PRAJAPATI OF VACH & USHAS MY MAIN MAN
Prajapati (Sanskrit: प्रजापति, romanized: Prajāpati, lit. 'lord of creation and protector') is a Vedic deity of Hinduism. In later literature, Prajapati is identified with the creator god Brahma, but the term also connotes many different gods, depending on the Hindu text, ranging from being the creator god to being Viswakarma, Agni, Indra, Daksha and many others, reflecting the diverse Hindu cosmology. The term Prajapati has evolved over time to mean any divine, semi-divine or human sage who creates something new. A light bringer. In classical and medieval era literature, Prajapati is equated to the metaphysical concept called Brahman as Prajapati-Brahman (Svayambhu Brahman), or alternatively Brahman is described as one who existed before Prajapati. The etymology of Prajapati (Sanskrit: प्रजापति) is a compound of "praja" (creation, procreative powers) and "pati" (lord, master). The term also means "lord of creatures" or "lord of all born beings".
The origins of Prajapati are unclear. He appears late in the Vedic layer of texts, and the hymns that mention him provide different cosmological theories in different chapters. He is missing from the Samhita layer of Vedic literature, conceived in the Brahmana layer. Prajapati is younger than Savitr, and the word was originally an epithet for the sun. His profile gradually rises in the Vedas, peaking within the Brahmanas.
Scholars such as Renou, Keith and Bhattacharji posit Prajapati originated as an abstract or semi-abstract deity in the later Vedic milieu as speculations evolved from the archaic to more learned speculations.
An Indo-European possible connection between Prajapati (and related figures in Indian tradition) and the Prōtogonos (Ancient Greek: Πρωτογόνος, literally "first-born") of the Greek Orphic tradition has been proposed:
According to Robert Graves, the name of /PRA-JĀ[N]-pati/ ('progeny-potentate') is etymologically equivalent to that of the oracular god at Colophon (according to Makrobios), namely /prōtogonos/. The cosmic egg concept linked to Prajapati and Protogonos is common in many parts of the world, states David Leeming, which appears in later Orphic cult in Greece.
The frequent speculations on the creation of the world in the early Vedic literature allude to various primal figures, such as Hiranyagarbha (“Golden Egg”) and Vishvakarman (“All-Accomplishing”), and the title of Prajapati was applied to more than one such figure. Later it was used to signify one deity—the lord of all creatures.
According to one of the stories of creation, Prajapati produced the universe and all its beings after first preparing himself by undergoing tapas (ascetic practices); other stories allude to his own creation from the primal waters.
His female emanation, who aided him in the creation of other beings, was Vac, the personification of the sacred word, but sometimes his female partner is given as Ushas, the dawn, who is also regarded as his daughter.
Vach (Sanskrit: वाच्, vāc), a Vedic goddess is a personified form of speech. She enters into the inspired poets and visionaries, gives expression and energy to those she loves; she is called the "mother of the Vedas" and consort of Prajapati, the Vedic embodiment of mind. She is also associated with Indra in Aitareya Aranyaka. Elsewhere, such as in the Padma Purana, she is stated to be the wife of Vision (Kashyapa), the mother of Emotions, and the friend of Musicians (Gandharva).
She is identified with goddess Sarasvati in later Vedic literature and post-Vedic texts of Hindu traditions. Sarasvati has remained a significant and revered deity in Hinduism.[3]
Collectively, the individual deities granted the title Prajapati are the “mind born” children of Brahma. They are generally considered to number 10, though some authorities reduce them to seven and relate them to the seven great rishis (ancient sages).
