Second Adhyaya, Second Khanda (3 Mantras)

Mantra 2.2.1.

1. Let one meditate on the Harmonious (in His five-fold aspect) in the five worlds. Pradyumna in Pṛthivī (the earth), Vāsudeva in Agni (fire), Nārāyaṇa in the sky, Aniruddha (the Evolver) in the Āditya (sun), Saṅkarṣaṇa (the Destroyer) in Dyau (heaven). So in an ascending line.—99.

[Note.—Pṛthivī—the Lord called Pṛthivī, because of His giving increase (prathana) to harvest etc., and residing in earth.]

[Note.—Hiṅkāra—as Hiṅkāra, because as the agent of creation, He is called Hiṅkāra, established by the Sāma Bhakti called Hiṅkāra, Pradyumna.]

[Note.—Agniḥ (Agni)—the fire, Vāsudeva dwelling in fire, called Agni, because devouring (adana) everything.]

[Note.—Prastāvaḥ—(as) Prastāva, established by the Sama Bhakti called Prastāva; and as it means literally the First Emanation, is the name of Vāsudeva, the first Avatāra.]

[Note.—Antarikṣam (Antarikṣa)—the Ether, Nārāyaṇa, dwelling in Antarikṣa, called also the same because He looks into (antarīkṣana) the hearts of all.]

[Note.—Udgīthaḥ—(as) Udgītha, Nārāyaṇa so-called because He is sung by Om; a Sāma Bhakti called Udgītha, the sun; Hari named Āditya, dwelling in Āditya; called Āditya because He takes up (ādāna) all life.]

[Note,—Pratihāraḥ—(as) Prātihāra (Pratihāra?). The Sāma Bhakti called Pratihāra; the Lord established by that Sāman; and so named ecause He constantly modifies (Pratihāra) the world in every effect, and continually breaks old forms. It is the name of Aniruddha.]

[Note.—Dyauḥ—the heavens. Saṅkarṣaṇa dwelling in the heaven. Dyau = √div ‘to play’ is a name of the Lord, because He is sportful, the creation is His sport.] [Note.—Nidhanam—(as) Nidhana; the Sāma Bhakti called Nidhana. It literally means “Destroyer”. The aspect of Lord as Destroyer is so called. It is the name of Saṅkarṣaṇa.]

[Note.—Ūrdhveṣu, in the regions one above the other, from below upwards; in an ascending line.]

Note.—Let one meditate on the Harmonious (in His five-fold aspect) in the five worlds. Pradyumna the creator called Hiṅkāra dwells in Pṛthivī (the earth and is called Pṛthivī, the scatterer of seed); Vāsudeva called Prastāva (the First emanation) dwells in Agni (fire), and is called Agni (the Eater); Nārāyaṇa called the Udgītha, dwells in the Antarikṣa (sky) and is also called so, because He looks into the hearts of all; Aniruddha called Pratihāra, (the Evolver), dwells in the Āditya (sun) and is called Āditya, because he takes up all, Saṅkarṣaṇa called Nidhana, the Destroyer, dwells in Dyau, heaven and is called Dyau because He is sportful. So in an ascending line.

Mantra 2.2.2.

2. Now in a descending scale—Pradyumna in heaven; Vāsudeva in the sun; Nārāyaṇa in the sky; Aniruddha in fire, and Saṅkarṣaṇa in the earth.—100.

[Note.—Āvṛtteṣu—from above downwards, let one meditate on the five-fold Lord called the Harmonious.]

Mantra 2.2.3.

3. These (ten) Resplendent (Forms), (five) on the ascending and (five) on the descending arc, make accessible (all desired objects) to that (worshipper), who knowing thus the Lord, meditates on Him as the Harmonious, in His fivefold form, in the worlds.—101.

Madhva’s commentary called the Bhāṣya:

Now the Śruti teaches the meditation on the Lord, in the five-fold Sāman. In the sentence the earth is Hiṅkāra, etc., prima facie it would appear as if the earth and Hiṅkāra were one and the same; this is inaccurate. Hiṅkāra, etc., being mere words or sounds cannot be objects like earth, etc. The Commentator, therefore, explains these five words first, namely Hiṅkāra, Prastāva, Udgītha, Pratihāra and Nidhana. Because these words are of constant occurrence in these Khaṇḍas.

The word Udgītha is the name of Nārāyaṇa, because He is sung as the High, through the syllable Om. Or He is called Udgītha, because Avatāras, like Vāsudeva, etc., come out (udgacchanti) from Him. (The word Prastāva means Vāsudeva) Vāsudeva being the first Avatāra, or Form; being the highest person or Male is called Prastāva, (pra=first, stāva=born or emanation). Saṅkarṣaṇa is called Nidhana, because Saṅkarṣaṇa means the destroyer; and Nidhana also means destruction; therefore, Saṅkarṣaṇa alone is Nidhana. (Hiṅkāra is now explained, it is the name Pradyumna). The Lord Pradyumna is called Hiṅkāra, because he is the Creator or Maker of “hi” or creation, for “hi” means creation. “Hi” means that which is well-known, and creation is well-known. The word Pratihāra, is the name of Aniruddha, the Supreme Lord, because He nourishes continually this world, in all its activities; therefore, the sustainer (Pratihartā) is called Aniruddha. Another meaning of Pratihartā is that he who re-absorbs, all his forms, again and again (Prati) in himself.

Admitted that the words Hiṅkāra, etc., are names of the Lord how are they applied to the earth, etc. This the Commentator next answers.

These Pradyumna, etc., are always resident in earth, etc., as established in them and because these aspects of the Lord reside in earth, etc.; therefore, earth, etc., get the name of Pradyumna, etc. The word Pṛthivi, etc., in their etymological meaning, primarily denote the Lord, and secondarily, they denote earth, etc., on account of their connection with the Lord and existing for the sake of the Lord, Because the Lord makes the crops to grow (Prathana), therefore He is called Pṛthivī or the Crop-grower (and secondarily the earth is called Pṛthivī because the crops grow on it). Fire is called Agni because it devours (Adana) all, and the Lord is called Agni as He devours the whole universe. The Lord is called Antarikṣa [Antarikṣam] because He sees (ikṣan) through all. And nothing can obstruct His gaze. This word is secondarily applied to the sky, where also there is nothing to obstruct the gaze.

The Lord is called Antarikṣa because Ho sees into the interior of every thing; nothing obstructs His gaze, the sky is called Antarikṣa, because there is no object in it to obstruct one’s gaze.

The Lord is called Āditya, because He takes up life and sap. The sun is called Āditya, because he takes up (adana) vapours. The Lord is called “Dyau” because He creates all as a pastime, (the √div = to play, to sport). The heaven is called Dyau, because it is also a place of sporting or play. Thus all names verily apply to the Supreme Hari.

(The above Śruti passage is thus construed by some:—“the worlds in the ascending as well as the descending lines, belong to him, who, knowing this thus, meditates upon the five-fold Sama among the worlds.” This explanation is however, incorrect. The Commentator shows this by quoting an authority.)

It is said “he who worships the Supreme Lord Hari, in His fivefold forms, in the worlds; for him these five forms, which are ten-fold because of being five in the higher and five in the lower, or five on the ascending and five on the descending arc, give all his desires even up to Mokṣa or release.”