The words ‘FIVE’,
‘SEVEN’, ‘FOURTEEN’ have been used in the Vedas and Upanishads
innumerable times. Since the commentators of Vedas and Upanishads wanted
to give explanation for five and seven, which are repeated several
times over, the ‘scholars’ coined the five ‘GREAT BEINGS’ as earth,
fire, water, air and sky as the ‘five basic elements’ and to describe
the seven added mahat, ahankara and prakriti while removing earth. Some
have just added mahat and ahankara to the five elements to make them
seven. Any reasonable mind would conclude that mahat (intelligence),
ahankara (ego) and prakriti (nature) do not gel with water, earth, and
the rest. Yet, since they had to eventually give any explanation, they
went ahead with their explanation without bothering for a while of the
stupid arguments that it could lead to.
Yet the earlier sages seemed to know the importance of seven. They believed that the cosmos, ‘BRAHMANDA’ or ‘Brahma’s egg’ as it came to be and is now called, had SEVEN CONSTITUENTS. Says the book, ‘Religious Consciousness’: “In what appears to be quite clearly a development of the Upanishadic speculation regarding the individual with the religio-philosophical view current for some centuries or seven-sheathed in Upanishadic terminology (sapta kancuka) the cosmos, too, it is further maintained, is seven sheathed.” He further writes: “Tulsidasa speaks of the seven cosmos as having seven coverings (avarana), Brahmaloka being included in the cosmos. Jwalaprasad Misra’s comment, which leaves earth from amongst the ‘FIVE GREAT BEINGS’, and takes the remaining four and makes up seven with ‘mahat’, ‘ahankara’ and prakriti’ is evidently not correct and only demonstrates that there is discontinuity in tradition and that this notion of seven sheaths has been a difficulty not properly explained in terms of the older notions on the subject. The commentator of Ramadasa’s Dasabodha, SS Deo, has interpreted the seven sheaths to be the five ‘GREAT BEINGS’ along with ‘mahat’ and ‘ahankara’. This explanation appears to be in keeping the thought and speculation on the subject. But it, too, cannot be taken to justify this description of the cosmos as having only seven sheaths or constituents for the omission of the eighth, mind (manas), which has been found in their company in standard accounts of these notions, whether of cosmos or of human personality, is not justified. And I have no explanation to occur except that the number seven appears to have captured the minds of speculative thinkers of India very early.”
This was not the product of speculative thinking as has been described earlier. The importance was given to seven because there were to be seven names of the fourteen devas, as we have mentioned above. These are also known as Manus in various descriptions. At various places, seven are addressed, and that actually refers to the fourteen, with their seven names, when they would take birth at a secret place on this earth. That is why ‘seven and seven’ equal to fourteen too has been described at places. You will yourself realize this when you find that list of seven also includes air, fire, wind, etc. If fourteen different names are given for the fourteen devas, they are just for the purpose of differentiating one from the other, but they would have seven names only when they would take birth in this world.
Isn’t it true that the identity of five, seven and fourteen has perplexed the scholars for a long time? Five were equated to five elements but when seven were described intelligence and ego were added to the five elements. Even a novice would tell that intelligence (mind) and ego has no relation with the five elements viz. earth, fire, water, etc. Moreover, science has proved that these are no elements as these themself have several elements as their constituents.
It so happened that the Formless, Non-Manifest God decided to Create and hence a Manifest Self (‘Face of Allah’ as per Quran) was created which is also called the Divine Self or Paramatma (‘Rooh’ as per Quran, about which Quran says very little knowledge has been given, but Vedas earlier had described this in full). This Self too used to worship the One Non-Manifest God. It wished that there were more worshippers so the Noor was created out of the Pure tattvas (elements) but at the same time Zulmat too was created out of the material elements (that is why Zulmat deceives us by binding us to material charms of this world). Noor divided into two, which became five and nine more were born in succession from the fifth to make it fourteen. The process is even more elaborately described in certain Upanishads which say that One enlarged as if a man and woman in close embrace and then divided into two, exactly similar to each other, and similar to the one from whom division had occurred. The female half emanated from one of them united with the other to give birth to two Aswins. In the progeny of the later of the two Aswins, the nine devas were born.
Another interesting observation is that the word deva is derived from divya or light. And noor too means light. The noors of the fourteen Ahlulbayt have been referred time and again in the Islamic traditions and it is said that this noor was in existence even prior to the creation of Adam.
Through these lights or devas, God created the rest of the beings. A direct relationship was created between the selfs of all the animate and non-animate life on earth and the Manifest Self through the Noor or Devas, whose constituents are the fourteen Masooms or fourteen devas. The Upanishad even says that they were made the rulers of the 14 spheres.
This process is exactly similar to Prophet Mohammad saying that my noor was created at the earliest, Ali and I have been created from the one Noor, i.e. they are divisions of the two noors, Fatima is part of me, a process which is also described in the Upanishads and it is well known that Ali and Fatima married to give birth to Hasan and Husain (called Hasnain).
However, we do not want you to believe that the two are the same, until you ascertain it yourself. From here onwards, we will proceed with their description, and invite you to assess on the basis of your reason and intellect, whether the two are actually the same or not. As you read on, all doubts will get removed. If you come to conclusion that the devas and the pure Ahlulbayt are not the same, then discard this work altogether. However, we are sure that there is little chance that you would say so.
We have been saying again and again that fire, air, etc. are appellations for devas. See the proof from Chhandogya Upanishad where a direct link of devas with fire, air, etc. has been told.
One who knows that fire is himkara, air is prastava, etc. gets fully established on the devas, attains the spheres of these very devas, their splendour, (or) identity with them
CHHANDOGYA. II.19, 1-2
As we have been repeatedly saying that understanding and knowing the devas is prerequisite for salvation. It is the identity of the devas that has perplexed the commentators since time immemorial. Chhandogya Upanishad says that through knowing agnidev as himkara, vayudev as prastav, etc. one gets united with the devas and goes to the same spheres where these devas dwell.
Now that you know the relationship of devas with appellations like fire, space (or sky), air, etc., let us see another verse from Chhandogya where it is clearly says that the deva known by the appellation ‘Space’ is the support of this world. You are requested to relate this with Hadees-e-Kisa, which clearly states that the God says that the sun, the moon, the earth, the sky, all have been created in love of the Ahlulbayt.
SINCE NONE ON EARTH KNEW THIS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEVAS AND AHLULBAYT TILL NOW, NOBODY CAN SAY THAT THE TWO RELIGIONS COPIED THE SAME KNOWLEDGE FROM EACH OTHER. Otherwise, whenever same knowledge is given in the scriptures of two religions, people, instead of coming to conclusion that the same Divine Plan was working at all places, wrongly conclude that the knowledge has been copied by one another. This shows that howsoever much we claim that we believe in One God, our concept of the Absolute God of the Universe is still incomplete.
