The creation plan

You have already seen that Chapter III of Vishnu Purana states: “Other Seven Rishis, certain divinities, Indra, Manu, and his sons, are created and perish at one period; and the interval, called a Manvantara, is equal to seventy-one times the number of years contained in the four Yugas, with some additional years: this is the duration of a Manu, the (attendant) divinities, and the rest, which is equal to 852,000 divine years, or to 306,720,000 years of mortals, independent of the additional period. Fourteen times this period constitutes a Brahma day, that is, a day of Brahma; the term (Brahma) being the derivative form. At the end of this day a dissolution of the universe occurs, when all the three worlds, earth and the regions of space, are consumed with fire.”
Earlier, we used this passage to conclude that Manus and devatas are one and the same. Here, we intend to clarify the creation plan of God through this passage. It is clearly stated that Indra, Manu and his sons – who comprise the seven Rishis - are created and perish at one period and the interval, but the intervening period sees beginning and end of several creations of mankind. Puranas have given these figures as well but it requires a great deal of mathematical calculations, running into millions of years to know the live of these devatas. Whatever their lifespan, it is surely greater than the life of this universe.
For this universe, devatas have been present prior to creation and will even survive the dissolution. We have seen earlier that consequent to the dissolution of universe, there is a long gap of nothingness and then the creator creates once again. These seven rishis not only survive the dissolution but preside our the residents of heaven during the intervening period and are instrumental in forming the creation once again when it is time to create once again. It is perhaps this reason why when somebody asked Ali what was there prior to Adam, he said Adam, and when asked prior to that Adam, he again said Adam and went on to say so 70 times, till the questioner stopped asking. The fact that there was surely creation prior to Adam can well be understood by Christians and Muslims from the presence of Satan, as remnant of a previous creation.
Indra (Mohammad), Manu (Ali) and the rest of the devatas (noors) are the embodied souls responsible for running the affairs of this creation. As book Religious Consciousness says: “They have a function to discharge in the creative process and in the governance of the cosmos.” The following passage from Purana describes these embodied forms and even tells clearly that Vishnu (the Manifest Self) – the lord of the universe - “assumed a perceptible form” through the devatas and “even he himself abided in it in the character of Brahma”.
They are severally united but existed as distinguishable according to their qualities, as soothing, terrific, stupefying; but possessing various energies, and being unconnected, they could not, without combination, create living beings, not having blended with each other. Having combined, therefore, with one another, they assumed, through their mutual association, the character of one mass of entire unity; and this all combined together, formed a vast egg called Brahma, and through this Vishnu, the lord of the universe, whose essence is inscrutable, assumed a perceptible form and even he himself abided in it in the character of Brahma. Its womb, vast as the mountain Meru, was composed of the mountains; and the mighty oceans were the waters that filled its cavity. In that egg, O Brahman, were the continents and seas and mountains, the planets and divisions of the universe, the devatas, the demons and mankind. And this egg was externally invested by seven natural envelopes and by the three-fold embodied soul and the tenfold divinities; next came the principle of intelligence of Mahat; and finally the whole was surrounded by the indiscrete principle: resembling thus the cocoanut, filled interiorly with pulp and exteriorly covered by husk and rind.
The Purana also states that these rishis (saints) survive the dissolution. This dissolution is followed by a period of nothingness which is equal to the period of Brahma’s Day, and thereafter a new creation comes into existence and these rishis once again involve themselves in the activities of running the cosmos. Matsya Purana says clearly that in all the Manvantara classes of Rishis appear by seven and seven, and having established a code of law and morality, depart to felicity.
From this, it is clear that the role of these devatas is not only to run the affairs of the universe but also to establish and propagate a code of law and morality among the creation. This role is important considering that the forces of darkness too are working at all times, trying to lead us to darkness and annihilation.

Let us now return to our study of the Upanishads. We are sure that by now things are far clearer to you about the identity of the devatas. Let us study some portion of Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad again, which forms part of the Satapatha Brahman.
Before we begin, we wish to clarify that the existing translations of Upanishads, that we are using, might not be accurate considering the fact that the translators till now were in dark about the subject of the Upanishads. Therefore, keep in mind that there could be some portions here and there which are not very clear, particularly because the person who did the translation was not aware of the subject of discussion. Our purpose here is to show that even through the existing translations it is possible to get an idea that the same devatas (Masooms or Ahlebayts) are the subject of discussion.
We start with the fourth Brahmana, which has already been mentioned before. It talks of the creation of the noors of Mohammad and Ali, then of Fatima and their sons, Hasan and Husain from the one noor – Brahma – created by the Manifest Self.
See I.4.3:
He (the original Self) verily, had no delight. Therefore he who is alone has no delight. He desired a second. He became as large as woman and a man in close embrace. He caused that Self to fall into two parts. From that arose husband and wife. Therefore, as Yajnavalkya used to say, this is one half of one self, like one of the two halves of a split pea. Therefore this space is filled by a wife. He became united with her. From that human beings were produced.
We have seen earlier how the Masooms form an inseparable part of our bodies. Without them, there would be no life. We have also seen that Upanishads have described these devatas themselves as Life. The same is described in the aforementioned verse.
The wordings here are very important. The One Self was alone, as he had no delight. Naturally, one who is alone has no delight. He desired a second self, who was created by the division of first Self into two equal parts, described by Yajnavalkya as one of the two halves of a split pea. It is evident that the two were identical, and they are truly one, but in two different bodies. They resemble like a woman and man in close embrace. Remember, the words of Mohammad who said that ‘Ali and my self are divisions of the same noor.’ None of the commentators have explained the identity of these selfs, who became the cause of the creation of the entire cosmos including the human beings.
Wordings are still important! However, you are requested to remember that this is the description of the devatas in their noor state prior to the beginning of creation and the same plan was followed when they took birth on earth. The Self which broke into two parts did not become husband and wife, but ‘from that arose husband and wife’. Since Fatima was born out of Mohammad, this statement is extremely significant. Mohammad and Ali didn’t marry each other but the self of Fatima, which arose from the self of Mohammad and the self of Ali, became husband and wife.
It is then said that these two, the husband and wife, were the cause of birth of the human beings. Truth is that the remaining devatas are meant here and the human beings were created consequent to it.
This husband and wife were Siva and Sakti – the devi representing female power. From Siva and Sakti, all the rest of the devatas and all creations were to take birth. We have credible evidence with us to show that this Siva and Sakti were being worshipped all over the globe at one point of time, albeit in different names. Naturally, Siva and Sakti were in devata state at that time. When they took birth as humans, later towards the start of middle ages, they were named Ali and Fatima.
Interestingly, the devi is also called deva-mata or mother of devatas. Section of Muslims call Fatima as the mother, owing to she being the mother of 11 Imams (Masooms or Ahlebayts).
I.4.5: He (God or original self) knew, I indeed am this creation for I produced all this (subsequent selfs like Mohammad, Ali, and succeeding Imams). Therefore he became the creation. He who knows this as such comes to be in that creation of this.
This talks of the deviations that had occurred in the Vedic teachings by the time of Yajnavalkya. People knew that it were these two devatas who created the cosmos for the worship of God. But they had forgotten the latter part and had started worshipping the devatas themselves. Attempt is made here to stress that since the devatas or Masooms themselves were created by God, God verily is the Creator of all this.
The following verse reveals that the people of those times knew the identity of these devatas. In fact, there was an argument in progress about which of these personalities was to be addressed at the time of ritual sacrifices. They had assigned their prayers and sacrifices to one or the other of the devatas though the truth was that the devatas only showed the way to God and hence all sacrifices should have been meant for God. You will see through the next verse that digression had already taken place in people’s belief from the Vedic teachings, by the time of this Upanishad.
See I.4.6:
When they (the people) say ‘sacrifice to him’, ‘sacrifice to the other one’, all this is His creation and indeed He Himself is all the devatas. And now whatever is moist, that he produced from semen, and that is Soma. This whole is just food and the eater of food. Soma is food and fire is the eater of food. This is the highest creation of Brahma, namely that he created the deva who are superior to him. He, although mortal himself, created the immortals. Therefore, it is the highest creation. Verily, he who knows this becomes in this highest creation.
