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

A NEW APPROACH TO THE VEDAS

i.e., from Being and Non-being, which are not existent but are the possibilities of Existence.

The Vedic doctrine of Angels has never been seriously studied.1!2 “‘ Because of His great-Plenitude-and-Majesty (maha-bhagya) they apply many names to him who is single (ekaika),” Nirukta, VII, 4. “ Because of their Great-Self-hood (mahdtmya) a diversity of names is given to the three angels, Agni, Indra-and-Vayu, Sitrya, here, betwixt, and in the Empyrean, apparent in this or that (world), according to the ordering-of-their-stations (sthana-vibhaga). To wit that they are powers (vzb/itz) their names are different. The wise-singers in their formule, however, say that they have a mutual origin (anyonyayonita, cf. ttaretarajanmana in Nirukia, VII, 4).1*8 These angels are called by different names according to their spheres. Some say that they belong (bhakta) thereto and are mainly concerned therewith: but Self (aman, i.e., Person) is rightly-predicated as the whole (i.e., only) distributive-assumption (b/akta) on the part of those three foremost Lords of the World who have been separately mentioned above. They say that the weapon (ayudha) or vehicle (vahana) of any (angel) are his fiery-energy (tejas).114 Likewise Wisdom (vac) is separately lauded as of this (sphere), as of Indra’s (midmost), and as heavenly.1!*° In all those lauds which are addressed to many angels (bahudevaia), and in those joint lauds which are in the dual, the (three aforesaid) Lords are predominant,” Byhad Devata, I, 69-75, of Nivukta, VII, 4 and 5, where the Angels are also ‘‘ members’ (a7ga) of the Self, and Rg Veda, V, 3, 1, where the Several Angels are ‘‘in Him” who is variously designated as Agni, Varuna, Mitra, and Indra.

So far, then, it is clear that the Angels spoken of are the Selves or Persons of the Trinity (tvidhd, see above, p. 13f.) : either designated as already mentioned, or by whatever alternative essential or personal names may be employed, as Aditya, Prana, Prajapati, Daksa, Mitra~-Varunna, Agni,