On raksases in Vedic ritual

Transcription

1 Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies Vol. 55, No. 3, March 2007 (1) On raksases in Vedic ritual TS ; ; IZAWA Atsuko 1. In Vedic ritual, raksases attack the sacrifices, and are finally expelled by the sacrificers or priests.2) Though we often come across such a scene, especially in the Black Yajur Veda Samhitas, it is not clear what the raksases really are. Therefore, I have extracted the words identified with raksases in order to determine their substance. These words are categorised into the following four groups: [1] Abstract nouns (a) amati (thoughtlessness) [pl.] and arati (hostility)[pl.] TS (b) amati (thoughtlessness) and durmati (malice) TS (c) arati (hostility) [pl.] TS ; ; ; ; ; VS 1.7 ab; SB [sg.] KS 1.2 (1.7); 1.4 (2.9); MS (1.5); (12.6) (d) dvesas (hatred) [pl.] TS see 4 (e) nastra3) (destruction) [pl.] SB ; ; see 3-2, 3; ; (f) papman (evil) SB ; ; [2] Hostile beings ; ; ; (a) bhratrvya (enemy) KS 24.4 ( ) =KapS 37.5 ( see 3-1; KS 25.9 (115.16) see 3-2; KS (118.1); 26.5 (127.10); 26.5 (127.10) (b) yo aratiyati (who has hostile intentions) KS 2.5 (11.5) see 3-1; KS 2.12 ( ) see 3-2; MS (19.16); (106.2) see 3-2 (c) yo sman dvesti yam ca vayam dvisma (who hates us and whom we hate) [3] Compounds with asura They are found in the Brahmanas.4) TS ; ; see 2 [4] praheti (weapon) VS 15.16; KS 17.9 (251.23)=KapS 26.8 (110.5); MS (114.15); TS

2 (2) On raksases in Vedic ritual (A. IZAWA) The raksases as praheti do not belong to enemies, but are regarded as the weapons against the enemies. Among these [1] and [2] should be noted. [1] (a)(b) and (c) are negative emotions, and (e) and (f) are found in Satapatha Brahmana (SB). So far it seems the raksases are connected with emotions such as gratis (hostility-not favourable) and gmatis (thoughtlessness) in the Black Yajur Veda Samhitas. However, the connection between these words and the raksases is not strong enough, because these words are mentioned only in the mantras and regarded as raksases in the Brahmana portions. And it is not clear whether the negative emotions are directed toward the sacrifices, devas or sacrificers (priests). Regarding this point, [2](c) is more concrete in that yo 'sman dvesti yam ca vayam dvisma' is connected with the raksases. Therefore, in ((1m)TS de5); (2m) bc6); (3m) ik7) dealt with should be clarified. Second, these three will be compared with the corresponding sentences in the other Yajur Veda texts. Last, I will examine the other sentences that contain the mantra ỳo 'sman dvesti yam ca vayam dvisma.' (1m)TS de, (2m) bc idam aham raksaso griva api krntami yo 'sman dvesti yam ca vayam dvisma idam asya griva api krntami Thus I cut the neck of the raksas. Thus I cut the neck of him who hates us and whom we hate. idam aham raksaso griva api krntami yo 'sman dvesti yam ca vayam dvisma ity aha dvau viva purusau yam caiva dvesti yas cainam dvesti tayor evanantarayam grivah krntati ' Thus I cut the neck of the raksas, who hates us and whom we hate8)', he says. There are two persons, one whom he hates and one who hates him; verily successively he cuts their necks. (3m)TS ik iidam aham rakso 'dhamam tamo nayami kyo 'sman dvesti yam ca vayam dvisma idam enam adhamam tamo nayami i This raksas here I lead to the lowest darkness. khim who hateth us and whom we hate, here him I lead to the lowest darkness 1030

