Madhuvidya

Author(s): S D Laddu, T N Dharmadhikari, Madhvi Kolhatkar, Pratibha Pingle
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 361

Reprinted from Indian Linguistics, Volume XVII, 1957.
IV)
Linguistics
TRACE OF AN OLD PALATAL *Źh > ; IN SANSKRIT
Ву
M. A. MEHENDALE, Poona
It is well known to the students of the historical phonology of Sanskrit that IE palatal gh survives in Sanskrit as h (< zh). It seems, however, probable to demonstrate its survival also as j ( 2 with loss of aspiration) in an OIA form ujjayati occurring in the Satapatha Brāhmaṇa in the description of the Văjapeya sacrifice.
One of the peculiarities of this sacrifice is the drawing of the seventeen Surāgrahas along with an equal number of the Somagrahas. About the symbolism of this act we read in the Brāhmaṇa (5.1.2.10-13): atha saptadasa Somagrahān gļhņāti/ saptadaśa Surāgrahān Prajāpater vă ete andhasi yat Somaś ca Surā ca tataḥ satyan érir jyotih Somo 'nȚtam pāpmá tamah Suraite evaitad ubhe andhasi ujjayati sarvam vā eşa idam ujjayati yo Vājapeyena yajate Prajapatiṁ hy ujjayati sarvam u hy evedam Prajāpatih (10). sa yat saptadaśa/ Somagrahān grhnāti saptadašo vai Prajāpatiḥ Prajāpatir yajñaḥ sa yāvān eva yajño yāvanty asya mātrā tāvataivāsyai tat satyam śriyan jyotir ujjayati (11). atha yat saptadasa/ Surāgrahān gļhnăti saptadašo vai Prajāpatiḥ Prajāpatir yajñaḥ sa yāvān eva yajño yāvaty asya mātrā tăvataivāsyai tad anstan papmānam tama ujjayati (12). ta ubhaye catustrimśad grahāh sampadyantel trayastrimsad vai devāh Prajāpatiś catustrimsas tat Prajāpatim ujjayati (13). EGGELING translates (SBE 41.8-9) the above as follows: "He (the Adhvaryu) then draws seventeen (other) cups of Soma, and (the Neshtri) seventeen cups of Surâ (spirituous liquor), for to Pragâpati belong these two (saps of) plants, to wit the Soma and the Surâ;-and of these two the Soma is truth, prosperity, light; and the Suri untruth, misery, darkness: both these (saps of) plants he thereby wins; for he who offers the Vagapeya wins everything here, since he wins Pragâpati, and Pragâpati indeed is everything here (10). Now as to why he draws seventeen cups of Soma;-Pragâpati is seventeenfold, Pragâpati is the sacrifice: as great as the sacrifice is, as great as is its measure, with that much he thus wins its truth, its prosperity, its light (11). And why he draws seventeen cups of Surâ;--Pragâpati is seventeenfold, Pragâpati is the sacrifice: as great as the sacrifice is, as great as is its measure, with that much he thus wins its untruth, its misery, its darkness (12). These two amount to thirty-four cups; for there are thirty-three gods, and Pragâpati is the thirty-fourth: he thus wins Pragâpati (13)."
Madhu Vidyā/336