Is it possible to explain this verse without our explanation? Have you noted the importance attached to this knowledge? If God is being talked about here, then this verse clearly says that God, though mortal, created the immortals? We have quoted earlier from Kabir Das that Brahma (the original Self) was the name of a process. Brahma was a phase of evolution which terminated with the creation of the devatas as fourteen divine beings out of One Noor called Brahma, all the fourteen identical to the original one. Therefore, Brahma is mortal while the devatas have been created as immortals, to live creations after creations as those whose purpose is to show us the true path – the path of the worship of the Absolute God.
These devatas are described as immortals, who would continue to live even in the previous and succeeding Manvantaras. Puranas have mentioned the names of these devatas in various Manvantaras, and you will be glad to know that these names are similar with Indra – known by different names - ruling in almost all of them. It has been stated that all humanity had to chant the Udgitha and make a promise right at the beginning of the creation. Quran also states that a promise was extracted from all the spirits of beings at the time of creation.
This also speaks of the deviations that had occurred. People had started given sacrifices to individual devatas, when they should have given the sacrifices to God. The devatas surely are the highest creation of God and are immortal. This knowledge is so important that one who knows this becomes part of this highest creation.
I.4.7: At that time this was undifferentiated. It became differentiated by name and form (so that it is said) he has such a name, such a shape. Therefore, even today this is differentiated by name and shape (so that it is said) he has such a name, such a shape. He (the self) entered in here even to the tips of the nails, as a razor is (hidden) in the razor-case, or as fire in the fire-source. Him they see not for (as seen) he is incomplete, when breathing he is called the vital force, when speaking voice, when seeing the eye, when hearing the ear, when thinking the mind. These (Divine Personalities) are merely the names of his acts. He who meditates on one or another of them (Divine Personalities) he does not know for he is incomplete, with one or another of these. The self is to be meditated upon for in it all these become one. This self is the first-trace of all this, for by it one knows all this, just as one can find again by footprints (whatever lost). He who knows this finds fame and praise.
This verse indicates that the devatas are so alike in nature that for a long time they remained without a name. In order to distinguish them certain appellations were given at a later stage. That is the reason why Mohammad had to repeatedly state that all the Masooms were Mohammad, even though they had been given different names at the time of their birth. These devatas (Masooms) pervade everything to the tips of the nails, as a razor is hidden in the razor-case, or as fire in the fire-source. All activities and powers, even trifle ones like breathing, seeing, hearing, thinking, etc. emanate from them.
They came to earth to show us the way that leads to God. Their purpose was to illuminate the right path, give knowledge and lead us to worship of the Absolute. There is clear mention of this in I.4.7 but unfortunately people of that period deified the devatas and started giving sacrifices to them individually. A case in point is the Sakti cult of Tantric worship, who worships the devi alone and have discounted the rest of the devatas. People forgot that the ultimate aim is to remember the Absolute God or His Manifest Self, who created all the devatas. In fact, by the time of Mahabharata, degradation had encroached religion to such an extent that people had started worshipping the devatas individually. They had added their ancestors and certain demonic characters to the list of devatas and worshipped each one of them. God was forgotten. To an extent, these Divine Personalities too were forgotten, as people forgot the true purpose why they were introduced. Even the priests had forgotten the true identity of the devatas. This is evident from the various accounts which state sages like Yajnavalkya going to various religious congregations and telling the priests assembled there of the true purpose of their sacrifice. All rituals were performed for worldly or personal gains and even priests demanded wealth in return for performing these rituals. This lifestyle was embedded to such an extent that people refused to accept the teachings brought forth by Krishna. Therefore, Krishna had to give the verdict that such people, howsoever pious they may appear in the form of Dronacharya or Bhishma deserved to be killed, if they came to oppose the true teachings.
Therefore, the above verse says: “these (Divine Personalities) are merely the names of His (God’s) acts. He who meditates on one or another of them (Divine Personalities) he does not know for he is incomplete, with one or another of these. Since all are alike and collectively form the Manifest Self of God, it is wrong to meditate on them individually. The Self is to be meditated upon for in it all these become one. This Self is the first-trace of all this, for by it one knows all this, just as one can find again by footprints (whatever lost). He who knows this finds fame and praise.” One who knows this position truly finds fame and praise. Others are destined for ignominy in the long life.
You must note that in spite of saying that it is wrong to worship the devatas, this Upanishad maintain their true position through whom the Self “entered in here even to the tips of the nails, as a razor is (hidden) in the razor-case, or as fire in the fire-source.”
When the Manifest Self of God said in Quran that He was closer to us than the artery in our neck, we might not have understood it. The Upanishads describe truly why He had said so. We have said earlier and still maintain that Muslims will understand true Islam and Quran only after a thorough study of these scriptures related to the Indo-Aryans.
I.4.8: That Self is dearer than a son, is dearer than wealth, is dearer than everything else and is innermost. If one were to say to a person who speaks of anything else than the Self as dear, he will lose what he holds dear, he would very likely do so. One should meditate on the Self alone as dear. He who meditates on the Self alone as dear [and not on their physical forms], what he holds dear, verily, will not perish.
Verse 1.4.8 too gives a great deal of knowledge on the need to recognize the importance of the Self. One who is unable to do so is a loser. Self has to be considered dearer than all else. One who considers Self as dear than all else will alone not loose out on the rest of his possessions.
Isn’t it clear that the 14 together comprise the Divine Self? Buddha talked of the coming of another Buddha to Ananda, his chief disciple. He is also believed to have seen Ailya (another name for Ali) in his dream, prior to the Enlightenment. He even talked of all who died being taken to heaven or hell and once reward or punishment had been given, returning back to earth, but only through the route of Brahma, thereby confirming that Buddha too was endorsing the same path. Jesus meant the same when he foretold of a time when the spirit of God would come. One or two do not form the spirit; it is all the fourteen together who do so. Together, they form the Paramatma - the Manifest Self of the Non-Manifest Absolute God. Last remnant of this Self is still present on this earth in the form of Mohammad or Mahdi-the Awaited, the twelfth Imam or the 14th devata and also the 14th of the Ahlebayts or Masooms, who, as per the Muslim narrations, will appear in future in company with Jesus. As long as this part of Divine Self is here, the world will survive.
I.4.9: They say, since men think that, by the knowledge of Brahman, they become all, what, pray, was it that Brahman knew by which he became all?
We have said earlier Brahman is the name of this Paramatma or the Manifest Self. True knowledge is about recognizing the Non-Manifest Absolute God. Brahman surely knew this and it was this knowledge that made him supreme. Doesn’t the tone and subject of these verses reveal that attempt is being made to lead the people, who had taken to worship of devatas as gods, back to God? How sad indeed that from that extreme we have now moved to the other extreme when we do not even know the identity of the devatas and some of us interpret their appellations of Indra, Agni, Vayu as the material sun, fire and air.
I.4.10: Brahman, indeed was this in the beginning. It knew itself only as ‘I am Brahman’. Therefore (after chanting) it became all. Whoever among the devas became awakened to this, he indeed became that. It is the same in the case of seers, same in the case of men. Seeing this, indeed, the seer Vama-deva knew, ‘I was Manu and the Sun too.’ This is so even now. Whoever knows thus, ‘I am Brahman’, becomes this all. Even the devas (divine persons) cannot prevent him becoming thus, for he becomes their self. So whoever worships another divinity thinking that he is one and another, he knows not. He is like an animal to the devas. As many animals serve a man so does each man serve the devas (divine persons). Even if one animal is taken away, it cause displeasure, what should one say of many (animals)? Therefore it is not pleasing to those that men should know this.
