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Let us familiarise ourselves with Rigveda

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Let us familiarise ourselves with Rigveda

I am starting this thread with the sincere hope that I will be able to give one verse (rik, as they are known) everyday. This will not help you to recite the verse in the prescribed "swaras", but will make people to know what is contained in this veda. But it is not definite that my health will permit me to be regular. Still, I shall try my best.

If members find it not useful, please give feedback so that I can stop. If any mistake/error is observed, please point out so that I can carry out necessary corrections.

Rigveda:

Rigveda (RV) as commonly spoken of today refers to the "SAkala SAkha" (शाकल शाखा - சாகல சாகை) or SAkala branch. It is believed that in olden times there were five branches of RV viz., SAkala, bAshkala, ASvalAyana, sAngkhyAyana and mANDUkyAyana. There were no material differences between them except arrangement of riks and sUktas and some riks being omitted in one or the other branch. This again is a belief, we have nothing to prove it. Most probably these differences could have arisen due to human inabilities during the millennia of oral transmission of the veda/s, and for reasons not known four out of the five branches have disappeared. Strangely, the westerners got hold of the SAkala version and thanks to them we have been able to get an enormous amount of knowledge, analysis, criticism etc., based on this version.

RV - the SAkala version - has 10 maNDalas (books) and 1017 sUKtas which together contain 10472 riks (verses); there is also another method of looking at RV as divided into 8 ashTakas, 64 adhyAyas, 85 anuvAkas in which the 1017 sUktas are divided. There are 1,93,816 words in the RV.

Note : There is some difference in the total number of sUktas and riks between various authorities. It is because some portions known as 'vAlakhilya (bAlakhilya)', a collection of 1 1 (according to some only 6 or 8) hymns of the Rig-veda (commonly inserted after viii, 48, but numbered separately as a supplement by some editors .

Of the ten maNDalas or books of RV books 2 to 7 are called "Family Books" by scholars because the sUktas in each of these maNDalas are ascribed to rishis of one particular lineage, as shown below:

maNDala-2 gr^tsamada
maNDala-3 viSvAmitra
maNDala-4 vAmadEva
maNDala-5 atri
maNDala-6 bhAradvAja
maNDala-7 vasishTa

Book 1 is older than Books 8, 9 and 10. These books were not composed by a distinct family of rishis each but by different individual rishis. Books 1 and 8 are almost like Family Books as a majority of the hymns are composed by the family of kanvas and many hymns are found in both the Books. Book 9 is different from the rest and all the hymns therein are addressed to Soma (while not a single hymn is addressed to Soma in the Family Books) and by groups of Rishis. Book 10 is a collection of various earlier and later hymns.It appears to be of a later origin and of a supplementary character. The Books 1 and 10 are the latest and the longest Books together accounting for about 40 percent of the bulk of the Rig Veda.

Among the Namboodiris of Kerala, they have a system of "mudras" or signs to indicate the word endings in RV and an expert will be able to recite the rik if someone simply indicates the mudras for two or three such consecutive mudras. This used to be one method of creating expertise in the RV.

vEdavyAsa is held to be the one who codified the vEdas. In Mahabharata, Santiparva, 359, there is a mention of another earlier Acharya by name "apAntarataman", son of vAgrishi, who was an epitome of virtues and a "trikAlajnAni" - one who knew the past, present and the future. This apAntarataman, it is told, spread the eternal vEda everywhere, and he taught it even to swAyambhuva manu. He was also known as "prAceenagarbhan" (ப்ராசீன கர்ப்பன்) .

Poetical metres or cHandases (छन्दः சந்தஸ்)in RV:

The more common poetical metres are listed below according to the number of letters (aksharas) required for each:

gAyatree* - 24
ushNik - 28
anushTup (anushTubh) - 32
br^hatee* - 36
pangkti - 40
trishTubh - 44
jagatee* - 48

* Note the long 'ee' ( ஈ) at the end.

There are other metres equiring less than 24 aksharas or more than 48 aksharas. According to scholars the shortest and longest metres in vEdas (all the four of them) are ’mA’ cHandas - 4 aksharas and utkr^ti cHandas - 104 letters.

An important point of much interest is that the gAyatree mantra is not in gAyatree cHandas; it is one akshara short (only 23 aksharas) and is therefore called "nicr^d gAyatree"(निचृद् गायत्री - நிச்ருத்காயத்ரீ). (This is why in the nyAsa for gAyatree japam we say "sAvitryA r^shirviSvAmitraH, nicr^d gAyatree cHandaH, savitA dEvatAH; the mantra is actually "sAvitri"). If two letters are short, then the metre is known 'virAj gAyatree'.

vEda recital modes (pATha - पाठ: பாடம்):
There are two main modes for vEda - nirbhuja and pratr^Na (प्रतॄण - ப்ரத்ருண). nirbhuja (or samhitA pATha) means without arms; it is reciting the entire vEda without any break, from start to end. pratr^Na means pada pATha, each pada or word is pronounced clearly and separately.

eg., agnim^, eeLE, purOhitam^, yajnasaya, dEvam^, r^tvijam^,...and so on.
(अग्निम् ईळे, पुरोहितम्, यज्ञस्य, देवम्, ऋत्विजम्....)
(அக்நிம், ஈளே, புரோஹிதம், யஜ்ஞஸ்ய, தேவம், ருத்விஜம், ... The ending 'm' is not pronounced as ம் but halfway between ம & மு).

By combining the above two modes, a third mode called "krama" or 'kramasamhita' has been created. It will be like: agnim^ eeLE, eeLE puraHahitam^, purOhitamiti puraH hitam^

vikr^tis (विकृति - विकृतयः - plural, விக்ருதிகள்):

The samhita is the natural form - prakr^ti - of the veda. From this 8 main vikr^tis have been created. These vikr^tis (or deformations) help to prevent mistakes. The eight vikr^tis are:-

1. jaTA- जटा - ஜடா
2. mAlA - माला - மாலா
3. SikhA - शिखा - சிகா
4. lEkhA (rEkhA)- लॆखा, रॆखा - லேகா, ரேகா
5. dhvaja - ध्वज - த்வஜ
6. daNDa - दण्ड - தண்ட
7. ratHa - रथ - ரத
8. ghana - घन - கன

The words of the rik or sometimes even a whole sUkta are committed to memory in different orders. For example if the words are 1,2,3,4,5,6, the arrangements for pancasandhi ghana pATha (பஞ்சஸந்தி கனபாட) will be:

1-2, 2-2, 2-1, 1-1, 1-2

1-2, 2-1, 1-2, 3; 3 –2-1, 1-2-3

2-3, 3-3, 3-2, 2-2, 2-3,

2-3, 3-2, 2-3- 4. 4-3-2, 2-3-4

3-4, 4-4, 4-3, 3-3, 3-4

3-4, 4-3 , 3-4 –5 , 5- 4-3, 3-4-5

4-5, 5-5, 5-4, 4 –4, 4-5

4-5, 5-4, 4-5 –6 ; 6-5-4, 4-5-6

This is the most difficult vikr^ti. And one who has mastered this pATha for the vEda is called ghanapAThi.

This apparently funny obsession with the permutations & combinations in word-rendering reveals the analytical or scientific genius of our ancients which they put to use in ensuring the transmission of the vEdas without any mistake, to the future generations. An instance was the yajurvEda mantra which goes as "natasya pratimA asti..." giving two derivations viz., na tasya pratimA asti (His idol is not there.) or, "natasya pratimA asti" (The idol of the one who bowed down is there.) Both sides argued in favour of their interpretation till the arbitrator asked for the ghana pATha when it became clear that the right rendering was "na + tasya" and not 'natasya'.

