Meaning of one verse from Rig Veda

From: pvr108 <pvr@charter.net>
Date: 2009/8/30
Subject: [vedic-wisdom] Re: Meaning of one verse from Rig Veda
To: vedic-wisdom@yahoogroups.com

 

Namaste Rajarshi,

> I cannot give a complete sense of what this verse is saying
> (will try later), but can give an overall big picture first.

Unfortunately, this verse depends on the context built by the previous 14 verses of RV 10.95. Though I intended to type out a detailed mail with my independent interpretation of all the verses in that chapter, it is a big task and I am unable to find time for it.

Fortunately, I chanced upon a nice website giving the Hindi translation (including word-by-word meanings) of all the four Vedas by Swami Dayananda Saraswati. Though not at the same depth as Aurobindo's commentary (which was limited to a few verses), his exhaustive work is quite good.

If you are comfortable with Hindi language, please use this website for commentary on Vedas in future. It is far far far far better than the English commentary on the site you referred to. I checked out some sample verses and quite pleased with the commentary. This work is similar in wavelength to my own thinking and I am comfortable recommending this. Though it does not internalize enough in several places, it is not dumb and silly like other internet commentaries.

In the case of RV 10.95 that you enquired about, Swami Dayananda Saraswati interpreted Pururava as a cloud containing water and Urvashi as vidyut (electricity, i.e. lightening). This is quite intelligent and acceptable to me, though my view expressed in the mail below internalizes it further.

The website is

http://www.aryasamajjamnagar.org/

Click the link on the right for Rigveda bhashya (bhashya=commentary). God bless Arya Samaj folks at Jamnagar!

Best regards,
Narasimha
----------------------------------------------------------
Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homam
Do Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/tarpana
Spirituality: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vedic-wisdom
Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net
Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.org
Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org
----------------------------------------------------------

--- In vedic-wisdom@yahoogroups.com, "Narasimha P.V.R. Rao" <pvr@...> wrote in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vedic-wisdom/message/2138:

> Namaste,
>
> Veda is for self-realization. Veda deals with various aspects of dual and non-dual self. There are hardly any good translations or commentaries on Veda in today's world. Aurobindo's commentary (on a small number of riks) is the only intelligent commentary I have come across.
>
> Just as Adi Sankara devoted his life to commenting on some Upanishads, someone like him needs to come and devote life to commenting on Veda, if we are to have a good commentary. Actually, Vivekananda commented on his last day (1902 July 4) on the commentaries on Veda. He had his disciples read a verse from Sukla Yajur Veda, read the commentary by Mahidhara and said that Mahidhara's interpretation did not appeal to his mind. He connected the verse to some later day tantra concepts and wished that his disciples would make an attempt at fresh independent interpretation of mantras from Veda, as the existing commentaries were not good. This was one of the last few desires expressed by Vivekananda before he gave up his body.
>
> Aurobindo said that he had a vision of Vivekananda in his prison cell and that Vivekananda explained some things to him. It is interesting that Aurobindo came up with a sublime commentary on some Vedic verses in later years.
>
> * * *
>
> Do not trust any commentary on Veda. More so the one at the website you mentioned. I checked out a few verses. The translations given by them are usually quite silly. Ignore that website.
>
> * * *
>
> Commenting on a verse from Veda is different. It is not merely an intellectual activity requiring scholarship and logical thinking.
>
> I cannot give a complete sense of what this verse is saying (will try later), but can give an overall big picture first. The verses around this verse alternate between having Pururava as the rishi (seer) and Urvashi as the devata (deity) and having Urvashi as the rishi (deity) and Pururava as the devata (deity). This is an exchange between Pururava and Urvashi as they pursued each other. You can read various puranic stories about Pururava, the great king from Chandra vamsha, and Urvashi, the beautiful apsara (celestial nymph). They were attracted to each other and lived together on earth. They are personifications of some qualities inside us.
>
> Urvashi comes from ura and vasha. It means one who has the power to control and pull the heart. Urvashi is personification of the attraction that pulls one's heart towards various objects in the field of duality. As a sadhaka does great tapascharya and starts to overcome duality, Urvashi is sent to test one. Urvashi successfully seducing a sadhaka and disturbing his tapascharya means that the sadhaka succumbed to the power of attraction that pulled his heart towards objects and his heart desired something.
>
> Pururava means a crying a lot or crying majestically. He is a personification of the emotional nature and compassion within us. No wonder he is a king in the Chandra vamsha. The solar and lunar lineages that are popular in the scriptures have to do with the solar and lunar channels - Pingala and Ida (respectively). Ida nadi is the channel of emotions, intuition, feeling, compassion etc. So Pururava is from that lineage.
>
> While everyone is charmed by Urvashi - the power of attraction that binds one's heart, Urvashi herself was charmed by Pururava, the majestic and noble king. Pururava rescued Urvashi from a demon once. The majestic and noble quality of compassion saves the power of attraction from having to combine with meaner motives. One's heart can be pulled towards various objects out of the spirit of self-gratification (a demon) or out of kindness and compassion (Pururava). When compassion arises in one's heart, then the heart's attraction to others is driven by compassion rather than the spirit of self-gratification.
>
> The verses you referred to are a dialog between the personification of compassion and personification of the power of attraction that pulls one's heart towards various objects. This whole series of verses has to be interpreted in abstract and internalized terms. It is not a commentary on men and women at all.
>
> More later..
>
> Best regards,
> Narasimha
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homam
> Do Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/tarpana
> Spirituality: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vedic-wisdom
> Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net
> Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.org
> Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org
> ----------------------------------------------------------
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: rajarshi nandy
> To: vedic-wisdom@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 10:54 PM
> Subject: [vedic-wisdom] Meaning of one verse from Rig Veda
> Dear Narasimhaji and others
>
> Can you kindly explain the meaning of the following verse from the Rig Veda:
>

