Introduction
After Nasadiya Suktam, I was looking at materials for Hiranyagarbha suktam, Ratri suktam etc, but could not devote enough time. From nowhere Mrityunjaya mantra came in and fascinated me, though I have heard it many times before. I also landed up at Aitreya Upanishad and Sankara's commentaries on it as written by one Sitarama Sastri (1923 edition) and found myself working through Mrityunjaya mantra and Aitreya Upanishad till they wore me out.
Aitreya Upanishad seems an ocean and I am just rowing here and there in it. Lot of exciting finds and interpretations await me there probably. Here I present my interpretation of Mrityunjaya mantra.
Mrityunjaya mantra
Aum
Tryambhakam Yajamahe
Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
Urvarukamiva Bandhanan
Mrityor Mokshiya Maamritat
(Rg Veda 7th Mandala, 59th Chapter)
Aum -
Wherever Aum is used in Vedas, it is used to indicate the Universe. According to Mandukya Upanishad (my interpretation of it), Aum is equivalent to the model of universe, as it is known today.
Refer my blog on Aum here:
http://thebigthinkg.sulekha.com/blog/post/2007/03/aum-om-an-analysis.htm
Tryambakam -
Tryambakam indicates the three forces that come out of Amba.
Amba
Nasadiya suktam says at the night of universe, when everything has been consumed into vyom, amba forms and shines blissfully. The process by which amba splits, fuses and originates the natural forces is explained in Nasadiya Suktam. It says the aim of this is to continuously evolve into species of higher intelligence.
Refer my blog on Nasadiya Suktam:
http://thebigthinkg.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/12/nasadiya-suktam-before-the-bigbang.htm
The place from which the natural forces originate (the place of fusion between constituents of Amba) is often referred to as dyuloka in Vedas and Upanishads. Thus dyuloka is said to be held or supported by Amba.
According to Aitreya Upanishad from Amba which came first, the natural forces that originate are marichi, maram and Apa. Hence Marichi, Maram and Apa are said to be residing in dyuloka, originating from the fusion of constituents of Amba. Nasadiya Suktam also says what constitutes this fusion is not known.
Marichi
Marichi is a term used in connection with a particle as well as a field. It is used to denote a field of light, in particular that of a mirage. It is also used to denote a shining speck of a particle. Aitreya Upanishad says Marichi forms the Space.
Hence Marichi means field or Quanta of a field that forms the space. Space is visualized here as a field (or combination of fields ..?) that originate from Amba. A Quanta is a manifestation of the field at a particular point, which occurs when the field manifests itself on matter.
Probably this quanta gives rise to mass of the particle. As I dig deep into Aitreya Upanishad, there could be some answers there. Currently this is an assumption.
This Marichi is often referred to as the first world that came in Vedas and Upanishads.
Maram
Maram means subjected to change or transformation. In other words, something that is of mortal form. Anything where change or transformation is perceivable explicitly, it is called mara or of mortal form. All objects of mara form die or change perceivably.
All gross substances that are built up of particles of matter are of mara form. Hence mara could be interpreted as matter that has a form and is subjected to change and death.
Aitreya Upanishad says Earth was made of Mara, which means that it is of mortal form and it will die someday. All such stars, rocks and planets which came second are often referred to as the second world.
Apa
After all of them came the third world that is Apa. Aitreya Upanishad says Apa is the one that rose out of the discharge of the virile Semen of Amba.
Probably it is some kind of primitive biological being that evolved life subsequently. This world of biological living beings is described as the third world. If my interpretation is true and holds good in the scrutiny of scholars, it is fascinating and perplexing to think that such biological being is possible even in such environments and temperatures.
Also Nasadiya Suktam talks about such a virile semen (the sperm of the semen or we can call egg of the semen) situated in a peaking mountain structure of the Amba.
The three forces of Amba
Simplistically put, the first world of Marichi is the world of physics. The second world of Maram is the world of Chemistry. The third world of Apa is the world of biology.
Thus Triambakam indicates the three forces that originate from Amba's fission and fusion. The three forces are the field that forms space, gross matter/its particles and the primitive biological life.
The Fourth one: Guiding force of Purusha
Aitreya Upanishad also describes the fourth one, Purusha, as the guardian or the guiding force of marichi, maram and Apa. According to Aitreya, such a Purusha does not interact with any of these and stands apart from any of these, but guides/protects them in their evolution. It is said to have been released from the agitations of Amba and is present everywhere.
Purusha could be the dark-matter that is formed along with mara (particles of matter), marichi (quanta of fields that form the space) and Apah (life) and guides their evolution further.
