Kaanwam - Telugu Bhakti

Kaanwam (Hymns perceived by Sage Kanwa)

Rigvedasamhita::1st Mandalam

8th

Anuvakam::41st Suktam

Rishi:Sage Kanwa, Son of Sage Ghora

Devata::Varuna, Mitra and Aryama

Metre::Gayatri

1. rÉÇ U¤ÉÿÎliÉý mÉë cÉåÿiÉxÉÉåý uÉÂþhÉÉå ÍqÉý§ÉÉå AÿrÉïýqÉÉ |

lÉÔÍcÉýiÉç xÉ SþprÉiÉåý eÉlÉþÈ ||

rÉÇ, U¤ÉÎliÉ, mÉë, cÉåiÉxÉÈ, uÉÂhÉÈ, ÍqÉ§ÉÈ, ArÉïqÉÉ, lÉÔÍcÉiÉç,

xÉÈ, SprÉiÉå, eÉlÉÈ ||

The intelligent Pranas (mÉëcÉåiÉxÉÈ) in the form

of Prana (ÍqÉ§ÉÈ) and Apana (uÉÂhÉÈ) neutralize

themselves to bestow peace and tranquillity in

the form of cessation of breath by subduing

restlessness (ArÉïqÉÉ1) ingested through breath-

ing. One who is protected (rÉÇ U¤ÉÎliÉ) by these

three Prana, Apana and their neutralized state

Kumbhaka (Aryama), that person (sadhaka)

1 AUÏlÉç ÌlÉrÉcNûÌiÉ-ÌlÉÂ£Çü 11-23 ;AxÉÉæ uÉÉ AÉÌSirÉÉåÅrÉïqÉÉ, rÉÈ

ZsÉÑ uÉæ SSÉÌiÉ xÉÉåÅrÉïqÉÉ-iÉæÌ¨ÉUÏrÉxÉÇÌWûiÉÉ 2-3-4-1

Rigvedam:1st Mandalam 8th Anuvakam:41st Suktam

© Dr. M. Narasimharao

(xÉÈ eÉlÉÈ) will be able to overpower (SprÉiÉå)

the old prenatal tendencies as well as the new

postnatal tendencies (lÉÔÍcÉiÉç2).

Mahaprana is an intelligent force. When it

enters the human body, it is called Specific

Prana. This bodily Prana is continuously

reinforced by gross sources such as food,

oxygen etc. But it is primarily strengthened by

the Mahaprana, the Cosmic Energy, which

enters the body through the medulla oblongata.

This energy is stored in the reservoir of life in

the Sahasrara and in the spinal centers from

which it is distributed by the five functions of

the Specific Prana, namely Prana, Apana,

Vyana, Samana and Udana.

Of these five Pranas, two, namely Prana

and Apana are designated respectively as

Mitra and Varuna. Prana is the crystallizing

power that brings all the functions into

manifestation. Thus it is that life force which

is most important as it safeguards the being

from extinction. Apana is the power of

excretion, the scavenging energy of the body

excreting all bodily wastes. If decay products

are not thrown out the body again dies. As

Apana is thus the most desirable force in

making the body survive, it is called Varuna.

Prana and Apana are two main currents in

the body moving in opposite directions—

Prana flowing from Mooladhara to the point

2 lÉÔÍcÉÌSÌiÉ ÌlÉmÉÉiÉÈ, mÉÑUÉhÉlÉuÉrÉÉålÉÔï cÉåÌiÉ cÉ-ÌlÉÂ£Çü 4-17



between the eyebrows, and Apana flowing in

the opposite direction from the point between

the eyebrows to the Mooladhara. Human

consciousness is pulled downward or upward

by these two currents to either bind or liberate

the soul from the prison of the body. From

these opposing pulls of Prana and Apana in the

spine, the inhalations and exhalations of breath

are born. Human breath binds the soul to the

body. Through breathing, man gets a

perception of the external world. The two

breaths create a storm that creates waves of

form in the mind-lake. These sensation waves

produce body consciousness and duality which

erase the unified soul consciousness.

