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History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c89: Section III. Śānti (Propitiatory rites for averting a deity's wrath, a calamity or unlucky event)

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c89

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Section III. Śānti (Propitiatory rites for averting a deity's wrath, a calamity or unlucky event)

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Vedic meaning and procedure of Śāntis

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The word Śānti is derived from the root 'śam', which has several meanings (such as 'to stop', 'to be appeased', 'to kill' rarely) and belongs to the 4th conjugation and also to the 9th. The word Śānti itself does not occur in the Ṛgveda, but it occurs in the Atharvaveda and the Vājasaneya Saṁhitā. The root 'śam', its several forms and derivatives and the indeclinable particle 'śaṁ' occur hundreds of times even in the Ṛgveda. The word 'śaṁ' is often conjoined in the Ṛgveda to 'yoḥ' either as 'śaṁyoḥ' (Ṛg. I. 93.7, I. 106.5, III 17.3, III. 18.4, IV. 12.5, V. 47.7, V. 53.14, V. 69 3, VI. 50.7, VII. 35.1, VII. 69.5, X. 9.4, X. 15.4, X. 37.11, X. 182.1–3) or as 'śaṁ ca yośca' (as in Ṛg. I. 114.2, 189.2, II. 33.13, VIII. 39.4, VIII. 71.15). In these places the words are generally rendered as 'happiness and welfare' or 'health and wealth' (by Keith in translation of Tai. S. II. 6.10.3) and these meanings generally suit the context, e. g. in Ṛg. VI. 50.7 'dhāta tokāya tanayāya śaṁ yoḥ' (confer on our sons and progeny happiness and welfare), in Ṛg. X. 182 the words 'athā karad-yajamānāya śaṁ yoḥ' (may Bṛhaspati confer happiness and welfare on the sacrificer) occur as the last quarter of all the three verses. 'Śaṁ' by itself occurs about 160 times in the Ṛgveda and it is somewhat remarkable that in Ṛg. VII. 35. 1–13 ¹¹³² the word śaṁ occurs in each verse from 4 to 7 times (68 times in all). Ṛg. I 114. 1 ¹¹³³ 'we bring these lauds to Rudra who is powerful, who has braided hair, who rules over valiant men, so that there may result welfare to our two-footed and four-footed beings and every thing in this village may be prosperous and free from distress' will bring out the import of ‘śam’. In some cases ‘śam’ and ‘yoh’ clearly appear to be employed like nouns in the objective case. For example, Ṛg. II. 33. 13¹¹³⁴ “I hanker after the ‘śam’ and ‘yoh’ of Rudra (i. e. under the power of Rudra), Ṛg. I. 114.2 “O Rudra! may we secure by your guidance that ‘śam’ and ‘yoh’ that father Manu procured through sacrifice”. Yāska (Nirukta IV. 21) while dealing with Ṛg. X 15. 4 ‘athā naḥ śaṁ yor-arapo dadhāta’ holds ‘śaṁyoḥ’ to be ablative or genitive of śaṁyu and explains as ‘śamanaṁ ca rogāṇāṁ yāvanaṁ ca bhayānām’ (allaying of diseases and warding off of dangers). This is an etymological explanation and is in some cases accepted by Sāyaṇa and in others he paraphrases ‘śam’ by ‘sukha’ (happiness) and ‘yoḥ’ as ‘duḥkha-viyoga’ (freedom from pain or distress) The word ‘yoḥ’ presents the appearance of the ablative or genitive singular of a noun from the root ‘yu’ which means ‘to bind’ or ‘separate’ or from ‘yā’ to go. ‘Yoh’ by itself occurs only three times in the Ṛgveda (i. e. in I. 74. 7, X. 105 3, X. 176. 3). The meaning of ‘yoh’ in these three cases is doubtful. In the Tai. Br.¹¹³⁵ we have the mantra ‘we choose that happiness and welfare and success (or progress) to the sacrifice and the sacrificer, may divine fortune be ours; let there be good fortune for (our) men; may medicine (or remedy) go up, may there be happiness to our men and quadrupeds’.

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¹¹³² Verses 1-10 of Ṛg. VII 35 are the same as Atharva 19.10 1-10.

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¹¹³³ इमा रुद्राय तवसे कपर्दिने क्षयद्वीराय प्र भरामहे मतीः। यथा शमसद् द्विपदे चतुष्पदे विश्वं पुष्टं ग्रामे अस्मिन्ननातुरम्॥ ऋ I 114. 1.

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¹¹³⁴ शं च योश्च रुद्रस्य वश्मि। ऋ. II. 33. 13; यच्छं च योश्च मनुरायेजे पिता तदश्याम तव रुद्र प्रणीतिषु ॥ ऋ I 114 2.

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¹¹³⁵ तच्छंयोरावृणीमहे। गातुं यज्ञाय। गातुं यज्ञपतये। दैवी स्वस्तिरस्तु नः। स्वस्तिर्मानुषेभ्यः। ऊर्ध्वं जिगातु भेषजम्। शं नो अस्तु द्विपदे शं चतुष्पदे॥ तै. बा. III 5. 11. This is partly explained in तै सं. II 6 10. This is called शयुवाक. Vide पा. I. 4. 29 on which the first वार्तिक is 'अनुवाकादयः पुंसि' and पतञ्जलि cites ‘अनुवाकः शंयुवाकः सूक्तवाक ' as examples.

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In Atharvaveda 19. 9 the word śānti occurs about 17 times. In verses 3 to 5 speech (vāk), the mind (manaḥ)¹¹³⁶ and the five senses are referred to and it is said that these seven usually produce what is *ghora* (terrible or inauspicious) and these same must exert themselves for producing śānti (i. e. appeasement of angered deities or averting calamities or misfortunes). Verses 6-11 pray to several gods, planets (grahāḥ), the earth, falling stars, cows, the nakṣatras, magical rites, Rāhu, Dhūmaketu (comets), the Rudras, Vasus and Ādityas, sages and Bṛhaspati to confer happiness. Verse 12 prays to Indra, Brahmā, and all the gods for refuge to the composer of the hymn and 13 declares that 'whatever things were appeased (by śāntis) in this world—these the seven sages know. May they all be happiness for me; may happiness be mine and may freedom from fear be mine'. Verse 14 which is similar to Vāj. S. 36. 17 declares that 'the earth, mid-regions, heaven, waters, trees and plants, all gods--these have become appeased and auspicious by the śānti rites performed by the composer and that by those śāntis, by all śāntis I (we) appease (remove the evil effect of) what is here terrible, what is cruel (or inauspicious), what is evil; may all that be appeased, be beneficial and happy for us'.¹¹³⁷ Atharva 19. 10 (verses 1-10) contains the word 'śaṁ' 51 times and prays for welfare to several gods and 19. 11 is also a śānti containing the word 'śaṁ' 18 times. The Vājasaneya-saṁhitā chapter 36 (verses 8-12) similarly contain the word 'śaṁ' several times One of these viz. (Vāj. S. 36. 12) occurs in many Vedic texts¹¹³⁸ 'May the divine waters confer on us happiness, help and protection; may they flow towards us for our happiness and welfare'.

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¹¹³⁶ इमानि यानि पञ्चेन्द्रियाणि मनःषष्ठानि मे हृदि ब्रह्मणा संशितानि। यैरेव ससृजे घोरं तैरेव शान्तिरस्तु नः ॥ अथर्व 19 9. 5.

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¹¹³⁷ ताभिः शान्तिभिः सर्वशान्तिभिः शमयामोऽहं यदिह घोरं यदिह क्रूरं यदिह पापं तच्छान्तं तच्छिवं सर्वमेव शमस्तु न. ॥ अथर्व 19. 9. 14.

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¹¹³⁸ शं नो देवीरभिष्टय आपो भवन्तु पीतये। शं योरभि स्रवन्तु नः ॥ वाज० सं. 36. 12, ऋ. X 9 4, अथर्व I. 6. 1, सामवेद 33, तै. ब्रा. I. 2. 1, 1.

