General Remarks on the Tables
These Tables must not be mistaken for human genealogies. The reader will have to carry himself in imagination to a time when there was a vast sheet of nebulous mass, when the globes and planets had not been formed, and the phenomena now known as day, night, year, month and season were still unknown.
The process known as Pralaya had absorbed the life energies of Trilokî, which remained latent in that intermediate plane between the higher and the lower Lokas known as Mahar Loka. When the creative process set in, and the ground was prepared for the manifestation of life, life energies streamed forth from the Mahar Loka, more as types than as individuals. These types are called Prajâpatis or the Lords of life kingdoms. They carry back to Trilokî all the life energies of the previous Kalpa. At Pralaya, they draw back unto themselves all the life energies of the dying Trilokî, and take a lasting sleep in the archetypal plane ( Mahar Loka ) to which they properly belong. The Prajâpatis of the First Manvantara become the Rishis of other Manvantaras. As the first Lords of creation bring back the life energies as well as the lost experiences of the previous Kalpa, so the Rishis bring back the lost knowledge of each Manvantara. This is fully explained in the fourteenth Chapter of the Eighth Skandha. The Kumârs are not Prajâpatis, as they come from a plane higher than Mahar Loka. In the first Manvantara, Marichî, Atrî Angirasa, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrigu, Vasistha, Daksha, and Nârada are mentioned as the chief Prajâpatis. Of these, Nârada is not strictly speaking a Prajâpati, or Lord of creation, as he took no part in the work of creation, though he is called so having proceeded from Mahar Loka. Kardama, Ruchi and Visvakarmâ are some of the other Prajâpatis.
Of the Prajâpatis, seven form distinct types by themselves. They preside over the seven stars, which form the constellation of Great Bear. They send forth their energies from the plane of the Seven Sages, and guide the course of life evolution that takes place in Trilokî. The sages are relieved every Manvantara by others who take up their place. The seven sages of our Manvantara, are different from the Prajâpatis of the first Manvantara. It is by great sacrifices and by great efforts that the highest Rishis of a Manvantara attain the position of the Seven Sages. The Sages may become Prajâpatis, and Prajâpatis may become Kumâras. And men may become sages, if they follow the true path. The grades that divide men from sages or Rishis proper are many, and human evolution proceeds on the line of those grades.
Energies of another kind proceeded from Mahar Loka, energies known as Devas and Asuras. They work out, or rather they are intimately connected with, the tendency of life-evolution. There is a tendency in the Spiritual Jiva to acquire experience of the lower planes, through senses which they develop. The Asuras are connected with this tendency. There is the opposite tendency in the Jiva to get rid of the material taint and the material restriction earned in the efforts to acquire manifold experiences and to gain back the original state of purity after the acquisition of fresh spiritual treasures though the experiences of matter. The Devas are connected with this tendency.
These are the forms of life which then come into existence and work out their evolution in this Trilokî.
Life evolution proceeds on two different lines — that of globes and that of individuals. They are represented by the two sons of Manu — Priyavrata and Uttânapâda.
In the line of Priyavrata we find how the globes were formed in the solar system, through various cosmic fires originating from Visvakarmâ, how this earth was formed, its continents and countries. The different divisions of the Bhûr Loka are presided over by different forms of intelligence, who are the sons of Priyavrata.
In the line of Uttânapâda we find the different life kingdoms passing through different stages of evolution.
First of all, we find a limit is put to life existence in Trilokî by Dhruva. Dhruva, son of Uttânapâda, presides over the Polar Star. That Star forms the farthest limit of Trilokî. Matter is so attenuated there that it can last for one Kalpa. We are speaking of a period when infant souls merged out to commence the race of life in the present Kalpa. They were spiritual and highly spiritual too. But they were carried away by the general current of creative tendencies. They were to limit themselves by sheath after sheath, so that they might acquire the experiences of Svar Loka, of Bhuvar Loka and of Bhûr Loka in succession. Dhruva, the infant soul, a child only five years old, however, resisted the common temptation. He would not go down, for he had an important service to render to the Universe. Who would advise him in this noble mission but Nârada. Nârada was out of element when the creative process was in full swing, and it was a necessity of life evolution. But there were instances of exception, instances of noble souls who would not go in with the general current, but would like to remain fixed in spiritual life, and Nârada was always to be found helping them with his advice.
