amrita

[George Thompson]

Dear List,

The Thieme article is found in his *Studien zur indogermanischen 
Wortkunde und Religionsgeschichte* [Berichte ueber die Verhandlkungen 
der Saechsischen Akad. d. Wissenschaften zu Leipzig. Phil.-Hist. Klasse, 
Band 98, Heft 5] 1952.  It is reprinted in the Weg d. Forschung series 
Band CLXIX 1970 [Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft].  The article does 
not deny that amrta can mean 'immortal.'  It argues that it can also 
mean 'having, giving life' ['lebendig, Lebenskraft spendend'], citing 
many Vedic passages.

I hope this helps.

George Thompson

Steven Lindquist wrote:

> Dear Victor,
>
> On "immortality," see Olivelle's "Amṛtā: Women and Indian  
> Technologies of Immortality," Journal of Indian Philosophy. 25: 427–
> 49, 1997.  Free download at: 
> http://asnic.utexas.edu/asnic/olivelle/articles.htm   See esp. 
> Thieme's "Ambrosia" (cited within).
>
> My best,
>
> Steven
>
> On May 16, 2009, at 4:42 AM, victor van bijlert wrote:
>
>> Dear friends,
>>
>> I remember vaguely to have learned that in Vedic Sanskrit the word  
>> amrita
>> does not mean immortality but rather something like ' long life'.  
>> Can anyone
>> provide me with some references to articles on this word? I am also  
>> looking
>> for parallels in other Vedic texts of the so-called Purusha-sukta  
>> (Rig Veda
>> 10.90).Or perhaps adaptations of this hymn in later Sanskrit  
>> literature:
>> Epics, Puranas.
>>
>> With many greetings and many thanks
>>
>> Victor van Bijlert
>
>
>