Chapter L: Death of Vidūratha 477 (3)

Om, says the Sruti is Sarvávák “all voice and speech”; and we shall come to see below that it is applied alike to denote both human and brute speech, and words belonging to all the different parts of speech.

[Sidenote: 3. Om is sound and word शब्द ।]

“All things are united with words which express them, and all words are contained in the mystical syllable _Om_, (ओङ्कार शब्द म ।त्रं). _Om_, pervades all sounds; he rises above all objects which are expressed by sounds, who repeats this sound _Om_” (Ch’hándogya II.23.) (Maitrí p. 253).

[Sidenote: 4. Om is Brahman ॐ शब्द ब्रह्म ।]

“_Om_ is Brahman called sound (_sabda_). By means of _Om_ rising above all things, a man merges in the Supreme called Para Brahma.” “Om is the emblem of the Most High.” (Ch’hándogya p. 4. Manu II. 83. Bhágavad Gítá). So says the Maitrí Upanishad (VI. 22) शब्द ब्रह्मणि निष्णातः परं ब्रह्माधिगच्छति । ६ ।२२

[Sidenote: 5. Om is Fire and its splendour ओमग्निश्च तेजश्च ।]

“Om was splendour and fire at first. By this syllable _Om_ the splendour germinates, it shoots upward, it expands, and becomes the vehicle of divine worship. The splendour germinates in the form of the mystic syllable _Om_, as a seed germinates; _i. e._ It is manifested as the primeval form of the Veda, it next shoots upward as the internal sound _Om_ itself.” Maitrí Up. VII. 11. तेजो प्रथममोङ्कारात्मकमासीत् । तत्तेजोऽनेनैबोमित्येब तदुद्बुध्यति । मैत्री उप ७ ।११ । Fire was the first object of adoration of the Rigveda and of the fire worshippers of India and Persia. It is believed to be the _arche_ or beginning of all things according to Heraclitus.

[Sidenote: 6. Om is light. ॐ ज्योतिः ।]

“Om is light and manifest as light, the sleepless, deathless and sorrowless light.” Again; “_Om_ is light which shines in yonder sun, and in the moon, fire, and lightning” (Maitrí Upanishad VI. 25.). So says the Bhágavad Gítá, “That splendour which abiding in the sun illumines the whole world, which abides in the moon and in fire, that splendour know to be mine” (XV. 12.) Light was the first work of creation and the “first born” of Heaven. God said “_Lux fiat et lux fit_.”—“Let there be light and there was light.”

दीप्यतोम् ज्योतिः । प्रकाशणाज्ज्योतिः । प्रणबाख्य प्रणेतारमरूपो बिगतनिद्रो बिजरो बिमृत्युर्बिशोको भबतीत्येबं ह्याह । मैत्री उप ६ ।२५ तथा । यदमुस्मिन्नादित्येऽथंसोमोऽग्नौ विद्युति बिभात्यथखल्वेनं दृष्ट्वा मृतत्वं गच्छतीत्याह । ६ ।२५ ।

[Sidenote: 7. _Om_ is Lightening. बिद्युज्ज्योतिः ।]

“The Veda is called lightening, since the moment when it is uttered (as Om), it enlightens every incorporated being; therefore by the syllable _Om_ let a man adore the infinite splendour of Brahman” (Maitrí Upanishad VII. 11.) यस्मादुच्चरितमात्र एब सर्ब्बं शरीरं बिद्योतयति । तस्मादोमित्यनेनैता उपासीतापरिमितं तेजः । मैत्री उप ७ ।११ ।

[Sidenote: 8. Om is the Brahman light. ॐ ब्रह्म ज्योति ।]

“The syllable _Om_ is the Brahman light or pure intelligence, veiled behind the fire and breath, and manifested itself at first as the one undivided sound _Om_.” Thus the Maitrí Upanishad Tíká (VII. 11). यस्मात् प्रणबात्मकमिदं ब्रह्मासीत् तस्मादोमित्यनेनैतत् ब्रह्म तेजो उपासीत् । मैत्री ७ ।११ ।

[Sidenote: 9. _Om_ is Water. ओमापः ।]

“Om shines in the waters” (Maitrí Upanishad VI. 35). आपो ज्योतिरसोऽमृतं ब्रह्मभूर्भुबःस्वरोम् । मैत्री ६ ।३५ । दीप्यतोमापः । ओङ्कारोऽनुज्ञापनादाप्यायनादापः । इति तट्टीका । Water is said to be the first work of God (आप एबमसजादौ ।) “and the Spirit of God floated on the surface of the waters” hence called नारायणः (Genesis and Manu). Thales found water to be the origin of all things.

[Sidenote: 10. _Om_ is Flavour &c. रसोबैतत् ।]

“Om is _Rasa_, moisture, flavour, taste, relish and love (Maitrí Up. VI. 35). The goodness of God is flavour, a man having attained flavour, becomes possessed of joy” (Taittiríya Up II. 7.)ॐ रसोबैतत् । रसः कर्म्म परिपाक निवृत्तत्वात् आदित्यस्य रसतं? सर्ब्ब कर्म्म फलाश्रय इत्यर्थः । By flavour _rasa_ they mean love also and love is believed to be the formative power according to Empedocles.

[Sidenote: 11. Om is Ambrosia. ओममृतं मधु ।]

“_Om_ is ambrosia the food of gods. (Gr. _He ambrosia est setos theon_). It is also honey and all sweet.” So the Sruti; अमृतं देबानामोदन हेतुत्वात् । मैत्री उप ६ ।३५ । असौबामधु । छान्दोग्यं तैत्तिरीयञ्च । १ ।७ ।

[Sidenote: 12. Om Udgítha. ओमुद्गीथः ।]

“_Om_, this letter the Udgítha, should be adored, Om is chaunted.” (Ch’hándogya I. 1).

“The Udgítha of Sáma Veda, corresponds with the _pranava_ of the Rig Veda.” (Cowel’s Mait VI. 3).

“The Udgítha is the principle part of the Sáma verse, and sung by Udgátri priests.”

“It is chaunted (Udgíyate), and is therefore called Udgítha and is a _Karmángávayava_ or part of the liturgy.”

“What is Udgítha, that is Om; what is Om, that is Udgítha.” (Maitrí. Ch’chándogya).

[Sidenote: 13. _Om_ is breath. ॐ स्वासः ।]

“Om called the Udgítha is breath,” (Ch’hándogya Upanishad p. 12).

[Sidenote: 14. _Om_ is sun. आदित्य ।]

“The sun is _Om_, _Om_ is Udgítha, the sun is Udgítha, he is _Om_.” (Maitrí IV. 4).

“The splendour of Brahman is yonder sun, and it too is the splendour of Om.” (Ibid). यद्ब्र्हम ज्योतिः यज्ज्योतिः सआदित्यः । यत् सबितृतदादित्यः । मैत्री उप ।

[Sidenote: 15. Om the soul. ओमात्मेति ।]

“The soul is looked upon as _Om_.” (Ch’hándogya Upanishad. p. 12). “For this all represented by _Om_ is Brahma. This soul is Brahma.” (Mándukya V. 2). ॐकार एब आत्म स्वरूपमेब । तस्यैतस्य परापर ब्रह्मरूपस्याक्षरस्योपब्याख्यानं ।

[Sidenote: 16. Om the Supreme spirit. ॐ परमात्मा ।]

“_Om_ is the most appropriate name for the Supreme Spirit _paramátman_.” (Ch’hándogya I. 1). “The Universal soul is the totality of individual souls.” (समष्टि ब्यष्टि).

