PRINCIPALS OF PRAJAPATHI
In the Rig Veda, Prajapati represents the abstract cosmic principle
of the ultimate Creator, the Lord of all creatures, and the supreme source
of life. He bridges the gap between formless chaotic existence and the
manifest universe. The key foundational principles of Prajapati as a
metaphysical and spiritual concept in the Rig Veda include: Hiranyagarbha
(The Golden Womb): Prajapati is frequently identified with
Hiranyagarbha—the primal cosmic germ or golden womb. The Rig Veda asserts
that he existed before the universe, arising from the chaotic cosmic waters
to become the sole lord and supporter of all creation.
Cosmic Order (Rita): Prajapati's primary function is establishing
and governing Rita (the universal rhythm, truth, and moral order). He
creates the heavens, the earth, and the waters, bringing harmony out of
chaos. Creation itself is seen as a divine act of self-offering. Through
his cosmic sacrifice, Prajapati disassembles his infinite self to structure
and populate reality. This principle establishes the cycle of giving and
receiving that sustains the cosmos. (Ka): The most famous text dedicated to
this principle, the Hiranyagarbha Sukta (RV 10.121), addresses him as Ka
(meaning "Who?"). This highlights Prajapati's role as an intellectual
abstraction—a deity beyond anthropomorphic limits, whose ultimate nature
transcends human comprehension.
The Hiranyagarbha Sukta (Rig Veda 10.121) is a profound Vedic
hymn detailing the creation of the cosmos from a Golden Womb, featuring ten
verses that explore the identity of the supreme creator. This hymn shifts
from questioning "Who" is the creator of the universe (Kasmai devāya) to
identifying Prajapati as the ultimate source of life and cosmic order.
ऋग्वेद मण्डल: मण्डल १० सूक्त: सूक्त 121
[rv-10-121-1]
हिरण्यगर्भः समवर्तताग्रे भूतस्य जातः पतिरेक आसीत् । स दाधार पृथिवीं
द्यामुतेमां कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥
hiraṇyagarbhaḥ samavartatāgre bhūtasya jātaḥ patireka āsīt | sa dādhāra
pṛthivīṃ dyāmutemāṃ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||
Hiraṇyagarbha was present at the beginning; when born, he was the sole lord
of created beings; heupheld this earth and heaven-- let us offer worship
with an oblation to the divine Ka.
[rv-10-121-2]
य आत्मदा बलदा यस्य विश्व उपासते प्रशिषं यस्य देवाः । यस्य छायामृतं यस्य
मृत्युः कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥
ya ātmadā baladā yasya viśva upāsate praśiṣaṃ yasya devāḥ | yasya
chāyāmṛtaṃ yasya mṛtyuḥ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||
(To him) who is the giver of soul, the giver of strength, whose commands
all (beings), even the godsobey, whose shadow is immortality, whose
(shadow) is death-- let us offer worship with an oblation to the divineKa.
[rv-10-121-3]
यः प्राणतो निमिषतो महित्वैक इद्राजा जगतो बभूव । य ईशे अस्य
द्विपदश्चतुष्पदः कस्मै
देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥
yaḥ prāṇato nimiṣato mahitvaika idrājā jagato babhūva | ya īśe asya
dvipadaścatuṣpadaḥ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||
(To him) who, by his greatness, has verily become the sole king of the
breathing and seeing world, who rules over this aggregate of two-footed and
four- footed beings -- let us offer worship with an oblation to thedivine
Ka.
[rv-10-121-4]
यस्येमे हिमवन्तो महित्वा यस्य समुद्रं रसया सहाहुः । यस्येमाः प्रदिशो यस्य
बाहू कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥
yasyeme himavanto mahitvā yasya samudraṃ rasayā sahāhuḥ | yasyemāḥ pradiśo
yasya bāhū kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||
Through whose greatness these snow-clad (mountains exist), whose property
men call the ocean with the rivers, whose are these quarters of space, who
are the two arms -- let us offer worship with an oblation to thedivine Ka.
[rv-10-121-5]
येन द्यौरुग्रा पृथिवी च दृऴ्हा येन स्व स्तभितं येन नाकः । यो अन्तरिक्षे
रजसो विमानः कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥
yena dyaurugrā pṛthivī ca dṛḻhā yena sva s tabhitaṃ yena nākaḥ | yo
antarikṣe rajaso vimānaḥ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||
By whom the sky was made profound and the earth solid, by whom heaven and
the solar sphere were fixed, who was the measure of the water in the
firmament -- let us offer worship with an oblation to the divine Ka.
