A discourse on Vedas, Shruti, Vaak, Gayatri. Words those create! Reference from Kathopanishad.

1. The words we speak, vaak, gaayatrI and creation.
(Words as they are in the Vedas)
(You may please read the other publications published before this one in the link
<http://www.scribd.com/people/documents/13694018-debkumar-lahiri>
for a better understanding.)
(All the words in italics are the ITRANS version of the original Sanskrit word as published in the
‘Monnier Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary---< http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-
koeln.de/monier/>)
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“….vaak vai gaayatrI, vaak va idam sarvam bhUtam, gayati cha trayatey cha….”
(vaak is gaayatrI, vaak is all these which are created, sings and rescues)
(Chandyogya Upanishada, 3rd chapter 12th part)
‘vaak’ is the shakti or the power by which the ONE, absolutely ONE, self –revealing Soul
becomes many. ‘vaak’ is the fundamental word, elemental word. vaak materializes in every thing
and the physical universe. Processed ‘vaak’ as an entity is called ‘vaakya’ whose literal meaning is
‘word’. Thus the entire universe, revealed or unrevealed is from ‘vaak’.
Whatever we feel we describe by a word, articulated or not. Thus every word is an embodiment of
feeling or consciousness. Every feeling is associated with speaking and listening. When you speak
your feeling or knowledge is formed as a word and also you listen to every word you speak. This is
intrinsic in us because this is intrinsic in Universal Consciousness. Consciousness, supreme soul,
who is One and from whom every thing is created, creates by words or by speaking. This aspect,
this ability to create, this power or shakti to create is called ‘vaak’. The creation, the creatures are
the ‘vaakya’ or the formed words, processed words. Our words do not get materialized in the
external space. It remains within us, in our inner space, in our mind. The words of the Creator
materialize in the form of universe.
As we can not speak without listening, similarly when the Consciousness or the Creator, splits or
creates, the Consciousness also listens. This means, there are two aspects, to create or to speak and
to feel or know what is being created. Creation is speaking, and knowing or feeling is listening.
This knowing or feeling is also called ‘veda’. The word ‘veda’ in its verb forms means to ‘know’
and the word ‘shruti’ means act of listening. Thus Vedas are also termed as ‘shruti’.
As the Consciousness creates, Consciousness also feels what is being created, this is why Vedas
have called Consciousness as ‘jaata-veda’(see the word jaatavedas in the Monier Williams
Dictionary) . jata=born; veda= to know or to feel---who creates and knows or feels what is
created.
This is why Vedas have quoted, ‘mukhad (from the mouth) agni(fire) ajayata(was created).
This means, speech, words are the all revealing fire/electricity, all creating consciousness.
This also explains the significance of the word, ‘mukhya praaNa’(universal Life god) in the Vedas.
The word ‘mukhya’ means belonging to mouth (and also ‘principal’). Vedas have also quoted the