Dhruva remained fixed in his early spirituality. That was a sacrifice, for he could not enrich himself with further spiritual experiences, through the senses, of the lower planes of life. But he had to keep up an abode which was to be resorted to by evolved souls in later days, souls that in due course would reach that high spiritual plane.
From that Kâlpic plane and the dweller thereof, we come to lower planes and their dwellers, to the divisions of time that rule the lives of individuals and of lives adapted to these divisions of time. We come from the elementals of the Svarga plane, or the Devas, to the elementals of the Astral or Bhuvar plane, the Pitris, Bhûtas, Pretas and Pisâchas, till we reach the mineral kingdom, represented by Himalya, the Mountain king. At this point a turning point was reached in life evolution, and the goddess of life-evolution became the daughter of the Mountain king. Of this we shall know more hereafter.
We know of Daksha, first as the son of Brahmâ, the creative Prajâpati when the life-process rapidly worked itself out in Elemental forms. Then there was no sexual procreation. Creation meant the materialisation of the Jiva. Satî, the daughter of Daksha, was the guiding energy of life-evolution. She became wedded to Śiva, the Lord of Bhûtas, Pretas and Pisâchas who by the infusion of their Tâmasic energies could bring down Jivas from their high spiritual plane.
When the process of materialisation was over, when the Jivas or Monads reached the lowest limits of materiality, the mission of Daksha came to an end.
Life evolution had now to pass through mineral, vegetable and animal stages, until at last the human stage was reached.
Satî now appeared as the daughter of the mineral king Himâlaya. She gave the upward bent to life evolution and by the energy she imparted minerals were able to shake off the rigidity and stability of gross matter, to develop the sense of touch and to become vegetable at last. In like manner vegetable became animal, and animals at last became men.
Śiva, the husband of Bhagavati or Durgâ, as Satî was now called, is the Purusha of Dissolution. Bhagavati is His Energy, Who guides the Monadic or Jiva Evolution of the Kalpa. It is the wear and tear, the process of destruction, that counteracts the cohesive strength of the particles forming mineral matter, which by its action becomes flexible and so receptive of outside influences.
Cells by division and death become capable of the life process in themselves. Vegetables grow by the rejection of cells, which necessitates a number of physiological processes. Death brings on life, waste, repair.
If animals exist in one and the same body, progress will be limited, further evolution will be impossible. It is by death that we evolve.
Bhagavatî works out the evolution of life in different kingdoms till the stage of humanity is reached.
At this point Aryaman, one of the Âdityas, comes to the help of humanity. Through his influence the sons of humanity become endowed with the power of reasoning, — the faculty of discrimination.
The sons of Aryaman are called Charshanis. The word Charshani literally means a cultivator. Its secondary sense given in the Vedic lexicon is one endowed with the discriminative faculty. The word Charshani is used in the Vedas for man. It is the equivalent of Arya or Aryan, the ploughman. But it is not as ploughmen or cultivators, that the Aryans had their high place in humanity, but as men endowed with the power of discrimination. And this we owe to Aryaman. This is why, though an Âditya, he is called the chief of Pitris by Sri Krishna.
“I am Aryaman of the Pitris.” — Bhagavat Gitâ.
We have thus the first stage in life evolution, when the spiritual Jiva had to descend from the elemental to the mineral form. Next we have the second stage, when minerals passed through higher forms of life till the Human Kingdom was reached.
Then we have the third stage, when men became endowed with the power of discrimination.
In the exercise of the discriminative faculty men were helped by their elder brothers, the Rishis and Mahâtmâs of every period, and by Avatâras Who apeared from time to time.
Then the ground was prepared for further evolution. The Sacred Injunctions or the Vedas were revealed to men to give them a sense of right and wrong, of duties and prohibitions. The Vedas also held out to the developed sense of men the charming prospect of life in Svarga Loka with its lasting and alluring enjoyments. This may be called the stage of Karma Kânda. In following the stages of human evolution we have come down to Vaivasvatu Manvantara.
