[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [Vedic Index of Names and Subjects](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.macdonell-keith-1912) › v2.c4.s8.6 # Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v2.c4.s8.6 Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v2.c4.s8.6 - **Language:** English ### [v2.c4.s8.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.macdonell-keith-1912.v2.c4.s8.6) Śaka-dhūma is found in one hymn of the Atharvaveda,¹ where it is celebrated as the king of the asterisms. The word seems to mean the ‘smoke of (burning) cow-dung,’ or else the ‘smoke (rising) from (fresh) cow-dung’: it may well be, as Weber² thinks, that this was deemed to be significant of the weather. Bloomfield,³ however, considers that the word is to be rendered as ‘weather prophet,’ that is, one who foretells the weather by means of the smoke of a fire. Whitney⁴ objects to this view with reason. It is not at all improbable that, as Roth⁵ believed, an asterism of some sort is meant, probably the ‘milky way.’ - [Previous: v2.c4.s8.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.macdonell-keith-1912.v2.c4.s8.5) - [Next: v2.c4.s8.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.macdonell-keith-1912.v2.c4.s8.7) - [Up: v2.c4.s8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.macdonell-keith-1912.v2.c4.s8) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.macdonell-keith-1912.v2.c4.s8.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.macdonell-keith-1912.v2.c4.s8.6) · Pramāṇa