Isn’t this proof of our explanation? That Brahman or the One Manifest Self of God is to be worshipped and not the devatas individually. People of the time had started worshipping the devatas and looked at them in high regard. This Brahman or the Manifest Self is part of the self of the devatas as well. Devatas are not an end of the process of creation. From the self of devatas, the entire cosmos was created. The fourteen devatas therefore have a role to play in our creation as well. Yet, owing to the creation of devatas from that One Self (Brahman), it is that Brahman who is to be worshipped. One who knows that God pervades everything, including us, becomes one with the God. Those who do not consider so are like animals in a man’s possession. ‘Even if one animal is taken away’ means that even if one man digresses, it causes displeasure to devatas, who have taken upon them to lead the world to God. What if the entire humanity digresses?
The purpose of these processes of refinement, which led to creation of various castes, is mentioned in I.4.15.
Even if one performs a great and holy work, but without knowing this, that work of his is exhausted in the end. One should meditate only on the Self as his world. The work of him who meditates on the Self alone as his world is not exhausted for, out of that very Self he creates whatsoever he desires.
It is evident from this verse that religiosity and religious rituals were still adhered to, but people forgot the real purpose of all religiosity i.e. to “meditate on the Self alone as his world”… “but without knowing this, that work of his is exhausted in the end.” The same thought is mentioned in Gita again, consequent to which Krishna asks Arjuna to fight the Kauravas, because they, despite being apparently religious, had removed God from their lives.
This is time for us to introspect. We may be doing a lot of holy work, but without knowing our relationship to the Self, all the good works get exhausted in the end. This is not what we are saying so but the existing translations of Upanishads like Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad, done by people like Radhakrishnan and others, say this in clear words. It is unfortunate that in spite of such wordings, we have ceased the attempt to cognize the Self and trace its relation with the self inside us.
God alone is to be worshipped. When God alone is considered the ruler of our self, people would stop supplicating to imperialistic powers. “He who knows this imperishableness” stands for the imperishableness of life for the righteous through death.
In I.5.12, ‘Mind’ has been used for Mohammad, ‘Heaven’ for Fatima and ‘Sun’ for Ali. See how ‘breaths’ meaning Hasan and Husain are said to be a byproduct of union of Sun and Heaven. That Vital Breaths are Hasan and Husain has been described at several places in the Upanishads, including Chhandogya Upanishad, and it seems that people of the period were even aware of this.
I.5.12: Now of this mind, heaven is the body and its light-form is that sun. As far as the mind extends so far extends the heaven, so far that Sun. These two entered into union and from that was born breath. He is Indra. He is without a rival. Verily, a second person is a rival. He who knows this has no rival.
Again importance is being attached to this. Yet, you cannot tell what is the subject of discussion without accepting our explanation. It is clear that heaven has been used for Fatima and sun or Aditya is the Ali. ‘As far as mind (Mohammad) extends so far extends the heaven, so far that Sun. Heaven and sun (viz. Fatima and Ali) entered into union and from that the breath viz. Hasan and Husain were born. You have already seen that terms like Heaven, Sun, and Speech are oft used for the devatas. The sentence ‘He is Indra’ clearly states that one of the two being discussed is Indra, who is without a rival. This proves that all through in the Upanishad it is these devatas only who are being discussed. As it is clear that the commentators have failed to note this, we are stressing again and again on the need to retranslate our scriptures.
The statement ‘He is without a rival. Verily, a second person is rival.’ too cannot be explained without subscribing to our viewpoint. Indra (Mohammad) being the highest of all creations is without a rival. But there is indeed a person named Ali who is exactly similar to him, owing their common source of births, and hence is a rival. Thereafter, it is said, ‘He who knows this has no rival.‘
I.5.13: These are all alike, all endless. Verily, he who meditates on them as finite, wins a finite world. But he who meditates on them as infinite wins an infinite world.
That Mohammad said that all of them were alike is being described in this verse. The verse says that they are finite as well as infinite. How can this be? This surely is not reference to God as more than one are talked about. Unless you believe that this is the mention of devatas who, while in heaven are infinite, and on earth are finite, you won’t be able to understand this verse.
This sentence and the clear sentence earlier that ‘He is Indra’ proves that none else but the seven names were being talked about all through.
I.5.17: When a man thinks that he is about to depart, he says to his son, ‘you are Brahman, you are the sacrifice and you are the world.’ The son answers, ‘I am Brahman, I am the sacrifice, I am the world.’ Verily, whatever has been learnt, all that taken as one is knowledge. Verily, whatever sacrifices have been made, all those, taken as one are the world. All this is indeed this much. Being thus the all, let him preserve me from this world, thus. Therefore, they call a son who is instructed ‘world-procuring’ and therefore they instruct him. When one who knows this departs from this world he enters into his son together with his breaths. Whatever has been done by him, son frees him from it all, therefore he is called a son. By his son a father stands firm in this world. Then into him enter those divine immortal breaths.
This is not the first time that this sacrifice is being talked about. See I.2.6 “He desired: ‘Let me sacrifice again with a greater sacrifice.’” This is same as a greater sacrifice, which God talked about in Quran, as regards to Husain’s sacrifice. Initially people were aware that their rituals were to remember these sacrifices. However, at some phase during the long passage of time, this knowledge was lost and what remained was a ritual exercise without a purpose.
I.5.21: In whatever family is a man who knows this, they call that family after him. And whoever strives with one who knows this shrivels away and after shriveling dies in the end.
Chapter Two further elaborates on this knowledge itself, which has been described here. It starts with describing the conflict between Gargya (a Brahmana) who mediated on the Self and its manifestations, and Ajatasaturu, the Ksatriya, who meditated on the Absolute. In fact, this chapter further talks of “the Seven Imperishable Ones”, whose names are Rudra, Parjanya, Aditya, Fire, Indra, Earth, Heaven. We need not tell anymore the names of people meant by Rudra, Indra, Aditya, Earth or Heaven. Only Parjanya is a new addition in the list of seven, which confirms that these devatas were known by a lot many names.
Such was the importance given to seven. Seven vows that the a couple takes in the name of Siva and Parvati, at the time of marriage, were actually the seven vows in remembrance of these names. Muslims too value this number a lot. Even Husain is said to have moved forward and backward seven times with the dead body of Ali Asghar in his hands. Perhaps he wanted to show that that his action was what each of the Masooms would have committed had they been in his place.
II.1.20 says:
As a spider moves along the thread, as small sparks come forth from the fire, even so from this Self come forth all worlds, all divinities, all beings. Its secret meaning is the truth of truth. Vital breaths are the truth and their truth is it (that has been told here).
Remember, that was the time when people had started worshipping these devatas as gods. Yajnavalkya is seen in Upanishads as a sage who tried his best to lead people back to the worship of One Self of God from which all these seven names of devatas emanated. Seven individually enjoy a very important position as the Torchbearers of the Path of Truth, we have to treat them as one, and worship only the original Self, from which they were born. Every being in this world, including these selfs were composed from the One Divine Self.
Yajnavalkya has told the importance of this Self to his wife on his deathbed. See for yourself.
II.4.6: The Brahmana ignores one who knows him as different from the Self. The Kshatriya ignores one who knows him as different from the Self. The devas ignore one who know them as different from the Self. The beings ignore one who knows them as different from the Self. All ignores one who knows it as different from the Self. This Brahmana, this Kshatriya, these worlds, these devas, these beings, and this all are this Self.
The fact that Upanishads hold a divine secret can only be understood by reflecting on the verses. This is mentioned in II.4.4, which ask everybody to reflect. Sayana compares those who recite Vedas without brains to lifeless pillars which bear the weight of the roof.
The same has also been said in Gita:
Just as a donkey bearing the weight of sandal-wood knows its weight but not its fragrance, so also is a Brahmana who knows the text of the Vedas and scripture but not their significance.
