The dark and deep underworld in the Veda.

• Author: Bodewitz, H.W.

IN EARLIER PUBLICATIONS I have discussed the concept of yonder world in the Rgvedasamhita (1994) and in the Atharvavedasamhita (1999a), as well as holes and pits (1999b) and distance (2000a), items which sometimes are associated with an underworld. The south and some other quarters of space connected with death and ancestors are studied in Bodewitz 2000b. In the present article I will especially treat the aspects of depth, downward movement, and darkness. In my view these items refer to concrete worlds lying under the earth. (1) Since depth and darkness sometimes occur together and other aspects of the underworld will occasionally be included here, I will not deal separately with the two aspects, but focus on the persons or beings connected with the dark and deep underworld, which forms an opposition to a world of light high in heaven.

We may distinguish here the following groups of beings:

1. Demons and diseases

2. Sinners

3. Rivals and enemies

4. Ignorant persons (and other disqualified people)

4. Ancestors and diseased relatives or clients.

It is obvious that demons and beloved relatives are not generally supposed to live in the same world. However, the older texts in particular often do not make clear distinctions. An undivided underworld may sometimes be assumed. The concept of darkness (2) is connected with such an underworld.

DEMONS AND DISEASES

The demon Susna or Vrtra is killed by Indra in RV 5, 32, 5 and placed in darkness (tamasi) in a stone house (harmye). Converse (1971: 136) interprets harmya as the grave. It is doubtful whether demons would be buried in a grave. They are sent to an underworld or hell. The harmya seems to be the nether world. (3) This world continues the primeval, chaotic world of Vrtra. Note that the demon is said to be already suvrdham tamogam (5, 32, 4) and asurye tamasi vavrdhanam (5, 32, 6) before his death. (4)

A similar qualification is found in RV 7, 104, 1, where Indra and Soma are requested to send down (ny arpayatam) some evil powers who are tamovrdhah. In verse 4 a Raksas who should be destroyed is said to be vavrdhanam (cf. 5, 32, 6). In verse 5 the two gods should throw down (ni...vidhyatam) demons called Atrins into the abyss (parsane), which obviously refers to hell (see Bodewitz 1999a: 110). Whitney translates the verb with "pierce" in the parallel AV 8, 4, 5, which does not convince. In verse 17 a female demon (Geldner, between brackets: "Die Unholdin") should fall down (ava... padista) in endless depths or holes (vavram anantan).

It is remarkable that this hymn deals not just with demons. Whitney calls its parallel AV 8, 4 "Against sorcerers and demons." However, other human beings also play a role. They belong to the categories of sinners and rivals. In this hymn Vasistha seems to place his rival Visvamitra on a level with demons and sorcerers. The destination of all hated beings in this hymn is at least the underworld, in the case of the demons probably hell.

After having been killed by Indra, Vrtra lay down in long darkness (dirgham tama asayat) in RV 1, 32, 10. Remarkably a similar expression refers to human beings in 2, 27, 14 (ma no dirgha abhi nasan tamisrah). Though the verb a-say in 1, 32, 10 might point to a local rather than a temporal connotation of tamas, and in post-Vedic text this term denotes hell, we may also assume (on account of 2, 27, 14 and the use of the adjective dirgha) that long darkness is just a synonym for death (the long night). Still this indicates that death could be associated with darkness rather than with light and heaven. The adjective dirgha seems to imply that death is not a total annihilation.

Indra not only defeats or kills demons; he also throws them down into the depth. See RV 2, 14, 4 yo arbudam ava nica babadhe "der den Arbuda hinab in die Tiefe stiess" (tr. Geldner). However, such a specification is not current.

The cremation fire should go down in RV 10, 16, 9 (= AV 12, 2, 8) kravyadam agnim prd hinomi duram yamarajno gachatu. Geldner observes on the RV version: "Das Reich des Yama als die ausserste Ferne und zugleich als der richtige Ort fur das Leichenfeuer." For the connection between duram and yonder world, which is probably the underworld (cf. AV 12, 2, 1), see Bodewitz 2000a: 104 n. 2.

In RV 10, 60, 11 the disease called rapas should go down (nyag bhavatu te rapah). The concreteness of the downward movement appears from the comparison with sunshine, wind, and milk which fall down from heaven and from the cow.

In AV 2, 14, 3 the wish is expressed that the house that is below should be the destination for the Arayis (some sort of female demons). Here asau yo adharad grhah contains two codes for yonder world, asau (mostly referring to heaven) and adharat (specifying yonder world as subterranean). Some scholars interpret this "house" as hell; others, e.g., Arbman (1928: 200) take it as referring to the nether world or the underworld in general.

