[Advaita-l] Rudra and ambica

[Kaushik Chevendra]

On Sat, 24 Oct 2020, 12:47 , <jaldhar at braincells.com> wrote:

> On Fri, 9 Oct 2020, Kaushik Chevendra via Advaita-l wrote:
>
> > एष ते रुद्र भाग: सह *स्वस्त्राम्बिकया* तं जुषस्व स्वाहैष ते रुद्र भाग S
> > आखुस्ते पशु:।।57।।
> >
> > Rudra, this is thine allotted portion. With *Ambika thy sister* kindly
> take
> > it. This, Rudra, is thy share, the rat thy victim. (Shukla Yajurveda
> 3.57)
> >
> >
> >
> > Why is ambika devi being called rudras sister?
> > _______________________________________________
>
> Some time back we discussed a related mantra, the famous mahamrtyunjaya.
> See:
>
> https://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/2017-March/044786.html
>
> In footnote 2 of that translation I briefly mention this mantra (which is
> also part of the Tryambakeshti) but I did not go into detail.
>
> Briefly these three Devis are the sisters of Rudra.  They are not the same
> as Jagadamba who is the wife of Shiva Bhagavan (except insofar as all
> Devis are swarupas of Mahadevi.)
>
> Amba ("mother"), Ambika ("little mother") and Ambalika ("littlest mother")
> are not their proper names but terms of respect.  Even now in Indian
> languages do we not respectfully address a woman as "Ma", "Ba", "Amma"
> etc.?  Even the use of the diminutive has parallels today.  For instance
> recently I heard my son being told off by his mother for some infraction
> and I was amused to hear him reply in exasparation "Oh Madi I didn't do
> it"  In Gujarati, Madi is a diminutive form of Ma or mother.  It is not a
> comment on my wifes height neither is it a term of disrepect, on the
> contrary it was being used in an affectionate sense.
>
>
> On Sun, 11 Oct 2020, Raghav Kumar Dwivedula via Advaita-l wrote:
>
> > I am glad to know you looked up Sayana bhAShya. That's really nice.
>
> FYI Sayanacharya did not comment on the Vajasaneyi Samhita.  The
> authoritative commentators are Uvatacharya and Mahidharacharya who I have
> consulted in writing this.
>
I might be wrong sir. But this verse occurs in shatapatha brahmana and
krishna yajurveda also.

>
>
> > There is also another meaning.
> > The word ambikA is one of the three aspects (sisters?) viz., ambA,
> ambikA,> ambAlikA.
>
> Yes these are the ones who are meant.
>
>
> > It is also the name of a herb and the words ambA, ambikA, ambAlikA are
> > three "sister" herbs (tri-ambaka-s) often used together for Vedic Homam
> to
> > Rudra for conferring good health or freedom from disease, mentioned in
> > yajurveda. One of the three sister herbs is called ambikA.
> >
>
> >
> > Panini reference
> > उक्त तीनो एक हि स्थान पर कह दिये गये
> > प्रमाण पाणिनि का त्रियम्बकम पद सूत्र देखे अष्टाध्य
> > ये औषधीय काम्पील मे होती
> > यानि ये जिस जगह होति है उसे काम्पील कहते है | | काम्पील एक औषधि
> > साथ अम्बिका अदि औषधिया होती है
> > अब देखिये की वैद्धक में उक्त औषधियों की चर्चा
> >
>
> Who are you quoting?  I don't see any reference to the matter at hand in
> that sutra or its commentaries.
> See https://ashtadhyayi.com/sutraani/5/1/58
>
> >
> > While the above only shows two other possibilities that the word ambikA
> is
> > not suster of shiva. Rather ambikA is one of the well-known sisters
> > (mentioned in yajur veda - no connexion with Mahabharata, please note),
>
> In my opinion there is a faint connection.  In the Mahabharata, Amba,
> Ambika, and Ambalika are the three daughters of Kashiraja who are taken by
> Bhishma to be wed to his half-brother, Vichitravirya whom he has placed on
> the Kuru throne.  Amba escapes but Ambika and Ambalika are wed to
> Vichitravirya.  But he dies so it falls upon Veda Vyas - another
> half-brother to father children with them.  Ambikas son Dhrtarashtra is
> born blind and Ambalikas son Pandu has leprosy.
>
> As I noted in the earlier posting, the "victory over death" (mrtyunjaya)
> is through progeny to continue the family line. A rite of the
> Tryambakeshti also involves girls praying for good husbands.  And you
> mentioned the connection to disease.
>
>
> > even one of three vedic homa herbs.
> >
>
> Atleast in the shuklayajurvedic tradition, I see no reference to herbs.
> The pashu sacrificed in this ishti is a rat (mUshika).
>
> --
> Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>