When these dual currents are neutralized,

natural breathlessness results which renders

breathing unnecessary. So long as the light of

Prana is flowing up and down as the two

warring currents, they lend their light of life to

the sensory perceptions and to the life

processes of growth and decay. With their

neutralization and withdrawal of all life force

from the senses and sensory motor nerves and

making it concentrate at the point between the

eyebrows, Paramatma and His Cosmic Light

are revealed. When breath ceases, thev

sadhaka is suffused with a bliss nonpareil. He

then knows that his body is not made up of

flesh but of the light of life force condensed

from the thought of God. This Light is called



Aryama. Aryama is AÉÌSirÉÈ3, shining with

light banishing the dark enemies of

restlessness and disquiet brought through the

fickle breath. Aryama is extolled as a

bounteous power in that He gives peace and

tranquility with the light resulting from the

cessation of breath.

Prana, Apana and Aryama are thus the

main forces that protect the sadhaka who

cooperates with them by performing the

exercise of Pranayama. When the sadhaka

attains peace through the neutralization of the

dual breath, he finds that he is able to

overcome his old prenatal habits and new

postnatal tendencies as well (lÉÔÍcÉiÉç). ‘lÉÔÍcÉiÉç’ is

a particle suggesting both old and new

tendencies. ‘lÉÔ’ is formed from ‘lÉuÉ’, ‘uÉ’

changing into ‘F’. ‘ÍcÉiÉç’ means ‘also’.

‘lÉÔÍcÉiÉç’ therefore means ‘the new ones also’,

which brings in the old ones with the power of

the word ‘also’. Old tendencies are the

prenatal ones and new ones are the postnatal

tendencies gathering round the sadhaka

because of the environmental vibrations.

3 AÉSÏmiÉÉå pÉÉxÉÉ (ÌlÉÂ£Çü 2-13)



2. rÉÇ oÉÉýWÒûiÉåÿuÉý ÌmÉmÉëþÌiÉý mÉÉÎliÉý qÉirÉïÇÿ ËUýwÉÈ |

AËUþ¹ýÈ xÉuÉïþ LkÉiÉå ||

rÉÇ, oÉÉWÒûiÉÉ-CuÉ, ÌmÉmÉëÌiÉ, mÉÉÎliÉ, qÉirÉïÇ, ËUwÉÈ, AËU¹È,

xÉuÉïÈ, LkÉiÉå ||

Each and every sadhaka (xÉuÉïÈ), whom (rÉÇ

qÉirÉïÇ) the three divine forces, as it were, with

their active, effortful ‘arm-ness’ (oÉÉWÒûiÉÉ CuÉ),

fill up with the light of peace (ÌmÉmÉëÌiÉ) and

safeguard (mÉÉÎliÉ) against the injuring enemy

(ËUwÉÈ), evolves and develops (LkÉiÉå) himself,

unhindered by any obstruction (AËU¹È).

The word ‘oÉÉWÒûiÉÉ’ stands for ‘oÉÉWÒûiuÉÇ’, i.e.,

the sense of the idea of an arm. Arms stand for

energy, protection, strength, effort, activity

and ability. Arms are like two rays radiating

from the body manifesting the radiance of

their source. Varuna, Mitra and Aryama are all

lights of Prana, their rays manifesting their

capacity of permeation and thus of

replenishing will and energy thereby

protecting the sadhaka from all the inimical

forces that stand in his way of progress.



The arms in a human body are two only.

Prana and Apana (i.e., Mitra and Varuna) are

two main forces. But when these two opposing

forces acting along up and down the spine are

brought into a dynamical equilibrium through

a special Pranayama, a third ‘arm’ or a ray

becomes visible. This third ray is called

Aryama--AUÏlÉç rÉqÉrÉÌiÉ--controlling and sub-

duing the inimical forces. The inimical forces

are disquiet, restlessness and diffusion. When

Prana and Apana are made even, the sadhaka

attains calmness and tranquillity, i.e., he

attains this rest by overpowering restlessness

introduced into the body through the fickle

breath. This restfulness is Aryama, the third

arm that protects the spiritual body from the

incursions of restlessness. To picturize the

protection rendered by the light of tranquillity

the word ‘oÉÉWÒûiÉÉ’ is used—it protects like an

arm. As an arm holding arms overcomes

enemies, so does this ray of light of evenness

and steadiness overcomes the incessantly

bombarding enemies of restlessness, fickleness

and unsteadiness.

