Removing The Sheen From Buddhism

[Husky]

Post 4/?



The included translations are credited to Ralph (?) Griffith of the British Imperial era. These translations aren't pasted here for accuracy to the Hindu POV, but because they were easily accessible for copying and pasting, and more importantly, because even Griffith's translations more than suffice to show that the words in question can't ever be *made* to have Jainist meanings in these shlokas: since the words used are direct descriptives of the Hindu Gods being addressed/invoked, or else refer to one type of animal in a list of animal species, etc.



Will start with all references in the Rig Samhita to "ariShTanemi" and "arha*", and end with all its refs to "R^iShabha".



(Shloka number from each Mandala also given below. There may be typoes in the Devanagari.)





All (=not 3 but 4) occurrences of ariShTanemi in the Rig Veda Samhita

(substring *riShTanem*)

सवस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः सवस्ति नः पुषा विश्ववेदाः ।

सवस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्टनेमिः सवस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु ॥ (1.89.6) [The usual shanti mantram. To Vishwe. Here ariShTanemi is used as descriptive for TaarkShya, it seems]



6 Illustrious far and wide, may Indra prosper us: may PÅ«Shan prosper us, the Master of all wealth.

May TārkShya with uninjured fellies prosper us: BRihaspati vouchsafe to us prosperity.



तं वां रथं वयमद्या हुवेम स्तोमैरश्विना सुवितायनव्यम् ।

अरिष्टनेमिं परि द्यामियानं विद्यामेषं वृजनं जीरदानुम् ॥ (1.180.10) [To Ashvins] (ariShTanemi used as descriptive here too)



10 With songs of praise we call to-day, O Aśvins, that your new chariot, for our own well-being,

That circles heaven with never-injured fellies. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.



स्थिरौ गावौ भवतां वीडुर् अक्षो मेषा वि वर्हि मा युगं वि शारि ।

इन्द्रः पातल्ये ददतां शरीतोर् अरिष्टनेमे अभि नः सचस्व ॥ (3.53.17) [To several named Gods, starting with Indran]



17 Strong be the pair of oxen, firm the axles, let not the pole slip nor the yoke be broken.

May Indra, keep the yoke-pins from decaying: attend us, thou whose fellies are uninjured.



त्यमू षु वाजिनं देवजूतं सहावानं तरुतारं रथानाम् ।

अरिष्टनेमिं पृतनाजमाशुं स्वस्तये तार्क्ष्यमिहा हुवेम ॥ (10.178.1) [To TaarkShya] (ariShTanemi used as descriptive here too)



1. This very mighty one whom Gods commission, the Conqueror of cars, ever triumphant,

Swift, fleet to battle, with uninjured fellies, even TArkShya for our weal will we call hither.

Can note that in all three instances above, the word ariShTanemi seems to take on its literal meaning rather than as a full name. Even otherwise, (a) Tarkshya - alongside The GaruDa - is IIRC said to be brother to a well-known Vedic/Hindu ariShTanemi (in the Harivamsha, for instance). That means that even if it did refer to a separate person in the 4 RV entries above, the references still wouldn't have been to the Jain Neminatha.





[color="#0000FF"]EDITED:[/color] To include the 3.53 reference