Description of Goddess Sinivali

Sinivali is the presiding deity of the 14th day of the dark half. The term Sinivali has two components: (1) sini, and (2) Vali. Yaska explains the term 'Sinivali' as possessed of food' 'annavati) from Vsin 'to bind' (Hence, sinam = annam) (one who binds living beings), and vall from Vvr - 'to cover' (Nirukta 1131-32). - 36 ASS I: 11:10, Ap SS III.9.4, Varaha-srauta-sutra I. 1.4.9. 3370 ASS I : 11:10. 38 Ag GS II.1.5.

74 The naturalistic provenance of Sinivali becomes manifest in her name when one looks at the sky of the 14th day of the dark half with the crescent moon, shining in it. Visva Bandhu derives the term from Indo-European Vsvint (= white) and takes the whole compound to mean 'she who possesses the moon with one digit' (A Vedic word concordance, Section I, pt. V, 3377). Sinivali has a very close nexus with the moon. She is regarded as his wife. Sin is a Greek moon-god, and a patron of fertility. So is the moon. It may be suggested that sini (shortened form of Sinivall) might be his feminine form, for she has her counterpart, namely Seleni in the Greek mythology. $ LE According to Gonda (Aspects of Visnuism, p.227), 'the word Sinivali means the Earth, and that sense was later on developed in the goddess Earth', who was imagined to be a wife of Visnu. This is not, however convincing. Sina 'food' or as it is traced in the Nirukta (V 5) to Vsi 'to bind', literally 'that which binds together creatures' Varma (Etymologies of Yaska, 147-48) says : S.P.S. l If Yaska considers n of sinati to be transferred to the noun sina, the etymology is unsound. S.P.S. Worterbuch derives it from Vsan = to offer, provide', but even then the vowel is remains unexplained. Sinivali (Nirukta XI.13) is traced to (1) Sina + vala, sin - 'food' and Vala - 'a day of astronomical conjunction' from vr 'to cover', the whole word meaning 'full' of food on 'a day of astronomical conjunction' or to (2) sina + bala and meaning the time 'during which the moon, on account of its smallness, is sewed up as if it were a child. Varma says: Phonologically this word illustrates how v and b promiscuously appeared even to Yaska. According to

Prabhu Desai (Devikosa 1.76), Sinivall is a form of the goddess Ila the Adisakti. He however does not put forth 2939 any evidence for his conclusion. 40 She is beseeched to grant progeny to her devotees, and is 41 75 invoked to bestow womb on the bride. She is supplicated to place 42 the embryo in the womb of the bride. She inspires her husband 43 Visnu to grant boons to her worshippers? 44 With her grace, Viraj becomes favourable towards Bhaga. She is prayed to bring for her followers fame, food and glory. 45 Sinival is often prayed to for successful conception. Kausika 35.5 enjoins an elaborate ceremony to be performed for the sake of successful conception, wherein the entire garbhadhano-sukta Atharva-veda 5.25 is employed and sinivali is invoked. Commenting on ' Chandogya-brahmana 1.47, Gunavisnu considers her to be capable of removing barrenness of a woman. In a ceremony called Putramanthakhyakarman Satapatha-brahmana 14.9.4.20 Satapatha-brahmana (= Brihad-aranyaka-upanishad 6.4) enjoins the mantras mentioned in Brihad-aranyaka-upanishad 6.4 to be recited. In the agnicayana ceremony 40 sinivali is asked to soften the clay 46 used for preparing the sacrificial fire-pot (ukha) and to hand it over to Aditi so that she might receive Agni smoothly like a mother 47 receiving a child 7 The pot symbolises the womb. This indicates that Sinivali prepares the womb for conception. 39 J.R. Joshi, op. cit., pp. 246-247. 40 Maitrayani-samhita IV : 12:155, Vajasaney-samhita XXXIV:10, Taittiriya-samhita III : 1:ll, Atharva-veda XIV: 2:15 & 21, VII: 4611. 41 Chandogya-brahmana I : 4:7. 42 Atharva-veda V : 25:3. 43 Atharva-veda VII: 46.3. 44 Atharva-veda XIV: 2:15. 45 Chandogya-brahmana II : 612, II : 6:3. 46 Maitrayani-samhita II.75. 47 Taittiriya-samhita IV.15.3.

