Pujaabhishekam Blog (Page 12)

मकर संक्रांति व्रत

संक्रांति व्रत का विधान ज्योतिष शास्त्र में वृहद् रूप से दिया है| सूर्य जिस राशि पर स्थित हो उसे छोड़कर जब दूसरी राशि मे प्रवेश करे उस समय का नाम संक्रांति है| ऐसे बारह संक्रांतियों में मकरदि छह राशियों के भोग काल में दक्षिणायन होता है| यह दो अयन होता है सामान्य मत से दिन में का उत्तरार्ध तथा अर्घ रात्रि के बाद हो तोह आनेवाले दिन में पुरणाद्र पूर्णय काल के होते है| जैसे इस वर्ष महावीर पन्चाडा के अनुसार १५-१-२०१९ को सोमवार की रात्रि में २:०९ मिनट पर मकर संक्रांति हो रही है तथा साथ ही उसी दिन सूर्य उत्तरायण होते है तोह अगले दिन मंगलवार को पूर्णय काल में गंगादि देव नदियों में स्नान करके जप तथा दान करे उसके बाद वेदी या चौकीपर लाल कपडा बिछा कर चावल से अष्टदल निर्माण करे ुसस्पर सूर्यनारायण की सोने की मूर्ति स्थापन करके उनका पाचोपचार स्नान गंध पुस्पा धुप दीप भुक्त व्रत करे तोह सब प्रकार के पापों का झये होता है सब सब प्रकारकी आधी व्याधियों का निवारण तथा सब प्रक्कर की हीनता अथवा संकोच का निपात होता है तथा प्रत्येक प्रकार की सुख संपत्ति संतान और सहानुभूति की वृद्धि होता है|

गुरुवार व्रत का विधान

गुरुवार व्रत का विधान भविष्य पुराण में वृहद् रूप से दिया है किसी महीने के शुक्लपक्ष में जिस दिन अनुराधा और गुरुवार हो उस दिन वृहस्पति वार का व्रत प्रारम्भ करना चाहिए वृहस्पति वार का व्रत करने वाले स्त्री पुरुष को चाहिए कि प्रातः काल स्नानादि क्रिया करके शुद्ध स्नान एवं कुशादी पवित्र आसन पर बैठकर आचमन प्राणाया करने के बाद संकल्प करे|

उसके बाद वृहस्पति भगवान का षोडशोपचार पूजन करे|

सर्वप्रथम वृहस्पति भगवान की सुवर्णमयी मूर्ति को सोने या कांसे के पात्र में स्थापित करके पूजन आरम्भ करे हाथ में पीले पुष्प एवं पीले अक्षत लेकर वृहस्पति भगवान का ध्यान करे आवहान के निमित अक्षत छोड़ें प्राण प्रतिष्ठ करे तथा आसन के निम्रित अक्षत अर्पण करे उसके बाद पाठ्य अरध आचमन स्नान के निम्रित पांच बार जल अर्पण करे फिर पंचामृत से स्नान करावे फिर वृहस्पति भगवान को पीले वस्त्र अर्पण करके पीला यशोपवीत अर्पण करे उसके बाद पीला चन्दन तथा पीले अक्षत चढावे पीला फूल तथा पीला पुष्पमाला अर्पण करे दूर्वा तुलसी पत्र चढावे नाना परिमल द्रव्य चढावे फिर इत्र धुप दीप दिखावे चने या चने की दाल गुड़ मुनाका का भोग लगावे पीला फल चढावे ताम्बूल पत्र लौंग इलायची तथा सुपारी अर्पण करे फिर द्रव्य चढ़ावे के बाद कपूर नीराजन मंत्र पुष्पांजली तथा प्रदक्षिणा करे फिर वृहस्पति भगवान का प्राथना करे इस प्रकार से पूजन करने के बाद केले के वृक्ष का पूजन करे छत्र, उपानह, पादुका और कमलकुण्ड अर्पण करे| फिर ब्राह्मणों को पीला गौ के घी में बनाए हुए

चने के पदार्थो का भोजन करावे सुवर्ण का दक्षिणा दे और फिर स्वयं भोजन करे इस व्रत में दिन में एक बार ही बिना नमक के बना हुआ चना का भोज्य पदार्थ का भोजन करना चाहिए|

इस प्रकार सात वृहस्पति व्रत करने से गुरु ग्रह से उत्पन्न होने वाले अनिष्ट नष्ट होकर स्थायी सुख प्राप्त होता है|

बुधवार व्रत का विधान भविष्योतर पुराण में वृहद् रूप से दिया है विशाखा नक्षत्र से युक्त बुधवार को यह व्रत आरम्भ करना चाहिए |

