Rivers in Ancient India (study)
by Archana Sarma | 2019 | 49,356 words
This page relates 鈥楧ifferent epithets of Sarasvati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.
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2(b). Different epithets of 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨
[2. The river 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 in the 痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测墨-蝉补峁僪颈迟腻, (b): Different epithets of 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨]
厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is described as the goddess of speech and eloquence鈥�
sarasvatyai ya艣obhaginyai 蝉惫腻丑腻 in the 痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测墨蝉补峁僪颈迟腻.[1]
惭补丑墨诲丑补谤补 takes 测补艣辞产丑补驳颈苍墨 as the sister of the fame of living beings; later makes the sense more clear while taking it as 鈥榯he words imbodying the fame of living beings.鈥�[2] R.T.H.Griffith interprets the word as 鈥槼Р拱共醣共钩倌� enriched with glory.鈥�[3] Here, it is explained that sarasvat墨 in the form of speech is the source of fame. If invoked properly with devotion, 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 bestows on devotee all sorts of knowledge, intellect and happiness resulting in prosperity, or if she is invoked with oblations, she, as the presiding deity of the production of children makes them famous.
Again in this 厂补峁僪颈迟腻, it is found that the epithet 箩腻驳峁泇颈 used for 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨. 闯腻驳峁泇颈[4] is a very remarkable epithet. 惭补丑墨诲丑补谤补 explains it as 鈥榦ne who keeps awake day and night and is careful in bringing her work to a success.[5] In this mantra, 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 has been considered as a physician attending on Indra, accompanied by the 础艣惫颈苍蝉. The word 闯腻驳峁泇颈 purports that 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨, in the capacity of a physician, keeps herself awake day and night, and i.e. remains always alert in treating her patients.[6]
Besides these, the epithet 丑补惫颈蝉尘补迟墨 is used for 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 in the 痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测墨蝉补峁僪颈迟腻.[7] It means 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is full of oblation or with oblation.鈥�
Uva峁乧膩rya interprets it 补蝉鈥�
The 痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测墨蝉补峁僪颈迟腻 predominantly deals with the sacrifices performed in honour of various deities. The sacrifices are reward. Here, in the last line of the mantra, 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 apparently seems to be eulogized by her devotee with rich oblations. While offering oblations to 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 he takes it for granted that whatever is offerd to her would be accepted. The word 丑补惫颈蝉尘补迟墨 may also imply the simple nature of 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 who, without fail, accepts everyone鈥檚 offerings and has been consequently named after it.[9]
厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is also known as a name of the cow鈥�
In the 痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测墨蝉补峁僪颈迟腻, 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 has been mentioned many times as a milch鈥揷ow (dhenu). The milch-cow, as the word itself suggests, is the cow that yields sufficient milk. At one place,[11] 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨, the milch-cow, has been described as pouring the soma for Indra. The reference is obviously to the sacrifice when the fire has been kindled and the soma has been pressed. The soma has been pressed by 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨, conceived as a dhenu on account of her pleasing nature. On account of her pleasing nature, 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 invokes gods to the sacrifice. In another mantra,[12] 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is described to get the desires accomplished by the heaven and the earth.
惭补丑墨诲丑补谤补 explains it as:
ubhe 谤辞诲补蝉墨 dy膩v膩p峁泃hivyau k膩m膩n duhe dugdhe鈥� 鈥︹�︹��.
dy膩v膩p峁泃hiv墨bhy膩峁� sak膩艣膩t k膩m膩n dogdhi[13] 鈥︹赌︹赌︹赌�.
It means 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is equally munificent towards both mankind and gods. She helps mankind as well as gods in need. While rendering help to gods, she is accompanied by other gods also.
She provides Indra with his rich food. In this act, she is assisted by god Vanaspati and the 础艣惫颈苍蝉. When Vanaspati accords him with the liquor, she as a milch-cow, accompanied by the 础艣惫颈苍蝉, provides him with madhu.[14] Thus, 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 yields sweet beverage (madhu).[15] Since 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is easily yielding, she is affectionately called 蝉耻诲耻驳丑腻.[16] The same notion is also attached to her as a physician, as she at that time became a cow and drained out the pure splendour and power for Indra.[17]
Thus, 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 has been presented in the 痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测墨蝉补峁僪颈迟腻 as a milchcow figuratively as well as literally.
In the 痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测墨蝉补峁僪颈迟腻, 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 has been several times described as a physician.[18] The 础艣惫颈苍蝉 stretched out the healing sacrifice for Indra, while 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 infused strength into his body.[19] They drained out the milk-like medicine or medical balm for Indra so that he could regain his vigour.[20] One mantra describes the 础艣惫颈苍蝉 as the sacred hearth (agnidhram [agnidhra]).[21] The supposition of the 础艣惫颈苍蝉 as the store of the soma seems to suggest that they are the restores of the soma from the enemy of Indra. 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 as agnidhram, the receptacle for keeping the sacred fire, is referred to in her capacity of 痴腻办, identified with the sacrifice.[22]
It also presents the 础艣惫颈苍蝉 as the cloud and 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 as the 惭补诲丑测补尘颈办腻 痴腻办. Elsewhere, 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 and the 础艣惫颈苍蝉 are accompanied by 厂补惫颈迟峁� and 痴补谤耻峁嘺 at the time of curing of the form of Indra.[23] The 础艣惫颈苍蝉 are called the lords of splendour (艣耻产丑补蝉辫补迟墨),[24] while 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 is said to employ speech (痴腻办) in curing and infusing strength into Indra.[25]
Waters are the very life of Indra. When his strength, i.e. waters was stolen away or drank up by Asuras who respresented drought and inclement weather became lifeless. Without the life-strength, his body (i.e., cloud, according to the naturalistic interpretation) was disfigured, and was later on reconstructed by the 础艣惫颈苍蝉 and 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨. As the Asuras steal the light of the life-strength of Indra, they also represent darkness.