Usha, Vedic Goddess Of New Beginnings
Ushas is a Vedic goddess. She is called the ‘Goddess of Dawn and Shining Morning’. Her abode is the Sun and she mounts the Golden Chariot. Her consort is the Surya while her siblings are Chandra, Nindra and Ratri. Her children are the Ashvins. She has a sister named Ratri (Night). Her name is mentioned in the Rigvedic hymns in which she is considered to be the life of living creatures, sets everything in motion, she chases away the bad demons, awakens all living beings and makes everyone go and perform their regular duties. Ushas drives away harsh darkness and impels breath and action. She is the eliminator of confusion and chaos and ensures Rta – moral and cosmic order in Hinduism.
A number of hymns in the Rigveda have petitioned, acknowledged and thanked her for driving away darkness and ensure that light arrives daily. The Rig Veda depicts Ushas as the most superior goddess. She rides across the sky in a beautiful golden chariot drawn by cows or red horses, to her destination Surya, the Vedic Sun God. She is portrayed as a young woman who is beautifully adorned. The Vedas dedicate some of the most beautiful hymns in her name.
The name Vedic Ushas is taken from the word ‘Usa’ meaning ‘Dawn’. Depicted as the ‘breath of all breaths’ and ‘the life of all life’, Ushas is the one who permeates life to all beings. She gives new vigor and life to the earth each and everyday. Ushas is depicted as an irresistibly attractive, beautiful and smiling maiden who brings in joy and cheer to all who look upon her. She marks time, symbolizes reality and reminds all that ‘life is limited on earth’.
Shardha Batra
As humans, we are driven largely by the mind. Chitta, the deeper strata of man’s mind-field, is a storehouse for latent patterns of habit. These are prototypical powers and serve as inner drives, influencing our thoughts and behaviour in the manifestation of our destiny.
Individual consciousness is a miniature, faithful representation of cosmic consciousness which is accessed by those in deep samadhi. The higher layers of the macrocosm are the abode of ‘archetypes’, known in the Vedas, as gods and goddesses. Each archetype is in essence a specific personified attribute of the Supreme Godhead and once activated, can blossom to manifestation, both in the collective and individual consciousness.
Vedic Samhita is a collection of mantras and hymns revealed to rishis in their elevated states of unitary consciousness. These unravel mysteries of the cosmos, hierarchy of cosmic archetypes and their relation to human consciousness.
Usha, goddess of dawn, mentioned numerous times in the Rig Veda with about 30 hymns dedicated to her, is visualised in the higher consciousness of the poet-sage as a beautiful maiden whose captivating smile infuses hope in all those who await her arrival. She makes a dramatic appearance drawn by 100 chariots and possesses ‘gau’ and ‘ashva’ which mean cow and horse in common parlance but metaphorically, they mean light and power respectively. Hence Usha is also known as Gomati and Ashvavati.
Usha’s sister Ratri is the cosmic energy of night, whose darkness engulfs our consciousness and enforces a repose which heals and revives by a temporary hibernation of mind and senses. Usha follows Ratri as surely as spring follows winter, in an unfailing rhythm called ‘Rta’ in Sanskrit.
Rta maintains universal occurrences in a precise order, protecting the cosmos from sheer chaos. Dawn is the ‘rtavari’ mother, keeper of moral and social order, ensuring integrity of the complex cosmos.
At the most profane level, Usha, another form of Aditi, mother of gods, is the cosmic energy which immediately precedes the start of each earthly day. Usha gently steals into the atmosphere of earth just before her consort Surya, Sun, suffusing the skies with golden-orange luminosity.
She is the pregnant silence at daybreak, which pulsates with a nebulous promise of fresh hope, dreams to be fulfilled, battles to be fought and conquered. Her gentle yet sure vibrations suffuse the most tired of souls with new potential.
Dawn fulfils a dual role, as mother of auspicious tidings and devourer of lives. As the latter, she collaborates with the primordial Mother Kali to measure out eternity into small slices known as nights and days. Her relentless march continues and gnaws away at man’s ayuh, lifespan, slowly and surely leading him to death – only to be followed by another birth and dawn.
