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 363

18
M. A. MEHENDALE entered upon the session thinking, 'May we attain excellence! may we become glorious! may we become eaters of food!' And in like manner do these (men) now enter upon the sacrificial session thinking, 'May we attain excellence! may we become glorious! may we become eaters of food!'”
It is hardly necessary to give again many instances to show that what applies to truth and prosperity, applies equally to light (jyotiş). To give a random instance from the Rgveda we may cite: jīva jyótir asimahi (7.32.26) "living, may we obtain light", and refer to the famous prayer from the Bșhad. Up. tamaso mã jyotir gamaya (1.3,28) "Lead me from darkness to light."
As against the above passages showing that it were satya, śrī, and jyotiş which were considered as desirable possessions, we may cite a few others just to show that their opposites were never sought to be 'won', but were deemed as worth 'striking down or driven away' both by gods and men. (1) anşta : ávātiratam ánītāni víśvā sténa Mitrāvaruņā sacethe / RV.
1.152.1. "Alle Ungesetzlichkeiten unterdruecktet ihr; ihr haltet es mit dem Gesetz, Mitra und Varuna!"5
(GELDNER) (2) pāpman : yathā vai manusyā evaṁ devā āsan te 'kämayantāvart
tim päpmānam mộtyum apahatya daivim sarsadan gacchemeti ta etam Caturvimśatirätram apaśyan tam āharan tenāyajanta tato vai te 'varttim päpmānam mệtyum apahatya daivīm samsadam agacchan ya evam vidvānsas Caturvimsatirătram āsate 'varttim eva papmanam apahatya śriyam gacchanti śrir hi manuşyasya /
daivi samsaj.... (TS, 7.4.2.1-2). KEITH (HOS. 19.600): "As are men, so were the gods in the beginning. They desired, 'Let us strike off the misfortune, the evil of death, and reach the conclave of the gods.' They saw this twenty-four night (rite); they grasped it, and sacrificed with it. Then they struck off the misfortune, the evil of death,6 and reached the conclave of the gods. Those who knowing thus perform the twenty-four night (rite) strike off the misfortune, the evil, and win prosperity, for the conclave of the gods is in the case of man prosperity...."
3. Also cf. RV 2.27.11; 3.34.4; 4.1.14 etc.; VS 8, 52,20.21; AV 8.1.21; 8.2.2; Sat. Br. 14.1.1.33.
4. Rather Suntruths' and 'truth'. 5. Also cf. RV 7.66.13; VS 6.17; etc, 6. Rather 'evil (and) death'.
7. It may also be noted that while taking fire from the Gärhapatya, one says: uddhriyamāna uddhara pāpmano ma yad avidvān yac ca vidvárns cakāra/ (Sárkh. S.S. 2.6.6). Also cf. RV 1.24.9; 3.7.10; VS 3.45; AV 1.115.1-3; 10.1.10; 3.4; etc.
Madhu Vidyā/338