Octagonal, अष्टाश्रि yūpo bhavati (Satapatha Brahmana) for सोमः

संस्था,Vajapeya soma yajna evidenced in Binjor (ca. 2500 BCE)

The evidence of सोमः सं स्था, Vajapeya yajna attested by Indus Script Corpora and the agnikunda
at the sites of Binjor and Kalibangan attest to the vedic culture continuum in Sarasvati-Sindhu
civilization.

वाजपेय is a सोमः संस्था, i.e. a profession involving the processing of Soma, performance of soma
yajna. A hieroglyph which signifies such a yajna is an octagonal shaped yupa. This octagonal
shape of yupa is attested in ancient texts.

सोमः संस्था, Vajapeya yajna can be interpreted as a smelting process involving metalwork, thus
producing bahusuvarNaka as noted in a Mulavarman yupa Pallava Devanagari script inscription
in Samskritam of Kodei, East Borneo, dated ca. 4th century.

The earliest archaeological evidence (until April 2015) for such a yupa comes from Isapur, a
suburb of Mathura, together with an inscription of Kushana priod ca. 1st cent. CE. Another site
which evidences an agnikunda, a quadrangular yupa and a terracotta cake with Indus Script
hieroglyphs points to the performance of a सोमः सं स्था, Vajapeya yajna is Kalibangan. Both
Binjor and Kalibangan sites evidence metalwork, based on the decipherment of Indus Script
hieroglyphs dug in the artifacts of the sites.

A remarkable archaeological evidence comes in April 2015 from an archaeological site of

Binjor, excavated by the students of Institute of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of India.
The agnikunda was excavated togther with an octagonal shaped yupa in situ. The site is dateable
to ca. 2500 BCE based on the evidence of an Indus Script seal found at the site. The seal is a
metalwork catalogue. See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/12/binjor-seal-with-indus-
script.html

Binjor seal.
Decipherment:
Fish + scales, aya ã̄s (amśu) ‘metallic stalks of stone ore’. Vikalpa: badhoṛ ‘a species of
fish with many bones’ (Santali) Rebus: baḍhoe ‘a carpenter, worker in wood’; badhoria ‘expert
in working in wood’(Santali)

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gaNDa 'four' Rebus: khaNDa 'metal implements' Together with cognate ancu 'iron' the message
is: native metal implements.
Thus, the hieroglyph multiplex reads: aya ancu khaNDa 'metallic iron alloy implements'.

koḍi ‘flag’ (Ta.)(DEDR 2049). Rebus 1: koḍ ‘workshop’ (Kuwi) Rebus 2: khŏḍ m. ‘pit’, khö̆ḍü f.
‘small pit’ (Kashmiri. CDIAL 3947)

The bird hieroglyph: karaḍa

करण्ड m. a sort of duck L. కారండవము (p. 0274) [ kāraṇḍavamu ] kāraṇḍavamu. [Skt.] n. A

sort of duck. (Telugu) karaṭa1 m. ʻ crow ʼ BhP., °aka -- m. lex. [Cf. karaṭu -- , karkaṭu -- m. ʻ
Numidian crane ʼ, karēṭu -- , °ēṭavya -- , °ēḍuka -- m. lex., karaṇḍa2 -- m. ʻ duck ʼ lex:
see kāraṇḍava -- ]Pk. karaḍa -- m. ʻ crow ʼ, °ḍā -- f. ʻ a partic. kind of bird ʼ; S. karaṛa --
ḍhī˜gu m. ʻ a very large aquatic bird ʼ; L. karṛā m., °ṛī f. ʻ the common teal ʼ.(CDIAL
2787) Rebus: karaḍā 'hard alloy'

Thus, the text of Indus Script inscription on the Binjor Seal reads: 'metallic iron alloy
implements, hard alloy workshop' PLUS
the hieroglyphs of one-horned young bull PLUS standard device in front read rebus:

kõda 'young bull, bull-calf' rebus: kõdā 'to turn in a lathe'; kōnda 'engraver,
lapidary'; kundār 'turner'.

Hieroglyph: sãghāṛɔ 'lathe'.(Gujarati) Rebus: sangara 'proclamation.

Together, the message of the Binjor Seal with inscribed text is a proclamation, a metalwork
catalogue (of) 'metallic iron alloy implements, hard alloy workshop'

That the Vajapeya was performed in Binjor is a stunning evidence which is evidence of the
continuum of Vedic culture in Sarasvati-Sindhu civilization because the Binjor archaeological
site is on the banks of Vedic River Sarasvati, close to Anupgarh. Anupgarh is the site clearly
recognized in a LANDSAT image which shows the River Sarasvati lost in the sands of the Great
Marusthali desert due to plate tectonics which resulted in the 90-degree westward diversion of
the tributary River Sutlej at Ropar joining the River Sindhu in Bahawalpur province abandoning
the Vedic River Sarasvati. When Sutlej had joined River Sarasvati at Shatrana, the width of the
combined river palaeo-channel is 20 km., wider than the width of 14 kms. of Brahmaputra river
at Manas, Arunachalpradesh.

