The Apri-hymns (study and reappraisal)
by Barnali Goswami | 2015 | 69,672 words
This page relates ‘Description of the deity Tanunapat’ of the study dealing with the Apri-hymns,—certain “propitiatory” verses that are recited during a Vedic sacrifice in order to “please” or “invite” the Gods and the sacrifice itself. This essay emphasizes the centrality of Yajna (sacrifice) and Agni (fire-god) in a complex ritual system aimed at the well-being of the Yajamana (i.e., the person who sponsors the Vedic sacrifice). The study also argues for the need to reassess these Apri-hymns not only in the Rigveda (already studied) but across the broader Vedic corpus, linking them to fire-cult.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 2 - Description of the deity Tanūnapāt
Tanūnapāt is the second Āprī-deity. For deriving the name Tanūnapāt, Yāska mentions Kātthakya’s view that holds that Tanūnapāt means clarified butter, i.e. ghṛta.[1] Yāska says that the word napāt means a progeny who is not the immediate descendant but represents the third generation. By tanū, derived from the root tan meaning “to spread”, the cow is meant. From her, spread out the delicious eatables. The cow produces milk and from that milk, comes clarified butter.[2] So, clarified butter is the third stage of the essence (napāt) of the cow (tanū). Thus, Tanūnapāt denotes clarified butter. Yāska also quotes the view of Śākapūṇi, saying—“agniriti śākapūṇiḥ”. According to Śākapūṇi, Tanūnapāt is Agni. Yāska shows that in this case waters are called tanū, because they spread out in the atmosphere in the form of clouds. The herbs and trees are born with the help of rain-waters, and the fire is generated from herbs and trees.[3] Thus, here comes the waters first, then herbs and trees, and then fire. Accordingly, Agni is
Tanūnapāt, i.e. the grand-child of the atmospheric waters. The Āprī-verse Ṛgveda-saṃhitā X.110.2,[4] dedicated to Tanūnapāt is quoted by Yāska in this context. In this ṛk, Tanūnapāt is addressed as sujihva. Here, the use of the word jihva seems to be significant. The flames of fire are often compared to a tongue, i.e. jihvā. Hence, the verse can undoubtedly be taken to be dedicated to Agni. Yāska, while explaining this verse, gives the meaning of sujihva as kalyāṇajihva. Tanūnapāt (Agni), who has pure tongues, i.e. flames, is prayed for making pleasant the paths, i.e. haviṣ or oblation, which lead the sacrifice to the abode of gods, anointing with honey. He is invoked for taking the sacrifice of the sages and their thoughts along with their wisdom, to the gods.31
Having accepted the etymology of the term tanūnapāt given by Yāska to explain the view of Kātthakya, according to which clarified butter (ājya) is the third generation of cow (tanū), Sāyaṇa has taken tanūnapāt as meaning yajña in which ājya is used.[5] In another place Sāyaṇa seems to take the word napāt as denotative of the fourth generation, when by tanūnapāt he means Agni who is produced from clarified butter which is produced from milk which is again produced from the cow.[6] Śākapūṇi’s view and the other etymology of the term tanūnapāt denoting Agni as presented by Yāska is supported by Sāyaṇa. According to him, Agni produced from the attrition of the two araṇī-woods which spring out of the waters is their third generation.[7] The commentator Sāyaṇa has presented some other explanations according to which the term tanūnapāt means yajñaśarīrasya napātayitā or apāṃ napātayitā or tanūnāṃ śarīrāṇāṃ na pātayitā, i.e. that which is not the destroyer of the body of sacrifice, or of the waters, or of the bodies (of men).[8] These explanations given by Sāyaṇa in support of Agni’s being Tanūnapāt strengthen the point that Agni is the guardian of all. In this context the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa may be referred to, in which Tanūnapāt has been declared as the life (prāṇa)–the power which protects the body from destruction.[9] According to Skandasvāmin, the waters for being extant in the atmosphere are tanvaḥ, i.e. bodies and their napāt, i.e. pautra, i.e. third generation is Agni. Thus, from the waters the herbs and trees are generated, and from these the fire (Tanūnapāt) is generated.[10] Mudgala has also acknowledged Tanūnapāt as a name of Agni.38 Veṅkaṭamādhava is also of the same opinion.
The Ṛgvedic Āprīs tanzas addressed to Tanūnapāt have presented him as kavi in I.13.2, as yajña (worthy of worship) in I.188.2, as the one to whom the gods Varuṇa, Mitra and Agni offer sacrifice three times every day, in III.4.2, and as sujihva (having bright flames) in X.110.2. Being a form of Agni Tanūnapāt has been appealed for carrying the oblations of the sacrifice to the gods.[11] In the ṛk IX.5.2
Tanūnapāt represents the god Soma–
This deity has been described in the stanza as the one who shines in the atmosphere (antarikṣeṇa rārajat).
In the commentary on the first Āprī-hymn in the Vājasaneyī Saṃhitā, Uvaṭa has supported the view of Kātthakya that Tanūnapāt is ājya and also its explanation given by Yāska, and has taken the term to qualify Indra.[13] In the commentary on the same hymn Mahīdhara has shown different explanations of the term tanūnapāt showing it as denotative of Indra.
