Description of Goddess Kuhu

Kuhu is the presiding deity of the 15th day of the dark half when the moon is not visible. The word Kuhu has been Sale derived in various ways. The bredakalpadruma derives it as i kuh (Vismapane) + ku (bahulkat). The Vacaspatyam " A

: 71 ! also gives a similar derivation. The Nirukta, as usual gives many alternatives: 1. Kuhurguhate. 2. Kvabhuditi, 3. Kwasati hayati iti va and 4. Kvabhutam havir #21 juhotiti va. 1 66 Kuhu (Nirukta XI.32) is derived as (1) kva-abhut 'where was she ?*, (11) kva sati huyate 'being where is she invoked' ? (111) kva ahutam havir juhoti 'where does she offer the offered oblation'. 'In this connection, Varma says i Apparently the derivations are the relics of some popular tale about the deity concerned. The word also is traced to Vgu guh. The IE prototype is squed, being dh extension of skeu 'to cover', Gr keutho 'I hide'. However as Varma has said, phonologically Kuhu cannot be derived from the word guhate, in fact, old Indo-Aryan had no verb exactly corresponding to this word. He rightly remarks : As the form of the word stands, it may possibly be merely an exclamation. It may be said that Kuhu is a mythological representation of the first cry of a child and that the word seems to be be onomatopoetic. Accordingly, the divinity seems to presiding over a new-born child. In this connection, the Taittiriya-brahmana says After the creatures are born, Kuhu bestows them with speech. Accordingly, Kuhu is connected with the day which follows that of Sinivali. Incidentally, there is in Marquesas, the word Ku'u for the 17th night that is, the full-moon night, but the Vedic Kuhu stands for the new-moon night. 21 S.K. Lal, op. cit., p. 215.

72 Regarding this, Mitra (COJ I, July 1934) says: It is possible there has been displacement of names, Kuhu is identified by Sayana with Qungu which also is an onomatopoetic name. #22 She is beseeched to give the devotees the fame of their fathers, and is invoked to grant good fortune to the giver of 23 oblations. She is approached to grant an abundance of wealth to 24 the wise men, wealth composed of all choice things on the worshipper, 25 to grant them a praiseworthy hero of a hundred-fold value? She She is easy to invoke, and is invoked at the sacrifice, 26 she is offered oblations, and she is worthy of invocation. is beseeched to enjoy the oblations offered by her devotees, and is 27 prayed to listen eagerly to the sacrificial mantras they recite" She is approached to distribute the oblations offered by her worshippers. 28 29 A wife of the immortal gods, she is a lady of the gods and 30 of immortality. She is greatest in the period relating to the Krta age, and is said to be the amavasya Kuhu (when moon is not 31 32 33 34 seen). She accomplishes her work very well. She is fortunate, + 35 and she is endowed with good deeds. 22 J.R. Joshi, op. cit., p. 248. 26 2222 23 Taittiriya-samhita III, 3#11. 24 Taittiriya-samhita III | 3:11, Atharva-veda VII : 47:2. 25 Atharva-veda VII : 47:1. Taittiriya-samhita III : 3:11, Maitrayani-samhita IV: 12:157 & 158, 31 Atharva-veda VII : 471 1 & 2. 33 SVOB V : 6:5. 32 SVOB V : 66. WNN N Atharva-veda VII : 47:2. 28 Maitrayani-samhita IV : 12:157. 33 Atharva-veda VII: 47:1, Taittiriya-samhita III : 3:11:157. 29 Maitrayani-samhita IV: 12:158. Atharva-veda VII : 47:2. 30 Taittiriya-samhita III : 3:11. 34 Taittiriya-samhita III : 3:11. 35 Maitrayani-samhita MS IV : 12:157.

73 The goddess Kuhu was generally worshipped by the Vedic Aryans for the bestowal of fame, good fortune, the choicest things and an abundance of wealth. Kuhu is beseeched to grant the power of hearing to her worshippers; she is prayed to give a lot of 36 wealth to the sacrificer. She is entreated to hear about the oblation of the devotee, and is easy of invocation; she is worthy 37 of being invoked. Oblations are offered to Sinivali and Kuhu in 38 the Namakarana rite also. It can be noticed that Kuhu was invoked as before for the She is also supplicated Kuhu, a lunar phase is a abundance of wealth in this period too. to grant hearing to the devotees. rather tenuous figure as a goddess; her presence in ritual is also more mechanical than organic.