SION he RO HE rien Verhandelingen der Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen, Afa, Letterkunge, Niguwe Reeks, dee} 100, ( Bea rey 0 ees VARUNA AND VIDUSAKA On the origin of the Sanskrit drama by F. B. J. KUIPER North-Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam, Oxford, New York, 19791, VARUNA AS A DEMONIACAL FIGURE AND AS THE GOD OF DEATH In the context of this study of Varuna’s relation to Asuras it is necessary to say a few words on the demoniacal aspect of Varuna in the Veda and the epic. Since much has been written about it #8 and the later Vedic texts are explicit, there is no need for a circumstantial exposition of facts which are generally known. When, however, it comes to interpreting the evidence one is again faced with the well-known basic difficulty that the main part of the Rigveda differs from book X and the Atharvaveda in that it_conti but few references to the dark aspect. First of all, it is necessary to stress the fact that Varuna was associated, not _with Rta (the cosmic order) only, but with the pair of opposites Bta_and Druh, The last word denotes all that is not in harmony with the divine laws of the Universe. Such translations as “malice” or “falsehood” evoke too exclusively the idea of ethical relations between men. To avoid this, it will here be translated by “wrongness”, which, although admittedly not very satisfactory, has the advantage of not directly evoking ethical associations. This pair of notions originated in the Proto-Indo-Iranian religion 28°, Varuna’s relations to both entities (an inheritance, it seems, from the undifferentiated primordial world) constitute his basically ambiguous character. On the one hand, it is true, Varuna and Mitra are guardians of the Rta, they are rtavrdha (VII.66.19) and are said to be free from drih®4. On the other hand, Varuna not only discovers every act against the Rta®> but he is also invoked to 282 See, e.g., (1877) Hillebrandt, Varuna und Mitra, pp. 53-63 “Veruna’s Fesseln als Ausdruck fir die Nacht (Ungomach, Tod)”, pp. 63-70 “Varuna’s Fessel cin Ausdruck fiir die Wassersucht”; (1883) A. Bergaigne, Religion védique IL, pp. 84 (“caractare équivoque”), 115, 128-129 (“earactére quasi démoniaque”), 139, 147-148, 156; (1893) K. Bohnenberger, Der altindisehe Gott Varuna nach den Liodern dos Reveda, pp. 56-61, E. Hardy, Dio Vedisch-brahmanische Periode der Religion des alten Indiens, p. 58; (1897), A. A, Macdonell, Vedie Mythology, p. 275 (1898) 8. Lévi, La doctrine du sacrifico dans los bréhmanas, pp. 96, 152-171; (1899) H. Oldenberg, Aus Indien und Iran, p. 179; (1905) Otto Strauss, Brhaspati im Veda, p. 19f. (‘‘er wird als eine zu tiberwindende dimonische Kraft betrachtet”); (1916) B. Geiger, Die Amoia Spontas (Sitzungsber. Kais. Akad. Wiss. Wien, 176 Bd, 7, Abh.), p. 178; (1917) K. F. Johansson, Uber die altindische Géttin Dhigan’ und Verwandtes, Upsala, p. 128ff.; (1923) H, Oldenberg, Religion des Veda, 8, und 4. Aufl., pp. 188, 293, 299-304; (1929) A. Hillebrandt, Ved. Mythologie 11%, pp. 20, 22, 31f., 40, 127 (“mit der doch im ganzen unheilvollen Natur Varuna’s”), 420 n 1, Festgabo Garbe, p. 19f.; (1987), J. J. Moyer, Trilogie altindischer Machte und Feste der Vegetation III, pp. 204#f., 209, 214, 265; (1951), H. Liiders, Varuna, p. 676; (1960) J. Gonda, Die Retigionen Indiens I, p. 76f., Renou, EVP. 7, pp. 4 (‘un artisan du mal”), 20, 58, Festgabe H. Lommel [=Paideuma VII, 4-6}, pp. 122-128, espooially p. 124; ef. IJ. 5 (1961), pp. 51-58; 8 (1965), p. 108 n. 63; (1972), J. Gonda, The Vedic god Mitra, pp. 40, 75. 