Treasures in the Vedas. Soma----the nectar of the moon and mind.

----Part-1

(This text is about the elixir ‘soma’ described in the Vedas. Mainly the references are from
Brihadaranyaka Upanishada (bRihadaaraNyaka upaniShada) and Chandogya Upanishad (chhaandogya
upaniShada) and Koushitaki Upanishad (kOShItaki upaniShada). These Upanishads are parts of Yajur
Veda (yajur veda), Sama Veda (saama veda) and Rik Veda (Rik veda.)

The words in this text which are not English words are the words of Sanskrit language. When such
Sanskrit words are written in italics, such words can be found in the Sanskrit English Lexicon by Sir.
Williams Monier. This dictionary is available for free reading in Internet at the following address
http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/monier/ . If you enter the Sanskrit word in ‘italics’ in the
‘citation box’ and select ‘ITRANS’ for ‘input’, you can get the output based on you selection. You may
select ‘Devanagari Unicode’.)

Mind and the Divine mind

In mind we determine. We decide whether to do a thing or not. Thus from there we become physically
active accordingly. For example, when you walk, you determine to walk and when you are sure that you
are going to walk, you rise from your seat and start walking. From the mind it gets extended to the
physicality. Similarly all shapes and dimensions, colour, weight etc. which are essence of physicality is
felt or known here in the mind. These shapes, dimensions etc. or appearance are commonly called
‘rUpa’. Actually, ‘rUpa’ means anything which is a subject of vision. Mind has been termed as the ‘divine
vision’ or third eye. Effigies of Hindu gods/goddesses sometimes show the third eye above the junction
of eyebrow which is known as the physical seat of mind. Also many south east Asian ladies wear a
forehead decoration, called ‘bindi’ in Indian languages. This is usually a small circular patch of color
applied at or near the junction of the two eyebrows on the forehead. ‘bindi’ means ‘vindu’ or point.
Significantly, ‘mind’ is also called ‘aNu’ (minute or atom) in the texts as it has all the sense of physicality
in it including dimensions but mind is without dimensions.

The sun and the eyes are corresponding parts or entities. The sun is termed as the ‘eye of the universe’.
In the planetary system where we are placed, all formation i.e. creation and light i.e. revelation, vision
are connected to our sun.

Mind is immediately above the physicality. The organs like the eyes, ears, hands are the interface
between the mind and physicality.

The mind, which each one of us is having, is a part of the universal or divine mind in which we and
everything are realized.

Divinity is called 'div' or 'dyu' in Sanskrit and it means the plane of revelation. Thus all that is revealed or
going to be revealed is in the divine mind.

The seer (RiShi) has said: atha(and) aetasya(this)manaso(mind's)douh(the divinity or the divine plane)
sharIram (is the body or expanse) jyotih (illuminated) rUpam(form) osu(that) aditya(the sun or aditya
i.e. who is characterized by Oneness.)-------And the body or the expanse of the universal mind is the
divine plane or divinity and illuminated form of the mind is the sun or aditya). ( Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, 12th hymn).

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vaak and what is already known i.e. past

Now the seer (RiShi—who can see beyond everything) has said that 'whatever could be known or will
be known' is the 'mind'! And also the seer has said that 'whatever is already known' is 'vaak' .
( Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, 9th and 8th hymn)

'vaak' is the first expression of Consciousness when anything is going to be formed or created. 'vaakya'
(expressed or articulated word) is the expressed form of ‘vaak’ i.e. the created or processed word. 'vaak'
or the Consciousness expressing the universe has become Herself expressed as the universe. This
'expression' is the formed universe and known as 'vaakya' or 'word'. This expressed universe consists of
the 'words’ or are ‘conscious expression’ '. Words are the every object, every entity. As it is already
formed so it is 'past'. This is why in Sanskrit, the word 'bhUta' means an 'object' and also it means 'past'
or ‘realized’. We human beings live on what is already created. The earth, air, water... all have already
been created and we live on them. Thus the text says that 'vaak' nourishes us by becoming 'all that is
known'. At one end,` Consciousness is 'vaak' who ‘initiates’ every event; when the event is created and
realized, when it is materialized or earthed it is called ‘vaakya’ or word. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First
chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Eighth hymn) It is for this reason the seer has said:

‘tassai (that) vaachi (vaak’s) pRithivai(earh) sharIram(is the body), jyoti rUpam(illuminated form)
idam(this) agni(fire)----that vaak’s body is the earth and illuminated form is this (terrestrial) fire.

In Sanskrit, the word ‘meaning’ is called ‘artha’. Thus word ‘artha’ means ‘realized word’ and is similar in
pronunciation to the word ‘earth’. Earth means realized words of Universal Consciousness or ‘artha’ and
thus the body or expression of ‘vaak’ is termed as the ‘earth’. Anything which is material, which is
physical is nothing but ‘vaak’, is nothing but the ‘word of Consciousness’ realized as physical.

Thus our body is the ‘earth’ and the life, ‘praaNa’ in the body is the ‘illuminated form of vaak’. Thus the
‘fire’ is burning in the core of the earth. Thus the human beings bury dead body under the earth or
cremate in the fire. We are conscious, we are always talking and listening, our consciousness is burning
within us. Our body is the earth.

Mind, seed, future, what could be known, pitRiloka (abode of divine fathers.)

In the mind it is like seed. Everything, all that can be known, say of a flower, is in the mind. If it is not
already known also, it is held in the mind. Our mind is a part of the Universal or divine mind. This is why
'mind' is future', all seeds are held there. Whatever will be created or known in future is already in the
Mind. So, the seer has said 'whatever is yet to be known all is in Mind'. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First
chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Sixth hymn).

Thus the seer has said 'manah pitarah' i.e. 'mind' is the 'plane of Fathers'. 'Plane of Fathers'(pitRiloka)
refers to the abode of divine fathers. This is that aspect of Consciousness where every entity in the form
of 'seed' is held. The whole sequence of an expression, the entire link, genealogy is here. Here
everything is existing with its entirety in oneness or without sequence. This is how we also remain in our
father's body before we enter into the mother.

We conceive dimension or space in the mind but we can feel that the mind has no dimension. Thus the
‘divine fathers’ are said to have ‘dimensions in the divinity’. It is dimension but without dimension.

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Thus an extract from a hymn to the Fathers says:

pitRin (to the Fathers) namaste (we bow) divi(in the divinity) je cha (even) murtaa (who are in
forms/dimensions)-----we bow to the Fathers who even in the divinity exist in defined forms.

There are seven divine fathers. All the fathers in our past, present and future lives are parts of these
divine fathers.

We inherit our instincts from the fathers. Our fathers belong to ‘pitRiloka’ where the Consciousness is
present as the divine fathers. There are seven divine fathers. Number seven represents ‘wrapping up’.
Seven is called ‘sapta’ and etymologically it means ‘saha(together)+aapta (achieved)’----where in one
everything is achieved. So, seven is all in one. It is like the white light which has in it all the seven
colours. These Fathers belong to the realm of ‘soma’ or ‘Moon’ where we have earlier mentioned that
the things remain as seeds. It is from this lunar plane we descend to distinct individuality which is called
‘pRithivI’ or earth (=‘artha’ = meaning or realization of words). The word ‘pRithivI’ is related to the word
‘pRithak’ meaning separate or distinct. Both these words have the root ‘pRith’. The specialty of this
earth or ‘pRithivI’ is that here everything exists in a clearly defined and separated form. Here duality,
individuality, segregation is very prominent. This is also earth or ‘artha’. ‘artha’ means the meaning or
realization of words. Words or forms of Consciousness are realized as materials, as the earth. Here
‘vaak’(also identified with vidyut or Electricity in the texts) is earthed. Here Consciousness is in the
ultimate stage of existence in singular forms. Electricity in Sanskrit means ‘vidyut’ which means ‘vid’
(existence) + ‘ut’ (supreme). (That is anything in its ‘Electrical form’ reveals its supreme state of
existence.)

