History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.66

v6.c81.66

of 'ṛta' have been specified in H. of Dh. vol IV. pp 2-5 and the meanings of vrata have been discussed in what precedes (vide pp 5-8). In the Ṛgveda the word is *dharman* and not *dharma*. For a brief discussion of *dharman* vide H of Dh vol I, p 1. In the Ṛgveda sometimes *dharman* is masculine and often an adjective, meaning 'upholder or sustainer' as in Ṛg I. 187. 1, X. 92. 2. In X. 21. 3 (tve dharmāṇa āsate) the word is masculine In other cases it is obviously in the neuter gender as in I. 22. 18 (ato dharmāṇi dhārayan), V. 26 6, IX. 64 1. In these passages the meaning seems to be 'religious rites or sacrifices', thus approaching vrata in one of its senses. In I 164. 43 and 50 (= X. 90 16) sacrifices are said to be the primeval dharmans Vide also 'prathamā dharmā' in Ṛg III. 17. 1 and 'sanatā dharmāṇi' in Ṛg III. 3 1. In some cases this sense of dharman would not do, as in IV. 53. 3, V. 63. 7. where the meaning seems to be 'fixed principles or rules of conduct'. In some cases dharman appears to mean almost the same thing as 'vrata'. For example, in VII. 89. 5³¹ the sage says 'when we destroy (or violate) your dharmans through heedlessness (or infatuation), do not harm us, O Varuṇa, on account of that sin', which is just the same as Ṛg I. 25. 1, where we have 'vratam' for dharmāṇi In VI. 70. 1³² it is said 'heaven and earth, never decaying and endowed with plenty of seed, are held firmly apart by the dharman of Varuṇa'. In VIII 42 1 (cited above) making the Heaven firmly fixed is described as one of the vratas of Varuṇa