The Arctic Home in the Vedas c10.23

Language: English

c10.23.1

The etymology of the words Navagva and Dashagva leads us to the same conclusion. The words are formed by prefixing *nava* and *dasha* to *gva*. So far there is no difference of opinion. But Yâska (XI, 19) takes *nava* in *navagva* to mean either 'new' or 'charming', interpreting the word to mean 'those, who have charming or new career (*gva*, from *gam* to go).' This explanation of Yâska is, however, unsatisfactory, inasmuch as the Navagvas and the Dashagvas are usually mentioned together in the Rig-Veda, and this close and frequent association of their names makes it necessary for us to find out such an etymological explanation of the words as would make Navagva bear the same relation to *nava* as Dashagva may have to dasha. But dasha or rather dashan, is a numeral signifying ‘ten,’ and cannot be taken in any other sense; therefore, as observed by Prof. Lignana,¹ nava or rather navan must be taken to mean ‘nine’. The meaning of gva (gu+a) is, however, yet to be ascertained. Some derive it from go, a cow, and others from gam, to go. In the first case the meaning would be ‘of nine cows’ or ‘of ten cows’; while in the second case the words would signify ‘going in nine’ or ‘going in ten,’ and the fact, that the Dashagvas are said to be ten in III, 39, 5, lends support to the latter view.

c10.23.2

But the use of the words Navagva and Dashagva, sometimes even in the singular number as an adjective qualifying a singular noun, shows that a group or a company of nine or ten men, is not, at any rate, always intended. Thus in VI, 6, 3, the rays of Agni are said to be navagvas, while Adhrigu is said to be dashagva in VIII, 12, 2, and Dadhyañch navagva in IX, 108, 4. We must, therefore, assign to these epithets some other meaning, and the only other possible explanation of the numerals ‘nine’ and ‘ten’ is that given by Sâyaṇa, who says (Comm. on Ṛig. I, 62, 4), “The Aṅgirases are of two kinds, the Navagvas or those who rose after completing the sattra in nine months, and the Dashagvas, or those who rose after finishing the sattra in ten months.”² We have seen that in the Ṛig-Veda V, 45, 7 and 11, the Dashagvas and The Navagvas are said to have completed their sacrifices in ten months. Sâyaṇa's explanation is, therefore, fully warranted by these texts, and very probably it is based on some traditional information about the Dashagvas. Prof. Lignana of Rome,¹ suggests that the numerals navan and dashan in these names should be taken as referring to the period of gestation, as the words nava-mâhya and dasha-mâhya occur in the Vendidad, V, 45, (136), in the same sense.

c10.23.3

Thus interpreted Navagva would mean 'born of nine months,' and Dashagva 'born of ten months.' But this explanation is highly improbable, inasmuch as we cannot first suppose that a number of persons were born prematurely in early times, and secondly that it was specially such persons that attained almost divine honours. The usual period of gestation is 280 days or ten lunar months (V, 78, 9), and those that were born a month earlier cannot be ordinarily expected to live long or to perform feats which would secure them divine honours. The reference to the Vendidad proves nothing, for there the case of a still-born child after a gestation of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 months is under consideration, and Ahura Mazda enjoins that the house where such a still-born child is brought forth should be cleaned and sanctified in a special way. Prof. Lignana's explanation again conflicts with the Vedic texts which say that the Dashagvas were ten in number (III, 39, 5), or that the Navagvas sacrificed only for ten months (V, 4, 7). Sâyaṇa's explanation is, therefore, the only one entitled to our acceptance. I may here mention that the Ṛig-Veda (V, 47, 7 and 11) speaks of ten months' sacrifice only in connection with the Navagvas, and does not mention any sacrifice of nine months. But the etymology of the names now helps us in assigning the ten months' sacrifice to the Dashagvas and the nine months’ to the Navagvas.

c10.23.4

For *navan* in Navagva is only a numerical variation for *dashan* in Dashagva, and it follows, therefore, that what the Dashagvas did by tens, the Nanagvas did by nines.