SARASVATI R.gveda Volume 2
Gold bead; Early Dynastic necklace from the Royal Cemetery; now in the Leeds collection s iÇ/tSyaix/ san?iv/ pv?manae Araecyt! ,
ja/imi >/ sUy¡? s/h . 9.037.04 The pure Soma upon the high place (of the sacrifice) of Trita, attended by its kindred rays, has lighted up the Sun.
bharatiyo = a caster of metals; a brazier; bharatar, bharatal, bharatal. = moulded; an article made in a mould; bharata = casting metals in moulds; bharavum = to fill in; to put in; to pour into (G.lex.) bhart = a mixed metal of copper and lead; bhart-i_ya_ = a barzier, worker in metal; bhat., bhra_s.t.ra = oven, furnace R.gveda Manuscript RV 10.127 ra_trisu_kta (University of Pennsylvania) 10.127.01 The divine Night approaching looked upon many places with her eyes, she has assumed all beauties. [This su_kta is recited at the sacrifice offered in the early morning by one who has had unplesant dreams during the night]. Dr. S. Kalyanaraman Babasaheb (Umakanta Keshav) Apte Smarak Samiti Bangalore 2003 1
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com SARASVATI: R.gveda by S. Kalyanaraman
Copyright Dr. S. Kalyanaraman
Publisher: Baba Saheb (Umakanta Keshav) Apte Smarak Samiti, Bangalore
Price: (India) Rs. 500 ; (Other countries) US $50 .
Copies can be obtained from:
S. Kalyanaraman, 3 Temple Avenue, Srinagar Colony, Chennai, Tamilnadu 600015, India email: [email protected] Tel. + 91 44 2350557; Fax 4996380
Baba Saheb (Umakanta Keshav) Apte Smarak Samiti, Yadava Smriti, 55 First Main Road, Seshadripuram, Bangalore 560020, India Tel. + 91 80 6655238
Bharatiya Itihasa Sankalana Samiti, Annapurna, 528 C Saniwar Peth, Pune 411030 Tel. +91 020 4490939 Library of Congress cataloguing in publication data
Kalyanaraman, Srinivasan. Sarasvati/ S. Kalyanaraman
Includes bibliographical references and index 1.River Sarasvati. 2. Indian Civilization. 3. R.gveda
Printed in India at K. Joshi and Co., 1745/2 Sadashivpeth, Near Bikardas Maruti Temple, Pune 411030, Bharat
ISBN 81-901126-2-0 FIRST PUBLISHED: 2003
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PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com About the Author Dr. S. Kalyanaraman has a Ph.D. in Public Administration from the University of the Philippines; his graduate degree from Annamalai University was in Statistics and Economics. His PhD dissertation was on development administration, a comparative study of 6 Asian countries, published as Public Administration in Asia in 2 volumes.
He was a Senior Executive in the Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines for 18 years from 1978 to 1995 responsible for the world-wide IT network of the Bank and disbursements on a portfolio of US$60 million for over 600 projects in 29 developing countries of Asia-Pacific region. Prior to joining the Bank, he was Financial Advisor on the Indian Railways (responsible, as part of a professional team, for introducing computers on the Railways) and Chief Controller of Accounts, Karnataka Electricity Board. He took voluntary retirement from the Bank five years' ahead of schedule and returned to Bharat to devote himself to Sarasvati River researches and development projects.
He is well-versed in many languages of Bharat: Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, Sanskrit. He has compiled a comparative dictionary for 25 ancient Indian languages, titled Indian Lexicon. He has set up a website on Sarasvati River and Civilization with over 30,000 files (http://www.hindunet.org/saraswati ); he is the founder of the yahoogroup, IndianCivilization, which has over 800 members (April 2003). His work, Sarasvati, was published in 2001 a compendium on the discovery of Vedic River Sarasvati. The present 7-volume enyclopaedic work on Sarasvati Civilization is a result of over 20 years of study and research. He is Director, Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Prakalp, Akhil Bharatiya Itihaasa Sankalana Yojana, Chennai 600015. The Prakalp is engaged in researches related to Sarasvati Civilization and interlinking of national rivers of Bharat. He has contributed to many scholarly journals and participated in and made presentations in a number of national and international conferences including the World Sanskrit Conference held in Bangalore in 1995. He delivered the Keynote address in the International Conference of World Association of Vedic Studies, 3rd Conference held in University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, in July 2002. [email protected]
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PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com Diacritical marks used
The Kyoto-Harvard convention is NOT used since the intermingling of English words with Indian language words wll distort the representation of capital letters and is not easy to read.