282 B, Geiger, Die Amoa Spontas, p. 1788. 204 RS, V.68.4, VIL.68.18 adriha, V,70.2 adruhvand, 28 AS. 1.10.2 vidvara hy tigra nicikési drugdhdm. 67 Drvkdeliver fom his noose 8, which is an indirect indication of his power over drith2, Most earlier studies on Varuna, indeed, omit to mention identical with the antithesis of Rta, namel Bruh. It has been argued elsewhere that the other aspect, the one which delivers from evil, is identical with Mitra, when and in so far as there is a reference to the dual godhead Mitr-Vaéruna™*, the “diew unique & deux noms” An indication that there has, indeed, been a euphemistie reticence with regard to Varuna is the occurrence of taboo substitutes for his name. It has been suggested that the Old Iranian name Ahura Mad’ may have been such a substitute for the name Varuna%®, which is attested as early as the treaty of the Mitanni king Sattiwaza of ¢. 1380 B.C. As B, Geiger has pointed out®#, similar indirect denotations are found in the Rigveda (VIIL.42.1 dsuro visodvedah, 1.24.14 asura pracetah). Tt might be objected that the Rigvedie terms are not specific (as Geiger himself remarks), précelas being much more commonly used as an epithet of Agni, but in the Yajurveda the words précetés twa Rudrath pasedt piatu can hardly refer to any other god but Varuna (as it is, indeed, interpreted by Sayana, Uvata and Mahidhara), and in the classical literature Pracetas is, from Kalidasa and Amara onwards, used as a name of Varuna, Of, eg. Bana, Kadambari, p, 217, 1. 2 Peterson (as against pp. 37, 79,21, 119,8, 123,15, where the common name is used), ‘The question as to why the Rigvedic poets seldom refer to this dark aspect has rarely been given the attention it obviously deserves. It has often struck scholars that Death, for instance, is rarely mentioned in the old family collections**, It may be considered significant that in the 236 In support of this thesis may be quoted, e.g., TS. 11.3.13.2 “Varuna seizes him with the Varana-noose” (Varuna enar varunapasina grhnati) versus “Varuna frees him from the Varuna-neose” (e.g. I1.3.12.2 ad evai ‘nari varunapasin murcati, See further below, n. 262, ete. 237 RS, VIL86.5 dva drugdhdni pitryd sia nd ‘va yd vaydrn cakymé tancbhih, L.24,14 ritjann éndnst Sisrathah krtdni, ete, 28 See ILS. 5, p. 46ff. and Bergaigne III, p. 128f., who opposes his dark aspect as belonging to the natural order to his lighter one, as connected with the religious order, which is an iJlegitimate intrusion of Roman-Cacholie theology into the domain of Vedic religion, Nevertheless Bergaigne has, more sharply than most other scholars, recognized the basie problem, 8 Renou, EVP. 7, p. 3. Similarly Johansson, Die altindische Gottin Dhisdné und Verwandtes, p. 134. 40 See TIS. 5, p. 6 opinion previously but, if u Die Amaia Spontas, p. 82 For the Yajurvedie formula see KS. IL9 (14.20), KKS, 113 (16,18/19,22), TS. 1.2.12.2, VS. V.11, SB. ITL3.2.6, ef. TA, 1.20.1 and TS. VL27.5, For tho classical literature see PW., and ef, Bina, Kacambari p. 217, 2 Peterson (as against pp. 37,13, 79,21, 119,8 and 123,15, where the common name is used), See for the mythological background I1J.18, p. 28 Macdonell, Ved. Mythology, p. 165 “In the Yedie hym 8. p. 109 n, 68, Others inay already have expressed the same they have escaped my notice. here is little reference, 68tenth book of the Rigveda there are fifteen occurrences of the word mrtyit, whereas in the other books it does not occur at all, except in one of the latest interpolations inserted after the composition of the