3. ÌuÉ SÒýaÉÉï ÌuÉ Ì²wÉþÈ mÉÑýUÉå blÉÎliÉý UÉeÉÉÿlÉ LwÉÉqÉç |

lÉrÉÿÎliÉ SÒËUýiÉÉ ÌiÉýUÈ ||

ÌuÉ, SÒÈ-aÉÉ, ÌuÉ, Ì²wÉÈ, mÉÑUÈ, blÉÎliÉ, UÉeÉÉlÉÈ, LwÉÉÇ,

lÉrÉÎliÉ, SÒÈ-CiÉÉ, ÌiÉUÈ ||



These [three] kingly Divine Forces

(UÉeÉÉlÉÈ) utterly destroy (ÌuÉ blÉÎliÉ) the

inaccessible forts (ÌuÉ SÒaÉÉï[ÍhÉ]) and cities

(mÉÑUÈ) of the excessively detesting foes (ÌuÉ

Ì²wÉÈ); they overcome and obliterate (ÌiÉUÈ4

lÉrÉÎliÉ) their (LwÉÉÇ) sins (SÒËUiÉÉ[ÌlÉ]).

These three Divine Life Forces are called

‘UÉeÉÉlÉÈ’ as they will be defeating utterly the

hostile enemies of ignorance and egoism along

with their impervious citadels of habits and

imposing cities of enfolding bodies, by

crossing over the difficult impediments

imposed by them. Prana and Apana are two

opposing forces moving up and down the

spinal column. By neutralizing their

movements through Pranayama, the light of

calmness (Aryama) is lit in the body. Thus

these kingly forces through the tranquillity

established vanquish the noisy restlessness and

disquiet brought into the body through the

fickle breath.

Breath brings in all types of vibrations

tricking us to fall prey to various temptations.

These temptations subdue senses, mind and

intellect and present themselves as friends and

relatives, even though they ultimately destroy

us with their weaponry of pseudo-pleasures.

4 ÌiÉUxiÉÏhÉïÇ pÉuÉÌiÉ-ÌlÉÂ£Çü 3-20



These inimical relatives build strong forts of

habits and tendencies and make us captives.

These citadels are built in the cities of matter,

mind and ideas.

The three Divine Life Forces establish in us

the light of calmness through their cooperative

efforts and break down the citadels and blow

up the cities of the inimical forces.

4. xÉÑýaÉÈ mÉljÉÉÿ AlÉ×¤ÉýU AÉÌSþirÉÉxÉ GýiÉÇ rÉýiÉå |

lÉÉ§ÉÉÿuÉZÉÉýSÉå AþÎxiÉ uÉÈ ||

xÉÑ-aÉÈ, mÉljÉÉÈ, AlÉ×¤ÉUÈ, AÉÌSirÉÉxÉÈ, GiÉÇ, rÉiÉå, lÉ,

A§É, AuÉ-ZÉÉSÈ, AÎxiÉ, uÉÈ ||

These refulgent sunny divine forces

(AÉÌSirÉÉxÉÈ) [make ready] a thorn-less

felicitous path (AlÉ×¤ÉUçÈ xÉÑaÉÈ mÉljÉÉÈ) to perform

the Prana yajna (GiÉÇ rÉiÉå) thereby doing His

Will. Here (A§É) there is nothing that causes

or makes you taste fear (uÉÈ AuÉZÉÉSÈ lÉÉÎxiÉ).