[Sidenote: 17. Om is Mind. ओं मनस् ।]

“Om is mind _manas_, the self consciousness or _ahankára_ of the Sánkhya.” (Ibid p. 3).

[Sidenote: 18. Om is Body. ॐ कायः ।]

“_Om_ is corporeal.” (Ch’hándogya p. 3).

[Sidenote: 19. Om is Adorable ओमुपास्यं ।]

“The letter Om is eulogised for its adorableness, and is an inducement to its worship.” (Ch’hándogya I. 9. p. 8).

[Sidenote: 20. Om a Vehicle ॐ रथः ।]

“_Om_ is the vehicle of the worship and knowledge of the superior and inferior Brahma.” (Maitrí Up. 260).

[Sidenote: 21. Om is a Raft. ॐमुड़ुपः ।]

“_Om_ is a raft of Brahman to cross over the torrents of the world.” (Swetáswatara II. 8. p. 53).

[Sidenote: 22. Om an arrow. ॐ शरः ।]

“The body is the bow, _Om_ is the arrow, with which one pierces the mark Brahma through darkness.” धनुच्छरीरमोमित्येतच्छरः । शिखास्य मनस्तमो लक्षणं भित्वात्मानमागच्छतीति ।

[Sidenote: 23. Om a Bridge. ॐ सेतुः ।]

And so _Om_ is used to represent many other single objects. (Maitrí Up. p. 271).

It is represented as a bridge in the Atharva Veda (VI. 10 and VIII. 4).

X. DUADS OR DUPLES OF THE BIPARTITE OM IN DUALISTIC THEORIES.

[Sidenote: Duads. Om a couple. ॐ मिथुनं ।]

“_Om_ unites couples together and gratifies the wish of the adorer.” (Ch’hándogya I. 6). Again “couples being incorporated with the letter _Om_, establish the all-gratifying power and attribute of Om.” (Sankara’s Scholium to Ch’hándogya).

[Sidenote: 1. The Couple Udgítha & Pranava. उद्गीथप्रणबौ ।]

_Om_ combines the _Udgítha_ of the Sáma with the _pranava_ of the Rig Veda, the first couple; and therefore speech (Vák) and breath (prána) the sources of the Rik and Sáma, the second couple; and lastly the said two Vedas themselves as the third couple. (Ch’hándogya I. 1-8), and consequently the Hotri and Udgátri priests the fourth couple.

[Sidenote: 2. Brahma and Para Brahma. परापर ब्रह्म ।]

_Om_ is the superior and inferior Brahma conjointly. The superior or _Para Brahma_ is the one eternal and infinite God; and the inferior or _Apara Brahmá_ is the finite God:—the demiurge of Plato, and the _Prajápati_ and Indra of Vedanta theology. The Aitareya reckons the pentad of the five elementary bodies, under the latter category. (V. 3). Kálidása speaks of this as the _pancha mahá bhúta samádhi_ in the first book of his Raghu Vansa.

[Sidenote: 3. The two pronunciations. स्वर द्वयं ।]

“_Om_ is pronounced as _svarati_ in the Rigveda and Svara in the Yajur Veda.” (Ch’hándogya IV. 4. Manu XI. 265).

[Sidenote: 4. The Human & Divine Souls. जीबात्मा परमात्मा ।]

“_Om_ is átman or soul. Two souls are said to enter the body; the individual and the undivided or universal soul.” (Ait. III. 1). “Two birds (the supreme and individual souls) dwell upon the same tree of the body.” (Svetásvatara Upanishad).

[Sidenote: 5. The Soul and Matter. प्रकृतीश्वरौ ।]

“_Om_ is both spirit and matter,” viewed as the same thing in the materialistic light of the Sánkhya, and dualistic view of others. Spinoza defines them both as the “_Substantia cogitans, et substantia extensa, una eademque est substantia, quae jam sub hoc, jam sub illo attributo_ comprehenditur.” (Ethics. 1 Pr. 7 schol).

[Sidenote: 6. The Male and Female. प्रकृति पुरुषौ ।]

“_Om Strípum_ the divine male and female”; the original androgyne or bisex being combined in the person of the first human being, Brahmá or Adam, and called the _Prakriti-purusha_ or _pradhána_ &c., in the Yoga and Puranic Systems. So says Manu also (I, 32). “The power became half male half female or nature active and passive, and divided itself in twain.” (Ibid).

[Sidenote: 7. The cause and effect. कार्य कारणं ।]

“_Om_ implies the two states of mundane existence, _viz_, the cause dynamic and the effect energy. The effect also is two fold, the gross and subtile.” (स्थूल सूक्ष्मञ्च).

[Sidenote: 8. The Two Elements. स्थूल सूक्ष्मौ ।]

The subtile elements (सूक्ष्मतन्मात्रं) and the gross elements (स्थूलभौतिकं) forming the Sthúla or gross body and the _linga Saríra_ or subtile body,—the two component parts of all living bodies.

[Sidenote: 9. Knowledge & Ignorance. बिद्या बिद्ये ।]

The two states of the soul, knowledge and ignorance (बिद्या अबिद्या) and the two states of knowledge; namely that which is known (बिज्ञात), and what is unknown (अबिज्ञात), corresponding with two others—the (ब्यक्ताब्यक्त) the manifest and unmanifest.

[Sidenote: 10. The two states of Life. कर्म्म तथा ज्ञानकाण्डं ।]

Knowledge and action or Jnána and Karman,—theory and practice, are the two inseparable conditions of life; the one leading to the other, which is the result of the former, and according to others its cause, in the celebrated dispute ज्ञान जन्य कर्म्म अथबा कर्म्मजं ज्ञानं between theorists and practitioners.

[Sidenote: 11. Other Pairs.]

In this way many other pairs are joined together forming as they were the two halves of the great circle of _Om_, and whether diametrically or obversely opposed or attached to each other, they form together, the same circle of which each of them is but an imperfect part or half.

[Sidenote: 12. Geometry of _Om_.]

[Sidenote: 13. Logical Use of _Om_.]

Hence we see the mystery of the cypher of _Om_ to be no less wonderful and efficacious in the investigation of theological truths, than the great instrument of Euclid’s compass in the bisection and measurement of geometrical dimensions. And as the circle is latterly found to be made use of in the demonstration of propositions in Logic, how much must we wonder to reflect on the use and application of the sacred instrument of _Om_ by the ancient Rishis of India, to all things of the physical, intellectual and spiritual world (_Sarvamonkára eva_) as their common measure.

[Sidenote: 14. Dualism overthrown द्वतोच्छेदः]

Having thus observed the deficiency of dualities and the imperfection of dualistic theories, by the instrumentality of _Om_, and the application of its cypher of unity to them, to make up that unity which is essential to the true knowledge of God, whose nature is a perfect unity and without divisibility (Ekamevádwitía), the sages next proceeded to the investigation of trialities and pluralities of tri-une doctrines and so forth, which had been gaining ground even in those early stages of society, by the application of the same test of the unity of _Om_ to them, till at last all these partitions are lost in the cypher of One indivisible whole.

[Sidenote: 15. The Metrical Sense of _Om_.]

_Om_ in the sense of a compass or metrical instrument, is derived from O the cypher, letter or circle, and _ma_ to measure, meaning the circle of measurement.