Padapatha (VIL.59.12 mrtyér muksiya, see Oldenberg, Prolegomena, p. 511). Saying that “the thoughts of the poets of the RV., intent on the happiness of this earth, appear to have rarely dwelt on the joys of the next life” 244 does not provide an explanation for this fact, nor can the characterization of their spirit as diesseitig or positive #45 be regarded as such. One is driven to the conclusion that there was an intentional euphemistic reticence 48, The only explanation so far proposed for this reticence is the theory that the Rigvedie hymns differed from those of the later Sarihitas in that they had been composed for a specific seasonal festival, during which Varuna was particularly dreaded as he had probably again become an Asura for a short while 247. It will be sufficient to summarize a few details. First, there is, in spite of Oldenberg’s rejection 248, an undeniable relation between Varuna and Vrtra 249. Second, there is an unmistakable relation between Varuna and 24 Op. c., p. 169. 25 So recently Ogibenin, see the next note. 28 Of, Bergaigne ITT, pp. 76 (“atténuation de Pidée primitive d'une défaite”), 115 (Varuna is “une forme de Vrtra élevée & la dignité divine”), 144 (“allusion pas ou moins vague & certains traits de ressemblance entre Ie porsonnage divin do Varuna et le personage démoniaque de Vritra”), 148 (“atténuations”), 8. Lévi, Doctrine du sacrifice, p. 167: “Le caractére de Varuna ne doit done pas faire illusion ; si parfois il apparait commo le gardien de la morale, c'est. simplement en vertu do sa nature rituelle. Tl est... divinité chatouillouso, mal commode, pou maniable, prompte so retourner contre qui la manie, dangerouso 4 heurter, dangereuse & invoquer. Un nom si périlleux, susceptible par sa seule énergie de déchainer tant do maux, appelait un palliatif. Comme le farouche Rudra, évocatour des larmes, a rogu des noms de propitiation et de paix pour annuler effet de ses noms sauvages ot violonts et s’ost dédoublé on Rudra-Civa, Varuna a été associé & Mitra, divinité trés vague ...”, J. J. Meyer, Trilogio II, p. 264 n., Kuiper, IIJ. 5, p. 52 (“the cuphomistic reticence of India’s oldest text”), B. L. Ogibenin, Struktura mifo- logiteskix tokstov “Rigvedy” (Moskva, Akad. Nank, 1968), p. 7 n. 1 “sleduet, ukazat’, 8to vodijskio toksty otrazajut lis’ polotitenye (pravye) #leny protivo- postavlenij; strogo govorja, to, &to oboznagaetsja otricatel’nymi (levymi) “lenami, ne predstavieno v “Rigvede” —eto svjazano ¢ odnostoronne pozitivnym xarakterom pamjatnika.” That the charactor of the text may scom difforent from the other Vedas is not so much due to its different theological position as to a taboo caused by the period of contest. A similar euphemism can be found in the reticence of the Rigvedie pocts with regard to the slaying of Soma; sce H. Lommel, Symbolon 4 1588. 27 Cf, TIJ. 5, p. 58. and above, pp. 23, 41f. 218 Oldenberg, Textkritischo und exegetische Noten IT, p. 343. 29 See abovo, n, 246 and Bergaigne II, p. 202, IIT, pp. 115, 128, 144, 148, 8. Lévi, Doctrine du sacrifico, p. 168, Goldner, Vedische Studion II, p. 2924, Ubersetzung TI, p. 353, Bloomfield, Tho Atharvaveda, p. 107, SBE. 42, p. 370, Keith, Religion and Philosophy, p. 100, Charpentier, Die Suparnasage, p. 118, Hillebrandt, Ved. Myth. II’, pp. 33, 40, Ronon, Festgabe Lommel, p. 125 n. 12, BVP. 7, p. 82, Eliade, Eranos Jahrbuch 27 (1968), p. 208ff., Traité d'histoire des religions p. 365f., Images et symboles p. 128f., Agrawala, Indological Studios-W. Norman Brown, p, 1 and of. TI. 6, p. 52, 12. 