of the Sonship have returned. Only then can the meaning of wholeness in the true sense be understood. Any part of the Sonship can believe in error or incompleteness if he so chooses. However, if he does so, he is believing in the existence of nothingness. The correction of this error is the Atonement. (ACIM, T-2.VII.6:1-9)

The golden egg of which we speak is, btw, the Hiranyagarbha or "golden womb" much discussed in Vedic philosophy. Curiously, Hiranyagarbha isn't mentioned by name until Rv 10.121, which has appropriately come to be known as the Hiranyagarbha Sukta.

Hiranyagarbha, the "golden egg" or "golden womb" of the Vishwapurusha -- the Mind of the Atonement, in Course terms.

Much as I'm tempted, I won't retranslate the whole Sukta at this point in time. I will, however, decipher afresh the eighth verse Griffith translates thusly:

He is the God of gods, and none beside him.

Is this, in fact, what the verse says? Let's see, shall we? In transliterated Sanskrit, the eighth verse reads: yo deveṣv ādhi devā eka āsīt. By my calculations, those words translate more along these lines:

Join all the demigods (the Vishvadevas, our fellow Souls in the golden egg) in the higher divine oneness of God's Holy Instant.

yo = yu (join) devesv = devesu (all the demigods) adhi (in the higher) deva (divine) eka (oneness) a-sit (of God's Holy Instant)

Okay, so ... what does any of this have to do with Soma and/or Sutasoma? The answer is EVERYTHING, because the Vishwapurusha's glowing golden egg represents the Lesser Light of God shining in the darkness of the void of Brahma-manifested nothingness. And in that dark "Vishwa" -- the "Night" in scriptural lingo -- that INWARD Lesser Light is projected OUTWARD as the Moon orbiting Planet Earth. 

What we perceive outwardly as the physical moon is a projection of the "golden egg," "golden womb," or Hiranyagarbha of the Mind of the Atonement. Inwardly, that "moon" or "egg" resembles the image below (sorta-kinda, when we're advanced enough to see it). Some spiritual teachers call this the "spiritual eye" or "third eye," but it's actually the passageway through the three planes of the Upper World.

And that is why, in Hinduism (and the Rig Veda), Soma-Chandra is associated with the Moon, as well as partnered with Agni (the Fire of God or Greater Light occupying the Chariot-Throne of God on the Seventh Plane).

In Hinduism (when right-mindedly understood), Soma-Chandra represents the Vishwapurusha -- the Lesser Light of God and/or Christ Mind of the Atonement. His antelope (or gazelle) vahana, meanwhile, represents the Living Water our yajnas or "right-minded thought-offerings" disperse to all the Souls inhabiting the golden egg with ours. That is why the antelope has a spotted coat in correct depictions of Soma-Chandra. Those spots represent the particles or "sparks" of the Vishwapurusha our Souls actually are.

The two images above show Soma-Chandra, as depicted in Hinduism. Note that, like Lord Vishnu, he holds the instruments of Atonement (the cudgel of Truth, the jug of Living Water, and the lotus representing the Royal Path). His chariot symbolizes the Temple, whose single wheel represents the Dharmachakra. And the twin gazelles or antelopes pulling him through the dark night of time and space are the anointing oils of the Atonement.

But wait, there's more ... because apprehending what Soma genuinely represents explains why this deific force has been wrongly and rather weirdly associated with plants and mind-altering drinks for so many centuries. Being the Vishwapurusha, Soma is both the True Vine and the source of the Living Water -- two metaphors unilluminated translators have taken literally (as per usual).

Makes sense, right?

Let's return to Rv 1.2.1, which contains the first mention of Soma in the Vedic literature. The word is not, however, used at first as a proper noun. Rather, "somah" describes the overarching goal of the Atonement Plan -- our first solid clue that Soma is, in fact, the Mind of the Atonement, Vishwapurusha, and/or Lesser Light of God shining in the "Night" or "Darkness" of ego-manifested material unreality.