The standard diacritical marks are deployed but, instead of ligaturing them on top and bottom of the alphabet, the diacritical marks FOLLOW immediately after the vowel or consonant which is modified. For e.g., a_ connotes ‘long a’, n. connotes retroflex N. After the UNICODE is standardized, the next edition will display the modified codes for ease of representation on web pages on the internet.
a rut,at e bet d then a_/ law e_ ate d. dot a~_ long e~_ bane l. rivalry /a~ un- /e~ when,whey n. and i it o obese n- new i_ bee o_ note r- curl i~_ been o~_ bone,one r. rug /i~ in m. mum r.. (zsh) u you n: king s fuse u_/ ooze n~ nyet s. shut u~_ boon h-/k- what s' sugar /u~ june c change t both … c. so t. too
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PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com List of languages and abbreviations Kurub.Bet.t.a Kuruba Kur.Kur.ux (Oraon, Kurukh) Kuwi The languages of the linguistic area and the L. Lahnda_ abbreviations used are as follows: M. Mara_t.hi_ Ma.Malayalam A.Assamese Mai.Maiya~_ (Dardic) Ap.Apabhram.s'a Malt.Malto Ash. Ashkun (As.ku~_--Kafiri) Ma_lw.Ma_lwa_i_ Aw. Awadhi_ Mand.. Mand.a B. Bengali (Ban:gla_) Marw.Ma_rwa_r.i_ Bal. Balu_ci_ (Iranian) Md.Maldivian dialect of Sinhalese Bashg. Bashgali_ (Kafiri) MIA Middle Indo-Aryan BCE Before Common Era (BC) Mj. Munji_ (Iranian) Bel. Belari Mth. Maithili_ Bhoj. Bhojpuri_ Mu. Mun.d.a_ri (Munda) Bi. Biha_ri_ N. Nepa_li Br. Bra_hui_ Nahali Brj. Brajbha_s.a_ Nin:g. Nin:gala_mi (Dardic) Bshk. Bashkari_k (Dardic) Nk. Naikr.i (dialect of Kolami = LSI, Bhili of Basim; Naiki Bur.Burushaski of Chanda) CE Common Era (AD) OIA Old Indo-Aryan Chil. Chili_s (Dardic) Or. Or.iya_ D.. D.uma_ki P. Punja_bi_ (Paja_bi_) Dm. Dame~d.i_ (Kafiri-Dardic) Pa. Parji G. Gujara_ti_ Pali Ga. Gadba Pah. Paha_r.i_ Garh.Gar.hwa_li_ Pa_Ku. Pa_lu Kur-umba Gau. Gauro (Dardic) Pas'. Pas'ai (Dardic) Gaw.Gawar-Bati (Dardic) Pe. Pengo Gmb. Gambi_ri_ (Kafiri) Phal. Phalu_r.a (Dardic) Go. Gondi Pkt. Prakrit Gy. Gypsy or Romani S. Sindhi_ H. Hindi_ Sant. Santa_li_ (Mun.d.a_) Ir. Irul.a Sh. Shina (S.in.a_.Dardic) K. Ka_s'mi_ri_ Si. Sinhalese Ka. Kannad.a Sik. Sikalga_ri_ (Mixed Gypsy Language: LSI xi 167) Kaf. Kafiri Skt. Sanskrit Kal. Kalasha (Dardic) Sv. Savi (Dardic) Kand. Kandia (Dardic) Ta.Tamil Kat.. Kat.a_rqala_ (Dardic) Te.Telugu Kho. Khowa_r (Dardic) Tir.Tira_hi_ (Dardic) Khot. Khotanese (Iranian) To. Toda Kmd. Ka_mdeshi (Kafiri) Tor.To_rwa_li_ (Dardic) Ko. Kota Tu. Tulu Kod.. Kod.agu (Coorg) U. Urdu Koh. Kohista_ni_ (Dardic) Werch.Werchikwa_r or Wershikwa_r (Yasin dialect of Kol. Kolami Burushaski) Kon. Kon:kan.i_ Wg. Waigali_ or Wai-ala_ (Kafiri) Kond.a Wkh. Wakhi (Iranian) Kor. Koraga Wot..Wot.apu_ri_ (language of Wot.apu_r and Kt. Kati or Katei (Kafiri) Kat.a_rqala_. Dardic) Ku. Kumauni_ WPah. West Paha_r.i Kui
