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( 136 ) amongst the coalescing members. The epithet Gana was, then, transferred from the cattle to their masters who had been brought up in the same atmosphere of collectivity and supreme authority. Shepherd may be understood as Paśupati, the head-shephered as Samudāya-pati and the shepherdin-chief as Ganapati. Ganapati was the supreme power and authority over his tribal collective ; the Gaņa. This primeval! institution of the Āryan Gaņa is their first experience in the organisations of their tribal collectives. The Aryan people voluntarily surrendered themselves as parts of the collective. machine.
Višwedevas, Brhaspati, Indra, Soma, Puşan, Agni and Maruts were all Ganapaties. Indra loosens his steeds, sits in his Gaņa and drinks Soma. Indra is sought to be satisfied by amiable members of his Gaņa. Puşan acquires the desired cattle for gratifying his Gaņa.° și Syāvasva invokes the Gaņa of Agni and Viśāḥ of Maruts,to Sāyaņa" wrongly relates the word Ganam with the silent word Maruts as he later in this very Řc comments the word visāḥ also as Gaņa (of the Maruts). Word 'sardhantamā? may also go with the word Gaņam. Word Gaņa relates to Agni. in this context. Gaņas of Maruts are very frequently referred to in Rgveda.1Rşi Avatsara prays Viswedevas and adores their Gana obtaining thereby his desired objects in both the worlds from the Gaņa after the destruction of the foes.15 Bịhaspati, with the help of bis Gana, destroyed malignant Vala and drove forth the cattle,14 The event refers to the plundering of the cattle of Vala by Bșhaspati and his Gaņa. This description significantly establishes that the members of a Gana were real human beings. They acted like human beings for material objects.
The original Aryan home possessed thick forests where mass fire was not an uncommon phenomena. It appears
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