वेद-अर्थत्रयम् - the 3 levels of meanings for Veda-mantra
वेद-अर्थत्रयम् - the 3 levels of meanings for Veda-mantra
Every Veda mantra has meanings at 3 levels
अधिभौतिकम् = अधि [upasarga (prefix) meaning "in" /within] + भौतिकम् -In (within) Physical plane/phenomenal world level. This is for our objective understanding.
अधिदैविकम् = अधि [upasarga (prefix) meaning "in" /within] + दैविकम् - In celestial plane /astral level. This is for using the Veda mantra as method to invoke celestial forces - such as 'Parjanya devataa' (rain god ), etc. This is chiefly for Upaasana and Yajna /Yaaga, etc. - This can be said as, for subjective understanding.
अध्यात्मिकम् = अधि [upasarga (prefix) meaning "in" /within] + आत्मिकम् (आत्मा) - In spiritual level /state (this is to explain to us the deepest purport of the mantra) - this is for contemplation and meditation.
How?, let us look at "Vaayu". In a Veda mantra if the mantra is about "Vaayu", then it is to be looked at 3 levels:
1) Vaayu as Air (अधिभौतिकम् - level) containing various gases like oxygen at 20.95%, Carbon-di-oxide, etc.,
2). Vaayu as a natural phenomenon (अधिदैविकम् - level) The one who is responsible for maintaining the Air-cycle. (read about Air-cycle in the Web)
Thus this phenomenon Vaayu, without an innate intelligence, can't be one of the force that maintains the 'cyclical order'. Such as maintaining a number of factors for sustaining life on earth. seasonal winds, Monsoons, drying up moisture, transporting moisture, helping fire to burn, maintaining the balance of gases - 20.95% oxygen etc. In Sanaatana Dharma - every single being (भूत) has life principle in it, therefore Vaayu is also alive and hence it is a devataa (personified) and fit for "upaasanaa".
3). Vaayu as 'PraaNa' (Vital breath) not only sustains life in the body of beings, it is also the bridge between Body /Mind (kshetra) with Aatma (kshetrajna) - using Vaayu as a bridge to achieve Moksha is the purpose of (अध्यात्मिकम् - level). Breath-watching, etc.
Bhagavadgita, 8th adhyaaya explains all these clearly, such as who is Adhibhuta, Adhidaivam, Adhyaatma, Adhiyajna (the ordainer), etc. - It is necessary to study this adhyaaya deeply to understand the three levels of meaning concept with as many commentaries as possible. Keeping the "Vedanta Paribhaasha" also for ready reference.
A Vedic Rishi is called as Mantra Drishtaa (the one who has seen the Mantra - in his/her Chit-akasha) - how ?
In Sanskrit the word Drishtaa, Drishyam, Darshanam, Drik, etc. all comes from the "dhaatu" (Root word) - "दृश्" ("drish"_ - This root has 5 primary meanings - eye, act of seeing, cognition, illumination, and sight.
- "means to indriya-artha" (act of seeing),
- "means to grasp/capture - roopa grahaNam" (the eye),
- "means to observe" (the sight as a faculty for focus /contemplation),
- "means to insight" (cognitive ability),
- "a flash/a vision" (illumination power).
Thus a Vedic Rishi is a visionary who got a vision and revealed the truth.
(There are other Sanskrit words from the Dhaatu "ईक्ष्", for meanings such as glance, view, look, etc.)
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Thus "satyam" (ultimate truth) again can be at three levels - Physical, Cognitive and Spiritual, corresponding to भौतिकम् (bautika), दैविकम् (daivika), आत्मिकम् (aatmika). It is to be noted here is that, "satyam" (truth) at आत्मिक level being cognized means, the cognizer absolves (or) merges with "satyam" (truth.)
The word "satyam" also has levels of meanings depending on the context. In the 4 meanings given below, the first 2 are at भौतिक (bautika) level and the 3rd is at दैविक (daivika) level and finally the 4th is at आत्मिक (aatmika) level.
सत्यम्
१ अनर्थ-अननुबन्धि-यथाभूत-अर्थवचनम् (truthful)
२ प्रयहित-प्रमाण-दृष्ट-श्रुत-अर्थ-भाषणम् (factual - that which is provable)
३ यद् भूतहितम् अत्यन्तं तत् सत्यम् इति धारणा [कर्णपर्व, महाभारतम्] - (that which is helpful and supportive to life)
४ कालत्रय-अबाध्यम् = पारमार्थिकम् (that which is ultimate)
ऋतम् - is the manifested "satyam" - this is subject to constant change. ऋतम् is "prakrti", nature, "shakti", the 'Cyclical cosmic order', maayaa, prapancha, etc.
"Rtam" or manifested 'satyam' or the cosmic order, is nothing but one side of the same coin. The other-side we call as 'satyam' or the absolute truth - which can't be perceived but can only be experienced.
Veda talks about both ऋतम् and सत्यम्. Disturbing ऋतम् (Rtam) or the Cyclical cosmic order is sure to result in great damages. The environmental crisis today that we are witnessing is a direct result of disturbing the ऋतम् (Rtam) of Air cycle and Water cycle
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There another set of 3 words, when written in English without the diacritical marks, confuse us due to identical spellings:
So far we have seen "अधि" (in) and now we shall see "आधि" (pain).
दुःखत्रयम् - the 3 types of sufferings
आधिभौतिकम (दु:खम्) = आधि (pain, agony, grief, curse, anxiety, mental disturbance) + भौतिकम् (भूत सम्बन्धम्) - related (due) to other physical beings - human and animals.
