Hindu Vedic Philosophy (The Spiritual Brindavan

Bheeshma Gita

 

Thou art Chandramas (Moon),
Thou art Surya,
Thou art the planet Saturn,
Thou art the descending node (of the moon),
Thou art the ascending node,
Thou art Mangala (Mars), and
Thou art Brihaspati (Jupiter) and Sukra (Venus),
Thou art the Budha (Mercury),
Many of these names need comments to be intelligible. Ketu is no plant. Hindu astronomers call the descending node of the moon by that name. Similarly, Rahu is the
ascending node of the moon. Graha is that which seizes, and Grahapati is Mangala, so called for its malevolence. Varah is Brihaspati or Jupiter who is the counter-self of
Sukra or Venus. In Hindu mythology, Sukra is a male person, the preceptor of the daityas and asuras. Atri is Budha or Mercury.
Thou art the worshipper of Atri’s wife,
Atri’s wife gave birth to Durvasas through a boon of Mahadeva.
Thou art he that shot his shaft in wrath at Sacrifice when Sacrifice fled away from him in the form of a deer,
Daksha’s Sacrifice sought to fly away from Siva, but the latter pursued it and shot His shaft at it for destroying it outright.
Thou art sinless,
Thou art possessed of penances that have conferred upon Thee the power of creating the universe,
Thou art possessed of penances that have rendered Thee capable of destroying the universe,
Thou art high-minded (in consequence of Thy great liberality towards Thy devotees),
Thou fulfillest the wishes of all who resign themselves to Thee,
Thou art the maker of the year (for it is Thou who settest the wheel of Time revolving, by assuming the form of the sun and the planets),
Thou art Mantra (in the form of Pranava and other sacred words and syllables),
Thou art the authority for all acts (in the form of the Vedas and the scriptures),
Thou art the highest Penance,
Thou art devoted to yoga,
Thou art he that merges himself in the Brahman (by yoga-abstraction),
Thou art the great seed (being the cause of causes),
Thou art the displayer of what is un-manifest in the manifest form in which the universe exits,
Thou art possessed of infinite might,
Thou art he, whose seed is gold,
Thou art omniscient (being as Thou art all things and the great knower),
Thou art the cause of all things,
Thou art he that has the seed of action (that is, ignorance and desire) for the means of sojourning from this world to the other and the other to this,
The Jiva carries the seed of acts, that is, ignorance and desire with it. As a consequence, the Jiva travels from one world into another without end. This seed is, therefore,
the means of locomotion of the Jiva. Mahadeva is Jiva. The soul is the rider and the body is the vehicle that carries the soul.
Thou hast ten arms,
Thou hast wink-less eyes (for Thou seest at all times),
Thou hast a blue throat (in consequence of Thy bearing in Thy throat the poison that arose upon churning the ocean and which, if not so borne, was capable of destroying
the universe),
Thou art the Lord of Uma,
Thou art the origin of all the infinite forms that occur in the universe,
Thou art he, whose superiority is due to him,
Thou art a hero in might (in consequence of Thy having achieved such grand feats as the quick destruction of the triple city of the asuras),
Thou art inert matter (which cannot move unless co-existing with the Soul),
Thou art all the tattvas (subjects of enquiry as counted in the Sankhya philosophy),
Thou art the ordainer and ruler of the tattvas,
Thou art the chief of those beings that wait upon Thee and are called Ganas,
The Ganas are mighty beings that wait upon Mahadeva. Ganapati is Ganesa, the eldest son of Mahadeva,
Thou coverest infinite space,
The word in the text is digvasas, meaning nude. The Puranas say that for stupefying the wives of certain ascetics, Mahadeva became nude on one occasion. The real
meaning appears to be that He is capable of covering, and does actually cover even infinite space. In the sense of nude, the word means one that has empty space for one’s
cover or vestments.
Thou art Kama, the god of desire,
Thou art conversant with mantras (in the sense of Knowledge being Thy penance),
This implies that, with Mahadeva, penance is Knowledge instead of being mere physical austerities.
