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
102 (of 112)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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264
abuse, condemnation, a thing associated with death. Out of
the 23 occasions of use of Nirrti in 12 contexts, the notion
of absence of water, some sort of liquid can reasonably be
traced and visualised. In the rest 11 contexts the personified
sense of death goddess or an object of condemnation is intended.
RV 10.10 - Yama-Yami dialogue,
The 12 contexts are : (1) RV 10.10
(2) stanza 32 of RV I.164, (3) 1.119.7 of RV, (4) RV I.117.5,
(5) 1.38.6,
1.38.6,
(6) RV 7.37.7 (7) 7.5.81, (8) 10.36.2, (9) 10.36.4,
(10) 10.3165.1,
(11)10.114.2
- all in Rgveda
I.190.1 -
7.36.110.114.1.66.
Dandekar has called Nirrti a minor deity, a devata.
The real nature of Nirrti, water scarcity, intense
or mild, is destruction of all life on earth and div
127 Nirrti is only intense water-scarcity.
28 She is incomparable, and is possessed of ever-increasing
strength and high spirit She knows all that is born, and she
29 30
31 discerns every form with attention. She is paid homage to 32
She
is the abode of, and also the collector of riches She is fierce
34 35
36 and is possessed of a malicious and devious mind.
and terrible, and is possessed of a wicked soul. She is cruel,
.38.
鲁
37 27
D.V. Chauhan, op. cit., pp. 6-10.
28 RV VI.84.3.
29 RV 1.88.6.
30 AV 5.7.9.
31 AV VI : 63:2, TS IV: 2:5.
32 VS XII : 62, 63 & 65,
35 36
TS IV : 2.5.
www
VS 12.64.
SB 7.2.13.
33 MS III : 214.
37 34
TS IV : 2 1 5.
37 TB I.2.4.2..
38 RV 10.63.2.
