{"id":1192,"date":"2014-11-17T15:41:29","date_gmt":"2014-11-17T15:41:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/?p=1192"},"modified":"2014-12-01T00:39:42","modified_gmt":"2014-12-01T00:39:42","slug":"fohat-and-devi-prak%e1%b9%9bti","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/fohat-and-devi-prak%e1%b9%9bti\/","title":{"rendered":"Fohat and Dev\u012b Prak\u1e5bti"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fohat is spoken of several times in the stanzas we have from the Book of Dzyan. The term fohat has not yet been identified, nor can the idea that it represents be readily identified in extant cosmogonic texts. We were therefore happy to find that, after T. Subba Row in his lectures on the Bhagavad-g\u012bt\u0101<\/em> equated fohat with daiv\u012b prak\u1e5bti (which he called the light of the Logos), the hitherto secret Pra\u1e47ava-v\u0101da<\/em> emerged giving a full explanation of dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti. This book was dictated from memory by the blind pandit Dhanar\u0101ja to Bhagavan Das and two associates in 1900-1901. In 1910 to 1913 a summarized English translation of the Pra\u1e47ava-v\u0101da<\/em> made by Bhagavan Das was published in three volumes, and in 1915 and 1919 two volumes of the Sanskrit text were published (we still await the third). While the term daiv\u012b prak\u1e5bti can be found in the Bhagavad-g\u012bt\u0101<\/em> (chapter 9, verse 13), it is not there used in a cosmogonic sense, as it is used in the Pra\u1e47ava-v\u0101da<\/em>, and as fohat is used in the Book of Dzyan. A full translation of the explanation of dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti from the Pra\u1e47ava-v\u0101da<\/em> will be of considerable use in understanding fohat in the Book of Dzyan.<\/p>\n

Bhagavan Das, in his preface to his summarized translation of the Pra\u1e47ava-v\u0101da<\/em>, tells us that this book was written in an obscure and archaic form of Sanskrit. Referring to the blind pandit Dhanar\u0101ja who later dictated this book from memory to Bhagavan Das and his two associates, he writes: \u201cAt my further request, he repeated a paragraph in the middle of which occurred, like an islet in a stream, the four words recognisable to me [aham etan n\u0101smi], while on both sides thereof were masses of what was to me then entirely unintelligible language.\u201d (vol. 1, p. lii). \u201cAs the writing proceeded my understanding of the archaic Samsk\u1e5bt improved, . . .\u201d (p. liv). \u201cAlthough, on repeated reading, the language of the work becomes, generally speaking, intelligible, yet the precise sense remains often obscure and indefinable.\u201d (p. lvii). For obvious reasons, then, my full translation of the Sanskrit text of the passage on dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti draws heavily on the summarized translation by Bhagavan Das. Because of the unique value of this material, it was thought worthwhile to provide a complete translation of it, following the Sanskrit as closely as English would allow.<\/p>\n

As may be seen, the explanation of dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti in the Pra\u1e47ava-v\u0101da<\/em> closely matches Blavatsky\u2019s explanation of fohat in The Secret Doctrine<\/em>. Blavatsky refers to fohat as dynamic energy and as guiding power. Both energy and power are common translations of the Sanskrit word \u015bakti<\/em>, used to define dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti in the Pra\u1e47ava-v\u0101da<\/em>. I have chosen \u201cpower\u201d to translate \u015bakti<\/em> throughout, while Bhagavan Das more often translates it as \u201cenergy.\u201d I have usually translated the same Sanskrit word with the same English word. So virodha<\/em> is always \u201copposition\u201d in my full translation, while in the summarized translation by Bhagavan Das he has the freedom to use \u201ccontradiction\u201d or \u201copposition\u201d in different settings. Blavatsky speaks of the opposite poles of spirit and matter, linked by fohat, as aspects of the one unity. For the one unity, the Pra\u1e47ava-v\u0101da<\/em> uses the term aikya<\/em>, which is translated by both Bhagavan Das and myself as \u201cunity.\u201d For spirit and matter, the Pra\u1e47ava-v\u0101da<\/em> here uses the terms pratyag-\u0101tman<\/em>, \u201cinner self,\u201d and m\u016bla-prak\u1e5bti<\/em>, \u201croot substance,\u201d respectively. These are identified with aham<\/em>, \u201cI,\u201d and etat<\/em>, \u201cthis,\u201d respectively, of the mah\u0101-v\u0101kya<\/em> or great saying, aham etan na<\/em>, \u201cI this not.\u201d The na<\/em>, \u201cnot,\u201d refers to the relation between the \u201cI\u201d and the \u201cthis,\u201d which is one of negation. These three words correspond to the \u201ca,\u201d \u201cu,\u201d and \u201cm\u201d that make up the sacred syllable \u201com,\u201d the pra\u1e47ava. This brief saying describes the entire world-process, and its three elements are the three aspects found in many cosmogonies. The idea of dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti is something in addition to these three, resulting from the necessity (\u0101va\u015byaka) of the opposition or contrast between the two poles of the one unity when the universe comes into manifestation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Secret Doctrine<\/em> on Fohat<\/p>\n

[The Secret Doctrine<\/em>, 1888, vol. 1, p. 16.]<\/p>\n

But just as the opposite poles of subject and object, spirit and matter, are but aspects of the One Unity in which they are synthesized, so, in the manifested Universe, there is \u201cthat\u201d which links spirit to matter, subject to object.<\/p>\n

