-- Thread on the Tryambaka Offerings in the Veda --

Tryambaka Ishti is an ancillary rite of Sakamedha Yajna, 1 of the 4 Yajnas comprising Chaturmasya. Housed in Vājasaneyi samhita of Yajur Veda, it contains “tryambakaṃ yajāmahe…” mantra.+

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However, even good scholars have not been able to decipher the mantra in this section, “rudra bʰāgáḥ sahá svásrā́mbikayā” – which declares Ambikā as sister of Rudra. Many queries about this are on the internet (eg Hinduism Stack Exchange) .+

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I am giving the interpretation, which those with dispassionate minds can appreciate. To understand why Ambikā is mentioned as a sister of Rudra, one must accept that parts of Veda talk in metaphors and common terms denote many things.+

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The link to a rough translation of the section can be found here - https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/wyv/wyvbk03.htm. We are dealing with mantra 56 onwards+

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vayám̐ soma vraté táva mánas tanū́ṣu bíbʰrataḥ \\ prajā́vantaḥ sacemahi \\\\

Soma! May we act in accordance with your will, keeping the mind in the forms (of Brahman). Grace us with progeny (for kāmya karmas).+

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Intent is clear. To ensure one gains progeny and uses it for veda-kāryas without attachment, one pledges to act according to Brahman called “Soma” as he is full of nectarine attributes. This is achieved by focusing the mind (manas) in the forms of Brahman+

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eṣá te rudra bʰāgáḥ sahá svásrā́mbikayā táṃ juṣasva svā́hā \\

This offering is yours, O mind that bestows good (rudra) with experience of Brahman (Ambikā) associated with you. May it be favorable, svāhā! +

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rudam dadati iti rudra” – previous mantra already declared intent – to place the mind in Brahman, ie control the mind. Then, it makes sense to refer to the mind as “rudra” – that which bestows good. What good? - experience of Brahman, metaphorically “Ambikā”+

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Experience of Brahman is referred to metaphorically as woman in śāstra. In Mbh, Rudra describes how he gained 4 heads when Tillottama came to him. Tilottama signifies experience of Brahman. I have attached a screenshot to this tweet explaining that incident.+

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In addition, Bhāgavataṃ itself has a story wherein Narada meets a woman called bhakti devi. Thus, experience of Brahman is personified as a woman in the texts. More pramāṇās for the obvious meaning. Now, for “sister”+

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svasrā – svayaṃ saha utpannā vā prajā – Experience of Brahman, arises from the mind during its’ contemplation of Brahman. Thus, the “experience of Brahman” arises in association with the mind. “sister” is appropriate.+

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Why is experience of Brahman personified as a woman? Because a strī attracts a man, and hence “woman” signifies an object of enjoyment, this case being the experience of Brahman (Note to SJWs: No objectification here, just a metaphor)+

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Satapatha Brh (SB) explains what “ambikā” signifies: svāhetyámbikā ha vai nā́māsya svásā táyāsyaiṣá sahá bʰāgastadyádasyaiṣá striyā́ sahá bʰāgastásmāttryámbako nā́ma tadyā́ asya prajā jātāstā́ rudríyātprámuñcati (SB 2.6.29)+

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Gist: As the share belongs to it (mind) together with a pleasing experience of Brahman (stri), mind is called “Tryambaka” - perceiver of the 3 abodes. By this, we relinquish experiences of sense objects (prajā) that sprung from power of desire called “Rudra”.+

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The three abodes are bhogya sthāna, bhoga sthāna and bhogopakaraṇa sthāna (object, place and instrument for experiencing Brahman). Thus, “Tryambaka” here refers to the mind, not to śūlapāṇi rudra.+

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"rudríyātprámuñcati” in the end refers to desire as “rudra”. Mbh uses the term for lust in Aila-Kashyapa samvāda. See how confusingly the Veda uses same term for different things, little wonder great scholars get confused.+

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SB 2.6.2.13 also says - tadu hyā́pi kumāyáḥ párītyuḥ bʰágasya bʰajāmahā íti yā́ ha vai sā́ rudrásya svasā́mbikā nā́ma sā́ ha vai bʰágasyeṣṭe tásmādu hā́pi kumāryá párīyurbʰágasya bʰajāmahā íti (SB 2.6.2.13)+

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Let the women circumambulate, thinking, “May we attain prosperity”! That associate of mind (Rudra) called Ambikā (experience of Brahman) is the dispenser of happiness (bliss of brahmānubhava), so, women circumambulate thinking, “May we attain prosperity (via husbands)”+

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Mahīdhara, a commentator, remarks reg “Ambikā”, that the Taittiriya Brahmana (TB) refers to her as the autumn, and thus she signifies onset of fever, ills etc. He is wrong, as shown below+

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TB says “Sarad vai asya ambikā svasā́ tayā vai eṣá hinasti” – Ambikā (experience of Brahman), is verily the autumn, with whom it (the mind) kills (the experience of sense objects).+

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Significance of autumn season is that it is conducive for clarity of mind for upāsaṇa. Rāsa leela was performed in Sarad Rtu. Bhāgavataṃ 10.20.33 compares autumn to the minds of the yogis getting purified, which exactly fits this context. Moving on+

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Rest of the original mantra:

eṣá te rudra bʰāgá ākʰús te paśúḥ \\\\
This is your (mind + exp of Brahman) portion, this thief (of knowledge about the self), ie, attachment/anger, is your sacrificial animal.+

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Mahanārāyaṇa Up. refers to anger or attachment as the sacrificial animal. Anger is sacrified to the mind (Rudra) united with experience of Brahman (Ambikā).+

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This thread, thus, clarifies exactly what is meant by “Rudra, Sister of Ambikā”. Will look at the succeeding mantras in a separate thread as Part 2 of the discussion which I will get to soon.//

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