The challenge is
open for all knowers of Sanskrit. Read the biography of Imam Ali and Fatima
from a reliable source and then retranslate the verses of Rig Veda and Yajur
Veda where name of Siva, Shankar, Rudra and Vayudeva or Saraswati or Parvati
occur. You will find that the Vedas were eulogising those divinities who were
in the heaven at that time and beckoning the divinities to come in human form
on earth. Several incidents from the life of these divinities, when they would
come to live on earth, have been prophesied several thousand years before. This
not only confirms the divine association of Vedas but also confirm that the
divinities themselves have divine connection with Paramatma.
Unable to
understand the real identity of these Divinities and their true role in this
Divine Creation Plan, certain commentators have even gone to the extent of
calling Divinities like Brahma, Vishnu and Siva as imaginary beings. This is
very unfortunate thing to have happened. Somewhere down the line, we lost the
true meaning of scriptures, so much so that we are not in position today to
describe the true relationship of Divinities with each other. At times, we get
swayed by the myths in circulation, which are mostly half-baked stories upon
failure to understand the true content of the Vedas.
HH Wilson, the
European commentator of The Vishnu Purana, has gone to the extent of calling
the Divinities as imaginary beings. Says HH Wilson in the preface to the Vishnu
Purana: “It is not possible to conjecture when this more simple and primitive
form of adoration was succeeded by the worship of images and types,
representing Brahma, Vishnu, Siva and other imaginary beings, constituting a
mythological pantheon of most ample extent; or when Rama or Krishna, who appear
to have been originally real and historical characters, were elevated to the
dignity of divinities. Image worship is alluded to by Manu in several passages,
but with an intimation that those Brahmans who subsist by ministering in
temples are an inferior and degraded class.”
It seems image worship is something that man has
subscribed to again and again, even after repeated interjections by God’s
Messengers taking them back to the Unity of God.
Quran gives a very vivid example of this tendency
of man to desist from the worship of an Absolute Supreme God and to fall back
on idol worship time and again. Moses had gone on the mountain top only for a
few days, but when he did not return on the day he had told his followers, they
got restless and proceeded to worship a calf, at the behest of Satan. This
clearly tells that idol worship has been introduced time and again by Satan, in
his attempt to lead us away from the worship of the Supreme Lord.
Those who say that the five basic elements (earth,
water, air, etc) are sustainers of life, give no reasonable argument as to why
these five have been described as ‘great beings’ and whenever these ‘great
beings’ are described, it is in the context of attaining or leading the way to
salvation or guidance towards the right path. What role could water or sky play
in our salvation or showing us the true path?
Neither can it be explained that Paingala
Upanishad talks of five and then talks of fourteen. The fourteen are described
as ‘guardians of the fourteen quarters’. Can these material things like ‘earth,
fire, water, etc.’ be worthy enough to be appointed as guardians in God’s
scheme of the creation of cosmos?
The presence of the number seven too has confused
the writers. For instance Manusmriti talks of the seven great sages and calls
them Manus, though traditionally, the Manus are known to be fourteen in number.
Likewise, verse II.I.8 of the Mandukya Upanishad
of the Atharva Veda states:
“From him come forth the seven life-breaths (seven pranas), the
seven flames, their fuel, the seven oblations, these seven worlds in which move
the life-breaths, seven and seven which dwell in the secret place.”
Isn’t it a
clear enough proof of what we are trying to put across all through? Seven has a
distinct link to fourteen, when it is said that ‘seven and seven (equal to
fourteen) dwell in the secret place.’ Contrarily, Shankar has explained the
seven pranas (life-breaths) in these words. They are described “as the seven
organs of sense in the head i.e. two eyes, two ears, two nostrils and the
mouth’. These are compared to the seven different sacrificial oblations. The
perceptions produced by their activities are the flames of the sacrifice. The
activities of the different senses are co-ordinated by the mind which is
located in the heart.”
Did you see how
we have erred? Where the Upanishads were talking of the coming of the Manus
(Devatas) in human form at a secret place, we inferred that it is the mention
of seven organs of sense in the head. Where there was description of these
Devatas in human body giving real sacrifices, even sacrifices of their lives
when in human form, we inferred that the Vedas were talking of putting oil in
fire with a ladle of this or that shape.
