Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s20.670

v1.c3.s20.670

Naicā-śākha is found in one passage of the Rigveda,¹ where Sāyaṇa renders it as ‘of low origin,’ but elsewhere² he explains it as the name of a place. The former sense is accepted by Grassmann and Ludwig in their versions, and by Zimmer,³ but Hillebrandt⁴ points out that the reference is rather to the ‘low-branched’ Soma plant. *Cf.* Kīkaṭa and Pramaganda.