| The next hymns are to Mitra-Varuna, who later becomes Mithra in Persian and Greek myth. Described as a radiant-colored cow and a deity to whom the consumption of the Soma juice is directed. Milking or pressing the stalks with stones is discussed as well. This is a common method among aboriginal tribes for obtaining the juice from plants: (3) As ’twere a radiant-coloured cow, they milk with stones the stalk for you, with stones they milk the Soma-plant. May ye come nigh us, may ye turn hither to drink the Soma juice. The men pressed out this juice, Mitra and Varuṇa, pressed out this Soma for your drink. (RV1) Hymn CXXXVII. Mitra-Varuṇa In the next hymn, again we hear the mention of holy grass and now Mitra gives food which fulfils the sacred law. Sacred law stems from the sacred word, the spoken word from the mouth of the intoxicated poet, the word of god/dess and this becomes the sacred law. I’m open to the idea of the sacred law having another meaning but this one seems to fit properly into place and makes the most sense to me: (9) Mitra to Gods, to living men, to him who strews the holy grass, Gives food fulfilling sacred Law. (RV3) Hymn LIX. Mitra Visvedevas are supposed to represent the variety of gods all as one. In the following hymn the Visvedevas, specifically the Asvins are called upon to hear the prayer and the wind brings medicine: (4) May the Wind waft to us that pleasant medicine, may Earth our Mother give it, and our Father Heaven, And the joy-giving stones that press the Soma's juice. Aśvins, may ye, for whom our spirits long, hear this. (RV1) Hymn LXXXIX. Viśvedevas The next hymn is rich in symbolic imagery. A single foot that drinks water is the stem of the mushroom sticking up from the ground where it draws its nutrients. Twelve spokes in a wheel are mentioned relating to time, or the astrological calendar. The seven hundred sons and twenty is the (720) number, likely reflecting a number of days. If it is (720) then it likely represents (2) years since “joined in pairs” is mentioned. Five-footed of twelve forms represents the (60) number and is likely a divisible of 360 as well. A seven-wheeled, six-spoked car is likely a vehicle or chariot being described but I cannot be absolutely certain. At the very end we have a description of (360) spokes, all together: (7) Let him who knoweth presently declare it, this lovely Bird's securely founded station. Forth from his head the Cows draw milk, and, wearing his vesture, with their foot have drunk the water. (11) Formed with twelve spokes, by length of time, unweakened, rolls round the heaven this wheel of during Order. Herein established, joined in pairs together, seven hundred Sons and twenty stand, O Agni. (12) They call him in the farther half of heaven the Sire five- |
footed, of twelve forms, wealthy in watery store. These others say that he, God with far-seeing eyes, is mounted on the lower seven-wheeled, six-spoked car. (35) This altar is the earth's extremest limit; this sacrifice of ours is the world's centre. The Stallion's seed prolific is the Soma; this Brahman highest heaven where Speech abideth. (46) They call him Indra, Mitra, Varuṇa, Agni, and he is heavenly nobly-winged Garutmān. To what is One, sages give many a title they call it Agni, Yama, Mātariśvan. (47) Dark the descent: the birds are golden-coloured; up to the heaven they fly robed in the waters. Again, descend they from the seat of Order, and all the earth is moistened with their fatness. (48) Twelve are the fellies, and the wheel is single; three are the naves. What man hath understood it? Therein are set together spokes three hundred and sixty, which in nowise can be loosened. (RV1) Hymn CLXIV. Viśvedevas Yama is a Hindu deity of the underworld, a “Lord of the dead,” like Osiris. He is called “Asu-niti.” Osiris was called “Asar-netar.” (37) In Sanskrit, his name can be interpreted to mean “twin.” (38) In the Zend-Avesta of Zoroastrianism, he is called “Yima.” (39) From the preceding information we can easily see that the majority of attributes given to the Vedic deities are indicative of mushrooms and this mushroom use is tied intimately to the soma sacrifice, being the consumption of the mushrooms. It is from this rich array of descriptive vocabulary which we will draw on throughout the entire book, in myth after myth, and poem after poem. These early hymns to the deities give us a valuable insight into all later mythological subject matter as we will soon see. The context in which it is given to the reader is one of a visionary or seer, a prophet who undergoes personal struggle, taking a journey into the “otherworld” as she or he relates that experience and conveys it in song, or hymns. Brighu is the father of the Brigu line of seers, an important family of seers in the Rig Veda. He is the son of Varuna or the god of the sea and has as his descendants Tarvash and Yadu, two of the five Vedic people saved by the gods from across the sea. (40) (37) Gods, Sages, Kings, p. 271; E.A. Wallis Budge, The Book of the Dead (New York, Dover Publications, 1967), p. lxxxiii (38) Puhvel, Jaan (1989). Comparative Mythology. Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 285–286 (39) F. Max Müller (Editor): The Zend-Avesta Part III, page 232; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yama (40) Gods, Sages, Kings, p. 60 |