Treasures in the Vedas.

Soma----the nectar of the moon and mind.----Part-1

(This text is about the elixir soma described in the Vedas. Mainly the references are from Brihadaranyaka Upanishada (bRihadaaraNyaka upaniShada) and Chandogya Upanishad (chhaandogya upaniShada) and Koushitaki Upanishad (kOShItaki upaniShada). These Upanishads are parts of Yajur Veda (yajur veda), Sama Veda (saama veda) and Rik Veda (Rik veda.) The words in this text which are not English words are the words of Sanskrit language. When such Sanskrit words are written in italics, such words can be found in the Sanskrit English Lexicon by Sir. Williams Monier. This dictionary is available for free reading in Internet at the following address http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/monier/ . If you enter the Sanskrit word in italics in the citation box and select ITRANS for input, you can get the output based on you selection. You may select Devanagari Unicode.) Mind and the Divine mind In mind we determine. We decide whether to do a thing or not. Thus from there we become physically active accordingly. For example, when you walk, you determine to walk and when you are sure that you are going to walk, you rise from your seat and start walking. From the mind it gets extended to the physicality. Similarly all shapes and dimensions, colour, weight etc. which are essence of physicality is felt or known here in the mind. These shapes, dimensions etc. or appearance are commonly called rUpa. Actually, rUpa means anything which is a subject of vision. Mind has been termed as the divine vision or third eye. Effigies of Hindu gods/goddesses sometimes show the third eye above the junction of eyebrow which is known as the physical seat of mind. Also many south east Asian ladies wear a forehead decoration, called bindi in Indian languages. This is usually a small circular patch of color applied at or near the junction of the two eyebrows on the forehead. bindi means vindu or point. Significantly, mind is also called aNu (minute or atom) in the texts as it has all the sense of physicality in it including dimensions but mind is without dimensions. The sun and the eyes are corresponding parts or entities. The sun is termed as the eye of the universe. In the planetary system where we are placed, all formation i.e. creation and light i.e. revelation, vision are connected to our sun. Mind is immediately above the physicality. The organs like the eyes, ears, hands are the interface between the mind and physicality. The mind, which each one of us is having, is a part of the universal or divine mind in which we and everything are realized. Divinity is called 'div' or 'dyu' in Sanskrit and it means the plane of revelation. Thus all that is revealed or going to be revealed is in the divine mind. The seer (RiShi) has said: atha(and) aetasya(this)manaso(mind's)douh(the divinity or the divine plane) sharIram (is the body or expanse) jyotih (illuminated) rUpam(form) osu(that) aditya(the sun or aditya i.e. who is characterized by Oneness.)-------And the body or the expanse of the universal mind is the divine plane or divinity and illuminated form of the mind is the sun or aditya). ( Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, 12th hymn). [Type text]

vaak and what is already known i.e. past Now the seer (RiShiwho can see beyond everything) has said that 'whatever could be known or will be known' is the 'mind'! And also the seer has said that 'whatever is already known' is 'vaak' . ( Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, 9th and 8th hymn) 'vaak' is the first expression of Consciousness when anything is going to be formed or created. 'vaakya' (expressed or articulated word) is the expressed form of vaak i.e. the created or processed word. 'vaak' or the Consciousness expressing the universe has become Herself expressed as the universe. This 'expression' is the formed universe and known as 'vaakya' or 'word'. This expressed universe consists of the 'words or are conscious expression '. Words are the every object, every entity. As it is already formed so it is 'past'. This is why in Sanskrit, the word 'bhUta' means an 'object' and also it means 'past' or realized. We human beings live on what is already created. The earth, air, water... all have already been created and we live on them. Thus the text says that 'vaak' nourishes us by becoming 'all that is known'. At one end,` Consciousness is 'vaak' who initiates every event; when the event is created and realized, when it is materialized or earthed it is called vaakya or word. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Eighth hymn) It is for this reason the seer has said: tassai (that) vaachi (vaaks) pRithivai(earh) sharIram(is the body), jyoti rUpam(illuminated form) idam(this) agni(fire)----that vaaks body is the earth and illuminated form is this (terrestrial) fire. In Sanskrit, the word meaning is called artha. Thus word artha means realized word and is similar in pronunciation to the word earth. Earth means realized words of Universal Consciousness or artha and thus the body or expression of vaak is termed as the earth. Anything which is material, which is physical is nothing but vaak, is nothing but the word of Consciousness realized as physical. Thus our body is the earth and the life, praaNa in the body is the illuminated form of vaak. Thus the fire is burning in the core of the earth. Thus the human beings bury dead body under the earth or cremate in the fire. We are conscious, we are always talking and listening, our consciousness is burning within us. Our body is the earth. Mind, seed, future, what could be known, pitRiloka (abode of divine fathers.) In the mind it is like seed. Everything, all that can be known, say of a flower, is in the mind. If it is not already known also, it is held in the mind. Our mind is a part of the Universal or divine mind. This is why 'mind' is future', all seeds are held there. Whatever will be created or known in future is already in the Mind. So, the seer has said 'whatever is yet to be known all is in Mind'. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Sixth hymn). Thus the seer has said 'manah pitarah' i.e. 'mind' is the 'plane of Fathers'. 'Plane of Fathers'(pitRiloka) refers to the abode of divine fathers. This is that aspect of Consciousness where every entity in the form of 'seed' is held. The whole sequence of an expression, the entire link, genealogy is here. Here everything is existing with its entirety in oneness or without sequence. This is how we also remain in our father's body before we enter into the mother. We conceive dimension or space in the mind but we can feel that the mind has no dimension. Thus the divine fathers are said to have dimensions in the divinity. It is dimension but without dimension. [Type text]

