We now come to the Rig Veda's tenth Sukta, which felt like a milestone -- until I remembered how many more lay ahead. Yikes. Will I finish the job before I drop my body? Will I even get through the first Mandala? Only time will tell -- and best to leave the future in God's hands, I daresay.
Historically, this Sukta has been characterized as a song of praise addressed to King Indra, who we now know to be the Red Ray or Blood Ray -- the Logos or Word of God, more or less, whose "sparks" are our individual Souls (Adam or Atman). Like the nine Riks previously translated and interpreted, Rv 1.10 is a wisdom teaching rather than a hymn or poem. Poetic in its use of language in places, to be sure, but narrative in structure rather than metered. King Indra is indeed discussed throughout, but mentioned as well are Vishnu, Shiva, Krishna (possibly), Brahma, Kamadeva, the Vasu, and Anu (among others). The main subject is, however, the Om/Aum vibration and the critical role it plays in the illusion-destroying and reality-restoring processes leading to Moksha.
So, let's get to it without further ado. Consistent with Max Muller's formatting, the Rik's first verse reads as follows in transliterated Sanskrit: gayanti tva gayatrino 'rcanty arkam arkinah brahmanas tva satakrata ud vamsam iva yemire.
My translation:
The sacred-syllable drives the Self to acquire the stillness of God-incarnate, the ray of light illuminating the higher thoughts of the Self, the true thoughts of God up above the descendants seemingly in the waters of sin.
My syllable breaks and definitions:
gā-yanti (the sacred-syllable drives) tvā (the Self) gāya-triṇo (to acquire the stillness) '(a)rcanty (of God-incarnate) arkam (the ray of light) arkiṇaḥ (illuminating) brah-māṇas (the higher thoughts) tvā (of the Self) śatakrata (the True Thought of God that is Indra, the Logos) ud (up above) vaṃśam (the descendants or lineage) iva (seemingly in)The next line (Rv 1.10.2) reads: yat sanoh sanum aruhad bhury aspasta kartvam tad indro artham cetati vuthena vrsnir ejati.
My translation:
Strive to rise level by level astride the Mighty Horse stabilizing the Great Purusha's cycles of the universe, which drive the selfless purpose of the mind to connect the sparks of the rays born of Vishnu, the Holy One.My divisions and definitions:
yat ( strive or endeavor) sānoḥ (to rise) sānum (level by level) āruhad (astride) bhūry (the mighty) aspa-ṣṭa (horse stabilizing) ka-rtvam (the Great Purusha's cycles) tad (of the universe) in-dro (driving the selfless) arthaṃ (purpose) cetati (of the mind) yū-thena (to connect the sparks) vṛṣṇir (of the rays) e-jati (born of Vishnu, the Holy One)My notes:
The Sanskrit word "aspa" or "asva" means "horse," rather than "horses," so the rishis probably don't mean the four horses seen by the Biblical prophets. The horse referenced is almost certainly Uchaihshravas, the seven-headed flying equine that emerged from the churning of the Ocean of Milk. According to the lore, King Indra seized the horse as it rose and claimed it as his vehicle.
Wikipedia and other sources tell us the name Uchaihshravas means "long ears" or "neighing aloud," neither of which reveals anything about what the horse represents allegorically. Not sure how they came up with those definitions, because the name is, in actuality, a three-way compound of "uch" (to end), "chaih" (dividing) and "shravas" (the glory of the All). So, Uchaihshravas represents the Atonement (in principle), which King Indra, the Logos, claimed as his "vehicle" after the Holy Spirit changed the purpose of the dream. And that change of purpose, which took place in and remains encapsulated in the Holy Instant, is what the Samudra Manthana fable is really about.
Uchchaihshravas, as depicted in Hindu iconography. Do his ears look long to you?
When the Holy Spirit changed the world's purpose (from insane and chaotic miscreating in conflict to restoring divine order, sanity, and peace), he allowed us to choose between the two worlds (for a time), to preserve our God-given free-will. And, as Course-Jesus explains:And just so we're on the same page, the Holy Relationship Jesus discusses above and at length in the Course is indeed "the selfless purpose of the mind to connect the sparks of the rays born of Vishnu, the Holy One." So, once again, the Rig Veda and the Course are simpatico, which is as it should be, since both were, of course, divinely revealed by the same Source. And the Holy Spirit's teachings are always consistent in content, even if they differ in form.It is still up to you to choose to join with truth or with illusion. But remember that to choose one is to let the other go. Which one you choose you will endow with beauty and reality, because the choice depends on which you value more. The spark of beauty or the veil of ugliness, the real world or the world of guilt and fear, truth or illusion, freedom or slavery—it is all the same. For you can never choose except between God and the ego. Thought systems are but true or false, and all their attributes come simply from what they are. Only the Thoughts of God are true. And all that follows from them comes from what they are, and is as true as is the holy Source from which they came.
My holy brother, I would enter into all your relationships, and step between you and your fantasies. Let my relationship to you be real to you, and let me bring reality to your perception of your brothers. They were not created to enable you to hurt yourself through them. They were created to create with you. This is the truth that I would interpose between you and your goal of madness. Be not separate from me, and let not the holy purpose of Atonement be lost to you in dreams of vengeance. Relationships in which such dreams are cherished have excluded me. Let me enter in the Name of God and bring you peace, that you may offer peace to me.
If it helps cement the concept, think of the Holy Relationship as a pearl necklace. Our Souls are the pearls, Vishnu is the string running through the pearls to hold them together, and Shiva is the box protecting the necklace.
Let's move on to the Rik's third line, which describes the Holy Relationship in more detail. In transliterated Sanskrit, the line should read: yuksva hi kesina hari vrsana kaksyapra athana Indra somapa giram upasrutim cara. Not how Max Muller structured the line, but the only way it both makes sense and communicates Higher Truth.
