ARUNA PRASNA (YAJURARANYAKA) AND ITS APPLICATIONS

PROF Dr C L P rabhakar
clprabhakar@yahoo.com,
President , WAVES ,Bangalore Chapter
,Director VedaadhyayanaKendra

VARUNAYA ARUNAYA VRATA HOMAH

(Vows and sacrificial rites are for Varuna and Aruna)

I INTRODUCTION
For suryopasana we have many mantras, tantras and many stotras.
Among them ,aruna prasna the section on Aruna is very popular,
important and highly practiced specially during the Maghamasa
and specially on rathasaptami day when Lord sun gallops turning
his chariot to north to gain more heat and energy to help the world
with food and sap. This text says that during the rainy season the
sun provides the sources enough to subsist for one year for the
world (samvatsarinam karma phalam varshabhirdadhatagum sah).
The sky will be like one in sorrow although there is no real sorrow
(aduhkho dukhs cakshuriva).

In Yajurveda, the Taittiriya Aranyaka is a very important text

where the first section of the text deals with the portion called
ArunaPrasna. There five more prasnas which are also important to
describe Agni and related rites for a vanaprastha. The Sukla
Yajurveda has Bhrihadaranyaka. Rigveda has AitereyaAranyaka.
Aranyakas are continuation of Brahmanas and are known as
Philosophical literatures of Veda before the Upanishads.Aranyakas
bear the characteristics of the Brahmanas in style and approach..
Taittiriya Aranyaka says Aranye adhiyiran meaning those works
are to studied and practiced in the forest where the spirit of
renunciation and retirement persist. The word Ranya means
joyous and pleasure- filled. The absence of it is, known as aranya
where the approach, aims and goals are different than those in the
busy worldly state. Yoga is a part of curriculum of the Aranyaka
which keeps living a lively event. The knowledge sought at this
level is different. This is useful to substantiate the suggestion
yogante tanutyajam instructed by kalidasa while suggesting the
planning of our few scores of years of life.

II ARUNAPRASANA PROPER

Arunaprasana is in prose dealing with the solar system, the

seasons, the deities, the creation, and the various Fires and the
deities Rudras, vasus etc., besides letting us know more details
regarding the seers and their findings, the creation of quarters and
their overlords etc. It mainly deals with the details of the ritual
called Arunaketuka Agni cayana a special ritual in worship of
Surya who is the Agni himself. Aruna and Ketuka are the seers
who performed this rite at first as the text itself testifies. In the
morning, Sun is known with the name Savitr and in the night he is
called the Hutasana, the Agni. Agni was so pleased with the Seers
(rushis) both ancient and later.

(Agnih purvebhir rushibhih idyah uta nutanaihR V).

The name Hutasanah to Agni meaning what is offered he accepts

and gives happiness to the worshipper in various forms. People, in
general, desire for rest, relaxation and consummation and freedom
from grief and fear. Hustasana Agni becoming a svishtakut agni
attends to these expectations of the worshippers, the yajamana and
his people. The prayer as we see in the Arunaprasan is

prajayai pasunam Also

pushpavan prajavan pasuman bhavati

Agni accepts only those offered in the vedi and after the utterance
disowning the same thus agna ya idam na mama
Aruna and Ketuka are the forms of Surya that took the name
qualifying himself as Arunaketuka Agni

Sa sarira madhunuta tasyanmamsagumsaca ..tato aruna ketako

..rushayo abhavan

. Although there are seven and more names to Agni as savitra Agni,
Naciketa Agni, Vaisvasruja Agni etc., yet he has liking for the
name Arunaketuka Agni. However, it is said All Agnis are the
same and yield common rewards to the Upasaka not much
distinguished each other. But they are all emanated as forms of
Aditya only. It is all the aditya vaibhava undoubtedly.
Adityah savrvohyagnih pruthivyam,.

Each Agni has a specific yield to provide the needy bhakta which
the arunaprasna attests. The phalasruti part which frequently occurs
here and there in the text testifies the same.

Agni is discussed in this section elaborately as a beneficiary to

mankind immensely. Agnivayu and surya are imminent forces to
help life on earth and hence they are congruently described to the
advantage of understanding of the seeker.

