History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.73.1

v6.c81.73.1

After dealing with the etymology and semantic development of the word 'vrata' from the passages of the Ṛgveda in which the word occurs, it is now time to turn to the other Vedic Saṁhitās and the Brāhmaṇas for finding out how that word is dealt with in them Some of the Ṛgvedic verses occur in other Vedic Saṁhitās In several such passages vrata appears to mean 'divine ordinances' or 'ethical patterns of conduct'. For example, the verse³⁵ Ṛg I. 22 19 'Mark the deeds of Viṣṇu, the helpful friend of Indra, whereby he watches over his ordinances' occurs also in T S I. 3 6 2, Atharva VII. 26 6, Vāj S VI. 4 ; Ṛg VIII. 11 1³⁶ 'O Agni! thou art a God that protects ordinances among (gods and) men, thou art to be praised in sacrifices' is also found in Atharva 19 59 1, Vāj S IV 16, T. S. I. 1 14 4-5 and I 2 3 1 ; Ṛg. I. 24. 15 is found in Vāj S. XII 12 and Atharva VII. 83 (88) 3 and XVIII. 4 69 ; Ṛg X. 191. 3 is almost the same as Atharva³⁷ VI. 64 2, the latter substituting the word 'vrataṁ' for 'manaḥ' in the former and thereby indicating that 'vrata' means 'resolve to undertake a religious observance' ; Ṛg VII. 103 1, in which frogs that lie down silent for a year and begin to croak at the advent of the rains are compared to brāhmaṇas observing a religious vow, occurs in the Atharvaveda IV. 15 13 ; Ṛg X. 12 5 is the same as Atharva XVIII. 1 33; Ṛg X. 24 is almost the same as Atharva XIX. 59 2 ; Ṛg I. 84. 12 is equal to Atharva XX.