Rg Veda Mandala 2 Suktas 23-26 Brhaspati

1: Intro

• The Rg Veda Family Books are the earliest, written, documented writing and are considered the basis and roots of modern-day Hinduism. The mantras from these books are still chanted,

• Thanks to Internet and AI, we can access the Rg Veda hymns through an online Apps (example, Vedapath) based on Rg Veda Samhita Patha consisting of 1028 hymns (1017 regular hymns, 11 valakhilya hymns).

• Most of this writing is based on the written words in Rg Veda mandala 2 (Sage Grtsamada).

• I truly wished to hear and read the words and phrases the way the Indo-aaryans may have uttered and intended for the words to be heard. 

1: Key concepts related to the earliest Indo-aaryan

• Generally, there is an understanding that there are 3 levels to every key word in the Rg Veda: the Concept, the outer expression in the manifest world, and the inner expression in human mind. 

• Common suffixes to etymological roots seen are ~tr, ~na, ~as, ~man, ~pati, ~wati, ~ti, ~ni

• From the hymns, the Indo-aaryans seemed to have a direct relationship with the Devs (and life/existence). There was no indication that they had separation of Divinity from themselves and Dev’s were addressed with tvam. 

• Noticeable is that there is absence of words such as namaha, namastubhyam, Aum. Nonetheless, the description that they address the Dev display awe.

•  For example, Rg Ved 2.24.10, Brhaspati is addressed:

विभु (all-pervasive)  प्रभु (lordly) प्रथमं (foremost) मेहनावतो (virility) बृहस्पतेः 

(Lord of hymns) सुविदत्राणि (giver of good gifts) राध्या (rich)।

इमा (these) सातानि (gains) वेन्यस्य (excellent) वाजिनो (strong) येन जना (people) उभये (both) भुञ्जते (enjy) विशः (all) ॥

• The below key concepts are some words and phrases of interest in the hymns to Brhaspati in Rg Veda Mandala 2 Suktas 23-26  (RV 2 M 2 S23-26).

• Brhaspati is addressed to the “Lord of hymns”. He is also addressed as Ganapati (RV 2.23.1 ) and Haraswati (Saraswati) (RV 2.23.6) and in RV 2.24 he is addressed alongside Indr. 

• In these hymns the Indo-aaryans call on Brhaspati to protect them from enemies. However, notable, the weapon is indicated as speech and positive affirmations and thoughts. Also, notable is the call for help against enemies.

• Separate entities from the Adityas are Tvashtr (Divine craftsman (forged Indra’s thunderbolt)), Brhspati / Angirasa (Protector of sacred hymns), Indr (Controller/Dynamic Power), Agni (Dynamic Energy/Will power/Fire), Haraswati/Saraswati (River, Infinite radiant Self), Prithvi (Earth), Usas (Dawn)

•  Dev, Devi:

• Dev/Devi stems from a root meaning “shining”, “light”. Dev was not a deified God as in the modern-day sense. There are no indications to temples.
• In the family books there is no mention of Gods such as modern-day Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva.
• The Aaryan's were said to be primarily animistic. There were no temples, no deities. Worship was to fire and through fire to Devs.
• A good way to understand the Deva or Devi and the related principle is to examine the etymological roots of the Dev’s name. The names of the Devas and Devis are indicative of their function.
• Many Aaryan Devs such as Indr, Varun, Saraswati, Bhag had their roles and powers demoted around the time of the start of CE and during the Puranic period. New Gods were created, deified.

·

•  Aditi

• Aditi translates to boundless, undifferentiated matrix, the whole.
• From unordering (Aditi) arises a natural ordering Rt and governed by her offspring Varun.
• Aditya's (solar Devs) were offspring of Aditi. In the Family books, the only named Adityas are Mitr, Savitr, Varun, Aryaman, Bhag, Daksh, Amsh.
• Although not in these hymns, it may be useful to know the translated names of the 7 aforementioned Adityas.
• Mitr: Mi: to join ~tr: the one
• Savitr: Su: to impel
• Varun: Vr: to surround
• Bhag: bhag: to share
• Daksh: Skill
• Amsh: Portion

• Agni:

• Agni is written as the first born of Aditi. Agni is identified with Aditi, not separate.