The Spirit of
Truth i.e. the Paramatma created the 14 Devatas as guardians of the 14 spheres
as well as guardians of our bodies and soul. The Light of the 14 kept
descending in pious human bodies in various parts of the world and in various
ages. Mankind kept deviating from the true path again and again and the light
descended in new bodies who were called avatars. Finally, the 14 lights
descended one after another at a secret place. It was then that they were
called Ahlulbayt [People of the House (of God)]. These 14 Lights had only 7
seven names and that is the reason why Manus are sometimes referred to as 14
and sometimes as 7. The first five of them are all powerful Devatas, whose
process of creation has been described in several Upanishads. When the five
Lights descended in human bodies, they were called Panjetan [Five Bodies].
Their descent in human bodies too was similar to the process of creation of
Devatas described in the Upanishads so much so that their relationship with
each other too was exactly same as has been described in the Upanishads.
See the verse
III.13.6 of the Chhandogya Upanishad and tell for yourself whether this could
be the description of 5 basic elements, as the Hindus are told. Can the five
basic elements viz. fire, air, sky, earth and water be appointed as the
door-keepers of the heavenly world? It is such a great secret that all bounties
are bestowed on a person who knows this secret. He attains to that heavenly
world itself. Tell for yourself: does merely recognizing the material fire,
air, sky, earth and water is such a big deed that ensures your stay in the
heaven and birth of a hero in the family? See Chhandogya III.13.6:
“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.”
Very similar to this, Mohammad described Hasan and
Husain as the head of the youths of the heaven and Fatima as the head of the
women in heaven. Mohammad and Ali have been described as the leaders of those
entering into heaven. It is these five alone, according to Islamic traditions,
who act as door-keepers to heaven.
Narayana-Upanishad
of Krishna-Yajur Veda too has described the relationship of akash, vayu, agni,
apas and prithvi and also Rudra, Brahma, Indra and the rest with Narayana or
Absolute God.
“Aum. Then Narayana, the supreme Purusha desired. “I shall create
offspring.” From Narayana emanates prana, manas, the several organs of sense
and action, akash, vayu, agni, apas and prithvi that supports all. From
Narayana emanates Brahma. From Narayana emanates Rudra. From Narayana emanates
Indra, From Narayana emanates Prajapati (the divine progenitor). From Narayana
emanates the twelve Adityas, rudras, vasus, and all the chhandas (Vedas). From
Narayana only do (all these) proceed. Through Narayana do (they) prosper. In
Narayana (they) are absorbed. The Rig-Veda teaches this.”
It has been
clearly described that Akash, Vayu, Agni, Apas and Prithvi have been created by
God for a purpose. They as Devatas support the entire cosmos. All Devatas, be
they Brahma, Rudra (Siva), Indra, Prajapati or even other divinities have been
created by Narayana [God]. Everything is created by God and will get absorbed
in God. Narayana is the only one that is stainless, sinless, changeless, and
unnameable, and that is pure and divine. There is no second. Whoever knows Him
thus, becomes Vishnu Himself. The Yajur-Veda teaches this.
When people of
the time of Krishna had started worshipping the Devatas as gods, it was this
relationship that Krishna showed to them. He said in explicit terms that
Devatas do have a specific role, but they are not gods. They are subservient to
the Manifest Self [Paramatma or Vishnu] and there is an Absolute Invisible,
All-Pervading Power which created everything.
Another
important Upanishad – the Maitri Upanishad – tries to show us clearly that
Brahma, Rudra, Vishnu as well as fire, air, sun, time, etc. are names of Divine
Beings. Since all the names are taken together, it confirms that fire, air,
sun, time too are appellations for Devatas viz. Agnideva, Vayudeva, etc. Those
who still see air, fire, etc. as five basic elements, kindly see these verses from
Maitri Upanishad:
IV.5. “They said, ‘Revered One, you are the teacher, you are the
teacher. What has been said has been duly fixed in mind by us. Now answer a
further question. Fire, air, sun, time, whatever it is, breath, food, Brahma,
Rudra, Vishnu, some meditate upon one, some upon another. Tell us which one is
the best for us! Then he said to them.”
Please note that all names are not taken. This is
evident from mention of ‘whatever it is’ in between. It is clear that the
questioner wished to ask whose worship was the best, out of all the Divinities.
