Indian Antiquary Vol 41

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 276

272
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
Wali: again. Bauria argot.
War: the force which pursues the raiders. Sirsa S. R., 1879-83, p. 31.
Warna: the waving of the offerings for the malignant deity ter the patient's head. Karnal S. R., 1872-80, p. 146.
Warpher: a ceremony of marriage performed by waving a pot of water over the bridegroom's head and then drinking a little of it and waving a rupee round his head. Karnal S. R., 1872-80, P. 130.
:
Watran a broadcast sowing; to sow when the moisture has sufficiently subsided to allow of ploughing and sowing. Hoshiarpur S. R.,
p. 88.
Watri cotton sown in June or July. Hoshiarpur S. R., p. 87.
Wehla soon; as wehla do: come soon. Bauria argot, Yamu (Kulu): the sardo deer; see god.
Ziri: fine rice. Cf. dhan, Karnal S. R., 1880, p. 178.
MISCELLANEA.
ON 'SIVA-BHAGAVATA' IN PATANJALI'S
MAHABHASHYA.
MUCH has been written by eminent scholars about the ancient sect of Bhagavatas. The earliest inscription making use of the word 'Bhagavata' as an attributive of a follower of a particular sect is that edited by Dr. Fleet in Jour. R. As. Soc., Oct. 1909, in which Heliodoros, son of Dion, of Takshasila, a Yonadúta of king Antialkidas at the court of Tråtår Raja Käsiputa Bhagabhadra, is described as a Bhagavata. Evidently he was a Vishnu-bhagavata, for the inscription commemorates the erection of a Garuda-dhvaja to devadeva Vasudeva.
I wish to draw the attention of scholars to the fact that Siva-bhagavatas can claim the same antiquity as Vishnu-bhagavatas. From the very earliest days there were two sects of Bhagavatas who believed Bhagavat, conceived either as Vishnu or Siva, to be the supreme cause, and bhakti or devotion to him as of more importance than ritual or sacrifice.
This inscription mentions Antialkidas Nikephoros who, according to Vincent Smith, was a contemporary with the early years of Eucratides circa. 170 B.C. Menander's invasion took place about 150 B.C., only a few years after, and his
siege of Saketa and Majjhamika is alluded to by
Patanjali in words which leave little doubt that the events took place in the lifetime of the great grammarian.
Now, Patanjali mentions the word Siva-bhagavata while commenting on Pânini V. 2. 76. The passage is as under:
अयः शूल-दण्डाजिनाम्यां ठक्-औ ६ । २ । ७६ किं येोऽयमूनिका ? किं चातः ?
शिवभागवते प्राप्नोति ।
[NOVEMBER, 1912.
एवं तर्क्युत्तरपदलोपोऽत्र द्रष्टव्यः । अयः शूलमिवायः शूलम् | यो मृदुनोपायेनान्वेष्टव्यानर्थावभसेनान्विच्छति उच्यत आय शूलिकः ।
An explanation of the context is necessary. Patanjali takes pains to explain that words formed by Panini V. 2. 72, 75 and 76, are not to be taken in a literal sense, but only in a metaphorical one. Thus sitaka, ushnaka (Pânini V. 2. 72) do not mean 'he who does cold,' or 'he who does hot,' for then they might be applied to snow or sun, but they respectively mean 'a person who takes a long time over doing a thing which has to be done soon,' and 'a person who does a thing betimes. Similarly, párévaka ( Pânini V. 2. 75.) does not mean 'he who seeks his ends by the side, for then it might mean 'a king's servant' but it is taken to mean 'one who proceeds to perform in a roundabout way things which can be performed in a straightforward manner.' We now come to Panini V.2. 76, from which we get the word Ayahéülika. Patanjali asks if this word is to be taken in the literal sense of one who goes about, or seeks his ends with an iron dart'? On this he asks, what would then happen? The reply is that then the word would apply to a Siva-bhagavata. Evidently, the members of that fraternity must then have been in the habit of going about, or seeking their ends, with an iron sala in hand. Finally Patanjali says that the word is not to be taken in the literal sense, and, therefore, cannot
apply to a Siva-bhagavata, but it is taken to apply
to express one who has recourse to extreme or harsh or rash measures to seek an end which can be secured by milder methods..
Patanjali's denial that the word does not apply to Śiva-bhagavatas is a proof of the existence of the class in those days. They must have used au iron spear as a distinctive mark like modern Jogis who carry an iron trident. Śiva's weapon is súla or trisila, whence his epithet Śúlí.
CHANDRADHAR GULERI.
Ajmer.