> purÅ«ravo mÄ má¹›thÄ mÄ pra papto mÄ tvÄ vá¹›kÄ so aÅ›ivÄ sa uká¹£an |

> na vai straiá¹‡Ä ni sakhyÄ ni santi sÄ lÄ vá¹›kÄ á¹‡Ä á¹ƒhá¹›dayÄ nyetÄ || (Rig Veda Book 10, Hym XCV)

>
> http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rvsan/rv10095.htm
>
> The english translation provided is as follows:
>

> 15 Nay, do not die, Purūravas, nor vanish: let not the evil-omened wolves devour thee.

> With women there can be no lasting friendship: hearts of hyenas are the hearts of women.
>
> http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rigveda/rv10095.htm
>
> Is this translation correct? If so, then is this a negative comment on all women?
>
> -Regards
> Rajarshi

Query regarding Homam / Tarpanam

Sri Narasimha Garu,

 

Namaskaram.

 

If one has to do both Homam and Tarpanam daily, what would be your suggestion in terms of which would be the order one has to perform both.. is it that first do homam and then Tarpanam or vice versa or it does  not matter?

 

I have downloaded the all tarpana manuals from the website and thinking to start off with super short process from the coming poornima day. As i already do the regular Homam which consumes 45 mins in the morning, just wanted to keep it simple for tarpana, please me you guidance what should be the order.

 

Thanks

KK

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Narasimha P.V.R. Rao <pvr@charter.net>
Date: 2009/8/28
Subject: [vedic-wisdom] Re: Query regarding Homam / Tarpanam
To: vedic-wisdom@yahoogroups.com

 

Dear Krishna Kanth,

 

Super-short tarpana is good enough.

 

Though traditionally homam is done after japam and tarpana, I strongly recommend making homam the first activity and then doing japam and tarpana. That is more appropriate for the times we live in.

 

People of old times had brightly burning bhootaagni inside. Their performance of a daily fire ritual was just a responsibility towards the universe. They were doing fire ritual for maintaining dharma in the universe and not necessarily for saving their own bhootaagni from being extinguished.

 

Most people today - even those who are re-incarnations of very good yogis from the last life - are initially lacking in internal purity and their bhootaagni is very very very weak and actually pretty much extinguished in most people. The times are such, the culture is such, our lifestyles are such, the influences on our minds are such and the energy filling the air we breath is such. Thus, one's reason for doing a homam is different from the old times. When one does a fire ritual, one does one's dharma towards the universe and, at the same time, improves one's own internal bhootaagni a little bit.

 

For doing any spiritual activity - japam or tarpana or just reading a scripture or contemplation - strong bhootaagni is very important for internalizing and digesting the experience spiritually. If a person with a very weak or extinguished bhootaagni does such spiritual activities, the impact is negligible. As a person's bhootaagni is maximized immediately following a ritual with an external fire, it helps one do a better job with other spiritual activities.

 

Thus, my recommendation is the same as Narayan's. Do homam, meditate as the poornaahuti burns and then do tarpana. In fact, if you are only doing deva and rishi tarpanas, you can even integrate it with homam. You can do deva and rishi tarpanas while sitting in front of the fire, after the uttaraangam and before the poornaahuti, and then go on to offer poornaahuti. However, if you also want to include pitris (deceased ancestors) along with devas and rishis, I suggest doing it separately after the homam.