Refer to my blogs on Purusha Suktam:
http://thebigthinkg.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/09/new-revelations-in-purusha-suktam.htm
Purusha Suktam defines how the dark-matter purusha, who is three-fourth's of Universe and insensible, guides the evolution of mara, marichi and apa into galaxies, stars, constellations and black-holes and living beings. Thus one-fourth of universe manifest itself as being (in terms of Mara, Marichi and Apa) and three-fourth manifests itself as non-being ( in terms of dark matter).
Yajamahe-
Yaj - on its own offers, sacrificially
Amahe - grants, gives
Yajamahe means sacrificially grants, sacrificially offers
Sugandhim Pushivardhanam
Sugandhim - Ever spreading Pure
Pushti - nourishes
vardhanam - grows
Ever spreading pure Growth and nourishment
urvArukam-
urVarukam-iva - Like Cucumber plant
Bandhanan - binding, dependent
Mrtyor - death
Moksya - to liberate
Mamritat - (from) mortality
Summary
The Three forces of amba sacrificially offer ever spreading pure growth and nourishment to the Universe like a cucumber plant (that spreads in all directions), dependent on death to liberate from mortality (to provide immortality).
Commentary
The Universe grows like a cucumber plant nourished by the three forces of Amba. The three forces are the fields/quanta, matter/particles and biological life. Like a Cucumber fruit that carries the seed of Cucumber, life (which is a manifestation of Apa) is carried by Prithvi (Earth), which is a manifestation of the Mara form, aided by field of space which is a manifestation of Marichi.
When a cucumber dies (or when it is eaten/consumed), its seeds get spread in all directions and gives rise to more lives. Prithvi or Earth (which has life or Apa in it) could be viewed as a fruit of Cucumber and when it dies, the seeds of it are carried over to other planets and probably life spreads and thrives there.
This law of immortality applies all things that are of the Mara form and that carry Apa (life) in them. Thus through death, immortality is achieved for living beings that are a manifestation of Apa.
Does it mean that primitive life form existed and originates from the beginning itself..? Could be!.
Is Marichi the field and particle that forms the Space, the one dubbed as 'God Particle..?' - Could be..
Does it mean that Purusha (if it is really the dark matter) is the guiding force of the Universe..? Could be..? In what way it guides without interacting with these forces..? No Idea!
Probably Vedas and Upanishads have these answers embedded deep in them to be unravelled someday and verified by human knowledge, if it is all true!
Disclaimer
As usual, the interpretations over here are firmly mine made with whatever logical understanding I have got. Hence I seek my apologies to the scholars and experts who provide the traditional interpretation, if they find this interpretation offensive or demeaning.
Easwaro Rakshathu!
-TBT
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written by mogambo, 2009-03-28 06:39:48
no mogambo was only curious about the tendency to start pulling in quantum physics and science into topics that dont really deal with them
if mogambo or anyone wants they can draw hundred different meanings from these texts depending on mood
Osho descirbed these texts correctly like "the finger that is pointing to the moon" if you focus on finger you will miss the moon
of course mogambo only tells his opinion
every body has their own
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written by TheBigThinkg, 2009-03-27 22:21:40
I am extremely happy with your comments and compliments. Thanks for the same.
Yes. It does look meaningless stupidity to map marichi to field of space. I am neither a 'Scholar' nor 'disturbing' science. I am too much a small fish for it.
But everything looks stupid to start with and gain a meaning over a period. So my point is, park this stupidity somewhere, park more such stupidities that are going to come out of my writings somewhere and proceed with science. When it really grows to a level of 'disturbing' science, let me evaluate. Till that time, my plan is to grow this stupidity.
-TBT
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written by P. Desikan, 2009-03-27 22:11:36
The curious, who normally turn out to be scientific too, look for new knowledge from every compartment of human history, including the history of older science and the dusty, musty writings of scientific and non-scientific ancients. They may justify their activity, even when it leads nowhere. The search is thrilling. As is protected scientific search.
Existence can accommodate both the above views and other views in between.
Regards. Partha
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written by mogambo, 2009-03-27 16:15:11
let mogambo make a suggestion
is it not fancifull to start equating quantum physics with these old old texts that is not even translated identically from sanskrit to english by ten different "scholars"?
mogambo thinks friend TBT does write very well, but why make claims such as marichi is quanta of field and space and all that?
let science do what it is meant to do and leave rituals and other such things to these dusty musty texts is mogambos suggestion
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written by P. Desikan, 2009-03-26 04:00:12
You must have heard of salagramas, the fossilised molluscs (cephalapoda) that are available in the bed of river Gandaki in Nepal, which bear divine marks and insignia associated with Sri Vishnu. Their spiral nature reminded me of the spiral nature of much of the evolution and progress of the Universe and I have written a book considering several stories associated with Sri Vishnu's vyuhas and avatars simultaneously with the evolution of the Universe and life in it, where the spiral theme becomes significant. I have written it in the form of part fantasy part scientific reporting, but have aimed it for an Indian Srivaishnavite readership. The last few chapters of the book are devoted to salagrama lakshanas.
