- Author: Vidwan Sagri Raghavedra Upadhyaya
- Translation: Prabhanjana Kalya
It is commonly perceived that the two verses of the aksha sookta from Rigveda (10-34-13,14) are focused on prohibiting gambling. It is only natural to come this conclusion as one can find the words aksha and kitava, the commonly used terminology for the dice and gamblers respectively.
विष्णुरुक्तः सर्ववेद्यैः
विष्णुरुक्तः सर्ववेद्यैः ……
कर्मार्थम् च ब्राह्मणम् स्याद् अमुख्यार्थविवक्षया ।
मुख्यतो विष्णुरेवैको ब्राह्मणष्वेपि कथ्यते ॥
– ब्रह्मान्डपुराण (छान्दोग्यभाष्य)
The statements from brahmAnDa purANa is clear in stating that the purpose of all the vedas is ultimately to describe Sri VishNu. Although apparently the brAhmaNas seem to be focused on defining the religious rites and activities, brahmAnDa purANa clearly announces the main purport is Shri VishNu. In this background how could one reconcile the validity of elucidating aksha sookta in the sense of gambling and its instruments having no connection, directly or indirectly with the almighty?
How are the dices addressed? : Akshasookta second mantra begins addressing the dice as “मित्रम् क्रुणुध्वम् …” – make us your friends. It obviously doesn’t fit the scheme of things to request the dice to be friends. Even if we were to understand that it is addressed towards abhimAni dEvate based on abhimAnyAdhikaraNa of brahmasootrabHAsHya, it would not be apt to consider any significant abhimAni dEvate representing the vice of gambling and dice.
akShayam purusHasAksHyam : Hence based on “अक्षयम् पुरुषस्याक्षम् स्वरूपे मुख्यमेव तु। उपचारस्त्दन्यत्र ….” statement from brahmatarka ( v.t.v.nirNaya) which explains aksham refers to indestructible swarUpEndriya mainly and the other indriyas in a subordinate sense, one should infer that swarUpEndriya are the ones propounded by the akshasookta.
The one who possesses the strength of knowledge is kitava: “तत्र गावः कितवः ……” the word kitava used in vocative sense in the third stanza of the mantra is popularly understood to be referring to a gambler. However, the verbal root “ki” meaning knowledge combined with suffix “kta” results in kita to be used in the sense of knowledge, also, while looking at the etymology of word vAyu, strength is attributed to “va”. Combining the above items, kitava could be etymologically derived as “कितस्य ज्ञानस्य वम् बलम् यस्य सः” – one who possesses the strength of knowledge.
The meaning of the first hymn: Thus, when we attribute the special meaning to aksha and kitava the following import is derived from the first hymn – हे कितवः! Oh, the wise one, who has gained the strength of knowledge by virtue of studying the shAstras! बहुमान्यमानः – being the one who respects the messages of the vEdic scriptures, अक्षैः मा दीव्यः – do not frolic with your indriyAs, do not use your organs for unadvised indulgent games, instead, क्रुषिमित् क्रुषस्व – eliminate the long standing negative mental conformations and harvest the crop of knowledge. वित्ते रमस्व – enjoy the bliss of engaging your indriyas towards gaining the wealth of knowledge. As justified by Arjuna “दैवो विद्या “(M.B.T.N) learning is the divine wealth. तत्र – by cultivating knowledge, as the following verse says सर्वेपि पुरुषार्थाः स्युः ज्ञानदेव … गावः – objects needed for worldly enjoyment like cows and other things (the usage of plural for cow in गावः is in the sense of etcetera) जाया- wife and other means of worldly pleasure can be attained. अयम् – the one celebrated in the shAstras, आर्यः – the venerable सवता- savitrunArAyaNa has विचष्टे – has emphatically announced this message in the vEda.
The meaning of the second hymn: हे अक्षाणि – Oh my indriyas, the abhimAni devatas of my indriyas, मित्रम् क्रुणुध्वम् – by inspiring my organs to act in accordance with my wellbeing, make me their friend. नो म्रुलत – let my family and I attain our natural bliss by making our indriyas follow the righteous path. ध्रुष्णु- let my unending and घोरेण – unbearable doshAs like desire and anger along with their abhimAni auras like kAlanEmi and all. नः मा अभिचरित not confront us. वः – your मन्युः – anger आरातिः निविशिताम् – enter our enemies बभ्रूणाम् प्रसितौ In strong imprisonment supported by you अन्यः our enemies like desire, anger, etc. along with their presiding demonical spirits like kAlanEmi and others अस्तु – be imprisoned.
This is a prayer to the our indriyAbhimAni devatas to arrest the invasive vices and their abhimAni asuras.
Complimentary to the thought of meditating about Sri Vishnu: Further focus of understanding aksha sookta in the sense of indriyas can be aptly interpreted as the thought of meditating about Sri Vishnu based on the culture of knowledge (about Sri Vishnu). Hence let us elevate the understanding of aksha sookta from worldly dice and gambling to indriyas and further towards understanding the almighty.
