Satyawati creates all to uncreate all
There have been many queries to have a full explanatory blog on Satyawati, as many of you found her personality intriguing, because majority of the readers are not aware of apara and para terms attached to Nature. Therefore, I will devote it more to apara and para aspects and draw out Satyawati's relevance to us. By far we all know that Satyawati was the second wife of King Shantanu. She was stepmother of Bheeshma and mother of Ved Vyas. Ved Vyas was the biological father of Dhritrashtra, Pandu and Vidura.
Real Import: But, this is history. Satyawati was actually the daughter of Vasu. In the Indian mythology, Vasu means the one who exists. Now how he/she/it exists? In graduating eight folds. And each fold has its unique characteristic . Therefore, one Vasu has eight dimensions. What are they? Krishna defines it in Chapter 7 of the Gita—भूमिरापोऽनल: वायु: खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च अहंकारम् इतीयम् मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा | earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect and ego these form my eight-fold Nature. Like a son a daughter too consummately represents the power of eight parental constituents of Nature.Therefore, the power of five elements, mind, intellect and ego is Satyawati. In the next Shloka, Krishna says that know this eight-fold nature to be apara ( real nature, which you can feel and experience in the finite dimension). In the same Shloka, He says that beyond this in the infinite dimension is the higher nature (para) which begets and sustains all life forms. How? Parashar (Para + shar = a fertile penetration from the Para, the infinite power) when inspires Satyawati during her virginity, Time—Ved Vyas— is born. Means the finite dimension is created. Later, Satyawati marries Shantanu and begets Vichitraveerya (Vichitra means not in conformity with time and veerya means energy). What happens? Vichitraveerya dies childless. That means the power which is not in conformity with time, dies, or is withdrawn. What happens then? Bheeshma (Ego) refuses to beget children from Vichitraveerya’s wives even if he is directed by his mother. Ego remains childless if it doesn’t respond to the natural impulse.
Later, Swatywati calls in Time ( Ved Vyas) to beget Dhritrashtra (Individual soul), Pandu (consciousness, will power, mind, body systems and basic genetic model ) and Vidura (antah karan). Together they form an individual life form. Therefore, Satyawati is that power of nature which helps create and uncreate various life forms—Time being her weapon. That is why she is also called Kali in the Mahabharata— the Mother power of time. It also means that she represents the mysterious power of real existence of cause and effect. She controls everything from ego (Bheeshma) to Nakul (body complex) and Sahadeva ( genetic model which sustains it).
The first wife of Shantanu is Ganga—that Supreme Primordial Vibration, which begets Bheeshma (ego) and resumes Her infinite flow. The ego then stays part of Satyawati’s regime—Satyawati and Ganga are one and the same power. Ganga in her finite dimension is called Satyawati. Satyawati in her infinite dimension is called Ganga.
Takeaway: Everything which is created will be uncreated after some time. The power which gives you the body mind complex and ego in a time frame is called Satyawati. Remember! Satyawati’s son is time and her son follows her wish!
Next: Who is Gandhari?
Vivek Sharma