See the answer in IV.6:
IV.6. “These are but the chief forms of the Supreme, the immortal,
the bodiless Brahman. To whichever each man is devoted here in this world he
rejoices. For it has been said, ‘Verily, this whole world is Brahman.’ Verily,
these, which are its chief forms one meditates upon, worships and discards. For
with these one moves higher and higher in the worlds. And when all things
perish (in universal resolution), he attains unity of (with) the person, yea,
of the person.”
Unable to notice the words like ‘chief forms of
the Supreme’, and presence of revered names like Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra,
Radhakrishnan has wrongly concluded that this is reference to entire humanity.
Says he: ‘At the end of this world, at the time of universal dissolution,
Hiranya-garbha lapses into the Absolute Brahman. Till then individualities are
retained by the souls including the world-soul.’
Contrary to his view, this Upanishad states that
despite being distinct individual entities, the Devatas are all one and the
same and it does not matter whom we are meditating upon, to reach the Absolute
God. They have been described as the chief forms of Brahman – Supreme God –
something that Muslims won’t digest easily. But this is true! They, when the
Noor descended in human bodies on earth, were the living embodiments of God on
earth but we couldn’t recognize this, so much so that most of the Ahlulbayt
were tortured and killed.
Mundaka
Upanishad III.2.3 too refers to the need of Brahman [God] being targeted
through the contemplation of the Devatas who comprise all Life [Prana]. We can,
in short, say that all Life is courtesy the Devatas or rather all life is
inherent in the power of the Devatas. Devatas, who comprise life, are the rope
through which one should endeavour to reach God. See Mundaka III.2.3 and 4:
“Taking as the bow the great weapon of the Upanishads, one should
place in it the arrow sharpened by meditation. Drawing it with a mind engaged
in the contemplation of that (Pranas or Life), O beloved, know that
Imperishable Brahman as the target.”
II.2.4. “The syllable Aum is the bow: one’s self indeed is the
arrow. Brahman is spoken as the target of that. It is to be hit without making
a mistake. Thus one becomes united with it as the arrow (becomes one with the
target).”
It is clear that syllable ‘Aum’ comprise the
essence of the Upanishadic knowledge about the fourteen Devatas who comprise
all Life. The Vital Breaths or Devatas create the bridge to immortality. Thus
we are right in claiming that salvation can only be achieved through the
knowledge of Devatas.
II.2.5. “He in whom the sky, the earth and the interspace are woven
as also the mind along with the vital breaths, know him alone as the one self.
Dismiss other utterances. This is the bridge to immortality.”
Aum is the bow, without which it is not possible
to send arrow signifying self towards Brahman. These Devatas eventually are
meant by Aum, as we have shown here, and they alone form the bridge to
immortality. All the other ways to reach salvation or become one with Paramatma
shall be dismissed altogether. This alone is the teaching of Mundaka Upanishad.
See the next verse as well.
II.2.6. Where the arteries of the body are brought together like
the spokes in the centre of a wheel, within it becoming manifold. Meditate on
Aum as the self. May you be successful in crossing over to the farther shore of
darkness.
See how the self becomes manifold into vital
breaths, talked about in the previous verse, as arteries of the body brought
together like the spokes in the centre of a wheel. This manifold Self is
synonymous with Aum, and should be meditated as one’s own self, if we wish to
cross over the shores of darkness and reach enlightenment. The state of
enlightenment is achieved when the self becomes one with the Brahman or the
God, who is the highest goal to achieve and whose light it is that is reflected
as the light of the Devatas. The same is said in verse II.2.10 where Brahman
[God] has been described as light of the lights.
The same term light of the lights has been used
for God both in Old Testament and Quran:
“In the highest golden sheath is Brahman without stain, without
parts; Pure is it, the light of the lights. That is what the knowers of self
know.”
Verse II.2.11 further talks about the relationship
of these Devatas with Brahman.
“The sun shines not there, nor the moon and stars, these lightnings
shine not, where then could this fire be? Everything shines only after that
shining light (or noor of God). His shining illumines all this world.”
We have already mentioned that a tradition among Muslims known as
Hadees-e-Kisa says that the sun, the moon, the earth, the stars and skies, all
have been created by God in love of the Ahlulbayt. The aforementioned verse
from the Upanishad draws the same relationship between the Devatas [Lights] and
God [Light of lights].