There is the prayer for the Apah at the outset

(apamapamapassarvah) of the Arunaprasna. A good deal of
knowledge is contributed by this Aranyaka on the generative
powers of the Waters. Water is in the Surya and waters go to Surya
and so aditya and pruthivi and the prajah on the land exist
congruently.Aruna prasana vouchsafes the importance of water
repeatedly. It is study by itself. The term apah(limited water) and
the salila(large reservoir of it, say a ocean) are significantly
employed in the text. The mantra referring to Surya
Hagum sa sucishat.. nrushadvara..rutam bruhat
 refers to the seat of Aditya and his rupa metaphorically as swan in
the sky.Here the same can be noted from the prefix sat added at
the end. For example, sucishat(seated on the seat of Purity) vedisat
(seated on the sacred yoni the sacrificial altar)antarikshsat(settled
over the mid-region for good) etc., reveal the settled satus of Surya
although he is on run incessantly. Kalidasa describes him in
nustshell: bhanuh sakrut yukta turanga eva(sun has his horse
harnessed to his chariot whereon he is seated.

Later there is the mention these Suryas who are eight in number.
Aditi and Kasyapa are the parents of the Suryas. There is the
description of the mahameru and other mountains. There are seven
suryas occupying the seven quarters and the eighth being the
kasyapa himself (kasyaposhtamah).

Samahamerum na jahati . sa mahamerum gantum mithau caritva

gacchet.
The mantras and kalpa which are together found in the text are
explainable in the light of a science background. We have the
indication of the demarcation to that effect in the text itself thus

iti mantrah and Kalpo tha urdhvam,

referring to the mantra , the formulas and kalpa the practical rather
the performance part of it . Kalpa refers to the applications.

The passages of the text in the Indian Tradition are employed for
the recitation purpose (parayana). The thirty two
passages(kandikas) are uttered for the purpose of making
Suryanamaskaras. Infact in Yoga, Suryanamaskara is a feat. The
sun god like salutations offered to him (namaskara priyo
bhanuh).The tradition has a clue that
almkara priyo vishnuh,abhisheka priyo sivah, and namaskara
priyo suryah..
This is the search result given by munis to get the quick anugraha
of the respective Gods.In other version it is said obtain health and
healing from Surya and wealth from Agni while both are the two
sides of Aditya(Arogyam bhaskarat icchet sriyam hutasanat.)

The formulas for the Aruna homa are found in the text and at a
convenient count of the sentences added with the svaha, the
ahutis are offered to the Suryabhagavan who in response provide
many known and unknown rewards .It is like: all the good luck,
safety, freedom from chronic ailments followed by prosperity to
the incumbent. It is said that the application is meant to be at the
forest. Especially the study of the text is done in the forest a state
to live for philosophical upliftment and peace and maintenance of
the healthy life at that advanced age .The word Aranya(forest) is
symbolic . It can mean those benefic practices that are conducted
in a secluded place so that tranquility and better effects of wisdom
could be obtained. The goal of life is to rise beyond the material
benefits and improve levels of concentration and sustain peace and
love in the mind. The best location as veda prescribes is outside the
caged atmosphere. Acharya Sankara said:
vedo nityam adhiyatam tadutam karmasu anushiyatam

gruhatturnam vinishkramyatam

.Aranyakas work up to the expectations of mankind when they

actually retire to the world of spiritual practices and influence of
the same..

III REWARDS AND AWARDS IN PRACTICALITY

This text is believed to yield many rewards and awards. They are
hinted directly and indirectly. Some of the applications and the
purposes for which these could be employed are hinted in the body
of the text itself. The basic result is that the deity Surya would
relieve the upasaka from sins. (papannirghnanti sarvada) at all
places(rodasyontardeseshu)

.He would get relief to the devotee from the hells located in the
respective quarters (disi vishadi narakah tasman nah paripahi). The
test tells that in every direction there are hells. The stotra of sun
provides progeny, rather for the sat santanaprapti and prosperity
for the progeny. It is obtained accordingly. The Lord Sun blesses
the couple with health and stout personality added with vigour and
strength. Here we find the prayer putravatvaya me suta
indicating the progeny must continue and the vamsoddharata to
proceed. The Vedic message is sat santana prapti(begetting
promising children) and relief for the devotee. Also the repetition
of the passage beginning with the text
punar mametvindriyam punarayur purnarbhagah.(may strength
etc come back to me)
would be a fruitful application since the anushthana of that mantra
brings about the reward of regaining the loss energies and give rise
for the birth of thoughtful and promising children. This passage
repeats twice with different orientation in the text.

Yajurveda reiterates here also the injunctions thus:

prajaya hi purnah purushah
prajatantum ma vyavatsesthih.

Man is complete in himself when he begets a child. The formulas

found in this Aranyaka are a prop in that direction .There occurs
sense of understanding between wedded Man and Woman.

