Continuing on with what Arjuna saw in the universal form of Krishna:

पश्यादित्यान्वसून् रुद्रानश्विनौ मरुतस्तथा |

बहून्यदृष्टपूर्वाणि पश्याश्चर्याणि भारत ||

paśhyādityān vasūn rudrān aśhvinau marutas tathā

bahūny adṛiṣhṭa-pūrvāṇi paśhyāśhcharyāṇi bhārata ||11.6||

Behold Arjuna, the (twelve) sons of Aditi, the (eight) Vasus, the (eleven) Rudras, the (twin) Ashwins, as well as the (forty-nine) Maruts and many more marvels never seen before.  (11.6)

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We will briefly go through this model of Rishis on the topic of “God”.  In Krishna-envelope,  Arjuna finds all the Gods that he ever prayed to in his entire life, to that point.    What Arjuna sees are the thirty three God-forces that constitute the Rishis’ model.  This’s what makes Arjuna  call Krishna God of Gods (deva-devasya – 11.31).  These god-forces control both micro and macrocosms – i.e., they are present in Krishna as well as in all of us.   These God-forces created, and ever since maintained the universe.  They are responsible for us manifesting individually also, and they play a role in every second of our lives.

Hence our meditation: Humee Hum Brahmam (I am that universal principle)

It’s just matter of gaining confidence in ourselves, and in this statement – not in an egotistical way, but in a responsible way where we treat the macro just like how treat ourselves (micro).  Yogis coach us all the time that, just like how God (forces) takes on the responsibility of running the universe, we individually have our roles to play in smooth operation of our planet, our society,  our village, our family…, which is the essence of Karma Yoga.

The thirty-three (33) deities or god-forces are; twelve (12) Ādityás, eight (8) Vasūs, eleven (11) Rudrās, one (1) Ashwin pair and one (1) set of Viswe-devāh.

Some replace the last one with Brahma (not Brahman), some put Maruts, who are seen as the ruler of these “information” downpours (49 Maruts).  Viswe-devāh are incharge of the directions.  The names of these are not completely consistent between various texts, but the general model of 33 gods has been consistent everywhere in yogic lore. Their main point anyway is that they are within us.

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Their god concept is very simple in yogic theory.  Any constrained thoughts or energies lead to demonic forces, and the same while unconstrained produce god forces.  Upanishads repeatedly say “where is fun in finiteness? Joy is in unbounded infiniteness.”  There are several practical implications of this claim, including bliss states and ways to achieve them.  But, here’s the account from Satapata Brahmana  [6.1.2]

The flow is Seven Seers, Prana –> Prajapathi –> Three spaces –> Gods, Mortals

6.1.2.6  sa manasā vācam mithunaṃ samabhavat | so’ṣṭau drapsāngarbhyabhavatte’ṣṭau vasavo’sṛjyanta tānasyāmupādadhāt

By his Mind (manas) he entered into union with Speech (vac): he became pregnant with eight drops. They were created as those eight Vasus: he placed them on this (earth).

6.1.2.7 sa manasaiva |  vācam mithunaṃ samabhavatsa ekādaśa drapsāngarbhyabhavatta ekādaśa rudrā asṛjyanta tānantarikṣa upādadhāt

By his Mind he entered into union with Speech: he became pregnant with eleven drops. They were created as those eleven Rudrās: he placed them in antariksha, or  the mid-space. [see below, that corresponds to eye level, on the spine, in humans].

6.1.2.8 sa manasaiva| vācam mithunaṃ samabhavatsa dvādaśa drapsāngarbhyabhavatte dvādaśādityā asṛjyanta tāndivyupādadhāt

By his Mind he entered into union with Speech: he became pregnant with twelve drops. They were created as the twelve Adityās: he placed them in div, the sky.

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Ādityás

The oldest of Adityas is Indra, while the youngest is Vishnu; here’s the list: 1. Indra (Dhata) 2. Aryaman 3. Rudra 4. Mitra 5. Varuna 6. Surya 7. Vivasvan 8. Bhaga 9. Savita 10. Tvasta 11. Pusa and 12. Vishnu.  The functions of Adityas (or Rudras, Vasus) and precise force conduction paths, or nadi routes, are not very clear in the written-down literature, and unfortunately we may never recover that knowledge.  For example, Savita is the impeller of thoughts. However, the entire Yoga and Ayurveda are based on this anatomy, and we can back out some information, just enough to sketch out an outline.

Vasus

The eight inner spheres of existence – they are supposed to originate from the  lower throat (see below). They are closely related to the five elements – 1. Apa 2. Dhruva 3. Soma 4. Dhara 5. Anila 6. Anala 7. Pratyusha and 8. Prabhasa.