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PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com Abbreviations used for linguistic categories and other languages Languages, Epigraphs etym. etymology expr.expression As'. As'okan inscriptions f./fem. feminine Austro-as. Austro-asiatic (cf. Munda) fig. figuratively BHSkt. Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit fr. from (Franklin Edgerton, Buddhist Hybrid fut. future Sanskrit Grammar and Dictionary, gen. genitive Newhaven, 1953) hon. honorific Dard. Dardic id. idem (having the same meaning) Dhp. Ga_ndha_ri or Northwest Prakrit (as imper.imperative recorded in the Dharmapada ed. J. Brough, incl. including Oxford 1962) inf.infinitive Drav. Dravidian inj.injunctive IA. Indo-aryan inscr.inscription IE. Indo-european lex. lexicographical works or Kos'as Ind. Indo-aryan of India proper excluding lit. literature Kafiri and Dardic (as classified by R.L. loc. locative Turner) m. masculine KharI. Kharos.t.hi_ inscriptions; Middle M Middle Indo-aryan forms occurring in Corpus metath. metathesis (of) Inscriptionum Indicarum Vol. II Pt.I, N North Calcutta, 1929 MIA Middle Indo-aryan Na_ Na_ci Na_t.u usage NiDoc. Language of 'Kharos.t.hi_ Naut. Nautical Inscriptions discovered by Sir Aurel Stein nom.nominative in Chinese Turkestan' edited by A.M. nom.prop. nomen proprium (proper name) Boyer, E.J. Rapson, and E. Senart num.numeral(s) Ar.Arabic NWNorth-west Aram.Aramaic O Old Arm.Armenian obl. oblique case Av. Avestan (Iranian) onom.onomatopoeic E. English p. page Gk. Greek part. participle Goth. Gothic pass. passive Ishk. Ishka_shmi_ (Iranian) perf. perfect Kurd. Kurdish (Iranian) perh. perhaps Lat. Latin phonet.phonetically Lith.Lithuanian pl. plural OHG. Old High German pp. past participle (passive) Orm. O_rmur.i_ (Iranian) pres. present OSlav. Old Slavonic pron. pronoun Par. Para_ci_ (Iranian) Pudu. Pudukkottai usage
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PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com Pahl. Pahlavi (Iranian) redup. reduplicated Pers. Persian (Iranian) ref. reference(s) Port. Portuguese S South Pr. Prasun (Kafiri) sb./subst.substantive Psht. Pashto (Iranian) semant. semantically Tib. Tibetan st. stem Toch. Tocharian subj. subjunctive Turk. Turkish syn. synonym Yid. Yidgha (Iranian) Tinn. Tinnevelly usage Tj. Tanjore usage Abbreviations : Grammatical usu. usual(ly) vais.n..vais.n.ava usage * hypothetical vb. verb < (is) derived from viz. videlicet (namely) > (has) become W West ? doubtful Xinfluenced by + extended by ~ parallel with acc.accusative adj. adjective adv. adverb aor. aorist caus. causative cent. century cf. confer (compare) cmpd.compound(ed) com. commentary, t.i_ka_ conj.conjunction dat. dative dist.fr.distinct from du. dual E East e.g. example
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PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com Foreword
I had written a foreword for Dr. Kalyanaraman’s work titled Sarasvati in 2000. As promised, he has now followed up this work with an additional five volumes to complete the encyclopaedia on Sarasvati – the river, godess and civilization of Bha_rata.