However, the purpose of creation of all these Selfs was to lead us to the worship of the Original Self, manifest form of the Almighty God. This is the knowledge that is the secret of all Vedas and Upanishads, and this was something that was passed on by the righteous to the righteous-minded people, when they were about to die. See what Yajnavalkya (perhaps a saint or a Prophet of his time), when he was about to leave the present state (i.e. body), said to Maitreyee, who asked Yajnavalkya to pass on what he knew before he departed. Yajnavalkya asks Maitreyee to reflect on what he was about to say. Let us also try to reflect while reading II.4.5:
II.4.5: Then he (Yajnavalkya) said: ‘Verily, not for the sake of the husband is the husband dear but a husband is dear for the sake of the Self. Verily, not for the sake of the wife is the wife dear but a wife is dear for the sake of the Self. Verily, not for the sake of the sons are the sons dear, but the sons are dear for the sake of the Self. Verily, not for the sake of wealth is wealth dear, but wealth is dear for the sake of the Self. Verily, not for the sake of Brahminhood is brahminhood dear but brahminhood is dear for the sake of the Self. Verily, not for the sake of Ksatriyahood is Ksatriyahood dear but Ksatriyahood is dear for the sake of the Self. Verily, not for the sake of the worlds are the worlds dear but the worlds are dear for the sake of the Self. Verily, not for the sake of the devas are the devas dear but the devas are dear for the sake of the Self. Verily, not for the sake of the beings are the beings dear, but the beings are dear for the sake of the Self. Verily, not for the sake of all is all dear but all is dear fro the sake of the Self. Verily, O Maitreyee, it is the Self that should be seen, heard of, reflected on and meditated upon. Verily, by the seeing of, by the hearing of, by the thinking of, by the understanding of the Self, all this is known.
After this, he told this verse that we have already mentioned before.
II.4.6: The Brahmana ignores one who knows him as different from the Self. The Kshatriya ignores one who knows him as different from the Self. The worlds ignore one who knows them as different from the Self. The devas ignore one who knows them as different from the Self. The beings ignore one who knows them as different from the Self. All ignores one who knows it as different from the Self. This Brahmana, this Kshatriya, these worlds, these devas, these beings and this all are this Self.
Sure Self is the purpose of this world; this is what is being communicated here. Even the Vedas, the Upanishads, the sciences are due to this Self indeed. How much we know of this Self is known to you already!
The one and only goal of the entire Universe should be the identification and unity of Self. This is what Yajnavalkya talks about here.
II.4.12: As a lump of salt thrown in water becomes dissolved in water and there would not be any of it to seize forth as it were, but wherever one may take it as salty indeed, so verily, this great being, infinite, limitless, consists of nothing but knowledge. Arising from out these elements one vanishes away into them. When he has departed there is no more knowledge. This is what I say, my dear’: so said Yajnavalkya.
This verse brings the surprise about which the need for reflection has been mentioned. Please note that this is no ordinary sentence, there is sure going to be a great secret in it. Yajnavalkya is about to die, and Maittreyee asks him to pass on the knowledge. But what knowledge is this? Self pervades universe as salt gets mixed with water. But if Self is God, how can Self depart, departure of which will mean no knowledge? Naturally, Maittreyee is unable to comprehend and Yajnavalkya explains:
II.4.13: Then said Maittreye: ‘In this, indeed, you have bewildered me, venerable sir, by saying that, ‘when he has departed there is no more knowledge.’ Yajnavalkya said: ‘Certainly I am not saying anything bewildering. This is enough for knowledge.
This is the importance of the Self. Truly, when the parts of this Self came on earth, they must have been the best in knowledge.
II.4.14: For where there is duality as it were, there one smells another, there one sees another, there one hears another, there one speaks to another, there one things of another, there one understands another. Where, verily, everything has become the Self, then by what and whom should one smell, then by what and whom should one see, then by what and whom should one hear, then by what and to whom should one speak, then by what and on whom should one think, then what and whom should one understand? By what should one know that by which all this is known? By what, my dear, should one know the knower?
It is unfortunate indeed that despite Upanishads trying so laboriously to make us understand a few vital points, we have been unable to do so. Yajnavalkya explicitly says that he talked of duality to express the point. If no duality would have been brought in, we would have never understood that devatas would come to earth at a certain time.
When he (Self) has departed there is no more knowledge. And one should understand the God through this Self indeed.
This duality has previously been talked about at other places in this Upanishad, as in II.3.1.
II.3.1: Verily, there are two forms of Brahman, the formed and the formless, the mortal and the immortal, the unmoving and the moving, the actual and the true.
This is reference to Non-Manifest (nirakaar) and Manifest (sakaar) God. Manifest Self is the creation of the Absolute Non-Manifest God, and through this Self, God created and controls the universe.
III.8.2 is another example that proves that those who aspired for true knowledge were killed or punished.
She (Gargi) said, ‘As a warrior son of the Kasis or the Videhas might rise against you, having strung his unstrung bow and having taken in his hand two pointed foe-piercing arrows, even so, O Yajnavalkya, do I face you with two questions. Answer me these.’
Janaka in Chapter III performs a sacrifice where many presents were offered to the priests. Brahmanas of the Kurus and the Panchalas were gathered together there. Janaka offered to give 1000 cows to the most learned of Brahmans. To the horns (of each cow) were fastened ten coins (of gold). None of the Brahmans dared to come forward but Yajnavalkya drove the cows away. Asvala, the hotr priest of Janaka of Videha, asked Yajnavalkya whether he was indeed the wisest among all priest there. Yajnavalkya said,
We bow to the wisest Brahmana but we just wish to have these cows.
This is not a general sentence, but tells the entire social situation of the time. Religion of the court was the religion of the masses. The priests of the Kuru and Panchalas were there for the cows and the accompanying gold coins. How could austerity and real religious beliefs prevail in such a situation?
The questions asked by the priests clearly indicate that the sacrifices were common but they didn’t know for whom they were meant. Moreover, the questions that were asked by the supposedly religious heads were not about God but about worldly things. And it was Yajnavalkya who led the answers towards God. Even the scriptures were talked about as the ‘scriptures of sacrifices’ (II.7.1). Irony indeed, that those who had studied the ‘scriptures of sacrifices’ didn’t know what were these sacrifices for and for whom. In part II, you will see the true content of Vedas, what have been talked about as ‘scriptures of sacrifices’. That deviation from true teachings had occurred long back is understandable.
This explains why Krishna had to fight the war with the highest religious priests of the time. Krishna, you may not be aware, was a contemporary of Yajnavalkya. Krishna himself says at numerous occasions that this war has become imminent because these people have removed God from their lives and most of their time is spent in entertainment or pursuing worldly objectives; even the rituals were performed for the love of heaven and not for God. Neither were these people open to reason, to which Krishna devotes an entire chapter in Gita.
In verse III.8.9, the views of Yajnavalkya are summed up.
Verily, at the command of that Imperishable, O Gargi, the sun and the moon stand in their respective positions. At the command of that Imperishable, O Gargi, heaven and earth stand in their respective positions. At the command of that Imperishable, O Gargi, what are called moments, hours, days and nights, half-month, months, seasons, years stand in their respective positions. At the command of the Imperishable, O Gargi, some rivers flow to the east from the white, mountains, others to the West in whatever direction each flows. By the command of that Imperishable, O Gargi, men praise those who give, the devas (are desirous of) the sacrificer and the fathers are desirous of the darvi offering.
III.8.10: Whoever, O Gargi, in this world, without knowing this Imperishable performs sacrifices, worships, performs austerities for a thousand years, his work will have no end; whosoever O Gargi, without knowledge of this Imperishable departs from this world, is pitiable. But, O Gargi, he who knowing the Imperishable departs from this world is a Brahmana.’
We leave it to you to decide whether our devotion or worship to God has been accepted till now or not!
The aforementioned verses again tell that it was possible for anybody to depart as Brahmana from this world and those who assigned Brahminhood to a particular group of people were on the wrong.
III.8.11: Verily, that Imperishable, O Gargi, is unseen but is the seer, is unheard but is the hearer, unthought but is the thinker, unknown but is the knower. There is no other seer but this, there is no other hearer but this, there is no other thinker but this, there is no other knower but this. But this Imperishable, O Gargi, is pace woven like warped woof.