In chapter 3, I have visualized Lord Vishnu recumbent on the Milky way Galaxy,(Seshasayee on the ocean of milk). Vyasa's description of mukta peeyusha varsha I depict as flow of star dust raining in galactic space rather than pearls and nectar raining over the deity on the ocean.
Regards. Partha
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written by TheBigThinkg, 2009-03-26 01:40:53
Thanx for ur comments.
Does my explanation make sense to you..?
And I am bit inquistive to know in what context you used the meaning of Ambhas as Plasma..? If u can throw some light on it, I would be happy.
-TBT
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written by P. Desikan, 2009-03-25 22:58:49
I only wonder whether the ambaka word in the Mantra, which can also be shortened to amba, that you are interpreting through your references to Nasadiya sukta (NS) and Aitareya Upanishad (AU), occurs in that form in those texts?
Dear TBT,
That was the only question I wanted to ask. Other than that, I have indicated to you that I have been enjoying your special insights into these
ancient texts. No one has a monopoly in insightful and intuitive thinking on these treasures which are our common assets.
Of course the celestial waters-plasma equivalence is highly likely. I have tried to use it too in a book, which is being serialized and not yet completed in a Hyderabad based religious periodical. Medhavis will of course be informed when the book gets published, hopefuly this year itself.
Regards. Partha
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written by TheBigThinkg, 2009-03-24 17:50:04
That is an interesting discussion. In fact the main reason why I started publishing my blogs on Vedas and Upanishads in Medhajournal is this feedback, that can help me to polish my thoughts. I am very grateful to you people.
As partha wrote, it appears that I took some liberties in mapping Amba to Ambha.
But let me put my reasoning for it. There are several places, I have taken a liberty tour, but with some justification. Some I might have done without my knowledge. Your feedback helps me to polish these thoughts further.
Ambha in Aitreya Upanishad and Nasadiya Suktam is interpreted as 'Celestial Waters' by later day sages and scholars. I would interpret it as "Plasma" that is neither bounded nor unbounded as stated in Nasadiya.
To describe this Plasma, probably sages chose the description of 'Some kind of Celestial Waters' and it got stuck.
Am Bha also means little lustrous. My intuition is that the name Ambha was given to this plasmic substance based on its lustre, but also used to described the physical nature of Vyom.
Probably if u happen to read scriptures where Ambha is used and if you interpret it as Plasma (instead of celestial waters), if it provides a different meaning, you can highlight it in this discussion.
This Ambha is the source of Universe. As cosmic forces got mapped to gods, my intuition again is this Ambha is mapped to Ambal, Amba, the female god.
Ambha is the source of Universe, giving rise to Purusha, the guardian of this Universe.
Amba is the source of life and perception, when she is paired with Rudra, the life-guiding force in Unvierse. This Amba the source of life and perception is the mother, eye etc.
Thus both Ambha and Amba are sources and same.
In Tryambakam, though amba is used as the life-source, I went on a tour to map it to Ambha, the source of this universe. The reasoning I did it they are both same, as I explained above, in my intuition.
As I wrote, I won't insist what I wrote is right. I write, because I am forced to. If it is only the ego that drives it, it will fail the test of time. If it is something beyond, it will stand the test of time.
Pl. feedback with your critical views. It is exciting for me too.
-TBT
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written by P. Desikan, 2009-03-23 22:39:44
Sky and Earth both represent different kinds of energy (Chinese call Sky Yang and Earth Yin energy), and their combination rises from Water and their interplay manifests everything that is manifest-able.
I fully agree, dear Dwai. Consider this cosmogenetic idea in a Kumarasambhava sloka (Kalidasa)
yad amogham apaam antah uptam beejam aja tvayaa|
atas charaacharam visvam prabhavas tasya geeyase ||
Into the waters was the immaculate seed cast by you, O unborn!
From that everything in the entire Universe, both animate and inanimate, has become manifest. You are praised as the originator.
Regards. Partha
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written by Dwai Lahiri, 2009-03-23 15:30:09
'He created these worlds, viz. ambhas, marici, mara, apah. That which is beyond heaven is ambhas. Heaven is its support. The sky is marici. The earth is mara. The worlds that are below are the apah.'
In this sloka, too, the word ambhas is used, which is equivalent to ambhah,the nominative singular form of the sakaaraanta word ambhas, meaning water among other things.
ambhas is never used to denote eye, while amba of course is used for such a meaning.
