A new approach to the Vedas : an essay in translation and exegesis

A NEW APPROACH TO THE VEDAS

“right hand ” of God, Dante’s puro aito, being an essential name, like Visvakarma and Prajapati, is rightly identified with Prajapati, Satapatha Brahmana, Il, 4, 4, 2.197

To render rightly the familiar words sat and asat is far more difficult than might appear at first sight. In certain passages, Brhadavanyaka Up., I, 4, 1, and Chandogya Up., VI, 2, 2, the relativity of Existence to a permissive cause (Non-existence) is ignored or rejected, Self (aman), Person (purusa), Existence (sat) being taken for granted as first cause. In our text and many others, e.g., Rg Veda, X, 129, 1, Brhadavanyaka UP., V, 2, 1, Chandogya Up., Il, 2, 1, Tattthriya Up., what is meant by the birth of sat from asat may be the birth of Intellect, Self, Person, Consciousness, from Death, Privation, Dark-Inert, Unconsciousness ; of God from Godhead, essence from nature, 18 cf. Daksa from Aditi. In general, however, sat has the more restricted sense ‘“‘ that which exists’ or “is actual,’’ so, for example, Sayana on Rg Veda, VII, 87, 6, equates sat with jagat, the “‘ world,” literally “ that which moves ” (of course, with reference to local movement). A very clear distinction of sat from asat occurs in Atharva Veda, X, 7, 21, ““ The kindreds (sc. of the Angels) understand (viduh) the branch (Sakham, i.e., the Tree of Life, prasakhaya of Maitri Up., VII, 11) established (fratisthantim, i.e., in the Waters as the manifest existence of all things) by-way-of (iva) Non-Existence (asat) ; those-here-below (avare) who revere (updsate) the Branch reckon-it (manyante) as Actuality (saz).”” Here, as so often happens, the inverse points of view, angelic and human, metaphysical-intellectual (favoksa) and empirical-sensational (pratyaksa) are expressly contrasted ; the distinction of the verbal roots vid and man, implying respectively “knowledge ”’ and “‘ opinion,” should be noted, and it is hard to see why Whitney should have found the stanza “highly obscure.’ Corresponding to these uses of sat as “real” or “actual” or “actual” (as realia are