यह व्रत करने वाले स्त्री पुरुष को चाहिए की उस दिन प्रातकाल स्नानादि क्रिया करने के बाद शुद्ध वस्त्र पहनकर शुद्ध स्थान पर कुशादी पवित्र आसन पर बैठकर आचमन प्राणाया तथा पवित्री धारण करने के बाद संकल्प करे मम जनम कुण्डलिया वर्श कुण्डल्या बुध जनित दोष परिहराथ बुधग्रह शान्त्यर्थ तथा च बुध्ह देवता सुप्रसानार्थ बुध्ह व्रत अहम् करिष्ये |

उसके बाद गणेश भगवान् तथा गौरी माता का षोडसोपचार पूजन करना चाहिए|

उसके बाद बुद्ध भगवान की सुवर्णमयी मूर्ति को कांस्य पात्र में स्थापन करके सुगंध युक्त गंध पुष्पादि से

षोडसोपचार पूजन करके दो साफ वस्त्र धारण करावें गुड़ दही तथा माता को भोग लगाकर गुड़ दही ब्राह्मणो को भोज करावे |

बुध्ह तव बुद्धि जानको बोघड़ सर्वदा नृणाम तत्वबोध कुरुसे सोमपुत्र नमो से बुद्ध भगवान की प्राथना करे|

इस व्रत के समय हरी वस्तुओं का उपयोग करना श्रेष्ठ है|

व्रत के अंत में शंकर जी की पूजा , धुप, दीप, बेलपत्र आदि से करनी चाहिए साथ ही बुधवार की कथा सुनकर आरती के बाद प्रसाद लेना चाहिए , बीच में नहीं उठना चाहिए|

इस प्रकार साथ बुधवार व्रत करने से बुध्ह जनित संपूर्ण दोष दूर होकर सुख शांति मिलती है और बुद्धि बढ़ती है|

मंगलवार व्रत का विधान

धन तथा पुत्र देने वाले मंगलवार व्रत का विधान स्कन्द पुराण तथा मंत्र दिया है | की मार्गशीष अथवा वैशाख के महीने में शुक्लपक्ष में जब चन्द्रमा तारा ेव नक्षत्र शुभकारक हो श मंगलवार के दिन व्रत आरम्भ करना चाहिए |  मंगलवार व्रत करने वाले व्यक्ति को चाहिए कि मंगलवार के दिन ब्रह्ममुहूर्त में जागकर उस दिन निश्चित रूप से अप्पमार्ग अर्थात चिचड़ी से मौन होकर दतुलन करे पश्चात किसी नदी तालाब या कुएं पर शास्त्रीय रीति से सनान कर संधया आदि नित्यकर्म सम्पन्न कर किसी शिव मंदिर अथवा घर पर लाल वस्त्र पहन कर गोबर से लीपे हुए शुद्ध स्थान पर अपने आसन पर पूर्वमुख अथवा उत्तरमुख बैठक दहिनी और लाल चन्दन तथा लाल पुष्प रखकर हाथ में पवित्री धारण कर आचमन प्राणायाम कर के संकल्प करे मम जन्मकुण्डलिया वर्ष कुण्डलिया च योम जनित दोष परिहारथ तथा च भोम व्रत ाह करिष्यै | तथा च कलश स्थात देवता आवाहन स्थापन पूजन च तथा पुनेहवाचन गणेशमभिका पूजन च ाह करिष्य |  संकल्प करने के बाद गणेश शम्भी पूजन तथा कलश पूजन और पूर्णय हवाच करना चाहिए फिर मंगल भगवान के मंत्रों से अपने शरीर को स्पर्श कर के न्यास करना चाहिए उसके बाद एक कलश का स्थापन करके उस पर इक्कीस कोठे का त्रिकोण ताम भौम यन्त्र अथवा भौम प्रतिमा का स्थापन करे उसमे भौम देवता का आवाहन कर प्राण प्रतिष्ठा करे फिर विधिवत  षोडशोपचार मंगल के पूजन में गैहू के आटे का बना हुआ सामग्री का भोग लग्न चाहिए और पूजन आरती होने के बाद खुद एक समय गेहूं के आटे का बना हुआ वस्तु के ग्रहण करे|

इस व्रत को इस प्रकार सीक वर्ष तक करना चाहिए एक वर्ष पूरा होने के बाद इस व्रत का ुधयापन करे-

ुधयापन का विधि है उस दिन सर्वोतोभद्र वेदी का निर्माण करे तथा ुसस्पर कलश स्थापित कर के स्वर्ण मयी मंगल भगवन की प्रतिमा का करे पूजा होने के बाद उस कलश के जल से पति पत्नी दोनों लोगो को सिंचन करे तथा मंगल मंत्र से १०८ आहुति टिल का दे तथा ब्राह्मण भोजन कराकर आचार्य को दक्षिणा देना चाहिए |