Note:
1. The mention of 'na tasya' brings to mind the way most people recite the verse containing these words in Sivakavacam - phalaSruti, which goes as follows:

yaH sadA dhArayEnmartyaH Saivam kavacam uttamam |
na tasya jAyatE kApi bhayam SambhOranugrahAt ||

Most people blissfully pronounce it as one word "natasya" because of ignorance. If there was some insight the two words would be pronounced with a very brief pause like 'na tasya'.

2. Despite all such precautions taken by the ancients, the horrible "sati" came to be practised, reportedly, on the basis of changing one word "agre" to "agne" in RV 10-18-08. It was probably done deliberately.

We now come to RV I-01-01, the very first rik, with which most people will be familiar because it can be heard on many occasions such as mantrapushpam, in the vEdAdhyayanam in Avani Avittam, etc.


वैश्वामित्रो मधुछन्दाः ऋषिः गायत्री छन्दः अग्निर्देवता

अग्निम् ईळे पुरोहितम् यज्ञस्यदेवम् ऋत्विजम् ।
हॊतारम् रत्नधातमम् ॥ RV I. 01.01

agnim eeLe purOhitam yajnasya dEvam ritvijam
hOtAram ratnadhAtamam

அக்னிம் ஈளே புரோஹிதம் யஜ்ஞஸ்ய தேவம் ரித்விஜம்
ஹோதாரம் ரத்னதாதமம்

The rishi, cHandas and dEvata of this rik are vaiSvAmitra madhucHandA (madhucHanda of the viSvAmitra clan), gAyatree, and agni respectively.

I praise agni the dEvata in fire, who, in his Ahavaneeya form, resides in it (the fire) and bestows our desires, is generous, brings the (other) dEvas to the yagas (sacrifices), and as ritvik is adorned by jewels.

Note: In RV the sounds of Da and Dha (ड & ढ) are replaced by the sounds La & Lha (ळ & ळ्ह). Most probably the rigvEdic people had difficulty in correctly pronouncing the former set of sounds. Thus the word "eeLe" stands for the current Sanskrit "eeDe".
 
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I will track this thread regularly Sir. You kept your promise. Nice to see sir.
 
अग्निः पूर्वॆभिरृषिभि-
रीड्यॊ नूतनैरुत
स दॆवान् ऎह वक्षति -- ऋ.वे. १-०१-०२

agniH pUrvEbhirRuSibhi-
reeDyO nUtanairuta
sa dEvAn Eha vakshati --RV I-01-02

அக்னிஃ பூர்வேபிர் ரிஷிபிர்
ஈட்யோ நூதனைருத
ஸ தேவான் ஏஹ வக்ஷதி --௧-0௧-0௨

agni has been worthy of worship by ancient rishis as also the new ones; may he bring the devas to this yajna.

अग्निना रयिम् अश्नवत्
पॊषमॆव दिवॆ दिवॆ
यशसम् वीरवत्तमम् ऋ.वे. १-०१-०३
agninA rayim aSnavat
pOShamEva divE divE
yaSasam veeravattamam --RV 1-01-03

அக்னினா ரயிம் அச்னவத்
போஷமேவ திவே திவே
யசஸம் வீரவத்தமம் --௧-0௧-0௩

Due to agni the yajamAna (sacrificer) definitely attains ever-increasing wealth, renown due to charities and brave sons and warriors.

अग्नॆ यम् यज्ञम् अध्वरम्
विश्वतः परिभूरसि
स इद् देवॆषु गच्छति --१-०१-०४

agnE yam yajnam adhvaram
viSvataH paribhUrasi
sa id devEShu gaccHati --1-01-04

அக்னே யம் யஜ்ஞம் அத்வரம்
விச்வதஃ பரிபூரஸி
ஸ இத் தேவேஷு கச்சதி --௧-0௧-0௪

O agni! only that yajna will reach the devas and satisfy them, which is without cruelty and which you could reach everywhere.

(This perhaps refers to the soma sacrifice as the best, because it does not involve killing of animals.)
 
अग्निर्हॊता कविकतुः
सत्यश्चित्रश्रवस्तमः
दॆवॊ दॆवॆभिरागमत् --१-०१-०५

agnirhOtA kavikRatuH
satyaScitraSravastamaH
dEvO dEvEbhirAgamat --1-01-05

அக்னிர்ஹோதா கவிக்றதுஃ
சத்யஸ்சித்ரச்ரவஸ்தமஃ
தேவோ தேவேபிராகமத் --௧-0௧-0௫

May agni, who is the accomplisher of 'hOma', true,
has supreme wisdom, and unequalled fame, come to
this yajna alongwith other devas who will partake of
the havis.

यदङ्गदाशुषॆ त्व-
मग्नॆ भद्रम् करिष्यसि
तवॆत्तत्सत्यमङ्गिरः --१-०१-०६

yadangadASushE tva-
magnE bhadram karishyasi
tavEttatsatyam angiraH --1-01-06

யதங்கதாசுஷே த்வ-
மக்னே பத்ரம் கரிஷ்யஸி
தவேத்தத் ஸத்யமங்கிரஃ --௧-0௧-0௬

O agni who is before me! That you bestow to the
sacrificer, all prosperity by way of wealth, dwelling,
progeny and cattle, is an indisputable fact.

उपत्वाग्ने दिवे दिवे
दोषावस्तर्धिया वयम्
नमो भरन्त एमसि --१-०१-०७

upatvAgnE divE divE
dOshAvastardhiyA vayam
namo bharanta Emasi --1-01-07

உபத்வாக்னே திவே திவே
தோஷாவஸ்தர்தியா வயம்
நமோ பரந்த ஏமஸி --௧-0௧-0௭

O agni! we who perform (yajnas) daily, and pay
obeisance to you day and night mentally (with our
buddhi), come to you and depend on you.

Note: This rik is recited while producing agni as part
of agneeshoma.
 
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राजन्तमध्वराणाम् गॊपामृतस्य दीदिविम् ।
वर्धमानम् स्वॆदमॆ ॥ १-०१-०८

rAjantamadhvarANAm gOpAmRutasya deedivim |
vardhamAnam svEdamE || 1-01-08

ராஜந்தமத்வராணாம் கோபாம்ருதஸ்ய தீதிவிம் |
வர்த்தமானம் ஸ்வேதிமே || ராஜந்தமத்வராணாம் கோபாம்ருதஸ்ய தீதிவிம் | வர்த்தமானம் ஸ்வேதமே || ௧-0௧-0௮

Having approached (gone near) agni, as stated in the previous rik, here the qualities of agni are stated.

We appeal to agni has royal (rAjantam) splendour, protects yajna (from the attacks of rAkshasas), bestows by frequent repetition, the results of the karmas of those who abide by
truth, to come to the sacrificial altars in our houses and partake of the havis.


स नः पितॆव सूनवॆऽग्नॆ सूपायनॊ भव ।
सचस्वा नः स्वस्तयॆ ॥ १-०१-०९

sa naH pitEva sUnavEऽgnE sUpAyanO bhava |
sacasvA naH svastayE || 1-01-09

ஸ நஃ பிதேவ ஸூனவேऽக்னே ஸூபாயனோ பவ |
ஸசஸ்வா நஃ ஸ்வஸ்தயே || ௧-0௧-0௯

O agni ! You (who are as described above) become accessible to us just as father to his son, and work along with us for our welfare.

This completes the first sUkta of the first maNDala.

* * *

Note:

I will now take up the more commonly known riks or sUktas, instead of proceeding along the entire samhita, which will take a long time and will also be a voluminous work which I may not be capable of completing.
 

The first sUkta which we have seen above, has been named as "agni sUkta" by sAyaNAcarya.

Now we may see one of the riks which has been made popular by the part message contained in it viz., "Ekam sad viprAh bahudhA vadanti", or, What exists is one (it is one in reality) but the knowers speak (of it) in various ways, which is also interpreted to mean "the reality is one...".