The divine pair---Earth and the Heaven

'vaak’ has been identified with the ‘earth’ (pRithivI) and the Mind has been identified with the heaven or
divinity (dyu). The pair, heaven and the earth, dyu and pRithivI, is called ‘dyaavaapRithivI’ and is the
famous ‘conjugal pair’ of the Vedas. Everything whatever we see is created from the conjugation of the
‘heaven’ and the ‘earth’. Thus everything is a mix of divinity and mortality! The pair is also known as
'dyu' and 'bhU'.

Whatever is there in the mind is created or transformed into individuality or a form by 'vaak'. Thus
'vaak' conjugates with 'mind' to create everything in the universe.

aKShara,praaNa and Ishvara

When in the beginning, there is no activity (energy at rest), there is only Oneness, but as the One is
about to create, that creating aspect of Consciousness is called 'akShara' (meaning who does not decay

or more appropriately 'the One who decays or splits but still remains the same or “One”). When
'akShara' splits, goes for duality, Consciousness or 'akShara' becomes 'praaNa'. This is the state of
‘immutable soul’ in action. Action means ‘to know’. The word ‘knowledge’ in Sanskrit is ‘j~naana’ and
has two parts---‘j~na’ (pronunciation of ‘j~na’ resembles to that of ‘know’) which means the ‘knower’ or
‘who knows’ and ‘ana’ means ‘animation’ or senses of the ‘knower’ or ‘knowing of the knower’. Thus in
all animation, in all actions of Consciousness, there this ‘j~na’ or the ‘knower’ who remains unchanged,
immutable and His knowing is expressed as the activity; this activity is briefly ‘creation’, ‘sustaining’ and

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‘annihilation’. This active personality is ‘praaNa’, the divine life flowing in all of us or acting on all of us.
This aspect of activeness is also called ‘Ishvara’ in the texts.

‘praaNa’ means 'akShara’ is knowing—from this knowing the time starts, the life starts flowing. This is a
stage of ‘omniscience’. This is not like a computer. This knowing does not exist without a heart or
‘hRidaya’. It is unbounded love. Consciousness is thus our life, Universal life and eternal. Consciousness
becomes everything and also remains immutable ONE as the core! So, Consciousness is eternal.

(So, the text says: ‘satyam(truth), j~anam(consciousness), anantam(eternal), vrahma(absolute)’----The

Absolute is the Reality, Consciousness and Eternal)

As ‘akShara’ becomes active as ‘praaNa’, there are two things, the entire ‘activity’ is held in a single
sequence; i.e. the ‘creation, existence and termination’ are all together; also, the Consciousness reveals
as sequences and thus in us, time or actions are in sequence. For us, every event has a beginning, has an
existence and has an ending.

Now, akShara in activity is 'praaNa' and ‘praaNa’ splits into 'vaak' and 'manas' or 'Mind'. Then 'vaak'
and' Mind' conjugates to create the universe. ‘vaak’ initiates the ‘Mind’ to release the ‘sperm’ and
captures it in Her(vaak) to create an entity. This is why, we have a ‘word’ for every entity; each entity
has a definition, has a name.

It is interesting to note that the word ‘'akShara’ also means ‘alphabets’.

What is unknown, beyond time, praaNa

Then the seer has said ‘whatever is unknown’ that is ‘praaNa’. The One who knows and whose
knowledge is everything, from whose knowing or sense the universe is created is ‘praaNa’. The Knower
is defined or known by what is created. But that is only a part. The other par is the creator who remains
‘unknown’. You cannot know the ‘Knower’ (‘j~na’), because Knower by knowing becomes you or your
senses. The Knower remains unknown. Knower means, the active Consciousness who knows Himself
/Herself by Himself/ Herself and from that action all dualities, every individual, every entity are created.
This is praaNa-- the Knower in all the knowing’.

Thus the seer has said:

yeno (by whom) idam(this) sarvam(all) vijaanaati(can be known) tat (that—by whom all can be known)
keno ( how) vijaanIyaat(will know)-----the One by whom you know everything how will you know the
One; (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Fourth chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Fifteenth hymn---Discourse
between the seer ‘yaaj~navalkya’ and His wife ‘maitreyI’.)

vij~naataram(knower) awre(hi) keno(by whom or how) vijaanIyaat(will know)----Hi, how will you know
the ‘knower’? (Hi, how will you know the One whose knowledge or knowing is your senses?)
(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Fourth chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, fifteenth hymn---Discourse
between the seer ‘yaaj~navalkya’ and His wife ‘maitreyI’.)

Moment we know something, we become separated from Universal Consciousness (Universal soul,
Source) as a separate ‘knower’; and this whole process also happens in Consciousness. We cannot know
the source without getting merged.

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Whatever you know that’s a formation of the ‘Knowledge’ or the ‘Knower’ (Consciousness, The soul) and
you are a part and parcel of the process of this ‘Knowing’ to which you and your own senses also belong.

indra the unrivalled

Then the seer said: From the conjugation of 'vaak' and 'manas', 'praana' named 'indra' is born. Here,
praaNa means the praaNa or life in us, the living individual. So, the Consciousness/Mind enters into
every form that 'vaak' creates or arranges! It must be remembered that 'vaak, 'praaNa', 'Mind' are all
aspects of Consciousness. Thus we are created in the mind of the creator.

The seer has said: tou (the two) mithunam(intercourse) sam oitam(entered)----the two (mind and vaak)
entered into intercourse;

tatah(from them) praNah(praaNa) ajayata(was born)-----from them praaNa was born; (i.e. from
‘praaNa’, ‘praaNa’ was born as a separate entity;)

sa indrah----he(praaNa) was indra (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part,
Twelfth hymn.)

indra =idam (it) + dra (observer or seer; draShTRi =one who sees ). As Consciousness splits into duality
and entities are created, in each entity Universal Consciousness exists as that entity or as that individual.
Each entity or individual is a centre of perception or vision. It is a micro-station. This each individual is
indra.

(Individual----who cannot be divided, who is not divisible-----each unit.

Individual----Indi---Independent, vid----observer). So, in each of us, Consciousness as indra is not seeing

any duality, though as 'us' Consciousness has become 'dual' and seeing ‘duality’. Thus there is a state of
oneness and duality in each of us. In our ‘indra’ aspect, we will see ‘oneness in duality’.

It may be noted that as Universal Consciousness has become each individual through creation, so each
individual is different from Universal Consciousness and still each individual is same as the Universal
Consciousness and remains established or founded in Universal Consciousness. It is like vortices of water
in water mass.

Thus in each creation, in each individual, there is this ‘indivisibility’ or ‘oneness’ and also feeling of
duality.

Thus the seer has said:

sa aesHah asapatna --he(Indra) is without multiple wives----there is no one around him who rivals (When
a man has many wives they rival with each other; as they identify each as different from the other.)

dvitIyo (dual or duality) vai( is) sapatnoh (multiple wives)---- multiple wives (shakti) mean living in
duality. ((Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Twelfth hymn.)