यथा शक्ति दान करना चाहिए

इस प्रकार से जो इस व्रत को करते है उन्हें धन , पुत्र तथा ऐश्वर्य की प्राप्ति होती है तथा उन्हें मंगल द्वारकभी भी पैदा नहीं होता और वह व्यक्ति नाना प्रकार के सुख को प्राप्त होता है |

सोमवार व्रत

सोमवार का व्रत किन् महीनो में प्रारम्भ करना चाहिए तो सोमवार का व्रत चैत्र, वैशाख, श्रावण, मार्गश्रिग ेव करथिका मास में प्रारंभ किया जाता है| साधारण श्रावण मास में सोमवार व्रत का अधिक प्रचलन है|तो उस दिन से सोमवार व्रत आरम्भ करना चाहिए| व्रत रखनेवाली स्त्री परुष को चाहिए कि सोमवार को प्रातः काल काले तिल का तेल लगाकर सनान करे| विधिपूर्वक शिवजी का पूयजन करे ममम क्षेम स्थार्यी विजयरूज्ञास्वार्य वृहदयार्थं सोमव्रत ाह करिष्यै से संकल्प करके षिवपूजन करे ॐ नम्हो दश भुजाये त्रिनेत्राय पंचवदनाय शूलिने| श्वेत वृषभरूदाय श्वोभारणा भूषि ताये ुमधेहघरष्ठाय नमोस्तुते सर्वभूतये से ध्यान करे तथा नमः शिवायै से शिव जी का ॐ  नमः शिवाय से उमा ,पारवती जी का करे षोडशोपचार पूजन करे इंन्ही मंत्रो का संकटनुसार जप और हवन करे| इस प्रकार से सोमवार के व्रत को सोलह सोमवार तक करे फिर उद्यापन करे इस व्रत के प्रवहव से मानवों को सभी प्रकार के सुखों की प्राप्ति होती है|

जो व्यक्ति चैत्र मास में सोमवार व्रत करता है उसे चैत्र मास में गंगा जल से सोमनाथ के सनान करने के समान फल प्राप्त होता है|

जो वैशाख मास में इस व्रत को करते है इन्हे कन्या दान के समान फल प्राप्त होता है|

जो जयेष्ट मास में इस व्रत को करते है उन्हें गोदन के समान फल प्राप्त होता है|

जो श्रावण मास में इस व्रत को करते है उन्हें सवत्स गोदान के समान फल प्राप्त होता है|

जो श्रावण मास में इस व्रत को करते है उन्हें अश्वमेघ यज्ञ करने के समान फल प्राप्त होता है|

जो भाद्रपद मास में इस व्रत को करते है उन्हें सवत्स गोदान के समान फल प्राप्त होता है|

जो आश्विन मास में इस व्रत को करते को करते है उन्हें सूर्यग्रहण के समय कुरुक्षेत्र में रस घेनु, गुड घेनु के दान के समान , फल प्राप्त होता है|

जो कार्तिक मास में इस व्रत को करते है उन्हें चारो वेद झाता चार ब्राह्मणो को चार चार घोड़े झुटे हुए रथ दान करने के समान फल प्राप्त होता है|

जो मार्गशीर्ष  मास में इस व्रत को करते है उन्हें चंद्रग्रहण के समय कशी आदि तीर्थ में जाकर गंगा स्नान , जप, दान करके समान फल प्राप्त होता है|

जो पौष मास में इस व्रत को करते है उन्हें अग्निष्टोम  याग के समान फल  प्राप्त होता है|

जो माघ मास में इस व्रत को करते है उन्हें गन्ने का रस ेव गाये का द्ध से शिव जी को सनं करने का फल प्राप्त होता है|

जो फाल्गुन मास में इस व्रत को करते है उन्हें सूर्यग्रहण के समय गोदान करने के समान फल मिलता है|

श्रावण में केदारनाथ का ब्रह्मा कमल से पूजन अर्चन दर्शन तथा केदार क्षेत्र में निवास करने का विशेष महत्व है इससे भगवन शंकर की प्रसन्नता और शिव सायुज्य की प्राप्ति होती है|

