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 175

M. A. MEHENDALE
DURATIVYATHA
xcessive the Upasain the ab
In the Kathakasaṁhitā 25.1 we read işum vă etā devās samaskurvan yad upasado 'gnim srngam somam šalyar vişnur tejanam / te 'bruvan yo va ojişthas sa imāṁ visrjatu / ... na prayājā bhavanti nānuyājāh / puro vā ete yajñasya yat prayājānuyājā yat prayājānuyājān kuryāt puro yajñasya kuryād durativyathar syād atiksnām isur kuryāt! « What are Upasads that these the gods indeed made into an arrow, (they made) Agni the tip, Soma the socket, Visnu the shaft. They said, "who among you is the strongest, let him release this (arrow)"... There are no Prayāja offerings, nor the Anuyājas. What are the Prayāja and the Anuyāja offerings they are, indeed, the forts of the sacrifice. If he were to offer the Prayāja and the Anuyāja offerings he would erect the forts for the sacrifice. (In that case his act of performing the Upasad) would not inflict excessive pain (on the enemies), (for) he would make the arrow in the form of the Upasads) blunt ».
What is intended to be conveyed in the above passage seems to be that if the sacrificer were to offer the Prayāja and the Anuyāja offerings that would be tantamount to his erecting forts around the sacrifice. Then the arrow, in the form of the Upasad işti, will first strike against these forts, would become blunt, and consequently inflict very little pain (durativyatham) on his enemies.
It is, perhaps, possible to understand the passage this way. However, there appears to be one difficulty. If the above sense was intended, the end portion of the passage would have read atiksnām isuṁ kuryād durativyathaṁ syāt, and not as the text actually stands.
It is therefore tempting to suggest a small emendation and read durativyadham « difficult to pierce through » in place of durativyatham. The emendation appears appropriate in the context of the shooting of an arrow. If the sacrificer were to offer the Prayāja and the Anuyāja
1. Also Kapisthalakatha, 38.4.
Madhu Vidyā/150