XI. TRIADS OR TRIPLES OR TRIPARTITE OM IN TRINITARIAN SYSTEMS.

[Sidenote: 1. Triads or Triples of _Om_ त्रिमूर्त्ति ।]

“But when considered as a triliteral word consisting of a, u, _m_, (अ, उ, म), _Om_ implies, the three Vedas, the three states of human nature; the three divisions of the Universe; the three deities, agents of the three states of things—the creation, preservation and destruction; or properly speaking; the three principle attributes of the Supreme Being. In this sense it implies in fact the Universe controlled by the Supreme Being.” Rám Mohun Roy.

[Sidenote: 2. Their External Manifestations. ब्याहृतिः ।]

The idea of the trisection of the circle of _Om_ followed that of its bisection, together with that of the three fold division of Divine nature, much earlier in the minds of the Aryans of India, than the three sectors of the circle were unfolded by Euclid, and the mystery of the tri-une nature of the Divinity was discovered by the divine Plato, or that of the three persons in the God-head was revealed by the Gospel. But not content with this discovery, the ancient sages applied this triplicate division of _Om_ to many other things as the three fold manifestations of the _One_ Deity represented by the triliteral and trilateral figure of _Om_, and fell to their adoration, until they were recalled to the worship of the invisible unity of _Om_ by the Vedánta doctrines. We shall now see these triples called the Vyáhritís (व्याहृति) or three fold manifestations in their order.

[Sidenote: 1. The 3 Vedas. त्रयो बिद्या बेदत्रयः ।]

Om represents the three Vedas by its three letters, _viz_; the Rik, Yajur and Sáman, consisting of the Hymns, Ceremonies and Psalms. The first like the hymns of Hesiod and Orpheus, the second like the Levitican laws, and the third resembling the Psalms of David, all of which are said to be of Divine origin.

[Sidenote: 2. The 3 States. ॐ गुणत्रयं ।]

These have no apposite terms in English, and are variously rendered to express the states of quietism, action and passion or excess of a feeling, leading to error.

[Sidenote: 3. The 3 Worlds. ॐ भूर्भुबः स्वर् ।]

The earth, sky and heavens, called the three great evolutions (महा ब्याहृति) of _Om_. But those were afterwards subdivided into twenty one (3×7) each named as Om (ॐ त्रिसप्तं) as in the beginning of Atharva Sanhitá ॐ त्रिसप्ता ये परियन्ति बिश्वाः—“The Universe composed of thrice seven worlds.”

[Sidenote: 4. The 3 states of things. श्रवस्थात्रयं ।]

[Sidenote: 5. The 3 Agencies Personified त्रि मूर्त्ति ।]

These are the creation, preservation, and destruction of all things (सृष्टि, स्थिति, प्रलय), or as philosophically called their evolution, sustentation and dissolution (उत्पत्ति, स्थिति, ध्वंस), and their agents, _Brahmá_ the creator, _Vishnu_, the preserver, and _Siva_ the destroyer of each and all, corresponding with Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto, and Osiris, Horus and Typhon (ब्रहमाबिष्ण्वीशाः). But this trinity is refuted by the Vedántic doctrine of unity, which repudiates a secondary cause. (सृष्टि स्थिति लयादीनां नान्य कर्त्ता द्वितीयकं). The Maitrí Upanishad makes mention of many more triads which were glorified with the aforesaid hallowed epithet _Om_ (VI. 5.) _Viz._ the following:—

[Sidenote: 1. The Trisex Divinity.]

_Om_ composed of the three genders, masculine, feminine and neuter (स्त्रीपुन्नपुं). But the Vedánta refutes the generic distinctions of the One unknown (नपण्डनपुमान् शक्तिः).

[Sidenote: 2. The 3 Elemental forms.]

The fire, wind and sun, (सूर्य्याग्नि बायु), the three powerful manifestations of the Deity each of which had its votaries in the early fire, wind and sun worshippers of India.

[Sidenote: 3. The 3 Agencies as above.]

The creation, preservation and destruction of things in the forms of Brahmá, Vishnu and Siva as said above.

[Sidenote: 4. The 3 Fires. अग्नित्रयः ।]

_Om_ the three sacrificial fires called the दक्षिणा, गार्हपत्य and आह्वनीयाग्न्यः, which were continually preserved in families.

[Sidenote: 5. The 3 Vedas. त्रयोबिद्या ।]

_Om_ the triple learning contained in the Rik, Yajur and Sáman, which were identified with God for their being his words.

[Sidenote: 6. The 3 Intelligences.]

The three Intellectual faculties consisting of the Mind, Intellect or Reason, and the conscious soul.

[Sidenote: 7. The 3 Times. त्रिकाल ।]

Present, past and future composing the circle of the eternity of _Om_ (कालत्रयं).

[Sidenote: 8. The 3 Aliments. अन्न ब्रह्म ।]

Food and water and moon. The water and food are eulogised as _Om_ in Bhrigu Valli as अन्न ब्रह्म, and the moon is reckoned as such for its containing the ambrosial beverage of the gods.

[Sidenote: 9. The Mental Powers. मनोवृत्तिः ।]

The three intellectual faculties, the mind, intellect and consciousness as the spiritual manifestations of the Invisible Spirit.

[Sidenote: 10. The three Vital Airs. प्राणादि ।]

Those of respiration, circulation and secretion called प्राणामान समाणाः the respiratory breath or air and others: there are two others which with these three will be found among the pentads (पञ्चप्राणाः).

[Sidenote: 11. The three feet of God. त्रिपादाः ।]

These are the different hypostases of God or rather of the Divine soul in its three states of universality, individuality and external appearances, each of which is subdivided into three states.

[Sidenote: 12. The 3 Totals.]

The Sútrátmá, Taijana and Hiranyágarbha (universal soul) (सूत्रात्मा तैजन हिरण्यगर्भः); The three emanations of infinite Intelligence from the Unity of God.

[Sidenote: 13. The three Specials.]

The Visva, Taijasha, and Prajná (Individual Souls) (विश्व तैजस प्रज्ञा). The three emanations of finite souls from Divine Intelligence.

[Sidenote: 14. The three externals.]

The Vaiswánara, Visvarúpa and Virát the three manifest and visible forms; (बैश्वानर बिश्वरूप बिराट्). Hence the nature of God is a triplicate threefold unity or the thrice three hypostases of the One Being.

[Sidenote: 15. The three Forms of Devotion.]

The three forms of our devotion and Communion with God, that he is praised, worshipped and ascribed with attributes.

[Sidenote: 16. The Triple man.]

His body—the bow, his mind—the arrow, and his soul—the aim. (Mándukya II. 4. p. 159).

[Sidenote: 17. The 3 States of the Soul.]

Of waking, dreaming and sound sleep of the soul. (जाग्रत् स्वप्न सुसुप्ति).

[Sidenote: 18. The 3 Humours of the Body.]

The bile, phlegm and choler or flatulence (वात पित्त कफ) are the preservatives of the body and life.

[Sidenote: 19. Three Matrás. त्रिमात्रा ।]

The three _moræ_ or vowels, the long, short and prolated. (ह्रस्व दीर्घ प्लूत त्रिमात्रा).

[Sidenote: 20. Three Accents. त्रिस्वरः ।]

The acute, grave and circumflex. उदात्तानुदात्त स्वरितः.

[Sidenote: 21. Three Utterances of speech. बाणि ।]

Human speech consisting of letters, words and sentences treated of in Orthography, Etymology and Syntax. (ध्वणिः पश्यन्ति मध्यमा बैस्वरी).

