PRAYER
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"Mayest Thou (AUM)* O God, Who art (Mitra), Friend of
all, (Varuna) Holiest of all, and )Aryama) Controller
of the Universe, be merciful unto us. Mayest thou (Indra)
O Lord Almighty, (Brihaspati) the Lord of the Universe,
the Support of all, endow us with knowledge and power.
Mayest thou (Vishnu) O Omnipresent and (Urukrama) Omnipotent
Being, shower Thy blessings all around us." RIG VEDA.
"We bow unto Thee (Brahma), O most Powerful Supreme Being.
Thou alone art our Omniscient God whom we feel in the
interior of our hearts. I will call Thee, Thee alone,
my true God, Thy will, as truly revealed in the Vedas,
will I obey and preach. I will be truthful in word, deed
and thought. Thou art my shelter. Mayest thou protect
me - Thy servant - who speaketh nought but truth, so that
my understanding be firm in Thy Will, and never turn away
from it. Thy Will is Truth and Righteousness. That which
is contrary to it is Untruth and Unrighteousness. Mayest
Thou again shelter and protect me.** O Lord, be merciful
and
*Generally written and pronounced as 'OM'. I have,
for brevity translated it into God, the detailed exposition
of this word will follow later on. -Tr.
** This repetition is meant to emphasize the prayer
for protection and shelter. Just as one, in ordinary language,
says to another: "Go to the village go." By the repetition
of the word 'go', he means to say - "go at once." Similarly,
the devotee, by repeating this prayer for shelter and
protection wishes to emphasize that he prays for immediate
protection at His Hands, so that he may have firm faith
in truth and righteousness and hate untruth and unrighteousness.
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grant
this, my prayer, for which I shall feel grateful unto
Thee for ever and ever. Peace! Peace!! Peace!!!*
(In
other words) Mayest Thou free us from all pain and grief,
and always guide us to the path of rectitude which leads
to true happiness, because Thou alone art true Bliss.
Thou showerth blessings on all and bestoweth beatutude
on the truly righteous seekers after Emancipation.** Mayest
thou, O Lord! Thyself of Thy grace, reveal Thyself in
the hearts of all men whereby all may avoid sin and
vice, and follow truth and virtue, and consequently,
be freed from pain and sorrow, and enjoy supreme bliss.
THE
HIGHEST NAME OF GOD; AND OTHER NAMES
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' is the highest name of God; it is composed
of three letters, A, U, M. This one name comprises
many other names of God. Thus, briefly:-
A stands for Viraat, Agni and Vishwa, etc.
.
U stands forHiranyagarbha, Vaayu and Tajjas,
etc.
Mstands for I'shwara, A'ditya and Prajnaa,
etc.Vedas and other true
Shastraas, that whatever they treat of God; all these
names stand for Him.
There
are no gods. The multitude of names like Indra signify
not different Divine Beings but different aspects of
one Absolute Existence.
Objector***
- Why not take them to stand for other object? Do
they not also mean earth, heaven, devtaas as Indra,and,
in the Medical Science drugs such as maroon ginger.
Author.~
Yes, they do, but they also mean Gods.
Objector
- We believe that they only mean gods. Why do you
not believe the same?
* The word peace is repeated three times because
the devotee prays unto God to rid him of all kinds of
pin and sorrow which is threefold viz:-
Adhaymika - Pertaining to body and soul as ignorance,
lack of true knowledge, passions and hatred, physical
pain and disease (as fever).
Adhidaivkea - Arising from the outside world, animate
or inanimate; as from one's enemies, tigers, and snakes,
etc.
Adhidaivika - Arising from natural causes, such as excessive
rains, extremes of heat and cold, or from mental worry
or disquietude and distraction of the senses.
** The words Emancipation, Liberation, Salvation,
Final Beatitude and Supreme Bliss are used synonymously
in this book. -Tr.
*** Throughout this book wherever any subject is
treated in the form of questions and answers , I have
for various reasons, used the letters O and A instead
of the customary Q and A. O in such places stands for
Imaginary Objector while A for the Author. - Tr.
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Author
~ What proofs have you support of this assertion?
Objector
- They signify devataas* because the devtaas
are manifest and also good.
Author
~ Is not God also Manifest? Is there any one holier
than, or superior to, Him? Why do you not believer that
these names signify God as well? When God is Manifest
and Incomparable, how can there be any one superior
to Him? There are many objections against your belief.