This forms part of the rik 1.164.46. The sUkta (1.164) itself is a very famous one going by the name "asya vameeya sUktam" since it starts with the words, "asya vAmasya palitasya hOtuH". The rishi for this long sUkta of 52 riks is held to be "deerghatamas", meaning 'very deep, or very prolonged darkness'; this name itself has some mystery about it, it appears. Commentaries have been written separately on this one sUkta alone and most experts in rigvEda are of the opinion that the riks in this sUkta have deeper, encrypted meanings of different levels, than the superficial ones. If I am able to get any of the commentaries, I will give the gists thereof and/or refer to web resources which seem to be reliable and not mere copy& paste jobs from somewhere else.


Now, for the particular rik No.46. Since a part of this rik has attained very great fame, I give below the two previous riks also, in order that we may get some idea of the immediate context in which it occurs:-


ऋषिः - दीर्घतमाः औचथ्य: । छन्दः - जगती । दॆवता - अग्निसूर्यवायवः (४४); वाक् (४५); सम्वत्सर-कालचक्रम् (४६)

ருஷி: - தீர்கதமா: ஔசத்ய: | சந்த: - ஜகதீ | தேவதா - அக்நிஸூர்யவாயவ: (௪௪); வாக் (௪௫); ஸம்வத்ஸர-காலசக்ரம் (௪௬)

ṛṣiḥ - dīrghatamāḥ aucathya: | chandaḥ - jagatī | devatā - agnisūryavāyavaḥ (44); vāk (45); samvatsara-kālacakram (46)

त्रयः कॆशिन ऋतुथाविचक्षते

संवत्सरे वपत एक एषाम्
विश्वम् एको अभिचष्टे शचीभिर्
ध्राजिर् एकस्य ददृशे न रूपम् --१. १४६. ४४

த்ரய: கேசின ருதுதா விசக்ஷதே

ஸம்வத்ஸரே வபத ஏக ஏஷாம்
விச்வம் ஏகோ அபிசஷ்டே சசீபிர்
த்ராஜிரேகஸ்ய தத்ருசே ந ரூபம் --௧. ௧௪௬. ௪௪

trayaḥ keśina ṛtuthāvicakṣate

saṃvathsare vapata eka eṣām
viśvam eko abhicaṣṭe śacībhir
dhrājir ekasya dadṛśe na rūpam --1. 164. 44


Note :

This rik refers to three kinds of forces; sAyaNa refers to them as agni, Aditya and vAyu. From their descriptions given in the rik, these names look appropriate, but let us note that the rishi himself has not ascribed any specific names to them.

Three long-haired ones appear periodically during the year. One (of them) shaves this world, another graciously looks upon and strengthens, while the third is not visible but for its flow and course.


The above is the most literal meaning. sAyaNa infers agni (which burns up a lot and thus can be said to "shave off" the earth), Aditya (who gives light and creates growth due to rains) while the third, viz., vAyu, is not visible but we can only infer it by its gliding and sweeping course, as the three long-haired ones. This description may fit agni whose flames may be looked upon as its hair, and Aditya whose rays are usually compared to hair. But how vAyu is called kESin is unclear, obviously when it is said to be 'invisible' (dadṛśe na rūpam). Apparently, this is an illogicality.


चत्वारि वाक् परिमिता पदानि

तानि विदुर् ब्राह्मणा यॆ मनीषिणः
गुहा त्रीणि निहिता नेंगयंति
तुरीयम् वाचो मनुष्या वदंति --१. १६४. ४५

சத்வாரிவாக் பரிமிதா பதானி

தானி விதுர்ப்ராஹ்மணா யே மனீஷிண:
குஹா த்ரீணி நிஹிதா நேம்கயந்தி
துரீயம் வாசோ மனுஷ்யா வதந்தி --௧. ௧௬௪. ௪௫

catvāri vāk parimitā padāni

tāni vidur brāhmaṇā ye manīṣiṇaḥ
guhā trīṇi nihitā neṃgayaṃti
turīyam vāco manuṣyā vadaṃti --1. 164. 45

"vāk" here can be taken to mean 'words'. This rik says that there are four kinds of words, of which three are secret and hence are not open. Human beings speak the fourth type of vāk.


sAyaNa himself says that human beings, both the knowledgeable and the ignorant, (अज्ञास्तज्ञाश्च) speak the fourth category of words. He goes on to say that "about which are the four kinds of vāk, many people describe according to their opinion". vEdavAdins say that the praNava (Om) and the three 'vyAhr^tis' - bhUH, bhuvaH and suvaH - constitute the four categories. Some others go by grammatical categories like 'nAma', 'AkhyAta', etc. Yet others link it to the tonal differences like those pronounced with loud voice, low voice, etc. yAjnika, kalpa, brAhmaNa and day-to-day speech is what some others define as the four classes. The language of animals, flute, and deer (पशुषु, तूणवॆषु मृगॆषु) as well as humans, hold the AtmavAdins. Those who adopt the 'mAtr^ka' system opine that the four classes of vāk are parA, paSyanti, madhyamA and vaikharee.


इन्द्रम् मित्रम् वरुणम् अग्निम् आहु-

रथो दिव्यस्ससुपर्णो गरुत्मान्
एकम् सद् विप्रा बहुधा वद
न्त्यग्निम् यमम् मातरिश्वानमाहुः --१. १६४. ४६

இந்த்ரம் மித்ரம் வருணம் அக்னிம் ஆஹு-

ரதோ திவ்யஸ்ஸஸுபர்ணோ கருத்மான்
ஏகம் ஸத் விப்ரா பஹுதா வதந்தி
அக்னிம் யமம் மாதரிச்வானம் ஆஹு: --௧. ௧௬௪. ௪௬

indram mitram varuṇam agnim āhu-

ratho divyassasuparṇo garutmān
ekam sad viprā bahudhā vada
ntyagnim yamam mātariśvānamāhuḥ --1. 164. 46

This is the rik with which this post was begun. The rik means:


That winged divine (bird) is one but those who are adepts about the dEvatas and their nature, call it by different names such as indra, mitra, varuNa, agni, yama, mAtariSvan, etc.


sAyaNa says the winged divine bird here refers to Aditya. And to this one and only Aditya the wise one who have knowledge of dEvatas, attribute various names like mitra (because he saves one from death and is the deity of day(pramītermaraṇāttrātaram aharabhimāninam etannāmakam devam), varuNa because he removes sins and is the deity of night (pāpasya nivārakam rratryabhimāninam devam), agni because he holds court (अग्निम् अङ्गनादि गुणविशिष्टम् एतन्नामकम्), yama because he controls (the life?), mAtariSvan because he breathes in the form of vAyu.


There is indication of the identity of the variously named dEvatas as the one Aditya. Perhaps this rik reflects the time when sun worship was very much in vogue (as was the case in ancient Egypt).


However sAyaNa himself admits this rik having been interpreted to suit the needs of advaita, in these words:


सूर्यस्य ब्रह्मणॊऽनन्यत्वेन सर्वात्म्ययुक्तम् भवति । अत्र ये के चिदग्निः सर्वा देवता इत्यादि श्रुतितोऽयम् एव अग्निरुत्तरे अपि ज्योतिषी इति मत्वा अग्नेरेव सर्वात्म्यप्रतिपादिकॊऽयम् मन्त्र इति वदंति ।


sūryasya brahmaṇo:'nanyatvena sarvātmyayuktam bhavati | atra ye ke cidagniḥ sarvā devatā ityādi śrutito:'yam eva agniruttare api jyotiṣī iti matvā agnereva sarvātmyapratipādiko:'yam mantra iti vadaṃti |


Because sUrya, being identical to brahman, becomes connected to all Atmas. Thus whichever 'agni' is stated to be the same as all dEvatas by this Sruti, later on also, considering it as the luminous (one), it is said that only agni is meant as the representative of all dEvatas in this mantra.