वेद की उत्पत्ति

वेद किसी व्यक्ति विशेष की रचना नहीं |है हमारे सनातन धर्म में वेद को अपौरुषेय कहा गया है| जिसका अर्थ है होता है की वो किसी पुरुष के द्वारा नहीं रचा गया है  बल्कि भगवन की कृपा ेव स्वयं वेदव्यास जी के तप का प्रभाव है की वेदों के मंत्र का दर्शन उन्हें हुआ | इसलिए भी कहा गया है-ऋषि वेद के कर्ता नहीं ऋषियो मंत्रो के द्रष्टा है| वेदों का कर्म है- सर्वप्रथम ऋग्वेद ,यजुर्वेद, सामवेद, ेव अथर्वेद अब देखिये हम एहब भी जानेंगे की किस वेद के विद्वान् की संज्ञा क्या है| तो      ऋग्वेद में निष्णात विद्वान् को होता है ेव यजुर्वेद के विद्वान् को अध्वर्यु, सामवेद के विद्वान् को ब्रह्मा कहा जाता है| अब हमें जानना है इन् वेदों में है क्या और इनसे मानव जाती को क्या लाभ होता है -ऋग्वेद में ज्ञानकाण्ड, यजुर्वेद में कर्मकांड ेव सामवेद में उपासना कांड का वर्णन है| इन तीनो वेदो को वेदत्रयी भी कहा जाता है | अब प्रशन उठता है की अर्थवेद को वेदत्रयी में परिगणित क्यों नहीं किया गया है तो विद्वानों का मत है कि इसमें अभिचारदी का वर्णन है ेव तीनो विषयों का एक साथ समावेश होने कारण इसे वेदत्रयी में सम्मिलित नहीं किया गया – है  अब आइये मैं विषय में वेदो से हमें लाभ क्या होता वेद  हमें देते क्या है , तो वेद का अर्थ क़ि होता है ज्ञान और हमारे मानव जीवन में ज्ञान का बड़ा ही महत्व होता है  ज्ञान हींन मनुष्य पशुवत आचरण करने लगता है | तो वेद हमें कर्त्तव्य का  मार्ग प्रदर्शन करते है हमे क्या करना चाहिए और क्या नहीं करना चाहिए इसका वेद वृद्ध रूप से वर्णन है जैसे वेद हे हमे बताते है मातृदेवो भव | पतृदेवो भव | आचार्य देवो भव इत्यादि तो मानव को कैसे आचरण करना है | मानव जीवन का क्या लक्षय है | मानव सुखी कैसे होगा इन् सबका समाधान हमारे वेदों में है जैसे आज ग्रहगोचर के प्रभाव से ेव अपने कर्म जन्य दुखो से हम नाना प्रकार के कष्टों का सामना करते है यहाँ तक कि कभी कभी निर्णय नहीं ले पाते की अब हम क्या करे ऐसे परिस्थिति में हमें वेद के मंत्रो के जप से उनके परायण ेव नाना प्रकार के अनुष्ठान से ही लाभ होता है और हम आधी व्याधि ेव    कलेशो नृवृन्त होते है| ेव तीनों प्रकार के तापों से मुक्त होकर सुख को प्राप्त करते है  |

वेद शास्त्र के द्वारा निर्दिष्ट ऐसा आधयात्मिक कार्य जिसके करने से मनुष्य धर्म अर्थ काम तथा मोक्ष यानि चतुर्विध पुरुषार्थको प्राप्त करता है और अपने मनुष्य जीवन को सफल बनाता है | क्युकी यह जो मानव तन है बड़ा ही दुर्लभ है और इसको प्राप्त करने के बाद भी प्राणी यदि न जगा तोह जीवन निरर्थक है-रामचरित मानसकार गोस्वामी तुलसीदास जी महाराज भी कहते है बड़े भाग मानुष तन पावा |सुर दुर्लभ सदग्रंथही गावा || यह जो मनुष्य सरीर है बड़े ही भाग्य से मिलता है और यहाँ तक कि देवताओं को भी दुर्लभ है-ऐसा सद्ग्रंथो में वर्णन है| अब आइये महत्त्वपूर्ण विषय पर इस सरीर को अर्थात तन और मनन को स्वस्थ कैसे रखना है क्युकी परमात्मा  के द्वारा दिया गया यह अतिसुन्दर उपहार है और इसको व्यवस्थ रखना हर शरीर दारी का परम कर्त्तव्य है | तोह इसको व्यवस्तिथ रखने का उपाय वेदादि में है|और वेद ेव पुराण में निर्दिष्ट पथ का प्रदर्शन ाचार्य हे कर सकते है| अब प्रश्न उठता है की वर्त्तमान में जो समस्या है  उसका समाधान तोह आप कर देंगे लेकिन भविष्य यानि आनेवाले समाये की जो समस्या है उससे   कैसे मुक्ति मिलेगी तोह इसमें घबराने की बात नही है हमारे ऋषियों ने तमाम दुखों से निवृति के लिए ज्योतिष शास्त्र जैसे उपकारक ग्रन्थ की रचना की है| जिसके द्वारा हम अपना आनेवाला हर पल सुख से व्यतीत कर सकते है और इतना ही नहीं ज्योतिष के द्वारा हम अपने प्रतिकूल ग्रहों के बारे में जानकर कर्मकांड केद्वारा उन्हें भी अपने आचार्यों के द्वारा किये गए अनुष्ठान इत्यादि  के प्रभाव से प्रसननकर मनोभिलाषित फल को प्राप्त कर सकते है| 

