Sambodhi 1977 Vol 06

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 14

C. L. Prabhakar
Mitra has been a subject of study. Many scholars 4 have discussed Mitra attempting to find out Mitra's nature and character even on a comparative level with other mythologies of World. In such vast scope, a specific analysis regarding his personality with reference to YV particularly SYV seems to be expediert. In that connection an analysis of Vedic Mitra may be made hereunder. As for a separate study epic Mitra or Purānic Mitra could be discussed. Also a few remarks on Mitra of AV are incorporated here and there. It appears Mitra has no much individual importance in the galaxy of AV deities compared to the other deities like Agni or Indra.
YV considers Mitra and shows a few details to gather a beiter picture of Mitra compared to RV in certain aspects. There is no sacrifice in the YV wherein Mitra is not mentioned. This shows his importance in sacrifice. His blessings are sought for the success of sacrifiee and sacrificer in the Yy. In fact his connection to sacrifice and his personality, separately even, is already discussed in course of a thesis on SYV5. He is regarded under such group of deities of YV who have not elaborate references compared to Agni or Prajāpati. .
Mitra is referred to in the Vājasaneyi Samhitā (VS) for about forty six times spread into several Kandikas. Among them, Mitra is mentioned further along with Varuna for about fiftcen times. In the Satapatha Brāhmana only, Mitra is combined with Brbaspati and functioned in the capacity of another Devaladvandva viz., Mitra-Brhaspati. This is unique to YV. Mitra is not mentioned in about fourteen chapters of the VS which originally contains forty chapters. It is interesting to note that Mitra is mentioned in each sacrifice of the SYV. There is no Mitra in the last chapter (Isopanişad) of the VS. This ascertains Mitra's purview to limit to sacrificial portion of the VS only. Thereby Mitra in YV appears to be a deity invoked in sacrifices only and offerings are made to him as per the rites in then.
Veidc deities are described anthrophomorphically in YV also. Mitra is no exception. ...
Originally Mitra seems to be a manifestation of Agni only. Agni is a deity whose importance is established very well in Veda. But for practical purposes, a distinction for Mitra as a separate deity seems to have been maintained in Veda like other deities. Since Mitra is often referred as an 4 Like LUDWIG, LUIDERS, HILLEBRANDT, GONDA etc, have worked on Mitra
and the deities of Aditya Group. 5 See Author's Thesis sukla Yajurveda : A Study". Book-Mi (Mythology), submitted
to Poona University, Poona in 1968. Present article derives help from the said thesis.