69drih, as pointed out above. Renou aptly remarks: “Vr [—Varuna] est celui qui délivre et en méme temps ce dont on se délivre, c’est un personage ambivalent: les drah n’étaient-elles pas A son service RV. 7.61,5 (et au service de Mitra)?” 250, Later Vedic texts were more outspoken about this aspect (which is only vaguely indicated in the Rigveda, cf. 1.27.3 where the Adityas are charasterized as dipsantah “intending to injure” and v. 16 yd vo mayd abhidrihe). They did not tend to conceal euphemistically the god’s real character, as was done in the Rigveda, because as theological treatises they were less dangerous than the mantras with their “magical” potency. There is in the brahmanas a constant association of the notions of noose (pda) and drih. Vedic man prayed to be delivered from Varuna’s noose, or from “wrongness” and the noose, or from the noose of wrongness. Cf. “With the words ‘I have been delivered from Varuna’s noose’ he is delivered from the Varuna-noose”’ ®1, “With the words ‘May T be delivered from wrongness, from Varuna’s noose’ he delivers him from wrongness, from the Varuna-noose” 252, “That snare of wrongness of thine, O king Varuna, that, consisting of the metre Gayatri, has entered the earth and has the brakman for its support, that of thine I hereby avert by sacrifice, svdhd to it!” 5* The phrase “snares of wrongness” occurs once in the Rigveda: “The furious man, O Maruts, who is fain to kill us, even when we do not expect it, O Vasus, may he put on himself the snares of wrongness” 24, Cf. also in the Atharvaveda: “Thus I deliver thee from the afterbirth, Nirpti, the curse that comes from thy kin, from wrongness, from Varuna’s noose’ 255 and “the fetters of wrongness that does not release” 6, 280 Renou, Festgabe Lommel, p. 124. Cf. also EVP, 7 (1960), p. 58: “II semble bien qu'on ne puisse échapper & Ia notion de druh gui sont au service de VrMi... on enarrive A associer Vr. A Pidée du mal AV. 1.10,3 . . .” (where, again, the evolutionistic scheme emerges). 21 MS, TIL9.1 (113,17) ote. nfr Varunasya ptsad amukst "ti varunapasdd evd nirmucyata iti. m2 KS, XXVL2 (124.4), KKS, XL.5 (230,5/269,14) nir druho nir Parunasya pasan mukgiye °ti druha evai ‘nar varunapasdin mufeati. Cf. KS, IIL.1 (23,8), KKS. IL8 (19,13/23,9), the Vedie Concordance under nir varunasya and $B. V.2.5.16 dtha yad wdrund yavamdyas cariir bhévati, tét sdreasmad evaitéd rarunapasat séroasmad varunyat prajéh pré muncati td asya "namivd akilbisdh prajéh pré jayante ... KS, XVIL19 (264,19) yas te, rdjan Varuna, drukah paso gayatracchandah prthivim anvavivesa brahmani pratisthitas, tari ta etad avayaje, tasmai svahd, etc. Cf. XILS (168,19) yas te, rajan Varuna, gizyatracchandah pasas ta(h) ta etad avayaje tasmai swaha, ete., MS. 11.3.3 (30,10) yds te, rajan Varuna, gayatréchandah paso brdhman prdtisthitas tdrn ta eténd *vayaje, Vedic Concordance under yas te rajan. 24 RS, VIL59.8 y6 no Maruto abhi durhrnayiis tirdé cittini Vasavo jlghimsati, druhih pdsan priti od mucista ... Goldner translates: “so soll er sich dio Schlinge des Trugs (selbst) umlegen”, Keith (transl. of TS, IV.3.13.4) “in the noose [yada of destruction may he be caught.” 280 AS, TT10,2-8 end ‘hdvie trash Ryetriyin nirrty® jamisariedd druhé mufedmi Veeunasya pdsat, Cf. TB. 1.5.6.1 and Heesterman, The Ancient Indian Royal Consecration, p. 18. 