Madhuvidya

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

Page 36

ON CAKRAN NA IN THE RGVEDA X 95.12.13
117
sa desah pararäştrāņi pratigrhyābhivardhitah /
bhişmena vihitam răstre dharmacakram avartata // When the saṁsāra is thought of as a continuously moving wheel, it is said in the Mahābhārata 11.162. (Cal. cdn.)---
evar sam săracakrasya parivyttam vidur budhäh/ In one of the aphorisms, the relationship between the master and the servants is described in the terms of the spokes of a wheel and its navel--and even with regard to this whcel the use of Vvart is not missed.--
araih sandhäryate näbhir nābhau cārāḥ pratisthitäh / svāmisevakayor evamvrtti cakram pravartate !! Ind.Spr. 212, Subhāṣita
ratnabhändägara 3.87, Pañcatantra 1.89. The combination of cakrá and Vvart seems to have been regarded so fixed that occasionally the same verb is also used with the associates of the wheel like pavi, and as the wheel forms a part of the chariot, it is not uncommon to find Vvart used with rátha itself.
víśvāḥ pinvathaḥ svásarasya dhénā ánu vāın ékaḥ pavir å vavarta / Rv. 5.62.2. 30 "You (Mitra and Varuņa) swell all the cows of the stall (?). Following you rolls hereward the one rim (i.e. the wheel = the sun or the year)." anaśvó jätó anabhisúr ukthyó ráthas tricakráḥ pári vartate rájah / Rv. 4.36.1.31 "The chariot, that has appeared without a horse, which is without a rein, which is praiseworthy, goes round the regions with three wheels." sukhó rátha iva vartatām krtyá krtyákrtam punaḥ / Av, 5.14.5. "May the witchcraft go back to its maker, like an easy (moving) chariot." tad yathaikapāt puruso yann ekataścakro vă ratho vartamāno bhresar nyeti......! tad yathobhayatahpāt puruşo yann ubhayataścakro va ratho vartamāno na risyati ...... Ait. Br. 5.5.8.32 “Just as a man with one foot while walking, or a chariot with a wheel on one side while moving, fails...... Just as a man with two feet while walking, or a chariot with wheels on both the sides while moving, does not come to harm...."
All the instances cited above show a constant use of cakráń with Vvart since the earlist times, and also its use as upamāna. Hence it would not be going away from the established usage when it is suggested, that in verse 12, the Samhita
30. Also cf. Rv. 10.27.6, (10.156.3 paním for pavim?); 5.81.5.
31. Also cf. Rv. 5.55.1. It may further be noted that suvít (and occasionally trivít) is one of the common epithets of a chariot in the Rgveda. cf. 1.34.9, 12; 47.2,7; 111.1 ; 118.2,3; 188.2,8; 2.40.3; 3.58.3; 4.33.8; 36.2; 44.5; 8.85.8 ; 10.39.1 ; 70.3; 85.20; 107.11.
32. Similar statement is found in the Chand. Up. 4.10 as well, where the relation between cakrá and Vvart is made cxplicit-sa yathaikapád vrajan ratho vaikena cakrena vartamūno Tisyati...... / sa yathobhayapád vrajan ratho vobhābhyāṁ cakrābyår vartamanah pratitişthati..........!
Madhu Vidyā/11