Svetasvatara Upanishad says that there is nothing
to be known but the relationship of our individual self with the Brahman
through the path of the Divine Self (or devatma sakti) that divided into 14
powerful selfs, before all living beings were created. This relationship can be
understood only through meditating on Aum, which we will see signifies the Absolute
God reached through these Devatas alone and nothing else.
See verse I.12 and 13 of Svetasvatara Upanishad.
I.12. “That Eternal which rests in the self should be known Truly.
There is nothing beyond this to be known by knowing the enjoyer, the object of
enjoyment and the mover; everything has been said. This is the Threefold
Brahman.”
I.13. “As the form of fire when latent in its source is not seen
and yet its seed is not destroyed, but may be seized again and again in its
source by means of the drill, so it is in both cases. The self has to be seized
in the body by means of the syllable Aum.”
I.14. “As oil in sesamum seeds, as butter in cream, as water in
riverbeds, as fire in friction sticks, so is the Self seized in one’s own soul
if one looks for Him with truthfulness and austerity.”
Even Siva has confirmed in Uttara Khanda of the
Padma Purana that syllable Aum is the mysterious name of Brahma; thus
signifying all the 14 Lights that emanated from Brahma, whose creation process
has been talked about in various Upanishads.
In the Uttara Khanda of the Padma Purana, Siva
addresses Durga and says:
“The syllable Aum, the mysterious name, or Brahma, is the leader of
all prayers: let it therefore, O lovely faced be employed in the beginning of
all prayers.”
If you wish to see how the One Noor or Light of Brahma divided into
two and from that arose husband and wife [Noor of Siva and Parvati] who formed
the Hiranyagarbha [the Golden Womb] from whom human beings were produced, see
the following description from fourth Brahmana of Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad.
“He (the original Self) verily, had
no delight. Therefore he who is alone has no delight. He desired a second. He
became as large as woman and a man in close embrace. He caused that Self to
fall into two parts. From that arose husband and wife. Therefore, as
Yajnavalkya used to say, this is one half of one self, like one of the two
halves of a split pea. Therefore this space is filled by a wife. He became
united with her. From that human beings were produced.”
Yajnavalkya’s
words are significant as he has described the division of one light into two as
the two halves of a split pea, thereby indicating that the two were identical.
Prophet Mohammad has described this process alone when he said ‘I was the
Prophet even when Adam was between sand and water (i.e. in the process of
creation). Mohammad even said that ‘my Noor (light) was created prior to all
creation’ and ‘Ali and I are from the same Noor (light). As per another tradition,
Mohammad also said: “Fourteen thousand years before Adam upon whom be peace was
created, I and Ali were a light in the presence of God [See, since there was
only one light, he (the original self) had no delight.] When God created Adam
upon whom be peace, He divided it (Light) into two parts, I am one of the parts
and Ali is the other part.”
Also see: ‘from that arose husband and wife’.
Since Fatima was born out of Mohammad, this statement is extremely significant.
Mohammad and Ali didn’t become husband and wife but from the self of Mohammad
arose wife who got married to Ali. This husband and wife were Siva and Sakti.
From Siva and Sakti, all the rest of the Devatas and all creations were to take
birth. We have credible evidence with us to show that this Siva and Sakti was
being worshipped all over the globe at one point of time, albeit in different
names. Naturally, Siva and Sakti were in Devata state at that time. When they
took birth as humans, later towards the start of middle ages, they were named
Ali and Fatima.
You have no choice but to accept our inference as
true. Because if you do not do this, all the commentators have described this
relationship of Aditi with Aditya [Rudra or Siva] as incestuous and illegal and
say that the remaining Devatas were created because of this incestuous and
illegal relationship. It is even said that there was a myth among people of
yore as how could daughter of one Noor marry the other other half of the Noor
because in that way, he was uncle and thus akin to father himself. Commentators
couldn’t understand the subject of discussion and hence derived such weird
meaning.
I.4.5: “He (God or original self) knew, I indeed am this creation
for I produced all this. Therefore he became the creation. He who knows this as
such comes to be in that creation of this.”
Now we wish you to
see verse 1.4.11 of Brhad-aranyaka:
I.4.11: “Verily, in the beginning this (world) was Brahman, one
only. That being one, did not flourish. He created further an excellent form,
the Ksatra power, even those who are kshatras (rulers) among the devas, Indra,
Varuna, Soma, Rudra, Parjanya, Yama, Mrtyu, Isana. Therefore, there is nothing
higher than Ksatra. Therefore at the Rajasuya sacrifice the Brahmana sits below
the Ksatriya. On Ksatrahood alone does he confer this honour. But the Brahmana
is nevertheless the source of Ksatra. Therefore, even if the king attains
supremacy at the end of it, he resorts to the Brahmana as his source. He
becomes more evil as he injures one who is superior.”
