Savitri - Sabitori (English spelling) Savit

One of the names of the sun god of ancient India. Etymologically, among the many aspects of the sun, Savitri means "giving life force to all things, inspiring and encouraging them." It is distinguished from the sun and is called "the one who guides the sun," but it is also understood as the sun itself. It is said that every day, Savitri appears from afar in a golden chariot pulled by two golden horses and runs along a fixed road in the sky, but on the other hand, he is also called "the pure one who has existed since ancient times." In other words, Savitri, who stretches out his golden hands and arms to shower grace on all people, watches over all things with his golden eyes, and illuminates the entire universe with his rays, exorcises disasters and illnesses and drives away demons. Moreover, he made all things to reside in their proper places, such as the wild animals in the wilderness, the horses in the forests, and the livestock in the stables, and even the gods obeyed his laws and maintained their respective positions.

He is said to not only stimulate all things into activity as the morning sun, but also to lead everything to rest at dusk as the evening sun.

[Hara Minoru]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古代インドの太陽神の一名称。語源的には、太陽のもつ多くの側面のなかでも「万物への生命力賦与、鼓舞、激励」を意味し、太陽と区別されて「太陽を導くもの」といわれるが、太陽そのものとしても理解されている。毎日、2頭の黄金の馬が引く黄金の馬車に乗って遠方より現れ、定まった空界の道を駆けて行くといわれるが、一方では「太古より存在する穢(けがれ)なき者」とも称せられている。つまり、黄金の両手、両腕を差し伸べては万民に恩寵(おんちょう)を垂れ、黄金の眼(め)をもって万物を見はるかすとともに、光線によって全宇宙を照らし出すサビトリは、災厄や病患を祓(はら)い、悪魔を駆逐する。のみならず、荒野には野獣、森林には馬、厩舎(きゅうしゃ)には家畜というように、万物をしかるべきところに拠(よ)らしめ、神々さえも彼の掟(おきて)に従ってそれぞれの分限を守ったとされる。

　彼は朝日として万物を活動に促すだけでなく、夜の太陽として夕暮れにいっさいを安息に導くといわれる。

［原　實］

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