Suppose, a man placed food before another and requested
him to eat. Now, if that man were to reject that food
look for it elsewhere, he would not be considered wise;
because he rejects what he has and runs after what he
has not.
The
same is true of your statement, because you refuse to
accept that the names like Virat, signify God
- Who is Real and Whose existence is proved by every
possible evidence - as well as the real tangible universe,
etc.; whilst you readily believe that they mean gods
- who neither substantiate your statement by authority
nor by argument.
The
subject-matter should determine the meanings of these
words. For instance, a man said to his servant; "Get
me saindhava." Now that man in order to find
out what his master wants, ought to take time and place
into consideration; because saindhava means salt
as well as a horse. It it be meal time, he ought to
bring salt; while, if it be time for going out, he should
bring the horse. If, however, he brings the horse at
meal time and salt when his master wants to go out,
his master wil get angry and will, most likely, say:
"O you ignorant fellow! What was the object of your
bringing the horse at meal time, and salt when I was
going out; you are ignorant of the fitness of things.
You
have ought to have taken time and place into consideration,
and done what suited the occasion. You have filed to
do that, you are, therefore, senseless. Get away from
me." It is clear, therefore, that a word ought to be
taken to mean what fits in with the occasion, circumstances,
and the subject under discussion.
VEDIC
AND OTHER HOLY TEXTS IN SUPPORT OF THIS VIEW
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We quote the following authorities from the Vedas and
the Upnihads in support of the statement of AUM and
such other words, as Viraat, are names of God.
* Generally, though wrongly, translated into gods
by the orthodox pundits and European scholars. -Tr.
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AUM
is the Great God Who is omnipresent (like ether)." YAJUR
VEDA 40: 17.
"He
alone, whose name is AUM, Who is Immortal, is
worthy of our adoration and none other." CHHANDOGYA
UPANISHAD
"All
the Vedas and the Shastraas declare AUM
as the primary and natural name of God. All others are
His secondary names." MANDUK UPANISHAD 1:1.
"He
Whom all the Vedas declare worthy of homage,
Whom all devotion and righteous actions lead to, and
for Whose realization, the life of Brahmacharya(chastity)
is led, is called AUM. KATH UPANISHAD 7:15.
"He
, Who is the Teacher of all, subtler than the subtler
tan the subtle, Resplendent, Who can be known through
understanding begotten of Samadhi, i.e., 'superior
condition' of the soul, when the mind is perfectly concentrated
by means of psychical practices, is the Great Being."
"Being
All-glorious, some call Him Agni. Being the Embodiment
of all true knowledge, other call Him Manu. Other
call Him Indra, being All-powerful and Protector
of all. Others Pranaa, as the source of all-life.
Others, again, call Him Brahma,* the Greatest of all
beings." MANU 12: 122, 123.
* None of God's names are meaningless. They are
all connotative, unlike what we see in the world, where
a poor man is very often named Dhanpati - lord
of riches.
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"He
is called Brahma - the Creator* of the Universe;
Vishnu - All-pervading; Rudra - Punisher
of the wicked, whom he causes to weep; Shiva
- Blissful and Benefactor of all; Akshara - Immortal,
Omnipresent; Swaraati - Self-effulgent; Kaalaagni
- Cause of the dissolution** of the world and Regulator
of time; Chandramaa - the true Source of Hapiness."
KAIVALYA UPNISHAD.
"He
is One, but the wise call Him by different names; such
as, Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni,*** Divya - One
who pervades all the luminous bodies, the source of
light; Suparnaa - the Protector and Preserver
of the Universe, Whose work are perfect; Matrishwaa
- Powerful like wind; Garutmaan - Mighty by nature.****
" RIG VEDA MANDAL 1-22, 164.
"He
is Bhumi - the abode of all, etc." YAJUR VEDA,
13: 18.
"He
is Indra, etc." ATHARVA VEDA 11:2,2,1.
"We
bow unto thee, O praana - who controls and governs the
whole universe, just as the vital forces in the body
control and govern the whole physical system, etc."
SAMA VEDA 7:3, 8,16 - 2,3,2.
* The word Creator used in the sense of Maker as
according to Vedic Philosophy there is no such thing as
creation or the evolution of something out of nothing.