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In the Tai. S. the words 'śamayati' and 'śānti' are frequently used often in the same passage or context. For example, it is said "Rudra¹¹³⁹ is the fierce (or harsh) one among gods...; He (the priest) does as it were a harsh thing when he recites (that passage containing the word) Rudra; 'in the path of Mitra' he says for the sake of appeasing". There is a similar passage in the Ait. Br. While prescribing the recital of a ṛk verse (Ṛg. II. 33. 1) in the Āgnimāruta-śastra the Ait. Br. changes the original words of the latter half of the verse in the Ṛgveda and also suggests another verse altogether for recital (I. 43. 6 'śaṁ naḥ karatyarvate sugam meṣāya meṣye nṛbhyo nārībhyo gave') because in the first place that verse begins with the auspicious word 'śaṁ' and in the second place because that verse, though the *devatā* (deity) thereof is Rudra, does not expressly mention that word; the result, says the Ait. Br., is that that verse being one of appeasement (śānti) the priest secures long life and procures long life for the sacrificer

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¹¹³⁹ रुद्रस्त्वावर्तयत्वित्याह। रुद्रो वै क्रूरो देवानां... क्रूरमिव वा एतत्करोति यद्रुद्रस्य कीर्तयति मित्रस्य पथेत्याह शान्त्यै। तै सं. VI 1. 7. 7-8; The original ṛk is आ ते पितर्मरुतां सुम्नमेतु मा न. सूर्यस्य सन्दृशो युयोथाः। अभि नो वीरो अर्वति क्षमेत प्र जायेमहि रुद्र प्रजाभि. ॥ ऋ II. 33 1. The ऐ ब्रा reads 'त्वं नो वीरो अर्वति क्षमेथाः, for अभि नो वीरो अर्वति क्षमेथा प्र जायेमहि रुद्रिय प्रजाभिः ॥' If one employed अभि नो, Rudra might have seized the progeny and the word रुद्रिय (meaning a servant of Rudra) avoids the use of the harsh name Rudra 'प्रजायेमहि रुद्रिय प्रजाभिरिति ब्रूयान्न रुद्रयेत्येतस्यैव नाम्न. परिहृत्यै। तदु खलु शं नः करतीय्येव शंसिच्छमिति प्रतिपद्यते सर्वस्मा एव शान्त्यै। .. सोऽनिरुक्ता रौद्री शान्ता सर्वमायु सर्वमृध्नोत्य । ऐ ब्रा. 13. 10.

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Another example of 'śamayati in the Tai. S is as follows: When an *agnihotrin* is going on a journey with his household he should offer *homa* to Vāstospati, but if he goes without offering a homa to Vāstospati evil consequences follow, 'Rudra is indeed Vāstospati; if he were to go out without offering homa to Vāstospati, Agni would become Rudra, would leap after him and kill him; (but) when he offers to Vāstospati, he appeases him (Rudra-Agni) with his own share and the sacrificer meets no injury (or distress)'.¹¹⁴⁰

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¹¹⁴⁰ रुद्रः खलु वै वास्तोष्पतिर्यदहुत्वा वास्तोष्पतीयं प्रयायाद्रुद्र एनं भूत्वाऽग्निरनूत्थाय हन्याद्वास्तोष्पतीयं जुहोति भागधेयेनैवैनं शमयति नार्तिमृच्छति यजमान । तै सं III 4. 10 3 Compare बौ श्रौ 14 19.

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Another example of 'śāmayati' and 'śānti' in the Tai S (VI. 3 3 2-3) may be set out. 'O tree! protect it, O axe! do not harm it; the axe indeed is a thunderbolt, (therefore he utters those words) for allaying (the fierce power of the axe); these worlds are afraid of the tree (of which the yūpa is made) when it moves; (therefore he recites 'with thy top do not graze the sky, with thy middle do not harm the atmospheric region'. (By these words) he appeases (removes the terrible power for evil of) this tree'.¹¹⁴¹

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¹¹⁴¹ ओषधे त्रायस्वैनं स्वधिते मैनं हिंसीरित्याह वज्रो वै स्वधिति शान्त्यै। . इमे वै लोका यूपादभ्रयतो बिभ्यति दिवमग्रेण मा लेखीरन्तरिक्षं मध्येन मा हिंसीरित्याहैभ्य एवैन लोकेभ्य-शमयति । तै सं. VI 3 3. 2-3, compare वाज सं. 5 42-43 and शतपथ III 6 4 13 for similar words,

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The foregoing passages are quite sufficient for showing the significance attached to the words 'saṁ', 'śamayati' and 'śānti' in the Vedic saṁhitās The word 'śaṁtama' occurs in the Ṛgveda about two dozen times It is applied to the great gods like Agni, Indra, Soma (I. 16 7, I. 77 2, IX. 104 3), to the praises of gods (I. 76 1, VI. 32. 1), to the worshipper or singer (VIII. 13. 22), to protection by gods (V 76. 3, X. 15. 4) and generally means 'beneficent or conferring happiness'. Similarly, the word 'śantāti' (Rg. I. 112. 20, VIII. 18. 7) means 'beneficent'.

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The causal (śamayati) of the verb 'śam' and the word 'śānti' do not occur in the Ṛgveda, but they are as said above frequently employed in the Taittirīya and other Saṁhitās and in the Brāhmaṇas. Some further examples may be set out here. The Tai. S. relates the following legend "Agni was in the yonder world (heaven), the sun was in this world; these worlds were (then) unappeased (disturbed). The gods said 'come, let us change (transpose) these two'. They placed Agni in this world with the words 'O Agni, come here for the dainty meal' and (placed) the Sun in the yonder world with the worlds 'the great and powerful one, O Agni'; then indeed these two worlds became free from disturbance. Since he repeated those words in this way, it served for the purpose of quieting these worlds (that were once disturbed). These worlds became undisturbed (auspicious) for him who knows this".¹¹⁴² Here we have both the verbal form 'aśāmyatāma' (from 'śam' 4th conj.) and the the word 'śāntyai'.

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¹¹⁴² इमौ लोकावशान्तावस्तां ते देवा अब्रुवन्नेतेमौ विपर्यूहामेत्यग्न आ याहि वीतय इत्यस्मिँल्लोकेऽग्निमदधुर्वृहद्वयो सुवीर्यमित्यमुष्मिँल्लोके आदित्यम्। ततो वा इमौ लोकावशाम्यतां यदेवमन्वाहानयोर्लोकयोः शान्त्यै। शाम्यतोऽस्मा इमौ लोकौ य एवं वेद॥ तै. सं. II. 5. 8. 2 अशान्त here means 'the evil, aspects or influences in which had not been removed or conjured away.

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In some passages of the Ṛgveda the word 'śami' occurs (as in I. 87. 5, II. 31. 6, III. 55. 3, VIII. 45. 27, X. 40. 1.). It is generally interpreted by Sāyaṇa in these passages as the locative singular of 'śami', which is explained to mean 'karman' (action, sacrifice or the like). Two of these may be cited here ¹¹⁴³ "my desires fly in many directions; I shall brighten ancient (lauds) towards 'śami' (for employing them in various sacrifices?); knowing the truth in Turvaśa (king) and Yadu (king) he (Indra) enveloped Ahnavāyya (their enemy) in warlike action." It is possible to take 'śami' as the locative singular of 'śam' treated as a noun. The word 'śamī' occurs in many passages of the Ṛgveda (I. 20. 2, I. 83. 4, I. 110. 4, II. 1. 9, III. 60. 3, IV. 3. 4, IV. 17. 18, IV. 22. 8, IV. 33. 4, V. 77. 4, V. 42. 10, VI. 3. 2, VI. 52. 1, VIII. 75. 14, IX. 74. 7, X. 28. 12). In all these passages Sāyaṇa interprets it as 'karma' and not as the 'śamī tree or branch'. But in one place at least (if not in more places) the word śamī can easily be held to mean 'the śamī wood or fuel-stick'.¹¹⁴⁴ 'To that mortal who worships with sacrifices and appeases with 'śamīs' (śamī fuel-sticks) and gives offerings to Agni that abounds in wealth disappointment as to glory never comes nor does sin nor arrogance overtake him'

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¹¹⁴³ वि मे पुरुत्रा पतयन्ति कामाः शम्यच्छा दीध्ये पूर्व्याणि। ऋ III 55. 3; सत्यं तत्तुर्वशे यदौ विदानो अह्रवाय्यम्। व्यानट् तुर्वणे शमि॥ ऋ VIII. 45 27. In the last verse Sāyaṇa takes शमि as objetcive singular of शमी (instead of loc singular as he does elsewhere)

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¹¹⁴⁴ ईंजे यज्ञेभिः शशमे शमीभिर्ऋधद्द्वारायाग्नये ददाश । एवा चन त यशसामजुष्टिर्नोहो मर्तं नशते न प्रहृत्तिः ॥ ऋ VI 3 2, compare ऋ. VI 1 9 सो अग्न ईंजे शशमे च मर्तो यस्त आनट् समिधा हव्यदातिम् ।

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The whole of chapter 36 of the Vājasaneya-saṁhitā is employed as śānti at the beginning and end of the Pravargya rite, according to Kāt. Śr. S 26 41 'śāntikaraṇam-ādyantayoḥ'; verses 9–12 of Vāj. S 36 employ the word 'śam' 17 times and verse 9 is the same as Ṛgveda I. 90. 9.