This goddess, representative of the Dawn, is a favourite object of celebration with the Vedic poets, and “the hymns addressed to her are among the most beautiful—if not the most beautiful—in the entire collection.”26 She is described as the daughter of the Sky, has Night for her sister, and is related to Varuna. She is at times spoken of as the wife of the Sun; at other times Agni is given as her lover; the Asvins are her friends. Indra is at one time regarded as her creator; at another time he assumes a hostile position, and even crushed her chariot with his thunderbolt. Ushas is said27 to travel in a shining chariot drawn by ruddy horses or cows. Like a beautiful maiden dressed by her mother, a dancing girl covered with jewels, a gaily-attired wife appearing before her husband, or a beautiful girl corning from her bath, she, smiling and confiding in the irresistible power of her attractions, unfolds her bosom to the gaze of the beholders. She dispels the darkness, disclosing the treasures it concealed. She illuminates the world, revealing its most distant extremities. She is the life and health of all things, causing the birds to fly from their nests, and, like a young housewife, awaking all her creatures, sends them forth to the pursuit of their varied occupations. She does good service to the gods, by causing the worshippers to awake, and the sacrificial fires to be lighted. She is asked to arouse only the devout and liberal, while she allows the niggardly to sleep on. She is young, being born every day; and yet she is old, being immortal, wearing out the lives of successive generations, which disappear one after another, whilst she continues undying. The souls of the departed are said to go to her and to the sun. In the following lines 28 will be found the main teaching of the Vedas respecting this goddess:— “Hail, ruddy Ushas, golden goddess, borne Upon thy shining car, thou comest like A lovely maiden by her mother decked, Disclosing coyly all thy hidden grace  To our admiring eyes; or like a wife Unveiling to her lord, with conscious pride, Beauties which, as he gazes lovingly, Seem fresher, fairer, each succeeding morn. Through years and years thou hast lived on, and yet Thou’rt ever young. Thou art the breath and life Of all that breathes and lives, awaking day by day Myriads of prostrate sleepers, as from death, Causing the birds to flutter in their nests, And rousing men to ply with busy feet Their daily duties and appointed tasks, Toiling for wealth, or pleasure, or renown.” In the following verses by Dr. Muir29 we have a still more vivid picture of this goddess as represented in the Vedic hymns:— “Hail, Ushas, daughter of the sky, Who, borne upon thy shining car By ruddy steeds from realms afar, And ever lightening drawest nigh— “Thou sweetly smilest, goddess fair, Disclosing all thy youthful grace, Thy bosom bright, thy radiant face, And lustre of thy golden hair— “She shines a fond and winning bride, Who robes her form in brilliant guise, And to her lord’s admiring eyes Displays her charms with conscious pride— “Or virgin by her mother decked, Who, glorying in her beauty, shows In every glance her power she knows All eyes to fix, all hearts subject— “Or actress, who by skill in song And dance, and graceful gestures light, And many-coloured vestures bright, Enchants the eager, gazing throng— “Or maid, who, wont her limbs to lave In some cold stream among the woods, Where never vulgar eye intrudes, Emerges fairer from the wave— “But closely by the amorous Sun Pursued and vanquished in the race, Thou soon art locked in his embrace, And with him blendest into one. “Fair Ushas, though through years untold Thou hast lived on, yet thou art born Anew on each succeeding morn, And so thou art both young and old. “As in thy fated ceaseless course Thou risest on us day by day, Thou wearest all our lives away With silent, ever-wasting force. “Their round our generations run: The old depart, and in their place Springs ever up a younger race, Whilst thou, immortal, lookest on. “All those who watched for thee of old Are gone, and now ’tis we who gaze On thy approach; in future days Shall other men thy beams behold. “But ’tis not thoughts so grave and sad Alone that thou dost with thee bring, A shadow o’er our hearts to fling Thy beams returning make us glad.Thy sister, sad and sombre Night, With stars that in the blue expanse, Like sleepless eyes, mysterious glance, At thy approach is quenched in light; “And earthly forms, till now concealed Behind her veil of dusky hue, Once more come sharply out to view, By thine illuming glow revealed. “Thou art the life of all that lives, The breath of all that breathes; the sight Of thee makes every countenance bright, New strength to every spirit gives. “When thou dost pierce the murky gloom, Birds flutter forth front every brake, All sleepers as from death awake, And men their myriad tasks resume. “Some, prosperous, wake in listless mood, And others every nerve to strain The goal of power or wealth to gain, Or what they deem the highest good. “But some to holier thoughts aspire, In hymns the race celestial praise, And light, on human Hearths to blaze, The heaven-born sacrificial fire. “And not alone do bard and priest Awake—the gods thy power confess By starting into consciousness When thy first rays suffuse the east; “And hasting downward from the sky, They visit men devout and good, Consume their consecrated food, And all their longings satisfy. “Bright goddess, let thy genial rays To us bring store of envied wealth In kine and steeds, and sons, with health, And joy of heart, and length of days.” In the later writings we find merely the name of Ushas. The people lost much of their poetic fire; hence the more human and practical deities caused the more poetical ones to pass into oblivion. Some of the figures in the preceding extracts are most beautifully drawn. The changing colours of the dawn are compared to the many-coloured robes of the dancing girl; the golden tipped clouds that appear ere the sun shines in his strength, are like the jewels of a bride decked for her husband; whilst the quiet modesty of the dawn herself is like a shy maiden, conscious indeed of her beauty, entering society under the protection of her mother. And from the last four lines of the metrical sketch it will be noticed that she was believed to be able to bestow upon her worshippers cattle, horses, sons, health, joy, and length of days. 