 

*        *        *

 

I want to narrate an incident related to tarpana manuals.

 

Manish thinks very highly of tarpana and asked me to create a manual for it last year. In the case of homam, I studied and practiced several approaches and experienced some things internally and knew what I was talking about, before the homam manuals were created. In case of tarpana, my experience and internal understanding was limited when I created the manuals. Though I had Manish's blessings, I had some doubts on whether what I consolidated (as 3 options) was good enough or not. On the day chosen for making the manuals available, I did my Chandi homam in the morning and prayed to the 18-handed Mahalakshmi/Durga idol I use for homam, "O Mother, I was very comfortable with homam manuals, but my experience in tarpana is limited. But Manish asked me to create and distribute tarpana manuals. Several important people may be using these manuals in future. If what I consolidated is good and you approve it, please give me some signal today as I perform the procedure. I will understand. I will publish them only if you give your approval."

 

Then I sat down to perform tarpanas. The moment I invoked gods and rishis into the kalasha, there was such a powerful wind outside (the windows were open). The sound of the wind was really loud. I started deva tarpana and said "brahmaa tripyataam" and left water. Then I took water into my palm again and said "vishnuh tripyataam". As soon as I left that water, I heard big thup-thup sounds from outside. When I lifted my head to see through the window, I saw that heavy rain with really big drops had just started. It did not rain in the previous 10 days and there were no noticeable clouds in the sky that morning. It was very sunny and bright until then. But a heavy rain started as soon as tarpana started and the rain continued till the end of the day.

 

I took the wind and the rain as signals of approval from the Mother, thanked her at the end and went ahead to publish the manuals. As I performed the ritual more times later, I slowly understood the real meaning and purpose of tarpana. For many people with weak minds that are afflicted by rinas to deceased ancestors with mental weaknesses, tarpana is a very very useful ritual. I now fully understand why Manish, or Vimalananda for that matter, emphasized performing both homam and tarpana and how they supplement each other. I am glad that more people are considering performing a quick homam and a quick tarpana on a regular basis. Even a combination of a 30-minute homam and a 5-minute tarpana performed daily will go a long way in freeing one.

 

Best regards,
Narasimha
------------------------------------------------------------------
Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homam
Do Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/tarpana
Spirituality: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vedic-wisdom
Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net
Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.org
Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org
------------------------------------------------------------------

TP Solar vs Soli-lunar Example

From: Narasimha PVR Rao <pvr@charter.net>
Date: 2009/8/24
Subject: [sjc-guru] TP Solar vs Soli-lunar Example
To: sohamsa@yahoogroups.com, sjc-guru@yahoogroups.com,
vedic-astrology@yahoogroups.com, JyotishGroup@yahoogroups.com

Namaste,

I am a proponent of free will being a continual modifier of destiny.
However, Jay's outburst is not helpful in putting things in
perspective and I will not comment on free will vs Jyotish principles
at this time. But there is one point I want to make on TP chart
calculation itself.

* * *

Sometimes, it is not the lack of "proper logic", but wrong
calculations due to a wrong teaching that can do one in. Let me give a
clear-cut example that illustrates my point using TP charts.

* * *

Birthdata is 1970 April 4, 5:47:13 pm (IST), Machilipatnam, India. The
native left his country for the first time on 1991 August 14 night and
came to US on 1991 August 15 evening.

He was born on Krishna Chaturdasi tithi (soli-lunar day) in the
soli-lunar month of Phalguna and solar month of Meena (Sun in Pi).

If you go by Sanjay ji's teachings (and mine too, so far) on Tithi
Pravesha, the annual TP chart of 1991-92 is cast on 1991 April 13 at
8:00:13 am (IST). It is a Krishna Chaturdasi tithi in the soli-lunar
month of *Chaitra* and solar month of Meena (Sun in Pi). Because we do
not care about the soli-lunar month and take the soli-lunar day of
birth (Krishna Chaturdasi) in the solar month of birth (Meena), we get
this TP chart. But please note that the soli-lunar month (Chaitra)
does not match that at birth (Phalguna)!

