Page:The Religion of the Veda.djvu/158

in marriage to the whole world of gods and mortals. The suitor who gains favor is Vivasvant, conceived as a mortal. Saranyū, barely wedded, is displeased with Vivasvant and flees; not, however, until she had given birth to the twins Yama and Yamī. This marriage, you perceive, provides the twins with a mother, whereas they have previously had only a father. In order to make sure her escape, she changes into a mare and flees to the gods, who hide her away from her mortal family, Vivasvant, Yama, and Yamī. The gods, in order to make matters still more safe, construct another female, called Savarnã, who is to take Saranyū's place in Vivasvant's affections. The word savarṇā means "of like character"; it trickily states that the new female was at one and the same time like Saranyū in appearance, and also suitable in character to the mortal Vivasvant – more suitable than the divine Saranyū, we may perhaps understand. Vivasvant begets Manu with the Savarnā, and thus Manu comes into possession both of a father and mother. Ultimately Vivasvant finds out the deception practised upon him, follows Saranyū in the shape of a horse,^[1] and thus gaining her favor, begets with her the Açvins, "the Horsemen" or Dioscuri. Saranyū abandons them also, just as she has previously

1. ↑ Cf. the classical Pasiphaë myth.