‘GiÉÇ’ means God’s Law, His Will. As His

Will abides forever, it is also Truth. To attain

this truth, the lights of life force make ready a

felicitous path through the cooperation of the

human sadhaka. As Prana (Mitra) goes upward

and Apana (Varuna) goes downward along the



subtle spinal column and make themselves

even, a calm light (Aryama) which controls the

enemies who produce fickleness and

restlessness, is born. Along this path there is

nothing that may create any fear. This path

makes fear powerless. There is nothing that

cannot be absorbed nor overcome.

‘lÉÉlrÉÈ mÉljÉÉÅrÉlÉÉrÉ ÌuÉ±iÉå’5: There is no other

path that can bestow on us fearlessness which

is the main name of Brahman. ‘ApÉrÉçÇ uÉæ oÉë¼’:

Fearlessness means faith in God, in His

protection, in His justice, in His Wisdom, in

His mercy, in His Love, in His Omnipresence.

Fear robs man of the indomitability of his soul.

Fearlessness is the impregnable rock on which

the house of spiritual life must be erected.

When the Prana and Apana are neutralized

to establish the cessation of breath, it produces

Aryama, the light of calmness and equilibrium.

Equilibrated Consciousness which establishes

fearlessness, is achieved along this felicitous

path.

5. rÉÇ rÉý¥ÉÇ lÉrÉþjÉÉ lÉUý AÉÌSþirÉÉ GýeÉÑlÉÉÿ mÉýjÉÉ |

mÉë uÉýÈ xÉ kÉÏýiÉrÉåÿ lÉzÉiÉç ||

rÉÇ, rÉ¥ÉÇ, lÉrÉjÉ, lÉUÈ, AÉÌSirÉÉÈ, GeÉÑlÉÉ, mÉjÉÉ, mÉë, uÉÈ,

xÉÈ, kÉÏiÉrÉå, lÉzÉiÉç ||

5 iÉæÌ¨ÉUÏrÉÉUhrÉMÇü 3-13-1



O Refulgent Leaders of Life Force

(AÉÌSirÉÉÈ! lÉUÈ!), The one Prana-yajna which

you carry on in a great manner (rÉÇ rÉ¥ÉÇ mÉë uÉÈ

lÉrÉjÉ) along the straight spinal path (GeÉÑlÉÉ

mÉjÉÉ), that same one (xÉÈ) destroys (mÉë lÉzÉiÉç) all

karmic enjoyments which are to be

experienced invariably (kÉÏiÉrÉå).

Prana-Yajna when carried on along the

straight spinal path by Prana and Apana

producing the Aryama-state of breathlessness,

‘urÉÉlÉ’, deathlessness ensues. Deathlessness

means the cessation of all karmic enjoyments.

‘kÉÏÌiÉÈ’ means karmic enjoyment as ‘kÉÏÈ’

means activity which holds all beings in its

sway and makes them reap the good and bad

outcomes that issue out of it. Prana-Yajna

renders this karmic enjoyment null and void

by disconnecting the senses from the objects

of the senses. This disconnection dismisses UÉaÉ

and ²åwÉ, attraction and repulsion, likes and

dislikes. Though these beings move through

the objective world, they will never lose their

equanimity because likes and dislikes and such

dualities are all banished from their mental

frame.



6. xÉ U¦ÉÇý qÉirÉÉåïý uÉxÉÑý ÌuÉµÉÇÿ iÉÉåýMüqÉÑýiÉ iqÉlÉÉÿ |

AcNûÉÿ aÉcNûýýirÉxiÉ×þiÉÈ ||

xÉÈ, U¦ÉÇ, qÉirÉïÈ, uÉxÉÑ, ÌuÉµÉÇ, iÉÉåMÇü, EiÉç, iqÉlÉÉ, AcNû,

aÉcNûÌiÉ, AxiÉ×iÉÈ ||

That mortal (xÉÈ qÉirÉïÈ) unhurt (AxiÉ×iÉÈ) by

the consequences of karma, attains (AcNûÉ

aÉcNûÌiÉ) the beautiful inhabitable world (U¦ÉÇ uÉxÉÑ

ÌuÉµÉÇ) without the hassles of karmic bondage

and also (EiÉ) in a natural way by himself

(iqÉlÉÉ) gets (AcNûÉ aÉcNûÌiÉ) all the spiritual

progeny (ÌuÉµÉÇ iÉÉåMÇü) of peace, understanding,

equanimity, tranquillity etc.

