Questions of King Milinda Part 01

SR No.: 007681
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T W Rhys Davids
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1890
Total Pages: 2695
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 47 MB

Page 1104

V KANDA, 4 ADHYÂYA, 3 BRÂHMANA, 8. 99
Kshatriya, and because he is a Sacrificer: therefore he says, 'Indra's thunderbolt thou art.'
5. Having turned it (so as to stand) inside the Vedi, he yokes it with, 'I yoke thee by the direction of Mitra and Varuna, the directors1;' for Mitra and Varuna are the two arms, and by his arms the Râganya belongs to Mitra and Varuna: that is why he says, 'I yoke thee by direction of Mitra and Varuna, the directors.'
6. He yokes it with four (horses). He passes along by the same way as that on which the dakshinâs go,-behind the Sadas, and in front of the hall. He stops it behind the kâtvâla, and in front of the Agnidhra.
2
7. He mounts it with, 'For unfeebleness (I mount) thee, for svadhâ3 (I mount) thee!'-by 'for unfeebleness thee' he means to say, 'for a state free from afflictions (I mount) thee;' by 'for svadhâ thee' he means to say, 'for life-sap (I mount) thee; '—'I, the unharmed Arguna!' Now Indra is called Arguna, which is his mystic name; and this (king) is Indra for a twofold reason, namely because he is a Kshatriya, and because he is a Sacrificer : therefore he says, 'the unharmed Arguna.'
8. He then goads on the right yoke-horse, with, 'Conquer thou by the impulse of the Maruts!! For the Maruts are the clansmen, and it is by his
1 Prasâstri, 'the director,' is also another name for the Maitrâvaruza priest.
That is, the cows given to priests as sacrificial fee. For particulars regarding the passage by which they are driven to their destination, see part ii, p. 344, note 1.
* Probably here 'for well-being;' the author, however, evidently takes it here in the sense of 'invigorating potion,' the drink offered to the deceased ancestors.
H 2
Digitized by Google