Thus an extract from a hymn to the Fathers says: pitRin (to the Fathers) namaste (we bow) divi(in the divinity) je cha (even) murtaa (who are in forms/dimensions)-----we bow to the Fathers who even in the divinity exist in defined forms. There are seven divine fathers. All the fathers in our past, present and future lives are parts of these divine fathers. We inherit our instincts from the fathers. Our fathers belong to pitRiloka where the Consciousness is present as the divine fathers. There are seven divine fathers. Number seven represents wrapping up. Seven is called sapta and etymologically it means saha(together)+aapta (achieved)----where in one everything is achieved. So, seven is all in one. It is like the white light which has in it all the seven colours. These Fathers belong to the realm of soma or Moon where we have earlier mentioned that the things remain as seeds. It is from this lunar plane we descend to distinct individuality which is called pRithivI or earth (=artha = meaning or realization of words). The word pRithivI is related to the word pRithak meaning separate or distinct. Both these words have the root pRith. The specialty of this earth or pRithivI is that here everything exists in a clearly defined and separated form. Here duality, individuality, segregation is very prominent. This is also earth or artha. artha means the meaning or realization of words. Words or forms of Consciousness are realized as materials, as the earth. Here vaak(also identified with vidyut or Electricity in the texts) is earthed. Here Consciousness is in the ultimate stage of existence in singular forms. Electricity in Sanskrit means vidyut which means vid (existence) + ut (supreme). (That is anything in its Electrical form reveals its supreme state of existence.) The divine pair---Earth and the Heaven 'vaak has been identified with the earth (pRithivI) and the Mind has been identified with the heaven or divinity (dyu). The pair, heaven and the earth, dyu and pRithivI, is called dyaavaapRithivI and is the famous conjugal pair of the Vedas. Everything whatever we see is created from the conjugation of the heaven and the earth. Thus everything is a mix of divinity and mortality! The pair is also known as 'dyu' and 'bhU'. Whatever is there in the mind is created or transformed into individuality or a form by 'vaak'. Thus 'vaak' conjugates with 'mind' to create everything in the universe. aKShara,praaNa and Ishvara When in the beginning, there is no activity (energy at rest), there is only Oneness, but as the One is about to create, that creating aspect of Consciousness is called 'akShara' (meaning who does not decay or more appropriately 'the One who decays or splits but still remains the same or One). When 'akShara' splits, goes for duality, Consciousness or 'akShara' becomes 'praaNa'. This is the state of immutable soul in action. Action means to know. The word knowledge in Sanskrit is j~naana and has two parts---j~na (pronunciation of j~na resembles to that of know) which means the knower or who knows and ana means animation or senses of the knower or knowing of the knower. Thus in all animation, in all actions of Consciousness, there this j~na or the knower who remains unchanged, immutable and His knowing is expressed as the activity; this activity is briefly creation, sustaining and [Type text]

annihilation. This active personality is praaNa, the divine life flowing in all of us or acting on all of us. This aspect of activeness is also called Ishvara in the texts. praaNa means 'akShara is knowingfrom this knowing the time starts, the life starts flowing. This is a stage of omniscience. This is not like a computer. This knowing does not exist without a heart or hRidaya. It is unbounded love. Consciousness is thus our life, Universal life and eternal. Consciousness becomes everything and also remains immutable ONE as the core! So, Consciousness is eternal. (So, the text says: satyam(truth), j~anam(consciousness), anantam(eternal), vrahma(absolute)----The Absolute is the Reality, Consciousness and Eternal) As akShara becomes active as praaNa, there are two things, the entire activity is held in a single sequence; i.e. the creation, existence and termination are all together; also, the Consciousness reveals as sequences and thus in us, time or actions are in sequence. For us, every event has a beginning, has an existence and has an ending. Now, akShara in activity is 'praaNa' and praaNa splits into 'vaak' and 'manas' or 'Mind'. Then 'vaak' and' Mind' conjugates to create the universe. vaak initiates the Mind to release the sperm and captures it in Her(vaak) to create an entity. This is why, we have a word for every entity; each entity has a definition, has a name. It is interesting to note that the word 'akShara also means alphabets. What is unknown, beyond time, praaNa Then the seer has said whatever is unknown that is praaNa. The One who knows and whose knowledge is everything, from whose knowing or sense the universe is created is praaNa. The Knower is defined or known by what is created. But that is only a part. The other par is the creator who remains unknown. You cannot know the Knower (j~na), because Knower by knowing becomes you or your senses. The Knower remains unknown. Knower means, the active Consciousness who knows Himself /Herself by Himself/ Herself and from that action all dualities, every individual, every entity are created. This is praaNa-- the Knower in all the knowing. Thus the seer has said: yeno (by whom) idam(this) sarvam(all) vijaanaati(can be known) tat (thatby whom all can be known) keno ( how) vijaanIyaat(will know)-----the One by whom you know everything how will you know the One; (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Fourth chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Fifteenth hymn---Discourse between the seer yaaj~navalkya and His wife maitreyI.) vij~naataram(knower) awre(hi) keno(by whom or how) vijaanIyaat(will know)----Hi, how will you know the knower? (Hi, how will you know the One whose knowledge or knowing is your senses?) (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Fourth chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, fifteenth hymn---Discourse between the seer yaaj~navalkya and His wife maitreyI.) Moment we know something, we become separated from Universal Consciousness (Universal soul, Source) as a separate knower; and this whole process also happens in Consciousness. We cannot know the source without getting merged. [Type text]

Whatever you know thats a formation of the Knowledge or the Knower (Consciousness, The soul) and you are a part and parcel of the process of this Knowing to which you and your own senses also belong. indra the unrivalled Then the seer said: From the conjugation of 'vaak' and 'manas', 'praana' named 'indra' is born. Here, praaNa means the praaNa or life in us, the living individual. So, the Consciousness/Mind enters into every form that 'vaak' creates or arranges! It must be remembered that 'vaak, 'praaNa', 'Mind' are all aspects of Consciousness. Thus we are created in the mind of the creator. The seer has said: tou (the two) mithunam(intercourse) sam oitam(entered)----the two (mind and vaak) entered into intercourse; tatah(from them) praNah(praaNa) ajayata(was born)-----from them praaNa was born; (i.e. from praaNa, praaNa was born as a separate entity;) sa indrah----he(praaNa) was indra Twelfth hymn.) (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part,

indra =idam (it) + dra (observer or seer; draShTRi =one who sees ). As Consciousness splits into duality and entities are created, in each entity Universal Consciousness exists as that entity or as that individual. Each entity or individual is a centre of perception or vision. It is a micro-station. This each individual is indra. (Individual----who cannot be divided, who is not divisible-----each unit. Individual----Indi---Independent, vid----observer). So, in each of us, Consciousness as indra is not seeing any duality, though as 'us' Consciousness has become 'dual' and seeing duality. Thus there is a state of oneness and duality in each of us. In our indra aspect, we will see oneness in duality. It may be noted that as Universal Consciousness has become each individual through creation, so each individual is different from Universal Consciousness and still each individual is same as the Universal Consciousness and remains established or founded in Universal Consciousness. It is like vortices of water in water mass. Thus in each creation, in each individual, there is this indivisibility or oneness and also feeling of duality. Thus the seer has said: sa aesHah asapatna --he(Indra) is without multiple wives----there is no one around him who rivals (When a man has many wives they rival with each other; as they identify each as different from the other.) dvitIyo (dual or duality) vai( is) sapatnoh (multiple wives)---- multiple wives (shakti) mean living in duality. ((Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Twelfth hymn.) ( In 'Chandogya Upanishad', creation has been described as the conjugation of 'praaNa'(male) and 'vaak'(female). Here, in Brihadaranyaka, the same thing has been described with more 'break up' by describing the conjugation as that of 'vaak' and 'manas' or Mind. In Chandogya, praaNa is the [Type text]