[rv-10-121-6]
यं क्रन्दसी अवसा तस्तभाने अभ्यैक्षेतां मनसा रेजमाने । यत्राधि सूर उदितो
विभाति कस्मै देय हविषा विधेम ॥
yaṃ krandasī avasā tastabhāne abhyaikṣetāṃ manasā rejamāne | yatrādhi sūra
udito vibhāti kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||
Whom heaven and earth established by his protection, and shining brightly,
regarded with their mind, in whom the risen sun shines forth -- let us
offer worship with an oblation to the divine Ka.
[rv-10-121-7]
आपो ह यद्बृहती र्विश्वमायन्गर्भं दधाना जनयन्तीरग्निम् । ततो देवानां
समवर्ततासुरेकः कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥
āpo ha yadbṛhatīrviśvamāyangarbhaṃ dadhānā janayantīragnim | tato devānāṃ
samavartatāsurekaḥ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||
When the vast waters overspread the universe containing the germ and giving
birth to Agni, then was produced the one breath of the gods -- let us offer
worship with an oblation to the divine Ka.
[rv-10-121-8]
यश्चिदापो महिना पर्यपश्यद्दक्षं दधाना जनयन्तीर्यज्ञम् । यो देवेष्वधि
देव एक आसीत्कस्मै
देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥
yaścidāpo mahinā paryapaśyaddakṣaṃ dadhānā janayantīryajñam | yo deveṣvadhi
deva eka āsītkasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||
He who by his might beheld the waters all around containing the creative
power and giving birth tosacrifice, he who among the gods was the one
supreme god -- let us offer worship with an oblation to the divine Ka.
[rv-10-121-9]
मा नो हिंसीज्जनिता यः पृथिव्या यो वा दिवं सत्यधर्मा जजान । यश्चापश्चन्द्रा
बृहतीर्जजान कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥
mā no hiṃsījjanitā yaḥ pṛthivyā yo vā divaṃ satyadharmā jajāna |
yaścāpaścandrā bṛhatīrjajāna kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ||
May he do us no harm who is the parent of the earth, or who the unerring
support (of the world) begat the heaven, and who genitive rated the vast
and delightful waters -- let us offer worship with an oblation to the
divine Ka.
[rv-10-121-10]
प्रजापते न त्वदेतान्यन्यो विश्वा जातानि परि ता बभूव । यत्कामास्ते
जुहुमस्तन्नो अस्तु वयं स्याम पतयो रयीणाम् ॥
prajāpate na tvadetānyanyo viśvā jātāni pari tā babhūva | yatkāmāste
juhumastanno astu vayaṃ syāma patayo rayīṇām ||
No other than you, Prajāpati, has given existence to all these beings; may
that object of our desires for which we sacrifice to you be ours, may we be
the possessors of riches.
Sāyaṇa’s commentary on Hiraṇyagarbha Sūkta, X.121
The hymn X.121 of the Ṛgveda popularly known as Hiraṇyagarbha Sūkta
consists of ten verses written in Triṣṭubh meter. All the verses of the
Ṛgvedic Hiraṇyagarbha Sūkta are found scattered over various Adhyāyas of
the Śukla Yajurveda. In the Atharvasaṃhitā this Sūkta reappears in IV.2
with many changes and transposition of words and passages.
The Ṛṣi of this hymn X.121 is Hiraṇyagarbha Prajāpati and the deity of this
hymn is named as Hiraṇyagarbha. The hymn ends with a prayer to Prajāpati.
Sāyaṇa in his commentary clearly states that Hiraṇyagarbha is Prajāpati:
hiraṇyagarbhaḥ hiraṇmayasyāṇḍasya garbhabhūtaḥ prajāpatir hiraṇyagarbhaḥ
tathā ca taittirīyakam-‘prajāpatirvai hiraṇyagarbhaḥ
prajāpateranurūpatvāya’ iti.