Thou art the highest Mantra (for Thou art that philosophy which consists in the ascertainment of the nature and attributes of the Soul and its differences from the Non-soul),
Thou art the cause of the universe (since all that exists has sprung from Thy Soul),
Thou art universal destroyer (for all that ceases to exist becomes merged unto Thee who art the un-manifest Brahman),
Thou bearest in one of Thy hands the calabash, in another thou holdest the bow; in another hand thou bearest shafts and in another thou bearest a skull,

Thou bearest the thunderbolt,
Thou art armed with the hundred-killer,
It may be a weapon of the kind of a rocket.
Thou art armed with the sword,
Thou wieldest the battle-axe,
Thou art armed with the Sula (trident),
Thou art adorable,
Thou hast the sacrificial ladle in one of Thy hands,
Thou art of beautiful form,
Thou art endued with abundant energy,
Thou givest, in the most liberal measure, all that tends to adorn those that are devoted to Thee,
Thou wearest a turban on Thy head,
Thou art of beautiful face,
Thou art he that swells with splendour and puissance,
Thou art he that is humble and modest,
Thou art exceedingly tall,
Thou art he that has the senses for Thy rays,
The word Harikesa means one having the senses for one’s rays. It means one that displays all objects before the soul through the senses. The meaning is that Mahadeva is
he through whose puissance the mind succeeds in acquiring knowledge through the senses.
Thou art the greatest of preceptors,
Thou art the Supreme Brahman (being a state of Pure Felicitous Existence),
The word kris signifies bhu or existence. The syllable na signifies nivritti. Hence Krisna means ananda-tanmatra—the state of pure felicitous existence.
Thou art he who took the shape of a jackal (for consoling the Brahmana who, when insulted by a wealthy Vaisya, had resolved to commit suicide),
Thou art he whose objects are all crowned with fruition (of themselves and without waiting for the puissance derivable from penances),
Thou art one who bears a bald head (as the sign of the mendicant order),
Thou art one who does good to all creatures,
Thou art unborn,
Thou hast innumerable forms,
Thou bearest all kinds of fragrance on thy person,
Thou art he whose matted locks on the head sucked up the river Ganga when it had first fallen from heaven (although they again gave out the water at the earnest solicitation
of the King Bhagiratha),
Thou art the giver of sovereignty and lordship,
Thou art a brahmacharin without having ever fallen away from the rigid vow of continence,
Thou art distinguished for Thy sexual continence,
Thou always liest on Thy back,
Thou hast Thy abode in Puissance,
The word nabhah means space implying puissance. That Nabhah is the abode of Mahadeva.
Thou hast three matted locks on Thy head,
Thou art he that is clad in rags,
Thou art Rudra (in consequence of Thy fierceness),
Thou art the celestial generalissimo,
Thou art all-pervading,
Thou art he that moves about during the day,
Thou art he that moves about in the night,
The deities are said to move about during the day, while the asuras are said to move about during the night. What is, therefore, implied is that Thou art the deities as well as
their foes, the asuras.
Thou art of fierce wrath,
Thou art possessed of dazzling effulgence (born of Vedic study and penance),
Thou art the slayer of the mighty Asura who had come in the form of an infuriate elephant for destroying Thy sacred city of Varanasi,
Thou art the slayer of such daityas as become the oppressors of the universe,
Thou art Kala or Time which is the universal destroyer,
Thou art the supreme ordainer of the universe,
Thou art a mine of excellent accomplishments,
Thou art of the forms of the lion and the tiger,
Thou art he that is clad in the skin of an elephant,
Thou art the yogi, who deceives Time by transcending its irresistible influence,
Thou art the original sound,
Sound, when manifested, is perceptible. Though un-manifest and lying in eternal space, it is believed to have its existence as it is eternal. The un-manifest Brahman is
generally considered the primal un-manifest sound.
Thou art the fruition of all desires,
Thou art he that is adored in four ways,
The four ways are said to be visva, taijasa, prajna and sivadhyana.
