In Search of Vedic Role Models for Modern Male Population – III. Uncertainty of Pursuit and the Biology of Purusha

Rudra-Manthan Series

(Continued from Part-II)

– Prof. Bal Ram Singh

Source of Image : https://dharmicverses.com/ardhanareeshvara-purusha-and-prakriti/

The feminine aspect of the Mahat Śakti has been modeled through the Nava-Durgā for human practice and realization (https://vedicwaves.wordpress.com/2021/04/28/nava-durga-as-ideal-model-for-the-development-of-women-to-attain-their-natural-full-potential/) in a relatively simple symbolization of the various phases of a woman’s life. The masculine aspect has never been explicitly modeled in the past to the best of my knowledge, although it is no rocket science to imagine it would be the Śiva. Since Śiva form represents the visible world, with infinite diversity, modeling it in a set of fixed formats is difficult, and this perhaps is the explanation of the absence of a symbolic representation of the masculine form. In terms of the Purūṣa and Prakṛti also, the former is defined through the pursuit (in deed a word derived from Purūṣa), which is a lot more uncertain than the Prakṛti even with its diversity. This can be seen reflected in a popular Sūbhāṣita as follows

नृपस्य चित्तं कृपणस्य वित्तं  मनोरथः दुर्जन मानवानाम्|

त्रिया चरित्रं पुरुष्यस्य भाग्यं दैवो न जानाति कुतो मनुष्यः||

Nrupasya chittam krupanasya vittam manorathah durjan manavaanaam|

Triyaa charitram purushasya  bhaagyam  daivo na jaanaati kuto manushyah||

i.e. Even the Devas do not know about a king’s (or a rulers) mentality, the wealth of a miserly person, about the wishes of wicked persons, the way a woman will behave, and what will be the fate of a man.  Then how can an ordinary person know about it?

The prediction of the pursuit of unknown which man has more tendency to do, and thus also the consequence of such pursuit certainly is uncertain. Also, the triya that comes from stree is related to sāttvic, rājasic, and tāmasic gunas that women possess simultaneously (remember multi-tasking!), which is by its nature difficult to determine. These are the factors why the uncertainty is associated with these two very important traits men and women possess biologically and psychologically. However, women nevertheless would have more control over their own conduct compared to men, leading to more risk variability men’s life as pointed out in a Harvard Health Publishing article.

Source of image : https://in.pinterest.com/pin/728035095992868923/

Over 15 years ago there were psychological studies conducted on men and women in terms of spatial and navigational skills. It was found that men have higher spatial skills compared to men. What implications would this might have in the lives of men? When men find themselves located in a place be in forest or car they are able to have better sense of their position. This means they will be adept to parking their cars in a given place, or may have a sense of the direction they need to pursue to get out. On the other hand, women have better navigational skills by being able to spot items on the way, thus making them milestones to find their way. Thus, while women may be flexible or appear distracted but their ability to spot items helps in their navigational needs. Men, on the other hand, have sense of directions but the details of getting to a place will have many uncertainties.

Biologically men and women are quite different, beginning with genetic, metabolic, and physiological, that leads to social and cultural behavior, imposed or otherwise. According to Robert H. Shmerling “The uneven playing field for boys starts early. The Y chromosome tends to develop mutations more often than X chromosomes and the lack of a second X chromosome in men means that X-linked abnormalities among boys are not “masked” by a second, normal version. Survival in the womb is also less reliable for male fetuses (for uncertain, and probably multiple, reasons). Developmental disorders are also more common among boys; some of these could shorten life expectancy.”

In addition, the hormonal secretion, including sex hormones (Figure 1), dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, which affects mood, behavior, and physiology, are quite different not only in their pattern, but also in their effects. For example, the oxytocin – a social bonding hormone, has positive effect on women whereas somewhat negative effect on men. All this begs the question for the need to utilize the knowledge of ancient India coded in Vedic texts for modern times to create a role model for men.

Figure 1. Level of sex hormone in men and women.

(to be continued….)