My translation:
Join as Souls to stimulate the Lion of God, Hari, the power of grace encircling and advancing the reach of King Indra's Living Water, the voice from above heard to obtain knowledge of God.My divisions and definitions:
yukṣvā (join as Souls) hi (to stimulate) keśin-ā (the Lion of God), harī (Hari) vṛṣ-aṇā (the power of grace) kakṣya-prā (encircling and advancing) athānah (the reach of) Indra (Indra's) som-apā (life water or living water) girām (the voice from) upa-śrutiṃ (above heard ) car-a (to obtain knowledge of God)My notes:
Herein we learn that "Hari" is the Lion of God, as well as the power of grace extending the reach of the Living Water generated by King Indra, the Word of God. Technically, the Sanskrit word "kesin" means "long hair," but the word also is used to describe lions and horses, because of their manes.I went with "lion" instead of "long hair" or "horse" for several reasons. The first is that God's strength, power, and authority are compared to a lion's roar or growl -- metaphors for the Om vibration -- several places in the Bible. The second is that Ezekiel saw a lion on the right-hand or eastern side of the circle in his vision of the four Living Beings. The third is that, in the Kabbalah, the archangel Uriel is described as the Lion of God, and Uriel -- the archangel of the Atonement -- is (as discussed many posts ago) the black-ram "vahana" or "vehicle" of Agni, the Fire of God. Uriel is, in fact, both the gentle Lamb of God and the powerful Lion of God, which "lie down together" to bring about our deliverance.
Or, to quote Course-Jesus:
In Hinduism, "Hari" is primarily used to describe Lord Vishnu, the Vishwapurusha aspect of the Holy Spirit of Grace. The word means "one who takes away (sin)" or "the remover of obstacles (to enlightenment)," making Lord Vishnu the deific figure in Hinduism equivalent to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.The lion and the lamb lying down together symbolize that strength and innocence are not in conflict, but naturally live in peace. “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God” is another way of saying the same thing. A pure mind knows the truth and this is its strength. It does not confuse destruction with innocence because it associates innocence with strength, not with weakness. (ACIM, T-3.I.5:3-6)
On the subject of the symbolic Lamb, Course-Jesus says:
I have been correctly referred to as “the lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world,” but those who represent the lamb as blood-stained do not understand the meaning of the symbol. Correctly understood, it is a very simple symbol that speaks of my innocence. (ACIM, T-3.I.5:1-2)Like I said several posts back, Jesus and Vishnu both represent the Vishwapurusha "aspect" of the Christ Mind striving to awaken its dreaming parts. In the Biblical Book of Revelations, Jesus also is called "the Lion of Judah," meaning that, like Vishnu, he represents the power of Hari on the right-hand or eastern side of the Wheel of the circle-journey. Ergo, Jesus and Vishnu both symbolize the Lion and the Lamb -- God's strength and innocence working in tandem to wake us up.
As most non-Hindus are aware (thanks to the Hare Krishna movement), the term "Hari" (in its "vocative form" of "Hare") is used to address and/or invoke Lord Vishnu's seventh and eighth "avatars" or "incarnations" (Rama and Krishna, respectively). Both are praised repeatedly in what is known as the Maha or Great Mantra. Chanting the mantra is said to destroy the inauspiciousness of the Kali age, help control the mind, and reveal spiritual reality.The sixteen-word Vaishnava mantra first appeared in the Kali-Santarana Upanishad, which was scribed sometime prior to 1500 CE. In the 15th century, it rose to importance in the Bhakti movement founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Wikipedia tells us the mantra is composed of three Sanskrit names: Krishna, Rama, and Hare. But Hare isn't technically a name; it's (as I said) the "vocative" form of Hari; meaning it's how the personified forms of Hari are addressed or invoked. If, for example, Hari meant "lord," Hare would be akin to "your lordship." (That's how I see it, anyway.)
But wait, there's more ... because Lord Vishnu's fourth avatar is Narasimha -- the "man-lion" who killed Hiranyakashipu, ending religious persecution and calamity on earth and restoring Dharma. What Narasimha represents is pretty obvious when we apprehend that 1) Hiranyakashipu means "the desire for material wealth and comforts" and 2) "Nara" refers to the Purusha -- the Nataraja aspect of Shiva "dancing" underneath the illusion to move God's Plan forward. So "Narasimha" more accurately and meaningfully translates as the Atonement Lion or the Lion of those seeking Atonement through Christ (the meaning of "Judah" in scriptural code) than as "man-lion."
As I read the symbols, Narasimha represents the strength of God, which gradually restores the Soul's spiritual sight. And that strength takes the form of the Om vibration, which we begin to hear very faintly in the first quadrant of the circle-journey -- the quadrant of Dharma. Hearing the sound, which dissolves the desire for material wealth and comforts -- the valueless things of the world, in Course terms -- purifies us enough to cross the threshold into the second quadrant of "Artha." Since my post on the circle-journey, I've learned that "Artha" means "purpose" rather than "wealth," which makes a whole lot more sense. Why? Because the second quadrant is where we begin to fulfill our holy purpose in the Circle of Forgiveness, by giving and receiving the Living Water that washes away the perceptions of sin and its ensuing guilt and karmic debts.
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| Here we see Narashima-Lakshmi, one of five personas Vishnu's fourth avatar assumes in Hindu iconography. As Narashima-Lakshmi, he isn't a form of Lakshmi, he's her partner (in her green-clad Bhumi "aspect") in the first quadrant of the circle-journey. |
Let's proceed to the next verse (Rv 1.10.4), which reads: ehi stomam abhi svarabhi grnihy a ruva brahma cano vaso sacendra yajnam ca vardhaya uktham indraya samsyam vardhanam purunisidhe sakro. (At this point, Max Muller's "chanda-chariot" loses its wheels, so to speak, because his imposed line-breaks no longer hold sway.)
My translation:
Lord Vishnu stimulates the chorus praising the Red Ray, the Highest Self sending forth the Light of God to obstruct Brahma (the Ego Mind) to enable dwelling together in the Majesty bestowing the knowledge connecting the divided quarters mentioned (in previous Suktas); Indra's four parts to be completed by choosing the wealth of Heaven unhindering the fullness of the Rays.My divisions and definitions:
stomām̐ (the chorus praising) abhi (the Red Ray) svarāb-hi (the highest self sending forth) gṛṇīhy = grinihi (the light) ā (of God) ruva = ruya (to obstruct) brahma (the Ego Mind, "the creator" of material unreality) cano (to enable) vaso (dwelling) sac-endra (together in the Majesty) ya-jñaṃ (bestowing the knowledge) ca (connecting) vardh-aya (the divided quarters) uktham (mentioned previously) indrāya (Indra's four) śaṃsyaṃ (parts to be completed) var-dhanam (by choosing the wealth of) puru-niṣidhe (Heaven unhindering) śak(a)ro (the fullness of the rays)
My notes:
"Ehi," the word starting this verse, is widely believed to mean "come" or "come near" -- in the sense of a command or entreaty. That may be so in some cases, but those definitions don't work here. Dividing the word as "e" and "hi," on the other hand, not only works, but also affirms many things just explained about Vishnu and Hari. In case I failed to say this earlier, the stand-alone letter "E" designates Vishnu, the Holy One or Holy Spirit, in Vedic shorthand.The Sukta's next verse also deviates radically from Max Muller's inflicted metric structure. To make sense and communicate truth, Rv 1.10.5 should read: yatha sutesu no raranat sakhyesu ca tam it imahe tam raye tam suvirye sa sakra uta nah sakat indro vasu dayamanah.What's particularly noteworthy here is that the rishis use the name Brahma for the Ego Mind. I can't be wrong about this, given the context. I mean, what else could the Light of God "obstruct" to enable us to dwell together in the Majesty the Ego Mind hides from our awareness?
