History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c95.173

v7.c95.173

only to the other world (pitṛs) and not to transmigration. Prof. Ranade refers (p. 148) to Ṛg. X. 58 and translates one of the verses as meaning that the sage will recall the soul and make it live again by his song. It is not clear what verse or verses he has in view. He has probably only the first verse in view. That hymn has twelve verses in each of which a quarter is different but three quarters are the same. None of the verses contains any express word for song. Besides, mind is different from the soul even in the Ṛgveda (vide Ṛg. X. 57. 5 where both words 'manaḥ' and 'jīvam' occur). Moreover, the man is not yet dead. The composer uses the present tense (ā vartayāmasi) and means to say that he will try to prevent his dying. In the present author's opinion there is not even a distant reference to transmigration in this hymn or in any of the four hymns (Ṛg. X. 57-60) which are assigned to brothers Bandhu, Śrutabandhu and Vipra-bandhu, who are called Gaupāyanas in the Anukramaṇī. In Ṛg. X. 60. 7 Subandhu who appears to have been a brother of the three is addressed 'O Subandhu' here comes your mother, your father, your very life' etc., and in X. 60. 10 it is said 'I have brought the mind of Subandhu from Yama Vaivasvata in order that he may live and not die.'