Original Sanskrit Texts on the Origin and History of the People of India, their Religion and Institutions v5.c49.28

v5.c49.28

In the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa iii. 2, 4, 1 ff., it is related that the soma existed formerly in the sky, whilst the gods were here (on earth). They desired to get it, that they might employ it in sacrifice. The Gāyatrī flew to bring it for them. While she was carrying it off the Gandharva Vibhāvasu robbed her of it. The gods became aware of this, and knowing the partiality of the Gandharvas for females (compare iii. 9, 3, 20, and A.V. iv. 37, 11 f.), they sent Vāch, the goddess of speech, to get it from them, which she succeeded in doing (*Divi vai somaḥ āsīt | atha iha devāḥ | te devāḥ akāmayanta “ā naḥ somo gachhet* *tena āgatena yajemahi" iti !* . . . . 2. *Tebhyo gāyatrī somam achha apatat | tasyai āharantyai gandharvo Viśvāvasuḥ paryamushnāt | te devāḥ aviduḥ "prachyuto vai parastāt somaḥ | atha no na āgachhati | gandharvāḥ vai paryamoshishur" iti | te ha ūchur "yoshit-kāmāḥ vai gandharvāḥ | Vācham eva ebhyaḥ prahinavāma | sā naḥ saha somena āgamishyati" iti | tebhyo Vācham prāhinvan sā enān saha somena āgachhat.* And in xi. 7, 2, 8, it is said: "The soma existed in the sky. The Gāyatrī became a bird, and brought it" (*divi vai Somaḥ āsīt tam̃ gāyatrī vayo bhūtvā "harat*). See also the Satapatha Brāhmaṇa, iii. 4, 3, 13, and iii. 6, 2, 2–18, towards the close of which passage, as well as in iii. 9, 3, 18, the Gandharvas are spoken of as the guardians of the soma (*somarakshāḥ*); and Taitt. Sanh. vi. 1, 6, 1, 5.