In the Course, Jesus never mentions the four Living Beings. He does, however, use the specific term "Majesty" in a similar capacity at least eight times. In one place, he says:
When a mind has only light, it knows only light. Its own radiance shines all around it, and extends out into the darkness of other minds, transforming them into Majesty. The Majesty of God is there, for you to recognize and appreciate and know. Recognizing the Majesty of God in your brother is to accept your own inheritance. God gives only equally. If you recognize His gift in anyone, you have acknowledged what He has given you. Nothing is so easy to recognize as truth. This is the recognition that is immediate, clear and natural. You have trained yourself not to recognize it, and this has been very difficult for you. (ACIM, T-7.XI.5:1-9)Course-Jesus may not mention the Living Beings, but in another section of the Text, he uses words almost identical to those found in this verse. To demonstrate what I mean, I've underlined the relevant phrasing in the citation below:
This tiny spot of sin that stands between you and your brother still is holding back the happy opening of Heaven’s gate. How little is the hindrance that withholds the wealth of Heaven from you. And how great will be the joy in Heaven when you join the mighty chorus to the Love of God! (ACIM, T-26.IV.6:1-3)
My translation:
In accord with the charioteer of Holy Vishnu streaming the radiant sound, the Holy Relationship connects the Soul-selves in brotherhood to ask the One Self streaming in four parts -- the holy and heroic Word of God, the Mighty One protecting the whole wheeled vehicle driving the selfless Vasu -- to grant Yama wholeness.My divisions and definitions:
yathā (in accordance with) sut-eṣu (the charioteer of "esu" = Holy Vishnu) ṇo (streaming) rā-raṇat (the radiant sound) sakhye-ṣu (the Holy Relationship) ca (connects) tam (the one Self) it (in) sakhitva (brotherhood) īmahe (to request or ask) taṃ (the one Self) rāye (streaming) taṃ (in four parts) suvīrye (the holy and heroic) sa (word of god) śakra (the Mighty One) uta (speaking for) naḥ (the whole) śakat (wheeled vehicle) indro (driving the selfless) vasu (Vasu) da-yamā-naḥ (to grant Yama wholeness)
My notes:
The meaning of "sutesu" eluded me for quite some time. I tried dividing it every possible way, but nothing seemed right until I discovered that "sut" means "charioteer," while "Esu" can mean Jesus Christ. And, as we've established, Jesus Christ and Vishnu are two symbolic forms of the Vishwapurusha. Furthermore, "E" is Vedic shorthand for Vishnu, so "E-su" can only mean "Holy Vishnu."
Okay, so ... if Esu is Vishnu, who is his charioteer?
At first, I thought it might be Krishna, the charioteer in the Bhavagad Gita. But all the sources I consulted identified Vishnu's charioteer as Garuda, Hari's divine golden-eagle "vahana." And that makes a lot of sense, especially since Lakshmi is often depicted "riding along" with Vishnu on Garuda in Hindu iconography.
Vishnu and Lakshmi astride Garuda.
What does Garuda represent in the vast and complex Hindu pantheon? Once again, the name provides the answer. Garuda is a compound of "ga" (the sacred-syllable, Om) and "ruda" (crying or weeping). So, the name means either "the Om weeping" or "the cry of the Om." Either way, our friend Garuda personifies the Living Water that is indeed Lord Vishnu's "vehicle" or "charioteer" in the dream-realm.
In the Mahabharata epic, which tells the story of Garuda's birth, the gold-winged eagle-man is identified as the younger brother of Aruna, the charioteer of Surya-dev, the Sun God. And Aruna, as we've established, is another form of the Red Ray, which "drives" or "carries" the Sun (Son) of God -- the Greater Light of the connected God and Christ Minds -- in the dream-realm. So, the Living Water is the "little brother" of the Red Ray.
From the Mahabharata epic, we also learn that Garuda’s mother, Vinata, was tricked into becoming the slave of her sister, Kadru, the mother of the nagas -- the snakes associated with Shiva. Kudra means "the Great Purusha's pole-star," while Vinata means "the dance of duality" or "the dance of separation." So, Kadru -- the "star" of God's Thought at the top of the dream -- "tricked" the dream-world into becoming her slave. And to free the dream-world from her clutches, Garuda (the Living Water) had to give the nagas a taste of Amrita -- the Blood Ray. Garuda performed that feat, thereby giving the snakes the ability to slough off their old skins (i.e., the ability to make the free-will choice to remain asleep in "the dance of duality" or to wake-up and remember the star).
And, as Course-Jesus explains in no-uncertain terms, "The Holy Spirit and the ego are the only choices open to you. God created one, and so you cannot eradicate it. You made the other, and so you can." (ACIM, T-5.V.6:8-10)
Seen in this light, the story of Garuda's birth is really about how the Holy Spirit 1) changed the world's purpose, 2) put the spark of the Red Ray in us to encourage and enable the choice to awaken, 3) generated the sin-dissolving Om, and 4) preserved our free-will.
Now that we better understand what Garuda represents, let's explore what this verse communicates on the whole. It is Garuda, the Living Water, who radiates the sound that connects our Soul-selves in Holy Relationship "to ask the One Self streaming in four parts ... to grant Yama wholeness."
The One Self streaming in four parts is King Indra, the Red Ray, Logos, and/or Word of God. When we chose the Ego Mind over God, we kicked King Indra off his throne by denying our True Identity as God's One Son. To return to his rightful place, Indra broke into quarters to "walk" the circle-journey back to the "throne room" on the Seventh Plane. Those quarters are "the selfless Vasu" -- the four aspects of Lakshmi embodying the quadrants. By joining in the brotherhood of the Holy Relationship, our Soul-selves move "the wheeled-vehicle" -- the Wheel of Life on which the circle-journey takes place -- forward in time. And only by returning King Indra to his throne can we grant Yama wholeness; Yama, the spark of the Red Ray and "seed of the True Vine" in all Living Beings (NOT the god of death).