From the hymns addressed to these deities it is not at all easy to know who or what they are. Yāska, the commentator of the Vedas, deriving the name from a root meaning “to fill,” says they are called Asvins because they pervade everything, the one with light, the other with moisture. Another commentator says they are called Asvins because they ride upon horses. Some say that by them heaven and earth are indicated; others that they are day and night; others, again, that they are the sun and moon. Professor Roth says, “They hold a perfectly distinct position in the entire body of the Vedic deities of light. They are the earliest bringers of light in the morning sky, who hasten on in the clouds before the Dawn and prepare the way for her.” * In some hymns they are said to be sons of the sun (vide  Surya); in others are called children of the sky; in others, again, as the offspring of the ocean. They seem to represent the transition from night to morning—night when it is passing into day.  
The Asvins are said to have had Suryā, the daughter of Savitri, as their common wife. She chose them, as her life was lonely. Her father had intended her to marry Soma; but, as the gods were anxious to obtain so beautiful a bride, it was agreed that they should run a race, Surya being the prize of the winner. The Asvins were successful, and she ascended their chariot. * In another passage Soma is said to have been her husband; the Asvins being friends of the bridegroom.  
The Asvins are regarded as the physicians of the gods, and are declared to be able to restore to health the blind, the sick, the lame, and the emaciated amongst mortals. They are the special guardians of the slow and backward; the devoted friends of elderly women who are unmarried. They are said to preside over love and marriage, and are implored to bring together hearts that love. †  
A number of legends are found illustrating the power of the Asvins in healing the sick and assisting those in trouble, from which we learn that they could restore youth and vigour to the aged and decrepit; they rescued a man from drowning, and carried him in safety to his home. The leg of Vispalā, that was cut off in battle, they replaced by an iron one. At the request of a wolf, they restored sight to a man who had been blinded by his father as a punishment for slaughtering a hundred and one sheep, which he gave to the wolf to eat. They restored sight and power to walk to one who was blind and lame. As a result of these and other similar legends, the Asvins are invoked for “offspring, wealth, victory, destruction of enemies, the preservation of the worshippers themselves, of their houses and cattle.
 The following legend of the cure they effected on Chyavana, from the “Satapatha Brāhmana,”24  will illustrate the peculiar features of the work of the Asvins:—Chyavana, having assumed a shrivelled form, was abandoned by his family. Saryāta, a Rishi, with his tribe settled in the neighbourhood; when his sons seeing the body of Chyavana, not knowing it was a human being, pelted it with stones. Chyavana naturally resented this, and sowed dissension amongst the family of Saryāta. Anxious to learn the cause of this, Saryāta inquired of the shepherds near if they could account for it; they told him that his sons had insulted Chyavana. Saryāta thereupon took his daughter Sukanyā in his chariot, and, apologizing for what had been done, gave his daughter to the decrepit man as a peace-offering.  
Now the Asvins were in the habit of wandering about the world performing cures, and, seeing Sukanyā, they were delighted with her beauty and wished to seduce her. They said, “What is that shrivelled body by which you are lying? Leave him and follow us.” She replied that whilst he lived she would not leave the man to whom her father had given her. When they came to her a second time, acting on her husband’s suggestion she said, “You speak contemptuously of my husband, whilst you are incomplete and imperfect yourselves.” And on condition that they would make her husband young again, she consented to tell them in what respect they were imperfect and incomplete. Upon this they told her to take her husband to a certain pond.  After bathing there, he came forth with his youth renewed. Sukanyā told the Asvins that they were imperfect because they had not been invited to join the other gods in a great sacrifice that was to be celebrated at Kurukshetra. The Asvins proceeded to the place of sacrifice, and, asking to be allowed to join in it, were told that they could not do so, because they had wandered familiarly among men, performing cures. In reply to this, the Asvins declared that the gods were making a headless sacrifice. The gods inquiring how this could be, the Asvins replied, “Invite us to join you, and we will tell you.” To this the gods consented.  
In another account of this legend, it is said that, as the Asvins were physicians, they were consequently unclean; hence no Brāhman must be a physician, or he is thereby unfitted for the work of a priest; but as the work of the Asvins was necessary, they were purified, and then allowed to join the gods. They then restored the head of the sacrifice.  Professor Goldstücker25 says, “The myth of the Asvins is one of that class of myths in which two distinct elements, the cosmical and the human or historical, have gradually become blended into one. . . . The historical or human element in it, I believe, is represented by those legends which refer to the wonderful cures effected by the Asvins, and to their performances of a kindred sort; the cosmical element is that relating to their luminous nature. The link which connects both seems to be the mysteriousness of the nature and effects of light and of the healing art at a remote antiquity. It would appear that these Asvins, like the Ribhus, were originally renowned mortals, who, in the course of time, were translated into the companionship of the gods.”   

