ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF VEDIC STUDIES, Vol. 4 (1998), issue 2 (Dec.) =============================================================================== Editor-in-Chief: Michael Witzel, Harvard University Managing Editor: Enrica Garzilli, University of Perugia Assistant Editor: Makoto Fushimi, Harvard University Technical Assistance: Ludovico Magnocavallo, Milano Editorial Board: Madhav Deshpande University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Harry Falk Freie Universitaet Berlin Yasuke Ikari Kyoto University Boris Oguibenine University of Strasbourg Asko Parpola University of Helsinki --------------------------------------------------------------------------- email: ejvs-list@shore.net witzel@fas.harvard.edu www.shore.net/~india/ejvs (C) With the authors and the editors ISSN 1084-7561 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ARTICLE B. N. Narahari Achar (University of Memphis, Memphis TN 38152) On the meaning of AV XIX. 53.3: Measurement of Time? I. Introduction pUrNaH kumbho dhikAla AhitastaM vai pazyAmo bahudhA nu santaM This mantra is the third Rk of the sUkta (XIX. 53) in Atharvaveda. This sUkta and the next sUkta (XIX. 54) constitute the well known kAla sUkta-s which are theosophic and cosmogonic in character and have been studied by many scholars [1-6]. The mantra itself has been characterized as an enigmatic mantra "of incomparable beauty and suggestive force" [5] in the kAla sUkta-s. Given below are the translations of various scholars, which are all based on the commonly accepted padavibhAga: /pUrNaH / kumbhaH / adhi / kAle / AhitaH / /taM / vai / pazyAmaH / bahudhA / nu / santaM./ (i) A full jar has been placed upon time. Him, verily we see existing in many forms.(Bloomfield [1]) (ii) The whole of this universe is stationed in the Omnipresent God. We, the good ones on the earth see him in various ways.(Devichand [2]) (iii) On time is laid an overflowing beaker. This we behold in many a place appearing.(Griffith [3]) (iv) A full jar has been placed upon time. We behold him existing in many forms.(Muir [4]) (v) Above Time is set a brimful vessel. Simultaneously we see Time here, there, everywhere.(Panikkar [5]) (vi) A full vessel is set upon time. We indeed see it, being now manifoldly.(Whitney [6]) It is obvious that the translations given by all these scholars, except Devichand [7], are basically literal and that the "full vessel" in the first part of the mantra is enigmatic. Several explanations, none of which is fully satisfactory, have been given. For example, Bloomfield [1] quotes Ludwig as explaining the "full jar" as the sun. Griffith [3] explains "the beaker" as the "sun imagined as a golden urn overflowing with light." Panikkar [5] says that the vessel set upon Time is so full that however much is drawn from it, it never empties. A more satisfying explanation is considered to have been given by sAyaNa, according to whom, "pUrNaH" means " sarvatra vyAptaH," pervading everywhere; and "kumbhaH" is explained by "kumbhavat kumbho ahorAtra-mAsa-rtu-saMvatsarAdi-rUpo -vacchinno janyaH kAlaH." sAyaNa sees in kumbha, divisible, and hence measurable, time in the form of day, night, month, seasons, and year etc., in contrast to kAla, the eternal/indivisible time. Another plausible explanation derives from the work of Witzel [8] on the circumpolar motion of the Big Dipper, especially when the next line in the sUkta is also considered: "sa imA vizvA bhuvanAni pratyaG kAlaM tam AhuH parame vyoman" 'It faces all beings here (on earth); they call it "time" in the highest firmament'. The "kumbha" could then refer to the vessel of the Big Dipper in the highest sky (parame vyoman). "pUrNaH kumbhaH" would refer to the vessel considered full when it is up-turned, (empty when it is down-turned at other times), and the 'many forms' could refer to the various positions the vessel takes in the sky each night/year [9]. It is suggested in this note that, in fact, a literal translation of this enigmatic mantra could lead to a plausible reference to measurement of time using an out-flowing water clock. II. Time and the Vedic ritual yajJa The ritual yajJa is central to the Vedas. It is imperative that the rituals be performed on time and according to "vidhi", or else. tad etat satyaM mantreSu karmANi kavayo yAny apazyAMs tAni tretAyAM bahudhA santatAni tAny Acarata nityaM (MU I. 2.1) "This is the truth. The rituals, which the sages saw in the hymns, are variously spread forth in the three Vedas. Perform them constantly." yasyAgnihotraM adArzaM apaurNamAsaM acAturmAsyaM anAgrayaNaM atithivarjitaJca ahutaM avaizvadevaM avidhinAhutaM AsaptamAMs tasya lokAn hinasti (MU I. 2.3) "He, whose agnihotra sacrifice is not [followed by] the sacrifices of the new moon, and the full moon, by the cAturmAsya sacrifice, by the ritual AgrAyaNa [performed in the harvest season], who is without guests, is without oblations, [and] is without ceremony to all the gods, or who gives offerings contrary to the rule, [because of such conduct], destroys his worlds till the seventh." With such strong injunction, the Vedic people had to know time in order to perform yajJa properly. It is obvious that they knew the various divisions of time, such as saMvatsara (RV I. 110.4), mAsa (RV I. 25.8), Rtu (RV I. 49.3), and muhUrta (RV III. 33. 