Chhandogya Upanishad (I.9.1) says:
(Salavatya asked:) ‘What is the support of this world?’) Pravahana replied), ‘Space (the deva by the name Space), because all these things (moving or not moving) originate verily from Space itself, and when they die they go to Space. Since Space indeed is superior to all these (remaining devas), Space is the ultimate goal.’
If all things originate from the deva by the name Space, and everyone after death goes to the deva named Space, the deva named Space is superior to all the rest devas and Space is the ultimate goal, is it not our duty to identity who this deva is? If our ego, attachments, biases or other vagaries of nature prevent us from reaching the truth, are we preparing ourselves to face this deva after death?
In II.17.1-2, Chhandogya Upanishad says:
One who knows the Earth is Himkara gets fully established on the spheres
No commentator till now has been able to give us proper understanding of the appellation ‘Earth’, even though this understanding is essential to ‘get fully established on the spheres’.
Quran says that ‘God is the judge of the judges’. Most Muslim commentators have been unable to explain that if God is the judge of the judges, who are the judges. That is why we repeatedly say that unless we read the Upanishads and Vedas, it is not possible for Muslims to understand the terms like ‘judge of the judges’, ‘zulmat’, ‘rooh’, ‘face of Allah’, ‘Manifest Self’, etc. that are used in the Quran. Neither it is possible for the Muslims (including the Shias who keep taking the name of Ahlulbayt day and night at the cost of mention of God) to understand the real role of Ahlulbayt in the Creation.
‘Judge of judges’ of Quran are the same who are described as ‘door-keepers of the heavenly world’ in the Chhandogya Upanishad. Interestingly, Prophet Mohammad said in an authentic tradition that ‘Hasan and Husain are the leaders of the youth in heaven’ and ‘Fatima is the leader of the women in heaven’. Mohammad and Ali too have been described as leaders of heaven in several traditions. Is there any doubt remaining from the study of ideas that are dear to two great religions viz. Hinduism and Islam that devas and Ahlulbayt are one and the same?
Verse III.13.6 of the Chhandogya Upanishad says:
They indeed, who are these five persons of Brahman (the Absolute God), are the door-keepers of the heavenly world. He who thus knows these five persons of Brahman, as the door-keepers of the heavenly world, a hero is born in his family. He who knows thus these five persons of Brahman, as the door-keepers of the heavenly world, attains the heavenly world.
Thus, Muslim traditions describe Panjetan (five-bodies comprising of Mohammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain) as the judges who will decide heaven and hell for us whereas Hindu scriptures describe ‘five persons of Brahman as the door-keepers of the heavenly world.
Two points arise? In the light of this verse from Chhandogya, will you still say that the ‘five beings’ are the ‘five elements’? This is so because material earth, sky, etc. cannot be the door-keepers of heaven. Secondly, only few days before, a gentleman wrote on my post that the concept of ‘heaven’ and ‘hell’ is alien to Upanishads and Vedas. It is unfortunate that despite such clear verses, there are several Hindus (including Mahendra Pal Arya) who wrongly conclude that Hindus don’t have the concept of heaven and hell. Fact is that neither the Hindus nor the Muslims truly know the relation between heaven and hell and moksh or nijaat (salvation).
DEVAS IN GITA
If you recall, we had seen in the quote from Chhandogya Upanishad a little earlier that Space is the support of this world, all moving or not moving things originate from space and when they die they go to space and Space is superior to all the remaining devas. Our Facebook friends like Narendra Singh may be of opinion that the content of Vedas and Gita are different, but when you will read Gita with us, you will find it to be complementing and supporting the teachings of the Vedas fully.
Gita is referring to Prajapati as the first of the devas, supreme basis of the universe and one who pervades the universe.
You are the first of the gods (devas) and the Ancient Spirit; You are the Supreme Basis of the Universe; You are both the Knower and the Knowable; You are the (transcendent) Beyond and the (immanent) Receptacle (here); the universe is pervaded by You, O One (capable) of Limitless Form.
GITA.XI.38
Chhandogya had said ‘support of this world’ and Gita says ‘universe is pervaded by you, O One (capable) of Limitless Form’. This shows that even Prajapati has a relation with the devas. At another place, Gita also described Prajapati as one who created the people and made sacrifice mandatory for them.
Gita says:
In ancient times, having created the peoples, with sacrifice as pertaining to them (necessarily), Prajapati (the Lord of the peoples) said: “By this shall you grow and multiply: let this be to you the milch-cow of all desires.
Gita even says that those who give sacrifice in front of the devas, they get quick gratifications in return.
Desiring the benefits coming from actions and thus sacrificing to the devas, quick indeed are the results born of works in this world of men.
GITA.IV.12
Another verse of Gita confirms that Indra is one of the devas and has his own heaven. This confirms Indra’s relationship with Prajapati as well as the Manifest Self. This also confirms that the concept of heaven is very much present in Hindu scriptures, both Upanishads and Vedas. Yet, modern day Pandits are found to be criticizing Muslims for this belief, though the so-called Hindu scriptures too contain this belief. See:
Knowers of the three (Vedas), soma-drinkers, purified from sin, worshipping by sacrifices, pray of Me the way to heaven; they, attaining the holy world of Indra (Lord of devas or Mohammad) enjoy divine feasts in heaven.
They, having enjoyed that expansive heaven-world, then on their merit exhausted, they enter the world of mortality, thus conforming to the righteous notions implied in the three (Vedas), desiring desirable objects they obtain values which come and go.
GITA.IX.20-21
The aforementioned verses also confirm the role of devas, particularly that of Indra, not only in providing us heaven but also in sending back to us when the merits of our work has exhausted. You will be glad to know that even Buddha has confirmed the role of these devas in bestowing rewards and punishment and sending our rooh back to earth, once the merits are exhausted.
Gita even goes on to say that it is the devas who provide all worldly gratifications that we desire, be it rain, wealth, life and death and even the food we eat. Earlier we had seen that they are even the doorkeepers to the heaven. Thus all benefits of this world and the hereafter are provided by them. It is pity that we do not know who they are. See for yourself what Gita says:
With this do you gratify the devas and they the devas gratify you; thus gratifying reciprocally you shall reach to supreme merit.
Those devas shall bestow on you all gratifications you desire: one who eats what is given to them without giving in turn to them, he is a thief indeed.
GITA.III.10-12
STUDY OF THE VEDAS CONTINUE…
We have seen that Gita too confirms the role and importance of devas in our lives. Let us return to the Vedas and Upanishads to study a little more. The Upanishad says:
Brahman is the Chaitanya (consciousness) that appears, through the aspects of Karma (action) and Jnana (wisdom) - whose vast mundane egg was composed of Mahat, Ahankara (names given to two devas) and the five (main devas) Earth, Water, Fire, Vayu and Akash – that is secondless, that is devoid of all Upadhis (vehicles), that is full of all Saktis (potencies), that is without beginning and end, that is described as pure, beneficial, peaceful, and Guna-less and that is indescribable.