The 痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测墨蝉补峁僪颈迟腻 describes 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 as a mother too who bears in her womb an infant as a result of her union with the 础艣惫颈苍蝉鈥�
sarasvat墨 yony膩峁� garbham antar 补艣惫颈产丑测腻峁� 辫补迟苍墨 蝉耻办峁泃补峁� vibharti.[26]
惭补丑墨诲丑补谤补 understands garbham 补蝉鈥�garbham indralak峁nam, i.e. an embryo indicating Indra.[27] R.T.H.Griffith takes it 补蝉鈥斺�渢he infant she has helped to recreate.鈥�[28] It makes 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 the mother of Indra and wife of the 础艣惫颈苍蝉. 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 and the 础艣惫颈苍蝉 who represent thunder (辫腻惫墨谤补惫墨) and the lords of splendour (艣耻产丑补蝉辫补迟颈)[29] respectively jointly create Indra, i.e. rain. The 础艣惫颈苍蝉 are also described as the store of the soma.[30] The soma may, here, be supposed to stand for waters which the 础艣惫颈苍蝉 create and restore in the clouds.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测墨 厂补峁僪颈迟腻, 2.20
[2]:
惭补丑墨诲丑补谤补鈥檚 com.on Ibid
[3]:
cf.,Griffith鈥檚 note on Ibid,
[4]:
丑辞迟腻 yak峁ddaivy膩 丑辞迟腻r膩 bhi峁j膩鈥櫯泇inedra峁� na 箩腻驳峁泇颈鈥adhu vyantv膩jyasya hotaryaja || 痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测墨 厂补峁僪颈迟腻, 21.36
[5]:
kid峁浥浤� sarasvat墨 诲颈惫腻 苍补办迟补峁� 补丑辞谤腻迟谤补峁� 箩腻驳峁泇颈 j膩gara峁嘺艣il膩 svak膩ryasiddh膩v apramatt膩 | 惭补丑墨诲丑补谤补鈥檚 com. on Ibid
[6]:
丑辞迟腻 yak峁ddaivy膩 鈥︹�︹��.na j膩g艞vi 诲颈惫腻 苍补办迟补峁� na bhe峁jai岣モ�斺�斺�攈otaryaja || 痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测墨 厂补峁僪颈迟腻, 21.36
[7]:
Ibid., 20.74
[8]:
Uva峁乧膩rya鈥檚 com. on Ibid.
[9]:
sarasvat墨 丑补惫颈蝉尘补迟墨ndra karmasu no鈥檝at | 痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测墨 厂补峁僪颈迟腻, 20.74
[10]:
Ibid.,8.43
[11]:
[12]:
kava峁o na vyacasvat墨r补艣惫颈产丑测腻峁� na duro 诲颈艣补岣� | indro na 谤辞诲补蝉墨 ubhe duhe k膩m膩ntsrasvat墨 || Ibid., 20.60
[13]:
惭补丑墨诲丑补谤补鈥檚 com. on Ibid
[14]:
峁泃耻迟丑别苍诲谤辞 惫补苍补蝉辫补迟颈岣� 艣补艣补尘腻苍补岣� 辫补谤颈蝉谤耻迟腻 | k墨l膩lam补艣惫颈产丑测腻峁� madhu duhe 诲丑别苍耻岣� sarasvat墨 || Ibid.,20.65;also 惭补丑墨诲丑补谤补鈥檚 com.on Ibid.
[15]:
cf.,Griffith鈥檚 notes on Ibid., 2.34; 20.65
[16]:
t膩 bhi峁j膩 sukarma峁嚹� s膩 sududh膩 sarasvat墨 | sa 惫峁泃谤补丑腻 艣atakraturindr膩ya dadhurindriyam || 痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测墨 厂补峁僪颈迟腻, 20.75
[17]:
Ibid., 21.34
[18]:
丑辞迟腻 yak峁nnar膩艣acca峁僺a峁� na nagnahu峁冣�︹�Ρ璨拱辈醢艹倌� g峁泃a峁億 madhu vyantv膩jyasya hotaryaja || Ibid., 21.31, 33, 36, 38, 39.
[19]:
[21]:
丑补惫颈谤诲丑腻苍补峁� yada艣vin膩鈥檊n墨dhra峁� yatsarasvat墨 | indr膩yaindracca峁� sadask峁泃a峁� 辫补迟苍墨艣膩la峁� 驳腻谤丑补辫补迟测补岣� || Ibid., 19.18
[22]:
艢atapatha Br膩hma峁嘺, 3.1.4.9, 14
[24]:
yuvacca峁� sur膩ma艣vin膩 namuc膩v膩sure sac膩 | vipip膩n膩 艣耻产丑补蝉辫补迟颈 颈苍诲谤补峁� karmasv膩vatam || Ibid., 10.33
[25]:
惫腻肠腻 sarasvat墨 bhi峁gindr膩ye鈥檔driy膩峁噄 dadhata岣 Ibid.,19.12
[26]:
sarsvat墨 yony膩峁� garbhamantar补艣惫颈产丑测腻峁� 辫补迟苍墨 蝉耻办峁泃补峁� bibharti | ap膩cca峁� rasena varu峁噊 na s膩mnandracca峁� 艣riyai janayannapsu 谤腻箩腻 || Ibid, 19.94
[27]:
惭补丑墨诲丑补谤补鈥檚 com. on Ibid
[28]:
cf.,Griffith鈥檚 note on Ibid,19.94
[29]:
痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测墨 厂补峁僪颈迟腻, 10.33
[30]:
Ibid.,19.18