[Sidenote: 22. Three Pronunciations स्फूर्तिः ।]

Distinct, indistinct and half distinct. (Anquetil). (स्फुट अस्फुट अर्द्धस्फुट).

[Sidenote: 23. Do. of Three Vedas.]

The _Swaratí_ of Rik, the _Swara_ of Yajus, and _Swánvatí_ of Sáma. (स्वरती स्वर स्वानबत्यः).

[Sidenote: 24. The 3 Letters.]

Of Om _viz._ a, u, m, agree with the first, second and third word of every triad, _i.e._, each to each.

[Sidenote: 25. The 3 Merits.]

Of the meditation of the three letters of _Om_ described at length in the Upanishads.

XII. THE TETRADS OR QUADRUPLES OF OM.

[Sidenote: I. Tetrads of Om.]

We have next to consider the tetrads or quadruple divinities in the quadrants or four fold divisions of the circle of _Om_ consisting of its four letters a, u, or crescent of _Om_, and the circlet of entire Om styled Chandravindu as given by Professor Monier Williams from the Nirukta of yaska. (Indian Wisdom p. 169).

[Sidenote: II. In sciences.]

1. The Om of orthographers consisting of the four stages of speech; namely, ध्वनि पश्यन्ती मध्यमा and बैस्वरी ।

2. Of Grammarians; the four parts of speech, nouns, verbs, prepositions and particles.

3. Of Ritualists; The hymns, liturgical precepts, Bráhmanas and ordinary language.

4. Of philologers or Sábdikas; the speech of serpents, beasts, birds and vernaculars.

5. Of Etymologists; The Rik, Yajur and Sáma Vedas and current language.

6. Of Spiritualists; The language of beasts, wild animals, musical instruments and soul.

7. Of Manu (IV. 126). The Pranava and the three Vyahrtis. (ॐ भूर्भ्रुवः स्वर्).

8. Of Manu (IV. 124). The Rik sacred to the gods, the Yajur relating to mankind and the Sáma concerning the manes, and its sound.

9. Of _Smártas_; The four stages;—of students, householders, mendicants and ascetics.

10. Of Puránas. The four Ages;—_Satya_, _Tretá_, _Dwápara_ and _Kali_. The four castes &c.

[Sidenote: III. In Divinity]

_A_ for _ápta_ or _Vyápta_—pervading all worlds, represents the divine hypostasis of Viswa.

[Sidenote: 1. The 4 Conditions of Brahma.]

_U_—for _Utkarshat_, _i. e._, more elevated than _A_; as the _Taijas_ than _Visva_. (तैजस).

M—for _mána_ or measure, as the _prajná_ like a _prastha_ measures the above two. (प्रज्ञा).

_Om_—_i. e._, the entire and without parts, is the fourth and perfect condition of Brahma. (ब्रह्म).

[Sidenote: 2. The 4 states of the Soul.]

_Á_ for the waking (Jágrat) state, when the soul is subject to gross senses.

_U_—for the _swapna_ or dreaming state, when the soul is withdrawn from visible objects.

M—the _susupta_ or sound sleeping state, in which the soul is unconscious of itself.

_Om_—the absolute and perfect state of the soul viewing all in itself.

[Sidenote: 3. The 4 Manifestations of God.]

A—is external manifestation of the Universal soul in objects.

_U_—Internal manifestation perceived in the operations of the soul in dream.

M—unmanifested existence; or the self consciousness of the soul.

Om—Unmanifest state of the soul, unmodified and inactive state.

[Sidenote: 4. The 4 Titles of the soul.]

A—_Viswa_ or _Vaiswánara_ who abides manifest in the waking state.

U—_Taijasa_; abiding in dreams and knowing all without objects.

M—_Prajná_, the perfect wise abiding in deep sleep.

_Om_—Absolute Brahma called _Turíya_ which is perfect and all knowing.

[Sidenote: The Four fold Tetrads:]

I.

A—_Áptah_, pervading.
U—_Utkarsha_, Exalted.
M—_Mána_, Measure.
Om—_Brahma_, Absolute.

II.

_Jágrat_, Waking.
_Swapna_, Dreaming.
_Susupti_, Sleeping.
_Sthira_, Calm.

III.

A—_Vyakta_, external state.
U—_Antar_, internal state.
M—_Avyakta_, unmanifested.
_Om Ananta_, Infinity.

IV.

_Viswa_, the visible world.
_Taijasa_, the thinking soul.
_Pragná_, Consciousness.
_Turíya_, Omniscience.

XIII. THE PENTADS &C., OF _Om_.

[Sidenote: The Pentads of Om.]

The quintuples of om are composed of five letters or divisions of the symbolical circle, standing for so many different things each of which forms a part of the whole, and is called an _Om_. The five parts are, A, U, M, O and the _náda_—the nasal half circle above.

[Sidenote: 1. The Five Vital Airs. पञ्च प्राणाः ।]

Respiration, flatulence, circulation, pulsation and assimilation, commonly known by the names of _Prána_, _Apána_, _Vyána_, _Udána_ and _Samána_.

[Sidenote: 2. The Five Caverns. पञ्च कोषाः ।]

_Pancha koshas_ or sheaths of the soul, folding one over the other “like the coats of an onion”. 1. The sheath of the intellect. 2. The sheath of the mind. 3. The sheath of breathing. 4. The subtle and corporeal bodies. 5. The sheath of Supreme bliss, not admitted by all. (बिज्ञानमय, मनोमय, प्राणमय, अन्नमय, आनन्दमय कोषाः ।)

[Sidenote: 3. The Five Internal organs, senses and their objects. पञ्च ज्ञानेन्द्रियाणि ।]

The ear, eye, skin, nose and tongue, of hearing, sight, feeling, smell and taste. Their five objects—sound, colour, touch, savour and smell. (श्रोत्रत्वक् चक्षु जिह्व घ्राणानि तथा शब्द स्पर्षरूप रसगन्धानि ।)

[Sidenote: 4. The Five external Do. पञ्च कर्म्मेन्द्रियानि ।]

The voice, hands, feet, the organs of generation and secretion are organs of action. बाक्पाणि पाद पायूपस्थानि बहिरिन्द्रियाणि । पूर्ब्बोक्तानि अन्तर बा बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि ।

[Sidenote: 5. The Five Elements. पञ्च भूतानि ।]

Earth, air, fire, water and ether. क्षित्यप् तेजो मरुद्व्योम पञ्च महाभूतानि ।

[Sidenote: 6. The Five classes of Ignorance.]

1. Obscurity (तमस्), 2. Illusion(मोह), 3. Extreme illusion(महामोहः), 4. Gloom (तमिस्र), 5. Utter gloom (अन्ध तमसः).

[Sidenote: 1. The six letters of Hexads or sextuples.]

The sextuples of _Om_ are composed of _a_, _u_, _o_, _m_, the _Vindu_, cypher, and the _náda_; and according to another account, the _Ardha mátrá_ of Om is the fourth and the _Vindu_ and _náda_ the fifth and sixth _aksharas_. (Weber’s Ráma Tapaníya p. p. 292, & 312. Cowell’s Maitrí Up. p. 271).

[Sidenote: 2. The 6 Organs.]

The five organs of sense; _viz_ the nose, tongue, the eye, ear, skin and the mind. (Gotama Sutra I. 1, 12). But according to others the mind is not reckoned an organ.

