Vedic Mythology c5.s6: F. Dual Divinities

Vedic Mythology c5.s6

Language: English

c5.s6.2 — 3 parts
c5.s6.4 — 4 parts

F. Dual Divinities

c5.s6.1

§. 44. A peculiar feature of Vedic mythology is the celebration in pairs of a number of deities whose names are joined in the form of a special kind of dual compound in which both members are dual, accented, and occasionally separable¹. About a dozen gods are thus conjointly praised in at least sixty hymns of the RV. The name of Indra enters into seven or more than half of these combinations, but by far the largest number of hymns — twenty-three, and parts of several others — is addressed, to the pair *Mitráváruṇā*. Eleven are dedicated to *Indrāgnī*, nine to *Indrā-váruṇā*, about seven to *Indra-vāyū*, six to *Dyā́vā-pṛthivī́*, two each to *Indrā-sómā* and *Indrā-bṛ́haspátī*, and one each to *Indrāviṣṇū*, *Indrā-pūṣaṇā*, *Somā-pūṣaṇā*, *Somā-rudrā*, and *Agnī́-ṣómā*. A few other couples, including the names of nine or ten deities not mentioned above, are invoked in detached verses. These are *Indra-nāsatyā*, *Indrā-parvatā*, *Indrā-marutāḥ*, *Agnī-parjanyā*, *Parjányā-vā́tā* (once *Vātā-parjanyā*), *Uṣā́sānā́ktā* or (less often) *Náktoṣā́sā*, *Sū́ryā-mā́sā* or *Sūryā-candramasā*.

c5.s6.2.1

There can be little doubt that the analogy for this favourite formation was furnished by Dyāvāpṛthivī, Heaven and Earth², the pair which to early thought appeared so indissolubly connected in nature, that the myth of their conjugal union is found widely diffused among primitive peoples³ and has therefore probably come down to the Veda from a period anterior to that immediately preceding the separation of the Indo-European nations. In the RV. itself this couple is so closely associated that while they are invoked as a pair in six hymns, not one is devoted to the praise of Dyaus alone and only one of three verses to that of Pṛthivī. So hard was it for the poets to dissociate the two, that even in this hymn Pṛthivī is praised for sending the rain of heaven from her cloud (5, 84³). The dual compound, moreover, occurs much more frequently than the name of Dyaus as a god. It occurs, including the comparatively rare synonyms *Dyā́vākṣā́mā* and *Dyā́vābhū́mī*, about a hundred times, or more frequently than the name of any other pair. Heaven and Earth are also called *rodasī*, the two worlds (spoken of as sisters, 1, 185⁵, owing to the gender of the word), an expression occurring at least a hundred times in the RV. Heaven and Earth are parents, being often styled *pitarā*, *mātarā*, *janitrī*, and also separately addressed as father and mother (1, 159¹⁻³. 160²). They are primeval parents (7, 53²; 10, 65⁸). Their marriage is referred to in the AB. (4, 27⁵⁻⁶)⁴.

c5.s6.2.2

They have made and sustain all creatures (1, 159². 160². 185¹). Though themselves footless, they support much offspring with feet (1, 185²). They are the parents of the gods also; for to them exclusively belongs the epithet *deváputre*, ‘having the gods as sons’. They are in particular said to be the parents of Bṛhaspati (7, 97⁸) and, with the Waters and Tvaṣṭṛ, to have begotten Agni (10, 2⁷). At the same time they are in different passages spoken of as themselves created by individual gods. Thus a poet observes that he who produced heaven and earth must have been the most skilful artisan of all the gods (1, 160⁴; 4, 56³). Indra is said to have generated or fashioned them (6, 30⁵; 8, 36⁴; 10, 29⁶. 54³). Viśvakarman produced them (10, 81² cp. AV. 12, 1⁶⁰)⁵. They received their forms from Tvaṣṭṛ (10, 110⁹). They sprang from the head and feet of Puruṣa (10, 90¹⁴). But one poet is puzzled as to how they were produced and which of the two first came into being (1, 185¹; cp. p. 13)⁶. Many of the epithets applied to Dyāvāpṛthivī are suggested by their physical characteristics. The one is a prolific bull, the other a variegated cow (1, 160³). They are both rich in seed (1, 159²; 6, 70¹·²). They yield milk, ghee, and honey abundantly (6, 70^{1-5}), and produce *amṛta* (1, 159². 185⁶). They never grow old (6, 70¹). They are great (1, 159¹) and wide-extended (1, 160²). They are broad and great abodes (1, 185⁶).