(This is my translation. So if knowledgeable members find any errors or inconsistencies, kindly point out so that I can carry out necessary corrections.)

Thus, it is by a derived meaning that the "ekam sad viprā bahudhā vadanti" originally aimed to proclaim the unity of the various deities, came to be used to prove the unity of the brahman and the Atman. It appears to me that in the rigvEda, the word 'Atman' is not used to denote the same thing (jeevAtma, which transmigrates, experiences the results of its karma and is held identical to the absolute brahman) as in the later upanishads and subsequently in the vEdAnta; it means the essential principle of life which, on the physical body becoming lifeless, migrates to other worlds like pitruloka, and is not seen as identical with the hiraNyagarbha, the primordial egg, or with the trimUrtis.
 
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The following 3 riks form "sarasvatee sUkta". Some people add one more rik to this, which I will give in the next post.

ऋषि - मधुच्छन्दा वैश्वामित्रः। छन्द: - गायत्री । दॆवता - सरस्वती

ரிஷி - மதுச்சந்தா வைச்வாமித்ர: | ச்சந்தஸ் - காயத்ரீ | தேவதை - ஸரஸ்வதீ

ṛṣi - madhucchandā vaiśvāmitraḥ| chanda: - gāyatrī | devatā - sarasvatī




पावका नस्सरस्वती
वाजेभिर् वाजिनीवती
यज्ञम् वष्टु धियावसुः --१. ०३. १०

பாவகா நஸ்ஸரஸ்வதீ
வாஜேபிர் வாஜினீவதீ
யஜ்ஞம் வஷ்டு தியாவஸு: --௧. 0௩. ௧0

pāvakā nassarasvatī
vājebhir vājinīvatī
yajñam vaṣṭu dhiyāvasuḥ --1. 03. 10


May sarasvatī, who purifies, who is bestower of food (havis of the sacrifices), and who also causes the wealth arising out of karma (duty, work), come to our sacrifice with the food to be given to the worshippers.


चोदयित्री सूनृतानाम्
चेतन्ती सुमतीनाम्
यज्ञम् दधे सरस्वती --१. ०३. ११

சோதயித்ரீ ஸூன்ருதானாம்
சேதந்தீ ஸுமதீனாம்
யஜ்ஞம் ததே ஸரஸ்வதீ --௧. 0௩. ௧௧

codayitrī sūnṛtānām
cetantī sumatīnām
yajñam dadhe sarasvatī --1. 03. 11


May sarasvatī who impels people to speak truth, and induces the good people to follow the right path, protect our sacrifices (yajnas).

महो अर्‌णस्सरस्वती
प्र चेतयति केतुना
धियो विश्वा वि राजति --१. ०३. १२

மஹோ அர்ணஸ்ஸரஸ்வதீ
ப்ர சேதயதி கேதுனா
தியோ விச்வா வி ராஜதி --௧. 0௩. ௧௨

maho ar–ṇassarasvatī
pra cetayati ketunā
dhiyo viśvā vi rājati --1. 03. 12

sarasvatī who in her form of the flowing river gives us plenty of water. She illuminates the intellect of those who perform good deeds (yajnas).
 
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In respect of the above sUktas, sAyaNAcArya says that sarasvatī has two forms, the 'vigraha' and the river; the first and the second riks describe her as vigraha, while the third refers to her nadī form.

The fourth rik which is seen included in 'sarasvatī sūktam' is given below:

ऋषि - भारद्वाजः बार्हस्पत्यः । छन्दः - गायत्री । दॆवता - सरस्वती
ருஷி - பாரத்வாஜ: பார்ஹஸ்பத்ய: | சந்தஸ் - காயத்ரீ | தேவதா - ஸரஸ்வதீ
ṛṣi - bhāradvājaḥ bārhaspatyaḥ | chandaḥ - gāyatrī | devatā - sarasvatī


प्रणो देवी सरस्वती
वाजेभिर्वाजिनीवती
धीनामवित्र्यवतु --६. ६१. ०४

ப்ரணோ தேவீ ஸரஸ்வதீ
வாஜேபிர்வாஜினீவதீ
தீனாம் அவித்ரியவது --௬. ௬௧. 0௪

praṇo devī sarasvatī
vājebhirvājinīvatī
dhīnāmavitryavatu --6. 61. 04

May sarasvatī, who is bounteous, giver of plentiful food and guardian of those who meditate on (worship) her, protect (satisfy) us.

The 14 ṛks in this sūkta (6.61) are about sarasvatī. (This is not to be confused with "sarasvatī sūkta", about which we are discussing. It is because the ṛgveda is subdivided into maṇḍalas and sūktas on the one hand, while our religious lore names specific groups of mantras also as sūktas.) There are about 50 references to sarasvatī in the ṛgveda, it is stated. (Vedic Sarasvati River - Definition).

These references to the (river) sarasvatī are of crucial importance in the debate on Aryan invasion (immigration) theory. Those who support that the vedic Aryans originated in the sub-continent itself, rely on the nadī sūkta (R.V.10.75) viz.,

ऋषि: - सिन्धुक्षित् प्रैयमॆधः । छन्दः - जगती । दॆवता - नद्यः
ருஷி - ஸிந்துக்ஷித் ப்ரையமேத: | சந்தஸ் - ஜகதீ | தேவதை - நதிகள்
ṛṣi: - sindhukṣit praiyamedhaḥ | chandaḥ - jagatī | devatā - nadyaḥ

इमम् मे गंगे यमुने सरस्वति
शुतुद्रिस्तोमँ सचता परुष्ण्या
असिक्न्या मरुद्वृधे वितस्त
यार्जीकीये शृणुह्या सुषोमया --१०. ७५. ०५

இமம் மே கங்கே யமுனே ஸரஸ்வதி
சுதுத்ரிஸ்தோம ஸசதா பருஷ்ண்யா
அசிக்னியா மருத்வ்ருதே விதஸ்த
யார்ஜீகீயே ச்ருணுஹ்யா ஸுஷோமயா --௧0. ௭௫. 0௫


imam me gaṃge yamune sarasvati
śutudristomam̐ sacatā paruṣṇyā
asiknyā marudvṛdhe vitasta
yārjīkīye śṛṇuhyā suṣomayā 10. 75. 05

Since the rivers are cited from the easternmost (gangA) westwards, those who support the "autochthonous aryan" hypothesis, state that this is ample proof of the aryans having started from the east, near Ganga and going westwards. Those opposed to this view say that this nadī sūkta appears in book X which is one of the late compilations as compared to the "family books" which was mentioned in the introduction, and hence it has to be inferred that the ṛgvedic people did not initially know about Ganga but came to know about it only in later stages, etc. (Of, course these are only part of the argument for and against the ṛgvedic people coming from the NW of India.)
 
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Sorry it disconnected. I think audio links could also be attempted in the form of pdf files When you have done with one sukta or one chapter, the audio file could be uploaded
 
Periyavare,
Please enlighten us about the origins of the rig-vedic tradition in relation to places like Sumarkhand and Central Asia and also with reference to Zoroastrianism - Atharva veda links.
 
Dear Shri Ramanujan, Happy Hindu, Ramamurthy, Athreya,

My sincere thanks to one and all of you.

When RR and HH wrote their appreciations, I knew that my work is not bad but still I was sceptical whether I would be able to continue, given my health condition. That was why I did not dare to acknowledge their appreciations. If there has been any misunderstanding about it, I request Sow. HH and Shri RR to kindly excuse me.

Secondly, my views on our hindu scriptures is not completely orthodox (about which Sow. HH knows well) and I felt perhaps this thread may not be liked by many.