5; TB III. 10. 1.1); shorter intervals of time such as kSipra, etarhi, idAni etc., were also familiar (ZB 12. 3. 2. 5) [10]. By the time of VJ, the time units appear to have already been standardized [11]: kalA muhUrtAH kASThAzca ahorAtrAzca sarvazaH ardhamAsA mAsA Rtavas saMvatsarazca kalpantAM (MNU I. 2.3-4) VJ describes the use of water clocks and VJ itself is known as "kAlavidhAna zAstra". In earlier times, they could easily keep track of longer time segments like ahorAtra, mAsa, and saMvatsara by astronomical observations. But, how did they keep track of smaller units of time such as kASThA, kSipra, or muhUrta? III. A simple translation of AV (XIX.53.3) and measurement of time It is generally taken as a rule that a student of the Veda should interpret and explain the Vedic texts just as they have been handed down, and should not venture emendations of these holy texts. In some cases, however, a conjecture, perhaps in the form of a sandhi or a padavibhAga may be justified, if it clarifies an issue or provides a better meaning, provided the mantra itself is not altered. It is suggested that the mantra under discussion can be understood better by an alternate word division (padavibhAga) of the first part of the mantra. The new padavibhAga is only slightly different from the one given earlier, and is obtained by regarding the words adhi and kAlaH as forming a single compound word adhikAlaM (avyayIbhAva samAsa). Compound words with adhi-, such as adhidevatA, adhiyajJa, etc., are found quite commonly in brAhmaNa and upaniSad texts. The mantra would then read: / pUrNaH kubho dhikAlaM AhitastaM vai pazyAmo bahudhA nu santaM/ It may be noted that in so doing the mantra itself is not altered in any substantial way, only an extra anusvAra, a bindumAtraM (as indeed found in several Indian editions), is added. The intuitive support for the idea of using the word adhikAlaM is derived from the connection between yajJa and kAla. It is well known from brAhmaNa and upaniSad texts that there is equivalence between yajJa and prajApati on the one hand (for example, yajJnaH prajApatiH iti, BU(3.9.6)), and between prajApati and saMvatsara on the other (saMvatsaro vai prajApatiH, PU(1.9)). Therefore, there is equivalence between saMvatsara, which is kAla, and yajJa (saMvatsaro yajJnaH prajApatiH, ZB(1.1. 1. 13)). As the word adhiyajJaM is quite commonly used in upaniSads, it gives credence to the word adhikAlaM. The use of the compound word adhikAlaM has shifted the emphasis from adhi to adhikAlaM. When the compound word is used, adhikAlaM AhitaH means simply kAle AhitaH. Here, kAle means kAlaviSaye, i.e., with reference to time. Thus, the word adhikAlaM can be discussed in the same way as those denoting the following entities: adhilokaM adhijyotiSaM adhividyaM adhiprajaM adhyAtmaM referred to in taittirIya upaniSat. In the latter context, the meaning of adhi is also "with reference to" or "concerning", just as discussed above. The mantra can then be taken to read: "A full vessel is set with reference to time." sAyaNa has already alluded to kumbha as representing measurable time. Taking a hint from sAyaNa, it is suggested that the translation of the mantra be given as: " A full vessel is set [up] with reference to [measurement of] time." This is just a literal translation. The word kumbha is generally taken to refer to a spherical vessel. However, it can refer to vessels of other shapes also as can be verified from Monier William's dictionary (p.293). In fact, Bloomfield translates it as a jar, which is cylindrical. A cylindrical vessel, which is full when set up with reference to measurement of time would imply an out-flowing water clock [12], a ghaTika, such as the type referred to in VJ. Thus the mantra appears to refer to an out-flowing water clock. IV. Additional comments Support for this simple idea is obtained from the very next part of the mantra: taM vai pazyAmo bahudhA nu santaM "We indeed see it existing in many forms" perhaps referring to water clocks of different forms! There is no need to twist and stretch the text to be interpreted in the way we read into it. It may be noted that according to MadhvAcArya, the founder of the Dvaita school of VedAnta, Vedas can be understood at three different levels (trayArthaM zrutiSu). The literal meaning given above is at the lowest level referring to the physical element kAla and is not in conflict with the traditionally accepted meaning given by sAyaNa, which