Precession of Creation From Vishnu To Ahamkara as Described in the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (BPHS)
***Please note the proper transliteration for certain Sanskrit words in this essay has been modified to achieve uniformity in the typed English script. All words foreign to the English language are still italicized as is proper English. Proper transliteration can be found in a satisfactory Sanskrit transliteration dictionary.***
Vishnu, Guna, Shakti, and Ahamkara are the initial processes of creation. It is important to understand these key words, for they set up the foundation of vedic knowledge to include vedic astrology. Verses 9 to 18 in the Precession of Creation chapter of the BPHS lays out the framework for this paper. The commentary focuses on etymologically analyzing each key word, so the essence of the verses can be realized and create within oneself a better understanding of creation and its repercussions.
Verse 9 and 10: “Vishnu: who is one, with unmanifest soul, has no beginning, is lord of lords, has pure spirit, is lord of the world, endowed with three gunas, but transcendent of the gunas, producer of the cycle of creation, most honorable “one” whose soul is the reason, who is endowed with brilliance, with one part he playfully creates and governs everything in the world.”
The two key words in the above are Vishnu and guna. Vishnu is the infinite absolute of creation as indicated by the many attributes assigned to Vishnu above. Etymologically Vishnu is rooted in the verb, vish, which means to be active. Activity is the essence of Vishnu. Vishnu is possessed of and transcendent of three gunas. The word, guna, comes from the verb, gu, which means to sound. From the activity of Vishnu comes three qualities of sound and the transcendence of those three qualities of sound. This brings two very important points forward. First, that the absolute is active and thus always prone to activity. Second, from activity, sound and transcendence of sound is the most primal.
Verse 11 and 12: “The three pada of the deity [Vishnu] are the elixir of immortality. Those who are possessed with the “vision of truth” know all three pada, the full measure of him, and his essence. Thusly, the name, “one pada” [Vishnu]. This Vishnu, who is unmanifest, is associated with two-fold shakti. Vishnu is the manifest and unmanifest Atmaka praised as Vasudeva.”
With the verse above the three gunas and the transcendence of the gunas of Vishnu are analogized with padas. Pada is derived from the verb, pad, which suggests lordship or a sense of going. Pada is often translated as a foot. The three gunas stated as the “elixir of immortality” is a very significant point. Usually only one (Sattva, to be mentioned later) of the three gunas has the status of “elixir of immortality” in a recent traditional sense. The main point is that all three gunas are the “elixir of immortality” and crucial to achieving the transcendence of the gunas. The transcendence of the gunas is the fourth pada of Vishnu, which holds the full measure of him. Vishnu whose possesses the fourth pada is analogized to the non-manifest. This non-manifest Vishnu associates with two-fold shakti. Shakti is derived from the verb, shak, which means to be able. The shakti divide Vishnu’s abilities into the ability to be non-manifest and manifest. The word, Atmaka, is attached to these two abilities. Atmaka is derived from the verb, at, which means to wander. The concept of the non-manifest and manifest Atmaka is bundled into the word, Vasudeva. Vasudeva can be broken down into two parts. The first part, deva [in Sanskrit we understand a compound word from back to front] means divine, which is derived from the verb, div, which means to play. Vasu means excellent, which is derived from the verb, vas, which means to shine. These two parts combined we get a sense of playful shining in the word, Vasudeva; which that is what is stated in verse 9 above.
So far we have Vishnu as activity. Activity expands to the three sounds and the transcendence of sound. Sound or transcendence of sound has the connection to pada, which has a sense of lordship or a sense of going, which is expressed in the title of Atmaka when associated with Vishnu’s abilities (shakti) to be non-manifest and manifest. Refining this sense of non-manifest and manifest “going” we get a sense of playful shining as is expressed in the title of Vasudeva.
Verse 13 and 14: “Vishnu who is manifest Atma is endowed with and possesses’ the three endless shakti’s. Shri Shakti is related to Sattva, its most essential part, Rajas guna is related to Bhu Shakti. The third named, Nila who possesses covered form. The fourth part of Vasudeva is urged by Shri Shakti.”
The first sentence of the above verse states the obvious from what I deduced above. The three gunas within the manifest realm are: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. The part transcendent of the gunas in the non-manifest realm does not have a particular name, but is alluded to as the “fourth part of Vasudeva.” Sattva is derived from the verb, sad, which means to sit. Rajas is derived from the verb, raj, which means to color. Tamas is derived from the verb, tam, which means to faint. It is important to ponder the meaning behind the names of the gunas. Sattva seems to imply a sense of stability, whereas, Rajas, implies a sense of vibrancy like a rainbow. Tamas suggests a sense of fading away. These things speak to the heart of what the guna qualities represent and convey.
