Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s11.96

v1.c3.s11.96

1. Kapi, ‘monkey,’ occurs only once in the Rigveda¹ with reference to Vṛṣā-kapi, the ‘Man-ape,’ in the dialogue of Indra and Indrāṇī in the presence of Vṛṣākapi. There the ape is termed the ‘tawny’ (*harita*). In the Atharvaveda² the monkey is mentioned several times as hairy, and an enemy of dogs. That the ape was tamed appears from its position in the Vṛṣākapi hymn, and from the mention, in the Taittirīya Saṃhitā,³ of a Mayu as belonging to the forest. See also Mayu, Markaṭa, and Puruṣa Hastin.