• He is often invoked with Brhaspati

•  Aditi is the whole, freedom and Agni is the fire within the whole.

• Agni is called the navel of Aditi (Aditr nabhih) in other sections of RV 2.

•  Dev Agni has a special place with dual birth in both heavens and earth. Therefore, offerings to Agni were offerings to Devs.

• Rt:

• Rt is a key concept and means the natural order of things. Many of the Devs functions are to help establish (Indr), support (Mitr), and govern (Varun) Rt.

• In later centuries, Rt forms the basis of the concept of dharma.

• Varun:

• Both Conceptual and Deva. Governs cosmic law or Rt.

• Tvastr  त्वष्टृ

• RV 2.23.17, Tvastr created Brhmansspati
• Brahmanaspate is said to be created and fashioned by Tvastr
• Tvastr is the divine artisan already existing, and his birth is not described or mentioned in the family books.

• RV 2.1.5 Note on Tvastr
•  त्वमग्ने त्वष्टा विधते सुवीर्यं
• tvam agne tvaṣṭā vidhate suvīrya
• Agni you are Tvashtr increasing/granting strength

• Angiras अङ्गिरस्

• RV 2.23.18: Brahmanspate is addressed as Angiras (a mythic priest ancestor) and said to have united with Indr  to break out and free the waters causing the Ocean.

• Brhman | Brhaspati | Brhmanaspati: 

• Brhman translates to sacred hymn or mantra

• Brhm: etymological root translates to hymn

• Brh/Brhm: “to grow” or “to expand” + man: “that” + pati : “Protector”.

• The Sanskrit etymological roots of pati  are two (1) pa for protector and (2) to fall (verb).

• RV 2.23.1 – opening hymn to Brhspati

• गणानां त्वा गणपतिं हवामहे कविं कवीनामुपमश्रवस्तमम् । ज्येष्ठराजं ब्रह्मणां ब्रह्मणस्पत आ नः शृण्वन्नूतिभिः सीद सादनम् ॥

• In this opening hymn, Brhaspati is addressed as Ganapati

• गणानां त्वा गणपतिं हवामहे कविं कवीनामुपमश्रवस्तमम्

• Ganaanaam tva Ganapatim havamahe kavi kavinaam upram shrvastavam

•  Brhaspati is the Protector of the sacred hymn and is not described as an Aditya in any of the earliest books. He is, however, mentioned alongside Aangirasa, a priestly power of speech (brahman)

• RV 2.23.17 - Brhaspati is created by Tvastr

• विश्वेभ्यो हि त्वा भुवनेभ्यस्परि त्वष्टाजनत्साम्नःसाम्नः कविः । स ऋणचिदृणया ब्रह्मणस्पतिर्द्रुहो हन्ता मह ऋतस्य धर्तरि ॥

• víśvebhyo hí tvā bhúvanebhyaḥs párí tváṣṭā́ janat sāmnáḥ-sāmnaḥ kavíḥ 

• For all the worlds indeed, for the world completely, Tvashtr created you, the Seer of chant upon chant

• Brhaspati is addressed as Haraswati (Saraswati) RV 2.23.8

• In the Family books the meaning of Brahman differs greatly from later Hinduism of an all-encompassing Brahman.

• Sravas: in Rg Veda family books the stem srava means glory or fame about someone.

• RV 2.23.10

• त्वया वयमुत्तमं धीमहे वयो बृहस्पते पप्रिणा सस्निना युजा । मा नो दुःशंसो अभिदिप्सुरीशत प्र सुशंसा मतिभिस्तारिषीमहि ॥

• The ending phrase: su-śáṃsā matí-bhis tāriṣīmahi 

• With good praise, with thoughts, may we cross over (hostilities)

• Important verse on positive and affirming power of prayer and positive thoughts

• RV 2.24.6

• अभिनक्षन्तो अभि ये तमानशुर्निधिं पणीनां परमं गुहा हितम् । ते विद्वांसः प्रतिचक्ष्यानृता पुनर्यत उ आयन्तदुदीयुराविशम् ॥

