[Advaita-l] Rudra and ambica

[jaldhar at braincells.com]

This is advice for all list members not just Kaushik.  When you are 
replying to a message, delete all extra material except for the exact 
words you are responding too.  As well as causing extra waste for those 
members who receive advaita-l in digest mode, it makes it hard to read. 
In this case there is only one new line, in the middle of my entire quoted 
message.  I assumed Kaushik had accidently reposted my message.  It's only 
looking at it again just now I realize he is continuing the conversation.

Anyway,

On Sat, 24 Oct 2020, Kaushik Chevendra wrote:

> I might be wrong sir. But this verse occurs in shatapatha brahmana and
> krishna yajurveda also. 
>

I'm not familiar with krishnayajurveda but I can tell you this mantra (it 
is a yajuh not a verse btw) does not occur in the Shatapatha Brahmana 
itself though it is quoted there in the discussion on the Tryambakeshti. 
(SB 2.6.2)

The difference between the shukla and krishna yajurvedas is that in the 
former, the mantras and brahmanas are separated whereas in the latter they 
are not.

But anyway the SB casts further light on the meaning.  There is a 
Sayanabhashya on the Madhyandina shaka of SB and Hariswami is also an 
authoritative commentator.  I have consulted both and learned a few other
interesting details.

When the Devas fought against Vrtrasura many of them were slain by 
arrows but by propitiating Rudra by means of this Tryambakeshti, they were 
brought back to life.  (Although the text and commentaries don't 
specifically say it, this shows another meaning of Mrtyunjaya don't you 
think?)

Ambika is explicitly said to be the sister of Rudra.  The Sayanabhashya 
just prefunctorily glosses this and there is no mention in it of autumn, 
disease etc.

This sister Ambika has equal rights to the havan offerings as Her brother. 
Thus the name Tryambaka is explained as Striyambaka ("together with a 
woman")

The sacrificial pashu is described by by Mahidharacharya as a Mushika 
which is usually translated as mouse or rat (think of Ganesha Bhagavans 
vahana for instance.) but this appears to be wrong because SB describes it 
as living in a burrow.  (The offerings are placed in the burrow and the 
animal is not actually killed.)  The English translator of SB calls it 
"mole" but that is also incorrect IMO because the mole is not native to 
India.  It seems to me that it should be what in Gujarati is called 
"chhuchhundar" which wikipedia tells me is the "Asian Musk Shrew." or 
"Indian Musk Shrew" but not the muskrat which is a yet different animal.


-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>