Sinivali is invoked for prosperity in cattle. In a . 76 series of stable-ceremonies (gosthakarmani), Sinivali is invoked for the increase of cattle, abundance of milk and removal of animal-disease. Atharva-veda II.26 (where Sinivali is mentioned and which is reckoned as pasaryam by the Anukraman) is employed in this ceremony (Kausika 19,14-21). She is worshipped in the citrayaga sacrifice also which is performed for the increase in cattle. Taittiriya-samhita II.4.6 says that those who are desirous of cattle should perform Citra sacrifice. There are seven deities who are invoked in this rite. They are I (1) Agni, (2) Soma, (3) Tvastr, (4) Sarasvat, (5) Sarasvati, (6) Sinivall and (7) Indra. It may be noted that, in the Aitareya-brahmana, Sinivall is said to be a cow, (Aitareya-brahmana 3.48) and that Taittiriya-samhita 5.6.18 enjoins the offering of three oxen to her. The association of Sinivall with cattle is further evidenced by the fact that she is invoked in the Vrsotsarga (turning a bull loose) ceremony (Kausika 24.19; Atharva-veda 9.4.14). A barren cow is a curse to a farmer Ppp 135 deals with the deities who are worshipped for the removal of barrenness Sinivali is one of them. A reference may be noted in connection with the association of Sinival with the birth of a child 1 66 skr It may be inferred that Sinivali originally presided over the motherhood closely connected with the birth of a child. The name Sinivall originally might have something to do with the foetus fully sewed up in itself. In the Atharvaveda, she is called the wife of Visnu, in later Vedic texts, she is the presiding deity of the first day of new moon when it rises with a scarcely visible crescent. Thus we find

77 that the Brahmanas related child-birth to Sinivali or to a visible crescent of the amovasya day. Griffith says : (Sinivall is a lunar goddess who aids the birth of a children. As has been said already, however, she may be called 'lunar' in the origin. According to Taittiriya-brahmana 1.72.1, it is Sinivall who gives birth. Developing this traft further, in ritual, one, who is desirous of cattle, is enjoined to make offerings to Sinivali). 48 It may be said that Sinivali's association with fertility establishes her as a mother-goddess, she is offered oblations by her devotees at the sacrifice, and is requested to accept them. She is also invoked to enjoy the oblations offered by her worshippers. 53 49 2 50 5 She is the mother of many children, and is a sister of the 54 55 gods. She is the wife of Visnu, of the moon, and also of the 57 56 people or peasants. She is a match for Indra, and is also the 58 mistress of the people. 59 60 She has a broad tuft of hair. She has broad braids, fair 61 braids, fair locks and she wears a fair head-dress. She is said 62 to possess a thousand and braids, and is fair-knotted. 65 beautiful 64 and has fair arms and fine fingers. 48 J.R. Joshi, op. cit., p. 247. She is 49 Atharva-veda VII: 46:2 & 3, Taittiriya-samhita III: 1:11. 50 Vajasaney-samhita XXXIV: 14. 51 1 Atharva-veda VII 46:1, Maitrayani-samhita IV: 12:55, Taittiriya-samhita III : 1:11. 52 53 Maitrayani-samhita IV : 12:156, Rigveda II : 32:7, Taittiriya-samhita III: 1:11, Atharva-veda VII: 46 2 & 3. Atharva-veda VII : 46:1, Rigveda II : 32:6, ve XXXIV : 10, Maitrayani-samhita IV : 12:155, 54 Atharva-veda VII: 4613. 55 Sadvimsa-brahmana V : 6:4. Contd.

56 Maitrayani-samhita IV: 12:156 57 Atharva-veda VII: 46:3. 58 Atharva-veda VII: 4612 & 3, Taittiriya-samhita III : 1:11. 59 Rigveda II : 32:6, Maitrayani-samhita IV: 12:155, Vajasaney-samhita XXXIV : 10, Vajasaney-samhita XI: 56, Chandogya-brahmana II : 612. 60 Taittiriya-samhita III ; 1:11, III: 3:11, Atharva-veda VII : 46:1. 4611. 61 Taittiriya-samhita IV: 1:5, Vajasaney-samhita XI: 56, Satapatha-brahmana III : 6:5:10. 62 Atharva-veda VII 1 46:3. 63 Satapatha-brahmana III : 615:10. 64 Chandogya-brahmana II : 612. 65 Rigveda II : 32:7, Maitrayani-samhita IV : 12:156, Taittiriya-samhita III | 1:11, III : 3:11, Atharva-veda VII: 46:2. 78

