The Rig Veda’s Secret Nature
By Rodney Lingham
Although many may find it hard to understand the concepts of Yoga and later Hinduism in the Rig Veda, we first need to remember that deities themselves in Hinduism are symbolic in nature, as are the Vedic ones. Secondly, we must take into account that names give away the secrets of the Yogic nature of the Rig Vedic culture.
Indra means “Master of the Sensory Organs” for example, and one name for Agni (Fire) in the Vedas which is common, is Jatavedas (The one who has wisdom of all births) – which is explained in a verse in Rig Veda (X.5.1) where he is the One that views within everyone’s heart – hence Jiva or Self.
This form of Agni relates to later Shiva-Lingam, which is seen as the Flame of Consciousness, the Jivatma or self that resides in everyone’s hearts. Through the body or form, it thus assumes many outer forms.
Such teachings and concepts alone show the Yogic nature in the Rig Veda. Indra is hence the Master Yogi who has controlled his senses – the great Yogi-God Shiva or Yogeshvara of later times.
This Indra is also the god that drinks the Soma juice – which in Yogic terms is drinking the nectar or residing in the divine bliss (ananda) in the highest chakra, the thousand petal lotus at the Crown of the head, as Shiva does. No wonder then, Soma is said to be thousand-eyed in the Rig Veda! This again alludes to god Shiva.
Vedic Hinduism, or Sanatana Dharma, also employs a monotheistic polytheism as in Advaita Vedanta – One deity with many names. This is seen not only in famous verses (I.146.46) and where Agni assumes the forms of all the gods (II.1) in Rig Veda, but also in the names of the Gods.
Vishnu (Cosmic Pervader), Vishvadevas (Universal Deities) and Vaishvanara (The Cosmic Man) are all terms used for the deities in Rig Veda, which suggest the great all-pervading nature of the deities. They are neither “Indian” gods nor “Aryan” gods. They are but all-pervading ones.
Vishvamitra the Vedic Seer’s name means “The Cosmic Friend”. He is the Seer of the great Gayatri mantra. Gayatri itself means “The Song that delivers /saves” – and brings us to concepts of the Goddess Tara, Tarini, Bhavatarini and Durga in later Hinduism. It also brings down the Bhakti aspect of deity as saviour.
Hence the names of deities and general terms in the Rig Veda itself are quite important, and much can be read into them, in regards to modern or later Hinduism, which merely altered the teachings into a more palatable manner, as per the Yuga, or era.
Just as the One Deity assumes many forms, so also the One Teaching assumes many forms as per the ages, and also across cultures. Again, this takes us to the term “Vishva” explained above as Universal or Cosmic.
Prana in Sanskrit means life-force or life-energy, the breath of life. Bagala the Goddess, one of the tantric Mahavidyas is known for her ability to kill enemies, and thus also make the Prana or life-force still and hence leave the body of enemies, killing them. She also creates state of samanavayu (equalising breath).
One verse in Rig Veda to Indra by Rishi Vishwamitra (III. 53.21) itself seems to call upon her power:
With many aides, come to us today Indra, with speed Maghavan, you hero!
Let those who are envious of us be destroyed – let the Prana (life-force) depart from the ones we hate.
Maghavan means Lord of Power, and also Wealth. As Power, the power of Indra is also called Shachi in the Rig Veda, and is the Goddess, Shakti. Hence, used here, it refers to calling down the power of Bagala, the feminine form of Indra.
Bagala also rules power of mauna or silence, and hence the Munis (“silent sages”) and their power. In this regard, one verse states Indra as the sthuna (pillar, linga) is the friend (sakha) of the silent seers (munis) – VIII.17.14.
This is just how the twin-gods, Vedic Ashwins are openly called ‘Shachipatis’ (Lords of Power) in the Rig Veda and their power is referred to as Shakti and Shachi (VII.67.5).
Rig Veda also states the feminine term Shachi as the power or form of Indra that helps him destroy enemies of Raja Divodasa (VI.31.4). It hence shows he is powerless without the feminine form or Shakti, the goddess or Indrani – which is echoed in later Hinduism. Again, examination of the feminine term in Rig Veda reveals this. Divodasa alone means “servant of the celestial one” which reminds us of Bhakti-bhavas in later Hinduism, especially Vaishnavism and the Shaiva Saints as Nayanars of the South!
Another verse states (V.57.2): “Armed with your daggers of wisdom, with spears, with your quivers, with arrows and auspicious bows you have good horses, O ones who’s Mother is Prishni (Kali), with auspicious weapons, O Maruts, go to victory!”
Prishni means ‘she who is spotted’ and alludes to the Night Sky, spotted with stars. The stars are her garland of skulls, and the severed head symbolised by the moon – Vedic symbol for mind and ego. Night sky is her black body.
This is a metaphor for Goddess Kali, supreme of the Mahavidyas – of whom the male or Purusha counterparts are Maruts in the Vedas, sons of Rudra and Prishni.
The daggers if wisdom here refers to male-forms of mahavidyas as Vedic counterparts of these Goddesses – as wisdom goddesses and also martial forms, and forms of Kali. So, nothing has changed since Vedic times really!
So here, by the term “Prishni” we have understood exactly who she is in relation to later Hinduism, and also who the Maruts are.
The Goddess is also frightening in Rig Veda. One form of Sarasvati calls her as “Ghoraa” (terrifying) in her form as slayer of the Brahmin Vritra – VI.68.7.
The term here Ghoraa relates to forms of the Goddess as Bhairavi in later Hinduism – slayer of the ego and feminine form of Bhairava, slayer of the Brahmin. It conjures up the idea of the Goddess in her terrifying aspects in the Rig Veda, as also in later times; just by the term Ghoraa in conjunction with Vritraghni (slayer of Vritra).
These are just a few examples and show how names alone in Rig Veda, or terms, can reveal deeper shades and guide us to correlations with later or today’s Hinduism and its concepts.