2. space inside the mouth (mouth is the organ from which the words come out from our inner space
and articulated in the outer space).
This is why many Vedic quotes have identified ‘vaak’ with ‘agni’(fire) or ‘vidyut’(electricity) and
with pRithivI(earth). ‘vaak’ is identified with the earth because ‘vaak’, materializes as the earth or
physicality. The real meaning of electricity getting earthed lies here. This universe is never
completed unless it is materialized to physicality. The reason that the Idol worship was introduced
by the Seers is to know this and demonstrate this. The word ‘artha’ means ‘meaning’ or the
realization of ‘vaak’. The words are realized in the meanings. Similarly the ‘earth’ is the
realization of the words of Consciousness. The word ‘earth’ must be connected with the word
‘artha’. In the Vedas, the body of ‘vaak’ has been termed as ‘pRithivI’ which means ‘earth’.
(‘tasyai bachah pRithivI sharIram----the body of that ‘vaak’ is the earth’
--Brihadaranyaka Upanishad-first Chapter, fifth Brahmin, eleventh Hymn .)
Thus the world we are seeing is the words of the Consciousness, our creator, who is calling us in
every form! The water, the blade of grass, every thing, is the call of the Creator----‘this is me, this
is me!’ This aspect of calling is also termed as ‘Daaka’ meaning to ‘call’. The word ‘Daaka’ has a
connection with the English word ‘dak’ meaning ‘mail’. There are group of goddesses in ‘tantra’
(a text mainly on the science of applications) called ‘DaakinI’. As we do not know this, the world
and its words lead us to disasters. As we know, this world and the words are different. So, if there
is any formidable description of these goddesses anywhere it is because of our not knowing,
otherwise they are calling us to ‘amRita’---immortality.
When we know this we get rid of the limitations imposed by physicality. We find every thing is
made of ‘words’. Words, processed words are formation of mind. Everything is expressed in mind.
gaayatrI means ‘gayantam (by singing) trayasey(rescues)’-----she who rescues by singing. The
physical objects which are actually materialized words reveal their entity beyond physicality. Thus
the dry hardened words turn into songs. The Conscious world becomes visible---- the world of the
deities---the loving responding universe. Otherwise this universe is extremely noisy and awe
uttering.
As we see physicality as the form of consciousness or form of our knowledge formed inside us, we
realize any thing physical is a form of shape of the ‘mind’. This is the first step.
As we find things in our mind, we see every thing inside. But Consciousness is taking every shape;
mind is taking every formation because there is a desire behind. Consciousness is desiring, you are
desiring. This plane of desire, immediately at the back ground of mind is heart or ‘hRidaya’.
Between the mind and physicality are the sensory organs. The physicality, the shapes and
dimensions are realized within the mind as ‘words’. These words or interpretation of physicality is
called ‘artha’ (artha=meaning). So Vedas (See Kathopanishads, the preaching of yama to
Nachiketa) have said-----‘indriaevyo para arthah’ (the meanings, the interpretation of senses

3. in the mind, are superior to the sensory organs; these organs act as conduits between the
mind and the physicality).
Then the Vedas have said ‘artheyvaschay param manoh’(the mind is superior to the meanings
or the words. Because all words are revelation of mind. In the mind it is ‘vaakya’, or formed
words. ‘vaak’ processes Herself as ‘vaakya’. Shakti (shakti), vaak is addressed as female.
Then the Vedas have said ‘manasastu para buddhi’. Mind is superior to ‘buddhi’. The word
‘bodha’ means, ‘consciousness’. The alphabet ‘i’ signifies ‘certainty’. The word ‘buddhi’
generally means ‘intellect power’. ‘buddhi’ is that aspect of ‘consciousness’ by which we become
‘certain’.
Unless you are certain that a feeling picked up by your eyes as ‘flower’, is really the flower, you
can not really enjoy it. This certainty, this feeling of the ‘reality’ is associated with ‘buddhi’. If
‘buddhi’ is not active, then the words of the mind will become incoherent. The words will not be
channeled in specific, meaningful ways.
(The formed words in the mind, in the inner space, are the same as the corresponding objects in the
outer space. The difference between two physical objects is called space. Similarly there is inner
space which separates one entity from the other, one mind from the other mind.)
Then the Vedas have said ‘buddheratma mahan paro’ (the magnanimous soul is superior to
‘buddhi’).
This ‘mahan atma’ or ‘magnanimous soul’ is the plane of heart, ‘hRidaya’. This is above
‘intellectual plane’ or ‘buddhi’. If you love some one you may not go by logics and intellects.
Certainties about the subject loved are automatic. The feeling of certainty or feeling of existence,
feeling of reality, are all same. This is called ‘astitva bodh’. ‘astitva’ means ‘existence’, ‘asti’
means ‘to exist’ or ‘is’. The feelings of existence, the feelings of ‘am’, ‘is’, are’ etc. are all from
the heart or hRidaya You are holding every thing like ‘my house’, ‘my son’, ‘my body’, etc. This
is heart or hRidaya. Similarly, the great Soul is holding us as ‘my offsprings’, ‘my children’, ‘my
spread’. hRidaya is also the plane of love, desire, affection, emotions. The ‘akShara’, soul, whose
activity is the called praaNa, hRidaya is His playground with duality. ‘akShara’ and His activity
‘praaNa’ is the truth. We are existing as He is holding us. Our self is a part of His self. In Vedas,
praaNa is termed as ‘satyasya satyam’ (truth of the truth). Every thing is truth because they are
held by praaNa, mukhya praaNa, the Universal life, whose activity, whose motion is our life
Then the Vedas have said, ‘mahoto paramam avyaktam’’(avyakta is superior to the mahat or
the Magnanimous soul).
‘avyakta’ means ‘untold’, ‘not expressed’. ‘vyakta’ means ‘told’, expressed ‘vaak’. ‘vaak’ is the
mother of all expression ‘vaak’ is the first articulation and beyond, ‘vaak’is ‘akShara’’s Shakti and
‘akShara’. Beyond this revelation is the unrevealed One whose revelation is the creation. (You
may refer the article ‘Beyond Reality-Truth in the
linkhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/16850941/Beyond-Reality)
In consciousness the driver, the driven and the power that drives are the same. That is, the
Soul/Entity/Being and the Power or Shakti of Soul/Entity is same, i.e. both ‘‘vaak’’ and
Soul(‘akShara’) are aspects of the Consciousness.