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Palaeo-drainage map of Thar desert region using IRS P3 WiFS satellite image Vedic River
Sarasvati

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Synoptic view of Landsat images of NW India showing 6-8 km. wide palaeo-

channel of Sarasvati River (from Siwalik thru Kalibangan and Anupgarh to

Marot)

Ancient River Sarasvati forked at Anupgarh (Rajasthan) as seen from

the LANDSAT image.

Binjor is close to Anupgarh at the River fork.

One channel forked westwards to flow into Cholistan desert

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This reconstruction of rivers, based on geological surveys, corroborates the

LANDSAT imagery showing that at one stage Sutlej flowed independently from

Himalayas into Sindhusagara.

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Map showing sites Kalibangan, Ganweriwala (not far from Binjor)

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Clusters of archaeological sites on the banks of Vedic River Sarasvati (2500 BCE)

Clustering of the sites

towards Ganga-Yamuna doab 3000 BP.

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 Binjor agnikunda with octagonal, अष्टाश्रि yūpa
Read in the context of the Vedic tradition of Vajapeya as a सोमः [सू-मन् Uṇ.1.139]-संस्था a form
of the Soma-sacrifice, the Binjor agnikunda evidences the performance of a Vajapeya yajna.

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Shapes of Yupa: A. Commemorative stone yupa, Isapur – from Vogel, 1910-11, plate 23;
drawing based on Vedic texts – from Madeleine Biardeau, 1988, 108, fig. 1; cf. 1989, fig. 2); C.
Miniature wooden yupa and caSAla from Vaidika Samsodana Mandala Museum of Vedic
sacrificial utensils – from Dharmadhikari 1989, 70) (After Fig. 5 in Alf Hiltebeitel, 1988, The
Cult of Draupadi, Vol. 2, Univ. of Chicago Press, p.22)

Isapur Yupa inscription (102 CE, dated in year 24 in Kushana king Vasishka's reign) indicates
performance of a sattra (yajna) of dvadasarAtra, 'twelve nights'. (Vogel, JP, The sacrificial posts
of Isapur, Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey of India, 1910-11: 40-8).

Vajapeya is one of 7 samstha (profession) for processing/smelting soma (a mineral, NOT a

herbal): सोमः [सू -मन् Uṇ.1.139]-संस्था a form of the Soma-sacrifice; (these are seven:- अश्रिष्टोम,
अत्यश्रिष्टोम, उक्थ, षोढशी, अश्रिरात्र, आप्तोयाा म and वाजपेय). The Vajapeya performed in Binjor and
Balibangan should have been related to the Soma-samstha: सोमः संस्था specified as वाजपेय with
the shape of the yupa with eight- or four-angles.

सं-√ स्था a [p=1121,2]A1. -श्रिष्ठिे ( Pa1n2. 1-3 , 22 ; ep. and mc. also P. -श्रिष्ठश्रि ; Ved. inf. -
स्थािोस् A1pS3r. ) , to stand together , hold together (pf. p. du. -िस्थान् /ए , said of heaven and
earth) RV. ; to build (a town) Hariv. ; to heap , store up (goods) VarBr2S. occupation , business
, profession W.

At the Vājapeya, the yūpa is eight-angled (as in Binjor), corresponding to the eight quarers
(Sat.Br. V.2.1.5 aSTās'rir yūpo bhavati) अश्रि [p= 114,2] f. the sharp side of anything , corner ,
angle (of a room or house) , edge (of a sword) S3Br. Ka1tyS3r.often ifc. e.g. अष्टा*श्रि , श्रत्रर् -
/अश्रि , च्/अिुर्-श्रि , शिा*श्रि q.v. (cf. अि) ;([cf. Lat. acies , acer ; Lith. assmu3]).

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The shape seen commonly in all the shapes of yupa of Isapur is that they are octagonal (eight
angles). The shape matches with the drawing based on Vedic texts by Madeleine Biardeau.

The vedic text which specifies the octagonal shape of the yupa is Satapatha Brahmana.

Sbr. V.2.1.9: While setting up the ladder, the yajñika says to his wife, 'Come, let us go up to
Heaven'. She answers, 'Let us go up'. (Sbr V.2.1.9) and they begin to mount the ladder. At the
top, while touching the head of the post, the yajñika says: 'We have reached Heaven' (Taittiriya
Samhita, SBr. Etc.) 'I have attained to heaven, to the gods, I have become immortal' (Taittiriya
samhita 1.7.9) 'In truth, the yajñika makes himself a ladder and a bridge to reach the celestial
world' (Taittiriya Samhita VI.6.4.2)

Eggeling' translation of Sbr. Pt III, Vol. XLI, Oxford, 1894, p.31 says:
“The post is either wrapped up or bound up in 17 cloths for Prajapati is 17-fold.' The top of the
Yupa carries a wheel called cas'Ala in a horizontal position. The indrakila too is adorned with a
wheel-ike object made of white cloth, but it is placed in a vertical position.