In AV 5, 22, 2-4 it is again a form of disease that is desired to be sent down (adharanc), namely fever. The code for underworld or hell is again a derivation of adhara, in verse 2 combined with nyac. (5)

Another disease (yaksma) is pushed away downward (adharancam) in AV 6, 127, 3. There is no reason to interpret these expressions as suppressing a disease or making fever abate. Rather, they refer to demons (6) who have to be driven back to the region where they belong, the nether world.

The disease called yaksma and the flesh-eating (cremation) fire should go forth downward (adharan parehi) in AV 12, 2, 1. Cf. RV 10, 16, 9, where this fire is sent far away (duram) to the realm of Yama.

The pigeon, a bird of ill omen which announces death, is sent away (paran evd para) to the house of Yama in AV 6, 29, 3. To the remotest spaces (para...paravatah) should also go witchcraft (AV 8, 5, 9). The Pisaca demons are transferred to Yama with the help of a particular plant in AV 6, 32, 2. We may assume that Yama and his house here are not associated with a world of light in heaven. The far distances are the nether world.

In TS 1, 3, 9, 2 (cf. TS 6, 3, 9, 2-3) (7) a Raksas demon and the hating rival are sent to, lowest darkness. This lowest darkness (adhamam tamah) is some sort of formula in the AV, where it refers to the destiny of rivals and enemies.

In SB 1, 9, 2, 35 the dispossession of the Asuras by the Devas is repeated in the ritual by pouring something worthless under a black antelope skin, thinking "Thou art the Raksas share." Thus they cast it into blind darkness (andhe tamasi), i.e., the world of Asuras and demons.

Blind darkness is again found in JB 1, 179 in connection with the Asuras. It is described as lying beyond the Agnistoma and the year, and it is identified with the night.

SB 3, 8, 2, 15 quotes VS 6, 16 "Herewith I tread down the Raksas, herewith I knock down (avabadhe) the Raksas, herewith I lead the Raksas to the lowest darkness (adhamam tamah)." See also SB 3, 7, 1, 10, where one offers ghee into a hole lest the evil spirits, the Raksas, should rise from below. Thus one knocks downward (avabadhate) these Raksas.

AB 4, 5, 1 connects the Asuras with the night, which is equated with darkness (tamah) and death. Cf. GB 2, 5, 1. Darkness and death are also associated by AB 7, 12, 2.

In SB 11, 1, 6, 8 the Asuras are associated with darkness and with being down. Prajapati created them with the downward breathing and thereupon there was darkness for him.

In ISU three worlds covered with blind darkness (andhena tamasa vrtah) are called asurya.

SINNERS

The best human candidates for hell, at least for the underworld, would seem to be the sinners. References to them, however, are rather limited.

In RV 4, 25, 6 Indra will throw or strike down (avahanta...avacah) people who do not prepare Soma. Of course the turn of phrase might just express the knocking down of somebody (Geldner: "schlagt er zu Boden"), but cf. JB 1, 123, where Asuras are thrown down from the one world to the other, i.e., from heaven, and the same expression is used. A knock-out by Indra is always lethal, and the addition of avacah emphasizes the downward movement. If these "sinners" are Aryans (and not un-Aryan enemies), their sin consists of the neglect of religious duties.

A similar category of non-sacrificers is hurled into a pit in RV 1, 121, 13 dpi kartam avartayo yajyun "You hurled the non-sacrificers into the pit." This downward removal definitely refers to the underworld. See Bodewitz 1999b: 216.

In RV 9, 73, 8-9...avajustan vidhyati karte avratan...ava padaty aprabhuh ("er stosst die missliebigen Gesetzlosen hinab in die Grube....Der Unvermogende soll dabei in die Grube absturzen," tr. Geldner) again, disqualified persons seem to be sent to the nether world. According to Geldner in a note on 9, 73, 9, "Das Bild der Wettfahrt mit Hindernissen." See, however, Bodewitz 1999b: 216. The formulation "er stostt...in die Grube" can hardly refer to an accident caused by a deity.

In RV 7, 104 (besides several references to demons) we find indications of a nether world for sinners. See 7, 104, 3 indrasoma duskrto vavre antar anarambhane tamasi pra vidhyatam "Indra und Soma! Stosset die Ubeltater in die Grube, in die haltlose Finsternis" (tr. Geldner). It is obvious that vavre here should refer to the nether world, since in 7, 104, 17 the same term is used in connection with an "Unholdin" (Geldner), and darkness generally refers to this world. See Bodewitz 1994: 30; 1999a: 110 for further literature on this place which is interpreted as hell or as underworld. (8)

There seems to be a reference to hell in AV 12, 4, 3, if falling down into a pit here denotes failing down into hell. The sinner is somebody who gives a lame cow to a Brahmin. Here again the sin concerns the neglect of religious duties. For further punishments of misbehaviour against Brahmins in the AV see Bodewitz 1999a: 109-11. The destinations of these sinners are not characterized by darkness or being down, but in AV 12, 4, 36 the term...