You have seen that Indra, Rudra, devi and four more devatas comprise Life (Prana) as per Mundaka Upanishad. Siva has been described to be another name for Rudra who has been referred to as protector and the lord of lights (divya) thereby signifying that he is the lord of all devatas (from root ‘divya’ or light). For this reason perhaps, there are times when Upanishads call all seven of them as Rudras, though it is clear from various sources (including dictionaries of Sanskrit) that there are 11 Rudras. Verse 3 of Jabala Upanishad too confirms this:
‘Once students of sacred knowledge asked (Yajnavalkya): Can we gain life eternal by the repetition of formulas (mantras)? Yajnavalkya said (in reply) By (meditation on) saturudriya which are the names of eternal life, one becomes immortal. [Saturudriya again means the seven rudras.]
Rudra, the lord of the devatas, is subject of prayers at several instances in the Upanishads. See this verse from the Jabala Upanishad:
III.5: Rudra, your body which is auspicious, unterrifying, showing no evil – with that most benign body, O dweller in the high places, look upon us.
Rudra’s body is termed as auspicious, unterrifying and free from evil. He is referred to as ‘dweller in the high places’, which clearly signifies that he was not earth at the time when this prayer was being made. The simple people of yore mistakenly took it to understand dwelling on the high mountains. Likewise, verses that bestowed the role of creation on him led some of them to start worshipping the phallus of Rudra (Siva). See how Rudra is being praised further in subsequent verses, where Rudra is even referred to as the controller of the whole world, including those who are stationery and those who move.
III.6: O Dweller among the highest, make auspicious the arrow which thou holdest in thy hand to throw. O Protector of the Highest, injure not man or beast.
In verse III.18, Rudra is curiously referred to as the ‘embodied soul in the city of nine gates’.
The embodied soul in the city of nine gates sports in the outside, the controller of the whole world, of the stationary and the moving.
The fact that words like ‘embodied’ are used give a hint that the Rudra may have descended in human form sometime in history. If we look at history of Islam, we find that Mohammad referred to himself as the city and said:
I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate.
It is the belief of majority of Muslims that Mohammad ascribed his own creation prior to the creation of the rest of the universe. He said:
I was the prophet even when Adam was in the stage of creation.
At another instance Mohammad said:
I and Ali are divisions of the same noor (light).
And said regarding the 14 Masooms (Ahlebayts) of which Mohammad is the first:
The first is Mohammad, the last is Mohammad, the middle is Mohammad, all are Mohammad.
Muslims believe that the noor (light) of Mohammad was created by God prior to all the rest of the creation. A section of them are also of the opinion that they are the sustainers of the world and when last of the 14 Masooms – Mahdi - would be killed, who is supposed to appear in future to get rid of all the evils from this world (a description that is exactly similar to that of Kalki avatar), the world would come to an end. The fact that Mohammad has called all of the 14 to be Mohammad is a clear indication that all of them were alike. We know that they were not alike in physical appearance. If we conclude that Mohammad was referring to his own noor (light or divya) that would mean that all the fourteen possessed similar noor (light or divya), something that even the Upanishads have said time and again. These 14 have been given exceptional powers and performed innumerable miracles while they were present in ‘embodied form’ on the earth. For instance, Mohammad and Ali both are attributed to have returned the sun, Mohammad is said to have divided the moon into two (description of which is even recorded in the Royal Observatory of Jaipur), Ali is said to have flown on air, revived the dead, forecasted the future, angels came to visit them and were even cured at their doorsteps and Husain is believed to have said that all the sun, the moon, the earth – everything was created because of them. It is said that they are the lords of heaven and earth, there is proof in Quran that Mohammad even visited the seat of God (the Manifest Self) on the sky and Ali is said to be the lord of death and of those in heaven. Since Ali is first of the 12 Imams (there are 12 Adityas or suns, again reference to something that is illuminated; thus noor or light), he is also the lord of the devatas. What’s more, there is a verse in Quran which confirms that they are pure, free from all evil and God has taken a guarantee in this regard. When you read the Upanishads further, you will find time and again verses like pure, free from evil, lords of all creation, etc. appearing regarding the Ahlebayts or Masooms, which is exactly the description given for the devatas. Moreover, you will be amazed to know that these 14 Masooms (Pure Ones) had only seven names, something that became the cause of all confusion. In actuality there are only seven names who are to be remembered viz. Mohammad (four of them were named Mohammad), Ali (four of them were named Ali), Fatima (one lady was
If these derivations are to be taken as true, that would amount to saying that Indra and Rudra are names of the noor (light) of Mohammad and Ali, who were ‘dwellers in the high places’, protectors and sustainers of the world, who had been given this duty by the Manifest Self of God, whom Mohammad visited when he traveled skywards. Let us not forget that the Manifest Self is the name of the manifest power created by the Absolute God.