The Rik's second line mentions "Sutasoma" -- a word-name both Wilson and Griffith murkily translate as "soma juice." The line that Wilson deciphers -- utterly absurdly -- as "Vayu, your praisers praise you with holy praises having poured out Soma juice, and knowing the (fit) season," actually imparts the following useful wisdom:

The Voice of God sounds the Holy Name that awakens the inner Self veiled by the form. Awaken that shared "sutasoma" to bring nearer transcendental knowledge.

vay-a (The Voice of God) ukth-ebhir (sounds the Holy Name) jarante (that awakens the inner) tvam (Self) accha (veiled by the form). jar-itarah (Awaken that common or shared) suta-soma (Son of Soma? Holy sound of Soma? inspiration of Soma?) ahar-vidah (to bring nearer transcendental knowledge).

As you might imagine, this one took quite a while to work out, mainly because the true definition of "sutasoma" has been buried over the centuries under a pile of ego-generated rubbish. After poking around in the dross for a while, I unearthed seven clues to the real meaning of the word in the Mahabharata epic. In the scriptural allegory, Sutasoma is a prince who sacrifices himself to save a great king. More specifically, Sutasoma agrees to be devoured by a serpent to defeat the demon holding the king hostage.

Let's see if we can solve the mystery of Sutasoma's identity, based on following seven pieces of evidence encapsulated in the Puranic Encyclopedia:

1. Sutasoma is/was the son of Bhīmasena (meaning "the Body of the Supreme Lord or Spirit") and his wife, Draupadī (a female form of Krishna), who came into being "through a portion of the Vishvedevas" (the learned or advanced Souls performing yajnas in the Holy Meeting Place).
   
   
2. Sutasoma was so named because he was born by the blessings of Chandra (another name for Soma, the Vishwapurusha).
   
   
3. In the legends, Sutasoma combats Vikarna on the first day of the battle of Bharata (the struggle against the Ego Mind in the quest for spiritual truth and/or enlightenment). The son of Dhritarashtra (the blind king whose name means "total darkness") and Gandhari (meaning "keeper of the common purpose"), Vikarna was the wisest and most respectable of the Kauravas (the antagonist forces in the epic). Based on these clues, Vikarna probably represents the Buddhi, the part of the human intellect capable of learning (but not experiencing) Higher Truth.
   
   
4. Sutasoma rescues Srutakarma (the Christ Self) from the clutches of Durmukha (an "ugly-faced" demon) in the battle of Bharata.
   
   
5. Sutasoma fights Viviṃśati (the idea of "body" and "family," including "lineage" and "ancestry," which must be overcome in the quest for Satya).
   
   
6. In an even bigger confrontation, Sutasoma fights Śakuni (an antagonist portrayed as crafty and devious), and is defeated.
   
   
7. Sutasoma also fights Aśvatthāmā (a character representing the egoic ideas of anger, attack, vengeance, and war). At one point in the battle, Aśvatthāmā enters the camp of the Pandavas (the good guys) in "the Night" and kills Sutasoma.

When factored together, these seven clues make evident that Sutasoma is indeed the "holy sound of Soma" -- the Living Water, Song of Heaven, and/or Om/Aum vibration, which our attack thoughts and interpersonal conflicts render mute. So, Soma-juice might be technically correct, but it's hardly an elucidating definition.

"Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." -- John 4:14

Let's now check our results. With the correct definition of Sutasoma determined, the Rig Veda verse under discussion should read as follows:

The Voice of God sounds the Holy Name that awakens the inner Self veiled by the form. Awaken that shared holy sound of Soma to bring nearer transcendental knowledge.

The verse now makes perfect sense and also communicates Satya -- because hearing the shared-mind holy sound of Soma does indeed bring nearer transcendental knowledge. That sound is made by the Vishvedevas singing together in the Holy Meeting Place of the Temple. To hear that vibratory sound or song, we must endeavor to bring our True Identity more and more into conscious awareness while pushing the false ego-body persona more and more out of our minds. We have to, in other words, strive to perceive the Soul as the protagonist or "hero" of the dream whose only earthly goal is to leave the waterless desert of earthly existence, once and for all.

