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Wk02 Monday, Sep 30

Loose ends

1. Canvas / Email / Web check2. Introductions under Discussion3. Questions re. syllabus, logistics?

1. MW: Reading feedback2. By Sat: Reflection

4. Sign ups for Get Acquainted Meeting

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For Wed

Watch video online: Altar of Fire– A twelve-day Vedic ritual

Readings– Selections from the Atharva Veda– Essays by Eastman, Perrett

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Beginnings of Vedic Speculation

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Ṛg Vedic Ritualism

Hymns of praise to personifications of nature– fire, rain, wind– sun, moon

Complicated sacrifices Performed by priestly

class. Complexity grows to

where gods become subsidiary.

Only rich persons can afford these.

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Atharva Veda – Popular Religion

“Lower” ritualism, popular belief

Available to the masses “Magic” spells, charms Healing, prosperity,

victory

No opposition to Ṛg Veda Ideas from “lower”

sphere contribute to the “higher”

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Henotheism, Monotheism, Monism

Henotheism = acceptance of many gods, with one deity as the supreme– “Mitigated polytheism”– Ritual context

Monotheism– Tentative glimpses in RV, AV

Monism– Abstract, ultimate First Principle – Opposite of Dualism, Pluralism

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Principle of Identification, Magical Power of Knowledge

Cosmic force → (identified with) another entity.• Control of this entity + mystical knowledge

= power over cosmic force.

• E.g., life-breath → cow

Everything that is → The one principle of the whole universe,• Knowledge of that principle = control over everything

“Magical thinking” of AV leads to Philosophical Speculation?

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Power of Knowledge, cont’d

Knowledge of an entity gives possessor of knowledge power over the entity.– includes knowledge of name

Knowing a ritual is as good as / better than performing it

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First/Supreme Principles

Bráhman, n. = holy utterance

Vāc, f = holy utterance Creator

– as father, ruler, lord, controller of all

– as carpenter, blacksmith

– as sacrificer

Cosmic man, puruṣa

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Further speculation… “Something more” to man/universe than

physical components…– life breath (prāṇa)?– desire? – mind? – ātman, self, “soul”! existent? non-existent? both? neither?

Knowledge of one’s ātman → knowledge (and control) of Brahman, the universe!

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Select Ṛg Vedic Hymns

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The Marriage of Sūryā, 10.851. Truth, Right = ṛta2-5. Soma / moon6-7. Wedding imagery, wagon-box = hope-chest8, 10. car = chariot 8-9. Aśvins9. Savitar = father of bride = sun11. hearing as two wheels 15-16, third wheel18-19, “riddle” verses

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Marriage, RV 10.85, cont’d

Ādityas = sons of Aditi, 10.72.4-5 Aśvins = charioteers of Sūrya/Savitar Mitra= upholder of Laws Varuṇa = Guardian of ṛta Pūṣan = giver of fertility, god of safe

roads and journeys

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Creation Hymns

10.72 Creation of the world, gods

Edgerton: “rather superficial”2. Brahmaṇaspati = Bṛhaspati, creates the

worlds.2-3. Existent from the non-existent.4-5. Aditi, f. ↔ Dakṣa, m.6. Dust/spray, from tapas? 8-9. Sun-bird = Mārtaṇḍa;

cast away = miscarry; rebirth & death

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10.129 – Creation, Nāsadīya1. No non-existent, nor existent2. No death/immortality; “breathed without

breath”3. Fervour = tapas; self-born.4. Cause of existence in the non-existent

found by sages, bandhu5. Above/below6-7. Gods were created, what if they do not know?!

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10.121, The Unknown God

1,7. Golden germ / embryo4. Rasā stream, directions = arms5. creation of space5-6. echoes of 2.12 hymn to Indra8. Sacrifice = Dakṣa, hints of 10.72.4-59. Shift in tone, fearful10. Considered a later addition

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10.90, Puruṣa sūkta (hymn)1. thousand head-eyes-feet, 10 finger lengths beyond2. ‘grows beyond by food’3-4. ¼ = all beings, ¾ beyond earth5. Shining One = Virāj, fem. creative principle →

Prakṛti later, Virāj ↔ Puruṣa!6,8. butter = ghee, runoff of dismemberment12. The four varṇas, castes of classical Indian society15. Surrounding sticks

Puruṣa → gods (13), rules over gods (2),gods sacrifice Puruṣa (6-7, 16)?! 19

10.190 Tapas, Cosmic Heat

tapas = lit. “heat,” later “asceticism”– Here, = ritual fervor– ritual kindling– generative force, also in 10.129.3

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10.81-82 Viśvakarman‘Divine architect of the universe’

81.1 hotar-priest; concealing?2, 4. Support, raw-material?3. Echoes of 10.90.15-6. Sacrifice for self, of?6. Stray helplessly7. Contest

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10.81-82 Viśvakarman, cont’d82.1 eye = sun, ‘fixing limits’2. Seven Sages =

Big Dipper constellation3. ‘name giver’4. ?5-6. First embryo = echoes of

10.121.1,76. The One vs. the Unborn?7. “Enveloped in fog … robbers of lives.”

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Speech, vāc

10.71 Origin of Holy Utterance1. Bṛhaspati, Lord of bráhman,

neut., “Holy Word;” vāc, f.1-3. Revealed to the wise out of

affection, vs. fashioned with their intellects, by sacrifice

4-10. Competition9. sirī = shuttle (of a loom)11. Priests

YV

RV

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10.125 Holy Utterance,Vāc

This hymn is Vāc praising herself:

1-2. Company of the gods, supporter/bearer.3. “first … worthy of reverence,” “whom gods have

settled in various places.”4. Whoever hears … hear that you are heard!6. Militant7-8. Father? Watery womb? (10.81-2);

“Extend through the worlds” – 10.90.1

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1.164.45-46

Four quarters, 3 secret +1 spoken – Echoes of 10.90.3-4

46: “That which is One (n.), the wise refer to variously.”

Monism (v. 46)

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Henotheistic Hymns

2.12 Indra 2.1.3-7 Agni, Fire god 5.3.1-3 Agni 5.83 Parjanya, rain god

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J. D. Salinger’s “Teddy”