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PROF. H.D. VELANKAR’S CONTRIBUTION TO VEDłC STUDIES 229

conversant wilh the Ve<}2rigas including Chandahiastra. He was also an eminent Jainologist imbibing the spirit of Anekantavada. He was an eminent critical editor and lilerary critic. He had the rare privilege of combining in himself versatility both in traditional as well as modern Lines of interpretation. Ali this could help him in his objective pursuit of Vedic knowledge and a modest unbiassed presentation of the result of his multidimensional research.

This doyen of Vedic scholarship was popularly known as “Guruji”. As Professor of Sanskrit, Wilson College, as Joint Director, Bharatlya Vidy2 Bhavan and as Bhandarkar Professor of Sanskrit, Universily of Bombay, he devoted his entire multidimensional scholarly personality to teaching and guiding research as well as to concentrated pursuits of Vedic knowledge.

His five volumes of Agni Hymns and eight volumes of Indra Hymns, his four volumes of editcd and translated texts of the Second, Third and Scventh Mandalas of the Rgvcda, his collection of 101 hymns of the Rgveda, with English translation bcar testimony to his outstanding editorial and recreative and critical genius. The Rksukta Yaijayanll, a collection of 108 Rgvedic hymns wilh Hindi translation and critical notes (assisted by M.D. Paradkar and G.V. Joshi), including S2yana^fs Rgveda Bhasyabhumikś, published by the Vaidika Sam&odhana Mandaja may be cited as an example of his eamest zeal to popularise Vedic Icaming. Incidentally, it is interesting to notę that a village school teachcr from a remote comer of Bihar had donated his entire life-eamings for the publication of this Volume, being impressed by the Vedic scholarship of Guruji.

Notable among his scholarly arlicles are : Word Economy and Vedic Interpretation, Mind and Hcart in the Rgveda, Rgveda Similes : Similes of the V5madcvas, Emotional Similes in the Rgveda and the Concept of Bhakti, Similes in the Atharvaveda and Viśvamitra and Vasistha in the Rgveda.

It goes withoul saying that it was for Prof. Velankar and Prof. Velankar alone to recognize the multidimensional aspect of Vedic interpretation in spirit and presentations.

As hinted earlier, it is perhaps dillicult, if not impossible, to arrive at one single, undisputed, authentic interpretation of quite a few sartihiti hymns. The term    for example, occurs thrice in the Rgveda itself. In 1.1.7

Sayana interprets it as ^<4day and night    in 4.4.9. also he first,

interprets this term on the same lines; but gives an alternative interpretation as “dispeller of darkness of night”; the altemative interpretation is repeated as the only single interpretation in 7.15.15. It is interesting to notę that all the above three passages are addressed to Agni. Evidently the altemalive interpretation as given in 4.4.9. seems to be the most appropriate interpretation in the context of Agni hymns. Geldner accepts this. Prof. Velankar has also accepted this. S5yana’s reference to AsfadhyśyJ VI. 2.37    does