• Abhi nakshanto abhi ye tam anshur nidhi panina paramam guha hitam, te vivams prati chakya nrata punaryat u aayan tat udiyu aavisham

• This seems to have a meaning that could be taken quite spiritually (because of the use of param and vidvamsa)

• Param: highest

• Guha: Cave

• Hitam: Hidden

• Vidvamsa: The wise

• Pratichakshya: Having seen

• Udeeyu aavisham: They rose and entered

• RV 2.24.8 - Bowstring, Arrow and Aim analogy  

•  ऋतज्येन (Rtjyen - bowstring of Rt) क्षिप्रेण (ikshpren - powerful)

• ब्रह्मणस्पतिर्यत्र वष्टि (brhmanaspatir yatra vashti - where Brhmanaspati commands)

• प्र तदश्नोति (pr tad shnoti - he reaches forth)

• धन्वना  (dhanva - with the bow)

• तस्य साध्वीरिषवो (tasya sadhvirishvo - his effective arrows)

• याभिरस्यति (yabhir syati - which he shoots)

• नृ (nr - mortals) चक्षसो दृशये (chakshaso drishya with eyes becomes visible)

• कर्णयोनयः (karnayonaya - originating in the ear) 

• RV 2.26.4 - Beautiful ending hymn to Brhspati in Mandala 2

• यो अस्मै हव्यैर्घृतवद्भिरविधत्प्र तं प्राचा नयति ब्रह्मणस्पतिः । उरुष्यतीमंहसो रक्षती रिषोंऽहोश्चिदस्मा उरुचक्रिरद्भुतः ॥

• Yo asmai havye dhrtvdbhi avidhat pr tam pracha nayat brahmanspati, urushyatim im ahas rakshati rishim aho chit asme aruchakri ad bhut

• Those who offer and take protection Brhaspati leads

• and protects and guards from harm

2: Devs and Devis of the early Aaryans

Deity	Devanāgarī	Etymological Root	Meaning / Semantic Sense
Bṛhaspati	बृहस्पति / बृहस्पति	bṛh “to expand, grow” + pati “lord”	“Lord of prayer/mantra,” “expanding lord.”
Gaṇapati	गणपति	gaṇa “group, host” + pati “lord”	“Lord of hosts.” In RV 2.23, this is an epithet of Bṛhaspati.
Aditi	अदिति	a- “not” + diti “bound, divided”	“The unbounded one,” “infinite.” Mother of the Ādityas.
Agni	अग्नि	Proto‑Indo‑European h₁n̥gʷnis → “fire”	Fire, sacrificial flame, divine priest.
Varuṇa	वरुण	Root vṛ “to bind, encompass”	“The enveloper,” guardian of ṛta and cosmic waters.
Mitra	मित्र	mitra from PIE meh₁- “to bind, contract”	“Friend,” “contract,” deity of agreements and daylight.
Indra	इन्द्र	Root ind “to be powerful, drop, pour”	“The powerful one,” king of gods.
Aryaman	अर्यमन्	arya “noble, hospitable”	“Noble companion,” deity of hospitality and social order.
Bhaga	भग	bhaj “to share, distribute”	“Distributor,” giver of fortune and shares.
Dakṣa	दक्ष	dakṣ “skill, ability”	“The skillful one,” associated with order and ritual ability.
Aṅgirasa	अङ्गिरस्	Possibly angara “coal, ember”	“Fiery one,” ancestral priestly clan.
Sarasvatī	सरस्वती	saras “flow, lake, fluid, speech”	“She who flows,” river and goddess of speech.
Uṣas	उषस्	Root uṣ “to shine, burn”	“Dawn,” radiant goddess of morning light.
Tvaṣṭṛ	त्वष्टृ	tvaṣ “to fashion, form, carve”	“The fashioner,” divine artisan.
Pṛthivī	पृथ्वी	pṛth “broad, vast”	“The broad one,” Earth goddess.

