Devayāna
Devayāna · deva-yāna, “the path of the devas”
Grammar: neuter noun; a compound of deva and yāna (a path, a going): “the path of the devas”.
Meaning: the path of light by which the jīva of one who knows the ātmā rises after death, through the stations of light, to Brahmaloka, from which there is no return to this world. Its pair is the pitṛyāna, the path of the pitṛs, by which the jīva returns.
In the scriptures: in his teaching on samādhi, Agni Deva describes this path of no return.
The rays of the ātmā. The rays of the ātmā, which is like a lamp in the heart, are endless and spread everywhere: white, black, tawny, blue, reddish-brown and yellow-red. One of them goes upward, pierces the sūrya-maṇḍala and goes even beyond Brahmaloka; one who travels by its path attains the highest gati (goal). A hundred more rays face upward, and one who travels by them reaches the various deva-lokas. One who travels by the downward rays of little light is born in this very world to enjoy the fruit of karma (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 376).
The path of no return. Agni Deva teaches that ātma-jñāna arises from study of the Veda, yajña, brahmacarya, tapas, śraddhā, control of the senses, fasting and satya (truth), and that the dvijas should practise hearing, reflection and deep contemplation on the ātmā. Those who know thus, the vānaprasthas, full of śraddhā, practising the upāsana of satya, go in order to the lokas of Agni (fire), of the day, of the śukla paksha (the bright fortnight), of the uttarāyaṇa (the Sun’s northern course), the devaloka, the sūrya-maṇḍala, and the devatās of lightning (vidyut). Then the mānasa purusha, the purusha born of the mind, comes there and leads them to Brahmaloka. For them there is no return (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 376).
The path of return. Beside it Agni Deva sets the other path: those who reach svarga through yajña, tapas and dāna go to the lokas of smoke, night, the dark fortnight, the dakshiṇāyana, the Pitṛloka and the Candraloka, and return to Bhūloka by the path of ākāśa, air and water. One who knows neither of these two paths is born as a serpent, a winged insect, an insect or a worm (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 376).
Related terms: Pitṛyāna · Uttarāyaṇa · Brahmaloka · Ātma-jñāna · Gati · Samādhi
Sources
- Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 376