वेदों की प्राचीनता एवं काल-निर्णय / ओरायन (लोकमान्य बाल गंगाधर तिलक - खगोलीय वैदिक शोध)

LONG DAY AND LONG NIGHT. 147 as may legitimately follow from it. The fact that the north is designated by the word ut-tara, meaning 'upper,' and the south by adha-ra, meaning 'lower,' also points to the same conclusion; for the north cannot be over-head or 'upper' except to an obser- ver at or near the North Pole. In later literature, we find a tradition that the path of the sun lies through regions which are lower (adhaḥ) than the abode of the Seven Ṛishis, or the con- stellation of Ursa Major.* That ecliptic lies to the south of the con- stellation is plain enough, but it cannot be said to be below the constellation, unless the zenith of the observer is in the con- stellation, or between it and the North Pole, a position, possible only in the case of an observer in the Arctic region. I have already quoted a passage from the Ṛig-Veda, which speaks of the Seven Bears (Ṛikshâḥ), as being placed on high in the heavens (uchchâḥ). But I have not been able to find out any Vedic authority for the tradition that the sun's path lies below the constellation of the Seven Bears. It has also been stated previously that mere southerly direction of the sun, even if com- pletely established, is not a sure indication of the observer being within the circum-polar region, as the sun will appear to move always to the south of the observer even in the temperate zone. It is, therefore, not necessary to pursue this point further. It has been shown that the Ṛig-Veda mentions the long night and the long day, and we shall see in the next chapter that the months and the seasons mentioned in this Old Book fully accord with the theory we have formed from the evidence hitherto discussed. * See Kâlidâsa's Kumârasambhava, VI, 7,—अधःप्रस्थापिताश्वेन समा- वर्जितकेतुना । सहस्ररश्मिना साक्षात्सप्रणाममुदीक्षिताः । Also I, 16,—सप्त- र्षिहस्तावचितावशेषानधो विवस्वान् परिवर्तमानः । See also Mallinâtha's commentary on these verses.