Description of Goddess Akuti

The term Akuti' has been used in the Roveda in the plain and simple sense of yearning, intention, inclination, purpose or scheme of an action. It is imperative that, for the fulfilment of a wish or desire, god's help and blessings are needed, hence we have prayers for the intention (akuti) of one's mind be fulfilled? She exists in the form of an idea in the mind? and with her grace, the people are able to do their desired work. The poet yearns for the fulfilment of all his wishes (akutih)? In the worshipper beseeched that all the objectives (akutayah) of a man for an action be accomplished, and all his intentions 4 fulfilled. In the sacrificer prays that all the demons be overpowered, and that his wish to remove them be granted. Akuti represents that particular state of mind which inspires a person to take up a work the idea of which is still in the nascent 7 stage. In Rigveda X.191.4' which is the last verse of Roveda, it is advised that all people in the society should have the same purpose or intention (akuti) so that there is maintained peace, harmony, and a common bond of brotherhood and cohesion in the world. All should have the similar intention without any difference. 1 Rigveda X : 128:4. 2 Taittiriya-brahmana I : 2:5:2. 3 Atharva-veda III.20.9 = Ppp 3.34.10. 4 Taittiriya-samhita III : 27. 5 Vajasaney-samhita XXXIX :4 = Khila II.6.10. 6 Atharva-veda IV.36.4. 7 also in Atharva-veda VI.64.3. 8 Atharva-veda III.8.5 = Atharva-veda VI.14.1 = Ppp 19.15.2 = Khila 5.1.4.

241 Akuti not only denotes an intention of the everyday work, but it also signifies the primeval intention of the creator-god While praising highly, the almighty which urges him to create. While praising 9 Ucchista, it is pointed out that among many other entities, intention (akuti) is also inherent in him. That an intention. before beginning the work of creation had arisen in the mind of the creator is very clearly expressed in Atharva-veda 11.8. Atharva-veda 11.8.4 says that ten elements, for example Prana, Apana, Caksus, Srotra, Vac, Manas, etc. together brought about the faculty called akuti. It is also noticeable that akuti in sacrificial language refers only to that kind of intention or will which enthuses a person to perform a sacrifice. Akuti is sometimes regarded as 11 the mother of the sacrifice: Akuti prepares hanis offerings for the gods and Ppp 5.15.8 regards Akuti as a devi and says 12 that she along with Prana, Vyana, Manas and Vac, bears the oblations to them (the gods). She is beseeched to become easy of invocation to her devotees 13 the yajamana has entered the sacrificial hall, and the diksa ceremony has taken place, Akuti is invoked, for it is she who employs him in the sacrificial deeds. 14 9 Atharva-veda 11.7. 10 2229 Atharva-veda 11.7.18 = Ppp 16.83.8. ; Taittiriya-brahmana II : 5:3:2, II : 2:512, Chandogya-brahmana II : 619. 12 Taittiriya-brahmana III.12.9.5. 13 Taittiriya-brahmana I': 215:2, Chandogya-brahmana II : 619, Atharva-veda 19.42. 14 Taittiriya-samhita I ; 2.2.1, 6.1.2.2, KS 2.3.2, Maitrayani-samhita 36.4, 5, 3/31 Vajasaney-samhita 4.7, Satapatha-brahmana III : 1:416.

242 Such a mental faculty, which surely is the main cause of all the creative activities in the universe, naturally attracted the imagination of the Vedic poets, accordingly a tendency is noticed in the Atharvaveda and the post-Vedic literature towards personifying this abstract concept as a female. However, it may be pointed out that Akuti is not a divinity in the real sense of the term, but only the personification of an abstract concept. Kausika 54.11 employs Atharva-veda 6.41 in the Godana ceremony where oblations are offered to divine Akuti, together with other abstract divinities 15 for example, lanas, Cetas, DhI. citto, mati, etc. The personification of Akuti becomes very clear in Atharva-veda 191442 where she is addressed as a divine (devi) and blessed (subhaga) deity, and is regarded as the mother of citta. In this Re, the poet says that he places t Akuti in the front. the help of Akuti is sought often and in various She along with Anumati, is supplicated to grant a circumstances. res 16 man's desires. Atharva-veda VI.131.2 in which Akuti is referred to is 17 employed by Kausika 36.13,14 in a magical rite performed for winning the love of an unwilling person. In Pop 19.8.2 it is wished that Akuti be always with men. The poet begs of Erhaspati to come to him together with Akuti and grant him good luck. 19 18 Again, in Atharva-veda 19.4.4 Erhaspati is beseeched to ensure for the poet 15 16 565 = Atharva-veda 6.41.1 Ppp 19.10.1. Atharva-veda VI : 131.2, VI : 130, 131 & 132. 17 Atharva-veda VI: 5.3.2 with slight variation; Akuti is not mentioned here. 18 Atharva-veda 19.43 - Ppp 19.24.8. 19 Ppp 19.24.4

243 the favours of Akuti and Vac. The juxtaposition of Akuti and Vac is significant. Taittiriya-samhita 3.4.2.1 & KS 13.11.12 enjoin that the offering of a barren goat be made by one who desires prosperity; Akuti is invoked in this rite. Akuti thus represented to the minds of the Vedic Aryans a state of mind which induces a person to engage himself in a } It. work. Akuti represented that faculty of the mind which is involved in intending, willing or making schemes for a work. is a pure mental state, the power of inclination, Intention, thought, inspiration or simply the will-power for accomplishing something. It may be regarded as that faculty of mind which inspires a person to devote himself whole-heartedly to a work. The personified Akuti would thus belong to the same category of female divinities as Dhisana and Vac. Akuti thus played quite a big role behind the urge for the sacrificial ritual performed by the Vedic Aryans. She came to play a very prominent part in sacrifice, especially during the period of the later Samhitas and Brahmanas. In the period of the Brahmanas sacrifice grew immensely in importance in the society. The people thought that through the performance of various sacrifices they could attain material prosperity, happiness and also the fulfilment of all their desires. At that time many autonomous principalities had sprung up with their own overlords and military chiefs. They also turned to sacrifice for their success in wars and also material prosperity.

244 The priest, therefore, capitalised on all these aspirations of the various echelons of society. They devised many kinds of sacrifices for meeting the specific needs of the people. Trade: and agricultural prosperity brought wealth into the hands of the people. Therefore they could afford the fabulous fees and also meet the numerous demands of the brahmanical priests who cashed in on the opportunity provided to them by the people's belief in sacrifice. The people also thought that they could come near to the almighty God through the sacrifice since it was supposed to bring them into close contact with the great God and creator of the universe, that is, the Prajapati or Brahman. This background of sacrifice reasonally explains the prominence of Akuti in the sacrificial ritual especially in the period of the Brahmanas. Some mention of Akuti is found in the Boudhayana srauta sutra and the Asvalayana Grhya sutra. In these texts she is said to be easy of invocation, and 20 is held to be the mother the sacrifice? Her mention is found once in the AGS where she is referred to as a personification of intention or purpose. It is seen that AGS employs Rigveda X.191.4 in the Adhyayopakarana rite (1.e, the ceremony with which the annual course of study is opened), when the students the fire and invohen make offerings of grains with curd along with Anumati and some in 1. other goddesses. 20 BSS I 1 2:2:1.

It can be seen that the people looked upon Akuti as a goddess who could be easily invoked, and they held her to be the mother of sacrifice. They also regarded her as the personification of intention or purpose. 245