c5.s6.2.3

They are fair-faced, wide, manifold, with ends which are far away (1, 185^{6. 7}). Sometimes, however, moral qualities are attributed to them. They are wise and promote righteousness (1, 159¹). As father and mother they guard beings (1, 160²) and protect from disgrace and misfortune (1, 185¹⁰). They grant food and wealth (6, 70⁶; 1, 159⁵) or bestow great fame and dominion (1, 160⁵). They are sufficiently personified to be called leaders of the sacrifice and to be conceived as seating themselves around the sacrifice (4, 56^{2. 7}), as coming to their worshippers along with the heavenly folk (7, 53²), or taking the sacrifice to the gods (2, 41²⁰). But Heaven and Earth never attained to a living personification or importance in worship. These two deities are quite coördinate. But in most of the other couples one of the two greatly predominates, his characteristic qualities being shared by his companion. Thus Indra-Agni are conjointly called 'wielders of the bolt' and 'Vṛtra-slayers'. Occasionally an attribute of the lesser deity is predicated of both. Thus Indra-Viṣṇu are together said to have taken wide strides (6, 69⁵). Frequent association of this kind may lead to a deity receiving by himself an epithet to which he originally had no right. Thus Agni when mentioned alone is often called a 'Vṛtra-slayer'. The characteristics of each member of the pair are, however, in some passages distinguished⁷.

c5.s6.3

Next to Heaven and Earth, the pair most frequently named is Mitra-Varuṇa. These two deities are invoked conjointly in many more hymns than are dedicated to their separate praise. As Mitra has hardly any individual traits, the same attributes and functions belong to the pair conjointly as to Varuṇa alone. Scarcely anything need therefore be here added to what has already been said about Varuṇa. The couple are conceived as young men (3, 54¹⁰; 7, 62⁵). Like various other gods, they are spoken of as shining (*candra*), bright (*śuci*), sunlike (*svardṛś*), ruddy (*rudra*), and terrible (*ghora*). The priority of the name of Mitra in the compound might seem to indicate that he was originally the more important deity; it is, however, probably due simply to the tendency to make the shorter word the first member of a compound. This dual invocation goes back to the Indo-Iranian period, for Ahura and Mithra are thus coupled in the Avesta⁸.

c5.s6.4.1

Indra-Varuṇa, the two universal monarchs (1, 17¹), hollowed out the channels of the waters and set the sun in motion in the sky (7, 82³). They are vanquishers of Vṛtra (6, 68²), aid in battle (4, 41¹¹), and grant victory (1, 17⁷). They cast their mighty bolt against the wicked (4, 41⁴). They bestow protection and prosperity (1, 17^{7. 8}), fame, wealth, and abundance of steeds (4, 41^{2. 10}; 6, 68⁸). They are drinkers of the pressed Soma, their car comes to the sacrifice, and they are invoked to exhilerate themselves seated on the sacrificial grass (6, 68^{10. 11}). In some passages the characteristics of each member of the pair are distinguished. Thus Varuṇa is besought to divert his wrath from his worshippers, and Indra to procure them wide space (7, 84²). Indra is contrasted as the warlike god who slays Vṛtra, with Varuṇa who supports men in peace and wisdom (6, 68³; 7, 82^{5. 6}. 85³). The association of the couple Indra-Agni⁹ is very intimate; for Indra is invoked conjointly with Agni in more hymns than with any other deity¹⁰, while Agni is otherwise addressed as a dual divinity only in one hymn and two detached verses with Soma and in one verse with Parjanya. Indra-Agni, the best of Soma-drinkers (1, 21¹), come on their car to drink Soma (1, 108¹), and are invited together to come and drink it (7, 93⁶; 8, 38^{4. 7-9}), to sit down on the sacrificial grass at the offering, and to exhilerate themselves with the pressed draught (1, 109⁵).

