Iron in Ancient India c4.26

c4.26

The most prolific mention of ‘iron’ or ‘ayas’ occurs in the Atharvaveda, the latest of the four Vedas. I would give below several amongst many such passages of the text together with Whitney’s translation, which is the most literal of all translations of the Atharvaveda. In the passage Atharv. XI, 3, 1, 7¹ the word ‘shyamamaya’ is explained by Sāyana as ‘black metal’ or iron and the word ‘lohita’ as ‘red metal’ or copper. Whitney also remarks that ‘‘that is doubtless iron and copper respectively.’’ In Atharv. V, 28, 1, while describing a formula for an amulet of three metals, ‘harita’ (gold), ‘rajata’ (silver) and ‘ayas’ (iron) are mentioned.² In VI, 63, 2 ‘bond-fetters of iron’ are mentioned and in the next verse (VI, 63, 3) ‘iron post’ is referred to.³ The word ‘‘ayodamstra’’ in VIII, 3, 2 has been rendered by Whitney as ‘‘thou of iron tusks,’’ applying the epithet to Agni or fire. ‘‘Ayojālā’’ in XIX, 66, 1 has been translated by Whitney as ‘metal nets’ and ‘ayashmayena ankena’ in VII, 115, 1 as ‘‘with hooks of metal’’; they can, however, be more appropriately translated as ‘iron nets’ and ‘iron hooks’ respectively. It