Thou art a night-wanderer (like Betala and others),
Thou art he that wanders in the company of spirits,
Thou art he that wanders in the company of ghostly beings,
Thou art the Supreme Lord of even Indra and the other celestials,
Thou art he that has multiplied himself infinitely in the form of all existent and non-existent things,
Thou art the upholder of both mahat and all the innumerable combinations of the five primal elements,

Thou art the primeval ignorance or tamas that is known by the name of Rahu,
Thou art without measure and hence infinite,
Thou art the supreme End that is attained by the emancipate,
Thou art fond of dancing,
Thou art he that is always engaged in dancing,
Thou art he that causes others to dance,
Thou art the friend of the universe,
Thou art he, whose aspect is calm and mild,
Thou art endued with penances puissant enough to create and destroy the universe,
Thou art he that binds all creatures with the bonds of Thy illusion,
Thou art he that transcends destruction,
Thou art he that dwells on the mount Kailasa,
Thou transcendent all bonds and art unattached in respect of all things like space,
Thou art possessed of a thousand arms,
Thou art victory,
Thou art that perseverance which is the cause of success or victory,
Thou art without idleness or procrastination that interferes with persevering activity,
Thou art dauntless,
Thou art fear,
Thou art he that puts a stop to Bali’s sacrifice, or
Thou art he called Buddha who preached against all sacrifices,
Thou fulfillest the desires of all Thy devotees,
Thou art the destroyer of Daksha’s sacrifice,
Thou art amiable,
Thou art slightly amiable,
Thou art exceedingly fierce and robbest all creatures of their energy,
Thou art the slayer of the asura Bala,
Thou art always cheerful,
Thou art of the form of wealth which is coveted by all,
Thou hast never been vanquished,
The allegory is to the defeat of Mahadeva at the hands of Krisna in the city of Bana. His defeat was due to Mahadeva’s kindness for Krisna, even as Krisna broke his vow of
never taking up arms in the battle of Kurukshetra, for honouring his worshipper Bhishma who had vowed that he would compel Krisna to take up arms.
Thou art the most adorable,
Thou art he that utters deep roars (in the form of ocean),
Thou art that which is so deep that no one can measure it (because Thou art of the form of space),
Thou art he whose puissance and the might of whose companions and of the bull have never been measured by anybody,
Thou art the tree of the world (whose roots extend upwards and branches hang downwards),
Thou art the banyan,
Thou art he that sleeps on a banyan leaf when the universe after dissolution becomes one infinite expanse of water,
The Hindu mythology says that when the universal destruction comes and all becomes a mighty expanse of water, there appears a banyan tree under whose shade the
immortal Rishi Markandeya sees a child who is Mahavisnu.
Thou art he that shows compassion to all worshippers assuming, as Thou likest, the form of Hari, Hara, Ganesa, Arka, Agni or Wind,
Thou art possessed of teeth that are exceedingly sharp (since Thou art competent to chew innumerable worlds even as one munches nuts and swallows them speedily),
Thou art of vast dimensions in respect of Thy forms,
Thou art possessed of a mouth that is vast enough to swallow the universe at once,
Thou art he whose troops are adored everywhere, or
Thou art he at whose approach all the asura troops fled in all directions,
Thou art he that dispelled all the fears of the deities when the Prince of elephants had to be captured,
Thou art the seed of the universe,
Thou art he that has for his vehicle the same bull that forms again the device on his banner in battle,
Thou hast Agni for Thy soul,
Thou art Surya, who has green steeds yoked onto his car (vehicle),
Thou art the friend of Jiva,
Thou art he that is conversant with the proper time for the accomplishment of all religious acts,
Thou art he unto whom Visnu paid His adorations (for obtaining His celebrated discus),
Thou art the Sacrifice (being in the form of Visnu),
Thou art the ocean,
Thou art the Barabanala Mare’s head that ranges within the ocean, ceaselessly vomiting fire and drinking the saline waters as if they were sacrificial butter,
Thou art Wind, the friend of Agni,
Thou art of tranquil soul like the ocean when at rest, and unstirred by the mildest breeze,
Thou art Agni that drinks the libations of clarified butter poured in sacrifices with the aid of mantras,
Thou art he, whom it is difficult to approach,
Thou art he, whose effulgence spreads over the infinite universe,
Thou art ever skilful in battle,
Thou art well conversant with the time when one should engage in battle so that victory may be achieved,
Thou art that science which treats of the motions of heavenly bodies, or
Thou art Time itself,
Thou art of the form of success or victory,
Thou art he whose body is Time (for Thy body is never subject to destruction),
Thou art a house-holder for Thou wearest a tuft of hair on Thy head,
Thou art a sanyasin for Thy head is bald,
Thou wearest matted locks on Thy head (being, as Thou art, a forest dweller),
By these three names what is indicated is that Mahadeva is a house-holder, a sanyasin and a forest dweller, belonging to each of these ashramas.
