Thread by @DefiledGod

-- 50 Post Thread on Battle of 10 Kings (Rg Veda) ---

“Battle of 10 Kings” has a dubious distinction of a landmark in Indology. Impressive how some have cooked up histories based on a few mantras - themysteriousindia.net/battle-ten-kin…. +

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There is no inkling of such a battle ever taking place. Proof is the silence of the Ithihāsa and Purāṇa on this issue. So, we shall look at few mantras from Rg Veda used as a base for this “history”. Rg Veda 7.18 is the main source +

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Here - sacred-texts.com/hin/rigveda/rv…. Focus will be on rks 5,6,7,11 and 18 where the “Kings” are mentioned. 4th rk itself clearly sets the context, where it is mentioned Brahman is propitiated for curbing the senses. So, start with 5th rk below+

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arṇāṃsi cit paprathānā sudāsa indro ghādhānyakṛṇot supārā |
śardhantaṃ śimyumucathasya navyaḥ śāpaṃ sindhūnāmakṛṇodaśastīḥ ||
(Rg Veda, 7-18-5)+

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Gist: [The senses which are streams (arṇās) extended (to sense objects), but were made a safe place (not causing pain), easy to be subdued, by Nārāyaṇa in the form of Indra, for the self which is a servant by nature (Sudāsa)….+

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…The Lord who is the ever-new (object) of the Vedas (ucathasya navyaḥ), made the mind which is the abode of the host of senses (śardhantaṃ), the destroyer of knowledge of the self (śimyum), to censure the objects of prakrti (sindhūnām)]

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Commentary: Senses are like streams rising from mind, going to sense objects. The Lord made them firm or safe for the jīva to abide in, ie, not letting them affect the jīva, thus becoming easy to subdue.+

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“Sudāsa” – self, which is servant by nature. “dāsa” means “seshatvam”, “sudāsa” means “atyanta pāratantriyam”. Vide, Ahirbudhnya Siva’s prayer to Narasiṃha – “ḍasābhuta svata: sarvehyātmana”. So, that’s one “King” (Sudāsa) identified!+

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“Indra” - Nārāyaṇa in the form of the devata Indra – ie, Indrāntaryāmin as Indra is his body, as per brahma sūtra – “śāstradṛṣṭyā tūpadeśo vāmadevavat”. Lord is ever new as new qualities of his arise each time when he is experienced by meditation.+

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Simyu - Samayitrin vadhakārin. Gita 6.5-6 refers to the mind as an enemy. śāpaṃ – śāpati nindati. Not a literal curse, but mental censure of sense objects.

Let us move on to the next rk, which talks of "Purodā Turvaśa" +

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puroḷā it turvaśo yakṣurāsīd rāye matsyāso niśitā apīva |
śruṣṭiṃ cakrurbhṛghavo druhyavaśca sakhā sakhāyamatarad viṣūcoḥ || (Rg Veda 7.18.6) +

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Gist: [Mind, that illuminates the Lord known as “Yajna” and bestows it to the self, desirous of overcoming Saṃsāra (puroḷā it turvaśo), became adept in worship of Brahman (yakṣurāsīd), strengthened by wealth (Brahma-Katākṣaṃ), as fishes are nourished by look..+

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…Senses that arise from the mind deprived of lust (bhṛghavo), Bodies that are hostile to the self (druhyus) became obedient. Supreme Brahman who is the well-wisher of the self, helped the self who is the well-wisher for Brahman by nature, in various ways]+

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Comm: Satapatha Br.1.6.2.5 gives etymology for “purodā” – “yajñam prā́rocayattásmātpurodā́śaḥ” – That which illuminates Yajna (Viṣṇu) at first, bestowed it (dā) upon the self. Refers to mind, as does Turvaśa that means desire (vaś) for conquering Saṃsāra+

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yakṣu – yajnakuṣalaḥ – adept at upāsaṇa (yajna). Bhrgu – bhraṣtāt utpanna (~Aitreya Brahmana) – refers to that (senses) arising from that (mind) devoid of that (lust). upāsaṇa is for many births, so “druhyus” are in plural – bodies hostile to self-knowledge.+

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Fish metaphor is explained by Srī Vedānta Desikan in his works – a Vedic proverb says a parent fish nourishes its’ young by merely looking at them (true or not, just a proverb). So, “wealth” refers to Viṣṇu-Katākṣa, which nourishes us, like so+

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Next Rk: ā pakthāso bhalānaso bhanantālināso viṣāṇinaḥ śivāsaḥ |
ā yo.anayat sadhamā āryasya ghavyā tṛtsubhyo ajaghan yudhā nṛn || (Rg Veda 7.18.7)+