280 AS, XVIL6.10 dmweya druhdh pisan, 70In general the Atharvaveda is much less reticent about the inauspicious character of Varuna than the Rigveda and we find there the first passages which openly state that man has to be delivered from Varuna: “As thou hast spoken untruth with thy tongue, much wrong, I release thee from king Varuna whose laws do not fail” #87. In the Rigveda similar passages are only met with in the tenth book, of. “May they (viz. the plants) deliver me from the (evil resulting from a) curse and from what comes from Varuna, and also from Yama’s fetter and from every sin against the gods” %8. This so-called “emergence” of Varuna’s kréra aspect has often been explained in terms of a historical evolution and as the result of a biased deformation of the god. As Renou put it in one of the most recent discussions of the problem: “Dans le domaine de la description mythique, l'AV. est un témoin peut-étre moins sincére que le Rigveda: les faits sont biaisés selon une orientation tantot magique, tantot spéculative . ..25°. It is, however, rather the Rigvedic evidence that may be called biased. See n. 82, ete. It need hardly be said that whatever is well-offered is seized by Mitra, but that the ill-offered part of the sacrifice is seized by Varuna 2, Varuna’s krira character is most clearly shown by the fact that he is identical with Death. The Gopatha Brahmana even uses the term Varuna Mrtyu 2, In the funeral hymns of the Rigveda it is said that the deceased will see king Varuna and Yama in the next world? and in one of the Vasistha hymns, which testify to a close intimacy with Varuna, the poet prays the gods that he may not have to go into the “clay house” ®°, In spite of Geldner’s different interpretation ®* these words probably refer to the grave 25, 287 AS. 1.10.3 ydd undkthd *nytarh jihvdya vrjindmh bahi, réjlas twa satyddharmano muftedmi Varunad ahém, Cf, verse 1, where “this man” is said to be led “upwards” (ud-ni-) from the wrath of the mighty one, and verse 2, where homage is paid to Varuna’s wrath. In ud-ni- an indication may be seen of Varuna’s abode being in the nether world; ef. Indie Maior (Congratulatory Vol. J. Gonda), p. 147. ®8 RS. X.97.16 muricdntu ma sapathyad dtho varunyid utd, dtho Yamdsya pddbisat sdrvasmad devakilbigdt, For varunyd soo Eggeting, SBE. 41, p. 57 n. 2. %9 Festgabe fiir Herman Lommel (1960) [=Paideuma VII, 4-6], p. 122. 200 SB. IV.5.1.6 ydd wf ijandsya svigtam bhdvati, Mitrd ‘sya tad grhnati, ydd v asya Wirigtarm bhavati, Varuno ‘sya tad grhnati, TB, 1.2.5.3 Mitrénai ’vod yajidsya svigtarh Samayanti, Varunena diristam, PB, XITI.2.4, XV.1.3; 2.4; 7.7 yad vai yajfasya duristart, tad Varuno grhnati, tad. eva tad avayajati, See below, p. 207f. For gamayanti of. KS. XXVIL4 (142,12), KKS. XLIT4 (250,18/292,18) «a imah praja Mitrena santa, Varunena vidhrtah (“restrained”), Therefore, AB, ITI.38.3, VII.5.4 Vignur vai yajftasya durigtam pati, Varunah svigtarh, tayor ubhayor eva Santyai cannot bo explained from what we know of Vedie mythological thought. 251 GB. 1.1.7, 262 RS. X.14.7 préhi préhi pathibhih parvyébhir ydtra nah pdrve pitérah pareytih, ubhd rajdna svadhdya madanta Yamdm pasyasi Vérunart ca devdm. 205 RS. VIL89.1 mé gi Varuna mrnmdyarh grhdrh rajann ahdrh gamam, *64 Geldner, Kommontar, p. 115: “die irdene Gruft fiir die Gebeine, das Beinhaus”; Uhersetzung: “die Urne, in der die Geboine beigesetzt wurden.” 