Let's proceed to the second Rik's third line, which SHOULD read: vāyo tava prapṛñcatī dhenā jigāti dāśuṣe urūcī (rather than vayo tava pranprncati dhena jigati dasuse uruci somapitaye, as per Max Muller and his Oxford colleagues). In his misguided attempts to preserve the "original poetic meter" or "chanda," Muller broke some of the lines of this Rik in the wrong places. In this case, somapitaye -- the last word in Muller's configuration -- belongs at the beginning of the next line. This is obvious when the teachings are translated and understood more accurately than has generally been the case. With its proper wording restored, Rv 1.2.3 should translate as follows:

The sound of the answer to the call to the atonement advances joining together in the song coming from the state of being pure-hearted.

vay-o (The sound of the answer to the call) tava (to the atonement) pra-prncati (advances joining together) dhena (in the song) jigati (coming from) dasuse (the state of being) uruci (pure-hearted)

Translating this verse proved tricky to a vexing degree, largely because the correct definitions of so many of the Sanskrit words used herein have become lost or distorted over time. "Tava," for example, supposedly means "your" or "yours," but can also allude to 1) heating or cooking, 2) a round griddle used in India, or 3) "tapas" -- one of the key spiritual practices prescribed in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. And, as explained in my post titled "Yoking the Mind to God's," "tapas" means "penance," the original definition of which was wishing to undo a wrong decision or mistake. That "tava," in this instance, does indeed translate as "to the atonement" or "of the atonement" is attested to in the following citation, wherein Course-Jesus uses almost identical terminology:

The inheritance of the Kingdom is the right of God’s Son, given him in his creation. Do not try to steal it from him, or you will ask for guilt and will experience it. Protect his purity from every thought that would steal it away and keep it from his sight. Bring innocence to light, in answer to the call of the Atonement. Never allow purity to remain hidden, but shine away the heavy veils of guilt within which the Son of God has hidden himself from his own sight. (ACIM, T-14.V.4:1-5)

Course-Jesus also talks at length about the "melody" or "song" referenced in this verse, but especially in Chapter 21 of the Text (standard edition), under the heading The Forgotten Song. This section is an absolute must-read, so I've quoted a goodly chunk below:

Listen,—perhaps you catch a hint of an ancient state not quite forgotten; dim, perhaps, and yet not altogether unfamiliar, like a song whose name is long forgotten, and the circumstances in which you heard completely unremembered. Not the whole song has stayed with you, but just a little wisp of melody, attached not to a person or a place or anything particular. But you remember, from just this little part, how lovely was the song, how wonderful the setting where you heard it, and how you loved those who were there and listened with you.

The notes are nothing. Yet you have kept them with you, not for themselves, but as a soft reminder of what would make you weep if you remembered how dear it was to you. You could remember, yet you are afraid, believing you would lose the world you learned since then. And yet you know that nothing in the world you learned is half so dear as this. Listen, and see if you remember an ancient song you knew so long ago and held more dear than any melody you taught yourself to cherish since.

Beyond the body, beyond the sun and stars, past everything you see and yet somehow familiar, is an arc of golden light that stretches as you look into a great and shining circle. And all the circle fills with light before your eyes. The edges of the circle disappear, and what is in it is no longer contained at all. The light expands and covers everything, extending to infinity forever shining and with no break or limit anywhere. Within it everything is joined in perfect continuity. Nor is it possible to imagine that anything could be outside, for there is nowhere that this light is not.

This is the vision of the Son of God, whom you know well. Here is the sight of him who knows his Father. Here is the memory of what you are; a part of this, with all of it within, and joined to all as surely as all is joined in you. Accept the vision that can show you this, and not the body. You know the ancient song, and know it well. Nothing will ever be as dear to you as is this ancient hymn of love the Son of God sings to his Father still.

And now the blind can see, for that same song they sing in honor of their Creator gives praise to them as well. The blindness that they made will not withstand the memory of this song. And they will look upon the vision of the Son of God, remembering who he is they sing of. What is a miracle but this remembering? And who is there in whom this memory lies not? The light in one awakens it in all. And when you see it in your brother, you are remembering for everyone.

Let's move on to the second Sukta's fourth verse. With "somapitaye" restored to its proper place (and "vayav" moved from the start of the fifth line to its rightful place at the end of this one), the Rik's next line now more correctly reads: Somapitaye indra-vāyū iti ime sutāh upa prayobhir ā gatam indavo vām uśanti hi vayav. By my calculations, those words translate along these lines:

Soma's song extends directly from the revelations (the metaphoric "thunderbolts" of Indra) of Vayu (the Voice of the Holy Name) coming from the Holy Instant of the One Son up above advancing knowledge of Heaven's melody, the elixir of immortality proceeding from the dawning reason given by the Voice for God.

