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yajvan
07 January 2007, 09:57 AM
Hari Om
~~~~~~

Namaste,
I was inspired today to discuss this topic, rishi , chhandas and devata. I thought it may be good for us to talk about these subjects and perhaps take this conversation forward. You may find this of interest. This loosely goes with the last post done on chanting http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?p=9370#post9370 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?p=9370)
Please add to this post, improve my understanding and correct me where you may see blemishes (dosa) in my logic or information.


Rishi
We know of rishi's as seers, some call kavi. We have read of Brahmarshi and Maharshi's. We (I) typically associate them with the great saints that have cognized the veda's, or has this internal ability to do so. Tradition holds that the veda's where one ( some call mula-veda) in the krta age (yuga) with an uninterrupted flow ( some call this mula vede rcho nirantarah). The one veda in the krta age, then became three in the treta age ( yuga) and then in the dvapara yuga became four, preparing for kali yuga.

It is discussed that there are several of seers: Mantra-drashtarah or mantra seers and mantra-smartarah or mantra rememberers. Within the Rk Ved we have the mantra-drashtarah , the kavi of satyam, the seers of truth. There are about 400 seers of the Rk Ved and 25 or so are female.

Now, in the Krshna (dark, some say black) Yajurveda in various ritual significance, the mantra's where 'recalled' or remembered. I mention this, as this will assist us later in a new post of this Krshna Yajurveda.
One familiar with this samhita may ask, what of the sukla (white, some say pure) Yajurveda? This samhita was mantra-drashtarah.

Another name for rishi also is Kandarishi - as you would suspect, this is for the kanda's ( sections or chapters), and take the authorship of the various sections.

It would be great if someone could take the time to discuss the Arshanukramani (Index of seers) of the Rig Veda and the logic used. I am not conversant with this and maybe another can add some light to this?

Chhandas
This is another name for meter. On the surface, we think of timing ( like in music , 4-4 timing, 3-4 timing)…chhandas gives us the rhythmic sound.
So to make the word powerful to the native, there's 3 components:
The rhythmic sound movement + the interwoven verbal form that brings on the thought substance one experiences , + the soul/atman's vision/sense of the Supreme ( Ishtadevata, or Tad Ekam), or absorption. When you put these three together, it is then a mantra. This is of great import in mantra shastra (or mantra design for the native).

Think about music you really (really) enjoy that brings you delight. You can feel it i.e. tingles and sensations, an upliftment, yes? These components are coming together. Some times it comes , some times it goes, but you have had that experience.

So, the chhandas is important. There is the rhythm we hear with the ear, then what we hear with the ear's ear, or the ear of the ear some say. This chhandas is the balanced measure of sound , or matra. Look all round us and we see meter/rhythms… the seasons, the movement of the stars, our rising and actions based upon the sun, our walk and gate, etc etc. Meter is all 'round us.

Now we find this wonderful rhythms and most notably in the Sama Ved .If you can pick up a copy and listen you will find it useful even if you do not understand each word (as I do not) , the rhythms that are there are tuned to the Infinite… and you are that Infinite, and listening , some call it mantra darshana.

What are these meters? I do not know all of them , yet can point out the ones I have read in the various mandala's:
Gayatri, Ushnik, Anushtubh, Brhati, Virat ( or Viraj), Trishtubh and Jagati.
The type of meter is indicated by the number of syllables. We know the famous gayatri, it has 3 stanzas, 8 syllables per line, for a total of 24 syllables. Here’s Rishi Vishwamitra's (Rk Ved 3.62.10) mantra, Gayatri chhandas ... we sing thee praise! ( varenyam).
Tat savitor varenyam
bhargo devasya deemahi
dhi yo yonah pprachodayat

This mantra is the most noted of the Rk Ved and one of the cornerstones of Sanatana Dharma.
So , Gayatri has 24 syllables, Ushnik 28, Anushtubh 32, Brhati 36, Virat (or Viraj) 40, Trishtubh 44 and Jagati 48. Do you see a pattern emerging?
From a Jyotish perspective the number of syllables influences various parts of ones life… This can be another post on mantra shastra if there is interest. just a side mote, in the veda, Brahmanaspati is the lord of all the mantras, hence mantra's are also called (or stands for) Brahma.

