Rivers in Ancient India (study)
by Archana Sarma | 2019 | 49,356 words
This page relates 鈥楾he river Sarasvati in the Atharvaveda-samhita鈥� of the study on the rivers in ancient India as reflected in the Vedic and Puranic texts. These pages dicsusses the elements of nature and the importance of rivers (Nadi) in Vedic and Puranic society. Distinctive traits of rivers are investigated from descriptions found in the Vedas (Samhitas), Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads and Puranas. The research is concluded by showing changing trends of rivers from ancient to modern times.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
3(a). The river 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 in the Atharvaveda-sa峁僪it膩
The 础迟丑补谤惫补惫别诲补蝉补峁僪颈迟腻 gives many references about places, rivers and mountains. Seven rivers are mentioned at many places in the 础迟丑补谤惫补惫别诲补蝉补峁僪颈迟腻.[1] These rivers most probably are the five rivers flourished from Punjab; those are鈥擩helum (痴颈迟补蝉迟腻), Chen膩b (础蝉颈办苍墨), Ravi (Puru峁ａ箛墨), Beas (痴颈辫腻艣腻), and Sutlej (艢耻迟耻诲谤墨). The other two rivers are 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 and Sindhu. At one place in the 础迟丑补谤补惫别诲补蝉补峁僪颈迟腻, ninety rivers are mentioned.[2]
Only a few mantras of the 础迟丑补谤惫补诲补蝉补峁僪颈迟腻 refer to 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨, and some of them are taken up from the 峁欢惫别诲补蝉补峁僪颈迟腻.
The river 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 plays an important role in the 础迟丑补谤惫补别诲补蝉补峁僪颈迟腻. The neighbouring areas of the river 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 are described to be very fertile, abounding in the yeilds of grains, particularly for making offering to gods. The fields on its banks were ploughed by gods for the crop of barley. Indra is portrayed as the lord of the plough (蝉墨谤补辫补迟颈岣�) and the maruts as the farmers. (办颈苍补艣补岣�)[3]
S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya explains this as鈥�
madhun膩 madhurasena sa峁僯ita峁� s膩峁僷rapta峁� gava峁� dirgha艣uka峁� ima峁� dhanyavi艣esa峁� sarasvaty膩m adhi sarasvaty膩khy膩yay膩 nad测腻岣� sam墨pe manau manusyaj膩tau 诲别惫腻岣� acark峁泂u岣� k峁泃avanta岣� 艣atak峁沘tu岣� indra岣� s墨rapti岣� halasy膩dhisth膩t膩 savmmi sudanava岣� sob岣nadana 尘补谤耻迟补岣� kinasa岣� korsaka 腻蝉补苍 ||[4]
Thus, the 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 river, which was pious not only to men but also to gods, was the best river promoting agriculture. Though a terrestrial river, the gods had close affinity with it and, thus, divinity was attached to it, too. The example of Indra and the Maruts as agriculturists show the greatness and divine message for the occupation of cultivation. Agriculture depends on water, specially obtained in the form of rain, without which no harvest is possible. 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨, as the name itself suggests, abounds in water. She is also associated with the clouds. In a mantra, she is requested to provide water from her clouds so as to save cultivation from burning in the scorching heat of the Sun as well as not to shatter it with the thunder of the clouds.[5]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Atharvaveda 厂补峁僪颈迟补,4.6.2;4.5.2;6.26.1;6.61.3;6.4.1;7.112.1; 20.17.3; 20.92.3; 20.91.12; 20.17.3
[2]:
[3]:
诲别惫腻 ima峁� madhun膩 蝉补峁儁耻办迟补峁� 测补惫补峁� sarasvaty膩madhi ma峁嚹乿acark峁涐梗u岣� | indra 膩s墨t s墨rpati岣� 艣atakratuh k墨n膩艣膩 腻蝉补苍 尘补谤耻迟补岣� sud膩nava岣� || Atharvaveda 厂补峁僪颈迟补, 6.30.1
[4]:
S膩ya峁嚹乧膩rya鈥檚 com. on Ibid
[5]:
Khan,I., 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 in Sanskrit literature, P.94