२८

यत्रेन्द्रं देवताः पर्यवृञ्जन् ।

(Why Indra was Excluded from his Share in the Soma. The Kṣattriya Race Became also Excluded.)

(Râma said) I know it from the fact, that Indra had been excluded by the gods (from having any share in the sacrifices).

यत्रेन्द्रं देवताः पर्यवृञ्जन् ।

विश्वरूपं त्वाष्ट्रमभ्यमंस्त वृत्रमस्तृत यतीन्सालावृकेभ्यः प्रादादरुर्मघानवधीद्बृहस्पतेः प्रत्यवधीदिति ।

For he had scorned[5] Viśvarûpa, the son of Tvaṣṭar, cast down Vṛitra (and killed him), thrown pious men (yatis) before the jackals (or wolves) and killed the Arurmaghas,[6] and rebuked (his teacher) Bṛihaspati.

[5]In the original, abhyamaṁsta. This cannot mean (according to etymology), “he killed” as Sây, supposes, misguided by the story told in the Taittir. Saṁh, 2, 4, where Indra is said to have cut the three heads of Viśvarûpa, which were somapânam (drinking of Soma), surâpânam (drinking of spirituous liquor), and annâdanam (eating of food). The reason alleged for Indra’s killing him is that he, as a relation of the Asuras, informed them about the secret portions of the sacrificial food, Soma, &c., whilst he told the Devas, whose associate he was, only the real and visible ones. Indra holding that he who knows the secret portions of Soma, &c., will come to know the real ones also, became afraid lest the Asuras might, strengthened by Soma, overthrow his rule, and killed the perpetrator of such a treason by cutting off his three heads, each of which was transformed into a particular kind of bird. Viśvarûpa being a Brahman, Indra thus became guilty of the horrible crime of Brahman-murder (brahmahatyâ). All beings called him “murderer of a Brahman,” so that he could not find rest anywhere. He requested the Earth to take off the third part of his guilt, who under certain conditions complied with his request. To be relieved from the two remaining thirds of his burden, he applied to the trees, and the women, who readily took under certain conditions a part of his guilt upon themselves. Tvaṣṭar, the father of Vairûpa, excluded Indra from any share in the Soma sacrifice; but he took his share with force. The remaining portion of Indra’s share was thrown into the sacrificial fire by Tvaṣṭar, with the words, “Grow (vardhasva) into an enemy of Indra.” This became the terrible foe of Indra, known in the legends by the name of Vṛitra. Indra succeeded afterwards in killing him. See the same legend in the Kâuṣîtaki Upanisad. 3, 1.

[6]In the Kâuṣ. Up. 3, 1, we find the form Arunmukha. Sây. thinks them to be Asuras in the disguise of Brahmans. With this explanation agrees Śankarâchârya on the whole in his Commentary on the Kâuṣ. Up. (page 75, ed. Cowell). He divides the word into rurmukha, and the negative a. The first is to mean “the study of the Vedas,” and the second “mouth.” Therefore the whole means, according to him, in “whose mouth is not the study of the Vedas.” This explanation is quite artificial and unsatisfactory. The Arurmaghas (this is propably the right form) were, no doubt, a kind of degraded Aryas, very likely a tribe of the ancient Iranians, in whose language (the Zend) the words aurvo and mugha are frequently to be met with.

विश्वरूपं त्वाष्ट्रमभ्यमंस्त वृत्रमस्तृत यतीन्सालावृकेभ्यः प्रादादरुर्मघानवधीद्बृहस्पतेः प्रत्यवधीदिति ।

तत्रेन्द्रः सोमपीथेन व्यार्ध्यत ।

On account of these faults, Indra was forthwith excluded from participation in the Soma beverage.

तत्रेन्द्रः सोमपीथेन व्यार्ध्यत ।

इन्द्रस्यानु व्यृद्धिं क्षत्त्रं सोमपीथेन व्यार्ध्यत ।

And after Indra had been excluded in this way from the Soma, all the Kṣattriyas (at whose head he is) were likewise excluded from it.

इन्द्रस्यानु व्यृद्धिं क्षत्त्रं सोमपीथेन व्यार्ध्यत ।

अपीन्द्रः सोमपीथे ऽभवत्त्वष्टुरा ऽमुष्य सोमम् ।

But he was allowed a share in it afterwards, having stolen the Soma from Tvaṣṭar.

अपीन्द्रः सोमपीथे ऽभवत्त्वष्टुरा ऽमुष्य सोमम् ।

तद्व्यृद्धमेवाद्यापि क्षत्त्रं सोमपीथेन ।

But the Kṣattriya race remains excluded from the Soma beverage to this day.

तद्व्यृद्धमेवाद्यापि क्षत्त्रं सोमपीथेन ।

स यस्तं भक्षं विद्याद्यः क्षत्त्रस्य सोमपीथेन व्यृद्धस्य येन क्षत्त्रं समृध्यते कथं तं वेदेरुत्थापयन्तीति ।

There is one here who knows the way in which the Kṣattriya, who is properly excluded from the Soma beverage, may relish in this juice. Why do thy men expel such a man from the Vedi?”

स यस्तं भक्षं विद्याद्यः क्षत्त्रस्य सोमपीथेन व्यृद्धस्य येन क्षत्त्रं समृध्यते कथं तं वेदेरुत्थापयन्तीति ।

वेत्थ ब्राह्मण त्वं तं भक्षा३म् ।

The king asked then, “Dost thou, O Brāhmaṇa, know this way?”

वेत्थ ब्राह्मण त्वं तं भक्षा३म् ।

वेद हीति ।

Rāma answered, “Yes, I know it.”

वेद हीति ।

तं वै नो ब्राह्मण ब्रूहीति ।

The king then replied, “Let me know it, O Brāhmaṇa.”

तं वै नो ब्राह्मण ब्रूहीति ।

तस्मै वै ते राजन्निति होवाच ।

Rāma answered, “I will let thee know here, O king.”

तस्मै वै ते राजन्निति होवाच ।