३१

वैश्वदेवं शंसति ।

(The Nivid hymn for the Viśve Devâḥ. On the Dhâyyâs of the Vaiśvadeva Śastra. To what deities it belongs. On the concluding verse of this Śastra)

He repeats the Vaiśvadeva hymn.[21]

[21]This is â no bhadrâh kratavo (1, 89). The Nivid inserted before the last verse of this Viśvedevâḥ hymn is:

विश्वे देवाः सोमस्य मत्सन् । विश्वे वैश्वानराः । विश्वे हि विश्वमहसः । महिमहान्तः । तक्वान्नानेमतिथीवानः । आस्काः पचतवाहसः । वातात्मानो अग्निदूताः । ये द्यांच पृथिवी तस्थुः । अपश्च स्वश्च । ब्रह्म च क्षत्रं च । बर्हिश्च वेदिं च । यज्ञंचोरुचांतरिक्षं । येस्थ त्रय एकदशः । त्रयश्च त्रिंशच्च । त्रयश्च त्रीच शता । त्रयश्च त्रीच सहस्रा । तावन्तो भिषाचः । तावन्तो रातिषाचः । . तावतोः पत्नीः । तावतोर्ग्नाः । तावन्त उदरणे । तावन्तो निवेशने । अतो वा देवा भूयांसः स्थ । मा वो देवा अपिशसामापरिशसावृक्षि । विश्वे देवा इह श्रवन्निह सोमस्य मत्सन् । प्रेमां देवा० (Sapta Hâutra). The text as given in the Sânkhâya. Śr. S. 8, 21, differs in several passages. Instead तक्वान्न it has पक्वान्ना० which is, no doubt, more correct. The words तावन्त उदरणे तावन्तो निवेशने are transposed; they follow after तावतीर्ग्नाः, after which तावभिष० and ताव० रा० aro put. Instead of अपिशस०, there is आधिशासामाविशसा पुरा वक्षि The translation of some terms in this Nivid, which is doubtless very old, is extremely difficult. Now and then the reading does not appear to be correct. It is, however, highly interesting, as perhaps one of the most ancient accounts we have of the number of Hindu deities. They are here stated at 3 times 11; then at 33, then at 303, then at 3003. It appears from this statement, that only the number 3 remained unchanged, whilst the number 30 was multiplied by 10 or 100. Similarly, the number of gods is stated at 3339 in a hymn ascribed to the Ṛiṣi Visvâmitra Rigveda, 3, 9, 9. This statement appears to rely on the Vaiśvadeva Nivid. For, if we add 33+303+3003 together, we obtain exactly the number 3339. This coincidence can hardly be fortuitous, and we have strong reasons to believe that Visvâmitra perfectly knew this Viśve Devâh Nivid. That it contains one of the most authoritative passages for fixing the number of Hindu deities follows from quotations in other Vedic books. So we read in the Bṛihad Araṇyaka Upanishad (page 642-49, edited by Roer, Calcutta, 1849) a discussion by Yâjñavalkya on the number of gods, where he appeals to the Nivid of the Vaiśvadeva hymn as the most authoritative passage for settling this question. Perhaps the oldest authority we have for fixing the number of the Hindu deities, on the first instance, at thirty-three, is Ṛigveda, 8, 28, 1. The hymn to which this verse belongs is said to have descended from Manu, the progenitor of the human race. Its style shows traces of high antiquity, and there can be hardly any doubt, that it is one of the earliest Vedic hymns we have. The division of these thirty-three deities into three sets, each of eleven, equally distributed among the three worlds, heaven, air, and earth, (see 1, 139, 11) appears to be the result of later speculations. According to the Nivid in question, the gods are not distributed among the three worlds, but they are in heaven and earth, water, and sky, in the Brahma and Kṣatra, in the Barhis, and on the Vedi, in the sacrifice, and in the air.

वैश्वदेवं शंसति ।

यथा वै प्रजा एवं वैश्वदेवं तद्यथा ऽन्तरं जनता एवं सूक्तानि यथा ऽरण्यान्येवं धाय्यास्तदुभयतो धाय्यां पर्याह्वयते तस्मात्तान्यरण्यानि सन्त्यनरण्यानि मृगैश्च वयोभिश्चेति ह स्मा ऽऽह ।

The Vaiśvadeva Śastra shows the relationship of subjects (to their king). Just as people represent the interior part (of a kingdom), so do also the hymns (represent the interior, the kernel, of the Śastra). The Dhāyyās, then, are like what is in the desert (beasts, &c.). That is the reason why the Hotar must repeat before and after every Dhāyyā the call śoṁśāvom (for every Dhāyyā is considered as a separate recitation distinct from the body of the Śastra). (Some one might object) how can verses, like the Dhāyyās, which are life, be compared to a desert ? Regarding this, he (the Aitareya Ṛiṣi) has told that the deserts (araṇyāni) are properly speaking no deserts, on account of the deer and birds to be found there.