Now, compare all I've just explained to what Course-Jesus says below:
The Thought of God surrounds your little kingdom, waiting at the barrier you built to come inside and shine upon the barren ground. See how life springs up everywhere! The desert becomes a garden, green and deep and quiet, offering rest to those who lost their way and wander in the dust. Give them a place of refuge, prepared by love for them where once a desert was. And everyone you welcome will bring love with him from Heaven for you. They enter one by one into this holy place, but they will not depart as they had come, alone. The love they brought with them will stay with them, as it will stay with you. And under its beneficence your little garden will expand, and reach out to everyone who thirsts for Living Water, but has grown too weary to go on alone. (ACIM, T-18.VIII.9:1-8)
Before we move on, I want to say two quick things. The first is that the Living Being with "the likeness of an eagle" in the Book of Revelations has to be related to Garuda. I'll have to go back and check, but I believe the eagle-like Living Being was Dhana, the Lakshmi aspect of the second quadrant, wherein we give and receive the Living Water to heal each other in the Circle of Forgiveness. So, that association makes sense.
The second thing I want to point out is that the Bhavacakra or Wheel of Life in Buddhism is held by Yama, the presumed "god of death." And that's why he looks like a demon. Unfortunately, that misconception of Yama has far-reaching tentacles. A central figure in Buddhist mythology, Yama also is (erroneously) perceived as the god of death by Buddhists in China, Tibet, and Japan. More accurately, Yama is the "marker" our Souls move around the circle-journey. How far we moved that "marker" forward or backward in each incarnation determines where we start the journey in the next one. And that is, I believe, why Yama is perceived as both "the god of death" and "the judge" of where Souls go after death.
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| The Buddhist Bhavacakra, held by a demonic-looking Yama. |
With the new formatting, Rv 1.10.6 now reads: suvivrtam sunirajam indra tvadatam id vasah gavam apa vrajam vrdhi krnusva radho.
My translation:
Holiness made manifest, holiness without impurity, Indra is the one who gives to you the supreme Power and Glory of the Om-dispensing water-cistern (Shiva) to build interest in self-creating through loving kindness and devotion.My word divisions and definitions:
su-vivṛtaṃ (holiness made manifest) su-nirajam (holiness without impurities) indra (Indra) tvādātam (is the one who gives to you) id (the supreme power) yaśaḥ (and glory) ga-vām (of the Om-dispensing -- NOT "belonging to the cows") apa (water) vrajaṃ (cistern) vṛdhi (to build interest in) kṛṇu-ṣva (self-creating) rādho (through loving kindness and devotion)
My notes:
As I understand things, the Om-dispensing water cistern also is the wellspring, the Golden Egg, the Spiritual Moon, and the water-palanquin of Vishnu-Narayana-Ishvara -- all of which are Shiva, the "mouth" through which King Indra calls us to remember the Oneness we share with each other and God (in the everlasting Covenant of Love).Shiva is, therefore, the Holy Spirit. But so are Vishnu and Indra. And this is one reason I prefer Hinduism and its complex pantheon of deities, confusing though they are, to Christianity's overly simplified and altogether erroneous Holy Trinity. Rightmindedly perceived, the Holy Spirit of Grace is the ONLY Holy Power operating inside the Temple of our dreaming minds. S/he simply takes different forms or performs various functions to "unhinder" or "unobstruct" the channel through which God communicates with His Creations -- the channel we blocked when we chose the Ego Mind (Brahma) as our co-creator over God (Brahman).
Or, to quote Course-Jesus:
Perception did not exist until the separation introduced degrees, aspects and intervals. Spirit has no levels, and all conflict arises from the concept of levels. Only the Levels of the Trinity are capable of unity. The levels created by the separation cannot but conflict. This is because they are meaningless to each other.Still operating in the lower levels of perception, we can't really grasp what he means by this. Neither can we know if he's speaking of the Holy Trinity in Heaven proper (God, the Father, Cause, or Creator; Christ; the Son, Effect, or Created; and Agape, the Creative Force binding the two together in the Covenant of Perfect Creation) or the Atonement Trinity working together in the dream to wake us up (the Red Ray, the Water Ray, and the "forgiveness vehicle" through which they move and operate within the Temple).
One way we might view the second or Lesser-Light Trinity working in three-in-one unity is this:Vishnu (the Water Ray) speaks of and for Indra (the Blood Ray) through Shiva (the already accomplished Atonement Plan playing out in the dream of time).Indra, the Red Ray = the Word of God
Shiva, the Atonement or Forgiveness "vehicle" = the Mouth of God
Vishnu, the Water Ray = the Voice of God
In Hinduism, Shiva and Vishnu are correctly perceived as two complementary, harmonious, and inseparable aspects of the same cosmic function -- the function of freeing our Souls from the Wheel of Karma and/or Rebirth through love and forgiveness. Yes, the two deific powers are joined at the hip, so to speak, but they still play unique roles in the Atonement process.
Shiva is the cistern, while Vishnu is the water pouring out of the cistern. Shiva is the water-palanquin, while Vishnu is the passenger he carries and protects (along with Lakshmi) in the dark waters of ego thought; Shiva is the Golden Egg, while Vishnu is the embryo growing and evolving within its protective shell; Shiva is the Moon, while Vishnu is the moonbeams shining down on the world; Shiva is the chalice, while Vishnu is the wine within the cup we must drink and absorb to remember the Truth of our Being; Shiva is the toolbox, while Vishnu embodies the tools; Shiva is the passive or inert aspect of the Atonement, while Vishnu is his hard-working Om-budsman (pun intended).
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| Vishnu, displaying the tools of Atonement he both provides and embodies. |
After writing some of this yesterday, I had dinner and watched a little television with my husband before retiring for the evening. About 2:30 a.m., I awoke and decided to meditate on the Living Water. As I silently chanted "Om Hari Om," questions about Shiva and Vishnu danced through my mind. What is their true relationship to each other? What are they really? I prayed for clarity. And then, I saw -- or simply knew. Shiva is the all-powerful Ark of the Covenant that destroys the ILLUSION of enmity, conflict, and separation. And that is why the Ark was believed to destroy armies if and when it led the way into battle. There are no enemies forgiveness can't destroy because all our perceived enemies are figments of the distorted perception True Forgiveness corrects.
