The ritual pragmatics of a Vedic hymn: The 'Riddle Hymn' and the Pravargya ritual

The present paper explores the relation of the "riddle hymn," Rgveda 1.164, with the Pravargya ritual, one of the few rituals that are specifically referred to in the Rgveda. Starting from the few verses which have a well-established and generally acknowledged relation with specific episodes in the Pravargya ritual (about which we have detailed information only from later texts), this paper shows that several other enigmatic verses yield a convincing interpretation when placed in the context of the Pravargya. The ritual interpretations can, moreover, serve to clarify and harmonize some of the traditional, more philosophical interpretations of the verses. Thus, the findings have important implications for our understanding of the early development of Vedic ritual and also of Indian thought and philosophical speculation.