4. From the Magnanimous soul, the plane of heart upto the mind and physicality is the revealed
world. Beyond that is the unrevealed world. There we exist in ‘non existence’ form, as we exist
during our sleep. In our expressed part, in our positive form, only a part of us is expressed. The
unexpressed part (which is not known to you) is the divine part, ‘the ever you’. This is ‘avyakta’.
There are so many universes expressed and created in ‘akShara’, there are so many universes in
the form of seeds in ‘akShara’, yet to be created! This is ‘avyakta’. Even what is created, its one
third is expressed, two third remains unrevealed! As we know ‘akShara’ the unrevealed becomes
revealed, the ‘avyakta becomes ‘vyakta’.
When we get up from the sleep normally we feel that we are coming back from darkness. During
the sleep we do not feel whether we ‘exist’ or ‘do not exist’, still we know that we went
somewhere, got comfort and rest and now back in positive state. Seers know that where we sleep
there is splendid light, there is abundant brightness, it is called ‘svayam jyotI’, the light of the soul,
or the light which reveals itself by itself and also every one. Though the pronoun ‘itself’ is used in
the previous sentence, this is all revealing consciousness.
In Consciousness the sun rises, preceded by the beautiful uSha (Goddess Dawn) and we all rise as
he rises and proceeds, we all become active, our eyes get filled with colours, our mind get hued
with all the determinations. As the Consciousness draws back, wraps up, the sun slides in the
horizon, the birds fly back, the controllers of night- the moon and the stars appear, we are also
drawn toward the realm of dream and sleep and the nocturnal beings become active. The rays of
Consciousness that move forth, drive us outward and we rise in the external world, we rush in
manifestation, are the rays of the day. The rays those move us in, they are the rays of night. The
night (‘nakta’) and the day are filled up by the rays of ‘aaditya’(who is ONE) or the sun who
neither rises nor sets!
Thus the Sun god has been addressed in the hymns of the Vedas along with his dark attractive
shines the shines of the night, the dark shines.
“a kriShnena (dark/attractive) rajasa (splendor/light) saha(along with) vartamana
(revolving/circulating/existing)
nibeshayan (inducing) amritam (immortals) martam cha(and the mortals)
hironmayena ( golden) savita(who gives birth to every one, from whom the periods of time is
generated) rathena (chariot) devo (who reveals, deity) yati(moves) bhUvanani(universes)
pashyan (while looking at).”
(Circulating along with the dark attractive radiance
Inducing the immortals as well as the mortals
In the golden chariot the Creator, who reveals everyone,
Looks on all as he moves along!)
Here in avyakta SHE/HE looks at us while we sleep. Vedas have said, ‘asupta(one who does not
sleep) suptan avichakashiti(looks at the sleeping one).
Here our instincts get enhanced by the radiance of avyakta , our further journey program for
evolution gets set. We return from here as more evolved! As long as we can not identify ourselves

