[INDOLOGY] mārtāṇḍa

Thu Oct 8 09:46:19 UTC 2026

Many thanks to Per-Johan, Herman, Carmen, David, Nagaraj, and others who replied off list to my query.

Matthew

Matthew T. Kapstein
Professor emeritus
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, PSL Research University, Paris

Numata Visiting Professor of Buddhist Studies Emeritus
The University of Chicago Divinity School

Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences

https://ephe.academia.edu/MatthewKapstein

https://vajrabookshop.com/product/the-life-and-work-of-auleshi/

https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501716218/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-i/#bookTabs=1

https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501771255/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-ii/#bookTabs=1

https://brill.com/edcollbook/title/60949

Sent from [Proton Mail](https://proton.me/mail/home) for iOS.

-------- Original Message --------
On Wednesday, 10/07/26 at 21:15 Herman Tull <hermantull at gmail.com> wrote:

> Matthew,
>
> Hope this helps, but Hoffman's "Martanda und Gayomart" was originally appeared in Münchener Studien zur Sprachwissenschaft 11 (1975): 85-103. Also, I seem to recall some discussion of Martanda (hope I am recalling correctly) in Kuiper's "Cosmogony and Conception: A Query" [History of Religions, Vol. 10, No. 2 (Nov., 1970), pp. 91-138.]
>
> Along with RV 10.72, there is a short passage about Martanda in the Satapatha Brahmana (3.1.3.1-4, Eggeling's trans):
>
> 1. Having brought water forward[Viz. the so-called 'praṇītāḥ,' see part i, p. 9 note. The offering, described in the following paragraphs, is called the Dīkṣaṇī-yeṣṭi, 'Consecration offering.' As to the formulas used at the offering, see Ait. Br. I, 4 seq.](https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/satapatha-brahmana-english/d/doc63183.html#note-e-35101), he takes out (the material for) a cake on eleven potsherds for [Agni](https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/agni#hinduism) and [Viṣṇu](https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vishnu#hinduism); for Agni is all the deities, since it is in Agni that offering is made to all the deities. Moreover Agni is the lower half, and Viṣṇu is the upper half of the sacrifice: 'I will become consecrated after encompassing all the deities, after encompassing the entire sacrifice,' thus he thinks, and hence there is a cake on eleven potsherds for Agni and Viṣṇu.
>
> 2. Some then offer a rice-pap to the [Ādityas](https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/aditya#hinduism). This is referred to (in the passage, [Rig-veda](https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/rigveda#hinduism) X, 72, 8), 'There are eight sons of [Aditi](https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/aditi#hinduism) who were born from her body; with seven she went to the gods, but [Mārtāṇḍa](https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/martanda#hinduism)[The bird, Viṣṇu, the sun.](https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/satapatha-brahmana-english/d/doc63183.html#note-e-35102) she cast off.'
>
> 3. Now Aditi had eight sons. But those that are called 'the gods, sons of Aditi,' were only seven, for the eighth, Mārtāṇḍa, she brought forth unformed[Or, the eighth she brought forth undeveloped, as a mārtāṇḍa (? either a bird, or, more probably, in accordance with Taitt. S. VI, 5, 6, 1, = vyṛddham āṇḍam, 'an abortive egg'). See Rig-veda Sanhitā, translated by M. M., p. 239.](https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/satapatha-brahmana-english/d/doc63183.html#note-e-35103): it was a mere lump of bodily matter[Sandegha; the St. Petersburg Dict. takes it in the sense of 'doubt, uncertainty,' in this passage.](https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/satapatha-brahmana-english/d/doc63183.html#note-e-35104), as broad as it was high. Some, however, say that he was of the size of a man.
>
