Book Reviewed: Vedic Deities by M.P. Pandit

Are Vedic Gods manifestation of a Supreme Being? An esoteric interpretation

In this book, the author examines the spiritual character of Vedas using Sri Aurobindo’s esoteric interpretation. It is argued that Rig-Vedic gods are not just natural forces worshipped by ancient Indians but they are a manifestation of a universal power and contains the elements of “Supreme Being. Most Western scholars shy away from the idea that Rig-Veda has metaphysical concepts, but Vedic scholars like Aurobindo and Kapali Sastriar, Vedic worship is more than a ritual practice.

The author considers three Vedic deities; Aditi, Surya and Maruts in his discussion, and the associated Vedic practices. He concludes that there is a philosophical doctrine behind a seemingly occult worship. A brief summary of this book is as follows:

Mystical elements are associated with sacrificial performance of Vedic culture. This ritual was believed to please the Vedic gods and bless the performer with strength. It is said that the Vedic altar which is the seat of sacrifice is referred to as the farthest extremity of earth. Paro antah prithvyah (Rig-Veda I.164.35) as the nodes of Truth, Rtsya nabhih (Rig-Veda V. X.13.3). In some places the sacrifice is referred to as an entity with conscious activity, Tatramtsya cetanam yajnam te tanavavahai (Rig-Veda I.170.4) and the gods themselves perform conscious sacrifice, Cetanam Yajnam. Thus sacrifice is deemed as a wheel for generating the power. Everything connected to a sacrifice has a symbolic meaning. Behind the external ceremony, there is an inner sanctum in which the sacrificer offers his material possessions to the higher powers with full devotion and dedication. It is a self-consecration with Agni who witnesses this journey to the inner sanctum. Agni is considered as the inner flame, a leader and the path-finder.

In his discussion about specific Vedic deities, the author observes that Maruts are the aspiring forces of life; they reach the height of pure mind with the swiftness of Vayu, and the strength of the force of Rudra who is their sire. Maruts give the nerve strengths, speed and drive to the inner being of a believer who is performing a sacrifice to attain immortality.

In the Vratya Kanda, the fifteenth section of the Atharva-Veda (Shaunaka Recension), there are 220 prose mantras whose seer is Atharva and the deity is Vratya. From the commentary of Sanskrit scholar Sampurnananda, we learn that Vratya is the Ultimate Being, he is bound by nothing and attached to nothing. He is transcendental and manifestation of the Supreme Godhead. The text describes the birth of the cosmos out of the conscious being (Vratya.) He manifests himself as Prajapathi to create gods, animals, plants and the entire universe.

This book is well organized and the discussions are illuminating. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the esoteric interpretation of Rig-Veda.