Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power in the Indian Theory of Government c2.s1.98

c2.s1.98

The Aśvins, another pair of twins, may be only another form of the two pairs already mentioned and collated. It can hardly be doubted that the Aśvins, twins "born here and there, one of ye Sumakha's lordly conqueror, the other Subhaga, son of Sky" (*ihéha jātā́* . . . *jiṣṇúr vām anyáḥ súmakhasya sūrír, divó anyáḥ subhágaḥ putráḥ*, RV. I. 181. 4), must be identified with the twins Indrāgnī "whose mothers are here and there" (*ihéhamātarā*, RV. VI. 59. 2), and of whom one in his capacity as Mahāvīra and Jina is certainly "Good Makha's conqueror" (or Sacrificer, Makha being the Sacrifice, and *sūríḥ* implying Maghavan; see the fuller references in *JAOS* 55. 377-382), and the other as the Sun certainly "Good Bhaga." That the Aśvins ride in a common chariot (*rathyèva* . . . *yamā́*, RV. II. 39. 2, *samānáyojano hí vāṁ ráthaḥ*, I. 30. 18) again suggests Indrāgnī (*sarā́thaṁ tasthivā́ṁsā*, RV. I. 108. 1, *samāné* . . . *ráthe*, VI. 59. 5) and likewise Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna (BG., cf. note 4). That the Aśvins are referred to in RV. II. 39. 1 and 3 as "two Brahmās" (*brahmā́ṇā*) and as "two Śakras" (*śakrā́*, cf. *Nirukta* XII. 1, *rājānau*) may well be an allusion to Indrāgnī who are both "priests" (*índro brahmā́*, RV. VIII. 16. 7, cf. ŚB. IV. 6. 6. 5, JUB. I. 45. 1) and both "kings" (*índrā nu agnī́* . . . *vajríṇā* . . . *devā́*, RV. VI. 59. 3, etc.); the emendation *cakrā* for the *śakrā* of RV. II. 39. 3 is quite unnecessary, however plausible in view of RV X. 10. 7 where Yama and Yamī are "two wheels" (i. e. Sky and Earth, Day and Night, Manas and Vāc, as wheels of the cosmic and sacrificial chariot, cf RV. I. 30. 19, VIII. 89. 4, AB. V. 30, 33, JUB. I. 20. 3, III. 16. 1-2. ŚB. II. 3. 3. 12, etc.). The Aśvins are again *śakrā* in RV. X. 24. 4-5, where Sāyaṇa is absolutely right in referring *samīcī́*, "the conjoint" (Sky and Earth), to the Aśvins themselves and in saying that *nirāmanthatam*, "ye churned" has for its object an implied *agnim*; that they thus bring Agni to birth is "at the prayer of the Joyless" (*vimadá*), i. e. "for the sake of Atri-Vimada" (*ā́traye* . . . *vimadā́ya*, RV. I. 51. 3), cf. Trita's (Agni's, *tritó gúhyena vraténa*, RV. I. 163. 3) appeals to the marriage formula are uttered, "I am 'He,' thou art 'She'; thou art ‘She,’ I am ‘He.’ She cooperating with Me (*sā mām anuvratā*