Consciousness in activity and who conjugates with vaak to create. In Brihadaranyaka, Mind or the Consciousness in which all creations / creatures are in seed forms (like sperms in a male) conjugates with vaak to create; praaNa is the activity of immutable universal soul akShara. The action of this activity is the conjugation of manas or mind and vaak.) Thus praaNa, also termed as mukhya praaNa (mukhya= principal or who resides in the mouth, or who is characterized by the mouth or origin) creates and becomes multiple entities, and each entity is indra. That praaNa enters into each dimension is described by the term madhyama praaNa. madhyama means medium i.e. who has entered or who is inside or who is in the middle of everything! When we will know ourselves as the micro form or split of the Universal Consciousness and held in Universal Consciousness we will also identify ourselves as indra. Knowing thus makes one the king of the heaven. Nothing remains beyond his reach, beyond his vision. indra the king of the heaven is said to have thousand eyes (sahasralochana). Thus in the text named chaNdI (which describes the charitra or character of the Universal Mother in three charita or in three chapters) Universal Mother is quoted as saying trailokya indra labhatam (indra will become the king of the three loka} devah santu havirbhUja (the deities will get back all the oblations offered to them) yuam (you; you asuras, you who supports duality and obscures Oneness) prayata (depart) paatale(underground) jadi(if) jIvItam(to survive) ichaatha(you wish)! (if you wish to survive) indra will get all the three loka (planes or spaces; dyudivinity/ heaventhe space that reveals; antarIkShathe space in between, the space that connects; bhU---the earth, the space realized.) the deities will get back there oblations or rights you (asura; who support duality and obscures Oneness) move under the earth if you wish to survive. Thus indra is unrivalled; His vision is not obstructed by duality; in all that he sees he sees the One in all the dualities; thus indra has many a wives but there is no rivalry. pratirUpa, indra,prajaapati As every entity, every creature is created from Universal Consciousness and as in each of them the Universal consciousness remains as it is (madhyama praaNa), so every unit, every creature corresponds to the whole, corresponds to the Universal Consciousness or Soul. This is known as prati which means corresponding, each, every; thus prati rUpa means corresponding form; and this is why individual soul is called pratyak aatman. aatman means soul. pratyak means turned toward or turned inward/westward. West also means back. Turning to west means, to turn back, to turn toward the origin. What is being created or revealed that appears in the front or east and from where the revelation takes place that belongs to the origin and which is the west direction behind the

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revelation. Thus the soul seen in every individual is called pratyak aatman; one has to look back, look internally to see the soul. Thus there is this hymn addressed to praaNa: praajapatih (as prajaapati) charasi (you move ) garbhe(in the womb) tameva(it is you) pratijaayase (who is born as a corresponding one) ---as praajapati(lord of all the creatures or who controls over the birth of every one) you move in the womb; it is you who is born as every unit (creature) corresponding to you! (Prashnopanishad). Similarly, there is this hymn in Upanishad, which says, as the Universal Consciousness creates (sees) every form, similarly in each unit, in each form, as individual (indra) He creates (sees) correspondingly. Thus it is said: rUpam (against a form) rUpam (against a form) prati (corresponding) rupah (form) vabhUbhah (HE has become) tadaysya (that this) rupam(forms) pratIchakShaNaaya (for viewing correspondingly) indro (indra) maayabhi(by maaya, by the power of maa or measure) purU (in various )rupa (forms) Iyate (have entered) (extract from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Second Chapter, 5th part, 11th hymn) for every form a corresponding form is created to see every form correspondingly indra by maaya have become many! This is a sweet, honey relationship between the creature and the creation. This is told by a seer called dadhIchi to the twin deities ashvinIkumaara while preaching them madhu (honey) vidyaa(knowledge)---knowledge of sweetness. The tree you see is a corresponding form; it is the feelings of the tree formed in you, in your inner space. This inner space is antarIkSha and the realm of moon, the realm of soma. The tree itself i.e. the external impulse which comes to you to create the sense of a tree is the tree in the Universal consciousness. This tree in the Universal consciousness is the form or rUpa. The tree that you feel and sense in you is the corresponding form or pratirUpa the form created by Universal Consciousness in your consciousness or in you and this corresponding from in every individual differs from the other. This is why the idols worshipped by the Hindus are called pratimaa meaning prati (corresponding) + maa (measure). The southern fire, dakShiNaagni, Then the seer has said: atha(and now) aetasya(this) praaNsya (praaNas) apah(water) sharIram (body or the expanse) jyoti(illuminated) rUpam(form) asou(that) chandra(moon).( Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Thirteenth hymn.)---And now the body of this praaNa is the water and the illuminated form is the moon. [Type text]

Here, the seer is talking about the praaNa who has entered in all of us, in the middle of us, as described above. It may be noted that aap {also ap} (water) and the chandramas (moon) are the forms or bodies or spread of the middle fire or praaNa called dakShiNaagni. (Chandogya Upanishad, Fourth Chapter, Tenth part, Chapter on the seer called upokoshala and the Fires/praaNa). Middle fire or madhayama (middle) praaNa, means the personality of Consciousness who controls all those who are created or who are in the middle i.e. between the origin and end. (ap or water, aqua) ap, aap means, aapti or achieving or acquiring (aqua) what is desired. This is why this word stands for water (aqua). This is that aspect of Consciousness who quenches our thirst, who fulfills our desires. These worlds, this universe, all that were created, are being created and will be created are the achievements, accomplishment of the Universal Mother or the Universal consciousness. Beyond every creation, there is a desire. Creation cannot happen without desire and without the fulfillment of desire. Desire is the teja or radiance in the texts and the fulfillment of desire or thirst is ap and also referred as jala{water} in the texts. Thus the text says: tad (that; Consciousness, who was ONE in the beginning) oikShata(desired, determined, activated) vahu (multiple) sam (I will be) prjaayeya(creating)----that Consciousness (who was ONE) desired to multiply by creation.(Chandogya Upanishad, Sixth Chapter, Second part, Preaching of aaruNi to shvetaketu.) Moon, water and the inner-space or antarIkSha This entire creation is the ap, aap, water or achievement of Consciousness. This water is the body of praaNa the creator who is holding all of us as His own identity. The shine, the revelation by which Consciousness multiplied, split, is the shine of the sun----like the rays those refract to produce a shape or appearance of light. Here in the middle, in the inner space or antarIkSha it is the soothing light of moon (chandramas), it is like reflection, like internal reflection, like the light in which we dream. The divine Mind has the illuminated form which is the Sun, whose light is the creative (refractive light). Here in this light there is creation, there is splitting of the self, there is radiation. When the creation is done, the Creator becomes reflective. Here in moon, the light is reflective, it absorbs and reflects. It shines internally in itself. Thus this middle plane is called antarIkSha. antarIkSha-----antara (internal) + IkShaNa (seeing). It is to see internally, to reflect. Thus this reflection of the mind is the illumination of the praaNa. Here the Universal Consciousness is in the reflective mood of feeling all that the Consciousness has created out of Consciousness. There are two aspects---(i) creation/separation/ duality----this is the act of speaking; (ii) then the perceiving/ feeling what is created---this is the act of hearing (shruti). Thus we always hear what we speak. It is for this reason, in the Vedas, it is stated that shrotre tRipyati chandramasi tRipyati--- when the ears (listening) are satisfied, the moon is satisfied ( Chandogya Upanishad, fifth chapter, twentieth part, second hymn).