[Sidenote: 3. Other Sextuples]

The six seasons (षडृतवः), the six flavours (षड्रसाः), the six musical modes (षड्रागः), the six Vedángas; but I never met a passage of their being preceded by _Om_.

[Sidenote: 1. The Heptads or Septuples.]

The Septuples are formed by a, u, o, m, _Vindu_, _náda_ and _Sánta_ or ultimate silence, and these are used to symbolise the pantheistic form of the god Viráj, in the following description of him given by Sankara.

[Sidenote: 2. The 7 Parts of Viráj Body.]

“His head—the heavens; his eye—the sun; his breath—the wind; his center—the ether; his urine—the water; his feet—the earth; his mouth the fire.” Anquetil gives the five senses, the mind and intellect as his seven members. (Weber’s Indian Studien. Vol. II. p. 107).

[Sidenote: 3. The Other Heptads.]

According to other accounts there is a sevenfold septuples included in the figure Om comprising the Universe. The first _trisaptaka_ or triplex septuple comprises the seven spheres of heaven, the seven pátálas or infernal regions, and the seven _Bhuvanas_ of earth. The second _trisapta_ consists of the _sapta dwípas_ or seven continents of the earth, the seven oceans, and the seven planets; and lastly the _sapta swara_ or the seven notes emitted by the planetary motions.

[Sidenote: The Octads or octuples.]

The octuples consist of the aforesaid seven parts and the _sákti_ or word _namo_ added to them at the end, and are used as symbols of Viráj for the five vital airs, or the five organs of action and those of intellect _i. e._ the mind, intellect and self consciousness or _chítta_.

[Sidenote: The Nonads.]

These are nine cavities of the body नबद्वारगृह the abode of Brahma.

[Sidenote: The _Decads_.]

These are the ten internal and external organs (पञ्चकर्म्मेन्द्रिय and पञ्चबुद्धीन्द्रिय) of the body—the seats of Brahma.

XIV. PHILOSOPHY OF THE NUMERICAL GROUPS CONTAINED
UNDER THE MYSTIC SYLLABLE OM.

[Sidenote: 1. Inquiry into the numerical groups.]

After the lengthy account we have given of the various classes of words contained under the different numbers and divisions and subdivisions of the mysterious letter _Om_, it must be asked by the inquisitive reader, what do these clusters of concrete and abstract terms which are numerically jumbled together under the unintelligible character _Om_ serve to mean, and of what use are they to the contemplative Yogi in his meditation on the attributes of his Maker by that symbol?

[Sidenote: 2 (_a_). Enlargement of the understanding.]

In answer to this query we are bound to repeat the definition of yoga, that it is the process of joining the ideas in the mind, and practicing the limited powers of the understanding to rise by degrees from their grasping the ideas of unities or single objects at a time, to the comprehension of dualities and pluralities for the enlargement of the intellect, till at last the mind is fraught with a clear and distinct idea of every thing in the universe comprised under the several groups or generalizations of particulars.

[Sidenote: 2 (_b_). Their Pantheistic view.]

And also as we have more than once mentioned in the preceding articles, that God is _aham bahushyám_—one in many, _to on to pan_ of the Greeks, or the _unity_ divided into and containing an _Infinity_ of parts; so His symbol the holy Om is one circle and emblem of infinity, which for the sake of our conception and convenience is viewed in its Finite parts of monads &c., and their ever increasing multiples by all other numbers. But the monad like the prime number one whether multiplied or divided by any number in arithmetic, remains still the same simple one. Thus (1 × 2 = 2 × 1); (and 1/2 = 1 ÷ 2, or 1/2 = 1 × 1/2). This is the root of the pantheistic doctrine of the Vedánta. सर्ब्बं खल्विदं ब्रह्म This One is all: and the whole being taken from the whole the remainder is whole. पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेबाबशिष्यते ।

[Sidenote: 3. The Numerical Philosophy.]

It was the oldest _Sánkhya_ or numerical school of philosophy in India, like the ancient Ionian school of Greece, that first made a classification of all objects in nature under certain co-ordinate groups for our contemplation of them under those classes; which its later development of the _yoga_ system has converted to the objects of our meditation as same with or pervaded by the Deity; or in other words, has recommended the meditation of nature’s God in nature itself as in Natural Theology. It was the Tantra worship of later ages that divided the symbol of unity and infinity of the divine _om_ into a decad of parts, as it is the custom of mathematicians to divide the great circle of infinity into 360 degrees, though it might be divided into an infinity of parts.

[Sidenote: 4. The Sánkhya and Pythagorean.]

The Sánkhya system of evolution which is closely allied to that of the Darwinian, views the monad as the elementary _protozoa_, which combined with other monads make up the duads, triads &c. we have mentioned before, and all which are resolvable to the primary monad. Om is always ‘one’ thing; nothing can destroy that numerical existence, combine the thing in every possible variety of ways, and it still remains ‘_one_.’ It cannot be less than _one_, it cannot be more. As (2 = 1 + 1 = II & 3 = 1 + 1 + 1 = III). Resolve it into its minutest particles, and each particle is _one_. As (½, ⅓, ¼ &c.). One is the only absolute number; all others are but relations to it. The Infinite therefore must be one, and if you take infinity and the infinitesimals from the infinite, there remains also the same infinity; according to the Vedánta paradox पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदुच्यते । and all modes of existence are but finite aspects of the Infinite.

[Sidenote: 5. Different aspects of the soul.]

The soul being a self moved monad, is one, whether it connects itself with two or with three; in other words the essence remains the same whatever its manifestations may be. The one soul may have two aspects, Intelligence and Passion, as in brutes; or it may have three aspects, as in man &c. For more of this see Lewes’ History of Philosophy (Vol. I p. 33 and p. 34).

[Sidenote: 6. Query concerning Nature Worship.]

There rises another question of some importance in this place as, what has the Yogi or worshipper of God to do with the objects presented to him in the different groups under the partitions of _Om_, when his business is solely to meditate on the nature and attributes of the Deity?

[Sidenote: 7. Spiritual Worship.]

To this it may be answered that, the Hindu Yogi or meditative sage is enjoined to meditate on the Supreme Spirit in Spirit, “_átmá átmanyeva chintayet_”. (आत्मा आत्मन्येबचिन्तयेत्). He does not adore any visible object, but contemplates his creator with all his attributes as displayed in creation, which he sums up abstractedly in his own spirit and mind. There can be no contemplation of the inscrutable and incomprehensible nature of God apart from the light we derive from the abstract meditation of all sensible and intellectual natures. “Observe every thing in thyself and so shalt thou behold the Supreme.” सर्ब्बमात्मगतं पश्यतेनात्मानं परिपश्यसि ।

[Sidenote: 8. Self knowledge. What?]

The old rule of self knowledge आत्मतत्त्व or know thyself आत्मानं जानीहि, which was believed to constitute highest wisdom, and which has given rise to different interpretations in various schools of philosophy, does not mean the knowledge of one’s state and nature to be sufficient for him; but that of his soul which makes him truly great. The wise Socrates looked inwards, and there discovered the moral and psychological truths the world has derived from him. His pupil the divine Plato looked within him, and there found the eternal ideas of which sense awakened reminiscence.

[Sidenote: 9. Knowledge of the Soul.]

The Hindu Yogi too looks inward and views within the circle of his cranium symbolized as _Om_, his soul seated as a ray and figure of the Divinity, and encompassed by the abstract ideas of all things whose impressions he has received by sense and mind. He then learns to distinguish by his discriminative power called the _átmánátma viveka_, (आत्मानात्मविवेक) the soul of the Universe from all the representations which it presents to his mind.