- Tr.
** He reduces all this visible and invisible world
into its primary elementary condition at the end of creation,
or one cycle of evolutionary existence. -Tr.
*** The meanings of these names have been explained
on the first page. - Tr.
**** Other names we shall explain later on. - Tr.
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SIGNIFICANCE
OF THESE TERMS
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From the consideration of the meanings of these quotations
it must have become clear to the reader that AUM
and such other names , as Agni, primarily only
signify God as is evidenced by the expositions of the
grammarians, philologists, etymologists, and with one
of the primary, secondary and tertiary Brahamnas,*
Sutrakras,** and other great teachers, sages and seers.
It,
therefore, behoves us all to believe the same. But it
should be borne in mind that AUM is the name
of God only (and of no other object - material or spiritual),
whilst the application of such names as Agni
to God is determined by two factors, viz., the subject
under treatment and the adjectives that qualify them.
In
other words, these names signify God in prayers, meditations,
communions, or where such , adjectives as Omniscient,
Omnipresent, Holy, Eternal and Creator of the universe
qualify them.
Whilst,
where the things under discussion are mentioned as created,
protected, or sustained, disintegrated or where such
qualifying words as finite, visible are used, they cannot
be taken to signify God; because He is neither subject
to such changes as evolution or dissolution, nor is
He finite or visible. Therefore such names as Virat,
Agni ( as in the following quotations) signify material
objects of the universe:-
"Then was created Virat, etc."
"Thereafter was created Bhumi - earth." YAJUR
VEDA 31.
* Commentaries on the Vedas by ancient sages. -
Tr.
**Books on morals and domestic duties of man, etc. - Tr.
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"Then
did the Supreme Spirit manifest Akaasha.* From
Akaasha proceeded Vaayu and Agni
from Vaayu, etc." TAITREYA UPANISHAD.
"Thus
it is clear that these words ought to be understood
to mean God where they have such qualifying words as
Omniscient, et.; but, where desires, passions, feelings
or pleasure or pain, finite knowledge and activity are
spoken of these words signify the soul; where such words,
as created, dissolved material, dead, inert, are found,
they mean material objects as the sun, the earth. Now,
we shall give the etymology of such words as Virat
and show how they signify God:-
AN
ETYMOLOGICAL EXPOSITION OF THE VARIOUS NAMES OF GOD
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A:
- <
b>(from the root Rajri to illuminate, with the prefix
vi and suffix kwip added to it) signifies God, because
He illuminates this multiform universe.
- Agni
(from the root anchu which signifies gati and worship.
Gati means to know, to move or go, to realize) connotes
God, because He is all-knowledge, Omniscient and worthy
of adoration, fit subject to be known, sought after
and realized.
- Vishwa
(from vish to reside) means God, because all the world
and the worldly objects dwell in Him and He resides
in all of them.
* See chapter 8, where this quotation is fully
translated. -Tr.
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U:
- Hiranyagarbha
(Hiranya - light and garbha - source) means One who
is the source and support of all light and luminous
bodies such as the sun. This is also substantiated
by Yajur Veda, which says :-
" In the beginning was Hiranyagarbha - the
One Lord of the creation. He sustains the sun and
the earth. We adore Him - the all Blissful Being."
YAJUR VEDA 13: 4.
- Vaayu
(from the root Va to move, to kill) means One who
is the life and support of the Universe, the cause
of its dissolution, mightier than the mightiest.
- Taijas
(from Teja to shine or enlighten) is One who is Resplendent
and gives light to the sun and other luminous bodies.
M:
- Ishwar
(from Ish - power, knowledge) is One whose knowledge
and power are infinite.
- A'ditya
(from a - not, do - to break, decay) is One who never
dies or decays - is Immortal.
- Prajna
(from Pre - perfectly and Jna - to know) One whose
knowledge is perfect, Who is Omniscient.
- AUM
(See the above).
Thus
we have briefly described the meanings of the three
letters A, U, M of the word AUM. Besides
those already mentioned it also cover other names
of God. Similarly Mitra, Varuna,, and other
names occurring in the mantra quoted at the head
of this chapter are all names of God, because He
alone is worthy of homage and adoration, who is
Varuna (good, pure and holy), i.e., superior
to others, in nature, attributes, power and good
works.