Pakthas, etc are interpreted by indologists as "tribes" aiding "sudasa" - not fully wrong😄

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[Jñāna-vairāgya who ripen bhakti (pakthāso), deva guṇās per gīta 16.1-3 (bhalānaso), sounded (expressed), as did auspicious guṇās abiding in Brahman (Alinas), the abodes of Lord with horns - Veda (Viṣāṇinaḥ) & agreeable experiences of bliss from these (śivāsaḥ).+

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...To those (above qualities) which beget contentment (trtsu), came the meditating self’s mind (sadhamā āryasya), desirous of non-movement, ie, cessation of Saṃsāra (ajaghan) and lead the self which is engaged in conflict with the body (upāsaṇa)+

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Self-explanatory. The Bri Up. (2.4.7) compares sound of drums to experiences, thus showing expression can be indicated by sound (bhananta). “Alina” refers to those auspicious attributes abiding in or depending on Brahman.+

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Viṣāṇinaḥ” – Those with horns. Rg Veda refers to the 4 Vedas as horns (catvaro śṛṅga 4.58.3).The Viśṇu Purāṇa says the abodes of Viśṇu have the form of the 3 Vedas (hence, possess horns) as below+

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sarvaśaktiḥ purā visnoḥ rk yajus sāmas-saṃita saiṣa trayī tapatyaṃho jagataśra hiṃsati yā (~VP 2.11.7)

[Supreme Power of visnoḥ is signified by names Rik, Yajus and Saman; this trayee burns all sins and that resides resplendent in the Sun.]+
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śivāsaḥ - Bliss from experiences of qualities & abodes of Brahman that are agreeable (śivās). “tṛtsus” – etymology unknown, but context makes it clear - ṭrptatā soṣoti – All these things that beget contentment. So, other “Kings” are identified!+

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To be Continued in next set of tweets...

Next rk - durādhyo aditiṃ srevayanto.acetaso vi jaghṛbhre paruṣṇīm |
mahnāvivyak pṛthivīṃ patyamānaḥ paśuṣ kaviraśayaccāyamānaḥ || (Rg Veda 5-18-8)+

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[Senses of ill-intention (to experience sense objects), led the self (Aditi - Adatte) astray. Those senses opposed to the sentient self (acetaso), took hold or established themselves in prakrti made of tamas or diverse in color as white, red, black (paruṣṇīm)….+

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…He who is the Lord of the embodied self called “Earth” overcame them with his might (knowledge), the senses associated with attachments (paśuṣ) and the mind which perceives sense objects (kavi), lay still (ie, quieted).]+

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“Paruṣṇī” is a holy river in Vedas elsewhere (Yajniki Up.), but not here. Word is derived from “Paruṣa” - “hard” denoting “tamas” or diverse colors (sattva, rajas, tamas). So, Paruṣṇī - daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī (gita 7.14) – Prakrti or Māyā.+

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Let us look at this 11th rk:

ekaṃ ca yo viṃśatiṃ ca śravasyā vaikarṇayorjanān rājā nyastaḥ |
dasmo na sadman ni śiśāti barhiḥ śūraḥ sarghamakṛṇodindra eṣām ||
(Rg Veda 7.18.11)+

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[The Self which is the sovereign of the body (rāja) relinquished 1 & 20 people belonging to the 2 “vikarnās”, ie, the mind (manas) and the intellect (buddhi) as they steer the self towards experiences…+

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..As the sacrificer bestows sacrificial grass in the seat (for purification), so has the valiant Nārāyaṇa, the innerself of Indra, caused these qualities to be let go (by bestowing purifying knowledge on the “seat”, viz., mind).]+

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21 qualities - Kāma is first, cause of 20 others - Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada, Mātsarya, Asuya, Rāga, Dvesha, Dambha, Darpa, Atimānah, Pāruṣya, Ajñāna, Asauca, Anāchara, Asatya, Nāstātmana, alpa-buddhi, ugra-karmaṇa, Asubha.+

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18th rk, where “King Bheda” is subdued:

śaśvanto hi śatravo rāradhuṣ ṭe bhedasya cicchardhato vinda randhim |
martānena stuvato yaḥ kṛṇoti tighmaṃ tasmin ni jahi vajramindra ||+

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[The senses, abodes of numerous experiences, the enemies, are obedient to you. You have made as your subject, the fierce mind which is called “bheda” as it is associated with perception of differences…+