Notes taken from 'The symbolism of the Indrakila' Senarat Paranavitana, Leelananda
Prematilleka, Johanna Engelberta van Lohulzen-De Leeuw, 1978, Senarat Paranavitana
Commemoration Volume, BRILL 1978, p.247)

Kalibangan also shows an agnikunda with a quadrangular yupa base and a terracotta cake with
Indus Script hieroglyphs. The Kalibangan terracotta cake hieroglyphs constitute a catalogue of
metalwork. Together with the agnikunda excavated at the site, the evidence points to a vajapeya
yajna performed at Kalibangan.

Note that the Isapur post is square at the bottom, octagonal in the middle. Kalibangan yupa
shown in the agnikuNDA is square in shape signifying the bottom portion of the yupa meant for
Vajapeya Soma samsthA.

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Kalibangan. Fire-altar with stele 'linga' and terracotta cakes. Plate XXA. "Within one of the
rooms of amost each house was found the curious 'fire-altar', sometimes also in successive
levels, indicating their recurrent function." (p.31)

See: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2013/05/functions-served-by-terracotta-cakes-of.html

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Pl. XXII B. Terracotta cake with incised figures on obverse and reverse, Harappan. On one side
is a human figure wearing a head-dress having two horns and a plant in the centre; on the other
side is an animal-headed human figure with another animal figure, the latter being dragged by
the former.

Decipherment of hieroglyphs on the Kalibangan terracotta cake:

bhaTa 'warrior' rebus: bhaTa 'furnace'

kolmo 'rice plant' rebus: kolimi 'smithy, forge'
koD 'horn' rebus: koD 'workshop'

kola 'tiger' rebus: kolle 'blacksmith', kolhe 'smelter' kol 'working in iron'

The tiger is being pulled to be tied to a post, pillar.

Hieroglyph: Ka. kunda a pillar of bricks, etc. Tu. kunda pillar,
post. Te. kunda id. Malt. kunda block, log. ? Cf. Ta. kantu pillar, post. (DEDR 1723) Rebus:
(agni)kuNDA 'fire-altar, vedi'.

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Hieriglyph: meṛh rope tying to post, pillar: mēthí m. ʻ pillar in threshing floor to which oxen
are fastened, prop for supporting carriage shafts ʼ AV., °thī -- f. KātyŚr.com., mēdhī -- f. Divyāv.
2. mēṭhī -- f. PañcavBr.com., mēḍhī -- , mēṭī -- f. BhP.1. Pa. mēdhi -- f. ʻ post to tie cattle to,
pillar, part of a stūpa ʼ; Pk. mēhi -- m. ʻ post on threshing floor ʼ, N. meh(e), miho, miyo, B. mei,
Or. maï -- dāṇḍi, Bi. mẽh, mẽhā ʻ the post ʼ, (SMunger) mehā ʻ the bullock next the post ʼ,
Mth. meh, mehā ʻ the post ʼ, (SBhagalpur)mīhã̄ ʻ the bullock next the post ʼ, (SETirhut) mẽhi
bāṭi ʻ vessel with a projecting base ʼ.2. Pk. mēḍhi -- m. ʻ post on threshing floor ʼ, mēḍhaka<-> ʻ
small stick ʼ; K. mīr, mīrü f. ʻ larger hole in ground which serves as a mark in pitching walnuts ʼ
(for semantic relation of ʻ post -- hole ʼ see kūpa -- 2); L. meṛh f. ʻ rope tying oxen to each other
and to post on threshing floor ʼ; P. mehṛ f., mehaṛ m. ʻ oxen on threshing floor, crowd ʼ;
OA meṛha, mehra ʻ a circular construction, mound ʼ; Or. meṛhī,meri ʻ post on threshing floor ʼ;
Bi. mẽṛ ʻ raised bank between irrigated beds ʼ, (Camparam) mẽṛhā ʻ bullock next the post ʼ, Mth.
(SETirhut) mẽṛhā ʻ id. ʼ; M. meḍ(h), meḍhī f., meḍhā m. ʻ post, forked stake ʼ.mēthika -- ;
mēthiṣṭhá -- . mēthika m. ʻ 17th or lowest cubit from top of sacrificial post ʼ lex. [mēthí --
]Bi. mẽhiyā ʻ the bullock next the post on threshing floor ʼ.mēthiṣṭhá ʻ standing at the post ʼ TS.
[mēthí -- , stha -- ] Bi. (Patna) mĕhṭhā ʻ post on threshing floor ʼ, (Gaya) mehṭā, mẽhṭā ʻ the
bullock next the post ʼ.(CDIAL 10317 to, 10319) Rebus: meD 'iron' (Ho.); med 'copper' (Slavic)
Note the Isapur yupa which show ropes in the middle and on the top to tie an animal as shown on
the Kaibangan terracotta cake. In the case of the Kalibangan terracotta cake, the hieroglyph
shows a kola, 'tiger' tied to the rope. The rebus reading is kol 'working in iron'. The work in iron
is signified by the post, yupa: meḍ(h), 'post, stake' rebus: meḍ 'iron', med 'copper' (Slavic).

Thus, the terracotta cake inscription signifies a iron workshop smelter/furnace and smithy.
http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/12/kalibangan-terracotta-cake-hieroglyphs.html

S. Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Research Center
January 2, 2016

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