||    Visvam & Rg Vedam    ||

As I mentioned in my earlier posting, the word Visvam is saluted NINETY times in the Rg Veda Rks. I will present examples from each of the Khandams., such references are illustrative rather than being exhaustive and are intended to encourage you to get closer to the Veda manthrams of our Vaidhika Matham. The ten manthraas from each of the ten Khandams are:

1. Visvasya hi prANanam ---1.48.10

2. Visvam satyam magavAnA -- 2. 24.12

3. VisvadhEthE janimA -- 3.54 .8

4 . VisvA rhOdhAmsi pravathasccha -- 4. 22.4

5. visvasya hi prachEthasA -- 5. 71.2

6. VisvE yaddhAm mamhanA --6.67.5

7. Visvam pratheechee saprathA --7.77.2

8. Visvam pasyanthO bibhruthA --8.20.26

9. Visvasya rAjA pavathE --9.76.4

10. VisvakarmA vimanA --10. 82.2

Some of the beautiful Rks (1.48.8 ,10, 12) dealing with Dawn (Ushas) also include referencs to Visvam. The first Khandam -- the oldest section of the oldest Vedam -- has the largest number of references to "Visvam " (17 out of 90 salutations).

First KhAndam : Rk 1.100.19
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visvAhEndrO adhivakthA nO asthva
parihvritA: sunuyAma vAjam I
tannO MithrO VaruNO mAmahanthAmadhithi:
sindhu: pruthvee utha dhyou : II

Here, the prayer is in Trishtubh Chandas. It is addressed to the resplendent Lord of the Universe ( Visvendra : ). The Rishis offering the prayer are six in number (VaaRshAgirar, Rujraswar, Ambareeshar, Sahadevar , Bhaya mAnar and SurAdasar. IndrA is the DevathA.

The Lord pervading the Universe is requested to be our guide each day. The prayer is for the benediction of total surrender (SaraNAgathi) to Him and for the enjoyment of food in the manner recommended by the first manthram of IsAvAsya Upanishad (tEna tyaktEna BhunjithA: --the renounced, thou shouldst enjoy ).

The prayer continues: " May the venerable , INDIVISIBLE , mighty God and the natural bounties of Ocean , Earth and Heaven ( His visva Rupa manifestations ) grant us favours" .

Second KhAndam : Rk 2.13.10
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visvedh anu rodhanA asya poumsyam
dhadhurasmai dadhirE krutnavE dhanam I
shalastabhnA vishtira: pancha samdrusa:
pari parO abhava: sAsyuthya : II

Sownaka and Gruthsamadha are the twin rishis for this manthram; Indra continues to be the DevathA and the chandas is Truishtubh.

The omnipotence, the omnipresence of the Lord is saluted here. The manthram acknowledges that all the obstacles (for spiritual advancement) yield to His manly strength. It goes on to the Visva sAmrAt aspect of the Lord this way: " All the virtuous people lay before You , the emperor , ALL of their posessions ". You are the door (entrance gate) of mighty deeds (efforts) and uphold (pervade) the regions of the six extensions or cardinal points and offer protection to the five classes of men, who look upto you for spiritual guidance. May all of our praises be to You and You alone!

Sayana intreprets the Six extensions or cardinal points of the Lord as Heaven , Earth , Day, Night , Waters and Oushadhis (life giving and medicianal plants). The five classes of people are considered to belong to the four VarNAs and Nishadaas. These five classes of people have also been associated with the five cognitive organs.

Third KhAndam : Rk 3.54.8
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The Rishi for this manthram is PrajApathi, DevathA is VisvE devAs and the chandas is Trishtubh.

visvEdh yEthE janimA vivikthO mahO
dEvAn bibhrathi na vyaThEthE I
yejad dhruvam patyathE VISVAMEKAM
charath patathri VishuNam vi jAtham II

Here, the Rk salutes the ONE BASE on which all entities rest (i.e), the VisvAthman. This prayer starts with the focus on the two entities (Earth and Heaven) and states that these two keep all born (created) things discrete. It points out that these two comprehending Nature's great bounties are not themselves distressed (affected). The Rk firmly states that all the moving (ChEthanAs) and stationary (AchEthanAs) beings of HIs Universe rest upon ONE BASE ( HIM ) , be they animals , birds , humans or creatures of various kinds. His VisvAdharathvam is saluted throught this Rk.

Fourth KhAndam : Rk 4.22.4
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The Rishis for this manthram are Goudhama and VaamaDeva. Indra is the DevathA and Trishtubh is the Chandas.

