History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.51.2

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.