3: Chronology 

• The invention of the wheel and 2 wheeled chariots are dated about 3000 BCE. Since the earliest Rg Vedas family books reference wheels and chariots, we can only suppose that they are after 3000 BCE.
• I haven't yet see mention of planets in the earliest Rg Veda Family books. It is said that Hellenistic (Greek) astrology entered India (2^nd century BCE) and association of Devs and Planets was introduced then. However, this may or may not be so.
• Note the political and religious shifts from the time of writing of the Rg Vedas to post common era
• Perhaps notable is the change in role and even demotion of many Aaryan Devs, the emergence of deities, temple
• Of interest are the interludes of new and old Devs. For example,  as documented in the later Ramayana between Indra and Hanuman

 Below chronology was generated with help of AI:

Text / Civilization / Tradition	Era of Composition / Origin	Ruling Power in North India
Indus Valley Civilization	3300–1300 BCE	Urban city‑states (no known kings)
Harappa	2600–1900 BCE	Indus Valley Civilization
Mohenjo‑daro	2600–1900 BCE	Indus Valley Civilization
Rigveda – Family Books (2–7)	1500–1200 BCE	Early Vedic tribes
Later Vedas (Rigveda 1, 8–10; Sama; Yajur; Atharva)	1200–900 BCE	Kuru Kingdom
Chandogya, Brhadaranyaka, Aitareya, Taittiriya Upanishads	800-600 BCE	Mahjanapadas
Upanishads	800–300 BCE	Mahajanapadas → Nanda Empire
Kena, Katha, Isa, Prasna, Mundaka, Manduki	600-300 BCE	Mahajanapadas → Nanda Empire
Jainism	600–500 BCE	Mahajanapadas
Buddhism	c. 500 BCE	Mahajanapadas (Magadha)
Ramayana – Early Version	500–100 BCE	Late Mahajanapadas → Maurya
Greeks in India	327–326 BCE (Alexander); 180 BCE–10 CE (Indo‑Greeks)	Nanda → Maurya → Indo‑Greek rule (NW India)
Mandukya Upanishad	1-5th century CE	Kushan -> Gupta
Mahabharata (written in epic sanskrit)	400 BCE–400 CE	Maurya → post‑Mauryan → Gupta
Bhagavad Gita	2nd century BCE	Maurya → Shunga
Dharmashastras	200 BCE–200 CE	Maurya → Shunga → Kushan
Ramayana – Later/Classical Version	200–500 CE	Kushan → Gupta
Puranas	300–600 CE	Gupta Empire
Tantrism	Early roots 200 BCE; textual form 500–900 CE	Shunga → Kushan → Gupta → post‑Gupta
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa) (written in classic sanskrit)	800–1000 CE	Early Medieval kingdoms (Gurjara‑Pratihara, Rashtrakutas, Palas)
Yoga Vasiṣṭha	900–1200 CE	Early Medieval kingdoms

 

Stochastical Size Estimation in AGILE Estimation

 Recently I was working on a project as a Scrum Master and we had to estimate a project with multiple unknowns.

I recalled the Stochastical Duration Estimation technique that I had learned some year back when training at UCSC-extension in Santa Clara. The course I was in was 'Project Integration and Risk Management'.

With duration being more difficult to estimate than T-shirt or story point sizes, the approach can be applied to T-shirt or Story Point sizes as well.

The technique assumes the 6-point estimation for Task Estimation TE or 

O=Most optimistic estimate

M=Most likely estimate

P=Pessimistic estimate

Task Estimate TE = (O + 4*M + P)/6

Variance V = (P-O)^2/36

A Statistical table provides a Z value for Confidence or Probability of Occurrence.

Confidence Level/Probability    Z-value

50%                                            0

75%                                            0.67

90%                                            1.28

100%                                          3.49

Size Estimation S = TE + Z*SQRT(V)

For Project or multiple tasks,

Size Estimation S =  SUM(TE) + Z* SQRT(SUM(V))

Intellij JAVA_HOME environment variable is not defined correctly when running mvn

 If you get an error:

C:\>mvn -version
The JAVA_HOME environment variable is not defined correctly
This environment variable is needed to run this program 

NB: JAVA_HOME should point to a JDK not a JRE 

One option is to ensure your pom.xml file has the java details

In the example below, using OpenJDK version 20 which is located C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-20\bin

In Intellij 2023 1.3, you can verify the "20" under File>Project Structure>SDK

<properties>
<maven.compiler.source>20</maven.compiler.source>
<maven.compiler.target>20</maven.compiler.target>
<project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
</properties>

Locating Uranus from Aries - Oct 2020

Locating Uranus from Aries with Binoculars and a little help from the planet Mars in light polluted skies (Oct 2020)

Locate the bright stars of Hamal, Sheratan and Mesarthim in Constellation Aries by looking to the left of a very bright Mars in evening skies.