The first explanation is as follows–
tanūnapāt tanoti vistārayati sṛṣṭiṃ tanūḥ prajāpatirmarīcistasya napāt pautraḥ kaśyapātmaja ityarthaḥ.[14]
That which expands the creation is tanū. And he is Prajāpati Marīci, i.e. the sun-god who is the lord of all creatures. His grandson, i.e. Kaśyapa’s son, is Tanūnapāt. Here, the word kaśyapa may be taken as standing for the rays of the sun.[15]
According to yet another explanation given by Mahīdhara, Tanūnapāt is a form of Agni which does not destroy the tanū, i.e. body, but rather protects it by staying inside it as the digestive heat–
yadvā tanūṃ śarīraṃ na pātayati rakṣati jāṭharāgnirūpeṇeti tanūnapāt agnistadrūpaḥ.[16]
In yet another explanation Mahīdhara seems to mean Agni by the word tanūnapāt when he gives its meaning as ghṛtarūpastadvān vā, because Agni has many times been described in the Veda as butter-shaped (ghṛtanirṇik), butter-faced (ghṛtapratīka), etc.[17] In another place both Uvaṭa and Mahīdhara have explained the word tanūnapāt as Agni or as clarified butter, in accordance with the views of Śākapūṇi and Kātthakya.[18] The stanza XXIX.2 of the Vājasaneyī Saṃhitā has not mentioned Tanūnapāt by name but is meant by the word ghṛta which according to Uvaṭa and Mahīdhara is as a synonym of this deity.[19] In the stanza XX.37 of this Saṃhitā Tanūnapāt represents Indra. The word tanūpā meaning the two protectors of physical forms is used in place of tanūnapāt, and it is used to characterize the Aśvins in XX.56. Here, the tanūpā and the Aśvins along with Sarasvatī have been prayed for filling up the worlds with honey and for carrying the essence of strength for the sake of Indra through the sacrificial paths. As Agni, Tanūnapāt is the processor of life-force (asura) and is the knower of all types of wealth (viśvavedā), and he is the god who shines among the gods (devo deveṣu devaḥ).48
The praise of Tanūnapāt in the Atharvavedic Āprī-hymn V.27 as the most bright one (dyumattamā), the asura, having beautiful shape (supratīka) and many hands (bhūripāṇi) confirms the view that Tanūnapāt is none other than Agni.
In the view of Śaunaka the terrestrial Agni, being the napāt of the celestial Agni, is denotative of Tanūnapāt. Śaunaka in support of his view has stated that the celestial Agni is tanu derived from the root tan (to spread), because he spreads out himself. From him is born Agni of the mid-region and from him the terrestrial Agni.[20]
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
[3]:
cf., āpo’tra tanva ucyate, tatā antarikṣe tābhya oṣadhivanaspatayo jāyante, oṣadhivanaspatibhya eṣa jāyate, Nirukta, 8.5.
[4]:
cf., Vājasaneyī Saṃhitā, XXIX.26; Atharvaveda, V.12.2. 31. cf., tanūnapāt patha ṛtasya yānān yajñasya yānān madhunā samañjan svadaya kalyāṇajihva! mananāni ca no dhībhiryajñaṃ ca samardhaya devān no yajñaṃ gamaya, Yāska on Ṛgveda-saṃhitā, X.110.2 under Nirukta, 8.5.
[5]:
[6]:
cf., napādityanantarāpatyanāmadheyam gauratra tanūrucyate tatā asyāṃ bhogāḥ kṣīrādaya iti tasyāḥ payo jāyate payasa ājyaṃ tasmādagniḥ, Sāyaṇa on Ṛgveda-saṃhitā, X.110.2.
[7]:
cf., agnipakṣe āpastanva ucyante tābhya oṣadhivanaspatayḥ tebhyo’gniriti naptṛtvam araṇībhyāmiti bhāvaḥ, Sāyaṇa on ibid., I.142.2.
[8]:
cf., Sāyaṇa on ibid., I.188.2; III.4.2.
[9]:
[10]:
cf., āpo’tra tanva ucyante antarikṣe tatatvāt tāsāṃ napāt pautraḥ ko’sau agniḥ katham adbhya oṣadhivanaspatayo jāyante oṣadhivanaspatibhya eṣa jāyata iti tasya sambodhanam he tanūnapāt, Skandasvāmin on Ṛgveda-saṃhitā, I.13.2. 38 cf., … agne ǃ tanūnapāt ǃ etannāmakastvam ǃ, Mudgala on ibid.
[11]:
cf., Ṛgveda-saṃhitā, I.13.2; X.110.2.
[12]:
Sāyaṇa on ibid., IX.5.2.
[14]:
Mahīdhara on ibid. This particular interpretation however, is based on Purāṇic idea and thus has no Vedic basis.
[15]:
In the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 7.5.1.5, it is said that the lord of the creatures is called kūrma, because he created everything. And this kūrma is same as kaśyapa—… prajāpatiḥ prajā asṛjata yadasṛjata akarot tasmātkūrmaḥ, kaśyapo vai kūrmaḥ …. Prajāpati as one knows is none other than the Sun which is the source of all creation. It is its rays which are instrumental in the Sun’s act of creation. Hence, the sun-beams are to be meant by the word kūrma or the word kaśyapa.
[16]:
Mahīdhara on Vājasaneyī Saṃhitā, XX.37.
[17]:
cf., Mahīdhara on ibid. Also see chap. III of the present thesis.
[18]:
cf., Uvaṭa and Mahīdhara on Vājasaneyī Saṃhitā, XXI.13.
[19]:
cf., atra ghṛtaśabdastanūnapācchabdaparyāyaḥ, Uvaṭa on ibid., XXIX.2. Also see, atra ghṛtaśabdastanūnapādvācī, Mahīdhara on ibid. 48 cf., ibid., XXVII.12.
[20]:
cf., ayaṃ tanūnapādagnir asau hi tananāttanuḥ tatastu madhyamo jajñe sthāne’yaṃ madhyamāttataḥ anantarāṃ prajāmāhur napāditi kṛpaṇyavaḥ napādamuṣya caivāyam agnistena tanūnapāt, Bṛhaddevatā, II.26-27. Also see ibid., III.1.