Piety and Yoga
On turning pious, Indra became adept at yoga. He is said to have kindled the fire of Union or Yoga, (इन्द्र इद्धयोः). The full verse is worth retelling:
इन्द्र इद्धयोः सचा संमिश्ल आ वचोयुजा | इन्द्रो वज्री हिरण्ययः || (1.007.2)[1]
Indra kindled union (yoga). (Made) available meditation, also associated instructions to adhere to; Indra’s thunderbolt is the golden yoga.
Indra seems to have spread the enthusiasm for yoga (इन्द्र इद्धयोः) among his people, popularised meditation and instructions to follow while meditating (संमिश्ल आ वचोयुजा). The second line confirms: Indra’s thunderbolt is that of the golden union or Yoga.
His was apparently a pioneering work at least among his people, earning him the epithet of bull. Vaisvamitra says: स नो वृषन्नमुं;[2] i.e., I bow to the God of war and Bull (1.007.6). The word वृषन् also means chief or the best of its class. But that the sage meant bull by वृषन् is confirmed in a later verse:
वृषा यूथेव वंसगः कृष्टीरियत्सोजसा | ईशानो अप्रतिष्कुतः || (1.007.8)[3]
Bull of a herd as it were (is Indra), a bull ploughs produces and therefore there is energy; (Indra) Lord unrestrainable.
This verse uses two different words for bull, वृषा and वंसगः, so as to leave no doubt about the meaning intended. It also explains the epithet ‘bull’. He says Indra is bull of the herd as it were (वृषा यूथेव) , a bull ploughs and therefore there is energy (वंसगः कृष्टीरियत्सोजसा) . Clearly this implies the pioneering work done by Indra in the field of yoga. The same idea reflects in a later verse already discussed, where he says addressing himself “on the backbone as it were of Indra, you have acquired and established Union: शतक्रत उद्वंशमिव येमिरे,[4] (1.010.1).
Since Indra did such work in the material plane as well as the spiritual plane, Vaisvamitra is unable to hold back his admiration, and calls him the “Unrestrainable Lord (ईशानो अप्रतिष्कुतः).[5]
Thus, after his metamorphosis, Indra turned to Union or Yoga, was an adept at meditation, and had a good knowledge of its techniques. The belief was that yoga eliminates weaknesses from the origin. Thus yoga destroys moral darkness.
Referring to the knowledge of Yoga: Vaisvamitra pleads for it saying:
नि येन मुष्टिहत्यया नि वृत्रा रुणधामहे | त्वोतासो नि अर्वता || (1.008.2)[6]
As you killed with clenched fist in that manner; (make) darkness/Vritra fear, confer knowledge to rejoice; We invoke thee, hasten!
There is a play on imagery here. Since Vrittra is the demon that Indra killed apparently with a blow of the fist (मुष्टिहत्यया) and Vrittra also means moral darkness, he pleads for Indra to make in like manner, darkness to fear and confer knowledge to rejoice (वृत्रा रुणधामहे).
And:
. . . आ वयं वज्रं घना ददीमहि | जयेम सं युधि स्प्रुधः || (1.008.3)[7]
May we conquer this knowledge that fights desire (जयेम सं युधि स्प्रुधः), says the sage. He calls as a child (वयं वज्रं) on the Fortunate One (घना) to grant the wish for knowledge (ददीमहि).
Thus, Indra became an adept yogi, spread the knowledge of yoga which removes moral darkness, and later became the king of heaven. These events dictated the choices posed by the Sage:
इतो वा सातिमीमहे दिवो वा पार्थिवादधि | इन्द्रं महो वा रजसः || (1.006.10[8])
Decide which is best :
Knowledge or rejoicing in winning property and perishing (इतो वा सातिमीमहे);
Heaven or earthly delight (दिवो वा पार्थिवादधि);
Is Indra - great or living in moral darkness (इन्द्रं महो वा रजसः).
Yoga also helps in conquering the spiritual world. In another verse, suggestive of this as well as the historicity of Indra, the sage Vaisvamitra says:
वयं शूरेभिरस्तृभिरिन्द्र त्वया युजा वयम् | सासह्याम पृतन्यतः || (1.008.4)[9]
For us, Heroism attained as man, invincible as man, Indra (शूरेभिरस्तृभिरिन्द्र), your yoga is a powerful support (त्वया युजा वयम्); in conquering battles on the other side (Or) conquering battles on other grounds (सासह्याम पृतन्यतः). The other side could refer to the other side of life, i.e. death. Alternatively the verse could mean that Indra who helped win battles as a man, his yoga is a powerful support in battles spiritual, which are on grounds different from his real life battles.
