The Religions of India Part 14

3. This one is despatched and led upon a shining path, when the active ones urge (him).[20]

4. This one, shaking his horns, sharpens (them), the bull of the herd, doing heroic deeds forcibly.

5. This one hastens, the strong steed, with bright golden beams, becoming of streams the lord.

6. This one, pressing surely through the knotty (sieve?) to good things, comes down into the vessels.

7. This one, fit to be prepared, the active ones prepare in the pails, as he creates great food.

8. Him, this one, who has good weapons, who is most intoxicating, ten fingers and seven (or many) prayers prepare.

Here, as in IX. 70, Hillebrandt a.s.sumes that the poet turns suddenly from the moon to the plant. Against this might be urged the use of the same p.r.o.noun throughout the hymn. It must be confessed that at first sight it is almost as difficult to have the plant, undoubtedly meant in verses 7 and 8, represented by the moon in the preceding verses, as it is not to see the moon in the expression 'shaking his horns.' This phrase occurs in another hymn, where Hillebrandt, with the same certainty as he does here, claims it for the moon, though the first part of this hymn as plainly refers to the plant, IX. 70. 1, 4. Here the plant is a steer roaring like the noise of the Maruts (5-6), and then (as above, after the term steer is applied to the plant), it is said that he 'sharpens his horns,' and is 'sightly,' and further, 'he sits down in the fair place ... on the wooly back,' etc., which bring one to still another hymn where are to be found like expressions, used, evidently, not of the moon, but of the plant, _viz._ to IX. 37, a hymn not cited by Hillebrandt:

This strong (virile) _soma_, pressed for drink, flows into the purifying vessel; this sightly (as above, where Hillebrandt says it is epithet of the moon), yellow, fiery one, is flowing into the purifying vessel; roaring into its own place (as above). This strong one, clear, shining (or purifying itself), runs through the shining places of the sky, slaying evil demons, through the sheep-hair-sieve. On the back of Trita this one shining (or purifying itself) made bright the sun with (his) sisters.[21] This one, slaying Vritra, strong, pressed out, finding good things (as above), uninjured, _soma_, went as if for booty. This G.o.d, sent forth by seers, runs into the vessels, the drop (_indu_) for Indra, quickly (or willingly).

So far as we can judge, after comparing these and the other pa.s.sages that are cited by Hillebrandt as decisive for a lunar interpretation of _soma_, it seems quite as probable that the epithets and expressions used are employed of the plant metaphorically as that the poet leaps thus lightly from plant to moon. And there is a number of cases which plainly enough are indicative of the plant alone to make it improbable that Hillebrandt is correct in taking Soma as the moon 'everywhere in the Rig Veda.' It may be that the moon-cult is somewhat older than has been supposed, and that the language is consciously veiled in the ninth book to cover the worship of a deity as yet only partly acknowledged as such. But it is almost inconceivable that an hundred hymns should praise the moon; and all the native commentators, bred as they were in the belief of their day that _soma_ and the moon were one, should not know that _soma_ in the Rig Veda (as well as later) means the lunar deity. It seems, therefore, safer to abide by the belief that _soma_ usually means what it was understood to mean, and what the general descriptions in the _soma_-hymns more or less clearly indicate, _viz._, the intoxicating plant, conceived of as itself divine, stimulating Indra, and, therefore, the _causa movens_ of the demon's death, Indra being the _causa efficiens_. Even the allusions to _soma_ being in the sky is not incompatible with this.

For he is carried thence from the place of sacrifice. Thus too in 83.

1-2: "O lord of prayer[22], thy purifier (the sieve) is extended.

Prevailing thou enterest its limbs on all sides. Raw (_soma_), that has not been cooked (with milk) does not enter into it. Only the cooked (_soma_), going through, enters it. The sieve of the hot drink is extended in the place of the sky. Its gleaming threads extend on all sides. This (_soma_'s) swift (streams) preserve the man that purifies them, and wisely ascend to the back of the sky." In this, as in many hymns, the drink _soma_ is clearly addressed; yet expressions are used which, if detached, easily might be thought to imply the moon (or the sun, as with Bergaigne)--a fact that should make one employ other expressions of the same sort with great circ.u.mspection.

