Page 152 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

tliBHUS AND VJ!I~KAPI 137

VERSE 3 - Siya11a following the Anukrama11t, understands
the verse as addressed by IndrAnt to lndra. Ludwig and Grass-
mann, on the other hand, take it to be addressed by Indra to
Indri~t and this construction seems better than that of Siya:qa.
It may, however, be here, once for all, remarked that though
scholars thus differ in assigning verses to different deities, yet it
does not, on the whole, materially alter the legend incorporated
in the hymn. Says Indra : " What has this V ri~bAkapi, in the
form of a yellow antelope, done to thee that you are so much
angry with him ? Was it the rich possession ( wealth ) of the
Aryans ? lndra, etc. "
The form, in which Vri~thAkapi is here said to have appeared,
should be specially n~ted. Harita means yellow, and yellow
animals ( Haritah ) are said to be yoked to the carriage of Aditya
in Nigh&!].~ ( 1. 15 ). There the word is, however understood
to be the plural of Harit, by the commentators in conformity to
'ig. i. 115. 3 and v. 45. 9, where the sun is said to .have seven
horses yoked to his carriage. But I think that the same idea may
give rise. to the conception that the sun is represented by a single
yellow animal, and we may take the passage in the Nighat:t~u as
referring aiso to the verse under consideration. I have previously
alluded to the fact that the dog at the Chinvat bridge in the Parsi
traditions is described as zaritem, that is, of the same colour as
the antelope in the third verse. But the question of colour cannot
be taken as finally settled until we first definitely decide what
animal is represented by Mriga. •
VERSES 4 and 5-Siyapa is literally correct, but again misses
the spirit, or rather has missed it throughout the hymn. Indra was
reproached in the second verse for his partiality or over-kindness
to Vri~hlkapi. But Indrit:tl was not satisfied with it, and if Indra
failed to punish- the Kapi, she took the matter in her own hand.
Says she : " 0 Indra ! as you ( thus ) protect this ( your ) favourite
V ri~akapi, let the dog, eagar ( to chase ) a hog ( l'araha ), bite
him at his ear. The Kapi spoilt my favourite things.t I shall
• See Dr. Rajendralll's lndo-Aryans, Vol 11, p. 303.
t -The \\•ord in the original fa tQ,n,ani, which 1i lerally means made,
ihaped, etc~ ·Midhava Bha~~a understands it to mean oblations offered
te lndrl~i. I . translate It by things generally. Whatever meaning we
may adopt, it .'is quite evident that the Kapi's interfering with them
has offended ·Jndrl1.1i.