Thou art distinguished by Thy fiery rays (for, the effulgent path by which the righteous proceed is identical with Thine),

Thou art he that appears in the firmament in the heart encased in the body of every creature,
The Brahman, being the subtlest, is experienced in the firmament of one’s own heart. Mahadeva, being identical with the Brahman, is displayed in the heart that is within the
physical casing of every creature. As such Mahadeva may be said to appear in His effulgence within everyone’s body.
Thou art he that enters into the brain of every creature,
Thou bearest the wrinkles of age,
Thou bearest the bamboo flute, and also the tambour,
Thou bearest the musical instrument called tali,
Thou hast the wooden vessel used for husking grain,
Thou art he that covers that illusion, which covers Yama,
The word kalakatankatah means thus: Kala is Yama. He is covered with the illusion of the Supreme Deity. This all-covering illusion, again, has the Supreme Deity for its
cover. What is meant is that Thou art that Supreme Deity.
Thou art an astrologer inasmuch as Thy understanding is always directed towards the motion of the wheel of Time which is made up of the luminaries in the firmament,
Thou art Jiva, whose understanding is directed to things that are the result of the attributes of sattva, rajas and tamas,
Thou art that in which all things merge when dissolution overtakes them,
Thou art stable and fixed, there being nothing in Thee that is subject to change or mutation of any kind,
Thou art the Lord of all creatures,
Thy arms extend all over the universe,
Thou art displayed in innumerable forms that are but fractions of Thyself,
Thou pervadest all things,
The words vibhaga and sarvaga are indicative of Thou being the universe as vyashti and samashti.
Thou art he that has no mouth (for, Thou enjoyest not the objects of Thy own creation),
Thou art he that frees Thy creatures from the bonds of the world,
Thou art easily attainable,
The word susaranab recorded in some editions is indicative of ‘Thou art he that well protects the universe’.
Thou art he that manifested himself with the golden mail,
The allegory is to the golden mail being the illusion of the Supreme Deity in consequence of which the universe has become manifest.
Thou art he that appears in the phallic emblem,
Thou art he that wanders in the forests in quest of fowls and animals,
Thou art he that wanders over the Earth,
Thou art he that is omnipresent,
Thou art the blare that is produced by all the trumpets blown in the three worlds,
Thou art he that has all creatures for his relatives (Pasupati),
Thou art of the form of a snake (for, Thou art identical with the mighty Naga named Sesha),
Thou art he that lives in mountain caves (like Jaigishavya) or any other yogi,
Thou art identical with Guha (the celestial generalissimo),
Thou wearest garlands of flowers,
Thou art he that enjoys happiness that springs from the possession of worldly objects,
The word tarangavit literally means being conversant with waves. It means one that is acquainted with the pleasures that arise from the enjoyment of worldly things, for such
pleasures may be likened to waves which appear and disappear on the surface of the sea, or ocean of Eternity.
Thou art he, from whom all creatures have derived their three states of birth, existence and destruction,
Thou art he that upholds all things that exist or occur in the three stages of time viz., the past, the present and the future,
Thou art he that frees creatures from the effects of all acts belonging to previous lives as well as those accomplished in the present life and from all the bonds due to
ignorance and desire,
Thou art he that is the binder of asuras’ chiefs,
The reference to the binder of asuras’ chief is to the Supreme Deity’s form of Visnu in which he had bound Bali, the chief of the asuras. The plural form has reference to
successive kalpas.
Thou art he that is the slayer of foes in battle,
Thou art that which is attainable by knowledge alone,
Thou art Durvasas,
Thou art he that is waited upon and adored by all the righteous,
Thou art he that causes the fall of even Brahma and the others,
Thou art he that gives unto all creatures the just share of joy and grief that each deserves according to its own acts,
Thou art he that is incomparable,
Thou art well conversant with the shares that are given and appropriated in sacrifices, or
Thou art he that is well conversant with the ritual of sacrifices,
Thou residest in every place,
Thou wanderest everywhere,
Thou art he that has mean vestments, or
Thou art he that has no vestments, for no vestments can cover Thy vast limbs,
Thou art Vasava,
Thou art immortal,
Thou art identical with the Himavat Mountains,
Thou art the maker of pure gold,
Thou art without acts,
Thou upholdest in Thee the fruits of all acts,
Thou art the foremost of all creatures that are regarded as upholders,
Those that uphold others are, for example, the elephants that stand at the different points of the compass, the snake Shesha, etc. What is meant here is that ‘Thou art the
best of all these or all such things’.