The native left India and came to USA in Moon-Moon antardasa as per
Tithi Ashtottari dasa and Venus dasa as per Vimsottari dasa. In the
rasi chart, Moon is the 3rd lord in 11th with parivartana with 11th
lord and 4th lord Sun joins him. In D-4, Moon is again the 3rd lord in
11th. Why did he give a foreign journey for the first time in life? If
you take Vimsottari dasa itself, Venus is lagna lord in lagna in both
rasi and D-4. He makes even less sense.

This makes very little sense. Some people may be able to somehow
justify the above, but the alternative below is far simpler, far more
logical and far more palatable.

* * *

In JHora 7.33, select "Preferences", "Related to calculations" and
"Tithi Pravesha calculation options". By default, "Use solar (as
opposed to soli-lunar) months in Tithi Pravesha" checkbox is checked.
Uncheck it to stick to soli-lunar months with soli-lunar days.

Now make the 1991-92 TP chart. You will now get it on 1991 March 14 at
5:48:38 pm (IST). It is a Krishna Chaturdasi tithi in the soli-lunar
month of *Phalguna* and solar month of *Kumbha* (Sun in Aq). Though
solar month (Kumbha) does not match that at birth (Meena), the
soli-lunar month (Phalguna) matches now.

With this chart, you will see that the native went abroad in
Mars-Venus antardasa as per Tithi Ashtottari dasa. Mars is the 9th
lord and also badhaka lord. Venus is in the 9th house and badhaka
sthana. Jalapatana sahamam at the end of watery Pisces is within 2 deg
from Venus at the beginning of Aries. Even in D-4, Mars is the 7th and
12th lord and Venus is in the 12th house with the 9th lord and badhaka
lord. Taking Mars as lagna, Venus is in 12th in rasi and Venus is the
9th lord in 3rd from Mars in D-4.

Even if we use just Vimsottari dasa, the event was given by
Saturn-Rahu. In rasi, Saturn and Rahu own 7th and are close to
paradesa sahamam. In D-4, Saturn is 9th lord and badhaka lord
occupying 12th and Rahu is in 9th house in badhaka sthana.

The event makes perfect sense based on both dasas. The logic is so
simple, crisp, clear-cut and coherent that it can be used as a
classical text book example!

* * *

Now, my question to intelligent and honest seekers of this knowledge
of rishis is this: Do you think that the former calculation based on
solar months is correct and we are unable to see the result clearly
because we are missing some logic? Or do you think that the latter
calculation based on soli-lunar months must be correct as things line
up so perfectly with it?

* * *

I have seen many examples like this, where soli-lunar month based TP
shows events much much better than solar month based TP (which was
taught by us at SJC until now). However, it is not as simple as always
using soli-lunar month based TP as given by current JHora. There are
several examples where solar month based calculations are superior.
There is something amiss right now, with respect to how soli-lunar
months are reckoned.

I worked on this riddle extensively for a long time now. I have
consolidated everything based on all the border case TP examples where
I *honestly* determined which version is working better. After
studying all the examples, I clearly understood what is going on and
have a modified soli-lunar month based approach that works in all
cases. It is not available in JHora right now. I will wait for some
more time before I make my findings public. Until then, if you are so
inclined, please try soli-lunar month based TP if solar month based TP
(default) does not explain things well in a particular year and you
have to compromise and come up with some round-about logic. Atleast be
aware of this issue and a potential incorrectness in our teaching so
far.

Bottomline: Freedom put it very well below - we do have some "blind
spots". However, sometimes the very calculations may be based on wrong
principles and hence the very foundation wrong. When you are sitting
in a wrong car, blind spots cannot be eliminated no matter how hard
you adjust the mirrors.

Best regards,
Narasimha
----------------------------------------------------------
Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homam
Do Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/tarpana
Spirituality: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vedic-wisdom
Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net
Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.org
Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org
----------------------------------------------------------

One Year Graha gochar /Transit view(corrected)

