Chapters 44-95 - Germanic Mythology

corrupted by contact with improper elements. The purest fire, that which was originally
kindled by the gods and was afterwards given to man as an invaluable blessing, as a bond
of union between the higher world and mankind, was a fire which was produced by
rubbing two objects together (friction). In hundreds of passages this is corroborated in
Rigveda, and the belief still exists among the common people of various Germanic
peoples. The great mill which revolves the starry heavens was also the mighty rubbing
machine (friction machine) from which the sacred fire naturally ought to proceed, and
really was regarded as having proceeded, as shall be shown below.
The word möndull, with which the handle of the mill is designated, is found
among our ancient Indo-European ancestors. It can be traced back to the ancient
Germanic manthula, a swing-tree (Fick, Wörterbuch der indogermanischen
Grundsprache III, 232) 7 , related to Sanskrit Manthati, to swing, twist, bore, 8 from the
root manth, which occurs in numerous passages in Rigveda, and in its direct application
always refers to the production of fire by friction (Bergaigne, Rel. ved., III. 7). 9
In Rigveda, the sacred fire is personified by the "pure," upright," "benevolent"
god Agni, whose very name, related to the Latin ignis, designates the god of fire.
According to Rigveda, there was a time when Agni lived concealed from both gods and
men, as the element of light and warmth found in all beings and things. Then there was a
time when he dwelt in person among the gods, but not yet among men; and, finally, there
was a time when Mâtaricvan, a sacred being and Agni's father in a literal or symbolic
sense, brought it about that Agni came to our fathers (Rigv., 1: 60, 1). 10 The generation of
men then living was the race of Bhriguians, so-called after an ancient patriarch Bhrigu.
This Bhrigu, and with him Manu (Manus), was the first person who, in his sacrifices to
the gods, used the fire obtained through Agni (Rigv., 1:. 31, 17, and other passages). 11
When, at the instigation of Mâtaricvan, Agni arrived among mankind, he came
from a far-off region (Rigv., 1: 128, 2). 12 The Bhriguians who did not yet possess the fire,
7 August Fick (1833-1916), Wörterbuch der indogermanischen Grundsprache in ihrem Bestande vor der
Völkertrennung 3, 232, Göttingen, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1868
8 Ursula Dronke confirms this (PE II, pg. 116): "Völuspá 5/1-4: Möndull (cf. HH, II 3, 4, Grott. 20) is
thought to be related to Skr. Manthati, 'to stir, turn round', manthá, --'stirring spoon' (Jan DeVries'
Alternordisches etymolisches Wörterbuch, 3 rd ed. Leidn, 1977), but there are no related verbs in Gmc, even
though variants of möndull (and possibly mundill) are found in all the Scandinavaian languages. If
Mundilfæri did mean 'Carrier of the Mill-handle, he would be the upper millstone itself, which 'carries' the
möndull/ mundill (fitted into a slot in the stone) and is turned by it. …I would relate the statements in Vsp
5/1-4 and Vafþ 23 to the archiac concept of the cosmic mill, by which the heavens turn on the world pillar,
regulating seasons and time, and I would suppose that the lost lines 5/5-8 had made this theme clearer.
Since Vigfusson's wise insight, we now have an incisive analysis of comparative mythological material on
the themes of the cosmic mill in ON, Finnic, and Indian by C. Tolley. 'The Mill in Norse and Finnish
Mythology' SBVS 24 (1994-95) 63-82.
9 Brief Description: Abel Bergaigne (1838-1888) La religion védique d'après les hymnes du Rig-Véda.
Paris, F. Vieweg, 1878-97.
10 Rigveda 1: 60, 1 In a verse to Agni: "As 'twere some goodly treasure Mâtaricvan brought, as a gift, the
glorious priest to Bhrigu" This quote and the following series translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith in The
Hymns of the Rigveda." Erroneous references will be marked with an asterix (*).
11 Rigv. 1: 31, 17 "As erst to Manus, to Yayati, Angiras, so Angiras! Pure Agni come to our hall!"
12 Rigv. 1: 128, 2 "The god whom Mâtaricvan brought from far away, to Manus from far away."