A study in the interpretation of RgVeda Mandala III

Book Reviewed: The Rigveda Mandala: v. III: A Critical Study of the Sayana Bhashya and Other Interpretation by Siddh Nath Shukla and Vijay Shankar Shukla

There are many conflicting views among the commentators and translators about the meaning of words and phrases of RgVedic hymns. Sayanacharya, one of the leading commentators, interprets few words differently in different contexts. Hence his RgVedabhasya is critically examined and compared with other Indian interpreters and modern translators. In this book, the RgVeda Mandala III.1 to III.7 has been evaluated for the meaning of specific words, etymology, and grammar.

The language of RgVeda is archaic which contains grammatical devices and linguistic forms that are not easily comprehensible. During the Samhita period, people who were keeping with oral tradition of chanting during sacrifices did not understand the true meaning of the seer who wrote the hymn. To complicate things, in the ritual contexts some hymns were also bent to meet the poetical language that included configuration of similar sounds, words, metaphors, incongruous grammatical formation and the word economy. During the period of Brahmanas, many priests were skeptical about the authenticity of the meaning. Hence Yaksha, one of the leading interpreters of RgVeda says in Nirukta 1.20 that later generations did not have same intuitive insight as the seer who composed the hymn.

The first systematic attempt at interpretations was made by those who collected and compiled all the ambiguous and difficult words of doubtful origin and arranged them properly putting all words together which had similar connotations. This arrangement was called Nighantu and Yaksha's manuscript called Nirukta is the only oldest Nighantu that survived. This is the first available treatise that interprets RgVeda systematically. Before Yaksha there were many schools of Vedic interpretation as evidenced by Nirukta. Yaksha cites many names such as Adhidaivata, Adhyatma, Akshyanasamaya, Naidana, Purveyajnika, Yajnika, Parivrajaka, Vaiyakarna, and Nirukta. Yaksha also mentions 16 grammarians and etymologists who were the promoters' of the Vedic exegesis that impacted the tradition of interpretation. These treatises are not available anymore but they enriched the tradition of the Vedic interpretation. Many modern Indian scholars like Swami Dayananda, Velankar, Sri Aurobindo, etc. gave a spiritual dimension to this field.

Numerous words that appear in Mandala III.1 to III.7 have been discussed in light of numerous translations and its meaning in terms of sacrifice, sociology, and theism. These include words like; Tavasam, Vaksi, Vahnim, Vidhate, Duvasyan, Mayah, Apasi, etc. For example, Mayah in RgVeda III.1.3 is interpreted as pleasure, well-being, lusty pleasure, etc. This becomes a leading concept in Upanishads and Vedanta philosophy. The word rajas (RgVeda III.1.5), which occurs 149 times in RgVeda is suggested as route, path, way, etc. This is another word that figure prominently in Bhagavad-Gita.

This book is written mainly for specialists in RgVeda and does not interest general readers of RgVeda (or Hindu scriptures.) However, this is a good book for readers interested in ancient history of India and the origins of Hinduism.