Page 154 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

~IBHUS AND V~/~HAKAPI 139

VERSE 9-Indra~t replies, "This mischievous ( Vritha.kapi)
considers me to be avira ( i. e., without a brave husband or son),
while I am the wife of Indra, the mother of the brave, and the
friend of Maruts. Indra, etc. "
VERSES I 0 and I I-Pischel and Geldner suppose that the first
is addressed by Vriehakapi to Indra~t. and the second by VriiJha-
kapayi. Saya:Q.a understands them to be addressed by Indra. Which-
soever construction we adopt, the meaning remains the same;
Indra:Q.i is here told that she is highly respected everywhere; she
is the blessed of all women, and that her husband never suffers
from old age. This is obviously intended to pacify her.
VERSE 12-Indra says "0 Indra~t! I am not delighted with-
out my friend V riiJhakapi, of whom these favourite watery obla-
tions reach the gods. Indra is in the upper (part) of the universe;. "
VERSE 13 -This seems ·to be also addressed by Indra to
Indra:Q.i, who is here called V rieha.kapayi. This latter name has
caused a difference of opinion, some considering V~iiJhakapayi
to be the mother, some the wife of Vrithakapi.• I do not see
how the wife of Vri~hakapi as such, could be introduced in the
song, unless Vri~hakapi is understood to be the name of Indra
himself. Commentators, who take Vri~hakapayt to mean the
wife of VriiJha.kapi, accordingly adopt the latter view. Pischel
and Geldner think that the verse is addressed by VriiJhakapi to
his wife V:riiJha.kapayt. The verse means," 0 rich Vri,IJhakapayt !
having a good son and a daughter-in-law, let Indra swallow the
bulls, your favourite and delighful oblation. Indra~ etc., " There
has been much speculation as to who could be the son and the
daughter-in-law of V:riiJhakapayi. But if Vritha.kapayt be under-
stood to mean the wife of Indra, it causes no such difficulty. The
adjectives " having a good son " etc. are simply complimentary
corresponding to the statement of Indni:Q.t, that she was the
"mother of the brave " in verse 9. Indra accepting her statement
asks her to allow him to swallow the watery oblations said to
come from Vritha.kapi in the last verse. The words priyam and
havis are the same in both the verses; and I think that both of
them refer to the same oblations.

• See Max MUller's Lectures on the Science of Language, Vol.
II, P• 538.