The Rk is:

visvA rhodhAmsi pravathasccha purvir
dhyaour rshvAj janimAn rEjatha kshA : I
aa mAtharA bharathi sukshmyA ghOr
nrivath parijman nOnuvantha vAthA : II

The pervasiness of the Lord in all the things that He created as Visvarupi and VisvAthmA and Visva Saakshi is slauted in this manthram.

It recognizes that His sankalpam (ordainment) pulsates ALL of His creation with His presence and Energy and make them vibrant with vigour. All the Hills , flooded (overflowing , bounteous) rivers , Heaven and Earth start oscillating with energy and power.

The Lord not only pervades them and energizes them at the start, but, He as the mighty , caring and determined parent of all of His creation sustains both Heaven , Earth and all that is in between. The Cosmic winds ( VaathA : ) raise their voices in loud salutations like a crowd of men in mid-region . The unity betwen the Creator, Created and their resonances are being saluted by the two Manthra DhrushTAs in this Rk.

Fifth KhAndam: Rk - 5.81.2
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The Rishis ( Manthra DhrushTAs ) of this Rk are AthrEya and SyAvana. Savitha is the DevathA and the chandas is Jagadhi.

The Rk itself is:

visvA roopANi prathi munjathE kavi : prAsAveedh
bhadram dvipadEh chathushpadEh I
vi nAkam akhyath SavithA varENyOnu
prayANamushasO vi rAjathi II

KAVI: VISVAAROOPAANI PRATHI MUNJATEH
(The all knowing, omniscient Creator as the supreme Enlightenment pervades and presents Himself in ALL forms of His creation.

DVIPADEH CHATHUSHPADEH BHADRAM PRAASAAVEEDH
(He blesses, brings forth the humans and the four-footed all auspiciousness).

VARENYA: VI NAAKAM AKHYATH SAVITHA
ANU PRAYAANAM USHASO VI RAAJATHI
(The celebrated , illustrious Creator illumines the heaven's high vault and continues to illumine even after the setting of Ushas (the first awakening / flashes of the inner conscience).

Rg Vedam : Sixth Khaandam --6. 48.8
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This subchapter (6.48) has 22 manthrams set in distinctly different Chandas (metres) and different devathAs and Rishis.

The 8th manthram is set in the long sathobruhathi chandas:

visvAsAm gruhapathir visam asi tvamgnE mAnusheeNAm
satham purbhir yavishta pahy amhasah sameddhAram satham
himA: sthotribhyO yE cha dadhathi I

Here the supreme Lord is invoked as Agni , as is wont inmany of the Rg Vedic ManthrAs. The Visvamurthy is recognized as the Lord of all households and the Lord of the entire human race. The Rk prays: " May Thou, when kindled, protect me. O forever-young fire -divine, you have limitless defenses against iniquity. May Thou gant me hundred winters as well as to those, who liberally give to the singers of Your glory ".

Satham HimA : means the hundred Winters or hundred years of Life on this earth ( Veda PrAyam ) .

Seventh KhAndam : Rk --7.1.7
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MaithrA VaruNirvasishta , Agni and Trishtup
are the Rishi, DevathA and Chandas for this Rk
respectively .

Here a prayer is offered to the Lord Agni as the supreme Lord. He is requested to burn down all the evils of the one, who prays, with His strong flames. He is asked to drive away all the debilitating diseases with His powerful JwAlAs.

The Rk is as follows:

visvA AgnEapa daharAtheer yebhis tapObhir adhahO
jarootham I
pra nisvaram chAthayasvAmeevAm II

Jarootham means either aged, dry wood or old worn-out things.

KhAndam 8: Rk 8.62.7
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visvE ta Indra veeryam dEvA anu krathum dadhu: I
bhuvO visvasya gopathi: purushtutha
bhadrA Indrasya raathaya : II

O Lord adored by all ! O resplendent Lord ! May Thou be the guardian of all the chethanAs and the AchethanAs of your Universe ! Blessed are the rewards that you grant us ! All nature's bounties (Creations ) accept you as their supreme leader endowed with unmatched strength and wisdom.

KhAndam 9 : Rk 76.4
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This Rk has Bhargava Kavi Rishi, PavamAna Soma DevathA and Jagathee chandas. This is a beautiful prayer to the Soverign of all the creatures that see the light of life with His blessings. The Rk is as follows:

visvasya rAjA pavathE svadarsa ritasya
dheethim rishishALaveevasath I
ya: SuryasyAsirENa mrujyathE
pithA mateenAm asamashtakAvya : II

The prayer starts with an acknowledgement of the divine bliss that flows from the soverign of all the creatures that see the light. He is next acknowledged as the supreme Lord of all the righteous (seers and saints), who sing His praise at the SomA sacrifices. This supreme Lord is visualized as being embellished by the rays of the sun. He is recognized as the content of all the hymns of eulogy of the Veda manthrAs and He is understood as one, whose wisdom is beyond our ken.

