विषय

ब्रह्म विद्या का उपदेश।

पदार्थ

(ऋतस्य) सत्यस्वरूप परमात्मा से (प्रथमजाः) प्रथम उत्पन्न हुए, (ते) उन (प्रथमाः) मुख्य देवताओं अर्थात् (वीडुहराः) बड़े तेजवाले, (मयोभूः) सुख देनेवाले, (अकूपारः) अकुत्सित वा बड़े पारवाले सूर्य, (सलिलः) जलवाले समुद्र, (मातरिश्वा) आकाश में चलनेवाले वायु, (उग्रम्) उग्र (तपः) अग्नि, (देवीः) दिव्यगुणवाली (आपः) व्यापनशील प्रजाओं ने (ब्रह्मकिल्बिषे) ब्रह्मवादी के अपराध के विषय में (अवदन्) बातचीत की ॥१॥

भावार्थ

ब्रह्मवादी लोग सृष्टि के पदार्थों से ब्रह्मविद्या प्राप्त करके सुख भोगें। और पूर्वज ऋषियों के समान परस्पर शङ्का समाधान करके ब्रह्मनिष्ठा हों ॥१॥ इस सूक्त के सात मन्त्र १, २, ३, ५, ६, १०, ११, ऋग्वेद के मण्डल १० का सात मन्त्रवाला सूक्त १०९ है। वहाँ शाकलसंहिता और अजमेर वैदिक यन्त्रालय की ऋक्संहिता के अनुसार जुहू नाम ब्रह्मजाया अथवा ब्रह्मपुत्र ऊर्ध्वनाभा नाम ऋषि और विश्वे देवा देवता हैं, ऋग्वेद सायणभाष्य में जुहू नाम ब्रह्मवादिनी है। इससे यह सूक्त ब्रह्मविद्यापरक है ॥

विषय

अकूपारः सलिलः मातरिश्वा

पदार्थ

१. जिस समय विषयों में क्रीड़ा करता हुआ पुरुष ब्रह्म को भूल जाता है, तब यह भूल जाना ब्रह्मविषयक किल्बिष वा 'ब्रह्मकिल्बिष' कहलाता है। इस (ब्रह्मकिल्बिषे) = ब्रह्मविषयक पाप के होने पर (ते) = वे (प्रथमा:) = देवताओं में प्रथम स्थान रखनेवाले (अकूपार:) = [अकुत्सितपार:, दूरपारः, महागतिः] आदित्य (सलिल:) = जल तथा (मातरिश्वा) = वायु (अवदन्) = उस ब्रह्म का उपदेश करते हैं। इन्हें देखकर उस विषय-प्रवण मनुष्य को भी प्रभु का स्मरण हो आता है। सूर्य, जल और वायु उसे प्रभु की महिमा को कहते प्रतीत होते हैं। २. प्रभु के तीव्र तप से ऋत और सत्य भी उत्पन्न हुए। (ऋतस्य प्रथमजा:) = इस ऋत के मुख्य प्रादुर्भावरूप (उग्रं तपः) = अत्यन्त तेजस्वी, दीप्त, सूर्य (मयोभुः) =  कल्याण देनेवाली वायु तथा (देवी: आपः) = दिव्य गुणवाले जल ये सब (वीडुहरा:) = बड़े तीन तेजवाले होते हैं। इनमें उस-उस तेज को स्थापित करनेवाले वे प्रभु ही तो हैं। इन सबमें उस प्रभु की ही तो महिमा दीखती है।

भावार्थ

सूर्य, जल व बायु प्रभु से उत्पादित ऋत के प्रथम प्रादुर्भाव हैं। इन सबमें प्रभु की महिमा दिखती है।

भाषार्थ

(ब्रह्मकिल्बिषे) ब्राह्मण के सम्बन्ध में किये अपराध या पाप में (ते) उन (प्रथमजाः) प्रथमोत्पन्नों ने (अवदन) संवाद किया-(अकूपारः) सूर्य ने (सलिलः) समुद्र ने, ( मातरिश्वा) वायु ने, (वीडुहराः) बलवानों का हरण अर्थात् विनाश करनेवाले (मयोभूः) आध्यात्मिक सुख पैदा करनेवाले परमेश्वर ने, (उग्रं तपः) उग्ररूप और तपानेवाले वैद्युद्वज्र ने, या अग्नि ने तथा (ऋतस्य) नियमानुसार (प्रथमजाः) प्रथमोत्पन्न ( देवी आपः ) द्युलोक में उत्पन्न जलों ने।