Side by side with the efforts made to raise humanity in the scale of evolution, sin was accumulating in the great Atlantean continent which spread over the whole of what we now know as the Bay of Bengal. The Atlanteans had acquired a mastery over the five forces of nature, which they used for selfish objects and against the cause and current of evolution.
Then there was a great revolution in Nature. The great Atlantean Continent went down with its load of sins. The sons of Sagar, the Atlantean king, became buried under the great ocean, which overtook the doomed continent, and to this day the sea is called in India, “Sâgar” or relating to Sagar.
There was a corresponding upheaval in the Himalayas, and the sacred river Gangâ streamed forth from their sides, inaugurating the spiritual regeneration of the Universe. Much of what we now know as India must have been raised up at the time, and on its sacred soil appeared the great Avatâra Râma, Who put an end to the disorganising, chaos-loving sons of Lankâ. The people of Lankâ were called Râkshasas as they were working towards the destruction of all order, all progress in the Universe, and rendered everything topsy-turvy in Nature.
Now it was time for Sri Krishna to appear, the greatest of all Avatâras in our Kalpa, Who gave the last bent to the progress of humanity. He wedded Himself with all the principles that enter into the constitution of man, so that man may come up to Him. He taught the basic unity of all beings, and laid down the path of Service and Devotion. He established the reign of spiritual life, and ever since His lotus feet sanctified the soil of India, the Scriptures only re-iterate His teachings, and they all sing His glory for ever and ever. We shall find in its true place the Service done by Lord Sri Krishna, and how by His Avatarship humanity has made one more advance in the scale of human evolution. When the Lord appeared, Bhagavatî made her appearance too as the daughter of Nanda. It is with Her energy that Sri Krishna performed the mission of His Avatarship.
This is a bare outline of what the Tables teach us, We shall consider them each in its own place. We shall find a detailed account as to how the Universe is preserved. We shall hear of great Rishis, of many Avatâras, of the part played by Devas and Asurus. We shall see how the Monads pass through different stages of evolution, till the idea of perfect humanity is presented by Lord Krishna.
The Tables sometimes speak of life Kingdoms, sometimes of human races, sometimes of types and principles, and sometimes of individuals. Sometimes, the names used convey a good deal of hidden meaning, sometimes they are used at random.
In the line of Priyavratra, we find how globes are formed, how continents and countries appear. The solidification of earth is indicated by the muteness of Bharata. Bhârata Varsa or India is called the first born of all countries, and other lands are enjoined to follow and to obey their eldest brother.
Table A
The names of the first table have been considered before.
Table B
Ruchi and Akuti both mean Wish, Desire. Yajna is sacrifice, Dakshinâ means ordinarily the present made to a Brâhmana for officiating at a ceremony. It is also the present made for the performance of a Vedic sacrifice. No Vedic sacrifice is complete without the present of Dakshinâ to the officiating priest. Dakshinâ was married to Yajna, for they are inseparable. Possibly Yajna has reference to the elemental or Devic character of life forms in the first Manvantara. That also explains why there was no Indra separate from the Avatâra of the Manvantara.
The first Manvantara was one of Pravritti or Descent, Spirit could descend into matters only with the help of Desire. Desire is the father of Kâma — Kâma is the characteristic of Vedic Yajna. Yajna therefore guided the First Manvantara. He was the Avatâra of Vishnu as well as the Indra of the Devas.
The sons of Yajna were the Devas of the First Manvantarâ. The Bhâgavata calls them Sushita or Bliss gods. The Vishnu Purâna calls them Yâma Devas. The Manvantara Devas have for their mission the carrying out of the cyclic work of the Manvantara.
Table C
Marichi means literally a ray of light. The word is frequently applied to the sun’s ray. As the sun’s ray breaks up into the component colours, so the line of Marichi broke up into the life kingdoms. Kalâ means a digit of the moon. Kasyapa was the son of Marichi and Kalâ. He married the 13 daughters of Daksha, in the line Uttânapada. By his wives, Kasyapa was the father of Suras and Asuras, of elementals, vegetables, animals and men. He is directly connected with the Monads. Marichi and Kalâ have a special significance in reference to Jivic evolution. Does the pair symbolise the sun’s ray reflected on the Moon or the Atmic ray reflected on Buddhi? Any how Marichi and Kalâ imply the divine ray in the Jivas or Âtma-Buddhi.