Thus, the subject matter of this hymn is the glorification of Prajāpati-the
Lord of all created objects. It may not be out of context to recall here
that Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (6.2.2.5) also supports this view and says:
prajāpatirvai hiraṇyagarbhaḥ. It may also be mentioned here that *Hiraṇyagarbha
has become an appellation of Brahmā, [BRAHMAM BECAME BRAHMA THE KA WHO THUS
HIRANYA GARBHA *] the later mystical creator of the world in the Purāṇic
period. The word ka appears in this hymn, in all of its first nine verses,
all of which has the refrain kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema.{KR HENCE THE
NAME OF BRAHMA IS PRAJAPATI AND DHAKSHA WAS BRAHMA AND HE HAD 2 BIRTHS IS
UNLIKE HUMAN, PARAMATMA ONLY SIMULTANEOUSLY CREATED HIM. SAMA-JAYATE. THUS,
THERE IS O EVIDENCE OF BORN TO SAGE AS DISCLOSED AS PRAJAPATI WAS FROM
PARAMATMA; IF NOT HE IS HUMAN AND NOT A PRAJAPATI IN THE SECOND BIRTH. }}
While commenting on this refrain Sāyaṇa has forwarded a number of meanings
of the word kasmai as follows:
kiṃ śabdo’nirjñāta svarūpatvāt prajāpatau vartate / yadvā sṛṣṭyarthaṃ
kāmayata iti kaḥ / kāmerḍapratyaḥ / yadvā kaṃ sukhaṃ, tadrūpatvāt ka
ityucyate //
Commenting on the word ka Durgācārya also has said that Prajāpati is known
as ka, for he is the means of fulfilling all desires:
prajāpatirvai kaḥ / sa kasmāt kaḥ kāmānaḥ vā kāmināṃ kāmyeṣvartheṣu
sādhanaṃ / ‘prajāpatirakāmayata’ *iti bahukāmatvāt kaḥ prajāpatiḥ.*
It has been clearly stated in later Vedic texts that the word ka refers to
Prajāpati.
Again the implication of the above mentioned passage kasmai devāya haviṣā
vidhema is that the oblation is to be offered only to Hiraṇyagarbha and to
no one else. And although the name Hiraṇyagarbha occurs only in the first
verse of this hymn, the presence of the word ka in the other verses implies
that in all these verses Hiraṇyagarbha Prajāpati is worshipped. The hymn
starts with the glorification of the birth of Hiraṇyagarbha. The word
hiraṇyagarbha, meaning ‘the golden germ’ is the Supreme God who is referred
to as ‘one Lord of all that exists’ (bhūtasya patireka).
The verse runs as follows:
hiraṇyagarbhaḥ samavartatāgre bhūtasya jātah patireka āsīt /
sa dādhāra pṛthivīṃ dyāmutemāṃ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema //
[In the beginning rose Hiraṇyagarbha, born Only Lord of all created beings.
He fixed and holdeth up this earth and heaven. What God shall we adore with
our oblation?
Sāyaṇa has forwarded different interpretations of the word hiraṇyagarbha as
follows:
(i) hiraṇyagarbhaḥ hiraṇmayasyāṇḍsya garbhabhūtaḥ prajāpatir hiraṇyagarbhaḥ,
(ii) hiraṇmayo’ṇḍo garbhavad yasyodare vartate so’sau sūtrātmā
hiraṇyagarbhaṃ ity ucyate.
In this interpretation Hiraṇyagarbha has been referred as the world soul
(sūtrātmā). Here one may also refer to Uvaṭa who says: hiraṇyagarbhaḥ yo
hiraṇyagarbhākhyaḥ puruṣaḥ
Whereas Mahīdhara says as follows: hiraṇye hiraṇyapuruṣarūpe brahmāṇḍe
garbharūpeṇāvasthitaḥ prajāpatirhiraṇyagarbhaḥ bhūtasya prāṇijātasyāgre
samavartata prāṇijātotpatteḥ purā svayaṃ śarīradhārī babhūva
Hiraṇyagarbha was thus the first entity to have come into existence. As
soon as he was born he became the sole master of all created beings. In
other words, he became Prajāpati. Here arises the question: where from was
he born?
The answer to this question may be sought in the following comment made by
Sāyaṇa:
prapañcotpatteḥ prāk māyādhyakṣāt sisṛkṣoḥ paramātmanaḥ sakā-śāt
*sama-jāyata.*
According to Sāyaṇa, Hiraṇyagarbha was born from the Supreme Reality
(Paramātmā) who presided over the mortal world as soon as it came into
existence. When Paramātmā entertained the desire to create, *he first of
all created Hiraṇyagarbha out of himself*. This implies that Paramātmā
himself evolved into Hiraṇyagarbha. This is evident from the fact that in
the verses of the hymn, Hiraṇyagarbha is depicted as presiding over the
empirical world (māyādhyakṣa), imbibing it with life, strength and
sustaining it with his prowess.