These deities are most frequently named together in the hymns; Varuna is often addressed alone, but Mitra very seldom. The idea of the older commentators was that Mitra represented and ruled over the day, whilst Varuna was ruler of the night. “Varuna is sometimes visible to the gaze of his worshippers; he dwells in a house having a thousand doors, so that he is ever accessible to men. He is said to have good eyesight, for he knows what goes on in the hearts of men. He is king of gods and men; is mighty and terrible; none can resist his authority. He is sovereign ruler of the universe.” “It is he who makes the sun to shine in heaven; the winds that blow are but his breath; he has hollowed out the channels of the rivers which flow at his command, and he has made the depths of the sea. VARUNA. His ordinances are fixed and unassailable; through their operation the moon walks in brightness, and the stars, which appear in the nightly sky, vanish in daylight. The birds flying in the air, the rivers in their sleepless flow, cannot attain a knowledge of his power and wrath. But he knows the flight of the birds in the sky, the course of the far travelling wind, the paths of ships on the ocean, and beholds all the secret things that have been or shall be done. He witnesses men’s truth and falsehood.

The following is a metrical version of one of the hymns of the Rig-Veda as given by Dr. Muir:— “The mighty lord on high our deeds as if at hand espies; The gods know all men do, though men would fain their deeds disguise: Whoe’er stands, whoe’er moves, or steals from place to place, Or hides him in his secret cell, the gods his movements trace. Wherever two together plot, and deem they are alone, King Varuna is there, a third, and all their schemes are known. This earth is his, to him belong those vast and boundless skies, Both seas within him rest, and yet in that small pool he lies. Whoever far beyond the sky should think his way to win, He could not there elude the grasp of Varuna the king. His spies descending from the skies glide all this world around; Their thousand eyes, all scanning, sweep to earth’s remotest bound. Whate’er exists in heaven and earth, whate’er beyond the skies, Before the eye of Varuna the king unfolded lies. The secret winkings all he counts of every mortal’s eyes; He wields this universal frame as gamester throws his dice. Those knotted nooses which thou flingst, O god! the bad to snare, All liars let them overtake, but all the truthful spare.” Professor Roth says of this hymn, “There is no hymn in the whole Vedic literature which expresses the divine omniscience in such forcible terms;” and it would not be easy to find in any literature many passages to surpass it in this respect. In other hymns we learn that the affairs of men are under his control; he is asked to prolong life, to punish transgressors; and a hope is held out that the righteous shall see him reigning in the spirit world in conjunction with Yama, the ruler of that region. Varuna in fact has attributes and functions ascribed to him in the Vedas, of a higher moral character than any other of the gods, and therefore men call upon him for pardon and purity. “Release us,” they say, “from the sins of our fathers, and from those which we have committed in our own persons.” And again, “Be gracious, O mighty god, be gracious. I have sinned through want of power; be gracious.” In the hymns addressed to Mitra and Varuna together, almost the same terms are employed as when Varuna is addressed alone. Both are spoken of as righteous, and as the promoters of religion. They are said to avenge sin and falsehood. In the Vedic literature, though Varuna is not regarded chiefly as the god of the ocean, as he is in the later writings, but rather, as the above hymns show, as one of the gods of light, yet there are passages which describe him as being connected with the waters of the atmosphere and on the earth, which afford some foundation for the later conceptions of his kingdom. Thus, for instance, we read, “May the waters which are celestial, and those which flow; those for which channels are dug, and those which are self-produced; those which are proceeding to the ocean, and are bright and purifying, preserve me! May those (waters) in the midst of which King Varuna goes . . . preserve me!” In other places he is said to dwell in the waters as Soma does in the woods. Professor Roth gives a probable explanation as to the manner in which Varuna, who was originally the god of the heavens, came to be regarded as the god of the ocean. He says:— “When, on the one hand, the conception of Varuna as the all-embracing heaven had been established, and, on the other hand, the observation of the rivers flowing towards the ends of the earth and to the sea had led to the conjecture that there existed an ocean enclosing the earth in its bosom, then the way was thoroughly prepared for connecting Varuna with the ocean.” In the Brāhmana of the Rig-Veda is an interesting legend showing that probably human sacrifices were at one time offered to Varuna. A certain king named Harischandra had no son. Being greatly distressed on this account, as a son was necessary to the due performance of his funeral ceremonies, the king, acting upon the advice of Nārada the sage, went to Varuna, saying— “Let but a son be born, O king! to me, And I will sacrifice that son to thee.” Varuna heard the prayer, and granted a son. When the boy grew up, his father told him of the vow he had made; but unfortunately the son was not willing to be sacrificed, and left his home. Varuna, not being at all pleased at the non-fulfilment of the king’s vow, afflicted him with dropsy. For six years the boy wandered in the forest; at length, happening to meet with a poor Brāhman with his three sons, the prince proposed to purchase one of them to offer to the god as a substitute for himself. The father could not give up his firstborn, the mother would not yield her youngest; the middle one was therefore taken. The prince then returned home, taking with him the Brāhman’s son. At first the king was delighted at the prospect of being able to keep his promise to the deity; but a difficulty now arose as to who would slay the boy. After some time, on the consideration of a large present being made to him, the boy’s father consented to do this The boy was bound, the father ready to strike, when the boy asked permission to recite some texts in praise of the gods. Of course this was granted; and as a result the deities thus lauded were so pleased with the boy’s piety, that they interceded with Varuna to spare him. Varuna granted their request, suffered the boy to live, and Harischandra recovered from his sickness.

