2. Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā (h): Epithets of different beings and tribes

In the Śatarudriya section of the Vājasaneyisaṃhitā, some unique epithets of Rudra associating him with different classes of people have been found. He is represented as Kuluñcānāṃ Pati or the presiding god of land-grabber.^[1]

The word kuluñca is illustrated by Mahīdhara as:

kuṃ bhūmiṃ kṣetragṛhādirūpāṃ luñcanti haranti kuluñcaḥ kutsitaṃ luñcanti vā...^[2]

It means kuluñca is one who grabs the field and house of human beings. He is also spoken as Taskarāṇāṃ Pati or the lord of thieves, Muṣṇatāṃ Pati, lord of swordbearers, lord of those who roam at night and the lord of plunderers.^[3] Uvaṭa takes the word taskara like thief.^[4] According to Mahīdhara, those who steal paddy, etc. from the paddy field is called Muṣṇanta and their (muṣṇanta’s) protector is called Muṣṇatāṃ Pati.^[5] He is invoked as Pathīnāṃ Pati or the lord of paths, Puṣṭānāṃ Pati or the lord of noble and prosperous people.^[6] He is also addressed as Sabhāpati or the lord of assemblies, Aśvapati or master of horses,^[7] Gaṇapati or the lord of troops,^[8] Satvanāṃ Pati or the lord of those who came to his refuge, Āvyādhinīnāṃ Pati or the master of brave soldiers who shoot from all sides.^[9]

Besides these above mentioned epithets, Rudra is portrayed as Jagatāṃ Pati or the lord of the universe, Annānāṃ Pati or the lord of food, Kṣetrāṇāṃ Pati or the lord of fields.^[10] He is called Bṛhat, Prathama,^[11] Īśāna, Bhagavān,^[12] Diśāṃ Pati or the lord of all regions as well as Paśūnāṃ Pati or the lord of animals,^[13] Vṛkṣāṇāṃ Pati or the lord of trees, Auṣadhīnāṃ Pati or the lord of medicinal plants.^[14]

In this Śatarudriya adhyāya of the Vājasaneyisaṃhitā, Rudra is portrayed as the deity not only in the higher castes but in lower castes also. Homage is paid to Rudra who reveals himself in the chariot-makers, potters, carpenters, blacksmiths, niṣādas and puñjiṣṭhas.^[15]

Mahīdhara remarks that:

niṣādā giricarā māṅsāśino bhillāstebhyo namaḥ.^[16]

According to Sāyaṇācārya,

pakṣipuñjānāṃ ghātakāḥ puñjiṣṭhāḥ.^[17]

From these references it can be understood that niṣādās are a class of people or tribes who are carnivorous and who roam in the mountains and puñjiṣṭhas are those who kill birds. According to P.M. Rath, Bhilla is a class of tribes.^[18]

A reference has been found in the Vājasaneyisaṃhitā, where the Adhvaryu, a Yajurvedic priest says addressing the horse thus—

pra tūrvannehyavakrāmannaśastī rudrasya gāṇapatyaṃ mayobhūrehi.^[19]

R.T.H. Griffith defines the meaning of this mantra as:

“Come, speeding on and trampling imprecations, come gladdening to the chieftainship of Rudra.”^[20]

This reference has cleared that Rudra is prayed as Gaṇapati or lord of hosts.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

nama uṣṇīṣiṇe giricarāya kuluñcānāṃ pataye namo...||Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā, 16.22

[2]:

Mahīdhara, Ibid.

[3]:

...stāyūnāṃ pataye namo...taskarāṇāṃ pataye namo...muṣṇatāṃ pataye namo...vikṛntānāṃ pataye namaḥ || Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā, 16.21

[4]:

taskaraścaura eva | Uvaṭa, Ibid.

[5]:

kṣetrādiṣu dhānyāpahartāro muṣṇantasteṣāṃ pālaka ya namaḥ | Mahīdhara, Ibid.

[6]:

pathīnāṃ pataye namo namo harikeśāyopavītine puṣṭānāṃ pataye namaḥ || Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā,16.17

[7]:

namaḥ…sabhāpatibhyaśca…aśvapatibhyaśca vo namo nama…|| Ibid., 16.24

[8]:

Ibid., 16.25

[9]:

…satvanāṃ pataye namo namaḥ …āvyādhinīnāṃ pataye namo…|| Ibid., 16.20

[10]:

...vyādhine’nnānāṃ pataye namo...jagatāṃ pataye namo...kṣetrāṇāṃ pataye namo...vanānāṃ pataye namaḥ || Ibid., 16.18

[11]:

Ibid.,16.30

[12]:

sahasrāṇi sahasraśo bāhvostava hetayaḥ | tāsāmīśāno bhagvaḥ parācīnā mukhā kṛdhi || Ibid., 16.53

[13]:

..diśāṃ ca pataye namo...paśūnāṃ pataye namo...|| Ibid., 16.17

[14]:

...vṛkṣāṇāṃ pataye namo...vārivaskṛtāyauṣadhīnāṃ pataye namo...kakṣāṇāṃ pataye namo...|| Ibid., 16.19

[15]:

Ibid., 16.27

[16]:

Mahīdhara, Ibid.

[17]:

Sāyaṇa on Taittirīya-saṃhitā, 4.5.4.14

[18]:

cf., Rath, P.M., Rudra-Śiva in the Vedas, p.151

[19]:

Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā, 11.15

[20]:

Vide, Griffith, R.T.H., The Texts of the White Yajurveda, p.89