The Upanishad says that Brahman (Non-Manifest Absolute God) can be reached through Karma (good action) and wisdom (reference to certain knowledge) about the 7 devas - who are secondless, devoid of Upadhis, full of power, pure, beneficial, peaceful and indescribable. Thus both these things are essential for reaching God, thereby meaning that moksha (salvation or nijaat) cannot be attained without two things: good actions and knowledge about the role of these devas in God’s scheme of things. It is unfortunate that only a few days back, I received a comment that Hindu religion does not believe in use of wisdom but in internal realization. This verse itself contradicts the view that has been developed and is being endorsed by so many people. Fact is that internal realization cannot be attained without good actions and knowledge about the devas role, because it is they who bestow internal realization. The aforementioned verse and many others can be given which confirm that the Chaitanya (consciousness) too is courtesy the devas.
Now see the account from Prasna-Upanishad that we have given a little earlier.
II.1 Then Bhargava of the Vidarbha country asked him (Pippalada): Venerable Sir, how many powers support the created world? How many illumine this? And who, again, among them is the greatest?
II.2. To him, he said: ‘Ether verily is such a power – wind, fire, water, earth, speech, mind, eye and ear too. They, having illumined it, declare, “We sustain and support this body.”
If you notice more closely, nine of the devas are described in the aforementioned verse as sustaining and supporting this body. Five more are described in the very next verse making the count 14.
II.3. Life, the greatest of them, said to them: ‘Do not cherish this delusion; I, alone, dividing myself fivefold, sustain and support this body.’
But the first five of them are the most important and the entire Life is courtesy Prajapati or one Noor, which divided fivefold, to create Panjetan (Five bodies).
II.5. As fire, he (Life, prana) burns; he is the sun (Fire or Husain). He is the bountiful rain deva (Indra or Mohammad); He is the wind (Vayu or Ali). He is the earth (Fatima), matter, deva (Hasan). He is being and non-being and what is immortal.
Five devas or the five Panjetans described here along with the nine before make fourteen Manus or 14 Ahlulbayt. We have referred to Hadees-e-Kisa earlier which says that the moon, the earth, the sun, the skies, thus the entire life, has been created in love of the Ahlulbayt.
II.6. As spokes in the centre of a wheel, everything is established in life; the Rg (verses), the Yajus (formulas) and the Samans (chants) as also sacrifice, valour and wisdom.
Be it the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda or the Sama-Veda – all are established in Life or these devatas, who are the sustainers and supporters of all life in this cosmos. The aforementioned verse confirms that the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda or the Samans, provide us wisdom (knowledge) about these 14 only, including narrations of their valour and sacrifice. It is unfortunate that when we gave translations from Vedas in this series, certain people commented that Vedas contain no prophecies.
II.7. As the lord of creatures, thou movest in the womb; it is thou myself that art born again. O Prana, creatures – here bring offering to thee who dwellest with the vital breaths.
Vishnu is the lord of these 5 as well thereby saying that Life is courtesy the Manifest Self or Vishnu (Face of Allah). It is Vishnu who is responsible for birth of creatures from the wombs, and without Vishnu births would not occur. The 14 devas are directly related to our vital breadths, thereby meaning that it is they who sustain and support our lives.
II.8. Thou art the chief bearer (of offerings) to the devas; thou art the first offering to the fathers; thou art the true practice of the seers, descendents of Atharvan and Angiras.
We may offer to the Devas but it is eventually the Manifest Self or Vishnu who gets our offerings.
The next verse confirms yet again that Indra and Rudra (Shiva) are devas.
II.9. Indra art thou, O Life (prana), by thy valour; Rudra art thou as a protector. Thou movest in the atmosphere as the sun, the lord of the lights.
Ponder for a while! When Mohammad said that Ali and Mohammad are divisions of the One noor, they were actually referring to the One Light dividing into two, and consequently called Indra and Rudra. Rudra is also the Aditya, actually he has been described as the chief of the Adityas, who are 12 in number. This is exactly similar to Ali being the first of Imams (divinely appointed guides after Prophet Mohammad), total number of Imams are 12.
II.10. When thou pourest down rain, then these creatures breathe (and) live in a state of bliss (thinking) that there will be food according to their desire.
It is Mohammad (Indra) who is responsible for all rains. Even today, prayers are addressed to Indra when there is no rain. It happened in the life of Prophet Mohammad that no rain happened for a long while, which resulted in great hardship. People came to Prophet Mohammad who said that on a certain day all will go outside the city and pray for rain. People collected outside the city where Prophet Mohammad led the prayers. Thereafter he prayed. Immediately, clouds appeared and it started raining. A very similar incident happened several years later in the life of 10th Ahlulbayt (who is the 8th Aditya, Imam Ali son of Musa; not to be confused with Ali, who is the 1st Aditya or Imam).
II.11. Thou art ever pure, O Prana, the one seer, the eater, the real lord of all. We are the givers of what is to be eaten. O all-pervading Air, thou art our father.
This verse also confirms that the devas comprising Prana are ever pure (remember the Quran too took guarantee of the purity of Ahlulbayt). Pran is the real lord of all. Everything is in control of Life (the five bodies or Panjetan). It is they who are the protectors. It is they who grant prosperity and wisdom.
II.13. All this is under the control of life, which is well established in the three worlds. Protect us as a mother her sons. Grant to us prosperity and wisdom.
We can continue giving countless proofs from the Vedas and Upanishads to support our argument. For instance, the Mundaka-Upanishad says:
II.I.I. This is the truth. As from a blazing fire, sparks of like form issue forth by the thousands, even so, O beloved, many kinds of beings issue forth from the immutable and they return thither too.
Just as sparks from fire have the same properties as fire but are not fire, just as rivers have the same water as oceans but are not called oceans, likewise the 14 devatas or Ahlulbat have the same characteristics as God but are not God.
II.I.2: Divine and formless is the person. He is without and within, unborn, without breath and without mind, pure and higher than the highest immutable.
The Non-manifest Form of the Absolute God is being talked about here, whose Manifest Form created the 14 Ahlulbayt (see the creation of the first five in the next verse).
II.1.3: From him are born life, mind, all the sense-organs (also) ether, air, light, water and earth, the supporter of all.
And the next verse confirms that the Manifest Self or Paramatma or Vishnu is the self of all these beings.
II.1.4: Fire is His head, His eyes are the sun and the moon, the regions of space are His ears, His speech the revealed Vedas; air is His life and His heart the world. Out of his feet the earth (is born); indeed He is the self of all beings.