There is another chhandas I have read from R.L. Kashyap's book on the Krisha Yajur Veda, Taittitiya Samhita , that points out Pangkti. This replaces Virat chhandas. Both have 40 syllables. Virat has two feet ( or two lines) , 20 syllables each ( for the total of 40). Each syllable is pronounced in 3 ways - udatta, anudatta, and svarita. These are pointed out in writing by the diacritical accent marks in the text. So, if someone can give us a better understanding of who this pronunciations work, affect the listener, that would be wonderful. I do not understand this in depth and would like to learn more.

The devata
The devata of the veda as I have been instructed are the creative impulses in this universe. All the Vedic devata work together for our divine unfoldment. It is my understanding that the devata are not a concept, but beings , with consciousness. The devata , also written divya, is from the root div or to shine. for me, they are sattvic, all good, and wish to assist the sadhu ( and really all beings).
It is my understanding ( and great wish) that we can establish a conscious relationship with the divya. This is called a second birth for the divya, when the divya manifests their power ( for good) in the sadhu , for his/her spiritual development. It is to this, that the rishi calls the divya via the Rk Ved sonnets ( mantra).

There are many devata and we can list some out - Dear HDF participants, please add to the list as you see fit. When we look to the Rk Ved, the first deva to be called out in RV 1.1.1 is agni. Hymns to Agni number ~ 2000 out of 10,500 in the Rk Ved. Agni is more then fire . He is first among the vishvedeva (gods), as they say, knower of every birth ( jatavadas).

Agni, at its root is ang, a strong luminous movement, and a bija (seed) mantra in itself. He is yajnasya devam, or lord of the sacrifice, and for the rishi's of yore, the whole cosmic experience, the unfoldment of all this, of us, is seen through the eyes of yajna. In the ved the yajya is viewed as ashvaram, or a journey. But from where? From our present condition to the divine in us. So the journey begins with the physical and ends in svar.

Agni is said to be the guide (RV 1.1.4), the Divine Will. Anyone care to address any of the following? If one looks to Brhaddevata , as I understand it its a primarily an index of the Devata.

Indra or surupa kratnu - the fashioner of perfect forms. He is Divine Mind.
Asvins - nastyas or the leaders of movement.
Maruts
Rudra
Pushan
Rbhus
Saraswati
Soma
Usha
Varuna
Savitr
Vayu
Visnu
Devih
Vrtra - is part of the family of dasyus. These forces choose to inhibit our journey (adhvara). I think we have all encountered them.
Vrtra has the same root as vrka, wolf. This Vrtra, stands for lower vital forces , some call the shadripu, the 6 enemies, some say weaknesses even sins: desire to possess, anger, greed, delusion, arrogance and jealousy. ( Yes, I have met them ...)

Conclusion
What is the rasa or essence of the veda? There is adhiyajna or the ritual portion and the adhidaiva, relating to the devata, yet the adhyatma,
or spiritual/divine portion is the foundation of the rishis. How so? The vedic rishi had the intuitive perception and orientation that the divya
can be invoked by uttering (manamahe) their auspicious (charu) name ( nama). For me, to aspire to satyam ritam brhat , is the essence of the
Veda, the Truth , the Right and the Vast of our Divine nature.

All Glory to Him who breathes out the Ved.

pranams,

peterji
08 March 2014, 01:08 AM
A word on UDATTA, ANUDATTA AND SVARITA. They are classified as abhyantara prayatna (inner or inherent efforts) and apply only to the svara (vowels) we find them in Greek and French (accent acute grave and circumflex). Nowadays they are considered to indicate pitch as in high sounding, low sounding and that which "marries" or bridges the two. Thus would seem to be not true. Paninis Siksha (the Vedanga stating the science of sound) is quite clear on the subject. It states - Udatta murdhnya, anuttata hrdayam, svarita karnamule. These are locations. i.e where the attention is focussed when the sound is expressed. (we commonly speak of speaking from the heart, for example. This has little to do with pitch but much to do with the quality of the resonance as can be observed in attentive practice.
as a guide udatta - aajna chakra, udatta heart or anahata chakra and svarita in visuddha.
hope this helps priyahita kratu