Each of the gunas (sounds) combines with all three shakti (abilities), but each guna aligns with a particular shakti as stated above. The four respective shakti are Shri, Shri (intentionally written twice), Bhu, and Nila. Shri is derived from the verb, Shri, which means to combine as when one is combine ingredients when cooking. Bhu is derived from the verb, Bhu, which means to be. Nila is derived from the verb, Nila, which means to be dark. The quality of transcendence of the guna is urged by Shri Shakti, the ability that suggests combining in the sense of cooking something.. The guna of sitting (Sattva) is also related to Shri Shakti. The guna of coloring (Rajas) is related to the ability of being. The guna of fading (Tamas) is related to the ability of darkening.
When the three manifest gunas and shaktis are compared there seems to be an opposing pair quality. Sattva guna gives a sense of stillness in sitting from its verbal root, whereas, Shri Shakti gives a sense of combining as in the sense of cooking. With Rajas guna there is a suggestion of coloring in its verbal root, whereas, Bhu Shakti, gives a sense of simplistic being. Tamas guna suggests a sense of faintness with its verbal root, whereas, Nila Shakti gives a sense of darkness. The gunas also have an inherent nominal quality about them, whereas, the shaktis have a more verbal quality about them. It would seem Sattva guna would be altered by the measure of Shri Shakti applied to it, so the amount of combination within Sattva guna would vary. The same could be said with the other two manifest gunas. More diversity would be experienced as more Bhu Shakti was applied to Rajas guna. More darkness would be experienced as more Nila Shakti was applied to Tamas guna.
Verse 15 and 16: “Joined with the Shakti of Tamas Vishnu is named, Samkarshana. Pradyumna is endowed with Rajas Shakti. Aniruddha is endowed with Sattva.”
Aniruddha means unobstructed. This noun can be broken down by segregating the “a,” which is a prefix that negates whatever the noun stands for. “Ni” is a prefix that suggests inwardness. Ruddha comes from the verb, rudh, which means to obstruct. Overall, Aniruddha brings a sense of non-obstruction from within at as result of the combination of the guna and shakti with the predominance of Sattva guna and Shri shakti. This epithet would seem to bring the feeling that was conveyed above with the analysis of opposing qualities of Sattva guna and Shri shakti. When something is combined then it is unobstructed. The more Shri shakti the more combination and less obstruction as this epithet would suggest.
Pradyumna means “the Pre-eminently Mighty One.” This noun can be broken down by segregating the prefix “pra,” which suggests a sense of greatness in moving forward. Dyumna suggests a sense of splendor, which is derived from the verb, dyut. Overall, the word suggests a sense of splendor in the greatness of moving forward by the combination of the guna and shakti with the predominance of Rajas guna and Bhu shakti. This epithet would also seem to bring the feeling that was conveyed above with the analysis of opposing qualities of Rajas guna and Bhu shakti. When something is more diverse it is more splendorous and noticeable. The more Bhu shakti the more diversity and thus the more preeminence as the epithet would suggest.
Samkarshana means being near to. This noun can be broken down by segregating the prefix “sam,” which suggests a sense of togetherness. Karshana suggests the pulling something to and fro. Overall, this would seem to suggest that there is a coming together of something being taken to and fro by the combination of the guna and shakti with the predominance of Tamas guna and Nila shakti. This last epithet brings out the opposing qualities of Tamas guna and Nila shakti stated above. When something is brought together by pulling it to and fro it develops a darker aspect within itself just as when flour and water are combined in a needing fashion required to make dough. The more Nila shakti, darkness principle, added to Tamas guna, faintness principle, will only add to more darkness in its coming together. Combination always darkens something, whereas, separation purifies something.
Verses 17 and 18: “Mahat is born from Samkarshana. The one, Ahamkriti, is born from Pradyumna. Born from Aniruddha is Brahma. All [Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and Samkarshana] are endowed with all the shaktis, but have a predominance of their respective shaktis. Having come into three-fold existence: Sattvic ahamkara, Rajasic ahamkara, and Tamasic ahamkara.”
Brahma suggests a sense of growth or expansion from Aniruddha (the unobstructed from within). Brahma comes from the verb, bri, which means to make big. Ahamkriti suggests a sense of individuality. Breaking down Ahamkriti it consists of kriti, which is an action and derived from the verb, kri. kri means to make. Aham is a pronoun meaning I. The whole word, Ahamkriti, together would suggest “the making of I.” Thus from Pradyumna (a sense of splendor in the greatness of moving forward) we come to “the making of I.” Mahat means great and comes from the verb, mah, which means to exalt. Thus from Samkarshana (a coming together of something being taken to and fro) there is a sense of exaltation.
Brahma, Ahamkriti, and Mahat are the manifestation of the “makers of I” in the three-fold ahamkara.
All the above gives the very basic attitudes of creation, which lays the foundation of life.