In the Purānas, as mentioned before, Varuna is described as the god of the ocean. After a great conflict between the powers of heaven and earth, when order was again restored, the “Vishnu Purāna” records the position assigned to the various deities. In that account Varuna is said to rule over the waters. In the same Purāna we read that an old Brāhman named Richika was most anxious to obtain in marriage a daughter of King Gādhi, who was really an incarnation of Indra. Gādhi refused to give his daughter to Richika except on one condition: that he would present him with a thousand fleet horses, each having one white ear. Horses of this colour were special favourites of Indra; hence those sacrificed to him usually had this peculiarity. The Brāhman is said to have propitiated Varuna, the god of the ocean, who gave him the thousand steeds, by means of which he was able to obtain the princess in marriage. Varuna is represented in pictures as a white man sitting upon a fabulous marine monster called a makara. This animal has the head and front legs of an antelope, and the body and tail of a fish. In his right hand he carries a noose. He is occasionally worshipped in seasons of drought, and by fishermen as they cast their nets, but nowadays no images of him are made. The following legend is found in the “Padma Purāna.” On one occasion Rāvana, the demon king of the island, was travelling home to Ceylon, carrying with him a stone linga, the emblem of Siva. He was desirous of setting up the worship of the great god there, and was taking the image from the Himalayas for this purpose. But the gods, fearing he would grow too powerful through his devotion to Siva, wished to frustrate his purpose. Siva, in giving the stone, made Rāvana promise that wherever it first touched the ground, after leaving Siva’s abode, it should remain. Aware of this fact, the gods tried to induce him to let it rest on the earth before he reached Ceylon. At last it was agreed that Varuna should enter Rāvana’s body, so that, in attempting to free himself, he might be compelled to loose his hold of the linga. Accordingly Varuna entered Rāvana, and caused him such intense pain that he could scarcely bear it. When thus suffering, Indra, in the form of an old Brāhman, passed by, and offered to take hold of the stone. No sooner did Rāvana entrust it to hire, than he let it fall to the ground. It is said that it sank into the earth, the top of it being visible at Vaidyanāth in Birbhum to this day. The river Khursu is said to have taken its rise from Varuna when he left Rāvana at this place; and, as a result, the Hindus will not drink of its waters.

Although Varuna is described in the Vedas as a holy being, according to the teaching of the Purānas his heaven is a place of sensual delights. He sits with his queen Varunī on a throne of diamonds; Samudrā (the sea), Gangā (the Ganges), and the gods and goddesses of different rivers, lakes, springs, etc., form his court. And stories are told of conduct the very opposite to what would be expected in one who once was addressed in such language as is found in the Vedic hymns. He is said, conjointly with Surya, to have been enamoured of Urvasi, a nymph of Indra’s heaven, by whom they had a son named Agastya, one of the most eminent of Hindu ascetics. Varuna is also known as Prachetas, the wise; Jalapati, the lord of water; Yādapati, the lord of aquatic animals; Amburāja, the king of waters; Pasī, the noose-carrier.