Vedic Mythology c8.s2.3

c8.s2.3

B. Śambara. The name of this fiend occurs about twenty times in the RV. He is mentioned along with others, chiefly Śuṣṇa, Pipru (1, 101². 103⁸; 2, 19⁶; 6, 18⁸), and Varcin. Indra was re-inforced by the Maruts in the fight against the dragon and Śambara (3, 47⁴). Indra shook the summit of heaven when he cut down Śambara (1, 54⁴). He found Śambara dwelling in the mountains (2, 12¹¹) and struck him down from the mountain (1, 130⁷; 6, 26⁵). He struck down from the great mountain the Dāsa Śambara, the son of Kulitara (4, 30¹⁴). He struck down from the height Śambara, who thought himself a little god (7, 18²⁰). Śambara is often said to have forts, ninety (1, 130⁷), generally ninety-nine (2, 19⁶, &c.), or a hundred (2, 14⁶, &c.). The word *śāmbara* once occurs in the neuter plural, meaning ‘the forts of Śambara’⁴. These Bṛhaspati is said to have cleft and then to have entered the mountain rich in treasure (2, 24²). Indra vanquishes Śambara in the interest of Atithigva (1, 51⁶), but generally of Divodāsa (2, 19⁶, &c.), and sometimes of both (1, 130⁷; 4, 26³). The two names are usually thought⁵ to refer to the same person, but this is doubted by Bergaigne⁶.