Thou art he that has bloody eyes,
Thou art he that has eyes whose vision extends over the infinite universe,
Thou art he that has a car (vehicle) whose wheels are ever victorious,
Thou art he that is possessed of vast learning,
Thou art he that accepts Thy devotees for Thy servants,
Thou art he that restrains and subjugates Thy senses,
Thou art he that acts,
Thou wearest clothes, whose warp and woof is made of snakes,
Thou art supreme, or
Thou art Visnu who is the foremost of the celestials,
Thou art he that is the lowest of the celestials (meaning Agni),
It means that ‘Thou art all the celestials’.
Thou art he that is well-grown,
Thou ownest the musical instrument called Kahala,
Thou art the giver of every wish,
Thou art the embodiment of grace in all the three stages of time, viz., the past, the present and the future,

Thou art he that does the acts which Adhyaryus have to do in sacrifices,
Thou art he that is always adored by persons whatever their modes of life,
Thou art devoted to the Brahman,
Thou wanderest amongst the habitations of men in the world (in consequence of Thy being a mendicant),
Thou art he that pervades all beings,
Thou art he that is conversant with truth,
Thou knowest and guidest every heart,
Thou art he that overspreads the whole universe,
Thou art he that collects or stores the good and bad acts of all creatures so as to award them the fruits thereof,
Thou art he that lives during even the night that follows the universal dissolution,
The night here refers to the resulting darkness in the event of dissolution of the universe.
Thou art the protector wielding the bow called Pinaka,
Thou residest in even the daityas that are the marks, at which Thou shootest Thy arrows,
Thou art the author of prosperity,
Thou art the mighty ape Hanuman that aided Visnu, in the incarnation of Rama in his expedition against Ravana,
Thou art the lord of those Ganas that are Thy associates,
Thou art each member of those diverse Ganas,
Thou art he that gladdens all creatures,
Thou art the enhancer of the joys of all, or
Thou art he that takes away the joys previously conferred,
The word nandivardhanah may also mean he that takes away the joys previously conferred.
Thou takest away the sovereignty and prosperity of even such high beings as Indra and others,
Thou art the universal slayer in the form of Death,
Thou art he that resides in the four and sixty Kalas,
Thou art very great,
Thou art the Grandsire,
Thou art the supreme phallic emblem that is adored by both deities and asuras,
Thou art of agreeable and beautiful features,
Thou art he that presides over the variety of evidence and tendencies of action and non-action,
Thou art the lord of vision,
Thou art the lord of yoga (in consequence of Thy withdrawing all the senses into the heart and combing them together in that place),
Thou art he that upholds the Krita and the other ages (by causing them to run ceaselessly),
Thou art the lord of seeds (in consequence of Thy being the giver of the fruits of all acts, good and bad),
Thou art the original cause of such seeds,
Thou actest in the ways that have been pointed out in the scriptures beginning with those that treat of the Soul,
Thou art he in who reside might and the other attributes,
Thou art the Mahabharata and other histories of the kind,
Thou art the treatises called Mimamsa,
Thou art Gautama (the founder of the science of dialectics),
Thou art the author of the great treatise on Grammar that has been named after the Moon,
Thou art he that chastises his foes,
Thou art he whom none can chastise,
Thou art he that is sincere in respect of all his religious acts and observances,
Thou art he that has become obedient to those that are devoted to Thee,
Thou art he that is capable of reducing others to subjection,
Thou art he that foments quarrels among the deities and the asuras,
Thou art he that has created the four and ten worlds (beginning with Bhu),
Thou art the protector and cherisher of all beings commencing from Brahma and ending with the lowest forms of vegetable life (like grass and straw),
Thou art the creator of even the five original elements,
Thou art he that never enjoys anything, or
Thou art always un-attached,
Thou art free from deterioration,
Thou art the highest form of felicity,
Thou art a deity proud of its might,
Thou art Sakra,
Thou art the chastisement that is spoken of in treatises on morality and is inflicted on offenders,
Thou art of the form of that tyranny, which prevails over the world,
Thou art of pure Soul,
Thou art stainless (being above faults of every kind),
Thou art worthy of adoration,
Thou art the world that appears and disappears ceaselessly,
Thou art he, whose grace is of the largest measure,
Thou art he that has good dreams,
Thou art a mirror, in which the universe is reflected,
Thou art he that has subjugated all internal and external foes,
Thou art the maker of the Veda,
Thou art the maker of those declarations that are contained in the Tantras and the Puranas and that are embodied in language that is human,
The language of the Veda is divine. The language of the scriptures is human.
