Part 16 - Indra and Vyamsa's sister; Deities of Rig-veda VIII.35-46

76. In 'Downward' (adhah: viii. 33. 19) a girl addressed Indra (who appeared) with the characteristics of a woman a; for the chastiser of Paka (Indra) made love to that Danava maiden b, adha ityatra r, adhya ityatra b, adhyaya ityatra fk, atha ityaha hdm'. - kanya tam bkr, kanyam tam f, tasyam tu hdm'. - strilingenendra mabravit hdm'br, straligatam | catmabravit f, mralimgato dbrahmavravit K. a That is, this stanza is addressed by a Danavi to Indra who has assumed the form of a woman. According to Sayana on Rg-veda viii. 33. 19 this stanza is addressed to Asanga Playogi when he was a woman (cp. above, vi. 41). And had assumed the disguise of a woman because Vyamsa was his enemy. b 77. the eldest sister of Vyamsa, by reason of his (Indra's) youthful desire (yuva-kamya)a. 'By Agni' (agnina: viii. 35) is a hymn addressed to the Asvins. Then follow two hymns (36, 37) addressed to Indra. - - vyamsasya r±17, pyusasya rrr, vyamsanca b, vyamsva f, vyasasca k, pumsasca hdm' r'. - tasyaiva hm±br, tasya va f, tasyevam k, tayaiva d. - yuvakamyaya hdm' r' fkr 2 1 17, vuvakamyaya b, badhakamyaya r (=r'r* r ). - pare tatah hdm' 1, tatah pare bfk (cp. vi. 25 and 79). a The reading of r, tasyaiva badhakamyaya, seems more natural: 'because of his (Vyamsa's) desire to slay (Indra),' or possibly, 'because of his (Indra's) desire to slay (Vyamsa)'; his making love to the sister being, in that case, a ruse. Kamya at the end of a compound in the Brihaddevata otherwise governs the preceding word in an objective sense (='desire for'). The original reading here was, therefore, perhaps yuddhakamyaya. 78. The following (38) is addressed to Indra-Agni, (then) one to Agni (39), one to Indra-Agni (40); the following two (41, 42) are addressed to Varuna; but in the latter (42) Varuna hymn the last triplet 'Hither you two' (a vam: viii. 42. 4-6) is addressed to the Asvins. - aimdranam (param ) Am', aimdramat b, aindragnyat fkr. - aindramam Am', aindramad b, aindragnyad fkr. - varune m bfkr'rr', varunam hdr". - 79. The two hymns, 'These' (ime: viii. 43), 'With fuel' (sam-: viii. 44), are addressed to Agni; the two which then follow after these (45, 46) are addressed to Indra. Now what Kanita Prthusravas gave to Vasa Asvya a

viii. 56 ime samagneye hdm'bfkr, ime tu cameye rrr - aindre tatah pare B, aindreti cottare Am'.-vasayasvyaya ss, vasayakhyaya hdm' r, vasayascaya bf, vasathascaya k. cd a 79 ed and 80 ab are quoted by Sadgurusisya on Rg-veda viii. 46 and by Sayana on Rg-veda viii. 46. 21. 80. as a gift is here praised in the (stanzas) beginning 'Hither he' (a sa viii. 46. 21-24). The two pragatha couplets 'Hither to our' (a nah: 25-28) are addressed to Vayu as well as the last (stanza) but one of the hymn (32). sa ityevama ° hm±r, sa etvevama ° ss, sayetyevama ° b, sayetyecama ° f, sa yetyecama0 k.-off: Am¹ss, of B.-The end of the varga is here marked by 9 in m¹bfk, not in hd.