The monads of individuals are limited by the shells or bodies of Kasyapa’s line. (The word Kasyapa means primarily bed, seat). They come through Pûrnima, daughter of Marichi. The sons of Pûrnima are Viraja and Visvaga.
Viraja is free from Rajas. Visvaga means one who goes all over the Universe. Viraja and Visvaga are Universal aspects of Jivic Intelligence.
(Viraja is the father of Vairâjas). Devakulyâ is the daughter of Purnimâ. She flowed from the washings of the feet of Vishnu and became the divine river Gangâ.
Table D
Atri = a (not ) + tri (three). Not three, but three in one. Anasuyâ = (not)+*asuyâ* (envy, intolerance, jealousy).
Atri made severe Tapas for one hundred years for a son like unto the Lord of the Universe. The ascetic fire at last broke forth from his head and instantly Brahmâ, Vishnu and Śiva appeared before him.
“Lords!” said Atri, “I had only one of you in my mind, but you have all Three come to me!”
The Trinity replied: — “We are three in one. You shall have three sons, one after each of us.”
Anasuyâ begot Sōma or the Moon after Brahmâ, Datta or Dattâtreya after Vishnu and Durvâsas after Śiva.
[The Moon is thus a sort of Brahmâ or creator to the present Kalpa.]
Atri represents the Creative, the Preservative and the Destructive Intelligence in the individual, all united to carry out the complex process of evolution.
The Brihat Aranyaka certainly refers to one of his aspects in the following passage: —
“Speech is Attri; for by speech food is consumed; for Attri is verily derived from the root Attih (to eat, consume); he is the consumer of all.” II-2-4.
Table E
“Where was he, who thus established us? He Is within the mouth; hence is Ayâsya. He is Angirasa, because he is the essence of the members.” Brihat Aranyaka I-3-8.
Commenting on this passage Sankarâcharya says: “Life is also called Angirasa, the essence of causes and effects. Angirasa is a compound of Anga and Râsa — Anga meaning members, causes, and effects, and Râsa essence, substance; the whole meaning therefore is the substance, upon which causes and effects depend — It is the essence of every thing, because unless it were present, all would become without effect.”
“He who abides in the mouth is Angirasa, for he is the essence (Râsa) of the members (Anga). Life is the essence of the members. This is also Brihaspati. Speech is Brihati. Life is the preserver (pati) of Brihati, therefore it is Brihaspati.”
B.A. I-3-19 and 20.
Brihaspati or the presiding deity of the planet Jupiter is called Angirasa i.e. the son of Angiras. The wife of Angiras is, according to the Bhâgavata, Sraddha or Faith, and, according to Vishnu Purina, Smriti or Memory. The latter is a more suggestive name. Brihaspati or Jupiter is the essence of all beings and of the Universe and is connected with the memory of the past.
Angirasa is the Rishi of the 5th Mandala of the Rig Veda. The Mantras of that Mandala are composed in the Brihati or big Metre. This accounts for the name Brihaspati (Brihati+pati).
Brihaspati or Jupiter, as the guide of the Devas, has to play a most important part in bringing about the life evolution of the present Kalpa according to the records of the past and the essence or Râsa of all beings. The Âranyaka therefore calls him life itself.
Utathya, another son of Angiras, is u+tathya. U is an interjection, used as an expletive — Tathya means reality, truth — Utathya is said to be an incarnation of Vishnu. Both the brothers are said to have distinguished themselves in the Second Manvantarâ. Sinivâli is the day preceding that of new moon or that day on which the moon rises with a scarcely visible crescent. Kuhâ is new moon day when the moon is altogether invisible.
Râkâ is the full moon day.
Anumati is the 15th day of the moon’s age on which she rises one digit less than full.
The full moon and new moon days have thus a mysterious connection with the essence of all beings. On those days the herbs have their medicinal properties in full and even men have mysterious potencies, which have formed the subject of occult study.
Table F
Pula is large, wide. It also means a thrill of joy or fear.
Stya is he who collects, is connected with, remains in. Agastya = Aga + Stya.
Aga is mountain, unable to walk, fixed.
