A new approach to the Vedas : an essay in translation and exegesis

THREE VEDIC HYMNS

simply life, continued existence, as in Rg Veda, VII, 57, 6, and equivalent to dirghamayuh in X, 85, Ig; the sense is ‘‘neither birth nor death as yet were.”

That ‘‘ He breathes without air” (avdia, cf. later niyvana, “ despiration’”’) is a profound and significant expression, implying all the correlative of motion without local movement, and the like, which may be properly enunciated of the First Principle, “ for (only) where there is a duality, as it were’ (Byhaddvanyaka Up., IV, 5, 15) could it be otherwise. The thought is taken up and further developed in several passages of the Upanisads, particularly the Brhadavanyaka Up., as quoted above, p. 46, Kena Up., I, 8, ““ Know that as Brahman which breathes (praniti) without breath (na... prdnena) yet by whom breath (prdna) is breathed (prantyate)”’, Mundaka Ub., II, r, 2, and 3, where That from which Intellect (manas) and Spiritus (prdua) are born (ja@yate) is Itself imageless (amivita), un-intelligent (amanassa), de-spirited (aprana), and Taittirtya Up., I, 7, where That without which none might breathe (frdmydt) is Self-less (andtmya), indiscriminate (anirukta), placeless (anilayana).

“ By intrinsic power” (svadha): cf. Rg Veda, IV, 13, 5, by what intrinsic-power (svadha) does he move ? ”’ and the answer in I, 144, 2, ““ When he (as Fire) dwelt diffused in the womb of the Waters (apamupasthe), thence got he (adhayat) the intrinsic powers (svadhah) whereby he proceeds (tyate)’’: the Waters, nirgunaBrahman, unconscious Godhead, being as explained above, the source of all omnipotence (mahimdanah) and facility (kauSalya). Essence being impotent (sfavi) apart from nature; nature being power (Sakti) and magic (maya), means whereby anything is done.1°? Cf. Bhagavad Gita, IV, 6, “I am born by my own power,” where dtmamayaya is clearly the same as sva-dhayd, cf. mayaya in Rg Veda, 1X, 73, 5 and 9.

“That One” is clearly here not an existence, for

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