One who is blessed with the light of

calmness bestowed on him by the three divine

forces of life force, enjoys the beauty of the

created world without being hurt by the

consequences of karma. The world is usually

misery-producing and unpleasant. It drags one

into all pit-holes of sorrow and suffering. But

for one who performs the Prana-Yajna, the

world loses all its stings, and instead, it

produces peace that surpasses all understand-

ing.



‘iÉÉåMÇü6’ means progeny. This word is derived

from the verb-root ‘iÉÑS-urÉjÉlÉå’. A child gives

pain and distress to its parents; it vexes and

afflicts them; it makes them agitated and

disquieted. The world as well as the progeny

vexes and agitates, though this vexation and

affliction are taken as welcome. But to those

who perform Prana-Yajna, the world cannot

hurt nor vex. Their spiritual progeny elates

them and bear the usual worldly troubles

without being affected by them.

7. MüýjÉÉ UÉÿkÉÉqÉ xÉZÉÉrÉýÈ xiÉÉåqÉÇÿ ÍqÉý§ÉxrÉÉÿrÉïýqhÉÈ |

qÉÌWûý mxÉUÉåý uÉÂþhÉxrÉ ||

MüjÉÉ, UÉkÉÉqÉ, xÉZÉÉrÉÈ, xiÉÉåqÉÇ, ÍqÉ§ÉxrÉ, ArÉïqhÉÈ, qÉÌWû,

mxÉUÈ, uÉÂhÉxrÉ ||

O Friends (xÉZÉÉrÉÈ!), In what way possibly

do we concatenate words and sentences and

make ready (MüjÉÉ UÉkÉÉqÉ 7) a great befitting

bouquet of praise relished (xiÉÉåqÉÇ qÉÌWû mxÉUÈ) by

6 iÉÉåMÇü iÉÑ±iÉåÈ-ÌlÉÂ£Çü 10-7

7 ÌMüqÉÈ MüÈ, jÉÉ=CuÉ (ÌlÉÂ£Çü ); MüjÉ-uÉÉYrÉmÉëoÉlkÉå; UÉkÉ, xÉÉkÉ-

xÉÇÍxÉ®Éæ.



Prana, Vyana (Kumbhaka) and Apana

(ÍqÉ§ÉxrÉ ArÉïqhÉÈ uÉÂhÉxrÉ)?

Though this sounds as a question, it

suggests also that it is not quite possible to

make ready such a bouquet of praise which is

proper and befitting to all the three divine

forces of Prana, Apana and Vyana, meaning

the cessation of breath. ‘MüjÉÉ’ is a peculiarly

structured word containing ‘Mü’ for ‘ÌMÇü’ and

‘jÉÉ’ for ‘CuÉ’ or way; it also reminds us of the

verb-root ‘MüjÉ-uÉÉYrÉmÉëoÉlkÉå’. As the Seer wishes

to prepare a praise (xiÉÉåqÉÇ), it certainly is to be

an uninterrupted series of words tied up into

sentences (uÉÉYrÉmÉëoÉlkÉå) that communicate

(MüjÉrÉÌiÉ) in a grand way (qÉÌWû) the highly

enjoyable bliss (mxÉUÈ8) which the three of them

(Prana and Apana punctuated with Kumbhaka)

bestow.

A praise consists of a torrent of vibrations

conducive to the spiritual upliftment of the

sadhaka. Here the praise is intended to be

made for the Prana and Apana bestowing on

the sadhaka calmness and unperturbedness of

breathlessness, called Aryama, the Vyana.