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An interesting text in connection with the root 'śam' is the *adhrigu praiṣa*, to be recited by the Hotṛ priest before the *paśu* is killed in a sacrifice Vide H. of Dh. vol II p. 1121 note 2504 for the formula which is rather long. The important¹¹⁴⁵ words for the present purpose are at the beginning and at the end 'O divine slayers and human slayers! begin (the process of killing the paśu) ...O Adhrigu! you should slay (the *paśu*) in such a way that it would be properly carried out'. Here the root (śam) certainly means to slay, this meaning is, however, apparently quite different from the one so far considered (viz to appease, to remove evil effects). But it may be that there is a secondary meaning, viz appease the gods by offering parts of the animal killed in the sacrifice

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¹¹⁴⁵ दैव्याः शमितार आरभध्वमुत मनुष्या । 'अधिगो शमीध्वं सुशमि शमीध्वं शमीध्वमधिगा३उ अपाप । आश्व श्रौ III 3 The passage occurs in तै ब्रा III 6 6 4. ऐ ब्रा. VI (अध्याय), 5-7 (खण्ड) The words सुशमि शमीध्वं occur in तै सं I 1 5. 2, वाज सं I. 15 The words अध्रिगो &c. quoted here occur in कौशिक-सूत्र 69. 6.

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The Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa closely connects the śamī tree or branch with the conjuring away or appeasing the terrible or angry aspects of deities in the following myth¹¹⁴⁶ "Prajāpati created Agni; he (Prajāpati) became afraid 'this Agni might burn me'. He (Prajāpati) pacified (the terrible flame or glow of) Agni with śamī (branch); that is the beneficent or happy aspect of śamī in that the equipment required for Agni is full of śamī in order to appease Agni and for freedom from being burnt thereafter.' The idea is that Agni, the moment it was created had a fierce and evil aspect, that was removed by the use of the śamī and śānti means an action or rite that appeases the evil aspects of a deity and makes the deity beneficent. Similarly, the Aitareya-brāhmaṇa says:¹¹⁴⁷ "He recites the verse 'they worship you with offerings whatever abodes you may have; . he says: O Soma! move towards houses in such a way as not to kill the sons (of the sacrificer).' Houses are indeed called 'duryā' and the house of the sacrificer is afraid of the king Soma when he approaches the sacrificer's house; when he (the priest) repeats this (verse) he thereby appeases him (king Soma) by a śānti (propitiatory rite); he (Soma) becoming beneficent (by the respetition of the mantra) does not kill the progeny or the cattle (of the sacrificer)." The idea is that king Soma might be angry with the sacrificer if there be any defect in the sacrificial rite and that when the hotṛ priest repeats the verse '*avirahā o-*' that verse is the cause of appeasement.

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¹¹⁴⁶ प्रजापतिरग्निमसृजत। सोऽबिभेन्न मा धक्ष्यतीति । तं शम्याऽशमयत् । तच्छम्यै शमित्वम् । यच्छमीमय सम्भारो भवति शान्त्यै अप्रदाहाय । तै ब्रा. I 1. 3. 11 सायण explains 'शमयत्यनेनेति व्युत्पत्त्या शमीति नाम सम्पन्नम् । अतस्तत्सम्भारः पूर्वं विद्यमानस्य दाहस्योपशान्त्यै, इतः परम्दाहाय च सम्पद्यते'

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¹¹⁴⁷ या ते धामानि हविषा यजन्तीत्यन्वाह। ... 'अवीरहा प्र चरा सोम दुर्यांनिति। गृहा वै दुर्या बिभ्यति वै सोमाद्राज्ञ आयतो यजमानस्य गृहा.। स यदेतामन्वाह शान्त्यैवैनं तच्छमयति सोऽस्य शान्तो न प्रजां न पशून् हिनस्ति। ऐ. ब्रा. 3. 2. The verse 'या ते 'दुर्यान् ' is ऋ. I. 91. 19.

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In the Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa there is a similar reference to the appeasing power of the śamī branch. "He (the priest) places fuel sticks on this (Agni) ... He places (on Agni) a fuel stick of śamī as the first This (Agni) was kindled when this oblation (of śamī branch) was offered and flamed upwards. The gods became afraid of him (Agni) lest Agni. might harm them. They (gods) saw this śamī branch and appeased him (Agni) with that; inasmuch as they appeased this (Agni) by means of śamī (branch) this is called śamī. In the same way this sacrificer appeases with śamī this (Agni) for procuring appeasement and not for food".¹¹⁴⁸ It would be noticed that here the name 'samī' is derived from the root 'śam' and it is the means of effecting śānti (appeasement).

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¹¹⁴⁸ अथास्मिन्समिध आदधाति। स वै शमीमयीं प्रथमादधाति। एतद्वा एष एतस्या-माहुत्यां हुतायां प्रादीप्यतोदज्वलत् । तस्माद्देवा अबिभयुर्यद्वै नोऽयं न हिंस्यादिति। त एता शमीमपश्यंस्तयैनमशामयंस्तद्यदेतं शम्या अशमयंस्तस्माच्छमी तथैवैषनमयमेतच्छम्या शमयति शान्त्या एव न जग्धयै। शतपथ IX. 2. 3 36 and 37.

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In the Brāhmaṇas the means of appeasement are various but simple Often times the recitation of a Vedic verse or hymn effects śānti. For example, the Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa¹¹⁴⁹ prescribes the singing of sāmans at the time of consecrating the sacred śrauta fires; the three *sāmans* are Rathantara, Vāmadevya and Bṛhat, each being connected with the three worlds respectively. "When Agni is being taken out, he sings the Vāmadevya sāman; Vāmadevya is the atmospheric region and thereby (i. e. by singing Vāmadevya) he makes Agni established in the atmospheric region; Vāmadevya is śānti (means of bringing about the appeasement of Agni); (on singing Vāmadevya) he takes out Agni that has become appeased (beneficent) and as bestower of cattle". The Tai S. says¹¹⁵⁰ "he says 'weave ye with regular measure the work of the singers'. Whatever superfluity (or flaw) is committed in the sacrifice, this (recitation) serves to eradicate its evil effects". The Ait Br. provides "(the priest) who is about to sprinkle holy water over him¹¹⁵¹ (the king) should (himself first recite the mantra and) make the king repeat it (after him) 'O Waters' look on me with a beneficent eye, (and) touch my skin with (your) beneficent body. I invoke all the Agnis that dwell in waters for your sake; this should be done for the purpose that waters (the evil aspects of which have been) not appeased may not destroy the vigour of him who is being sprinkled over". The Hotṛ performs a *japa* before and after reciting the *sāmidhenī* verses. About this the Śāṅkhāyana-brāhmaṇa says¹¹⁵² that the sāmidhenīs are a thunderbolt and that if *japa* is performed thereby he appeases (*śamayati*) Agni (i. e. Agni becomes auspicious and beneficent).

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¹¹⁴⁹ वामदेव्यमभिगायन्न उद्ध्रियमाणे । अन्तरिक्षं वै वामदेव्यम् । अन्तरिक्ष एवैनं प्रतिष्ठापयति । अथो शान्तिर्वै वामदेव्यम् । शान्त्यैवैमं पशव्यमुद्धरते । तै ब्रा. I 1. 8. 2 The वामदेव्य is sang on the verse 'कया नश्चित्र आ भुवद्' ऋ IV. 31. 1 which occurs also in तै सं IV. 2 11. 2, वाज. सं 27. 39 and 36 4, अथर्ववेद 20 124. 1. The द्राक्षायणश्रौतसूत्र (XII. 1 29-31) provides 'जाते रथन्तरं गायेत् । वामदेव्यं ह्रियमाणे । बृहात्स्थिते।'

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¹¹⁵⁰ अनुल्बणं वयत जोगुवामप इत्याह । यदेव यज्ञ उल्बणं क्रियते तस्यैवैषा शान्ति । तै सं. III. 4. 2. 6-7; 'अनुल्बणं वयत जोगुवानप.' is the 3rd quarter of ऋ. X. 53 6.

