History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.51
History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.51
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v6.c81.51.1
We have next to turn to the word '*dhṛtavrata*' which occurs eighteen times in the Ṛgveda Out of these Varuṇa is certainly called dhṛtavrata in seven passages viz in I. 25 8 and 10, I 44. 14, I. 141 9, II 1. 4,²² VIII 27 3 and X 66 5 Both Mitra and Varuṇa are styled '*dhṛtavrata*' in I 15 6, VIII 25 2 and 8 (and also '*kṣatriyā*' in verse 8), Indra and Varuṇa are said to be dhṛtavrata in VI. 68 10, Indra alone in VI 19. 5 and VIII 97 11, the Ādityas in II 29. 1, Viśvedevāḥ in X 66. 8 (and also '*kṣatriyāḥ*'), Agni in VIII. 44 25 and Savitṛ in IV. 53 4 Prof.
v6.c81.51.2
Apte (p 430 para 37) avers that Varuṇa is pre-eminently called dhṛtavrata (this is not quite accurate as more than half the passages in which the word '*dhṛtavrata*' occurs refer to gods other than Varuṇa), because he maintains intact the paths he has excavated for the luminaries or he sees that the fixed laws of the movements of luminaries are properly observed Unless one has made up one's mind that vrata signifies tracks of luminaries or their fixed movements, these '*dhṛtavrata*' passages are of no help in settling the original meanings of vrata They can all be well construed by taking '*dhṛtavrata*' in the sense of '*one who upholds or supports his ordinances*' Supposing that Prof Apte is right in thinking that the epithet pre-eminently applies to Varuṇa it is quite arguable that what is mainly aimed at in calling Varuṇa '*dhṛtavrata*' is the high moral level Varuṇa is held by the Ṛgvedic sages to maintain by punishing sinners, by looking into the truth and falsehood of men (VII 49 3 '*satyānṛte avapaśyan janānām*'), by the fact that he is styled '*kṣatriya*', '*rājan*' and '*samrāj*' (who exacts obedience to his laws) as shown above Therefore, the view that *vrata* means ordinances in connection with Varuṇa is far more appropriate than the theory about his seeing that the luminaries follow their tracks In this connection the word '*dhṛtavrata*'²³ in I 25 6 becomes very important.
v6.c81.51.3
Almost all scholars hold that that verse means '(Mitra and Varuna) fond of the donor who observes the laws of religious worship partake of the same offering (made by the donor) and they are not heedless about it (or do not miss it)'. Scholars hold that in this verse the word 'dhṛtavrata' applies to a human worshipper and not to a god as in all other passages. Prof. Apte (p 430 para 37) explains that the words 'dhṛtavratāya dāśuṣe', mean 'donor who makes a gift to (Varuṇa) that is dhṛtavrata.' This construction is objectionable for several reasons There are two deities referred to in the principal sentence (the verb is 'āśāte), while dhṛtavratāya, being singular, can only be construed with one deity. Prof. Apte further relies on VIII. 94. 2 of which he gives an interpretation which as shown above is wrong. Constructions parallel to 'dhṛtavratāya dāśuṣe' and containing an adjective of the word 'dāśuṣe' are found in other Ṛgveda passages. For example, in I 142 1 we have²⁴ 'O Agni! spread the ancient thread (i. e. sacrifice) for the worshipper who has extracted Soma juice'. Here the words 'sutasomāya dāśuṣe' do not mean 'to the worshipper who gives offerings to the god who extracts soma'. Similarly, in VIII. 5.6 the words 'sudevāya dāśuṣe' mean 'to or for the worshipper (or donor) who worships god' (or for donor to whom gods are beneficent). These several considerations make it highly probable that 'dhṛtavratāya' is an attribute of a human being in I. 25.
v6.c81.51.4
6 and not necessarily of Varuṇa. If that be so, vrata in 'dhṛtavrata' must mean 'ordinances or mode of religious worship' and not 'tracks of luminaries'. We have the word 'dhṛtadakṣa' (who upholds strength i. e. who is strong or constant) applied to a priest in X. 41. 3. It is worthy of note that the Śatapatha Br in explaining²⁵ 'niṣasāda dhṛtavrato Varuṇaḥ' in Ṛg. I. 25. 10 (= Vāj. S. X. 27) remarks that the king and a brāhmaṇa deeply learned in the Veda are both 'dhṛtavrata'. It is probable that even in the times of the Ṛgveda people had come to assign the same meaning to the word 'dhṛtavrata' that the Śat. Br. ascribes to it. Conceding for argument that dhṛtavratāya in I. 25. 6 refers to Varuṇa, that does not at all solve the problem of the derivation and meaning of vrata. The word 'vratanīḥ' occurs only once in Ṛgveda X.