It is a privilege indeed to receive the seven volumes titled:
1. Sarasvati: Civilization 2. Sarasvati: R.gveda 3. Sarasvati: River 4. Sarasvati: Bharati 5. Sarasvati: Technology 6. Sarasvati: Language Sarasvati: Epigraphs
This septet constitutes a fitting homage to Babasaheb (Uma_ka_nt kes’av) Apte, particularly in the wake of the centenary celebrations planned for 2003 in memory of this patriot who wanted a presentation of the history of Bha_rata from a Bha_rati_ya socio-cultural perspective.
The dream of the late Padmashri Vakankar, archaeologist is also partly fulfilled with the delineation of the peoples’ lives over 5,000 years on the banks of the Rivers Sarasvati and Sindhu.
The Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Prakalp which is headed by Dr. Kalyanaraman under the guidance of Shri Haribhau Vaze, All-India Organizing Secretary, Akhila Bharateeya Itihaasa Sankalana Yojana should be complimented for bringing to successful completion this important phase of writing of the history of ancient Bha_rata.
The River Sarasvati has not only been established as ground-truth (bhu_mi satyam), but the vibrant civilization which was nurtured on the banks of this river has been exquisitely unraveled in the five volumes, covering virtually all aspects of the lives of the pitr.-s, many of whose a_s’rama-s are venerated even today in many parts of Bha_rata.
The five volumes provide a framework for understanding the writing system evolved ca. 5,300 years ago to record the possessions and items traded by metal- and fire-workers, the bharata-s. The language spoken by the people is also becoming clearer, with the existence of a linguistic area on the banks of the two rivers – the substrata and ad-strata lexemes which seem to match the glyphs of inscribed objects are a testimony to this discovery. This calls for a paradigm shift in the study of languages of Bha_rata with particular reference to the
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PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com essential semantic unity of all the language families, thanks to intense socio-economic and cultural interactions across the length and breadth of Bha_rata.
Hopefully, this work should generate many more research studies of this kind to further study the impact of the civilization on the cultural unity of the nation.
It is also heartening to note that work has started to revive the Rivr Sarasvati and to interlink the rivers of the country. This will be a garland presented by the children of the country to Bha_rata Ma_ta_ setting up a network of about 40,000 kms. Of National Waterways which will complement the Railways system to further strengthen the infrastructure facilities and to provide a fillip to development projects in all sectors of the economy.
I understand that Kalyanaraman is now embarking on a project to write the history of Dharma. I wish him all success in his endeavours.
M.N. Pingley
Kaliyugabda 5105. a_s.a_d.ha, Gurupurnima. July 13, 2003 CE.
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PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com Publisher’s Note
On behalf of Baba Saheb (Umakanta Keshav) Apte Smarak Samiti, it gives me great pleasure to publish the set of seven volumes of the encyclopaedic work of Dr. S. Kalyanaraman with over 4,000 illustrations and impressive documentation.
7. Sarasvati: Civilization 8. Sarasvati: R.gveda 9. Sarasvati: River 10. Sarasvati: Bharati 11. Sarasvati: Technology 12. Sarasvati: Language Sarasvati: Epigraphs
This is a follow-up of the first work titled Sarasvati published in 2000 which focused on the River Sarasvati. These five additional volumes focus on the language, writing system, technology – archaeo- metallurgy, in particular, the lives of the people who lived between 3500 to 5300 years ago and the importance of this legacy and heritage on the history of Bha_rata.
This compendium has been made possible by the contributions made by scientists and scholars of the country from a variety of disciplines, ranging from geology and glaciology to atomic research and language studies.
This comprehensive work on Sarasvati thus constitutes a golden chapter in the work of the Akhila Bharateeya Itihaasa Sankalana Yojana, providing the foundation for future works on subsequent periods of the history of the nation.