Aryama is one who gives, who bestows

8 mxÉÉ-pÉ¤ÉhÉå



something, here, restfulness and quiet, on the

sadhaka. Here, praising means to render Prana

and Apana even and thus praiseworthy in

producing the deep peaceful and restful state

of breathlessness. As this tranquillity is

indescribable (MüjÉ-ÌMüÍqÉuÉ), the Seer wonders

whether we can find proper words to praise the

orchestrators who make this possible.

This verse calls on friends who have like

knowledge and understanding to advise the

way in which a panegyric can be rendered. As

such it cannot be the so-called ‘Apourusheya’,

composed by God Himself. Such a sentence

can come out of an exalted human being like

our Seer and not God.

8. qÉÉ uÉÉåý blÉliÉÇý qÉÉ zÉmÉÿliÉÇý mÉëÌiÉþ uÉÉåcÉå SåuÉýrÉliÉÿqÉç |

xÉÑýqlÉæËU²ý AÉ ÌuÉþuÉÉxÉå ||

qÉÉ, uÉÈ, blÉliÉÇ, qÉÉ, zÉmÉliÉÇ, mÉëÌiÉ, uÉÉåcÉå, SåuÉ-rÉliÉÇ,

xÉÑqlÉæÈ, CiÉç, uÉÈ, AÉ, ÌuÉuÉÉxÉå ||

I will not speak of nor speak with them (qÉÉ

mÉëÌiÉ uÉÉåcÉå) who injure the calmness-bestowing

triumvirate (Prana, Vyana and Apana) by

indulging in the ever-hurting bad habits

(blÉliÉÇ), and with those also who render the

Prana and Apana uneven by denouncing them,

as it were, with highly passionate emotions



(zÉmÉliÉÇ) and thus abort the birth of Aryama, the

light of calmness. I will serve You alone (uÉÈ

CiÉç AÉ ÌuÉuÉÉxÉå) by assiduously practising

(xÉÑqlÉæÈ) Pranayama with zeal and enthusiasm

desiring bliss (SåuÉrÉliÉÇ).

‘xÉÑqlÉÇ’9 means bliss. Here in this mantra it is

the joy that comes through practising spiritual

practices such as Pranayama (qlÉÉ-AprÉÉxÉå).

The words ‘blÉliÉÇ’ and ‘zÉmÉliÉÇ’ usually mean

injuring and scolding respectively. What is the

meaning of hurting and abusing Mitra,

Aryama and Varuna? We know that Mitra is

Prana, Aryama is Vyana, the kumbhaka or

breathlessness, and Varuna is Apana. When

Prana and Apana become even through the

practice of Pranayama, tranquillity-producing

natural breathlessness or sahaja kumbhaka

results. Due to this, light of Prana gets

concentrated at the mid-point between the eye-

brows, which promotes quiet and develops the

consciousness into the all-encompassing

Kutastha Chaitanya. To hurt or abuse Prana,

Apana and Vyana means to reap restlessness

and agitation instead of the tranquillity which

ensues through the neutralization of Prana and

9 xÉÑqlÉÇ = xÉÑZÉÇ (uÉæ.ÌlÉ. 3-6); qlÉÉ-AprÉÉxÉå



Apana. To hurt the Prana is to expend the life

force by directing it outwards through the

outlets of senses indulging in various untoward

habits. To abuse the Prana is to send high

voltages through the nerves by giving in to

passions and uncontrolled emotions thereby

burning them. Instead, desiring joy and bliss,

one has to serve the Pranas through the bliss-

producing practices (xÉÑqlÉæÈ) like Pranayama. By

making Prana and Apana to circulate around

the spine (mÉËU-cÉUhÉÇ) consciously, one achieves

eveness in them which produces Aryama-light

between the eye-brows. ‘ArÉï’ means God and

‘qÉÉ’ means to measure. ‘ArÉïqÉÉ’ therefore means

that which measures the majesty of God. That

which measures and exhibits God in creation

is the all-pervading light. The light that

manifests itself at the mid-point between the

eye-brows through the neutralization of Prana

and Apana is the eye of light that shows God

on all sides by its spherical vision.

