Myth as Argument: The Brhaddevata as Canonical Commentary

580 Pages·1996·13.82 MB·English

by  Laurie L. Patton

Laurie L. Patton
Myth as Argument
w
DE
G
Religionsgeschichtliche
Versuche und Vorarbeiten
herausgegeben von
Fritz Graf
Hans G. Kippenberg
Lawrence E. Sullivan
Band 41
Walter de Gruyter
Berlin · New York
1996
Myth as Argument
The Brhaddevatâ as Canonical Commentary
. by
Laurie L. Patton
Walter de Gruyter
Berlin · New York
1996
In cooperation with the Harvard University Center
for the Study of World Religions
Die Reihe Religionsgeschichtliche Versuche und Vorarbeiten
wurde 1903 begründet von Albrecht Dieterich und Richard Wünsch.
Die Bände I-XV erschienen 1903-1915 unter der
Herausgeberschaft von Ludwig Deubner und Richard Wünsch.
Die Bände XVI-XXVII erschienen 1916-1939 unter
der Herausgeberschaft von Ludolf Malten und Otto Weinreich.
Die Bände XXVIII-XXXVIII erschienen 1969-1982
unter der Herausgeberschaft von Walter Burkert und Carsten Colpe.
© Gedruckt auf säurefreiem Papier, das die
US-ANSI-Norm über Haltbarkeit erfüllt.
Libraty of Congress Cataloging-in-Publkation Data
Patton, Laurie L., 1961 -
Myth as argument : The Brhaddevatä as canonical commentary.
(Religionsgeschichtliche Versuche und Vorarbeiten ; bd. 41)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 3-11-013805-0
1. Saunaka. Brhaddevatä. 2. Vedas. Rgveda - Commentaries.
I. Saunaka. Brhaddevatä. English. II. Tide. III. Series.
BL1112.56.S28B7437 1996
294.5'9212-dc20 96-20603
CIP
Die Deutsche Bibliothek - Cataloging-in-Publicaüon Data
Patton, Laurie L.:
Myth as argument : The Brhaddevatä as canonical commentary / by
Laurie L. Patton. - Berlin ; New York : de Gruyter, 1996
(Religionsgeschichtliche Versuche und Vorarbeiten ; Bd. 41)
Zugl.: Chicago, Univ. of Chicago Devinity School, Diss., 1991
ISBN 3-11-013805-0
NE: GT
© Copyright 1996 by Walter de Gruyter & Co., D-10785 Berlin.
All rights reserved, including those of translation into foreign languages. No part of this
book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval
system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Printed in Germany
Printing: Rotaprint-Druck Hüdebrandt, Berlin
Binding: Lüderitz & Bauer, Berlin
In memory of
Scott O'Brien
who followed the narrative

