Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s15: Ch

Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s15

Language: English

Ch

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Chaga is the name of the ‘goat’ in the Taittirīya Saṃhitā (v. 6, 22, 1). Cf. Aja and Chāga.

Chadis is used once in the Rigveda,¹ and not rarely later,² to denote the covering of a wagon or the thatch of a house, or something analogous to these. Weber³ thinks that in one passage of the Atharvaveda⁴ the word designates a constellation, and Whitney,⁵ who does not decide whether that interpretation is necessary, suggests that the constellation γ, ξ, η, π Aquarii may be meant, since the next verse mentions Viṛṭau, which is the constellation λ and ν Scorpionis, and is not far from Aquarius. See also Chardis.

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¹ x. 85, 10 (of Sūryā’s bridal car).

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² Taittirīya Saṃhitā, vi. 2, 9, 4; 10, 5. 7; Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā, v. 28; Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, i. 29; Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, iii. 5, 3, 9, etc.

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³ *Indische Studien*, 17, 208.

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⁴ iii. 7, 3.

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⁵ Translation of the Atharvaveda, 95. Cf. Bloomfield, *Hymns of the Atharvaveda*, 336.

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1. Chandas in the Rigveda usually denotes a ‘song of praise’ or ‘hymn.’¹ The original sense of the word, as derived from the verb *chand*, ‘to please,’ was probably ‘attractive spell,’ ‘magic hymn,’² which prevailed on the gods. In a very late hymn of the Rigveda,³ as well as in one of the Atharvaveda,⁴ the word is mentioned in the plural (*chandāṃsi*), beside Ṛc (*ṛcaḥ*), Sāman (*sāmāni*), and Yajus, and seems to retain its original meaning, not improbably with reference to the magical subject-matter of the Atharvaveda. From denoting a (metrical) hymn it comes to mean ‘metre’ in a very late verse of the Rigveda,⁵ in which the ‘Gāyatrī, the Triṣṭubh, and all (*sarvā*) the metres (*chandāṃsi*) are mentioned. In the later Saṃhitās three⁶ or seven⁷ metres are enumerated, and in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa⁸ eight. By the time of the Rigveda Prātiśākhya⁹ the metres were subjected to a detailed examination, though much earlier references are found to the number of syllables in the several metres.¹⁰ Later the word definitely denotes a Vedic text generally, as in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa.¹¹ 2. Chandas occurs in one passage of the Atharvaveda¹ in the adjectival compound bṛhac-chandas, which is used of a house, and must mean ‘having a large roof.’ Bloomfield² accepts the reading as correct, but Whitney³ considers emendation to Chadis necessary.

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¹ Rv. x. 85, 8 (an obscure verse); 114, 5; Av. iv. 34, 1; v. 26, 5; vi. 124, 1; xi. 7, 8, etc.

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² Cf. Roth in St. Petersburg Dictionary, *s.v.*

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³ Rv. x. 90, 9.

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⁴ Av. xi. 7, 24.

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⁵ x. 14, 16.

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⁶ Av. xviii. 1, 17; Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā, i. 27, etc.

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⁷ Av. viii. 9, 17. 19, etc.

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⁸ viii. 3, 3, 6, etc.

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⁹ xvi. 1 *et seq.* Cf. Max Müller, *Sacred Books of the East*, 32, xcv. *et seq.*

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¹⁰ Kāṭhaka Saṃhitā, xiv. 4; Jaittirīya Saṃhitā, vi. 1, 2, 7.

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¹¹ xi. 5, 7, 3. So Gobhila Gṛhya Sūtra, iii. 3, 4. 15, etc.

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¹ iii. 12, 3.

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² Hymns of the Atharvaveda, 345; Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, 150.

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³ Translation of the Atharvaveda, 105.

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Chando-ga, ‘metre-singing,’ is the term applied to reciters of the Sāmans, no doubt because these chants were sung according to their order in the Chandaārcika of the Sāmaveda. It is only found in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa,¹ and often in the Sūtras.²

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¹ x. 5, 2, 10.

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² Baudhāyana Śrauta Sūtra, ii. 2; xxii. 4; Śāṅkhāyana Srauta Sūtra, x. 8, 33; xiii. 1, etc. Cf. Oldenberg, Göttingische Gelehrte Anzeigen, 1908, 720.

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Chardis occurs often in the Rigveda,¹ and occasionally later,² denoting a secure dwelling-place. The word appears to be incorrectly written, because the metre shows that the first syllable is always short. Roth³ accordingly suggested that Chadis should be read instead. But Chadis means ‘roof,’ while Chardis never has that sense. Bartholomae⁴ is therefore probably right in suggesting some other form, such as Chaḍis.

Linked texts (11)

Ṛgvedasaṃhitā — Sanskrit
Atharvavedasaṃhitā — Atharvan & Aṅgiras, Sanskrit
Śatapathabrāhmaṇa — Yājñavalkya & Śāṇḍilya (Vedic teacher), Sanskrit
Taittirīyasaṃhitā — Sanskrit
Vājasaneyisaṃhitā — Sanskrit
Baudhāyanaśrautasūtra — Baudhāyana, Sanskrit
Śāṅkhāyanaśrautasūtra — Śāṅkhāyana, Sanskrit
Gobhilagṛhyasūtra — Gobhila, Sanskrit
Kāṭhakasaṃhitā — Sanskrit
Maitrāyaṇīsaṃhitā — Sanskrit
Aitareyabrāhmaṇa — Mahidāsa Aitareya, Sanskrit