But
God is called Varuna, because He greatest
among the great; Holiest among the holy and purest
among the pure. There is no one equal to Him, nor
shall any one ever be. How can then any one be greater
than Him? Neither
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matter
nor soul possesses such infinite powers and attributes
as Truth, Justice, Mercy, Omnipotence, Omniscience.
A thing that is true and real, has nature, attributes
and characteristics also true and real.
It
behoves, therefore, all men to worship and adore
God and God only, none besides Him, because, even
the men of yore, saints and sinners as Brahma,
Vishnu, Mahaadeva, Daaitya, Daanava, believed
in and worshipped Him and Him only. They adored
no other God. We shall take up this subject in detail
in the chapters on 'Divine Worship' and 'Emancipation'.*
O.
The words such like Mitra should be taken to mean
friend, etc., and the words like Indra, etc., the
well-known devas** of this visible universe.
A.~
No, not here (i.e., in the verses such as above,
wherein prayers are addressed). A man, who is friend
to one, is an enemy of another and indifferent to
a third person. Hence Mitra her cannot be
taken to signify an ordinary friend, but it here
means God, because He is One Who is an absolute
Friend of all, unfriendly or indifferent to none.
No man can ever be like Him. This is the primary
meaning of the word. But its secondary meaning is
an ordinary friend.
- Mitra
( from nimid to love) means God, because He loves
all and is worthy of being loved by all.
- Varuna
(from vri - good or vara - to desire) is One who is
best, holiest of all and desired and sought after
by all righteous, pious and learned men who are seekers
after truth and salvation.
- Aryama
(from re to obtain, to go and ma to respect) is One
who respects oar honors the good and, the just, and
punishes the wicked - The Great Judge who gives souls
the fruits of their deeds, good or evil.
- Indra
(from Idi - power) is One who is all - powerful.
- Vrihaspati
( pa - to correct or govern, Vriha - great) is
One who is greatest among the great, and governs the
entire universe.
* See Chapters seven and nine.
** Generally, though wrongly, translated into
gods by the orthodox Pundits and European scholars.
-Tr>
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- Vishnu
(Vishr - to pervade) is One who pervades all the
universe, animate and inanimate.
- Urukramaa
( uru - great, krama - energy) is One who possesses
infinite energy.
- Brahma
(brih or brihi - to lord) is One who lords over all.
- Bhumi
is One who is the abode of all and greater than all.
- Surya
is One who is the life and light of the universe,
animate or inanimate.
- A'tma
(at - to pervade) is One who pervades the soul as
well as the material universe.
- Paramaatmaa
) para - great, aatmaa see above) is One who is holier
than the soul, subtler and more powerful than the
soul and matter, who pervades and controls the soul.
- Parameshwar(Param
- great, I'shwara - powerful, see No. 7) is One who
is All-powerful among the powerful, Almighty.
- Savita
(su - to create) is One who is the Creator of the
Universe.
- Deva
(from the root div, which means to operate, desire
to win, work, illuminate, praise, please, punish,
sleep, desire and know) is One who operates in the
universe and governs it and does all His works by
His own powers without help from others; Who desires
or helps the good and the righteous to win an is Himself
invincible, gives all power and means to work; Who
knows everything and is just and glorious, illuminates
and enlightens all, is worthy of praise, All-blissful,
bestows happiness on others, punishes the wicked and
gladdens the hearts of the good and Himself enjoys
perpetual bliss; who has ordained night for all to
sleep and rest, in the indefinable, imperceptible,
primeval elementary matter - prakriti; Whose will
is holy and Whose is desired and sought after by the
good, and Who pervades all and knows all.
- Kurvera
(kuvi - to cover or spread) is One who covers all
or overspreads all.
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- Prithivi
(prithu - spread) One who has spread this extensive
universe.
- Jala
(jala - to beat) One who beats or punishes the wicked
and beats the atoms into shape, or beats them asunder
in the Creation or Dissolution of the universe, respectively.
- Akaash
(kash - to illuminate or enlighten) is One who illuminates
or enlightens the whole world.
- Anna
and atta ( from ad to eat) is One who eats or
absorbs into Himself or contains the universe, animate
and inanimate. As grubs are born in the inside of
a fruit of a fig tree, live and die in the same, so
is the universe born, lives and perishes* in God.
TAITREYA UPANISHAD 2: 10. VEDANT SHASTRA 1: 29.
