History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c92.32.1

v7.c92.32.1

Even the Ṛgveda speaks of the Śaktis of the great gods of the Vedic pantheon. But the Śakti or Śaktis are of the God himself and not a separate creative principle and sometimes Śakti is meant as part of the poet, priest or sacrificer (as in Ṛg. I. 31. 18, I. 83. 3, IV. 22. 8, X. 25. 5). The word ‘Śakti’ occurs in the Ṛgveda about a dozen times in the singular as well as in the plural, five times with Indra,¹⁶⁷⁶ once with Aśvins (Ṛg. II. 39. 7), twice with pitṛs (I 109. 3, VI. 75. 9) and once with gods in general (X. 88. 10, who are said to have created Agni with their powers). Sometimes, the word ‘Māyā’ is used with regard to Indra instead of the word Śakti. ‘O Indra! I long for your great friendship and powers (śaktīḥ)...understand that you are our great protector; I proclaim your ancient and recent deeds, O Indra endowed with powers (Śaktīvaḥ)!......; ‘Indra assuming¹⁶⁷⁷ many forms by his powers (māyābhiḥ) repairs (to many sacrifices), ten hundred horses are yoked to his chariot’. In these passages there is no question of worshipping śakti or śaktis of the god praised. The more frequent word, however, is ‘Śacī’ (‘śacībhiḥ’ occurring 36 times and ‘śacyā’ 12 times). The word ‘Śacīpati’ (lord of Śacī or power) occurs sixteen times in the Ṛgveda and has been applied in all places to Indra, except once in Ṛg. VII. 67. 5 (where it is applied to Aśvins).