In the end, Yajnavalkya, who was being asked questions till that time, asks a question, but no body is able to give the answer to this. See III.9.28:
1. As is a mighty tree so, indeed, is a man; his hairs are leaves and his skin is its outer bark.
2. ‘From his skin blood flows forth and sap from the skin (of the tree). Therefore when a man is wounded blood flows as sap from a tree that is struck.
3. ‘His flesh is its inner bark, his nerves are tough like inner fibres. His bones are the wood within and the marrow is made resembling the pith.
4. ‘A tree when it is felled springs up from its root in a newer form; from what root does man sprung forth when he is cut off by death?
5. ‘Do not say “from the semen” for that is produced from that is alive. A tree springs also from the seed. After it is dead it certainly springs again.
6. ‘When born, he is not born (again) for who should create him again? Brahman who is knowledge, bliss is the final goal of him who offers gifts as well as of him who stands firm and knows.
That Manifest Self is inside each of our bodies, through the devatas, to such an extent that that all growth, all sustenance and all rebirths are associated with the Imperishable.
It is for us to shower all gifts on the Brahman, who is knowledge, who is bliss and the final goal. Gifts could be of righteousness, of worship and even of one’s own life; this person who offers himself as gift is one who stands firm and who knows (the true nature of God).
Verse IV.1.1 onward is a chain of verses that, in the end, give an altogether different reason why the true names of Masooms were not mentioned in advance. This also tells that the name of one of these persons as Indra. We have explained earlier that the Divine Personalities mentioned took birth as humans, and it is not possible to accept the generally acceptable meaning that says that ‘god Indra’ is being mentioned. Also we have derived that Indra is none other than Mohammad. Now see the chain of verses yourself.
Yajnavalkya is in the court of Janaka (king) of Videha. Yajnavalkya talks of the abode of the support of self. Initially, as if to hide what he is to say, he tells several incomprehensible explanations but ends them by saying that ‘My father thought that one should not accept gifts without having instructed.’ He leaves this as an indicator that he has not instructed anything in that verse (IV.1.2). Also, this was said as a lesson to all those priests present in the court who merely fooled the kings and didn’t pass the true knowledge to them.
In IV.2.1, Janaka says that he is willing to be instructed. It is evident from conversation that Janaka is well equipped with the teachings of the Upanishads, and had studied the Vedas. Yajnavalkya asks him, ‘Where will you go when you are released (from this body)?’ and Tells him of the Person to whom he will go.
IV.2.2: Indha by name is this person who is in the right eye. Him, verily, who is that. Indha people call Indra, indirectly, for the devas are fond of the indirect, as it were, they dislike the direct.
Fact is that people of today have forgotten the true position of Indra who is so important that it is said that we would all go to him upon death. Gita has talked of Indra’s heaven, thereby substantiating the claim. Yet, we do not recognize Indra. How can we think of going to his heaven, if we do not recognize his identity?
The aforementioned verse clearly tells that Indra is a devata and also says that the devatas are fond of the indirect, thereby giving the reason why they have been referred to indirectly through names like Agni, Vayu, Varuna, etc.
Difference between our time and that of Yajnavalkya is that while we have forgotten who the devatas are and how we are related to them, the people of Yajnavalkya’s time had gone to the extent of deifying them and had forgotten the true position of the devatas in between us and the Manifest Self of God. Therefore, you must remember that we are trying to trace the importance of devatas from the text written when they were being deified as gods and God’s Messengers were in fact trying to lessen their role. Now we are trying to identify the devatas from those very books when the devatas have been entirely forgotten. Thankfully, Yajnavalkya and others have also talked of their true position and we must be grateful to them.
Yet, there were also people who had started doubting the existence of devatas, when the wait became too long. The following verse from Rig Veda confirms this and says that people were having doubts whether Indra actually existed.
Of whom they ask, where is he? Of him indeed they also say, he is not. In another hymn, the priests are invited to offer a song of praise to Indra, ‘a true one, if in truth he is, for many say, “There is no Indra, who has ever seen him? To whom are we to direct the song of praise?”
This shows that Indra had not come till the time of Rig Veda. No body had seen him by then. Yet Rig Veda goes on to talk of Indra at innumerable places. The verse saying that no body has ever seen him, even when the Vedas are replete with his name, is proof that all myths about Indra meeting people or Indra producing children were product of fictitious thinking. Moreover, we know that the tone of the Vedas is future tense. All this too prove that Indra was to come in future.
A verse at this point in Brhad-aranyaka shows that people who understood Brahman the way he ought to be understood were called Brahmana. Gradually this became a hereditary thing rather than concerned with a certain thought process. This verse also explains the relation of Brahman to Self.
The following verses talk about death and say that those who become one without duality, at the time of death, attain the highest goal.
IV.3.19: As a falcon or any other bird having flown around in the sky becomes weary, folds its wings and is borne down to its next, even so this person (after moving along both the states – the state of dream and the state of waking – and having seen good and evil) hastens to that state where he desires no desires and sees no dream.
Such a person becomes like water, one, the seer without duality. (IV.3.32).
This is the world of Brahma. This is his highest goal; this is his highest treasure; this is his highest world; this is his greatest bliss. On a particle of this very bliss other creatures live.
Again, both the states are being described here: one when the devatas are part of the Self and reside perhaps in the heaven and the other when they come down to earth. One who recognizes both the states is left with no wish, as all his wishes are granted.
IV.4.1 says that even when a person is about to die, ‘the breaths gather round him.’ Since ‘he is becoming one’, he neither sees, nor smells nor tastes, nor hears, nor thinks, nor touches. When Self departs, life departs after him.’ When life departs the vital breaths depart after him. He becomes one with intelligence. Intelligence departs from him, or is left in the brain. Then, ‘his knowledge, and his work take hold of him as also his past experience.’
This again refers to the breaths gathering round a person about to depart. What are these breaths? Truly, they are the breaths that were discussed earlier, progeny of heaven and sun. They are Masooms. Shias are of the belief that Ali and the rest of the Masooms come to the bedside of the righteous to relieve the person from the pain of death. They gather around every one about to depart. Yajnavalkya too has talked of the righteous (this can be inferred from the words ‘he is becoming one’ thereby meaning that he is attaining salvation) and confirms that the spirits of devatas gather around him.
Note that Yajnavalkya has again used words that clearly reveal that certain superhuman beings are talked about, who are not God, as they are plural. How cleverly has Yajnavalkya ensured that the information he wishes to give reaches the intended people!
IV.4.4: And as a goldsmith; taking a piece of gold turns it into another, newer and more beautiful shape, even so does this prana, after having thrown away this body and dispelled its ignorance, make unto himself another, newer and more beautiful shape like that of the fathers or of the gandharas, or of the Devas or of Praja-pati or of Brahma or of other beings.
On this there is the following verse: ‘When all the desires that dwell in the heart are cast away, then does the mortal become immortal, then he attains Brahman here (in this very body).’ Just as the slough of a snake lies on an anthill, dead, cast off, even so lies this body. But this disembodied, immortal life is Brahman only, is light indeed, Your Majesty.
IV.4.14: Verily, while we are here we may know this: if not we would be ignorant, great is the destruction. Those who know this become immortal while others go only to sorry.
IV.4.19: Only by the mind is it (self) to be perceived. In it there is no diversity. He goes from death to death, who sees in it, as it were diversity.
These verses talk of salvation and refer of the same subject that Krishna has spoken of in Gita. Salvation is not related to death but a person can attain oneness when still alive. For such a person, physical death is akin to a snake changing its slough. Yajnavalkya has talked of an inevitable destruction for a person who is not aware of this truth. Such a person goes from death to death, thereby meaning that he ends up in still greater miseries after death.
Paingala Upanishad is also very important from the point of explaining the process of creation that started with Non-Manifest God and culminated in the creation of devatas, with Vishnu and Brahma as an intermediary process. Devatas further became the cause of the creation of the cosmos, including all animate and inanimate beings.