[1] इन्द्र इद्ध - योः सचा सं - मिश्ल आ वचो - युजा | इन्द्रो वज्री हिरण्य - यः ||
Indra (इन्द्र) kindled (इद्ध) union (यः = योः) at hand (सचा) meditation (सं) associated (मिश्ल = मिश्र) (सं-मिश्ल = संमिश्ल) also (आ) counsel (वचस् = वचो) adhere to (युज् = युजा) | Indra’s (इन्द्रो) thunderbolt (वज्रिन् = वज्री) golden (हिरण्य) union (यः) ||
[2] God (स) war (नः) bull (वृषन्) bow down! (नम्-उम् )
[3] वृषा यूथ - इव वंसगः कृष्ट – ईर् – इयत् - ओजसा | ईशानो अप्रतिष्कुतः ||
Bull (वृषा = वृषन्) herd (यूथ) as it were (इव) bull (वंसगः) ploughed (कृष्ट) produce (ईर्) therefore (इयत्) energy (ओजस् = ओजसा) (कृष्ट-ईर्-इयत्-ओजस्) | Lord (ईशानः = ईशानो) unrestrainable (अप्रतिष्कुतः) ||
[4] performer of hundred sacrifices (Indra) (शतक्रतु = शतक्रत) on (उद्) backbone (वंशम्) as it were (इव)) Union (यः = ये) establish (मि) having acquired (रः = रे)
[5] The title ईशानो अप्रतिष्कुतः, could also mean one who has mastered fear, since a couple of verse earlier, he confesses that “our fear is unrestrainable : Our (अस्म = अस्मद्) fear (भ्यम् = भ्यस्) unrestrainable (अप्रतिष्कुतः) (अस्म-भ्यम्-अप्रतिष्कुत = अस्मभ्यमप्रतिष्कुतः)” using the same word अप्रतिष्कुतः.
[6] नि येन मुष्टि – हति - अया नि वृत्रा रु – ण – धा - महे | त्व – ओत – असो नि अर्वता ||
Affirmation) (नि) as (येन) clenched fist (मुष्टि) killing (हति) in this manner (अया) ( (affirmation) (नि) darkness/Vritra (वृत्रः = वृत्रा) fear (रु) knowledge (णः) confer (धा) to rejoice (महे) | Thou (त्व) invoked (ओत) to be! (अस् = असो) (affirmation ) (नि) hastening (अर्वत् = अर्वता)
[7] . . . आ वयं वज्रं घना दद् – ई - म - हि | जय - इम सं युधि स्प्रुधः ||
also (आ) we (वयं) child (वज्रं) fortunate (घन = घना) give (दद्) wish (ई) knowledge (म) surely (हि | Conquering this (जय-इम = जयेम) knowledge (सं) fighting (युधि) desire (स्प्रुध् = स्पृधः) ||
[8] इतो वा साति – मी - महे दिवो वा पार्थिव – द - धि | इन्द्रं महो वा रजसः ||
Knowledge (इतम् = इतो) or (वा) winning of property/spoils (साति) to die (मी) to rejoice (महे)(सति-मी-महे = सातिमीमहे); Heaven (दिव् = दिवो) or (वा) earthly (पार्थिव) giving (द) delight (धि)(पार्थिव-द-धि = पार्थिवादधि) | Indra/master of-that which is free (इन्द्रं) great (महः = महो) or (वा) living in the darkness (रजसः)
[9] वयं शूर् – ए – भिर् – अस्तृ – भिर् - इन्द्र त्वया युजा व - यम् | सासह्याम पृतन्यतः ||
We (वयं) heroism (शूर्) attained (ए) man (भिरु = भिर्) invincible (अस्तृत = अस्तृ) man (भिरु = भिर्) Indra (इन्द्र)(शूर्-ए-भिर्-अस्तृ-भिर्-इन्द्र = शूरेभिरस्तृभिरिन्द्र) your (त्वया) yoga (युज् = युजा) powerful support (व-यम्) | conquering (सासह्यस् = सासह्याम) battle (पृत्) on the other side/on other grounds (अन्यतः)(पृत्-अन्यतः = पृतन्यतः)
Continued in : Contemporaneity
Also see: Sage, Poet and Man , Indra and Siva, Asvins, Visnu, Respect for Visnu and Siva, Saraswati, Indra Vayu, Mitra Varuna, Vishvadeva, Agni
On turning pious, Indra became adept at yoga. He is said to have kindled the fire of Union or Yoga, (इन्द्र इद्धयोः). The full verse is worth retelling:
इन्द्र इद्धयोः सचा संमिश्ल आ वचोयुजा | इन्द्रो वज्री हिरण्ययः || (1.007.2)[1]
Indra kindled union (yoga). (Made) available meditation, also associated instructions to adhere to; Indra’s thunderbolt is the golden yoga.