Soma-pitaye or Somapi-taye (Soma's radiance extends directly from) indra-vayu (the revelations or metaphoric "thunderbolts" of Vayu) iti (coming from) ime (the Holy Spirit or Holy Instant) sutah (of the One Son) upa (up above) prayobhir = pra-yobhir (advancing knowledge) a (of Heaven's) gatam (melody) indavo (the elixir of immortality) vam (proceeding from) usanti (the dawning) hi (reason) vayav(a) (given by the Voice for God)

This line's restored first word, somapitaye, is generally translated as "soma-drink" or "soma-plant," which can't be right for myriad reasons. Firstly, the translation of "pitaye" as "drink" or "drinking" simply doesn't work in the context of this verse. Secondly, Soma isn't a drink derived from a plant or any other earthly source. Rather, Soma is the unconscious force or "spirit" of God's Will charged with healing the separation. Thirdly, pitaye can be divided three ways, none of which has anything to do with drinking or plants. As pita-ye, the word translates as "the means by which the Father"; as pit-aye, it means "assembles together"; and as pi-taye, it translates as either "the shining or flawless protector or nurturer" or "the brightness streaming or extending from."

So which is it? Or, is "somapitaye," in actuality, a compound of "Somapi" and "taye"? Somapi is, after all, a character mentioned in the Puranic lore. The son of Sahadeva ("with the gods" or "protected by the gods") and father of Srutasravas ("that which is heard in Wholeness"), Somapi reigned at Girivraja ("the royal mountain") for fifty-eight years.

Not sure why his reign lasted only fifty-eight years in the story, but the other definitions make clear that Somapi personifies a divine force or spiritual entity facilitating our transcendence, rather than any sort of drink of earthly origin. He, in fact, has much in common with Lord Shiva, the "transcendent" aspect of Brahman, who spends much of his time meditating atop Mt. Kailash.

Some of the confusion derives from the fact that "pitaye" appears to be a Sanskrit word. I say "appears to be" because I'm skeptical for a couple of solid reasons. The first is that there's no right-minded definition for "pitaye" anywhere to be found -- and that's usually a sign that it's not really a word. That it's generally and erroneously defined as "drink," "drinking," or "plant" -- to support the ignorant notion that Soma is some sort of hallucinagenic beverage enjoyed by the rishis of yore -- only compounds my suspicions.

While investigating possible meanings of "pitaye," I came across a hymn of praise incorporating the word. The hymn reportedly reads: abhi tvā purva pītaye vasat. This seemed to indicate that "pitaye" might indeed be a word, until further digging revealed the hymn is drawn from Rv 1.19.9, which reads: abhi tva purvapitaye sriami somyam madhu marudbhir agna a gahi. While the hymn's wording divides "purvapitaye" as "purva-pitaye" (presumably in the erroneous footsteps of "soma-pitaye") the word makes more sense as a compound of "purvapi" and "taye."

And, yes; I did indeed translate the whole verse to prove my point (despite it being something of a rabbit-hole, as well as a can of worms). By my calculations, Rv 1.19.9 works out roughly as follows:

The first red ray of dawn, the true state of being in the Walled City protecting the Creator's dream-destroying Wine of Truth, produces the sound arising from the fiery baptism of God's family name.

abhi (first red ray of dawn or sunrise) tvā (the True Self or state of being) pūrvapi-taye (in the Walled City protects) sṛjāmi (the Creator's) so-myam (dream-destroying) madhu (wine of truth) ma-rudbh-ir (producing the sound springing or arising from) agna (the fiery baptism, ablution, or lustration) ā (of God's) gahi (family name).

Finding workable definitions for many of these words was challenging, to say the least. But I did my best. I'm not absolutely certain about "agna," which might mean "holiness," "wellspring," "mouth," or "perceiving," among other possibilities. But some words containing "agna" (like "magna") refer to watery immersion. The word is also sometimes rendered as "ajna" -- the name of the sixth, brow, or third-eye chakra representing the Sixth Plane of Christ-Realization or True Perception. The word "ajna" is typically defined as "command" or "authority." So, other possibilities for "agna" include "true perception," "holy vision," or "directives."