9. cÉýiÉÑUþÍ¶Éý¬SþqÉÉlÉÉSè ÌoÉpÉÏýrÉÉSÉ ÌlÉkÉÉÿiÉÉåÈ |

lÉ SÒþÂý£üÉrÉþ xmÉ×WûrÉåiÉç ||

cÉiÉÑUÈ, ÍcÉiÉç, SSqÉÉlÉÉiÉç, ÌoÉpÉÏrÉÉiÉç, AÉ, ÌlÉ-kÉÉiÉÉåÈ, lÉ,

SÒÈ-E£üÉrÉ, xmÉ×WûrÉåiÉç ||



Nobody should indeed desire to use foul

words [against them who abuse the Pranas]

(SÒÂ£üÉrÉ lÉ xmÉ×WûrÉåiÉç). [There is absolutely no use

of any number of foul words when once one is

committed to abuse the Pranic power invested

with him]. One should, as it were (ÍcÉiÉç),

always cautiously be afraid of (ÌoÉpÉÏrÉÉiÉç) him

who is holding the four sea-shells [used as dice

of delusion] (cÉiÉÑUÈ SSqÉÉlÉÉiÉç) before they are

actually thrown on the dice-board (AÉ ÌlÉkÉÉiÉÉåÈ).

[Once they are thrown on the board, the result

becomes fixed and binding, i.e., before we

commit ourselves to follow the delusive habits

and emotions, we still have freedom of choice,

but when once we have yielded to make the

choice in favour of playing the dice of

delusion, the result is as clear as a crystal, our

dismal and utter irretrievable state].

In gambling played with sea-shells (MümÉSïMüÉÈ),

once the sea-shells land on the dice-board, the

consequence makes the player responsible to

pay the fee promised as the stake-money.

Considering carefully the ensuing binding

consequences beforehand, it would be better

for one to desist from the play long before the

dice fall on the board to fix his fate. The play

of dice is the play of Maya. In the play

conducted by Maya, the human consciousness

falls steeply from the Spirit to matter, i.e., the



soul-consciousness stoops down to utter body-

slavery. The play of sea-shells seems very

enchanting. Deeply engrossed in the play,

matter-prone senses make the players wager

their whole bodily kingdom, their whole

power of soul-joy so as to get a pittance of the

thrill of getting a few chips of money. In the

play of gambling indulged in by the tempted

senses, the wisdom of the man becomes

numbed and gets banished. When bad habits

get established in the body firmly, the power

of free choice invested with the intelligence

becomes utterly blunted. With the spree of

staking and losing, only vulgar and offensive

words come out from the mouths of both the

parties. When words issue out because of

mounting passions and frenzies, there will be

no trace of reason and grace. Such passions

and emotions turn all into spendthrifts of life

force.

When once we yield to the tempting powers

of the delusive mayic play, any number of

curses and abuses cannot protect us. As soon

as the sea-shells fall down on the board, our

fate becomes sealed. Showing precautionary

fear, one has to distance himself from the one

who is about to cast the dice. Or else, if we

win, we have to show enmity by cursing or

manhandling the person who has lost the

wager; if we lose, we have to receive abuses

and spankings from our opponent who has

won. In the same way, before we stake our life

force in the play of sense-gambling, that is,



before we cast the sea-shells of sense-inclinat-

ions, we must show utmost caution. If this is

not done, any volume of invectives and

execrations will be of no avail. The heat

produced by the cascades of curses and abuses

will increase the loss of life force and no

further good will come out of them.

When a wrong thing is done, it would be

wise to start the process of correcting and

rectifying without any delay. We have to strive

to come out of the octopus-grip of our bad

habits and vain passions. When we give in to

cater to the whims of the pertinacious senses,

we start misusing the life force. Instead we

have to try to direct the life force that is getting

expended in its outward excursions, to ascend

up the spinal column so that it gets

concentrated at the mid-point between the eye-

brows. Without resorting to self-imprecations

which would further derail the life force, one

has to strive to neutralize Prana and Apana so

as to realize the state of sahaja kumbhaka

which aids in gathering the light of life force at

the mid-point between the eye-brows. This

concentrated beam of Prana is what is called

the Aryama-power which is a measure of the

majesty of God deposited in the human being.

