Water buffalo

thumb|A water buffalo The water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), also called domestic water buffalo, Asian water buffalo and Asiatic water buffalo, is a large bovid originating in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Quotes As friend to aid a friend, Agni dressed quickly three hundred buffaloes, even as he willed it.And Indra, from man's gift, for Vṛtra's slaughter, drank ofr at once three lakes of pressed-out Soma. Rigveda 5.29.7 When, Mighty Lord of Heroes, thou didst cat a thousand buffaloes,Then grew and waxed exceeding great thine Indra-power. Rigveda 8.12.8 This Soma, pressed into the cleansing filter, hath run as ’twere a host let loose, the Courser;Like a strong bull who whets his horns kpen-pointed, like a brave warrior in the fray for cattle. Rigveda 9.87.7 As the priest seeks the station rich in cattle, like a true King who goes to great assemblies,Soma hath sought the beakers while they cleansed him, and like a wild bull, in the wood hath settled. Rigveda 9.92.6 Knowing his form, the sages yearned to meet him: they have come nigh to hear the wild Bull's bellow.Performing sacrifice they reached the river: for the Gandharva found the immortal waters. Rigveda 10.123.4 Out of 51 cases of description of buffalo in RV only 2 in the latest cycle do not have a sharply defined sacred character (X.28.10 and X.60.3 (but this mention may have religious significance if we compare it with the verse I.174.4)). In all other 49 allusions the image of buffalo is used exclusively to characterize Devas and related figures and never to signify evil powers or personages. А.А. Семененко ENDEMIC CATTLE OF SOUTH ASIA IN RIGVEDA, Gymnasia No 2, Voronezh, Russia We can state with all certainty that IAs of RV during the whole period of the Samhita’s composition had a highly developed and widespread worship of buffalo which was an integral part of their more general divinization of the Bull. А.А. Семененко ENDEMIC CATTLE OF SOUTH ASIA IN RIGVEDA, Gymnasia No 2, Voronezh, Russia So we see that the endemic cattle of South Asia (Bos indicus, Bubalus bubalis, Bos gaurus, Bos Gavaeus) were very well known to the authors of RV during all period of its composition, played an important role in (the economy of) the RVedic society and these bovines were divinized, worshipped, sacrificed and mythologized. А.А. Семененко ENDEMIC CATTLE OF SOUTH ASIA IN RIGVEDA, Gymnasia No 2, Voronezh, Russia External links Category:Animals