"Madhu," meanwhile, is typically defined as "sweet" or "honey," but the etymology tells us that, once upon a time, "madhu" meant "mead," a honey-wine whose name originally meant "wine of truth."

That brings us to "gahi," which most Sanskrit dictionaries define as "family name." This makes sense, actually, if we apprehend that "gahi" is "the family name" discussed at length (but never disclosed) in Workbook lessons 183: I call upon God's Name and on my own and 184: The Name of God is my inheritance.

These back-to-back lessons are, in fact, vitally important. Hence the links. Course-Jesus doesn't tell us the name -- nor does he call it a "family name" in so many words. He does, however, imply as much in the following from Lesson 183:

God’s Name is holy, but no holier than yours. To call upon His Name is but to call upon your own. A father gives his son his name, and thus identifies the son with him. His brothers share his name, and thus are they united in a bond to which they turn for their identity. Your Father’s Name reminds you who you are, even within a world that does not know; even though you have not remembered it.

God’s Name can not be heard without response, nor said without an echo in the mind that calls you to remember. Say His Name, and you invite the angels to surround the ground on which you stand, and sing to you as they spread out their wings to keep you safe, and shelter you from every worldly thought that would intrude upon your holiness.

(ACIM, W-183.1:1–2:2)

The Course and the Rig Veda are, in fact, uncannily simpatico, when both divinely-revealed teachings are right-mindedly read, interpreted, and compared. Something the Rig Veda and the Course both emphasize is that we INCREASE the power of the Atonement by joining together in the Holy Resting Place to give the perception-correcting miracles we have received. And, as I keep saying, that conscious-unconscious giving-and-receiving practice, service, or charity is the yajna presided over by "Agni" -- the Fire of God's presence occupying the chariot-throne on the Seventh Plane. And through the Vishwapurusha and his Vishvedevas -- the miracle-workers performing those yajnas for the benefit of all -- Agni (the One Son higher up) advances knowledge of the Song of Heaven -- the elixir of immortality or "Amrita" that restores the memory of the Truth of our Being.

In the 1930s, Jesus appeared to Sister Faustina, a cloistered Polish nun, with the twin rays of the Atonement streaming from his heart (the Golden Egg of Soma). While praying in the aftermath of her vision, she heard these words in her mind: "The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the water that makes souls righteous (right-minded or spiritually sane). The red ray stands for the blood which is the life of souls."

Knowing Jesus and Soma both represent the Vishwapurusha helps us apprehend all he revealed to and through Sister Faustina, simply by appearing to her as he did. Symbolically speaking, the heart from which the two rays shone forth represents the Temple, Moon, Lesser Light, Golden Egg, and/or Walled City -- the dream-headquarters of the Vishwapurusha. By appearing as Jesus Christ, he also communicated visually that HE -- the Vishwapurusha -- directs the energy of the two Great Rays.

Or, as Course-Jesus explains:

I am in charge of the process of Atonement, which I undertook to begin. When you offer a miracle to any of my brothers, you do it to yourself and me. The reason you come before me is that I do not need miracles for my own Atonement, but I stand at the end in case you fail temporarily. My part in the Atonement is the cancelling out of all errors that you could not otherwise correct. When you have been restored to the recognition of your original state, you naturally become part of the Atonement yourself. As you share my unwillingness to accept error in yourself and others, you must join the great crusade to correct it; listen to my voice, learn to undo error and act to correct it. The power to work miracles belongs to you. I will provide the opportunities to do them, but you must be ready and willing. Doing them will bring conviction in the ability, because conviction comes through accomplishment. The ability is the potential, the achievement is its expression, and the Atonement, which is the natural profession of the children of God, is the purpose. (ACIM, T-1.III.1:1-10)

This beautiful picture illustrates the true yajna "circle," wherein we call upon the Holy Name we share with God to extend the Living Water to everyone.

