Essay name: Goddesses from the Samhitas to the Sutras
Author:
Rajeshri Goswami
Affiliation: Jadavpur University / Department of Sanskrit
This essay studies the Goddesses from the Samhitas to the Sutras. In short, this thesis examines Vedic goddesses by analyzing their images, functions, and social positions. It further details how natural and abstract elements were personified as goddesses, whose characteristics evolved with societal changes.
Chapter 2
100 (of 112)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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蟽蔚 262 In the SB VII.21.11 in the context of Nirrti's altar,
it is said :
i
Nirrti is this earth, and this earth makes him decay
who becomes corrupted.
A reference may also be made to the following passage in connec-
tion with the Rajasuya from the same Br膩hma峁嘺 :
ecra
The
For Nir峁泃i is this (earth) whomsoever she seizes upon
with evil, him she seizes upon with destruction.
refore whatever part of this earth is of Nigrti-nature,
that he propitiates and thus Nirrti does not seize upon
him, while being constructed. And the reason why he t
offers in a self-produced hollow or cleft, is that much
of this earth is possessed with Nirrti. The self-produced
hollow symbolises disorder. Therefore the Brahmana may
not be said to equate Mirrti with the earth directly?
that
24 Nir峁泃i is often considered to be the reverse of 峁歵a or
Rti (or order) i.e, Mirrti or disorder. A few references may
be noted in this context # -
order.
66 Dandekar equates Nirrti with the absence of rta or cosmic
Varu峁嘺 is the administrator of the cosmic law or rta.
Nirrti presides over disorder, for example, death,
poverty, etc. She is the negative female counterpart
of 峁歵a - (1) The fact that Nirgti is not celebrated
in any entire hymn may be suggestive of the concept
24 J.R. Joshi, op. cit., p. 153.
