In
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
, Vaishvanara ( sa, वैश्वानर, pronounced ), meaning "of or related to Visvanara" is an abstract concept. It is related to the soul
atman, the (universal) Self or self-existent essence of human beings. Etymologically (the study of the history of words), Vaishvanara is a derivative of the conjoined word Vishvanara ''i.e.''
Vishva
''Viśhva'' (Sanskrit:विश्व), root विश् ("''vish''") (to pervade) means all-pervading or omnipresent. It is another name for Vishnu and also refers to the world, the universe. In literature, this word refers to the entire encha ...
(Universe) + Narah (Man) ''i.e.'' the 'Universal or Cosmic Man'. In the
Rig Veda, Vaishvanara is an epithet of the fire god deity
Agni
Agni (English: , sa, अग्नि, translit=Agni) is a Sanskrit word meaning fire and connotes the Vedic fire deity of Hinduism. He is also the guardian deity of the southeast direction and is typically found in southeast corners of Hindu ...
.
Forms of Vaishvanara
As per the
Mandukya Upanishad
The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad ( sa, माण्डूक्य उपनिषद्, ) is the shortest of all the Upanishads, and is assigned to Atharvaveda. It is listed as number 6 in the Muktikā canon of 108 Upanishads.
It is in prose, c ...
, the Self has four aspects or states of consciousness.
[Easwaran, Eknath (2009-06-01). The Upanishads (Classic of Indian Spirituality) (p. 203). Nilgiri Press. Kindle Edition.] The first is the Vaishvanara manifestation, under the ''jagrat'' or the waking state which is outwardly cognitive. The Self in Vaishvanara form has seven limbs, nineteen mouths and has the capability to experience material objects.
The seven limbs of Vaishvanara pertain to the 'cosmic body' of 'Vaishvanara'. These are enumerated in verse 18.2 of the
Chandogya Upanishad,
e heavens are his head, the sun his eyes, the air his breath, the fire his heart, the water his stomach, the earth his feet, and space his body.
The seven limbs of Vaishvanara have also referred to in the first verse of the
Mandukya Upanishad
The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad ( sa, माण्डूक्य उपनिषद्, ) is the shortest of all the Upanishads, and is assigned to Atharvaveda. It is listed as number 6 in the Muktikā canon of 108 Upanishads.
It is in prose, c ...
, which have been described to encompass the entire manifest universe. The nineteen "mouths" are
* The five sense organs
* The five organs of action (walking, talking, expelling, procreating, and handling)
* The five pranas
* The four functions of mind (aspects of antahkarana) - the mind (manas), the intellect (buddhi), the ego sense (ahamkara), and thought (çitta)
Further, Agni Vaishvanara is regarded as Author of the Hymns of the Rig-veda (x. 79, 80).
Agning prajvalitang vande Jata-vedang Hutashanang:
Suvarna-varnam amalang samiddhang sarvvatomukham.
The
Mahanirvana Tantra also refers to certain Vaishvanara:
Vaishvanara Jataveda ihavaha ihavaha;
lohitaksha, sarvva-karmani sadhaya: svaha.
As per the Tantras, Vaishvanara meaning "Ruling or benefiting all men," is also a name of the
tantric goddess
Savitr
Savitṛ (Sanskrit: stem ', nominative singular '), also rendered as Savitur, in Vedic scriptures is an Aditya i.e. off-spring of the Vedic primeval mother goddess Aditi. His name in Vedic Sanskrit connotes "impeller, rouser, vivifier."
...
i.
See also
*
Brahman
In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...
*
Glossary of Hinduism terms
The following list consists of notable concepts that are derived from Hindu culture and associated cultures (Indian, Nepali, Balinese) traditions, which are expressed as words in Sanskrit or other Indic languages and Dravidian languages. The ...
*
Hindu deities
Hindu deities are the gods and goddesses in Hinduism. The terms and epithets for deities within the diverse traditions of Hinduism vary, and include Deva, Devi, Ishvara, Ishvari, Bhagavān and Bhagavati.
The deities of Hinduism have evolved ...
*
Hindu mythology
References
{{reflist
Hindu philosophical concepts
Vedanta