Most Ancient Aryan Society

Author(s): Ram Chandra Jain
Publisher: Institute of Bharatalogical Research Sriganganagar Rajasthan

Page 197

( 170 ) Samanic mind4. Thus we find that all the Gana-members, their lesser leaders, the devas and Ganapati all possessed Samanic mind. They all participated in Samanic festivities with one mindedness, with full accord, with like wisdom. The word 'Samanasaḥ' in these contexts, means 'of one mind or of one accord or with one mindedness. It is here used in the technical sense of Samana social institution. It indicates the idea of collective Gaņa-festivity. It appears, in these contexts, to mean 'with Samana thinking, with Samanic view'.
Roth renders the word Samana either 'battle' or 'festival'. Pischel thinks that it was a general popular festivity to which women went to enjoy themselves, poets to win fame, bowmen to gain prizes at archery, horses to run races, and which lasted until morning or until a conflagration, caused by the fires kept burning all night, scattered the celebraters18. I agree with Pischel that males and females met together in Samana for sexual and earthly enjoyments. But his other deductions are far-fetched. No poets want to win fame in Samana. The two Ķgvedic references (2.2.5.7 and 9.6.1.4) do not lead us to this conclusion. In the first Rc, all the Gaņa-members, led by Somahuti, of the race of Bhrgus, laud the heroic deeds of Indra after his victory in battle. In the second RC, Soma calls aloud in the Samana. Metaphor aside, all the Gaņa-members intoxicated by liquor spoke in loud voices. No single poet appears in these Rcs. Also, no bowman went to the Samana for gaining prize in archery. In the reference Rgveda 6. 6. 14. 3-5; the first two Rcs use the epithets Yoşā and Sakhã in Saman' and 'Samaneva Yoşā' in the sense above given. They are used as a simile. In the third şc; the word Samana is rightly used in the sense of battle as an adversary warrior is struck in the back and no adversary could be allowed to join the Samana for being