Part 5 (1/2)

At Pralaya, the Sakti of Bhagavan was asleep. That Sakti is Maya, which is Sat-asat or Existing-nonexisting Existing eternally as root, and not so existing as forms. Following the law of Periodicity (Kala), Purusha fecundated Maya. Mahat and other principles appeared by transformation.

All these principles were Devas, having in them germs of consciousness, action and transformation. They could not unite to form the Universe, being divergent in character. They prayed to ishvara for power to unite.

Taking Prakriti as a part (Sakti) of Him, ishvara entered into the 23 Tatvas or root principles. He awakened the Karma that remained latent in them. By Kriya Sakti, He then united then. The 23 Tatvas, acting under Divine Energy and the impulse of Karma that had remained latent in them, formed the Virat body, each bearing its own share in the work. The Purusha within this body - Virat Purusha or Hiranya Purusha - with all beings and globes included in Him, dwelt for one thousand years in the waters (like the embryo in the waters of the uterus.) This Embryonic Purusha divided self by self, onefold by Daiva Sakti, tenfold by Kriya Sakti and threefold by atma Sakti. The onefold division is in the Heart.

The tenfold division is in the Pranas (Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, Vyana, Naga, Kurma, Krikara, Devadatta and Dhananjaya,) for the Pranas are not Tatvas or principles, but they form an aspect of Purusha. The threefold division is atma in every being which is triune with its three sides - Adhyatma, Adhibhuta and Adhidaiva. The Purusha infused His Sakti into the Virat body, for the development of powers in the Tatvas. The Adhyatma mouth appeared with its Adhibhuta speech and Adhidaiva Agni.

Similarly the following appeared: -

----------------------------------------------------------------- Adhyatma. Adhibhuta. Adhidaiva.

----------------------------------------------------------------- Tongue Rasa (taste) Varuna.

----------------------------------------------------------------- Nose Gandha(smell) Asvini k.u.maras.

----------------------------------------------------------------- Eye Rupa(sight) aditya.

----------------------------------------------------------------- Skin Sparsa (touch) Vayu.

----------------------------------------------------------------- Ear Sabda (sound) Dik.

----------------------------------------------------------------- Epidermis Sting G.o.ds of vegetation ----------------------------------------------------------------- Upastha ----------------------------------------------------------------- (generative organ) Generation Praj.a.pati.

----------------------------------------------------------------- Payu Secretion Mitra ----------------------------------------------------------------- Hand Actions of hand Indra.

----------------------------------------------------------------- Pada (foot) Movements of foot Vishnu.

----------------------------------------------------------------- Buddhi Bodh (deliberation) Brahma.

----------------------------------------------------------------- Manas Sankalpa and Vikalpa Moon.

(true and false perception) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ahankara Aham perception Rudra.

----------------------------------------------------------------- Chitta Thought Brahma -----------------------------------------------------------------

The Triloki also appeared, Svar from the head, Bhuvar from the navel and Bhur from the feet. With these Lokas appeared the Devas and other beings, who are the transformations of the Gunas. From the predominance of Satva, the Devas went to Svar Loka. Men and the lower Kingdoms entered Bhur Loka from the predominance of Rajas in them. By the predominance of Tamas, the different cla.s.ses of Bhutas remained in Bhuvar Loka. The Brahmana appeared from the mouth, the Kshatriya from the hands, the Vaisya from the thighs and the Sudra from the feet.

THOUGHTS ON THE ABOVE

We have considered the manifested Logos in the Universe. We shall now consider His manifestation in Man, the microcosm. The teachings are all collected from the Upanishads.

(i.) - _The manifestation in the heart._ - A detailed knowledge of this manifestation is called Dahara Vidya in Chandogya. The Upanishads speaks of atma in the cavity of the heart.

”Guhahitam Gahvarestham Puranam” is a well-known pa.s.sage from the Upanishads. The Purusha in the heart is also called Pradesa or the span-sized Purusha and is the favourite object of meditation in Pauranika Upasana. The Upanishads call Him thumb-sized and there is an interesting discussion as to the size in Sariraka Sutras I-3-24 to 26 and the Bhashya thereupon.

(ii.) - _The Manifestation in the Pranas._ - The Upanishads say: -

”It is this Prana that is consciousness itself, Bliss, without infirmities and death.”

”They are these five Brahma Purushas.”

Again -

_”Brahma Purusha in the openings of the heart.”_ The heart is called the abode of Brahma. There are five openings of this abode of Brahma and there are five gate-keepers. These gate-keepers or _dvara-palas_ are the five Pranas. They are called Brahma Purushas as they pertain to Brahma.

As long as the king is in the heart, the doorkeepers remain in the body.

These door-keepers being inevitable accompaniments of Brahma in the heart, are also themselves the outer aspects of Brahma.

(iii.) - _The manifestation as atma which is triune._ What is a man but a bundle of experiences on the planes of Jagrat, Svapna and Sushupti.