Or, let one compare, with the preparation by the ten fingers, 85. 7: "Ten fingers rub clean (prepare) the steed in the vessels; uprise the songs of the priests. The intoxicating drops, as they purify themselves, meet the song of praise and enter Indra." Exactly the same images as are found above may be noted in IX. 87, where not the moon, but the plant, is conspicuously the subject of the hymn: "Run into the pail, purified by men go unto booty. They lead thee like a swift horse with reins to the sacrificial straw, preparing (or rubbing) thee. With good weapons shines the divine (shining) drop (_Indu_), slaying evil-doers, guarding the a.s.sembly; the father of the G.o.ds, the clever begetter, the support of the sky, the holder of earth.... This one, the _soma_ (plant) on being pressed out, ran swiftly into the purifier like a stream let out, sharpening his two sharp horns like a buffalo; like a true hero hunting for cows; he is come from the highest press-stone," etc. It is the noise of _soma_ dropping that is compared with 'roaring.' The strength given by (him) the drink, makes him appear as the 'virile one,' of which force is the activity, and the bull the type. Given, therefore, the image of the bull, the rest follows easily to elaborate the metaphor. If one add that _soma_ is luminous (yellow), and that all luminous divinities are 'horned bulls[23],' then it will be unnecessary to see the crescent moon in _soma_. Moreover, if _soma_ be the same with Brihaspati, as thinks Hillebrandt, why are there three horns in V. 43. 13? Again, that the expression 'sharpening his horns' does not refer necessarily to the moon may be concluded from x. 86. 15, where it is stated expressly that the _drink_ is a sharp-horned steer: "Like a sharp-horned steer is thy brewed drink, O Indra," probably referring to the taste. The sun, Agni, and Indra are all, to the Vedic poet, 'sharp-horned steers[24],' and the _soma_ plant, being luminous and strong (bull-like), gets the same epithet.

The ident.i.ty is rather with Indra than with the moon, if one be content to give up brilliant theorizing, and simply follow the poets: "The one that purifies himself yoked the sun's swift steed over man that he might go through the atmosphere, and these ten steeds of the sun he yoked to go, saying Indra is the drop (_Indu_)." When had ever the moon the power to start the sun? What part in the pantheon is played by the moon when it is called by its natural name (not by the priestly name, _soma_)? Is _m[=a]s_ or _candramas_ (moon) a power of strength, a great G.o.d? The words scarcely occur, except in late hymns, and the moon, by his own folk-name, is hardly praised except in mechanical conjunction with the sun. The floods of which _soma_ is lord are explained in IX. 86. 24-25: "The hawk (or eagle) brought thee from the sky, O drop (_Indu_[25]), ... seven milk-streams sing to the yellow one as he purifies himself with the wave in the sieve of sheep's wool. The active strong ones have sent forth the wise seer in the lap of the waters." If one wishes to clear his mind in respect of what the Hindu attributes to the divine drink (expressly drink, and not moon), let him read IX. 104, where he will find that "the twice powerful G.o.d-rejoicing intoxicating drink" finds goods, finds a path for his friends, puts away every harmful spirit and every devouring spirit, averts the false G.o.dless one and all oppression; and read also ix. 21. I-4: "These _soma_-drops for Indra flow rejoicing, maddening, light-(or heaven-) finding, averting attackers, finding desirable things for the presser, making life for the singer. Like waves the drops flow into one vessel, playing as they will. These _soma_-drops, let out like steeds (attached) to a car, as they purify themselves, attain all desirable things." According to IX. 97. 41^2 and _ib._ 37.

4 (and other like pa.s.sages, too lightly explained, p. 387, by Hillebrandt), it is _soma_ that "produced the light in the sun" and "makes the sun rise," statements incompatible with the (lunar) Soma's functions, but quite in accordance with the magic power which the poets attribute to the divine drink. Soma is 'king over treasure.'

Soma is brought by the eagle that all may "see light" (IX. 48. 3-4).

He traverses the sky, and guards order--but not necessarily is he here the moon, for _soma_, the drink, as a "galloping steed," "a brilliant steer," a "stream of pressed _soma_," "a dear sweet," "a helper of G.o.ds," is here poured forth; after him "flow great water-floods"; and he "purifies himself in the sieve, he the supporter, holder of the sky"; he "shines with the sun," "roars," and "looks like Mitra"; being here both "the intoxicating draught," and at the same time "the giver of kine, giver of men, giver of horses, giver of strength, the soul of sacrifice" (IX. 2).

