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

162 THE ARCTIC HOME IN THE VEDAS. the next chapter. For the present, we confine ourselves to the sattra of the Aṅgirases, and have to see if we can find out other means for determining its duration. Such a means is, fortunately, furnished by the Ṛig-Veda itself. There are two chief species of the Aṅgirases (Aṅgiras-tama), called the Navagvas and the Daśhagvas, mentioned in the Ṛig-Veda (X, 62, 5 and 6): These two classes of ancient sacrificers are generally mentioned together, and the facts attributed to the Aṅgirases are also attributed to them. Thus the Navagvas are spoken of as 'our ancient fathers,' in VI, 22, 2, and as 'our fathers' along with Aṅgirases and Bhṛigu in X, 14, 6. Like the Aṅgirases, the Navagvas are also connected with the myth of Indra overthrowing Vala, and of Saramâ and Paṇis (I, 62, 3 and 4; V, 29, 12; V, 45, 7; X, 108, 8). In one of these Indra is described as having taken their assistance when he rent the rock and Vala (I, 62, 4); and in V, 29, 12, the Nava- gvas are said to have praised Indra with songs and broken open the firmly closed stall of the cows. But there are only two verses in which the duration of their sacrificial session is mention- ed. Thus V, 45, 7 says, "Here, urged by hands, hath loudly rung the press-stone, with which the Navagvas sang (sacrificed) for ten months"; and in the eleventh verse of the same hymn the poet says, "I place upon (offer to) the waters your light-winning prayers wherewith the Navagvas completed their ten months."* In II, 34, 12, we again read, "They, the Dashagvas, brought out (of- fered) sacrifice first of all. May they favour us at the flashing forth of the dawn": while in IV, 51, 4, † the Dawns are said "to have dawned richly on the Navagva Aṅgira,

• Ṛig. V, 45, 7,—अनूनोदत्र हस्तयतो अद्रिरार्चन् येन दश मासो नव- ग्वाः। V. 45, 11,—धियं वो अप्सु दधिषे स्वर्षां यया तरन् दश मासो न- वग्वाः। † Ṛig. IV, 51, 4,—कुवित्स देवीः सनयो नवो वा यामो बभूयादुषसो वो अद्य। येना नवग्वे अंगिरे दशग्वे सप्तास्ये रेवती रेवदूष ॥