- Vasu
( vas to abide or dwell) is the One who dwells in
all things, and is the abode of all.
- Rudir
(Rudir - shed tears) is One who makes the wicked and
the unjust shed tears. It is said in the Shatapatha
Brahmana "Whatever a man thinks, he speaks; whatever
he speaks, the same he acts; whatever he acts, he
reaps". In other words, a man reaps whatever he sows.
When the wicked suffer pain in consequence of their
sins at the hand of Divine Justice, they wail and
weep. He is, therefore, called Rudra
- Naaraayana
( Naraa - water and souls, aayana - abode) signifies,
God, because He is the abode of souls and pervades
them. MANU 1:10.
- Chandra
(chadi - to please) is the One who is All-bliss, and
gives pleasure and happiness to others.
* i.e., reduced to its elementary condition.
-Tr.
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- Mangala
(mang - has the same meanings as gati, see No. 2)
is One who is All-blissful, and showers bliss on the
soul.
- Budha
(budha - know) is One who is All-knowledge and
endows souls with knowledge.
- Shukra
(shu -to purify) is One who is All-knowledge and endows
souls with knowledge.
- Shanaishchara
(shanaish - with ease, char - to go, eat) is One who
reaches or gains access to all with ease, and possesses
great fortitude.
- Rahu
(rah - to avoid, reject) is He Who is one without
admixture of anything else. Who rejects the wicked,
and frees others from the hands of the wicked.
- Ketu
(kit - to abide or reside and cure disease) is One
who is the abode of the universe, free from death
and disease. He frees the emancipated souls from disease
and suffering during the period of salvation.
- Yajna
(yaj - to shine, worship, combine, devise and give)
is One who combines the different elements together
and evolves this world and its objects out of them,
Who is worthy of being worshipped by all the sages
and seers from Brahma downwards and will always be.
He is the Omnipresent God. "Yajna is the Omnipresent
God", says the Shatapatha Brahmana.
- Hotaa
(hu - to give or take) is One who gives all that is
worth giving to souls and takes from them what is
worth taking.
- Bandhu
(bundha - to bind, connect) is One who keeps all the
worlds bound by laws to Himself, and helps to keep
them in order so that they cannot move out of their
orbit or the laws of their constitution. He is like
a brother unto all the world and supports, protects
and gives happiness to all.
- Pitaa
(paa - to protect, rear) One who protects all. Just
as a father, through paternal love and kindness always
desires the good of His children, even so does God
-is the Father of all - desire happiness for all.
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- Pitaamaha
- The father of fathers.
- Prapitaamaha
- The Great-Grandfather.
- Maataa
- God is named mata (mother), because He has
happiness and prosperity of all souls at heart just
as an earthly mother, out of extreme love and kindness,
desires happiness and prosperity for her offspring.
- A'charya
(char - to conduct, move, go and, eat) God is
called so because He is the source of all true knowledge
and righteousness. It is through Him we receive knowledge,
and live virtuous lives.
- Guru
(Gri - to speak) the Teacher of all true knowledge
and learning Who revealed the Word of salvation (Vedas)
in the beginning of the world, the Teacher of eve
all the early teachers such as Agni, Vayu, A'ditya,
Angira and Brahma.
He
is immortal, says Yogashastra. "He is the Teacher
of even the most ancient teachers. He is Immortal.
Time cannot influence Him." YOGASHASTRA SAMADHI
26.
- Aja
(aja - to combine, join, manifest or evolve) is One
who combines the elements and atoms properly, and
evolves the world out of them; unites bodies with
souls, and brings them out into the world, which is
called their birth. He is Himself never born.
- Brahma
(brihi - to develop, multiply) is One who has created
the world and multiplies it.
- Satya
(sat - to exist) is One who is the true embodiment
of existence among all existences.
- Jnaana
is One who knows all the world, animate and inanimate.
"The Great God is Satya Jnaana and Ananta"
- Taitiriya Upanishad.
- Ananta
is one who has no limitations, boundaries, end or
dimensions.
- Anaadi
is One who has no beginning, nor a first cause.
- Ananda
is One who is All-blissful and endows happiness on
the good and the righteous.
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- Sata
(asi - to be) is One who exists in all times, the
past, the present and the future, and is not limited
by time.
