Part 14 (2/2)

_Stya_ is he who collects, is connected with, remains in. Agastya = Aga + Stya.

_Aga_ is mountain, unable to walk, fixed.

According to a Pauranik legend, the Vindhya mountain began to rise higher and higher so as to obstruct the path of the sun and moon. The G.o.ds being alarmed sought the aid of Agastya who was the teacher of Vindhya. The Ris.h.i.+ approached the mountain and asked it to bend down and give him an easy pa.s.sage to the south and to retain the same position till his return. Vindhya obeyed the order of his teacher, but Agastya never returned from the south and Vindhya never attained the height of Meru.

According to the Bhagavata, Agastya is the digestive fire of the stomach.

Visravas = Vi (signifying intensity) + Sravas (ear).

Kubera is literally deformed. He is the G.o.d of riches and Regent of the North. He is the king of the Yakshas and Kinnaras and a friend of Rudra.

His abode is Kailasa. He is represented as having three legs, only eight teeth and a yellow mark in place of one eye.

Ravana, k.u.mbhakarna and Vibhishana are Rakshasas made famous by the Ramayana.

Ravana is one who makes a loud noise. The Rakshasas reached the height of their power in his time. The Yakshas, before his time, had occupied Lanka or Atlantis under Kubera, but Ravana propitiated Siva by his loud hymns, and acquired easy mastery over his kindred elementals. He ousted the Yakshas from Lanka and made it his own capital. Ravana also controlled the higher Devas of Triloki.

k.u.mbha karna = k.u.mbha (pitcher) + Karna (ear). This pitcher-eared brother of Ravana is said to have devoured thousands of beings including sages and heavenly nymphs. He slept for six months at a time. He was ultimately slain by Rama.

Vibhisana, meaning the Terrible, left his brother Ravana and joined Rama. After the death of Ravana, Rama installed him on the throne of Lanka. He is said to be still living.

The Rakshasas are said to have possessed Kama Rupa _i.e._ they could a.s.sume any body at will.

In the line of Pulastya we have this strange combination - the digestive fire of stomach, ears, Yakshas and lastly the Rakshasas who could change their body at will. Altogether we may say, Pulastya is Intelligence which governs animal pa.s.sions and Kama.

TABLE G.

Pulaha = Pula + ha. _Ha_ is one who gives up.

_Gati_ is motion.

_Karma-Srestha_ is one most skilled in karma or work.

_Variyas_ is excellent, preferable.

_Sahishnu_ is patient, enduring.

Pulaha seems to be the higher aspect of Kama - the impulses pure and simple, apart from their Kamic generator, or perhaps Pulaha may represent Pranic activity.

TABLE H.

Kratu is a Vedic sacrifice, intelligence, power, ability. Kriya is action.

Balakhilyas - are a cla.s.s of Ris.h.i.+s 60,000 in number, of the size of the thumb, and are said to precede the sun's chariot. The word literally implies stunted in growth like infants. These Ris.h.i.+s are said to burn brightly with the spiritual fire of asceticism. The number 60,000 is significant. It indicates a correspondence.

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