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JULY, 1983
to some the illegitimate son of a Ksatriya who knows the habits and intentions of soldiers".34
The "two significant words in the Vedas, viz. 'vratani' (Rv. III. 25-6) and vratyābhām (Av. 19.23.25)"35 throw light upon the meaning and significance of the term 'vratya'. It seems that the Vratyas were a band of mobile fighting aboriginal tribes of ancient India with whom the Vedic Aryans came into clash as it is suggested by the attribute 'vratasahah'36 given to the Aryan heroes.
According to Panini, vrata was a Sangha which lived by violence. 37 Dr. V. S. Agrawal thinks that "the vratas seem to have been the same as Vratyas"38 and the word 'utsedha' of the Kātikā corresponds to Prasedha of the Latyāyana Srauta Sutra,39 while Patanjali refers to vrata as sangha.40 Sayana explains the word 'vrata,'41 as vratyasamudaya, Weber holds the view that Vratas or Vratinas were non-brahmanical
34 Sanskrit-English Dictionary, p. 1043.
(a) Vratyagana-the Vragrant class.
(b) Vratyacarya-the life and practice of Vagrant.
35
36
(c) Vratyatva-the condition of a Vratya.
(d) Vratyadhana-The property of a Vratya.
39
(e) Vratyayajaka-one who sacrifices for a Vratya.
(f) Bangiya Sabdakosa (by H. C. Bandopadhyaya), p. 2237.
(i) Vyasa-1. 20 vedavratacyuta vratyah.
41
(ii) Sulayajurveda, XXX. 8 Savitripatitah. (iii) Yajnavalkya 1. 38; Visnupurana, 27. 27. See Vratyas in Ancient India, p. 73, Fn. 12.
31
vratamvratam ganam ganam (Rv. III. 26.6). vratyabhyam svaha (Av. 19. 23-25).
vratasahah, Rv. VI. 75. 9. yo va senanirmahato ganasy raja vratasva prathama vabhuva, Vide Vratyas in ancient India, p. 14.
37
utsedha jivinah samgha vrata, Panini, Kasika, V. 3. 11. 3.
38 Dr. Vasudev Agrawal, India as Known to Panini, p. 440,
According to Bloomfild (Vedic Concordance) vrata has been defined as Samghatmaka (Rv. 1. 163-8).
(anu vratasastava sakhyanuyu etc.)
avivaksitagana (Rv. 5.5.11); samuha (Gopatha Brahmana 6. 79. 51) and also in Raghuvamsa (XII. 94)
Vide Vratyas in Ancient India, p. 13.
vratyaprasedhamanayanti-comm. lokamasedhantah prasayantah, LSS, VIII 6.7.
40 vratena jivati kim vratam nama ? nana jatiya aniyatavrttaya utsedhajivinah samgha vratah tesam karma vratam vratakarmana jivatiti vratinah, Patanjali's Mahabhasya, 5.2.21.
T. M. B., XVII. 1. 5.
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