Editorial note – As a complementary to the Indian tradition of Nava-Durgā as the ideal role model of girls and women, it is high time that boys also get to be reminded of their potential and possibilities with role models similar to Nava-Durgā. Recently, the Institute of Advanced Sciences, Dartmouth, USA, in collaboration with Kuruom Jankalyan Sansthan in village Kuruom near Ayodhya decided to make a debut program of Ramkathā as the platform to discuss, during April 22 – May 2, 2021, the features and traits of eleven Rudras as Rudra-Manthan for guiding boys in the world to grow and realize their full potential. Rudra-Manthan series of articles continue to explore that possibility to promote a better understanding of the needs and to provide educational support to boys and men.

– Prof. Bal Ram Singh, School of Indic Studies, Institute of Advanced Sciences, Dartmouth, MA, USA

‘Yagyas’ – Your Connect with the Divine

Mrs. Rati Hegde

In the Durgā Sūktam, Jātavedās, interpreted physically as fire, represents the Omniscent Īśwara. He (the Divine Agni) is exhorted to lead us and protect us by taking us across all perils just as the captain takes the ship across the sea. He is also requested to save us from all wrong-doings. He is Tarasi – skilled in saving and helping in crossing over and He is requested to help us cross the ocean of Samsāra.

Yagya (Yajña) is a ritual in which the performer of the Yagya invokes any particular devatā via Agni (fire) with the help of a mantra, gives an oblation or offering to the devatā and asks for a blessing for the benefit of mankind, the environment, animals and every part of nature on this earth and beyond. While doing so, the Yajmāna (or the performer of the Yagya) also hopes that good fortune befalls him too, because he is through his offering, strengthening nature and the devatās. This is a divine ritual in Sanatan Dharma or Hinduism.

*Yagya is a medium of connectivity with the divine forces. Yagya is also a process of purifying atmosphere through the agency of fire. Vedas have two fundamental concepts and they are ‘Yoga’ and ‘Yagya’. Vedic texts describe in detail the processes of Yagyas. In fact, Yagya is at the core of all Vedas. A study of Vedic texts and Brāhamaṇas indicates the main components of Yagya as :  

a) Sankalp-divine resolve of the good of Society and self.

b) Agnidevatā Prasthāpana– Engagement of Prakāś Śakti (Light Energy) in the process of Yagya  

c) Havirdravya for oblations to be offered to the sacred fire for carrying them to the main Deity for which Yagya is being performed

d) Timing of Yagya as per position of constellations for Interplanetary Communications and Cosmic Energy Influences.

e) Mantras and Prayers-Sound Energy vibrations and frequencies for the desired effect as per Mantra Vijñān or Mantra Śāstra

f) Sacrifice for the sake of common good and

g) The Resonance Effect of all these components to carry through and achieve the Sankalp. The objective of Yagya has to be ‘Vyaṣṭi -Kalyān’ and ‘Samaṣṭi -Kalyān’. Only then can that particular act or ritual qualify to be called as a Yagya.*

When we usually talk of a Yagya we picture a ‘havankund’, i.e., a pit where wood is burned, ‘havis’ (food for the devatā) is offered, Brāhmins sitting around the ‘Yagnakund’ chanting mantras, elaborate rangolis, and a couple sitting in front of the Yagya offering their prayers. Yes, this is the way a ritualistic Yagya is conducted… but there are other forms of Yagyas in which only the fire element, the sincere prayer, the offering, the Yajmāna and the personal devatā are there. They may not fit into the Vedic elaborate Yagya as we usually know of, but it is a Yagya nevertheless.

Last year, when Modi ji asked everyone to light lamps as a thankful gesture to those who were our caregivers and our Covid heroes, many claimed that it was based on the Devī Purāṇa. During the battle against Mahiśāsura, Kātyāyaṇī (a form of Durgā Devī) is believed to have lost her energy on Aṣṭamī day. On Sandhi Pūjā Muhūrat she was re-energised and she killed Mahiśāsura. To this day, Bengalis light 108 lamps on this Muhūrat during Durgā Pūjā. This lighting of lamps (Agni), singing verses in praise of Mā (mantras), praying for relieving the universe from all kinds of negative energies, i.e., Asuras (benefit of mankind and strengthening the devatās) … all this is a form of Yagya itself, but it is done publicly without the involvement of any structured ritual or Yagnakund.