Indra seems to have spread the enthusiasm for yoga (इन्द्र इद्धयोः) among his people, popularised meditation and instructions to follow while meditating (संमिश्ल आ वचोयुजा). The second line confirms: Indra’s thunderbolt is that of the golden union or Yoga.
His was apparently a pioneering work at least among his people, earning him the epithet of bull. Vaisvamitra says: स नो वृषन्नमुं;[2] i.e., I bow to the God of war and Bull (1.007.6). The word वृषन् also means chief or the best of its class. But that the sage meant bull by वृषन् is confirmed in a later verse:
वृषा यूथेव वंसगः कृष्टीरियत्सोजसा | ईशानो अप्रतिष्कुतः || (1.007.8)[3]
Bull of a herd as it were (is Indra), a bull ploughs produces and therefore there is energy; (Indra) Lord unrestrainable.
This verse uses two different words for bull, वृषा and वंसगः, so as to leave no doubt about the meaning intended. It also explains the epithet ‘bull’. He says Indra is bull of the herd as it were (वृषा यूथेव) , a bull ploughs and therefore there is energy (वंसगः कृष्टीरियत्सोजसा) . Clearly this implies the pioneering work done by Indra in the field of yoga. The same idea reflects in a later verse already discussed, where he says addressing himself “on the backbone as it were of Indra, you have acquired and established Union: शतक्रत उद्वंशमिव येमिरे,[4] (1.010.1).
Since Indra did such work in the material plane as well as the spiritual plane, Vaisvamitra is unable to hold back his admiration, and calls him the “Unrestrainable Lord (ईशानो अप्रतिष्कुतः).[5]
Thus, after his metamorphosis, Indra turned to Union or Yoga, was an adept at meditation, and had a good knowledge of its techniques. The belief was that yoga eliminates weaknesses from the origin. Thus yoga destroys moral darkness.
Referring to the knowledge of Yoga: Vaisvamitra pleads for it saying:
नि येन मुष्टिहत्यया नि वृत्रा रुणधामहे | त्वोतासो नि अर्वता || (1.008.2)[6]
As you killed with clenched fist in that manner; (make) darkness/Vritra fear, confer knowledge to rejoice; We invoke thee, hasten!
There is a play on imagery here. Since Vrittra is the demon that Indra killed apparently with a blow of the fist (मुष्टिहत्यया) and Vrittra also means moral darkness, he pleads for Indra to make in like manner, darkness to fear and confer knowledge to rejoice (वृत्रा रुणधामहे).
And:
. . . आ वयं वज्रं घना ददीमहि | जयेम सं युधि स्प्रुधः || (1.008.3)[7]
May we conquer this knowledge that fights desire (जयेम सं युधि स्प्रुधः), says the sage. He calls as a child (वयं वज्रं) on the Fortunate One (घना) to grant the wish for knowledge (ददीमहि).
Thus, Indra became an adept yogi, spread the knowledge of yoga which removes moral darkness, and later became the king of heaven. These events dictated the choices posed by the Sage:
इतो वा सातिमीमहे दिवो वा पार्थिवादधि | इन्द्रं महो वा रजसः || (1.006.10[8])
Decide which is best :
Knowledge or rejoicing in winning property and perishing (इतो वा सातिमीमहे);
Heaven or earthly delight (दिवो वा पार्थिवादधि);
Is Indra - great or living in moral darkness (इन्द्रं महो वा रजसः).
Yoga also helps in conquering the spiritual world. In another verse, suggestive of this as well as the historicity of Indra, the sage Vaisvamitra says:
वयं शूरेभिरस्तृभिरिन्द्र त्वया युजा वयम् | सासह्याम पृतन्यतः || (1.008.4)[9]
For us, Heroism attained as man, invincible as man, Indra (शूरेभिरस्तृभिरिन्द्र), your yoga is a powerful support (त्वया युजा वयम्); in conquering battles on the other side (Or) conquering battles on other grounds (सासह्याम पृतन्यतः). The other side could refer to the other side of life, i.e. death. Alternatively the verse could mean that Indra who helped win battles as a man, his yoga is a powerful support in battles spiritual, which are on grounds different from his real life battles.
