Vedic Hymns, Part I (SBE32)
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Vedic Hymns, Part I (SBE32): Vedic Hymns: I, 39. To the M...

Note 1. Wilson: 'Let loose your anger.' Sâyana: 'Let loose a murderer who hates.'

Pari-manyú, which occurs but once in the Rig-veda, corresponds as nearly as possible to the Greek περίθυμος. Manyú, like θυμός, means courage, spirit, anger; and in the compound parimanyú, as in περίθυμος, the preposition pári seems to strengthen the simple notion of the word. That pári is used in that sense in later Sanskrit is well known; for instance, in parilaghu, perlevis, parikshâma, withered away: see Pott, Etymologische Forschungen, second edition, vol. i, p. 487. How pári, originally meaning round about, came to mean excessive, is difficult to explain with certainty. It may have been, because what surrounds exceeds, but it may also have been because what is done all around a thing is done thoroughly. See Curtius, Grundzüge, fifth edition, p. 274. Thus we find in the Veda, VIII, 75, 9, pári-dveshas, lit. one who hates all around, then a great hater:

mâ´ nah … pári-dveshasah amhatíh, ûrmíh ná nâ´vam â´ vadhît.

May the grasp of the violent hater strike us not, as the wave strikes a ship.

Again, pari-sprídh means literally one who strives round about, then an eager enemy, a rival (fem.):

IX, 53, 1. nudásva yâ´h pari-sprídhah.

Drive away those who are rivals.

Pari-krosá means originally one who shouts at one from every side, who abuses one roundly, then an angry reviler. This word, though not mentioned in B. R.’s Dictionary, occurs in

I, 29, 7. sárvam pari-krosám gahi.

Kill every reviler!

The same idea which is here expressed by pari-krosá, is in other places expressed by pari-ráp, lit. one who shouts round about, who defies on every side, a calumniator, an enemy, one who 'be-rattles.'

II, 23, 3. â´ vi-bâ´dhya pari-rápah.

Having struck down the enemies.

II, 23, 14. ví pari-rápah ardaya.

Destroy the enemies.

In the same way as the words meaning to hate, to

oppose, to attack, are strengthened by this preposition, which conveys the idea of round about, we also find words expressive of love strengthened by the same preposition. Thus from prîtáh, loved, we have pári-prîtah, lit. loved all round, then loved very much: I, 190, 6. pári-prîtah ná mitráh; cf. X, 27, 12. We also find IX, 72, 1. pari-príyah, those who love fully or all around, which may mean great lovers, or surrounding friends.