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¹¹⁵¹ अथैनमभिषेक्ष्यन्नापः शान्ति वाचयति । शिवेन मा चक्षुषा पश्यतापः शिवया तन्वोप स्पृशत त्वचं मे । सर्वां अग्नीँरप्सुषदो हुवे वो मयि वर्चो बलमोजो निधत्तेति । नैवस्याभिषिषिचानास्याशान्ता आपो वीर्यं निर्हणन्निति । ऐ. ब्रा. 37. 2 The मन्त्र 'शिवेन मा' occurs in तै. सं V. 6. 1. 2 and अथर्ववेद I. 33. 4 (only the first half)

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¹¹⁵² अथ यत्पुरस्तात्सामिधेनीनां जपति वज्रो वै सामिधेन्यस्तन्नैवैतच्छमयति पुरस्ताच्चोपरिष्टाच्च । शाङ्ख्यायनब्रा 3. 3. Generally there are 15 सामिधेनी verses, but there are optional numbers which need not be specified here.

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Water also is declared as a means of effecting the removal or appeasement of evil effects. The Ait. Br. remarks¹¹⁵³ "they say what is the atonement (prāyaścitti) if a person's sacrificial material (milk or rice) when put on a fire for cooking spurts out or overflows? (The reply is) 'he should make it go down with water for the sake of śānti; water indeed is (a means of) śānti and then he should touch the material (that has fallen out) with his right hand and recite a mantra (that is specified) or he should recite another ṛk verse 'by whose power the worlds are made fixed', which is addressed to Viṣṇu and Varuṇa; Viṣṇu indeed is the saviour against what is badly sacrificed (i. e. the defects in it), while Varuṇa protects (i. e prevents obstacles to securing the fruit of) what is well sacrificed; (this latter mantra is recited) for śānti in regard to both (defects as well as good points). This is the prāyaścitti in this case." It should be noticed that here śānti (rite) and prāyaścitti are identified. The Śāṅkhāyana¹¹⁵⁴ Br. also (III. 6) says "waters are (means of) śānti, (they are) an antidote and therefore after pronouncing the word 'vaṣaṭ' the priest touches water." In the Tai. Ār. (IV. 42) there are 37 mantras of śānti used in the Pravargya rite. Some of these occur in the Ṛgveda-saṃhitā e. g the 8th (Vāta ā vātu bheṣajam) is Ṛg. X. 186. 1, mantras 15-17 are equal to Ṛg. IV. 31. 1-3; mantras 22-24 are Ṛg. X. 9. 1-3. The same Āraṇyaka (IV. 26-35) and Baud. Śr. S. IX. 18 contain several mantras for śāntis, some of which are interesting and are set out here to show how the theory of śāntis was being expanded or enlarged. "If the¹¹⁵⁵ sacrificial vessel called *mahāvīra* (in Pravargya rite) of the hot milk for the Gharma offering were to be stolen by a thief, one should offer in the Gārhapatya fire an oblation of ghee with the *sruva* ladle to the accompaniment of the mantra 'May Day and Night disclose thee as thief". 'If a wild¹¹⁵⁶ forest dog were to bark (while the Pravargya rite is on), the priest should repeat by way of a magic formula the text 'vi gā Indra vicaran spāśayasva' (O Indra, observe the cows while you move about'), should cast a kindled firebrand on both sides with the words 'O Agni, converse with Agni, and then he worships Agni with the words 'O Agni, salutation to thee once, twice, thrice &c' If a vulture screeches he recites the formula 'you are undistinguishable (from other birds) since you have blood in your beak', if an owl or she-owl hoots he recites the mantra 'In this way the owl approaches &c.'. Therefore it may be said that śānti is used in the early Vedic texts in several senses viz. (1) the state of being freed from evil aspects or effects, (2) means of appeasing or removing evil aspects, such as water, a Vedic verse or hymn, (3) rite for appeasement.

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¹¹⁵³ तदाहुर्यस्याग्निहोत्रमधिश्रितं स्कन्दति वा विष्यन्दते वा का तत्र प्रायश्चित्तिरिति तदद्भिरुपनि नयेच्छान्त्यै शान्तिर्वा आपोऽथैनद्धक्षिणेन पाणिनाभिमृश्य जपति। दिवं तृतीयं देवान् यज्ञोऽगात्ततो मा द्रविणमाष्ट, अन्तरिक्षं तृतीयं पितॄन्यज्ञो...ष्ट, पृथिवीं तृतीयं मनुष्यान् यज्ञो...ष्ट, इति। ययोरोजसा स्कभिता रजांसीति वैष्णवारुणीमृचं जपति विष्णुर्वै यज्ञस्य दुरिष्टं पाति वरुणः स्विष्टं तयोरुभयोरेव शान्त्यै। सा तत्र प्रायश्चित्तिः॥ ऐ ब्रा 32. 4. The मन्त्र 'ययोरोजसा' occurs in वाज सं 8 60 and अथर्व VII. 25. 1 (and in several other texts). Compare मैत्रा. सं III. 9. 4 'यूपो वै यज्ञस्य दुरिष्टमासुञ्चते यदि यूपमुपस्पृशेद्वज्ञस्य दुरिष्ट- मा सुञ्चेत्। तस्मादपो नोपस्पृशेय ।'.

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¹¹⁵⁴ वषट्कृत्याप उपस्पृशति। शान्तिर्वै भेषजमापः शान्तिरेवैषा भेषजमन्ततो यज्ञे क्रियते। शां. ब्रा. 3 6.

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¹¹⁵⁵ अथ यदि घर्मदुघं वा महावीरं वा स्तेनोऽपहरेद्गार्हपत्ये स्रुचाहुतिं जुहुयादहोरात्रे त्वोदीरयतामिति। बौ. श्रौ. IX. 18, that मन्त्र is 'अहोरात्रे त्वोदीरयताम्। अर्धमासास्त्वोदीं जयन्तु। मासास्त्वा श्रपयन्तु। ऋतवस्त्वा पचन्तु। संवत्सरस्त्वा श्लक्ष्णौ। तै आ. IV. 26 असौ refers to the name of the thief as in 'हे देवदत्त चोर त्वामहोरात्रे' &c.

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¹¹⁵⁶ यद्येक्ववृको वाश्येत तमभिमन्त्रयते वि गा इन्द्र विचरन् स्पाशयस्वेत्यथास्मा उभयत आदीप्तमुल्मुकं क्षिपेदग्ने अग्निना संवदस्वेत्यथैनमुपतिष्ठते सकृत्ते अग्ने नमो द्विस्ते नम-स्त्रिस्ते नम इति। यदि गृध्रो वाश्येत तमभिमन्त्रयते अच्छिद्रमुखो रुधिरेणाभ्यक्त इति। यद्युलू-कोलूकी वाश्येत तमभिमन्त्रयत इत्यादुलूक आ पत्तादिति। बौ श्रौ IX 18. The texts mentioned in this passage are तै आ IV 28, 29, 33 Both the तै आ and बौ श्रौ refer to other phenomena which are not set out here

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Apart from the simple śāntis for appeasing deities in sacrificial matters, even the Ṛgveda contains indications that there were other occurrences which were thought to be unlucky and against the supposed evil effects of which some remedies were employed For example, Ṛg X. 164 (1-5) is a hymn declared by the Anukramaṇī and Ṛgvidhāna IV. 20 1 as counteracting the indications of bad dreams¹¹⁵⁷ Verse 3 of it is 'May Agni place far away from us all evil and undesirable actions which we may have done while awake or asleep whether by our desires or imprecations or want of desire'. In Ṛg. V 82 4-5¹¹⁵⁸ the poet prays ‘O God Savitṛ! today produce for us welfare endowed with progeny and frighten away the effects of bad dreams; O God Savitṛ! drive away all sins (or evils) and confer on us what is beneficent’ (or auspicious). In Ṛg. II. 28 10 the poet prays ‘O king Varuṇa! whoever, whether a helper or a friend, declares to me who ascertained a danger (from what I saw) in a dream or whoever, a thief or a wolf, intends to harm me, from that guard us’. In Ṛg. VIII. 47. 15 the sage exclaims ‘we deliver all our bad dreams to Trita Āptya, your kindness cannot be obstructed by any one, the protection given by you is good’. Vide also Ṛg. VIII 47 14, 16-18, X 36. 4, X. 37, 4 for bad dreams. Similarly, the Ṛgveda contains verses which show that cries of birds were deemed to indicate coming good or evil and the hooting of the owl was thought to be unlucky.

