Book Title: World of Philosophy
Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan
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i.e.,
The universal fire-divine is the mother of all
those divine powers, to whom the worship is
offered. May He be dear like a guest to all men.
Receiving the offered homage, may He,
the knower of all that is born, be gracious to us.
Prestham vo atithim stuse mitram iva priyam Agnim ratham na vedyam. (RV, 8/84/1) i.e., I adore fire-divine dear as a guest and loving
as a friend who brings us riches as if laden on a chariot.
Viso-viso vo atithis vājayantah purupriyam Agnim vo duryaṁ vaca stuse șūšasya manmabhiḥ. (RV,'8/74/1)
i.e., O adorable Lord, desirous of strength and food,
we glorify you with hymns for the attainment of happiness. You are dear and familiar friend
and dear like the guest in every home. (vii) As a Preceptor to the disciple:
Imām dhivam śiksamānasya deva kratum daksaṁ varuna saṁśiśādhi. (RV, 8/42/3) i.e., o All-pervading Deity! sharpen the intelligence, wisdom and
insight of him who is striving for enlightenment.
Acārya upnayamāno brahmacāriņaṁ krnute garbhamantah. (AV,'11/5/3)
i.e., The Acharya(teacher) initiating the Brahmacārin (pupil) makes him (as it were) a (spiritual) child within him.
VII
It is also worth mentioning here that there are three layers of prayer suggested through the Vedic verses, namely stuti (= adulation, eulogising) prarthanā (= solicitation, seeking) and upāsanās (=waiting, worshipping or approaching respectfully). Out of these, stuti is simply singing the attributes of the divine, preferably in musical chants, while prarthanā is an earnest urge for divine benediction which is sought after exhaustion of human endeavour. Last but not the least, upāsanā signifies coming close to the divinity, not in a physical sense but in an intrinsic and essential manner.
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