Vedic influence on the Sun-worship in the Puranas
by Goswami Mitali | 2018 | 68,171 words
This page relates 鈥楽avitri (the Stimulator)鈥� of the study on the Vedic influence of Sun-worship in the Puranas, conducted by Goswami Mitali in 2018. The tradition of observing Agnihotra sacrifice and the Sandhya, etc., is frequently observed among the Hindus. Another important innovation of the Sun-worship in the Puranas is the installation of the images of the Sun in the temples.鈥擳his section belongs to the series 鈥淪alient Traits of the Solar Divinities in the Veda鈥�.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 9 - 厂补惫颈迟峁� (the Stimulator)
厂补惫颈迟峁� removes the darkness and diffusing the light enlightens the whole world to indulge in their respective duties. In the Vedas, he is mentioned as the enlightener of men, i.e. 蝉补惫颈迟腻谤补峁� 苍峁沜补办峁尘.[1]
S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya gives the interpretation of the term 苍峁沜补办峁尘 [苍峁沜补办峁] thus:
For the generation of the people, 厂补惫颈迟峁� comes to the world along with the rays of the day.[3]
厂补惫颈迟峁� is mentioned in the Vedas as the stimulator:
蝉补惫颈迟腻 辫谤补蝉补惫腻苍腻峁� 补诲丑颈辫补迟颈岣� sa m膩vatu/[4]
He is the lord of stimulation.
The 础颈迟补谤别测补产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 directs the same as:
蝉补惫颈迟腻 vai prasav膩n膩m墨艣e.[5]
Again, the deity is worshipped as the stimulator of the human intellect.[6] The worshippers meditate upon him with a view to achieving the highest light.[7] As soon as he rises, he inspires and flourishes all acts.
厂补惫颈迟峁� is mentioned as the progenitor of the gods, and that is why, all the desires produced by 厂补惫颈迟峁� prosper in man:
蝉补惫颈迟腻 vai 诲别惫腻n膩峁� pra蝉补惫颈迟腻, 迟补迟丑腻 丑测腻蝉腻 ete 蝉补惫颈迟峁洷璋共跖倌� eva sarve 办腻尘补岣� 蝉补尘峁沝丑补测补苍迟别/[8]
The term 蝉补惫颈迟峁� is derived from root su, that indicates the nature of the deity as the generator or impellor in the Vedas.
Each and everything is under the control of 厂补惫颈迟峁�, who governs this universe with its light:
In the commentary of the relevant passage, S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya interpretes:
e峁 vai khalu 蝉补惫颈迟腻 sa ca 蝉奴谤测补 别迟颈-辫谤补办补谤峁辫谤补办腻艣腻诲颈苍腻 箩补驳补苍苍颈谤惫腻丑补峁� kurvan 蝉补谤惫补诲腻 蝉补帽肠补谤补迟颈/140
Again, he is mentioned in the Vedas as the incentive force, so communicative to produce motion suddenly, i.e. impellor.[10] 厂补惫颈迟峁� motivates everyone including the gods.[11] He has fastened the heaven and the earth; has fastened the illimitable space or hasten the cloud that moistens.[12]
As 厂补惫颈迟峁� is well connected with the sacrifice, he is invoked to vivify the worshipper.[13] The lord of instigation,[14] 厂补惫颈迟峁� is worshipped in the 艢谤补耻迟补 sacrifices for instigation.[15]
S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya has well-interpreted the instigative aspect of him thus:
yo使测补峁� 蝉补惫颈迟腻 诲别惫补岣� sa eva 辫谤补蝉补惫腻苍腻峁� 办补谤尘补蝉惫补苍耻箩帽腻苍补尘墨艣别 蝉惫腻尘墨 bhavati/[16]
In the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, 厂补惫颈迟峁� is mentioned as the progenitor of the gods, and that is why, all the desires produced by 厂补惫颈迟峁�, prosper in man:
蝉补惫颈迟腻 vai 诲别惫腻n膩峁� pra蝉补惫颈迟腻, 迟补迟丑腻 丑测腻蝉腻 ete 蝉补惫颈迟峁洷璋共跖倌� eva sarve 办腻尘腻岣� 蝉补尘峁沝丑测补苍迟别/[17]
In this way, the stimulative aspect of 厂补惫颈迟峁� is frequently delineated along with its power of generation, impulsion and instigation.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid., 1.22.7
[2]:
S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya, Ibid.
[3]:
cf., udu 峁a 诲别惫补岣� 蝉补惫颈迟腻 sav膩ya 艣a艣vattama峁� tadap膩 vahnirasth膩t/ n奴na峁� devebhyo vi hi dh膩ti
[4]:
Atharvavedasa峁僪it膩, 5.24.1
[5]:
础颈迟补谤别测补产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, 1.16
[6]:
cf., tatsaviturvare峁嚥獠贯箖 bhargo devasya 诲丑墨尘补丑颈/ dhiyo yo na岣� 辫谤补肠辞诲补测腻迟// 峁歡vedasa峁僪it膩, 3.62.10
[7]:
[8]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, 2.3.4.39
[9]:
Ibid., 5.3.1.7140 S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya, Ibid.
[10]:
Taittir墨yasa峁僪it膩,1.1.1; 1.1.4; 1.1.6; 1.2.6; 1.7.7; 4.1.1; 4.1.3
[11]:
cf., yuktv膩ya 尘补苍补蝉腻 诲别惫腻n suvaryato dhiy膩 divam/ 产峁沨补箩箩测辞迟颈岣� kari峁atas蝉补惫颈迟腻 prasuv膩ti t膩n// 艢vet.
[15]:
cf., 鈥ats膩vitre峁嘺 japena prasauti 蝉补惫颈迟腻 vai pra蝉补惫颈迟腻 karma峁嘺 eva prasav膩ya/ Kau峁Ｄ玹akibr膩hma峁嘺, 1.4.14 膩tithyena ha v膩i 诲别惫腻 dvipada艣ca catu峁ada艣ca pa艣奴n膩pnoty膩sanne havi峁膩tithye使gni峁� manthanti鈥� abhi tv膩 devasavitariti 蝉腻惫颈迟谤墨峁� pratham膩manv膩ha 蝉补惫颈迟峁� pras奴tat膩yai 蝉补惫颈迟峁沺ras奴tasya ha vai na k膩cana 峁涐梗峁璱rbhavatyari峁ａ弓yai 鈥� sarvasy膩使使ptyai// Ibid., 1.8.1
[16]:
础颈迟补谤别测补产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, 1.16
[17]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, 2.3.4.39