Essay name: Nirukta and the Vedic interpretation (study)
Author:
Shruti S. Pradhan
Affiliation: University of Mumbai / Department of Sanskrit
This essay studies the role of Yaska’s Nirukta in Vedic interpretation focusing on his contributions to understanding the Rigveda. This study further examines Yaska’s technique of using etymology to confirm meanings assigned by traditional Nighantus (Vedic glossaries), highlighting his subjective approach.
Page 234 of: Nirukta and the Vedic interpretation (study)
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External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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233 206
. Passage Quoted: RV.X.149.1, N.X.32 (p. 750).
Translation According To Yaska: Savitr has stopped the
earth with the controls. Savitṛ has fixed the heaven
in the unsupported (atmosphere). Savitṛ has milked the
cloud like a horse, (cloud) which is rising and is fixed
in the atmosphere which is not crossed or which does not
hasten.
Final Translation: Savitr has stopped the earth with
the controls. Savitr has firmly fixed the heaven in the
unsupported (atmosphere). Savitr has milked the atmos-
phere raging like a horse, the ocean bound in the un-
trodden (space).
Notes:
Yāska's construction is:
धुनिम् अतुर्ते अन्तरिक्ष ( [dhunim aturte antarikṣa (] = अन्तरिक्षे ) अधुक्षत् |
[antarikṣe ) adhukṣat |
] Yaska thus takes antariksam in the sense of antarikse,
changing the case and samudram as an adjective of dhunim,
understanding the word in its atymological sense. He dis-
regards the sense 'atmosphere' of samudra given at Nigh.
1.3, p. 129. Yaska's construction is very awkward. The
following is the natural and the simplest way of constru-
-
ing the line - सविता अतूर्त्ते (रजसि) बद्ध समुद्र,
अश्वम् इव धुनिम्
इव धुनिम्
अन्तरिक्षम् अधुक्षत् ।
[savitā atūrtte (rajasi) baddha samudra,
aśvam iva dhunim
iva dhunim
antarikṣam adhukṣat |
] Antariksam is the object and dhunim, a common property
between aśvam and antariksam and again samudram is in