यथा वै प्रजा एवं वैश्वदेवं तद्यथा ऽन्तरं जनता एवं सूक्तानि यथा ऽरण्यान्येवं धाय्यास्तदुभयतो धाय्यां पर्याह्वयते तस्मात्तान्यरण्यानि सन्त्यनरण्यानि मृगैश्च वयोभिश्चेति ह स्मा ऽऽह ।

यथा वै पुरुष एवं वैश्वदेवं तस्य यथा ऽवान्तरमङ्गान्येवं सूक्तानि यथा पर्वाण्येवं धाय्यास्तदुभयतो धाय्यां पर्याह्वयते तस्मात्पुरुषस्य पर्वाणि शिथिराणि सन्ति दृह्ळानि ब्रह्मणा ऽऽहितानि धृतानि ।

The Vaiśvadeva Śastra is to be likened to man. Its hymns are like his internal parts; its Dhāyyās are like the links (of his body). That is the reason that the Hotar calls śoṁśāvoṁ before and after every Dhāyyā (to represent motion and flexibility). For the links of the human body are loose; these are, however, fastened and held together by the Brahma.

यथा वै पुरुष एवं वैश्वदेवं तस्य यथा ऽवान्तरमङ्गान्येवं सूक्तानि यथा पर्वाण्येवं धाय्यास्तदुभयतो धाय्यां पर्याह्वयते तस्मात्पुरुषस्य पर्वाणि शिथिराणि सन्ति दृह्ळानि ब्रह्मणा ऽऽहितानि धृतानि ।

मूलं वा एतद्यज्ञस्य यद्धाय्याश्च याज्याश्च ।

The Dhāyyā[22] and Yājyā verses are the root of the sacrifice.

[22]Here the regular Dhâyyâs (see 3, 18), are to be understood, not those extraordinary additions which we have in the Vaiśvadeva Śastra.

मूलं वा एतद्यज्ञस्य यद्धाय्याश्च याज्याश्च ।

तद्यदन्या अन्या धाय्याश्च याज्याश्च कुर्युरुन्मूलमेव तद्यज्ञं कुर्युः ।

When they use Dhāyyās and Yājyās different from those which are prescribed, then they uproot the sacrifice.

तद्यदन्या अन्या धाय्याश्च याज्याश्च कुर्युरुन्मूलमेव तद्यज्ञं कुर्युः ।

तस्मात्ताः समान्य एव स्युः ।

Therefore, they (the Dhāyyās and Yājyās) should be only of the same nature (they should not use other ones than those mentioned).

तस्मात्ताः समान्य एव स्युः ।

पाञ्चजन्यं वा एतदुक्थं यद्वैश्वदेवम् ।

The Vaiśvadeva Śastra belongs to five classes of beings.

पाञ्चजन्यं वा एतदुक्थं यद्वैश्वदेवम् ।

सर्वेषां वा एतत्पञ्चजनानामुक्थं देवमनुष्याणां गन्धर्वाप्सरसां सर्पाणां च पितॄणां च ।

It belongs to all five classes of beings, viz. : Gods and Men, Gandharvas and Apsaras,[23] Serpents and Manes.

[23]Gandharvas and Apsaras are counted as one class only.

सर्वेषां वा एतत्पञ्चजनानामुक्थं देवमनुष्याणां गन्धर्वाप्सरसां सर्पाणां च पितॄणां च ।

एतेषां वा एतत्पञ्चजनानामुक्थम् ।

To all these five classes of beings belongs the Vaiśvadeva Śastra.

एतेषां वा एतत्पञ्चजनानामुक्थम् ।

सर्व एनं पञ्चजना विदुः एनं पञ्चिन्यै जनतायै हविनो गच्छन्ति य एवं वेद ।

All beings of these five classes know him (the Hotar who repeats the Vaiśvadeva Śastra). To that Hotar who has such a knowledge come those individuals of these five classes of beings who understand the art of recitation (to assist him).

सर्व एनं पञ्चजना विदुः एनं पञ्चिन्यै जनतायै हविनो गच्छन्ति य एवं वेद ।

सर्वदेवत्यो वा एष होता यो वैश्वदेवं शंसति ।

The Hotar who repeats the Vaiśvadeva Śastra belongs to all deities.

सर्वदेवत्यो वा एष होता यो वैश्वदेवं शंसति ।

सर्वा दिशो ध्यायेच्छंसिष्यन्सर्वास्वेव तद्दिक्षु रसं दधाति ।

When he is about to repeat his Śastra, he ought to think of all directions (have them before his mind), by which means he provides all these directions with liquid (rasa).

