Om kavaye namaha, Salutations to the Sun who is like a sage; learned, advanced in knowledge, who knows everything and is omniscient.
glossary
kavi Hin., San. m. a poet, illumined poet-saint, wise man, rishi, seer.
kaviḥ—the thinker. Bg 10.37
kaviḥ—highly qualified SB 1.4.21
kaviḥ—the enlightened person SB 2.2.3
kaviḥ—great scientist SB 2.7.40
kaviḥ—being purified in consciousness SB 4.7.48
kaviḥ—devotee. SB 4.8.65
kaviḥ—the great learned sage SB 6.7.9
kaviḥ—one who is advanced in knowledge. SB 6.16.59
kaviḥ—seeing his own interest. SB 6.18.56
kaviḥ—the supreme inspirer SB 7.3.30
kaviḥ—he who can understand the subtle cause of creation (Lord Brahmā) SB 7.9.34
kavim—one who knows everything Bg 8.9
kavim—poetic. SB 2.3.13
kavim—the great scholar SB 2.9.19
kavim—the total living entities SB 3.5.50
kavim—fully cognizant SB 3.24.33
kavim—Kavi SB 9.1.11-12
kavim—the learned SB 9.4.1
The Sun is likened unto a sage; the Sun follows the path of dharma, exhibits equanimity, self-control, withdrawal of the senses, steadfastness. These qualities lead one on the path of atma vichara – enquiry into the atma or soul, and thus, progress on the journey of single pointedness, toward the purusharthas, the great goals of human life.
Sages are able to experience Divinity through the eye of knowledge, gained by following the Dharma of moral conduct and spiritual discipline. When the human eye stands in need of an extraneous instrument to observe even the insignificant worm and virus, how can one refuse to go through the process of manthra if he desires to see the omnipresent transcendent Principle? It is very hard to acquire the eye of wisdom. Concentration is essential for this. And, for concentration to develop and stabilise itself, three things are very important: purity of consciousness, moral awareness and spiritual discrimination. These qualifications are difficult of attainment by ordinary folk.
Man is endowed with the special instrument of discrimination, of judgement, of analysis and synthesis, which among all animals, he alone possesses. He has to develop this and utilise it to the best purpose. Through this instrument, he can realise the Immanent Divinity.
The Creator as Kavi, Poet.
(Krishna is in conversation with Arjuna)
Your mind is the important thing; when the mind rots, all else rots. Man moves as fast as his mind, in the direction that the mind takes. To tame and train the mind, good habits and disciplines have to be sought. Therefore, Krishna began describing how the Lord has to be pictured in the mind during the Sadhana stages and with what feelings and emotions He has to be fixed in the mind.
“Arjuna! People describe Me in three different ways:
- as Nirguna Niraakaara
- as Saguna Niraakaara and
- as Saguna Saakaara
I shall tell you about the second, the Saguna Niraakaara first, and how you have to picture the Lord in this aspect. Listen, He is described as Kavi, Puraanam, Anusaasitha, subtler than the subtle, the sustenance and basis of all, having unpicturable form, with the splendour of the Sun as His complexion, beyond all trace of ignorance and darkness.”
At this point, Arjuna interrupted Krishna. He asked, “Lord! You said, He is a Kavi! There are Kavis among ordinary mortals too. How then can you call the Lord too a Kavi and discredit Him? Or, does Kavi denote something special when applied to Him? Make that point a little clearer.” Krishna said, “Kavi does not mean merely a poet; it means also one who is aware of the past, present and future and so it is a description of the Lord. He knows all; He sees all. Hence, the derivation of Kavi is mentioned as ‘Sarvajna, Kraantha-darsi,’ He who sees the next step. It is the Lord who revolves in every heart and effects changes from step to step. For all creation the Kavi is the motivator, the prime basis. He is the poet; His poem is all this.” Arjuna again inquired, “Lord, secondly, you said ‘Puraana,’ that He is Puraana, or ancient; what is the significance of that?” Krishna replied, “Of course, the Lord is the most ancient, but He is as modern as He is ancient. He is Sanathanaa, primeval, beyond the beginning; He is also Noothana, new every moment. Puraana means, Puraa navamithi, formerly new, new every minute of the past and the present.”
(Gita Vahini)
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