c5.s6.4.2

They are often called Vṛtra-slayers. They are armed with the bolt (6, 59³ &c.), and their lightning is sharp (5, 86³). They are fort-destroyers who aid in battle (1, 109⁷·⁸). They together demolished the 99 forts of the Dāsa (3, 12⁶) and are invincible in battle (5, 86²). They released the rivers from their imprisonment (8, 48⁸) and accomplished heroic deeds together (1, 108⁵). They are bountiful (5, 86³). All these are traits characteristic of Indra. Indra-Agni are also called the two priests of sacrifice (8, 38¹), and are wise (8, 40³). They are lords of the abode (*sadaspatī*) and drive away the goblins (1, 21⁵). These features are more appropriate to Agni. The two gods are twin brothers who have one father (6, 59²). They are once called Aśvins¹¹ (1, 109⁴), possibly in allusion to this close relationship. They bestow food, wealth, strength, cattle, steeds (4, 60¹³⁻¹⁴). They are greater than heaven and earth, rivers, and mountains (1, 109⁶). The two gods are once contrasted, though not when addressed as a pair; Indra being said to slay, but Agni to burn, the Dasyus (6, 28⁴). The two hymns (4, 49; 7, 97) addressed to Indra-Bṛhaspati consist chiefly of invitations to drink Soma and of prayers to bestow great wealth abounding in steeds and to promote devotion. Indra-Vāyu are constantly invited to come and drink Soma (1, 23¹⁻² &c.), little else being said about them.

c5.s6.4.3

They come to the offering with their teams (4, 47²⁻⁴) or in their golden-seated car (4, 46⁴) and seat themselves on the sacrificial litter (7, 91⁴). They are thousand-eyed, lords of devotion (*dhiyas patī*: 1, 23³), and lords of might (*śavasas patī*: 4, 47³). They help in battle (7, 92⁴) and bestow wealth in steeds, cattle, and gold (7, 90⁶). Indra-Soma perform the warlike exploits characteristic of Indra or the great cosmic actions so often ascribed to him. They ınade the waters flow for man, released the seven rivers, slew the dragon, depressed the wheel of the sun (4, 28¹·²; 6, 72³). The true work of the two bountiful gods was that they destroyed their foes and broke open what was enclosed in the rock (4, 28⁴·⁵). They performed the first great deeds in finding the sun and light, dispelling the darkness, causing the sun to shine, supporting heaven, and spreading out the earth (6, 72¹·²). They too placed ripe milk in the raw bodies of cows (ib.⁴). They grant victorious might to men (ib.⁵). Indra-Viṣṇu, who are receptacles of Soma, lords of intoxication (*madapatī*), are invited to come with their steeds, to drink Soma, and to fill their belly with it. The two gods strode out widely in the intoxication of Soma, made the air broader, and spread out the spaces for existence. Ever victorious, they grant wealth, and conduct safely across dangers. As generators of all prayers, they are besought to hear the invocations of their worshippers (6, 69)¹².

c5.s6.4.4

Indra-Pūṣan are invoked conjointly in only one short hymn (6, 57), and their names form a dual compound only twice. When Indra made the great waters flow, Pūṣan was his companion. With him as a friend, Indra slays Vṛtras (6, 56²). One of them drinks Soma and is drawn by two steeds with which he slays Vṛtras, while the other desires gruel (*karambha*) and is drawn by goats. Mention is once (1, 162²) made of the abode (*pāthas*) of Indra-Pūṣan, to which a goat conducts the sacrificial horse. The two gods are as usual also besought to confer welfare and booty.

c5.s6.5

Soma-Pūṣan (2, 40) drive away darkness and are invoked to quicken the seven-wheeled five-reined car, yoked by thought, which measures out space. They are generators of wealth, of heaven and earth, and protectors of the world (cp. 10, 17³), whom the gods made the centre of immortality. For them Indra is invoked to produce ripe milk in the raw cows. Together they bestow victory over foes and grant abundance of wealth and food.