3 On raksases in Vedic ritual (A. IZAWA) (3) dvisma ity aha dvau vava purusau yam caiva a dvesti yas cainam dvesti tav ubhav adhamam tamo nayati ' This raksas here I lead to the lowest darkness, who hateth us and whom we hate,' he says; there are two (kinds of) persons, he whom he [2] hates and he who hates him; both these he leads to the lowest darkness. In these Brahmana portions, it seems the original two mantras are made one, and the raksas is identified with 'yo 'sman dvesti yam ca vayam dvisma,' which is interpreted as two persons. In order to detemine whether or not such interpretation is common, I will next examine the following corresponding sentences in the other Yajur Veda texts: 3. The relationship between the corresponding sentences and the original mantras is as follows: (1m)KS 2.5 (11.4-6), (2m)2.12(17.2-3) idam aham raksaso griva apikrntamidam aham yo nas samano yo 'samano 'ratiyati tasya griva apikrntami Thus I cut the neck of the raksas. Thus I cut the neck of him who, equal to us or not equal, has hostile intentions. idam aham raksaso griva apikrntamiti bhratrvyo vai rakso bhratrvyasyaiva griva apikrntati 'Thus I cut the neck of the raksas,' he says. For the raksas is the enemy. It is the neck of the enemy that he cuts. (2m)MS ( ) idam aham raksaso griva apikrntamidam aham yo me samano yo ' samano 'ratiyati tasya griva apikrntami Thus I cut the neck of the raksas. Thus I cut the neck of him who, equal to me or not equal, has hostile intentions. idam aham raksaso griva apikrntamity aha raksasam dhvarayai raksasam antaritya idam aham yo me11) samano yo samano 'ratiyati tasya griva apikrntamiti samano va by asamano varatayati sarvam evaitaya paryapat 'Thus I cut the neck of the raksas,' he says, for the falling of the raksases, for the blocking 1031

4 (4) On raksases in Vedic ritual (A. IZAWA) the raksases. 'Thus I cut the neck of him who, equal to me or not equal, has hostile intentions,' he says. For he, equal or not equal, has hostile intentions: it is by this that he reached all. (2m) Vajasaneyi Samhita (VS) 5.26 idam aham raksasam griva apikrntami Herewith I cut off the neck of the raksases! ' Herewith I cut off the neck of the raksases!' for the spade is the thunderbolt: it is with the thunderbolt that he cuts off the neck of the raksases (3m)VS idam aham rakso 'bhitisthamidam aham rakso 'vabadha idam aham rakso 'dhamam tamo nayami Herewith I tread down the raksas! herewith I drive away the raksas! herewith I consign the raksas to the nethermost darkness! idam aham rakso 'bhitisthamidam aham rakso 'vabadha idam aham rakso 'dhamam tamo nayamiti tad yajnenaivaitan nastra raksamsy avabddhate ' Herewith I tread down the raksas! herewith I drive away the raksas! herewith I consign the raksas to the nethermost darkness!' Thus it is by means of the sacrifice that he drives away the destructions12), the raksases. In the corresponding sentences there is no yo 'sman dvesti yam ca vayam dvisma.' Note that KS and KapS identify the raksas with the enemy. As for the mantra of KS and MS, 'idam aham raksaso griva apikrntami' is followed by 'idam aham yo nas (me) samano yo 'samano 'ratiyati tasya griva apikrntami,' and MS explains these two individually. From this it is found that only TS connects the mantra 'yo 'sman dvesti yam ca vayam dvisma' with the raksas. 4. In the other sentences that contain the mantra 'yo 'sman dvesti yam ca vayam dvismas... or 'yam dvismo yas ca no dvesti...' there are few cases in which the one who hates us and whom we hate is identified with the enemy (TS ; MS (13.4)) or the competitor (MS ( )). Araru (the name of the asuraraksas-see SB ) appears in TS , MS (6.3-8) and SB However, there is no identification, but just the fact that the location of the mention of Araru in TS is nearer to the mantra than in MS and SB. 1032