The very important process of creation of the cosmos is described in Adhyaya I of the Paingala Upanishad. As regards to this Upanishad, we are using the translation given by K. Narayanaswami Aiyer, published way back in first quarter of the twentieth century. See what it says:
“Aum. Paingala, having served under Yajnavalkya for twelve years, asked him to initiate him into the supreme mysteries of Kaivalya. To which Yajnvavalkya replied thus: “O gentle one, at first, this (universe) was Sat (Be-ness) only. It (Sat) is spoken of as Brahman which is ever free (from the trammels of matter), which is changeless, which is Truth, Wisdom, and Bliss, and which is full, permanent, and one only without a second. In It, was like a mirage in the desert, silver in mother-of-pearl, a person in the pillar, or colour, etc., in the crystals, mulaprakriti, having in equal proportions the gunas, red, white, and black (Rajas, Sattva and Tamas colours), and being beyond the power of speech. That which is reflected in it is Sakshi-Chaitanya (lit., the witness-consciousness). It (mulaprakriti) undergoing again change becomes with the preponderance of Sattva (in it), Avarana Sakti named avyakta. (Avarana Sakti literally means the veiling or contracting power. This is it that produces egoism. It may be called the centripetal force.) That which is reflected in it (Avyakta) is Ishwara-Chaitanya. He (Ishwara) has Maya under his control, is omniscient, the original cause of creation, preservation, and dissolution, and the seed of this universe. He causes the universe which was latent in Him, to manifest itself through the bonds of karma of all creatures like a painted canvas unfurled. Again through the extinction of their karmas, he makes it disappear. In Him alone is latent all the universe, wrapped up like a painted cloth. Then from the supreme (Avarana) Sakti, dependent on (or appertaining to Ishwara, arose, through the preponderance of Rajas, Vikshepa Sakti called Mahat. (Vikshepa Sakti (lit.,) is the expanding power. It may be called the centrifugal force.) That which is reflected in it is Hiranyagarbha-Chaitanya. Presiding (as he does) over Mahat, He (Hirayagarbha) has a body, both Manifested and Unmanifested. (The account given here though differing from that in other books may be justified, says the author.) From Vikshepa Sakti of Hiranyagarbha arose, through the preponderance of Tamas, the gross Sakti called ahankara. That which is reflected in it is Virat-Chaitanya. He (Virat) presiding over it (ahankara) and possessing a manifested body becomes Vishnu, the chief Purusha and protector of all gross bodies. From that Atma arose akash; from akash arose vayu, from vayu agni, from agni apas, and from apas prithvi. The five tanmatras (rudimentary properties) (that are sound, touch, form, taste, and odour) alone are the gunas (of the above five). That generating cause of the universe (Ishwara) wishing to create and having assumed tamo-guna, wanted to convert the elements which were subtle tanmatras into gross ones. In order to create the universe, he divided into two parts each of those divisible elements; and having divided each moiety into four parts, made a fivefold mixture, each element having moiety of its own original elements, the many myriads of Brahmandas (Brahma’s egg or macrocosm), the fourteen worlds pertaining to each sphere, and the spherical gross bodies (microcosm) fit for the (respective) worlds. Having divided the Rajas-essence of the five elements into four parts, He out of three such parts created (the five) pranas having fivefold function. Again out of the (remaining) fourth part, He created karmendriyas (the organs of action). Having divided their Sattva-essence into four parts, He out of three such parts created the antahkarana (internal organ) having fivefold function. Out of the (remaining) fourth part of Sattva-essence, he created the jnanendriyas (organs of sense). Out of the collective totality of Sattva-essence, He created the devatas (deities) ruling over the organs of sense and actions. Those (devatas) He created, He located in the spheres (pertaining to them). They through His orders, began to pervade the macrocosm. Through His orders, Virat associated with ahankara created all the gross things. Through His orders, Hiranyagarbha protected the subtle things. Without Him, they that were located in their spheres were unable to move or to do anything. Then He wished to infuse chetana (life) into them. Having pierced the Brahmanda (Brahma’s egg or macrocosm) and Brahmarandhras (head-fontanelle) in all the microcosmic heads, He entered within. Though they were (at first) inert, they were then able to perform karmas like beings of intelligence. The omniscient Ishwara entered the microcosmic bodies with a particle of Maya and being deluded by that Maya, acquired the state of Jiva. Identifying the three bodies with Himself, He acquired the state of the actor and the enjoyer. Associated with the attributes of the states of jagrat, svapna, sushupti, trance, and death and being immersed in sorrow, he is (whirled about and) deluded like water-lift or potter’s wheel, as if subject to birth and death.
It is clear from the aforementioned description from Paingala-Upanishad that this universe was Sat (Be-ness) only. Sat is Brahman which is free from the trammels of matter, which is changeless, which is Truth, Wisdom, and Bliss, which is full, permanent, and one only without a second. Mulaprakriti (core nature) with its gunas (modalities of nature) was part of Brahman. Chaitanya (consciousness) too was reflected in it. Mulaprakriti, with preponderance of sattva, becomes Avarana Shakti named avyakta and Ishwara-Consciousness is reflected in it. This Ishwara-Consciousness has Maya under its control, is omniscient, and the cause of creation, preservation, and dissolution. It is also the seed of this universe.
From that supreme Avarana Shakti, with preponderance of Rajas, became Vikshepa Shakti called Mahat and Hiranyagarbha-Chaitanya is reflected in it. Hiranyagarbha (golden womb) presides over Mahat and has a body, both manifested and Unmanifested. Gross shakti called ahankara arose out of Vikshepa shakti of Hiranyagarbha due to preponderance of Tamas; Virat-Chaitanya is reflected in it. Virat presides over ahankara and possessing a manifested body becomes Vishnu, the chief Purusha and protector of all gross bodies. From that Atma (of Vishnu) arose akash; from akash arose vayu; from vayu agni; from agni apas and from apas prithvi. Sound, touch, form, taste and odour are the gunas of these five.
We have said earlier that five elements are nothing but the five devatas created at the first stage or the noors of the Panjetans viz. Mohammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain. It is said that they along with the remaining devatas are the rulers of our organs of senses and action. In order to create the universe, he intermixed these five and were thus evolved the many myriads of Brahmandas (Brahma’s egg or macrocosm), the fourteen worlds pertaining to each sphere, and the spherical gross bodies (microcosm) fit for the (respective) worlds. These gross bodies were that of the fourteen devatas (deities), who were created, of the collective totality of Sattva-essence (pure essence), ruling over organs of sense and actions. Note that we have already quoted a verse from Quran, which describes the Panjetans as eternally pure.
From out of the Rajas-essence of the intermixing of these five, he created the five pranas having fivefold function and karmendriyas (the organs of action). From dividing the Sattva-essence of the intermixing of these elements, he created the antahkarana (internal organ) having fivefold function and jnanendriyas (organs of sense). It is to be noted that the 14 deities rule over the organs of action (created by the Rajas-essence of the intermixing of five elements) and also the organs of sense (created by the Sattva-essence of the intermixing of five elements).
The 14 devatas (deities) were located in each of the 14 spheres (pertaining to them). The devatas, through His orders began to pervade the macrocosm (the expanding cosmos). Without Ishwara’s wish, the devatas, who were located in their spheres, were unable to move or to do anything. Then He (Ishwara) infused chetana (life) into them. The chetana (life) pierced through the Brahmanda (Brahma’s egg or macrocosm) and Brahmarandhras (head-fontanelle) in all the microscosmic heads (of devatas), and He entered within. Though they were first inert, they were then able to perform karmas like beings of intelligence.
The omniscient Ishwara entered the microcosmic bodies (of devatas) with a particle of Maya. It has been said earlier that Maya is under Ishwara’s direct control. After entering the microcosmic bodies with a particle of Maya, and being deluded by that Maya, acquired the state of Jiva (Divine Beings). Therefore, all beings were created when the omniscient Ishwara entered the microcosmic bodies (of the 14 devatas) with a particle of Maya. The control of these devas over the living beings is explicitly described. There’s a clear statement which says that devatas rule over the organs of sense and action. Our senses and actions have to function in accordance with their wish.