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The moon is as if bathing in the sunlight. Reflection and absorptions are the main characteristics. Whatever is radiated, separated as an individual, accepting that, accomplishing that, capturing or having that as the own illumination or identity is the character of the inner space or antarIkSha. So, every individual has its own world in this inner space or antarIkSha. Thus the same word is listened differently by different listeners. Thus the creator is regaling with all the rays capturing in His inner world or antarIkSha. It is as if the creator is bathing in His own raysthe rays of the sun are captured, taken in to become its own shine ----this is the shine of moon, the reflection, rather the internal reflection. Thus the seer has identified the reflective mind with antarIkSha-----manah(mind) antarikShalokoh(is the antarIkSha). (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Fourth hymn.) Where in the hymns, this moon, this water has been cited, there the seer has further said---- te(those) ete (these) sarve(all) aeva(are) sama(same), sarve(all) ananta(without end)-----they all are the same and eternal! (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Thirteenth hymn.) As explained above mind is also identified with the pitRiloka (abode of divine fathers). There is a hymn in kaThopaniShad, 'yathaa svapne, tathaa piTriloke----as it is in the dream, so it is in pitRiloka. The moon and the dream Thus moon and mind are identified with the state of 'dream'. In dream we see, feel everything internally. Whatever we see externally, when we are awake, same or similar things we see or similar things we feel in dream. We dream in our inner illumination. We take the external things in, and then without the external illumination, the things are illuminated by the internal light which is the dream. This is like the moon, taking the light of sun and converting it into its own serene shine. As explained above mind is also identified with the pitRiloka (abode of divine fathers). There is a hymn in kaThopaniShad, 'yathaa svapne, tathaa piTriloke----as it is in the dream, so it is in pitRiloka. This dream is the middle state. It is the junction between the state of 'wakefulness' and state of 'sleep'. The middle state, dream has also been described as 'sandhi (junction) sthaana(station or place)---the junction (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad..........). It is mentioned there, the 'creation happens in the junction'. (sandhe shRiShtir aha.... Brihadaranyaka Upanishad). Thus it is the abode of divine fathers where all the seeds of all creatures exist. From the perspective of the creator, whatever is dreamt that comes true. Dream coming true means, that the dream is realized as earth or dream becomes true, physical. Thus there are these three states: The state of sleep (suShupti)----darkness for us but it is the illuminated Oneness. The state of dream (svapna)----the inner illumination, the junction between the sleep and wakefulness, the realm of mind. Here everything is seeded, not extended to external. When we dream we dream in our respective world and we don't interact with the subjects of external world.

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The state of wakefulness is the light for us. We have the full individuality. Everything is defined, differentiated. The inner world is no longer dominant. The light of divinity is earthed.

prajaapati and sama-vatsara (the creator and the time of revolution) Then the seer has said about prajaapati and sama-vatsara. Prajaapati means who is the lord of the prajaa. prajaa means who are elegantly created. pra( most appropriately +jaa (created, produced). The word sama-vatsara commonly means a complete or full year. The word vatsara means a year and is connected with the word vatsa. vatsa means an offspring. (vatsa and vatsara are like the words year and yearling). vaatsara(year)= vatsaya(for the offspring) + sRijati(raining, pouring down)----secreting for the offspring--the milk of the breasts, the all nourishing life, the streams of the senses. When the rays of the sun are absorbed and blended they are the moons rays. Whatever is coming from the Creator, from the Universal Consciousness, in inner space or antarIkSha they are absorbed in us becoming our shine, our nourishment, our expression, our life. Thus we are nourished. We are also shining. We are Consciousness, our senses are shining. Thus is samavatsara. The phases of moon, ShoDasha kalaa (sixteen phases) So, the seer has said: sa (He, the praaNa whose shine is the moon, whose body is the water) aesha (this) samavatsara prajaapatih----praaNa is this sama-vatsara and praajapati. Then the seer said---there are sixteen phases of prajaapati, the lord of the creatures. Sixteen phases is called ShoDasha (sixteen) kalaah (phases). The word kalaa means phase and 'kalaah' is the plural form. If the word is broken it is kala + a; ka is the first consonant of Sanskrit alphabet and means the initiation or beginning of external manifestation. It also represents q or question which starts as soon as the creation begins. Like, who is the creator, from where all these have come, who am I. la means laya or termination. Thus the whole activity from, creation to termination is kaala or manifested as time. kalaa is the phase during these actions of time. Thus we all wax and we all wean. In every moment also we wax in one way and we wean in another way. We are being reared by the lunar time derived from the solar time. These two time create our time or the terrestrial time. The constant phase of moon, 'atihi' or 'the guest' hidden in the cask of 'soma'. These sixteen phases of the lord prajaapati who is prevailing on us, whose illuminated or revealed form is the moon, consist of (1 +15) phases. The sixteenth phase is the fixed phase and is called dhruvaa (female form of the word dhruva meaning who never changes). Fixed means, this phase always remains with the rest 15 phases. This constant phase is our immutable, immortal form. The phases of moon or the lunar days are called tithi. atithi means a(without) + tithi (phase)----i.e. who is constant or dhruva. The common meaning of the word atithi is guest. There is a hymn in kaTha [Type text]