Contents
Acknowledgements XIII
Preface XV
List of Abbreviations XXVII
Part I: Myth, Commentary, and the History of the Brhaddevatä I
Chapter One: The Basics of the Brhaddevatä: Text and Context 3
Pestles and Mantras 3
The Nature of the Text 6
The Text and Its History 8
Macdonell and Tokunaga: Retentive or Expansive
Scribes? 11
Building on Arguments about Recensions 12
The Brhaddevatä in Intellectual Context 14
The Tradition of Saunaka 14
The Brähmanas 16
The Nirukta 20
Mimämsä 23
Conclusions 25
Chapter Two: Making Arguments: Canonical Commentary
and Mythological Narrative 27
The Category of Canonical Commentary 27
The Anukramanl as Commentarial Strategy 30
The Brhaddevatä as Commentarial Totalization 33
Mythological Narratives: A Process of Reading 35
Myth as Argument 41
The Case of Vedic Myth 44
The Problem of Historical Origins 45
The Problem of Archetypal Myth 49
Vedic Narrative as Commentarial Argument 52
Conclusions 54
VIII Contents
Part Two: Framing the Canon 57
Chapter Three: Patterns of Thought: The Brhaddevatä
Introduces Itself 59
On the Question of Coherence 59
Mantra 61
Mantra in the Brhaddevatä 68
Devatä as Meta-Grouping 68
Claiming Privilege 70
Classifying Canonical Language 72
The Nature and Origin of Canonical Language 79
Conclusions 88
Chapter Four: Language and Cosmology I: Taxonomies of Mantra.. 91
Grammar and the Power of Language 91
Grammar and Cosmology in India 94
The Motivated List: Supporting Canonical Language 99
Exemplifying Canonical Language: Tracking the
Taxonomies 103
The Role of Native Taxonomies 103
The Brhaddevatä''s Taxonomy: A Thick Description 105
The Difference Canon Makes in Taxonomizing:
A Comparative Assessment 125
Conclusions 133
Chapter Five: Language and Cosmology II: Etymologies and
Other Linguistic Speculations 137
The Problems of Etymology 137
A New Terminology 141
Niruktis in Vedic Interpretation 143
The Nirukta 144
Niruktis in the Brhaddevatä 146
Tidying up the Universe: Separating the Spheres
through Nirukti 153
Exemplifying the Cosmos: Niruktis as Theology 161
Theology by Subordination 163
Addressing Ambiguities: The Case of Vâc 166
Further Linguistic Speculation on Canon 171
Contents IX
The Question of Meaning 175
The Cosmology of Loose Ends: Closing off the Canon 183
Cultivating the Fields 184
Accounting for Rubble 185
The Rhythm of Canon: The Meters and Tones 186
The Attainment of Brahman through Commentary
Itself 187
Conclusions 191
Part Three: Situating the Canon 193
Chapter Six: Arguments about Myth: The History of the
Itihäsa/ Äkhyäna Controversy 195
A New Mode of Organization 195
Itihäsa! Äkhyäna 196
The European Appropriation 199
Origins and Sources 203
A New Approach to Itihäsa 206
A New Approach to the Brhaddevatä 209
Conclusions and Projections 211
Chapter Seven: The Power of Persuasion: Rsis in Parity
with the Gods 215
Rsis and Gods in Vedic Context: A Modified Model 215
Euhemerism Mythologized 219
Rsis, Gods, Sons 223
Getting the Gods to Listen 223
A Nirukti Itihäsa: The Rsi Worshipped by Indra 229
The Mutual Dependence of the Praised and the Praiser...232
Rescued from Infertility 233
Rsis and Their Divine Fathers 236
Helping Indra Appear 237
Gaining Attention and Absolving Gods 239
Gods/ Rsis/ Gods/ Rsis 241
Calming the God 243
Mantras for Twins 246
Beating Indra and Soma in the Race 247
The Rsi Downtrodden: Mantras Misspoken 248
X Contents
Misperceiving Indra 249
Sarama and the Cows 250
Conclusions 253
Chapter Eight: Pedigree Narratives 255
Lineage in a Late Vedic Framework 255
Stealing Indra's Secret and Surviving 257
The Blind Rsi 259
The Birth of Rsis I 264
The Birth of Rsis II 266
Parents After the Fact 270
Rsis from a Taxonomical View 272
Conclusions 273
Chapter Nine: Myth and Money: The Exchange of Words
and Wealth 275
Making Money, Making History 275
Mantra as Medium of Exchange: The Vedic Context 280
Fluidity of Identity: Mantra and Exchange in the
Sacrificial Texts 282
Mantra and the Fluidity of Varna Identity 285
The Fixing of Identity: Words and Wealth in the
Brhaddevatä 285
Wandering Currency 287
Selling God in the Marketplace 291
The Rsi Who Won a Wife with Mantras 294
Mantras Begetting Wealth Begetting Mantras
Begetting Wealth 300
Conclusions 303
Chapter Ten: Mantra as Cure 305
Healing in a Late Vedic Framework 305
Cakes and Praises 307
Curing Old Age 311
The Language of Revival 313
Deprivation of Mind 313
The Rsi Who Got off Twice 315
Methodical Rejuvenation 319
Conclusions 325