Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power in the Indian Theory of Government c2.s1.77

c2.s1.77

To return to "Varuṇa and what is Varuṇya": it is Varuṇa that seizes (*gṛhṇāti*) the sick man (TS. II. 3. 11. 1, V. 2. 1. 3; AB. VII. 15), the Sacrificer's children (TS. VI. 6. 5. 4, MS. I. 10. 2, ŚB. II. 3. 2. 10) and "whatever is seized by the Evil One"—or "by evil"—(*yáḥ pāpmánā gṛhītó bhávati*, ŚB. XII. 7. 2. 17), i. e. Indra's mortal enemy, "the overweening foe" (*abhimati*)∗ of TS. II. 1. 2. 5, cf. RV. III. 51. 3: and it is inasmuch as he thus "siezes" that he is "the Siezer" (*graha*, JUB. IV. 1. 7, etc.), an epithet of sinister connotation and a synonym of *makara* = *śiśumāra* and *jhaṣa* (√*jhaṣ*, to injure). It is with the "noose of Order" (*ṛtásyaivá páśena*) that one binds (*prátimuñcati*) the sacrificial victim, and "that cord is Varuṇa's" *varuṇyā̀ vá eṣā́ yád rájjuḥ*, ŚB. III. 7. 4. 1). The Vedas, e. g. RV. I. 24. 11, I. 25. 1, 2, abound with the fear of Varuṇa and the deprecation of his murderous wrath; the wages of sin is death and vengeance is his, to repay. In ŚA. XII. 21 and 28 we find an amulet worn by the Sacrificer "in order that the celestial Varuṇa (*divyo varuṇaḥ*, i. e. Dyaus, *váruṇo dyaúr iva* in RV. VII. 87. 6) may not strike fear into him (*nainaṁ . . . hanti bhītam*) . . . and Varuṇa does not slay him in his pride, neither does the *makara*, or *graha* or *śiśumāra* hurt him." On the other hand, when the peace-offering has been made, when the Asura has been "converted" and "made a Friend of," then it is not "Varuṇa" but the *mixta persona* of Mitrāvaruṇau that accepts the Sacrificer (RV. I. 25. 6): "By means of Mitra he (the priest) appeases (*śamayati*, slays, sacrifices) Varuṇa for him (the Sacrificer) . . . sets him free (*muñcati*) from Varuṇa's noose, so that even if his life be almost gone (*yádi 'tásur bhávati*, not Keith's "if his life be gone" but "if it be becoming gone") he verily lives" (TS.