Now see more conclusive proofs of all that we have been saying till now. Khanda II Subala Upanishad says:
The Atma (or the Self of Purusha i.e. Vishnu) is Hiranyajyotis (or golden or effulgent Light) into which all the universe is absorbed. He divided Atma (his Self) into two moieties (Noor of Mohammad and Ali, as confirmed by Mohammad); out of one moiety, the woman was created (Fatima); and out of the other, man (Ali). Having become a Deva, He created the Devas (remaining eleven from successive births). Having become a Rishi, He created the Rishis; also He created Yakshas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas, wild and domestic beasts and others such as cows, bulls, mares and horses, she-asses and assess and Visvambhara (the Supporter) and Visvambhara (the earth). Becoming Vaisvanara (fire) at the end (of creation), He burnt up all objects. Then (in dissolution), prithvi was absorbed in apas, apas in agni, agni in vayu, vayu in akash, akash in indriyas (organs), indriyas into tanmatras (rudimentary properties), tanmatras into bhutadi, bhutadi into mahat, mahat into avyakta, avyakta into akshara (the indestructible), akshara into tamas (darkness). And tamas becomes one with the supreme Lord. And then there is neither Sat nor asat, nor Sat-asat. This is the teaching of Nirvana and this is the teaching of the Vedas. Yea, This is the teaching of the Vedas.”
This passage also confirms that the Yakshas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas, wild and domestic beasts, etc. who have relationship with Zulmat or Negative Forces too was created right at the beginning. This confirms that Tamas or Zulmat too is created by God. Its creation was essential so as to complete the test. Likewise, the 14 devas together (Noor) will get united.
It also talks of the dissolution of the cosmos, wherein everything will converge into God. A Purana has given details of this saying that the One Divine Day is equal to 1000 creations after which there is a Divine Night equal to the Divine Day. It has said that this is the 994th creation of this Divine Day, thereby implying that man will be sent on this earth 6 more times before this cosmos converges. One who is able to unite his atma with the Divine Atma (Paramatma or Vishnu) through the devas (noor) will become one with the Supreme Lord even during the period of Night, when there is no creation. This Union is called Nirvana.
That these life-breaths are 14 and will dwell in a secret place as seven and seven (equal to 14) is confirmed in the following verse (II.I. of the Mandukya Upanishad of the Atharva-Veda which states:
From him come forth the seven life-breaths (seven pranas or names of 14 devas), the seven flames, their fuel, the seven oblations, these seven worlds in which move the life-breaths, seven and seven (comprising fourteen) which dwell in the secret place (secret place being the desert of Arabia).
Is all this not an endorsement of our point of view?
THE MUSLIM VIEWPOINT
The Upanishad describes these Devas by the words: "That indeed is the pure". And Quran gives a verse where the God confirms to the purity of the Ahlul-bayts, who are actually 14 in number, having 7 names.
Innama Yoridullaho Leuzheba Ankumrrijsa Ahlalbaite wa Yotahhirakum Tathira
Verily Allah desires to keep away all blemishes from you, O Ahlul-bayt and keep you pure with perfect purification.
Heavenly world is possible only through the path of these door-keepers of heavenly world, as per Chhadogya Upanishad. And Mohammad said that Ali was the head of the men in the heavens, Fatima was the head of women in heavens and Hasan and Husain were heads of youths of the heavens. All these comprise the Ahlul-bayt. In another universally accepted tradition, Mohammad said that Quran and Ahlul-bayt will not get separated until they meet him in heavens. Intercession too has been ascribed to the Ahlul-bayt in few traditions; thus the doorkeepers.
That the Devas too have seven names can be seen from references like ‘the seven moving tongues of fire’. Also, Upanishads like Paingala Upanishad too confirm that the Devas are 14; at other places, the same Devas are referred to as Manus who too are 14 in number. In Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad too we find that the Absolute God created a Manifest Self in the form of Light or Noor. This Manifest Self desired to have another Self, and thus were two Selfs. Then there is talk of another Self by the name Aditi, suggesting that this was a Devi (female version). Then Radhakrishana has used the words that suggest progeny; this is followed by references to two types of sacrifices by two Selfs created out of progeny. Thus, one became 5 which later became 14, but had only seven names.
Interestingly, the first five of the Ahlul-bayt were Prophet Mohammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain. Later, 9 lineal descendants in Husain’s progeny were included to make 14 Ahlul-bayt. These 14 also comprised group of 12 Imams; Fatima and Mohammad being the exceptions. The relationship that they had with each other was exactly similar to the relationship described in the aforementioned Upanishad. Prophet Mohammad clearly confirms his role as first of creations when he said:
I was the Prophet even when Adam was in the stage of creation.
And he confirms that Ali (his cousin, who later married his daughter Fatima) was also created at the same time:
I and Ali are the divisions of the same Noor.
And he said:
Fatima is of me and I am from Fatima
Unable to understand this complex relationship foretold in the Vedas, there is a very curious debate at one place in Hindu scriptures wherein the person is puzzled as to how can a father’s brother, who is like a father, marry his daughter. Several mythological stories got built so much so that even till date dictionary describes Aditi as one who married to Aditya, but also tells that she was born out of an incestuous relationship with her father (May God forgive those who misunderstood this sacred relationship owing to their ignorance). There are 12 vicegerents to the Prophet with Ali being the first and the dictionary describes Adityas to be 12; Aditya meaning ‘the sun’.
When Fatima and Ali got married, the mention of marriage in Brhad-aranyaka got completed. And two sons of Fatima were Hasan and Husain, who are mentioned in Brhad-aranyaka as two types of sacrifices. Interestingly, Hasan’s life was sacrificed through poison while Husain sacrificed his life through sword at Karbala. Nine descendants in Husain’s progeny, take the count to 14.
Lest somebody think that due to this division, their powers diminished or they became dissimilar, Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad states that all Devas are alike:
I.5.13:
These are all alike, all endless. Verily, he who meditates on them as finite, wins a finite world. But he who meditates on them as infinite wins an infinite world.
And Mohammad said of them:
The first is Mohammad, the middle is Mohammad, the last is Mohammad, all are Mohammad.
And this knowledge is linked with salvation is talked about in once again in II.7:
He (who knows this) overcomes repeated death, death cannot get hold of him, death becomes his body, and he becomes one with these divinities.
You have seen earlier how Mohammad has linked Ahlul-bayt with heaven earlier. In another tradition he says:
One who dies with love of Ahlul-bayt dies a shaheed (i.e. he attains salvation; we will describe the term ‘shaheed’ later in this compilation).
Quran and Upanishads both talk of ‘the colouring of God’ which is reference to this chain. Both talk of the rope that comprises a link between God and us. Upanishads talk of a Golden Egg (hiranyagarba) and the Muslim traditions talk of Silsalatul Zahad (Golden Chain). Moreover, when God in Quran talks of the purity of Ahlulbayt, it doesn’t say Mohammad’s Ahlul-bayt (meaning ‘People of the House of Mohammad) but just said Ahlul-bayt (meaning ‘People of the House’). Muslims couldn’t even understand this as they started saying that Ahlulbayt means ‘People of the House of Mohammad’. They said so despite the Bayt-ullah (House of God) was situated near to the place where the Ahlul-bayt (People of the House) lived. Thus, we can conclude that Kaaba or the ‘House of God’ has been given sanctity because the ‘People of the House of God’ were to take birth in the vicinity and God wanted everybody, right from the time of Adam, to identify that place. It was through the Ahlulbayt that man was to find the way to reach back to God, from where he had descended. This was supposed to be the sign of Vishnu (Face of Allah) on earth. Thus, Hindus too are right who give narrations to support that Kaaba was earlier Vishnu’s temple.