Now that more people have found this useful, I shall try my best to go forward.

Shri Ramamurthy,

As you might be aware audio files cannot be given the .pdf extension. The audio files - usually .mp3 - may have copyright issues if these are uploaded as you suggest. But I do have some audio files downloaded and will furnish the urls, so that those who are interested may download and hear.

Shri Athreya,

There is very intimate relationship between the zend Avesta (which will be equivalent to Sanskrit 'छन्दः अवस्थान - chandaḥ avasthāna' (poetic metre in its own standing, roughly). It is a separate and vast topic and has integral link to the Aryan Homeland debate. If possible, we can have that topic in a separate thread.
 
ऋषिः - मधुच्छन्दाः वैश्वामित्रः । छन्दः - गायत्री । दॆवता - इन्द्रः
ருஷி - மதுச்சந்தா: வைச்வாமித்ர: | சந்தஸ் - காயத்ரீ | தேவதை - இந்த்ரன்
ṛṣiḥ - madhucchandāḥ vaiśvāmitraḥ | chandaḥ - gāyatrī | devatā - indraḥ


कॆतुम् कृण्वन्नकॆतवे
पॆशो मर्या अपॆशसे
समुषद्भिरजायथाः --१. ०६. ०३

கேதும் க்ருண்வன்னகேதவே
பேசோ மர்யா அபேசஸே
ஸமுஷத்பிரஜாயதா: --௧. 0௬. 0௩


ketum kṛṇvannaketave
peśo maryā apeśase
samuṣadbhirajāyathāḥ --1. 06. 03

O men, See the wonder! indra in the form of āditya, with his thawing rays, rises everyday, reviving every morning, all (living beings) from their unconscious state (due to sleep), and their eyesight, lost in the darkness of the night.

[The ṛṣi views with wonderment how, in the mornings, all living beings which sleep like they are unconscious, wake up - with their consciousness revived, and also their eyesight, which looks lost in the darkness of the night, regained at dawn. It therefore looks to me that, at least in the case of this ṛk, the ṛṣiḥ comes out as a simple person who can wonder at the change of living beings from the sleep state to waking state.

This ṛk forms the first of a set of three mantras which is now used in the navagraha sūkta, to propitiate the planet ketu. Two more ṛks which are equally unrelated to ketu complete the mantra for ketu. These are also given below.

It will thus be seen that when the concept of the nine planets - in which the moon's nodes also got included, for reasons which are unclear - came into acceptance, and a sūkta for these nine planets had to be somehow made, our ancestors resorted to the easy way of fabricating this set for ketu. The word ketu in this ṛk has nothing to do either with the astronomical node of moon's path - which is just an imaginary point in the sky - nor with the purāṇic description of that planet. They found three ṛks starting with the word "ketu" and selected one which they thought most appropriate. The fact that the vast majority of the people did not have adequate knowledge of the matters made the job easy for them, perhaps. Why they resorted to this method instead of composing a new mantra in a vedic metre seems to me to be due to the fact that by the time this navagraha concept came, the pundits had lost the skill to compose in vedic metres in the vedic language, and could, at best, compose only ślokas in modern, pāṇinian sanskrit, besides making gāyatrīs for the new gods and goddesses.]

ऋषिः - प्रतर्दनः दैवॊदासि: । छन्दः - त्रिष्टुप् । दॆवता - पवमानः सॊमः

ருஷி: - ப்ரதர்தன: தைவோதாஸி: | சந்தஸ் - த்ரிஷ்டுப் | தேவதை - பவமான: ஸோம:

ṛṣiḥ - pratardanaḥ daivodāsi: | chandaḥ - triṣṭup | devatā - pavamānaḥ somaḥ


ब्रह्मादॆवानाम् पदवीः कवीनाम्
ऋषिर्विप्राणाम् महिषॊ मृगाणाम्
श्यॆनॊ गृध्राणाँ स्वधितिर् वनानाम्
सॊमः पवित्रमत्यॆतिरॆभन् --९. ९६. ०६

ப்ரஹ்மா தேவானாம் பதவீ: கவீனாம்
ருஷிர்விப்ராணாம் மஹிஷோ ம்ருகாணாம்
ச்யேனோ க்ருத்ராணாம் ஸ்வதிதிர் வனானாம்
ஸோம: பவித்ரமத்யேதிரேபன் --௯. ௯௬. 0௬

brahmādevānām padavīḥ kavīnām
ṛṣirviprāṇām mahiṣo mṛgāṇām
śyeno gṛdhrāṇām̐ svadhitir vanānām
somaḥ pavitramatyetirebhan --9. 96. 06

The meaning of this ṛk as per sāyaṇācārya is as follows:

soma who is the king among devas, adept among the wise, sage (ṛṣi) among brāhmaṇas, bison among animals, garuḍa among kites and axe among weapons, flows through the filter making sound.

Notes :

1. It may be noted that this ṛk is in praise of the deity 'soma' the divine herb or its juice; it has nothing to do with 'ketu'. If at all this could be said to praise the planet moon or candra.

2. The contents are extraneous even to the planet moon, because it talks of the drink soma.

3. Why the bison was described as the best among animals remains a mystery. Probably the people among whom the composer of this ṛk lived did not have lions or tigers in their area.

4. The words " svadhitir" & "vanānām" have been interpreted as, (a) the svadhiti - an unknown type of - tree in the forest, and, (b) one's own discrimination - from sva + dhiti - ,among the forest of sense impulses, by some others. But, having regard to the earlier comparisons, viz., 'mahiṣo mṛgāṇām' and 'śyeno gṛdhrāṇām̐' , it looks to me that the axe or unknown type of tree will be more to the point than convoluted attempts to find 'higher' meaning in this one instance.

The third ṛk included in the ketu mantra is this:

ऋषिः - भरद्वाजः बार्हस्पत्यः । छन्दः - त्रिष्टुप् । दॆवता - अग्निः
ருஷி - பரத்வாஜ: பார்ஹஸ்பத்ய: | சந்தஸ் - த்ரிஷ்டுப் | தேவதை - அக்னி:
cṣiḥ - bharadvājaḥ bārhaspatyaḥ | chandaḥ - triṣṭup | devatā - agniḥ

सचित्र चित्रम् चितयन्तमस्मे
चित्रक्षत्रचित्रतमम् वयॊधाम्
चन्द्रम् रयिम् पुरुवीरम् बृहन्तम्
चन्द्रचन्द्राभिर् गृणतॆ युवस्व --६. ०६. ०७

ஸசித்ர சித்ரம் சிதயந்தமஸ்மே
சித்ரக்ஷத்ர சித்ரதமம் வயோதாம்
சந்த்ரம் ரயிம் புருவீரம் ப்ருஹந்தம்
சந்த்ரசந்த்ராபிர் க்ருணதே யுவஸ்வ --௬. 0௬. 0௭

sacitra citram citayantamasme
citrakṣatracitratamam vayodhām
candram rayim puruvīram bṛhantam
candracandrābhir gṛṇate yuvasva --6. 06. 07


O alluring, extremely powerful and happiness-giving agni ! Bestow on us, who praise you with pleasing words, desirable, fame-giving, and wonderful wealth in plenty, which will provide us with marvellous food (annam), happiness and progeny.

Note : Thus three ṛks, taken from different places of the ṛgveda, dedicated to indra, soma and agni respectively, have been made into a sort of 'makeshift' mantra for worshipping the ninth planet ketu. So long as the masses do not understand these details and gullible people 'believe' that some great mantra is being chanted, everything goes well !

If someone questions the relevance of these ṛks, either the querist will be put down or some highly contrived explanation will be given to show that ketu is integrally linked to the three devatās referred to above.
 