( In 'Chandogya Upanishad', creation has been described as the conjugation of 'praaNa'(male) and
'vaak'(female). Here, in Brihadaranyaka, the same thing has been described with more 'break up' by
describing the conjugation as that of 'vaak' and 'manas' or Mind. In Chandogya, praaNa is the

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Consciousness in activity and who conjugates with ‘vaak’ to create. In Brihadaranyaka, Mind or the
Consciousness in which all creations / creatures are in seed forms (like sperms in a male) conjugates
with ‘vaak’ to create; praaNa is the activity of immutable universal soul akShara. The action of this
activity is the conjugation of ‘manas’ or ‘mind’ and ‘vaak’.)

Thus praaNa, also termed as ‘mukhya praaNa’ (mukhya= principal or who resides in the mouth, or who
is characterized by the mouth or ‘origin’) creates and becomes ‘multiple entities’, and each entity is
‘indra’. That praaNa enters into each dimension is described by the term ‘madhyama praaNa’.
‘madhyama’ means medium i.e. ‘who has entered or who is inside’ or ‘who is in the middle of
everything’! When we will know ourselves as the micro form or split of the Universal Consciousness and
held in Universal Consciousness we will also identify ourselves as ‘indra’. Knowing thus makes one the
‘king of the heaven’. Nothing remains beyond his reach, beyond his vision. indra the king of the heaven
is said to have ‘thousand eyes’ (sahasralochana). Thus in the text named chaNdI (which describes the
‘charitra’ or character of the Universal Mother in three ‘charita’ or in three chapters) Universal Mother
is quoted as saying”

‘trailokya indra labhatam’ (indra will become the king of the three ‘loka’}

devah santu havirbhUja (the deities will get back all the oblations offered to them)

yuam (you; you asuras, you who supports duality and obscures Oneness) prayata (depart)
paatale(underground)

jadi(if) jIvItam(to survive) ichaatha(you wish)!’ (if you wish to survive)

“indra will get all the three loka (planes or spaces; dyu—divinity/ heaven—the space that reveals;
antarIkSha—the space in between, the space that connects; bhU---the earth, the space realized.)

the deities will get back there oblations or rights

you (asura; who support duality and obscures Oneness) move under the earth

if you wish to survive.”

Thus indra is unrivalled; His vision is not obstructed by duality; in all that he sees he sees the One in all
the dualities; thus indra has many a wives but there is no rivalry.

pratirUpa, indra,prajaapati

As every entity, every creature is created from Universal Consciousness and as in each of them the
Universal consciousness remains as it is (madhyama praaNa), so every unit, every creature
‘corresponds’ to the ‘whole’, corresponds to the ‘Universal Consciousness or Soul’. This is known as
‘prati’ which means ‘corresponding’, ‘each’, ‘every’; thus ‘prati rUpa’ means corresponding form; and
this is why individual soul is called ‘pratyak aatman’. ‘aatman’ means ‘soul’. ‘pratyak’ means ‘turned
toward’ or ‘turned inward/westward’. West also means back. Turning to west means, ‘to turn back’, to
‘turn toward the origin. What is being created or revealed that appears in the ‘front or east’ and from
where the revelation takes place that belongs to the origin and which is the ‘west’ direction behind the

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revelation. Thus the soul seen in every individual is called ‘pratyak aatman’; one has to look back, look
internally to see the soul.

Thus there is this hymn addressed to ‘praaNa’: ‘praajapatih (as prajaapati) charasi (you move )
garbhe(in the womb) tameva(it is you) pratijaayase (who is born as a corresponding one) ’---as
praajapati(lord of all the creatures or who controls over the birth of every one) you move in the womb; it
is you who is born as every unit (creature) corresponding to you! (Prashnopanishad).

Similarly, there is this hymn in Upanishad, which says, as the Universal Consciousness creates (sees)
every form, similarly in each unit, in each form, as individual (indra) He creates (sees) correspondingly.

Thus it is said:

rUpam (against a form) rUpam (against a form) prati (corresponding) rupah (form) vabhUbhah (HE has
become)

tadaysya (that this) rupam(forms) pratIchakShaNaaya (for viewing correspondingly)

indro (indra) maayabhi(by maaya, by the power of ‘maa’ or ‘measure’) purU (in various

)rupa (forms) Iyate (have entered) (extract from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Second Chapter, 5 th part,
11th hymn)

‘for every form a corresponding form is created

to see every form correspondingly

indra by ‘maaya’ have become many!’

This is a sweet, honey relationship between the creature and the creation. This is told by a seer called
‘dadhIchi’ to the twin deities ‘ashvinIkumaara’ while preaching them madhu (honey)
vidyaa(knowledge)---knowledge of sweetness.

The tree you see is a ‘corresponding form’; it is the feelings of the tree formed in you, in your inner
space. This inner space is ‘antarIkSha’ and the realm of moon, the realm of ‘soma’. The ‘tree’ itself i.e.
the external impulse which comes to you to create the sense of a tree is the ‘tree in the Universal
consciousness. This tree in the Universal consciousness is the ‘form’ or ‘rUpa’. The tree that you feel
and sense in you is the ‘corresponding form or ‘pratirUpa’ the ‘form’ created by Universal Consciousness
in your consciousness or in you and this corresponding from in every individual differs from the other.

This is why the idols worshipped by the Hindus are called ‘pratimaa’ meaning prati (corresponding) +

maa (measure).

The southern fire, dakShiNaagni,

Then the seer has said: atha(and now) aetasya(this) praaNsya (praaNa’s) apah(water) sharIram (body or
the expanse) jyoti(illuminated) rUpam(form) asou(that) chandra(moon).( Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Thirteenth hymn.)---“And now the body of this praaNa is the
water and the illuminated form is the ‘moon’.”

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Here, the seer is talking about the ‘praaNa’ who has entered in all of us, in the middle of us, as described
above. It may be noted that ‘aap’ {also ‘ap’} (water) and the chandramas (moon) are the forms or
bodies or spread of the middle fire or ‘praaNa’ called ‘dakShiNaagni’. (Chandogya Upanishad, Fourth
Chapter, Tenth part, Chapter on the seer called ‘upokoshala’ and the Fires/praaNa).

‘Middle fire’ or madhayama (middle) praaNa, means the personality of Consciousness who controls all
those who are created or ‘who are in the middle’ i.e. between the ‘origin’ and ‘end’. (ap or water, aqua)

‘ap’, ‘aap’ means, ‘aapti’ or ‘achieving’ or ‘acquiring’ (‘aqua’) what is desired. This is why this word
stands for ‘water’ (aqua). This is that aspect of Consciousness who quenches our thirst, who fulfills our
desires. These worlds, this universe, all that were created, are being created and will be created are the
achievements, accomplishment of the Universal Mother or the Universal consciousness. Beyond every
creation, there is a desire. Creation cannot happen without desire and without the fulfillment of desire.
Desire is the ‘teja’ or radiance in the texts and the fulfillment of desire or thirst is ‘ap’ and also referred
as ‘jala’{water} in the texts.

Thus the text says:

tad (that; Consciousness, who was ONE in the beginning) oikShata(desired, determined, activated)
vahu (multiple) sam (I will be) prjaayeya(creating)----that Consciousness (who was ONE) desired to
multiply by creation.(Chandogya Upanishad, Sixth Chapter, Second part, Preaching of ‘aaruNi’ to
‘shvetaketu’.)

Moon, water and the inner-space or antarIkSha

This entire creation is the ‘ap’, ‘aap’, ‘water’ or ‘achievement’ of Consciousness. This water is the body
of praaNa the creator who is holding all of us as His own identity. The shine, the revelation by which
Consciousness multiplied, split, is the shine of the sun----like the rays those refract to produce a shape or
appearance of light.