Okay, so ... what's the difference between Jesus and the Holy Spirit? The more I study the Course and grow in spiritual understanding, the more I find myself asking this question. Is there, in fact, a difference between Jesus and the Holy Spirit? Before we move on to the Sukta's fifth line, let me share two excerpts from the Course providing the answer:

The Holy Spirit is the Christ Mind which is aware of the knowledge that lies beyond perception. He came into being with the separation as a protection, inspiring the Atonement principle at the same time. Before that there was no need for healing, for no one was comfortless. The Voice of the Holy Spirit is the Call to Atonement, or the restoration of the integrity of the mind. ⁵When the Atonement is complete and the whole Sonship is healed there will be no Call to return. But what God creates is eternal. The Holy Spirit will remain with the Sons of God, to bless their creations and keep them in the light of joy. (ACIM, T-5.I.5:1-7)

I am the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, and when you see me it will be because you have invited Him. For He will send you His witnesses if you will but look upon them. Remember always that you see what you seek, for what you seek you will find. The ego finds what it seeks, and only that. It does not find love, for that is not what it is seeking. Yet seeking and finding are the same, and if you seek for two goals you will find them, but you will recognize neither. You will think they are the same because you want both of them. The mind always strives for integration, and if it is split and wants to keep the split, it will still believe it has one goal by making it seem to be one. (ACIM, T-12.VII.6:1-8)

So, there we have it, straight from the Messiah's mouth. Jesus is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit of the Christ Mind, Mind of the Atonement, and/or Vishwapurusha, which didn't exist before the separation. He is, therefore, an atonement teaching device, rather than "the Only Begotten Son of God, seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven."

Got it?

Let's move on to the second Rik's fifth line, which now reads: indraś ca cetathaḥ sutānāṃ vājinīvasū tāvā yātanupa dravat vayav. Converted into English, those hallowed words communicate the following:

The Supreme Power of Love works through the awake-consciousness of the sacred Wholeness (or sound of the Holy Name) of the Vajin and Vasu, the Holy Powers of the atonement governing the waters flowing from the Voice for God.

ind-ras = The supreme power of love
ca = works through
cetathah = the awake-consciousness
su-tanam = of the sacred Wholeness (or, perhaps, suta-nam = of sound of the Holy Name)
vajinivasu = of the Vajin (the twin rays) and Vasu (the seven spirits or lamps?), the Holy Powers
tava = of the atonement
yat-anupa = governing the rivers or waters
dravat = streaming or flowing
vayav = from the Voice for God

This teaching is interesting for two reasons. Firstly, it defines Indra(s), the king of the gods in the Hindu pantheon, as the "supreme power of love." This is, in fact, Satya, because Divine Love or Agape is indeed the most powerful force in Creation. Secondly, it tells us that the shakti-force of God's Love works through the awake Christ Mind in Heaven, to wake up its sleeping parts through the Vajin and the Vasu. And these same Great Truths are expressed in the Course.

The Sukta's sixth line reads as follows: indraś ca sunvata ā yātanupa niṣkṛtam makṣv itthā dhiyā narā ||

The Supreme Power of Love works through the holy Lamp of God governing the waters  of the atonement to produce the sound bringing forth the radiance of Nara. 

Ind-ras = the Supreme Power of Love
ca = works through
su-n(i)vata = the holy lamp
a = of God
yatanupa = governing the waters
niskrtam = of the atonement
ma-ksv = to produce the sound (or humming in the ear)
ittha = bringing forth
dhiya = the light or radiance of
nara = Nara, the Red or Blood Ray

This verse actually reveals how the two atonement rays or "Lamps of God" work in partnership to dissolve the ego's delusive and destructive thought-system. In partnership with the Supreme Power of Love, the Water Ray produces the vibratory sound that eradicates the fearful thinking the Ego Mind inspires, thereby increasing the radiant power of Nara, the Blood Ray, underneath the illusion. I speak from experience when I say we feel that power in our heart chakras, while meditating on the Om vibration or Living Water -- as the image below of the light-filled "sacred heart" clearly illustrates.

In the Course, Jesus similarly calls the Great Rays the Lamps of God and/or Lamps of Heaven. In one place, he essentially parrots the Vedic verse under discussion:

No one can escape from illusions unless he looks at them, for not looking is the way they are protected. There is no need to shrink from illusions, for they cannot be dangerous. We are ready to look more closely at the ego’s thought system because together we have the lamp that will dispel it, and since you realize you do not want it, you must be ready. Let us be very calm in doing this, for we are merely looking honestly for truth. The “dynamics” of the ego will be our lesson for a while, for we must look first at this to see beyond it, since you have made it real. We will undo this error quietly together, and then look beyond it to truth. (ACIM, T-11.V.1:1-6)

If I'm not mistaken, this marks the first mention of "Nara" -- the Red Ray -- in the Rig Veda. Nara's partner, who isn't named herein, is indeed "the Holy Lamp of God governing the waters of the atonement." Nara's partner, the Water Ray, is called Narayana or Narayani in the Hindu literature. 

