From: kishore patnaik
Message: 59423
Date: 2008-06-28
The king of Asuric Brahmins was Vritra.
Another king Vangrida ruled over 100 cities. He was killed by Indra.
8 Thou hast struck down in death Karanja, Parnaya, in Atithigva's very glorious going forth.(with the brightest spear of Atithigva)
Unyielding, when Rjisvan compassed them with siege, thou hast destroyed the hundred forts of Vangrida (without helper).( RV 1.53: 8)(this is repeated in Hymn 21 of Book 20 of Atharva veda) (RV. I. 51.5; I.53.8)
Thou slewest with thy bolt the Sasyu . . .
Far from the floor of Heaven in all directions,
the ancient riteless ones fled to destruction . . .
The Dasyu thou hast burned from the heavens.
They met in fight the army of the blameless,
then the Navagvas put forth all their power.
Like emasculates contending with men they fled,
by steep paths from Indra they scattered.
Indra broke through Ilibsa's strong castles,
and Sushna with his horn he cut to pieces . . .
Thou slewest thy fighting foe with thy Thunder . . .
Fierce on his enemies fell Indra's weapon.
with his sharp rushing Thunderbolt
he rent their towns to pieces.
Thou goest forth from fight to fight intrepidly,
destroying castle after castle with thy strength.
Thou Indra, with thy friend who makes the foe bow down,
slowest from far away the guileful Namuchi.
Thou hast struck down in death Karanja, Parnaya . . .
Thou hast destroyed the hundred towns of Vangrida.
The ridges of the lofty heaven thou madest shake
when thou, daring, by thyself smote Sambara.
Interestingly, Sambara also seems to be same person.
3 In the wild joy of Soma I demolished Śambara's forts, ninety-and-nine, together;
And, utterly, the hundredth habitation, when helping Divodāsa Atithigva.
(RV book 4, hymn 26, verse 3)
The reference to Divodasa Atithigva and 100 forts/cities is important here.
[confused references to a Asuric and demented magician
Sambara in Buddhist literature are
galore, made more interesting with connection of Puranic Sambara with Mayavati
and magic Note that Vsnu purana also talks of a Sambara, who is the best of
enchanters )
Sambara was the son of Kulitara, a Dasa living in the mountains and it took 40 autumns for Indra to find him.
Smoting him, Indra made Divodasa , the soma presser and the
Bharadwaja, who praised Indra, rich with treasures.
Yet at another place, Indra and Vsnu are praised for smiting
nine and ninety fortresses of Sambara, killing 100 men and thousand
'Varcins" without a fight.
The connection of Vsnu makes it more allegorical, since Vsnu always stood for the all pervading space. This verse might be having a Yogic meaning. For eg., Benfey in his glossary to Sama veda identifies Sambara (just as Vrtra) with clouds,water and force (bala).
I came across a name Marana dharma in some articles who is supposed to be having rule over land and sea. However, I could not find the reference for this in the Rg veda itself.