The Vedas have used the terms Rudra, Indra,
Varuna, Soma, etc. for the Noor or Light of Devatas, whose Noor or Light was to
descend in pious bodies on earth. Verse I.5.13 of Brhad-aranyaka even goes on
to say that the Devatas so created from One Light are all alike, all endless.
See:
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.”
Interesting, Mohammad when he described the 14 said: “The first is
Mohammad, the last is Mohammad, the middle is Mohammad, all are Mohammad.” This
too shows that these are all alike.
Chapter Two of Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad further
elaborates on this knowledge itself, which has been described here. It starts
with describing the conflict between Gargya (a Brahmana) who mediated on the
Self and its manifestations viz. the Devatas, and Ajatasaturu, the Ksatriya,
who meditated on the Absolute. The Manifestations of the Self are referred to
as “the Seven Imperishable Ones”, whose names are Rudra, Parjanya, Aditya,
Fire, Indra, Earth, Heaven. We need not tell anymore who are the people meant
by Rudra, Indra, Aditya, Earth or Heaven. Only Parjanya is a new addition in
the list of seven, which confirms that these Devatas were known by a lot many
names and appellations.
Such was the importance given to seven. Seven vows
that the a couple takes in the name of Siva and Parvati, at the time of
marriage, were actually the seven vows in remembrance of these names.
Reading further, the Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad
confirms how the entire Life is dependent on these Divinities. See the plural
viz. ‘all divinities, all beings’ which has been described as ‘the truth of
truth’ Identity of these Devatas or the Vital Breadths are the truth that is to
be known. Verse II.1.20 says:
“As a spider moves along the thread, as small sparks come forth
from the fire, even so from this Self come forth all worlds, all divinities,
all beings. Its secret meaning is the truth of truth. Vital breaths are the
truth and their truth is it (that has been told here).”
Since the name of Siva (Rudra or Shankar) has been described with
other Divinities, Hindus who consider Siva as god are on the wrong. However,
there is no denying the fact that Rudra or Siva has been bestowed great powers
by the God. He has been given the power of creation, it is he who rules the
world and it is knowledge of him that leads to immortality viz. salvation. He
is the creator of the worlds, he is the protector of the worlds and it is he
who is the destroyer of the worlds. But he is subservient to God!
See, what Svetasvatara Upanishad, III.1-2 says:
“The one who spreads the net, who rules with his ruling powers, who
rules all the world with his ruling powers, who remains one, while arise and
continue to exist, they who know that become immortal.
Truly Rudra is one, there is no place for a second, who rules all
these worlds, with his ruling powers. He stands opposite creatures. He, the
protector, after creating all worlds, withdraws them at the end of time.”
We have seen
earlier that all Life has been described courtesy the Devatas. Such powers has
been bestowed on them in their Noor or Light state. The extent to which they
have been empowered can be seen from the aforementioned verses. It is Rudra as
Devata who has spread this net of creation and who rules overall the worlds,
who is the protector, after creation, and who it will be who will withdraw the
creation towards the end.
Isn’t it clear now? Be it tsunami, hurricane or a
quake – it is Rudra or Siva who can save us from it. It is Rudra or Siva to
whom we should turn our prayers for sustenance and protection. If we won’t do
so, the day is not far when he may withdraw the creation.
Interestingly, there is a small prayer to Ali that
some of his devout followers recite when in need of help. It goes like this:
Nade aliyan mazharul ajaib (Try to call Ali, who is the carrier of miraculous
powers of God); Tajidho aunan laka fin nawaib, kullo hamminv wa ghamminv
sayanjali (you will find him coming to assistance in each of your problems and
calamities); be azamateka ya Allah (in the name of the greatness of God), be
nubuvvateka ya Mohammad (in the name of the prophethood of Mohammad), be
vilayateka (in the name of Ali’s successorship) ya Ali, ya Ali, ya Ali adriknee
(O Ali, O Ali, O Ali help me).