Dear Sri Sangom,

Wonderful thread. Thank you for the efforts taken by you to familiarise our most sacred scripture
"Rigveda" in simple English.
I would be happy if you please continue another thread on "Zend Avastha" and Vedas.
May the blessings of Almighty be with you to continue this great work.
Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.
 
Dear Sri Sangom,

Wonderful thread. Thank you for the efforts taken by you to familiarise our most sacred scripture
"Rigveda" in simple English.
I would be happy if you please continue another thread on "Zend Avastha" and Vedas.
May the blessings of Almighty be with you to continue this great work.
Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

Dear Shri Brahmanyan,

Thank you very much for your encouraging words. In the case of ṛgveda, I have a smattering of Sanskrit and so I can have some idea of the verses, but in respect of Zend Avesta, its language is unknown to me. I will have to therefore depend entirely on books written by scholars. Yet I shall try because this sort of exercise increases my own grasp of the subject.

Thanking you once again,
 
[FONT=&quot]Having seen the mantra for ketu, let us now consider the mantra for r[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]hu in the navagraha s[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ū[/FONT][FONT=&quot]kta. It goes as follows:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]ऋषिः - वामदेवः । छन्द: - गायत्री । दॆवता - इन्द्रः ।[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]ருஷி [/FONT][FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]வாமதேவ [/FONT][FONT=&quot]| [/FONT][FONT=&quot]சந்தஸ் [/FONT][FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]காயத்ரீ [/FONT][FONT=&quot]| [/FONT][FONT=&quot]தேவதை [/FONT][FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]இந்திரன்[/FONT]
ṛṣ[FONT=&quot]i[/FONT][FONT=&quot] - v[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]madeva[/FONT][FONT=&quot] | chanda: - g[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]yatr[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ī[/FONT][FONT=&quot] | devat[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot] - indra[/FONT][FONT=&quot] |[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]कया नश्चित्र आभुवदूती सखा वृधस्सखा ।[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]कया शचिष्ठयावृता ॥ --४. ३१. ०१[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]கயா நச்சித்ர ஆபுவதூதீ ஸதாவ்ருதஸ்ஸகா [/FONT][FONT=&quot]|[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]கயா சசிஷ்டயாவ்ருதா [/FONT][FONT=&quot]|| --[/FONT][FONT=&quot]௪[/FONT][FONT=&quot]. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]௩௧[/FONT][FONT=&quot]. 0[/FONT][FONT=&quot]௧[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]kay[/FONT]ā[FONT=&quot] na[/FONT]ś[FONT=&quot]citra [/FONT]ā[FONT=&quot]bhuvad[/FONT]ū[FONT=&quot]t[/FONT]ī[FONT=&quot] sakh[/FONT]ā[FONT=&quot] v[/FONT][FONT=&quot]dhassakh[/FONT]ā[FONT=&quot] |[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]kay[/FONT]āś[FONT=&quot]aci[/FONT]ṣṭ[FONT=&quot]hay[/FONT]ā[FONT=&quot]v[/FONT][FONT=&quot]t[/FONT]ā[FONT=&quot] || --4. 31. 01[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]How can we make indra, who is ever increasing, worshippable, and friendly if satisfied (with us) appear before us? (What kind/s of rites will satisfy indra and bring him to our presence?)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The next mantra is from the last (tenth) book of [/FONT][FONT=&quot]gveda.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]ऋषिः - सर्पराज्ञी । छन्दः - गायत्री । दॆवता - सैवसूर्यॊ वा [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]ருஷி [/FONT][FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]ஸர்ப்பராஜ்ஞீ [/FONT][FONT=&quot]| [/FONT][FONT=&quot]சந்தஸ் - காயத்ரீ [/FONT][FONT=&quot]| ஸர்ப்பராஜ்ஞீ அல்லது ஸூர்யன் [/FONT][FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]தேவதை[/FONT]
ṛṣ[FONT=&quot]i[/FONT][FONT=&quot] - sarpar[/FONT]ā[FONT=&quot]j[/FONT]ñī[FONT=&quot] | chanda[/FONT][FONT=&quot] - g[/FONT]ā[FONT=&quot]yatr[/FONT]ī[FONT=&quot] | devat[/FONT]ā[FONT=&quot] - saivas[/FONT]ū[FONT=&quot]ryo v[/FONT]ā


[FONT=&quot]आयङ्गौः पृश्निरक्रम्मीदसनन्मातरं पुर:।[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]पितरञ्च प्रयन्त्स्वः ॥ --१०.१८८.०१[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]ஆயங்கௌ[/FONT][FONT=&quot]: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]ப்ருச்நிரக்ரமீதஸனந்மாதரம் புர[/FONT][FONT=&quot]: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]|[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]பிதரஞ்சப்ரயந்த்ஸ்வ[/FONT][FONT=&quot]: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]|| --[/FONT][FONT=&quot]௧[/FONT][FONT=&quot]0. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]௧௮௮[/FONT][FONT=&quot]. 0[/FONT][FONT=&quot]௧[/FONT]

ā[FONT=&quot]ya[/FONT][FONT=&quot]gau[/FONT][FONT=&quot] p[/FONT]ś[FONT=&quot]nirakramm[/FONT]ī[FONT=&quot]dasananm[/FONT]ā[FONT=&quot]tara[/FONT][FONT=&quot] pura: |[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]pitara[/FONT]ñ[FONT=&quot]ca prayantsva[/FONT][FONT=&quot] || --10.188.01[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]In some versions this appears as 10. 189.01.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]In the common version of the navagraha s[/FONT]ū[FONT=&quot]kta, the[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] ending words of the two lines are recited with alteration, [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]viz., puna: instead of pura:, and suva: in the place of sva[/FONT][FONT=&quot]. [/FONT]

The moving, effulgent (Sun) has arrived, he has reached
his mother (earth) in the east, and advances to his father
heaven.

The change of the word [FONT=&quot]pura:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] to puna: [/FONT]will alter the meaning to :

The moving, effulgent (Sun) has arrived, he has reached his mother (earth) in again, and advances to his father heaven.