Here in the middle, in the inner space or antarIkSha it is the soothing light of moon (chandramas), it is
like reflection, like ‘internal reflection’, like the light in which we dream. The divine Mind has the
illuminated form which is the Sun, whose light is the creative (refractive light). Here in this light there is
creation, there is splitting of the ‘self’, there is radiation. When the creation is done, the Creator
becomes reflective. Here in moon, the light is reflective, it absorbs and reflects. It shines internally in
itself. Thus this middle plane is called ‘antarIkSha’. antarIkSha-----antara (internal) + IkShaNa (seeing). It
is to see internally, to reflect. Thus this ‘reflection’ of the mind is the illumination of the ‘praaNa’. Here
the Universal Consciousness is in the reflective mood of ‘feeling’ all that the Consciousness has created
out of Consciousness’. There are two aspects---(i) creation/separation/ duality----this is the act of
speaking; (ii) then the perceiving/ feeling what is created---this is the act of hearing (shruti). Thus we
always hear what we speak.

It is for this reason, in the Vedas, it is stated that ‘shrotre tRipyati chandramasi tRipyati’--- when the ears
(listening) are satisfied, the moon is satisfied ( Chandogya Upanishad, fifth chapter, twentieth part,
second hymn).

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The moon is as if bathing in the sunlight. Reflection and absorptions are the main characteristics.
Whatever is radiated, separated as an individual, accepting that, accomplishing that, capturing or having
that as the own illumination or identity is the character of the ‘inner space’ or ‘antarIkSha’. So, every
individual has its own world in this ‘inner space’ or ‘antarIkSha’. Thus the same word is listened
differently by different listeners.

Thus the creator is regaling with all the rays capturing in His inner world or ‘antarIkSha’. It is as if the
creator is bathing in His own rays—the rays of the sun are captured, taken in to become its own shine
-----this is the shine of moon, the reflection, rather ‘the internal reflection’. Thus the seer has identified
the ‘reflective mind’ with antarIkSha-----‘manah(mind) antarikShalokoh(is the antarIkSha).
(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Fourth hymn.)

Where in the hymns, this moon, this water has been cited, there the seer has further said----‘ te(those)
ete (these) sarve(all) aeva(are) sama(same), sarve(all) ananta(without end)”-----they all are the same
and eternal! (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Thirteenth hymn.)

As explained above mind is also identified with the pitRiloka (abode of divine fathers). There is a hymn in
kaThopaniShad, 'yathaa svapne, tathaa piTriloke----as it is in the dream, so it is in pitRiloka.

The moon and the dream

Thus moon and mind are identified with the state of 'dream'. In dream we see, feel everything
internally. Whatever we see externally, when we are awake, same or similar things we see or similar
things we feel in dream. We dream in our inner illumination. We take the external things in, and then
without the external illumination, the things are illuminated by the internal light which is the dream.
This is like the moon, taking the light of sun and converting it into its own serene shine.

As explained above mind is also identified with the pitRiloka (abode of divine fathers). There is a hymn in
kaThopaniShad, 'yathaa svapne, tathaa piTriloke----as it is in the dream, so it is in pitRiloka.

This dream is the middle state. It is the junction between the state of 'wakefulness' and state of 'sleep'.

The middle state, dream has also been described as 'sandhi (junction) sthaana(station or place)---the
junction (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad..........). It is mentioned there, the 'creation happens in the junction'.
(sandhe shRiShtir aha.... Brihadaranyaka Upanishad). Thus it is the abode of divine fathers where all the
seeds of all creatures exist.

From the perspective of the creator, whatever is dreamt that comes true. Dream coming true means,
that the dream is realized as earth or dream becomes true, physical.

Thus there are these three states:

The state of sleep (suShupti)----darkness for us but it is the illuminated Oneness.

The state of dream (svapna)----the inner illumination, the junction between the sleep and wakefulness,
the realm of mind. Here everything is seeded, not extended to external. When we dream we dream in
our respective world and we don't interact with the subjects of external world.

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The state of wakefulness is the light for us. We have the full individuality. Everything is defined,
differentiated. The inner world is no longer dominant. The light of divinity is earthed.

prajaapati and sama-vatsara (the creator and the time of revolution)

Then the seer has said about ‘prajaapati’ and ‘sama-vatsara’. Prajaapati means who is the lord of the
prajaa. ‘prajaa’ means who are elegantly created. pra( most appropriately +jaa (created, produced).

The word ‘sama-vatsara’ commonly means a ‘complete or full year’. The word ‘vatsara’ means ‘a year’
and is connected with the word ‘vatsa’. vatsa means an offspring. (vatsa and vatsara are like the words
‘year’ and ‘yearling’).

‘vaatsara’(year)= vatsaya(for the offspring) + sRijati(raining, pouring down)----secreting for the

offspring---the milk of the breasts, the all nourishing ‘life’, the streams of the senses. When the rays of
the sun are absorbed and blended they are the moon’s rays. Whatever is coming from the Creator, from
the Universal Consciousness, in ‘inner space’ or ‘antarIkSha’ they are absorbed in us becoming our shine,
our nourishment, our expression, our life. Thus we are nourished. We are also shining. We are
Consciousness, our senses are shining.

Thus is ‘samavatsara’.

The phases of moon, ShoDasha kalaa (sixteen phases)

So, the seer has said: sa (He, the praaNa whose shine is the moon, whose body is the water) aesha
(this) samavatsara prajaapatih----praaNa is this ‘sama-vatsara and praajapati’.

Then the seer said---there are sixteen phases of ‘prajaapati’, the lord of the creatures.

Sixteen phases is called ‘ShoDasha’ (sixteen) kalaah (phases). The word ‘kalaa’ means phase and 'kalaah'
is the plural form. If the word is broken it is ‘kala’ + ‘a’; ‘ka’ is the first consonant of Sanskrit alphabet
and means the ‘initiation ’ or ‘beginning’ of external manifestation. It also represents ‘q’ or ‘question’
which starts as soon as the creation begins. Like, ‘who is the creator, ‘from where all these have come’,
‘who am I’. ‘la’ means ‘laya’ or termination. Thus the whole activity from, creation to termination is
‘kaala’ or manifested as ‘time’. ‘kalaa’ is the phase during these actions of time. Thus we all wax and we
all wean. In every moment also we wax in one way and we wean in another way. We are being reared
by the ‘lunar time’ derived from the ‘solar time’. These two ‘time’ create our ‘time’ or the ‘terrestrial
time’.

The constant phase of moon, 'atihi' or 'the guest' hidden in the cask of 'soma'.

These sixteen phases of the lord ‘prajaapati’ who is prevailing on us, whose illuminated or revealed form
is the ‘moon’, consist of (1 +15) phases. The ‘sixteenth’ phase is the ‘fixed phase’ and is called ‘dhruvaa’
(female form of the word ‘dhruva’ meaning ‘who never changes’). Fixed means, this phase always
remains with the rest 15 phases. This constant phase is our ‘immutable, immortal form. The phases of
moon or the lunar days are called ‘tithi’. ‘atithi’ means a(without) + tithi (phase)----i.e. who is constant
or ‘dhruva’. The common meaning of the word ‘atithi’ is ‘guest’. There is a hymn in ‘kaTha

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Upanishad’(Second Chapter, Second Part, Second hymn) where it is said ‘atithi duroN sat’----‘atithi’ is
inside the ‘duroN’ or ‘droNa’ or inside the jar of soma juice, hidden inside the cask of wine.

In our turmoil, in our waxing and waning, we remain constant, immaculate and immutable at one end,
at the pivot, which is our fixed or constant phase or ‘dhruva’ form. The ‘guest’, ‘atithi’ remains obscured
to us by the turmoil of time and tide. We remain unchanged and unruffled in our ‘atithi’ form.

