LIBERATION SCIENCE IN THE VEDA – PART 2
Shunaḥ-shepo hi ahwad gṛibheetaḥ
Triṣhu aadityam drupadeṣhu baddhaḥ
Awai’nam raajaa varuṇaḥ sasṛijyaad
Vidwää adab-dho vi mumoktu paashaan – 1:24:13
1. Hi Gṛibheetaḥ Baddhaḥ Triṣhu Drupadeṣhu – Because he is seized by desires, habitual potencies and inclinations, and because, as a consequence, he is bound to pillars of three bodies (causal, subtle, and gross),
2. Shunaḥ-shepaḥ Ahwat Aadityam – Shunaḥ-shepa calls out to the Lord of unbroken liberated bliss, (King Varuṇa Himself)
3. Raajaa Varuṇaḥ Enam Ava-sa-sṛijyaat – (In an effort to be free from bonds, Shunaḥ-shepa, encouraged by scholars, practices meditation, performs Yajña, and engages in other spiritual practices. Consequently, King Varuṇa thinks that He should set him loose.
4. Vidwaan – King Varuṇa is wise, and He knows (the inner Soul of everyone).
5. Adab-dhaḥ – He can never be cheated, fooled, or deceived.
6. Vi-mumoktu Paashaan – (Convinced that Shunaḥ-shepa deserves freedom), He would now loosen the bonds.
Because the soul is overpowered by desires, shaped by deep-seated impressions, and driven by long-standing tendencies, it becomes bound to ignorance and its attendant pain. These bonds are not merely external. They are rooted in its identification with three bodies, as follows:
1. The causal body – It holds latent impressions,
2. The subtle body – It carries thoughts and emotions, and
3. The gross body – It engages with the physical world.
Thus, the soul stands tied to these three firm props, like one fastened to pillars, unable to move freely. In this condition, the soul turns inward and upward. Realizing its bondage, it calls upon the Supreme Lord. This call is not casual. It arises from deep suffering and sincere aspiration. It is a conscious turning toward the Divine, seeking release from limitation.
The One invoked is Varuṇa, the sovereign of eternal law and unbroken bliss. He is the knower of all hearts. Nothing within the soul is hidden from Him. He fully understands the inner condition, the struggle, and the readiness of the seeker. He cannot be deceived; No outward show can mislead Him; He recognizes only genuine transformation.
Encouraged by the teachings of the wise, the seeker engages in transformative efforts. Through meditation, disciplined living, Yajña, and noble actions, the inner being is gradually purified. As ignorance loosens, clarity arises. As attachment weakens, freedom becomes possible. Seeing this sincerity and preparedness, King Varuṇa responds. He loosens the bonds that have held the soul fast. These bonds are not merely physical ties. They are the knots of ignorance, desire, and false identification. When they are released, the soul regains its natural freedom.
Thus, the Mantra teaches that though the soul may be firmly bound to the structures of embodied existence, it is not destined to remain so. Through knowledge, effort, and sincere turning toward the Divine, liberation becomes attainable. The same Varuṇa who binds through law also releases through grace, restoring the soul to a state of freedom, light, and inner peace.
DR SATISH PRAKASH