History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c95.182
History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c95.182
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The first verse of Ṛg. X. 135 refers to Yama who is said to drink (Soma) along with the gods under a tree (i. e. in a garden) with fine foliage, where our (my) father, lord of people, desires to send (me) to the ancient fathers It is possible that this refers to Naciketas as Sāyaṇa, following the story of Naciketas in the Tai. Br. III. 11. 8 and in the Kaṭhopaniṣad, holds. This verse may be taken as containing the words of Naciketas, sent by his angry father Vājaśravasa to the world of Yama as donation in the Viśvajit sacrifice. The 2nd verse also contains what Naciketas said viz that he (at first) looked upon his father in anger, since he (the father) desired to send him (the son) to the ancient pitṛs in that evil way, but that he (on further consideration) liked (what the father did). He liked the idea of facing Yama himself. Verses 3 and 4 are addressed by Yama to the boy Naciketas who approached Yama with prayer (or metaphorically in a chariot) Verse 3 says 'O boy! the new wheel-less chariot (viz. ṛk prayer) with only one beam that you created by your intellect soars up in all directions and that you mount it without seeing (without considering the result of your action).' In Ṛg. a prayer to (and a laud of) gods is often compared to a chariot (as in V. 73. 10, VIII. 3. 15). Therefore, verse 3 suggests two meanings viz. Naciketas went to Yama in a chariot or that he sent up a prayer to Yama. Verse 4 is spoken by Yama 'O boy! that chariot (i. e.
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prayer which you sent up from the learned priests on the earth) was followed by Sāman (a melody) from this place (the earth) as if it were placed in a boat.' Almost all the verses of the Sāmaveda except about 75 are taken from the Ṛgveda and therefore the Chān. Up says ²⁵⁰⁶ 'therefore Sāman is sung as resting on the ṛk'. As the melody (Sāman) is sung on a ṛk verse, the Sāman is said in this verse (4) as placed in a boat. Verse 4 may also convey another meaning. Sāman also means 'reconciliation' and the verse may be taken as referring to the legend that Yama gave the boy a boon that the boy's father would become well-disposed to him. Verse 5 contains a question (supposed to be asked by Yama). It means 'who is the father of this boy' (meaning probably that the father must be a bad man as he sent his own son to Yama)? Who sent up the chariot? Who would tell me to-day how (this boy) became *anudeyī* (a small gift accom panying the large principal gift)?' Then follows the verse on which Mr. Karandikar relies as expressing Karma and rebirth. That verse literally means 'as it or he became an *anudeyī*, it stood in front (or on top); the bottom (or base) was spread in front (or first or to the east), the coming out (or end) was behind (or afterwards or to the west).' This conveys no clear sense. But it is possible to explain it in this way, viz.
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though the boy was sent by his father as an *anudeyī* (as a subsidiary gift) still he came on top of all (in that Yama was pleased with him and bestowed on him three boons); he was in front of all though he (boy) was at the bottom of all gifts (i. e. though he came last of all gifts)'. There is another possible way of explaining this verse. Each Sāman in a stotra has five parts called Prastāva, Udgītha, Pratihāra, Upadrava and Nadhāna (finale), vide H. of Dh. Vol. II. p. 1169 note 2589. Naciketas (who was a subsidiary donation following the donation of all his father's property and designated 'anudeyī') is deemed here to have chanted a Sāman; when he began that, the ṛk verse on which the Sāman rests went forth. The bottom of a Sāman is a ṛk verse. Therefore it is again said that the base or bottom went forward and the 'Nirayana' (i. e. the nidhāna of the Sāman) came last. Mr. Karandikar explains verse 6 as 'the cremation rite of the body of a deceased person shows the two-fold path; by the front path he should go to the highest world or by the hind path he should return to this world' (p. 776). It passes the present author's understanding how this translation follows from the words of verse 6. Verse 7 of the hymn presents no difficulty; it means 'this is the house of Yama that is called the the palace of gods; here is played (or blown) the flute (or tube or trumpet) for him (Yama), he (Yama) is embellished with songs (of praise).'