Islamic traditions contain several incidents as per which the Ahlebayts had a role to play even prior to creation of Adam. Here, we give a few of them.
Verse 2:31 of Quran says that certain names were taught to Adam at the time of his creation.
And He taught Adam all the names, then presented them to the angels; then He said: Tell me the names of those if you are right.
Pooya/Ali commentary of Quran states: “The hum of aradahum does not refer to the “names” but to the “named”, and as a plural term cannot be used for Allah, therefore, it cancels the possibility of interpreting these names as the names of Allah. When reference is made in Arabic to several objects of inanimate nature, a singular feminine pronoun is used, but when the objects are conscious beings, a plural masculine pronoun is used, as done here through aradahum, to point out the “named ones”. If the object referred to is inanimate, the singular feminine pronoun, tilka or hadhihi should have been used. Here the personal demonstrative pronoun refers to the conscious beings of a superior-most status, knowledge of whose names entitled Adam to the vicegerency of Allah. Thus the existence of the beings of the highest status has been established.”
Putting two and two together, there can be no greater proof required that Vedas, Upanishads, Gita and Quran are from one and the same source? Also, Buddha and Jesus,
Pooya/Ali further writes that these beings are the highest beings, the most perfect and the most blessed beings. See what the commentary says: “Due to the affinity between Adam and these highest beings (alin), he was capable to function as the medium of their manifestation. Verse 4 of al Tin says that the status of man, in the order of creation, is the highest in excellence. The alin, the highest beings, referred to in this verse, are the most perfect and the most blessed human beings, for whose manifestation in the arc of ascent, Adam was chosen. Till then the names of the highest beings along with the insight and visionof their realities, their latent qualities and inherent endowments were unknown to the angels.”
Now see verses 2:32 and 33 from Quran.
They said: Glory be to Thee! we have no knowledge but that which Thou hast taught us; surely Thou art the Knowing, the Wise.
He said: O Adam! Inform them of their names. Then when he had informed them of their names, He said: Did I not say to you that I surely know what is ghaib in the heavens and the earth and (that) I know what you manifest and what you hide?
Through Adam the angels became acquainted with the glory of the glorious beings. When Adam, at the command of Allah, stated the names, qualities and symbols of those highest beings whose collective and comprehensive status can be termed as wisdom personified, the angels witnessed the glory of the infinite power and wisdom of the Lord that could create such perfect beings of the highest calibre, in substance as well as in style, like of whom they did not know till then.
In Durr Manthur, Jalaluddin Sayuti says that the Holy Prophet had said:
“The objects shown to the angels were five lights. Allah informed the angels pointing to each of the lights respectively:
(i) This is Muhammad, the most praised, derived from My name, the praised one.
(ii) This is Ali, the high, derived from My name, the highest.
(iii) This is
(iv) This is Hasan, the bountiful, derived from My name, the benefactor.
(v) This is Husain, the good, derived from My name, the good in origin.
O angels! It is in love of these five that I have created the universe.”
These five are known as the Panjetans or first five of the 14 Ahlebayts (Masooms). Remaining 9 were born in the progeny of Husain. This is similar to the process of creation described in the Upanishads and Vedas, though the five are understood as ‘five elements’. Does it not prove that the Ahlebayts or Masooms of Muslims are the same as the devatas or Manus of the Indo-Aryans?
We request you to read the Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad (given later), which categorically states the creation of five selfs at one place and at other place refers to certain names being taken, through which the demons were defeated. In this Upanishad and in the Chhandogya Upanishad, you will also see that Udgitha (or letter Aum) was chanted to defeat the demons. Here you see how Adam chanted the names, much to the astonishment of the angels.
It becomes a logical conclusion from Quran and the tradition of Prophet Mohammad that Allah had created these five lights even prior to the creation of Adam. Moreover, it is evident that Allah had showed these five lights of glory to Adam, and recognition of them meant that he had been appointed as the khalifa of Allah, and through these lights Allah’s light had been destined to be manifested. It was these names through which mankind could reach and understand God. That is why all the Messengers of God, including Krishna, Moses and Jesus, confirmed their stature;
You may call all these similarities as product of our fancied imagination. But in subsequent chapters, we will see whether other descriptions of the devatas too are similar to the descriptions of the Ahlebayts (Masooms or Pure). The greatest of the proofs will be presented before you when you read some portions of the Vedas with us (in Part-II).
At present, let us see Chapter IV of Svetasvatara Upanishad which has used the same appellations about the devatas that have been given in the Vedas.
IV.I. He who is one, without any colour, by the manifold exercise of his power distributes many colours in his hidden purpose and into whom in the beginning and at the end the universe is gathered. May He endow us with a clear understanding.
