Fence symbol indicates Anv-Ashtakya ceremony.

Abstract

I identified the above-given symbol as ‘fence symbol’ long time back. My earlier assumption was that the symbol indicates the Sanskrit word ‘Bagh’ (Garden). I correlated the symbol to ‘Ba’ sound based on the logo-syllabic principle. That explanation was not satisfactory and was not fitting well in various inscriptions in many seals. I was searching for a satisfactory explanation within the Hindu funeral ceremonies. The fence symbol indicates Anv-Ashtakya ceremony, which is held the following day after Mams-Astaka ceremony.

The book by Hermann Oldenberg on Asvalayana’s Grihya Sutra contains detailed account about the procedure to be followed in various ceremonies. The relevant portion is hereby reproduced for easy reference. Details of Adhyaya –II [chapter –II] Kandika-5, of the book are as given below: (1)

KANDIKÂ 5.

1. On the following day the Anvashtakya (i.e. the ceremony following the Ashtakâ, is performed).

2 2. Having prepared (a portion) of that same meat, having established the fire on a surface inclined towards the south, having fenced it in, and made a door on the north side of the enclosure, having strewn round (the fire) three times sacrificial grass with its roots, without tossing it, turning the left side towards the fire, he should put down the things to be offered, boiled rice, boiled rice with sesamum seeds, rice-milk, meal-pap with curds, and meal-pap with honey.

3 3. (The ceremony should be performed) according to the ritual of the Pindapitriyagña.

Refer to the procedures mentioned in para.2.2, which is highlighted. The instruction says that a fence should be erected around the funeral place, where the body is cremated or buried. The enclosure should have a gate on the north side.

My opinion is that the above given Indus symbol of ‘Fence’ indicates the ceremony of ‘Anv-Ashtakya’. Which is held on the following day of ‘Mams-Astaka’. (2)

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Figure 1: Indus seal showing ‘Fence grapheme’.

Picture courtesy: (3)

Now, see the above given Indus seal, there are two graphemes in this inscription. Start reading from left to the right direction. The first grapheme indicates number three. It could be the third day after cremation/burial, (or) it could be the third-anniversary ceremony (Tithi/Shraddha-ceremony) (or) third Mamsastaka(or) third Anv-Ashtakya ceremony. As per Asvalayana’s Grihya Sutra, the Anv-Astaka ritual is held on the following day after the day in which ‘Mamsastaka’ ceremony was held.

On further verification of symbol ‘three’, it is seen that Julius Jolly mentions that there are three ‘Mamsastaka and three Anv-Ashtakya’ in any given year.^{^[1]} (4). This shows that the symbol ‘three’ indicates the third Anv-Ashtakya ceremony of the year under consideration.

There is another possible explanation for number three symbol. Number three indicated ‘dangerous Gods’ as well as ‘ Many gods’. It is most likely that the number three could be suggesting many gods here in the above-given seal inscription. Read my article, ‘Number three specifies many gods and also dangerous gods’ for more information on this issue. (5)

This practice of fencing the cremation area shows that the descendants of the dead person visited the site of cremation. If the ancient Indus valley people had burnt the dead bodies like modern-day Hindus, such a practice will be irrelevant.

Such a practice of fencing is meaningless because in modern-day Hindu crematorium in any town or village, there will be space only for one or two bodies to be burnt. Dead bodies will be arriving regularly, and the same area will be reused within a few days.

However, such a practice of fencing is meaningful if the burial practise is followed, and the relatives visit the grave periodically. For a Hindu, the question visiting a cremation ground is meaningless after collecting the burnt-out remnants of bones.

However, the identification of this ‘fence symbol’ is an excellent evidence for my hypothesis that ancient Indus people were practising burial of their dead people and not of cremation.

Bibliography

1. Oldenberg, Herman. hin/sbe29/sbe29128.htm. http://sacred-texts.com/. [Online] June 2015. http://sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe29/sbe29128.htm.

2. Jeyakumar(Mamsastaka). Astaka_symbols_indicates_the_Mams-Astaka_ritual_in_Indus_script. academia.edu. [Online] https://www.academia.edu/11715645/Astaka_symbols_indicates_the_Mams-Astaka_ritual_in_Indus_script.

3. Sullivan, Sue. Indus Script Dictionary. s.l. : Suzanne Redalia, 2011.

4. Jolly, Julius. hin/sbe07/index.htm. http://sacred-texts.com/. [Online] June 2015. http://sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe07/index.htm.

5. hinduwebsite.com. sacredscripts/hinduism/grihya/sankhayana.asp. http://www.hinduwebsite.com. [Online] june 2015. http://www.hinduwebsite.com/sacredscripts/hinduism/grihya/sankhayana.asp.

The narration of Âsvalâyana-Grihya II, 5, 9 have mâghyâvarsham, mâghâvarsham, mâdhyâvarsham. Vishnu (LXXVI, 1, comp. LXXVIII, 52, and Professor Jolly’s note, Sacred Books of the East, VII, p. 240) (4) mentions ‘the three Ashtakâs, the three Anvashtakâs, a Mâgha day which falls on the thirteenth of the dark half of the month Praushthapada.’ (5). ↑