Sāyaṇa in his commentary on the first verse of the hymn seems to say that
Hiraṇyagarbha is the prakṛti (the source) of all objects when he says:
yadyapi paramātmaiva hiraṇyagarbhastathāpi tadupādhibhūtānāṃ viyadādīnāṃ
sūkṣmabhūtānām brahmaṇa utpattestadupahito’pyutpanna ityucyate.
Here Sāyaṇa points out that while there is no question of Paramātmā being
born, the world which manifests itself through him does take birth.
Therefore, in the verse the seer speaks about the birth of Hiraṇyagarbha in
the shape of the empirical world.
In this context one may refer to the following comment of DurgaCHARYA:
prakriyante’syāṃ sarve vikārā iti prakṛti, [WHAT IS DEF OF PRAKRITI?]
sa sattā-lakṣano mahān-ātmā hiraṇyagarbha iti.[WHAT IS HIRANYAGARBA]
The birth of Hiraṇyagarbha has been described in verses 7 and 8 of the hymn
X.121. In the seventh verse of this hymn is depicted the unstable state of
the universe at the beginning of creation by using the symbolism of the
waters. As stated in this verse, the embryo of all gods was concealed in
the waters.
The verse runs as follows,
āpo ha yad bṛhatīr viśva māyan garbhaṃ dadhānā janayan tīragniṃ /
tato devānāṃ samavartat āsurekaḥ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema //
[What time the mighty waters came, containing the universal germ, producing
Agni, thence sprang the God’s one spirit into being. What God shall we
adore with our oblation?]
As described here, the all-pervading waters which were generating
tremendous heat (Agni) kept concealed in them the embryo. Out of this
embryo was born the one asu i.e., the prāṇa of all the gods.
Commenting on it, Sāyaṇa says:
hiraṇmayāṇḍasya Garbha bhūtaṃ prajāpatiṃ dadhānāḥ dhārayantyaḥ āpo ha āpa
eva viśvam āyan sarvaṃ jagad vyāpnuvan / yat yasmāt tataḥ tasmādhetoḥ
devānāṃ devādīnāṃ sarveṣāṃ prāṇināṃ asuḥ prāṇa bhūtaḥ *ekaḥ prajāpatiḥ
samavartata sama-jāyata*
Thus, as pointed out by Sāyaṇa the one asu of the gods was Prajāpati
himself. In this context the passage janayatīragniṃ needs to be explained.
Here the generation of Agni seems to mean the creation of heat. The embryo
is said to have resulted from the heat created in the so called waters.
Here one may refer to a myth found in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa., 11.1.6.1.
Verse 11.1.6.1
āpo ha vā idam agre salilam evāsa tā akāmayanta kathaṃ nu prajāye mahīti tā
aśrāmyaṃ stāstapo 'tapyanta tāsu tapasta pyamānāsu hiraṇmayam āṇḍaṃ
sambabhūvā jāto ha tarhi saṃvatsara āsa tadidaṃ hiraṇmayamāṇḍaṃ yāvatsaṃvat
sarasya velā tāvat paryaplavata
1. Verily, in the beginning this (universe) was water, nothing but a sea of
water. The waters desired, “How can we be reproduced?” They toiled and
performed fervid devotions, when they were becoming heated, a golden egg
was produced. The year, indeed, was not then in existence: this golden egg
floated about for as long as the space of a year.
According to this myth, the primordial waters longed for progeny
and started austerity (tapas)[KR TAPAS ALSO HAS A MEANING HEAT] with this
end in view. As a result of this tapas a golden egg was born. This word
tapas in Vedic parlance signifies the generation of heat. In the Śatapatha
Brāhmaṇa, Agni has been actually called tapas: tapo vā’gṇiḥ. Agni as one
knows, is golden in colour. Hence, arose the concept of a golden embryo.
When Prajāpati is called the asu of all gods i.e., Prajāpati is spoken of
as emerging out of this golden egg, the implication appears to be that
Prajāpati
is thought of as a manifestation of Agni and is therefore, identical with
Agni. This idea is supported by statements found in later Vedic texts.