Now the seer has said that the nights are the rest fifteen phases----tasya(His---moon’s or prajaapati’s)
raatrayoh(nights) eba(are) panchadasha(fifteen) kalah(phases); (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad First
chapter, Fifth Brahmin/Fifth part, Fourteenth hymn.)-----prajaapati / moon passes through the other
phases in fifteen nights or fifteen nights are the other phases;

sah(he) raatribhih(by the nights) eba aa cha puryate (is filled or grown) apa cha(and also) kShIyate (is
decayed or emaciated)---- prajaapati / moon is filled or grown by the nights as well as is decayed or
emaciated by the nights;

sah (he) amavasyam(in the new moon) raatrim(night) etaya(along with these) shoroSha(sixteen)
kalaaya (phases) sarvam(all) idam(these) praaNa-bhRit(who are being reared by praaNa)
anupravishya(by entering) tatah(thereafter) praatah(in the morning) jaayate(he comes out or creates
himself)----- during the night of new-moon he (prajaapati / moon) along with these sixteen phases
enters all those who are being reared by praaNa (by the secreting streams of life) and comes out of
them in the morning!

Sixteenth phase is ‘dhruvaa’ or the ‘immutable, immortal soul’.

The fifteen phases, cooking the universe.

Fifteen=pa~nchadasha=pa~nchama + dasha.

pa~nchama=fifth, related to five.

pa~ncha praaNa = five praaNa (praaNa, vyaana, apaana, samaana, udaana), and also related to the
word pa~nchIkaraNa.

pa~nchIkaraNa means to mix five fundamental elements or mixing of fives aspects of ‘praaNa’ to create
an individual or entity. It is interesting note the similarity between the word ‘pa~nchama’ and the word
‘punch’ (beverage mixed with different components). It is also interesting to mention here that there is a
recipe used in Indian cooking called ‘paanch phoran’ (five spices). paanch = five; phoran= sphuraNa
=which sparks or manifests, i.e. five ‘praaNa’.

dasha = ten (corresponding Latin word is ‘decem’ similar to the word ‘dashama’ meaning tenth).

The word ‘dashaa’ also means ‘state or phase of life of any entity’; more appropriately it means ‘an
accomplished state’. Actually the five aspects of praaNa along with the five sensory organs and five
corresponding working organs define completely a creature as a separate identity from the source or
the soul. Along with the source or immutable soul it is 1 +15 =16.

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15 = 5 (pa~ncha praaNa, five aspects of praaNa mixing to create) +10 (dasha or dashaa i.e. state of the
life of the creature). (10 = 5 sensory organs –ears, lips/skin, eyes, tongue, smell; 5 working organs:
tongue, hands, legs, genital, anus).

Five sensory organs are the seats of five aspects of praaNa. The sensory and working organs are related
to each other, each sensory organ has a corresponding working organ. These corresponding pairs are
(ear, tongue), (lips/skin, hands),(eyes, legs), (tongue, genitals), (smell, anus).

This accomplished stage (designated by the number ten), with the controlling authority and
fundamental ingredients (i.e. five aspects of praaNa (designated by the number five) and the constant
immutable (dhruba, designated by the number 1) soul at the root is the complete description; and this
complete unit is designated by the number sixteen. So, sixteen represents the number that stands for
the full or whole, i.e. for the creator along with the creation.

Thus the seer has said:” shoroShahah kalah somya puruShah” –every entity consists of sixteen phases
(extract from Chandogya Upanishad Sixth chapter, first hymn).

Thus it is like this: Consciousness as vaak, initiates the ‘forms’ in the form of seed in the ‘mind’ or
‘manas’ of Consciousness. Thus Consciousness enters the ‘form’ with the sixteen phases. Thus a created
form is made of the ‘immutable soul’ and the ‘fifteen phases. Thus, every unit, every creature, finds
itself/himself/herself as immutable, immortal at the root as there is that ‘dhurva’ kalaa or unchanged
phase in every creature! Thus in the macro cycle of life these sixteen lunar phases will be there in any
system of creation.

These actions of phases happen in all the ways, in every creation and in every moment of the life. In
Consciousness we are always being created and terminated. If at one moment you see a flower and next
moment you see a leaf, the two observers are different. Each one is created and terminated. In each
creation these 16 phases are there. In our planet this is also happening by the lunar effects.

The new moon (amaavasyaa) ---beyond measure.

amaavasyaa is the time or phase called ‘new moon’; this is the time when the eternal soul, who is ever-
old, who is before every event, wishes to become ‘new’, a ‘new creation’. It may be a new event, a new
creature, a new moment or whatever new. So, this ‘new moon’, also called ‘nava kalaa’ (new phase).
This ‘nava kalaa’ is there in every event, otherwise nothing can happen, time cannot move.

amaavasyaa = amaa + vaasya

amaa= a (without) + maa (maatraa or measure)----the unbounded Consciousness, beyond measure.

vaasya----is from the root word ‘vas’ which is a verb and means ‘to dwell’, ‘to cover’.

amaavasya----means the phase when ‘vaak’ dwells with ‘manas’ or mind. During this phase the
illuminated part of the moon is turned toward the sun. They cohabit to create. The illuminated part of
moon turns toward the sun during the new-moon. The Moon, the Mind or ‘manas’ turns toward ‘vaak’
or ‘aditi’ during new moon. The sun is called ‘aditya’ who is the centre of pleasure of Oneness and son of
‘aditi’.   aditya=son of aditi and aditi= a(without) +diti(duality). Goddess aditi is the mother of the
deities.
‘vaak’  is ‘aditi’ from whom all the deities and everyone is created.

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The 'vaak' or shakti conjugates with 'manas' or 'mind'. At that moment everything is not there or
shrouded by 'ONEnesss'. This Oneness is 'aditi' and the event or time is amaavasya.

Consciousness becomes measurable or defined by the creation. Every perceptible thing or every
perception is a measure of consciousness, is a definition. But Consciousness still remains in the
undefined stage or the stage which we call root or source of everything. Since everything, every
perception, including our perception and ourselves are the perception of Universal Consciousness or
knowledge of Universal Consciousness, so at the root Consciousness remains unknown. If anything to be
known, that happens by merging. We can say, more we identify ourselves with Consciousness, with the
source of Universe, more we know Consciousness. This is called 'self-realization'.

So, beyond every creation or event, New moon or amaavasyaa will be there.

Thus there is this hymn in Upanishad to 'ama' who is 'a'. ‘a’ means without anything or without anything
else; so, ‘a’ means ‘One’ or ‘where there is no body but One’; and 'ma' which is the mortality, death
(mRityu) or end. 'ma' is the last of the consonants called 'sparsha varNa' or alphabets of touch. It
denotes the end or the mortality (the end of life flow or end of air or touch).Thus 'ama' means the
Consciousness who is everything, every moment, from the beginning to the end. 'amaa' is the 'maa' or
measure of 'a' who is at the 'beginning'. Also, 'amaa' means 'a' (without) ‘maa’ (‘maatraa’ or measures),
i.e. who cannot be measured.

Thus in Chandogya Upanishad the Rishi (seer) has said:

‘’amah (ama) nama (name) asi (is)

(your name is ama)

amaa (without measure) hi te (yours) sarvam (all) idam (these)

(your all these are beyond measure)

sah(she) hi jyeShThyah(is the foremost ) shreShThah (supreme) raajaa(radiant) adhipatih(dominating)

(She is the foremost, supreme, radiant and dominator)

sah (he/she) ma(me) jaiShTham (in the state of being foremost) shraiShTham (supremacy) rajyam
(radiance) aadhipatyam (domination) gamayatu (lead)

(Let She lead me to be the foremost, lead me into supremacy, lead me into radiance, lead me in the
dominance)

aham (I ) eva(also) idam(these) sarvam(all) asaani(wants to be)

(I also want to become everything, all these universe) (Chandogya Upanishad, Fifth chapter, Second
part, Sixth hymn.)