God would not have His Son embattled, and so His Son’s imagined “enemy” is totally unreal. You are but trying to escape a bitter war from which you HAVE escaped. The war is gone. For you have heard the hymn of freedom rising unto Heaven. Gladness and joy belong to God for your release, because you made it not. Yet as you made not freedom, so you made not a war that could endanger freedom. Nothing destructive ever was or will be. The war, the guilt, the past are gone as one into the unreality from which they came. (ACIM, T-13.XI.2:1-8)
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| The Ark of the Covenant is Shiva, the transformational "vehicle" of True Forgiveness, which is the miracle or rightminded perception. |
The Rik's next line, Rv 1.10.7, now reads: adrivah nah itva rodasi ubhe rghayamanam invatah jesah svaratir apah sam ga.
And that explains why Shiva is called "the destroyer" in Hinduism. Rightly understood, Shiva destroys the false perceptions of enmity and conflict chaining us to the Wheel of Karma.Vishnu, meanwhile, dwells within the Shiva-Ark with our Souls to preserve the Covenant of Love that is the Holy Relationship. And that is the true reason he is called "the preserver." Hari preserves the "covenant" of the shared Higher Mind, NOT the false creations of Brahma.
To destroy the truth-blocking Ego Mind we have to join in Holy Relationship in the Circle of Forgiveness. And that Holy Circle also is Shiva, the "vehicle" through which True Forgiveness is achieved. Course-Jesus discusses that "ark" at length in two places in the Text, under the headings "Entering the Ark" and "The Ark of Safety." I urge you to read both sections carefully.
This symbiotic relationship between Shiva and Vishnu makes clear why their various personas are so often linked in the Hindu lore: As Hari-Hara, Nara-Narayana, and Ishana-Ishvara, to name a few. I'm sure there are more examples, but those are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head.
Keeping in mind that Indra, Shiva, and Vishnu are three interwoven "aspects" of the Holy Spirit of God's Grace, let's read a passage from the Course wherein Jesus explains the Holy Spirit's genesis and function. As a teaching aid, I've added the Hindu names representing each "aspect" in brackets.
The Holy Spirit is the Christ Mind [Indra] which is aware of the knowledge that lies beyond perception. He came into being with the separation as a protection, inspiring the atonement principle [Shiva] at the same time. Before that there was no need for healing, for no one was comfortless. The Voice of the Holy Spirit [Vishnu] is the Call to Atonement, or the restoration of the integrity of the mind. When 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)Here's my take on what he says: Indra, the Christ Mind's representative in the dream-realm, "came into being with the separation as a protection" (of Creation's wholeness or oneness). Indra, the Blood Ray, didn't, therefore, exist before the separation. But God's Word (the thought God extended to create the Sonship) certainly did. So the Blood Ray embodies and protects the Word of God in the dream, but isn't the original Word of God (which is still in Heaven). He's the embodiment of Grace, in other words, the gentler restorative aspect of Agape.At the same time Indra came into being, he inspired the Atonement principle of forgiveness (Shiva). And it is that aspect that sounds the Call to Awaken (Vishnu). Before all this happened, there was no Holy Spirit in Heaven. Ergo, the Holy Spirit isn't part of the True Trinity. But, having been created by God, the Spirit of Grace will continue to exist even after the separation ends -- to guide our joint creative endeavors and ensure the mad idea of self-creating (apart from God) never infects the Sonship again. And that's how we know the nightmare won't happen again or keep repeating "to endlessly evolve the universe," as some spiritual teachers ignorantly profess.
To manifest Kamadeva (the Love of God) bearing the whole state of being -- Heaven and Earth, together in unified oneness -- cultivate the deep inner-peace bringing forward the now-moment to open the mouth of God, the celestial vessel producing the Living Water of God's Word, the sacred-syllable, Om.
My word divisions and definitions:
adr-ivaḥ (to manifest "i-vah" = kamadeva -- the love of God, rather than the god of love -- bearing or conveying) nah-itvā, rather than nahi-tva (the whole state of being) rodasī (Heaven and earth) ubhe (together) ṛghāy-amāṇam (cultivate the deep inner-peace) inv-ataḥ (bringing forward the now-moment) jeṣaḥ (to open the mouth of God) svarvat-īr (the celestial vessel producing) apaḥ (the Living Water) saṃ (of the Word of God) gā (the Sacred Syllable, Om)My notes:
This verse not only affirms everything I just explained, it also clarifies how the system works. To manifest the Perfect Love holding Creation together as a whole, we need to cultivate the deep inner peace the Blood Ray (Indra) embodies. Course-Jesus tells us the same thing -- often and emphatically. And it just so happens that today, my workbook lesson is a review of Lesson 185: I want the peace of God.
In the review, Jesus gives us a prayer to recite, which pretty much says it all:
The peace of God is everything I want. The peace of God is my one goal; the aim of all my living here, the end I seek, my purpose and my function and my life, while I abide where I am not at home.
What this Vedic verse also explains is that to cultivate that deep inner-peace, we must open the mouth of God in the now-moment or Holy Instant (in Course terms) to receive the Living Water of God's Word -- the sacred-syllable, Om. So, Shiva (the Mouth), releases Vishnu (the Voice), which is produced by Indra (the Word). And the Word is Om. So, Indra is the Om, which "trickles down" to us, so to speak, through Shiva and Vishnu.
To translate this verse correctly, I had to know a couple of key things. The first is that "I" is the Vedic cypher for Kamadeva; and the second is that Kamadeva represents the Love of God (rather than the god of love) in the original teachings of Hinduism.
Like Agni and so many other Hindu gods, what Kamadeva truly personifies reversed when we projected the idea of Perfect Love out of our minds into the world we made to feel "special." And just as we blocked the Fire of God's Presence (Agni) with the projection of elemental fire, we blocked God's all-encompassing, all-inclusive, and equally-bestowed Perfect or Divine Love with our futile outward-focused search for what Course-Jesus calls "special love."
