Thread by @DefiledGod

Meditations on Adi Kūrma in the Veda--

The satapatha brāhmaṇa has a section (7.5.1.1 onwards) where meditation on Kūrma is enjoined. Let me translate select portions of the section that are particularly interesting+

kūrmamupadadhāti | raso vai kūrmo rasamevaitadupadadhāti

[He yokes himself to the form of Kūrma by meditation. Brahman who is Kūrma is bliss, it is this bliss he bestows on meditator.]

Rasa = Bliss. One who mediates on Brahman as ground of bliss, is possessed of that bliss+

yo vai sa eṣāṃ lokānāmapsu praviddhānām parāṅraso 'tyakṣaratsa

[He (as the innerself) is indeed the bliss of these worlds filled with waters (pancabhūtās), unfavorable to the bound selves. He exceeds the reach of words.]

This has parallels with the Anandavalli of Tai.Up.+

eṣa kūrmastamevaitadupadadhāti yāvānu vai rasastāvānātmā sa eṣa ima eva lokāḥ

[That bliss Kūrma bestows on the meditator. As much as that bliss is, so is the intellect (of the Atma). That tortoise is indeed these worlds.]+

The bliss of Brahman is infinite; the intellect of the liberated jīva to experience it is also infinite, so the jīva’s bliss on experiencing Brahman is infinite. Brahman is the supporter & innerself of the worlds, hence meditation on his form as the worlds is recommended below+

tasya yadadharaṃ kapālam | ayaṃ sa lokastatpratiṣṭhitamiva bhavati pratiṣṭhita iva hyayaṃ loko

[The lower shell is this world. Brahman becomes stationed in this world, in like manner (to the tortoise), this world is stationed in him in like manner (to the shell).]+

He is Nārāyaṇa – the refuge for nārās and latter are his refuge. As the tortoise is supported by the lower shell, this world is an abode for him. As the lower shell does not have a separate purpose or existence without tortoise, this world is established in him+

'tha yaduttaraṃ sā dyaustadvyavagṛhītāntamiva bhavati vyavagṛhītānteva hi dyauratha

[Upper shell is the liberated world. He becomes the goal of liberated world away from perception (like tortoise), the liberated world is his abode, away from perception (like shell)]+

“anta” means goal or limit as well as abode. He is the limit  or goal of the liberated world as it sustains by his experience, like a tortoise supporting the upper shell. The liberated world is an abode for him, which hides him from unliberated like the shell hides the tortoise+

yadantarā tadantarikṣaṃ sa eṣa ima eva lokā imānevaitallokānupadadhāti

[That which is between these shells (the body), is the intermediate region (devaloka). He is verily these worlds, so it is these worlds that are yoked to (meditated upon).]+

The body of the tortoise is meditated as devaloka that is between these 2 worlds. Gods are his bodies by which he bestows various favors. “yo yo yāṁ yāṁ tanuṁ bhaktaḥ” - Lord calls the gods his bodies. Or it can be said, he carries on universal functions in the forms of gods+

tamabhyanakti | dadhnā madhunā ghṛtena dadhi haivāsya lokasya rūpaṃ ghṛtamantarikṣasya madhvamuṣya

[He decorates that form with curd, honey and ghee in his mind. Curd is the nature of this world, ghee is the nature of devaloka & honey the nature of the liberated world]+

In this world, he is the antaryāmin who is realized by churning the tattvas which are curd, to get him who is the essence like butter. Hence, curd, which is the tattvas containing him as the essence (butter) is this world.+

Bhattar says - dadhi dugdhayoriva dadhisārah cit acitoḥ  vyāpti prayojanābhyām sārāmṣah tattvaṃ – Like butter which is essence of curd, bhagavān is the essence of all beings as the innerself and imparts their sense of purpose to them (ie, they exist for his purpose).+

Devaloka is ghee. “ghee” is a metaphor for anything pleasing, an object of desire. As the devās are his bodies and he bestows all desire through them, or as devaloka is an abode with all objects of desire, it is ghee.+

The liberated world is “honey” as his nature, form and qualities are like honey which are constantly experienced by the liberated. Thus, the threefold meditation has been explained.+

svenaivainametadrūpeṇa samardhayatyatho dadhi haivāsya lokasya raso ghṛtamantarikṣasya madhvamuṣya svenaivainametadrasena samardhayati+

[His own nature he causes to prosper by (meditation on) this nature of Brahman. Curd is the bliss of this world, Ghee is the bliss of devaloka, Honey is the bliss of the liberated world. His own nature he causes to prosper by this bliss of Brahman.]+

“His own nature he causes to prosper” means he attains mokṣa by this meditation, manifesting his true nature of being characterized by the 8 auspicious attributes beginning with “apahatapāpma” etc.+

One small point – Never let any nāstika say that curd, ghee and honey used for abhiṣeka in temples is wasted, now we know what they mean.

I think this would do for this section. Just one more mantra, where the reason behind the name “Kūrma”+

sa yatkūrmo nāma | etadvai rūpaṃ kṛtvā prajāpatiḥ prajā asṛjata

[As to the origin of the name “Kūrma” (for the tortoise). Prajāpati having assumed that form (in his mind), created the rg, yajus and sāman.]+

Brahmā meditated on the tortoise form of the Lord and was able to manifest the rg, yajus and sāman. “rūpaṃ kṛtvā” means he made that form of bhagavān firm in his mind and not that he himself assumed that form.+

yadasṛjatākarottadyadakarottasmātkūrmaḥ kaśyapo vai kūrmastasmādāhuḥ sarvāḥ prajāḥ kāśyapya iti

[Vedas which manifested, generated (that Brahman), ie, the means to attain him. That Brahman who bestowed the Vedas which are the means to attain him, is thus called “Kūrma”. ]+

kaśyapo vai kūrmastasmādāhuḥ sarvāḥ prajāḥ kāśyapya iti

[That Kūrma, who bestowed the Vedas which are the means to attain him, is verily Kāśyapa or the protector of the gods who are his bodies. Therefore, all the gods are called “Kāśyapa” as they follow him.]+

Here, Kūrma is called the protector of the devās who are the “prajā” because he was born solely to get the nectar for them. He sustained the ocean when it was being churned and bore the mountain Mandara. So gods always follow him as they are obedient to him and seek his refuge+

The etymology of “kāśyapya” is explained in the MB:

kaśyāni śarīrāṇi pāti rakṣati pibati bhuṅkte pāyayati yoṣayati vā kaśyapa iti yogāt+

["kaśyā” refers to the bodies, which I protect, experience (joys and sorrows through it), eat it (as it exists for my sake),  cause to experience (my bliss) and burn (away the sins), hence I am known as “kaśyapa”]

Though the Rṣi was describing himself by that shloka, I used the same etymology to interpret it for bhagavān, who protects the worlds which are his bodies. He experiences joy & sorrow at our own joy and sorrow, voluntarily assuming such emotions of his own will. And so on.+

The rest of the section is very interesting as well, but for the sake of brevity, this will suffice. I end with a mantra quoted by Bhattar+

ananta bala ṣaktaye bhuvanabhrte kaccapātmane” – I bow to that Lord Kūrma, who supports the worlds, possesses immeasurable power in the form of being able to effect physical creation and immeasurable strength in being able to do it without external help.//