________________
INTRODUCTION.
xxiii
the subsequent emanation from these two of twenty Atharvanic and Angirasic descendant sages ?, and finally, the production by the Atharvans of the atharvana veda, by the Argiras of angirasa veda.
In another passage, I, 3, 4, the Gop. Br. also asserts the separate character of the Angiras and Atharvans; the latter are again associated with bheshagam, the former is made the base of a foolish etymology, to wit: bhdyishtham brahma yad bhrigvangirasah, yesrigiraso yesngiraso sa rasah, yestharvâno yestharvanas tad bheshagam. As regards the chronology and cause of this differentia
tion of atharvan and angiras the texts are Cause of the differentiation apparently wholly silent. The association of
of atharvan both names (and later of the name bhrigu and angiras.
e also) with the texts and practices of the fourth Veda may be sought in the character of these mythic beings. They are fire-priests, fire-churners, and the Atharvanic rites, as well as the house-ceremonies in general, centre about the fire, the oblations are into the fire. Fire-priests, in distinction from soma-priests, may have had in their keeping these homelier practices of common life. But whence the terrible aspect of the An. giras in contrast to the auspicious Atharvans? In the hymn about Sarama and the Panis, RV. X, 108, 10, Sarama threatens the Panis with the terrible Angiras, angirasas ka ghoráh. This statement, wholly incidental as it seems to be, is, of course, not to be entirely discarded. More important is the fact that Brihaspati, the divine purodha (purohita), is distinctly angirasa. In Kaus. 135, 9, Brihaspati Angirasa appears distinctly as the representative, or the divinity of witchcraft performances. In the Mahâbhârata he is frequently called angirasam sreshthah. In his function of body-priest of the gods it behoves him to
1 Doubtless by way of allusion to the twenty books in the existing redaction of the Sapnakfya-såkhå. The expression vimsino s ňgirasah is rep.ated Pâr. V, 2, 37, as a designation of the twenty books of the Saunakiya-sakhå in its present redactiou. .
? Avestan åtar., áthra-van and Vedic athar-van may be derivatives from the root manth, math (mth) churn.' But the absence of the aspiration in atarmakes the doubtful derivation still more doubtful.
Digized by Google
Digitized by
