Rivers in Ancient India (study)
by Archana Sarma | 2019 | 49,356 words
This page relates 鈥楽arasvati as wife鈥� of the study on the rivers in ancient India as reflected in the Vedic and Puranic texts. These pages dicsusses the elements of nature and the importance of rivers (Nadi) in Vedic and Puranic society. Distinctive traits of rivers are investigated from descriptions found in the Vedas (Samhitas), Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads and Puranas. The research is concluded by showing changing trends of rivers from ancient to modern times.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
1(f). 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 as wife
[1. The river 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 in the 峁欢惫别诲补-蝉补峁僪颈迟腻, (f): 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 as wife]
厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨鈥檚 nature as a wife is clearly depicted in the 峁欢惫别诲补蝉补峁僪颈迟腻 as she is addressed as 惫墨谤补辫补迟苍墨.[1] It means 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is the wife of 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 or 叠谤补丑尘腻. S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya interprets the epithet as鈥�
惫墨谤补岣� 辫谤补箩腻辫补迟颈岣� patiryasy膩st膩d峁泂墨/ yadv膩 v墨r膩峁嚹佱箖 p膩layitr墨.[2]
The epithet 惫峁涐梗苍补岣� 辫补迟苍墨 occurs in one of the 峁歡vedic mantras[3] as in plural form (惫峁涐梗苍补岣� 辫补迟苍墨) in the context of rivers in general. Here, 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is regarded as one of the wives of Indra.
S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya explains it as鈥�
v峁涐梗峁嘺岣� var峁kasye'ndrasya 辫补迟苍墨岣� patnya岣� p膩layitrya岣� nadya岣� nadana艣墨l膩 ga峁単膩dy膩岣�.
It means 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is one of the wives of Indra and collectively, it can be taken as river also. Seven rivers were released together by the stroke of the god Indra which is described in the 峁欢惫别诲补蝉补峁僪颈迟腻.[4] So, the rivers are called Indra鈥檚 wives. In the mantra 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is reckoned as one of the rivers and then as a goddess.
厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is called 惭补谤耻迟惫补迟墨 in one of the 峁歡vedic mantras[5] which presents her as accompanied by the Maruts.
S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya鈥檚 explanation goes as鈥�
尘补谤耻迟惫补迟墨 marudbhiryukt膩 madhyamasth膩n膩 hi v膩k sarasvati maruta艣ca madhyamasth膩nasth膩岣�! atastadvat墨 蝉补迟墨.
It means 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is associated with the Maruts and it refers 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 as accompanied by the Maruts. 惭补谤耻迟惫补迟墨 is the feminine form of marutvat. As the Maruts are mid-rigional, the 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is also called mid鈥搑egional speech (痴腻办).
厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is also called 尘补谤耻迟惫补迟墨 because she is the wife of Indra, 痴腻测耻 or 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 or Agni or Soma or cloud. Due to her association with the cloud she may be taken as its consort in the form of lightning or the flash of lightning stands of tejas. The cloud may be thought to have derived it from the Sun, (膧诲颈迟测补), with which 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 as 叠丑腻谤补迟墨 is closely associated.[6] 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 as 叠丑腻谤补迟墨 is considered to be the wife of the Maruts and is spoken of as marutsu bh膩rat墨.[7]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
峁欢惫别诲补 Sa峁僪it膩, 6.49.7
[2]:
S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya鈥檚 com. on Ibid
[3]:
dam奴naso apaso ye suhast膩 v峁涐梗峁嘺岣� 辫补迟苍墨rnadyo vibhvata峁ａ弓膩岣� | 峁欢惫别诲补 Sa峁僪it膩, 5.42.12
[4]:
yo hatv膩h墨mari峁嚹乼sapta sindh奴nyo g膩 ud膩jadapadh膩 valsya | yo a艣manorantaragni峁� jaj膩na sa峁僾峁沰峁matsu sa jan膩sa 颈苍诲谤补岣� || Ibid., 2.12.3
[5]:
Ibid., 2.30.8
[6]:
cf.,S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya鈥檚 com. on Ibid., 2.1.11
[7]:
Ibid., 1.142.9.