Page:A Collection of Esoteric Writings.djvu/24

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  The sign, therefore, clearly indicates the 9 Brahmâs—the 9 Parajâpatîs who assisted the Demiurgus in constructing the material universe.

Makaram. There is some difficulty in interpreting this word; nevertheless it contains within itself the clue to its correct interpretation. The letter Ma is equivalent to number 5 and Kara means hand. Now in Sanskrit Tribhujam means a triangle, bhujam or karam (both are synonymous) being understood to mean a side. So, Makaram or Panchakaram means a Pentagon.*  

Now, Makaram is the tenth sign and the term "Dasadisa" is generally used by Sanskrit writers to denote the faces or sides of the universe. The sign in question is intended to represent the faces of the universe and indicates that the figure of the universe is bounded by Pentagons. If we take the pentagons as regular pentagons (on the presumption or supposition that the universe is symmetrically constructed) the figure of the material universe will, of course, be a Dodecahedron, the geometrical model imitated by the Demiurgus in constructing the material universe. If Tula was subsequently invented and if, instead of the three signs "Kanya," "Tula" and "Vrischikam," there had existed formerly only one sign combining in itself Kanya and Vrischikam, the sign now under consideration was the eighth sign under the old system, and it is a significant fact that Sanskrit writers generally speak also of "Ashtadisa" or eight faces bounding space. It is quite possible that the number of disa might have been altered from 8 to 10 when the