आधिदैविकम (दु:खम्) = आधि (pain, agony, grief, curse, anxiety, mental disturbance) + दैविकम् (देव सम्बन्धम्) - related (due) to celestal /astral beings.
आध्यात्मिक (दु:खम्) = आधि (pain, agony, grief, curse, anxiety, mental disturbance) + आत्मिकम् (स्व) - self inflicted - related (due) to tridosha imbalance (in body) and due to षड्रिपवः (6 enemies within) - kaama, krodha, etc. mental peace-lessness (in mind) - psychological this is due to the "ing" in "being". "Be" is just "Life /Atma" and the "ing" is the form, therefore we are all Life+forms.
Vedanta says one needs to move from associating with the "form" and towards "life". All agonies are for the 'form' and not for the 'Life' /"Atma".
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These are some of the examples where many fundamental mistakes creep-in, when people write these kind of technical words in English without the necessary diacritical marks, and confuse everyone.
Can you please explain with a mantra (a smaller one). I did not entirely got the concept.
ReplyDeleteOff hand I'm unable to quote a particular Mantra containing all the above. However what I wanted to say is... 1). Veda mantras have 3 levels of meanings, 2). "adhi" and "aadhi" are different and people who write about Vedanta /Hinduism in English need to be careful, 3). Mantra drishtaa doesn't mean one who see a mantra, but one who gets a vision, 4) "Rtam" or manifested 'satyam' or the cosmic order, is nothing but one side of the same coin (the other-side we call as satyam or the absolute truth - which can't be perceived but experienced)
ReplyDeleteThanks for making explicit the differing meanings of अधि and आधि. Modern students of Vedas should always keep that difference in mind. In addition to वेद अर्थत्रयम that you have explained lucidly, Sayana talks of an alternate method of Vedic interpretation-वेद अर्थपंचकम, i.e. a five-fold way of interpreting the Vedas- ऐतिहासिक (historical) याज्ञीक (ritual) नैरुक्त (etymological) परिव्राजक (mystic) and नैदान (causal or diagnostic?). See Ram Gopal, The history and principles of Vedic interpretation, New Delhi : Concept, 1983.
ReplyDeleteKrishnamurthi CG got you. but im rereading your original post and will come back with specific question. thanks
ReplyDeleteExcellent understanding given. Thank you very much. With this, it is going to very useful to understand Bhagwad Geetata with different context. This has given me new instinct, though requires patience and deep thinking. Appreciate your input and request to post more and more such insights.
ReplyDeleteIf time permits, can you take example of gayathri manthram and enlighten the concept Krishnamurthi CG. Hope that won't be an over demand.
ReplyDeleteAnantha Narayanan "Gaayatri" is the name of the metre (metrical arrangements of "aksharas" in Sanskrit poetic writings). The "vyutpatti" of the word "Gayatri" = "Gaayantam traayate iti gaayatri" - means it protects the one who sings. This metre is supposed to be in "3 paada" and should have "24 akshara".
ReplyDeleteMaharshi Vishwamitra is the "mantra drishTaa" of Savitr (Gaayatri) mantra and he has given us this "mantra" in the "gaayatri" metre. However this "Savitr" mantra contains only "23 akshara". The last or missing akshara is considered to be silence. Very similar to "Om" ("eka-akshara", 3 and half "maatra" the half "matraa" is "mano-naada" the duration of silence) a "naada" form is mentally (in Chitta aakasha) is considered for the "Savitr" "mantra" also, therefore this "mantra" has great significance.
bhoo, bhuva, suva - these 3 are known as "vyahriti" - this is included along with the actual Savitr mantra. The longer one has 7 of these (these are "loka" means worlds or stages or states that can be perceived, "loka" also means the act of looking and also the onlooker and the world the one that is looked upon - earnest inquiry on this word itself gives you the gist of Vedanta)
Now the "adhibaudika" meaning of this mantra:
Savitr (nominal stem) mantra. The word is Savitaa (from the nominal stem "Savitr" masculine gender) is the Sun. This word (nominal stem) originated from the "dhaatu" (verb root) "sU" /"prasU" - means to give birth. Thus we can say the one who gives birth is called "Savitaa" - the Sun gives birth to all life on Earth and also the Earth (the 3rd rock) itself is a piece of Sun. This meaning is baudika (physical)
The "adhidaivika" meaning
This mantra is about the one who gave birth to all of us (animate /inanimate) beings. "Who is that ?". Our mothers and fathers are just pipes or tubes through which the life expressions happen, they are not actually the creaters of us. Thus the original creator is the "Savitaa" is worthy of worship and we worship. This meaning is daivika (celestial)
Dr. Radhakrishnan's meaning (he has given two meanings) - 1. "We meditate on the adorable glory of the radiant sun; may he inspire our intelligence" - this is "baudika". 2. "We meditate on the effulgent glory of the divine Light; may he inspire our understanding" - this is "daivika"
The "adhyaatmika" meaning
Here we can straight away look at the meaning given by Swami Vivekananda - "We meditate on the glory of that 'Being' who has produced this universe; may 'That' enlighten us". Which has given rise to this body and mind (the forms) - the "life" ("Aatmaa") which accumulated this body of ours is the actual "Savitaa" and we meditate on that - means, merging with that. This meaning is aatmika (spiritual).
Like this each and every Veda mantra - not just mantra many words themselves have to be understood with three levels of meanings.