History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.51.3

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.