Thou art possessed of great learning,
Thou art the grinder of foes in battle,
Thou art he that resides in the awful clouds that appear at the time of the universal dissolution,
Thou art most terrible (in consequence of dissolution of the universe that Thou bringest about),

Thou art he that succeeds in bringing all persons and all things into Thy subjection,
Thou art the great Destroyer,
Thou art he that has fire for his energy,
Thou art he, whose energy is mightier than fire,
Thou art the yuga-fire that consumes all things,
Thou art he that is capable of being gratified by means of sacrificial libations,
Thou art water and other liquids poured into sacrifices with the aid of mantras,
Thou art in the form of the Deity of Righteousness, the distributor of the fruits that attach to acts, good and bad,
Thou art the giver of felicity,
Thou art always endued with effulgence,
Thou art of the form of fire,
Thou art of the complexion of the emerald,
Thou art always present in the phallic emblem,
Thou art the source of blessedness,
Thou art incapable of being baffled by anything in the prosecution of your objects,
Thou art the giver of blessings,
Thou art of the form of blessedness,
Thou art he unto who is given a share of sacrificial offerings,
Thou art he that distributes unto each his share of that is offered in sacrifices,
Thou art endued with great speed,
Thou art he that is dissociated from all things,
Thou art he that is possessed of the mightiest limb,
Thou art he that is employed in the act of generation,
Thou art of a dark complexion (being of the form of Visnu),
Thou art of a white complexion (being of the form of Samva, the son of Krisna),
Thou art the senses of all embodied creatures,
Thou art possessed of vast feet,
Thou hast vast hands,
Thou art of vast body,
Thou art endued with wide extending fame,
Thou hast a vast head,
This refers to the crown of the head.
Thou art of vast measurements,
Thou art of vast vision,
Thou art the home of the darkness of ignorance,
Thou art the destroyer of the Destroyer,
Thou art possessed of vast ears,
Thou hast vast lips,
Thou art he that has vast cheeks,
Thou hast a vast nose,
Thou art of a vast throat,
Thou hast a vast neck,
Thou art he that tears the bond of body, or
Thou art he that effects Emancipation,
Thou hast a vast chest,
Thou hast a vast bosom,
Thou art the inner soul which resides in all creatures,
Thou hast a deer on Thy lap,
Thou art he, from whom innumerable worlds hang like fruits hanging down from a tree,
Thou art he that stretches his lips at the time of the universal dissolution for swallowing the universe,
Thou art the ocean of milk,
Thou hast vast teeth,
The word mahanakha refers to the incarnation of Lord Narasimha that slayed Hiranyakasipu, the father of Prahlada.
Thou hast vast jaws,
The word maharoman refers to the form of the mighty Boar that the Supreme Deity assumed for raising the submerged Earth on its tusks.
Thou hast a vast bristle,
Thou hast hair of infinite length,
Thou hast a vast stomach,
Thou hast matted locks of vast length,
Thou art ever cheerful,
Thou art of the form of grace,
Thou art of the form of belief,
Thou art he that has mountains for his bow (or weapons in battle),
Thou art he that is full of affection to all creatures like a parent towards its offspring,
Thou art he that has no affection,
Thou art unvanquished,
Thou art exceedingly devoted to (spiritual) contemplation,
Thou art of the form of the tree of the world,
Thou art he that is indicated by the tree of the world,
This is explained in the sense of no one being able to enquire after the Brahman unless one has a body, however sub-tile, with the necessary senses and understanding. It
may also mean that the tree of the world furnishes evidence of the existence of the Supreme Deity.
Thou art never satiated, when eating,
The Supreme Brahman is of the form of Fire, of all elements. Fire is never satiated with the quantity offered to it for consumption.