Consequent to showering praises on Rudra, the
Upanishad talks of all the Devatas in the succeeding verse. These Devatas have
been compared to a tree, established in heaven, from whom the whole universe is
filled. These, described as Person, or one entity, is beyond this world, are
without form and without suffering. Those who know that become immortal, but
others go only to sorrow, it is said.
See III.4 of Svetasvatara Upanishad talks of Rudra
again and cites his relationship with all the rest of Devatas:
“He who is the source and origin of devas (powers), the ruler of
all, Rudra, the great seer, who of old gave birth to the golden germ.
(Hiranya-garbha), may he endow us with clear understanding.”
We shouldn’t be surprised if the innocent people of earlier times,
when they couldn’t understand the real identity of Rudra and saw verses like
this which lays stress on the role of Rudra or Siva in the creation of cosmos,
erroneously took to the worship of the phallus, we should not be surprised. You
will be surprised to know that there was a time when phallus was being
worshipped not only India, but in Mesopotamia, China and Japan, Greece and Rome,
Egypt, Australia and America thus proving that God introduced the Devatas not
only among the Aryans but in all parts of the world. You have no right to
refute the description of the Devatas in other religions because God is indeed
one and we know so much about the identity of the Devatas because He wanted mankind
to know who are their true benefactors and guides.
In the aforementioned verse, Rudra is also invoked
for a clear understanding so that all the obstacles in recognizing him and his
true position get removed. Once we are able to do so, we will also realize the
importance of other Devatas, upon cognizing whose true identity and gaining
knowledge about their true position, the path to immortality will be become
clear and reachable.
Verse 3 of Jabala Upanishad too confirms this. “Once
students of sacred knowledge asked (Yajnavalkya): Can we gain life eternal by
the repetition of formulas (mantras)? Yajnavalkya said (in reply) By
(meditation on) saturudriya which are the names of eternal life, one becomes
immortal. [Saturudriya again means the seven rudras.]”
And see how the prayer to Rudra is made in the
following verses:
III.5: “Rudra, your body which is auspicious, unterrifying, showing
no evil – with that most benign body, O dweller in the high places, look upon
us.”
Looking with the body shows that the prayer is
being made to come on earth in physical form. It is unfortunate that neither
the Hindus nor the Muslims, including the Shias, have been able to cognize the
true position of Rudra (or Ali). Sentences like ‘O dweller in the high places’
made simple and illiterate Indo-Aryans conclude that Rudra or Siva lived
somewhere on the high mountains. Verses regarding creation made some of them to
worship the phallus of Siva. And most Muslims kept debating the stories that
reached to them about the strength and other superhuman powers of Ali,
sometimes accepting them on face but denying them in heart.
III.6: “O Dweller among the highest, make auspicious the arrow
which thou holdest in thy hand to throw. O Protector of the Highest, injure not
man or beast.”
Rudra has been described as ‘dweller among the highest’ which
confirms there are others too who are dwelling with him.
Prajapati or Visva
– the head of these devas and from whom the fourteen were created - is
distinctly described in Chapter VIII (verse 7) of Maitri Upanishad, which
states:
“And he, verily, is the self within the heart, very subtle, kindled
like fire, endowed with all forms of him all this is food. In him are woven
creatures here. He is the self which is free from evil, ageless, deathless, sorrowless,
free from uncertainty, free from fetters, whose conception is the real, whose
desire is the real. He is the supreme Lord, he is the ruler of beings, he is
the protector of beings. He is the determining bridge. This self, verily, is
the Lord, the beneficent, Creator of all, the golden germ, truth, life, spirit,
the ruler, the unshaken, the pervader, Narayana. He who is yonder in the sun,
he is one. To these who art this, endowed with all forms hidden in the real
space, adoration.”
Please note that this is not the mention of God
but of the highest creation of God – the Manifest Self – whom Mohammad
described as the first of Noor. If there is any confusion, we present here two
separate verses from Subala Upanishad, which will clarify the distinction between
the description of Absolute Formless All-Pervading God (akin to Allah) and the
One Self viz. Vishnu or Paramatma (akin to Rooh or Wajhallah of Quran).