suva
: in the place of sva does not affect the meaning[FONT=&quot]. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The third mantra is from [/FONT][FONT=&quot]taittir[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ī[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ya sa[/FONT][FONT=&quot]hit[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]; the first line is also found as 6. 63.1a of [/FONT][FONT=&quot]atharvaveda; this atharvaveda version is denoted as [/FONT][FONT=&quot]atijagat[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ī’[/FONT][FONT=&quot] metre. But by current norms atijagat[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ī[/FONT][FONT=&quot] metre should have only 13 syllables, in one [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT][FONT=&quot]p[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]da[/FONT][FONT=&quot]’[/FONT][FONT=&quot]. May be the vedic metres were different.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]ऋषिः -द्रुह्वण: । छन्दः - अतिजगती । दॆवता [/FONT][FONT=&quot]– निरृति[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]ருஷி: - த்ருஹ்வண: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]| சந்தஸ் - அதிஜகதீ | தேவதை - நிர்ருதி[/FONT]
ṛṣ[FONT=&quot]i[/FONT][FONT=&quot] -druhva[/FONT][FONT=&quot]a: | chanda[/FONT][FONT=&quot] - atijagat[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ī[/FONT][FONT=&quot] | devat[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot] - nir[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ti[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]यत्ते देवी निरृतिराबबन्ध दाम ग्रीवा स्वविमोक्यम् यत् । अ. वे. ६. ६३.१[/FONT][FONT=&quot] (अ)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]யத்தே தேவீ நிர்ருதிராபபந்த தாம க்ரீவா ஸ்வவிமோக்யம் யத்[/FONT][FONT=&quot] | அ. வே. - ௬. ௬௩.௧ (அ)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]yatte dev[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ī[/FONT][FONT=&quot] nir[/FONT][FONT=&quot]tir[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]babandha d[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ma gr[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ī[/FONT][FONT=&quot]v[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot] svavimokyam yat | a. ve. 6. 63.1a[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Both the lines are found in yajurveda (taittir[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ī[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ya sa[/FONT][FONT=&quot]hit[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot] - 4.2.5.8) with some change from the above, which have been adopted in full in the navagrahas[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ū[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ktam, as under:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]यत्ते देवी निऋतिराबबन्ध दाम ग्रीवास्वविचर्त्यम् । इदम् ते तद्विष्याम्यायुषो न मध्यादथा जीवः पितुमद्धि प्रमुक्तः ॥[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]யத்தே தேவீ நிர்ருதிராபபந்த தாம க்ரீவாஸ்வவிசர்த்யம் [/FONT][FONT=&quot]| இதம் தே தத்விஷ்யாம்யாயுஷோ ந மத்யாததா ஜீவஃ பிதுமத்தி ப்ரமுக்தஃ ||[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]yatte dev[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ī[/FONT][FONT=&quot] ni[/FONT][FONT=&quot]tir[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]babandha d[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ma gr[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ī[/FONT][FONT=&quot]v[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]svavicartyam | idam te tadvi[/FONT][FONT=&quot]y[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]my[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]yu[/FONT][FONT=&quot]o na madhy[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]dath[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot] j[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ī[/FONT][FONT=&quot]va[/FONT][FONT=&quot] pitumaddhi pramukta[/FONT][FONT=&quot] ||[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The bond that Nirrti, the goddess, bound on thy neck, not to be loosened, this I loosen for thee as from the middle of life ;[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Then living, let loose, do thou eat the food.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Note[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] : This section 4.2.5 of the taittir[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ī[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ya sa[/FONT][FONT=&quot]hit[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT]gives the Mantras for the ploughing of the earth for the sake of the piling of the sacrificial fire [FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]havan[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ī[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ya[/FONT]; he deposits the combined [FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]havan[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ī[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ya and g[/FONT][FONT=&quot]ā[/FONT][FONT=&quot]rhapatya fires [/FONT]in a natural cleft or hole in the earth, with the above mantra.
 
Dear members,

In post # 14 above on the ketu mantra, I had commented as follows:

"Note : Thus three ṛks, taken from different places of the ṛgveda, dedicated to indra, soma and agni respectively, have been made into a sort of 'makeshift' mantra for worshipping the ninth planet ketu. So long as the masses do not understand these details and gullible people 'believe' that some great mantra is being chanted, everything goes well !

If someone questions the relevance of these ṛks, either the querist will be put down or some highly contrived explanation will be given to show that ketu is integrally linked to the three devatās referred to above."

While
writing about the mantra on rāhu, I suddenly remembered that each of these navagraha mantras is purported to be about the graha (the first mantra) followed by one mantra each for its adhidevatā & pratyadhidevatā respectively. But here also, different sources define the adhidevatā & pratyadhidevatā differently and the mantras do not seem to give any definite picture.

'adhidevatā" means 'supreme or tutelary god or deity'; "pratyadhidevatā" is an adhidevatā who stays in front or near one, here the graha concerned.

considering the ketu mantras, we find indra, soma and agni to be the devatās of the three mantras. One source gives citragupta & brahmā as the adhidevatā & pratyadhidevatā, respectively. (The book "navagraham" by ki.vA. jagannathan, published by Kalaimagal Karyalayam, Mylapore, Chennai:1957). This document from the web gives the reverse, viz., brahmā & citragupta as adhidevatā & pratyadhidevatā resp. (http://slokas.yolasite.com/resources/navagraha suktam.pdf).

It will be seen that the words "ketu", "brahmā" and "citra" appear in the three mantras though the three deities (ketu, brahmā and citragupta) have no connection with the mantras.

Coming to the rāhu mantra, the book referred to above gives the adhidevatā & pratyadhidevatā as the cow (paśu) and the snake respectively. The .pdf document lists these sarpa and kālā respectively.

Here also the connection of the first mantra to rāhu may be its devatā being sarparājñī, while the second and the third mantras sport the words "gauḥ" and "nirṛti" (nirṛti being personified as the goddess of death) but it still beats logic as to how this mantra can be said to praise kālā!!

Again, if we consider the import of the two words adhidevatā & pratyadhidevatā, it is difficult as to how the cow came to be rāhu's adhidevatā!
 
Having seen the mantras for rāhu and ketu, it may be useful to study the mantras for the remaining seven planets also. Let us start with the first mantra - that for sūrya or āditya.
ऋषिः - आंगिरसःहिरण्यस्तूपः।छन्दः - जगती।दॆवता - सविता
ருஷி - ஆங்கிரஸ: ஹிரண்யஸ்தூப: | சந்தஸ் - ஜகதீ | தேவதைஸவிதா

ṛṣiḥ - āṃgirasaḥ hiraṇyastūpaḥ | chandaḥ - jagatī | devatā - savitā

आसत्यॆनरजसावर्तमानोनिवॆशयन्अमृतंमर्त्यञ्च।
हिरण्ययॆनसवितारथॆनाऽऽदॆवोयातिभुवनाविपश्यन्॥ऋ. वॆ. १. ३५. ०२

ஆஸத்யேனரஜஸாவர்த்தமானோநிவேசயன்னம்ருதம்மர்த்யஞ்ச |
ஹிரண்யயேனஸவிதாரதேனாதேவோயாதிபுவனாவிபச்யன் || ரிக்வேதம். ௩௫. 0

āsatyena rajasā vartamāno niveśayan amṛtaṃ martyañca |
hiraṇyayena savitā rathenā:':'devo yāti bhuvanā vipaśyan || ṛ. ve. 1. 35. 02

This mantra is found in this way in the taittirīyasaṃhitā of yajurveda but in all other places - samhitas and manuscripts - the word 'ākṛṣṇena’ is used instead of 'āsatyena’.

The initial ā gets linked to yāti in the second line, to make āyāti; that is a characteristic peculiar to samskṛtam !

The meaning of this verse, if we take the word "ākṛṣṇena" is that the sun with his appearance brightens the world which is dark (kṛṣṇa) before its arrival (sunrise). Hence, with the substitution by the word ākṛṣṇena with āsatyena, the meaning will become, "the real world" in the place of 'the dark world'. It is not posssible that in those days when the taittirīyasaṃhitā was initially given shape to, there could have been loss of exact words because all the vikṛtis which were referred to in the introduction would have been memorized by many scholars. Hence this is most probably a conscious change made or the reverse may also be equally true, viz., from the original 'āsatyena’ in taittirīyasaṃhitā in the earlier period, to 'ākṛṣṇena’ in the later śākhās like ’śākala’ which is the only one that is followed mostly now. (Incidentally, kindly see the nuance here: whosoever (the ṛṣi of taittirīya saṃhitā) made this change firmly believed this world to be a true or real one. This seems to go contrary to ādiśaṃkara’s advaita. Of course, this is my observation.)


Now, for the meaning in full:

The savitṛ deva appears in the real world everyday, again and again, seated on his golden chariot, traveling through the sky and keeeping the devas and human beings in their respective places, and overseeing and illuminating all the worlds.

The second mantra is-
ऋषिः - काण्वॊ मॆधातिथिः । छन्दः - गायत्री । दॆवता - अग्निः
ருஷி - காண்வோ மேதாதிதி | சந்தஸ் - காயத்ரீ | தேவதை - அக்னி
ṛṣiḥ - kāṇvo medhātithiḥ | chandaḥ - gāyatrī | devatā - agniḥ

अग्निंदूतम्वृणीमहेहोतारम्विश्ववेदसम्।
अस्ययज्ञस्यसुक्रतुम् ॥ --१-१२-०१

அக்னிம் தூதம் வ்ருணீமஹே ஹோதாரம் விச்வவேதஸம் |
அஸ்ய யஜ்ஞஸ்ய ஸுக்ரதும் || --௧. ௧௨.0௧

agniṃdūtamvṛṇīmahehotāramviśvavedasam|
asyayajñasyasukratum || -- 1. 12. 01

agni is considered to be the messenger (dūta) for the devas - and śukra for the asuras - according to the mantra portion of the taittirīya brāhmaṇa - and here the ṛṣiḥ is calling agni - the messenger to the devas as also a mighty lord with sovereignty, supremacy, power, sway, etc. (aiśvarya), possessor of all wealth and accomplisher of the yajña.