Thou art he that has the wind for Thy vehicle for going from place to place,
Wind is what carries fire. This allegory is in consequence of the identity of the Supreme Brahman with Fire.

Thou art he that ranges over hills and hillocks,
Thou art he that has his residence on the mountains of Meru,
Thou art the chief of the celestials,
Thou hast the Atharvans for Thy head,
Thou hast the Samans for Thy mouth,
Thou hast the thousand Richs for Thy immeasurable eyes,
Thou hast the Yajushes for Thy feet and hands,
Thou art the Upanisads,
Thou art the entire body of rituals occurring in the scriptures,
Thou art all that is mobile,
Thou art he whose solicitations are never unfulfilled,
Thou art he that is always inclined to grace,
Thou art he that is of beautiful form,
Thou art of the form of the good that one does to another,
Thou art that which is dear,
Thou art he that always advances towards Thy devotees (in proportion as they advance toward Thee),
Thou art gold and the other precious metals that are held dear by all,
Thy effulgence is like that of burnished gold,
Thou art of the navel of all that exists,
Thou art he that makes the fruits of sacrifices grow (for the benefit of Thy devotees that perform sacrifices to Thy glory),
Thou art of the form of that faith and devotion which the righteous have in respect of sacrifices,
Thou art the artificer of the universe,
Thou art all that is immobile,
Thou art the two and ten stages of life through which a person passes,
The ten stages begin with residence in the mother’s womb and end with death as the tenth. Heaven is the eleventh and liberation is the twelfth.
Thou art he that causes fright,
The intermediate stages between the first and the tenth are believed to cause fright to a human being, while alive.
Thou art the beginning of all things,
Thou art he that unites Jiva with the Supreme Brahman through yoga,
Thou art identifiable with that yoga, which causes such a union between Jiva and the Supreme Brahman,
Thou art un-manifest,
The Supreme Brahman is considered the deepest stupefaction.
Thou art the presiding deity of the fourth age,
This is in consequence of the presumed identity with lust, wrath, cupidity and other evil passions that are sourced in that deity. Kali is considered the presiding deity of that
age causing sinfulness. It is, therefore, a malevolent one. But this stage of the age is considered highly propitious to liberation. Those who succeed in living righteously in
the stage of this age quickly attain to heaven if it is their object or to liberation if they strive for liberation.
Thou art eternal Time,
The Supreme Brahman is the substratum of the ceaseless succession of creation and destruction that goes on in the cosmos.
Thou art of the form of Tortoise,
This implies that the Supreme Brahman assumes the form of the constellation called the Great Bear, and moving onward in space causes the lapse of Time. This
constellation is known in the ancient Hindu astronomy by the name Sisumara because of its resemblance to the form of a tortoise.
Thou art worshipped by the Destroyer himself,
Thou livest in the midst of Thy associates,
Thou admittest Thy devotees as members of Thy Gana,
Thou hast Brahma himself for the driver of Thy car (vehicle),
Thou sleepest on ashes,
The word bhasma, meaning ashes, literally signifies anything that dispels, tears off all bonds and cures every disease. Ashes are used by ascetics for rubbing their bodies
as a mark of having overcome every sin and cut off every bond, and freed themselves from all diseases.
Thou protectest the universe with ashes,
According to mythology, Mahadeva gave ashes to His devotees for protecting them from sin.
Thou art he, whose body is made of ashes,
This has reference to the story of the Rishi Mankanaka. Beholding vegetable juice issuing from his body, he began to dance in joy. The whole universe began to dance with
him, overpowered by a sympathetic influence of his ecstatic joy. With a view to protecting the universe, Mahadeva showed Himself to Mankanaka and, pressing his fingers,
brought out a quantity of ashes, thus showing that his body was made of ashes.
Thou art the tree that grants the fruition of all wishes,
Thou art of the form of those that constitute Thy Gana,
Thou art the protector of the four and ten regions,
Thou transcendest all regions,
Thou art full,
Thou art adored by all creatures,
Thou art white (being pure and unstained),
Thou art he that has body, speech and mind perfectly stainless,
Thou art he that has attained to that purity of existence called Emancipation,
Thou art he that is incapable of being stained by impurity of any kind,
Thou art he that has been attained to by the great preceptors of the yore,
Thou residest in the form of righteousness or duty in the four modes of life,
This has reference to the four ashramas of life.