Actions in lunar realm, dakShiNaagni, moon and water.

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We have mentioned that aditya (the sun) is the son of 'aditi'. The sun is the centre of assimilation as it is
the centre of time. Our evolution, or assimilation in Universal consciousness is manifested with time.
The corresponding centre in us is the 'solar plexus' or 'maNipura chakra' which controls assimilation of
food, digestion process. Assimilation, digestion is the process by which what is foreign or different
becomes a part us. Sun is our centre of time. Anywhere there will be a sun as the centre or source of
time. We evolve as the time passes. This evolution is also assimilation by the creator who is devouring
us. We become more evolved as we get more digested in Universal Consciousness. We become more
and more enhanced species and start treading on the path of Self-realization.

The aspect of 'aditya' or sun that makes this assimilation happen in us is called 'moon'. We have already
mentioned above about moon and the fire (active Consciousness) called dakShiNaagni whose another
Vedic name is 'anna-ahara-pachana-agni' which means the activity of Consciousness or fire(agni) by
which foods (anna) are digested (pachana) while eating or taking anything in (ahara). Moon is the
central or principal personality of the aspect of Universal Consciousness called dakShiNaagni.

The moon in the external sky and the lunar centre in us are intimately controlling the secretion and
circulation of fluids and accomplishment or assimilation. The physical location of lunar plexus is below
the solar plexus and is called 'svaadhiShThaana '. In the external world, in our earth, the vegetation,
fruits, flowers, crops are all intimately controlled by the lunar actions. This is why still many Hindu’s
follow certain rules those govern which food should be or should not be consumed during a given phase
of moon.

Whatever radiates from the source, from the sun, is distributed and finally acquired through the lunar
realm. The light of sun is as if it is principally radiating, separating out from the source to radiate or
illuminate others. It is

splitting to form dualities.

The term 'radiation' in the Vedic texts is used by Sanskrit word called 'varSha' meaning 'year' as well as
'rain'. Thus whatever rains from the source, that has a year, a complete cycle, from the source to the
recipient and back. This complete cycle is also called 'samvatsara' as explained earlier above as the full
cycle to return to the source, the full cycle to rear a child to maturity.

Thus our accomplishment, nourishment, our destiny, our future are implemented through the Lunar
Centre by the Consciousness as dakShiNaagni. One of the bodies of dakShiNaagni is 'ap' which is 'aapti',
accomplishment or fulfillment. 'ap' also means 'aqua' or water that quenches our thirst. In her divine
form, the goddess 'ap', who is the personality, called 'ap' or 'water', of Universal Consciousness, fulfills
every one’s desire and thus quenches the thirst and cleans.

Secreting moon and soma

soma =su (secreting) + ama. We have explained the meaning of 'ama' above. So, 'soma is that what is
secreting from the Universal Consciousness who is also known in the Veda as 'dogdhRi' meaning the
'milker' or 'the maid who milks the cow'! In Chandogya (chhaandogya) it is stated that, ‘vaak’ Herself
milks Her milk to nourish the one who pursues to know Her (dugdhe asmai vaak dohaam yat vachoh
dohoh..... Chandogya Upanishad, First Chapter, Thirteenth part, Fourth hymn).

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Whatever secretes from Her (Universal Consciousness) is also eternal or beyond measure. (See above
the hymn on 'ama'). Thus when I see a flower and if it brings to me all the knowledge, all the feelings
and senses of a flower, then it is ‘soma’. Thus knowing that flower, I feel or get the eternity. That is
something un-ending, eternal expression of Consciousness that has created the feeling of flower (or that
has created the flowers) in the Universe across all time and across all the space and will create. This
eternity or ‘aanantya’ is the specialty that demarcates the line between divinity and mortality. Thus the
deities are eager for ‘soma’, thus ‘indra, thus ‘marut’, thus vishvadeva (the collective deities of the
universe). However, as we are seeing duality, seeing things as dissected from the origin, we don’t get
the entirety of the feeling which we have described above as ‘soma’.

So we are all eternal as we are all Her secretion. When we see this we see divinity. When we do not see
this we see 'mortality' or 'limits'. Thus everything, every feeling, every stroke of sound or vision, every
sway of joy or sorrow, everything is 'soma', it is most intoxicating. It is this drink, which Vedas have said
is secreting for indra the king of heaven -----indo (soma) indraayo (for indra) parisravah (let flow) ----let
soma flow for indra.

soma is called (i) indu---(ind) idam +(du) dohayati-----this secretion!

The feeding mother

In both Brihadranyaka and KauShItaki Upanishad, the ‘Moon’ or the goddess in moon has been
addressed when the new-born is born and breast milk of the mother is offered.

This is an extract from the second chapter, 8 th hymn of Kaushitaki Upanishad. This hymn is addressed to
the westward moon on the new moon night. A part from the hymn is like this:

yat te (that yours) susImam (seemingly divided) hRidayam (heart) chandramasishritam (which is
founded in the moon)

tena (by that; by that heart) amRitatvasya Ishane (oh the Controller of divinity!) ma(never) aham (me)
poutram (regarding my child) agham (sufferings) rudam (cry)”

“ Oh the Controller of divinity! By the nectar coming out of your seemingly divided breasts founded in the
moon, may I never have to cry for my child, may the child be never be in sufferings ’.

Another extract of a hymn from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is as below. This is quoted when the
mother’s milk is first offered to the new born:

atha enam (now it is; now the newborn is;) maatre (to the mother) pradaay (taken) stanam (breast,
breast milk) prayachhati (is offered)---- now the new born is taken to the mother and breast milk is
offered to it;

yat te stanam (the breasts of yours which) shashayah (secret as the rays of moon) , yah mayobhu (the
milk which creates the joy; milk which is created out of joy;), yah ratnadha(the milk which holds the
treasures), yah vasuvit( the milk which sustains all that is existing—vasu), yah sudrata (the milk that
brings good); yena(by which) vishva(every one in the universe) puShasi(you nourish) varyani (adorable)
srasvati(ye, the goddess Sarasvati, {goddess of word}; ye vaak) tam(that milk) iha (here, in the breasts
of this mother) dhaatave (for feeding the child; for sustaining this child) kariti(make it happen)—(this is

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a hymn to the Universal Consciousness addressing the Universal Mother personality, invoking the elixir,
the breast milk / soma from the Universal mother to the earthly mother of the new born)----

‘ you adorable sarasvati (goddess of words-vaak), the breasts of yours which secretes the soma/milk
from moon,

milk which creates the joy,

milk that holds the treasure,

milk that sustains every one that exists, the milk that bestows good, the milk by which you nourish all the
entities of the universe

bring the same milk in the breasts of this mother to feed the new born’

In this hymn, the word ‘shashayah’ has been used to express the flow or gush of ‘soma’ or ‘milk’. This
word is from the root word ‘shash’. ‘shash’ is a verb meaning to ‘leap or spring’, ‘dance’ as mentioned by
Sir Monier Williams in his ‘Sanskrit –English Lexicon’. Here, this word ‘shashayah’ in Upanishad seems to
mean ‘gushing out’ or ‘spring out’.

The word ‘shasha’ and also ‘shashanka’ means hare or a rabbit, and the word ‘shashanka’ means the
moon. The word ‘shashanka’ actually means ‘one whose appearance carries an impression of a hare’.
Similarly to the word, ‘shashanka’ there is a word ‘shashadhara’ having almost the same meaning. The
word ‘shashi’ means ‘moon’.