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‘It¹¹⁵⁹ (the bird) frequently cries and proclaims what is to come and it propels his speech as an oarsman propels a boat; O bird! May you be auspicious to us; may no overpowering (or unfavourable) phenomenon reach you from any side’. The three verses of Ṛg. II. 43 refer to the cries of birds. ‘The birds, chirping, utter cries towards the south (of the house) like composers of songs that speak for food at various seasons; O bird! when you chirp, speak what would be to our welfare, when you are silent think of good thoughts about us; when flying up (from our house) you utter (cries) like a lute; may we be endowed with valiant sons and speak much in assemblies’. Ṛg. X. 165 contains several verses about a kapota bird and one about an owl. Ṛg. X. 165. 1 and 4 are:¹¹⁶⁰ ‘a kapota bird, messenger of ill-luck, has come to this our house, with whatever (evil) intent, we worship you, we shall perform atonement, O God! May it fare well with our men and quadrupeds. May what the owl expresses (by its hooting) turn out to be fruitless or (untrue). What the kapota bird (expresses) by placing its feet near our Agni (be untrue); here is salutation to Yama, the god of Death, whose messenger is this (bird) sent (by the god)'. The Āśvalāyana-gṛhya provides 'if a kapota (pigeon) strikes against a house (enters it) or flies along its length, the house-holder should offer into fire oblations (of ghee) with each verse of the hymn ('devāḥ kapota', Ṛg. X. 165) or he should recite it inaudibly'.

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The Kauṣītaki-gṛhya provides for the same (in V 5. 1-2) and proceeds¹¹⁶¹ "if a man sees a bad dream or when the cawing of a crow is heard in the night and in the case of other *adbhutas* (untoward or unusual occurrences) he should cook rice grains in the milk of a cow that has a calf of the same colour (as itself) but in no case of a black cow and let him sacrifice with the hymn to Night (Ṛg. X. 127) verse by verse and having partaken of the remnants of the oblations with the *mahāvyāhṛtis* and having recited over his ears the verse 'bhadraṃ karṇebhiḥ' (Ṛg. I. 89.8) and over himself the verse 'śatam-in-nu' (Ṛg I. 89. 9) donate something to the brāhmaṇas". The Śāṅkhāyana-gṛhya (V. 6, 7, 10 and 11) provides: "if a disease befalls a person, he should offer boiled Gavedhuka grains with the hymn 'these prayers to the powerful Rudra' &c verse by verse (Ṛg. I. 114). If the honey bees make honey in a man's house, he should fast and sacrifice a hundred and eight pieces of udumbara wood besmeared with curds, honey and ghee with two verses Ṛg. I.114. 8-9 and murmur the hymn (Ṛg. VII. 35) and if an ant-hill arises in his house the house should be abandoned and having fasted three nights (and days) he should perform the 'Mahāśānti'.¹¹⁶²

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¹¹⁵⁷ यदाशसा नि शसाभिशसोपारिम जाग्रतो यत्स्वपन्त । अग्निर्विश्वान्यप दुष्कृता-न्यजुष्टान्यारे अस्मद् दधातु ॥ ऋ X 164 3 ऋग्विधान IV 1 is अपेहीति जपेत्सूक्तं शुचि-र्दु स्वप्ननाशनम्।

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¹¹⁵⁸ अद्या नो देव सवित प्रजावत् सावीः सौभगम्। परा दुःष्वप्न्यं सुव। विश्वानि देव सवितर्दुरितानि परा सुव। यद्भद्रं तन्न आ सुव॥ ऋ V 82 4-5, यो मे राजन् युज्यो वा सखा वा स्वप्ने भयं भीरवे मह्यमाह ! स्तेनो वा यो दिप्सति वृको वा त्वं तस्माद्ररुण पाह्यस्मान् ॥ ऋ II 28 10, त्रिति दु ष्ष्वप्न्यं सर्वमाप्त्ये परि दद्मस्यनेहसो व ऊतय. सुऊतयो व ऊतय ॥ ऋ VIII. 47. 15

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¹¹⁵⁹ कनिक्रदज्जनुषं० विदत् ॥ ऋ II. 42 1. q. in note 755 p 526. निरुक्त IX. 4 explains this verse. सायण holds that the bird referred to is कपिञ्जल. निरुक्त IX 5 quotes a verse from a खिलसूक्त addressed to कपिञ्जल ‘भद्रं वद दक्षिणतो’...भद्रं पश्चात्कपिञ्जल,’ which occurs in कौशिकसूत्र 46 54 प्रदक्षिणिदभि गृणन्ति कारवो वयो वदन्त ऋतुथा शकुन्तय. । ० आवदंस्त्वं शकुने भद्रमावद तूष्णीमासीनः सुमतिं चिकिद्धि न. । यदुत्पतन्वदसि कर्करिर्यथा बृहद्वदेम विदथे सुवीराः ॥ ऋ II 43. 1 and 3 The last verse is quoted in कौशिकसूत्र 46. 54 among the कपिञ्जलस्वस्त्ययनs Vide ऋग्विधान I. 31. 4 for a similar provision against sounds of birds.

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¹¹⁶⁰ शिवः कपोत इषितो नो अस्त्वनागा देवा शकुनो गृहेषु । ० यदुलूको वदति मोघमेतद्यत्कपोतः पदमग्नौ कृणोति । यस्य दूतः प्रहित एष एतत्तस्मै यमाय नमोस्तु मृत्यवे ॥ ऋ. X. 165. 2 and 4, अथर्व० VI 27. 1-3 are almost the same as ऋ X 165. 1-3, अथर्व VI. 27.1 is ऋ X 165. 5 and अथर्व VI. 29. 1-2 are similar to ऋ. X 165. 4. कपोतश्वेद्गारमुपहन्यादशुपतेद्वा देवाः कपोत इति प्रत्यृच जुहुयाज्जपेद्वा। आश्व गृ. III 7. 7; compare मानवगृ II. 17 and कौशिकसूत्र 46. 7 and ऋग्विधान IV. 20.2.

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¹¹⁶¹ स्वप्नदर्शने निशाया। काकशब्दक्रान्ते च । अन्येषु चाद्भुतेषु च । पयसा चरुं श्रपयित्वा सरूपवत्साया गो पयसि । न त्वेव कृष्णाया । रात्रिसूक्तेन प्रत्यृचं जुहुयात् । हुतशेषं महाव्याहृतिभि प्राश्य भद्रं कर्णेभिरिति कर्णौ शतमिन्नु शरदो अन्ति देवा इत्यात्मानमभिमन्त्र्य ब्राह्मणेभ्य किञ्चिद्दद्यात् । कौषी गृ V. 5, compare मानवगृह्य II. 15 यदि दु स्वप्नं पश्येद् व्याहृतिभिस्तिलान् हुत्वा दिश उपतिष्ठेत । (formulas for four quarters, lower regions, and upper regions are cited which occur in काठकसंंहिता 37. 10)

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¹¹⁶² महाशान्ति The com of नारायण explains that महाशान्ति means विनायकशान्ति and नवग्रहशान्ति It is doubtful whether these two were known to the author of the शाङ्खायनगृह्य, the कौशिकसूत्र (39.27, 43 5 and 44 6) prescribes a महाशान्ति which is different. कौशिक 43 5 is वास्तोष्पत्यादीनि महाशान्तिमावपते and कौशिक 8. 23 prescribes 'इहैव भवमिह यातृ, यमो मृत्यु, सत्यं वृहदित्यनुवाकौ वास्तोष्पतीयानि.' These are अथर्व III 12 1 (इहैव ध्रुवाम्), VI, 73.1 (एह यातु), VI 93 1 (यमो मृत्यु), XII. 1 (सत्यं बृहत्) This last अनुवाक has 63 verses. Among later medieval works the शान्तिमयूख (pp 106-108) describes an elaborate महाशान्ति

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The Aitareya-Āraṇyaka mentions ten dreams viz. a person sees a dark man with black teeth and such a man kills him, or a boar kills him, or an ape jumps on him, the wind carries him swiftly; having swallowed gold, he vomits it; he eats honey; he chews stalks of lotuses; he carries a single (red) lotus; he drives with a team of asses or boars; himself wearing a wreath of *nalada* flowers,¹¹⁶³ he drives towards the south a black cow having a black calf. If a man sees any one of these, he should fast, cook a dish of rice in milk in a vessel, offer into fire oblations thereof with each of the verses of the hymn to Night (Ṛg. X 127. 1–8), feed brāhmaṇas with other food (cooked in the house) and should himself eat boiled rice'.¹¹⁶⁴ The same Āraṇyaka mentions in the same context some unusual phenomena such as the sun appearing like the moon (pale and without heat) or the sky becoming like madder and prescribes the recital of some Ṛgvedic verses (such as IX. 67. 21–27, VIII. 6. 30, IX. 113. 6–11, I. 50. 10).

