History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c91.235
History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c91.235
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Supreme importance is attached to Vedic mantras and also Paurāṇika mantras. They will have to be dealt with at some length in the sections on Tantras and on Pūrvamīmāṁsā. But some treatment of mantras, particularly vedic, may be given here as well. The word *mantra* occurs about twenty-five times in the Ṛgveda Only once does the word *mantrakṛt* occur in the Ṛgveda¹⁶⁰⁶ (IX 114. 2) 'O sage Kaśyapa! offer obeisance to king Soma Lord of plants with the chants of the composers (or authors) of mantras, thereby sending forth your own voice &c'. Mr. Kapali Sastry is inaccurate when he states (on p. 67 of the translation of his 'Ṛgbhāsya-bhūmikā in English) 'we see *frequent* mention made in the Ṛik Saṃhitā of the rishi as the author of the mantra' and he cites only Ṛg. IX 114. 2 and I. 67. 2. The latter contains no word like mantrakṛt. Ṛg. I. 67. 2 (addressed to Agni) runs 'holding in his hand all powers (or riches), sitting in a cave (i. e. concealed) he placed the gods in fright, heroes (men or gods) that place (offer) prayers know him (Agni) to be here when they recite mantras formed in the heart'.
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There is no direct reference to ṛṣis here (but to naraḥ) and what is emphasized is that mantras already extant as the heart's outpourings enable the reciters of the mantras to find him (Agni) There is nothing to show that the mantras referred to in the verse are meant to be *impromptu*, the idea is rather that mantras that already existed and conveyed heartfelt devotion have to be employed to find Agni The very next verse makes the position clear when it says, 'like the unborn (Sun) he (Agni) supports the wide earth and fixes in its place the sky on account of the mantras that turn out true'. This clarifies two things, viz. that when this mantra (I 67. 3) was recited there already existed a host of mantras¹⁶⁰⁷ and secondly, that the mantras that existed long before were deemed to have helped in supporting the earth and the sky. The ancient mantras were supposed to bring Indra to attend thrice in the day for a short time to the sacrifices of devotees when invoked with mantras addressed to him (Ṛg. III. 53 8), similarly, mantras when recited by wise men bring Yama to receive offerings (Ṛg X 14. 4); Ṛg. X 88 14 states 'we raise our voices with mantras towards Vaiśvānara Agni, who is wise and who shines brilliantly all days'. The word mantra¹⁶⁰⁸ is also employed in the singular several times.
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A few striking passages are set out here: 'Indeed, God Brahmanaspati (Lord of Prayer) proclaims the mantra fit for recitation (by the mouth of the hotṛ), in which the gods Indra, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman make their abode, O Gods!', 'We utter that very mantra (in which Indra and other gods are praised together) in our sacrifices, the mantra being one that produces bliss and being free from all blemishes (or is incomparable), 'Do place among the Gods a mantra that is not short, that is well-arranged and that is well ornamented; ancient fetters do not reach him who is in (the good grace of) Indra by the sacrifice (or praise); 'I address the same mantra for you (all) and offer for you (all) one offering (into fire)'. From these passages it appears that when these verses were recited there was a body of already existing mantras; which were supposed to be inspired by the Lord of prayers (or speech) and from which the choice of a long and well-formed one was to be made. Apart from the above passages the word mantra occurs in Ṛg I. 31 13, I. 74 1, I. 147, 4, I. 152 2, II. 35 2, VI. 50 14, VII. 7 6, X. 50 4 and 6, X. 106. 11, in only one of which (Ṛg. II. 35. 2), apart from Ṛg I 67. 2 already quoted, the words 'hṛdā ā suṣṭaṣṭam mantram' (mantra well chiselled from the heart) are used and in another verse more simply the word 'atakṣan' (in VII. 7. 6 *mantram ye vāram naryā atakṣan*) alone is used. In two passages (Ṛg. X. 95. 1 and X. 191.
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3 first half) the word 'mantra' appears to mean 'consultations, holding counsel together'. In Ṛg I 20 4, Ṛbhus are called 'satyamantrāḥ' and are said to have made their parents young. There are controversies about what the Ṛbhus stand for and it is difficult to say what is meant by 'satyamantrāḥ' in relation to Ṛbhus. Ṛg. VII 76. 4. is a¹⁶⁰⁹ somewhat enigmatic verse. It means 'they (Aṅgirases) alone, (our) ancient pitṛs, learned (or wise) and following the right path, enjoyed companionship among gods and they found out the Light (the Sun) concealed (by Svarbhānu, eclipse); they, whose mantras were true, brought forth Uṣas'. In some passages where other words like *stoma* or *brahma* are used, there is mention of the stoma or brahma being made and polished by the devotee (e. g. X. 39. 14 'etam vām stomam-Aśvināvakar-mātaksāma bhrgavo na ratham') Vide Ṛg. I 62. 13 for 'navyam ataksad brahma', Ṛg. V. 29.15 (Indra brahma kriyamānā jusasva śavistha yā te navyā akarma), brahmakrtah (composers of prayers or praises) are mentioned in Ṛg. VII 32 2 and X. 50. 7.
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Other words like *gir* (several hundred times), dhīti (about 100 times), brahma (over a hundred times) mati (about 100 times), manīsā (over 60 times), vacas and vacasyā (over 100 times), stoma (about 200 times), sukīrti (five times), sūkta (four times) are employed in the sense of 'thought, word or thought out hymn or verse of praise' and in several cases the sages of the Ṛgveda state that it is a new verse or hymn of praise that they employ. Vide 'navyasībhir-gīrbhiḥ' and 'giram bhare navyasīm jāyamānām' in Ṛg V. 42. 13, in Ṛg VI 49. 1, VII. 53. 2; 'Pra tavyasīm *navyasīm dhītimagnaye*' in Ṛg. I. 143 1; '*vaiśvānarāya matir-navyasī śucīḥ soma iva pavate*' (Ṛg. VI 8. 1) and 'iyam te navyasī matir agne adhāyyasmadā' (Ṛg VIII. 74. 7); iyam te agne navyasī manīsā' Ṛg. X. 4. 6; 'tā valgū¹⁶¹⁰ Dasrā puruśā-katamā pratnā navyasā *vacasā vivāse*' (Ṛg VI. 62. 5); '*navyasī sukīrtiḥ*' in Ṛg. I 60. 3, 'sa pratnavat *navyase viśvavāra sūktāya* pathah krnuhi' in Ṛg IX. 91. 5; '*nū navyase navīyase sūktāya* sādhayā pathah' in Ṛg. IX 9. 8. It is a remarkable fact that when words like 'sukīrtiḥ' and 'sūkta' that occur only four or five times in the whole of the Ṛgveda are qualified by the word 'new or fresh', the word 'mantra' occurring so many times does not even once bear the adjective 'new'.
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This emphasizes the conclusion stated above that in the times of many of the extant Ṛgvedic verses mantras were a large group already existing, from which prayers were drawn as occasion required, though now and then new verses were added to those already existing. It may here be stated that in some places the Ṛgveda looks upon prayers (*dhīti*) as divine and as on the same level with Aśvins, Usas, and the Sūn (VIII. 35. 2) and that ancient prayers were inherited from ancestors (III. 39. 2 'seyamasme sanajā pitryā dhīḥ').