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down into the realm of death; who is hated by them should be abandoned by "breath" (prana). The appearance of this notion of a "vital soul" next to that of as in the above passage would imply that as was not imagined as a vital force, that is, the "vital soul," in this context, but as a "free soul" heading the vital forces present in and bound to the body in the enumeration; alternatively, a differentiation of the concept of "vital soul" is conceivable, involving a specialized "vital soul" of breath-like nature and function ("breathing-soul") called präna, and a "vital soul" of a more general nature called as responsible for the maintenance of the body temperature, involuntary bodily movements (such as the opening and closing of the eye), the healing of wounds and breaks, etc." In the above passage, asu is also distinguished from a further vital force called (iii) ayus, the already mentioned full life-span of an individual (cf. above p. 131), which here is obviously understood as some subtle material potency that can be located in the body. dyws could thus be interpreted as a further power of life," namely, a specialized "vital soul of longevity" whose function lies in providing longevity inasmuch as in its presence the potential for enjoyment of the full human lifespan can be realized. The fourth vital force addressed in the passage is [iv] manas, translated by me as "mind," a term which is etymologically derived from a verbal root meaning "to think*** and used throughout the later periods of Indian religion and philosophy in multiple senses and under different ontological presuppositions specific to the respective traditions. Here and elsewhere, especially in the Rgveda where the notion of manas plays a much more prominent role than the notion of ass and where additional information about it is provided, the potency of thinking is normally referred to with the term. This potency is again conceived as a subtle material entity; it resides in the heart or in its vicinity and is responsible for the cognitive and other psychical functions, such as emotional, volitional-affective and intentional acts.” As it resides in the body and expresses the power of life" in a very distinctive way, manas would be still another specialized "body-soul": no other entity in the conceptual world of the Vedic people at that time could have contended with the manas for this special vital function
in the body of a living human being. I suggest to term this last-mentioned specialized "body" or "vital soul" "mental soul."60
The distinction between ask and präna in the above passage (3) as well as the differentiation from manas could be responsible for Bodewitz's assumption that the term asu in passages concerned with ill and dying persons in general refers to a "free soul." This would affirm the interpretation of the juxtaposition of ask and präna following the first alternative suggested above; thus, passage (3) would first refer to the individuating "free soul" (asu), then to three specialized
vital souls." However, Bodewitz's brief argumentation for this position is problematic because not only the "free soul," as pointed out by him, but also the vital soul" will leave the body at the time of death. As indicated under the second alternative suggested above, both terms may therefore refer to "vital souls" differentiated according to their functions. Under this interpretation four different "vital souls" are enumerated in this passage, starting with a general, basic or central "vital soul" (asu) and continuing with three specialized vital souls."
One further aspect has to be considered in the attempt to solve the problem of passage (3). At least in the present context of the rescue of a person from imminent death, manas seems to be especially closely related to the person and individuation because further on in the prayer manas is especially invoked not to go "there," not to vanish (i.e., from this world"),62 while the person (purusa) who "has" this manas is at the same time exhorted not to turn his/her attention from the living and follow the forefathers - the gods are called upon to protect him/her "here." Also in the prayer from which passage (2) has been taken (AV 5.30) the "complete manas" is singled out and brought in close connection with the person (purusa) in a later verse:
(4) "Stay here, O person, with the complete mind; do not follow the two messengers of Yama, (rather go to the strongholds of the living."
55 On the distinction between a general "vital souland "specialized "body-souls" (i.e., vital
qualities, functions and processes conceived as entities on their own), cf. Arbman 1926: 170. Concerning passage (3), however, Arbman assumes that ass and präna have the same function as "vital souls" (cf. Arbman 1927a: 15, n. 2) which is doubtful without further explanation. The assumption as such can be explained by Arbman's position that the term manas in this prayer refers to the "freesoul (cf. also below, p. 137) and the resulting ne
cessity to avoid the inadmissible duplication of the "free soul" in the present context. 56 Cf. also Arbman 1926: 192 on giốn leaving the body with the psyche.
Arbman's designation as "ego-soul" for this type of "body-soul" which he elevates to the "mental subject itself and in his historical reconstruction promotes to the role of a conscious "free soul is not felicitous as it may imply the prominent function of selfconsciousness which is not evident in connection with the usage of the term manas; cf. Arbman 1926: 170-172 on the "ego-soul" and more extensively Arbman 1927a: 158-175. In Arbman 1927a: 180, n. 1, however, he seems to distance himself from this implication as he states more carefully that the developed) idea of manas, as a reflex of selfconsciousness, comes close to the Upanişadic notion of the atman as the "T" in the sense of the subject and centre of all psychical experience and activity. In a similar vein Hasenfratz (1999: 734), who categorically distinguishes between the "body-soul" (= "vital soul") and the "ego-soul," specifies that the ego-soul" (i.c., its various functions) constitutes human
self-consciousness in the waking state. 61 Cf. Bodewitz 1991: 40. « On addressing the dead person the manas (just like the dead person - the psyche, cf.
above, n. 50) with "you cf. Arbman 1927a: 169 and 171-172 (with n. 2). 63 CE. AV 8.1.7. cf. also Oldenberg 1916: 528 and Arbman 1927a: 55 (equating "free soul" and
"person) and 169 (equating manas and free soul"). # Cf. AV 5.30.6; cf. also Arbman 1927b: 352 and 381.
man
58 On the understanding of manas as the soul in general cf. below, pp. 137-138. 59 Cl. Oldenberg 1916: 526.
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