A principal objective of the Baba Saheb (Umakanta Keshav) Apte Smarak Samiti is the authenticated study of the history of our nation. For this purpose the Akhila Bharatiya Itihaasa Sankalana Yojana affiliated with the Samiti, has been working with a number of scholars and institutions organizing seminars and conferences and bringing out publications. The Samiti is a non-profit, voluntary organization and is entirely supported by volunteers and philanthropists. I wish to thank all the well- wishers and contributors to the Samiti’s work. In particular, I would like to acknowledge with gratitude the contribution made by Shri G. Pulla Reddy, Shri Ramadas Kamath, and Basudeo Ramsisaria Charitable Trust, ICICI, Government of Goa, in enabling this publication. Sincere thanks are due to K. Joshi and Co., and Dr. C.N. Parchure who have undertaken the supervision of the publication.
Plans have been initiated to start a national center to study the history of vanava_si people, to produce an encyclopaedia on the Hindu World and to organize research centers in all states of the country, to publish a series of research volumes on various aspects of the Bharatiya itiha_sa in all languages of Bharat, using multimedia presentations.
Haribhau Vaze National Organizing Secretary, Akhil Bharatiya Itihaasa Sankalana Yojana and Trustee, Baba Saheb (Umakanta Keshav) Apte Smarak Samiti, Bangalore. Kaliyugabda 5105. a_s.a_d.ha, Gurupurnima. July 13, 2003 CE .
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PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com Author’s Preface
At the outset, I offer my sincere thanks to Moropant Pingley and Haribhau Vaze for their encouragement and support in pursuing this endeavour.
What can I say which has not already been said by eminent scientists, scholars and thinkers of this great nation? All that I can do is to compile their thoughts and present them as I see fit and as a tribute to the memories of our pitr.-s and ma_tr.-s, our ancestors who have made us what we are and who have given us the vira_sat (heritage).
The septet contains the following volumes:
13. Sarasvati: Civilization 14. Sarasvati: R.gveda 15. Sarasvati: River 16. Sarasvati: Bharati 17. Sarasvati: Technology 18. Sarasvati: Language Sarasvati: Epigraphs
The enduring nature of the culture of the nation has been a source of awe and inspiration for many generations of scholars.
The lives of the r.s.i-s and muni-s who contributed to the solidity of the Bha_rata Ra_s.t.ra is a source of inspiration for generations of students of philosophy, politics, sociology, spiritual studies, economics and culture.
The earlier work, Sarasvati, published in 2000 focused on the life-history of River Sarasvati. This set of five volumes follow-up on this work to present a comprehensive survey of the lives of the people who nurtured a vibrant civilization on the banks of River Sarasvati. They were enterprising people who ventured to the banks of River Sindhu and beyond and had established a network of interactions which extended as far as Mesopotamia in the west and Caspian Sea in the north-west.
The River Sarasvati, flowing over 1,600 kms. from Mt. Kailas (Ma_nasarovar glacier) and tributaries emanating from Har-ki-dun (Svarga_rohin.i or Bandarpunch massifs, Western Garhwal, Uttaranchal), through Kashmir, Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat made the region lush with vegetation and provided a highway for interactions extending through the Gulf of Kutch, Gulf of Khambat, the Persian and Arabian Gulfs. The story of this riverine, maritime civilization is the story of an enterprising group of people who were wonderstruck by the bounties of nature and had organized themselves into a cooperating society to
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PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com harness the bounties of nature. The Samudra manthanam imagery wherein the asura-s and deva-s cooperate in churning the ocean for its riches is an allegory of this quest for material well-being while strengthening societal bonds.
This march of history is a saga of adventure, a passion for discovery of new materials and new methods of communication using a writing system and communicating orally profound thoughts on the cosmic order in relation to humanity.
The next stop is Dharma: a history of Bharatiya Ethos and Thought.