As he eloquently explains at one point:
You cannot love parts of reality and understand what love means. If you would love unlike to God, Who knows no special love, how can you understand it? To believe that SPECIAL relationships, with SPECIAL love, can offer you salvation is the belief that separation is salvation. For it is the complete equality of the Atonement in which salvation lies. How can you decide that special aspects of the Sonship can give you more than others? The past has taught you this. Yet the Holy Instant teaches you it is not so. (ACIM, T-15.V.3:1-7
The erroneous belief that Kamadeva represents "erotic love, pleasure, and desire" and is, therefore, the Hindu equivalent of Cupid is alarmingly ubiquitous. Google tells us this; Wikipedia tells us this; the Wisdom Library tells us this; Sacred Texts tells us this; and so does pretty much everything else on the Internet, of Hindu origin or otherwise. What, then, makes me so sure they've all got it wrong?
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| Kamadeva carrying the four aspects of Lakshmi aboard a time-eating peacock. |
The name "Kamadeva," for starters. I'm convinced that "kam" means not desire or lust, but "love." Add the "a" at the end to make "kama" and you've got "Love of God," plus "deva" -- a word meaning "exalted being" or "heavenly being." So, the name "Kamadeva" literally translates as "the Love of God as exalted being." The word "kama" also can be divided as "ka" (the Great Purusha) and "ma" (producing or creating). Either way, lust never enters the picture.In the Hindu lore, Kamadeva also is assigned three other names: Manmatha, Madana, and Anaga. Look them up and you'll (unhelpfully) find them defined as "love," "the Indian Cupid," or "the god of love." You might further (misleadingly) learn that "Manmatha" means "that which agitates the mind," which can certainly be said of "special love." But Manmatha -- a marriage of "man(a)" and "matha" -- actually means "the Mind of the Temple of Learning." And the Temple of Learning is the Spiritual Body. Likewise, Madana means not "love," but "producing selfless giving," while "Anaga" means "faultless," "without sin," or "pure."
Need I say more?
Kamadeva and Rati on their green-parrot vahana, Suka.
Well, yes ... I suppose I must, because Kamadeva's consort, constant companion, and fellow teacher is Rati, who (like Mary Magdalene, the wife of Jesus) has been painted as a whore by the slanderous Ego Mind and its agents. And someone needs to defend the poor devi's honor. Google "Rati," and you'll find her described as "the Hindu goddess of love, carnal desire, lust, passion, and sexual pleasure," when nothing could be farther from the truth.Contrary to what Wikipedia reports, the name Rati is a marriage of "ra" (that which is radiant within) and "ti" (three). So, what Rati actually represents are the three "radiances" or "rays" emanating from, but still firmly attached to, God's Love within the Temple of Learning. Those three rays are Peace (Indra), Joy (Vishnu), and Forgiveness (Shiva) -- the latter of which is the closest we can come to Divine Love in the dream, according to Course-Jesus. And that is why Rati and Kamadeva are correctly characterized in the Hindu literature as "inseparable companions" and "co-teachers."
Far from being "the Hindu goddess of love, carnal desire, lust, passion, and sexual pleasure," Rati represents the Atonement Trinity working together under the power of God's Will and Authority to wake us up. She is, in essence, Kamadeva's partner and proxy in the dream of separation.
A particularly beautiful depiction of Kamadeva astride his vahana.
To convince you beyond a shadow of a doubt that Kamadeva represents Divine Love, let's briefly explore the symbols generally associated with the so-called "Indian Cupid." First and foremost, he rides a green parrot called "Suka" -- a compound of "su" (holy or sacred) and "ka" (the Great Purusha). And the Purusha is the Cosmic Being, Universal Principle, or Light of God underneath the illusion of form. And that "being," "principle," or "light" is Perfect Love -- ergo, Kamadeva, the Love of God, "bears the whole state of being, of Heaven and earth together," as stated in this Vedic verse. As a symbol in and of itself, the parrot represents communication or, more specifically, God's pure communications, while the color green is associated with the Anahata or Heart Chakra -- the proverbial mouth through which Indra speaks God's "heart-cave" thoughts inside the Temple (through Shiva and Vishnu).
That Kamadeva carries a bow and arrow might be one reason he's confused with Cupid. Unlike Cupid's weapon, however, Kamadeva's bow is made from sugarcane, with a beeline for a string -- symbols representing "the sweet and constant communication" (to quote Course-Jesus) God shares with us through the Atonement Trinity.
Also unlike Cupid, Kamadeva doesn't shoot arrows to make mischief among humans. His quiver holds flowers, but not any-old flowers; five very specific flowers: a white lotus, a blue lotus, a mango-tree flower, an Ashoka-tree flower, and jasmine flowers. I'm certain they each represent something more spiritually meaningful than what the Google-bot tells us they represent, all of which are aspects of ego-inspired "special love."
Let's proceed to the next verse. Rv 1.10.8 contains several words we've encountered before, as well as a handful of "unsolved mysteries" in Vedic and Sanskrit scholarship (all of which I've striven to decipher). Far away from Muller's standard construction, the line reads: asmabhyam dhunuhi asrutkarna srudhi havam nu dadhisva me girah indra stomam imam mama krsva.
The grindstone of fear, the continuous sound of the "U" compels attentive listening to that which is heard; the call of now-consciousness granting knowledge of one's own Higher Self to restore the voice of King Indra speaking from the mouth of the Dear Friend, Krishna-Shiva.My divisions and definitions:
asma-bhyaṃ (the grindstone of fear) dhūn-u-hi (the continuous sound of "U" compels) āśrutkarṇa (attentive listening) śrudhī (to that which is heard) havaṃ (the call of) nū (now) cid (consciousness) dadhiṣva (granting knowledge of one's own Higher Self) me (to restore) giraḥ (the voice of) indra (King Indra, the Red Ray) stomam (speaking from) imam (the mouth of) mama (the dear friend) kṛ-ṣvā (aiding the Soul or Krishna-Shiva)My notes:
In the Course, Jesus tells us the Holy Spirit is both the Call to Awaken and the Dear Friend. In Hinduism, the Call to Awaken is personified as Vishnu, coming from Shiva, while "dear friend" is a description applied to both Shiva and Krishna (the eighth incarnation of Vishnu). So, the enigmatic "krsva," which appears five times in the Rig Veda, could easily mean "Krishna and Shiva," who are indeed closely linked in the Hindu literature. Krishna is, in fact, the Christ-realized form of Vishnu.