5 On raksases in Vedic ritual (A. IZAWA) (5) Although TS does not contain the mantra, the way of identifying the dvesamsi with the raksamsi appears similar to that of TS ; ; The relationship between TS and the original mantra is as follows: TS a13)= Rg Veda (RV) tvam soma tanukfdbhyo14) dvesobhyo 'nyakrtebhya uru yantasi varutham svaha.../ Thou, O Soma, art the giver of wide protection from hostility, brought about by ourselves or by others. hail! TS tvam soma tanukrdbhya ity aha tanukrd dhy esa dvesobhyo 'nyakrtebhya ity ahanyakrtani hi raksamsi 'Thou, O Soma, brought about by ourselves,' he says, for he is the one who brings about by himself; 'from hostility, brought about by others,' he says, for the raksases are brought about by others. The corresponding sentences are KS 26.2, KapS 40.5, MS and SB , among which only MS and SB mention the above mantra. In MS ( ) 'tanukrdbhyo dvesobhyo 'nyakrtebhya' is interpreted as 'yad eva tanukrtam canyakrtam cainas tad etenavayajati' (it is the evil which is made by ourselves or by others that he wards off); in TS 'tanukfdbhyo dvesobhyo 'nyakrtebhya' is divided into two and 'taniikrdbhyo' is connected with the soma and `dvestobhyo 'nyakrtebhya' is identified with the raksases. 5. Conclusion In TS ; ; , the original two mantras are regarded as if one mantra, and the raksas is identified with 'yo 'sman dvesti yam ca vayam dvisma.' Such interpretation is not found in the other texts. Moreover TS divides the original one mantra into two, and identifies hatred with the raksases. Hence one can say that in the Black Yajur Veda Samhitas, where the raksases are just vaguely connected with the negative emotions, TS is in a unique position in the respect that it tries to identify the raksases with hatred or persons who hate the sacrificer or whom he hates. 1) Due to limitations of space, I had to cut the utilised texts and their English translations, which will be shown as a part of the extended paper at the first opportunity. 1033

6 (6) On raksases in Vedic ritual (A. IZAWA) 2) TS ; ; KS 19.3 (3.15); 20.5 ( ) and so on. 3) In SB, nastra and raksamsi are always found as a set, but in the case of KS 7.10 ( ) and 37.8 (16-19), nastra is mentioned only along with the raksas. 4) In the SB, about one third of the passages containing asura- or a compound or derivative of this word in fact have the compound asuraraksasa-. Cf. Hale, W.E. [1986] Asura- in Early Vedic Religion, Delhi, p ) A circle is drawn round the seventh footprint of the Soma cow and mantra d is repeated, followed by e. 6) A line is drawn round with mantras b and c, before the erection of the sadas. 7) These mantras accompany his throwing away the cut part of the grass blade which he has dipped in the blood of the cut of the omentum. 8) English translations of TS given in this paper are those in Keith, A.B. [1967] The Veda of the Black Yajus School entitled Taittiriya Sanhita, part land 2 (Harvard Oriental Series 18 and 19), Delhi. Keith, however, translated this sentence to `Thus I cut the neck of the raksas'; 'Who hateth us and whom we hate.' Cf. part 2, p ) The corresponding sentences of MS and SB (MS ( ); SB ) do not have the mantra 'yo 'sman dvesti yam ca vayam dvisma.' 10) There is no corresponding sentence in KS. The corresponding sentences of MS (MS ) do not have the mantra. 11) Mittwede, M [1986] Textkritische Bemerkungen zur Maitrayani Samhita, Stuttgart, p.134. Schroeder: some. 12) English translations of SB given in this paper are those in Eggeling [1988] The Satapatha-Brahmana, Part II (The Sacred Books of the East 26), Delhi. Eggeling, however, translated this word to `the evil spirits.' Cf. p ) Mantra a is recited by the Adhvaryu to accompany the making of libations in the Salamukhiya fire. 14) I cannot tell what tanukrdbhyo means, so I take Keith.'s translation here for the present. However, among shcolars there are diverse tanslations and opinions: Eggeling 'life-injuring or body making, from the enemies that assume (various) forms', Geldner '(deinen) leiblichen Erzeugern', Mayrhofer (EWA ia) 'selbstbereitet', Oldenberg 'den (Frommen), die tatig sind sich die eigne tanu zu schaffen', Scarlata `fur die, die {deinen} Leib (=dich) zubereiten'. Cf. Eggeling [1988], p.157, n. 2. Geldner, K.F. [1951], Der Rig-Veda, Zweitel Teil, Leipzig, p.406. Keith, part 1, p.39, n. 12; part 2 [1967], p.515, n. 6. Oldenberg, H. [1912] Rgveda. Textkritische and exegetische Noten, Siebentes bis zehntes Buch, Berlin, pp Scarlata, S. [1999] Die Wurzelkomposita im Rg-Veda, Wiesbaden, p.73. raksas, dvesas, bhratrvya, Araru (Library Staff, International College for Postgraduate Buddhist Studies) 1034