283 Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, p. 407, pointed to AS. XVIIT.2.50 maté putrdr ydtha sicd "bhy énam bhiima arnuhi, 51 jayd pdtim iva visasa *bhy énarh bhiima tirpuhi, 1Varnna’s connection with Death is most explicitly stated in the practice of black magic (abhicdra): “When practising witcheraft one should sacrifice a black ram, which belongs to Varuna. For Varuna is Death. So he causes Death to seize upon him, Verily, this [ram] is symbolic of papman, Pipman is black, as it were. In that it [the ram] is black, he endows him [the victim] with papman, saying: “I tie this victim for King Varupa, a bull as a share for Indra, for it is his alone. May the gods enter his limbs, may Yama, may Destruction seize our enemies! These deities, verily, have power over man. Having bought him off from these~Yama is Death—he causes Death to seize upon him” 8, The identification of Varuna with papmdn (also MS. 11.5.6: 55,3) should be noted in the light of the same identification of Nirrti (Destruction) in MS. 11.5.5 (54,7): téd enarh Nirrtir papmd ‘grhnat. As is well-known, the black colour is generally associated with Varuna, e.g., SB. V.2.5.17 “A black cloth is [the fee] for the Varuna [oblation], for what is black belongs to Varuna” 267, 52 abhi tvo *ruomé prthivyd matir vdstrena bhadrdya, and to V.30.14 (md nd gan) md nit bhiimigrho bhuvat “Moge or nicht Bewoiner des Hanses von Erde werden.” Similarly Hillebrandt, Lieder des Rgveda, 7. 79 “Hans aus Lehm” and Renou, EVP. 5, p. 72; 7, p. 27. But soe Caland, Die altind. Todton- und Bostattungs- gebranche p. 166. 200 Most explicit is KS, XITL2 (181,7) o@rusara krgnarh vrspim abhicarann dlabheta, mrtyur vai Varuno. mrtyunai "vai "nam grahayaty, ctad vai paipmano riipain. krera iva papma. yat kysnah, papmanai "vai "nai abhisuvati “pasurh badhndmi: Varundya rajna Indraya bhagam rsabharh kevalo hi, gatrani deva abhisarnvisantu Yamo grhndte nirrtis sapaindn” ity eta vai devatah purusasye, Sate. tabhya evai ‘nam adhi nigkriya (adhiniskriya von Schroeder and ed. Aundh but ef, 'TS. I1I.4.3.1)—mrtyur Yamo— mrtyunai "vai "nah grahayati. Cf. MS, 115.6 (55,6) vdrundih krendrn pétvam [ef. IV.7.8: 108,8] dlabheta "thicdran, yad varund, Varunenai "vat ‘nari grahayit’ strnute. krend thavati. témo vat krendin, mrtytle témo, mrtytinai "vai marin grahayaty. etéd vai pdpmano riipdrr ydt krgndin. kygnd iva hi papmd. papmdnai ‘vai ‘nam abhisuvati. tara niyuniyat “pasim tadhndmi ...” tty etdbhya evat ’nara devdtabhyo nirydcya—mrtyir vai Yamd—mptyinai ‘vai *narh grahayati..., ‘TS. 11.8.2 Vérunenai ’vd bhrétroyar grahayited .. . 207 SB. V.2.5.17 tdsmad reabhé Vaisvanardsya déksind, kygndrn vdeo varundsya. tad dhi varundsr yat kpgndrn. yédi krendr nd vindéd, dpi ydd end Kir ca vdsah syat, For black saerificial animals offered to Varuna, and for the black colour connected with Varuna, see Hillebrandt, Ved. Myth. II?, p. 2lf., J. J, Meyer, Trilogie II, p. 43, IIT, pp. 208f, 230, 266, On p. 325 Meyer points out that at the Vajapeya sacrifice black and white animals were offered up to Prajapati, which is based on Sayana’s interpretation of dyamd in SB. V.1.3.9 sdrve éyamdh, dod vat Syamésya riups, Suklérn caind Wma krgndrn ca, dvandedri vat mithundrn, prajénanarr, prajénanam Prajépatih. prijapatyd eté. Tt is characteristic of Prajapati that as « god of totality he comprises tho light and dark aspects. In the difficult Varuns- hymn RS. VIIL41 the last stanza (10) yah dvetdre ddhinirnijas cakré krpndtn daw vraté may mean “He who made the white wearers of garments black ones, in accordance with his vows”. See Grassmann and Oldenberg, Noten for dihinirnif, Since, however, it remains obscure to which “wearers of nirnij” the verse refers, no conclusion can be drawn from these words. Other interpretations have been given by Geldner: “Der die weissen, die schwarzen (Farben) nach seinen Gesetzon mum Mantel sich gemacht hat” (implying a double