Soma is even older than the Vedic Indra as slayer of Vritra and snakes. Several Indo-Iranian epithets survive (of _soma_ and _haoma_, respectively), and among those of Iran is the t.i.tle 'Vritra-slayer,'

applied to _haoma_, the others being 'strong' and 'heaven-winning,'

just as in the Veda[26]. All three of them are contained in one of the most lunar-like of the hymns to Soma, which, for this reason, and because it is one of the few to this deity that seem to be not entirely mechanical, is given here nearly in full, with the original shift of metre in the middle of the hymn (which may possibly indicate that two hymns have been united).

To SOMA (I. 91).

Thou, Soma, wisest art in understanding; Thou guidest (us) along the straightest pathway; 'Tis through thy guidance that our pious[27] fathers Among the G.o.ds got happiness, O Indu.

Thou, Soma, didst become in wisdom wisest; In skill[28] most skilful, thou, obtaining all things.

A bull in virile strength, thou, and in greatness; In splendor wast thou splendid, man-beholder.

Thine, now, the laws of kingly Varuna[29]; Both high and deep the place of thee, O Soma.

Thou brilliant art as Mitra, the beloved[30], Like Aryaman, deserving service, art thou.

Whate'er thy places be in earth or heaven, Whate'er in mountains, or in plants and waters, In all of these, well-minded, not injurious, King Soma, our oblations meeting, take thou.

Thou, Soma, art the real lord, Thou king and Vritra-slayer, too; Thou art the strength that gives success.

And, Soma, let it be thy will For us to live, nor let us die[31]; Thou lord of plants[32], who lovest praise.

Thou, Soma, bliss upon the old, And on the young and pious man Ability to live, bestowest.

Do thou, O Soma, on all sides Protect us, king, from him that sins, No harm touch friend of such as thou.

Whatever the enjoyments be Thou hast, to help thy worshipper, With these our benefactor be.

This sacrifice, this song, do thou, Well-pleased, accept; come unto us; Make for our weal, O Soma, thou.

In songs we, conversant with words, O Soma, thee do magnify; Be merciful and come to us.

* * *[33]

All saps unite in thee and all strong powers, All virile force that overcomes detraction; Filled full, for immortality, O Soma, Take to thyself the highest praise in heaven.

The sacrifice shall all embrace--whatever Places thou hast, revered with poured oblations.

Home-aider, Soma, furtherer with good heroes, Not hurting heroes, to our houses come thou.

Soma the cow gives; Soma, the swift charger; Soma, the hero that can much accomplish (Useful at home, in feast, and in a.s.sembly His father's glory)--gives, to him that worships.

In war unharmed; in battle still a saviour; Winner of heaven and waters, town-defender, Born mid loud joy, and fair of home and glory, A conqueror, thou; in thee may we be happy.

Thou hast, O Soma, every plant begotten; The waters, thou; and thou, the cows; and thou hast Woven the wide s.p.a.ce 'twixt the earth and heaven; Thou hast with light put far away the darkness.

With mind divine, O Soma, thou divine[34] one, A share of riches win for us, O hero; Let none restrain thee, thou art lord of valor; Show thyself foremost to both sides in battle[35].

Of more popular songs, Hillebrandt cites as sung to Soma (!) VIII. 69.

8-10:

Sing loud to him, sing loud to him; Priyamedhas, oh, sing to him, And sing to him the children, too; Extol him as a sure defence....

To _Indra_ is the prayer up-raised.

The three daily _soma_-oblations are made chiefly to Indra and V[=a]yu; to Indra at mid-day; to the Ribhus, artisans of the G.o.ds, at evening; and to Agni in the morning.

Unmistakable references to Soma as the moon, as, for instance, in X.

85. 3: "No one eats of that _soma_ which the priests know," seem rather to indicate that the identification of moon and Soma was something esoteric and new rather than the received belief of pre-Vedic times, as will Hillebrandt. This moon-_soma_ is distinguished from the "_soma_-plant which they crush."

The floods of _soma_ are likened to, or, rather, identified with, the rain-floods which the lightning frees, and, as it were, brings to earth with him. A whole series of myths depending on this natural phenomenon has been evolved, wherein the lightning-fire as an eagle brings down _soma_ to man, that is, the heavenly drink.