[Sidenote: 10. Of one in Many.]

The Platonic system had also a sort of classification in which the search for One in Many and Many in One, together with the detection of the One in the Many was the constant aim, consult for further information on this head in Lewes’ History of Philosophy. (Vol. 1. p. 237 and p. 405).

XV. THE UNITARIAN FORMULA ॐ तत् सत् ONE THAT IS.

[Sidenote: 1. Om the one.]

From all our investigation into the origin, rise, and extent of meaning of the word _Om_ in its orthography, etymology and theology, it is evident that the Indo-Aryan mind was early infused with the idea of an absolute _Om_ corresponding with the Greek _On_ and _ôn_, and _En_ and also _Aeon_ of the Gnostics, Latin _Ens_, _Unum_ and Entity, Romance _On_ and _un_, and _one_ in English, whose unity was the source of all diversity in the plurality of creation, agreeably to the text _aham bahu Syám_ = _Ego multus sim_ of the Sruti.

[Sidenote: 2. The Universal soul, = Vìswátman.]

It was at first known as _one_ and then as the _self_ or soul by the silent and innate intuition of the intellect, as it is declared in the Mandukya Upanishad II. 2, 5. तमेबैकंजानथआत्मानमन्यावाचो, बिमुञ्चथअमृतस्यैब सेतुः । मण्डूकं २ । २१५ ।

Max Müller says (A. S. Lit. p. 23 and p. 322): “The Átman was next conceived as the Spirit = air, _átmá_ and _anime_.” “That one breathed breathless by itself: other than it nothing since has been.” Thus says the Sruti (Müller p. 560). “This one Átman (atmos) fills, animates and pervades the whole”; as the poet sings “spreads unspent” throughout the infinity of worlds:

“Which are but parts of one undivided whole
whose body nature is, and God the soul.” (Pope).

एकमेवाद्वितीयं ब्रह्म । रूपं रूपं प्रतिरूपं विभाति ॥

[Sidenote: 3. Called as _Tat_ = that]

The inherent one of all ones “_to on ontwn_,” the unit of unities, the Ens of entities, the soul of the world “Viswátman” was yet without a name, nor did they know how to call him, than by the designation of _tat_ = “that,” which they say is expressive of the idea of Brahma तदिति ब्रह्मणोऽभिधानमुदाहृतं । Because says Váchaspati, the nature of the one _Om_, was unknown even to the learned बिदुषां परोक्षत्वाच्च तच्छब्दो ब्रह्मणो नाम; and therefore it was specified by the demonstrative pronoun _that_ “_tat_,” which sometimes preceded the एक as तदेकं &c. (Greek _to on_). The necessity of pronouncing _Om_ with _tat sat_ in the beginning of every Vedic rite, is strictly enjoined in Bhágavad-Gítá. ॐ तत्सदिति निर्द्देशो ब्रह्मनस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः । ब्राह्मणश्चैब बेदाश्च यज्ञाश्चबिहिताः पुरा । बैदिके कर्म्मणि तेषां प्रथमतो निर्द्देशः । इति तां बाचस्पतिः ।

[Sidenote: 4. The Impersonal and Personal God.]

The word “_tat_” in the neuter gender, was used for the one self, which as an element or material cause, had evolved all things out of its immaterial essence, and expressed an impersonal God, which the creed of the early philosophers had established in the Vedas. It was at a much later period that the belief of a personal God, is said to have been introduced by the sage Sándilya in the Ch’hándogya and Swetásvatara Upanishads, where the self आत्मा is used in the masculine gender, and the masculine pronoun _Sa_ and _tam_ (Greek “_ho and ton_,” Lat “_is_”), was substituted for _tat_ (Greek _to_ Lat _id_) in the subjective _mantra_ सोऽहं हंस; but in the objective mantra it is neuter as तत्त्वमसि ।

[Sidenote: 5. Of the Bráhma Somája]

The Bráhma Samáj has preserved both the formula of the Impersonal God (ॐ तत् सत्) as their motto, as well as addressed their prayers to the personal God by use of the masculine pronoun _sa_ and _tam_ instead of _tat_. Thus in the opening hymn of Ram Mohun Roy’s Prayer Book तमेकं शरण्यं तमेकं बरेण्यं तमेकं जगत् कारणं विश्वरूपं । तमेकं जगत् कर्त्तृपातृ प्रहर्तृ तमेकं विश्वरूपं निर्बिकल्पं भजामि । So in Devendra Natha Thákur’s hymn तमेकं स्मरामो तमेकंभजामो । This is in accordance to the creed of all civilized nations to apply the masculine pronoun to the Deity. The Koran has “ho=he” in its formulas of “_Ho’lahad_” “_Ho’lghani_” _&c._, and so also the _ho_ of the Bible. _Tat_ like _On_ is sometimes used alone and by itself for God, at the opening of books and chapters, and upon the tops of pages with the Sat following it as तत् सत्.

[Sidenote: 6. Ditto in the Feminine Gender.]

But those who have heard the preachings of Keshub Chandra Sen, may well remember his exclamations as तुमि पिता तुमि माता, तुमि पुरुष तुमि प्रकृति, in imitation of the Roman idolatrous philosopher’s acclamation to God, “tu pater, tu mater, tu mas, tu femme” &c., in Cudworth’s Intellectual System. There is no masculine or feminine representative of the pronoun _tat_ or any other pronoun in the vernaculars, where they are all of the common gender, hence तिनि, उनि, ओ, से &c., used for _tat_ by the Heathen Hindus, are applied alike to their gods and goddesses, while the Sanskrit _sah_ = ho in Greek, Arabic and Hebrew designates the masculine Deity only. Mahommed says in the Koran, “ye are ashamed of your female children, but not of assigning female attributes to the Deity.”

[Sidenote: 7. Ditto in the Neuter Gender.]

The following passages will serve to show the early creed of the impersonal God, from the application of the neuter pronoun _tat_ to him in the Mándukya Upanishad. (11. 2)

तदेतदक्षरं ब्रह्मसप्राणस्तदबाङ्गनः ।
तदेतत् सत्यं तदमृतं तद्वोद्धव्यं सौम्यबिद्धि ॥
तदेतत् सर्ब्बाश्रयः आयम्य तद्भाब गतेन चेतसा ।
लक्ष्यं तदेबाक्षरं सौम्य बिद्धि ॥
तद्विज्ञानेन परिपश्यन्ति धीराः ।
आनन्द रूपममृतं यद्बिभाति ॥
तत् शुभ्रं तद् ज्योतिषां ज्योतिस्तदात्मबिदो बिदुः ।
तमेवभान्तमनुभाति सर्ब्बं, तस्य भाषा सर्ब्बमिदम्बिभाति ॥

Meaning:—“The sun, moon and stars what are they? But a glimpse of light caught from That (_Tat_).” &c.

XVI. ONTOLOGY OF THE SELF EXISTENT
_Sat_ = BEING.

[Sidenote: Philology of Sat.]

1. The last word of the formular motto of Vedánta is _sat_, which derived from the root _asa_, Lat. _esse_—to be, makes the present participle _Sat_ and means a being, like the Latin _ens_ and Greek _On_, the participial noun of _eimi_ meaning a being. Thus the knowledge of _sat_ which is _Satyam_ = reality, is the doctrine of _On_—the real being, which as said before is _to on onton_—the being of beings and prime cause of all existences, and forms the main subject of Ontology. This primary and fundamental truth of the existence of a first cause, led the Rishi _a priori_ to deduce all other existences from it by the text अहं वहुस्यां _Ego in multis et pluribus_—the one in many: or in other words, when the Bráhman believes in but one real being in the Universe, he believes also that this being constitutes the Universe. (M.W. Indian Wisdom p. 36).