In the following from the Course, Jesus parrots this Vedic verse (and the next one) in mind-blowing ways:I have assured you that the Mind that decided for me is also in you, and that you can let it change you just as it changed me. This Mind is unequivocal, because it hears only one Voice and answers in only one way. You are the light of the world with me. Rest does not come from sleeping but from waking. The Holy Spirit is the Call to awaken and be glad. The world is very tired, because it is the idea of weariness. Our task is the joyous one of waking it to the Call for God. Everyone will answer the Call of the Holy Spirit, or the Sonship cannot be as one. What better vocation could there be for any part of the Kingdom than to restore it to the perfect integration that can make it whole? Hear only this through the Holy Spirit within you, and teach your brothers to listen as I am teaching you. When you are tempted by the wrong voice, call on me to remind you how to heal by sharing my decision and making it stronger. As we share this goal, we increase its power to attract the whole Sonship, and to bring it back into the oneness in which it was created. Remember that “yoke” means “join together,” and “burden” means “message.” Let us restate “My yoke is easy and my burden light” in this way; “Let us join together, for my message is light.” (ACIM, T-5.II.10:1–11:4)According to the Agni Purana, the letter "U" means both "Shiva" and "protection." Other sources say the stand-alone letter "U" also can denote the moon. And that's right, figuratively speaking, because Shiva is indeed another name for Soma, the Golden Circle of Forgiveness glowing in the "Night" of ego ignorance. And, as we've learned in previous Suktas, Shiva also is Shesha, the five-headed serpent water-palanquin keeping Vishnu-Narayana afloat in the thought-waters of perception.
Confusing, isn't it?
The "U" referenced herein is almost certainly the "U" in both Anu, the three-part Name of God, and AUM, an alternative spelling of Om. There's a lot of speculation out there about what AUM and its three letters represent, very little of which is accurate. Om/Aum is not, for example, the primordial sound that brought material creation into being. Rather, Om/Aum is God's gentle-yet-effective remedy for the madness provoking material miscreation. The vibratory "song" of the Red Ray, Om/Aum gently and gradually dissolves, layer by layer, the projected thought-forms imprisoning our Soul-minds in the dream of separation. The sound is, in effect, God speaking to us, through the Christ Mind, at a frequency that acts upon our minds in the manner of a vibratory cleaning device.
Or, as Course-Jesus explains:
The principle of Atonement [Shiva] and the separation began at the same time. When the ego was made, God placed in the mind the Call to joy. This Call is so strong that the ego always dissolves at Its sound. That is why you must choose to hear one of two voices within you. One you made yourself, and that one is not of God. But the other is given you by God, Who asks you only to listen to it. The Holy Spirit is in you in a very literal sense. His is the Voice that calls you back to where you were before and will be again. It is possible even in this world to hear only that Voice and no other. It takes effort and great willingness to learn. It is the final lesson that I learned, and God’s Sons are as equal as learners as they are as Sons. (ACIM, T-5.II.3:1-11)
Om/Aum is the "music" Nataraja-Shiva broadcasts to advance the Wheel of the Soul's spiritual journey at the universal level. As Jesus and the rishis all explain, listening to the sound turns the wheel faster for everybody.
Nearer the truth is that the "U" in AUM "represents the steadiness that carries us along (in the dream-state), and maintains Creation in a state of equilibrium" -- but only if by "creation" we mean Brahman's "big-C" Creation, and NOT Brahma's cheap and tawdry truth-blocking substitute. The "U" stands for, I believe, Uchchaihshravas, "the Mighty Horse stabilizing the Great Purusha's cycles of the universe." And Uchchaihshravas -- "that which ends dividing the glory of the All" -- is Shiva, the "forgiveness" aspect of the Atonement Trinity. And that is why Shiva is known as both "the destroyer" and "the transcendent aspect of Brahman."
Because, as Course-Jesus explains:
Forgiveness is the healing of the perception of separation. Correct perception of your brother is necessary, because minds have chosen to see themselves as separate. Spirit knows God completely. That is its miraculous power. The fact that each one has this power completely is a condition entirely alien to the world’s thinking. The world believes that if anyone has everything, there is nothing left. But God’s miracles are as total as His Thoughts because they ARE His Thoughts. (ACIM, T-3.V.9:1-7)
In another part of the Course, he says:
From knowledge, where He has been placed by God, the Holy Spirit calls to you, to let forgiveness rest upon your dreams, and be restored to sanity and peace of mind. Without forgiveness will your dreams remain to terrify you. And the memory of all your Father’s Love will not return to signify the end of dreams has come.
Accept your Father’s gift. It is a Call from Love to Love, that It be but Itself. The Holy Spirit is His gift, by which the quietness of Heaven is restored to God’s beloved Son. Would you refuse to take the function of completing God, when all He wills is that you be complete?
Most things I've read equate the "U" in AUM with Vishnu, the "preserver," and the "M" with Shiva, "the destroyer." Not sure why, but it makes more sense the other way around. Not that we can really separate the Voice from the Mouth.
Even so, the AUM is a powerful tool for our salvation, given to us by God through the Holy Spirit. And since all the tools of salvation arose from the churning of the Ocean of Milk, it only stands to reason that the three components the letters represent can be found in that vitally important allegory.
Rather than leave you guessing, I'll tell you outright what I believe they are:
A = Amrita, "the elixir of immortality" that is the Call to Awaken (Indra)
U = Uchchaihshravas, the "Mighty Horse" conveying the Call (Shiva)
M = Madeira, the wine of truth we "hear" and "drink" to undo the perceived separation and restore the Covenant of Love that is the Holy Relationship (Vishnu)
If you've been following my blog, you'll know that the phrase "wine of truth" came up in a previous discussion, when I retranslated on the fly a verse from Rv 1.19 to prove a point. The verse read:
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.
The Sanskrit word translated as "wine of truth" was "madhu," which occurs about twenty times in the Rig Veda (according to Google-bot). As explained in the post where it came up, the definition of "madhu" has evolved over time. Presumed today to mean "honey" or "sweet," the word originally meant "mead" -- a wine made from honey, which, in ancient times, was known as the "wine of truth."