A watercolor painting from the British Museum depicting Nara (Ner) and Narayana (Narayan), who are said to be twin incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Vishnu is also sometimes worshipped as Narayana.

Nara and Narayana performing "tapas" -- the Atonement process described in Rv 1.2.6

The final three lines of the Sukta are generally cast as invocations. But are they? Let's find out. By my calculations, the first of the final three lines translates thusly:

To have peace, invoke the pure-minded Water of Joy working through the sound of eternal Wholeness by which the lamp (of the Water Ray) purifies the perception supporting darkness.

Mit-ram = To have peace
huve = invoke
putadaksam = the pure-minded
var-unam = Water of Joy 
ca = working through
ri-sada-sam =  the sound of eternal wholeness
dhiyam = by which the lamp (the Temple Menorah?)
ghrtacim = purifies the perception
sa-d(v)hanta = supporting darkness

What this verse describes is the second lesson of the Holy Spirit: "To have peace, teach peace to learn it." How do we teach peace? One way is by meditating on the Living Water with the right-minded intention of sharing it with everyone.

Or, to quote Course-Jesus:

Since you cannot NOT teach, your salvation lies in teaching the exact opposite of everything the ego believes. This is how you will learn the truth that will set you free, and will keep you free as others learn it of you. The only way to have peace is to teach peace. By teaching peace you must learn it yourself, because you cannot teach what you still dissociate. Only thus can you win back the knowledge that you threw away. An idea that you share you must have. It awakens in your mind through the conviction of teaching it. Everything you teach you are learning. Teach only love, and learn that love is yours and you are love. (ACIM, T-6.III.4:1-9)

While the words mitram and varunam are typically translated as god-names, I don't believe that's the correct interpretation in this case -- mainly because both words end in "m." And that "m" suggests (in my limited experience) either formal singularity (the Mitra) or possessiveness (Mitra's). The verse should also refer back in some way -- and also build on -- the previous teaching. And to suddenly invoke or introduce two gods not previously mentioned makes no sense whatsoever, either structurally or logically.

As used herein, Mitram is almost certainly a compound of "mit" (to have) and "ram" (peace). Although most Sanskrit dictionaries define Mitra as "friend" and Varuna as "water-god" or "Lord of the Waters," those definitions seem to stem from preconceived notions about these two deific forces. I say this because the syllables in the two names don't support those definitions. And Sanskrit is all about linking syllables to form words.

Besides which, as I said, this verse uses "mitram" and "varunum," which most translators gerrymander as "O Mitra" and "O Varuna" -- a total cop-out, in my humble opinion. "Mitram" also is said to mean "covenant," "oath," or "alliance," which makes more sense, but still misses the mark. Varunum, meanwhile, works best in context when divided as "var" and "unam," which means "Water of Joy."

Although Course-Jesus never uses the specific phrase "Water of Joy," he does express parallel ideas in the following excerpt from the Text:

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. (ACIM, T-18.IX.9:1-7) 

Marching onward, the Rik's second-to-last line reads: ṛtena mitrāvaruṇāv ṛtāvṛdhāv ṛtaspṛśā kratum bṛhantam āśāthe, which I've painstakingly worked out very differently than is the norm.

Equal in power, Mitra and Varuna are two parts of the holy mind defending the pervading truth given and received in the offering expanding the egg-shaped universe of God's Holy Creation.

rt-ena = equal in power
mi-trava-runav = Mitra and Varuna are two parts of
rtavrdh-av = the holy mind defending
rtasp-rasa = the pervading truth given and received
kratum = in the offering
brh-antam = expanding the egg-shaped universe (or Completion/Wholeness)
a-sathe = of God's Holy Creation

I really struggled with this one, largely because the words "rtavrdhav" and "rtasprasa" are generally believed to refer to "rta" -- a shorthand Vedic designation for Divine Law and Order, basically. To find the true definition of these words, I had to break that old mold. The verse now makes perfect sense, as well as speaks Satya. We can also now ascertain the following pertaining to the nature of the powers the Vedas call Mitra and Varuna. Mitra, the Blood Ray, is the "shakti" by which the Vishwepurusha bestows Peace, while Varuna, the Water Ray, is the "shakti" of Joy.