- Chit
is One who is a truly conscious Being and endows souls
with true knowledge of right and wrong.
- Sachidaananda
(sata + chit + ananda) is One who is a truly conscious,
blissful being.
- Nitya
Firm, Immortal, Eternal.
- Shudha
(shudh - to purify) is One who is Himself pure and
purifies others.
- Mukta
(much - to free) is One who is always free from all
sin and impurity, and frees souls from sin and suffering.
- Nitya
shudha budha mukta subhaava is One who is Eternal,
Holy, Omniscient and Free.
- Niraakaara
(nir - no, akar - form) is One who has no form nor
body nor is ever embodied.
- Niranjana
(Nir -no, anj - form, color, immorality, disorder)
is One who is free from immoral conduct, disorders,
etc., nor is He the object of senses such as the eyes.
- Ganapati
(Gana -host, pati - Lord) is One who is the Lord of
host, i.e., of all the Material and Spiritual world,
which He also protects.
- Ganesha
(Gana - host, Isha - Lord) Lord of Hosts.
- Vishveshwara
(Vishwa - universe, Ishwara - Lord), Lord of the Universe.
- Kutastha,
is One who pervades all, supports all, and yet Himself
undergoes no transformation.
- Devi
has the same meanings as the word Deva, which
is of Masculine gender, whilst Devi is of feminine
gender. God has names in all the three genders.
- Shakti
(shak - power) is One who is powerful enough to create
the world.
- Shri
(shri - to serve) is One who is served by all saints,
sages and seers.
- Lakshmi
(Laksh - to see and mark) is One who sees all the
universe and endows it with distinguishing
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marks
or features, as bodies with eyes, ears, etc.; trees
with leaves, fruits and flowers; liquids and solids
with different colors as black, white, red, etc.
earth with dust and rock, etc.; and sees them all.
He is the most beautiful among the beautiful. He
is the chief. Source of the Vedas, of the Yogis
and wisemen.
- Saraswati
(sri - to achieve and know) is One who is possessed
of infinite knowledge of the universe, of words, their
objects and their relations.
- Sarvashatimaan,
One who does not require the assistance of another
in accomplishing His works, Who by His Own innate
power does all His work.
- Niyaayakaari.
Niyaaya is what is proved to be true by all the eight
kinds of evidence such as, Direct Cognition, Inference,
Analogy. It is the dispensing of justice without favor
or partiality. Niyaayakaari is One who practices
Niyaaya, i.e., truth, justice and righteousness.
- Dayaalu
(Daya - to give, take, go, know, protect injure) is
One who makes you fearless knows all, protects the
good, and punishes the wicked.
- Advaita
is One is only one, and indivisible without any admixture,
either of the same kind ( as man and man are of the
same kinds from man), or made up of different parts.
Consequently there is no relation of whole to its
parts, as of body with its parts such as, eyes, ears.
- Nirguna
is One who is free from the (distinguishing) properties
of matter such as Satwa, Rajas, Tamas,* color,
taste, touch, smell and of the soul, such as finite
power and knowledge, ignorance, passions and desires,
and pain of all kinds. This definition is substantiated
by the authority of Upanishada. "He is free from sound,
touch, color, and such other qualities."
- Saguna**
is One who possesses such attributes, as perfect knowledge,
perfect bliss, purity, infinite power.
* See Chapter eight, for their
meanings. - Tr
**Possessed of certain specific attributes.
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Everything
in this universe is Saguna (positive) and
Nirguna* (negative). For instance, the material
objects are called Nirguna, because they
are void of the properties and powers of conscious
beings, as will and feelings. Whilst they are also
Saguna (positive), because they possess their
own material properties. The same is true of God.
He is Saguna, when He is looked upon as possessed
of His own attributes, as Omniscience, Omnipotence,
but He is also Nirguna, being free from the
properties of matter and soul.
- Antaryami
is One who pervades the animate as well as the inanimate
universe, and controls it.
- Dharma
Raja is One who is free from sin and evil, and
rejoices in truth, justice and righteousness - The
Great Judge.
- Yama
is One who governs all, administers justice to all
and is the personification of Justice.
- Bhagwaan
(Bhag - to serve) is One who is possessed of all might
and power, and is worthy of being served and worshipped.
- Manu
(man - to know) is One who is the true embodiment
of knowledge, and worthy of being known and believed.