It is said that once the Jivas were created, Ishwara acquired the state of actor or enjoyer. Clearly there is part of Ishwara in all the Jivas (beings). This is surely the self, which is affected by organs of sense and action. Consciousness being a part of the self, tries to show the way. Ishwara will enjoy only when the organs of sense and action perform as per the liking of their rulers – the devatas (14 deities). If one knows how to utilize the organs of sense and action in accordance with the wish of their rulers, the self of the person becomes one with that of the Ishwara.
Consequently, Ishwara got associated with the attributes of the states of jagrat (awake), svapna (dream), sushupti, trance and death. He had come to enjoy but got immersed in sorrow when he was (whirled about and) deluded like water-lift or potter’s wheel, as if subject to birth and death.
The fact that devatas (deities) are rulers of our actions and senses, and following the path shown by them alone can make the Ishwara happy, is crystal clear. The identity of these devatas got lost in any of the turbulent periods that India witnessed in the past. Through this BOOK, truth is being revealed once again.
Further, in Adhyaya II, Yajnavalkya states the secret of Ishwara acquiring the state of Jiva (being). This description will perhaps clarify why Krishna and Rama were called avatars.
Paingala again addressed Yajnavalkya thus:
How did Ishwara, who is the creator, preserver, and destroyer and the Lord of all the worlds, acquire the state of Jiva?” To which Yajnavalkya replied: “I shall stell in detail the nature of Jiva and Ishwara, together with a description of the origin of the gross, subtle, and karana (causal) bodies. Hear attentively with one-pointed mind.
Words like ‘hear attentively with one pointed mind’ and looking at the clouded nature of description itself makes us feel that either of the three might have happened: (i) the circumstances were not favourable due to which sages had to hide the teachings in the cloud of rhetoric or philosophy, (ii) sages feared that those bent upon mischief would remove the teachings from the face of existence; we are going to prove in a later work that lot many changes were brought about in the content of Puranas and innumerable hymns of the Vedas are missing. Even if there was no deliberate attempt, we will have to confess that there has been long duration of time period when people were least bothered about safeguarding the teachings of Vedas and Puranas, owing to which a considerable portion got lost; or, (iii) translations are incorrect as in the case of Vedas and there is a need to retranslate all our scriptures.
Now see that Yajnavalkya has even called them as presiding deities of our organs in the following passage from Paingala Upanishad:
Ishwara having taken a small portion of the quintuplicated maha-bhutas, (the great elements), made in regular order the gross bodies, both collective and segregate. The skull, the skin, the intestines, bone, flesh, and nails are of the essence of prithvi. Blood, urine, saliva, sweat and others are of the essence of apas (water). Hunger, thirst, heat, delusion, and copulation are of the essence of agni. Walking, lifting, breathing and others are of the essence of vayu. Passion, anger, etc., are of the essence of akash. The collection of these having touch and the rest is this gross body that is brought about by karma, that is the seat of egoism in youth and other states and that is the abode of many sins. Then He created the pranas out of the collective three parts of Rajas-essence of the fivefold divided elements. The modifications of prana are prana, apana, vyana, udana, and saman; naga, kurma, krkara, devadatta and dhananjaya are auxiliary pranas. (Of the first five), the heart, anus, navel, throat and the whole body are respectively the seats. Then He created the karmendriyas out of the fourth part of the Rajas-guna. Of akash and the rest the mouth, legs, hands, and the organs of secretion and excretion are the modifications. Talking, walking, lifting, excreting, and enjoying are their functions. Likewise out of the collective three parts of Sattva-essence, He created the antahkarana (internal organ). Antahkarana, manas, buddhi, chitta and ahankara are the modifications. (The fifth aspect of antahkaran is made to be itself, having the function of anusandhana or inquiry, though others call it otherwise). Sankalpa (thought), certitude, memory, egoism, and anusandhana (inquiry) are their functions. Throat, face, navel (navel is the seat of chitta), heart, and the middle of the brow are their seats. Out of the (remaining) fourth part of Sattva-essence, He created the jnanendriyas (organs of sense). Ear, skin, eyes, tongue, and nose are modifications. Sound, touch, form, taste, and odour are their functions. Dik (the quarters), Vayu, Arka (the sun), Varuna, Ashwini Devas, Indra, Upendra, Mrtyu (the God of death), Prajapati, the Moon, Vishnu, the four-faced Brahma and Sambhu (Siva) are the presiding deities of the organs. There are the five koshas (sheaths), viz., annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, vijnanamaya, and anandamaya. Annamaya sheath is that which is created and developed out of the essence of food, and is absorbed into the earth which is of the form of food. It alone is the gross body. The pranas with the karmendriyas (organs of action) is the pranamaya sheath. Manas with the jnanendriyas (organs of sense) is the manomaya sheath. Buddhi with the jnanendriyas is the vijnanamaya sheath. These three sheath constitute the lingasarira (or the subtle body). (That which tends to) the ajnana (ignorance) of the Reality (of Atma) is the anandamaya sheath. This is the karana body. Moreover the five organs of sense, the five organs of action, the five pranas and others, the five akash and other elements, the four internal organs, avidya, passion, karma and tamas – all these constitute this town (of body).
Virat, under the orders of Ishwara having entered this microcosmic body, and having buddhi as his vehicle, reaches the state of Visva. Then he goes by the several names of Vijnanatma, Chidabhasa, Visva, Vyavaharika, the one presiding over the waking gross body and the one generated by karma. Sutratma, under the orders of Ishwara, having entered the microcosmic subtle body, and having manas as his vehicle, reaches the Taijasa state. Then he goes by the names of takjasa, pratibhasik and svanpakalpita (the one bred out of dream). Then under the orders of Ishwara, he who is coupled with avyakta, the vehicle of Maya having entered the microcosmic karana body, reaches the state of prajna. He goes then by the names of prajna, avichchinna, and paramarthika-Jiva enveloped by ajnana, which is but a small particle of avyakta; but not vyavaharika and pratibhasika (Jivas). It is only that chaitanya which is reflected in antahkarana that attains the three states. When it assumes the three states of jagrat, swapna, and sushupti, it is like a water-lift as if grieved, born and dead. There are five avasthas – jagrat, swapna, sushupti, murchchha (trance), and death. Jagrat avastha is that in which there is the perception of objects, of sound, etc., through the grace of the devata presiding over each of them. In it, the Jiva, being in the middle of the eyebrows and pervading the body from head to foot, becomes the agent of actions, such as doing, hearing and others. He becomes also the enjoyer of the fruits thereof and such a person doing karma for the fruits thereof goes to other worlds and enjoys the same there. Like an emperor tired of worldly acts (in the waking state), he strives to find the path to retire into his abode within. The svapna avastha is that in which, when the senses are at rest, there is the manifestation of the knower and the known, along with the affinities of (things enjoyed in) the waking state. In this state Visva alone, its actions in the waking state having ceased, reaches the state of Taijasa (of tejas or effulgence), who moves in the middle of the nadis (nerves), illuminates by his luster the heterogeneity of this universe which is of theform of affinities, and himself enjoys according to his wish. The sushupti avastha is that in which the chitta is the sole organ (at play). Just as a bird, tired of roaming, flies to its nest with its stomach filled, so the Jiva being tired of the actions of the world in the waking and dreaming states, enters ajnana and enjoys bliss. Then trance is attained which resembles death, and in which one with his collection of organs quails, as it were, through fear and ajnana, like one beaten unexpectedly by a hammer, club or any other weapon. Then death avastha is that which is other than the avasthas of jagrat, svapna, sushupti, and trance, which produces fear in all Jivas from Brahma down to small insects and which dissolves the gross body. The Jiva, that is surrounded by avidya and the subtle elements, takes with it the organs of sense and action, their objects, and pranas along with the kamic karmas and goes to another world, assuming another body. Through the ripening of the fruits of previous karmas, the Jiva has no rest like an insect in a whirlpool. It is only after many births that the desire of emancipation arises in man through the ripening of good karma. Then having resorted to a good Guru and served under him for a long time, one out of many attains moksha, free from bondage. Bondage is through non-inquiry and moksha through inquiry. Therefore there should always be inquiry (into Atma). The Reality should be ascertained through adhyaropa (illusory attribution) and apavad (withdrawal or recession of that idea). Therefore there should be always inquiring into the universe, Jiva and Paramatma. Were the true nature of Jiva and the universe known, then there remains Brahman which is non-different from Pratyagatma.