The two words are spelled respectively with an aspirated and unaspirated b sound.
Dear Partha and TBT,
I am drawn to Partha's translation of the AU sloka here and find this trend very prevalent -- "Water" or "Fluid" plays a big role in many slokas (such as Nasadiya as I have interpreted it to be). There is a greater symbolism at play here than meets the eye.
Sky and Earth both represent different kinds of energy (Chinese call Sky Yang and Earth Yin energy), and their combination rises from Water and their interplay manifests everything that is manifest-able.
Don't mean to take away focus from TBT's initial analysis or Partha's masterful explanation on the nuances of Sanskrit here...
Best,
Dwai
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written by P. Desikan, 2009-03-22 19:07:46
Your colourfully different ways of enjoyment of Nasadiya suktam, Aitereya Upanishad and now Maha Mrtyunjaya Mantra make absorbing reading and bring in many fresh insights.
Dear TBT, I only wonder whether the ambaka word in the Mantra, which can also be shortened to amba, that you are interpreting through your references to Nasadiya sukta (NS) and Aitareya Upanishad (AU), occurs in that form in those texts?
The last line of the first sloka in NS asks,
ambhah kim aasIt gahanam gabhIram?
Sloka I-i-2 of AU , one possible simple free translation of which can be
'He created these worlds, viz. ambhas, marici, mara, apah. That which is beyond heaven is ambhas. Heaven is its support. The sky is marici. The earth is mara. The worlds that are below are the apah.'
In this sloka, too, the word ambhas is used, which is equivalent to ambhah,the nominative singular form of the sakaaraanta word ambhas, meaning water among other things.
ambhas is never used to denote eye, while amba of course is used for such a meaning.
The two words are spelled respectively with an aspirated and unaspirated b sound.
None of this detracts from your masterly analysis of the Mantra, of course.
Regards. Partha.
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written by TheBigThinkg, 2009-03-21 17:08:14
I would not say what I wrote alone is right. I would leave it to the right of Purusha, which is time (wheel of time ).
However I will add few points here.
Amba, I would interpret it more as 'Source'. 'Source' is referred to also as 'Eye' in many Languages. For eg. Tamil 'Kann' means 'Eye' as well as 'Source'.
I think similarly in Sanskrit 'Source' is treated as 'Eye'. This is one way of looking at it. Hence 'Tryambakam' becomes 'Three eyes'.
In my article on Sapta Chakras, I had interpreted A-jna chakra as the stage of development when mind takes over command and control of body. Somewhere I think it is going to be symmetrical with development of Cosmos too.
Similar to the right, left, central meeting at A-jna chakra (in your interpretation), from Amba comes Marichi, Maram and Apa. Ofcourse I differ in the way, while I map it developing body or cosmos, you map it to an already developed body.
Ofcourse it is an off hand explanation. Lot more need to be understood, analysed and verified.
Thanx for ur comments. Any more feedback, you are welcome.
-TBT
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written by rudra, 2009-03-21 07:02:19
Nice followup on the Purusha Suktam and Nasadiya Suktam analyses you have done. While I have have different interpretations of these, as well as the Maha Mrtyunjay...I commend the effort and intellectual work that has gone into drawing the conclusions you have drawn.
Tryambakam is generally meant to represent "Three eyes" (Tri-Ambakam)...and the process described in the Mantra is known to represent the process of activation of the "third eye" or the "ajna chakra", which is the point where the Ida and Pingala Nadis meet with the Sushumna (left, right meets the central), before rising to the Sahasrara (the Crown point) -- a very important concept in Internal alchemy/tantra.
The Maha Mrtyunjay mantra works on the Ajna Chakra.
best,
Dwai
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Sorry if u felt, I was offended. No I was definitely not.
I do understand what you are writing. And I agree with you.
In fact, I had a big smile, when I read your comment. I didn't want to comment immediately, as I was not in my usual place, but couldn't resist it. I wanted to drop some smileys and I couldn't.
I also understand that there are million ways to interpret these texts. Possibly with bit of hardwork, u can map it to anything on earth.
Still, even if we are able to map it to anything, there is some underlying symmetry that one could decipher out of mapping it to anything. That could be useful to us.
On mapping it to science, somehow I have been drawn into this mapping. I am planning to interpret it more and more.
May be science will validate it someday. If yes, that is great. If no, it doesn't matter. Probably I will end up seeking that symmetry. Or still, I don't know its use.
Any information, Any thought, in my view is knowledge. For some, time has come and it appears knowledge. For some, time has not come and it would become knowledge sometime later.
Pl. feel free to comment, interact and be critical. In fact, based on your input, iam compiling all my thoughts (justifications!!) on mapping marichi to field of space !!!
-TBT