To be continued…
Yet the earlier sages seemed to know the importance of seven. They believed that the cosmos, ‘BRAHMANDA’ or ‘Brahma’s egg’ as it came to be and is now called, had SEVEN CONSTITUENTS. Says the book, ‘Religious Consciousness’: “In what appears to be quite clearly a development of the Upanishadic speculation regarding the individual with the religio-philosophical view current for some centuries or seven-sheathed in Upanishadic terminology (sapta kancuka) the cosmos, too, it is further maintained, is seven sheathed.” He further writes: “Tulsidasa speaks of the seven cosmos as having seven coverings (avarana), Brahmaloka being included in the cosmos. Jwalaprasad Misra’s comment, which leaves earth from amongst the ‘FIVE GREAT BEINGS’, and takes the remaining four and makes up seven with ‘mahat’, ‘ahankara’ and prakriti’ is evidently not correct and only demonstrates that there is discontinuity in tradition and that this notion of seven sheaths has been a difficulty not properly explained in terms of the older notions on the subject. The commentator of Ramadasa’s Dasabodha, SS Deo, has interpreted the seven sheaths to be the five ‘GREAT BEINGS’ along with ‘mahat’ and ‘ahankara’. This explanation appears to be in keeping the thought and speculation on the subject. But it, too, cannot be taken to justify this description of the cosmos as having only seven sheaths or constituents for the omission of the eighth, mind (manas), which has been found in their company in standard accounts of these notions, whether of cosmos or of human personality, is not justified. And I have no explanation to occur except that the number seven appears to have captured the minds of speculative thinkers of India very early.”
This was not the product of speculative thinking as has been described earlier. The importance was given to seven because there were to be seven names of the fourteen devas, as we have mentioned above. These are also known as Manus in various descriptions. At various places, seven are addressed, and that actually refers to the fourteen, with their seven names, when they would take birth at a secret place on this earth. That is why ‘seven and seven’ equal to fourteen too has been described at places. You will yourself realize this when you find that list of seven also includes air, fire, wind, etc. If fourteen different names are given for the fourteen devas, they are just for the purpose of differentiating one from the other, but they would have seven names only when they would take birth in this world.
Isn’t it true that the identity of five, seven and fourteen has perplexed the scholars for a long time? Five were equated to five elements but when seven were described intelligence and ego were added to the five elements. Even a novice would tell that intelligence (mind) and ego has no relation with the five elements viz. earth, fire, water, etc. Moreover, science has proved that these are no elements as these themself have several elements as their constituents.
It so happened that the Formless, Non-Manifest God decided to Create and hence a Manifest Self (‘Face of Allah’ as per Quran) was created which is also called the Divine Self or Paramatma (‘Rooh’ as per Quran, about which Quran says very little knowledge has been given, but Vedas earlier had described this in full). This Self too used to worship the One Non-Manifest God. It wished that there were more worshippers so the Noor was created out of the Pure tattvas (elements) but at the same time Zulmat too was created out of the material elements (that is why Zulmat deceives us by binding us to material charms of this world). Noor divided into two, which became five and nine more were born in succession from the fifth to make it fourteen. The process is even more elaborately described in certain Upanishads which say that One enlarged as if a man and woman in close embrace and then divided into two, exactly similar to each other, and similar to the one from whom division had occurred. The female half emanated from one of them united with the other to give birth to two Aswins. In the progeny of the later of the two Aswins, the nine devas were born.
Another interesting observation is that the word deva is derived from divya or light. And noor too means light. The noors of the fourteen Ahlulbayt have been referred time and again in the Islamic traditions and it is said that this noor was in existence even prior to the creation of Adam.
Through these lights or devas, God created the rest of the beings. A direct relationship was created between the selfs of all the animate and non-animate life on earth and the Manifest Self through the Noor or Devas, whose constituents are the fourteen Masooms or fourteen devas. The Upanishad even says that they were made the rulers of the 14 spheres.
This process is exactly similar to Prophet Mohammad saying that my noor was created at the earliest, Ali and I have been created from the one Noor, i.e. they are divisions of the two noors, Fatima is part of me, a process which is also described in the Upanishads and it is well known that Ali and Fatima married to give birth to Hasan and Husain (called Hasnain).
However, we do not want you to believe that the two are the same, until you ascertain it yourself. From here onwards, we will proceed with their description, and invite you to assess on the basis of your reason and intellect, whether the two are actually the same or not. As you read on, all doubts will get removed. If you come to conclusion that the devas and the pure Ahlulbayt are not the same, then discard this work altogether. However, we are sure that there is little chance that you would say so.
We have been saying again and again that fire, air, etc. are appellations for devas. See the proof from Chhandogya Upanishad where a direct link of devas with fire, air, etc. has been told.
One who knows that fire is himkara, air is prastava, etc. gets fully established on the devas, attains the spheres of these very devas, their splendour, (or) identity with them
CHHANDOGYA. II.19, 1-2
As we have been repeatedly saying that understanding and knowing the devas is prerequisite for salvation. It is the identity of the devas that has perplexed the commentators since time immemorial. Chhandogya Upanishad says that through knowing agnidev as himkara, vayudev as prastav, etc. one gets united with the devas and goes to the same spheres where these devas dwell.
Now that you know the relationship of devas with appellations like fire, space (or sky), air, etc., let us see another verse from Chhandogya where it is clearly says that the deva known by the appellation ‘Space’ is the support of this world. You are requested to relate this with Hadees-e-Kisa, which clearly states that the God says that the sun, the moon, the earth, the sky, all have been created in love of the Ahlulbayt.
SINCE NONE ON EARTH KNEW THIS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEVAS AND AHLULBAYT TILL NOW, NOBODY CAN SAY THAT THE TWO RELIGIONS COPIED THE SAME KNOWLEDGE FROM EACH OTHER. Otherwise, whenever same knowledge is given in the scriptures of two religions, people, instead of coming to conclusion that the same Divine Plan was working at all places, wrongly conclude that the knowledge has been copied by one another. This shows that howsoever much we claim that we believe in One God, our concept of the Absolute God of the Universe is still incomplete.
Chhandogya Upanishad (I.9.1) says:
(Salavatya asked:) ‘What is the support of this world?’) Pravahana replied), ‘Space (the deva by the name Space), because all these things (moving or not moving) originate verily from Space itself, and when they die they go to Space. Since Space indeed is superior to all these (remaining devas), Space is the ultimate goal.’
