Upabrmhana and Rgveda Interpretation

Author(s): T G Manikar
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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The Hymn of Agastya and Lopamudra (1. 179)
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spell for the atonement for the loss or violation of the vows of chastity and purity. To Thieme the speech of the Brahmacarin or the student of Agastya appears to refer to the main item of the hymn and the rest is only the background and the result. To some the hymn is an erotic slang' and has improper expressions. M. Bergaigne is of the view that the hymn has mystical and spiritual significance. He regards Agastya as identifiable with the celestial Soma and the wtfe Lopamudra as identifiable with 'ardent, fervent Prayer'. The hymn according to him, narrates the success of a fervent prayer after a long endeavour, in drawing down the Soma from his secret dwelling place, Bergaigne is possibly influenced by the sudden and somewhat unexpected reference to the Soma (5). The main objection against this view of Bergaigne is that nowhere in the entire Rgveda is Agastya the Soma or Lopamudra, the prayer.
Griffith, Wilson and others who follow Sayana regard the hymns as a dialogue between the Sage Agastya and Lopamudra, his wife with a verse spoken by a Brahmacarin who is a student of Agastya and who has overheard the conversation of the couple, Griffith introduces the hymn as follows: The deified object of this hymn is said to be Rati or Love, and its Rishis or authors are Lopamudra, Agastya, and a disciple. Lopamudra is represented as inviting the caresses of her aged husband Agastya, and complaining of his coldness and neglect. This is given in the two opening verses. Agastya responds in the third verse as well as in the half of the fourth; in the second half of the fourth stanza the poet or the disciple briefly tells the result of the dialogue. The verse that follows, that is the fifth, is supposed to be spoken by a disciple of Agastya who has overheard the conversation, but its connection with the rest of the hymn is not very apparent.
The Bṛhaddevata arrangement of these verses in the hymn is as follows. With the first two stanzas Lopamudra expresses her purpose and then Agastya, desiring to enjoy himself, satisfied her with the following two verses, namely the third and the fourth. The disciple of Agastya becoming aware by austerity of the whole condition of these two desiring to enjoy themselves, but thinking that he had committed a sin (enas) in listening sang the last two verses, namely the fifth and the sixth. The end of the entire episode is that the preceptor and his wife lauding and embracing him kissed him on the head, and smiling both of them said to him 'you are sinless, son'. It will be easily seen that for this conclusion there is nothing in the hymn itself. Sayaṇa also assigns these verses to the different speakers in this very manner but there is not the conclusion given in the Brahddevata,
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In opposition to the view of Von Schroeder who regards the hymn as view of P. S. Sastri
ritual drama of vegetation magic'
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