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Madeira, the "wine of truth" that emerged from the Ocean of Milk, is personified in Hinduism as Varuni, the goddess of "spiritual wine" that brings joy to the Soul. And that "madeira" or "madhu" is the true "drink" provided by Soma. It's also the symbolic "wine" in the equally symbolic "chalice" Jesus passed among his disciples at the Last Supper. And that "wine" is indeed "the blood of the new and everlasting covenant." Not the "blood" from the veins of Jesus, the man; but the "Amrita" from the Red Ray -- the Word of God or Logos, whose vibratory Call to Forgive preserves the Covenant of Love by "washing away the perceptual errors of the world."  |
Now that we better apprehend what AUM represents, let's debunk one of the most common misnomers surrounding the sound. The Yogic Encyclopedia, for example, explains:
Partly right and partly wrong, this definition suffers from what Course-Jesus calls "level confusion." AUM is a gift from Brahman, who has nothing to do with material creation -- apart from providing us with the tools to end the madness. Only Brahma, the Ego Mind, "creates to destroy." Brahman's creations are eternal, unchanging, and formless. The three letters of AUM represent, therefore, not "the three vibrations inherent in creation," but the three-in-one vibratory powers sounding in unison to bring about our liberation from self-creating madness run amok.All of manifestation is created, preserved in the created state for some time, then eventually destroyed. AUM, therefore, encompasses the three vibratory energies required to create, preserve, and destroy, and each of these energies vibrates at a different frequency.
The three letters of AUM represent these three vibrations inherent in creation. (Even through the variant spelling in English is "Om," AUM is more accurate.) "A (Akaar)" represents the vibration that brings into manifestation the created universe; "U (Ukaar)" represents the vibration that preserves the creation; and "M" (Makaar)" represents the destructive vibration that dissolves the manifested universe back into Infinite Spirit.
Like I said in a much earlier post, those are the three Holy Powers making up the real Atonement Trinity, which does NOT include the imposter-creator Brahma. In run-of-the-mill Hinduism (if such a thing exists), Shiva is more often called "the destroyer" than "the protector." In truth, he is both. Rightly understood (as this verse explains), Shiva protects the wholeness of God's Holy Creation by destroying the dark, deceptive, and divisive "self-creations" promoted by Brahma.
Okay, so ... if "krsva" does indeed mean "Krishna and Shiva," this Vedic verse also explains that Shiva and Krishna join forces to speak for King Indra, the Red Ray. And that jibes in many respects with the story of King Indra surrendering his earthly authority to Krishna (as told in the Harivamsha Purana, an appendix to the Mahabharata epic delineating the lineage of Krishna).
Unite in thought within the shared mind compelling the self obstructing the peaceful holy vibration to offer the oblation received through hearing Shiva, the mouth of the one Self, the Great God protecting the mighty essence of wholeness in God's quiver.
yujaś (unite to receive) cid (the consciousness) antaram (within) vidmā (the shared mind) hi (compelling) tvā (the self) vṛ-ṣantamaṃ (obstructing the peaceful) vājeṣu (holy vibration) havana-śrutam (to offer the oblation received through hearing) vṛṣan-tam-asya (Indra or Shiva, the mouth of the one self) hūmaha (the Great God) ūtiṃ (protecting) sahas-rasā-tamām (the mighty essence of wholeness) ā (in God's) tūna (quiver).
Some sources say "vrsan" is a name for Indra, while others say it refers to Shiva. I went with Shiva for these reasons: 1) Vrsan also means "bull" and Shiva's vahana is a bull; 2) Shiva rather than Indra is known as "the Great God"; 3) Shiva is recognized in Hinduism as the protector of Creation's wholeness; and 4) Shiva is the mouth of the One Self that is Indra.
Unacquainted with the metaphor "God's quiver," I looked it up. And guess what? The same figure of speech is used three times in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. In Isaiah 49:2, Psalms 127:5, and Lamentations 3:13. Having read the latter two, I distrust their translations, so I'll only share and comment on the following from Isaiah:And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; and said unto me, "Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified."We were, in other words, born into this world to serve and glorify God -- not to do our own thing. And everything we experience is designed to hone us into sharp arrows in God's quiver, to be shot from His Bow at the right time in the dream to move the Atonement Plan forward.
One more verse to go, and it's a whopper. There are, in fact, only ten lines in the tenth Sukta, rather than the twelve designated by Max Muller. The final line, which is rather long, reads: indra ka-uśika mandasānaḥ sutam piba navyam āyuḥ pra sū tira kṛdhī sahas-rasām ṛṣim pari tvā girvaṇo gira imā bhavantu viśva-taḥ vṛd-dhā-yum anu vṛd-dhayo juṣṭā bhavantu juṣṭayaḥ.
My translation:
Indra, the silent Purusha; the fire of life in the sacred sound; the drinking vessel of life advancing holiness through creative thought, the mighty essence of the Rishi Circle; the Self speaking in praise of the Om, the voice from the Mouth of the All, the whole underneath, growing upwards in glory to connect with Anu, the Ancient One endowing the All with Divine Light.
My word divisions and definitions:
indra (Indra) ka-uśika (the silent purusha) mandasānaḥ (the fire of life) sutam (in the sacred sound) piba (the drinking) navyam (vessel) āyuḥ (of life) pra (advancing) sū (holiness) tira (through) kṛdhī (creative thought) sahas-rasām (the mighty essence of) ṛṣim (the rishi) pari (circle) tvā (the Self) girvaṇo (speaking in praise of the Om) gira (the voice) imā (from the mouth of) bhavantu (the all) viśva-taḥ (the whole underneath) vṛd-dhā-yum (growing upwards in glory to connect with) anu (Anu) vṛd-dhayo (the ancient one ) juṣṭā (endowing) bhavantu (the all) juṣṭayaḥ (with divine light)
My notes:
Wow. Told you this was a humdinger of a finale. It's also a fantastic encyclopedic definition of what Indra represents in the Hindu pantheon. Such a shame he isn't worshipped anymore in India. But maybe he will be again after more people find my blog.
Most of this echoes our previous discussions about Indra. The two things that stand out as worthy of further investigation and discussion are the phrases "the silent Purusha" and "the Rishi Circle." To my mind, identifying Indra as "the silent Purusha" suggests that the Red Ray exists in the state of being known as "the silence beyond Om." I won't comment further until I do more research, but my intuition tells me that's right.
The Rishi Circle is another mystery. My gut tells me it's a reference to the circle of miracle-workers on a higher plane sending healing energy into the world through the Om vibration. I also suspect the Rishi Circle is somehow related to the circle of elders John the Elder describes in Revelations 4:4, as well as (perhaps) the Teachers of Teachers Course-Jesus discusses in the Manual for Teachers. Again, I'll say no more until I receive further clarification.
Okay, so ... that's the tenth Sukta, done and dusted. And what a beautiful and insightful teaching! I'm in awe, truly, and so grateful for this gift.
Until next time, Om Hari Om and God bless.
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