Upanishad(Second Chapter, Second Part, Second hymn) where it is said atithi duroN sat----atithi is inside the duroN or droNa or inside the jar of soma juice, hidden inside the cask of wine. In our turmoil, in our waxing and waning, we remain constant, immaculate and immutable at one end, at the pivot, which is our fixed or constant phase or dhruva form. The guest, atithi remains obscured to us by the turmoil of time and tide. We remain unchanged and unruffled in our atithi form. Now the seer has said that the nights are the rest fifteen phases----tasya(His---moons or prajaapatis) raatrayoh(nights) eba(are) panchadasha(fifteen) kalah(phases); (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Fourteenth hymn.)-----prajaapati / moon passes through the other phases in fifteen nights or fifteen nights are the other phases; sah(he) raatribhih(by the nights) eba aa cha puryate (is filled or grown) apa cha(and also) kShIyate (is decayed or emaciated)---- prajaapati / moon is filled or grown by the nights as well as is decayed or emaciated by the nights; sah (he) amavasyam(in the new moon) raatrim(night) etaya(along with these) shoroSha(sixteen) kalaaya (phases) sarvam(all) idam(these) praaNa-bhRit(who are being reared by praaNa) anupravishya(by entering) tatah(thereafter) praatah(in the morning) jaayate(he comes out or creates himself)----- during the night of new-moon he (prajaapati / moon) along with these sixteen phases enters all those who are being reared by praaNa (by the secreting streams of life) and comes out of them in the morning! Sixteenth phase is dhruvaa or the immutable, immortal soul. The fifteen phases, cooking the universe. Fifteen=pa~nchadasha=pa~nchama + dasha. pa~nchama=fifth, related to five. pa~ncha praaNa = five praaNa (praaNa, vyaana, apaana, samaana, udaana), and also related to the word pa~nchIkaraNa. pa~nchIkaraNa means to mix five fundamental elements or mixing of fives aspects of praaNa to create an individual or entity. It is interesting note the similarity between the word pa~nchama and the word punch (beverage mixed with different components). It is also interesting to mention here that there is a recipe used in Indian cooking called paanch phoran (five spices). paanch = five; phoran= sphuraNa =which sparks or manifests, i.e. five praaNa. dasha = ten (corresponding Latin word is decem similar to the word dashama meaning tenth). The word dashaa also means state or phase of life of any entity; more appropriately it means an accomplished state. Actually the five aspects of praaNa along with the five sensory organs and five corresponding working organs define completely a creature as a separate identity from the source or the soul. Along with the source or immutable soul it is 1 +15 =16.

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15 = 5 (pa~ncha praaNa, five aspects of praaNa mixing to create) +10 (dasha or dashaa i.e. state of the life of the creature). (10 = 5 sensory organs ears, lips/skin, eyes, tongue, smell; 5 working organs: tongue, hands, legs, genital, anus). Five sensory organs are the seats of five aspects of praaNa. The sensory and working organs are related to each other, each sensory organ has a corresponding working organ. These corresponding pairs are (ear, tongue), (lips/skin, hands),(eyes, legs), (tongue, genitals), (smell, anus). This accomplished stage (designated by the number ten), with the controlling authority and fundamental ingredients (i.e. five aspects of praaNa (designated by the number five) and the constant immutable (dhruba, designated by the number 1) soul at the root is the complete description; and this complete unit is designated by the number sixteen. So, sixteen represents the number that stands for the full or whole, i.e. for the creator along with the creation. Thus the seer has said: shoroShahah kalah somya puruShah every entity consists of sixteen phases (extract from Chandogya Upanishad Sixth chapter, first hymn). Thus it is like this: Consciousness as vaak, initiates the forms in the form of seed in the mind or manas of Consciousness. Thus Consciousness enters the form with the sixteen phases. Thus a created form is made of the immutable soul and the fifteen phases. Thus, every unit, every creature, finds itself/himself/herself as immutable, immortal at the root as there is that dhurva kalaa or unchanged phase in every creature! Thus in the macro cycle of life these sixteen lunar phases will be there in any system of creation. These actions of phases happen in all the ways, in every creation and in every moment of the life. In Consciousness we are always being created and terminated. If at one moment you see a flower and next moment you see a leaf, the two observers are different. Each one is created and terminated. In each creation these 16 phases are there. In our planet this is also happening by the lunar effects. The new moon (amaavasyaa) ---beyond measure. amaavasyaa is the time or phase called new moon; this is the time when the eternal soul, who is everold, who is before every event, wishes to become new, a new creation. It may be a new event, a new creature, a new moment or whatever new. So, this new moon, also called nava kalaa (new phase). This nava kalaa is there in every event, otherwise nothing can happen, time cannot move. amaavasyaa = amaa + vaasya amaa= a (without) + maa (maatraa or measure)----the unbounded Consciousness, beyond measure. vaasya----is from the root word vas which is a verb and means to dwell, to cover. amaavasya----means the phase when vaak dwells with manas or mind. During this phase the illuminated part of the moon is turned toward the sun. They cohabit to create. The illuminated part of moon turns toward the sun during the new-moon. The Moon, the Mind or manas turns toward vaak or aditi during new moon. The sun is called aditya who is the centre of pleasure of Oneness and son of aditi. aditya=son of aditi and aditi= a(without) +diti(duality). Goddess aditi is the mother of the deities. vaak is aditi from whom all the deities and everyone is created. [Type text]

The 'vaak' or shakti conjugates with 'manas' or 'mind'. At that moment everything is not there or shrouded by 'ONEnesss'. This Oneness is 'aditi' and the event or time is amaavasya. Consciousness becomes measurable or defined by the creation. Every perceptible thing or every perception is a measure of consciousness, is a definition. But Consciousness still remains in the undefined stage or the stage which we call root or source of everything. Since everything, every perception, including our perception and ourselves are the perception of Universal Consciousness or knowledge of Universal Consciousness, so at the root Consciousness remains unknown. If anything to be known, that happens by merging. We can say, more we identify ourselves with Consciousness, with the source of Universe, more we know Consciousness. This is called 'self-realization'. So, beyond every creation or event, New moon or amaavasyaa will be there. Thus there is this hymn in Upanishad to 'ama' who is 'a'. a means without anything or without anything else; so, a means One or where there is no body but One; and 'ma' which is the mortality, death (mRityu) or end. 'ma' is the last of the consonants called 'sparsha varNa' or alphabets of touch. It denotes the end or the mortality (the end of life flow or end of air or touch).Thus 'ama' means the Consciousness who is everything, every moment, from the beginning to the end. 'amaa' is the 'maa' or measure of 'a' who is at the 'beginning'. Also, 'amaa' means 'a' (without) maa (maatraa or measures), i.e. who cannot be measured. Thus in Chandogya Upanishad the Rishi (seer) has said: amah (ama) nama (name) asi (is) (your name is ama) amaa (without measure) hi te (yours) sarvam (all) idam (these) (your all these are beyond measure) sah(she) hi jyeShThyah(is the foremost ) shreShThah (supreme) raajaa(radiant) adhipatih(dominating) (She is the foremost, supreme, radiant and dominator) sah (he/she) ma(me) jaiShTham (in the state of being foremost) shraiShTham (supremacy) rajyam (radiance) aadhipatyam (domination) gamayatu (lead) (Let She lead me to be the foremost, lead me into supremacy, lead me into radiance, lead me in the dominance) aham (I ) eva(also) idam(these) sarvam(all) asaani(wants to be) (I also want to become everything, all these universe) (Chandogya Upanishad, Fifth chapter, Second part, Sixth hymn.) Actions in lunar realm, dakShiNaagni, moon and water.