According to a Pauranik legend, the Vindhya mountain began to rise higher and higher so as to obstruct the path of the sun and moon. The gods being alarmed sought the aid of Agastya who was the teacher of Vindhya. The Rishi approached the mountain and asked it to bend down and give him an easy passage to the south and to retain the same position till his return. Vindhya obeyed the order of his teacher, but Agastya never returned from the south and Vindhya never attained the height of Meru.
According to the Bhâgavata, Agastya is the digestive fire of the stomach.
Visravas = Vi (signifying intensity) + Sravas (ear).
Kubera is literally deformed. He is the god of riches and Regent of the North. He is the king of the Yakshas and Kinnaras and a friend of Rudra. His abode is Kailâsa. He is represented as having three legs, only eight teeth and a yellow mark in place of one eye.
Râvana, Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana are Râkshasas made famous by the Râmayana.
Râvana is one who makes a loud noise. The Râkshasas reached the height of their power in his time. The Yakshas, before his time, had occupied Lankâ or Atlantis under Kubera, but Râvana propitiated Śiva by his loud hymns, and acquired easy mastery over his kindred elementals. He ousted the Yakshas from Lankâ and made it his own capital. Râvana also controlled the higher Devas of Trilokî.
Kumbha karna = Kumbha (pitcher) + Karna (ear). This pitcher-eared brother of Râvana is said to have devoured thousands of beings including sages and heavenly nymphs. He slept for six months at a time. He was ultimately slain by Râma.
Vibhisana, meaning the Terrible, left his brother Râvana and joined Râma. After the death of Râvana, Râma installed him on the throne of Lankâ. He is said to be still living.
The Râkshasas are said to have possessed Kâma Rupa i.e. they could assume any body at will.
In the line of Pulastya we have this strange combination — the digestive fire of stomach, ears, Yakshas and lastly the Râkshasas who could change their body at will. Altogether we may say, Pulastya is Intelligence which governs animal passions and Kâma.
Table G
Pulaha = Pula + ha. Ha is one who gives up.
Gati is motion.
Karma-Srestha is one most skilled in karma or work.
Varîyas is excellent, preferable.
Sahishnu is patient, enduring.
Pulaha seems to be the higher aspect of Kâma — the impulses pure and simple, apart from their Kâmic generator, or perhaps Pulaha may represent Prânic activity.
Table H
Kratu is a Vedic sacrifice, intelligence, power, ability. Kriyâ is action.
Bâlakhilyas — are a class of Rishis 60,000 in number, of the size of the thumb, and are said to precede the sun’s chariot. The word literally implies stunted in growth like infants. These Rishis are said to burn brightly with the spiritual fire of asceticism. The number 60,000 is significant. It indicates a correspondence.
Perhaps the Rishis represent the sense perceptions which are guided by the Adhidevas who have their abode in the heart of the sun. The Balakhilya Rishis are therefore said to accompany the sun’s chariot. Their connection with Vedic sacrifices is also intelligible, as they are generally directed to the Adhidevas.
Table I
Vaśisthâ is the Controller. He is the spiritual teacher of the Solar Race and represents spiritual Intelligence or Higher Manas. He is the controller of the senses and the lower mind.
Urjâ is Energy. She is also called Arundhati.
Table J
Atharvan — The Veda called by that name.
Dadhîchi — The name of a Rishi who accepted death In order to serve the Devas. Visvakarmân forged the thunderbolt with his bones and Indra defeated Vritra, the Asura King, with that weapon.
The line of Atharvan represents self sacrifice for universal good as well as magic or occult wisdom.
Table K
Bhrigu — is the Dweller of Mahar Loka, or the Archetypal plane. Upon the Pralaya of Trilokî, the essence of that triple plane and its Karma become embedded in Mahar Loka. The creative process sets in again in strict conformity to the Karma of the past. Bhrigu is therefore father of:
Dhâtâ — or Universal Karma
Vidhâtâ — or Individual Karma, and
Sri or Lakshmî — the wife of Vishnu, the Energy of Preservation.
Ayati — or potency is the wife of Dhâtâ, Mrikandu and Markandeya, are in this line.
Niyati — or fate, is the wife of Vidhâtâ. Prâna and Vedasiras are in this line.