Rudras

Names of the eleven Rudras are the most fluid in literature; it depends upon which text you pick.  For example, Bhagavatha purana names them as: 1. Manyu  2. Manu  3. Mahinasa 4. Mahān 5. Śiva 6. Ṛtadhvaja 7. Ugraretā 8. Bhava 9. Kāla 10. Vāmadeva 11. Dhṛtavrata

According to another source, Brahma created first four rishis called Sananda, Sanaka, Sanatana and Sanat Kumara with a purpose to initiate the activities of creation. But all the four preferred to be ascetics and never bothered to reproduce. Then Brahma got so angry that the anger was sufficient to burn all the three worlds. This anger escaped from his eyebrows and took the form of Rudra. Rudra’s form was half woman and half man. Brahma commanded him to divide and disappear. Rudra divided himself into Rudra the male part as well as Rudhrani the female part. This male part further got divided in to eleven parts. They were: 1. Ajan, 2. Ekaath, 3. Ahirbudhnyan, 4. Twashta, 5. Rudra, 6. Hara, 7. Sambhu, 8. Tryambaka, 9. Aparajitha, 10. Easana and 11. Tribhuvana. The female aspect was called Rudrani and she also divided herself into eleven parts and became consort to the eleven Rudras.

The numbers within each category, and their functions are consistent, but their names differed between sources.

Deity Locations

The following invocation from “Rudram” tells us about the locations.  The last sentence summarizes this model – may all these Gods be in their respective places and protect me.  The flow and mediation of the forces occur along nadis.  These nadis have two ends, and they all seem to have one end located in the physical brain somewhere.  The other end runs to different parts of the body.

ॐ prajanane brahmaa tishThatu |

Let Brahma be in organs of creation (genitals in the microcosm)

paadayor vishNu: tishThatu |

Let Vishnu be in my feet,

hastayor hara: tishThatu |

Let Hara be in my hands,

baahvor indra: tishThatu |

Let Indra be in my shoulders,

jaThare agni: tishThatu |

Let Agni be in stomach

hrudaye shiva tishThatu |

Let Shiva be in my heart,

kanThe vasava: tishThantu |

Let Vasus be in my throat,

vaktre sarasvatee tishThatu |

Let Sarawathi be in my mouth,

naasikayor vaayu: tishThatu |

Let Vayu be in my nose,

nayanoshchandraadityou tishThetaam |

Let Sun and Moon be in my eyes,

karNayorashvinou tishThetaam |

Let Aswin twins be in my ears,

lalaaTe rudraa: tishThantu |

Let Rudras be in my forehead,

moordhanyaadityaa: tishThantu |

Let Adhityas be in front portion of my head,

shirasi mahaadeva: tishThatu |

Let Mahadeva be in the center of my head,

shikhaayaam vaamadeva: tishThatu |

Let Vamadeva be in my tuft,

prushThe pinaakee tishThatu |

Let Pinaki be at the back of my head,

purata: shooli tishThatu |

Let Sooli be in the front of my head,

paarshvayo: shivaashankarau tishThetaam |

Let Paravathi and Parameshwara be in my left and right,

sarvato vaayu: tishThatu |

and let me be surrounded by air (vayu) on all sides.

tato bahi: sarvato agnirjvaalaamaalaa parivruta: tishThatu |

after the air let me be surrounded by flames of “agni”,

sarveshvangeshu sarvaa devataa yathaasthaanam tishThantu |

mam rakshantu|

and may all these Gods be in respective positions and protect me

Finally,  to wrap it up, we have an anthropomorphized story depicting this model; this is from Aitareya Upanishad.

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The story (Aitareya Upanishad – Chapter 1 Aitereya Upanishad)

From Brahman came various deities.  But without support, they were falling back into the ocean of Āpas (element “water”; the water that dissolves everything back).   After creating deities, Brahman created Hunger and Thirst, and subjected the created Person (Virat in the form of a lump) to hunger and thirst. They (the deities) said to Him (Brahman): “find out for us an abode wherein being established we may eat food.”

He brought them a cow. They said: “But this is not enough for us.” He brought
them a horse. They said: “This, too, is not enough for us.” He brought them a
human. The deities said: “Ah, this is well done, indeed.” Therefore a human is verily
something well done. He said to the deities: “Now enter your respective abodes.”

The deity Agni became the organ of speech and entered the mouth. Vayu became
breath and entered the nostrils. The sun became sight and entered the eyes; the
ashwins (quarters of space) became hearing and entered the ears. Plants and trees, the deity of air, became hairs and entered the skin. The moon became the mind and entered the heart. Death became the apana and entered the navel. The waters became semen and entered the virile member…

…. The story continues.

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Interestingly this Upanishad integrates both creationist and evolutionist themes.  We will pick this up some other time, but that’s the Rishis’ model of “God”..  The main point is that, for yogis, the deities that are out there reside in each human body also – consistent with Tat Twam Asi.    This is the reason why the question of “God” sounds differently to rishis.   The meaning of the standard question – do you believe in God? – sounds different now, doesn’t it?  The fact that they are within each of us and working through us makes us answer that question differently – right?  The “within” aspect is what makes yogis consider the topic of “God” not only politically-correct but also something that is worthy of discussion, in a learning and exploration-sense.

So, the Īśvara Patanjali is talking about is universal – present in believers, atheists and people in between.  With that, we will go back to Arjuna’s state-of-mind next…

May all these God-forces be fully situated in their respective locations and protect us _/\_/\_/\_