Here in the mantra, there is an inlaid simile

indicated by the particle ‘ÍcÉiÉç’ meaning ‘CuÉ’,

one that expresses the comparison. Some

commentators doubt the propriety of assuming

the play of sea-shells simply with the mention



of the word ‘cÉiÉÑUÈ’ which is not followed by

any word related to the dice. But, in good

olden days, the word ‘xÉpÉÉ’ meant rather a

gambling house as a place much frequented by

most of the people, than a common assembly.

The word ‘xÉpÉÉxjÉÉhÉÑÈ’ would mean for them a

dice-board rather than a pillar in an assembly.

The words ‘cÉiÉÑUÈ’ and ‘AÉ ÌlÉkÉÉiÉÉåÈ’, meaning

‘before the four are thrown’, are the pivotal

ones which when uttered, would immediately

without any further overtures, bring to the

mind of the listener the play of dice. In these

days, the phrase ‘full count’ will immediately

remind one of the cards-play rather than the

direct meaning of ‘total sum’. In the cards-

play, one who fails to make sets with the cards

distributed to him against one who has done it,

is bound to pay, as agreed upon before, the full

value of the numbers on the cards that are with

him. That is what is meant by ‘full count’. To

say that the sentence ‘pay the full count’, does

not point to cards-play as there is no mention

of cards, is to show one’s ignorance of the

common parlance. In the same way, if we say,

that as there is no mention of ‘dice’ after the

word ‘cÉiÉÑUÈ’, we also show our ignorance of

the common vocabulary of those days.

Forgetting this, those commentators take

unwarrantedly the name of ‘pÉaÉÈ’ to make up



for the fourth one, though it is not mentioned

even for once in all the nine mantras of this

Suktam. They find fault in invoking the word

‘A¤ÉÉlÉç’ after ‘cÉiÉÑUÈ’, but they do not see any

such fault in plucking, all on a sudden, from

the blue, the word ‘pÉaÉÈ’, simply because they

find it elsewhere along with the three of this

Suktam, namely, Mitra, Varuna and Aryama.

Yaska, the author of Niruktam, wrote in the

commentary10 of this mantra the words

‘cÉiÉÑUÉåÅ¤ÉÉlÉç’, because he was in the know of the

parlance of those days in which the mantra

was composed.

There are other commentators who

innovate some other things: they count ‘blÉliÉÇ’

and ‘zÉmÉliÉÇ’ of the 8th mantra along with the

words ‘SSqÉÉlÉÉiÉç’ and ‘AÉÌlÉkÉÉiÉÉåÈ’ of this mantra

so as to make up the ‘four’ to explain the word

‘cÉiÉÑUÈ’, according to their whim and fancy.

They do not give any credence to the unity of

subject being dealt with, but give their own

imagined meaning. To match with the mean-

ings of ‘blÉliÉÇ’ and ‘zÉmÉliÉÇ’, they impute the

meaning ‘from felons who mix up venom in

the food and who burn the houses to make

10 ÌlÉÂ£Çü 3-16



people miserable’ to the word ‘SSqÉÉlÉÉiÉç’ and

the meaning ‘from him who pilfers others’

money and valuables’ to the word ‘AÉÌlÉkÉÉiÉÉåÈ’.

Either to bring in the word ‘pÉaÉÈ’, or to give

the aforesaid meanings to the words ‘SSqÉÉlÉÉiÉç’

and ‘AÉÌlÉkÉÉiÉÉåÈ’, does not seem to suit the

subject-matter of this Suktam. Taking stock of

all these things, we have to understand that

they had eschewed the interpretation of Yaska

because they could not gauge the depth of his

intuitive understanding.

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Documents

Kaanwam - Telugu Bhakti