Further this Text is a therapy to get healing to the wounds and a

tool to outwit temporary, incidental diseases and chronic ailments.
There are passages by reciting which amity and friendship between
the couples (dampatis) is ensured. Dampatis are the man and
woman tied up in a sacred wedlock to make a house and family a
shelter for the other ashramas. One can hope for timely remains
and seasonal benefits to the land giving rise for the bumper crops
of various food grains and edible substances from earth. The text
points out the scope of the Earth thus with the utterance
sahasra vrudiyam bhumih param vyoma sahasravrut
.
We get to know that the water collected from the different sources
when religiously employed provides rewards for prosperity. The
words mithuna and Dampati found in the text make aranyaka
ennobled.

IV THE SOCIAL AND MORAL VALIDATIONS

It preaches a moral instruction useful to life thus

agnimcchadvam bharatah
addressing the native to love activity and agility to make sure the
achievements in life a reality. Many more suktis too can be
gathered from the text. It talks about the relationship which should
be maintained among gurubandhus. And so on. If a classmate of a
guru hurts the other he looses eligibility to learn further that guru,
Also the commitment of love and friendship between brothers is
appreciated. If it were to break it is an offence (yaste vighatuko
bhrata.) Further there are many applications (viniyogas) to indicate
the concern of the munis for the run of life among the beings. It is
chiefly the meditation- excellences and experiences to conclude to
the significant conclusions. It highlights the Vedic glory and the
means to balance the social order. This is the contribution from the
wing of Yajurveda.

Sukla Yajurveda also has an Aranyaka by name Bruhadaranya

and the mode of it is slightly different although it centres at the
philosophy and wisdom. Here the Aranyaka and Upanishad get
continuation going by name Brhadaranyakopanishad. Here also we
have significant social truths and socialistic ties.

VINIYOGA (RELIGIOUS APPLICATIONS)

There excellences of the text and applications are defined and
available in the tradition enlisted. It is all to derive grace and
fruition from the Surya Bhagavan. The text itself contains clues for
the practical applications. It drives to the conclusion that in these
days when the quest for knowledge on Solar system, other
cosmological details and the concept and details of behaviour of
seasons, formation of clouds and rain coming etc, is pursued, the
same is well analyzed for a happy understanding. The study would
be a veritable ground to find satisfactory answers, scientific as they
are for many common queries and natural phenomena. It is advised
not to spit, urinate in the water (naapsu nishthivet...). It is reasoned
that Agni, the radiant and active energy is in the water and by
doing so he would be hurting the Lord and hence the sad effects to
the native.

Moreover, the practice of the Aruna Homa with the formulas

described in the text in any form would be a gain for the upasaka.
He would be freed from eye, skin heart and bone etc problems.
Yajurveda makes out a formula thus: cakshushpa Agne
Cakshurme pahi so that the eye of the devotee remains healthy.
Aditya is capable to do it since he is described to be child of virtue
(adityah punyasya vatsah). Even simple recitation of the passages
and a namaskara to the Sun at the end of each passage would be a
lucrative gain.

.The namaskara(saluting) could be simple one or the sashtanga one

meaning saluting the Lord with the congruence of the eight angas
of our body. In respect of such namaskara the detail is explained
thus urasa sirasa drustya manasa vacasa tatha padbyam
pkarabhyam karnabhyam pranamo ashtanga ucyate.te same is
employable in the context of astanga yoga.

CONCLUSION
In Indian Tradition after suryanamaskaras with the anuvakas of this
text thirty two of them thus, the utterance of Namo
Suryanarayanaya is uttered in Chorus. That would be a part of
great healing and generative of mystic sound. It adds to an
influence to the ear and heart of the upasaka. This fulfills the whole
personality of the devotee.

That would accrue peace and satisfaction. The text gives a good
clue ultimately. A study of this text together with the other five
chapters (prasnas) of the Aranyakas would be worthwhile adding
to the history of Moral science, cosmology and mythology, religion
and philosophy of the world of Veda and Yajurveda in particular.
Apart from the later kalpa texts which show out the applications of
the Arunaprasna, there is the paddahati and prayoga section and
that would provide more applications .It is hinted that any time a
worker, a devotee would always be rewarded.
We have saura sukta of RV and Gayatri mantra which add to the
power of happy living in modern times. The Aranayaka in its first
section concludes with a promise
tapasvi punyo bhavati
Any on e who works hard always would get rewarded and meritorious.

OM TAT SAT