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 2327

VIII KANDA, 3 ADHYAYA, 3 BRAHMANA, 8. 53 he puts
worlds that is 'asrivayas.' Hereafter, now, down only defined metres.
6. The Pankti metre! the Ushnih metre! the Brihati metre! the Anush tubh metre! the Virag metre! the Gayatri metre! the Trishtubh metre! the Gagat! metre!' these eight defined metres, including the Virâg, he puts down. -[The back set, with, Vâg. S. XIV, 19], 'The metre Earth! the metre Air! the metre Heaven! the metre Years! the metre Stars! the metre Speech! the metre Mind! the metre Husbandry! the metre Gold! the metre Cow! the metre Goat! the metre Horse!' he thus puts down those metres which are sacred to those particular deities. [The left set, with, Vâg. S. XIV, 20], 'The deity Fire! the deity Wind! the deity Sun! the deity Moon! the deity Vasavah! the deity Rudrâh! the deity Âdityâh! the deity Marutah! the deity Visve Devâh! the deity Brihaspati! the deity Indra! the deity Varuna!'-these deities, doubtless, are metres it is these he thus lays down.
7. He lays down both defined and undefined (metres). Were he to lay down such as are all defined, then the food would have an end, it would fail; and (were he to lay down) such as are all undefined, then the food would be invisible, and one would not see it at all. He lays down both defined and undefined ones: hence the defined (certain) food which is eaten does not fail.
8. These then are those (sets of) twelve he lays down, that makes thirty-six, and the Brihati consists of thirty-six syllables: this is that same Brihati, the air, which the gods then saw as a third
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