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We have mentioned that aditya (the sun) is the son of 'aditi'. The sun is the centre of assimilation as it is the centre of time. Our evolution, or assimilation in Universal consciousness is manifested with time. The corresponding centre in us is the 'solar plexus' or 'maNipura chakra' which controls assimilation of food, digestion process. Assimilation, digestion is the process by which what is foreign or different becomes a part us. Sun is our centre of time. Anywhere there will be a sun as the centre or source of time. We evolve as the time passes. This evolution is also assimilation by the creator who is devouring us. We become more evolved as we get more digested in Universal Consciousness. We become more and more enhanced species and start treading on the path of Self-realization. The aspect of 'aditya' or sun that makes this assimilation happen in us is called 'moon'. We have already mentioned above about moon and the fire (active Consciousness) called dakShiNaagni whose another Vedic name is 'anna-ahara-pachana-agni' which means the activity of Consciousness or fire(agni) by which foods (anna) are digested (pachana) while eating or taking anything in (ahara). Moon is the central or principal personality of the aspect of Universal Consciousness called dakShiNaagni. The moon in the external sky and the lunar centre in us are intimately controlling the secretion and circulation of fluids and accomplishment or assimilation. The physical location of lunar plexus is below the solar plexus and is called 'svaadhiShThaana '. In the external world, in our earth, the vegetation, fruits, flowers, crops are all intimately controlled by the lunar actions. This is why still many Hindus follow certain rules those govern which food should be or should not be consumed during a given phase of moon. Whatever radiates from the source, from the sun, is distributed and finally acquired through the lunar realm. The light of sun is as if it is principally radiating, separating out from the source to radiate or illuminate others. It is splitting to form dualities. The term 'radiation' in the Vedic texts is used by Sanskrit word called 'varSha' meaning 'year' as well as 'rain'. Thus whatever rains from the source, that has a year, a complete cycle, from the source to the recipient and back. This complete cycle is also called 'samvatsara' as explained earlier above as the full cycle to return to the source, the full cycle to rear a child to maturity. Thus our accomplishment, nourishment, our destiny, our future are implemented through the Lunar Centre by the Consciousness as dakShiNaagni. One of the bodies of dakShiNaagni is 'ap' which is 'aapti', accomplishment or fulfillment. 'ap' also means 'aqua' or water that quenches our thirst. In her divine form, the goddess 'ap', who is the personality, called 'ap' or 'water', of Universal Consciousness, fulfills every ones desire and thus quenches the thirst and cleans. Secreting moon and soma soma =su (secreting) + ama. We have explained the meaning of 'ama' above. So, 'soma is that what is secreting from the Universal Consciousness who is also known in the Veda as 'dogdhRi' meaning the 'milker' or 'the maid who milks the cow'! In Chandogya (chhaandogya) it is stated that, vaak Herself milks Her milk to nourish the one who pursues to know Her (dugdhe asmai vaak dohaam yat vachoh dohoh..... Chandogya Upanishad, First Chapter, Thirteenth part, Fourth hymn).

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Whatever secretes from Her (Universal Consciousness) is also eternal or beyond measure. (See above the hymn on 'ama'). Thus when I see a flower and if it brings to me all the knowledge, all the feelings and senses of a flower, then it is soma. Thus knowing that flower, I feel or get the eternity. That is something un-ending, eternal expression of Consciousness that has created the feeling of flower (or that has created the flowers) in the Universe across all time and across all the space and will create. This eternity or aanantya is the specialty that demarcates the line between divinity and mortality. Thus the deities are eager for soma, thus indra, thus marut, thus vishvadeva (the collective deities of the universe). However, as we are seeing duality, seeing things as dissected from the origin, we dont get the entirety of the feeling which we have described above as soma. So we are all eternal as we are all Her secretion. When we see this we see divinity. When we do not see this we see 'mortality' or 'limits'. Thus everything, every feeling, every stroke of sound or vision, every sway of joy or sorrow, everything is 'soma', it is most intoxicating. It is this drink, which Vedas have said is secreting for indra the king of heaven -----indo (soma) indraayo (for indra) parisravah (let flow) ----let soma flow for indra. soma is called (i) indu---(ind) idam +(du) dohayati-----this secretion! The feeding mother In both Brihadranyaka and KauShItaki Upanishad, the Moon or the goddess in moon has been addressed when the new-born is born and breast milk of the mother is offered. This is an extract from the second chapter, 8th hymn of Kaushitaki Upanishad. This hymn is addressed to the westward moon on the new moon night. A part from the hymn is like this: yat te (that yours) susImam (seemingly divided) hRidayam (heart) chandramasishritam (which is founded in the moon) tena (by that; by that heart) amRitatvasya Ishane (oh the Controller of divinity!) ma(never) aham (me) poutram (regarding my child) agham (sufferings) rudam (cry) Oh the Controller of divinity! By the nectar coming out of your seemingly divided breasts founded in the moon, may I never have to cry for my child, may the child be never be in sufferings . Another extract of a hymn from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is as below. This is quoted when the mothers milk is first offered to the new born: atha enam (now it is; now the newborn is;) maatre (to the mother) pradaay (taken) stanam (breast, breast milk) prayachhati (is offered)---- now the new born is taken to the mother and breast milk is offered to it; yat te stanam (the breasts of yours which) shashayah (secret as the rays of moon) , yah mayobhu (the milk which creates the joy; milk which is created out of joy;), yah ratnadha(the milk which holds the treasures), yah vasuvit( the milk which sustains all that is existingvasu), yah sudrata (the milk that brings good); yena(by which) vishva(every one in the universe) puShasi(you nourish) varyani (adorable) srasvati(ye, the goddess Sarasvati, {goddess of word}; ye vaak) tam(that milk) iha (here, in the breasts of this mother) dhaatave (for feeding the child; for sustaining this child) kariti(make it happen)(this is [Type text]

a hymn to the Universal Consciousness addressing the Universal Mother personality, invoking the elixir, the breast milk / soma from the Universal mother to the earthly mother of the new born)--- you adorable sarasvati (goddess of words-vaak), the breasts of yours which secretes the soma/milk from moon, milk which creates the joy, milk that holds the treasure, milk that sustains every one that exists, the milk that bestows good, the milk by which you nourish all the entities of the universe bring the same milk in the breasts of this mother to feed the new born In this hymn, the word shashayah has been used to express the flow or gush of soma or milk. This word is from the root word shash. shash is a verb meaning to leap or spring, dance as mentioned by Sir Monier Williams in his Sanskrit English Lexicon. Here, this word shashayah in Upanishad seems to mean gushing out or spring out. The word shasha and also shashanka means hare or a rabbit, and the word shashanka means the moon. The word shashanka actually means one whose appearance carries an impression of a hare. Similarly to the word, shashanka there is a word shashadhara having almost the same meaning. The word shashi means moon. (Here is a quoting from internet: < http://www.sacred-texts.com/astro/ml/ml08.htm> When the moon is waxing, from about the eighth day to the full, it requires no very vivid imagination to descry on the westward side of the lunar disk a large patch very strikingly resembling a rabbit or hare.) Mothers milk The word stana means breast and has the root from the word stan meaning to utter sound. The word stanayitnu means the rumble of cloud. Thus from the mother vaak secretes the milk, the nectar, the soma. The cloud rumbles and rains, the earth becomes green. It is not that rain just nourishes and produces the vegetation. It brings life to the earth in numerous ways. As mentioned later in this text, through the rain we return from the other world to the earth again as a part of the re-birth process. Thus varSha means the year and also the rain. Here is a hymn on rain from PrashnopaShiad (10th hymn against the second question) : yada (when) tam (you) abhivarShasi (rain) athemah(then these) praaNa (hey praaNa) te(your) prajaah(creation) ananda rUpah (delightedly) tiShThanti (they wait) kamayannam (foods as desired) bhaviShyatIti(will grow or will become) ---Hey praaNa, when you rain all your creation wait delightedly knowing that their desired foods are going to grow (their desires are going to be fulfilled). Thus it is the mothers words which initiate the mammary gland to secrete the milk for the new born. [Type text]