Dr. S. Kalyanaraman Former Sr. Executive, Asian Development Bank, Sarasvati Nadi Shodh Prakalp, 5 Temple Avenue, Chennai 600015, India [email protected]
Kaliyugabda 5105. a_s.a_d.ha, Gurupurnima. July 13, 2003 CE
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PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com Table of contents
R.gveda and Sarasvati 14
Vedic roots of early metallurgy 16
Soma 26
Vedic Ratha 134
Index 213
End Notes 218
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PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com abound in repetitions. Many hymns of the praga_tha collection of Kan.va and the numerous R.gveda and kan.vids are most certainly late clap-trap, but the important role which these hymns play in the Sarasvati Sa_ma-Veda cannon should warn us from condemning the rather banal compositions of the Association of Sarasvati with water eighth book, because this involves the condemnation of the Sa_ma-Veda to a late date.” Sarasvati_. The legend shown on Bhita (Maurice Bloomfield, 1916, Rig-Veda repetitions: sealing, together with a ghat.a. Indian the repeated verses and distichs and stanzas of the Rig-Veda in systematic Museum, Calcutta No. A. 11254-NS. 1958 The presentation and with critical association of Sarasvati_ with a ghat.a, water- discussion, 1-2 and 3. Harvard pot is significant and relates to River Oriental Series, 20, 24, Sarasvati_. Cambridge, Mass.: 20-21; cf. ibid. 639-40). Sarasvati is associated with water in the R.gveda. She is adored in 72 r.ca-s or r.k-s. EW Hopkins (1896, Praga_thika_ni, I, JAOS, River Ganga finds only one mention in the 17: 23-92) presented a list of words which tenth man.d.ala. occur in the 8th book and not elsewhere in the R.gveda; he noted that the differences are not It is generally accepted that the R.gveda was just lexical, but include cultural and geographic composed on the banks of River Sarasvati in backround and proper names (pp. 84-8). the Sapta Sindhu region, that is, north-western Ka_n.va hymns refer to sheep, agriculture, Bharat in the doab between Rivers Ganga and ploughing and the 8th book has many word with Sindhu. retroflex consonants. Decdendant of Yadu (ya_dva) is mentioned in RV 7.19.8. “The hymns themselves allude in clearest language to songs of old that were composed by Georges-Jean Pinault (1998, Le nom indo- the Rishis of the past. The later poets undertake to iranien de l’hote, in Meid, 1998: 451-77: 453-5) compare, more or less boastfully or complacently, provides the parallels between the Ka_n.va thei own compositions with those of the ancient hymns and Mitanni proper names (ca. 1500 to masters… Such reports are significant because they show that the Vedic poets were aware of the 130 BCE): five proper names end in –atithi fact that Rig-Vedic composition stretched over a ‘guest’: Medhya_tithi, Medha_tithi, long period, preceding their own time. The Ni_pa_tithi, Mitra_tithi and Deva_tithi. These suggestion has also been made that hymns which names parallel the Mitanni bahuvri_hi proper refer to themselves as ‘new’, as ‘having been names ending in –att(h)I ‘having X as his patterned after old’, as ‘having been made in the guest’: Biriatti/Priya_tt(h)i-/, manner in which Atri, Kan.va, Jamadagni, and Mittaratti/Mitra_tt(h)i-/, As’urattiAsura_tt(h)i-/, other worthies made their hymns’, are of recent Mariatti/Marya_tt(h)i-/, S’uriatti/Su_rya_tt(h)i- origin. In the light of the materials which are /, Intaratti/Indra_tt(h)i-/, Paratti/Pra_tt(h)i-/ and worked up in this book [i.e., the repetitive S’u_atti/Suvatt(h)i-/. Pinault goes on to formulaic expressions in the R.gveda], I have determine the early semantic of atithi: ‘who grown more skeptical as to our judgement in these stays nearby, who is placed next to (the house matters…it is very often easy to point out signs of of the host)’. relative lateness, but I have yet to find any hymn in the collection which show positive signs of Surely, the Mitanni was nearby Bharat, the coming from the archetype period, that is to say, region of Bharata-s! And, there is no reason to from the period when the hymns of this sort were postulate an Iranian locus for Ka_n.va. In a first composed… In any case they one and all 14
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com dialectical continuum, the Old Indo-Aryan processing of which is elaborated in great detail (ancestral to Epic and Classical Sanskrit) was in the R.gveda. The entire Sa_maveda is intelligible to Old Vedic. [See Asko Parpola, devoted to Soma. An understanding of the 2002, Pre-Proto-Iranians of Afghanist an metaphor of soma is central to the as initiators of s’a_kta tantrism: on the understanding of the Vedic tradition in Bharat Scythian/saka affiliation of the da_sas, and later in the Avestan tradition of haoma. The Nuristanis and Magadhans, Iranica Antiqua, Avestan haoma is cognate with Vedic homa, a Vol. XXXVII, ed. DT Potts, GENT] process of working with fire-altar or vedi.