(Here is a quoting from internet: < http://www.sacred-texts.com/astro/ml/ml08.htm> “When the

moon is waxing, from about the eighth day to the full, it requires no very vivid imagination to descry on
the westward side of the lunar disk a large patch very strikingly resembling a rabbit or hare”.)

Mother’s milk

The word ‘stana’ means breast and has the root from the word ‘stan’ meaning to ‘utter sound’. The
word ‘stanayitnu’ means the ‘rumble of cloud’. Thus from the mother ‘vaak’ secretes the ‘milk, the
‘nectar, the ‘soma. ’ The cloud rumbles and rains, the earth becomes green. It is not that rain just
nourishes and produces the vegetation. It brings life to the earth in numerous ways. As mentioned later
in this text, through the rain we return from the other world to the earth again as a part of the re-birth
process. Thus ‘varSha’ means the year and also the ‘rain’. Here is a hymn on ‘rain’ from
‘PrashnopaShiad’ (10th hymn against the second question) :

‘yada (when) tam (you) abhivarShasi (rain) athemah(then these) praaNa (hey praaNa) te(your)
prajaah(creation)

ananda rUpah (delightedly) tiShThanti (they wait) kamayannam (foods as desired) bhaviShyatIti(will
grow or will become)’

---Hey praaNa, when you rain all your creation wait delightedly knowing that their desired foods are
going to grow (their desires are going to be fulfilled).

Thus it is the mother’s words which initiate the ‘mammary gland’ to secrete the milk for the new born.

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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has described ‘vaak’ as ‘dhenu’ whose common meaning is ‘holy cow’ and
etymologically it is connected with the word ‘dhvani’ meaning ‘sound’. The word ‘dhenu’ thus means the
secreting sound. Mother ‘vaak’ is said to have four breasts, two for the deities or heaven, one for the
Fathers or ‘pitRiloka’ and one for the ‘human beings’.

Waxing and Waning of moon and the wings of ‘soma’ the bird.

Waxing is the period when flux of soma increases. It is the phase when Consciousness illuminates our
instincts toward action. During the weaning, Consciousness takes us back. This this to and fro motion is
there in our every action, in our every moment. Weaning is the period when we go back to ‘soma purI’
or to the abode of Moon. During those nights of weaning, Consciousness examines us, examines our
instincts and implants the new ‘patches’ (like the ‘new patches’ in software).During the waxing period,
we become activated with the ‘new’ things immediately after the ‘new moon’ night. Thus we grow in
HER, in the Mother Consciousness, by the lunar cycles. This cycle is there in the external sky and the
world and that’s what we see in the sky and as the lunar month; this cycle in there in our every moment
of existence in the micro form. The lunar month is divided into two parts, each approximately 14 days or
a fortnight. These two periods are known as ‘sukla pakSha (period of waxing)’ and ‘kRiShNa pakSha’
(period of waning). These are the two groups, two ‘packs’ or ‘two pakSha’.

‘soma’ has been also described as bird in the texts. Sanskrit word for ‘bird’ or a winged creature is
‘pakShin’. The two periods ‘sukla pakSha’ and ‘kRiShNa pakSha’ are the two wings of ‘soma’ by whose
flaps ‘soma’ is flying or the nectar is flowing across the universe.

Our passage to the other world and back to morality.

It is now clear that as we remain in seed form in the moon or rather in ‘pitRiloka’ so we descend from
there to the father’s body before being attributed with dimensions in mother’s womb.

Similarly when we leave the earth or when we leave our body we ultimately reach the ‘pitRiloka’.

As we leave, leaving the earth behind, we traverse the respective way to the moon, to the king (raajan )
Soma; the path gets constructed in accordance to the daily living that we live on the earth. There are so
many paths, each unique, everyone has the one's own way for coming here and for departing. Vedas
have cited that both the paths of yours are as you have lived--------yatha karma yatha shrutam( the way
you have worked and way you have taken that work in you or the way you have felt about it).

Thus there are numerous ways between the earth and the moon and back. These routes are circuitous
and called 'vartanI'. In general there are two broadways called pitRiyanaa (the course to the Fathers)
and devayanaa( the course to the deities/ to the heaven).

These routes and traverse along the routes have been described in many places in the texts. Those who
have not yet seen or experienced the eternity they return from the moon or ‘pitRiloka’. We cannot go
beyond that. It has been stated that the one who knows , the one reaches ‘vidyut’ (Electricity) from the
moon. Then the departing soul is taken to the higher planes by someone or personality called
‘amaanava’. This term ‘amaanava’ signifies the personality whose features have been described above
as ‘new moon’ or ‘amaavasyaa’. ‘amaa’ means ‘without measure’ and ‘nava’ means ‘new’. This means
the One who is eternal or without measure and whose every ‘measure’ creates ‘novelty’. This path of

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those traversed by the souls who have known the Truth is called ‘devayaana’, ‘the way to the gods’ or
‘the way to the land of beings who are self-revealing and eternal’. Here every one is self revealing, here
reflection is not predominant.

It has been stated that those who go beyond the realm of moon’s influence or those who go above
‘‘pitRiloka’ they do not return (na punarvartante)—this actually means they are no longer subjected to
compulsory rotation in the cycles of life and death. They can come and go as they wish or if they wish.

Now for the departing soul who has to leave without knowing the root they are said to tread the path to
the abode of ‘divine fathers’ or ‘pitRiloka’. This path is termed as ‘pitRiyaana’. The travel along
‘pitRijaana’’ is described in the text as below:

“ atha je ime (and all those ) graame (in their village i.e. in their world or for themselves)
iShTa(desires)-purtey(fulfils) dattam (donates) iti upasate (worships or performs) ,

(And all those who live fulfilling their desires and donates / sacrifices accordingly)

te (they) dhUmam(smoke) avisambhavanti(become)

(when they leave the body, they go into smokes---i.e. they fail to perceive the full illumined
Consciousness or the Fire; the fire, the viva or the feeling of endless Consciousness is missed so the Fire
remains obscured by the smoke or the fire is not kindled well; )

dhUmat ratrim (from the smoke to the night); ratrey (from the night to the) apara pakSham (to the
spell of fading moon)

(from the smoke to the night and from the night to the to the spell of fading moon);

apara pakShat (and from the spell of fading moon) jan (to those) Shat (six) dakShiNa aeti (these
southern) maasan(months)

(and from the spell of fading moon to the spell of these southern months i.e. the six months when the
sun shifts more and more toward the south);

na(no) aetey(they) samvatsaram) (one complete year) aviprapnuvanti(they get)

(they fail to get one complete year—samvatsara; sam(perfect or appropriate)+vatsara (vatsa=offspring,

child; samvatsara= year or the due cycle required to fully rear up a child).

There is a third route that has been stated in the text. It is for those who are not fully evolved. They are
mentioned as those creatures who frequently transgress from the life to the death and death to the life.

The return of the departed soul is described as below:

tasmin(there in the moon) yavat (till the time ) sampatam(it is required to complete) UShitva(the soul
lives) atha(and then) aetam aeba (in this) adhvanam (path) punah (again) nivartante (returns) yatha( in
a manner similar to) itam (the way soul leaves the earth); aakaasham(the soul becomes part of sky);
aakaashat(from the sky) vaayum(the soul is transformed into air), vaayur bhUtva (after becoming air)
dhUmoh(smoke) bhavati (becomes), dhUmoh bhUtva (from the form of smoke) abhram bhavati(the

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soul is transformed into air carrying water), abhram bhUtva (from abhra) megho (cloud)
bhavati(becomes), megho bhUtva (after becoming cloud) pravarShati (rains); te(they) iha (here in the
earth) vrIhi (grains of rice) yavah (grains of barley, corns etc.) oShadhih ( herbs), vanaspatayah (plants
and trees), tilah (oil seeds), maaShaah (beans, pulses) iti jaayante (are born); atoah (and) khalu
(certainly)durniShprapatarm (difficult to exit); yah yah hi (all those who) annam(food) atti (eat), yah (all
those) retah(semen) sinchanti ( ejaculate) tat(they—those who are born as the grains, seeds etc.)
bhuyah (similar or identical to the male personality in whom they enter) eba bhavati (they become).