5. with the creator we keep on evolving. Here if sleep is diluted we dream. Here the creator dreams
about us.
After our death also we go in the ‘avyakta’. The difference is that we remain in body during the
sleep and we loose the body during the death,
(The etymological meaning of the word ‘kriShNa (used as kriShnena in the above hymn) is
‘attractive or who attracts’.)
There is a goddess called ‘kojagari laxmI’. kojagari means, ko(who) +jagari(who is awake). laxmI
—means power of vision, power to reach target fixed by vision. The goddess on the ‘full moon
‘night asks every one if one is awake! Her ‘vaahana’ or vehicle or carrier is ‘owl’ who can see
through darkness.
There is this hymn in Rik veda:
“jo jagaroh tam richa kamayantey
( the Rik mantras are desiring the One who remains awake)
jo jagaroh tam u samani yanti
( the Sam mantras are approaching the One who remains awake)
jo jagaroh tam ayam soma aha vaba aham asmi sakhey noka
( soma says that he wants the friendship of the One who remains awake)
aginr jagaroh tam richo kamayantey
(agni is awake, whom Rik mantras are desiring)
agnir jagaroh tam u smanai janti
(agni is awake and to whom saama mantras are approaching)
agnir jagaroh tam ayam soma aha vaba aham asmi sakhey noka
( agni is awake and to whom the Soma says that he wants to be his friend )”
Here the Vedas address the agni (fire), the revealing, shining consciousness, who remains awake
for ever. This is the upper part of the heart, Urdhva hRidaya.
Heart, hRidaya has been referred as ‘guhaa’ in the Vedas. guhaa means ‘cave’. From here every
thing is coming to the lower part of the heart, ‘nimna hRidaya’, where we are at the receiving end.
The lower heart is physiologically the part below the neck and upper heart is from neck upto the
brain. The heaven and the earth, the spirit and the physicality are amalgamated in endless ways
beyond all wonders.
All things, feelings are created in the upper heart. Here it is created. The soul(consciousness)
creates out of soul by soul. In this creation we find the soul as praaNa and vaak. In the lower heart

6. we feel what is created in the upper heart. It is like a sensation of itching is created in the brain
and felt in the hand. The sensations are created in brain and felt in respective locations.
The Vedas have quoted:
“anoronIan mahato mahIan
(smaller than the atoms and greater than the greatest)
atma asya jantor nihitam guhayam
( the soul is located inside the cave{heart})”
,
Also another hymn says:
“Ritam pivantou sukritsaya lokey
(they{ akShara and kShara, creator and the created} together drink the nectar of the truth in
the realm of ‘Divine Activities’)
guham pravishtou paramey parardhey
(the supreme one{ akShara} stays in the superior half of the cave)” (Refer Kathopanishada).
Then the Vedas have said, ‘avyaktyat puruSho paro (puruSha is superior to avyakta)
PuruShanna param kinchit, saa kashta saa para gati”(there is no
one who exceeds the puruSha, SHE is the supreme , SHE is the final destination.)
The word puruSha is connected with the word ‘pura’ meaning abode or shape. The alphabet ‘Sha’
in puruSha means dissected or fragmented. In each of us, the Supreme soul, the Consciousness is
existing as a fragment. We are the split form, fragment of the Consciousness. Here, puruSha means
the Supreme soul (the aspect of Consciousness where every thing is in absolute oneness, where
akShara and kShara is in Oneness).
(Usually, the word puruSha is used with male gender. But here the word ‘saa’( saa kashta saa para
gati) meaning ‘she’ has been used as a pronoun of ‘puruSha’ to signify the oneness of puruSha
(Soul) and HIS shakti, vaak ---termed here as ‘avyakta’.)
Thus there is ONE and only one, all pervading , all knowing Consciousness every where. The
Consciousness, creator is calling us in every form. Thus we the creatures are amalgamated with the
creator in an endless pattern of fabric beyond the reach of human mind. The creator has woven the
net spread over all the time and all the space. Thus the Vedas have addressed the creator as a
spider-------‘yatha urnanavi shrijatey grinhatey cha
(like a spider creates its nets and also wraps it up)
yatha preethivayam oshodhayo samvabati
(like the herbs sprout spontaneously from the earth)

7. yatha purushat satoh kesho lomani cha
(like the hair grows spontaneously in a human being)
tatha akSharat samvati iaha vishwa
(in the same way this universe is generated from the akShara (Refer Mundaka
Upanishada )
{This is written from the teachings received from the Seers Shri. Bijoykrishna Chattopadhaya
(1875-1945), and his principle disciple Shri Tridibnath Bandopadhaya(1923-1994). This article
was earlier published in Scribd.------Debkumar Lahiri
(you may write to the author at dkldk@rediffmail.com or debkumar.lahiri@gmail.com for any
comments or query)