From Mesarthim, locate Iota Arietis just to the right and then count down 5 lesser bright stars to locate 19 Arietis. If 19 Arietis is in the upper right of your binoculars, then Uranus should be somewhere in view in the lower left.…

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Implementing Innovative Ideas's: As an internet customer, I want my modem to be smart enough to auto-renew credentials so that I have reliable services

[The user story could also be versed from a developer's perspective as: "As a developer, I want the modem to be smart and renew its expiring credentials so that my time can be better utilized"]

In the middle of PI execution, a developer has an innovative idea to make the modem a smart device so that it knows when it's credentials/security certificate is expiring, it is aware that it will have connectivity issues.
The device can be made smart enough to reach out to an end server and says "hey, my credentials is expiring in a few months. I think I need to renew my credentials"
Assuming the end server has all the connectivity to the authentication servers and certificate authority, it can determine if the device is eligible for renewal and sends back a renewal.
The device receives the renewed credentials (maybe sends a thank you note (acknowledgement) to the end server and installs or updates the renewed credentials.

Assume the organization is using a scaled agility framework. Although estimates for implementing are provided in the PI planning, the team(s) focus on business objectives, intent and alignment around outcomes, then they may find that the actual implementation plan and process are not detailed in the PI Planning regardless of any pre-PI planning. The objective may be to 'get all modems renewed with updated credentials'. The business outcome would be to ensure the reliability of devices and ensuring device connectivity by automating credential renewals.

So the question comes up how were the feature estimates provided without the implementation plan? Assuming the feature estimate was based on top-down, historic info, nonetheless, the team also provides estimates that need to co-relate.

Feature estimates are usually top-down, refined and then co-related with user stories from bottom up. So for PI Planning an estimate is provided, an implementation plan is discussed across multiple supplier, manufacturers, and any other teams.
However, during the PI execution, a better more innovative idea arises in a developer or engineer.

So another question, does the team take it up with product management and business owners and re-look the implementation? The PI Planning board is expected to have laid out all dependencies (remember the red ribbons) so if one team is changing that another team has a dependency on it impacts all teams.
How would the idea be taken forward to get it implemented cross-supplier, cross-teams. Would the PM and Business owner be required to take the idea forward to all the teams?

Remember, teams have already submitted estimates for the PI objective and capacity planning is completed.

The best answer to the questions, may be Communicate! Communicate! Communicate! PO Sync, Scrum master sync, System demo's

Perhaps the best answer around estimation of user stories is to use generic sizing like t-shirts. How much of the work is uncertain, how complex, how many resources and then determine your Fibonacci based estimated based on size. Recall a user story follows 3C's - Card, Conversation, Commitment.

The actual acceptance criteria will get to be known only during the team's backlog refinement in iteration execution. Recall that acceptance criteria are the finer details of the implementation.



Note that SAFe is a copyright and trademark of scaled agile framework and more info can be found at http://www.scaledagileframework.com

Agile frameworks: Supporting "Maneuverability" of Agile Teams to support urgent last minute requirements vs "Tyranny of the Urgent"

After working on a large scale SAFe installation and observing the issues with the implementation, I came upon the understanding that for scaling agile, support for urgent last minute requirements is needed . I call it "Maneuverability" of Agile teams. And it means supporting just-in-time planning even right before the start of a n increment (such as SAFe PI) and even during a planning session (such as SAFe PI Planning) and even if it means shifting in/out of epics/user stories during an incremental delivery

Although frameworks like SAFe support uncommitted objectives or variability in a program increment, these objectives are still pre-defined and planned for although the outcomes are uncertain. Perhaps a certain capacity for variability or uncommitted objective needs to be added or planned in each PI to support urgent needs.