[1] इन्द्र इद्ध - योः सचा सं - मिश्ल आ वचो - युजा | इन्द्रो वज्री हिरण्य - यः ||
Indra (इन्द्र) kindled (इद्ध) union (यः = योः) at hand (सचा) meditation (सं) associated (मिश्ल = मिश्र) (सं-मिश्ल = संमिश्ल) also (आ) counsel (वचस् = वचो) adhere to (युज् = युजा) | Indra’s (इन्द्रो) thunderbolt (वज्रिन् = वज्री) golden (हिरण्य) union (यः) ||
[2] God (स) war (नः) bull (वृषन्) bow down! (नम्-उम् )
[3] वृषा यूथ - इव वंसगः कृष्ट – ईर् – इयत् - ओजसा | ईशानो अप्रतिष्कुतः ||
Bull (वृषा = वृषन्) herd (यूथ) as it were (इव) bull (वंसगः) ploughed (कृष्ट) produce (ईर्) therefore (इयत्) energy (ओजस् = ओजसा) (कृष्ट-ईर्-इयत्-ओजस्) | Lord (ईशानः = ईशानो) unrestrainable (अप्रतिष्कुतः) ||
[4] performer of hundred sacrifices (Indra) (शतक्रतु = शतक्रत) on (उद्) backbone (वंशम्) as it were (इव)) Union (यः = ये) establish (मि) having acquired (रः = रे)
[5] The title ईशानो अप्रतिष्कुतः, could also mean one who has mastered fear, since a couple of verse earlier, he confesses that “our fear is unrestrainable : Our (अस्म = अस्मद्) fear (भ्यम् = भ्यस्) unrestrainable (अप्रतिष्कुतः) (अस्म-भ्यम्-अप्रतिष्कुत = अस्मभ्यमप्रतिष्कुतः)” using the same word अप्रतिष्कुतः.
[6] नि येन मुष्टि – हति - अया नि वृत्रा रु – ण – धा - महे | त्व – ओत – असो नि अर्वता ||
Affirmation) (नि) as (येन) clenched fist (मुष्टि) killing (हति) in this manner (अया) ( (affirmation) (नि) darkness/Vritra (वृत्रः = वृत्रा) fear (रु) knowledge (णः) confer (धा) to rejoice (महे) | Thou (त्व) invoked (ओत) to be! (अस् = असो) (affirmation ) (नि) hastening (अर्वत् = अर्वता)
[7] . . . आ वयं वज्रं घना दद् – ई - म - हि | जय - इम सं युधि स्प्रुधः ||
also (आ) we (वयं) child (वज्रं) fortunate (घन = घना) give (दद्) wish (ई) knowledge (म) surely (हि | Conquering this (जय-इम = जयेम) knowledge (सं) fighting (युधि) desire (स्प्रुध् = स्पृधः) ||
[8] इतो वा साति – मी - महे दिवो वा पार्थिव – द - धि | इन्द्रं महो वा रजसः ||
Knowledge (इतम् = इतो) or (वा) winning of property/spoils (साति) to die (मी) to rejoice (महे)(सति-मी-महे = सातिमीमहे); Heaven (दिव् = दिवो) or (वा) earthly (पार्थिव) giving (द) delight (धि)(पार्थिव-द-धि = पार्थिवादधि) | Indra/master of-that which is free (इन्द्रं) great (महः = महो) or (वा) living in the darkness (रजसः)
[9] वयं शूर् – ए – भिर् – अस्तृ – भिर् - इन्द्र त्वया युजा व - यम् | सासह्याम पृतन्यतः ||
We (वयं) heroism (शूर्) attained (ए) man (भिरु = भिर्) invincible (अस्तृत = अस्तृ) man (भिरु = भिर्) Indra (इन्द्र)(शूर्-ए-भिर्-अस्तृ-भिर्-इन्द्र = शूरेभिरस्तृभिरिन्द्र) your (त्वया) yoga (युज् = युजा) powerful support (व-यम्) | conquering (सासह्यस् = सासह्याम) battle (पृत्) on the other side/on other grounds (अन्यतः)(पृत्-अन्यतः = पृतन्यतः)
Continued in : Contemporaneity
Also see: Sage, Poet and Man , Indra and Siva, Asvins, Visnu, Respect for Visnu and Siva, Saraswati, Indra Vayu, Mitra Varuna, Vishvadeva, Agni