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¹¹⁶³ In the Āśv. Śr. (quoted in H. of Dh. vol IV p. 203 n. 481) it is provided that the corpse of an *āhitāgni* is to be decked with a wreath of *naladas*. The south is the direction of the *pitṛs*, vide Śatapatha Br. I. 2. 5. 17 ('eṣā vai dik pitṝṇām') Therefore, to see in a dream oneself wearing a wreath of naladas or driving towards the south was deemed to forebode death.

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¹¹⁶⁴ अथ स्वप्नाः । पुरुषं कृष्णं कृष्णदन्तं पश्यति स एनं हन्ति वराह एनं हन्ति मर्कट एनमास्कन्दत्याशु वायुरेनं प्रवहति सुवर्णं खादित्वा प्रगिरति मध्वश्नाति बिसानि भक्षयत्येक-पुण्डरीकं धारयति खरैर्वराहैर्युक्तैर्याति कृष्णां धेनुं कृष्णवत्सा नलदमाली दक्षिणामुखो भ्राजयति । स यद्येतेषां किंचित्पश्येदुपोष्य पायसं स्थालीपाकं श्रपयित्वा रात्रीसूक्तेन प्रत्यृचं हुत्वाम्येनान्नेन ब्राह्माणान् भोजयित्वा चरुं स्वयं प्राश्नीयात् । ऐ. आ III. 2 4, vide मार्कण्डेयपुराण 40. 1-33 for signs of approaching death (Venk ed.) of which verses 15-20, 27, 29, 31-33 deal with dreams. Some of these verses of मार्कण्डेय have a striking similarity to the ऐ आ. passage, for example, मार्कण्डेय 40 27 is : उष्ट्ररासभयानेन यः स्वप्ने दक्षिणा दिशम् । प्रयाति तं च जानीयात्सद्योमृत्युं नरेश्वर ॥

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The Chāndogya Up. contains a verse saying 'if a person engaged in rites for securing a certain desired object sees a woman in a dream, one should understand on seeing such a sight that he will prosper (i. e. secure that object)'.1164a The Chāndogya Upaniṣad (VIII. 10. 1), the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (IV. 3. 7–20) and Praśna IV. 5 contain profound thoughts on the psychology of dream phenomena, but as that discussion would not be relevant in the section on śānti nothing can be said here beyond quoting three striking passages.¹¹⁶⁵

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1164a यदा कर्मसु काम्येषु स्त्रियं स्वप्नेषु पश्यति । समृद्धिं तत्र जानीयात्तस्मिन् स्वप्न-निदर्शने ॥ छान्दोग्य V. 2 9 q. by शङ्कराचार्य on वेदान्तसूत्र II. 1. 6.

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¹¹⁶⁵ य एष स्वप्ने महीयमानश्चरत्येष आत्मेति होवाचैतदमृतमभयं ब्रह्मेति स ह शान्तहृदयः प्रवव्राज । छा. उप. VIII. 10. 1; अत्रैष देवः स्वप्ने महिमानमनुभवति यद्दृष्टं दृष्टमनुपश्यति श्रुतं श्रुतमेवार्थमनुशृणोति देशादिगन्तरैश्च प्रत्यनुभूतं पुनःपुनः प्रत्यनुभवति दृष्टं चादृष्टं च श्रुतं चाश्रुतं चानुभूतं चाननुभूतं च सच्चासच्च सर्वं पश्यति सर्वं पश्यति । प्रश्न IV. 5; कतम आत्मेति योऽयं विज्ञानमयः प्राणेषु हृद्यन्तर्ज्योतिः पुरुषः स समानः सन्नुभौ लोकावनुसञ्चरति ध्यायतीव लेलायतीव स हि स्वप्नो भूत्वेमं लोकमतिक्रामति मृत्यो रूपाणि । '''स यत्र प्रस्वपित्यस्य लोकस्य सर्वावतो मात्रामपादाय स्वयं विहृत्य स्वयं निर्माय स्वेन भासा स्वेन ज्योतिषा प्रस्वपित्यत्रायं पुरुषः स्वयं ज्योतिर्भवति । बृह उप. IV. 3. 7 and 9. Some of these passages on dreams are relied upon and discussed by Śaṅkarācārya on Vedāntasūtra I. 3. 42, II. 1. 28, III. 2. 1-4.

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The Atharvaveda also has several verses on dreams and on birds like *kapota* (pigeon). The Kauśikasūtra prescribes several verses of the Atharvaveda as śāntis in the case of dreams: 'on seeing a dream a man washes his face with the verses (Atharva VI. 45. 1 and 46. 1), if he sees a very terrible dream he offers into fire a cake of mixed grains¹¹⁶⁶ or in another direction (in his enemy's field); he changes the side on which he sleeps with Atharva VII. 100. 1; on seeing himself eating in a dream he recites the mantra (Atharva VII. 101. 1) and he looks on; with the verse 'vidma te' (Atharva VI. 46. 2) all (dreams) vanish.' Two of these verses may be set out here: 'O dream! we know the place of thy birth, thou art the son of gods' sisters; thou art the helper of Yama, thou art the destroyer; thou art death, O dream! we know thee to be so; O dream! do thou save us from evil dreams'; 'I turn round (and lie on my other side) from evil dreaming, from bad dreaming, from ill-luck; I make *brahman* (vedic prayer) my defence; I put away the sorrows that come through dreams'.¹¹⁶⁷ The Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra prescribes a similar verse for japa when a *dīkṣita* sees a disagreeable dream.¹¹⁶⁸

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¹¹⁶⁶ The कौशिक 8. 20 enumerates मिश्रधान्यानि as 'व्रीहियवगोधूमोपवाकतिलप्रियङ्गुश्यामाका इति मिश्रधान्यानि ।' The com. explains 'उपवाक इति अभियवाः । सुराष्ट्राणां प्रसिद्धाः ।' श्यामाकs are called सावे in Marāṭhī and उपवाक is इन्द्रजव (in Marāṭhī).

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¹¹⁶⁷ विद्म ते स्वप्न जनित्रं देवजामीनां पुत्रोऽसि यमस्य करणः । अन्तकोऽसि मृत्युरसि तं त्वा स्वप्न तथा सं विद्म स नः स्वप्न दुःष्वप्न्यात् पाहि ॥ अथर्व VI 46 2 and XVI. 5. 6, पर्यावर्ते दुःष्वप्न्यात्पापात्स्वप्नादभूत्या । ब्रह्माहमन्तरं कृण्वे परा स्वप्नमुखाः शुचः ॥ अथर्व VII. 100. 1.

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¹¹⁶⁸ दीक्षितोऽमनोज्ञं स्वप्नं दृष्ट्वा जपेत्-पर्यावर्ते दुःस्वप्न्यात्पापात् स्वप्नादभूतये । ब्रह्माहमन्तरं करवे परः स्वप्नमुखा शुधोति । कात्या श्रौ. सू. 25. 11. 20. The verse as printed is somewhat corrupt.