If all things originate from the deva by the name Space, and everyone after death goes to the deva named Space, the deva named Space is superior to all the rest devas and Space is the ultimate goal, is it not our duty to identity who this deva is? If our ego, attachments, biases or other vagaries of nature prevent us from reaching the truth, are we preparing ourselves to face this deva after death?
In II.17.1-2, Chhandogya Upanishad says:
One who knows the Earth is Himkara gets fully established on the spheres
No commentator till now has been able to give us proper understanding of the appellation ‘Earth’, even though this understanding is essential to ‘get fully established on the spheres’.
Quran says that ‘God is the judge of the judges’. Most Muslim commentators have been unable to explain that if God is the judge of the judges, who are the judges. That is why we repeatedly say that unless we read the Upanishads and Vedas, it is not possible for Muslims to understand the terms like ‘judge of the judges’, ‘zulmat’, ‘rooh’, ‘face of Allah’, ‘Manifest Self’, etc. that are used in the Quran. Neither it is possible for the Muslims (including the Shias who keep taking the name of Ahlulbayt day and night at the cost of mention of God) to understand the real role of Ahlulbayt in the Creation.
‘Judge of judges’ of Quran are the same who are described as ‘door-keepers of the heavenly world’ in the Chhandogya Upanishad. Interestingly, Prophet Mohammad said in an authentic tradition that ‘Hasan and Husain are the leaders of the youth in heaven’ and ‘Fatima is the leader of the women in heaven’. Mohammad and Ali too have been described as leaders of heaven in several traditions. Is there any doubt remaining from the study of ideas that are dear to two great religions viz. Hinduism and Islam that devas and Ahlulbayt are one and the same?
Verse III.13.6 of the Chhandogya Upanishad says:
They indeed, who are these five persons of Brahman (the Absolute God), are the door-keepers of the heavenly world. He who thus knows these five persons of Brahman, as the door-keepers of the heavenly world, a hero is born in his family. He who knows thus these five persons of Brahman, as the door-keepers of the heavenly world, attains the heavenly world.
Thus, Muslim traditions describe Panjetan (five-bodies comprising of Mohammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain) as the judges who will decide heaven and hell for us whereas Hindu scriptures describe ‘five persons of Brahman as the door-keepers of the heavenly world.
Two points arise? In the light of this verse from Chhandogya, will you still say that the ‘five beings’ are the ‘five elements’? This is so because material earth, sky, etc. cannot be the door-keepers of heaven. Secondly, only few days before, a gentleman wrote on my post that the concept of ‘heaven’ and ‘hell’ is alien to Upanishads and Vedas. It is unfortunate that despite such clear verses, there are several Hindus (including Mahendra Pal Arya) who wrongly conclude that Hindus don’t have the concept of heaven and hell. Fact is that neither the Hindus nor the Muslims truly know the relation between heaven and hell and moksh or nijaat (salvation).
DEVAS IN GITA
If you recall, we had seen in the quote from Chhandogya Upanishad a little earlier that Space is the support of this world, all moving or not moving things originate from space and when they die they go to space and Space is superior to all the remaining devas. Our Facebook friends like Narendra Singh may be of opinion that the content of Vedas and Gita are different, but when you will read Gita with us, you will find it to be complementing and supporting the teachings of the Vedas fully.
Gita is referring to Prajapati as the first of the devas, supreme basis of the universe and one who pervades the universe.
You are the first of the gods (devas) and the Ancient Spirit; You are the Supreme Basis of the Universe; You are both the Knower and the Knowable; You are the (transcendent) Beyond and the (immanent) Receptacle (here); the universe is pervaded by You, O One (capable) of Limitless Form.
GITA.XI.38
Chhandogya had said ‘support of this world’ and Gita says ‘universe is pervaded by you, O One (capable) of Limitless Form’. This shows that even Prajapati has a relation with the devas. At another place, Gita also described Prajapati as one who created the people and made sacrifice mandatory for them.
Gita says:
In ancient times, having created the peoples, with sacrifice as pertaining to them (necessarily), Prajapati (the Lord of the peoples) said: “By this shall you grow and multiply: let this be to you the milch-cow of all desires.
Gita even says that those who give sacrifice in front of the devas, they get quick gratifications in return.
Desiring the benefits coming from actions and thus sacrificing to the devas, quick indeed are the results born of works in this world of men.
GITA.IV.12
Another verse of Gita confirms that Indra is one of the devas and has his own heaven. This confirms Indra’s relationship with Prajapati as well as the Manifest Self. This also confirms that the concept of heaven is very much present in Hindu scriptures, both Upanishads and Vedas. Yet, modern day Pandits are found to be criticizing Muslims for this belief, though the so-called Hindu scriptures too contain this belief. See:
Knowers of the three (Vedas), soma-drinkers, purified from sin, worshipping by sacrifices, pray of Me the way to heaven; they, attaining the holy world of Indra (Lord of devas or Mohammad) enjoy divine feasts in heaven.
They, having enjoyed that expansive heaven-world, then on their merit exhausted, they enter the world of mortality, thus conforming to the righteous notions implied in the three (Vedas), desiring desirable objects they obtain values which come and go.
GITA.IX.20-21
The aforementioned verses also confirm the role of devas, particularly that of Indra, not only in providing us heaven but also in sending back to us when the merits of our work has exhausted. You will be glad to know that even Buddha has confirmed the role of these devas in bestowing rewards and punishment and sending our rooh back to earth, once the merits are exhausted.
Gita even goes on to say that it is the devas who provide all worldly gratifications that we desire, be it rain, wealth, life and death and even the food we eat. Earlier we had seen that they are even the doorkeepers to the heaven. Thus all benefits of this world and the hereafter are provided by them. It is pity that we do not know who they are. See for yourself what Gita says:
With this do you gratify the devas and they the devas gratify you; thus gratifying reciprocally you shall reach to supreme merit.
Those devas shall bestow on you all gratifications you desire: one who eats what is given to them without giving in turn to them, he is a thief indeed.
GITA.III.10-12
STUDY OF THE VEDAS CONTINUE…
We have seen that Gita too confirms the role and importance of devas in our lives. Let us return to the Vedas and Upanishads to study a little more. The Upanishad says:
Brahman is the Chaitanya (consciousness) that appears, through the aspects of Karma (action) and Jnana (wisdom) - whose vast mundane egg was composed of Mahat, Ahankara (names given to two devas) and the five (main devas) Earth, Water, Fire, Vayu and Akash – that is secondless, that is devoid of all Upadhis (vehicles), that is full of all Saktis (potencies), that is without beginning and end, that is described as pure, beneficial, peaceful, and Guna-less and that is indescribable.