[Sidenote: 2. Etymology of Sat.]

2. The noun _Sat_ in its verbal form is equivalent to _asti_, corresponding with Lat. _est_, Gr. _esti_, Persic _ast_ and _hast_, Bengali-áchhe, Uria achchhe &c. Eng. _is_, Ger. _Ist_ and the like. And _tat sat_ together makes the Greek _to estin_, Lat. _Id est_ French _Il est_ &c.; Arabic _alast_, Persic _ost_, and Hindi _Ohihae_. The Om _Tat Sat_ is either an identic proposition, meaning the “Being that is” or a definitive one, expressing _Om_ that (is) existent.

[Sidenote: 3. The Ontology of _Sat_ or Being.]

3. The Ch’hándogya Upanishad says; “In the beginning there was the mere state of _sat_—being (_to on_)—the one only without a second.” Some however say that, “in the beginning there was a state of _asat_—not being; (_Lat. non est_, Gr. _to mi on_), the one without a second. Hence out of a state of non-being would proceed a state of being. But how can this be? How can _sat_ = being, proceed out of _asat_ not being?” It is logically absurd by the well known maxim _Ex nihilo nihil fit_ of Lucretius. “Hence in the beginning there was a mere state of being (the _om_). One only without a second. (_om eka mevá dvitíyam_ ओमेकमेवाद्वितीयं). He willed and became many” (Chánd. VI. 2. M. W. Ind. Wisdom p. 41).

[Sidenote: 4. A Priori Argument of Vedánta.]

4. The Original text runs thus.

सदेवइदमग्र आसीत्, एकमेवाद्वितीयं ।
तदाह एकेआहुः असदेवइदमग्रमासीत् एकमेवाद्वितीयं ॥
तस्मादसतः सज्जायेत ।
कुतस्तुखलु स्यादिति । कथमसतः सज्जायेत इति ॥
तत्त्वेवइदमग्रआसीत्, एकमेवाद्वितीयं ॥
तदैक्षत वहुस्यां प्रजायेय ।

The above cited passage and numerous other texts of the Vedánta such as the following, यतो वा इमानि भूतानि जायन्ते येन जातानि । and जन्माद्यस्ययतोऽन्वयात् &c., unanimously prove _a priori_ and by deductive reasoning that Brahma is the primary cause from which all others are derived and deduced by reason. This is called the _Púrva vat_ or _a priori_ reasoning in the Nyaya philosophy, which is shewn to be the logical inference of the effect from its cause. यत्रकारणेन कार्य्यमनुमीयते यथा मेघोन्नत्या भविष्यतिबृष्टिरिति । वात्स्यायनः ।१ ।१ ।६ ।

[Sidenote: 5. Evidences of the First cause.]

5. The priori inference of a pre-existent cause is supported by many other modes of reasoning as we shall state below. 1. By the Cosmological reasoning of Humboldt, Leibnitz and others, it is evident that some being was uncaused, or was of itself without a cause. Therefore God is the first cause of all things. (Leibnitz). 2. By the Anthropological reasoning founded on certain observed facts or phenomena of human consciousness, its knowledge of the subjective _ego_ and objective _non ego_ &c. 3. By the Ontological, we find the existence in the mind of a clear and distinct idea of God, as a perfect Being or _Ens_ or entity (sat) perfectly eminent. 4. Psychological Intuitive reasoning shows us clearly that “we may form the idea of a supremely perfect being of whom we have a conscious proof. And as in the exercise of our intellect we become conscious of a subjective unity underlying the external diversity, so by the unvarying revelations of reason, we are led to recognize the existence of a Deity who, amidst all the shifting phenomena of the universe remains one and Immutable.” Vide Devendra Náth Tagore’s Ontology p. 14.

[Sidenote: 6. A Posteriori Argument.]

The Vedánta philosophy pursues also a course of inductive reasoning in its aphorism of जन्माद्यस्ययतः । अस्यविश्वस्य जन्मादि यतः, rising from the creation to its maker. This is the process of परबत् or _a posteriori_ reasoning of the Nyáya philosophy, in its inference of the cause fire from its effect the smoke (पर्ब्बतोवन्हिमान् धुमात्), or of the major term व्यपकाग्नि from the middle व्यप्यधूम । This is the physical reasoning of modern inductive science, which infers from the facts of existence an author of these facts. The Universe exists, therefore it has a cause, which is prior to all other causes. There are some who attempt to prove the posteriori परवत् argument of the Veda from a different construction of the Gáyatri hymn, ascending from the _Vyáhritis_ or creation of the worlds (भूर्भुवःस्वर्) to their creator तत् सविता; but this mode of reasoning is not justified by others, by reason of the initial Om = God.

[Sidenote: 7. Ambiguity of the word _Sat_.]

We shall now take notice of the other meanings which the lexicons assign to _sat_, beside the being and entity of God परमार्थ सत्व we have so long dwelt upon. It means the goodness and excellence of a thing. साधुत्वप्रशस्तादिभिः सच्छब्दोऽपि । वाचस्पत्याभिदानं ॥

In this sense the phrase _Om tat sat_ would mean “God The Good”, which is quite correct on all hands. In English the etymology of God is good, and so the Sanskrit _sat_ means both God and good; thus also all systems of philosophy predicate the attribute of goodness of the nature of God. The Persian term _Khoda_ though so nearly allied to God and _sat_ in sound, will be found to bear no affinity with either; but to owe its derivation to the Sanskrit स्वदा (from स्वदत्तः) meaning self-produced; _swa_ स्व being invariably rendered into _kha_ in Persian, as _swata_ स्वत _khod_, _swasri_ स्वसृ khwahir &c.

[Sidenote: 8. Another sense of _Sat_.]

_Sat_ appears moreover in the sense of sitting in composition with an objective word preceding it, as _diri-shad_ a celestial, _sabhásat_ a courtier. It is from the root _sad_, Latin _sedo_—to sit, with the suffix _kwip_. Thus we have in the Kathá Vallí: (V. 2.) हंसः शुचिसद्वसुरन्तरीक्षः । सद्धेता वेदिषदतिथिर्द्दूरोन सत् । नृषद्वरसदृतसद्व्योमसद् । सद् अब्जा गोजा ऋतजा अद्रिजाऋतं बृहत् ।५ ।२ ।

“The Hansa, (God) sits above the heavens, it dwells in the atmosphere, as invokers it dwells in temples, and as guests it is not afar from us. It dwells in man, in truth, in the ether, in water, mountains &c. &c.”

XVII. THE CONCLUSIVE LESSON ON THE PRACTICE OF YOGA.

After our long and lengthy discussion on the subject of Yoga, and the sacred and mysterious words wherewith it is conducted, our treatise will be deemed incomplete until we set a form or praxis of the manner in which it is to be conducted; and particularly by those who are fully persuaded of its efficacy, and prepared for its practice, but are prevented from it for want of proper guides to initiate them into it, or deterred by the arduousness of the rites imposed upon them by false Yogis, as to give up the exercise in disgust and hopelessness of their possibility ever to master it.