- Purusha
(pri - to fill, sustain) is One who counts and classifies
the material objects and souls.
- Vaishwambhara
is One who sustains and preserves the world.
- Kaala
(Kal - to count) is One who counts and classifies
the material objects and souls.
- Shesha
is One who undergoes no change during Creation or
Dissolution. He is the one Unchangeable Eternal world.
- A'pta
(aap - to pervade) is One who pervades the universe,
is filled with all true knowledge and righteousness,
is the true Teacher of all, accessible only to the
good and the righteous, and free from such bad attributes,
as dishonesty, fraud, etc.
* Devoid of certain specific attributes.
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17
- Shankara
(sham - good, from kri - to do) is One who is the
Benefactor of all, and Giver of happiness.
- Mahaadeva
(maha - great + deva) is One who is greatest among
the great, the good, and the learned, and is the Light
of the world.
- Priya
(pri - to please and desire) is One who gladdens the
good, the righteous and the true seekers of salvation,
and is worthy of being sought after - The embodiment
of Love.
- Swayambhu
(swayam - self and bhu - to be) is One who is
Self-existent, Uncreated.
- Kavi
(ku - word) is One who is all-knowledge and reveals
true knowledge through His Word (The Veda).
- Shiva
is One who is all Bliss and he Giver of happiness
to all.
- Swarat
- Self-effulgent.
- Suparnaa
- the Protector and Preserver of the Universe.
- Matrishwaa
- Powerful like wind.
- Garutmaan
- Mighty by nature.
We
have her explained the meanings of only one hundred
names, but there are million of other names of God besides
these. His names are without number, because His nature,
attributes and activities are infinite. One name stands
for each of them. These hundred names are like a drop
in the ocean.
In
the Veda and Shastras, the infinite attributes,
powers, characteristics of God, are described, and can
be learnt by the study of those books. A perfect knowledge
of even other subjects can only be gained by those who
study them.
Why
has this work not been commence with a benedictory and
auspicious Prologue?
Objector
- How is it that you have set down nothing in the
way of manglacharana*, like other authors, who
do it in the beginning, the middle and the end of a
book?
* The custom of writing set words and phrases,
indicative of suspiciousness in the beginning, middle
and end of a book by way of Prologue, Interlouge ( I owe
the reader an apology for coining this word) and Epilogue.
-Tr.
PAGE
18
Author
~Because it is not right to do so. He who only writes
good things in the beginning, the middle and the end
of his book, would write bad things in the intervening
parts of the book. Says the Saankhya Shastra - Manglaacharana
consists in constantly obeying the Will of God by the
practice of truth, and justice, without prejudice or
partiality, as enjoined by the Vedas, under all
conditions and circumstances."
Throughout
his book, from beginning to end, an author, should write
honestly and justly, what is true and only that. This
is manglaacharana. it is not manglaacharana
to write what are true things at one place, and those
that are false at another. This practice of manglaacharana
is nowhere to be found in the Vedas or the Shastras
- books of sages and seers. They either begin with the
word atha (now) or AUM. We quote the following
as corroborative of our position:-
- "(Atha),
Now we shall discourse on the 'Science of language'"
ᨡabhashya.
- "Now
we shall discuss the Science of morals", i.e., after
the study of the Vedas൲va Maimaansaa.
- "Now
we shall describe in the chief features of religion",
and so on桩sheshika Shastra.
- "Now
we shall teach the science of Yoga."鯧a Shastra.
- The
Rig Veda begins with the word 'Agni'.
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19
- The
Yajur Veda begins with the word ' It '.
- The
Saama Veda begins with the word 'Agni'.
- The
Atharva Veda begins with the word 'Ye trishapti'
In
no case do the Vedas and the Shastras
begin with" I bow unto Ganesha," etc. Wherever even
Vedic scholars start with Hari Aum, they have contracted
this pernicious habit from the Pauraniks* and the Tantriks**.
Nowhere in the Vedas and Shastras is the
word 'Hari' written in the beginning. Hence a book ought
start either with Atha (now), or AUM
We
have, in this Chapter, briefly discoursed on the different
names of God.
* Believers in the Puranas - books on Indian Mythology.
** Followers of Tantras - books on Vam Marg, a
religious sect whose tenets are discussed in the 11th chapter of this
book.
END
OF CHAPTER 1
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