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has described vaak as dhenu whose common meaning is holy cow and etymologically it is connected with the word dhvani meaning sound. The word dhenu thus means the secreting sound. Mother vaak is said to have four breasts, two for the deities or heaven, one for the Fathers or pitRiloka and one for the human beings. Waxing and Waning of moon and the wings of soma the bird. Waxing is the period when flux of soma increases. It is the phase when Consciousness illuminates our instincts toward action. During the weaning, Consciousness takes us back. This this to and fro motion is there in our every action, in our every moment. Weaning is the period when we go back to soma purI or to the abode of Moon. During those nights of weaning, Consciousness examines us, examines our instincts and implants the new patches (like the new patches in software).During the waxing period, we become activated with the new things immediately after the new moon night. Thus we grow in HER, in the Mother Consciousness, by the lunar cycles. This cycle is there in the external sky and the world and thats what we see in the sky and as the lunar month; this cycle in there in our every moment of existence in the micro form. The lunar month is divided into two parts, each approximately 14 days or a fortnight. These two periods are known as sukla pakSha (period of waxing) and kRiShNa pakSha (period of waning). These are the two groups, two packs or two pakSha. soma has been also described as bird in the texts. Sanskrit word for bird or a winged creature is pakShin. The two periods sukla pakSha and kRiShNa pakSha are the two wings of soma by whose flaps soma is flying or the nectar is flowing across the universe. Our passage to the other world and back to morality. It is now clear that as we remain in seed form in the moon or rather in pitRiloka so we descend from there to the fathers body before being attributed with dimensions in mothers womb. Similarly when we leave the earth or when we leave our body we ultimately reach the pitRiloka. As we leave, leaving the earth behind, we traverse the respective way to the moon, to the king (raajan ) Soma; the path gets constructed in accordance to the daily living that we live on the earth. There are so many paths, each unique, everyone has the one's own way for coming here and for departing. Vedas have cited that both the paths of yours are as you have lived--------yatha karma yatha shrutam( the way you have worked and way you have taken that work in you or the way you have felt about it). Thus there are numerous ways between the earth and the moon and back. These routes are circuitous and called 'vartanI'. In general there are two broadways called pitRiyanaa (the course to the Fathers) and devayanaa( the course to the deities/ to the heaven). These routes and traverse along the routes have been described in many places in the texts. Those who have not yet seen or experienced the eternity they return from the moon or pitRiloka. We cannot go beyond that. It has been stated that the one who knows , the one reaches vidyut (Electricity) from the moon. Then the departing soul is taken to the higher planes by someone or personality called amaanava. This term amaanava signifies the personality whose features have been described above as new moon or amaavasyaa. amaa means without measure and nava means new. This means the One who is eternal or without measure and whose every measure creates novelty. This path of [Type text]

those traversed by the souls who have known the Truth is called devayaana, the way to the gods or the way to the land of beings who are self-revealing and eternal. Here every one is self revealing, here reflection is not predominant. It has been stated that those who go beyond the realm of moons influence or those who go above pitRiloka they do not return (na punarvartante)this actually means they are no longer subjected to compulsory rotation in the cycles of life and death. They can come and go as they wish or if they wish. Now for the departing soul who has to leave without knowing the root they are said to tread the path to the abode of divine fathers or pitRiloka. This path is termed as pitRiyaana. The travel along pitRijaana is described in the text as below: atha je ime (and all those ) graame (in their village i.e. in their world or for themselves) iShTa(desires)-purtey(fulfils) dattam (donates) iti upasate (worships or performs) , (And all those who live fulfilling their desires and donates / sacrifices accordingly) te (they) dhUmam(smoke) avisambhavanti(become) (when they leave the body, they go into smokes---i.e. they fail to perceive the full illumined Consciousness or the Fire; the fire, the viva or the feeling of endless Consciousness is missed so the Fire remains obscured by the smoke or the fire is not kindled well; ) dhUmat ratrim (from the smoke to the night); ratrey (from the night to the) apara pakSham (to the spell of fading moon) (from the smoke to the night and from the night to the to the spell of fading moon); apara pakShat (and from the spell of fading moon) jan (to those) Shat (six) dakShiNa aeti (these southern) maasan(months) (and from the spell of fading moon to the spell of these southern months i.e. the six months when the sun shifts more and more toward the south); na(no) aetey(they) samvatsaram) (one complete year) aviprapnuvanti(they get) (they fail to get one complete yearsamvatsara; sam(perfect or appropriate)+vatsara (vatsa=offspring, child; samvatsara= year or the due cycle required to fully rear up a child). There is a third route that has been stated in the text. It is for those who are not fully evolved. They are mentioned as those creatures who frequently transgress from the life to the death and death to the life. The return of the departed soul is described as below: tasmin(there in the moon) yavat (till the time ) sampatam(it is required to complete) UShitva(the soul lives) atha(and then) aetam aeba (in this) adhvanam (path) punah (again) nivartante (returns) yatha( in a manner similar to) itam (the way soul leaves the earth); aakaasham(the soul becomes part of sky); aakaashat(from the sky) vaayum(the soul is transformed into air), vaayur bhUtva (after becoming air) dhUmoh(smoke) bhavati (becomes), dhUmoh bhUtva (from the form of smoke) abhram bhavati(the soul is transformed into air carrying water), abhram bhUtva (from abhra) megho (cloud) [Type text]