This something, at present unknown to Western speculation, is called by the occultists Fohat. It is the \u201cbridge\u201d by which the \u201cIdeas\u201d existing in the \u201cDivine Thought\u201d are impressed on Cosmic substance as the \u201claws of Nature.\u201d Fohat is thus the dynamic energy of Cosmic Ideation; or, regarded from the other side, it is the intelligent medium, the guiding power of all manifestation, the \u201cThought Divine\u201d transmitted and made manifest through the Dhyan Chohans, the Architects of the visible World. Thus from Spirit, or Cosmic Ideation, comes our consciousness; from Cosmic Substance the several vehicles in which that consciousness is individualised and attains to self\u2014or reflective\u2014consciousness; while Fohat, in its various manifestations, is the mysterious link between Mind and Matter, the animating principle electrifying every atom into life.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Pra\u1e47ava-v\u0101da<\/em> on Dev\u012b Prak\u1e5bti<\/p>\n

[Note: All five published volumes of the Pra\u1e47ava-v\u0101da<\/em>, the three volumes of the summarized English translation and the two very rare volumes of the Sanskrit edition, have been scanned by me and posted here with the Sanskrit Texts, under Suddha Dharma Mandala Texts. The following is translated from the Sanskrit volume 2, pp. 210-211, with reference to the summarized English volume 2, pp. 234-235.]<\/p>\n

. . . Thus, everything is to be understood as included in the letter \u201ca,\u201d the letter \u201cu,\u201d and the letter \u201cm,\u201d which are conjoined with \u201cI,\u201d \u201cthis,\u201d \u201cnot.\u201d<\/p>\n

So also, as the necessity of the opposition of the unity of \u201cI\u201d and \u201cthis,\u201d there is dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti (the \u201cshining nature\u201d). This is the power (\u015bakti) described as the letter \u201ci\u201d dwelling between the letter \u201ca\u201d and the letter \u201cu\u201d [of aum]. It may be seen that the opposition of two things rooted in one is a matter of necessity, because the unnecessary is non-existent; and because this is non-existent, all is necessity. In accordance with this explanation, therefore opposition comes into existence, and this coming into existence is necessity. As thus indicated, the power in the form of the opposition of those two is dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti. In that is the manifestation\/light (prak\u0101\u015ba) of the inner self (pratyag-\u0101tman) and of root substance (m\u016bla-prak\u1e5bti). Therefore:<\/p>\n

\u201cIncluded in deva-prak\u1e5bti is root substance, and included in that is the inner self; and that [deva-prak\u1e5bti] is the necessity of the two in the form of the power manifesting\/illumining everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

. . . and so on goes the traditional statement. Dev\u012b is the power by which [something] is illumined (d\u012bvyate). Prak\u1e5bti is inherent nature (svabh\u0101va). Prak\u1e5bti is that by which coming-into-existence (bhavana) is very much by its own effort. Prak\u1e5bti is doing\/acting (prakara\u1e47a), its own doing\/acting (svakara\u1e47a). It is from the verb-root \u201ck\u1e5b\u201d plus the affix \u201cti.\u201d An action (kara\u1e47a) for all is an action for itself (svakara\u1e47a). This is in accordance with the explanation that, due to the unity of all, itself is all. Because it is a necessity for all, its name is dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti. Therefore it is said:<\/p>\n

\u201cPrak\u1e5bti is twofold. Of these, one is dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti, and the second is m\u016bla-prak\u1e5bti (root substance). The nature of m\u016bla-prak\u1e5bti is the subject-matter of \u2018this\u2019 [etat, in the great saying, aham etan na, \u2018I, this, not.\u2019].\u201d<\/p>\n

. . . and so on. The double nature of dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti is to be known as necessity. It is the conjunction (yoga) of the inner self and root substance. This [conjunction] is the result of the opposition of the unity. From the Yoga-s\u016btra<\/em>:<\/p>\n

\u201cIn unity there is no manifestation\/illumination (prak\u0101\u015ba) of the conjunction, etc., the conjunction being the illumining (avabh\u0101sam\u0101na) of object and subject, like darkness and light (prak\u0101\u015ba).\u201d<\/p>\n

As being the necessity of that conjunction, it is yoga-m\u0101y\u0101 (conjunction-illusion). As being the necessity of the manifestation\/illumination of that opposition, it is m\u0101y\u0101 (illusion). That is dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti, which lights up (abhidyotayati) the inner self and root substance. Dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti is to be understood as dwelling between the two in the form of the letter \u201ci.\u201d That by which the manifestation\/light (prak\u0101\u015ba) of the inner self (pratyag-\u0101tman) and of root substance (m\u016bla-prak\u1e5bti) occurs, the experience of the many, is to be known under the name \u201cdev\u012b.\u201d This dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti is m\u0101y\u0101. Of them, the difference is as follows: When speaking of the transcendent and universal, it is m\u0101y\u0101. When speaking of sa\u1e43s\u0101ra, the world-process, as the necessity of the opposition of the unity of \u201cI\u201d and \u201cthis,\u201d and as the necessity of the opposition of the unity of \u201cthis\u201d and \u201cI,\u201d it is dev\u012b prak\u1e5bti.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fohat is spoken of several times in the stanzas we have from the Book of Dzyan. The term fohat has not yet been identified, nor can the idea that it represents be readily identified in extant cosmogonic texts. We were therefore happy to find that, after T. Subba Row in his lectures on the Bhagavad-g\u012bt\u0101 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daiviprakriti","category-fohat"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1192"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1197,"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1192\/revisions\/1197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}