This verse clearly states that the Manifest Self, which is one, underwent a manifold exercise (thereby signifying that there are several devatas), and distributed his powers into several beings and even related the beginning and the end of the universe with them. It is the belief of all Muslims that upon the coming of Mahdi (the Awaited), whose name will be Mohammad (a section believes that this Mohammad is the last or the 14th of the Ahlebayts or Masooms), the life on this earth will come to an end.
Next verse will confirm that the beings that are discussed are the devatas like Agni, Aditya, Vayu, moon, Brahma, water and Prajapati. There is also a prayer to endow us with the understanding and words like ‘hidden purpose’ are used, confirming that it is not easy to understand what is being talked about.
IV.2. That indeed is Agni, that is Aditya, that is Vayu and that is the moon. That indeed is the pure. That is Brahma. That is the waters. That is Praja-pati.
All Hindus know that Brahma and Prajapati are not the names of physical elements. Even Agnideva is described in various scriptures. If these are not the names of physical elements, we have reasons to believe that Aditya, Vayu, moon and waters too are not the names of physical things but are appellations given to those Divine Beings in whom the Manifest Self gathered the beginning and the end of the universe.
Hence we conclude that the One Manifest Self represents all the devatas having seven names and Agni, Aditya, Vayu, moon, Brahma, waters, Prajapati are appellations given to the seven names of these devatas. The aforementioned verse leaves no doubt that they all have emanated from the one Manifest Self alone.
In subsequent chapters, you will find proofs that these seven names would actually be the 14 Manus (the 14 devatas who were created at the beginning of the creation, as per Paingala Upanishad, Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad and the Vedas).
Next verse will indicate that both sexes can be found in the seven names, thereby confirming again the inevitable presence of a devi among the seven names as well as the fourteen devatas. The Self constitutes all.
IV.3. You are woman. You are man. You are the youth and the maiden too. You, as an old man, otter along with a staff. Being born you become facing in every direction.
IV. 5. The One Unborn, red, white and black, who produces manifold offspring similar in form (to himself), there lies the one unborn delighting. Another unborn gives her up, having had his enjoyment.
This verse again states how manifold off-springs were produced from the One Unborn and also states that all the manifold offspring were similar, something that Mohammad too said when he said that ‘The first (of the Ahlebayts) is Mohammad, the last (of the Ahlebayts) is Mohammad, the middle (of the Ahlebayts) is Mohammad, all (of the Ahlebayts) are Mohammad.
The words ‘unborn’ too clearly suggest that they were to take birth at some time in future and existed as power or light at that time. In fact, verse IV.3 too confirms that they would take birth when it says ‘being born you become facing in every direction’ but at the same time they are being referred to as ‘unborn’ in IV.5, further clarifying our view.
The content of the IV.5 will become clear when you read the Paingala and Brhad-aranyaka Upanishads a little later, which describes how one Self divided to become two, part of one when united in intercourse with the other, gave birth to two more to make it five, and nine subsequent ‘mind-born sons of Brahma’ took the count to 14. When the Masooms took birth on earth, Mohammad and Ali were brothers (cousins); Fatima (called as ‘part of mine’ by Mohammad was the daughter of Mohammad who was given in marriage to Ali, their union in marriage resulted in birth of Hasan and Husain and the nine descendants of Husain took the count to 14.
Quran’s confirmation of the previous Messengers prior to Mohammad
Quran says clearly that a large number of messengers were sent. While those like Solomon, David, Moses, Abraham, Ismael, Isaac, etc. are clearly mentioned by names, there are a lot many others whose name has not been taken. Also, it is stated that these messengers were sent all across the world, even to remote places.
Verse 25 of Chapter Hadid in the Quran says:
Verily, We sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the book and the scale, that mankind may observe right measure (establish themselves in justice).
And says:
As for those who strive in Us, We certainly show them our paths. (Quran, Ankabut: 69)
The institutions of God have been working since even prior to our creation. In fact we owe our creation to them. When God has created them, we are none to seek justification. Our job is to recognize them and accept them, in case we wish to be treated as obedient subordinates of the Creator’s empire.
All the Messengers, barring Prophet Mohammad, were sent to particular tribes or regions. Their message was for their people alone. As Quran says in 3:49 Jesus was the Messenger for the Israelites alone:
And (make him) a messenger to the children of Israel: That I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I determine for you out of dust like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allah’s permission and I heal the blind and the leprous, and bring the dead to life with Allah’s permission and I inform you of what you should eat and what you should store in your houses; most surely there is a sign in this for you, if you are believers.
But the devatas or Ahlebayts (Masooms) came as guidance for the entire mankind and all the jinns.
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