bhavati(becomes), megho bhUtva (after becoming cloud) pravarShati (rains); te(they) iha (here in the earth) vrIhi (grains of rice) yavah (grains of barley, corns etc.) oShadhih ( herbs), vanaspatayah (plants and trees), tilah (oil seeds), maaShaah (beans, pulses) iti jaayante (are born); atoah (and) khalu (certainly)durniShprapatarm (difficult to exit); yah yah hi (all those who) annam(food) atti (eat), yah (all those) retah(semen) sinchanti ( ejaculate) tat(theythose who are born as the grains, seeds etc.) bhuyah (similar or identical to the male personality in whom they enter) eba bhavati (they become). ---There in the moon the departed souls live as long as the time is not over; then they again return along this way similar to the journey they took to depart; they enter into the sky (space of the earth); from the sky the soul is transformed into air; from the air they become smoke (i.e. they are radiated); from the smoke the soul is transformed into air carrying water called abhra (a state prior to the formation of cloud); from abhra they enter or become cloud; from cloud they are rained here in the earth and they are born as (or they enter into) the grains of rice, grains of barley, corns etc., into herbs, plants and trees, into oil seeds, into beans and pulses; it is certainly difficult to exit from these states; all those who eat the foods, all those who ejaculate semen they (these souls) become part of them (i.e. through the foods they enter into the bodies of those who ejaculate semen; they become part of them). It is to be noted that the various transformed states described are part of the five fundamental elements (five fundamental states of Universal Consciousness at the root of creation): (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) akaasha(vyoma)----space---sound; vaayua (marut)------air----touch; dhUma---teja-----smoke (heated but not completely illuminated), vision/illumination abhra, megha----water----taste vrIhi, yava,oShadhi, vanaspati, tila, maaShaa---- plantation, seeds etc.----earth----smell.

Kuvid (multiple) soma, pavamaana (flowing and purifying) soma and sunavama (elegantly novel) soma. The juice that we are drinking from all the fragments, from all the forms of Consciousness, like from our relations, children, money, ambitions, sorrows and joys are kubid (multiple) soma, characterized by many forms or dualities. We decay, we worn out we die and we are rebornwe remain intoxicated and churned. At the same time, life is flowing, soma is flowing. As the soma flows so the soma cleans us. The flowing soma cleansing us is known as pavamaana soma in the Vedas. It is always flowing. We are never stationary, even in dream and sleep. We keep on transiting from sleep to dream and back. We are always dynamic, moving from one thought to the other, one action to another. You cannot stay still. Its habit is to flow and takes everyone along. It cleans us by the flow, it cleanses us from stagnation---the flow of life, the flow of consciousness from Universal Consciousness to us. Thus indra intoxicated by soma says----charaiveti, charaiveti ..keep moving, keep moving Thus there is this famous hymn on pavamaana soma in Upanishad (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, First Chapter, Third Brahmin (Part), 28th Hymn): asoto (from the untruth) maa (me) sadgamaya(sat-truth + gamayamove) tamasah (from the darkness) maa (me) joytir (to the light) gamaya (move) mRitoyh (from the death) ma (me) amRitam (to the eterrnity) gamaya (move)-----[Type text]

pavamaan (oh flowing) soma punihI(purify) punihI(purify) mam(me) move me from the untruth to the truth move me from the darkness to the light move me from the death to the eternity oh flowing soma purify, purify me.

As the light of eternity gains the prominence, as the Oneness behind the duality rises, the death and its scours start fading. As the death goes out, nothing becomes old and dilapidated. In the light of the eternity, everything becomes ever new- nitya (ever ) navIna(a) (new) ! There is this hymn on sunavama soma om jaatavedase sunavam somam (we have got the soma elegantly new for jaatavedas) araati atoh ni dahaati vedah (burn the belongings of our foes---burn all those which are averse to our knowing of you!) sa na parShadati dUrgani vishvaa (let jaatavedas row us through all the difficulties / dualities of the world) naaveva sindhUm dUritat agni! (as the ship sails over the sea so you agni{jaatavedas} take us beyond all hardships) jaatavedaa (jaatavedas) = jaata (to take birth) + veda(to know or feel). This is how Consciousness creates or multiplies. Action of Consciousness means to know and to know means to create or become what is known and to feel that is created. This is in us as to speak and simultaneously listen what we speak. When we see ourselves as consciousness we see soma moulding us not to decay but to ever new. We no longer see the death as death. We know and we become and we feel what we know. Thats how we live. Thats how we feel everything and this universe. As is the Universal Consciousness so we all are and it has to be like this because it is only One everywhere. So there is no duality, or duality is the form of One. Thus there is no aging, nothing becomes old and stale. It is eternal, it is older than anyone and it is ever-new. Such form of Consciousness is celebrated as nava durgaa by the Hindus. nava=new, durgaa=who takes us beyond all the difficulties. Death is the most difficult of all. Pressing and extracting of soma juice is one of the processes of the Vedic rituals when soma was extracted for offering to the gods. There was a time when a plant/ creeper called soma used to grow in the regions of Hindukush mountains of Afghanistan. These plants would be shading the leaves during the waning of the moon and will have growing leaves during the waxing of the moon. [Type text]

This modern science is yet to learn how intimately the flow of liquid, juice, life, water is being controlled by moon in the earth, in the soil , in the plants and in us; how it is controlling the fragrance and smell! {somo gandhayalet soma enhance my smell----from Ratri Sukta (Hymn to the goddess Night) Rik Veda.} Anything that we see or feel become different when we take it in (i.e. when we learn that we are feeling inside). Everything we take in, for instant that blade of green grass swaying in the breeze. That it is green, that it is a grass blade, that it is swaying all are the feelings formed in theinside of the observer. It is Consciousness (the personality of all personalities, life of all the livings and inert) in us who takes those forms or senses or feelings and so we enjoy or live on the senses and feelings. More we see thus more we press the hard physicality to extract and drink the juice. This is the lunar shine in my inner sky. Consciousness means the One who is me and everything. Consciousness means whose act of seeing is my eyes and vision, whose act of hearing is my ears and sound, whose act of touch is my skin and so on. Act of Consciousness means knowing, sensing. In this knowing or sensing, the knower, the knowledge and what is known or the sense are all included in One Consciousness. The viewer, the vision, the eyes and the process of vision all are created or activated when Consciousness sees. Our vision is included in that, it is a part of that and not different. And so are all our senses and feelings. There is a hymn as below: ravi (sun) madhey(inside) sthita(situated) soma(soma / moon) soma madhey (inside soma) hutashana(fire; huta (offered) + ashana(eats)---who eats or regales whatever is offered; or the recipient of all oblations, all offerings; who assimilates all oblations, offerings) tejo madhye (inside the radiance) sthitam (is situated) satyam (the truth) satya madhye (inside the truth) sthito (is situated) achyuta( the unmoved)! Inside the sun is situated the moon/ soma Inside the moon is situated the fire/ hutashana inside the radiance is situated the truth Inside the truth is situated the unmoved! (This is written from the teachings received from the seers Shri. Bijoykrishna Chattopadhyaya (18751945), and his principle disciple Shri Tridibnath Bandopadhyaya(1923-1994). --Debkumar Lahiri.)

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