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The Āpastamba-gṛhya (8. 23. 9) lumps together several unusual appearances and provides the same śānti in the case of all, 'If the post of a man's house puts forth shoots, or if honey is made in his house by bees or if the footprint of a pigeon is seen on the hearth or if disease arises in his family, or in the case of other miracles and prodigies, let him perform on the newmoon night, at dead of night, at a place where he does not hear the sound of water, the rites from the putting of wood on the fire to the Ājyabhāga oblations indicated in the next (Āpastambīyamantrapāṭha II. 22. 14–23), and then perform Jaya and following oblations.' Very similar provisions are found in Jaiminīya-gṛhya II. 7.¹¹⁶⁹ The Sāmavidhānabrāhmaṇa contains several prāyaścittas (really śāntis) on the happening of numerous incidents. A few examples are set out here; when bad dreams¹¹⁷⁰ are seen, the person should make repetition of Ṛg. V. 82. 4 twice (i. e. in all at least six times); in the case of any other prognosticatory occurrence not known from any work the person should repeat twice the verse Ṛg. IV. 31. 1. On seeing one's enemies with weapons raised to strike, the person should revolve in his mind the Devavrata verse, then (the enemies) would not kill him. If one's house were to be burnt¹¹⁷¹ (accidentally) one should offer oblations anointed with ghee with the mantra 'born with the highest Dharman' (Sāmaveda no 90) and with words 'svāhā to Agni' In II. 2. 2 The Sāmavidhāna Br. prescribes a śānti for one seized or posessed by an evil spirit. A portion of Sadvimśabrāhmaṇa (viz V 1-10) is styled Adbhutabrāhmaṇa and contains śāntis for several kinds of utpātas Some parts of it (such as V 2-3) correspond with Āśvalāyana-gṛhya-pariśista, 4 11-15 The Saḍvimśa-brāhmaṇa V. 7. 2 provides for earthquakes and cracks in palaces, which are similar to Yogayātrā 3. 13 The Atharvaveda 19. 9. 9 refers to showers of falling stars (nakṣatramulkābhihatam śam-astu naḥ) and Sadvimśa V 9. 2. refers to falling meteors and V 10. 2 to images laughing, weeping &c

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¹¹⁶⁹ स्थूणाविरोरोहणे मधुन उपवेशने कुप्तौ कपोतपददर्शनेऽमात्याना शरीररेपणेऽन्येषु चाद्भुतोत्पातेष्वमावास्या निशायां यत्रापा न शृणुयात्तदग्नेरुपसमाधानादाज्यभागान्त उत्तरा आहुतीर्हुत्वा जयादि प्रतिपद्यते । आप. गृ. 8. 23. 9 अथातोऽद्भुतशान्तिं व्याख्यास्यामः। अथ यद्यगारे स्थूणा विरोहेत् । कपोतो वागारं गच्छेदूर्वा गां धयेदनडुग्वान्वा दिवमुल्लिखेत् । अनग्नौ वा धूमो जायेतानग्नो वा दीप्त्येत । मधु वा जायेत । वल्मीकं वोपजायेत मण्डूको वाम्भृणे वाश्येत् श्वानो गृहे पर्यटेयुरित्येतानन्यांश्च । यत्त इन्द्र भयामहै । सदस्पतिमद्भुतम्। अथायामृते सुसुदस्य (?)। सनादग्ने । यद्वा उ विश्र्पतिः शितः। प्रत्यङ्गे । यं रक्षन्ति । प्राजापत्यर्चा पुरस्ताच्चोपरिष्टाच्च महाव्याहृतिभिर्जुहोति । एतानि ऋक्सामानि गायेत् । जैमिनीयगृह्य II. 7 (Punjab S. Series). Pratīkas (except the third अथा···स्य which is corrupt) are: ऋ. VIII. 61. 13, I. 18. 6, X. 87. 19, VIII 23. 13, X. 87. 24, I. 41. 1, X. 121. 10 (प्रजापते न त्वदेतान्यन्यो). All these (except X. 87. 24 and X 121. 10) occur in the सामवेद and some also in other संहिताs. बौ. गृ. III. 6 is very similar to जै. गृह्य.

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¹¹⁷⁰ दुःस्वप्नेष्वद्य नो देव सवितरिति द्वितीयम् । अन्यस्मिन्स्वनाज्ञाते कयानीयाद्वितीयमावर्तयेत् । सामवि. ब्रा. I. 8 7-8. अद्य नो० is ऋ. V. 82. 4, सामवेद No. 141 (ed. by Satavalekar); कयानीया is कया नश्चित्र० (Rg. IV. 31. 1, Sāma No. 169). The com. notes that the lowest number of the repetition (आवृत्ति) of a mantra is three; the repetition may be recited several times more according to the gravity or otherwise of the 'adbhuta' and one's ability आवृत्तिर्विशिष्यते ऽपवरमिति । त्रिरावृत्तिर्जघन्या तत्तद्दोषगौरवलाघवानुगुण्येन ततोऽधिकं यथाशक्त्या वर्तयेत् । इत्यर्थः । उद्यतं शस्त्रांश्च्छत्रून्दृष्ट्वा देवव्रतानि मनसा ध्यायन्नेनं हिंसन्ति । II.44; देवव्रत is सामवेद I. 350 'एतो न्विन्द्रं स्तवाम शुद्धं शुद्धेन साम्ना। शुद्धैरुक्थैर्वावृध्वांसं शुद्धैराशीर्वान् ममत्तु॥'. It is also ऋ. VIII. 95. 7. It is one of the sacred texts by murmurring which or by homas with which a person is purified. Vide Vasiṣṭha-dharmasūtra 28. 10-15; देवव्रत is in verse 28. 13 of वसिष्ठ.

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¹¹⁷¹ अग्निदग्धे घृताक्तान्यवाञ्जुहुयाज्जात. परेण धर्मणेत्येतेनाग्नये स्वाहेति च । 1. 8. 9.

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Reasons of space forbid further description of śāntis from the gṛhya-sūtras

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The preceding discussion with regard to śāntis is enough to show that śāntis were prescribed in the Vedic literature, the śrautasūtras, Sāmavidhāna-brāhmaṇa and Ṛgvidhāna, not only for appeasing the angry divinities or powers of evil, but also for occurrences like bad dreams or of portentous phenomena like the sun's or moon's appearance, the cries of unlucky birds &c.

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This subject about śāntis against all sorts of omens and portents was very much elaborated in the post-Vedic literature. An extensive literature on śāntis exists in the Gṛhyasūtras, the Kauśika-sūtra, the Atharvaveda Pariśiṣtas (particularly Nos. V, XXXI on Koṭihoma, XXXIII on Ghṛtakambala, XXXVII on 'samuccayaprāyaścittam', resembling 13th chapter of Kauśika, LVIII to LXVII on utpātas, adbhutaśāntis and dreams, LXXI and LXXII, the Purāṇas (like Matsya 92-93 and 228-238, Viṣṇudharmottara I. 90-105, II. 124-127, II. 159-164. Mārkaṇḍeya chap. 40, Agni 149, 164, 167, 259-268, 290-91, 320-324, Bhaviṣya IV. 141-145, Brahmāṇḍa III. 38. 30-34, the Bṛhatsaṃhitā chap. 45, the Śāntika-pauṣṭika-kāṇḍa of the Kṛtyakalpataru (Ms. in Baroda Oriental Institute), the Adbhutasāgara of Ballālasena and his son Lakṣmaṇasena (commenced to be written in śaka 1089 i. e. 1167 A.D), the Śānti section of the Madanaratna (ms. in the Anup Sanskrit Library, Bikaner), Jyotiṣtattva of Raghunandana (pp. 704 ff), the Śāntikamalakara of Kamalākarabhaṭṭa (ms. in Bhau Daji collection of the Bombay Asiatic Society), Śāntimayūkha of Nīlakaṇṭha. Of these the Adbhutasāgara is a very extensive work of 751 pages, edited by Pandit Murlidhar Jhā and published by Prabhakari &c, Banares, in 1905 A. D. The Kṛtyakalpataru on Śāntis has not yet been edited and published in the Gaikwad Oriental Series. As compared with some other *kāṇḍas*, the section on śānti is meagre. It deals only with the following; Kūrmavibhāga (the distribution of the countries in Bhārata in 9 groups); Graha-makha or Grahayāga quoting Yāj. I. 295-308, Matsya, Narasiṁha and Bhaviṣya and Devīpurāṇa; Ayutahoma, Kotihoma; Puṣyasnāna; Grahaśānti; Mātṛśānti; Liṅgaśānti; Vināyakaśānti (quoting Yāj. I. 271-294 and Matsya), Grahaṇasnāna; Saṅkrāntisnāna; mṛtavatsābhiṣeka; śāntis for variouas utpātas; Gāyatrīhoma; Rudrajapavidhi; ābhicārikakarma (magic rites). It is neither possible nor necessary to deal with this vast mass on śānti in this work in detail. Many of the śāntis described therein and in older śrauta and other works have been almost obsolete for a long time. Therefore, only a few śāntis now in vogue or very interesting from several viewpoints will be dealt with in this section.¹¹⁷²