---There in the moon the departed souls live as long as the time is not over; then they again return along
this way similar to the journey they took to depart; they enter into the sky (space of the earth); from the
sky the soul is transformed into air; from the air they become smoke (i.e. they are radiated); from the
smoke the soul is transformed into air carrying water called abhra (a state prior to the formation of
cloud); from ‘abhra’ they enter or become cloud; from cloud they are rained here in the earth and they
are born as (or they enter into) the grains of rice, grains of barley, corns etc., into herbs, plants and
trees, into oil seeds, into beans and pulses; it is certainly difficult to exit from these states; all those who
eat the foods, all those who ejaculate semen they (these souls) become part of them (i.e. through the
foods they enter into the bodies of those who ejaculate semen; they become part of them).

It is to be noted that the various transformed states described are part of the five fundamental elements
(five fundamental states of Universal Consciousness at the root of creation):

(i) akaasha(vyoma)----space---sound;
(ii) vaayua (marut)------air----touch;
(iii) dhUma---teja-----smoke (heated but not completely illuminated), vision/illumination
(iv) abhra, megha----water----taste
(v) vrIhi, yava,oShadhi, vanaspati, tila, maaShaa---- plantation, seeds etc.----earth----smell.

Kuvid (multiple) soma, pavamaana (flowing and purifying) soma and sunavama (elegantly novel)
soma.

The juice that we are drinking from all the fragments, from all the forms of Consciousness, like from our
relations, children, money, ambitions, sorrows and joys are ‘kubid (multiple) soma’, characterized by
many forms or dualities. We decay, we worn out we die and we are reborn…we remain intoxicated and
churned. At the same time, life is flowing, soma is flowing. As the ‘soma’ flows so the ‘soma’ cleans us.
The flowing soma cleansing us is known as ‘pavamaana soma’ in the Vedas. It is always flowing. We are
never stationary, even in dream and sleep. We keep on transiting from sleep to dream and back. We are
always dynamic, moving from one thought to the other, one action to another. You cannot stay still. Its
habit is to flow and takes everyone along. It cleans us by the flow, it cleanses us from stagnation---the
flow of life, the flow of consciousness from Universal Consciousness to us. Thus ‘indra’ intoxicated by
‘soma’ says----‘charaiveti, charaiveti …..keep moving, keep moving… ‘ Thus there is this famous hymn
on pavamaana soma in Upanishad (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, First Chapter, Third Brahmin (Part), 28th
Hymn):

asoto (from the untruth) maa (me) sadgamaya(sat-truth + gamaya—move)

tamasah (from the darkness) maa (me) joytir (to the light) gamaya (move)

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mRitoyh (from the death) ma (me) amRitam (to the eterrnity) gamaya (move)------

pavamaan (oh flowing) soma punihI(purify) punihI(purify) mam(me)

move me from the untruth to the truth

move me from the darkness to the light

move me from the death to the eternity

oh flowing soma purify, purify me.

As the light of eternity gains the prominence, as the Oneness behind the duality rises, the death and its
scours start fading. As the death goes out, nothing becomes old and dilapidated. In the light of the
eternity, everything becomes ever new- nitya (ever ) navIna(a) (new) ! There is this hymn on ‘sunavama
soma’

om jaatavedase sunavam somam

(we have got the soma elegantly new for ‘jaatavedas’)

araati atoh ni dahaati vedah

(burn the belongings of our foes---burn all those which are averse to our knowing of you!)

sa na parShadati dUrgani vishvaa

(let jaatavedas row us through all the difficulties / dualities of the world)

naaveva sindhUm dUritat agni!

(as the ship sails over the sea so you agni{jaatavedas} take us beyond all hardships)

jaatavedaa (jaatavedas) = jaata (to take birth) + veda(to know or feel). This is how Consciousness
creates or multiplies. Action of Consciousness means ‘to know’ and to know means ‘to create or become
what is known and to feel that is created’. This is in us as ‘to speak and simultaneously listen what we
speak’. When we see ourselves as consciousness we see soma moulding us not to decay but to ‘ever
new’. We no longer see the death as death.

We know and we become and we feel what we know. That’s how we live. That’s how we feel everything
and this universe. As is the Universal Consciousness so we all are and it has to be like this because it is
only One everywhere. So there is no duality, or duality is the form of One. Thus there is no aging,
nothing becomes old and stale. It is eternal, it is older than anyone and it is ever-new. Such form of
Consciousness is celebrated as nava durgaa by the Hindus. nava=new, durgaa=who takes us beyond all
the difficulties. Death is the most difficult of all.

Pressing and extracting of soma juice is one of the processes of the Vedic rituals when soma was
extracted for offering to the gods. There was a time when a plant/ creeper called ‘soma’ used to grow in

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the regions of Hindukush mountains of Afghanistan. These plants would be shading the leaves during
the waning of the moon and will have growing leaves during the waxing of the moon.

This modern science is yet to learn how intimately the flow of liquid, juice, life, water is being controlled
by moon in the earth, in the soil , in the plants and in us; how it is controlling the fragrance and smell!
{somo gandhaya—let soma enhance my smell----from Ratri Sukta (Hymn to the goddess Night) –Rik
Veda.}

Anything that we see or feel become different when we take it in (i.e. when we learn that we are feeling
inside). Everything we take in, for instant that blade of green grass swaying in the breeze. That it is
green, that it is a grass blade, that it is swaying all are the feelings formed in theinside of the observer. It
is Consciousness (the personality of all personalities, life of all the livings and inert) in us who takes those
forms or senses or feelings and so we enjoy or live on the senses and feelings. More we see thus more
we press the hard physicality to extract and drink the juice. This is the lunar shine in my inner sky.
Consciousness means the One who is me and everything. Consciousness means whose act of seeing is
my eyes and vision, whose act of hearing is my ears and sound, whose act of touch is my skin and so on.
Act of Consciousness means knowing, sensing. In this knowing or sensing, the knower, the knowledge
and what is known or the sense are all included in One Consciousness. The viewer, the vision, the eyes
and the process of vision all are created or activated when Consciousness sees. Our vision is included in
that, it is a part of that and not different. And so are all our senses and feelings.

There is a hymn as below:

ravi (sun) madhey(inside) sthita(situated) soma(soma / moon)

soma madhey (inside soma) hutashana(fire; huta (offered) + ashana(eats)---who eats or regales
whatever is offered; or the recipient of all oblations, all offerings; who assimilates all oblations,
offerings)

tejo madhye (inside the radiance) sthitam (is situated) satyam (the truth)

satya madhye (inside the truth) sthito (is situated) achyuta( the unmoved)!

Inside the sun is situated the moon/ soma

Inside the moon is situated the fire/ hutashana

inside the radiance is situated the truth

Inside the truth is situated the unmoved!

(This is written from the teachings received from the seers Shri. Bijoykrishna Chattopadhyaya (1875-
1945), and his principle disciple Shri Tridibnath Bandopadhyaya(1923-1994). --Debkumar Lahiri.)

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