Kavi — is another son of Bhrigu and Usanas or Sukra is Kavi’s son. But according to some authorities Kavi is the same as Usanas. It is a matter for reflection how Sukra or the presiding Rishi of the planet Venus is connected with Mahar Loka or the trans-personal plane. Mahar Loka is the first approach to universality and therefore may correspond to Higher Manas. However that be, Venus corresponds to the first plane of universality.
The consideration of Tables C to K has proved to be an interesting one. But readers are requested to remember that this is a mere study by an inquiring student and they are left to think for themselves. I might have dwelt at some length on this portion of the subject, but that would be going beyond the scope of the present work.
Briefly speaking then,
Marîchi — is Monâdic ray or Âtmâ-Buddhi,
Atri — is the adjustment of the creative, preservative and destructive tendencies in a Jiva,
Angiras — is the Essence of Creation, the auric repository of the Jiva,
Pulastya — is Kâmic Intelligence,
Pulaha — is higher Kâmic Intelligence, or it may be Prânic also,
Kratu — is lower Mânasic Intelligence,
Vasishtha — is Higher Mânasic Intelligence.
Table L
Prasûti — is the Mother, the Procreative Energy. During the First Manvantara Daksha had nothing to do with sexual procreation. He was the father of 16 primal energies. These energies were wedded to Dharma, Agni, the Pitris and Śiva — 13 to Dharma and one to each of the others.
Dharma — is that which binds the creation. Man and man, man and animal, animal and animal, all forms of creation are kept together by Dharma. The binding forces of creation are the wives of Dharma.
Sraddhâ or Faith is the first wife of Dharma. Her son is Satya or Truth.
Maitri or Friendliness is the second wife. Her son is Prasâda or complacence.
Dayâ or compassion is the third wife. Her son is Abhaya or Freedom from fear.
Sânti or Peace is the fourth wife. Her son is Sama or Tranquility.
The fifth wife is Tushti or contentment. Her son is Harsha or joy.
The sixth wife is Pushti or Fullness. Her son is Garva or Pride.
The seventh wife is Kriyâ. Her son is Yoga.
The eighth wife is Unnati or Advancement. Her son is Darpa or Vanity.
The ninth wife is Buddhi. Her son is Artha.
The tenth wife is Medhâ or Intellect. Her son is Smriti or Memory.
The eleventh wife is Titikshâ or Forbearance. Her son is Kshema or Well-being.
The twelfth wife is Lajjâ or Shame. Her son is Vinaya or Modesty.
The thirteenth and last wife of Dharma is Mûrti or Form. Her sons are Nara and Nârâyana, i.e. Humanity and Divinity. The Human Form constitute a Duality. It is in this dual form that Sri Krishna incarnated Himself.
From Dharma we pass to Agni.
[Agni is used in many senses. It means the channel of communication between different kingdoms in nature, specially between Man and Deva, as also a vehicle of consciousness, and sometimes consciousness itself. It also means the Rupa or form-giving principle in the Universe. It is frequently used in the Purânas in the last sense.]
Agni was wedded to Svâhâ, the 14th. daughter of Daksha. His three sons are Pâvaka or the Purifier, Pavamân or that which is being purified and Sâchi or Pure. They have 45 sons who with their fathers and grandfather form the Forty-nine Fires. They are separately mentioned in the Vedic Sacrifices in honour of Agni.
Svadhâ is the 15th. daughter of Daksha. She was married to the Pitris. Agnishvatvâ, Barhishad, Sōmapa and Âjyapa are the names of the Pitris. They are with fire (Sagni) or without fire (Niragini). Svadhâ bore two daughters to the Pitris, Vayunâ and Dhârini. Both of them were well-versed in the Supreme wisdom.
[Vayânâ is knowledge, wisdom, faculty of perception. Dhârini means that which bears, holds, carries, supports. Sometimes the word is used to mean the earth.
This two-fold classification means that some of the Pitris give the body, which is the receptacle or carrier, with its sub-divisions, and others give knowledge, wisdom and the faculties of perception].
Sâti is the last daughter of Daksha. She was wedded to Śiva. We shall specially notice her in the succeeding chapter.