It helps to remember that  frameworks such as Scaled Agile usually have very definite requisites on team size, train size and processes. Nonetheless  one should be able to adapt it to one's needs. And seriously, even large corporations such as in the Aerospace or Telecom industries work with smaller suppliers to get services and these suppliers are often dedicated to multiple customers.  So to avoid the framework becoming another "tyrannical framework" with processes to be followed to the letter, the framework needs to support it's own adaptability. 

Hopefully in one of the future SAFe release (maybe SAFe 6), they will decide to include "maneuverability" or the ability of teams to maneuver some of the items they are working on to support the "urgent"
Although SAFe references "avoiding tyranny of the urgent", yet sometimes urgency is the nature of markets and business. If teams can swap out lower priority stories planned in the next incremental delivery and have frameworks that support ability for just in time planning for "urgent" user stories, then are they not being truly agile?

2012 Ring of Fire Annular Solar Eclipse

We had gone up to Mt Shasta (with SFAA) to view the 210 Annular Solar eclipse. The eclipse was captured in 4 video's. The 3rd of the 4 has the Moon in the Center of the Sun.
Link to 2012 Annular Solar Eclipse on youtube: 2012 Annular Solar Eclipse - Totality
Camcorder used was Canon DC22 with filter from Rainbow Symphony

Pics and a video clips of 2012 Ringof Fire Annular Solar Eclipse are viewable in this blog under page under '2012 Ring of Fire Solar Eclipse'

RFID Reader Configuration Params

According to a major RFID Reader and tag manufacturer there are 128 ways to configure reader-to-tag and tag-to-reader communications. Many readers come some pre-set settings for 4 or 5 of the "best" or "better" combinations.

Here are  some that I look out for when setting up a reader configuration:

• RSSI: check the farthest distance a tag can be from the antenna, gets its RSSI value and then set the reader to filter out any tags with a lower RSSI value

• DRM: unless there are more readers using more than the 50 available channels (915MHz is really 902-928) with channel hopping across 50 channels, use Single Reader Mode or Multi Reader Mode if available
• Note: If using Single Reader Mode (not all readers provide Multi-Reader mode settings), then it becomes an interesting equation of how to avoid tag collisions and avoid missing tag reads due to some persistent values

• Auto-Start: With auto-start, readers are setup to read either periodically, immediately or based on some input trigger. If using periodic reads, set the periodic reads small enough that some one walking by an antenna with an rfid-tagged asset will be in front of the antenna long enough for a read to take place. I like to use 250ms for directional portals if not using continuous or immediate reads.

• Singulation and Dual Targets: With Class 1 Gen 2 standards, tags can be in either state A or state B. Sort of like putting your hand down after a roll-call and then leaving it down if the analogy makes sense. So unless I know the last roll call and its results, its best to choose "dual-target" to ensure all tags are read.  Dual target makes sure all tags in both states are read.

• Channels: In the case of multi-reader environment, since there are 50 available channels to choose from, why start all the readers at channel 1? The possibilities of channel hopping become higher and I like to setup each reader to start on a different channel.

• Sessions: Sessions are useful in multi-reader environment in that if 3 or 4 readers are working in a multi-reader environment then each reader can be set to interact with tags in a different session. One things I only recently understood was that Sessions greater that 1 (i.e Session 2 or 3), leave their tags in state B indefinitely. So, definitely, use dual target if you require all tags to be read and are using more than one session.
• Note: This brings up a value to set for tag persistence. Persistence sets how long a tag will be state B or "hands down in the roll call analogy" before it switches back to state A. If using sessions greater than 1, then setting this value may not have the expected effect

• Picture a cone in front of the antenna: its useful to ne'er forget that an antenna creates a cone which defines its read circumference and area. These days we can fine tune antennas to read from a couple of inches in front of the antenna to a couple of metres away (or farther). Granted periodic stray reads occur and the antenna footprint is never a nice,even oval or circle and dead spots or null are a reality.. however, we can work with these limitations by imagining a read area shaped like a cone in front of the antenna and ensuring tags within this area are always read.

  

I moved my post on some of the params that I find useful when setting up RFID readers and antenna to get better reads into its own page under RFID on this blog.