79 67 7 68 She bears well, is agreeable, wealthy; prolific, and 69 is sometimes identified with speech. She is beseeched to lead 70 the van of the cattle to the cow-stall? She is the amavasya 71 72 night, and is the greatest in the Dvapara age. On the day of 3 new moon exists the amavasya Sinivali?³ In the Greek Mythology there is a goddess of identical nature and function, namely Seleni. Seleni is a Greek goddess of the moon, who is worshipped on the days of the new moon and 74 the full moon. S.K. Diksit connects Sinivali with ancient Sumero-Babylonian moon-god Sin who is a vegetation deity and patron of fertility?5 In her capacity as a moon-goddess and a goddess of fertility, she may be compared to the Sumerian goddess Nana, the Assyrian goddess Ishtar, the Persian goddess Anahita and the Greek goddesses Aphrodite and Artemis. The Sumerian goddess Nana was mainly a moon-goddess being the daughter of the Moon-god. The Persian goddess Anahita was regarded as the source of all fertility, purifying the seed of all males, sanctifying the womb of all females, and purifying the milk in the mother's breast. 66 Maitrayani-samhita IV : 12:15, Rigveda II : 3217, Atharva-veda VII: 46 : 2 & 3. 67 500 Chandogya-brahmana II : 612. 68 Taittiriya-samhita III: 1:11. 69 Taittiriya-samhita II : 4:6, Satapatha-brahmana III: 6:5:9. 70 Atharva-veda III : 2612. 71 SV BV : 6:4. 72 Sadvimsa-brahmana V : 6:5. 73 Sv BV : 6:6. 74 Oskar Seyffort, "A Dictionary of Classical Antiquities; tr. by tr. by H. Nettleship and J. Sandys, London, 1894. 75 S.K. Diskit, "The Mother Goddess, Poon, p. 51.

80 The Greek goddess Aphrodite was worshipped as a moon-goddess at Thespiae in the form of Aphrodite Melianis. The Assyrian goddess Ishtar was also regarded as the daughter of Sin, the moon-god. The Greek goddess Artemis was also sometimes identified with the moon, and regarded as a moon-goddess. Sinivali mainly represented to the minds of the Vedic Aryans an image of a goddess of fertility. The Vedic Aryans imagined her as a goddess who could bestow progeny on the bride. Sinivall's importance grew in the period of the later Samhitas and the Brahmanas when agriculture came to occupy a position of great importance in the lives of the people. With the introduction of hove the iron ploughs in that period agriculture expanded and flourished bringing a lot of wealth into the hands of the people. The men, therefore, needed children especially boys for lending them a helping hand in the various agricultural operations. Sivivali was also worshipped by them for taking care of their cattle. They prayed to her for granting them more cattle, and also for removing diseases among them. This suggests that the outbreak of disease among the cattle was quite common. The Vedic Aryans required more cattle to drag their heavy ploughs. According to various texts, for example, Atharvaveda, Vajasaneyi Samhita, Maitrayani Samhita, Kathaka Samhita and the Taittiriya Brahmana and Satapatha Brahmana, six, twelve and even twenty-four oxen were used to drag the plough which must have been large and heavy. They, therefore, prayed for more cattle because they were invaluable to them in agriculture, which was their main-stay and source of livelihood. n Being a goddess

: 81 of fertility, Sinivall was beseeched for removing barrenness among cows since a barren cow was looked upon as a curse to the former. They also approached her for granting them abundant milk for their own consumption. It is also noticeable that Sinivall had a few anthropomorphic features for example, she was said to possess a very broad tuft of hair, and also fair locks and a thousand braids. She was regarded a beautiful with fair arms and fine fingers. This would mean that initially she was considered as a human being and deified later on. 76 Sinivali is prayed to grant progeny to the devotee. The Khadira-grihya-sutra 1.4.15-16 and Hiranyakeshin-grihya-sutra 1.25.1 prescribe the mantras (Atharva-veda V.25 in which she has been implored to favour and facilitate conception) to be uttered immediately before coition for successful conception. In the Caturthi-karman too, Sinivali is referred to in the context of granting conception. Sinivali is invoked for prosperity in cattle. Ap ES III.9.4, IV.13.2-3n prescribes that those who are desirous of cattle should worship Sinivali. It is seen that sinivali was invoked as before by the people for the bestowal of successful conception she was prayed for the 76 Manava-grihya-sutra II : 18.2, Baudhayana-grihya-sutra I : 71319, Hiranyakeshi-grihya-sutra I : 7:1. Jaiminiya-grihya-sutra I : 22. 77 Gobhila-grihya-sutra II.5.9, Varah SS I.1.4.9. A

82 gift of cattle too. She is generally classified as one of the minor goddesses of the Vedic pantheon. As a lunar phase, she has a mythological connection with fertility; hence her association with conception. An instance of iconographical evidence may be noted in connection with Sinivali: li A few terracotta figurines of Sinivall with a big headdress and a beautiful crown and occasionally not uncouth limbs 9778 have been found at Rairh, Mathura etc.