c5.s6.6

But they are also contrasted. One of them has made his abode high in heaven, while the other dwells on earth and in air; one generated all beings, while the other moves seeing everything¹³. Soma-Rudra (6, 74) are invoked to drive away sickness and decay from the house, to place all remedies in the bodies of their worshippers, to remove from them all sin, and to free from the fetter of Varuṇa. Wielding sharp weapons, they are besought to have mercy and are implored for prosperity to man and beast. Agni-Soma are celebrated together for having released the confined streams, obtained the light, and set the luminaries in the sky. At the same time they are distinguished, Mātariśvan being said to have brought the one from heaven, and the eagle the other from the rock (1, 93). Their joint help and protection are invoked, and they are besought to grant cattle, horses, offspring, health, happiness, and wealth (10, 19¹. 66⁷). This pair is mentioned several times in the AV. In the MS. (3, 7¹) they are spoken of as ‘two eyes’. The ŚB. refers to them as brothers (11, 1, 6¹⁹), also stating that the sun belongs to Agni and the moon to Soma (1, 6, 3²⁴). In the ritual Agni-Soma seem never to receive a share in the Soma offering, but only cakes and animal sacrifices. It is somewhat remarkable that the two great ritual deities, who form a very frequent couple in the sacrificial literature, should, outside the one hymn (1, 93) devoted to their praise, be mentioned only twice as a pair, and that only in the most recent part of the RV.¹⁴

c5.s6.7

A few other pairs are invoked in detached verses only. Agni-Parjanya are mentioned in one passage (6, 52¹⁶). They are together besought to bestow food and progeny, but are at the same time contrasted, the one being said to have produced the oblation (*iḷām*) and the other offspring (*garbham*). Parjanya-Vāta are invoked in four passages. As bulls of earth they are besought (6, 49⁶) to impel the watery vapours (*purīṣāṇi*). Along with Indra-Vāyu and other gods, they are invoked as vaporous (*purīṣiṇā*) bulls (10, 65⁹). In another enumeration they are entreated to bestow abundant food (6, 50¹²). They are also once (10, 66¹⁰ cp. Nir. 7, 10) invoked as connected with ‘the thundering buffalo’ (probably Dyaus¹⁵). Dawn and Night are invoked several times. They are mentioned almost exclusively in Viśvedeva or Āprī hymns. They are rich goddesses (2, 31⁵; 10, 70⁶), divine maidens (7, 2⁶; 10, 110⁶), daughters of heaven (5, 41⁷; 10, 70⁶). They are like two wives (1, 122²) and abound in milk (2, 3⁶). Changing their colour they suckle a single child who beams between heaven and earth (1, 96⁵). They are two sisters who are of one mind but of different colour, whose path is the same and endless, who, taught by the gods, move alternately and never clash or stand still (1, 113³). They are the shining mothers of order (1, 142⁷); they conduct with bright rays every offering (5, 41⁷) and weave the web of sacrifice (2, 3⁶). They are bountiful, much invoked, and sit on the sacrificial grass (7, 2⁶). They are great and well-adorned (10, 36¹. 110⁶; 1, 13⁷. 142⁷). Appearing alternately they arouse all living things (2, 31⁵)¹⁶. Sun and Moon are mentioned five times in the form of *sū́ryāmā́sā* and three times in that of *sūryācandramásā*. These are the only dual compounds formed with the name of Sūrya¹⁷. In most cases the concrete luminaries only are meant. Thus they are said to move alternately so that we may see (1, 102²). It is the act of Bṛhaspati that sun and moon rise alternately (10, 68¹⁰). The Creator fashioned sun and moon (10, 190³). A poet says, ‘let us go on our path like sun and moon’ (5, 51¹⁵). There is, however, an incipient personification when the pair is invoked with other deities (10, 64³. 92¹². 93⁵). In a few passages sun and moon, though not expressly mentioned, are evidently thought of in their dual character. ‘The two go round the sacrifice like playing children; the one surveys all beings, the other is born again, ordering the seasons' (10, 85¹⁸). There is no doubt that they are meant by the two bright eyes of Varuṇa (8, 41⁹) and by the two eyes of heaven made by the immortals (1, 72¹⁰).

Linked texts (4)

Ṛgvedasaṃhitā — Sanskrit
Nirukta — Yāska, Sanskrit
Maitrāyaṇīsaṃhitā — Sanskrit
Śatapathabrāhmaṇa — Yājñavalkya & Śāṇḍilya (Vedic teacher), Sanskrit

Vedic Mythology c5.s6: F. Dual Divinities

Contents

F. Dual Divinities

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Linked texts (4)