सर्वा दिशो ध्यायेच्छंसिष्यन्सर्वास्वेव तद्दिक्षु रसं दधाति ।

यस्यामस्य दिशि द्वेष्यः स्यान्न तां ध्यायेदनुहायैवास्य तद्वीर्यमादत्ते ।

But he ought not to think of that direction in which his enemy lives. By doing so, he consequently deprives him of his strength.

यस्यामस्य दिशि द्वेष्यः स्यान्न तां ध्यायेदनुहायैवास्य तद्वीर्यमादत्ते ।

अदितिर्द्यौरदितिरन्तरिक्षमित्युत्तमया परिदधाति ।

He concludes (the Vaiśvadeva Śastra) with the verse aditir dyāur aditir antarikṣam (1, 89, 10), i. e., Aditi is heaven, Aditi is the air, Aditi is mother, father and son; Aditi is all gods; Aditi is the five classes of creatures; Aditi is what is born; Aditi is what is to be born.”

अदितिर्द्यौरदितिरन्तरिक्षमित्युत्तमया परिदधाति ।

इयं वा अदितिरियं द्यौरियमन्तरिक्षम् अदितिर्माता स पिता स पुत्र इतीयं वै मातेयं पितेयं पुत्रः विश्वे देवा अदितिः पञ्चजना इत्यस्या वै विश्वे देवा अस्यां पञ्चजनाः अदितिर्जातमदितिर्जनित्वमितीयं वै जातमियं जनित्वम् ।

She (Aditi) is mother, she is father, she is son. In her are the Vaiśvadevas, in her the five classes of creatures. She is what is born, she is what is to be born.

इयं वा अदितिरियं द्यौरियमन्तरिक्षम् अदितिर्माता स पिता स पुत्र इतीयं वै मातेयं पितेयं पुत्रः विश्वे देवा अदितिः पञ्चजना इत्यस्या वै विश्वे देवा अस्यां पञ्चजनाः अदितिर्जातमदितिर्जनित्वमितीयं वै जातमियं जनित्वम् ।

द्विः पच्छः परिदधाति चतुष्पादा वै पशवः पशूनामवरुद्ध्यै ।

(When reciting this concluding verse which is to be repeated thrice), he recites it twice (for the second and third times) so as to stop at each (of the four) padas. (He does so) for obtaining cattle, which are four-footed.

द्विः पच्छः परिदधाति चतुष्पादा वै पशवः पशूनामवरुद्ध्यै ।

सकृदर्धर्चशः प्रतिष्ठाया एव ।

Once (the first time) he repeats the concluding verse, stopping at the end of each half of the verse only. (That is done) for establishing a firm footing.

सकृदर्धर्चशः प्रतिष्ठाया एव ।

द्विप्रतिष्ठो वै पुरुषश्चतुष्पादाः पशवो यजमानमेव तद्द्विप्रतिष्ठं चतुष्पात्सु पशुषु प्रतिष्ठापयति ।

Man has two feet, but animals have four. (By repeating the concluding verse twice in the said manner) the Hotar places the two-legged sacrificer among the four-legged animals.

द्विप्रतिष्ठो वै पुरुषश्चतुष्पादाः पशवो यजमानमेव तद्द्विप्रतिष्ठं चतुष्पात्सु पशुषु प्रतिष्ठापयति ।

सदैव पञ्चजनीयया परिदध्यात्तदुपस्पृशन्भूमिं परिदध्यात्तद्यस्यामेव यज्ञं सम्भरति तस्यामेवैनं तदन्ततः प्रतिष्ठापयति ।

He ought always to conclude (the Vaiśvadeva Śastra) with a verse addressed to the five classes of beings (as is the case in aditir dyāur); and, when concluding, touch the earth. Thus he finally establishes the sacrifice in the same place in which he acquires the means of his performance.

सदैव पञ्चजनीयया परिदध्यात्तदुपस्पृशन्भूमिं परिदध्यात्तद्यस्यामेव यज्ञं सम्भरति तस्यामेवैनं तदन्ततः प्रतिष्ठापयति ।

विश्वे देवाः शृणुतेमं हवं म इति वैश्वदेवमुक्थं शस्त्वा वैश्वदेव्या यजति ।

After having repeated the Vaiśvadeva Śastra, he recites the Yājyā verse addressed to the Viśve Devās : viśve devāḥ śṛiṇuta imam havam me (6, 52, 13).

विश्वे देवाः शृणुतेमं हवं म इति वैश्वदेवमुक्थं शस्त्वा वैश्वदेव्या यजति ।

यथाभागं तद्देवताः प्रीणाति ।

Thus he pleases the deities according to their shares (in the libation).

यथाभागं तद्देवताः प्रीणाति ।