Madhuvidya

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

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M. A. MEHENDALE
sajóşasā năsatyā ráthena). And in the following two quarters of the verse we read yuvor hi nah sakhya pítryāņi samanó bándhur utá tásya vittam. This can refer to the singers' reminding the Asvins of the fact that their parents had driven with them in their chariot (sakhyá pítryāni), and that since the singers also enjoy the same privilege, this is the common bond between the singers and the gods. A Muni, impelled by the gods, is described as vátasyaśvo vāyóh sákhã (10.136.5). In the context of the horse, sákhã seems to mean 'charioteer' ('the horse of Vata, the charioteer of Váyu'). Similarly, the Maruts who bring the healing remedies with them are addressed as yűyáin sakhāyaḥ saptayaḥ 'you, the charioteers, (you) the horses' (8.20.23).
When in RV 10.27:6 we read, yé ninidúh sákhāyam ádhy ū no eșu pavayo vavrtyuḥ, this means that those who have ridiculed the warrior (sákhāyam), on them may the rims of the chariot roll'. In the RV, if the horses are called sákhāyā, what is intended to convey is perhaps not that the horses are friends of each other but that they share the same chariot, i.e. are yoked to the same chariot. Cf. hárī vi mucā sákhāyā 'unyoke the horses who draw the same chariot' (6.40.1), bráhmaņā te brahmayújā yunajmi hárī sákhīyā sadhamáda āśú 'I yoke for you with a prayer at a common Soma. session your two horses who are (customarily) yoked by a prayer, (horses) who draw the same chariot, the quick ones' (3.35.4), á ca tvam etá vísana váhäto hári sckhāyā sudhúrā svángā 'May these strong horses, who draw the same chariot with a good yoke and whọ have beautiful limbs, carry you here' (3.43.4).
The word sakhi is often used in the context of the verb yuj'to yoke' or some derivative from it and these uses also support the new interpretation of sákhi. Vişnu is called indrasya yújyah sákhā (1.22.19) which means 'riding with Indra in the same chariot, fit to be yoked', i.e. a constant co-traveller with Indra. When, however, sákhi and yújya are used to denote two different persons, one of them may refer to the charioteer and the other to the fighter, both riding the same chariot. RV 2.28.10 reads yo me rājan yújyo vā sákhā vā svápne bhayán bhiráve máhyam áha 'who, oh king told me, the timid one, frightful things in dream, whether the fighter 5. Also cf. RV 10.29.8 where many tribes are said to be striving for a drive
with Indra (yatante sakhyaya pirvih). This interpretation of sakhyá in this verse is suggested by the context where in the same verse Indra is asked to mount the chariot (d smá táthar ná přtanasu tiştha yár bhadráyā sumatya codayáse). For the context of the chariot also cf. RV 10.64.7 prá vo väyúm rathayújar púrandhinu stómaiḥ krudhvar sakhyaya püsánam. "You make with your praise songs Váyu, Purandhi and Püşan yoke the chariot so that all may drive together (sakhyaya)'. Maruts are called súkhāyaḥ of Indra in the context of the horses yoked to a chariot vátasya yuktant suyújas cid ásván
kavíś cid eşó ajagann avasyuh / viśve te átra marutan sálhayah (5.31.10). 6. Also 3.43.1 priya sákhärä vi muca.
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