The Upanishad says that Brahman (Non-Manifest Absolute God) can be reached through Karma (good action) and wisdom (reference to certain knowledge) about the 7 devas - who are secondless, devoid of Upadhis, full of power, pure, beneficial, peaceful and indescribable. Thus both these things are essential for reaching God, thereby meaning that moksha (salvation or nijaat) cannot be attained without two things: good actions and knowledge about the role of these devas in God’s scheme of things. It is unfortunate that only a few days back, I received a comment that Hindu religion does not believe in use of wisdom but in internal realization. This verse itself contradicts the view that has been developed and is being endorsed by so many people. Fact is that internal realization cannot be attained without good actions and knowledge about the devas role, because it is they who bestow internal realization. The aforementioned verse and many others can be given which confirm that the Chaitanya (consciousness) too is courtesy the devas.
Now see the account from Prasna-Upanishad that we have given a little earlier.
II.1 Then Bhargava of the Vidarbha country asked him (Pippalada): Venerable Sir, how many powers support the created world? How many illumine this? And who, again, among them is the greatest?
II.2. To him, he said: ‘Ether verily is such a power – wind, fire, water, earth, speech, mind, eye and ear too. They, having illumined it, declare, “We sustain and support this body.”
If you notice more closely, nine of the devas are described in the aforementioned verse as sustaining and supporting this body. Five more are described in the very next verse making the count 14.
II.3. Life, the greatest of them, said to them: ‘Do not cherish this delusion; I, alone, dividing myself fivefold, sustain and support this body.’
But the first five of them are the most important and the entire Life is courtesy Prajapati or one Noor, which divided fivefold, to create Panjetan (Five bodies).
II.5. As fire, he (Life, prana) burns; he is the sun (Fire or Husain). He is the bountiful rain deva (Indra or Mohammad); He is the wind (Vayu or Ali). He is the earth (Fatima), matter, deva (Hasan). He is being and non-being and what is immortal.
Five devas or the five Panjetans described here along with the nine before make fourteen Manus or 14 Ahlulbayt. We have referred to Hadees-e-Kisa earlier which says that the moon, the earth, the sun, the skies, thus the entire life, has been created in love of the Ahlulbayt.
II.6. As spokes in the centre of a wheel, everything is established in life; the Rg (verses), the Yajus (formulas) and the Samans (chants) as also sacrifice, valour and wisdom.
Be it the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda or the Sama-Veda – all are established in Life or these devatas, who are the sustainers and supporters of all life in this cosmos. The aforementioned verse confirms that the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda or the Samans, provide us wisdom (knowledge) about these 14 only, including narrations of their valour and sacrifice. It is unfortunate that when we gave translations from Vedas in this series, certain people commented that Vedas contain no prophecies.
II.7. As the lord of creatures, thou movest in the womb; it is thou myself that art born again. O Prana, creatures – here bring offering to thee who dwellest with the vital breaths.
Vishnu is the lord of these 5 as well thereby saying that Life is courtesy the Manifest Self or Vishnu (Face of Allah). It is Vishnu who is responsible for birth of creatures from the wombs, and without Vishnu births would not occur. The 14 devas are directly related to our vital breadths, thereby meaning that it is they who sustain and support our lives.
II.8. Thou art the chief bearer (of offerings) to the devas; thou art the first offering to the fathers; thou art the true practice of the seers, descendents of Atharvan and Angiras.
We may offer to the Devas but it is eventually the Manifest Self or Vishnu who gets our offerings.
The next verse confirms yet again that Indra and Rudra (Shiva) are devas.
II.9. Indra art thou, O Life (prana), by thy valour; Rudra art thou as a protector. Thou movest in the atmosphere as the sun, the lord of the lights.
Ponder for a while! When Mohammad said that Ali and Mohammad are divisions of the One noor, they were actually referring to the One Light dividing into two, and consequently called Indra and Rudra. Rudra is also the Aditya, actually he has been described as the chief of the Adityas, who are 12 in number. This is exactly similar to Ali being the first of Imams (divinely appointed guides after Prophet Mohammad), total number of Imams are 12.
II.10. When thou pourest down rain, then these creatures breathe (and) live in a state of bliss (thinking) that there will be food according to their desire.
It is Mohammad (Indra) who is responsible for all rains. Even today, prayers are addressed to Indra when there is no rain. It happened in the life of Prophet Mohammad that no rain happened for a long while, which resulted in great hardship. People came to Prophet Mohammad who said that on a certain day all will go outside the city and pray for rain. People collected outside the city where Prophet Mohammad led the prayers. Thereafter he prayed. Immediately, clouds appeared and it started raining. A very similar incident happened several years later in the life of 10th Ahlulbayt (who is the 8th Aditya, Imam Ali son of Musa; not to be confused with Ali, who is the 1st Aditya or Imam).
II.11. Thou art ever pure, O Prana, the one seer, the eater, the real lord of all. We are the givers of what is to be eaten. O all-pervading Air, thou art our father.
This verse also confirms that the devas comprising Prana are ever pure (remember the Quran too took guarantee of the purity of Ahlulbayt). Pran is the real lord of all. Everything is in control of Life (the five bodies or Panjetan). It is they who are the protectors. It is they who grant prosperity and wisdom.
II.13. All this is under the control of life, which is well established in the three worlds. Protect us as a mother her sons. Grant to us prosperity and wisdom.
We can continue giving countless proofs from the Vedas and Upanishads to support our argument. For instance, the Mundaka-Upanishad says:
II.I.I. This is the truth. As from a blazing fire, sparks of like form issue forth by the thousands, even so, O beloved, many kinds of beings issue forth from the immutable and they return thither too.
Just as sparks from fire have the same properties as fire but are not fire, just as rivers have the same water as oceans but are not called oceans, likewise the 14 devatas or Ahlulbat have the same characteristics as God but are not God.
II.I.2: Divine and formless is the person. He is without and within, unborn, without breath and without mind, pure and higher than the highest immutable.
The Non-manifest Form of the Absolute God is being talked about here, whose Manifest Form created the 14 Ahlulbayt (see the creation of the first five in the next verse).
II.1.3: From him are born life, mind, all the sense-organs (also) ether, air, light, water and earth, the supporter of all.
And the next verse confirms that the Manifest Self or Paramatma or Vishnu is the self of all these beings.
II.1.4: Fire is His head, His eyes are the sun and the moon, the regions of space are His ears, His speech the revealed Vedas; air is His life and His heart the world. Out of his feet the earth (is born); indeed He is the self of all beings.
Now see more conclusive proofs of all that we have been saying till now. Khanda II Subala Upanishad says:
The Atma (or the Self of Purusha i.e. Vishnu) is Hiranyajyotis (or golden or effulgent Light) into which all the universe is absorbed. He divided Atma (his Self) into two moieties (Noor of Mohammad and Ali, as confirmed by Mohammad); out of one moiety, the woman was created (Fatima); and out of the other, man (Ali). Having become a Deva, He created the Devas (remaining eleven from successive births). Having become a Rishi, He created the Rishis; also He created Yakshas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas, wild and domestic beasts and others such as cows, bulls, mares and horses, she-asses and assess and Visvambhara (the Supporter) and Visvambhara (the earth). Becoming Vaisvanara (fire) at the end (of creation), He burnt up all objects. Then (in dissolution), prithvi was absorbed in apas, apas in agni, agni in vayu, vayu in akash, akash in indriyas (organs), indriyas into tanmatras (rudimentary properties), tanmatras into bhutadi, bhutadi into mahat, mahat into avyakta, avyakta into akshara (the indestructible), akshara into tamas (darkness). And tamas becomes one with the supreme Lord. And then there is neither Sat nor asat, nor Sat-asat. This is the teaching of Nirvana and this is the teaching of the Vedas. Yea, This is the teaching of the Vedas.”
