Madhuvidya

SR No.: 006525
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: S D Laddu, T N Dharmadhikari, Madhvi Kolhatkar, Pratibha Pingle
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 2001
Total Pages: 762
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Literature, & Philosophy
File Size: 17 MB

Page 137

THE ABODE OF MITRA
M. A. MEHENDALE
Having demonstrated (Varuna 1. 9-12) that the abode of Varuņa is in waters, Luders observes (pp. 12-13) that it is much more difficult to determine what the abode of Mitra is. The question, he says, can be answered really negatively : it is not water. But he next proceeds to point out that there is only one passage in the Rgueda, viz. 5.3.1 which permits us to draw the conclusion that Mitra has something to do with light. In the verse it is said that Agni is Varuņa when born ; he becomes Mitra when kindled (tvám agne váruno jdyase yát, tvář mitró bhavasi yut sdmiddhaḥ). Luders rightly points out that the basis for the first statement is that Agni is born in waters and laruna dwells in waters. He argues that a similar relationship appears to have existed between Mitra and the rising flame which forms the basis for the latter statement of the verse. He admits that at this stage anything more can hardly be said.
Luders has, no doubt, very ingeniously thrown out the hint that the flame of the fire might he considered the abode of Mitra. But it appears that while doing so he has, perhaps, misscd the mark only slightly. The two words jd yase and sámiddhah in the verse cited above seem significant. Agni is Varuna at the moment of his birth (jdyase) in waters. The birth in waters is implied by his being called Varupa who dwells in waters. Next, he becomes Mitra when he rises in flames (sdmiddhah) and this stage occurs when the spark i hat was produced from water comes into contact with some kind of wood (óşadhi, vána, vanaspati). Hence it is more likely that wood, rather than the rising flame of fire, is the abode of Mitra. Agni thus becomes Mitra when it comes into contact with wood
......dass Mitra etwas mit dem Lichte zu tun hat." What Lüders very proba. bly means ty Licht' is not 'light' but 'fire'. This becomes clear from his later remark: Mitra hat also wirklich seinen Sitz im Feuer, wie Varuna im Wasser-etwas, was sich uns schon früher als wahrscheinlich ergab". (P 38). For Agni bcing looked upon as Mitra when born see RV 3. 59.4 and Thieme, Mitra and Anyaman, p. 19.
2
Madhu Vidyā/112