Lexicon

of Rig Veda

takvan, hunter

The exact meaning of the word is unknown, it occurs once in the Veda. Monier-Williams: rushing, bird of prey; Sayana, Wilson, Dutt: steed; Griffit: swift bird; Oldenberg: quich takvan (and gives a note: we do not know what animal the takvan is); Jamison: a swooping (bird); Sri Aurobindo, Kashyap, Ganguly: galloping steed; T. Elizarenkova: fierce (wild beast). The word is derivative of the verb tak, to rush along. As it follows from the context, the word has the connotation of pursuit, attack, search, to which the word hunter answers. Agni, everywhere looking for growth opportunities on the Earth, finds them in a tree-thought rising from the Earth to the Heaven in hundreds of branches, whose top is held by Varuna.

See also:

•  tree, forest (vana)