Sarama (सरमा)

Sarama (Samskrit : सरमा) is Devashuni (Samskrit : देवशुनी) or the divine Mother of Dogs and Indra's subordinate as described in the Rigveda. Her son is referred to as Sarameya (सारमेयः)  (Rig Veda 7.55.2). Legend goes that Panis stole the divine cows (गोग्रहणम् | gograhana) and hid them in caves. Devashuni or Sarama, by Indra's orders goes in search and locates them thereby helps Indra release them. Rigveda has many references to Sarama (1.62.3, 1.72.8, 3.31.6, 4.16.8, 5.45.7 and 8, and in mandala 10).

परिचयः || Introduction

In Srimad Bhagavata (6.6.24 to 26) it is said that Sarama is the wife of Kashyapa rishi and is the mother of all animals including tigers and lions.

शृणु नामानि लोकानां मातॄणां शङ्कराणि च ।। २४ (Bhag. Pura. 6.6.24)

अथ कश्यपपत्नीनां यत्प्रसूतमिदं जगत् । अदितिर्दितिर्दनुः काष्ठा अरिष्टा सुरसा इला ।। २५ (Bhag. Pura. 6.6.25)

मुनिः क्रोधवशा ताम्रा सुरभिः सरमा तिमिः । तिमेर्यादोगणा आसन्श्वापदाः सरमासुताः २६ (Bhag. Pura. 6.6.26)

śṛṇu nāmāni lokānāṃ mātṝṇāṃ śaṅkarāṇi ca ।। 24 (Bhag. Pura. 6.6.24)

atha kaśyapapatnīnāṃ yatprasūtamidaṃ jagat । aditirditirdanuḥ kāṣṭhā ariṣṭā surasā ilā ।। 25 (Bhag. Pura. 6.6.25) 

muniḥ krodhavaśā tāmrā surabhiḥ saramā timiḥ । timeryādogaṇā āsanśvāpadāḥ saramāsutāḥ 26 (Bhag. Pura. 6.6.26)

"O King Parikshit, now please hear from me the names of Kasyapa's wives, from whose wombs the population of the entire universe has come. They are the mothers of almost all the population of the entire universe and their names are very auspicious to hear. They are Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kashtha, Arishta, Surasa, Ila, Muni, Krodhavasha, Tamra, Surabhi, Sarama and Timi. From the womb of Timi, all the aquatics took birth and from the womb of Sarama, the ferocious animals like the tigers and lions took birth."

व्युत्पत्तिः || Etymology

• Maharshi Yaska defines Sarama as सरमा सरणात् । (Nirukti 11.24)

It means One who moves forward very fast or walks very fast.

• According to Brahmanda purana,

क्रोधायाः कन्यका जज्ञे द्वादशैवात्मसंभवाः । ता भार्या पुलहस्यासन्नामतो मे निबोधत ॥ २,७.१७१ ॥ (Brah. Pura. 2.7.171) मृगी च मृगमन्दा च हरिभद्रा त्विरावती । भूता च कपिशा दंष्ट्रा ऋषा तिर्या तथैव च ॥ २,७.१७२ ॥ (Brah. Pura. 2.7.172) श्वेता च सरमा चैव सुरसा चेति विश्रुता । मृग्यास्तु हरिगाः पुत्रा मृगश्चान्ये शशास्तथा ॥ २,७.१७३ ॥ (Brah. Pura. 2.7.173)

Meaning : Sarama was one of the 12 daughters of Kashyapa and Krodha. They became the wives of Pulaha. Their names are Mrigi, Mrigamanda, Haribhadra, Iravati, Bhuta, Kapisha, Damshtra, Rsha, Tirya, Sveta, Sarama, Surasa. They were all well renowned. The progeny of Mrigi are the deers, antilopes and rabbits (Page 452 of Reference 4).

दुल्लोलकं ललोहं च सरमा द्वौ व्यजायत ॥ २,७.४४१ ॥ (Brah. Pura. 2.7.441)

Meaning : Sarama gave birth to Dyuloka and Laloha.(Page 474 of Reference 4)

Legend of Sarama

Panis are basically tradesmen who were prominent class of people along with Dasyus and Asuras, intelligent, powerful having a materialistic outlook. Nirukta describes them as tightfisted, shrewd business-minded people with no regard for yajnas and charity. The conflict between Indra and Panis was mainly due to the refusal of Panis to contribute Dana and Dakshina for Yajna. Wealth in those days was mainly the strength of cattle and property. RigVeda (10.108) describes the legendary theft of the divine cows and the quest of देवशुनी सरमा to locate them. A conversation between Sarama and Panis takes place after she crosses the Rasa river, where the Panis hide the cows in the caves.