विषय

ब्रह्मजाया या ब्रह्मशक्ति का वर्णन।

भावार्थ

(ब्रह्मकिल्विषे) ब्रह्म अर्थात् ब्राह्मण के प्रति अपराध होने पर (ते प्रथमाः) वे मुखिया (अकूपारः सलिलः मातरिश्वा) अर्थात् सूर्य, समुद्र और वायु (अवदन्) मानो विरोध में बोल उठते हैं। (वीडुहराः) बलवानों का संहारक, (उग्रं तपः) उग्र तपः स्वरूप, (मयोभूः) शक्ति शान्तिदायक (देवीः आपः) तथा दिव्य जलों की न्याईं शान्ति का देने वाला (ऋतस्य प्रथमजाः) तथा संहार के नियमों का प्रथम उत्पादक परमात्मा भी मानो विरोध में बोल उठता है। अर्थात्ः—पृथिवी पर शासन में मुख्य सम्मति ब्राह्मणों की गिननी चाहिये, क्योंकि ब्राह्मण कहते ही उसे हैं जो कि विद्वान्, त्यागी तथा परोपकारी हो। ऐसे मनुष्यों की सम्मति को शासन में मुख्य स्थान अवश्य देना चाहिये। इसी प्रकार राष्ट्र में जो राष्ट्रीय शासन-सभा हों उसमें भी मुख्याधिकार ब्राह्मणों को ही देने चाहियें। यदि कोई राष्ट्र इन दोनों स्थानों पर ब्राह्मण का अधिकार नहीं मानता तो उस राष्ट्र का शासन बिगड़ जाता है। मानो कि राष्ट्र का वायु-मण्डल और यहां तक कि परमात्मा तक भी उस राष्ट्र पर कुपित हो जाता है।

ऋषि | देवता | छन्द | स्वर

मयोभूर्ऋषिः। ब्रह्मजाया देवताः। १-६ त्रिष्टुभः। ७-१८ अनुष्टुभः। अष्टादशर्चं सूक्तम्॥

Subject

Brahma-Jaya: Divine Word

Meaning

The theme of this hymn is Brahma-Jaya, the Jay a of eternal Brahma, the Creator. Jaya means that by which one creates, manifests, and thus finds self-expression and self-fulfilment. Ordinarily it means wife. Husband and wife both find fulfilment of their conjugal life through the birth of progeny. The husband cannot find this fulfilment except through the wife. So the wife is Jaya. In the cosmic context, Brahma being the creator, He creates through Prakrti, Nature. So Prakrti is Jaya (Brhadaranya- kopanishad, 1, 4, 17. But natural creation is not the all of divine creation. The Vedic voice too is the self-expression of divine omniscient consciousness. Thus Vedic voice too is Jaya. Seven mantras of this hymn (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10 and 11) are the same as Rgveda 10, 109, 1-7. In mantra 5, Brahma Jaya is compared to “Juhu’, the yajna ladle. Sayana in his commentary on Rgveda interprets Juhu as Brahma-vadini, self-expressive voice of Brahma. Thus Jaya in this hymn is the Divine Voice. The Voice is Ila in the absolute sense, Sarasvati in the existential sense of the cosmic flow, and Mahi or Bharati in the local context of the global sense. In the beginning, to express and reveal the joyous manifestation (Leela) of the creativity of Supreme Brahma, those first horns of the dynamics of divine law, Akupara, boundless light principle or Aditya Rshi, Salila, liquid principle or Angira Rshi, Matarishva, energy principle or Vayu Rshi, and Viduhara, fiery principle or Agni Rshi, all like yajna fire, burning and creative, illustrious, soothing, flowing, divine souls and spirits, express and reveal the divine voice of the Veda. (The voice they reveal is Ila.) (The word Kilvisham has been interpreted in two senses: joyous expression as above, and sinful violation. As joyous expression we have the divine Veda through the voice of nature and the voice of the Rshis. If the word is interpreted in the sense of sinful violation, then on violation of the divine voice by humanity, and on violence against nature’s beauty and creativity by human pride and ambition for power and luxury, the forces of nature and divine souls in humanity would raise their voice of protest. The result of the joyous voice is happiness, and the result of the voice of protest is bound to be suffering. At the level of comparative literature, especially for Christian readers, we may refer to the Bibical story of creation: When humanity in Paradise violated the divine commandment then: “Earth felt the wound, and Nature from her seat, Sighing through all her works gave signs of woe, That all was lost.” (Milton, Paradise Lost 9,780- 784.) Remember: Both Nature and the Divine Voice are Brahma Jaya. Violence against Nature and the Divine Voice is violence against the creator.)

Subject

Brahma - Jaya

Translation

They were the first to denounce the outrage of the intellectual - the boundless ocean, the wind, the one of fierce rage (fire), the one emitting intense heat (sun), benign heavenly waters, first born of the eternal law.