Ergo, Bible-Jesus (speaking as the manifest Vishwapurusha) is invoking the power of Mitra when he says to his disciples, in John 14:27:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.

And the final line reads kavī iti nah mitrāvaruṇā tuvijātā urukṣayā dakṣaṃ dadhāte apasam, which translates thusly:

Enlightenment (or Spiritual Sight) arises from the bringing together of Mitra (Peace), Varuna (Joy), and Indra (Love) in the Holy Meeting Place to bestow the Holy Instant given and received in brotherhood.

kavi = Enlightenment (or Holy Vision)
iti = arises from
nah =  the coming together or bringing together
mitra-varuna = Mitra and Varuna (the Great Rays of Peace and Joy)  
tuvi-jatau =  to give their light and strength
or, tuvijat-au = "tuvijat" means Lord Indra, the Supreme Power of Love and "au" designates the sacred-syllable, Om/Aum, so ... the sacred sound of the Supreme Power of Love 
uruksaya = in the Holy Meeting or Resting Place
da-ksam = to bestow the miracle, Holy Instant, or gift of forgiveness
dadhate = given and received
apasam = in fellowship, brotherhood, or one to another

Here, very importantly, the rishis identify the TRUE Holy Trinity as Peace (Mitra), Joy (Varuna), and Love (Indra). They also tell us enlightenment occurs when we bring these three together in the Holy Meeting Place. That is, in point of fact, why it's called "the Holy Meeting Place." In the Course, Jesus says a great deal along these same lines, some of which I've shared below:

Guilt feelings are the preservers of time. They induce fears of retaliation or abandonment, and thus ensure that the future will be like the past. This is the ego’s continuity. It gives the ego a false sense of security by believing that you cannot escape from it. But you can and must. God offers you the continuity of eternity in exchange. When you choose to make this exchange, you will simultaneously exchange guilt for joy, viciousness for love, and pain for peace. My role is only to unchain your will and set it free. Your ego cannot accept this freedom, and will oppose it at every possible moment and in every possible way. And as its maker, you recognize what it can do because you gave it the power to do it. (ACIM, T-5.VI.2:1-10)

Herein lies salvation, and nowhere else. Without attack thoughts I could not see a world of attack. As forgiveness allows love to return to my awareness, I will see a world of peace and safety and joy. And it is this I choose to see, in place of what I look on now. (ACIM, W-55.3:2-5) 

We state again the truth about your Self, the holy Son of God Who rests in you, whose mind has been restored to sanity. You are the spirit lovingly endowed with all your Father’s Love and peace and joy. You are the spirit which completes Himself, and shares His function as Creator. He is with you always, as you are with Him. (ACIM, W-97.2:1-4)

To know reality is not to see the ego and its thoughts, its works, its acts, its laws and its beliefs, its dreams, its hopes, its plans for its salvation, and the cost belief in it entails. In suffering, the price for faith in it is so immense that crucifixion of the Son of God is offered daily at its darkened shrine, and blood must flow before the altar where its sickly followers prepare to die.

Yet will one lily of forgiveness change the darkness into light; the altar to illusions to the shrine of Life Itself. And peace will be restored forever to the holy minds which God created as His Son, His dwelling place, His joy, His love, completely His, completely one with Him.

(ACIM, W-pII.12.4:1–5:2) 

What I'm seeing in my mind is an equation: Mitra + Varuna = Indra. What I'm getting with that image is the idea that, to awaken in the Holy Instant, we need to merge or marry the twin rays in the ever-present echo of Perfect Love. I've also been told this very recently in meditation. This marriage of the radiant energy in our hearts with the Water of Joy sounding in our head is, I suspect, "the sacred marriage" (of the spiritual Bridegroom and Bride) depicted in all the SYMBOLIC images below:

And on that auspicious note, I will conclude today's discussion. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments -- or shoot me an email at purushaprasada@gmail.com.

May peace, joy, and love be with you until we meet again.