The traditions associated with R.gveda pre-date While it is clear that R.gveda and other texts in the Sarasvati civilization exemplified by over the Vedic tradition – the Veda-s, Upanis.ad-s, 2,000 archaeological sites on the banks of the Bra_hman.a-s, A_ran.yaka-s, Su_tra-s, Itiha_sa River Sarasvati. in Ra_ma_yan.a and Maha_bha_rata and the Pura_n.a-s – are a very complex set of Veda is a word derived from the root vid ‘to documents which can be studied at different know’. In the Bharatiya tradition, Sarasvati is levels of knowledge: cosmic-spiritual, temporal associated with knowledge, and with arts and and material levels, an attempt will be made in crafts. On the banks of river Sarasvati arose this work to understand the processing of soma what is perhaps the world’s first human in the context of later-day technological document, the R.gveda. traditions which evolved on the banks of River R.k means ‘mantra’. The contemporaneous Sarasvati and neighbouring regions. traditions of yajus. ‘yajn~a’, sa_man ‘song’, atharvan ‘fire’, dhanus ‘bow’, s’ilpa A tradition evolved in Bharat treating many ‘sculpture’ and a_yus. ‘life’ are documented metal objects and weapons as pavitram, respectively in: Yajurveda, Sa_maveda, auspicious or sacred. The word, pavitram has a Atharvan.aveda, Dhanurveda , S’ilpaveda and special significance in R.gveda in the context of A_yurveda. soma processing. Pavitram connotes a ‘filter’ to purify the ‘artifacts’ brought out of the vedi or Two metaphors fire-altar after the yajn~a.
R.gveda is riddled with metaphors. According to Yaska, even the divinities are metaphors.
Two recurrent metaphors relate to: soma and ratha.
Soma is a metaphor denoting metallurgical processing and purification of electrum. Ratha is a metaphor of time, governed by the motion of celestial bodies; it is also a metaphor for a celestial vehicle, denoting the process of carrying the electrum ores into the fire-altar, the vedi to achieve the timely fulfillment of the desire to acquire amr.tam, immortality.
Of the ten man.d.ala-s of R.gveda, an entire man.d.ala, the eighth, is devoted to processing soma. Soma is the only commodity the
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PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com lohamr.ttika_. Kaus'ika Su_tra VIII.18 lists si_sa, nadi_si_sa (comm. nadi_phenapin.d.a), Vedic roots of ayorajas, kr.kala_sas'irah among the things called 'lead', but not among the immediately early metallurgy following rasas (like dadhi and ghr.ta)." [Alfred Hillebrandt, 1927, Vedische Mythologie, tr. Sreeramula Rajeswara Sarma, 1980, Vedic Mythology, 2 vols. Delhi, Motilal Apa_m phena as a weapon Banarsidass, vol. II, pp. 148-149].