Translation

[N.B. This hymn gives a very important lesson to mankind. It is concerned with Brahmajaya, the wife of Brahmana. Brahmana in the society or state enjoys special immunities and privilages. Brahmana in Vedic conception is not identified as Brahmana on the grounds of birth. He is called Brahman as he possesses the characteristics of Brahamana. The Varna in Vedic philosophy is not distinguished and based on birth. It is distinguished and based on the worth. So, in this hymn the word Brahmana and Brahamajaya mean the Brahmana and Brahmajaya by worth. Any male and female possessing the merits, acts and culture of Brahamana can be called Brahmana and Brahmani respectively. Varna by birth has no meaning. Brahmana is the mind of the society and state. There should not be inflicted any injury to him. It is the duty of the administrator of the state to guard the safety of the life, property and prestige of the citizens. Brahmana secures highest position in the state. The adduction of woman of any Varna or class of men is a crime direly punishable. But in the hymn emphasis has been laid on this fact that Brahman’s wife should not be anyhow abducted and disrespected. Why is it? Every-thing is measured according to commensurability of the position of enjoyed by the man. Brahman enjoys special immunity therefore everything should be deemed good or bad according to the standard that it stands commensurate to his dignity. Abduction of a woman is an offence but still expected in the society and prevalancy of lawlessness. But the abduction of Brahman's wife is an offence which illustrate the extreme maladministration and lawlessness. If it happens in the state it means that state machinery and law have totally deteriorated. There is no rule and no law. This situation should be avoided and if arises out extirpated on all cost. The second thing which the hymn under translation illustrates is that the woman of Brahmana varna by worth should not be married to other varnas. This is treated to be a sin. The marriage of a womant with the man of another varna which she does belong to is not a normal practice. But the marriage of the women belonging to other varna except Brahmanas can be married to men to superior varnas in abnormal practices. But a woman of Brahmana varna could and should not be married to other varnas. Such practice would totally ruin the society. What havoc would be wrought in the society and state if a woman of high characteristics becomes compelled to find her match in the other varnas as there is no opportunity in the society to find the compatible match. If such things happen society embraces total devastation. The lesson against such a thing has been given to mankind in this hymn.] These first........the bottomless sea, air, glowing fire, the powerful sun, the pleasure-giving moon, celestial waters and the primordial product of the eternal Law, as it appears, express remonstrance against the harm inflicted to Brahmana, the person treated to be the intellect of society.

Translation

These chief forces of nature, the boundless sea, wind, fierce glowing fire,the strong sun, the bliss-bestowing moon, the tranquil waters, first created by God, stand as witnesses against the onslaught on a Brahman.

टिप्पणीः

१−(ते) प्रसिद्धा देवाः (अवदन्) अकथयन् (प्रथमाः) मुख्याः (ब्रह्मकिल्विषे) किलेर्बुक् च। उ० १।५०। इति किल श्वैत्यक्रीडनयोः−टिषच्, बुक् च। किल्विषं किल्भिदं सुकृतकर्मणो भयं कीर्तिमस्य भिनत्तीति वा−निरु० ११।२४। ब्रह्मणो ब्रह्मवादिनः पुरुषस्य अपराधविषये (अकूपारः) अ+कु+पॄ पालनपूरणयोः−घञ्। पारः पालनं पूरणं वा। आदित्योऽप्यकूपार उच्यतेऽकूपारो भवति दूरपारः समुद्रगोऽप्यकूपार उच्यतेऽकूपारो भवति महापारः−निरु० ४।१८। अकुत्सितपारो महागतिरादित्यः (सलिलः) सलिलम् उदकनाम−निघ० १।१२। अर्शआद्यच्। जलवान् समुद्रः (मातरिश्वा) अ० ५।१०।८। आकाशे गमनशीलो वायुः (विडुहराः) वीलयति संस्तम्भकर्मा−निरु० ५।१६। भृमृशीङ्०। उ० १।७। इति वील−उ। वीलु बलनाम−निघ० २।९। हृञ् हरणे−असुन्। हरो हरतेर्ज्योतिः−निरु० ४।१९। दृढतेजस्कः (तपः) तप−असुन्। अग्निः (उग्रम्) प्रचण्डम् (मयोभूः) मयसः सुखस्य भावयिता (आपः) आप् आप्नोतेः−निरु० ९।२४। व्यापिकाः सृष्ट्यः (देवीः) देव्यः। दिव्यगुणाः (प्रथमजाः) प्रथमोत्पन्ना (ऋतस्य) सत्यस्वरूपस्य परमात्मनः ॥