Ancient Indians – Satya Samhita

Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula

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Story : We know Kanva Maharshi as the one who raised Viswamitra‘s daughter, Sakuntala and her son Sarvadamana Bharata after who India is named Bharat, through a beautiful play called Abhignyana Sakuntalam written by a great poet called Kalidasa about Viswamitra, Menaka, Sakuntala, Dushyanta, Kanva, Durvasa and Bharata.

Time : Since Viswamitra fought with Vasistha, and Kanva raised Viswamitra’s daughter, we know that they all lived around the same time.

Location : Kanva Rishi Ashram on the banks of river Malini, 42 km from Haridwar. Kanva does not figure in any of the lists of SaptaRishis. He was not one of the Rishis that Satyavrata Manu brought over in his boat.

Lineage : Kanva was the son of Ghaura, the son of Ghora.

Work: We know him through his Vedic Mantras. The Eight Anuvakah of the RgVeda Samhita, Prathama Mandala, Prathama Adhyaya, 1 vargah, contains the Veda Mantras that we have received through Kanva Maharshi. They are composed in the Pragathah, Gayathri and Anushtup Chandah. They are dedicated to : Agni, Yupa, Maruts, Brahmanaspati, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, Pusha, Rudra and Soma.

Kanva’s son : Medhatithi : Kanva had a son called Medhatithi. Through him, we have the Vedic Mantras which Vyasa organised into the fourth and fifth Anuvakas of the RgVeda Samhita, Prathama Mandala, Prathama Adhyaya, 1 vargah. These mantras are largely composed in the Gayathri Chandas, with a few in the Anushtup Chandas. They are addressed to the following luminaries : Agni, Nirmathya Havaniyou Agni, Idhmah Samiddhou Agni, Astanunapat, Naras’amsah, Ilah, Barhih, Devirdvarah, Ushasanaktha, Daivyou, Hotarou, Pracetasou, Saraswati, Ila, Bharati, Tvashta, Vansapati, Svaha aakrutayoh Agnih, Visve Devah, Indra, Maruta, Tvashta, MitraVarunou, Dravinoda Agnih, Asvinou, (rtu devatah), IndraVarunou, Gayathri, Paadani, Brahmanaspati, Soma, Dakshina, Sadaspati, Narasama, Maruta, Rbhou, Asvini,  Savita, Devyah, Varuna, Anyagnayyah, Dyavapruthivyoh, Pruthivi, Vishnuh, Ayu, Vayu, Marutvan, Pusha, Apah, Pura-ushnik.

His mantras invoke a range of Devatas, with many varieties of Agni (Energy). Saraswati, Ila, Bharati Devis, Vishnu and Tvasta are among this long list.

Kanva’s son Praskanva : The Veda Mantras that have come to us through Praskanva form the Ninth Anuvakah of RgVeda Samhita, Prathama Mandala, Prathama Adhyaya, 1 vargah. The Devatas of these Mantras are Agni, Usha, Ashvins and Surya. The metres used are Gayathri, Anushtup and Pragathah.

Details

Kanva

Eighth Anuvakah

Thirty Sixth Suktham : Ghauraih Kanva Rishih : Agnih, Yupa, Devatah:  Pragatah  Chandah

Thirty Seventh Suktham : Ghauraih Kanva Rishih : Marutah Devatah : Gayathri Chandah

Thirty Eighth Suktham : Ghauraih Kanva Rishih : Marutah Devatah : Gayathri Chandah

Thirty Ninth Suktham : Ghauraih Kanva Rishih : Marutah Devatah : Pragatah Chandah

Fortieth Suktham : Ghauraih Kanva Rishih : Brahmanaspati  Devatah : Pragatah Chandah

Forty First Suktham : Ghauraih Kanva Rishih : Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman,  Devatah : Gayathri Chandah

Forty Second  Suktham : Ghauraih Kanva Rishih : Pusha,  Devatah : Gayathri Chandah

Forty Third  Suktham : Ghauraih Kanva Rishih : Rudra, Mitra Varuna, Soma : Gayathri, Anushtup Chandah

Methatithi

Fourth Anuvakah

Twelfth Suktham : Kaanvo Medhatithih Rshih :  Agni, Nirmathya Havaniyou Agni Devata : Gayathri Chandah (Medhatitih, A son of Kanva)

Thirteenth Suktham : Kaanvo Medhatithih Rshih :  Idhmah Samiddhou Agni, Astanunapat, Naras’amsah, Ilah, Barhih, Devirdvarah, Ushasanaktha, Daivyou, Hotarou, Pracetasou, Saraswati, Ila, Bharati, Tvashta, Vansapati, Svaha aakrutayoh Agnih,   Devatah : (Etadaprisuktham) :Gayathri Chandah

Fourteenth Suktham : Kaanvo Medhatithih Rshih :  Visve Devah Devatah : Gayathri Chandah

Fifteenth Suktham : Kaanvo Medhatithih Rshih :  Indra, Maruta, Tvashta,  Agni, Indra, MitraVarunou, Dravinoda Agnih, Asvinou, Agnih  Devatah : (Etah rtu devatah): Gayathri Chandah

Sixteenth Suktham : Kaanvo Medhatithih Rshih :  Indra Devata : Gayathri Chandah

Seventeenth Suktham : Kaanvo Medhatithih Rshih :  IndraVarunou, Gayathri, Paadani(?) Devatah : Hasiyasi Va Gayathri Chandasi

Fifth Anuvakah

Eighteenth Suktham : Kaanvo Medhatithih Rshih :  Brahmanaspati, Indra, Brahmanaspati, Soma, Brahmanaspati, Soma, Indra, Dakshina, Sadaspati, Sadaspati, Narasama Va,   Devata : Gayathri Chandah

Nineteenth Suktham : Kaanvo Medhatithih Rshih :  Agni, Maruta Devata : Gayathri Chandah

Twentieth Suktham : Kaanvo Medhatithih Rshih :  Rbhou Devata : Gayathri Chandah

Twenty First Suktham : Kaanvo Medhatithih Rshih :  Indra Agni Devatah : Gayathri Chandah

Twenty Second Suktham : Kaanvo Medhatithih Rshih :   Asvini,  Savita, Agni, Devyah, Indra, Agni, Varuna, Anyagnayyah, Dyavapruthivyoh, Pruthivi, Vishnuh,  Devatah : Gayathri Chandah

Twenty Third Suktham : Kaanvo Medhatithih Rshih :   Vayu, Indra, Vayu, Mitra Varuna, Marutvan, Visve Devah, Pusha, Apah, Agni, Pura-ushnik  Devatah : 1-18 Gayathri Chandah 20-24 Anushtup Chandah

Ninth Anuvakah

Forty Fourth Suktham : Kaanvah PrasKanva Rishih : Agni, Ashwins, Usha, Agni, Devatah : Pragatha Chandah

Forty Fifth Suktham : Kaanvah PrasKanva Rishih : Agni, Devah, Devatah : Pragatha,  Anushtup Chandah

Forty Sixth Suktham : Kaanvah PrasKanva Rishih : Asvinou Devate : Gayathri, Chandah

Forty Seventh Suktham : Kaanvah PrasKanva Rishih : Asvinou Devate : PragAthah Chandah

Forty Eighth Suktham : Kaanvah PrasKanva Rishih : Usha : PragAthah Chandah

Forty Ninth Suktham : Kaanvah PrasKanva Rishih : Usha : Anushtup Chandah

Fiftieth Suktham : Kaanvah PrasKanva Rishih : Surya : Gayathri, Anushtup Chandah

Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights Reserved – Satya Sarada Kandula