Adhikarana III — The world of Varuna

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Adhikarana III — The world of Varuna

is above that of lightning

Now the author discusses the following verse of the Kaushitaki Upanishad (I., 3) already given before:

«He comes to the world of Varuna, to the world of India, to the world of Prajapati».

Doubt: Whether the Varunaloka mentioned in the above, is to be inserted in the Devayana path beginning with Archis and if it is a stage in this Archiradi path, where tines it come in? is it to be inserted in this series? If so, where?

Purvapaksha: The Purvapakshin maintains that Varunaloka is not to be inserted as a stage on the Archiradi path, because (here is nothing in the text to indicate where this is to be inserted.

Siddhanta: The right view, however, is that the world of Varuna is to be inserted after the world of Lightning, because Lightning and water are intimately connected. And this is shown in the next Sutra.

SUTRA IV. 3. 3.

तटितोऽधि वरुणः संबन्धात्॥४.३.३॥

taṭito’dhi varuṇaḥ saṃbandhāt ..4.3.3..

.. Taditah, of the lightning, … Adhi, above. … Varunah, Varuna. …. Sambandhat, this being the relation.

3. The world of Varuna is above that of Lightning, because of the intimate connection between them. — 524.

COMMENTARY

In the Chhandogya Upanishad (IV., 15. 5) already quoted before, it was said that from the plane of moon, he goes to the piano of lightning. It is after this plane of lightning mentioned there, that the plane of Varuna is, to be inserted. Why so? Because lightning is connected with water, as we see that after lightning, it generally rains. There is a Shruti also to the effect that when the quick lightning’s play in the bosom of clouds, accompanied by the deep sound of thunder, then the waters fall and people say, «It lightens, it thunders, it will rain».

The connection of Varuna, the king of waters, with lightning’s is a well-known connection.

Above the world of Varuna are to be placed the worlds of Indra and Prajapati, because there is no other Place where to insert them, and because the text of the Kaushitaki Upanishad has read them in that order.

Thus on the Archiradi path, beginning with Archis and ending with Prajapati, there are twelve stages if Devaloka be considered the same as Vayuloka, or thirteen stages, if it be considered a separate Loka. This is the well-known Devayana path.

Adhikarana IV — The words light, day,

the bright fortnight, etc.

Having discussed the various names «Archis» and the rest, the author now takes up the question as to what are really those «Archis, etc».

Doubt: Are they landmarks on the path, or are they persons standing on the path and watching it, or are they conductors of the wise sage to the heavenly world?

Purvapaksha: The opponent maintains the view that the light (Archis), etc., are landmarks, because the text shows that they are landmarks. As in worldly life, a path is described to a man by certain landmarks, such as «in going to such and such a city, you will first come across a river, then a hill, then a village where a large number of cows are kept». etc.. so the descriptions in the Upanishads are mere landmarks, showing what are the various things which the soul comes across, on its way heavenwards. Or the word «light» and the rest may mean certain individuals, bearing those names, because the text gives the names expressly.

Siddhanta: This view is set aside in the next Sutra.

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