In the Rigveda mantra Sarama is glorified thus

विश्वे अस्या व्युषि माहिनायाः सं यद्गोभिरङ्गिरसो नवन्त | उत्स आसां परमे सधस्थ ऋतस्य पथा सरमा विदद्गाः || (Rig Veda 5.45.8)

Meaning : During the dawn hours when the sacred Usha rises along with her rays, all Angirasas took the milk flowing from cow’s udders and placed it at a lofty position to offer in yajnas. Sarama by traveling on the path of the yajna with the knowledge of ऋत || rta recognized and found the cows.

Esoteric Meaning :Here the cows are considered as transcendental knowledge and their moving about for grazing during उषः काल || ushah kala (morning hours) is called the time for ज्ञानोदय || jnanodaya (awakening of knowledge). For Angirasa to receive this knowledge, Sarama was very important and Sarama moves on into the path of rtasatya, (satyavrita) with greater speed and ahead of everyone she was able to locate the cows. This is Sarama’s rta path or the path of truth. She who moves very fast can understand the deepest place where ज्ञान || jnana (wisdom) is hidden through fragrance (sruthi is compared to fragrance).

In the previous mantra, Sarama and her work is explained

अनूनोदत्र हस्तयतो अद्रिरार्चन्येन दश मासो नवग्वाः । ऋतं यती सरमा गा अविन्दद्विश्वानि सत्याङ्गिराश्चकार ॥७॥ (Rig Veda 5.45.7)

Meaning : Here, urged by hands, loudly rang the pressing stone (using which Somarasa is prepared) which was worshipped by Navagvas by offering archana and singing songs of praise for ten months. In this yajna, Sarama obtained the knowledge of the songs, and Angiras gave effect to all their labors.

Loyalty of Sarama

The 10th mandala of Rig veda beautifully outlines the सरमा-पणि संवादः || Sarama and Panis Samvaadaha wherein Sarama tries to convince the Panis to return the stolen cows. The Panis in turn try to lure Sarama by offering her the herdship of the cows and state her loyalty to them. According to Rig Veda Sarama remains loyal to Indra and threatens the Panis of inviting the wrath of Indra if the cows are not returned to him. She then goes back to Indra and he with the help of Angirasa rushi retrieves the cows after defeating Panis.

However, in Brhaddevata 8.24-36, Sarama as in Rig Veda refuses bribes but is lured by the milk of the Cows transfers her loyalties to Panis. When When she returns to Indra and refuses to disclose the hideout of the cows, Indra kicks her in a rage.  She vomits out the milk received as a bribe, and then goes back to trace the Panis.

In the Jaimineeya Brahmana, 2.440-442 devatas first send Suparna, the eagle.  However, the Panis bribe him into silence, and he accepts their gifts and returns without any information.  The enraged devatas strangle him and he vomits out the curds, etc. received from the Panis. Then they send Sarama.  She crosses the river Rasa and approaches the Panis.  She is also offered bribes, but (as in the Rigveda) she refuses their blandishments and returns to Indra with the information that the cows are hidden beyond the Rasa.  She and her descendants are then blessed by a grateful Indra.

संवादः || Discussion

Rig veda explains that Vak exists in four forms, three of which are hidden and are comprehensible to only the jnanis and the fourth is what men speak

चत्वारिवाक परिमितापदानितानि विदुर्ब्राह्मणाये मनीषिणः| गुहा तरीणि निहिता नेङगयन्ति तुरीयं वाचो मनुष्या वदन्ति || (Rig. Veda. 1.164.45)

The cows hidden in caves at a lofty mountainous location could be traced by the intelligent rishis. It is explained that the divine speech of Vedas has one such special power wherein one (a jnani similar to Angirasa) who is engaged in the vedic study by the power of Vedas is able to 'experience and see’. Such knowledge which can be experienced by concept is called Sarama.

Therefore here the ज्ञान || jnana is compared to the fragrance of the स्रुथि || sruthi which can be recognized by the transcendental senses. In this way recognition of fragrance by श्वन || shvana (Indra’s dog) is important.