The eighth verse runs as follows:
yaścidāpo mahinā paryapaśyaddakṣaṃ dadhānā janayantīḥ yajñaṃ /
yo deveṣvadhi deva eka āsīt kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema //
[He in his might surveyed the floods containing productive force and
generating Worship. He is the God of gods, and none besides him. What God
shall we adore with our oblation?]
As stated in this verse the one asu of the gods i.e., Prajāpati as soon as
he arose out of the golden egg (hiraṇmayo’ṇḍaḥ), by dint of his greatness
surveyed the waters which pervaded the entire space and which produced the
Yajña (janayantīḥ yajñaṃ) and which contained dexterity (dakṣaṃ dadhānāḥ).
It has already been pointed out (in chapter II) that the word yajña besides
standing for the Vedic ritual is also used to mean both the act of creation
and the Creation Itself. Again the expression that the waters had in them dakṣa
i.e., the dexterity seems to mean that in them there existed the potency or
power of manifesting the creation. {KR KINDLY NOTE HOW THE WORD DAKSHA
AROSE AS DEXTERITY AS PRAJAPATHI AND TGEREFORE REBIRTH TO A SAGE IS
DENMEANING THE CONTEST} Sāyaṇa identifies this power as Prajāpati who as
about to emerge as the world. Commenting on the eighth verse Sāyaṇa says:
yajñaṃ yajñopalakṣitaṃ vikārajātaṃ janayantīḥ utpādayan tīstadarthaṃ
*dakṣaṃ* prapañcātmanā vardhiṣṇuṃ prajāpatimātmani dadhānāḥ dhārayitrīḥ
/…svamāhātmyena yaḥ śca prajāpatiḥ paryapaśyat parito dṛṣṭavān.
When the one asu of all the gods arose he surveyed these waters. The
questions that arise here are ‘What was the purpose behind this act of
surveying the waters by Hiraṇyagarbha? Did he by his might bring forth the
creation out of the existing shapeless chaos which was called ‘the waters’?
Does Hiraṇyagarbha’s act of surveying the waters mean that he was looking
for the creation (yajña) that was lying hidden in the waters? It may be
mentioned here that Phillips believes that the Hiraṇyagarbha Sūkta suggests
that the creator created the world from shapeless pre-existing matter.
In the verses 2 and 3, Hiraṇyagarbha is described as the bestower of the
self and vitality in all living beings, he is the one whose command the
gods obey, whose shadow is death and immortality. It is he who is the sole
lord of men, beasts etc.
The verses run as follows:
ya ātmadā baladā yasya viśva upāsate praśiṣaṃ yasya devāḥ /
yasya chāyāmṛtaṃ yasya mṛtyuḥ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema //
yaḥ prāṇato nimiṣato mahitvaika idrājā jagato babhūva /
ya īśe asya dvipadaścatuṣpadaḥ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema //
[Giver of vital breath, of power and vigour, he whose commandments all the
Gods acknowledge: The Lord of death, whose shadow is the life immortal.
What God shall we adore with our oblation? Who by his grandeur hath become
Sole Ruler of all the moving world that breathes and slumbers; He who is
Lord of men and Lord of cattle. What God shall we adore with our oblation?
Hiraṇyagarbha is the bestower of the soul in beings for, it is he who is
the one asu of all and hence the source of all life.
In this context may be quoted the following passage from the
Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad (2.1.20.):
sa yathor ṇanābhiś tantu noccaret, yathāgneḥ kṣudrā visphuliṅgā
vyuccaranti, evaṃ evāsmād ātmanaḥ sarve prāṇāḥ, sarve lokāḥ, sarve devāḥ
sarvāṇi bhūtāni vyuccaranti.
*Where there is life there is physical strength and inner strength.
Therefore, Hiraṇyagarbha is called baladā.*
Commenting on the word ātmdā, Sāyaṇa says as follows:
ātmnāṃ dātā / ātmano hi sarve tasmāt paramātmana utpadyante.
There is another interpretation given by im as follows:
ātmanāṃ śodhayitā.
Regarding the word *baladā he says*—
balasya ca dātā śodhayitā vā.
The implication of it seems to be that, Hiraṇyagarbha is the giver of the
self (which is inherently pure) and of inner strength which is unimpaired.
Being the bestower of life and vitality, as described in the first verse,
Hiraṇyagarbha became the sustainer and the lord of the entire creation.