Usha thus holds the individual soul in the vortex of Kaala as he reaps karma, ripens wisdom and evolves to perfection. Each dawn is subconsciously reminiscent of the stupendous event of Shrishti, Creation itself. Dawn is therefore the ideal time to be silent and meditate on a higher reality, Brahmn, the ‘Brahmn muhurta’.
The tapas, heat, of restraint incubates the seed of a higher consciousness in the spiritual aspirant, full of Shanti, peace; Anand, bliss and Pratibha, light. Spiritual dawn is the mother of divine virtues like compassion, friendship and a deep sensitivity to the sanctity of life.Ushas is referred to as the Vedic goddess of the sunrise in Hindu dharma. In Rigveda, the goddess Ushas is continually associated with and often recognized with the dawn. She offers the existence of all of the living creatures of the universe and makes us breathe properly. She additionally gives a sound mind and a sound body.
Ushas is the most prominent goddess in Vedic literature. However, she has her own identity, and most people consider her as important as the three vital male deities named Agni, Soma, and Indra.
Ushas is stated in numerous hymns of the Rigveda. Forty of its hymns are devoted to her, while her name appears in different extra hymns. In the Rig Veda, she is described as a young woman drawn riding in a golden chariot in her direction throughout the sky. Due to her color, she is often recognized with the reddish cows. Both of them are released through Indra from Vala cave at the beginning of time. It is stated that she is drawn by one hundred horses.
Goddess Usha is generally associated with light and wealth. She reveals herself with the daily coming of the light to the world. She passes forth light and is accompanied by the sun. She alone leads the Sun and discloses her excellence and fire to her world.
She is honored by the worshippers for driving away oppressive darkness and chases away evil spirits. She sets all the things in motion and sends off people from their duties after completing the day. She carries not just light to the sleeping humankind, but hope, happiness, riches, and all the good things. She has the magic of looking at everybody at the same time.
Ushas is ranked as a divinity in her own right. She is considered as a celestial Yogini, a form of Goddess, who is held as spiritual. Ushas is also a feminine divinity who stimulates the nobility from the innermost depths of the human soul. She is the force that propels even the Gods into action. As the mother of the Ashwins, she is also worshipped as the Shakti. She has the power that can heal and bless people with immense knowledge and grace.Ushas is regarded as the daughter of Dyaus Pita, Father of the sky. She is the elder sister of Ratri, the Night. When Ushas rises, the night is dark and deep, and the sky begins to adorn her. Ushas’s sister Ratri is the cosmic energy of the night, whose darkness engulfs our consciousness. And enforces a repose which heals and revives by a temporary hibernation of mind and senses.
Ushas follows Ratri as surely as spring follows winter, in an unfailing rhythm called ‘Rta’ in Sanskrit. Ushas is the cosmic energy that immediately precedes the start of each earthly day. Ushas gently steals into the earth’s atmosphere just before her consort Surya, Sun, suffusing the skies with golden-orange luminosity.
The ancient Vedic tradition has viewed Ushas as the harbinger of light, awareness, activity. People separated time into the form of day and night. All creation rests at night, and the whole of creation is active in the day. The transformation which takes place from night today is known to be the attribute of Ushas. She is also highly popular as the pioneer of the day as she leads the Sun into throwing his glance on the earth. Ushas follows Ratri as surely as spring follows winter, in an unfailing rhythm called ‘Rta’ in Sanskrit. Ushas is the cosmic energy that immediately precedes the start of each earthly day. Ushas gently steals into the earth’s atmosphere just before her consort Surya, Sun, suffusing the skies with golden-orange luminosity.
Ushas is ranked as a divinity in her own right. She is considered as a celestial Yogini, a form of Goddess, who is held as spiritual. Ushas is also a feminine divinity who stimulates the nobility from the innermost depths of the human soul. She is the force that propels even the Gods into action. As the mother of the Ashwins, she is also worshipped as the Shakti. She has the power that can heal and bless people with immense knowledge and grace.
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