Adhyaya IV of Paingala Upanishad further deals with the subject of salvation and relates it to karma, but only through the path of recognition of the Self. See:
Then Paingala addressed Yajnavalkya thus: “To the wise, what is their karma? And what is their state?” To which Yajnavalkya replied: “A lover of moksha, having humility (Chapter XIII of Bhagavad-Gita describes humility in the list of 20 virtues) and other possessions (or virtues), enables twenty-one generations to cross (to Atma). One through his being a Brahmavit alone enables 101 generations to cross. Know Atma to be the rider and the body as the chariot. Know also buddhi as the charioteer and manas as the reins. The wise say the organs are the horses, the objects are the roads (through which the horses travel) and the hearts are the moving balloons. Maharishis say that Atma, when associated with the sense organs and manas, is the enjoyer. Therefore it is the actual Narayana alone that is established in the heart. Till his prararabdha karma (that portion of past karma which is being enjoyed in this life) he exists (in his body) as in the (cast-off) slough of a serpent (without any desire for the body). An emancipated person having such a body roves about like moon gladdening all with no settled place of abode. He gives up his body whether in a sacred place, or in a chandala’s (outcaste’s) house (without any distinction whatever), and attains salvation…
After having purified the heart and contemplated on the One without disease (viz. Brahman), the cognizing of ‘I’ as the supreme and the all is the highest bliss. Like water mixed with water, milk with milk, and ghee with ghee, so Jivatma and Paramatma are without difference. When the body is rendered bright through wisdom and the buddhi becomes the partless one, then the wise man burns the bondage of Karma, through the fire of Brahmajnana (wisdom pertaining to Brahma). Then he becomes purified, of the nature of the non-dual Parmeshwara and the light like the stainless akash. Like water mixed with water, so Jiva (-Atma) becomes upadhiless (or freed from the bonds of matter). Atma is, like akash, of an invisible form. (Therefore) the inner Atma is invisible like vayu. Though he is within and without, he is the immovable Atma. Through the torch of wisdom, the internal Atma sees (or knows).
A wise man, in whatever place or manner he dies, is absorbed in that place like the all-pervading akash. It should be known that Atma is absorbed as truly as the akash in the pot (when broken). Then he attains the all-pervading wisdom-light that is without support. Though men should perform tapas standing on one leg for a period of 1000 years, it will not, in the least, be equal to one-sixteenth part of dhyanayoga. One desirous of knowing what jnana (wisdom) and jneya (the object to be known) are, will not be able to attain his desired end, even though he may study the Sastras for 1000 years. That which is alone should be known as the indestructible. That which exists (in this world) is only impermanent. (Therefore) after having given up (the study of) the many Shastras, one should worship that which is satya (truth). The many karmas, purity (of mind and heart), japa (the muttering of mantras), sacrifice and pilgrimage – all these should be observed till Tattva is known. For Mahatmas (noble souls) to be always in (the conception of) ‘I am Brahman’ conduces to their salvation. There are two causes (that lead) to bondage and emancipation. They are ‘mine’ and ‘not mine’. Through ‘mine’ creatures are bound, whereas through ‘not mine’ they are released from bondage. When the mind attains the state of Unmani (above manas, viz., when it is destroyed), then there is never the conception of duality. When the Unmani state occurs, then is the supreme Seat (attained). (After which) wherever the mind goes, there is the supreme Seat (to it, viz., the mind enjoys salvation wherever it is). That which is equal in all is Brahman alone. One may attain the power to strike the akash with his fist; he may appease his hunger by eating husks (of grain), but never shall he attain emancipation who has not the self-cognition, ‘I am Brahman’.
Whoever recites this Upanishad becomes as immaculate as Agni. He becomes as pure as Brahma. He becomes as pure as Vayu. He becomes like one who has bathed in all the holy waters. He comes like one who has studied all the Vedas. He becomes like one that has undergone all Vedic observances. He obtains the fruit of the recitation of Itihasa, Puranas and Rudramantras a lakh of times. He becomes like one that has pronounced Pranava (Aum) ten thousand times. He purifies his ancestors ten degrees removed and his descendants then degrees removed. He becomes purified of all those that sit with him for dinner. He becomes a great personage. He becomes purified from the sins of the murder of Brahman, the drinking of alcohol, theft of gold, and sexual cohabitation with Guru’s wife, and from the sins of associating with those that commit such sins.
Like the eye pervading the akash (seeing without effort everything above), a wise man sees (always) the supreme Seat of Vishnu. The Brahmanas who have always their spiritual eyes wide open praise and illuminate in diverse ways this supreme Seat of Vishnu. Aum: The Upanishad is truth.
This Upanishad makes certain very interesting comments. It says that one may attain the power to strike the sky with his fist; he may appease his hunger by eating husks (of grain) – all impossible things – but without self-cognition, emancipation cannot be obtained. ‘I am Brahman’. This means that emancipation can be obtained only through cognizing Self’s relationship with Brahman. When he will do so, he will also have to keep in mind how this Brahman created a manifested form, then Vishnu, then the Brahma and then the devatas, and consequently us. This has already been described in detail in Adhyaya I of this Upanishad. He will have to remember that it is the devatas who are the rulers of our senses and actions. Controlling of senses and action is necessary for the Self.
As the Upanishad says at another instance:
The myriads of karmas committed in this beginningless cycle of rebirths are annihilated only through the modifications pertaining to Atma.
Therefore attaining emancipation is not possible by removing the devatas and the path shown by them.
Narayana-Upanishad of Krishna-Yajur Veda too has described the relationship of akash, vayu, agni, apas and prithvi and also Rudra, Brahma, Indra and the rest with Narayana or Absolute God.
Aum. Then Narayana, the supreme Purusha desired. “I shall create offspring.” From Narayana emanates prana, manas, the several organs of sense and action, akash, vayu, agni, apas and prithvi that supports all. From Narayana emanates Brahma. From Narayana emanates Rudra. From Narayana emanates Indra, From Narayana emanates Prajapati (the divine progenitor). From Narayana emanates the twelve Adityas, rudras, vasus, and all the chhandas (Vedas). From Narayana only do (all these) proceed. Through Narayana do (they) prosper. In Narayana (they) are absorbed. The Rig-Veda teaches this.
Then Narayana is eternal. Brahma is Narayana. Siva is Narayana, Indra is Narayana, Kala (time) is Narayana, Dik (space) is Narayana, the intermediate quarters also are Narayana; that which is above is Narayana, that which is below is Narayana, that which is in and out is Narayana. Narayana is the only one that is stainless, sinless, changeless, and unnameable, and that is pure and divine. There is no second. Whoever knows Him thus, becomes Vishnu Himself. The Yajur-Veda teaches this.
This is just a fraction of the entire literature available on these devatas, which has always been held in great esteem by the Hindus. We have relied on the existing translations by Radhakrishnan and K. Narayanaswami Aiyer to prove our point. We are sure that meanings would be far clearer when new translations are attempted in the light of fresh evidences. Not only the Hindus or Muslims, we are of the opinion that the entire mankind would henceforth start recognizing the importance of Hindu scriptures in understanding their own scriptures. It is the same devatas who are described in some way or the other in most of the ancient religious literature available in its original form on this earth, including the Greek, Egyptian, Chinese and Japanese.