The third mantra is-

यॆषामीशेपशुपतिःपशूनांचतुष्पदांउतचद्विपदाम्।
निष्क्रीतॊऽयम्यज्ञियम्भागमॆतुरायस्पोषायजमानस्यसन्तु॥तैत्तिरिय संहिता (यजुर्वॆद) ३.१.४.४

யேஷாமீசே பசுபதி: பசூனாம் சதுஷ்பதாம் உத ச த்விபதாம் |
நிஷ்க்ரீதோயம் யஜ்ஞியம் பாகமேது ராயஸ்போஷா யஜமானஸ்ய ஸந்து || தைத்திரீய ஸம்ஹிதை (யஜுர்வேதம்) ....

yeṣāmīśepaśupatiḥpaśūnāṃcatuṣpadāṃutacadvipadām |
niṣkrīto:'yamyajñiyambhāgameturāyaspoṣāyajamānasyasantu||taittiriya saṃhitā (yajurveda) 3.1.4.4

This mantra appears in atharva veda also as 2. 34. 01 with some changes as under:

य ईशॆ पशुपतिः पशूनां चतुष्पदां उत च द्विपदाम् ।
निष्क्रीतः स यज्ञियं भागमॆतु रायस्पॊषा यजमानं सचन्ताम् ॥

ய ஈசே பசுபதி: பசூனாம் சதுஷ்பதாம் உத ச த்விபதாம் |
நிஷ்க்ரீதோயம் யஜ்ஞியம் பாகமேது ராயஸ்போஷா யஜமானம் ஸசந்தாம் ||

ya īśe paśupatiḥ paśūnāṃ catuṣpadāṃ uta ca dvipadām |
niṣkrītaḥ sa yajñiyaṃ bhāgametu rāyaspoṣā yajamānaṃ sacantām ||

Here, in the atharva veda the details of ṛṣiḥ - chandaḥ - devatā for this mantra are as under (in yajurveda I am not able to find these details-but will try to find out and furnish later.):

ऋषिः - अथर्वा । छन्दः - त्रिष्टुप् । दॆवता - पशुपतिः
ருஷி - அதர்வா | சந்தஸ் - த்ரிஷ்டுப் | தேவதை - பசுபதி
ṛṣiḥ - atharvā | chanda: - triṣṭup | devatā - paśupatiḥ

The meanings of the two versions are essentially the same despite the small differences in words.

What cattle the lord of cattle ruleth [1],

Both the four-footed and the two-footed.

May he, bought off, go to his sacrificial share;

May abundances of wealth be attached to the sacrificer.'

This forms part of the mantras to be chanted during animal sacrifice as part of the soma sacrifice. It is not clear how this becomes relevant in a prayer to āditya.
 
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Let us familiarise ourselves with Rigveda

I am starting this thread with the sincere hope that I will be able to give one verse (rik, as they are known) everyday. This will not help you to recite the verse in the prescribed "swaras", but will make people to know what is contained in this veda. But it is not definite that my health will permit me to be regular. Still, I shall try my best.

......
It is believed that in olden times there were five branches of RV viz., SAkala, bAshkala, ASvalAyana, sAngkhyAyana and mANDUkyAyana. There were no material differences between them except arrangement of riks and sUktas and some riks being omitted in one or the other branch. This again is a belief, we have nothing to prove it. Most probably these differences could have arisen due to human inabilities during the millennia of oral transmission of the veda/s, and for reasons not known four out of the five branches have disappeared. Strangely, the westerners got hold of the SAkala version and thanks to them we have been able to get an enormous amount of knowledge, analysis, criticism etc., based on this version.

......".

Shri Sangom Sir,

Thank you for the wonderful thread..

Will you find it disturbing to ask some doubts in this thread, if so I can post a new thread...Please do let me know. I will follow as per your convenience...
But now I will post only one question...

Do you mean that we do not have an idea of what is contained in all other 4 branches namely bAshkala, ASvalAyana, sAngkhyAyana and mANDUkyAyana? Absolutely no trace?

Namaskarams
Revathi
 
Shri Sangom Sir,

Thank you for the wonderful thread..

Will you find it disturbing to ask some doubts in this thread, if so I can post a new thread...Please do let me know. I will follow as per your convenience...
But now I will post only one question...

Do you mean that we do not have an idea of what is contained in all other 4 branches namely bAshkala, ASvalAyana, sAngkhyAyana and mANDUkyAyana? Absolutely no trace?

Namaskarams
Revathi

Sow. Revathi,

You may ask whatever doubts you have but I may not know the answers to many of them. But I will definitely not have any objection to any question/s and also pointing out errors. I will surely benefit from those. You are welcome to ask any question/s.

Coming to your specific doubt, I will make a separate post.
 
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Shri Sangom Sir,

Thank you for the wonderful thread..

Will you find it disturbing to ask some doubts in this thread, if so I can post a new thread...Please do let me know. I will follow as per your convenience...
But now I will post only one question...

Do you mean that we do not have an idea of what is contained in all other 4 branches namely bAshkala, ASvalAyana, sAngkhyAyana and mANDUkyAyana? Absolutely no trace?

Namaskarams
Revathi

Sow. Revathi,


In making the statement in my original post, I have gone by the following remarks (in Malayalam, which has the overall sense that there were five branches of the rig veda and no great difference reportedly existed between these five rescensions) by Shri O.M.C. Narayanan Namboodiripad, whose commentary/translation of the saakala rescension is what I depend on mainly:

"ഋഗ്വേദത്തിന് ശാകലം, ബാഷ്കലം, ആശ്വലായനം, സാങ്ഖ്യായനം, മാണ്ഡൂക്യായനം എന്നിങ്ങനെ അഞ്‍ചു ശാഖകളുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. അവ തങ്ങളില്‍ പറയത്തക്ക ഭേദങ്ങളില്ലെന്നാണ് പറയുന്നത്."

This, I thought, implied that the other SAkhAs are not available. But, after reading your very pertinent, astute and informed query, I did some googling and now find that the position regarding the other SAkhAs is somewhat as under:

Some sakhas are there in some pockets of the country, but mostly in manuscripts, no oral tradition is reported. But all over the country the Sakala rescension has been taken as the uniform or vulgate standard. The Asvalayana and Kaushitaki are stated to be (according to Shakha - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) still learnt by the Nambudiri Brahmins of Kerala. But this does not seem to be the picture emerging from the above (Malayalam quote) and Namboodiris learning the Kaushitaki and Asvalayana versions orally, seems to be no longer prevalent practice.

I could get the undernoted url on this topic:

Yahoo! Groups (Asvalaayana saakhaa-publication of book- has a different pada-paatha)

I think there is some mix-up between Kausheetaki and Sankhyayana in the wiki page. I will again check and clarify in another post.

I feel the oral tradition is now confined to the Saakalya Saakha and is lost in respect of the others. Here again, some few individuals might still be there in some pockets who have learnt the entire veda of a different Saakhaa, but the possibility seems rare.

I appreciate your insight and question and am thankful for it. Please keep up the same level of interest. Also, if you have more info. on this or any other aspect/s kindly post the same so that all of us will benefit.

My remarks in the intro. portion may please be treated as amended to the extent stated here in this post.
 
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