RV 8.14.13 mentions apa_m phena; this is Trita, soma-presser described as a weapon which Indra hurls at Namuci. The Bra_hman.a tradition has a Vedic Trita and Avestan Tritha are Soma legend: Indra drinks sura_ at Namuci's pressers. Bhr.gus arise from the flames of residence and falls ill. Indra is then cured by Praja_pati's seed; An:giras arise from the coals Sarasvati_. The Sautra_man.i_ is performed for and Trita has his origin in the waters. In such an a person from whose nose, ears etc. Soma flows interpretation, Trita may be seen as the name of out. 'Soma flows out, the so-called somapu_ta, an ancestor (like Kutsa or Kan.va). further for a brahmin who desires success, for an exiled king, for a ks.atriya and so on, and is performed in a typical fashion...Further we find s iÇ/tSyaix/ san?iv/ pv?manae Araecyt! , Namuci's name in a formula; during the ja/imi >/ sUy¡? s/h . consecration ceremony of the king, uttering this 9.037.04 The pure Soma upon the high place formula, kicks with his foot a piece of lead that (of the sacrifice) of Trita, attended by its has been kept on the tiger skin. (nirastam kindred rays, has lighted up the Sun. namuceh s'irah: TS 1.8.14; TBr 1.7.8.2; S'Br 5.4.1.9; MS 4.4.4 (54.5)...The comm. on TS Macdonell explains Trita as god of lightning. says: lohita_yasam ta_mram pu_rvam (Macdonell, Mythological studies in the phenena pa_titam yan namuceh s'iras tad R.gveda, JRAS, 1893, XXV, pp. 419-96). Trita idam ta_mraru_pam san nirastam is attributed with the name a_ptya (Note the parityaktam)...In the Va_japeya and here in concordance with Yas.t A_twya; cf. the Sautra_man.i_ the Parisrut is bought against Bartholomae, IF, I, p. 180; Johansson, Bidrag lead from a long-haired man...Indra makes a till Rigtvedas Tolkning, p.7). compact with Namuci...It is the well known compact (MS 4.3.4 (43.7)(cf. MBh 9.43.34) not There is a legend narrated in the R.gveda about to injure Namuci either with a dry object or Trita a_ptya; Trita is at the bottom of the well with a wet one, either in daylight or at and connected with water. The motif of the well night...Indra breaks the oath and kills this occurs not only about Trita (or Kutsa) but also opponent apa_m phenena...I would think that about Bhujyu (RV 1.116.4; 117.14; 118.6; the apa_m phena should be understood in the 182.6; 7.68.7), Atri (RV 1.116.8; 117.3) , sense of some solid material and that it denotes Rebha and Vandana (RV 1.112.5; 116.24; some substance like, e.g. lead, because this very 117.4; 119.6; 10.39.8-9). Water oblations are metal serves, as we saw, as the purchasing price poured for three A_ptyas: Trita, Dvita and in the sura_ ceremonies. In the context of Ekata, to the north of the Viha_ra. (S'Br. removing the old fire, Kaus'ika Su_tra LXXI.15 13.4.2.16; cf. Hillebrandt, vol. 2, n. 627). "In states that one should place si_sa_ni in the the R.V as well as in later times, the plural form hands of the eldest son, and the commentary of a_ptya_h is the name of an entire class of explains this word as si_sam nadi_phenam beings -- gods or men -- who stand in AitBr. 16
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com VIII.12.4 next to the Sa_dhyas and between the 8.047.13 Deities, whatever evil is manifest, Vasus, Rudras, A_dityas on the one side and whatever is concealed, (let it be not found) in the Maruts and An:giras on the other...These Trita A_ptya, keep it far from us; your aids are apart, the legend of the buried disc, bowl or void of harm, your aids are true aids. [Trita treasure may be mentioned." (Hillebrandt, A_ptya is the r.s.i of the hymn. Trita A_ptya vol.2, p. 194, n. 626). was a deity dwelling in remote distance, and consequently evil was sought to be transferred The r.cas 8.047.13 to 18 explain how Trita to him; keep it far from us in Trita A_ptya]. A_ptya takes the sin and evil effects upon 8.047.14 Daughter of heaven, (Us.as), whatever himself. Avesta notes a thrita, while the R.V ill-omened dream threatens our cattle, keep it, mentions trita and dvita. ["...Iranian Thrita, who O brilliant one, far from Trita A_ptya; y our is regarded as a healer and who received a aids are void of harm, your aids, are true aids. thousand healing plants from [Far from Trita A_ptya: trita-ya a_ptya_ya: Ahuramazda...Trita...its connection with the keep it far away for Trita A_ptya; R.cas 14 and Old IRisih triath, 'ocean' (Fick, VWB 4th edn., 15 are used in A_s'vala_yana's Gr.hy Su_tras to I, p. 63; Johansson, IF, IV, p. 143) appears as be recited after an unpleasant dream]. uncertain as the derivation from tri, 'three'." 8.047.15 Daughter of heaven, whatever ill- Hillebrandt, vol.2, p. 195, n. 631). omened dream threatens Trita A_ptya, we transfer it to the worker of gold ornaments or to ydœ Aa/ivrœ ydœ A?pI/Cy<