Madhuvidya

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

Page 639

at the time of concluding a contract and because fire is elsewhere identified with mitra. Linguistically, as pointed out by Thieme, ayám must refer to something that is before the eye, and ajanista, as an aorist form, must refer to a happening that has just taken place. But if we accept Thieme's inter pretation, this verse, which occurs in 'the only hymn that is dedicated to Mitra in its entirety' (p. 39), would refer to Agni and not to Mitra. This is not quite happy. Thieme tries to add to the force of his argument by pointing out that the last two quarters of this verse-tásya vayá sumataú yajñiyasdpi bhadré saumanasé syāma-are identical with the RV 3.1.21 cd which are addressed to Agni. But this evidence loses any force it has when one nočices that in the RV 3.59 itself in verse 3 the seer says vayář mitrás ya sumataú syāma.
It is, however, not necessary to interpret this verse as referring to fire in order to justify the use of ayam and ajanista. It can very well refer to the contract that has been just concluded and has been identified with god Contract. This will satisfy all requirements of the linguistic usage, bring abou: a natural connection between ayám and mitráh which s:and close to cach other in the verse, and will not force us to assign a verse in the Mitra hymn to Agni.
4. On pp. 73 f., Thieme shows how in a number of passages in the RV it makes perfect sense when ari is translated by (1) enemy, and (2) guest. On p. 74, however, he says that there are certain passages in which we mighl translate ari by 'host'. In support, he cites RV. 3.43.2 :
d yahi pūrvi'r áti carşani't am aryá asisa úpa no háribhyām
'Come here, across many peoples! Here, to the blessings of the host, to us with thy horses!' In his Fremdling (p. 27), however, Thieme interprets ari in this verse as 'stranger' and translates arya žśişah by "den Segenswünschen für den Fremdling". He adds, by way of explanation, that a stranger, when received with blessings, becomes a friend. It should be possible to agree with Thieme in interpreting in the present verse ari as 'stranger', and not as 'hosi', but it would be difficult to agree with his translation of aryá äśişah "blessings for the stranger' (aryé dat.). We better take atyáh as gen. sg. (as in the RV. 8.54.7) and translate the expression as 'the blessings of the stranger'. The stranger, in all probability, is the one who has agreed to act as priest at a sacrifice (cf. the very first and other verses in this hymn which speak of sacrifice). It is to these blessings of the priest given to the sacrificer that Indra is invited to come across many peoples.
Madhu Vidya/614