Vedic Mythology c5.s8.t2.22

c5.s8.t2.22

Gandharva is, moreover, in the RV. often associated (chiefly in the ninth book) with Soma. He guards the place of Soma and protects the races of the gods (9, 83⁴ cp. 1, 22¹⁴). Observing all the forms of Soma, he stands on the vault of heaven (9, 85¹²). Together with Parjanya and the daughter of the sun, the Gandharvas cherish Soma (9, 113³). Through Gandharva's mouth the gods drink their draught (AV. 7, 73³). The MS. (3, 8¹⁰) states that the Gandharvas kept Soma for the gods, but having allowed it to be stolen, were as a punishment excluded from the Soma draught. Doubtless owing to this association with Soma, Gandharva is described as knowing plants (AV. 4, 4¹). It is probably as a jealous guardian of Soma that Gandharva in the RV. appears as a hostile being, who is pierced by Indra in the regions of air (8, 66⁵) or whom Indra is invoked to overcome (8, 1¹¹). For in a later text Soma is besought to elude the Gandharva Viśvāvasu in the form of an eagle (TS. 1, 2, 9¹). Soma is further said to have dwelt among the Gandharvas or to have been stolen by the Gandharva Viśvāvasu, but to have been bought from the Gandharvas, as they were fond of females, at the price of the goddess Vāc (AB. 1, 27; TS. 6, 1, 6⁵; MS. 3, 7³). The trait of hostility appears to be old, for in the Avesta (Yt. 5, 38) the hostile Ganda-rewa, dwelling in the sea Vourukaṣ̌a, the abode of the white Haoma, is fought with and overcome by Keresāspa. Moreover, the archer Kṛśānu, who shoots at the eagle that carries off the Soma (RV. 4, 27³), appears to be a Gan-dharva⁶, being expressly said to be one in TA. 1, 9³.