Commenting on the first verse Sāyaṇa says:
sa ca jātaḥ jātamātra eva ekaḥ advitīyaḥ san bhūtasya vikārajātasya
brahmāṇḍādeḥ sarvasya jagataḥ patiḥ īśvara āsīt / na kevalaṃ ekaḥ
patirāsīdeva api tarhi saḥ hiraṇyagarbhaḥ pṛthivīṃ vistīrṇāṃ dyāṃ divaṃ uta
api ca imāṃ asmābhirdṛśyamānāṃ purovartinīmimāṃ bhūmiṃ / yadvā
pṛthivītyantarikṣanāma / antarikṣaṃ divaṃ bhūmiṃ ca dādhāra dhārayati.[26]
It may not be out of context to recall here that in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa
also it is said that Prajāpati (who is identified as Hiraṇyagarbha) is the
lord of the world; bhuvanasya hyaiṣa patiḥ prajāpatiḥ; dhārakaḥ ha vai
nāmaiṣā.[27] In the second verse of the hymn, quoted above Hiraṇyagarbha
Prajāpati is said to have under his control both immortality and mortality.
He in fact is life (amṛta) itself [28] and death which is the opposite of
immortality is his shadow.[29]
In this context may be quoted a verse from the Atharvasaṃhitā., IV.2.2.in
which occurs the passage: yasya cchāyāmṛtaṃ yasya mṛtyuḥ
Commenting on the passage Sāyaṇa says:
yasya devasya amṛtaṃ maraṇābhāvopalakṣitaṃ amṛtatvaṃ chāyeva svādhīnaṃ
vartate / mṛtyuḥ maraṇaṃ sarvajanasambandhi chāyeva yasya varttate.
Thus, the implication of the passage according to Sāyaṇa is that both life
and death are under the control of Hiraṇyagarbha. Just as the shadow of a
human being is under his control (sva adhīna) so are amṛtatva and mṛtyu are
under the control of the Creator God. Such is the might of Hiraṇyagarbha
who is the sole king of all that the entire creation including the gods
abides by his command (praśiṣaṃ). All the living beings both two footed and
four footed have Hiraṇyagarbha as their sole ruler.
It may be mentioned here that the passage “yaḥ prāṇato nimiṣato mahitvaika
idrajā jagato babhūva” reminds one of the passage from the *Vāk Sūkta:*
mayā so annamatti yo vipaśyati yaḥ prāṇiti ya īṃ śṛṇotyuktaṃ.[30]
The contents of the next three verses are continuations of the above two
verses where the greatness of Prajāpati is described. The verses are as
follows:
yasyeme himavanto mahitvā yasya samudraṃ rasayā sahāhuḥ /
yasyemāḥ pradiśo yasya bāhū kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema //
yena dyaurugrā pṛthivī ca dṛḷhā yena svaḥ stabhitaṃ yena nākaḥ /
yo antarikṣe rajaso vimānaḥ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema //
yaṃ krandasī avasā tastabhāne abhyaikṣetāṃ manasā rejamāne /
yatrādhi sūra udito vibhāti kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema //
[His, through his might, are these snow-covered mountains, and men call sea
and Rasā his possession: His arms are these, his are these heavenly
regions. What God shall we adore with our oblation? By him the heavens are
strong and earth is steadfast, by him light’s realm and sky-vault are
supported: By him the regions in mid-air were measured. What God shall we
adore with our oblation? To him, supported by his help, two armies
embattled look while trembling in their spirit, When over them the risen
Sun is shining. What God shall we adore with our oblation?]
In verse 4 it is said that the range of snow-covered mountains came into
existence through the might of Hiraṇyagarbha, so did the ocean which is
continuously fed by the waters of the rivers (rasayā). The four directions
including the interim directions known as Agni, Vāyu, Naiṛta and Īśāna are
like the mighty arms of Hiraṇyagarbha. It is Hiraṇyagarbha who has made the
heaven majestic and the earth steadfast. By him the realm of light and the
vault of the sky are upheld. It is he who creates the water-bearing clouds
in the mid-region. Both heaven and earth (krandasī) which are supported by
him, look up to him at sun rise, with trembling mind. The word used in
verse 6 to denote heaven and earth is krandasī and it is a synonym of
rodasī. Heaven and earth are called krandasī and rodasī because these are
filled with the cries of the warriors in battle fields. The purport of the
statement that krandasī look up to Hiraṇyagarbha with trembling mind may be
that rival armies who are about to start fighting at sun rise tremble with
fear, with death hovering above them, and thus being overpowered by fear
they look up to their sole lord for help, support and deliverance from fear.
