Prajapati's relations with Brahman, Brhaspati and Brahma - DWC

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on Brahmä 6 the relations between Brahmä and his "functional antecedent" Prajäpati are far from exhaustively discussed, attention being mainly focussed on a few myths and post-Vedic particulars. It seems therefore worthwhile to collect and study the main Vedic as well as some upanif?adic and other texts, which can be regarded as sources of information on the various ritual, mythological, and theological affinities, associations, relationships and other coincidences, which, being more numerous than a superficial reader would think, may be supposed to have led or contributed to the above development. 6 G. Bailey , The mythology of Brahmä, Delhi 1983; see p. 63 ff. The present publication was for the greater part compiled before I became acquainted with this book (summer 1984). 2
11 Visvakarman and Vayu Passing mention may first be made of Visvakarman 1 , who, - incautiously regarded as Prajäpati's double 2 - besides BrahmaI)aspati and other deities figures as an of ten more or less independent demiurge ("making everything"). Though being in different times and different (popular, ritualistic , or philosophical) circles of the Aryan society no doubt not always recognized as an able or important deity, he represented, for the same reason and in the same way, an ancient effort to express the idea of a unique god. In ~V. 10, 81, in which he is eulogized, the cosmic creation is not only compared to the work of a smith and a carpenter, but also to a sacrificial rite (remember that Prajäpati is regarded as the one who produced the sacrifice, SB. 13, 1, 1, 4 and that he was the arch-sacrificer); in 8, 98, 2 Visvakarman is identical with Indra (cf. VS. 8, 45 and 46; SB. 4, 6, 4, 6). The description of his person, in ~V. 10,81,3 "with eyes, face, arms and feet in all directions", reminds us of the well-known four-faced Brahmä of later times. In st. 7 of the same'hymn he is described as Väcaspati "Lord of (sacred) Speech", a name that at TS. 1, 8, 10, 1 is given to Brhaspati and in SB. 5, 1, 1, 16 quoting VS. 9, 1 to Prajäpati (cf. also Mahïdhara on VS.); in 10, 82, 2 as Dhätar j, who in the later period is an equivalent of Brahmä or Prajäpati and as Vidhätar "the Disposer, Ordainer" '\ who later is of ten also mentioned together with Dhätar and likewise fuses with Brahmä; he is known as the One (st. 2 and 6; cf., e. g. , ~V. 10, 129, 2; 3, later of ten used to characterize Bráhman 5; cf. , e. g. , BÄ U. 3, 9, 9) and as "the first embryo which the waters bore" (~V. 10, 82, 6): compare the accounts of the cosmogony according to whi~h the waters produced a (golden) embryo (e.g. ~V, 10, 121, 7; A VS. 4, 2, 8), which at TS. 5, 5, 1, 2 is expressly identified with Prajäpati 6 • In ~V. 10, 82, 1 Visvakarman is said to be "wise (possessed of 1 Macdonell, Vedic Myth010gy, p. 118; P. Deussen , Allgemeine Geschichte der Phi- 10sophie, I ,I, ~Leipzig 1920, p. 134 ff . ; F. Edgerton, The beginnings of Indian philosophy, London 1965, p. 61f.; Renou, E.V.P., XV, p. 167 ff.; Bhattacharji, The Indian theogony, p. 320 ff.; the same, in ABORI 54 (Poona 1983), p. 208 ; Gonda , Aspects of ear1y Vi~l]uism, p. 88. Compare , e. g . , a1so E. Dammann, Die Religionen Afrikas, Stuttgart 1963, p. 83. 2 Renou, L'Inde c1assique, I, p. 329. 3 The god who p1aces, establishes , founds, gives things their right p1ace. 4 See a1so Bailey, B rahmä, p. 141. 5 "Pré1ude au bráhman neutre des temps u1térieurs", Renou, E. V . P. XV, p. 170. 6 See Gonda, Hiral]yagarbha conception (see n. 1,4 above). 3
Page 1: Prajapati's relations with Brahman,
Page 4 and 5: ISBN 044485695 I Aangeboden in de v
Page 7: I Introduction In this publication
Page 11 and 12: during the performance of an animal
Page 13 and 14: great (primaeval) ocean, the timely
Page 15 and 16: eternal and primaeval (puräva). As
Page 17 and 18: IV Prajapati and Brhaspati It has r
Page 19 and 20: 5, 1, 4, 14 15 ; 5, 1, 5, 2; 8; 5,
Page 21 and 22: In the Sarphitäs of the J!.gveda a
Page 23 and 24: patible with the explanation furnis
Page 25 and 26: duties" (of Brhaspati), in 10·, 16
Page 27 and 28: strengthened himself and the sacrif
Page 29 and 30: That the one speaking in AVP. 20, 5
Page 31 and 32: epresents Bráhman. Prajäpati crea
Page 33 and 34: the person speaking comfortable or
Page 35 and 36: quenched, blazed forth again, Brhas
Page 37 and 38: in 4, 8, 9 the anu~tubh is said to
Page 39 and 40: v uia 106 makes the pat ron conquer
Page 41 and 42: with the sovereignty of Agni, Indra
Page 43 and 44: sweat, sveda) on its forehead ... a
Page 45 and 46: HiraI;1yagarbha, Agni, Brahman and
Page 47 and 48: stanza is described as the embryo i
Page 49 and 50: Brhaspati is related to have gained
Page 51 and 52: Parenthetically, although Prajäpat
Page 53 and 54: in the past to introduce a new rite
Page 55 and 56: ment al power AVS. 9, 6 (AVP. 1b, 1
Page 57 and 58: Säya~a's explanation, the brahmán
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7, 4, 1, 16 it is stated to be his
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31 1-16) which consists of 16 stanz
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VIII Prajapati and the God Brahma I
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and "born, was the sole lord of wha
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IX Puru~a That the Puru!}a concept
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proceeded to create the provinces o
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x Epilogue How in the course of tim
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Abbreviations
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11. Abbreviated titles of books and
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GENERAL INDEX Acyuta, 59 aetiologic
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INDEX OF SANSKRIT WORDS aksara, 63,
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INDEX OF SANSKRIT TEXT-PLACES AVP.
Page 84:
VS. 40,8 9 SB. 14,2,2,10 22 SB. 1,3
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Prajapati's relations with Brahman, Brhaspati and Brahma - DWC

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