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…Strike with your sharp weapon, O Nārāyaṇa (Indra), that lust which harms the senses made of earthly elements indulging in praises, ie, niṣkāma karmās which are forms of praise of Brahman (martānena stuvato).]+

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Wild senses are foes of Lord, as they are our foes (“shatrugna” nāma in sahasranāma). “vajram” denotes weapons in general & not Indra’s. “Weapon” means all weapons. This is prayer to weapons of Nārāyaṇa, Indra’s self. Sve.Up says one must worship the Lord’s weapons+
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Mind is “bheda” as it causes differences, its’ subjugation means the jñāni sees the self in all and all in the self. It takes a special kind of intelligence to think “Bheda”, an obvious metaphor, refers to some historical personality here!+

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That completes this section. There are 2 more rks related to the topics discussed here in other sūktās. For the sake of comprehensiveness, I will translate them briefly here+

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Rg Veda 7.33.5: ud dyāmivet tṛṣṇajo nāthitāso adīdhayurdāśarājñe vṛtāsaḥ | vasiṣṭhasya stuvata indro aśroduruṃ tṛtsubhyo akṛṇodu lokam+
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[Like thirsty who look up (for rain), they oppressed by saṃsāra, surrounded by darkness of prakrti (vṛtāsaḥ), in conflict with 10 senses that are “rājān” as they rule over objects of enjoyment (dāśarājñe), contemplate (on auspicious qualities of Lord)…+

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..Nārāyaṇa (Indra), hearing praise (pure words) by one who possesses wealth of śāstra (vasiṣṭhasya), gave a place of experience (lokam) for those (auspicious attributes and abodes) that beget contentment (trtsus)]+

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"vasiṣṭha” refers to jīva (not the rṣi) that has wealth of the śāstra. The Lord is called “suci-śravā” in sahasranāma, vide, " ṣucīni ṣrāvaṇīyāni ṣrṇomi iha dhanan'jaya।na ca pāpāni grhṇāmi tato'ham vai ṣuciṣravāh॥ (ṣanti parva)+
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["O dhananjaya! I listen here to all that is pure and agreeable to hear. I do not heed to what is sinful. Therefore I am known as ṣuciṣravāh".]+

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Such a Lord, heeding pure words of jīva, gave him mind as place of experiencing (loka) him – dadāmi buddhi-yogam (Gīta 10.10)+

That explains who the “dāśarājñe” and “vasiṣṭha” are. Next, a rk which supposedly names the “5 tribes – Yadus, Turvasas, Druhyus, Anus and Purus+

Rg Veda 1.108.8: yadindrāghnī yaduṣu turvaśeṣu yad druhyuṣvanuṣu pūruṣu sthaḥ |
ataḥ pari vṛṣaṇāvā hi yātamathā somasya pibataṃ sutasya+

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Mind, chief of the senses (Indra) and intellect, which guides the self (Agni), who are situated in Yadus etc.! Thus, O powerful ones, come drink (experience) the auspicious qualities of Brahman that has been manifested (somasya pibataṃ sutasya)+

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Yadus - yateh yatuh prayatna-Silah – Attachments strive for experience of sense objects. Turvaśas – (conquering) + root “vaś” to desire – Senses desire to conquer sense objects. Druhyus – Desires for sense objects cause harm being hostile to knowledge of self.+

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Anus – Those qualities like krodha, moha, etc who go along with the afore-mentioned desires (kāmān). pūruṣu - Those experiences which are abundant or have an abundance of pain and pleasure.+

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Indra and Agni don’t refer to the gods here. This is a sūkta dedicated to meditation on the manas and buddhi. Entire sūkta is in that vein. Terms like “purus” have been used to denote many things, vide, sahasranāma (purujit, puru-sattama, etc) +

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If you are wondering why most of the interpretations here pertain to mind, intellect, senses etc., not my fault –historians picked just those sūktās to misinterpret. There are plenty of more interesting sūktās praising the Lord as well, but they didn’t pick them.🤷‍♂️+

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There were Kings by the name of Sudāsa, Puru, etc in Purāṇās, but no connection to these rks. Unlike dharma śāstras limited by time, Sruti has eternal application & can’t be read as historical documents. As Krishna says, “vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo”+

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Conclusion: Before samhita-brāhmaṇa-āraṇyaka, one has to digest gīta & sahasranāma, then upaniṣads, then ithihāsa-purāṇās. As former portions expects grasp of latter. Holds for even samhita portions like puruṣa sūkta, sri rudram, mantra puśpam, etc//

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