This passage also confirms that the Yakshas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas, wild and domestic beasts, etc. who have relationship with Zulmat or Negative Forces too was created right at the beginning. This confirms that Tamas or Zulmat too is created by God. Its creation was essential so as to complete the test. Likewise, the 14 devas together (Noor) will get united.
It also talks of the dissolution of the cosmos, wherein everything will converge into God. A Purana has given details of this saying that the One Divine Day is equal to 1000 creations after which there is a Divine Night equal to the Divine Day. It has said that this is the 994th creation of this Divine Day, thereby implying that man will be sent on this earth 6 more times before this cosmos converges. One who is able to unite his atma with the Divine Atma (Paramatma or Vishnu) through the devas (noor) will become one with the Supreme Lord even during the period of Night, when there is no creation. This Union is called Nirvana.
That these life-breaths are 14 and will dwell in a secret place as seven and seven (equal to 14) is confirmed in the following verse (II.I. of the Mandukya Upanishad of the Atharva-Veda which states:
From him come forth the seven life-breaths (seven pranas or names of 14 devas), the seven flames, their fuel, the seven oblations, these seven worlds in which move the life-breaths, seven and seven (comprising fourteen) which dwell in the secret place (secret place being the desert of Arabia).
Is all this not an endorsement of our point of view?
THE MUSLIM VIEWPOINT
The Upanishad describes these Devas by the words: "That indeed is the pure". And Quran gives a verse where the God confirms to the purity of the Ahlul-bayts, who are actually 14 in number, having 7 names.
Innama Yoridullaho Leuzheba Ankumrrijsa Ahlalbaite wa Yotahhirakum Tathira
Verily Allah desires to keep away all blemishes from you, O Ahlul-bayt and keep you pure with perfect purification.
Heavenly world is possible only through the path of these door-keepers of heavenly world, as per Chhadogya Upanishad. And Mohammad said that Ali was the head of the men in the heavens, Fatima was the head of women in heavens and Hasan and Husain were heads of youths of the heavens. All these comprise the Ahlul-bayt. In another universally accepted tradition, Mohammad said that Quran and Ahlul-bayt will not get separated until they meet him in heavens. Intercession too has been ascribed to the Ahlul-bayt in few traditions; thus the doorkeepers.
That the Devas too have seven names can be seen from references like ‘the seven moving tongues of fire’. Also, Upanishads like Paingala Upanishad too confirm that the Devas are 14; at other places, the same Devas are referred to as Manus who too are 14 in number. In Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad too we find that the Absolute God created a Manifest Self in the form of Light or Noor. This Manifest Self desired to have another Self, and thus were two Selfs. Then there is talk of another Self by the name Aditi, suggesting that this was a Devi (female version). Then Radhakrishana has used the words that suggest progeny; this is followed by references to two types of sacrifices by two Selfs created out of progeny. Thus, one became 5 which later became 14, but had only seven names.
Interestingly, the first five of the Ahlul-bayt were Prophet Mohammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain. Later, 9 lineal descendants in Husain’s progeny were included to make 14 Ahlul-bayt. These 14 also comprised group of 12 Imams; Fatima and Mohammad being the exceptions. The relationship that they had with each other was exactly similar to the relationship described in the aforementioned Upanishad. Prophet Mohammad clearly confirms his role as first of creations when he said:
I was the Prophet even when Adam was in the stage of creation.
And he confirms that Ali (his cousin, who later married his daughter Fatima) was also created at the same time:
I and Ali are the divisions of the same Noor.
And he said:
Fatima is of me and I am from Fatima
Unable to understand this complex relationship foretold in the Vedas, there is a very curious debate at one place in Hindu scriptures wherein the person is puzzled as to how can a father’s brother, who is like a father, marry his daughter. Several mythological stories got built so much so that even till date dictionary describes Aditi as one who married to Aditya, but also tells that she was born out of an incestuous relationship with her father (May God forgive those who misunderstood this sacred relationship owing to their ignorance). There are 12 vicegerents to the Prophet with Ali being the first and the dictionary describes Adityas to be 12; Aditya meaning ‘the sun’.
When Fatima and Ali got married, the mention of marriage in Brhad-aranyaka got completed. And two sons of Fatima were Hasan and Husain, who are mentioned in Brhad-aranyaka as two types of sacrifices. Interestingly, Hasan’s life was sacrificed through poison while Husain sacrificed his life through sword at Karbala. Nine descendants in Husain’s progeny, take the count to 14.
Lest somebody think that due to this division, their powers diminished or they became dissimilar, Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad states that all Devas are alike:
I.5.13:
These are all alike, all endless. Verily, he who meditates on them as finite, wins a finite world. But he who meditates on them as infinite wins an infinite world.
And Mohammad said of them:
The first is Mohammad, the middle is Mohammad, the last is Mohammad, all are Mohammad.
And this knowledge is linked with salvation is talked about in once again in II.7:
He (who knows this) overcomes repeated death, death cannot get hold of him, death becomes his body, and he becomes one with these divinities.
You have seen earlier how Mohammad has linked Ahlul-bayt with heaven earlier. In another tradition he says:
One who dies with love of Ahlul-bayt dies a shaheed (i.e. he attains salvation; we will describe the term ‘shaheed’ later in this compilation).
Quran and Upanishads both talk of ‘the colouring of God’ which is reference to this chain. Both talk of the rope that comprises a link between God and us. Upanishads talk of a Golden Egg (hiranyagarba) and the Muslim traditions talk of Silsalatul Zahad (Golden Chain). Moreover, when God in Quran talks of the purity of Ahlulbayt, it doesn’t say Mohammad’s Ahlul-bayt (meaning ‘People of the House of Mohammad) but just said Ahlul-bayt (meaning ‘People of the House’). Muslims couldn’t even understand this as they started saying that Ahlulbayt means ‘People of the House of Mohammad’. They said so despite the Bayt-ullah (House of God) was situated near to the place where the Ahlul-bayt (People of the House) lived. Thus, we can conclude that Kaaba or the ‘House of God’ has been given sanctity because the ‘People of the House of God’ were to take birth in the vicinity and God wanted everybody, right from the time of Adam, to identify that place. It was through the Ahlulbayt that man was to find the way to reach back to God, from where he had descended. This was supposed to be the sign of Vishnu (Face of Allah) on earth. Thus, Hindus too are right who give narrations to support that Kaaba was earlier Vishnu’s temple.
To be continued…
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