IV.I. “In the beginning this was non-existent, uestablished (in
anything else), devoid of sound, devoid of touch, devoid of form, devoid of
taste, devoid of smell, imperishable, not dense, not prodigious, originless, as
one’s own self (he), sorrows not. That which is lifeless, mouthless, earless,
speechless, mindless, splendourless, devoid of name and clan, headless, devoid
of glowing redness (like fire), immeasurable, not short, not long, not gross,
not minute, not small, not great, not definable, not obscure, not demonstrable,
not manifest, not shrouded, not obscure, not demonstrable, not manifest, not
shrouded, without an interior, without an exterior. It does not feed on
anything, nor does anything feed on it. One should attain this (Brahman) by
recourse to the six means of truthfulness, charity, austerity, fasting,
chastity (of mind and body) and complete indifference to worldly objects. One
should also attend to the following three, self-control, charity and
compassion. The pranas (vital breaths) of this (knower of Brahman) do not go
out, even where He is they get merged. He who knows thus, becoming Brahman
remains Brahman alone.”
Now see the account
from Mundaka Upanishad; it seems people of the time were confused about who was
the greatest among the Devatas:
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 (space) 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.”
Nine of the Devatas are described as sustaining
and supporting this body.
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.’
Life has been used for all the Devatas who are
fourteen in number. The division of One Light to create first five Devatas
(four Devas and one Devi) is being described here.
II.5. “As fire, he (Life, prana) burns; he is the sun. He is the
bountiful rain deva (Indra); He is the wind (Vayu or noor of Ali). He is the
earth (noor of Fatima), matter, deva. He is being and non-being and what is
immortal.”
Five Devatas or the five Panjetans described here
along with the nine before make fourteen Manus or fourteen 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 (these Devatas, who are the sustainers
and supporters of all life in this cosmos). Shortly, we will see whether the
Vedas too talk about the same subject or not?
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.”
Life (Vishnu or Manifest Self) is the lord of all
creatures. It is Vishnu who is responsible for birth of creatures from the
wombs, and without Vishnu births would not occur. All creatures bring offerings
to these Devatas who dwell with our vital breaths, thereby meaning that it is
they who sustain and support our lives.
II.8. “Thou art the chief bearer (of offerings) to the Devatas;
thou art the first offering to the fathers; thou art the true practice of the
seers, descendents of Atharvan and Angiras.”
Clearly, the Life (signifying Vishnu or Wajhallah
and meaning the first five Devatas or Panjetans of the Muslims) is given the
offering first, who carry it to other Devatas. Offering is given to Life even
before it is given to fathers. The good acts; teachings and righteous practices
of the seers are dependent on Life itself.
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.”
It has been made clear here that Indra was the
subject of discussion till here. Rudra is described as the Lord of remaining
Lights (Devatas).
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.”
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.”
All are ever pure. You have seen earlier how Quran
describes Ahlulbayt as perfectly pure.
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.”
Another
Upanishad, Amrtanada-Upanishad also talks of the important relationship
that exists between God, Self and us and enumerates that the ultimate aim is to
reach God, through the recognition of the Self. The Devatas are important
because they illuminate the path, but there is only a point till then they can
lead. Thereafter, it is the relationship between man and God that matters. See
what the Upanishad says:
“The wise, having studied the Shastras and reflected on them again
and again and having come to know Brahman, should abandon them all like a
firebrand. Having ascended the car of Aum with Vishnu (the Higher Self) as the
charioteer, one wishing to go to the seat of Brahmaloka (the world of Brahma)
intent on the worship of Rudra, should go in the chariot so long as he can go.
Then, abandoning the car, he reaches the place of the Lord of the car.
People are advised to use Devatas as rope till a
level when you reach the Manifest Self (Vishnu). Hindus should know that Rudra
(Siva) too as Devata can take us to a level from where we should worship the
Lord of the car viz. Absolute God (Ishwar or Allah).
Did you now understand why Absolute God [Ishwar or
Allah] was introduced towards the end? The Divine Creation plan worked in this
manner: the earlier scriptures introduced the Devatas in all parts of the
world. That is why we see Devatas being described in Vedas; similar
descriptions are visible in various other civilizations of that period. The
role of Manifest Self or Rooh or Holy Spirit was elaborated by Krishna and
other avatars of the period including Jesus. Subsequently, when the Spirit of
truth comprising of all the Devatas itself descended in human bodies, one after
another, greatest stress was laid on worship of One Absolute God.
“That man is never reborn (who has this knowledge).”
You have thus known the path to salvation where Devatas or
Ahlulbayt are the rope to ascend the path.
