Rig Veda: A Summary

Here is a little summary of the Veda, of as discussed in detail in my book. Hope it will be of interest and benefit to the reader.

On my part, it will help me write my upcoming posts with greater clarity and purpose. (And, of the Reader, I will urge some patience for now if all this seems rather dry and distant).

(A) REALMS

1) (finite) Realm: Prithivi/Earth
Presiding God: Pushan
Constituting Gods: Vayu, Bhag, Varuna

2) (finite) Realm: Dyo/Svar/Heaven
Presiding God: Soma
Constituting Gods: Indra, Parjanya (Marut), Mitra

3) (infinite) Realm: Antariksha/ Vyom/ Apah
Presiding God: Savitr/ Mahi
Constituting Gods: Sarasvati, Ila (Prishni), Dakshina

4) (infinite) Realm: Samudra
Presiding God: Brahmanaspati
Constituting Gods: Brahman (Brahm), Rudra, Daksha

(B) CONNECTING GODS

1) Prithvi and Dyo
Connecting God: Asvini Kumar
Breakup: Usha (Vayu-like), Ratri/Nakta (Parjanya-like)

2) Dyo and Antariksha
Connecting God: Surya
Breakup: Bharata (Indra-like), Bharati (Ila-like)

3) Antariksha and Samudra
Connecting God: Yama
Breakup: Sarama (Sarasvati-like), Tvashta (Rudra-like)

4) Samudra and Prithvi
Connecting God: Aryaman
Breakup: Vidhata (Brahman-like), Dhata (Bhag-like)

(C) COMPOSITE GODS

1) Prithvi and Parjanya
God: Marut gana
Number: 5 Maruts
Breakup: 3 of Prithvi ( Vayu, Bhag, Varuna), 1 Parjanya, and these 4 combined as one.

2) Dyava-Prithvi and Surya
God: Agni
Number: 8 Vasus
Breakup: 3+3 of Dyava-Prithvi, 1 Surya, and these 7 combined as one.

3) Visva (Antariksha-Dyava-Prithvi) and Rudra
God: Rudra ( Shiva)
Number: 11 Rudras
Breakup: 3+3+3 of Visva, 1 Rudra, and these 10 combined as one.

4) Samudra-Antariksha-Dyava-Prithvi
God: Aditi
Number: 12 Adityas
Breakup: 3+3+3+3 of all realms.

(D) MISCELLANY

1) God Incarnate
Vishnu: Visva + Daksha

2) Brahma:
Brahman + Visva (Bhag onwards)

3) Synonyms: (gau, vac, Aditya), (parvat, asva, connection/barrier between realms)

4) Agni’s triple birth:
1st in Aryaman’s place
2nd in Asvini Kumar’s place
3rd in Surya’s place.

5) Soma Pavamana:
The Soma “juice”, manifests in Tvashta’s place and marches on in its
journey, connecting all four realms one after the another. The connecting
of the realms is also the winning of Immortality… a state of Sat, as opposed
to that of isolation and ignorance known as Asat.

6) Virat/ Purusha form of an Aditya:
a) when the Aditya expands in his realm only: 3-fold expansion.
b) when the Aditya expands in his realm inclusive of the two connecting gods: 5-fold expansion.
c) when the Aditya expands fully, shows Aditi: 12-fold expansion.
d) total number of gods: 12X12 = 144. if symmetry taken, 77.
Considering the usual 3-fold expansion, 12X3 = 36.
But since Brahman is not spoken of, 11X3 = 33.