In the ninth verse there is a supplication that may Hiraṇyagarbha, the
creator of heaven and earth, and of the vast sparkling waters not harm his
worshippers. In this verse Hiraṇyagarbha has been referred to as
satyadharmā which seems to mean the one who rules by fixed ordinances which
are infallible.
Commenting on the word satydharmā Sāyaṇa indeed has made the following
coment:
satyamavitathaṃ harma jagato dhāraṇaṃ yasya sa tādṛśaḥ prajāpatiḥ.
The ninth verse runs as follows:
mā no hiṃsījjanitā yaḥ pṛthivyā yo vā divaṃ satyadharmā jajāna /
yaścāpaścandrā bṛhatīrjajāna kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema //
[Ne’er may he harm us who is earth’s Begetter, nor he whose laws are sure,
the heaven’s Creator, He who brought forth the great and lucid waters. What
God shall we adore with our oblation?]
All the nine verses quoted and discussed above, as it has already been
mentioned, end with the refrain kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema. This
meaningful refrain has served the purpose of deepening the tone and tenor
of the hymn which seeks to tell the world that there is but One God who
rules and sustains the entire creation. *While the word kasmai on one hand
means prajāpataye hiraṇyagarbhāya, on the other hand it implies that ‘What
God other than Hiraṇyagarbha indeed is there whom man may worship?’*
The tenth verse with which the hymn ends runs as follows:
prajāpate na tvadetānyanyo viśvā jātāni pari tā babhūva /
yatkāmāste juhumastanno astu vayaṃ syāma patayo rayīṇāṃ //
[Prajāpati! thou only comprehendest all these created things, and none
besides thee. Grant us our heart’s desire when we invoke thee: may we have
store of riches in possession.]
In this verse Hiraṇyagarbha has been directly addressed as Prajāpati. Here
the worshipper says that there is no god other than Prajāpati by whom the
entire universe consisting of living and non-living being has been
encompassed.
This statement reminds one of the following passages from Īśopaniṣad (1a):
īśāvāsyaṃ idaṃ sarvaṃ yat kiṃca jagatyāṃ jagat.
The hymn ends with a prayer that may Hiraṇyagarbha bestow upon the
worshippers their desired goals so that they may become the masters of all
riches.
[1]:. prajāpate na tvadetānyanyo viśvā jātāni pari tā babhūva / yatkāmāste
juhumastanno astu vayaṃ syāma patayo rayīṇāṃ //-gveda,X.121.10.
[3]:. agre hiraṇyagarbhaḥ sa prādurbhūtaścaturmukhaḥ //-VP.,6.36.
[5]:Durgācārya on Nirukta, 10.22.
[6]:. ko vai nāma prajāpatiḥ //-Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, 6.21; ko hi prajāpatiḥ
//-Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 6.2.2.5. Also see, Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, 2.38; 6.21;
Tāṇḍya Mahābrāhmaṇa, 7.8.3; Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa, 2.2.5.5.
[17]:. agnir vai devatānāṃ mukhaṃ prajanayitā sa prajāpatiḥ //-Śatapatha
Brāhmaṇa, 3.9.1.6; agnir vai sarveṣāṃ devānāmātmā //-Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa,
14.3.2.5; prāṇo vā agniḥ //-Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 9.5.1.68. Also see, eṣa vai
prajāpatiḥ / yadagniḥ //-Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa, 1.1.5.5; prajāpatireṣo agniḥ
//-Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 6.5.3.7;
[23]: Also see, yathāgner jvalataḥ sarvā diśo visphuliṅgā vipratiṣṭheran,
evamevaitasmādātmanaḥ sarve prāṇā yathāyatanaṃ vipratiṣṭhante, prāṇebhyo
devā devebhyo lokāḥ //-Kaṭhopaniṣad, III.3; yathā sudīptāt pāvakād
visphuliṅgāḥ sahasraśaḥ prabhavante sarūpāḥ / tathākṣarādvividhāḥ somya
bhāvāḥ prajāyante tatra caivāpiyanti //-Mu kopaniṣad, II.1.1.
[29]: In later Vedic texts Prajāpati is identified with death itself. cf.
anto vai prajāpatiḥ //-Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 5.1.3.13; eṣa vai mṛtyur yat
prajāpatiḥ prabhūmāneva nāma //-Jaiminīya Brāhmaṇa, 1.
K RAJARAM IRS 10626
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