Since Agni is threefold and the G[=a]yatri metre is threefold, they interchange, and in the legends it is again the metre which brings the _soma_, or an archer, as is stated in one doubtful pa.s.sage[36].

What stands out most clearly in _soma_-laudations is that the _soma_-hymns are not only quite mechanical, but that they presuppose a very complete and elaborate ritual, with the employment of a number of priests, of whom the _hotars_ (one of the various sets of priests) alone number five in the early and seven in the late books; with a complicated service; with certain divinities honored at certain hours; and other paraphernalia of sacerdotal ceremony; while Indra, most honored with Soma, and Agni, most closely connected with the execution of sacrifice, not only receive the most hymns, but these hymns are, for the most part, palpably made for ritualistic purposes. It is this truth that the ritualists have seized upon and too sweepingly applied.

For in every family book, besides this baksheesh verse, occur the older, purer hymns that have been retained after the worship for which they were composed had become changed into a trite making of phrases.

Hillebrandt has failed to show that the Iranian _haoma_ is the moon, so that as a starting-point there still is plant and drink-worship, not moon-worship. At what precise time, therefore, the _soma_ was referred to the moon is not so important. Since drink-worship stands at one end of the series, and moon-worship at the other, it is antecedently probable that here and there there may be a doubt as to which of the two was intended. Some of the examples cited by Hillebrandt may indeed be referable to the latter end of the series rather than to the former; but that the author, despite the learning and ingenuity of his work, has proved his point definitively, we are far from believing. It is just like the later Hindu speculation to think out a subtle connection between moon and _soma_-plant because each was yellow, and swelled, and went through a sieve (cloud), etc.

But there is a further connecting link in that the divinity ascribed to the intoxicant led to a supposition that it was brought from the sky, the home of the G.o.ds; above all, of the luminous G.o.ds, which the yellow _soma_ resembled. Such was the Hindu belief, and from this as a starting-point appears to have come the gradual identification of _soma_ with the moon, now called Soma. For the moon, even under the name of Gandharva, is not the object of especial worship.

The question so ably discussed by Hillebrandt is, however, one of considerable importance from the point of view of the religious development. If _soma_ from the beginning was the moon, then there is only one more G.o.d of nature to add to the pantheon. But if, as we believe in the light of the Avesta and Veda itself, _soma_ like _haoma_, was originally the drink-plant (the root _su_ press, from which comes _soma_, implies the plant), then two important facts follow. First, in the identification of yellow _soma_-plant with yellow moon in the latter stage of the Rig Veda (which coincides with the beginning of the Brahmanic period) there is a striking ill.u.s.tration of the gradual mystical elevation of religion at the hands of the priests, to whom it appeared indecent that mere drink should be exalted thus; and secondly, there is the significant fact that in the Indic and Iranian cult there was a direct worship of deified liquor, a.n.a.logous to Dionysiac rites, a worship which is not unparalleled in other communities. Again, the surprising ident.i.ty of worship in Avesta and Veda, and the fact that hymns to the earlier deities, Dawn, Parjanya, etc, are frequently devoid of any relation to the _soma_-cult not only show that Bergaigne's opinion that the whole Rig Veda is but a collection of hymns for _soma_-worship as handed down in different families must be modified; but also that, as we have explained _apropos_ of Varuna, the Iranian cult must have branched off from the Vedic cult (whether, as Haug thought, on account of a religious schism or not); that the hymns to the less popular deities (as we have defined the word) make the first period of Vedic cult; and that the special liquor-cult, common to Iran and India, arose after the first period of Vedic worship, when, for example, Wind, Parjanya, and Varuna were at their height, and before the priests had exalted mystically Agni or Soma, and even Indra was as yet undeveloped.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: viii. 38. 4; i. 108. 3; Bergaigne, ii. 293.]

[Footnote 2: On this point Bergaigne deprecates the application of the ritualistic method, and says in words that cannot be too emphasized: "Mais qui ne voit que de telles exptications n'expliquent rien, ou plutot que le detail du rituel ne peut trouver son explication que dans le mythe, bien loin de pouvoir servir lui-memes a expliquer le mythe?... Ni le ciel seul ni la terre seule, mais la terre et le ciel etroitement unis et presque confondus, voila le vrai domaine de la mythologie vedique, mythologie dont le rituel n'est que la reproduction" (i. p. 24).]