Thou art that righteousness, which is of the form of rites and sacrifices,
Thou art of the form of that skill, which is possessed by the celestial artificer of the universe,

Thou art he that is adored in the primeval form of the universe,
Thou art of vast arms,
Thy lips are of coppery hue,
Thou art of the form of the vast waters that are contained in the ocean,
Thou art exceedingly stable and fixed (being of the form of mountains and hills),
Thou art Kapila,
Thou art brown,
Thou art all the hues whose mixture produces white,
Thou art the period of life,
Thou art ancient,
Thou art recent,
Thou art a Gandharva,
Thou art the mother of the celestials in the form of Aditi, or
Thou art the mother of all things in the form of the Earth,
Thou art Garuda, the prince of birds, born of Vinata and Kasyapa, otherwise called Tarkshya,
Thou art capable of being comprehended with ease,
Thou art of excellent and agreeable speech,
Thou art he that is armed with the battle-axe,
Thou art he that is desirous of victory,
Thou art he that assists others in the accomplishment of their designs,
The word anukari literally means an accessory. In the form of Krisna, the Supreme Deity sought to aid Arjuna in vanquishing Bhishma.
Thou art an excellent friend,
Krisna is an excellent friend of Arjuna and Pandavas
Thou art he that bears a veena made of two hollow gourds,
Thou art of terrible wrath (which Thou displayest at the time of the universal dissolution),
Thou ownest for Thy offspring, beings higher than men and deities (viz. Brahma and Visnu),
Thou art of the form of that Visnu, who floats on the waters after the universal dissolution,
Thou devourest all things with great ferocity,
Thou art he that procreates offspring,
Thou art family and race, continuing from generation to generation,
Thou art the blare that a bamboo flute gives out,
Thou art faultless,
Thou art he every limb of whose body is beautiful,
Thou art full of illusion,
Thou dost good to others without expecting any return,
Thou art Wind,
Thou art Fire,
Thou art the bonds of the worlds which bind Jiva,
Thou art the creator of those bonds,
Thou art the tearer of such bonds,
Thou art he that dwells with even the daityas,
The daityas are considered the foes of all sacrifices.
Thou dwellest with those that are the foes of all acts and that have abandoned all acts,
Thou art of large teeth, and of mighty weapons,
Thou art he that has been greatly censured,
Thou art he that stupefied the Rishis dwelling in the Daruka forest,
Thou art he that did good unto even Thy detractors (that is, those Rishis residing in the Daruka forest),
Thou art he that dispels all fears (and who, dispelling all the fears of those Rishis, gave them Emancipation),
Thou art he that has no wealth,
This is an allegory to the inability of Mahadeva to procure even His necessary wearing apparel.
Thou art the lord of the celestials,
Thou art the greatest of the gods,
This is an allegory to Mahadeva being adored by Indra and others that are considered the highest of the celestials.
Thou art an object of adoration with even Visnu,
Thou art the slayer of those that are the foes of the deities,
Thou art he that resides in the nethermost region in the form of the snake Sesha,
In Hindu mythology, the Earth is described as being supported in empty space by a mighty snake called Sesha. Mahadeva is that Sesha, also known as Ananta.
Thou art invisible but capable of being comprehended, even as the wind, though invisible, is perceived by everybody,
Thou art he, whose knowledge extends to the roots of everything and unto whom all things, even in their inner nature, are known,
Thou art the object that is enjoyed by him that enjoys it,
Thou art he among the eleven Rudras, who is called Ajaikapat,
Thou art the sovereign of the entire universe,
Thou art of the form of all Jivas in the universe,
This is in consequence of the Supreme Brahman considered containing Prakrti consisting of its three attributes of sattva, rajas and tamas.
Thou art he that is not subject to those three attributes,
Thou art he that transcends all attributes and is the state of pure existence, incapable of being described in any language,
Thou art the prince of physicians called Dhanwantari,
Thou art a comet,
This is an allegory to the calamities that flow from Mahadeva to the sinful.
Thou art the celestial generalissimo called Skanda,
Thou art the king of the Yakshas called Kubera who is Thy inseparable associate and who is the lord of all treasures in the world,

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