Tenth KhAndam : Rks 45.6, 81.3, 81.6 and 82.2
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These are four magnificient Rks pregnant with the meanings about the Visvamoorthy. Hence I will cover them in this concluding section related to the Lord saluted as " Om VisvAya Nama: " by Sri VishNu Sahasra Naamam.

Rk 45.6 : BhAlandanO Vatsapri Rishi , Agni Devatha and Trishtup chandas .

Rks 81.3 , 81.6 and 82.2 : BhovanO VisvakarmA Rishi , VisvakarmA DevathA and Trishtup chandas

Rk 45.6 : visvasya kethur bhuvanasya garbha aa
rOdhasee apruNAj jAyamAna: I
veeLum chid adhrim abhinathparAyan
janA yadh Agnim ayajantha pancha II

He is the Kethu: of the Visvam. The Foremost of the world! He is the Garbha: of the Bhuvanam. He is the seed germ of the World and its beings He is the sign/stamp of all created entitities. As He is manifested , He fills the heaven and earth with His resplendent light. He cuts asunder even the solid cloud, as He advances . All the five classes of men salute Him. The five classes of men can be understood as the four VarNAs and the NishAdas . In another intrpretation, the five classes of men are assoicated with the performance of the Yajnam: the four chief priests ( BrahmA , HotA , UdgAthA and Adhvaryu ) and the fifth , the YajamAnA .

Rks 81.3 and 81.6
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visvathaschakshurutha visvathOmukhO
visvathObAhurutha visvathaspAth I
sam bAhubhyAm dhamathi sam patatrair
dhyAvAbhumi janayandhaEva yekha : II ---- Rk 81.3

The forging of the World at the time of creation is visualized here. The mighty Lord alone with eyes spanning the universe, mouths all around, arms all around and feet spreading over the entire universe creates heaven and earth and forges them into order with His winged arms.

The activities of the Universal architect (VisvakarmA , our Lord ) continues to be covered in the Rk 81.6 :

visvakarman havishA vAvrudhAna :
svayam yajasva prithiveem utha dhyAm I
muhyanthvanyE abhithO janAsa
ihAsmAkam maghavA surir asthu II

O Universal Architect ! May thou , exalted /pleased by our offerings , engage in the performance of sacrifice ( Yajnam ) for the well being of this earth and heaven ! May our enemies all around be stupefied and May Thou as our bounteous Lord be our guide on this earth ! May Thou be our pala prErakan ( boon giver ) ! .

Rk 82.2 celebrating the Universal Architect
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visvakarmA vimanA adh vihAya dhAthA
vidhAthA paramOtha samdhruk I
teshAm ishtAni samishA madhanthi
yathrA saptharishin para ekam aahu : II

The Universal Architect ( Visvakarma ) / creator cum designer is of unsurpassed intellect . He is the all pervading sustainer, who creates, superbly powered by His supreme faculty of obsevation. In Him during the activities of creation, all the sensual desires are fed with proper nourishment . They ( His devotees ) call Him as the supreme one beyond the seven seers (i.e., the the five sense organs of sight , hearing , smell, taste and touch , and mind and intellect ).

The mighty creator , the self-effulgent (svayam Jyothi) Lord , the Omniscient and all pervasive VisvakarmA saluted by the VedAs through the " Visva " sabdham is the Visvathomukhan referred to by the first Sri VishNu Sahasra Naamam.

I conclude this posting with a powerful statement form the tenth Khandam of the ancient Rg Vedam ( X. 82.3) :

yO na: pithA janithA yO vidhAthA
dhAmAni veda bhuvanAni VISVAA I
yO devAnAm namadhA yekham yeva
tam samprasnam bhuvanA yanthyanyA II

This Rk recognizes the Lord saluted as " Om VisvAya Nama: " as our Father ( PithA ) , our begetter (JanithA), our Creator , and the knower of all the beings (created) and their abodes . He is the name -giver of the DevAs ( yO devAnAm nAmadhA ) and yet He , although known by many names given by Him to the various divinities , He is the ONE ( aadhAra purushan ) and the only ONE that stands out a sthe Ucchishta Brahmam . All other beings (divinities) approach Him with inquisitiveness.

Om Veda PurushAya Nama:
Om VisvAya Nama :

Oppiliappan Kovil VaradAchAri Sadagopan

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