Another form of Yagya which almost everyone must have been involved in but never realised it to be so, is the burning of Holīkā or Kāma on the day before Dhulī-vandan on Holī festival. Holīkā–dahan or Kāma–Dahan is the burning of logs and old, unused stuff while invoking Śivā / Viṣṇu in the form of folk songs/ballads, thus destroying the tāmasic feelings in one.  People offer upalās (cow dung), maize, corn, ghee, etc. to the fire. The ‘Yajmāna’ and the ‘Purohita’, both are the self and blessings are asked for destruction of the negative elements in nature, in the surroundings and within us.

There is also another form of Yagya which everyone who is a practising hindu performs in their very own houses every day. This is the lighting of the diyā or the lamp during sandhyā (dawn/dusk). Here too Agni is invoked to send our prayers to the devatās, offerings are made (in the form of ‘prasād’) and prayers are offered to various devīs and devatās either through mantras or through our own words. We seek to destroy the negative energies in ourselves and our house and seek to strengthen the divine within us.

Another simplified form of Yagya which almost every Hindu housewife indulges in everyday in her kitchen is the lighting up of fire (in any form) to cook food (anna). In Chapter 5 of Yajñavalkya Smriti on the duties of a householder, Yajñavalkya refers to Pañch–yagnas which are supposed to be done nitya (everyday) – Bhuta Yagya (feeding of animals, birds, sick people, etc.), Svadhā ie. feeding of Pitṛs (by men, when they offer ‘anna’ to the Pitṛs before eating their food), Deva Yagya, i.e., feeding of food to fire, Brahma Yagya, i.e., Swādhyāya or learning of Vedas and finally Manuṣya Yagya, i.e., feeding the guests. In the above, since we cannot do Deva Yagya every day, it has become a custom to thank Agni when lighting the fire for the first time in the day for cooking, by offering a small piece of anything special that is cooked to Vaiśvadeva (the Agni in the cooking fire), by the housewife. Most housewives also like to keep a small piece of food for the crows or ants everyday and giving a ‘roti’ to the cows and the dogs is part of the Bhuta Yagya. The main ‘bhojana’ is first to be given to guests (Manuṣya Yagya), old people, pregnant women, children, etc and then the householders can consume the food. The importance of this fire is so much that even when any other Yagya takes place at home, the gṛhiṇī (housewife) is called upon to bring that fire to set light the first spark in the Yagnakund. Another form of Bhuta Yagna is when rangoli is drawn by using fine rice powder so that ants and other insects and small birds can consume it later.

What about children? Can they perform any Yagya? Well, you know the crackers that one bursts during Deepāvalī? While the lighting of the lamps and keeping it outside our homes or on window sills is to invite Mātā Lakṣmī and Prabhu Śrī Rām to our homes, I would like to claim that the bursting of crackers is the way we invoke the memory of our devatās through Agni and the sound of the crackers. This is how we introduce our children to Agni and Yagyas in a joyful way.

Purists may say that all of the above are not actually Yagyas, but the fact remains that all of the above are actually miniature versions of the elaborate Yagya rituals done to please/placate/energize our devīs and devatās and to energize ourselves too. Those who seek to bracket Hinduism as a religion with elaborate rituals aimed at trampling upon or restricting certain ‘castes’ from reaching out to God without any medium (like a Brāhmin Purohit) in between, do not know the vastness called Dharma. For every ritual which is elaborate and reaching out to the entire Brahmāṇda (universe), there also exists an extremely simple form (Piṇde) which bestows upon the devotee and the deity the same benefits as the elaborate one. Of course, the only condition is that there should be Śraddhā (faith) and Bhakti (devotion). In fact, without the two, even elaborate rituals do not give the prescribed results.

[*With inputs from Shri Anand Gaikwad]

Mrs. Rati Hegde, columnist and author