We shall set to these a short lesson from the Upanishad with directions from the Bhágavad Gítá, works which are believed to be of the highest authority and sanctity by every Hindu, and which can never be suspected of misleading any body; but on the other hand universally acknowledged as the only luminaries amidst the intellectual gloom of superstition and ignorance. The Kathopanishad says that the light of truth is to be gained by yoga only योगीनां योगगम्यं, and the Bhágavad Gítá declares, that knowledge, faith and practice are the only means of its attainment ज्ञानकर्म च भक्तिश्च नोपायनास्ति कुत्रचित्. It directs all men of competence to betake themselves to the acquisition of learning, and the incompetent to the practice of acts thus: निर्ब्बिन्नानां ज्ञानयोगोऽन्वासिनामिहकर्म्मसु । तेष्यनिर्ब्बिण चित्तानां, कर्म्मयोगश्च कामिनां ॥

The Maitrí Upanishad gives the following directions for the practice of yoga. “In the same way (is declared) the rule for the exercise of these means (for the concentration of the mind). This concentration (yoga) has six parts:—restraint of the breath (_pránáyáma_), restraint of the senses (_pratyáhára_), meditation (_dhyána_), attention (_dháraná_); self examination (_tarka_), and absorption (_samádhi_). When beholding by this manner of contemplation, he beholds the golden coloured, the doer, the lord, the spirit, Brahman, the cause; then the seer abandoning his merits and sins, reduces every thing to unity in the Supreme indestructible (soul). Thus says the Sruti;—As beasts and birds approach not a blazing mountain, so faults never approach those who know Brahman”. (18).

“It has been also said elsewhere when the sage, conditioned as _prána_, has obtained the mastery over his mind, and left outside all the objects of the senses, then let him remain void of all volition. Since the individual soul called _prána_ springs from the _non-prána_ (Supreme Intelligence); hence let the (apparent) _prána_ fix itself in the fourth stage (of pure intelligence). Thus saith the Sruti;—“That which is itself apart from intellect, which yet abides in the midst of intellect, the inconceivable, the supremely secret, on this let him fix his intellect (_chitta_); thus this subtle body having no object, is merged (in the Supreme).” (19).

“It hath also been said elsewhere; there is yet a higher exercise of attention (_dháraná_) for the sage; after pressing the end of his tongue against his palate and restraining his voice, mind and breath, he beholds Brahman by contemplation. When thus by the annihilation of the mind, he beholds the self-manifesting soul, the less than the least, as identified with the supreme soul, then having seen the soul thus identified, he becomes divested of self. Being thus divested, he becomes unlimited, destitute of material support, only an object of pure thought. This is the great secret,—final emancipation. Thus saith the Sruti;—By the serenity of the intellect he destroys all action, good or bad; with serene soul, abiding in the Divine Soul, he enjoys undying bliss.” (20).

“It hath been said also; the artery, called _sushumná_, which supplies the passage for the vital air, rises upward (from the heart) and is interrupted in the middle of the palate. By means of this artery, conjoined with the _prána_ (brought under subjection), the mind merged by contemplation into its object Brahman, and the repetition of the mystic syllable _Om_, let him rise upwards turning the end of his tongue on the palate, and uniting the senses (with the prána and mind) ]. Let the absence of limitation contemplate itself (_i. e._ let him contemplate on the unlimited Brahman). Then he attains freedom from all organs; and becomes no longer capable of pain or pleasure. He gains absolute unity.” Thus saith the Sruti:—

“First having mastered _prána_, then having fixed it on the palate, having crossed the state of limitation, let him in the crown of his head, merge (the soul) in the unlimited Brahman.” (21).

“Thus he may contemplate _Om_ as the sound and non-sound &c. (22 and 23). Then _Om_ as light, and all other significates of _Om_.” (24 &c.).

Those who may think the English version of the lesson on Yoga as not very explicit, will do well to consult the subjoined text in the original.

तथा तत् प्रयोगकल्पः । प्राणायामः प्रत्याहारोध्यानंधारणातर्कः समाधिः । षड्वर्गो इत्युच्यते ।—

अनेन यदा पश्यन् पश्यति रुक्भवर्णं कर्त्तारमीशं पुरुषं ब्रह्मयोनिं ।
तदाबिद्बान् पुण्य पापे विहाय परेऽव्यये सर्ब्बमेकी करोतीत्येबं ह्याह ।
यथा पर्ब्बत मादीप्त माश्रयन्ति मृगद्विजाः । तद्वद्ब्रह्मविदो दोषानाश्रयन्ति कदाचन ॥१८

अथान्यत्राप्युक्तं । यदावैवहिर्विद्वान् मनोनियम्य इन्द्रियार्थांश्च प्राणोनिवेशयित्वा
निःसङ्कल्पस्ततस्तिष्ठेत् । अप्राणादिह यस्मात् सम्भूतः प्राणसंज्ञको जीवस्तस्मात्
प्राणोवैतुर्याख्ये धारयेत् । अचित्तं चित्तमध्यस्तमचिन्त्यं गुह्यमुत्तममं ।
तत्र चित्तं निधायेत तच्च लिङ्गं निराश्रयं ॥

XVIII. SYMBOLICAL YOGA CULT OF MUDRÁ OR CHAKRA DIAGRAMS.

_Om_ the object of Yoga meditation, being already described in sections IX. &c. of this article as symbolical of Divine nature, and its different divisions as emblematical of the eternal attributes or hypostases of the Self—same Unity, they are as shown before, represented by the component letters of that mystic syllable, and meditated upon by the mental arithmetic of the speculative theosophist, the vedántist and yogi. But as the majority of people of grosser understandings are more dependant on ocular and sensible symbolism than abstract idealism, the Tantras have purposely contrived many a figure and diagram (_Mudrás_ and _Chakras_) for their guidance, of which we will give a few below with their geometrical names and notations.

It will appear from the diagrams described hereafter that _Om_ the symbol of Brahman the Universal _Sat_ or existence, serves to show us as a chart of the world, or representation of the cranium, everything existing in the physical and intellectual world, which is expressed by the word Om (ॐ शब्द सर्ब्बार्थ वाचकः), in its different divisions and partitions for our meditation and contemplation. The pious and religious spiritualist may employ them in Divine contemplation, but the majority are at liberty to use them in the meditation of every other subject which comes to be comprised within the compass of their thought, in the groups of significations which the letters are said to convey. Hence the Yoga of old, meant only an intense application of the mind to all subjects of thought and knowledge. Thus the end of our Yoga philosophy is not only the abstruse meditation of Divine attributes, but the mental reflection of every thing besides.

XIX. MATHEMATICAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE DIAGRAMS OF OM.

[Sidenote: Correctness of the Diagrams.]

We have seen from the diagrams given in the following section, that the Tántrika formulists have spared no pains to divide the great circle of the Universe, filled by the omnipresence of Brahma and represented by the figure _om_, into several parts for the purpose of meditating His different hypostases, and contemplation o£ the various orders of creation. We are now to inquire as to whether these several divisions of a mathematical circle of 360 degrees are geometrically correct, or mere arbitrary partitions made by ignorant priests for their own amusement and deception of their proselytes.

[Sidenote: The Heptagon and Nonagon.]

Now for instance, the problem of inscribing a heptagon or a nonagon in a circle will at once startle a student of Euclid as altogether impossible, and identical with that which was celebrated among Greek geometricians as the problem of the trisection of the angle. If treated algebraically, it leads to a cubic equation with three real roots, the arithmetical value of which can be found only approximately.

[Sidenote: The Lílávatí’s solution.]