Graha(-R)	DateTime	Longitude	Sign	Comments
Venus	21-Aug-2009	90.43	Cancer	Venus Changing sign
Mercury-R	07-Sep-2009	162.22	Virgo	Mercury Getting Retrograde
Saturn	09-Sep-2009	150.03	Virgo	Saturn Changing sign
Venus	15-Sep-2009	120.42	Leo	Venus Changing sign
Sun	16-Sep-2009	150.23	Virgo	Sun Changing sign
Mercury-R	24-Sep-2009	149.71	Leo	Mercury Changing sign
Mercury	29-Sep-2009	147.63	Leo	Mercury Getting Forward
Mercury	04-Oct-2009	150.04	Virgo	Mercury Changing sign
Mars	05-Oct-2009	90.17	Cancer	Mars Changing sign
Venus	10-Oct-2009	150.47	Virgo	Venus Changing sign
Jupiter	13-Oct-2009	293.17	Capricorn	Jupiter Getting Forward
Sun	17-Oct-2009	180.23	Libra	Sun Changing sign
Mercury	24-Oct-2009	180.19	Libra	Mercury Changing sign
trueNode-R	02-Nov-2009	269.99	Sagittarius	trueNode Changing sign
Venus	03-Nov-2009	180.33	Libra	Venus Changing sign
Mercury	12-Nov-2009	210.45	Scorpio	Mercury Changing sign
Sun	16-Nov-2009	210.24	Scorpio	Sun Changing sign
Venus	27-Nov-2009	210.42	Scorpio	Venus Changing sign
Mercury	01-Dec-2009	240.43	Sagittarius	Mercury Changing sign
Sun	15-Dec-2009	240.13	Sagittarius	Sun Changing sign
Jupiter	19-Dec-2009	300.04	Aquarius	Jupiter Changing sign
Mars-R	20-Dec-2009	115.69	Cancer	Mars Getting Retrograde
Venus	21-Dec-2009	240.61	Sagittarius	Venus Changing sign
Mercury-R	26-Dec-2009	267.78	Sagittarius	Mercury Getting Retrograde
Venus	13-Jan-2010	270.18	Capricorn	Venus Changing sign
Saturn-R	13-Jan-2010	160.65	Virgo	Saturn Getting Retrograde
Sun	14-Jan-2010	270.19	Capricorn	Sun Changing sign
Mercury	15-Jan-2010	251.56	Sagittarius	Mercury Getting Forward
Mercury	06-Feb-2010	270.65	Capricorn	Mercury Changing sign
Venus	06-Feb-2010	300.32	Aquarius	Venus Changing sign
Sun	12-Feb-2010	300.14	Aquarius	Sun Changing sign
Mercury	26-Feb-2010	300.78	Aquarius	Mercury Changing sign
Venus	02-Mar-2010	330.34	Pisces	Venus Changing sign
Mars	10-Mar-2010	96.29	Cancer	Mars Getting Forward
Sun	14-Mar-2010	330.27	Pisces	Sun Changing sign
Mercury	14-Mar-2010	330.68	Pisces	Mercury Changing sign
Venus	26-Mar-2010	0.13	Aries	Venus Changing sign
Mercury	29-Mar-2010	0.03	Aries	Mercury Changing sign
Sun	14-Apr-2010	0.41	Aries	Sun Changing sign
Mercury-R	18-Apr-2010	18.62	Aries	Mercury Getting Retrograde
Venus	20-Apr-2010	30.22	Taurus	Venus Changing sign
Jupiter	02-May-2010	330.07	Pisces	Jupiter Changing sign
Mercury	11-May-2010	8.65	Aries	Mercury Getting Forward
Sun	14-May-2010	30.05	Taurus	Sun Changing sign
Venus	15-May-2010	60.51	Gemini	Venus Changing sign
Mars	26-May-2010	120.02	Leo	Mars Changing sign
Saturn	30-May-2010	153.83	Virgo	Saturn Getting Forward
Mercury	06-Jun-2010	30.76	Taurus	Mercury Changing sign
Venus	09-Jun-2010	90.26	Cancer	Venus Changing sign
Sun	15-Jun-2010	60.26	Gemini	Sun Changing sign
Mercury	22-Jun-2010	60.67	Gemini	Mercury Changing sign
Venus	05-Jul-2010	120.34	Leo	Venus Changing sign
Mercury	06-Jul-2010	90.64	Cancer	Mercury Changing sign
Sun	16-Jul-2010	90.31	Cancer	Sun Changing sign
Mars	20-Jul-2010	150.26	Virgo	Mars Changing sign
Mercury	23-Jul-2010	120.43	Leo	Mercury Changing sign
Jupiter-R	23-Jul-2010	339.39	Pisces	Jupiter Getting Retrograde
Venus	01-Aug-2010	150.05	Virgo	Venus Changing sign
Sun	17-Aug-2010	120.46	Leo	Sun Changing sign
Mercury-R	20-Aug-2010	145.05	Leo	Mercury Getting Retrograde
Venus	01-Sep-2010	180.18	Libra	Venus Changing sign
Mars	05-Sep-2010	180.05	Libra	Mars Changing sign
Mercury	12-Sep-2010	131.35	Leo	Mercury Getting Forward
Sun	17-Sep-2010	150.47	Virgo	Sun Changing sign