relation which would cnly be explicable if Varuna here stands for the dual deity Mitré-Varnna) and by Renow: 72In the same mannex Varuna’s bond (bandhé) is used in the Atharvaveda: “King Varuna’s bond art thou; do thou bind so-and-so, of such-and-such lineage, son of such-and-such mother, in food, in breath” (Whitney) 268. The most prominent role of Varuna in the ritual is that of a “seizer”. Instances of this feature are well-known to every reader of brahmanas. Cf, e.g., “With what vehemence Varuna seized these creatures, with that vehemence ...”2° but the same expression already occurs in the Rigveda 2, Tt is true that sometimes other words are used, such as “njurer” 271, or that he is said to kill or harm 2”, but they are much less characteristic. Seized by Varuna is the sinner as well as the sick man: Prajapati, after creating the creatures, caused Varuna to seize them as they were offending (against his laws). They then had recourse to Prajaipati and “he saw which this one [was, which was] not seized by Varuna. He offered this one [viz., the black ram], which belonged to Varuna, in order to free them from Varuna. With it he freed them from Varuna. A sick man is seized by Varuna, Because (this black ram) belongs to Varuna, he frees him from Varuna” 23, “Lui qui a mis sur soi les omements blanes (du jour}, noirs (de la nuit)”, see 7, p. 34, These translations disregard tho grammatical difficulty poing & masculine noun (seo Oldenborg)- 289 AS, X.5.44 rijho Varunasya bandhd ‘si, 9d "mrim Amusyayandm amiisyth putrdm dnne prané badhana, SB, VASA2 ad yénai “vari “jase 'mah praje Varund "grhndt, ténai ’vd... For MS, IL.3.1 (27,15) yd wah Mitravaruna ojany lands, téya warn vidhema, tye "mem ance muiicatam drnhasah (and 27,19 yi vari, Mitrévaruna ofasy’ sahasya yataxya raksasy tawiis, téyd..., J. J. Meyer, Trilogic TIT, p. 205 n. 2). Similarly KS, XI-11 (158,11), but TS. 11.3.13.1 road: tejasya tants tdye *mam érnkaso mouitcatam. 20 RS. 1129.5 md ma ‘ahi putré vlm iva grabhista, X.12.5 kivn avin no réja jagrhe kad asyd "ti vratérh cakpma, 1.139.2 ddadéthe énytarh wwina manyina. Seo Bohnenberge Der altindische Gott Varuna, p. 57. 2 SB, V.5.4.31 Varuno of arpayit Cf, o.8,, Sikh, Ar, XIL5 (21) nainar di pramattarn vam Indrivarund sahasys rakgasya vyo Varuno hanti thitam, 6 (28) nainari ‘aruno hinasti and such well-known passages in the Rigveda as TE.27.4 edyaména rydmi, VII.60.5 imé cetdiro dnptasya bhitreh, 1.24.11 mit na dyuh pri mosih, 1.25.2 md no vadhdya hatnive jihilindsya riradhah, mé hradindsya manyive. 29 KS, XTTL2 (180,15) wdrunarn krgnah petvam ekasitipddam alabheta "mayavd jyogamayavt. Prajapatih praja asrjata, ta enam atyacararis, 2 aticarantir Varunend “granayat, ta jihmah panndi aserata varunagrhitds, tah krenah peta Apravata, tasya ‘bhihaya pailam agrhnat, sa praorhyata. a ekasitipad abharat. alt Prajapata anathanta, 90 "pagyad yo "yan avarunagrhitas, tenai ’nd Varundn muflednt "ti tar varwnam Alabhata. tenai nd Varnndd amuteat ... (see n. 275), MS, 11.5.6 (54,17) Prajépatih prajd asrjata, td enarn sretd étyamanyanta. th atiményamdna Vérunena ‘grabayat. td vdrunagrhitah Krendh pétvd “dhysekandat, tdayd "nuhdya phdam agrhnat. tsya faphah prévrhyata, 94 ékasitipad abhavat, tim acdyad : aydrh vd *edrn prajénam doarunagrhito, ’néne ’mah praj Varunan muneant *ti. td vdrundm dlabhata. téta imah projd Varunat pramucyanta. téd varunapramocantya evat "sd... (g09 further n, 275). Varuna even seizes the gods (as he seized Mitra, MS. TV.5.8: 76,7, KS, XXVIL4: 142,18, KKS, XLIL4: 251,2/293,5); ef. KS. XXVI2 (123,7), KKS, XL.5 (229,7/268,10) sarvdn wa eta Varuno grhnati yad diksite, manusyan pitgn devin... prajé eva varmnapasan muficati, That deliverance from varanya 13A sick person is eérunagrhita, seized by Varuna %*, This was particularly true of those who suffered from a chronic disease (jgdgamayavin). As we have seen above, in these circumstances Varuna was equated to papmén and mptyi. e.g.. “Who is suffering from a chronic disease, him he should cause to offer. for this man is seized by Varuna, by papmdn, and he has been ill for a long time. In that it [the ram] belongs to Varuna, he thereby delivers him from Varuna" #5 In the speculations of some brihmanas, accordingly, Varuna is still associated with Death. In the epic his funetion is assigned to Yama, whose abode (yamasidanay is the “world of the Fathers” (pitrloka), whereas Varuna's world fias here become the abode of demons (see p. 90). As early as the Black Yajurveda. however, there is a tendency to connect the pitéras with the worlds of sods and men (p. 12). In 1898 Caland suggested the idea that the Vajurvedie custom of locating the pitdéras not in the South but in the South-East. that is. closer to the East, was due to an attempt to bring them in closer contact with the gods. He even took a further step and pur forward the theory that originally the pitdras had been associated with the western quarter. In that case Varuna’s ambiguous relation to the demons might explain why he had been unable to join the blessed fathers’ trek from the western to the south-eastern quarter. Since, however, all this is purely hypotherieal, there is no need for dwelling upon this theory (see Een idz. Lustratiegebruik, p. 279) 12, VARUNA IN THE EPIC 1 It is generally assumed that in post-Vedie times Varuna had sunk to the level of a mere “Lord of the Waters” (apani patih). This opinion erance from Varuna himself can be inferred from 16 tha yad trons yarandyas carr bhavati, tét (sce n, 258) is equivalent to del a comparison of, ¢.g., SB. V.2 sdrvasmad evai “tid varwmapasdt, sircasmad varuny:t prajth primuficati with, MS. IL1.2 (3,9) vdrundri yavamdyann cariim amaytrinaab yAjayed, vérunagrhito wh (128,14) wareenarin tadana upaharamanas eed yd Gmayart. Varundd evai “nar téna mrkeati, KS X. Yavamayarh carwih nirvapet ... varunagrhito rd esa yo wyasya carati, yad varuno, Varundd evai "nari muricati. 24 Cf, also in classical Sanskrit (lex.) abhytnta “sick, diseased”, In RS. 1.180.8 Agne trdm asmad yuyodhy dmivd dnagnitra ahhy dmanta krstth “O Agni, ward off the diseases from us. Let them seize tribes that are not protected by Agni” the erb abhi-am- is used with reference to the diseases themselves. Tt is certainly not accidental that only in the Vajurveda Varuna is sairl to be the ‘seizer’, ef, MS.IIL.12.1 (160,7), KSA. 4.4, TS. VIL415, VS. XXILS5. VSK. XXIV.LD tém abhy amiti Varunah as against TS, 1.2.6.2, ete, tah Faruro grhnati 29 MS, 11.6.6 (65,2), IV.8.7 (46,18) yd jydgdmaydri sydt, tam eténa yajayed. Varunena Ik wd esd papmana grhitd. "thai "tasya jydg dmayati. udd raruno, Varunad eval nari téna muitati, KS. XTIL2 (181,1) papmanai 'sa grhito ya Amayavi. krywa iva papma, yat krenah, papmanam eva "pahate. yad ekasitipad, varunapasam eva tena pramuficate (181,5 Varundd evai nash muficati), XXVIL4 (143.1) tenai ‘nak Varunad amuricad, yan maitravaruno grhyate, nirvarunatoaya, TS. I1.3.11.1f, Varuna enars varunapadéna grhndti .... 6 jydgamayaes sydd, yé va kamayeta : sdrvam dyur iyam iti... vdrunénai i mare varunapasin mufcati. 28 Religion védique TIT, p. 114.