Madhuvidya

Author(s): S D Laddu, T N Dharmadhikari, Madhvi Kolhatkar, Pratibha Pingle
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 200

On Vedic Duroņa
M.A. MEHENDALE
jii.
1. The Vedic word duroņá is given in its loc. sg. form durne in the Nighantu as a synonym of house (grhanāmāni 3.4). The Sanskrit dictionaries (Grassmann, Böhuingk-Roth) too assign to it the same general meaning 'house, home, dwelling place'.
2. An examination of the passages where the word occurs in the Rgveda would, however, point out that the primary meaning of the word is a guest house', a dwelling for an átithi'.
A start in this direction is given by the following passages: i. átithir durona imám no yajñám úpa yahi (5.4.5) where Agni is invited to the
sacrifice as a guest to a guest house. ii. atithir duronasát (4.40.5) which expression clearly points out that the place
where a guest takes his seat is the duroná. yátha sam ádhvan chám ásad duroné'so that there may be weal on the way, weal
in the guest house' (10.37.10). 3. Since Agni is the most cherished guest of the Vedic sacrificers his association with duroná, a guest house, stands out very prominently in the Rgueda. Thus we read agniḥ.... nişatto ranvó duroņé, 'Agni ...., the agreeable one, seated in the guest house' (1.69.2; also 3 ranvó durone); ni duroné .... sasāda ..... agnih 'Agni has sat down in the guest house' (3.1.18); reváto duroné... átithih (Agni) a guest in the guest house of a richman' (7.42.4); it is Agni alone who is described as duronáyu 'longing for a guest house' (8.60.19).
4. On account of Agni's association with durona, the word has also come to mean 'the place of sacrifice' where fire is kindled and soma is pressed. Hence we read: ágne .... sámidhyase duroņé Agni, you are kindled in the place of sacrifice (3.25.5; also 4.2.7 å devayurinádhate durone); sámiddho adyá mánuşo durone (Agni is kindled today in the sacrificial place of the man' (10.110.1); 3.18.5; a sacrificer wants to please Agni in his own place of sacrifice (piprişati svá .... duroné 4.4.7); also cf. yasi daívánsam ..... istaye durone (7.92.3) where Väyu is spoken of as going to the place of sacrifice to receive offering, and duroná a devä etu prá no havih (8.19.27) where a sacrificer expresses his wish that his offering may reach the gods in the place of sacrifice. Duroņá or a place of sacrifice is also a place where soma is pressed: durona a nisitam somasudbhih' (Indra) is made sharp by the pressers of soma in the place of sacrifice' (4.24.8); dāśuso duroņé sutavatah 'in the sacrificial place of the sacrificer who has pressed somal (3.25.4). Såyana too, on occasions, is seen rendering durons as yajñagyha 1.69.2; 4.24.8; 7.92.3; 8.19.27; 10.104.4); Yāgagîha 7.70.2; devayajana (8.87.2); devayajanagyha (5.76.4); also of. 1.117.2); Xhavuniya 7.12.1.
5. Besides Agni, there are other deities also who visit the place of sacrifice either with Agni or alone.
(i) yad indragni madathah své duroné..... átha sómasya pibatam sutágya'since, oh Indra and Agni, you delight in your own place of sacrifice .... drink of this pressed soma' (1.108.7; also 3.25.4).4
Madhu Vidyā/175