is at a higher level. Furthermore, the interpretation given here adds another dimension to the meaning of the mantra, the practical, of measurement of time. In a different context, adhi would mean supreme. Then adhikAlaM would refer to the Cosmic Time. It would then appear as if the mantra is using the language of a physicist, with pUrNaH kumbhaH referring to a local origin of time. It is as if the mantra is saying " Set t = 0 when the vessel is full; the range of Time is from - infinity to + infinity ." V. Conclusion An alternate padavibhAga of the mantra AV (XIX. 53.3) / pUrNaH / kumbhaH / adhikAla / AhitaH / / taM / vai / pazyAmaH / bahudhA / nu / santaM./ leads to a simple literal translation: "A full vessel is set [up] with reference to [measurement of] time. We indeed see it existing in many different forms." This implies the use of an out-flowing water clock for measurement of time and perhaps, the existence of different types of water clock. This interpretation clarifies the enigma that has puzzled scholars for a century. It is not in conflict with the traditionally accepted interpretation of sAyaNa, but adds to it a utilitarian aspect not considered so far. List of Abbreviations AV atharvaveda BU bRhadAraNyaka upaniSat MU muNDaka upaniSat MNU mahAnArayaNopaniSat PU prazna upaniSat RV Rgveda VJ vedAGga jyotiSa ZB zatapatha brAhmaNa Bibliography [1]. Bloomfield, Maurice, Hymns of the Atharvaveda, Greenwood publishers(New York,1969) p. 224. [2]. Devichand, The Atharvaveda, Munshiram Manoharlal publishers (New Delhi, 1994) p. 782 [3]. Griffith, Ralph, T. H., The Hymns of Atharvaveda, Chowkamba Sanskrit Series (Varanasi,1968) p. 310 [4]. Muir, J., Original Sanskrit Texts, Trubner & Co. (London, 1870) p 408 [5]. Panikkar, R. The Vedic Experience: Manimanjari, University of California Press (Berkeley, 1977) p. 217 [6]. Whitney, W. D., Atharvaveda Samhita, Harvard University (Cambridge, 1905) p. 988 [7]. Moreover, Devichand uses the unemended text (which is also used by Satavalekar and S. P. Pandit) : nu santaH in the mantra. [8]. Witzel, Michael, "Looking for the Heavenly Casket", EJVS, 1, 2 (1995). [9]. I am grateful to Professor Witzel for pointing out this explanation. However, because of the circumpolar nature of the motion, the Big Dipper is up-turned (full vessel) at the lowest part of the sky and down-turned (empty) when it is highest in the sky. Furthermore, the latitude of the place determines if the entire Big Dipper is circumpolar. At the current epoch 2000 AD, at the latitude corresponding to New Delhi (~28 degree N), except alpha-Ursa Major, none of the other members of the Big Dipper are circumpolar; therefore, it is never seen as a "full vessel". It is seen fully down-turned at the highest position in the sky around midnight on March 15. From December through May it is seen in the fully down-turned position some time at night. However, around 1200 BC, at the latitude of Delhi, the entire Big Dipper was circumpolar, and could be seen as "full" around midnight in July; it would have been "full" at some time during the night from about May through October. The rest of the year it would only have been seen as emptying. [10]. The relationships among these time units are given in ZB 12.3.2.5: 1 muhUrta = 15 kSipra 1 kSipra = 15 etarhi 1 etarhi = 15 idAni 1 idAni = 15 breathings 1 breathing = 1 spiration = 1 twinkling (nimeSa). [11] The relationships among these time units can be found in VJ. 124 kASThAs = 1kalA 20 and 1/10 kalA s = 1 muhUrta 30 muhUrta s = 1 ahorAtra (day and night) 2 parvan s = 1 cAndramAsa 2 months = 1 Rtu 2 ayana s = 1 year [12]. Fleet, J. F., "The ancient Indian water clock", Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 213-230, (1915). There are generally two types of water clock used in ancient India. (I) Outflow type: This is a cylinder with known dimensions with a small hole (of a specified size) near the bottom from which the water flows out. Initially, the cylinder is filled with water. The time required for the water to flow out completely is one nAdika (2 nAdika-s = 1 muhUrta). (II) Floating Bowl type: This is a hemispherical bowl, which has a hole at its bottom from which water flows in. It sinks after a definite interval of time, usually also one nAdika. (C) COPYRIGHT NOTICE: A COPY OF THIS ARTICLE MAY BE MADE FOR PRIVATE STUDY. ALL COPIES MADE FOR WHATEVER PURPOSE MUST INCLUDE THIS COPYRIGHT NOTICE. THE TEXT MAY NOT BE MODIFIED IN ANY WAY NOR MAY IT BE REPRODUCED IN ELECTRONIC OR ANY OTHER FORMAT WITHOUT THE WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF. THE ABOVE MATERIALS WERE FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF VEDIC STUDIES. ALL INQUIRIES ARE TO BE SENT TO THE EDITORS. ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF VEDIC STUDIES, Vol. 4 (1998), issue 2 (Dec.) =====================================================================