Page 338

[Alexandr Korol]

that prajñā-pāramitā is realized as “unobstructed space” (Sanskrit akasha, Japanese koku). Noting this, the Buddhist scholar S. Yu. Lepekhov emphasizes that the main characteristic of Akasha in Buddhism is “unobstructedness” or “continuity,” from which later arises “extension.” So complex. Alright, fine, that’s Akasha — meaning the dodecahedron, meaning ether. Let’s move on to something more interesting.
Let’s take, for example, the element of water. “Apas (“waters”) — in Indian mythology, are the personified cosmic waters.
Apas are praised as goddesses, loving mothers, maidens, or young wives. They can be celestial or earthly, their ultimate destination is the ocean, and they follow the path of the gods. Savitar rules over them, Indra digs channels for them, they themselves flow to the sacrificial offering, being one of the ritual substances used in the preparation of soma, and they bestow happiness, joy, and blessings. Apas serve as the dwelling place of Varuna, who moves within them; in these same Waters resides Agni, who is sometimes therefore called Apam Napat, meaning “Son of the Waters.” Transparent and pure, Apas carry away (i.e., purify) sins, lies, and curses. Apas are healing and protect health, they ooze honey, mix their milk with honey, and are sometimes identified with soma.” Now look at what it says: “Apas serve as the dwelling place of Varuna.” Let’s open up who Varuna is. “Varuna is the supreme guardian of justice and a judge, as well as the god of the cosmic waters.” So what’s the conclusion? The icosahedron is Water, the Spirit of Justice — naturally, the dwelling place of Varuna. And also, in these same waters reside fires, which is important to take note of. Imagine, people usually think that fire cannot exist in water physically, that water extinguishes fire. But here, you see, in the sacred sense of the word, fire is present — meaning that the tetrahedron exists within the icosahedron, or more precisely, there is some kind of connection. Because fire generally generates all these... well, if “generates” is the right word — forms all the other regular polyhedra, meaning elements, meaning these Spirits. Now let’s take something else, the element Earth. “Prithivi, or Prithvi, in Vedic mythology is the goddess who personifies Earth. In the Vedas as a whole, Prithivi appears inseparably with Dyauṣ Pitṛ, the personification of the sky. The latter manifests as the masculine principle, the father, and Prithivi as the feminine principle, the mother of the gods and all living things.