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¹¹⁷² A recently published work by D. J. Hoens (pp. 1-197, S Gravenhage, 1951) on 'Śānti' deals at some length only with śāntis in the Saṁhitās, Brāhmaṇas and Śrautasūtras. According to Keśava's Paddhati on Kauśika-sūtra (I 8, Bloomfield's ed. p. 307) and Sāyaṇa in his Intro. to Atharvaveda there were five Kalpas of the Atharvaveda mentioned by (an ancient commentator) Upavarṣa in his commentary on Jaimini I. 3. 11-14 called Kalpasūtrādhikaraṇa viz नक्षत्रकल्प, वितानकल्प, संहितानकल्प, आङ्गिरसकल्प, and शान्तिकल्प सायण says (Muradabad edition of samvat 1986) 'शान्तिकल्पेपि प्रथमं वैनायकग्रहगृहीतलक्षणाानि तच्छान्तये सम्भाराहरणम्, अभिषेकवैनायकहोमाः, तत्पूजा-विधानम्, आदित्यादिनवग्रहयज्ञादिकमिति। (p 81, and p. 28 of Pandit's ed.), अथर्व परिशिष्ट XLIX (चरणव्यूह p. 337, 4 7). Vide JAOS vol XI. p. 376-378 for the Kalpas of the Atharvaveda. The ब्रह्माण्डपुराण II 35 61-62 states 'नक्षत्र-कल्पो वैतानस्तृतीयो संहिताविधिः । चतुर्थोऽङ्गिरसः कल्पः शान्तिकल्पश्च पञ्चमः । श्रेष्ठा स्तथर्वाणामेते संहितानां विकल्पकाः ॥. The same verses occur in वायुपुराण 61. 54; compare also विष्णुपु० III. 6 13-14

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The Kauśikasūtra (chapter 13, kaṇḍikās 93-136) is concerned with *adbhutas*, their descriptions and the śāntis therefor. Kaṇḍikā 93 brings together 42 portentous phenomena and the kaṇḍikās that follow deal with the description of the omen or portent and śāntis for each of these. In these śāntis, Atharvaveda mantras play a secondary role and the majority of the mantras form an independent mantra material. It should be noted that at the end all these śāntis are spoken of as 'prāyaścitta'.

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The subjects treated of in the Madanaratna (about 1425 to 1450 A. D) on Śāntika-pauṣṭika would indicate how extensive was the cult of śāntis recommended in medieval times. The Anukramaṇikā at the beginning of the Ms. mentions the following: Vināyakasnāna; śāntis to placate the nine planets from the Sun to Ketu, Śanaiścaravrata, śāntis to placate Saturn extracted from Skanda (Nāgarakhaṇḍa and Prabhāsakhaṇḍa); worship of Jupiter and Venus; Śāntis based on the Yāmalas1172a on the conjunction of five or more planets, Grahasnānas from Viṣṇudharmottara, śāntis of the tithi and weekday when fever and other diseases seize a man, Nakṣatraśānti, śāntis for the nine nakṣatras called Janma and the rest (vide note 772 for these nine nakṣatras); śāntis for birth on Amāvāsyā, or on Mūla, Āśleṣā or Jyeṣṭhā nakṣatra, śānti for birth on the same nakṣatra as that of the father or (elder) brother, śāntis for birth on Gaṇḍa, Vaidhṛti, Vyatīpātayoga, Saṅkrānti, Viṣanāḍī, ecplipses; śānti called Gomukhaprasava; śāntis declared for the protection of the foetus from the first and following months from conception; *bali* offerings; medicine for removing pains of the foetus; measures for easy delivery, for protection of the child after birth, bali on first day with mantras &c, nīrājana &c, description of sprinkling the infant with holy water, satiating gods and pitṛs with water, *homas*, *yantras* (mystical diagrams);

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1172a The *Yāmalas* are works of Tantra class, the numbers of which are variously given. But they are often said to be eight. Vide note 1598 below on *tantras*. The Rudrayāmala tantra was published by Jīvānanda containing over 6000 verses in 66 chapters in 1892. There are works called Gaṇeśayāmala, Brahmayāmala, Rudra-yāmala, Viṣṇuyāmala, Śakti-yāmala, and several others. Certain *ghaṭīs* (or nāḍīs) of certain tithis, weekdays and nakṣatras are said by the Smṛti-kaustubha to be *viṣanāḍīs* or *viṣaghaṭīs* (producing very disastrous results), but in astrological works certain ghaṭīs of nakṣatras only have that appellation and a person born on those ghaṭīs forebodes the death and loss of the father, the mother, wealth and himself by poisoning, arms and missiles (according to Dharmasindhu p. 184). The Madanaratna on Śāntika (folios 15b to 20b) sets out numerous details about all the 27 nakṣatras from the work of Ātreya, one (detail) being the viṣaghaṭī of each nakṣatra e.g as to Aśvinī three nāḍīkās after 50th ghaṭikā constitute viṣanāḍī, as to Bharaṇī one ghaṭī after 24, as to Punarvasu and Puṣya one ghaṭī after 30 and 20 ghaṭīs respectively and so on.

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general rules about the rites on the 1st to the 12th day after birth and in the first and following months of the first year after birth; applying ointments, fumigation, baths with mantras when a child is seized (or possessed) by an evil spirit; *homa* with *dūrvās* and homa for long life; *śānti* for *adbhutas* and śāntis for strange occurrences about images, Agni, trees, rainfall, reservoirs of water, for strange births, for birth of twins, for strange happenings about implements, beasts, collapse of temples and houses; śāntis for various *utpātas* and *adbhutas*; śāntis about kapota bird and on seeing the *coitus* of crows; śāntis relating to fall on one's body of the house lizard and chameleon; śāntis on impurity due to births and deaths; śāntis relating to horses and elephants; śāntis on weekdays; mahāśānti; Navagrahamakha; rules about Ayutahoma and its procedure, and about Lakṣahoma and Kotihoma from Narasimhapurāna, Devīpurāna and Bhaviṣyapurāna;1172b Vasor-dhārā from Devīpurāna The adbhutas mentioned in *kāṇḍikā* 93 (of the Kauśika-sūtra) are: showers (of ghee, honey, meat, gold, blood and other terrible showers); yakṣas (supernatural apparitions like apes, beasts, crows appearing in the form of human beings); croaking of two frogs; wrangling of family members; earth-quake; eclipse of the sun; eclipse of the moon; *uṣasī* (day-break, morning?) does not go up; when *samā* (year?) becomes terrible; when there is fear of inundations; when brāhmaṇas are armed; when images of gods dance, fall down, laugh, sing or present other forms; where two ploughshares get entangled; where two ropes or two threads (become entangled); where one Agni comes in contact with another; when a cow gives birth to twins; when a mare, or a she-ass or a woman¹¹⁷³ (gives birth to twins); when cows yield bloody¹¹⁷⁴ milk, when a bull sucks the udder of a cow; where a cow sucks the udder of another cow; where (a cow, horse, mule or a person) smells at ākāśaphena (white scuttle fish bone supposed to be sea-foam), when ants behave in an unusual way; when blue¹¹⁷⁵ bees act in an unusual way; where the honey bees act in an unusual way; when an adbhuta happens not known before (or that surpasses all previous records); when anything is torn (or shattered in pieces) in a village, residence, shed for sacred fires or meeting hall; when water spurts up in a waterless place; where sesame yield equal oil (?); where sacrificial offerings are polluted by being touched by birds, two-footed animals and quadrupeds; when the locks of hair (of a boy or girl) turn towards the left; when the sacrificial post strikes shoots; when a meteor is seen falling by day; when a comet darkens the Great Bear, when the nakṣatras fall frequently (from the sky);1175a when a bird alights (on one's house) with flesh in its beak; when a light flashes without there being any fire; where Agni seems to breathe (or hiss) as it were; where clarified butter, oil or honey trickles, where village fire burns down a house, where accidental fire burns one's house, where a bamboo splits open with a sound, where a jar splits in a reservoir of water or a pan (when put on fire) splits or a vessel in which barley is put splits.¹¹⁷⁶

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