> 4. The gods, sons of Aditi, then spake, 'That which was born after us[Or, perhaps, after the manner of us (anu).](https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/satapatha-brahmana-english/d/doc63183.html#note-e-35105) must not be lost: come, let us fashion it.' They accordingly fashioned it as this man is fashioned. The flesh which was cut off him, and thrown down in a lump, became the elephant: hence they say that one must not accept an elephant (as a gift)[Muir, O. S. T. IV, 15, reads 'parigṛhṇīyāt' instead of 'pratigṛhṇīyāt,' and translates, 'let no one catch an elephant, for an elephant partakes of the nature of man.'](https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/satapatha-brahmana-english/d/doc63183.html#note-e-35106), since the elephant has sprung from man. Now he whom they thus fashioned was [Vivasvat](https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vivasvat#hinduism), the [Āditya](https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/aditya#hinduism) (or the sun); and of him (came) these creatures.
>
> 5. He spake, 'Among my offspring he shall be successful who shall offer that rice-pap to the Ādityas.' Accordingly he alone succeeds who offers that rice-pap to the Ādityas. Only that (cake) to Agni and Viṣṇu is, however, generally approved.
>
> I wrote a long (and re-reading it now, not very good) paper on the myth in grad school--circa 1980). I still have it and ;ooking at the bibliography now, I don't see much other than the Hoffman and Kuiper articles as far as the Vedic Martanda goes. Or---are you looking for another Martanda
>
> best,
>
> Herman
>
> Herman Tull
>
> Princeton, NJ
>
> On Wed, Oct 7, 2026 at 12:50 PM Matthew Kapstein via INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info> wrote:
>
>> Dear Carmen,
>>
>> Thank you very much for I will try to find it.
>>
>> best,
>> Matthew
>>
>> Matthew T. Kapstein
>> Professor emeritus
>> Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, PSL Research University, Paris
>>
>> Numata Visiting Professor of Buddhist Studies Emeritus
>> The University of Chicago Divinity School
>>
>> Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
>>
>> https://ephe.academia.edu/MatthewKapstein
>>
>> https://vajrabookshop.com/product/the-life-and-work-of-auleshi/
>>
>> https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501716218/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-i/#bookTabs=1
>>
>> https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501771255/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-ii/#bookTabs=1
>>
>> https://brill.com/edcollbook/title/60949
>>
>> Sent from [Proton Mail](https://proton.me/mail/home) for iOS.
>>
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> On Wednesday, 10/07/26 at 17:07 Carmen Spiers <carmensylviaspiers at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Dear Matthew,
>>>
>>> I know of:
>>> Hoffmann, Karl. 1976. «Mārtāṇḍa and Gayōmart». In German Scholars on India. Contributions to Indian Studies. Éd. Cultural Department of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany. Vol. II, Bombay, p.100-117 [=Aufsätze zur Indoiranistik 1975-1992, p. 715-732].
>>>
>>> Best,
>>> Carmen
>>>
>>> On Wed, 7 Oct 2026 at 16:28, Matthew Kapstein via INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Dear friends,
>>>>
>>>> Are there any studies you might recommend on the origins and history of the word mārtāṇḍa?
>>>>
>>>> No need to send dictionary entries.
>>>>
>>>> with thanks,
>>>> Matthew
>>>>
>>>> Matthew T. Kapstein
>>>> Professor emeritus
>>>> Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, PSL Research University, Paris
>>>>
>>>> Numata Visiting Professor of Buddhist Studies Emeritus
>>>> The University of Chicago Divinity School
>>>>
>>>> Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
>>>>
>>>> https://ephe.academia.edu/MatthewKapstein
>>>>
>>>> https://vajrabookshop.com/product/the-life-and-work-of-auleshi/
>>>>
>>>> https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501716218/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-i/#bookTabs=1
>>>>
>>>> https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501771255/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-ii/#bookTabs=1
>>>>
>>>> https://brill.com/edcollbook/title/60949
>>>>
>>>> Sent from [Proton Mail](https://proton.me/mail/home) for iOS.
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> INDOLOGY mailing list
>>>> INDOLOGY at list.indology.info
>>>> https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Carmen Sylvia Spiers
>>
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