History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t2.194

v5.c74.t2.194

I shall now turn to the name Gayā and references to it or similar names from the Ṛgveda downwards. A Gaya, son of Plati, is the reputed author of two hymns of the Ṛgveda (X. 63 and X. 64). In Ṛg X. 63. 17 and X. 64. 17 we have the words 'astāvi jano divyo Gayena' (the divine host was praised by Gaya). So Gaya was a proper name applied to a composer of Ṛgvedic hymns. In the Ṛg. the word Gaya has several other senses, which are not material here. In the Atharvaveda (I. 14.4) Gaya appears to be a wonder-worker or a sorcerer along with Asita and Kaśyapa. Even in the Vedic Saṁhitās Asuras, Dāsas and Rākṣasas are credited with tricks and magic. Vide Ṛg VII 99.4, VII. 104.24-25 and Atharva IV. 23. 5. It is not difficult to imagine how a sorcerer Gaya could have been transformed into Gayāsura later on. Proceeding further, the Nirukta¹⁴⁶⁹ while explaining 'idaṁ Viṣṇur-vi cakrame tredhā nidadhe padaṁ' (Ṛg. I. 22. 17) gives two very interesting interpretations, one explaining the verse as a natural phenomenon and the other explaining it from geographical or legendary points of view 'He (Viṣṇu) puts down his foot in three ways. According to Śākapūṇi, Viṣṇu plants his foot on the earth, in mid air (sky) and heaven; according to Aurṇavābha, on Samārohaṇa, on Viṣṇupada and on Gayaśiras.' Whatever the Vedic verse may mean, it is clear that two interpretations had arisen several centuries before Christ and if the usual dates about Buddha's *nirvāṇa* are accepted Aurṇavābha and Yāska both flourished before Buddha. Vide S. B. E. vol. XIII pp. XXII-XXIII for Buddha's *nirvāṇa* being placed at 483 B. C. according to Ceylonese chronicle, while some western scholars would place it between 429-400 B. C ¹⁴⁷⁰ Gayaśiras is named in the Vanaparva (87.